Beatles News
Artie Kornfeld is a music business legend. Perhaps best known, alongside his friend/partner Michael Lang, as one of the founders of 1969's legendary Woodstock festival, Kornfield is also an accomplished songwriter (his songs have been recorded by Cher, The Bangles, Dusty Springfield and many more), a musician, a hugely successful A&R executive, and the former Vice President of Rock Music at Capitol Records. Over the years, he was responsible for either signing or promoting artists such as Pink Floyd, Kiss, Neil Young, Aerosmith, Tom Petty, Blondie, Bruce Springsteen and more... a decent CV, we're sure you'll agree.
He also has the distinction - if that's the appropriate word - of once being pissed on by former Beatle John Lennon.
Kornfeld shares this story in a wide-ranging with new interview with Goldmine.
“I was at [New York recording studio] the Hit Factory, and my engineer, Shelly Yakus, and I were there with my musician pals, Hugh McCracken and David Sanborn and all my friends, and all of a sudden it's like three in the morning,” the 81-year-old industry veteran recalls. “So I said, Guys, let's take a break for a half hour. And I ran into the bathroom like crazy and put four lines of pharmaceutical cocaine on the back of a urinal. This is a true story, and I'm making it public because it's hysterical. It shows the sickness of cocaine.
“So I go to the urinal and I start the four lines, and I feel a wet stream going down my left leg,” Kornfeld continues. “I look over my shoulder and see John Lennon's head. I knew John was in the next studio with Jack Douglas doing the Double Fantasy album. So he looks at me and he goes, 'I can't see a thing without my specs and I left them in the studio.' Then he says, 'Who are you?' And I go, Oh, I'm Artie Kornfeld. Then he goes, 'That’s amazing, you're Artie Kornfeld. I know who you are.'
“What he said next blew my mind,” Kornfeld tells Goldmine. “He said, 'Do you know that the first record I ever bought was The Pied Piper by Crispian St. Peters!' I couldn’t believe that John Lennon just told me I wrote one of his favorite songs.”
Source: Paul Brannigan/loudersound.com
Ask Ringo Starr about his decades-long love affair with Ludwig drums. Go ahead; we did. You’re guaranteed to smile.
What’s more, the Beatles drummer also gave two thumbs up (and playfully stuck out his tongue) when The Charlotte Observer asked about his instruments made in North Carolina — and nowhere else — for 40 years now.
So may we introduce to you the Beatle we’ve pursued for all these years, as he finally tells the Observer exactly what those drums mean to him.
Starr, now 84, also took questions from other U.S. and international reporters during a 50-minute Zoom press conference earlier this year from his home studio in L.A. The occasion was the kick-off of his latest All-Starr Band tour and on the heels of his new album, “Crooked Boy.” (That tour and Starr’s drums don’t have Charlotte on the itinerary.)
A relaxed, joking Starr was dressed all in black, with a small chain and silver peace sign pendant around his neck. During the Q & A, where his publicity team read him reporters’ questions, Starr also discussed his old mates, AI and keeping the vibes positive. Ringo Starr answered a Charlotte Observer question about his long-standing love of his Ludwig drums, which have been made in Monroe for 40 years. It took the Observer nine years to connect with the Beatle.
Back in 2015, the Observer profiled Ludwig’s operations at its Monroe plant and has been seeking an interview with Starr ever since. We had to know why he sought these particular drums, out of all the drums out there.
Source: Adam Bell/heraldsun.com
While The Beatles did their best to perform their most-loved songs while they were still touring, quite a few tracks have never been performed live by the Fab Four. The group retired (officially) from touring in 1966, and quite a bit of music never got to see a proper live performance. It’s sad, but understandable.
However, there is one song that had about a year of life before the band retired to be played in front of audiences. Regardless, the Fab Four never played it live; and many fans wonder why, considering it’s a great song. The track happens to be George Harrison’s second songwriting credit for the band, and it’s also considered by many to be Harrison’s very first “big” track contribution to the band’s discography.
The song in question is “I Need You” from the 1965 Beatles album Help! Why The Beatles Never Performed “I Need You” Live
It’s a little puzzling why The Beatles (or George Harrison alone) never performed “I Need You” live. Harrison went on two substantial tours while he was alive, in 1974 and 1991, respectively. He also put on a number of one-night-only shows throughout his career, notably with the Concert For Bangladesh event.
We can understand why The Beatles didn’t perform the song live before their retirement in 1966. There wasn’t much time left, and their setlist slots were reserved for fan favorites. However, why wouldn’t George Harrison perform the iconic song live during his solo career?
None of the Fab Four ever revealed why they didn’t perform the song. However, there is a pretty likely reason why Harrison never performed the song during his solo treks.
Years after “I Need You” was released, Harrison said that he had quite a bit of trouble working with the volume foot pedal used with his Rickenbacker 12-string guitar while recording the song.
Source: Em Casalena/americansongwriter.com
In 1964, The Beatles were already the biggest band on the planet. But after meeting Bob Dylan one night after a show in New York, something would happen that would change the foursome forever!
It was August 28, 1964, and The Beatles just finished playing a show at Forest Hills Stadium in New York. After the show, they headed over to a hotel to meet with some friends.
Among those friends was none other than Bob Dylan. It was like a match made in heaven, They all had a tremendous amount of respect for each other. Bob, who loved The Beatles music, had a small misunderstanding about the Fab Four though...
See, Bob had misheard some lyrics in the song "I Want to Hold Your Hand". He thought he heard them say "I get high" instead of "I can't hide" and thought the band was into smoking weed.
The funny part about this is that until that night, The Beatles had never smoked weed. So Bob decided to offer them some from his personal stash! And the band decided to give it a shot.
Source: Matt Miller/rock95.com
A man's Beatles toy figure was spotted by Paul McCartney - and has now become official merch.
Figure-maker David McGurk created a mini George Martin – The Beatles’ producer who passed away in 2016 – and posted a photo of it on his social media.
The 46-year-old, who is a huge fan of the iconic band, was surprised to be contacted by Martin’s son Giles – also a talented record producer.
Giles asked for one which David sent to Abbey Road recording studio and it was spotted by Macca - who insisted it sit on a mixing desk during a session.
Stunned Giles was then asked to make 100 more - to go on sale at the Abbey Road Studios shop.
Giles, from Clydebank, Scotland, said: ''Giles he told me ‘I really like the figure of my dad, if you make any more, I’d like one’ so I thought right away ‘I’m going to do it’.
“I made a new George Martin figure, and I made one of Giles as well because I thought ‘I’ll put this in as a wee surprise’.
“I sent it down to Abbey Road which was crazy in itself.
“‘Can you just send it down and I’ll give you the address; it’s Abbey Road’ he said, as if I didn’t know!”
Source: MSN
Dr. Arthur Janov believed the repressed pain of childhood trauma led to neurosis and felt the resolution could be achieved by re-experiencing specific incidents and expressing the resulting pain through therapy. He called it primal therapy, and it was developed to elicit the repressed pain in a way traditional talking therapy does not. John Lennon, actor James Earl Jones, and pianist Roger Williams all advocated primal therapy. It was in 1970 that Janov published his first book The Primal Scream. In March of that year, he started treating both John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Let’s take a look at the story behind “Mother” by John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.
Mother, you had me
But I never had you
I, I wanted you
You didn’t want me
So, I
I just got to tell you
Goodbye
Goodbye
Julia
Lennon’s father Alf was a merchant seaman who was away from home the majority of the time. When Lennon was 5 years old, his father returned and planned to take the youngster to New Zealand. Lennon’s mother Julia objected and convinced her estranged husband to leave the boy. She gave custody to her sister Mimi, who lived close by. Lennon couldn’t help but feel abandoned even though he reconnected with his mother in his teenage years. She bought him his first guitar and showed him banjo chords, encouraging his love of rock ‘n’ roll and rhythm & blues. On July 15, 1958, Julia Lennon was killed when she was hit by a car after leaving her sister’s house.
Father, you left me
But I never left you
I needed you
You didn’t need me
So, I
I just got to tell you, mm
Goodbye
Goodbye
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Source: Jay McDowell/americansongwriter.com
On Aug. 7, a vandal spray-painted obscene graffiti over the iconic John Lennon mural at 1020 Garnet Ave. in Pacific Beach. The popular mural, painted in 2006, based on a famous photograph of the musician, was damaged beyond repair.
Haseeb Akbarzada, the owner of the business where it happened, 365 Reloaded Smoke Shop on Garnet near Cass, decided to paint over the entire wall with the intent of reviving the mural.
Now, that’s happening, as muralist Jon Hamrick (@Just_Jon1), from Pacific Beach, has started painting a new John Lennon mural.
vandal
San Diego Police hopes that someone will recognize the person from the surveillance video and turn them in before other murals are damaged.
There has been a public outcry in the aftermath of the destruction of the original artwork. “The members of beautifulPB are deeply saddened by the defacing of this beloved mural,” said Ryan Stock, beautifulPB’s new president. “We believe that fostering vibrant, shared spaces — where people of all backgrounds come together, living life in peace — is key to preventing such acts. As great urbanist Jane Jacobs wisely said, ‘Eyes on the street’ are vital to the health and safety of our community.”
Source: Dave Schwab/sdnews.com
When The Beatles needed a bassist after Stuart Sutcliffe left the band, Paul McCartney took the job because nobody else wanted to volunteer. After all, it wasn’t exactly the glory spot in the lineup at that time.
But McCartney’s skill and imagination in devising his bass parts for Beatles songs helped to transform the way the instrument was utilized by rock bands. Here are five of those bass parts that emerged from the mix to make their presence known.
“I Saw Her Standing There” from Please Please Me (1962)
The very first song on the very first Beatles album (Please Please Me in 1962) established what McCartney could bring to the table as a bassist. Considering the blistering tempo of the song, he easily could have chosen to play a more minimal role, popping in occasionally with chosen notes. Instead, he charges headlong into the breach, giving the song an unstoppable rhythmic pulse. Listen to the way he smoothly interacts with Ringo Starr’s drums, even though Starr had only joined the band just a few months prior to this recording.
“Nowhere Man” from Rubber Soul (1965)
This is just one example of many where McCartney’s playing gives a Beatles song an extra melodic kick. And when you break it all down, the tunefulness on the instrument is the element Macca was able to deliver most consistently. He wasn’t the first to play that way, and he’s been open about the debt he owes to James Jamerson, the legendarily melodic bass player for the Funk Brothers at Motown. On “Nowhere Man,” that influence comes to the fore as McCartney creates enticing countermelodies that weave around John Lennon’s main vocal.
Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
Beatlemania struck Cincinnati 60 years ago as fans got the chance of a lifetime to see The Beatles perform live at Cincinnati Gardens on Aug. 27, 1964.
Based on news reports of the day, Cincinnati didn’t quite know how to handle it all. The Enquirer reported that authorities were bracing for “teen-age massteria,” with the level of preparations usually reserved for presidential visits.
The frenzy had been building for months, since the Fab Four – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – made their American debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on Feb. 9 before 73 million television viewers.
The lads from Liverpool, England, scored nine top-10 songs already that year, and in April had held the top five spots on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. Their film “A Hard Day’s Night" just released in theaters. This was the height of Beatlemania, and The Beatles were coming to Cincinnati. Teenage fans hold up signs to grab The Beatles' attention outside Cincinnati Gardens before the concert on Aug. 27, 1964.
Source: cincinnati.com
Sixty years ago, on Aug. 21, 1964, a young Beatles fan from North Dakota was staying at Seattle’s Edgewater Inn when she got to experience nearly every classic rock fan's dream: hanging out with The Beatles.
This week Nancy King, 76, revisited the place she called her "mecca," getting "back to where [she] once belonged."
"Oh, it’s good to be back!” said King, stepping out of her rental car.
She said her mind was instantly flooded with memories.
"They had the police boats just to make sure the teenagers weren’t trying to scale the wall to get in here," said King. "It was just packed."
On their first North American tour, The Beatles played the Seattle Center's Coliseum, and in the hours before their show, a photographer snapped a photo of them fishing out of their hospitality suite at the Edgewater.
Source: king5.com
