Beatles News
In 1974, David Bowie was fresh off his reign as the glam-rock’s biggest act. After his breakthrough success that began with Ziggy Stardust and continued through Diamond Dogs, he was about to make a turn toward soul and funk with his next album, Young Americans.
Despite his success, he could still be in awe of his idols. When the opportunity to meet John Lennon arose that year, Bowie was beside himself. Like millions of teens in the 1960s, he had been a Beatles fan. His own career began to take off in the mid 1960s, during which time he flirted with influences ranging from the Rolling Stones to the Who to Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd. But while Bowie never dabbled in the Beatles’ style of pop, but he was enamored of the group, and John Lennon in particular.
“Oh hell, he was one of the major influences on my musical life,” Bowie said in an interview recorded in the 1980s. “I mean, I just thought he was the very best of what could be done with rock and roll, and also ideas. “I felt such kin to him in as much as that he would rifle the avant-garde and look for ideas that were so on the outside, on the periphery of what was the mainstream — and then apply them in a functional manner to something that was considered populist and make it work. He would take the most odd idea and make it work for the masses.
“And I thought that was just so admirable. I mean, that was like making artwork for the people and not sort of having it as an elitist thing. There was just so much about him that I admired. He was tremendous, you know?”
By 1974, Bowie had moved to New York, the same city to which Lennon had emigrated in 1971. It was perhaps inevitable the two would meet. It happened soon after at a party given by actress Elizabeth Taylor. All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
“I think we were polite with each other, in that kind of older-younger way,” Bowie recalled of their meeting. As his longtime producer and friend Tony Visconti revealed in a 2021 interview with BBC Radio 4, Bowie was intimidated by the former Beatle.
“He was terrified of meeting John Lennon,” he recalled. When shortly after the party Lennon scheduled a visit to Bowie, the singer insisted Visconti come along “to buffer the situation.”
Source: guitarplayer.com/Elizabeth Swann
Paul McCartney and John Lennon's songwriting skills didn't just benefit The Beatles. The dynamic duo penned numerous tracks that became hits for other artists during the 1960s.
In the early part of the decade, The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein leveraged John and Paul's talent to boost other artists he managed. He would commission them to write songs or distribute songs they'd already written to other artists in his roster, such as Cilla Black and Bootle-born Billy J. Kramer and his band The Dakotas.
But it wasn't just Epstein's artists who benefited. John and Paul also wrote 'I Wanna Be Your Man', The Rolling Stones' first hit, and gifted songs to bands like Badfinger ('Come and Get It') and Peter and Gordon ('A World Without Love'), which turned into massive successes. Meanwhile, McCartney confirmed he was in floods of tears as he tried to write an 'emotional' song.
Peter and Gordon, in particular, reaped significant benefits from John and Paul's work. Paul had written 'A World Without Love' when he was just 16, reports the Liverpool Echo.
When he moved in with then-girlfriend Jane Asher in 1963, her brother Peter Asher (of Peter and Gordon) heard the song and asked if he could have it. Paul didn't think the song was up to par for The Beatles to record, so he was happy to give it away, having already offered it to Billy J. Kramer. Peter then recorded it with Gordon, and it was released in February 1964 on an album of the same name. It soared to number one in both the UK and the USA.
It marked the inaugural song credited to John and Paul that wasn't performed by The Beatles to climb the charts. Paul subsequently penned the track 'Nobody I Know' for Peter and Gordon as a follow-up to their chart-topper, before the duo recorded another Lennon-McCartney composition 'I Don't Want to See You Again'. Paul then chose to launch an experiment. With the next track he crafted for Peter and Gordon, he opted to use a pseudonym.
Source: John O'sullivan, Dan Haygarth/irishstar.com
Paul McCartney has been accused, on several occasions, of being corny. He might be guilty, but is it a bad thing? As he famously said, Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs / And what’s wrong with that? In our opinion, nothing. Sometimes a song needs a little extra sentiment to be good. If you can let go of your corny-meter and enjoy what they have to offer, the three McCartney songs below are stunners.
“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is one of McCartney’s cheesiest Beatles offerings. The instrumentation is silly to say the least, but the earnestness with which McCartney delivers his story makes it work. The former Beatle delightfully tells a macabre tale, reveling in the dark humor of it all. Bang! Bang! Maxwell’s silver hammer / Came down upon her head, McCartney sings with a marked grin.
The juxtaposition between the lyrics and the melody of this song is mounting. It’s part of what could make listeners consider this song corny, and his bandmates reject this idea at first listen. In the end, McCartney believed enough in this song to get it a spot on Abbey Road. Not just any artist could’ve pulled off something so outlandish and gotten away with it. It speaks to McCartney’s confidence as an artist.
“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”
All of the Beatles highlighted their affinity for nonsensical lyrics at one time or another. The band was so popular and beloved that they could release a song with no point and make it a hit. McCartney gave that approach a spin with “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.”
This is one of the songs that coined John Lennon’s phrase, “Paul’s granny sh**.” His bandmates chalked this song up to sentimental dribble. While some listeners might share that opinion, others appreciate the upper this song is.
Source: American Songwriter/Alex Hopper
Beatles fans were floored after discovering the staggering $400+ million budget that's been allocated to Sam Mendes' forthcoming four-installment biopic.
This year it was announced that a four-part movie franchise is in production with each film focusing on a different band member, including the lives of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. This ambitious project is the first authorized biopic of the band, with feedback given directly from The Beatles' families.
And now, fans are in disbelief as it has been confirmed that each movie will be given a budget of roughly $100 million apiece, with the total project costing an estimated $400+ million. In addition to this jaw-dropping budget, the movie has also released their star-studded lineup of actors leading the project including Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson, Joseph Quinn, and Barry Keoghan.
According to reports by Screen Rant, this over $400+ million budget will make The Beatles biopics the fifth most expensive movies of all time. The budget follows Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ($416 million), Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($447 million), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom ($465 million), and Jurassic World Dominion ($465 million).
The cast of Sam Mendes' Beatles biopics have left fans furious. The casting of the movies have been met with mixed reactions from fans
After discovering this enormous budget, fans took to a newly posted Reddit thread sharing their thoughts on the project. One critic asked, "That's more than the budget for the two Resurrection of the Christ films. Are you saying that the Beatles are bigger than Jesus?"
Source: Caroline Gaspich/themirror.com
Celebrating his 85th birthday in July, Ringo Starr has likely uttered his signature phrase "Peace and Love" millions of times. Sept. 12 from the Miller High Life Theatre stage in Milwaukee with his supergroup the All Starr Band, he added three more to the tally.
That sentiment - and Starr's uplifting spirit - is something we all could really use right now. Milwaukee was especially lucky to get it. Starr and the band - including Steve Lukather from Toto, Colin Hay from Men at Work and Hamish Stuart from Average White Band - is performing in just six cities this month before heading off the road, the Miller High Life Theatre being the second stop. Naturally it was at capacity.
Source: jsonline.com/Piet Levy
A photo signed by all four Beatles for a Birmingham teenager is set to go under the hammer. The world-famous group from Liverpool signed the incredible piece of history roughly 62 years ago after they were told to stop playing by the teen's dad because they were being too noisy.
The picture of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr was signed by the group before a gig at the Coventry Theatre at the start of Beatlemania.
Chris Barrows, selling the photo, said his late brother Phil was at the gig with their father Ron who was Steinway’s chief piano tuner for the Midlands area at the time. "My dad came home one day and said he was going to tune the piano ahead of The Beatles’ show and other performances,” said Chris, 74, who now lives in Atherstone, Warwickshire.
“I didn’t go as at that time I was more interested in football...but my brother had been playing guitar for six months and went along.”
Rob French, ephemera valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, with the signed Beatles photograph(Image: Richard Winterton Auctioneers)
The Beatles were already there when the pair arrived - and the boys’ dad was said to have asked Ringo to stop playing the drums so he could focus on his work.
That gave Phil a chance to visit the band in their dressing room, with the budding guitarist even enjoying a quick jam with the stars.
"He played guitar with John Lennon and Paul McCartney and even had a go on Paul’s left-handed bass," Chris said.
Phil also returned with a photo signed by the group with the personal message 'to Philip best wishes from the Beatles' written in blue ink at the top of the picture.
John Lennon's signature is in the top left-hand corner of the picture, with Ringo Starr's autograph cloaked by the group's dark suits yet still visible due to the impression of the pen.
George Harrison’s and Paul McCartney’s signatures are on the reverse side of the photograph.
It's estimated that it could fetch between £1,500 and £2,000 at auction.
“This is a super set of all four autographs from the biggest band in the world signed right on the cusp of Beatlemania,” said Rob French, ephemera valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, which will auction the photo at the The Lichfield Auction Centre on September 29.
He added: "The precise date of the meeting is not remembered by the vendor but it was possibly November 1963 as The Beatles played the Coventry Theatre on November 17 1963.
“What a thrill it must have been for this young music fan to not only meet The Fab Four but to get all their autographs with a personal dedication.”
Source: Harry Leach/birminghammail.co.uk
Sixty years ago today, on September 13, 1965, The Beatles released “Yesterday” in the United States. It went straight to No. 1 and has since become the most recorded song in history, with over 2,200 cover versions.
But what fascinates me more than the stats is how the song came into the world.
Paul McCartney told Terry Gross in a 2001 Fresh Air interview that the melody came to him in a dream. He woke up with the tune running through his head, hurried to the piano by his bed, and played it before it slipped away.
At first, the words to the song running through McCartney’s head as he played the song were nonsense: “Scrambled eggs, oh my baby, how I love your legs.”
For months, he carried that melody around, convinced he must have stolen it.
Only later, while driving through France with Jane Asher, his long-time girlfriend, did the real words arrive: “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away.”
That gap between melody and meaning has always stayed with me. Sometimes the music of what we feel is crystal clear, but the words fail us.
I know that from experience.
I once told a woman I loved for forty years that “truth is overrated.” In my mind, it was simple: nobody likes being told they’re fat, or old, or anything else cruel in the name of honesty.
What I meant was that kindness matters more than bluntness.
But what she heard was different. She thought I meant I wouldn’t hesitate to lie to her.
One sentence, and the meaning I intended was lost in the words that came out.
That’s what “Yesterday” captures so perfectly. McCartney never tells us what was said, only that something was spoken, something wrong, and now it can’t be unsaid. “Why she had to go, I don’t know, she wouldn’t say.”
The vagueness is the point. Each of us fills in the blank with our own story, our own regret.
Sixty years later, the song is still haunting because it isn’t about one breakup. It’s about the universal ache of wishing you could go back, not to rewrite history, but simply to catch the right words before they slip away.
That’s the enduring power of “Yesterday.” It reminds us that words matter, that they can bend meaning in ways we never intend, and that sometimes the distance between what we mean and what is heard is the real story.
The same holds true in our careers. Misunderstandings don’t just strain personal relationships; they can derail projects, weaken trust, and stall opportunities.
I’m still learning this myself, but here are five ways I’ve found to make sure my words at work are received with the meaning I intend:
Prepare, don’t wing it. Whether it’s a meeting or a one-on-one, taking a moment to choose words carefully helps prevent misspoken words and sentences.
Know your audience. What feels clear to you might sound vague, or even threatening, to a colleague, client, or boss. Tailor your message to the person or audience you’re speaking with.
Be concise. Long explanations leave room for confusion. Short, clear statements land more accurately.
Confirm understanding. Don’t just assume your message stuck. Ask questions or invite feedback to ensure you’ve been heard as intended.
Balance honesty with tact. In professional settings, truth matters, but delivery matters just as much. Frame feedback in a way that builds trust instead of eroding it.
Sixty years after McCartney’s dream, “Yesterday” still echoes because it reminds us of the power and fragility of language. At work and in life, our words are remembered long after we speak them.
Choosing them with care makes all the difference.
Source: Ken Knickerbocker/philadelphia.today
Once in a blue moon, a cultural or historical event will happen that shakes our idea of what is and isn’t possible. The “unsinkable” Titanic’s tragic fate. Putting a man on the moon. From a purely pop cultural standpoint, The Beatles breaking up was another one of those “this will never happen” moments.
The Beatles were one of the first musical acts to make being in a band cool. This pioneering status, paired with just under a decade’s worth of chart-topping hits and international stardom, made the band’s official split in 1970 all the more jarring—to the public, anyway. The Beatles repeatedly said they saw the split coming, and John Lennon was no exception.
But what was a bit more surprising, perhaps even to the other Beatles, was a revelation that John Lennon spoke about three years after the Fab Four split for good. What Caused the Beatles To Split, Anyway?
The answer to that question changes depending on who you ask and is, most likely, an amalgamation of several causal factors that blended into one another until the Beatles couldn’t take it any longer. But from a strictly legal, financial perspective, one of the most pressing reasons that the Beatles decided to break up was Paul McCartney’s unwillingness to have Allen Klein manage Apple Corps’ finances following the death of Brian Epstein.
McCartney didn’t trust Klein and wanted his father-in-law, Lee Eastman, to take Epstein’s place. The band outvoting McCartney and hiring Klein was the straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak. Clashing egos, creative differences, a desire to explore outside of the band they had been in since they were teenagers and adults: all of these explanations came to a head in the final months of 1969 and early 1970.
Three years later, John Lennon reflected on the entire debacle during an appearance on Weekend World. “They’re always trying to pinpoint what happened,” he said. “Why The Beatles split up. Right? Well, The Beatles were splitting up themselves. Disintegrating is the word for it. I think the Klein-Eastman situation really pushed it over the hill.”
Source: americansongwriter.com/Melanie Davis
When the surviving Beatles — Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — reunited in the studio in the mid ’90s, the band members felt they weren’t alone, as “strange goings-on” hinted at John Lennon’s supernatural presence.
The trio’s team-up, coming 25 years after the Fab Four disbanded, and a decade and a half after the death of John Lennon, represented the time they’d worked on new music together as they set about bringing the unreleased John Lennon song “Free as a Bird” to life.
It was one of two new songs, alongside “Real Love” — also born from John Lennon’s mind — to feature on 1995’s Anthology box set. As news of a fourth addition in the Anthology series broke last week, McCartney’s reflections on the unusual incidents that surrounded the recording of “Free as a Bird” have come to light.
“There were a lot of strange goings-on in the studio — noises that shouldn’t have been there and equipment doing all manner of weird things,” McCartney once told OnHike.com (via The Mirror). “There was just an overall feeling that John was around.”
Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, had given the rest of the band the two of his demos with the view of transforming them into finished songs. The unexplainable occurrences weren't exclusive to "Free as a Bird" either; the "Real Love" sessions were just as creepy.
“We put one of those spoof backward recordings on the end of the single for a laugh, to give all those Beatles nuts something to do,” McCartney said with a laugh. “I think it was the line of a George Formby song.” Formby was a popular entertainer when the Beatles were growing up and a favorite of the group's members, particularly Harrison.
“Then we were listening to the finished single in the studio one night, and it gets to the end, and it goes, ‘zzzwrk nggggwaaahhh jooohn lennnnnon qwwwrk.’ I swear to God.
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“We were like, ‘It’s John. He likes it!’”
Lennon once told his son Julian if he ever needed to contact him from beyond the grave, he'd send a white feather. That wasn't lost on McCartney when the three musicians stepped outside the studio for an impromptu photo opportunity. At the last minute, a white peacock entered the frame.
Source: guitarplayer.com/Phil Weller
The Beatles have been busy. So has New Orleans-based Beatles expert Bruce Spizer.
Just as the Beatles announced that the 1995 “Anthology” documentary will be rereleased and expanded on screen, on vinyl and in print this fall, Spizer has released the ninth and final book in his meticulously researched Beatles Album Series about the band’s recorded output.
The utilitarian title of Spizer’s “Beatles For Sale To Help!” conveys the span of albums covered in the new book.
As with his 16 previous Beatles books, Spizer published the latest through his own 498 Productions with a hardback cover and heavy, glossy stock. The 264 pages are chock-full of full-color photographs of album and singles covers, relevant news magazines — Spizer likes to discuss Beatles releases within the context of what was going on in the world at large — vintage advertisements and promotional items from his personal collection of memorabilia.
Such is Spizer’s expertise that Universal Music Group, Capitol Records and the Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd. consult with him on Beatles-related projects. He wrote the questions for the Beatles-themed special edition of Trivial Pursuit.
He often speaks at Beatles-related conventions around the globe. This week, he’ll reprise two of his popular presentations in his hometown.
On Sunday at 12:30 p.m., the Prytania Theater hosts Spizer's "Beatles and Bond” talk. He'll narrate an audio/visual presentation about the Beatles’ second film, “Help!,” followed by a screening of the James Bond film “Goldfinger.”
He’ll then elaborate on how “Help!” parodied several scenes from “Goldfinger,” cutting between footage of both films. Tickets are available at the Prytania box.
Source: NOLA
