Beatles News
It was a moment that shocked the world. On this day in 1980, John Lennon was shot dead as he walked into his home at the Dakota building in New York City.
The Woolton-raised former Beatle was gunned down by Mark David Chapman, said to be envious of John's lifestyle and inspired by the JD Salinger novel 'The Catcher in the Rye'. Chapman had planned the killing for months and had met John earlier that day to get his copy of the album 'Double Fantasy' signed.
As John and his wife Yoko Ono returned to their home to say goodnight to their son Sean before heading for a night out, Chapman shot the star four times in the back with a revolver. The 'Imagine' singer was taken to hospital and there was an attempt to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead.
Chapman was arrested at the scene, where police found him reading the aforementioned Salinger book. A huge outpouring of grief was felt around the world.
Tearful crowds gathered at New York's Roosevelt Hospital, where John had been taken, and at the Dakota itself. At least two Beatles fans died by suicide in the aftermath of the murder.
The day after the fatal shooting, December 9, 1980, the Liverpool ECHO front page headline read: 'John Lennon shot dead'.
Heartbroken fans gathered on Mathew Street to pay tribute to one of the city's favourite sons. That Tuesday's ECHO read: “The people of Liverpool were stunned today by the shock news of John Lennon’s death. Grief-stricken fans gathered in the cold of Mathew Street. The site of the Cavern where Beatlemania was born quickly became a shrine to his memory”.
John's fellow Beatles - his childhood friends - all paid tribute to him. In a statement given to the press, George Harrison said: "After all we went through together, I had and still have great love and respect for him. I am shocked and stunned.
Source: Dan Haygarth/liverpoolecho.co.uk
There are a handful of Beatles albums that continue to perform well to this day. The sets that regularly appear on charts around the world are often compilations, as listeners often flock to these collections of the band’s biggest hits to return to the music they love. That’s not strange for a legacy act, but the Fab Four have broken that trend this week, as one of their less-popular projects—at least when looking specifically at modern times—is back.
Meet The Beatles! is back on the Billboard charts in America this week. The early release from the rockers debuts on one tally and returns to another, and it’s all thanks to a huge sales sum.
In the past tracking frame in the U.S., Meet The Beatles! sold another 6,900 copies. That’s a huge sum for an album that was originally released 60 years ago—and it’s up from the period before by a nearly unbelievable percentage.
Last week, Meet The Beatles! sold just under 7,000 copies throughout the country. The period before, it barely sold anything. According to numbers provided by Luminate, the set’s sales sum rockets a little more than 693,000% in a matter of just a few days.
Meet The Beatles! wasn’t all of a sudden rediscovered by the American masses in late fall 2024. Not long ago, a new vinyl edition of the album was released, one which was based on the original mono recordings from the musicians themselves back in the day. The project is a bit of a collectible for longtime lovers of the group, and thousands of them rushed to pick up a copy.
Source: Hugh McIntyre/forbes.com
Despite being one of the most revered men in music history, so much of John Lennon as a person is steeped in mystery. Some diehard fans may already know the stories behind the following three songs, but newer fans may not be aware of the intimate details behind them that showcase the more genuine, vulnerable side of Lennon. Let’s take a look at the fascinating stories behind three of John Lennon’s best songs!
1. “Nowhere Man”
This Yellow Submarine track from 1965 was written by John Lennon as part of The Beatles. On the surface, its meaning seems pretty clear. “Nowhere Man” is about a man with no direction in life and no real worldview.
Lennon spoke about the song briefly in an interview with Playboy Magazine. He said that the song came to him after a restless night of trying to write a very meaningful song. Paul McCartney, though, once said that he believed Lennon wrote the song about himself and the state of his marriage. We’ll never know the truth… But if you read between the lines, it seems like McCartney’s assessment was probably true.
2. “Mother”
John Lennon’s best songs are often his most vulnerable, and “Mother” is one of his most heartwrenching explorations of the past. Lennon would later go on to say that “Mother” was about parents in the broad sense. But considering his history, this song is likely very personal.
Lennon had a strained relationship with his parents. Despite having a decent relationship with his mother, he lived with his aunt for a number of years. His mother Julia tragically died in 1958 after being struck by a car. Lennon never really confronted his trauma and grief around his mother’s death, but he did very clearly put his feelings to work on “Mother”.
Source: Em Casalena/americansongwriter.com
The title suggests a return to the start, but in actuality, Back to the Egg turned out to be a farewell set from Wings, Paul McCartney’s ever-mutating 1970s band. It wasn’t supposed to be the end, mind you, so it might not have the air of finality that you’d expect.
Back to the Egg now stands out as an interesting addition to McCartney catalog, one that was clearly influenced by the punk and new wave sounds of the day. Here’s a look back at how the Wings era ended. We Are the Egg Men
Was it because Paul McCartney was a more demanding bandleader than anyone could have guessed? Or was it all part of Macca’s master plan to keep things fresh and unexpected? Whatever the reason, Wings, the band he started in 1971 in the wake of The Beatles’ implosion, couldn’t seem to keep a steady lineup for very long.
Lead guitar and drums were the two fungible spots in the Wings lineup. During the making of their 1978 album London Town, Jimmy McCulloch and Joe English departed from those positions in the band. That left in the band the stalwart trio of McCartney, wife Linda, and Denny Laine, soon to be joined by guitarist Laurence Juber and drummer Steve Holley.
One other hallmark of Wings’ career: McCartney’s tendency to have them record in unusual locations. In the case of Back to the Egg, that meant sessions in a castle in Kent, England, as well as a studio Macca had constructed in his London offices to the exact specifications of what could be found in EMI Studios (which he called, naturally, Replica).
For the most part, McCartney and his new cohorts locked into an uptempo, brash groove on the new songs he had written. Macca’s ideas kept coming, however, which is why the album included a couple of songs with the “Rockestra,” an all-start assemblage including David Gilmour, Pete Townshend, John Bonham, and many other rock luminaries.
Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
The Beatles left an indelible mark on both music and television, shaping culture in ways that still resonate today. Their arrival in the United States in February 1964 sparked what became known as “Beatlemania,” a movement that not only redefined the music world but also influenced the broader cultural landscape.
The documentary Beatles ’64 offers a fascinating glimpse into this groundbreaking era. Featuring rarely-seen archival footage and heartfelt interviews, the film dives deep into the band’s ascent to superstardom. It covers their electrifying first visit to America, the hysteria they inspired, and the unique bond shared by the four young men who captivated millions.
Paul McCartney recalled this incredible time with vivid detail, reflecting on the band’s un
forgettable appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. That performance etched their names in history, blending music and television in a way that had never been done before. (Click on the media bar below to hear Paul McCartney)
Beatles ’64 is streaming on Disney+
Source: Hollywood Outbreak
The Beatles are arguably the greatest band of all time, releasing memorable music and marking historic milestones until their unexpected breakup in 1970.
The four musicians that comprised The Beatles — John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — were known as “The Fab Four.” They exploded onto the scene in the U.K. in 1962 before reaching incomprehensible levels of popularity and acclaim when they visited America in 1964 — covered in the Beatles ‘64 documentary released on Nov. 29 — culturally referred to as “Beatlemania.”
After ceasing touring in 1966, The Beatles released Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band — one of the most critically and commercially successful albums of all time —in 1967, but tragedy struck that year. Their manager Brian Epstein, who previously handled much of The Beatles’ business affairs, died.
In the following years, the band experimented with their sound, creating more classic albums like Abbey Road and Let it Be. Outside of the studio, Lennon married Yoko Ono in 1969 and began bringing her to recording sessions, which caused tension.
These events and growing creative differences amongst the group contributed to the breakup. Each Beatle had differing reasons as to why exactly they broke up, but a constant theme was that they were going in opposite directions, as Starr summed up in an interview on Private Sessions in February 2008.
“It was a bit of a drag it broke up even though we all wanted it. We had been working steady for eight years and we’d been these brothers,” Starr said. “We all wanted it. We’d all grown up a little more, and we weren’t prepared to put in the time and energy for each other.”
Source: Skyler Trepel/people.com
Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has said it is a "huge honour" to appear on a new commemorative coin unveiled by the Royal Mint.
Their new coin collection marks the first of its kind, designed to honour Sir Paul's ground-breaking career.
But this is no penny (lane), this is a £5 coin that features The Beatles singer's iconic magic piano as well as references to his career, including piano notes personally chosen by him, a Höfner violin bass guitar and the Wings logo.
Sir Paul said: “It’s not anything I would have ever expected to happen when I was a kid."
The Royal Mint A silver coin with a rainbow design and Paul McCartney's signature rests on a copy of handwritten lyrics The Royal Mint
McCartney said it was a "huge honour" to have a coin made for him. And while money can't buy you love, it can buy you one of these coins, the cheapest being £15.50, with some coming in at more than £100 for the more rare or coloured coins.
Early next year, The Royal Mint will offer fans a chance to own a signed, gold edition of the coin - if money is what they want. The bespoke gold coin weighs 5kg (11lb) and took over 250 hours to make, including three days of hand polishing.
It was signed by McCartney during his 2024 Got Back tour in Paris and will be auctioned alongside four silver 5kg editions. The Royal Mint A silver coin with rainbow design being heldThe Royal Mint. The coin is inspired by McCartney's use of pennies as guitar picks
Inspired by his use of pennies as guitar picks in the early days of his career, Royal Mint has also created a special edition plectrum shaped version of the coin to gift to Sir Paul.
Source: Gemma Sherlock/bbc.com
Over Thanksgiving weekend in 2021, Beatles fans settled in for Get Back, Peter Jackson’s eight-hour epic that transported viewers back to the weeks leading up to the band’s famous rooftop concert in January 1969. Though more lighthearted than the troubled reputation of the period would indicate, the docuseries was colored by the irrefutable fact that it concludes with the last live performance the Beatles would ever give. Even the happy moments were made bittersweet with the knowledge that, despite appearances, it was nearing the end.
This Thanksgiving, fans received the perfect cinematic companion piece. Beatles ‘64, now streaming on Disney+, bookending the group’s story by providing the ultimate insider's look at the birth of Beatlemania in the United States. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese, the film is directed by his longtime editor David Tedeschi, a crucial collaborator on his string of essential latter-day rock docs examining the work of Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones and George Harrison. “I think one of the reasons they chose us to make this is because we're from New York,” Tedeschi tells PEOPLE. “And it's a very New York story.”
That was, of course, where the Fab Four first made landfall on Feb. 7, 1964. The hero's welcome they received at Kennedy International Airport would echo throughout the city, country and ultimately the world. It’s only fitting that the Nov. 24 premiere of Beatles ‘64 was held in the heart of the Big Apple. A-listers like Emma Stone, Chris Rock, James Taylor, and Elvis Costello were on hand at Manhattan’s recently completed Hudson Square Theater to celebrate alongside Olivia Harrison, Sean Ono Lennon, and an ebullient Paul McCartney. Ethan Hawke moderated a post-screening Q&A with the director and Scorsese, who recalled how hearing “I Want to Hold Your Hand” for the first time on his morning walk to NYU’s Washington Square College left him so mesmerized that he was late to class.
Source: Jordan Runtagh/people.com
The Beatles are always present on the music charts in the United Kingdom in one capacity or another. The band remains perhaps the most famous ever in the nation, even more than half a century after they split. While they often fill one or two spaces on a ranking, or perhaps a few tallies, this frame has turned out to be especially huge for the rockers.
This time around, The Beatles debut two different projects on the charts in their home country. Both collections start their time on three lists apiece, and these wins don’t even manage to tell the full story of their ongoing success on the U.K. rankings.
1964 US Albums in Mono is the top performer between their two debuts. The box set features eight LPs in a sizable offering from the group, which focuses on their earliest work. The seven albums represented were slated for release in the U.S., and only in mono, in the mid-’60s, and now they’ve been pressed once again on vinyl using the original tapes.
That collection of full-lengths debuts inside the top 40 on all three U.K.-based lists it reaches this frame. 1964 US Albums in Mono lands highest on the Official Vinyl Albums ranking, where it enters at No. 14, only missing the top 10 by a few spaces. The same gathering of projects is also new to the Official Physical Albums (No. 35) and Official Albums Sales (No. 37) charts.
One of the albums featured in that box set, Meet the Beatles, is also new to the same number of rosters, and it lands on all three tallies that 1964 US Albums in Mono settles on for the first time this week. Meet the Beatles launches at No. 19 on the Official Vinyl Albums list, and that turned out to be the only top 40 placement for the title. The fan favorite also reaches the Official Physical Albums (No. 42) and Official Albums Sales (No. 46) as well as a standalone release.
Source: Hugh McIntyre/forbes.com
The Beatles rehearse at the Deauville Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida, for their February 16, 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Harrison is playing his second Gretsch Country Gentleman, as evident by the lever-style mute that can be seen to the treble side of the tremolo unit.
This past year saw the unraveling of one Beatles guitar mystery when Paul McCartney’s first Höfner bass was discovered more than 50 years after it was stolen. That guitar had been the focus of the Lost Bass Project, which tracked down the Höfner in the loft of a family home in East Sussex, England.
But the discovery of McCartney’s 1961 Höfner has opened up a new mystery in the world of Beatles guitar gear: Was George Harrison’s Gretsch Country Gentleman electric guitar really destroyed in a 1965 mishap during the Beatles’ Scotland tour? Or was the victim actually another guitar?
According to Beatles history, Harrison’s Country Gent — his second — was smashed to pieces on the evening of December 2 as the group journeyed from London in their Austin Princess limousine for a December 3 performance at Glasgow’s Odeon Cinema. Beatles chauffeur Alf Bicknell was left to transport two guitars after roadie Mal Evans left with the Beatles gear van ahead of the group.
As Bicknell told Andy Babiuk in Beatles Gear, the guitars were “a Rickenbacker and a Country Gentleman.” He further noted that it was “very rare for me to carry anything like this.”
Indeed it was, since his car was already carrying the four Beatles and their road manager, Neil Aspinall. With no room for the guitars inside the vehicle, Bicknell strapped them to the back of the car and drove off into the growing darkness.
Source: Christopher Scapelliti/guitarplayer.comguitarplayer.com
