Beatles News
“I was just too frightened – it was too big a moment with everyone looking at the guitar player. I couldn’t do it”: Paul McCartney was meant to be the Beatles’ lead guitarist – then stage fright led him to George Harrison.
Picture “The Beatles” in your mind – what do you see? There's the logo, four mop-top lads in suits, screaming girls mobbing airport runways... and Paul McCartney plucking away at his Hofner violin bass guitar. Obviously, though, generational talent that he is, McCartney is and always has been a mean guitarist as well. Even before the world's most famous rock group went their separate ways, McCartney had already put to vinyl an enviable catalog of six-string greatness.
PAUL McCARTNEY: A great thing about Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow and the provinces, is that they all have places with famous names, and the first gig with The Quarry Men was on Broadway – in Liverpool. (We made our first record in a little demo studio in Kensington, Liverpool.)
For my first gig, I was given a guitar solo on Guitar Boogie. I could play it easily in rehearsal so they elected that I should do it as my solo. Things were going fine, but when the moment came in the performance I got sticky fingers; I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’ I was just too frightened; it was too big a moment with everyone looking at the guitar player. I couldn’t do it. (I never played a solo again until a few years ago.) That’s why George was brought in.
I knew George from the bus. Before I went to live in Allerton, I lived in Speke. We lived on an estate which they used to call the Trading Estate. (I understand now that they were trying to move industry there to provide jobs, but then we didn’t ever consider why it was called a trading estate.)
Source: Guitar World/Jackson Maxwell
The Beatles had already announced their breakup to the world by the time Let It Be was released in 1970. They left behind a somewhat star-crossed project that had been hanging around for more than a year after its initial sessions before its release.
The chaos going on behind the scenes wasn’t able to overwhelm what the Fab Four accomplished from a musical sense. Here are five stories behind the songs on Let It Be that you might not know. The “Two” are Paul and Linda.
When you listen to the song “Two Of Us” without any context behind its making, you might assume that it’s about the relationship between Paul McCartney and John Lennon. After all, the pair sing in close, two-part harmony in the song in a way that they hadn’t done in years. And the lyrics speak with nostalgia about warm memories and great times spent together. But McCartney, who wrote the track, was actually referring to the getaways he took with wife Linda whenever The Beatles’ drama seemed overwhelming.
Faster, then Slower
“Across The Universe” was the song that The Beatles couldn’t get right, despite the inherent beauty of the John Lennon composition. They first recorded it back in 1968, with a pair of female fans pulled from outside of Apple singing backup. Lennon didn’t like this version, although it was sped up and used on a charity compilation album in 1969. The Beatles revived it for Let It Be, only this time with Lennon’s voice slowed down and orchestration added. To hear his voice at its actual speed as recorded, check out the version from Let It Be…Naked.
A Tribute to Mom
John Lennon once criticized “Let It Be” as a rip-off of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel. The only problem with that theory is that there’s no way Paul McCartney could have even heard of the S&G song before writing his opus. In actuality, McCartney did indeed receive inspiration from a dream, one that recalled his mother, Mary McCartney. She died of cancer when Paul was still a teenager. If anything, “Let It Be”, with its repetitive, sing-along chorus, seemed like an attempt to recapture the magic of “Hey Jude”.
Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
Disney+ debuted an all-new trailer and key art for its upcoming release of The Beatles Anthology. Episodes 1-3 of the series launch on November 26, followed by Episodes 4-6 on November 27 and Episodes 7-9 on November 28.
The Beatles Anthology, Apple Corps’ landmark, UK-produced documentary series exploring the life and times of the most influential and beloved band of all time, as told by The Beatles themselves, will make its streaming debut exclusively on Disney+ beginning November 26. Beautifully restored and expanded from eight to nine episodes, the series offers an unprecedented and intimate view of The Beatles’ legendary trajectory and inner workings.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr take us along for the ride as they revisit the highs and lows and twists and turns of The Beatles’ long and winding eight years as a band. The series spans the band’s gritty, hungry early days, to the phenomenon of Beatlemania and global superstardom. The series’ new ninth episode features illuminating and previously unreleased footage of Paul, George and Ringo during the creation of the original 1990s Anthology series and music project. The Beatles Anthology was originally broadcast in 1995 in the U.S. on ABC and in the UK on ITV, followed by a blockbuster, GRAMMY Award®-winning home video release. For Disney+, several elements of the series have been updated, including an incredible footage restoration and sound mix overseen by the Apple Corps production team working with the supremely skilled technicians at Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post in Wellington, New Zealand.
Source: Moss/thewaltdisneycompany.com
George Martin, the legendary producer, played a crucial role in shaping The Beatles’ musical journey. His keen sense of melody transformed the band from a garage act into a sophisticated musical powerhouse. Early in their career, however, Martin had significant reservations about their original material.
Martin’s Initial Concerns about The Beatles
Before meeting George Martin, The Beatles struggled to secure a recording contract. Their manager, Brian Epstein, encountered rejection from several labels. Decca Records even claimed that guitar bands were “on the way out.” When Epstein finally approached Martin, he expected skepticism.
Martin initially viewed Epstein as desperate. He described Parlophone, his label, as primarily a comedy label.
Martin’s first impression of The Beatles was negative, believing they weren’t suited for his label’s image.
Martin suggested significant changes within the band. He expressed doubts about drummer Pete Best, leading to the recruitment of Ringo Starr. This transition marked a turning point in their sound and dynamics.
Despite their potential, Martin was not impressed with The Beatles’ original output. He particularly criticized their song “Please Please Me.” Martin found the first version of the track slow and uninspired. He famously remarked, “That’s too bloody boring for words. It’s a dirge.”
His suggestion to speed up the song transformed it. When The Beatles recorded the revised version with a faster tempo and added harmonica, it became their first major hit.
Initially, “Please Please Me” was considered for the b-side of “Love Me Do.” Martin believed the arrangement was too complicated and proposed a simpler version.
Source: Bassyonni/el-balad.com
The only full-length shows that John Lennon ever performed after the breakup of The Beatles were in 1972, the One to One concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden. The shows helped shine a light on deplorable conditions at a facility for disabled children. Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, had recently moved to the States, and a new documentary called "One To One: John & Yoko" focuses on the 18 months they lived in a Greenwich Village apartment, dedicating themselves to political activism. It's streaming now on HBO, and their son, Sean Ono Lennon, was an executive producer on the film. He says the guiding principle behind his parents' activism was simple.
SEAN ONO LENNON: You know, peace and love is the answer. There's that famous quote of my dad, where he says, you can't fight the man with violence because violence is the language that, you know, the powers that be understand at. But what they can't deal with is love and humor. And I think that's - kind of sums it up.
CHANG: His parents seemed inseparable in their activism. I mean, John and Yoko, even that pair of names was like its own entity. And so I asked Sean how hard was it for his mom to carve out an identity that was separate and distinct from his father's?
Source: Sarah Handel, Ailsa Chang, Kai McNamee/iowapublicradio.org
Paul McCartney is the biggest living rock star today and arguably the greatest rock star of all time. And the general public knows every nook and cranny of his career. However, in his catalog of over 1,000 released songs, we believe these three singles of McCartney’s simply don’t get enough praise.
“Warm And Beautiful” by Paul McCartney & Wings
The most popular songs from Paul McCartney’s solo career and career with Wings are “Maybe I’m Amazed”, “Band On The Run”, “Live And Let Die”, “Jet”, and several others. Although amid all these songs is a romantic ballad that simply hasn’t received a staple status. That song is the 1976 single from Wings’ album, Wings at the Speed of Sound, “Warm And Beautiful”.
Given that it was not released as an official single, it didn’t chart on any significant charts. Regardless, it is a phenomenal track that shows McCartney’s emotionality at its finest. After listening to this song, you will surely look at your relationships with a little more romance than before. “Monkberry Moon Delight” by Paul & Linda McCartney
Arguably, the greatest solo album created by a Beatle is the 1971 record, Ram. In short, the album shows off McCartney’s diverse set of skills, and to us, one of the best tracks on the album is “Monkberry Moon Delight”.
Truly, there isn’t one genre you can pin this song to. Rock is a general category, yes, but it is so much more than that. In essence, if you want to hear Paul McCartney scream for five minutes straight, then you just have to listen to this underrated track. To further explain, this song is like “Helter Skelter” and “When I’m 64” were combined into one song.
“Junk” by Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney’s lyrics have always featured a romantic sensationalism about life’s simple pleasures. That is the case for his 1970 song “Junk”, as no one has ever made rubbish sound so pleasant and impactful. One could argue that McCartney’s lyrical powers are firing at full force in this simple and sweet little number.
Source: Peter Burditt/americansongwriter.com
Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote some of their most iconic Beatles songs in the music room of 57 Wimpole Street, the home of McCartney’s girlfriend, Jane Asher. The home, described in Barry Miles’ Many Years From Now as a “Peter Pan house,” was a sprawling, six-story home with plenty of room for Asher’s parents and siblings to live and work comfortably. McCartney joined the fold after getting the fuzzy end of the lollipop in an apartment Brian Epstein rented for The Beatles after hotel staff began complaining of squealing fans running rampant down the halls, looking for the young lads from Liverpool during their stay.
That “fuzzy end” was the smallest room in the whole flat, which was the only one available after the rest of The Beatles called dibs on the room they wanted. (McCartney was late to arrive at the apartment, hence the smallest room.) After lamenting his living conditions for so long, Asher suggested that he move into her family’s house. Her mother already approved. He had a great relationship with the rest of the Asher family. And besides, how fun would it be to live with your girlfriend in a cushy London house that had all the homey atmosphere that The Beatles’ flat decidedly didn’t?
Source: Melanie Davis/americansongwriter.com
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr of the Beatles started out in Liverpool, England, but it wasn’t long before the band took the entire world by storm. As the group ascended to superstardom, the famed foursome expanded their horizons and put down roots around the UK and beyond.
The group’s 1964 song “I’ll Follow the Sun” is “a ‘Leaving of Liverpool’ song,” McCartney explained in his 2021 book The Lyrics. “I’m leaving this rainy northern town for someplace where more is happening.” The Beatles’ rise to fame is explored in the 2024 documentary Beatles ’64 (streaming on Disney+), featuring never-before-seen footage of the group and its packs of fans during the frenzy of Beatlemania. Of course, it wasn’t all massive crowds and wild concerts; the four led quieter lives in their time at home, where they penned and practiced some of their greatest hits. To provide a peek behind the curtain into their private worlds, we’ve rounded up some domestic snapshots of the iconic musicians below.
Source: MSN
The Beatles' new biopics have hit a major stumbling block as filmmakers have reportedly been banned from shooting on the iconic Abbey Road. Earlier this year Sony confirmed the cast for the four Beatles projects following a sea of speculation, with all four films set to be released in April 2028.
Gladiator II hunk Paul Mescal will play Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson will play John Lennon, Barry Keoghan will star as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn will play George Harrison in the films about The Fab Four. However, with production underway, it's now been claimed bosses have been blocked from filming at the iconic Abbey Road crossing.
Sam Mendes, who is directing the films, had wanted to recreate the Beatles' 1969 album cover on the crossing. Westminster Council have reportedly refused permission as filming at the legendary location would force result in the road being temporarily closed, causing traffic chaos.
Gladiator II hunk Paul Mescal will play Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson will play John Lennon, Barry Keoghan will star as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn will play George Harrison in the films. However, with production underway, it's now been revealed bosses have been blocked from filming at the iconic Abbey Road crossing.
An insider told The Sun: 'It's believed they turned down the request on the basis that they'd have to shut down the road for filming to take place safely. 'The trouble is that the huge number of tourists who visit the area often cause disruption by having their picture taken recreating the scene.
'That would be magnified by having dozens of cast and crew present to do the same thing for the movie. Now the producers are facing the prospect of omitting the scene as they really don't want to rely on CGI because that would not look authentic.
'The hope is that they kind a road that looks similar enough that they can still make it happen in some form.' Daily Mail has contacted Westminster Council for comment. Earlier this month it was revealed the actresses who had been cast to play the Fab Four's wives in the biopics.
White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood, 31, will play George Harrison’s wife Pattie Boyd, while Irish Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, 31, has been cast as Linda McCartney, the muse to many of Paul McCartney’s songs.
Anna Sawai, 33, who has made a name for herself in the US drama series Shogun, will appear as John Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono, and British actress Mia McKenna-Bruce, 28, will play Maureen Cox, the wife of Ringo Starr. Sam Mendes, who is directing the films, had wanted to recreate the Beatles' 1969 album cover on the crossing (pictured in March)
Entitled The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event, the project was announced last year.
The movies will each take the perspective of one member of The Beatles as they evolve from unknowns in Liverpool in the early 1960s to becoming the biggest band in the world and then breaking up in 1970.
It’s the first time that surviving Beatles McCartney and Starr, and the families of the late Lennon and Harrison, have given the rights to feature films about them.
Announcing the female foursome, Mendes said: ‘Maureen, Linda, Yoko and Pattie are four fascinating and unique figures in their own right, and I’m thrilled that we’ve managed to persuade four of the most talented women working in film today to join this amazing adventure.’
Source: Alex Doyle/dailymail.co.uk
In late December 1999, former Beatle and accomplished guitarist George Harrison endured what one can only describe as a nightmare. That night, one Michael Abram scaled the side of Harrison’s home, broke in, and confronted Harrison with a large knife.
The fact that the assailant even made it inside is nothing short of astonishing. After Harrison’s former bandmate, John Lennon, was violently murdered by a former fan in 1980, Harrison took extensive measures to make sure his estate in Liverpool, England, was as safe as possible. Harrison himself had dealt with stalking incidents in the 1990s, leading him to install searchlights, barbed wire, guard dogs, and private security. Somehow, Abram evaded it all, leading to a stand-off between himself and Harrison in the home’s main hall.
Harrison allegedly chanted the “Hare Krishna” mantra to distract the man and attempted to disarm him. Harrison was badly injured in the fight, suffering multiple stab wounds that included a punctured lung. The fight ended when his wife, Olivia, threw a lamp at the assailant and knocked him out. Police arrived shortly after, and Harrison was rushed to the hospital.
Fortunately, Harrison survived. A doctor even told him that he was “lucky to be alive” after recieving a shocking 40 stab wounds. He lost one of his lungs to the attack, but he would live another day. Michael Abram, a Liverpool local, suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. Many of this individual’s delusions were religious in nature and made worse by the consumption of drugs. At one point, Abram believed he was an incarnation of the Archangel Michael from the Bible, sent by God to murder Harrison.
After the attack, Abram was also hospitalized. When his trial began, he requested to send a letter of apology to the Harrison family. He claimed he did not know that he had schizophrenia. He was inevitably charged with attempted murder.
On this day in 2000, Abram was found not guilty by insanity and was ordered “indefinite confinement in a mental hospital.” Though, in 2002, just a few months after George Harrison passed away from cancer, Abram was discharged from the hospital and placed in a hostel. Harrison’s bereaved family found the release “upsetting and insulting.” The whole event was traumatizing for both Harrison and his family. And some believe that the attack “triggered” the resurgence of cancer that would claim his life in 2001. Even Harrison’s contemporary, The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, agreed with that sentiment.
“I think he probably would have beaten the cancer if it wasn’t for the blade,” said Richards in a Rolling Stone interview. “I mean, we know that he didn’t die from [the attack], but I’m sure that it sort of broke down his resistance to what he had to deal with.”
Source: Em Casalena/americansongwriter.com
