Beatles News
Whether you’ve read about the 1960s rock scene or lived through it, you couldn’t miss all the talk about the rivalry between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Obviously, you can chalk some of it up to the media and the aggressive rock press of the era.
In real-life, the two bands were very friendly with one another when they got their start in London in the early ’60s. Years later, John Lennon spoke about how he admired the Stones from the first time he saw them, and how much fun they had together in their salad days.
But something definitely changed by the end of the decade. Not only did The Beatles stop touring and eventually break up (in 1970); by then, there was a good deal of bad blood between Lennon and Stones singer Mick Jagger.
Source: cheatsheet.com
The band all hail from the football-mad crazy city of Liverpool, but which teams did they support – and did they align with the Reds or Blues?
Few cities can boast about being a true hub for both football and music. Not only is the city of Liverpool home to the likes of Liverpool and Everton, but it is also the birthplace of all four of the Beatles.
Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr all originated from Merseyside and their fame was what first brought global attention to the city. The success brought by Liverpool FC would only come later on, beginning from the 1970s.
As famous and influential as the Beatles are, a topic that has been called into question over the decades is that of their football allegiance. Liverpool is so famed for their impassioned football culture - surely their four most well-known sons are mad for the sport as well?
Source: Cady Siregar/goal.com
Whether it’s “She Loves You,” “Get Back” or “Yesterday,” odds are that you’ve heard the distinct sound of the Liverpool-based group composed of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Even if you haven’t, modern music is a beneficiary of the history made over and over again by the Beatles, who many consider to be the greatest band ever.
As Dave Grohl, lead singer of the Foo Fighters, once eloquently said, “From one generation to the next, the Beatles will remain the most important rock band of all time.”
Following the box office success of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” it came as no surprise when a movie based off the works of two of the greatest songwriters of all time, Lennon and McCartney, was announced. The project, which dropped a trailer on Feb. 12, 2019, is titled “Yesterday.” But before beginning, I must warn you: Limited spoilers lie ahead, especially if you haven’t seen the trailer! If this is the case, you can watch it here.
Source: Ben Garcia, Hope International University
This week in February 1964, Beatlemania swept through Sydney and at least three North Shore schools cracked down on "moptop" haircuts. Our reporter met with local teens to discuss the "Beatle ban".
School students show off their Beatle haircuts in Gordon in Sydney's north on 25 February 1964, the year of The Beatles' Australian tour.
'Beatle war' is raging between the principals and teachers of Sydney schools and their pupils.
The main battlefront appears to be the North Shore, where Beatlemania is sweeping the schools.
Some pupils are even wearing Beatle haircuts in defiance of teacher warnings.
The picture above shows five teenage student "Beatles" at Gordon this week. They are, from left: Greg Cleary, 16, of St. Leo's, Wahroonga; Margot Manassen, 16, a former Ravenswood pupjl who now attends business college; Brett Thomas, 14, Chatswood High; Charlotte Watson, 14, Hornsby Girls' High; Bill Slater, 16, North Sydney High.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
A pop singer and British rock group, five decades apart in influence, now hold the same Billboard record as of earlier last week.
On April 25, 1964, The Beatles topped the Billboard Hot 100 with “Can’t Buy Me Love,” at No. 1, “Twist and Shout” at No. 2, and “Do You Want to Know a Secret” at No. 3. The famous rock band was the only group to hold a No.1, No. 2, and No. 3 spot simultaneously --- that is, until Feb. 19.
Ariana Grande, one of the biggest pop stars in the game right now, just matched this record with “7 Rings” at No. 1, “Break up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” at No. 2, and “Thank U, Next” at No. 3.
Grande broke a record that hasn’t been broken in 55 years, and for that she should be extremely proud of herself. Along with that, The Beatles should feel the same for also holding this record and for all they have accomplished.
Source: Chelsea Kun/collegian.psu.edu
Sir Paul McCartney has paid tribute to his late Beatles bandmate George Harrison on what would have been his 76th birthday.
Harrison died in 2001 at the age of 58 after developing cancer.
Marking his birthday on February 25, Sir Paul shared a black and white photograph on Twitter showing the pair performing together.
“Happy birthday forever George, we love ya!” said the 76-year-old singer-songwriter.
A series of snaps of Harrison during his career were posted on The Beatles’ Twitter page to mark the occasion.
Harrison’s son Dhani shared a photograph on Twitter of a man and a boy – presumably himself and his father – walking away from the camera.
“Hand in hand we walk away. #HappyBirthdayGeorge,” he captioned the shot.
Source: Press Association
Final copies of Songs by George Harrison Volume Two are coming soon. Originally published in 1992, the edition presented 59 songs by George Harrison, illustrated by Keith West.
With manuscript contributions from Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson and George Harrison, this highly popular edition also contains the classics, 'My Sweet Lord', 'Something' and 'All Things Must Pass'.
'Derek Taylor introduced me to George Harrison sometime during the late, great Sixties. And like a Harrison tune, the route was circuitous... Somewhere between the pages of this beautiful and cleverly illustrated book, you will find your own George Harrison.' - Harry Nilsson, Los Angeles, 1991.
Source: genesis-publications.com
A new report delves into the impact that Lennon's heroin addiction had on the iconic rock band.
John Lennon’s addiction to heroin during a time when it was poorly understood may have played a significant role in the breakup of the Beatles, according to an article published in Salon.
Fans have long speculated on just how much of the lyrics in the late Beatle's songs reference the powerful illicit opioid, but a look into Lennon’s own words and reports from those close to him paint a picture of someone who was deep into an addiction disorder before he was able to finally quit.
The Beatles were not shy about experimenting with drugs during their time in the spotlight. Early in their music careers, the members of the Beatles were “veteran pill-poppers,” using amphetamines regularly.
They were then introduced to cannabis by Bob Dylan, and a former housekeeper employed by Lennon wrote a letter claiming that she “began noticing drugs lying around in various parts of the house.”
Source: Lindsey Weedston/thefix.com
Sometimes, the Academy makes the right pick on Oscar night. In 2019, watching Alfonso Cuarón receive the Best Director made perfect sense. (Roma is that good.)
The same goes for Mahershala Ali winning his second Oscar in what has been an incredible career so far. Anyone who saw him in Green Book (or True Detective, or anything else) knows how talented Ali is.
In the Best Actress race, most would agree that a worthy nominee — Olivia Colman, for The Favourite — walked away with the trophy. However, it made many observers look back on the career of Glenn Close (nominated for The Wife) and wonder how she’s never won an Oscar.
With The Beatles having won their Oscar decades ago and Close still in the hunt, it seems like it’s time to take stock of the situation.
Source: cheatsheet.com
Whether you go by albums sales, No. 1 hits, or overall legend, you’ll always find The Beatles and Elvis Presley at the top of the list. However, if you want to start counting the times they topped the charts, you go by the combination of record sales and radio airplay that Billboard put in place.
Starting in 1958, this chart became known as the Hot 100. Prior to that, Billboard called it the Top 100, though the system of measurement was basically the same. Those dates matter when you start counting the chart-topping hits by the Fab Four and Elvis.
Obviously, both artists racked up a number of No. 1 hits in their time. However, in Elvis’s case, his career spanned from the Top 100 days through the Hot 100 era. As a result, Billboard only credits The King with seven No. 1 hits.
Yet Elvis topped the charts twice as often, and and spent more than 14 months as the No. 1 artist over the course of his career.
Source: cheatsheet.com
