Beatles News
Years after his bossa nova version of Paul McCartney's song The Fool on the Hill, Sergio Mendes received a letter from the Beatle thanking him for his interpretation.
Burt Bacharach was similarly appreciative of what Mendes did with The Look of Love.
In the late 1960s, Mendes and Brasil '66 were a kind of machine for making hits, thanks to the pianist's ability to "Brazilianise", as he puts it, other people's songs.
"Brazilian music is a special kind of music," he says on the telephone from Los Angeles, where, now 77, he has lived for many years. "I'm making a new record right now, and people come in to listen and they immediately have a smile on their face because it makes them feel good.
"It's joyful and it's positive, and I like that very much. That's what I've been doing for a long time: beautiful songs, great melodies, great harmonies and rhythms."
Source: John Shand/canberratimes.com.au
The Beatles: How Richard Hewson changed their sound
A musician has told how he was paid just £40 for his work turning The Beatles' The Long and Winding Road into a number one hit.
Richard Hewson, 74, who was born in Norton, Stockton, helped add soaring orchestration to the track in 1969 - much to the annoyance of Paul McCartney.
The producer, who now lives in Washington, West Sussex, went on to work with Diana Ross, Chris Rea and many others.
49 Years ago today Beatle John Lennon and his new bride, Yoko Ono, began their self-styled "Bed-In For Peace" in Amsterdam.
Married just five days before in Gibraltar, and frequently attacked for both their beliefs AND their appearance, the honeymooning couple bedded down in the Amsterdam Hilton as a public protest against the Vietnam War -- and invited the whole world to watch:
"We're going to stay in bed for seven days, instead of having a private honeymoon," Lennon said. "It's a private protest ..."
"For the violence that's going in the world," said Ono. "Instead of making war, let's stay in bed."
"And grow your hair!" added Lennon. "Let it grow until peace comes!"
Needless to say, their Bed-In didn't end the war.
And as for the personal criticism, John later answered it with a song called "The Ballad of John and Yoko":
One year after the Bed-In, The Beatles split up.
John and Yoko eventually moved from Britain to New York, where he was shot and killed in December of 1980 at the ago of 40.
Yoko Ono, now 85, still lives in New York.
And in long-overdue recognition, just last year she received official co-writer credit with John for their 1971 song, "Imagine."
Source: CBS News
Former Beatle Ringo Starr, who was knighted for his service to music last week by Prince William at Buckingham Palace, will be performing with his All Starr Band at the City National Civic in San Jose on Sept. 28.
Each year, Ringo adds new personnel to his All Starr Band. The 2018 All Starr Band features Colin Hay ("Who Can It be Now", "Land Down Under"), Steve Lukather ("Africa", "Hold The Line", "Roseanna"), Gregg Rolie ("Black Magic Woman", "Evil Ways"), Graham Gouldman of 10cc ("I’m Not In Love", "Things We Do For Love"), Warren Ham and Gregg Bissonette.
"There is no greater joy for me than playing great music with great musicians," Starr said in a news release. "Every night we get to play for all those loving people and it makes the hassle of touring worth it. It is a Peace & Love fest and I can’t wait to see you all out there this summer and fall."
At typical All Starr concerts, Ringo performs some songs from both his solo career and his years with The Beatles. Then each band member takes turns performing two to three hits from their own career. Bay Area Beatles fanatics should be excited for what’s in store at the San Jose concert.
The San Jose date is part of a nationwide tour, and tickets for the show can be purchased on Ticketmaster beginning on March 30 at 9 a.m.
One of the last people alive to have worked with legendary English rock band, The Beatles, has lifted the lid on his time spent with the group.
Famously quoted by Paul McCartney back in 2004 as “being better to ask about it [information on The Beatles]” than McCartney himself, Tony Bramwell grew up in Liverpool with George Harrison, Paul McCartney and John Lennon.
Mr Bramwell, said: “Me and George lived about half a mile apart. He was about seven and I was five, and we would play Robin Hood – I’ve still got the scar on my neck.”
However, it wasn’t long after when Bramwell began noticing Harrison (the youngest of The Beatles), becoming musically orientated before his eyes.
By the age of 11, Harrison was having guitar lessons and would regularly visit Bramwell’s home to trade records, between his job delivering meat on a bicycle.
Recalling the early years, Bramwell, added: “I would lend him my Buddy Holly’s [records], he would lend me his Chuck Berry’s. He used to come round and he would be playing his guitar along to the records.”
Source: Cameron Hale/staffslive.co.uk
More than 350 previously unseen photos of The Beatles at two early US shows have fetched £253,200 at auction.
Mike Mitchell captured the Fab Four arriving at the venues, at pre-show press conferences and on stage in Washington DC and Baltimore in 1964.
A total lot of 413 negatives were sold with copyright for £253,200 by Omega Auctions. Forty-six of those have been seen before when auctioned in 2011.
A black Mercedes AMG George Harrison bought in 1984 sold for £43,200.
Mitchell photographed the band at their first ever US concert, at Washington Coliseum on 11 February 1964 - two days after their famous appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Source: bbc.com
Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney joins the rally during a "March For Our Lives" demonstration demanding gun control in New York City. March 24, 2018. (Reuters)
Sir Paul McCartney honored his friend and bandmate John Lennon while talking part of Sunday's March for Our Lives protest in New York City.
During the worldwide march against gun violence, the Beatles frontman was pulled aside by CNN reporters with whom he shared his reason for walking in the march. "As you know, one of my best friends was shot not far from here," McCartney said. "It is important to me."
In 1980, Lennon was shot by gunman Mark David Chapman outside New York's Dakota apartment building, where the singer lived at the time with his wife, Yoko Ono. To pay tribute to his longtime friend, McCartney sported a black T-shirt that read "We can end gun violence," and held a March for Our Lives sign.
Another celebrity who was snapped at the New York march was Cynthia Nixon, who recently announced her candidacy for New York governor. In a tweet, Nixon said, "Ran in to a group of fellow @BarnardCollege alumni today at the NY #MarchForOurLives. Incredibly moved at how many people came out today to stake a stand for our kids and demand action against gun violence."
Source: Morgan M. Evans
Ringo Starr announced a U.S. leg for his 2018 tour with the All Starr Band. The 20-date run launches September 1st in Tulsa, Oklahoma and concludes the 29th in Los Angeles.
The latest iteration of the former Beatle's rotating group features returning members – singer-guitarist Colin Hay (Men at Work), guitarist Steve Lukather (Toto), singer-keyboardist Gregg Rolie (Santana, Journey), saxophonist Warren Ham (Toto, Bloodrock), drummer Gregg Bissonette (Toto, Santana) – and one new recruit, bassist-singer Graham Gouldman (10cc).
The All Starr Band will continue their mix-and-match setlist approach, performing hits from each member's respective bands onstage. The sextet previously announced a European run for June and July, along with a date in Atlantic City, New Jersey on June 2nd.
Singer-songwriter Todd Rundgren, who is currently prepping for a spring reunion tour with Utopia, toured with the All Starr Band during their fall 2017 trek.
Source: Ryan Reed/rollingstone.com
Famous Wife & Muse Pattie Boyd Brings Life Story to New Zealand
Pattie Boyd was the wide-eyed, model face of Sixties’ London who inspired ex-husbands George Harrison and Eric Clapton to write some of the greatest love songs of the 20th century. Most famously, Harrison wrote for her Something, and I Need You. Gripped by the desire to wrest Boyd from the arms of an increasingly errant Beatle, blues-god Clapton wrote Layla for her, and once they were married, Wonderful Tonight.
his May Boyd will bring her compelling and entertaining life story to audiences in Auckland during an intimate three hours of George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Me; An Evening with Pattie Boyd. Starting off on a swanky hour of cocktails with Pattie, guests will then enjoy a conversational two-hour show.
This New Zealand music month tour of Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland will mark her inaugural visit to New Zealand– plans to come in the ‘70’s with then-hubby Eric Clapton were stymied by the NZ authorities approach to a drug conviction in London. Boyd elaborates.
Source: Sally Webster/scoop.co.nz
A sure sign I'm a baby boomer (tail end, anyway): Writing about taxes inevitably makes me think of the song Taxman by The Beatles. The opening line is, "Let me tell you how it will be." Such a perfect summary of the power the Canada Revenue Agency has over us.
The deadline for filing your tax return for the past year is Monday, April 30. Here are some resources to help ensure you pay the taxman what you owe and nothing more.
What's new in taxland...
A list of changes to tax credits – what's new, and what's been taken away. Also, there's a new service called Express NOA, for notice of assessment. If you file your taxes online, you get an immediate notice of assessment showing how much you owe or will receive as a refund.
Source: Rob Carrick/theglobeandmail.com
