Beatles News
John (‘more popular than Jesus”) Lennon was always inclined to make sweeping statements, and in December 1970, when interviewed by ‘Rolling Stone’s’ Jann Wenner, was particularly keen to dismiss and demythologize The Beatles.
Thus when asked, ‘What do you think the effect was of The Beatles on the history of Britain?’ he replied:
“ … the people who are in control and in power, and the class system and the whole bullshit bourgeoisie is exactly the same, except there is a lot of fag middle class kids with long, long hair walking around London in trendy clothes, and Kenneth Tynan is making a fortune out of the word ‘fuck.’ Apart from that, nothing happened. We all dressed up, the same bastards are in control, the same people are runnin’ everything. It is exactly the same.”
Source: John Plowright/soundblab.com
There is no easy explanation for such vastly dissimilar people as George (Harrison) and Ravi Shankar instantly connecting with each other, almost as if their relationship was preordained. Their family backgrounds were completely different. The Beatle was the son of a bus conductor father and a shop assistant mother, both with modest means and even more modest educational qualifications. The sitar maestro’s father was a statesman, lawyer and scholar, and his mother the daughter of a wealthy landowner. George grew up in a working-class suburb of Liverpool.
Source: Written by Ajoy Bose/qz.com
Fifty years ago, between 16 and 19 February 1968, the four Beatles and their partners flew to India to learn about meditation from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Their journey, both physical and spiritual, is being celebrated in an exhibition as part of The Beatles Story at the Albert Dock in their hometown of Liverpool. Enter the space and smell the sandalwood incense! Experience the vibrant colours of the compound! Walk in the living quarters where the Beatles wrote their songs! See Donovan’s guitar and Ravi Shankar’s sitar!
Martin King, the managing director of The Beatles Story, says, “We are trying to give a real feeling of the Ganges and the foothills of the Himalayas at the Albert Dock. Even the floor covering is like a grassy pathway. You see John Lennon’s No.9 bungalow with Donovan’s guitar outside and the idea is that they have been playing together and just left the set.
Source: SPENCER LEIGH/independent.co.uk
The famous Yoko Ono was born on February 18, 1933, in Tokyo, Japan. She moved to New York during the 1950’s where she pursued an artistic career, specializing in conceptual and experimental art. She first met Lennon in 1966 at her own art exhibition in London, and they became a couple in 1968 and wed the following year. With their performance Bed-Ins for Peace in Amsterdam and Montreal in 1969, Ono and Lennon famously used their honeymoon at the Hilton Amsterdam as a stage for public protests against the Vietnam War. Despite many claiming she was the main cause for The Beatles to break up as a band, this has been denied both by the members of the band and by Yoko herself. She, however, inspired John Lennon into breaking away from the Pop music mold he had become famous for with The Beatles and motivated him in becoming a more experimental artist using different and more raw and crude songwriting skills that were mainly reflected on his first solo albums and with Plastic Ono Band. In her music, Ono brought feminism to the forefront influencing several feminine artists but also avant-garde and alternative.
Source: Pop Expresso
George Harrison made a secret trip to the US incognito five months before Beatlemania crossed the pond, his estranged sister has revealed.
The music legend slipped into the country in September 1963 without fanfare, travelled the Midwest and played with a local band.
It was the last time that the Beatle, who would have celebrated his 75th birthday on February 25, felt 'like a normal human being', said 86-year-old Louise Harrison.
Louise, who lives in a trailer near Branson, rural Missouri, and relies on welfare payments, struggles to make ends meet managing a Beatles cover band since her brother's death in 2001.
She revealed that she hadn't been told about his terminal illness or the terrible pain he suffered until two weeks before he passed away aged 58 after a long battle with lung cancer.
Rare photos have revealed a behind-the-scenes glimpse at The Beatles historic debut Plymouth concert.
One momentous day in 1963, the biggest band in the world arrived in Plymouth for the first time.
Still in their early days and sporting their trademark mop haircuts but with more relaxed suits than they had previously been known for, the Fab Four were working their way around the country on their autumn tour when they played the ABC on November 13.
It was to be the band's fourth tour of Britain within nine months, this one scheduled for six weeks. In mid-November, as 'Beatlemania' intensified, police reportedly resorted to using high-pressure water hoses to control the crowd before a concert in Plymouth.
Source: Rachael Dodd/plymouthherald.co.uk
When 19-year-old Italian figure skater, Matteo Rizzo, hit the ice for his free skate, it felt like his routine could have been programmed by a classic rock station.
Rizzo used a medley of "Come Together," "Let It Be," and "Help!" written and performed by the Beatles.
Steve Winogradsky, author of “Music Publishing, The Complete Guide,” said the question for figure skaters at the Olympics who want to use a particular song is pretty simple.
“Do they need to get permission? And the answer is no,” he explained.
But how can that be? Licensing fees are an important part of a songwriter's income.
"It's because it’s really treated as a live performance,” clarified Amy E. Mitchell, an entertainment lawyer in Texas. The live performance falls under a blanket agreement broadcasters have with artists. That means NBC has permission to broadcast a piece of music from a public, commercial setting. The Olympics broadcast is considered live, even though many of the broadcasts from South Korea are on a tape-delay.
It’s much different from when a production company wants to use a song on a TV show or a movie. That requires a synchronization fee. And getting a sync fee for a bunch of Beatles songs would likely cost six figures.
Source: Andy Uhler/marketplace.org
Patti Boyd, John Lennon, Mike Love of The Beach Boys, Maharishi Yogi, George Harrison, Mia Farrow, John Farrow, Donovan, Paul McCartney, Jane Asher, Cynthia Lennon at the ashram. 50 years ago, The Beatles made the journey from the UK to India to visit and stay at Maharishi Yogi’s ashram in Rishikesh to learn and practise transcendental meditation.
Why did The Beatles come to India? The Beatles met the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for the first time in the year 1967 in London. Lead guitarist George Harrison’s wife had signed up to attend a session after coming across a newspaper advertisement. After being unable to complete a 10-day programme due to the untimely death of band manager Brian Epstein, the band decided to explore their meditational journey in India at Maharishi’s ashram. John Lennon and Harrison, two of the most dedicated meditators among the Beatles, arrived with their wives, Cynthia Lennon and Pattie Boyd on 15 February, 1968. The other two arrived three days later, Paul with his girlfriend Jane Asher and Ringo with his wife Maureen.
Source: cntraveller.in
The 400GT 2 2 left the factory on Italy in 1967 and was one of only four to be imported into Britain
It was purchased by the Beatles' bassist in February 1968 during the height of the band's fame and joined his considerable collection of sports cars.
The red two-door was converted to right-hand drive especially for the singer and he continued to own it for over a decade, before finally parting with the powerful V12 in 1979.
Since then the Italian classic has had a number of owners and has now emerged for sale once again with Bonhams Auctions in London.
The auctioneers are predicting the coupe, which is one of just 250 to be built, will attract offers of between £400,000 and £500,000.
Source: express.co.uk
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers perform The Beatles' classic, "I Need You", in the latest video preview to the February 23 release of "Concert For George", a 2002 tribute event in honor of George Harrison that is being reissued to mark the late guitarist's 75th birthday on February 25.
The song first appeared on the UK band's 1965 album and soundtrack from their film, "Help!" irected by David Leland, "Concert For George" features a variety of artists performing at a November 29, 2002 tribute show at London's Royal Albert Hall on the first anniversary of Harrison's passing from lung cancer at the age of 58.
"We will always celebrate George's birthday," says his widow, Olivia Harrison, "and this year we are releasing Concert For George in a very special package in memory of a special man."
Source: antimusic.com
