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The Beatles' Sir Paul McCartney usually steered clear of getting involved in political goings-on. In 1972 he was working hard with his wife, Linda McCartney, on his second band, Paul McCartney and Wings. The group had just released their first album, Wild Life, but when a peaceful demonstration in Ireland ended with 26 people being shot by British soldiers, he felt he had to step up. In a tragic event now called Bloody Sunday the death of 14 people left a lasting effect on The Beatle, who himself has roots in Ireland on his mother’s side.

In an instantaneous and furious response, McCartney wrote a song to speak his mind for him.

At the time the singer was in New York with John Lennon when he saw the news and decided to write Give Ireland Back to the Irish.

McCartney was keen to make his voice heard on this matter and attempted to get his record company, EMI, to release it, but it didn’t go according to plan.

Source: Callum Crumlish/express.co.uk

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The life and work of Ringo Starr will be celebrated in a new virtual exhibit at the Grammy Museum this month. The museum, which is currently closed due to the ongoing pandemic, will host archive and new interviews via their streaming service, as well as featuring a digital version of the hugely popular 2013 exhibit, Peace & Love. Peace & Love was the first exhibit to cover the entirety of Ringo's life in music: from the early days of his childhood, through to his rise to fame with the Beatles and his time with the All Starr Band.

Source: genesis-publications.com

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And, that John Lennon wrote “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” (often thought of as being about the drug LSD, due to the song’s initials) was actually written about the death of a little girl named Lucy who was his son Julian’s friend.

Or, did you know that it was Ed Sullivan himself who noticed the throngs of teenagers waiting for the band at London’s airport when they were returning from playing in Hamburg, Germany in 1963? He then booked the band for their (now) historic appearance in February 1964.

The interesting facts in this book just keep coming.

When Paul introduced “the one and only Billy Shears” in his song “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” he was actually referring to drummer Ringo Starr, whom Paul and John wanted to help promote.

These stories are but a few of those in perhaps the most exhaustive book ever written about history’s greatest band. The book is called All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles Release.

It’s a fascinating look at the genesis of every Beatles song, ranging from the number of takes it took to record each song to the inspiration behind each lyric. Beyond that, it’s ful details

Fond Memories of George Harrison

Legendary photographer Harry Benson, 91, tells SurvivorNet about traveling the world with The Beatles, and how he was the closest with George Harrison, who died from throat and lung cancer and would have turned 78 years old today. “We spent a lot of time in Copenhagen. And in Paris … we’d sit in a cafe and talk about nothing,” he muses. “With George it was always easy, we would basically talk about nothing. George would often say ‘this isn’t going to last more than a year.’ John Lennon would say that as well.”
Benson was with the band in Paris at the George V hotel when they first learned they hit number one in the U.S. with “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” The iconic “pillow fight” pic captured that moment.
A leading expert tells SurvivorNet that past and present smokers should get screened early for lung cancer.

At first, world-famous photographer Harry Benson wasn’t particularly fond of his travel assignments in the early ’60s with The Beatles, who went on to be one of the biggest bands—if not thee biggest—of all time.

Source: Marisa Sullivan/survi details

When you dig into the unmatched success of The Beatles, you can’t help noticing how the group (and its producer) shied away from releasing George Harrison songs as singles. If you’re looking for a Harrison song on the A-side of a Beatles single, you have to wait until Abbey Road (1969).

That’s when “Something” went out as a double A-side release with John Lennon’s “Come Together.” Abbey Road was, of course, the last album the Fab Four recorded. Given the dearth of quality Harrison material on Let It Be (1970), “Something” (or “Here Comes the Sun”) represented Harrison’s last shot at an A-side.

Harrison had landed his first B-side of a single just the year before. That happened when The Beatles released “Lady Madonna,” a Paul McCartney composition, in March ’68. Harrison’s B-side on the single never went out on a Fab Four studio album, and it was unique for several other reasons.

Source: cheatsheet.com

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Imagine a humpback whale emerging from the ocean in slow-motion, taking a big gulp of the water near the North Island. That’s the type of action Rolf usually captures with his camera. That's why he was surprised when he received a phone call from the U.S. Humane Society.

“[They asked], ‘Are you willing to photograph a celebrity in the Arctic?’ And I said, ‘What?!’” Rolf smiles, recalling his disbelief. “‘[Then they said], ‘We can’t give you any more information right now.’”

It was a secret assignment for an anything-but paparazzo. While the nature photos on Rolf’s Instagram page certainly feature subjects with screen presence, like otters looking through his lens, his subjects don’t usually walk red carpets – picture bears stepping across green seaweed. They certainly don't earn splashing headlines, except perhaps for his photos of dolphins parting in the sea.

“But whatever. If they pick me they got a reason,” Rolf smiles. “So of course [I accepted the assignment and asked] what’s involved.”

Source: Adam Sawatsky/vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca

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Paul McCartney is giving fans a glimpse into his incredible decades-long career in his upcoming book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present.

On Wednesday, the famed singer, 78, announced the two-volume, 960-page collection which will see McCartney "recount his life and art through the prism of 154 songs from all stages of his career," according to a press release.

The book, which editor Paul Muldoon said is as "close to an autobiography as we may ever come," is due out November 2nd and is available for preorder now.

"More often than I can count, I've been asked if I would write an autobiography, but the time has never been right. The one thing I've always managed to do, whether at home or on the road, is to write new songs," McCartney said in a statement.

"I know that some people, when they get to a certain age, like to go to a diary to recall day-to-day events from the past, but I have no such notebooks," he continued. "What I do have are my songs, hundreds of them, which I've learned serve much the same purpose. And these songs span my entire life."

According to the release, The Lyrics will span McCartney's career "from his earliest boyhood compositions through the legendary decade of The Beat details

The Grammy Museum has announced a virtual Ringo Starr program in March featuring a virtual exhibit and interviews with the former Beatle.

On March 4th, the museum will release a 2010 interview with Starr from their Live From the Vault series, followed by a new interview with the museum’s founding executive director Bob Santelli on March 18th. Starr will discuss his upcoming EP Zoom In and his new book Ringo Rocks: 30 Years of the All Starrs 1989-2019.

The museum will also feature the 2013 exhibit Peace & Love virtually; it covers his early life in Liverpool, his launch to superstardom with the Beatles, and his years with the All Starr Band. The museum’s streaming service Collection: Live can be accessed here.

Source: Angie Martoccio/Rolling Stone

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George Harrison sadly died almost 20 years ago and would have turned 78-years-old this week if still alive. Nevertheless, his incredible legacy with The Beatles lives on to this day. And now Sir Paul McCartney and the John Lennon estate have celebrated what would have been George Harrison’s 78th birthday on February 25, 2021.

Sir Paul shared a picture of himself with George in what looks like the late 1960s.

The 78-year-old wrote on his Instagram: “Have a great day on what would have been my mate George’s birthday - Paul.”

While the John Lennon estate shared a picture of John and George during the same period and some earlier ones too.

They wished the Quiet Beatle a happy birthday, before recommending the John and George playlist.

Source: George Simpson/express.co.uk

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Star Wars is one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, with entire generations of fans brought up on the galaxy far, far away. Said fandom is extremely passionate about the property, sometimes to a fault. Mark Hamill has been the hero of the franchise for decades, and knows fanboys well. And the beloved actor recently revealed a time he geeked out meeting late Beatles icon George Harrison.

Given his iconic tenure as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, Mark Hamill has been able to meet a ton of celebrities throughout his long career. This includes meeting members of the legendary rock band The Beatles. While guitarist and songwriter George Harrison died back in 2001, Hamill had the honor of meeting him first, and shared that story with the general public. In his words,

Honestly, same. Those of us who have been lucky to meet a celebrity know the panic and excitement that can sometimes occur. And even though Mark Hamill is famous himself, that didn't stop him from going full fanboy when meeting George Harrison. But if you're going to meet a Beatle in the flesh, what other reaction should you have? They're known for having screaming fans, after all.

Source: Corey Chichizola

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Paul McCartney announced that he is releasing a lyrical memoir using 154 songs that he has written throughout his career. Including songs from his teenage years, the Beatles, his solo album.

The Irish poet Paul Muldoon will edit and write the introduction for the memoir. Some of it is written from the many conversations the two have had about McCartney's song.

The songs will be listed alphabetically and so be kaleidoscopic instead of linear. McCartney will reveal what inspired the lyrics, the people involved, what his life was like, and the song's overall story.

The Beatles member shared why he had chosen to dissect the song lyrics to share his story. He said that he had always written songs throughout his life and:

Source: Laura Beatham/news.amomama.com

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The Beatles and Queen are two of the most famous classic rock bands of all time, however, they didn’t really cross paths. Once, John Lennon’s son, Julian, tried to get his father to listen to Queen. Here’s what happened — and a look at whether Queen outperformed The Beatles on the American charts.

John gave an interview to Spin in the spring of 1975. During the interview, he discussed Queen. To put things in context, Queen had only released three albums at that point: their self-titled album, Queen II, and Sheer Heart Attack.

Their most famous song at that point was likely the art-rock tune “Killer Queen.” They had not yet released “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” “We Are the Champions,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “The Show Must Go On,” or “Fat Bottomed Girls” or many of their other most iconic songs. Despite this, Julian was a fan.

Source: cheatsheet.com

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George Harrison and Beatles fans looking for a new turntable to spin their favorite vinyl on just might need to make some more room on their console table. Right on time to commemorate the legendary musician’s birthday, music lovers can pick up this George Harrison Special Edition turntable made by audio brand Pro-Ject and available now for under $500.While it first debuted back in 2017 when the audio company teamed up with Universal Music Group, only 2,500 of these special edition record players saw a release around the world — and, at least for the time being, fans looking to round out their vinyl setup at home can still find them in stock online.

Source: John Lonsdale

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Paul McCartney is finally ready to write his memoirs, and will use music — and a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet — to help guide him.

“The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present” will be released Nov. 2, according to a joint announcement Wednesday from the British publisher Allen Lane and from Liveright in the United States.

McCartney, 78, will trace his life through 154 songs, from his teens and early partnership with fellow Beatle John Lennon to his solo work over the past half century. Irish poet Paul Muldoon is editing and will contribute an introduction.

“More often than I can count, I’ve been asked if I would write an autobiography, but the time has never been right,” McCartney said in a statement.

“The one thing I’ve always managed to do, whether at home or on the road, is to write new songs. I know that some people, when they get to a certain age, like to go to a diary to recall day-to-day events from the past, but I have no such notebooks. What I do have are my songs, hundreds of them, which I’ve learned serve much the same purpose. And these songs span my entire life.”

Source:chicago.suntimes.com

When it came to his style, the Beatles' George Harrison was no stranger to trying something new. With a penchant for pinstripe suits, form-fitting denim dungarees and flamboyant ruffle necks, you name it, Harrison gave it whirl.

That being said, one thing that stuck for the late musician was his footwear. When not in black leather Chelsea boots, Harrison was the purveyor of Converse Jack Purcell sneakers, among other Converse designs.

Whether it was their famed 1969 performance on the rooftop of their Apple Corps headquarters or when photographed with his wife, Pattie Boyd, on their way to Nice in the same year, Harrison favoured the shoe's mighty silhouette.
Canadian-born Olympian Jack Purcell was World Badminton Champion in the 1930s and he partnered with the BF Goodrich Company of Canada to create on-court kicks that would help him maintain his positioning. The trainers, which were characterised by the signature “smile” on the vulcanised toe piece, came to fruition in 1935 and featured a moulded non-skid outsole, an extra-thick spongey sole and PF wedge in the heel that works to take strain away from leg muscles.

Source: Zak Maoui/gq-magazine.co.uk

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A matter of hours before one of the most feverishly anticipated rock concerts in recent memory is due to start, all the musicians taking part are sharing a room for the first time. The room happens to be Madison Square Garden, which tomorrow afternoon and evening will be filled, twice, with 20,000 people. Eric Clapton has just arrived from London looking like a wraith; somebody has been dispatched to find him some uncut heroin. Bob Dylan, meanwhile, is so terrified he’s ready to run.

As the instigator and organiser, George Harrison is in charge of crisis management. “The night before the show was a bit tricky,” the former Beatle later recalled. “We went down where they were setting it up. Eric was in a bad way... and [Dylan] stood on the stage and it suddenly was a whole frightening scenario. Bob turned to me and said, ‘Hey man, I don’t think I can make this. I’ve got a lot of things to do in New Jersey.’ I was so stressed, I said, ‘Look, don’t tell me about that. I’ve always been in a band, I’ve never stood out front, so I don’t want to know about that.’ I always just tried to be straight with him, and he responded. But right up until h details

The winner of a global music contest launched in memory of John Lennon will be announced by the mayors of Liverpool and New York later this year.

The Liverpool International Song For Kindness (LSK) contest aims to find an anthem to follow the example of the Lennon masterpiece Imagine, and also support the mental health of musicians and songwriters amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Beatles member Lennon was shot dead outside his New York apartment in 1980 and would have celebrated his 80th birthday this year.

The competition is part of the KIND20 initiative from global charity tuff.earth, which promotes kindness through projects in communities and schools across the world.

The winner, to be revealed on October 9 by the mayors of Liverpool and New York, will have their track produced, mixed, and mastered at Liverpool's Motor Museum Studio, say the organisers.

Liverpool City Council and The Cavern Club are also helping to run the contest, with support from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (Lipa) and Strawberry Field.

Source: echolive.ie

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McCartney explains the books premise. “More often than I can count, I’ve been asked if I would write an autobiography, but the time has never been right. The one thing I’ve always managed to do, whether at home or on the road, is to write new songs. I know that some people, when they get to a certain age, like to go to a diary to recall day-to-day events from the past, but I have no such notebooks. What I do have are my songs, hundreds of them, which I’ve learned serve much the same purpose. And these songs span my entire life.’From the announcement: In this extraordinary book, with unparalleled candor, Paul McCartney recounts his life and art through the prism of 154 songs from all stages of his career – from his earliest boyhood compositions through the legendary decade of The Beatles, to Wings and his solo albums to the present. Arranged alphabetically to provide a kaleidoscopic rather than chronological account, it establishes definitive texts of the songs’ lyrics for the first time and describes the circumstances in which they were written, the people and places that inspired them, and what he thinks of them now.

Source: Best Classic Bands Staff

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Last week, we shared Rick Livingstone’s memories of his time singing lead in the 1990 supergroup the Best alongside John Entwistle, Joe Walsh, Keith Emerson, and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter. Their set mixed songs by the Who, the Eagles, Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, though the group dissolved after just four gigs in Japan and one in Hawaii. But thanks to a professionally filmed show at the Yokohama Arena and the magic of YouTube, they’ve had a long afterlife.

Reunions by the Eagles, ELP, and the Who ultimately doomed the Best, but it wasn’t the last time that Entwistle went out with a supergroup. He joined up with Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band in the summer of 1995 for a memorable run alongside Randy Bachman, Mark Farner, Billy Preston, and Felix Cavaliere. The Who kept him pretty busy between 1996 and 2000, but they took a year off in 2001 and he filled out the time by joining forces with Todd Rundgren, Alan Parsons, Ambrosia’s David Pack, and Heart’s Ann Wilson for a Beatles tribute show they called A Walk Down Abbey Road.

Source: Andy Greene/rollingstone.com

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Fans of The Beatles will be able to study for a Masters degree in the Fab Four as the University of Liverpool opens applications for a new programme.

The MA, The Beatles: Music Industry and Heritage, is aimed at students from around the world with an interest in the music and creative industries, as well as those employed in museums and galleries, the arts, and tourism and leisure sectors.

Dr Holly Tessler, programme leader and Beatles expert, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that we are able to bring formal study of The Beatles to the University of Liverpool’s Department of Music and Institute of Popular Music – the world’s first specialist centre for the study of popular music.

This MA is as much about the wider study of Liverpool’s - and Britain’s - heritage, tourism and culture sectors as it is about the role The Beatles played in them

“What makes this MA unique is its focus on The Beatles in a future-facing way, considering the legacy’s influence on the music and creative industries, in popular culture and within heritage culture and tourism in the 21st century.

Source: Eleanor Barlow/standard.co.uk

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Answering a fan's question on his official website, musician Paul McCartney affirms once again that he has "always been an optimistic person" despite whatever crisis is going on.

"I've always been an optimistic person, because I don’t like the alternative!," says the legendary ex-Beatle. "I find that even when you go through crisis after crisis, you still come out the other end, and no matter how bad you’re feeling it can often work out OK.

"Something I’ve learned is that life’s good, really, but we often screw it up. So I try to tell myself and other people that if we can just work on not screwing it up, it’s going to be better for us and everyone else.

"I always try and see the good side - the silver lining - and if you're lucky, it arrives."

Source: rte.ie

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In 1966 The Beatles were at the height of their fame. The band had released more than 15 number-one selling albums and were world-famous. Throughout the 1960s the Fab Four had been touring consistently for most of the decade. After finishing a string of gigs in Asia earlier that year, the band set out on a North American tour through the summer of ’66. The Asian leg of the tour was particularly heated for the band, following a comment John Lennon made about the band being “bigger than Jesus”. George Harrison quipped on The Beatles Anthology: “We’re going to have a couple of weeks to recuperate before we go and get beaten up by the Americans.”

The American tour went on as planned, but by August the band were getting sick of being on a tourbus for most of the hours of the day.

Also speaking in The Anthology, Starr said: “In 1966 the road was getting pretty boring.

Source: Callum Crumlish/express.co.uk

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The iconic piece of The Beatles history has already outperformed its estimated price—and still has a week left under the hammer

Music collectors and Beatles aficionados will finally have the chance to own one of the most coveted pieces of Beatles history: the iconic Abbey Road street sign—home of the Abbey Road Studios—is officially hitting the auction block.

The authentic Abbey Road street sign is currently listed with Catherine Southon Auctioneers, and, according to a recent Hypebeast report, the famous sign is just one of many authentic road signages that is currently being sold by the Westminster City Council, with funds collected expected to go toward civil services in the area.

“This collection offers a unique opportunity to own part of our city's history,” deputy leader Melvyn Caplan said in a statement. “These are original signs which have been on the streets of London in recent years—through historic moments and cultural milestones.”

Source: Kaitlyn McInnis/hk.asiatatler.com

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 It all started in a car. I couldn’t tell you how old I was or where we were going, but I remember distinctly the first time I appreciated The Beatles the way I do now. My dad, now owner of a music publishing company based in Nashville, Tenn., has ingrained a comprehensive music education in me and my siblings — beginning with my bedtime lullaby, “My Girl” by The Temptations. In that car, on that day, I realized something that I will now gladly argue to anyone at any time: The Beatles are forever.

Since that moment, I have listened to every Beatles song in existence. I’ve had the life-changing opportunity to see Paul McCartney in concert twice and have unforgettable memories belting “Helter Skelter”, “Oh! Darling” and “Eleanor Rigby” with a 70-something-year-old Paul. My laptop, walls and Spotify Wrapped have been eternally overwhelmed by The Fab Four, and I can confidently say that nobody will ever take their place.

Source: The Michigan Daily

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The 80-year-old’s feud with the Fab Four has been well-documented over the years. Sir Cliff didn’t rate his future “arch-rivals” after first hearing “some old cover” they performed but several years later U-turned on his damning verdict. In one account, Sir Cliff explained the part he played in The Beatles' first number one hit.

Prior to Beatlemania and their undeniable success across the pond, Sir Cliff admitted that he didn’t have much hope for the Liverpool band.

When asked whether he thought that would “be huge”, he replied: “Their name just sounds like something you tread on!”

Despite his cutting remark, Sir Cliff encouraged DJs to play their songs when asked about his favourite UK artist.

However, when The Beatles “broke America” after their 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, Sir Cliff was furious.

He admitted to being “jealous” of their success and was upset that he had never experienced that same reception across the pond.

Source: Josh Saunders/express.co.uk

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