Beatles News

Ringo Starr celebrated his 85th birthday in Beverly Hills Monday with his annual Peace & Love event, but the big day was also marked in a very special way in his home city of Liverpool, England.

According to the U.K.’s The Independent, the city where The Beatles were founded unveiled the “Peace and Love Sculpture” in honor of Ringo. The silver statue, revealed by the city’s Beatles Story museum, features a hand making the peace sign and was created using a casting of Starr’s right hand. A similar statue is currently on display in Beverly Hills.

The unveiling was attended by locals, as well as students from Ringo’s primary school, St. Silas CE.

Ringo is known for spreading peace and love. In fact, on every birthday he asks fans to spread the message at 12 p.m. PT. This year the message was shared in over 38 countries and was also beamed from mission control in Houston to the International Space Station.

Source: everettpost.com/ABC News

When Carl Perkins joined Paul McCartney in the studio, the plan was to work on one of McCartney's songs for his upcoming album. The Beatles covered several of his songs, so McCartney was very excited about the collaboration. However, while he was working with the former Beatle, he decided to show him a song he'd been working on to get his input. Little did he know, he was about to trigger an incredibly painful memory. The song was "My Old Friend," and one particular line absolutely devastated the bassist.

When Perkins sang the line, “Think about me every now and then, old friend,” McCartney couldn't handle it and broke down in tears, immediately stepping out of the room. Perkins was bewildered and worried he'd done something wrong, but Linda McCartney quickly reassured him and explained what had happened. Years later, Perkins cleared the mystery in an interview.

"Paul was crying, tears were rolling down his pretty cheeks, and Linda said, 'Carl, thank you so much.' I said, 'Linda, I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.' She said, 'But he’s crying, and he needed to. He hasn’t been able to really break down since that happened to John.'" 

Paul McCartney believes this on details

The Beatles were not always proud of the work they produced. In particular, John Lennon was happy to take aim at some of the band's output he wasn't fond of.

He shared his disdain for the 1967 album 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' and Paul McCartney's work on the 'Let it Be' single and the closing medley on 'Abbey Road'. It wasn't just Paul's work that John criticised. He notably said he wished he had not written 'It's Only Love'. About it, he said: "That's the one song I really hate of mine. Terrible lyrics."

‌And as The Beatles rose to fame, they had to work on more than just music. John did not particularly love having to star in films and admitted he didn't enjoy working on the film 'Help!'. The 1965 film followed the success of their 1964 movie debut 'A Hard Day's Night' but it was widely viewed not to have hit the heights of its predecessor. ‌

A New York Times review of the film said: "It's a fiasco of farcical whimseys that are thrown together in this film – a clutter of mechanical gimmicks and madcap chases... Funny? Exciting? Different?

"Well, there's nothing in "Help!" to compare with that wild ballet of The Beatles racing across a playground in 'A Hard Day's details

After The Beatles broke up in 1970, all four of them launched their solo careers. George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Paul McCartney all tried out different sounds. However, towards the start, you could still hear elements of The Beatles in their music. However, that was not the case for John Lennon, as he seemingly plagued every part of The Beatles’ influence and sound out of his very being. As a result, he created works that many people, particularly Beatles fanatics, weren’t fans of. Including John Lennon’s contemporary, Paul Simon.

John Lennon and Paul Simon never really saw eye to eye. Concerning his favorite member of The Beatles, Simon divulged that it was Paul McCartney. In addition to declaring his favorite member of the Beatles, another moment that planted a wedge between the two musicians was when they clashed in the studio during one of their collaborations.

Needless to say, Simon and Lennon were not fans of one another. And that frustration was not just a personal one, as Paul Simon was also not a fan of John Lennon’s work following The Beatles’ breakup. Paul Simon Said Lennon Never Did Anything “Interesting or Innovative”

As stated previously, Le details

John Lennon gave one of his final interviews to Playboy in September 1980, where he spoke about making new music with his wife Yoko Ono, along with many other aspects of their life together. Some interesting moments include the fact that he had settled into being a house-husband. This involved spending his days baking bread and taking care of his son, Sean.

By this time, word had spread that Lennon and Ono were making music again after retreating from the public eye in 1975. When asked what he’d been up to, Lennon shared surprisingly freely.

“I’ve been baking bread and looking after the baby,” he said. When asked what else he’d been doing, he replied, “That’s like what everyone else who has asked me that question over the last few years says. ‘But what else have you been doing?’ To which I say, ‘Are you kidding?’”

Lennon continued, “Because bread and babies, as every housewife knows, is a full-time job. After I made the loaves, I felt like I had conquered something. But as I watched the bread being eaten, I thought, Well, Jesus, don’t I get a gold record or knighted or nothing?”
John Lennon Revealed That He Owe details

The connection between rock ‘n’ roll and backward messaging has been discussed ad nauseam. Countless rockers have been accused of hiding little tidbits in their recordings, hoping to catch the ear of particularly observant fans. While not all the theories these “backward messages” have sparked have stood the test of time, there is one that we can’t seem to shake: the notion that John Lennon admitted to Paul McCartney’s death and replacement by a clone on “Strawberry Fields Forever.”

The “Paul is Dead” theory is another highly debated topic. While McCartney himself has denied the rumors for decades now, the “proof” is irrefutable in some fans’ minds. One piece of evidence is Lennon’s mumbled lyric at the end of “Strawberry Fields Forever.”
John Lennon’s Mumbled Lyric at the End of “Strawberry Fields Forever” That Fed Into the “Paul Is Dead” Conspiracy

“I am alive and well and concerned about the rumors of my death,” McCartney once said, nodding to the “Paul is Dead” theory. “But if I were dead, I would be the last to know.”

The “Paul i details

While many joined McCartney in wishing the drummer a happy birthday, others were stunned to learn his real name.

One fan commented: "HIS NAME IS RICHARD?" with another responding: "Lol his real name is Richard Starkey." Another sarcastically commented: "Beatles 'Fan'" while someone else explained: "Yes. Ringo is a nickname because he wore a lot of rings."

Another shared: "This is so cute. I love their friendship," with a sixth commenting: "Happy birthday Ringo!!!!" "Happy birthday dear Ringo," another wrote. One more added: "Ugh you two are the best happy birthday Ringo." (sic)

Other areas of social media are also awash with Beatles fans sending birthday messages to the iconic musicians. McCartney often sparks frenzy among fans with his posts, and in February was branded "crazy" after announcing he'd be surprising fans in New York with an unscheduled gig.

The Liverpudlian announced the impromptu gig on Wednesday, February 12, and tickets sold out in just 30 minutes.

In the end, 575 lucky fans were treated to an intimate performance by the music legend, with the singer addressing the spontaneous nature of the show. "So, here we are. Some little gig. New York. Why not?" details

The Beatles' "biggest fear" was being asked to read music.

The Love Me Do hitmakers may have written and performed some of the biggest songs in the world, but all four members - Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr, and the late George Harrison and John Lennon - were afraid their shortcomings would be revealed if they had to carry out tests to be part of a musicians' union.

Ringo told the New York Times newspaper: “The biggest fear, a long time ago, was that the union was going to make us all read music. Because none of us — John, Paul, George and Ringo — none of us read music. I thought, well, I’ll go play tambourine then.”

Ringo was the last member of the group to start writing songs, but his efforts often reduced his bandmates to laughter with his unintentional mimicry.

He said: “It’s hard to come to the front when you’ve got John and Paul.

“I’d say, ‘I’ve got this song.’ And halfway through they’d all be laying on the floor laughing, because I wasn’t writing new songs. I was writing new words to old songs.”

Paul confirmed: “We’d say, 'Yeah, that’s a great one. That& details

Indeed, Ringo didn’t have a flashy style. His drumming in the band was the perfect backdrop for the sweet melodies that John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison were putting forward. Ringo’s talent lies in complementing the parts of the song that were at the focus, which were more often than not lyrics that told a story. The narrative focus meant the rhythm could sit tightly as a supporting figure, giving melodies the perfect platform to shine, which they wouldn’t have done had they been overshadowed. This isn’t to say that this was a default for Ringo. The drummer showed incredible flair in his creative decision for the beat of “Come Together.” Ringo played a drum line that was very unusual for the time, quickly making the song a revolutionary anthem. He treated the drum kit almost as a melodic instrument throughout the verses, filling the sonic field in a way that had never been done before.

Ringo’s other contribution, “Don’t Pass Me By”, sounds lighthearted and cheeky, almost circus-like, in its musicality. But the song is anything but that. Ringo sings in worry about losing the one he loves in a series of events, singing “Don’t pass me b details

Every great band has an early era. For The Beatles, the most famous rock band of the 20th century, those early years involved a little band called The Quarrymen. This skiffle group was formed by John Lennon in 1956. Paul McCartney would join shortly after meeting John Lennon on July 6, 1957. The Quarrymen, in just a few short years, would evolve into The Beatles.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney first met on this day in 1957, when they were both music-loving teenagers in Liverpool, England. According to lore, the two future superstars met for the very first time at an auditorium at a local church. Just seven years later, they would form the final lineup of The Beatles with George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

It was inevitable. The two future famous songwriters lived in the same town and ran in similar circles. However, on a warm Saturday that fell on July 6, a mutual friend of theirs chose to introduce the two to each other. John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s First Meeting Was About as Casual as You Could Get.

Lennon and McCartney had a lot in common from the start. They lived in different neighborhoods and attended different primary schools, but they were close in age (just two years apart) and love details

Despite what the media said about it (for better or worse), the Beatles weren’t exactly the soothsayers or cultural gurus-slash-corrupters they were often painted to be—in fact, John Lennon was the first to admit that he didn’t truly understand what he was singing about in one of the Fab Four’s most iconic anthems that seemingly wrapped up the band’s ethos in five short words.

“All you need is love,” the Beatles repeated emphatically in their 1967 non-album single. The song became the foundation for the flower power, “peace and love” movement of the late 1960s. But it wasn’t until 1969 that Lennon realized he actually had no idea what he had been talking about. Yet.  The Beatles released “All You Need Is Love” as the A-side to “Baby, You’re a Rich Man” in 1967. The song was part of a massive global television link and served as an affable contribution to the multi-satellite production. How could one argue with the song? All you need is love, love, love is all you need. Songwriting credit went to both John Lennon and Paul McCartney. But years later, Lennon would admit that, in hindsight, he realized he didn’t actuall details

Complete normalcy and greatness rarely ever walk hand in hand. Rather, the finest minds to grace any field typically have something “off” about them. “Off” given that they see something we don’t, and consequently, their perspective influences their “abnormal” actions. One exceptional talent and thinker who certainly falls under this category is Bob Dylan.

Many famous artists have attested to Bob Dylan’s eccentric personality. David Crosby once stated that Dylan was as “crazy as a f—ing fruit fly,” per the LA Times. Furthermore, Dolly Parton also attested to that fact, as she told the Daily Mail, “I love his music but he’s a weird buckaroo.”

Given those testimonies, it seems some of the music industry’s biggest acts share a mutual perception about Bob Dylan. One other person who agreed with that notion was Dylan’s friend and collaborator, George Harrison.  Harrison Admired Bob Dylan’s Eccentric Personality.

Bob Dylan and George Harrison climbed to the top at the same time, but in different genres of music. However, by the end of the 80s, their paths converged as the infamous supergroup, the Trav details

Years after the first three members of the Beatles bonded over their love of rock ‘n’ roll, the addition of the final Fab Four member would introduce the Liverpudlians to a new type of music they had previously overlooked: country. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison spent their earliest years together trying to emulate the sounds of Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.

But when Sir Richard Starkey, known professionally as Ringo Starr, entered the picture in 1962, the band began diving into a different style of popular American music with a little less electric guitar and a lot more twang. Paul McCartney famously played American rock ‘n’ roller Eddie Cochran’s “Twenty Flight Rock” during his impromptu “audition” for John Lennon. George Harrison played “Raunchy,” an instrumental by another rock icon from the States, Bill Justis. Together, all three Liverpudlian musicians pored over records by Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Chuck Berry. They might have gotten their start playing skiffle, but their hearts belonged to rock ‘n’ roll.

When Ringo Starr first joined the Beatles in 1962, he brought along a different musical backgro details

Ringo Starr has strong opinions about how he’ll be portrayed in the four upcoming Beatles biopics. The musician, 84, told The New York Times on Wednesday, July 2, that he spent two days with the director, Sam Mendes, and offered “extensive notes” on the script.

Starr noted that he had feedback surrounding his first wife, Maureen Starkey Tigrett, explaining that the original script didn’t necessarily showcase how they acted in reality. "He had a writer — very good writer, great reputation, and he wrote it great, but it had nothing to do with Maureen and I," Starr told the outlet. "That’s not how we were. I’d say, 'We would never do that.'"

The former couple married in 1965 and had three children together — Zak, 59, Jason, 57, and Lee, 54, — before divorcing in 1975.

According to The New York Times, Starr is now content with the way he’ll be portrayed on screen after going through the script line by line and sharing his feedback with Mendes. In March, it was officially confirmed that actors Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, Harris Dickinson and Joseph Quinn are on board to portray the four members of The Beatles in Mendes’ quartet o details

There was shock when legendary music producer George Martin – known as the 'Fifth Beatle' – died in 2016 and left just £1million in his will.

His eldest daughter Alexis Stratfold said at the time that it was a 'joke' for her to get £68,000 in a bequest (alongside his chauffeur and secretary) when her father's wealth had been estimated at between £250-400 million.  But she was lucky. Her brother Greg – Martin's eldest son – was cut out altogether.

And it can be revealed that Greg is consulting lawyers because he believes his half-brother Giles may have benefited from a house and a £3.5million legacy. These, Greg claims, were separate from the will and were 'always meant to be his'.  Alexis and Greg are George Martin's children by his first wife, Sheena Chisholm. But their father left her for Judy Lockhart-Smith, a secretary at the Beatles label Parlophone, in 1962, and they had two children: Giles and Lucie.

The older children were largely excluded from Martin's successful later life. Alexis was bitterly hurt when invitations to their father's memorial did not include their names. Greg did not even attend. The actor, writer and produ details