The Daily Howl

Hugging is bad??

2009-05-29T22:36:00.002Z

There are some schools that have decided that hugging is a bad thing for teens and have banned it from their hallways and classrooms. Excuse me? Since when is a hug a bad thing? There's been a study that hugging has become the new popular way of greeting another. Very European. This is worse than showing your underwear in public? I once told my own teenagers, there's a reason they're called UNDERwear because they're supposed to be worn UNDER your clothes. How about name calling and fighting? Is this better than hugging? Hugging is a universal greeting, used by adults all over the world. There's nothing wrong with a hug and a kiss on the cheek when you're greeting a friend, an acquaintance, or meeting someone for the first time. And it feels pretty good too. Some argue that using hugging as a greeting downplays the hug as something meaningless and something people do without any caring behind it. This may be true but a hug a day keeps the doldrums away, right? I'd rather be greeted with a hug than a scowling face and a monotone "hello". Hugs can be so different as well. You have your quick 3-second hug, which is usually reserved fo those you don't know well. Then there's the one-armed hug, used in cases of support and congratulations. Then there's the looooong drawn-out hug, always reserved for those special people; close friends and family. Personally, I love the all day hug the most, the one that fits me like a glove from morning until night. That's the one your son or daughter gives you along with a "I love you, Mommy (or Daddy)" that manages to stay with you all day long. So kids, don't listen to those adults who tell you that hugging is bad. Hugging is very GOOD. And it's much cooler and a whole heck more fun than texting.

Ono, Bloody Hell

2009-05-29T21:56:00.004Z

I don't understand Yoko Ono at all. She's done some bizarre things over the years but this latest "art" of hers is too much. She's put John's bloody clothes and glasses on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame annex in NYC. Being a lifelong Beatles fan (especially John), I only see this as morbid and brings up the question, why? Why would anyone who loved John want to be reminded of why he's no longer with us? This "art" is only celebrating John's death, not his life. And it's bringing more attention to the scumbag who took John's life. We know how John was killed and it was devastating to the fans who loved him. We don't need it shoved in our faces yet again. Yoko claims that this bring attention to gun control. I don't see it. The only attention this is going to bring is that there are psychopaths out there and there will ALWAYS be psychopaths out there. Yes, we need gun control, no question about it. But looking at John's bloody clothing and glasses is not going to accomplish this, in my opinion. It's only going to bring back the horrible memories of that day so long ago when a man wanted to become a "somebody" instead of the nobody that he was and shot our John in the back. A nobody low-life scumbag who murdered a beautiful man for the fame. A REAL nowhere man. Mission accomplished. Every time I listen to one of John's songs, I'm reminded of why he's no longer with us, giving us new songs. I don't need a disgusting reminder of John's blood-soaked clothing and blood-spattered glasses. Looking at these items only brings back bad memories, not good ones. Yoko has gone too far this time. The only thing that's saved her from my complete disgust is the fact that she's given us some of John's music that we would never have had otherwise. She also saved Mendips for the fans. For that, she deserves applause. And I truly believe that John loved her. However, I don't believe she ever loved him. I believe she loved what he could do for HER, but that's it. Taking up with another man so soon after John's death should have proved that. Sure, some will say that people grieve in different ways but I don't begin to understand her way of grieving and never will. And I can't or won't, for one second, believe that John would be enjoying this public display of morbid humiliation. He's being denied his dignity, even in death.

Mark Chapman on a "Crusade" when killing Lennon

2005-11-15T14:01:00.000Z

MARK CHAPMAN claims he was on a "Crusade" when he pulled the trigger on Ex-Beatle John Lennon 25 years ago. Chapman described himself as a "White Knight" who hoped to define himself by killing Lennon. John Lennon was killed 25 years ago while he entered his apartment near Central Park in New York. Chapman claims it was "Like a train, there was no stopping it." on tapes set to air on U.S television this week. Chapman, 50, says "I was sitting cross-legged on the carpet... and I remember opening up the Sergeant Pepper album. The Catcher and the Rye was very prominent," he said (Referring to the J.D Salinger classic) "And i remember saying in my mind, 'What if I killed him?'. "I remember thinking my identity would be found in the killing of John Lennon." Chapman claimed something inside him "Just broke". It's a little bit cold and there's a little wind, and somehow I knew that this was it, that this was the day. "And all of a sudden from way across Central Park West I see the limo. And I know that, that it's him. "I have this incredible feeling. And John Lennon's car pulled up. I heard a voice in my head saying, `Do it ! Do it ! Do it !'. "And as he passed me, I pulled out the gun, aimed at his back and pulled the trigger five times in succession." Chapman said he was "under total compulsion" and remained thoroughly convinced there was nothing he could do to help himself. "You have to understand, I don't think I truly thought I was doing anything evil. I thought I was good." The tapes, recorded in 1991 and 1992, form part of a Channel 4 documentary, "I Killed John Lennon," to be broadcast in the UK on the anniversary of his death. They will be aired for the first time on NBC's Dateline this Friday. (SOURCE: Yahoo News UK)

Yoko Threat Over Musical

2005-11-12T19:53:00.000Z

PRODUCERS of a John Lennon musical have been forced to make drastic changes after Yoko Ono threatened to sue. Lennon's widow and Sony music had threatened writers of Lennon - A Day in the Life with a lawsuit. Now they have had to scrap all dialogue and plot and take John Lennon's name out of the title, renaming the show Come Together Right Now. They also removed any Lennon photos or memorabilia from the show and its publicity, and scrapped a planned tour. Mr Watts said the Performing Right Society had advised them to alter the show and turn it into a concert performance. The production has now started a national tour to finish at the Liverpool Empire in December to mark the 25th anniversary of the ex Beatle's death. * FORMER Beatle Sir Paul McCartney is to become the first artist in history to broadcast live music into space. His performance of Beatles classic Good Day Sunshine will be beamed to the international space station crew, 220 miles above Earth on November 13, just before 6am (GMT).

Bubble and Friends play the White Album in NYC

2005-07-04T12:17:00.000Z

Bubble and Friends play the White Album in NYC On Friday July 8th and Saturday July 9th, at the Baggott Inn in Greenwich Village, the New York City-based power-pop combo BUBBLE -- together with an all-star cast of guest performers -- presents two complete performances of the 1968 double LP "THE BEATLES" (aka THE WHITE ALBUM) and a third special "kid friendly" sampler set. Hailed by the Newark Star-Ledger as "a brilliantly executed, feel-good event," Bubble’s White Album tribute includes everything from note-for-note renditions of "Back in the USSR," "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" to a dead-on a cappella performance of the album’s penultimate track, the infamous "Revolution 9." The feel-good vibe continues with two 9pm shows, as well as a special children’s show at 6 pm on Saturday. Led by singer/guitarist Dave Foster, Bubble includes drummer Tom DeVito, bassist/vocalist Matt Lindsey, guitarist Rich Feridun, keyboardist Bill Malchow and percussionist/vocalist Bill Gerstel. This Friday and Saturday, the band also welcomes full string and horn sections and a who’s who of downtown indie rock, including Brian Dewan, Erik Paparozzi, Chris Anderson, Michael Schoen, Julian Maile, Pete Galub, Cathy Cervenka, Courtney Lee Adams Jr., Mark Rinzel, Burnley Vest, Royce Peterson, Wilder Selzer, and Gordon Grody. Special guests include AJ Azzarto (co-producer of Nancy Sinatra’s most recent album and Frank Sinatra’s granddaughter), Joe Pecorino ("John" from the original cast of BEATLEMANIA), and a few surprises. The Baggott Inn is located at 82 West 3rd Street, and reserved seats for all shows are available through InstantSeats. Tickets for the 9pm shows are $20 reserved. For the 6pm children’s show, seats are $10 for adults and $5 for kids under the age of 12. For more information, visit www.bubbleland.com. Published June 29, 2005

Heather not impressed with her soap debut

2005-07-04T12:15:00.000Z

HEATHER NOT IMPRESSED WITH US SOAP DEBUT HEATHER MILLS McCARTNEY is refusing to watch her appearance on US daytime soap DAYS OF OUR LIVES - because she's convinced she's terrible. Husband SIR PAUL McCARTNEY has seen the footage of the activist, who appears as herself on the hit show, and has been "diplomatic" about her two-show performance, which airs tomorrow (29JUN05) and on Monday (04JUL05). But she insists she never agreed to the cameo to become a star - she just wanted to promote her Adopt-A-Minefield charity. She says, "I'm not an actress. I just went in and did it in two hours and left." The former model reveals Days of Our Lives producer KEN CORDAY came up with the idea of a storyline involving Mills McCartney and her charity when he first met her at a gala. She recalls, "He said, 'I'd like to help more...' and I said, 'Well, what is it exactly that you do?' I knew he was in TV but I live in England so we don't have Days of Our Lives. "He said, 'We have this top-rated soap show,' and we talked some ideas and came up with a storyline that this hunk would basically go off and work in a warzone, step on a landmine, come back and need some counselling. "I didn't expect to get the email saying, 'OK, we've done it all,' because people make a lot of false promises to charities... It was a big risk for them, so I'm really proud of them for doing that." 28/06/2005 09:05

Paul in Red Square DVD; A Review

2005-07-04T12:12:00.000Z

Paul McCartney in Red Square Back in the U.S.S.R. ...for the very first time. June 29, 2005 - As the last surviving relevant Beatle, Paul McCartney occupies a rare "rocker emeritus" position in the musical firmament; unlike The Rolling Stones' money-minting traveling self-tribute show, the former 'cute one' at least attempts to maintain a degree of credibility when performing live. In May 2003, Macca played Moscow's Red Square to a huge crowd that included Russian President Vladimir Putin. And despite the Beatles' famous White Album rocker "Back in the U.S.S.R.", this show (and one in St. Petersberg) marked the first time McCartney set foot on Russian soil, much less played there. Naturally, the landmark event was recorded for posterity; but the resulting DVD, Paul McCartney in Red Square, proves to be a poorly-handled mishmash of concert footage and revisionist history rather than the satisfying documents of McCartney concerts that appeared on DVDs past.The problem isn't as much the performance material as it is the way it's presented. Segments sometimes as long as fifteen minutes interrupt the concert footage, featuring testimonials from old Russians who explain how the Liverpool quartet almost single-handedly brought down decades of Soviet Communism- a significant feat indeed for a rock band who couldn't even keep themselves together.Additionally, Paul is shown visiting a music school in St. Petersburg where he mentors young performers and receives a chorus of orphans, shares an audience with Putin, whom he rhapsodizes about as a "man of the people," despite the Russian leader's previous credentials as head of the KGB, an outfit that anyone who's read a Tom Clancy novel knows weren't exactly Boy Scouts.While the travelogue footage is of questionable merit, what really kills this disc is the way it's integrated, or more accurately, not integrated into the program. The tacked-on scenes appear to exist only to fill out the chapters; I didn't even know they were there during a cursory run-through of the disc because chapter stops are set at the beginning of each song. And while it's possible to skip to the next song, it's an annoying distraction to have to reach for the remote every few minutes.The concert itself is a businesslike production that never builds any real excitement. Not only do the non-musical segments disrupt any song-to-song momentum, but the day/ night continuity is virtually nonexistent; Paul and his 4-piece backing band sound good and play with enthusiasm, but little about the overall presentation inspires much enthusiasm. Reportedly, 26 cameras were used to cover the event, and it shows: hyper-caffeinated editing cycles constantly through most of the camera angles, no matter how incoherent is the end result, and proves to be a questionable aesthetic choice given McCartney's likely older audience. Further, as the brilliant Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense demonstrated, it is possible to get away with extremely lengthy takes from one camera, so there's little excuse for such a slick take on a classic form. Despite the gaffes with the structure of the program, the problems could easily have been solved if someone had only thought to break the non-musical parts in to their own chapters and then offered the viewer an option to either watch the show in its original form or just the music or just the sightseeing. But, alas, no such option is provided, so keep the remote close by. Set List: It's Getting Better Band on the Run Can't Buy Me Love Two of Us I Saw Her Standing There We Can Work It Out I've Just Seen a Face Live and Let Die Someone's Knocking at the Door Fool on the Hill Every Little Thing Birthday Maybe I'm Amazed Back in the U.S.S.R. Calico Skies Hey Jude She's Leaving Home Yesterday Let It Be Back in the USSR (reprise)Score: 6 out of 10 The clearest shot of McCartney on the DVD. The VideoThe 4:3 full-screen transfer is pretty mediocre, coming in looking nearly as bad as a VHS tape. There's plenty of aliasing on diagonals; the reds in Paul's shirts are noisy and smeary; detail is seriously lacking with distant shots consisting basically of fuzzy blobs. Fuzzy blobs rock out! Whenever there are fast camera pans, it goes jittery and indistinct. Colors are soft and unimpressive and black levels are weak. The documentary footage looks a bit better, but we're not buying the disc for non-concert related footage, so who cares if their vacation videos look nice when the show itself is weak?Score: 4 out of 10Languages and AudioAudio choices are English 2.0 Stereo, Dolby 5.1 or DTS 5.1 with English subtitles. Audio tracks can be switched on the fly, but the stereo mix is pathetic and should be avoided like Ringo's movies. Levels are low and the mix is blah. Pass. Guitars in the left channel, percussion in the right channel... Of the two surround choices, I give a very slight nod to the DTS track because it sounds more glued together than the Dolby track. The high-end is a tad exaggerated in Dolby with audience noise, cymbals and acoustic guitars being more prominent. As a result, the DTS track sounds less zingy, but more musical and cohesive. What stereo panning is present is a bit more pronounced in DTS.Overall, it would have been nice if they mixed the show more aggressively - made it rock a little harder, particularly with the bass and drums - and gave more of a "you are there" vibe. While the DTS mix gets my nod, the Dolby isn't far behind, so see what sounds best on your setups. Just stay away from the stereo! No offensive hiss or distortion was noted and the mix levels are adequate.Score: 7 out of 10Packaging and ExtrasThe disc comes in an Amaray case with cardboard slipcover that duplicates the case art. An 8-page booklet with photos, quotes and song listings is included. Putin raises the roof! The best extra is Paul McCartney: Live in St. Petersburg, billed as a hour-long bonus concert, but judging from the lack of overlap in the set lists, it's more like the outtakes culled from unused remnants of the main show.Set List: Jet Got to Get You Into My Life Flaming Pie Let Me Roll It Drive My Car Penny Lane Get Back Back in the U.S.S.R. I've Got a Feeling Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/The End Helter SkelterWhat makes this better than the main concert is it cuts to the chase pretty quickly after a 10-minute chunk of rehearsal footage and blather from McCartney; thankfully, it's a pretty straight-forward- albeit truncated- sequence of performances that mantains better momentum than the main event materials from the Red Square set. Behind the Curtain: Memories from Red Square is a six-minute featurette of random footage of Paul greeting people with him commenting about how meaningful all this was. Now everybody try to stay together... Russia and The Beatles: A Brief Journey is a bit from A&E's sister outlet, The History Channel, which purports to trace the simultaneous historical tracks of the Soviet Union and the band, managing to trivialize both in less than six minutes.Finally, Resources - which is just a half-dozen web URLs to sites concerning Russian history and music - wraps up the extras.Score: 6 out of 10 -- Peter Schorn The MovieAn okay concert hamstrung by disruptive political interview segments. 6 The VideoFuzzy, unimpressive VHS-grade transfer. 4 The AudioLousy stereo, but decent surround mixes. 7 The ExtrasBetter-paced bonus concert footage plus extra interview segments. 6 Overall Score (not an average) 6

Ringo's message is love

2005-07-04T12:10:00.000Z

Ringo Starr's Message: 'Love' NEW YORK, June 29, 2005 Ringo Starr Backstage Pass Ringo Starr (Photo: CBS) The Beatles in 1969, in what turned out to be their last photo session together: Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon (L-R) (Photo: AP/Apple Corps Ltd.) Buy: Choose Love (advertisement) (CBS) Ringo Starr helped take America by storm in 1964, as the drummer for legendary rock band The Beatles. Four decades later, he's still going strong. For his latest project, he got little help from his friends, the Roundheads, and put together a new album titled "Choose Love." "It's still the same, 'Choose Love.' Choose peace," Starr told The Early Show co-anchor Rene Syler during his visit as part of the Summer Concert series. The message from the former Beatle has not changed, and he is still going strong at 64. And though the Beatles song "When I'm 64" seems, in a way, prophetic, Starr says in no way, back then, was he thinking this far ahead. "You don't think that when you're 24," he said. "That's just, like, too far ahead. And, suddenly, you find you are there." Is he saying: Where did all the time go? "No, I know where it went," Starr said, laughing, "I have lived a life. I've done many things. I've had lots of fun with my music, with my painting, with the love of my life, my wife, with the children. It's a whole life going down here." Complimenting him on his looks, Syler predicted he would live to be 100 years old. "The secret of musicians," he said, "is we don't look in the mirror, because till we do, we're all 24." He shared a few more secrets regarding his marriage, a 24-year success. "The secret is that I love that woman dearly, and she loves me. Thank God," he exclaimed. And the secret for the Beatles still being relevant today? "It is the music," he said, "Whatever happens, it's the music. The records we made them still hold up today." Asked what he thinks about what he thinks of reality shows that turn people into music stars overnight, in view of the fact that he paid his dues, Starr said, "I did pay my dues. But the reality shows, I have to confess, I do not watch them. I do see the results where somebody who has won one of those shows is really huge for six months, a year, and then it's, like, they're tossed aside. "I feel blessed that I came up through the ranks from clubs to theaters to stadiums. And that's what I do. I didn't really do it to be famous. I did it because I loved to play." Next for him? "I'm just going to make more music for the rest of this morning," he said. For The Early Show's Summer Concert series, he performed the title track from his new album, as well as "Back Off Boogaloo," from the 1974 album "Goodnight Vienna;" "With A Little Help From My Friends" from the 1967 album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band;" and his classic hit, "It Don't Come Easy" from the 1973 album "Ringo." Starr produced and co-wrote all 12 songs on "Choose Love," which is a tribute to the music and the message of the Beatles, evoking past melodies. "Oh My Lord," in particular, recalls the melody of George Harrison's hit, "My Sweet Lord." Starr's song is dedicated to his late bandmate, who died in 2001. Starr's most recent previous album was "Ringorama," produced in 2003.

Paul skips charity show

2005-07-04T12:06:00.000Z

Organizer: McCartney skipped charity show Photos Paul McCartney (AP) By Associated PressJuly 1, 2005 LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. -- Was Paul McCartney supposed to play at a concert benefiting victims of the Bluebird Canyon landslide? An event organizer claims the former Beatle promised to perform over the weekend, but the entertainer's publicist, Paul Freundlich, said Wednesday that McCartney never planned to appear.The confusion started when organizer Andy Alison said he delivered a flower basket and an invitation to McCartney at his music label, Capitol Records, on June 23. The real estate agent heard that McCartney and his wife had stayed at the Montage Resort & Spa in Laguna Beach and were familiar with the area. Also, McCartney's post-Beatles band, Wings, had a song called "Bluebird."City officials said they were under the impression McCartney wished to help the victims when a city employee received a call from a man who said he worked for Capitol Records. The man never called back, City Manager Ken Frank said."The number checked back to Capitol," Frank said. "So maybe it was a misunderstanding, or maybe he got sick or changed his mind. Who knows? Maybe it was a gimmick (to sell more tickets)."About 2,500 people flocked to Saturday's concert at an elementary school.Rumors flew that the singer was glimpsed behind stages, in bathrooms and flying in helicopters, Frank said.The June 1 landslide sent homes tumbling down a hill and left others on unstable ground.

Paul: Ex Rock President?

2005-07-04T12:04:00.000Z

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY is confused by his role at the Live 8 concert in London on Saturday (02JUL05), because he was introduced as a rock veteran at the original Live Aid twenty years ago. The former BEATLE will open and close the bash at Hyde Park, ending with a performance of LONG AND WINDING ROAD. He says, "I seem to recall that at Live Aid I was being referred to as an 'elder statesman', so what does that make me now? I feel like an ex-president of rock 'n' roll." 30/06/2005 01:50

John Lennon auction collection up for grabs

2005-07-04T12:02:00.000Z

JOHN LENNON AUCTION COLLECTION UP FOR GRABS JOHN LENNON’s military tunic and an oil painting from the legend’s student days are to be auctioned in a collection estimated to be worth $2 million. Going under the hammer on July 28 at London’s Hippodrome will be items charting the Beatle’s life, from his time at college to the sofa he sat on for his final publicity photograph. Included in the auction will be the original ’All You Need Is Love’ manuscript, the tunic which is believed to have inspired the costumes on the ’Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album cover, a never-before-heard recording of Lennon and Yoko Ono’s children singing ’All You Need Is Love’ and the singer’s electric piano – a gift from Elton John - taken from his Dakota Building apartment. “Every item speaks for itself in terms of rarity, importance and cultural significance’, said Ted Owen, director of auction house Cooper Owen. “Without Lennon and The Beatles, I have no doubt that the music industry would look very different today.” He added: “Together, the items in this sale combine all of the best elements of the man himself – it is iconic, idealistic and irreverent. We’re honoured to be passing them on – and the sale itself will celebrate Lennon and his legacy the way it was meant to be celebrated!” The key lots are: Handwritten ’All You Need Is Love’ manuscript from the ’Our World’ broadcast in 1967 - The Beatles last live TV performance. Bedspread from Lennon and Ono’s Montreal ‘bed-in’, 1969 Previously unheard recordings of Lennon and Ono’s children singing ’All You Need Is Love’ A rare oil painting by Lennon created whilst a student in Liverpool Table from the Weybridge home Lennon shared with his first wife Cynthia Chair Lennon sat on for the cover of the The Beatles first US album ’Introducing The Beatles’ and some of the band’s first publicity photos Vox organ played by Lennon at The Beatles’ Shea Stadium gig, 1965 Clothing, including the military tunic, worn in Life magazine photo shoot Original Tom Mix standee from the cover of ’Sgt Pepper’ - one of only a handful remaining props from the shoot Lennon’s electric piano from his Dakota Building apartment – a gift from Elton John - and a sofa from Lennon and Ono’s ’Special Room’ in the Hit Factory recording studio used during the recording of his final albums ’Double Fantasy’ and ’Milk & Honey’ Get 5 issues of NME - the world's biggest selling rock weekly - for freePublished: 30-06-2005-13-58

Ringo avoiding taxes

2005-07-04T11:58:00.000Z

Ringo Starr builds a new home to avoid taxes Washington: Former Beatle band member, Ringo Starr, who has homes in Britain and Los Angeles, has set up a permanent home in Monte Carlo, in order to make more royalties money there and avoid tax laws in Britain and Los Angeles. “I live in Monte Carlo with residences in England and LA. I’ve had a house here in LA since 1975 and I love LA. I love America but I love LA. It’s overrated. I want to do the WILLIE NELSON thing - you just don’t pay until they catch you and then you do some shows somewhere and it’s all forgiven”, Contactmusic.com quoted him as saying. Starr, has also admitted that he has always fought against paying tax bills. (ANI)

Paul starts and ends Live 8

2005-07-04T11:56:00.000Z

Sir Paul McCartney Starts and Ends Live 8 Paul McCartney (photo by Ros O'Gorman) Related Content: at Live Aid by Paul Cashmere 3 July 2005 The Live 8 concert was kicked off with Sir Paul McCartney performing a Beatles classic. The event ended the same way.McCartney joined U2 for an incredible version of his Beatles classic 'Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band'. 10 hours later, the event concluded in London with a brilliant set of Beatles standards again performed by Sir Paul McCartney. McCartney's finale kicked off with the Beatles rocker 'Get Back'. He was then joined by George Michael for the Rubber Soul track 'Drive My Car' before slamming the event into total rock with the acid-tinged 'Helter Skelter'. It concluded with 'The Long and Winding Road' followed by the outro from 'Hey Jude' with the London performers. This was a performance which endorsed McCartney's reputation as the greatest songwriter of a generation. "I'm honored that they would want my songs for such a noble cause but that is the power of The Beatles" he says in a posting at his official website. "What we did in The Beatles really overtook us and our intentions. When it is remembered and loved that way, you can only appreciate that something mighty has happened way beyond anything we get out to do. I think the same thing is happening with Live 8 now. The idea is overtaking us". McCartney also reconfirmed Geldof's intentions about the concert. "This is not a fund raiser" he says. "It is about speaking out on behalf of the African people being born this very moment into eternal debt. There is no way they can get out of it on their own. All we are trying to do is get that debt excused. It is a little amount to us but everything to them". The McCartney and U2 version of 'Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band' and the closing version of 'The Long and Winding Road' are now available for download via iTunes from the www.live8live.com site.

Live 8 available for download; rushed online

2005-07-04T11:42:00.000Z

U2 front man Bono performs as part of the opening act - along with Paul McCartney (not in picture) - of the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, London, 02 July 2005 attending by over 200,000 people. (EPA/STR) The historic opening of today's Live 8 concert in London - U2 and Sir Paul McCartney collaborating on the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - has been rush-released worldwide by Universal Music Group as a digital download, for sale an hour after its performance on the Hyde Park stage. The unique recording is available to buy through more than 200 online music stores and services in 30 countries, including www.Live8Live.com, and the proceeds from the download sales are being donated to Live 8. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is thought to be the fastest-ever worldwide commercial download release from a major music event. It has been achieved by the co-operation of the artists, the Live 8 organisation and the event's broadcasters, working with the Universal Music technology team and dozens of online music outlets. Guinness World Records is closely monitoring this aspect of Live 8, to see if the achievement qualifies for a Guinness World Records seal of approval. Music fans have an opportunity to set a world record of their own, by buying the downloadable "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" more than any other track previously released online. The recording will not be available in physical form. Immediately after its performance today, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was transmitted by satellite to the BBC Television Centre in London, and relayed to UK broadcaster Capital Radio. A direct digital recording was captured there for Universal Music, which edited, mastered and transmitted the track to its production centre in Hanover, Germany. The final master was sent to the company's global electronic distribution warehouse in the US, followed by real-time delivery to online retailers around the world, for sale as the first Live 8 download. U2 front man Bono performs as part of the opening act - along with Paul McCartney (not in picture) - of the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, London, 02 July 2005 attending by over 200,000 people. (EPA/STR) The historic opening of today's Live 8 concert in London - U2 and Sir Paul McCartney collaborating on the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - has been rush-released worldwide by Universal Music Group as a digital download, for sale an hour after its performance on the Hyde Park stage. The unique recording is available to buy through more than 200 online music stores and services in 30 countries, including www.Live8Live.com, and the proceeds from the download sales are being donated to Live 8. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is thought to be the fastest-ever worldwide commercial download release from a major music event. It has been achieved by the co-operation of the artists, the Live 8 organisation and the event's broadcasters, working with the Universal Music technology team and dozens of online music outlets. Guinness World Records is closely monitoring this aspect of Live 8, to see if the achievement qualifies for a Guinness World Records seal of approval. Music fans have an opportunity to set a world record of their own, by buying the downloadable "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" more than any other track previously released online. The recording will not be available in physical form. Immediately after its performance today, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was transmitted by satellite to the BBC Television Centre in London, and relayed to UK broadcaster Capital Radio. A direct digital recording was captured there for Universal Music, which edited, mastered and transmitted the track to its production centre in Hanover, Germany. The final master was sent to the company's global electronic distribution warehouse in the US, followed by real-time delivery to online retailers around the world, for sale as the first Live 8 download.

Beatles catalog took long and winding road

2005-07-04T11:39:00.000Z

July 3, 2005 Beatles' catalog took long, winding road By David Hinckley New York Daily News While the not-guilty verdict in the Michael Jackson trial should mercifully close the book on much of its sad and sordid business, a few subplots linger. One is that Jackson's ongoing cash-flow problems could force him to consider selling some or all of his 50 percent share in the Sony/ ATV song publishing catalog. That would just be boring bean-counter news except that this catalog is home to not only a few familiar items like "Star Dust" and "Blowin' in the Wind," but 251 Beatles songs, too. That means John Lennon/Paul McCartney standards like "Yesterday," "In My Life" and "Hey Jude." This gives the catalog an unusual prominence, and Jackson himself recently charged that the molestation case was just a ploy in a larger conspiracy to put him in a position where he would have to sell his Sony/ATV share. Jackson also insists that he has no plans to do so. But reports persist, because Sony/ATV is part of the collateral he recently put up to obtain a $250 million loan, and he is now technically in default. As his pal Donald Trump can attest, these things usually get worked out. Still, the fact that one of the world's most valuable and beloved song catalogs could be in play is instructive about the song-publishing business. Ever since Jackson bought the catalog in 1985, he's said it was both an investment and a rare chance to own music he loves. McCartney, similarly, has often said he would like to own the catalog just to bring his babies back home. This kind of talk is music to fans' ears. They want everyone to love the songs as purely as they do, for being beautiful music. When Brian Wilson tried to get all his Beach Boys songs back after his father, Murry, sold them, who didn't root for him? Unlike a kiss, however, a song isn't always just a song. It's also a cash asset, as the trail of the Beatles' songs confirms. Junction One, 1962. Beatles manager Brian Epstein, unhappy with the promotion for the single "Love Me Do," wants a more aggressive publisher. George Martin steers him to Dick James. McCartney and Lennon form Northern Songs, and Epstein gives James 50 percent of the revenue to publish their work. Months later, James is a multimillionaire. Junction Two, 1965. The Beatles are making so much money, they have entered Britain's 90 percent tax bracket. To shift their income to capital gains, they take Northern Songs public. James retains 37.5 percent and McCartney and Lennon 15 percent apiece. The company is valued at around $5 million. Junction Three, 1969. James realizes Lennon and McCartney are about to break up. So he sells his shares to ATV, which is owned by Sir Lew Grade, a British entertainment mogul nicknamed Sir Low Grade. James doesn't mention this to Paul and John until the deal is done. John and Paul then try to block Grade from getting enough additional stock to have a controlling interest, and they almost succeed until Lennon announces he won't deal with any suits, including those he and Paul need for control. Grade ultimately buys it all for 9 million pounds, around $18 million. Junction Four, 1985. Grade's people decide to cash out. McCartney is interested, but he wants Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, to kick in, and she declines. So even though McCartney is said to be worth more than $500 million and already owns other song catalogs, including Buddy Holly's, he declines to top Jackson's $47.5 million bid for ATV. Junction Five, 1995. Jackson, needing cash, sells half the catalog to Sony for $150 million. Later, Jackson will call Sony president Tommy Mottola "devilish" and accuse him of trying to steal Jackson's assets. Today the Sony/ATV catalog is worth from $400 million to $1 billion. It could be Jackson's most valuable asset, particularly since he has enhanced its value by selling some songs for TV ads -- a move that infuriates McCartney. So let's call it unlikely that Jackson would want to sell all or part of his 50 percent share. If he did, though, it would keep the trains running at Neverland for a long time.

Smithsonian acquires John's stamp collection

2005-06-28T09:02:00.000Z

WASHINGTON - Beatles star John Lennon collected stamps as a schoolboy — and the public will soon have a chance to see them. The Smithsonian's National Postal Museum announced Friday it has acquired Lennon's stamp album and plans to display it in October. The museum purchased the album from a British stamp dealer but declined to disclose the purchase price. The museum said the album contains more than 550 stamps from around the world, including many from former British colonies such as India and New Zealand. The collection did not focus on stamps featuring music, but it may have indicated some artistic interest on Lennon's part. The album's title page had images of British monarchs, to which beards and mustaches had been added in blue ink. "We're tremendously excited at the prospect of exhibiting John Lennon's boyhood stamp album," curator of philately Wilson Hulme said. "I hope it will inspire new collectors. There are people who think stamp collecting isn't cool, and maybe this will cause them to think twice about that. It just doesn't get cooler than John Lennon." The stamp album, printed in about 1950, was given to Lennon by his cousin Stanley Parkes. ___

John's stamp collection

2005-06-28T09:00:00.000Z

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A look back at Ringo's "other" career

2005-06-28T08:57:00.000Z

You know Ringo Starr, the drummer. You love him -- yeah, yeah, yeah. But beyond the Beatles, do you know Ringo the Renaissance Man? Ringo beats a path to the Chicago area to play with his band, the Roundheads, at 8 tonight at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee in Waukegan (tickets $40-$65, call 312-559-1212). Even this week he was showing off his visual arts talents at the opening of his computer art exhibition in New York. Let's look back at some of Ringo's non-musical pursuits, from film actor to filmmaker, restaurateur to artiste: 1972: After dabbling in front of the camera a few times -- in the Beatles films, in "The Magic Christian" with Peter Sellers, in Frank Zappa's "200 Motels" -- Ringo stepped behind it to direct "Born to Boogie," a marathon concert film about pioneering glam rock band T. Rex. The film was painstakingly restored for a DVD release earlier this month, including a nifty studio scene featuring Ringo, T. Rex's Marc Bolan and Elton John jamming on "Tutti Frutti." 1974: John Lennon's fabled "lost weekend" was in full swing, and lots of celebs went along for the wild ride, including Ringo and buddy Harry Nilsson. Ringo joined Nilsson for the latter's "Pussy Cats" record, then the two made a wacky documentary about their legendary carousing titled "Harry and Ringo's Night Out." It was never released. 1975: Ringo appeared as the pope in Ken Russell's film "Lisztomania," in which the character of the great classical pianist Liszt (played by Roger Daltrey) actually says, "Piss off, Brahms!" 1977: In his first dabbling in children's entertainment (if you don't count "Yellow Submarine" and "Octopus's Garden"), Ringo provided the voice for Scouse the Mouse for an animated special and an album of the same name. 1978: Ringo played a European movie director in Mae West's final film, "Sextette" (with a wild cast including everyone from Timothy Dalton and Tony Curtis to Alice Cooper and Regis Philbin). He also appeared in Martin Scorsese's concert documentary about the Band, "The Last Waltz." 1981: Ringo starred in the primitive comedy "Caveman," on the set of which he met his future wife, Barbara Bach. Meanwhile, Ringo became part owner of a cable TV company in Liverpool. 1983: Ringo hosted a 26-part weekly radio show called "Ringo's Yellow Submarine," a series about Beatles music. 1984: All aboard! Ringo narrated the animated series "Thomas the Tank Engine" for Britain's ITV. The series lasted until 1991. Later in the year, Ringo hosted "Saturday Night Live," the only Beatle to do so. One of the skits featured fans snapping up Beatles memorabilia at an auction -- $45,000 for a Lennon guitar pick, $110,000 for a Paul McCartney toothbrush, $800 for Ringo himself. 1985: A star-studded TV adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland" found Ringo playing the Mock Turtle. 1987: Ringo appeared at the opening of the Brasserie, a restaurant in Atlanta in which he had co-ownership, and joined an impromptu jam session with Isaac Hayes, Jermaine Jackson and Jerry Lee Lewis. Also that year, at the height of his alcohol dependency (later successfully treated), he appeared in a series of ads for Sun Country Classic Wine Coolers. 1989: Ringo played the part of the tiny Mr. Conductor in the children's TV series "Shining Time Station," for which he was nominated for an Emmy. 1995: Swipe it! Ringo created a painting for the Private Issue credit card, the company that sponsored his summer tour. The painting itself brought $33,000 when it was auctioned to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. That year, Ringo also designed a line of drumsticks for the ProMark signature series. 2005: On Sunday, Ringo, 64 (still needed, still fed), opened an exhibition of his computer art at Pop International Galleries in Manhattan. The show features 14 different images, all signed. Starr said he started doing computer art to keep him occupied while he was on the road touring. "); // Print "Ads By Google" -- include link to Google feedback page if available document.write(""); if (google_info.feedback_url) { document.write(" "\">Ads by Google"); } else { document.write("Ads By Google"); } document.write(""); // For text ads, display each ad in turn. // In this example, each ad goes in a new row in the table. if (google_ads[0].type == 'text') { for(i = 0; i " + "" + google_ads[i].line1 + "" + google_ads[i].line2 + google_ads[i].line3 + "" + "" + "" + google_ads[i].visible_url + ""); } } // For an image ad, display the image; there will be only one . if (google_ads[0].type == 'image') { document.write("" + "" + ""); } // Finish up anything that needs finishing up document.write (""); } -->

Reprieve for Ringo's childhood home

2005-06-28T08:55:00.000Z

Ex-Beatles childhood home reprieved from bulldozer Jun 25 2005 Daily Post RINGO Starr's childhood home has been given a stay of execution after a decision to demolish hundreds of properties was put on hold in the face of public opposition. Liverpool councillors were yesterday expected to approve plans to create two new neighbourhood renewal zones in the Princes Park area of Toxteth and Picton area of Wavertree but chose to delay the proposals so more residents' concerns could be considered. The controversial scheme would see almost 1,000 homes bulldozed over the next 10 years to make way for new housing, while many others would be refurbished as part of the £470m New Heartlands redevelopment project. Campaigners welcomed the decision. A spokeswoman for the Welsh Streets Home Group said: "We are delighted to have just a little more time to try and reach a compromise solution which benefits more people, heritage assets and the environment." The group argues there is a shortage of affordable housing in the area. Sidney Green, a resident in the Welsh streets area, said: "I am relieved my home might still be safe and I am not faced with a compulsory purchase order for the time being." The area earmarked for demolition includes former Beatle drummer Ringo Starr's childhood home in Madryn Street, Toxteth - one of 470 homes in Princes Park and 520 off Smithdown Road. Council leader Mike Storey said: "Much of this is being forced upon us by central government and we do not want to be steam-rollered into a decision before we understand what people want." A council spokesman said the scheme was put on hold partly because cllr Flo Clucas, executive member for housing for the city council, was at an Objective 1 funding meeting in Brussels.

Heather calls miscarriage rumor "disgraceful"

2005-06-28T08:53:00.000Z

Heather hits at child 'lies' Jun 27 2005 Liverpool Echo SIR PAUL McCartney's wife Heather today denied reports she suffered a miscarriage. A Sunday newspaper reported that the couple had lost their second child just a few months into the pregnancy. But today her spokeswoman branded the story "disgraceful". She said: "It is completely untrue and the matter is now in the hands of solicitors." Rumours that Heather, 37, is pregnant have not been confirmed. The couple's first child, Beatrice, is now 20 months old. Sir Paul, 62, already has three children from his marriage to Linda.

Ringo not slowing down

2005-06-28T08:51:00.000Z

Ringo StarrAt an age where most would be settling back and reaping the rewards of their major accomplishments in life, Richard Starkey, better known to the world as Ringo Starr, is not even thinking about slowing down. In fact, he’s exactly where he wants to be at this stage of his life, happy just being a member of a band.By Billy AmendolaBack in Liverpool, England in the early ’60s, Ringo was already a star, playing drums in the biggest local group at that time, Rory Storm & The Hurricanes. This was before he joined The Beatles—a band that would not only change his life forever, but would go on to change the world. Most of us know the story; those who are too young to remember, please go back and study everything you can get your hands on about that era.Ringo—a man of many talents—has dabbled in quite a bit of show biz in his sixty-five years on earth. Besides being one of the greatest drummers of all-time, he’s played the role of rock star, actor, filmmaker, TV star, studio musician, artist, photographer, and the leader of his own bands with the All-Starrs and The Roundheads. MD Online caught up with Ringo—a man who truly and respectfully deserves the title “living legend”—for a quick conversation while he was in New York City promoting his latest solo recording on Koch Records, Choose Love.MD: Do you have any favorite drum tracks from your solo recordings?Ringo: “Drumming Is My Madness” is one, because it was fun. It was Harry Nilsson Jim Keltner and I. For the Ringorama CD, we specifically made it sort of drum-prominent, and I sort of played some really good stuff. [laughs] Though I never practice, I do feel I’m getting better. It’s just how it is. The more you do it, the more comfortable you are with it. I’ve been touring with the All-Starrs, I’m touring now with The Roundheads, I’m making records—I’m sort of back in the business. I’m playing more, so I’m more comfortable. But the feel I have—many of you have asked me about my feel—that just comes from God. I truly believe that my heartbeat keeps the tempo, because I naturally have great time, as you all noticed, and that’s not blowing my own horn. I just have great time, and that’s the rhythm of my heart and my soul.MD: Do you ever record with a click-track?Ringo: Never do. Click tracks make me too tense. I’m useless with a click track. I’m just not from the click track school.MD: What were some of your favorite drum tracks that you played live with the All-Starrs, and did you find any particularly challenging?Ringo: My favorites…anything with Joe Walsh or with Todd Rundgren was great. If it was too challenging, then I would leave it to the other drummer. [laughs]MD: How did you develop the two-handed snare/floor-tom rolls, like on “Tell Me Why” and “Help”?Ringo: Well, it’s the only way I can do it, I suppose. That’s just how it worked out. I didn’t develop anything really; I just did it that way.MD: What made you change your mind about “Give Me Back The Beat,” a track from your new CD Choose Love, in terms of it not being a “drum song”?Ringo: On “Give Me Back The Beat,” the idea was to have guest drummers. On every record we’ve had guest guitarists, guest singers, so I thought, Well, let’s have guest drummers. I’ll do a verse and Charlie [Watts] will do a chorus, then my son Zak, Jim [Keltner], whoever—all my favorites. But anyway, it just didn’t work out. So listening to the playback of “Give Me Back The Beat,” I just thought it needed a half-time feel. And so for the first time ever, I went back and actually did a secondary drum track, and it’s all in one. It’s not spliced and fixed, it’s like, “Turn the track on and we’ll do what we do.” So it was very exciting really in a way to put two tracks on it, and they’re both me. It would have been more interesting for me in many ways if it had been another drummer. But that’s how it worked out.MD: How do you prefer to record your drum tracks? Do you still like to get the “live” element down by playing it through with the band, or do you track separately with music tracks? Also, nowadays, if you hear a mistake, will you do your drum track over, or would you take advantage of the new methods and just fix it in the mix?Ringo: No matter what Mark [Hudson] says, I will not redo the drum tracks. On all the records, my drum tracks are live. I played them from start to finish, and that’s what you get. And I have the band in the studio with me, all looking at me. No one is more than six feet away, and I’m live and they’re direct. And that’s one of the reasons you can hear a lot of talking and mumbling on my records. [laughs]MD: A spiritual question: The track “Oh My Lord,” also from the new record, got me thinking. I was having a conversation with Jim Keltner not too long ago, and he told me he prays every time before he plays his drums. Do you?Ringo: No, I don’t pray every time before I play my drums, but I do pray every morning and every night.MD: What’s next? Ringo: Well, right now I’m promoting the new CD, Choose Love. Then there’s a project with [Spiderman creator] Stan Lee in progress. We’ve got the writer now, we like the outline, we’ll get the story, I’ll do the voice, and the animators will do their job. That should be out, hopefully, by the end of next year.For more with Ringo, check out the November ’05 issue of Modern Drummer. For more on what Ringo’s up to, check out www.ringostarr.com.Copyright 2005 Modern Drummer Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Ringo rules out touring with Paul

2005-06-23T09:51:00.000Z

I'll never play with Paul again, declares Ringo Jun 22 2005 Daily Post RINGO STARR will never share a stage with fellow former Beatle Paul McCartney, he has declared. The legendary drummer flatly ruled out the prospect when asked whether the pair would consider joining forces in a nod to the old times. "I haven't toured with Paul since '65," he told US show Access Hollywood. "We're never going to do it. We are not going to tour together. I go with my band, he goes with his." The 64-year-old, who played to a sell-out crowd in New York on Sunday, also said he had no intention of retiring. "As long as I can hold those damn sticks, I'll be fine."

Drumming up Beatles' memories

2005-06-23T09:50:00.000Z

Just as his own musical career was blooming, Johnny Chester got the chance of a lifetime. The young rocker was invited to be a support act on the 1964 Australian tour by the Beatles, along with Sounds Incorporated. Apart from the experience and memories, Chester ended up with a souvenir that he carefully tucked away for the next four decades. He has the drumsticks used by Beatles drummer Ringo Starr during the band's last Australian performance - at Brisbane's Festival Hall on June 30, 1964. Given the burgeoning international market in entertainment memorabilia, it seems Chester has been sitting on more than just a souvenir. His keepsake has obviously acquired a monetary value, but Chester's motivation for testing the market demand is charming rather than cynical: his grandsons are growing up and the fishing "tinny" needs to be upgraded to accommodate them. "I thought 'what have I got that someone else would want?' " he said yesterday. He recalled scratching around backstage after the Brisbane gig, looking for a small memento of the experience of supporting the stars, when Beatles road manager Mal Evans offered him the drumsticks. AdvertisementAdvertisement It was Ringo's habit to leave them on the drum kit and make a quick getaway after their last song. Chester's memento is now on the internet auction site eBay, where late yesterday it had attracted a bid of almost $1300 - short of the reserve but, with bidding closing this Saturday, the action could heat up over the next couple of days. He still has his backstage pass and his wife's concert ticket from 1964. Chester, 63, whose solo career between 1971 and 1974 produced hits including Gwen Congratulations, The World's Greatest Mum and She's My Kind of Woman, has just recorded a new version of the 1960s hit Get a Little Dirt On Your Hands with Mornington Peninsula group the Distance. Ringo does not guest star.

McCartneys fear for Beatrice

2005-06-23T09:48:00.000Z

HEATHER MILLS McCARTNEY fiercely guards her baby with her husband and former BEATLE SIR PAUL McCARTNEY, because she's terrified she will suffer the same fate as his late bandmates JOHN LENNON and GEORGE HARRISON. The former model is determined to protect 20-month-old BEATRICE from the fates suffered by Lennon, who was shot dead by a crazed fan in New York in 1981, and Harrison, who was attacked at his home in England in 1999. She says, "I don't like talking about Beatrice much in case she gets put into the spotlight. "Remember John Lennon was shot and George Harrison was stabbed." For the same reason Mills McCartney also refuses to employ a nanny - which also safeguards the family's privacy after witnessing celebrity couple DAVID and VICTORIA BECKHAM deny claims by their former nanny ABBIE GIBSON that their marriage was in trouble. She adds, "It's Paul's turn to babysit tonight. We take turns. We don't have a nanny. I've had six miscarriages and two ectopic pregnancies so I want to spend as much time with Beatrice as possible. "And anyway - a nanny? Are you kidding? After what happened with David Beckham?" 22/06/2005 14:00

NME Magazine Beatles: The Solo Years

2005-06-21T12:19:00.000Z

NME Magazine Beatles: The Solo Years now available NME Originals proudly presents Beatles: The Solo Years 1970-80, a magazine dedicated to charting the careers of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in the decade after the break-up. Played out against a backdrop of reunion rumours, the ’70s proved to be a significant part of The Beatles story, with the Fab Four showing flashes of solo brilliance that could rival their collective output. From "Imagine" to "Back Off Boogaloo", from "Band On The Run" to "My Sweet Lord", this magazine concludes the Beatles story by republishing many of the solo interviews and reviews for the first time since their original publication in the pages of NME and Melody Maker. Add to this some truly fantastic photography and newly commissioned articles that tell the story of The Beatles split and bring their careers right up to date, this magazine is a must for every Beatles fan. More information:• NME Originals Published June 17, 2005

LIPA to become accredited university

2005-06-21T12:16:00.000Z

Sir Paul's academy bids to join elite Jun 16 2005 EXCLUSIVE by Deborah James Daily Post Staff SIR PAUL McCARTNEY'S Liverpool "Fame" academy is to apply to become a University. The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts will apply to the Government to become the city's fourth university ahead of European Capital of Culture year in 2008. LIPA principal Mark Featherstone-Witty last night confirmed he has already started initial preparations to become independent from John Moores University, which now accredits the college's six undergraduate degrees. He hopes to establish an autonomous funding relationship with the Department for Education and Skills by 2006 - in time for LIPA's tenth birthday celebrations. It means LIPA would join the University of Liverpool, JMU, and Hope University which was granted university status in March this year. The proposal is revealed as new figures show LIPA saw a huge 19% rise in applications this year. Mr Featherstone-Witty said: "It means we have reached the end of the beginning. "The admission figures show we have established ourselves and we are ready to move on to the next level, and become a university. "The first thing is to separate ourselves from JMU and establish a direct funding relationship with the Government by 2006. "Then, by 2008 hopefully, we would be awarding our own degrees. "The main drive behind it is to give a bit of status to LIPA and to the students, because at the end of the day what they do is not about qualifications, but about whether they can perform - and no piece of paper can tell you that." LIPA offers three undergraduate degrees in the performing arts, in acting, music, and dance, and three non-performance degrees, in management, sound technology and theatre, technology and design. Latest figures show the college had 4,200 applicants for 227 places in 2004/5, compared with 3,637 for 200 places in 2003/4, and an impressive 13.5% increase in admissions. Liverpool Hope University saw an 18% increase in admissions over the same period, while JMU admissions went up by 11.6%, and the city's biggest educational establishment, the University of Liverpool, saw only a 0.65% rise. This week, the college also emerged as the fourth most successful higher education establishment in the country for attracting foreign students. Non-UK residents from 35 different nations represented 30.27% of LIPA's students in 2002/3. Mr Featherstone-Witty said: "The international student figures show we are competing on a par with the best institutions. "The success is down to a number of things. I hope it is mainly because of the growing reputation of the college, and our high teaching standards and results. But I suspect it is also because we are the only place doing what we are with popular arts north of Birmingham. "Clearly Paul's name sells the reputation of the college around the world. "If you are thinking about studying the performing arts, then the idea of coming to Liverpool where the Beatles were formed must play a part. "It's like going to study country music in Nashville. "Another factor in this country is a lot of people seem to want to get into the industry because of the growing popularity of talent contests on television." A spokesperson for JMU said it would be a "great achievement" for the city if LIPA was granted university status. She said: "Liverpool John Moores University supported the establishment of LIPA 10 years ago. Over the last decade, the university has provided a range of support both academically, by accrediting LIPA's degrees and providing student welfare services, and also financially, by acting as conduit for essential higher education funding. "Thanks to this support, LIPA has grown into a viable higher education institution. "In conjunction with our School of Art and Design, LIPA has played an important role in regenerating the city's cultural district around Hope Street, helping to create a truly vibrant student arts scene. For LIPA to achieve university status would be a great achievement for this unique institution, LJMU and the city of Liverpool." There are currently 173 UK institutions offering under-graduate programmes in music. LIPA has 51% of all Norwegians studying music, drama and dance at undergraduate level in the UK. The college has 14.7% of the market share of US nationals, 16% of all Canadian nationals and 8.6% of all non-EU international students studying in the UK for their first degrees in music, drama and dance. deborahjames@dailypost.co.uk Sir Paul and principal's dream of a performing arts showcase took seven years and £20m THE Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) was created in 1996 on the site of Sir Paul McCartney's former grammar school. It was the brainchild of Sir Paul and Mark Featherstone-Witty, who were introduced by The Beatles' producer,, Sir George Martin. At the time, Sir Paul said: "I had always dreamt of being able to help my wonderful home town of Liverpool in some way or other. When I discovered the 1825 building which had once been my old school was derelict, saving the building became urgent." McCartney had entered the school in 1953, at the same time as George Harrison was a pupil. The school, on Mount Street, was itself a Liverpool landmark, with an illustrious history dating back to 1825 when the original Liverpool Institute and School of Art was built. It became the Liverpool Institute for Boys in 1905 when the city council took over the management of secondary schools and the School of Art was taken over by Liverpool Polytechnic, now JMU. The school closed in 1985 because there weren't enough pupils to make it viable. But the council could not sell the building as its trust documents said it had to be used for education, so it remained in limbo. Sir Paul discovered the disused site while making a home movie about his school days in the mid 1980s. As Sir Paul says: "As if by magic, Mark appeared." Mr Featherstone-Witty had been inspired by Alan Parker's 1980 film, Fame, about the New York High School for Performing Arts. He also read a book about musicians who failed to understand they were entering a business, despite the phrase "show business", and created a blueprint for a new type of training. By 1985, he had nearly 50 artists, directors, choreographers and entrepreneurs backing him. He formed a charity called the Schools for Performing Arts Trust to start a secondary school in London, which he finally did with the help of Sir Richard Branson and the British record industry. It was called the BRIT School in Croydon. George Martin was Featherstone-Witty's appeal chairman and introduced him to Sir Paul, who was by then interested in finding a purpose for his old school. The pair began talks with Liverpool City Council, which had by coincidence commissioned Pete Fulwell, then managing the Liverpool band The Christians, to look into initiatives that could help build on the city's reputation as a music city. The resulting struggle to secure £20m and create the facility took another seven years.

Pic of John fetches 22,800 pounds

2005-06-21T12:11:00.000Z

LS Lowry's 'John Lennon picture' fetches £22,800 Jun 15 2005 Liverpool Echo A PENCIL drawing by LS Lowry of five figures, one of whom looks just like John Lennon, fetched £22,800 at auction yesterday. Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887-1976) created Standing Figures in 1964 at the height of the Beatles' popularity. Lowry commented on the Lennon resemblance, but never confirmed it was intentional. A spokeswoman for Bonhams auction house said: "Lowry commented to the (then) owner that the central figure in the composition had a stark resemblance to John Lennon. "Although never confirmed whether this was intentional, the fact the work was executed in 1964 at the height of Beatlemania cannot be overlooked." An anonymous vendor bought the drawing at Lowry's then Gloucestershire home in 1970. He was twice invited to Lowry's home, once so Lowry could vet him to see if he was genuinely interested in his work and secondly to choose a piece from his collection. The man said: "We chuckled about the coincidental portrayal of Lennon and I thought it interesting how he spoke so openly as though discussing somebody else's work."

Handwritten Lyrics to All You Need Is Love up for auction

2005-06-21T12:08:00.000Z

Lennon's Handwritten Lyrics On Auction Block POSTED: 12:04 pm PDT June 20, 2005 LONDON -- If the handwritten lyrics for the classic Beatles song "All You Need is Love" is all you need to complete your collection of John Lennon memorabilia, then you're going love this opportunity. AP Image John Lennon (1969 photo)The handwritten manuscript of the song's lyrics by the late former Beatle is going on the auction block next month in London. Other items going up for sale include a tunic thought to have inspired the costumes on the "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" album cover, an oil painting by Lennon from his student days and a bedspread from Lennon's Montreal "bed-in" for peace with Yoko Ono. Cooper Owen, the auction house handling the sale expects it could raise $2 million. The auction will take place at The Hippodrome nightclub in central London. Lennon was 40 when he was shot dead by Mark David Chapman outside his and Ono's brownstone apartment building in New York on Dec. 8, 1980. Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Still loving Ringo when he's 64

2005-06-21T12:07:00.000Z

BY MAC MONTANDONDAILY NEWS WRITER Ringo Starr, who turns 65 next month, proved last night he's not too old for rock 'n' roll. The Beatles star drew a 1,100-person capacity crowd to Irving Plaza, luring them with songs from his new album, "Choose Love." The CD is full of the innocently sunny pop music that helped him reach stardom as the affable but least charismatic Beatle. But it didn't take him long to ditch the solo songs in favor of his still-meaningful Fab Four card. After one song from the new album, Ringo and his backing band, the Roundheads - led by legendary '70s rocker Mark Hudson - launched into "Octopus' Garden." Wearing all black, an earring and sunglasses, the world's most famous drummer gripped a wireless mike and swayed from foot to foot, flashing peace symbols. The soldout house erupted in applause and joined in, singing the classic lyrics with gusto. The crowd quieted slightly as Ringo jumped into the title track to his new record. The Roundheads found enough chunky soulfulness to give the boomer rock number an electric nudge, with Hudson's guitar ringing especially brightly. The adoring audience swelled with aging A-list celebrities - Springsteen sidekick Steve Van Zandt, Monkee Micky Dolenz and Corey Feldman. Paul Thomson, drummer for the indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, attended with his wife. "Ringo's my favorite Beatle," Thomson said. "He's funny and he's a drummer as well." Halfway through the show, Ringo took a moment to point out several luminaries, singling out Van Zandt and drummer Max Weinberg. Later, bouncing youthfully behind the drum kit, Ringo was clearly getting along just fine - with a little help from his friends, of course. Originally published on June 20, 2005

Beatles for sale hopes

2005-06-21T12:04:00.000Z

'Beatles for sale' hopes Lucy Farndon, Daily Mail, 21 June 2005 MUSIC groups are eagerly awaiting the sale of Michael Jackson's music assets which could be up for grabs as the star tries to clear his debts. Jackson jointly owns the rights to more than 250 Lennon/McCartney compositions for the Beatles - including Yesterday - in a 50/50 venture with Sony. Irish bookmaker Paddy Power is offering evens to punters wanting to bet that Jackson will sell his share of the songbook this year. The short odds suggest that such a move is likely. British music giant EMI is tipped as a possible bidder, though Sony may want to take full control. The music catalogue is estimated to be worth £280m, though the price could be pushed even higher if a superrich Beatles fanatic enters the bidding. Jackson makes money from the songs whenever they are played on the radio, or used in TV ads or films, so he may try to hold on to the catalogue if he can afford it. However, it emerged at the singer's trial that he has loans of more than £100m secured against the music rights. If he had been convicted, a swift sale would have been likely. But now Jackson has more time to consider his options. He bought the publishing rights for £27m two decades ago when his career was on a high.

Ringo's Postcards from the boys

2005-06-21T11:54:00.000Z

CBS) For those of a certain age, we'll never lose affection for the Beatles, for the times and the places we remember, reports CBS News Correspondent Bill Lagattuta, reporting for Sunday Morning. Those times and places were captured in of all things, postcards. Ordinary postcards. Ringo Starr always loved postcards, and asked his fellow Beatles to send him one whenever they got a chance. They did, from wherever they were, even long after they were the Beatles. The cards were read, then put away and then, like some memories, forgotten. Five or six years ago, Starr found a huge trunk that had more than a 100 postcards from John, Paul and George to Ringo. Starr has turned the postcards, and his memories about them, into a book, "Postcards From the Boys," with his royalties going to charity. "Some memories come flashing back," Starr tells Lagattuta, "but if you look at the book, there are some cards I have no idea what it means. I mean, you know it was 40 years or whatever, but at the time, it must have been really important." Some were addressed to his real name, Richard Starkey, others just to Ringo. There were silly cards, drawings, and words of affection. Paul McCartney wrote him one that said, "You are the greatest drummer in the world." Starr explains, "I had left the Beatles. I just felt it wasn't working, just felt, sort of on the sidelines. And I thought those three were really close. So I went over to John's and I said, 'You know, I really feel you three are really close and I'm not part of it anymore.' He says, 'I thought it was you three.' So I went over to Paul's and I said, 'You know, I've got to get out of here because you three are really close and I feel on the sideline.' He said, 'I thought it was you three.' So I thought, 'Wow, it's too crazy, I'm getting out of town.' " "Well, they wanted me to come back. And you know, John sent telegrams and Paul wrote this. And when I got back, George had the whole studio decorated in flowers. So it was really beautiful day." The cards aren't so much the history of the Beatles as historical fragments. John from Japan meeting Yoko's parents. Paul from India and a visit to the Maharishi, triggering memories from Ringo of the first time they met the guru. "He wasn't sure who the Beatles were," Starr recalls. The Maharishi may have been the only one. So great was their fame, it's remarkable these postcards ever got delivered. "Just a postcard sent through the mail, from John Lennon to Ringo, and it arrives. I don't know if it would arrive today, you know what I mean? Because everybody's collecting everything," reflects Starr. The Beatles traveled the globe together. And they traveled apart. But the bond remained. Some of the postcards are ordinary, like anyone would send. "But we are anyone. You know? We are John, Paul, George and Ringo. We are great mates." One said, "Who would have thought it would come to this? Love, John and Yoko." "Well, that's sort of the end of the Beatles," Starr says. "We were breaking up, and you know, as the old song goes, breaking up is hard to do. And you know, it got a little nasty, and it got a little angry, but we were still sending postcards. Everyone thinks it was, like, really dire. It was hard. But we hadn't forgotten each other. We had a row. You know, it's a family row here. We'd been that close for all these years. And it was ending, you know, and it didn't end great. And that's just the truth of it." It was seven short years from the time the Beatles first captivated America to when the band broke up. After that, to everyone's surprise, it was Starr who had the most initial success. Then his star faded. Drugs and alcohol overtook him in the '80s. But he came back in the '90s, with new bands, and new success. For the past 15 years, he's been on tour with a revolving group of musician friends, Ringo and the All-Starr Band, playing each other's music. He continues to make music with another band of friends, the Roundheads. His last CD, "Ringo-Rama," included a tribute to George Harrison. "George had just died, and he was a dear friend of mine. It was a great way of me saying 'I love you, George, and see you later.' " Ringo's new CD, "Choose Love," was just released this month. It includes a duet with friend, Chrissy Hynde, called "Don't Hang Up." Where does Ringo go from here? He turns 65 next month. Still playing in his new band. Still living with his old one. Starr says people still ask why the Beatles broke up. "I always feel that the energy wasn't going into it, the life energy. The music energy was always into it. If you listen to the tracks, though, to the day we broke up, the tracks themselves are really good. Because once we had the counting - one, two, three, four - we all knew how to do it," he says. "We all appreciated each other. We all supported each other. So there was never anything wrong with the music. It was just it was the time and space. That's how I look at it." He says he can get tired of talking about his time with the Beatles. "But I am comfortable with it. Everybody wants to go back all the time, you know? People can't help themselves. They want to talk about these boys."

Ringo's tribute to T-Rex on DVD

2005-06-12T09:11:00.000Z

NEW YORK CITY, NY, United States (UPI) -- Ringo Starr`s 1972 feature film about British glam rocker Marc Bolan and his band, T-Rex, "Born to Boogie," was released Tuesday on DVD. The movie featuring concert footage and commentary from Starr and Bolan will be screened for the first time in more than two decades Thursday at New York City`s Landmark Sunshine Theater, the New York Daily News reported. The film had been lost since Bolan`s death in a car accident in 1977. It was recently discovered in a bunker beneath London and restoration took about six months, the Daily News said. Bolan`s producer, Tony Visconti, told the Daily News the Beatles drummer became fascinated with Bolan and the whole androgynous glam rock scene of the early `70s. "The papers had been saying Marc was bigger than the Beatles," Visconti said. "Ringo bought it." Copyright 2005 by United Press International

Imagine John Lennon on your license plate

2005-06-12T09:09:00.000Z

Imagine it: Lennon on licence plates Jun 7 2005 By Deborah James, Daily Post Staff JOHN Lennon's message of hope is to help fight hunger in America after Yoko Ono endorsed designs for a new charity car number plate featuring the singer's Imagine self-portrait. The plates, the brainchild of ex-patriate Liverpool businessman Michael Towner, were legally approved for sale in Florida by the state's senator Jeb Bush, brother of US President George Bush. They will now be advertised under the banner "Imagine there's no hunger", to raise money for a Florida food charity to help victims of hurricaine and poverty. The design is the 102nd specialty licence plate to be approved in Florida. Other designs include the classic Florida oranges, and dolphins. Florida 'specialty' tags have become a vital funding source for many organizations and more than $250m has been raised since the programme's inception. According to state records, a charity Save the Panther plate raised $2,454,625 in 2004 and the University of Florida plate raised $2,105,377. Anyone who buys an Imagine plate will be entered into a competition to attend the 2006 Mathew Street festival in Liverpool. The plate was the brainchild of social entrepreneur Michael Towner, who says his family in Liverpool encouraged his love of the Beatles as he was growing up. A former pupil of St Francis Xavier in Woolton and De La Salle in West Derby, Mr Towner is also planning a rooftop Beatles tribute concert to promote the plates. He said Yoko Ono agreed to allow her former husband's image to be used on the plates after she was told the plates would raise money for the Florida Association of Food Banks. A spokesman for Ms Ono released a statement on her behalf: "Imagine is a great word to spread around, and I was happy to do this because it is helping a very important charity." Mr Towner said: "I am sure John would have had an 'appropriate' comment,, if he saw his image on the licence plates of Cadillacs and Lincolns tearing down I-95 in Miami and Palm Beach. "However, he will be well pleased with how his memory is still helping the less fortunate." Everton fan Mr Towner was born in Highfield Gardens, off Leeds Street, and attended nearby St Mary's primary school before his family moved to Belle Vale, where his mother Win still lives. He now runs a consulting and lobbying firm for non-profit organisations in Florida, where he lives with his South African wife and daughters. He said: "Money raised from the specialty plates will benefit the Florida Association of Food Banks, to fight hunger in Florida. "We fully expect the huge Beatles' fan base in this state to get behind this plate. The design is beautiful and the message is multi-generational, but those of us who grew up on his music will connect in a very special way, and there are millions of us. "In the words of John Lennon: 'Imagine . no need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man'." A survey of American Beatles fans in February 2003, found Imagine was their favorite solo Beatles Song, bringing in twice as many votes as second-placed Maybe I'm Amazed, by Paul McCartney. Florida representative Ron Greenstein and Senator Burt Saunders initially filed the bills that ultimately resulted in the legislation that enacted the Imagine plate. Mr Greenstein said: "Ms Ono allowed the food banks to use this image at no cost. She did so because she knows that John would have supported it. "With the Imagine specialty license plate, more food will be provided to those families that do much of the work in our state for little pay." FAFB members distribute food to more than 3,000 agencies in Florida and last year distributed more than 60 million pounds of food statewide, partnering with over 3,500 community based organizations throughout Florida. The Imagine plate costs $10 plus the $25 annual registration fee, of which $20 will go to charity. For more information visit www.imagineplate.com deborahjames@dailypost.co.uk

In Other Words; George Harrison

2005-06-08T21:55:00.000Z

"Those years seemed to be a thousand years long" In Other Words: George Harrison The Quiet Beatle talks God, LSD and all those years ago This excerpt is from my interview that took place in 1987 for an issue of Rolling Stone commemorating the magazine's twentieth anniversary. I had interviewed Paul McCartney for the same issue the day before. Both those interviews appear at full length in a section of In Other Words titled "Meet the Beatles," which also includes a second interview with McCartney from 2001 and an interview with Phil Spector about producing Let It Be and solo albums by Harrison and John Lennon. I arrived at Henley-on-Thames, where Harrison lived, by train on a Saturday afternoon in June. His wife Olivia had told me that someone would be picking me up, so I stood on the platform looking for my ride. When everyone else had left, I heard a voice behind me say, "You look like the only person here who might be from New York." I turned around and there, smiling, stood George Harrison. Moments later, I was lying in the low passenger seat of his black Ferrari 275 GTB as he drove me to his Friar Park estate. As he drove, he glanced over at me. "So, I understand you spoke to Paul yesterday. How is he doing?" So this is what's become of the Beatles, I thought, George Harrison has to ask me how Paul McCartney is doing. As we drove through the gates at Friar Park, Harrison's spectacular mansion came into view through the trees, looking like something out of a fairytale. As I gaped, Harrison pulled up at one of the guesthouses, which is where we would do our interview. He and I then sat down at a wooden table in the dining room, smoked cigarettes, and talked for two hours, as the late afternoon sky clouded over. Was there a specific moment when it became clear to you that people were looking at the Beatles as a way of making sense of their lives? As we began having hits in England, the press were catching on to how we looked, which was changing the image of youth, I suppose. It just gathered momentum. For me, 1966 was the time when the whole world opened up and had a greater meaning. But that was a direct result of LSD. How did taking LSD affect you? It was like opening the door, really, and before, you didn't even know there was a door there. It just opened up this whole other consciousness, even if it was down to, like Aldous Huxley said, the wonderful folds in his gray flannel trousers. From that smaller concept to the fact that every blade of grass and every grain of sand is just throbbing and pulsating. Did it make you feel that your life could be very different from what it was? Yeah, but that too presented a problem as well, because then the feeling began in me of it's all well and good being popular and being in demand, but, you know, it's ridiculous, really. From then on, I didn't enjoy fame. That's when the novelty disappeared -- around 1966 -- and then it became hard work. It seems as if that time was incredibly compressed. Did you feel that sense of compression? That year -- you could say any year from, say, 1965 up to the Seventies -- it was, like, I can't believe we did so much, you know? But those years did seem to be a thousand years long. Time just got elongated. Sometimes I felt like I was a thousand years old. Was it at that point that your identity as one of the Beatles began to get oppressive for you? Yeah, absolutely. Again, with the realization that came about after the lysergic. It has a humbling power, that stuff. And the ego -- to be able to deal with these people thinking you were some wonderful thing -- it was difficult to come to terms with. I was feeling like nothing. Was the decision to stop touring in 1966 part of your reexamining your lives as Beatles? Well, I wanted to stop touring after about '65, actually, because I was getting very nervous. They kept planning these ticker-tape parades through San Francisco, and I was saying, "I absolutely don't want to do that." There was that movie The Manchurian Candidate [about a war hero who returns home programmed for political assassination]. I think in history you can see that when people get too big, something like that can very easily happen. Although at the time, it was prior to all this terrorism. We used to fly in and out of Beirut and all them places. You would never dream of going on tour now in some of the places we went. Especially with only two road managers: one guy to look after the equipment, which was three little amplifiers, three guitars and a set of drums; and one guy who looked after us and our suits. Did your interest in transcendental meditation and other spiritual disciplines help you? All the panic and the pressure? Yeah! Absolutely, I think. Although up until LSD, I never realized that there was anything beyond this state of consciousness. But all the pressure was such that, like the man said, "There must be some way out of here." For me, it was definitely LSD. The first time I took it, it just blew everything away. I had such an overwhelming feeling of well-being, that there was a God, and I could see him in every blade of grass. It was like gaining hundreds of years of experience within twelve hours. It changed me, and there was no way back to what I was before. From Anthony DeCurtis' collection of interviews, In Other Words. Buy the bookANTHONY DECURTIS(Posted Jun 07, 2005)

Live 8 sparks text frenzy

2005-06-08T09:45:00.000Z

LIVE 8 SPARKS TEXT FRENZY The text message ticket lottery for London's LIVE 8 concert has already attracted more than 1.5 million entries from British music fans desperate to be present at the historic event which will be staged in Hyde Park on 2 July (05). An estimated 150,000 tickets have been made available and people can enter the competition as many times as they like - but they will have to pay GBP1.50 ($2.85) every time they enter before lines close on Sunday (12JUN05). A computer will then choose 72,500 random winners, who will each receive a pair of tickets to see COLDPLAY, SIR PAUL McCARTNEY, U2, REM and SIR ELTON JOHN perform live at the charity extravaganza. A spokesperson for SIR BOB GELDOF's Live 8 organisation says, "Bob's delighted. I've just told him and he said, 'It's great.'" The first GBP1.6 million ($3 million) raised by the text lottery will be donated to British charities THE PRINCE'S TRUST and HELP A LONDON CHILD, with the remaining profits going towards covering the costs of staging the concert. Any remaining funds will then be donated to the BAND AID TRUST. 07/06/2005 03:34

MJ's share in Beatles catalog in doubt

2005-06-08T09:39:00.000Z

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - As jurors weigh Michael Jackson's guiltin his child molestation trial, music industry executives and bankershave been weighing a separate, but related question: Will Jacksonhave to sell his $500 million stake in the Beatles' music catalog?Jackson bought the publishing rights to the catalog for about $48million two decades ago at the height of his career.But these days, according to testimony at his trial, the self-proclaimed King of Pop is deep in debt at a time when investmentinterest in the income-spinning property of his storied collection ofsong rights is strong, industry experts said.Many believe that Jackson will have to sell his stake in the catalogif he is found guilty and say even an acquittal could prove to be acatalyst for a deal.The Beatles songs are jointly owned by Jackson and Sony Corp.through Sony/ATV Music Publishing company.Attorney John Branca and music publisher Charles Koppelman, who areamong Jackson's changing cast of advisors and lawyers, did not returncalls seeking a comment.Industry sources said Jackson had more recently looked to billionairefinancier Ron Burkle for advice. Burkle declined comment.The Sony/ATV catalog also includes songs like Bob Dylan'sclassic "Blowin' in the Wind" and the works of artists such as JoniMitchell and Stevie Nicks.A spokeswoman for Sony ATV declined to comment, but many industryobservers expect Sony is waiting for the opportunity to buy outJackson. One source close to Sony, however, said no deal appeared tobe imminent.Jackson and former Beatle Paul McCartney collaborated during the1980s on various songs when the pop star got the idea to buy thecopyrights.Conglomerate ATV had in 1969 purchased Northern Songs, a publishingcompany established by the Beatles. The catalog included some 4,000songs, including more than 200 Beatles tunes, worth an estimated two-thirds of the catalog's value.ATV was then owned by the late Australian tycoon Robert Holmes aCourt, whose company, Bell Group, negotiated with Jackson for 10months before striking a deal in August 1985.CUTS STAKE IN 1995In 1995, Jackson cut his stake to 50 percent after merging ATV withSony's publishing. Jackson also has a 50-percent stake in new songsadded to the catalog."I've heard the rumors he's trying to raise cash and Sony probablywould have the right of first refusal and would be first in line tobuy if he chose to sell," said Owen Sloane, an entertainment lawyerwho was involved in the original 1985 deal on behalf of ATV.Accountant John Duross O'Bryan testified for the prosecution atJackson's trial that the 46-year-old star had steadily borrowedagainst his holdings and not paid his share of Sony's continuinginvestment. Jackson would have to pay off about $200 million in loanssecuring the catalog, he said.Those loans, first provided by Bank of America, were sold in the pastmonth to New York private equity fund, Fortress Investment Group,sources familiar with the matter said.Fortress was unavailable for comment, but if Jackson defaulted on theloans, the fund would be in a position to seize control of Mijac, thecompany that controls copyrights to Jackson's songs.A source familiar with the matter said bankers at Fortress werecurrently renegotiating terms of the loans with Jackson to extendtheir expiration beyond the current deadline of December, which wouldgive Jackson greater flexibility."They want to have a long-term relationship," the source said.While physical CD sales have been declining with the explosion ofdigital distribution, publishing rights have grown in value as songsare being licensed for everything from movies to cell-phone ringtonesto video games."One of the things that is going on is that investment bankers aregetting more into the field, because music publishing is one of thefew assets -- it is an annuity -- that's not going away and onlygetting more valuable with ringtones and such," said Mike Sigman,president of Major Songs, a music publishing company.

Peggy Lipton on Paul

2005-06-08T09:14:00.000Z

She was the beautiful undercover cop on TV's "The Mod Squad.” Peggy Lipton became a cultural icon on that hit show back in the 60s. But what very few knew was that behind that golden image was a woman living a life a lot darker and wilder than even her crime-fighting alter ego. Read an excerpt from her book, “Breathing Out,” below. Meeting PaulI arrived at the party wearing a pink silk skirt and my mother's Emilio Pucci checkered Jersey top and little heels. I just walked in and pretended to be very blase', like I wasn't about to expire with every step. Well, I am an actress, so I said, "Peggy, imagine you're a very composed, cool character who Is not in the least inhibited by all these famous people and what's about to unfold." It worked. I began snaking my way through the crowds that had gathered on the lawn In anticipation of greeting the world's most alluring popstars. I found myself talking to people. It was better than chewing on the inside of my mouth, which by now I couldn't stop doing. I talked to everyone ... anyone I met. The lovely Eva Marie Saint said hello and told me that she thought I resembled her! I felt extremely flattered. Enough to momentarily drop my raison d'etre--then it all hit me again. I'm going to see him. My heart was ready to burst open with my secret. I'd just have to stay cool for a little while longer. I started aimlessly floating around. I could no longer concentrate on talking to people. I don't know where they were or where he was, but I was feeling it, believe me. Without warning, the four of them appeared, sitting on high wooden stools under a big tree. Someone politely announced that children should come forward now and say hello. To my dismay I saw a line forming-a line of little kids! They were all so small-their moms sending them off with tears in their eyes. I was obviously not a kid but a woman towering ridiculously over them in my slick Pucci getup. The only thing I had in common with those kids was that we'd all been outfitted by our mothers. Sweating rivers through my clothes, I was feeling somewhat humiliated but unerring in my determination. The whole year of longing culminated in this moment. Adolescence was over forever. I was in line to meet the Beatles. The Fab Four under a tree. They looked cute. Just like the photos I had strewn across the walls of my bedroom. But I knew they weren't the cuddly mop tops they were pretending to be. You knew that when you got up close. John's twisted smile, for one thing, suggested a lot of strange thoughts could be going on in his head. Ringo, sporting a huge grin, seemed utterly bemused and nonchalant about it all. George was wiry and agile, adjusting his body to shake as many of the little hands as he could. I watched Paul. It felt like he was doing a sort of music-hall soft shoe routine for the crowd. He was being a showman, a carny The nice one who could engage the multitudes. I didn't know if I'd be able to talk when my turn came. What was there to say? My mind went completely blank. Okay, so John greeted me first, then George took my hand. I hardly remember them. Paul was the one I was watching and my heart was pounding too loud, sounding like thunder in my ears. "Look, Peggy," I said, trying to get a grip on myself. "He's being really sweet with these kids." I was admiring that while he was looking down and patting them on the head. All of a sudden I felt him looking at me and it was a totally different look. It was filled with promise and sexuality and I was stunned. "Come on, Peggy, you can do it. Shake hands!" Earl was shouting as he was photographing me. I was embarrassed. "Please stop, Earl," I thought. But this was a great moment for him, too. He actually saw his diligent work paying off. I wanted Paul at that moment as much as I had ever wanted anything in my life. I came face to face with him. "Hello' " I said, and he shook my hand and looked at me. "My god, you're beautiful," he said. "You're not so bad yourself," I replied, like an idiot. A year in the planning and that was all I could come up with? My knees under the pink silk skirt buckled. I was madly in love with Paul McCartney, or should I say even more madly in love-knowing full well that disaster lay ahead. How could it be otherwise? Every woman wanted Paul. "Well, move on. Next person," said a disembodied voice from hell. I went to the next person who was George Harrison or whomever. I couldn't have cared less. I had made the connection. Paul had looked at me with his puppy dog, long-lashed, beautiful eyes and that was it. Paul moved on with his conversation and charmed the next fan in line. __________________________________________________

Sir Paul is high in the clouds

2005-06-08T09:09:00.000Z

NEW YORK, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Sir Paul McCartney has signed with Penguin Young Readers Group to publish his children’s picture book, High in the Clouds: An Urban Furry Tale, in the United States on October 4, 2005. The initial US print-run is planned at 500,000 copies.This book will have two day publication of October 3 and 4 in 8 countries (and counting)."Having worked on this story and the characters for many years, it’s very exciting for me to see things come to fruition in what I think will be a remarkable book," said Paul McCartney.For the project, McCartney teamed up with veteran children’s book author, Philip Ardagh and animator, Geoff Dunbar. The story for High in the Clouds was inspired by an animated film called "Tropic Island Hum" on which Dunbar and McCartney had collaborated."This is going to be a major best-seller for us, and I know that a whole new generation of readers will become fans of Paul," says Doug Whiteman, the President of Penguin Young Readers Group who brokered the deal with the Editorial Director of Faber and Faber UK; Suzy Jenvey.The book will be published under the Dutton Children’s Book imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA).For more information on this book or others from Penguin Young Readers Group, please feel free to contact: Katrina Weidknecht, Director of Publicity, (cell at BEA: 917.544.0466) or Keith Mutzman, Senior Publicist (phone: 212.414.3464 or cell: 646.483.7924). Headshots and cover image of the book are available upon request.Penguin Group (USA) is the U.S. affiliate of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children’s trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks including Berkley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin, Philomel, Plume, Puffin Books, Riverhead Books and Viking, among others. The Penguin Group is part of Pearson (FTSE: PSON; NYSE: PSO). Pearson is an international media company with market leading businesses in education, business information and consumer publishing. For more information, visit http://www.pearson.com/ .Web Site: http://www.pearson.com/

A Tiki Tour of our Heritage

2005-06-08T07:37:00.000Z

Te tu a te wahine, acrylic on hessian by Arnold Manaaki Wilson. 08.06.05 by Andrew Clifford Visiting friends during the long weekend, I noticed an oversized hei tiki mounted on a wall. Could it be one of the hei tiki presented to the Beatles when they arrived here in 1964? Apart from one interview archived online, in which Ringo Starr jokes about burying the unwieldy plastic trinkets at the airport for luck, an internet search for the Beatles’ hei tiki reveals a distinct lack of information on what must be a sought-after piece of kiwiana. If any of the Beatles’ tiki had found their way into a New Zealand collection, chances are Auckland Art Gallery curators Ngahiraka Mason and Jane Davidson would have found them in the extensive tiki tour they took to research the Te Hei Tiki exhibition, which opens this weekend. As they travelled the country they found the once-ubiquitous plastic tiki elusive, although they did eventually find an Air New Zealand tiki in an antique store near Christchurch. "Hei tiki specifically refers to tiki that are worn around the neck," explains Davidson, who is still hoping for at least a photo of the Beatles’ arrival for the exhibition. "We have got one of the huge plastic tiki. We would like to think it is one the Beatles were given. It is just enormous. "That is one of the interesting things I have discovered about hei tiki. For Maori, size isn’t what counts. It’s to do with the quality of the carving and the history. Interestingly, a lot of hei tiki grew in size after European contact because that’s what Europeans demanded. "We were blown away by just how many types of hei tiki there are. The styles change so much across the country. I think a lot of people carry an idea of what a hei tiki looks like in their head, and I didn’t find one that looked anything like it. It’s interesting the way pop culture and kitsch have influenced our idea of how these things look." Before working at the Auckland Art Gallery, Davidson completed a masters degree at the Courtauld Institute in London, followed by a three-month unpaid internship at the Victoria and Albert Museum. She says the V&A has a reputation for being old-fashioned so it is bringing in contemporary art as a way to link with the collection. Te Hei Tiki works in a similar manner, although in this case it is a contemporary gallery introducing traditional taonga to widen the conversations within an exhibition. Te Hei Tiki takes in the various ways the hei tiki has become a contemporary New Zealand icon in tourism, art and fashion. Davidson says the usage and stories associated with hei tiki are an important part of the show, which traces usage to the Te Puawaitanga period (1500-1800). "It is considered to be a flowering period of Maori art in a similar way to the Renaissance. Unfortunately, a lot of hei tiki entering museums have gone in via Pakeha routes so the stories have been lost. But there are examples where we do have the whakapapa or the genealogy. "Hei tiki in the Maori context gain all their meaning from knowing who has worn them. Te Maungarongo is a hei tiki that passed through Te Kooti’s hands so it has a really interesting story. It travelled through several tribes and is a token of peace." Another find was a wooden hei tiki at the Govett Brewster, carved by Len Lye in 1922. As artists such as Picasso were looking to African forms, Lye was combining traditional Maori forms with European modernism. "We were also interested in the way hei tiki have almost become a Pakeha icon as well, and there is difficulty with that," says Davidson. "Some people don’t feel comfortable with it but it is such an entrenched part of who we have become that you can’t not tell that part of the story." The fairy-light tiki in Ponsonby shoe store Minnie Cooper’s Christmas window display are evidence of how universal the motif has become. And as recently as 1992, Dick Frizzell sparked debate on cultural appropriation with his exhibition that used the tiki motif to question definitions of Maori art. "I think it is fair to say that the 1992 show was probably the most significant thing I’ve ever done, or probably ever will do," says Frizzell. "I was just the right person in the right place, with the right skills, contacts and background to present a coherent and pretty much unassailable argument about how cultures evolve and can’t be ringfenced or copywritten. "Years of table-thumping dinner-table debates set me up for the foray. And my three working rules - nothing is sacred, everything is up for grabs and never ask permission - gave me the licence. "I know that the cultural climate has changed since then - witness the snappy new Workshop Tiki belt buckle - and changed for the better. It’s much healthier and I’m pretty proud to have had something to do with it." Exhibition *What: Te Hei Tiki*Where and when: New Gallery, Jun 11-Sep 4

What If the beatles had never found fame?

2005-06-07T04:53:00.000Z

Jun 6 2005 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner BRIAN Epstein got the Beatles 22 auditions with record companies. They recorded 15 tracks for Decca in under an hour on January 1, 1962 before being rushed out of the studio to make way for another band, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes. Decca's Dick Rowe turned down the Beatles after stating that guitar music "was on the way out". He signed the Tremeloes instead because they were from Essex and would cost less in travelling expences. Six months later - on this very date, in fact - the Beatles went to Abbey Road studios to audition for George Martin, who was more used to recording The Goons. He was impressed by their musical talent and their Scouse humour. George Harrison later recalled: "I nearly got killed by the rest of the band on that first trip to Abbey Road when George Martin recorded us. "Afterwards, he played it back and he said, `Is there anything that you don't like?' I just looked at him and said, `Well, I don't like your tie, for a kick-off.' And the others were like, `Oh no. We're trying to get a record deal here.' But he had a sense of humour." He also had an ear for a sound that was to make the Beatles the biggest name ever in rock and roll and their music a benchmark for decades to come. Just think what we might have missed if George Martin hadn't recognised embryo genius 43 years ago today. No Hey Jude, Sergeant Pepper or speculation about 4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire. All You Need Is Love might have been a sentiment never shared. And if The Beatles had never found fame, would they still be playing rock and roll? George Harrison would, sadly, have gone, but Lennon would still be alive and an acerbic 65-year-old. Would he still be teamed with McCartney and Ringo, still playing pub gigs around Liverpool? "Here's a song we wrote a few years ago. Hope you like it, mind, it's all the same if you don't because we're still going to sing it. One, two, three, four ... Well she was just seventeen, you know what I mean, and the way she looked was way beyond compare ..." Thank goodness for George Martin. Thank goodness for the music.

Help! I need a Beatles weekend

2005-06-07T04:49:00.000Z

06jun05 THESE girls weren't born in time for Beatlemania but they're enjoying it now - with a twist and shout.Known as the Lady Beatles, they perform all the Fab Four's favourites - except famous harmonies have been replaced with all-girl vocals. The group will be part of HELP! I need a BEATLES Weekend at the Cavern Club, city, from June 11 to June 14. Tara Carragher has assumed the character of John Lennon. Kylie Porter plays Paul McCartney. Sally Hansen is George Harrison and Robyn Glasson is Ringo Starr. "There were no fights over who was going to be which Beatle," Kylie says. "It all fell into place." The group has played in clubs and at private shows since forming last year. They take listeners on a journey from such early Beatles' numbers as She Loves You to Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. "Everyone loves it," Kylie says. "We try and do the songs as they are but obviously being girls we have to change the key of some." Other twists include Kylie adding violin and Tara working the flute in Yesterday . The weekend includes international bands, displays of movies and memorabilia. A full program is at www.beatlesfestival.com.au

Pete Doherty blasts Franz Ferdinand for Ringo rip-off

2005-06-07T04:40:00.000Z

05/06/2005 - 17:10:54 Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty has accused Franz Ferdinand of plagiarising a Ringo Starr song for their biggest hit, Take Me Out.Doherty has blasted the Scottish group for stealing the same song structure as the former Beatle used on his 1972 hit Back Off Boogaloo.He says: "Take Me Out's Ringo Starr, isn't it? It's exactly the same riff."What was it Oscar Wilde said? Amateurs borrow but geniuses steal."

Zak plays cereal box on Oasis' new album

2005-06-05T06:40:00.000Z

OASIS' drummer ZAK STARKEY discovered an unusual new instrument to appear on the band's new album DON'T BELIEVE THE TRUTH - an empty cereal box. Starkey, the son of former BEATLE RINGO STARR, has played with the LILA rockers since the band sacked their drummer ALAN WHITE last year (04). The talented drummer tapped out the rhythm on a cardboard box for the sixth track on the new record, titled THE MEANING OF SOUL - a song penned by LIAM GALLAGHER. Gallagher says, "The drums sounded a bit BUDDY HOLLY at first. "There was this box of cereal lying round in the studio and Zak started hitting that and it sounded mega." 31/05/2005

Bubble and Friends reprise White Album and Revolver

2005-06-05T06:36:00.000Z

BUBBLE (AND FRIENDS) REPRISES THEIR SOLD-OUT, NOTE-FOR-NOTE "REVOLVER" & "WHITE ALBUM" SHOWS ON THURSDAY, JUNE 9TH, LIVE, FREE & OUTDOORS AT HOBOKEN’S FRANK SINATRA PARK -- 7 TO 9PM! Summer’s here and the time is right for a free, summery Beatles show - with the glittery Manhattan skyline as backdrop! On Thursday, June 9th, the New York City-based power-pop band BUBBLE -- with an all-star cast of friends -- will present a live, note-for-note, strum-for-strum tribute to two of the greatest rock albums ever made: the Beatles’ 1966 single LP REVOLVER and their 1968 double LP THE WHITE ALBUM. This performance will take place at Hoboken’s Frank Sinatra Park, from 7 to 9 pm, as part of the city’s free and outdoors "Summer Enchanted Evenings" series. Frank Sinatra Park, which has a breathtaking view of the downtown Manhattan skyline, is located on Sinatra Drive between 4th & 5th Streets. (REVOLVER will be presented in its entirety; due to time constraints, much -- but not all -- of THE WHITE ALBUM will be performed). These shows are actually reprises of the band's sold-out winter/spring 2005 gigs at Arlene's Grocery and the Baggott Inn, which have been packed with East Coast Beatlemaniacs - appreciative of the obsessive care the band and its guest singers takes to get every note just right. Bubble -- led by Beatle fanatic guitarist/vocalist Dave Foster -- will get a little help Thursday from friends Dennis Diken (The Smithereens), Glenn Mercer (formerly of the Feelies), Glenn Morrow (Rage to Live, Bar/None Records), Perry Serpa and Jim Santo (The Sharp Things), Amy Speace, Cathy Cervenka, Chris Rael (Church of Betty), AJ Azzarto (co-producer of Nancy Sinatra’s latest CD -- and Frank Sinatra’s granddaughter!), Julian Maile, Jed Parish, Lianne Smith, Erik Paparozzi, Courtney Lee Adams Jr., Serena Jost, Claudia Chopek, Mark Rinzel, and Royce Peterson. (Of special note will be Brian Dewan's now-legendary performance of REVOLUTION 9 - presented as an absurdist, accapella radio play.) Bubble also features guitarist/keyboardist Jon Spurney (HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH, PLANET BANANA, LOSER’S LOUNGE), guitarist Rich Feridun (TAMMY FAYE STARLITE, ROGUE’S MARCH), bassist Alec Cumming (THE SHARP THINGS, BITE THE WAX GODHEAD), drummer Tom DeVito (PROFESSOR & MARYANNE, COURTNEY LEE ADAMS JR.) and percussionist Bill Gerstel (PIÑATALAND, THE MAD SCENE). Claudia Chopek and Andrea Dovalle plays the violin and Serena Jost the cello; Mike McGinnis, Andrew Hoglund, Mike Kobrin and Tony Salva are on the horns. Why take on REVOLVER and THE WHITE ALBUM? Well, one could make good arguments that either album is the band's best - and therfore rock's best. REVOLVER is a band at its peak: John, Paul, George and Ringo all at the top of their game, in fighting shape, coming off of 5 to 6 years of relentless touring, yet still friends. Brian Epstein was still alive, their brains weren't too scrambled on LSD (yet), Yoko and the Maharishi were in the wings, and Brian Wilson's PET SOUNDS had just come out to give the lads a competitive kick in the ass. Wheras THE BEATLES (aka THE WHITE ALBUM) is a much messier affair, and a real heartbreaking work of staggering genius. In mid-'68, the boys were spiraling off in different directions, yet still Beatles, still locked into creating groundbreaking music with each other, and understandably quite uncertain of what fate had in store for them behind the newly painted walls of Apple Records. Whatever the boys took away from their months with the Mahri shi in Rishikesh, they certainly brought home armloads of unspeakably great and fresh songs. THE WHITE ALBUM stands today as a snapshot of a band at an uneasy crossroads -- four musicians sowing the seeds of their group’s inevitable demise. Yet it’s also one of the most beautiful, breathtaking, moving, rocking, and brilliant works of art ever made. Why play these songs? Because they still bring such unbelievable and unending joy to its players - and to its listeners - and it always will. For more information about Bubble and its Beatles performances, contact Dave Foster at dave@bubbleland.com. Published June 3, 2005

Ringo: Choose Love

2005-06-02T11:18:00.000Z

"'The Long And Winding Road' is more than a song," Ringo Starr sings on the title track of his latest album Choose Love. And one of the most remarkable things about Choose Love is that this far down that long and winding road, Ringo Starr has never sounded more excited and engaged by the music he's making and the message of love that it spreads. Choose Love is full of inspired songs of innocence and experience -- the heartfelt and heartening work of someone who's lived a little and learned a lot. This is rousing, rough and ready rock & roll that lovingly embraces the past, but has its eye very much on our shared future. And it's an album first and foremost about the best choice any of us have -- Love. "What other choice is there?" Starr asks as he sits at home with Mark Hudson. Hudson is one of his key fellow travelers in the journey of the Roundheads, the loose but tight combo of collaborators - Hudson, Steve Dudas, Gary Burr and auxiliary Roundhead Jim Cox -- who have worked with Ringo on his recent run of winning albums. For Starr, love is a theme of profound and enduring importance. "From the beginning, the Beatles were saying `I Wanna Hold Your Hand' and `Love Me Do.' It was all about love and that's still the most powerful message. If you look at the overall picture, the Beatles were about love and what better subject is there really?" Having lost his way somewhere in the first half of the Seventies, Ringo Starr eventually found love with his wife Barbara and found his way back to his love of music in at the start of the Nineties. And now with the Roundheads he rediscovered his rightful place in the world. "I am a band member," he declares. "That's who I am. That's who I want to be. It takes a band - even more than it takes a village - to make music like this. By now, we feel like we know each other's minds, we know where we're going. It takes time - time takes time. The good news is that as we've been making records together a while now, and I'm proud if this album shows growth and progress in terms of playing like a band." "That's what we are - a well-to-do garage band," says Starr says with a grin. "Speak for yourself," Hudson says with a laugh. Though the new album features a few guests, notably Chrissie Hynde on "Don't Hang Up," roots guitarist Robert Randolph on "Fading In, Fading Out" and "Oh My Lord", Billy Preston on "Oh My Lord," Ringo and the Roundheads are once again at the beating heart of Choose Love. "Every time before we start a new album we sit down and think, okay what do we do now? On the last album, RingoRama, we decided to feature the drums - the drumming on that album is unbelievable. Ringo was literally the driving force on that album. This time Ringo wanted to go the other way. He said, "I want it to sound like a band, a little more down and dirty and guitar-driven." And as soon as we got on that page, we started writing that way as well." "This has been a joy in my life working with the guys," Starr says. You can have fun and you can even have that bad day with each other and it's not held against you. So you have the freedom to be who you are and still be together. It's been a remarkable run already, but ten years from now it will be all blues because that will be the only speed I'll be able to play." Until then, Starr is proud to spread his own good word. "You have to get a lot of experience to get to the point where you can say `Choose Love' in an honest way," he says. "Life is filled with ups and downs, but in the end it's best filled with love - that's my conclusion. That it's the best choice any of us have." Here's what Starr and Hudson had to say about all their loving song choices on Choose Love: FADING IN, FADING OUT RINGO: You feel like if you die, the world will end. And actually, it won't. Throughout the album, there's a lot of peace, love and spirituality. So I wrote a line that says, "When I disappear, I hope I've left enough love." That's all that you can really leave and all you really do need. You can leave your money if you want to, and leave the house. But if you've left enough love that's more important I feel." MARK: At one point Ringo wanted to call the album just Love and have every song deal with that concept. But once we got going, things changed. RINGO: It's like with Sgt Pepper - that was going to be "the opera." Then after three tracks, it was like, "Sod it, let's just play." This time we had several possible album titles including One Leg at a Time and Fading In, Fading Out. Ultimately we thought the thing to say to the world is Choose Love. "No matter what you choose/choose love." I think that says it all. GIVE ME BACK THE BEAT MARK: That started with an idea Ringo had to do a drum song using multiple drummers, including Charlie Watts, his son Zak, Jim Keltner and himself. RINGO: They always have guitarists coming on together on record, so I thought why not one for the drummers? That didn't work out for this record, but then "Give Me Back The Beat" became a love song about beat of the heart. And for all the drummers out there, this is the first time I've ever done two complete drum tracks of myself on one song. And for guitarist, check out Steve Dudas' solo. OH MY LORD RINGO: When I wrote "Photograph" and "Back off Boogaloo" I had George to produce me and George was always trying to get into them the words "God" and "Krishna" and I fought it. And now just with the growth within myself, I have no problem with that now. For Oh My Lord," we begin with my demo with me and my little crazy organ. George, bless him, has his "Sweet Lord" - this is mine. I did play the song for Olivia when it was a demo because I feel that George would have loved it. I always say "God" or "Lord" in a spiritual sense, not a religious way. But I'm big enough to say the word now. HARD TO BE TRUE RINGO: We always three guys sitting around and they're the saddest mother-bunch in the world because inside of all of us there's "The dog's dead, the wife's left and the jukebox is broken. Inside, we're all a country song and half of our battle is to pick it up and write a song where we're not sad, where she hasn't left and the dog's fine. MARK: Ringo is playing this old Wurlitzer all over this record. To me, playing the middle eight of "Hard To Be True" there's something that brings to mind "Photograph." This song gives me that same great feeling. SOME PEOPLE RINGO: That's Barbara and I, speaking of love. The songs come out of the atmosphere. MARK: It's a great song about the ying and the yang of relationships. If I may mention your old band, we were talking about the song "You Won't See Me" and playing acoustic guitars. Richie sat down at the drums and started playing the beat for "Some People" and it was that moment the song was really born. Ringo said, "There's got to be a twelve-string on this" and Dudas played another great solo. RINGO: Every album someone gets the Man of The Record badge for being the most valuable player - Steve Dudas is getting it for Choose Love. WHY AM I ALWAYS WRONG? RINGO: I was just having a bad two days with Barbara. You're married for 25 years and you're going to have a few bad days. I just came into the studio one of those days and said, "Why am I always wrong? Let's have a cup of tea." When I came back and Gary had the start of the melody of that song just from that one line. Around us, you have to be careful who says what because suddenly it becomes a song. DON'T HANG UP RINGO: We were in England doing "Don't Hang Up" which is a real story song about two people and a guy in a rock & roll band and we wanted a woman with . . . MARK: Balls RINGO: Balls, Chrissie, if you'll use the _expression. My daughter knew Chrissie better than I did. I asked her for Chrissie's number and we invited her to spend the day and see if she'd liked to do it. She was great because she made her part her own. She changed it and made it better. We were very open to her ideas --we're not in the Army here. MARK: I love Ringo's drumming on that. I've produced a lot of people but I've never known the right hand of a drummer to be any greater. Listen to the way he plays the bell and the cymbals. Usually cymbals are considered just a violent instrument just to crash at the top of the chorus. There's finesse to how Richie plays that a lot of those darn kids should listen to and learn from. ME AND YOU RINGO: Our songs happen when they happen. There are no set patterns. It's organic . . . like the food that I eat. MARK: Steve Dudas had the chord changes there and a lyric for a verse. I played it for Ringo and somehow we ended up sitting in a car writing the song from there. Just two romantic guys together in a car pouring their hearts out. SATISFIED RINGO Gary Nicholson had the first verse for that one. It was all about "I won't be satisfied" and yet again I'm always trying to take a turn to the positive. So the last verse is mine where I will be satisfied. That's a great example of going from being the teenager who's never satisfied to a place where you can feel grown up and satisfied. But you have go through a lot of life to get there. MARK: This is also the one when Ringo pulled out some very special guitars and let us play them. RINGO: Three of my great friends gave me guitars and I brought them out for this song and let the three boys play with them. MARK: We switched guitars on every verse so we all got to play them. And Rose Stone - who's been on all our albums - came in with her girls and gave us that great Wall of Sound ending. CHOOSE LOVE RINGO: Love rocks, and that song rocks too. Love doesn't have to be a dirge. Love is up and so is this song. That's the theme of the record and we mention some songs that I love in it. This is our love album. Why not choose love? Name a better choice. And yes, I do sing, "You've got to pay your dues/If you want to sing the blues." If you listen to my albums they all have some illusion to either "It Don't Come Easy" or "Back off Boogaloo." It's somewhere in every one. THE TURNAROUND RINGO: That's telling people when you're down, turn it around. You can get back up again. MARK: "The Turnaround" was built on a jam. We were in the studio after lunch and Steve Dudas had his guitar plugged into Ringo's odd amp. RINGO: I get more odd things than (even) things these days. MARK: Ringo doesn't want the Marshall Amp - he wants the Meatball Amp. On the spot, this groove appeared and this song emerged. Ringo was talking about back in really old days with Rory Storm, the one song he got to sing was "Alley Oop." So at the end of "The Turnaround," Ringo doesn't sing that song, but he lets you know that he has sang it. RINGO: You have to be careful. The last record we borrowed that bit from "Let 'Em In." So I called Paul and said, "I'm doing this, okay?" He said, "Well, call the publishers" I said, "No, I'm calling you." FREE DRINKS RINGO: That's us boys who are over 21 trying to write a disco Ibiza record and it turned into this surf spaghetti western. Because I live in the south of France half the time, I was mentioning places over there. It became one of our traditional travelogue songs. Then Steve Dudas did this "Fistful of Dollars" guitar line and we all cheered. MARK: When I heard that disco beat, I was nervous for a moment. I was like, how are we going to pull this one off? RINGO: "Free Drinks" started with a loop I made in Monoco on an old synth I have there, and it only got loopier, like the song. CD: Choose Love by Ringo Starr For more Ringo news, visit www.ringostarr.com

Linda McCartney's sixties; portrait of an era

2005-06-02T11:16:00.000Z

ALLENTOWN, PA.- The Allentown Art Museum presents Linda McCartney’s Sixties—Portrait of an Era. Linda Eastman McCartney (1941-1998) covered the American music scene first as house photographer at New York City’s famous Fillmore East concert hall, and then as the pioneering photographer for the start-up publication Rolling Stone. In 1967, on assignment in London, McCartney met the Beatles, marrying Paul McCartney two years later. Her work was largely inspired by two American icons of photography, Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans, and her shots of frozen moments and candid glimpses clearly show this inspiration. Her spontaneous photographs of such musical greats such as the Who, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin capture not only her subject’s personalities, but the flavor of an entire era. McCartney is considered one of the most distinguished women photographers of our time. Her work has been exhibited at such international venues as the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. This is the first museum exhibition since her death in 1998 of McCartney’s work in her native country. Originating in 1999 at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut, the show, composed of fifty-one black and white and color photographs, has been on a back-to-back tour of museums across the United States and Canada. Allentown is the only Pennsylvania venue. Dr. Christine I. Oaklander, Director of Collections and Exhibitions, will be the site curator.

Ringo concert news

2005-06-02T11:15:00.000Z

Press release from Ringo's publicist:Ringo's fans Choose Live! as his Chicago show sells out in minutes Ringo Starr -- whose next CD Choose Love (Koch) is out June 7 -- will be performing one show only at Chicago's Genesee Theater (located in Waukeegan) on Friday June 25, 2005, which will be taped for alter broadcast on PBS' Soundstage. The 2200 seat venue show was announced yesterday and sold out in minutes. A second show in New York on Sunday, June 19 has just been announced at New York's Irving Plaza which will go on sale Thursday May 26, 2005. No other concerts are planned and Ringo will not be otherwise touring in 2005. The 2 shows are part of a US promotional tour this June which Ringo (and his band the Roundheads, featuring Mark Hudson and with whom Ringo writes and records) will be doing in support of his latest effort, Choose Love . Ringo will also be making promotional appearances in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles which will include appearances and performances on Good Morning America; Letterman; the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and more. In addition, June 20 will see the opening of Ringo's first art exhibit at NY's Pop International Art Gallery. ---This message brought to you byDaytrippin'P.O. Box 114Edgewater, NJhttp://www.daytrippin.com

Paul McCartney, remixed

2005-06-02T11:13:00.000Z

As great musicians often do, legendary Beatle Sir Paul McCartney is about to reinvent himself. According to a report in the Independent, the sixty-plus McCartney is teaming up with a British DJ, Hellraiser, to give dance floor junkies a different kind of ecstasy -- Sir Paul's old songs in new grooves. The album, says the report, will be called Twin Freaks. Some remixed tracks have been played on BBC Radio 1's The Blue Room show. The album is named after one of Sir Paul's paintings and is to be released on June 21, the report adds. DJ Hellraiser, whose real name is Roy Kerr, is something of a cult vinyl violator. He takes parts of existing tracks and joins them together to create a new sound. He created the 2002 track A Stroke of Genius by injecting The Strokes' song Hard to explain with Christina Aguilera's voice from Genie in a bottle. Twelve of Sir Paul's tracks have been given the console treatment, including Maybe I'm amazed from his 1970 debut solo album. 'There is such an amazing album to be made of some of Paul's unknown tracks ... the young audience would lap up now,' the DJ told the Independent.

Rutles farewell tour

2005-06-02T11:12:00.000Z

After occasional bouts of 'Rutle Mania' since the film appeared in 1979, band leader Neil Innes (AKA Ron Nasty) has decided that the end of the road has come for the Prefab Four. A short farewell tour begins with two nights at London's 100 Club and ends in Southampton. Last year's barn-storming performance at the Glastonbury Festival introduced theband and their music to a whole new generation of fans. Support is NEIL INNES & FRIENDS, an excuse for Neil – accompanied by JJ Jones on drums and double-bassist Tom Fry – to play his own music outside of The Rutles. Expect material from the Bonzo Dog days, Monty Python and the solo albums, including the brand new 'Work in Progress'. Click for Rutles biography Complete tour dates are:June 2005 Wed 08-LONDON, 100 Club (020 7636 0933) websiteThu 09-LONDON, 100 Club (020 7636 0933) websiteFri 10-STOURBRIDGE, Rock Cafe (01384 390918) website Sat 11-STRATFORD ON AVON, Cox's Yard, Bridgfoot (01789 404600) websiteSun 12-CAMBRIDGE, The Junction (01223 511 511) website Mon 13-CHESTER, Telford's Warehouse (01244 390090) website Tue 14-SOUTHAMPTON, The Brook (02380 555366) website THE RUTLESOn January 21, 1959 the Rutles story began at 43 Egg Lane, Liverpool, where Ron Nasty and Dirk McQuickly first bumped into each other. Ron invited Dirk to help him stand up. Dirk, merely an amateur drinker, agreed and on that spot a legend was created, a legend that will last a lunchtime. They were soon to be joined by Stig O'Hara, a guitarist of no fixed hairstyle, but it would be another two years before they found their regular drummer, Barrington Womble, hiding in the van. When they did, they persuaded him to change his name to save time and his haircut to save Brylcreem. He became simply Barry Wom.The Rutles forged a career in pop that is unparralled. In 1969 they split. In the midst of public and legal wrangling Let It Rot was released as a film, an album, and a lawsuit. It showed the Rutles as never before; tired, unhappy, cross, and just like the rest of the world.In December 1970 Dirk sued Stig and Nasty, Barry sued Dirk, Nasty sued Stig and Barry, and Stig sued himself accidentally. It was the end of a golden era, and the beginning of another one for lawyers everywhere.This rare and very exclusive gig charts the career of The Rutles through their songs. Ron Nasty and Barry Wom are proud to present The Rutles in Concert.Among the (real) musicians performing are:NEIL INNES, JOHN HALSEY, MARK GRIFFITHS, MICKEY SIMMONDS, KEN THORNTON, JJ JONES. (By the way, Eric Idle only mimed in the film and he won't be onstage.) NOTE FOR REALISTS: Neil Innes was the musical leader of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. His talent for melding sharply satiric lyrics with sweetly catchy pop songs in a variety of musical styles was the group's secret weapon. Over the course of their four albums, Innes subtly moved the group's focus from '20s jazz to '60s pop, including gems like the 'I'm the Urban Spaceman' hit. Innes was also the unofficial seventh member of Monty Python, contributing songs to Python's stage show, albums, and films; appearing in every film and in sketches in their final television series. His other TV credits include 'Do Not Adjust Your Set', 'Rutland Weekend television' (out of which The Rutles developed) and 'The Innes Book of Records'. Neil Innes is the man who put the whistle in Eric idle's 'Always Look On the Bright Side Of Life'... as he says today, 'I've suffered for my music... now it's your turn.'

Paul buyin Batman home

2005-06-02T11:11:00.000Z

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY has reportedly bought a $7.6 million (GBP4 million) mansion in California. The eight-bedroom pad on the VAN VALKENBURG estate in Pasadena, California, featured in the 1960s BATMAN TV series as the home of the Caped Crusader's alter ego, millionaire BRUCE WAYNE. According to sources, McCartney wants the luxurious home to be an American base for him, wife HEATHER MILLS and their 18-month-old daughter BEATRICE. A friend says, "Paul has always loved Los Angeles. "A few years back, he bought COURTNEY LOVE's old home, but it's a bit small for them now."

Pete Best says Hamburg got Beatles ready to rock

2005-06-02T11:09:00.000Z

Pete Best says Hamburg got Beatles ready to rock Drummer Pete Best, a member of the Beatles in the band’s early days, says the marathon performances in Hamburg, Germany, helped the Beatles develop their distinctive sound. Zoom By DAVID YONKEBLADE STAFF WRITER For two years, Pete Best was in the eye of the hurricane. Actually, it was more like the eye and the wall and the tidal surge and every cubic inch of the storm's awesome power. In August, 1960, the 18-year-old British drummer joined a raw but talented group known as the Beatles as they were getting ready to leave Liverpool for a gig at the Indras and Kaiserkeller clubs in Hamburg, Germany. By the time Best and the boys parted ways two years later, the Beatles were poised to rock the world. "We went there a young band. But when we came back from that first trip to Hamburg, we blew the lid off of Liverpool," Best said in a phone interview last week from Liverpool. The Pete Best Band performs at 8 tomorrow night in Maumee. The marathon performances in Hamburg helped Best, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Stuart Sutcliffe develop a distinctive sound that blended American blues and rock, British skiffle and folk music, and the musicians' own creative energies. While most band gigs lasted an hour or maybe two a night, the Hamburg clubs wanted the Beatles to play from early evening until the bars closed in the wee hours of the morning. "It was something we weren't expecting until we went out there," Best said. "Then we were told we'd be playing six to seven nights a week, six to seven hours a night. But you were young and it was the task set before you. There was no complaining. It was very much a case of, 'That's what we've got to do.' " The lengthy shows provided a musical education for the adventurous lads. "Playing those long hours consistently made the band so tight and so prolific. It was like practicing every night for three months solid," Best said. "We were so tight and the sound had that explosive, savage element." When the Beatles returned after their lengthy engagements in Hamburg, Sutcliffe stayed in Germany and the group decided in August, 1962, to replace Best with an older, more experienced drummer named Richard Starkey, aka Ringo Starr. "Yeah, you've been knocked down, but you've got to pick yourself up and get back in the game," Best said of being fired. He formed his own band but in 1968 quit the rock and roll business to raise a family, working as a baker and a British civil servant until 1988, when he revived his music career. He said the Pete Best Band plays songs from the 1960s including his favorite Beatles tunes of the era as well as many classics by other rock artists. "We're not a Beatles copy band or a Beatle tribute band," he said. Now 63, Best is not one to look back and evaluate his place in music history. "I'll let other people think it out for me, to be quite honest," he said. "I'm very much of the today and tomorrow brigade. It's OK if other people want to constantly remind me that I was part of that band and a legend and all that. But at the end of the day I say, 'Thank you very much,' I go to bed, and hopefully get up in morning and wash my face, and I'm still Pete. I'm just a regular guy." The Pete Best Band will be in concert 8 p.m. tomorrow in the Maumee Indoor Theater, 601 Conant St., Maumee. Tickets, $25, are available in the box office. Information: 419-897-8902. Contact David Yonke at:dyonke@theblade.com or419-724-6154.

Ringo and the Roundheads

2005-06-02T11:08:00.000Z

Friday June 24th8 : 00 PM Buy Tickets Showtimes are: Friday June 24th 8 : 00 PM Former Beatle and music legend, Ringo Starr is coming to the Genesee Theatre for a special Soundstage performance on Friday, June 24 at 8:00 p.m. Opening act is Colin Hay formerly of Men at Work. Tickets for the only Chicagoland performance are $65, $57, $45 and $40 and go on sale Friday, May 20 at 10:00 a.m. at the Genesee Theatre Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, charge-by-phone at 312.559.1212 or online at www.ticketmaster.com Please note this performance will be taped for a special Soundstage broadcast! To date, Ringo has released 23 solo records, which includes 14 studio albums, and continues to tour regularly with his All Starr Band. Ringo's music, as a solo artist and as a Beatle, is permeated with his personality - his warmth and humor, his exceptional musicianship - have given us songs we all know and love: With A Little Help From My Friends; Don't Pass Me By; Octopus' Garden; Photograph; It Don't Come Easy; Don't Go Where the Road Don't Go; La De Da; Memphis in Your Mind; Never Without You. Fans will be happy to know that Ringo is currently back in the studio with The Roundheads, and they can expect a new record this June -- Choose Love (Koch) -- and another All Starr Tour in 2006. SOUNDSTAGE is a pioneering concert-formate that originally aired on PBS from 1974 to 1985 and was revived in 2003 with a new state-of-the-art makeover. In the first two seasons on PBS, the show gained widespread critical acclaim with performances by Chicago, Fleetwood Mac, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Counting Crows, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Steve Winwood, Dan Fogelberg and more.

Send your lyrics to Paul

2005-06-02T11:07:00.000Z

Sir Paul may give us a capital song for 2008By Rob Merrick, Daily PostMay 20 2005SIR PAUL McCARTNEY was the surprise guest at a House of CommonsCapital of Culture reception - and gave a tongue-in-cheek hint thathe may write a song to celebrate 2008.The Beatles legend delighted 200 guests from the worlds of politics,business and the arts by popping in to a launch of plans for the run-up to Liverpool gaining the title.By coincidence, Sir Paul had joined a lunch hosted by the VegetarianSociety in the room next to the Capital of Culture gathering,overlooking the River Thames.He joined the guests in the mistaken belief that his brother, MikeMcCartney, a photographer, would be present but stayed to signautographs on 2008 strategy plans.And, speaking exclusively to the Daily Post, Sir Paul revealed hewas considering adding his own star quality to the 2008celebrations, now just under 1,000 days away.He said: "I had to pop in to see if our kid was there, because itwould have been so strange if we had both been at the Commons inadjacent rooms."But I was also happy to lend my support to the event, because wewere all so chuffed at winning the Capital of Culture honour."Asked if he would play a part in the festivities, Sir Paul said: "Ihaven't any plans at the moment, but I certainly would not rule itout."As we get closer to 2008, I'm sure more plans will be made andother things will happen spontaneously."And, asked by the Daily Post's reporter if his contribution might bea song to mark 2008, Sir Paul joked: "You could write the words andI will write the music."Earlier, the reception was entertained by the Liverpool-basedacapella group Sense of Sound, who sang three songs.And pupils from Campion Catholic High School told what the Capitalof Culture year meant to them, by explaining the arts projects theyhad put together.As revealed by the Daily Post yesterday, the Northwest DevelopmentAgency (NWDA) was unveiled as the latest 2008 backer, investing £2mover the next four years. Loyd Grossman, deputy chairman of theLiverpool Culture Company, praised the NWDA and the other committedsponsors, law firm Hill Dickinson, Radio City, United Utilities andEnterprise plc.Describing the excitement as "tangible", Mr Grossman said: "Ourdetermination is that Liverpool will be transformed irreversibly andsustainably. It will affect the lives of people for generations tocome."And Lord David Owen, the former SDP leader who is Chancellor of theUniversity of Liverpool, said: "There is a fund of goodwill forLiverpool. People outside Liverpool love your city and this is anopportunity to show what you are doing"* YOU could help our political reporter become one half of whatcould be the world's next big song writing duo - presumably calledMerrick & McCartney.Write in with the lyrics you think should appear in a LiverpoolCapital of Culture song.Send to Culture Song, Liverpool Daily Post, PO Box 48, Old HallStreet, Liverpool, L69 3EB. We will then, of course, use the best totry and persuade Sir Paul to go ahead with his apparent offer.

Coldplay won't let it be

2005-06-02T11:04:00.000Z

COLDPLAY have so much documentary footage of themselves recording in studios around the world they hope to release a DVD - but frontman CHRIS MARTIN fears it's so boring the film will only last five minutes. The British rockers, who release eagerly-awaited third album X+Y next month (JUN05), are concerned their footage resembles THE BEATLES' rockumentary LET IT BE, which saw the Fab Four during some legendarily tense recording sessions.Martin says, "We've been documenting stuff from the beginning."There's a vault in London with 500 hours of us in the studio. One day we'll be able to whittle it down to a five minute DVD."We could make our own Let It Be."In fact, it was really depressing. I remember a bit where GEORGE (HARRISON) says to PAUL (McCARTNEY), 'I'll play whatever you want to play, or I won't play anything at all if it'll make you happy.'"Right at the beginning of the album (X+Y) GUY (CHAMBERS, Coldplay guitarist) said exactly the same thing to me."I remember thinking, 'This album's going wrong.' That was before we started again."

Heather being sued by childhood friend

2005-06-02T11:00:00.000Z

Beatle's wife suedFrom correspondents in London30may05 FORMER Beatle Sir Paul McCartney's wife is being sued for $120,000 by a childhood friend who claims the former model invented a story that they were held hostage by their paedophile swimming coach.Margaret Ambler issued a writ claiming breach of privacy after Heather Mills-McCartney wrote about the incident in her 2003 autobiography, A Single Step. According to the writ, Ms Ambler, 39, of Carlisle in Cumbria, was "extremely distressed and upset" to have been identified in the book, as she had told only her parents what happened. Ms Ambler, a classmate of Heather Mills at Ushworth Grange Primary School, admits they were indecently assaulted by the coach at his flat in the 1970s. But she denies they were held hostage and is upset Mills-McCartney included her first name in the book. The writ states: "The private information was mixed with a substantial amount of false and invented information that served to sensationalise and distort the private information which was published." According to the book, the girls were rescued by police but the teacher was never charged because he committed suicide by jumping off a cliff. A spokesman for Mills-McCartney said yesterday she was "unavailable for comment".

Gerry Marsden rubbished Beatles' hit

2005-06-02T10:58:00.000Z

GERRY MARSDEN, frontman of 1960s rockers GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS, was given a sneak preview of THE BEATLES' chart-topping 1963 single I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND before it was released - but he dismissed the landmark hit as "terrible". Late Beatle JOHN LENNON played the song to the YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE star when the two bands were touring together, and Marsden admits he was less than impressed by his pal's latest effort. He recalls, "We were on tour together when John came into my hotel room and said: 'Gerry, here's our new song - I wanna hold your haaaaand.' "But I said: 'That's terrible, John.' Just goes to show my knowledge in music!" 27/05/2005 17:37

Jon Weiner shares his research on John

2005-06-02T10:57:00.000Z

Wiener Shares His Research on Lennon by: Linda Domingo In 1981, history professor Jon Wiener began a legal battle against the FBI which ended up lasting over 20 years. This battle concerned the release of secret files kept on former Beatles member and activist, John Lennon. Some of the papers were released in 1997 and a court decision last year ordered the release of the final 10 pages. On May 26, in a lecture in Physical Science Lecture Hall, Wiener shared some of his story as well as details from some of the papers–ranging from song lyrics to a suggested narcotics arrest–the FBI had claimed to be a threat to national security. In his lecture, Wiener explained that the failure of the FBI to release these documents was a violation of the Freedom of Information Act. This act, passed in 1966, allows for public access to government documents upon request. Wiener called this measure “a great law in principle,” adding that there are exceptions in which some documents can be withheld. However, in 1997, then–U.S. President Bill Clinton passed the Openness Initiative, which provided provisions for the release of most of the documents for which Wiener was fighting. In his presentation, Wiener showed reproductions of the released papers before and after the 1997 court decision. One document was completely blacked out, aside from the date and Lennon’s name. After the Openness Initiative was passed, there wasn’t much change. “They just gave us a whole lot more stamps,” Wiener said humorously. However, other pages that were released proved to be a bit more elucidating. One such page contained the lyrics to the John Lennon song “John Sinclair,” which Lennon printed on the back of an album and sang at a concert. Another document which was completely blacked out before the decision contained a description of a talking parrot who had learned to squawk, “right on!” when a conversation started to get rousing. These are the same documents that the FBI filed as classified and refused to release because they were a “threat to national security.” “[These documents] were not a danger to the security of the United States, and they should be released,” Wiener said. Some of the other documents released to Wiener contained information regarding the request of FBI agents to arrest Lennon on a charge of narcotics possession. Wiener explained that the documents are evidence of the government’s attempt to “silence a critic of the president,” since they dated back to the Richard Nixon administration. John Lennon rallied against this administration and tried to persuade many young people to vote against Nixon and the Vietnam War. Grzegorz Korzeniowski, a fourth-year biological sciences major, thought the lecture was interesting. “I was surprised that the government could do such things … that they could get information about you [by any means].” In an interview after the lecture, Wiener said that an interest in the anti-war movement first compelled him to begin his research on the Lennon FBI files. “This raises the question about the government’s stance toward critics,” Wiener said. “I think it shows government misconduct and abuse of power.” “[Lennon] thought of the United States as the land of the free,” Wiener said. However, Wiener’s presentation outlined one outstanding case of government abuse of power in the United States. “The full power of the American government could be focused on one man,” Wiener said. Although laws like the FIA do exist, Wiener had to endure a 20-year legal battle in order to utilize the rights granted in that statute. Through his lecture and his book “Gimme Some Truth: The John Lennon FBI Files,” Wiener suggests that we as citizens need to be skeptical. “This is not a happy story,” Wiener concluded. “But it’s an American one.”

Listen to this book

2005-06-02T10:55:00.000Z

New John Lennon reference book now available by David Haber, What Goes On A new book about ex-Beatle John Lennon is about to be published on June 6. John Lennon: Listen To This Book companions the Paul McCartney discography, Paul McCartney: The Songs He Was Singing, published in 2003. John Lennon: Listen To This Book traces Lennon's solo releases from 1968 to date. At over 300 pages its packed with 500 plus photos and information about every British and American Lennon solo release; including release dates, chart positions, recording studios and personnel. The new book also includes a section on Japanese releases and chart positions plus lots more. John Lennon: Listen To This Book is limited to 1,000 individually numbered copies and is available from www.amazon.co.uk. Published May 30, 2005

New Beatles art show

2005-06-02T10:53:00.000Z

New Beatles art show to be presented in Boston 105.7 WROR is proud to bring the Revolution Beatles art exhibit and sale to Boston. Revolution is the first exhibit of its kind that showcases hand signed works by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr and more. The never before seen exhibit of over 100 pieces includes lithographs, animation art from the Beatles Yellow Submarine, fine art photographs, lyrics, album art, and more. Other Revolution highlights include a limited edition hand painted animation cel from The Beatles 1960's ABC Television cartoon series. The cel is hand signed and re-marqued by Beatles animator Ron Campbell. The out-of-print piece is not available anywhere else. The highlight of Revolution is a collection of 14 Ringo Starr hand signed artworks that will make its world debut only 4 days earlier in New York City. Boston will be the second city in the world to see these very limited editions, which are expected to sell out quickly. Speaking about his art work Ringo said, "I started in the late nineties with my computer art. While I was touring it gave me something to do in all those crazy hotels you have to stay in on the road." Adding, with his trademark wit, "most of the titles for my pieces arrived because on computer you have to call them something, so I have. The easy way to look at it is, if it has a hat on - it will probably be called Hat Man." "Is It Time" by Ringo Starr(Click above to see larger image) A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Ringo's art will benefit the Lotus US Foundation Charity. The objectives of the Foundation are to fund, support, participate in and promote charitable projects aimed at advancing social welfare in diverse areas including, but not limited to: substance abuse, cerebral palsy, brain tumors, cancer, battered women and their children, homelessness and animals in need. Revolution featuring the art of the Beatles opens Thursday, June 23rd at 10:00 a.m. in the Huntington Arcade in the Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street, Boston and runs for five days only. The exhibit is free to the public and all works are available for purchase. The exhibit is open from 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.) through Monday, June 27th. Published May 30, 2005

Students recreate Yoko Ono art exhibit

2005-06-02T10:52:00.000Z

Students recreate Yoko Ono art exhibitLast Updated Tue, 31 May 2005 16:57:21 EDTCBC Arts A student exhibition inspired by Yoko Ono's Instruction Works won praise from the artist herself Tuesday at its opening in Frankfurt. Artist and activist Ono attended the opening of Dream Universe, an exhibit by 15 students from Frankfurt's Staedelschule art school. In addition to thanking the artists and organizers for choosing to highlight her work, she spoke about the importance of art in today's society. "There is so much confrontation and violence in the world that art is increasingly important," Ono said. The students drew inspiration from Instruction Paintings and Drawings, first presented at a New York gallery in 1961. Ono invited gallery visitors to take part in creating and changing her artworks. Over the years, this audience-participation series has ranged from the photographing and documenting of posters the artist has posted in bar restrooms around the city to giving a film print to many directors to see how each would re-edit the footage. The series, which deals with themes like demystifying an art object, transition and the idea of ephemera, was the jumping off point for the students to create their own works. Dream Universe opens to the public Wednesday and continues at the Portikus im Leinwandhaus until June 26. Before she married Beatle John Lennon, Ono was an established experimental and avant-garde artist, participating in music, cinema, visual and performance art. Though associated with several movements, she is considered one of the founders of the Fluxus movement, which began in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Proponents rejected institutional, academic art in favour of creating art for the masses through performance and by modifying everyday objects to make social, political or philosophical statements.

Paul to release children's book

2005-06-02T10:50:00.000Z

1 Jun 2005 Sir Paul McCartney is to release his first children's book later this year following a publishing deal with Penguin Books, soundgenerator can report.The former Beatle, who launches into a huge North American tour later in September, has spent the last few years working on the picture book, titled 'High In the Clouds: An Urban Furry Tale'."Having worked on this story and the characters for many years, it's very exciting for me to see things come to fruition in what I think will be a remarkable book," said Paul McCartney in a statement. More Info: Paul McCartney Paul McCartneyPicture: MPL Communications McCartney collaborated with veteran children's author Philip Ardagh for the project, along with animator Geoff Dunbar. The story for 'High in the Clouds' was reportedly inspired by the animated film "Tropic Island Hum", which McCartney worked on alongside Dunbar,The book will initially be released across the US on October 4, 2005, with an initial print run of 500,000 copies. "This is going to be a major best-seller for us, said Doug Whiteman, the President of Penguin Young Readers Group. "I know that a whole new generation of readers will become fans of Paul."

Lennon the Musical screen saver available

2005-06-02T10:48:00.000Z

June 1, 2005 - by BWW News Desk An exclusive Lennon the Musical photo screensaver is available at the show's website, as well as a limited edition Lennon poster with the purchase of one or more tickets.Lennon, which recently ended its pre-Broadway run in San Francisco, will open at the Broadhurst Theatre on August 4th after beginning previews on July 7th. Produced by Allan McKeown, Edgar Lansbury, Clear Channel Entertainment and Jeffrey Sine by arrangement with Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, the biographical musical of the Beatles legend features Don Scardino's book and direction. According to the website, Lennon's ensemble "consists of 9 extraordinary and diverse performers who will portray dozens of characters. Everybody plays everybody, and nobody ever leaves the stage." Will Chase, Chuck Cooper, Julie Danao, Mandy Gonzalez, Marcy Harriell, Chad Kimball, Terrence Mann, Julia Murney, and Michael Pott are the nine stars.In addition to songs from the Lennon catalogue, the show includes three of his rare and unpublished songs--"India, India" and "I Don't Want to Lose You" which were never published, and exist only on private recordings, and "Cookin' (in the Kitchen of Love)," which was recorded by Ringo Starr in 1976, but was never recorded by Lennon.To download the Lennon screensaver, go to this page at the website. To purchase tickets and receive a free poster, also visit here at Lennon's official website.

Beatles' hall up for sale

2005-06-02T10:46:00.000Z

Beatles Hall up for sale A CONCERT hall where The Beatles were once booed off stage is up for sale. Before they became famous, the internationally renowned band once played for a fee of just £40 in a hall in Sterling, Scotland. John, Paul, George and Ringo were pelted with coins when they played the concert back in January, 1963. Now Sterling Council has put it up for sale and hopes a developer will buy out the property although, because of its historical architecture, the new owner will be bound by restrictions and will not be allowed to change the front. The original Museum Hall was built in 1843. From 1935, it was a well-known concert hall until it was forced to close in 1978 due to structural damage. Now the campaign is on to rescue the building, which is sinking into the sandy soil it was built on. A spokeswoman for Stirling council said: "The hall held concerts for all sorts of music including classical performances as well as the infamous concert by The Beatles who didn't seem to go down as well with the residents of Sterling as they did elsewhere in the country."

Gates shut to Strawberry Field

2005-06-02T10:45:00.000Z

Parents' anger SINCE the Daily Post revealed the historic children's home was set to close, parents, staff and members of the community have campaigned tirelessly to try to save the centre. Grandmother Carol Morris, 47, of Queen's Drive, Liverpool, has been taking her daughter, Alex, 11, there for more than seven years. She said: "My daughter suffers with neuro development problems and this allows the rest of the family to function like a normal family for a change, giving us some space. "It has also been hugely beneficial for Alex as well who has learned to communicate with her peers." Catherine Evans, 42, of Long Lane, Aintree, said she would struggle without the weekend respite service provided by Strawberry Fields. Until yesterday, her son Matthew, eight, is looked after each weekend at the home. She said: "They have not told us anything. I have not been in touch with a social worker and nobody has told us the options. "The staff here have been brilliant. I don't know how we will cope without the centre." Care moving towards foster homes for children THE main reason for the closure of Strawberry Field is down to changes in social services provision for children. In keeping with government guidelines, Liverpool City Council has increased the number of children cared for in foster homes rather than institutions. There are currently 900 children across Liverpool being looked after in care. Between 2003 and 2004, the number of foster families in Liverpool doubled, decreasing the need for children to be looked after in children's homes. Liverpool City Council's executive member for children's services, Paul Clein, said: "Liverpool City Council has had a policy for several years now to try and place children either in foster care of, if at all possible, in adoption. It has been government policy for several years. A good adoption place is far better for a child than a succession of stays in different children's homes."

Strawberry Fields not forever

2005-06-02T10:41:00.000Z

Gates shut to Strawberry Field Jun 1 2005 Tears are shed on the last day of opening at the legendary children's home. Kate Mansey reports Daily Post THE red iron gates of Strawberry Field were shut forever yesterday as the world-famous children's home closed down after 68 years. An emotional day marked the end of the home which inspired The Beatles' 1967 hit Strawberry Fields Forever. Yesterday the staff and children shed tears as they said goodbye to what had been their home for years in Beaconsfield Road, Woolton. Bedrooms were left empty, with just a few signs that the centre once looked after scores of children. In one bedroom, one last toy, a basketball, remained with a name tag still on the door. All the other toys and games have been divided between the children and each child cared for by the home has been given a new bike. Pictures of former residents enjoying ice-cream on a summer holiday adorned the walls last night and paintings inspired by The Beatles connection stood over-looking children savouring the last hours of play in the main lounge area. Assistant manager Peter Burns said that losing the home was like losing a close family connection. The father-of-three will continue to work in the building until August while he seeks future employment. Mr Burns said: "It is a very sad day for all the staff as it is the last day that the children will cease to be a working children's home. "It has been a very emotional time for all the children and staff. I can't praise the staff enough. They have been 100% committed to the children and the home over the years - so much so that it has become like another family for them. "The quality of care here was second-to-none. What is so lovely is that siblings have come to us as a unit with maybe four or five brothers or sisters." No decision has yet been made on the future of the building, which was donated to the Salvation Army in 1936. Marion Drew, Salvation Army divisional leader, took one last look around the home yesterday. She said: "I think the saddest day was when the decision was made back in January to close it. "No decision has been made yet by the Salvation Army about the future of the building but we would like it to take notice of its historical significance as well as our history of looking after children." The final few children living in the home full-time moved out after the initial news came of the closure. But the Bank Holiday was the final time that the house was used for children with behavioural difficulties staying over the weekend. One of those children was 14-year-old Steven Robertson, of Kynance Road, Croxteth. Steven has been going to the centre every weekend for seven years and goes after school. He said: "I was shocked when I first heard. We still don't know what is going to happen to us at weekends now. The centre has really helped my younger brother and me learn social skills and has given our mum a break." Another child, Matthew Evans, eight, had meningitis as a baby and has problems with developing social skills and communicating. He said: "I really like it here. I know the people and they are lovely. I like the toy motorbikes best." Mr Burns has seen Strawberry Fields change and grow. Just over 19 years ago, he worked at the home as a childcare worker and returned two years ago in a manager capacity. He said: "The hardest thing for me will be coming into work tomorrow and not hearing the sounds of the children playing or having a child come running up to me after they had fallen over. "This is the start of a grieving process for the staff. It is very upsetting and, although some of the staff will move on to other jobs, they will remember Strawberry Fields forever." Through the years, the centre has attracted some famous visitors. John Lennon used to visit the home after school and helped to raise money for the Woolton home by selling lemonade at fetes. Just around the corner was where Lennon played his first gig with The Quarry Men before meeting Paul McCartney and joining the Fab Four. Pat Fitt, 63, of Wavertree, said goodbye to the home on Thursday when former residents visited the home to say a fond farewell. Ms Fitt arrived at Strawberry Field as a three-year-old in 1944. She worked at the home until 1991. Ms Fitt, who is now a cleaner at Liverpool University, said: "It was a wonderful place and I made great friends there. "I remember John Lennon sneaking into our garden parties from the back gate. The children who played around always wanted to know about the home." More recently, children from Strawberry Fields have met players from Liverpool Football Club, which has a club house next door. Two weeks ago, the children saw some of their heroes relaxing at a barbecue in between training for the European Cup Final and the children had their shirts signed by Luis Garcia. The path of Strawberry Fields, however, has not been so fortunate. In the war years, the old house was bombed and was pulled down when the new site was constructed in the 1970s. Over the years, the centre was a refuge for orphans and children who had nobody to care for them. Sheila Powell, 69, of Becks-Hill-On-Sea, Sussex, was one of the first children to be taken into the home and spent the war years being cared for there. "It is wrong for them to close Strawberry Fields. The Salvation Army were my only parents and now I hope that the building is put to good use - as a holiday home for children for example." The great-grand-mother was eventually adopted by the matron, Brigadier Wernham. Strawberry Fields childcare worker Claire Smart, 34, of Southport, has already found a new job at Thomas House children's home in Broadgreen. Ms Smart transferred from a Southport home when that closed a year ago: "We are all such a close team that it will be very sad to leave," she said. katemansey@dailypost.co.uk

Jackson: It's a plot for songs

2005-06-02T10:36:00.000Z

1 June 2005 JACKSON: IT'S A PLOT FOR SONGS MICHAEL Jackson fears he was accused of child abuse as part of a plot to steal his lucrative music catalogue, claims his former investigator. He alleges his enemies have paid his accuser Gavin Arvizo's mother to secure a conviction. Jackson and his brother Jermaine made the accusations to a US private investigator, a Vanity Fair probe claims. They asked Gordon Novel, who worked on the JFK assassination investigation, to find links between his enemies to get the trial stopped. Jacko owns the rights to 251 Beatles songs. Novel also said the star was terrified of jail. "He kept asking what prison was like. Can he watch TV there? He wanted me to stop the show." The singer denies 10 charges, including child molestation. The trial continues at Santa Maria court, California.

BEATLES MAKE ALBUM HISTORY WITH A SIXTH DIAMOND

2005-05-08T18:59:00.000Z

[from www.contactmusic.com] THE BEATLES have become the first act in the Recording Industry Association of America's history to earn six diamond awards after the group's number ones compilation, 1, notched up 10 million sales. Released five years ago (2000), 1 has become the Fab Four's sixth 10 million seller, according to the RIAA. The group's other five diamond awards were earned for sales of THE BEATLES, THE BEATLES 1967-1970, THE BEATLES 1962-1966, ABBEY ROAD and SGT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND. The only act close to matching the Beatles' feat is LED ZEPPELIN, who have five diamond-level titles. Meanwhile, THE EAGLES' THEIR GREATEST HITS 1971-1975 remains America's biggest selling album ever by a million sales. The hits album has sold 28 million copies, while MICHAEL JACKSON's second-placed THRILLER has sold 27 million.

Beatles 'Mystery' Film Discovered

2005-05-08T18:58:00.000Z

[from www.pastemagazine.com] Archive footage of the Beatles in Devon has been "rediscovered" after being stored away in the BBC's film library for years. The Beatles visited Plymouth for a concert in 1963, and to film their 1967 movie, Magical Mystery Tour. Footage from the visits have been shown on TV before, but some of the film remained unused and stored in the BBC's library in Plymouth. However, the film was spotted when it was being transferred to digital format. During the 1963 visit, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison answer questions from reporters. And in 1967, Paul McCartney tells reporters he's not fed up with them - even though they follow him everywhere. He also explains why the Beatles were filming Magical Mystery Tour in Devon and Cornwall, saying it's because the area is "nice." The old black and white film shows fans pursuing the Fab Four as they walk along the Hoe in Plymouth, and the group on the bus which is featured in Magical Mystery Tour.

Apple confirms Beatles court date

2005-05-08T18:57:00.000Z

[from www.macworld.co.uk] Apple's 10-Q filing, released earlier this week, reveals details about a number of lawsuits Apple's legal team is currently dealing with. It also confirms the hearing date in the Apple verses Apple case. The Beatles' record label Apple Corps is seeking to stop Apple Computer's association with music, claiming trademark abuse. That trial is scheduled to begin in UK courts on March 27, 2006. Apple is also facing three new class action lawsuits and a new lawsuit from a French consumer group over the way it ties the iPod to the iTunes Music Store. A similar class action - Slattery v. Apple – has a hearing set for June 6, 2005. This lawsuit alleges that Apple is unlawfully tying iPods to its iTunes Music Store. It also says Apple is in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act, California Business and Professions Code Section 16700 et seq. The European Commission is currently investigating the iTunes Music Store. It is particularly looking at the higher cost of iTunes tracks in the UK compared to other European countries. A consumer association in France has filed a claim against Apple alleging that Apple France is violating consumer law by not mentioning that the iPod is allegedly not compatible with music from online music services other than the iTunes Music Store and that the music from the iTunes Music Store is only compatible with the iPod and 2) tying the sales of iPods to the iTunes Music Store and vice versa. The first hearing on the case is scheduled for May 24, 2005. A March 3 filing by Advanced Audio Devices claims Apple is infringing a "Music Jukebox" US Patent. Apple has denied the allegation and asking for further investigation.

The Beatles Earn Landmark Sales Record

2005-05-08T18:55:00.000Z

[from www.chartattack.com] Though they haven't been a band for about 30 years, The Beatles can't seem to stop breaking records. They have produced more #1 singles and albums than any other group in history. They were the masterminds behind the most covered song of all time and two of their members have been crowned the most successful songwriters ever. John, Paul, George and Ringo continue to dominate the industry — they have become the first act to earn six of the Recording Industry Of America (RIAA)'s diamond awards for records that have sold 10 million copies. In April, 1, the band's compilation of #1 hit songs, became The Beatles' sixth diamond LP. The RIAA stipulates that an album is certified gold in the U.S. with the sale of 500,000 units. An album becomes certified platinum when it has sold one million units. The Fab Four have also received diamond status for their albums The Beatles (certified in 2001 for U.S. shipments of 19 million copies), The Beatles 1967-1970 (16 million), The Beatles 1962-1966 (15 million), Abbey Road (12 million) and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (11 million). Led Zeppelin, with five diamond-level titles, are currently the only act close to matching The Beatles' title. —Angela Kozak

Ringo's son leaves The Who for Oasis

2005-04-04T10:01:00.000Z

Zak Starkey, son of Beatle drummer Ringo Starr, has recently taken a temporary leave of his drumming duties for the band The Who to work with Oasis. Oasis is famous for it's fueds with many celebrities including another former Beatle, the late George Harrison. Zak idolized Keith Moon as a child and when he became the drummer for The Who, it was a dream come true. It is said that the split is only temporary.

Michael Jackson in legal battle for Beatles songs

2005-03-29T19:21:00.000Z

[By Adam Kane, from www.WhatGoesOn.com] Michael Jackson appeared with the Rev. Jesse Jackson during an hourlong interview broadcast live over the Internet on Sunday morning. During the interview, he indicated that besides his current troubles involving child molestation, there is some sort of battle under way over the music catalog he owns that contains the rights to songs by the Beatles, Little Richard and others. Jackson said he believes he is the victim of a conspiracy, although he declined to elaborate, citing the court-imposed gag order that prevents him from discussing the ongoing trial in detail. "There's a big fight going on, right now as we speak, about that," he said. "I can't comment on it, but there's a lot of conspiracy out there."

Beatles Still Generating Millions

2005-03-16T06:25:00.000Z

Beatles Still Generating Millions Legendary group The Beatles are generating millions of dollars in royalties - even though they split 35 years ago. Apple Corps, which handles the "All You Need Is Love" quartet's joint business interests, has announced annual profits of $2.7 million with a turnover of $22.4 million for the last financial year. Despite overall profits falling by $380,000 from the previous year, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, and the widows of John Lennon and George Harrison - Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison - received higher payments for promotional services. They each received $3.2 million.

Dutch Beatles Convention

2005-03-09T21:31:00.000Z

[www.beatles-unlimited.com] On Saturday 26 March 2005Beatles Unlimited, the official Dutch Beatles fanclub, will organise the 26th International Beatles Convention in Music Centre Vredenburg, Passage 77 in Utrecht. The programme will include Beatles films, a quiz and the BBC years (1962-1965). The doors will open at 10.00 and the day will end at around 17.30. Admission is € 13 per person (kids under the age of 7 get free admission), but you will get a €2 discount when your membership card which is included with this issue of BU Magazine. There is no advance ticket sale, tickets can only be purchased on 26 March. The programme : Exhibitions , photo’s by Kirchherr, Voormann and Freeman will be displayed by gallery VIP!s from Rotterdam. Abigail Esman and Peter Madden from the John Lennon Estate/Bag One Arts will display several items of John Lennon art. New in the collection is the John Lennon Jewelry (watches, jewelry, etc.) Auction Beatles market includes 200 meters of singles/LP’s/CD's/DVD’s, books, magazines, memorabilia, etc. Live muziek: by the Blue Meanies and Two Of Us Quiz , this year’s theme is Beatles and solo movie. We invite everyone to take part! Golden Apple Award, various acts will climb the stage to give you their interpretation of a Beatles song. The acts include Rud-A-DUB DUB, Peter Bettinger, Mal Evans Memorial Band, Saxozie, Koos Lonis. Guests: DutchDJ and producer Peter van Bruggen tells about his meetings with the Beatles. Ru de Groen Dutch translator and publisher of the Yellow Submarine book will tell his story. Gordon Millings, he and his father made the famous Beatles stage suits. He’ll bring samples and original designs. And then there is a mystery guest. If you want to know who he or she is come and check it out yourself on 26 March! The Audio Visual programme will include the Beatles cartoons which features unique material Original film footage by Fenno Werkman. A wonderful day, not te be missed!

Two fab nights when Beatlemania was top of the town

2005-03-08T17:45:00.000Z

08mar05 Where were you? The Beatles, Festival Hall, Brisbane, June 29 and June 30, 1964. The Beatles arrived in Brisbane just after midnight on June 29, greeted by 8000 fans at the airport. The group was driven past the crowd in an open-topped truck where a small group of Beatles-haters pelted them with eggs before they were taken to Lennons Hotel. The band played two sold-out shows on each of the nights before 20,000 screaming fans. "It could be the answer to why John, Paul, George and Ringo wear all that forward-hanging hair – to help cushion the sound waves of adulation and save their eardrums from bursting," wrote reviewer Erica Parker in The Telegraph on June 30. "If you were among the 10,000 fans who attended Festival Hall last night for Brisbane's two first live Beatles shows, you'll understand. "You SAW the fabulous four for 30 minutes straight. Mostly you could hear the beat of drums from Ringo, the guitars sometimes, and ALL the time the non-stop screams. You couldn't hear The Beatles sing. Every time they opened their mouths, so did the crowd, and the quartet might as well have mimed their way through. "The shrieks, the screams, the sobs bounced off the ceiling. The girls – and boys – threw their arms above their heads. They bounced up and down on the chairs; they sank to their knees in the aisles. "It was bedlam and judging by the upturned, open-mouthed faces, it was pure bliss. "There were no tomatoes, no eggs, no boos – just the waves of screaming, the rainbow colours of streamers tossed high overhead towards the stage AND the screams. "If you had time to be sorry for anyone but yourself and your ringing eardrums, you must have spared a thought of admiration for the 12 husky policemen sitting like birds on a rail, back to the stage, facing the audience. "At least, they faced the audience until The Beatles got into full swing. Then, one by one, their heads craned backwards. And there they stayed, pinned between two avalanches of sound, the on-stage performance; the off-stage screams." Were you at the Festival Hall to see The Beatles? If so, we would love to hear your memories. E-mail them to us. Rock'n'Roll . . . Fifty Years: 1955-2005, Part 4, The 80s, on Wednesday, March 9, in The Courier-Mail.

New blow for plan to demolish old homes

2005-03-08T17:42:00.000Z

A MAJOR regeneration scheme which would see 20,000 homes on Merseyside bulldozed was dealt a blow last night after a top Labour Peer attacked the plans. Lord Rogers cast doubt over John Prescott's proposals to bulldoze old, dilapidated houses in the county. It is part of plans to demolish 400,000 homes across the North under urban renewal schemes being promoted by the Deputy Prime Minister. But Lord Rogers, an architect, has joined the growing chorus of experts calling for a rethink. He said: "We recommended very strongly that you should first of all conserve existing buildings wherever possible, for they are part of our history and create a spirit of place. "If we can use buildings which already exist, that strengthens the concept of the urban renaissance, the liveable city. "After seven years, we still do not have a development that we can be proud of." Lord Rogers is the chairman of the urban task force set up by John Prescott when Labour came to power in 1997. He said that large-scale demolition was never recommended by the task force in its vision for the renewal of Britain. The document earned cross-party support and was the starting point for the Deputy Prime Minister's strategy for urban regeneration and house building. But rows of terraces across northern England in towns and cities would be levelled under the Government proposals. It would be a re-run of the 1960 slum clearances. More than 20,000 homes are scheduled to be demolished on Merseyside with 18,000 being built in their place. The areas involved include Anfield, Dingle, and Toxteth in Liverpool, Birkenhead in Wirral and Bootle and Litherland in Sefton. Mr Prescott's department is meant to redevelop urban areas where the housing market has collapsed. But Mr Prescott's plans, announced last month, have already met with an outcry from heritage and conservation experts. The houses that would go include the one where Beatle Ringo Starr was born in Dingle. Mr Prescott's Pathfinder scheme requires the destruction of 6,800 homes in Liverpool - more than were wrecked in the city by the Luftwaffe in World War II. There are nine Pathfinder areas across the country. Opposition to the plans was backed by the Government's own conservation advisers, English Heritage. It said repairing and re-using old buildings was not only "greener" than demolishing them but also avoided the loss of social cohesion caused by mass-clearance schemes. English Heritage said the cost of repairing a Victorian terrace house over 30 years was up to 60% cheaper than new building.

Something To Sing About

2005-03-04T04:49:00.000Z

Something to sing about: February 25, 2005 City with a musical soul ... Albert Dock with the famous Liver Building in the background. A revitalised Liverpool is making the most of its Beatles connection, reports Steve Meacham. Roll up! The magical mystery tour is waiting to take us away. And this tour is all the more magical because there's really no mystery about where we are headed. From the the two-up, two-down Coronation Street-like terrace where George Harrison was born to one of the most famous thoroughfares in the world, Penny Lane. To the middle-class home that bred the self-proclaimed working-class hero John Lennon. And to the overgrown garden that gave its name to one of the most influential pop songs recorded, Strawberry Fields Forever. My two brothers and I, all Beatles nuts, have met in Liverpool for a few days to sample some of the new attractions that have helped transform a dead-end, deadbeat city into one of Britain's buzziest tourist destinations. In the past few years, the many museums and galleries now housed in the old warehouses of historic Albert Dock have won many awards. But the recent renaissance is nothing compared to what will happen now that Liverpool has won the right to call itself the European City of Culture in 2008. When Liverpool won the honour in 2003, it caused considerable consternation. London hacks were instantly sent north to see whether the judges had taken leave of their senses. People were used to Liverpool's truculent image and its desolate decline after World War II, culminating in the Toxteth riots in 1981. Twenty-four years later, the city's inhabitants boast about "the new Liverpool" and are looking forward to the celebrations in three years. For the first time in generations, civic pride is not confined to the city's traditional diversions - soccer, comedy and music. If the regenerated waterfront is the heart of the new tourist industry, the city's Beatles legacy is its soul. In hindsight, it's amazing Liverpudlians took so long to create first-class Beatles attractions. But now they are cashing in with a vengeance. Even the airport has been renamed John Lennon International. We've already spent a few hours at the Beatles Story, an excellent multi-media museum that occupies part of the Albert Dock complex. It's an articulate and informative account of the history of the world's most famous pop group, with audio headset commentaries by Paul McCartney, Cynthia Lennon (John's first wife), George Martin (who produced their songs) and Alan Williams (the pop promoter who "gave away the Beatles"). Naturally, the exhibition is particularly strong on the Beatles' early Liverpool years. There are recreations of the Kasbah Coffee Shop (owned by the mother of the group's first drummer, Pete Best), the Cavern Club (where the Beatles played more than 200 concerts before they became famous) and the NEMS music shop owned by Brian Epstein (who became the group's manager and mentor). You can even sit in a mock aircraft and hear the noise that greeted the Beatles when they arrived for their breakthrough tour of the United States, with thousands of screaming fans confirming that Beatlemania had crossed the Atlantic. So primed, we boarded the vintage 1960s bus decorated in the blue and yellow colours familiar from the film Magical Mystery Tour (the original vehicle was sold for $1.25 million to a Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando). The two-hour tour is so popular you have to book. Our wise-cracking guide looks far too young to have been around when the Beatles were in their heyday, but he knows his stuff. Soon the bus is passing Liverpool's huge Anglican cathedral. "This is where Paul failed his audition for the choir," the guide says. "But he got his revenge when the premiere of his Liverpool Oratorio was held here. He invited the choirmaster and said, 'Remember me? You said I wasn't good enough'. And the choirmaster said, 'It's because I said you weren't good enough that you became such a success'." Next stop is the Empress pub, where Ringo Starr's stepfather played piano and which became the cover shot for Ringo's first solo album, Sentimental Journey. Then it's on to 12 Arnold Grove, the tiny terrace where George Harrison, the Beatle who had the poorest upbringing, was born. Perhaps significantly for someone who became a notable gardener in his later years, there's not an inch of greenery anywhere. In Penny Lane we stop to see the road sign, now painted on a wall because tourists kept souveniring the metal version. Our guide shows us where, in the words of the song, the barber shaved another customer and the bank where the banker never wears a mac. "And that's where pretty nurses used to sell poppies from a tray. Now you'll just find some unemployed bloke selling The Big Issue." At St Peter's Church, Woolton, where McCartney first met Lennon, there's a gravestone for someone called Eleanor Rigby. "Is that coincidence?" the guide asks. "Paul swears he'd never seen the gravestone when he started writing the song." Now we're moving through the leafy suburb where Lennon was raised by his formidable Auntie Mimi; her house, Mendips, is now owned by the National Trust. And on to the most significant of McCartney's childhood homes, where he and the teenage Lennon wrote their early songs in the back room because the acoustics were better. The tour ends at the new version of the Cavern Club, built in 1984 from the original bricks on roughly the same site. But first our guide points out the latest Beatles venture, the Hard Day's Night Hotel, with 100 themed rooms, which is due to open this year. Later we take a ride on the Ferry Cross the Mersey, where a teenage Starr worked for a week as a steward before getting bored. The ferry is a good way to appreciate Liverpool's maritime heritage. The hour-long round trip gives you a sense of how the wide, grey waters of the Mersey made Liverpool the most important port of the British empire. Millions of emigrants began their long journeys to Australia and the Americas here, symbolised by a moving statue facing the Mersey. As we return to the wharf in front of Liverpool's iconic Liver Building, we gaze up at the odd-looking "Liver Birds" which perch on top of it. An old joke explains why the two birds face different directions. The one gazing out over the Mersey is supposed to be the female hoping to see her husband return safely from the sea. The one gazing into the town is meant to be the male hoping to find the pubs open. From here, it's a short walk to the cafes, restaurants and museums of Albert Dock. Among them is the northern outpost of the Tate Gallery, with an impressive array of paintings by 20th-century giants such as Picasso and Modigliani. Then there are the award-winning Maritime Museum and the magnificent multimedia Museum of Liverpool Life, which charts the social history of the city. However you spend your time, you'll have to agree - this is the most exciting Liverpool has been since the Beatles were playing twice a day at the Cavern. MORE INFORMATION Visit Britain, Level 2, 15 Blue Street, North Sydney 2060. Phone 9021 4400 or 1300 858 589; see www.visitbritain.com or www.visitliverpool.com The Beatles Story (www.beatlesstory.com) costs £8.45 (about $20) for an adult, £5.75 child, £23 family. The Magical Mystery Tour (www.cavern-liverpool.co.uk) costs £11.95 a person.

McCARTNEY'S WIFE PLAYS DOROTHY FOR CHARITY

2005-03-02T00:07:00.000Z

McCARTNEY'S WIFE PLAYS DOROTHY FOR CHARITY SIR PAUL McCARTNEY's wife HEATHER is showing off her acting talents, playing DOROTHY from THE WIZARD OF OZ in forthcoming British charity video. The COMIC RELIEF video, for a re-release of crooner TONY CHRISTIE's 1971 hit (IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO, was written and directed by comedian PETER KAY. The video will get its first airing on RED NOSE NIGHT LIVE 05 next month (11MAR05), with the money raised going to Africa.

Beatles goods auctioned for tsunami victims

2005-02-26T11:14:00.000Z

[www.webuser.co.uk] Autographed memorabilia from Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Mick Jagger are among the items being auctioned on eBay in aid of victims of the Asian tsunami. The Liverpool Echo newspaper and Sir Paul McCartney's brother Mike have joined forces to stage the auction with all money raised going to both the Echo's tsunami appeal and to charity Unicef. Autographed Beatles memorabilia includes a signed McCartney book of lyrics called Blackbird Singing and a Ringo Starr signed plate and picture. The eBay auction, which ends on 4 March, also includes a Mick Jagger fine art photo taken and signed by photographer David Bailey and a Lion King song sheet signed by Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice. The Paul McCartney signed Blackbird Singing book has already soared from its opening price of £0.99 to £175.01 while David Bailey's photo of Mick Jagger and the Ringo Starr signed Beatles Help Delphi plate and photo has raised from £0.99 to £28.77 and £151 respectively.

Yoko: Ageism - worse than racism or sexism

2005-02-23T19:59:00.000Z

Yoko Ono, who turned 72 last week, claims ageism is one of society's biggest curses. John Lennon`s widow recently appeared in New York magazine wearing a mini-skirt under the headline Surprisingly Sexy Septuagenarian and has no intention of slowing down."Honestly, I think age-ism is much worse in this culture than either sexism or racism," she told the New York Post."The power of older people in this world means quite a lot, and it is being totally ignored at a time when there are so many of us. I want to stop this negative attitude toward people over 40."The artist is currently helping with a new musical, Lennon, based on the former Beatle`s songs.It features 10 actors portraying Lennon at various stages in his life, backed by a 10-piece band.

Former Home Residents Join In Campaign

2005-02-22T04:59:00.000Z

Former home residents join in campaign Feb 21 2005 By Kate Mansey, Liverpool Echo THE first children cared for in Strawberry Field Community Home are taking on the government to keep the home open. June Evans, 66, who grew up in the home in Woolton, has written to Tony Blair to petition against the closure planned for next month. When she was four, Mrs Evans and her sister were abandoned and taken into care at the home, which is run by the Salvation Army. Today she waits for a reply from Downing Street for her letter to keep the home open. Mrs Evans who now lives in Teignmouth, South Devon, said: "Strawberry Field isa huge symbol for Liverpool. "Obviously it was made famous by the Beatles but for the children raised there it goes much deeper. "The home gave me a base, security, love, a belief in God, and morals. I want to hear Mr Blair's reply." Fellow campaigner Stella Masoud-Stewart, of Orpington, Kent, was one of the first children to live in the home when it opened in 1936. Abandoned by her parents as a toddler, Mrs Masoud-Stewart, known as Ruby, wants to make the home a National Heritage building. She said: "I am sad about the idea of closing it. Like the song, it should be Stawberry Field forever." Mrs Masoud-Stewart grew up in the home with Sheila Powell. They are still friends. Grandmother Sheila Powell, 69, of Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex, said: "It was a very important time of my life, as everybody's childhood is. "It was my home. I wonder what would have happened to me without Strawberry Field." Sheila was later adopted by the home's first matron Brigadier Wernham when the warden retired. The campaigners have gained support from as far away as America and New Zealand to save the building that survived the bombings of World War II. As a boy, John Lennon played at the home and helped raise money for its upkeep, inspiring the 1967 hit Strawberry Fields Forever.

Beatallica Vs. Beatles

2005-02-18T21:11:00.000Z

[www.ultimate-guitar.com] Beatallica, the Internet sensation who combine the work of The Beatles with the sound of early Metallica, have been slapped with a "cease-and-desist" order by The Beatles' music publisher over their "unlawful use" of the group's compositions "without authorization or license," reports Blabbermouth.net. In the "notice of willful copyright infringement," Sony/ATV Music Publishing — a copyright owner and music publisher of "compositions written, individually and jointly, by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Richard Starkey" — claims that Beatallica's use of The Beatles' compositions "without the express authorization or license has caused and continues to cause substantial and irreparable injury amd is in direct violation of Sony/ATV's rights."

BEATLES LEGEND TAKES TO THE STAGE!

2005-02-18T21:09:00.000Z

[NME - www.nme.com] PAUL McCARTNEY has taken to the stage at the SHOCKWAVES NME AWARDS to pick up the award for BEST EVENT for GLASTONBURY. The ex-Beatle stole the show at last year’s festival, on a bill headlined on the other days by Oasis and Muse. McCartney had a packed Pyramid Stage enthralled with a two-hour gig that had the 80,000 crowd singing along passionately to every word, and knocked out the hits including ’Yesterday’, ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’, ‘We Can Work It Out’ and ‘Blackbird’. But the highlight was when he led the crowd through a mass singalong to ‘Hey Jude’ and ‘Helter Skelter’. Speaking from the stage, McCartney said: “Glastonbury is the best festival, always has been, always will be.” Glastonbury boss Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily were also in attendance at the Hammersmith Palais, enjoying the evening on a table with McCartney.

February 7th 1964: Beatlemania arrives in the US

2005-02-09T02:16:00.000Z

The four members of the British hit band, the Beatles, have arrived in New York at the start of their first tour of the United States. The young men, with their now infamous mop-head hairstyles, stepped onto the tarmac at Kennedy Airport just after 1300 local time. There were more than 3,000 screaming teenagers at the airport. Many had skipped school or work. Some were in tears and some were carrying placards with phrases such as "I love you, please stay". The Beatles' first scheduled appearance will be on American television on Sunday on the Ed Sullivan show. He apparently booked them to appear after seeing the huge crowds who greeted their return to Heathrow from Sweden last October. Security barriers More than 5,000 fans applied for tickets to be part of the audience for the live show - only 750 were lucky enough to get them. The Beatles - Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison - received maximum police protection, the kind of arrangement usually produced for kings and presidents. There were security barriers too, without which, the Beatles would almost certainly have been crushed by the throng of screaming women. Elsewhere in the United States, excitement over the Beatles' arrival has reached almost fever-pitch. Their songs are playing constantly on radio stations, in shops and other places of work. Millions of Beatle records have already been sold and a company called Puritan Fashions Incorporated, which describes itself as "the only exclusive official licensed manufacturer of Beatle wearing apparel" is marketing T-shirts, sweat shirts, turtle-neck sweaters, tight-legged trousers, night shirts, scarves and jewellery inspired by the Beatles. Beatle wigs are also for sale at $2.99 each - or the equivalent of one guinea

Sir Paul rocks Super Bowl crowds

2005-02-07T19:14:00.000Z

Sir Paul rocks Super Bowl crowds Sir Paul proved to be a safe pair of hands at Super Bowl XXXIX Sir Paul McCartney wowed fans with a live mini concert at half-time in the American Super Bowl - and avoided any Janet Jackson-style controversies. The 62-year-old sang Hey Jude and other classic Beatles songs in a 12-minute set at the NFL Super Bowl in Florida. Last year, Jackson exposed a breast during a dance routine, causing outrage among millions of TV viewers and landing the CBS TV network a fine. Sir Paul, however, did nothing more racy than remove his jacket as he sang. The NFL was widely considered to be playing it safe this year by booking 62-year-old Sir Paul for his second Super Bowl show. SIR PAUL'S SET LIST Drive My Car Get Back Live And Let Die Hey Jude Three years ago, he was invited to perform at the first Super Bowl after the September 11 attacks and performed his specially-written song Freedom. This time, he started off the show, at the Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, with the Beatles numbers Drive My Car and Get Back. He then performed a mellow version of Live And Let Die, the James Bond theme he recorded with the band Wings. Finally, he closed the show with a rousing version of Hey Jude. The former Beatle resisted any temptation to refer to Janet Jackson's headline-grabbing performance last year, instead keeping banter between songs to a minimum in order to squeeze as much music as he could into his slot. The only vaguely racy moment of the show came when the singer removed his black jacket halfway through the show - but any fans hoping for a second "Nipple-gate" were to be disappointed as he kept his red sweatshirt on underneath. Jackson was exposed during a routine with Justin Timberlake Earlier, the Black Eyes Peas and Alicia Keys had provided the night's other high-profile entertainment by performing the pre-game show. Black Eyes Peas singer Fergie was dressed in a tight orange top and purple hotpants - but nothing in her performance was likely to upset the TV watchdogs. After the controversy last year - which saw CBS fined a record $550,000 (£292,000) by federal regulators - the Super Bowl organisers had turned to producer Don Mischer to oversee this year's half-time show. His previous production credits included Olympic opening and closing ceremonies. The Super Bowl is watched by an audience of 144.4 million in the US alone and one billion in 222 countries worldwide. Many of the people watching are said to tune in specifically to see the entertainment put on around the massive sporting event. Michael Jackson, Aerosmith, Diana Ross, Gloria Estefan and Phil Collins are among the stars who have previously graced the Super Bowl stage.

Beatles-themed movie gets director

2005-02-04T17:49:00.000Z

'Frida' and 'Titus' director Julie Taymor is to direct the musical 'All You Need Is Love', which will feature 18 songs by The Beatles. The Hollywood Reporter says the film tells the love story of a British boy and an American girl during the social unrest of the 1960s, with The Beatles songs driving the narrative. The script for the film has been written by 'The Commitments' duo of Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. Production on the film is set to begin in September.

Beatles Street proposed in Hamburg

2005-02-03T20:12:00.000Z

HAMBURG - A German radio DJ on Wednesday launched an petition drive to have a street in Hamburg named for the Beatles, who got their start in this city in 1962. "We need a Beatles Strasse," said Stephan Heller of Hamburg FM station Radio Oldie 95. "Other cities have names streets and squares after them," he added. "There's even an airport named for them. Hamburg is where they became famous, so we should honour them too." The lads from Liverpool played gigs at the now-defunct Star Club in the Reeperbahn red-light district of Hamburg in 1962, helping to propel them to international fame.

Stage set for Beatles' fans

2005-02-03T20:09:00.000Z

THE date was September 8, 1962, and, unknown to the audience at the Birkenhead YMCA, they had just witnessed a band who would change the face of pop music. But it is rumoured that the reception the Beatles received at the venue was less than welcoming, and those that paid the 6s (30p) admission left unimpressed. Now, though, the building is about to be demolished and fans the world over are being offered the chance to own a little piece of musical history as the wooden stage where the band played is sold off. The evening the fab four played was billed as "Jive Night" at the YMCA, in Whetstone Street, which is being knocked down to make way for a new £5.8m building next door. The Beatles, who were headlining, would have entered through a door on Quarry Bank Road, before leaving for another gig at the Majestic, in Birkenhead, that evening. Also on the bill were The Beat-cats and The Peppermint Twister, but it is not known if the 600 capacity theatre sold out. David Bedford, of the British Beatles Fan Club, who is organising the sale to raise money for the new YMCA, said very little was known about the gig. He said: "We know it was three weeks after Ringo had joined and one month before Love Me Do became their first hit, so the band were on the brink of the big time. "But rumour has it that the reception wasn't that friendly. "Brian Epstein, who had taken over managing the band, was trying to clean-up their image by getting them to play less traditional, rock'n'roll type venues. "Unlike the Majestic, the audience at the YMCA would have been a typical Saturday night crowd who were not that knowledgeable about music and not as receptive. "The lads probably just saw the gig as a warm up for the main event later that evening." The Beatles had reason to be wary of playing at the venue. At another gig, at the YMCA, in Hoylake, in February, 1962, they had been forced to leave early after being booed off stage. And, unlike other local venues, they never returned to play either YMCA again. The YMCA, which was built in 1937, is being replaced for a two phase development next door which which will include 50 beds, a community cafe and a creche. It will be completed in 18 months. The association came up with the idea of selling off pieces of the stage as a way of raising extra money towards the new building. Chief executive Anne Johnson said the YMCA was a focus point for the community in the 1960s and attracted other local performers, such as Ken Dodd. She added: "It was a great place to come in the 60s. There were always plenty of activities going and it was a place where young people would come to have a coffee or enjoy a night out. A lot more of our work now is focused on helping people with drink and drug problems. "By asking people to donate money we are giving them an opportunity to own a piece of musical history and support our work in the future." Beatles fans can order a piece of the stage by logging on to the website www.britishbeatles fanclub.co.uk. Initially, 2000 pieces will be available for minimum donation of £5, with each one accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. But fans can own a bigger piece of the stage for a larger donation, with all proceeds to the YMCA. Other items, such as gym equipment and children's toys, are also being sold off and are available by contacting the YMCA directly on 0151 475 0154.

"Paul McCartney In Red Square" Coming To DVD

2005-02-03T07:53:00.000Z

PAUL MCCARTNEY IN RED SQUARE Coming out on DVD in Spring Wednesday February 2, 2005 MPL Communications Ltd. Grants Worldwide DVD Rights for 'Loaded DVD' Due Out This May; Features NEW Never-Before-Seen Concert Footage 'Live In St. Petersburg' as Well as Rare Behind-The-Scenes Coverage NEW YORK, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Paul McCartney and A&E Television Networks VP of Video Sales and Marketing, Kate Winn, today announced an arrangement that will bring home audiences the landmark DVD releases PAUL MCCARTNEY IN RED SQUARE. Due out this spring, the historic Emmy-Award(R)- winning live concert, which premiered on the A&E Network, will be combined with NEW never-before-seen concert footage "Live In St. Petersburg" and rare behind the scenes footage, for a DVD that A&E and McCartney are calling fully loaded. "We are thrilled to be releasing PAUL McCARTNEY IN RED SQUARE on DVD," said Winn. "This program not only features an absolutely electric concert, it's also an emotional document of a truly historic time in Russia and the hope that Paul McCartney and the Beatles brought to the people who lived under the communist regime in the Soviet Union." McCartney, who began preparations this week for his much-publicized SuperBowl XXXIX Ameriquest Halftime performance, received five 2004 Emmy Award nominations for PAUL MCCARTNEY IN RED SQUARE. The DVD, sure to become an essential part of any music lover's home entertainment collection, is scheduled for release this Spring. As a member of The Beatles, McCartney helped to launch the British Invasion and bring rock and roll onto the global stage, changing the world with a pulsing new sound, and a way of life not even the Iron Curtain could keep out. On May 24, 2003, the rock icon ended decades of anticipation with his first-ever concert in Russia. Join a crowd of over 100,000, as PAUL McCARTNEY IN RED SQUARE captures the historic sights and sounds of this nearly two-hour show. Behind-the-scenes footage of the star's whirlwind visit to Russia, including a private meeting with President Vladimir Putin, and interviews with important members of Russia's cultural community reveal the importance the Beatles and McCartney played in the development of Russia's future. Join Mikhail Gorbachev and Putin in this rock and roll milestone as McCartney performs rousing renditions of "Can't Buy Me Love," "Band on the Run," "Saw Her Standing There," "Live and Let Die," "Hey Jude," "Let It Be," "Yesterday," and many more, including "Back in the USSR." To order it from A&E Home Video Collection, call (212) 206-8600 (TRADE ONLY). A&E Home Video products may be purchased at ShopAETV.com.

Eric Griffiths/Quarrymen member has died

2005-01-31T19:12:00.000Z

Dear all I've just got this very sad news from Rod Davis Dear friends It is with great sadness that we have to inform you that Eric died last Saturday morning. As you probably know, after our last gig, which was in Norway at the end of November, Eric was in great pain and had been diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas. He stayed some time in hospital and then went home with his pain stabilised on morphine. He was able to spend Christmas and New Year with his wife Relda and their three sons, one of whom came over from Australia so they could all be together. Eric took advantage of his opportunity to put all his affairs in order so as to minimise the burden on his family and displayed great courage and equanimity. Last week he was moved into a hospice but he did not like the atmosphere and was moved back home. Relda said that he was growing very weak and he felt that he had done everything he could and was ready to go. He died peacefully in his own bed around 11am on Saturday. Our thoughts go out to Relda and the boys. We don't have any information as yet regarding the funeral arrangements, but it is thought that it will probably take place next Monday. A tribute page will shortly be put up on the Quarrymen's website www.Quarrymen.co.uk and details will be added when they become available. We will of course pass on any emails to Relda. Regards Rod Davis

Veterans' cast set for 'Lennon'

2005-01-29T19:44:00.000Z

NEW YORK (AP) — A cast of musical-theater veterans has been set for "Lennon," the upcoming Broadway musical celebrating the life and songs of John Lennon. The show, which opens July 21 at the Broadhurst Theatre, will feature Terrence Mann, who was in the original casts of such hit shows as "Cats," "Les Miserables" and "Beauty and the Beast." Among the other performers in the musical will be Chuck Cooper, a Tony winner for his performance in "The Life"; Will Chase, who has appeared in "The Full Monty," "Aida" and "Miss Saigon"; and Julia Murney, who starred in the off-Broadway productions of "The Wild Party" and "A Class Act." "Lennon," written and directed by Don Scardino, will feature more than two dozen of the slain entertainer's songs, including "Imagine," "Instant Karma" and "Give Peace a Chance." Before arriving in New York, "Lennon" will play engagements at San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre, April 12-May 14, and Boston's Colonial Theatre, May 31-June 25. Preview performances in New York begin July 7.

Update on the 'A Hard Day's Night' hotel

2005-01-29T11:14:00.000Z

Cavern City Tours are in the process of opening up a Beatles-themed hotel in Liverpool - right by the Cavern Walks. The project has been beset by problems from the off, but it finally looks like things are moving ahead. To read the full story click here: http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/entertainment/

The Adventures of Super Ringo

2005-01-28T18:46:00.000Z

You look at Ringo Starr, and see an ex-Beatle. You are not Stan Lee. "We were talking and kidding around and I said [to Starr], 'You're known all over the world, and you've got the most distinctive way of talking, and I think if we did a cartoon of you it would be fantastic," the comic-book legend said. "Wouldn't it be cool if we could make you a superhero?" Starr agreed that, yes, it would be cool. And, thus, another origin story was born. Lee's POW! Entertainment announced plans Wednesday for an animated series to feature the dulcet Liverpudlian tones, music and crime-fighting tactics of the rock idol. The show doesn't have a name yet. Neither does the character, really. ("At the moment, it's just Ringo," Lee said. "The name Ringo is magic.") A DVD, likely to feature three episodes of the drummer's exploits, will debut either late this year or early next. Also to be determined: Starr's superpowers. Will he be able to leap the Capitol Records Building in a single bound? Will he turn into a form of expensive bottled water? Will he fly? "Flying high as a superhero shouldn't be much of a stretch for Ringo," Chris Mason, cofounder of Superherohype.com, said in a tongue-in-cheek email Wednesday. "We can't wait to see Ringo drum evil into submission!" Neither can Lee. The 82-year-old impresario, who sicced Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk and the X-Men on the underworld during his iconic reign at Marvel Comics, said he's just starting to write the Starr series. But in a way, he's been waiting decades to help the Fab Four make like the Fantastic Four. "The funny thing is I had met Paul McCartney years ago, and at that time I thought, 'Gee, it would be great to make [the Beatles] superheroes, with all four of them, but nothing came of it," Lee said. "So this is the realization of a dream right now." Today, Starr and McCartney are the only surviving Beatles. There are no plans for McCartney to ride in Starr's sidecar. "Right now, it's just Ringo and me," Lee said. Being the star of the show, Starr had a request regarding his animated alter-ego, Lee said: He wants to be a "reluctant superhero," just your average, world-famous musician who gets dragged into saving the world between sets. Fortunately for Starr, reluctant superheroes happen to be a specialty of Lee, a man who endowed Spider-Man with enough insecurities to keep the therapy profession humming along nicely, thankyouverymuch. Accordingly, Super Ringo, or whatever he's to be called, will follow in the tradition of angsty Lee characters, "but he's going to be funnier," the creator promised. Although Starr has been shrinky-dinked before in the name of cartoon fun--chiefly, the 1960s Beatles animated series and the 1968 feature Yellow Submarine--he's never before supplied his own speaking voice. (Those were fake Beatles--or actors, as they're officially known--heard making puns in both projects.) In a statement, Starr joked that his new superhero venture was going to be "one of the most exciting adventures I've had all day." In truth, Starr has been logging adventures since making Pete Best's life one, long nightmare by supplanting him in the Beatles in 1962. The onetime symbol of the youth-culture explosion is 64 going on 65. Will Super Ringo be a sexagenarian? Said Lee, ever the showman: "Ringo is ageless." Then Lee, ever the storyteller, added: "No, he won't be in his 60s."

McCartney Nailing Down North American Tour

2005-01-27T19:37:00.000Z

PAUL'S US TOUR TICKETS MAY GO ONSALE AT THE END OF FEBRUARY!! Sir Paul McCartney will take advantage of media focus surrounding his halftime performance at Super Bowl XXXIX on Feb. 6 to announce his upcoming tour of North America, sources tell Billboard.com. The Beatles legend will play 38 North American cities beginning Sept. 16 in Miami and running until the end of November. Tickets are expected to go on sale the last week in February. McCartney last visited North American in 2002 as part of a world tour that grossed more than $126 million and drew nearly one million fans. McCartney is working on a new album for Capitol but no timetable has been set for its release. As previously reported, the artist has collaborated with producer Nigel Godrich (Beck, Radiohead) and multi-instrumentalist Jason Falkner on the set, which will be his first studio album since 2001's "Driving Rain." The touring landscape will be relatively crowded with superstars this fall, as U2 will be on the second U.S. leg of its Vertigo tour, and the Rolling Stones also are believed to have an outing in the works.

The Beatles? No,Thanks

2005-01-27T06:55:00.000Z

The Quarrymen managed to let Lennon, McCartney and Harrison slip through their fingers. Nearly five decades after that mistake, they are releasing their first album. Tim Cooper reports. 26 January 2005 Rod, Eric, Len and Colin. It doesn't have quite the same ring as John, Paul, George and Ringo, does it? But, back in 1957 and 1958, they all played in what would turn into the best-known band of all time. While one half of them became the Fab Four, the forgotten four drifted into normal lives with proper jobs, mortgages, wives and children. Now, almost 50 years after they started out as a schoolboy group with John Lennon, The Quarrymen have made their first album, featuring songs they used to play with Lennon, McCartney and Harrison. After a reunion on the 40th anniversary of the 1957 show where Lennon first met McCartney, the original members - now all in their sixties - got back together and went on concert tours all over the world. "It was Quarrymania in Japan," recalls the singer, Len Garry, 63. "When we got off the train, we were mobbed by screaming girls." When the drummer, Colin Hanton, returned to his hotel in Osaka, he met a gaggle of schoolgirls. "They surged towards me, asking for my autograph." The Quarrymen were formed by a 15-year-old Liverpool schoolboy called John Lennon. In 1956, rock'n'roll was in its infancy. Bill Haley had started it with "Rock Around the Clock", and a sexy young Elvis Presley was dominating the hit parade. But Britain was in the grip of skiffle fever, popularised by a Scottish jazzman with a banjo. Bands were sprouting in tribute to Lonnie Donegan. "Skiffle was very simple, amateurish music. You could learn one or two chords and somebody could beat out some sort of rhythm on a tea-chest bass, and you had a band," says Hanton, 66. It was an easy sound to imitate, spawning hundreds of new groups. The new sound was derided by the successful acts of the day. "Properly trained musicians never had a good word to say about skiffle," recalls Rod Davis, who played banjo in Lennon's original band. "Their view was that real musicians were being put out of work by fellows who couldn't read music." Lennon, infatuated by Donegan and Presley equally, had just bought his first guitar. He roped in some friends from Quarry Bank High School: best mate Pete Shotton; Eric Griffiths, who also had a guitar; and Rod Davis, who had a banjo. As John, Eric and Rod learnt their chords, Shotton would bang out a rhythm on the washboard. A fourth schoolfriend, Bill Smith, played the tea-chest bass - a primitive instrument peculiar to skiffle, made from a chest, a broom handle and a piece of string that made a rhythmic thrum when thumbed. They named the band after their school and Lennon decided he would be the singer. Smith, whose father didn't want him wasting time on popular music, soon left and was replaced by Len Garry, who went to a different school - the Liverpool Institute - where his fellow students included Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Garry wanted to sing, but as Lennon had that job he took over the tea-chest bass. And Colin Hanton came in as drummer; he'd left school and was working as an upholsterer, but, crucially, he owned a drum kit. For the next year, The Quarrymen learnt their instruments and taught themselves a repertoire of contemporary hits. They practised in each other's homes until they were ready to play in public, at parties, youth clubs and even a local golf club. "We would get 10 shillings [50p] each. We didn't play in pubs or anywhere that sold alcohol because we were under-age," Garry recalls. The crucial date in the band's history is 6 July 1957 at the St Peter's church fête in Woolton, Liverpool. Paul McCartney wandered in as they were performing. Intrigued by Lennon's habit of ad-libbing his own lyrics, McCartney sought an introduction and was soon showing Lennon his own talent as a guitarist. The pair hit it off and McCartney was invited to join the band as a guitarist, replacing Davis. "I just drifted out," Davis says. "I played banjo and there was no real place for me in what was becoming a rock'n'roll band." By now skiffle was being swept away by rock'n'roll, and The Quarrymen began to change their sound. "People quickly realised that the same three chords that worked for skiffle worked for rock'n'roll," says Davis, who won a place at Cambridge University after his departure. Then Shotton left. "Pete never got much satisfaction out of playing the washboard," Davis recalls. Garry adds: "Pete always got stage fright. He was forever complaining about playing live. One day he moaned so much that John smashed the washboard over his head. And that was it for him." Meanwhile, The Quarrymen recruited McCartney's schoolfriend George Harrison, then 14. As they now had four guitarists, it was suggested to Griffiths that he might like to switch to electric bass. Unable to afford one, he left the band, leaving the nucleus of what would later become The Beatles. John, Paul, George, Len and Colin built their reputation in local shows, including a 1957 residency at the Cavern. Garry still blames the legendary venue for the illness that forced him out of the band in the summer of 1958, spending eight months in hospital with tubercular meningitis. "The place had no ventilation, so there was always condensation dripping on you." By 1959, Lennon and Harrison (but not McCartney) had begun writing their own songs. The earliest known example is "In Spite of All the Danger", recorded that year. It's the first recording ever made by Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, but did not resurface until it appeared on The Beatles' Anthology in 1996. That recording, now owned by McCartney, is valued at £100,000. Soon after making it, Hanton packed away his drumsticks for good. "I was slightly older, with a decent job as an upholsterer, and I got a bit fed up. We were coming home on the bus after a gig where we'd got drunk and blown our chance of a residency, so I thought we were never going to go anywhere. It all got a bit unpleasant, the way drunken lads are. After I got off the bus, I never heard from them again. The next time I saw them was on the television in 1962 in a group called The Beatles." Hanton, who still lives in Liverpool and works as an upholsterer, insists he has no regrets. He doubts the band would have gone on to greatness without the influence of McCartney. "I was never really serious about it. I think John and George became serious under Paul's influence, and Paul would have made it whatever happened." Davis remembers bumping into Lennon in Liverpool around Easter 1962. "He asked me if I wanted to go to Hamburg and play drums. But I was halfway through my degree and my mother would have killed me if I'd given it up for 'that Lennon', as he was always known in our house." How did the former members feel as they watched The Beatles' rise to superstardom? Garry admits to some regrets. "I felt a bit envious. I'd always wanted to do music and they were enjoying themselves doing that. But my envy faded, and I fell in love and got married and had kids - the usual thing." Hanton says: "I've no regrets, because I was never serious about it. And we've had a good time in the last few years. I've ridden around in limos in Las Vegas." Davis, too, insists he had no pangs at missing out. "I didn't like the music; I was more interested in folk and bluegrass. And they were trapped in hotels and couldn't do what they wanted. Their lives were stolen from them, in many ways. I've had a lot of fun in my life... and no one knows about it!" 'Songs We Remember' by The Quarrymen is out now on BMG Imports (www.originalquarrymen.co.uk) source: The Belfast Telegraph

McCartney Ready To Rock Millions At Halftime

2005-01-26T19:44:00.000Z

Chances are pretty good that this year's Super Bowl halftime performer will "let it be" and not have any "wardrobe malfunctions." Paul McCartneyThat's because the NFL has tapped legendary rocker Paul McCartney to perform at the halftime show Feb. 6. This will be McCartney's second engagement to play at the Super Bowl. He performed at the Super Bowl XXXVI pre-game show in 2002, the first Super Bowl after the tragedies of Sept. 11. Among the songs McCartney played during the performance was "Freedom," a song of hope he wrote in response to Sept. 11. In a statement on his site, McCartney said of his upcoming Super Bowl gig: "There's nothing bigger than being asked to perform at the Super Bowl. We're looking forward to rocking the millions at home and in the stadium." McCartney, 62, launched his most recent set of North American concert dates -- the "Back in the U.S." tour -- after his last Super Bowl performance, and played several European dates last summer. In addition to his classics with the Beatles, McCartney has recorded, with Wings and as a solo artists, such smash hits as "Band on the Run," "Live and Let Die," "Silly Love Songs," "My Love," "Coming Up" and "No More Lonely Nights." Together with his wife, Heather Mills McCartney, Paul McCartney is also active in several charitable causes. Most recently, they donated a reported $1.9 million to aid the victims of the tsunamis in south Asia.

RINGO!

2005-01-25T01:50:00.000Z

ormer BEATLE RINGO STARR has vowed to continue drumming until he's too old to hold the sticks. The YELLOW SUBMARINE star admits he often considers retirement after his gruelling tours, but he doubts he'll ever stop performing unless his health makes it impossible. He says, "I used to say I'd retire after every tour, and my kids would always laugh at me. Because there's a point, halfway through every tour when you think, 'What the heck am I doing here?' "But as long as I can hold the sticks, there's no reason to retire. That's the joy of being a musician. Though I may have to play in a blues band to slow it down a bit." "You know I have this thing about England, they don't really love me enough," he said. "That's just how I feel. It's not a fact - it's just a feeling." (Pic: www.ringostarr.com) Even though he divides his time between LA, Britain and Monaco, he said he enjoys the casualness of LA and the way the audiences love him. But he added he was "moved and thrilled" by the reception he got at the Concert for George in November 2002 - the first anniversary of bandmate George Harrison's death. And as the oldest Beatle, who has outlived all but one of his younger bandmates, Ringo said he has no plans to retire. "As long as I can hold the sticks, there is no reason to retire. That's the joy of being a musician," he said.

Son Of Paul??

2005-01-24T18:05:00.000Z

The Beatles newsgroup (you can find it under Google groups) recently got a post from a man with the username "McCartney's Bastard Child". He claimed that Paul denied him. He goes on to say that he condems his father for this. He apparently has an album coming out on Toby Records called Son of a Beatle Paul McCartney Jr. A link is given but it is to a "not found" page. He did not go on to say who his mother is or how old he is. Since The Beatles hit it big, Paul has been slapped with paternity suits. Too this day all have gone in his favor. The link to the post is at http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.music.beatles/

SIGN THE PETITION TO SAVE STRAWBERRY FIELDS!

2005-01-22T13:03:00.000Z

The British Beatles Fan Club have started up an petition to save Strawberry Fields from closure. Click here to sign the petition. Sign it. Then get your mum to sign it. And then get your sister, brother, milkman, postman and everyone who walks past the house to sign it.

more stawberry news

2005-01-21T01:16:00.000Z

STAFF at closure-threatened Strawberry Field children's home have launched a campaign to keep it open. About 30 workers at the Woolton home, made famous by The Beatles' song Strawberry Fields Forever, have already met Garston Labour MP Maria Eagle to argue their case. More than 1,000 people have also pledged their support by signing petitions over the weekend. Staff will meet representatives from Liverpool council later this week to discuss the Salvation Army's decision to close the home by May 2007. They are particularly concerned about what will happen to 27 youngsters from at-risk families who use the home's "shared care" service, which allows them to stay there at weekends. In a statement staff said: "People should be made aware that there are not just gates at Strawberry Field. "There are children usinga valuable service beyond those gates, not just the three children living there at present, but 27 children who access this service on various weekends, who no-one has spoken about. "This shared care keeps children with their own families and prevents them going into full-time care or foster care. We want this unit to be kept open." Last week councillors called for talks to start with the Salvation Army aimed at keeping Strawberry Field open. Major Marion Drew, the Salvation Army's divisional leader in the north west, said: "The staff are a good, dedicated and hard-working team with the welfare of children and families in Merseyside at heart. "Our priority is the staff and the children. Once decisions have been made about the way forward for caring for children in the future, the property issues can then be closely looked at." Some fear that the Beaconsfield Road site could be sold off for housing when the home closes for good. Council leader Mike Storey has also said he would like Strawberry Field's famous gates, where thousands of Beatles fans are photographed each year, to be listed, preserving them for good. Dawn Clarke, team leader at the home, said: "We need public support and after starting a petition on Friday, we already have more than 1 , 000 signatures. "Maybe the home cannot stay open in its present form, but we are very concerned about the families who use the shared care service. They do not know what support they will get once it closes."