WogBlog

A conversation with Paul McCartney

2012-02-01T01:59:00.002+01:00

Paul McCartney is interviewed for Brazilian TV about his new album.Two of the Beatles are releasing albums the same week, and there's a media blitz going on. Who will win?

A conversation with Ringo Starr

2012-01-30T21:09:00.000+01:00

Ringo's new album "Ringo 2012" hits the shops and the download markets these days. I've been playing the CD in my car over the weekend. It's well played, but a bit on the slim side, materialwise.
There's a couple of cover versions (Buddy Holly's "Think It Over", already out last year on a Holly tribute album and "Rock Island Line", popularised in the UK by skiffle pioneer Lonnie Donegan), then he covers himself a couple of times ("Wings" from Ringo the 4th in 1977 and "Step Lightly" from the Ringo album, released in 1973). There's a new chapter in his Liverpool saga, "In Liverpool" and four other songs, I think of them as "fillers". All in all nine songs, and less than half an hour of new Ringo music. I like the new version of "Wings", it's far better than the original. "Step Lightly", on the other hand, isn't. The Buddy Holly song is a good one and Ringo delivers a refreshing steel drums driven version of it. On the other hand, "Rock Island Line" does the song no favours. If he had played it in a skiffle environment, it would have been a far better move. I'm all in favour of the new Liverpool song, you can hear he has his heart in that one. The rest is pleasent enough (unless you get rashes from hearing Ringo sing, like my girlfriend gets), but forgettable. This week, Ringo is in promotion modus and hits the media stateside. He's also come up with a new stunt, he is inviting amateur filmmakers to make a music video for the song "Wings".

Ringo will personally choose the winner, which will be serviced to media as the official promo video for Wings.‎"I've partnered with @Genero to give you the chance to make the official video for my new single, Wings from RINGO 2012. I'm leaving it open for you to interpret so let your creative juices flow! I'm picking the winner and you'll get $3000. Entries close Mar 7."All the details are at Genero TV.

"Kisses on the bottom" EPK

2012-01-27T23:23:00.000+01:00

Paul McCartney and producer Tommy LiPuma discuss the story behind the album 'Kisses On The Bottom' with journalist Robert Hilburn at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles. This EPK from MPL is just over 15 minute in length. EPK = Electronic Press Kit. Usually a promo film distributed to TV companies as a way to promote a new release. They used to be on VHS cassettes, the earliest one I own was the EPK for McCartney's 1986 album "Press To Play". The film contained an interview with Paul by Paul Gambaccini and some film footage and stills from the making of the album cover, as I recall. I found it in EMI Norway's trash can when they moved to their new address.

Those Were The Days re-recording

2012-01-22T01:08:00.000+01:00

Mary Hopkin recording a foreign "Those Were The Days" vocal. To establish Mary Hopkin as an international star, Apple had Mary re-record her debut in four languages.

French "Les Temps des Fleurs" (FO 131)

"An Jenem Tag" in German (0 23910)

"Quelli Erano Giorni" in Italian (Apple 2)

"Que Tiempo Tan Feliz" in Spanish (H 397)

More Lennon as Superman pics

2012-01-14T13:16:00.000+01:00

More outtakes from the photo session for "The Penguin John Lennon" book have come to light. And as a Superman fan, I'm always delighted when my two main hobbies come together like this. More about Beatles/Superman connections in my previous blog post here.
Thanks to Mark for alerting me to these new photos, all photos are by Alan Aldridge. The finished book cover featured an altered S-logo, but from the outtakes we can see that it was the real deal.

"Kisses on the bottom" deluxe bonus tracks

2012-01-08T19:50:00.000+01:00

News item from Paul McCartney today: the Deluxe CD Album will feature two bonus tracks plus access to a download of an exclusive live show (available from Tuesday 14th February via paulmccartney.com), plus longer liner notes and expanded packaging featuring three postcards)
These are the bonus tracks:

15. Baby’s Request (03:30)
16. My One And Only Love (03:50)

As you probably know, "Baby's Request" is a Paul McCartney composition, which was first heard on the Wings album "Back To The Egg" back in 1979. It's one of McCartney's pastiches of old time songs and neatly fits in with a row of songs like "When I'm Sixty-Four", "Your Mother Should Know", "Honey Pie", "You Gave Me The Answer" etc.
We certainly hope that this track has been re-recorded for this album, because we already have the "Back To The Egg Album"..
"My One and Only Love" is a popular song with music written by Guy Wood and lyrics by Robert Mellin. The song was published in 1952. It was recorded by Frank Sinatra on May 2, 1953 and released on Capitol 2505 as a 4-track EP, both on 45 rpm and 78 rpm. It's available on the Sinatra compilation "Nice 'n' Easy" and the song has also been covered by Sting.
The album artwork concept was conceived by Jonathan Schofield (Visual Director at Stella McCartney) and designed by Matthew Cooper (who has worked with artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand). Paul was photographed by his daughter Mary McCartney for the album sleeve.

Visit Abbey Road - 2nd day added

2012-01-06T09:58:00.000+01:00

A second opportunity to go and visit Abbey Road studio number two has been given latecomers. Tickets are now available for Sunday the 11th of March.Abbey Road Studios have been accessible for recording artists only, the only two previous occasions they've been open to the general public having been the "Beatles At Abbey Road" presentation in Studio Two from 18. July to 11. September, 1983 and the "Abbey Road film festival" which was from 19. March to 3. April, 2005.

Meanwhile, in other news, The Beatles' "Abbey Road" album is the best selling vinyl album of 2011 in the USA, just like it was in 2010 and 2009.

Kisses on the bottom vinyl edition

2012-01-05T17:40:00.000+01:00

Well. It's only fourteen tracks, but it's a double LP. "This double vinyl version comes in a gatefold sleeve and a digital download card." - says Amazon

By the way, I love the title. It's cheeky, which is very appropriate and contradicts the theme of the album. To me, it's the equivalent of "Her Majesty" taking the seriousness out of the pompous "and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make" it follows.

Kisses on the bottom in the UK

2012-01-04T14:26:00.000+01:00

Amazon in the UK has finally listed Paul McCartney's new album, "Kisses on the bottom", but has a release date of June 12th. Probably an error.

Their pre-order page for the Deluxe edition mentions possible Extra tracks, but we have a hunch they just didn't know anything, so they're only assuming. As far as we've been told, the DeLuxe edition should have no extra tracks, but more elaborate covers and a card which allows you to obtain a live performance download.

Visit Abbey Road Studios!

2012-01-03T23:19:00.000+01:00

Abbey Road Studio Two - note the old style Beatles logo on the bass drum

Abbey Road Studios announce an exclusive presentation in Studio Two, open to the public on 10th March 2012. There will be two houses, one at 10 AM and one at 3 PM.

Visit Abbey Road Studios legendary Studio Two - home to iconic recordings by The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Kate Bush

Fascinating talks on Abbey Road Studios from the authors of acclaimed book `Recording The Beatles'

Rare and unseen photographs, films, and recordings from the archives of EMI and Abbey Road Studios

Exhibition of vintage photos and priceless recording artefacts - see up-close the very instruments, microphones, and studio equipment used to create classic recordings

As part of their 80th Anniversary celebrations, on 10th March Abbey Road Studios will be opening its doors to the public for a unique experience.

Brian Kehew and Kevin Ryan - authors of the critically-acclaimed, definitive book `Recording The Beatles' will give an insightful and highly-enjoyable presentation, specifically for the anniversary event.

'Recording The Beatles' has won huge praise from Abbey Road alumni including Alan Parsons, Norman Smith, Ken Townsend and John Kurlander, whose engineering/production CVs count The Beatles, The Hollies, Pink Floyd, The Pretty Things and the Lord Of The Rings trilogy between them.

Kehew and Ryan's `80 Years of Recording at Abbey Road Studios' talk will explore the studio's decades of landmark recordings, celebrating the technology and sonic creativity that lead to epoch defining music from feted artists.

With over 20 years of research into EMI history, Ryan and Kehew have uncovered many secrets of the studios and have worked with Abbey Road Studios to preserve and illuminate the studios' immense history.

Much more than a mere talk, the presentation will cover the history of Abbey Road Studios with rare archive photos, film and audio from the various decades, showing changes to the studio and equipment. It will illustrate Abbey Road's long progression through all kinds of music, from classical to rock, and the methods used to record in each style/period.

Recordings covered will include Sir Edward Elgar, The Shadows, Peter Sellers, Helen Shapiro, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Hollies, The Zombies, the Swingin' Blue Jeans and Kate Bush. The magical film scores captured over the years including `Star Wars', `Harry Potter', `Lord of the Rings' and `The King's Speech' will also be explored.

Also on display will be original vintage equipment from Abbey Road's own history - unique items from the studios and archives, including the very instruments, microphones, and studio hardware used to create classic tracks. Visitors will be allowed early entrance with time to explore and take photographs in the famous Studio Two, where seminal acts like The Beatles, Oasis, The Hollies, The Shadows, Pink Floyd and Kate Bush recorded epoch-defining music. More recently, Elbow recorded their theme for the 2012 Olympics there and amazing artists like Ryan Adams, Laura Marling and Feist laid down performances for the worldwide `Live From Abbey Road' television show.

Brian Kehew, co-author of 'Recording The Beatles', is a record producer, engineer and musician. He has worked with The Who, Fiona Apple, Air, Rod Stewart, Talking Heads, Aretha Franklin, and Black Sabbath.

Kevin Ryan, co-author of `Recording the Beatles' is a Houston-based producer, arranger and composer. He is also a talented graphic designer and video/film artist.
Tickets are 75 GBP + booking fees and go on sale tomorrow, Wednesday 04 Jan 2012 at 9:00AM (UK time) from Seetickets.

Star Club 50th Anniversary

2012-01-02T19:24:00.000+01:00

The Star-Club in Hamburg is no more. Closed in 1969 and destroyed by a fire in 1987, the club is gone. But some of the people associated with Star-Club have decided to celebrate the club's 50th anniversary nevertheless.

INFORMATION
One of the most important epochs of the pop history began with the opening of the Star-Club on the 13th of April, 1962 at the Hamburg Reeperbahn / Germany. It is hardly conceivable from today's view, but for a few years the concert temple in the Große Freiheit was the most famous music-club of the world. In the course of the years many legendary musicians performed there,like the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bill Haley, Little Richard, Ray Charles, the Everly Brothers, Fats Domino, Brenda Lee and many more.
However, the Star-Club was even more than just a music-club: It was full of magic. It was a pop-cultural manifesto. A departure in a new age. The Star-Club had shaken off the fug and muff of the postwar years and released a rebellion of the youth!
The men who made this possible were the Hamburg businessman and owner of the club Manfred Weissleder and the music promoter and Star-Club manager Horst Fascher.
Now, on the occasion of the 50th birthday of the club, Horst Fascher has invited a few good old friends.
The Star-Club was closed in 1969. However, in the hearts of his countless visitors he lives on until this day. Horst Fascher: "In April, 2012 I will be 76 years old. The 50th Anniversary of the Star-Club will be my last, big event. The last time I would like to celebrate with my friends the most important and best place of my life. Of course in the Große Freiheit 36 / Kaiserkeller where the venerable and world-renowned star of the Star-Club shines on every night in the facade."

Confirmed bands and artists so far:
The Quarrymen (Liverpool)
supported by Charles Glenn (Little Richard´s Band) and Uli Salm (Rudolf Rock)
The Pete Best Band (with ex-Beatle Pete Best)
Mike Pender´s Searchers (Liverpool)
The Mojos (Liverpool)
The Undertakers (Liverpool)
Lee Curtis with Bonds + Mr. Piggi
Jimmy & The Rackets (England)
Rockhouse Brothers (Hannover – SAT.1 Breakfast TV)
"Star Club All-Star-Band" with

Brain Griffiths (Ex Big Three)

Jackie Lomax (The Undertakers)

Bobby Thompson (Dominoes)

Joe Fagin (Leadsinger Strangers)

Ian´s Zodiacs (Köln)

Ticket to Ride (Hamburg)

"The 50th Anniversary of one of the most important events in the cultural history of the world“ - Bill Harry (Mersey Beat Magazine / Liverpool).
Paul McCartney: "The best memories? Oh, getting crazy on stage in the Star-Club (…)"
Website
Tickets

Happy New Beatles Year!

2011-12-31T13:14:00.001+01:00

It was 50 years today that The Beatles auditioned for Decca Records. Ever since the mid-seventies, the Decca audition tape has been floating around among Beatles fans, but always from the same source tape. Some of the tracks were released by small record companies in the eighties and nineties, until The Beatles/Apple won a court case, and became the exclusive owner of the recordings. In 1995, The Beatles released the album Anthology 1, which included five of the songs performed at the audition: "Searchin'", "Like Dreamers Do", "Hello Little Girl", "Three Cool Cats", and "The Sheik of Araby". The full session tape goes like this:

"Like Dreamers Do" (Lennon–McCartney)
"Money (That's What I Want)" (Gordy/Bradford)
"Till There Was You" (Meredith Willson)
"The Sheik of Araby" (Smith/Wheeler/Snyder)
"To Know Her Is to Love Her" (Phil Spector)
"Take Good Care of My Baby" (King/Goffin)
"Memphis, Tennessee" (Chuck Berry) (not released)
"Sure to Fall (In Love with You)" (Cantrell/Claunch/Perkins)
"Hello Little Girl" (Lennon–McCartney)
"Three Cool Cats" (Leiber/Stoller)
"Crying, Waiting, Hoping" (Buddy Holly)
"Love of the Loved" (Lennon–McCartney)
"September in the Rain" (Warren/Dubin)
"Bésame Mucho" (Consuelo Velázquez)
"Searchin'" (Leiber/Stoller)

2012 is a big year for The Beatles, and will no doubt be a year which we'll see some new Beatles releases. Why I think this is the case is because EMI has always used the release of "Love Me Do" in 1962 as a reference point to stage their Beatles anniversaries. But we fans know that New Year's Day is the real anniversary. So how about it, Apple? Even though this is the Pete Best incarnation of the Beatles, the full Decca audition tape is riper than ripe for an official release. And in late 2011, a new and better source tape started to circulate among Beatles collectors...

Ringo on BBC Radio 6

2011-12-30T17:33:00.000+01:00

A second chance to hear a radio show we missed out on before, Matt Everitt discusses musical milestones with the one and only Ringo Starr.Ringo talks Matt Everitt through his remarkable career - from the early days when his family inspired him to pick up the drumsticks, the influence of Radio Luxembourg and his very first performance with The Beatles; to Beatlemania, conquering the world and how the band's slow and painful break-up felt to an insider.Ringo also discusses life after The Beatles, his solo career and his All-Starr Band in an interview first heard in September 2011.5 days left to hear this here.

"Home" finds a home

2011-12-30T12:03:00.000+01:00

One of the things Beatles fans indulge in, is trying to imagine what an early Beatles concert would be like. Oh, to have a properly equipped DeLorean! Little exists in the way of recorded material from the years 1957-1960, but thanks to the research of Beatles historians like Mark Lewisohn we have a list of songs they performed. Old set lists unearthed and the memories of early fans have been jogged to establish a body of songs that graced the early shows. But who was the lead vocalist on which song? One such song is now finally finding it's Beatles home on Paul McCartney's upcoming "Kisses on the bottom" album. Historically, "Home (When Shadows Fall)" was part of the Quarrymen/Beatles set lists from 1957-1960. No recording of the fabs performing said song exists, but now that Paul McCartney has recorded it, it seems likely that he was the one resposible for it's inclusion on stage back then. That much we might have guessed.

"Home (When Shadows Fall)" was composed around about 1931 by Peter Van Steeden, Harry Clarkson and Jeff Clarkson. The McCartney household may have had a recording of it, or even more likely, sheet music. Paul's father James used to play songs on the family piano, and this song seems right up his alley.

The culprit of the recent leaks, this advance copy of McCartney's album has a different song order than the one previously published. Which explains the segue between "Only Our Hearts" and "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter"

Paul McCartney's valentine's day album "Kisses on the bottom" was recently leaked in the form of an audio stream played by several internet radio stations. Fan reactions to the album have been mixed, and the subtle use of autotune commented on. The most ridiculous reactions have been of ignorants speculating that McCartney has run out of songs of his own. As we know, McCartney has recorded not one but two albums, one with cover versions and one regular album. The other album, due out in the future, is full of new McCartney compositions, no doubt. And even the cover album has got two new McCartney compositions.

Ringo 2012 DeLuxe

2011-12-29T08:11:00.002+01:00

Details about the forthcoming album by our favourite singing drummer have been revealed. The regular CD will be released on January 24th, followed by a DeLuxe edition (CD + DVD), which will be an Amazon exclusive, on January 31st. On that same date, the album will also be released on 180 grams vinyl.

Kisses on the Bottom

2011-12-28T20:14:00.001+01:00

The new McCartney album, due out February 6th (7th in the USA), has leaked out to the internet in it's entirity today. And the title has been revealed (and twittered by Paul), "Kisses on the Bottom" - a lift from the lyrics of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter".
Amazon's editorial review: While many a musician is often asked about the tunes that have influenced their songwriting, it is not a question Paul McCartney ordinarily gets to answer - until now. Paul is about to offer a glimpse into "the songs which inspired the songs" with the upcoming release of a brand new album of those standards he grew up listening to in his childhood-plus two brand new McCartney compositions. With the help of Grammyr Award-winning producer Tommy LiPuma and Diana Krall and her band-as well as guest appearances from Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder, McCartney's new album is a deeply personal journey through classic American compositions that, in some cases, a young Paul first heard his father perform on piano at home. As authentic and daring a musical statement as he could make, this is the album Paul has been thinking about making for more than 20 years - and probably the last thing his fans are expecting. "In the end it was 'Look, if I don't do it now, I'll never do it'," he says. In short, Paul believes it is about time "the songs me and John based quite a few of our things on" received the recognition they deserve.
Moreover, the record also features a couple of new original McCartney compositions in the spirit of those classics. "When I kind of got into songwriting, I realized how well structured these songs were and I think I took a lot of my lessons from them," Paul explains. "I always thought artists like Fred Astaire were very cool. Writers like Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, all of those guys - I just thought the songs were magical. And then, as I got to be a songwriter I thought it's beautiful, the way they made those songs." Determined to approach the record in a new and unique manner, Paul enlisted the help of LiPuma and Krall and her band-who delivered ultra-high quality musicianship and were completely in tune with Paul's restraint and feel for the music.

In the studio, the recording of this album was also a new challenge for Paul who, for the first time ever, performed exclusively in the vocal booth without an instrument - no guitar, no bass, no piano - which led to a vocal performance like no other in his career. He adds, "It was very spontaneous, kind of organic, which then reminded me of the way we'd work with The Beatles. We'd bring a song in, kick it around, when we found a way to do it we'd say 'Okay, let's do a take now' and by the time everyone kind of had an idea of what they were doing, we'd learnt the song. So that's what we did, we did the take live in the studio." "It was important for me to keep away from the more obvious song choices so, many of the classic standards will be unfamiliar to some people. I hope they are in for a pleasant surprise." The album was recorded at the legendary Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, New York and London throughout 2011. It also features guest musicians Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder, respectively, on the original compositions "My Valentine" and "Only Our Hearts."
The deluxe version will include the same tracks below but have expanded artwork and a download card for an exclusive live performance.

The vinyl will be 180 gram with a download card as well.

1 I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter 2:36
2 Home (When Shadows Fall) 4:04
3 It's Only A Paper Moon 2:34
4 More I Cannot Wish You 3:03
5 The Glory Of Love 3:45
6 We Three (My Echo, My Shadow And Me) 3:22
7 Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive 2:31
8 My Valentine 3:14
9 Always 3:49
10 My Very Good Friend The Milkman 3:04
11 Bye Bye Blackbird 4:26
12 Get Yourself Another Fool 4:41
13 The Inch Worm 3:42
14 Only Our Hearts 4:21

BBC Radio 4 Beatles Christmas

2011-12-22T16:29:00.001+01:00

Presenter Alexei Sayle ('ullo John, got a new motah'?) explores how the Beatles' fan club messages were recorded with comments from the man who wrote the scripts, Beatles publicist Tony Barrow. The fan club recordings are featured and reflect the changing stages of the Beatles career and creativity. The programme also reveals the Beatles played two seasons in pantomime, and we hear what was going on back stage.
Christmas 1963 saw The Beatles taking to the stage for 16 shows across the seasonal period and it's surprising they took to wearing pantomime costume so well.
The Beatles did a second spell in pantomime, this time playing 21 shows in London Christmas '64 and the programme has comments from supporting acts, singer Elkie Brooks and Barron Knights guitarist Peter Langford.
Time is also devoted to the group's Boxing Day broadcast on BBC 1 for their 'Magical Mystery Tour' film, and we hear how the movie was made and scheduled for festive family viewing, with comments from the film's editor Roy Benson.
And all this in only thirty minutes. First broadcast on the 27th of December, and repeated on the 31st.
Programme website

Off The Beatle Track album cover

2011-12-22T07:56:00.000+01:00

Several attempts were made to shoot the cover photo for The Beatles' first album, originally titled "Off The Beatle Track".Here's a video I made from this particular cover session, set to "Chains", my girlfriend's favourite.

My Valentine tracks

2011-12-18T22:43:00.001+01:00

"My Valentine" track list (from Wikipedia)

1. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter (Alhert/Young) 2:36
2. Home (When Shadows Fall) (Van Steeden/Clarkson/Clarkson) 4:04
3. It's Only a Paper Moon (Arlen/Harburg/Rose) 2:35
4. More I Cannot Wish You (Loesser) 3:03
5. The Glory of Love (Hill) 3:45
6. We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me) (Dorsey/Robertson/Mysels) 3:22
7. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive (Arlen/Mercer) 2:31
8. My Valentine (McCartney) 3:14
9. Always (Berlin) 3:49
10. My Very Good Friend the Milkman (Burke/Spina) 3:04
11. Bye Bye Blackbird (Henderson/Dixon) 4:26
12. Get Yourself Another Fool (Forrest/Heywood) 4:42
13. The Inch Worm (Loesser) 3:42
14. Only Our Hearts (McCartney?) 4:21

My Valentine will be the fifteenth solo studio album by Paul McCartney, and is set to be released on 7 February 2012 from Concord/Hear Music.

Ram update

2011-12-07T20:15:00.001+01:00

About the delayed RAM deluxe remaster book and CD's: word is 80% of the book is ready, but only 20% of the audio and the video discs have been finalised. Meanwhile you can visit Paul McCartney's HP revamped cloud-based website, both the Ram videos are viewable there, "Heart of The Country" and "3 Legs". But you need to find your way around there to discover them.

While on the subject of Paul McCartney, his next studio album will be entitled "My Valentine" and is expected to be released on Feb 6th 2012. It will be an album of old standards, along with his own compositions in the same style. "You Gave Me The Answer", "When I'm Sixty-four" and "Honey Pie" comes to mind. "My Valentine" is also the title of the composition he serenaded his wife with at their wedding recetion.

Ringo Starr 2012

2011-12-07T14:16:00.001+01:00

So here's the cover and the track list! The new Ringo Starr album Ringo 2012 will feature the following nine songs:
1. Anthem (Richard Starkey/Glen Ballard)
2. Wings (Richard Starkey/Vince Poncia) re-working
3. Think It Over (Buddy Holly/Norman Perry) from the Buddy Holly tribute album
4. Samba (Richard Starkey/Van Dyke Parks)
5. Rock Island Line (Arrangement by Richard Starkey)
6. Step Lightly (Richard Starkey) re-working
7. Wonderful (Richard Starkey/Gary Nicholson)
8. In Liverpool (Richard Starkey/Dave Stewart)
9. Slow Down (Richard Starkey/Joe Walsh)

Let's all be Beatles!

2011-12-03T11:08:00.001+01:00

LET'S ALL BE BEATLES!

Currently for sale on ebay is the rare movie poster for a 1963 compilation of Pathe Newsreels, claiming to be the first Beatles movie poster.
And here's the film in question:

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New Russian wish list

2011-11-28T19:36:00.001+01:00

Beatles.ru, the Russian Beatles fansite whose poll made Paul McCartney include Mrs Vanderbilt in his set list back in 2008 (and it proved to be a mainstay) has made another poll in anticipation of his next concert in Moscow. Currently in the lead is Ram's "Monkberry Moon Delight", followed by "Hope of Deliverance", "Lovely Rita", "Once Upon A Long Ago" and "Your Mother Should Know". You can see the full list here.We heard that someone from Paul's staff was in touch with the russian site earlier and asked them to remove a John Lennon composition which was in the lead for a while. Although not adverse to sing a few Lennon songs, Paul wasn't about to tackle the signature "Revolution" song, originally the B-side to the "Hey Jude" 45 rpm single.
Paul's Moscow concert is scheduled for December 14th.

Italy - set lists

2011-11-27T23:46:00.001+01:00

Paul McCartney has alternated between two set lists this weekend in Italy. Depicted above is tonight's set list from Milan, yesterday's concert in Bologna was slightly different. We are using the set list from Milan as a basis to show you the differences below.

• Hello Goodbye (was "Magical Mystery Tour" in Bologna)
• Juniors Farm
• All My Loving
• Jet
• Drive My Car (was "Got To Get You Into My Life" in Bologna)
• Sing The Changes
• The Night Before
• Let Me Roll It
• Paperback Writer
• The Long and Winding Road
• 1985
• Come and Get It (moved, was played before 1985 in Bologna)
• Maybe I'm Amazed
• I've Just Seen A Face (was "I'm Looking Through You" in Bologna)
• I Will (was "And I Love Her" in Bologna) Starting from the next one, the set lists are identical:
• Blackbird
• Here Today
• Dance Tonight
• Mrs Vanderbilt
• Eleanor Rigby
• Something
• Band on the Run
• Ob la di, Ob la da
• Back in the USSR
• I've Got A Feeling
• A Day in the Life/Give Peace A Chance
• Let it Be
• Live and Let Die
• Hey Jude
• The Word/All You Need Is Love
• Day Tripper
• Get Back
• Yesterday
• Helter Skelter
• Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End
And this is probably the two different set lists he will stick to for the tour. As we are drawing nearer to Christmas, "Wonderful Christmastime" will probably enter the set list, and perhaps "Mull of Kintyre" in London.

Come And Get It - Live!

2011-11-27T14:41:00.001+01:00

Paul McCartney played this song live for the first time in Bologna yesterday!

The song was written by Paul and given to the Apple band "Badfinger". Badfinger's recording was used as the opening credits song in the Peter Sellers/Ringo Starr movie "The Magic Christian" in 1969 and Paul's demo version was released on the Beatles "Anthology 3" album in 1996.
Paul also played a medley of the songs The Word/All You Need Is Love for the first time at this concert. I hope they stay on the set list, as I've got tickets for the Stockholm concert. It's always nice when he pulls out a few surprises for us die-hards.

McCartney's new website

2011-11-27T14:00:00.001+01:00

Paul McCartney's website has finally gotten the overhaul he promised us in the programme for the "On The Run" tour. You can become a premium member and have access to lots of films, photos and an opportunity to mix your own versions of the songs. So why not head on over and try it out? http://www.paulmccartney.com

Record Store Day boxed set.

2011-11-26T11:07:00.001+01:00

The singles and poster boxed set from yesterday's "record store day" event.

Yesterday's "Black Friday" Record Store Day event saw two new Beatles and related releases, available only in participating stores. A boxed set of four vinyl singles and a poster from The Beatles and a special commemorative edition of John Lennon's "Imagine" album. And it was a nice gesture from the powers that be to have the included poster feature a Robert Whitaker photo. A silent homage to the recently deceased photographer?
The thing about these releases is that they're only pressed in limited quantities and only available if you visit the store in person, you can't buy these things online. Of course, the day following the event, you can visit ebay and other online shops and find these items by resellers.
Details for the Beatles release:
Box-set of four 7" picture sleeve singles.
Includes Record Store Day branded singles adapter and poster.
1. “Ticket To Ride” / “Yes It Is”
2. “Hey Jude” / “Revolution”
3. “Something” / “Come Together”
4. “Yellow Submarine” / “Eleanor Rigby”

Through a special arrangement, you can now get the Beatles singles boxed set online from the official Beatles stores. $50 in USA, £45 in the UK. The box was pressed in a quantity of 10 000 for the US market. (It was also made available in UK stores, limited to 1500 copies.)

Box - front

Details for the Lennon release:
John LennonImagine (40th Anniversary 180-gram 2-LP Box)Capitol
Extremely limited 40th Anniversary box set containing "Imagine" on 180-gram vinyl remastered in 2010, Imagine Sessions EP on white Vinyl, the original poster and two postcards. Availability limited to 500 copies in the UK and 5000 in the USA.
TRACKS
Imagine:
Side One
Imagine
Crippled Inside
Jealous Guy
It's So Hard
I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier

Side Two
Gimme Some Truth
Oh My Love
How Do You Sleep?
How?
Oh Yoko

sticker

Imagine Sessions (from John Lennon Anthology)
Side One
Baby Please Don't Go
Imagine
How Do You Sleep?

Side Two
Jealous Guy
Oh My Love
I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier

Box - back

New album from Ringo in January

2011-11-24T13:28:00.001+01:00

According to Amazon.com, January 24th it's all set for the new Ringo album. No cover art or title as of yet (unless it will be called "Ringo 2012". Ringo spoke a bit about the album in a Q&A with Norwegian Wood this summer:

Q: What’s your fondest memories of growing up in post-war Liverpool?
Ringo: Every woman in the street is your mother. We were close. I lived in that neighbourhood. I’m doing a Liverpool track on every CD. This will be the third on the new album. I mention the Iron Door in Liverpool which was a club.

Q: When you start working on a new album do you have a plan?
Ringo: I wake up and think what a great day. I call the engineer and fire up the computer. I have no idea how it is going to turn out.

Q: What musicians are on the new album?
Ringo: Benmont Tench from Tom Petty, Don Was the producer and great bass player, Charlie Haden, America’s premier jazz bass player, Joe Walsh of course, Dave Stewart, Glen Ballard, Van Dyke Parks who wrote a song and is playing accordion. If you look at the back of the Y Not record it is a similar group

Q: Who do you mainly work with?
Ringo: ... I made the last record and the new record ... at home with ProTools. People, musicians, pass by and they are on the record. I record mainly in Los Angeles at home in the guest house
The Christmas before last, when the guests left, I had all the furniture taken out to storage. The ProTools and the board are in the living room / kitchen and the two kits of drums and the amp are in the bedroom.
You can be sitting and doing something and a line just comes, I have notebooks and I write down lines. And suddenly that line is a song. It’s the start. And now with my iPhone I can sing to it wherever I am. It is interesting as a writer, usually I write the chorus first, I can jam with the chorus and then with other writers we make it into a song. I love to hang out with other musicians. Most of the time we get something.

Beatles/Orbison tour recording

2011-11-24T10:59:00.001+01:00

Someone claims to have made an audio recording of songs from the Roy Orbison and Beatles concerts that took place in Walthamstow on May 24th, 1963. And he still has the tape.
He posted an email to a mailing list for Beatles collectors, asking for advice on how to get a good price for the tape.
This is the first time we've heard of anyone having a recorded portion of a concert from the Beatles/Roy Orbison tour, and people are sceptic about the authenticity of the samples he provided.
The would-be-seller says it's a 15 minute 3" reel-to-reel tape, containing:

Roy Orbison - "Runnin' Scared", "In Dreams".
The Beatles - "Some Other Guy", "Thank You Girl", "Please Please Me", "I Saw Her Standing There", "From Me To You".
"Thank You Girl" was a rare song to have heard in concert, because it was only featured a few times.

Samples:
30 second clip: Please Please Me
30 second clip: Some Other Guy

The mysterious extra hand revealed

2011-11-19T10:28:00.001+01:00

Taken from Gotta Have Rock and Roll's upcoming Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction. Many other interesting Beatles photos there this time.

Silver Beatles At Home 1960 (2CD)

2011-11-08T07:47:00.000+01:00

Guess what's in stock and will be dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk? :-D
Here's a customer's review:
A document of historical importance or just 3 or 4 kids badly recorded bashing and sawing away at guitars to little effect.Considering what became of these lads these early recordings are rubbish, the best of them already appearing on the Beatles Anthology volume 1.The packaging is also rather annoying two discs side by side each in a digipack with the card sleeve acting as both cover for the discs and booklet. The information is minimal like the playing with no real details on the source of the contents.The sound quality is bootleg at best and really the price is reflective of that, this really is for Beatle complete-ists casual fans of the mop tops will really gain no benefit at all from this release beyond what became of them over the following ten years.
This is probably the same material as on the Quarrymen At Home vinyl bootlegs. Taped possibly by Mike McCartney.

Let It Be - official Blu-ray coming?

2011-10-23T19:05:00.001+02:00

One of the many "unofficial" DVD releases of Let It Be

"Let It Be" director Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who has been making the rounds to promote his autobiography Luck and Circumstance: A Coming of Age in Hollywood, New York, and Points Beyond spoke about The Beatles in an interview with radio station WNYC-FM."We have been working on it pretty much every year for the last couple of years. And the plan is, at the moment, to have it come out, I think, in 2013," Lindsay-Hogg said.
He says that second disc will be filled with the film's outtakes. "When we first put 'Let It Be' out, I had to cut out a lot of stuff that I really like and wanted to stay in there. The stuff in the new DVD has a lot of the stuff that had to be cut out. So for me, it's like the egg is now complete." Lindsay-Hogg also directed the Beatles' TV show "Around The Beatles", the promotional videos for "Paperback Writer," "Hey Jude" and "Revolution," as well as The Rolling Stones - Rock and Roll Circus
A home video release of "Let It Be," featuring outtakes and additional footage highlighting the making of the 1970 documentary, would follow a planned DVD release of the band's self-directed 1967 TV special "Magical Mystery Tour" in 2012, according to Beatles Examiner.
Both films were briefly available in various now dated formats (various video cassette systems and video discs) in the early 1980s, and "Magical Mystery Tour" was also out on DVD in the USA in 1997, but is now a collector's item. Unfortunately one of the restored prints for the 1988 video cassette was overlooked when releasing the DVD and they used an inferior version of the film. Beware of an even more inferior pirate edition by the Avenue One label, which is freely available in shops.

Paul's European Tour

2011-10-10T09:44:00.001+02:00

Saturday 26th November Unipol Arena, Bologna, Italy
Sunday 27th November Mediolanumforum, Milan, Italy
Wednesday 30th November Omnisport Arena, Bercy, Paris, France
Thursday 1st December Laxness Arena, Koln, Germany
Monday 5th December O2 Arena, London, England
Saturday 10th December The Globen, Stockholm, Sweden
Monday 12th December The Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
Wednesday 14th December The Olympinski Arena, Moscow, Russia
Monday 19th December The MEN Arena, Manchester, England
Tuesday 20th December The Echo Arena, Liverpool, England
Tickets

Paul to Europe for Christmas

2011-10-10T00:17:00.000+02:00

The newlywed Paul McCartney has been confirmed by French media to play in Paris on Wednesday November 30th. We wouldn't be surprised if Christmas dates for the UK are to be announced soon. Paul has given concerts in the UK for Christmas two years in a row now, and perhaps he is making this an annual tradition? Meanwhile, we'd like to see Mike Mac's photo (as we can see him take above)...

London film premiere

2011-10-02T23:17:00.001+02:00

Hamburg revisited

2011-09-30T13:23:00.001+02:00

Just in time for the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' first professional recording sessions in Hamburg, here comes a reiissue of said recordings in a deluxe package from Time Life. THE BEATLES WITH TONY SHERIDAN: FIRST RECORDINGS: 50th Anniversary Edition, is released to stores November 8th. The 2-CD set comes with a specially-designed book that is a historical trove of concert and intimate photos taken by Astrid Kirchherr and others who were with The Beatles during the early days of their career. The book also includes handwritten biographies by each member of the group, signed contracts, original artwork taken from posters and records, and text by Hans Olof Gottfridsson, who has spent years researching this period of the Beatles’ career. As Gottfridsson notes in the book for THE BEATLES WITH TONY SHERIDAN: FIRST RECORDINGS, Polydor executive and big band leader Bert Kaempfert discovered the group in a German nightclub, signing them to his own company and then releasing the songs through Polydor. The night they signed the contract at Kaempfert’s kitchen table, the four Beatles wrote brief autobiographies, reproduced here in their original handwriting. Through a combination of music, photos, documents, artwork and history, THE BEATLES WITH TONY SHERIDAN: FIRST RECORDINGS beautifully captures John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison just before they rocketed to international stardom.

Also in time for the anniversary comes a new book from Spencer Leigh. The Beatles in Hamburg: The Stories, the Scene and How It All Began will be released by Chicago Review Press on October 1, 2011. The Beatles in Hamburg features interviews with the Beatles’ friends and contemporaries, including photographers Astrid Kirchherr and Jürgen Vollmer, bass player Klaus Voormann, Liverpool artists Gerry Marsden and Kingsize Taylor, singers Tony Sheridan and Roy Young, club managers Horst and Uwe Fascher, and many more. It is packed with close to 150 photographs of the Beatles and the Hamburg scene, some in full color and several never before seen.

George's bonus CD

2011-09-29T08:44:00.000+02:00

Finally, the track list for the bonus "CD of never-before-heard tracks" to accompany the Deluxe edition of the "Living in the Material World" film package has been published.
1 My Sweet Lord (demo) 3:33
2 Run Of The Mill (demo) 1:56
3 I'd Have You Any Time (early take) 3:06
4 Mama You've Been On My Mind * (demo)3:04
5 Let It Be Me (demo) 2:56
6 Woman Don't You Cry For Me (early take) 2:44
7 Awaiting On You All (early take) 2:40
8 Behind That Locked Door (demo) 3:29
9 All Things Must Pass (demo) 4:38
10 The Light That Has Lighted The World (demo) 2:23

Also, a clip from the film has been published on georgeharrison.com where Eric Clapton and Ringo Starr talks about "Here Comes The Sun".

According to a Reuters report, the film itself features a 5.1 audio remix of dousins of included Beatles and Harrison tunes, overseen by Giles Martin.

Eppy's Ebook

2011-09-26T18:58:00.000+02:00

<blurb>Over forty years since it was first published, Souvenir Press has released A CELLARFUL OF NOISE by Brian Epstein as a special edition e-book.
This is Brian Epstein’s own account (as ghost-written by Derek Taylor, WogBlog commentary) of his extraordinary life and, inevitably, it is the story of the Beatles, the greatest pop group of the twentieth century. What was the secret of Brian Epstein’s management of the Beatles, how did he guide a group from Liverpool to shake the world of popular music? Within two years of making their first record they were the biggest group in the world; how Brian Epstein achieved this is in this book. He frankly acknowledges his mistakes and weaknesses while identifying those factors that led to his achievements. Also included in the book are 33 photographs from Robert Freeman that provide revealing glimpses of the Beatles on their way to phenomenal success.
</blurb>

Basketball Jones

2011-09-24T20:58:00.001+02:00

"Basketball Jones" is a 1974 animated short film based on the Cheech and Chong song "Basketball Jones featuring Tyrone Shoelaces", from their album Los Cochinos. The cartoon was created to promote the song's release in the United States. It is about a teenager named Tyrone Shoelaces and his love of basketball. It was rumoured for many years that Ralph Bakshi created the short, when in fact it was designed by animator Paul Gruwell. The song is a parody of the 1972 soul ballad "Love Jones" by the group The Brighter Side of Darkness. At the end of the short is an appearance by all four members of The Beatles (with George Harrison on guitar, just as he played on the original track) sing along to "Basketball Jones." In the 1979 film "Being There", Peter Sellers can be seen watching this cartoon.

Credits:
Cheech Marin - Tyrone Shoelaces (voice)
Darlene Love - Cheerleader (voice)
Michelle Phillips - Cheerleader (voice)
Ronnie Spector - Cheerleader (voice)
George Harrison - lead guitar
Klaus Voormann - bass
Jim Karstein - drums
Jim Keltner - percussion
Carole King - electric piano
Nicky Hopkins - piano
Tom Scott - saxophone
Billy Preston - organ

Manchester 63

2011-09-22T23:03:00.001+02:00

Yes, it's "The Beatles Come To Town" again, this time from Pathe's official YouTube account! Posted a few days ago, the film is available in 720p for your viewing pleasure. But what's with the new title?

Robert Whitaker

2011-09-20T21:22:00.001+02:00

News have reached us that the Beatles photographer Robert Whitaker passed away this morning, at the age of 71
Whitaker was running a freelance penthouse photo studio in Flinders Street, Melbourne when he had his fateful meeting with The Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein, during the group's June 1964 Australasian tour. This came about more or less by accident, when Whitaker accompanied a journalist friend to an interview with Epstein for an article for the Melbourne Jewish News. Whitaker's picture was published with the article, which led to his introduction to Epstein and his first shots of the Beatles—pictures of Paul McCartney and George Harrison each holding up boomerangs presented to them by Australian fans.
"I photographed Epstein, saw he was a bit of a peacock and a cavalier, and put peacock feathers around his head in photographic relief. He was knocked out when he saw the picture. After that, he saw an exhibition of collages I had at the Museum of Modern Art and immediately offered me the position of staff photographer at NEMS, photographing all his artists. I initially turned it down, but after seeing The Beatles perform at Festival Hall I was overwhelmed by all the screaming fans and I decided to accept the offer to return to England ".
Whitaker's most celebrated work is the 1966 photo which was appropriated for The Beatles' infamous Yesterday and Today album cover, which was briefly released in the U.S. in 1966 but hastily withdrawn.
When I visited Liverpool in June for Ringo Starr's homecoming concert, I grabbed Whitaker's book "Eight Days A Week", which featured photos he took during the fabs' tour of the Far east in 1966.

Think It Over - Ringo Starr

2011-09-14T20:01:00.001+02:00

"Think It Over" performed by Ringo Starr, taken from the "Listen To Me:Buddy Holly" tribute album, which Peter Asher has put together. I had to search a bit to find a version of this video which could be watched from outside the USA & Canada, and it may be gone soon, so watch while it's around!

Astrid For Sale

2011-09-13T21:41:00.002+02:00

Die Beatles in Hamburg by Astrid

Astrid Kirschherr's photos of The Beatles are for sale, including the negatives and the copyright to the pictures. The photos will be auctioned by Guernseys of Manhattan on the 24th and 25th of September.

Astrid continued to take photos of the group after Ringo had replaced Pete Best.

France: New Images Of The Beatles In Concert

2011-09-13T14:31:00.000+02:00

The Beatles performing in Versailles, France on Jan. 15, 1964. (AP Photo/Tellier)

Click to see all

John's Shea jacket

2011-09-10T11:05:00.001+02:00

Look what I found at the Hard Rock Cafe in Berlin, Germany! Who'd have thought that was where it would end up?

Wings Greatest TV promo

2011-09-08T08:41:00.001+02:00

Never seen this one before.

The Love We Make

2011-09-07T21:20:00.000+02:00

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Paul McCartney was in New York City on an airport runway waiting to fly to Britain. As he absorbed the news of the unfolding tragedy, he wondered, “What can I do?” The answer, of course, lay in music. As the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, the documentary "The Love We Make", which chronicles Paul McCartney's journey through the streets of New York in the aftermath of the World Trade Center's destruction will be previewed at select theaters across the USA on September 8th. According to Beatles-Freak’s Review, the film is in "black & white, the camera follows Paul in New York City in his travels from October 11, 2001 to October 23, 2001 and his day-to-day dealings to organize and prepare for The Concert for New York, a benefit concert that was held on October 20, 2001. If you were expecting a 90 minute film on Paul’s reaction to 9/11, then you will be truly disappointed. If you’re a McCartney fan that wants to see what it’s like to be Sir Paul, then this film is for you."
"During TV and radio interviews leading up to the concert, Paul touches on issues dealing with how he’s dealt with grief in his life, how he deals with the conflict of being a pacifist after the devastation of 9/11 and how he came to the realization that he needed to do something while sitting in a plane on the tarmac watching the twin towers burn."
"Mixed in with the interviews are Paul and his band rehearsing for The Concert for New York with many guest cameos as Paul discusses debuting his new song, “Freedom” for the first time at the show."Beatles-Freak goes on to award the film four beetles (out of er... four).
The film was made by Albert Maysles, whose Beatles connections started with the 1964 Beatles film "What’s Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A.". And just as back then, the new film has also been shot in 16mm black and white.

"1" commercial

2011-09-02T00:13:00.000+02:00

The Beatles' "1" album from 2000 has been released in remastered form on iTunes. The album is also available as a CD with the remastered audio recordings in a new digipak case. At the official Beatles store you can order your CD in a special edition bundle, with an exclusive custom design T-shirt.
They have also produced a limited edition, numbered lithograph print featuring the covers of the Beatles singles. There are only 250 of these high quality prints and are exclusive to order from each of the US, European and Japanese official Beatles stores. Oh, how I long back to the old days, when the vinyl edition of "1" came with a free poster for everyone, "featuring the covers of the Beatles singles".
Of course, there's also a new YouTube commercial:

Let It Be on Blu-Ray

2011-09-01T07:54:00.003+02:00

Beatles bootleg specialists "Fab Productions" have released the first ever Blu-ray version of "Let It Be". They are claiming this to be a 1080p transfer from the 35MM print direct to Blu-Ray in 16:9 aspect ratio, augmented by a remasted stereo soundtrack.
Although this fills a void in any Beatles video collection, everyone is anticipating a definitive, official release of this Beatles movie. It has been suggested that since 2012 will be a big anniversary year for the group (50 years since "Love Me Do"), we may see an official "Let It Be" after all these years.

Another Blu-ray title from the Fab Productions company is a 2-disc release from Paul McCartney's recent "On The Run" tour. The film contains every song performed on the tour, taken from 7 of the 8 concert performances. Since many of the people who upload songs from the concerts on YouTube are filming in 1080p resolution with an aspect ratio of 16:9, it certainly makes sense to make the switch from DVD-R to recordable Blu-ray discs for releases like this.

The Beatles and fashion

2011-08-31T15:21:00.007+02:00

These days it seems, the only aspect of The Beatles that remains in focus, is their music. We tend to forget that the Beatles influenced a lot of other areas in their time. Art, fashion, politics, writing, philosophy, you name it. I don't know if this is a true story, but a remark by John Lennon in an interview about wishing that girls' skirts and dresses was shorter, supposedly started the miniskirt craze...
Anyway, Paolo Hewitt examines the Beatles' inluence on fashion in the upcoming book Fab Gear: The Beatles and Fashion. Here's the blurb: The Beatles' incomparable fashion sense takes center stage in this unique look at how the world's most popular band influenced the fashion of the times. The Beatles knew how much image mattered in the 1960s, and whether it was Nehru jackets, skinny ties, granny glasses, or the Cuban heel boot--if John, Paul, George, or Ringo wore it, the rest of their millions of fans followed. Renowned music and fashion author Paolo Hewitt takes readers on a fashion tour of the Beatles' career and the trends they co-opted. From their Hamburg debut in sunglasses, leather, and black sweaters to the conservative suits they were ordered to wear by their manager Brian Epstein; from their infatuation with Pierre Cardin's collarless jackets to their more casual corduroy; from their Mod madness to psychedelic spaciness to faux-military attire to hippy-chic--each style is revealed as a reflection of the music they made and the world views they embraced.
Filled with fabulous photographs and with an appealing retro feel, the book features numerous images, many of which have never been published before. It offers insights into how the band's meteoric rise and enduring success shaped their fashion choices.
There's even a chapter devoted to their hairstyles.
Fans of all ages, as well as anyone interested in fashion, will be enthralled with this first ever Beatles stylebook that proves the Fab Four were as timely as they were timeless.

In an interview with Liverpool Echo, author Hewitt says that he enjoyed finding another angle to writing a Beatles book, and that he spent an enjoyable week in Liverpool as part of the research.
"They had the same ideas with their clothes as with their music," says Paolo. "As soon as another bands started to copy their look, they’d move on and wear something else. they were innovators, and they hated following the pack."

The book will be released on October 24th.

How many roads...?

2011-08-29T17:26:00.002+02:00

I wonder how many of these there are? This photo was sent me by one of my readers. Evidently it had been posted on a Beatles photo forum yesterday, and it's now "making the rounds". Click to see the bigger version. As you'll have noticed, two familiar bystanders are evident, the "mystery man" (Paul Cole, a now deceased Florida resident, claimed to be that man) and the lady in a violet dress from a similar but more up-close photo. But there are two more bystanders, one hidden behind the aforementioned lady and another lady (a fan?) who seems to be taking photos! I wonder if her photos will appear some day... Also, there's someone sitting behind the Beatles...
I will continue to update my blog post "The Road Goes On Forever" with the Abbey Road cover shot images that mysteriously emerge as time goes by.

Updated September 2nd with a higher resolution version of the image, care of Miss Tammy's site. The uploader also revealed the source of the photo, it was hidden away in the Beatles RockBand game.

Blokker clip

2011-08-24T22:59:00.001+02:00

HIWAX has posted the longest version of the "Blokker" clip so far on YouTube.

The sound + video sorcerer has also just made a new DVD, which pairs together news footage of The Beatles in concert with appropriate sound clips synched to the moving images. Here's what's on the new DVD of his:

THE BEATLES : Re-Constructions

01.1963/11/01 Cheltenham
02.1963/11/13 Plymouth
03.1963/11/16 Bournemouth
04.1963/11/20 Manchester
05.1963/12/07 Liverpool
06.1963/12/14 Wimbledon
07.1964/01/15 Versailles
08.1964/01/16 Paris
09.1964/02/11 Washington D.C.
10.1964/02/11 Washington D.C.
11,1964/06/18 Sydney
12,1964/08/19 San Francisco
13.1964/08/23 Los Angeles
14.1964/08/23 Los Angeles
15.1964/09/02 Philadelphia
16.1965/06/25 Genova
17.1965/07/02 Madrid
18.1965/07/03 Barcelona
19.1965/08/17 Toronto
20.1965/08/29 Los Angeles
21.1966/06/24 Munich
22.1966/06/24 Munich
23.1966/06/24 Munich
24.1966/06/25 Essen
25.1966/06/26 Hamburg
26.1966/06/30 Tokyo
27.1966/07/01 Tokyo
28.1966/08/12 Chicago
29.1966/08/28 Los Angeles
30.1966 U.S. Tour Collage - Rock'n'roll Music
31.1966 U.S. Tour Collage - She's A Woman

And there's some rare footage included as bonus tracks.
It's currently being torrented and will probably show up soon as a regular download.
Want a sample? Here's Cheltenham!

McCartney on Decca Records since 1967

2011-08-24T17:52:00.002+02:00

Today's no-story in the less-than-acquainted-with-Beatles-facts part of the press is the fact that Paul McCartney's music for the new ballet Ocean's Kingdom will be released by Decca Records. Here's Reuter's take on it:
LONDON (Reuters) - Decca has teamed up with Paul McCartney to release his upcoming ballet nearly 50 years after the record label famously rejected taking on the Beatles in what has been called one of the music industry's biggest blunders.

The ballet, "Ocean's Kingdom," is the former Beatle's first foray into the world of dance, and has its world premiere at the New York City Ballet on September 22. There will be four additional performances in September and five more in January.

The Decca recording hits shelves in Britain on October 3.

Decca famously snubbed the Fab Four early in 1962, reportedly saying at the time that "guitar groups are on the way out" and "the Beatles have no future in showbusiness."

The quartet from Liverpool went on to sign with EMI label Parlophone and became arguably the most successful and influential pop band in history.

"Ocean's Kingdom," commissioned by the New York City Ballet, is conducted by John Wilson and performed by the London Classical Orchestra.

When he decided to write a ballet, McCartney visited the Royal Opera House in London and saw "Giselle," meeting the dancers of the Royal Ballet afterward to discuss the work.

McCartney's ballet tells of a love story set in an underwater world where people are threatened by humans. The score lasts an hour and is divided into four movements -- Ocean's Kingdom, Hall of Dance, Imprisonment and Moonrise.

In a statement, the 69-year-old singer/songwriter said he was "trying to write something that expressed an emotion -- so you have fear, love, anger, sadness to play with, and I found that exciting and challenging."

McCartney has written classical music before, including the award-winning choral work "Ecce Cor Meum."

Of course, everyone has (conveniently?) forgotten that Paul McCartney's very first soundtrack album, "The Family Way" from 1967 (re-released on CD in July this year) was released on Decca Records in the UK and Australia.

George trailer

2011-08-22T19:23:00.001+02:00

Trailer for the new Martin Scorsese documentary "George Harrison - Living in the material world".

Dutch Let It Be video cassette

2011-08-21T23:43:00.004+02:00

Click to enlarge

Remember the 1983 German official Let It Be release on Warner Home Video as a VHS video cassette? Well, it seems there was also a 1984 Dutch release. I found this scan while browsing the internet. This is the Betamax release, but I assume there was also a VHS one. The two formats were competing for world domination back in the day, and VHS won, being the inferior format with more cash to spend on advertising. I wonder how many countries LET IT BE was released in?

The US laserdisc release is the most well-known official home video release of Let It Be

As I've noted before, I've seen a copy of Let It Be in a Norwegian video rental shop back in the early days of video rental (around 1981), but I have no recollection of what it looked like. If you have any information about Let It Be home video releases (apart from the confirmed ones from USA, Germany and now Holland), I'd like to hear from you.

Beatles in Bournemouth

2011-08-13T15:58:00.001+02:00

You'd be surprised to know that there are many surprising Beatles - Bournemouth connections - not least the first footage of The Beatles that was shown on US TV (now showing on YouTube) was shot in Bournemouth and the sheer number of shows they played in the town in such a short period.
Other connections include:
- A tape of a full Beatles concert recorded during their first visit to Bournemouth is the earliest known example of their theatre show. Despite the excellent quality of the recording it remains unreleased.
- The iconic cover photograph for the With The Beatles and Meet The Beatles albums was taken in Bournemouth.
- Howie Casey, who played with Wings in the 1970s and has lived in Bournemouth since 1978, has links with The Beatles that go back to their very earliest days. With his band The Seniors, Howie was at the same audition in 1960 when John, Paul and George first performed as the Silver Beatles.
- George Harrison’s first Beatles song, Don’t Bother Me was written while staying in Bournemouth.
- John Lennon bought his Aunt Mimi a home just outside Bournemouth and until he left the UK in 1971 was a regular visitor to the area.

The book also has many rare and previously unseen photos.

Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Beatles & Bournemouth is published on 22 September 2011 by Natula Publications, ISBN 9781897887899

The book's website
A blog

The road goes on forever

2011-08-08T19:57:00.009+02:00

It was 42 years ago today that the Beatles posed for the Abbey Road album cover. The cover designer of Abbey Road was Apple Records creative director John Kosh. The cover photograph was taken by photographer Iain Macmillan, at John's suggestion. Iain Macmillan was given only ten minutes on Friday, August 8 1969 around 11:30 that morning to take the photo on the zebra crossing on Abbey Road.

Iain was given this sketch by Paul McCartney a couple of days before the shoot showing where and what the picture should look like and Iain added his own sketch in the top corner to confirm the layout.

Part 1 - Iain Macmillan's photo session

Let's start with the six photos that photographer Iain Macmillan took, while standing on a stepladder in front of the crossing.

Photo 1

They start by walking across from the Abbey Road Studios side of the street over to the other side, Paul McCartney is still wearing sandals. The VW beetle is there all the way through the session, but the police van is nowhere to be seen yet.

Photo 2

Paul keeps the flip flops on as they return, but he leaves them on the sidewalk for the remainder of the photo session.

Photo 3 - one of several London buses and a taxi appears. Paul has left his sandals.

Photo 4 - another bus is waiting for The Beatles to cross the street. Composite.

Here's the photographer, Iain Macmillan pictured with this photo:

Iain Macmillan pictured with photo 4

Add caption

Photo 5 The iconic cover photo, where they are walking in step. There's that police van. This photo has been colour improved for use on the cover. The unaltered original has not been published.

This is the same as above, but slightly differently coloured. This is how the original UK 1969 cover looked like. The 1987 CD release had far duller colours, whereas the 2009 remastered CD version had a green hue.

Photo 6. And the van is still there in the final photo. The last bus approaches.

Part 2 - The "Mystery man"

In february 2008, news was that Florida resident Paul Cole, the man beside the police van had died, aged 93. But was he really that man? I don't think so, and here's why.

According to an interview he gave in 2004, Paul Cole was on the pavement while he was waiting for his wife, who was visiting a museum in Abbey Road. He was starting a conversation with the driver of the police van, and a bit later he realized that the police was there for a special occasion. When he looked over at the Beatles, he only recognized them as "A bunch of kooks, I called them, because they were rather radical-looking at that time. You didn't walk around in London barefoot.

Paul Cole's story

I think he was telling tales, his story seems to indicate that he has only seen the one photo that most people have seen, the actual Abbey Road cover. There's no museum in that part of Abbey Road. The police van was a late arrival to the photo session, as evidenced by the previous photos, so Paul Cole can't have had such a conversation with the driver. And the "mystery man" can be seen in several photos. Paul Cole was just someone who knew three things about the cover:

1. There's a police van there.
2. Next to the police van there's a man standing.
3. One Beatles was not wearing shoes and socks.

So, he invented a story, putting himself in the picture. Well at least he got a laugh when news media all over the world reported about it. It's even in the Wikipedia entry of the album.

Here's a close-up from photo #2 of the "mystery man".

This is a reenactment from the recent The Beatles:RockBand commercial, the scene seen from the "mystery man's" point of view

Earlier references to the "Mystery man"
Over the ages there are several people who have claimed to be the man on the Abbey Road cover. I have heard stories about people claiming to be or to know "the man on the cover" for as long as I have been a Beatles fan. One of them supposedly was a gay man who died in the seventies. Here's another, earlier claim: Jo Poole: "At 21, I was a dedicated Beatles fan, and bought the 'Abbey Road' album the moment it was released. As soon as I saw the cover, I shouted, 'That's my brother, Tony.' He was 33, and was very distinctive at six feet four inches tall. Tony Staples was his name and he lived in Scott Ellis Gardens, near Abbey Road, and regularly saw the occasional Beatle, though catching a glimpse of all four Beatles together was rare, even in Abbey Road. He was on his way to work as an administrative secretary for the National Farmers Union on the Friday morning when that photo was taken. I used to travel regularly from my home in Gloucestershire to visit Tony in St. John's Wood, and I remember him pointing out Paul McCartney's house."

Of course, since Paul Cole managed to get in the news, and because he was referred to as "the man on the Abbey Road cover" in an obituary that was widespread all over the internet, it's become almost impossible to google and find all those other, previous claims about the identity of the man.

Part 3 - Beatles and bystanders

The gang of three directly over McCartney's head seems to have been identified, too:
Mrs N. C. Seagrove: "It wasn't until years after the 'Abbey Road' LP was produced that my husband discovered he is on the album cover. Derek was 31, and working for the decorating firm Fassnidge, Son & Morris, based in Uxbridge, when the picture was taken. He's the one on the right of the three men in white overalls on the left-hand pavement. The other two are his work-mates, Alan Flanagan and Steve Millwood. They were doing a decorating job in Abbey Road studios and were coming back after a lunch break when the picture was taken. They hung around just to be nosey. Derek thought if it was used, he and his mates would be edited out."

The 2011 exhibition "Beatles and bystanders" was a small one, with just the six Macmillan photos. So to expand the theme a bit, the exhibition focused on the bystanders that close scrutiny of the blown up original photos reveal.

Part 4 - Candid snapshots

Linda McCartney and Mal Evans were around for the photo shoot and took a lot of pictures themselves during the proceedings, many of which are still unpublished. But some are available.
Here's a bird's eye view of the Abbey Road crossing as it is today, with the three photo locations indicated by numbers. 1 marks the stairs outside Abbey Road studios, The Beatles are walking from 2 to 3 on Macmillan's photos 1, 3 and the famous cover photo, no 5 and from 3 to 2 on photos 2, 4 and 6.

Location 2

The following are photos where The Beatles are standing around location 2:

Linda's photo: Ringo picks his nose... Paul has sandals on, so this is before photo 1

Mal Evans: Composite, pieced together from versions of this image in various qualities.

Mal: Probably snapped from location 3

Linda: Paul is still wearing his sandals, so this is immediately before photo 1, similar traffic going on as well.

Linda: Published in "Club Sandwich", the official Paul McCartney fan club magazine. Before photo 5, as Paul has his cigarette.

Linda: From the Anthology book. Part of a bigger photo?

Location 3

The following are photos where The Beatles have crossed the street at least once, and are standing on the other side, waiting to go back.

Taken almost from Iain Macmillan's p.o.v., several bystanders are also seen - some with cameras. Mal is seen sitting on the wall behind the Beatles - between Paul and George. "Mystery man" also appears.

Linda: A nosey lady chats with the boys, Mal is sitting on the wall behind The Beatles.

Paul, clowning for Linda? Mal still in the background.

Ringo joins in on the fun

From the Anthology book, part of a bigger photo? Seems to have been taken at the same moment as Mal's first photo.

Location 1

Finally, some shots from the Abbey Road stairs. We don't know if these are taken before or after the photo session, but before is more likely - waiting for Macmillan to rig his stepladder. After the session, they probably didn't hang out outside the studio.

Still photo from George Harrison documentary

Taken by Mal

This one Linda titled "four strangers"

By now, Linda was a McCartney, but her handbag carried her previous initials L.L.E. Linda Louise Eastman.

Alan, Ringo's driver. Identified by Lizzie Bravo.

Linda is in this photo, so must be one of Mal's..

Since this was posted, some photos have appeared,and some of the ones in the original post have been replaced by better versions of the same photo. Feel free to send me updates so I can keep improving this post!
Improvements so far:
- The photo of The Beatles with several spectators taken from Macmillan's p.o.v. was sent to me by a reader. Inserted and updated with the same in higher resolution from Miss Tammy's site.
- A still photo of the four Beatles on the Abbey Road stairs has been captured from the recent trailer for the new George Harrison documentary
- Macmillan's photo 6 has been replaced with one that was bigger and better.
- The "Ringo joins in on the fun" photo replaced with a composite in better resolution.
- The Club Sandwich photo replaced by a bigger version.
- Macmillan's Photos 2,3 and 4 replaced by better versions.
- Two alternate versions of Macmillan's Photo 1 removed.
- The Abbey Road album cover miniature replaced with a "greener" one.
- Added a map with locations numbered
- Arranged the post into sections
- Added some captions
- Replaced Macmillan's photo 6 again with a more colourful one
- Added Mal Evans to the storyline, details provided by Eric Bourgouin
- Added Paul McCartney's layout drawing
- Added a news story about Paul Cole
- Replaced the "mystery man" photo with a bigger one.
- "Ringo picks his nose" replaced by an improved version of the same photo

2012 Beatles Calendars

2011-08-06T12:40:00.001+02:00

Officially licensed 2012 calendar.

2012 sees the 50th anniversary of Love Me Do, the calendar features 12 images of the Beatles from 1962. Measures 30.5cm x 30.5cm (12 inches x 12 inches). Available September.
Other Beatles Calendars:

Scorsese's film about George Harrison - Special features

2011-08-04T08:52:00.001+02:00

Deluxe Edition of George Harrison - Living In The Material World

Here's the bonus material on this film:
George plays the Uke*
Here Comes The Sun
Dispute and Violence
Deep Blue*
Paul McCartney interview
Jeff Lynne interview
Damon Hill interview
Growing Up in Liverpool interview*
Neil Aspinall interview*
The Inner Light interview*
Gordon Murray interview*

* Exclusive to the Deluxe Edition.

Extra in the box (Deluxe edition only):
- Audio CD featuring never-before-heard tracks available exclusively within this package
- 96-page book - featuring never-before-seen photographs, illustrations and reminiscences from friends, including a Foreword by Martin Scorsese and an Introduction by Paul Theroux
- 2 x Exclusive Lithographs
- Integrated easel back for photo display
- Beautiful Collectable Picture Frame Packaging

Directed by Martin Scorsese, George Harrison – Living in the Material World is a stunning double-feature-length film tribute to one of music’s greatest icons. Containing a wealth of previously unreleased material, this Deluxe Edition contains 2 DVDs, a Blu-ray, a CD of never-before-heard tracks (available exclusively in this edition) and a 96-page book to accompany the film--all beautifully packaged within a collectable picture-frame box.

In Living in the Material World, Scorsese uses never-before-seen footage from George Harrison’s childhood, throughout his years with The Beatles, through the ups and downs of his solo career, and through the joys and pain of his private life, to trace the arc of George’s journey from his birth in 1943 to his passing in 2001. Living in the Material World features private home videos, photos and never before heard tracks to chronicle the incredible story of the extraordinary man.

Despite its epic reach, the film is deeply personal. Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, Olivia and Dhani Harrison, among many others, talk openly about George’s many gifts and contradictions and reveal the lives they shared together. In every aspect of his professional, personal and spiritual life, until his final hours, George blazed his own path.

As his friend John Lennon once said: "George himself is no mystery. But the mystery inside George is immense. It’s watching him uncover it all little by little that’s so damn interesting."

The BBC will show the documentary on TV in the UK in November.
In the USA, HBO has acquired the North American broadcast rights to the documentary, which will debut in two parts — on October 5 and October 6, 2011 — exclusively on HBO.

PaulMcCartney.com gets a facelift

2011-07-29T13:14:00.000+02:00

Paul's current tour programme

According to the new programme for sale at Paul McCartney's current tour, his website is to undergo a change in the autumn. Among the features on the new look website the following are listed:
- HD Video
- Audio Streaming
- Membership
- Fan Content
- Photo Collections
- Exclusive Content

Paul's current website

Pete Best Drive

2011-07-27T23:07:00.000+02:00

Liverpool has a new road! Two in fact, as the Casbah Coffe Club also has been honoured with a road of it's own: Casbah Close.
More in The Liverpool Daily Post
The other four already has streets named after them in Liverpool. All the streets bearing names of the Beatles members are in the suburbs, and are not frequently visited by Beatles fans.

Fan on the Run meets McCartney

2011-07-25T09:08:00.000+02:00

Super Maccafan Rick G (aka "Fans On The Run"), who regularly follows McCartney's concert tours, unexpectedly ran into his idol while in Detroit. Rick was visiting the Hitsville Motown museum just to see the building myself. As he was leaving, some cars pulled up, bringing the star. Paul McCartney recognized Rick and gave him a hug, revealing that "I always look for you" (in the concert crowds). A special day for Rick G indeed!

McCartney's set list from Detroit Sunday:

Hello Goodbye
Juniors Farm
All My Loving
Jet
Drive My Car
Sing The Changes
Hitchhike
The Night Before
Let Me Roll It
Paperback Writer
The Long and Winding Road
1985
Let 'Em In
Maybe I'm Amazed
I've Just Seen A Face
I Will
Blackbird
Here Today
Dance Tonight
Mrs. Vanderbilt
Eleanor Rigby
Something
Band on the Run
Ob-la-di Ob-la-da
Back In The USSR
I Got A Feeling
A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance
Let It Be
Live And Let Die
Hey Jude
Lady Madonna
Day Tripper
Get Back
Yesterday
Helter Skelter
Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End

The Night Before

2011-07-17T12:08:00.004+02:00

Q: What's the main difference between the "Up and Coming" tour and the "On The Run" tour?
A: "The Night Before"

Set list Day 1:

1. Hello, Goodbye - The Beatles
2. Junior's Farm - Wings
3. All My Loving - The Beatles
4. Jet - Wings
5. Drive My Car - The Beatles
6. Sing the Changes - The Fireman
7. The Night Before - The Beatles (NEW)
8. Let Me Roll It - Wings
9. Paperback Writer - The Beatles
10. The Long and Winding Road - The Beatles
11. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five - Wings
12. Let 'Em In - Wings
13. Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul McCartney
14. I've Just Seen a Face - The Beatles
15. I Will - The Beatles
16. Blackbird - The Beatles
17. Here Today - Paul McCartney
18. Dance Tonight - Paul McCartney
19. Mrs Vandebilt - Wings
20. Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles
21. Something - The Beatles
22. Band on the Run - Wings
23. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - The Beatles
24, Back in the U.S.S.R. - The Beatles
25. I've Got a Feeling - The Beatles
26-27. A Day in the Life / Give Peace A Chance - The Beatles/John Lennon
28. Let It Be - The Beatles
29. Live and Let Die - Wings
30. Hey Jude - The Beatles
-------------------------------------------------------------
Encores:
31. Lady Madonna - The Beatles
32. Day Tripper - The Beatles
33. Get Back - The Beatles
-------------------------------------------------------------
Encores 2:
34. Yesterday - The Beatles
35. Helter Skelter - The Beatles
36-38. Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End - The Beatles

Set list, Day 2:

1. Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles
2. Jet - Wings
3. All My Loving - The Beatles
4. Junior's Farm - Wings
5. Drive My Car - The Beatles
6. Sing the Changes - The Fireman
7. The Night Before - The Beatles
8. Let Me Roll It - Wings
9. Foxy Lady (instrumental) - Jimi Hendrix
10. Paperback Writer - The Beatles
11. The Long and Winding Road - The Beatles
12. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five - Wings
13. Let 'Em In - Wings
14. Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul McCartney
15. I'm Looking Through You - The Beatles
16. I Will - The Beatles
17. Blackbird - The Beatles
18. Here Today - Paul McCartney
19. Dance Tonight - Paul McCartney
20. Mrs Vanderbilt - Wings
21. Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles
22. Something - The Beatles
23. Band on the Run - Wings
24. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - The Beatles
25. Back in the USSR - The Beatles
26. I've Got a Feeling - The Beatles
27-28. A Day in the Life / Give Peace A Chance - The Beatles/John Lennon
29. Let It Be - The Beatles
30. Live and Let Die - Wings
31. Hey Jude - The Beatles
-------------------------------------------------------------
Encores:
32. Lady Madonna - The Beatles
33. I Saw Her Standing There (with Billy Joel) - The Beatles
34. Get Back - The Beatles
-------------------------------------------------------------
Encores 2:
35. Yesterday - The Beatles
36. Helter Skelter - The Beatles
37-39. Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End - The Beatles

And he'll probably alternate between these two similar set lists throughout the tour.

The Night Before - Better video, but too loud and distorted audio, please combine! ;-)

George Harrison documentary: Formats

2011-07-14T12:51:00.004+02:00

Martin Scorsese's GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD is moving forward, and today the following announcement was made:
Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK announced that it will be releasing the film in the UK on 10th October 2011 in three editions – DVD, Blu-ray and DVD Double play (DVD/ BD combi pack), and a beautifully packaged DVD / Blu-Ray Deluxe Edition, which includes an exclusive CD of previously unheard tracks from George Harrison, and a book of photography to accompany the film.
The BBC will then show the documentary on TV in the UK in November.
In the USA, HBO has acquired the North American broadcast rights to the documentary, which will debut in two parts — on October 5 and October 6, 2011 — exclusively on HBO.
The film includes interviews with Eric Clapton, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, George Martin, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, Tom Petty, Phil Spector, Ringo Starr and Jackie Stewart. They speak honestly and frankly about George's many talents and contradictions.
Full press release here
Exclusive Films International's page on the film

The Return of Ringo

2011-07-10T14:44:00.001+02:00

Early in 2008, after a light-hearted joking response to a question from TV chat host Jonathan Ross on the subject of Liverpool, Ringo Starr became a lot less liked in his hometown. In fact, I think most Liverpudlians turned their backs on Ringo completely. He had just visited the city on the occasion of the release of his 2008 album, Liverpool 8, and because Liverpool was joint holder of the "City of Culture" title that year, along with Norwegian city Stavanger. He had a look around the city, performed at a couple of gigs, visited his old school and that was that. On direct questions from Jonathan Ross, Ringo said he loved Liverpool but he didn't miss it and he wouldn't want to live there. And for me, that's fair enough. I love Liverpool as well, but I prefer just visiting it occasionally. Ringo, having a house down south, another in Los Angeles and an apartment in Monaco I'm sure can be excused for not wanting to live in his rainy hometown anymore. After all, his parents and his stepfather are all gone, he has got an elderly aunt still alive, but the new generations of Starkey's still living in Liverpool are too young for him to remember. Sure, he held a "family get together" in a room in Liverpool's Echo arena when he played there in 2008, but he's too busy living his life to do that on a regular basis.
I have to say, I know exactly where he's coming from. I'm from Trondheim, one of the bigger cities in Norway, and I've moved south to the outskirts of Oslo. My father and his part of the family still lives up there, and I still love Trondheim, but I wouldn't want to move back. Neither do I miss the city, because I can go back whenever I want to, and every time I'm there, I'm enjoying every minute of it. But I'm never coming back for good.
I had the pleasure of attending Ringo's homecoming to Liverpool this summer. A friend had two tickets to spare, I asked my girlfriend, and off we went. She's no biggie on Ringo, in fact she dislikes his songs and his singing voice, but she loves Liverpool, so a revisit was okay with her. I went with mixed feelings, because I knew that Ringo was generally disliked in Liverpool, and I was hoping that people would behave in a civilised manner. And they did. The Empire Theatre was not filled to capacity, but the people who turned up were the real fans and Ringo got a marvellous reception. Every song he sang got a standing ovation, and the "peace and love" sentiments ruled the day.

I felt a bit like being on "holy ground" as well, because it was an old Beatles venue. The fabs played the Empire Theatre in Liverpool several times, from 1962 to 1965, George played there with Delaney and Bonnie with Friends in 1969, Paul McCartney and Wings played there in 1973, and '75 and Ringo played there back in 1992. Paul McCartney made an unnannounced surprise appearance there in 2002, to honour the memory of George Harrison. And I must say I was pleasantly surprised about the place. It was intimate and stylish, it reminded me a bit of l'Olympia in Paris.
Ringo came prepared. Before going to Liverpool, he said in an interview that his favourite live venue was the Empire in Liverpool. He went back on the BBC to give an apology, and this was also reported in the local Liverpool media. To no avail, it seems, because the Liverpudlians in general were unimpressed, and didn't have any kind words to offer.
And that was my impression too. Whenever I talked with the locals, they were slagging off Ringo - even at his local pub, The Empress. It's sad, really. But the gig was great! And I did get to hear the songs that were left out from the concert in Norway.

Beatles Day 2011

2011-07-10T13:30:00.001+02:00

Today is the fourth annual "Beatles Day" in Liverpool. Here's the blurb:
The Albert Dock tenants have teamed up with the Day’s organisers CMP, to programme a day of Beatlemania that all the family will enjoy. Beatles inspired bands will be performing throughout the day across the Dock bringing music to every corner.

Taking you on the ‘long and winding road’ around the Dock and inside its venues will be a specially created Beatles themed treasure hunt, with clue sheets available from www.albertdock.com and the Albert Dock Visitor Information Centre on the day. And make sure you head down dressed to impress in your 60’s finest; there will be a fancy dress competition judged at 3pm by the Beatles Story happening in Anchor Courtyard with prizes available for the best dressed 60’s costume.

Don’t forget to purchase one of the Beatles Day wigs, which will be on sale at the Beatles Story and at venues across the Dock

Jeremy Roberts, Chairman of the Albert Dock Tenants Association said:

“Beatles Day is a fantastic celebration of the Fab Four and we are thrilled to host this year’s event at the Albert Dock. The day is going to be action packed with music and entertainment, with all of the Dock venues getting into the spirit with special offers and prize giveaways. We have been working very closely with the organisers to make this year’s Beatles Day the best ever, and we are really looking forward to welcoming people from far and wide to join us.”

Chas Cole, CMP Entertainment said:

“Beatles Day has gone from strength to strength and we are delighted to call the Albert Dock home in our 4th year. The Day is a celebration of all things Liverpool; the music and fashion that cemented the Beatles into the history books to the humour, energy and vibrancy makes Liverpool such an amazing place to be. We hope that young and old will come down to the Dock to join in all the fun for Beatles Day 2011.”

Last year, the Beatles Day went international, when a few other cities jumped on the bandwagon: New York - USA, Moscow - Russia, Tokyo - Japan, Sydney - Australia and Kraków - Poland.
This year, Krakow jumped the gun a bit and held their Beatles Day on June 4th. We haven't heard anything from those other cities.
For me, Beatles Day in Liverpool does not hold any attraction, and for every real Beatles fan, Beatles Day in Liverpool this year was June 18th, when Ringo Starr visited his hometown.

Wings in Nashville 1974 - Film!

2011-07-09T19:46:00.002+02:00

Paul McCartney and his band Wings was in Nashville to record and rehearse. That was in 1974, and they stayed at Junior's Farm in Wilson County.

Some of the world's greatest song writers are tucked away in the hills of Tennessee including Curly Putman, Junior. Putman bought the farm after he hit it big with songs like "Green, Green Grass of Home".

He has entertained guests over the years, but none like the ones producer Buddy Killen wanted to host in 1974.

"Killer said, 'Curly why don't you let them use your farm. He kind of grinned when said it and being the sweet talker that he was he talked me in to letting them rent our place,'" according to Putnam.

It turned out to be McCartney and his band. McCartney and his entourage moved into the house and on to the farm for six weeks in the summer of 1974.

Putman said there was a trail bike on the farm and McCartney enjoyed riding it.

"We came back. Paul had found it and drove it all over Wilson County, around Lebanon. So they really enjoyed it here," said Putnam.

McCartney enjoyed it so much he bought his own. Putman took his family to Hawaii during McCartney's stay, but got to meet him before and after the trip.

"They practiced over there where that piano is, kind of like a little stage area where that piano is," said Putnam.

It was a converted two car garage that now houses Putman's pool table, awards and music memorabilia.

For McCartney the stay at Junior's farm was supposed to be rehearsal time for a U.S. tour, but McCartney not only tapped into Nashville's hospitality, but the talent as well.

Audio Engineer Ernie Winfrey remembers McCartney. Winfrey is now retired. In 1974 he was working for Sound Shop in Nashville. He was working in the studio one night with Killen.

"I was a little astonished to see Paul McCartney walk into the studio just out of the clear. I didn't even know about it," said Winfrey.

The audio engineer was just 32-years-old when he had to record McCartney's vision.

"Everything was very calm, laid back. Nobody was in a hurry to do much, because he wanted to do it right, to take his time and do it right," said Winfrey.

He said it was laid back, but McCartney was totally in charge of his music. They worked on seven songs including "Sally G." and of course "Junior's Farm."

Now, a video dub of an 8mm sound film has emerged. According to Winfrey, who published the video on YouTube, "When Juniors Farm was playing we were in the control room listening to playback. I know this because the door into the studio was open. When Sally G was playing in the control room we were either tracking or overdubbing...I don't recall which.

George documentary set for October

2011-07-02T13:32:00.001+02:00

George Harrison Living In The Material World will feature previously unreleased footage and photos as well as unreleased recordings that the guitarist saved. Olivia Harrison, one of the film’s producers, has spent years going through her husband’s tapes, notes and photos to deliver essential elements for the film. As the BBC is involved, we believe the film might make it's debut on the small screen. There will be a book tied in with the film release in October.

Ringo's story

2011-06-30T17:52:00.000+02:00

Ringo played the accordion at the Orange lodge camps

I was born on 7th July 1940 at No.9 Madryn Street, Liverpool 8.
There was a light at the end of a tunnel that I had to get to, and I came out like that, and then I was born. There was lots of cheering. In fact my mother used to say that because I was born, the Second World War started. I don't know what that meant, really; I never understood it, but that's what she used to say. I suppose it was the only way they could celebrate, and it could be true - you never can tell.

I don't remember the war and all the bombs, although they did actually break Liverpool up a lot. Our neighbourhood was really bombed. We had to hide a lot, I've been told since; we used to hide in the coal cellar (it was more like a cupboard). I remember big gaps in the streets where houses had stood. We used to play on the rubble when I was older, and in the air-raid shelters.

My very first memory is of being pushed in a pram. I was out with my mother, my grandma and my grandad. I don't know where we were, but it must have been countrified in some way, because we were chased by a goat. Everybody was so frightened, including me. People were screaming and running because an animal was chasing us. I can't imagine it was in Toxteth or Dingle!

We've always been ordinary, poor, working-class on both sides of the family. My mother's mother really was very poor. She had fourteen kids. There's rumour that my great-grandmother was fairly well off - she had chromium railings round her house. Well, they were very shiny anyway. Perhaps I just made that up. You know what it's like: you dream things, or your mother tells you things, so you come to believe you actually saw them.

My real name is Parkin, not Starkey. My grandad was named Johnny Parkin. When my grandfather's mother remarried, which was pretty shocking in those days, she married a Starkey, so my grandfather changed his name to Starkey, too. (I went to have my family tree done in the Sixties, but I could only trace back two generations - and they couldn't find me! I had to go to my family to find out, and even they hadn't wanted to say anything in case the press found out.)

Dad was a baker; I think that's how my parents met. He worked making cakes, so we always had sugar through the war. When I was three he decided that was enough of that, and he left us. I was an only child, so from then it was just me and my mother, until she remarried when I was thirteen.

I have no real memories of my dad. I only saw him probably five times after he left, and I never really got on with him because I'd been brainwashed by my mother about what a pig he was. I felt angry that he left. And I felt really angry later on, going through therapy in rehab, when I came to look at myself and get to know my feelings, instead of blocking them all out. For me, I felt I'd dealt with it when I was little. I didn't understand that really I had been blocking my anger out. You get on with it, that's how we were brought up. We were the last generation to be told, 'Just get on with it.' You didn't let your feelings out much.

Mum didn't do too much for a while. She was in a bit of pain after my dad left, and she ended up doing any down-home job she could get to feed and clothe me. She did everything: she was a barmaid, she scrubbed steps, worked in a food shop.

We lived at first in a huge, palatial house with three bedrooms. It was too big and we couldn't afford it now my dad had stopped supporting my mother. We were working-class, and in Liverpool when your dad left you suddenly became lower working-class. So we moved to a smaller, two-bedroom place. (They were both rented - houses always were.) It had been condemned as derelict ten years before we moved in, but we lived in it for twenty years.

The move was from one street to the next, from Madryn Street to Admiral Grove - people around us didn't move very far. We went on a van and they didn't even put the back up, because it was only 300 yards. I remember sitting on the back of the van. It's such a heavy memory as a kid; you get used to being where you are. (Although, with my poor kids we seemed to move every other week.)

I don't remember the inside of our house in Madryn Street - I know we never had a garden - but a lot of my pals grew up on the same street and I went into their houses. I remember the Admiral Grove house, and that didn't have a garden either. It had a toilet down the yard; we never had a bathroom. But it was home, and it was fine. We had two bedrooms: one for my mum, and one for me.

In Admiral Grove there were the Poveys next door, and the Connors up the road. My grandparents lived on Madryn Street. You all moved in around the grandparents in Liverpool. My mother's best friend, Annie Maguire, also lived on Madryn Street.

Now my dad had gone, I was brought up by my grandparents and my mother. It was strange because the grandparents were the parents of my father; they weren't my mother's parents. They really loved me and looked after me. They were great. They'd take me on holiday, too.

My grandmother was a big woman, Annie (I never called her Annie, of course), and my grandad was a little guy. He'd maybe have a drink or whatever and get into things, and she would roll her sleeves up, clench her fists, take up a boxing pose and say, 'Come on, Johnny! Don't talk to me like that - get over here, you little bastard.' A big girl, she was, scrubbing steps and all, surviving.

She was also the voodoo queen of Liverpool. If I was ever ill, my mother would wrap me up in a blanket and take me down to my nan's, and she would fix me. She had two cures for everything: a bread poultice and a hot toddy - I loved those hot toddies! They were warm, and everyone would be fussing over me - the centre of attention. Being an only child, I was always pretty much the centre of attention anyway.

Grandad loved the horses: 'the gee-gees'. He'd come in and, if the horses had lost, he'd be swearing and throwing the paper around - 'Those bastard nags, blah, blah...' just like any other gambler. Grandma would say, 'Johnny, not in front of the child!' and he'd be saying, 'The bastards!' It was all pretty exciting for me.

He had his chair which he always sat in. He sat in his chair right through the war. He never went and hid anywhere, even though bricks were blowing out of his house; he just sat in his chair. So as a kid I always wanted to sit in that chair. He'd come in, and he would only point and I'd have to move. But, of course, because it was his, it was the only thing I wanted.

When my grandad died, it was one of the saddest moments of my life. I was nineteen or twenty. They put him in the ground and that was just the saddest day. From that moment I knew I'd be cremated - I'm not putting anyone through that terrible thing of digging a big hole and putting me in. It wasn't until that moment that I broke down. I couldn't cry until they put him in, and then that was it.

School is a event in my memory. St Silas's School. I'm not sure if I actually remember my first day, or if it's because my mother has told me so many times. She took me to the gate that first morning - it was just up the road, a couple of minutes' walk. In those days your parents took you to the gate and then just said, 'Well, on your way.' (There was no sitting with you in class, getting you settled, like we did with our kids.) And I have a vision to this day of a huge building - the biggest building on the planet - with about a million kids in the playground, and me. I was pretty fearful.

I walked home for lunch - as kids we could walk anywhere we liked back then; there was no danger. Supposedly, I came home and said, 'We've got a holiday.' In my little way I said, 'That's it for today, mum.' She believed me until she saw all the other kids walking by the window going back to school after lunch and said, 'Get out of here.' I don't remember ever enjoying school. I was always sagging off; I was only in school for about five years in all.

At six and a half I was very ill with peritonitis. My appendix burst; it was a huge drama. We were all at home and I was dying with pain, so there were quite a few of the family around. The doctor came and suddenly these people were lifting me up, putting me on a stretcher and carrying me out of the house. I was put in an ambulance and whisked away. When we got to the hospital, a woman doctor examined me, pressing on my side, and it was the worst pain I've ever felt.

As they went to put me to sleep for my operation, they said, 'Is there anything you want?' I said, 'Can I have a cup of tea?' They said, 'You can have a cup of tea when you come out of the theatre.' It was ten weeks later that they gave me the cup of tea, because that's how long it took for me to come round. They'd gone in and found I had peritonitis. That was a heavy operation, especially then. They told my mother three times that I'd be dead in the morning. That was hard for her, and I realised later why she was so possessive. I was very lucky to survive. Even after coming round, I was barely conscious for long periods.

Hospital was a boring place. It becomes your world when you're in for a long time - and I spent two years in there (the second year was when I was thirteen). Suddenly that's your life. You get in a routine. You have all these friends who are ill as well, and then you start getting on your feet and you lose touch with them. My mum would come in practically every day, and my grandparents. I'll never forget my dad coming in: he stood there with a notebook, because my birthday was coming up (I was six years old, going on seven), and he asked me 'What do you want, son?' and he wrote it all down in this notebook! I never saw him for years - he never bought me a damn thing. He wasn't in my good books.

I was put in a cot, so I got very good at picking things up with my feet: pennies, bits of paper, anything that fell out of the cot. When I'd been in the hospital about six months, I was really getting better and could have come home in a couple of weeks. I'd got a little toy bus for my birthday. The cot had sides on, and the kid in the next bed wanted to see the bus so I leaned over to get it. It was about four feet off the ground and I leaned too far, fell right out and ripped open all the surgery scars. That was a dangerous time. They kept me in for another six months for that.

I was in hospital for about a year and after that I was convalescing, so I didn't go back to school for two years. There was no catching up at school in those days. I was always behind at least a year. No teacher put his arm round me, saying, 'Well, let me deal with you, son.' I was just stuck in a class, always behind. I was the joker, and would make friends with the biggest boy in class for protection. I started to hate school even more, and it became easier to stay off. My mother would pack me off to school, but I'd just walk around the park with a couple of school friends. We'd write little excuse note.... but always get caught because we couldn't spell.

I didn't learn to read until I was nine. My mother couldn't take much interest in that because she had to go to work, but I was taught by a girl who used to look after me, Marie Maguire. She was the daughter of my mother's friend Annie, and she used to mind me when my mum went to the pub or the pictures. Marie taught me to read with Dobbin the Horse. (I can read, but I can't spell - I spell phonetically.) I regret not learning earlier: it means that your knowledge is so limited. I never took Latin. John took the Latin and the painting.

The Dingle was one of the roughest areas in Liverpool, and Toxteth still has quite a reputation. It was really rough. In those days there were still gangs and fights and madness and robberies. But kids were fine, women were fine and old people were fine. Nobody messed with those three groups of people. Nowadays - I'm disgusted - they're dragging people off wheelchairs and beating 90-year-old ladies. What absolute coward.... If someone beat up an old lady back then, all the gangs in the neighbourhood would come and find him and beat the fuck out of him. They would not let that go down.

Liverpool was dark and dreary, but it was great fun to a kid. Davy Patterson, Brian Briscoe and me: we were the Three Musketeers, we were the Skull Gang, and the Black Hand Gang - this little gang of three. We were going to do everything together. We were detectives we were cowboys and we went to the same school; we were really close. Up to ten or eleven it was my world, and all those bomb-sites were paradise. You didn't feel anything about the people who were bombed in them; it was just a big playground. 'I'll see you on the bombie,' we used to say.

We used to walk everywhere as kids. My big ambition was to be a tramp, because they just walk to places. The three of us couldn't afford to get the bus. We were eight or nine years old, and we would walk five or eight miles to Speke, to the park, to the woods that were out of town. We used to follow the buses - 'Oh, it went left!' - and we'd run down that street and wait for the next bus to come along so we'd know where it went. I didn't have a bike until much later on. My mother got me a second-hand bike, and we cycled to Wales and back. I was so sore afterwards that lost a lot of interest in the bike. North Wales was only twenty or thirty miles away.

I had many plans besides being a tramp, when I was a kid. I always wanted to be a merchant seaman. It was like an automatic thing for me going away to sea: 'I want to go and see those places, and I want to buy those camel saddles.' Everyone in Liverpool had a camel saddle in the corner; because in every other house someone went to sea and would bring all this crap back. The good thing about it was they were bringing records and styles of clothes back. My first musical memory was when I was about eight: Gene Autry singing 'South Of The Border'. That was the first time I really got shivers down my backbone, as they say. He had his three compadres singing, 'Ai, ai, ai, ai,' and it was just a thrill to me. Gene Autry has been my hero ever since.

You could always tell the sailors: they were the best dressed. That was my plan - going away to sea. I was in the Sea Scouts. We'd go to a hall and drill, and play with rifles - that was the big thing. I was thrown out because I ran away with a rifle. I never saw a boat. I was never in anything too long; I always did something that annoyed people.

I did have some toys: Christmas came, and I got an orange and an old cardboard box... That's not true - I got presents as much as my mother or my aunties and uncles could afford. I always received a pack of sweets or some little toy. I was always swapping my toys anyway. I always wanted something else. So somebody would give me a nice present like a chemistry set, and I'd be swapping it for something else, and some of the family would be a little disappointed. I was never satisfied. I did a little stamp collecting, and collected Dinky cars, but awapping was my hobby. Me and my friends used to steal bits and pieces from Woolworths. Just silly plastic things you could slip in your pocket.

All my collections I ended up giving away. My collection of 78s I gave to my cousin, who sat on it. (When I left Liverpool I took the rest of my record collection with me, but my mother wouldn't let me take my Patsy Cline or Little Richard records - she laid claim to them.)

My grandad would bring bits of metal home, cogs and wheels from the docks where he worked, for me to play with. He was a boilermaker and one time he made me a train with a real fire in the engine. That was probably the most fabulous toy I ever had. You could sit on it; it was quite big. I was always an entrepreneur, and I decided I would charge people to have a ride. Or I would put on little plays, and have zoos in the backyard. We'd have a spider in a jam jar - just local stuff, no lions or tigers. Once we had a dead cheetah's skin, again from a guy in the navy. It would cost you a halfpenny to come in. On one occasion it cost you nothing to come in but a penny to go out - or you had to jump off the wall with an umbrella as a parachute! So we were always trying to make a penny.

I had a great scheme once, later on - I wasn't even that young by this time. I was going to call all these millionaires, including Frank Sinatra. Somehow I was going to get in touch it; I'd just have the interest. They wouldn't realise this, and one year later I'd give back their million dollars, thinking they wouldn't know about this scam! I never did anything about it, of course.

I moved to Dingle Vale Secondary Modern School when I was twelve, but I didn't go there much either. The biggest memory I have of Dingle Vale is buying lunch, which was a small Hovis loaf. We'd take out the middle of the Hovis and stuff it with chips. That was the best meal, because I hated the school dinners. We'd buy it outside, and then go and sit on the swings and eat it.

It was a hell of a walk to Dingle Vale - a good half an hour. We could either walk through Princes Park or down Park Road. I remember one time Brian Briscoe and I were walking through the park after it had snowed, and ours were the first footprints in the snow, so we didn't go to school; we just walked round the park all day making footprints.

There were always lots of little fights going on. If you had a fight with a kid and you hurt him, the next day there'd be a huge guy waiting for you at the school gate, and he'd either punch you out, or shake you or really frighten you by grabbing you: 'Don't you touch our Frank again!' I was always on the losing end. In my head I really wanted a big brother who could beat up the bastards who used to beat me up. I didn't have a father or a big brother, but my mother had many a fight for me. If anybody bigger picked on me, she'd be down knocking on the door and would deal with them. She was very, very loving. I was an only child and quite ill, so I was the apple of her eye.

Harry, my stepfather, came into the picture when I was eleven. He worked as a painter and decorator up at Burtonwood, which was an American army base. He made me laugh, he bought me DC comics; and he was great with music. He used to lay music on me, but would never force any of it. He was into big bands and jazz and Sarah Vaughan, while I'd be listening to stupid people. He'd say, 'Have you heard this?' That was always his line: 'Have you heard this?' He was a really sweet guy; all animals and children loved him. I learnt gentleness from Harry.

I loved Harry, and my mum loved him - and then she said they were going to get married. She asked me, 'What do you think?' I was pretty angry for a while, because I was thirteen; but I knew if I said 'no', she wouldn't have got married. It was a terrible position to be put in as a kid. But I said, 'Sure, great,' because he was a good guy.

The guy who owned the local sweet shop, Len, became a good friend of my stepfather. I got a bit of work with him, marking the newspapers. I never actually went out and did a round - I avoided the cold - but I would do odd jobs for him, so I'd get the occasional sweet. That was quite lucky, because we still had ration books then.

It was a big day when the rationing ended, but it wasn't as though we could suddenly go out and buy sweets or butter or eggs, because we had no money. In fact wartime rationing didn't make any difference to poor people, because we were always rationed by economics anyway. I got lucky the first time I was in hospital because they wanted me to eat anything, so I lived on new potatoes and butter. A dollop of butter was big news in those days.

From about thirteen, things came into focus a little. I felt Liverpool was dark and dirty; I wanted to get out, to live somewhere there was a little garden. I wanted to escape Admiral Grove. I didn't need to move very far - just somewhere like Aigburth where there was some green. I used to love the park; we'd sag off school and go to Sefton Park and Princes Park. I have an affinity with green, the sea and space. In my life I have had houses with lots of land, but it's the view that I need. In Monte Carlo the view is to the end of the Earth. It's the space; I need to be able just to look. It doesn't have to be mine, as long as I can see it. If I had a little house with half an acre on a hill I'd be OK, because I could see. I remember when Maureen (my first wife) and I and the kids moved to Hampstead. It was very nice, but I hated the garden - everywhere you sat there was a bloody fence. So we got out; I just couldn't deal with it. I think that's all down to Liverpool being so closed in.

I'm still a bit of a mover, a tramp. I'm trying to stop, but it's something in me. Barbara (my wife now) and I laugh about it: we have a home, get it finished, decorate it, do everything - and then I feel, 'Shouldn't we move now?'

At thirteen I got pleurisy. Liverpool was a breeding ground for tuberculosis, especially where I lived. I had lots of time off with bad lungs, and it turned into tuberculosis: I was put in a greenhouse for a whole year.

That second time I went into hospital, there was Sister Clark and Nurse Edgington. Being thirteen or fourteen, it was puberty for me, and when the nurses would kiss us goodnight it was all quite frisky: 'Will you kiss me goodnight, nurse?' - and I'd get a really good kiss off a lot of them. They were all young (they weren't old, anyway): eighteen to twenty. We'd never ask the sister to kiss us goodnight!

We had two wards separated by a partition, with girls in one ward and boys in the other. There was a lot of hot passion going on. We'd sneak in at night to the girls' ward and fumble around. I'd stand there for hours trying to get a touch of tit. We all had tuberculosis, of course, spreading those damn germs to each other. You had your girlfriends, but it never lasted because once you got better you were out on the town. It was part of growing up, and it was so slow in those days. You'd go to the movies and try to get your arm round a girl so you could stretch it down a little and get a feel.

I'd found out about sex at a very early age, twice. Two girls told their mother that I'd had their knickers off and was looking at them and feeling them. This was when I was eight. We were all kids; we were just looking and touching - the natural way of growing up. It was like living on a farm. We had a friend whose sister we could all feel. We wouldn't do anything else; we'd just look at it and feel it, and all laugh.

I actually lost my virginity in Sefton Park at about sixteen. It was very weird: two girls and a friend of mine on the grass at the back of a fairground, and there was all the fairground music and Frankie Laine and millions of people around - and this was it, us in the grass and 'Ghost Riders In The Sky'! It was really exciting. And at that age, once in and you want to live there. It was always on my mind for a long time.

Before I went to hospital the second time, walking to school I used to pass a little music store on Park Road. It had guitars, banjos, accordions and mandolins in the window, but I used to look at the drums. There was one, a tom-tom, that used to freak me out and every morning walking to school I would go and look at it, and walking back I'' look at it again. It cost ?26, which was a fortune.

Playing drums for me started in hospital in 1954, where, to keep us entertained, they gave us some schooling. A teacher would come in with a huge easel, with symbols for instruments shown on a big piece of board. She gave us percussion instruments: triangles, tambourines and drums. She would point at the yellow and the triangle would sound, and she would point at the red and the drum would sound. I'd only play if they gave me a drum.

I was in the hospital band. I started using cotton bobbins to hit on the cabinet next to the bed. I was in bed for ten months: it's a long time, so you keep yourself entertained; it was that and knitting. That's where I really started playing. I never wanted anything else from then on. Drums were the only thing I wanted and when I came out I used to look in music shops and see drums; that's all I'd look at. My grandparents gave me a mandolin and a banjo, but I didn't want them. My grandfather gave me a harmonica when I was seven - nothing; we had a piano - nothing. Only the drums.

I was listening to music at this time. At fourteen I bought three records: The Four Aces' 'Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing', Eddie Calvert's 'Oh Mein Papa' and David Whitfield's 'Mama'. The Four Aces lasted, and still holds up. I don't play the others too often now.

I was never really into drummers. I loved seeing Gene Krupa in the movies, but I didn't go out and buy his records. The one drum record I bought was 'Topsy Part Two' by Cozy Cole. I always loved country-and-western; a lot of it was around from the guys in the navy. I'd go to parties and they'd be putting on Hank Williams, Hank Snow and all those country acts. I still love country music. Skiffle was also coming through, and I was a big fan of Johnnie Ray. Frankie Laine was probably my biggest hero around 1956 - and I also liked Bill Haley. I went to see Rock Around the Clock in the Isle of Man. My grandparents took me there after I came out of hospital. The film was sensational because the audience ripped up the cinema, which was great to watch. I didn't join in, because I was a sickly child; I was just so excited that they were doing it for me.

My first kit came on the scene about this time. I bought a drum for thirty shillings. It was a huge, one-sided bass drum. There used to be lots and lots of parties then. An uncle would play banjo or harmonica, my grandparents played mandolin and banjo; there was always someone playing something. So I would bang my big drum with two pieces of firewood and drive them mad, but because I was a kid they would let me do it. They would say, 'Oh, yeah,' and then just move me out.

They would have played songs like 'Stardust', 'That Old Black Magic', 'You'll Never Know' or 'They're Building Flats Where The Arches Used To Be' (that was Uncle Jim and Auntie Evy's big number) - all those old-time records, the sort of songs I had on my Sentimental Journey album. Everybody had their party-piece in Liverpool - you had to sing a song! My mother's was 'Little Drummer Boy'; she would sing it to me, and I would sing 'Nobody's Child' to her and she would always cry. 'I am nobody's child, mum.' She'd say, 'Oh, don't!' 'Climb Upon My Knee' was another one they all loved.

When I was about fifteen, I used to sing in the choir - for the money. I'd been to Sunday school a little when I was younger. I was a Protestant - my mother had been a member of the Orange Lodge for a while although not for long. On 17th March, St Patrick's Day, all the Protestants beat up the Catholics because they were marching and on 12th July, Orangeman's Day, all the Catholics beat up the Protestants. That's how it was, Liverpool being the capital of Ireland, as everybody always says.

I never went back to school after thirteen. I had to collect my sign-off papers one time so that I could pick up the dole until they found me a job. I went to the school and said, 'Excuse me, can I have the piece of paper to say that I'm actually fifteen and that I was at this school?' And they went through all their files, everything, and said, 'You never came to this school.' I said 'Honestly, I came here.' They found me in the end, but the fact is they had no recollection of me ever being there. Then, seven or eight years later when we'd made it in The Beatles, they had 'my' desk at the school garden party and were charging people to sit in it. They wouldn't know my desk from anyone else's.

It was easy then for school-leavers to get jobs. I started work as a messenger boy on the railways, and was there for five weeks. I'd gone to the railways because they used to give you suits - it was a good way to get warm clothes. But they only gave me the hat before I had to leave I was very disappointed. During my fifth week they'd sent me for the medical, said, 'Are you kidding?' and discharged me. My sickliness left me when I was about sixteen, so I was OK from then on.

Then I worked on the St Tudno, a pleasure steamer that went from Liverpool to Menai in North Wales. I wanted to go deep sea, and this was an easy way to get my ticket. If you did three months on the local boats, it was easier to get on the big liners. I got as far as the day boats but that was it. It was great for picking up chicks in the pub, because I pretended I was in the Merchant Navy. I'd say 'Yeah, just got back from Menai.' They would say, 'Oh yeah, when did you leave?' and I would say, 'Ten o'clock this morning.' And then they would tell me to piss off.

I was terrified about conscription and the thought of being called up to the army. That's why I became an apprentice engineer, because the army weren't taking apprentices in 1956 or '57. It got down to, if you've got a real job, we won't take you.' It seemed the best way out for me. The last place I wanted to go was in the army. My dad knew someone in the pub who knew of a job at a firm called H. Hunt & Son. I went there to be a joiner, but they put me on the delivery bike for about six weeks. I got fed up and I went to complain: 'Come on, I'm here to be a joiner, not on the bike.' The man said, 'Well, there's no places for joiners - would you like to be an engineer?' So I became an apprentice engineer, going to school one day a week and working with the guys the rest.

It was at this place - my last proper job - that I met Roy Trafford. We became great friends. We still are; although we don't see a lot of each other, I still love the guy. He and I would go to the pubs (I was introduced to pubs at a young age, sixteen) and then to the Cavern. At the Cavern we'd get a pass-out, go to the pub - and then go back in and pass out!

Roy and I loved the same sort of music - we loved rock'n'roll. I listened to Radio Luxembourg all the time. The reception was bad, but it was great whatever you got, because at least they were playing different music. Alan Freed used to have a show on Sunday, and we'd always be at Roy's house listening to it. We'd hear rock'n'roll, and it was great. Roy and I would dress alike, and go and have our suits made together, because we were Teddy boys. I'd have it in black and he'd have it in blue. We did everything together.

We were by the docks in Liverpool and each and every area had its own gang. It was like New York or Hamburg. I was a Teddy boy; you had to be. Where I lived, you had to associate with some gang otherwise you were 'open city' for anybody. The choices were: you could either be beaten up by anybody in your neighbourhood, or by people in other neighbourhoods (which I was, several times).

There was a terrible thing in Liverpool where you'd walk past somebody and they'd say, 'Are you looking at me?' If you said 'no' they'd say, 'Why not?' and if you said 'yes' they'd get you anyway. So you couldn't win. There was no answer to that question. If you were in a gang, you were safe. It must have been difficult for John, Paul and George because they were never in gangs. None of them were Teddy boys, really.

One time, Roy and I decided to go to the Gaumont cinema. When we came out, we walked up Park Road and saw the gang who used to meet on the corner. We knew them, but they said: 'Come here.' So we did, and they said, 'We're going to Garston to have fights, so just hang out till we go.' You knew immediately that you could either say 'no', and the whole gang would beat you up there and then, or you could go to where the fight was going to happen and take your chances. You could mingle with the crowd, rip your belt off, just look OK and hope to God that the big guy in the other gang didn't pick on you. There were a lot of really angry people around: Liverpool working-class, tough-gang shit.

I had a Teddy-boy suit. My cousin who went to sea - it all revolves around sailors - would give me his old clothes, and he was a Teddy boy; so I had a big long jacket with very tight trousers and crepe-soled shoes. But he was much bigger than me, so I had to strap the pants up with a big heavy belt, which I'd put washers on. I started to dress like that when I was sixteen. Then I began getting some money and buying my own clothes. Besides the money I made at the factory, we were bartering and 'borrowing and selling' - quite a bit of that went on.

The washers and the buckle on the belt would be field down sharp, and a whack from that would really hurt - all that Teddy-boy madness. People would have razor blades behind their lapels, so whoever grabbed them would get their fingers chopped off. It was deadly serious, because that's what life was about.

We were into area fights. I wasn't a great fighter, but I was a good runner, a good sprinter - as I still am - because if you were suddenly on your own with five guys coming towards you, you soon learnt to be. There was no messing about; it was, 'You! Come here!' - bang, bang. I didn't knife or kill anyone, but I got beaten up a few times - mainly by the people I was with. It's that terrible gang situation where if you're not fighting an outsider you get crazy and start fighting among yourselves, like mad dogs. It was quite vicious. I have seen people beaten up with hammers.

The gangs didn't have names, but there were leaders. We were the Dingle gang. There were several gangs in the area and you'd walk en masse to try to cause trouble; 'walking with the lads', it was called. But all you'd do was walk up and down roads, stand on corners, beat someone up, get beaten up, go to the pictures... It gets boring after a while. I wanted to leave all that, and I started moving out of walking with the lads when I started playing. Roy and I wanted to be musicians, and we started leaving the gang life. Music possessed me and I got out. I was nineteen when I finally made it out, thank God.

From 1957 the big craze was skiffle. It was based on American blues; bottle parties or rent parties, where it would be open house and people would pay a quarter or a dime towards the rent. You'd have someone with a jug, someone with a washboard, a tea-chest bass and a guitar - made-up instruments.

I thought about emigrating to the USA with a friend called Johnny (I don't want to give his second name because he may still be in hiding - he had some difficulties a few years later!). I wanted to go to Texas to live with Lightnin' Hopkins - the blues man, my hero. I actually went to the Embassy and got the forms. This was in 1958. We filled these in and, God, they were hard, but when we got the second lot of forms it was just too daunting: questions like, 'Was your mother's grandmother's Great Dane a communist?' Like teenagers, we gave in. But we'd got lists of jobs to go to in Houston - factories that would take us. We were pretty serious about it.

In England there was Lonnie Donegan and The Vipers skiffle group. It was traditional jazz and skiffle then at the Cavern (that's why we started playing skiffle). Eddie Miles, Roy and I started a skiffle band together: the first band I was in - the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group. (There wasn't really an Eddie Clayton.) We all worked in the same place. Eddie was a lathe operator, I was an apprentice engineer and Roy was a joiner.

When someone in Harry's family died, he'd gone down to Romford and there was a drum kit for sale for ?12. The whole family collected together and he brought this drum set to Liverpool. I was given it for Christmas. Up till then I'd been playing drums at home - just something I'd made myself from biscuit tins and pieces of firewood. This kit was amazing. It wasn't a drum but drums: a snare, a bass drum, a hi-hat, one little tom-tom, a top cymbal and a bass-drum pedal (I didn't have to kick it any more).

I had about three lessons once I got interested. I thought, 'Every night I'll read music and learn how to play.' I went to the house of a little man who played drums, and he told me to get some manuscript paper. He wrote it all down and I never went back! I couldn't be bothered; it was too routine for me, I couldn't stand it.

Once I'd got my drum kit, I set it all up in my bedroom, the back room, and off I went, banging away. And then I heard from the bottom of the stairs, 'Keep the noise down, the neighbours are complaining!' I never practised at home. The only way I could practise was to join a group. I got the drum kit on Boxing Day and I was in a group by February, so these wasn't a chance in hell that I could play by then. But neither could anyone else except the guitarist, who knew a couple of chords. The rest of us were making it up. We had no sense of time - though Eddie was a great player, one of those guys who, if you gave him any instrument, could play it. Very musical.

I was working in the factory and we played for our fellow workmen at lunchtime in a cellar. With a few of the other guys from the factory we built up the band. And then we started playing all the freebies we could get, playing clubs or weddings.

We did a few weddings. Someone we knew would get married and we'd fetch the gear along and play for a few hours. Once a guy at work said, 'You've got to come and play at this wedding,' and then, cheeky git, 'Can't I join the group if I get you the booking?' We said, 'OK,' and he joined and said, 'We're going to be all right here, it's a big fur-coat wedding. It's all shorts, there'll be none of that beer.' They were all out at the pub when we arrived to set up. When they came back it was with medicine bottles full of brown ale - it was the roughest wedding I'd ever been to! 'It's a real fur-coat do...'

I became semi-professional: I was an engineer during the day and I'd play drums at night. I would go and play at dances in other neighbourhoods with Eddie Clayton or some other band, and later with Rory. We would play, and the girls would always be looking at the musicians, which would piss the other guys off. So we'd be lucky to get out of those clubs without being beaten up, because we were in strange neighbourhoods without our local mates.

My career started there. Then I began going through bands in Liverpool: The Darktown Skiffle Group - that was the biggest band at the time - then it was Rory Storm, then with Tony Sheridan, then with The Beatles. I played with a lot of groups. I practised with every group in Liverpool. We were all intermingling in those days. We all got to know each other, so if someone was sick or didn't turn up you'd sit in with another group.

The drum kit I was using had a really cool snare and everything, but it was old. So in the summer of 1958 I went to my grandfather and borrowed ?46 and took it down to Frank Hessy's music shop in town, where I bought an Ajax single-headed kit, which looked similar to the Ludwig Silver Pearl one.

I thought Rory Storm and the Hurricanes were great. They were the first ones in Liverpool who really wanted to get into rock'n'roll. We were all playing skiffle before that, but they had a rock'n'roll blond hair attitude - Rory liked to be the big cheese, to be Mr Rock'n'Roll, and Johnny 'Guitar' Byrne was Liverpool's Jimi Hendrix.

I'd left Roy and Eddie behind by now and was playing with The Darktown Skiffle Group. They decided they wanted to stay as they were - they didn't want to make it their careers. They stayed as engineers and joiners, got married, and did that, while I auditioned for Rory and the Hurricanes. It was good; I knew all their songs - every band was playing the same songs. I don't even know if Rory auditioned anyone else, but I passed the test, they said 'yes', and I joined. It's interesting because Rory and, later, The Beatles both had the same first impression about me. When I went for the audition I looked a bit rough: I was still in my black drape jacket with my hair back, looking like a Ted, so they were a bit insecure about me.

When trad jazz was the big thing, a skiffle group would play in the intermission, because they were cheap. You had to get a lot of gigs to make any money. In Liverpool, the Cavern was the place to play with any band. There was a lot of screaming in there. When I played there with Rory, we were thrown off because we were meant to be a skiffle group but Johnny Guitar brought a radio with him, and he plugged his guitar into it and it suddenly became electric. So we were a bit more rock'n'roll. We were thrown off for being traitors: 'Get that damn noise off!' They wanted 'Hi Lili Hi Lo' - that stuff. There were a lot of people in big sweaters. I was in black corduroy in those days - we were all like beatniks.

With Rory and the Hurricanes, we played loads of places, up and down the country, and even abroad. When we came down to London for a gig, I remember that we went to the Lyceum and no girl would dance with us. As a group, the five of us would line up and pick on one girl and we'd say, 'Excuse me, do you want to dance?' She'd say, 'Huh? Crazy.' And the next one would get the same, and I would say, 'Excuse me, do you want to dance?' - 'Piss off.' The only dance I had that night was with a French girl who didn't know any better. That's how it happens.

I was earning a bit of money, working and drumming, and I got my first car at eighteen. It was a big thing, because before that I was dumped all the time. I'd have to go to gigs on the bus, so most of the time I could only take a snare drum, a cymbal and the sticks. I'd have to beg to borrow the bass drum and the toms from the other bands who were playing that night. Sometimes I didn't get them. And on the occasions we did take my equipment, doing to the gig everyone was so helpful, but after it they just split - so I'd be dumped with the lot. I remember one miserable night when the rest of the band had helped me get my kit on the bus. I got off at my stop, and it was half a mile to the house, and I had four cases. I had to run twenty yards with two cases, keeping my eye on the other two left behind, then go back, pick them up and run forty yards with those, drop those, go back, and so on. It was the most miserable thing and all I thought was, 'Shit, I need a car.'

Johnny Hutch, another drummer, was making cars out of spare parts - and from him I got a Standard Vanguard. I loved that car. It gave me a terrible time: the tyres were always puncturing and it wouldn't go into second gear, but I used to be so proud of it. It was hand-painted red and white, like a big ice-cream car. 'Hand-painted' just meant he couldn't afford to have it sprayed, but O would always say, 'Oh, it's hand-painted, you know?'

In 1959, the army decided that anyone born later than (I think) September 1939 would not be conscripted. I'd made it by ten months. That's when I thought, 'Great, now we can play,' and I left the factory and decided to go professional with Rory. We had a big family meeting when I asked to go with Rory and the band to Butlins, to play in the Rock and Calypso Ballroom for ?16 a week. Up to then I had been playing just at night, or some afternoons.

I come from a long line of labourers and soldiers, and I would have been the first in our line to get a piece of paper to say he was actually something - an engineer. I remember my uncles, my aunties and the boss of the factory saying, 'You'll come back in three months, and you'll only be semi-skilled when you do.' I said, 'I don't care. Drums are my life, I want to be a musician and I'm going away with Rory to Butlins to fulfil this dream.' Which I did. I stopped work at twenty. I've always believed I'd be playing drums. That was my dream, although through my life I've forgotten that dream occasionally and let substances take over.

We were down at the Jacaranda club in Liverpool one afternoon, shortly before we were to go to Butlins. They usually had a steel band downstairs at night, but this afternoon there were three guys down there messing around on their guitars. Rory, Johnny Guitar and I wandered down to see what was happening there. I didn't know them: it was John and Paul teaching Stuart Sutcliffe to play bass. We were the professionals and they were the boys, the struggling artists. They didn't have a big image in my head. They meant nothing in those days - they were just a group of scruffs. We were ready to go to Butlins: we had the suits and shoes that matched - black and white shoes, red suits, red ties and a hankie - so we felt we were big time. (The reason Rory Storm and the Hurricanes were the biggest band in Liverpool at one time was the matching suits. Later on Brian Epstein started doing that to The Beatles.)

We were away at Butlins for three months, and it was fabulous. When we first arrived there, we all picked names. That was when Johnny Guitar picked his; and for me, it started because in Liverpool I was still wearing a lot of rings, and people were starting to stay, 'Hey, Rings!' My name was Richard, hence Ritchie... and Rings. When we changed our names, I called myself Ringo. It was going to be Ringo Starkey, but that didn't really work, so I cut the name in half and added an 'r'. I had it put on the bass drum, and it's been that ever since. We were working steadily, with a new audience every week. It was the best place we could have been. It was the summer months, and we weren't missing anything back in Liverpool. Winter was always the club time there. Rory was a real athlete. There was a piano behind the drums, and the finale of Rory's act was that he would climb on top of it, shake, and then jump over my head. This was fabulous! My favourite number was 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On'.

A new coachload of girls would arrive every week at Butlins, and we'd be like, 'Hi, I'm with the band, you know.' It was paradise for that. There'd be tears at the end of the week, and then a new coach. In a way it was part of the attraction of rock'n'roll. My main reason, of course, was to play, but you couldn't help but enjoy yourself at Butlins every week! I ended up living with a hairdresser in a caravan at Butlins. It was growing up. Everyone was on holiday. It's the same as does on now, except that they go to Benidrom.

I got engaged to one girl, but it didn't last because she started to put the pressure on: it was her or the drums. That was a very poignant moment in my life. I left her one night, and I got on the bus and thought, 'Well, what happens if I don't go back?' And I never went back. I just wanted to play; it was more important to me. But I was engaged and I did love her, and she loved me, and we'd got our bottom drawer started and made all the preparations that go into marriage.

I sold the Standard Vanguard to another drummer in Liverpool, and after the first three months at Butlins I bought myself a Zephyr Zodiac, which I adored. I was The King in that car. I was The Big Guy With The Car, driving people around. I drove to the factory in it, parked it outside and went to see the guys still working there: 'Hey, I'm really doing well!' - because my wages had gone right up. I'd been getting ?6 a week in the factory and ?20 a week at Butlins. I was loaded.

It wasn't all rosy; I was on the dole a lot, too, and I still have a piece of paper from the DHSS saying, 'He left the factory to join a dance band.' There wasn't that much unemployment then, and I could always work. But I had to join the dole queue. There were a lot of old winos in the queue, shaking - that was the first time I saw that happen. There were a lot of us queuing up, but it wasn't like it is now.

When I was a kid, we'd never really been on holiday. We'd go up the coast to Seaforth now and then, or across to New Brighton. For my big holiday I went to London with my mum and Harry when I was fifteen. Actually we went to Romford, because that's where Harry's folks were from. But I recall we went to London for the day, and there's a photo of me with the Horse Guards and my hand patting the horse. We did all those things: Buckingham palace, the British Museum, the Tower of London. That was the big day out. I went to the Isle of Man a couple of times with my grandparents, so that was like going abroad, but we never went to Europe.

I went abroad in 1962 with Rory and the Hurricanes, when we got a job playing American army bases in France. The problem was we needed a girl singer, because the army didn't want to look at us guys. So we found a blonde girl in Liverpool (whose name I can't remember) and we went out there and played in all those bases in the wilderness.

On the way there, when we got off the boat, we got on a train which was supposed to go right through to Lyons - but once it pulled into Paris, we were all thrown off. It was frightening. The French were fighting the Algerians at the time, and there were cops with machine guns right in my face because I had the big drum cases. Clutching my passport, all I could think of was to scream, 'Anglais! Don't shoot!'

The rooms we were in were very cheap, but French food cost a fortune. We had no money, and we were in doss houses. But we didn't care because the audiences were great and the personal expenses were great. We could go and buy hamburgers in the American canteen store and eat like kings for nothing, because we were getting food for the same rates as the soldiers. We weren't really allowed in the mess, because we weren't American - and they kept trying to throw us out - but we would go in anyway, and stock up with Hershey bars and hamburgers.

My apprenticeship was with Rory - we were real professional. We'd go away to play and come back to Liverpool. That's what I was doing while John, Paul and George were still getting it together. We were doing so well that when the first offer came to go to Hamburg, we turned it down. But in the autumn of 1960 we eventually went to play in Germany and that's where I met The Beatles. Whatever happened to those guys?

Ringo's concert in Norway

2011-06-28T22:58:00.000+02:00

Paul McCartney revisits the original Cavern Club, 1968

2011-06-20T23:43:00.000+02:00


Posing with "Curiosity Shop" at the Cavern stage. Photo by Linda Eastman.

When Sir Paul McCartney made an impromptu visit to the Cavern in 1968 he made the owner promise not to tell the press.
Paul made a surprise visit to the Cavern Club with his then girlfriend Linda Eastman on October 25, 1968.
Paul called alone at approximately noon and asked if he could call back later with Linda as he was on his way to drop off a record player to his stepsister Ruth on the Wirral. Alf Geoghegan, owner of the Cavern, asked Paul if he minded if he took some photographs of the occasion. Paul agreed as long as the press were not informed.
Alf realised that he did not have a camera with him and he walked around the corner to Photo-Optics, a photographic shop in North John Street and purchased a Yashica Camera to record the occasion. The salesman accompanied Alf back to the Cavern to set the expo-sure and shutter speed not having been told who was going to be photographed. Paul returned with Linda and when Alf picked up the camera to take the photographs, Linda said "I'm a good photographer, I'll take them for you." She photographed Paul with Debbie Geoghegan, Alf's daughter, with Paddy Delaney, the Cavern doorman and on stage with Curiosity Shop, a group who were managed by Alf who were rehearsing at the club at the time.
Paul then joined the group on stage and played the drums saying that he had always wanted to be a drummer. Also on the photographs can be seen Alf Geoghegan and DJ Billy Butler.

Linda McCartney, Life In Photographs

2011-06-16T09:55:00.000+02:00

A retrospective look at the late Linda McCartney's photographs is currently available in a new book and an exhibition. The exhibition features big blown up versions of the photos and looks stunning. It's presented by Phillips de Pury & Company in London and today is it's final day so if you're in London, hurry to Howick Place, London, SW1P 1BB. The place closes at 6pm.

Ringo Starr in Oslo

2011-06-12T03:02:00.001+02:00

Ringo and me

Spirits were high and the party mood right in the audience at Ringo and his All Starr Band's concert at the muddy Norwegian Wood festival in Oslo, Norway yesterday. Ringo himself was in a good mood and surprisingly fit for his age. Unfortunately the concert was shortened since the day before in Gothenburg, and twice as unfortunate - they were all Ringo songs: "Act Naturally", "The Other Side of Liverpool" and "Peace Dream".

During the finale, "With A Little Help/Give Peace A Chance" Little Steven from the E Street Band and The Eels also appeared on stage. The song "Norwegian Wood" was not played, but Ringo quoted the song's first two lines, and the riff was played occasionally

Blue Sway from McCartney II

2011-06-09T21:04:00.001+02:00

Another taste of things to come on the McCartney II DVD has been offered us in the form of the new "surf" film for the McCartney II reject "Blue Sway".

Paul McCartney recruited award-winning surf filmmaker Jack McCoy to create a music video for his previously unreleased track "Blue Sway." Written nearly 20 years ago, McCartney's never-before released song, "Blue Sway," is available for the first time on the bonus audio disc of the special edition of McCartney II. The music video created by McCoy is also featured on the bonus DVD included in the set. McCartney II will be released on June 14th by MPL and Concord Music Group.

Jack McCoy has been capturing the surfing vision in a truly unique way. Using a high powered underwater jet ski, the filmmaker found that he was able to travel behind a wave, creating underwater images that have never been seen before.

Over the past couple of years, McCoy set out to capture footage for his surf film, A Deeper Shade of Blue. During the editing process, McCoy put one of his surfing sequences to a song off McCartney's The Fireman album. A mutual friend, Chris Thomas, saw the footage while visiting McCoy in Australia, and when he returned to the UK he gave McCartney a copy of the sequence.

"Paul was pretty stoked with what I'd created. He immediately thought my images might be suitable to go with his unreleased song "Blue Sway." said McCoy.

McCoy spent the next six weeks creating the music video, while also working full days on making A Deeper Shade of Blue. McCoy compiled and edited footage that he filmed off Tahiti's Teahupoo reef to create what became the "Blue Sway" video.

"When I saw Jack McCoy's underwater surfing footage put to the soundtrack of "Blue Sway" I was blown away," said McCartney.

"Blue Sway" won 'Best Music Video' at NYC BE FILM Short Festival this past May, and the video will be featured as part of Surfrider Foundation's summer PSA campaign. Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world's oceans, waves and beaches.

There's also a "making of" the Blue Sway video posted.

Bruce McMouse reappears

2011-06-09T00:11:00.001+02:00

One of the Bruce McMouse cartoons for animation (cropped), drawn in the early 70s by Paul McCartney and his family. Photograph: BNPS.co.uk

Paul McCartney has long been associated with animated films. Now a cartoon character he dreamt up in the early 70s – a rodent called Bruce McMouse reappears.
McCartney imagined Bruce and his family living under the stage while Wings performed, and the idea was to release a film featuring the band interacting with the cartoon characters.

The animation film, the Bruce McMouse Show, was made but not released and largely forgotten.

Now a set of sketches of Bruce and his clan, done by McCartney and other members of his family, is to be sold, by Dominic Winter auctioneers, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire, on 16 June. The drawings often feature Bruce McMouse smoking a pipe. His wife, Yvonne, appears in one series, in her curlers doing housework, and a third member of the family is a music-loving teenager named Soily.

Perhaps the most intriguing drawing is the one of a blue walrus. The animal has fascinated Beatles fans since the late 60s when John Lennon wrote the song I Am the Walrus, and subsequently, in the song Glass Onion, asserted, "the walrus was Paul".

The drawings, done in 1973, are being sold on by Maggie Thornton, the daughter of Eric Wylam, who had the job of helping turn them into a film.

Thornton, one of the few to have seen the finished film, said she understood why it was never released. "The storyline doesn't really work and some of the cutting between the singing and the animation isn't very good," she said.

Chris Albury, of Dominic Winter, said: "The Bruce McMouse Show … was intended as a one-hour, part-animated, film for ITVwith two advert breaks. The idea was to show concert footage from the Wings Over Europe tour of 1972, interspersed with animation action relating to the cartoon characters Bruce McMouse and family living under the floorboards of the stage. Although it was completed, it's never been shown and probably didn't stand up to McCartney's high standards.
Source: The Guardian

Of course, with the new HP Cloud and the revival of Paul McCartney's catalogue, fans are hoping that the film finally will see the light of day.

The making of the "Coming Up" video

2011-06-05T19:02:00.002+02:00

As promotion for the upcoming "McCartney II" archive release, MPL has made available one of the DVD featurettes, "The Making of the Coming Up video". A bit disappointing, really..

The DVD will also feature the original video, as well as a live performance of the song by Wings.

Ringo's Tour Opening

2011-06-05T10:28:00.001+02:00

From Ringo Starr's European tour opening concert in Kiev, Ukraine yesterday, June 4th. There was also a press conference in Kiev the day before.

Set list: (SPOILER ALERT -SCROLL AT YOUR PERIL)

1. It Don't Come Easy
2. Honey Don't (Carl Perkins cover)
3. Choose Love
4. Hang On Sloopy (Rick Derringer)(The McCoys cover)
5. Free Ride (Edgar Winter)
6. Talking In Your Sleep (Wally Palmar)(The Romantics cover)
7. I Wanna Be Your Man
8. Dream Weaver (Gary Wright)
9. Kyrie (Richard Page)(Mr. Mister cover)
10. The Other Side Of Liverpool
11. Yellow Submarine
12. Frankenstein (Edgar Winter)
13. Peace Dream
14. Back Off Boogaloo
15. What I Like About You (Wally Palmar)
16. Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo (Rick Derringer)
17. Boys
18. Love Is Alive (Gary Wright)
19. Broken Wings (Richard Page)(Mr. Mister cover)
20. Photograph
21. Act Naturally
22. With A Little Help From My Friends > Give Peace A Chance

McCartney Archives Collection schedule

2011-06-03T14:53:00.001+02:00

The reissue schedule runs from 2010 to 2016. Here is the deluxe schedule with hopes, including DVD archives.

1 Band On The Run 3 cds 1 dvd
2 McCartney 2 cds 1 dvd
3 McCartney II 3 cds 1 dvd
4 Ram 3 cds 1 dvd
5 Venus & Mars 2 cds 1 dvd
6 Speed Of Sound 2 cds 1 dvd
7 Wings Over America 2 cds 2 dvds
8 Linda McCartney Wide Prairie 2 cds 2 dvds
9 Wild Life 2 cds 2 dvds
10 Red Rose Speedway 2 cds 2 dvds
11 London Town 2 cds 1 dvd
12 Back to the egg 2 cds 1 dvd (probably the Back To The Egg TV Special)
13 Wings Live 1979 (NEW TITLE) 2 cds 1 dvd (Probably Glasgow audio and Hammersmith DVD)
14 Tug Of War 2 cds 1 dvd
15 Pipes Of Peace 2 cds 1 dvd
16 Give my regards to Broad Street 3 cds 2 dvd
17 Press To Play 4 cds 1 dvd
18 Choba B CCCP + Prince's Trust Birthday Party 2 cds 1 dvd
19 McGear / Holly Days / Whippets / Country Hams and Surprises 4 cds
20 Flowers In The Dirt 3 cds 1 dvd
21 Tripping The Live Fantastic 3 cds 2 dvds
22 Unplugged 2 cds 1 dvd
23 Off The Ground 3 cds 2 dvds
24 Paul Is Live 2 cds 2 dvds
25 The Fireman Vol 1 & 2 ( Strawberry + Rusches ) 3 cds 1 dvd
26 Oobu Joobu , liverpool collage, Daumier's Law and crazy stuff 3 cds 1 dvd
27 Flaming Pie 2 cds 2 dvds
28 Run Devil Run 2 cds 1 dvd
29 Driving Rain 2 cds 1 dvd
30 Back In The US / World 3 cds 1 dvd
31 Chaos & Creation in The Back Yard 2 cds 2 dvds
32 Memory Almost Full 2 cds 1 dvd
33 Electric Arguments 3 cds 1 dvd ( reissue )
34 Liverpool Oratorio 3 cds 2 dvds
35 Standing Stone 3 cds 2 dvds
36 Working Classical / A Leaf 2 cds 1 dvd
37 Ecce Cor Meum 2 cds 1 dvd

38 The Studio Outtakes (NEW TITLE) 1970 / 1989 4 cds
39 The Studio Outtakes (NEW TITLE) 1990 / 2014 4 cds

40 The Rude Studio Recordings (NEW TITLE) 1970 / 1997 4 cds

41 The Demos (NEW TITLE) 1960 1979 4 cds
42 The Demos (NEW TITLE) 1980 2016 4 cds

Ram and Venus and Mars are both expected around Christmas 2011. All this from an unknown source, so take it as gospel at your own will...

Ringo's pre tour press conference

2011-06-03T10:08:00.003+02:00

Ringo Starr - Press Conference June 1st 2011 Short Edit.

Ringo Starr - 2011: Rehearsal Footage

YouTube: Apologies about Liverpool
Images

Anthology promo

2011-06-02T18:24:00.001+02:00

The samples provided shows us that the songs have been remastered again. No physical remastered CD releases have been announced. Only the same 155 songs that were on the original Anthology Vol 1-3 CD's are mentioned, which means that we'll miss out on the bonus tracks that were (and still are) only available on the "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" singles. They are: "I Saw Her Standing There" (Take 9), "This Boy" (Two incomplete versions (takes 12 and 13), which both break down into laughter), "Christmastime Is Here Again", "Baby's In Black" (live at the Hollywood Bowl, 29 (spoken introduction) and 30 (music) August 1965), "Yellow Submarine" (An alternate mix with a previously unreleased introduction and the sound effects higher in volume) and "Here There And Everywhere" (An alternate take with digitally remastered harmony vocals in the second half).

iTunes Anthology

2011-05-31T10:30:00.000+02:00

The Beatles Anthology vol 1-3 has just been announced on iTunes. You can only buy complete albums, or a “highlihghts” compilation. The albums will be made available on June 14th, and can already be pre-ordered.
No bonus tracks have been announced.
Anthology
Anthology Highlights

Illuminated in Washington

2011-05-25T08:41:00.000+02:00

On July 20, Christie's is pleased to present The Beatles Illuminated: The Discovered Works of Mike Mitchell, a sale comprised of 50 lots of unpublished and never-before-seen photographs of the Beatles’ first hysteria-inducing visits to America in 1964. Shot in black and white by photographer Mike Mitchell when he was just 18 years old, the images have been filed away for nearly fifty years.
The complete rediscovered collection is expected to realize in the region of $100,000.
On February 11, 1964, just two days after their momentous American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, the Beatles performed their first US concert at the Washington Coliseum. The DC native shot dozens of intimate and thrilling photographs capturing the excitement of this first British Invasion. Mitchell had exceptional access to the events including their arrival at Union Station, the press conference preceding the performance and unrestricted, stage-front access for the entirety of the historic Coliseum concert. Mitchell then snapped additional photographs when they performed during their first US concert tour at the Baltimore Civic Center on September 13, 1964. Christie's is thrilled to partner with Mike Mitchell on the debut of these images, which will be on exhibit first in London at Christie's South Kensington from June 11-12 and then at the Grosvenor House, a JW Marriott Hotel, on June 17-25 and then at Christie's New York from July 11-20 before they are offered at auction in New York on July 20 at 7pm.

Photos by Mike Mitchell, courtesy of Christie's © Christie’s Images Limited 2010

Ecatalogue: Available online from June 2011 at www.christies.com/calendar

Hey Jude in Rio

2011-05-24T00:06:00.001+02:00

Paul McCartney's concert in Rio de Janeiro yesterday was pro-shot and broadcast in HD and we are all awaiting the "Up and Coming" Bootleg DVD. Meanwhile, the clips are appearing on YouTube.
Set list:

1. Hello Goodbye
2. Jet
3. All My Loving
4. Letting Go
5. Drive My Car
6. Sing The Changes
7. Let Me Roll It / Foxy Lady
8. The Long And Winding Road
9. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five
10. Let 'Em In
11. I've Just Seen A Face
12. And I Love Her
13. Blackbird
14. Here Today
15. Dance Tonight
16. Mrs Vandebilt
17. Eleanor Rigby
18. Something
19. Band on the Run
20. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
21. Back In The USSR
22. I've Got A Feeling
23. Paperback Writer
24. A Day In The Life / Give Peace A Chance
25. Let It Be
26. Live And Let Die
27. Hey Jude

Encore
28. Day Tripper
29. Lady Madonna
30. Get Back

Second Encore
31. Yesterday
32. Helter Skelter
33. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band / The End

No trace of songs from "McCartney" or "McCartney II" though, isn't that a little strange? We would have expected some old chestnut live songs from those, like "Maybe I'm Amazed" or "Coming Up". I'm hoping some rarely performed ones will sneak into his later set lists, I mean he has performed songs like "Every Night", "Hot As Sun" and "Singalong Junk" once upon a long ago. There's been a mix of "Temporary Secretary" in the pre-show music for ages now, how about a performance of that? I bet Wix could handle the backing to "Summer's Day Song" and Paul could easily do "One Of These Days" on his own. Let'em In!

Two new McCartney albums planned

2011-05-18T18:51:00.005+02:00

In an interview with Paul McCartney in the upcoming issue of Rolling Stone magazine, the legend reveals that he has two brand new albums up his sleeve. In April, McCartney started recording an album in L.A. devoted to covers of pop standards from the pre-rock years. "It's my dad's style of music," he says. "I've wanted to do that kind of thing forever, since the Beatles days, but then Rod [Stewart] went mad on it. I thought, 'I have to wait so it doesn't look like I'm trying to do a Rod'."
As we Beatles fans have known for years, Paul McCartney is a musician who is influenced by many styles of music, and the influence of "old standards" has flavoured some of his own compositions, like "When I'm Sixty-Four", "Honey Pie" or "You Gave Me The Answer".
Working with an orchestra in Capitol Studios, McCartney recorded almost a dozen tracks, including a handful with Diana Krall and her band. But he's keeping the titles under wraps for now: "They're just songs I admire," he says. "I'm trying to steer away from the obvious ones." McCartney also cut several of his own new songs in a similar vein - even singing into a microphone used by Nat "King" Cole. "It's get-home-from-work music," he says of the LP, tentatively scheduled for release early next year, following additional sessions in London.

"You put this record on and get a glass of wine."

McCartney is also writing material for what he calls a "heavier rock" album. He has yet to pick a producer, but he says a recent conversation with Dave Grohl about how he recorded Foo Fighters' latest LP in his garage lit a fire. "It sounds quite wacky, but it keeps it fresh," McCartney says. "I love that - you get a crazy idea and go with it. You never know - I may run into a garage to make this other album."

He adds with a laugh, "But it won't be in Dave's garage".

Paul McCartney is also planning more concerts in North America this year — a Las Vegas show on June 10th has been announced, and he says other shows are being finalized.

The edition of Rolling Stone Magazine with the interview will hit the stands on May 26th. The illustration above depicts a 2010 Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone and is not the new US issue with the interview we have quoted.

McCartney II trailer

2011-05-16T21:06:00.004+02:00

The websites for the new releases are now live, and there's a trailer for each album:
McCartney II | McCartney

It's So Easy - Paul McCartney 2011

2011-05-14T15:43:00.003+02:00

April 28th, 2011 — In his short-lived but extraordinary life, Buddy Holly left behind a body of work so enthralling, his enduring influence is nearly impossible to overstate. The melodic joy and fierce independent streak at the core of his artistry is profoundly felt on Rave On Buddy Holly, a 19-song collection of indelible Holly covers by a rich assemblage of current musical visionaries and creative kindred spirits. Fantasy/Concord will release Rave On Buddy Holly June 28th, 2011.

Rave On's striking collection of musicians share Holly's insurgent rebel spirit and outsider point of view. The artists cross generations and styles, collectively and defiantly embracing Holly's distinctive rough and tumble inventiveness. Very few songwriters could inspire passionately personal, fearless cover versions from performers such as My Morning Jacket, Cee Lo Green, Justin Townes Earle, The Black Keys, Florence + The Machine, She & Him, Modest Mouse, Paul McCartney, Julian Casablancas, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Fiona Apple and John Brion, Graham Nash, The Detroit Cobras, Kid Rock, John Doe, Karen Elson, Nick Lowe and Jenny O. Which is part of what makes this much more than a mere "tribute album."

Rave On Buddy Holly steers clear of the reverent re-creations typically found on similar projects; the artists clearly felt free to explore radically new interpretations. Florence + The Machine bring an industrial New Orleans vibe to "Not Fade Away" (with help from Bayou icon Ivan Neville on keys). The Black Keys' elemental accompaniment touches the emotional core of "Dearest" while Modest Mouse takes "That'll Be the Day" into truly avant-garde territory. Cee Lo Green's exquisite vocals, for example, echo among handclaps and percussion on his epic reading of "Baby, You're So Square." Paul McCartney's take on the originally lilting "It's So Easy" is a raw, propulsive excursion filled with boisterous spoken ad-libs. Lou Reed lays down a blazing "Peggy Sue," replete with overdriven guitars and loopy keyboards. The romantic underpinnings of Holly's music are cleverly revealed in Rave On's multiple male-female pairings: Apple and Brion, Reed, Elson and (husband/producer) Jack White and She & Him.

Known for his work with such directors as Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson and Todd Haynes, esteemed film-music supervisor Randall Poster was sought out to produce and oversee the project. "As the tracks from various contributors were gathered for the album," explains Poster "we seemed to be gathering pieces of a complex and original puzzle ... that traces back to the roots of rock and roll and shapes so much of the music that followed."

Poster gives special recognition to producing partner Geyla Robb and her overall influence on Rave On's exceptional blend of tender toughness. Poster also credits the album's richness to the various track producers, such as Matt Sweeney, Joe Henry, Jack White and C.C. Adcock.

A true pop pioneer whose astonishing tunes boasted rock 'n' roll punch, irresistible hooks and boundary-pushing sonic sweep, Buddy Holly would be 75-years-old on September 7th of this year. Sadly, of course, he died in 1959 at age 22. But Holly's music never died, and has exerted a profound influence on virtually every part of the pop music soundscape. His sparkling hooks, tender lyrics and elegantly concise compositions set the bar for all the rock, country and pop tunesmiths who followed in his brilliant wake. A bold affirmation that proves his music, on the eve of his 75th birthday, is more relevant than ever, Rave On Buddy Holly tips its collective hat with love and appreciation.

Paul McCartney delivers a different take on the song than what we are used to from him, it's raw, unpolished, chatty and seems to be very much inspired by his "Fireman" vocal persona. McCartney has sometimes performed the song in concert, and here's a more traditional rendition of the song from a concert in Dallas, Texas in 2009. Paul, Linda and Denny also did a version for Denny Laine's Buddy Holly tribute album "Holly Days" back in the seventies, and McCartney also sang it at a Buddy Holly Week concert in 1979.

When I'm 64 in Lima, Peru

2011-05-10T08:14:00.003+02:00

Edit this setlist | More Paul McCartney setlists

Paul McCartney's "Up And Coming" tour continues in 2011, and the big surprise at yesterday's set list from the tour opening in Lima, Peru was the inclusion of "When I'm Sixty-four". The song has not been performed live by Paul previously. This set list is updated by the people who attended the concert and remembers the songs. At one point this morning, "When I'm 64" was listed as having been played, but was later removed.

Later in the day today, the real set list was listed on Paul McCartney's official website, along with this description of the proceedings:

"Paul made history tonight with his first ever show in Peru before 50,000 awestruck fans who had travelled from across the country for the momentous occasion."

"The show at Peru's largest football stadium, the Estadio Monumental in the capital city of Lima, saw Paul on his best form, delivering nearly three hours of the world’s best loved and most known music. Without even a moment's break or as much as a sip of water, Paul delivered an incredible set list that spanned his entire unrivalled career, from The Beatles, Wings, solo material and The Fireman's critically acclaimed album 'Electric Arguments'. Paul, backed by his brilliant band, performed some of the world’s most famous songs including the show opener 'Hello Goodbye', 'Jet', 'Drive My Car', 'Band on the Run', 'Live and Let Die', 'Hey Jude' and 'Yesterday'."

"The delighted audience, made up of fans of all ages, gave Paul an equally unforgettable welcome, screaming, cheering, chanting, singing along with every word and holding up homemade banners, with many even in tears at the sight of Paul finally performing in their own country. Needless to say, fans went wild when language lover Paul even addressed them in their native Spanish!"

"I've had the best night of my life" said one fan, Rafael Alvarez, 31 from Arequipa. Peru. "It was better than I even dreamt it would be and I couldn't believe I was actually watching Paul McCartney in the flesh! After tonight, I'm going to do all I can to get into his shows in Brazil because I have to see this show again."

"It was just as exciting for Paul himself to play the country as he has hoped to come to Peru for many years. Before going on stage, the government of Peru expressed their delight at his arrival with their First Minister honouring him with the 'Orden Del Sol', the highest recognition in Peru. They also praised Paul for his environmental work by awarding him with the first ever 'Orden Del Arbol Del La Quina', while the National Library of Peru gave Paul the 'Medal of Honour of Peruvian Culture' - the first time they have ever given this to someone from outside Peru."

"Part of Macca's phenomenal Up & Coming Tour, the next show in South America will take place on Wednesday in Santiago, Chile, with two dates in Brazil later in the month. Each date involves a huge number of people working behind the scenes to ensure the audience see the best show possible on the night. With a staggering 31 trucks full of equipment including 130 speakers, there are 170 people in Paul's crew alone, as well as 200 local workers who are employed each night. Behind the 80ft high stage at every date there are eight working offices and entirely vegetarian catering who serve around 480 meals each and every day of the tour."

Set List

1. Hello Goodbye
2. Jet
3. All My Loving
4. Letting Go
5. Drive My Car
6. Sing The Changes
7. Let Me Roll It
8. The Long And Winding Road
9. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five
10. Let 'Em In
11. My Love
12. I've Just Seen A Face
13. And I Love Her
14. Blackbird
15. Here Today
16. Dance Tonight
17. Mrs Vandebilt
17. Eleanor Rigby
18. Something
19. Band On The Run
20. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
21. Back In The USSR
22. I've Got A Feeling
23. Paperback Writer
24. A Day In The Life / Give Peace A Chance
25. Let It Be
26. Live And Let Die
27. Hey Jude

Encore
28. Day Tripper
29. Lady Madonna
30. Get Back

Second Encore
31. Yesterday
32. Helter Skelter
33. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band / The End

McCartney and Starr and Buddy

2011-05-09T11:50:00.000+02:00

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are appearing on two different Buddy Holly tribute albums this year. Paul has recorded "It's So Easy" for the album "Rave On Buddy Holly" - due out June 28th, while Ringo has taped "Think It Over" for the Peter Asher produced tribute project "Listen To Me: Buddy Holly", which is set for release September 7th.

Q&A with Ringo

2011-05-05T10:40:00.003+02:00

RINGO STARR Q&A: Exclusively for the Norwegian Wood festival, Ringo Starr was kind enought to answer a Q&A about his Liverpool upbringing, Paul McCartney, his solo career, The Beatles and the upcoming All Starr Band tour of Europe.

Q: Two long time friends of yours and former All Starr Band members, Timothy B. Schmit and Joe Walsh, will also play the Norwegian Wood Festival...Are there any special fond moments with Walsh & Co you’d like to share with us?
Ringo: There are so many with Joe of course. He has been my friend forever and he married Barbara’s sister so he is now family no one plays better than Joe. He is an incredible guitarist and an incredible human being. Timothy – he needs to get his act together. That long hair is out of style!!! [Laughs]

Q: You being one of the most distinctive and influential drummers in rock music, does the fact that you are two drummers in the All Starr Band affect your drumming? Does it make you adapt your drumming style?
Ringo: No. I don’t have to adapt. We play well together. It is good. It is interesting for me as it gives it more power. If you look at the first All Starr tour there were 3 drummers. Levon on my right. Jim Keltner on my left and I was in the middle; I was so insecure. We had a huge front line and 3 drummers and they all came out for me to try and make it work.

Q: How does it work with Gregg Bissonette?
Ringo: I need another drummer when I’m down at the front doing Little Help, or Photograph. When I’m drumming we are double drumming, I love double drumming, it is a lot of fun. I’ve known Gregg for several years and then I heard that he did seminars on how I play. He listens and we play well together. We play for the band and not for the glory. Jim Keltner he’s my hero drummer from LA. We play so well together. It is very difficult playing with some drummers as they are too busy. I never feel it is a competition.

Q: Playing the Norwegian Wood Festival in June will be the very first time you play in Norway. Do you have any musical surprises for us (hint, hint)?
Ringo: I’m surprised I haven’t played there before. I’ve played Finland and Denmark but not made it to Norway before. There won’t be surprises just a great show.

Q: There have been many incarnations of the All-Starr Band. Which one is closest to your heart and why?
Ringo: Well you know it’s an impossible question. The first All Starr band is very close to my heart of course. It happened by accident. I was sitting at home, wondering what to do and had a call to say that Pepsi had offered a promoter money if I wanted to tour. I didn’t have a band so I called up all my friends.... Joe Walsh, Dr. John, Billy Preston, Levon Helm and Nils Lofgren and asked them if they wanted to come on tour in the summer with me.

I’d worked out that I didn’t want to front it all the time and to be up front for every track. I wanted to do my stuff and then enjoy playing with other musicians and playing behind them when they did their songs. So that is how it came about. For the first tour it was like Ringo and the All Starr Orchestra there were so many on stage. There must have been about nine. On several there have been about five musicians. One of the favourites was Jack Bruce, Peter Frampton, Gary Brooker...the English line up. Simon Kirke was the other drummer. I have another drummer with us because I do several of the numbers from the front, when I become the entertainer.

I put the best All Starrs together that I can. On this tour we have Richard Page from Mr. Mister, Gary Wright, Edgar Winter on the other side of the coin, Rick Derringer and Wally Palmar of The Romantics. It is a completely mixed bag but it works. Greg Bissonette will be drumming again.

I come on and we open it, I’m down front for three numbers then I’m on the kit and everyone else plays their songs and I get a double hit – the chance to play and the chance to perform.

Q: When was the last time you did a European tour?
Ringo: It’s been a long time. About 15 years I think. And we are going to some countries that I have not played in before. The tour starts in Ukraine and then we go to Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Latvia and Poland before coming back to Britain. I’m playing the Liverpool Empire again and Hampton Court this time in London. I’ve been to the flower show there, you go to Chelsea Flower Show and then Hampton Court Flower Show! And then after the 6 UK dates we go to France, Hungary, Czech Republic, Italy, Germany and Austria. It’s a long tour.

Q: Which songs will you be playing on this tour?
Ringo: It works out usually that I do twelve songs and the band do twelve songs between them. It has to be With A Little Help From My Friends, Yellow Submarine, Photograph, It Don’t Come Easy, Boys, and we throw in one or two from the new album usually.
I usually go out every two years...a new album comes out January and then we tour in the summer but the timing for this tour is a bit different as Y Not came out last year and the new album will be in 2012.

Q: Do you add lost gems?
Ringo: Sometimes. Not that they are obscure but they are songs that we don’t play a lot. We always do Yellow Submarine, but we threw in Octopus’s Garden one year. It depends how I feel. Some songs just don’t work. Back Off Boogaloo is one of those songs that we can rehearse for a week and it just doesn’t happen.

Q: What would be your dream All Starr band?
Ringo: You can’t do that can you? Ray [Charles] isn’t going to come is he? I think it would be dismissive of the great people I am playing with. I’m not sitting there thinking “if only so and so would play”. I listen to people who want to be in the All Starrs. We ask people who I think might like to be. We have a list of guitarists; a list of bass players (Paul’s always busy [laughs]). We’ve had Howard Jones; we have had a mixed bag and every time you wonder how it is going to work, but we get in to rehearsals and it works.
It is fun to play. Just to be a drummer in a band I love that. And then I do the other part and we get everyone up you know.

Q: Do you play other instruments?
Ringo: Not on tour. In life? Yes I’ll play anything on the piano as long as it is in E. Same with the guitar, as long as it is in C. That’s how I wrote a lot of the songs. I then give it to a genius who transposes it to E or whatever.

Q: You were the first Beatle to really conquer the charts after Beatles broke up. Did that, in some way, bring the feeling of special satisfaction?
Ringo: Yes it was great being number 1. I’d worked hard. I had Richard Perry as the producer, a lot of the All Starrs are on the first albums, if you look at the list of players on those records it was incredible, you can’t fix it. I was in LA. John came. George came in, Paul, they were pals they joined in. We didn’t plan that.

Q: When people hear the name Ringo Starr they think The Beatles. Is that something you fight or is it something you are at ease with?
Ringo: I am at ease with it now. I don’t fight it. It gets boring when I have a new record and the second question is “how’s Paul”. They can’t help themselves. So far I’ve never ordered the PR to say “don’t ask him about that”, I’ve always been open. You can ask me anything and I’ll either answer it or I won’t.

Q: Is there one song that you are most proud of?
Ringo: Photograph is so well crafted. If I look at a song that I’ve written and the end result with George Harrison….I wrote the song, I wrote the words, I wrote the melody, I wrote the chorus, and 3 verses. I never know how to end so George would end the song for me. I actually have one song with about 70 verses! I just couldn’t stop. I gave it to Harry Nilsson to edit and he got it down to 23 verses.

Q: Ringo has demonstrated his affinity for country music as heard on (Buck Owens’) “Act Naturally” and the album “Beaucoups of Blues”. What made you discover country music ? Was it any particular artist that brought the interest in country music?
Ringo: It was Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, old school guys. Liverpool is the capital of country music in this country (Britain). All the guys in the merchant navy lived in my neighbourhood, every other house had someone from the merchant navy and they brought American clothes and music to Liverpool. That’s how we got to hear all this music that we weren’t getting in Britain. My cousin would give me his old clothes including the Little Richard pants….he was two feet taller than me but I felt like a king.

Q: On the album “Y Not”, you have nostalgic flashbacks in the shape of the songs “Peace Dream” and “The Other Side of Liverpool”. What’s your fondest memories of growing up in post-war Liverpool?
Ringo: Every woman in the street is your mother. We were close. I lived in that neighbourhood. I’m doing a Liverpool track on every CD. This will be the third on the new album that will be out next year
All our family was in the neighbourhood. My grandmother was just down the road….any time I got ill my mother would wrap me in a blanket and take me to by Nan and she would fix me up. My auntie lived on the corner. My two best friends who I mentioned in the song were 2 minutes away….we were kids doing what kids do. We were very close. I didn’t really like school. We’d walk through the park, Sefton Park

Q: Talking of Liverpool, what do you miss about Liverpool?
Ringo: I love the humour, I understand the humour. Liverpool is Liverpool. I know what Liverpool is about. I’ve got all my family there, I grew up there. But I’m not a baby any more. I’m not a child. I’ve moved on. That’s just the way of it. I used to go back more when my Mum and my step dad were alive but I’ve not been back since the Year of Culture.

Q: Eric Clapton, who’s also playing the Norwegian Wood festival this year, once mentioned in an interview when thinking back at growing up in post-war England, he kind of remembered it in “black & white”, does the same go for you?
Ringo: No and I’m a bit older than him.

Q: When you start working on a new album do you have a plan?
Ringo: I wake up and think what a great day. I call the engineer and fire up the computer. I have no idea how it is going to turn out.

Q: What musicians are on the new album?
Ringo: Benmont Tench from Tom Petty, Don Was the producer and great bass player, Charlie Haden, America’s premier jazz bass player, Joe Walsh of course, Dave Stewart, Glen Ballard, Van Dyke Parks who wrote a song and is playing accordion. If you look at the back of the Y Not record it is a similar group

Q: Who do you mainly work with?
Ringo: Right now I’m in a great space where I made the last record (and the new record which isn’t out until next year) at home with ProTools. People, musicians, pass by and they are on the record. I record mainly in Los Angeles at home in the guest house
The Christmas before last, when the guests left, I had all the furniture taken out to storage. The ProTools and the board are in the living room / kitchen and the two kits of drums and the amp are in the bedroom.

Q: Do you work exclusively with your engineer Bruce Sugar?
Ringo: Well he has been on a couple of records before. Y Not was the first record that I produced, I’ve always had a producer before and on Y Not I had a producer ready but after 3 weeks I decided that I could produce it. I’m working with amazing musicians and there is very little that you have to say to them, they know what is needed. It was interesting. I got what I wanted and I think it worked well. As a record I can sit and listen to it any time and I’m proud of it.

Q: Where do you get your inspiration from?
Ringo: God
Q: Are you religious?
Ringo: No. But I do believe in God. In my God. When you say God, it is just the atmosphere. You can be sitting and doing something and a line just comes, I have notebooks and I write down lines. And suddenly that line is a song. It’s the start. And now with my iPhone I can sing to it wherever I am. It is interesting as a writer, usually I write the chorus first, I can jam with the chorus and then with other writers we make it into a song. I love to hang out with other musicians. Most of the time we get something.

Q: Any musical dreams to achieve still?
Ringo: I had a dream at 13 that I wanted to play drums. It took 5 years before I got a set. I made my first set out of biscuit tins and bits of firewood. Then my step dad Harry, who was from Romford in Essex....someone in his family died who just happened to be a drummer and they were selling his drums for £12 and he bought them and that was the first real kit that I had. But I couldn’t carry it as I was on the bus, I didn’t have a car, so I could only carry the snare. I started playing skiffle and then rock and here we are.
The band would always get you to the gig but after the gig they’d be gone. I’d get off the bus and be running up and down the street carrying one drum at a time.

Q: Was there one defining moment?
Ringo: I was playing with Rory Storm and The Hurricanes. I worked in a factory, we all had jobs, and we had a chance to play Butlins for 3 months as the musicians. I was an apprentice, but just thought I want to be a musician. I left H Hunt and Son. It was a huge family decision, they all came round and had the big family talk. I only ever wanted to be a drummer. Another well known Liverpool band invited me to be the bass player, I did think about it for a minute...I thought “oooo, up front” but I love to hit those drums.

Q: When have you played just as Ringo?
Ringo: I never have gone out as just Ringo. Even for the promotion of the last record I went out as Ringo & Ben Harper and his band so that was easy, he is so great, he is a good pal you know. He rocks. We have a „thing” as a lot of his songs are so miserable (laughs) I keep saying “lighten up Ben”. I’m on his new record that comes out any minute now, playing and writing.

Q: What drives you to go on tour?
Ringo: Playing. I’m from that era, I’m from the clubs. On the new record I mention the Iron Door in Liverpool which was a club. I always want to play the Liverpool Empire. Brian Epstein, to upgrade us, booked us in the Liverpool Empire. It was the biggest thing in our family it was so great. I like to play there. That’s where I play, it is my only stipulation, the Liverpool Empire. I played the Echo Arena for the Year of Culture, with a lot of other people, and it was great, it is a great venue but I like the Empire

Q: What is your favourite concert that you’ve played?
Ringo: Liverpool Empire would definitely be one of them. As The Beatles I’d have to say Shea Stadium. Before we got that big Glasgow was always great. It depends on the night. I like playing Florida, anywhere in Florida they love Ringo and the All Starrs. New York is always good, it’s great. Last year I had my big birthday in New York, it was fabulous, all these people came out. So did Mr McCartney

Q: How close are you and Paul (McCartney)?
Ringo: As close as we want to be [laughs]. We are the only two remaining Beatles (although he likes to think he is the only one [laughs]!). The only two who went through it. He is on my last record. I’ve been on several of his. He’s often touring and I’m doing my thing so it just depends. If we are in the same neighbourhood we always say hi.

Q: Has there ever been discussions about doing a whole record or touring together?
Ringo: No. The only thing about touring is that every time I asked him to join the All Starrs he says he is too busy [laughs]...I tell him he’ll have his two numbers!!!

Q: What are the plans to celebrate your birthday in Hamburg on July 7th?
Ringo: Since 2008, we’ve celebrated my birthday at noon. It is the Peace and Love moment. This year we are doing it in Hamburg at the Hard Rock as I have some relationship with Hamburg. Wherever you are in the world at noon, take a moment do the peace sign and say peace and love. It started as my birthday gift from everybody and that was plenty. So that is what we are doing in Hamburg, as well as playing that night at the Stadtpark.

This year I have a T shirt with the Hard Rock for the special signature series. All of my revenue goes to Make A Wish Foundation and some of the Hard Rock revenue goes to Make A Wish. We have a great rapport. I love the Hard Rock.

Q: How long has your charity the Lotus Foundation been going and what is the aim?
Ringo: The charity supports many projects including those working with addiction, battered women, children, cerebral palsy and cancer

Q: How do you choose?
Ringo: We go through the applications together and pick. I always nominate Water Aid. Everyone should have water. We drink out of fancy bottles and there are people drinking slush. That’s one of my pet charities that I like to support
We’ve found out that if we support a charity for 3 years, whether it is paying the rent, the phone bill, whatever it is, they can relax a bit on whatever level we have joined with them

Q: Would you say that you are a musician, composer then producer?
Ringo: I’m a drummer, first, I’m a drummer. Drumming is still my madness

Q: Are there any young drummers you look at?
Ringo: The only one is my son Zak. I never bought drum records, I bought records for the emotion of the whole thing. As everyone knows I only ever bought one record (Cozy Cole’s Topsy) for the drums.

Q: What is Zak doing?
Ringo: He has a new band called Penguins, who are opening for Beady Eye and the other night he played a club and it went well.

Q: Do you ever drum together?
Ringo: Live? Yes, he was on two of the All Starr tours. We had Sheila E and Simon Kirke as well

Q: What are you listening to at the moment?
Ringo: Well when in doubt I always play the blues. Lightnin’ Hopkins is one of my heroes. At 19 I was trying to emigrate to Houston, Texas because Lightnin’ Hopkins lived there and I got a list from the British Consulate in Liverpool of factories I could get work in, and tried to emigrate in a way that teenagers do, or me as a teenager anyway. They gave us some forms, this friend of mine and I, we filled them in, sent them off and they gave us more forms. If they’d have just said yes or no, you never know which way my life would have gone.

I’m listening to Plan B; I love Mumford & Sons’ record, that was great. I don’t usually buy the CD, I buy tracks on iTunes. I’ll spend a couple of hours listening to the new stuff that’s out. But when in doubt it is Ray Charles: it’s the blues, music I grew up with.

Q: Do you embrace the digital / download age?
Ringo: I only embrace it when they pay for it. Of all the downloads today something like 25% are paid for and legal, the rest are stolen. The bands are putting in the effort and they should get paid for that. But unfortunately everyone expects something for free.

Q: Do you buy vinyl?
Ringo: I have a lot of vinyl. A lot of vinyl. But then I think what do I need it for? I’ve just got rid of tapes, cassettes. I have to be forceful and now I’m strictly CD. I bought one of those vinyl to CD machines, but it drives you mad. The programme didn’t seem to realise that the hiss was the gap between songs so it thinks the whole record is one track. I’m sure there are other programmes but I gave it up. There are vinyls I’ve had in my cupboard for years that I haven’t listened to.

Q: What is left for you to achieve?
Ringo: To be a better, more loving, human being. Musically, to have a great night when I am on stage with great players. That’s what it is about

Q: How do you relax?
Ringo: Dinner, movies. Walk round the fields. I’m pretty relaxed anyway

Q: Do you ever think about stopping?
Ringo: I did a long time ago. After every tour I’d say “that’s it I’ve retired”. But now I have no thought of retirement.

Ringo's rehearsals for Europe

2011-05-02T08:51:00.000+02:00

The making of a Beatles album cover

2011-04-30T12:25:00.003+02:00

The Beatles' Christmas Album (1970)

The back cover

One of our blog readers is in the possession of the raw materials used to produce the cover of the US Beatles album "The Christmas Album". He has sent us pictures of this, which we'd like to share with all our readers. All these photos are clickable, so that you can study them in greater detail.

The collection of photos used

In UK, the cover of this album was simply a reproduction of the 1963 christmas single, with a large white frame around it. A special cover was produced in the USA, and it looks a lot like it has been inspired by the UK "A Hard Day's Night" cover. It has individual portraits of John, Paul, George and Ringo, taken at various stages of their career, with a blue frame.

press photos of The Beatles

Various press photos of the Beatles were probably readily available at the Capitol records office.

George and Ringo

These are individual head shots of George and Ringo, used for the album cover production.

John and Paul

Ditto for John and Paul.

Yoko was removed

It was probably difficult to find a 1970 photo of John Lennon without Yoko by his side.

a colour photo of Paul was used, but was rendered in black and white on the cover

Ringo had to be moved closer to the rest of the guys on this photo from the Mad Day Out photo session of The Beatles sitting on a lawn.

The cover slick

A sealed sample copy

The Beatles' Christmas Album (released as From Then to You in the UK), was a 1970 compilation album of the Christmas records issued via the Beatles' Fan Club—and made available solely to members of their official fan clubs in the UK and the U.S.
It was mailed to them, free of charge, and these albums are now collectors items.
Track listings:
Side one

1. "The Beatles' Christmas Record" – 5:08
2. "Another Beatles Christmas Record" – 4:02
3. "The Beatles' Third Christmas Record" – 6:27
4. "The Beatles' Fourth Christmas Record – Pantomime: Everywhere It's Christmas" – 6:43

Side two

5. "Christmas Time is Here Again!" – 6:11
6. "The Beatles' 1968 Christmas Record" – 7:53
7. "The Beatles' Seventh Christmas Record" – 7:39

The US version had an Apple label.
For the full story, here's the Wikipedia entry on The Beatles Christmas Album.

McCartney & McCartney II: It's official

2011-04-27T18:09:00.005+02:00


DeLuxe editions

MCCARTNEY TRACKLIST:

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CD 1 - Remastered Album
1. The Lovely Linda
2. That Would Be Something
3. Valentine Day
4. Every Night
5. Hot As Sun / Glasses
6. Junk
7. Man We Was Lonely
8. Oo You
9. Momma Miss America
10. Teddy Boy
11 Singalong Junk
12. Maybe I'm Amazed
13. Kreen-Akrore

CD 2 - Bonus Audio Tracks
1. Suicide [Out-take]
2. Maybe I'm Amazed [From One Hand Clapping]
3. Every Night [Live At Glasgow, 1979]
4. Hot As Sun [Live At Glasgow, 1979]
5. Maybe '’m Amazed [Live At Glasgow, 1979]
6. Don't Cry Baby [Out-take]
7. Women Kind (Demo) [Mono]

DVD - Bonus Film
1. The Album Story
2. The Beach
3. Maybe I'm Amazed Music Video
4. Suicide [from One Hand Clapping]
5. Every Night [Live at Concert for the People of Kampuchea]
6. Hot As Sun [Live at Concert for the People of Kampuchea]
7. Junk [MTV Unplugged]
8. That Would Be Something [MTV Unplugged]

MCCARTNEY II TRACKLIST:

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CD 1 – Remastered Album
1. Coming Up
2. Temporary Secretary
3. On The Way
4. Waterfalls
5. Nobody Knows
6. Front Parlour
7. Summer’s Day Song
8. Frozen Jap
9. Bogey Music
10. Darkroom
11 One Of These Days

CD 2 – Bonus Audio 1
1. Blue Sway [With Richard Niles Orchestration]
2. Coming Up [Live At Glasgow, 1979]
3. Check My Machine [Edit]
4. Bogey Wobble
5. Secret Friend
6. Mr H Atom / You Know I'll Get you Baby
7. Wonderful Christmastime [Edited Version]
8. All You Horse Riders/Blue Sway

CD 3 - Bonus Audio 2 (DELUXE 3 CD – 1 DVD EDITION ONLY)
1. Coming Up [Full Length Version]
2. Front Parlour [Full Length Version]
3. Frozen Jap [Full Length Version]
4. Darkroom [Full Length Version]
5. Check My Machine [Full Length Version]
6. Wonderful Christmastime [Full Length Version]
7. Summer's Day Song [Original without vocals]
8. Waterfalls [DJ Edit]

DVD – Bonus Film
1. Meet Paul McCartney
2. Coming Up Music Video
3. Waterfalls Music Video
4. Wonderful Christmastime Music Video
5. Coming Up [Live at Concert for the People of Kampuchea]
6. 'Coming Up' [taken from a rehearsal session at Lower Gate Farm, 1979]
7. Making the Coming Up Music Video
8. Blue Sway

From paulmccartney.com:

Paul's Classic Solo Recordings McCartney & McCartney II Get Deluxe Treatment

Paul's Seminal Solo Albums Will Be Available In Multiple Configurations Featuring Remastered Rare And Unreleased Audio & Video Content With Special Exclusive Packaging

We are pleased to announce McCartney and McCartney II as the next releases in the Paul McCartney Archive Collection on June 13th, 2011 (14th June USA). Heralded as one of the most beloved solo debuts of all time, McCartney, the smash # 1 album, originally released April of 1970, yielded the timeless tracks "Every Night" and "Junk" along with the immortal classic "Maybe I'm Amazed." McCartney II originally issued in May of 1980 was McCartney's return to solo work after nine years touring and having released several massively successful albums with Wings. Reaching #1 in the UK, and #3 in the U.S., the album produced enduring classics such as "Coming Up," "Waterfalls," & "Temporary Secretary."

Paul personally supervised all aspects of these two reissues. The remastering work was done at Abbey Road using the same team who recently remastered the complete Beatles' catalogue.

Both McCartney and McCartney II will be available in a variety of formats originating with the single disc digitally remastered Standard Edition version of each album. (Only digital version is available in USA only)

McCartney will also be made available as a 2-disc (2 CD) Special Edition featuring the original remastered album plus seven bonus audio tracks including the previously unreleased outtakes "Suicide" and "Don't Cry Baby" plus a rare live 1979 recording of "Maybe I'm Amazed". For collectors, the reissue will additionally be made available as a lavishly packaged 3 disc (2 CD, 1 DVD) Deluxe Edition which includes an exclusive bonus DVD featuring rare and previously unseen footage, an extraordinary 128-page hard bound book containing many exclusive and unpublished photos by Paul and Linda McCartney, original album artwork, downloadable hi-res audio versions of the remastered album and bonus audio tracks, an illustrated history of the making of the album, and expanded track by track information for the two audio discs as well as detailed historical information on the film content.

Standard editions

McCartney II will also be made available as a 2-disc (2 CD) Special Edition featuring the original remastered album plus eight bonus tracks including B-Sides and alternative versions. The bonus audio CD includes the #1 hit "Coming Up (Live At Glasgow, 1979)" and holiday perennial "Wonderful Christmastime."

The lovingly packaged 4 disc (3 CD, 1 DVD) Deluxe Edition of McCartney II not only includes an exclusive bonus DVD featuring rare and previously unseen footage (including performances of 'Coming Up' and the new video for the unreleased track 'Blue Sway') but includes an additional eight rare bonus audio tracks exclusive to this edition. Additionally, the McCartney II deluxe edition contains an extraordinary 128-page hard bound book featuring many previously unpublished photos by Linda McCartney, original album and single artwork, downloadable hi-res audio versions of the remastered album, an illustrated history of the making of the album, and expanded track by track information for all three audio discs plus detailed historical information on the film content.

Both original remastered albums and bonus audio content will also be issued as 2 disc 180gm audiophile vinyl editions which will come with an MP3 download of all included audio. Lastly, the special and deluxe versions of McCartney and McCartney II will be made available digitally worldwide.

Vinyl editions

The musical achievement of McCartney and McCartney II are noted in the annals of music history as they serve as bookends to the historic first chapter of McCartney's solo career.

McCartney & McCartney II mark the second and third releases from the Paul McCartney Archive Collection, an ambitious reissue program that encompasses 41 years of cherished, classic material from the most successful songwriter and recording artist in music history. In November of 2010, the inaugural title in the Archive Collection, Paul McCartney & Wings' 1973 classic Band on the Run was released to worldwide acclaim.

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