Disney+ has recently unveiled the trailer for the documentary ‘Let It Be’ by The Beatles. This marks the first time in over 50 years that the film will be available for public viewing.
First released in May 1970 amidst the swirl of The Beatles’ breakup, Let It Be now takes its rightful place in the band’s history. Once viewed through a darker lens, the film is now brought to light through its restoration and in the context of revelations brought forth in Peter Jackson’s multiple Emmy Award®-winning docuseries, The Beatles: Get Back. Released on Disney+ in 2021, the docuseries showcases the iconic foursome’s warmth and camaraderie, capturing a pivotal moment in music history.
Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, stars John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, with a special appearance by Billy Preston. The film was produced by Neil Aspinall with The Beatles acting as executive producers.
Also...
First released in May 1970 amidst the swirl of The Beatles’ breakup, Let It Be now takes its rightful place in the band’s history. Once viewed through a darker lens, the film is now brought to light through its restoration and in the context of revelations brought forth in Peter Jackson’s multiple Emmy Award®-winning docuseries, The Beatles: Get Back. Released on Disney+ in 2021, the docuseries showcases the iconic foursome’s warmth and camaraderie, capturing a pivotal moment in music history.
Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, stars John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, with a special appearance by Billy Preston. The film was produced by Neil Aspinall with The Beatles acting as executive producers.
Also...
- 4/30/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Today, Disney+ announced that Let It Be, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s original 1970 film about The Beatles, will launch exclusively on Disney+ on May 8, 2024. This is the first time the film is available in over 50 years.
First released in May 1970 amidst the swirl of The Beatles’ breakup, Let It Be now takes its rightful place in the band’s history. Once viewed through a darker lens, the film is now brought to light through its restoration and in the context of revelations brought forth in Peter Jackson’s multiple Emmy Award-winning docuseries, The Beatles: Get Back. Released on Disney+ in 2021, the docuseries showcases the iconic foursome’s warmth and camaraderie, capturing a pivotal moment in music history.
Let It Be contains footage not featured in the Get Back docuseries, bringing viewers into the studio and onto Apple Corps’ London rooftop in January 1969 as The Beatles, joined by Billy Preston, write and...
First released in May 1970 amidst the swirl of The Beatles’ breakup, Let It Be now takes its rightful place in the band’s history. Once viewed through a darker lens, the film is now brought to light through its restoration and in the context of revelations brought forth in Peter Jackson’s multiple Emmy Award-winning docuseries, The Beatles: Get Back. Released on Disney+ in 2021, the docuseries showcases the iconic foursome’s warmth and camaraderie, capturing a pivotal moment in music history.
Let It Be contains footage not featured in the Get Back docuseries, bringing viewers into the studio and onto Apple Corps’ London rooftop in January 1969 as The Beatles, joined by Billy Preston, write and...
- 4/16/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
Let It Be, the long-unavailable Holy Grail film among Beatles fans, will return for public consumption on May 8 with an exclusive launch on Disney+, the streamer announced today.
Directing by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, the 1970 film about The Beatles has been unavailable for broadcast or public screenings more than 50 years, leaving fans to scrounge around for old low-quality laserdiscs and VHS copies from the ’80s.
First released in May 1970 amidst the swirl of The Beatles’ breakup, Let It Be has been restored and will take its place in the context of revelations brought by Peter Jackson’s docuseries The Beatles: Get Back released on Disney+ in 2021.
Let It Be contains footage not featured in the Get Back docuseries, “bringing viewers into the studio and onto Apple Corps’ London rooftop in January 1969 as The Beatles, joined by Billy Preston, write and record their Grammy Award-winning album Let It Be, with its Academy Award-winning title song,...
Directing by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, the 1970 film about The Beatles has been unavailable for broadcast or public screenings more than 50 years, leaving fans to scrounge around for old low-quality laserdiscs and VHS copies from the ’80s.
First released in May 1970 amidst the swirl of The Beatles’ breakup, Let It Be has been restored and will take its place in the context of revelations brought by Peter Jackson’s docuseries The Beatles: Get Back released on Disney+ in 2021.
Let It Be contains footage not featured in the Get Back docuseries, “bringing viewers into the studio and onto Apple Corps’ London rooftop in January 1969 as The Beatles, joined by Billy Preston, write and record their Grammy Award-winning album Let It Be, with its Academy Award-winning title song,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
In 1963, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr played the Royal Variety Show, one of their most stressful shows to date. Their popularity was on the rise and, suddenly, they found themselves performing for a large, wealthy audience. Lennon channeled his nerves into joking with the audience. Harrison rolled his eyes at parts of Lennon’s performance.
George Harrison said John Lennon was over the top during one show
In 1963, The Beatles nervously prepared to play the Royal Variety Show. Everyone in the audience bought expensive tickets and the Queen Mother was in attendance. Lennon pointed out their wealth as he introduced the band’s final song.
“For our last number, I’d like to ask your help,” he said, per The Beatles Anthology. “The people in the cheaper seats clap your hands, and the rest of you, if you’d just rattle your jewelry. We’d like...
George Harrison said John Lennon was over the top during one show
In 1963, The Beatles nervously prepared to play the Royal Variety Show. Everyone in the audience bought expensive tickets and the Queen Mother was in attendance. Lennon pointed out their wealth as he introduced the band’s final song.
“For our last number, I’d like to ask your help,” he said, per The Beatles Anthology. “The people in the cheaper seats clap your hands, and the rest of you, if you’d just rattle your jewelry. We’d like...
- 3/22/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles’ longtime producer George Martin worked with them on each album they put out in the 1960s. He was a key part of their success and got to know them well throughout their collaboration. Their antics, particularly in the early 1960s, grew familiar to him. Still, they sometimes pushed Martin too far. He shared what they did to let him down for the very first time.
The Beatles frustrated George Martin while recording songs in German
In the early 1960s, The Beatles traveled to Paris for a concert. While they were there, Martin booked them studio time to record German language versions of “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” A record company executive believed there was no chance the songs would sell in Germany if they were in English.
“I was disinclined to believe this, but that’s what he said and I told The Beatles,...
The Beatles frustrated George Martin while recording songs in German
In the early 1960s, The Beatles traveled to Paris for a concert. While they were there, Martin booked them studio time to record German language versions of “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” A record company executive believed there was no chance the songs would sell in Germany if they were in English.
“I was disinclined to believe this, but that’s what he said and I told The Beatles,...
- 3/9/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1967, The Beatles unveiled the cover for their album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It featured the four Beatles in colorful uniforms, surrounded by a group of historical and contemporary figures. It has gone down in history as one of the most iconic album covers of all time. Before the band released it, though, their lawyers worried it would land them in a heap of legal trouble.
The Beatles’ lawyers worried about one of their album covers
The cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band features musicians, movie stars, artists, and philosophers. Among the people on the cover are Bob Dylan, Mae West, former Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe, Karl Marx, and Fred Astaire. The collage of all these figures is what has made this cover famous. It is also what worried the band’s lawyers.
“When the cover was finished, [Emi chairman] Sir Joseph Lockwood had a meeting with Paul,...
The Beatles’ lawyers worried about one of their album covers
The cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band features musicians, movie stars, artists, and philosophers. Among the people on the cover are Bob Dylan, Mae West, former Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe, Karl Marx, and Fred Astaire. The collage of all these figures is what has made this cover famous. It is also what worried the band’s lawyers.
“When the cover was finished, [Emi chairman] Sir Joseph Lockwood had a meeting with Paul,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1965, The Beatles played their largest concert to date at New York’s Shea Stadium. The crowd was enormous, with 55,000 fans in attendance. The show symbolized the height of Beatlemania. The band played surrounded by thousands of people who screamed through the concert. Though they found it incredibly nerve-wracking and overwhelming, they still enjoyed the performance.
The Beatles | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
On Aug. 15, 1965, The Beatles took the stage at Shea Stadium. At this point in their careers, they were used to playing large concerts and facing the intensity of their fans. Still, they found this show particularly nerve-wracking.
“If you look at the film footage you can see how we reacted to the place,” Ringo Starr said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was very big and very strange.”
Their stage was on the baseball field, and fans filled the arena around them. According to John Lennon, they could...
The Beatles | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
On Aug. 15, 1965, The Beatles took the stage at Shea Stadium. At this point in their careers, they were used to playing large concerts and facing the intensity of their fans. Still, they found this show particularly nerve-wracking.
“If you look at the film footage you can see how we reacted to the place,” Ringo Starr said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was very big and very strange.”
Their stage was on the baseball field, and fans filled the arena around them. According to John Lennon, they could...
- 2/22/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Pop music phenoms come and go, fall in and out of favor and sometimes fade into total obscurity. Very few remain relevant a decade removed from their initial success, and you can count on maybe two hands the number of artists who can knock out a new song or reissue and top the Billboard charts 50-plus years after their debut.
And then there's The Beatles.
From the moment they scored their first number one hit in the U.K. with 1963's "From Me to You," The Beatles drew on their multitude of musical influences — blues, country, rockabilly, and the sui generis soul sounds pulsating out of Motown — to create perfectly constructed, infectiously catchy singles that earwormed their way into the fabric of your being. Within three years of breaking big in the U.S., they released the pioneering folk-rock LP "Rubber Soul," flirted with psychedelia and raga on the expansive "Revolver,...
And then there's The Beatles.
From the moment they scored their first number one hit in the U.K. with 1963's "From Me to You," The Beatles drew on their multitude of musical influences — blues, country, rockabilly, and the sui generis soul sounds pulsating out of Motown — to create perfectly constructed, infectiously catchy singles that earwormed their way into the fabric of your being. Within three years of breaking big in the U.S., they released the pioneering folk-rock LP "Rubber Soul," flirted with psychedelia and raga on the expansive "Revolver,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
In the latter half of the 1960s, George Harrison began writing more songs for The Beatles. While he hadn’t had much interest in songwriting early in the band’s career, he took it more seriously in later years. He was so dedicated to songwriting that he wrote one song while reeling from jetlag.
George Harrison wrote 1 Beatles song while suffering from jetlag
In 1967, Harrison traveled to Los Angeles with his wife, Pattie Boyd, road manager, Neil Aspinall, and friend, Alex Mardas. He went from the airport to his rental home, where Beatles press officer Derek Taylor was due to meet him. Taylor was running late, though.
“By the time we got there the song was virtually intact,” Taylor said, per the book A Hard Day’s Write: The Stories Behind Every Beatles Song by Steve Turner. “Of course, at the time I felt very bad. Here were these two...
George Harrison wrote 1 Beatles song while suffering from jetlag
In 1967, Harrison traveled to Los Angeles with his wife, Pattie Boyd, road manager, Neil Aspinall, and friend, Alex Mardas. He went from the airport to his rental home, where Beatles press officer Derek Taylor was due to meet him. Taylor was running late, though.
“By the time we got there the song was virtually intact,” Taylor said, per the book A Hard Day’s Write: The Stories Behind Every Beatles Song by Steve Turner. “Of course, at the time I felt very bad. Here were these two...
- 2/18/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1967, The Beatles performed “All You Need Is Love” on a live broadcast. The song was a swift success for the band and became an anthem for the summer of its release. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though. The band ran into copyright issues following the discovery that producer George Martin included a song that was not in the public domain.
The Beatles ran into trouble over ‘All You Need Is Love’
“All You Need Is Love” includes elements from several songs, including “La Marseillaise” and the 1939 song “In the Mood.” The latter eventually became a problem for the band.
“In arranging it, we shoved ‘La Marseillaise’ on the front, and a whole string of stuff on the end,” Martin said in The Beatles Anthology. “I fell into deep water over that. I’m afraid that amongst all the little bits and pieces I used in the play-out (which...
The Beatles ran into trouble over ‘All You Need Is Love’
“All You Need Is Love” includes elements from several songs, including “La Marseillaise” and the 1939 song “In the Mood.” The latter eventually became a problem for the band.
“In arranging it, we shoved ‘La Marseillaise’ on the front, and a whole string of stuff on the end,” Martin said in The Beatles Anthology. “I fell into deep water over that. I’m afraid that amongst all the little bits and pieces I used in the play-out (which...
- 2/9/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
During The Beatles’ touring years, they rarely could hear how they sounded live. The band played to large audiences who screamed all the way through their shows; they could hardly even hear their own instruments, let alone their bandmates’. They often complained about this, but when they finally played a show to a quiet audience, they didn’t like what they heard.
The Beatles did not like what they heard while playing a live show
In 1966, The Beatles traveled to Japan on their tour. They had recently received death threats, which the Japanese police took very seriously. They confined the band to their hotel and closely monitored the audience at the concerts.
“There were 3,000 police for 10,000 fans,” road manager Neil Aspinall said in The Beatles Anthology. “The police were all over the place, keeping them under control.”
The show was far quieter than what the band had experienced before.
“Peeping...
The Beatles did not like what they heard while playing a live show
In 1966, The Beatles traveled to Japan on their tour. They had recently received death threats, which the Japanese police took very seriously. They confined the band to their hotel and closely monitored the audience at the concerts.
“There were 3,000 police for 10,000 fans,” road manager Neil Aspinall said in The Beatles Anthology. “The police were all over the place, keeping them under control.”
The show was far quieter than what the band had experienced before.
“Peeping...
- 2/8/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In The Beatles’ touring years, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr dealt with screaming fans, natural disasters, and political unrest. The band felt exhausted and worn out by 1966, when they agreed to stop touring. This exhaustion came through during one early show, though. Harrison and Lennon were so fed up that they tried to leave in the middle of their performance.
George Harrison and John Lennon tried to leave in the middle of a concert
In 1963, The Beatles played a show at the Wimbledon Palais for their Southern Area Fan Club Convention. Beatlemania was not yet at its peak, but the band got a hint of how their future shows would go. They had mentioned liking the candy Jelly Babies, and fans began pelting them at the band during their performance. They felt boxed in, and Starr said they all began to get nervous.
“I remember we...
George Harrison and John Lennon tried to leave in the middle of a concert
In 1963, The Beatles played a show at the Wimbledon Palais for their Southern Area Fan Club Convention. Beatlemania was not yet at its peak, but the band got a hint of how their future shows would go. They had mentioned liking the candy Jelly Babies, and fans began pelting them at the band during their performance. They felt boxed in, and Starr said they all began to get nervous.
“I remember we...
- 2/2/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
At the peak of The Beatles’ fame, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were the most sought-after people in the world. Fans crowded them wherever they went and other celebrities wanted to be their friend. They met hundreds of new people after their rise to fame. According to Lennon, they didn’t like many of the people they met.
John Lennon said The Beatles didn’t like many of the new people they met
By the mid-1960s, The Beatles were the biggest band in the world. They’d met royalty and celebrities and were always on the invite list to parties.
“Everybody wanted to be The Beatles’ friend,” road manager Neil Aspinall said in The Beatles Anthology. “That’s showbusiness. I’ve always found it very transient. You meet people when you’re doing a gig and you might not meet them again for another six months or a year.
John Lennon said The Beatles didn’t like many of the new people they met
By the mid-1960s, The Beatles were the biggest band in the world. They’d met royalty and celebrities and were always on the invite list to parties.
“Everybody wanted to be The Beatles’ friend,” road manager Neil Aspinall said in The Beatles Anthology. “That’s showbusiness. I’ve always found it very transient. You meet people when you’re doing a gig and you might not meet them again for another six months or a year.
- 1/31/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Not long after Ringo Starr joined The Beatles, the band began to enjoy a seemingly endless string of No. 1 singles. They were so popular that it seemed unlikely that anyone would ever end their streak. Of course, someone eventually did, but the band didn’t take it too hard. According to Starr, The Beatles saw this as a relief.
Ringo Starr said The Beatles felt relieved when a single didn’t hit No. 1
In 1963, The Beatles began dominating the charts. For years, they were unbeatable; it seemed that nothing they released could fail. While this was exciting, Starr said it also put a great deal of pressure on the band.
“After Number One, where else is there to go? Number One was It,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “After that, of course, every bloody thing we did was Number One and it got strange because in a weird way...
Ringo Starr said The Beatles felt relieved when a single didn’t hit No. 1
In 1963, The Beatles began dominating the charts. For years, they were unbeatable; it seemed that nothing they released could fail. While this was exciting, Starr said it also put a great deal of pressure on the band.
“After Number One, where else is there to go? Number One was It,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “After that, of course, every bloody thing we did was Number One and it got strange because in a weird way...
- 1/21/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1994, Yoko Ono gave Paul McCartney demo tapes that would eventually become the 2023 Beatles song “Now and Then.” She helped bring a major piece of Beatles’ history to the world decades after her husband’s death. Several years before she gave McCartney the tapes, Ono also helped preserve more of the Beatles’ history. After Ono learned Beatles road manager Mal Evans’ memoir was slated for destruction, she stepped in to save it.
Beatles’ road manager Mal Evans wrote a book that was nearly destroyed
In 1988, artist Leena Kutti accepted a temporary position at New York publishing house G.P. Putnam’s Sons. She was to go through their storage room and clear it out. This meant throwing away much of the artwork and manuscripts stored there.
While sifting through boxes, Kutti discovered thousands of vintage photographs of The Beatles and a manuscript titled Living the Beatles’ Legend: Or 200 Miles to Go by Malcolm Evans.
Beatles’ road manager Mal Evans wrote a book that was nearly destroyed
In 1988, artist Leena Kutti accepted a temporary position at New York publishing house G.P. Putnam’s Sons. She was to go through their storage room and clear it out. This meant throwing away much of the artwork and manuscripts stored there.
While sifting through boxes, Kutti discovered thousands of vintage photographs of The Beatles and a manuscript titled Living the Beatles’ Legend: Or 200 Miles to Go by Malcolm Evans.
- 11/26/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney was the final Beatle to get married when he tied the knot in 1969. While one might expect to see pictures of the McCartneys celebrating with The Beatles and their wives, these images don’t exist. The other Beatles did not attend McCartney’s wedding. When reflecting on this, McCartney said he couldn’t remember if he’d invited them. Still, he understood why they didn’t attend.
Paul McCartney said Beatles relations were at an all-time low when he got married
In 1969, John Lennon announced he wanted to leave The Beatles, and McCartney got married. The band had been engaged in an icy battle over business affairs and their music, so group morale was not high. While McCartney enjoyed his wedding, he did so without the company of his longtime bandmates.
“I really don’t remember whether or not I invited any of the band to the wedding,...
Paul McCartney said Beatles relations were at an all-time low when he got married
In 1969, John Lennon announced he wanted to leave The Beatles, and McCartney got married. The band had been engaged in an icy battle over business affairs and their music, so group morale was not high. While McCartney enjoyed his wedding, he did so without the company of his longtime bandmates.
“I really don’t remember whether or not I invited any of the band to the wedding,...
- 11/23/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After the early 1960s, John Lennon and Paul McCartney didn’t collaborate as closely when writing Beatles songs. Still, they gave each other their opinions and helped finish pieces. McCartney asked Lennon for help completing “Eleanor Rigby.” Lennon explained that he was hurt when his bandmate asked him to work on it.
John Lennon said Paul McCartney can’t take all the credit for ‘Eleanor Rigby’
Lennon agreed that “Eleanor Rigby” was one of McCartney’s more complex songs, but he said this was partly thanks to him.
“Ah, the first verse was his and the rest are basically mine,” Lennon said in the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview With John Lennon and Yoko Ono. “But the way he did it … Well, he knew he had a song. But by that time he didn’t want to ask for my help, and we were sitting around...
John Lennon said Paul McCartney can’t take all the credit for ‘Eleanor Rigby’
Lennon agreed that “Eleanor Rigby” was one of McCartney’s more complex songs, but he said this was partly thanks to him.
“Ah, the first verse was his and the rest are basically mine,” Lennon said in the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview With John Lennon and Yoko Ono. “But the way he did it … Well, he knew he had a song. But by that time he didn’t want to ask for my help, and we were sitting around...
- 9/17/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
By the mid-1960s, John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote their songs apart, but they turned to each other for help perfecting them. According to Lennon, he helped a great deal with some of McCartney’s most popular songs. He explained that while one song was McCartney’s “baby,” he helped write all but the first verse.
John Lennon said he helped Paul McCartney write most of ‘Eleanor Rigby’
McCartney began working on “Eleanor Rigby” based on the image of someone picking up rice after a wedding. He believed this was so poignant that he wanted to write a song about loneliness.
When asked about the song, Lennon said it was “Paul’s baby, and I helped with the education of the child.” By this, he meant that the song would never have grown and matured if it hadn’t been for him.
“Ah, the first verse was his and the rest are basically mine,...
John Lennon said he helped Paul McCartney write most of ‘Eleanor Rigby’
McCartney began working on “Eleanor Rigby” based on the image of someone picking up rice after a wedding. He believed this was so poignant that he wanted to write a song about loneliness.
When asked about the song, Lennon said it was “Paul’s baby, and I helped with the education of the child.” By this, he meant that the song would never have grown and matured if it hadn’t been for him.
“Ah, the first verse was his and the rest are basically mine,...
- 9/14/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1969, The Beatles attended a Christmas party at Apple Corps. The previous year, George Harrison had invited the Hells Angels to a party that quickly devolved into chaos. At the 1969 party, audio engineer Geoff Emerick worried the night would end in horrible tragedy. The studio was under construction, and as the night wore on, he became increasingly — and rightfully — concerned that the floor would collapse under the partygoers.
A Beatles engineer worried about danger at a Christmas party
At the end of 1969, Apple Corps was under construction. The corporation hosted the Christmas party just after the demolition phase of the project, much to Emerick’s concern.
“The most memorable thing about the 1969 Christmas bash was that it nearly marked the end of Apple … literally,” Emerick wrote in his book Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles. “The demolition phase of the studio project had been completed by then,...
A Beatles engineer worried about danger at a Christmas party
At the end of 1969, Apple Corps was under construction. The corporation hosted the Christmas party just after the demolition phase of the project, much to Emerick’s concern.
“The most memorable thing about the 1969 Christmas bash was that it nearly marked the end of Apple … literally,” Emerick wrote in his book Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles. “The demolition phase of the studio project had been completed by then,...
- 9/12/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1967, Brian Epstein rushed into the studio to give The Beatles what he saw as thrilling news. He’d booked them a spot on a television program that would reach televisions around the world. Epstein saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; for the first time ever, a satellite would transmit a program worldwide. The Beatles didn’t think this was nearly as monumental as Epstein did. Their lack of interest nearly drove him to tears.
Brian Epstein almost cried at The Beatles’ lack of interest in a career opportunity
While The Beatles were putting the finishing touches on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Epstein rushed into the studio with exciting news. He didn’t often visit them during recording sessions, so everyone in the room eagerly awaited his announcement.
“With a grandiloquent sweep of his hands, he called for silence,” engineer Geoff Emerick wrote in his book Here,...
Brian Epstein almost cried at The Beatles’ lack of interest in a career opportunity
While The Beatles were putting the finishing touches on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Epstein rushed into the studio with exciting news. He didn’t often visit them during recording sessions, so everyone in the room eagerly awaited his announcement.
“With a grandiloquent sweep of his hands, he called for silence,” engineer Geoff Emerick wrote in his book Here,...
- 9/10/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Lennon-McCartney songwriting credit appeared on Beatles albums for years, even when Paul McCartney and John Lennon primarily wrote songs alone. The partnership was an enormously successful one. They sold millions of records and, at least early in their time with The Beatles, relied wholly on one another to finish songs. They worked more independently in the latter half of the 1960s, but Lennon’s longtime friend Pete Shotton said he still liked the Lennon-McCartney credit. He was too insecure to solely have his name on a song.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney used the Lennon-McCartney songwriting credit for years
In their early days with The Beatles, Lennon and McCartney spoke about writing “eyeball to eyeball.” They relied on one another to write hits. As they grew as musicians, though, they began writing independently and turning to each other for feedback. While they were highly competitive, Shotton said Lennon was...
John Lennon and Paul McCartney used the Lennon-McCartney songwriting credit for years
In their early days with The Beatles, Lennon and McCartney spoke about writing “eyeball to eyeball.” They relied on one another to write hits. As they grew as musicians, though, they began writing independently and turning to each other for feedback. While they were highly competitive, Shotton said Lennon was...
- 7/18/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
It seemed like Ringo Starr would do anything for The Beatles. He put up with Paul McCartney’s drumming instructions for years. He rushed to Yoko Ono’s side when John Lennon was killed. Out of principle and respect, the drummer even refused to record a song John gave him shortly after his bandmate died. Ringo nearly died just to get the perfect shot in the Beatles movie Help!
Ringo Starr risked drowning just to get the perfect shot in ‘Help!’
Years before Ringo proved his acting talent in serious movies, he acted in two Beatles movies. The Fab Four released A Hard Day’s Night in 1964 and followed up with Help! in 1964.
The drummer was the star of the show in that latter movie. The bejeweled ring a fan gave him was really a key piece of a sacrificial ritual, and the rightful owners want it back. Ringo’s willingness...
Ringo Starr risked drowning just to get the perfect shot in ‘Help!’
Years before Ringo proved his acting talent in serious movies, he acted in two Beatles movies. The Fab Four released A Hard Day’s Night in 1964 and followed up with Help! in 1964.
The drummer was the star of the show in that latter movie. The bejeweled ring a fan gave him was really a key piece of a sacrificial ritual, and the rightful owners want it back. Ringo’s willingness...
- 7/15/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1962, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison decided they wanted to fire drummer Pete Best. They unceremoniously replaced him with Ringo Starr and, in many ways, forgot about Best. Years later, though, Best received some recognition when tracks he drummed on appeared on Anthology 1. While McCartney reportedly called Best to make amends, the one-time Beatles drummer said this never happened.
Pete Best said he hasn’t spoken to Paul McCartney in years
After The Beatles fired Best, they dropped all contact with him. Best briefly continued his music career before finding work elsewhere. He didn’t see money from the recordings he did with The Beatles until they released Anthology 1 in 1995. Best drummed on multiple songs on the album. According to writer Phillip Norman, McCartney called Best to let him know he would be receiving royalties.
“The first he knew about it was a phone call from the one...
Pete Best said he hasn’t spoken to Paul McCartney in years
After The Beatles fired Best, they dropped all contact with him. Best briefly continued his music career before finding work elsewhere. He didn’t see money from the recordings he did with The Beatles until they released Anthology 1 in 1995. Best drummed on multiple songs on the album. According to writer Phillip Norman, McCartney called Best to let him know he would be receiving royalties.
“The first he knew about it was a phone call from the one...
- 7/10/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles and Bob Dylan had a complicated relationship. They adored him and put him on a pedestal. John Lennon said Yoko Ono was as important to his career as Dylan and Paul McCartney combined, which was a massive compliment to all three of them. He respected their music, which contrasted how Dylan pranked The Beatles when he got them high for the first time.
Bob Dylan pranked The Beatles by pushing them out of their chairs the first time they got high
The Beatles routinely consumed pep pills to make it through their long nights performing in Hamburg, Germany. They were no strangers to drugs when they met Dylan and got high with him in late 1964. Yet the drugs they used in Germany were secretly acquired prescription pills, not illegal substances like marijuana that the singer gave to the band.
The troubadour turning the Fab Four onto pot might...
Bob Dylan pranked The Beatles by pushing them out of their chairs the first time they got high
The Beatles routinely consumed pep pills to make it through their long nights performing in Hamburg, Germany. They were no strangers to drugs when they met Dylan and got high with him in late 1964. Yet the drugs they used in Germany were secretly acquired prescription pills, not illegal substances like marijuana that the singer gave to the band.
The troubadour turning the Fab Four onto pot might...
- 6/30/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
By the mid-1960s, The Beatles were sick of their schedule of live performances. They were exhausted by travel, schemes to dodge over-enthusiastic fans, and, on the darker end, death threats. The band had unprecedented popularity and success, but some were beginning to turn against them. At one performance in Memphis, they experienced a moment of fear when they believed someone had followed through on the threats against them.
The Beatles | Central Press/Getty Images The Beatles worried that someone attacked them during a performance
When The Beatles went out in public for much of the 1960s, they had to avoid hoards of dedicated fans. Crowds swarmed them, blocking their escape from venues and, often, leaving them confined to their hotels.
The negative attention on them was more frightening. In 1966, John Lennon’s comment about The Beatles being more popular than Jesus surfaced. People boycotted the band and made death threats.
The Beatles | Central Press/Getty Images The Beatles worried that someone attacked them during a performance
When The Beatles went out in public for much of the 1960s, they had to avoid hoards of dedicated fans. Crowds swarmed them, blocking their escape from venues and, often, leaving them confined to their hotels.
The negative attention on them was more frightening. In 1966, John Lennon’s comment about The Beatles being more popular than Jesus surfaced. People boycotted the band and made death threats.
- 6/7/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
George Harrison met the Hells Angels on a trip to San Francisco and extended an invitation to them. He told the group they were welcome to visit The Beatles’ Apple Corps whenever they were in England. They took him up on his invitation, much to the disappointment of others at Apple. The Hells Angels caused chaos at a Christmas party, but Harrison only heard about this later. He didn’t attend because he worried there would be trouble.
George Harrison | William Lovelace/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images George Harrison invited the Hells Angels to a party
When Harrison found out the Hells Angels were coming to Apple, he issued a memo to the company.
“I quickly put a memo out to everybody, saying: ‘Watch out, don’t let them take over. You have to keep doing what you’re doing, but just be nice to them. And don’t...
George Harrison | William Lovelace/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images George Harrison invited the Hells Angels to a party
When Harrison found out the Hells Angels were coming to Apple, he issued a memo to the company.
“I quickly put a memo out to everybody, saying: ‘Watch out, don’t let them take over. You have to keep doing what you’re doing, but just be nice to them. And don’t...
- 6/5/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles rocketed to international superstardom soon after they dumped drummer Pete Best. Ringo Starr entered the fray, the band sent its first album, Please Please Me, to the top of the charts in England, and the rest is history. John Lennon’s last words to Best in 1962 were fitting — a boring and simple sendoff to a band member about to lose his job.
(l-r) Pete Best and John Lennon | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images John Lennon’s last words to Pete Best were incredibly boring: ‘I’ve got other arrangements’
Being remembered as the person who lost his job before the band found fame doesn’t show it, but Pete Best was instrumental to the early success of The Beatles.
His mother, Mona Best, owned Liverpool’s Casbah Club, a venue they frequently played in the early years. She also managed them briefly. The Beatles’ first drummer performed with...
(l-r) Pete Best and John Lennon | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images John Lennon’s last words to Pete Best were incredibly boring: ‘I’ve got other arrangements’
Being remembered as the person who lost his job before the band found fame doesn’t show it, but Pete Best was instrumental to the early success of The Beatles.
His mother, Mona Best, owned Liverpool’s Casbah Club, a venue they frequently played in the early years. She also managed them briefly. The Beatles’ first drummer performed with...
- 6/1/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1964, Bob Dylan met The Beatles and showed an immediate interest in John Lennon. According to The Beatles’ road manager, Dylan viewed Lennon as the leader of the band. They began spending time together, likely to Lennon’s delight. He was a huge fan of Dylan and took inspiration from him. As time went on, though, Lennon’s opinion of Dylan shifted. He grew more critical of the American artist at the same time that Dylan started showing more appreciation for him.
Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Cyrus Andrews/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images John Lennon and The Beatles were early fans of Bob Dylan, but Dylan didn’t want to admit he liked them
Even before The Beatles met Dylan, they admired his music. Dylan was an early influence on them.
“For three weeks in Paris, we didn’t stop playing it,...
Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Cyrus Andrews/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images John Lennon and The Beatles were early fans of Bob Dylan, but Dylan didn’t want to admit he liked them
Even before The Beatles met Dylan, they admired his music. Dylan was an early influence on them.
“For three weeks in Paris, we didn’t stop playing it,...
- 5/5/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Before Ringo Starr was the drummer, The Beatles included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best. They played together as a group for two years before the band decided they wanted to replace Best with Starr. They fired him unexpectedly, and nobody could give him a straight answer about why they wanted him out. According to the band’s longtime road manager Neil Aspinall, though, Harrison was the driving force behind Best’s exit from the group.
Paul McCartney, Pete Best, George Harrison, and John Lennon | Hulton Archive/Getty Images George Harrison reportedly wanted Pete Best out of The Beatles
When Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison came to their manager, Brian Epstein, and told him they wanted to fire Best, he was unhappy with them. Best had one of the largest fan followings in the group; dropping him made little sense to Epstein.
“I knew how popular Pete was,...
Paul McCartney, Pete Best, George Harrison, and John Lennon | Hulton Archive/Getty Images George Harrison reportedly wanted Pete Best out of The Beatles
When Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison came to their manager, Brian Epstein, and told him they wanted to fire Best, he was unhappy with them. Best had one of the largest fan followings in the group; dropping him made little sense to Epstein.
“I knew how popular Pete was,...
- 4/26/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Before John Lennon fell in love with Yoko Ono (or perhaps in the midst of it), it was a private joke between him and his first wife Cynthia how eccentric and crazed the artist appeared to them. Here are some of the drastic measures Yoko took to gain John’s attention.
Cynthia and John Lennon | Jangs/Daily Herald/Mirrorpix via Getty Images Yoko Ono would show up at the Apple offices and Abbey Road recording studios demanding to see John Lennon
After Yoko and John first met at an art exhibit, the artist repeatedly tried to get in contact with the Beatle. Shortly after their meeting, John began supporting Yoko’s art financially. Cynthia worried this would encourage Yoko to ask for more, and it did.
One day, she showed up at the Apple offices and demanded to speak to John. When she was told that the Beatle was hardly ever at the office,...
Cynthia and John Lennon | Jangs/Daily Herald/Mirrorpix via Getty Images Yoko Ono would show up at the Apple offices and Abbey Road recording studios demanding to see John Lennon
After Yoko and John first met at an art exhibit, the artist repeatedly tried to get in contact with the Beatle. Shortly after their meeting, John began supporting Yoko’s art financially. Cynthia worried this would encourage Yoko to ask for more, and it did.
One day, she showed up at the Apple offices and demanded to speak to John. When she was told that the Beatle was hardly ever at the office,...
- 4/22/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Fifty years ago, The Beatles released the Red and Blue Albums, officially titled 1962-1966 and 1967-1970. The anthologies came out on April 2, 1973, and became the foundation of the Beatles legend for the next few decades. Arguably the most influential greatest-hits albums in history. The gateway drug into the Beatles songbook for generations of fans. Their most crucial post-break-up albums, even if the Fab Four wanted nothing to do with them. But these weren’t cheesy samplers—they were double-vinyl shrines with iconic artwork, celebrating the mystique of John Lennon, Paul McCartney,...
- 4/2/2023
- by Rob Sheffield
- Rollingstone.com
There were many important people to The Beatles. Their friends and families go without being said. However, other essential people ensured the Fab Four were safe and cared for in their day-to-day lives. Here are the top 10 people crucial to The Beatles’ success and well-being.
Derek Taylor and The Beatles | Mirrorpix/Getty Images 10. Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein was The Beatles’ manager. He heard about them after a customer asked if he had a copy of The Beatles’ German single at his family’s record store. He learned they were from Liverpool and saw them play at The Cavern Club. Epstein didn’t always make the best financial decisions for the band, but he was like their father figure. He helped them the most, and when he unexpectedly died in 1967, they were left struggling to keep themselves afloat. John Lennon once said going somewhere without Epstein was like going somewhere without your pants on.
Derek Taylor and The Beatles | Mirrorpix/Getty Images 10. Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein was The Beatles’ manager. He heard about them after a customer asked if he had a copy of The Beatles’ German single at his family’s record store. He learned they were from Liverpool and saw them play at The Cavern Club. Epstein didn’t always make the best financial decisions for the band, but he was like their father figure. He helped them the most, and when he unexpectedly died in 1967, they were left struggling to keep themselves afloat. John Lennon once said going somewhere without Epstein was like going somewhere without your pants on.
- 3/24/2023
- by Hannah Wigandt
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In the frenzied days of Beatlemania, the Beatles had a reputation for being cute, funny, and approachable. While some worried that they were a bad influence on young people, they were, for the most part, clean-cut. The band’s road manager, Neil Aspinall, said they weren’t actually how their reputation made them seem, though.
The Beatles | CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images Brian Epstein didn’t want to fabricate any part of The Beatles’ reputation
The Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, found himself in a comfortable position during Beatlemania. He no longer had to promote the band to the press; they came to him looking for stories. He did not want to invent anything about the band. Instead, he believed that every story should promote their already existing attributes.
“In all our handouts and in all our press dealings, Brian only stressed what was good about them,” press officer Tony Barrow said,...
The Beatles | CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images Brian Epstein didn’t want to fabricate any part of The Beatles’ reputation
The Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, found himself in a comfortable position during Beatlemania. He no longer had to promote the band to the press; they came to him looking for stories. He did not want to invent anything about the band. Instead, he believed that every story should promote their already existing attributes.
“In all our handouts and in all our press dealings, Brian only stressed what was good about them,” press officer Tony Barrow said,...
- 3/19/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Bob Dylan and John Lennon were friends, but they were complete opposites in their approach to the media. Lennon was very revealing in interviews, particularly in the immediate aftermath of The Beatles’ breakup. He spoke candidly about his relationship with Yoko Ono and his distaste for other artists. Dylan, on the other hand, remained enigmatic. While he has given hundreds of interviews in his career, he is much less willing to open his private life to media scrutiny than Lennon was. In some ways, though, this has increased speculation about him.
Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Express Newspapers/Getty Images; George Stroud/Express/Getty Images Bob Dylan admired John Lennon
Dylan first met The Beatles in 1964 and quickly gravitated toward Lennon. The Beatles’ road manager Neil Aspinall believed that Dylan recognized Lennon as the leader of the band. Lennon also took a great deal of musical inspiration from Dylan and enjoyed his friendship.
Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Express Newspapers/Getty Images; George Stroud/Express/Getty Images Bob Dylan admired John Lennon
Dylan first met The Beatles in 1964 and quickly gravitated toward Lennon. The Beatles’ road manager Neil Aspinall believed that Dylan recognized Lennon as the leader of the band. Lennon also took a great deal of musical inspiration from Dylan and enjoyed his friendship.
- 3/4/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While many believed The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to be heated rivals, the bands were decent friends who often collaborated. For instance, Paul McCartney and John Lennon gave the Stones their first big hit with “I Wanna Be Your Man.” The two bands have some surprise collaborations, and The Rolling Stones members did appear on a few songs by The Beatles.
Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger | Victor Blackman/Express/Getty Images Here are 3 Beatles songs that feature Rolling Stones members ‘Yellow Submarine’
“Yellow Submarine” was released in 1966 as a single and was later included in The Beatles’ Revolver. The song is Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s attempt at writing a children’s song, which could explain the simplistic lyrics and various sound effects. The sound effects include items such as bells, chains, whistles, hooters, a cash till, and a tin bath.
McCartney and Lennon were friends with Rolling...
Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger | Victor Blackman/Express/Getty Images Here are 3 Beatles songs that feature Rolling Stones members ‘Yellow Submarine’
“Yellow Submarine” was released in 1966 as a single and was later included in The Beatles’ Revolver. The song is Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s attempt at writing a children’s song, which could explain the simplistic lyrics and various sound effects. The sound effects include items such as bells, chains, whistles, hooters, a cash till, and a tin bath.
McCartney and Lennon were friends with Rolling...
- 3/4/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In the early 1960s, Bob Dylan and The Beatles rose to fame, becoming key figures in the music industry. The Beatles frequently spoke about Dylan’s influence and how often they listened to his music. Dylan met and liked all four members of the band, but he didn’t speak nearly as much about being a fan of them. Dylan explained there were several reasons he didn’t want to admit that he listened to The Beatles.
Bob Dylan | Cyrus Andrews/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images The Beatles and Bob Dylan rose to fame at roughly the same time
In 1963, Dylan released The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. This was his second studio album but the first to feature primarily original songs. Much of the album consisted of political songs, cementing his reputation as a folk singer. The album peaked at No. 22 in the United States but hit No. 1 in the United Kingdom.
Bob Dylan | Cyrus Andrews/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images The Beatles and Bob Dylan rose to fame at roughly the same time
In 1963, Dylan released The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. This was his second studio album but the first to feature primarily original songs. Much of the album consisted of political songs, cementing his reputation as a folk singer. The album peaked at No. 22 in the United States but hit No. 1 in the United Kingdom.
- 2/27/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Bob Dylan became friends after The Beatles met the American musician. Lennon happily discussed Dylan’s impact on his songwriting, but Dylan didn’t often talk about whether or not The Beatles had an effect on him. This irritated Lennon, who would later go on to insult Dylan.
Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Express Newspapers/Getty Images; George Stroud/Express/Getty Images John Lennon and Bob Dylan were close friends
Dylan met The Beatles at New York’s Delmonico Hotel in 1964. He spent time with the whole band, but according to Beatles’ road manager Neil Aspinall, he had the most respect for Lennon.
“If ever Bob got together with the Beatles after that, John was always the one he zeroed in on,” Aspinall said, per the book John Lennon: The Life by Phillip Norman. “He knew who was the leader of the band.”
"I think (Paris) was...
Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Express Newspapers/Getty Images; George Stroud/Express/Getty Images John Lennon and Bob Dylan were close friends
Dylan met The Beatles at New York’s Delmonico Hotel in 1964. He spent time with the whole band, but according to Beatles’ road manager Neil Aspinall, he had the most respect for Lennon.
“If ever Bob got together with the Beatles after that, John was always the one he zeroed in on,” Aspinall said, per the book John Lennon: The Life by Phillip Norman. “He knew who was the leader of the band.”
"I think (Paris) was...
- 2/5/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Bob Dylan were two of the most influential artists of the 1960s, and they had a great deal of respect for one another. While they enjoyed spending time together, Lennon admitted they were often “uptight.” This dynamic was on full display when the two artists rode around in the back of a limo for the documentary film Eat the Document. Their conversation was aimless, and afterward, Dylan got sick. As this was happening, Lennon feared that Dylan was going to die.
Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Blank Archives/Getty Images; George Stroud/Express/Getty Images Bob Dylan and John Lennon first met in 1964
In 1964, Dylan met The Beatles at the Delmonico Hotel in New York. He introduced the band to marijuana, and Lennon used this as an opportunity to assert his dominance over the group. When Dylan offered them a joint, Lennon ordered Ringo Starr to try it first.
Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Blank Archives/Getty Images; George Stroud/Express/Getty Images Bob Dylan and John Lennon first met in 1964
In 1964, Dylan met The Beatles at the Delmonico Hotel in New York. He introduced the band to marijuana, and Lennon used this as an opportunity to assert his dominance over the group. When Dylan offered them a joint, Lennon ordered Ringo Starr to try it first.
- 2/4/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney was a fan of Bob Dylan’s music, and he felt that meeting the American musician marked a turning point in The Beatles’ career. Dylan has also expressed his appreciation for McCartney’s music, even joking that he wished the former Beatle would retire because of his talent. He reportedly didn’t always feel this way about McCartney, though. According to filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker, who worked with Dylan several times, Dylan didn’t even like being in the same room with McCartney when he played music.
Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney | Express Newspapers/Getty Images; Express/Express/Getty Images The American musician met The Beatles in 1964
Dylan met The Beatles in 1964 at New York’s Delmonico Hotel. Here, he introduced the band to marijuana.
“George Harrison, John [Lennon], and I were sitting in the main room of the suite, the lounge, drinking,” McCartney explained, per the book Paul McCartney:...
Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney | Express Newspapers/Getty Images; Express/Express/Getty Images The American musician met The Beatles in 1964
Dylan met The Beatles in 1964 at New York’s Delmonico Hotel. Here, he introduced the band to marijuana.
“George Harrison, John [Lennon], and I were sitting in the main room of the suite, the lounge, drinking,” McCartney explained, per the book Paul McCartney:...
- 2/1/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The clarity of Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back brings a lot out in the mix. Audiences can see chord changes and teary eyes. Members of The Beatles’ inner circle also make appearances. Peter Brown, who was Brian Epstein’s assistant, pops by with papers. Longtime friends Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans, the managing director of Apple and the band’s road manager, respectively, stick around to make sure the band is getting what they need, while co-producer and engineer Glyn Johns does the same for the audio. Jackson also gives hazy focus to the man who disturbed the sound, Yanni “John” Alexis Mardas, better known as “Magic Alex.”
In The Beatles: Get Back, Magic Alex develops, designs, and delivers a state-of-the-art recording console, which creates far too much hum to be usable in recordings. He also gifts John Lennon with the prototype of a combination rhythm guitar and bass.
In The Beatles: Get Back, Magic Alex develops, designs, and delivers a state-of-the-art recording console, which creates far too much hum to be usable in recordings. He also gifts John Lennon with the prototype of a combination rhythm guitar and bass.
- 12/1/2021
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
This article is a part of Rs Recommends, an editorial series reviewing products in music and entertainment. Items are independently selected; Penske Media may earn a commission from purchases made from our links.
Related: 100 Greatest Beatles Songs, Ranked
On the heels of director Danny Boyle’s recent film Yesterday — the story about an alternative reality where the Beatles never existed — we rounded up some of the best Fab Four collectibles we could find. Thanks to the fact the Beatles did exist in this reality, there are plenty of awesome, epic and…...
Related: 100 Greatest Beatles Songs, Ranked
On the heels of director Danny Boyle’s recent film Yesterday — the story about an alternative reality where the Beatles never existed — we rounded up some of the best Fab Four collectibles we could find. Thanks to the fact the Beatles did exist in this reality, there are plenty of awesome, epic and…...
- 4/10/2020
- by James Schiff
- Rollingstone.com
Fifty years ago, the Beatles walked across a street in London for a photo shoot that would become the cover of their next album, Abbey Road — an anniversary that was commemorated on Thursday with crowds and news crews. But for John Kosh, the Apple Records art director who had to turn those shots into an album cover, that was only step one in creating one of rock’s most recognizable covers.
In 1969, Kosh was what he calls the “creative art director” for Apple Records, the Beatles’ label, and had an...
In 1969, Kosh was what he calls the “creative art director” for Apple Records, the Beatles’ label, and had an...
- 8/9/2019
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Yesterday is a movie full of existential questions: What if the Beatles never happened? What if nobody knew their songs? Would people still fall in love without “Eight Days a Week” to show them how? Would people feel sorry for themselves without “For No One” or “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” or “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”? And what if we heard their songs now for the first time? And, most importantly: What if some charmless guitar-slinging douchebag just happened to show up one day with 100 or...
- 7/1/2019
- by Rob Sheffield
- Rollingstone.com
A pair of legal letters that foretold the eventual dissolution of the Beatles are now for sale.
Both letters, from January 1969 and April 1969, were sent to John Eastman and Lee Eastman, the father and brother of Linda Eastman, who would marry Paul McCartney in March 1969.
Moments in Time is selling both letters: The January 1969 letter is available for $225,000, while the April 1969 letter has an asking price of $325,000.
The January 1969 letter, signed by all four Beatles as well as Apple Corps head Neil Aspinall, is addressed to John Eastman informing him...
Both letters, from January 1969 and April 1969, were sent to John Eastman and Lee Eastman, the father and brother of Linda Eastman, who would marry Paul McCartney in March 1969.
Moments in Time is selling both letters: The January 1969 letter is available for $225,000, while the April 1969 letter has an asking price of $325,000.
The January 1969 letter, signed by all four Beatles as well as Apple Corps head Neil Aspinall, is addressed to John Eastman informing him...
- 2/3/2019
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Let It Be has one of the most well-chronicled production and recording processes of any album in existence. Released in 1970, the album was the final Beatles record (though it was recorded before 1969’s Abbey Road) and came at a time when tensions within the group were at an all-time high, with the involvement of super producer (and future murderer) Phil Spector not exactly helping matters. But now, to commemorate the upcoming 50th anniversary of its release, it’s been announced that Peter Jackson will be directing a new documentary about it.
Of course, this won’t be the first documentary about Let It Be. The making of the album was recorded for a doc (also called Let It Be) directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg and released in 1970. The movie quickly became notorious for showing the clearly frustrated group snapping at one another and the finished product was greeted with unfavorable reviews,...
Of course, this won’t be the first documentary about Let It Be. The making of the album was recorded for a doc (also called Let It Be) directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg and released in 1970. The movie quickly became notorious for showing the clearly frustrated group snapping at one another and the finished product was greeted with unfavorable reviews,...
- 1/30/2019
- by David James
- We Got This Covered
For those of us who weren’t lucky enough to attend a Beatles concert in the 1960s, Ron Howard’s Eight Days a Week just might be the next best thing. The 2016 documentary traces the band’s rise from a cramped and dank cellar in Liverpool to record breaking television appearances, jam packed stadiums, and—ultimately—rock immortality. Lovingly assembled through rare and often unseen fan home movie footage, Howard’s film also draws on more familiar material—restored to the highest echelons of HD— and new interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. All told, it’s a joyous...
- 11/21/2017
- by Jordan Runtagh
- PEOPLE.com
Beatlemania is alive and well on planet Earth. Director Ron Howard’s documentary “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years” has been filling theaters around the world despite Hulu releasing the film on its streaming platform the same weekend as the doc’s U.S. theatrical release.
Watch: ‘The Beatles: Eight Days a Week’ Trailer: See the Band on the Run
What was initially planned as a one-week U.S. theatrical run in 85 theaters has expanded to 180 cinemas, with nearly every venue holding the movie over for a second week, according to Richard Abramowitz, president of specialty distributor Abramorama. Appetite for the film is so strong that some Beatles fans have even emailed producer Nigel Sinclair’s White Horse Pictures complaining that the movie wasn’t being shown in their town.
According to Sinclair, Abramowitz immediately booked the film in towns that reached out. Since hitting theaters...
Watch: ‘The Beatles: Eight Days a Week’ Trailer: See the Band on the Run
What was initially planned as a one-week U.S. theatrical run in 85 theaters has expanded to 180 cinemas, with nearly every venue holding the movie over for a second week, according to Richard Abramowitz, president of specialty distributor Abramorama. Appetite for the film is so strong that some Beatles fans have even emailed producer Nigel Sinclair’s White Horse Pictures complaining that the movie wasn’t being shown in their town.
According to Sinclair, Abramowitz immediately booked the film in towns that reached out. Since hitting theaters...
- 9/29/2016
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Never one to look at a historical reenactment and shrug, "It's been done," Tom Hanks has added another well-mined story to his slate of productions about World War II and the JFK assassination, this time looking sort-of-anew at The Beatles. Of course, much as Hanks' Parkland will approach the death of John F. Kennedy through people on the sidelines, this film will be about "the fifth Beatle" who is not George Martin, Derek Taylor, Neil Aspinall, Stuart Sutcliffe, Billy Preston, Pete Best, etc.: Brian Epstein, the group's troubled first manager, whose private struggles with his drug and gambling ...
- 10/31/2012
- avclub.com
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, in partnership with Revolution Films, will produce a new biopic feature on "The Beatles" based on the 1972 novel "The Longest Cocktail Party: An Insider's Diary Of The Beatles, Their Million Dollar Apple Empire And Its Wild Rise And Fall, by author Richard Dilello.
The rock history book, following The Beatles from their 1967 heyday to their breakup in 1970, was published in 1973 by Playboy Press, then reprinted in 1981 and 2005.
The title is a reference to the habit of entertaining members of the media with expensive drinks, luncheons and perks.
Dilello served as 'house hippie' (Client Liaison Officer) from 1968 to 1970, becoming acquainted with each of the Beatles, their wives, girlfriends and the inner circle of agents/managers, who worked with Apple, including business manager Allen Klein, attorneys Lee and John Eastman, road managers (and Apple directors) Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall, press agent and author Derek Taylor, members of Apple bands Badfinger,...
The rock history book, following The Beatles from their 1967 heyday to their breakup in 1970, was published in 1973 by Playboy Press, then reprinted in 1981 and 2005.
The title is a reference to the habit of entertaining members of the media with expensive drinks, luncheons and perks.
Dilello served as 'house hippie' (Client Liaison Officer) from 1968 to 1970, becoming acquainted with each of the Beatles, their wives, girlfriends and the inner circle of agents/managers, who worked with Apple, including business manager Allen Klein, attorneys Lee and John Eastman, road managers (and Apple directors) Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall, press agent and author Derek Taylor, members of Apple bands Badfinger,...
- 5/7/2010
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
The Who's Pete Townshend paid a moving musical tribute to Neil Aspinall at his funeral on Monday - by performing two of Aspinall's favourite songs at the ceremony.
Townshend played Bob Dylan's Mr Tambourine Man and late Beatle George Harrison's My Sweet Lord at the service in St Mary-the-Virgin church in Twickenham, England.
Aspinall was widely acknowledged as the 'Fifth Beatle' because of his close ties to bandmembers Sir Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. He served as the former road manager and business advisor for the Fab Four for over 40 years, and even sang backing vocals for the group's hit Yellow Submarine.
Mourners at the funeral included McCartney's children Stella and James, Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and their son Julian Lennon, Ringo Starr's wife Barbara Bach, Beatles producer Sir George Martin, and the band's original drummer Pete Best.
Aspinall died last month of lung cancer aged 66.
Townshend played Bob Dylan's Mr Tambourine Man and late Beatle George Harrison's My Sweet Lord at the service in St Mary-the-Virgin church in Twickenham, England.
Aspinall was widely acknowledged as the 'Fifth Beatle' because of his close ties to bandmembers Sir Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. He served as the former road manager and business advisor for the Fab Four for over 40 years, and even sang backing vocals for the group's hit Yellow Submarine.
Mourners at the funeral included McCartney's children Stella and James, Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and their son Julian Lennon, Ringo Starr's wife Barbara Bach, Beatles producer Sir George Martin, and the band's original drummer Pete Best.
Aspinall died last month of lung cancer aged 66.
- 4/8/2008
- WENN
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