watching rainbows: child of nature's beatles blog

Holland - June 1964

2011-06-03T14:21:00.008-05:00

Just two days before the Beatles were to embark on a major tour that would take them to Denmark, Holland, Hong Kong and Australia, Ringo Starr suddenly fell ill with tonsillitis. It seemed strange to the other Beatles that they should continue without Ringo, but nevertheless, Ringo's replacement, Jimmy Nichol, was quickly ushered into EMI Studio 2 for rehearsals later that same afternoon of June 3rd. Ringo was finally able to join John, Paul and George in Sydney, Australia, on June 14th.

The photos in this entry which show the Beatles and Jimmy in their gray suits with black velvet collars were taken from the June 5th TV performance in Amsterdam, Holland, for the television special, The Beatles in Nederland. This special began with an interview segment before the six-song concert. The Beatles mimed playing their instruments, but Paul and George sang along with the cv vocals, providing a quite unusual effect. By the end of the show, many members of the audience had made their way down to the Beatles and were dancing madly about, basically manhandling John, Paul and George in the process!

The other photos were taken on June 6th at the Beatles' evening concert in Blokker. I love the flower boxes in front of the stage - quite a nice touch and something perfect for folks in Holland to do!

October 1964 - The Autumn UK Tour

2010-12-30T11:52:00.014-05:00

The above photos were scanned by me and taken from various issues of Beatles Monthly, ranging from the first original run all the way to 1999. These photos were all taken backstage (or on stage) at the Brighton Hippodrome on October 25, 1964.

Raging Beatlemania in the UK had been thriving for over a year at this point, and the Beatles were already beginning to tire of the grind of performing, promoting and meeting various celebrities backstage between shows. They were also beginning to show some uneasiness regarding their next single, "I Feel Fine," which was the first sign of doubt they had expressed to Monthly editor Johnny Dean. Dean also witnessed discussions about promoting singles, EPs, concerts, etc., all taking place in the cramped backstage dressing room area. He was also shown the tracklisting for what was to be their next LP - Beatles for Sale.

On this particular occasion, neither John or George were in the mood to entertain celebrity visitors, but Richard Harris and his wife were allowed backstage. Prior to their visit, George had consented to have his palms read by a local fortuneteller, which was captured on film by photographer Leslie Bryce.

Before Mr. and Mrs. Harris entered, John hid under a green plastic mac in the corner, pretending to be asleep. George didn't bother to hide - he just pretended to sleep while the visitors were paraded through the dressing room! Apparently Paul and Ringo were rather reticent with their guests, who quickly decided to exit after procuring autographs from the two "awake" Beatles. As soon as they left, John and George arose to watch television, and the food was brought in, which consisted of basic pub grub: steak, peas and chips.

Their frustration is visible in these photos, as well as their good humor and closeness. I believe it was George who indicated that he always felt sorry for Elvis - there was only one Elvis who knew what it was like to have that level of fame. Thankfully, there were four Beatles who understood what it was like to be in the eye of the hurricane for those wonderfully magical, yet truly overwhelming, years of Beatlemania. They sacrificed their nervous systems and gave the world a chance to go insane! (George Harrison, paraphrased) Thank you, lads.

Collaborations

2010-11-07T19:10:00.004-05:00

In celebration of the lavish limited edition Collaborations box set, which collects the recordings produced by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, I bring you some scans from the 1974 Dark Horse tour program.

Always and Forever

2010-10-07T21:20:00.002-05:00

I will be unable to update this blog in time for the celebration of what would have been John Winston Ono Lennon's 70th birthday. I should have a post of many photos ready very soon thereafter, plus a review of the Nowhere Boy film.

Never forget that Love is the Answer...

Thank you, John, for everything - you are always with us...

Vintage Ads...

2010-09-25T21:48:00.006-05:00

These lovely scans were given to me by my good friend Johnny Hicks; thank you, Johnny!

Randomness in the Interim

2010-09-01T21:48:00.007-05:00

Until I have time to do a proper update to this blog, here are some random but beautiful photos to tide you over in the interim...hope you all are well, and that you are looking forward to celebrating John Lennon's birthday.

John Lennon: Rare and Unseen DVD Screen Captures

2010-08-05T18:26:00.008-05:00

Les Beatles à Paris suite

2010-06-05T10:46:00.004-05:00

I am sorry that it has been awhile since I've updated the blog. I am extremely busy with other obligations at the moment; however, I found the time to get these photos ready to post. Hopefully by the end of the summer, I'll have more time to devote to my two blogs. Thank you for being loyal readers...enjoy!

The Beatles in Paris

2010-04-27T19:02:00.009-05:00

The long-awaited update: Here are various photos from the Beatles' 1964 visit to Paris, scanned from various issues of The Beatles Book.

The Beatles' first visit to Paris, from January 14 to February 5, 1964, (as a group - John and Paul had ventured there before in September of 1961) proved to be quite a challenge as they faced their most restrained/least enthusiastic audiences at the Olympia. Most were in attendance to see French chanteuse Sylvia Vartan, not quite yet succumbing to Beatlemania. Instead of screaming young girls, the Beatles performed for a venue filled with young men and wealthy socialites.

On January 15th, John, Paul and George could freely walk along the Champs-Elysees for the benefit of photographers without being besieged by eager fans; only one girl approached Paul for an autograph.

On the night of January 16th, the Beatles received the exciting news that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" would soon be declared the number one single in the U.S. Cashbox chart.

I'll be posting more photos from the Paris visit later...

Les Beatles Centerfold Redux

2010-04-05T09:46:00.005-05:00

I received this very nice altered copy of the previous centerfold I had posted, "fixed" by mybreed2, a fan of the blog. Thank you very much for this excellent revision!

I am now on a week's vacation from work, but still have many papers and articles to write...I hope to update with a new entry very soon. Thanks again for visiting and following this blog. Please check out Alison's Wonderland for other entries on British bands, including the Rolling Stones, Small Faces, the Yardbirds, the Pretty Things, Syd-era Floyd, the Move, Gerry, etc.

(You will never find me putting watermarks, etc. on my scans or screen captures - you are welcome to save, copy, post - whatever. I created my blog so that other fans may enjoy the pictures I have collected over the years. Enjoy!)

Les Beatles

2010-03-27T21:36:00.002-05:00

Just one photo - a centerfold from a French music magazine, Jukebox. Click to enlarge for a very large scan!

Stay tuned for a larger entry soon, featuring the Beatles with animals, and another on their trip to Paris in 1964. (I'm on a major Françoise Hardy kick at the moment, hence all the French references.)

BEAT Monthly Pics!

2010-02-17T15:03:00.007-05:00

For my birthday, my friend Jeff gave me a set of the first 20 BEAT Monthly magazines, which appeared to be owned by a lucky young girl from Sussex who managed to snag autographs from The Dakotas, Tony Jackson of the Searchers, and Sounds Incorporated. BEAT Monthly was the first venture of Johnny Dean/Sean Mahoney before starting The Beatles Monthly. Enjoy the pictures and articles.

Articles from the 1966 North American Tour

2010-01-24T14:39:00.005-05:00

Here are some photos and articles from KRLA BEAT and Hullabaloo covering the Beatles' 1966 North American tour. I have other articles covering the tour that I will be posting shortly. The top article focuses on the Remains, the phenomenal Boston band that opened for the Beatles on this tour. I have been fortunate enough to meet the original members of the Remains and to see them perform in concert. I can assure you that they are as powerful and entertaining as they must have been back in 1966. Their Epic LP, Capitol Records live session material and reunion album are essential to fans of Sixties music. It is astounding to me that they did not achieve the commercial success they deserved to obtain. Leader Barry Tashian went on to achieve success working with Emmylou Harris and Graham Parson, and later began recording bluegrass albums with his wife, Holly.

Fred Cantor and Michael Stitch have put together a remarkable documentary on the Remains entitled America's Lost Band. If you have the opportunity to see it at your local film festival, etc. do not pass up the chance. For more information about the film and the Remains, please check out my feature in the latest issue of Ugly Things, which you can purchase directly through the website or perhaps at your local newsstand. You can also check out the Remains official website for more information.

"We are going magical now, folks."

2010-01-08T16:55:00.005-05:00

Here are some articles and photos relating to The Beatles' television production, Magical Mystery Tour, which I think was brilliant and way ahead of its time for television in 1967. MMT is a psychedelic dadaist masterpiece, which flew directly over the heads of the Boxing Day viewers who were probably expecting a more straight-forward Christmas special. And then there was the problem of it airing in black and white...

I'm sure many fans, such as myself, would love a deluxe DVD edition with at least some of the almost 10 hours of cut footage included as a bonus. I'd especially love to see the Spencer Davis Group segment.

Record Collector: December 1988

2009-12-22T20:26:00.004-05:00

Here is an interesting article on The Beatles' Christmas Records from the December 1988 issue of Record Collector magazine. You can click to enlarge the pages if you wish to read it. I will return to post some scans over the Christmas break. Until then, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year.

You can head over to Alison's Wonderland for an entry on the Christmas on Earth Continued festival...

Chu-Bops Bubble Gum Beatles Miniature Album Collection

2009-11-27T13:52:00.008-05:00

Between 1981 and 1983, Chu-Bops produced 9 different series of 3" X 3" grooved bubble gum records housed in replica LP sleeves with a song lyric on the back. Each LP sold for 35 cents apiece. Series six featured Elvis Presley, series nine The Rolling Stones, and series eight covered 16 Beatles albums on the Capitol (and AHDN soundtrack on United Artists) label. Presented here are scans from my collection (thanks, Jeff) of ten different Beatles mini albums, still sealed. Looks like the White Album suffers the same fate as its vinyl counterpart - ring wear!

More Trading Cards: The River Group, 1993

2009-11-15T15:02:00.007-05:00

Here are some scans from the 1993 trading card set from The River Group. These are very easy to come by if you wish to search them out for purchase. These excellent pictures are large hirez scans, so click to enlarge them.

The last photos are some I took to celebrate the release of The Beatles' remasters. My best friend had purchased these Japanese Beatles figures for me a couple of years ago, and I hadn't taken them out of the box until 09.09.09 to take these festive photos!

Happy Birthday, John: October 1963, Their Green Street Flat

2009-10-09T19:23:00.006-05:00

These photos were taken by Beatles Monthly photographer Leslie Bryce when he and editor Johnny Dean visited The Beatles at their London Green Street flat on October 11, 1963. Dean brought John a sack of birthday cards and gifts from fans that had been sent to the magazine's headquarters, located just a half mile from the flat.

As Dean and Bryce entered, the lads were having their morning breakfast of marmalade and toast. Bryce snapped away as they pulled faces for the sake of the camera. When John began rummaging through the pile of cards and gifts, he came across a trick bow tie, which he immediately put around his collar. Some of the cards are visible in the photos above, including a suggestive one detailing one of the Fabs' favorite pastimes! After the photo session, The Beatles departed for a concert at the Trentham Gardens in Stoke.

October of 1963 was a pivotal month in the career of The Beatles - they topped the bill on Sunday Night at the London Palladium, the term "Beatlemania" was coined, "She Love You" achieved gold status, they recorded "I Want To Hold Your Hand," and they were asked to appear at the Royal Command Performance for the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret the following month.

Inside the Abbey Road Sessions

2009-09-05T15:44:00.005-05:00

In celebration the triumphant arrival of the long awaited remasters sets, as well as the 40th anniversary of Abbey Road, I present some scans of photos taken during the Abbey Road recording sessions. I acquired the first composite when those photos were up for auction some years back. They were remarkable, as very few photos from these sessions have emerged over the years.

The next two, one of Paul and one of John, appear in the latest edition of Mojo magazine, which features excellent articles on the remasters, Rock Band and an interview with Paul about the Abbey Road album.

The rest of the photos appeared in the September and October 1969 issues of Beatles Monthly. Here we see each of the Beatles getting a turn to mess about with George's Moog IIIp synthesizer, which he had purchased back in February but had only used at Kinfauns to record the track "Under the Mersey Wall" on the Electronic Sounds LP. These photos were likely taken on August 5, 1969, when George brought the Moog to the studio. On this day, George used the Moog to enhance John's mystical song, "Because" (Read all about this in John C. Winn's book That Magic Feeling p. 313--seriously, get Winn's books ASAP).

Because some stores have broken the street date on the remasters, I have been fortunate enough to hear some of the stereo releases--and I have been sufficiently blown away by them! I think the engineers have done a smashing job and deserve our deepest thanks.

But Oh, That Magic Feeling

2009-08-24T20:28:00.014-05:00

Nowhere to go...
"Soon we'll be away from here/Step on the gas and wipe that tear away/One sweet dream came true today."

"You Never Give Me Your Money" is some of Paul's finest writing, summing up his personal view of the acrimony between the Beatles, the freedom he was about to attain with their break up, and the solace he found within his new marriage. It's a magic feeling to have the rug pulled out beneath you, the tether severed, and one is forced to either soar or to fall flat. It's all or nothing--fear and possibility, no regrets. Linda granted Paul the freedom to be indulgent, to fail, to shed a bit of his famous perfectionism, which proved personally healthy for him whether all of his subsequent solo/Wings albums lived up to their potential or not (which is up for debate).

In tribute to the Abbey Road album, celebrating a 40th anniversary next month, I present various perspectives--some from the past and some from the present. The Rolling Stone reviews--one effusive with praise, the other rife with criticism--are quite interesting, as well as the vintage NME piece, which also includes information on John and Yoko's Plastic Ono Band and George's Krishna Consciousness. I've also included a couple of ads promoting the album. The lengthy retrospective published in the October 2000 issue of Mojo includes reminiscences by Paul, George and Ringo.

I received this interesting bit of information via email; sounds like a wonderful trip:

Did you know that the Beatles wrote 48 songs in 7 weeks on their 1968 trip to India?

This was the most creative musical period for the group, according to Beatles expert and author, Paul Saltzman.

Beatles fans can relive the Beatles memorable visit to India on the first “Beatles in India Tour," Feb. 11-28, 2010. Travelers will visit the Rishikesh, India ashram where the Beatles wrote music and meditated, do yoga, and meet renowned Indian musicians Ravi Shankar and Ajit Singh that performed with the group. They will visit Jaipur, Agra, Bombay, New Delhi and other cities, whitewater raft and enjoy a spa treatment. Emmy Award-winning film director Paul Saltzman, who met and photographed the Beatles in India in 1968, will escort the tour. Saltzman’s pictures of the group have been shown in galleries worldwide and have been published in two books. The tour costs US$7980 (EUR5582) (per person based on double occupancy).

Learn more at www.bestway.com or call toll-free 1-800-663-0844. Outside the US and Canada, call 604-264-7378 (Canadian number).

From the Pages of the NME

2009-08-06T19:04:00.004-05:00

I'm sorry that I have been unable to update lately. Please check out the comments section of the June 29th entry if you would like to see the entire Let It Be book. I will not be doing any more scans since it is readily available for all who would like to view it.

Today, I present scans from the vault of the New Musical Express, the UK music weekly that has been in publication since March 1952. This was the first UK magazine to develop a music chart, inspired by Billboard in the US. From the beginning, NME were champions of the British music scene, particularly that of the Beatles.

In recent years, Uncut magazine has been publishing classic articles and photos from the archives of NME, including three Beatles-related issues. The pictures and articles here were taken from Vol. 1, Issue 1. The articles offer great insight into the Beatles' world and a unique perspective as well. It is also interesting to see the vintage yellowed piece of paper that have been torn from an issue.

By Request...

2009-06-29T22:03:00.004-05:00

I present 12 pages from the 164 page Let It Be book, a collection of photographs by Ethan Russell and text by Jonathan Cott and David Dalton, which accompanied the album in all major markets--except the United States. United Artists refused to issue the album with such deluxe packaging, fearing the resulting higher price would lead to lower sales in the US. More scans to follow...

Teen Magazines

2009-05-25T20:25:00.005-05:00

I enjoy collecting original Beatles-related teen magazines, mainly for the pictures. The articles can be quite hilarious because they are so over-the-top and erroneous. (The Beatles themselves didn't find them too funny, however!)

The second, third and fourth photos were taken as the Beatles rehearsed for their first appearance on Big Night Out, filmed September 1, 1963. They appeared in their collarless Pierre Cardin suits and mimed to "From Me To You," She Loves You," "Twist and Shout," and "I Saw Her Standing There." The entire show circulates among collectors, and portions of it appear in the Anthology.

Some Rare Photos from the '66 Tour

2009-05-16T12:35:00.004-05:00

Here are some delightful photos sent to Greg of Beatle Photo Blog fame and me by our mutual friend, Jay. (Thank you, Jay - you deserve all the credit here!) You may have already seen Greg's posting, but I waited until I had time to properly enlarge and adjust the photos before posting them here. I also left the captions, which reveal a bit about how the Ronettes felt about the Beatles themselves. It appears they were quite close, with the gorgeous Estelle (RIP) revealing that she had "dated" George at one time.

Although the Beatles themselves had become weary with touring by this time, their 1966 North American tour boasted a roster of talented and enthusiastic opening acts, including one of the greatest "garage" bands of all time, Boston's own Remains. In a new documentary about the Remains, their current manager divulges that at the time of recording Double Fantasty, John Lennon had spoken with him about the quality and energy present in the Remains' performances on this particular tour, and how he would like to assemble such a band himself. (For more information about the Remains' experiences on this tour, pick up leader Barry Tashian's book, Ticket to Ride, which contains his personal journal entries written along the way.)

Random (And I Do Mean Random) Screen Captures

2009-05-05T21:28:00.007-05:00

Someone has done the work for you...

As you, dear reader, can probably tell, I have not been updating frequently. Life is very stressful at the moment, and my time is consumed by other endeavors. Beginning in August, I will be pursuing my Ed.S. degree (which is 30 hours beyond my Master's) so I will be updating less than I have previously.

Thank you for your continued support over these past 3 years. The positive feedback I've received has served to motivate and inspire me. Having this blog has lead to many exciting opportunities for me.

So, I'm not going away, merely slowing down a bit. In the meantime, don't forget to check out the links to the right, and also the fab Kenwood blog.

Twickenham Film Studios, London - November 23, 1965

2009-04-19T15:43:00.011-05:00

I present a plethora of screen captures from each of the promos The Beatles filmed on November 23, 1965. Although heavily edited versions of these appear in the Anthology, I chose to use other sources of the complete clips for these captures. Beginning in the afternoon and extending into the evening, the lads filmed the following promos:

Two versions of "Day Tripper" to start
Three versions of "We Can Work It Out"
A third version of "Day Tripper"
"Help!" (the strange clip with the umbrella, beam and fake snow)
Two versions of "I Feel Fine" (which includes the unusual "exercise equipment" themed promo and the "fish and chips" version, filmed as The Beatles had their lunch. Only John attempts to mime the words.)

These promos are often hilarious due to The Beatles' poor miming talents and the very obvious way they choose to accentuate their mistakes. John keeps Paul in stitches throughout, particularly during the "Shea Stadium" jackets version of "We Can Work It Out," some of which I've captured here. I love seeing them interact this way and bringing fun into rather straight presentations of the material-- save for those weird props! It's also good to see George's Gibson ES-345, which he only used for a short time at the end of 1965 during The Beatles' final tour of Britain. These promos are the only footage we have of him using that particular guitar. (Read more in John C. Winn's fabulous Way Beyond Compare and Andy Babuik's Beatles Gear.)

Knole Park, Sevenoaks, Kent

2009-04-10T09:36:00.007-05:00

On January 30 and 31, and then again on February 5 and 7, 1967, the Beatles filmed promotional videos for both sides of one of the greatest (if not the greatest, in my opinion) pop singles ever, "Strawberry Fields Forever"/"Penny Lane". As with their previous promos, these were also produced by close friend Tony Bramwell. These photographs were taken by Don Long and later purchased by Mark Hayward, who included them in his book, The Beatles Unseen. These photographs reveal the Beatles as active participants in every aspect of filming, learning about the process from director Peter Goldman. The second picture exposes a technique--Paul rubbing Vaseline on the camera lens! In the third picture, Ringo is passing Mal Evan's video camera to John, a camera which is now in Mark Hayward's collection.

These ground-breaking clips were shot in vivid color, but were only shown in black and white at the time. As evidenced in the Anthology project (which includes incomplete versions), these promos have been brilliantly restored. When I met Tony Bramwell a few years ago, a fellow fan asked him about the promos, and he talked about how they have been restored but are just sitting around in the vault, so to speak. Let's hope we'll see an official, complete Beatles promo collection DVD sometime in the (near) future...

I suppose everyone has heard the news that the long-awaited remasters will be released on 09.09.09 (John would approve of the date). I am very pleased that there will be both stereo and mono collectors boxes, and I will be pre-ordering both; however, I wish that each album would be released in a deluxe format, including both the mono and stereo versions, plus a disc of rarities--singles, odd mixes, outtakes, demos. This would have been the perfect opportunity to include the Kenwood and Kinfauns demos with a deluxe White Album. I am encouraged by the technical details released by the mastering team--perhaps these will not be drenched in NoNoise or mastered too "loud," as many modern releases are. This is quite an exciting event, and I can't wait until we can all enjoy them.

Screen Caps: Paperback Writer/Rain May 19, 1966

2009-03-28T15:04:00.012-05:00

Here are some screen captures I took from the Chronology 1 & 2 versions of four of the promos filmed in Studio 1 on May 19, 1966. Another wonderful thing about the promos is observing the Beatles' attitudes toward filming them. We get a chance to see them goofing off a little, sharing an inside joke, and miming rather poorly, which they play up, of course. (They do a decent job of miming in these particular promos, however.) They seem to enjoy each others' company and make the most out of a day on the job; therefore, even the standard "band and instruments" type promos provide enjoyable viewing.

I have captured other scenes from many other Beatles' promos/TV appearances, etc. which I will be posting soon.

Abbey Road Studio One: May 19, 1966

2009-03-21T17:36:00.009-05:00

Presented here are some photographs taken as the Beatles filmed promotional clips for their latest single, "Paperback Writer"/"Rain" in Abbey Road's spacious Studio One. Robert Whitaker perhaps took all of these photos, as one of his from this session famously graced the back cover of the Revolver album (a black & white shot similar to photo ten).

In order to meet the demands for television appearances and still have adequate time to progress in the studio, the Beatles began the process of filming promotional clips to send to various media outlets in November of 1965. The promos filmed on May 19, 1966, were directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, the beginning of many Beatles projects in his oeuvre. First on the agenda for the day were two color promos created especially for The Ed Sullivan Show, beginning with "Rain," where John and Paul don dark jackets that are later removed for the "Paperback Writer"clip. John also switches sunglasses from a larger orange-tinted pair to smaller yellow-tinted granny glasses, similar to those worn by Byrd Jim (Roger) McGuinn. Also evident in the clips is Paul's chipped front tooth, the result of an earlier moped accident. Later in the afternoon, the Beatles filmed an intro for the Sullivan clips, where Ringo explains that they have been too busy with "the washin' and the cookin'" to visit personally.

After a break for lunch, several monochrome promos were shot for the UK market, including Goodbye Lucky Stars and Ready, Steady, Go! Although these promos would adequately serve the purpose of promoting the single, the Beatles and Michael Lindsey-Hogg must have thought something else more creative was in order for this particular single. The following day, the Beatles were filmed at Chiswick House and Gardens in London; these promos were sent to Top of the Pops. Although they were filmed in color, they were broadcast in monochrome. To make up for this, the Beatles made a surprise live appearance on the show later in June.

As I was preparing this particular entry, I thought quite a bit about the absence of an Apple authorized Beatles promo collection DVD. As evidenced by the Anthology project and the promotion surrounding the 1 greatest hits collection, the promos have been restored to absolute pristine condition. It is such a wasted opportunity--these classic clips should be available for every Beatles fan to purchase and enjoy. I am glad that the Beatles Rock Band video game will be available for fans, but I honestly think that a promo collection (including those great "new" clips developed for various projects), the promised remasters, a Shea Stadium DVD, the Let It Be DVD, etc. are far more important projects for Apple to spend time and money on developing. I think most fans would agree. (The Beatles aren't the only band failing in this regard--the Rolling Stones have such a treasure trove of clips and concerts that should be officially available as well!)

References: That Magic Feeling: The Beatles Recorded Legacy Vol. 2 by John C. Winn; The Beatles - 365 Days by Simon Wells

Just One John Photo...

2009-03-04T19:29:00.003-05:00

But it is worth a thousand words or more. Special thanks to my friend Jim who sent the images to me. (Which is copyright Bob Bonis.)

These unseen photos have been in the news quite a bit of late. For more information and a look at the gallery of Beatles and Stones photos, please visit the Bob Bonis Photography website. (I'd love to have a large framed print of this particular photo...)

And Now for Something Completely Different...

2009-02-28T19:16:00.003-05:00

And yes, in case you are wondering, I have been watching Monty Python's Flying Circus today.

Presented here are the first chapter and part of the second from the brilliant comic book, Stan Lee Presents: The Beatles Story from Marvel Comics. The artwork is pretty fab, especially the psychedelic parts which appear later in the book, and it's quite a nice addition to any Beatles collection. I will post more sections from the comic in future posts. Sadly, I do not have the cover, which apparently folds out into a poster. The rest of the comic is intact, however.

I also owe you all some more scans from the original Let It Be book...

Until then--Be seeing you.

(Yes, I've been watching The Prisoner, too. Can't get anything past you clever readers...)

Japanese Beatles

2009-02-15T16:22:00.005-05:00

I am quite fond of Japanese memorabilia. They seem to create such interesting curios, with immaculate attention to detail, e. g., Japanese mini LP replica CDs, Obi strips, etc. I do not know the language, but the characters are lovely and look nice on posters and record sleeves.

Presented here are scans of a selection of Beatles-related Japanese publications. The first two pics of John are from a New Music Magazine feature on Bob Gruen's photographs, so it also features other prominent musicians like David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger. The next three are from a Japanese program for the Imagine: John Lennon documentary, including a copy of the ticket and a receipt. The rest of the photos are some excellent shots from Wings' May 24, 1976, concert at Madison Square Garden during the "Wings Over America" tour.

Apple of My Eye, Continued

2009-01-29T20:42:00.003-05:00

As requested, here are the scans of the other photos that accompanied the Eye magazine article, "101 Hours with John Lennon & Paul McCartney." Lillian Roxon's article covering the Lennon-McCartney May '68 visit to NY to promote Apple is quite interesting, especially her observations of Derek Taylor (an "air of ever-so-slightly-agitated elegance") and Mal Evans ("big, cuddly, cheerful, and sexy"). She's a bit critical of Taylor, and McCartney especially, characterizing him as a ham who would have thrown a tantrum if he was not the center of attention.

The touching part of the article follows the exploits of two obsessed fans, Julia and Anne, who hatched a wonderful scheme to meet their idols. Roxon writes:

Here was the one single thing they wanted and though about, in person, living, breathing, skipping even, a few feet away, bright with color, just like his pictures off for a walk in the park with his three friends (John, Neil and Magic Alex) not at all displeased to see two admirers, glad enough for a little company, and all Julia and Anne could do was stand there. "Oh, Paul," said Julia, glad she had finally thought of a phrase to fit the occasion, "sock it to me." Walking along beside him, along 73rd Street, she confided she was going to England to talk to him. He frowned, shattering a million dreams. "That's not a wise move," he said. "I won't have time for you. If you want to talk, talk now." Julia remained silent. "Talk!" yelled Paul. John was much kinder to Anne. "I am going to live on your lawn," she told him. "You'll have to move when the gardener comes," said John with characteristic Lennon logic.

Apple of My Eye

2009-01-19T23:24:00.006-05:00

A post of lovely John images for your viewing pleasure...

The first photo is a personal scan of the September 1968 issue of Eye magazine. I had wanted this magazine for a long time, and I finally obtained a copy, buried amongst a large lot of Beatles clippings. It isn't in the best shape, but it's better than nothing. There are some other good pictures of both John and Paul accompanying the article inside. I do believe that Linda McCartney took that cover photograph; it is very similar to the one of John in the Wingspan book.

The other photos of John in the basement flat he and Yoko were sharing appeared two months later in the November 23, 1968, issue of Rolling Stone. These shots were taken by Ethan Russell (who later photographed the Get Back sessions) to accompany a thoughtful interview conducted by Jonathan Cott. Cott gives Lennon the opportunity to discuss the creation of some of the Beatles' most revered songs, as well as his political views. He prefaces the interview with a summation of Lennon's mood:

Any suspicions that John would be ornery, mean, cruel, or brutish - feelings attributed to him and imagined by press reports and various paranoiac personalities - never arose even for the purpose of being pressed down.

When reflecting on his impression of Lennon, Cott quotes Gasset: "Were art to redeem man, it could do so only by saving him from the seriousness of life and restoring him to an unexpected boyishness."

"Guitar Groups Are On Their Way Out, Mr. Epstein"

2009-01-01T18:05:00.005-05:00

Presented here are my own scans of the famous Albert Marion photographs, the first official ones of the Beatles, taken on December 17, 1961. (The Savage Young Beatles site also hosts these photos from their own scans--the link is on the right.) The last photo is a scan of an 8X10 signed by Pete Best when I met him in 2002.

Although Marion was already a respected photographer at the time, Brian Epstein had a connection with him because Marion was the photographer at his brother Clive's wedding. Against his business partner's wishes, Marion agreed to a session with this leather-clad, scruffy lot. As Marion reflected on the session, he remembered how John and Paul would often laugh and joke, messing up photos in the process. John got on his nerves the most by calling him "Curly," a reference to his male-pattern baldness! Unfortunately, Marion only preserved 16 negatives out of the 30 or so photos that were taken that day.

As I write this entry, I am listening to the Beatles' audition for Decca records, recorded January 1, 1962. I can imagine how excited the boys were, being afforded this remarkable opportunity by a major record label. Epstein was thrilled with the prospect--he had wined and dined Decca's head A&R man, Mike Smith, and had also taken him to a Beatles' gig at the Cavern. Smith was duly impressed and arranged the audition for 11 AM New Year's Day. The session did not get off to a good start, however. Eppy was furious because Smith was late, and when he arrived, Smith informed the group that they could not use their own amplifiers. When the recording began, the Beatles appeared to get nervous, as evidenced in their performance. Still, it is enjoyable, and after a few songs, they become more relaxed and confident. They persisted through 15 songs.

Like Dreamers Do
Money
'Till There Was You
The Sheik of Araby
To Know Her is to Love Her
Take Good Care of My Baby
Memphis
Sure to Fall (In Love with You)
Hello Little Girl
Three Cool Cats
Crying, Waiting, Hoping
Love of the Loved
September in the Rain
Besame Mucho
Searchin'

Gareth Pawlowski, in his excellent How They Became The Beatles, reports that Eppy and John had a row when Eppy criticized his vocal performance, but soon patched things up. After hearing the playback, all parties were confident they would be signed to Decca. Even Mike Smith seemed assured. Thankfully, this was not to be. (The reason I say "thankfully" is because--could you imagine the Beatles without George Martin and EMI?) After some weeks, Epstein was famously told by Decca A&R manager Dick Rowe that "groups with guitars are on their way out," and the Beatles would not be signed to Decca.

Some controversy about this rejection persists. Apparently, the Beatles were not rejected on the basis of poor performance. Mike Smith had also auditioned Brian Poole and the Tremeloes on New Year's Day. Smith was told by Rowe that he could only sign one group, and since the Tremeloes were London-based, Decca would not have to be inconvenienced by the Beatles, a group located 200 miles away in Liverpool.

As fate would have it, George Harrison himself later recommended the Rolling Stones to Dick Rowe, and soon thereafter, Rowe offered a contract to them!

For more on the early days of the Beatles, please pick up Gareth Pawlowski's How They Became The Beatles: A Definitive History of the Early Years 1960 - 1964. The pictures within are priceless. Also, go to your nearest bookstore and request a copy of the new edition of John C. Winn's Way Beyond Compare, now published by Three Rivers Press!

A Wonderful Christmastime

2008-12-22T22:09:00.007-05:00

Season's Greetings! In this post, I've included some of my personal photos along with some scans of Beatles pics. As one can see, my Christmas tree is loaded with Beatles ornaments! I also included a picture of me with May Pang (who was very personable and gracious) taken when I met her in October.

Also among the photos you'll find selections from my Beatles memorabilia collection, including a Worchester Ware metal tray from 1964, my collection of Hamilton figures from the early '90s, a large cardboard stand up promoting MPI's VHS release of The First U.S. Visit, and a tie-dye tapestry bearing silk-screened "White Album" photos.

Of course, I had to include some scans of John and Beatles photos. Hopefully you haven't seen a few of those before. I'd also like to direct you to my "Alison's Wonderland" blog, where you will find a post featuring the 1966 Beatles Christmas flexi-disc, Pantomime: Everywhere It's Christmas.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May 2009 bring you comfort, joy, peace and love.

Buddies and Pals

2008-12-07T12:38:00.003-05:00

I came across this series of Terry O'Neill photographs in the Jan./Feb. 1981 John Lennon tribute issue of Songwriter magazine. I thought the first three photos of John and Paul together, playfully interacting with each other, were exceptionally adorable. The magazine also includes an excerpt from the David Sheff Playboy interview where John discusses songwriting with Paul.

Do any readers happen to know where those three photos were taken? Could they be from a rehearsal for their Feb. 1964 appearance on Big Night Out--I have deduced that the individual portraits presented were taken then. I also think they could have been taken during rehearsals for one of their Christmas shows, since O'Neill photographed them then as well. The last photo is from their Nov. 1964 Ready Steady Go! performance.

Sat Singing

2008-11-29T13:14:00.003-05:00

Sitting as the noonday sun
Shines high up in a clear blue sky.
While warming me I drift away
No mem'ries of the times gone by.
Oh, the moment that I lose my mind,
You come into my heart and say
"I'm always here for you to love,
Surrender to me, let me stay."

Sinking deeper still inside,
I feel awakened from my dreams.
Resting in some golden flow,
Becoming part of you it seems.

Nothing separates my life
From that which we have called our goal,
It's all in this external world
As results from deep within my soul.

As I open up my eyes,
The sky has changed into a glow.
My sense of time had disappeared,
I see the sun has sunken low.

I feel such joy and call your name,
You're ev'rything my eyes could see.
I'll gladly kiss it all goodbye,
Stay ever in your company.

- George Harrison

To celebrate the extraordinary life and musical career of George Harrison, I've posted scans of the first installment of a Record Collector retrospective, published in the April 2001 issue (given to me by my friend Jeff). It is so hard to believe that we've seen seven years pass since George left the material world.

Reflecting on George's solo career, I find that many gems are buried on obscure releases, such as the song whose lyrics are presented above. Originally intended for the rejected Somewhere in England, "Sat Singing" did not see official release until Genesis published the very expensive books, The Songs of George Harrison, including CDs of previously unreleased songs. Other rejected Somewhere in England songs made their appearance here, including "Lay His Head" and "Flying Hour," both of which are gorgeous songs and among my favorites in the Harrison canon. These three tracks were also remixed in 1987; I prefer the original 1980 mixes, which can be found on numerous bootlegs. In my opinion, George's original SIE album is stronger than what was eventually released. I find the lyrics to "Sat Singing" to be representative of George's vision and goal for his life--to become one with God, at peace within himself.

Another essential Harrison release that has been out of print for many years is Best of Dark Horse 1976 - 1989, which includes the hard-to-find singles and B-sides such as "Cheer Down," "Cockamamie Business," and "Poor Little Girl."Another of my favorite George tracks is "Horse to Water," included on Jools Holland's Small World, Big Band album. Sam Brown did such a fantastic version of this song at the Concert for George; unfortunately, her performance didn't make the cut for the official CD (at least it's on the DVD).

I hope that Olivia and Dhani see fit to reissue and expand the Best of Dark Horse, and include those songs that were on the discs that accompanied the Genesis books, as well as "Horse to Water."

As I type, I'm listening to George with his hero, Carl Perkins, singing and picking "Glad All Over." I can't help but smile.

I've Got Nothing to Say but It's OK

2008-11-08T13:21:00.003-05:00

Sonic Blue Fender Stratocaster

2008-10-30T18:07:00.007-05:00

In February of 1965, Beatles Monthly photographer Leslie Bryce captured the Beatles rehearsing for the recording of the Lennon composition, "Yes It Is." During those sessions, John was photographed with his brand new sonic blue Fender Stratocaster. John and George had recently dispensed Mal Evans to procure two Strats for them, and he returned with these gorgeous guitars. Apparently, George had been displeased with the guitar sound he was getting from a Gretch through a Vox amp and was eager for a change. These were the first Fenders owned by the Beatles.

These Strats were also used on the recordings of "Ticket to Ride," "Nowhere Man" and other Rubber Soul tracks, as well as the Sgt. Pepper album. George nicknamed his Strat "Rocky" and gave it the full psychedelic treatment by painting it in vibrant colors (even using a bit of Patti's green nail varnish). He can be seen playing it during the Our World broadcast of "All You Need is Love" and the Magical Mystery Tour film.

Speaking of guitars: Last weekend I was in Nashville for the Fab Four Fest on Cannery Row, and a filmmaker by the name of Seth Swirsky served on a panel, promoting his new film A Year in the Life (which looks fantastic, by the way). The teaser from the film produced a revelation for gear heads such as myself. A few years ago, George's Gibson SG Standard (which he had given to Badfinger's Pete Ham, who subsequently gave it to his brother) went for over $400, 000 at auction to an anonymous bidder. The film revealed that Indianapolis Colt's owner Jim Irsay was that winning bidder.

I'll post more about the Fest at a later date...

(Reference: Beatles Gear by Andy Babiuk)

Screen Caps Galore!

2008-10-12T10:33:00.011-05:00

In belated celebration of what would have been John Lennon's 68th birthday, here is a selection of screen captures from various sources:

The captures of John with mussed hair were taken from an interview conducted by George Yateman for a US TV segment entitled, British Calendar: News. The reason John appears with bed-head may be due to the fact that he hadn't planned on coming to the interview at all, opting instead to sleep in. At the insistence of Brian Epstein, John eventually arrived--70 minutes late!

The color captures of the Beatles filming Help! in the Bahamas originates from the home movies of Dr. Walter Strach, the Beatles' financial advisor.

I've included various captures from the 1966 North American Tour, as I've been obsessed with it lately. In the next issue of Ugly Things, I'm reviewing America's Lost Band, a fabulous new documentary about the Remains, the legendary Boston band who opened for the Beatles on this particular tour. The color captures are from the few minutes of circulating silent footage of their Cincinnati concert. I've also included captures from their hilarious L.A. press conference from August 24, 1966.

There are some captures of John singing "I'm A Loser" on Shindig, from October 3, 1964, plus chatting with Keith Fordyce on Ready Steady Go! on Nov. 23rd.

The last set of captures are from the circulating newsreel footage of the Beatles receiving an award from Radio Caroline for being "the most consistent pop stars" on April 6, 1965.

We will love and miss you always, John.

(Reference: John C. Winn's books, Way Beyond Compare and That Magic Feeling, two essential books about Beatles that no fan should be without.)

Just Gimme Some Truth...

2008-09-27T19:27:00.009-05:00

Presented here are some more beautiful photos of John, many of which I scanned from my collection of Beatles Monthlies. By request, I've included more photos of John at Kenwood. The fifth picture is of a gorilla clock in John's massive collection of unusual items; the sixth is of John with the infamous suit of armor which greeted visitors upon entrance to Kenwood.

There has been much ado about the upcoming massive Lennon biography by Philip Norman, which is set for release in October. Apparently, Norman is making some salacious allegations concerning Lennon and McCartney, as well as Lennon and his mother. Lennon fans are quite familiar with the diary tape where John reveals an intimate moment with his mother, but according to reports, it seems that Norman is twisting and exploiting this revelation to get publicity for the book. Yoko Ono, who authorized this biography several years ago, has now retracted her endorsement and has spoken out (along with McCartney) against the tone of the book.

I was worried about this Lennon book from the beginning. Although Norman's Shout! The Beatles in Their Generation is a highly regarded Beatles biography, I found it to be particularly negative. After George Harrison's death, Philip Norman composed a scathing obituary, filled with filth and derogatory comments about Harrison. It was completely uncalled for and shameful; why should anyone expect Norman to treat Lennon any differently? I imagine Ono was unaware of this or she would not have initiated this project with Norman (which I believe was the case).

I plan on reading the book for myself and coming to my own conclusions. I doubt that it can surpass Ray Coleman's Lennon, but I want to determine this once I've read it and not based solely on other's opinions.

It's just terribly tragic that John is not here...

"We know how to behave! We've had lessons."

2008-09-14T16:20:00.008-05:00

On September 6th, the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville's Old City hosted two showings of A Hard Day's Night on the "big screen," with all profits going to the Give Haiti Hope Outreach Program. It was certainly fun seeing the Beatles larger than life, and getting to recite dialog back and forth with my friend (in a quiet manner, mind you, yet no one was sitting too close to us anyway). I was disappointed in the lack of turn out, considering it was a charity event and a chance to see one of the greatest films ever made in such a gorgeous setting. The only negative was that the sound could have been better; nevertheless, it was an exhilirating experience. We capped off the evening with the Invaders at the C&G. Now if we can just persuade the Tennessee to show Help! next....

Inspired by the recent event, I decided to scan some relevant items for this post. The above article was taken from the October 2002 issue of Uncut, coinciding with the Miramax DVD release. The other photos are from the 1964 16 magazine feature on A Hard Day's Night.

HiRes Hodgepodge

2008-09-01T12:36:00.007-05:00

Over at the Steve Hoffman forum, there has been discussion concerning the top picture; apparently there are many who feel it is one of the best of the Beatles. All the scans posted in the thread were from book covers, so the typeface obscured the picture somewhat; I decided to create a high resolution scan of the picture I had in my collection. I hope you all enjoy it--be sure to click to enlarge the picture; it would make a very nice wallpaper.

The other scans in this post originate from photos that were sent to me by my wonderful friend Jeff, who has amassed such an amazing collection over the years that he kindly shares it with me. These photos are "actual" photos on Fuji photo paper, and they are gorgeous! A couple of them are a bit different from commonly circulating photos from their respective sessions. There's one from the "Strawberry Fields Forever" promo shoot, one from the Mad Day Out, two from the Voyage of the Fritz session, and four from the last photo session at Tittenhurst.

Picture Sleeves

2008-08-14T19:54:00.006-05:00

Probably my favorite aspect of the Beatles' 1 project was the UK double LP set, which included a large poster of the various picture sleeves that graced the inner pages of the CD booklet. The LP dust jackets also contained photos of these unique sleeves from various countries. Of course, the large individual reprints of the psychedelic Richard Avedon photos also add value to the LP release. (I have never been pleased with the cover art of 1, however--abysmal. The psychedelic photos would have been better on the cover.)

Here are some large scans of the 45 RPM single sleeves that were pictured on the LP dust jackets. (Click to enlarge.) Note the cute picture of the Fabs in their newsboy caps gracing the "Penny Lane"/"Strawberry Fields Forever" sleeve...(!) I also love the photo from the Budokan on the Japanese single for "Yellow Submarine"/"Eleanor Rigby"--George is shown waving, an act to elicit more screams from the reserved Japanese audience to cover up the mistakes the band were making on stage!

There is a possibility that I may take some time off from blog postings, as things are quite hectic at the moment. Thanks to all who visit, comment, and email!

"From the dew-soaked hedge creeps a crawly caterpillar,
When the dawn begins to crack.
Its all part of my autumn almanac."

An Apple A Day

2008-08-03T20:42:00.008-05:00

In May of 1968, John Lennon and Paul McCartney ventured across the Atlantic to promote the formation of their idealistic new company simply named "Apple," hoping for a "grand launch" in New York City. It was a haphazard adventure from the outset, as Paul was plagued by what could have been a drug-induced paranoia, or perhaps a very real fear that the Beatles were moving into territory far beyond their depth. Apple was a beautiful and noble dream--a "Western Communism" as John had termed it--where artists, filmmakers, musicians and other creative persons could retain artistic freedom within a business model. Everyone would have a chance to be heard, no "crawling on their knees in someone's office," or finding their work had been tossed into the rubbish bin without even a slight perusal. It was to be generous, honest, and filled with integrity. Sadly, the Beatles were ill-prepared for a project of this magnitude; therefore, the mounting pressures of running such a business contributed to their eventual demise as a group. (Allen Klein, money woes, artistic differences...)

The first set of photos were taken as John, Paul, and their entourage (which consisted of Magic Alex, Neil Aspinall, Apple Records' executive Ron Kass, plus others) "sailed round and round the Statue of Liberty on a Chinese junk, trying to figure out what we were going to do with Apple," as Neil recalled during the Anthology project.

The second group of screen captures are from the wonderfully weird and delightful interview conducted by journalist and old friend Larry Kane at the St. Regis hotel on the 13th. John was at the top of his game during this interview, responding with his trademark quips and obtuse wit. Paul seems a bit out of it, honestly! Kane asks questions about politics, current events, and their stay in India. (John responds, "The journey was terrible, but the trip was alright" as Paul giggles quietly.) Another hilarious moment occurs when Kane questions Paul about LSD, saying, "It seems you endorsed it, then condemned it," to which John quickly replies, "We were manufacturing it at the time...." If you'd like to see this interview in its complete form, pick up Larry Kane's book, Lennon Revealed--the DVD is included as a bonus. The screen captures are from that particular DVD, plus clips aired in Imagine: John Lennon and the Anthology. (If you look closely, you'll see the band-aid under John's chin...)

The last set of screen captures and the August 1968 Hullabaloo article concern the press conference at the Americana Hotel on the 14th. The entire conference is transcribed in the Hullabaloo article, which was graciously given to me by my friend Jeff. (Just click on each page to enlarge it.) The screen captures illustrate the part where John points out the bus prefect's pin he was wearing on his lapel. Also of note, John's talisman necklace vividly stands out against his white shirt. (Speaking of which, I recently acquired a striking replica of this necklace--if I can't have the real thing, at least it's possible to have the next best thing!)

Later in the evening on the 14th, John and Paul also filmed appearances on Newsfront and the Tonight Show--an infamous and bizarre appearance, hosted by Joe Garagiola and spiced up by the presence of an equally quick witted Ms. Tallulah Bankhead! Unfortunately the tape of the show no longer exists, but someone had the forethought to use their 8mm camera to film the television! It's in poor quality, but interesting nonetheless. The audio from the interview circulates in its entirety.