Celebrity Classics

It's 2007 And The Beatles Still Matter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 05:38:00 +0000

Quote
The Beatles' music in invulnerable to changes in pop styles or fashions. It gets stronger as time goes by.

This summer Paul McCartney turned 65 and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" turned 40. Both events got a lot of media attention. The Beatles broke up in 1970 and two of the Fab Four have passed away — and yet Beatlemania never completely subsides. Cirque du Soleil's big hit "The Beatles Love" just celebrated its first anniversary in Las Vegas. Paul and Ringo attended, paying tribute to George and John, and the fans went wild. The acclaimed director Julie Tamor has a new film coming in September called "Across The Universe," which uses Beatles songs to tell the story of the '60s through the eyes of an English boy named — guess — Jude. The Beatles' music in invulnerable to changes in pop styles or fashions. It gets stronger as time goes by. Which created a special challenge for John, Paul, George and Ringo. No matter what they did as solo performers, it would always be held up to the impossible standard of The Beatles. They were the only four musicians in the world whose records were considered disappointments if they were not as good as Beatles records. As John Lennon sang on the last Beatles album, "Boy, you're gonna carry that weight a long time." It's a testament to their strength of character and resolve as artists that all four of them kept moving ahead and making music in spite of the impossible expectations. It's interesting how well a lot of their solo work ages — as time passes and we get away from the Beatles comparisons. Ringo has a new "Greatest Hits" album coming out later this summer, on August 28. It's a surprise to be reminded of how many solo hits Ringo had: "It Don't Come Easy," "Photograph," "Back Off Boogaloo," "You're Sixteen," and a lot more. John Lennon always said that Ringo was a star in Liverpool before he joined the Beatles and everybody there knew he was going to be successful in show business in some fashion. Go back to the Beatles movies for proof of that; they are all built around Ringo. He was a natural Starr. For George fans, there is the long-awaited CD re-release of the complete Traveling Wilburys recordings. Back in 1988 George put together a super-group with his pals Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison and had a huge hit. The Wilburys made two albums and several other recordings, all of which are collected here along with a new DVD documentary that reminds us how remarkable this nearly accidental group really was. At the time I think most of us just got a kick out of seeing those five famous faces singing together. Now you listen and you realize that these songs were really well-constructed and beautifully recorded. Obviously George Harrison knew how to balance giant egos and giant talents. The Traveling Wilburys is a great tribute to the good humor and subtle power of "the quiet Beatle." Nobody ever called John Lennon the quiet Beatle. John was one of the great big mouths. A worthy tribute to his memory is a new double CD called "Instant Karma" in which U2, REM, Green Day, Christina Aguilera and a couple of dozen other current stars perform Lennon's songs. It is all in support of the Amnesty International campaign to save Darfur, and although a skeptic could say that when it comes to stopping that genocide it might be time to give guns a chance, this is a noble cause and a wonderful tribute record. However, it has to be said: no one else can sing these songs like John Lennon. His voice remains irreplaceable. Which should remind us to be grateful that Paul McCartney is still with us. Paul is the most successful popular songwriter in history but he always has the burden of anything he does being compared to what he did in The Beatles. Paul's response has been to simply keep working. Through gigantic success, unprecedented fame, public feuds and private tragedy, McCartney has never stopped making music. His new album has a great title — "Memory Almost Full." It's a concept record about scanning through a lifetime of images and memories. It's about being amazed at how quickly time passes, and how memories from 40 or 50 years ago can seem as vivid as what we did yesterday. He calls it "my ever present past." McCartney's real subject has always been perseverance — "Take a sad song and make it better," "Take these broken wings and learn to fly," "Let it be." No matter what he's gone through, McCartney always acts like it's cool, it's fine, it's no big deal. On "Memory Almost Full," Sir Paul looks back on a long and event-filled life and hints that maybe it was a pretty big deal after all. A few years ago I was seated with Paul at a wedding and of course, every guest in the place, from the bride's cousin to the priest, came up to have a photo taken with him. After about an hour of this I said to him, "Boy, that must get to a real drag." He said, "Well, anytime I start to feel that way I remember how nervous John and I were when we were kids and we met our heroes, the Everly Brothers. I know what it's like to be the fan." He said that it amazed him sometimes to think that he met Elvis Presley. In fact, he said, it amazed him sometimes to think that he was in The Beatles. On his new album, Paul expresses that amazement that we all in some ways share. Get a load of how fast life goes by, all the things we've done, all the people we¹ve known, all the adventures, all these friends and lovers. It's a remarkable thing to look back at a life and say, "Wow, that was me!"© MMVII, CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Neil Aspinall quits Apple

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:58:00 +0000

A man who spent nearly 40 years as a custodian for the musical legacy of the Beatles has suddenly quit his post.
Apple Corps announced Tuesday that Neil Aspinall, a former schoolmate of Paul McCartney and George Harrison, had resigned, but gave no explanation for his departure news:www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2007/04/10/beatles-apple-aspinall.html

THE ROADIE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:25:00 +0000

Every rock band has a roadie,or the guy who drives them to safer places away from fans and groupies.Neil Aspinall was the Beatles' roadie during their early Liverpool and Hamburg days and later became their road manager during their concert tours particularly their 1966 world tour.

Neil would give his own life for the band,and he was one of the Beatles' entourage who were viciously attacked by supporters of then Filipino president Ferdinand Marcos during the band's ill-fated and disastrous tour of the Philippines in 1966.

When Brian Epstein died,he was asked by the Beatles to manage the newly founded Apple Corps in 1968 but was fired off in late 1969 by Allen Klein,who,John,George and Ringo was contented to have as band manager post-Epstein.The whole thing caused turmoil as Paul[who was totally against Klein] opposed his bandmates' decision and filed lawsuits against them.Splitting the Beatles into two factions,John,George,Ringo and Klein on the other side and Paul and the Eastman's(Linda McCartney's father) on the other side.Paul had to broke up the Beatles to be able to sue,it was very sad and 1970 saw the band going on their separate ways.

Neil Aspinall became the head of the Apple Corps post Beatles and was involved as executive producer for the Anthology project in 1995.

REVOLVER

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 08:02:00 +0000

Revolver is the first Beatles album that paved the way to psychedelic rock..Released on August 5,1966,this is the album where George Harrison's compositions became more prominent.

Unlike its predecessor Rubber Soul,Revolver is more crisp in sound and the songs were more experimental like "Tomorrow Never Knows"-considered to be one of the first psychedelic rock songs and the raucous guitar sounds by the songs "She Said She Said" and "And Your Bird Can Sing".And also the feedbacky guitar solo of the album's first track "Taxman" provides a starking contrast to the softer sound of Rubber Soul-though one Harrison composition from the latter called "Think For Yourself" featured Paul McCartney on fuzz bass.

This is the last Beatles album to be butchered by Capitol Records and in 1988 the original British edition was issued by EMI Parlophone to the United States and the US version of the album was deleted,unifying the worldwide catalogue.The album went straight to the number one spot of Billboard's album charts proving once again that the Beatles were on top of rock n'roll fame on this planet.

Track listing:
1.Taxman(Harrison) lead singer:George Harrison
2.Eleanor Rigby(Lennon-McCartney) lead singer:Paul McCartney
3.I'm Only Sleeping(Lennon-McCartney) lead singer:John Lennon
4.Love You To(Harrison) lead singer:George Harrison
5.Here,There And Everywhere(Lennon-McCartney) lead singer: Paul McCartney
6.Yellow Submarine(Lennon-McCartney) lead singer:Ringo Starr
7.She Said She Said(Lennon-McCartney) lead singer:John Lennon
8.Good Day Sunshine(Lennon-McCartney) lead singer:Paul McCartney
9.And Your Bird Can Sing(Lennon-McCartney) lead singer:John Lennon
10.For No One(Lennon-McCartney) lead singer:Paul McCartney
11.Doctor Robert(Lennon-McCartney) lead singer:John Lennon
12.I Want To Tell You(Harrison) lead singer:George Harrison
13.Got To Get You Into My Life(Lennon-McCartney) lead singer:Paul McCartney
14.Tomorrow Never Knows(Lennon-McCartney) lead singer:John Lennon

George Harrison (February 25,1943-November 29,2001)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 16:19:00 +0000

Taken from the movie "Help!"..George Harrison is the best guitarist ever.

Some quotes from his contemporaries/friends:

"George Harrison? Now theres a guy,he's got great intonation"--Jeff Beck

"His solos are so immaculate and they're so impeccably performed"--Jimmy Page

Something about me

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 16:45:00 +0000

How to make a Keith

Ingredients:
1 part competetiveness
5 parts crazyiness
5 parts leadership

Method:
Stir together in a glass tumbler with a salted rim. Add emotion to taste! Do not overindulge!

The Beatles-the world's most popular and greatest rock n'roll band

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 07:55:00 +0000

No rock group has ever done it like the Beatles,they disbanded more than 30 years ago but they still touch the hearts of both old and new generations of rock music fans.Their 1995 comeback as a trio releasing the three Anthology albums and topping the charts once again only proved their enduring appeal and immortality.In a sense,it would be more appropriate to describe the word "god-like" status.

"We always wanted to see who will beat the Beatles,and it was the Beatles",says Paul McCartney in a 1997 interview after the release of Anthology 3.All Anthology series topped the Billboard album charts,breaking new records.

All of their albums released in the sixties topped the Billboard album charts and when they released their compilation album of their number one singles called "1" in 2000..it once again topped the Billboard album charts and was also number one in 34 different countries besides the US,making Sir Paul McCartney a little more richer..yet.Sir Paul,by the way,is the richest rock singer on the planet.McCartney is the only "billionaire" musician earning from the Beatles' royalties and from his band Wings and solo albums.

Thank you for the music John,Paul,George and Ringo and for catching the hearts of Beatleheads worldwide.

RUBBER SOUL

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:24:00 +0000

Rubber Soul is the sixth album released by the Beatles on Parlophone records..It is considered to be the very first Beatles album to feature all original compositions by Lennon,McCartney,Harrison and Starr.No cover songs were included in this album unlike in previous LPs where they covered some songs written by other artists.

It is the album where the Beatles' sound came on its own.Very unique and creative.Unfortunately the album once again was butchered by Capitol Records and some of the tracks were altered on the so-called US version of the LP.The original UK version consists of 14 tracks while the butchered US version contains only 11 tracks of some which were altered.

The album was released in December 3,1965 and it went to the number one spot of the Billboard charts on January 1966.In 1988,EMI unified the worldwide catalogue and the butchered US versions of the LPs were deleted.They were now only available[the US LPs] either on bootleg and box sets.

Track listing:

"Drive My Car"- composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)"- composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

"You Won't See Me"- composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

"Nowhere Man"- composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

"Think For Yourself"- composed by George Harrison

"The Word"- composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

"Michelle"- composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

"What Goes On"- composed by John Lennon,Paul McCartney and Richard Starkey

"Girl"- composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

"I'm Looking Through You"- composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

"In My Life"- composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

"Wait"- composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

"If I Needed Someone"- composed by George Harrison

"Run For Your Life"-composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

For you grandpa

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 01:19:00 +0000

I dedicate this to my grandfather "Pete"(Agapito) who passed away early this year. May you find happiness lolo(grandpa) and may the perpetual light shine upon you. This page is for you grandpa..

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 06:52:00 +0000

A Beatles Reunion For The Sake Of 'LOVE'

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (June 18, 2007) -- The surviving members of the world's most celebrated rock band, The Beatles, will attend a special dedication ceremony in honor of the late John Lennon and George Harrison, in conjunction with the one-year anniversary of Cirque du Soleil's "LOVE."

Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will be joined by Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison for the dedication, taking place on June 26 at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.

"LOVE," which celebrates the musical legacy of The Beatles, was born out of a personal friendship and mutual admiration between George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté, who will also be on hand for the event.

During the show's rehearsals in May of last year, McCartney and Laliberté discussed how best to recognize Lennon’s and Harrison's contributions to the show. Cirque du Soleil designers have since created two plaques that will be unveiled at the dedication ceremony, and then permanently displayed in the "LOVE" Theatre lobby at The Mirage.

'The Beatles: LOVE' - Cirque Du Soleil

McCartney spoke with Access Hollywood last year as the Las Vegas show was ramping up, and confessed that he still marvels today that he was part of the band that forever changed the face of popular music. “I wake up some mornings and think, ‘I was in The Beatles?,’” McCartney said. “There's only four people can say that in the world, in the universe -- and I'm one of them, you know.”

"LOVE" has played to sold-out audiences, won critical raves, and spawned a best-selling soundtrack of remastered Beatles classics. Celebrity guests such as George Clooney, Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes, Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban, Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson have all seen "LOVE" and raved about their experience.

Following the ceremony on the 26th (which will also recognize the 40th anniversary of quintessential Beatles album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band"), CNN's Larry King will interview Paul, Ringo, Yoko, Olivia and Guy for his one hour broadcast from The Beatles REVOLUTION Lounge at The Mirage in Las Vegas. The distinguished guests will then attend a special one year anniversary performance of "LOVE."

Source:
http://www.accesshollywood.com/news/ah5768.shtml#

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 03:06:00 +0000

Ringo Starr Goes Digital With New EMI Deal
June 18, 2007 - Digital and Mobile
By Antony Bruno, Denver

Another Beatle is going digital. Ringo Starr has agreed for the first time to release his Capitol/EMI solo catalog online, including 1970's "Beacoups of Blues" and "Sentimental Journey," 1973's "Ringo," and 1974's "Goodnight Vienna, beginning Aug. 28. A collection of six ringtones will also debut then.

The music will be available to all existing digital music services currently carrying EMI content, including in unprotected MP3 formats.

Fellow ex-Beatle Paul McCartney took the digital leap this spring, releasing his entire solo catalog online, including his new album "Memory Almost Full." All McCartney songs are available without DRM protection.

The Starr move raises further speculation that the Beatles catalog is next in line for digital release. McCartney told Billboard recently that a deal was "virtually settled" but declined to reveal specifics.
Link

Thank you Mike!

Sir Paul McCartney,the greatest rock singer!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 09:12:00 +0000

Live forever Paul McCartney..Beatle,Wing,solo artist,animal rights activist,painter,producer and If that werent enough..A KNIGHT..

*photo courtesy of rock photographer Jorie Gracen(Paul McCartney circa Wings;Wings Over America tour 1976)

Sir Paul McCartney Happy 65 Birthday! June 18, 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 04:52:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 04:41:00 +0000

Ringo Starr plans downloads of song catalog, greatest hits album

The Associated Press

Article Launched: 06/17/2007 07:38:17 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES—Ringo Starr is going digital.

The ex-Beatle has signed a deal to release his Capitol/EMI catalog as downloads on the internet, including his hit 1970 album "Beacoups of Blues" and "Ringo" from 1973, his publicist said in a statement Sunday.

The downloads will be available August 28, along with a compilation album, "Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr." The best-of collection, with tracks like "It Don't Come Easy" and "Sentimental Journey," will also be released on CD and as a collector's edition CD/DVD package featuring a film and video clips.

Six Ringo Starr ringtones will also be offered.

A solo album, called "Liverpool 8," is planned for a January 2008 release.

Starr's first solo recording contract after the Beatles broke up was with Capitol/EMI, from 1970 to 1975.

His former Fab Four bandmate Paul McCartney released his 21st solo album, "Memory Almost Full," on June 5.

The Beatles catalog remains unavailable for downloading, though EMI has said it is working on a deal to put the songs online.

Source:

Link

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 21:26:00 +0000

Beatles album goes up for auction

Numbered copy of 'The White Album' surfaces on eBay

5 hours ago

A rare copy of the legendary The Beatles 'The White Album' has been put up for auction.

The numbered copy, which was first released in the UK in 1968, was originally owned by John Lennon's former chauffeur and bodyguard Les Anthony, according to the seller on eBay.

Lennon hired Anthony around the time of the album's release and would often bestow gifts on him.

Bids on the auction site currently stand at $12,800 (£17,137). The auction ends on June 19.

The Beatles' 'The White Album' was the band's ninth and best selling album.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 17:54:00 +0000

Woman acquitted of Beatles poster murder
Saturday Jun 16 11:21 AEST

AP - A woman charged with arranging to have a man killed because she believed he had stolen a Beatles poster he once gave her has been found not guilty of first-degree murder, according to a media report.

Kathryn B Kelly, 31, burst into tears, put both hands over a wide smile and whispered, "Thank you so much," to the Spokane County Superior Court jury, The Spokesman-Review newspaper reported.

Prosecutors said Kelly was homeless and broke before Robert "Bud" Johnson let her move in with him. They had a brief romantic relationship and he gave her a framed Beatles poster with a celebrity autograph as a Valentine's Day present in Februlast year.

The relationship cooled and soon afterward he asked her to return the poster so he could sell it on eBay. She refused, and the poster was taken in a burglary the next month at her cousin's home, where she was staying.

Within days, Johnson was reported missing. Court records say the cousin, Robert A Entel told police he and another man tied his hands, strangled him and banged his head on the floor before driving him to the Spokane River and throwing him in.

Kelly denied asking the men to kill Johnson, and defence lawyer Richard Sanger argued that the only hard evidence in the case pointed to Entel and Donald Smylie-Lyle as the killers.

Entel pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors sparing him a life prison term. Smylie-Lyle's trial is set for July 9.

Source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=273489

©AAP 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:53:00 +0000

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/leisure/boltonmusic/bandinterviews/display.var.1470329.0.new_beatles_dvd_to_be_released.php

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 13:11:00 +0000

http://www.news-antique.com/?id=782583&keys=Beatles-Poster-Auction

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 16:36:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 14:11:00 +0000

Love Ain’t All You Need: Beatles “Poster Murderess” Trial Kicks Off

Fred Mills June 9, 2007While the planet’s eyes remain trained upon Phil Spector’s wig collection (and, oh yeah, there’s that little matter about him being accused of putting a bullet into the head of a young lady), another music-related murder trial got underway quietly this week in Oregon.

Kathryn B. Kelly, age 31, went on trial Wednesday for first-degree murder in connection with the death of Beatles collector Robert “Bud” Johnson, age 45. Johnson’s body had been found on March 18, 2006 in the Spokane River; Robert A. Entel, 19, and Donald L. Smiley-Lyle, 18, were subsequently alleged to have killed Johnson at Kelly’s request. Read More...

Source:

http://harpmagazine.com/news/detail.cfm?article=11305

'intimate' London gig

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 22:39:00 +0000

Celebrating the release of his new album Memory Almost Full, McCartney, 64, played at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, north London in a gig that was only announced Thursday morning, with tickets given away free on a first-come, first-served basis. More...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 22:32:00 +0000

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/music/paul-mccartney-performs-intimate-london-gig/2007/06/08/1181089290899.html

Sgt Pepper 40th Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 May 2007 15:48:00 +0000

Source:
Link

Memory Almost Full

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 May 2007 23:29:00 +0000

A Happy Dude!

Sir Paul New Site: Meyesight

M emory Almost Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 May 2007 21:13:00 +0000

MEMORY ALMOST FULL BY PAUL McCARTNEY - 30.04.2007

Memory Almost Full out Monday June 4th 2007
By Paul McCartney

All tracks written and composed by Paul McCartney
Produced and programmed by David Kahne

Paul McCartney played all instruments except:

Paul 'Wix' Wickens - keyboards; Rusty Anderson - guitar; Brian Ray - bass guitar and Abe Laboriel Jr. - drums; played on Only Mamma Knows, You Tell Me, Vintage Clothes, That Was Me, Feet In The Clouds, and House of Wax

Recorded at Hog Hill Mill Studios, Abbey Road Studios, Henson Recording Studios, Air Studios, RAK Studios

Mastered by: Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering

Memory Almost Full will be released on Tuesday, June 5th in The United States, June 4th in the UK and June 6th in Japan.

This release will be the first ever Paul McCartney album available digitally .

Memory Almost Full is Paul McCartney’s 21st solo album.

Recording sessions started in October 2003 – The mixing was completed in February 2007.

Memory Almost Full is the first release on new Hear Music label (the label formed by Starbucks Entertainment and Concord Music Group).

Hear Music seeks to provide a new platform for reaching music fans and introducing them to both emerging and established artists with inspired vision and a keen sense of purpose.

Memory Almost Full will be available at Starbucks locations and traditional music retail outlets internationally.

Source:

www.paulmccartney.com