In The Life Of...The Beatles

John Lennon: Imagine - Full Album

2012-01-28T14:20:00.000-08:00

Pattie Boyd Pictures

2012-01-25T01:37:00.000-08:00

John Lennon: Walls And Bridges - Full Album

2012-01-21T14:19:00.000-08:00

Pattie Boyd Pictures

2012-01-18T01:35:00.000-08:00

John Lennon: Some Time In New York City - Full Album

2012-01-14T14:18:00.000-08:00

Pattie Boyd and George Harrison Pictures

2012-01-11T01:33:00.000-08:00

Which Beatle Had the First Chart Success As a Solo Artist After the Break-up?

2012-01-09T07:39:00.000-08:00

Q: Directly after the break, who had the first chart success as a solo artist? My guess is Ringo.

Not as simple a question as on first glance, since several solo Beatle products were released in the year leading up to the "official" break-up announcement, which is usually pegged to Paul's announcement on April 10, 1970 (although Ringo, George, and John had attempted to quit before this, none had made such a public pronouncement until Paul's press release for the McCartney LP). Running down the 1970 UK top 10 chart successes for the solo Beatles, we have:

- John's "Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)" single reaching #5 (Released: 6 February 1970)
- Ringo's Sentimental Journey LP reaching #7 (Released: 27 March 1970)
- Paul's McCartney LP reaching #2 (Released: 17 April 1970)
- George's "My Sweet Lord" single reaching #1 (Released: 23 November 1970)
- George's All Things Must Pass LP reaching #1 (Released: 27 November 1970)
- John's Plastic Ono Band LP reaching #8 (Released: 11 December 1970)

So, to summarize, we have John with a hit single while the split is occurring, Ringo with a chart success right before the official break-up, and Paul with a hit LP a week after. George was the most successful overall that year of the Beatles, scoring two #1 releases in the UK (the McCartney LP, however, did make it to #1 in the U.S.).

While the release dates may seem trivial, these dates for the early solo efforts were contentious among the Beatles themselves, as they each had work to be released along with the group's Let It Be LP. Ringo at one point visited Paul at his home on Cavendish Avenue to try to resolve these matters, and was met with Paul waving his fingers in Ringo's face and yelling, "I'll finish you all now," and "You'll pay!"

Submit your Beatles questions here.

John Lennon: Plastic Ono Band - Full Album

2012-01-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

Pattie Boyd and George Harrison Pictures

2012-01-04T01:31:00.000-08:00

Pattie Boyd: Shampoo Commercial

2012-01-01T11:36:00.000-08:00

John Lennon - "Imagine" - Live at the Jerry Lewis Muscular Distrophy Association Telethon (1972)

2011-12-31T05:53:00.000-08:00

Brief clip of the performance recorded at the Sahara Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada on September 4, 1972:

Pattie Boyd and George Harrison Pictures

2011-12-28T01:28:00.000-08:00

The Beatles - Complete Fan Club Christmas Records

2011-12-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

Pattie Boyd and George Harrison Pictures

2011-12-21T01:26:00.000-08:00

John Lennon: Video Clips from 1971

2011-12-15T07:51:00.000-08:00

Pattie Boyd and George Harrison Pictures

2011-12-14T01:18:00.000-08:00

Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Beatles & Bournemouth

2011-12-10T10:49:00.000-08:00

Like looking through a scrapbook or time capsule, Yeah Yeah Yeah captures many unseen moments of the Beatles appearances in Bournemouth, England. There are plenty of rare photos, facts, and remembrances contained in this impressive volume. For example, I was not aware the Beatles started their Roy Orbison Tour sets in 1963 with "Some Other Guy," underlining their fondness for the Richie Barrett song (John Lennon would later lift the riff for the intro of his 1970 single, "Instant Karma"). I had previously only seen one alternate shot of the With the Beatles album cover, while page 49 contains two. There are an abundance of Beatles backstage photographs I have not seen before that add life to the recollections of the people that were there interspersed throughout. So many interesting tidbits are to be found, including what happened to the 1963 Beatles audience tape at Gaumont that went up for auction several years ago. There are also some great pictures from later in the Beatles' career as well, including a unique photo of John, Julian, and Aunt Mimi at the Sandbanks ferry in 1967. All in all, a wonderful collection.

An exhibition of rare and previously unseen photos is running at Bournemouth Central Library until January 18. Art prints of many of the photos are now available to order at www.beatlesandbournemouth.com along with copies of the book.

Pattie Boyd and George Harrison Pictures

2011-12-07T01:10:00.000-08:00

Guitar World Ultimate Beatles Guide

2011-12-05T09:22:00.000-08:00

GUITAR WORLD PRESENTS THE ULTIMATE GUIDE
TO THE RECORDINGS, SONGS AND GEAR OF THE BEATLES
IN THE HOLIDAY 2011 ISSUE

Beatles fans rejoice! Guitar World presents the ultimate guide to the recordings, songs and gear of the Beatles, the group that revolutionized not only rock and roll but also the recording studio. The issue is devoted to an in-depth examination of the Fab Four’s 13 albums – from Please Please Me to Let It Be – and includes commentary culled from original interviews with Beatles producer George Martin and engineers Geoff Emerick and Alan Parsons. The issue explores the Beatles through their gear, as well as the unique recording equipment in Abbey Road Studios that captured their sounds and forever changed music.

Each Beatles album is explored in detail, from the story behind its creation to the guitars and amps used in its making. George Harrison’s Rickenbacker 360 12-string guitar used on A Hard Day’s Night and numerous other classic-era songs, as well as his custom-made rosewood Fender Telecaster, famously used during the making of Let It Be. Guitar World tells the stories behind selected tracks from each album including “I Saw Her Standing There,” “Ticket to Ride,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and others.

The Holiday 2011 issue of Guitar World is available on newsstands now and on Apple Newsstand for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

The Beatles Return from a European Tour (London Airport, Heathrow, July 4, 1965)

2011-12-04T16:45:00.000-08:00

The Beatles Rehearse for Blackpool Night Out (1964)

2011-12-03T04:44:00.000-08:00

Ringo Starr giving an interview on his upcoming operation for tonsillitis (1964)

2011-12-02T04:40:00.000-08:00

Pattie Boyd in Der Kommissar (1969)

2011-12-01T11:13:00.000-08:00

Pattie Boyd and George Harrison Pictures

2011-11-30T01:04:00.000-08:00

Imagine: John Lennon (Documentary Film)

2011-11-27T09:26:00.000-08:00