Beatles song used in TV ad a first
Macworld UK - UK
A Beatles song will be used in a UK TV ad for the first time on Monday night. The John Lewis Beatles ad, which highlights a range of festive gift ideas, ...
The Last Man Standing in the Beatles Inner Circle
WhatGoesOn.com - Santa Monica,CA,USA
by Katie Hickox, WhatGoesOn reporter Paul McCartney's publicist Geoff Baker calls Tony Bramwell, "the last man standing" because only Tony, the Beatles ...
Beatles song to be used in John Lewis TV ad
LDPBusiness - Liverpool,England,UK
A BEATLES song will be used in a UK television advert for the first time tonight. The Christmas campaign for retailer John Lewis will feature From Me to You ...
‘Life’ exposes ugly realities behind Lennon’s public image
Boston Herald - United States
The Beatles in Their Generation,” getting full access to Yoko Ono and her family for three years’ worth of interviews. But when Ono got a look at an early ...
John Lewis ad in Beatles song debut
Brand Republic - London,UK
by Colin Marrs, Campaign 10-Nov-08, 12:00 LONDON - John Lewis will tonight become the first advertiser to use a Beatles song in a major UK TV campaign. ...
The magic of The Beatles' story
thisislichfield.co.uk - Lichfield,UK
FANS OF the Fab Four were invited to take a Magical History Tour when a Beatles show played at Lichfield Guildhall. Magical History Tour was not really a ...
Beatles boot camp gives amateur rockers chance to play at Cavern Club
Liverpool Daily Post - Liverpool,England,UK
It was the finale of a week-long Beatles-themed extravaganza which also saw the “campers” play and record at Abbey Road studios in London. ...
Here’s Your Ticket to Ride the Rock Band Beatles Train
CU Columbia Spectator - New York,NY,USA
This past week, MTV Games and Harmonix announced a groundbreaking partnership with Apple Corps, the company founded in 1968 by the Beatles to manage their ...
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Charlie Lennon: Uncle To A Beatle
by Scott Wheeler
Here is the full story of John Lennon's remarkable uncle, the late singer-composer Charlie Lennon, told in Charlie's own words and in tributes by some of those who knew him best. The book provides a unique, fascinating look into the Lennon family and John's early life in his hometown of Liverpool, England. Charlie talks candidly about his childhood days in Liverpool, his wartime service in the Royal Army, his memories of John and of John's son Julian, and his life as a hometown celebrity after coming home to Liverpool in 1982. His close friend Scott Wheeler takes up the story in the 1980s, chronicling his many "travels with Charlie" around Liverpool and Boston in the course of eight years of band tours. The book includes tributes from 13 of Charlie's friends, and is illustrated with 680 photos, including many rare Lennon family pictures that have never before been published.
Scott Wheeler and Charlie Lennon were friends and performing partners for 13 years. Scott, from Boston, USA, has performed rock and roll on stage, radio and TV for hundreds of thousands of fans in America and in England. He is featured every year in Liverpool's international Beatle Week festival.
Excerpt
I saw John only once during the war. I came home to Liverpool when he was four years old. We decided we'd go and have a walk-'round. John's mother and father went into the fish shop in Penny Lane, and I stood with John outside a toy shop. John's pointing at this big tin bus in the window. I said, "You want that?" And he got all excited. So, of course, I go in and buy it for him, don't I? And while I'm paying for this bus, John's walking out the door with a Donald Duck with wheels, on a piece of string. Mind you, he'd broken it before he got home! I didn't see John again until he invited me up to his home in Weybridge in November 1967. His dad said to me, "What are you going to say to John when you see him?" I said, "I'll ask for me bus back." And John had still got the bus! It was up in the music room when I saw it.
Here is the full story of John Lennon's remarkable uncle, the late singer-composer Charlie Lennon, told in Charlie's own words and in tributes by some of those who knew him best. The book provides a unique, fascinating look into the Lennon family and John's early life in his hometown of Liverpool, England. Charlie talks candidly about his childhood days in Liverpool, his wartime service in the Royal Army, his memories of John and of John's son Julian, and his life as a hometown celebrity after coming home to Liverpool in 1982. His close friend Scott Wheeler takes up the story in the 1980s, chronicling his many "travels with Charlie" around Liverpool and Boston in the course of eight years of band tours. The book includes tributes from 13 of Charlie's friends, and is illustrated with 680 photos, including many rare Lennon family pictures that have never before been published.
Scott Wheeler and Charlie Lennon were friends and performing partners for 13 years. Scott, from Boston, USA, has performed rock and roll on stage, radio and TV for hundreds of thousands of fans in America and in England. He is featured every year in Liverpool's international Beatle Week festival.
Excerpt
I saw John only once during the war. I came home to Liverpool when he was four years old. We decided we'd go and have a walk-'round. John's mother and father went into the fish shop in Penny Lane, and I stood with John outside a toy shop. John's pointing at this big tin bus in the window. I said, "You want that?" And he got all excited. So, of course, I go in and buy it for him, don't I? And while I'm paying for this bus, John's walking out the door with a Donald Duck with wheels, on a piece of string. Mind you, he'd broken it before he got home! I didn't see John again until he invited me up to his home in Weybridge in November 1967. His dad said to me, "What are you going to say to John when you see him?" I said, "I'll ask for me bus back." And John had still got the bus! It was up in the music room when I saw it.
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Election Year Strategy Information Center
March 8, 1972On March 1, 1972, a confidential source of the Federal Bureau of Investigation who has provided reliable information in the past, advised that Thomas Hayden, a convicted Chicago Seven conspiracy trial defendant, flew to the Washington, D.C. area on February 26, 1972, and met with Rennard Cordon Davis, another convicted Chicago Seven conspiracy trial defendant. These two individuals discussed the possibility of forming a group calling itself the "anti-war union". This was described as a coalition of individuals who, in the past, had shown leadership in various new left oriented organizations. The projected purpose of the anti-war union would be to formulate tactics in regard to movement actions during the 1972 election year primary elections, including confrontations with candidates during their speaking tours, and as a support base for the "arena stage" a recently coined description of the new left oriented "entertainment group" that would include John Winston Lennon, former Beatles rock singer, and his wife, Yoko Ono, and function as a stimulus to encourage youths to be in the vicinity of election candidates when they are on tour.
The source indicated that currently the following organizational titles coined by Rennard Davis and his followers appears to be synonymous, and will be functioning toward the general goal of candidate harrassment and general disruption during the 1972 election year: arena stage, Internatioanl News Service, Election Year Strategy Information Center (Office), the youth contingent of the Peopl's Coalition for Peace and Justice.
Friday, November 07, 2008
John Lennon: Listen To This Book
by John Blaney
John Lennon: Listen To This Book covers the records issued by John Lennon in Britain and America from his debut in 1968 to his latest album of archive recordings. Packed with over 500 illustrations the book reviews each release, providing information about recording locations and personnel, label variations, promotional releases and chart positions. An essential source book for seasoned collectors and those new to Lennon, it is a comprehensive guide to:
- Every officially released Lennon recording
- British, American and Japanese releases
- Apple, Geffen and Polydor label variations
- Promotional releases
- Interview discs
Introduction
As one quarter of the Beatles John Lennon recorded some remarkable music. The music he made as a solo artist was every bit its equal. In just twelve-years he recorded an extraordinary body of work that encompassed avant-gardism, agitprop, rock 'n' roll and pop. Although Lennon's music-making took many forms, he always stayed true to the ideas and ideals he'd established with the Beatles. Themes that encompassed personal and universal love, self-knowledge, liberation, utopianism and idealism were honed to perfection. He also perfected his songwriting which, like him, could be simple or complex, transparent or opaque, base or urbane. Lennon used his songs to tell the world of his feelings, his thoughts and desires. Whatever the subject, Lennon expressed himself with a compelling honesty. At times he was perhaps too honest. His probity challenged, it questioned and it shocked. It made him all the more intriguing, all the more human.
The records he made are tangible reminders of a quixotic mind, visceral musician, sensitive songwriter, passionate individual and family man. If you want to trace Lennon's development as a musician, thinker and rock star, then his records provide an audible map for you to follow. But Lennon's records did more than reflect, they redefined popular music and had a marked impact on the cultural and political landscape from which they emerged. To say that they changed people's lives wouldn't be an over statement. Jerry Rubin, for one, had his life turned around by one of Lennon's songs, long before he met him. Through his songwriting, Lennon touched the hearts and minds of people from Liverpool to Tokyo. At their best his songs challenge the listener to reconsider and question the world they inhabit. They are personal epistles that resonate around the globe, offering hope and inspiration. They proffer a genuine desire for change, for personal development, for a revolution in the head that will benefit all humanity.
In the years following his death, Yoko Ono has maintained her late husband's legacy with a string of archival releases that have contributed to his slim but select oeuvre. The amount of material issued has been considerable: respectfully and carefully managed, it now outweighs that released in his lifetime. These albums have revealed aspects of his work that, had he survived, would have remained unknown. All too often posthumous releases betray an artist's reputation. This can't be said for the majority of Lennon's posthumous albums, which have sustained the exceedingly high standards set in his lifetime. Whether recording a home demo, leading a band through a rehearsal or recording a guide vocal, Lennon simply couldn't give less than 100%.
Listen To This Book sets out to trace the recordings that Lennon left behind and, I hope, shed some new light on them. While it is primarily a discography, it also reveals the influences and stories behind the songs. It collects together for the first time in one book information about label variations, promotional records chart positions, recording locations and much more. Entries are arranged chronologically. The book begins with Lennon's debut solo album, Two Virgins, and ends with his latest, John Lennon Acoustic. Information about each record is broken down into discrete parts. Song titles are followed by the artist's name, release date and catalogue number. Chart positions from Billboard and BMRB/Music Week are provided for American and British releases. Japanese chart positions, taken from 'Oricon', are also provided. As a comparison, I've included an appendix that gives chart positions for Lennon's single releases, excluding re-entries, from Billboard and Cash Box and Music Week and NME. In addition, each song has been assigned an index number followed by the song title, composer credit, recording personnel, recording studio, recording date and producer credit. Where songs appear on more than one release, a cross reference is provided. A song index, to help trace each song and the record it appears on, has also been provided.
Appendices for British, American and Japanese discographies provide the following information: release date, title, record label, catalogue numbers for LPs, 8-tracks, reel-to-reel tapes (US only), CDs, 7-inch singles, 12-inch singles, cassette singles (UK only), CD singles and promo singles. An appendix to the main John Lennon discography details interview records and discs issued with books. Information about Capitol, Geffen and Polydor label variations issued in America is also provided.
John Lennon: Listen To This Book covers the records issued by John Lennon in Britain and America from his debut in 1968 to his latest album of archive recordings. Packed with over 500 illustrations the book reviews each release, providing information about recording locations and personnel, label variations, promotional releases and chart positions. An essential source book for seasoned collectors and those new to Lennon, it is a comprehensive guide to:
- Every officially released Lennon recording
- British, American and Japanese releases
- Apple, Geffen and Polydor label variations
- Promotional releases
- Interview discs
Introduction
As one quarter of the Beatles John Lennon recorded some remarkable music. The music he made as a solo artist was every bit its equal. In just twelve-years he recorded an extraordinary body of work that encompassed avant-gardism, agitprop, rock 'n' roll and pop. Although Lennon's music-making took many forms, he always stayed true to the ideas and ideals he'd established with the Beatles. Themes that encompassed personal and universal love, self-knowledge, liberation, utopianism and idealism were honed to perfection. He also perfected his songwriting which, like him, could be simple or complex, transparent or opaque, base or urbane. Lennon used his songs to tell the world of his feelings, his thoughts and desires. Whatever the subject, Lennon expressed himself with a compelling honesty. At times he was perhaps too honest. His probity challenged, it questioned and it shocked. It made him all the more intriguing, all the more human.
The records he made are tangible reminders of a quixotic mind, visceral musician, sensitive songwriter, passionate individual and family man. If you want to trace Lennon's development as a musician, thinker and rock star, then his records provide an audible map for you to follow. But Lennon's records did more than reflect, they redefined popular music and had a marked impact on the cultural and political landscape from which they emerged. To say that they changed people's lives wouldn't be an over statement. Jerry Rubin, for one, had his life turned around by one of Lennon's songs, long before he met him. Through his songwriting, Lennon touched the hearts and minds of people from Liverpool to Tokyo. At their best his songs challenge the listener to reconsider and question the world they inhabit. They are personal epistles that resonate around the globe, offering hope and inspiration. They proffer a genuine desire for change, for personal development, for a revolution in the head that will benefit all humanity.
In the years following his death, Yoko Ono has maintained her late husband's legacy with a string of archival releases that have contributed to his slim but select oeuvre. The amount of material issued has been considerable: respectfully and carefully managed, it now outweighs that released in his lifetime. These albums have revealed aspects of his work that, had he survived, would have remained unknown. All too often posthumous releases betray an artist's reputation. This can't be said for the majority of Lennon's posthumous albums, which have sustained the exceedingly high standards set in his lifetime. Whether recording a home demo, leading a band through a rehearsal or recording a guide vocal, Lennon simply couldn't give less than 100%.
Listen To This Book sets out to trace the recordings that Lennon left behind and, I hope, shed some new light on them. While it is primarily a discography, it also reveals the influences and stories behind the songs. It collects together for the first time in one book information about label variations, promotional records chart positions, recording locations and much more. Entries are arranged chronologically. The book begins with Lennon's debut solo album, Two Virgins, and ends with his latest, John Lennon Acoustic. Information about each record is broken down into discrete parts. Song titles are followed by the artist's name, release date and catalogue number. Chart positions from Billboard and BMRB/Music Week are provided for American and British releases. Japanese chart positions, taken from 'Oricon', are also provided. As a comparison, I've included an appendix that gives chart positions for Lennon's single releases, excluding re-entries, from Billboard and Cash Box and Music Week and NME. In addition, each song has been assigned an index number followed by the song title, composer credit, recording personnel, recording studio, recording date and producer credit. Where songs appear on more than one release, a cross reference is provided. A song index, to help trace each song and the record it appears on, has also been provided.
Appendices for British, American and Japanese discographies provide the following information: release date, title, record label, catalogue numbers for LPs, 8-tracks, reel-to-reel tapes (US only), CDs, 7-inch singles, 12-inch singles, cassette singles (UK only), CD singles and promo singles. An appendix to the main John Lennon discography details interview records and discs issued with books. Information about Capitol, Geffen and Polydor label variations issued in America is also provided.
August 14, 1966 - Municipal Stadium, Cleveland
Taped: Sunday 14 August 1966
Two sets to 20,000 fans. When 2,500 fans got into the arena area, the show was stopped midway through a performance of "Day Tripper," and The Beatles retired backstage for about 20 minutes until order was restored.
Radio station KLUE in Longview, Texas, was taken off the air the day after their Beatles records bonfire when a lightning bolt struck their transmission tower, destroying electronic equipment and knocking their news director unconscious.
Two sets to 20,000 fans. When 2,500 fans got into the arena area, the show was stopped midway through a performance of "Day Tripper," and The Beatles retired backstage for about 20 minutes until order was restored.
Radio station KLUE in Longview, Texas, was taken off the air the day after their Beatles records bonfire when a lightning bolt struck their transmission tower, destroying electronic equipment and knocking their news director unconscious.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
John Lennon: We All Shine On - The Stories Behind Every John Lennon Song 1970-1980
by Paul Du Noyer
Much has been written about John Lennon's life and about The Beatles' music. But the extraordinary solo work that Lennon produced in the final decade of his life -- 1970-1980 -- is often overlooked. The period in which he moved to New York with Yoko Ono and changed from frontman of the world's biggest pop group to global peace campaigner and figurehead for radical causes was a time of great creativity for Lennon during which he wrote some of his most powerful and memorable songs.
Freed from the restrictions of The Beatles his style became more confessional than ever and his music gives an extraordinary insight into his life, feelings and beliefs. In songs such as 'Mother', 'Working Class Hero' and 'How Do You Sleep?' he explored the traumas of his childhood and the bitter legacy of The Beatles. He chronicles his infatuation with Yoko, as well as his infidelities and his insecurity with songs such as 'Woman' and 'Jealous Guy.' There are the classic anthems of social protest, such as 'Give Peace A Chance' and 'Power To The People'. Even his choice of cover versions tells us much about his musical roots. Finally, there are his accounts of his domestic contentment and optimism for the future, including 'Imagine'.
Now updated throughout with information that has recently come to light about people, events or pieces of music that influenced Lennon's songwriting during his solo years, We All Shine On gives a track-by-track analysis of the stories behind every song he wrote after leaving The Beatles. It is the definitive illustrated guide to the creative genius of Lennon's last decade.
Paul Du Noyer was born in Liverpool. He began as a music writer for the NME, moved on to edit Q magazine and in 1994 launched the rock monthly Mojo. He wrote the definitive history of his home town's music, Liverpool: Wondrous Place, and is now the Associate Editor of WORD.
'In the hands of one as fluent and well-informed as Du Noyer, both the songs and the troubled life that informed them emerge with fascinating clarity' Sunday Times
Much has been written about John Lennon's life and about The Beatles' music. But the extraordinary solo work that Lennon produced in the final decade of his life -- 1970-1980 -- is often overlooked. The period in which he moved to New York with Yoko Ono and changed from frontman of the world's biggest pop group to global peace campaigner and figurehead for radical causes was a time of great creativity for Lennon during which he wrote some of his most powerful and memorable songs.
Freed from the restrictions of The Beatles his style became more confessional than ever and his music gives an extraordinary insight into his life, feelings and beliefs. In songs such as 'Mother', 'Working Class Hero' and 'How Do You Sleep?' he explored the traumas of his childhood and the bitter legacy of The Beatles. He chronicles his infatuation with Yoko, as well as his infidelities and his insecurity with songs such as 'Woman' and 'Jealous Guy.' There are the classic anthems of social protest, such as 'Give Peace A Chance' and 'Power To The People'. Even his choice of cover versions tells us much about his musical roots. Finally, there are his accounts of his domestic contentment and optimism for the future, including 'Imagine'.
Now updated throughout with information that has recently come to light about people, events or pieces of music that influenced Lennon's songwriting during his solo years, We All Shine On gives a track-by-track analysis of the stories behind every song he wrote after leaving The Beatles. It is the definitive illustrated guide to the creative genius of Lennon's last decade.
Paul Du Noyer was born in Liverpool. He began as a music writer for the NME, moved on to edit Q magazine and in 1994 launched the rock monthly Mojo. He wrote the definitive history of his home town's music, Liverpool: Wondrous Place, and is now the Associate Editor of WORD.
'In the hands of one as fluent and well-informed as Du Noyer, both the songs and the troubled life that informed them emerge with fascinating clarity' Sunday Times
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
The Beatles Archival Treasures 1964-1971
The 2008 Communicator Award Winner Archival Treasures will take you behind the scenes where the public would normally not have access. The tributes, rarities, and one-of-a-kind artifacts offered here are a must for any Beatles fan.
This is a truly unique collection, first time ever offered with these special features...a wonderful gift idea anytime!
Hosted by recognized Beatles collector Gary Mayes, and national recording artist, Biz Haddock, this episode is everything from the Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine eras to insights about The Beatles recording sessions from Alan Parsons. Take a peek into a secret room at the Hard Rock Cafe, Florida where you will see a detailed reproduction of John Lennon’s living room with original contents from his Dakota apartment in New York. This energetically paced collection of stories demonstrates once again The Beatles' supreme influence, not only on music, but on history and culture around the world.
One in every 50 box sets includes an actual piece of original 1964 Beatles memorabilia, much like the topps® baseball card packs where you get a randomly inserted major league player's live autograph. But with this box set your odds are much better. With this introductory offer, buy two, one to open and enjoy and one to keep sealed as a collectible.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
-DVD Television Show
-Collectible Embossed Beatles Tin
-16 page booklet on rare Beatles treasures
-Beatles concert ticket reproduction
-An original 1964 Beatles collectible item
Rent or purchase this DVD from BLOCKBUSTER Total Access - click to activate coupon for $10 off your first month.
This is a truly unique collection, first time ever offered with these special features...a wonderful gift idea anytime!
Hosted by recognized Beatles collector Gary Mayes, and national recording artist, Biz Haddock, this episode is everything from the Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine eras to insights about The Beatles recording sessions from Alan Parsons. Take a peek into a secret room at the Hard Rock Cafe, Florida where you will see a detailed reproduction of John Lennon’s living room with original contents from his Dakota apartment in New York. This energetically paced collection of stories demonstrates once again The Beatles' supreme influence, not only on music, but on history and culture around the world.
One in every 50 box sets includes an actual piece of original 1964 Beatles memorabilia, much like the topps® baseball card packs where you get a randomly inserted major league player's live autograph. But with this box set your odds are much better. With this introductory offer, buy two, one to open and enjoy and one to keep sealed as a collectible.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
-DVD Television Show
-Collectible Embossed Beatles Tin
-16 page booklet on rare Beatles treasures
-Beatles concert ticket reproduction
-An original 1964 Beatles collectible item
Rent or purchase this DVD from BLOCKBUSTER Total Access - click to activate coupon for $10 off your first month.
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