JOHN LENNON'S MOTHER'S FAMILY HOME – 1 BLOMFIELD ROAD, ALLERTON, L19 4UY

August 29, 2022
Beatle Tidbits


Ottawa Beatles Site Retrogroove - "The Beatles' Thing" by John Moran

August 28, 2022
Brian Epstein: Statue of Beatles manager unveiled in Liverpool

August 27, 2022
Yellow Submarine animator Gerald Potterton has passed away

The Railrodder, Gerald Potterton, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

George Potterton Cause of Death: The Beatles Animator Dead at 91 [Details]

by Angeline Sicily for Music Times

The Beatles' animator, Gerald Potterton, died. He was 91.

The tragic news about Potterton's death was confirmed by the National Film Board of Canada's official Twitter account and website. It also announced the celebration of his life as it honored his legacy and contribution to the industry.

The Wednesday statement added that The Beatles' collaborator passed away at the Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital in Cowansville, Quebec, on August 23.

NFB chairperson and government film commissioner Claude Joli-Coeur said (via The Hollywood Reporter), "Gerald came to Canada and the NFB to be part of a new wave of storytelling, one that was fresh and irreverent, and he brought great wit and creativity to every project."

Gerald Potterton's cause of death was not disclosed. His family is also yet to release an official announcement regarding his passing.

Fans and colleagues, including The Beatles Story, who saw his unmatched works paid tribute to him.

Gerald Potterton's Career Explored

Before working in The Beatles' 1968 film "Yellow Submarine," Potterton first worked in short animations including "My Financial Career," "The Railrodder," "The Ride," and "Christmas Cracker."

In 1967, he launched his studio, Potterton Productions in Montreal. The next year, director George Dunning invited him to return to London to work in the highly-anticipated The Beatles flick.

Meanwhile, his adult science-fiction fantasy "Heavy Metal" scored praises as its soundtracks were recorded by Black Sabbath, Don Felder, Sammy Hagar, and more award-winning artists.

Although he scored a milestone in doing the project, he continued working on his passion when he returned to his Montreal-based studio. One of his first projects soon after his return was "The Selfish Giant," an animated short based on Oscar Wilde's short story.

His other works in the years thereafter were "Heavy Metal," "The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones," "The Smoggies," and "George and the Christmas Star."

In 1998, Potterton was selected  as one of  "Ten Men Who Have Rocked the Animation World" at the World Animation Celebration.

Although he mostly focused on his film and animation career, he was loved by music fans - especially supporters of The Beatles - for creating the flick about the band despite his busy schedule.

Before his death, Potterton started working on a documentary about his career, "The Flying Animator." He was still able to update his fans regarding its progress, saying that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the project.

Ottawa Beatle Site footnote: More info on Gerald Potterton from the National Film Board of Canada
(click on the image below to watch more films by Gerald Potterton)

Legendary Beatles Manager Brian Epstein will be celebrated in Liverpool with his own statue, installed ahead of the 55th anniversary if his death.

Epstein, who would have been 88, became The Beatles manager in 1961, after seeing them play in the Cavern Club. The venue was just a short walk from the NEMS Record Store, which Epstein managed, and which played a vital role in the city’s music history, along with that of The Beatles.

The statue, granted planning permission in February, will stand at the corner of Button Street and Whitechapel, following the first steps of Epstein’s journey to change the fortunes of both the Fab Four and himself. His five-year deal with the band saw them become more professional and guided them not simply to the top of the music charts but also into cultural history.

Born in Liverpool in 1934 to Jewish parents, Epstein also played a key role in the city’s wider music scene, nurturing artists including Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cilla Black, Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, The Moody Blues and The Chants. His work as a promoter was vital to the development of Merseybeat and Liverpool’s cultural reputation in the mid-60s. His commitment to the city, its music and culture has created a powerful legacy still felt today. His death in 1967 was seen as the beginning of the end for The Beatles, who would officially split up in 1970.

Although his sexuality was not publicly known until after his death, it was well known amongst his friends and business associates. As a gay man living at time when homosexuality was illegal, Epstein faced many personal challenges. This is the first statue of an LGBTQ+ figure in Liverpool city centre. Epstein was only 32 when he died and did not live to see the changes that could have impacted on his freedom to publicly express his sexuality (laws were changed a month after his death). An unsung LGBTQ+ icon, Epstein’s statue raises the importance of visibility and representation.

The Epstein statue is the latest addition to the city by sculptor Andy Edwards, also responsible for The Fab Four statue of John, Paul, George and Ringo at Liverpool’s Pier Head. He also sculpted Bob Marley on Jamaica Street, and co-sculpted the statue of Cilla Black in Mathew Street. The Epstein Statue will measure 1.94m and be cast from bronze by Castle Foundry of Liverpool.

The statue campaign has been led for the last 5 years by the Brian Epstein Legacy Project. It has been made possible after a successful public Crowdfunding campaign, funding from Bill Heckle at The Cavern and match funding from Liverpool BID company.

Meanwhile the McCartney Street signs, temporarily installed on Mathew Street to honor Paul’s 80th birthday in June, are to be auctioned for charity. The signs will be included in a live auction as part of Beatleweek takes place annually, curated by The Beatles Shop and Cato Crane Auctioneers. The signs have been donated by Liverpool BID Company with all proceeds to be split between the Lord Mayor’s Charities. The auction will take place on the 27th August at 10am. Another of the signs has been donated for public display at the Liverpool Beatles Museum.

Tom Calderbank is Project Manager of The Brian Epstein Legacy Project;

“On behalf of the committee which has worked so hard to achieve this goal, we would like to thank every single person and organisation who has supported us on our 5 year journey. We are absolutely delighted to see this finally come to fruition. We feel Brian really deserves this honour, his impact on the world of music, art and culture was – and continues to be – overwhelmingly positive, and we believe our debt to him as a city is incalculable. We hope this lasting tribute to his legacy is worthy of the man and his achievements, and that people take this wonderful addition to our public realm to their hearts.”

“The Cavern Quarter becomes such a hive of activity during International Beatle Week and we are delighted the Epstein statue is going to be ready for installation to coincide with the celebrations. Our operations team has been sprucing up the quarter, with targeted street cleansing, new signage and more to make it ready for our international visitors.

“People will also be able to see the new SMUG mural, on Hartington Street, which was unveiled in July and references the neighbourhood’s famous ‘Pool of Life’. This is one of the oldest commercial districts in Liverpool city centre, once home to an iron foundry, brewery and mills. Through the Retail & Leisure BID we are working to enhance the neighbourhood, bringing in public art to celebrate its cultural history and make it a place for businesses to thrive”.

The suspense over which album by the Beatles might be next in line to get a remix and bonus-filled boxed-set treatment is over: It’s officially “Revolver.”

Apple Corps and Universal Music have confirmed that a deluxe celebration of the 1966 release — which, like the Beatle boxes that have preceded it, will include a Giles Martin remix — is in the pipeline for this fall.

An official announcement of the project is not expected to come until some time in September, at which point details about the deluxe package’s contents and a release date will be forthcoming.

“Revolver” had been widely speculated among fans as the next in the series. Previously, the boxed sets and remixes in the series started with 1967’s “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and continued chronologically with 1968’s White Album, 1969’s “Abbey Road” and, last year, 1970’s “Let It Be.” Having reached the end of the Beatles’ road as a group with that last release, it made sense that the series might go back to “Revolver,” the album before “Sgt. Pepper,” and possibly work backward in time from there — although the keepers of the Beatles’ catalog always refrain from confirming plans for future years in advance.

But, beyond any reverse-chronological planning that might be in order, it goes almost without saying that most fans were hoping “Revolver” would be next. Many consider it the Beatles’ finest work. Moreover, outtakes have not been widely bootlegged to the extent that they have with later projects like “Let It Be,” leaving enormous curiosity as to what may lie among the bonuses.

Some Beatlemaniacs had been skeptical, however, that Apple would be able to produce remixes of the pre-“Sgt. Pepper” albums that match what Martin had already done with the latter part of the band’s catalog, due to the fact that the albums through 1966 were recorded with two tracks that combined multiple instruments or vocals onto a single track — with sometimes bizarre-to-the-modern-ear results — making separation of those elements a technical challenge.

When Variety spoke with Martin in the fall of 2021 about the prospects of doing remixes for the pre-’67 albums, he made it sound like he thought the moment was nigh to tackle them, although he said he wasn’t yet underway on work on any of them.

“I think we have to do it,” Martin said at the time. “If you take something like ‘Taxman’ from ‘Revolver’ [a track often cited for its bizarre stereo separation], ‘Taxman’ is guitar, bass and drums on one track, and vocals and a sort of shaking and guitar solo (on the right). And it sounds good; they’re amazing recordings, and amazing mixes. You know, we have to look into what technology we can do to make things de-mixed and all this kind of stuff, which I’m looking into. So I’m looking for the technology to do it with, to do something really innovative with ‘Rubber Soul’ and ‘Revolver,’ as opposed to just a remastering job, because it’s been remastered already. So I think we will. I think we also will look at outtakes as well.”

He added then, “I think we’re getting there with technology. I think we are. I’m not doing it at the moment, though, I can tell you that much. But hopefully. So, yeah — watch this space.”

For those who have indeed been watching this space over the last year: Your patience has been and is soon to be even more rewarded.

August 25, 2022
Flashback to "Venus and Mars / Rock Show / Jet" with Paul McCartney and Wings Over America!


From The Music Universe...




August 23, 2022
Flashback to "Soily" with Paul McCartney and Wings Over America!

Jerry “JI” Allison, the drummer best known for his work alongside Buddy Holly in the band the Crickets, has died at the age of 82.

“Our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Jerry 'JI' Allison, drummer in the Crickets, one of Buddy's very closest friends, and the inspiration to drummers for decades since, who passed away today at the age of 82,” noted a message posted to Holly’s official Facebook page. “JI was a musician ahead of his time, and undoubtedly his energy, ideas and exceptional skill contributed to both the Crickets, and rock n' roll itself, becoming such a success. Buddy is often heralded as the original singer-songwriter, but JI, too, wrote and inspired so many of the songs that would go on to be eternal classics.”

Born in 1939, Allison began collaborating with Holly in the mid-‘50s. Initially the two worked as a duo, but in 1957 they linked up with bassist Joe B. Mauldin and rhythm guitarist Niki Sullivan, forming the Crickets.

The group’s debut album, The "Chirping" Crickets, arrived in November 1957. Single "That'll Be the Day" -- penned by Holly and Allison -- became the band’s first hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard chart.

An unusual quirk meant Holly had two recording contracts at the time -- one as a solo artist and one with the Crickets. Allison was involved with material for both, and contributed to 1958’s Buddy Holly album. The drummer played on all of the LP's songs and also co-wrote two of the tracks: “Look at Me” and “Peggy Sue," the latter of which became a rock classic.

Holly moved to New York in 1958, but Allison and the rest of the Crickets opted to stay in their home of Lubbock, Texas. A year later, Holly died in a plane crash, a tragedy commonly referred to as “the day the music died.”

After their frontman’s death, the Crickets continued to record and tour. The band released a total of 13 studio albums between 1960 and 2005, with Allison playing on every LP. The rocker also worked with other notable artists, including Eric Clapton (on the guitarist’s 1970 self-titled album) and Paul McCartney, who produced, played piano and sang back-up vocals on the Crickets 1988 single “T-shirt.”

Allison was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Crickets in 2012.

Let There Be Drums!, a new music documentary that inspects the vital role drumming has in exceptional bands and how music is passed down from generation to generation, is set for theatrical and TVOD/EST release on Oct. 28, followed by a DVD drop date slated for Nov. 1. 

The highly anticipated film was directed by Justin Kreutzmann, son of legendary Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann. One of the filmmaker’s most recent achievements includes producing 2017’s Long Strange Trip documentary, which looks back on the 30-year career of the Grateful Dead. 

The forthcoming release of his latest film, Let There Be Drums!, includes the final taped interview with the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. Moreover, it also features discussions with percussive leading lights, Ringo Starr, Stewart Copeland (The Police), Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann (Grateful Dead), Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Matt Sorum (Guns and Roses). 

Read Relix’s August 2022 interview with Justin Kreutzmann about his other film project relating to Jerry Garcia here.

Let There Be Drums! is set to hit theaters on Oct. 28, followed by a DVD release on Nov. 1. 

August 22, 2022
Peter Jackson Fighting for Extended Cut of 'Beatles: Get Back'

Peter Jackson says he's in talks with Disney and Apple about releasing an extended cut of 2021's The Beatles:
Get Back.

He describes both companies as "reluctant," however, in an interview with Kim Masters' The Business podcast. "They say — and they might be quite right — that there’s no market anymore for extended cuts. But I know that there’s five or six hours of fantastic material that we didn’t include, and I don’t want it to go back into the vaults for 50 years," Jackson argued. "So, let’s just say that it’s a conversation that’s happening, but it’s not necessarily a definitive one at this point."

Jackson also recalled regularly speaking with Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who directed the original 1970 Let It Be film from which the Get Back footage is derived. "He's got a fantastic memory and he and I have become friends," Jackson said, explaining that he would call Lindsay-Hogg to ask him about particular camera shots. "And most of the time he could remember what I was talking about. ... I just wanted to honor the footage that was shot."

Jackson has already confirmed that he's in discussions about making new Beatles movie, though further details weren't yet available. "I’m talking to the Beatles about another project, something very, very different than Get Back,” he told Deadline. “We’re seeing what the possibilities are, but it’s another project with them. It’s not really a documentary … and that’s all I can really say."

August 21, 2022
On this day in 1966 the Beatles perform at Crosley Field in Cincinnati
Photo spread from Facebook's "Buskin with The Beatles"




August 20, 2022
Full instrumental cover of "Nowhere Man" by Michael Sokil




August 18, 2022
WOW! ACTUAL FILM FROM 1958 Of George Harrison's Audition For Lennon and McCartney

In 1958 John Lennon finally agreed to meet George Harrison and he George and Paul go out for the night. On the way home an impromptu audition is arranged on the deserted top deck of a bus. George played Raunchy - a popular guitar song at time. George auditioned for John Lennon, impressing him with his playing. John initially thought George was too young to join them. After a month of George persistence he joined them as a lead guitarist. THE REST IS ROCK and ROLL HISTORY!

On this day in 1963...




August 17, 2022
Julian Lennon was “shocked” by Paul McCartney’s virtual John Lennon duet

But he said he grew to "actually enjoy" the spectacle by the time the duet was performed at Glastonbury

by Will Richards for the New Music Express

Julian Lennon has discussed how he was initially “shocked” by Paul McCartney‘s recent virtual duet with his late father, John Lennon.

At the start of his North American tour and again at Glastonbury, McCartney performed a virtual duet with his former Beatles bandmate courtesy of technology created by The Lord Of The Rings and Get Back director Peter Jackson.

At the shows, McCartney and Lennon traded verses on the song ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’, with Jackson having isolated Lennon’s vocal for the team-up. “I’ve got a special little thing here,” McCartney said when introducing that track. “One day, Peter Jackson rings me up and says he can take John’s vocals and isolate them so that you can play live with John on tour. He said, ‘Do you fancy that?’

“That’s so special for me man,” McCartney said following the collaboration. “I know it’s virtual, but come on – it’s John. We’re back together.”

In a new interview with Mojo, Julian Lennon has now admitted that he was “shocked” when he first saw the duet, but by the time of the Glastonbury performance he “actually enjoyed it”.

“I watched it on YouTube — and I kind of went: ‘Errrr… I don’t know if I’m comfortable with that,” he said, adding: “It shocked me.”

He went on to add that it was tough seeing his father “brought to life” through the performance, but grew to appreciate the spectacle at Glastonbury.

Earlier this summer, Julian released an official cover of his father’s huge hit ‘Imagine’, with proceeds being donated to Ukraine refugee relief through Lennon’s nonprofit, The White Feather Foundation to Global Citizen.

In April, he performed the track as part of the Stand Up For Ukraine campaign, a global fund-raising effort broadcast from Warsaw, Poland. At the time, he wrote “Today, for the first time ever, I publicly performed my Dad’s song, ‘Imagine’” adding: “The song reflects the light at the end of the tunnel, that we are all hoping for.”

Last year, Julian said that watching the new Beatles documentary Get Back was a “life-changing” experience that “made me love my father again”.

Peter Jackson’s three-part film, which came to Disney+ last November, focuses on the making of the band’s penultimate studio album ‘Let It Be’ and showcases their final concert as a band, on London’s Savile Row rooftop, in its entirety.

Tomorrow at 2pm (BST) do yoga with Grandude


August 16, 2022
Flashback: PLAYBOY interviews The Beatles on October 28, 1964

Bonus feature: The Beatles perform "Kansas City" on BBC's "Saturday Club" December 26, 1964

August 15, 2022
Parlogram Auctions reviews the Beatles "Red" and "Blue albums"

Did you know that one legendary piece of recording console connected legendary bands such as The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and more?.

In 1957, E.M.I Studios — which was renamed to “Abbey Road Studios” in 1970 — upgraded to the state of the art BTR2 (British Tape Recorder 2) recording console for the best recording quality that money could buy. Now, that very same BTR2 console is going up for sale at music and pop culture auction house Gotta Have Rock & Roll

From 1957 until the mid 1970’s, countless iconic albums were made on this same recording console including “A Hard Day’s Night”, “Beatles For Sale”, “Revolver”, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, “Magical Mystery Tour”, “The White Album” and “Abbey Road” from just The Beatles alone. Other albums recorded using it include “Plastic Ono Band” LP by John Lennon, “All Things Must Pass” by George Harrison, and the Diamond selling “Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd.

One can only imagine the flashes of inspiration, late night creative sessions, and wild partying that took place in that studio room. The auction listing includes two images from Abbey Road Studios, one with a pensive John Lennon in front of the BTR2 and another with George Harrison and Ringo Starr celebrating with cake and champagne right in front of the BTR2.

Equipment from Abbey Road Studios is very rarely brought up for public sale, and only a few pieces have made it into the hands of collectors. This BT2 was originally bought in 1980 from the studio itself during their “Sale of the Century” before selling again at Sotheby’s in 1988 to none other than the world renowned Hard Rock Café. The current owner bought it from Hard Rock and is the one selling it today.

Check out this historic piece and 1200+ other Rock’n’Roll artifacts that are on sale through August 19th at here.

August 13, 2022
Flashback: Ringo Starr Talks Paul, Meditation and Why He Loves L.A.

“It was such an incredible moment,” recalls Ringo. “Americans won’t understand, but we’re English and we came to America, and that’s where all the music I love came from. A couple of years before that, I tried to immigrate to America, to Houston, Texas, to be near my blues hero, Lightnin’ Hopkins. But the paperwork was too much for an 18-year-old.”

Ringo has been a fixture in the City of Angels since 1976, when he bought his first home here.

“You ask anybody who’s ever met me: I love L.A.,” he says. “I love the relaxed atmosphere here, and I have a lot of good friends here, a lot of musicians. It just suits my makeup.”

In a city overpopulated with celebrities, admirers keep a respectful distance.

“I can wander around L.A., wander around Monte Carlo, wander around London,” says Ringo of the three residences he alternately calls home. “London’s always interesting because taxi drivers always say, ‘Hey, what are you doing here?’ If I’m hassled now, they know I don’t sign autographs. I’d rather say, ‘Hi, how ya doing?’ and move on. I’m shopping. I’m going to movies. I’m doing whatever’s going on at the time.”

Ringo loves movies, and goes often with his wife of 33 years, the actress formerly known as Barbara Bach. They prefer venturing out to theaters rather than holing up in private screening rooms like so many superstar untouchables. So far this awards season, “Lone Survivor” is his favorite. “And then a weird one called ‘Prisoners,’ he adds, “that was really strange. Of course we saw ‘American Hustle’ and we laughed and we loved it. And no one’s going to beat DiCaprio in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street.’ ”

Waving the peace sign at every opportunity, Ringo is effectively the poster boy for peace and love; it’s the signature of his official website and an essential part of his brand.

If “the love you take is equal to the love you make,” then Ringo has generated enough karma to last another lifetime. He attributes his good health to being a vegetarian. “I believe that helps,” he says during an interview at Sir, a studio instrument rental shop in Hollywood. “I also work out most days.” He employs a trainer three times a week. And he meditates daily, a practice that dates back to the Summer of Love in 1967 when the Beatles were introduced to the teachings of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, also an avatar to the Lynch Foundation, which teaches the restorative powers of transcendental meditation to school kids and war vets alike.

“If you listen to the last three CDs, the theme is peace and love,” Ringo says. It’s a message from which he rarely veers, dating back to his first solo works. If there’s any doubt, the opening track on his last studio effort, “Ringo 2012,” kicks off with the lyrics, “This is an anthem/ For peace and love/ We’ve got to keep trying/ We can’t give up.”

Ringo’s well-being is all the more miraculous given his sickly childhood, with his formal education severely hampered by life-threatening illnesses. Later plagued by alcohol and substance abuse, he became clean and sober in 1989 (and has remained so ever since). He was approached around that time about touring, an idea he eventually embraced.

“I hadn’t had a drink or a drug in six months,” Ringo recalls. “I was mad as a hatter. And somebody from Pepsi asked somebody would I tour, and they were going to promote it. In the end, I said yes.”

He is about to kick off yet another tour of his All-Starr band, even though the last one ended as recently as Thanksgiving. “We’re back out in the summer,” he says, “with the same lineup we’ve had for two years.” That includes Todd Rundgren, Steve Lukather (Toto) and Gregg Rolie (Santana). The upcoming North American trek will comprise approximately 30 dates, kicking off June 6 in Rama, Ontario and ending July 19 at the Greek Theatre in L.A.

Judging by the level of talent he’s been able to attract for these outings, of which there have been more than a dozen incarnations, “With a Little Help From My Friends” is less a theme song than a mission statement.

“The special thing about it is you get to play with really good musicians that you would never get to play with,” says the Eagles’ Walsh, who jammed in the first two editions of the All-Starr Band, a dream lineup that included Nils Lofgren and Clarence Clemons of the E-Street Band, Rick Danko and Levon Helm of the Band, and super session players Billy Preston and Jim Keltner. “It was the best group of musicians I’ve ever played with, besides the band I’m in now.”

Steve Barnett, chair and CEO of Capitol Music Group, notes that Starr carved out a very successful post-Beatles career. “He had platinum and gold albums, seven top 10 hits — and two of those were No. 1s.

For those who viewed Ringo as an orphan left to his own devices after the Beatles officially went their separate ways in 1970, the perception is far from reality. He was the first Beatle to initiate a studio solo album, with “Sentimental Journey” in the fall of 1969.

In fact, he released two solo LPs before the end of 1970, when everyone was still in denial about the break-up: “Journey,” which was a top 10 hit in the U.K., and the country-flavored “Beaucoups of Blues.”

He was the one Beatle with whom the others never feuded, and consequently benefited from their input on his albums, while playing on theirs, including the two most acclaimed solo works by former Beatles: John Lennon’s “Plastic Ono Band” and George Harrison’s magnum opus, “All Things Must Pass.” Ringo’s single “It Don’t Come Easy,” co-written by Harrison and the highlight of “The Concert for Bangla Desh,” reached No. 4 in the U.K.

And with all the recent Grammy attention they shared together, his relationship with Paul is stronger than ever. “If we’re in the same town, a lot of times we hook up,” Ringo says. “We’re the two people (left) who actually experienced the life we led in the Beatles. Besides that, we have the rest of our life to relate to. I’ve been on several of his records, he’s been on mine. It’s not like we don’t work together; it’s just that we don’t make a fuss about it.”

As he prepares for his next All-Starr Band closeup, Ringo has another album in the works, and has laid down 14 rough tracks in his home studio in L.A. The DIY setup is not as lavish as one might think for a musician whose net worth is $300 million — making him the world’s richest drummer according to a survey published by Celebrity Net Worth in 2012.

“Mine is really home,” he explains. “We have Pro Tools and a desk, and the bedroom has two kits of drums and a kitchen that’s still serviceable.”

Ringo’s reputation is more than serviceable: An ongoing exhibit at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, “Ringo: Peace and Love,” unveiled in June, spurred a 19% bump in attendance, the largest growth in the institution’s five-year history, according to executive director Robert Santelli. “Interestingly enough, of the three Beatles exhibits that we’ve done, the Ringo exhibit has been the most popular,” he adds.

In November, Brit publisher Genesis debuted “Photograph,” a lavish, leather-bound limited edition of Ringo’s photos and memorabilia. The book quickly sold out. And Feb. 4 will see the release of his children’s book, “Octopus’s Garden,” based on the tune he wrote and sang for the “Abbey Road” album, the Beatles’ final studio recording.

Ringo might not be the most technically proficient drummer in the annals of rock ’n’ roll, but his importance to the movement in general, and the Beatles in particular, is beyond dispute. The Beatles didn’t gel as a group until Ringo — the most accomplished professional among them when they were all plying their trade in Hamburg’s red light district and the Cavern Club in Liverpool — joined their ranks in 1962 from Rory Storm and the Hurricanes.

Blue Note label chief, producer and musician Don Was, who has worked with Ringo repeatedly, calls him the most underrated drummer in rock history. “He changed the way rock ’n’ roll drummers approach music,” Was says.

If Ringo was overshadowed by the brilliant songwriting of his Fab Four mates, especially Lennon and McCartney, who, says Walsh, “commanded your focus with whatever they were doing,” the spotlight on his percussive gifts was further diminished by a group that stopped touring in 1966, concentrating on studio recordings that became ever more conceptual and inventive with each outing. This occurred at a time when jam bands like the Who, the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Led Zeppelin started airing it out in arenas, giving ample room for their flamboyant drummers to shine in front of a captive audience.

“Being an ensemble player in a band is the most important thing,” Was asserts. “The Beatles were a great band because they listened to each other and reacted off each other very much the way a jazz group does. It requires subverting the ego and being part of a whole. The Beatles are an amazing example of that.”

Santelli goes so far as to call Starr the most important drummer in the history of rock. “The reason I say that is prior to Ringo, certainly there were rock ’n’ roll bands, but hardly anybody knew who the drummer was. Ringo comes along and changes everything. (He has) a very interesting and compelling sense of humor and personality, and we get to know him on a first-name basis.”

Anybody who knows the Beatles’ music intimately knows the tympanic accents and fills as clearly today as when they were recorded: the famous drum roll that launches into “She Loves You”; the shimmering incandescence of his cymbal work on so many of those early hits; the impressionistic free-form of “Rain”; the loping cadence and crispy snare of “Sexy Sadie”; the haunting, almost cinematic drama and rich texture behind “Long, Long”; the building, tour-de-force crescendo that leads up to the “The End” on “Abbey Road.”

“Here’s what I discovered in the very first session that I did with him,” recalls Walsh. “He came in and I said, ‘You want to see a chart on the song?’ And he said, ‘No, give me the lyrics.’ He responds to the singer. A great example of that is when he plays on the Beatles’ ‘Something’ and he does that fill that’s such a musical response it’s almost like a guitar player; there’s notes to it.”

Ringo himself says he brought time and openness to the table as the Beatles drummer. He would do things like putting tea towels on the drums. “The towels would deaden the sound, and give you depth,” he explains. “Until I got the Maple kit, which has the depth of real skin. So if you listen to ‘(She Came in Through the) Bathroom Window’ and ‘Polythene Pam,’ it’s like a tom-tom solo all throughout.”

Ringo has just come off several live performances in Latin America in October-November. Recently, he’s been spending time in his most western home.

“I’m in L.A. now,” Ringo says. “I love the weather. I love the casualness. I have a little studio at home. And if you can play and you ring my bell, you’re on the record.”

-- End of article

Ringo spotted in Malibu this past Tuesday!

Source: The Daily Mail

August 12, 2022
Flashback: Q&A: Yoko Ono Trying to make a sad song better

August 11, 2022
Giles Martin produced the upcoming "Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert
Hall" release


Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall

Legendary 1970 live performance unearthed, restored and newly mixed. Limited edition box set includes new documentary and Dolby Atmos Mix.

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s legendary performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 1970 is finally officially released as CCR at the Royal Albert Hall in September. Featuring the fabled performance in its entirety, the recording includes such enduring hits as ‘Fortunate Son’, ‘Proud Mary’ and ‘Bad Moon Rising’.

The audio for this release has been restored and mixed by Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell. The album will be released alongside the documentary concert film Travelin’ Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall, narrated by Jeff Bridges and directed by Bob Smeaton (he directed The Beatles Anthology, you may remember). The film takes viewers from the band’s earliest years together in El Cerrito, CA through their meteoric rise to fame. Featuring a wealth of unseen footage, Travelin’ Band culminates with the band’s show at the Royal Albert Hall—marking the only concert footage of the original CCR lineup to be released in its entirety.

The Royal Albert Hall shows were on 14 & 15 April 1970 – just days after the Beatles announced their breakup – and were part of the four-piece’s first European tour – an eight-show run that included stops in Holland, Germany, France, and Denmark. The group were at the height of their powers, having enjoyed five top 10 singles in America in the previous year along with a trio of top 10 albums (Bayou Country, Green River, Willy and the Poor Boys). They’d played to over a million people across the US, including at the Woodstock Festival and a triumphant hometown show at Oakland Coliseum early in 1970.

Confusingly, a decade later in 1980, Fantasy Records released a live album by the band, titled The Royal Albert Hall Concert. However it was quickly discovered that the audio was, in fact, from the aforementioned Oakland Coliseum show. The label did rush to sticker the album to correct the error – and properly renamed the January 1970 performance as The Concert for later production runs – but it was a messy episode. Actual footage and audio from the Royal Albert Hall show has never been issued, until now.

Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall will be released on CD and vinyl (and even a limited cassette) in September, however SDE readers should be aware that there is a limited edition box set version which has quite a lot going for it. It includes the 12-track live album, in full, across two vinyl records, pressed at 45RPM (the standard single vinyl is 33RPM). It also includes a bonus CD featuring music from the film, including formative recordings from the band’s earliest incarnations and probably most interestingly it is the only format that includes a the Travelin’ Band documentary and a Dolby Atmos Mix of the live album (along with a hi-res stereo version). These reside on a blu-ray disc.

Limited to 5,000 copies worldwide, each individually numbered set is housed in a 12” x 12” box, with embossed gold foil detail, and includes a reproduction of the original 1970 tour program, a 17” x 24” poster, and a 16-page booklet, featuring an excerpt from Bridges’ voice-over script, which offers background on the band’s path to the London show.

Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall is released on CD, vinyl and cassette on 16 September 2022, via Craft Recordings. However the box set doesn’t ship until 18 November. The documentary film will ‘rollout’ internationally on 16 September although there’s no details at present as to how that will happen.

 

August 9, 2022
The Beatles & The Butcher - The Story of The 'Yesterday & Today' Album

In this video we take a look all aspects of the The Beatles' most infamous release - their 1966 Capitol album 'Yesterday & Today'. We take you from the initial Robert Whitaker photo session and guide you through the ensuing scandal which resulted in Capitol's most expensive recall ever. We also have viewer's videos which show you how to peel one and reveal some of its rarer variations. If that's not enough, we even show you some collectible worldwide releases. So sit back and buckle up for a feast of information and entertainment on everybody's favorite Beatles collectible.

Flashback: "The Rise of a Craftsman - George Harrison's New Prominence" by
Maclean's Magazine, October 17, 1988

Ottawa Beatles Site footnote: Elwood Glover hosted Luncheon Date on CBC Television from 1963 to 1975.
The popular show ran 60 minutes each day in the Monday to Friday time slots.

 

Producing a book showcasing her favorite band was a dream come true for life-long Beatles fan Laurie Jacobson. A celebrated author of five previous Hollywood books, her latest effort did require the assistance of others. 

In “Top of the Mountain: The Beatles at Shea Stadium 1965,” released on Aug. 1, Jacobson meticulously weaves first-person interviews and quotes from dozens of writers, agents, producers, photographers, fans, friends and celebrities such as Meryl Streep and Whoopi Goldberg who have come together to convey the compelling story behind the historic New York Beatles concert. 

Jacobson didn’t merely recount a day in the life of the Fab Four’s milestone 30-minute show that featured a 12-song set before some 56,000 screaming fans from the twist and shout generation. She describes the long and winding road leading up to the Aug. 15 event and, in the end, its influence on music history as the first pop concert performed in a major American sports stadium — shattering attendance records. 

“I spent close to seven years gathering information and amazing photos — hundreds never seen before,” explained Jacobson from her home in Northern California (see lauriejacobson.com). 

Laurie was just 10 when the Beatles began consuming her adolescent world. 

“Like so many others, I saw them on ‘Ed Sullivan’ and was immediately hooked,” she recalled. “Those smiles, that hair! I ran right out to buy their 45 of ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ and went bonkers with posters and magazines — anything Beatles!” 

Although unable to attend the famous Shea event because she lived in St. Louis, almost exactly one year later her parents provided a ticket to ride the wave of Beatlemania still sweeping the country when the group came to town on their final U.S. tour. 

“It was threatening rain,” she remembered. “So, they dispensed with the opening acts and straight away introduced the Beatles. I watched in silent wonder, teary-eyed, knowing this was my moment with them. I wanted to soak in every detail and memorize every move. I honestly don’t remember a thing about the crowd, just them. Nine, three-minute songs and it was over. The rain was falling, and my parents whisked me away.” 

Barely a teen, Laurie let it be known to all that this girl had joined the ranks of devoted Beatles collectors while embracing their musical revolution that sparked the so-called '60s British invasion. Sure, some disapproving parents across the country were declaring it’s all too much — cringing at the group’s mop-top hairstyles, their raucous music inciting its liberating social influence, and the near-hypnotic effect on their adoring teenage fans — but hers were understanding. 

“They supported it 100% and often surprised me with Beatles items, which I cherished and still have,” said Jacobson, who maintains a collection that includes dolls, models, T-shirts, a yellow submarine, rare albums and books, posters, buttons, ticket stubs and several decades worth of scrapbook clippings. 

With the Beatles touring days waning in ‘66, the previous year’s sellout Shea Stadium concert remained the most memorable, not only for fans but for the band as well. 

“Biggest crowd they ever played and biggest paycheck, too,” noted Jacobson. “You can see on their faces when they step onto the field — the moment they became aware of their power.” 

For her book’s title, the author even paraphrased something John Lennon later remarked in 1971 about the Shea concert: “I saw the top of the mountain on that unforgettable night.” 

For those who lived through the '60s, the Beatles provided musical diversion to help survive the ever-tightening social, cultural and political chains crushing the country. Today, in a post-Beatles world seemingly also inundated with disturbing national and global issues, Baby Boomers can still, if only briefly, get back that uplifting spirit their music provoked. 

“It was so much more than their music for us — they changed the way we looked, the way we thought, and for many, the paths we chose,” explained Jacobson. “Our memories are full of love and emotion, and we have passed that on to our children and their children. I’d like readers to experience the pure joy at the peak of Beatlemania when optimism ruled and anything was possible.” 

"McCartney I II III" takes Sir Paul fans from 1970 to 1980 and ends in 2020's "rockdown"

As a member of the Beatles and as a solo artist, Paul McCartney's musical achievements are difficult to describe, given the vast nature of his work and its impact upon world culture. The Beatles are, unquestionably, popular music's outlier, which makes Paul the über-outlier.

Over his long career, Beatle Paul has fashioned himself as the veritable master of the pop event. And the new limited vinyl edition box set, "McCartney I II III" — that's "McCartney" (1970), "McCartney II" (1980) and "McCartney III" (2020) — is no exception. Significantly, it captures the ex-Beatle's most interesting long-running project, outside of his experimental Fireman concept.

The release of "McCartney" occurred during the fallout from his announcement of the Beatles' disbandment, acting as an artistic statement, a blueprint if you will, for much of his early solo career, including the Wings era. With McCartney playing all of the instruments as a kind of one-man band, the LP served notice about the homespun nature of his post-Beatles work, particularly evident on such early records as "Ram" (1971) and "Wild Life" (1971).

But "McCartney" was no mere trifle, featuring the career-defining "Maybe I'm Amazed" and highlighting throughout Paul's unmatched talents as vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. Songs like "Junk" and "Every Night" continued his efforts, refined during his Beatles heyday, as a balladeer for the ages.

In many ways, "McCartney II" is the most beguiling entry among the eponymous trio, with its brash experimentation and techno sound — rendered, pointedly, before techno was cool. His estranged songwriting partner John Lennon famously heard the album's lead single "Coming Up" on the car radio that spring, later citing the tune as a watershed moment in his coming return to the music business. "I thought that 'Coming Up' was great," he remarked later that year, in an interview with Robert Hilburn. "And I like the freak version that he made in his barn better than that live Glasgow one," adding that "if I'd have been with him, I'd have said, 'That's the one to do.'"

Along with "Coming Up," "McCartney II" features such fan favorites as "Temporary Secretary," a masterpiece of spellbinding electronica, and "One of These Days," the LP's showstopping acoustic ballad.

Which brings us to "McCartney III," which he recorded during the early months of the pandemic — or "rockdown," as he termed it, in reference to our near global lockdown in 2020. Arriving 50 years on the heels of "McCartney," the third LP in the trilogy finds the musician as fresh and inventive as ever.

With songs like "Long-Tailed Winter Bird," "The Kiss of Venus," and "Find My Way," "McCartney III" reminds us that as long as there is air flowing through his lungs, Paul will continue producing unparalleled popular music. Long may he reign.

The Monkees television series is famous for its lighthearted messaging and musical romps. However, as the series progressed into its second season, the show added more timely innuendos. This included not-safe for prime-time contexts, to its scripts. Micky Dolenz once said of a reported drug reference in the series’ last episode, “I’ll let you work that out, folks.”

The last episode of ‘The Monkees’ aired in 1968

‘The Monkees’ Last Episode, Contained a Not-Safe for Prime-Time Innuendo

August 6, 2022
Flashback:
 


August 5, 2022
Flashback: Dhani Harrison covers "Savoy Truffle" at George Fest

 
The Quiet Beatle's Long Shadow: Dhani Harrison On Sharing His Dad With The World

When you're in a band with John Lennon and Paul McCartney, it's got to be pretty tough to convince them that you should get to write songs too. But some of The Beatles' most memorable tracks — "Something," "Here Comes the Sun," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Taxman" and others — were actually penned by "the quiet one."

George Harrison died of cancer in 2001, and since then, his son, Dhani, has kept his father's spirit alive in many ways. In 2014, he helped organize a charity tribute concert, just like his dad used to do, called George Fest: A Night to Celebrate the Music of George Harrison. It featured an eclectic mix of heavy-hitters like Brian Wilson, Norah Jones, The Flaming Lips and Cold War Kids — and this week, those performances were released as an album and concert film.

Dhani Harrison spoke with NPR's Eric Westervelt about how his relationship with his father grew into a relationship with music — and why it's sometimes hard when your loved one belongs to everyone. Hear the radio version at the audio link, and read more of their conversation below.

Eric Westervelt: Back in 2002, you mounted a different tribute in London — the Concert for George, which featured Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty and many others. The stars who played George Fest feel more like your peers.

Dhani Harrison: We never really got to do a tribute concert in America, per se, and we wanted to do a small club show — something where we could really get inside the songs and not have to be so rigid with sticking to the plan of how the original recordings were done. It's sort of the anti-Concert for George: a lot of deep tracks and a lot of young artists who've got really great takes on the songs themselves.

Do the different interpretations of your dad's music ever help you find any new insights into his work? Is there ever a moment when a song sort of reveals itself as something different than what you'd considered?

You know, I specifically liked Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's version of "The Art of Dying." I didn't realize that was like grunge until I saw BRMC play it; I was like, "Oh. This is a shoegazey grunge song!" They unlocked that song for me. Or, a thing that was really great was having female vocalists.

Yeah, I really liked Norah Jones' take on "Something." You reserved a few songs for yourself, including "Savoy Truffle." What do you like about that song?

Apparently, it was all about a box of chocolates! Good News was the [brand], so: "Coffee, dessert, yes, you know it's good news." It's basically just my dad rattling off the names in there. Someone actually made us savoy truffles in a really nice box, which I've got sitting on my desk in my office.

I imagine, as the child of a famous musician who is also his own musician, your relationship to your dad's music could be complicated — but you seem to have embraced his musical legacy. What has that journey to his music been like for you?

I guess I got lucky, because I got George Harrison! You know, it's good music, and I'm honored to be a part of his legacy. And also, we made so much music together, and spent so much time in the studio at my house in Friar Park, in Henley where I grew up. The studio was directly below my bedroom, so my floor has rattled my whole life. I would always go downstairs and just see what was going on. I remember the Traveling Wilburys there. So, I was very comfortable in the studio, and I kind of grew up learning how to produce and play. For me, it was facilitated very much by my dad, and we were best friends, so spending a lot of time in the studio with him was natural.

We were finishing a record together [when he died]. After he passed away, I got to work with Jeff Lynne, and I ended up finishing it with Jeff and kind of taking the role of my dad on, because there was no artist there to answer questions. That kind of left me in Los Angeles, and left me in a studio thinking, "Well, that was the most fun thing that I could be doing." So I kind of just carried on from there, making my own records and composing for film and TV. It just seemed like a logical step for me.

How great to grow up in an ecosystem where music is naturally part of your everyday life. You come down for tea, and maybe Jeff Lynne or Eric Clapton is in the kitchen.

And also, it offers you a different perspective on life to have these people around the house. It made going to school easier, because you wouldn't take yourself so seriously. You'd come home and Bob Dylan would be there or something.

The media image of your dad is of the spiritual, quiet Beatle who loved gardening, but we know it's more nuanced and complicated than that. He also loved absurdity, and he helped fund the Monty Python movie Life of Brian. How do you keep his spirit alive for yourself while having to, in effect, share his legacy with the rest of the world?

That is an interesting thing, actually. There's times when you feel like this person's getting taken away from you. Maybe you see them on an Apple billboard or something and you think, "Oh. He belongs to everyone." You know, you've just got to be quiet and go in the garden and meditate, and then you remember lots of other stuff that's personal and deeper.

But, yeah, when we released the Martin Scorsese documentary, there was a lot of press around that, and a lot of clips that people had edited together in their own way to make a little George Harrison compilation. That kind of weighs on your heart a little bit, and makes you feel disconnected. You just feel like everyone else. And it's a hard thing to understand unless you've had a parent who's passed away and who's been in the public eye. Sometimes you don't want to share them.

 


August 4, 2022
Julian Lennon Releases New Single, “Lucky Ones” Ahead of New Album ‘Jude’

Julian Lennon has released his new single today (August 3) titled “Lucky Ones.” The new track comes ahead of Lennon’s forthcoming new album, Jude, which is set to drop on September 9.

According to a press statement, “the up-tempo track” from the Grammy-nominated songwriter and performer attempts to capture “Lennon’s ability to inspire hope and unity with an anthemic hook that reminds us that we are the ‘Lucky Ones,’ as his passion for climate action comes through with lyrics calling for a revolution.”

Lennon sings, I feel a change is coming, I know/A new revolution’s knocking on my door/I feel a change is coming, so strong/It might not be forever, but I know that we’re the lucky ones.

Lennon, of course, is the son of legendary songwriter and former Beatle, John Lennon. And his upcoming album is named after the Paul McCartney-penned song, “Hey Jude,” which is a love letter to Julian, who was also known as “Jules.”

To date, Lennon has released four songs from the forthcoming LP, including “Every Little Moment,” Freedom,” “Breathe,” and “Save Me.” And “Lucky Ones” is the first from the project being serviced to radio.

Lennon and Justin Clayton share production on the new LP. Vinyl editions will be available on September 10, 2022. To pre-order Jude click here.

A few months ago, American Songwriter spoke with Lennon after the release of a cover of his father’s hit song, “Imagine.”

“People seem to absolutely love it,” Lennon tells American Songwriter of his cover of “Imagine.” “That was a one-off, something I was very fearful of doing for the last—well, since I became an artist, really.”

He added, “It was a decision made last weekend,” Lennon says of the idea to drop the “Imagine” video. “Once I said yes to myself, I thought, ‘Oh, jeez, how am I going to do this? How am I going to make this real and honest?’”

"Day Tripper" - Beatles Bass Cover by Black Areion

We're absolutely thrilled to feature Black Areion here at the Ottawa Beatles Site. Check out her Youtube channel for more Beatle bass guitar covers.

August 3, 2022
‘The Beatles Rubber Soul to Revolver’ Book Coming

A new book examining the middle years of The Beatles’ recorded output is being published this fall. The Beatles Rubber Soul to Revolver, the latest installment in Bruce Spizer’s Beatles Album Series, arrives Oct. 10, 2022. As the announcement notes, the title covers two of the group’s much-loved albums, December 1965’s Rubber Soul and August 1966’s Revolver albums, as well as Capitol Records’ June 1966 U.S. release, Yesterday And Today, as well as the singles associated with these albums.

[The timing of the book follows speculation that the Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd. is planning a fall 2022 expanded release of one (or both) of the albums. Beginning in 2017, and continuing annually through 2021, the label has delivered Super Deluxe Editions for the 50th anniversaries of Sgt. Pepper, The Beatles aka The White Album, Abbey Road and Let It Be.]

More from the book’s announcement: Rubber Soul and Revolver set new standards for pop and rock records, and presented a maturing and evolving Beatles to the world. The 16 tracks recorded during the Rubber Soul sessions, including “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown),” “Nowhere Man” and “In My Life,” are among the group’s finest.

With Revolver, the Beatles were looking for more color in their recordings, trying new instruments and techniques. But they were not using studio wizardry to cover weaknesses; they were looking for new sounds to enhance their already brilliant songs. The album includes such classics as “Eleanor Rigby,” “Here, There and Everywhere,” and “For No One.”

As producer George Martin noted, “For the first time, we began to think of albums as art on their own, as complete entities.”

The book contains chapters on the British, American, and Canadian perspectives, an extensive treatment on the infamous Yesterday And Today “butcher cover” and substitute trunk cover (featuring all of the significant images from the photo sessions and the true story behind the controversial cover). There are also chapters on the recording sessions and album covers, as well as on the news, music, and films of the era to place these albums in their proper context.

The New Orleans-based Spizer has written 13 critically acclaimed Beatles books, including The Beatles Are Coming and his series on the Beatles albums. He has given presentations at the Grammy Museum, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and Beatles conventions in the U.S. and Liverpool. He serves a consultant on Beatles projects for Universal Music Group, Capitol Records, and Apple Corps, Ltd.

August 2, 2022
Beatles Vinyl Rarities from YOUR Collections From Around The World

Yesterday the media announced the passing of Mo Ostin who was the chairman of Warner Brothers -
Reprise Records


Excerpt from Variety:

Mo Ostin, who presided as a top executive at Warner Bros.-Reprise Records for more than three decades, during which the artist-friendly company enjoyed a glittering, hit-making run, died Sunday of natural causes. He was 95.

“Legendary music executive Mo Ostin passed away peacefully in his sleep last night at the age of 95,” said Warner Records’ co-chairman/CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck and co-chairman/COO Tom Corson. “Mo was one of the greatest record men of all time, and a prime architect of the modern music business. For Mo, it was always first and foremost about helping artists realize their vision. One of the pivotal figures in the evolution of Warner Music Group, in the 1960s Mo ushered Warner/Reprise Records into a golden era of revolutionary, culture-shifting artistry. Over his next three decades at the label, he remained a tireless champion of creative freedom, both for the talent he nurtured and the people who worked for him. Mo lived an extraordinary life doing what he loved, and he will be deeply missed throughout the industry he helped create, and by the countless artists and colleagues whom he inspired to be their best selves. On behalf of everyone at Warner, we want to thank Mo for everything he did, and for his inspiring belief in our bright future. Our condolences go out to his family at this difficult time.”

Added Max Lousada, CEO of Warner Recorded Music: “In an era when creative entrepreneurs are revered, we celebrate Mo Ostin as a pioneer who wrote the rulebook for others to follow. Warner Music Group and Warner Records wouldn’t exist without his passion, vision, and intelligence. He not only helped build one of the world’s greatest music companies, but he inspired a culture driven by bravery and ingenuity. Mo saw artists for who they really were and gave them the space and support to fully realize their originality. Our condolences to Michael and the whole Ostin family. Mo was a legend, and he will be deeply missed.”

From George Harrison's Facebook pages released on August 4, 2022

 


August 1, 2022
Flashback: "Weird Al" Yankovic covers "What Is Life" at George Fest

Liverpool, U.K. (July 25, 2022)—Many artists use microphone cables to bring their art to a larger audience, but in the case of James Wilkinson, the cables themselves are the art. Wilkinson’s new portrait exhibition, Lennon Wired, currently on display at Liverpool’s famed Strawberry Field, features 11 depictions of John Lennon created with a bevy of microphone leads—and those mic cables were previously owned by the late Beatle himself, who used them to record his iconic “Imagine,” among other tracks.

In 1970, Lennon built Ascot Sound Studios, a personal recording facility, on his 72-acre U.K. estate, Tittenhurst Park. Lennon and wife Yoko Ono lived at the estate from 1969 to 1971, when they moved to the U.S., ultimately selling the site to fellow Beatle Ringo Starr, who lived there from 1973 to 1988. During Lennon’s time at Tittenhurst Park, he used the eight-track facility to record the majority of his 1971 album Imagine; when the estate was sold to Starr, the drummer renamed it Startling Studios and opened it up for use by other artists, such as T. Rex and Judas Priest.

Wilkinson acquired the mic leads from a sale of recording equipment at Tittenhurst Park, and has now made the 11 portraits using segments from the cables to emulate the style of Lennon’s own sketches and handwriting.

Explaining his use of the mic cables, Wilkinson noted, “I’ve always had an interest in portraiture, but I developed a desire to put more into my work. I’d always try and get my subjects to put a part of themselves in there, whether that be some writing or even a thumbprint. If my subject was no longer alive, I’d find something that once belonged to them, something that was a part of their life, and incorporate that into the work. It’s something I’ve always done, and this collection, containing artifacts from the life of John Lennon, sits as a tribute to the message of love and peace he carried through his life.”

Music has informed Wilkinson’s work throughout his career. Previously an Artist in Residence at Hylands House, he was the first artist to be appointed Official Artist to the U.K.’s V Festival in 2012, and was later commissioned by the Amy Winehouse Foundation to produce a portrait of the late singer in 2015. Today, his work is owned by a number of musical artists, including members of The Rolling Stones, All Saints, The Prodigy, Oasis, McFly, Westlife and Happy Mondays. In 2020, he opened his first gallery, Pop Nouveau, in Sudbury, Suffolk.

The Lennon Wired art series is on exhibition at Strawberry Field in Liverpool, which is owned by The Salvation Army; the artworks will be on display to the public until the end of October, and for each item sold, at least 10 percent of the purchase price will be donated to The Salvation Army or Salvation Army Social Work Trust.

A sculpture replicating The Beatles July 28, 1968 "Mad Day Out" photo shoot is on display at The
Liverpool Beatles Museum

 

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