jueves, 29 de septiembre de 2011

Alto volumen de concierto espanta a productor George Martin

entretenimiento.terra.com.pe Alto volumen de concierto espanta a productor George Martin27 de septiembre de 2011
El mítico productor de los Beatles, George Martin, tiene severos problemas auditivos, por ese motivo en una reciente aparición pública donde fue homenajeado con un concierto, se quejó del elevado volumen y dijo que era peligroso.
El cerebro detrás de muchas de las aclamadas producciones de los Fab 4 fue invitado de honor en la Escuela de Artes Escénicas Británicas en Croydon, al sur de Londres la semana pasada para inaugurar un estudio de grabación que lleva su nombre.
Martin fue testigo de un espectáculo ofrecido por los estudiantes, pero tuvo problemas para hacer frente a los niveles de sonido, de acuerdo con el diario británico Daily Mail.
De acuerdo a la publicación, el productor le habría dicho a los jóvenes: "El volumen está enormemente fuerte. Tengo una aplicación de sonido en mi teléfono y tiene un pico 94 decibeles, lo cual es peligroso. Ustedes pueden perder su audición si siguen usando esos niveles de sonido. Estarán sordos a los 40”.

miércoles, 28 de septiembre de 2011

McCartney impersonator

www.winnipegfreepress.com
It's been a long, winding road for McCartney impersonator

New Beatles '1' CD welcome relief at Starbucks

www.examiner.com
New Beatles '1' CD welcome relief at Starbucks, also on iTunes
Shelley Germeaux, John Lennon Examiner

September 28, 2011– Beatles fans, it’s safe to go back to Starbucks for your morning coffee again. With their prominent offering of the bright red-orange CD “The Beatles ‘1’”, you will now be greeted by the upbeat strains of Love Me Do, Eight Days a Week, orTicket To Ride, and more coming through the speakers as you order your triple macchiato with extra foam. What a great way to start the day! Thank the Heavens above that the prior month of Speakeasy music from the 40s with its jazzy lounge feel is over.

The Beatles are back, thank you Starbucks. I'm gettin' my mojo back....

Digital debut on iTunes: Earlier in the month the album made its digital debut exclusively on iTunes,  debuting at #1 on several top charts around the world. Individual songs are $1.29, while the whole album is $12.49
 “1” is a collection of 27 Beatles singles released between 1963-70 that reached #1 on the UK’s Record Retailer chart and/or the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The brightly colored album with a large yellow “1” on the cover was originally released in 2000 and sold over 30 million copies. The new physical CD, while it looks the same as the original, is actually the remastered version of these songs. The complete remastered Beatles albums were released on September 9, 2009 in their famous 9-9-9 promotion, an event that Beatles fans waited on for years. But the Beatles had hesitated offering their music iTunes for quite awhile with a stiff upper lip, angering fans that wanted the Beatles to join the 21st century and get over themselves. Finally they have.

The new 2011 CD is available on Amazon for $12.49, while it is on the shelf at Starbucks for 14.95. Personally I’d rather have the physical hard copy vs. a download.  I like having the artwork and liner notes…but iTunes offers the convenience that the younger fans want.

The tracklisting is as follows:
.
1. Love Me Do
2. From Me to You
3. She Loves You
4. I Want to Hold Your Hand
5. Can’t Buy Me Love
6. A Hard Day’s Night
7. I Feel Fine
8. Eight Days a Week
9. Ticket to Ride
10. Help!
11. Yesterday
12. Day Tripper
13. We Can Work It Out
14. Paperback Writer
15. Yellow Submarine
16. Eleanor Rigby
17. Penny Lane
18. All You Need Is Love
19. Hello, Goodbye
20. Lady Madonna
21. Hey Jude
22. Get Back
23. The Ballad of John and Yoko
24. Something
25. Come Together
26. Let It Be
27. The Long and Winding Road
The Beatles '1' CD a refreshing addition at Starbucks and also on iTunes
The Beatles '1' CD a refreshing addition at Starbucks and also on iTunes
Credits: The Beatles

martes, 27 de septiembre de 2011

A Hulu Day's Night

www.beatlesnews.com
A Hulu Day's Night
[Posted by Adam Forrest on Tuesday, 09/27/11 4:09 pm]
You should already have this on your Beatles DVD shelf, but in case you're stuck on a desert island and all you have access to is a laptop and the internet, the Beatles first movie A Hard Day's Night is now available online for free (with commercial interruptions) from video streaming site Hulu.


Watching it this way on my computer reminds me of those wonderful days so long ago (1993) when A Hard Day's Night was released on CD-ROM for PCs and the Mac. On my PC at the time, playback was somewhat jerky, but the CD ROM had a cool feature, you could follow along with the script as you watched the movie.

The Criterion A Hard Day's Night CD ROM

The Criterion CD ROM (and the Criterion Laser Disc that preceeded it) was also the first opportunity most fans had to see the 1960 short Dick Lester film that sold him as a director to the Beatles. The Running, Jumping & Standing Still Film can be viewed these days online on Youtube.

PAUL IN U.A.E.

www.femalefirst.co.uk
Sir Paul McCartney to play in United Arab Emirates for first time
27 September 2011
Sir Paul McCartney is to play his first-ever show in the United Arab Emirates in November.
The former Beatle will headline the Yasalam 2011 festival in Abu Dhabi, which accompanies the city's Formula One Grand Prix.
Britney Spears, Incubus and The Cult have also signed on to perform at the YAS Areana on Yas Island as part of the three-night event.
While the final two nights of concerts will be oopen to ract ticket-holders only, 10,000 invitations have been sent out by Flash to pre-registered punters to attend the Britney concert - who is headlining the first night.
Sir Paul will play on the final night of the three-day schedule.
Sir Paul McCartney
Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell

sábado, 24 de septiembre de 2011

WITH LOVE FROM UK TO YOU

Ocean's Kingdom ballet premiere--third curtain call

Ocean's Kingdom ballet premiere--second curtain call

Paul : Ocean's Kingdom (interview)

PAUL INTERVIEW

www.bbc.co.uk
Sir Paul McCartney's debut ballet composition
Will Gompertz    Arts editor

 
Sir Paul McCartney: "More to ballet than the average person like me thinks"

Here's my interview with Sir Paul McCartney about the score that he's composed for the New York City Ballet's Ocean Kingdom.
Ahead of the production's gala premiere, the former Beatle admitted to not having been an afficianado of ballet before getting involved in the project.
He said: "I don't know much about ballet... I kind of know Swan Lake and The Nutcracker."
His daughter, Stella, designed the dancers' costumes for the production, in the first collaboration between the two McCartneys.


miércoles, 21 de septiembre de 2011

WHERE IS RINGO?

www.examiner.com
Exclusive: Ringo's boat may be in Oregon, but where is Ringo? Here's the answer
Steve Marinucci, Beatles Examiner

There have been several stories this week from Oregon media like these from KATU and the Daily Astorian which discovered that former Beatle Ringo Starr's boat is anchored off the coast of the state. There's been a lot of speculation by Oregon media as to whether Ringo himself is on the boat.
As the Daily Astorian's Chelsea Gorrow wrote, "With a little help from our friends, the buzz moved around Astoria that Ringo Starr was in town, yesterday. But – Help! – I’ve got a feelin’ we need somebody to confirm this."
 
Well, let us come to the rescue. Ringo Starr is not on that boat. How do we know? We contacted his press representative and were told the former Beatle is currently in Europe and not in Oregon. 
 
And at least on Tuesday, Ringo's attention was focused on the U.N. International Day of Peace, which was celebrated Sept. 21. He issued a statement about the day on his website, "I'd like to thank the U.N. for hosting another peace and love day. I’m full of love and I feel peaceful, I hope you are too."
 
Ringo Starr
 

BRIAN RAY TOUR

Tourette del Sol: Panama, Argentina & Brazil
Written by Brian on Sep 20 2011 at 09:00 AM | Live Shows News
Dear friends, I am thrilled by the outpouring of support and flood of ideas from you on the social networking superhighways, regarding my question: "where would you like me come to play a solo show?"
As of this printing I have had 232 comments and 160 likes on my Facebook page, as well as hundreds of invites on my @brianrayguitar page at twitter… That’s astounding!
I have heard from the Netherlands, Mexico, all over the USA, Germany, Japan, the EU, Ireland and Glasgow, various cities in South America, Central America and Canada too, just to name a few glorious cities and countries. WOW..
Ok, just so you know I wasn’t expecting that and I don’t mean to tease you. I wish I COULD play everyplace on the map, that would be terrific! I only have a 2 week window for my solo shows, so I can’t do all of the fine destinations you suggested. In fact, it’s hard to plan for solo tours considering my (always exciting!) schedule, so please bear with me.
As of now, I will be playing 5 shows in South America in October with Nube 9, the phenomenal Argentinean band who backed me while on our last tour break in Buenos Aires.
Panama City, Panama
  • October 11: Latitute 47
Bella Vista, Urbanización Marbella, Calle 47 No. 25
Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • October 13: The Cavern
Paseo la Plaza - Av. Corrientes 1660 - Buenos Aires
  • October 14: Teatro General Pacheco
Santiago del Estero 185 - Gral. Pacheco, Tigre
  • October 15: The Roxy Disco
Av Casares y Av. Sarmiento, Buenos Aires
Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • October 18: Na Mata Cafe
Rua da Mata 70 - Itaim Bibi - Sao Paulo

I will announce a contest soon to win 2 tickets to each of these shows as well as a meet and greet after the set! Different names will be chosen for each show, so everyone has a chance.
Please join us there and rock with me if you can make it. And I’ll do my best to get to the rest of you in good time! Thank you again for the feedback.
Love,
Brian

VERY STRANGE !!!

blogs.bbcamerica.com
Antiques Roadshow Struggles To Find A Value For Beatles Toilet Paper
By: Fraser McAlpine    Posted: Monday, September 19th, 2011
There’s a lot of guesswork involved in evaluating antiques. Most of the time, if it’s an item which is not immediately familiar, antiques dealers are basing their estimates on items which appear to be broadly similar, and what they have sold at auction recently.
Of course, the problem with auctions is the value of objects can be massively skewed by the passions of one or two people who happen to be in the room when the item is up for sale, and again, the item you may take to be valued might be so unique it’s impossible to make a comparison, much less hazard a guess as to its true monetary worth.
So you’ve got to feel a twinge of pity for the team on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, who were recently asked to assess the going rate for a roll of EMI-branded toilet paper from the ’60s, a roll which was bought to be put in the gents loos at Abbey Road studios, and definitely will not have been used by the Beatles (or, given its clean state, anyone at all….).
The Fab Four refused to use this particular brand because it was hard and shiny, according to Barry Thomas, who bought it for £85 back in 1980, when the studio was having a sale. The roll had been mounted on a wooden board, and is accompanied by a (jokey) letter of authentication from Ken Townsend, the studio manager at the time.
But does that mean it’s actually worth money? And if so, how much? Well for once, the Antiques Roadshow experts admitted to being flummoxed.
Barry, who runs his own recording studio in Coventry, told the Mirror: “I just wanted a souvenir from the great days of Abbey Road and bought the lavatory roll for a laugh. I submitted it to the Roadshow’s experts because I wanted to get a valuation, but they said they couldn’t price such an odd object.”
“A Japanese Beatles fan has offered me £1,000 for a single sheet, but I don’t fancy unrolling it all,” he said.
Why, what’s it made of, shellac?
Barry Thomas, Fiona Bruce and the EMI toilet roll

martes, 20 de septiembre de 2011

MIX AT ABBEY ROAD

http://www.macca-central.com/

Abbey Road Studios announces online mixing service

  • Source: LA Times
The phrase “Mixed at Abbey Road Studios, London” is no longer the exclusive domain of the Beatles, Pink Floyd, U2, Radiohead, Lady Gaga and other superstar acts that have worked at the famed facility.
The studio has now launched an online service where anyone willing to pay a fee can upload tracks and Abbey Road engineers will start mixing away, with a promised delivery of finished mixes via download within 10 days. Prices start at about $800 U.S. for recordings with one to 24 tracks, and about $1,200 for 25 to 48 tracks. A similar online mastering service also is being offered, with prices starting around $140 per song.
“The online mixing service offers a more accessible alternative to working personally at Abbey Road Studios, providing musicians and producers all over the world with the engineering excellence that makes us the perfect venue for mixing your song,” according to the studio’s website description of the service that launched in August.
Potential clients are also told they’ll have their input in the mixing process, even though they won’t be working in real time with the engineers.
“As our engineers won’t be working with you in person, it’s important for us to gather as much information as possible about how you’d like your song to sound. So please send us your ideas, i.e. ‘I’d really like this to sound like a Pixies song,’ or ‘I’d really like this to sound like a Pixie Lott song,’ ‘give it a long fadeout,’ ‘the vocal needs a slap back echo’ etc.,” the website states.
Customers also get one revision included in the mixing price if they aren’t completely happy with the engineer’s first attempt. Full details on the process are available at the Abbey Road Studios website.
In all likelihood, the move stems from financial problems the studio has been facing from competitors and the rise of home recording technology in recent years, despite its vaunted history and famous clientele. Last year, there was considerable specualtion that the EMI Group, which owns Abbey Road, was considering putting the studio operation up for sale to help ease its own financial troubles. But public outcry at the prospect prompted EMI to back away and issue a statement assuring the public that the historic site was not going on the auction block.
As for aspiring musicians looking for a prestigious studio imprint on their own recordings, Memphis, Tenn.’s fabled Sun Studio, which gave Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins and many others their starts, also is available to anyone who wants to make a record there. It costs $100 an hour.
Think of it: You could have a record stamped with "Recorded at Sun Studio, Memphis; mixed at Abbey Road Studios, London.” At that point, who’d care whether it was a hit?

PAUL LATEST CHARITY ACTIVITY

www.paulmccartney.com
Latest Charity Activity

Animal Defenders InternationalPaul recently lent his support to ADI and here’s why: “I hate to see wild animals in circuses. It is heartbreaking to see these poor animals confined in small cages and carted around the country with little respect for their welfare and well-being. I have made my feelings known previously on this subject and I believe an outright ban is long overdue.”


VIP for charity
An unprecedented amount of money was raised through auctioning off VIP tickets to Paul’s recent “On The Run” shows. We’d like to thank all of the generous bidders who had the rare opportunity to meet the man himself and make a huge difference to Why Hunger and Green Community Schools. Click here to find out more about these wonderful organisations: www.whyhunger.org- www.ceeonline.org


Come Together
Paul knows more that most how music plays an integral part in bringing people together, which is why he is behind Come Together London 2011, an event celebrating cultural diversity and inclusiveness through an appreciation of music and dance. Here’s what Paul has to say: “I believe this is a great cause for the United Kingdom’s diverse culture. It will also bring hope to the children of Zambia by using the proceeds from the event to build the first Music Academy.”

BEATLES PHOTOGRAPHS

www.paulfrasercollectibles.com

Paul Fraser Collectibles' Top Five best Beatles photographs

From the group's earliest Hamburg days captured by Astrid Kirchherr to their infamous 'Butcher Cover'
Paul Fraser Collectibles, Monday 19 September 2011
As we've reported, collectors will have a rare chance to own images from photographer Astrid Kirchherr's important Beatles archive at Guernsey's massive September 24-25 online auction.
The 2011 collectibles markets have offered an embarrassment of riches for Fab Four fanatics, for whom the sale from Kirchherr's archives - virtually every book written about the Beatles includes her work - is the icing on the cake.
Here are Paul Fraser Collectibles' expertly-chosen Beatles photographs, each of which has appeared for sale in the 2011 markets.
Have we missed any good ones out? If so, let us know by emailing newsdesk@paulfrasercollectibles.com.

#5 Ringo and Pete Best... on the same signed photograph

Each of the principles' autographs are featured: John, Paul, George and... Ringo. No Pete Best, sadly. The photo was signed at one of Ringo's first gigs with the band, and all that anyone had at the time were photos with Best.
The result was this unique and anachronistic curiosity. It appeared in a 2011 Hollywood auction held by Philip Weiss, and exceeded its $8,000 sale estimate.

Postcards featuring  Astrid Kirchherr's early Beatles shots - click for more information

#4 Early publicity postcards photographed by Astrid Kirchherr
As mentioned above, The Beatles' early days in Hamburg are a continuing source of fascination for collectors the world over.
Seemingly a lifetime away from the later psychedelia of Sgt Pepper's, photographs captured by the young German photographer Astrid Kirchherr (also romantically involved with band member Stuart Sutcliffe) capture the band in their young 'n' savage garage rock days.
Consequently, original examples of Kirchherr's works can sell for large sums on the markets, like a set of three early publicity postcards illustrated with individual black and white, head and shoulders length portraits. It is for sale priced at £7,500 ($12,375).
Beatles signed photo

#3 A classic signed 1965 group photograph

Every inch a classic image of The Beatles in their prime, this image is also a cut above the rest thanks to its extraordinarily dark and bold autographs from each of the Fab Four.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney have signed in red felt tipped pen, while George and Ringo have signed in blue felt tipped pen. The signatures date from early 1965. The piece sold for $25,000 at Iconic Memorabilia's July 1 sale.
Beatles Butcher cover

#2 The infamous banned 'Butcher Cover'

A copy appeared for sale at Heritage Auctions earlier this year. Said Garry Shrum, Consignment Director at Heritage: "To serious collectors of both vintage vinyl and Beatles memorabilia, this is pretty much the holy grail."
"This was a very smart purchase by a serious collector. There are not likely many, if even a single better copy, of this legendary album anywhere." In the end, the original banned cover for The Beatles 1966 Yesterday and Today LP - their ninth - sold for $26,300.
Beatles Mitchell photograph halo 1964

#1 And a truly iconic Beatles image...

The sale comprised of 50 lots of unpublished and never-before-seen photographs of the Beatles' first hysteria-inducing visits to America in 1964. Mitchell when he was just 18 years old when he took them, and the images had been filed away for nearly 50 years.
The DC native shot dozens of intimate and thrilling photographs capturing the excitement of this first British Invasion. Like this example, which unsurprisingly led Christie's sale to bring $68,500.
How's this for a striking image? When auction house Christie's auctioned the discovered works of photographer Mike Mitchell back in July, this piece was among the sale's highlights.
"You can sell it for $11m" once said a typically-sarcastic John Lennon of this infamous artwork. There are thought to be less than 25 sealed copies of this record in existence - and that's probably a generous estimate.
The Beatles are today iconic enough to capture imaginations with a simple group shot, like this example taken by Robert Whitaker.
Well, almost. This photograph may feature The Beatles in their pre-Ringo days, with the ousted Pete Best on drums, but an inspection of the group's autographs and the photo's reverse tells a different story.

lunes, 19 de septiembre de 2011

Beatle's ballet buzz



Beatle's ballet buzz

Last Updated: 12:41 PM, September 19, 2011

How do you pack the New York City Ballet's theater to the gills? Ask Paul McCartney to write a ballet about the sea.
The result -- a blockbuster -- is "Ocean's Kingdom," the former Beatle's 45-minute work. Choreographed by company director Peter Martins for more than 40 dancers, it debuts Thursday.
Martins and McCartney met at a gala last year and decided to work together shortly after.
"I am ecstatic that he agreed to write a score for us," Martins said when it was announced.
Sir Paul seemed equally enthralled. "I enjoy writing music -- full stop," he says. "So whether it's an orchestra or rock, I immerse myself in it."
McCartney also devised the plot, which reads like a traditional fairy tale, with a young prince and princess from opposing kingdoms of Earth and Ocean. Also in the mix: warring guardians and the princess' handmaiden, a woman of fishy character.
You can expect to see brilliantly colored costumes by McCartney's designer daughter, Stella. Her first project for the theater makes this an all-in-the-family affair. Just don't expect to hear a string of Beatles hits.
"What was interesting was writing music that meant something expressively rather than just writing a song," McCartney says. "You have fear, love, anger, sadness to play with -- I found that challenging, but great."
Don't expect to hear 'Yellow Submarine' in 'Ocean's Kingdom,' a 45-minute piece composed by Paul McCartney and choreographed by Peter Martins for the New York City Ballet.
Bill Bernstein
Don't expect to hear "Yellow Submarine" in "Ocean's Kingdom," a 45-minute piece composed by Paul McCartney and choreographed by Peter Martins for the New York City Ballet.

McCartney released a short preview on his YouTube channel. The music reminds you of a film score -- tuneful and with atmosphere and plot woven into the melodies.
Then again, it's hardly his first foray into classical music: He released "Liverpool Oratorio" in 1991 and a symphony, "Standing Stone," six years later.
But he's still a pop giant -- and even NYCB's conductor, the French-born Faycal Karoui, was surprised by the depth of "Ocean's Kingdom."
"I didn't expect that music from him at all," Karoui says. "It's very colorful, and there are lots of contrasts in each movement. It's a real score from a real composer."
Though the substance of McCartney's ballet is classical, the style is something else. At rehearsal, Karoui recalls, the onetime Wings man asked the orchestra to "groove a little a bit. You know, it's more like jazz."
NYCB's musicians play a wide repertory of complex music -- Stravinsky is like "Chopsticks" to them.
Still, their conductor admitted, meeting McCartney gave them a case of Beatlemania: "When he came in the building, they were like kids and it was Christmas."
"Ocean's Kingdom" runs Thursday through Sept. 29, with more performances in January; nycballet.com, 212-870-5570.

EMMY FOR BEATLES

www.examiner.com
Beatles nominations get shut out in 2011 prime-time Emmy Awards
Steve Marinucci, Beatles Examiner

domingo, 18 de septiembre de 2011

FOTOS DEL PHOTO ALBUM DE GEORGE

George Harrison's photo album
 
George Harrison, John Lennon and Paul McCartney on the roof of the Top Ten Club, Hamburg, 1961
Picture: Harrisongs Ltd 2011
 
 
 
George Harrison's photo album
John Lennon on the Beatles' first flight to the USA


George Harrison's photo album
The Beatles’ motorcade en route to Adelaide, 1964




George Harrison's photo album
On the flight from Hong Kong to Australia on the Beatles’ first world tour, 1964



George Harrison's photo album
The Beatles arrive in Darwin, 1964



George Harrison's photo album
Eric Clapton and George Harrison, 1973



George Harrison's photo album
George Harrison, Friar Park, Henley-on-Thames, 1974


George Harrison's photo album

George Harrison's photo album
Self-portrait, c1960

GEORGE PHOTO ALBUM

www.telegraph.co.uk
The unseen George Harrison photo album
Rare and previously unseen photographs by and of George Harrison offer a new perspective of his life in the Beatles

George Harrison's unseen photographs
Paul McCartney, John Lennon and his wife, Cynthia, in Rishikesh, India, 1968 Photo: Harrisongs Limited 2011
9:00AM BST 17 Sep 2011
Throughout his time as a Beatle and beyond, George Harrison’s talents as a photographer were a well-kept secret.
But wherever he went he was seldom without a camera, whether it was on tour with the Beatles, capturing the group in the centre of the maelstrom that was Beatlemania and in their unguarded moments backstage, or recording his private visits to exotic places around the world.
There was one particular subject, however, to which Harrison returned again and again – himself, as if in search of the answer to the question that preoccupied him all his life: who am I?
A new collection of photographs – the ones on these pages are taken either by Harrison, or with his camera; most have never been seen before – and a forthcoming documentary, George Harrison: Living in the Material World, directed by Martin Scorsese and co-produced by Harrison’s widow, Olivia, provide a fascinating answer to that question, casting new light on his complex character and on his place in the Beatles.
Harrison once described himself as 'living proof of all life’s contradictions’ – the rock star who freely indulged in all the pleasures which that life had to offer, but who was always drawn to questioning their worth and searching for something more.
In the simplistic caricatures that were drawn of the Beatles in their early days, Harrison was 'the quiet one’ – the most introspective and the most watchful. Consider the self-portrait taken when he was about 17; the proto-teddyboy quiff, the cigarette between the fingers suggest a studied teenage insouciance, a James Dean manqué – but the eyes reveal a deeper self-possession, a curiosity about the world, someone who is thinking about things.
'You realise he was more mature than the rest,’ says the artist and musician Klaus Voorman, who met Harrison at around the time the photograph was taken, when the Beatles first went to Hamburg, and who became a lifelong friend. 'He was calm. He looked you straight in the face.’
It was in Hamburg, performing for up to six hours a night, sleeping in a broom cupboard behind the screen in a porno cinema, and later at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, its atmosphere vivified by the stench from the overflowing lavatories and the smell of rotting fruit from neighbouring warehouses, that the Beatles phenomenon was born.
No other group or artist before or since has excited the attention and hysteria that the Beatles did. And Harrison’s photographs would vividly capture the surreal experience of being caught in the eye of the storm – the absurd motorcades laid on to transport them from remote airfields in Australia, the crush of hysterical fans, and the ravenous camera lenses at the limousine windows.
For Harrison, the thrill would be short-lived. Early on he began to cultivate a detachment from the distorting sense of unreality that adulation breeds, and to recognise that the 'Beatle George’ who was being worshipped by the fans was, as he put it, 'just a little part that got played through in this life’ and had little to do with the person that was the real George Harrison. Few people can ever have been as well-placed to appreciate that fame and success were only fleeting consolations.
It was a meeting in London in 1966 with the sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar – 'the first person who ever impressed me in my life’ – that first awakened Harrison’s interest in Indian music and spirituality. What most affected him about Shankar, Harrison said, was his humility. 'That realisation that no matter how great you are, how big you are, there is always something else to know, there’s always more to come.’
In 1967 Harrison and the other Beatles met the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and a year later followed him to his ashram in India. For the rest of the group spiritual search was to be a passing fancy; for Harrison it would set the template for the rest of his life. 'Each person has to find for himself a way to inner realisation,’ he said. 'I still believe that’s the only reason we’re on this planet. Everything else is secondary.’
Even as he was pursuing his other loves of playing music, producing films or following the Formula One circuit around the world, meditation and chanting were the central activities of Harrison’s day, and he was a regular visitor at Bhaktivedanta Manor, the mock-Tudor manor house near Watford in Hertford­shire that he bought as a gift for the Hare Krishna movement to use as its headquarters.
His ultimate refuge was Friar Park, the neo-Gothic mansion in Henley-on-Thames that he bought in a state of chronic dilapidation in 1970. He would spend the next 30 years painstakingly restoring the house and cultivating its extraordinary 35-acre gardens, which featured Alpine meadows and a sandstone replica of the Matterhorn, until his death in 2001 at the age of 58.
'What we are now is a result of our past actions, and what we’re going to be is a result of our present actions,’ he once said. 'So for certain things there’s no way out. There’s no way I wasn’t going to be in the Beatles, even though I didn’t know. In retrospect that’s what it was, it was a set-up. At the same time, I do have control over my actions… I can try being a pop star for ever and go on TV and be a celebrity. Or I can be a gardener.’ Which is what 'Beatle George’ ultimately chose to be.
'George Harrison: Living in the Material World’ by Olivia Harrison, edited by Mark Holborn, published by Abrams on October 3. To order for £26.99 plus £1.25 p&p call Telegraph Books on 0844-871151 or see books.telegraph.co.uk. Martin Scorsese’s documentary of the same name will be in cinemas across the UK for one night on October 4, and available to buy on DVD and Blu-Ray from October 10

sábado, 17 de septiembre de 2011

Beatles sculpture to be unveiled Sunday

BEATLES SCULTURE

www.kait8.com
Beatles sculpture to be unveiled Sunday
Posted: Sep 16, 2011 1:04 PM EST
By Josh Harvison, Video Journalist
WALNUT RIDGE, AR (KAIT) – In September of 1964, the Beatles landed at the Walnut Ridge Regional Airport for a few days of relaxation in Alton, Missouri. The trip was supposed to be quick and secret, but it didn't take long for residents to realize who had come to town.
"On September 18th, they played in Dallas, Texas. After they finished that up, they had a couple of days off. Obviously, it had been a long stressful tour. They needed a couple of days," said Brett Cooper, Vice President of College Relations at Williams Baptist University. "They intended to come in very secretly and leave very secretly, but word got out."
Cooper, a member of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce's Tourism Committee, said the Beatles was flown to Walnut Ridge by a man who owned a ranch in Alton. Two employees of a local dairy shop spotted members of the Beatles after the plane landed in Walnut Ridge.
"They got there to see John, Paul, Ringo and George get off the plane. Word got out after that. Obviously that the Beatles were around," said Cooper.
After their trip to Alton, the Beatles traveled back to Walnut Ridge to fly to New York City.
"Late Sunday morning, that would have been September 20th of 1964, they returned. By that time, it was no longer a secret," said Cooper.
"We see a tiny airplane. We hear it. It lands and all of a sudden, every young girl goes running out there towards the airplane. It turns out to be a local crop duster that had come in, who is swarmed by 100 girls running out there screaming," said Carrie Mae Snapp.
Snapp, who has lived in Walnut Ridge all her life, was 14-years old when the Beatles stopped in her town. She was just like all other American teenage girls in the 1960s, in love with the Beatles.
"The next morning, we started the great Beatles chase. If we had missed them, mother was still going to make sure I still had a great Beatles experience," said Snapp.
Snapp said she stole a pillow from the plane the Beatles landed in. She said her father was furious.
"We left with five pillows. It was terrible when I got home that night. Somebody told dad, you're daughter broke into the airplane and she took a pillow," said Snapp. "I had to give back the pillow, but he did let me keep the pillow case."
To remember the special event, "Beatles at the Ridge" was invented by the chamber of commerce.
"We want some attractions to where people will come downtown, park their vehicle, get out and see the attractions we develop and hopefully spend a little time, and spend some money," said Cooper.
The events kick off Saturday night at the Regions parking lot in Walnut Ridge with "A Hard Days Night" played on a projection screen at approximately 7:15.
On Sunday, authors of "Come Together: The Business Wisdom of the Beatles" will be present to sign their book. Also, starting at 1 p.m. Sunday, musical performances will begin in downtown Walnut Ridge. The events wrap up with a performance by the Liverpool Legends and the unveiling of a special sculpture. The events conclude at approximately 5:00 Sunday night.
"The sculpture is amazing. That's one of the neat aspects of this story. It has pulled everyone together in a way. We've been absolutely delighted by the way the community has rallied around this effort," said Cooper. "It's one of the most recognizable album covers in the history of music. This is an artist's representation of that album cover."
The sculpture, which is nearly complete, is an aluminum structure ten feet high and 20 feet wide. The sculpture weighs more than one ton and took 500+ hours to build.
"This is a life-sized sculpture of the Abbey Road album that the Beatles put out. It's a very iconic album, probably one of the most well known albums on the planet," said West. "When you see it, it's one of those things that's hard to describe. The detail makes it interesting, I thin,. There are some very minute details that would almost take a magnifying glass to see. Then there's things that you won't see until you're 40 feet away."
West said there are several song titles and items the average Beatles fan would recognize.
"You get the shadow of the silhouettes moving across it. You get the reflection of the sky. Whatever color the sky happens to be, if it's dark blue, light blue, you get that. Rain. It looks different when it's wet," said West. "There are about 30 to 40 song titles or references to albums that's in this thing. One of the ideas I had is that it looks good from a distance, but if you get up close, the details, people can say, hey, I know that song, and then maybe make a 5 to 10 minute game out of it. See how many albums you can find."
"We've reclaimed this part of our history. Those of us who live around here have always heard the Beatles landed at the airport, but until we started doing interviews with a number of people that were there that day. We didn't know a lot of those details. A lot of those have been lost to our local history," said Cooper.
Copyright 2011 KAIT. All rights reserved.

viernes, 16 de septiembre de 2011

www.dailymail.co.uk

Sir Paul's wedding will be just a small family affair (In contrast to the £1.5m he lavished on his wedding to Heather)

By Ben Todd and Simon Cable
Last updated at 1::49 AM on 16th September 2011
Sir Paul McCartney will marry his American fiancee at the same London venue in which he wed late wife Linda more than 40 years ago, the Daily Mail can reveal.
The former Beatle posted banns at Westminster Register Office, meaning he could marry Nancy Shevell there as soon as next month. His fiancee has said it will be a ‘small family affair’ in contrast to the lavish £1.5 million ceremony when he married second wife Heather Mills.
Sir Paul and heiress Miss Shevell, 51, arrived in person to hand in the ‘notices’ earlier this week. They were posted by officials on Wednesday evening. Legally, the couple have a year from October 1 to marry in the venue, which is based in Marylebone Town Hall and is more commonly known as Marylebone Register Office. If they decide to wed elsewhere, they have to post new banns.
The 69-year-old — who divorced Heather Mills in 2008 — is expected to marry next month. All couples are required to give 16 days notice of their intention to marry.
The banns, signed by Superintendent Registrar Alison Cathcart, list the couple as ‘James Paul McCartney’ and ‘Nancy Shevell’ and add that both parties have had a ‘previous marriage dissolved’. The banns also state that Sir Paul has been living at his London address, in St John’s Wood, for ‘more than a month’. He bought the house for £40,000 in 1965.
Miss Shevell is listed as living at the address, close to Lord’s cricket ground, for just ‘nine days’. On the document, Sir Paul describes his profession as a ‘business executive’ while his future wife — a multi-millionaire from her family transport business — says she is an ‘executive’.
The couple have a choice of four marriage rooms at the Town Hall, which is close to Abbey Road studios where The Beatles recorded much of their work.
Happy: Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell plan to marry at the Marylebone Register Office within a year
Happy: Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell plan to marry at the Marylebone Register Office within a year
The Reception Room is the largest, with wood-panelled walls and an elaborate corniced ceiling. It holds 100 guests and is described as ‘perfect for anyone wishing to make a grand entrance’.
More intimate options are The Yellow Room, The Blue Room or The Purple Room.
The engagement was announced in May when Sir Paul presented her with a vintage 1925 Cartier engagement solitaire diamond ring, reported to have cost him £400,000.
Venue: Sir Paul posted banns at Westminster Register Office, based inside Marylebone Town Hall, pictured, meaning he could marry Nancy Shevell there as soon as next month
Venue: Sir Paul posted banns at Westminster Register Office, based inside Marylebone Town Hall, pictured, meaning he could marry Nancy Shevell there as soon as next month
The corridors inside the register office are less than glamorous
The notices of marriage board which Sir Paul posted the banns
The corridors inside the register office are less than glamorous. Right, the notices of marriage board which has details of Sir Paul's marriage
Enlarge   The details of the former Beatle's marriage notice to Nancy were seen posted publicly in the hall
Plans: The details of the former Beatle's marriage notice to Nancy were seen posted publicly in the hall
At the time, Miss Shevell revealed it was ‘a total surprise’ when Sir Paul proposed.
When asked about the wedding, she replied: ‘Small. Just our families. I don’t know the exact date.
‘Don’t ask what I’ll wear. How dressy do you get to stand before a Justice of the Peace in his chambers — which is what we’re going to do?’
Sir Paul married Linda Eastman in Marylebone on March 12, 1969. Hundreds of fans gathered outside to catch a glimpse of the couple as they arrived with the bride’s daughter Heather, then six, from a previous marriage.
Police had to fend off tearful girls distraught that the last bachelor Beatle was tying the knot. Linda was four months pregnant and their daughter Mary was born that August.
In June last year, Mary maintained the family link to the register office when she married her second husband, writer and director Simon Aboud, there.
Sir Paul and Linda had two other children Stella, 40, and son James, 34.
They enjoyed one of the most famously happy relationships in showbusiness before she died of breast cancer in April 1998, aged just 56.
Sir Paul and Miss Shevell started dating in 2007, after she separated from first husband Bruce Blakeman. She has a son, Arlen, 19, from that marriage.
It will be Sir Paul’s third marriage. He wed former model Miss Mills in an extravagant  ceremony in St Salvator’s Church at the 17th century Castle Leslie in Glaslough, Ireland in 2002.
Linda McCartney
 Heather Mills
Sir Paul's marriage to his first wife Linda, left, was also a low-key affair while his wedding to second wife Heather Mills was a £1.5m extravaganza
In stark contrast to the simplicity of both his first marriage and his forthcoming ceremony, his wedding to Miss Mills was estimated to have cost £1.5million and there were more than 300 guests.
Sir Paul and Miss Mills – who had lost a leg below the knee after being hit by a police motorcycle in 1993 — had a daughter Beatrice, now seven.
They separated in May 2006. Following a bitter divorce battle, Miss Mills won  a settlement of £24.3 million.
Since then, Sir Paul — estimated to be worth £495 million — has kept the UK as his main home to be close to his youngest child.
Last night, a spokesman for the star declined to comment.