jueves, 28 de febrero de 2013

Whatever happened to Jimmie Nicol? Exclusive interview with author of new book, ‘The Beatle Who Vanished’

daytrippin.com
Whatever happened to Jimmie Nicol? Exclusive interview with author of new book, ‘The Beatle Who Vanished’
By Marshall Terrill
Posted by Daytrippin'
February 24, 2013


Jimmie Nicol played with the world’s most famous rock group for 13 days…and then years later he walked out of his London flat and disappeared without a trace. In his new book, “The Beatle Who Vanished”, author Jim Berkenstadt uncovers the twisting trail of intrigue that has followed Jimmie Nicol since his disappearance in the late sixties.
“The Beatle Who Vanished” is the first account of Jimmie Nicol, an unknown drummer whose journey from humble beginnings to improbable climb – rescuing The Beatles’ first world tour from disaster by stepping in for an ailing Ringo Starr – was only part of his legend. Though his 13 days of fame made headlines, the true mystery of Nicol’s account is riddled with blacklisting, betrayal, drug abuse, bankruptcy and an eventual disappearance that leads many to question whether he is dead or alive.
Berkenstadt, the author of several Beatles books, spent six years of his life gum-shoeing the life of Nicol. In this exclusive interview with Daytrippin’, Berkenstadt discusses why the Beatles selected Nicol, his unforgettable 13-day tenure with the Fab Four, and how his 15 minutes of fame turned into nearly a five-decade hangover. 
Q: As you so aptly state in the opening of the book, Jimmie Nicol was a classy footnote in Beatles history. So what made you decide to dedicate six years of research and writing to this project?
JB: “The Beatle Who Vanished” really started out as a challenge to see if I could find enough information to write an article about Jimmie Nicol’s life.  He only ever merits one sentence in Beatles history books and no mention in British music histories.  I got lucky early on finding out the general chronology of his career by locating bands he had played in and then finding members of those bands to talk to me about their lives with Jimmie.  I found that almost universally his friends loved him very much and found him to be generous and highly talented. They all seemed to be rooting for him to succeed.
After a while, I was being connected to various band members from Colin Hicks & His Cabin Boys to Vince Eager & the Quiet Three, the Shubdubs and Spotnicks. This led to my compiling Nicol’s amazing discography and helped piece together the chronology of his career. The recordings I found all over the world, helped me to learn about Nicol’s amazing and creative gift as a drummer, composer, arranger and producer.
The years of writing and research were an amazing journey and challenge. Nicol was an enigmatic character. He always seemed to erase his trail when he moved on, rather than preserve it. The best way to describe my years of research is like a treasure hunt to find thousands of pieces to a giant puzzle. Then after finding all the pieces, one has to use interviews, photos, articles, video, recordings and memorabilia (i.e. posters) to fit the pieces together to create the portrait of Jimmie Nicol that readers will see in the book.
Q: You’ve been a part of the Beatles world for close to 25 years, including working as a consultant on the reissue of “All Things Must Pass” and the Traveling Wilburys box set. Not to mention your other books (“Black Market Beatles: The Story Behind The Lost Recordings” and “The Beatles Digest”) on the Fab Four. How did this help in terms of locating sources for your research?
JB: The two projects you mentioned, along with some of my work for Apple (The Beatles “Help!” DVD and the Cirque Du Soleil “Love” show) involved treasure hunts and connecting with the right people who were eyewitnesses to history. As an attorney, I became adept at research and finding almost anything on the Internet. This would include locating people who are hard to find, long lost news articles in foreign languages and lost audio and video.
Q: Like most people, I have never given much thought to Jimmie Nicol. Were you surprised by the fact that he was such an accomplished drummer before he was asked by the Beatles to fill in for Ringo Starr?
book-cover
JB: I did not know what to expect of Jimmie Nicol’s drumming at first. It took about a year to locate some early 1950s live video performances (which I will put up on my web site at www.thebeatlewhovanished.com) and listening to 45s and LPs that I collected from all of the bands he recorded with before and after his stint with The Beatles. Once I heard the music he had played on, I was blown away by his ability to play not only great rock and roll, but Ska, Big Band, Jazz, R&B and really anything. As the readers will discover, not only was Jimmie a great rock drummer who could step in at the last minute for Ringo, but through a stroke of fate, he already knew the parts to The Beatles current concert set list when they chose him.
Q: How would you compare Nicols’ style of drumming to Ringo Starr’s?
JB: It is interesting to use film clips of both Ringo and Jimmie playing drums with The Beatles, to compare and contrast.  The Beatles were musically a very tight unit. They breathed, moved and played together as one. Imagine how difficult it must have been for them to launch a world tour with a brand new person to drive their rhythm? Nicol came through for them based upon his experience.
From a technique standpoint, both Nicol and Starr employed the matched-grip style of holding the sticks. This was still a new approach to drum technique in 1964.  The matched-grip approach positions the weight of the arms over the stick, allowing the weight to assist in producing a bigger sound. Briefly, Ringo’s style is defined by his staying low to the drums and cymbals for the most part, using his strong/powerful wrists to get a beat that is clear, communicative and which helps define and serve key sections of the song. In contrast, Nicol’s style is more staccato than Starr’s. Nicol employs more of a whipping arm motion from a higher plane down into the drums  which produces a brighter tone (Nicol also sets his stool higher than Starr for this purpose). His performances with The Beatles also highlight more of his R&B and Big Band influences in the way he breaks away from the beat and plays strong fills to set up changes in the tune.
Both styles work well to hold The Beatles together, yet of course; Ringo had recorded the songs in his style, which would be more familiar to fans. However, what fans could actually hear The Beatles at these concerts in 1964?!
Q: You cast a very large net when it came to researching Jimmie Nicols’ life – including trips to England, Holland, and Mexico. I imagine it was a surprise that this book took you around the world?
JB: Almost everything I came to learn about Jimmie Nicol’s life was a surprise. He was the definition of an independent spirit. He often chose the unexpected path. No one could tell him what to do or how to think. Each time he vanished in his career, it would take me awhile to locate where in the world he would show up next! He usually never said goodbye… just walked out the door… to another spot on the globe. Very mysterious. I tried to retrace his footsteps by traveling to England, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne to get a feel for the places he had lived and worked. I call that Frequent Flier Research
Colin Hicks and The Cabin Boys EP with Jimmie Nicol on drums
Colin Hicks and The Cabin Boys EP with Jimmie Nicol on drums; courtesy Jim Berkenstadt
Q: I was also surprised in your book by the amount of newspapers articles that existed on Nichols in addition to some of the memorabilia and photos you were able to unearth. How lucky were you in this regard?
JB: The articles were not too difficult to find. I would Google rock historians in other countries who had an interest in their country’s music history. They often had links that directed me to what I needed. Google books were very helpful in locating “Billboard” magazine issues mentioning Nicol.  I collected the key British music magazines at EBay in the UK.
Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn was very generous and helpful in pointing me in certain directions and helping me find obscure facts. Kudos to Mark! Many rare photos of Nicol with his various bands such as Vince Eager, The Shubdubs and The Spotnicks were generously loaned to me by band members.
The rare handbills, programs and memorabilia were found on EBay or loaned from collectors worldwide. The Beatles era video and photos are available to watch or license at archives such as Getty. I picked up a set of Beatles autographs with Jimmie Nicol that was signed on their first plane ride for a flight attendant on BEA at Sotheby’s Auctions in 1985. Priceless…. for $200. The first night concert set list from The Beatles First World Tour, (illustrated in the book) was hand-written by Neil Aspinall. He gave it to Lennon, who gave to Nicol, who used it on his bass drum. After the show, Nicol left it. Torben, the drummer for the warm up band The Hitmakers, picked it up as a souvenir and kept it for decades.
LPs were the hardest to locate. I found a Mexican LP Nicol produced and played on in the late sixties called Nicolquinn. It is the only copy in the world I have ever seen. Out of Nicol’s 10-page discography I compiled, I think there is only one 45 record I was unable to locate; likely due to anemic sales at the time.
Q: What were some of the attributes Brian Epstein was looking for when replacing Ringo Starr for the tour, and why do you think they ultimately decided on Jimmie Nicol?
JB: This was an emotional and scary time for Epstein. He had to find a fill-in for Ringo or the entire tour would collapse into a disaster of financial ruin, lawsuits against NEMS and catastrophic bad PR for The Beatles. There were no “out” clauses for illness to postpone tours in 1964. The show must go on! Epstein needed a competent drummer who could drive The Beatles bus while they could comfortably sing and play the songs out front. But he also needed someone who was mature enough not to let the experience go to his head. Maturity, diplomacy and discretion were most needed to fill in. The person chosen would be seeing and experiencing things on tour that did not fit into the current “mop top” family-friendly image, such as sex and drugs.
There are other factors as to why and how Nicol was chosen, but I will leave those to be discovered by the readers.
Q: After the elation of The Call in which Nicol was notified that he would be touring with the Beatles, what sort of pressure do you imagine he was facing?
JB: By the time of The Call, Nicol was a pro. He had played in some of England’s best first generation rock bands, led his own big band and was one of the top 5 session drummers at the time in London. He was a confident and strong player and in the book I explain in detail how he already knew most of Ringo Starr’s drum parts. I think he became nervous once all of the fan attention and media started to surround him. He realized that this was no normal gig and no everyday band. He had the stress of driving the best rock band in the world and he wanted to do his job well.
Q: And conversely, it sounded as if Ringo Starr, though he shouldn’t have been worried, was much more upset than originally reported. What do you think he was going through?
JB: Ringo felt helpless in a hospital bed watching his buddies on TV head off on their first world tour. Keep in mind, Pete Best had been replaced by Ringo after only two years. Now Ringo was being temporarily replaced (two years after Best) by Jimmie Nicol, a well-known London drummer who was in the hottest live band in town, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. He was likely a little insecure and worried…
Jimmie Nicol drumming for The Beatles in Adelaide, 1964;
photo courtesy Jim Berkenstadt
Q: The most telling quote I found in the book was when Nicol got his first taste of Beatlemania. He said: “The day before I was a Beatle, not one girl would look me over. The day after … they were dying just to get a touch of me. Strange and scary all at once. It’s hard to describe the feeling but I can tell you it can go to your head. I see why so many famous people kill themselves.” That quote is in some ways a cautionary tale…
JB: This is a cautionary tale. In the words of Grammy Producer Butch Vig (Paul McCartney, Nirvana, Green Day), “This is a fascinating and mysterious must read for hardcore Beatles fans, and anyone who wants to understand the meteoric rise to pop stardom and the subsequent crash landing.”
Q: Despite all of the mayhem, it sounds like the Beatles burned the candles at both ends during this tour and Nichol had to force himself to keep up. Amsterdam, in particular, sounded like a wild time.
JB: The whole tour was pretty wild for its time, as readers will see. Keep in mind, Nicol was a few years older than The Beatles and he had done this all before. It is hard to come off stage after a Beatles concert of wild, crazy screaming and simply go to sleep. So, a good time was had by all.
Q: Nicol also endured subtle and not so subtle slights throughout the tour, including a protest by an Australian DJ for not hiring a drummer from Down Under. This must have put a few dents in his armor?
JB: Nicol was very independent and proud. He felt he deserved more respect for his subbing and “saving” the tour from cancellation and disaster. The Beatles were very friendly and respectful. They introduced him at the shows too. But others were not so kind. Along the way, managers of other bands would volunteer their drummer or a DJ would protest the loss of jobs for their country. In addition, the posters and programs all portrayed that Ringo was behind the kit – not Jimmie. Surely this annoyed Nicol, who felt at times like he was under-appreciated. I think over the years, these and other issues revealed in the book, had an impact on his psyche.
Q: They say every picture tells a story, but that photo in your book of Jimmie Nicol sitting alone in the Sydney Airport after his tenure was over is haunting…it’s almost as if you can read his mind: “My life just peaked.”
JB: That photo is quite haunting. Nicol is deep in thought. One day you are on top of the entertainment world. The next day, you are on your way home. What does the future hold? Can it ever be as amazing as what you have just gone through? Can one ever go back to their everyday life? What does 15 minutes of fame do to someone? I will leave it to readers to see what Jimmie had to say about that amazing photo. I found it in the archives of an Australian newspaper and licensed if for the book. In my mind it had to be a full page, to convey its intensity.
Nicol performed the job admirably received a 500-pound bonus and a gold watch. I can’t help but feel that he felt hollow inside.
How he felt about The Beatles experience seemed to change over the years. I don’t want to give away the story, but it is quite interesting and mysterious.
Beatles_press_conference_June_5_Shipol_airport
Jimmie Nicol (left) with Paul, George and John at a press conference in Amsterdam, June 1964; photo courtesy Jim Berkenstadt
Q: Thanks to your meticulous research, the Jimmie Nichol story doesn’t end in 1964. Can you give readers a brief sketch of what he did in the sixties, seventies and eighties?
JB: The research was intense. Over 700 footnotes. Hundreds of interviews with his friends, bandmates and eyewitnesses.  Before The Beatles, Nicol played rock, jazz, big band, R&B and Ska in a number of bands from the late 1950s to 1964. He then started to get involved in recording sessions and arrangements. He created a pre-Beatles band called Jimmie Nicol & the Shubdubs, which he also carried on with later. Nicol rode a roller coaster of successes with different tours, recording projects and non-musical occupations. He also had failures along the way, including band breakups, bankruptcy, divorce and more.
Q: If there is a message or subtext to “The Beatle Who Vanished,” what would you like you to convey?
JB: I think this is an interesting story on two levels. First, piecing together the career of someone who is really forgotten in history is one part detective work and one part jigsaw puzzle assembly.  There were thousands of pieces to Nicol’s puzzle; especially because he had the ability to vanish and move to another country. More importantly, a portrait emerged about a very talented person who experiences a huge ride to the top of the entertainment world – at a very young age and for a very short time. I wanted to explore what those 15 minutes of fame were like and how it then affects the rest of their life. Hopefully, I have been successful in conveying Nicol’s story, which is clearly a cautionary tale.
Note: Visit the official website for “The Beatle Who Vanished” at www.thebeatlewhovanished.com where you can read a free excerpt and watch the official video promo. You can “friend” the author, Jim Berkenstadt on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RockAndRollDetective
****
Marshall Terrill is the author of 16 books. His next literary endeavor will be a photo/passage book with guitarist Laurence Juber called “Fifty Years on Six Strings.” It will be published in November 2013 by Dalton Watson Fine Books.
Jimmie Nicol with all four Beatles including Ringo Starr in Melbourne; photo courtesy Jim Berkenstadt
Jimmie Nicol with all four Beatles in Melbourne;
photo courtesy Jim Berkenstadt




miércoles, 27 de febrero de 2013

Love Me Do, P.S. I Love You and Copyright Law

beatlesblogger.com
Love Me Do, P.S. I Love You and Copyright Law
by beatlesblogger
February 22, 2013


Will you be buying any of the "new" Beatles CDs which are taking advantage of "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You" being out of copyright? Both songs are now fair game in Europe for any compact disc compiler out there to use when putting together a Beatle early days disc, and a number of small labels are taking advantage.
[European copyright laws grant ownership of a recorded track for fifty years - and "Love Me Do" has just gone past that. There are moves to extend the period to 70 years, but this is not expected to happen until at least November this year. In the US the period of copyright is 95 years.]
So, there are a number of Beatles recordings due for release shortly. Wogblog has already mentioned this one:
beatles_saw
The Beatles Archive I Saw Her Standing There will come out on February 25. And there are more on the way. Rolling Stone is reporting that a company called Digital Remasterings will be including "Love Me Do" on a compilation of early Beatles recordings, and that the French classical reissue label Pristine Classical has also released the song as a remastered single. This was apparently done in protest against the trouble the planned 70 year copyright extension will cause it when reissuing old symphonic recordings. However, I've scoured their website and cannot find any reference to the Beatles at all.....
And here's another CD I found on Amazon yesterday  -  The Beatles - The Early Years. It's also listed as having a February release:
Early Years
These albums are pretty much entirely made up of songs recorded by the band before they signed to Parlophone Records. They are all previously released material which can now legally be supplemented by two official songs.
So, here's a quick straw poll. Let us know what you think:

Legs For Peace - Yoko and John.



Subido el 02/04/2010
by BritHumour2
A film by Yoko Ono and John Lennon. Made in 1970, it's real title is 'Up Your Legs Forever'.
It is 70 minutes long, so I have cut out a large chunk of it. What you see in the first 5 minutes continues for another hour until Yoko starts to sing the song 'Up Your Legs Forever'.

martes, 26 de febrero de 2013

Track Of The Week: 'With A Little Luck'

www.paulmccartney.com


This week's track of the week is 'With A Little Luck' taken from the Wings albums 'London Town' and 'Wings Greatest'.

What are your thoughts on the track? What are your favourite song(s) on the 'London Town' and 'Wings Greatest' albums? Let us know in the comments below…

'You Gave Me The Answer': Luana From Brazil Asks…

www.paulmccartney.com


At the beginning of February PaulMcCartney.com launched 'You Gave Me The Answer', a new feature that will see Paul answering a question from his fans each month. We knew from our recent website survey that, given the opportunity, you had a great number of things you'd like to ask Paul, but we were overjoyed when only 24 hours later we had received more than 10,000 questions! After working our way through them we selected a shortlist and let Paul choose which one he wanted to answer.

Today we're pleased to announce that the first question for 'You Gave Me The Answer' comes from Luana in Brazil:

Luana asks: "What would you do if you had a time machine?"

Paul stopped by last week to answer the question and he told us he would like to, "Go back and spend time with my mum."

To submit your question for next month's 'You Gave Me The Answer', click HERE!

lunes, 25 de febrero de 2013

2013 Events to Commemorate George

georgeharrison.com
2013 Events to Commemorate George
February 16, 2013


Photograph by Brian Roylance © Genesis Publications


In the coming weeks, events are taking place all across the world to commemorate the life of George Harrison and celebrate his 70th birthday. See below to find a celebration near you, and if you are aware of additional events taking place please mention them in the comments!

Birthday Exhibition For George – February 25-March 7- Liverpool Academy of Arts, Liverpool, United Kingdom.

The Liverpool Academy of Arts will be host a 2 exhibit with works on display illustrating the life and work of George Harrison. No matter where you live in the world, you can participate by sending in your own birthday card for George. Follow the links below for more information and to view cards from other fans.

George Harrison’s 70th Birthday Celebration – Monday, February 25- Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood, CA

A public gathering to celebrate the 70th birthday of George Harrison will take place on Monday, February 25 at George’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star in front of the Capitol Records tower building in Hollywood.

HARRIFEST 2013 – Saturday, February 16th- Seaport Inn & Marina, Fairhaven, MA

HARRIFEST 2013 celebrates the 10 year anniversary of the Tribute to George Harrison. HARRIFEST 2013 is a festival of peace and love filled with music from the Beatles and George Harrison. The event includes performances of over 10 of the best Beatle cover and tribute bands, custom Beatles artwork and rare memorabilia available for purchase. This is a fun fundraiser and is a great family event, suitable for older children and adults of all ages.

George Harrison Fest 70th Birthday Celebration – Wednesday, February 20th- Le Poison Rouge, New York, NY 

New York City venue Le Poison Rouge will host a celebration featuring performances from Alan Merrill Trio, Sean Yox & The Streamers, Kath Buckell, Nenad Bach Band, and Durians.

George Harrison Tribute with Maya Love – Saturday, February 23rd- Cozmic, Eugene, OR

An event at Cozmic in Eugene, OR will feature performances from Maya Love, Bindaas, All Things George Choir, and Love Truffle.

* The listing of the events above is for information only, and does not imply any endorsement, approval, authorisation or checking-out of the same by the Harrison family or George’s Estate, or any representation as to the nature or content of the events or any products which may be available there. Such is entirely the responsibility of those organising the events, and attendees must direct any issues to those organizers.

George Harrison cumpliría hoy 70 años



Publicado el 25/02/2013
by NotimexTV
El ex legendario músico, compositor y cantante nació en 1943 en Liverpool, Inglaterra

Yoko Ono: ¿custodia de un legado o intrusa oportunista?

www.bbc.co.uk
Yoko Ono: ¿custodia de un legado o intrusa oportunista?
Julio García
BBC Mundo, Miami
Lunes, 18 de febrero de 2013


Durante años, Yoko Ono fue culpada de la separación del grupo más popular de la historia. En 1969, ella y John Lennon eran inseparables, al punto de que la regla de oro de los Beatles, de que nadie entraba en sus sesiones, quedó obsoleta.
De paso, el grupo también quedó obsoleto: ese mismo año el grupo se separó para siempre. Es cierto que Yoko fue un factor de discordia que contribuyó a la disolución, pero no fue la causa.

Ringo Starr fue el más tolerante con ella, George Harrison no ocultaba su disgusto ante la presencia en el estudio de Yoko -que incluso llegó a instalar allí su cama- y Paul McCartney fue abiertamente hostil, además de responder llevando él mismo a su entonces nueva novia, la fotógrafa neoyorquina Linda Eastman.
Si algo separó a los Beatles fue realmente el choque de egos de cuatro individuos que pasaron del anonimato en Liverpool al estrellato internacional en pocos años, aderezados por la evolución musical, las drogas y los intereses personales.
Yoko Ono
A sus 80 años, Yoko Ono se conserva muy bien y mantiene vigente el legado de John Lennon.

Pop y vanguardismo

Pero los beatlemaníacos de entonces no podían evitar ver a Yoko Ono como una intrusa que le lavó el cerebro al fundador del grupo y lo metió en músicas extrañas e inescuchables.
Yoko Ono nació el 18 de febrero de 1933 en Tokio, aunque pasó periodos de su vida en Estados Unidos, donde su padre -un banquero- había sido destacado. Para cuando terminó la Segunda Guerra Mundial, estaba de vuelta en Japón y le tocó soportar los bombardeos aliados.
Hija de una familia aristocrática de Japón, emigró a Nueva York, donde se integró al movimiento de arte vanguardista, tan de moda en la década de 1960. Lo suyo era el arte conceptual, que para las mentes no acostumbradas puede rayar en lo absurdo, aunque ese absurdo fue el que lograría conquistar a Lennon.
En 1956 contrajo matrimonio con el compositor japonés Toshi Ichiyanagi, de quien se divorció en 1962 para casarse con el músico y productor estadounidense Anthony Cox, con quien tuvo una hija, Kyoko.
Ono se presentó junto a Cox en un show, para el cual John Cage tocaba el piano y ella... se echaba encima del instrumento. La relación entre marido y mujer no andaba bien, siendo que Yoko se esforzó en desarrollar su singular carrera, dejando a Cox la responsabilidad de criar a su hija.
Yoko Ono y John Lennon
En 1969, Yoko Ono y John Lennon eran inseparables, tanto en la música como en el activismo pacifista.

Amor a primera vista

En 1966, Yoko conoció a John en una exhibición de arte conceptual montada por ella en una galería de Londres. Cuenta la leyenda que al Beatle le llamó la atención la obra "clava un clavo" en un marco vacío, pero como ella le exigió pagar, él propuso una moneda imaginaria a cambio de clavar un clavo imaginario.
Fue un amor intelectual y a primera vista para John Lennon, cuyo ejemplo de la mujer ideal hasta ese entonces era la actriz francesa Brigitte Bardot: rubia, delgada, atractiva y sensual. Pero también fue el reemplazo de la madre que prácticamente no tuvo: no en vano Yoko era siete años mayor que él.
Por esa época, los Beatles dejaron de hacer giras por el mundo, viajaron a India en busca de un camino espiritual y entraron en su fase musical más creativa, con la ventaja de tener a su disposición el estudio de grabación para experimentar.
Eran las circunstancias ideales para John -en un momento en que Paul empezaba a tomar la batuta del grupo- de salirse de los moldes establecidos.
Su primera manifestación musical fue en 1968 con el tema "Revolution 9" en el álbum blanco de los Beatles: aunque firmada por Lennon y McCartney, realmente era un collage de sonidos ideado por John y Yoko y una muestra de lo que estaba por venir.
Ese mismo álbum fue la primera y única vez en que aparecieron voces femeninas en canciones de los Beatles: Yoko canta una línea sola y es parte del coro en el tema "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" y además hace coros junto a la primera esposa de George, Patty Boyd, en "Birthday".
Tanto George como Ringo, los integrantes secundarios del cuarteto, abandonaron temporalmente el grupo, pero John fue el primero en manifestar su deseo de tomar su propio rumbo, algo que muchos consideraron se debía a la influencia de Yoko.
Al final fue Paul quien decidió romper la sociedad, cosa que irritó profundamente a John, que hubiera querido ser quien pusiera fin al grupo que él mismo fundó.
John Lennon y Yoko Ono
Antes del asesinato, fue lanzado el álbum "Double Fantasy", una colección de cancones escritas por John y Yoko por separado.

En defensa de Yoko

Los primeros tres álbumes grabados por John y Yoko son tan experimentales, que hasta el más fiel admirador de Lennon sólo los puede escuchar una vez, si acaso.
El primero, "Two Virgins", tiene más valor por el escándalo que causó la portada, en la que ambos aparecen desnudos. La grabación fue el punto culminante de una jornada que terminó en la cama. Cynthia, la primera esposa de John, le pidió el divorcio al sorprenderlos in fraganti.
Aparte de los discos y el arte conceptual que ambos compartían, John y Yoko hicieron varias películas experimentales, con títulos como "Violación", "Traseros" y "Erección".
Pero lo que más espantaba a los admiradores de Lennon que se resistían a aceptar el rumbo que el exBeatle había tomado eran los alaridos que "adornaban" algunos temas de John. Los temas de Yoko eran alaridos interminables e incomprensibles.
Irónicamente, Yoko había estudiado piano clásico y sabía leer y escribir música, pero la suya no era convencional. Sin embargo, junto a John no sólo empezó a escribir canciones más normales, si se quiere, sino que fue la inspiración de muchos temas de él, notablemente "Imagine". La idea salió de una frase extraida de un poema de Yoko.
Uno podría preguntarse qué hubiera sido de Yoko sin John, pero nunca lo sabremos. Probablemente no habría salido de la oscuridad del arte experimental.
Para cuando la pareja hizo el álbum "Double Fantasy", el último antes del asesinato de John, las canciones de Yoko no sólo sonaban normales, sino que además eran buenas. Incluso hubo críticos que las consideraron mejores que las de John, que se limitaban al rock & roll más simple.
Mientras John se retiró de la música y se dedicó a cuidar a su hijo, entre 1975 y 1980, Yoko se ocupó de las finanzas del millonario exBeatle. Y después de su muerte, se dedicó a mantener vigente su legado.
Aunque no faltan quienes se quejan del constante reciclaje de canciones repetidas y de "seguir ordeñando la vaca", lo cierto es que todo el mundo relanza discos con canciones remasterizadas y temas inéditos, acústicos o a medio ensayar. Esa es una de las tareas de Yoko Ono, custodia de la obra de Lennon.

Mi encuentro con Yoko
Julio García y Yoko Ono

En 2007 viajé por primera vez a Nueva York. Mi principal objetivo era conocer el rincón dedicado a John Lennon en el Parque Central y el lugar donde vivió sus últimos años y donde fue asesinado: el edificio Dakota.
Lo primero que vi en la gran ciudad fue Times Square, con sus anuncios luminosos apagados, bullicio y gente por todas partes y los rascacielos. En poco rato sentí la necesidad de refugiarme en el parque y buscar algo de paz y los rastros de Lennon.
Una vez que estuve en Strawberry Fields y tomé las fotos de rigor, le dije a mi esposa "ahora vamos a conocer el Dakota". Al llegar, le pedí que preparara la cámara mientras le preguntaba al portero si me podía tomar una foto con él.
No tuve tiempo: en segundos, llegó una limusina pequeña de la cual salió nada menos que Yoko Ono. No lo podía creer y sólo atiné a exclamar "¡Yoko, please!", mientras mi esposa le daba la cámara al conductor.
La viuda de Lennon no pronunció palabra alguna, mientras yo decía un par de tonterías como "esto es mágico". Pero no hacía falta: simplemente se acomodó los lentes y posó ante la cámara. Su silencio fue tan elocuente como su sonrisa y su voluntad de complacer a un fan. Porque sabía que yo estaba allí por John y que me había alegrado el día.






domingo, 24 de febrero de 2013

GEORGE HARRISON - DAVE STEWART - BOB GELDOF - CHUCHO MERCHAN - RECORDING STUDIO



Publicado el 04/02/2013
by Chucho Merchan
An afternoon at the recording studio

Ringo Starr - Hordern Pavillion, Sydney 13-02-2013



Publicado el 14/02/2013
by TheAussiemusicman
With his All Starr Band.
All the footage uploaded, is all the footage I have. I spent the rest of the time enjoying the show. Glad you are all enjoying it.

sábado, 23 de febrero de 2013

Philippines government honors Yoko Ono

www.mb.com.ph
Congressional Citation for Yoko Ono
By Ben R. Rosario
February 21, 2013


MANILA, Philippines --- The Philippine House of Representatives will award a congressional citation to fashion designer Yoko Ono, widow of rock legend John Lennon, for her generous donation to the victims of typhoon “Pablo” in Mindanao.
This developed as financial assistance and material donations continued to flow for the Mindanao victims who lost relatives and have been rendered homeless when typhoon Pablo unleashed huge amounts of rains that flooded many parts of Davao region.
Recent donors included Rotary International District 3780 members and members of the Court of Appeals led by Associate Justices Danton Bueser and Ricardo Rosario.
Rotary Clubs in Quezon City led by RI Governor Penny Policarpio visited typhoon victims on Tuesday to donate truckloads of relief goods and food.
Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo filed House Resolution 3010 to commend On for “her generous donation” to Pablo victims.
Ono, Japanese wife of Beatles legend John Lennon, sent $10,000 or P406,250 to help fund relief and rehabilitation efforts for the thousands of Mindanao families displaced by the typhoon.
A Rotarian, Castelo expressed the gratitude of the House of Representatives to the widow of Beatles legend John Lennon for her grant and for her noble projects in the Philippines.
“This Resolution is a token of the Philippine government’s appreciation for the supreme acts of charity and generosity that Ms. Ono has done and continues to do in furtherance of the welfare of schoolchildren, disaster victims and those similarly marginalized in our body polity,” Castelo said.
The administration lawmaker said Ono, who is an established musical artist and fashion designer, remitted her donation to the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo on January 28, 2013.
“She learned about the disastrous effects of Pablo in Mindanao following a personal visit she made to the official residence of the Philippine Ambassador to Japan on Dec. 5, 2012,” Castelo added.
Castelo said Ono spent her childhood years in a residence, an Iberian-style mansion built in 1934 owned by her uncle Iwajiro Yasuda.  It was then sold to President Jose P. Laurel and was subsequently acquired by the Philippine Government after World War II.
Castelo said Ono conveyed to Ambassador Manuel Lopez her appreciation for the care the Philippine government has taken to preserve the historic mansion.
In return, Ono, as part of her charitable activities of assisting schoolchildren in the country, thought of donating to the typhoon Pablo victims.

“This is not to mention her other contribution in the wake of Tropical storm “Ondoy” in 2009, where she donated P 2.5 million,” Castelo said.
“A copy of this Resolution should be sent to the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo and another copy for Ms. Yoko Ono as a token of the Philippine government’s appreciation for her charitable projects in the country,” Castelo said.
Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono

LO ÚLTIMO DE PAUL . . . EN MACCAMEXICO

www.facebook.com/MaccaMexico1
LO ÚLTIMO DE PAUL . . . EN MACCAMEXICO
Publicado por MaccaMexico
Sábado 23 de febrero de 2013

No te pierdas hoy MaccaMexico Radio en punto de las 20 hrs (hora de México) por www.impulsarte.com.mx

En exclusiva les tenemos el especial de la BBC Radio llamado 12 Hours To Please Please Me, con entrevistas de los que formaron parte de esto, y las nuevas versiones grabadas.

Platicaremos del album "The Best Of War Child', en el cual se incluyeron los temas "Calico Skies" y "Come Together" con Paul McCartney.

Y por supuesto todo lo que quieres saber sobre el Bonnaroo Festival en Manchester TN con Paul McCartney como estelar. Y las noticias mas nuevas sobre la nueva gira de Paul McCartney.

Quieres formar parte del staff de @MaccaMexico hoy en el programa te diremos como!

Y si quieres pedir alguna canción y dedicarla a alguien solo escribe aquí abajo para que la programemos.

No te lo pierdas hoy totalmente en vivo desde La cabina de Impulsarte Radio La radio que te dejara huella en la Ciudad de México y para todo el mundo. Te esperamos!!!


Foto: No te pierdas hoy MaccaMexico Radio en punto de las 20 hrs (hra de Mexico) por www.impulsarte.com.mx

En exclusiva les tenemos el especial de la BBC Radio llamado 12 Hours To Please Please Me, con entrevistas de los que formaron parte de esto, y las nuevas versiones grabadas.

Platicaremos del album "The Best Of War Child', en el cual se incluyeron los temas "Calico Skies" y "Come Together" con Paul McCartney.

Y por supuesto todo lo que quieres saber sobre el Bonnaroo Festival en Manchester TN con Paul McCartney como estelar. Y las noticias mas nuevas sobre la nueva gira de Paul McCartney.

Quieres formar parte del staff de @MaccaMexico hoy en el programa te diremos como!

Y si quieres pedir alguna cancion y dedicarla a alguien solo escribe aqui abajo para que la programemos.

No te lo pierdas hoy totalmente en vivo desde La cabina de Impulsarte Radio La radio que te dejara huella en la Ciudad de mexico y para todo el mundo Te esperamos!!!

George Harrison birthday celebration moved due to conflict with Oscars

www.beatlesnews.com
George Harrison birthday celebration moved due to conflict with Oscars
Posted by Adam Forrest
Thursday, 02/14/13


A public gathering to celebrate the 70th birthday of George Harrison will take place on Monday, February 25 at George's Hollywood Walk of Fame star in front of the Capitol Records tower building in Hollywood.

The celebration, originally planned this year for February 24, is being held on Monday, February 25 due to logistical considerations regarding the Academy Awards ceremonies taking place on Sunday. Some claim George was born on February 24, others say it was February 25. George always said it was February 25. 


The special event is free to the public. Fans of George Harrison and the Beatles are invited to bring candles and flowers to place around Harrison's star. The highlight of the event will be a public cake-cutting ceremony at 6:30 PM led by Chris Carter, radio host of Breakfast With the Beatles.

Fans at the event will also be invited to sign a large "George Harrison 70th Birthday Message Card", which will be sent to George's wife Olivia Harrison.

Jerry Rubin, one of the organizers of the event, said, "It would be a good thing for fans, wherever they may be, to play George Harrison and Beatles songs and share some birthday cake with friends and family on both days in loving remembrance of 'the quiet Beatle' on his special 70th birthday."

The event takes place Monday, February 25, 2013, George Harrison's 70th birthday, at 6:00PM (until 8:00PM), at George Harrison's Hollywood Walk of Fame Star in front of the Capitol Records tower building, which is located at 1750 N. Vine Street in Los Angeles.

For further info, call 310-399-1000 or email JerryPeaceActivistRubin@earthlink.net.

viernes, 22 de febrero de 2013

Musicians pay tribute to Paul McCartney on Saturday

www.mykawartha.com
Weber Brothers and pals pay tribute to the music of Paul McCartney Saturday night (Feb. 23) at Market Hall
Paul Rellinger
Feb 22, 2013


(PETERBOROUGH) So what's with all the Beatles-themed music events being staged locally as of late?
Don't get me wrong. The music of the Fab Four remains a huge draw. Evidence of that was clear last Saturday at Calvary Church as the Peterborough Singers paid homage to the perennial hitmakers before a packed house and also Saturday night at Showplace via the Beatlemaniacs concert.

Now its the Weber Brothers' turn as their tribute to the music of Sir Paul McCartney returns to Market Hall this Saturday night.

Joined by Jan Schoute, Shai Peer, Marcus Browne and Ryan Browne, Ryan and Sam will cover McCartney's incredible musical journey, from the Beatles to Wings to his work as a solo artist.

"It's more than just playing the songs," notes Sam, who, with Ryan, brought the same show to Market Hall last June.

"With the addition of video footage, it really tells a story. It's exciting to do it again. The whole process of learning the material and putting a show together that people will like is just a lot of fun."

Tickets cost a very reasonable $15 and can be bought at the box office or order at www.markethall.org

OK, talk about a tough choice. On the same night at Showplace, Rick Fines brings his sixth annual blues music revue to Showplace and the singer-guitarist has some high-powered talent in tow. Joining Fines for the 8 p.m. show blues vocalist Rita Chiarelli -- "Canada's Goddess of the Blues" according to CBC's Shelagh Rogers -- and harmonica master Roly Platt, who has played with anybody and everybody. And there's Fines' backing band comprised of keyboardist Rob Phillips, bassist Alex Fraser, drummer John Crown and saxophonist Kevin Goss. Tickets cost $27 at the box office or order online at www.showplace.org

Also hitting all the right notes this weekend is the Kawartha Youth Orchestra, which presents Music Magic this Sunday at Market Hall. The 3 p.m. concert brings the magic of the world's great composers, from Beethoven to Mussorgsky, to the local stage. And it marks the debut of KYO apprentice conductor Michael Berec.

"All these young kids are so committed and so passionate about the music...I'm really fortunate to have been awarded this apprenticeship and be in the presence of such dedication," says Berec.

Tickets cost $15 at the box office or order online at www.markethall.org. The cost is $20 at the door.

The considerable talent and enthusiasm of local youths will also be on full display tonight (Friday) at Showplace as that venue, in conjunction with Arbor Theatre, presents This Festival, a showcase of performances by more than 20 Adam Scott students.

Produced by 17-year-old Jessica Burrett, the 7:30 p.m. show will feature music, dance, video, short plays and readings. Tickets cost $10 at the box office.

And Mysterious Entity Theatre is the benefactor of a benefit tonight (Friday) at The BarBeside at Catalina Salon on Hunter West. The 7 p.m. event includes plenty of music -- The Cover Girls, Susan Newman, Rob Fortin, John Hoffman and Curtis Driedger are helping out -- as well as massages and auctions. With its $10 admission, the winter blues don't have chance.

And the Art School of Peterborough is hosting its third annual Art-A-Thon Saturday, noon to midnight, at its Charlotte Mews location.

Close to 30 artists, each armed with sponsorships, will work in their respective mediums for 12 hours and the public is invited to watch on. Admission is $5.

---

During the recent ReFrame Peterborough International Film Festival, a power outage resulted in six films left unseen at two venues.

This Sunday, ReFrame Unplugged at Showplace will see those six films screened, starting at 10 a.m. The films, in order, are Big Boys Gone Bananas, Jimmy, Scarlett Road: A Sex Worker's Journey, In Organic We Trust, Smoke Songs and Generation Music Project.

The honour system is in full effect here. For those who had a festival pass or paid for a rush ticket at one of the original screenings, admission is free. Otherwise, admission is by donation, $8 suggested for each film.

---

The fourth annual Chloe Leblanc Cystic Fibrosis Research Fundraiser held Jan. 19 at the Montreal House saw $2,700 raised.

As per usual, a number of local musicians donated their time and talent to keep the room full.


Rick Fines. Ernie Basciano

War Child Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary With New 'Best Of' Compilation

www.paulmccartney.com


War Child celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with the release of ‘War Child 20: Best Of’. The charity helps war affected children by providing medical care, creating safe havens and helping to rebuild schools. To mark the anniversary the charity was presented with the first Special Recognition Award at the BRIT Awards this week. Check out their video below.

Paul features on the album twice; firstly as part of the Smokin’ Mojo Filters with Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher, Steve Cradock, Steve White and Carleen Anderson performing ‘Come Together’ from the inaugural War Child album ‘Help’. Paul’s second track included on 'War Child 20: Best Of' is ‘Calico Skies’ which originally featured on the charity’s follow up album ‘Hope’.

To pick up a copy of the album now through iTunes click HERE!

To learn more about charity click HERE!

Magical Mystery Tour – New Zealand Variation

beatlesblogger.com
Magical Mystery Tour – New Zealand Variation
by beatlesblogger
February 20, 2013


Being located in Australia means it is only a hop, skip and a jump from our close neighbor, New Zealand. And that means the occasional and interesting New Zealand Beatle items turn up here from time-to-time.
I recently scored a nice copy of the New Zealand Mystery Tour LP, which came out in Australia and NZ on the World Record Club label. In both countries this release was unique to the rest of the world, but the New Zealand version has a number of differences again to the Australian. Here's the front cover:
The-Beatles-Magical-Mystery-T-524861
The picture is very similar to the Australian edition, but there is a large World Record Club/EMI logo over the white piano. And the rear is different too. The Australian cover is printed in colour, while the New Zealand is black and white:
mmt rear nz
The most startling difference is the label - this is my one:
260951892943
In New Zealand there are two variations of this label. Here's the second:
mmt nz variation
I'm told there is an even more unusual New Zealand Apple label version that comes in a very similar cover to the one above.
To more closely compare the two click here to see pictures of the Australian MMTrelease.
See also the HMV Box Set CD release of Magical Mystery Tour.

miércoles, 20 de febrero de 2013

Beatles Grant Rare Music License to new Documentary

www.hollywoodreporter.com
Beatles Grant Rare Music License to SXSW Documentary (Exclusive)
by Shirley Halperin
2/20/2013


Slated for a SXSW debut, "Good Ol' Freda" tells the story of the band's beloved secretary.
This story first appeared in the March 1 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

Ryan White has achieved the nearly impossible: The director got rights to use four original Beatles songs in his documentary Good Ol’ Freda.
Premiering on March 9 at South by Southwest, the film tells the story of Freda Kelly, the band’s beloved secretary who spent 11 years working for the Fab Four and ran the Beatles fan club. It’s the first time Kelly, now in her late 60s, has told her story, though many have tried to pry it out through the years.

“She’s not tempted by money at all,” says White, 31, whose first doc was 2010’s Pelada, about pickup soccer around the world. “Freda closed the Beatles’ offices, so she left with truckloads of Beatles stuff and gave it all away to fans over the years.” The reason she’s breaking her silence, adds White, who met Kelly through his uncle, a member of the Beatles’ Liverpool peers The Merseybeats, “is for her 2-year-old grandson -- she sees it as a sort of home movie.”
It’s no small feat getting clearances for Sony/ATV Publishing and Apple Corps’ most prized assets because of the many parties whose signoffs are required (among them, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison). Rights also are expensive: AMC’s Mad Men coughed up $250,000 for a snippet of “Tomorrow Never Knows” last season.
White won’t divulge what he paid for “Love Me Do,” “I Saw Her Standing There” and two others, but he says of Kelly, “Clearly the living Beatles have a lot of respect for her.”
Beatles McCartney Freda Kelly - P 2013
Freda Kelly and Paul McCartney
Courtesy of Freda Kelly

martes, 19 de febrero de 2013

Paul Confirmed For Bonnaroo 2013

www.paulmccartney.com


Paul is confirmed to perform at this year's Bonnaroo festival which takes place in Manchester, Tennessee across the 13th to 16th of June.

Tickets for the festival go on sale at 12pm (EST) on Saturday 23rd February. For line up and festival details head to the official Bonnaroo website HERE!