(Entered 11/23/96)
The Beatles' newsgroup, rec.music.beatles, has announced the news that's been rumored for awhile now..VH1 will broadcast the original week of the "Mike Douglas Show" featuring John and Yoko as guest hosts. There will be two sets of shows aired. Edited versions of 60-minutes in length which will run December 2nd to December 6th from 7:00-8:00 P.M. And unedited, 90-minute versions that will air December 2nd to December 5th from midnight to 1:30 A.M. and Saturday, December 7th from 1 A.M. to 2:30 A.M. John and Yoko had input as to what guests were included during their co-hosting week, and shook the fairly conservative Douglas up just a "wee" bit by entertaining radicals (politically speaking) such as Jerry Rubin. One of the most interesting bits was when John strapped on a brainwave monitor that made electronic sounds to the waves. Apparently, if one practiced enough, one could control the waves to make interesting sounds. Another highlight of the week was the Lennon's performance with Chuck Berry.
Low lights? Mike Douglas singing Lennon songs at the beginning of the show. It will be fun to see these shows again and to have them on videotape. As a young'un, I raced home from work (leaving early each day for an entire week - how daring!) to watch and audiotape the shows.
(Entered 11/21/96)
There's a chance we'll see some new John Lennon (and maybe Yoko?) photos, as Paul and Linda McCartney have announced they're working on a new Beatles film..using Linda's photographs which the couple says have never been seen before. They'll use computer technology to turn Linda's still photos into moving pictures.
Beatle spokesman, Geoff Baker said, "Paul and Linda are currently editing through some 4,000 of Linda's pictures of the Beatles -- all of which have never been seen -- in order to make the new style of movie, which they call a photofilm." Linda took the photos behind closed doors between meeting Paul in 1967 and the break-up of the Beatles in 1970. The film is expected to have a soundtrack of songs by the group that have never been released. They are on tapes of a secret jam session the Beatles recorded on Roundhouse in London's Camden Town in 1968.
(Entered 11/20/96)
Abbey Road Studios in London was the scene of a very emotional event recently. Children from the Scottish village of Dunblane were there to record a Bob Dylan song, "Knocking on Heaven's Door" as a tribute to the 16 children and one teacher who were killed when a gunman opened fire at the school this past March. The children, some of whom lost brothers and sisters in the massacre, recorded the song accompanied on lead guitar by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. The recording is scheduled to be released by Christmas. Proceeds from sales will go to several children's charities.
(Entered 11/17/96)
Reuters News Agency reports that The Beatles have outsold every pop group in the world this year, with sales of more than 20,000,000 albums. This makes them the most successful band since..themselves! All three "Anthology" volumes shot to number one on the U.S. album charts. "Anthology Three" is the 18th number one Beatles album in the U.S.A. Anthology publicist Geoff Baker said, "It is interesting that three guys who stopped recording together in 1970 and one who tragically died in 1980 are now outselling every other artist on the planet." Asked if there would be a "reunion" concert tour, Baker said, "That is absolutely not on. Paul said that the thought of anyone filling John's shoes was nonsense."
Four out of ten Anthology albums sold are being purchased by teenagers according to Apple. Baker: "Paul always used to say he was pleased not about the fame and the legends but the songs. He and John hoped and intended they would last. They plainly have."
"Hiroshima", a play by Ron Destro with music by Yoko Ono is in the works for June, 1997 at the Theatre for the New City in NYC. Phone (212) 254-1109 for details.
(Entered 11/10/96)
The London Beatles Fan Club has reported that author Ray Coleman died in September of cancer at the age of 59. Coleman was a British music journalist who interviewed the Beatles often during their rise to fame, and who wrote biographies of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Brian Epstein. Coleman had made many appearances at Beatles conventions and was a favorite with fans. Paul McCartney said: "Ray was a lovely man and very much admired by everyone in the business. He had a marvelous sense of humor and a good heart." His books were not the "sleazy" type that proliferate on bookshelves.
IK has always contended that Goldman et al were full of it when they claimed JOL was put under some strange spell by Yoko in the late 70's, cut off from family and friends. Now some old letters written to a cousin in England help prove the old "cut off at the Dakota" theory false. The letters reveal that John was a home-loving, health-conscious man during the househusband years. The series of letters to cousin Leila, written from NYC, told of his love for Julian, concern about his diet and his daily yoga routines. Beatles biographer Philip Norman told the Sunday Times Newspaper that the letters "are very revealing" and prove that Lennon was not living like a recluse and out of touch. In one letter, John wrote to Leila.."About Julian...I'm lucky if I see/hear from him myself. She (meaning Julian's Mom, Cynthia) allowed him over here twice last year.." In one letter, John told his cousin, "I bet I live to a ripe old age."
(Entered 11/6/96)
"The Beatles Anthology 3" debuted this week at the top of the U.S. album charts. The latest, and final, album in the series consists of 50 first takes, out-takes and unreleased songs from the "White Album", "Let it Be" and "Abbey Road." This time around, there was no technical wizardry at work to create a "new" Beatles song featuring J,P,G and R from John Lennon demo tapes.
FMQB reports in their October 25 edition that a collaboration between Marc Almond and 60's singing star PJProby will be released November 25th. One of the songs on the album is "That Means A Lot" which was written for Proby by John and Paul. (Thanks to Jen Crawford)
Didya know that Ringo Starr's son, Zak, is playing drums for The Who as they tour the U.S.A. to support their opus, "Quadrophenia."
(Entered 10/27/96)
The man who introduced John Lennon to Yoko Ono reportedly has found a collection of drug-inspired drawings done by Lennon on a trip to an Irish island he wanted to buy. Experts say the drawings,found by singer Marianne Faithfull's former husband, John Dunbar, could be worth up to $160,000. Dunbar told the Sunday Telegraph he found the drawings in a notebook he took on a trip to Ireland with John Lennon in the late 1960s. Dunbar was not impressed with the drawings. He told the Telegraph: "I cannot believe it. Most of John's drawings are frightful."
(Entered 10/16/96)
It has been known for several months that Linda McCartney, during a routine physical exam and mammogram discovered she had a small malignant tumor. Now a tabloid (The Star 10/22/96) reports that Linda is not recovering as well from her breast cancer surgery as had been hoped. The Star reports that Linda has flown to Los Angeles for chemotherapy treatments. Paul's brother, Mike was quoted as saying "Everything is going fine. She has more stamina than all of us, and Paul is there for her." Paul lost his mother to breast cancer when he was just a teenager. We're all praying for Linda's full recovery.
More on that book that Paul, George, Ringo and Yoko have reportedly written together. Terry Marshall's Daily Insider in FMQBRock states that a book publisher - Colin Webb of Pavilion Books - is claiming that the book is in the can and that he plans to begin auctioning the rights next month in London, New York, Sydney, Munich, Paris and Tokyo. He plans a First Edition printing of 500,000 copies one year from now. (Article donated by Jen Crawford)
In Rock Report it was noted that the final installment of "The Beatles Anthology CD" series will hit the streets on October 29th. Some of the highlights include demos of John's "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" and "Mean Mr. Mustard" and an alternative version of "Hey Jude." You'll also hear the first take of "Come Together." (Rock Report is provided to FMQBRock by Denny Somach Production)
On October 14, 1968, the Beatles finished recording "The White Album."
(Entered 10/15/96)
The Rolling Stones' "Rock & Roll Circus" is back in town..well..actually it's back for the whole wide world to see after nearly 30 years in the can. It will be available next month on videotape, surround-sound laserdisc and as a CD soundtrack. John and Yoko took part in the 1968 venture which featured a wild assortment of costumes and famous 60's music-makers (The Stones, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Marianne Faithfull) Included in the show is a superjam of John's "Yer Blues" with Lennon and Clapton on guitars, Keith Richards on bass and the Jimi Hendrix Experience's Mitch Mitchell on drums. Yoko screams, John beams (according to Rolling Stone Magazine) and you can see and hear it all soon.
There was a premiere of the film in New York City this past weekend which was attended by Yoko, Keith Richards and others. We hear that the audience cheered after Yoko's performance...a far cry from the jeers she received those 30-odd years ago. Hooray for the 90's.
The Detroit Free Press reported in their October 11 edition that the Beatles and Yoko are warning a stamp distributor to stop selling Beatle postage stamps issued by Third World nations. "This is bootleg merchandise which is hiding behind the fact that small, Third World countries put a seal of approval on them," said the Beatles' lawyer, Paul Licalsi. A federal lawsuit alleges the International Collectors' Society of Owings Mills, Maryland violated licensing laws by selling stamps bearing Beatles likenesses from nations such as Chad, Madagascar and Tanzania. The suit said the company even worked with some nations to get the stamps made, with a minimal number of stamps being sold in those countries. The main market for the stamps is, of course, North America where flyers have been sent out to Beatle/Lennon collectors this past month. Licalsi said, "I don't believe the Beatles are any kind of cultural icons in Tanzania."
Maybe not in Tanzania, but Cuba is celebrating the Beatles for the first time for a few days this week. Beatle music was banned in Cuba in the 60's, but fans ignored the ban and listened to Miami radio stations to get their Beatle fix. Now the country is honoring the group with a convention featuring guest speakers, singing groups and more festivities.
(Entered 10/12/96)
From People Online..the news that the 1969 track of John Lennon singing Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes" is part of a new duets LP called "Go Cat Go" due this month on Dinosaur Records. Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr are also on the album.
George Martin is putting together an album of famous people singing Beatles tunes and rumor has it that Jim Carrey-Pet Detective, will do "I Am the Walrus."
(Entered 10/8/96)
On October 9 at 11:30 PM, The Disney Channel will air the 1971 "Imagine" movie featuring John and Yoko in various "home-style" videos, with the music from "Imagine" playing throughout.