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Beatles fans 'jealous' claims Paul McCartney's wife
Heather Mills claims Paul McCartney's fans are jealous of her relationship with the former Beatle, reports ananova
She says she has faced a hostile reception since the pair revealed their relationship.
The jealousy mainly comes from female Beatles fans around Paul's age.
Speaking to Prima magazine, Heather said: "Even now, they're jealous that I'm with everyone's favourite Beatle."
For the full story click here
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McCartney Gets Kennedy Honors
added August 7th
Paul McCartneyis amongst the recipients of the 25th annual honors of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush will receive the honorees at the White House on Dec. 8, before attending a gala performance and supper dance at the Kennedy Center.
Secretary of State Colin Powell will present the honors at a dinner for them the night before.
"The honors recipients are recognized for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts," the Kennedy Center said in a statement.
The first Kennedy Center honors in 1978 named singer Marian Anderson, actor and dancer Fred Astaire, choreographer George Balanchine, composer Richard Rodgers and pianist Arthur Rubinstein.
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Paul and Brian Wilson to Play Mine Benefit
added 25th July
Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson (with the Wondermints) will perform at Adopt-a-Minefield's 2nd Annual Open Hearts. Clear Mines benefit, which was organized by McCartney's wife, Heather Mills.
The event Ð- emceed by Jay Leno -- will take place Sept. 18 at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, Calif. It aims to encourage people to adopt minefields for clearing and to provide assistance to those affected by the war weapons
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The Queen Meets Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono in Liverpool
added 25th July
The Queen has met both Yoko and Paul in Liverpool today - but not together. Early in the day the Queen opened John Lennon Internation Airport accompanied by Yoko - later she was given a tour of Walker Art Gallery by Paul.
For the Liverpool Echo's report on the visit click here
For the BBC Report on the Queen's visit click here
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Paul McCartney Announces New US Tour Dates
added July 17th
The show they are calling
"The Feelgood Factory," Paul McCartney's 36-song set of the big hits of his
life, is getting Back In The U.S. this Fall for the second leg of the tour
that has rocked America.
Following the rave reviews and crowds' Maccamania that met his sell-out
Driving USA shows in April/May, McCartney is to surf the success with a
further 22 concerts on the Back In The U.S. tour.
Back In The U.S. will launch in Milwaukee on Saturday September 21st before
touring through mainly new markets that didn't catch McCartney's Spring
sensation. Hailed by critics as "the season's hottest ticket," the first leg
of the tour won Paul McCartney some of the best reviews of his career. Now
he is to return to play in a further 20 cities, coast-to-coast from Seattle
to Atlantic City.
For Back In The U.S. Paul will play again with the same band that wowed
audiences on Driving USA; Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray on guitars, Abe
Laboriel Jr. on drums and Wix Wickens on keyboards. "This band is too good
to be just put up on a shelf; we're having too much fun to want to stop
playing now," said Paul.
McCartney's eagerness to encore the tour has delighted US promoters keen to
take the show beyond the 19 cities played earlier this year. "Paul is
putting fun back in life with this show," said Brad Wavra, Touring VP for
promoters Clear Channel Entertainment, "It will make you dance, it will move
you and it will make you believe again in the redemptive power of rock &
roll. With some 20 Beatles songs in the set and another dozen of his hits
since, seeing this show is like going to the feelgood factory."
"I watched Paul McCartney's show four times on the last leg from start to
finish and I still didn't get enough of this gig," said Randy Phillips, CEO
of co-promoters AEG Live, "America is lucky to get a second chance to see
one of the finest concerts on the road this year. I wouldn't want to predict
if we'll ever see its like again."
"Paul McCartney's show is like nothing you've ever seen him do before; this
gig is making history now, and we want to be a proud part of that," said
Jeff Trisler for The House Of Blues, promoters of Paul McCartney's Portland
date.
Back In The U.S. will run from September 21st through to October 29th and
will play in cities including Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Chicago, Hartford,
Atlantic City, Boston, Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Raleigh, New
Orleans, Houston, Oklahoma City, Portland, Tacoma, Sacramento, San Jose,
Phoenix, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
PAUL McCARTNEY'S "BACK IN THE US" TOUR
September 21 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
September 23 Minneapolis, MN Xcel Energy Center
September 24 Chicago, IL United Center
September 27 Hartford, CT Hartford Civic Center
September 28 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall
October 1 Boston, MA FleetCenter
October 4 Cleveland, OH Gund Arena
October 5 Indianapolis, IN Conseco field house
October 7 Raleigh, NC Sports Center
October 9 St. Louis, MS Savvis Center
October 10 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
October 12 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena
October 13 Houston, TX Compaq Center
October 15 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
October 18 Portland, OR Rose Garden
October 19 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
October 21 Sacramento, CA Arco Arena
October 22 San Jose, CA Compaq Arena
October 25 Anaheim, CA The Arrowhead Pond
October 26 Las Vegas, NV MGM Garden Grand Arena
October 28 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
October 29 Phoenix, AZ America West Arena
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Paul and Heather attend Wimbledon Final
added July 8th
Paul and Heather were in the crowd to watch Leyton Hewitt win the mens singles at Wimbledon.
For a picture of them at Wimbledon click here
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George's Attacker Freed
added July 4th
The schizophrenic who stabbed George Harrison is set to be
released from the secure hospital where he has been detained.
Michael Abram stabbed the late former Beatle and attacked his wife,
Olivia, after breaking into their Henley-on-Thames mansion in December
1999.
He was cleared of attempting to murder Harrison and his wife, Olivia, on
the grounds of insanity and ordered to be detained at a secure hospital
"without time restriction".
But on Thursday, less than two years after Abram's trial at Oxford Crown
Court, an independent panel of experts decided he was fit to be released
and gave Abram a conditional discharge.
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A Hard Day's Night DVD Due September 24th
added July 1st
The DVD of A Hard Day's Night is due on September 24th. It will be a DVD/DVD ROM set with over 8 hours of previously unseen footage. Included will be interviews with the original cast and crew, including George Martin and Richard Lester. It will also include a documentary about the making of the film plus lots more.
I was involved in the making of the DVD. Last year the cast and crew assembled at Twickenham Film Studios to be interviewed. My role was as a consultant and to help with interviews that took place at the original film locations. I will be post a story about my experiences on this site shortly.
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Paul McCartney to Add Second Leg to US Tour
added July 1st
Sources say Sir Paul McCartney will return to North
America for another run on his Drivin' USA tour, with
23 more arena dates in late September and October.
According to Amusement Business, the initial 27 shows
grossed more than $53 million and drew more than
407,000 people. All but four shows were sell-outs.
"We're enjoying it so much that we think it would be a
pity to shelve it," McCartney said in late April about
the possibility of future shows. "We're starting to
think of doing [another tour] toward the end the year,
but we don't know where yet."
As previously reported, the tour will be chronicled by
a documentary home video. "This tour is going so well,
we thought it might be nice to capture it all,"
McCartney said.
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A Starr turn for charity
added 1st July
Former Beatle Ringo Starr popped round the corner from his Cranleigh home to open a new gallery for The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation on Saturday of last week.
Hundreds of people gathered at Smithbrook Kilns to see him perform the opening ceremony.
Ringo urged the crowds to spend their money in support of some of the worldÕs most critically endangered mammals. This they did and David Shepherd was kept busy all day signing prints of his work and other merchandise produced to raise money for his charity, which funds critical conservation work in Africa and Asia.
The DSWF was also supported by other retailers at the Kilns, who donated prizes for a grand raffle, and by the efforts of five girls from St CatherineÕs School, Bramley, who provided excellent face painting skills to amuse the younger guests.
In all, the DSWF raised nearly £6,000 on the galleryÕs opening day.
Ringo Starr later joined other local celebrities among the crowds at the Cranleigh Carnival & Fun Day.
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Paul McCartney Writes to McDonalds
added July 1st
Paul McCartney wants McDonald's to apply its U.S.
animal welfare standards to its restaurants here, there and everywhere.
The former Beatle, who got married earlier this month, took time out from
his honeymoon to write to the top 100 shareholders of McDonald's, asking
them to urge the fast-food chain to extend its U.S. animal welfare standards
to all its restaurants worldwide.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released the letter Thursday.
The Norfolk-based animal rights organization said McCartney wrote the letter
on behalf of the group and Trillium Asset Management, a socially responsible
investment firm in Boston. "Although McDonald's has made laudable efforts on
behalf of farmed animals in the United States and United Kingdom, it now
needs to do the same in other countries," the letter said. "Abuse is abuse,
whether it goes on in Sussex or San Salvador, Toronto or Tijuana."
In the past, PETA has taken credit for McDonald's adoption of animal-welfare
standards for cattle, pigs and chickens in the United States. The company
has said the group wasn't responsible for its actions.
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Paul Saves Donkey
added 1st July
Paul McCartney interrupted his honeymoon to help a sick
donkey.
The former Beatle wrote a £1000 cheque after being told about 17-year-old
Humphrey's plight.
The donkey was found dying in an Aberdeenshire field with his hooves hacked
off.
McCartney, who wed ex-model Heather Mills, wrote to Willows animal sanctuary
in Banffshire where Humphrey is being looked after.
In his letter Paul said: "I hope
this will help you continue your great work."
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John Entwistle
added July 1st
I was very saddened to hear of the death of John Entwistle of The Who. He was an amazing bass player and a very important member of the band.
I met John briefly at the premiere of Paul McCartney's film 'Give My Regards to Broadstreet. He kindly signed my ticket for me.
John was also a member of Ringo's All Starr Band a few years ago.
He will be much missed.
Ê
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Ringo to Appear at UK Charity Concert
added 13th June 2002
Ringo is one of the many guests who are performing An evening of Beatles music at at Cowdray House, Midhurst, West Sussex Friday 21st June 2002 .
Other guest include David Gilmour, Mike Rutherford, Roger Taylor, Lulu, Bob Geldof, Paul Carrack, Donovan, Gary Brooker, Kenney Jones, Damon Hill and other special guests, compered by Chris Tarrant
with Mike Sanchez and his band
It is a Charity concert for the White Lotus School, Ladakh and Tibet House Trust
For information on Tickets etc please click here
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Paul and Heather are Married
added June 11th
Paul McCartney has wed former model
Heather Mills at an Irish castle in a sumptuous affair that included
fireworks, feasting, friends and celebrities.
Wedding bells pealed shortly after 5 p.m. on Tuesday signalling that
the ex-Beatle and his bride had tied the knot.
Intermittent rain was the only negative factor as celebrities and
family members gathered for the wedding in a lavish lakeside ceremony
at 17th century Castle Leslie in the Irish border county of Monaghan.
The wedding ceremony itself took place at St Salvator's church,
within the grounds of the 1,000-acre estate.
The band which has been touring with McCartney in the United States
was due to play and there were rumours McCartney and Mills might well
take a boat out on to the castle's private lake to view a mammoth
fireworks display.
Women in Indian costume were seen heading to the castle grounds and
were expected to dance or serve a vegetarian feast, which would be
accompanied by crates of champagne and washed down with 150 kegs of
Ireland's celebrated black Guinness stout.
Among the celebrities was former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, dressed
in a frilly white shirt and jeans, who flew into Belfast airport and
was chauffeured to the castle.
Chrissie Hynde of rock group the Pretenders, 1960s fashion icon
Twiggy and former Beatles manager Sir George Martin were also among
the 300 guests as were guitarist Eric Clapton and pop veteran Sir
Elton John.
Despite the star-studded guest list, McCartney had stressed that the
wedding would be first and foremost a family occasion.
The sleepy village of Glaslough, where Castle Leslie is located, has
never seen anything like it, and activity had reached fever-pitch,
with Ireland's World Cup victory against Saudi Arabia adding to the
excitement.
"It's hectic -- good for business, though," said food van owner
Brendan McKenna, whose "Big Macca" burgers were selling for three
euros each.
McCartney's spokesman Geoff Baker said it was possible that McCartney
could take to the stage himself. "You never know. We've got Macca
(McCartney), Ringo and guests like Pink Floyd guitarist Dave Gilmour
-- who knows what could happen," he said.
The evening was due to culminate in a fireworks display, which a team
of experts flew in several days ago to set up. There were reports
that the couple would then be whisked away by helicopter to a secret
location to begin their honeymoon.
Estimates of the cost of the wedding range from 500,000 pounds to
over one million, although with a personal fortune of more than 700
million, rock legend McCartney can certainly afford to pull out all
the stops.
However, Baker stressed: "The theme is definitely relaxed and
informal, this is not a glitzy event in that sense."
McCartney himself told reporters on Monday there would only be around
a dozen people at the bash "that you would recognise".
McCartney's four children, including leading fashion designer Stella,
arrived at the castle on Monday, scotching press rumours they had
rejected their father's new partner.
Their mother, McCartney's first wife Linda, died of breast cancer in
1998. Members of Linda's family have flown in from the United States.
The ex-Beatle's brother Mike, best man at Paul's marriage to Linda in
1969, was repeating the honour.
For a BBC Report on the Wedding Click Here
For Photos of Guests arriving, including Ringo, Click Here
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American Beatles Fans to Visit London, Liverpool and Amsterdam
added June 11th
Paul McCartney currently finished his concert tour of America, playing sold-out
shows in each city along the way. Critics and fans agree that this may have been
his best concert tour ever, and possibly the musical event of the year. McCartney
not only brings joy to thousands upon thousands of American concert-goers, in
each show he is also brings a little bit of Liverpool to America.
Whereas McCartney brings Liverpool to the fans, there is a travel package that
brings fans to Liverpool! This summer, thousands of fans from all over the world
will travel to Liverpool for "Beatle Week." Hundreds of Beatles fans from all
over the U.S. will be part of the annual "Magical History Tour" in August which
takes them to all the Beatles homes, schools, clubs, early hang-outs and other
sites in both Liverpool and also London. The fully guided tour includes an actual
recording session in Abbey Road Studios, where The Beatles recorded most of their
classics. There are visits to Penny Lane, Strawberry Field, the Cavern Club and
all the places that fans have dreamed of someday visiting. One major highlight
of the tour is "Beatle Week" in Liverpool, featuring the International Beatles
Convention, the Mersey Street Music Festival and the annual Liverpool Beatles
Auction. There is also a V.I.P. party in the Casbah Club hosted by Pete Best,
the drummer before Ringo Starr. He is just one of many Beatle associates, relatives
and dignitaries who take part in the annual festivities. On prior tours, fans
have met Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Julian Lennon and many others.
In the past, the "Magical History Tour" has included a few days in Hamburg and
Scotland, and this year travelers have the option of also visiting Amsterdam.
They will experience every Beatles-related landmark in Amsterdam, as well as
in London and Liverpool. Also in Amsterdam, there will be an exclusive "Bed-In
For Peace" party in the John Lennon suite, where John & Yoko staged their legendary
Bed-In. This is the 19th annual professionally escorted tour, but the first ever
to include Amsterdam's Beatle sites.
The tour is open to all ages, and takes place August 17-28th, with departures
from various cities in the U.S. and Canada. Space is limited. For further info,
call toll-free (866) L-I-V-E-R-P-O-O-L-T-O- U-R or (203) 795-4737.
For more Information on the tour click here
PS - Your Webmaster will be hosting the London Leg of the Tour - See you in Studio Two! .
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Paul Arrives at Wedding Location
Sir Paul McCartney and his
fiancee Heather Mills have arrived at the 17th century Irish castle where
they plan to marry on Tuesday, it was confirmed on Sunday.
The couple arrived by helicopter at Castle Leslie in the tiny village of
Glaslough close to the Irish border with British-ruled Northern Ireland for
one of the most glittering celebrity events of the year.
''They are at the castle. It is true they are going to get married there on
Tuesday,'' McCartney's spokesman Geoff Baker said.
The 59-year-old rock legend will be married to former model Mills, 34, by a
local priest in St. Salvator's church in the castle grounds before hosting a
lavish lakeside reception for 300 guests on the 1,000-acre estate.
McCartney is also expected to talk to media and fans outside the castle gates
on Monday ''to say thank you'' for their patience, the spokesman said.
Confirmation of McCartney's presence ends days of speculation and false leads
for the hordes of reporters who descended on the village in County Monaghan
earlier this week.
Britain's Sunday People tabloid newspaper published what it said was a copy
of the wedding invitation instructing guests to assemble at London's Heathrow
airport on Tuesday to be flown to an undisclosed destination.
Guests were asked not to bring cameras or mobile telephones. ''This will
ensure the privacy of our occasion as well as making sure you switch off and
have a good time,'' it read.
After speculation the wedding could be in Scotland or the United States, the
hunt narrowed down last week when Sir John Leslie, an 84-year-old member of
the family that has owned Castle Leslie for 300 years, met reporters on his
way to post a letter in the village.
In a refreshing display of indiscretion, Leslie, a self-described eccentric
sporting a peacock-feather beret, told the world the event was indeed
happening on Tuesday, but it was all ''dead secret.''
Photographs taken by Reuters from a helicopter flying over the estate this
weekend showed frenzied preparations nearing completion.
A covered walkway has been constructed between the 14-bedroom castle and the
estate's stone church to shield guests from airborne media and, presumably,
the Irish rain, and a huge marquee and wooden platform erected by the
castle's lake.
Lighting and amplification equipment has been set up. A large lakeside
outdoor stage could be for dancing or impromptu jamming sessions by musical
guests. Vast amounts of flowers were being unloaded from large refrigerated
container lorries.
McCartney appears to be taking no chances on the security front -- from the
air, uniformed men with walkie-talkies were visible around the perimeter of
the grounds.
It is the second time around for McCartney, who met Mills at a charity event
and announced their engagement last July. His wife Linda died of breast
cancer in 1998.
Mills' leg was amputated below the knee in 1993 after she was hit by a police
motorcycle in central London. She went on to fundraise for amputees and land
mine charities.
While many prominent members of Irish society are reportedly on the list of
wedding guests, some of McCartney's distant Irish relatives are still
awaiting their invitations, Irish Sunday newspapers reported.
Among those reported to have been invited are former Beatles drummer Ringo
Starr and legendary guitarist Eric Clapton.
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Paul to Honour George at Buckingham Palace
Paul McCartney is to honour George Harrison at the special Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace. He will play Here Comes the Sun with Eric Clapton. The Finale of the concert will be All You Need is Love - led by Paul
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Ringo Recording New Album
added May 23rd
Ringo is recording a new album - here is a press release we received:
New York, NY Ð Ringo Starr is currently in the studio working on a new studio album, which is scheduled for release on KOCH Records in the spring of 2003. Production duties are once again being handled by Mark Hudson, who has produced the last 3 studio albums from Ringo, in addition to working with artists such as Aerosmith and Hanson.
KOCH, who released The AnthologyÉSo Far Ð the three CD live set from Ringo and his All-Starr band last summer, plan to promote the release in conjunction with several promotional appearance by Ringo. Ringo says; ÒItÕs a pleasure to be on the KOCH label and to continue the great relationship we have with Ringo and His All Star Band Ð The Anthology Ð So Far.Ó
New York based KOCH Entertainment has the #1 market share in the US as both a label and a distribution company. Other titles on their roster include releases from artists such as Carole King, Charlie Daniels, Public Enemy, Onyx, The Ying Yang Twins, former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman and Kinks co-founder Dave Davies.
Bob Frank, President of KOCH Entertainment says, ÒItÕs certainly an honor to be able to work with Ringo. We feel he is poised for his greatest worldwide solo success yet.Ó
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Heather Inspires Paul's Painting
A painting by Sir Paul McCartney dedicated to
wife-to-be Heather Mills is about to go on show for
the first time.
The abstract painting, called Big Heart, will go on
display at Liverpool's Walker Gallery on Friday as
part of the UK's first comprehensive exhibition of his
paintings.
It is one of only a handful of works he has completed
since meeting his fiancee, whom he will marry this
summer.
Close inspection of the work reveals the figure of a
female nude scratched into the surface of the
painting, which is mainly of a large red heart shape.
Sir Paul created it shortly after meeting
model-turned-landmine campaigner Heather.
Exhibition curator Michael Simpson said: "The life
work of Paul McCartney is all about heart. Love and
passion are resonant themes in his music and so too
now in his paintings."
Organisers predict the former Beatle's artwork will
break the gallery's record of 1000 visitors a day set
by a Leonardo da Vinci exhibition. It is the first
time a full range of Macca's work has been on show in
the UK.
More than 70 pictures are included in the exhibition
which forms part of the Queen's Jubilee celebrations
in Liverpool, to run from May 24 to August 4.
Sir Paul told the gallery's website: "I am very
honoured to have been offered this exhibition at the
Walker.
"John [Lennon] and I spent many a pleasant afternoon
wandering around the Walker when we were young, so
going back to the 'Pool with my paintings will
complete some kind of circle for me and I'm really
excited about it."
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New George Harrison biography out in May
added May 1st
Olivia Harrison has written the foreword to a new biography about her late husband George.
The book, Harrison, will be published by Rolling Stone magazine in May.
It contains never before seen family photographs of George, who died from cancer last November.
The book features Rolling Stone news stories and interviews with the guitarist from his first interview with the magazine in 1968 to his last in 1987.
Harrison also includes photos by Max Scheler, Jurgen Vollmer and Astrid Kircher of Harrison with The Beatles in Hamburg in the early '60s, and pictures by P J Griffiths taken in Liverpool, as well as photos of the Fab Four at the height of Beatlemania.
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McCartney halts Hey Jude lyrics sale
added May 1st
Sir Paul McCartney has succeeded in stopping the auction of his own
handwritten lyrics for the song, Hey Jude, which he says disappeared from
his home.
Lawyers for the former Beatle won a High Court order preventing Christie's
from selling the star lot, estimated to fetch up to £80,000, at a sale of
pop memorabilia in London.
The lyric will now stay at Christie's South Kensington headquarters until
ownership is decided by agreement or a trial.
Richard Meade, representing Sir Paul, told Mr Justice Laddie the words had a
great emotional value to his client as the song was written to cheer up
Julian Lennon when his father John, was going through a divorce with his
mother, Cynthia.
The lyrics were sent for auction by Frenchman Florrent Tessier who bought
them in Portobello Road, Notting Hill, when he was a student in 1971 or
1972.
Mr Meade said he had the leaf from a notepad framed and had put it on
display in his house although he now claims he did not realise it was an
authentic document until six years ago when he had it valued by Sotheby's.
The judge granted an injunction stopping the lot being sold at auction and
ordered the lyrics remain at Christie's until their ownership had been
decided. Mr Justice Laddie says John Lennon described Hey Jude as one of Sir
Paul's masterpieces and it became a best-selling single worldwide.
He says the lyrics offered for sale are not the final words sung on record
and appeared to be an earlier version. If it was sold tomorrow, it may go to
a foreign buyer and leave the jurisdiction making recovery far more
difficult if not impossible.
Christie's proposal that Sir Paul should bid for the lyrics himself was a
"highly unattractive proposal", said the judge.
Mr Justice Laddie says he hopes the case could be resolved between Sir Paul
and Mr Tessier without coming to court.
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Unheard Lennon recordings sold at auction
added May 1st
Two previously unheard recordings by John Lennon have been sold for £134,000
when they went under the hammer at an auction of pop memorabilia.
A tape of the late Beatle improvising songs and telling stories to Kyoko,
his six-year-old stepdaughter by Yoko Ono, fetched £75,250.
Recorded during the summer of 1969, it features Lennon reciting nursery
rhymes and telling the little girl a tale of a dwarf who lived in the
garden.
A 25-minute cassette of Lennon developing the melody and lyrics for She
Said, She Said in 1966, which was later released on the Revolver album, went
for £58,750. Lennon gave the tape to Tony Cox, Ono's first husband, during a
visit to Cox's home in Denmark.
It contains lyrics which never made it into the finished version, including:
"When I was a little boy, I never had no toy... and I might be green, I
might be green." Both were bought by a private collector from the US at the
sale at Christie's auction house in central London.
The rare Lennon recordings were the star lots in what proved to be
Christie's best ever sale of pop memorabilia, which grossed a total of
£532,642.
A one-page cartoon strip which Lennon drew for the Daily Howl, a comic he
drew while at school, was expected to fetch £8-£12,000 but went for £32,900.
A taped interview with Lennon and Ono was sold for £23,500, more than twice
its estimate, and a portrait of the couple drawn by the star fetched
£12,925.
Three documents detailing the salaries of the four Beatles in 1961 fetched
between £12,900 and £18,800 each.
Elsewhere in the auction, a 1967 Gibson guitar formerly owned by Noel
Redding, bassist with The Jimi Hendrix Experience, was bought for £17,625 by
the Hard Rock Cafe.
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Queen to Lead Singalong of All You Need is Love for Jubilee
added April 23rd
THE Queen is set to lead Britain in a huge singalong version of All You Need
Is Love for her Golden Jubilee.
She will cue musicians in 21 locations around the UK to perform the Beatles
classic as part of a BBC celebration on June 3.
And later in the day, Sir Paul McCartney will round off a concert at
Buckingham Palace in London with the same chart-topping tune.
The All You Need Is Love performance will echo the nationwide singing of
Perfect Day in 2000.
Nearly five million balloons, printed with the words of the song, will be
distributed by National Lottery outlets, allowing people to join in.
The Queen will be in Slough, Berkshire, to begin the song, with musicians
elsewhere picking up a cue from the BBC broadcasts and joining in.
Director Bill Morris said: "We're still discussing how the Queen will begin
it. It might be that she just gives permission for it to start, she may
press a button but it'll be dignified.
"We wanted a song that was appropriate and this just sprang out. There will
be a range of community musicians and some professionals. We will have the
cast of Evita in one location, African drumming, junk bands and the Turkish
Beatles Orchestra."
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Rolling Stone Magazine Bring out Special George Tribute
added 21st April
This from Frank Branchini
Out now is Harrison by the editors of Rolling Stone. This is an absolutely
stunning hardcover with a three page forward by Olivia Harrison that is
very, very moving. The images of their life together are extremely
powerful. This is an extremely nicely designed book. I would rate this as
close to the Beatles in Rishikesh as being one of the best designed Beatles
books EVER! The photos are gorgeous. I would rate this one as ESSENTIAL
for any one with an interest in George or the Beatles.
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UN Secretary General Quotes Beatles at Conference
added April 8th
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan celebrated his
64th birthday with a smile and a song on Monday as he opened a world
conference -- on ageing.
"I turned 64 years old today. I therefore feel empowered to quote the
Beatles' song," said the greying Ghanaian diplomat.
"Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64?" Annan asked,
as he urged policy makers from 160 nations to put older people on their
policy agenda.
"I trust the answer is 'yes'," he added, to applause and laughter.
The Madrid summit aims to agree on basic strategies to ensure sufficient
income and access to social services for the elderly, and ways to include
them more actively within society.
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New Paul Video to air on VH1
added 6th April
This from Matt Hurwitz
Hi, all--
VH1 tells me that Paul's cool new video for "Lonely Road" will premiere on the network during Monday (April 8) morning's videos, sometime between 7am and 10am (ET/PT). ÊThey note that the clip will be going into "large rotation," which means we'll see quite a bit of it.
The film was directed by renowned video director Jonas Akerlund, and features Paul driving a fiery red classic T-bird convertible (the one seen on the paulmccartney.com Driving USA tour website) down a lonely desert road. ÊThere are a number of distractions along the way, but Paul just doesn't seem to want to get hurt, second time around. . .
Matt Hurwitz
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Yoko Unveils Statue to John at Liverpool Airport
added 15th March
A statue of John Lennon now overlooks the check-in hall at the airport that bears his name, after being unveiled by his widow Yoko Ono on Friday.
Ono was joined by the prime minister's wife Cherie Blair when she revealed the seven-foot bronze sculpture at John Lennon Airport, in the former Beatle's home city of Liverpool.
The statue stands on a walkway in a new £32.5m terminal in the airport, which was renamed last year.
The unveiling comes after the news that Ono has bought Lennon's childhood home and donated it to the National Trust.
The statue was created by sculptor Tom Murphy and shows Lennon in his trademark round glasses and a casual suit with greased-back hair.
Ono told the BBC: "It's not like an ordinary statue - it has the feeling of John on the move.
"What a beautiful idea."
Ono said the renaming of the airport would "promote the growth of international communication for Liverpool and for the world".
"Communication and exchanging will lead to understanding and understanding will create love and peace.
"And the world needs peace," she said.
Ono has already been presented with a miniature statue
The airport's new logo is a sketch of Lennon's face, and its slogan is "Above us only sky", taken from his classic hit Imagine.
Asked whether the humanist sentiment might offend religious groups, Ono said that people of all religions should "hug each other".
"It is a time for all people of all religions to hug each other and if you are not religious then hug a tree or something, " she said.
Airport owners Peel Holdings said the change of name was a "fitting and lasting tribute" to the murdered star.
Cherie Blair, who helped Ono unveil the statue, said that Lennon had been an influence during her "rebellious teenage years".
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Yoko Buys John's Childhood Home
added 14th March
Yoko Ono has bought her late husband John Lennon's childhood home to
save it for the nation.
Ono, who will visit Liverpool on Friday, has bought the house in the
city which he lived in with his aunt Mimi, 251 Menlove Avenue.
She had wanted to ensure the house - at which he wrote early Beatles
hit Please Please Me - remained in the hands of the people of
Liverpool and has donated it to the National Trust.
There had been fears that the property would go to someone who may
have had little sympathy for its unique place in the history of
popular music.
At one stage there were concerns that a private overseas company
would buy it.
Ono gave her backing to a campaign to save the building when she
visited Lennon's old school Dovedale Primary last year and received
an honorary degree from Liverpool University.
The house - where his teenage band The Quarry Men and then The
Beatles rehearsed - had been on the market for months and is thought
to have cost in excess of £150,000. Lennon has described the home as
"a nice semi-detached place with a small garden". He wrote Please
Please Me in the bedroom.
Ono worked anonymously through a third party to secure the property
as a reminder of his work and links to the city.
She said: "I am thrilled that we have managed to buy John's main
childhood home. It is especially pleasing that we will be able to
keep such an important part of John's and The Beatles' history intact
and out of the hands of unsympathetic private developers.
"I think Menlove Avenue has an important place in Beatles history and
it saddened me to think that it might be lost. The fact that this is
happening in the same week that Liverpool Airport is officially
opened as Liverpool John Lennon Airport would have made my husband
very happy."
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Yoko and Prime Ministers Wife to Unveil Statue of John
added March 13th
YOKO Ono and Cherie Blair are flying into Liverpool John Lennon Airport to
unveil a statue of the former Beatle.
The 7ft bronze figure, created by local sculptor Tom Murphy, will mark the
final stage in the rebranding of the airport.
Ms Ono will also officially open an exhibition of drawings by John Lennon,
which will be on display in the new check-in hall for three days.
This is the first time his entire collection will be shown in Liverpool and
will be the last display in the UK before it is returned to New York.
Both guests will be shown around the new £32.5m terminal by airport chairman
Robert Hough on Friday.
Airport business services manager Robin Tudor said: "The airport is
delighted Yoko Ono will be returning for the occasion and that Cherie Booth
will be joining her for the unveiling which will really be setting the scene
for the renaming of the airport."
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McCartney Tickets Sell Out
added 13th March
Here is a press release on the tour
It has taken less then
30 minutes for Paul McCartney's DRIVING USA concert tickets to speed away
from box offices across the country.
From San Jose (23 minutes) to Toronto (30 minutes) to Philadelphia (19
minutes) to Boston (15 minutes) and even in Chicago, Washington and New York
City, where second shows have been added to accommodate the feverish pace.
"Maccamania is rocking America," said Brad Wavra, vice president Clear
Channel Touring. "Nearly 200,000 tickets sold, for 14 shows, in minutes.
McCartney fans have spoken and they've spoken quickly."
"We haven't seen ticket sales like this in quite sometime," said John
Meglen, CEO Concerts West, promoters of the Washington, Tampa and Dallas
dates as well as co-promoters of the Los Angeles and Anaheim performances.
"It's evident that Paul McCartney means as much to music fans today, as in
years past."
Three shows were added during the "drive" for tickets. April 11th in
Chicago, April 24th in Washington and April 27th at New York's Madison
Square Garden; roughly 78,000 tickets sold for 6 performances in almost 90
minutes, a rate of almost 867 tickets sold a minute!
Paul McCartney's DRIVING USA tour kicks off in Oakland, California, on
April 1st and plays through 19 cities, ending in Fort Lauderdale, Florida,
on May 17th. It is McCartney's first tour since his 1993 New World Tour. He
is expected to perform songs from his acclaimed new album Driving Rain
alongside other hits from Beatles, Wings and solo days. Next up, Cleveland,
Dallas and Tampa, on sale March 16th.
added 11th March
Tickets for former Beatle Paul McCartney's first American
tour in a decade sparked a stampede among fans on Saturday, selling out by
telephone and Internet within 30 minutes of going on sale.
A spokesman for the British performer said fans snapped up all 75,000
tickets for the first five shows on the "Driving USA" tour of the United
States and Canada.
"Maccamania is here again," a spokesman for the American promoters,
Clearchannel, said. "We knew the gigs would be hot but this demand is
boiling."
The 15,000 tickets for McCartney's show in Toronto, the first to go on sale,
sold out in half an hour. The Washington event sold out in 28 minutes. The
other three sold-out shows will be in Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia.
McCartney's first tour since the 1993 "New World Tour" kicks off in Oakland,
California, on April 1 and will visit 19 cities, ending in Florida on May
18. His spokesman said he was expected to perform songs from his new album
"Driving Rain," alongside hits from his time with the Beatles and Wings.
Tickets for the Oakland opener and a show in San Jose both go on sale on
Sunday, with events at Rutherford, New York and Detroit going on sale on
Monday.
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Paul McCartney Annouces US Tour Dates
added March 1st
Paul McCartney today announced dates for DRIVING USA, a two-month concert
tour of America and his first in almost 10 years. Due to an overwhelming
response from fans, promoters and venue representatives, McCartney is
extending Driving USA, which was originally slated for 12 performances
before a series of European dates in May, to 20 performances in 19 North
American cities. Further international dates are currently being considered.
DRIVING USA will open on April 1st at the Oakland Arena in Oakland,
California, and will run through to May 18th at the National Car Rental
Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. DRIVING USA will also motor through New
York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, Cleveland,
Detroit, Denver, Dallas and other stops. The tour will include a performance
north of the border at the Air Canada Center in Toronto and a two-night
stand at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Tickets for the DRIVING USA will go
on-sale beginning on March 4th, with additional on-sale dates set for the
weekend of March 9th (see list below).
A spokesman for the tour's USA promoters said today, "There has been such
overwhelming excitement from all over the States to see Paul play we felt it
was fairer to the fans to ask him to extend the DRIVING USA schedule. Now
much more of America will get the chance to see what is set to be one of the
rock & roll events of all time."
"I'm chuffed to be asked to stay longer on the road," said Paul. "Hopefully
this will make the tour more of a trip."
Joining Paul on stage will be guitarist Rusty Anderson and drummer Abe
Laboriel, Jr. - who were featured on the recording of McCartney's recent
album Driving Rain. Wix, newcomer Brian Ray will play guitar and bass when
necessary. While details surrounding the song selection are still under
wraps, McCartney is expected to perform songs from his recently released
album entitled, "Driving Rain," as well as music from The Beatles, Wings and
his solo career.
PAUL McCARTNEY'S "DRIVING USA" TOUR
April 1 Oakland The Oakland Arena OnSale 3/10
April 3 San Jose The San Jose Arena OnSale 3/10
April 5,6 Las Vegas MGM Grand OnSale 3/4
April 10 Chicago The United Center OnSale 3/9
April 13 Toronto Air Canada Center OnSale 3/9
April 16 Philadelphia First Union Center OnSale 3/9
April 17 Rutherford Continental Arena OnSale 3/11
April 19 Boston Fleet Center OnSale 3/9
April 23 Washington MCI Center OnSale 3/9
April 26 New York Madison Square Garden OnSale 3/11
April 29 Cleveland Gund Arena OnSale 3/16
May 1 Detroit Palace at Auburn Hills OnSale 3/11
May 4 Los Angeles The Staples Center OnSale 3/24
May 5 Anaheim The Pond OnSale 3/23
May 7 Denver Pepsi Arena OnSale 3/23
May 9 Dallas Reunion Arena OnSale 3/16
May 12 Atlanta Phillips Arena OnSale 3/23
May 15 Tampa Ice Palace OnSale 3/16
May 18 Ft. Lauderdale National Center OnSale 3/23
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Official - Paul McCartney to Play at Buckingham Palace
added 26th February
Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Aretha Franklin and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa are among the big names headlining two special open-air concerts to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee in June.
Paul McCartney will play at the 'Party at the Palace' on 3rd June
Other stars announced to appear include, Sir Elton John, Atomic Kitten, Eric Clapton, Queen, Phil Collins, S Club 7, Aretha Franklin, Tom Jones, Brian Wilson, and Will Young. Music producers Sir George Martin and Phil Ramone have consultative roles on the pop concert.
There will be a house band, none of whose members, with the exception of drummer Phil Collins, is a household name.
But there has been no confirmation of rumours that a supergroup featuring Sir Paul and Rolling Stone Mick Jagger will perform.
Sir George said the UK's music was "something our country can be really proud of".
"No country has a finer tradition in producing great talent than ours, and we should be very proud of the enormous contribution that British artists and composers have made to the world of entertainment over the past 50 years," he said.
People will be able to watch the concerts on big screens set up in public parks around the country.
To whet the public's appetite, comedian Rowan Atkinson will be starring in a one-minute television advertisement for the event.
He will play a modern-day incarnation of his popular TV character Blackadder.
To apply for tickets, call 0900 1952 2002 from within the UK. Calls cost no more than £1 and lines will be open until 17 March.
Applications can also be made at http://www.bbc.co.uk/queensconcerts/
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Paul McCartney appears at George Harrison tribute gig
added 25th February
Sir Paul McCartney has made a surprise guest appearance at a tribute concert
in memory of his former bandmate George Harrison.
The charity gig in Harrison's hometown took place on the eve of what would
have been the former Beatle's 59th birthday.
A host of artists and bands, including the Merseybeats, Gerry and the
Pacemakers and Steve Harley, performed at the event.
Sir Paul took to the stage at the end of the show, to delighted whoops and
whistles from the audience at the Empire Theatre, Liverpool.
"I thought I should just come on and say how much George would have loved
this," he told the crowd.
He reminisced about his boyhood friendship with Harrison before saying:
"This is for George" and launching into an unaccompanied version of
Yesterday.
The audience began clapping in time and joined in.
Artists who had performed earlier in the evening included Ralph McTell, and
Pete Wylie while the second half was introduced by producer and Pop Idol
judge Pete Waterman.
Later Sir Paul said it had been great to be part of a very special night.
"The audience was brilliant, the acts were brilliant," he said.
"It's been a very emotional evening and a good bit of craic."
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Abbey Road Studios May Be Put Up for Sale
added 17th February
The world famous Abbey Road Studios, where THE BEATLES recorded so many of
their classic albums, may be put up for sale by owners EMI to cover
increasing debts.
The ailing label, which has already issued two profit warnings this year,
blaming a multi-million golden kiss-off payment to Mariah Carey, as well as
bad sales, is also said to be considering selling its share in HMV music
stores to balance its heavily indebted books. The company's debt pile has now
risen to a staggering £1.1billion.
The Financial Times claims that EMI's 42.7 per cent stake in HMV Media, which
owns about 500 stores worldwide, could be among a number of assets earmarked
for disposal as part of a debt-reduction plan. The Abbey Road sale would be
part of a possible sell-off of EMI's £285million property holdings.
However, The FT insisted that no decision on any sale had been made.
Last week, EMI Group announced it would merge all of its labels under the
Capitol and Virgin banners in a bid to streamline its label roster and save
money.
Mariah Carey was dumped last month, one album into her five-album deal, with
a £19million pay-off. She had signed to EMI subsidiary Virgin in April 2001
for an estimated £70million, one of the most lucrative deals in the recording
industry's history.
Alain Levy, Head Of Recorded Music at EMI - the man sent in to pick up the
pieces of the Mariah Carey affair - is preparing to unveil a recovery plan to
the City next month, believed to be focused on reducing EMI's debt.
Webmasters note This is obviously distubing news. One can only help that EMI find another way of sorting out their financial problems. However, it wouldn't be so bad if another recording company buy the studios - they woudl probably want to keep the studios as they are. Of course the worst case scenario would be if they are sold to a property developer. This cannot by ruled out. Abbey Road Studios is situated in St John's Wood, which has the most expensive real estate in London. The site of the Studios is on a big plot of land that would be worth tens of millions of pounds - if not more.
I have been trying to find out more information about all this but haven't had much luck. It has been pointed out to me though that this isn't the first time EMI have contemplated selling the Studios - in the 1970s the company almost moved all their operations into the same building. One hopes this sale won't go ahead too.
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George's Place of Death Finally Revealed
added February 13th
The mystery of where Beatle George Harrison spent his last days was solved
when Los Angeles officials said he died in a Hollywood Hills
mansion that had been leased by former bandmate Paul McCartney, reports
Reuters.
Harrison's death on Nov. 29 has been surrounded by controversy ever since a
spokesman for the reclusive guitarist's family misled authorities about the
exact location of his death in a bid to keep away memorabilia hounds.
Harrison's death certificate was found to be incorrect when it listed his
place of death as a fictitious address in Los Angeles, and reports surfaced
that the former Beatle had spent his final hours in a Beverly Hills home
owned by McCartney.
McCartney, through his representatives, denied the reports, calling them
"utter fiction" and insisting that the pop star did not own a home in
California.
A high-profile Los Angeles attorney then called for a public investigation,
noting that falsifying death certificates is a crime and complaining that
Harrison had been given special treatment because of his celebrity.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said Gavin de
Becker, a security consultant working for Harrison, had released a new
address for Harrison's place of death - a secluded $US4 million, French
country-style house once owned by rocker turned actress Courtney Love.
The Los Angeles County Assessor's Office lists the current owner of the home
as Mike Walley, who purchased it in March of 2001. McCartney had been
leasing the house when it was still owned by Love. It was not clear if
McCartney was still leasing the home at the time of Harrison's death and his
representatives could not immediately be reached for comment.
"I'm happy the matter has been resolved and these vital records now
accurately reflect the truth," Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley
said. "I'm pleased those responsible for supplying erroneous records have
now complied."
Cooley said that while willfully supplying false information on a death
certificate can be prosecuted as a felony, he considered the matter now
closed and did not expect to file charges.
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Paul McCartney Nominated for an Oscar
added February 13th
Paul McCartney has been nomited for an oscar for 'Best Original Song' for the title song for the film Vanilla Sky'
"This is fantastic news, It's a great honor to be
considered by the Academy for an award such as this. It's something every
songwriter aspires to. We are thrilled and would like to thank all of the
people responsible." Paul said when being told of the nomination.
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Bob Wooler Dies
added February 11th
Bob Wooler, the Cavern DJ who introduced the
Beatles to the world, has died in Liverpool.
Mr Wooler, 76, died in the Royal Liverpool hospital, where he had been
receiving treatment since collapsing at his Wavertree home last month.
Today he was hailed as "one of the true architects of the Merseybeat scene"
by his solicitor, Rex Makin.
Bob Wooler introduced the Beatles live at the Cavern Club nearly 300 times
between 1961 and 1963.
Within hours of his death there was uncertainty over what will happen to his
unique collection of Beatles memorabilia, said to number hundreds of items.
As Mr Wooler was unmarried and had no family, there is no apparent heir to
his estate, said Mr Makin.
A search was also underway to find a book which Mr Wooler was said to have
written about the 1960s Liverpool pop music scene, but which he said must
not be published during his lifetime.
Mr Wooler's lifelong associate Allan Williams, the first Beatles manager,
said: "We had our ups and downs, but we were also very firm friends over the
years.
"When everyone else went off to London in the wake of the Beatles' world
fame, Bob decided to stay in Liverpool."
Liverpool music promoter Joe Flannery, who had known Mr Wooler since the
1950s, said: "He was the gentleman of the Cavern. He was so loved by
everbody.
"Bob never cashed in on being such a vital part of the Beatles scene, but
his name will remain for ever a vital part of that story."
Mr Wooler hit the national headlines in 1963, when he was struck in the face
by John Lennon at Paul McCartney's 21st birthday party.
It was reported that the Cavern DJ had asked Lennon about his suspected
homosexual liaison with group manager Brian Epstein.
Mr Wooler worked at the railway dock offices in Garston before becoming
Cavern DJ and a freelance music journalist.
He was the first writer to predict the Beatles' future rise to world fame.
He was renowned for his encyclopaedic knowledge of pop music, and introduced
the Beatles to many of the cover numbers by American singers which they
performed during their Cavern days.
But Bob Wooler remained cynical about the many false stories and
exaggerations which surrounded the Beatles' Liverpool roots.
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Beatles Stage is Saved
added February 11th
The stage where John Lennon first met Paul McCartney has been saved from
demolition by Liverpool city council.
The authority has stepped in at the 11th hour to save the wooden stage at St
Peter's Church Hall in Woolton which was due to be ripped up as part of a
refurbishment to the hall.
The hall hosted pop music history on July 6, 1957 when a young Lennon, who
had been playing as one of the Quarrymen was introduced to a young fresh
faced lad called Paul McCartney.
McCartney had the cheek to tell the older Lennon that his guitar was out of
tune, and then showed off his own musical prowess by playing a perfect
rendition of 20 Flight Rock.......and the rest is history.
The hall has been a Mecca for Beatles fans ever since.
The stage had been earmarked for removal since June last year when Church
authorities unveiled plans to remodel the building.
An attempt to find buyers was unsuccessful and the stage was set to be
ripped up by building contractors this week.
But then the council stepped in and reached an agreement with the church
authorities to put the stage in storage.
The city council will be keeping the stage in trust at an undisclosed
location while talks are held to re-locate the stage at a permanent location
in the city.
The city council has already had positive inquiries from a number of
interested parties wishing to use the stage as a tourist attraction.
Councillor Mike Storey, Leader of the City Council, said: "I am delighted
we have been able to rescue what is a vital piece of pop music and Beatles
memorabilia, as well as part of our city's wonderful cultural heritage.
''The days are long gone when the city council turned a blind eye to its
heritage by allowing places like the Cavern to be demolished. We will never
allow that to happen again. It was on this very spot that one of the most
successful musical partnerships in history first began.''
Councillor Storey added: '''We are determined to preserve our unique
cultural heritage for future generations. This stage is an important part of
The Beatles legend. It is the place where it all began. Liverpool without
the Beatles would be like Stratford without Shakespeare.
''We are now in discussions with a number of interested parties about
displaying the stage at a permanent location within the city for everyone to
see and enjoy.''
Colin Hanton, who was on drums the day John met Paul, said: ''This is
fantastic news. We (The Quarrymen) actually re-formed in 1997 on the 40th
anniversary of that day, at the request of The Beatles fan club, to raise
money to save the church hall and stage and thought it was all lost.''
Colin, now 63, who played with John, Paul and George Harrison until he left
the band in 1959, added: ''I remember the day well and can still see John
talking to this lad who I later found out was Paul. He didn't strike me as
anything special then but after Paul joined we practised a lot and got
better. We had a lot of fun and even though I left I'm proud to have been a
part of it all.
''To hear that the stage will be saved and remain in the city is great news
not just for me and the Quarrymen, but for Liverpool and Beatles fans
everywhere.''
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Beatles Musical 'Turkey of the Year'
added February 5th
A West End musical featuring a string of Beatles classics has been named "turkey" of the year by theatregoers.
All You Need Is Love, which opened at the Queens Theatre last summer, featured numerous Lennon and McCartney tunes, but public indifference led to its early closure.
Now a poll of 8,000 theatre fans by whatsonstage.com has found the production was the least admired show of 2001.
Webmaster's comment - an award richly deserved - it was terrible
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Cavern DJ Badly Ill
added February 5th
EX-CAVERN Club DJ Bob Wooler has told close friends he "wants to die" after
being taken seriously ill.
Sir Paul McCartney is among those who have sent get well wishes - and a huge
bouquet of flowers - to Mr Wooler who is seriously ill in the Royal Liverpool
Hospital.
But last night close friends of Wooler insisted the pop star doesn't realise
how critical things are for the man who introduced Brian Epstein to the
Beatles.
Bob's long time friend and business partner Alan Williams - the Fab Four's
first manager - described his condition as graver than people think.
McCartney wrote on a card accompanying the colourful blooms: "Get well soon,
you lovely man".
The ailing Bob Wooler, 76 last month, was rushed into hospital after friends,
worried that they couldn't contact him, called police to break into his flat
off Lark Lane, where they found him lying on the floor helpless.
He has been unwell for some time with a heart condition and diabetes.
Messages of good will have flooded into the hospital from scores of local
showbiz celebrities including McCartney's brother Mike, Chris Curtis of the
Searches band, Radio Merseyside's Billy Butler, musician Mike Byrne and even
Iris Caldwell, the sister of the ill-fated singer Rory Storm.
Bob's ex-wife Beryl Adams, ironically Brian Epstein's first secretary, has
been at his bedside almost daily since he was admitted.
Fighting back tears as she held Bob's hand, Beryl - they were married for six
years - said: "We didn't want to broadcast it at first because he is a very
proud man and in a general public ward with no privacy."
But she confided that in her opinion Mr Wooler is declining rapidly.
She said: "It is sad to see such a once lively personality in this
undignified state.
"He has had checks on his kidneys and liver but it's been hard to find out
exactly what is happening. All that the staff will say is that they are
dealing with it."
Beryl went on: "It is awful that his last days should be so tragic. He is
stuck here in this public ward with the television blaring day and night.
"And because he can't walk he even has to perform his ablutions in front of
other patients. No-one even bothers to draws the curtain. It is so
humiliating for him." Bob Wooler - his feet and lower legs swollen
grotesquely by chronic water retention - has told friends: "I just want
something to happen. I can't go on like this. I want to die now."
A clearly distraught Beryl Adams said: "We asked if he could be moved to a
quieter side ward - with just two beds - but it seems they are only for
infectious cases."
Over the past 10 days, Beryl said she and other friends have tried
desperately to find a private nursing home for Bob to see out his last days
with some pride intact. "But he doesn't have much money and they are so
expensive." An upset Allan Williams added: "When you think of what Bob has
contributed to Liverpool's culture and music industry it is appalling that he
is suffering like this. Just left to fade away.
"We just wish something could be done at least to make his end more
comfortable and leave him with a little self respect," he said.
Bob Wooler was resident compere during the Cavern heydays from 1961, when the
fledgling Beatles cut their teeth, through to 1967 when the old club closed
down.
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Liverpool George Tribute Sold Out
added 11th February
The George Harrison Tribute Concert in Liverpool has sold out - less than 24 hours after the tickets went on sale.
Liverpool Empire manager Peter Evans said: "This is the first time in my experience that a show has sold
out without the buying public knowing who is on the bill.
"I am thrilled and excited at what has been achieved at such short notice.
"Having worked in theatre for 10 years I can honestly say I have never known
anything like it, but one thing is certain, it could only happen in
Liverpool."
The event, featuring a host of stars from the world of music and
showbusiness, is organised jointly by the Cavern Club, the ECHO, Radio City
and Liverpool City Council.
The concert also has the backing of George's widow Olivia and son Dhani .
Bill Heckle, of the Cavern Club, was not surprised at the speed at which the
concert was sold out.
He said: "It is a fitting tribute from the people of Liverpool who have
supported this idea by buying tickets for a show where not one star name has
been announced.
"It reflects the overwhelming love and respect everyone had for George."
Sylvia Lewis, fundraiser for Macmillan Cancer Relief, said: "This is simply
fantastic news. This is my biggest dream come true."
Liverpool to host George Harrison memorial concert
added 4th February
THE world of showbusiness is to pay tribute to George Harrison in a super-
concertÊ in his home town of Liverpool.
Ê
The former Beatle, who lost his battle with cancer last November, will be
honoured by a host of artists, all of whom have some connection with George or
count him among their heroes.
Beatles fans from all over the world are expected to flock to the event on
February 24, 2002 - the anniversary of George's birthday.
The names of the celebrities involved will be released closer to the date of the
concert, at the Liverpool Empire Theatre.
All artists are giving their services completely free, with every penny of the
money raised going to Macmillan Cancer Relief and other cancer charities.
George Harrison's wife Olivia and his son Dhani are said to be 'touched with the
idea',Ê according to Neil Aspinall, head of the Beatles' management company
Apple.
Council leader Mike Storey announced the concert today (Monday February 4),
which is being organised by Liverpool City Council, Macmillan, Radio City, The
Cavern Club, the Liverpool Daily Post and ECHO and BBC Radio Merseyside.
He said: "When George Harrison died Liverpool lost one of its most talented
musicians.
"He was one of the most influential figures in the music industry over the past
40 years, both through his work with The Beatles and then later as solo writer,
performer and film maker.
"Everyone who knewÊ GeorgeÊ Harrison knew he was a true Scouser who never forgot
his roots. He was a great ambassador for the city and popular culture. A true
man of peace whose life was summed up byÊ his final words which were 'to love
one another'.
Ê
"I am pleased to announce that City Council, the ECHO, Radio City, Radio
Merseyside, the Empire and local charitiesÊ are joining together for a concert
in George's memory.
"There will be no free seats and not a penny of the monies raised will go on
administration costs or bureaucracy. That means this concert will help make a
real difference to a really worthy cause."
"I'm sure George would have approved."
The concert will open with a segment featuring bands and artists from the
Merseybeat and 60s era.
The second part will be dominated with artists who found fame more recently. A
host of celebrities have already been signed up and their names will be
announced closer to the date of the gig.
The date of February 24, which organisers chose for the event, has been the
subject of some controversy over the years. Beatles historians once believed
that George was born in the early hours of February 25, 1943. Recently, however,
it was confirmed that his birth date was actually February 24, shortly before
midnight.
Tickets for the event are available from Monday, FebruaryÊ 4 from the
Liverpool Empire box office on 0870 606 3536. Tickets cost £17.50 and £12.50
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Paul Tour - New York Dates
added February 6th
We've heard from two different, but unofficial sources, that Paul McCartney is to Play Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 26 & 27th, 2002
Paul's 'Drivin USA' Tour - Official Press Release
PRESS RELEASE
Monday February 4th
MAC GETS BACK ON THE ROAD
PAUL DRIVING TOUR ACROSS THE USA
PAUL McCARTNEY is getting back on the road for a rare run of concerts. Today he announced his first tour in almost ten years.
Paul's DRIVIN' USA tour will truck through principal cites coast-to-coast, revving up to start at the beginning of April.
DRIVIN' USA will be Paul McCartney's first concert tour of America since his New World Tour of 1993, and organisers say the concerts - launched to promote Paul McCartney's acclaimed latest album Driving Rain - will be unlike anything he has staged before.
Said Paul: "I'm very excited to be getting back on the road, playing with a new band and including in the show some songs that I haven't played live before".
The DRIVIN' USA tour will start in California at the beginning of April and will climax in New York at the end of the month. The tour will total 14 concerts in the USA, plus one show in Canada.
Ticket details, venues and dates will be announced shortly.
Immediately following DRIVIN' USA, Paul McCartney will motor on with a May tour of Europe, performing in at least five countries. The European dates will be announced in coming weeks.
DRIVIN' USA will take Paul McCartney's lifelong tally of live concerts to more than 600. He has performed 252 concerts with The Beatles, 142 with Wings and 195 as a solo artist - the most recent being The Concert For New York at Madison Square Garden last October.
Sir Paul reveals US tour plans
added January 30th
Sir Paul McCartney says he is to go on a tour of American arenas and may
perform some of his poetry.
Sir Paul, who is to play at this month's Super Bowl, told Fox News he will
include venues such as New York's Madison Square Garden.
The Super Bowl performance will include a version of Freedom, arranged by
his fiancee Heather Mills.
He said he would play a mixture of old and new songs for the American
audiences.
Sir Paul said: "You have to balance things. When we would go out and play
Baby's in Black, the fans would yell for She Loves You.
"But we thought Baby's in Black' was shit hot. And eventually we were right.
"You have to do what you want and like too. After all, it can't be all old
songs. I'm not the Ancient Mariner."
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Beatles Anthology Remixed at Abbey Road
added 29th January
The Beatles Anthology has been remixed into 5.1 surround sound at Abbey Road Studios, a reliable source has told me. The remixing is believed to have been undertaken by the same team that handled Yellow Submarine.
The work was completed late last years and the team were due to have a celebration drink on November 30th. However it was that very day that George Harrison's death was announced so it turned into a rather more sombre occasion.
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George Photo Exhibition in Washington DC
added February 26th
The exhibition is called George Harrison 1943-2001, A Photographic Tribute.
Photographs by Harry Benson, William Coupon, Barry Feinstein, Astrid
Kirchherr, Gered Mankowitz, Linda McCartney, Max Scheler, Mark Seliger,
Jurgen Vollmer, Robert Whitaker and Baron Wolman.
The exhibition will run from Feb 1, 2002 through March 2, 2002 and is
dedicated to Olivia and Dhani Harrison.
For more details, contact the Govinda Gallery, 1227 34th Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20007; (202) 333-1180
or click here
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Julian Lennon covers Beatles track for life insurance ad
added 26th January
Julian Lennon has recorded a cover of a Beatles hit for use in a US TV ad.
When I'm 64 will soundtrack a life insurance ad for the Allstate Financial
Group.
For more info on the ad click here
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Paul McCartney 'to be honoured by Amnesty International'- report
added 24th January
Paul McCartney is to receive a lifetime achievement award from Amnesty
International USA, according to reports.
The organisation's fifth annual Media Spotlight Awards takes place on
January 28 in New York.
The awards ceremony also marks Amnesty International's 40th anniversary.
The Media Spotlight Awards were set up to honour the contribution of
"courageous and principled journalists, filmmakers, writers, musicians and
actors who educate the public about human rights through their work," the
New York Post reports.
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Details of Liverpool Beatleweek Announced
added 24th January
Details of this years Liverpool Beatleweek have just been announced. As usual it takes over the August holiday weekend - from August 22nd to August 27th.
Some of the best Beatles cover bands will be playing throughout the weekend - including 1964, Lenny Pane, American English, The Overtures and many others.
As usual, organisers Cavern City Tour have a range of packages available, including tickets for the events and accommodation.
For more information on the Convention please click here
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Paul McCartney to Hold Major Art Exhibition in Liverpool
Here is an Official Press Release for the Exhibition
THE ART OF PAUL McCARTNEY
24 May - 4 August 2002, the Walker, Liverpool
The Walker, Liverpool is to host the first comprehensive exhibition of Sir
Paul McCartney's paintings, sculpture and photographs in Britain. The
exhibition, the art of Paul McCartney, runs from 24 May to 4 August 2002.
"I am very honoured to have been offered this exhibition at the Walker. John
and I spent many a pleasant afternoon wandering around the Walker when we
were young, so going back to the 'Pool with my paintings will complete some
kind of circle for me and I'm really excited about it," says Sir Paul about
the show.
The exhibition will bring together around 70 paintings from throughout
McCartney's career, including previously unseen and unpublished pieces using
photographic and sculptural techniques. Curator, Michael Simpson explains
that, "Paul's work is always engaging, often witty and at times illustrates
his own moods, his love for family and friends, as well as his enduring
fascination with colour."
Portraits, landscapes and abstracts will all feature in the show, including
Home Territory - showing the streets around McCartney's childhood home in
Speke; Big Mountain Face - perhaps his most impressive painting and Yellow
Linda with Piano.
McCartney began painting in the early 1980s after a meeting the renowned
American artist, Willem de Kooning. In the following years he painted
regularly, amassing some 600 canvases in his British and American homes
before finally mounting a show in Germany in 1999. Encouraged by the warm
reception the German exhibition received McCartney agreed to a bring a
larger, more comprehensive exhibition to McCartney's home city of Liverpool.
The exhibition, the art of Paul McCartney, at the Walker will be a key
feature of Liverpool's cultural calendar in 2002 - the year in which the
city is bidding to become European Capital of Culture for 2008.
Marsh is sponsoring the exhibition at the Walker. "Marsh is pleased to be
associated with Sir Paul's exhibition which is bound to be an exciting and
novel event in Liverpool's cultural calendar for 2002", says Peter Matthews
Head of Marsh's Liverpool office.
added 24th January
Paul McCartney is to hold his first major art exhibition in the UK at the prestigous Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.
The exhibition lasts from 24th May to 4th August. The show will reflect on Paul's early influences and also new works created especially for the exhibition.
For more information on the exhibition click here
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Lennon murder 'rock's most shocking moment'
added 24th January
John Lennon's murder has been named the most shocking moment in music in a
poll by music channel VH1.
The killing of the ex-Beatle by Mark Chapman in 1980 tops a list of 100
chilling episodes in rock and pop.
The list will be counted down by the station this week in shows hosted by
comic Vic Reeves.
Child abuse allegations levelled against Michael Jackson came second in the
list drawn up by music industry figures in the US and UK for the channel.
Lennon also features again in the top 10 for his comment that the Beatles
were "bigger than Jesus" which outraged groups in the 1960s.
Other events in the list include Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee's sex video
being seen by a wider public (number 20), George Michael's arrest for
indecent exposure (28) and David Bowie being pictured giving a Nazi salute
at Victoria Station (37).
The countdown reaches a peak with the top 20 being broadcast on Friday, with
a repeat of the full 100 the following day.
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Beatles Night Cancelled
added 6th February
I've just been informed that the Beatles night due to take place on February 9th has been cancelled at the last minute as the venue lost its licence. The organisers are hoping to hold another night in March at a difference venue.
New Beatles Night Club to Open in London
added 22nd January
A new Beatles Night Club is to open in London. The first night of the club is on February 9th
It takes place at the Lil 'Backyard Club, 240 Great Portland Street, London W1 - the club is below the Fitz and Firkin pub, opposite Great Portland St Station.
The club is open from 9pm to 2am. For the first 2 hours a mix of Beatles, Small Faces, Rolling Stones, the Who and the Kinks will be played - followed by 3 hours of pure Beatles tunes.
Entry to the club is 5 pounds - for more info call 07960 650481 or Visit their website by clicking here
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McCartney, Clapton For Golden Jubilee
added January 22nd
When Queen Elizabeth and her fellow citizens celebrate her 50th year as
monarch this June, the Queen's Golden Jubilee will be rocking. A number of
Britain's top rockers, including Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, and Mick
Jagger, have already signed on to take part in an evening of rock'n'roll
that will take place on the lawn of Buckingham Palace, according Billboard.
Tickets will be doled out by raffle. Among the American musical royalty
tentatively slated to participate are Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. Sir
George Martin is musical director of the overall event, which also includes
a classical evening, while Phil Ramone and Michael Kamen are also expected
to have musical responsibilities. The concerts will be broadcast on the BBC.
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My Sweet Lord UK Number One
added January 20th
It has just beem announced that My Sweet Lord is number One in the UK charts - almost exactly 31 years to the day since it was first number one in 1971
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Paul McCartney to Play Superbowl
added January 16th
PAUL McCARTNEY will perform at Super Bowl
XXXVI in New Orleans, LA on Sunday, Feb. 3, when he will lead a tribute to
the spirit of everyday heroes, the NFL announced today.
Paul has accepted a request to give a unique performance that will symbolize
the theme of the game's celebration of the heroism that has followed the
events of September 11th.
As the climax to the pre-game show and immediately prior to the singing of
the two traditional anthems 'America The Beautiful' and 'The Star-Spangled
Banner,' Paul McCartney will perform a new anthem reflecting the spirit of
freedom.
"The Super Bowl will be a celebration of the human spirit," said NFL
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. "We will salute those who have helped make us
stronger since September 11 and recognize those who will make a difference
in every community. We are delighted that Paul McCartney has agreed to lead
this tribute to freedom and everyday heroes."
Paul McCartney's performance will involve 500 young people symbolically
representing the 180 countries that will telecast the Super Bowl from the
Louisiana Superdome. The game -- typically the most-watched US television
event of the year -- will be seen on FOX by 130 million viewers in America,
and to 800 million viewers worldwide. The pregame show, "FREEDOM" will be
televised its entirety, a first in Super Bowl history.
Said Paul McCartney: "As a sports fan, I am thrilled to have the opportunity
to be involved in the Super Bowl, and as a musician, I am honored to add my
voice to the message of tribute that this year's Super Bowl will carry."
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My Sweet Lord Heading for Number One in the UK
added January 16th
George Harrison, is set to secure a posthumous No. 1 in Britain's single charts this week, sales figures have showed.
The re-issued 1971 Harrison hit ``My Sweet Lord'' has sold 3,500 more copies than its nearest rival ``Get the Party Started'' by singer Pink, according to music store HMV's midweek sales chart.
The single by the former Beatle, who died in November after a long battle with cancer, was released following huge public demand with proceeds going to the Material World Foundation, set up in 1973 by Harrison to support agencies worldwide that assist poverty-stricken children.
If it stays at No. 1 when the official chart is revealed on Sunday, it would be the second time the song has been No. 1. It topped the charts for five weeks in 1971, becoming the first solo post-Beatles number one for any member of the world's most famous group.
Ironically, Harrison's single could displace another posthumous hit at the top of the charts. ``More Than A Woman'' by the American R&B singer and actress Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash in the Bahamas last August, currently holds the top slot.
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Liverpool Beatles Shop Moves and Expands
Liverpool Beatles shop "From me
To You " is moving to a unit almost three times bigger
than their present one. They believe believe that it is possibly
the worlds first Beatles Superstore and it's right above the
site of the original Cavern Club Stage
Among the features of the new store will be a
Beatlepeople info centre focusing on helping guests to Liverpool find their way around this country's
biggest " free to see " themepark outside London.
Also there will be a permenant display of John
Lennons personal possessions starting with his 12
string Rickenbacker.
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