Artists Flock To John Lennon Covers CD

The compilers of a new John Lennon covers album for charity have been so inundated with artists who want to appear on the project, they haven't been able to fit them all on the double CD. U2, Green Day, R.E.M., Avril Lavigne, Big & Rich, Christina Aguilera and Snow Patrol are among the artists who have made it onto 23-track album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. However acts like Duran Duran, Ozzy Osbourne and Willie Nelson all missed the cut. In total, album organizers had 50 Lennon renditions to work with. The 30 acts who missed out on an album place will feature as digital downloads via online retailers. Human rights organization Amnesty International is the brains behind the project and Lennon's widow Yoko Ono has waived her royalty fees. more

Paul McCartney Reveals Details On, Writes About, New Album

This morning Sir Paul McCartney issued a lengthy written statement outlining the backstory on the making of his new album Memory Almost Full. It's due June 5 as the inaugural release from Hear Music (the new label started by Starbucks Entertainment and Concord Music).
the album’s genesis stretches back to before he did his prior record, 2005's Chaos and Creation in the Backyard; final mixing was completed this past February. As such, it represents, in Paul's words, ''about half new stuff and half old stuff from 2003'' and is ''very personal'' in places. Memory Almost Full was recorded with producer David Kahne at Hog Hill Mill Studios, Abbey Road Studios, Henson Recording Studios, Air Studios, RAK Studios. Paul played all the instruments except on selected tracks which feature keyboardist Paul 'Wix' Wickens, guitarist Rusty Anderson, bassist Brian Ray and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. more

Profile: Phil Spector

If you've ever heard the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," the Ronettes' "Be My Baby," George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord," or the Ramones' "Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio," then you've heard the work of Phil Spector, the "Wall of Sound" architect some still consider the best rock producer of all time and the man currently on trial for a bizarre celebrity murder in Los Angeles. But who is this guy, really? And what accounts for both his storied genius and his infamous love of control? more

McCartney Shares Album Details, Endorses Frappuccinos

Starbucks is hoping to become more than just the trendy joint with overpriced lattes and lines around the corner--the corporation also wants to reign in music. Its new Hear Music label is kicking things off with Paul McCartney’s solo album, titled Memory Almost Full, coming out June 5 in North America. It’s a crying shame that John Lennon is dead, but the silver lining is that he doesn’t have to witness this fiasco. Sadly, the rest of us do. But, faulty marketing choices aside, McCartney still has it going on as a musician (“Jenny Wren” off 2005’s Chaos and Creation in the Backyard was great stuff) and his new album will likely maintain his glowing rap. According to Billboard, the Beatle has finalized the 13-track list for Memory, and it will be the first one of his albums to be available (legally) for download. more

Paul McCartney Confirms New Album Track List

Paul McCartney has finalized the track list for his next studio album, "Memory Almost Full," Billboard.com can reveal. The 13-track set is due June 5 in North America via Starbucks' new Hear Music label and will also be the first McCartney album to ever be available digitally. The video for first single "Dance Tonight" was directed by Michel Gondry and stars Natalie Portman and Mackenzie Crook. McCartney actually started working on the material with his touring band and producer David Kahne before he began his 2005 release "Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard" with producer Nigel Godrich. After finishing the "Chaos" promotional cycle, which included a sold-out tour, he returned to the prior recordings. more

Unheard Beatles “last great song” set for release

The surviving members of the Beatles are set to release a never-before-heard new single. The track, called Now and Then, is based on a John Lennon recording, given to Sir Paul McCartney by Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono in 1994 as part of their Anthology project. According to friends this may now be the “one last great song” that McCartney has been waiting for since he recommenced touring and working in 1989. “Paul was asked in the early Nineties when he started touring again, why he was doing it. They said that he was rich, he didn’t need this. But Paul said that he felt he had one great song left in him. He’s always been the most uncannily intuitive person and it looks like that song has finally arrived,” the Daily Express quoted ELO musician Jeff Lynne, who produced the sessions, as saying. more

Paul McCartney's alien concert

Sir Paul McCartney, David Bowie and Michael Jackson are set to make contact with aliens, claims author Michael C. Luckman. The acts, along with Sir Elton John and The Rolling Stones, have been lined up to headline a series of concerts aimed at establishing peaceful contact with aliens by beaming music into outer space. Luckman, author of 'Alien Rock: The Rock 'n' Roll Extraterrestrial Connection', plans to hold his 'Signals to Space Concerts' in Berlin, Tokyo, New York, China, Russia, Mexico and London, and hopes extraterrestrials will respond to the shows. more

BEATLES TO RELEASE NEW SINGLE?

The surviving members of THE BEATLES are to release a new single compiled from archive recordings. The track, called Now And Then, is based on a John Lennon recording given to McCartney by the late musician's widow Yoko Ono. Archive tracks from George Harrison will also be woven into the new song, along with vocals from Sir Paul McCartney and drumming from Ringo Starr, reports British newspaper the Sunday Express. ELO musician Jeff Lynne, who produced the track's original sessions, says, "The song had a chorus but is almost totally lacking in verses. We did the backing track, a rough go that we really didn't finish. "It was sort of a bluesy sort of ballad, I suppose, in A minor. It was a very sweet song; I liked it a lot, and I wish we could have finished it."


PRESS RELEASE

When the McCartneys came for lunch

Nigel Slater got a shock when he invited Paul, Stella and Mary round to his place - he didn't really expect the most famous Beatle to make the dressing and clear the dishes. Sir Paul McCartney is standing in my kitchen making a dressing for the salad. We are discussing abstract artists. 'Look, I'll show you how to make a Jean Arp,' says Sir Paul, referring to the late French painter and poet, carefully dripping balsamic vinegar into the thick River Café olive oil and workaday mustard he has already put in the bowl.
'Dad, I've never seen you do this before,' says his daughter, the fashion designer Stella. As promised and right on cue, the glossy black vinegar makes a perfect Arp-like swirl against the canvas of the green oil. more

INSIDE WEIRD PHIL'S CASTLE

THE bizarre secret life of Phil Spector was yesterday revealed by the man who knows him best. Author Mick Brown visited the legendary music producer at his castle lair months before he allegedly shot dead club hostess Lana Clarkson. Brown is the author of Tearing Down The Wall Of Sound, the definitive biography of the troubled legend. Spector sent his chauffeur in a white 1965 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud - licence plate Phil 500 - to pick Mick up from his LA hotel for their meeting in 2003 at his Spanish-style castle fortress. Mick said: "I was given the full Spector show. Classical music is piped into every room and Picasso paintings hang on the walls. "He literally swept down the huge staircase to meet me to strains of Handel - an extraordinary looking figure in an enormous shoulder-length wig, black silk pyjamas and Cuban-heeled boots. more

Beatles back to where they once belonged

It has emerged that the legendary band, who are tipped to reinvent themselves when their music goes digital this summer, have not released their last Lennon-McCartney track. Friends say this may now be the “one last great song” that Sir Paul McCartney has felt he has been waiting for since he resumed touring and working in 1989. His iconic band are expected to cash in to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds in new marketing campaigns around the first release of Beatles digital downloads. They plan to reach their existing fans and a whole new generation of young music lovers. But they are set to surprise the world by offering the new song alongside the classics. more

35 years later, Sinclair's still a poet

Yeah, I was there, and yeah, I remember most of them. As a rock 'n' roller living one state away in the late '60s, it would be hard not to remember John Sinclair, described by the sage record-store boss who hired me as "our worst enemy." His argument was that Sinclair, Detroit's self-styled White Panther and then-manager of noise bombers the MC5, took everything that was good about the thriving counterculture and blew it up to ludicrous proportions, mostly to scare the old folk. And scared old folk, he believed, would not be good for long-haired rock heads who wanted to make a comfortable world to live in. more

The Courage to Say Me Too!

When I was a kid growing up I would wait for each new Beatles album to come out and then invariably it would be followed by a new Rolling Stones album. I liked the Rolling Stones don't get me wrong but it used to bother me when the Beatles would use a Sitar on their album then the Rolling Stones would follow and put one on theirs. Even as a kid I understood the pressure put on the band by the record company but there also seemed to be a level of insecurity to do what ever the Beatles did. As it came to pass after the Beatles break up the Rolling Stones became a better band because of it. For me that legacy of being an imitator and lacking the courage to just be who you are is always on my mind when I hear the early Stones tunes. When Al Gore lost the election in 2000 it was said he was finished done for washed up. more

Metromix. Is Rolling Stone gathering moss?

No Prince, but, hey, they've got Stewart Brand! I just picked up the thick, snazzy The Fortieth Anniversary edition of Rolling Stone, a magazine I read religiously when it was closer to its 15th anniversary. To commemorate, the magazine conducted interviews with 20 "artists and leaders who helped shape our time." And they are Bob Dylan, Jimmy Carter, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Norman Mailer, Tom Wolfe, Bob Weir, Patti Smith, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Jane Fonda, Jack Nicholson, Bill Moyers, George McGovern, Stewart Brand, Michael Moore, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Jackson Browne and Neil Young. more

BODYGUARD DEFENDS MILLS

A former bodyguard of SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY and HEATHER MILLS has leaped to the defence of the ex-BEATLE's estranged wife, insisting the public are "too down" on her. Sean Ghent, hired by MCCartney last year (May06) following the couple's shock split, claims Mills has been unfairly vilified in her native Britain. Ghent, 44, says, "She is one of the most impressive people I have ever met and has been a huge influence on me. I want people to understand some of that. "I don't get why the British public are so down on her. She's made a success of herself against all odds. "She just wants to influence, change and inspire people."


SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY - BODYGUARD DEFENDS MILLS

Cat Stevens Makes a Comeback

Yusuf Islam, the former Cat Stevens, has quietly returned to music with a new album and concerts. And he's sounding a lot like ... Cat Stevens. Thirty years after the folk singer converted to Islam, changed his name and dropped out of music, calling it un-Islamic, he has picked up the guitar once more. He has reconciled pop music with his faith and wants to use it to spread a message of peace. "When I come out now, I sound quite similar. For some people, it's a welcome return to the sound of my voice and my music," says Islam, who as Cat Stevens sold 60 million albums with songs like "Wild World" and "Peace Train." In an interview with The Associated Press, Islam said he's trying to make amends for dropping out all those years ago — and he admits he might have hurt some feelings. He said his break might not have been as complete had the press been more understanding about his conversion to Islam, he says. more

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After the fun, the gun: Spector’s girls tell all

As a self-proclaimed “rock chick” photographer, Stephanie Jennings was overwhelmed when she met the veteran record producer Phil Spector while snapping celebrities at a New York party. Spector was full of intimate stories about working with the Beatles and Leonard Cohen. He was charming and funny. But when he started drinking, she claims, he pulled a gun on her and held her against her will for 48 hours. It was part of an alleged pattern of behaviour that culminated in Spector’s appearance in a Los Angeles courtroom last week on a charge of murder. more

MACCA'S 'UPLIFTING' MANDOLIN

SIR Paul McCartney has been getting over his bitter divorce battle with Heather Mills by learning to play the mandolin. The former Beatle, 64, reckons the medieval instrument "lifted" him over recent months as he recorded a new solo album. He told Uncut magazine: "I bought a mandolin. It isn't tuned like a guitar so I didn't know my way around it. "But the feeling of picking my way through and finding chords was magic. It was like I was 17 again. I remembered - this is what it is all about. It was like me and John (Lennon) learning piano. You play and then you hit a wrong note and you go 'ooohh!' And you write a whole song on that chord. The excitement of getting the mandolin, finding new chords - that's really lifted me, that has. That's the opening track to my new album." McCartney's CD is being released by Starbucks in a revolutionary new deal. It will come out in June and be sold in the coffee shop chain's 13,500 outlets.


Sourve: Mirror.co.uk

Yoko Ono: An abundance of insights

THERE are many appealing aspects to "WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution," the sprawling and critically well-received exhibition chronicling the global emergence of feminist art practice in the 1970s. One is its sheer size. At MOCA's Geffen Contemporary (through July 16), the show features 430 works by 119 artists. Given the abundance of film and video — Chantal Ackerman's work alone has a running time of just under five hours — it is doubtful that even the most diligent visitor will actually see the whole show, multiple visits or not. Surveys of this size are usually a bad idea; one wants curatorial discrimination. But this time the magnitude emphasizes the monumental scope of the shift in thinking, which artists with a feminist perspective labored to bring about. Revolutions are rarely modest. more

Ringo Starr Couldn't Recall Recording Album With George Harrison

Veteran rocker Ringo Starr's memory isn't what it used to be - he can't remember playing on the debut album by his former Beatle bandmate George Harrison. Drummer Starr actually performed on most of the classic 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. He tells Rolling Stone, "I played on All Things Must Pass - which is funny because George called me (when he was preparing to reissue the album), and said, 'Ringo, are you on All Things Must Pass?' I said, 'I don't think so. I don't know.' "Then he calls back two weeks later after he'd researched it, and he says, 'You f**ker, you were on 80 per cent of the record!' I said, 'Hey, it was a long time ago.'"

(c) Starpulse News Blog

Marianne Faithfull Believes Paul McCartney Married Because He Was Lonely

Actress/singer Marianne Faithfull believes Paul McCartney married Heather Mills because he was lonely following the death of his first wife Linda. The British star claims the reason behind the former Beatle's quick marriage to model Mills was because he did not want to grow old alone. She says, "He's going through such a terrible time. It's hard to imagine how he got himself into his current mess. "He wasn't used to sleeping alone. He missed Linda. Poor Paul." McCartney and Mills married in Monaghan, Ireland, in June 2002 after a dating for two and a half years.

(c) From Starpulse News Blog

Amnesty International and Warner Bros. Records Partner With Spin Magazine to Sponsor "Bed-In for Peace"

Inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono's historic "Bed-Ins for Peace" 38 years ago, Amnesty International and Warner Bros. Records will create a series of events featuring a variety of artists at music festivals around the world this summer. The events will promote the release of "Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur," a collection of iconic songs by former Beatle and peace activist John Lennon recorded by an array of best-selling artists including U2, Green Day, R.E.M., Avril Lavigne, Big & Rich, and Snow Patrol, among others. The double album is due out on Warner Bros. Records June 12. In keeping with its long tradition of combining music with activism, Amnesty International, the world's largest grassroots human rights organization, is launching this campaign to focus attention and mobilize activism around the urgent catastrophe in Darfur, Sudan. The "Bed-Ins for Peace" and "Instant Karma" events center on saving the lives of innocent women, children and men who are dying by the thousands in the region.

The first "Bed-In," co-sponsored by Spin Magazine, will take place this weekend, April 27-29, at the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, CA and will feature interviews and photographs with artists while sitting in bed. Similar events will be held around the globe this summer. Meiert Avis, who has worked with artists such as Bruce Springsteen and U2, will document the event with both video and still photography. Photographs taken at the events will be featured in an online photo gallery. The original "Bed-Ins for Peace" were two well-publicized week-long events held in 1969 by newlyweds Lennon and Ono as a way to non-violently protest wars and promote peace. The international press were invited into the couple's hotel suites in Amsterdam and Montreal where they found Lennon and Ono sitting in bed talking about peace.

"John and Yoko held their bed-ins to send a plea for peace. Today, that symbol is being revived to highlight our fervent hope and campaign to bring peace and security to the desperate human rights situation in Darfur, Sudan," said Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International U.S.A. "Together, Amnesty International and these amazing artists seek to spark a demand for justice and action to end the suffering."

Amnesty International views the recreated "Bed-Ins" as an inspired way to raise awareness about the situation in Darfur through paying tribute to Lennon and Ono's activism. Their hope is that this will also inspire a new generation to join Amnesty International and take peaceful action for human rights. Winner of the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize, Amnesty International is composed of more than 2.2 million human rights activists worldwide. Its members protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied. Amnesty International investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public and helps transform societies to create a safer, more just world.

Amnesty International has a long history of activism involving musicians including 1988's worldwide Human Rights Now! Tour and 1998's Paris concert, which honored the 40th and 50th anniversaries of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, respectively. Collectively, the concerts featured performances by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, Youssou N'Dour, Alanis Morissette, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and Radiohead. More details about upcoming "Bed-Ins" will be released soon. To learn more about "Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur" and Amnesty International, please visit www.InstantKarma.org.

www.instantkarma.org

www.amnesty.org/noise

www.wbr.com


PRESS RELEASE

Warner Music gets lucky break

It was twenty years ago today... well not exactly, but it was 1987 and five of the world's most influential musicians came together to record a b-side for George Harrison's "This Is Love" single. Harrison , along with Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and ELO's Jeff Lynne, recorded "Handle with Care" and created supergroup history. You may not remember the Traveling Wilburys, or even have known those artists were involved, but in 1988 their album Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 reached #3 on the Billboard albums chart and sold more than 2 million copies. For more than 10 years that album, along with the follow-up two years later, have been unavailable. more

Sean Lennon hits the CD racks again after eight years

Sean Lennon will never get a fair shake. It's just not possible for the son of John Lennon -- arguably the greatest songwriter of all time -- to produce anything musical without being compared with his near-sainted old man. Still, the younger Lennon is doing quite well. His second album, "Friendly Fire," is a lush pop effort laced with string arrangements and catchy angular melodies that serve as a cheery discourse to his melancholy voice. More importantly it's enabled the songwriter to begin carving out a niche of his own. "I'm definitely noticing on this tour that the audience genuinely seems to be familiar with the music I'm playing," he said over the phone from a tour stop in Kansas City. more

PURCHASE: Friendly Fire (CD+DVD)





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McCartney slips down rich list due to divorce

Former Beatle Paul McCartney has slipped down the list of Britain's music millionaires after the Sunday Times, which compiles the rankings, made a 100 million pound allowance for a possible divorce deal. McCartney is in the midst of a divorce battle with Heather Mills McCartney, and, despite heated speculation in the media, the couple has denied reaching a settlement. Initial reports last year said the divorce could cost McCartney up to one quarter of his fortune, estimated previously at 825 million pounds, but lawyers say the actual figure is likely to be a fraction of that. more

Is the divorce battle with Mills taking a toll on Macca?

London, Apr 27 (ANI): It looks like Beatles' legend Sir Paul McCartney is beginning to feel the pressure of his contentious legal divorce battle with his estranged wife, Heather Mills, because of late, the 64-year-old has started to look a bit haggard. Recently, Sir Paul was seen going for a walk cheerfully, waving at passers by and having an animated conversation with someone over his mobile phone. But, the outward happiness could not stop a few from observing his suit that has become loose fitting, reports the Daily Mail. The picture was in contrast with the outfit that looked similar to a tight one worn by him during his happier days with the former model and land mines activist, 3 years ago. The pop legend has been going through a rough patch since his marriage disintegrated in May 2006. Though his close friends and relatives have supported him in his fierce struggle, the legal battle is believed to have taken a toll on him. The music legend slipped from the Britain's richest list from 65 to 102 this year. Last week it was reported that Sir Paul has fallen out of this year's Sunday Times Rich List, as a result of the 100 million pounds that is said to be given as divorce settlement to Mills. (ANI)

The Summer of Love

Incense and peppermints. Green tambourine. Lucy in the sky with diamonds. These are few of the many psychedelic, technicolored icons of the Summer of Love, now coming upon its 40th anniversary. There were the student protesters, disillusioned Vietnam soldiers and flower children, all looking for a new scene, a new idea, a new way of life. The psychedelic counterculture was an underground force as early as 1964, but with the Monterey Pop Festival and the massive pilgrimages to San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district, 1967 marked the explosion of the hippie revolution. Celebrating peace, free love and drugs, the Summer of Love launched a new cultural force with far-reaching influences. Johnny Rivers’ 1967 hit “Summer Rain” said it well: “Everybody kept on playing ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.’ ” Though many musicians of the time liked pot for breakfast and took acid with their tea, these guys were on to some important stuff that is largely absent in today’s musical landscape: forward thought and awareness. A crucial turning point in music occurred when The Beatles and Bob Dylan first met in 1964. The Beatles influenced Dylan to go electric. Dylan introduced The Beatles to pot and told them to say something more in their music than “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” Needless to say, the point was well-taken. more

Heather Mills hints that Paul McCartney’s a bad Daddy

Heather Mills has implied that her estranged husband Sir Paul McCartney is an “aggressive father”. When asked to comment on Alec Baldwin’s recent rant at his 11-year-old daughter Ireland, Heather claimed she knows fathers who treat their children badly when they are angry. Heather, who has three-year-old daughter Beatrice with Paul, told Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show: “I know a lot of fathers who have spoken to their daughters like that, and I won’t get specific, but they do get upset. “Alec is a close friend of Paul’s and they have a lot in common. I know what fathers can do in an aggressive angry fashion towards their children because they’re upset about something. more

Heather Mills' men must be hairy and smelly!

Washington, April 27: For former model and animal activist Heather Mills, a perfect man is the one who is "au naturelle", which means hairy and smelly. The celebrity amputee recently admitted that she likes men with a good natural odour. "Smell is so important. A natural body smell, I love it," Contactmusic quoted her, as saying. Meanwhile Mills was voted off the hit television more

Beatles, Stones are wealthiest rockers

The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin -- among Britain's most storied bands -- also are among the wealthiest, a survey showed. The Beatles top the list the Sunday Times Rich List to be revealed Sunday, the Times of London teased Friday. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the family of the late George Harrison, are worth nearly $2 billion. The Rolling Stones paints its bottom line black with a combined wealth of about $1 billion. Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant salted away about $140 million. Coldplay is the only contemporary band to make the Times Rich List. Chris Martin and his bandmates have bit more pocket change than when they met in college -- about $60 million each. UPI

Yoko Ono: Open Your Box

It's fitting that "Open Your Box" is the centerpiece of the second Yoko Ono collection of 2007. The once-notorious song appeared on the second release of her career, 1971's Fly, a challenging, avant-garde double album, co-produced by John Lennon. Here, the pulsing Orange Factory version of the song is included with a liberal sampling of other, like-minded Ono remixes. Unlike the recent (and shamelessly commercial) Beatles mash-up Love, the radical reworkings of Box turn her arty material into throbbing club-floor mixes, frequently using the hook as a recurring sample amid the dizzy beats. more

WATCH FLY

BUY: Open Your Box





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Beating the Drum for Better Albums

There may be some great albums on the way, but the first third of 2007 has been sadly lacking in memorable releases. I've heard some pretty confections that dissolve almost before the last note and plenty of midnight confessionals that are good for wallowing.
I've even heard some frighteningly original noise; you must listen to Marnie Stern's "In Advance of the Broken Arm" at least once, just to believe it. But where's the stuff you can't stop humming? My favorite disc so far isn't even a brand-new creation, but a clash of old and new: Yoko Ono's "Yes, I'm a Witch" gives musicians as different as rap producer Hank Shocklee, prog-rockers Porcupine Tree and electro-feminists Le Tigre the chance to remake old songs in their own image. more

Music legend Spector's 'victim' committed suicide, lawyer claims

Defence lawyers at Phil Spector's murder trial told the jury today that scientific evidence proved her facial gunshot wound was self-inflicted. Actress Lana Clarkson was found dead at Mr Spector's home in 2003, with gunshot wounds to the face. Mr Spector, 67, has pleaded not guilty. While the prosecution argue Phil Spector shot Ms Clarkson in the mouth, his defence say Ms Clarkson put the gun in her own mouth and shot herself. "The science will tell you that he (Spector) was not close enough to hold the gun in the decedents mouth," defence lawyer Linda Kenney-Baden said. more

Beatles Painted Wall to Appear in Yekaterinburg

The Uralian artist Sergei Parfenyuk has devoted over a thousand paintings to The Beatles. Embodying their music on canvass has become his major passion. Paul McCartney himself asked for the artist's permission to include the latter's works into the album dedicated to The Beatles' creation. Eleven reproductions of Sergei Parfenyuk's paintings have been included into that world encyclopedia, where he turned to be the only Russian artist. The artist will soon paint the wall in the centre of Yekaterinburg, where fans of the Beatles are going to set up a monument to their idols and create a rock-gallery on the wall bricks. Source: news.ntv.ru

Paul McCartney was embarrassed Mills got eliminated from ''Dancing With the Stars''

Heather Mills is booted from ''Dancing With the Stars'' and that was a good enough reason for Paul McCartney to be upset. According to Chicago Sun-Times, a very close associate of Paul McCartney said: "He thinks it's really kind of embarrassing.'' While the former Beatle understands Mills' ''insatiable need'' to be in the spotlight -- and is happy she raised tons of money for animal charities he also supports -- the source says he thought ''the whole thing was frankly pretty tacky.'' MORE

Untold stories of the 'British Invasion'

For fans who weren't around yet, or who want to revisit a definitive chapter in rock history, an insider's look at the music scene during the heyday of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones - with a tour guide who helped define that era - is yours for the price of a ticket to "Behind the Scenes With Pete Bennett." Scheduled for June 30 at 8 p.m. at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, "Behind the Scenes" is a look back at the music business hosted by the man who was promotional manager for the groups that led the British Invasion. more

RINGO STARR: POLICE REUNION WAS BORING

Former BEATLE RINGO STARR has branded STING "really boring", after the Police singer failed to impress with his performance at this year's (07) Grammy Awards. The awards ceremony was the first time the Every Breath You Take singer had taken to the stage with his former bandmates since their split in 1984. But the iconic performance wasn't good enough for Starr, who prefers to watch concerts from the comfort of his own home. He says, "I thought the opening of the Grammys was really boring. The Police reunion was boring."


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Yoko Ono to perform at Pitchfork fest

The lineup for the Pitchfork Music Festival in Union Park on July 13-15 is coming together, and promoters announced a real coup Wednesday with a rare live performance by Yoko Ono.
At the same time that she has been in the rock history books as (choose one) the villainess who broke up the Beatles or the love of John Lennon's life, Ono has had one foot in the rock underground as a groundbreaking avant-garde musician. Her work has been in the spotlight again recently as the subject of "Yes, I'm a Witch," a collection of reworked versions of her songs by such Pitchfork-friendly underground favorites as Le Tigre, Cat Power and Peaches. more

Spector murder trial starts in ’03 shooting

He was once the first tycoon of teen, the pop-music genius who legitimized rock ’n’ roll by transforming its songs from primitive outlaw music to what he called “little symphonies for the kids.” Those days were decades gone, however, when Phil Spector walked out of his castle-like mansion in the hills east of Los Angeles on the morning of Feb. 3, 2003, and, according to authorities, told his chauffeur, “I think I killed somebody.” Four years, numerous pretrial motions and three prominent defense attorneys later, Spector is on trial in the slaying of actress Lana Clarkson. Jury selection was completed Tuesday with the seating of six alternates, and opening statements began Wednesday. more

Shankar finds classical Indian music in solid shape

Asking sitar master Ravi Shankar about the fan base for Indian classical music is a bit like talking to a Western symphony member: You play to a rather small audience, but one that is highly knowledgeable. "It is for a particular class of people who are already very much attuned to this sort of music and has never been a music for the masses, even before," he said by phone from New York, where he was traveling. Shankar, who is playing the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, on April 27 with his daughter Anoushka, has been an Encinitas resident since 1992. But he still spends a couple of months back home in his native India each winter, although this year medical issues kept him at home. Even in India, though, Shankar said the classical Hindustani style he plays finds it tough going. In fact, he said the Carnatic classical style of south India has a larger audience than the Hindustani school, which developed in the northern part of the country. more

Patti Smith's Twelve

Anyone who’s taken Poetry 101 knows that the first step toward connecting and understanding any written poem is to dissect everything known about those who wrote it--not only their name, where they came from or what time period they breathed in, but how they lived, what they thought, what they did for a living and what they cherished most. Sometimes all you need is the love of poetry to possess the soul of a poet. Patti Smith, punk goddess, lifelong activist and Rock Hall of Famer, has an affinity for the most poetic rock music of the past few decades. For her latest album, Twelve, she shares 12 renditions of beloved rock songs by artists both living and gone. However, there is a catch. While you may think you know these songs better than most, maybe because you can sing them in your sleep, guess what: Patti knows them better. That’s right--it’s time to get schooled. more

BUY: Twelve




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Yes I'm a Witch

You either respect Yoko Ono as an artist, the presence that loomed so heavily in John Lennon's post-Beatles career, or loathe her as a more pretentious Linda McCartney who broke up the band. Either way, she's part of pop history. For Yes I'm a Witch, Ono's tapped a who's-who of under-the-radar alt-rockers to remix and retool her originals, including the title track, which shows she's at least got a sense of humor about it all. Irony is giving the remix album idea an even heftier creative overhaul. (All the participants chose to work only with her vocals.) Ono's strength as a musician isn't her skills — she sings off-key and is prone to sing-song lyrics. It's her sincerity. And that's framed nicely throughout this album, from the hushed confessionals to bizarre squawks. more

Yes, I'm a Witch





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DYLAN'S JEALOUS OF McCARTNEY

American rocker BOB DYLAN is constantly "in awe" of SIR PAUL McCARTNEY's musical talent, and hopes the former Beatle will quit the pop industry to give others a chance of success.
Dylan, 65, has praised the Hey Jude singer for his ability to write and perform hit songs with such ease, and is so jealous of McCartney he wishes he would go into an early retirement. He says, "I'm in awe of McCartney. He can do it all and he's never let up.
He's got the gift for melody, he's got the rhythm. He can play any instrument. "And he can sing the ballad as good as anybody. I mean, I just wish he'd quit!"

PRESS RELEASE

Spector's fame a golden oldie

At one point during jury selection for Phil Spector's murder trial, defense attorney Bruce Cutler clutched his client's shoulder to emphasize the distinction he was about to draw between the 67-year-old record producer and Paris Hilton. It's "an example of talent … versus celebrity," Cutler said. That may be true. But as attorneys today begin to deliver their opening statements, one of the odd undercurrents is that the defendant's fame takes some explaining. Unlike O.J. Simpson and Robert Blake, whose own murder cases resonate in this latest celebrity trial, Spector never came into the living rooms of America on television. And his achievements in the music industry are remembered better by today's artists than today's fans. more

Yahoo expanding its online music section

Yahoo Inc. is expanding its online music section to include the lyrics of 400,000 songs, hoping to strike a chord with Web surfers looking for a more reliable alternative to Internet sites that publish the words without the permission of the copyright owners. The Sunnyvale-based company is touting the free service to be unveiled Tuesday as the Web's largest legally licensed database of lyrics. "It fills a huge, gaping hole out there," said Ian Rogers, general manager of Yahoo music. more

Heather Mills Booted From 'Dancing With the Stars'

On Tuesday night's "Dancing With the Stars," former model Heather Mills was voted off the show despite dancing with only one leg. Week after week, Mills proved to be a fierce competitor with exhilarating dance moves, and she did it all with a prosthetic leg. She established herself as more than Paul McCartney's soon-to-be ex-wife, but her journey came to an end Tuesday night. more

Stella McCartney‘s New Skin Care Range

Stella McCartney is launching a skin care range. The designer daughter of Sir Paul McCartney decided to create her Care line in response to the lack of organic beauty products in the industry. "I just don't think that there is a great deal of luxury, organic product out there and I've found that quite frustrating." McCartney also told the International Herald Tribune:" I don’t see why the luxury element in a skincare line needs to be compromised in order for the organic element to be fully present. The main thing is to have integrity and honest products." The Care skincare range will be available in the UK from June in selected stores. (c) Patricia Johnso


Source: Stella McCartney‘s New Skin Care Range

Phil Spector, music's troubled genius

He was once the first tycoon of teen, the pop music genius who legitimized rock 'n' roll by transforming its songs from primitive outlaw music to what he called "little symphonies for the kids." Those days were decades gone, however, when Phil Spector walked out of his castle-like mansion in the hills east of Los Angeles on the morning of Feb. 3, 2003, and, according to authorities, told his chauffeur, "I think I killed somebody." Four years, numerous pretrial motions and three prominent defense attorneys later, Spector is on trial for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson. The 67-year-old producer says Clarkson killed herself. more

McCartney attacks Mills in new album

Music legend Sir Paul McCartney uses the break-up of his marriage to Heather Mills as inspiration for his new album, declaring he is finally happy. The Beatles singer makes references to his estranged wife throughout his album, Memory Almost Full, suggesting he is over the relationship which ended last year. In a track entitled Mr Bellamy, McCartney writes, "No one to tell me what to do, no one to hold my hand. Nobody here to spoil the view, interfere with my plans. I like it up here without you."

Three Guesses

Heather Mills should look into trivia challenges once her dancing days are dunzo. Because the U.K. divorcée just keeps us guessing. Take this stumper she gave this morning on Ryan Seacrest's KIIS-FM radio show, in regard to Alec Baldwin's angry messages to daughter Ireland: "I know a lot of fathers, and I won't get specific, who have spoken to their daughters like that and get upset." Wonder whom she means? Coincidentally, Mills also mentioned that her ex-husband, Paul McCartney, has a relationship with Baldwin: "He's a good friend of Paul…and they have a lot in common." Hopefully not phone etiquette.



The Hum

Macca whacks Mucca on CD

PAUL McCARTNEY’s new album will make interesting listening. I've seen some of the lyrics and they are full of important messages. One track called Mr Bellamy is clearly a thinly-veiled dig at his ex HEATHER MILLS and the break-up of their marriage. The track goes: “No one to tell me what to do, no one to hold my hand.'' It continues: ''Nobody here to spoil the view, interfere with my plans.'' Then in one final dig at Lady Mucca the song signs off: ''I like it up here without you.'' And another track, End Of The End, is a morbid song about death and how Macca would like to be remembered. more

Heather Mills Supports Alec Baldwin

The soon-to-be-ex-wife of Sir Paul McCartney says Baldwin was acting out of love when he left a phone message on 11-year-old Ireland's cell phone calling her a ''rude, thoughtless little pig''. She told US radio’s Ryan Seacrest yesterday, ''You've got a man who's madly in love with his daughter who lives on the other side of the coast, who doesn't get to see her very much. People lose it, forgive him. Don't throw stones when you live in a glass house; we are not here to judge and criticise what other people do. "It's wrong to speak to your daughter like that... I would never talk to my daughter like that, but... his daughter lives with Kim Basinger and we have no idea what goes on behind closed doors.'' more

MOGWAI CRITICISES BANDS FOR BEATLES COVER ALBUM

Scottish band MOGWAI have attacked artists THE FRATELLIS, KAISER CHIEFS and JAMES MORRISON for making a Beatles cover album, insisting they cannot "pull it off". A host of bands will record versions of famous Beatles songs for the LP, which marks the 40th anniversary of the Sergeant Peppers album. Mogwai say they're unimpressed with artists attempts to cover the Beatles tracks, although they are working on the release of a new Pixies tribute CD this month (Apr07). Mogwai say on their website, "Such musical wonders as James Morrison and The Fratellis are to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sergeant Pepper's Beatles album by covering songs from it. I cannot wait to hear this meaningful idea. "Only thing is, can anyone really better the genius of With A Little Help From My Friends? I know Wet, Wet, Wet came really close but it'll take mastery of music to pull this one off."


MOGWAI - MOGWAI CRITICISES BANDS FOR BEATLES COVER ALBUM

Record burning and violence marked Beatles tour

A Beatles tour of the American Deep South was marked by violence, the Ku Klux Klan and record burning following John Lennon's comments that the Beatles were 'more popular than Jesus'. The frightening events of 1966 will be discussed in a public lecture by one of the leading historians of the American civil rights movement Professor Brian Ward, who has joined The University Of Manchester. The Brit was wooed from the University of Florida to take up the post and is internationally known as one of the leading civil rights historians of his generation. more

Parade.com Remembers Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on Its 40th Anniversary

New York, April 23, 2007—It was 40 years ago this week that the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in an effort to get their fans to take them seriously as musicians and not to treat them as teen idols. What resulted was considered a masterpiece: Sgt. Pepper and his imaginary band, playing an imaginary concert to an imaginary audience. It was enhanced by the art on the album cover, which featured the Beatles’ fantasy concertgoers, from Marlon Brando to Carl Jung to boxer Sonny Liston. ''When Sgt. Pepper's came out, it was an album that surprised people on every single level,” says Mark Lewisohn, author of The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, tells Parade.com in an exclusive interview. “The vast majority of the millions who bought it had never seen a gatefold sleeve, they’d never seen lyrics on the cover, they’d never seen a cover like that—a real piece of art—and they never heard music like this. The combination was so dynamic that it’s still being talked about 40 years later.'' Go to the web site now: Features exclusive interview with Beatles’ biographer Mark Lewisohn and historian Martin Lewis!

Check out www.parade.com for more on the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love.

Beatlesnumber9.com

Paul McCartney: A Giant Among Rock Immortals

For our fortieth anniversary, the editors of Rolling Stone interviewed twenty artists and leaders who helped shape our time. Over the next four weeks, every day, we’ll be debuting exclusive audio clips from the Q&As, giving you unparalleled access to some of the most important personalities in history. It’s been almost forty years ago today since Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play, and we’re marking the occasion (as well as our own 40th anniversary) by bringing you this interview with Sir Paul McCartney. As one half of the greatest songwriting tandem ever, McCartney helped shape the entire course of rock & roll music. more

Paul McCartney doesn’t like Simon Cowell

There had been many rumors that Paul McCartney was going to be on American Idol a few months back as part of “Beatles Week” on the show. According to “Cleveland Leader,” Idol had gone through great lengths to secure the airing of the some of the Fab Four's work but the plans were scrapped when the show couldn't find a "mentor" for the week. The reason sounds like a funny one - Paul McCartney isn't a fan of Simon Cowell. "McCartney's a nice guy. He doesn't like Simon saying, 'You're horrible. You're the worst I ever heard. You shouldn't be singing. So the chances of Paul coming on the show were pretty slim." more

Sir Mick Jagger had close encounter with aliens in the 60s

Sir Mick Jagger has been visited by aliens. Michael C. Luckman - author of Alien Rock: The Rock 'n' Roll Extraterrestrial Connection - says The Rolling Stones rocker developed an interest in extraterrestrial phenomena after a close encounter of the third kind in the 60s. Luckman said: "Mick Jagger has been very involved with the subject of UFOs for many years. "In 1968 he went camping in Glastonbury with his then girlfriend, singer Marianne Faithful, and encountered a rare, luminous cigar-shaped mothership. more

Record Burning And Violence Marked Beatles Tour

A BEATLES tour of the American Deep South was marked by violence, the Ku Klux Klan and record burning following John Lennon's comments that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus", according to leading historian Professor Brian Ward. The Professor will be discussing the frightening events of 1966 in a public lecture at the University of Manchester on April 25. The lecture will start at 5.30pm, in the more

Doting Macca sure can pick 'em

IT WAS a case of easy pickings for doting Sir Paul McCartney as he gave his little grandson a flower. Sir Paul, 64, spent a few happy hours in the sunshine in London’s Hyde Park with his daughter Stella, 35, and her two-year-old son Miller. The trio walked around together, sat in the sun, had tea and watched the swans before the former Beatle wandered off for a stroll by himself. more

Lennon And McCartney - Together Alone: A Critical Discography Of Their Solo Work

Ever since The Beatles' breakup in 1970, fans have been split into two camps: John People and Paul People. John People point to Lennon's autobiographical songs and political idealism while Paul People revel in McCartney's songwriting craft and innate melodic gifts. Another entry in the "What took so long for someone to do this?" category, John Blaney's Lennon and McCartney - Together Alone: A Critical Discography Of Their Solo Work will undoubtedly please both factions. Lovingly and exhaustively researched, Together Alone looks exclusively at the solo careers of the two ex-Beatles. Beginning with McCartney's soundtrack for the 1966 film The Family Way and Lennon's controversial Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins album in 1968, the 304-page book compiles information on everything Lennon and McCartney have recorded up to the present, including one-offs, compilations and Lennon's posthumous releases. more

PURCHASE: Lennon and McCartney - Together Alone: A Critical Discography of Their Solo Work


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Hendrix, Bono, McCartney material raises money for lost instruments

A Jimi Hendrix guitar sold for $480,000 during a celebrity memorabilia auction designed, in part, to raise money to replace musical equipment lost to hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The auction, which included material donated by The Edge, Bono, Paul McCartney and others smashed expectations and brought in total of $2.4 million US , officials said. more

Who was that woman you were singing about?

You've got us on our knees, Layla, but who are you? Lola, you walk like a woman, but are you really a man? Suzanne, what's with the tea and oranges? We hum their namesake tunes but know little of their lives. Real women have long been immortalized in song, and sometimes the stories behind the lyrics are as compelling as the melodies themselves. For an anecdotal history lesson about some of pop music's leading ladies, we contacted our favorite Minnesota Public Radio DJ, Steve Seel, from the Current more

Music from the Movies

The Killing of John Lennon is a chilling insight into the mind of the man who gunned down the superstar outside his New York apartment building in 1980. The film, directed by Andrew Piddington and starring Jonas Ball as Chapman, takes in the events leading up to and after the terrible murder and will be screened at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC later this month. British composer Martin Kiszko was brought in to write a new score for the drama, replacing music by Hawaiian artist Makana. The composer replaced around 90% of Makana’s music, retaining a little of what was recorded by the guitarist, presumably for the scenes set in Hawaii. more

All She Is Saying: Yoko Ono's Enduring Feminist Message

Yoko Ono matters as much today as ever. Read passages from her 1971 manifesto "The Feminization of Society" and you could think she was talking about 2007: "This society is driven by neurotic speed and force accelerated by greed, and frustration of not being able to live up to the image of men and woman we have created for ourselves; the image has nothing to do with the reality of people." more

Beatles take bigger bite out of Apple

The Beatles were not just a Sixties sensation, they became a multi-million pound business empire. Now 37 years after John, Paul, George and Ringo split, the music world is about to be reminded just who is the biggest kid on the block. Record companies are in decline but The Beatles, represented by their corporation Apple Corps, are a sleeping giant who experts are predicting will rise again in 2007 and dominate the music industry. The two surviving more

‘Beatles split was a relief’

AIR Lyndhurst, the Hampstead church converted into a recording studio by Sir George Martin, hardly reeks of the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. Inside the gloomy Victorian building are hanging baskets and a plaque commemorating a visit by the Prince of Wales. The rock musicians who have paused for lunch are not imbibing whisky and cigarettes in a dingy room. They are sitting on church pews in a light-flooded refectory, reading The Times and feasting on buckwheat salad and Shiraz while a genteel Louis Armstrong CD plays. This, of course, is in keeping with the famously civilised spirit of Sir George. Photographs from Beatles sessions in the 1960s always show their producer looking dapper with a Brylcreemed parting and pressed suit, more

BEATLES ACROSS AMERICA AVAILABLE FOR FIRST TIME

An archive Beatles ITN news documentary from 1966 has been made available for video download through digital company Wippit. The 23 minute documentary was only ever aired once in the UK and featured the Beatles' controversial tour of the US in 1966, which followed the interview that Lennon gave claiming that the group were 'more popular than Jesus Christ.' The programme shows Lennon defending himself for the comments he had made five months earlier and making something of an apology. more

THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON

Before Iraq, before the Bush Administration, before the Dixie Chicks, Bruce Springsteen, and Pearl Jam … there was John Lennon, the celebrated musical artist who used his fame and his fortune to protest the Vietnam War and advocate for world peace. In the new Lionsgate and VH1 documentary, THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON, filmmakers David Leaf and John Scheinfeld trace Lennon’s metamorphosis from lovable “Moptop” to anti-war activist to inspirational icon as they reveal the true story of how and why the U.S. government tried to silence him. Primarily focusing on the decade from 1966-1976, THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON places Lennon’s activism - and the socio-political upheaval it represented - in the context of the times. It was one of the most fractious periods of American history, dominated by the Vietnam War; the rise of antiwar, civil rights, New Left and other political movements challenging the status quo; the Nixon presidency; revelations of government deception, surveillance and harassment; and Watergate. The film features a large and diverse array of the era’s notable figures, men and women who bear immediate and authoritative witness to specific events as well as to the prevailing climate. Among them: African-American political activists Angela Davis and Bobby Seale; journalists Carl Bernstein and Walter Cronkite; Nixon Administration officials G. Gordon Liddy and John Dean; Vietnam veteran and antiwar activist Ron Kovic; the eminent American historian/novelist Gore Vidal; former New York Governor Mario Cuomo; and three-term Senator and Democratic Presidential candidate George McGovern.

But it is John Lennon himself who is the documentary’s preeminent voice and galvanizing central presence. With Lennon’s own music providing subtly incisive narration, the film captures a public and private Lennon that many viewers may not know: a principled, funny, and extraordinarily charismatic young man who refused to be silent in the face of injustice. Yoko Ono, Lennon’s wife, creative collaborator and partner in their campaign for peace, has given the filmmakers unprecedented access to the Lennon-Ono archives, enabling them to draw upon never-before seen or heard audiovisual materials in telling their story. And in a series of in-depth interviews, Ono shares her personal memories, evoking as no one else can the realities of the couple’s daily lives; their hopes and happiness; and their long ordeal at the hands of the U.S. government.

Scrupulously researched and vividly illustrated, THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON illuminates a little-known chapter of modern history, when a president and his administration used the machinery of government to wage a covert war against the world’s most popular musician. Exploring an era roiled by many of the same issues confronting us today, THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON delivers a tale that speaks powerfully to our own unsettled times. THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON is produced, directed and written by David Leaf and John Scheinfeld. Executive producers Kevin Beggs, Sandra Stern, Tom Ortenberg, Nick Meyer, Steve Rothenberg, Erik Nelson, Michael Hirschorn, Brad Abramson, and Lauren Lazin.


TIMELINE OF RELEVANT EVENTS

February 9, 1964 - The Beatles make their first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

August 7, 1964 – At the request of the Johnson administration, Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution authorizing U.S. armed forces to repel armed attacks. Based on the Johnson’s administration’s claim that North Vietnamese soldiers had attacked a U.S. gunboat – a claim that has largely been discredited - the Resolution effectively allows the U.S. to send forces to Vietnam.

April 17, 1965 – 25,000 people participate in an anti-Vietnam War demonstration in Washington D.C., the largest antiwar protest the capitol had yet seen.

July 28, 1965 – President Lyndon Johnson announces plans to send 44 more battalions to Vietnam, increasing the number of military personnel to 125,000. Monthly draft call-ups are doubled.

October 1966 –Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale found the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense in Oakland, CA. Founded on principles of black nationalism and self-determination, the party goes on to work with an array of leftist groups, including the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the Youth International Party (Yippies), the Puerto Rican Young Lords of New York, and the Peace and Freedom Party of California.

June 1, 1967 – Vietnam veteran Jan Crumb and six fellow veterans found the antiwar group Vietnam Veterans Against the War.

October 22, 1967 – Over 100,000 people participate in the March on the Pentagon to demand an end to the Vietnam War. Among them are future Yippies Abbie Hoffman, Stew Albert and Jerry Rubin, who introduce some humor to the earnest gathering with an absurdist attempt to levitate the Pentagon.

December 31, 1967 – Paul Krassner comes up with a name for the merry band of political provocateurs consisting of himself, Abbie Hoffman, Anita Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, and Stew Albert, among others: the Yippies. Anita Hoffman suggests an official-sounding name for the group: the Youth International Party.

January 30, 1968 – North Vietnam launches the Tet Offensive, targeting cities held by the U.S. and South Vietnam.

March 31, 1968 – President Lyndon Johnson, his popularity faltering due to the Vietnam War, announces he will not seek re-election.

August 28, 1968 – Violence erupts at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, as police attack antiwar demonstrators, bystanders and news reporters in full view of national news cameras.

November 5, 1968 – Former Vice President Richard Nixon is elected president, narrowly defeating Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey.

March 20, 1969 – John Lennon and Yoko Ono are married in Gibraltar.

November 12, 1969 – Investigative reporter Seymour Hersch publishes the first newspaper story about the March 1968 My Lai Massacre, during which an Army infantry murdered approximately 500 South Vietnamese civilians, mostly women, children, babies and the elderly. Support for the war erodes even further.

November 15, 1969 – Between 250,000-600,000 protestors participate in the Washington “Moratorium,” the largest single antiwar demonstration in U.S. history.

May 4, 1970 – Four college students are gunned down and nine others are wounded by the Ohio National Guard on the Kent State University campus. The students were demonstrating against the American invasion of Cambodia which President Richard Nixon launched on April 25, and announced in a television address five days later.

June 13, 1971 – The New York Times begins publishing excerpts from the “Pentagon Papers,” the top-secret 47-volume government study of U.S. involvement in Vietnam commissioned by Robert McNamara in 1967 and completed in 1969. The excerpts, which exposed deceptive practices by the government, increase public anger about the war. President Nixon’s Justice Department seeks a court injunction to prevent further publication, a move that is ultimately rejected by the Supreme Court.

June 17, 1972 – Five men are arrested at the office complex of the Watergate Hotel for attempting to break into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. The burglary is later traced back to the Nixon White House and the Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP), revealing a scheme to sabotage the Democratic presidential campaign.

November 7, 1972 – President Nixon is reelected to a second term, defeating Democratic nominee George McGovern in a landslide.

January 27, 1973 – The Paris Peace Accords are signed, clearing the way for U.S. military forces to leave Vietnam.

May 17, 1973 – The Senate Watergate Committee convenes its investigation into the Watergate break-in and the ensuing cover-up. The hearings are televised through August 7th.

July 27, 1974 – Congress recommends the first of three articles of impeachment, for obstruction of justice, against President Nixon.

August 8, 1974 – In a nationally televised speech, President Nixon announces his resignation, effective at noon the following day.

May 1, 1975 – The South Vietnamese government in Saigon falls to the North.

July 27, 1976 – John Lennon receives his green card in New York City.

December 8, 1980 – John Lennon is shot and killed outside his home, the Dakota, in New York City.

Watch the trailer

PURCHASE: The U.S. vs. John Lennon






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Chaos and Creation in The Back Yard

Paul McCartney's 2005 album 'Chaos and Creation in The Backyard' has become the focus of fans searching frantically for clues to the reasons for the former Beatle's marital breakdown. This follows claims in the press that the scathing lyrics of 'Riding to Vanity Fair' were addressed to his wife Heather Mills McCartney. When the album was released, one critic in The Guardian described another track 'At the Mercy' as sounding "bewildered and despairing". The lyrics throughout 'Chaos and Creation in The Backyard' certainly provide much material for speculation. In an interview with Line Abrahamian published last year in the Reader's Digest, McCartney was quoted as saying: "Normally, if I'm hurt, I just swallow it and get on with my life. That's the kind of person I am - I just repress it. more

PURCHASE: Chaos And Creation In The Backyard





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'American Idol' producer explains why Beatles week didn't happen

American Idol received permission to use The Beatles' famed songbook as the basis for one of its sixth season music-genre theme weeks, but due to an inability to find a proper mentor, the show's sixth reason finalists won't be performing any songs from the best-selling and most critically acclaimed band of the 20th century. "We were in dialogue with them this year as part of one of the genres. The problem we found -- or the problem we've had, obviously -- is that we need a mentor who's up to the job," Idol executive producer Ken Warwick explained Warwick during a Wednesday conference call with reporters. "We were after [Beatles producer] George Martin, and his schedule unfortunately... we tried every which way. We had permission from the record company, we just couldn't get George." more

McCartney honored for helping tourism

Paul McCartney has been honored with the British tourism industry's equivalent of the Oscar for helping boost the profile of his hometown of Liverpool, England. McCartney shared his Gold Award -- one of 16 handed out in London Wednesday -- with his home city, the Liverpool Daily Post reported Thursday. The former Beatle wasn't on hand to accept it in person but Bill Heckle, chairman of Cavern City Tours, read a statement from McCartney in which he said more

Art show reveals another aspect of the Beatles

It's indisputable the Beatles made music that will stand the test of time.
Nor are they shabby in the art department. Three of the Fab Four -- John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr -- also dabble or dabbled in art. While not quite in the league of Picasso or Van Gogh, their works might surprise those who know them by music alone. "Revolution," opening Friday at the Galleria of Mt. Lebanon, features reproductions of works by Lennon, McCartney and Starr, photographs and other Beatles-related pieces. more

STILLS: Hey, hey, he's no Monkee

One of rock music's most enduring tales is the one about Stephen Stills' ill-fated audition to be one of the four stars of The Monkees, the late-'60s NBC-TV sitcom about a Beatles-like rock band. During a recent phone interview, Stills set the record straight: "I went down to try and sell them my songs," he explained. "I really didn't want to be on a sitcom. I wanted to have my own band. I wanted to reach a little higher. more

SPREADING HIS WINGS

This was a band on the run. Wings was the onetime solo band of ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his late wife, Linda. As a member of Wings from 1978 until the group disbanded in 1981, guitarist Laurence Juber worked alongside the McCartneys in the studio and on the road. Since his Wings days, Juber found success as a Grammy-winning composer/arranger. Juber — a champion of the "fingerstyle" guitar technique — is scheduled to give a concert tonight and a workshop on Saturday at the Monmouth Academy of Music in Marlboro. ALIVE: While working with Paul McCartney in the studio, was he an inspiration? Was he a taskmaster? more

Yoko Ono will speak in defence of Spector

A 12-member jury was on Thursday chosen to hear the murder trial of legendary music producer Phil Spector. Spector (67) is accused of shooting dead B-movie actress Lana Clarkson at his home in Los Angeles on 3 February 2003. Spector, who denies committing the murder, is alleged to have told police officers who arrived at his place immediately after the shooting: “I didn’t mean to shoot her.” He told Esquire magazine in 2003 that Clarkson shot herself. “She kissed the gun,” said Spector. Yoko Ono will be a character witness at the murder trial of Phil Spector. The widow of Beatle John Lennon will join Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards to testify in defence of Spector as he faces life in jail. more

Rolling Stone magazine celebrates its 40th anniversary

The echoes of the boomer generation reached a new crescendo Friday as Rolling Stone published an issue celebrating 40 loud years of life. So long a run surprises no one more than owner/founder Jann Wenner. “I had no vision for what the magazine would become,” he says. “It was just a slow build.” The climb began back on Nov. 9, 1967, with an issue that splashed John Lennon on its cover. Other magazines had tried to nail the sounds and sights of the boomer generation’s rise to power before, including Crawdaddy, more

Rare Beatles interviews to appear on Wippit

A rare catalogue of Beatles interviews and news reports will be made available for the first time through digital download shop Wippit. Users of the service will be able to download footage from the band at wippit.com/The_Beatles. The footage also includes a 23-minute ITN newsreel following the band's US tour in 1966, shortly after John Lennon's claims about being 'more popular than Christ.' ITN's head of music... more

Sean of the Family

The profile of Sean Lennon in the April 19 edition of Westword offers a glimpse into the life of a talented singer-songwriter still figuring out how to engage a public that prefers to view him in the context of his famous parents, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, rather than as a worthy performer in his own right. Below, get a fuller portrait thanks to a transcription of the entire interview. During the intriguing give-and-take, Lennon proved to be an extremely good listener, yet he was also extremely wary, as if he expected each question to become increasingly uncomfortable. Among the topics he touched upon are the contrast between sweet music and pained lyrics on his latest disc, Friendly Fire; more

CHEAP TRICK TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES AT SGT PEPPER PARTY

Rockers CHEAP TRICK have signed on to be the house band for a 40th anniversary celebration of THE BEATLES' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. The Surrender hitmakers will back a string of star vocalists who will perform tracks from the Sgt. Pepper's album, as well as other Beatles favourites, at the Hollywood Bowl celebration in August (07). Singers for the Sgt. Pepper's At 40: A Beatles Celebration shows are yet to be announced.


(c) contactmusic

Split hits Sir Paul's rich-listing rating

Sir Paul McCartney hasn't even agreed a divorce settlement with Heather Mills yet, but it's already caused him to fall out of the top 100 in this year’s rich list. The former Beatle has plummeted from being ranked the 65th richest person in Britain in last year's list to 102nd this time around. The estimation of the 64-year-old’s wealth is based upon financial experts' predictions that his divorce will cost him £100million. Nevertheless, he is still valued at £725million. Sir Paul’s placing in the rich list is the soundest indication so far of how much Miss Mills is likely to get in her settlement. Philip Beresford, compiler of the annual Sunday Times Rich List, said: "I took a provision on how much she was likely to get in a divorce settlement and estimated £100million of his fortune. more

New Paul McCartney single to air on Friday

The first single from Paul McCartney's upcoming album Memory Almost Full will be released to radio on Friday (April 20th). The news of the single, called "Ever Present Past," was posted on the chat board for studio technician Steve Hoffman's website. It was on Hoffman's site that the tracklisting and description of the upcoming album was first leaked. The track was described on the website stevehoffman.tv as being, "Musically quirky -- McCartney II (album) fans will love this one -- hooky and clever with great lyrics, addictive robotic rhythm, nifty distorted guitar riffs and terrific double-tracked vocals. Fully realized top-drawer 'Macca Pop' in every respect, (with the) opening line: 'I've got too much on my plate -- I've got no time to be a decent lover.' A+" more

The Song Remains the Same

"Hey everyone! Thanks for coming out," Travis Atria shouted from the stage of the Shamrock Pub last month. "This might be our last show." Shoulders slumped, heads hung and smiles turned upside down. Mouths gaped in disbelief. Eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I'm going to cry," someone said. "No!" shouted another. Judging by the crowd's hysterical reaction, you might guess a really famous band was breaking up. Not quite. The Shitty Beatles - known in Gainesville for stellar stage presence and an accurate interpretation of the Fab Four's original music, had announced their end. more

Piano That Belonged To John Lennon To Be Photographed At Davidian Site

As part of an effort “to promote peace and bring an end to violence,” a piano that belonged to former Beatle John Lennon will be photographed on the site of the Branch Davidian compound outside of Waco Thursday on the 14th anniversary of the deadly fire that ended the 51-day standoff between federal agents and followers of Davidian leader David Koresh. Musician George Michael and Dallas gallery owner Kenny Goss are partners in the project to photograph the piano, on which Lennon composed “Imagine” in 1971, at “locations in the United States and across the world where horrific acts of violence have taken place in order to spread the message of peace.” more

Beatle Paul McCartney takes a back seat in new Fidelity ads

Fidelity Investments has launched a new ad campaign that once again features former Beatle Paul McCartney. But this time he won't be performing from center stage. Previous advertisements for the Boston mutual fund giant featured the rock legend or his music front and center -- a way to connect with the baby boomers who are Fidelity's core customers. But three new spots, shown yesterday, feature just a few bars from 64-year-old McCartney's 1976 hit "Let 'em In," performed with the band Wings. The new ads focus on pairs of people who are making modest but pointed comments about their finances. more

Sir Paul is 'honoured' by tourism award win

THE list of awards won by Sir Paul McCartney down the years is already huge. Last night he earned another one – for his Outstanding Contribution to Tourism. He shared the award with his home city at the annual English tourism ''Oscars'' held in London. The winning partnership was one of 16 Gold awards to celebrate excellence in English tourism. more

Out of the Blue: Electric Light Orchestra

Three decades ago, ELO was a guilty pleasure for those addicted to Beatles-spawned, baroque electro-pop, with its layered harmonies and Jeff Lynne's catchy songwriting. Out of the Blue represents the height of the band's grandiosity, even if it is not the group's most focused effort (that honor goes to A New World Record). Just re-released with three nondescript bonus cuts, Out of the Blue includes one big hit, "Turn to Stone," a four-song suite of rain-related songs and a handful of unknown gems, including "It's Over" and the haunting, Santo-&-Johnny-inspired slide guitar of "Steppin' Out."

BY WAYNE GARCIA: Backspin

BUY: Out of the Blue




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Corinne Bailey Rae to release single from forthcoming album for Amnesty International

Corinne Bailey Rae is set to release the second single from the forthcoming Make Some Noise album for Amnesty International. Her version of John Lennon's 'I'm Losing You', from Lennon's 1980 album Double Fantasy, will be released on 23rd April. The singer -- who has been awarded platinum sales awards across the globe -- originally performed the track live for Amnesty International at last year's Oxegen Festival in Ireland and since recorded it with producer Gerard Albo. Corinne Bailey Rae said: 'The reason I am a member of Amnesty is because it acts as conscience for the world. It campaigns and screams and weeps and protests against injustice; it shames unjust governments, sets prisoners free, and promotes true freedom. Doing this one song was a small way to raise money for Amnesty. I was happy to do it. Plus, what a great song!' more

Here Comes the Sun

Even on a cloudy, stormy day, listening to Here Comes the Sun is sure to lift one's spirits. While most of The Beatles' catalog was penned by the songwriting team of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, this optimistic gem from the album "Abbey Road" was written by George Harrison. While known more for his guitar work with The Beatles than his songwriting, Harrison also contributed the classic, Something, to the album. Guitar players who want to take a swing at the signature guitar riff from the song can check out more

He's a believer

'So you better get ready," shouts the theme to the Monkees' 1960s TV series, "we may be comin' to your town!" Unless, of course, your town is Cleveland. Peter Tork - whose band Shoe Suede Blues visits East Setauket and Patchogue this week - says the Monkees merit consideration for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but one man opposes their induction. "The only person ... holding a grudge is Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone," says the former Monkee. The magazine editor "has never written a gracious word. He personally has the veto power to keep us out." How does the band - whose Emmy-winning show aped the Beatles' film "A Hard Day's Night" - rank against other inductees? Neither the Animals, the Rascals, the Lovin' Spoonful, the Dells, Del Shannon, Frankie Lymon nor Black Sabbath have more Top 20 singles than the Monkees' 10. Ratings aside, classics such as "Pleasant Valley Sunday" have aged better than the likes of Shannon, whose "Hat's Off to Larry" seems laughable as Hall justification. more

LENNON LID UP FOR AUCTION

An aluminium saucepan lid signed by JOHN LENNON and YOKO ONO is expected to fetch GBP1,200 ($2,340) at an auction in London. The musical duo signed the lid in felt tip pen at the Institute of Culinary Arts in London in September 1969, where their films were being screened. The listing for the sale reads, "This lid was obtained on September 10, 1969 at the Institute of Culinary Arts in London where... the couple were doing a 'Bag-In' on stage. "Each member of the audience was given a lid or baking tray to bang on while being secretly filmed." The item will go under the hammer at London auction house Christie's later this year (07).


JOHN LENNON - LENNON LID UP FOR AUCTION

Rolling Stone’s Top 25 Songs With a Secret

We really enjoyed poring over your conspiracy theory-strewn posts on our Songs With a Secret weekend rock list. There are some seriously amusing misconceptions about rock songs out there, and you mentioned many of them. There is often some ambiguity whenever anyone talks about the so-called real meaning of any song. You can’t always trust the artists to tell the truth about their sources of inspiration, journalists and fans all have conflicting interpretations especially regarding particularly juicy rumors. Still, after much careful consideration, we’ve come up with our official list of rock’s top 25 Songs With a Secret. These are tracks the meanings of which have inspired lots of debate. Let the debate continue! more

Spector Words May Hurt Him In Murder Trial

Lawyers in Phil Spector's murder trial are seeking to uncover hidden biases about celebrity defendants as they question prospective jurors individually. Jury selection was set to resume Monday, a month after potential jurors filled out questionnaires that included a section on their attitudes toward celebrities. Lawyers are to question them in person about whether they believe stars get a fair shake from the justice system, get away with crimes because of their status, or are treated preferentially by police. more

Los Lobos Record John Lennon

Texican band Los Lobos has recorded a cover of John Lennon's 'Whatever Gets You Through The Night' for the forthcoming 'Instant Karma: The Campaign To Save Darfur' project. On June 12th, Warner Brothers will release the album to raise funds for the catastrophe in Darfur, Sudan. The album will feature covers of John Lennon songs from U2, REM, Christina Aguilera and Green Day. The project is being produced with the support of Amnesty International and Yoko Ono. more

Heather Mills fell at the end of samba

Heather Mills has taken a nasty fall during a dance routine on the US television program Dancing With The Stars. The estranged wife of Paul McCartney was performing the samba with partner Jonathan Roberts when she slid and fell towards the end of the act. The pair received a score of 21 out of 30 points for the routine, and judges praised the 39-year-old star. Heather gathers her composure after sliding across the floor, Daily Mail reported. ''The fact that you fell at the end just reminds me of how amazing it is that you’re in this competition, because you run that risk every time you get on the floor,'' said judge Carrie Ann Inaba. Mills, performs with the aid of a prosthetic leg, has talked candidly about dancing with a disability. © TopNews

WHERE THERE'S A WILBURY THERE'S A WAY

The supergroup of five guitarists that was The Traveling Wilburys are to have their music reissued for the first time in a decade. The group consisting of George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and Bob Dylan recorded Volume 1 in a ten-day period in 1988, under the made up monikers of half-brothers and supposed sons of Charles Truscott Wilbury, Sr. The remastered and expanded version of the album that is now largely out of print in most territories will rather excitingly include rare previously unreleased tracks as well as some new mixes. Volume 3 which was released in 1990 after Orbison's death will also be combined with the first to create the "Traveling Wilbury's Collection". more

The Beatles finally coming to iTunes

Apple Corps, which represents The Beatles, has settled a £30m royalty dispute with EMI Group, removing the final obstacle preventing the band's music from going online. Apple Corps is owned by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the widows of John Lennon and George Harrison. The company began legal proceedings against EMI in December 2005, claiming that EMI owed more than £30m in unpaid royalties from sales between 1994 and 1999. Details of the settlement have not been disclosed, but EMI and Apple Corps said in a joint statement that they "settled last month on mutually acceptable terms". Apple Corps can now negotiate a new royalties deal with EMI to cater for online music downloads via sites like iTunes. more

Shankar's music still travels well

Ravi Shankar was already considered the dean of Indian music, playing to full houses at Carnegie Hall and in other major cities worldwide, when the Beatles' George Harrison discovered the music of the sitar master in the mid-1960s. Harrison's use of the 18-stringed instrument in the Beatles' song "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" and on the seminal "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album opened up a entirely new audience for Shankar, who will perform at Overture Hall on Tuesday. "George was like my son and friend all combined to me," said Shankar, 87, of the late Beatle, who died of cancer on Nov. 29, 2001. "I loved him very much and I miss him very much." more

Heather Mills Prostitute Sex Romp

Paul McCartney has wriiten a tribute to his ex-wife and Heather Mills has had a sex romp with a prostitute and an arab prince. Sir Paul McCartney has made a heartfelt tribute to late wife Linda on his new album. The Beatles legend - who was married to Linda for almost 30 years until she died from breast cancer in 1998 - has reportedly called his new record 'Memory Almost Full', an anagram of For My Soul Mate LLM. A source said: "It is a title Paul has been thinking about for a long time, even before Linda died." It has also been revealed the album has been inspired by his bitter split from second wife Heather Mills. The source added: "In many ways it's a break-up album. But it's also a homage to the woman who remains the true love of his life and his soulmate. "Paul sings about his never-ending love for Linda and his struggles with Heather." Paul and Linda, who married in 1969, have three children - Mary, Stella and James. Paul also adopted Linda's daughter Heather from her first marriage. The pair reportedly spent less than a week apart during their entire marriage. more

TV history just a click away

LANDMARK moments of TV and radio history will be available online as the BBC makes a million hours of programmes available - and the entire archive will be free. The radio and TV material, some of which has never been repeated, includes an interview with Martin Luther King filmed shortly before he was assassinated. Another is with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, in which the former Beatle talks candidly about the impact their relationship had on the band. more

The Buffalo News: Entertainment

Poor Sean Lennon was up against it. Beneath him boomed the exuberant strains of a dance-music-based drag show at Club Marcella. Down the street, the Pussycat Dolls were plying their third-hand dancepop wares at Shea’s. Lennon’s show turned into a battle between the schlocky and transient and the crafted and melodic. Lennon won, whether anyone knew it or not. Those patrons filling the Tralf on Sunday made the right choice. They were rewarded with an evening of splendid pop music, offered in a low-key fashion by the most famous son in the world and his outstanding band. more