Paul is Undead: The Beatles To Star In A Zombie Movie

Paul is Undead: The Beatles To Star In A Zombie Movie was a top story in May. Here is the recap: We're not sure how serious to take this report from NME. But Paul is Undead? How could we resist that? Here is part of their report: The Beatles are to be reborn as the undead in a new film adaptation of a graphic novel. The movie - entitled Paul Is Undead: The British Zombie Invasion - will show the band as zombies, after Doubles Features producers Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher brought the screen rights for Alan Goldsher's illustrated novel. [read more]

Abbey Road: All you need is ... a major sponsor

It's been a long and winding road for the North America's largest Beatles-inspired festival -- a road that might end too soon if Abbey Road on the River doesn't find a major sponsor. In the midst of its sixth year in Louisville and ninth overall, Abbey Road on the River is expected to draw its customary 20,000 spectators over five days on Memorial Day weekend. The festival ends on Monday. But the event has struggled to remain profitable since it lost its Fifth Third Bank sponsorship about two years ago, said festival producer and founder Gary Jacob. "We know we have created something that is spiritually very nourishing," Jacob said. "But this is hard to recreate. We lost a $150,000 sponsorship ... and we've managed to make it work regardless. I think we will continue to be in Louisville until it doesn't continue anymore. [read more]

King Crimson play The Beatles

Here's an unexpected cover from King Crimson: Adrian Belew, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn & Pat Mastelotto playing an improv into Tomorrow Never Knows on June 10th, 2000 in Warsaw. Was it planned?? Thje cover dstarts around 3:50 if you wanna jump in. This is a fairly adventurous cover but i think it fits the nature of the orig in having the souhnds swoop ing in. I'm gonna look for Adrian Belew doing Free as a Bird, have that somewhere (found &added in comments). Enjoy! LISTEN

Attendance at Abbey Road up

It’s the largest Beatles tribute festival in the world, Abbet Rd On The River in Louisville, Kentucky (was in Cleveland OH). This festival is great fun good for Beatles lovers, and I imagine for everyone living in the city. Thousands of people come to Louisville for Abbey Road, which means big bucks for the Louisville economy, and this year is going to be bigger than ever. 30,000 people, from 41 states and 15 countries, are expected to attend Abbey Road this year. Last year, with the struggling economy, attendance suffered and reportedly had Abbey Road organizers considering a move to another city. But they decided to give it one more try in Louisville, and it seems to have paid off. According to Jim Wood (Louisville convention Bureaa predient), attendance is up 25%! Too bad cleveland didn't try harder to keep Abbey Rd in their city, being that it is home to the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame and calls itself the Little Apple, they run their events like they run their sports teams, constantly missing the mark. But good on Kentucky and Abbey Rd for making it over the financial hump with the rest of us. It's too far for me to travel to, and Cleveland being in my backyard gives me the credentials to complain about them. ~ 9

The Rolling Stones Turn Retrospective

The Rolling Stones have been around for 48 years. For the first half of that time, they concentrated on making records, many of which were fantastic. For the second 24 years, the Stones focused their energies on extravagant and gigantic concert tours. Now, as the 50-year mark approaches, the Stones are finally entering their retrospective phase. This can be very lucrative: The Beatles have been repackaging their legacy for forty years, and a lot of us still get excited every time they open the vaults. The Stones have never done it - they never looked back. So it's big news for rock fans that the Stones have lately re-mastered, re-released, and added bonus material to one of their greatest albums, "Exile on Main Street." Mick Jagger, the least sentimental of rock stars, has at last dipped his toe into the river of retrospection. [read more]

“Like a Rolling Stone”by Dylan, the best song in history

Within a few years will make a half-century, but continues to move as if it had just been published. Like a Rolling Stone, the famous song by Bob Dylan in the album Highway 61 Revisited, 1965, was elected the best song ever by the U.S. magazine Rolling Stone, the bible of rock and pop. The new ranking of 500 most important songs in musical history was compiled by 200 experts and music appear in an upcoming issue of monthly. As the site tells of the Figaro, is not the first time that Rolling Stone draws up a chart like this: in 2003 the experts of the magazine had published a similar list and now have done nothing to upgrade. However, like 7 years ago, at the top of the list are confirmed for the most songs of the sixties and seventies, who continue to hold the golden age of rock. [read more]

For kings and commoners

The year was 1969. John Lennon and Yoko Ono opted to Give Peace A Chance and recorded the hit the same day they arrived at Le Méridien King Edward Hotel. Perhaps it was meant to be sardonic that the famous couple would begin their "bed-in" at a landmark hotel luxurious enough for the Queen. But whatever the reason, their stay was one in a series of scandalous soirées that brought the nicknamed King Eddy fame and secured a place in Toronto history. Now with the launch of the King Edward Private Residences, located on the south side of King Street East at Victoria Street, a piece of history can be yours. Residents can choose from 145 luxury condos from 500 to 2,000 square feet, with prices beginning in the low $400,000s. Read more: For kings and commoners

Beatles Add More Gold & Platinum Records In April

The Beatles already hold just about every album sales record there is, and with last year's re-issues of the Fab Four catalog, a number of their albums have added new Gold and Platinum honors. The RIAA has released its monthly list of certifications, with The Beatles In Stereo set certified triple-Platinum and The Beatles In Mono set going Platinum. Additionally, the Beatles' LOVE album from the Cirque du Soleil show of the same name was certified triple-Platinum.

Are The Beatles relevant to youth of Adelaide today

They have been covered by some of the greats, while many unknowns try to replicate their sound and success. With a hugely popular video game, numerous movies and a Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas, The Beatles simply cannot be ignored. Visits to Adelaide's music schools this week, however, showed that among our state's youth, the importance of The Fab Four and the iconic music they created more than 40 years ago is fading. [read more]

Sir Mick Jagger goes back to Exile

The sessions became notorious for their bacchanalian excesses, taking place amidst a nine-month, non-stop cocktail party in a sprawling villa that had supposedly once been a headquarters for the Gestapo. The result was a sprawling double album, Exile On Main Street, which has gone down in history as one of the band's best. Next week, they are re-releasing the record with 10 new tracks - including several recently rediscovered songs. An accompanying documentary, Stones In Exile, will premiere in Cannes, before screening on BBC One on Sunday, 23 May. [read more at bbc news]

Paul McCartney to Play Nashville for First Time

It’s hard to believe, but in his decades-long career as a member of The Beatles, Wings or as a solo musician, Paul McCartney has never played Music City, U.S.A. On Monday, July 26, McCartney will perform in Nashville for the first time ever. Macca is bringing his Up and Coming 2010 Tour to the Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville. [read more]

Paul McCartney: Drugs Stretched The Beatles

Paul McCartney is reported as saying that drugs assisted The Beatles’ songwriting development from ‘Rubber Soul’ onwards. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, the former Beatle said that LSD and marijuana were “probably quite important. It was a development thing”. "It's difficult… It certainly made us stretch further than we might otherwise, from ‘Rubber Soul’ onwards. But I have the problem now - now that things have got a bit out of control - of not wanting to be seen advocating it. ’Cos we did some pretty good work before that, as well. It's not a requirement."

McCartney concert to be shown for free

A concert given by Paul McCartney in Mexico City today will be broadcast to residents for free. The event will be shown on giant screens in a plaza at Chapultapec Park, reports The AP. The park is located in the city centre and can hold up to 10,000 people. The former Beatles singer is performing two shows in the Mexican capital, though no screens were set up for yesterday's show. Nearly 100 people have been camped outside McCartney's hotel in the hope of seeing the star. Source

Imprisoned, Phil Spector is credited as producer of wife's new CD

Music producer Phil Spector was legendary for his work with Tina Turner, the Ronettes and the Beatles. But certainly his greatest feat would seem to be the release this summer of a new CD proclaiming him as its producer while he sits in Corcoran State Prison, serving 19 years to life for the second-degree murder of struggling actress Lana Clarkson. The new CD is the work of his wife, fledgling singer Rachelle Spector — and it was produced before he went to prison last year. Rachelle, 29, met her 70-year-old husband at Dan Tana's, the old-style Italian restaurant and bar hangout. They met just months after Clarkson died of a gunshot wound in the producer's Alhambra mansion on Feb. 3, 2003. Rachelle said she had no clue about his fame — or his infamy — that night. [read more]

Rolling Stone 500: Top Beatles Songs

It should come as no surprise that The Beatles have more songs in Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" than any other group or solo artist. How much one agrees with the songs Rolling Stone has chosen is a matter of personal taste (maybe), but their Beatle choices are full of good melodies and history-making accomplishments in pop music. And there's even one that Ringo sang! [read more]

The songs they banned

It's almost exactly 43 years to the day since BBC suits heard The Beatles' ‘A Day In The Life' and deemed it too far out for the British public. It wasn't the increasingly experimental band's decision to bolt together a host of different sections, including the spectacular orchestral crescendo, that upset their ears. What the network took great offence at were the lyrics, particularly John Lennon's supposedly druggy refrain of "I'd love to turn you on". Nowadays the landmark ‘Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' track is little short of an unofficial national anthem and no one would dream of criticising, let alone outlawing, it. [read more]

The Daily Throwdown: John Lennon vs. Paul McCartney

Welcome back to our regular feature on Gibson.com, “The Daily Throwdown,” where we give you two videos and you battle it out in the comments section to determine the winner. Today we pit Beatle against Beatle. Following the break-up of the Fab Four, Lennon and McCartney got into some musical warfare. Lennon, sensing that some lyrics on Ram were a Macca-attack, shot back with the seething “How Do You Sleep?” on 1971’s Imagine. McCartney then returned fire with “Let Me Roll It” on 1973’s Band on the Run. Hey, what happened to “All You Need is Love”? Plus, John enlisted the help of George Harrison on his track, making it a battle of two Beatles against one. Is this a fair fight? That’s for you to decide. [read more/gibson.com

Phil Spector documentary screening

The Agony and Ecstacy of Phil Spector is set to be shown in WA for the first time. Featuring the first major interview with the music producer, it will be set to a soundtrack of his hits. Spector is famed for producing John Lennon's solo work, The Ramones and tracks like You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' and Let It Be. The documentary will be screened at 7pm of June 14 at FTI Cinema in Fremantle. Tickets are $10 or $5 for concession available online through www.fti.asn.au Source

McCartney: 'Drugs made Beatles stretch'

Paul McCartney has admitted the importance of hallucinogenic drugs in the history of The Beatles. However, McCartney told The Daily Telegraph that drug use is not essential for bands to push themselves forward. When asked how important LSD and marijuana were to the group's work, McCartney replied: "Um, er, probably quite important. It was a development thing. "It's difficult - I think the answer is quite. It certainly made us stretch further than we might otherwise, from Rubber Soul onwards. But I have the problem now - now that things have got a bit out of control - of not wanting to be seen advocating it. ’Cos we did some pretty good work before that, as well. It's not a requirement." Of touring while being a father to a 6-year-old, he added: "I don't work when I have my little one. I’m actually on the road very much half the time. "So when I do tour, I'm kind of hungry, and the gigs are normally quite choice - it's Hyde Park, or it's the Isle of Wight, or it's Coachella, or it's Hampden Park. The thing is, when I am on tour, it's very visible, and people say, 'God, you're so busy'. I'm actually not. Compared to how The Beatles used to tour, it's skiving off. It’s like saggin' off school." Source: Digital Spy

Beatlemania coming to Louisville on Thursday

Beatlemania returns to Louisville on Thursday. The five-day "Abbey Road on the River" kicks off with a concert on the roof of the Louisville Visitors Center downtown. Abbey Road on the River is the largest Beatles festival in the country. More than 30,000 people are expected to attend the event on the Belvedere this year. It's expected to bring in over $2 million. "The music of the Beatles really crosses all cultures and generations," said Ali Shawn, the spokesperson for the event. [read more]

Paul McCartney - "The Lovely Linda"

Similar to how Barry Lenser set out to profile every song by the Beatles in a series of Sound Affects posts last year, I’ve decided to do the same for the solo work of Paul McCartney. In this installment, we take a look at “The Lovely Linda” the first track off McCartney’s first solo album, McCartney. Though McCartney was a No.1 hit album that went double platinum in the US, it is still mostly remembered for the controversy behind it. Released the same month as Let It Be, it spelled the end of the Beatles. To this day, certain fans blame McCartney for the group’s break-up, and comments by his former bandmates about the quality of his early solo work didn’t help matters much. [read more]

Win Tickets to See Ringo Starr

Barbara Petty, publisher of Boom! Magazine, a monthly publication dedicated to the active lifestyle of those 45 and older, has announced that the magazine is teaming up with the Durham Performing Arts Center in support of the July 11 appearance of former Beatles member Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band. Boom! and DPAC are offering area residents an opportunity to win tickets through a Beatlemania contest.

“The Beatles are not only musical icons, but they helped shape the culture that so many boomers grew up in,” says Petty. “We are excited to give our readers an opportunity to see a true legendary performer.”

Contest entrants must submit an essay of no more than 700 words sharing their favorite Beatles memory. Topics could include: a favorite Beatle band member, a Beatles concert you attended or a favorite Beatles song. Essays should be in an electronic Word document and e-mailed to Barbara@boomnc.com with the subject line “Ringo Starr Contest.” The deadline for submissions is June 15, 2010.

Contest prizes include:

First Place
• Two tickets to the July 11 performance
• Dinner at a local restaurant prior to the concert (location TBD)
• VIP parking
• Entrance to DPAC President’s Club VIP Program
• Limited edition poster
Second Place
• Two tickets to the July 11 performance
• Limited edition poster
Third Place
• Limited edition poster

In addition, the top two essays selected will be published in the July issue of Boom! Magazine. Questions regarding the contest can be sent to Barbara@boomnc.com. Additional details can be found on the Boom! Facebook page (facebook.com/#!/pages/Cary-NC/Boom-Magazine/199296625318?ref=ts) or in the June issue of Boom! Magazine out June 1. Press Release

Yoko Ono To Share Her Knowledge Of The Music Scene

Yoko Ono is set to appear at the fourth annual Music Seminar with Livings Legends in Cannes, France, at the end of June. "Yoko Ono needs no introduction to anyone touched by the music scene for more than 40 years," said Tim Mellors, director of Grey Group, the advertising firm that is running the event. Mellors, who will interview Ono at the seminar, added, "Her marriage to and influence on John Lennon is legendary . . . Her deep knowledge of the alternative music scene and people like John Cage, the founder of Fluxus, are seldom given the credit due for their influence on Lennon's solo career." [read more]

Catcher

There was no shortage of conspiracy theories clinging to JD Salinger at his death earlier this year, but among the weirdest was that the writer of The Catcher in the Rye was somehow responsible for the death of John Lennon. Richard Hurford's play suggests that – indirectly – he was. After shooting Lennon on the steps of New York's Dakota building, Mark David Chapman remained at the scene, reading a copy of Salinger's novel in which he had inscribed: "This is my statement". [read more]

Did the Rolling Stones' music go downhill after the Beatles broke up?

Reader Neil McCarthy responded to my recent interview with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards about the expanded reissue of the Rolling Stones’ 1972 album “Exile on Main St.” with an intriguing theory that’s been voiced by others over the years. In short, McCarthy thinks the Stones’ music started on a downhill slide around 1970, when the Beatles broke up — and he suggests that was no coincidence. “I've never felt ‘Exile’ was anything but a sloppy attempt to match the Beatles’ White Album. Understand, I love the Stones and loved them -- I was born in 1950 and early on (1965) 'knew' this is my group….Anyway their best albums, for me, were ‘Aftermath,’ ‘Between The Buttons’ (truly truly so underrated and, so, not listened to, but ohhh what a masterpiece) and ‘Beggars Banquet.’ With the passing of the Beatles,” McCarthy wrote, “the Stones truly seemed to lose their footing in 'manning up' to produce truly great tunes.” [read more]

Mills considers adoption

Sir Paul McCartney's ex-wife Heather Mills could become the latest celebrity to adopt. The former model is considering taking on another child. The reality TV star has a six-year-old daughter, Beatrice, with the Beatles legend, who she divorced in 2008. Mills hasn't ruled out adding to her brood, but she's adamant she will adopt rather than fall pregnant, because she doesn't want to overpopulate the world. She says, "I wouldn't have another child because the world is already too overpopulated but I might adopt one." [Source]

Paul McCartney chats about sex, drugs and zombies

In a glass case on the desk in Sir Paul McCartney's office sits a pair of spectacles that used to belong to the surrealist painter Rene Magritte. Sir Paul was given them by his late wife, Linda, who'd bought them at a sale staged by Magritte's widow, Georgette. And they're under glass because, he tells me: "I managed to break them once, just by playing with them. And I thought, 'I shouldn't be breaking Magritte's spectacles!'" Indeed, the 67 year-old adores Magritte (as does Yoko Ono, who has a remarkable collection of the Belgian-born artist's work) and the thought of it brings back a Magritte-related memory from the Fab Four's psychedelic heyday: "Yeah, that was the coolest thing ever," McCartney says, the Scouse still evident in his voice, a voice that mixes joviality with steeliness (a reminder that the cheeky chappie of his "thumbs up' photographs is also the tough cookie who dared to sue his three fellow Beatles). [read more]

Sir Paul McCartney to Perform at Old Vic Gala, Kevin Spacey to Host

Sir Paul McCartney will headline The Old Vic's inaugural fundraiser to be held on June 30 at the Boiler House in Battersea Power Station in London, according to a report on Whatsonstage.com. Kevin Spacey will host the event which will concurrently celebrate the theater's 192nd birthday and raise funds to repair the roof of the theater, which has been deteriorating since it was damaged originally during World War II. McCartney's performance will also raise funds for his own charity, Meat Free Monday, which works to raise awareness of the impact meat production and consumption has on the environment. Additional performers will be announced at a later date. In addition to the performance, the evening will feature a champagne reception, dinner and art auction. For further information, visit Whatsonstage.com or www.oldvictheatre.com. Source

A VISIT WITH BEATLES ROYALTY - LOUISE HARRISON

Louise Harrison has long been considered Beatles Royalty. Beatle George Harrison's sis is den mother to Beatles fans the world over and, most importantly, for four decades, 'Mum' to the most legendary Band in the history of recorded music. Recently, the news services reported that Sir Paul McCartney had come to pay a visit in Branson, where Louise presents her Liverpool Legends Beatles tribute at The Mansion Theatre. Louise happened to be out of town at the time and learned of the visit too late to connect.

Born in Liverpool, the first child and only daughter of Harold and Louise Harrison, Louise was already in the United States when the family sent word about The Beatles' successes in Liverpool and Hamburg. Working with manager Brian Epstein, she began to promote her kid brother's band. A result was the phenomenon unequalled in music history – the ultimate arrival - New York - and Beatlemania!

Since those days pitching radio stations, Louise has hosted her own radio show; and created, written and produced 170 environmental public service announcements, backed by George's song "Save the World" for 9,200 Westwood One and ABC satellite radio stations. She's appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live," "Good Morning America," "The Today Show;" with feature articles in Rolling Stone, People magazine and more.

In 2005, Louise founded Louise Harrison Entertainment, Ltd – to present her tribute band Liverpool Legends. The Band's extravagant, multi-media/costumed show, uncanny performances and knowledge of the Beatles stratospheric rise draws legions of loyal followers. No surprise, the Band is hand-picked by Louise!

Today, in addition to interviews, Liverpool Legends concerts and tours, Louise fulfills speaking engagements requested by colleges and universities, corporate events and a worldwide network of many-generational Beatles fan clubs.

As she's done for 45 years, George Harrison's sis is 'the real deal,' bringing corporate and public audiences her stories, reminiscences and her personal dedication to fulfilling the impact of brother George and The Beatles on this planet. PRESS RELEASE

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Kevin Spacey 'Thrilled' By Mccartney Benefit Concert

KEVIN SPACEY is set to team up with SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY to help save the roof of his London theatre - the former BEATLE has agreed to perform a benefit concert to raise funds. The Hollywood actor is the artistic director of the Old Vic theatre company, based in a venue of the same name in south London. The theatre's roof has leaked since it was damaged by bombing raids during World War II, and Spacey has been campaigning for funding to have the problem fixed. Spacey he has now recruited MCCartney to play a one-off benefit show to help raise money, and he's delighted the musician agreed to perform at the event, which will also include an art auction. [read more]

Facebook: Beatles Number 9

Last week Beatles Number 9 launched a Facebook fanpage for it's users to share their Beatles love with each other. Consisting of different kinds of possts, from bits of news, videos, trivia, etc, fans can interact with each other and Beatles Number 9. If you decide to "like" the page (the new button that replaced the "become a fan" button), you'll become a member (if you have a Facebook account). To be good a member of any page make some posts, comment and click the like post and/or share post buttons. To help the page grow, scroll to the bottom left to find a share button and click it. Doing these things will keep the page updates in your newsfeed so you don't miss an important post. You'll find a video link to every Beatle song in the notes tab and two disussions just started in the discussion tab section. To check it out for yourself and recommend to your friends just click this link: Beatles Number 9 on Facebook

Paul McCartney to be honoured by Barack Obama at White House concert

Paul McCartney is to receive one of the United States' most important music awards, the Gershwin prize for popular song. Stevie Wonder, Jack White and the Jonas Brothers will pay tribute to the former Beatle at the White House next month, in a concert presided over by President Barack Obama. If giving McCartney another award seems a little like giving the sun a temperature prize, er, you're right. But the Gershwin prize isn't meant to honour the obscure and underrated; it's an accolade for the heavy-hitters, a PR showpiece, a chance to bring Elvis Costello and Corinne Bailey Rae face to face with Obama and the man who wrote Spies Like Us. [read more]

The tragical history tour

Imagine no more gawkers. Residents and neighbors of the Upper West Side’s famed Dakota building are battling back against an invasion of tour buses packed with passengers straining to catch a glimpse of the site where John Lennon was slain. Thirty years after the Beatles star was gunned down outside the building where he lived, the site still draws curiosity seekers. And with them come noisy, gas-guzzling, pollution-spewing, traffic-snarling buses, many from as far away as Canada. “They are an inconvenience and a nuisance,” said Gail Bell, a Dakota resident since 1996. “When the tourists get out, they block the entire sidewalk and you can’t get back into your building. It’s dangerous because many times, the buses block the intersection. They block the vision of the pedestrian walking across. I’ve seen people nearly killed.” [read more]

Gardens galore at Chelsea show

Celebrities were getting a sneak preview of this year's Chelsea Flower Show yesterday as exhibitors unveiled displays with features ranging from giant lock gates to a section of wrought iron bridge and a swimming pool with submerged bar seats. The serious business of judging the gardens was also under way yesterday before the world famous horticultural event opened to the public today. The Queen and other royals were also touring the flower show, visiting exhibitions including a garden inspired by Professor Stephen Hawking. The hundreds of exhibitors and designers spent the weekend putting the finishing touches to the 15 show gardens, 21 small gardens and hundreds of exhibits at the west London site. [read more]

Peace sign an enduring cultural icon

Peace. John Lennon sang about giving it a chance. Mohandas Gandhi stated that it is its own reward. And Gerald Holtom, a socially conscious textile designer from Twickenham, England, created a visual signifier that has since attained world-wide recognition as the symbol for the word since its debut in 1958. We wear it on our T-shirts, draw it on our notebooks and dangle it from our ears. But what do we really know about this symbol that is so much a part of our culture? What has come to be known as the peace sign, it is possibly the most encoded and decoded symbol of pop culture. When it was created, Holtom encoded it with a message of nuclear disarmament semaphorically combining the letter "n" and the letter "d" but through social change of generations, the peace sign has become a channel for multiple meanings. [read more]

Starr Kicks of New Season of PBS' `Artists Den'

Ringo Starr kicks off a second season of the public television series "Live From the Artists Den" with a performance that will be shown the week of his 70th birthday. The series captures artists in intimate, unusual settings. The former Beatle's concert will air on PBS stations the week of July 5 at different times in different markets, the series distributor, American Public Television, said Monday. Starr performs with Ben Harper and Harper's band in a show taped at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Starr turns 70 on July 7.

Mccartney Annoyed By Nowhere Boy

SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY has yet to watch JOHN LENNON biopic NOWHERE BOY - because he's "peeved" the actor playing his role is too short. The film stars Kick-Ass' Aaron Johnson as Lennon, while Thomas Sangster portrays MCCartney in the story of the late Beatle's early years. But MCCartney is not happy about the height difference between the onscreen pair - because he was just as tall as his Beatles bandmate in real life and insists movie bosses should have put Sangster in "platforms" to make up the extra inches. He tells Britain's Seven magazine, "I haven't actually seen it, but I hear I'm OK in it. But you know what I'm slightly peeved about? My character, my actor, is shorter than John! And I don't like that. I'm the same size as John, please. Put John in a trench or put me in platforms!" [read more]

Stevie Wonder, Other Stars to Honor Paul McCartney

The Jonas Brothers, Faith Hill, Stevie Wonder and Jerry Seinfeld are among an all-star lineup that will honor Paul McCartney next month at the White House. McCartney will receive the third Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress. It will be presented at a concert June 2 in the East Room of the White House. Performers announced Monday also will include White Stripes singer and guitarist Jack White, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello and others. Last year, President Barack Obama presented Wonder with the nation's highest award for pop music. Paul Simon won the first Gershwin prize in 2007. The concert for McCartney will be televised July 28 nationwide on PBS. © AP

Raga Reloaded

Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar has floated an online music distribution label, Eastmeetswestmusic, headquartered in New York. Even at 90, Shankar has not forgotten to move with the times. “The label is an effort to bridge the gap between me and my audience. It is founded in a great desire to enlarge the audience that is drawn to the musical language I love and continue to study ,” says Shankar in an e-mail from California . At Eastmeetswestmusic.com, launched in February, you can download The Nine Decade Series, a 1968 album recorded on the banks of the Ganga, or Raga, a documentary made by George Harrison. [read more]

Paul Mccartney Works Round Daughter

Sir Paul McCartney says his six-year-old daughter controls his work. The former Beatle won't tour when he has custody of Beatrice - his child with ex-wife Heather Mills - and says she is the biggest priority in his life. He said: "What happens is, I don't work when I have my little one. I'm actually on the road very much half the time. So when I do tour, I'm kind of hungry, and the concerts are usually quite choice - it's Hyde Park, or it's the Isle of Wight, or it's Coachella. "The thing is, when I'm on tour, it's quite visible and people say, 'God you're so busy.' I'm actually not. Not compared to how The Beatles used to tour." McCartney - who is currently dating American heiress Nancy Shevell - is amazed by the age range of fans who come to his concerts and admits his songs are connecting with younger generations. The legendary musician added in an interview with Seven magazine: "My audience now, strangely, is this multigenerational thing that I'd never expected. You're getting people that are older than me, people of my age, people of my elder kids' age and then their kids' ages. So there are normally about four generations. I find it quite emotional. It's amazing." Source Contactmusic

Bristol photographer Terry O'Neill shares fond memories of The Beatles

TERRY O'Neill must have been born lucky. His first day as a photographer on the Daily Sketch saw him being sent to snap a new band from up north. Moments later, he was shaking hands with four confident young Scousers called John, Paul, George and Ringo. Within his first year as a Fleet Street snapper he had taken both the first public shot of The Beatles and the last public shot of Winston Churchill. There is perhaps, no greater illustration of the fact that behind his 35mm camera, Terry was one of the best-placed witnesses to history as it happened – as an era of cultural revolution swept through Britain. "The Sixties was an incredible time," he said. "It was when we Eastenders invaded the West End and made it our own. I was lucky. Seriously lucky. I was in the right place at the right time. Of course, it then took a certain amount of skill to translate that into memorable pictures. But the luck came first." That early 1963 shot of the Fab Four will be one of the pictures on show at the exhibition, which runs until June 9. [read more]

Remembering Stu Sutcliffe

"I felt I knew Stuart because hardly a day went by that John did not speak about him." --Yoko Ono On April 10, 1962, Stuart Sutcliffe was rushed by ambulance to the hospital in Hamburg, Germany. By his side was his fiance, painter Astrid Kirchherr. Sutcliffe died of a brain hemorrhage before reaching the hospital. He was 21 years old--and one of the founding members of The Beatles. Stuart Sutcliffe's tenure with the Beatles was short, yet his impact should not be overlooked. He is better remembered for his artwork than for any musical contribution to The Beatles. He first met John Lennon whilst they were both students at the Liverpool College of Art. John was in awe of Sutcliffe. His artistic talent coupled with his mop of wild hair and dark sunglasses dazzled Lennon. Stu already had the aura of stardom; John Lennon was determined that they must become friends. [read more]

Macca stokes the loving flames

When my friend Patrick Rocca died in January 2009, I wrote in his obituary that whenever I saw Patrick and his wife Annette together, I immediately thought of a song by Paul McCartney: "When we kiss, nothing feels the same/I can spend eternity inside your lovin' flame." In a way, that's where Patrick will remain for eternity. Inside Annette's loving flame. The author of those lyrics is almost in tears. "Ahhhh, that is very very nice," Paul McCartney says. "Thank you. I am emotionally moved. I am sounding like an old hippy. But that's so beautiful, man." I tell him that I'm having lunch with his daughter Mary in Dublin on Friday. "You're a very lucky man," he beams. "Ask her: 'How much do you love your daddy?'" [read more]

Liverpool celebrates John Lennon's life

Remembering Lennon. This year marks 70 years since the birth of Beatle John Lennon in Liverpool, England, and 30 years since his death in New York City. Liverpool is hosting the John Lennon Tribute Season, a series of cultural events -- live music, film, poetry and art events -- to celebrate his life. It will start on his Oct. 9 birthday and end on Dec. 9, the day after the anniversary of his murder. Some of the events planned are the Lennon Remembered tribute concert, a birthday celebration at the Cavern Club, an international poetry competition, film festival and visual art exhibitions. [read more]

Music festivals follow Abbey Road

Forty years after the Fab Foursome's official split, they are the subject of one of the region's most popular late spring/summer music festivals: Louisville's Abbey Road on the River. This "all things Beatles" fest with outdoor and indoor events occurs over Memorial Day weekend - Thursday through May 31 - at Belvedere Festival Park and Galt House Hotel, downtown, and is expected to draw 35,000 fans. It showcases approximately 60 Beatles-tribute or -influenced acts from throughout the world, including Hard Dazed Knights from Nova Scotia, Luv Me Deux from Florida, Revolver from Scotland and the Norwegian Beatles. [read more]

Sir Paul McCartney to play concert at the White House, receive award from President Obama

Paul McCartney is to be honored with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at the White House in a special ceremony by President Barack Obama. McCartney will also perform in the White House with some of the musicians and perfomers that he has influenced. A 90-minute program featuring the award and the concert, "Paul McCartney In Performance At The White House -- Library of Congress Gershwin Award" will air on PBS stations in the U.S. at 8 p.m. ET July 28. [read more]

Scorsese takes on Harrison

Among other things, Scorsese says he related to Harrison's quest for "spirituality," something the filmmaker has explored his whole life, and especially in movies from Mean Streets to Kundun. "That subject matter has never left me," said Scorsese. "The more you're in the material world, the more there is a tendency for a search for serenity and a need to not be distracted by physical elements that are around you." "He always said he gave his nervous system for the Beatles," Olivia Harrison added. Olivia initiated the current project several years ago after having been approached by numerous production companies looking to make a documentary about Harrison from the moment he died of cancer in 2001. [read more]

What John Lennon might say to Sir Elton and a Call for 21st Century Artists Against Apartheid

What John Lennon might say to Sir Elton and a Call for 21st Century Artists Against Apartheid. "All I want is the truth. Just gimme some truth. I've had enough of reading things by neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians. All I want is the truth. Just gimme some truth."-John Lennon, 1971. Sir Elton Hercules John, is scheduled to perform in Tel Aviv on June 17, 2010. Four decades ago, Israel banned The Beatles fearing their revolutionary message of love and peace would corrupt their youth. [read more]

'Beatles in L.A.' tour hits historic spots Saturday starting 10 a.m.

The Beatles visited Los Angeles in 1964, 1965 and 1966 and left behind a fascinating history now available to the public by way of a unique guided tour, the next one scheduled for Saturday, May 22 starting at 10 a.m. Gillian Lomax, British-born Beatles news reporter on L.A. radio stations 97.1 KLSX and 95.5 KLOS, takes fans on a three-to-four-hour "Magical History Tour" through the lives of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr and their wild times in the City of the Angels. [read more]

Scorsese documentary features unheard George Harrison recordings

There must be something about being a great artist that requires you to hide material to keep people satisfied for years after your death. Which is remarkable, considering how much money they could get for this hidden material while they are alive. Well, the biggest rock band of all time somehow still has material out in the world that the public has yet to hear, but the best director in the world is bringing some of it to the light of day. Martin Scorsese, who needs no introduction, has been working for some time on a documentary on the life of George Harrison, who also needs no introduction. While at Cannes, Scorsese revealed some details about the project that should have Beatles‘ fans frothing at the mouth. [read more]

MTV Disappointed With Beatles: Rock Band Sales In Europe

The hype for The Beatles: Rock Band seemed uncontrollable before the game's release last fall, but how did it end up performing overall? In Europe, at least, the answer is not as good as MTV had hoped. Speaking to MCV, MTV general manager Scott Guthrie flat-out admitted, "We were expecting higher sales" of The Beatles: Rock Band in Europe. Guthrie believes this was due to a number of factors, including global economic problems: “We got caught in a few things that happened last year. [read more]

Grey Partners With Yoko Ono In Music Seminar At Cannes

Grey New York announced today that its fourth annual Music Seminar with Living Legends will feature Yoko Ono on Friday, June 25, at the Debussy. The 2010 Cannes event follows three years of high popularity for the Grey music seminar with legends Stevie Van Zandt in 2009, Tony Bennett in 2008, and John Legend and Donavan in 2007. Yoko Ono is multimedia artist who constantly challenges the traditional boundaries of art, known for her groundbreaking conceptual and performance pieces, experimental films and music. In Grey's annual seminar on music and its place in marketing communications, Yoko Ono will discuss today's music scene and the impact on brands and bands, her own adventurous music and performance art created over a high-profile lifetime, perhaps never as critically appreciated as it is today, and her extraordinary life with John Lennon and raising her musician son Sean Lennon. Yoko will be interviewed by Tim Mellors, Worldwide Creative Director of Grey Group, and introduced by Josh Rabinowitz, Director of Music, Grey New York. [read full press release]

The Making of John Lennon: Eight People Who Profoundly Influenced the Late Beatle as a Songwriter

To say John Lennon was a sponge, in the sense that he soaked up the creative genius of others, is putting it mildly. Although his songs are strikingly original, behind the material lies an artist steeped in the work of such iconic figures as comedian Lenny Bruce, poet Allen Ginsberg, and yes, the great Chuck Berry. Even as his songs became more sophisticated, the work remained tethered to formative influences that never changed. Below are eight people who shaped his work most profoundly. [read more]

Paul McCartney to play the White House?

Is Paul McCartney going to be a guest of the Obamas? McCartney did his first-ever web chat Thursday. At the end he said he had a little bit of news but could only give a clue: "Think 'White House." Think "playing White House."' He says if there is an announcement mentioning the White House, remember fans heard it first from him on his web chat, or what he called "this live thingie-cast."

John Lennon monument artist reveals love of Liverpool

The artist behind a John Lennon peace monument has spoken of her love for Liverpool. Lauren Voiers, the American who has designed the sculpture, said she is "honoured" the piece will be sited in the city - possibly in Liverpool ONE. And she can't wait to return to Merseyside after good experiences on her first trip. Lauren, 22, said: "I visited the city last march and absolutely loved it. The people were so friendly and warm, and the Albert Dock is wonderful. "I can't wait to come back." And the painter is excited about the creatiom of the monument, which she has designed to be made out of metal and glass. [read more]

Paul McCartney Adds Dates In Utah, California To Up And Coming Tour

Paul McCartney has added a pair of new dates to his Up and Coming Tour, scheduling his first ever show in Utah on July 13 at the new Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy. The former Beatle will also return to San Francisco for the first time since the Beatles' 1966 concert at Candlestick Park. McCartney will play at the San Francisco Giants' AT&T park on July 10. Tickets for the shows will go on sale next Tuesday, with prices ranging from $49.50 to $250. Presale tickets are already available and more information can be found on McCartney's official website. [read more]

Author denies claims Lennon Biography is 'fiction'

A Beatles author who wrote the life story of John Lennon in the form of a novel has spoken-out to defend her work against critics who dismissed it as "fiction". In 1986 Jude Southerland Kessler decided to write a Beatles' biography in the form of a documented, historical novel and has dedicated herself to the task for more than two decades. Her first work was the biographical novel on the life of John Lennon "Shoulda Been There" which was greeted with scorn from some critics who claimed much of the content was 'invented'. [read more]

Ringo Starr U.S. Tour

Former Beatle, Ringo Starr, is gearing up for an American tour this Summer with stops across the country. The 69-year-old rocker from Liverpool, England will play gigs in places like Boston, Atlantic City, Cincinnati, Atlanta, South Florida, San Diego and Los Angeles. Starting June 24 in Niagra Falls, Starr will hit five states in the northeast before he heads to Ohio in July, then finishes in California by August. In January, Starr released his fifteenth studio album 'Y Not.'

Fans Can Chat with Paul McCartney Today

Paul McCartney fans can log on to ustream.tv today at 5 p.m. (GMT, Noon EST) for a webchat with the melody master. Paul will be beamed live from his studio in Sussex across the globe and will answer questions put to him during the exclusive broadcast. Macca is currently preparing for next week’s stadium shows in Mexico before his Up and Coming Tour heads to the U.K. and Ireland in June for five shows, concluding with his performance in Hyde Park on June 27, as part of the Hard Rock Calling Festival.

For the webchat, log on to www.ustream.tv/paulmccartney. McCartney will be online for 20 minutes.

Traveling Wilburys, Volume 1 - The Traveling Wilburys (1988)

POSSIBLY one of the best supergroup offerings, the birth of The Traveling Wilburys was a happy accident. In early April 1988, George Harrison needed to record a B-side for a European single, This Is Love. Harrison's collaborator Jeff Lynne, was producing some tracks for Roy Orbison, and Orbison and Lynne agreed over dinner to help. Needing a studio on short notice, Harrison suggested they call Bob Dylan, who had a home studio. After dinner, George stopped by Tom Petty's house to pick up his guitar and invited him along, too. The following day, they wrote and recorded the song Handle With Care in five hours, with all five sharing the vocals. [read more]

Hoffman: Book details hidden work of Beatles

There are hundreds of books about the Beatles — and I've read most of them — but none ever kept me peeled like Beatles Deeper Undercover, an updated version of Kristofer Engelhardt's 1998 intense narrative discography of the lads' contributions to other artists' recordings. Engelhardt is an all-around Beatles buff and veteran producer of Ringo Starr's solo tours. If any of the Beatles so much as cleared his throat, strummed a chord or, in the case of Paul McCartney, fired up a chain saw on a recording, the episode is in the book in precise and exact detail. McCartney played a mean chain saw. In 1994, McCartney invited the band Nervous to record tracks at his home studio. While the band was rehearsing, McCartney was outside doing yard work with a chain saw. The band liked the roar of the power tool and invited McCartney to bring it into the studio. Fumes from the chain saw set off the smoke detector, and the fire department was called. By the end of the day, McCartney, the chain saw and a chorus of firefighters all contributed to the track called, naturally, The Chain Saw Song. [read more]

Harmonix Says You'll Be "Surprised" At How Big Rock Band 3 Is

Rock Band 3 will be introduced in the next few weeks. It's unclear what Harmonix has planned, though Dhani Harrison, the son of the late George Harrison and who collaborated with Harmonix on The Beatles: Rock Band, has said Rock Band 3 will teach people to play music. Harmonix are even upping expectations a bit on their official blog, too. "Stay tuned over the next few weeks and months as we chat about some of the in-depth details that make up Rock Band 3," said lead designer Dan Teasdale, setting the stage for the game's upcoming reveal with a tease. "I think you'll be surprised at just how big this game really is." It sounds like Rock Band 3 could be something a bit more than Rock Band 2 with more music. The prospect of a video game teaching me to learn a bit more about the music I love (and probably get me to pick up a whole new set of plastic instruments in the process), is intriguing. Read More At G4tv.com

Sir Paul McCartney announces first ever webchat

Paul McCartney is to take part in his first ever webchat with fans tomorrow (May 20). McCartney, who is currently preparing to head to Mexico as part of his world tour, will take time out of his rehearsals to chat to fans online for 20 minutes from 5pm (GMT) tomorrow. He'll be speaking from his Sussex studio during the chat and will also announce the winners of a competition run by Paulmccartney.com during it. [read more]

George Harrison Proclaims, “Let It Roll…”

“The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)” by George Harrison, off the album All Things Must Pass, was a song inspired by English lawyer, Sir Frank Crisp, the original owner of Friar Park, which Harrison purchased in 1970. It’s been said that the lyrics come from various phrases inscribed around the park. Either way, I’m not entirely sure what all the lyrics mean, but the song is certainly a nice one that seems to be about letting life take its course and not worrying too much about being in control of it. There may also be themes of eternity in there, but I can’t be absolute. Is this Harrison at his finest? It’s this song along with a few others that made me start to think that he might very well be my favorite Beatle. Read More/Video At Crawdaddy!

Yoko Ono, 'Give Me Something'

No stranger to the strange but certainly enjoying a revival on the club floor, Yoko Ono says that her recent success on the dance charts doesn't really reflect a new direction or creative reinvention. "You should listen to songs like 'Men, Men, Men,' 'O'Oh,' 'Will You Touch Me,'" Ono tells Spinner. "I've always had a dance hall chick side to me." That said, 'Give Me Something' is as much a product of modern times as it is a continuation of Ono's ever-eclectic creativity. read more/audio]

Ohio man has unusual press conference recording of Beatles

While money can't buy you love, it could get you a rare, original audio copy of a 1966 Beatles press conference in which a Ross County native asks John Lennon about an iconic statement he made. The tape began garnering worldwide attention after California auction house Bonhams & Butterfields announced it would be auctioning an audio copy of the Aug. 17, 1966, press conference. They claimed, at the time the auction was posted, it was the only copy. Not so, according to retired veteran radio and TV newsman Larry Roberts, a Unioto High School graduate. Roberts said he also has a tape of the press conference. As a result, the auction house included a note on its website that those interested should "please note that there are other similar copies of this recording now known to exist." [read more]

Jagger credits Stones' success to luck, hard work, fans

Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger played down his status as an iconic rock 'n' roller during an interview to be broadcast Tuesday night, crediting his band's longevity to luck, hard work and loyal fans. "You know, you always need a lot of luck," Jagger told CNN's "Larry King Live." "And I think [the Stones] were in the right place at the right time. And ... when we work, we work very hard." The Stones have been rocking for nearly 50 years, and even though its members are now at an age when most people have retired, the band shows no signs of slowing down. [read more/video/CNN]

People invited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Beatles in Hamburg with a tour

This summer, join Beatles fans from throughout North America on the MAGICAL HISTORY TOUR to Liverpool, London and Hamburg. Fifty years ago, The Beatles journeyed to Hamburg, Germany, and fans will get to follow in the Beatles' footsteps in the city where The Beatles turned from boys to men. In John Lennon's own words, "I grew up in Hamburg, not Liverpool." The visit to Hamburg is part of Liverpool Productions 27th annual "MMTour" from August 21-September 2, 2010, which brings fans to all the Beatles homes, schools, clubs, homes, early hang-outs and other sites in the three main cities connected to the history. Fans wishing to go to Liverpool and London only, the dates are August 23-September 2, and there are also options for Liverpool-only stays and shorter options. The fully-guided, professionally-escorted tour includes visits to Penny Lane, Strawberry Field, Abbey Road, the Cavern Club and all the locations that fans have dreamed of someday visiting. [read more]

Liam Gallagher’s Apple Records biopic excludes the Beatles

Maybe you've heard that Gallagher was maing a film about the Beatles' founded Apple Records. This excerpt from Consequence of Sound doesn't make it sound like it's going to be a very good movie: As if recreating the sound wasn’t a dicey enough proposition, the Fab Four won’t even appear in the film. “The Beatles aren’t going to be in this film,” he said. “There’s going to be no one auditioning for John, Paul, George, Ringo. It’s about the characters behind-the-scenes.” Well at least we can see Gallagher’s foray into acting, right? Wrong. He told NME he won’t appear in the movie either. His explanation: “I’m too good-looking.” So, to sum up: Liam Gallagher is making a movie about the Beatles’ record label. This movie will not include the Beatles, the Beatles’ music, or Gallagher himself. Sounds like a real winner. [read more]

Cheap Trick Perform The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper in Vegas on JamBase

Cheap Trick is bringing their "Sgt. Pepper Live" show to the Paris Las Vegas Theatre in June and July, beginning June 11. Full dates and ticket links can be found here. A celebration of The Beatles' influential album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the show features an orchestra and modern stage production as Cheap Trick perform the entire album live as well as select Cheap Trick songs that lend themselves to orchestral arrangements. Geoff Emerick, the renowned engineer of The Beatles' classic 1967 album, supervises the audio production. [read more]

Another Scarce Beatles Record Ignites Auction Frenzy

WhatSellsBest.com, a website tracking rare auction items on eBay, is reporting fierce bidding for a scarce, never opened, (sealed) Beatles "Butcher" Album listed to sell on eBay. The 1966 Beatles "Butcher" (album) cover was used in an early release of "Yesterday and Today", and is highly sought by collectors due to a controversial image of John, Paul, Ringo, and George on the albums cover. The famed controversy led to most albums being recalled which makes a (still) factory sealed version, extremely scarce. [read more]

Led Zeppelin Experience Tour Details

Jason Bonham confirmed late last month that he was planning a special tribute tour to his father with a tour. While the dates have not yet been announced we were sent this announcement on Monday with more details: Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience will celebrate the life and music of his father - the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham - in true epic fashion with a limited engagement of 30 concert dates in North America this fall. "This is a personal trip through my life with the music of Led Zeppelin," explains Jason, "and how the music influenced me." Jason played with Robert Plant , Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones at Led Zeppelin's "final" show at London's O2 Arena in 2007, which was heralded as the most powerful Led Zeppelin performance since the group's disbandment. [read more]

Peace Monument honouring John Lennon to be gifted to Liverpool

Commissioned by California-based organisation Global Peace Initiative, the monument will be presented to the world’s leading permanent Beatles-themed visitor attraction, the Beatles Story in Liverpool, UK, and will be sited in a significant position within the city. John’s son Julian Lennon will unveil the monument to the world at a high profile ceremony in October 2010, the month his father would have turned 70. US artist Lauren Voiers has been asked by Julian to incorporate, within the monument’s design, a white feather – which to Julian is a symbol of both his father's spirit and of peace. [read more]

Sir Paul McCartney gets emotional thinking about Beatles members

Beatles star Sir Paul McCartney said he still gets emotional thinking about the band's former members. The 67-year-old is one of two surviving members of the band along with Ringo Starr, 69. Their two other bandmates have since passed away - John Lennon was killed 30 years ago and George Harrison died nine years ago. Sir Paul said to UK newspaper Daily Record: 'John and George were real mates. I have a huge fondness for them. They were both part of my life and who I am. There are little reminders of them all the time. [read more]

Sir Paul McCartney interview part 2: I can't believe I'm now in history books of the 20th century

WHEN Paul McCartney was a pupil at Liverpool Institute, he couldn't wait to leave school to start a rock 'n' roll band with mates John Lennon and George Harrison. Now, music legend Macca can't believe children are being taught about his phenomenal career in class as part of their studies. "I've got a funny little paperback book at home called Who Were The Beatles? Oh my God ... can you believe that?" said Paul, relaxing in his London HQ. "Imagine trying to teach five-year-old kids about us. If children are studying the 20th century, I'm in their text books." [read more]

Beatles legend Paul McCartney reveals Fab Four would have reunited

PAUL McCARTNEY ushers me into his London office and apologises for running late. But there's something cool about being kept waiting by rock's most celebrated composer. In the ex-Beatle's hectic schedule, our interview is sandwiched between an appointment with a US film crew and a meeting with legendary producer Sir George Martin. As soon as our chat ends Paul has to dash off to Abbey Road studios to oversee a mixing session for a remastered version of clasic Wings' album Band On The Run. His office is a cosy clutter. There are bronze Ivor Novello songwriting awards on the shelves and pictures of his favourite comic character Rupert The Bear adorn the walls. [read more]

The Beatles to 'star' in zombie film

The Beatles are to be reborn as the undead in a new film adaptation of a graphic novel. The movie - entitled Paul Is Undead: The British Zombie Invasion - will show the band as zombies, after Doubles Features producers Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher brought the screen rights for Alan Goldsher's illustrated novel. The books sees an undead John Lennon killing a reanimated Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The group travel the world performing gigs, before facing off against zombie hunter Mick Jagger and Yoko Ono, who's a ninja. [read more]

Scorsese is 'Living in the Material World'

Martin Scorsese revealed Thursday that he has finished shooting documentary "Living in the Material World: George Harrison," working in tandem with Olivia Harrison, the musician's widow. Producers are Scorsese, Harrison and Exclusive Media co-chair/CEO Nigel Sinclair. A 2011 release date is being eyed. Exclusive, which holds worldwide rights, is shopping the project at Cannes, where Scorsese and Harrison are promoting the doc. There's no domestic distrib yet. "Living in the Material World" is a production of Scorsese's Sikelia Prods., Olivia Harrison's Grove Street Prods. and Exclusive's Spitfire Pictures documentary label. [read more]

Paul McCartney blames EMI for Beatles iTunes delay

Paul McCartney has revealed that The Beatles record label EMI are to blame for their songs not being available to download on iTunes. In an interview with BBC Newsbeat, McCartney said that even though the band's music is not currently available to buy digitally, he thinks that "one day it's going to happen." "To tell you the truth I don't actually understand how it's got so crazy," he said. "I know iTunes would like to do it, so one day it's going to happen." [read more]

WATCH: John Lennon Biopic Trailer

A new trailer has hit the web for Nowhere Boy, the upcoming John Lennon biopic that chronicles his Liverpool upbringing and early Beatle days. Watch it below. Featuring Kick Ass star Aaron Johnson as a young Lennon, the biopic is slated for an October 8 release. In one early scene, we learn the origin of the phrase "nowhere boy": After a scornful teacher says the rebellious future Beatle is "going nowhere," Lennon replies: "Is nowhere full of geniuses, sir? Because I probably do belong there." The clip also includes Lennon's moment of revelation while watching Elvis perform at a movie theater packed with frenzied fans. "Why couldn't God make me Elvis?" Lennon asks. His girlfriend responds: "Because he was saving you for John Lennon!" Click For More At Spin Magazine Online

Embrace this peace tribute to John Lennon

ONE of Liverpool’s most famous – and influential – sons, the late, great John Lennon, we are proud to say, is revered throughout the world. Lennon may have died tragically young, but he achieved a phenomenal amount in his 40 years. The music, of course, was magical, but he also left another lasting legacy – a legacy of peace and anti-war campaigning. To many, John Lennon was a man of many contradictions – while he, himself, certainly never claimed to be a saint. He was, though, a man with an unshakeable faith in humanity and a man who didn’t just sing about, but stood up and campaigned for peace. It is, therefore, only right and fitting that a peace monument dedicated to his memory is to be built – and it is only right and fitting that Liverpool will be its home. ...more...

Elizabeth Jagger: 'I should do naked pictures before I have children'

Elizabeth Jagger is showing me how to get out of a car like a lady. Knees pressed tightly together, she swivels her narrow hips 90 degrees, and pushes herself gracefully upright. "My mother taught me to do that. She's forever tutting at pictures of girls showing their knickers in the papers and muttering 'she needs to go to etiquette school!'" A second piece of advice Jerry Hall gave her 26-year-old model daughter was rather less complex: "Be nice," she said, "and don't show your bum." ...read more...

Peace exhibit good idea for war museum

War and peace do not need to be mutually exclusive concepts in Canada's war museum. Shining a spotlight on the peace movement and those who have historically championed it doesn't in any way imply disrespect for those who fought and died in war, which is why officials at the Canadian War Museum should be applauded for mounting an exhibit about the movement to mark the museum's fifth anniversary. Opening in December, it will include artifacts such as diaries of peace activists, protest signs and perhaps even the famous photo of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 1969 love-in in Montreal. [read more]

Beatles' 1966 'Jesus' press conference tape up for grabs

Auction house Bonhams and Butterfields said the 14 minute reel-to-reel tape recording was the only known surviving audio record of the 1966 press conference by the Fab Four at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto. Bonhams said journalists also had lots of questions about Lennon's controversial "Jesus" remark months earlier, and that Vietnam and the generation gap were also discussed. [read more]

The Beatles: We Can't Let Them Be

When the documentary film "Let It Be" premiered in New York 40 years ago this week, none of the Beatles attended. The snub was a sign of the times: Paul McCartney publicly announced a month earlier he was leaving the group, putting an effective end to the most successful rock act in history. The film turned into a kind of Beatles reality show of its time – it could have been called "Breaking the Band." Originally devised by McCartney as a chronicle of the group recording an album as a prelude to a grand concert or tour, the film instead shows a band in dissolution. They bicker, ignore one another and generally come alive only when doing what they did best: make music. If nothing else, "Let It Be" immortalized on film the Beatles' final public performance, an impromptu gig atop the roof of their Apple headquarters in London. [read more]

Queen 'Planning To Abandon Emi'

The Beatles legend parted ways with the faltering record giant in 2008, transferring all distribution rights of his post-Fab Four material to the Concord Music Group last month (Apr10). And the Bohemian Rhapsody hitmakers, who have been with EMI for almost 40 years and have sold an estimated 300 million albums through the company, are in talks with rival label Universal to sign a multi-million dollar deal when the band's contract with EMI expires at the end of year (10), according to Britain's The Times. A source tells the publication, "EMI just decided they couldn’t compete. It was too much to pay and they want to spend. [read more]

Kiss Admit 'We Wanted to Be in the Beatles'

Kiss have revealed their love for the Beatles and Arctic Monkeys as they near the end of their UK leg of their 2010 Sonic Boom Over Europe tour. Paul Stanley told the BBC, "Growing up, we wanted to be in the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, the Kinks, the Yardbirds, the Pretty Things," adding, "we are dyed-in-the-wool Anglophiles." Gene Simmons also admitted the UK is still producing great talent, "Song writing is alive and well over here. Keane write terrific songs, Arctic Monkeys are great." [read more]

Don Henley: This is the End of the Eagles

According to Don Henley, the Eagles may be finally entering the final chapter of the band's long run. Speaking to the Vancouver Sun, Henley lamented that he was hoping the band could reach the forty year milestone and continue touring through 2012, but that "it is looking more and more like the end of the trail is imminent." True to the form he has established in both his lyrics and public statements, Henley left a lot open to interpretation. He did not elaborate as to why the tour that the Eagles are currently on would be the last. The most obvious reason that the Eagles may soon pack it in is age; each of its four members are in their 60's now. [read more]

The Beatles Return As Zombies

Seth Grahame-Smith has a lot to answer for. The shelves of our bookstores are currently groaning under the weight of countless one-joke zombie parodies (Graham-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was soon followed by Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, Mr Darcy Vampyre, etc etc) and Hollywood has latched onto the craze, with David O'Russell apparently considering Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov producing Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Next up? The Beatles! Alan Goldsher's Paul is Dead: The British Zombie Invasion sees John Lennon as the zombie progenitor who kills and reanimates Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. [read more]

Beatles label drawing interest from Sony

Edgar Bronfman Jr. may face some competition in his pursuit of struggling rival EMI. While conventional wisdom has been that Bronfman's company, Warner Music Group, would take over the debt-laden EMI once it ran out of financial options, Sony Music boss Rolf Schmidt-Holtz yesterday tossed out a not-so-subtle hint that he, too, may be interested in the label behind The Beatles and Coldplay. "We are in a position that allows us to seize every opportunity in the market -- including EMI," Schmidt-Holtz told Germany newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. Read more: Click for story at NYPOST.com

Handwritten Lennon lyrics to be sold in N.Y.C.

For the right price, some lucky Beatlemaniac will be able to own the lyrics to the final song on the classic Beatles album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." John Lennon's handwritten lyrics to the Beatles classic "A Day in the Life" are being auctioned in June, Sotheby's recently announced. The double-sided sheet of paper features Lennon's edits and corrections in his own hand — in black felt marker and blue ball point pen, with a few annotations in red ink. It is expected to fetch between $500,000 and $700,000 when it is sold in New York on June 18. Rolling Stone magazine listed "A Day in the Life" at No. 26 in its compilation of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and "Sgt. Pepper's" won four Grammy awards in 1968. Source

Oh no! Yoko colours in Lennon's prints

YOKO ONO faces a row over significantly altered prints of artworks by John Lennon, which have been sold for millions of pounds. Lennon, who was a student at the Liverpool College of Art, produced three books of black-and-white illustrations. Prints of these works, overseen by Ono, have been offered for sale in Britain and America. However, some have been coloured in, issued as limited edition prints and stamped with the former Beatle’s special insignia. In some cases, it is claimed extra characters may have been added. [read more]

Meet Ringo Starr, Win Cash in Rock Band Competition

The 2nd Annual Total Rock, Total Rewards Rock Band Competition has officially begun offering Rock Banders the chance to win $10,000 and meet legend Ringo Starr. The competition is a little bit complicated, but it seems to go like this: you and your band (three to four members) need to register in a “local” competition. There are twenty venues in the US and Canada, and “local” competitions are being held until June 13. On your scheduled date, your band will head down to the venue and perform one of thirty-five pre-determined competition songs. The top scoring band from each venue will win a trip to Atlantic City July 1-2. Once you’ve made it to Atlantic City, your band will be performing any song from the entire Rock Band music catalog (band’s choice) in front of a panel of judges. The judges will choose the four top bands, and those bands will compete in a two round competition in front of a live audience. Prizes are as follows: [read more]

Paul McCartney Discusses Fame

In an interview on a popular BBC radio program in the U.K., Sir Paul McCartney discussed what it was like to be one of the most famous people on the planet. According to the former Beatle, it definitely has its downsides, but he is finally learning to live with it. McCartney explained, "The weight of fame can get pretty annoying. But you know what I do now? I have rules, I've finally grown up and I finally realize I've got rights." [read more]

SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY LEARNS TO SHUN AUTOGRAPH SEEKERS

The Beatles legend used to feel obliged to give in to his supporters' demands while out and about - but he admits he's now developed a set of rules to protect his privacy. He tells the BBC, "The weight of fame can get pretty annoying. But you know what I do now? I have rules, I've finally grown up and I finally realise I've got rights. So people will come up to me in a restaurant and say, 'Can I have your autograph?' and I say, 'I'm really sorry but I don't do that when I'm eating. I hope you understand. I'll shake your hand and I'll talk to you.' [read more]

All In The Family

This is a disturbing story containing both facts and revelant theories that point sadly to direct U.S. Government involvement in the murder (ultimately an assassination) of John Lennon and the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan,where such events occured just months apart. Although both incidents appear to be completely unrelated as far as motive goes, there does run a common thread between them. Here is a disturbing yet plausible look inside a dark period in American culture where I try to piece together the truth that is hidden underneath government coverups. [read more]

Sir Paul McCartney Takes on the Livestock Industry Over Global Warming

Sir Paul McCartney has managed to incur the wrath of the British Beef Association after making comments on BBC Radio 4's Today show on Thursday, May 6, when he claimed that the livestock industry made more of a contribution to climate change than the combined effects of pollution from planes, trains and automobiles. The former Beatles bassist was discussing his involvement with the Meat Free Mondays campaign, that calls for people to drop meat from their diets at the beginning of the week in order to help combat global warming. [read more]

Gallagher to make Beatles film?

Liam Gallagher is apparently making a film about The Beatles. The former Oasis frontman, who is a big fan of the Fab Four, is set to bring to the big screen the story of the 'stoned' years that led to the band's split, the Daily Mail reports. Liam apparently has the screen rights to Richard DiLello's book The Longest Cocktail Party: An Insider's Diary Of The Beatles, Their Million Dollar Apple Empire And Its Wild Rise And Fall. [read more]

The Modern - Paul Mccartney Doesn't Like Limos

Paul McCartney finds the modern vision of fame "scary". The 67-year-old former Beatles singer and songwriter doesn't recognise the fame which young stars enjoy today, as he feels much of it is removed from people's talent. He told BBC Radio 4 when the Beatles started out in 1960: "You were looking to be famous via being very talented, and working hard and coming up through the ranks. "Now what's sold to young stars is they'll have security, a limousine, it's this sort of modern package that I think is a little bit scary. I for one don't like all of that. I don't like limos." [read more]

Tape of Beatles interview might fetch up to $25,000

A Canadian man’s reel-to-reel recording of a Beatles news conference in Toronto on Aug. 17, 1966 – the Fab Four’s last concert date in this country – is set to sell for up to $25,000 at a U.S. auction of pop culture treasures. The 14-minute recording, described by Bonham’s auction house as “the only audio known to survive” from the Q-and-A session held at Toronto’s King Edward Hotel, features the bandmates defending U.S. draft-dodgers, John Lennon addressing his incendiary more-popular-than-Jesus claim and both Lennon and Paul McCartney joking about the band’s possible breakup, which would take place four years later. Read more: Click

Former Beatle doctor and SIUH head Gil Lederman sued for wrongful death of Italian woman

A former Staten Island University Hospital doctor who made headlines when he spoke publicly about treating ex-Beatle George Harrison is being sued by the family of a woman who was treated for pancreatic cancer she apparently didn't have, according to a published report. Dr. Gil Lederman -- who used to be the head of Staten Island University Hospital's radiation oncology department -- and Dr. Philip Silverman gave Giuseppa Bono radiation treatments for pancreatic cancer she told them Italian doctors had diagnosed her with, the Daily News reported. Lederman was accused of forcing Beatle George Harrison to autograph his son's guitar from his deathbed in 2001 and was sued by his estate. [read more]

Sir Paul McCartney: Fame 'is a weight I'm happy to carry'

The campaign is being promoted through a new mobile phone application that allows users to read books, short stories and essays, including articles written by Sir Paul. Sir Paul told the Today programme that the idea for Meat Free Monday came came about "with the UN saying that livestock is a bigger demon to global warning than the whole of the transport industry put together. This wasn't coming from a vegetarian society but the UN". "So I wrote to Gordon Brown, the heads of countries and asked them what they thought of the idea. Since then it has caught on.... It's not a veggie idea, it's a planet idea." While the campaign is taking hold on mobile phones, Sir Paul admits he prefers to read "actual books", "I'm not really techie at all and never have been". [read more/audio]

Oh, Yoko: Is the DC JOHN LENNON Exhibition a Fraud?

Last week, we wrote to tell you that an exhibition of John Lennon artwork — some of which would be available for sale — was headed to DC for a brief, three-day stint in Georgetown this weekend. Well, don’t pull out those checkbooks yet. Shortly after posting, CultureMob was contacted by one Gary Arseneau, an artist and forgery expert who has been tracking the very same Lennon exhibitions for more than a decade. While promotional materials for the Georgetown show — entitled “In My Life” — proclaim it to be “the largest collection of Lennon’s works on paper ever assembled…[featuring over] 100 pieces of art created by John Lennon, encompassing the years 1968 through 1980,” it would appear that bulk, if not all, of the show’s “serigraphs, lithographs, copper etchings and aqua tints” are much more recent. As Arseneau puts it,” The dead don’t create artwork.” [read more]