Tony Curtis meets the Beatles on ’Sgt. Pepper’

Tony Curtis was among the well-known and not so well-known celebrities used on the cover of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." (He's in the second row between Dion and artist Wallace Berman.) That wasn't the original idea, according to Barry Miles. Author Clinton Heylin in his book "The Act You've Known For All These Years" by Clinton Heylin, quotes him as saying, "The original cover concept was northern dignataries -- the mayor with his chain and everything ... the Lord Mayor presenting Sgt. Pepper's brass band with some kind of medals, with the floral clock and all that northern stuff. It was very much Paul's idea." [read more]

Hear New Fistful of Mercy Song: "Father's Son"

While their soulful, self-titled single offered plenty of proof that Dhani Harrison, Ben Harper, and Joseph Arthur’s new group,Fistful of Mercy, is greater than the sum of its parts, I’ve been hoping to hear a cut from the trio that sounds as fun as the promo pictures and studio footage suggests they’re having. Enter “Father’s Son.” [read more/listen to song]

Westlake's Lauren Voiers crafts sculpture to honor John Lennon's legacy of peace

When Beatles fans gather next month in Liverpool to mark what would have been John Lennon’s 70th birthday (and also the 30th anniversary of his death) a Westlake art prodigy will play an important role in the ceremony. Artist Lauren Voiers, 19, a graduate of Westlake High School and St. Raphael School in Bay Village, will unveil her monument “Peace and Harmony” in Liverpool’s Chavez Park on Oct. 9 as part of the celebration of Lennon’s legacy. [read more]

The Continuing Legacy of Buddy Holly

Earlier this month (September 7th) would’ve been Buddy Holly’s 74th birthday. Despite his short life and career, his music influenced many different artists. The following is just a small sampling of Holly’s admirers. The Everly Brothers started performing “That’ll Be the Day” only several years after it was released as a single by Buddy’s backing band the Crickets. [read more]

Jerry Lee Lewis Lost for Words as He Turns 75

"The Killer" is running low on ammo as he marks his 75th birthday on Wednesday. Jerry Lee Lewis can still pound out "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire" on his piano, and he just released a new album with help from the likes of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Kid Rock and Willie Nelson. But a Q&A session with the rock 'n' roll legend at the Grammy Museum on Tuesday was an uncomfortable experience as a blank-faced Lewis sat at a piano and mumbled brief answers to a moderator's questions that he had heard a million times before. [read more]

Rare Audio Clips Used in New Documentary of John Lennon's NYC Years

The New York years of John Lennon's life have been detailed in a new documentary that uses previously unheard audio clips and outtakes of the singer.'LENNONYC' was given its premier last weekend at the New York Film Festival and is directed by Michael Epstein, reports Reuters. It tells of the years between 1971 -- when he moved to Greenwich Village in the city -- to 1980, when he was gunned down by killer Mark Chapman, and uses previously unreleased audio clips collected from recording sessions. [read more]

The Man Behind the Scenes

You may have never heard of Harry Nilsson, but he was a big influence on some people you probably do know: John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Terry Gilliam, Robin Williams. The reason you haven’t heard of him is he tended more toward artistic satisfaction rather than commercial success in the 1960s and ‘70s as a songwriter and singer. He did achieve some commercial success, including the top 40 hit "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City" in 1969. [read more]

The Holy Grail: I Buy A 1958 Sunburst Les Paul

It was the beginning of the Summer of 1970, and I was just back from my first ever trip to London. I'd saved up my money, and while over there, I had ordered myself a pair of custom-made Granny Takes A Trip knee-high, 2-and-3/4 inch heel patchwork boots, complete with optional silver stars and moons, of course. About 150 two-inch squares of 64 separate colors of leather per boot. Yes, I counted! 

[read more]

Beatles' fans begin to dismantle Ringo Starr's birthplace

Souvenir hunters are being condemned for "wanton vandalism" after sections of masonry were hacked off Ringo Starr's birthplace. Fans who are campaigning to halt town hall plans to demolish 9 Madryn Street have been alarmed to find that that chunks of brickwork have been systematically chiselled away in recent days. The Save Madryn Street (SMS) campaign are calling on council chiefs to ensure that the humble three-bedroomed house is protected from attacks by irresponsible fans. SMS Chairman Philip Coppell said: "We have support fans all over the world who want to see 9 Madryn Street preserved. [read more]

Yoko Ono all praise for John Lennon flick

John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono is all praise for director Sam Taylor-Wood for his depiction of the late Beatle in his movie the ‘Nowhere Boy’. At the premiere of the film, Ono stole the show when she took the mike in the middle of Wood’s welcome and credited his depiction of her husband. “John would have loved it . . . because you know the pain he went through in his childhood. It made him a very wise person,” the New York Post quoted her as saying. Wood, 43, stuck close to lead actor Aaron Johnson, 20, whom she fell in love with on set. The two have a daughter, Wylda Rae, who was born in July. (ANI)

The Beatles: Cilla Black honours Brian Epstein

Cilla Black today honoured "fifth Beatle" Brian Epstein - the man who set her on the path to fame. Former chart star, turned TV host, Black unveiled a plaque to mark the location of her former manager's London office in Covent Garden. Epstein, who guided the career of the Beatles until his death in 1967, ran his NEMS company from 13 Monmouth Street, Seven Dials, after relocating from Liverpool in 1963. [read more]

Lennon’s Birthday Marked With Movies, Reissues, More

John Lennon would be turning 70 years old on October 9. At first, Yoko Ono herself didn’t realize the significance of that date. “I don’t think about age so much,” she tells Rolling Stone. “But I was getting messages from all corners of the world: ‘We’re celebrating John’s birthday as a tribute to him.’ I said, ‘What is going on here?’ It seems like with 70, there’s an explosion [of sentiment].” Over the next two months, Lennon’s birthday will be commemorated with tribute concerts, reissues, a new documentary, the annual lighting of Ono’s Imagine Peace light tower, even an Ono-Lady Gaga summit. Why is all this happening now? “The reason has to do with the social climate, with wanting some of John’s energy, power and conviction,” says Ono. Here are some of the highlights. [read more]

Is John Lennon the most interesting Beatle?

John Lennon was born on Oct. 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England. To celebrate the 70th birthday of the late Beatle, events will be held all around the world, from a party at Radio City Music Hall, to reissues of his recordings, to the burying of three time capsules containing his work, to a Liverpool celebration featuring Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. One day before his birthday, on Oct. 8, the film “Nowhere Boy,” which recounts the early years of Lennon’s life, will get its theatrical release in the U.S. The film has already played in theaters in the United Kingdom, and at film festivals, to generally positive reviews. [read more]

HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY JOHN LENNON - PALACE DANBURY PRESENTS LANDMARK PERFORMANCE BY THE BAND THAT BECAME THE BEATLES

Even thirty years after his death, John Lennon remains one of the famous musicians in the world. For some time, a fan movement has been building to commemorate what would have been the music legend’s 70th birthday on October 9, 2010. The website www.happybirthdayjohn.org lists the numerous performances and events planned in October. As part of this special tribute, The Palace Danbury was incredibly fortunate to secure a performance by the band “The Quarrymen” and a free screening of the movie Nowhere Boy, which chronicles the early beginnings of Lennon’s music career and his rise to fame.

“To this day, the Beatles continue to have an extremely loyal following. “We are beyond thrilled to have such a performance taking place at the Palace Danbury,” said David Monte, Managing Director at the Palace Danbury.

The Band that Became the Beatles

Years before the Beatles, John Lennon was at the helm of another band that’s not nearly as well known. In 1956, while just a 15-year-old student Lennon recruited five of his closest friends to form the rock n’ roll band The Quarrymen. Over the course of the next four years the band picked up in popularity, changing its roster in the process. By 1960, the three key members of the group included John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison; that year they changed their name to the Beatles. Two years later a fourth member, Ringo Starr, joined the group to solidify what would become a foursome known in all corners of the world.

The Quarrymen Reunite

There was a gap of four decades before the original members of the band The Quarrymen would play together again. In 1997, the surviving members of the band reunited in Liverpool for the 40th anniversary of their performance at the 1957 Woolton village fete. It was during that performance that John Lennon met Paul McCartney for the first time. Since then, the group has continued to perform together in various worldwide destinations.

Active members include Rod Davis on guitar and banjo, Len Garry on guitar and home-made "tea-chest" bass, and Colin Hanton on drums. The other original members of the band included the late John Lennon and Eric Griffiths. Member Pete Shotton has health issues that preclude him from touring. Paul McCartney and the late George Harrison joined later, evolving versions of The Quarrymen. The Palace Danbury performance will take place Friday, October 8th. The doors open at 7:00 PM, the show is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM.

“We are expecting people to travel from far and wide for this rare opportunity to hear The Quarrymen live,” said David Monte, Managing Director at Palace Danbury. “This is certainly a tribute to the lasting impact of John Lennon’s legacy.”

The Nowhere Boy

The Quarrymen’s performance will be followed by a special free screening of the film, Nowhere Boy. The movie depicts the events and personal circumstances that led to the formation of the Beatles. Additionally, the film tells John Lennon’s personal story, revealing the true impact of his upbringing on his music.

“The release of this film is impeccably timed in conjunction with John Lennon’s 70th birthday celebration, October 9th. It will offer an intimate look behind the scenes in the early days of the Beatles,” said David Monte, Managing Director at the Palace Danbury.

About the Palace Theatre

Located at 165 Main Street in Danbury, CT, The Palace Danbury has a rich and vibrant history. Built in 1928 as a 1999-seat venue, Jimmy Durante performed there, as did Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong and many others. The mission of the theatre is to serve, enliven and enrich the community through the performing and visual arts in all disciplines. The 2010 calendar includes play and dance performances, comedy shows, spoken word poetry, live music, movies, special events and more. Tickets available $40 & $70. For more information log onto: thepalacedanbury.com or call the box office at 203-794-9944.

Mersey Beat founder examines John Lennon’s Liverpool roots in new book

As part of the celebration of the Liverpool John Lennon Season, there's a new book by Bill Harry, founder and editor of the seminal music paper Mersey Beat, called "In My Life: Lennon's Liverpool," about John Lennon's roots. This book goes back to Lennon's early life in the city and features personal anecodes from Harry, whose Mersey Beat newspaper reported on the Liverpool music boom as it happened, and also parallels the story of the two men's successes. [read more]

When Clapton was ‘God’!

Clocking in at two hours, the new DVD, Eric Clapton: The 1960’s Review, is hands-down the most easily digestible biography of Clapton’s formative decade as a player. The narrative is mostly spun from interviews with those who’ve been close to his career, from English music journalist Chris Welch to former bandmates Chris Dreja and Tops Topham of the Yardbirds, from his one-time boss Mayall to members of his pre-Yardbirds outfit the Roosters as well as Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker of Cream. Clapton himself also offers comments on his bands and his perspective on music, gleaned mostly from interviews in 1991 and 2005. Although the disc is short on live concert performances, it is long on detailed analysis and even includes a stretch on Jimi Hendrix and his impact on Clapton and the rest of the British blues-rock scene of the late 1960s. [read more]

Q to mark John Lennon's 70th birthday with special covers

Music magazine Q will mark what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday with four tribute covers, two using previously unpublished shots provided by Yoko Ono and David Bailey. Lennon would have been 70 on 9 October. The November issue of the Bauer Media-owned monthly title goes on sale this Thursday with four covers featuring rare or unpublished photos of the former Beatle from different eras of his career. One cover features Lennon in Hamburg in 1960; the second a previously unpublished shot from 1965 taken by Bailey; the third is a picture of Lennon and Ono in 1969 taken from the latter's private archive; and the fourth is a shot of Lennon in New York from 1973. [read more]

John Lennon resurrected by Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair has come up with an interesting – although possibly not entirely successful – new angle on the approaching 70th anniversary of John Lennon's birth. "Lennon at 70!" says the "web exclusive" – we don't doubt it – by David Kamp. "As he approaches the big milestone and his highly anticipated reunion dates with the Plastic Ono Band, the irrepressible ex-Beatle talks about cows, survival, and Yoko." That's right. They've interviewed him, from the standpoint that he survived the fatal 1980 shooting and is about to go on tour again. Not only that, he got divorced from Yoko Ono in 1983,the Beatles reunited to perform at Live Aid ("Queen mopped the floor with us") and recorded a 1987 album called, er ... Everest. It was around the time of the Aids-themed Day in the Life re-release – "I read the news today, oh boy/ About a wave of boys who died too soon/ They wove a quilt out of their grief/ It's someone's life you rob/ When you don't sheathe your knob" – that Monkey lost the will to read. Whatever gets you through the night, eh? ...SOURCE...

Yoko Ono joyous over reconciliation between John Lennon's sons Sean and Julian

All you need is love, apparently. Things have never been easy between John Lennon's two families - especially after the rock legend’s death, when his estate came into dispute. But some of the old wounds have begun to heal. Sean and Julian, Lennon's sons from his two marriages, have recently reconnected - and Yoko Ono couldn’t be happier. "It's very, very, very important for all of us," Ono told us at the premiere of the PBS documentary "LENNONYC" on Saturday at Alice Tully Hall. Ono added that it was "definitely" good for the brothers to be back in each other’s lives. [read more]

Paul McCartney Partners with H-P

Mccartney

H-P will work with MPL to digitize the material and build a content management system. Some of this exclusive library of the former Beatles' work, including images, artwork, paintings, songs, film and videos, will be available to fans through a private cloud environment. "I've always been interested in creative ideas and new ways of reaching people, so this is a really exciting initiative for me," said McCartney. "I hope it will allow people who might be interested to access parts of our archives they might otherwise not be able to. I'm looking forward to working with HP on this project." [read more]

The legacy of John Lennon

Here is one of the many aspects of life that have changed since Lennon celebrated his 40th and final birthday. And here are some of the other things he missed. Madonna. Mike Tyson. Princess Diana, more or less from start to finish. Beverly Hills Cop I, II and III. The flowering of Thatcherism. The internet. The second summer of love. The Blair Witch Project. Grunge. The fall of the Berlin Wall. Nice girls wearing tattoos. Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig as 007. David Beckham. Gangsta rap. There's Something About Mary. Dunblane and Columbine. World music. Tim Henman. The Oklahoma bombing and 9/11. The neocons and New Labour. Radiohead. The Asian tsunami. The iPod. Rom-coms and reality TV. Mamma Mia!. Auto-Tuning. [read more]

The Beatles in glorious mono, on red vinyl pressed in Japan ... welcome to the future of music buying

All around him, knowledgeable collectors of vinyl – men of a certain age, generally – were having roughly the same conversation with equally knowledgeable dealers. This was the exhibition hall at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall yesterday as the latest Music Fair began its weekend residency. At one point, a man walked in with a rolled-up array of original Beatles posters. Nearby, people were wondering whether to spend £110 on a Japanese-issue, red vinyl, mono copy of the early Beatles album, With The Beatles, or £80 on a framed HMV presentation marking one million UK sales of Dido’s album, No Angel. Bootleg recordings of live concerts by everyone from Bob Dylan to the Rolling Stones were also attracting interest. [read more]

FREE MP3 and Interview with Sean Lennon's New Band Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger: "We are like two Serge Gainsbourgs"

Sean Lennon has been collaborating with girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl on a set of "surrealistic psychedelic pop songs," which they will be unveiling under the collective project name Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger. They promise a full-band, electric version of this material for next year, but for now they will be sharing a pared-down, acoustic version of the quirky songs tonight at the Masonic Lodge at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. [read more]

Gimme, gimme some truth

THE ABBEY ROAD recording studio is like the Tardis. From the outside, it looks like a spacious house but inside it expands via a number of tight corridors into a giant recording complex. If you go walkabout and follow a trail of evocative black and white photographs from the 1960s (Cilla Black sitting on Paul McCartney’s knee having a smoke – how cool!), you’ll eventually come to the sacred place that is Studio Two – the surprisingly small studio space that The Beatles used to record almost all of their records. Yoko Ono was an Abbey Road ever-present during the final Beatles albums. After a 40-year gap, she’s back there today, for the remastering of all the solo John Lennon albums, which will be released in October to mark what would have been his 70th birthday. Gimme, gimme some truth - The Irish Times - Sat, Sep 25, 2010

Yoko Ono and Mayor Bloomberg honour John Lennon with new documentary on eve of his 70th birthday

LENNONYC contains never-before heard studio recordings from the Double Fantasy sessions and never-before-seen outtakes from Lennon in concert. It also includes home movies and exclusive interviews with Yoko, who helped create the whole documentary. Also featured are interviews with Elton John and photographer Bob Gruen (who took the iconic photograph of Lennon in front of the skyline wearing a 'New York City' T-shirt). The documentary will premiere at the New York Film Festival on Saturday September 25th. [read more]

FAB: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney by Howard Sounes

The likes of Astrid Kirchherr and Jûrgen Vollmer are long talked-out, though we haven't previously heard from Imelda Marcos, whose treatment of the Beatles in the Philippines led to their decision to quit touring. Those most likely to add to the story – Ringo Starr, the McCartney children, Jane Asher – remain silent. It's a credit to Asher that she has said nothing since 21 July 1968 when, questioned about her engagement by chat-show host Simon Dee, she replied: "I haven't broken it off, but it's finished." Source notes rather than numbered footnotes help disguise the fact that Fab is little more than an exceedingly thorough scissors-and-paste study which draws heavily on Barry Miles's authorised biography. Still, it's a good read for those seeking a Pauline perspective on the Beatles plus a look at his solo career. Yet it's marred by a tendency to retail tittle-tattle while acknowledging that it's only rumour. [read more]

McCartney signs deal to digitise Beatles music

Rock legend Paul McCartney has signed a deal with computer giant Hewlett-Packard to preserve the music created by the Beatles in digital form. The singer's library of tracks, as well as artwork, films and videos, will by digitized and parts of the collection will be open to fans, reported Ace Showbiz online. "I hope it will allow people who might be interested to access parts of our archives they might otherwise not be able to," said the music icon. "I've always been interested in creative ideas and new ways of reaching people, so this is a really exciting initiative for me. I hope it will allow people who might be interested to access parts of our archives they might otherwise not be able to," he added. The collection includes some unique items that have not been seen before by the public. For instance, McCartney had cameras follow him while he attended events such as Live Aid, and that footage has not previously been released. ...source...

Yoko Ono reveals unreleased John Lennon songs

John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono has revealed that he left a secret legacy of unreleased songs which she now wants to record. Ono also said the Beatles legend would probably be into rap music if he were still alive. "There are songs that weren't published before," the Daily Star quoted Ono as saying. "I just have to think how best to do them," Yoko Ono added. Copyright Asian News

The Day - Before the Beatles: The Quarrymen recall their part of rock history, at the Garde

From the earliest days of Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, youngsters have formed garage bands with dreams of rock stardom. Most of these experiments are fun but, for many obvious reasons, never pan out. Oh - there was that schoolboy group formed by Rod Davis and his friends. One pal was named John Lennon. Not long after, a new guy called Paul McCartney joined up. The band, called the Quarrymen, morphed into something called the Beatles. You may have heard of them. [read more]

Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger: Odd Charm : NPR

As you might guess from the band's name, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger makes songs that are ornate, fanciful, tuneful and unusual. It's a collaborative duo featuring Sean Lennon and his partner in life and music, Charlotte Kemp Muhl. They play multiple instruments and sing in harmony about elegant gardens, dystopian futures, striving scientists, a smarmy impresario and much more. Sean is the son of music royalty: The Beatles' John Lennon and artist/musician Yoko Ono. But he's also a New Yorker with a New York musician's characteristic enthusiasm for blending avant-garde and pop sensibilities. [read more/listen]

In His Life: The John Lennon Story at Liverpool Fact

In His Life: The John Lennon Story, an exclusive screening at Liverpool's FACT cinema. Produced by Colin McKeown, directed by David Carson and written by Michael O’Hara, was released in 2000. Shot on location in Merseyside, the film tells the story of John Lennon’s early life in Liverpool. Set in the 1950's when John forms a number of bands and with each new effort his local audience grows. Soon, he's teamed up with Stuart Sutcliffe (Lee Williams), George Harrison (Mark Rice-Oxley), Pete Best (Scot Williams), and Paul McCartney (Daniel McGowan). [read more]

Video Premiere: Carlos Santana's 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'

Carlos Santana is sharing screen with India.Arie in a music video for his latest track "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Beside featuring Santana strumming his guitar and Arie tackling the singing part, the clip also has narrative footage which follows a young woman who dreams of becoming a musician but has to do burlesque for a living. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a 1968 song written by George Harrison of The Beatles from the band's double album "The Beatles [White Album]". In covering the classic ballad, Santana also gets help from certified cellist Yo-Yo Ma. [read more/video]

Harry Hill 'Banned From Naming New Album After Beatles' Sgt Pepper's'

Harry Hill has been prevented from calling his forthcoming album after The Beatles' classic 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', it's been reported. The comedian is said to have wanted to called the LP of comedy songs 'Sgt Pepper's Volume 2', in tribute to the band. Plans were also in place to recreate the original Peter Blake-designed album cover with Hill's friends. But Apple Records, which was founded by The Beatles and controls their licensing, has apparently vetoed the idea. [read more]

Sir Paul McCartney to feature in Ozzy Osbourne documentary

Sir Paul McCartney is to feature in an upcoming documentary about rocker Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy, 61, said he didn't believe it when his son Jack, who is producing the documentary, revealed that the Beatles legend would be taking part in the project. Speaking to Xfm's Ian Camfield, Ozzy said: 'I said: 'He ain't got the time to do an interview about me, he's got thousands of things to do.' [read more]

The Beatles In Hamburg

Fresh from damp-brown 50s Liverpool, packed into a camper van with one bumper hanging off, these were truly innocents abroad. They'd played rock & roll for years, at the Lathom Hall or the Childwall Labour Club - they'd seen brawls and batterings, and known the feel of girdled girls, and swaggered through foul-smelling crowds, and thrown up pints of English ale. All that pain and glory, though, had been contained, parochial, and nothing more than a minor disturbance. What was just about to happen was a somewhat bigger deal, both for these five neophytes and for the rest of us in time, whether we bloody well liked it or not. The image of The Beatles in Hamburg is familiar and fixed, a challenging but oddly cosy bit of modern folklore. [...read more...]

"John Lennon: Time Capsule" to be stored in Liverpool

In honour of John Lennon’s 70th birthday on Saturday October 9, 2010, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and BoxofVision LLC, will create three officially licensed John Lennon Time Capsules. With the co-operation of Yoko Ono Lennon, the three time capsules will each include; John Lennon’s entire body of post-Beatles recordings, newly restored art prints of his LP artwork, rare memorabilia, a newly commissioned essay on John’s career, plus additional key items to help preserve his legacy and spirit for future generations. In addition to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio USA, the second Time Capsule storage location has now been named as the Liverpool John Moores University.

Chosen for its substantial part in the John Lennon story, Liverpool John Moores University’s School of Art & Design contains the very same art college that Lennon attended during his formative years. Enrolling in the then called “Liverpool College Of Art” in 1957, the college provided a springboard for many influential aspects of John’s life, and provided the venue for early band rehearsals with Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Stuart Sutcliffe as The Quarrymen. Fittingly, the same venue where it all started for Lennon, will be one of the storage facilities which will help preserve the capsule and his legacy.

The Vice Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University, Professor Michael Brown states that “Liverpool John Moores University is honoured to host one of the John Lennon Time Capsules and help preserve his legacy here at LJMU. John Lennon continues to be an inspiration to all our students as we encourage them to ‘dream, plan, achieve’ throughout their studies and beyond, an ethos shared and promoted by John throughout his life.”

Further info on the Lennon Time Capsules & John Moores University – http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/johnlennon/timecapsule.htm

The general public are invited to contribute to the John Lennon Time Capsule by submitting birthday wishes, commentaries, musical performances and personal thoughts online, at www.BoxOfVision.com/TimeCapsule. After the closing date of October 1st, the fan contributions will be collated and included in the 3 Time Capsules, each of which will be re-opened in a world-wide ceremony on October 9th, 2040, the 100th anniversary of John Lennon’s birth.

Yoko Ono: ‘We’re Still Partners’ 30 Years After John Lennon’s Death

This year would have been Beatle’s star John Lennon’s seventieth birthday. It also marks the thirtieth anniversary of his death, when he was murdered in New York. In a recent interview for ‘BBC’, his wife, Yoko Ono announced that she is planning to mark both anniversaries by releasing some of her dead husband’s music after it is remastered. She described her relationship with Liverpool. She says that the city is very beautiful, and has a wonderful energy. She stated that Lennon was very proud of being a “Liverpool Boy”. She loved the film “Nowhere Boy” which was set in the town. She is releasing the digitally enhanced music, and says that it is much better than before, because she went back to the original.

Gibson Acoustic releases limited edition John Lennon guitars

Accordingly, only a very limited number of these handmade acoustics will ever be available. In 1962, John Lennon was still an up-and-coming artist, and though one of two main singer/songwriters at the heart of The Beatles, was scraping by on the little money the band was bringing in at that time. For his first quality American acoustic/electric guitar, Lennon had his sights set on a new Gibson J-160E - the problem was, he didn't have the money to buy it. With the aid of a co-signed purchase from Beatles manager Brian Epstein (who also co-signed for band mate George Harrison's J-160E), Lennon made the guitar his own, and put it straight to the business of making rock and roll history. [read more]

David Bowie and John Lennon Find No. 1 Fame

On this day in 1975, David Bowie scored his first U.S. number one hit with "Fame," a song that was co-written with John Lennon. Gibson takes a look at the recording of this landmark track: David Bowie had met John Lennon at a party thrown by social butterfly Elizabeth Taylor. Although Lennon had been a hero of Bowie's for years, the two were able to speak on equal footing and very quickly became friends. When John accepted Bowie's invitation to stop by the studio, the band was in the middle of trying to reinterpret a funky track that had a great lick, but had somehow fallen a bit flat on the last tour. The song was a cover of the old Flairs hit, "Foot Stompin'." Alomar had played around with the riff enough to give it a character of its own. [read more]

Secret of The Beatles phenomenal popularity still unsolved

Every story eventually gets mythologized, especially when it comes to the history of popular music groups and performers. The history of the most popular band of all times The Beatles also became a subject of this mandatory mythologizing. Here's an example of one such myth. Many sources on the Internet claim that Beatlemania started on September 16-17, 1963. They claim it was precisely when the first recording of songs of the famous Fab Four was created. This happened in the U.S. at the recording studio owned by Swan label. This record, according to researchers, became the launching of the careers of the musicians, and opened a New Age of Beatles in the pop culture. [read more]

Lennon would have loved the Internet

Yoko Ono is convinced John Lennon would have loved the creation of the internet - because he "always jumped" on new technology. The Beatles star, who was gunned down outside his home in New York City in 1980, would have turned 70 on Oct. 9. And his widow is sad the late musician never saw the evolution of the web, which came about in the 1990s - as she's sure he would have loved the invention. Ono tells Britain's The Andrew Marr Show, "I think he would have been going very strong and creative, still, and I think he would have been very interested in playing (on) the computer because he always jumped on some new media and that is a very interesting new media." source

John Lennon’s Original Group–The Quarrymen–Are Here

Before the Beatles existed, John Lennon was in a group called The Quarrymen. And now The Quarrymen are coming to America at last, to celebrate Lennon’s 70th birthday. Beatles expert Martin Lewis tells me that the guys will make a bunch of appearances, starting at the premiere of the terrific movie, “Nowhere Boy” on Tuesday night. The Q’s are depicted in Sam Taylor-Wood’s fine film. They’re also at Radio City Music Hall on September 25th with the Fab Faux. That’s the group comprising “Saturday Night Live” and Letterman band members who play the Beatles songs so expertly. [read more]

Julian Lennon's photo exhibit draws an admiring May Pang

There were plenty of photographers to take pictures of Julian Lennon's Timeless collection of portrait and landscape photography at the Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York Thursday night, not to mention the illustrious John Lennon-related likes of Julian's mother Cynthia Lennon, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, Pattie Boyd and May Pang. Too bad no one focused on a first-time group shot of John's women Cynthia, Ono and Pang--and their children. [read more]

Exploitation, isolation and death: revisiting the Beatles’ Revolver

All-Time Top 1000 Albums was based upon the views of over 200 000 music fans, experts and critics. And strangely, the record which was voted the best album of all time by those it surveyed was the Beatles’ August 1966 release, Revolver. Not Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, not the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, not Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, not Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited or Blonde on Blonde, not the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street, but Revolver. This led Larkin to pay the album a gushing tribute: “A shamelessly perfect record, its position fully justified. [read more]

Julian Lennon: Singer and Now Photographer

To many, Julian Lennon is best known as the son of John Lennon and a singer in his own right. Now you can add the title “photographer” to his credits. Lennon, 47, attended the Sept. 16 opening of his own show, “Timeless: The Photography of Julian Lennon” at the Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York City. Also there at the show were his mother Cynthia Lennon, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Patti Boyd, the former wife of George Harrison. Julian told Rolling Stone that he took a more active interest in photography after going on the road with Sean for the latter’s tour of Eastern Europe. “I surprised him on the road,” he said. [read more]

Living the rock ’n’ roll life

The Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, The Band and George Harrison are all iconic music superstars. Each of them has their place in the beloved history of rock ’n’ roll. Manhattan Beach resident and rock concert pioneer Dave Furano also has his place in history with those acts. With a career filled with amazing memories, Furano managed the famous concert hall Winterland alongside the music industry’s biggest concert promoter, Bill Graham, who tour managed Bob Dylan and has been providing tour merchandise for artists like Bruce Springsteen and Barbara Streisand for more than 30 years. [read more]

Film: Who Is Harry Nilsson? Ask the Beatles

“He created One Is the Loneliest Number, the theme song from Midnight Cowboy, and the Put the Lime in the Coconut theme song for Coca-Cola commercial,” says Who Is Harry Nilsson? director John Scheinfeld. “Harry Nilsson created an impressive body of work, either songs he recorded or songs that he wrote. They have stood the test of time. There are many tracks of Harry’s that sound fresh today.” [read more]

Me, The Beatles and The Maharishi

He was compared to Bob Dylan in the '60s -- and Dylan was scathing about it when they met. He helped Paul McCartney with the lyrics of 'Yellow Submarine' and in 1968 studied Transcendental Meditation with The Beatles, actress Mia Farrow and Mike Love of The Beach Boys at the Maharishi's school in India. He taught John Lennon old-fashioned guitar finger-picking, which John subsequently used on songs such as 'Dear Prudence' and 'Julia'. Linda, his wife of 40 years, had a son named Julian by Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones before they met. [read more]

Remembering Hendrix: 4 Moments for the 40th Anniversary

Saturday marks the 40th anniversary of Jimi Hendrix's death. He was found dead in a London flat at the height of his musical brilliance. His innovations in how rock musicians use feedback, wah-wah and distortion have been a part of virtually every musical group with a prominent electric guitar since Hendrix's popularity began in the mid-1960s. Below are four of the most memorable moments in Hendrix's musical career – and really, some of the most recognized in all of rock music. [read more]

Elvis Presley's shoes featured in Beatles Story exhibit - National Vintage Rock 'n' Roll

That the Beatles were fans of Elvis Presley is no secret. John Lennon said, "Before Elvis, there was nothing." George Harrison said, "I remember at school there was all that thing about Elvis. When a record came along like ‘Heartbreak Hotel' it was so amazing. We know Elvis is great. Seeing Elvis was like seeing the Messiah arrive." And Paul McCartney told of his love for Elvis. "Every time I felt low, I just put on an Elvis record and I'd feel great, beautiful." [read more]

Everybody loves Julian Lennon; Timeless photo exhibit opening a huge success

There are few people in the world who can entice Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono, Cynthia Lennon, May Pang, Pattie Boyd, Bob Gruen, Sid Bernstein, Mick Rock and Henry Diltz, plus a bevvy of other rock and art world luminaries, to join together for a cause. In fact, maybe Julian Lennon is the only one. Last night was the opening night party for Julian Lennon's photographic exhibit at the Morrison Hotel Gallery here. It was a full house, to say the least. Just look around the social media sites this morning and you'll catch a glimpse of any one of the notables from the history of rock and photography mentioned above jammed together in the comfortable but jam-packed confines of the Morrison Hotel Gallery location on the Bowery. [read more]

Heather Mills crosses out 'McCartney' in autobiography sent to schoolgirl

Heather Mills proved she has drawn a line through her marriage to Sir Paul McCartney when she sent a gift to an inspirational schoolgirl. The charity campaigner sent a copy of her autobiography to Danielle Bradshaw – but only after she had crossed out the ‘McCartney’ part of her name on the cover. At the time ‘A Single Step’ was published in 2002, Mills was married to the former Beatle and using the name Heather Mills McCartney. She reverted to plain Heather Mills at the time of the couple’s acrimonious divorce in 2008. [read more]

This Day in Music Spotlight: The Birth of “Paul is Dead”

On October 21, 1969, disc jockey Roby Yonge of the New York City radio station WABC announced to mortified listeners as far away as North Africa that reports were circulating that Paul McCartney, beloved bassist-songwriter-singer for The Beatles, was dead. The report was the culmination of a month’s speculation that began in the school newspaper of tiny Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The article, “Is Paul McCartney Dead?” (published on this date in 1969 and written by staff writer Tim Harper), pointed out that the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album marked the “death” of the old mop-top, “yeah yeah yeah” Beatles and represented something completely new. His theory was that Sgt. Pepper sounded so different because one of its principal players was different. Citing a liturgy of signs on Beatles album covers and recordings, Harper theorized that the evidence was indisputable: Paul is dead. [read more]

Beatles Song to Appear in Third Film

For many, many years, the Beatles were reluctant to allow any of their recordings to be used in commercials and motion pictures. We're not talking about performances of their songs by other artists, because there have been plenty of them, but the actual Fab Four tracks. That taboo was broken a few years ago in advertising but it wasn't until 2010 that movie ban fell. First, Fool on the Hill appeared in Dinner for Schmucks. Then Norwegian Wood was licensed for the Japanese production of the same name. Beatles Song to Appear in Third Film

McCartney to reissue Wings album Band on the Run

Paul McCartney is to reissue the 1973 album Band on the Run that he recorded with the band Wings after his split from The Beatles, he announced Thursday on his website. The Grammy-winning album, which contains the hits Bluebird, Jet and Band on the Run, will be reissued in a multiple configurations including a deluxe DVD version complete with bonus tracks, videos, a book and photographs. According to the statement, the November 2 release will be the first in a plan to rerelease all of McCartney's work outside The Beatles. [read more]

John Lennon's pre-Beatles band to make NJPAC appearance

By late summer 1962, Lennon was strumming in time to Ringo Starr’s backbeat. His band had completed its transition from the Quarrymen into the Beatles, and the singer and songwriter had a rendezvous with musical history. Davis, a founding member of the Quarrymen, watched Beatlemania from the sidelines. Nevertheless, the banjo player and guitarist insists that Lennon’s success engendered nothing but Mersey pride. “There was a huge cultural difference between the North and the South of England at the time,” says Davis, whose spot in the Quarrymen lineup was taken by Paul McCartney. “For the Beatles to conquer London as they did was absolutely sensational. We were all thrilled. I wouldn’t have fit in anyway. You can’t be a banjo player in a rock ’n’ roll band.” [read more]

Lennon Letter Blasts Capitol Records, Defends Beatles' Image

A newly revealed letter, believed to be written by John Lennon, could provide truth to the rumors that have circulated for decades: Lennon was not happy with Capitol Records, his former record label. In the type-written letter dated "year of our Ford 76," an animated Lennon was angry, funny, and also fighting to protect the image of the Fab Four. The letter is part of a Rock 'N' Roll Treasure that a Southern California woman has shared exclusively with NBCLA. Patti Daley said it was given to her decades ago while she and her then boyfriend, guitarist Jesse Ed Davis, were visiting Lennon and his family in New York City. [read more]

Devotee of Indian music finds a way for the twain to meet

BEFORE the term ''world music'' was even invented George Harrison went to India, studied sitar under the great Ravi Shankar and managed to find a way to synthesise Western pop music and Indian classical music. It was an early example of "West meets East". It is not surprising that more than two decades later, in 1990, Harry Manx, a young Canadian blues musician and a virtuoso on slide guitar and six-string banjo, decided to follow the same path. [read more]

September 16, 2010 11:59:40 AM Leibovitz Iconic Last Photo of John & Yoko Up at Auction

On October 19, Swann Auction Galleries commemorates Lennon’s legacy by offering an iconic photograph of John and Yoko in the Photographs & Photographic Literature Sale. The striking “John and Yoko” (estimate: $10,000 – 15,000) is the last photograph made of Lennon. Legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz shot the image, “John and Yoko” in 1980, mere hours before his murder. On assignment from Rolling Stone, Leibovitz had set out to capture the couple following the release of their album, “Double Fantasy.”

Signature Box: John Lennon

The Box set is deluxe 11CD and digital collection of 8 studio remaster albums , 1x bonus disc of singles not on these albums, 1x disc of studio outtakes and home recorded demos never before released, 65 page book and commemorative John Lennon print all in special presentation box. Includes 3 new and very personal essays to John by Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Julian Lennon. Release date Oct 5, 2010 - Preorder Today: Signature Box