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John Lennon Sung 'Yellow Submarine' Through A Condom

John Lennon sung part of The Beatles classic ‘Yellow Submarine’ through a condom to protect himself from an electric shock. The legend was trying to create an underwater singing effect and originally going to take more hazardous avenues to achieve the effect. But teenage engineer Geoff Emerick came up with the idea to cover the microphone. He explains: "John wanted to be recorded underwater to simulate being in a submarine. He was like that. He didn't realise the implications of that. "I thought to get a bottle of water and put a microphone in the water and get him to sing to that and then I realised there was a huge amount of electrical current going through the microphone. "So to protect the mic, Mal Evans (Beatles road manager) had a condom in his bag and I put the mic in the condom and put it in the bottle."John could've blown up because there was 240 volts running through this thing. It was part of some lead vocal but they never used it. I'm sure it's somewhere," quotes contactmusic.
http://www.gigwise.com/news.asp?contentid=15313

Apple Computer mounts defense in Beatles lawsuit

Apple Computer opened its defense in London's High Court on Thursday against charges by the Beatles' company, Apple Corps Ltd., that it had violated a 1991 trademark agreement by moving into the music business.
Apple Computer lead counsel Anthony Grabiner argued that the market-leading iTunes music store was primarily a data transmission service, permitted by the agreement."Data transmission is within our field of use," he said.Apple Corps, owned by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and the estate of George Harrison, has sued Apple Computer twice before.
http://www.metronews.ca/reuters
_entertainment.asp?id=140417

Capitol Albums Volume 2 The Beatles

APRIL 11, 2006 -- CAPITOL RECORDS TO RELEASE VOLUME 2
OF BEATLES U.S. RECORDINGS IN A BOX SET

FEATURING THE EARLY BEATLES, BEATLES VI, HELP! AND RUBBER SOUL
FIRST TIME EVER ON CD

On April 11, 2006, Capitol Records will release The Beatles Capitol Albums Volume 2, a collection of the four Capitol albums by The Beatles from 1965. The box set marks the CD debut of The Early Beatles, Beatles VI, the Help! soundtrack and the American version of Rubber Soul.

This is the much anticipated companion set to the Capitol Albums Volume 1 which brought together for the first time on CD the albums that began it all - Meet The Beatles, The Beatles Second Album, Something New and Beatles '65.

"It has been an ambition of mine to see the release of these CDs in the form we grew up with in the U.S.," says Andrew Slater, President and CEO, Capitol Records. "The remastering should ensure that the sound quality lives up to the expectations of our memories."

The Early Beatles marks the stereo debut on CD of nine early Beatles classics, including Please, Please Me and Twist And Shout.

Beatles VI marks the stereo debut on CD of five Beatles recordings, including cover versions of Kansas City and Words Of Love, as well as Lennon and McCartney’s What You’re Doing and Every Little Thing. The album also marks the CD debut of four Beatles songs in their original 1965 George Martin mono mixes.

The Help! soundtrack album contains five instrumental tracks from the film making their CD debut, including From Me To You Fantasy and Another Hard Day’s Night. When the British Help! LP was issued on CD in 1987, it contained George Martin stereo remixes of the songs. The Capitol soundtrack album marks the CD debut of five songs in their original 1965 George Martin stereo mixes.

The Capitol version of Rubber Soul contains, for the first time on CD, the original 1965 George Martin stereo mixes. When these songs appeared on CD in 1987, they were stereo remixes of the songs prepared by George Martin.

The Capitol Albums Volumes 1 & 2 have been carefully mastered from the original master tapes, taken from the vaults of Capitol Records, to ensure that they sound as they did when first released in 1964 and 1965. Each disc in the box sets presents each album in stereo and then in mono.

In the Sixties, American record labels often chose to reformat British records to suit the needs of the U.S. market. In America, singles were generally included on current albums, where as in
the UK, albums and singles were most often separate releases.

Higher music publishing costs in the U.S. also made it impractical to include as many songs on American albums. In addition, in the case of The Beatles, some of the recordings on the American albums were given more echo than the British versions, to 'Americanize' their sound.

In Volume 2, all but four of the tracks on the stereo albums are actual stereo mixes, with two being unique Capitol duophonic mixes. Capitol's engineers created duophonic mixes from mono masters by emphasizing the treble in one channel, boosting the bass in the other, and running the two channels slightly out-of-sync to simulate a stereo sound. In addition, five of the mono tracks are unique Capitol stereo-to-mono mixdowns with added echo and reverb.

Because the 46 songs included in Volume 2 are presented in both stereo and mono mixes, there are 92 tracks in the box set. Out of this number, 82 tracks appear in versions not previously available on CD.

When The Beatles catalog appeared on CD for the first time in 1987, releases were standardized on a worldwide basis. A short time later, the U.S. albums, which had last appeared on vinyl and cassette, were deleted from the Capitol catalog.Since that time there has been increasing demand for these original U.S. albums to make their CD debut, which they now do as part of this specially priced and uniquely packaged 4 CD boxed set.The Capitol Albums Volume 2 includes all 4 of the group's 1965 Capitol album releases. Each of the discs is housed in a miniature replica of the original album cover. The box set contains a colorful 60-page booklet featuring a scrap book effect of rare photos and clippings from that amazing year.

Track Listings: (Stereo Recordings / Original Mono Recordings)

THE EARLY BEATLES (Released March 22, 1965)

Love Me Do $
Twist And Shout *‡
Anna *‡
Chains *‡
Boys *‡
Ask Me Why *‡
Please Please Me *‡
P.S. I Love You $
Baby It’s You *‡
A Taste Of Honey *‡
Do You Want To Know A Secret *‡

* Stereo debut on CD (9)
$ First CD appearance of 1963 simulated stereo mix from first U.K. LP (2)
‡ First CD appearance of unique Capitol stereo-to-mono mixdown (9)

BEATLES VI (Released June 14, 1965)

Kansas City *@
Eight Days A Week
You Like Me Too Much †
Bad Boy †
I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party *@
Words Of Love *@
What You’re Doing *@
Yes It Is ¤
Dizzy Miss Lizzie †
Tell Me What You See †
Every Little Thing *@

* Stereo debut on CD (5)
† Mono debut on CD (4)
¤ First CD appearance of unique Capitol duophonic mix (1)
@ First CD appearance of unique Capitol remixes with echo and reverb (5)

HELP! (Released August 13, 1965)

Help! •‡
The Night Before †‡%
From Me To You Fantasy (Instrumental)•‡
You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away †‡%
I Need You †‡%
In The Tyrol (Instrumental)•‡
Another Girl †‡%
Another Hard Day’s Night (Instrumental)•‡
Ticket To Ride ¤
The Bitter End/You Can’t Do That (Instrumental)•‡
You’re Gonna Lose That Girl †‡%
The Chase (Instrumental)•‡

• First CD appearance in any version (6)
† Mono debut on CD (5)
% First CD appearance of original 1965 George Martin stereo mix (5)
¤ First CD appearance of unique Capitol duophonic mix (1)
‡ First CD appearance of unique Capitol stereo-to-mono mixdown (11)

RUBBER SOUL (Released December 6, 1965)

I’ve Just Seen A Face %†
Norwegian Wood %†
You Won’t See Me %†
Think For Yourself %†
The Word %†
Michelle %†
It’s Only Love %†
Girl %†
I’m Looking Through You %†
In My Life %†
Wait %†
Run For Your Life %†

% First CD appearance of original 1965 George Martin stereo mix (12)
† Mono debut on CD (12)





APRIL 4, 1964 – BEATLES HOLD TOP 5 SLOTS
ON BILLBOARDS HOT 100

APRIL 11, 1964 -- BEATLES HAVE 14 SONGS
IN THE BILLBOARD HOT 100

APRIL 11, 2006 -- CAPITOL RECORDS TO RELEASE VOLUME 2
OF BEATLES U.S. RECORDINGS IN A BOX SET

FEATURING THE EARLY BEATLES, BEATLES VI, HELP! AND RUBBER SOUL
FIRST TIME EVER ON CD

The Beatles Capitol Albums Volume 2 release is being timed to celebrate the unprecedented and unmatched April1964 Billboard chart domination by the Beatles, a time most remembered for The Beatles holding down the top five slots in The Hot 100. Four of those recordings are featured in these two collections.

No other recording artist has ever held down the top five, four or even three spots on the Billboard Hot 100. Only four acts besides the Beatles have ever had simultaneous number one and two hits. During early 1964, the Beatles had at least two songs at the top of the charts for twelve straight weeks. On April 4, 1964, in addition to the Top Five slots, The Beatles had seven more songs in the Hot 100, for a total of 12, including two singles imported from Canada. And if that wasn’t enough, the group held down the top two spots on the album chart with their first two American albums.

On April 11, 1964, The Beatles broke their own record by placing 14 songs in the Billboard Hot 100.

The Beatles chart domination was made possible by their talent, and the excitement generated by their three “Ed Sullivan Show” appearances. These two box sets celebrate this music by faithfully reproducing how the Beatles recordings were presented to Americans in 1964 and 1965.


Billboard Hot 100 chart dated April 4, 1964

1. Can’t Buy Me Love (Capitol)
2. Twist And Shout (Tollie)
3. She Loves You (Swan)
4. I Want To Hold Your Hand (Capitol)
5. Please Please Me (Vee-Jay)

31. I Saw Her Standing There(Capitol)
41. From Me To You (Vee-Jay)
46. Do You Want To Know A Secret (Vee-Jay)
58. All My Loving (Capitol of Canada)
65. You Can’t Do That (Capitol)
68. Roll Over Beethoven (Capitol of Canada)
79. Thank You Girl (Vee-Jay).

Billboard Top LPs chart dated April 4, 1964

1. Meet The Beatles! (Capitol)
2. Introducing The Beatles (Vee-Jay)

Billboard Hot 100 chart dated April 11, 1964

1. Can’t Buy Me Love (Capitol)
2. Twist And Shout (Tollie)
4. She Loves You (Swan)
7. I Want To Hold Your Hand (Capitol)
9. Please Please Me (Vee-Jay)

14. Do You Want To Know A Secret (Vee-Jay)
38. I Saw Her Standing There (Capitol)
48. You Can’t Do That (Capitol)
50. All My Loving (Capitol of Canada)
52. From Me To You (Vee-Jay)
61. Thank You Girl (Vee-Jay)
74. There’s A Place (Tollie)
78. Roll Over Beethoven (Capitol of Canada)
81. Love Me Do (Capitol of Canada)

Billboard Top LPs chart dated April 11, 1964

1. Meet The Beatles! (Capitol)
2. Introducing The Beatles (Vee-Jay)

Black Sabbath drummer blasts Lennon movie

Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward is lashing out at the people behind an upcoming movie about the man who killed John Lennon. On his official billward.com website, the newly inducted Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer wrote, "As a Lennon fan (and) admirer, I can't believe that this film is coming out on general release. I object completely that we have available to us a movie about a guy who robbed millions of people of so much, who stamped out a brilliant mind, and who broke apart a family... Whoever is responsible for this movie, the money, the producers, the cast, the music, I fail to see how you can participate in anything that could bring more infamy to an already infamous murderer, robber, and pain-bringer. I curse this movie, and hope that it rots in hell. I hope it's an utter failure... This movie can only open up old wounds. For the sake of what? Truth? I think not."Ward also said, "When John Lennon died, my heart broke, and I've never gotten over his death, and I know that millions of other people got hurt also... For me personally, it feels like another kick in the b--ls. It still hurts. He's been dead now for awhile, but it still hurts."The movie is called Chapter 27, and it's based on the true story of a fan who befriended Mark David Chapman on December 8th, 1980, the day he killed Lennon. It stars Jared Leto as Chapman and Lindsay Lohan as the unknowing fan. Chapter 27 should be released next year. The film's title reportedly comes from the "missing" chapter from J.D. Salinger's novel A Catcher In The Rye, which Chapman was obsessed with in the months before stalking and killing the Beatle.
http://www.therockradio.com/2006/03/black-
sabbath-drummer-blasts-lennon.html

Lennon school book goes under hammer

John Lennon's school exercise book containing rough ideas for Beatles hit 'I am the Walrus' could fetch more than £100,000 when it goes under the hammer at Madame Tussauds next month.
http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=
CZ2723814U&news_headline=
lennon_school_book_goes_under_hammer

How Lennon sailed yacht safely home and found his muse

A ship's log depicting a remarkable voyage in which John Lennon steered a yacht to safety amid a tropical storm is to be auctioned next month.
The log is one of three lots which represent important moments in Lennon's life.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/03/27/nlennon27.xml&sSheet
=/news/2006/03/27/ixnewstop.html

The Beatles smoking habit snubbed out

Record bosses are erasing any evidence of The Beatles penchant for smoking from the cover of an album re-release.EMI are shipping a new version of LP 'Capitol Albums Volume 2' on April 3, but there will be a distinctive difference on the cover.While John, Paul and Ringo were seen puffing away on the evil weed on the original 1964 version, they've magically kicked the habit on the re-release. And that's not the only thing to have vanished into thin air, two of Ringo's fingers, that were holding a cigarette, have also gone on the missing list.The band were all big smokers, with John still smoking when he was shot dead in 1980.Paul is believed to have quit in the 80s, but his wife Heather Mills recently revealed he was still smoking marijuana until former wife Linda McCartney died in 1998. She said "I would not get married to him if he was taking drugs."
http://www.lse.co.uk
/ShowbizNews.asp?Code=RP281823J&headline=
the_beatles_smoking_habit_snubbed_out

Beatles vie for a further slice of Apple

The long-running courtroom battle between The Beatles' Apple Records and Apple Computer continues this week as Apple Corps seeks multi-million pound damages from the iTunes creator. Apple Corps first sued Apple Computer in 1981, settling the case for $80,000 and the promise that Steve Jobs's company would not enter the music business again.However, when Apple Computer produced music-creation software in 1989 it was taken to court again by Apple Corps and the case was settled for $26m.Apple Corps now claims that the creation of Apple's iTunes software breaks the terms of the 1989 settlement.
This agreement stated that Apple Corps had rights over creative works where the content was mainly music, while Apple Computer was allowed to reproduce, run, play or deliver such content. Apple Computer plans to fight the case by claiming that its service is simply a system of data transmission.
The deciding factor may be the clause in the previous agreement which stated that Apple Computer is not allowed to distribute content on physical media. This originally covered tapes and CDs and may not apply to MP3 music files.
Apple Corps was set up by, and is still owned by, The Beatles and their heirs, including Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and George Harrison's widow Olivia. Its Apple Records subsidiary still controls the licensing of Beatles songs. The case will be heard in London following a 2004 ruling. Apple Computer had hoped that the case would be heard in California.
Steve Jobs's music empire has faced tough times recently. The French government proposed a bill last week that would force Apple to make songs downloaded using its iTunes software playable on all MP3 players.
While Jobs reacted in typically bullish form to the news, analyst firm Gartner suggested today that the legislation will have far-reaching consequences.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2152819/beatles-bite-apple

EXCLUSIVE: MACCA SACKED ME FOR COCAINE BINGES

SIR Paul McCartney's former right-hand man has revealed he was sacked by the pop legend for his wild cocaine binges.And Geoff Baker admitted selling personal gifts from the Beatles legend to pay his mortgage.Baker said he still respected Sir Paul but refused to extend an olive branch to his wife, Heather Mills- McCartney. She was widely rumoured to have disliked him.The only previous explanation for the split was given by the singer who said Baker had become"more and more unstable", culminating in a bizarre row as they went to see magician David Blaine suspended over the Thames.
http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=16864649&
method=full&siteid=64736&headline=exclusive-
-macca-sacked-me-for-cocaine-binges-name_page.html

McCartney sings blues as seal hunt kicks off today

CHARLOTTETOWN -- Rock star Paul McCartney and his wife, Heather, have issued another appeal for Canada to end the East Coat seal hunt. The plea came as hunters and protesters prepare to head out onto the ice for the start of the annual slaughter today. Animal rights groups, led by the Humane Society of the U.S., continued their anti-hunt campaigns yesterday by warning that global boycotts against Canadian seafood are taking hold and costing the nation both money and respect. "People all around the world are boycotting Canadian seafood until the seal hunt is ended for good," music legend Paul McCartney said in a video message from London that was released in Charlottetown. "Already that seafood boycott has cost Canada many times more than what the seal hunt brings in." The former Beatle and his wife, Heather, appealed to the federal government to end the hunt by implementing a licence buy-back program for hunters. Prime Minister Stephen Harper quickly dismissed the McCartney's comments"Unfortunately, we're to some degree the victim of a bit of an international propaganda campaign," Harper said during a visit to Moncton, N.B. "We believe the country is acting responsibly."
http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/National/2006/03/25/1504880-sun.html

Ringo Starr recruits new All Starr lineup for tour

Sheila E, Billy Squier, Richard Marx and Edgar Winter are among the artists who have signed on as members of the latest incarnation of former Beatle Ringo Starr (tickets music)'s All Starr Band, which is gearing up for a summer tour. Also on board for the All Starr Summer Tour--which is Starr's ninth such outing--are Rod Argent (Zombies) and Starr's writing partner, Mark Hudson. The collective will launch the run with a mid-June, two-night stand in Ontario, and is currently scheduled to make stops in 21 markets by the time things wrap up at New York City's Radio City Music Hall in late July. Details are included below. The group will perform hits by each band member, as well as Beatles material, according to a press release. Starr's most recent album is last year's "Choose Love," on which he is backed by his band The Roundheads (Hudson, Steve Dudas, Gary Burr and Jim Cox). Among the guests who appear on the set are Chrissie Hynde, Robert Randolph and Billy Preston.
June 2006 14, 15 - Rama, Ontario - Casino Rama 16 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre 17 - Chicago, IL - to be announced 20 - Englewood, CO - Coors Amphitheatre 22 - Saratoga, CA - Mountain Winery 23 - Brooks, CA - Cache Creek Casino 24 - Universal City, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre 25 - Palm Springs, CA - Fantasy Springs Auditorium 27 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey's 28 - Pala, CA - Pala Casino July 2006 1 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues 3 - Grand Prairie, TX - Nokia Theatre 8 - Boca Raton, FL - Mizner Park Amphitheatre 9 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall 12 - Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park Amphitheatre 14 - Westbury, NY - Westbury Music Fair15 - Atlantic City, NJ - to be announced16 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Casino 18 - Holmdel, NJ - P.N.C. Bank Arts Center 19 - Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion 20 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall

Beatle's cast lends a hand to Bek's cause

The Beatles may have wanted to hold your hand, but now you can hold one of the Beatles' hands.As part of Bek Devlin's World's Greatest Shave, she is auctioning off a signed George Harrison framed hand cast. The cast, which comes with a certificate of authenticity (complete with pic of George doing the imprint), was taken in the Williams pits during the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in 1995. The piece is number 8 of 500 and is a rare commemoration of the guitarist, who died in 2001. The cast will be sold on eBay, with the auction concluding at 16:48:55 AEST April 1 (to be precise). Bek's locks will come off during a glam ASMF cocktail party at The Advertiser's new home, Keith Murdoch House, on April 7. There are still tickets available for the event - have a look at the story on E-Type Jazz for booking details.
http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/
story_page/0,5936,18567291%255E31624,00.html

Ono slates 'tacky' Lennon seance

Yoko Ono's spokesman has attacked a "tasteless, tacky and exploitative" pay-per-view TV "seance" to contact the spirit of late Beatle John Lennon. Viewers will be charged $9.95 (£5.70) to watch the programme on 24 April. Ono's spokesman Elliot Mintz, who was a close friend of Lennon, said the show "only benefits the producers".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4831772.stm

Capitol Boxes Up More Beatles Albums

Capitol Records will on April 11 release the Beatles' "Capitol Albums Volume 2," the companion to a 2004 collection that featured the group's first four U.S. album releases. The new edition sports "The Early Beatles," "Beatles VI," the "Help!" soundtrack and the American pressing of "Rubber Soul," all of which were originally released in 1965.As with the first boxed set, each track is presented in both stereo and mono mixes. Out of the 92 individual tracks, 82 are appearing here in versions previously unreleased on CD. Each album is housed in a sleeve replicating its original LP artwork."The Early Beatles" boasts the stereo debut of such favorites as "Twist and Shout," "Please Please Me" and "A Taste of Honey," as well as the first CD appearances of 1963 simulated stereo mixes of "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You." This is the lone album represented in the box that did not reach No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, peaking at No. 43."Beatles VI" offers the CD stereo debut of five tracks and the mono debut of four others, plus the first release of Capitol's duophonic mix of "Yes It Is." The "Help!" soundtrack includes five instrumentals from the film, plus five of George Martin's original 1965 stereo mixes. "Rubber Soul" also offers the first CD appearance of Martin's 1965 stereo mixes.The release of the new box is timed to coincide with the 41st anniversary of the Beatles' reign over the top five slots on the Billboard pop singles chart with "Can't Buy Me Love," "Twist and Shout," "She Loves You," "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "Please Please Me."Here is the track list for "Capitol Albums Volume 2": "The Early Beatles":"Love Me Do""Twist and Shout""Anna""Chains""Boys""Ask My Why""Please Please Me""P.S. I Love You""Baby It's You""A Taste of Honey""Do You Want To Know a Secret""Beatles VI":"Kansas City""Eight Days a Week""You Like Me Too Much""Bad Boy""I Don't Want To Spoil the Party""Words of Love""What You're Doing""Yes It Is""Dizzy Miss Lizzie""Tell Me What You See""Every Little Thing""Help!":"Help!""The Night Before""From Me to You Fantasy" (instrumental)"You've Got To Hide Your Love Away""I Need You""In the Tyrol" (instrumental)"Another Girl""Another Hard Day's Night" (instrumental)"Ticket To Ride""The Bitter End / You Can't Do That" (instrumental)"You're Gonna Lose That Girl""The Chase" (instrumental)"Rubber Soul":"I've Just Seen a Face""Norwegian Wood""You Won't See Me""Think for Yourself""The Word""Michelle""It's Only Love""Girl""I'm Looking Through You""In My Life""Wait""Run for Your Life"




A note from me: I'm having some trouble uploading images on Blogger has anyone else been having these problems?

For Ringo, It Don't Come Easy

Paul Collins concludes his series of reflections on the individual Beatles with an appreciation of the Crown Prince of drummers, Ringo Starr http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0800beatles/
0050news/tm_objectid=16811854&method=full&siteid=50061&
amp;headline=for-ringo--it-don-t-come-easy-name_page.html

Seal slaughter is stain on Canada

Before the end of March, men armed with clubs, guns and knives will begin the annual slaughter of thousands of baby seals in Canada so they can harvest their fur coats. Seal pups can legally be killed as soon as they have molted their white natal fur, when they are about 12 days old. During last year’s hunt, almost all of the seals killed were just two months old or younger. Many had not yet learned how to swim or eaten their first solid meal. Hunters object to calling these seals “babies,” but that’s what they are. They are helpless and have no escape from the violence raining down on them.Americans should join Sir Paul McCartney and his wife Heather Mills McCartney in protesting the killing. The McCartneys traveled to Canada and appeared on CNN’s Larry King Live in early March to appeal to the newly elected Canadian prime minister to stop the hunt. In a heated debate, one of the hunt’s biggest cheerleaders, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams, stated “for the record” that he does not condone “inhumane activity towards animals.”
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/
viewArticle.asp?articleID=6940

Beatles fans kept waiting on remasters

The Beatles catalog is the biggest-selling and most valuable in the history of music. A staggering 168.5 million albums have been sold in the U.S. alone, according to figures from the Recording Industry Association of America.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/
drmn/spotlight_columnists/
article/0,2777,DRMN_23962_4549611,00.html

Makers defend Lennon TV 'seance'

A television "seance" to contact the spirit of late Beatle John Lennon has been defended by its producer. The programme, which will air on a US pay-per-view digital channel, has been branded as "tasteless" by critics. Its producer, who made a show in 2003 to forge contact with Diana, Princess of Wales, says The Spirit of John Lennon is a "serious" broadcast. The musician's widow, Yoko Ono, has not given consent for the broadcast and was not available for comment.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4815890.stm

Lennon ticket found in charity shop

An old cloakroom ticket found in a charity shop bin bag could be worth more than £1,000 - because it apparently bears John Lennon's autograph.
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=392012006

New documentary chronicles the US vs. John Lennon

Starting in the late 1960s, John Lennon stripped away his pop-star image to transform into an anti-war activist. This change brought on his famous bed-ins with wife Yoko Ono in protest of the Vietnam War and the song "Give Peace a Chance." Though this period in Lennon's life would forever cement his iconic legacy, the U.S. Government wasn't too happy with Lennon's newfound persona and tried every effort to silence him. This in-depth documentary by filmmakers David Leaf and John Scheinfeld chronicles a chapter in Lennon's life very few know.
http://www.whatgoeson.com/story.20060315.html

John Lennon: Dead but live?

Save your pennies, because come April 24 there will be a pay-per-view cable TV event like no one has ever seen.A firm called Starcast Productions is putting together an unprecedented opportunity for viewers to see an interview with and hear songs from one of the world’s most famous singer/songwriters
http://www.enidnews.com/opinion/
local_story_074005937.html?keyword=topstory

Strange trip through a Beatles classic

When I interviewed the author of the West End play Blackbird recently, he admitted that, though its title is never mentioned in the dialogue, the play is named after the third song on side two of the Beatles' White Album.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/03/13/btbeatles13.xml
&sSheet=/arts/2006/03/13/ixtop.html

A Seance to Contact John Lennon

'The Spirit of John Lennon': 90 Minute Pay-Per-View Special to Debut April 24th World Renowned Psychics Will Conduct Seance to Contact Music Legend on iN DEMAND On April 24, 2006, an historic event will unfold on iN DEMAND Pay-Per-View television as famed psychics around the world conduct a seance to contact John Lennon. John Lennon was one of the most important musical talents of our time, but he was tragically taken from us much too soon. Now, an event will take place that will perhaps allow the world to once again be touched by his genius. Renowned psychics will travel to various sites significant to the former Beatle. Outside the Dakota building in New York, in the shadow of the Capitol Records Building in Los Angeles, and in the town in India where Lennon pursued his spiritual retreat, psychics will use their exceptional talents to contact him for the first time. In India, a spirit reader at an ashram believes he will be able to contact John Lennon to receive musical notes and lyrics from the other side. If successful, these notations will be flown to Los Angeles, where a composer will arrange the notes, add vocals and backgrounds to produce a new song. Could the results be a last musical legacy from beyond? In New York, a psychic will not only visit the Dakota, but will also spend time at the Strawberry Fields memorial in Central Park, where he believes he will make contact with the spirit of John Lennon. The special will culminate as psychics, colleagues and confidantes sit at a seance table for what promises to be the most incredible 30 minutes of psychic contact ever recorded. State of the art infra-red cameras will be in place for the entire seance, providing the ability to capture any presence or spirit that enters the room. During the special, music professionals and individuals who worked with John Lennon will be used to verify whether they believe contact was made. "The Spirit of John Lennon" promises to be one of the most riveting and controversial specials of the year. Paul Sharatt is executive producer for Starcast Productions. Associated Television International is the distributor. Debuting on iN DEMAND Pay-Per-View April 24th at 9:00 p.m. EDT. For more information and to view a trailer of the seance, log on to http://www.spiritoflennon.com. The Spirit of John Lennon is being done without the knowledge or consent of John Lennon's Estate. About Starcast Productions Starcast Productions, headed by award-winning producer Paul Sharratt, is the company behind a number of high profile projects including "The Spirit of Diana." The special became an international television event as captivated viewers watched world renowned psychics and friends reach out to the spirit world in an attempt to communicate with Princess Diana. "The Life of Leonardo DaVinci," the Australian/American series "Killer Instinct," and the successful wildlife series "Into the Wild" are among other noteworthy Starcast works. About Associated Television International Associated Television International has been successfully producing and distributing television series, specials and feature films for over three decades. ATI's corporate mission is to produce projects that are both educational and entertaining for audiences worldwide. Its programs have aired on all US broadcast networks and the major cable channels. In the last year, such programs as "The National Health Test," "Laura McKenzie's Traveler," "The Unauthorized Biography of Johnny Cash," and "Unlocking DaVinci's Code" all received acclaim.
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=165990

From Beatles to Zeppelin - Rare Rock Autograph Auction.

On April 1, Rock Star Gallery, an Arizona-based music memorabilia museum, will conduct an auction of more than 200 lots of rare rock and pop music memorabilia to benefit the Children’s Cancer Center at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Titled "From Beatles to Zeppelin," the auction will be held at the gallery, with auctioneer Mike Brandly officiating and live Internet bidding available through CBTechLive.com.
http://news-antique.com/?id=781155&
keys=beatles-zeppelin-autographed

Paul McCartney protests animal testing lab

Paul McCartney has written a letter to the governor of Arizona - protesting against an animal testing lab.The former Beatle - who owns a ranch in Chandler, in the US state - says he doesn't want drug developer Covance Inc. to open a lab there.Covance submitted plans last October to build a 400,000-square-foot facility for clinical animal testing.
http://people.monstersandcritics.com/
article_1136049.php/
Paul_McCartney_protests_animal_
testing_lab

Lennon's original lyrics unsold

John Lennon's hand-written lyrics for the Beatles classic A Day In The Life have failed to sell at auction. The double-sided sheet written 39 years ago had been expected to fetch £1.5m in sealed bids at Bonhams in New York, but the offers failed to meet the reserve. Lennon wrote the song after reading about the death of his friend, Guinness heir Tara Browne, in the Daily Mail. It became the final track on the Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album and was sold for £56,600 in 1992. A Bonhams spokesman said: "It's a reality in our business but we're certainly disappointed." He added: "We wish we were jumping on the rooftops yelling about the sales prices."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4791844.stm

Ringo Starr Tour

Ringo Starr Confirms 9th all star summer tour 2006, produced by House of Blues® all stars will include Rod Argent, Mark Hudson, Richard Marx and Billy Squier with Sheila E and Mark Rievra returning Wednesday, March 8, 2006, Los Angeles, CA – This summer is guaranteed to be a little more rocking now that Ringo Starr has confirmed the details for his upcoming 9th All Starr Band. The tour, produced by House of Blues®, will kick off in Canada at Casino Rama on June 14 and end in New York City on July 20 at Radio City Music Hall. The 9th All Starr Band will feature new All Starr's (in alphabetical order) Rod Argent (Zombies), Mark Hudson (Ringo’s writing partner and producer from that other band, no not that one!, the other other one – the Roundheads), Richard Marx, Billy Squier, Edgar Winter with the fabulous Sheila E returning on drums/percussion and band leader and saxophonist Mark Rivera. The All Star show is “the best 1-800-band on the road,” (as Ringo always says), where each of All Starrs take turns singing their greatest hits: “With A Little Help From My Friends”, “Yellow Submarine”, “Photograph”, “It Don’t Come Easy,” "Hold Your Head Up," “Don’t Mean Nothin,” “Free Ride,” “The Stroke,” “Everybody Wants You,” and “Glamorous Life.” Ringo and His All Starrs exude the love, joy and phenomenal playing that shine from the Starr at the center. The shows draw fans of all ages and sizes…parents and their kids come to enjoy a summer night out with fantastic music, performed by musicians who love to play. As Ringo recently said in an interview: “I just have a great time, and that's the rhythm of my heart and my soul.” The full itinerary will be announced shortly, and in the meantime fans can look for updates on: http://www.ringostarr.com./

The Art and Artifacts of Stuart Sutcliffe, the Fifth Beatle and Best Friend of John Lennon, Can Now be Viewed and Acquired at StuartSutcliffeArt.com

Today sees the launch of the StuartSutcliffeArt.com website. Stuart Sutcliiffe was just 21 when he died from a brain hemorrhage in 1962. Stuart, a prodigious young talent would, it is widely believed, have become one of the leading painters of his generation had he lived. In 1959, John Moores, the patron of the John Moores Bi-Annual Exhibitions held at the Walker Art Gallery, purchased Stuart’s “Summer Painting”. Lennon persuaded Stuart to join his band, Johnny and the Moondogs and invest his windfall in the purchase of a bass guitar, they called it “The Brunett” (because of its color), Lennon had “The Blond”.Stuart Sutcliffe is known as The Fifth Beatle (actually he was the fourth), John Lennon’s best friend (Stuart and Lennon were roommates while at the Art College in Liverpool) and the James Dean of Hamburg. He chose to put his career as a painter (his first passion) before that of a Beatle.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/
2006/3/prweb354926.htm

Industry Rumors: Beatles Capitol Albums Vol. 2 coming soon

The industry is whispering in off-the-record conversations that the long-awaited Beatles Capitol Albums Vol. 2 could be on the foreseeable horizon, possibly early April. The followup to the exciting Beatles Capitol Albums Vol. 1 which was released in November, 2004, Vol. 2 of the set will most likely pick up where Vol. 1 left off, and contain the American Capitol stereo and mono mixes of the next four American albums, The Early Beatles, Beatles VI, Help! and Rubber Soul, all originally released in 1965. We're pretty confident these rumors are likely, but please remember they are still rumors, and nothing yet is definite. We will post more information as soon as we have it.
http://www.whatgoeson.com/story.20060306.html

Unseen Lennon Snaps That Could Save My Girl

A boatman who had a secret friendship with John Lennon is selling his treasured photos of their time together to help his sick daughter. Peter Sandeman has never talked about his days out with the Beatle, his then wife Cynthia and their son Julian. But after 41 years, the 68-year-old is hoping his pictures will fund stem cell therapy for his daughter Julia, 33, who has multiple sclerosis. He said: "It was a private thing. But now the need is greater." John bought a house in Poole, Dorset for his beloved aunt Mimi, who raised him, and would visit to escape the limelight.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/
tm_objectid=16778346&method=full&siteid
=94762&headline=unseen-lennon-snaps-
that-could-save-my-girl--name_page.html

It is difficult to hide from the Beatles. After all these years, they are still regularly in the news

It is difficult to hide from the Beatles. After all these years, they are still regularly in the news. Their songs play on oldies stations and countdowns.
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/
entertainment/performing_arts/
14021886.htm

Visit outports, not just pups, sealer tells McCartney

A former president of the Canadian Sealers Association says Sir Paul McCartney should come visit the people who rely on sealing to make a living, rather than just watching seals on ice floes. The former Beatle travelled to see seal pups off the Magdalen Islands, and called on Canada to ban the commercial seal hunt.
http://www.cbc.ca/nl/story/nf_small_
mccartney_20060303.html

George Harrison never honoured his IOUs

He may have earned millions as the member of the iconic rock band 'The Beatles', but it seems that George Harrison was not so good at parting with his money, for it was recently revealed that he never honoured a debt he incurred in 1961. According to Contactmusic, Harrison fell short of 34 dollars when he was buying merchant seaman Ivan Hayward's black Gretsch Duo Jet electric guitar from him in 1961. So, he wrote Hayward an IOU for the amount, and promised to pay him back.However, the legendary Beatles guitarist, who passed away in 2001, never honoured his promise, and to this day Hayward still holds onto the IOU note signed by Harrison.Harrison used the electric guitar in the album, 'Cloud Nine'.
http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=266403&cat=Entertainment

Paul McCartney and George Michael to record together

George Michael is recording a duets album with stars including Paul McCartney.
http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=265715&cat=World

Paul McCartney joins opposition to Canada's seal hunt

Opponents of Canada's seal hunt acquired a powerful ally in their fight to ban the disputed practice as Paul McCartney pledged yesterday to venture out on to the ice floes in a bid to save the furry mammals
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/
National/2006/03/01/1467416-sun.html