On This Day – Max Sued
Jan 7, 2010 Uncategorized
On this day in 1970 Max Yasgur who owned the farm where Woodstock was sued by neighbours for damages caused by the rampaging hippies. The suits either totaled $25,000 0r $35,000. Eventually, they were settled. The finances of ‘Woodstock Ventures’ are a bit murky but it seems that although it was planned as a profit making venture (it only became a free concert after so many people turned up) but the some 80 lawsuits filed against them were paid from the profits of the film. The film also helped to settle their $1.4m debts.
The people who didn’t play Woodstock?
The Beatles, some say because the organisers would not also book
the Yoko Ono Band, some because Lennon could not get into the states because of visa difficulties.
The Doors because they thought it would not be worthy of them ‘a second class Monteray’.
Led Zepp ‘cos they did not want to be just another band on the bill.
Dylan was negotiating but his son became ill.
The Moody Blues decided to play a gig in Paris instead. That was either a really bad decision or an inspired one. Bad because of the loss of exposure good because more than most they relied on a good sound system when playing live and the sound at Woodstock was bad, very bad.
Missed opportunity?
Keef Hartley played Woodstock but did not make the film because their manager refused to give the rights away. Shame ‘cos KH was ‘my’ band in the 60’s and they deserved much better recognition.
Best way to experience Woodstock? Watch the film turn up the volume, sit in a tub of mud, and smoke your little smoke, drink your little drink, while I dance the night away…….(No FZ wasn’t there either)
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Tags: beatles, bob dylan, classic rock music, doors, john lennon, Keef Hartley, live music, moody blues, On This Day, rock and blues
On This Day – Stones In Harrow & The Beatles On US TV
Jan 6, 2010 On This Day
The Fab Four at their most Fab.......
Gawd knows what he would have made of the Stones.
They were embarking on their first tour in the UK on which they were the headliners having previously backed people like Bo Diddley, Little Richard and The Everly Brothers. This tie round they were supported by the Ronnettes (as was usual at the time a strange pairing it seems to me). Jack Paar may not have liked the Beatles’ hair Phil Spector did not like the Stones’ morals. He sent a telegram to the Stones warning to stay away from ‘his girls’. Mind you Ronnie of the Ronnettes was his wife at the time.
Apparently, the Stones ignored the telegram.
The tour started in the Harrow Granada, not the best venue they would ever play, but certainly not the worst. One notable thing from the tour was that the Stones stopped wearing their band uniform. One of the first bands to do so. These days it seems hard imagine that any band would wear a uniform, but it was the norm in those days. That they stopped wearing them enhanced their loutish, bad boy image. parents (mine included) hated them because of it. The kids (me included) loved them because of it (and the music, of course).
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Tags: beatles, On This Day, phil spector, real rock and blues, rolling stones, ronnettes
On This Day – I’m Not Dead, Honest.
Oct 22, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 1969 Paul McCartney said officially that he was not dead, unless the statement was issued by William Campbell after the surgery.
There had been persistent rumours that Paul had died in a car accident and that he had been replaced with a look-a-like called William Campbell.
The story begins on 9th November 1966 while the Beatles were working on Sgt. Pepper’s but things were not going well. In frustration Paul left the Abbey Road studios and jumped in his car. While driving he picked up a woman hitch hiker (called Rita). She became hysterical when she realised who he was and in the fracas that ensued he crashed the car. She was able to get out of the now burning car but Paul, sadly, died.
What happened then was a massive cover up. Local papers bribed, as were the police and ambulance services. In desperation to keep the Beatles’ brand alive Brian Epstein found William Campbell who had won a Paul Look-a-like competition. He was flown from Canada where he was living, given elocution lessons, plastic surgery, and taught to be left handed rather than right. Simple!
There followed years of lies and deceit. However there were clues. The Sgt. Pepper cover is full of clues; crashed cars, Shiva the destroyer pointing towards Paul, the wreath spelling out ‘Paul’, the open palm sign. In the gatefold Paul is wearing a badge that says ‘OPD’ which stands for ‘Officially Pronounced Dead’. It is all so obvious.
Look at ‘Revolver’. Who is the only Beatle not looking straight out of the cover? You’ve guessed it, Paul. Could that mean that the others are looking towards the future and Paul isn’t (’cos he’s dead)? The open palm death symbol is there again.
Look at ‘Magical Mystery Tour’. On the back cover, how many band members do you see? (By the woman with the red dress one third of the way down) Five. Is the fifth, who looks like Paul, really William Campbell?
There is more. Remember that Paul was left handed and often said that there was nothing he could do about it, he could not ‘cure’ himself of being a lefty, and he had tried.
So, page 4 of the Magical Mystery Tour booklet with which hand is ‘Paul’ holding his wand? The right. During MMT film, the beginning of the ‘Fool on the Hill’ bit is smoking, using his right hand. During the same film the cast are on the bus, drunk and singing. In which hand does ‘Paul’ hold his beer bottle? His right.
‘Nuff said.
Tags: beatles, classic rock music, is paul dead, officially pronounced dead, On This Day, paul mccartney, rock and blues
On This day – The Beatles Hit our TV Screens
Oct 17, 2009 Uncategorized
On this day in 1962 The Beatles make it onto the small screen. They were on a local TV station “Granada” that broadcasts to the North West of England. The show is a local news programme with a magazine format called ‘People and Places’. On the programme they sang 2 songs live ‘Some Other Guy’ and ‘Love Me Do’. Sadly, there is no recording of the show or any of the other 4 appearances they made on local TV in 1962.
It now seems hard to believe that in 1962 singing 2 songs on a poxy little local TV show was a big deal for the Fab Four. 5 TV outings in 1962 then 30 in 1963, including their first on the BBC (13 April 1963, ‘625 Special’) things really began top pick up for the lads. By the way, their first appearance on US TV was not broadcast until 3rd January 1964. It was a performance of ‘She Loves You’ filmed by the BBC in August ‘64 and sold on to The Jack Paar Show.
Their second appearance on TV (for the same show) was recorded on 29th October and broadcast on 2nd November – by which time they were in Hamburg, for the second time.
Tags: beatles, beatles on tv, john lennon, On This Day, paul, paul mccartney, rock and blues
On This Day – Eleanor Rigby Is Dead!
Oct 10, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 1938 Eleanor Rigby died. She was 44 and died peacefully in her sleep. She is buried in the graveyard of St. Peter’s Parish Church in Woolton, Liverpool. It is close to where Paul and John first met 19 years later.
It would be nice to think that McCartney saw the gravestone on that fateful day and the name stayed with him. Not so, The original name used in the song was Daisy Hawkins.
Said McCartney in an interview about the album Revolver on which the song appears. “I was sitting at the piano when I thought of it. The first few bars just came to me, and I got this name in my head… ‘Daisy Hawkins picks up the rice in the church’. I don’t know why. I couldn’t think of much more so I put it away for a day. Then the name Father McCartney came to me, and all the lonely people. But I thought that people would think it was supposed to be about my Dad sitting knitting his socks. Dad’s a happy lad. So I went through the telephone book and I got the name McKenzie.”
In fact the name Eleanor Rigby came from a store in Bristol (Rigby & Evans Ltd) and Eleanor Bron a great British actress who appeared in Help!
Many people say that Eleanor Rigby was a seminal record from the use of a string octet to the sad and serious subject matter. None of the Beatles play on the track although there are harmonies from John and George (obviously, not only could Ringo not play according to Paul he could not sing either).
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Tags: beatles, classic rock music, eleanor rigby, real rock and blues, rock and blues
On This Day – John Lennon Born
Oct 9, 2009 On This Day, arrivals
John Winston Lennon joined this world today in 1940. As part of the Beatles he helped shape modern music writing some iconic songs. He worked for peace and against the Vietnam War. He was threatened with deportation from the USA by the Nixon administration, investigated by the FBI. He was murdered on 8th December 1980 by Mark David Chapman.
Lennon was raised by his aunt Mimi although he did have regular contact with his birth mother Julia. She bought him a banjo when he was 11 and taught him to play “Aint That A Shame” by Fats Domino. She also bought him his first guitar in 1957. His aunt Mimi was not in favour of his infatuation with music and did not share his faith that he would be famous one day and make a living out of music. Julia died after being hit by a car driven by an off duty policeman in 1958.,
Lennon had co-founded a skiffle group in 1956 which had him on banjo. Originally called The Blackjacks they changed their name to The Quarrymen (after the school that they attended) as another local group was using that name. Their repertoire consisted of Lonnie Donegan songs which they aired at parties, school dances and the like.
The whole local music scene was very fluid at this time with various lineups and personnel sitting in with other groups but the Beatles began to come together. When Paul McCartney joined The Quarrymen he insisted that George Harrison also join over Lennon’s objections that Harrison was too young. Later Stu Suttcliffe (bass) joined and suggested that they change their name to The Beetles, later The Silver Beetles and then to The Beatles. Their first recording was “That Will Be The Day” with “In spite of All the Danger” (by McCartney and Harrison) on the other side. The recording cost 17/6 (£0.77) and the one disc produced was passed around the band. It resurfaced in 1981 when McCartney bought it for an undisclosed amount.
Against Mimi’s vehement objections Lennon went with the other Beetles to Hamburg in 1960. That residency at Bruno Koschmider’s Indra club did not last long. The Beatles were deported back to the UK after a minor arson incident and it was discovered that Harrison was under age.
The Beatles went on to be the biggest band in the world, of course, but why should we celebrate Lennon’s birth? He was voted the 8th greatest Briton by BBC viewers (but then Dianna came 3rd…..), he was awarded an MBE (or was that an OBE – don’t know and don’t care). Helped to shape popular music and wrote some great rock and pop songs. But, what made him so great?
I think he together with, but perhaps more than, the other Beatles showed what was possible. In those days you went to school and then left to find a job, got married, had children, and then died. There were no other options, until we were showed otherwise. He was an inspiration for others, and surely that is as good as anyone’s life can get, there is nothing better.
My favourite Lennon song, I even like the Tin machine version (yes, I was the one person who bought that god awful album).
You know, I am not terribly happy with this post. My heart is not really in it. I don’t think that I have done JL justice, so much more than a member of the Beatles.
Perhaps it is just because it is 5.00am…….
Tags: beatles, classic rock music, john lennon, love rock music, rock and blues
On This day – Epstein Signs
Oct 1, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 1962 Brian Epstein (28 at the time) signed a management deal with the Beatles. John and Ringo were able to sign the contract as they were legally adults. Paul and George had to have theri dad’s sign on their behalf as they were still minors.
In return for managing them he was to get 25% of their earnings, as long as they made more than $400 a week – he may have made a few bob out of the contract……
Brian Epstein had previously worked in the family shop in Liverpool and had stints in both the forces and Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. He was not cut out to be either a soldier or an actor.
Returning to the shop he persuaded his parents to start selling records. The idea was so successful that they opened a record store. Epstein looked to tap into the local music scene by selling a Liverpool music paper called Mersey Beat starting with its first issue on July 6, 1961. He later contributed a column to the paper.
Becoming engaged with beat music Epstein heard a record made in Germany by Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers. It was not Tony Sheridan that interested Epstein however, it was the backing band. He asked people to listen the the record but ignore the singer and when he heard that the band were back in Liverpool and playing at the Cavern Club he had to go along to watch.
Alaister Taylor, Epstein’s assistant commented; “And it (The Cavern Club) was jammed solid, and we just sat at the back feeling rather embarrassed, and I suddenly realised my foot was tapping, and I hated pop music, and Brian hated it even more than me, and I looked ’round and so was his.”
“And after a while Brian started talking about it, and he said, ‘What did you think?’ And I said I thought they were awful, quite honestly, but absolutely incredible. So he said, ‘that’s exactly my feelings. Do you think I should manage them?’ And I said, yeah.”
Epstein said; “I hadn’t had anything to do with management of pop artists before that day that I went down to the Cavern Club and heard the Beatles playing, and this was quite a new world, really, for me. I was immediately struck by their music, their beat, and their sense of humour on stage. And even afterwards when I met them I was struck again by their personal charm. And it was there that really it all started…”
Tags: beatles, brian epstein, On This Day, rock and blues
A New One From Jacko, Old Ones From The Beatles
Sep 27, 2009 About and things
A new single from Michael Jackson will be released on 12th October. Whether it would have been released if he was still alive I do not know.
In the last week the Beatles sold 2.5 million (remastered) albums in the US, UK, and Japan. A spokes person for EMI said “Beatlemania has returned, with fans new and old embracing these beautiful albums in their re-mastered and re-packaged forms. By putting the needs and desires of consumers first, the band are breaking new records around the world more than four decades after they first started recording. All of us at EMI Music are very proud to have been a part of this exciting project and to have delivered an insightful and globally executed marketing plan.”
So what it boils down to is this. MJ will have a song released that may not have seen the light of day if he was alive and the Beatles are topping the charts after 40 years. What does that say about the state of modern pop music?
BTW, don’t you just love the way that EMI were acting altruistically in releasing the remastered albums. They were “putting the needs and desires of consumers first”. If only the rest of the music business shared the same selfless motivation……
Tags: beatles, classic rock music, love rock music, michael Jackson
Beatlemania to Sweep The World! (again)
Sep 9, 2009 About and things, rock and blues
There is going to be a worldwide growth in fabness. Mop tops will be back in fashion and lovable Liverpudlian accents everywhere. At least according to the media including a simpering Sunday Times this week, the reason?
The Beatles’ albums have been remastered and reissued together with a magnificent box set. The box set contains all the albums and costs a paltry (!) £169 while the albums cost about £11 each making the box set the most cost effective choice if you want to replace all your existing CDs and vinyl.
Now, most remastered CDs are less than impressive, more of a marketing opportunity than a valuable addition to your collection. From everything that I have read these reissues are different. From the fawning Sunday Times to an anonymous commenter on Yahoo Answers the verdict is that the reissues are like new records.
The original dynamics have been retained (original from the master tapes, not the bland CDs of the past). The trend has been to make the softer bits louder and the louder bits softer to make the overall sound more even. That may sound good on radio but does lose the original attack of the recording.
Overall, these reissues are well worth the money. I will be replacing Revolver (the only Beatles album that I own currently) as well as investing in Sgt. Peppers, Rubber Soul, and Past Masters. Past masters is an interesting album. It contains all those singles that never appeared in albums – seems strange these days that anyone would not issue all their singles on albums – but that is what happened way back when. As well as She Loves You, I Want To Hold Your Hand (so innocent) etc. there are some rarities. Well worth the money even for those of use who are Beatles completists (and I am certainly not one of those). What CDs should you avoid? Yellow Submarine has to be at the top of this list, absolutley useless more Monkees than Beatles….. Also avoid Beatles For Sale. The 4th album in 2 years, whoever thought that would be a good idea?
I was never a huge Beatles fan, (my mother liked them, hated those dirty and loutish Rolling Stones so guess which band I favoured?) but it is true that they were a good band and did change a lot of things for those that came later. I do have some quibble (quite a lot of a quibble, in fact) with John’s statement that they were the best rock band in the world, at least when they were playing in Hamburg. As virtually no one saw them in Hamburg it is hard to argue with him though.
Tags: beatlemania, beatles, beatles remasters, george harrison, john lennon, love rock music, paul mccartney, ring, rock and blues, rongo starr
On This Day – I’m the Drummer in the Beatles, Aren’t I?
Sep 3, 2009 Uncategorized
On this day in 1968 Ringo came back and rejoined the Beatles to finish recording The White Album.
What you never knew he left? Few people did.
He discovered that McCartney had bee re-recording the drum parts on to of Ringo’s when he was not looking. Mr Starkey was not best pleased, as you can imagine and stormed off. He went on a Mediterranean cruise and after a couple of weeks he went back.
You can only surmise why he came back. No one else wanted a not very good drummer? The money was too good to resist? No pride? No matter, the Fab Four were back together (well Fab three and the other one).
In case you are wondering these are the tracks from The White Album that Ringo did not play on;
Back in The USSR (all the other 3 played drums on this…..)
Dear Prudence (much loved by Gordon Brown apparently, but he’s gone off it recently)
Wild Honey Pie
Blackbird (obviously)
Julia (equally obviously)
Mother’s Nature Son
Revolution 9
All a bit of a storm in a teacup really. In fact there were lots of tensions within the band. Perhaps the biggest source of tension was the way that the royalties and touring profits were divided between the band. Ringo and George 1.5% John and Paul 15 – 30%. Even given that J&P wrote most of the songs it seems very unfair.
Ringo was not the only Beatle to quit. Harrison left on January 10th, 1969. He was upset that while he had a growing number of songs that remained unrecorded The Beatles were concentrating John and Paul’s songs. he was also miffed that John no longer really spoke to the others preferring Yoko to to attend band meetings. John wanted to replace George with either Hendrix or Clapton (surely that was joke?). He also wanted to break the news to the press. No need, Harrison himself did that. However after a few days he was back in the fold.
Tags: beatles, classic rock music, On This Day, richard starkey, ringo starr, rock and blues
