Category Archives: Beatles Books

Yeah Yeah Yeah – The Beatles and Bournemouth

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There’s a new book which came out just before Christmas with what you might think is a slightly unlikely title: “Yeah Yeah Yeah – The Beatles and Bournemouth”:

On first seeing the title you wonder if there could be so many links with this southern UK city to warrant a whole book on the subject? After all, the Beatles hailed from the far more well-known and much larger northern English city of Liverpool….

Bournemouth is a large seaside resort town – well south of London:

Well, the book’s author – journalist and Beatle fan Nick Churchill – has been in touch and I can now vouch for the fact that there are a great number of very interesting links and stories connecting the world’s most famous band to Bournemouth. His book on the subject contains a wealth of fascinating material and a great number of previously unseen photographs. Nick uncovers often surprising connections….for example the house John purchased for his aunt Mimi at Sandbanks in the Bournemouth area in 1965. In mid-1965 Mimi had sold Mendips, her Liverpool home, and so John bought her a waterside bungalow where she lived until her death in 1991. On various visits he was spotted in the area by locals in either a Mini Cooper or in his famous psychedelic Rolls Royce.

The book has a foreword written by Howie Casey, of Howie & the Seniors. Howie, originally from Liverpool and a long-time friend of Paul McCartney, played with Wings in the 1970′s and since coming off the band’s 1980 tour has lived in Bournemouth. He shares his memories of seeing the Beatles from their very earliest days in Liverpool and in Hamburg.

“Yeah Yeah Yeah – The Beatles and Bournemouth” features over 200 rare and previously unpublished photos as well as lots of memorabilia, show posters and tickets from the time. Local photographer Harry Taylor was there to record the groups visits at every step – and until now his images have remained largely unseen. Here’s one of them, taken on the balcony of the Palace Court Hotel in Bournemouth on the 19th or 20th of August, 1963:

If you’re wondering what the boys are chomping on its probably a hard, sticky English toffee known as rock which is still very popular at British seaside towns. Maybe it was some “Bournemouth Rock”?

It was while staying at the Palace Court Hotel that August in 1963 that one of the band’s most iconic photo shoots took place, the half-shadow shot by Robert Freeman that appeared on the sleeve of their second album, “With The Beatles”.  George Harrison wrote “Don’t Bother Me” at the same hotel during that week. It was his first song for the Beatles, penned while he was holed up in his room suffering a heavy cold at the time.

There’s a wonderful photo of John with baby Julian and Aunt Mimi by the ferry near Mimi’s house (which was just around the corner on Panorama Road at Sandbanks) in 1967 – as well as photos from inside Mimi’s house including John’s gold discs – and lots of first-hand accounts from those who met and worked with the Beatles.

Aunt Mimi's Gold Records - click to enlarge. (photo: David Stark)

Seems like John gave his Aunt Mimi the gold records the band received for three US releases. I can just make out (l to r): “The Beatles Story” (Capitol); “The Beatles Second Album” (Capitol); and what looks like the United Artists pressing of “A Hard Days Night”:

There are many, many great stories in this book proving that Bournemouth really did play a big part in the lives of the Beatles. It was there, at the very beginning of their success, that they played 18 gigs during a six-day season between the 19-25th August, 1963. They then returned in November, 1963 to the much bigger Winter Gardens venue; and then twice more at the Gaumont Theatre on 2 August and 30 October 1964. The band played more shows at the Gaumont than at any other UK theatre outside London. During their first stay in Bournemouth the Beatles’ third single “She Loves You” was released. That was on the 23rd of August 1963 and it stayed in the charts for 31 weeks, returning to number one the week they arrived back in town to play the Winter Gardens in November.

They were exciting times and Nick Churchill has captured it all in “Yeah Yeah Yeah – The Beatles and Bournemouth”.  Through the stories and the often evocative images he gives us a feel for the times – the mood of the early to mid 1960s. Nick also highlights the importance of regional touring in those days and the role that smaller towns and cities played in feeding talent through to London, and on to the world stage. Underlying all this is a sense of it being a more innocent time, too.

The Beatles Rarity page has also written about the book here, and Happy Nat conducted an interview with Nick which you can access at this page.

You can visit the “Yeah Yeah Yeah – The Beatles and Bournemouth” site for more, you can order the book here (where I notice it is on sale at a special price at the moment!), and you can find out more about Nick and read more of his work at nickchurchill.org.uk

Happy Christmas – Free Yellow Submarine iBook download

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The Beatles and iTunes are giving fans an early Christmas present this year – a free illustrated and interactive iBook download of “Yellow Submarine”.

You can go to the Beatles official website for more information, but basically the press release says:

“From today (9 December) an exclusive Beatles “Yellow Submarine” book that lets readers tap their iPad, iPhone and iPod touch to immerse themselves in the legendary film’s colourful sights and sounds is available for free download at itunes.com/thebeatles. Featuring animated illustrations and text from the 2004 book, 14 full-colour video clips from the original 1968 film, audio clips of classic Beatles hits and Sir George Martin’s original score, plus original dialogue from the film. Actor Dean Lennox Kelly narrates the book which includes interactive features that let you tap the story’s wild array of butterflies, starfish and sea monsters to make them come alive.

The book, designed by Fiona Andreanelli, uses Heinz Edelmann’s original artwork from the film and its story has been adapted by Charlie Gardner from the film’s original screenplay, co-written by Lee Minoff, Al Brodax, Jack Mendelsohn and Eric Segal.

Inspired by The Beatles’ song of the same name, “Yellow Submarine” dives 80,000 leagues beneath the sea to Pepperland, a musical paradise where Sergeant Pepper’s band plays on until the music-hating Blue Meanies invade, sealing the band inside a music-proof bubble and leaving it a silent wasteland.  But Old Fred, captain of the Yellow Submarine, escapes to Liverpool and persuades Ringo – with a little help from his friends John, Paul and George – to join him on a magical adventure to return music and love to Pepperland.”

On the Beatles site front page at the moment there’s a short promotional film about what you’ll get in the free download.

The Mammoth Book of the Beatles

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Stumbled across yet another discount book this week. Not bad for A$5.95:

“The Mammoth Book of the Beatles” contains a LOT of information across its 594 pages.

This is a compilation book edited by Sean Egan who has gathered together more than 30 contemporary accounts, articles, and interviews about the Beatles (from Maureen Cleave’s “Beatles Bigger than Christ” feature, to their debunking in the News of the World just before the release of “Sgt Pepper”. Hmmm. Good timing News of the World. It was a dodgy newspaper back then, too). There are also latter-day memoirs and re-assessments. Contributors include Paul Gambaccini, Dave Marsh, Greil Marcus and Alan Clayson. There’s also a short section on the Beatles cartoon series – written by Mitch Axelrod (from the Fab Forum radio show and podcast). The book also includes reviews of each album and single release, interviews, and a comprehensive Beatles and solo Beatles UK discography.

Published by Constable and Robinson in the UK, and by Running Press in the US. I have the US paperback edition that came out in 2009.

There’s a pretty good review of the book here by blogger David Marx.

The Beatles Box

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In the city the other day I stumbled upon this box of Beatles books:

It gathers together four books by respected British Beatles historian and writer Alan Clayson. Collectively it’s called “The Beatles Box”, and contains four individual books on each member of the group. There’s one on John Lennon (which was originally published in 2003):

One on Paul McCartney (also originally published in 2003):

One on George Harrison (originally published in 1996 as “The Quiet One: A Life of George Harrison”, but updated here in 2003):

And one on Ringo Starr (originally published in 1996 as “Ringo Starr: Straight Man or Joker?”, but also updated here in 2003):

This box of books is nicely designed. The covers are all complementary and the book spines line up when they are placed side-by-side in the box, with photos of each looking out:

“The Beatles Box” is published by Sanctuary Publishing. Alan Clayson is also a musician and has his own website.

Beatles For Sale on Parlophone Records

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For a leading tax attorney Bruce Spizer sure knows a lot about the Beatles.

He is something of a legend amongst Beatles collectors. His books about the record labels the band’s output has been released on are much sought-after and comprehensive. Now, there’s a new one. The New Orleans-based Spizer has just released “Beatles For Sale on Parlophone Records”:

In a cheeky collector-driven move the book is available in two different versions. You can order it with the Stereo version of “The Beatles For Sale” album on the cover, or you can get the Mono image. The contents of both books are the same inside though:

Here’s the rear cover:

When asked to compare this book to his previous titles, Spizer said, “This is by far the most comprehensive book I have ever done because it covers all of the songs released by the Beatles in the sixties. The U.K. singles, albums and EPs, all in one 444-page book. Like my other books, it is full of hundreds of images in either color or original black & white. It contains rarely seen British ads and promotional posters. Frank Daniels and I were able to track down tons of label variations that will please and frustrate the hard-core collectors.”

Surprisingly (according to Wikipedia), Bruce Spizer didn’t start collecting seriously until 1997 when he earned a large fee from the settlement of a lawsuit and decided to use some of the money to replace his childhood collection of Beatles LPs with a set of first edition albums. From that moment he was drawn into the world of collecting and has since written and self-published eight great books on the subject of the Beatles, their records and record labels.

In case you think you’ve never heard of him, you may already have some of his work in your collection if you own this CD box set:

Bruce wrote the essay contained in the booklet which came with “The Beatles Capitol Albums Volume 2”. The four-CD box set contains stereo and mono versions of the Beatles albums released by Capitol in 1965.  Spizer also served as a consultant to Capitol Records for both Volumes 1 and 2 in the series.

Bruce Spizer’s website is beatle.net and there is a lot more about all his books there.

Paul Theroux on Harrison and Scorsese

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As interest grows around the release this week of the new Martin Scorsese documentary on the life of George Harrison, much is being written about the documentary and it’s importance.

Many will know and respect the work of US travel writer and novelist Paul Theroux. He has written a lengthy but insightful piece for The Daily Beast on “Living in the Material World”. It carries the title “The Sixth Beatle?” and contains the byline “George Harrison was liberated by rock and roll. Turns out Martin Scorsese was too”.

Theroux postulates that the two men, the musician and the film-maker, have more in common than might first appear:

“He had everything so young—everything was possible. He was struggling for his own creativity—for his creativity to be recognized,” Scorsese said. “But he wouldn’t have been able to create All Things Must Pass had he not gone through the relationship—the family relationship of the Beatles. That’s what you pay. That’s the price you pay.”

Scorsese’s solemn tone suggested that he could relate to George’s ups and downs. George’s Dark Horse tour was savaged, in the way that some of Scorsese’s greatest films were initially greeted with bewilderment and scorn.

Scorsese agreed, saying, “In my own work I was in those areas not once but many times—coming up against a brick wall. I thought Raging Bull was the last picture I was ever going to make. A number of times I was that way, flattened out, and coming back. As George’s story developed there was no way I couldn’t relate to it in my own life.”

There are two other articles I’d recommend, both from the New York Times. The first is a revealing interview with Olivia Harrison about the project. The second is a feature by David Itzkoff about George and the documentary.

Worth a look.

Harrison Documentary DVD and BluRay Trailer

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The George Harrison official site now has full details of the release of the book, DVD, BluRay and Deluxe editions of “Living in the Material World” – the new Martin Scorsese documentary about George’s life which will premiere on TV next week.

In the US the film will be broadcast exclusively on HBO on October 5 (Part 1) and October 6 (Part 2). A US home video release will follow in the Spring.

In the UK the film will debut on October 4 in selected cinemas for one day only, then on October 10 it will be released in the UK released on home video on DVD, Blu-Ray and Deluxe Edition versions:

On the Harrison site now there’s a short extract from the film with Ringo talking about the recording of “Here Comes the Sun” which will give you taste of what is to come.

The Deluxe edition box set looks like it will be very nicely packaged:

The limited-edition Deluxe version is packaged in a bespoke picture frame box with easel back for photo display, and includes 2 DVDs and one Blu-ray featuring the film plus 11 bonus features, a 10-track CD of previously-unreleased recordings, 2 exclusive lithographs, and a 96-page book.

CD:
My Sweet Lord (demo)
Run Of The Mill (demo)
I’d Have You Any Time (early take)
Mama You’ve Been On My Mind (demo)
Let It Be Me (demo)
Woman Don’t You Cry For Me (early take)
Awaiting On You All (early take)
Behind That Locked Door (demo)
All Things Must Pass (demo)
The Light That Has Lighted The World (demo)

DVD Bonus Features:  (*exclusive to Deluxe Edition)
George plays the Uke*
Deep Blue*
Here Comes The Sun
Dispute and Violence
Growing Up In Liverpool*
Paul McCartney
Neil Aspinall*
The Inner Light*
Jeff Lynne
Gordon Murray*
Damon Hill

See also:  George Harrison Photo for Scorsese Film and Book and Trailer for Scorsese’s Harrison Documentary Released

Lennon Revealed – Book

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I was able to drop into a local second-hand book and record fair this week and picked up a couple of things. One of them was this book by Larry Kane about John Lennon:

“Lennon Revealed” came out in 2005.

Larry Kane is an award-winning journalist with a career that spans more than 45 years. From that 45 years in the business he says the thing that stands out most—and the thing people ask him about most often—is his adventure as the only American journalist to travel in the official Beatles entourage during the legendary 1964 and 1965 tours of North America. Kane told that story in his previous book: “Ticket to Ride: Inside the Beatles’ 1964 Tour that Changed the World“.  In “Lennon Revealed” he digs deeper to give his take on story of John Lennon.

The book has a website with a variety of features so you can delve more into what it’s about, including this extract which will give you an idea of the flavour and approach taken in “Lennon Revealed”.  I haven’t had time to read the book yet – but there’s a pretty good review here, and author Larry Kane promotes his book in a couple of online videos here.

Searching on the web I found the cover photograph for the audio book of this same title and it has a different image. Clearly taken during the same photo session as that of the book I include it below because its such a good one of a happy John Lennon:

Included with the book (and with the audio book edition) is a bonus DVD. It features Larry Kane being interviewed by Andre Gardner (host of the radio show “Breakfast with the Beatles”); the full footage of John and Paul’s last filmed interview together conducted by Larry Kane (part of which was seen in the “Beatles Anthology” and the “Imagine: John Lennon” film); and a clip of the legendary 1975 “Lennon weather report” from “Action News” in Philadelphia:

George Harrison Photo for Scorsese Film and Book

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The photograph of George Harrison chosen for the publicity posters (and for the front cover of the accompanying book) of “Living In The Material World“, the forthcoming Scorsese-directed film, CD and DVD is impressive:

It is simple and arresting. Quite peaceful really, and it got us wondering about where it was taken, and why. After a bit of online research we think we can confirm that it was taken during the filming for the Beatles movie “Help!”, released in 1965.

In the film there’s a very brief scene – shot at New Providence in the Bahamas – where the Beatles, after being chased by the bad guys, end up in the swimming pool of a resort hotel with all the guests looking on as they emerge wet, bedraggled and fully-clothed from the pool.

Here’s the page in the “Help!” script with the scene:

So, I think the Scorsese poster and book cover photo was from filming on this day, February 23, 1965 at the Nassau Beach Hotel. Here’s some photographic proof:

Interestingly, in 2007 Martin Scorsese wrote a short appreciation of the film “Help!” for the book that comes with both the standard and the deluxe DVD box set re-issue of the film. Perhaps that’s where he came across the striking image of George for his latest project?

The Beatles Forever

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Nicholas Schaffner wrote this book in 1977, and I gather from what I’m reading on the web that it was, in it’s time, something of a Beatles “bible” for readers back then. So far this book has eluded me – so its good to have an original paperback copy now in the collection.

“The Beatles Forever” has subsequently been reprinted numerous times and the current cover looks like this. But the copy I found last weekend in an old-wares/antiques/records and second-hand book shop has the original cover above. This is a paperback copy.

It is genuinely one of the first really comprehensive survey’s of the band’s output in terms of their record releases, rarities and memorabilia – all accompanied by fairly detailed text describing the history of the Beatles and giving the context in which records were released and the collectable nature of a wide range of Beatles items. There are extensive photographs of the band as well as photos of albums, singles and memorabilia – but all in black and white. I won’t go into a detailed analysis of the contents because this has already been done by a range of writers who have reviewed and critiqued “The Beatles Forever”. Probably the most comprehensive is by Donald Sauter – who has written extensively on his Beatles collection and reminiscences from his youth. His article also contains a small selection of the many photos from the book. There is another interesting page on the book here.

Its a handy reference book to have in the collection – even though it came out more than 30 years ago. It still has lots of information and insights.