Category Archives: John Lennon

An Unusual ‘Some Time In New York City’

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Whenever we venture up to the suburb of Hornsby in Sydney’s north, a visit to the used record store Mix Up Music is always on the cards.

As you can probably tell from the image above, this is not the most appealing store from the outside, and that vibe continues continues once you’re inside. It’s a bit of a rabbit’s warren with stock seemingly all over the place – but there is treasure to be found here if you have patience and the time to check it out.

The store is actually two shops in one, with a space at the front being sub-let to another, completely separate second-hand dealer called The Vinyl Section. So, with two collections on offer it is rare to walk out without buying something from this store.

And that’s what happened last week when we found this LP in The Vinyl Section part of the store:

With last year’s focus on the Lennon Estate’s big box set Power to the People, this album (minus one controversial song) was it’s centrepiece, along with the One To One concerts and a wealth of previously unreleased Lennon and Ono outtakes and rarities. So it was timely to find an unusual Australian vinyl pressing from 1981 of the original Some Time In New York City album to add to our collection.

Now, you might be saying didn’t Some Time In New York City come out in 1972? Yes, it did – but it was never released here locally at that time. The Australian pressing only came out in early 1981 in the wake of John Lennon’s death when interest in his back-catalogue was reignited.

It comes in the same gatefold sleeve as the original. Here’s the rear sleeve:

If you look closely you can see in the small print on the rear this EMI Records Australia credit included:

And these are the images inside the gatefold:

The two discs themselves do away with the original custom labels used in 1972 (featuring John and Yoko’s faces morphing into each other across the top). Instead we have bright orange Parlophone labels for both discs. Labels like these were common in Australia for many Beatle pressings, so it looks kind of weird to have them on a John and Yoko/Plastic Ono Band release:

And instead of the two different inner sleeves of the original, you only get this one with its hand-drawn liner notes. There is one of these for each disc:

So, after the big Power To The People release of last year it’s great to have this vinyl version join it in the collection.

Record Store Day 2026 Titles Announced

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The people at Record Store Day have just dropped the 2026 list of titles for April 18 and it contains eight titles of interest to Beatle-related collectors.

First up is John Lennon – or maybe that should be Sean Ono Lennon channeling his Dad? What’s coming is like a Part Two to the Mind Games Meditation Mixes, which came out back in October, 2024 in the wake of the big Lennon Mind Games re-issues of that year. This time it’s the turn of the 1970 song ‘Love’ to get the Meditation Mix treatment:

Love Meditation Mixes will be a Limited Edition 3 LP set produced by Sean Ono Lennon and it will be on “Iridescent Pearl Arctic”, 180g transparent vinyl in a reflective triple gatefold lilac mirrorboard sleeve. The album contains nine re-imagined Meditation Mixes of the John Lennon ballad ‘Love’ from the album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.

Ono Lennon says, ‘After the surprising success of the Mind Games Meditation Mixes, and our collaboration with Lumenate the Meditation App, we are very pleased to bring you Volume Two – a collection of ambient re-imaginings of John Lennon’s classic song, to create a meditation on ‘Love’.”

Like the Mind Games Meditation Mixes it is a rather beautiful package:

Also coming for Record Store Day (and this is only listed on the UK RSD site at the moment) is the Badfinger LP No Dice, the band’s second studio album issued by Apple Records. No Dice will be reissued on limited edition 180g orange vinyl, using the 2010 remaster of the album available on vinyl for the first time. It will come in a gatefold sleeve that faithfully reproduces the original artwork. It contains the hit single ‘No Matter What’, and ‘Without You’ – which went on to be one of their best-known songs – covered by the likes of Harry Nilsson. We’re expecting this to come with Apple labels:

Those of you who collect Dark Horse Records will not be disappointed. There are no fewer than six titles announced for RSD.

The label is steadily working it’s way through the George Harrison back catalogue as Zoetrope pressings. This time it is the turn of George’s 1974 title Dark Horse:

And also his 1975 release, Extra Texture:

These Zoetropes are all limited, and come in numbered covers with replica album artwork inside.

Dark Horse have been big on re-issuing the Joe Strummer back catalogue and for RSD 2026 it’s a 25th anniversary edition of the second album by Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros a spectacular limited splatter vinyl pressing:

Dark Horse also have the rights to selected Leon Russell re-issues. They’ve already done his Signature Songs, an album of Christmas songs, and an album of songs by Russell’s country alter-ego, Hank Wilson. This time there’s another Hank Wilson offering – a Best Of 2LP on black vinyl which will be a first-time pressing of the title:

Hearkening back to the Badfinger release above, there’s another former Apple being re-issued, but this time under the Dark Horse banner. It is The Radha Krisna Temple, the 1971 album produced by George Harrison. It contains the two hit singles, ‘Hare Krishna Mantra’ and ‘Govinda’ along with other Sanskrit-worded mantras and prayers recorded with Harrison from 1969 onward. Out of print since 1993 and released on the Dark Horse imprint for the first time. It will be on orange vinyl:

In keeping with the label’s interest in and support of world music there’s another first for Record Store Day, an album by Native American flautist R. Carlos Nakai. Dark Horse is issuing a 2LP set called Canyon Trilogy, which is appearing on vinyl for the first time. Nakai’s music features original compositions for the flute inspired by traditional Native American melodies. He’s received 11 Grammy Award nominations for his albums. This double LP features updated liner notes and an exclusive forward by Dhani Harrison:

So, that’s it for Beatle and Beatle-related releases for RSD this year. Which will you be seeking out?

If you’re an avid collector of Dark Horse it’s going to be an expensive couple of months. Along with the promised RSD albums there are also two more George Harrison titles on the way – all part of the continuing push to have his entire catalogue under the BMG/Dark Horse stable.

On February 20 they’ll re-issue black vinyl editions of Harrison’s Wonderwall Music:

Also due February 20, again on black vinyl, is Electronic Sound:

And then on March 20 comes his Live In Japan on Dark Horse, a long out of print 2LP on black vinyl:

Dark Horse is further mining the Apple Records vault too – this time for re-issues of Billy Preston’s two Apple LP’s. Encouraging Words (produced by Billy and George Harrison) will be out on gold vinyl on March 13:

And That’s The Way God Planned It (produced by George) is out the same day – on purple vinyl:

   

The Pre-Christmas Bealtes Release List – Even More To Add!

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In late October we published a graphic titled “If You Want To Keep Up, Here’s Everything You’ll Need To Order” showing what we then thought was every Beatle, solo, or Beatle-related title released (or about to be released) this holiday season.

It didn’t last long. Some helpful readers pointed out we’d left out Ringo’s Stop & Smell The Roses – the numbered, liquid vinyl edition – limited to 400 copies.

This was due November 14, but seems to have been delayed. It is currently looking like December 5 now.

And the other Ringo Starr was a red vinyl re-issue of his 14th studio album, Choose Love from 2005. This had first been slated for Record Store Day Black Friday, but was quietly removed from official lists prior to the day. It’s popped up again on the Friday Music site, this time with a late January 2026 release date (though knowing Friday Music that is extremely likely to change):

Then came news of the John Lennon and Yoko Ono ‘War Is Over (If You Want It)’ 12″ Zoetrope pressing issued to coincide with the release of the children’s hardback book and the premiere of the short animated film of the same name on YouTube.

Then Dark Horse Records announced it would be issuing a further title from the Yusuf/Cat Stevens back catalogue that the label now has the rights to. It’s called Tell ‘Em I’m Gone and it will be on yellow vinyl:

So, each of these were duly added into a revised graphic and we were just about to re-publish when last Friday came news of yet another collectable, this time linked to the Beatles’ Anthology re-issue – and in particular Anthology 4. On it are the 2025 re-mixes of ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love’ and they are now being released as a limited edition, double A-side 7″ translucent milk white vinyl single. This is the 2025 mix of both songs.

There’s been no indication of a CD version of the single being made available (except for Japan where there’s been an exclusive Japan-only CD announced). Nor has there been any talk of updated versions of the ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love’ EPs (or “maxi-singles”) which were originally released to accompany Volumes 1 and 2 of Anthology back in 1995 and 1996. That means all of the extra tracks on those EPs will remain unavailable, with the exception of the song ‘This Boy’, which has been added to the Anthology Volume 4 discs.

The ‘Free As A Bird’ (2025 Mix)/’Real Love’ (2025 Mix) 7″ coloured vinyl single is only available from Beatles official stores (e.g. in the UK or the US), or from certain Universal Music online stores (eg. this one in Germany).

So, it has been a most busy time for any Beatle collector who is a completist. There’s been so much product so fast it’s been difficult to keep up.

To help, here’s our updated visual. If you want everything, this is what you’ll need to order. There are no fewer that 51 items here! This has got to be unprecedented in the run-up to Christmas:

(Click on the graphic to see a larger version)

‘War Is Over!’ Animated Film Coming to YouTube

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The Academy Award winning film War Is Over! is getting a wider release.

We’ll finally be able to see it in full on YouTube from 1 December.

And here’s the trailer:

The countdown to launch day is on at the official John Lennon YouTube page. To see the film in full (from December 1) click on this link below:

While you wait, to whet your appetite here are some stills from the film:

It looks like it’s an incredible animation with a great message and we’re very much looking forward to seeing it after waiting almost two years.

The Lennon Estate is using the film’s premiere, and the release of the ‘War Is Over (If You Want It’ Zoetrope 12″ single, to raise awareness and much-needed funds to help children around the world affected by war.

Right now is one of the deadliest times to be a child this century.

When war breaks out, children don’t just lose their toys, homes and schools. In conflict zones like Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, kids are going through such trauma they can often no longer eat, speak or sleep. 

So, if you can, as we approach this holiday season please think about the millions of children facing the horror of war and donate to the charity Warchild using this link:

https://www.warchild.org.uk/donate-war-is-over-film

Your donation, no matter how small, will help.

If you’d like some more background as to how the War Is Over! film came to be, and some insight into the creative process, check out our post from February last year!

New Lennon/Plastic Ono Band Zoetrope, and More Dark Horse

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There’s been a further development in the green vinyl ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ 7″ single release announced a few weeks back…..

It all seems timed to coincide with the release of a new children’s book, which in turn is adapted from the Academy Award winning animated short film of the same name that Sean Ono Lennon was involved in…….

Anyways, on the official John Lennon store site they’ve just announced a very special 12″ Zoetrope disc featuring the songs ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Ultimate Mix)’ and ‘Listen, The Snow Is Falling (Ultimate Mix)’ on side one, and on side two ‘War Pigeon/A Game Of Chess/A Sudden Interruption/Then Peace’, from the soundtrack to the War Is Over! animated film, composed by Thomas Newman (who has done everything from The Shawshank Redemption to Finding Nemo, two Bond films Skyfall and Spectre, to 1917 and Elemental). Suffice it to say he is up there with the best! This is the first time soundtrack music from War Is Over! has been available on a physical format.

The 12” Zoetrope picture disc is designed by Drew Tetz using still frames from the film, and features (on the front outer title sticker) an illustration by Max Narciso from the children’s book adaptation.

The disc is 180g and cut at 45rpm, and comes in a PVC clear sleeve with a title sticker featuring the credits.

It looks very cool and is set to become a definite collectors item.

Meanwhile, the team at Dark Horse Records has announced yet another pre-Christmas release. This is in addition to the three titles announced for Black Friday Record Store Day.

It’s another Yusuf/Cat Stevens back-catalogue title Tell ‘Em I’m Gone, and it will be on yellow vinyl:

The album was produced by Rick Rubin and sees Yusuf exploring some of his bluesier influences, tapping into musical traditions that have informed his own work. Fans of Cat Stevens will know that Leadbelly has always been one of his favourite artists and alongside the album’s original compositions Tell ‘Em I’m Gone contains covers of songs dear to him such as Edgar Winter’s ‘Dying To Live’, Luther Dixon/Al Smith’s ‘Big Boss Man’, and a bluesy reworking of the Jimmie Davies/Charles Mitchell song ‘You Are My Sunshine’. Interesting stuff. The album is available for pre-sale now and is released on December 5.


If You Want To Keep Up, Here’s Everything You’ll Need to Order

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It’s been a busy time over the last few weeks and months for Beatle collectors.

There’s been so much product announced it’s hard to keep on top of it.

So, we decided to made a visual representation for you, the avid completist, so that you can keep track.

If you want everything, THIS is what you’ll need to order:

Screenshot

(Click on the image to see a larger version)

Have we forgotten anything?

FYI, the Ringo Starr Choose Love LP announced for Record Store Day Black Friday 2025 seems to have quietly slipped off the list again, so we have not included it here.

Beatles and Solo News Update

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Woke up this morning to a couple of intriguing emails.

First was big news from Apple. Seems they’ve listened to fan reaction and have decided to offer Anthology 4 as a separate purchase:

By popular demand, Anthology 4 is now available as a standalone triple LP and double CD — 36 tracks including 13 previously-unreleased demos, rare sessions from 1963–69, the band’s 2023 final single ‘Now and Then’, and new mixes by Jeff Lynne of ‘Free As a Bird’ and ‘Real Love’.

This means collectors won’t have to buy the box set just to get the much sought after 4th installment in the Anthology series. Good news!

Then came a mysterious email from the official John Lennon Store saying that the ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ 7″ single on green vinyl was now available for pre-order:

A “What?”, closely followed by a “Why?” was heard. Hmmm. “Must investigate this some more. There has to be a reason this has randomly appeared out of nowhere.”

Then, scrolling further down the morning’s emails came this, with the headline: Introducing The Classic Holiday’s Singles Box Set!

Clicking through takes you to Universal’s udiscovermusic.com site and the announcement of a box set of 14 coloured vinyl Christmas singles from across the ages:

Of course it includes the John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band green vinyl single, but also in there is the Paul McCartney holiday fave, ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ – on canary yellow vinyl:

The box set is kinda expensive but fortunately for those of you who collect coloured vinyl, as was just announced for Anthology 4, these too are available for purchase separately. Yay!

You can find ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ here or here, and ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ here or here. Release date is October 31.

And, while we’re on the subject of coloured vinyl, last week Apple announced there’s to be a green vinyl release of Abbey Road:

This comes on heavyweight 180g green vinyl and is pressed using the version remixed from the original 8-track tapes by Giles Martin in 2019. In the UK this is exclusive to HMV stores, Target in the US, JB HiFi in Australia, Bravado in Germany, FNAC in France, Tower Records in Japan, The Circle in Denmark, etc. In other words, there will be one retailer per territory. It is released on October 10.

The Background to the “One To One” Concerts

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Ever wondered why the concerts, which form the centrepiece of the forthcoming John Lennon/Yoko Ono Power to the People box set, were called the One To One concerts?

The BBC has just released a backgrounder as part of it’s Witness History podcast series explaining it. You may need to register to listen (it’s free), but it is well worth it for a very informative 9-minute listen.

In 1972, after leaving The Beatles, John Lennon and Yoko Ono performed in the United States at the One to One benefit concerts at Madison Square Garden, New York.

They were helping to raise money for children with disabilities from Willowbrook State School, after a television exposé by journalist Geraldo Rivera showed the conditions and failings. It was watched by millions of people and led to a public outcry.

Sean Allsop speaks with Geraldo Rivera about breaking the story and organising the concerts.

If you want to view Rivera’s original documentary that blew the lid off the pain and misery of the the young Willowbrook residents who were being so appallingly treated check it out here. (Warning: it contains some very confronting scenes). This is what motivated John and Yoko:

Geraldo Rivera kept in touch with John and Yoko. Later in his life he reflected on meeting the pair and how he worked with them on such an important cause:

When you witness injustice “It’s up to you, yeah, you!”

John Lennon’s ‘Power To The People’ Announced

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As he promised months ago, Sean Lennon and the Lennon Estate have this week formally announced the release (on 10 October, 2025) of a mega box set focusing on John Lennon playing (mostly) live in New York in the years 1971 and 1972.

It’s called Power To The People (The Ultimate Collection) and the release is timed to celebrate what would have been John Lennon’s 85th birthday.

The big box set comprises 9 CDs and no less than 3 Blu-Ray audio discs, all packaged in the 10-inch sized slipcase size that’s been the hallmark of all the Lennon super-deluxe re-issues so far. This one will come with a cool lenticular cover of John & Yoko’s faces, presenting a “dynamic 3D effect”.

The box set will come with a 204-page hardback book designed and edited by long-time Lennon Estate historian and archivist, Simon Hilton (he’s done all the box sets so far and is great). It will feature an oral history about all the included music through the words of John & Yoko and those involved, sourced from both archival and new interviews.

The book will be illustrated with previously unseen photos, lyrics, drawings, tape boxes and memorabilia. Additionally, the set includes a newspaper print poster, sticker sheets and a VIP envelope containing replica concert tickets plus backstage and after-show passes that have all been uniquely reproduced with textured, archival materials.

The centerpiece of Power To The People is the ‘One To One Concerts’, which were Lennon’s only full-length concerts after The Beatles, and his final shows with Yoko Ono. They raised more than US$1.5 million (2025 equivalent of $11.5 million) to support children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Both the afternoon and evening performances are being released together for the first time, though they’re not complete (see below).

Alongside those two concerts, Power To The People (Super Deluxe Edition) offers an aural time capsule of John & Yoko’s first NYC era, when they traded Tittenhurst Park, their estate in Ascot, England, for a small apartment located at 105 Bank St. in Greenwich Village in Manhattan, and includes the music they were inspired to make during a time of great civil unrest and the deeply unpopular Vietnam War. As a result the set will contain 92 bonus tracks.

Paramount to their recorded musical endeavors at this time was their 1972 political blockbuster album, Sometime In New York City, recorded by John & Yoko with legendary drummer Jim Keltner and New York band, Elephant’s Memory.

For this special collection, songs from the album have been completely remixed from scratch, stripped of the overly heavy production sound that constrained such inspired and inspiring songs as ‘Attica State’, ‘Angela’, ‘New York City’, and ‘Born In A Prison’.

Noticeably missing though is the controversial song (back then and perhaps now even moreso), ‘Woman Is The N***** Of The World’. Some fans are upset about that but the song is still easily available on streaming services and on CD if you want it. Live versions from the ‘One To One’ concerts can also be had on the Lennon Anthology collection from 1998 (evening performance), and on John Lennon – Live in New York City released in 1986 (afternoon performance). For those hoping the song might be a secret hidden track in this new box, a note has been added to the official website pre-order page: NB – This is the full track listing. There are no hidden tracks on the CDs or Blu-Rays.

For this box set the tracks from Sometime In New York City have been re-ordered, rejuvenated and completely re-imagined as a new set of Ultimate Mixes, and is now simply entitled New York City. It includes extended versions of ‘John Sinclair’ and ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’, so while we lose one song we gain longer versions of others.

In addition to the Deluxe 9 CD/3 Blu-Ray box there will be a four LP version with the afternoon and evening ‘One To One’ concerts:

There’ll also be a 2LP edition on black vinyl featuring a “hybrid” best-of from both live shows:

This “hybrid” best-of will also be available as a Limited Edition 2LP in transparent green vinyl:

Both the afternoon and evening ‘One To One’ shows will be available as a 2CD Deluxe Edition housed in a triple gatefold digisleeve:

And there will be a 1CD Edition containing the “hybrid” best-of which, like the 2LP edition combines the two shows to create a one show best-of in a digisleeve:

A Beatle Book for the Next Generation of Fans – and a Book Giveaway

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As a first generation Beatle fan who fell hook, line and sinker for the band when they took Australia by storm back in 1964, it constantly amazes how subsequent generations come to hear about and love their music – over and over again.

Just take a look at faces in the crowd at any of Paul McCartney’s 2024 Got Back tour dates. Yes, you’ll see a fair smattering of grey hair in there, but his audiences around the world are a true cross-section of the ages – from the Builders and Baby Boomers, to Gen Z and now Gen Alpha.

And here’s a new Beatle book (released today, 6 May) aimed directly at the youngest of those Gen Alpha’s.

It’s called We Are The Beatles, by New York Times best-selling author Brad Meltzer, with illustrations by Christopher Eliopoulos.

We Are the Beatles is the latest in Meltzer’s Ordinary People Change the World series of kids books where historic heroes come to life to inspire young readers to greatness themselves.

Born out of a desire to give his own kids real people to look up to, Meltzer’s books highlight notable figures from around the world. These have included people like Walt Disney, Dolly Parton, Frida Kahlo, Gandhi, Anne Frank, Rosa Parks, Marie Curie, and many others. By showing what each of these inspiring people were like as children, and exploring who they grew up to be gives kids to opportunity to emulate the traits that made them great – and to realize their own huge potential.

Now it’s the turn of John, Paul, George and Ringo to again inspire a new generation. It’s the first time in this long-running book series (there are 36 titles in all, so far) that a group has been highlighted rather than a single person.

Meltzer and Eliopoulos pack a lot of accurate detail into this little book, and their story of four ordinary kids from Liverpool who loved music, who became the best of friends, and who grew up to become the most famous band in the world, is told with whimsy and a beautiful eye for detail.

Text copyright © 2025 by Forty-four Steps, Inc.Illustrations copyright © 2025 by Christopher Eliopoulost

We Are The Beatles begins by taking us through the four individual Beatle childhoods, how they found their instruments and each other, shared a love of music, practiced, practiced, practiced, get their break into the business, and the familiar tale of success heaped upon success worldwide. The message is “Whatever your dream is, keep chasing it!” and “The best music is the music you make together. And the essential message will never change: Love. It really is all you need.”

Meltzer has really done his research as the list of his impeccable sources at that back of the book reveals: The Beatles Anthology by The Beatles; Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years, by Mark Lewisohn; Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now by Barry Miles; Love Me Do! The Beatles’ Progress by Michael Braun; John Lennon: The Life by Philip Norman; The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story by Vivek J. Tiwary; and The Beatles: Get Back documentary, directed and produced by Peter Jackson.

He’s even included a handy further reading and viewing for kids list: Who Were The Beatles? by Geoff Edgers; What Is Rock and Roll? by Jim O’Connor; Imagine by John Lennon and illustrated by Jean Jullien; and the Yellow Submarine movie, directed by George Dunning.

I can imagine reading this book to my own grandchildren (aged 7 and 4). And then we’d listen to some Beatles tracks together. Such is the power of the music these four young men made. It can still capture new young audiences as the years roll by.

We Are The Beatles is published by Rocky Pond Books, a division of Penguin Books. Get your copy here. Here’s to the next generation of fans!

BOOK GIVEAWAY COMPETITION (open to our U.S. readers only)

With thanks to Penguin Books we have four copies of Brad Meltzer’s We Are The Beatles to give away to four of our U.S. readers.

All you need to do is provide us your name and email address below, and then have a go at answering three easy Beatle-related questions. Good luck!

Please note that due to the high cost of shipping this competition is open only to residents of the United States.