Rare Quarrymen Photo Unearthed!

L-R: Paul, John and George, circa 1959. Image: PA Media

A rare photograph of the Quarrymen has emerged. The grainy image is believed to have been taken in mid-1959 in Liverpool and shows John, Paul and George playing their guitars.

Pete Best confirmed on Twitter that the photo was taken in the living room of 8 Hayman's Green, which is above the Casbah Coffee Club and the photo may have been snapped by his mother, Mona Best. This may have been one of the first times they started performing at the venue and the photo could have been during a rehearsal. It would seem that it was taken while they were performing as a trio before Stuart and Pete joined them and the band came to call themselves the Beatles. A marvellous and rare photograph of three friends who couldn't know they'd go on to shake the world just four years later....or perhaps they did? Is that a knowing smile from John in the picture?

The photograph emerges on the 50th anniversary of Paul McCartney announcing he was quitting the group in 1970.

Paul McCartney Regains Beatles Song Catalogue From Sony.

That Day Is Done: Did Paul Finally Get Back The Songs?

It's being reported that the confidential settlement that Paul McCartney and Sony reached means that Paul has finally done what he's been looking to do since 1985; Regain the full rights to the full Beatles Catalog.

This is a story that started back in 1969 when Dick James, who owned a majority share in Northern Songs, the publishing company set up with Brian Epstein and John Lennon and Paul McCartney in 1963, sold the songs without giving John and Paul a chance to buy them. Dick sold them to ATV music. In 1985, ATV was put up for sale and was bought by Michael Jackson, much to the displeasure of Paul, who originally had advised Jackson on the value of owning publishing rights.

Jackson, of course, didn't spend his money wisely and had to sell most of the catalog to Sony in the 90s and then with Jackson's death in 2009, Sony bought the songs outright and this January, McCartney began the process to regain them and they have reached a settlement which people are reporting is to McCartney's full benefit.

So, HAS Paul gotten back the full rights? So far, nothing has been officially confirmed. What do you think?

Hello Good Buy - New

Here's a fantastic birthday gift idea for all you Paul McCartney fans! His 'New' album!

Hello Good Buy - Band On The Run

Here's a great deal for somebody's birthday, perhaps that Macca fan in your life! Paul McCartney and Wings' 1973 classic album 'Band On The Run'

Pirate Paul - Pirates Of The Caribbean 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales

"Know Any Shanties, Paul?" Paul in character.

So, by now, all of you should have seen the above picture and are raring to go and see our Paul in his first appearance on the big screen since his mega blockbuster Give My Regards To Broad Street in 1984. It totally was a blockbuster. Anyone who tells you different needs to watch this scene..

It is reported that Paul only has a small cameo in the film, appearing as a Jail Guard for only a minute. This will be sad news to fans looking for Paul to have a bigger part and according to reports, the cameo was filmed when Dead Men Tell No Tales was in post-production and had to be quickly edited and inserted into the film to meet the deadline.

How did Paul come to be in the film? Well, Johnny Depp, who plays Captain Jack Sparrow in all the films, shot Paul a text asking him. After some back and forth, Paul finally said yes to the Pirates life.

This might be the start of Paul appearing in future films of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. What other big films could Paul appear in? Could we perhaps see him in the next Bond film? He's already done a theme for one, why not play a villain in Bond 25? You never know...

The film is released on May 26th in the USA.

Photo Of The Day - Paul McCartney

Paul wearing his Wet Nose in support of Wet Nose Day For Animals.

Photo of the Day - Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney & Phil Collins Feud - What's It All About, Mate?

Phil Collins & Paul McCartney, seen here with Pete Townshend in the middle, in 1982.

Phil Collins, Genesis drummer and solo star, has revealed that when he and Macca played the Party at the Palace for Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee in 2002, Paul annoyed him. Speaking to the Sunday Times promote his memoir 'Not Dead Yet', Phil revealed an encounter which has left him feeling a little sour towards Paul.

“I met him when I was working at the Buckingham Palace party back in 2002, McCartney came up with Heather Mills and I had a first edition of The Beatles, by Hunter Davies, and I said, ‘Hey, Paul, do you mind signing this for me?’ and he said, ‘Oh, Heather, our little Phil’s a bit of a Beatles fan.’ and I thought, ‘You fuck, you fuck.’ Never forgot it.”

 

Phil didn't finish there. Further driving the wedge in when he added:

 

“He has this thing when he’s talking to you, where he makes you feel like, ‘I know this must be hard for you because I’m a Beatle. I’m Paul McCartney and it must be very hard for you to actually be holding a conversation with me.’”

Now, Phil has a bit of a reputation as a bit of a moaner. He announced his retirement on rather a bitter note and has long derided the state of the music industry today. (To be fair to him, he's not entirely wrong on the latter issue).

 

After Phil's comments, Paul got in touch with him via e-mail to sort it out, which Phil revealed in an interview with Billboard.

"I'm afraid it happened, you know, and I'm afraid it affected me the way it did and I'm afraid I wrote about it," Collins said.

"I think maybe I should just brush it under the carpet and forget about it and move on, but it did happen."

"He's been in touch about it because he was upset. I certainly didn't get any flowers from him; I got more of a 'Let's just get on with our lives.' And I'm sorry he's upset that I kinda said something nasty about him -- well, it wasn't really nasty. If people don't tell people that sometimes their attitude could be a bit better then you're not gonna get any better, y'know?"

Phil never revealed exactly what Paul said in the e-mail, but we can probably imagine it was mostly confusion as to why Phil never said anything about this to him before. The original quote from Paul, was, correct. Little Phil IS (or was, he may not be any more) a Beatles fan. He is seen briefly as a 10 year old in the audience in the concert scene in A Hard Day's Night.

Indeed, seeing the Beatles and their success may have spurred the young Phil on to a music career of his own. So, speaking from an objective point of view, I can agree with Paul.

Let's just get on with our lives, Phil. What's it all about, mate?

Phil Collins, when he was a Beatles fan in A Hard Day's Night, 1964

Beatles Interview Series: 1971 - Lennon/McCartney Public Feud

In our tenth and final part of our Beatles Interview Series, we'd like to end with the very public war of words between John Lennon and Paul McCartney in 1971.

PAUL: "I just want the four of us to get together somewhere and sign a piece of paper saying it's all over and we want to divide the money four ways. No one else would be there, not even Linda or Yoko or Allen Klein. We'd just sign the paper and hand it to the business people and let them sort it out. That's all I want now, but John won't do it. Everybody thinks I am the agressor but I'm not, you know. I just want out."

"The Beatles never actually copped for all this money, everyone else did. I wouldn't care but you think we could have a new deal now. You'd think they'd release us. They've made a lot of money and we could shake hands and part company but now we can't. I'm being sued for a million pounds in New York by Northern Songs. It's so complicated."

"There was a bit of hype on the back of the (Let It Be) sleeve for the first time ever on a Beatles album. At the time, the Beatles were very strained with each other and it wasn't a happy time. It said it was a 'new-phase Beatles album' and there was nothing further from the truth. That was the last Beatles album and everybody knew it... (Allen) Klein had it re-produced because he said it didn't sound commercial enough."

"John's whole image now is very honest and open. He's alright, is John. I like his 'Imagine' album but I didn't like the others. 'Imagine' is what John is really like but there was too much political stuff on the other albums. You know, I only really listen to them to see if there's something I can pinch." (laughs)

"'How Do You Sleep'? I think it's silly. So what if I live with straights? I like straights. I have straight babies. It doesn't affect him. He says the only thing I did was 'Yesterday.' He knows that's wrong. (Paul motions to the studio below) I used to sit down there and play, and John would watch me from up here, and he'd really dig some of the stuff I played to him. He can't say all I did was 'Yesterday' because he knows and I know it's not true."


“You know I was asked to play George’s concert in New York for Bangla Desh and I didn’t. Well, listen. Klein called a press conference and told everyone I had refused to do it -– it wasn’t so. I said to George the reason I couldn’t do it was because it would mean that all the world’s press would scream that the Beatles had got back together again and I know that would have made Klein very happy. It would have been a historical event and Klein would have taken the credit. I didn’t really fancy playing anyway. If it wasn’t for Klein I might have had second thoughts about it but I don’t know, really. Allen’s a good talker. The others really dig him, but I’ve made the mistake of trying to advise them against him and that pissed them off. I think they might secretly feel that I am right though."

"John wanted to do a big thing in Toronto (9/13/69 concert, Toronto Rock and Roll Revival) but I didn't dig that at all. I hear that before he went on stage he was sick, and that's just what I didn't want. Like anybody else I have been nervous because of the Beatles thing."

"John and Yoko are not cool in what they are doing. I saw them on television the other night and thought that what they are saying about what they wanted to do together was basically the same as what Linda and I want to do."

"Before John was leaving the Beatles, I was lying in bed at home one night and I thought we could get a band together, like his Plastic Ono Band. I felt the urge because we had never played live for four years. We all wanted to appear on a stage but not with the Beatles. We couldn't do it as the Beatles because it would be so big. We'd have to find a million-seater hall or something."

"I wanted to get in a van and do an unadvertised concert at a Saturday night hop at Slough Town Hall or somewhere like that. We'd call ourselves Rikki and the Red Streaks or something and just get up and play. There'd be no press and we'd tell nobody about it. John thought it was a daft idea."

"My best playing days were at the Cavern lunchtime sessions. We'd go onstage with a cheese roll and a cigarette and we felt we had really something going on. The amps used to fuse and we'd stop and sing a Sunblest Bread commercial while they were repaired. I'd walk off down the street playing my guitar and annoying the neighbors. I couldn't do that now, but it's what I want to do with this new group."

"We just don't know how we are going to do. I don't want to start with a Wings concert at the Albert Hall with the world watching and analyzing. I just want to play a small dance, and rock a bit."

"We will start just by turning up at a place we fancy visiting, and just play a straightforward gig. We might use another name to keep it quiet. We have rehearsed and we can play live together. In fact it sounds quite good. It doesn't really matter that much."

"I don't want Wings to become a media group, with our signatures on knickers which are sold for promotion. I don't like that now. I was happy with that situation in the Beatles, but it died in the end. We are starting off as a new band, but if we ever get to be huge like the Beatles it will be very different." 

--------------------

John replied with an open letter, written to Paul, in the pages of Melody Maker.


"Dear Paul, Linda et all the wee McCartney's,

Thanks for your letter.

1. We give YOU money for your bits of Apple.
2. We give you MORE money in the form of royalties which legally belong to Apple (I know we're Apple, but on the other hand we're not.).

Maybe there's an answer there somewhere, but for the millionth time in these past few years I repeat, 'What about the TAX?' It's all very well, playing 'simple honest ole Paul' in Melody Maker but you know damn well we can't just sign a bit of paper.

You say, 'John won't do it.' I will if you indemnify us against the tax man! Anyway, you know that after we have OUR meeting, the fucking lawyers will have to implement whatever we agree on, right?

If they have some form of agreement between THEM before WE meet, it might make it even easier. It's up to you, as we've said many times, we'll meet whenever you like. Just make up your mind! Eg. two weeks ago I asked you on the phone, 'Please let's meet without advisors, etc. and decide what we want,' and I emphasized especially Maclen (Lennon and McCartney's songwriting company) which is mainly our concern, but you refused, right?

You said under NO CONDITION would you sell to us if we didn't do what you wanted, you'd sue us again and that Ringo and George are going to break you John, etc. etc.

Now I was quite straight with you that day, and you tried to shoot me down with your emotional "logic." If YOU'RE not the aggressor (as you claim) who the hell took us to court and shat all over us in public?


As I've said before, Have you ever thought that you might POSSIBLY be wrong about something? Your conceit about us and Klein is incredible. You say you "made the mistake of trying to advise them against Klein and that pissed them off" and we secretly feel that you're right! Good God! You must know WE'RE right about Eastman.

One other little lie in your "It's only Paulie" MM bit: Let It Be was not the first bit of hype on a Beatle album.  Remember Tony Barrow? And his wonderful writing on "Please Please Me" etc. etc. The early Beatle Xmas records!

And you gotta admit it was a 'new-phase' Beatle album, incidentally written in the style of the great Barrow himself! By the way, what happened to my idea of putting the parody of our first album cover on the Let It Be cover?

Also, we were intending to parody Barrow originally, so it was hype. But what is your LIFE article? Tony Barrow couldn't have done it better. (And your writing inside of the Wings album [Wild Life] isn't exactly the realist is it?) Anyway, enough of this petty bourgeois fun.

You were right about New York! I do love it; it's the ONLY PLACE TO BE. (Apart from anything else, they leave you alone too!) I see you prefer Scotland! (MM) -- I'll bet you your piece of Apple you'll be living in New York by 1974 (two years is the usual time it takes you -- right?)

Another thing, whadya mean BIG THING in Toronto? It was completely spontaneous. They rang on the Friday, we flew there, and we played on Saturday. I was sick because I was stone pissed. Listen to the album -- with no rehearsal too. Come on Macka! Own up! We'd never played together before! Half a dozen live shows with no big fuss. In fact we've BEEN DOING what you've said the Beatles should do.  Yoko and I have been doing it for three years! (I said it was daft for the Beatles to do it. I still think it's daft.)  So go on and do it! Do it! Do it! E.g. Cambridge 1969, completely unadvertised! A very small hall. Lyceum Ballroom, 1969, no fuss, great show -- thirty piece rock band! "Live Jam" out soon! Filmore East, 1971, unannounced. Another good time had by all -- out soon!! We even played in the streets here in the Village (our spiritual home!?) with the great David Peel!! We were moved on by the cops even!! It's best just to DO IT.
I know you'll dig it, and they don't even expect the Beatles now anyway!

So you think 'Imagine' ain't political? It's 'Working Class Hero' with sugar on it for conservatives like yourself!! You obviously didn't dig the words. Imagine! You took 'How Do You Sleep' so literally (read my own review of the album in Crawdaddy.) Your politics are very similar to Mary Whitehouse's -- 'Saying nothing is as loud as saying something.'

Listen, my obsessive old pal, it was George's press conference -- not 'dat ole debbil Klein' -- He said what you said: 'I'd love to come but...' Anyway, we basically did it for the same reasons -- the Beatle bit -- they still called it a Beatle show, with just two of them!

Join the Rock Liberation Front before it gets you.

Wanna put your photo on the label like uncool John and Yoko, do ya? (Aint ya got no shame!) If we're not cool, WHAT DOES THAT MAKE YOU?

No hard feelings to you either. I know basically we want the same, and as I said on the phone and in this letter, whenever you want to meet, all you have to do is call.

All you need is love
Power to the people
Free all prisoners
Jail the judges
Love and peace
Get it on and rip 'em off

John Lennon

P.S. The bit that really puzzled us was asking to meet WITHOUT LINDA AND YOKO. I thought you'd have understood BY NOW that I'm JOHNANDYOKO.
P.P.S. Even your own lawyers know you can't "just sign a bit of paper." (or don't they tell you?)"

 --------------------

In hindsite, both John and Paul regretted the "feud" and admitted that through it all, the still loved each other.  Or, maybe that's just this author's opinion.  ;-)


PAUL circa-1994: "When John did 'How Do You Sleep?' I didn't want to get into a slinging match. Part of it was cowardice. John was a great wit, and I didn't want to go fencing with the rapier champion of East Cheam -- But it meant that I had to take shit -- It meant that I had to take lines like 'All you ever did was Yesterday.' I always find myself wanting to excuse John's behavior, just because I loved him. It's like a child, sure he was a naughty child, but don't you call my child naughty. Even if it's me he's shitting on, don't you call him naughty. That's how I felt about this and still do. I don't have a grudge whatsoever against John. I think he knew exactly what he was doing and because we had been so intimate he knew what would hurt me and used it to great effect. I thought, 'Keep your head down and time will tell,' and it did because in the 'Imagine' film (Imagine John Lennon, documentary) he says it was really all about himself."

JOHN 1974: "It's not about Paul, it's about me. I'm really attacking myself. But I regret the association... well... what's to regret? He lived through it. The only thing that matters is how he and I feel about these things and not what the writer or commentator thinks about it. Him and me are okay."

JOHN 1974: "When I slagged off the Beatles thing, it was like divorce pangs and, me being me, it was 'Blast this! Fuck the past!' I've always had a bit of a mouth and when a thing begins that way you have to live up to it. Then Paul and me had that fight in the pages of MM. It was a period I had to go through. I sort of enjoy the fight at the time -- that's the funny thing. Now we've got it all out and it's cool. I can see the Beatles from a new point of view."

Source: Transcribed by www.beatlesinterviews.org from original source material

Beatles Interview Series: 1970 - The Breakup

In part nine of our 10-part Beatles Interview Series, we continuing exploring the break up of The Beatles.  

First, we will look at the opening shot, which was fired by Paul in the press release for his advance, promotional copies of his first solo album, McCartney, from April 9, 1970.  Jay Spangler of The Beatles Ultimate Experience writes, "While John Lennon had privately left the Beatles months earlier, it was from this interview that the story of a Beatles' split spread instantly as news headlines around the world. On April 10th, the Daily Mirror ran a front-page story with the bold print headline, 'PAUL IS QUITTING THE BEATLES,' while CBS News in America declared, "The Beatles are breaking up."

  
Q: "Did you miss the other Beatles and George Martin? Was there a moment when you thought, 'I wish Ringo were here for this break?'"
PAUL: "No."
Q: "Assuming this is a very big hit album, will you do another?"
PAUL: "Even if it isn't, I will continue to do what I want, when I want to."
Q: "Are you planning a new album or single with the Beatles?"
PAUL: "No."
Q: "Is this album a rest away from the Beatles or the start of a solo career?"
PAUL: "Time will tell. Being a solo album means it's 'the start of a solo career...' and not being done with the Beatles means it's just a rest. So it's both."
Q: "Is your break with the Beatles temporary or permanent, due to personal differences or musical ones?"
PAUL: "Personal differences, business differences, musical differences, but most of all because I have a better time with my family. Temporary or permanent? I don't really know."
Q: "Do you foresee a time when Lennon-McCartney becomes an active songwriting partnership again?"
PAUL: "No."

-----------------------

With the public still reeling from the news of a Beatles split, George Harrison took a quick trip to New York City in May, and was interviewed by WABC-FM radio's Howard Smith.  Below you will read a snippet from that interview.

Q: "You think the Beatles will get together again, then?"
GEORGE: "Uhh... Well, I don't... I couldn't tell, you know, if they do or not. I'll certainly try my best to do something with them again, you know. I mean, it's only a matter of accepting that the situation is a compromise. In a way it's a compromise, and it's a sacrifice, you know, because we all have to sacrifice a little in order to gain something really big. And there is a big gain by recording together -- I think musically, and financially, and also spiritually. And for the rest of the world, you know, I think that Beatle music is such a big sort of scene -- that I think it's the least we could do is to sacrifice three months of the year at least, you know, just to do an album or two. I think it's very selfish if the Beatles don't record together."
 
Q: "But everything looks so gloomy right now."
GEORGE: "It's not, really. You know, it's no more gloomy than it's been for the last ten years. It really isn't any worse. It's just that now over the last year -- what with John, and lately with Paul-- everything that they've thought or said has come out, you know, to the public. It's been printed. It's been there for everybody to read, or to comment about, or to join in on. Whereas before..."
 
Q: "But the things...The feelings had been there all along?"
GEORGE: "No, I wouldn't say that. In different ways, you know. We're just like anybody else. (laughs) Familiarity breeds contempt, they do say. And we've had slight problems. But it's only been recently, you know, because we didn't work together for such a long time in the Yoko and John situation. And then Paul and Linda. But it's really... It's not as bad as it seems, you know. Like, we're all having a good time individually, and..."
 
Q: "There seems like there's so much animosity between Paul and..."
GEORGE: Yeah."
 
Q: "You know, you three... I mean, it sounds like he is saying it's all over."
GEORGE: "But it's more of a personal thing, you know. That's down to the management situation, you know, with Apple. Because Paul, really -- It was his idea to do Apple, and once it started going Paul was very active in there. And then it got really chaotic and we had to do something about it. When we started doing something about it, obviously Paul didn't have as much say in the matter, and then he decided... you know, because he wanted Lee Eastman his in-laws to run it and we didn't. Then that's the only reason, you know. That's the whole basis. But that's only a personal problem that he'll have to get over because that's... The reality is that he's out-voted and we're a partnership. We've got these companies which we all own 25 percent of each, and if there's a decision to be made then, like in any other business or group you have a vote, you know. And he was out-voted 3 to 1 and if he doesn't like it, it's really a pity. You know, because we're trying to do what's best for the Beatles as a group, or best for Apple as a company. We're not trying to do what's best for Paul and his in-laws, you know."
 
Q: "You think that's what the key fight is over?"
GEORGE: "Yeah, because it's on such a personal level that it is a big problem, really. You know -- You imagine that situation if you were married and you wanted your in-laws to handle certain things. You know, it's like -- It's a difficult one to overcome because... well, you can think of the subtleties, you know. But he's really living with it like that, you see. When I go home at night I'm not living there with Allen Klein, whereas in a way, Paul's living with the Eastmans, you see. And so it's purely... it's not really between Paul and us. You know, it's between Paul's advisors who are the Eastmans and our business advisors which is Allen Klein. (pause) But it's alright."
 
Q: "Aw, I don't know!"
GEORGE: (laughs)
 
Q: "I'm not as optimistic."
GEORGE: "Yeah, it's alright. All things pass... away... as they say."
 
Q: "I somewhat detected some kind of animosity between Yoko and Linda. Is that part of what it's about?"
GEORGE: "Ahh, I don't know. I don't think about it, you know. I refuse to be a part of any hassles like that. You know, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare. And it'll all be okay, you know. Just give 'em time because they do really love each other, you know. I mean, we all do. We've been so close and through so much together that it really... to talk about it like this, you know, we'll never get any nearer to it. But the main thing is, like in anybody's life, they have slight problems. And it's just that our problems are always blown up, and uhh, you know, shown to everybody. But it's not really... it's not a problem. It's only a problem if you think about it."
 
Q: "So you don't think there's any great anger between Paul and John?"
GEORGE: "No, I think there may be what you'd term a little bitchiness. But, you know, that's all it is. It's just being bitchy to each other, you know. Childish. Childish."

Source: Transcribed by www.beatlesinterviews.org from radio interviews and from the reprinted interview in The New Musical Express - issue #1214

Paul McCartney Rejects The Voice UK Judge Position

Paul says No. (Image: Apple Corp)

Paul has been asked to be a judge on the Voice in the UK, which he has roundly rejected.

The Voice in the UK is moving to ITV from the BBC and obviously thinks they have enough clout to lure Paul into a judging position. Obviously, they don't. They got rid of Tom Jones as a judge unceremoniously so Paul is rightly not moving into that chair.

I'm sure many fans would love to see him judging people on the Voice but I can wholeheartedly understand Paul's rejection of the position. Tom Jones himself has said that the show pressured him into picking singers he didn't like...who's going to pressure Paul into picking a bad singer? Certainly not the Voice producers.

Desert Trip - The Stones, Dylan, McCartney, Young, Waters, The Who

The Desert Trip Lineup.

This October 7th, 8th and 9th 2016. A three day line up of Rock Gods. Six bands, One festival.

For many, this is the ultimate line up. Just the first two days have four of the biggest acts the world has ever known.

FRIDAY

THE ROLLING STONES
BOB DYLAN

SATURDAY

PAUL McCARTNEY
NEIL YOUNG

SUNDAY

ROGER WATERS
THE WHO

Lineup is subject to change, we're taking that to mean they could add more acts rather than some pull out, though.

So, the big question, WHO IS GOING?!?!

One On One Has Begun!

Paul in Fresno, CA 13/4/2016. (Image: Steve Jennings/Getty)

Last night, Paul McCartney opened up his 'One On One' tour at the Save Mart centre in Fresno, California.


Paul likes to change up his set list a little bit and he surprised his audience by opening with A Hard Day's Night. Also, his tribute to George Martin in the form of Love Me Do may become a set list staple.

Here's the set list from Fresno!


01. A Hard Day's Night
02. Save Us
03. Can't Buy Me Love
04. Letting Go
05. Temporary Secretary
06. Let Me Roll it
07. I've Got a Feeling
08. My Valentine
09. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five
10. Here, There, and Everywhere
11. Maybe I'm Amazed
12. We Can Work it Out
13. In Spite of all the Danger
14. You Won't See Me
15. Love Me Do (George Martin Tribute)
16. And I Love Her
17. Blackbird
18. Here Today (John tribute)
19. Queenie Eye
20. New
21. Fool on the Hill
22. Lady Madonna
23. Four, Five Seconds
24. Eleanor Rigby
25. Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite
26. Something (George tribute)
27. Ob La Di, Ob La Da
28. Band on the Run
29. Back in the USSR
30. Let it be
31. Live and Let Die
32. Hey Jude

Encore #1
33. Yesterday
34. Hi Hi Hi
35. Birthday
36. Golden Slumbers Medley

Pure McCartney - How Pure Is It?

Pure McCartney: So pure, you might need a bit of Lennon, Harrison & Starkey afterwards. (Image: MPL)

The answer is, pretty bloody pure!

Paul has announced his new album...well....it's not really new as it's a compilation of 67 tracks of Macca's previously released material. From his debut solo album in 1970 right through to last year's 'Say Say Say' remix. All hand picked by Paul himself.

Why did Paul decide to do this? Here's a quote from him telling us... 

"Me and my team came up with the idea of putting together a collection of my recordings with nothing else in mind other than having something fun to listen to, maybe it's to be enjoyed on a long car journey or an evening at home or at a party with friends? So we got our heads together and came up with these diverse playlists from various periods of my long and winding career." 
Basically, Paul was at home one night in his pyjamas going through his songs on his computer, creating the ultimate playlist of his songs and he figured he'd turn it into an album. Why not, eh?

If you have all of McCartney's albums then you could probably create this one yourself. A few fans on social media have expressed disappointment that this was not a new body of work, some even were annoyed that there were no rare tracks and there's surprise that there is little from his late 80s period.

So, if you want to buy 'Pure McCartney' it's available to pre-order through his website and it will be fully released on the 10th June 2016. If you don't? Enjoy the albums!

Macca during sessions for Ram in NYC, 1971. (Image: MPL)

Paul McCartney Returns To Acting For The New Pirates Of The Caribbean Film.

McCartney the Actor: Paul during the 'Silly Love Songs' sequence in 1984's 'Give My Regards To Broad Street'

Since his 1984 film 'Give My Regards To Broad Street', Paul hasn't done much acting. He's done a handful of walk-on parts in shows and charity sketches, most recently for the UK's 'Sport Relief' where he appeared in the Frank Spencer sketch.

According to Deadline, Paul has been cast in the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean film 'Dead Men Tell No Tales'. Rumours are rife to what Paul's role will be in the film and if it will be much like Keith Richard's role as Captain Teague, Jack Sparrow’s father, in 'On Stranger Tides'. As we know, Johnny Depp, who plays Jack Sparrow, is a long time friend of McCartney, appearing in Paul's recent music videos from his album 'New'.

Now, Paul has been tied to many film projects before but they've always just been rumours. This one, however seems to be true and even though the film is finished, they're adding an extra scene on with McCartney in time for the film's release in May.

Could this mean that Paul is forsaking his music career to become an actor? Perhaps not.

Beatles Interview Series: 1969 - Beatles on the Brink of Splitting

In part eight of our Beatles Interview Series, we explore the beginning of the end of The Beatles.  

First up, a bit of an interview given by Ringo on January 21, 1969 to BBC Radio-One's "Scene and Heard" program:

DAVID WIGG: "Last week was quite a controversial week for the Beatles."
(In reference to John Lennon's remarks that had appeared in 'Disc and Music Echo' newspaper a few days before in which Lennon stated: "Apple is losing money. If it carries on like this, we'll be broke in six months.")
RINGO: "Yeah."
DAVID: "How close are you? We've had reports that you're not as close you used to be, and that the Beatles aren't as rich as everyone thought they were and they might have to close down Apple."
RINGO: "Well... shall we take them one at a time?"
DAVID: (smiling) "Yes."
RINGO: (chuckling) "Alright, what was the first one?"
(laughter)
DAVID: "Are you as close?"
RINGO: "Yes. You know, there's that famous old saying, you'll always hurt the one you love. And we all love each other and we all know that. But we still sort of hurt each other, occasionally. You know... where we just misunderstand each other and we go off, and it builds up to something bigger than it ever was. Then we have to come down to it and get it over with, you know. Sort it out. And so we're still really very close people. What was the second one?"
DAVID: "Do you see the Beatles going on like they are at the moment for a long time in the future or do you see a split very soon?"
RINGO: "It depends what you mean as a split, I mean, we split..."
DAVID: "Go your separate ways."
RINGO: "Completely, no. We'll never go... Oh, I can't say never. But I mean, we won't go our separate ways after this album. And we'll always be tied up with each other in some way, because we signed a lot of papers. It says we stay together for 20 years or something. And Apple closing, you know, is... is silly. We have spent a lot of money, because we don't earn as much as people think. 'Cuz if we earn a million then the Government gets 90 percent and we get 10,000. And we, we didn't sort of realize how much we were spending, you know. Like, someone pointed out, to spend 10,000 you have to make a 120. But we just spent it as 120. So what we're doing now is tightening up on our own personal money and on the company's money, you know. We're not just giving as much away on handouts and things like that, you know, and as many projects. We're gonna cut down a bit till we've sorted ourselves out again and do it properly as a business."

----------------------

Then, on September 19, 1969, David Wigg conducted an interview with Paul McCartney at the Beatles' Apple Offices in London, for the same program, BBC Radio-One's "Scene and Heard."  Here is a snippet from that interview:

Paul McCartney and David Wigg, 1969, Photo Credit: http://www.beatlesinterviews.org/db1969.0919.beatles.html

DAVID WIGG: "How much interest and how much control do you have over Apple, now that you have a new manager in Mr. Klein?"
PAUL: "The four of us have it."
DAVID: "Are you like businessmen?"
PAUL: "No, I don't like doing the business bit that much. But you can't avoid it. See, the thing is like, we were once a band, just a band. But then, because we were successful, you can't help it being successful. Money comes in. You can't help that, again. When money comes in, income tax is to be paid. So you can't really help just turning into a businessman 'cuz someone says to you, 'Where's your income tax, mate?' You say, "well, I better go on to someone,' you know. 'I hope I've got a bit to pay you' and stuff. So you got to get all that together, you know. So, it's just force of circumstance. You can't help it."
DAVID: "Paul, what about the future of Beatles? I happen to know that the organizers of the 'Isle Of Wight' pop festival are going to ask you and the rest of Beatles if you will top the bill next year at the Isle Of Wight. Now, what's your reaction to a thing like that? Are you likely to go back on stage and perhaps do a show like that?"
PAUL: "I don't know, you know."
DAVID: "Does it appeal?"
PAUL: "I've never known. I didn't know when we were playing the Cavern that we'd be on the Royal Variety Performance. And after that all the papers said, 'Well, what's left for them.' So then we went to America. They said, 'What's left for 'em' then, you know. And we got into making better albums and stuff. I mean, I just don't know what's gonna happen. It'll be alright though."

 ----------------------

Finally, December 13, 1969, John Lennon gave an interview to New Musical Express, entitled, "Beatles Are On The Brink Of Splitting."  Here are a few excerpts from that interview:

JOHN: “The Beatles split up? It just depends how much we all want to record together. I don’t know if I want to record together again. I go off and on it. I really do.

“The problem is that in the old days, when we needed an album, Paul and I got together and produced enough songs for it. Nowadays there’s three if us writing prolifically and trying to fit it all onto one album. Or we have to think of a double album every time, which takes six months.

“That’s the hang-up we have. It’s not a personal ‘The Beatles are fighting’ thing, so much as an actual physical problem. What do you do? I don’t want to spend six months making an album I have two tracks on. And neither do Paul or George probably. That’s the problem. If we can overcome that, maybe it’ll sort itself out.

“None of us want to be background musicians most of the time. It’s a waste. We didn’t spend ten years ‘making it’ to have the freedom in the recording studios, to be able to have two tracks on an album.

“It’s not like we spend our time wrestling in the studio trying to get our own songs on. We all do it the same way… we take it in turns to record a track. It’s just that usually in the past, George lost out because Paul and I are tougher.

[...]

“You have to realize that there’s a peculiar situation, in that if ‘Cold Turkey’ had the name Beatles on it, probably it would have been a No. 1.

“ ‘Cold Turkey’ has got Ringo and me on it, and yet on half the Beatles’ tracks of ‘Abbey Road,’ I’m not on, or half the tracks on the double album – and even way back. Sometimes there might be only two Beatles on a track. It’s got to the situation where if we have the name ‘Beatle’ on it, it sells. So you get to think: ‘What are we selling? Do they buy it because it’s worth it, or just because it says ‘Beatles’?

“George is in the same position. I mean, he’s got songs he’s been trying to get on since 1930. He’s got to make an album of his own. And maybe if he puts ‘Beatles’ on the label rather than George Harrison, it might sell more. That’s the drag.

“Of course we could each make an album and call it ‘The Beatles,’ but that would be cheating. And that’s not my scene."

Source: Transcribed by www.beatlesinterviews.org from radio interviews and original magazine issue

Paul McCartney Begins Bid to 'Get Back' the Beatles Catalogue.

Well, he's finally doing it. Thanks to the US Copyright act of 1976, Paul McCartney is set to finally claim the publishing rights on most of the early Beatles songs. Songs he co-wrote with John Lennon.

However, it won't be the full catalogue and it'll only be the publishing rights in the USA. Sony/ATV will still control it in the rest of the world.

For those who are unaware of the whole saga, here it is simplified:

In 1963, Brian Epstein did a deal with Dick James and set up 'Northern Songs' to publish the Beatles songs which at the time were being written by Lennon & McCartney. When Harrison and Starkey started writing, they too had their songs published by the company but later formed their own companies while the Lennon and McCartney tunes stayed with Northern Songs.

After Epstein's death, Dick James was under enormous pressure from Lew Grade's ATV music to sell the catalogue to them, which he did without even giving the Beatles the chance to buy back their own songs. ATV were purchased by none other than Michael Jackson in the 1980s.

Jackson's purchase of the songs came after Paul McCartney advised him to get into song publishing, Jackson turned around and told him "I'm going to buy your songs!" which understandably annoyed Paul.

While Paul's bid to get the songs back in the US looks to be successful, the John Lennon Beatles rights publishing rights won't return to his estate. Yoko Ono sold them to Sony in 2009.

Paul McCartney Announces First Dates of 'One On One' Tour.

Paul has announced his new tour dates for his new 'One On One' tour. Here they are:

NORTH AMERICA:

13th April: SaveMart Arena - Fresno, CA
15th April: Moda Center - Portland, OR
17th April: Key Arena- Seattle, WA
19th April: Rogers Arena - Vancouver, BC
20th April: Rogers Arena - Vancouver, BC
30th April: Verizon Arena - Little Rock, AR
02nd May: Denny Sanford Premier Center - Sioux Falls, SD

GERMANY:

28th May: Esprit Arena - Dusseldorf
10th June: Olympic Stadium - Munich
14th June: Waldbuhne - Berlin

Old Stinkhorn - A Beer Brewed By A Beatle.

Paul McCartney's estate in East Sussex has been, for the past 20 years, home to the Old Stinkhorn microbrewery. He's given the ale the name 'Old Stinkhorn' after a variety of mushroom that grows on his estate. Paul sells this beer around the south east and also gives crates of it to various friends and relatives. Have you ever had the beer brewed by a Beatle?

Beatles Interview Series: 1968 - The Beatles White Album Session

In part seven of our 10-part Beatles Interview Series, we'd like to share an interview that took place on June 5, 1968 at Abbey Road Studios during the recording of The Beatles White Album.  This is an informal interview conducted by one of the Beatles' favorite radio personalities, Kenny Everett of the pirate radio station, Radio London, according to Jay Spangler of The Beatles Ultimate Experience.  Though this interview is primarily with John, the others do eventually make an appearance and in fact, this would be one of the last interviews in which all four Beatles appeared together.

Paul McCartney and John Lennon working on one of the songs on The White Album.

JOHN: "So, we better turn the guitaring down a bit, little. So, Kenny, how are you goings?"

KENNY: "Oh, it's wonderful. Listen. First a few questions, then I'd like you to sing me a jingle. A goodbye jingle."

JOHN: "Okay, a goodbye jingle."

KENNY: "What can we expect from you in the next few months? I've heard you're working on it."

JOHN: (comical whisper) "Alot of brown paper bags, Kenny."

KENNY: (laughs)

JOHN: "We're working very hard on that at the moment, the boys and me."

KENNY: "Anything tuney?"

JOHN: "Oh yeah. There's alot of tunes we've found in the bags, actually."

KENNY: "I got told that you don't actually come in here with the idea of doing an album-- it just sort of 'falls out' at the sessions."

JOHN: "Mmm. Well, we have a vague idea, you know, Ken."

KENNY: "Yes."

JOHN: (strumming and singing) "'As I was only saying the other day-- we have a vague idea, but very vague-- What's up? Very vague.'"

KENNY: (laughs)

JOHN: "Just a bit of laughter, ladies and gentle-phones."

KENNY: "Have you done any actual complete numbers?"

JOHN: "No. We're halfway through the second uncomplete number now."

KENNY: "You don't actually do them whole complete, finish with them, and then start another one?"

JOHN: "See, we got to a stage with one where the next bit is (additional) musicians, so we'll have to write the musicans' bit. You see, you see."

KENNY: "Do you ever get to, umm-- you've done your bit and you decide it would be good on its own, and then forget the musicians?"

JOHN: "Oh yeah. Yeah."

KENNY: "Yeah."

JOHN: (slide guitar and singing) "'Somebody stole my gal/ Somebody stole my pal.'"

KENNY: "Can you sing me a goodbye jingle? It doesn't have to rhyme or anything."

JOHN: (slide guitar and singing) "'Goodbye jingle/ Goodbye jingle goodbye/ Goodbye.'"

(laughter)

KENNY: "Wonderful. (laughs) Are there any particular records at the moment..."

JOHN: "Oh yeah, let me think-- Nilsson. One of Nilsson's."

KENNY: "Which one, particularly? As you know we've played quite a few of them."

JOHN: "Yes. Oh, let me think, Ken, for the moment. Uhh... 'River Deep Mountain Dew.'"

KENNY: "Yeah?"

JOHN: (strumming and singing) "'When I was a little baby my mama used to SMASH me in the cradle/ Pickin' those old cotton fields back home/ When mama was a little bitty baby she used to SMASH me in my cradle/ When I was a little bitty baby back home.'"

KENNY: "That was impressario John Lennon playing for you. And now, a few words from him."

JOHN: "Enzay cuzum dadey stobidacho, Charlie. Masik consip. Wezamarchi chewano wita tomata tawiaty. Wertum moriaty conan dia. Kenny Everetto, M B E."

KENNY: "So that's what India taught you?"

JOHN: "Exactly."

KENNY: "Did you come back with anything incredibly fantastic?"

JOHN: "Yes. A beard."

KENNY: "Yeah. I met Donavon the other day on a show, and he looked a little better for it."

JOHN: "Yes, it was very healthy, you know."

KENNY: "I got a photograph of you in the Daily Mirror standing in a sheet. You look very peaceful."

JOHN: "That's called a benuse, Kenny, and I got it from Moracco." (laughs)

KENNY: "Really?"

JOHN: (jokingly) "Standing in a sheet-- What do you mean?"

KENNY: "It looked like a sheet."

JONH: "Well they do. Benuses look very, very like sheets, see, so the lower classes in Moracco don't feel too put out-- having only the sheets to wear."

KENNY: "Do you have anything to say about anything you've recorded so far?"

JOHN: "We've just done two tracks, both unfinished. The second one is Ringo's first song that we're working on this very moment."

KENNY: "He composed it himself?"

JOHN: "He composed it himself in a fit of lithargy."

KENNY: "And what do you think about it?"

JOHN: "I think it's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard since Nilsson's River Deep Mountain Dew. (strumming and singing) 'Kenny Everett/ It's the Kenny Everett show.'"

KENNY: "Are you composing this straight out of your head?"

JOHN: "This is ad nausium-- straight from the mouth that bit me."

KENNY: "I don't know how he does it, friends."

JOHN: "Neither do I, friends. He's sitting here cross-legged on the amplifier, strumbling away. I hope we're gonna hear this, listeners, because we have alot of fun doing 'em, but never quite hear them, listeners. Never quite hear them when you get home."

KENNY: "Well, I will play this completely, all the way through, just for you."

JOHN: "Right."

KENNY: "What kind of guitar is that? It's very strange looking."

JOHN: "A fretless guitar."

KENNY: "How's business with Apple?"

JOHN: "Oh, it's... I mean, what can I say? I couldn't ask for any more tapes, or bits of paper."

KENNY: (jokingly) "They won't get that, either. But still..."

JOHN: "So, wonderful radio wonders...!"

KENNY: "Ask me a few questions."

JOHN: "Okay, Kenny. What are you doing?"

KENNY: (pause) "Well, at the moment, I'm having a daily show come on soon."

JOHN: "Really? So they haven't sacked you? I was getting you a job with the Isle of Man. I put in a word for you with Ronald Manks."

KENNY: "If you were stranded away on a desert island, what one grammophone record would you take with you, excluding the Bible and Sgt Peppers for obvious reasons."

JOHN: (laughs) "One grammophone record? Uhh... (pause) It hasn't been made yet."

KENNY: (laughing) "You don't think there's any records worth taking?"

JOHN: "Not all the way to a desert island."

KENNY: "When you produce something of such high standards as your last album, don't you think that you've really got to strive to produce something a bit better?"

JOHN: "No. It only got high because everybody said how high it was. It's no higher than it was when we made it."

KENNY: (laughs) "Yes. There are hidden meanings in that one, ladies and gentlemen."

JOHN: (comical voice) "No. What I mean, Kenny, is that it doesn't pose a problem. It was so long ago we've forgotten what it was about anyway. And let me put it this way..."

(long silence)

KENNY: "That's it? (laughs) Hey, listen. You were saying, last time I met you, that you hadn't really had a chance to listen to Sgt Pepper because you'd been so busy making it."

JOHN: "I don't think I ever did listen to it, since we made it, properly. I heard bits of it. I mean, I played it just after we made it, and that's it really. (laughs) But I like to hear it on the radio."

KENNY: "Alright, shall I play it?"

JOHN: "Yes, that'd be nice."

KENNY: "Ladies and gentlemen, Sgt Pepper!"

JOHN: "Mmmm."

KENNY: "Do you think Paul and you could do a duo-harmony jingle?"

JOHN: "Well, you'd have to get him."

KENNY: "Paul? Can you come and do a goodbye jingle?"

PAUL: "Oh! Why, sure Kenny!"

JOHN: (strumming and singing) "'Goodbye to Kenny Everett/ He is our very pal.'"

PAUL: (singing along) "'Jingle, jingle. Very pal. Jingle.'"

JOHN: (sings) "'Goodbye Kenny Everett/ And old Mount Everett, too.'"

JOHN AND PAUL: (singing) "'And it's a goodbye rousing cresendo!'"

KENNY: "Thank you, John. Thank you, Paul"

JOHN: "Wonderful."

PAUL: (giggles like singer Tiny Tim) "Ooo-hoo."

JOHN: (excitedly) "Play Tiny Tim! That's what you gotta play! Tiny Tim! He's the greatest ever, man! You see if I aint right, Kenny Everett! He's the greatest fella on earth! Play Tiny Tim, gentle-readers."

KENNY: "Tiptoe Through The Tulips."

PAUL: "He's real."

JOHN: "He's real, man. We saw him."

PAUL: "I mean, he's good with it. It's like-- it's a funny joke at first. But it's not, really. It's real and it's true."

JOHN: "He's great. (sings) 'Tiny Tim for President/ Oh, Tiny Tim for Queen!'"

KENNY: "Thank you, Ronald."

JOHN: (to George) "He'd like to interview with my cohorts for a following few month show."

GEORGE: "What is it?"

JOHN: "The Kenny Everett Show."

GEORGE: (excitedly) "Oh, great! Well, it's nice to be on the air again! Beatle George speaking from the EMI Studios."

PAUL: (Tiny Tim giggle) "Ooo-hoo!"

KENNY: "It's my last show next week."

GEORGE: "Is it? Got the sack, did you?"

RINGO: (pounding on drum and singing) "'Goodbye Kenny, it's good to see you back/ Goodbye Kenny, we hear you got the sack!'"

GEORGE: "You've got an LP, there."

(laughter)

PAUL: (Tiny Tim voice) "Ooo-hoo, it's nice to be here!"

KENNY: "Okay Henry, wrap it up."

PAUL: (American accent) "Goodbye Kenny, and thank you for all you've done for us in the past."

KENNY: "It's been a pleasure."

PAUL: (American accent) "You're wrong, Kenny. It has NOT been a pleasure!"

JOHN: "Repeat-- Not! N, O, T, O!"

KENNY: "Give us a rousing chorus of 'Strawberry Fields Forever' in jazz tempo."

JOHN: (singing) "Strawberry Fields Forever... cha ch-cha cha!"

PAUL: (singing) "Let me take you down... pah pah, 'cuz I'm going to-- ahh! Strawberry Fields-- ahh! Nothing is real."

JOHN: "Ho-hay! Hep me!"

PAUL: (singing) "And nothing to be going with!"

JOHN: "Hoop-hay. I tell ya, pooo-ahhh!"

(laughter)

KENNY: "That's the end. Let's go out like that!"

(the tape speed switches to chipmunk voices)

JOHN: (yells) "What speed is it?!!"

KENNY: "Seven and a half."

JOHN: "Oh, you crumbs!"

(laughter)



 

Source: Transcribed by www.beatlesinterviews.org from an audio copy of the interview