paul mccartney

01 Mar 2016

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 Posted in Beatles Posts Permalink

An Evening On the Road and a Beatle Sandwich

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 On March 1, 2016

Old man winter had the United Kingdom in his grips, and The Beatles had to get back home. But little did they know, surviving the cross-country journey from London to Liverpool would require an uncanny fight for survival.

The date was January 21, 1963. The Fab Four had just played a concert at the infamous Cavern Club in Liverpool the night before, but their next show (at that same venue) wasn’t for another couple days. In the meantime, they were needed in the studio for a recording session and for an interview with UK newspaper The Daily Mail.

After a full day, The Beatles piled into their tour van and trekked back home, braving the elements. They set off around 10 p.m. with London’s notorious fog encroaching upon them and the road. Mal Evans, The Beatles’ road manager, gripped the wheel as they made the voyage, but fate wasn’t going to make it easy for them.

A Rock vs. Rock-n-Roll

The gear and the boys were in tow and Evans was at the helm when they were jolted by an intense and harsh thwack. The windshield had been dealt a critical blow, and the cracks had spider-webbed out to the edges of the frame, making it impossible for Evans to see the road.

Paul McCartney rocks out on his Hofner bass at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 10, 1966.

For Evans, The Beatles were his life. In the column “Here, there and everywhere” with The Sunday Times, author Mark Edmonds explores Mal Evans’ lost diaries and the events of that night.

In the January 21, 1963 entry, Evans wrote, “Met a lot of fog… suddenly after leaving [a restaurant] short time windscreen cracked with a terrible bang.” But Evans had a solution, though, but not one of elegance.

“Had to break a hole in the windscreen to see…” Evans wrote in his diary. And so, in below-freezing temperatures, The Beatles were forced to fight for their survival. To fend off the infringing cold being funneled through the windshield, The Beatles had to act quickly.

“A Beatle Sandwich”

Like most wilderness survival stories, The Beatles had to huddle together for warmth. But with limited space and the awkward seating arrangement of the van, they were left with few options.

Armed with a bottle of whiskey, the group took to piling on top of one another. In The Beatles Anthology documentary, Paul McCartney referred to this moment in rock-n-roll history as the “Beatle Sandwich.” Unfortunately, McCartney did not identify his bandmates by their sandwich ingredient pseudonyms.

After stopping for tea, the Fab Four eventually made it home to Liverpool where they were able to sleep off the deep chill. In his diary, Evans wrote, “They were on that night at Cavern as fresh as ever with no after effects. The Beatles have certainly gone up in my estimation. They are all great blokes with a sense of humor and giving one the feeling they are a real team.”

Bob Bonis

Although Bob Bonis might have never witnessed a “Beatle Sandwich” through his camera’s viewfinder, but it’s likely he bought The Beatles a sandwich or two while he served as their U.S. Tour Manager. Along with his trusty Leica M3 camera, Bonis managed The Beatles on all three of their American tours between 1964 and 1966 (as well as for the Rolling Stones’ first five trips across the pond).

Bonis traveled with The Beatles at the height of their popularity and practiced his love for photography while the boy from Liverpool sang about love onstage. These rare and previously unreleased photographs are now available for the first time through the Bob Bonis Archive. Each strictly limited edition, fine art photograph is hand numbered, estate embossed, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE!

23 Feb 2016

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The Beatles In Film – Behind the Scenes of Help!

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 On February 23, 2016

As if the British Invasion wasn’t adventure enough, The Beatles would soon find themselves fighting an evil cult and saving Ringo Starr from ritual sacrifice with little more than their cheeky British humor.

Help! was the band’s second feature film with the soundtrack released as an album, also called Help! Production of the film began with a flight to the Bahamas on February 23, 1965, and its Royal World Premiere occurred at the London Pavilion Theater on July 29, 1965.

In the 2005 book Shout! The Beatles in Their Generation, author Philip Norman writes that The Beatles said the film was inspired by the Marx Brothers’ anarchic comedy film Duck Soup. The film also heavily satirized the James Bond 007 films, writes Kenneth Womack in Reading the Beatles. Coincidentally, the film’s distributor United Artists also held the rights to the Bond series.

Beatles Humor

The humor of the film was also often said to be influenced by the abstract humor of The Goon Show, a British radio comedy program. According to Janne Mäkeläm, author the book John Lennon Imagined, the radio program “contributed to a pool of shared experience and a form of identity” shared by its listeners. John Lennon was an ardent fan who often “bewildered his aunt with nonstop imitation and mimicry of various Goon accents.”

paul mccartney en route to st louis missouri august 21 1966

Paul McCartney intently listens to a friend during a flight en route to St. Louis, Missouri, August 21, 1966.

Although critical opinion of the film was generally positive, the humor was not always appreciated. Mäkelä cites a 1966 review of the film titled “Beatles Goon It Up Again,” in which the critic wrote, “It is all rather obscure humor and if there are any funny lines then they are obliterated by some of the noises which make up the background.”

Regardless, the Fab Four were united in their humors and welcomed the presence of wild animals, music, and unusual conventions such as the film’s closing statement, a dedication to “Elias Howe, who, in 1846, invented the sewing machine.”

Other critics argued that it tried and failed to exceed the expectations set with their 1964 comedy film A Hard Day’s Night. The boys from Liverpool, on the other hand, would later admit they were a bit bored with their lack of involvement in the production.

Help! I’ve Got the Giggles

To compensate, The Beatles shot the film in a “haze of marijuana.” In the television documentary series The Beatles Anthology, Ringo Starr said, “A hell of a lot of pot was being smoked while we were making the film … We had such hysterics that no one could do anything … It was just that we had a lot of fun in those days.”

In the Beatles Anthology Director’s Cut, Paul McCartney recalled shooting a scene where they group had to quickly turn to the camera and look surprised. He said, “We giggled a lot … It’s OK to get the giggles anywhere else but in films, because the technicians get pissed off with you. They think ‘They’re not very professional.’ Then you start thinking, ‘This isn’t very professional – but we’re having a great laugh.”

Although the film might not be everyone’s cup of tea, its score released as an album of the same name has proven its staying power. In 2012, Rolling Stone Magazine released its definitive list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. After compiling data from two extensive polls, Help! was voted into spot #331. A year later in 2013, the BBC reported that the album finally went platinum after the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the UK’s recorded music industry’s trade association, changed its sales award rules.

Bob Bonis Lens a Hand (Pun Intended)

Although Bob Bonis wasn’t around to help The Beatles fend off an evil cult, he did help them navigate foreign territory as their U.S. Tour Manager for all three U.S. tours between 1964 and 1966 (he also managed the Rolling Stones’ first five U.S. tours). While looking through the viewfinder of his Leica M3 camera, he was likely more tolerant of the giggles than the film crew was.

As he toured with the Fab Four at the height of Beatlemania, he also worked to capture their rise to fame on film, but one exposure at a time. These rare and previously unreleased photographs are now available for the first time through the Bob Bonis Archive. Each strictly limited edition, fine art photograph is hand numbered, estate embossed, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE!

08 Feb 2016

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 Posted in Beatles Posts Permalink

The British Invasion – Beatlemania Lands on U.S. Soil

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 On February 8, 2016

With The Beatles’ popularity rapidly expanding throughout Europe, the Beatlemania phenomenon and its hop across the Atlantic became a matter of when, not if.

Music from the Fab Four had been introduced to the states before with the singles “Please Please Me” and “From Me to You,” but they were not well received. Also, U.S. media coverage of the band’s rise to fame in the UK was often approached with undertones of jest.

The Beatles had already been wildly popular in the UK since early 1963, but for Americans, it took some time to warm up to the eccentric group of shaggy-haired boys from Britain. In the 2008 book Can’t Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain, and America, author Jonathan Gould notes how the band was often likened to an insect infestation with headlines such as “Beatle Bug Bites Britain.”

Beatlemania Invades U.S. Radio

george harrison john lennon olympia stadium detroit august 13 1966

John Lennon and George Harrison harmonize on stage at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan on August 13, 1966.

U.S. newscasters also reported that Brits were late to discover this wonderful thing called “rock-n-roll,” because after all, Americans had already produced the likes of Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. But between the critical and confounded news commentaries, The Beatles and their love for the blues took its place in the forefront of America’s consciousness.

After the single “I Want to Hold Your Hand” hit U.S. radio waves and skyrocketed to No. 1, the masses rose up and unanimously demanded more. Citing the previous failures of their two singles, The Beatles’ record label was reluctant to fund promoting the band in the States. But now with their appetites whet, Americans swarmed to their local record shops and the Beatles’ record label scrambled to keep up. Sales of the 7-inch single eclipsed the 1-million-mark in a matter of weeks.

The success of the single and a scheduled appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show convinced the record label to promote the band in the states. In the weeks leading up to The Beatles’ boots hitting U.S. soil, the label launched an aggressive advertising campaign. Their arrival was brought to the attention of the American public via 5 million promotional posters, writes Gareth L. Pawlowski in the 1989 book How They Became the Beatles.

A Nation United By Grief

In the months preceding their arrival, though, Americans were in the throes of a tumultuous emotional state. Just eleven weeks before The Beatles landed on U.S. soil, President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. The nation was in mourning, in fear, and in disbelief, writes Jonathan Gould in Can’t Buy Me Love.

He notes that teenagers, in particular, were having difficulty coping. Gould illustrated that teens began to shift from a state of disbelief into one of despair. This was evident from high school essays in which students shared sentiments like, “I never felt so empty in all my life,” and, “I was feeling the whole world is going to collapse on me.”

paul mccartney and ringo starr en rout to san fancisco august 30 1965

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr read a magazine on a plane en route to San Francisco, California on August 30, 1965.

But as popularity of the new single spread like wildfire, and as fans became aware of the Beatles’ trip across the pond, excitement and eager anticipation began to swell into the fevered pitch created by screaming fans awaiting the arrival of Pan Am Yankee Clipper flight 101 from London.

The Beatle Has Landed

Dressed in their trademark mod suits, The Beatles touched down at John F. Kennedy airport in New York on February 7, 1964. According to History.com, the Fab Four were greeted by over 4,000 ecstatic fans (who nearly started a riot) and roughly 200 journalists.

It was official — Beatlemania had arrived on American soil and the British Invasion was moving ahead with full force.

Ringo Starr recalls the flight in the television documentary series The Beatles Anthology. He said, “It was so exciting. On the plane, flying in to the airport, I felt as though there was a big octopus with tentacles that were grabbing the plane and dragging us down into New York. America was the best. It was a dream, coming from Liverpool.”

Paul McCartney reminisced by saying, “There were millions of kids at the airport, which nobody had expected. We heard about it in mid-air. There were journalists on the plane, and the pilot had rang ahead and said, ‘Tell the boys there’s a big crowd waiting for them.’ We thought, ‘Wow! God, we have really made it.’”

The Beatles on Ed Sullivan

In only two days, on February 9, The Beatles would serenade and win the hearts of Americans nationwide with their first televised performance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

That night, approximately 74 million Americans tuned in to watch the Beatles, or almost half the country, according to a 2004 New York Times article titled They Came, They Sang, They Conquered. The show had the largest number of viewers that had ever been recorded in U.S. television history.

Two days after their performance on the Ed Sullivan show, February 11, The Beatles played their first-ever live U.S. concert at The Washington Coliseum in Washington D.C. The next day they played their second U.S. concert at Carnegie Hall in New York.

Then, on February 16, they made their second appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, which attracted some 70 million viewers. Finally, on February 22, The Beatles flew home to rest, and to process their new place in world history.

Catching Up With Bob Bonis

It wouldn’t be until August of that same year that they would meet up with Bob Bonis for their first official American concert tour. Bonis served as the band’s U.S. Tour Manager on all three American tours between 1964 and 1966 (and also for the Rolling Stones on their first five trips stateside).

While The Beatles displayed their passion for music on stage, Bonis practiced his own artistic passion for photography. Using his always-ready Leica M3 camera, he captured both intimate and chaotic moments during the peak of Beatlemania.

These iconic moments are now available for the first time from the Bob Bonis Archive as strictly limited edition fine art prints. Each photograph is hand numbered, estate embossed, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE!

04 Feb 2016

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 Posted in Beatles Posts, Bob Bonis Permalink

Beatlemania Phenomenon Becomes Pandemic

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 On February 4, 2016

Beat-le-ma-ni-a

(bēdlˈmānēə)

Noun

Definition — Extreme enthusiasm for The Beatles, as manifested in the frenzied behavior of their fans in the 1960s.

“The band took to spending weeks on end in the studio as a way of escaping from the mayhem of Beatlemania.”

When Scottish concert promoter Andi Lothian first booked The Beatles in January of 1963, fifteen people showed up. When he booked them again that October, local police were pleading with him to let them onstage early to appease the fans growing increasingly agitated.

He told The Guardian, “The girls were beginning to overwhelm us … It was absolute pandemonium. Girls fainting, screaming, wet seats. The whole hall went into some kind of state, almost like collective hypnotism. I’d never seen anything like it.”

The Beatles had since released their chart topping album and single, both titled Please Please Me. While the phenomenon had already sparked to life in the United Kingdom, it took a few well placed breaths to send Beatlemania across the pond.

Roots in History

The word mania was first used to describe fandom in 1844. As reported by The Guardian, German poet and essayist Heinrich Heine coined the term Lisztomania to describe the pandemonium that erupted from fans during performances by the piano virtuoso Franz Liszt.

Paul McCartney singing on stage at the Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston, Texas, August 19, 1965.

Back then, the phrase also carried implications of mental illness. The word Beatlemania, though, carried no such connotations (despite its close association with overactive pituitary glands). Parents of Beatlemania-afflicted teens, however, definitely thought their children were hypnotized by a spell of strange music that caused transistor radios to become permanent fixtures to their ears.

The Beatles had already been introduced to the States with the songs “Please Please Me” and “From Me to You,” and the singles were both flops initially. This made the American branch of The Beatles’ record label apprehensive about promoting them domestically. Fate was on their side, however, and the Fab Four were about to catch a break.

According to History.com, American television host Ed Sullivan was walking through London’s Heathrow airport when he encountered hordes of ecstatic teens, eager to see The Beatles’ return from tour. Shortly after, Sullivan booked them on the Ed Sullivan Show. Prior to seeing the commotion in the airport, Sullivan had never heard of them. He suspected, though, that they could be “as big as Elvis.”

The Beatles in Technicolor

With a performance on the Ed Sullivan added to their agenda, the Beatles’ American record label agreed to back their upcoming album. The band had also gained exposure in the States after CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite reported on the Beatlemania phenomenon raging across the UK and parts of Europe.

After seeing one such newscast, 15-year-old Marsha Albert from Maryland wrote to her local radio station asking, “Why can’t we have music like that here in America?” After some digging, a radio DJ unearthed the unreleased single “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” reports History.com. The song was wildly popular and sent The Beatles’ record label into a frenzy as they worked to meet customer demand. The single sold 1 million copies in the span of a few days. The British Invasion had begun.

While there are varying accounts of who coined the term Beatlemania first, the word mania and its historical roots ensured it was only a matter of time before it would be used to describe the band whose popularity spread like wildfire. The phenomenon only needed to wait until the conditions were right to make that leap across the Atlantic successful.

Order Amidst the Craziness

Along with the Beatles, Bob Bonis also confronted the raging crowds of teenage girls while serving as their U.S. Tour Manager from 1964 to 1966 (as well as for the Rolling Stones’ first five stateside tours). Armed with his Leica M3 camera, he was able to capture The Beatles in moments of order, amidst the chaos and flurry of screaming fans.

These never before available photographs of The Beatles at the height of Beatlemania are now available from the Bob Bonis Archive as strictly limited edition fine art prints. Each photograph is hand numbered, estate embossed, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE!

Paul McCartney and George Harrison perform at the Metropolitan Stadium in Blooming, Minnesota, August 21, 1965.

24 Jan 2016

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 Posted in Beatles Posts Permalink

The Beatles After the Breakup

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 On January 24, 2016

The Beatles take a bow on stage at the Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota, August 21, 1965.

For some Beatles fans the month surrounding New Year’s Eve on both sides can be bitter reminders of sour and sad times in The Beatles’ history.

On January 10, 1969, George Harrison walked away from rehearsal and the band amidst rising tensions. Less than a year later, on December 31, 1970, Paul McCartney officially filed the legal suit to dissolve the group (and publicly announced his departure from the band on April 10, 1970). Then, on December 29, 1974, John Lennon made the breakup official while the group was on holiday at Disney World.

john lennon on stage memorial coliseum portland

John Lennon on stage with The Beatles at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon, August 22, 1965.

Perhaps it was an appropriate venue – an enchanted destination to conclude that mysterious and magical wave they had been sailing on across the world. The year’s end shouldn’t be mourned, and although the breakup came with an outpouring of grief (and the shattered hearts of teenage fans everywhere), it ushered in new beginnings and great successes for each member.

The Beatles had been on the trajectory heading toward the breakup since 1968, and it was beginning to show — they were moving away from those boyhood relationships and shedding the skin of the group in favor of their own and towards expressing their unique individual styles and preferences. The Lennon and McCartney songwriting duo split into their own respective paths. Harrison continued to develop as a songwriter. Ringo Starr, meanwhile, was also developing as a songwriter, as well as an actor and producer.

Rolling Stone Magazine described the 1968 album The Beatles (also known as the White Album) as “four solo albums in one roof.” And so, rather than lament or analyze the breakup of the Fab Four, the Bob Bonis Archive would like to celebrate the members’ continued success as individuals by touching on some of the accomplishments of each Beatle, after the breakup.

Paul McDartney on stage at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio, August 21, 1966.

While he had already proven his worth as a songwriter with the Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney continued his upward trajectory to become recognized as one of the most successful composers and performers of all time. Throughout his career with the Beatles and his solo work, McCartney is credited with 60 gold discs and sales of over 100 million for both albums and singles. He is a two-time Rock and Rock Hall of Fame inductee and a 21-time GRAMMY Award winner. In 1997, McCartney was knighted for his contributions to music. Sir Paul continues to perform actively to this day.

John Lennon

Unaware his time was limited, Lennon continued to be an agent of change and a voice of peace. Before the breakup, he met and fell in love with artist Yoko Ono (who, to this day, and despite heated emotions by fans over decades, is steadfast that she was never a catalyst to the breakup). In 1970 the pair released the album John Lennnon/Plastic Ono Band to the praise of critics. The couple also continued their activism, the most notable being the “bed-ins” opposing the Vietnam War. With the birth of his son Sean, Lennon began to focus his energy on his family, and only briefly made a return to music before being assassinated by a deranged fan on December 8, 1980 in New York City.

George Harrison backstage at Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, August 21, 1966.

George Harrison

Although he didn’t receive as much recognition as a songwriter as did Lennon and McCartney while he was playing with the Beatles, his solo talent would begin to flourish as the end neared. After the band split, he released the triple album All Things Must Pass to much critical acclaim. Although he also worked as a music and film producer, his musical roots kept him on the stage. In 1988 he co-founded the platinum-selling super-group the Traveling Wilburys, and Rolling Stone ranked him number 21 on their list of “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” He is also a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and collaborated with other great artists such as Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and of course, Ringo Starr. Harrison passed away on November 29, 2001 in Beverly Hills, CA.

Ringo Starr

After the breakup Ringo Starr went on to pursue his own extensive solo career. In the years immediately following, he released three solo albums with great success. His 1973 album Ringo reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and has since earned a certified platinum status. His artistic side also led to his involvement in film, such as producing the glam-rock documentary Born to Boogie and acting in several films. He has continued to make music throughout the years, however, his most recent gift to the world came in the form of a photography book. Titled Photograph, it features 250 rare and unseen photographs of both his personal and Beatles life. Combined with original text written by him, Starr offers an intimate glimpse into his life and his fellow band members.

And in the end…

While Ringo first began exploring photography in 1963, during their American tours, Bob Bonis stepped in as the band’s primary photographer. While serving as the U.S. Tour Manager for the Beatles from 1964 to 1966 (and also for the Rolling Stones’ first five trips across the pond), Bonis practiced his artistic passion for photography while the band focused on their music.

Using his trusty Leica M3 camera, and through his unique level of access to The Beatles both on and off stage, Bonis captured honest and candid moments of the worldwide phenomenon that was The Beatles. Through The Bob Bonis Archive, these never before seen photographs are now available for the first time as strictly limited edition, custom-printed fine art prints. Each photograph is hand numbered, estate embossed, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE!

ringo starr john lennon paul mccartney kansas city

Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney perform at the Municipal Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, September 17, 1964.

13 Jan 2016

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 Posted in Beatles Posts Permalink

Who Was The Fifth Beatle? – Part II

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 On January 13, 2016

the beatles, john lennon, paul mccartney, george harrison, ringo starr in bel air california august 23-24 1964 photo by bob bonis

The British Invasion was in full swing, and as The Beatles’ popularity grew, they became a worldwide sensation with rock-n-roll fans and popular media alike.

The press had already dubbed the worldwide phenomenon “Beatlemania.” Then, following the release of their second studio album With the Beatles, the band’s press officer Tony Barrow referred to the band as the “fabulous foursome” in a news release, which the media adopted as “The Fab Four.”

But on the fringes of “The Fab Four” were the outliers. While not officially part of the band, many people played a major part in their careers or personal lives – managers, agents, media, other artists and more. These people are sometimes referred to as the “Fifth Beatle” (sometimes by themselves!). Exactly who had rightful claim to the assumed title, however, is still up for debate. So who might the Fifth Beatle actually be? In Part I of this 2-part blog, we identified several candidates. Here we present the next list of royal contenders. What do you think?

Derek Taylor

A British journalist, writer and publicist, Derek Taylor is recognized mostly for his work as press officer for The Beatles. In true spin fashion, he is credited with coining the phrase “The Beatles Are Coming.” He was working as a journalist when he was asked to write a review of The Beatles’ May 30, 1963 concert. According to BeatlesBible.com, Taylor was expected to write a criticism of what the national press called an “inconsequential teen fad.” Instead, he was captivated by the music and praised the performance. Shortly afterwards, he was invited into the Beatles’ circle as a trusted journalist.

Neil Aspinall

A school friend of Paul McCartney and George Harrison, Neil Aspinall is best known for his work as the head of The Beatles’ company Apple Corps. In the band’s early years, the group employed Aspinall as their road manager and personal assistant. Following the band’s return from their second trip to Hamburg in 1961, Aspinall left his job as an accountant to become The Beatles’ full time road manager. Following the break-up, he worked on expanding the band’s legacy with projects such as the Anthology records.

Mal Evans

In the early 1960s, Mal Evans was working as a telephone engineer and a part-time bouncer at the Cavern Club, a Liverpool music venue where the Beatles often performed. Beatles manager Brian Epstein eventually hired Evans as the group’s assistant road manager, working alongside Neil Aspinall. Evans contributed to several Beatles recordings and even appeared in some of the band’s films. After the band stopped touring in 1966, he continued to offer his assistance until their break-up in 1970.

George Martin

After recording the Beatles’ first studio album Please Please Me, English record producer Sir George Martin famously told the band, “Congratulations, gentlemen, you’ve just made your first number one [record],” according to the BBC. He is often referred to as the Fifth Beatle due to his extensive involvement with each of the Beatles’ studio albums. Martin is also lauded as one of the best record producers in history. He was behind 30 number-one hits in the United Kingdom and 23 number-one hits in the United States.

Ed Rudy

Being the only American reporter allowed to accompany The Beatles on their first United States tour, Ed Rudy was able to spend exclusive time with the band. In an interview with Examiner, Rudy said that going on tour with them was “an unforgettable and life-changing experience.” He was embedded with the band as they navigated the raging “Beatlemania,” where he was “in the midst of a very friendly, though sometimes accidentally dangerous, raging mob of American teenagers.” While promoting the band in broadcasts around the world, the Beatles dubbed him the Fifth Beatle.

While the Fifth Beatle moniker seems to be applied somewhat liberally, there was another man behind the scenes ensuring the Beatles’ continued success. While serving as the band’s U.S. Tour Manager for all three American tours between 1964 and 1966 (as well as The Rolling Stones on their first five U.S. Tours), Bob Bonis took it upon himself to chronicle the Beatles and the historic moments he shared with them in this most important time in their careers: coming to America and heralding The British Invasion.

Captured using his trusty Leica M3 camera, Bonis’ iconic photographs are available for the first time as strictly limited edition, custom fine art prints from the Bob Bonis Archive. Each photograph is hand numbered, estate embossed, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE!

30 Dec 2015

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 Posted in Beatles Posts Permalink

Who Was The Fifth Beatle? – Part I

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 On December 30, 2015

Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr are photographed by Bob Bonis while on vacation in Bel Air, California on August 23-24, 1964

Paul McCartney and John Lennon were hailed as The Beatles’ songwriting duo. George Harrison was dubbed “the quiet one.” And Ringo Starr was the best drummer in the world, according to many.

Together they worked as a whole to conquer the world and not only herald, but win the British Invasion. But while The Beatles were bowing to the crowd on stage, there was other key figures working for their success behind the scenes. A number of these have been dubbed “The Fifth Beatle.” Exactly whom that true Fifth Beatle was, however, is still up for debate (and it’s often a hot one). Here are just a few of the most notable “Fifth Beatles.” We invite your comments and opinions.

Stuart “Stu” Sutcliffe

Before their spectacular rise to fame, The Beatles legitimately consisted of five members. The Fifth Beatle in this instance was their original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe. Before joining band he began his career as an artist and attended the Liverpool College of Art. He left the band in 1961 to pursue his art education and to continue painting. Early the next year he began complaining of headaches, and then tragically, on April 10, 1962, he died from a brain aneurysm.

Brian Epstein

Best known for his role as The Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein is largely credited with discovering The Beatles. While Epstein’s management style drew some criticism and amidst the controversy of his personal life, he was instrumental in the band’s rise to fame. In 1997, Paul McCartney said, “If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian Epstein.” Although he received McCartney’s “Fifth Beatle” endorsement years later, the jury has yet to reach a final decision. Quite a lot of controversy surrounds the motives and methods of Brian Epstein, but it is clear that without his influence in the early days we wouldn’t have gotten The Beatles as we know them.

Murray the K

Murray Kaufman, more commonly known as Murray the K, was an influential New York radio DJ during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. He was embedded in the trenches of the Beatlemania and often referred to himself as the Fifth Beatle. His popularity peaked during the mid-60s when he befriended the band as they began performing in the U.S. While there isn’t a general consensus of how the name was attributed to him, his radio station quickly picked up on it and billed him prominently as the Fifth Beatle. In a late 70s interview, Kaufman admitted, “I really didn’t like it very much, but that was it.”

Astrid Kirchherr

Astrid Kirchherr, a German photographer and artist, is most well known for her close association with The Beatles, which lends itself to her candidacy of being the Fifth Beatle. When she first met the band in 1960, she was dating Klaus Voormann, a German artist who created the album artwork for Revolver. She quickly became smitten with original Beatles bassist, Stuart Sutcliffe. Her best known photographic works are of The Beatles in their early days playing in Hamburg, Germany.

Klaus Voormann

Another German artist and musician that joined the Beatles’ circle of friends was Klaus Voormann. Like his then-girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr, he met and became closely associated with the group in the early 1960s. During the band’s early days, Voormann lived in the Fab Four’s London flat. Shortly thereafter he designed the GRAMMY award winning cover artwork for the Beatles’ Revolver album. In the 1990s, he also designed the artwork for the Beatles Anthology albums. Much like Kirchherr, his close relationship with the band led some to speculate about his role as a Fifth Beatle.

This was Part 1 of Who Was The Fifth Beatle? – Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon!

Enter Bob Bonis

While the Fifth Beatles seemingly came and went, Bob Bonis was playing his part as U.S. Tour Manager for The Beatles on all three U.S. tours between 1964 and 1966 (and for the Rolling Stones’ first five trips stateside as well). Undoubtedly, while the others squabbled over who was the true Fifth Beatle, Bonis was keeping his focus on the shutter of his Leica M3 camera.

With his camera always ready for action, he captured never before seen photos of the band in candid, intimate and historically important moments in the early days of The British Invasion.

These iconic photographs are available now for the first time as strictly limited edition, custom fine art prints from the Bob Bonis Archive. Each photograph is hand numbered, estate embossed, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE!

22 Dec 2015

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 Posted in Beatles Posts Permalink

Brian Epstein: Two Sides of a Valuable Coin

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 On December 22, 2015

All four Beatles, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison board an airplane at the SeaTac airport in Washington, Augst 22, 2964

While The Beatles became accustomed to being embroiled in controversy, there was a key player behind the scenes of the band’s success and image that created a drama of its own.

Brian Epstein, born September 19, 1934, is best known for his role as The Beatles’ manager and is largely credited with their discovery, as well as a key player in their rise to fame.

His management of the band was undoubtedly important to their success, but his business dealings drew much criticism, and the man’s personal life was a whirlwind of gambling and drug abuse that would ultimately become the catalyst for his demise.

When Epstein first heard of The Beatles, he was working at his family’s record and musical instrument shop. Then, on the fateful day of November 9, 1961, he saw the group perform onstage at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, England.

The group he saw on stage that night, though, was in direct need of an “Epsteinification.” They just didn’t know it yet. At the time, according to History.com, they would eat and drink onstage between songs, dress in all-black leather, and play only cover songs.

Epstein and The Beatles’ Rise to Fame

But nonetheless, The Beatles had made a powerful first impression. He said he was enthralled by “their music, their beat and their sense of humor onstage,” reports the New York Times. He quickly decided The Beatles would become the biggest band in the world. He said, “My own sense of inferiority and frustration evaporated with The Beatles because I knew I could help them.”

In early December of 1961, Epstein and the band began discussing the possibility and terms of his management role. By the end of January, he was officially their manager. Although he didn’t have experience managing an artistic group, he was very influential in determining the band’s signature appearance and their trademark end-of-show bow to the crowd.

During his time with the group, he managed the band’s business affairs, but he also helped to settle interpersonal conflicts. Epstein worked tirelessly for The Beatles, and as a result, its members trusted him with an ardent loyalty. Author Johnny Rogan writes in Starmakers and Svengalis: The History of British Pop Management, “Even on the brink of a nervous breakdown, his devotion to the Fab Four was all-consuming.”

Tragically, on August 27, 1967, at the age of 32, Epstein died of an accidental drug overdose after taking too many sleeping pills. Epstein had been with them for the entire trek up to the summit. But with his sudden death, anticipation of climbing down from the peak crept in suddenly, as did the truth behind some of Epstein’s business dealings.

Brian Epstein Remembered

In the biography Many Years From Now, Paul McCartney said that the band had always signed the contracts presented to them by Epstein without reading them. Following Epstein’s death, John Lennon bemoaned, “Well, he was alright. I’ve found out since, of course, that he wasn’t quite as honest to us as he made out.” However, in his biography For the Record, Lennon attested to the band’s loyalty to Epstein by saying, “We had complete faith in him when he was running us. To us, he was the expert.”

Despite the controversy, Epstein was without any doubt instrumental in The Beatles’ rise to fame. In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, when asked about the time following Epstein’s death, Lennon said, “I knew that we were in trouble then. I didn’t really have any misconceptions about our ability to do anything other than play music, and I was scared. I thought, ‘We’ve had it.’”

Although The Beatles were beginning their descent from the top, the view was still clear and bright as each member carried on with their respective, similarly best-selling solo projects. But, also in the background of The Beatles’ success was their U.S. Tour Manager, Bob Bonis.

Bonis served as U.S. Tour Manager for all three of the band’s American tours between 1964 and 1966 (as well as for The Rolling Stones’ first five trips across the pond). As he worked with the Fab Four, he also satisfied his passion for photography, capturing rare and never before seen moments in rock-n-roll history.

These iconic and intimate photographs are available now for the first time as strictly limited edition, custom-printed fine art prints from the Bob Bonis Archive. Each photograph is hand numbered, estate embossed, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE!

30 Nov 2015

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 Posted in Beatles Posts Permalink

Peeling a Glass Onion: 4 Facts About The White Album

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 On November 30, 2015

The Beatles’ ninth studio album “The Beatles”, more commonly referred to as “The White Album,” was released on November 22, 1968, to an eager audience. The stark white album cover with the band’s name embossed in black was a conscious departure from the vibrant colors of the previously released “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”.

The band’s songwriting was evolving along with the world, and the collection of 30 songs featured John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr branching into a variety of musical styles. The album, primarily written at a Transcendental Meditation course, was recorded at a tenuous time for the band as relationships became strained and band members quarreled over creative differences. The same tensions continued throughout the following year, leading to the eventual break-up of the Beatles in April 1970.

But despite the growing tension within the band, The Beatles reached number one on both United States and British pop charts and is hailed by some music critics as one of the best albums of all time. Test your Beatles fandom and see if you learn anything new! Here are a few facts you might not know about “The White Album”:

Martha, my dear dog

In 1997, McCartney revealed that the album’s ninth track “Martha My Dear” was actually written about his pet Old English sheepdog of the same name. According to FeelNumb.com, McCartney said Lennon was amazed after seeing him act so lovingly toward his dear pet, adding he had never seen him act like that before. McCartney said, “It’s only when you’re cuddling around with a dog that you’re in that mode, and she was a very cuddly dog.”

Eric “Candy Cavity” Clapton

The song “Savoy Truffle” was written with the sole purpose of poking fun at a fellow rocker. George Harrison was hanging out with Eric Clapton, who at the time, was suffering from numerous cavities and needed dental work. But despite having a perpetual toothache, Clapton was always eating chocolates. According to BeatlesInterviews.org, Harrison wrote the song after Clapton was told to quit eating sweets. Harrison said, “So as a tribute I wrote ‘You’ll have to have them all pulled out after the Savoy truffle.’ The truffle was some kind of sweet … just candy, to tease Eric.”

Happiness was a warm puppy

“Happiness Is a Warm Gun,” read the headline in a gun magazine, a play on Peanuts’ cartoonist Charles Schulz’s 1962 bestselling book Happiness Is a Warm Puppy. Lennon said, “I thought it was a fantastic, insane thing to say. A warm gun means that you just shot something,” Rolling Stone Magazine reports. Recording the song required two nights and over 70 takes, but McCartney has called it one of his favorite tracks from that album.

Where was Ringo?

During the recording of The Beatles, Ringo Starr quit the group for two weeks, foreshadowing the fate of the band. Starr was feeling like an outsider more than ever, and he let his band mates know. In Anthology, Starr recalled, “I felt I wasn’t playing great, and I also felt that the other three were really happy and I was an outsider.” UltimateClassicRock.com writes that Ringo escaped to an Italian island on a yacht he borrowed from a friend. The band would soon send him a telegram expressing their love and asked that he please come back. Upon returning, he was greeted by flowers on his drum kit arranged to spell “Welcome back, Ringo.”

Bob Bonis wasn’t working with The Beatles any longer when The White Album was being recorded. Rather, he had the privilege to serve as the band’s U.S. Tour Manager for all three American tours between 1964 and 1966 (as well as the Rolling Stones’ first five trips stateside). During his time with these bands and with his Leica M3 camera always at the ready, Bonis captured rare, candid, historically important and often iconic moments of the stars as they rose to fame.

These photographs are available for the first time as strictly limited edition, fine art prints, from The Bob Bonis Archive at BobBonis.com. Each photograph is hand numbered, estate embossed, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE. Click here to buy your very own piece of rock history (or give one as a gift for a Beatles fan you know).

29 Nov 2015

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 Posted in Beatles Posts Permalink

All Of Our Guitars Gently Weep

Sticky Post By BBAAdmin1 On November 29, 2015

I think people who truly can live a life in music are telling the world, ‘You can have my love, you can have my smiles. Forget the bad parts, you don’t need them. Just take the music, the goodness, because it’s the very best, and it’s the part I give most willingly.

George Harrison

February 25, 1943 – November 29, 2001

On November 29, 2001, 14 years ago today, beloved member of The Beatles – George Harrison succumbed to the effects of lung cancer and passed away at the age of 58.

He was often referred to as “the quiet Beatle,” and while Paul McCartney and John Lennon shared most of the spotlight, he was often regarded to be the group’s most mindful and spiritual member.

Harrison, the youngest of The Beatles, played lead guitar and wrote iconic songs such as “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Taxman” and “Something” (which has become the Beatles’ second-most-covered song).

He died at a friend’s home in Los Angeles with his wife Olivia and son Dhani by his side. In a statement, his family said, “He left the world as he lived in it, conscious of God, fearless of death, and at peace, surrounded by family and friends.”

Harrison’s guitar style, a mix of the blues and early rock-n-roll, gave The Beatles’ music an unmistakable place in the world and in history. Those close to the group say that he greatly influenced McCartney and Lennon as they grew as writers, becoming more poetic, complex, and relevant to current events of the time.

Following the breakup of The Beatles, Harrison continued to make music as a solo artist and released several best-selling singles and albums. Later on, he co-founded the platinum-selling supergroup The Traveling Wilburys. Rolling Stone ranked him number 11 in their list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” He is also a two-time Rock and Rock Hall of Fame inductee, once as a member of The Beatles in 1988, and posthumously for his solo work in 2004.

While he continued to release music, NPR reports that Harrison “slowly withdrew from the spotlight over the ensuing years.” Those close to him said that rather than living a life of stardom, he became more interested in his private life and had a passion for cars and working in his garden.

In 1998 Harrison was successfully treated for throat cancer, which he attributed to his smoking habit. Only a few years later he would battle cancer again. Upon disclosure to the public, Harrison told his fans not to worry about him as he was not afraid of death and was at peace.

As reported by the New York Times, McCartney told reporters in London, “He was a lovely guy and a very brave man and had a wonderful sense of humor. He is really just my baby brother.” Ringo Starr said, “We will miss George for his sense of love, his sense of music and his sense of laughter.”

Bob Bonis was fortunate enough to know Harrison and to watch him grow as a person while serving as U.S. Tour Manager for The Beatles on all three of their U.S. tours (and also for The Rolling Stones’ first five trips to the states). While Bonis was on tour with The Beatles, his Leica M3 camera was always ready to shoot, capturing some of the most genuine, candid and personal moments of George Harrison and his fellow Beatles.

These photographs are now available from The Bob Bonis Archive. Each photograph is available as strictly limited edition fine art prints. Every print comes hand numbered, estate embossed, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity from the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE. To buy one of these iconic and historically important photographs, and to memorialize a rock-n-roll superstar, visit the George Harrison gallery by clicking here.

George Harrison: despite being the quietest Beatle, the mark you made on this world and the music you left continue to resonate with history and will carry on well into the future. May you rest in peace knowing you left this world a better place. Our guitars gently weep for you yet.