For decades he has been referred to by many as the unluckiest man in the history of rock 'n' roll.
It was a distinction Pete Best had earned when he was dismissed as the drummer for The Beatles in August 1962. He was replaced by Ringo Starr, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Now 67, Best can still be found touring about with his own group, The Pete Best Band. And Saturday and Sunday, Best will meet fans and sign autographs at the Boston Super Megafest at the Sheraton Framingham. The weekend also features film and sci-fi stars such as Leslie Nielsen, Linda Blair of "The Exorcist" and Jonathan Frakes who plays Riker on "Star Trek." Shoe Suede Blues with Peter Tork of The Monkees will perform Saturday night with separate admission.
The Pete Best Band has also recently released a CD titled "Haymans Green" (Light Year/EMI), featuring original, autobiographical material.
Reached by telephone recently in Ontario, Canada, Best clearly embraced his place as a footnote in rock music history.
[more at the website]For decades he has been referred to by many as the unluckiest man in the history of... more
In Marshall, the weekend after Thanksgiving has become an opportunity for Beatles fans to celebrate the songwriting of the Fab Four at The Franke Center for the Arts, 214 E. Mansion St.
For the center's third annual Beatles tribute show, five local musicians will present an acoustic version of The Beatles' self-titled, ninth studio album, better known as "The White Album." They'll will play all 30 tracks in the order they appear, from "Back in the U.S.S.R." through "Good Night."
The concert is at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7.50 for students.
"For a Beatles fan, it's a no-brainer," said organizer and performer Jim Oliver of Marshall, who played in the band The Edge for many years.
Oliver will be joined by local musicians Julie Mackie, Greg Brayton, Kjell Croce and Rene Maeve.
Most Beatles tribute groups try to emulate the look and sound of the band, Oliver said, but this will be "a totally unplugged presentation of these songs" — which is actually how they originated.
John, Paul, George and Ringo wrote most of the album while they were in India in 1968, and all they had at their disposal was an acoustic guitar.
Oliver focused on "The White Album" in honor of the 40th anniversary of its release, he said.
The concert will include songs that will be familiar to most casual fans — including "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Birthday" and "Revolution" — as well as some of the more obscure songs from The Beatles' catalog. Oliver said they'll even be doing a short tribute to "Revolution No. 9," John Lennon's 8-minute, avant-garde sound collage.In Marshall, the weekend after Thanksgiving has become an opportunity for Beatles fans... more
Paul and Ringo broke the age record at E3, the Wave Gothic Festival managed to even creep out Germans, and who the hell is America's Hottest Rocker Mom? Get all that and more in this edition of the WiMiP, plus submit your caption for our pic of the week.
We'd call it a "caption contest" but our legal department won't let us, since there's no prize, other than the thrill of mocking Sheryl Crow, which is still pretty cool.Paul and Ringo broke the age record at E3, the Wave Gothic Festival managed to even... more
MTV and Harmonix have gave the world its first public viewing event of the Beatles Rock Band which had both Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney attend along with Yoko Ono and George Harrison's widow, Olivia.
The console game marks the first time any Beatles music has been licensed to a third party.
"The game is good, the graphics are very good, and we were great," said Ringo.
The game, which is released on 9 September, will feature 45 songs, along with a bonus track - All You Need is Love - which can be bought online via Xbox Live.
Microsoft states all proceeds from the sale of the bonus song will go to Doctors Without Borders, the US branch of the charity Medecins San Frontieres (MSF).
Paul McCartney was enthusiastic. "We love the game, it's fantastic," he said.MTV and Harmonix have gave the world its first public viewing event of the Beatles... more
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, performed together on Saturday to raise money to help kids learn a meditation technique the 1960s icons practiced at the height of their fame. McCartney was joined onstage by Starr for a rousing rendition of "With a Little Help From My Friends" at Radio City Music Hall at the Change Begins Within concert for the David Lynch Foundation, which promotes Transcendental Meditation.NEW YORK (Reuters) - The surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, performed... more
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are teaming up to headline a benefit concert in New York City.Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are teaming up to headline a benefit concert in New... more
Paul McCartney confessa che gli piacerebbe moltissimo esibirsi ancora una volta con l'ex batterista dei Beatles Ringo Starr. In un'intervista rilasciata ad una tv statunitense, McCartney ha rivelato che finora altri impegni hanno impedito questa nuova collaborazione. Sir Paul e Starr, gli unici due Beatles ancora in vita, si sono esibiti l'ultima volta insieme negli anni '90.Paul McCartney confessa che gli piacerebbe moltissimo esibirsi ancora una volta con... more
Circa un mese fa Ringo Starr, uno dei due Beatles ancora viventi, sul proprio sito lanciò un appello: stop allo spreco di carta nel mondo, a cominciare dai propri fans, da cui preferiva non ricevere più lettere.
E’ notizia di ieri invece che anche l’altro Beatle più famoso, Paul McCartney, si unirà all’appello lanciato dal suo ex collega, e sconsiglierà ai milioni di ammiratori sparsi in tutto il mondo di utilizzare la carta per scopi più utili di qualche lettera o per qualche autografo.Circa un mese fa Ringo Starr, uno dei due Beatles ancora viventi, sul proprio sito... more
Liverpool's City Hospital scullery maid E Rigby's paycheck may have inspired The Beatles to record 'Eleanor Rigby', at least that was the story told at auction to raise money for a charity which provides music therapy for children with disabilities.
A grave to Eleanor Rigby was found in the churchyard of St. Peter's Church, Woolton, in 1980. Sir Paul sent the 97 year old pay stubs of E Rigby to charity worker Annie Mawson when he received a request to fund the charity, called the Sunbeams Music Trust. Miss Mawson believes this document may have inspired Sir Paul to write the Beatles' classic, and raised £115,000 in auction for its sale, though Sir Paul didn't necessarily back up her tale.
"I was sitting at the piano when I thought of it. The first few bars just came to me, and I got this name in my head... 'Daisy Hawkins picks up the rice in the church'. I don't know why. I couldn't think of much more so I put it away for a day. Then the name Father McCartney came to me, and all the lonely people. But I thought that people would think it was supposed to be about my Dad sitting knitting his socks. Dad's a happy lad. So I went through the telephone book and I got the name McKenzie."
Paul McCartney, 1966
"Eleanor Rigby is a totally fictitious character that I made up. If someone wants to spend money buying a document to prove a fictitious character exists, that's fine with me."
Sir Paul McCartney, 2008
Well, its for charity.Liverpool's City Hospital scullery maid E Rigby's paycheck may have inspired The... more
A numbered copy of The Beatles self-titled album (aka The White Album) has sold for £19,201 ($US28,651 / $AUD 45,250) on eBay.
An unknown seller out of Linz, Austria sold the album. It is numbered 0000005.
The original numbered 1-4 were given to the individual Beatles John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
Designer Richard Hamilton gave the cover numbers as a joke. He liked the irony of a 'limited edition' of 5 million. Little did Richard know that 5 million was only a speck out what the album would eventually sell. It has sold 4 times that in the USA alone.
It is known that this particular album was in a private stash held by John Lennon and it is known that John gave it to a friend who was visiting his house. The friend was a musician, but he remains unnamed.
Just two minutes before bidding closed today, the highest of the 84 bids was 16,200 but it the last minutes 4 further bids of £17,000, £18,000, £19,101 and £19,201 were received.
The sale marks the 40th anniversary of the release of the album. It came out on November 22, 1968.
'The White Album’ was innovative for its day. For starters, the cover was just a plain white sleeve with the name The Beatles raised in embossed lettering.
The album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London between May and October 1968.
It features the George Harrison classic 'While By Guitar Gently Weeps’ with Eric Clapton on guitar, the slowed down version of John Lennon’s 'Revolution’, Paul singing 'Back In The USSR’ and ends with Ringo singing 'Goodnight’.
A number of songs that didn’t make the album ended up on solo albums years later. John Lennon’s 'Child Of Nature’ was later released as 'Jealous Guy’ on Imagine, Paul’s 'Junk’ and 'Teddy Boy’ were on his first solo album and George’s 'No Guilty’ was released more than a decade later.
The Beatles also demoed 'Mean Mr. Mustard’ and 'Polythene Pam’ during these session. They came out on Abbey Road. Paul’s 'The Long and Winding Road’ was later released on Let It Be.
'Hey Jude’ was also recorded during these sessions but was released only as a single.A numbered copy of The Beatles self-titled album (aka The White Album) has sold for... more
There are many things I am unsure about. But there are a few things, like Oprah bless her heart, I know for sure. The Beatles were ahead of their time and are ahead of ours. Let the accountants be concerned about profits Q3 2009. Let the visionaries, like Steve Jobs, understand the value of The Beatles and merging Apple Inc with Apple Corp.
"A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing." Oscar Wilde
Sir Paul McCartney predicted last year that a deal to bring The Beatles' catalog of music to the digital universe would happen in 2008.
The Blue Meanies may be the lawyers and accountants - music-hating furry six-clawed creatures, who can't see the ocean for the water. Laws of physics are difficult to break, but all else just needs a little love to prevail.There are many things I am unsure about. But there are a few things, like Oprah bless... more
Sir Paul McCartney is set to pick some more flesh off the bones of his former band with the release of ‘Carnival of Light’ a 14 minute jam recorded in 1967 that John Lennon and George Harrison thought was shit. McCartney, who hasn’t written a decent song since the early 1970s, has spoken to the media about the song in order to sell a few extra Beatles albums at Christmas, in the absence of a re-packaged “Best Of” this year containing all the same songs as the others.
By the way, I accept that this might upset a few people...if you don't like my version of the truth, don't read it!Sir Paul McCartney is set to pick some more flesh off the bones of his former band... more
Your Weekly Fix - 9 stories, 3 minutes. Ready? Go! Colin Powell dances with Olu Maintain at Africa Rising celebration. He must support Obama, assumes Fox News. Pete Yorn's video, "American Blues," highlights hardships and gets mad views on MySpace. The Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers play a marathon for fans and Obama supporters, and Beastie Boys add Obama shows with Santogold, Ben Harper and Tenacious D. Bon Jovi's upset with Sarah Palin's use of his song. Bush fights, this time piracy. He signs Pro-Intellectual Property Act. MIA is "creating a baby." Madonnna and Ritchie split. Ringo Starr warns fans, and Black Milk releases a mixtape.
The Daily Fix is the first music blog on TV airing on Current TV. The 2-minute daily music news show delivers cutting edge music news and insightful opinion in compelling short doses, utilizing MP3's and user-generated video from all over the web. Hosted by Douglas Caballero, the show airs daily at 9:31am, 1:31pm, 5:31pm, 8:31pm, 12:31am, 4:31am Eastern Time and can be found online at current.com/dailyfix.Your Weekly Fix - 9 stories, 3 minutes. Ready? Go! Colin Powell dances with Olu... more
Ringo Starr has left a message on his website demanding fans stop sending him fan mail, because he hasn't got the time to read it. Presumably being a grumpy sourpuss is a full time job.Ringo Starr has left a message on his website demanding fans stop sending him fan... more
First off: Can I call you Ringo? I've always considered you the down-to-earth Beatle, so writing this letter to Richard "Ringo Starr" Starkey, Member of the Order of the British Empire, just seems too fussy.
At least it did until yesterday, when I watched your new Web site video, in which you shared a "serious message to everybody watching" that you would no longer accept fan mail.
"Nothing will be signed after the 20th of October. If that is the date on the envelope, it's going to be tossed," you said. "I'm warning you with peace and love I have too much to do."
I can only imagine.
Heaven knows those $54.95 Ringo Starr hoodies you hawk on your Web site—or the $19.95 tote bags with the peace symbol—won't sell themselves. And it's surely up to you to promote your last book, "Postcards From the Boys," full of notes the other Beatles sent you through the years. (Obviously, fan mail to Beatle = waste of time. Beatle mail to Beatle = kaching!)
Your video reminded me of a Ringo before the fans' appreciation could be taken for granted. Bob Spitz's "The Beatles: The Biography" shares a heartwarming scene from the Liverpool days, in which you and your mother, Elsie, work hard to answer every fan letter. One can assume you believed that without the fans' support, the fame and fortune would all disappear.
And what if all the adulation did vanish?
For one, it would've made for a different day this past July when about 300 fans lined an entire block along East Wacker Place to help you celebrate your 68th birthday. Downtown traffic would've been better for Chicago. And you, you could've enjoyed a day without having to sign all those pesky autographs. You would've been "Free as a Bird," which as you know is also a Beatles song, featuring the lyric: "Where did we lose the touch that seemed to mean so much?"
Where did we?
Dear Ringo,
First off: Can I call you Ringo? I've always considered you the... more
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Former Beatle Ringo Starr has given his fans a ticket to ride.
In a video posted on his Web site, Starr says he will no longer sign fan mail or memorabilia.
"I want to tell you please... do not send fan mail to any address that you have. Nothing will be signed after the 20th of October. If that is the date on the envelope, it's gonna be tossed.
"I'm warning you with peace and love I have too much to do. So no more fan mail, thank you, thank you, and no objects to be signed. Nothing," the 68-year-old said.
The drummer, wearing dark glasses, said it was "a serious message to everybody watching." Video Watch Ringo's rant »
Starr once starred in and episode of 'The Simpsons' which showed him answering every piece of fan mail.
"They took the time to write to me, and I don't care if it takes 20 years, I'm going to answer every one of them," Starr said on the show.
Starr, who earlier this year released a new album called Liverpool 8, divides his time between homes in Los Angeles, the South of France and Surrey.
He angered Liverpool residents during an interview on British television in January when he said he missed nothing about the city. LONDON, England (CNN) -- Former Beatle Ringo Starr has given his fans a ticket to... more
Forty-two years after Israel banned John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr from playing to the nation, the truth about its Beatlephobia has finally been revealed.
Still reeling from the sight of Israeli teenagers swooning to the tunes of Cliff Richard in 1963, Israel's publicly appointed guardians of good taste and morality, the interdepartmental committee for authorising the importation of foreign artists, refused their entry.
Determined to prevent another outbreak of mass hysteria, the 13 member committee of politicians and civil servants whose job it was to assess the artistic merit of foreign acts resolved to be "vigilant".
As a result, the 1964 request to bring to Israel, the Rhythm Beatles - as they were called in Hebrew - was roundly rejected in the committee's resolution 691, which reads: "Resolved: Not to allow the request for fear that the performances by the Beatles are liable to have a negative influence on the [country's] youth."
The promoters appealed against the decision, so the committee launched a global investigation of the awesome foursome.
After soliciting information from Israeli embassies and the foreign ministry's cultural relations department, it discovered that the world was afflicted with Beatlemania.
Israel's media lambasted the group, urging the committee to protect the nation's youth as Cliff Richard had already given them "a bad name". One paper reported that committee members had been listening to the "yeah-yeah-yeah howls which are capable of striking dead a real beetle".
Another reported the head of the education ministry as saying: "There is no musical or artistic experience here but a sensual display that arouses feelings of aggression replete with sexual stimuli."
At the conclusion of its inquiry, the committee wrote, in resolution 709, that it would refuse entry because "the band has no artistic merit" and its performances "cause hysteria and mass disorder among young people".
Several versions of the story, blaming the then prime minister, Golda Meir, a former education minister who had never heard of the Beatles, a jealous promoter who regretted turning down the Beatles for Richard, and even the finance ministry for allegedly refusing to allot the foreign currency required to underwrite the performance, have lingered.
But when the Israeli ambassador to Britain, Ron Prosor, gave an official letter of apology to John Lennon's half-sister this year, Alon Gan, a history professor at Tel Aviv University, was inspired to investigate.
Gan, who revealed the story in the daily newspaper Haaretz, one week before McCartney is due to perform for the first time in the country, said the true story was that "Israel in the early 60s was afraid that from the west would come a bad wind of sex, alcohol and rock'n'roll".Forty-two years after Israel banned John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and... more
Franklin Point is located in the Año Nuevo State Reserve, San Mateo County, California. It is named after the clipper ship the Sir John Franklin.
The ship was bound for San Francisco and in heavy fog struck rocks off of the point on January 17, 1865. The ship was destroyed, killing the Captain and eleven men. The bodies of only six of the victims were recovered, four seamen and two officers. The seaman were buried on the point; the officers in San Francisco. The Franklin Point site is designated a cemetery on the 1955, U.S.G.S. Franklin Point, 7.5 quadrangle. A monument, now missing, to the memory of Edward J. Church (a sixteen-year-old crewman of the Franklin) and the other seamen lost on the Franklin was placed on the point. Prior to the wreck of the Franklin, the clipper ship Carrier Pigeon ran aground west of the Point (without fatalities) on June 6, 1853. Following the wreck of the Sir John Franklin, the Coya went aground near Ano Nuevo Island on November 24, 1866, killing twenty seven individuals, including the Captain’s wife and child. Thirteen of the bodies were recovered and buried on Franklin point. On November 21,1868, the Hellespont, ran aground killing eleven men. The Columbia became stranded on the rocks in 1897 (Alta California, January 19, 1865:1; Le Boeuf and Kaza 1981:37-39; Morrall 1978:54-57).
In 1980, dune erosion exposed human remains that were collected by a park visitor and turned into to the ranger office at the reserve. In 1982, a project to excavate the exposed burials was authorized by the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). A contract was awarded to the Department of Anthropology, San Jose State University to remove the human remains. Four burials were encountered and archeologically removed (Leventhal and Jermain 1987). In 1993, DPR awarded a contract to Sonoma State University (Meyer 1993) to conduct a sub-surface survey to determine the locations of additional burials. In 1997, further dune erosion exposed additional human remains on the Point and a project to excavate the burials was authorized by DPR and funded by the 1998/99 Statewide Resource Management Program. Associate State Archeologists Lee Motz and Richard Hastings, and Peter Schulz, Senior State Archeologist conducted the excavation during the week of April 26, 1999.Franklin Point is located in the Año Nuevo State Reserve, San Mateo County,... more
NASA will be launching a radio version of the Beatles's, Across The Universe to Polaris this Monday to celebrate the anniversary of the song, and the 50th anniversay of NASA. Far out. ;-)NASA will be launching a radio version of the Beatles's, Across The Universe to... more
