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Who What Where

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I found this photo recently on tumblr and I have no idea who is pictured with George, what they are doing or where they are doing it (Friar Park?).   I do think it was taken in the mid 1990's.  I think George looked good when he had long hair and was a bit older.

On Stage with Macca: take off your shoes

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Some very clever fan during one of the past McCartney sound checks made this banner and was allowed up on stage with it.   Very cool!

Am I the only one who notices that Paul almost never invites fans up on stage when he is in the United States but is more likely to do so in South America or Europe?  

Paul Mccartney on a typical day

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Photo taken by Grzegrz Polck and posted here with his permission.  To see more of his photography, please visit his flickr


I can't image what it is like to be Paul McCartney and have a scene like this everywhere you go for basically the past 50 years.   It doesn't seem to bother Paul too much.   This was taken in Warsaw Poland. 

We hope you will enjoy the show

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Here is a great photo of the fans in the stands during the Beatles concert in Boston in 1966.   If you look, you can see our guys on the stage trying to perform for this crowd of crazy fans.  

She Loves you: 50 years of Beatlemania

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It is hard for me to believe that the song "She Loves you" has now been around for 50 years!   This particular Beatles song was basically the springboard for Beatlemania that happened in the fall of 1963.   It is the song that the fans could relate to and loved to sing along to.   It was a fun song and a tad bit rebellious with the "Yeah yeah yeah" part (wasn't it Paul McCartney's father who thought it should have been yes, yes yes to be more proper?).   She Loves you had beautiful harmonies but the fans didn't care too much about that.   Just one head shake from the four Beatles during the first "whoo" and screaming and Beatlemania would erupt like something that had never been seen before.

My very first Beatles memory has to do with this song.   I was 7 1/2 years old and it was the summer of 1984.   I would regularly spend my Saturdays at Mr. T's roller skating rink (if anyone else out there is from the Alton, Illinois area, then you'd remember Mr. T's as being an awesome place to go!).   Songs by Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Cyndi Lauper filled the place and for the price of a quarter you could request a song to be played.    So I remember going to the counter and requesting a song I had recently heard on the radio and totally loved.   The song sounded like nothing else I had heard.  It was so much better than the other music out there.   I wanted to hear it at the roller skating rink.   The song I requested was "She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah"  (as I thought the song was called) and I didn't know who sang it.    I was quickly told by the guy who ran the counter that they didn't play "oldies."   I was confused.  This wasn't an oldie.  I had never heard the song before!   The guy laughed and said that the Beatles were oldies and that song came out a really long time ago.   What disappointment.   I had no clue!

And just as I thought in 1984, today in 2013, 50 years and 1 day after "She loves you" was recorded I still think the song sounds great.   When I hear it, I will still turn into a fan girl and want to scream, especially if I am watching a video and the Beatles head shake happens. 

The website, "Do you Remember" has a great article written by Jude Southerland Kessler about this subject.   Jude is a real sweet Beatle fan who has written several John Lennon books.  We were on that panel at the Fest last summer together.    I highly recommend reading this article.   Enjoy!

The whole "Do you Remember" site is a lot of fun and it is a great way get lost in memories of the past. 

http://www.doyouremember.com/news/8459


Fan swarm the Beatles at EMI studios for the first time during the recording of "She Loves You."

The guys read fan mail and sign autographs during a break in the "She Loves you Session" on July 1, 1963

Behind the scenes of Paul's 1989 VISA commerical

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In 1989 I was a new Beatles fan.   Many of you had been a fan for decades by the time I caught on.  Many of you had seen the Beatles or at least one of the Beatles in concert and many of you had even met one of them in person.    I remember reading a story about fans who were at the making of this commercial for VISA credit card and just being amazed at the fact that you could actually be that close to one of the Beatles. At that time my heart belonged to Joe McIntyre of New Kids on the Block and they kept us far, far away from him.   But here there were fans who got to touch Paul McCartney.   I wanted to know more....and today I am still trying to get close to him!

This is a story of one of those fans who was at the taping of the commercial.  The fans only appear in the ad for a half of a split second.   It was written by an L.A. new anchor named Diane Ruszczky and was originally in the Summer 1990 issue of Good Day Sunshine magazine. 




Diane (the blonde on the far end) and other fans wait for Paul.







All photos are Diane Ruscuzky's



Behind the scenes at the tapes of Paul’s Visa ad in L.A.
By Diane m. Ruszczyk

I attended the filming of Paul McCartney’s VISA commercial November 27, 1989.  I was one of the “fans” who got to scream and touch Paul over and over again for the cameras; and , while I can be seen in only two quick clips in the ad, it was a thrill of a lifetime to be able to tell Paul to his face, “I love you,” and have him acknowledge it.

Filming began without Paul at 9:00a.m., in the parking lot of the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, California.  We pretended to be waiting in line for tickets.
Paul joined us at 1:00p.m. and we worked with him until 3p.m., and then he went to a press conference at the Forum Club, which I was also privileged to attend, as a representative of Channel 11, KTTV, New Los Angeles (Fox Television).  Paul even answered a question I asked. 

But, back to the commercial, Paul walked down the line of waiting, screaming “fans”, of which I was one, signing autographs, two times, then he drove by in a limousine four times.  The first time he walked by, I took photos, the second time he walked by I got his autograph, only half signed.  It says “Pa...” but you can see in a photo of him signing it, authenticating the unusual autograph!  The first time he rode by, I reached my hand into the limo and grabbed it, squeezing it very hard, and held onto it for a such a long time I thought I’d never let go.  And I could feel the squeeze long after, his grip had been so strong.  The next time he drove by, I handed a rose into the car, and Linda, now riding with him, took it from me.  The third drive by, again I reached into the car, Paul again grabbed my hand, and as the limo pass by, he was pulled of the window because of our link.  He looked right at me, and I said to him, “I love you!”  I had waited all my life for that moment.  It was great!  Now, they had to back the limo out each time, so when Paul passed by on his way to the starting point, he would tell us to talk backwards.  The fourth time the limo passed, Paul and Linda were through the sun roof, again I took photos.

After that, Paul went on the other side of a fence, and waited for a long time for the crew to set up the next shot.  It was then that the real fans among the actors got a chance to chat with him.  Paul even talked to some of the fans who had gathered across the road to watch.  He was so sweet and gracious.  I was particularly impressed when Paul held the hands of a fan through the fence who had started crying because she was so overwhelmed by his presence.  This girl was a friend of mine and I know how much that meant to her.

The whole day was like a dream come true I got to see Paul in concert that night (I saw him three times in L.A.), but, unfortunately I made one error.  I was to have gone to the China Club after the concert, but since it had been such a long day for me, with the Visa Commercial and press conference and the concert, I just went home.  As it turned out, George Harrison was at the China Club that night!  Oh well, it was a Paul McCartney day. 

Coming to America

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I love this snapshot of the boys arriving in the United States in 1964.   They look really happy.  I even like that the photograph is a little worn in a few spots.   Great photo!

All is Well with J.W.L.

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This is a crowd of fans welcoming the Beatles when they arrived in Boston in 1966 at the start of the American tour.   They had a quick layover in Boston and connected to another flight to Chicago.  Fans wanted to let John know that they weren't upset about the "Jesus statement" he had made and that he had their support.   I really hope John saw these signs, because I am sure they would have brought him a bit of relief. 

Wings Backstage

Meeting the Beatles in Germany

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Beatles book author, Thorsten Knublauch  has graciously written his experiences with the Beatles in person q for this blog.   Thorsten has written some excellent Beatle books including one of my favorites about the Beatles 1966 tour of Germany.   Great stuff!    

It is good to know that Thorsten is on the look out for Beatles in his area of Germany!   I loved reading his stories and I am sure that you will as well.  





As with every fan I always wanted to get an autograph of my heroes. I am a German Beatles fan since 1979 and I had to wait 10 years to see a Beatle in person. Since 1979 a lot has happened in my “fan life”. I have written for German fanzines since 1989 and I have published 3 books about the Beatles since 2008. I am specialist for the German Beatles history and my first book “Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand” (written with a friend) dealt with all German subjects from 1960 to 1970 and my other two books with the 1966 German tour. Those books lead to be invited by Mark Lewisohn to be the consultant for the Hamburg chapters of his “Tune in Volume 1” - what still is a great honour.
While writing this story I surprised myself how often I have seen a Beatle over the years since and what I have tried to get to them… I want to share my experiences with this blog but I can imagine that there are a lot of other people out there who experienced the same… 

Paul attended a German TV Show called “Mensch Meier” in Cologne on May 18th 1989 to promote his “Flowers in the dirt” album. Cologne is a 1 hour ride from where I live. In the area where I live nearly everything takes place in Cologne as it is the kind of media capital. I queued for one of the 150 tickets a week before the whole night in front of the counter to be the second in the row… No one knew that there would be a concert tour to follow – as Paul paused 10 years with concerts   and I wanted to grab this one off chance. When I arrived for the show some collectors told me that Paul had collected items for him to sign and they were just given back – all signed… My first chance passed. I was in the army that year and had to finish my job to get to Cologne afterwards.
In Dortmund, Germany I saw Paul at both of his shows in October 1989. I have seen him and Ringo a couple of times over the following years and it was always – “see the show and go home”.
I knew it was nearly impossible to get near the artists to ask them of an autograph on those concert days – at least I thought so. It was quite difficult to get the insider information where he might stay etc…

In summer of 1990 I was in Henley on Thames for a couple of days and tried to meet George. As you may know Friar Park has 2 gates – the well-known main gate and a back entrance gate – both secured with cameras. Over those days I walked a couple of times the one mile between the gates. Surely several of George’s people ask me to leave as this is not my business… One day I saw Dhani when he was being driven to school. While walking in between those 2 gates I could see (at the time) through the bushes to the main house. I saw a black Mercedes driving to the back gate. I ran and met the car shortly before driving off the main road. It was Ringos 50ths birthday July 7th 1990 and I did not met George – but Jeff Lynne… I had my “Nobodys child” MxCd with me that I bought a couple of days before in Liverpool when I was there for Paul’s Docks show. He kindly stopped the car, opened the window, signed it and told me that George was not home. I think he was - doing the final work on “Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3”. Unfortunately I haven`t seen him in those days.

On April 6th 1992 I attended the concert of George Harrison at London Royal Albert Hall. The story how to have bought the ticket and arrived there itself could fill a blog but I just want to tell that I sat finally in a box not far away from the box of Ringo and his family… The box next to me was filled with Mike Love, Alan Jardine and Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys…. After I got the autographs of the “Beach Men” I went to the box next to Ringo and asked him“over the counter” if he could give me his autograph “as I came especially from Germany”. Ringo just answered quite rude: “I don`t care where you came from”. No one got his autograph that day. Two hours later when George’s set was nearly over I saw Ringo leaving his box. A quick shot and he went away and minutes later he was on stage with George. Even after the disappointment 2 hrs before I cheered for him – this was my first and last concert I attended with 2 Beatles on stage… A rare opportunity that still is my best Beatles-day. I later saw Ringo and George leave but there were no chances for autographs.

In 1990 I saw Paul in Liverpool and in 1993 during 3 concerts in Frankfurt and Dortmund but I tried nothing – autograph wise…

On April 30th 1998 I tried to get Ringo’s autograph another time. He appeared on a small TV show called ”Gute Nacht Gottschalk” in Cologne and it might be a good chance to get to him. I saw him in concert in 1992 (again in Cologne) but I only went to see the show. When he arrived (very early) at his hotel, I missed him as one of my friend wanted to drink a coffee first. We could have saved 15 hrs if we were there at the right time…. Ringo signed two autographs for other fans… After the TV show was over around midnight we waited at the back door with around 10 autograph collectors from the Cologne scene. He left the building saying “no pushing, be calm everybody will get an autograph”. After 8 or so autographs someone pushed and he stopped right away, dropped the pen and went in his car… I was left with my unsigned album cover – possible the only guy that evening… Surely the ones pushing had theirs so had my fellow and the coffee guy…. Shortly afterwards I bought from one of the hunters a signed photo that happened to be photographed for the local paper. Later that year I saw Ringo at two concerts in Germany but he entered the venues fast and did not sign at all.



In 1999 - after the death of Linda - Paul had his “Paintings exhibition” in Germany in Siegen. This is also a one hour journey from where I live and we drove there to see him arriving to the opening on April 30th. When he arrived – greeted by a huge crowd - he passed a group of fans where I was standing. There was no way to get his autograph and he did not sign anything on that day as he was “a painter and not a pop star on that occasion” he later said (and it was also written on a special sheet in the invitation cards for the grand opening)… You could buy instead signed art prints in the shop for 1.000 USD (they are more expensive nowadays). Surely we waited until the show was over to see him leaving. In between I saw someone I was involved in business and who was invited to the opening as he was responsible for the advert campaign of the exhib. He loosely promised me to give me his invitation card as a souvenir. I asked him for it when I saw him leaving as I don’t wanted to risk that he threw it away. His card was reading “Mr. X…. and wife”. While giving it to me he said: “Why don`t you enter the exhib yourself?” I said that those invitations are personalized and me and my fellow don`t look like “Mr. X…. and wife”. He said to go ahead and tell them that we are important etc. We tried and the guy at the door surprisingly let us in… We looked quite misplaced in our T-Shirt/Jeans outfit (my fellow wore a Ringo shirt) in between all those suits. We saw Paul’s kids James, Stella (who looked quite surprised to our outfit – no wonder) and Mary. We also saw Mike McCartney. Then we met George Martin and I talked to him a bit if he knew Paul’s paintings – he knew some of them… Same I did with Paul’s keyboarder Wix. Then we saw Paul who was talking to visitors discussing the exhib. A invited fan I know told me that he welcomed Paul and that he is in a good mood but does not sign today – don`t ask. I went to Paul and congratulated him shortly for his nice paintings and he shook my hand and said “Cheers, thank you.” Same did my friend. Wow – I can tell you he has small and kind of horny hands. Afterwards I heard from another fan who was there that you could talk to him long and serious about his pictures and that he would explain the background of certain motifs… I was too nervous to do more on that day… I also had inside the invitation card another invitation for a special dinner  – but that was too much to risk. We left after around half an hour as we feared the whole time to be thrown out… Here are some photos taken by a another fan to illustrate the story a bit more… http://titan.glo.be/~kg001310/siegen.html



I saw Paul later in September the same year again in Cologne when he had a listening party for “Run devil run”. He did not sign at all that day and said to the press that he will never sign again as he did for 30 years now. Surely he did again weeks later – but not for me and my friend that day when we stood very near to him… 

In 2003 I saw Paul in concert 2 times and wanted to try it again. In Oberhausen on May 8th2003 I waited at the back entrance gate and Paul passed by in a big white limousine and announced through the open window that someone would pick up things for him to sign. I never believe such stories. A couple of minutes later a roadie really appeared and chose a few things. I was lucky that he picked a photo that showed me in the crowd in Siegen in 1999 while Paul passed by. I had my “Abbey Road” album as well in hand but I had fear that the roadie would not allow Beatles products… My friend gave his “One” LP after me and this was accepted. After the sound check – after a long 1 hr or more wait - the roadie got back and handed out our items – signed… Very cool…

On June 6th2004 Paul played in the former East Germany in Leipzig during his Summer 04 open air tour. With a friend we wanted to try to get his autograph this time and we went to his hotel shortly before the show was over and missed the last encore. At the hotel were already a lot of fans queuing… Some roadies gave explanations what one could ask him to sign and what he would not sign at all (bootlegs or guitars). I think I was number 30 in the row. The chance was minimal. I never thought he would sign more than a couple of autographs. Paul arrived with the tour bus after 30 minutes and after a short while he left it and approached to the fans. He signed around 50 autographs I guess!! When I was in front of him I couldn`t speak or breathe… I got my tourbook signed – bought minutes ago – as I had no item with me. The autograph is quite a mess if you look at the large figure of autographs but ok – but I know it is authentic… No idea but perhaps Paul took the chance to sign for the first time for the German fans who previously were behind the iron curtain. For me it was a long journey but finally I had my autograph eye to eye after being fan for 25 years…


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The following years I tried it in 2011 at his hotel after a concert in Cologne but he was already at the airport – contrary to what he did 2 years before at the same hotel where he signed some autographs AFTER the show. In 2009 I stood with a Beatles-book I had written at the wrong hotel…. In Cologne it is impossible to get an autograph while he enters the venue so one has to try to find the right hotel… When Ringo played in Germany in 2011 we all knew he would not sign – so we did not  try it… I never got my Ringo autograph eye to eye but over 15 years I got several items or autograph cards back by mail – what nor Paul or George did in those days… This year there is no concert in Germany – if he hopefully will come back in winter for shows I will surely try my luck again… Thorsten Knublauch www.bravo-beatles-blitztournee.de


Rockin' and Rollin' all Week Long

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I am sure by now everyone has seen this photo that has been making the rounds while I was away.   But I just had to post it because I LOVE it!   In December 1973, Julian came to visit his Dad for the first time in many years.   May Pang encouraged John to reconnect with his son and so Julian and Cynthia came over for a visit.   The problem was that John didn't really know what to do with young Julian.   So he took him to Disneyland several times and he tried to do some tourist type things such as go to Paramount Studios where they stumbled upon the taping of the T.V. Show "Happy Days."

What is so interesting about this (besides the fact that "Happy Days" was awesome and that I had a Fonzie record as a kid), is that "Happy Days" had not been on television yet.   And while Ron Howard might have been recognized for his previous T.V. shows or movies (The Andy Griffen Show and the Music Man come to mind), the Fonz was not a cultural icon and no one would have known that it was to become a popular show.   They were just touring the set and posed with some cast members.   John might have been interested in the show because it was set in the 1950's in America, but really they were no bodies meeting John Lennon!     A few years later Henry Winkler (still playing the part of the Fonz) met Paul McCartney.   That story is in the film "Beatles Stories."  I wonder why he didn't mention meeting John in 1973?

 

Earth Day Everyday

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Paul and Linda pose with some people involved with the 1993 Earth Day concert.  

Paul meets Sgt. Pepper

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In December of 1974, Paul and the rest of the McCartney family went to see the stage production of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."   John and May had went to see it in November of that year.   Paul and the fam went backstage after the show and met the cast of the show and tried on some of the hats and headpieces that were costumes.     The musical didn't last long on Broadway, but they got half of the Beatles to come see it! 

Beach time

Airport '81


Warner Brothers George (part 1)

Fun times at MPL

It was Yesterday we Met in a Dream

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I have to say that I just LOVE this story.   While I enjoy all of the stories of people meeting one of the Beatles in person, the stories of people who met them while the Beatles were still a band in the 1960's are always so special for me to read.   This one is especially wonderful.    Talk about being at the right place at the right time.  

Just a few observations about this story.   The first is that Paul needed to have better security at his home in the 1960's.   It sounds like girls were breaking easily and stealing things on a frequent basis.  She didn't come through the bathroom window just one time.  You would have thought that after the first time his clothes and things were stolen, he would have found better ways to secure his home so that more things were stolen.   Another thing was just how nice George always is in these stories.   He was so kind to the fans who traveled so far to come to his home.   There have been so many stories about George and his willingness to chat with fans who have knocked on his door.   The last thing that really stands out is that this story mentions Paul's girlfriend, Maggie.  You don't hear much about her in general and I was always under the impression that she was a secret, but it seems that the fans knew about her.   She even spoke with them, so I guess she wasn't the secret girlfriend after all.

This story was written by Sher Miller and was first published is issue #6 (from September 1978) of the McCartney Observer.  All photos were copyright to Sher Miller.



It was Yesterday we met in a dream
By Sher Miller

August 23rd is a date that stands out in my mind for several reasons.  It was John and Cynthia’s anniversary date, it was the date of the last time the Beatles did a concert in New York and most important of all to me, it was the date of departure for my parents and I go to England.   August 23, 1968 was my first trip to England and definitely the best.  Going to England was my High School graduation present from my father, and believe me it did a lot towards helping me work hard to pass my finals.  We left New York the 23rd and arrived the morning of the 24th.  London was a gigantic thrill for me; it had been my dream home since 1964 (along with Liverpool).  It was incredible to finally be there, to really have the dream come true.  We settled in our hotel near Hyde Park and attempted to get some sleep after the plane ride.  I wasn’t haven’t much luck in my room.  I was so excited.  I called my pen pal Margaret and after chatting for a while we arranged we meet at the St. John’s Wood Underground station the next day so I could see Paul’s house as soon as possible.  Next day I said goodbye to my parents (I didn’t see much of them during those two weeks but fortunately they were understanding) and I found my way onto the correct train to St. John’s Wood.  Margaret and her friend Coral were already there and we said our hellos and exchanged presents.  We walked towards Paul’s street and to me it was living in a fantasy.  I just couldn’t believe I was really there.  When I saw the famous Cavendish Avenue street sign and turned down the street I knew immediately this was very real.  

Paul holding Sher's peace beads in his hand.

You can just barely see Eddie's ears


Before Margaret had a chance to say anything I spotted the huge gates that were in front of Paul’s house.  We walked quietly past the deserted gates and peeked over the wall of the house next door.  Everything seemed so quiet I began to think Paul wasn’t home.   We went across the street and sat for about two hours when some girls showed up and stood by the gates.  We watched them for a while just standing around and then suddenly they began to cluster nearer to the gates.  Then we saw a head sticking out of the partly open gates and I about died.  We hurried over there and there was Paul, holding Eddie (a Yorkshire terrier he had given to Jane before they split).  Paul looked so beautiful.  Maybe because it was the first time I’d ever been so close to this man who was my life, but I was just tongue-tied.  I had my camera in one hand and a gift of some Indian peace beads in my other hand and I just stood there like a mummy not taking my eyes off his face.  He wore a light blue turtleneck short sleeved shirt and dark pants.  His eyes were so big and hazel and his hair dark brown with bangs.  What a daze I was in.  Paul spotted Margaret and said hello to her (she used to hang the house quite a lot) and I remember thinking later, “God I wish Paul would remember me like that.  I believe he finally did remember me (not by name) in later years, but then I would’ve given anything to have been some of those English girls.  Finally I got myself to pick up the camera and take a few pics.   The camera was an instamatic that would advance the film automatically, and very noisily, and each time it zipped to the next picture Paul would look over at me with a “what was that?” expression.  Ah recognition at last, even though it was because of a camera.  After about ten minutes, I figured I’d better give him the gift, although by his reaction I needn’t have bothered.  I help up my hand with the beads in it and said, “Paul?”  He turned to me.  “These are for you, they’re Indian peace beads.”  I was absolutely choking on the words I was so shook.  He took them from me and said (get this), “Thank you, very nice…not really, but you’re a guest.”  Well thanks for nothing sir.  I think I said something like, “you can give them back” but he pulled back his hand and wrapped them around it.  He was smiling when he said it but I  didn’t think it was so amusing.  However, at the time I was in too much of a daze to let it bother me.  Margaret didn’t think it was very nice though.  He continued talking to the girls and posing for pictures for a little while longer then closed the gates.  Margaret and I walked to the other corner slowly, deciding if we should go to the new Apple office on Savile Row (it hadn’t even opened yet at that time).  As we were debating about what to do we hear this car horn going crazy behind us.  We turned around and there was Paul driving up in his mini, waving wildly as he drove past.  I was beaming from ear to ear, maybe that was his way of apologizing for the remark about the beads. In any event, I didn’t care what he had said and it ended my first meeting with Paul on just the right note.  We did to go Apple after all that day but no one was there.

 Unfortunately I didn’t keep a diary over there so a lot of the day following are sort of a blur except I know we saw Paul quite a few times driving in and out of his driveway.  After days after my first time seeing Paul anther pen pal and I were walking up to his house and we noticed that something very strange was going on.  A few girls were standing at the gate looking up at the bedroom window on the second floor.  Well my friends and I looked up too and didn’t like what we saw.  There were a few girls inside the house running around grabbing anything they could handle.  Once in a while they’d stick their heads out the window and wave a sock or something thinking they were very funny – we weren’t laughing.  Finally they ran out of the house (obviously Paul wasn’t home) and over the wall next door letting out Martha and Eddie as they did.  They ran up the street and some people followed them and then came back to us reporting that one of the things they had stolen was Paul’s copy of Hunter Davies biography which he hadn’t even read yet and wasn’t released to the public.  We were totally disgusted.  They also got some papers and clothing of his.  Well we decided to wait for Paul and tell him what happened, hoping he wouldn’t think we were involved.  We didn’t have long to wait.  He pulled up in the car and got out smiling at us.  One of the English girls finally got up the nerve to tell him some girls had broken in and taken the biography.  Paul looked furious and he asked us if we knew who they were but we honestly hadn’t seen them at the house before.  We left as soon as Paul went in, after telling us to let him know if we see the girls again.  Next day the girl who had stolen the biography hadn’t shown up and Paul sent Rosie out to see if she had come down.  Finally she did come in the late afternoon with the book and rang the bell after we all really gave it to her.  Rose answered and girl told her she’d give back the book if Paul would come out to get it himself so she could apologize.  When rose came back on the intercom she said Paul would be out later.  We stood around for a while then through a crack in the gate I saw Paul come down the stairs and get into his car, just then a cop came strolling down the street and we had to move away from the gate or be yelled at.  We walked away just as Paul pulled out in the car expecting to see a bunch of girls waiting for him – what screwed up timing that was.  Finally he spotted us standing down the street looking back at him.  He drove the car up to where I was and said, “Who are the ones?”  I pointed ahead of me to where they were standing and he zoomed up to them.  The girl handed him the book through the car window, he said, “Ta, very much” and sped off without giving her a chance to say anything.  I think it really bothered her that he hadn’t’ given her a chance to apologize but she was lucky he didn’t have her arrested. 

Next day we found out from Rosie that Paul and Maggie had gone to Sardinia to get  a tan so I had a chance to do some sightseeing with my folks for a change.  Paul left on a Friday and came back on Tuesday.  We were all down there when he arrived home looking very tan and handsome in a pink suit.  Maggie was very nice and told us the Beatles would be recording later at EMI.  Earlier in the week I had also had the chance (with Paul away) to see John’s home in Weybridge and unexpectedly Julian.  He and Cyn were living there while John and Yoko were in London.  We also saw Ringo’s house and his housekeeper greeted us at the door holding Jason (who was only a year old then).  We seemed to be having good luck in seeing the kids that day.  Lastly, and best of all we went to Esher and met George.  He stood with us and talked at his front door for almost 20 minutes that day even though he had a house full of relatives.  He was so absolutely fantastic to us; especially me for some reason, that even though this is a Paul newsletter I must admit George helped to make that trip something very special.  He was just so nice and sort of shy and really down to earth.  I couldn’t get over it.   He posed with each of us, wore this crazy tie I’d given him around his neck the whole time.  Told me when my finger was covering the lens of the camera one time when attempting to take a pic of him and Margaret then cracking up over it, he even went crazy over this plastic umbrella I‘d bought in London and called Pattie out of the house to see it (don’t ask me).  He had his little nephew, Paul with him out there the whole time and his father watched from the driveway.  He was just so natural and friendly to us this day it was a time I’ll never forget.  Seeing Paul was something special to me because I loved him so much he didn’t even have to do anything, but George actually went out of his way to make us feel comfortable.  It’s something I’ll never forget about him. 

 Anyway, the night Paul came back from Sardinia, we went around to Emi where there was quite a crowd, as there always was when the Beatles were recording.   They were doing the White Album at the time and were expected to record the album for the better part of the month.  I must say my timing was perfect.  One of the Beatles assistants, Kevin, was passing out pieces of paper to the fans there and I managed to get one.  It was an invitation to take part in a Beatles promotion film for “Hey Jude.”  I asked Kevin if only the English girls were being allowed to go.  He assured me that anyone could come and so we all arranged to meet at Paul’s the next day to go to Twickenham not really knowing how incredible the day was going to be.  


First to arrive at the studios were John and Yoko sitting in the front of a small white (everything was white for those two then) van with Mal driving.  It was Ringo being driven in huge black rolls by a chauffeur.  He stopped the car for a few minutes while we all took pictures through the windows.  Ringo just sat there as if it was something he just had to go through till he could run into the studios.  It was a few minutes till the next member arrived and did it in class. A white Jaguar drove up and pulled into EMI’s driveway.  George was at the driver’s seat and he stopped and rolled down the windows slightly to take pieces of paper form the fans for autographs.  There was only one girl standing on the passenger side so I stood behind her trying to see into the car.  The girl bent down at one point and I could see George and apparently he could see me too just then because he looked up at me and smiled and waved.  I smiled back and walked away from the car floating on cloud 9.  Sounds silly now I know, but it meant a lot ot me then to be remembered.  I told Margaret what ha d happened and she thought it was really great he had picked me out of the mob.  By the time Paul arrived quite a few minutes had passed since George had gone in.  Paul always used to come last.  Had to make his entrance I guess.  He stopped the mini to let us take pics and sign autographs.   Paul and George had been the only ones to do so for the fans.  Paul looked very handsome indeed, still wearing his pink suit and looking quite tan.  I took a few photos and he drove in and went into the studios.  Unfortunately I had to leave to meet my parents so I missed them coming out but I heard it was very, very late.   “Hey Jude” had just come out in England then and the first time I heard it I loved it.  Some girls brought down a portable record player to Paul’s one day and were playing “Hey Jude” on it and Paul sent Rose out to tell us to cut out the noise.  Haha!



Well, this point brings me to what is probably the most exciting day of my life:  September 4, 1968.  The entire story of the “Hey Jude” filmingwas printed in The Write Thing a fewissues ago so I won’t go into the whole night again.  I’ll just tell you we were with the Beatles for five hours filming and re-filming the seven minute film that was on the Smothers Brothers TV show October 1968.  In between the actual filming they would jam.  Playing everything from “Hang down your head Tom Dooley” to the Stones records.   It was amazing.  I had never been that close to all four Beatles before, nor would I ever be again. They were so beautiful together, musically and personally.  If I’d known that night how close the Beatles were to splitting up I would have never believed it.  They seemed as close as ever.  I guess that was a tribute to their professional abilities to forget whatever personal crap was going on for the benefit of putting out a perfect product.  Just the fact that they decided to redo the film so many times was an indication of how carefully they created their music.  It was a thrill and a pleasure to have been a part of what was to become the last time they ever performed in front of an audience as The Beatles.  After the film some people (six of us actually) stayed at the studio while everyone else left for the ride back to London (Apple provided the buses to and from the studio which was in a small town outside of London).  We had no transportation back to the city but we didn’t care at that point.  We waited in the studio while the Beatles and David Frost re-did some introduction and while we stood there George once again amazed me.  As he was sitting on the little stage smoking he turned full around to me (I was standing alone watching them) and gave me this huge grin.  Once gain he had acknowledged me.  One of the girls nearby said, “Did you see the look he gave her?”  I was really happy as this was to be my last chance to see him this trip (and not again until 1970 it turned out).  We walked out with Paul to this little studio kitchen and I asked him if we could all pose with him.  He agreed and we stood all around him with Margaret taking my camera to get the picture.  Of course the flash didn’t go off. Paul took the camera and turned it around in his hands a few times (trying to do what I’ll never know).  Then he handed it back to me and said, “Catch me later.”  Naturally the flash did go off a few minutes later but I never did get to pose with Paul.  Oh well.  After about an hour, George and Ringo came out and said goodnight to us and left in separate cars.  Then Paul, John and Yoko came out together and I got a picture of Paul as he stepped into the lighted doorway.  When the flash went off he flung out his arms as if to say “you got me!” (very hammy).  He looked quite tired (it was 1am, so it was understandable) and when I asked him how the film had turned out he said, “great” and gave the thumbs up sign.  He, John and Yoko all got into a limousine and Paul kept waving to us all the way down the road until they were out of sight.  I left London two days later brimming with wonderful memories of seeing Paul for the very first time close up, of talking to him and finding out he was real.  It was a chance to see the Beatles as a group close up and also, unknown to me at the time, it was the last time I would see Paul as a bachelor.  There were so many things about that trip that have remained unsurpassed in the 10 years that have followed and the three other England trips since.  I guess for everyone the first time is always the most special and a decade has done nothing to change that.
 

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George Harrison at Warner Brothers (part 2)

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