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Channel: Meet the Beatles for Real

Zooming in on George and Olivia


You Won't See Me

George at the Long Beach Race

Cochella Rehearsal

1970s hair on display

Paul and Linda at Abbey Road

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Spring 1978 - photo taken by Martinski

Photo and story found here


Here’s the story. My friend Peter and I had a stopover in north London, on our way to France. (We were going to Paris in the spring.) We had a day to kill, and decided not to go into the city, but to look for interesting things, locally. So went went to Highgate Cemetary, and paid our dues to Karl Marx, whose tomb is there. We then decided to go to Abbey Road, probably to take silly pictures.  We were approaching the famous zebra crossing when we spotted a famous person – Linda McCartney! She stood out with her feather-cut blonde hair. Then an omigod moment: ‘That’s Paul McCartney.’ Some girls were talking to them and taking photos, when they turned to go into the recording studio. Oh no, I thought, so I shouted, and Paul in the moment you are seeing, said to Linda: ’Wait. There’s another one.’ I got my pic and my knees started to shake. No kidding. They had never shaken before, and they have never shaken since. What a moment. (And there’s a Volkswagen on the pavement!)

This print is a Boots enlargement, and they did a great job of it, considering it’s on the 110 cartridge format. The photograph, unfortunatlely, is now deteriorating badly. (See extra. If you are puzzled I’ve monoised the main blip.) A year or so ago I repositioned it out of any direct sunlight, but it’s made little difference. I will probably have to retire it now. I still have the original print and negatives, so all is not lost.

Not quite Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Annual Long Beach Race


A Dream Come True

Paul and the band rocks Cochella 2009

All You Need is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words - A Book Review

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Here are a few of Peter Brown's Photos from the book. In the bottom photo, Peter is with Queenie Epstein.

One of the most controversial Beatles books of the 20th Century is The Love You Make by Steven Gaines and Peter Brown. I reviewed it in 2016. I wanted to review it through a modern eye and found it to be a bit outdated and confusing. It was sensational with gossip, but at the end of the day, it was a truthful book (all except that silly claim that Paul re-recorded Ringo's drumming on Beatles songs and Ringo didn't care).  

The new book All You Need is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words is full of transcripts from interviews with most everyone Brown and Gaines interviewed to write the first book.  I have to thank them for doing this for Beatles historians.  I wish ALL of the major Beatles books that were written in the past 60 years would release the interviews.   Gaines and Brown interviewed insiders such as Maureen Starkey, Queenie Epstein, John Eastman, etc., etc., etc., that I don't recall ever being interviewed before.  The only thing better than reading these interviews would be to hear them (more on that in a bit). 

I have always been critical of the original book.   This book helped me understand more about that book from the early 1980s.   As many of you told me in the comments of the book review, it was written by Gaines and Brown was part of the book, but did not have anything to do with the writing of it.   You quickly learn that Gaines conducted the meat of these interviews, with Peter Brown chiming in when he could add to the narrative because he was there.   

Gaines did his research before he spoke to the insiders. He knew the gossip about who slept with whom, who sued whom, drug usage, and the breakdown of Magic Alex's lies. Being familiar with the material in the book, I was fascinated to see how the interviewees told the stories that were so shocking in 1983. And let me be honest -- I am here for it.  I really enjoyed reading these interviews and, at times, couldn't put the book down.  

All of the interviews (except for the one with Yoko) were conducted in 1979 and 1980 before John died.  Many of the people (especially the former Beatles) were brutally honest about their feelings about John.  There is no way they would have been so honest about John if these interviews had been conducted after his murder.   I thought George's interview was sad when it came to John.   I really enjoyed Ringo's interview because what Ringo says hasn't faltered at all through the years.  But he states that he and Paul weren't on speaking terms.   I wonder what had happened in 1980 that put their relationship in turmoil.  I would suppose that John's murder was part of them becoming friends again because, in early 1981, Paul invited Ringo to record with him.  

This all goes back to my original thought about this book -- did we need to read all of this gossip in the first place?  Should Gaines have published all of these juicy bits of information?  At the end of the day, all of the gossipy information from the Beatles story would have come out with or without Gaines' interviews.  At least Gaines received the information directly from the mouths of those that were there, and it was 2nd or 3rd hand information.  So, while initially I disliked The Love You Make, after reading All You Need is Love, my mind has changed.    If you are a fan who does not care about the personal lives of The Beatles, then like the original book, this book is not for you.  If you focus just on the music, then you will be highly disappointed.   However, if you like to know about the ins and out of the business and personal issues of the Beatles, then I highly recommend this book.  So many great interviews and nuggets of information.

I also want to recommend the latest episode of Robert Rodriguez's podcast, Something About The Beatles.   He interviewed Steven Gaines, and this interview also helped me re-think the original book.  Many of the things I disliked about the original book were choices made by the publisher and not Gaines.  He actually disliked the same things.   In the interview, he states that he wants to donate all of his interview tapes to university archives so that fans can hear them.  He understands the historical significance of interviews and wants them to be available for Beatle researchers.   I look forward to the day when we all can listen to the full interviews and thank Steven Gaines for working so hard to preserve them for future Beatles historians. 



The link below is an affiliate Amazon link.  If you decide to buy this book or anything else through this link, a small percentage goes to Sara.  She uses the money earned from the affiliate Amazon link to pay for the upkeep of this site.  Thank you for your support. 

https://amzn.to/447KmZ5

Old Brown Shoe Session

Happy Just to Dance with You

April 1968

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 This photograph of John with a fan was taken in April 1968 - which was an interesting time in John's life.  He had recently returned from India and was about to get together with Yoko.  In spite of all going on in his personal life, he took the time to meet with this fan who came to his door at Kenwood.   And once again, he is standing in his famous "Kenwood" stance. 

Magic Alex weds


Son of Dracula

A visit to Mendips

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 April 21, 1964 - Liverpool, England 

Paul never used scene

Report from Ringo at the Amoeba

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 Friend of Meet the Beatles for Real, Karen Bridgeman, was fortunate enough to see Paul at the Jimmy Buffett concert at the Hollywood Bowl and then Ringo this weekend at the Amoeba in Hollywood!  Here is her report and photos from seeing Ringo!  Thank you Karen for sharing this!




Semi-live reporting from Ringo Starr Listening Event + 7" Release at Amoeba Hollywood on April 18, 2024. I arrived and was easily able to park in the garage next to Amoeba Music. As I didn’t see any elevators, but, I did walk past a parking attendant at the exit gate, I decided to walk up the exit ramp to the street. A very nice young man with long lush locks (Joe, who works at Amoeba) stopped and rolled down the window. He asked if I was going to Amoeba and suggested that I use the elevator and told me how to find them. You think the parking attendant could have directed me!
There was a short line, and Amoeba staff were outside selling Ringo’s Record Day record, so I picked one up. Unfortunately, it was only one per customer while supply lasted. We were led in to Amoeba Music very orderly. Nice not to have any pushing or jostling. They directed us in between the record aisles. Lucky third aisle for me, on the end. Standing there waiting, I turned around and much to my astonishment, there was a library stool right behind me. So I grabbed it and placed it in front of me thinking I would be able to grab one shot of Ringo! But, no… once I climbed up on the stool no one motioned or tapped me to get down. Now, I must say, there was a column behind me, so I was not blocking anyone!
Chris Carter came out and did a short introduction. Ringo and Linda Perry came out. Ringo spoke and allowed Linda Perry to have the spotlight! She is really a big fan and she glowed when talking about working with Ringo.
The event didn’t last long and Ringo was gone! No autographs, no pictures, just some peace and love, and you know that can’t be bad!

The best of the Cave Dwellers

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Photo from Nancy Andrews archives 

 

Biting the Apple in 1964

Signing for a few fans


Name changing on the rooftop

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 April 22, 1969 - John Winston Lennon became John Winston Ono Lennon 

The Greatest

Ringo at the gallery

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 April 20, 2024 -  Ringo is hitting the promotional rounds for this Cooked Boy EP.  Here is he recently talking at the Morrison Hotel gallery talking about Let it Be, drumming and his new EP. 







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