Beatles News
In interviews Paul McCartney gave during the promotion of his album Band on the Run, he stated that “Jet” was the name of a black Labrador puppy. In later years, he told the story of how it was the name of a Shetland pony he owned. Both stories could be true, but either way, it doesn’t make a difference to the meaning of the song “Jet’s” lyrics. McCartney also talks about his father-in-law in relation to the words. David Bowie’s “Suffragette City” played a role as well. Dress it all up with a cool saxophone riff and some fist-pumping, arena-rock hooks and you’ve got one of McCartney’s most memorable singles. Let’s take a look at the story behind “Jet” by Paul McCartney & Wings.
Jet, Jet
Jet, I can almost remember their funny faces
That time, you told them you were going to be marrying soon
And Jet, I thought the only lonely place was on the moon
Jet the Puppy
McCartney wasn’t sure there was a single on his 1973 album Band on the Run. Al Coury, head of marketing at Capitol Records, convinced him to edit “Jet” down to a length more condusive to FM radio play. In 1973, McCartney told author Paul Gambaccini in Paul McCartney: In His Own Words: “We’ve got a Labrador puppy who is a runt, the runt of a litter. We bought her along a roadside in a little pet shop out in the country one day. She was a bit of a wild dog, a wild girl who wouldn’t stay in. We have a big wall around our house in London, and she wouldn’t stay in. She always used to jump the wall. She’d go out on the town for the evening, like Lady and the Tramp. She must have met up with some big black Labrador or something. She came back one day pregnant. She proceeded to walk into the garage and have this litter. … Seven little black puppies, perfect little black Labradors, and she’s not black, she’s tan. So we worked out it must have been a black Labrador. What we do is if either of the dogs we have has a litter, we try to keep them for the puppy stage so we get the best bit of them, and then when they get a bit unmanageable, we ask people if they want to have a puppy. So Jet was one of the puppies. We give them all names. We’ve had some great names. There was one puppy called Golden Molasses. I rather like that. Then, there was one called Brown Megs, named after a Capitol executive. They’ve all gone now.”
Source: Jay McDowell/americansongwriter.com
Already one of history's greatest rock bands, The Beatles were even more than the sum of their parts. In the wake of the band's legendary 1960s run came a number of high-profile solo releases from each individual member. That includes Ringo, whose eponymous 1973 album peaked at #2 on the U.S. charts and yielded two #1 singles … with a little help from his friends, of course.
What's no less striking than the substantial output of each respective Beatle is the evolution of their signature sounds and styles. From George Harrison's idiosyncratic slide guitar to John Lennon's raw candor, certain albums were nearly as groundbreaking as the group efforts that preceded them. Acclaimed releases such as "All Things Must Pass" and "Plastic Ono Band" also helped redefine the personas of their creators.
Then there's Paul McCartney, or Macca, which is his English nickname, who arguably carried the torch of Beatles-style melodies into each of the subsequent decades. At the same time, he tirelessly explored an assortment of production styles and peripheral genres, including classical and electronic. As a solo artist or with Wings, Macca has released over 20 top 10 singles to date, putting his post-Beatles career in the same ranks as some of music's bestselling acts.
Source: MSN
When John Lennon and Pete Shotton began a skiffle group at Quarry Bank High School in Liverpool, England, they had no idea what the future had in store. As other schoolmates joined, they performed at friend’s parties, school dances, and local cinemas. Their earliest material consisted of songs by skiffle inspiration Lonnie Donegan, R&B giant Fats Domino, and rock ‘n’ roller Elvis Presley. When Paul McCartney and, later, George Harrison joined the band, they continued to perform hits by established acts such as The Everly Brothers, Carl Perkins, and Duane Eddy.
As the band evolved, other members had disagreements or changed schools, causing them to leave the group. This resulted in a trio of guitarists. Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison did not have a drummer or a bassist, causing them to explain to potential employers, “The rhythm’s in the guitars.” They continued to perform rock ‘n’ roll and R&B but began composing their own songs. By the time drummer Pete Best joined and Lennon convinced Stuart Sutcliffe to purchase a bass guitar, they had gone through several names. As a quintet, they took on a new moniker. The Beatles split time between Liverpool and Hamburg, West Germany, still performing music of Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Larry Williams. As Lennon and McCartney composed their own songs, they were taking inspiration from those earlier hitmakers. Let’s take a look at the story behind “She’s a Woman” by The Beatles.
Source: americansongwriter.com
I learned about the Beatles in the spring of 1980 from my older brother Craig. I was only a kid, but I started listening obsessively to their music and reading everything I could get my hands on about the band.
But 1980 was a bad year to become a Beatles fan: John Lennon was murdered in December of that same year.
I’m still a massive fan — so much so that my husband Michael and I recently went to Liverpool, England, to see the hometown of the band’s four famous members: Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Richard Starkey (who is better known by his stage name, Ringo Starr).
There are lots of reasons why I love the Beatles:
I agree with the critical consensus that they’re the best rock band ever. They also created the idea of the modern rock band, pioneering “concept albums,” and distinctive covers, and lyric sheets, and stadium tours, and all kinds of studio and musical innovations, and on and on and on.
They turned pop music into an art form. Virtually every one of their 213+ songs includes something unique and interesting — like those fantastic staccato violin chords in “Eleanor Rigby,” or the delightful lyrics to “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” and how, at the end of the song, Desmond and Molly happily trade places, and she goes off to work in the marketplace, and he stays home with the kids — in 1968, about a decade before anyone had even heard the concept of a “stay-at-home husband.”
Source: Brent Hartinger and Michael Jensen/yahoo.com
On This Day, Aug. 29, 1966 …
The Beatles played what would be their last-ever full public concert, at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park.
The band played an 11-song set, which didn’t include any songs from their recently released album, Revolver.
The public was unaware that it would be the band’s final concert, although The Beatles themselves knew and brought a camera onstage to capture the moment.
The Beatles’ final public performance of any kind was their iconic “rooftop concert” in London in January 1969. That concert was recorded for the documentary Let It Be, which was rereleased on Disney+ in May and was also part of the 2021 Disney+ documentary The Beatles: Get Back.
Source: ABC News
Artie Kornfeld is a music business legend. Perhaps best known, alongside his friend/partner Michael Lang, as one of the founders of 1969's legendary Woodstock festival, Kornfield is also an accomplished songwriter (his songs have been recorded by Cher, The Bangles, Dusty Springfield and many more), a musician, a hugely successful A&R executive, and the former Vice President of Rock Music at Capitol Records. Over the years, he was responsible for either signing or promoting artists such as Pink Floyd, Kiss, Neil Young, Aerosmith, Tom Petty, Blondie, Bruce Springsteen and more... a decent CV, we're sure you'll agree.
He also has the distinction - if that's the appropriate word - of once being pissed on by former Beatle John Lennon.
Kornfeld shares this story in a wide-ranging with new interview with Goldmine.
“I was at [New York recording studio] the Hit Factory, and my engineer, Shelly Yakus, and I were there with my musician pals, Hugh McCracken and David Sanborn and all my friends, and all of a sudden it's like three in the morning,” the 81-year-old industry veteran recalls. “So I said, Guys, let's take a break for a half hour. And I ran into the bathroom like crazy and put four lines of pharmaceutical cocaine on the back of a urinal. This is a true story, and I'm making it public because it's hysterical. It shows the sickness of cocaine.
“So I go to the urinal and I start the four lines, and I feel a wet stream going down my left leg,” Kornfeld continues. “I look over my shoulder and see John Lennon's head. I knew John was in the next studio with Jack Douglas doing the Double Fantasy album. So he looks at me and he goes, 'I can't see a thing without my specs and I left them in the studio.' Then he says, 'Who are you?' And I go, Oh, I'm Artie Kornfeld. Then he goes, 'That’s amazing, you're Artie Kornfeld. I know who you are.'
“What he said next blew my mind,” Kornfeld tells Goldmine. “He said, 'Do you know that the first record I ever bought was The Pied Piper by Crispian St. Peters!' I couldn’t believe that John Lennon just told me I wrote one of his favorite songs.”
Source: Paul Brannigan/loudersound.com
Ask Ringo Starr about his decades-long love affair with Ludwig drums. Go ahead; we did. You’re guaranteed to smile.
What’s more, the Beatles drummer also gave two thumbs up (and playfully stuck out his tongue) when The Charlotte Observer asked about his instruments made in North Carolina — and nowhere else — for 40 years now.
So may we introduce to you the Beatle we’ve pursued for all these years, as he finally tells the Observer exactly what those drums mean to him.
Starr, now 84, also took questions from other U.S. and international reporters during a 50-minute Zoom press conference earlier this year from his home studio in L.A. The occasion was the kick-off of his latest All-Starr Band tour and on the heels of his new album, “Crooked Boy.” (That tour and Starr’s drums don’t have Charlotte on the itinerary.)
A relaxed, joking Starr was dressed all in black, with a small chain and silver peace sign pendant around his neck. During the Q & A, where his publicity team read him reporters’ questions, Starr also discussed his old mates, AI and keeping the vibes positive. Ringo Starr answered a Charlotte Observer question about his long-standing love of his Ludwig drums, which have been made in Monroe for 40 years. It took the Observer nine years to connect with the Beatle.
Back in 2015, the Observer profiled Ludwig’s operations at its Monroe plant and has been seeking an interview with Starr ever since. We had to know why he sought these particular drums, out of all the drums out there.
Source: Adam Bell/heraldsun.com
While The Beatles did their best to perform their most-loved songs while they were still touring, quite a few tracks have never been performed live by the Fab Four. The group retired (officially) from touring in 1966, and quite a bit of music never got to see a proper live performance. It’s sad, but understandable.
However, there is one song that had about a year of life before the band retired to be played in front of audiences. Regardless, the Fab Four never played it live; and many fans wonder why, considering it’s a great song. The track happens to be George Harrison’s second songwriting credit for the band, and it’s also considered by many to be Harrison’s very first “big” track contribution to the band’s discography.
The song in question is “I Need You” from the 1965 Beatles album Help! Why The Beatles Never Performed “I Need You” Live
It’s a little puzzling why The Beatles (or George Harrison alone) never performed “I Need You” live. Harrison went on two substantial tours while he was alive, in 1974 and 1991, respectively. He also put on a number of one-night-only shows throughout his career, notably with the Concert For Bangladesh event.
We can understand why The Beatles didn’t perform the song live before their retirement in 1966. There wasn’t much time left, and their setlist slots were reserved for fan favorites. However, why wouldn’t George Harrison perform the iconic song live during his solo career?
None of the Fab Four ever revealed why they didn’t perform the song. However, there is a pretty likely reason why Harrison never performed the song during his solo treks.
Years after “I Need You” was released, Harrison said that he had quite a bit of trouble working with the volume foot pedal used with his Rickenbacker 12-string guitar while recording the song.
Source: Em Casalena/americansongwriter.com
In 1964, The Beatles were already the biggest band on the planet. But after meeting Bob Dylan one night after a show in New York, something would happen that would change the foursome forever!
It was August 28, 1964, and The Beatles just finished playing a show at Forest Hills Stadium in New York. After the show, they headed over to a hotel to meet with some friends.
Among those friends was none other than Bob Dylan. It was like a match made in heaven, They all had a tremendous amount of respect for each other. Bob, who loved The Beatles music, had a small misunderstanding about the Fab Four though...
See, Bob had misheard some lyrics in the song "I Want to Hold Your Hand". He thought he heard them say "I get high" instead of "I can't hide" and thought the band was into smoking weed.
The funny part about this is that until that night, The Beatles had never smoked weed. So Bob decided to offer them some from his personal stash! And the band decided to give it a shot.
Source: Matt Miller/rock95.com
A man's Beatles toy figure was spotted by Paul McCartney - and has now become official merch.
Figure-maker David McGurk created a mini George Martin – The Beatles’ producer who passed away in 2016 – and posted a photo of it on his social media.
The 46-year-old, who is a huge fan of the iconic band, was surprised to be contacted by Martin’s son Giles – also a talented record producer.
Giles asked for one which David sent to Abbey Road recording studio and it was spotted by Macca - who insisted it sit on a mixing desk during a session.
Stunned Giles was then asked to make 100 more - to go on sale at the Abbey Road Studios shop.
Giles, from Clydebank, Scotland, said: ''Giles he told me ‘I really like the figure of my dad, if you make any more, I’d like one’ so I thought right away ‘I’m going to do it’.
“I made a new George Martin figure, and I made one of Giles as well because I thought ‘I’ll put this in as a wee surprise’.
“I sent it down to Abbey Road which was crazy in itself.
“‘Can you just send it down and I’ll give you the address; it’s Abbey Road’ he said, as if I didn’t know!”
Source: MSN
