Monday 30 April 2012

The Mersey Beatles Get Back to Liverpool Again



Since leaving the Cavern as a resident band in February, the Mersey Beatles have performed for royalty (the Duchess of Cornwall), toured Europe and travelled to Dubai.  


Despite this hectic schedule, the band kept their promise to their hometown fans to appear regularly in Liverpool and their first show, at the Royal Naval Association Club, was a huge success and a complete sell-out.



The Mersey Beatles at the RNA


Mark Nicholas, manager at the RNA admitted that when he first booked the Mersey Beatles he had been "a bit apprehensive" but, he added, "I needn't have worried."  The Club was full and Mark was forced to turn people away on the night.  He said, "Booking the Mersey Beatles was a no-brainer.  We could have sold out three times over!  After the gig it made perfect sense to re-book them and, result!, we have them back at the club on September 22.  Can't wait!"




The Mersey Beatles at the RNA

Fans of the band don't have to wait until September to see them again in their home town though.  The next Get Back To Liverpool gig will take place on May 19 at the Picket.




Tickets, priced at only £10, are available at the Beatles Shop on Mathew Street (with no booking fee for cash sales)
(www.thebeatleshop.co.uk)


Book early to avoid disappointment!





Saturday 28 April 2012

Photos - Paul in Montevideo


BBFC Member Valeria recently attended Paul's concert at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo on April 15 and has very kindly allowed us to post some of her photos here!











NB: All photos c. Valeria/BBFC. Do not download or reproduce without the express permission of the copyright holder





Saturday 21 April 2012

Summer in the City Package from the Hard Day's Night Hotel


Summer In The City Package. £198.00 for 2 persons for 2 nights in a Luxury room:

2 nights bed & breakfastStrawberry Field Cocktail per person3 course dinner in Blakes Restaurant on the first night
Package Price £198.00 for 2 persons.
Find out more : Book Now !


pennylane3.jpg

Thursday 19 April 2012

Exhibition by Yoko Ono, Serpentine Gallery, London

Yoko Ono
Smile Film No. 5 1968
© Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono

19 June – 
9 September 2012 

Serpentine Gallery
Kensington Gardens
London



In Summer 2012 the Serpentine Gallery will present a major exhibition of the work of celebrated artistYoko Ono for the London 2012 Festival, which will include SMILE, a large-scale participatory project.

The Serpentine’s timely exhibition will reflect upon the enormous impact that Yoko Ono has made on contemporary art, exploring her influential role in art, music, film and performance. Her first exhibition in a London public institution for more than a decade, Ono will present new and existing works, some of which have rarely been shown in the UK. These will include installations, films and performances, as well as architectural alterations to the galleries.

As a part of her exhibition, Ono will present SMILE, a large-scale project which will be exhibited at the Serpentine Gallery and online for the London 2012 Festival.

Yoko Ono
Smile 2010
© Yoko Ono

Conceived as a way of connecting people across the world, the project invites people to upload and send an image of their smiles, to create a global anthology of portraits.

Ono envisions that ‘all of the smiles... that are collected will be kept by the Serpentine Gallery as a record for the planet Earth.When people take part in the SMILE, they will receive their own smile to take home.’

Working as an artist, film-maker, poet, musician, writer, performance artist and peace activist for over five decades, Yoko Ono has influenced generations of artists and received numerous prestigious awards. In her prolific career, she has embraced a wide range of media, defying traditional boundaries and creating new forms of artistic expression. Born in 1933 inTokyo, she is a pioneer of conceptual art. Her work has been presented internationally in major exhibitions and performances.

Yoko Ono at the Serpentine Gallery will be part of the London 2012 Festival, a spectacular 12-week UK-wide celebration featuring world leading artists from Midsummer’s Day on 21 June to the final day of the Paralympic Games on 9 September 2012. For more information on the programme visit:
www.london2012.com/festival.

Gallery open 10am to 6pm daily

Admission free

Serpentine Gallery
Kensington Gardens
London W2 3XA
T +44 (0)20 7402 6075
F +44 (0)20 7402 4103
www.serpentinegallery.org



NB: All images used with permission and must not be reproduced without the express permission of the copyright holder

Wednesday 18 April 2012

RAM Tracklisting Announced Today




Paul and Linda McCartney’s Legendary Album RAM Set for Deluxe Reissue



Paul and Linda McCartney’s 1971 album will be released across a variety of formats with new and exclusive content including a beautifully packaged Deluxe Edition Box Set– the ultimate collectable.
Tracklisting confirmed today



“Ladies and gentlemen, this is an album from a long, long time ago, when the world was different. This is an album that is part of my history – it goes back to the wee hills of Scotland where it was formed. It’s an album called RAM. It reminds me of my hippie days and the free attitude with which was created. I hope you’re going to like it, because I do!”
Paul McCartney, 2012

Following the announcement last month that RAM is to be the latest album from Paul’s iconic back catalogue to get the deluxe Paul McCartney Archive Collection treatment, today the full tracklisting of the album is announced.

As with the previous releases in the series, Paul has personally overseen every aspect of the project and the result is spectacular.

The standard release tracklisting is today confirmed as:

Standard Edition
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car

In keeping with the reissue campaign to date, the Deluxe Edition Box Set is the ultimate collectable for any fan of this album. Its stunningly presented 112-page book, photo prints, handwritten lyrics and notes, four CDs and a bonus film DVD, tells the full story of a classic album that has gone down in music history as one of the most revered in McCartney’s catalogue.

The deluxe edition tracklisting is revealed as follows:
CD 1 - Remastered Album (as listed above)
CD 2 - Bonus Audio
1. Another Day
2. Oh Woman, Oh Why
3. Little Woman Love
4. A Love For You (Jon Kelly Mix)
5. Hey Diddle (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
6. Great Cock And Seagull Race (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
7. Rode All Night
8. Sunshine Sometime (Earliest Mix)
CD 3 - Remastered Mono Album
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car
CD 4 - Thrillington - Remastered Album
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. The Back Seat Of My Car
DVD - Bonus Film
1. Ramming
2. Heart Of The Country
3. 3 Legs
4. Hey Diddle
5. Eat At Home On Tour
- Menu music features a selection of jingles from the promo disc Brung To Ewe By

Other content:
112-page book with 32 page scrapboook, 5 photo prints, wallet including facsimiles of Paul’s handwritten lyrics and notes, mini-photographic book of outtakes from the album cover photo shoot, plus digital-only premium membership to paulmccartney.com.






RAM, originally released in May of 1971, is the only album to be credited to both Paul and Linda McCartney and was Paul’s second post-Beatles LP. It was overshadowed at the time by the drama of the dissolution of The Beatles, as played out in the world’s media. The album topped the charts hitting #1 in the UK and #2 in the US. While RAM polarized critics upon its release, music fans and critics alike since have overwhelmingly embraced it, with Rolling Stone, for example, revising their original review up to 4 stars. Recently RAM has enjoyed even further re-appraisal and acknowledgement including a number of tribute albums.

RAM was written by Paul and Linda, mostly at their Scottish farm on the Mull of Kintyre. In the autumn of 1970 they flew to New York to start the recording process. Without a band in place they auditioned and drafted musicians, who included future Wings drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarists David Spinozza and Hugh McCracken.

The band completed the album in early 1971 along with non-album tracks ‘Another Day’ and ‘Oh Woman, Oh Why’ which were released together as Paul’s first post-Beatles single ahead of the release of RAM and became a Top 5 global hit. The multi-disc editions of the RAM reissue include both songs as bonus tracks. The album also gave Paul his first post-Beatles US number 1 single with ‘Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey’ and a Grammy win for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists.

RAM was also issued in mono with alternate mixes, which were only made available to radio stations at the time. This version has gone on to become one of the most sought after McCartney collectables. It will now be commercially available for the first time ever on CD as part of the Deluxe Edition as well as a limited run on vinyl.
1977 saw the release of Thrillington, an instrumental interpretation of RAM, which was originally recorded in 1971 at London’s Abbey Road Studios and was arranged by Richard Hewson. It was released under the pseudonym Percy ‘Thrills’ Thrillington, an unknown eccentric socialite who often cropped up in mysterious newspaper classifieds. In reality Percy was a character devised by Paul and Linda. The idea behind it was simply to have some fun and the concept of doing a full orchestral album was an ambition long held by Paul.

The additional film content features previously unreleased and exclusive content including the brand-new documentary, “Ramming” narrated by Paul, as well as the original music videos for “Heart Of The Country” and “3 Legs”.
The remastering work was done at Abbey Road using the same team who recently remastered the complete Beatles’ catalogue.

Available across a variety of different formats, the additional format tracklistings are as follows:

Special Edition:
CD 1 - Remastered Album
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car
CD 2 - Bonus Audio
1. Another Day
2. Oh Woman, Oh Why
3. Little Woman Love
4. A Love For You (Jon Kelly Mix)
5. Hey Diddle (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
6. Great Cock And Seagull Race (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
7. Rode All Night
8. Sunshine Sometime (Earliest Mix)

Vinyl:
Disc 1 - Side A
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
Disc 1 - Side B
1. Heart Of The Country
2. Monkberry Moon Delight
3. Eat At Home
4. Long Haired Lady
5. Ram On
6. The Back Seat Of My Car
Disc 1 - Side C
1. Another Day
2. Oh Woman, Oh Why
3. Little Woman Love
4. A Love For You (Jon Kelly Mix)
5. Hey Diddle (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
Disc 1 - Side D
1. Great Cock And Seagull Race (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
2. Rode All Night
3. Sunshine Sometime (Earliest Mix)

Download
Remastered album & bonus audio disc as high quality MP3s via a download code inserted on a card within the vinyl package

Limited Edition Mono Vinyl:
Side A
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
Side B
1. Heart Of The Country
2. Monkberry Moon Delight
3. Eat At Home
4. Long Haired Lady
5. Ram On
6. The Back Seat Of My Car

Digital:
RAM will be available for download across a variation of digital configurations including Mastered for iTunes and High Resolution. Two digital-only bonus tracks will be available via paulmccartney.com and iTunes:
1. Eat At Home/Smile Away (Live in Groningen, 1972)
2. Uncle Albert Jam

Single:
Limited edition 7” vinyl single as a special release for ‘Record Store Day’ on 21st April 2012, for independent record stores only
Side A
Another Day
Side B
Oh Woman, Oh Why 

Review: Strange Fruit: The Beatles' Apple Records

Review by David Bedford


This new DVD promises to tell the story of Apple Records, which in itself needs no introduction as such, but this quality documentary spends al of its 162 minutes delivering quality information and interviews from some of the key people involved in Apple Records, especially some of the musicians signed to the Apple label.

Launched back in 1968 with the famous advert in newspapers, featuring Apple’s own Alistair Taylor, promising to sign bands and entertainers and side step the traditional music business.

But this is not just a nice trip down memory lane: this is an expert examination of what went right, and what went wrong. The film-makers interviewed people like Tony Bramwell, whose expert testimony helps us understand what it was like from the inside: from The Beatles’ and Apple’s perspective. This is a valuable insight, but only one side of the coin. what i found particularly enlightening were the interviews with several of the artists signed to Apple, like Jackie Lomax, former lead singer with the Merseybeat group The Undertakers, produced by George Harrison, but who never fully achieved the success maybe her deserved, though he is philosophical about it now. One of the biggest successes of course was the transformation of the group from Wales, The Iveys, who had minor pop hits, into Badfinger, with Liverpool’s Joey Molland now in the band, producing some incredible songs, especially with Paul’s help. But it wasn’t all plain sailing.

These are just some of the highlights behind this excellent documentary film, which has been well researched and edited, with experts like Apple biographer Stefan Granados, and presents a great insight into Apple records, which will be a fab addition to any fan’s library.

Monday 16 April 2012

Paul McCartney Directs His Own ‘My Valentine’ Videos




Paul McCartney Directs His Own ‘My Valentine’ Videos
Featuring Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp
World Premiere at Stella McCartney's Los Angeles Store

On Friday evening at an exclusive screening event at the Stella McCartney store in Los Angeles, Paul McCartney premiered his brand new, self directed videos for his song ‘My Valentine’. The track is one of two original compositions on his new studio album ‘Kisses on the Bottom’, which was released in February of this year and went to Number One on the Billboard Jazz Chart as well as going Top Five across the world.
The gala premiere event hosted by Paul saw a host of high profile names applauding Paul's three visual interpretations of 'My Valentine': The first featuring Natalie Portman translating the lyrics of the song into sign language and the second with Johnny Depp doing the same, with each giving distinctly different performances, making both videos compelling viewing. A third version combines both Natalie and Johnny’s performances into one film.



The videos were shot on 35mm and Paul worked with Academy Award winning cinematographer Wally Pfister (Inception, The Dark Knight) to create these elegant and powerful films.
'My Valentine' is the second Paul McCartney music video Natalie Portman has starred in, the first being the Michel Gondry directed ‘Dance Tonight’ in 2007. For this new performance, she was exclusively dressed by Stella McCartney. Johhny Depp also plays guitar in his version and recorded the track’s guitar solo live. His guitar take was then mixed and mastered into the final track. The original guitar solo on the studio version of the song was performed by Eric Clapton.



‘Kisses on the Bottom’ is a collection of standards Paul grew up listening to in his childhood - plus two brand new McCartney compositions ‘My Valentine’ and 'Only Our Hearts'. With the help of both Grammy Award-winning producer Tommy LiPuma and Diana Krall and her band, the album was recorded at the legendary Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, as well as locations in New York and London throughout 2011.








My Valentine
Directed by Paul McCartney
Featuring: Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp
Cinematographer: Wally Pfister
Editor: Paul Martinez
Produced by: Susanne Preissler
Based on an original idea inspired by Stella McCartney.


My Valentine (Featuring Natalie Portman & Johnny Depp) 



My Valentine (Featuring Johnny Depp)




My Valentine (Featuring Natalie Portman) 





Official website: http://www.paulmccartney.com

Friday 13 April 2012

Julian Lennon New Single Out Now



The second single from the highly acclaimed album ‘Everything Changes’ is out now and available from iTunes and Amazon.
'Guess It Was Me' is the follow up single to the sublime 'Lookin 4 Luv' which enjoyed massive exposure on national radio and television.
'Guess It Was Me' is a reflective and beguiling track built around themes of self-examination and acceptance. Bolted onto a soaring melody, 'Guess It Was Me' has been heralded as a standout track on this well-received album.
Click on the links below to buy.
© 2012 Julian Lennon

Thursday 12 April 2012

The Magical History Tour - Newquay, Cornwall to West Malling, Kent





This nostalgic fun-packed commemorative trip celebrates 45 years since the making of The Beatles' third and most controversial film.

This is an opportunity for people to see the very distinctive Magical Mystery Tour bus back on the road, and it will no doubt evoke memories along the way.  It is a near 300 mile journey, taking - we estimate about 7 hours, so we'll be seen by many during the trip.

For the people at our destination for instance, it will be the first time they'll have seen the MMT colours since the goup were there filming in their bus all those years ago!

This venture commences on Friday 20th April, leaving Newquay Bus Station at 9am and heading for the south east where the folks of West Malling are already gearing up for our arrival.

We spend two nights in that historic market town, also visiting Knole Park in nearby Severnoaks, and our MMT replica bus is the main attraction at the popular monthly 'Farmers Market' in the centre of West Malling on Sunday 22nd April just prior to our return to Cornwall.

This tour is brimming with Beatle and 60s nostalgia. The spacious and beautiful Knole Park is where the Fab Four filmed the promo films for Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny lane.

Newquay and West Malling respectively, are the two eventual destinatiions used by The Beatles in September '67 for their location filming, predictably causing great excitement in both places.

This three-day package costs £170 pp inclusive of B&B accommodation and the trip to Severnoaks, and a social evening on the Saturday night with the fans of the West Malling area. We are now filling seats on the bus for the trip, first come first serve, and it is already creating interest with Beatles and 60s fans. There are various pick-up points for the trip, including Exeter.

For more information, or to book:
Main booking line: 0871 218 3636, option 6
Sandra or Ted on 07970721580
E-mail: enquiries@magicalmysterytournewquay.co.uk
or visit the official websites: www.newquaybeatles.co.uk or www.magicalmysterytournewquay.co.uk

Friday 6 April 2012

Mersey Beatles to Close Titanic Season at the Adelphi, Liverpool

From April 9 -15, the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, plays host to a series of events to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Titanic. The main ballroom will be transformed to resemble one of the majestic restaurants on board the famous ship.

SPECIAL OFFER now on for tickets for the closing event on Sunday 15th April, which includes a three course meal and a set by Liverpool's own "Mersey Beatles" as well as other entertainment: just £30 per person! 



To take advantage of this great offer, simply call 0151 722 5352 and quote the reference "bums on seats"
to get your discount. 

Treat a loved one or bring the whole family to this unique event!


For more details on this, and the other events taking place at the Adelphi, click here!

Thursday 5 April 2012

James McCartney at the Cavern

Review by Donna Jackson






On Tuesday April 4, a McCartney once again took to the stage in the Cavern Club's Live Lounge.



James McCartney stood in the same spot where his dad performed in 1999, and it was clear that the weight of his musical legacy was lying very heavily on his shoulders.  Early in the performance he mentioned that his dad had played on the very same stage, and at the end, after thanking Liverpool and the Cavern for making him so welcome, he also thanked the Beatles.






James was clearly nervous, and although it didn't affect the quality of the music being played, he never seemed to relax until the very last song.  James switched effortlessly between guitar and piano but at one point admitted to the crowd that he was really worried about making a mistake or forgetting the words.  I'm sure I wasn't the only woman in the Cavern at that point who desperately wanted to give him a hug and tell him that everything was fine.  A couple of songs later, James said that he was starting to enjoy himself and I hope that was true.  He only managed a couple of brief smiles during the evening, which is a shame; he has a very sweet and gentle smile and it lit up his whole face!




He said it was a privilege to play the Cavern, and it was a privilege to witness the performance. James has an impossible task; he can never live up to his dad's legacy. But he chose to come to his dad's home town and play the club that is the most famous club in the world largely because of his dad. I commend his courage, and I applaud his talent. I really enjoyed the show tonight, and I can only hope that James enjoyed it as much as I did!






The Duchess of Cornwall is a Beatles Fan!

The Mersey Beatles meet the Duchess of Cornwall
c. Liverpool Echo

As part of the events celebrating 50 years since Ringo joined the Beatles and musical history was made, the Duchess of Cornwall visited the Beatles Story today.

She was shown around the museum by Jerry Goldman of the Beatles Story, and unveiled a plaque commemorating the 50th anniversary.

As part of her tour, she was treated to a performance by the Mersey Beatles, and she clearly enjoyed herself. Mark Bloor, who plays ‘John’ in the band said, “She sat and watched us perform three songs and then came over to the stage, shook our hands and told us how wonderful it was and that we had taken her back to her youth! She was very friendly. We sang ‘Twist and Shout’, ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand,’ and ‘She Loves You.’ She seemed very attentive and interested while we were playing, tapping her foot and even singing along at one point.”

Mark admitted that he had been tempted to ask the Duchess if she could “rattle her jewellery”, especially as their first song was ‘Twist and Shout’. However, the Beatles Story had asked them to start the song before the Duchess entered the room to give it more of the feel of a ‘live gig’; otherwise, he said, he “may well have”!

As well as performing occasionally for royalty, the Mersey Beatles were the resident band in the Cavern for over ten years, and still perform regularly in Liverpool, their home town. They have just announced their first tour of Ireland in October. See www.themerseybeatles.com for more details.


Thanks to Steve Marinucci, Beatles Examiner, www.examiner.com for allowing us to share this story with our readers.

Book: In Conversation with Stuart Sutcliffe




Sunday 1 April 2012

Special Offer -- Let It Be in the West End

Relive The Beatles – LET IT BE – coming to the West End at the Prince of Wales Theatre 

Booking from Friday 14th September – until Saturday 19th January 2013

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday Evenings and Sunday matinee – Special rate of £39.50 on top price seats (normally 69.50)

"LET IT BE: A Tribute To The Beatles presents the history of the Beatles as a concert revue with the four musicians on stage performing 30 of the band's biggest hits live. The show begins by recreating the band's debut appearance on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964 with I Want To Hold Your Hand and All My Loving followed by other early numbers including A Hard Day's Night, I Saw Her Standing There, Yesterday, Twist And Shout and Day Tripper. Not able to use photos or album covers, Let it Be recreates the times with band photos, faux press conferences and other footage and pictures representing the main issues of the '60s. The first half concludes with the Sgt. Pepper phase with Strawberry Fields and A Day In The Life, while the second half moves into the band's experimental period with Come Together and Revolution. Ending on a high with the combination of Let It Be and Hey Jude." 


The show was originally called Rain but changed to LET IT BE for the London run. Log on to the website to book http://www.ticketbreaks.com/offers.php?showtimeID=791344891124

Performance Schedule:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 7.30pm
Thursday and Saturday at: 3.00pm
Sunday at 17.00pm







ticketbreaks.com is a domain name wholly owned by Ticket Breaks Ltd , Registered in England and Wales, number 07654171 . Registered office: Birkby House, Baliffe Bridge, Brighouse, HD6 4JJ