British Beatles Fan Club

BBFC news archives

Sunday 23rd December 2007

Ringo Starr's new studio album, Liverpool 8, his first new album with Capitol/EMI since 1974's Goodnight Vienna, will be released in the UK on 14th January 2008. Liverpool 8's launch is already underway, with a digital single released this month and high-profile events and promotions scheduled through January.

In addition to being released on CD and digitally, Liverpool 8 will be available as a pre-loaded USB wristband including the entire album, a personal video message, interview and track commentary from Ringo Starr, behind-the-scenes making-of footage from the recording sessions, ringtunes, photos and more.

View full info including track listing, and order your copy now

Saturday 22nd December 2007

Issue 27 of the British Beatles Fan Club magazine is now on sale and has been posted out to our members.

It features a four page spread on the legendary Mad Day Out -- the last photo session where the Beatles were really together as a unit (unlike the later Tittenhurst Park shoot in 1969) -- including some of photographer Tom Murray's famous photos.

There's also a review of Paul McCartney's appearance at London's Roundhouse as part of the BBC's Electric Proms back in October, and a write-up of the BBFC event to celebrate the launch of Help! on DVD, at which Victor Spinetti was our specal guest.

View full contents or visit our shop to buy your copy now

Saturday 15th December 2007

The Beatles! A One-Night Stand in the Heartland is a collection of original, previously unpublished photographs from August 21, 1965. As such it adds a new chapter to the Beatles' story. In it, Bill Carlson brings to Beatles fans, photography aficionados and history buffs, more than 160 never-before-published photographs that document one day in the life of the Beatles on tour.

Read more about The Beatles! A One-Night Stand in the Heartland

Saturday 8th December 2007

The British Beatles Fan Club have five copies of the Official Beatles Calendar 2008 to give away, kindly donated to us by Steve Smith from Danilo.

They are jam-packed with memorable photos in both colour and b&w and all you have to do to be in with a chance of getting your mits on one in time for the new year is enter our easy peasy competition.

Win an Official Beatles Calendar 2008

Tuesday 27th November 2007

The final London Beatles Day of 2007 takes place on Sunday 9th December at the usual venue -- The Bonnington Hotel, Southampton Row, WC1. You will find thousands of Beatles items for sale at prices to suit every pocket!

The London Beatles Day was founded in 1990 by Steve Holmes, Rob Batchelor, Keith Badman and Jason Hobbs who between them have attended many conventions and fairs all over Europe and beyond! The London Beatles Day has been attracting Beatles fans from all over the globe ever since, originally 2 shows a year were staged but due to increased demand this was increased to the current 4 shows per year. This enables fab 4 fans to come along and buy and trade their Fabs items on a regular basis keeping their collections updated, and of course to come along to meet all the other fans & collectors in the comfort of the recently refurbished Bonnington Hotel.

Sunday 7th October 2007

The eagerly anticipated DVD release of The Beatles' second feature film Help! is on its way at last.

The British Beatles Fan Club cordially invite YOU to join us in celebration of the launch with an evening of music and entertainment at one of the famous film locations, The City Barge in Chiswick on Saturday, 3rd November.

Featuring live music from Martin Dimery of Sgt. Pepper's Only Dart Board Band, and our very special guest Victor Spinetti who will speak about his experiences working on the movie and about his time with the Beatles.

Find out more and purchase your tickets

Sunday 30th September 2007

As part of the programme of events for Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture in 2008, the City of Liverpool has announced performances by both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in their home town in 2008.

Registration for tickets opened on Friday and ticket availability is on ballot, which closes at midnight, Sunday 7th October 2007.

See our events page for further information and ballot details

Saturday 29th September 2007

Filmed and recorded at the Genessee Theatre in Waukegan, Illinois, Ringo Live at Soundstage, a new live album by Ringo Starr, will be released on 23rd October 2007.

This outstanding performance was captured on August 25, 2005, when Ringo taped a show for the celebrated PBS concert series, Soundstage. It features a wonderful sampling of his greatest songs, both as a solo artist and as a Beatle.

View full album details and tracklist

Thursday 27th September 2007

When All My Loving was originally aired in 1968, it was acknowledged as a definitive statement of where Rock music was at, and one of the first such TV documentaries to consider the music and the times in which it was created.

Ernie Sutton spoke to director Tony Palmer for the British Beatles Fan Club on 6th August 2007. Tony talked about his experiences making the film, the impact it still has today and its recent release on DVD.

Read our interview with director Tony Palmer

Thursday 27th September 2007

Jock Bartley and Steven Weinmeister, the lead vocalists of Firefall, perform all over the U.S. as Firefall Acoustic. They have recorded and released an exciting new CD, Colorado To Liverpool - A Tribute To The Beatles that features acoustic versions of eleven classic Beatles songs.

Read on...

Wednesday 26th September 2007

On Monday 12th November, The McCartney Years will hit the stores. This 3 disc DVD set includes the definitive visual collection of Paul's amazing career featuring solo music videos, career-spanning live performances, personal commentary by Paul McCartney and exclusive footage that tracks his incredible musical journey as never before. Spanning four decades The McCartney Years is a three volume collection, featuring some of the world's best-loved music that has become the soundtrack to all our lives.

View further info -- full tracklisting -- and pre-order your copy

Friday 21st September 2007

As part of Channel 4's 25th anniversary celebrations in November, a selection of the best of Channel 4's shows were shown at the Barbican, London, during September.

A special screening of the 2004 documentary on Lennon and McCartney was shown on 7th September 2007. Howard Goodall presented the programme as one of 4 in a series of 20th Century Greats, which also featured Cole Porter, Leonard Bernstein and Bernard Hermann. He was the special guest at the event. Ernie Sutton was there and brings us a report.

Read review of Howard Goodall's 20th Century Greats - Lennon & McCartney

Tuesday 18th September 2007

Join us to celebrate the 45th (gulp!) anniversary of Love Me Do on Friday 5th October.

The Dave Stark Five and special guests will playing The Beatles & other Fab 60s classics at the Cricketers Club, 71 Blandford Street, Off Baker Street, London W1U 8AB. BBFC members get a pound of the ticket price.

See our events page for more info

Saturday 8th September 2007

Paul McCartney will be performing live at Camden's Roundhouse theatre on 25th October 2007.

The Beatle who wrote When I'm Sixty-Four is now 64 himself. Such is the longevity of Sir Paul McCartney's music career. McCartney released Memory Almost Full, his 21st solo album earlier this year to a resounding response, having sold over a million copies worldwide.

His new material embraces his past, present and has him exploring how he would like to be remembered. Still a master at simple melodies, McCartney learnt to play the mandolin for this project, the result being the infectious Dance Tonight which featured in a high profile iTunes campaign.

40 years after Sgt Pepper's and keen to explore new directions with his music, McCartney's appearance at this year's BBC Electric Proms, promises to be a truly memorable event.

Ticket details on our events page

Thursday 6th September 2007

Pattie Boyd was the Queen of the Sixties and beyond... a drop-dead gorgeous model, photographer, and the inspiration for some of rock's finest, timeless songs.

Wonderful Today - The Autobiography of Pattie Boyd was released by Headline Review on 23rd August 2007. Written with the acclaimed biographer and journalist Penny Junor, it is rich and raw, funny, heartbreaking and heartwarming.

The British Beatles Fan Club have a 1st edition hardcover copy to give away to one lucky reader. Pattie has very kindly signed it for us -- the dedication reads "To the BBFC Winner - Pattie Boyd".

Read on and enter our competition!

Thursday 6th September 2007

Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher and Tony Blackburn will present a series of programmes on BBC Radio 1 as part of the station's 40th birthday celebrations. The former Beatle will host the first of 10 evening shows titled Radio 1 Legends, beginning on 17th September 2007 at 9pm, playing some of the tunes that inspired him and his career.

Tuesday 4th September 2007

Stop Worrying - Help! Is on the Way!

Apple Corps Ltd have announced the eagerly anticipated DVD release of The Beatles' second feature film Help! on 5th November 2007 which will be marketed and distributed by EMI Music.

Directed by Richard Lester, who also directed the band's debut feature film A Hard Days Night, Help! made its theatrical debut in 1965. The story follows The Beatles as they become passive recipients of an outside plot that revolves around Ringo's possession of a sacrificial ring, which he cannot remove from his finger. As a result, he and his bandmates John, Paul and George are chased from London to the Austrian Alps and the Bahamas by religious cult members, a mad scientist and the London police.

Read full press release here

Wednesday 29th August 2007

So here we are, back at BBFC headquarters again after another fabulous Beatle Week in Liverpool.

It was great to meet so many of you, our friends and members, from all over the world -- and to see so many amazing bands, all in one place over the bank holiday weekend. We'll hopefully be bringing you a review of the festival in our next magazine and will put some pics up here on the website once we've had a chance to catch our breath and settle into the normal day-to-day routine again.

A big "thank you!" must go out to Bill Heckle and everyone at Cavern City Tours, to all the wonderful musicians, guests and traders, and especially to all of you who came to say hello to us during the convention, for making the week so special. We're already looking forward to doing it all over again next year!

Tuesday 21st August 2007

The song, My Son John, To Me You Are So Wonderful was Julia Lennon's favourite, and the song that kept her going through the years that she was denied access to her son. She had a daughter adopted and taken away from her. She had John, and he was taken away from her, and then her life was taken at a tragically young age.

To find out more about Julia Lennon, David Bedford spoke to Julia Baird, Julia Lennon's daughter and John's half-sister. In February 2007, she published a book called Imagine This - Growing up with my brother John Lennon.

Read the interview in full and find out about our fan club exclusive offer to get a copy of Imagine This signed by Julia Baird

Saturday 18th August 2007

After last year's success, we are putting on a special BBFC tour in Liverpool during the Beatle Week 2007 festival. The tour will take place on Saturday 25th August and this year we will visit a few places off the usual Beatle track -- and then visit the Casbah Club for a tour with Pete Best's brother Rory.

We'll be visiting Lathom Hall, Litherland Town Hall, Walton Hospital where Mr Macca was born, Sunbury Road -- Paul's first home -- and the New Clubmoor Hall where he made his official debut with the Quarrymen (and fluffed the "Guitar Boogie" lead solo!)

View the times and booking info on our events page

Wednesday 15th August 2007

On Thursday 1st November, Smartrisk Foundation is holding With a little help from our friends -- a special event in studios 1 and 2 of Abbey Road Studios in London. It will feature a live performance by the Fab Beatles in Studio 2 as well as an acoustic entertainment set by the band during the evening.

The evening also features a full four course dinner with wine, auction and a tour of the Abbey Road Studios. This is a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes of the most famous recording studio in the world.

More info and ticket details on our events page

Sunday 12th August 2007

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur is a compilation album of various artists covering songs by John Lennon to benefit Amnesty International's campaign to alleviate the crisis in Darfur. The album and campaign is part of Amnesty International's global Make Some Noise project.

Green Day, R.E.M, Christina Aguilera, and Snow Patrol are among the best-selling artists who feature, alongside Bob Dylan's son, Jacob, together with Dhani Harrison, on a version of John's Gimme Some Truth.

View the full track list and order your copy

Wednesday 8th August 2007

The Cavern – The Most Famous Club In The World features The Beatles and The Rolling Stones together for the first time ever on a commercial album.

Released 20th August 2007 to celebrate The Cavern's 50th anniversary, this 3 CD set comprises 50 tracks from artists who have all appeared at the club over the years -- the tracklist reads like a Who's Who of British popular music over the decades.

Check out the full track list and pre-prder your copy

Sunday 5th August 2007

Since he first began his career in the 1960s with The Beatles, Ringo Starr has been one of the world's brightest musical luminaries. On 28th August 2007, Ringo's four EMI Music catalog albums will be released for digital download.

On the same date, six Ringo Starr ringtones will also debut, and the first-ever career and label-spanning collection of Starr's best solo recordings, Photograph: The Very Best Of Ringo Starr, will hit the high-street, along with a (Collector's Edition) CD/DVD set.

Find out more and pre-order your copy now

Saturday 4th August 2007

We have a copy of Yoko Ono's current album, Yes, I'm a Witch, to give away.

Featuring collaborations with The Flaming Lips, Cat Power, Antony (Antony and The Johnsons), Spiritualized, Peaches, Hank Shocklee, Le Tigre, The Sleepy Jackson, Apples in Stereo, and many more, Yes, I'm A Witch is a totally different kind of collaboration album.

Read on and enter our competition

Wednesday 25th July 2007

For the first time on DVD -- the classic 1968 rock'n'roll documentary All My Loving directed by Tony Palmer will be released on Monday, 17th September 2007.

Featuring contemporary interviews with many of the major Rock stars of the time, including The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Pink Floyd, Cream, Donovan, Eric Burdon, with some typically pithy contributions from Frank Zappa, and intercut with startling newsreel footage from the era, All My Loving is as challenging and controversial in 2007 as it was in its time.

Find out more about All My Loving and order your copy

Wednesday 25th July 2007

The Beatles - Sent to Coventry looks at the Beatles from a completely new angle, now that's original! Coventry music aficionado Pete Chambers explores the many links between the Coventry & Warwickshire area and the Fab Four.

BBFC members can get a signed copy of the book at a special price.

Read more about The Beatles - Sent to Coventry and the special members' discount

Sunday 15th July 2007

To mark the 40th anniversary of Brian Epstein's death, The Hours And Times makes its DVD debut on 27th August 2007, released by VDI Entertainment.

1963 - John Lennon and Brian Epstein spent a long weekend together in Barcelona. this film is a fictional account of those four days…

Read more about The Hours And Times and pre-order your copy now

Wednesday 4th July 2007

The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Who, the Yardbirds... back in the 1960s a music revolution was taking place, and Liverpool's Cavern Club was at the centre of it. The Best of Cellars: The Story of the World-famous Cavern Club tells the story of the Cavern, beginning with its days as a great jazz club, before the Merseybeat explosion made it the most famous music venue in the world. The Beatles are of course central to the story but the book also features the other great names of the era, and later the likes of Elton John, Thin Lizzy and Queen.

Find out more about The Best of Cellars: The Story of the World-famous Cavern Club

Tuesday 3rd July 2007

Beatles fans should look out for the August edition of UNCUT magazine. The issue will by celebrate thier 10th anniversary by exploding with this special edition! Featuring Bob Dylan, Paul Weller, Keith & Johnny, REM, Oasis, Springsteen and our very own Beatles.

Pick up the 'Book of Revelations' and a 15 track CD by Bob Dylan FREE with each copy, and a features including exclusive images of the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour! Out today, 3rd July.

Sunday 1st July 2007

Well Met in Woolton -- a BBC Radio 4 programme written by Graham Paisley describing the events surrounding the day John and Paul first met at St Peter's Hall in 1957 will be broadcast at 11.30 am on Tuesday 3rd July. Recently recorded at St Peter's this should be an excellent programme and features a number of voices that will be familiar to regulars at St Peter's Church. Readers not in the UK can listen online via the Radio 4 website.

Saturday 30th June 2007

An exhibition of celebrity photographs by Mary McCartney for charity, Cancerbackup, is to be unveiled at the Oxo Tower Wharf on 5-8 July.

In this exclusive exhibition of celebrity photographs, Mary McCartney offers a behind-the-scenes snapshot of the backup that celebrities such as Jude Law, Paul McCartney, Bono and Tracey Emin depend on to make them the success they are today. The unique photos illustrate that everyone needs good backup and support and highlight the role that the UK's leading cancer information charity, Cancerbackup, offers to people affected by cancer.

For further information about the exhibition, see our events page

Thursday 28th June 2007

The birth of the Beatles -- the day John met Paul -- is being celebrated in Woolton over the weekend of 6th-8th July 2007.

The weekend sees two nights of music in St Peter's Church Hall, followed on the Sunday by The Woolton Musical Festival, at Bishop Martin School Grounds -- the original site of the Woolton Fete where Paul first saw John playing in the Quarrymen.

See our events page for full info

Friday 22nd June 2007

The latest fab issue of the BBFC magazine has been mailed out to members. As well as all the usual features it contains a review of Paul McCartney's "secret gig" at the Electric Ballroom in Camden and a competition to win a collectable cover (envelope) illustrated in black and white, which features the stamps issued by the Royal Mail in January. Better still, it has been signed by Pete Best! To be in with a chance of winning you must be a member of the BBFC, so why not join now? The competition closes on 1st August, so hurry!

See the full magazine listings here

Thursday 14th June 2007

A fab new book out next month unearths some very rare photographs of The Beatles as they set about conquering Britain in a series of exhausting tours in 1963.

Legends On Tour: The Pop Package Tours Of The 1960s by author Martin Creasy contains a special section on The Beatles, featuring all of their UK tours. The book includes some great pictures of John, Paul, George and Ringo and their fans, courtesy of some of Martin's journalistic pals on UK newspapers.

Find out more about Legends On Tour: The Pop Package Tours Of The 1960s

Sunday 10th June 2007

We love to bring you competitions now and again, so here's your chance to win a copy of this fab new book, When John met Paul - An hour-by-hour account of how the Beatles began.

Never before available in the UK, When John met Paul includes dozens of photographs to help recreate 1950s Liverpool and is a spellbinding, hour-by-hour account of the day when two boys, both passionate about music, met, talked, and, as we now all know, went on to form what became one of the world's best-loved bands.

Read more about the book and enter our competition

Saturday 9th June 2007

Even though The Beatles were originally from Liverpool, when they became famous they had to move to London, as the music industry was based in the Capital. Although they never forgot their roots, The Fab Four were very much at the centre of what became known as Swinging London.

A new DVD, presented by the BBFC's Richard Porter, takes viewers on a magical history Tour of the Beatles London. It features interviews with David Janson, the then child actor who appeared in A Hard Day's Night, and Beatles author and Mersey Beat publisher Bill Harry, among others.

Find out more about the Beatles In London DVD

Saturday 9th June 2007

Can't Buy Me Love -- The Ultimate Beatles Celebration -- is quickly becoming the world's number one Beatles show, exciting and entertaining thousands of fans across the globe. This show is HOT.

It is running from Tue 3rd - Sat 7th July at the Theatre Royal in Windsor. Featuring historic video footage, spectacular costumes and exquisite lighting this non-stop production timelessly recaptures the aura of the Fabulous Four.

See our events page for more info

Friday 8th June 2007

Paul McCartney put on a secret concert last night (7th June) at the Electric Ballroom in Camden to celebrate the release of his new album, Memory Almost Full. It was only announced at about 3 pm the previous day and entry was restricted to those who had been able to collect a wristband at lunch time on the day of the gig.

Richard Porter was lucky enough to be there and brings us a review of the evening.

Read the full review and set list

Friday 8th June 2007

Those of you in the UK should tune in to BBC2 tonight at 11.35 pm, where Paul McCartney will be a special guest on Later with Jools Holland. Paul released his first solo album in 1970 and recently signed to Starbucks' label, Hear Music. He plays songs from new album Memory Almost Full and hopefully a classic Beatles track too.

Another show to listen out for is Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 at 11.15 am this Sunday, 10th July, on which Yoko Ono will be talking about her life and career, and about her choice of music for the mythical desert island. You can listen on-line to this and the show is availble to listen again for a week after broadcast.

Thursday 7th June 2007

Look out for the July issue (#338) of Record Collector magazine, available in all good newsagents now. It includes a fab eight-page feature on the worldwide Pepper-related releases by the British Beatles Fan Club's very own Pete Nash, looking at the many guises of the world's most famous and iconic album on its 40th anniversary.

The magazine also boasts a seven-page interview with Sir Paul by Jonathan Wingate, in which he talks about Eleanor Rigby and much more.

Thursday 7th June 2007

Nearly twenty years after the creation of the band, and over a decade since the music was last available to fans, the music of The Traveling Wilburys will be reissued on 12th June in the U.S. and 11th June 11 worldwide. The previously released albums Traveling Wilburys Volume 1 and Traveling Wilburys Volume 3 feature inarguably some of music's greatest singer-songwriters -- George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan -- as the iconic band The Traveling Wilburys. Both CDs will be combined into one release, The Traveling Wilburys Collection, and will feature bonus tracks of rare and newly mixed previously unreleased music along with a bonus DVD featuring a 24-minute documentary showing unseen footage of the Wilburys and their five video clips.

Click for the press release in full and album tracklistings

Saturday, 2nd June 2007

On March 30th 1967, renowned Sunday Times photographer Frank Herrmann went to Abbey Road Studios to photograph The Beatles before they posed for the historic Sgt. Pepper album cover shoot. Some of the negatives of that session were lost and only now thanks to digital technology has he been able to produce prints direct from the contact sheets. It is these unseen pictures along with some more familiar shots from the same session, that the St. Giles Street Gallery proudly present to the world for the first time.

The exhibition opens on Saturday 2nd June and remains open until 1st September, at the St. Giles Street Gallery, Norwich, NR2 1JR

Friday, 1st June 2007

It seems the press are going mad over the 40th anniversary of Sgt Pepper -- and rightly so! It seems only fitting that to mark the occasion, we should bring you you an article originally published in the London Beatles Fanclub magazine many years ago.

Sgt Pepper - I'd Love to Turn You On - An Appreciation of a Classic Album

Thursday, 24th May 2007

This bank holiday weekend sees a pair of special shows on BBC Radio 2 -- The Traveling Wilburys Revisited. In the first, at 20:00-21:00 on Saturday 26th May, Bob Harris presents a documentary about the band and celebrates the re-issue this month of the supergroup's long-deleted albums. The programme will feature rare audio from the original sessions alongside new and archive interviews with the group's members. Then, in his show at 16:30 on Sunday 27th May, Olivia Harrison and Barbara Orbison will be joining Johnnie for a chat about the Traveling Wilburys. Both shows should be available for listening online from the Radio2 website.

Sunday, 20th May 2007

Paul McCartney's new album, Memory Almost Full, is due to be released on 4th June in the UK.

Paul issued the following letter to promote the album:

"I actually started this album, Memory Almost Full, before my last album, Chaos And Creation In The Backyard. The first recording session was back in the autumn of 2003 at Abbey Road with my touring band and producer David Kahne. I was right in the middle of it when I began talking with Nigel Godrich about a brand new project (which became Chaos And Creation In The Backyard)."

Click for Paul's letter in full and album tracklisting

Tuesday, 15th May 2007

We've found a new site selling Beatles merchandise -- Kapow Gifts. They have a wide range of Beatles goodies including mugs, bags and posters and even a Lennon & McCartney kitchen apron. We are hoping to bring you a competition to win some of this fab gear from Kapow soon, so watch this space.

Monday, 14th May 2007

The Beatles Biography by Bob Spitz is now available in paperback.

The BBFC are able to offer a limited supply of these at just £11 for UK and £12 for Rest of The World - including post and packing. The normal RRP is £12.99

If you would like a copy at this special discounted price, please send your name and address and a contact phone/email address to register your interest to bbfcpublishing@fsmail.net to reserve a copy.

We will hold a copy for you, while stocks last, and advise you how to make payment (cheques or PayPal accepted).

Saturday, 12th May 2007

This year's Annual Liverpool Beatles Auction is to be held on 25th August at the Paul McCartney Auditorium, Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

The Beatles Shop, of Mathew Street, Liverpool, is once again preparing for its auction of Beatles items as part of the annual International Beatle Week celebrations.

One item that will be in the sale is a copy of the Beatles single Love Me Do which has been fully signed by the band. It was signed at Dawson's Music Shop in Widnes on 6th October 1962, the day after its release. The current estimate for this signed single is between £3500 and £4000.

The item is a truly wonderful slice of Beatles history. Love Me Do was their first single and started their chart legacy, a legacy that is likely to continue from strength to strength with the news of the imminent release of Beatles tracks as downloads. Mind you, as Beatles Shop manager, Stephen Bailey points out, "You can't really sign a download can you?"

The auction attracts a good number of signed items every year, but at the same time a lot of the autographs brought in for valuation turn out not to be genuine. Some are fan club cards which have printed signatures, some were signed by members of their entourage and others feature a full set of autographs signed by just one band member.

An example of the latter is another lot in this year's auction in the shape of a handbill for the Roy Orbison/Beatles show at the Liverpool Empire in May 1964. The item is signed by George Harrison who has then gone on to sign for the other three Beatles. It's currently estimated between £1200 and £1400.

Items are still being taken for the auction and anyone with anything they would like to be considered for inclusion in the sale should contact the Beatles Shop.

Visit www.beatlesauction.co.uk for the most up to date news of the Liverpool Beatles Auction.

Monday, 7th May 2007

The first Atombeat Festival will be held at the Town Hall, Marshill, Alloa, Scotland, on Saturday 19th May. Featuring the best of the new beat scene direct from Liverpool's legendary Cavern Club, a rockin' good time is guaranteed for all -- and here's a fabulous opportunity for 2 lucky individuals to take part in this event (including live music from Mersey-beatsters The Shakers, York beat-merchants Flashback and Scottish beat legends The Beatcombers) whilst benefiting a cancer charity.

See our events page for futher information about the festival and details of how to get your hands on these special fund-raising tickets.

Sunday, 6th May 2007

50 Years ago, John Lennon and Paul McCartney met in Woolton at Bishop Martin School Fete and played together for the first time on the stage of St. Peter's Church Hall, Woolton Village. In June, Woolton in Bloom will celebrate the event in St. Peter's Church with flowers. All weekend there will be musical entertainment and refreshments in the famous church hall where John and Paul met and played together for the first time.

The Beatles Flower Festival will be held in the church and grounds from Friday 15th to Sunday 17th June. Scores of flower arrangements will depict the titles of Beatles songs--from Love Me Do to Sergeant Pepper and beyond.

Friday, 4th May 2007

The Beatles are back! Any Beatles fan will want this amazing collectable cover (envelope), personally signed by Pete Best. These are a limited edition and are available from Buckingham Covers for just £22.95.

BUY NOW

Wednesday, 2nd May 2007

An exciting Beatles valuation event is taking place at Liverpool's Albert Dock from Sunday 6 – Monday 7 May, organised by the Albert Dock Company, the Beatles Story and Tracks, the UK's largest specialist of Beatles and pop memorabilia.

This is the first time the Dock has hosted a Beatles and pop memorabilia valuation for over fourteen years and experts are looking forward to the quality and volume of collectibles that might turn up in the Fab Four's home city over the bank holiday.

Members of the public are encouraged to dig around in their attic and bring along any Beatles or pop souvenirs they own for a free valuation by the country’s experts.

Monday, 30th April 2007

Nearly twenty years after the creation of the band and over a decade since the music was last available to fans, Rhino Entertainment are to reissue the music of The Traveling Wilburys.

The Deluxe Edition Set (linen-bound) features 2 CDs (Volumes 1 and 3) with bonus tracks, bonus DVD, and a 40-page collectible book with photos, original liner notes, new liner notes and a uniquely numbered certificate of authenticity.

The DVD contains all five Wilbury music videos along with "The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys", a short documentary recorded around the the time the first album was created, featuring interviews with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and George Harrison.

The UK release date is 11th June 2007.

Monday, 2nd April 2007

Meet Mersey Beat founder Bill Harry, at the Beatles Gallery. Bill will be signing books and Mersey Beat items between 12:00 and 17:00 this Saturday - 7th April - at the Beatles Gallery, 231b Baker Street, London NW1 6XE. Reprints of Mersey Beat will be available to buy on the day. For more information call 0207 486 4915.

Tuesday, 10th April 2007

Apple Corps have today announced that long-time manager Neil Aspinall, who had worked with the Beatles since their formation in Liverpool more than 40 years ago, is leaving the company.

Music executive Jeff Jones will become chief executive officer, having served as executive vice president, Legacy Recordings/Sony BMG Worldwide.

Sunday, 1st April 2007

Special issue of Leicestershire Chronicle available: The April Issue of the Leicestershire Chronicle features an article on Bess Coleman, a local reporter at the time of the Fabs' first US tour. She tells her story about her time spent with The Beatles and there are previously unpublished photographs too. Bess went on to work for Brian Epstein.

To Order please call the Leicestershire Chronicle hotline (0116 2224415) and quote "Beatles Fan Club" to order your copy for 50p plus post and packing (see rates below)

Britain 61p, £1.41 for the rest of Europe, Rest of the world is £2.70 (America, Canada, Africa and the Middle East, £3.08 (Far East and Australasia).

Or you can order by post by sending a cheque payable to Leicester Mercury Group Ltd, again quoting "Beatles Fan Club" to the address below:

Leicester Mercury Group Ltd
St. George Street
Leicester
Leicestershire
LE1 9FQ
UK

Friday, 30th March 2007

UK readers -- don't miss tonight's Arena on BBC2 at 11:35 pm. It will feature a showing of The US vs John Lennon, the great docu-movie by filmmakers David Leaf and John Scheinfeld which traces Lennon's metamorphosis from lovable moptop to anti-war activist and inspirational icon, revealing the true story of how and why the US government tried to silence him.

Monday, 12th February 2007

Almost 200 locations linked to England's rock and pop history are being celebrated in a new campaign by the tourist board for England. A map has been produced, highlighting destinations including birthplaces and haunts of musicians, places that inspired songs and past and existing music venues.

The map is free to UK residents and can be ordered from www.england-rocks.co.uk -- or you can find an online version there too. There are over 20 Beatles-related sites listed as well as a wealth of other interesting and unusual sites from around the country.

Monday, 5th February 2007

After a 25-year battle, an agreement has finally been reached between Apple, the technology company, and the Beatles' record company, over the use of the Apple trademark. Apple Inc will take control of the Apple brand and licence certain trademarks back to Apple Corps for continued use. The exact terms of the agreement are not known. Hopefully this will pave the way towards the Beatles' music being made available on Apple Inc's iTunes download service -- time will tell.

Wednesday, 24th January 2007

Heard on BBC Radio 6Music this morning was the news that "all 11" Beatles albums are to be rereleased on 1st June to coincide with the anniversary of Sgt Pepper. There was no further information about the formats or what's going to be special about the rereleased versions but we will report as any further info becomes available.

Tuesday, 16th January 2007

Buckingham Covers is the UK's premier producer of quality first day covers for the discerning collector. They have produced two special first day covers of the Beatles stamps. The first cover celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Cavern Club; a number of these sets are available signed by Pete Best. The second set is a cover which was officially approved by Apple; it features the fab four and is postmarked at Penny Lane -- and some sets are signed by Allan Williams.

Read more information and purchase your limited edition covers here!

Monday, 15th January 2007

The Unseen Beatles reveals the truth about why, at the height of their fame in 1966, the Beatles performed their last live concert and never toured again. Liberation Entertainment will release The Unseen Beatles the DVD on 22nd January 2007 to tie in with the BBC Two Timewatch programme, Beatlemania, airing on 12th January 2007.

The British Beatles Fan Club have got together with The Upbeat Beatles to bring you a very special January Competition in which you could win a copy of The Unseen Beatles on DVD plus two tickets to see to the Open Air festival in Somerset this July, where the Upbeat Beatles will be putting on a show!

To read more about The Upbeat Beatles and the DVD, view a trailer for the DVD, and be in with a chance of winning this fabulous prize, visit our competition page.

Sunday, 14th January 2007

Woolton Cinema strikes back! After the success of their benefit gig last December, the Save Woolton Cinema Campaign are staging a sequel on Friday, 26th January with a great line-up including the Original Quarrymen and special guest Mike McCartney!

Woolton Cinema is the oldest and only remaining solo screen cinema and backs onto the Church hall where Paul showed John how to play 20 Flight Rock way back in 1957. Following the untimely death of its owner, the Cinema is now up for sale and in danger of being lost for ever. Local resident and campaigner Glen Simpson has taken the torch on behalf of everyone in Liverpool who has been touched by Woolton Cinema, to work with the council and purchase the Picture House as a community cinema.

More information about the fund-raising gig including the full line-up and ticket details can be found on our events page.

Saturday, 13th January 2007

Paul McCartney was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on Monday December 30th, 1996 -- but what about Ringo? Daniel Finkelstein, Comment Editor of of The Times has launched an online petition to the Prime Minister to recommend to the Queen to confer a knighthood on Ringo Starr -- he lists ten good reasons why Ringo should be knighted. If you'd like to do your bit, the deadline is 13th February 2007 so why not sign the petition right away?

Thursday, 11th January 2007

After a brief hiatus over the Christmas period we are pleased to report that our regular London pub meetings will be returning next week. These are fun, informal get-togethers held in the Horse & Groom pub in Belgravia, around the corner from Brian Epstein's Chapel Street residence. The next meeting will be on Thursday, 18th January -- visit our events page for a map and further details.

Tuesday, 9th January 2007

Today, Royal Mail have launched a set of six new postage stamps featuring Beatles album sleeves. On Sunday, BBFC members went up to Abbey Road to help Royal Mail with their PR. Photos were taken of us walking across the Abbey Road crossing and posing with large cardboard blow-ups of the stamps outside of the Beatles Coffee Shop at St John's Wood tube station.

The stamps are proving to be incredibly popular and have generated lot of pre-orders from overseas, especially Canada, America, Japan, New Zealand and European countries.

© 2008 British Beatles Fan Club