Win tickets to Macca The Concert!

Enter today to win two tickets to the hot new show ‘Macca the Concert- Celebrating the Music of Paul McCartney'. Learn more about this fab show on the show's website and Facebook page.

The Prize

The British Beatles Fan Club, in conjunction with Joe Richardson Marketing, have two tickets to give away for this show at the tour locations and dates below:

• 13/01/2018 – New Theatre Oxford
• 17/01/2018 – New Victoria Theatre Woking
• 18/01/2018 – Sunderland Empire
• 01/03/2018 –Southport Theatre
• 23/03/2018 – Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone
• 28/03/2018 – Victoria Hall Stoke
• 29/03/2018 – New Wimbledon Theatre
• 08/04/2018 – Theatre Royal Glasgow
• 26/07/2018 – Princess Theatre Torquay

How to Enter

Entries must be received by midnight December 31, 2017.

Entries must include:

• Your name
• Your BBFC membership number
• Your contact details (email, phone number and postal address) 
• Answer to the following question: Which song on the list below is the first song Paul McCartney wrote?
• In Spite of All the Danger
• I lost My Little Girl
• Love Me Do

Send your entry by:

• Postcard to  BBFC Publishing, PO Box 1766, Croydon, CR9 1EN, or
• e-mail to bbfcpublishing@gmail.com.

Remember! Entries must reach us by 31^stDecember 2017.

How to Win

Winner will be picked at random and notified. The judge’s decision is final.

PLEASE NOTE THIS COMPETITION IS OPEN TO BBFC MAGAZINE SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.

Maximum Volume (George Martin Biography) On Sale now

Just in time for Christmas this excellent book (reviewed in our December Magazine next month) is now out and available for purchase.  It is a must read for Beatles fans who are looking for something new.

Buy Here

Help Support the transformation of Strawberry Field!

2nd November, 2017

• Inspirational choir records Beatles’ Strawberry Fields Forever at Abbey Road to launch campaign to tackle unemployment and isolation among young people with special needs
• Of one million people with learning difficulties in the UK, 93% are unemployed and 31% have no contact with family or friends
• The Salvation Army tackles issues within the learning-disabled community by re-opening former children’s home in Lennon’s Strawberry Field as a new training hub

LIVERPOOL, Thursday 2nd November – The Salvation Army today launches a public fundraising campaign to transform Strawberry Field – the former children’s home which inspired John Lennon’s Strawberry Fields Forever – into a training and work placement hub to support young people with learning disabilities.

The Church and Charity needs £2m funding to make this happen.

Over a million people in the UK have a learning disability* and only 7% of that number have a job. 31% have no contact with family or friends, according to research uncovered by the Church and Charity.

To mark the launch of the new campaign, 50 years since the original release of the 1967 classic Beatles song, a choir formed of young people with learning disabilities – all of whom could potentially benefit from the Army’s inspiring plans – gathered at the world-famous Abbey Road studios to create a special version of the iconic song, released online today. The choir was made up from a mix of students from The City of Liverpool College and young people who The Salvation Army work with.

Major Drew McCombe, Divisional Leader for The Salvation Army, North West, said: “Lennon grew up close to Strawberry Field, and gave generously to the home as soon as he got his first pay cheque. He also had a vision for it, expressed in the song, as a place where anybody, whatever their personal background and difficulties, could realise their dreams

“Strawberry Field has the potential to bring that vision to life; changing the lives of young people with learning disabilities, who find it difficult to find gainful employment, as well as encourage more projects similar across the UK. I hope our choir will not only raise awareness of these issues, but inspire people to take action to help create a better future for those affected.”

As a child, Lennon famously used to jump over the wall into the Strawberry Field grounds, where he would play with the children who lived there and listen to The Salvation Army band. He grew up just a stone’s throw away from the site in Woolton, Liverpool, which has lain unused for 12 years.

He remained a supporter of The Salvation Army, with a particular interest in Strawberry Field throughout his life, donating several thousands of pounds to the charity after the song’s release.
Paul O’Grady, supporter of The Salvation Army, said: “It is truly shocking to know the disadvantage that young people with learning disabilities face.

“I’m sure John Lennon would be smiling down on this project. As the song lyrics say, ‘Living is easy with eyes closed’ – hopefully this campaign will open people’s eyes so they see the many individuals living alongside us that aren’t being given the support they need to thrive and flourish.”

The Salvation Army is now calling on anyone interested in making a difference to the lives of these young people to help revive the iconic location through a £2m public fundraising campaign, which will allow Strawberry Field to open its doors to the public for the first time ever.

The inspirational choir was joined at Abbey Road by special guest photographer Mike McCartney, former front man of pop band The Scaffold and younger brother of Beatle Paul. He has been involved in the Strawberry Field project from its early days.

Mike said, “I wanted to capture the choir coming off the bus and walking across the famous zebra crossing, but they were on a mission – I almost missed them! They couldn’t wait to get to the studio and get in there. There was some apprehension in their faces, but it was special watching them grow in confidence throughout the day. In the end, they delivered the goods. It was a joyous day.”
Funds raised will create a training and work placement hub for young people with learning disabilities; a new, visitor experience on the place, the song and Lennon’s early life around Strawberry Field; and the development of a haven for spiritual exploration.

Please find below links to video content to support the campaign:

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• · Make it Matter (1:08 mins) -Hear from our choir as to why Strawberry Field matters to them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT96cp5NvOQ&index=2&list=PL7L42bBlNtlOPQ...

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• The Story Behind the Song (3:49 mins) -Follow our choir as they journey to London to rehearse and record Strawberry Fields Forever at Abbey Road Studios

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t3genXp2RY&index=1&list=PL7L42bBlNtlOPQ...

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• The Song (2:16 mins) - Listen to the song in its entirety

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1tHR3ovteM&index=3&list=PL7L42bBlNtlOPQ...

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• Jordan’s Story (2:36 mins) -Due to his dyspraxia, Jordan left school a shy and isolated teenager with a very unclear future. Since then, not only has he gone on to gain qualifications, he now has two jobs with big ambitions for the future. Beyond that, he’s become a treasured, conscientious member of his community and relishes in the fact that he’s able to give back. Jordan is true inspiration and testament to what young people with learning disabilities can achieve – a real success story of this project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugcmXSTuXCg&index=4&list=PL7L42bBlNtlOPQ...

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Further campaign information including hi-res images of the choir at Abbey Road Studios can be found here with the full press release.  You can also DONATE on this link.

TREMBLING WILBURYS AT THE CAVERN - SUNDAY OCT 29th

The Trembling Wilburys  are playing the Cavern in Liverpool this Sunday 29th October as special guests of Steve Rodgers (son of Paul, Free/Bad Company) who's currently on tour with his band promoting his debut album.


The Trembling Wilburys pay perfect homage to the Traveling Wilburys, the amazing supergroup formed by George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan and the recently departed Tom Petty (R.I.P.), with hits including ‘Handle With Care’ and ‘End Of The Line’ as well as numbers from their incredible solo catalogues plus Beatles & ELO songs. 


The original Wilburys never played live as Roy Orbison passed away shortly after the release of their debut album in 1988, but luckily the “Tremblers” can bring you their version of the show that never was. The band also features two of the closest look & sound-alikes of any tribute act, with Glen Knowler being the virtual living double of George Harrison, while Dave Collison perfectly captures Roy Orbison’s unique vocal range and style. Absolutely NO WIGS in this band, folks, just great musicianship and an incredible live show that will have you rocking in the aisles! Timings as follows:


8pm - Rosenblume (local act)
8.45 - Steve Rodgers band
9.45 - Trembling Wilburys


More info & tickets:
www.cavernclub.org/events/event/steve-rodgers/?date=2017-10-29

You are invited - Saturday Oct 21

Members of The Beatles Fan Club are invited to our author event:

Leslie Cavendish 

The Cutting Edge: The Story of the Beatles’ Hairdresser Who Defined an Era

The Beatles’ hair changed the world. As their increasingly wild, untamed manes grew, to the horror of parents everywhere, they set off a cultural revolution as the most tangible symbol of the Sixties’ psychedelic dream of peace, love and playful rebellion. In the midst of this epochal change was Leslie Cavendish, hairdresser to the Beatles and some of the greatest stars of the music and entertainment industry.

But just how did a fifteen-year-old Jewish school dropout from an undistinguished North London suburb, with no particular artistic talent or show­business connections, end up literally at the cutting edge of Sixties’ fashion in just four years? His story – honest, always entertaining and inspiring – parallels the meteoric rise of the Beatles themselves, and is no less astounding.

Saturday 21 October, 2:00-4:00pm at Idea Store Whitechapel

Book your free tickets here: cuttingedgeisw.eventbrite.co.uk

Help make it possible to visit Strawberry Fields

We have been asked to help spread the word about this contest that is being run by a group in Spain to help the project by the Salvation Army in the UK. See the two images below. One is about the contest and how to enter. The second explains the cause that it is in aid of.

Note: This contest is not affiliated with the BBFC.  We are just helping to get the word out. 
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Finding the Fourth Beatle by Dave Bedford - Get your copy!

We are excited to share this news of a new book out now by our "man in Liddypool", Dave Bedford.  If you have read his previous books, you will know why we are thrilled about this new release.

Read the press release by David himself which explains the book and contains instructions on how to get a copy.  Happy reading.

BIGGEST BEATLES MYSTERY SOLVED

Since the summer of 1962, Beatles fans have debated the topic of why The Beatles sacked Pete Best, and replaced him with Ringo. Since I first started writing about The Beatles, initially for the London Beatles Fan Club, and became part of the new British Beatles Fan Club as “Our Man in Liddypool”, this topic has fascinated me. In both of my books, “Liddypool” and “The Fab one hundred and Four”, I have examined this from every angle I could.

Following on from looking at all of the musicians who contributed to the evolution of The Beatles, my latest book is “Finding the Fourth Beatle”, with my friend Garry Popper, looking at every drummer who played with the group, from The Quarrymen in 1956, right up until 1970, and I have found 18 drummers! 

But more than that, I have succeeded in my quest to find out what really happened in August 1962. The most important revelation is: Pete Best was not sacked/dismissed by Brian or The Beatles!

I know that sounds incredible, and goes against what he have always understood, but it is true, and can be supported by evidence from an eyewitness who was closely involved in the saga. The whole book is written in a new and exciting style, where we have tested eyewitnesses and every account, with each claim supported by evidence. It will rewrite Beatles history as we know it on several topics.

Finding The Fourth Beatle - Book/ Album

The is the story of The Beatles from 1956-1970 told through the 18 drummers, including Colin Hanton, Pete Best and Jimmie Nicol, and some you will not have heard of before: The Beatles’ crises; changes of musical direction, getting a record deal, and finding the drummer who would put the beat into The Beatles: Ringo Starr, the Fourth Beatle. It is:

• The story of all the 18 drummers

• Those who could have joined The Beatles, but didn’t

• Expert analysis of the Beatles drummers by drummers

• Why Brian Epstein didn't sign the Beatles first contract

• Why The Beatles failed the Decca audition

• Proof of whether The Beatles were under contract or not at Parlophone in June 62?

• Who was asked to replace Pete Best before Ringo, and how and when Ringo was asked

• Why Ringo became the Fourth Beatle and inspired a generation of drummers

• Double CD of over 40 tracks by the drummers, plus the Decca audition, Parlophone audition and much more

The book is being issued as a limited, numbered and signed edition of only 1000 and are already going fast, even before we launched the pledgefund site! See the latest issue of the BBFC mag for more info on the story. 

To pre-order your copy, go to: https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/finding-the-fourth-beatle

Dave Bedford

“Our Man in Liddypool”