Christmas with the Beatles

One of our members, Alan Millen, has several contributions on our Fan Art page including this song which we added to the page a few years ago.  However, the tune is catchy and we thought we'd dust it off and share it again. Thanks Alan for sharing!

December Magazine is out!

Issue 64 of our quarterly magazine is out now for your holiday reading. If you are a member, it is in the post. Non members can order a copy from our website here.

Issue 64 (December 2017) includes:

Editorial The Beatles A Day In The Life Media Watch Coming Up-Forthcoming Events On the Bus with The Beatles The Beatles NOT For Sale Magical Mystery Tour...50 years on The Decca Auditions; Part 1 The Beatles and their cars Paperback Writers Beatles Boots Try Some, Buy Some-New Releases Harry Nilsson and The Beatles Crap Photo of the Month

EX-BEATLE TO MAKE ACTING DEBUT!

______________________________________________

 

Former Beatles drummer, Pete Best, is to play himself in a brand new comedy stage production called, Lennon's Banjo.  Written by Rob Fennah, the show is about a quest to find the holy grail of pop memorabilia - the first instrument John Lennon learned to play which has been missing for 60 years and now worth millions to whoever finds it.

 

Set in present day Liverpool, the stage play is based on the novel 'Julia's Banjo' by Rob Fennah and Helen A Jones.

 

Pete said: "I read the novel 'Julia's Banjo' some years ago and thought it was a great mix of fact and fiction with regards to the Beatles and the elusive banjo. It made me smile; a really enjoyable read. So, when speaking to Rob Fennah about the book becoming a stage play, I said in passing, 'I should play me!' And low and behold, here I am doing a few of the performances.  I would have loved to have done all of them but prior commitments made that impossible. Anyway, either with me, or the actor playing me, this show is going to be great fun!"

 

Rob Fennah, added: “As a huge Beatles’ fan, I was gobsmacked when Pete said he wanted to do it. Having a real life Beatle up there on stage is going to be a fantastic buzz, not just for those fortunate enough to get tickets for the shows Pete is performing in, but for the whole cast and crew. As for the play itself, I have matched the story to historical reality including dates, places and events. I want everyone to enjoy their romp through Beatledom and come out of the theatre believing, as I do, that the banjo is still out there somewhere just waiting to be found. It's The Beatles meets The Da Vinci Code!”

 

Pete Best's confirmed performance dates will be Wednesday 25^th April 2.30pm and 7.30pm and Saturday 5^th May at 7.30pm.

 

Lennon’s Banjo – one of the most hotly-anticipated new plays of 2018 - will premiere at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre next spring.

 

Produced by Pulse Records Ltd in association with Bill Elms, Lennon’s Banjo will open at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre on Tuesday 24 April 2018 for a two-week run, continuing through until Saturday 5 May.

 

Directed by Mark Heller, Lennon’s Banjo stars Eric Potts, Jake Abraham, Mark Moraghan, Stephanie Dooley, Lynn Francis and Roy Carruthers, with more cast to be announced soon.

 

On 9 October 1957, a young John Lennon turned 17. It was the last birthday he would spend with his mother, Julia, who was killed the following summer in a road traffic accident. 2018 marks the 60th anniversary of Julia's death and the banjo's disappearance.

 

It is well documented that Lennon was estranged from his parents and brought up by his Aunt Mimi. He said in many of his interviews: “I lost my mother twice. Once when I was five-years-old when she left me with my Aunt Mimi, and again at 17 when she was run over by a drunken off-duty police officer.”

 

It was Julia Lennon who introduced John to the world of pop music, teaching him to play rock and roll on a banjo, given to her by John's grandfather. Lennon often recounted how he would sneak off to visit his mum who lived only a few miles away. There, he would learn to play songs like ‘That’ll Be The Day’. He has been quoted as saying: “Mum would sit there with endless patience until I managed to work out all the chords.”

 

Mysteriously, the banjo went missing shortly after Julia Lennon’s death and no-one has set eyes on it since. One thing is certain though, if it did resurface it is estimated to be worth in the region of five million pounds.

 

“The intrigue and mystery surrounding Lennon’s missing banjo, and the logic that it could be sitting in somebody’s attic right now, has the potential to make headlines around the world. The story crosses over beautifully from fiction to fact and back again to tease and tantalise you into believing every word is true.” Trinity Mirror

 

So where do the facts end and the fiction begin? Everything will be revealed in this intriguing, colourful and fast-paced comic caper starring a talented cast of actors.

 

Watch the Promo Video here  https://youtu.be/ddpVnRStAmo   

 

For more info visit www.lennonsbanjo.com

 

Twitter @LennonsBanjo #FindTheBanjo

Facebook/LennonsBanjo

 

LISTING INFORMATION

LENNON’S BANJO

Epstein Theatre
Tue 24 April – Sat 5 May 2018
Tickets from £16

Group Rates Available

 

HOW TO BOOK

Tickets are on sale now. 

 

EPSTEIN THEATRE

ONLINE: www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk

CALL: 0844 888 4411

IN PERSON: Hanover Street, Liverpool, L1 3DZ |Mon-Thu 2pm-6pm, Fri & Sat 12pm-6pm

TICKETQUARTER
ONLINE: www.ticketquarter.co.uk

CALL: 0844 8000 410

IN PERSON: Echo Arena Box Office, Kings Dock, Liverpool, L3 4FP | 12noon on Echo Arena event days, and from 9am - 6pm on Fridays.

New Book Review: ASTRID KIRCHHERR WITH THE BEATLES

ASTRID KIRCHHERR WITH THE BEATLES
Damiani Books ISBN 978-88-6208-574-8
Price: £22.50

The photographs of Astrid Kirchherr are legendary.

Capturing pictures of an unknown band called The Beatles during their stint in Hamburg between 1960 and 1962, these pictures proved to be the best set of images of The Beatles during this period and have been published many times in various books and magazines.

This book, however, goes further than these images. The story of how Astrid came to take the Hamburg photographs has been documented many times. What is less known, and written about, is her time with The Beatles after they made it to stardom.

Some of the most interesting pictures are from a 1963 holiday in Tenerife which Astrid attended with the boys.

Another lesser known fact is that Astrid was invited to the filming of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ in 1964, and the book has some excellent photographs from the set of the film. Astrid handed these negatives to Max Scheler for a magazine feature, and many of her photographs were incorrectly attributed to him. Ulf Kruger, Astrid’s manager, later rectified this error.

After working on the film, Astrid and Max took a tour of Liverpool, and there are some brilliant photographs capturing life in the city in 1964.

The book is a wonderful collection of Astrid’s work, and whilst there have been more extensive books on Astrid’s work, particularly by Genesis Publications, this book is an excellent collection and more affordable for most Beatles fans.

~Ernie Sutton

New Black Friday discount available for members

Sonic Editions, a company created to make limited edition high quality fine art photographic prints affordable for the first time, who works with some of the world’s best photographers and picture archives are offering limited edition gallery quality music photography of the greatest musicians, film stars, cult heroes and cultural icons from only £79 framed (€119/$129). 

They've just added previous unseen Beatles pictures, and have arranged with the BBFC to offer a 10% discount from Friday November 24 through Monday November 27th.

The photos on sale are shots are from the recording of "The Music of Lennon and McCartney" Tv Show in 1965.You can have a look at the gallery here: http://bit.ly/2hHtdPs

 

To take advantage of the discount use the code “blackfridaybeatles" at the checkout stage of your purchase.

 

 

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