Move over, Ms L!

Hi all, wondering why you are looking at this jumbled up page? This is due to the fact that Facebook didn't like our url since it starts with wog, so we have been forced to move the blog. This was some time ago, and we have placed a script which would automatically send you to our new location. Obviously, this hasn't worked for all of you, since we have just finished moderating some of your comments which appeared on this site recently, and not on our new (and improved!) site. So what we're saying is head on over to our new site, and update your bookmarks!

Wednesday 30 August 2017

Friday 25 August 2017

Beatles premonition in Superman comic book

Superman #177, published May, 1965 featuring Beatles lyrics from 1968!
Never am I more happy than when I can combine my love for The Beatles with my love for the Superman comic books. Today, I happened to stumble upon a curiosity within the pages of the Superman comic book #177 from May 1965.
Half pages with gags featuring a character called "Casey The Cop", made by Henry Boltinoff were used as filler material in comic books from DC. This particular one feature, in the last frame of the strip, the name of the Beatles' white album ("The Beatles") as well as a couple of lyrics from the album's track "Revolution #9", namely "Twist" and "The Watusi".


Thank you for your attention, now back to our regular programme. Or, check out our other posts about Superman - Beatles connections.

Thursday 24 August 2017

Paul's new single and album wikileaked?

Paul McCartney - new single and album soon?
There was a bit of a commotion last night, as the French Wikipedia page of Paul McCartney suddenly contained news about a new single called "A Life of Mercy", coming out on Monday August 28, and that the new studio album will be called "In The Universe and Beyond". Furthermore, the page said that two of Paul's collaborators on the new album will be Australian singer-songwriter Sia and the American musician, Beck.
Apparently, the Wikipedia contributor is a reliable one, still we can't help taking this piece of news with a grain of salt. The news was first spread on the Steve Hoffman music forum, and then reported on Richard Porter's blog, as far as we can tell. Further edits of the Wikipedia page inserted Denny Laine appearing on the new single, singing it as a duet with Paul, however that edit was not done by a regular contributor.
Of course, last time we checked - all these new edits were removed from said Wikipedia page.

Source: French Wikipedia

Thursday 10 August 2017

The Danilo calendars

Beatles Official Calendar 2018 - Yellow Submarine edition
Photos of the official Beatles calendars for 2018 from Danilo have been published, regular and special edition versions. The regular, poster-sized calendar is already available in the U.S. and has a Yellow Submarine theme, the special (square) edition has some 1968 photos, but from the supplied photos, one month features a Norway/Sweden 1968 record sleeve with a 1966 photo. Due out September 1 in USA, September 15 in the UK.

Here are some photos of the The Beatles Official 2018 Calendar A3 Poster Format (available from August 1, 2017 in USA, August 15 in the UK):

January 2018

June 2018
The back of the calendar.
And here is the The Beatles Collector's Edition Official 2018 Calendar - Square Format With Record Sleeve Cover Calendar, due to be available from September 1, 2017.
The front is made to look like an inner sleeve.
July features this Swedish record sleeve

January: a mad day out photo
Year overview: still photo from the Revolution video
Back cover

Links:
Amazon (USA)
Amazon (UK)

See also our post with the unofficial calendars.

Monday 7 August 2017

Ringo - recorded in Sweden

One of the songs on "Give More Love" was recorded in Sweden!
Turns out, one of the tracks on Ringo Starr's upcoming CD was recorded in Sweden!

You Can’t Fight Lightning composed by Richard Starkey himself and performed by Ringo alongside Alberta Cross.

Track produced and arranged by Petter Ericson Stakee and Peter R Ericson
Engineers: Viktor Buck and Fred Appelvist
Recorded at Fred´s Kitchen Studios in Stockholm

Ringo Starr: Vocals
Guitar, backing vocals and percussion: Petter Ericson Stakee
Guitar and lap steel: Matthew Pynn
Drums and percussion:Fredrik Aspelin
Bass guitar: Erik MacQueen
Piano and Hammond Organ:Pete Remm
Backing vocals: Viktor Buck and Peter R.Ericson

This info courtesy of our friend Arno Guzek from Denmark. We don't know anything else about the recording, and suggest that Ringo may have "phoned in" his contribution, as we have had no report of the drummer visiting Sweden since performing there in 2011.

Of course, the original recording of "You Can't Fight Lightening" was done for Ringo's planned 1981 album, "Can't Fight Lightening" and the lightening struck Richy and girlfriend Barbara Bach, who he was later to marry. Ringo had enlisted help from his former bandmates John, Paul and George, but after Lennon was murdered, the album was severely altered, The song "You Cant Fight Lightening" and several others were removed, and the album was eventually released as "Stop and Smell The Roses". "You Cant Fight Lightening" remained unreleased for the next 13 years, until it was included as one of several bonus tracks when "Stop and Smell The Roses" was given a U.S. CD release in 1994.

Ringo has already released a couple of the songs from his upcoming album. Here's "We’re On The Road Again" where Paul McCartney contributes on bass guitar and some vocals near the end:


The title track "Give More Love" is available as a single download, and also available through streaming services like Spotify.

Amazon (USA) links:
Give More Love CD (out Sep 15)
Give More Love LP (out Sep 22)

Amazon (UK) links:
Give More Love CD (out Sep 15)
Give More Love LP (out Aug 22) (probably a mistake by Amazon)

Wednesday 2 August 2017

Harry Benson's book republished

Harry Benson: The Beatles
Beatles photographer, Glasgow-born Harry Benson's book, previously out-of-print, is made available again at a cheaper price. This re-edition brings back the best of Benson’s luminous black and white Beatles portfolio. Complemented by quotes and newspaper clippings from the period, an introduction by the photographer himself adds exciting personal testimony to the photos.

It was in early 1964, that photographer Harry Benson received a call from the photo editor of London’s Daily Express, who asked him to cover The Beatles’ trip to Paris. It was the beginning of a career-defining relationship, which would both make Benson’s name and produce some of the most intimate photographs ever taken of The Beatles.

In Paris, Benson captured the Fab Four in the midst of a pillow fight at the George V Hotel, a spontaneous moment which came to epitomize the spirit of the band — Benson himself has called it the best shot of his career. Later that year, he followed the group on the road for their debut US tour, documenting their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, their surprising encounter with Cassius Clay, and the hysteria of New York Beatlemania. Benson also photographed George Harrison’s honeymoon in Barbados, documented the Beatles on the set of their debut movie A Hard Day’s Night, and was present on the now infamous final 1966 U.S. tour.

Harry Benson has photographed every US President since Eisenhower, the Civil Rights movement, and was next to Robert Kennedy when he was assassinated. As well as The Beatles, he has shot some of the biggest personalities of the last 50 years, including Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor and Her Majesty The Queen. In 2009, he was made Commander of the British Empire (CBE).

Details:
Harry Benson. The Beatles
Hardcover, 22.4 x 31.6 cm, 272 pages

ISBN 978-3-8365-5767-2
Multilingual Edition: English, French, German

This new edition is priced at £ 29.99 / € 29.99, whereas the original edition was available for £ 44.99 / € 49.99. Available now from Taschen.