I Saw The Beatles – Episode 20 with Ruth McCartney (Part 2) 

Welcome back to episode 20 of I Saw The Beatles. This week is part 2 of our conversation with Ruth McCartney…step-sister to Sir Paul McCartney. Ruth talks about growing up within the McCartney family and how she adapted. For more information about Ruth McCartney, go to: www.McCartney.com

Source: I Saw The Beatles – Episode 20 with Ruth McCartney (Part 2) 

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Book Review: “Em & Moo: Legacy of a ’60s Female Rock Duo” by Kathy Bushnell


When I put out a request earlier this month for guests for my podcast, I Saw The Beatles, I got an email from Kathy Bushnell, the author of the recently published book – Em & Moo: Legacy of a ’60s Female Rock Duo. After recording a show with her, I was anxious to read her book!

Kathy calls her book a memoir and talks about her exciting life growing up in New York City and how a series of events, including seeing the Beatles play at Shea Stadium in August of 1965 inspired her to become a musician. But she didn’t just become a multi-instrumental talent, she went on to form her own female rock duo that toured Europe. Not just any rock duo, but the FIRST female rock duo in Britain.  Their band, Emily Muff, went on to open for such bands as Yes, Family, Steppenwolf and America and eventually played the Royal Albert Hall in London.

You would think this would be exciting enough to read about, but no. It’s her encounters with the Glimmer Twins – Mick Jagger and Keith Richards that makes her story even more dynamic. She first met Keith, Brian Jones and Bill Wyman when her brother helped sneak her into a bar in NYC when she was just 16. She would have run ins with the Rolling Stones several more times after she moved to London after she dropped out of college. And still, the stories don’t stop there…like when one of her flat mates in London tells her he just joined a new band and they’re going to call themselves…Yes!

The great stories never seem to end in this book. I couldn’t put it down. And I doubt too many other readers won’t have the same reaction. And for that reason…

I rate this book, 4 out of 4 Beetles!

 

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I Saw The Beatles – Episode 19 with Ruth McCartney (Part 1) 

Welcome back to episode 19 of I Saw The Beatles. This week is part 1 of our 2 part conversation with Ruth McCartney…step-sister to Sir Paul McCartney. Ruth talks about growing up within the McCartney family and the hysteria surrounding The Beatles. For more information about Ruth McCartney, go to: http://www.McCartney.com

Source: I Saw The Beatles – Episode 19 with Ruth McCartney (Part 1) 10/25 by I Saw The Beatles | Pop Culture

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I Saw The Beatles – Episode 18 with Angie McCartney 

Welcome back to episode 18 of I Saw The Beatles. This week I’m talking with Angie McCartney…step-mum to Sir Paul McCartney. Angie talks about marrying into the McCartney family and what that entailed for her and her 5 year old daughter Ruth. For more information about Angie McCartney or to order a copy of one of her books, go to: http://www.MrsMcCartneysTeas.com.

Source: I Saw The Beatles – Episode 18 with Angie McCartney

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Film: Mersey Boys by Girard Farrell

An adorable 10 minute film….

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I Saw The Beatles – Episode 17 with Dorrit Takach 

Welcome back to Episode 17 of I Saw The Beatles! At the tender age of just 12 years old, Dorrit Takach and her sixteen year old sister ventured into Baltimore, MD to see The Beatles concert on September 13, 1964.

Source: I Saw The Beatles – Episode 17 with Dorrit Takach 

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Book Review: “My Private Lennon” by Sibbie O’Sullivan

I need to be honest, I really wasn’t expecting much when I bought a copy of My Private Lennon: Explorations from a Fan Who Never Screamed by Sibbie O’Sullivan. I believe the book came up as a recommendation on Amazon while I was perusing other books. “Another fan book…”, I thought. But, it was only 165 pages long and was published February 17, 2020, making it current. Why not…I need to start reading and reviewing more books.

Reading this wasn’t like reading just another fan book. Yes, she and her friends talked endlessly about the Beatles. Yes, she had teen magazines about the Fab Four. And yes, she did see the Beatles during a dress rehearsal at the Ed Sullivan theater in August 1965, an event she has barely any memory of except for the photo she took of John Lennon on stage. And YES, this book is so much more than just another fan book.

Sibbie O’Sullivan weaves her personal life in with the stories of the Beatles, their wives and their own personal life choices. And she does it in a brutally honest way. She tells stories of the innocence of being a teenager to becoming sexually promiscuous, a shotgun wedding, divorce, friends, family, etc. She ties her stories in with the feelings of Cynthia, John & Yoko, but in a way to show how she can relate to what they must have been feeling at the time. Her stories are told so much deeper, more emotional and grown-up than other Beatle fan books that’s I’ve read. Honestly, and maybe it’s the voyeur in me, but I couldn’t put this books down. I even believe that if she had left the Beatles out of it, it still would be a great read. By the time I finish, I thought, “I hope she feels better now”. It’s a beautifully written memoir. And for that reason…

I rate this book, 4 out of 4 Beetles!

 

 

 

 

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I Saw The Beatles – Episode 16 with Madelyn Palley 

Welcome back to Episode 14 of I Saw The Beatles! This week’s special guest is Madelyn Palley who had the indescribable pleasure of interviewing The Beatles for Teen Magazine when she was just 16. Now she teaches a class on The Beatles and the British Invasion. Watch a quick video about her and the courses she teaches at Santa Barbara City College here.

Source: I Saw The Beatles – Episode 16 with Madelyn Palley 08/15 by I Saw The Beatles | Pop Culture

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Book Review: “Watch It Come Down” by Gregory Paul Martin

I have so many thoughts about why I bought Watch It Come Down by Gregory Paul Martin, and about the book itself, that this post may be longer than the book itself which comes in at just 85 pages.

Many of my readers will know who Gregory Martin is just by the name. For those who don’t, Greg is the first born son of Sir George Martin, producer of most of the Beatles’ albums and without whom we might never have heard of the Fab Four.

I informally met Greg Martin via Skype when he read my astrology chart for me. You see, Greg is a very well accomplished astrologer. At that time in 2013, I paid $120 for (I believe) a 30 minute reading that was very on point and well done. Whenever I got the chance, I would recommend him to friends, until about 2 years ago when I was told he was putting an end to his readings… but! I could still get one more reading for $1000 before he took his leave. That was way outside my budget for such things so I took a pass. 

I’ve been wondering what was up with Greg, especially after reading about the passing of his father in 2016 and the media frenzy over the fact that Greg was left out of his will. Well, last week Gregory Paul Martin turned up on my Facebook timeline when someone posted that he will be publishing an autobiography called Isn’t It A Pity in Spring 2021. Turns out Gregory also now has a Facebook page of his own, so I wasted no time in following him to find out when I’ll be able to get a copy to review for this site. I was informed…next year!

Poking around his Facebook and website, I came across this book, Watch It All Come Down: Human Consciousness, Astrology, and the Death and Rebirth of America published February 2019. My knowing him as an astrologer and having dabbled in it myself (I read my horoscopes daily), I felt intrigued and bought myself a copy.

At just 85 pages, I thought this book would be a quick afternoon read. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way and I picked it up and put it down for three days. You see, according to Gregory, the United States is about to go through a huge upheaval according to it’s astrological chart when Pluto makes its return to its natal position in 2019/2020. (And yes, countries do have their own charts…America was obviously born on July 4, 1776.) At the same time, Donald Trump will also be going through a rough time astrologically and together, a lot of the wrongs that the U.S. has built up over its lifetime will come crashing down. Think of a phoenix rising from the ashes of destruction and you’ll get the picture.

So why did it take me 3 days to read a 85 page book? Because Mr. Martin is brutal about his opinion of the U.S. and its citizens! In the first 35 pages of this book, he goes over everything America has done wrong especially when it comes to wars, capitalism and being a world power. And even though he may be right, he just keeps hammering away long after making his point. As an American, it’s tough to read without getting pissed off. The only consolation is the fact that he says there will a rebirth after we crash down and the dawning of a new day.

After I finally spent two days reading about how awful we Americans have been (and trust me, he never has a kind word to say) Gregory spends two chapters on the chart of Donald Trump, explaining why he is the way he is and why it will be his demise in 2019/2020. For anyone who dislikes Trump, you’ll love these chapters, though you may need a basic course in astrology to understand the terminology. The rest of the book is about human consciousness, the universe and astrology. It’s quite interesting and he does recommend several books to back up his theories, but I wasn’t too keen on his taking a shot at one of the astrologers that I follow. There are thousands of well-known astrologers in the world, so I was truly surprised when her name (and only her name) popped up!

Needless to say, I’m glad I read this book. Will you enjoy it? Depends on your view of astrology, metaphysics and American politics. Of course, I believe Gregory Martin would say, “It doesn’t depend on your view of any of that because it is going to happen! It’s in the stars.” 

P.S. – If you’d like to have an astrological chart reading by Gregory Paul Martin (and it still recommend him), you can book an appointment HERE. (and no…this is not a paid endorsement!)

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I Saw The Beatles – Episode 15 with Ivor Davis (pt 3) 

Welcome back to episode 15 of I Saw The Beatles! This week is third and final part of our conversation with reporter Ivor Davis who accompanied The Beatles on their tours of the United States in the mid 1960s and was with them when they met Elvis Presley in 1964. Check out Ivor’s book about his experience – The Beatles and Me On Tour

Source: I Saw The Beatles – Episode 15 with Ivor Davis (pt 3) 09/27 by I Saw The Beatles | Pop Culture

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