At NAMM 2017, I had the privilege to talk with John Hall, the CEO of Rickenbacker Guitars, about his father meeting the Beatles in 1964 and about presenting Paul McCartney with a custom left handed bass guitar.
Tag Archives: Paul McCartney
Book Review: “Not Dead Yet: The Memoir” by Phil Collins
Phil opens the book by saying that it contains his memories of the events in his life and they may not match other memories of the same events, but they are as honest as he remembers them. Apparently, his first wife has very different recollections of their time together because she’s currently suing him because his wholly false statements “not only seriously damaged my reputation, but have also caused me considerable distress,” she said. I thought he was very kind to all three of his ex-wives and his ex-girlfriend throughout the book and took on great responsibility for the demise of all his relationships…we he details greatly.
But his marriages aren’t why we’re interested in Phil Collins, is it? No, it’s the music. So much music! In fact, there are times when even he and his fellow Genesis members admit there was too much Phil Collins! But for Collins, it was built into his personality to never say no to a idea. That included working with such greats as George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Sting, Robert Plant, etc. And though the battle with McCartney isn’t contained in the book, you do get the sense that Phil doesn’t think to highly of him without coming right out and saying it.
Then there’s his acting career and all that wasted film laying on the cutting room floors. Read the book if you want to know more about all his almost great movies roles, including his appearance in “A Hard Day’s Night”. And for that reason…
I rate this book, 4 out of 4 Beetles!
Filed under Book Review
Ladies and Gentlemen…The Vals!
Maybe it’s just us Baby Boomers who are complaining, but where have all the good bands gone? What happened to the days when band members sat in studio corners and tour buses hashing out lyrics and cords for their next big hit? What happen to bands even playing their own instruments, singing their own songs and not relying on synthesized drums and auto-tune?
We were spoiled when the Beatles hit the scene and set the music industry straight when they insisted they write and sing their own songs! But somewhere in the past 50 years, this doesn’t seem that important to the people running the industry. Low costs and big profits are what they want. Let the fans download the songs…it saves them the cost of producing vinyl and CDs.
Add to all this the articles that have been put out over the past decade about the lack of good, quality opening acts for the touring rock bands. Even Ringo Starr has taken up the cause recently for smaller local bands, saying how the industry has made them actually pay to be an opening act (read the article here).
And who do I blame for this mess and lack of new talent? The media! Yes, the reporters who write about music…the Gillian Gaars, Matt Wilkinsons, Mikal Gilmores and Anthony DeCurtis‘ of the world! Where’s the beef, fellas? And I can’t leave myself out of this mess. As a blogger, I too have the power to introduce the world to new talent….
And on that note, I’m stepping up. Let me introduce you to The Vals with their “unashamed take on 60’s pop” and “comparisons to the days of Lennon, McCartney, Davies and Townsend”.
I was turned onto The Vals (from Belfast, Ireland) several years ago by Pat Matthews, owner of the internet radio station Beatlesarama!!! For readers who have been loyal followers of my blog since the beginning, I’m sure you remember me mentioning this band in the past. Two albums later, I still have hope that they will make their break into the U.S. market and bring with them the hope and inspiration that there are still bands out there with real talent, who write their own music, sing their own songs and play their own instruments! Bands like The Vals are our hope for the future of music…
I would have loved to have Skyped my interview with leader singer/songwriter Paul Doherty, but I don’t have a voice for radio. I’m going to leave the live interview to May Pang and Cynthia Neilson when the interview Paul on their show Dinner Specials with May Pang on Monday, October 17, 2016 at Noon (EDT).
Until then, here’s a short warm up interview as I ask Paul about The Vals’ history and their music…Enjoy! (Where it was possible, I linked songs to their respective videos that will open in a new window when you click on them). And check them out on iTunes.
1. The Vals website says there have been many changes in the group before it became the line-up that we see today. Can you tell us a little about the history of the group and about the name “The Vals”?
I suppose The Vals is my baby really. I have been writing songs for around 10 years and have been expressing these in a band format with friends for many years now. There have been lots of line-up changes. 25 in fact in the last number of years. I guess this is down to a number of things. With me writing the songs and music it can sometimes not be as rewarding for some musicians to play in terms of creativity or a lot of the times it might be too demanding. Sometimes also the style of music changes for an album maybe and it requires additional musicians or less. I have been very lucky to share the stage with some great musicians and continue to do so with the great band we have at the minute. Myself, Matt, Conor, Barry and Gavin have been playing some great shows of late and really nailing the sound that for years we found so hard to capture. Every show we play is like a really great night out and that’s how it should always be I think.The name of the band came from a friend of mine at a time when we were throwing ridiculous names around. One of the guys came up with ‘The Lords of Rhythm’ one day, that’s when I began to worry haha. I liked The Vals because it kind of harks back to a 60’s type band name in my mind.
I suppose The Vals is my baby really. I have been writing songs for around 10 years and have been expressing these in a band format with friends for many years now. There have been lots of line-up changes. 25 in fact in the last number of years. I guess this is down to a number of things. With me writing the songs and music it can sometimes not be as rewarding for some musicians to play in terms of creativity or a lot of the times it might be too demanding. Sometimes also the style of music changes for an album maybe and it requires additional musicians or less. I have been very lucky to share the stage with some great musicians and continue to do so with the great band we have at the minute. Myself, Matt, Conor, Barry and Gavin have been playing some great shows of late and really nailing the sound that for years we found so hard to capture. Every show we play is like a really great night out and that’s how it should always be I think.The name of the band came from a friend of mine at a time when we were throwing ridiculous names around. One of the guys came up with ‘The Lords of Rhythm’ one day, that’s when I began to worry haha. I liked The Vals because it kind of harks back to a 60’s type band name in my mind.
2. There’s no denying the heavy Beatles sound in your music. When did the Beatles become such a huge influence on your sound? And are all the members of the band Beatles’ fans?
It’s funny, I love the Beatles but when writing songs I don’t think about them at all. I think influences just flow out when songs are born and in my case some of my biggest influences are The Beatles and a lot of the songwriters around at that time. I also like making music that appeals to me. When recording songs I like to incorporate lots of Meletron, stringed instruments even some traditional Indian music which can all be referred back to the fab 4. Vocally I do go for the whole John Lennon vibe, but that is for 2 reasons really. One is the love of Lennon’s voice and how it stands out in tracks, I loved that. When I was just a kid I remember his voice drawing me into music on the radio one day, then I heard it again and the more I did the more curious I got about who the Beatles were. That’s where the love affair began!Secondly I use double tracking quite a lot because I’m not a particularly good singer. When we started out as a band no one wanted to sing so I was kind of forced into it with the intention that someone would come along and take over once we found someone. That hasn’t happened yet as you can tell! ha.All recordings are done in my little home studio, nothing flashy, just a little room out the back of my house. I have a special piece of equipment though in the studio which is a varispeed unit from Tittenhurst Park (John Lennon’s old home). This unit would speed tracks up when recording and was there when he recorded Imagine. It was later left for Ringo when he bought the house from John in the mid 70s. It’s really special having that in the room when I record.All the other guys are Beatles fans, some more than others. Some rehearsals are either filled with lengthy discussions about The Beatles recording or song writing techniques while others have us playing Beatles songs at length. For our upcoming tour we have added a special version of Strawberry Fields to the set!
It’s funny, I love the Beatles but when writing songs I don’t think about them at all. I think influences just flow out when songs are born and in my case some of my biggest influences are The Beatles and a lot of the songwriters around at that time. I also like making music that appeals to me. When recording songs I like to incorporate lots of Meletron, stringed instruments even some traditional Indian music which can all be referred back to the fab 4. Vocally I do go for the whole John Lennon vibe, but that is for 2 reasons really. One is the love of Lennon’s voice and how it stands out in tracks, I loved that. When I was just a kid I remember his voice drawing me into music on the radio one day, then I heard it again and the more I did the more curious I got about who the Beatles were. That’s where the love affair began!Secondly I use double tracking quite a lot because I’m not a particularly good singer. When we started out as a band no one wanted to sing so I was kind of forced into it with the intention that someone would come along and take over once we found someone. That hasn’t happened yet as you can tell! ha.All recordings are done in my little home studio, nothing flashy, just a little room out the back of my house. I have a special piece of equipment though in the studio which is a varispeed unit from Tittenhurst Park (John Lennon’s old home). This unit would speed tracks up when recording and was there when he recorded Imagine. It was later left for Ringo when he bought the house from John in the mid 70s. It’s really special having that in the room when I record.All the other guys are Beatles fans, some more than others. Some rehearsals are either filled with lengthy discussions about The Beatles recording or song writing techniques while others have us playing Beatles songs at length. For our upcoming tour we have added a special version of Strawberry Fields to the set!
3. In 2008, you organized Valfest in Belfast as a “Peace and Love music festival”. It attracted the attention of Yoko Ono, who sent you a personal note. How did she find out about your festival and have you had any further contact with her? Have you been able to share your music with her?
I have been very lucky to have some correspondence with Yoko, all through the wonders of the internet. When I organised the festival a few years back we had some great people on board. We had Henry McCullough who was with Paul McCartney and Wings plus we had Eric Bell who was a founding member of Irish band Thin Lizzy. Word just spread on the internet which was incredible and there was a message one day from Yoko. To say it was a surprise was an understatement. It came at a time where I was having a difficult time securing the venue etc and it was causing a lot of stress. Yoko’s kind words gave me a real lift and from then on everything just flowed and it was a very successful night in terms of money raised for the chosen charity and also the response we got from people attending. I would love to have another someday soon!
I have been very lucky to have some correspondence with Yoko, all through the wonders of the internet. When I organised the festival a few years back we had some great people on board. We had Henry McCullough who was with Paul McCartney and Wings plus we had Eric Bell who was a founding member of Irish band Thin Lizzy. Word just spread on the internet which was incredible and there was a message one day from Yoko. To say it was a surprise was an understatement. It came at a time where I was having a difficult time securing the venue etc and it was causing a lot of stress. Yoko’s kind words gave me a real lift and from then on everything just flowed and it was a very successful night in terms of money raised for the chosen charity and also the response we got from people attending. I would love to have another someday soon!
4. The first track on your amazing first LP (Sticks and Stones) is titled “Too Many People”, the same name as a popular McCartney tune from his Ram album. Coincidence?
I discovered RAM very late and got a surprise when I saw this title. No one ever believes me though ha. I really love this song now but it didn’t have any influence on our track. This is one of the McCartney songs that could have slotted onto a great Beatles record in my opinion. Love it!The Sticks and Stones album kind of has that whole live jibe about it as we recorded the whole thing in 3 days in Germany. I remember I kept saying if the Beatles can do it in a day we can do it in 3!
I discovered RAM very late and got a surprise when I saw this title. No one ever believes me though ha. I really love this song now but it didn’t have any influence on our track. This is one of the McCartney songs that could have slotted onto a great Beatles record in my opinion. Love it!The Sticks and Stones album kind of has that whole live jibe about it as we recorded the whole thing in 3 days in Germany. I remember I kept saying if the Beatles can do it in a day we can do it in 3!
5. Have The Vals had the honor of playing Liverpool’s Cavern Club? If so, when? And tell us what it was like?
Yes we have, many years ago. Twice actually in 2006 and in 2007. It was a fantastic experience. We took everything in and really embraced all aspects of the Beatles story while in Liverpool. It’s great being in a place steeped with so much history and full of likeminded people who love The Beatles. When we walked in we were all in awe of the place and how it looked. I remember binging on the Beatles anthology shows prior to going. I would recommend anyone to visit who is a fan, you won’t be disappointed. I was also very lucky to play in Hamburg a number of times and play in the famous Indra club. When we were on tour recently, myself and Steve Cradock from Paul Weller’s band were allowed into the basement of the Indra by a friend of ours and seen all the graffiti on the wall that the Beatles left during their time there. It was very special.
Yes we have, many years ago. Twice actually in 2006 and in 2007. It was a fantastic experience. We took everything in and really embraced all aspects of the Beatles story while in Liverpool. It’s great being in a place steeped with so much history and full of likeminded people who love The Beatles. When we walked in we were all in awe of the place and how it looked. I remember binging on the Beatles anthology shows prior to going. I would recommend anyone to visit who is a fan, you won’t be disappointed. I was also very lucky to play in Hamburg a number of times and play in the famous Indra club. When we were on tour recently, myself and Steve Cradock from Paul Weller’s band were allowed into the basement of the Indra by a friend of ours and seen all the graffiti on the wall that the Beatles left during their time there. It was very special.
6. Your website says that in 2011 you collaborated up with Henry McCullough (famous for his 2 year stint playing with Wings and his guitar solo on McCartney’s ballad “My Love”). How did you meet Henry? And how much influence did he have on the song “Look To The One”?
The Vals played some shows with Henry around 2010 and during then we got chatting, got on really well and talked about the possibility of recording something together. I sent Henry a demo of a song called ‘Look to the One’ and much to my surprise he rang me telling me how much he really liked it. We hired a studio in Belfast and recorded Henry’s tracks in one day. I was blown away by how motivated he was in getting the right harmony to sing on the track and finding the right guitar solo that fitted. This was a guy who did it all with the likes of Paul McCartney but yet he had the time to make music with us local lads and was really loving every minute of it. When Henry finished his parts he came downstairs and patted me on the back and said ‘Great song Paul, that’ll be a hit on the radio’. I felt about 10 feet tall and started to well up. It was a lot coming from someone like Henry. He was right; the song did wonders on radio all over and to this day still does. I put that done to Henry sprinkling his magic on the song.That day in the studio and the other occasions we were together will live long in my memory along with the old Wings stories, his musical knowledge and just the aura he had about him. He was kind, funny and an unassuming legend in my eyes. I loved that when we asked him what his favourite music was he said: ‘It all’. I learned a lot from Henry.7. Tell us the backstory about your Ode to football/soccer, “Pickepackevoll”…
Arnd, a good friend of ours has a very popular football TV show in Germany. We got talking about the show and I went away and wrote Pickepackevoll which is a segment of the show which is very well known where players score funny own goals or gaffes. We went on the show and played it live on national television. It was also used to raise money for a charity aligned with the famous football team Werder Bremen. Arnd brought us into the stadium to watch a game prior to the tv show and they played it in front of all the fans. It was one of the best experiences ever hearing it played in the stadium. Will never forget it. We were touring in Germany around the time of release and had people singing it back to us each night. Diversity is good sometimes!8. The Vals second album, Wildflower Way, was another great album with a very heavy Fab Four feeling to it the songs. But, the song “Suzie Reaches For The Sky” stands out in my mind along with the video that goes along with it. What was the influence for the song?
This is a song that everyone asks what does it mean or who is Suzie ha. Much to peoples amazement it is actually a song about a dog that lived in our street when I was a kid. It was a small dog but used to climb up on the small roof of the owner’s house and bark at soldiers as they passed (Belfast in the 1980s / 90s). I kind of took that idea and worked with it but it kind of took a different direction with the rest of the lyrics so I can see how people can’t see the whole dog story within ha. It has that whole 50’s vibe in places too which I love and grew up listening too. We always enjoy playing this live.9. The Vals have toured extensively, especially doing festivals throughout Europe? What countries have you played in? Do you have a favorite country/festival to play at?
We have been very lucky to play in lots of countries around Europe and take in a lot of experiences of both the audiences there and different cities / towns. It’s hard to pinpoint a favourite country / festival but favourite tour would definitely be a tour we did of Europe with Paul Weller. Paul is a real legend and just being around him and watching him perform every night was amazing. The venues for each were incredible: from the Admiralpalast in Germany to the Bataclan in Paris. We had a little stall after each show selling records and cds and loved chatting to people from each country and making a real connection with them.The festival we enjoyed most recently was the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival at home here in Belfast where we played alongside our heroes The Zombies! Those guys are incredible and were a joy to be around. That show will live long in the memory.
The Vals played some shows with Henry around 2010 and during then we got chatting, got on really well and talked about the possibility of recording something together. I sent Henry a demo of a song called ‘Look to the One’ and much to my surprise he rang me telling me how much he really liked it. We hired a studio in Belfast and recorded Henry’s tracks in one day. I was blown away by how motivated he was in getting the right harmony to sing on the track and finding the right guitar solo that fitted. This was a guy who did it all with the likes of Paul McCartney but yet he had the time to make music with us local lads and was really loving every minute of it. When Henry finished his parts he came downstairs and patted me on the back and said ‘Great song Paul, that’ll be a hit on the radio’. I felt about 10 feet tall and started to well up. It was a lot coming from someone like Henry. He was right; the song did wonders on radio all over and to this day still does. I put that done to Henry sprinkling his magic on the song.That day in the studio and the other occasions we were together will live long in my memory along with the old Wings stories, his musical knowledge and just the aura he had about him. He was kind, funny and an unassuming legend in my eyes. I loved that when we asked him what his favourite music was he said: ‘It all’. I learned a lot from Henry.7. Tell us the backstory about your Ode to football/soccer, “Pickepackevoll”…
Arnd, a good friend of ours has a very popular football TV show in Germany. We got talking about the show and I went away and wrote Pickepackevoll which is a segment of the show which is very well known where players score funny own goals or gaffes. We went on the show and played it live on national television. It was also used to raise money for a charity aligned with the famous football team Werder Bremen. Arnd brought us into the stadium to watch a game prior to the tv show and they played it in front of all the fans. It was one of the best experiences ever hearing it played in the stadium. Will never forget it. We were touring in Germany around the time of release and had people singing it back to us each night. Diversity is good sometimes!8. The Vals second album, Wildflower Way, was another great album with a very heavy Fab Four feeling to it the songs. But, the song “Suzie Reaches For The Sky” stands out in my mind along with the video that goes along with it. What was the influence for the song?
This is a song that everyone asks what does it mean or who is Suzie ha. Much to peoples amazement it is actually a song about a dog that lived in our street when I was a kid. It was a small dog but used to climb up on the small roof of the owner’s house and bark at soldiers as they passed (Belfast in the 1980s / 90s). I kind of took that idea and worked with it but it kind of took a different direction with the rest of the lyrics so I can see how people can’t see the whole dog story within ha. It has that whole 50’s vibe in places too which I love and grew up listening too. We always enjoy playing this live.9. The Vals have toured extensively, especially doing festivals throughout Europe? What countries have you played in? Do you have a favorite country/festival to play at?
We have been very lucky to play in lots of countries around Europe and take in a lot of experiences of both the audiences there and different cities / towns. It’s hard to pinpoint a favourite country / festival but favourite tour would definitely be a tour we did of Europe with Paul Weller. Paul is a real legend and just being around him and watching him perform every night was amazing. The venues for each were incredible: from the Admiralpalast in Germany to the Bataclan in Paris. We had a little stall after each show selling records and cds and loved chatting to people from each country and making a real connection with them.The festival we enjoyed most recently was the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival at home here in Belfast where we played alongside our heroes The Zombies! Those guys are incredible and were a joy to be around. That show will live long in the memory.
10. In what country would you say get the best reaction and have the biggest fan base?
I don’t think we have an overly big fan base but I think we are very lucky in having people who enjoy our music spread across the world. This is very humbling. In Germany we have had some really cool experience playing to millions on television there and playing some really great shows. Everytime we go there we get a great reception and it has become a second home almost.
11. Over the years, I’ve expressed to you several times (at least once a year), how much I would love if The Vals came to the U.S. to do a tour so I can see you live and share you with my friends. What’s holding you back from coming? And what do you need to happen to actually make the trip?
It’s always been a dream to come to the U.S. and play. There was an offer to come to New York many years ago which fell through but it is something that is on the list of things we want to do. All we need is a flight to get us there and venue who are willing to have us play. I hope we can sort something real soon!
12. What’s on the horizon for The Vals? And when can we expect a new album?
As mentioned I have built a little studio now so I really hope that I can start putting music out a lot more frequently. Without exaggerating I have collated about 100 songs which I am dying to record so I will have my hands full in the next while. The hope is to have something new out really soon. The songs all vary in style and sound so it always keeps things interesting. I really want to keep rolling songs and albums out as much as possible and continue to play live for as long as possible. It keeps me going.
For more information on The Vals, visit their homepage. You can also follow Paul Doherty on Facebook and Twitter.
To buy/download their music, go to iTunes.
Filed under Ladies and Gentlemen..., The Vals
Book Review: “Linda McCartney’s Sixties: Portrait of an Era”
I’m really not one for picture or coffee table books. Maybe it’s because I hate dusting and because I’m not a Beatles collector. But, I do like my Beatles books, so I thought I’d thumb through this. It was surprising to me that this wasn’t just a picture book filled with Linda’s photos and quick captions. She tells about how she met each band or singer, her time with them, where the photos were taken and tidbits about the friendships she developed along the way. I also found it interesting when she talked about her techniques for taking the photos.
I was also genuinely surprise at the who’s who list of 60’s artists that she met and photographed prior to meeting Paul McCartney and the Beatles. Jimi Hendrix, Janice Joplin, The Who, The Mamas & the Papas, Ray Charles, etc. And yes, she does talk about when and how she met Paul McCartney and includes with the story her photographs of the Beatles. In the last pages, are included several intimate, sweet, portraits of Paul with their daughters Mary and Heather.
I don’t know if my neighbor remembered that she had put a newspaper clipping in this book of Linda McCartney’s obituary. Just knowing that Linda has passed makes this book almost heartbreaking to take in while reading her words and stories. Still, it’s a great legacy to leave the rest of us Beatles fans. I think it’s a great book for those who, like myself, have never really gotten to know who Miss Eastman was before she became Mrs. McCartney. And for that reason…
I rate this book, 4 out of 4 Beetles!
You can find used hardcover copies of this book on Amazon for under $10 and paperbacks on Half.com for under $5.
Filed under Linda McCartney
Guest Book Review: “Paul McCartney: The Life” by Philip Norman
Today’s review is from one of my very talented musician friends, and another Beatles freak – Nik Everett. You can follow Nik on Facebook here.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This new outing offers few revelations into the life of Paul McCartney but much personal detail with scant references to his music as if Norman appears afraid to discuss music nor cares to know nothing about it. One must remember he was the author of the best selling Beatle bio, “Shout!” and was savage in his treatment of McCartney showing bias in favor of John Lennon often also at the expense of George and Ringo. In “The Life” Norman appears to redeem himself and puts Paul into a fairer light acknowledging his contributions to The Beatles not only musically but the cultural with McCartney’s immersion into the avant garde and the hippy underground. That foray brought many of the innovations and sounds to The Beatles psychedelic years starting with “Revolver” through “Magical Mystery Tour.” Norman also brings into focus his subject’s work ethnic. It is likely that “Revolver” until the last album, “Abbey Road” would have never happened without his creativity and drive. McCartney was The Beatles’ greatest cheerleader. And as innovative as the Fab Four were in the studio, they got along best during their club and touring years thus, the book covers that well from Liverpool to Hamburg then conquering America and the world. The book also does reveal the often touching relationship Paul had with his father the amateur musician, Jim.
Norman takes us on the all too familiar journey through the Beatles breakup, meeting Linda, forming Wings with the tensions of revolving members, Paul’s complicated relationships with John and George, his business savvy and MPL empire, the philanthropy, his children, the eventual triumph and worldwide success of Wings, the infamous Japanese pot bust, the Wings breakup, Linda’s tragic death and the solo years leading up a return to touring that continues to this day.
The final act spends too many pages on his marriage to Heather Mills but it’s nice to have a bio that takes us up to modern times. As implied earlier, the book helps secure McCartney as a shrewd businessman and PR man who happens to be a musical genius with a still restless, creative soul in his seventies and is surprisingly normal as one of the most famous men on earth can be.
Nik Everett singer/songwriter
Filed under Book Review, Paul McCartney
Lisztomania vs. Beatlemania
It’s the battle of all battles…the 19th century vs. the 20th century! It’s Franz Liszt vs. The Beatles! It’s Lisztomania vs. Beatlemania. Who drove more women to fits of passion? Who wore their hair longer? Who caused the biggest mob scene? Well, the truth of the matter is they both did and the similarities are remarkable…
Lisztomania – coined on April 25, 1844 by journalist Heinrich Heine in an article he wrote about the upcoming concert season in Paris. It was actually considered a medical condition!
Beatlemania – the term was coined on October 21, 1963 for a feature story by Vincent Mulchrone in The Daily Mail with the headline “This Beatlemania”.
Franz Liszt was born in Hungary on October 22, 1811, a century before the Beatles were even born. By age 9, he was said to be a child prodigy. His father withdrew him from school and set out to find the best piano teachers in Europe to take his son as their student. In 1822, at 11 years old, Liszt gave his first public concert in Vienna. His performance was awarded with a kiss on the forehead by Ludwig Von Beethoven.
- The Beatles were not quite as young as Liszt when they got their start. The original Fab Four, as they joined the band, were teenagers when they started out. John Lennon was 16 when he created his band The Quarrymen in Liverpool, John met Paul in July 1957 when Paul was 15 and George Harrison joined the band in a year later after having just turned 15.
- The American music critic, James Huneker has been quoted as in the 1880’s saying that he could inspect the chairs after a Liszt concert and be able to tell where the women sat!
- Comparatively, in 1963, The Beatles concert in the town of Kingston upon Hull, the manger of the Regal theater was quoted as saying, “they’d cleared away 40 pairs of abandoned knickers at the cinema” after the show.
- Franz Liszt was one of the first famed musicians to wear his hair longer than was considered acceptable in the mid-1800’s. It was customary during his time for composers/musicians such as Bach, Beethoven and Mozart to wear wigs. Instead, Liszt just wore his natural blond hair at shoulder length. This didn’t go unnoticed by the press at the time, with such quotes as “But what struck the Russians most was his great mane of blond hair, reaching almost down to his shoulders. No Russian would have dared to wear his hair in such a style…” by composer Vladimir Stasov, and The Musical World wrote in 1867 – “Even the unmistakably grizzling, though still thick, long flowing hair, which the scissors of the Tonsure have not dared to touch, detract but little from the heart-entrancing charm of his unusual individuality” in the Musical Opinion & Music Trade Review (April 1, 1886) “...His head is crowned by exceptionally luxuriant, long gray hairs, now well nigh white.” In 2011, on Liszt’s 200th birthday, the Toronto Star described Franz Liszt as “…a dashing Hungarian pianist with long, flowing hair who could make his audiences swoon before he had played a single note.”
- Though The Beatles’ long hair was never questioned in Europe, during their first American press conference in the U.S. at JFK airport, the Beatles were asked five questions concerning their long hair: “Does all that hair help you sing?”, “You feel like Sampson? If you lost your hair, you’d lose what you have? ‘It’?”, “How many of you are bald, that you have to wear those wigs?”, “Aren’t you afraid of what the American Barbers Association is going to think of you?”, and “Listen, I got a question here. Are you going to get a haircut at all while you’re here?” The gained the nickname MopTops and Beatles wigs were soon on the shelves for all the fans that wanted to look like them.
- Liszt’s valet, Spiridion, is rumored to have sold the hairs he combed from his master’s head to female admirers.
- The Beatles fan club secretary, Freda Kelly, mailed locks of the Fab Four’s hair clippings to fans that would make such a request.
- On January 4, 1840, after performing at the National Theatre in Pest, Hungary, Liszt exited the venue and found a crowd of young fans with flaming torches filling the square and shouting “Eljen! Eljen!” (Hurrah! Hurrah!). After sitting in his horse-drawn coach for several minutes, but unable to move through the crowd, Franz said, “I can’t stand this any longer. Let’s get out and stop behaving like aristocrats in our coach!” He then walked among his fans to his hotel, but they would not disperse until well after midnight after he had appeared twice on his balcony.
- Due to the crushing mobs of fans, The Beatles rarely ever exited their limousines without large amounts of security, as seen here in 1964 at the Futurist Theatre in Scarborough, UK.
- Franz Liszt’s fan collected his half-smoked cigar butts and one fan was even to have said to have worn one in a small locket around her neck. Another Lisztomaniac excitedly picked up and proceeded to finish smoking a still burning cigar butt that Liszt had thrown to the ground, wallowing in every puff. At another recital, “When he asked for a glass of water and put it down without draining it, the delirious beauties in the hall rushed forward at the end of the recital, picked up the glass and pressed it to their lips so as to quell their passion by taking a sip of the water he had left.”
- Beatles fans clamored to clippings from the shirts of the Fab Four that they gave to Freda Kelly to distribute to fan club members. They also collected clippings from the hotel bed linens that JPGR had slept upon while touring.
- Liszt was quite the rebel in his day when it came to playing and composing music. He refused to follow the rules and customs of the time when it came to writing and performing. At one performance, he said, they needed to bring in a second and third piano because his raucous playing would quickly cause the pianos to go out of tune.
- When George Martin first took on the job as the producer for the Beatles, he was astonished at their technique when it came to playing and creating their sound. Because none of them were formally trained in music, they developed new and unheard of styles of creating the sound they wanted. At first, Martin wanted to correct them, but he soon realized that it was their lack of musical education that made them so unique.
- Liszt fan’s wore cameos with his portrait. After one concert, he bragged that 50 portraits of himself had been sold in 24 hours!
- Beatles fans wore “I Love The Beatles” buttons and no one can ever imagine how many pictures of the Beatles have been sold.
- In June 1863, Liszt moved into the monastery of Madonna del Rosario at Monte Mario. The Vatican took advantage of having a celebrity living among them and frequently asked Franz to play charity concerts to raise money for their various events.
- In February 1968, the Fab Four went to Rishikesh, India, to study Transcendental Meditation at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. They were soon to find out that the Yogi wanted 25% of their next album’s profits to be tithed into his Swiss bank account.
So there you have it, a few of the many of the similarities of a 19th century classical composer and that of the greatest rock band of the 20th century. Can anyone say who had a greater impact on their fans? Given the limited media available to Franz Liszt (no TV or radio), he did quite well making the women of Europe swoon at the very mention of his name. And the very mention of the Beatles or the showing or their image, can still make both young and older women’s hearts beat a little faster.
I’m going to call this contest a draw! Both are winners…
And speaking of winners, if you’ve made it this far, leave a comment in this post and you’ll be entered to win a $5 Amazon gift card! The winner will be announced in my next blog post on July 17th.
Filed under beatlemania
Concert Review: James McCartney at World Cafè Live in Wilmington, DE
Last Friday, June 10th, my husband (CigarCraig) and I made our way down to Wilmington, DE to see James McCartney perform at the World Cafè Live at the Queen. This was our second time seeing James live at this venue and we were really looking forward to this show after being so impressed the first time! He’s touring in support of his new album, The Blackberry Train
Let me preface this review by saying that my initial plan was to review this show for my usual Sunday review post earlier this week, but I had to go with a book review instead because I couldn’t decide whether or not I really wanted to voice my opinion on this show or not. James McCartney fans…you’ve been warned!
This venue is a cafè/restaurant that accommodates 100 seated or 200 standing patrons. From the looks of it, I don’t believe it was even half full with seated patrons. And, wanting to know if he was just having an off night, the next day, I looked into seeing James perform again at The Saint in Asbury Park and there were still tickets available for that show at a venue that holds 175 patrons. I decided not to go…
James was running late, so the opening act was delayed 30 minutes. Not a problem, as most people were still enjoying their dinners and it’s most annoying to have to deal with wait staff while trying to watch a show. When James finally appeared, he seemed rushed, as one might assume, as he hurried about the stage setting up his own amp, pedals and 3 guitars. Kudos to him for doing this. One would think that the son of one of the most recognizable and riches men on earth would insist on a road crew.
About 2-3 songs into the show, I took a piece of paper and a pen out of my purse and wrote, “He’s phoning this in!” on a note to my husband. In his usual stoic manner, James seemed to rush through each song as he read his playlist off the back of his CD! Honestly, the guitars were too loud and overpowering for his vocals (yet he asked the guy as the sound board several times to turn up the monitors, mic and reverb). I just couldn’t understand why he was giving such a disappointing performance. My answer came by way of a friend after the show when she said, “I think this is therapy for him.” With this, I decided to hold off on my judgment of this show until after listening to the new CD.
The CD turned out to be so much better than the live performance. As was stated by my friend, it seems to be James’ way of dealing with his demons, as there are at least 3 or more drug references that I heard in the songs. Still, the songs are good and I did let it spin three times on the CD player in my car before finally putting it away.
But this brings up the question: Does an artist dealing with his own personal issues need to be given a pass on a bad performance? After finishing his last song, there was no encore…he just threw on his backpack and left the stage, only to return a couple minutes later and say he had CDs and t-shirts for sale. I asked if he would be staying in town for the night or going on to Asbury Park. He said he was staying and I said, “Wilmington’s not very exciting, you’d have a better time in Asbury Park.” His response was a very serious, “Do I not look excited?” Uh…then my husband took the picture. Does he look excited to you?
And for that reason…
I give this concert: 1 out of 4 Beetles!
Filed under Concert Review
Book Review: “From Me to You” by Kelly Marie Thompson and Garry Berman
The story is about two penpals, one in New Jersey and one in Liverpool, UK, who begin writing to each other as part of a high school project. Maggie, living in Liverpool, introduces Ricky, in New Jersey, to the music of the Beatles by sending him 45 rpms before anyone in the U.S. has even heard of the band. As Beatlemania grows, so does their friendship. The book takes you through their ever growing friendship up until the day it’s announced that the Beatles are splitting up in 1970. But will their friendship last? That’s the big question!
What makes this story even more interesting is that the two authors, Garry Berman and Kelly Thompson, met on the internet in a writer’s group. They both like each other’s style of writing so much that they soon started co-writing projects via email, including their original hilarious six episode sitcom Barkers Upon Tyne (currently available as an ebook)
As I said, I think this would be a great book for a young teen girl, but for adults I would recommend getting the $2.99 Kindle
Filed under Beatles books, Fan Fiction
Book Review: “Fire and Rain: The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY, and the Lost Story of 1970” by David Browne
One of the hardest things to understand about this book is that the way the book starts, is the way if flows until the end. There really is no climax. But after several chapters, that becomes alright.
The book gives a brief set up to the creation of extraordinary careers of The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, before telling their musical highs and lows of 1970. Each of the bands seemed to cross paths along the way, with many of them seeming to mirror what the others were doing, including the dissolution of The Beatles, the break-up of CSNY and the drifting apart of Simon & Garfunkel. David Browne walks you through it all, season by season, from each artists successful album releases that year, through their feuds and to their final demise.
Author David Browne also provides the political back-drop at the time to help the readers who were too young or not born yet to understand the socio-economic changes that were not only successful musicians of the time, but also influencing the beginning of the new decade, including Vietnam, Nixon and the riot at Kent State.
This book was good, but it did leave me wondering if similar books could be written about 1971, 1972 or 1973? And for that reason…
I rate this book, 3 out of 4 Beetles!
You can buy a used copy of this book for $0.01 on Amazon!
Filed under Beatles books, Book Review
Book Review: “Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink” by Elvis Costello
Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink
But there are other problems too. Mr. Costello loves to tell you of his family history, just not in one or two neat and tidy chapters. He likes to digress throughout the book, never letting his reader know at any given moment what decade they may end up in whether it be with his great grandparents or parents or someplace else in time. I could almost swear that several times, he flashed back and never came back to the original story he had started telling.
Still, some the stories he tells of the artists he’s worked with are truly amazing. He sings the praises of working with Johnny and June Cash, Burt Bacharach, Allen Toussaint and so many others. (Note: Oddly, I got to the part about his working with Allen Toussaint the day after Allen passed away. Cue Twilight Zone music.) Elvis worships his father and tells the heartbreaking story of his passing within days of the untimely death of his wife (Elvis’ stepmother). And yes, he talks about working with Paul McCartney, but I was surprised that it wasn’t with as much gusto as I would have expected.
Unless you’re an over the top Elvis Costello fan that has followed his every move from the very beginning of his career, don’t plan on this being a fast read. Sit back and just enjoy the storytelling. And for that reason…
I rate this book, 3 out of 4 Beetles!
Filed under Book Review
Beatles-Freak's Reviews 