BEATLES FOR SALE IS 50 YEARS OLD

Less than six months after the release of their third album and first soundtrack from their first movie,the Beatles were yet working again on their follow up album.Not really wanting to top the previous one but rather getting the job done with their creative instincts piling up like hard bounds on a local library.The Beatles never wanted to stop. They maintained their average of two albums per year release dates,a feat that was never equalled by any other band or artist in the past fifty years. Not at least in the sixties where rock music evolved at a fast and speedy rate.

Just like their sixth album,Rubber Soul which was released in late 1965,Beatles For Sale was released simultaneously with singles that was neither on the album."I Feel Fine" and its B side "She's A Woman" didn't appear on the album but did reached the christmas number one on the UK charts.

Back cover of the vinyl album,1964

The album is comprised of six cover versions and eight original compositions,most of which were penned by the band's main songwriting team of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Most of the cover versions done by the fab four here were songs from fifties rock legends whom the band had referred to as their prime influences.These songs were from Chuck Berry(Rock And Roll Music),Buddy Holly(Words Of Love),Carl Perkins(Honey Don't and Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby),and the Lieber and Stoller classic "Kansas City" merged with the Little Richard original "Hey Hey Hey Hey".

Unfortunately,the album was among the first seven that Capitol-the band's US distributor,failed to recognize its significance thus, failed to release the album and failed to follow with its original worldwide release in 1964.Instead,a butchered album with songs from this release combined with the side two of their previous album A Hard Day's Night was released under the name Beatles '65(though ironically released in 1964!).Some other leftovers from this album was compiled with other singles the band never issued and was released the following year as Beatles VI.Capitol has long been lambasted for butchering the band's first seven albums in the sixties without any clear explanation on the label's part.The Beatles were known for their disapproval of such album butchering and later released the butchered LP Yesterday And Today with its first cover photo highlighting the band on butcher suits,decapitated dolls and chunks of meat hence having the nickname "Butcher Cover".The said album itself is butchered as well,with songs coming from Help!,Rubber Soul and Revolver.

Beatles For Sale was officially released in the US as a real album in 1987 through the unification effort made by EMI,to avoid further confusions especially with the American fans.Having released worldwide in the sixties(except in the United States where it was considered as an import),the time has come that the albums were arranged by EMI by unifying the albums and hereby deleting the US versions as to avoid dubiety on which were the real albums made by the band themselves.The US versions,however were later released on box sets and individually as bootlegs.

Fifty years have passed and the Beatles remains a strong force in rock music,continues to influence younger musicians alike and made them form their own bands.The band's timeless appeal continues to soar with every classic album discovered by  aspiring young musicians or simply a young individual who loves real music.

Beatles For Sale track listing

1.No Reply (Lennon-McCartney)
2.I'm A Loser (Lennon-McCartney)
3.Baby's In Black (Lennon-McCartney)
4.Rock And Roll Music (Berry)
5.I'll Follow The Sun (Lennon-McCartney)
6.Mr Moonlight (Johnson)
7.Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey (Llieber-Stoller-Penniman)
8.Eight Days A Week (Lennon-McCartney)
9.Words Of Love (Holly)
10.Honey Don't (Perkins)
11.Every Little Thing (Lennon-McCartney)
12. I Don't Want To Spoil The Party (Lennon-McCartney)
13.What You're Doing (Lennon-McCartney)
14. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (Perkins)

*front and back cover photo by Robert Freeman

Beatles For Sale inner sleeve

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio


RELATED LINKS:

The Beatles Chronology

Abbey Road Marks 45th Anniversary

The Beatles' album Abbey Road released in 1969

  It was August 8,1969,four men who stood to be the biggest rock band the world has ever known for posed for several photos of what would be one of the greatest and most imitated album cover in the history of rock music.

The photo session took place at 11:30 in the morning,Scottish photographer Iain McMillan was invited by John Lennon to be the band's photographer at the time as the band decided to name their new album after the road where EMI studios is located.Lennon got to know McMillan through Yoko Ono whom he met in 1966.

McMillan took six photographs of the band crossing the road each with different phases,it was the fifth shot that was chosen to be the album cover.With its famous sleeve and awesome content,the album spawned classic rock hits that stood the test of time and would hit the number one spot on  the charts for several weeks.

Fast forward forty five years later,the Beatles,as we all know it became legendary for changing the course of both pop and rock music as they continue to inspire new generations of fans.A celebration to commemorate the event was organized by Richard Porter where a tribute band did the famous road crossing exactly the same time the photo sessions took place.

Let It Be Abbey Road commemorating the album's 45th(photo credit: Keith Moore)

Musician and friend Keith Moore was at the festivities and even took pictures of the said event describing it as the one with great atmosphere as fans from all over the world watched with awesome thrill that includes a sing-along with the West End tribute band Let It Be who managed to throw in a few songs.

That zebra crossing on Abbey Road,London became somewhat a shrine to Beatle followers and disciples alike where fans cross every hour and every day, but what makes August 8th 2014 so special is that four men dressed as the Beatles did a reenactment of the event at the exact same time the photo sessions took place forty five years ago.

The cast of Let It Be August 8,2014(photo credit:Keith Moore)

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

FAREWELL TO CANDLESTICK:A Personal Glimpse To Sir Paul McCartney's Au Revoir

August 14,2014--the whole crowd was eagerly waiting as we all bid farewell to Candlestick Park after 50 years of providing entertainment.No,this isn't your average every day rock concert,and what makes it a lot different is that we're making history once again.I'm pretty sure Sir Paul is somewhat sentimental too-being able to play with the Beatles at their very last concert at the said venue and now he's back here again to bid farewell,to take a last glimpse,before Candlestick itself will become history.

Been in the venue around early in the evening where security was a bit tight.With the cops warning the spectators not to take anything from the stadium as a souvenir otherwise will be penalized heavily.Being just an average kid,I settled on a $250 plus tax ticket from my hard forked money,I couldn't afford the best seats especially the VIP ones that costs thousands of dollars-what's this poor lad going to do?

Being on the upper part of the venue where you could hardly see Paul onstage,probably as small as ants to describe it but nevertheless could still feel the excitement and the audience screams with thrill as Paul tore the place apart.

I've been a Beatles fan since discovering them as a child back in the late eighties,first getting the original 13 albums plus Past Masters singles on cassette and later replacing them on CD formats.And no I wasn't around when the Beatles first shook the world back in the sixties but lord knows how much I love them and their music.I did managed to listen to other bands when I was growing up in the 90s but it was the Beatles where I kept on returning to over the fact that no other band on this earth has accomplished what they had,how awesome they ruled the charts and how many good songs they have written.

It's a bit of a shame that Candlestick Park had to be demolished to give way to a commercial center/retail development projects.Imagine how much history 'the Stick' has  got over the last fifty years.Looking at the huge screen that night Paul went onstage,I didn't see a 72 year old rock star but rather a young Beatle who is having his last concert  pre-empting the band's retirement from touring.I could hardly imagine how it felt that night of August 29th 1966 but then I was probably having the same excitement my dad and other folks who lived during that time.The concert's main highlights I would agree is the fireworks show during Live And Let Die.

Armed with nothing but my cellphone,I can say I am quite jealous at the people below especially those at the VIP seats.And it would all be embarassing to post a snapshot of the stage far away from where I am seated.

Among Paul's words at the venue were "Its sad to see this place closing down but we're going to close it with style".Perhaps going sentimental about playing the last gig with the Beatles and going back there the second around,this time to bid farewell to the venue that's about to end up in ruins.Considering that he didn't start the show right away with a video screen having a mixed collage of rock stars,some of them who died in the intervening years.

Though the gig is a part of Paul's tour promoting his new album,wittily titled NEW,the SF concert were filled with Beatles and Wings songs.Tunes that became standards and stood the test of time.

The concert came to an end around past midnight after the last encore,"Thank you, San Francisco, for being cool now and for being cool back then," as the closing remarks ending the concert and thus saying goodbye to Candlestick Park.One might not know what'll happen in the next fifty years but we all have our memories,memories that will last a lifetime.


(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

No Retirement For Sir Paulie

Sir Paul McCartney (photo credit:AP)

In the wake of Paul's illness last May made a lot of  people think on how he'll be handling his career considering his age and even advised him to retire from the music biz.Many tabloids published their concerns,though not all of them were good ones such as the one written on the cover page of Globe magazine which was a bit exaggerated saying that the 72 year old rock star was closed to death without anyone knowing it.

Though many people especially celebrities wanted that little 'privacy' to remain,we couldn't blame them or their spokespersons to use some white lies to protect their own privacy without hurting the feelings of their fans.

Ok,all of us will get old one day and you can't avoid the inevitable.Many bands and artists such as the Rolling Stones will be touring as long as they can handle it despite of old age.Though the spirit as the late George Harrison once said remained 'younger',one can't possibly avoid the physical changes the body must endure upon reaching the elderly stage.One example of that is Bob Weir who cancelled his shows with the Grateful Dead just recently.But one couldn't argue that amazing stamina they were enduring with the same touring and management pressures they've been handling way back to their heyday.Cool examples of that would be of Chuck Berry who still tours at great acclaim at 87 years old and James Brown who toured until his very last breath.

An interview with Rolling Stone last July 17 saw a healthy and eager Paul McCartney who obviously made no signs that he is on the brink of retiring.He even talked about his illness that prompted him to cancel his Asian shows,being able to rest a bit before going back to the road after recovering.When asked what he's been up to lately McCartney replied enthusiastically "Yeah, I've got a lot of songs that I've written, and some that I need to finish. There's no fixed date, but at the back of my mind, I'll be wanting to clear a few months for me to write up the most likely of the songs that I've got on the boil and figure out how I want to record them and what I want to do with them. But I haven't booked any studio time. It's all there as fun for the future".As the topic went a little more serious with Simon Levinson mentioning his friend Eric Clapton's plan for retirement Paul replied sounding rather melancholic,"I think that's the deciding factor. It would be a pity if Eric retires, because, shit, he really plays good! But he's that kind of guy, Eric. I can see him saying, 'I'm going to retire.' He's kind of a homebody in essence. We've talked about this before. I remember him joking about how I stand up for the whole show. He said, 'I sit down' That's a blues player thing. But he's just too good a player. I would say to him, 'Yeah, by all means, sit down, Eric. But don't retire'".One would notice Sir Paul's voice cracking up a bit especially when hitting higher notes but the fans still love it and he is in fact a Beatle and a genius,nobody cares just for the fact that he is there for all of us sending out love and us in return.

Many of the geniuses of rock music if not gone,are aging and most people couldn't even bare to see their idols all wrinkled up physically but nevertheless the adrenalin remains intact.Let's face the fact that music today isn't as good as it was twenty to fifty years ago and a lot of us were even hungry for the good songs to feed our soul.Perhaps the love for real music and the drive to stay longer is what our aging idols like Sir Paul McCartney has kept them all going.And most of all,its us the fans who pack their shows is what makes them feel so special and give them the thought that there's something more to live for.


(c) Keith Vernon Adagio


RELATED ARTICLES:

Eric Clapton On The Verge Of Retiring

Keith Richards:The Riffing Guv'nor

Paul McCartney Adds San Diego gig for Out There Tour

Sir Paul in the early days(photo:Harry Benson)

Paul McCartney just added the San Diego gig for his 2014 Out There tour set for September 28.It will  be his first concert in the city since the 1976 Wings Over America tour.Featuring his backing band for 10 plus years,Brian Ray and Rusty Anderson on guitars,Abe Laboriel Jr on drums and Paul Wickens on keyboards the Out There tour now has 20 stops in the US that highlights McCartney's new album NEW and featuring the greatest music from the last 50 years.

PAUL McCARTNEY
OUT THERE U.S. TOUR 2014
July 5: Albany, NY – Times Union Center
July 7: Pittsburgh, PA – Consol Energy Center
July 9: Chicago, IL – United Center
July 12: Fargo, ND – Fargodome
July 14: Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
July 16: Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
August 2: Minneapolis, MN – Target Field
August 5: Missoula, MT – Washington-Grizzly Stadium
August 7: Salt Lake City, UT – EnergySolutions Arena
August 10: Los Angeles, CA – Dodger Stadium
August 12: Phoenix, AZ – US Airways Center
August 14: San Francisco, CA – Candlestick Park
September 28: San Diego, CA — Petco Park
October 2: Lubbock, TX – United Spirit Arena
October 11: New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
October 13: Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
October 15: Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena
October 16: Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
October 25: Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
October 28: Louisville, KY – Yum! Center
October 30: Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum

Tour dates courtesy of Paul McCartney's website.

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

Ron Howard To Direct New Beatles Documentary

Ron Howard(photo credit:unknown)

Award winning director Ron Howard is set to make an authorized Beatles documentary highlighting the band's touring years from 1960 to their very last in 1966.The highly acclaimed director who is famous for such memorable films like Apollo 13, Coccoon,How The Grinch Stole Christmas and A Beautiful Mind which all earned him an Academy Award is also looking for people that might share their memories or even connections with the fab four during that period when rock music took a quick turn and changed the way we know it today.

Howard's message was:

"If you or someone you know has visual or audio materials that document the Beatles' live tours, we want to hear from you! We are looking for rare or unusual footage, photographs, and audio recordings, particularly those that highlight the fan experience -– what it was like to be a part of the frenzy.If you have materials you believe belong in this film, please contact us using the form below"

Beatles-Ron Howard Project


Apple Corps Ltd,White Horse Pictures and Imagine Entertainment will produce the yet untitled film.

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

Sir Paul McCartney Rocks Albany,Resumes Touring

McCartney rocks Albany,NY(photo by Associated Press)

After two months of touring hiatus due to an unexpected illness, Sir Paul McCartney went back to the stage July 5 at Times Union Center in Albany,NY.

Paul has 19 stops in the US most of which were rescheduled after the former Beatle postponed the June dates of his US tour to October.

The former Beatle was hospitalized in Tokyo last May prompting him to cancel the entire Asian leg of his tour that includes what would've been his first concert ever in South Korea.

Opening his set with "Eight Days A Week",Paul rocked Albany with 40 songs in his setlist under a three hour time frame.Some of the hits were Beatles classics that became regulars on his concert tours like "Hey Jude" and "Let It Be".His wife Nancy,is also in attendance where Paul dedicated the song "My Valentine" to her.With one new song on the set "On My Way To Work" wherein Paul took reference to his absence and even stating that the song was performed live for the very first time.

McCartney also paid tributes to his late bandmates John Lennon and George Harrison by singing "Here Today" and "Something" with the latter where he did his trademark ukelele intro and getting a full band rendition build up like what he first did 12 years ago at Concert For George.

And like some of his shows,he brought a couple onstage during the second encore where a man proposed to his girlfriend making the former Beatle the best matchmaker,yet.

McCartney also paid tribute to his friend and late rock musician Jimi Hendrix by doing an instrumental interlude of "Purple Haze".McCartney closed the show with three songs from the Abbey Road medley:Golden Slumbers,Carry That Weight and The End.

Last winter,Sir Paul marked the 50th anniversary of the Beatles coming to the United States along with former bandmate Ringo Starr who is also on the road this summer.His 2014 tour also include the historic farewell concert to Candlestick Park in San Francisco where the Beatles held their final concert back in 1966.

Paul McCartney's Albany Concert Set List:

1.Eight Days A Week
2.Save Us
3.All My Loving
4.Listen To What The Man Said
5.Let Me Roll It
6.Paperbackwriter
7.My Valentine
8.Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
9.The Long And Winding Road
10.Maybe Im Amazed
11.I've Just Seen A Face
12.On My Way To Work
13.We Can Work It Out
14.Another Day
15.And I Love Her
16.Blackbird
17.Here Today
18.New
19.Queenie Eye
20.Lady Madonna
21.All Together Now
22.Lovely Rita
23.Everybody Out There
24.Eleanor Rigby
25.Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite
26.Something
27.Obladi Oblada
28.Band On The Run
29.Back In The USSR
30.Let It Be
31.Live And Let Die
32.Hey Jude

Encore:

33.Day Tripper
34.Hi Hi Hi
35.Get Back

Encore 2:

36.Yesterday
37.When I'm Sixty Four
38.Golden Slumbers
39.Carry That Weight
40.The End




Paul McCartney Albany,NY (photo by AP)

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

 

Sir Paul resumes Out There 2014 tour

Out There Tour poster(courtesy of  McCartney site)

Sir Paul McCartney made an announcement via youtube regarding him going back on the road once again as his Out There tour is set to resume July 5 in Albany,NY. Paul stated about looking good and feeling great,referring to his condition after falling into illness and making an awesome recovery.With an added stop in Greensboro,NC set on October 30,McCartney is now set to rock the US with an air guitar gesture at the end of the video.

Sir Paul has cancelled the Asian leg of his tour last May after getting ill while on tour of Japan.McCartney has also postponed the June US dates and moved it instead on October.

PAUL McCARTNEY
'OUT THERE' U.S. TOUR 2014
July 5: Albany, NY – Times Union Center
July 7: Pittsburgh, PA – Consol Energy Center
July 9: Chicago, IL – United Center
July 12: Fargo, ND – Fargodome
July 14: Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
July 16: Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
August 2: Minneapolis, MN – Target Field
August 5: Missoula, MT – Washington-Grizzly Stadium
August 7: Salt Lake City, UT – EnergySolutions Arena
August 10: Los Angeles, CA – Dodger Stadium
August 12: Phoenix, AZ – US Airways Center
August 14: San Francisco, CA – Candlestick Park
October 2: Lubbock, TX – United Spirit Arena
October 11: New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
October 13: Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
October 15: Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena
October 16: Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
October 25: Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
October 28: Louisville, KY – Yum! Center
October 30: Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum

(tour dates courtesy of the McCartney site)

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

Beatles First Movie and Soundtrack Marks 50

July 6,2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' first movie A HARD DAY'S NIGHT in which the date of the filming marked its golden anniversary four months earlier.

Being the first of the fab four's five films,the movie highlights the day in the life of a rock n' roll band in which no film has ever done before.

The film starts with George,John and Ringo being chased by female fans with George even tripping and slumping straight into the sidewalk.The Beatles' acting debut marks the band into another level,thus,the film became one of the most influential in the history of rock music.

The movie captures the humor of being in a rock group ran by paranoid producers and mischievous family members.It also shows the life of handling fame while seeking personal joy amidst touring and management pressures.It shadows the Beatles as "prisoners" as it was pointed out by Paul's grandfather(played by Irish actor Wilfrid Brambell) during a train scene featuring a cameo appearance by Pattie Boyd who later became the wife of George Harrison.Such word was probably used to symbolize the price of fame wherein they no longer have privacy and were already considered to be public property.

1964 was when Beatlemania was at its peak,the lads has just conquered the United States and Elvis was practically overwhelmed with the sudden change in rock music with  bands on both sides of the Atlantic having a 'friendly competition' with one another.Nevertheless,the bands that came from across the pond were much stronger and they just couldn't stop coming--rock music has changed indeed and it became the standard the way we hear it today.

The title of both the song and film was inspired by Ringo's whining about being tired from working all day and night.With the beginning scene featuring the band being chased off by female fans,director Richard Lester captured the band as near as how they deal with their own personal lives though he stated on one interview that such exposure of one's own personal life is considered x-rated during that time-at least thats what an x-rating means back then.

Wilfrid Brambell played Paul's fictional "grandfather"

The film was not only known for its famous songs but also it introduced the world into British humor.Homegrown manufactured bands like the Monkees got the idea of a television show because of this movie.John Lennon and Paul McCartney were said to have written the title track and got it delivered in less than 24 hours.And the fact that the movie's soundtrack is the sole Beatles album that has songs that were written alone by the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership.Other albums by the band if not with covers included in it such as the early stuff,were filled with songs written by the latter half of George Harrison and Ringo Starr.A DVD/Blu Ray re-issue was released last June 24 containing loads of extras and a documentary made by director Richard Lester.

(photo right:Pattie Boyd who made a cameo appearance in the movie and later became Mrs George Harrison)

 

 

 

THE SOUNDTRACK:

The soundtrack album came out four days later after the film was released.The release pattern during that time was different with the UK/ worldwide release and the US release.The latter's release,however was with a different song lineup with only nine songs including "I'll Cry Instead" with the other five songs on the original side two removed to the band's surprise.In its replacement instead were the film scores that can be heard on the movie.The action taken by Capitol and United Artists wasn't taken kindly by the fab four especially Paul McCartney,considering that their US distributor has been altering their albums since the very beginning.Both albums in their respective formats went to number one on both sides of the Atlantic.


The original UK and worldwide release contains 13 songs,some of which were never sung on the film.

TRACK LISTING:
All tracks were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

1.A HARD DAY'S NIGHT
2.I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
3.IF I FELL
4.I'M HAPPY JUST TO DANCE WITH YOU
5.AND I LOVE HER
6.TELL ME WHY
7.CAN'T BUY ME LOVE
8.ANY TIME AT ALL
9.I'LL CRY INSTEAD
10.THINGS WE SAID TODAY
11.WHEN I GET HOME
12.YOU CAN'T DO THAT
13.I'LL BE BACK


The original 13 track lineup was released in the US on February 26,1987 through the unification effort made by EMI and the US version was hereby deleted to avoid confusions among Beatles fans.The latter version however,was reissued on both box sets,first on the Capitol albums Volume 1 and later on the re-issued US box sets celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Beatles arriving in America.


For my article about the story of the Beatles albums click here

US cover version

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

George's Legal Problems

George Harrison,1968(photo:AP)

In 1976,George Harrison was sued by Bright Tunes for an alleged plagiarism,citing similarities between his song "My Sweet Lord" which was included on his 1970 album All Things Must Pass and the Chiffons' "He's So Fine" which was written by Robert Mack.The lawsuit was actually passed five years earlier but it wasn't until 1976 when the court hearings started to proceed with music experts examining every detail between the two songs and Harrison attending the proceedings with guitar in hand,arguing the fact that the two songs were different from one another.

Harrison  lost the case and the sad thing is that he had to pay for the damages to none other than Allen Klein,who he was so eager to have as Beatles manager post-Epstein.Klein seemed to have double crossed Lennon,Harrison and Starr who backed him up during the Beatles' darkest hour in 1969 which eventually led to the band's breakup.With McCartney leaving the group,the other three ended up suing Klein as well which eventually led to the latter spending some time in prison for some things that he did anyway.


Here are the songs that were the subject of plagiarism on this topic,first let's listen to "My Sweet Lord" and later compare it  to the Chiffons' "He's So Fine" which was also posted below on this page:

And here's the Chiffons with "He's So Fine"

On that same year in 1976,George wrote and recorded "This Song" in which he made a parody of the court proceedings that he went through with his composition in which the judge ruled out that he subconsciously plagiarised it with another song.The song even has a music video which was way ahead of its time as MTV wasn't around until 1981.Complete with courtroom dramas with several of his friends helping him out like drummer Jim Keltner who played with all four ex-Beatles acting as the judge and Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones dressed in drag and acted as one of the juries.

Adding insult to injury,singer/comedian Jonathan King made a parody of both songs by singing "He's So Fine" set to the tune of "My Sweet Lord" complete with slide guitar and acoustic arrangements.His parody made loyal Beatles and Harrison fans uncomfortable....

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

THE MANAGER

2014 saw the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame having Brian Epstein and former Rolling Stones manager Andrew Oldham among its inductees.The first time a rock manager has ever been inducted on since the committee was founded over thirty years ago.The Hall of Fame is filled with controversy as it was criticized on different occassions regarding its eligibility and was questioned about some of the artists that were being nominated and inducted later on.

Brian Epstein's life is full of mystery and controversy itself,being the manager of the Beatles and a fact that he was a failure at acting and a disappointment at the army surprised his family on how he became a successful enterpreneur.

He was running his record store NEMS and was astonished when somebody asked him a record he had never heard of.The single was "My Bonnie" by Tony Sheridan which is also known to be one of the first recordings done by the Beatles as backing musicians to another artist.Epstein took pride in knowing the latest records at the time as his store was known to be the biggest in Northern England.He decided to go to the Cavern and check the band out.After having introduced himself,the Beatles were impressed by his personality that they agreed to be managed.

The first move was to kick Pete Best out of the band and have Ringo in his replacement and the Beatles were on their way. By the time Beatlemania was at its peak in the UK and later in the US,Epstein was enjoying a number of blind dates,nasal laughter and decided to rest in his laurels.He busied himself managing other bands and artists while the fab four conquered the entire world.

Brian Epstein was known to be gay though he didn't really came out of the closet during the peak of his career.Several rumors about his sexuality continued even after his death and that also includes a rumored possibility of having a relationship with John Lennon.Rumor goes that Epstein was attracted at first to Lennon,that prompted him to introduce himself to the band.Paul McCartney denied such accusations in an interview stressing the fact that there never was a relationship and that Lennon is purely heterosexual.

The pressures of being a manager took toll on him that he started having sleep disorders and was diagnosed with severe depression.Eric Andersen and the Cyrkle were among the artists that he managed across the pond with the former he spent a lot of time with in late 1966 and early 1967.Though he had a lot of boys and girls in his inner circle it was said that it was the Beatles where he kept returning to.Though he knew deep inside that his prime group is outgrowing him,a split with the fab four was said to have been mooted,but the band threatened to break up themselves than have that partition with him.

Epstein was said to have been hit the most when the Beatles decided to retire from playing live performances.Touring problems prompted the band to quit and it was decided that they'll just concentrate on the music they were making in the studio.Hurt and worried with the bleakness of the future,Epstein retreated further into drugs and several attempts to influence the fab four's musical direction often ended in humiliation especially at the hands of Lennon.


Brian Epstein died on August 27,1967 on an overdose of sleeping pills.He even went to a rehab a few weeks before he died,perhaps being stoned and depressed out of his mind that he managed to forget how many he should take,so he took them all.


BANDS AND SOLO ARTISTS UNDER BRIAN EPSTEIN'S MANAGEMENT

The Beatles (1963-1967,his death)

Cilla Black

The Fourmost

The Paramounts

The Big Three

Cliff Bennett And The Rebel Rousers

Gerry and the Pacemakers

The Cyrkle

Eric Andersen

The Rustiks

Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas

The Applejacks

The Moody Blues (1965-1967)

Cream (1966-1967,his death)- In partnership with Robert Stigwood

Bee Gees (1966-1967,his death)-In partnership with Robert Stigwood


(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

　

Sir Paul McCartney postpones June US dates

Sir Paul McCartney's Out There 2014 World Tour is set to resume on July 5 in Albany,NY.The following dates June 14-26 which was scheduled for Lubbock,Dallas,New Orleans,Atlanta,Jacksonville,Nashville and Louisville have all been moved to October.Though no update or announcement was made from his facebook page,it was his website that has set these rescheduled dates as rock sites Rolling Stone and UCR published the postponed dates to the disappointment of his fans.

Sir Paul was quoted to say "I’m sorry but it’s going to be a few more weeks before we get rocking in America again. I’m feeling great but taking my docs' advice to take it easy for just a few more days. Look forward to seeing you all soon.”  The former Beatle contracted a virus during the Asian leg of his World tour last May that prompted him to cancel his Japan and South Korea shows.

The following dates will go ahead as scheduled including the final concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco set on August 14 which is the venue where the final Beatles concert took place.

July 5: Albany, NY - Times Union Center
July 7: Pittsburgh, PA - Consol Energy Center
July 9: Chicago, IL - United Center
July 12: Fargo, ND - Fargodome
July 14: Lincoln, NE - Pinnacle Bank Arena
July 16: Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
August 2: Minneapolis, MN - Target Field
August 5: Missoula, MT - Washington-Grizzly Stadium
August 7: Salt Lake City, UT - EnergySolutions Arena
August 10: Los Angeles, CA - Dodger Stadium
August 12: Phoenix, AZ - US Airways Center
August 14: San Francisco, CA - Candlestick Park
Re-scheduled dates set for October (originally June 14-26)

October 2: Lubbock, TX - United Spirit Arena
(Re-scheduled from June 14)
October 11: New Orleans, LA - Smoothie King Center
(Re-scheduled from June 19)
October 13: Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
(Re-scheduled from June 16)
October 15: Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
(Re-scheduled from June 21)
October 16: Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
(Re-scheduled from June 25)
October 25: Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
(Re-scheduled from June 22)
October 28: Louisville, KY - Yum! Center
(Re-scheduled from June 26)

schedule dates courtesy of Paul McCartney's website.


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Sir Paul gets sick while on tour,cancels Japan shows

Paul McCartney bids farewell to Candlestick Park


(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

 

Sir Paul gets sick while on tour,cancels Japan shows

Paul's letter written in Japanese

Sir Paul McCartney went down with a virus while on tour of Japan for the Asian leg of his Out There World Tour.It was on May 17th and 18th that the former Beatle contracted a virus that prompted him to postpone and later cancel his Japan and Korea shows.

A  written statement on his facebook page were as follows:

Tokyo National Stadium shows to be postponed 18th & 19th May

Doctors have ordered Paul complete rest and he has been doing all he can to get better. Paul has only ever had to reschedule a handful of shows in his entire career and is so ups...et about this situation, he hates to let people down. This morning he told his staff he was going to try and perform tonight against doctors orders, but his team, along with the doctors, wouldn't allow it. He has been very moved by the fan's reactions and messages of love and support he has received in Japan.

Paul has instructed his team to look at rescheduling options.

Message from Paul:

"Thank you so much for your kind messages of support. I’m so very touched. Unfortunately my condition has not improved overnight. I was really hoping that I'd be feeling better today. I'm so disappointed and sorry to be letting my fans down.

Love,
Paul"

A letter(inset),written in Japanese was put out last May 18.Though there were rumors that his condition has worsen,it was confirmed later that he is currently admitted in a hospital in Japan with his publicist Perri Cohen assuring his fans that the former Beatle is expected to make a full recovery and is currently resting as his doctors have advised him to do so.

A statement from his website also read:

Since contracting a virus last week that led to the postponement of tour dates, Paul received successful medical treatment at a hospital in Tokyo.
He will make a complete recovery and has been ordered to take a few days rest.
Paul has been extremely moved by all the messages and well wishes he has received from fans all over the world.

The said illness also prompted Paul to cancel his show in Seoul,South Korea.This would've been his first Korean concert ifsoever.

Japan has been close to Paul's heart though it wasn't the first time that the former Beatle had experienced unforeseen events there.In 1966 during which the Beatles played at the Budokan,they were greeted with a protest coz the venue the band would be playing was considered as "sacred" by many.Budokan used to be a venue for judo and karate tournaments only before the Beatles performed there.Several other artists followed the band's footsteps and also performed at the said venue.

In 1980,Paul was detained in a Tokyo jail for bringing marijuana into Japan.The said arrest prompted him to cancel the Wings shows and was deported afterwards.Though he did a very successful concert tour of that country since 1990.

Poster from Paul's Out There Japan tour Nov 2013(from his site)

 

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

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Paul McCartney bids farewell to Candlestick Park

Paul finally confirmed the concert of the year in which he will do a farewell performance to Candlestick Park-the site in which the Beatles held their final concert on August 29,1966.

Candlestick Park has been the home of the 49ers until the end of the 2013 season and is set to be demolished after the team will move to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara,California.

The concert set on August 14 has finally put an end to rumors and speculations whether the Farewell to Candlestick concert will materialize or not.Several news about Paul planning a farewell concert to Candlestick Park came around months before the said confirmation,with McCartney even talking to San Francisco mayor Ed Lee about doing one historical event in rock music.

Forty eight years ago,Candlestick Park became the site where the Beatles held their final concert before retreating to the studio and retiring from touring.Six years ago,McCartney paid homage to Shea Stadium in New York where the Beatles were also famous for playing before the stadium was finally closed down and demolished.Now its Candlestick Park's turn where McCartney and the rest of the Beatles fans felt some what sentimental on what would be our final glimpse of the venue that once hosted the last Beatles concert.


(c) Keith Vernon Adagio



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The Last Concert

BEATLES 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: A MIXED REVIEW

The other half: Paul and Ringo performs

Last February 9th,a tv special was aired in honor of the Beatles' 50th anniversary of coming to the United States.It was aired in the same time the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show half a century ago as rock music took a turn in front of our very own eyes and was changed forever the way it was presented.

Though many were delighted seeing Paul and Ringo together again, a few of the performances have raised eyebrows on many who saw how each artists interpret the fab four's songs according to their own style.And one would say that some "tributes" made there were more sacrilegious instead of being respectful of Paul and Ringo's presence.Perhaps most of us would realize that none has ever done near as good as what the Beatles did back in the sixties.Let's face it,most of the interpretations there suck and one could  point  out  on what some artists were doing there,the ones that should be there and the ones that shouldn't.

Maroon 5 sticking to the original version as much as possible was quickly noticed and  we can say that Adam Levine and his buddies must be worried or scared of what Paul might think of their own rendition of "Ticket To Ride" and "All My Loving".No stranger to controversy,Levine was obviously overwhelmed by the fab twos presence.

Stevie Wonder,on the other hand,performed a 'funky' version of "We Can Work It Out" in which didn't fare well to some Beatles fans(including my facebook friends).But perhaps unknown to everyone,Stevie made a cover version of the song on his 1970 album Signed,Sealed and Delivered.Issued as a single,it even reached number 13 on the charts in 1971 and his latter day works probably made his rendition forgettable that most people especially non-fans must've heard his version for the first time.

Dhani Harrison was among the beatle kids who were in the party apart from Sean Lennon who chose not to perform.Together with Jeff Lynne,who also performed at 2002's Concert For George,plus another friend,former Eagles guitarists Joe Walsh drew the crowd's adoration with their own rendition of "Something".Though Walsh's hand was noticeably shaky when it comes to Harrison's trademark riffing,perhaps old age could be the reason,but nobody does it better than Marc Mann's own tribute,with his cool riffs and solo twelve years earlier at Concert For George.

New kid on the block Ed Sheeran performed an acoustic version of In My Life which turned out that the original version from the album Rubber Soul has always been the best version there is.

The show's diversity was so intense that the 50th special was filled with some people who shouldn't even be there,like what the hell are Katy Perry,John Legend and Alicia Keys doing in there?!!! Katy Perry's own rendition of "Yesterday" was noticeably the worst cover tribute ever done in the show.And some other rap artists like Pharrell Williams are a starking contrasts to the bands and guitarists who were there to pay their huge respects.Well at least the good thing is that some people outside the rock music genre were present and at  least got a little more respectable,I'm sorry but I was never a fan of rap and would never consider one as real music.For a person who does some "fast talkin" over a background of vinyl scratches and other people's music--it would be disrespectful and I would find it hard to digest if they will ever be called as musicians.

While we were on the "worst" and "dry" moments of the show,John Legend and Alicia Keys' own rendition of Let It Be can be ranked alongside with that of Katy Perry's-such worst renditions and performances would make you think if these artists really went there to pay respect to the Beatles or just to boost their own.As embarassing as it may sound,those "artists" shouldn't have been there.One would notice John Legend was obviously overwhelmed when Sir Paul took the stage and tore the place apart.Legend probably shook his head realizing that he is not worthy to be there.

Other tributes made were considered to be moderately,if not culturally diverge was that of Eurhythmics,whose own rendition of "The Fool On The Hill" made a one time reunion for Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox.Lennox,while we're on the subject fits just right into the song-not to mention  how she preferred her style of singing to shock and  scare some people by pretending to be out of her mind. I gotta admit her solo works and videos scared the shit out of me.

Dave Grohl and Jeff Lynne's "Hey Bulldog" was a full blast of adrenaline,it really made the others sheepish and humble.Grohl,who was a former drummer for Nirvana recently collaborated with  McCartney on the grammy award winner "Cut Me Some Slack".

Other artists on the "not bad" category  were John Mayer and Keith Urban with their own rendition of "Dont Let Me Down" with the original version and video clip preceding their tribute.Folk rock group Imagine Dragons pulled a surprising acoustic version of  Revolution.Though the track is a certified "electric guitar" song famous for its use of distortion,its nice to hear an acoustic version which was never issued or perhaps even thought by the fab four themselves.

So the time came when Paul and Ringo finally took the stage and proved that they were of no retirement material.The guys who paid tribute was obviously in awe and debased by the genius and timeless appeal of the Beatles.The fab two certainly made it clear that they're not gonna stop as with their peers in the Rolling Stones and other contemporaries who continue to mesmerize crowds fifty years after all these madness has started.

Everybody would agree with Ringo as the show's crowd charmer when he sang "Yellow Submarine" to the delight of the audience.And with Paul doing some serious rocker and finally "Hey Jude" which turned out to be the perfect closing song.

Though the show's overall aura was somewhat mixed,with some less talented artists joining in and turning out to be just an eye sore,its nice to know that Paul and Ringo was always there to save the day.

Fifty years ago,a group of young girls was holding a banner with the words Beatles Forever and yet nobody had imagined(at least at that time) that we'll still be singing their songs half a century later and that the band would still be a top seller.The Beatles had indeed changed everything from the way we listen  to our attitude towards life.


(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

The Beatles At The Ed Sullivan Show:How The Fab Four Changed Us 50 Years Later

The Beatles at the Ed Sullivan show(photo:Harry Benson)

Last January 26th saw the announcement of a tv special The Night That Changed America:A Grammy Salute To The Beatles made by Julia Roberts at the 56th Grammys as it highlights how the band changed and shaped American music.

Fifty years later,the Beatles were still at the top of their game,with Paul McCartney winning five grammys at the recent event and not bad for a 71 year old whose timeless appeal and charisma appealed to all generations of fans.

One couldn't imagine the moment Ed Sullivan called out the fab four on that night of February 9th 1964 and how much impact it would make half a century later.When the Beatles emerged with a song called "I Saw Her Standing There" the screaming audiences showing their adoration to the band defined a new generation--rock music has changed forever.

Well at least the screaming decibels at the studio is somehow controlled compared to their gig in Washington DC several days later.The Beatles,as we all know it,remains the world's bestseller when it comes to rock and popular music and their songs became staples of everyone who wanted to have a good vibe even in times of trouble.The band amazingly continues to mesmerize young generations of fans even those who weren't even born yet when Beatlemania is at its peak.The Beatles also inspired younger kids to pick up the guitar and form their very own bands.

Ed Sullivan grips Paul's trademark Hofner bass,1964

Everyone knows by far that such event will NEVER happen again,with a record number of 73 million tv viewers kept juvenile crimes off the streets of America.By the time the Beatles rode that train en route to their concert in Washington DC,the band could hardly hear themselves as their equipment were drowned by screams,mostly by pubescent girls,who couldn't get enough seeing their beloved rock band onstage.




A DVD of the Washington concert in its entirety should've been released last 2007 but was held back due to copyright claims made by both EMI and Apple Corps.Nobody knew then when will those footages will finally see the light of the day.The Miami gig,on the other hand,saw Ed Sullivan calling the lads again onstage after a three song set and gladly told them the admiration made by Richard Rodgers who openly admitted becoming a fan of both Lennon and McCartney and was in awe of their one of a kind songwriting.Rodgers,who was responsible for about 900 songs from 43 Broadway Musicals became famous for his compositions in partnerships with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein for such timeless classics such as The King And I and The Sound Of Music.

How much impact did the Beatles had on us? The band ruled the charts for a decade during their recording hey day and even after the band had broken up.Twenty five years after their dissolution the band continued to rule the charts in the 1990s with all the Anthology albums reaching the number one spot in the Billboard albums chart with younger competitions ranging from Pearl Jam to Mariah Carey,the band had proven that the material they had written were way beyond the sixties.Not to mention all their albums performed and sold well in the charts in both the US,the UK and the world  over and continues to appeal to music lovers decades after they were first issued.

Talk about how bands dressed themselves and later grew their hair, couldn't be thankful enough for the Beatles for starting such trend.A standard that most rock bands had settled as the decades went along--the hippiedom of the sixties,progressive rock/heavy metal of the seventies,hair metal of the eighties,alternative/grunge of the nineties and so on...Marilyn Manson once said that nineties rock music were ideas pasted on ideas pointing on how it all started in the sixties with the Beatles and other rock groups that soon followed.

Perhaps the most beautiful tribute came from Linda McCartney who being Paul's wife and being the other half that formed  the core of Wings said in the late seventies during the advent of punk rock, "I think the main reason the sixties kept on coming back is that there's nothing better in the interim".Probably pointing out to how bands kept on reinventing themselves but still sounding and giving reference to the rock music that started around the  sixties when the genre first evolved and a variety of styles flourished along with it.

 The Beatles remains a good role model for budding rock groups fifty years later,and their songs continue to inspire people that theres always a bright day ahead.John and George may have been gone while Paul and Ringo were both in the dawn of their lives yet the songs they have written continues to be with us,keeping and binding us together.

Fifty years have passed and the songs just keeps revising itself,giving a new life within.With all those footages,that night at the Ed Sullivan Show we can always look back,seeing a cheery and young Paul McCartney singing us the line "All my lovin' I will send to you..."



(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

PAUL AND RINGO ROCKS THE 56TH GRAMMYS

Paul and Ringo rocks the 56th Grammy Awards(photo:McCartney site)

Last January 26th everyone was treated with a spectacle when Paul and Ringo performed together for the 2014 Grammy Awards fulfilling what would've been a partial Beatles reunion.The award-giving body celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Beatlemania in the United States.The fab two was presented by Julia Roberts who also announced the Grammy tv special set to be aired on February 9 paying tribute to the Beatles' arrival in America.The tv special will be aired on the same night and time the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show 50 years ago on February 9th,1964.The tv special is titled "The Night That Changed America:A Grammy Salute To The Beatles"

Prior to the fab twos performance,Ringo sang "Photograph" after being introduced by his peers Ozzy Osbourne,Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler collectively known as Black Sabbath.The ceremony took place at Staples Center in Los Angeles and Paul and Ringo got together with "Queenie Eye",a song from Paul's recent album New.Paul was also honored an award recognizing the Beatles' contribution to popular music.The Beatles were also honored with Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award which was accepted by Ringo Starr.

PAUL WINS 5 GRAMMYS

With nothing more to prove considering his tremendous work with the Beatles,Wings and solo projects.McCartney still managed to win  five grammys both for his past and recent works.Being awarded by the Guinness Book Of Records as the most successful songwriter of all time,Paul won the Best Rock Song category for "Cut Me Some Slack" which he performed and co-wrote with Dave Grohl,Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear.The song had beaten songs from Paul's contemporaries and peers from the Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath who was also nominated with him.The song also gained recognition to the surviving members of Nirvana whom Paul had recently collaborated.

 
Paul also won for Best Box or Special Limited Edition Package for Wings Over America which was re-issued last year  and best surround album and Best music film for Live Kisses.

McCartney with the surviving members of Nirvana 56th Grammys

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

The Beatles conquers America!

We are fast approaching the 50th anniversary of one of  the biggest events of the 20th century: The Beatles conquering America with their awesome prowess and charisma,hereby changing the course of rock music forever.

The Beatles,as we may say it,is the most successful group not only in rock music but in the entire history of recorded sound.It was February 7,1964,four young lads from Liverpool got down at the JFK Airport with a number one single called "I Want To Hold Your Hand".The Beatles captivated the hearts of Americans and had set the trend for long haired rock groups and opened the door for other British bands,thus starting a full scale British Invasion of the United States.

 Bands like the Doors,the Young Rascals and the Beach Boys were among the homegrown rock groups that answered back to the ongoing invasion trend but it only proves that these bands from England were such overwhelming with the Beatles along with their manager Brian Epstein knowing with the materials they have written that they are gonna be bigger than Elvis Presley.

The Beatles first visit to the US has caused a pandemonium that is still unmatched up to this day.With the whole scene filmed exclusively by the Maysles Brothers, the band had the whole nation spellbound and kept juvenile crime off the streets for a while.

Hundreds of fans took vigil at the Plaza Hotel where the band had been staying.With two young girls even caught in the room where Paul McCartney has been staying.

Theres been a misconception that the Beatles topping the US charts with I Want To Hold Your Hand that the band were introduced into the world for the first time.Well the fact is,that the Beatles were already famous even before they set foot on American soil.Not to mention their success in the UK and other parts of the world.So it would be safer  and better to say that the US was the last frontier for the fab four.


THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW

The Beatles' first US visit was highlighted by three appearances at the Ed Sullivan Show:the first one in New York City,the second in Miami and the last one back again in NY.The show grossed millions of viewers across the country.America has never been the same.

The Beatles at the Ed Sullivan Show



The Ed Sullivan Show ran from 1948 to 1971

The Ed Sullivan Show ran for over 23 years from its first airing in 1948 to its final airing in 1971.The show was noted for the launch to stardom of several celebrities including Frank Sinatra in the late forties and Elvis in the mid 1950s.It also saw the rise of rock groups from the sixties and early seventies with the Beatles opening the door to a full scale British Invasion and thus inspiring local acts at the same time with the advent of the hippie counter-culture.

Though Sullivan has been in good terms with the fab four all throughout,his show was marred with controversy on the way he has dealt with other bands that soon followed the Beatles' footsteps.It was known that Sullivan was strict and spiteful when it comes to what was coming out of his show.Various stories about Sullivan's relationship with other rock bands surfaced,among them were the time when he censored the Rolling Stones' 1967 song "Let's Spend The Night Together",hereby changing the chorus lyrics to "let's spend some time together".Though the Stones kowtowed to Sullivan's wishes,Mick Jagger can be seen rolling his eyes as he sang that part of the song that was expurgated.Though the Rolling Stones made more appearances on the show before and after the said incident,perhaps the most notorious of them all were that of the Doors where the song Light My Fire was also censored when its lyric "Girl we couldnt get much higher" was asked by Sullivan to be changed instead to "girl we couldnt get much better" when sung live.Perhaps the former line was interpreted to be of a drug reference and being a wholesome show,Sullivan was probably worried of what that will do to his image.Though Jim Morrison said "yes" to Sullivan's wishes,he still sang that part that was forbidden for him,the result was a very angry Ed Sullivan banishing the Doors from his show for all eternity.

Sullivan later had that reputation of being autocratic and many other bands saw witness to that.



And  the Beatles did changed everything and told everyone to cut some slack,grow our hair and think of the good times.

One could see the significance of the Beatles changing the way rock music is presented and the way people will listen.

The Beatles' Capitol LPs issued on box set

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' first US visit,the Capitol albums were yet again reissued  on box set.Capitol Records was noted to have altered the original first seven albums and made more albums out of it for the American market.The said albums were issued before on box set with volumes 1 and 2.Though it is well know that the said albums never got the favor of the fab four themselves.Some Beatles experts say that the Beatles were robbed of their creativity when their US distributor literally butchered their first seven albums.The albums the fab four themselves molded according to their artistic visions.

The Beatles conquering America came full circle and the band is at the top of the world.And yes the US is the final frontier of the Beatles' career,as John Lennon have said "We were on the toppermost of the poppermost".

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio


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