THE MAYSLES BROTHERS:Reality TV Pioneers

The Beatles,being the greatest rock band in the planet has indeed revolutionized everything.Their music,prowess and charisma were definitely ahead of their time.They made music videos long before MTV was born and one would consider the film Let It Be as the first reality movie ever made with the band being filmed working,rehearsing and recording both in the studio and the Apple Building rooftop. It also highlights their life as a band(at least some parts of it) with both their good and bad sides seen.

One film in particular mirrors in what people call today as Reality TV in which a movie focuses on a day in the life of a person is "Whats Happening! The Beatles In The USA" which was later re-edited and named "The Beatles:The First US Visit". It was February 7,1964,the Beatles had just arrived at JFK Airport and America has never been the same.

The men who shot the event,Albert and David Maysles were both Boston natives and were known for their documentary type of filming long before the term "reality tv" was accepted by the public.Albert,who was six years older than David,graduated with a BA degree at Syracuse University and later finished his Masters degree at Boston University.The younger David however,died of a stroke in 1987 and Albert went on filming on his own years after his younger brother died.

The Maysles Brothers were quick enough to capture every moment of the Beatles'  stay in the United States during its first glimpse of what would be a long term full scale British Invasion.From the airport,to their hotel rooms,to press conferences and parties,even filming Murray the K who famously called himself the fifth Beatle.

The brothers' film project on the fabs which was first released in 1964,was strange and way ahead of its time.With no recorded music,except for a footage they took of the Beatles' concert in Washington Coliseum which was considered to be the very first concert the band ever held in America.The film  reviews  of "Whats Happening!.." was mixed and at the same time both Albert and David were praised for capturing the band on every single angle and thus was called the world's greatest cameramen.It was unfortunate though that they weren't able to film the Beatles while they performed on three of Ed Sullivan's shows as they weren't allowed to go inside the studio.But they were quick enough to mend the situation that they went to a house nearby and filmed a family instead watching the Beatles perform at Ed Sullivan's show on tv.This magic moment,filming a family watching the Beatles on television was included on the re-edited version of the movie and retitled as The Beatles:The First US Visit as a bonus feature on the DVD release along with the brothers' film footage of Brian Epstein.The film,was first re-edited and re-issued in 1991 where they included the Beatles' performances on the three Ed Sullivan shows held in New York and Miami.

(left:The original title and intro of the Maysles Brothers' film in 1964 which was later edited and released as The Beatles:The First US Visit,below right)

The Beatles had their very first number one record on the Billboard charts with "I Want To Hold Your Hand". They opened the doors for other British groups and boasts a record of 20 number one hits.Not to mention their astonishing performance on the US charts wherein all top five songs on the Hot 100 were all occupied by the Beatles.A feat that is still unbeaten up to this day.A band or artist today will have one or two singles on the charts and that is already a big accomplishment for them.But all five? Inconceivable now.

A person who would slip the DVD and see the movie for the first time will leave someone in awe as he travels back in time in the year 1964,that is,if you weren't born yet during the sixties and will make someone capture a glimpse of the cool decade.If you're 60 or something,it will bring back beautiful memories especially if you live in and around New York City.

The Beatles were at first reluctant of going to America with Paul saying in an interview that they're not going unless they had a number one hit in which they later did.George Harrison was heard saying back then that it wasn't necessary for the band to go to the US;"they already have everything there,what do they need us for?".In the late fifties,most of the pop music in Britain were covers of American standards as the Beatles had always refer to rockabilly and R&B as their prime influence to their music.Alas,the band suddenly found themselves facing the American press and audience.With a catchy question and answer portion on behalf of the fabs: "Will you sing us a song?" "No we need money first". And that fun moment when the Maysles brothers filmed when the Beatles were aboard the train from New York City en route to Washington,DC.

One would smile at the Beatles goofing around the train with John and George comparing notes on their cigarettes.Ringo clowning around and the rest of the press people laughing along with them.One would look at the Maysles brothers' footages as if you were in those scenes right there next to the band,playing along,laughing along and having fun.

 (photos: top:Beatles meet the press at JFK airport in New York City;bottom:The Beatles at Washington,DC all taken from the first US visit footages 1964)

So these footages of the Beatles' first visit to the United States has indeed made the Maysles Brothers a household name when it comes to  documentary films.The brothers also had a hit with one famous reality film in the sixties called "Salesman".The documentary focuses on four men who went off to sell Bibles door to door.The film was largely composed of that of Paul Brennan's,an Irish-American catholic who struggles to maintain his sales.The film was selected in 1992 by the Library Of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry being cited as culturally and historically significant.

(photo above:original theatrical poster of the Maysles Brothers documentary film "Salesman",1969)

The following are some selected scenes from "Salesman"

While both Albert and David were savoring the success of "Salesman",the brothers filmed that winter what would be the epitome of a rock n' roll nightmare.The Rolling Stones were considered to be the Beatles' biggest rival in the sixties and was often compared with one another.Though both bands were very good friends,the music press seemed to be intrigued on both of these biggest groups on earth and they just can't stop comparing them and would follow them off,finding out on what these bands were up to.

The Altamont concert was called by many as "Woodstock West". With the ever successful  Woodstock-a three day event of peace,love and music[not to mention communal nudity] was somewhat disrespected of its sacredness as copycat festivals were marred with riots,violence and rape.

Gimme Shelter was the title given to a film about the Altamont Free Festival given by the Stones during the last leg of their 1969 US tour that winter.Shot under extremely dangerous conditions,both Albert and David Maysles  captured the essence of being in a rock concert that all went wrong.

(photo:DVD and Blu Ray cover of Gimme Shelter,a documentary film by the Maysles Brothers)

Other films made by the Maysles Brothers include Grey Gardens which was a documentary film about two reclusive socialites.Released in 1976,it was among the brothers' films that were also selected for preservation to the United States National Film Registry being cited as culturally and historically significant.Meet Marlon Brando,released in 1965,showcases the actor being interviewed for his new film but instead turned into heavy larking when he was interviewed by one former Miss USA.

One sports documentary made by the Maysles Brothers was Muhammad And Larry.The film was actually made in 1980 but wasn't released until 2009.It shows the highlights of the bout between Muhammad Ali whose been in the boxing business for nearly twenty years and was on the peak of retirement and the younger Larry Holmes."The fight that should've never happened"--as one publication had said shows the aging boxer Ali being beaten savagely by the younger Holmes.Though sports films is not really on their forte,the film only shows how versatile the brothers are in filming the lives of  people,famous or not.

Other numerous "projects"made by the brothers shows how they deserved to be called the World's Greatest Cameramen.

One would look at these reality shows today and would wonder how or why these programs even exists.When we look back we will all realize that these concepts wasn't really new,and with all these materials present,Im pretty sure the names Albert and David Maysles will not be ignored.


(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

THE LAST CONCERT

The Beatles played their last ever concert on August 29,1966 at Candlestick Park,San Francisco.Many had been wondering why the greatest rock band on earth had suddenly decided to stop playing live,the concerts that served to be as predecessors were proven to be dangerous and life threatening to the Beatles.

The Beatles went through a lot of problems regarding touring,and worst of all,things were not fun anymore for our beloved fab four. So why did the Beatles decided to stop touring? We can all go back to where it all started and pick up the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle so we can all understand the reason behind the Beatles' retirement.

Candlestick Park is an outdoor sports and entertainment center located at Jamestown Avenue,San Francisco.Home of  the 49ers since 1971,it was also a home to the San Francisco Giants from 1960 until the team moved to AT&T Park in 2000.The venue has changed names several times wherein it was renamed 3com Park at Candlestick Point in 1995, it was renamed again as San Francisco Stadium At Candlestick Point in 2002,and it was renamed again as Monster Park in 2004.They returned the old name as Candlestick Park to avoid further confusions in 2008 and has remained since.Originally a baseball stadium,the arena was known to have windy conditions,damp air and dew from fog and was known for its chilly temperatures.Not to mention the location of the stadium at Candlestick Point, which is right next to the San Francisco Bay.

(photo:Candlestick Park,San Francisco,California)

Now going back to the Beatles' so-called retirement,it can all be traced back to the early days when the band was a quintet fresh from the ashes of the Quarry Men,originally a skiffle group John Lennon and a couple of school friends had formed.Skiffle groups were popular in Britain back in the mid-fifties and then slowly the skiffle group evolved into a rock band after Paul and George had joined in.The Beatles were a quintet from 1958 to 1960,a fifth member by the name of Stuart Sutcliffe was originally on bass and Paul McCartney at the time was a guitar player.The Beatles had reached the Reeperbahn where the then quintet has spent ages mastering their craft.As John Lennon had put it,"I was born in Liverpool but I grew up in Hamburg".The Beatles were introduced to amphetamines and other uppers to stay awake at night during their gigs,and of course as a bar band,riots and trouble took place often,with the loudest and rudest musician one would come across during that period of time-John Lennon.Though the Beatles were used to having riots taking place at some of their gigs most of the time,everything seemed to be ok--they were young,free and wouldn't care if they would get into fist fights often--as John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe certainly did.Sutcliffe,who had quit the band in 1961,died of a brain hemorrhage a year later with his illness pointing to several head blows he had when he was beaten up by thugs in which he sustained a fractured skull.John Lennon,who was his best friend in the band had often come to his aid.

(photo:The Beatles circa 1960:left to right:Pete Best,George Harrison,John Lennon,Paul McCartney and Stuart Sutcliffe)


When the Beatles became a quartet,Paul McCartney had switched from guitar to bass to fill in the vacancy Sutcliffe had left behind.With Pete Best on drums,the Beatles went ahead playing  gigs in various bars in both Liverpool and Hamburg.

Riots were common with rock bands performing and the Beatles were no exception.With the callous Lennon,the band had often faced several unfriendly encounters as the Beatles were becoming more popular.

When Pete Best was sacked and Ringo Starr replaced him on drums,the Beatles had a few problems at first with their audience particularly anti-Ringo sentiments at the height of Best's firing.

The band secured a recording contract with Parlophone and Beatlemania was born.No one in the band has expected that this rock group from Liverpool will become such a phenomenon and that they will all be into extreme levels of fame.Not even Paul McCartney himself even thought that kind of life they will all soon be leading.The Beatles were now stars and theres no more privacy--going out alone and touring wasn't fun anymore.Beatlemania at this point had reached the US and the Beatles is at the top of the world.

 Though the sixties were soon followed by other rock bands on both sides of the Atlantic,one will admit that the Beatles alone were on the mountain top of fame on this planet.Actually it was Ringo Starr who first talked about having fears of going out alone and being mobbed by a bunch of what he describes as lunatics who show extreme love for the band.

It took for the worst when somebody told the music press that George Harrison was fond of jelly babies and that on their next US gig they were pelted with these hard rock candies being thrown by their audiences as they were performing onstage.Ringo once again expressed his sentiments in 1969 of not being bombarded with these hard stuff ifsoever the band would ever go out there and tour again.Sadly,a thing that has never happened and will never happen again.

Come to think of it,its pretty dangerous to go out when you're so popular and you might get mobbed by your fans who love you so much and might get hurt from it.But what more if these people hated you?

On the second American tour,the other Beatles were showing signs of in very deep water,sick of touring management and pressure.Though Paul McCartney kept telling John,George and Ringo that touring is good and will keep them sharp.The Beatles were reportedly exhausted and have worked to their deaths,touring non-stop around the world and at the same time writing new songs and making new albums in between tours.

Things turned out for the worst in 1966 when Melody Maker published an interview of Maureen Cleave with John Lennon wherein he stated that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus.

"We're popular than Jesus now;I dont know what will go first,Rock N' Roll or Christianity"

This statement of John Lennon's has caused a furor among Christian sects around the world particularly America's Bible belt.Isn't the "South" the birthplace of rock n' roll? Well many were amazed on how Elvis broke barriers and became popular in such a conservative and at the time apartheid place.There were public burnings of Beatles records in Memphis and other parts of the US where Christian faith dominates.Beatles records were also burned as far as South Africa.The band was also reportedly having problems in the 1960s era United States wherein they refused to play on segregated audiences and threatened they wont play at all unless the racial segregation is lifted.Concert promoters and local authorities finally kowtowed to the fabs-the segregation was lifted and the Beatles went ahead and performed before thousands of people.

(photo left: John Lennon in the Beatles' early days Hamburg,Germany)

John Lennon defended his statement at first saying that he was merely misunderstood on what he has just said,even pointing out to other people who doesn't believe or even know who Jesus was--like the Buddhist for instance but at the same time were huge fans of the Beatles.Then he was forced to make an apology in which it was clear has put a strain on him a bit.

Amid all the misunderstandings both religiously and politically,the Beatles were still loved by millions of fans but the wary parents of these Beatlemaniacs were obviously distressed on how their kids will believe in everything they say.

So the Beatles were considered "jerks" by elders and religious charismatics on destroying their beliefs and trying to manipulate the kids' minds into believing in something else in which many quite dont understand-- perhaps a world that is infinitely cooler than our own.And the so-called rebellion flourished with these youngsters annoying their elders with a thing called rock music.Lets face it,Beatles music is for everyone and if you'll look at those Beatles concerts,the audience was filled not only with young men and women but also middle aged women who were crazy about them.

While we're on the subject,these "traditions" and "beliefs"other people were accusing the Beatles of breaking has also caused problems to the band during their Japanese tour in the summer of 1966.

(photo:The Budokan in Tokyo,Japan where the Beatles held three shows from June 30 to July 2,1966)

The Beatles' concert in Japan were also faced with protests and riots as the Budokan will be used for the first time as a concert venue for a rock n' roll band.Before the Beatles went to Japan,the Budokan  was considered to be a sacred  place by other Japanese,as the venue was used in both judo and karate tournaments only.The Japanese protests were also filled with anger towards the band on some believe how they would be a bad example to the Japanese youth.

But above it all,the Beatles' three day shows in Tokyo were equally successful.

The Beatles-being the first rock group to ever play in the Budokan seemed to have made the place a little lighter that other artists have followed their footsteps and played at the same venue,among them were Eric Clapton,the Who and Ozzy Osbourne.

The horror of Manila,on the other hand,was different from what the Beatles have encountered on their previous tours and it was said that the tour of the Philippines was the one thing that had prompted the band to put an end to their career as "touring" musicians.

(photo left:Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila,Philippines where the Beatles held their concert on July 4,1966)

What happened in the Philippines was far different from what the band had experienced in the US and Japan.The Beatles' experience in Manila nearly caused them their very own lives as they unintentionally snubbed a dinner party held by then first lady Imelda Marcos,who was the wife of Ferdinand Marcos by then was gearing up to be a dictator.The band was roughed up at the airport,with their entourage heavily beaten and the money they earned was taken away from them.

[For my article about the Beatles' experience in the Philippines click here]

It was alleged that the Beatles told their manager Brian Epstein that they had enough with touring after they came back from the Philippines.But Epstein had already committed on touring the States after the disastrous Manila concert.And sadly,that's the last time the band would ever do.

Meanwhile,back in the United States,a concert in Memphis was known to have been marred with protests as a member of the Ku Klux Klan made a statement that they will stop the concert in all terror that they can.Still pissed with Lennon's statement regarding Jesus,the Klans men didn't stop the concert but instead organized an anti-Beatle rally not far from the venue.It was also in Memphis,however,where the infamous 'cherry bomb' explosion occured.

(photo:Ku Klux Klan,courtesy of the Ku Klux Klan site)

 The Beatles played 13 dates in the US and one in Canada the following month of August.And sadly,the San Francisco gig had finally nailed the touring coffin for all of them.

The San Francisco concert,being the last gig went fine so far and was considered to be successful.The band performed 11 songs,some of which were similar to the set list they played in other countries (the Manila gig set list was the same as that of San Francisco's):Rock And Roll Music,She's A Woman,If I Needed Someone,Day Tripper,Baby's In Black,I Feel Fine,Yesterday,I Wanna Be Your Man,Nowhere Man,Paperback Writer, and Long Tall Sally.With the only difference that the band had used Long Tall Sally as an encore in Manila and not on the SF gig.

 (photo left:original poster of the last concert ever made by the Beatles;Candlestick Park,San Francisco)

Paul McCartney had Tony Barrow record the entire concert in audio,standing in the middle of the field holding his mic,both of them knew it was going to be the last live performance and so they're obviously saving all the best for last.At the end of the concert,all four of them took photos of the adoring crowd and of themselves at arm's length.

(photo:John and Paul at Candlestick Park)

And the rest,as they say it,is history,the Beatles retired from doing live performances when they went back to Britain from San Francisco.The band concentrated instead on the studio making their finest albums of the late sixties and early seventies with most of them going to number one on both sides of the Atlantic.A few attempts were made to convince them to go back on touring but none was successful.One album,originally titled "Get Back" was an attempt for the band to retrace their live roots,with suggestions by Paul McCartney that the band would go on tour on bars and starting all over again and gradually doing major tours.The idea was nixed by the other three,perhaps the wounds of the past ill-fated tour was still fresh both in their minds and hearts so the band went on to record in the studio while being filmed at the same time.The album was later renamed Let It Be perhaps a more appropriate title from McCartney's song of reflection and surrender.And one would consider the roof top performance made by the Beatles as the last ever public performance made by the four of them.Though not really considered as a "concert" many were wondering why the Beatles doing a set of songs on the main roof top of the Apple Building as their last concert--without a real venue,touring posters and concert tickets.The Beatles had split in acrimony in April 1970,a month before Let It Be was released.

The Beatles played approximately 1,280 concert dates so far dating as far back as 1961 when Pete Best was still in the group and not counting their gigs as the Quarry Men and the Silver Beatles.They've been to almost every country around the world in four continents: Europe,North America,Asia and Australia.

The band has indeed revolutionized everything,from music to fashion and the way people think.One cannot imagine what music will be like today without a rock band from Liverpool called THE BEATLES.

THE DAY ERIC TOOK PATTIE AWAY

                                                                                        

The most famous love triangle in rock music perhaps is that of George Harrison,Pattie Boyd and Eric Clapton.It is not a secret and there had been many books written about Eric Clapton taking George Harrison's wife away with each individuals telling their very own side of the story.

First,we go to Pattie Boyd,the beautiful girl these two guitar gods were crazy about.Boyd has actually began modelling since 1962 doing various catwalks and photoshoots in London,New York and Paris.She appeared on the covers of  the UK editions of Vogue magazine.She later became a photographer with recent exhibits of her shoots done in San Francisco,London and New York.She first met George Harrison during the filming of the Beatles' first movie A Hard Day's Night where she had a cameo appearance with a famous one-liner "prisoners?" during a train scene.Pattie and George began dating as she broke her engagement at that time with another man.The couple wed at the Epsom Registry Office in England with both Brian Epstein and Paul McCartney in attendance as "best men".When she split with Harrison in 1974,Boyd was defending herself and telling her own side of the story to the music press before being branded a slut by angry Beatles fans as far back as the seventies.A tell-all book Wonderful Tonight:George Harrison,Eric Clapton And Me was published in 2007.

                     (below:Pattie's controversial book written by herself;photo above:George Harrison,Pattie Boyd and Eric Clapton)

George Harrison on the other hand,as we all know was the Beatles' lead guitarist and it ain't a secret about his long term friendship with another guitar god Eric Clapton.Their friendship as we say was of the best of times until it turned sour when Clapton took Harrison's wife away.But amazingly enough,they made up and Harrison even attended their wedding.

[ For my article about Eric Clapton's involvement with the Beatles' music click here ]

Story goes that Eric Clapton first met Pattie Boyd through George Harrison in 1969 during the Toronto Rock Festival in which John Lennon and Yoko Ono was also in attendance and was performing under the name Plastic Ono Band with various musicians.Clapton said in an interview that he fell in love with Boyd the first time he saw her,though he is really aware at the time that she is in fact his best friend's wife and must've seen her with Harrison on television.Pattie claimed at that time that George was into womanizing and was accusing him of having an affair with Maureen Starr--the wife of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr.She even claimed of catching Harrison and Maureen Starr together in bed.Rumors circulated by then that Lennon was angry at George and even telling him of committing incest because of their relationship with each other in the Beatles as one big family unit.Well there had been different versions according to some books on how each other claims on what the hell really happened to George and Pattie's marriage.

                                                                                  

(photo:best of friends,Eric Clapton and George Harrison)

One story told was that Pattie wasn't attracted to Eric at first,and she kept on telling him that a relationship couldn't be possible because she is in fact married and that she loves George very much.But with Pattie claiming a number of infidelities committed by Harrison that she decides to teach him a lesson by doing a mock relationship with Clapton.George and Pattie never had a child after years of trying and this was the reason the other party seems to be pointing why George was seeing other women.Clapton made no secret that he fell in love with Pattie Boyd the very first time he saw her.He played with the idea of having a mock relationship with Pattie with the latter not knowing that Clapton was in fact taking it more seriously than she expected.

There was a time when George was about to arrive home in his car and he spotted his wife Pattie walking hand in hand with Eric Clapton at the side of the road.Harrison fumingly got out of the car,slammed the door,took Pattie and screamed in front of Clapton's face almost knocking him down,told him to stay away from his wife,then got Pattie into the car and drove off.Unknown to George,it was all Pattie's idea(at least at that time) to make him jealous.But the problem rose when Clapton pursued Pattie to come with him and leave her husband.Numerous claims did say that Eric Clapton did said to George Harrison that he is in love with his wife.Though George didn't took kindly to that statement.

(photo left:George and Pattie)

Pattie Boyd,who both became Mrs Harrison and Mrs Clapton was the inspiration of several songs written by both George and Eric,with the former writing "I Need You","For You Blue" and one of the most beautiful love songs ever written "Something" all under the Beatles' banner.The latter song,went to number one on both sides of the Atlantic and was considered to be the biggest George Harrison penned hit for the Beatles.Eric Clapton on the other hand,wrote songs inspired by Pattie namely "Layla","Bell Bottom Blues" and "Wonderful Tonight".

Clapton by then  kept on pursuing Pattie though she kept on refusing at first saying that she is married and that she loves George very much,then it was alleged that Clapton brought with him a large amount of heroin enough to kill a horse and told Pattie that he will kill himself by overdosing with it if she wont come with him and leave her husband behind.And then legend has it that Pattie then slowly fell under the spell of Eric Clapton.

George and Pattie divorced in 1974 and Pattie became Mrs Clapton.Though Pattie Boyd left George Harrison for Eric Clapton during that year,it wasn't until 1979 when Eric and Pattie finally tied the knot and made it official. George just shrugged his shoulders and was at the time seeing Olivia Arias,who became his second wife.

(photo left:Eric Clapton and Pattie Boyd after their wedding in 1979)

But it wasn't all bed of roses for Eric and Pattie,their marriage went on the rocks as well under grounds of infidelity on Clapton's part.It was believed that Pattie Boyd was barren that she didn't had a child with Clapton either after years of trying and in spite of having in vitro fertilization.

During their marriage,Pattie told a horror story about Clapton's alcoholism and affairs with numerous women.The marriage went on the rocks as the eighties approached.Clapton by then broke Pattie's heart when she learned that he had a child with model and actress Lory Del Santo that prompted her to file for a divorce.Del Santo,whom Eric had an affair while married to Boyd,gave birth to a son,Conor,who accidentally fell off  53 stories of an apartment building in New York City in 1991 when the boy was only 4 years old and became the inspiration for Clapton's 1992 song "Tears In Heaven".

Pattie Boyd and Eric Clapton divorced in 1988.Clapton also had an affair with Yvonne Kelly,whom he had a daughter Ruth,born in 1985.But it wasn't until 1991 when Boyd found out about it through Clapton himself.

(photo right:Pattie Boyd and George Harrison during happier days)

Several press releases made by both Clapton and Boyd in recent years showed how sorry they felt on what  happened.Clapton made a statement in 2005 saying how much he regretted breaking George and Pattie's marriage and that he became an alcoholic out of it.In 2007,Pattie Boyd made an interview with Daily Mail saying how she regretted of leaving George and how she cried when she heard of Harrison's death in 2001.Oddly enough,she didn't attend the Concert For George,perhaps realizing she wasn't even welcome there aside from the fact that she wasn't invited.

Harrison,on the other hand,had married American Olivia Arias and became his second wife until his death in 2001.They had a son,Dhani born in 1978 who also became a musician just like his father.Astonishingly,George Harrison and Eric Clapton remained the best of friends in spite of what happened.With Clapton,even organizing and directing Concert For George tribute to Harrison in 2002.

Perhaps there's always a reason for everything,after all,Dhani Harrison wouldn't have existed if his dad George didn't divorce with his first wife Pattie and later met his mom Olivia.

(photo:George Harrison and Eric Clapton at the 1987 Prince's Trust Rock Concert)


(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

Phil Spector:Rock's King Of Weird

Of all the people who had been closely associated with the Beatles,one unlikely character exist in the person of Phil Spector.He's been on the news just recently and had made several headlines in the past few years.We all know that he's now serving in the California State Prison for the second degree murder of actress Lana Clarkson.He's serving a term of 19 years to life and will be 88 years old by the time he'll be eligible for parole.

Actually,Spector has been making headlines and had been a notorious figure in both pop and rock music as far back as the late fifties and the 1960s.He was reportedly growing his hair to excessive lengths even before the Beatles came to America.

 One interesting fact about his persona was his obsession with bodyguards and his tough attitude.Not to mention his character being one of the most eccentric figures in the music business.Some people say the reason of him being so tough and ungrateful was due to his lack of height-sort of.Having that short stature and high-pitched voice,he had a huge hit in 1958 at the age of 17,a song called "To Know Him Is To Love Him"--it was credited to the Teddy Bears though Phil sang and played on it.The song which was also written by him,was taken from an epitaph on his father's gravestone.

He had a string of hits in the early sixties,hits that were quickly dubbed as teenage symphonies of the era primarily due to the teenage market as the records' marketing target.Songs like "Da Doo Ron Ron", "Be My Baby" and "He's A Rebel" were all mixed with his so-called Wall Of Sound wherein a record would sound as if three orchestras were playing on it.This is allegedly the same technique he used on the Beatles' rescue-production on the Get Back tapes which was retitled as Let It Be.One particular track,"The Long And Winding Road" in which the wall of sound was heavily used was lambasted by none other than Paul McCartney himself.Though the other three Beatles spoke well of the results,McCartney was reportedly so unhappy that made this other reason for him to be alienated furthermore from the rest of his bandmates.Glyn Johns,who was the album's engineer also defended McCartney on his stand on the song,saying that "The Long And Winding Road" sounds fabulous as it was without all those schlock added into it.Phil Spector lambasted McCartney back when he used a "minimal orchestra" on one of his live performances of the said song.

Phil Spector was reportedly known to be outspoken and ungrateful--one such toughness unmatched by any record producer at the time or perhaps even today.Going back to the bodyguard obsession he is well known for can be traced back to one Teddy Bears performance in which he sang  wholeheartedly.Four men were reportedly not impressed over Spector's singing that when he went offstage,he was beaten in the bathroom and got peed on by these huge thugs who weren't very keen on these teenage harmonies Spector had been writing and recording in the studio.From that moment on,he hired bodyguards and kept them close to him wherever he went.It was also said that Spector  was terrified of physical contact.

 Perhaps the most  memorable and most famous song written by Phil Spector is "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"-a 1964 hit by the Righteous Brothers.One of the most beautiful love songs ever written,it was covered by other artists like Cilla Black and later on by Hall and Oates.


The last chart topping hit ever produced by Phil in the mid sixties was "Baby I Love You" by the Ronettes in 1966 in which one member Veronica,became his wife.After that,he fell from grace after producing Ike And Tina Turner's "River Deep Mountain High" which was considered a prime bomber on the American music scene though the track was hugely popular in Britain.

Spector made a comeback four years later to do a salvage project on the Beatles' Let It Be which catapulted to the top of the charts and earned him both a Grammy and an Academy Award he shared with the fab four.

After the last Beatles album, and in spite of having a feud with Paul McCartney,Spector had a long term association with two of the Beatles-George Harrison and John Lennon.He produced George Harrison's solo album All Things Must Pass

(photo left:Phil Spector and George Harrison,All Things Must Pass sessions 1970)

Though Harrison was reportedly happy to work with Spector and spoke well of the results,he and Phil got themselves in jeopardy when George was sued over one particular track "My Sweet Lord",in which Harrison was accused of  unconsciously plagiarising the Chiffon's song "He's So Fine" in which the prosecution even pointed out similarities between the two songs.Harrison sadly,lost the case,and incredibly enough,he had to pay the damages to none other than Allen Klein-the person he was contented to be having as the Beatles' manager post-Epstein.

(photo right:Phil Spector with John Lennon)

Phil Spector and George Harrison may have gotten along very well with the former even producing the Concert For Bangladesh in 1971 which pioneered rock philantrophy.But his working relationship with the other Beatle John Lennon was mixed particularly on one album Rock N' Roll that would put Spector on the headline of notoriety once again.

Spector had produced other John Lennon albums-Plastic Ono Band and Imagine to name a few.But Yoko Ono was always there as co-producer to supervise the sessions.In 1973,after recording Mind Games--Lennon's third solo album post-Beatles,John and Yoko decided to separate for a while.Lennon had flown to Los Angeles with a female companion May Pang who eventually became his lover.

In LA,John Lennon had spent a drink and drugs binge in which he quickly labeled as 'The Lost Weekend".Phil Spector trooped along with Lennon's friends and drinking buddies Harry Nilsson and Keith Moon.

(left: John Lennon's 1975 solo album Rock N' Roll)

The recording of Rock N' Roll has begun at both Sunset and A&M Studios in Hollywood.In spite of Yoko Ono nixing the idea of Lennon's to proceed with the recordings,they went ahead anyway with most of the sessions ending in a bloody mess.John Lennon and the musicians who played on the album were said to be drunk and high on drugs all the time as well as Phil Spector himself.One time they were thrown out of A&M Studios when  Spector reportedly  had freaken out and proceeded to shoot the studio's ceiling and lightings with his hand gun.Incredibly enough,nobody was injured by Spector's trigger happy shooting spree.

Recording proceeded at Sunset Studios after the A&M incident.Eventually,Lennon and Spector had a clash of egos as the sessions for Rock N' Roll was going nowhere,though some of the tracks were said to be finished.Phil Spector was said to have taken the tapes and hid it somewhere.After a short while,for some unknown circumstances,Lennon got hold of the tapes and took it back with him to New York where he continued to record and polished the tracks for the album.Rock N' Roll was finally released in 1975.

(photo right: Veronica Spector,Phil Spector's wife from 1966 to 1974)

Phil Spector continued to make headlines as a notorious figure like when he was inside Whiskey's A-Go-Go where he screamed so hard he had to be thrown out.And when his wife Veronica Spector told a crazy story about him monitoring her phone calls at their mansion in Hollywood and how he forbid her to go outside even threatening to kill her and keep her in a glass coffin.

Singer Leonard Cohen also stand witness to Spector's craziness  wherein he was kept at gunpoint during the recording of his 1977 album Death Of A Ladies Man until the entire album was finished.

(left: Leonard Cohen's 1977 album Death Of A Ladies Man)

Spector later produced albums by the Ramones-a punk rock band whose name was taken from Paul McCartney's first stage name with the Silver Beatles-Paul Ramon.The records he produced by then was said to be insubstantial.

Even at the twilight of his life Spector continued to make headlines like when he was convicted for the second degree murder of actress Lana Clarkson who was found dead on his mansion in Alhambra,California.

Spector defended himself from all charges of second degree murder by saying that Clarkson's death resulted from an accidental suicide when she allegedly 'kissed' the gun.Clarkson's body was found at Spector's mansion in 2003 and a trial for murder had proceeded four years later in 2007.In September of that latter year,the jury's decision went into a deadlock and a mistrial was announced.

(photo right:actress Lana Clarkson whose death got Spector convicted for second degree murder)

Phil Spector remained free over $1 million bail and got the public's eye again with the news about his murder trial being published in different magazines and tabloids all over the world.A retrial proceeded on October 2008 and after several months of hearing,the jury found Spector guilty on April 13,2009.He was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison on May 29,2009 but didn't began his sentence until two years later due to appeals he and his lawyer made which was eventually quashed by the court itself.

We will never know whats next for Phil Spector,his eccentricity has unmatched every pop and rock music icon from 1960s and beyond.

(photo:Phil Spector in 2007 during the Lana Clarkson murder trial)


(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

THE ROADIE

What exactly is a roadie? A roadie is a personnel that tours with the band and is in charge of everything except performing music with the group.In the sixties,both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones have their respective roadies in the names of Neil Aspinall and Ian Stewart who was also known to be the finest pianist the Stones ever had.Roadies are important in handling and transporting the band's equipment,taking charge of the stage sets,and handling the whole entourage during the band's concert tour.

One particular roadie,in which Olivia Harrison had once said that would give his own life to the band is Neil Aspinall--without any doubt shared the spot of being called the fifth Beatle with both Brian Epstein and George Martin.

Neil Aspinall had been the Beatles' roadie as far back as 1961 when the band was still trying to make it to the rock music scene.The time when the Beatles was still a pub band,actually the Beatles had been around since the late fifties trying out various names like Johnny And The Moondogs and the Silver Beatles.Aspinall was first recruited to be the band's roadie by former Beatles drummer Pete Best when they first met at the Casbah Coffee Club owned by Best's mother Mona.

 Neil Aspinall guided the band even on extremely dangerous conditions.The Beatles' early days in both Liverpool and Hamburg,Germany were filled with troubles.On one scene,the Beatles were already aboard the bus-John Paul and George except for their then drummer Pete Best.Aspinall had to guide Best and steer away the grips of the adoring crowd just to be able to get him on board with the rest of his bandmates.

When Pete Best was fired from the band,it was Neil Aspinall who tried to comfort him and even questioned the reason of his dismissal.With Lennon answering back "Stay out of this Neil..." Aspinall tried to comfort his friend as much as possible and even threatening Epstein of quitting his job if Best wasn't brought back to the group.Considering the fact that Aspinall had an affair with Pete's mother Mona at the time,their union produced a son and incredibly enough, didn't affect his friendship with Pete.

With a new drummer in the name of Richard Starkey aka Ringo Starr,the Beatles once again faced trouble when they opened their show at the Cavern to introduce Ringo to the audience.Fans of Pete Best started shouting curses and continued to heckle the band on their performances.Others supported the Beatles' change of personnel and the audience was divided into two factions-- between Ringo and Pete supporters.At one moment,George Harrison got pissed over the heckling and told two fans of Pete Best to shut their yaps.When the band had finished playing and went off the stage,somebody from the audience reportedly stood up and punched George that gave him a black eye.Brian Epstein was said to be hysterical and ordered Aspinall to escort the band to safety.It was always a decent job of roadies to guide and protect the band and most of the time get into most trouble themselves.

Talk about danger,when the Beatles went to the Philippines in the summer of 1966--it was Neil Aspinall who got beaten up the most by the angry mob of Marcos who was then the president of that country.Trying to protect the band from further harm[though Ringo got punched and Lennon got kicked],he and Mal Evans who was the band's personal assistant didn't even think of going out of Manila alive.With the two of them and the band's whole entourage getting almost killed in the hands of the crowd sent by the would-be Filipino dictator.The Beatles never returned to the Philippines even  as solo artists.With George even making a comment as a sympathy over his friend and band roadie,"Anyone who got beaten up by Marcos' thugs is a friend of mine."

(photo right:Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans)

 The disastrous Philippine tour opted the band to having thoughts of quitting touring.Band members themselves can be heard saying "Never again" and "This is it" marking the last straw on how each of them will view touring as a dangerous move instead of enjoyment.They eventually suggested manager Brian Epstein to cut the 1966 World Tour after returning from the Philippines,but Brian already committed to touring the States and they had scheduled gigs at the Shea Stadium in New York City after the ill-fated Philippine tour.

About a month later,the Beatles performed their last concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco and Lennon was heard to be saying "Ok ok no more touring". With the band off the road,they ended up concentrating on the studio where they recorded their finest albums that marked the second phase of the Beatles' sound.As for Neil Aspinall,with the band no longer as touring artists,its back behind the desk to do paperwork at the Beatles' offices.After Brian Epstein died of drug overdose in the latter half of 1967,there was a vacancy on the Beatles' management but the group decided to manage themselves though the other three seems to be finding Paul McCartney making a vociferous application as he drove the band into making Magical Mystery Tour and other projects post-Epstein.Perhaps,McCartney noticed the other band members losing their interest in the group particularly Lennon after Epstein died in which most of them view as their father figure.It was always said that it was Paul who was eager to keep the Beatles together as they were looking for a new manager to replace Epstein.

(photo left:Neil Aspinall with the Beatles)

As for Neil Aspinall,he made little contributions to the band's songs as they recorded them in the studio.Playing percussion and harmonica on albums like Magical Mystery Tour,Sgt Pepper and singing along with the chorus line on Yellow Submarine.

In 1968,the Beatles had founded their own company and therefore their own record label.Apple Corps was founded in April of that same year and had appointed Aspinall to be the manager of the company.Though the Beatles proved to be great musicians and songwriters,it was said that the band members themselves didn't fare well with the business deals and all of that regarding the handling of Apple,thus it ignited what was to be the beginning of the end for the band.

In a lighter mood,also in 1968,Aspinall married Suzie Ornstein,their union produced four children.Though Neil didn't end up marrying Pete Best's mom Mona it was said that he remained friendly with both mother and son.

In 1969,with the suggestion made by Mick Jagger,John and Yoko got in touch with Allen Klein after hearing from Jagger that the Stones had better recording deals than the Beatles had.Allen Klein was brought in as the Beatles' new manager and had taken over as chief executive of the Apple Corps,though John,George and Ringo signed and was at the beginning contented with having Klein,it was Paul McCartney who strongly opposes the idea coz he wanted Eastman And Eastman--his father-in-law's office to take over as financial adviser and head of Apple Corps.But Paul was outvoted when Klein had taken the manager's seat and tried to fire Neil Aspinall off the company.McCartney had no other choice but to break up the band  to be able to sue,thus started the court war between McCartney,the Eastmans and Neil Aspinall on one side versus Allen Klein,John,George and Ringo on the other side.

After being appointed as executive to the Apple Corps by the Beatles,the seventies kept Aspinall busy over lawsuits concerning Allen Klein and Apple Computers,with lawsuits over the latter continuing until the early 2000s.Aspinall won a lawsuit over Klein in 1971 concerning the late Brian Epstein's documents.The seventies have been a busy and stressful decade for Aspinall as he continues to face lawsuits regarding Klein and Apple Corps.Paul McCartney later stated in the early seventies with Wings that he wanted to be far away from Apple as much as he could.

Apple Records,however,had decades long battle with guess who--Apple Computers.First with the logo and trademark infingement and the second one for Apple Computer violating the settlement they had in 1981 that its ok for Apple Computer to use the logo as long as it doesn't enter the music business,in which they later did,by manufacturing a synthesizer.The case,however,was settled out of court.

Apple Corps sued Apple Computer again in 2003 with the introduction of ipod and itunes in which the court ruled out that both ipod and itunes had nothing to do with the infringement of Apple Corps.Neil Aspinall was on every court hearing concerning Apple Corps and Apple Computers.

On a lighter part of his life,Neil Aspinall was the executive producer of The Beatles Anthology project in the mid nineties along with Jeff Lynne who was actually the record's main producer.George Martin was said to having hearing problems as far back as the early nineties in which prompted him to retire from the music business in 1998.

(photo above Apple Corps logo;photo right:Neil Aspinall in 2007)

The last remaining years of Neil Aspinall kept him busy by  remastering all the Beatles' back catalogue for a supposed to be 2008 release.However,it wasn't released until a year later in 2009 where all the band's original albums were re-issued and even won a grammy for best historical album.

Neil Aspinall died of  lung cancer on March 24,2008 in New York City,among the projects he left unfinished was the remastering of the Let It Be movie for a supposed to be DVD release.The film was originally intended to be released as a two disc deluxe edition as proposed by Neil himself during one of his last interviews,with the second disc containing unseen footages of the band rehearsing and recording at Twickenham Studios during that chilly January of 1969.However,there had been reports that both Paul and Ringo themselves had nixed the idea of having that second disc released and thus putting the entire DVD  on hold.According to some news,the two surviving Beatles opposed the idea of releasing that second disc as controversies and some old issues may arise as those unseen footages were described by those who have seen it were filled with arguments and misunderstanding within the group and Paul had once said in an interview that he doesn't want the public especially the young Beatles fans see the band in such a way.Well it wasn't a secret that the Beatles were in shambles even before the film was made,and one bitter moment was captured and was included on the film with George Harrison and Paul McCartney arguing heavily over song arrangements.

The Beatles has indeed revolutionized everything concerning modern rock music,and Neil Aspinall I would say is the most famous roadie in this genre.The fabs were indeed lucky to have him.

(c) Keith Vernon Adagio

THE SPECIAL CONNECTION BETWEEN GEORGE HARRISON AND BRIAN JONES

Both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were the biggest bands of the sixties,perhaps even today,both bands continue to inspire new generations of fans-kids who continue to form their own bands after hearing their songs and keep rock music's flame alive.

We all know that the Rolling Stones were still rocking almost 50 years after they were formed.Still touring to great acclaim.While the Beatles still mesmerize would be musicians and people of all ages even after the band broke up in 1970.

Its quite fascinating to know that most rock bands of the sixties and seventies has endured time and space and their songs remain fresh as they were first recorded and released.The Beatles and the Rolling Stones were often presented by the music press as 'rival' groups but in real life these groups were among the best of friends.Bill Wyman mentioned in his 2001 book Rolling With The Stones wherein he said that whatever the press would love to write about the Stones and the Beatles rivalry,he has all his respect and love for the fab four and he even mentioned how sad he was when he heard that the band had broken up in 1970.Wyman even mentioned that theres not one household that didn't own a Beatles record.The Rolling Stones had their first hit in 1963 with "I Wanna Be Your Man" written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney in which it was presented to them as a gift.

One proof of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones' friendship is the special connection between George Harrison and Brian Jones.Two special people who are certified geniuses in their own right.George Harrison known as the "Quiet Beatle" was the lead guitar for the band while Brian Jones was the eccentric,multi-instrumentalist and was the leader and founder of the Rolling Stones.

The personal rift between Jones and the Jagger-Richards' axis was not a secret and both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards had done interviews telling the music press on how hard it was to work with Brian in the latter days and on how each of them would argue on different musical tastes.Brian Jones was booted out of the band in late 1968,he died a year later when he drowned in his pool.Some say he commited suicide over the pain of getting booted out of the band he himself had founded.Others say he was murdered,however,the case remains an open verdict.

George Harrison on the other hand,had more kinder memories of Brian.Both guitarists had a special kind of friendship while the music press were making money by writing rumors about the Beatles and the Stones rivalry--even comparing each other's musical style.Harrison had mentioned his friendship with Brian Jones on several books including the Beatles Anthology-a collection of interviews,memoirs,and quotes straight from the band members themselves.The book became a bestseller and had sold a million copies worldwide.

George Harrison had mentioned Jones would come to his house often and they would chat together and exchange ideas."He would come to my house  and shout 'George! George!' I would let him in.He was a good mate.He would pick up my sitar and play it and then the next thing I knew he did 'Paint It Black'".This was mentioned during the time the Beatles had just finished recording Norwegian Wood featuring George Harrison on sitar.So the influences between the two biggest groups in the planet were constantly moving.Not to mention their friendships and respects with each other.

George also describes Brian on the Beatles Anthology as a good friend and how he was delighted with the common things they both share."We share similar positions in the most prominent bands in the universe,me with John and Paul and him with Mick and Keith.We even share the same birthdays:me on the February 25th and him on February 28th",adds Harrison who also mentioned of seeing his good friend Brian Jones not long before he died and how he was saddened to hear of his death.

George Harrison went on and released solo albums after the Beatles broke up in 1970.He died of metastatic lung cancer on November 29,2001.Both George Harrison and Brian Jones were the most prominent figures in rock music and will always remain in our hearts forever.Whether you're a Beatles or a Rolling Stones fan or a person who couldn't decide which of these two great bands you like better,the influence of these groups will continue to inspire generations ahead of us.







(c) Keith Vernon Adagio