Fan Mail From John Lennon, Three Decades Later

By sarajean on 8/23/10 12:36am
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In 1971, an up-and-coming singer by the name of Steve Tilston did an interview about his music career. Just 21 years of age, Tilston was worried about his rising stardom and questioned whether or not becoming wealthy might ruin his own songwriting. A chap most of us know by the name John Lennon read the interview and penned him a note of encouragement, which he signed alongside Yoko Ono. Had Tilston received the letter, his career may have turned out differently.

However, he didn’t even hear about the letter until 34 years later—when an American collector called him to verify that it was indeed authentic.

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John Lennon Remembered

By dfunzy on 3/26/10 3:35am
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John LennonJohn LennonThe name John Lennon is in the news this morning, with the announcement  by the officials of Lennon's hometown of Liverpool of a two month long celebration, to celebrate his life and music, beginning on October 9th, the 70th anniversary of his birth, and concluding on December 9th,  the date he died on thirty years ago. The Liverpool mayor Mike Storey said: "John Lennon is one of the most iconic figures of the 20th Century and a Liverpool lad who became known in every corner of the globe.His enduring message of peace is as important now as ever and continues to be an inspiration to many. The John Lennon Tribute Season will allow us to remember him as a man, celebrate his music, and his overall contribution to our city."(NZ City)


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Paul McCartney Nominated for Golden Globe, Critic's Choice Award

By Eviaa on 12/16/09 11:07pm
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Looks like Sir Paul McCartney, will be getting the year 2010 off to a good start. The former Beatle has been nominated for a Golden Globe award. The Golden Globes, presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), recognize achievements in both the motion picture and television industries, foreign and domestic.

Sir Paul is nominated in the category of 'Best Original Song' for his contribution to the motion picture 'Everybody's Fine.' The track is titled '(I Want To) Come Home,' and is a beautiful ballad, helping to tell the story of a widower who sets off on a road trip to reconnect with his grown children, after the loss of his wife. The Golden Globe Awards air January 17th 2010 on NBC.

The full Best Original Song nominee list is:

'Cinema Italiano', Nine (Maury Yeston)

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Lucy Veddon: The Lucy of "Lucy in The Sky With Diamonds"

By lisala on 9/29/09 9:52am
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September marks the publication of (mostly) rave reviews about the newly-remastered Beatles CD box-sets. The previous CD releases are now more than twenty years old, and apparently suffer badly by comparison. The new boxed cd set includes both the monophone and stereo versions of the recordings. (In the interest of full disclosure, I haven't yet listened to any of the remastered tracks. I also note that I suspect I'll always prefer my ancient vinyl versions.) Sadly, September also marks the premature death of Lucy, of "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" fame, at 46.

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Getting Mechanical License for a George Harrison song?

By katiehealingsong on 9/11/09 8:26pm
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Hello!!


I am trying to get mechanical license for the use of a George Harrison song (my recording)


on a cd. Does anyone know how to reach the Material World Foundation with this request?


Cheers, thanks alot!


KatieB

The Beatles: Rock Band

By sarajean on 6/9/09 12:05am
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It’s a dream come true for Beatles fans everywhere—a reunited concert with all four mop-tops!

Only… two are yes, sadly, still dead. (And if I gave you temporary hope that John and George had been either resurrected or cloned, truly, I give you my deepest apologies.) Their voices will be present, however, through technology—and Paul and Ringo, still very much alive and kicking, will be singing along.

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Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds: Is Not a Song About LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)

By Michael Jon Lazar on 5/2/09 3:15pm
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Contrary to popular belief, John Lennon did not write this song as a anthem to the highly overused and abused hallucinogenic medium of the late 60s and early 70s, LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide). This drug, if you are not in the know, causes the brain to misfire neurons and become entranced in a state of outer being. People see things that are not there, feel things that are not present and are generally in a state of mental disarray while under the influence of LSD. So, it should come as no surprise that people loved this song while they were tripping on acid back in the day.

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Only a Northern Son, the Video

By Michael Jon Lazar on 5/2/09 3:15pm
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Only a Northern Song: George Harrison’s Spite of The Beatles Publishing Business

By Michael Jon Lazar on 5/2/09 3:15pm
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There is a little bit of history behind this sordid Beatles tune. George Harrison was part owner of a song publishing company – which was also wholly owned by John Lennon and Paul McCartney – called Northern Songs. This music publishing company was actually created so that the band members could make more money off their music via its always omnipresent demand and the many different avenues of mechanical and licensing synchronization incomes that could be derived. Many people think that Harrison wrote this song to speak out against the publishing company, as he only owned .8%. When compared to Lennon or McCartney who owned about 15% each.

Obviously, because Lennon and McCartney had more vested financial interest in the company, they would make more money from the profits than Harrison would. The song speaks out from a personal note that expresses Harrison’s frustrations with not making nearly as much money from doing the same amount of work that McCartney and Lennon were earning.

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Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite: Lennon’s Tribute to Pablo Fanque’s circus

By Michael Jon Lazar on 5/1/09 3:15pm
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This song is considered to be one of the more complex of all of the tunes that were featured on the conceptual rock offerings of the one and only Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album by The Beatles. John Lennon wrote the lyrics and composed the song, but the album does give the traditional Lennon and McCartney credits, as was the norm for their tunes during the later period of the band. John Lennon was inspired to write this song while he was actually finishing the final tracks for “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and was shopping at an antique store in Kent. This is when he came across a poster for Pablo Fanque’s circus and decided to find inspiration in it to carve out this amazing tune.

The name of the tune, “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite,” is actually derived from a little bit of folklore that surrounds the poster and the actual circus itself. Mr. Kite was thought by many historians to be the man that worked underneath Pablo Fanque from the years 1843 to 1845, helping to managed and run his world famous circus.

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