Month: January 2026

Where is the Compleat Beatles?

With the recent updated Beatles Anthology series being aired on Disney+, memories are jarred about a documentary that was prepared and issued back in 1982 called The Compleat Beatles using the archaic spelling of the word “complete” as the title of the film! This documentary was pleasantly and positively received by Beatles fans of the time as it was well-written and sharply edited. Beatles fans had been waiting for a long time for a documentary about their idols especially when they had heard about the film that Beatles aide, Neil Aspinall had been working on for a considerable amount of time entitled, The Long and Winding Road.

Aspinall’s film had compiled excerpts of much of the existing video of the Beatles collected over the years. Neil was one of the major caretakers of the Beatles image and he and the surviving Beatles patiently waited until the Anthology project of the mid-1990s became the tool to realize the dream of a comprehensive Beatles videography or documentary!

We have heard that Paul McCartney bought the rights to the 1980s Compleat Beatles so that the earlier documentary would not compete with the Beatles own version of the story (The Beatles Anthology). That is why no one sees the early documentary anymore. It is out of circulation. That is a shame as it was a wonderful film, narrated by the excellent and talented UK born actor, Malcolm McDowell! Many of Malcolm’s film credits are truly memorable. If you can play such characters as H.G. Wells, Alex in Clockwork Orange, and the emperor Caligula convincingly, you have earned your stripes! One of his characters was also responsible for the demise of Captain Kirk which Trekkies will never forgive him for. Malcolm also played many Shakespearean roles during his early theater career.

The question that must be addressed in any Beatles documentary is that the story that is being told by the main protagonists is always assumed to be more accurate as it is told by the primary participants. That observation may carry some credibility, but it is not a true guarantee of authenticity or of the absolute truth as we all have filtering mechanisms that can alter the perception of events as they happened, often to present characters or participants in a more favorable light!

The ideal presentation may be a balance between the main participants perceptions of the story and the 3rd party observers that were present at the events being discussed, creating their own perceptions of what happened. Often the concept of truth can be described like having an opinion, everyone may have one, but some opinions are simply better or more accurate than others based on the evidence and support that substantiate the particular opinion in question! Remember in the Anthology when the interview of the Threetles was conducted and often there were obvious differences in the memories of the same event!

MALCOLM McDOWELL: Some background info

From Wkipedia:

Malcolm McDowell – Wikipedia

“Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943)[1][2] is an English actor. He first became known for portraying Mick Travis in Lindsay Anderson’s If…. (1968), a role he later reprised in O Lucky Man! (1973) and Britannia Hospital (1982). His performance in if…. prompted Stanley Kubrick to cast him as Alex in A Clockwork Orange (1971), the role for which McDowell became best known.

Some of Malcolm McDowells other film credits include: The Raging Moon (1971), Voyage of the Damned (1976), Time After Time (1979), Caligula (1979), Cat People (1982), Blue Thunder (1983), The Caller (1987), Star Trek Generations (1994), Tank Girl (1995), Mr. Magoo (1997), I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (2003), The Company (2003), Evilenko (2004), The Artist (2011) and Bombshell (2019). He also played Dr. Samuel Loomis in the 2007 remake of Halloween and its sequel, Halloween II (2009). Many Trekkies resent Malcolm as the character that caused Captain Kirk’s demise in Star Trek Generations in 1994.

Malcolm is fully aware that he is most defined by the public from his role of Alex in the Clockwork Orange and he has joked in several recent interviews that will probably be the highlight of his obituary when he passes.

What is not as commonly known is that Malcolm McDowell was a big Beatles fans as he lived in Liverpool and saw the Fab Four many times in the Cavern before they conquered the world. His vocal narration to The Compleat Beatles was perfectly suited for the documentary. You could sense that he loved the subjects of the film. His vocal tone and intonation were perfect for that look back in time. Some would argue that the Beatles presenting their own story as they did in their own Anthology is a very subjective approach to the story and the Beatles memories are not always accurate. It can be argued that third party observers often have more precise recollections of the events.”

Some great links about the documentary and the narrator:

A few fascinating links that discuss the lost Beatles documentary and information about the narrator:

The Great Beatles Documentary That’s Nearly Impossible to See (Legally) – The New York Times

The Strange Case of The Compleat Beatles The Best Beatles Documentary You’ve (probably) Never Seen

‘The Compleat Beatles’: 10 Takeaways From 1982 Fab Four Doc

Compleat Beatles, The (1982) – Nostalgia Central

Malcolm McDowell Was With the Beatles When They Were Still Silver | Den of Geek

The Beatles Wanted Mick Jagger as the Lead in This Stanley Kubrick Classic Film

A Clockwork Orange, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones?

The Beatles wanted Mick Jagger star in ‘A Clockwork Orange’

Why Stanley Kubrick Cast Malcolm McDowell in “A Clockwork Orange”

The Beatles Wanted This Rock Star as the Lead in ‘A Clockwork Orange’

Our friend and Beatles book author, Ivor Davis, interviews Malcolm McDowell:

Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Malcolm McDowell 2023

I have the laserdisk, the dvd and the original VHS versions of this documentary in my collection:

The laser disk version of the COMPLEAT BEATLES film:

The Compleat Beatles – Wikipedia

Description of the documentary is from Wikipedia (link provided above)

Narrator of the documentary
“Malcolm McDowell’s involvement in The Compleat Beatles is significant as he is the narrator of the documentary. His narration provides a unique perspective on the band’s journey, offering insights and commentary that are not typically found in other Beatles documentaries. McDowell’s experience with the band, having seen them perform live in Liverpool, adds a personal touch to the documentary, making it a more engaging and authentic portrayal of the Beatles’ story.

The Compleat Beatles, released in 1982,[1] is a two-hour documentary chronicling the career of the Beatles.[2]

Narrated by actor Malcolm McDowell,[1] it includes extensive interviews with a number of sources close to the Beatles. Some of the people interviewed are producer George Martin,[3] their first manager Allan Williams,[3] Cavern Club DJ Bob Wooler, music writer Bill Harry,[3] and musicians Gerry Marsden,[2] Billy J. Kramer, Marianne Faithfull, Billy Preston, Lenny Kaye, and Tony Sheridan. The film also includes archival footage of interviews with members of the Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein. Authors Nicholas Schaffner and Wilfrid Mellers are among the commentators who offer their views on the band’s career. The Compleat Beatles also features early concert footage, behind-the-scenes background on the making of their albums, and candid footage of their often obsessed, hysterical fans.

Directed by Patrick Montgomery, the film was produced by Delilah Films/Electronic Arts Pictures and released on home video by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1984. Based on the popularity of the video release, the film was later made available theatrically in 16mm by TeleCulture Films, an independent company who previously channeled other small films to MGM for home video.

Video releases

The Compleat Beatles was initially released as a PBS documentary in the United States, and then on VHS, Betamax, CED and Laserdisc that same year on the MGM/UA Home Video label. The 1982 Laserdisc was released in both analogue and stereo versions, as well as being released in Japan and England in 1983.[4]”

THE COMPLEAT BEATLES BOOK SET:

The Anthony Burgess book that inspired the role of Alex that will forever define Malcolm McDowell in film history!

And yes, there is a Beatles connection to all of this:

A MALCOLM McDOWELL SIGNED SCRIPT OF A CLOCKWORK ORANGE

Having always admired Mr. McDowell’s acting prowess and then discovering that he was a big Beatles fan, I stumbled across his website and saw that he was offering for sale such items as signed film scripts and books of many of his memorable roles. I purchased a signed film script of Clockwork Orange, perhaps the character he will be best remembered for, long after he is gone. Here the photo of the signed script and the links to the website if you are also interested in items of a similar nature!

I have distinct memories of reading the book Clockwork Orange as a requirement for my high school English class. Mr. McDowell “WAS” Alex!

Malcolm McDowell Online | The Official Website & Online Shop

Signed Scripts Archives – Malcolm McDowell Online

THE BEATLES CONNECTION TO CLOCKWORK ORANGE:

ALEX IN CLOCKWORK ORANGE-MALCOLM MCDOWELL VS. MICK JAGGER:

Malcolm McDowell – Wikipedia

The Beatles were interested in Mick Jagger playing the role of Alex in “A Clockwork Orange.” They signed a petition to protest the preference for David Hemmings in the role and expressed their desire for Jagger to star in the film. Although Jagger had bought the film rights, he eventually sold them, and the film was directed by the genius, Stanley Kubrick, who chose Malcolm McDowell for the lead role. With all due respect to Mick, Malcolm was perfect for the role!

The International Anthony Burgess Foundation

The photograph below is from the adjoining link:

This appeared in an excellent article written for FAR OUT MMAGAZINE in 2021 by author Joe Taysom: Photo Credit Paddle8

The Beatles wanted Mick Jagger star in ‘A Clockwork Orange’–

The signed request was eventually auctioned off

Mick Jagger’s ‘Clockwork Orange’ Petition Heads to Auction

Bonhams : A unique petition signed by the Beatles and others regarding Mick Jagger starring in the film ‘A Clockwork Orange’, circa 1967/1968,

TIME AFTER TIME- THE LESSON LEARNED:

I was ecstatic when I got the recent opportunity to purchase the aforementioned signed Clockwork Orange script featuring the signature of its star, Malcolm McDowell, a fellow Beatles fan who got the role of Alex that Mick Jagger wanted so badly.

Mick, you should have known better than most that in life, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” LOL!

Be Healthy and Be Happy!

Buzz

TODAY’S FEATURED BOOK – CUNARD YANKS

Inside No. 3 – The Story Event of Apple Records

The Date: Saturday March 7^th 2026

Venue: The Orangery

Address: The Colman Building, Norwich, Norfolk

Time: 5.30pm  – 9pm

Yes Indeed the doors to Inside No3 are to be opened once again to bring you a memorable experience of music, photographs, memorabilia and videos along with some of my Apple artefacts, in an all consuming  evening and presentation of the greatest music revolution of all, Apple Records.

After taking your seat you will be whisked back in time to 1966 and once again be immersed in the Beatles happenings of Revolver and what it meant for the music world, You will be guided through this by Nigel Pearce, and ex-BBC Presenter Alan Thompson, with discussion, questions and remembrances that will bring alive those times.

So if  you actually experienced those times then you can once again re-live those halycon, colourful days, and if you never experienced those wonderful times here is your chance to go back and at last feel part of that cultural revolution that still resonates around the world today in 2026, and will never fade away.

Performances from Badfinger, James Taylor, Mary Hopkin as well as the Fab Four and others will blow your mind along with music and “Time Pops” to take you through those experiences and bring you back to 2026, without even moving from your chair!!

You can experience all this and at the same time help Future Projects in their never ending quest to ease disadvantage in and around the Norwich  area. What could be better than that, by having a great time and helping others.

Tickets cost only £13.50  with a small booking charge, with light refreshments included as well, to cover admin costs, and can be purchased at www.futureradio.co.uk/ events. So get your tickets for a great journey, there will be no entry at the door as we believe it will be fully booked for the trip.            

So please book your tickets and experience what happened behind that white door at No 3 Savile Row, all those years ago.

IF YOU ARE IN THE AREA, THEN GET YOUR TICKETS NOW – DON’T MISS IT AS TICKETS ARE LIMITED!

It is a fantastic presentation!!

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE: www.futureradio.co.uk/

NIGEL PEARCE

MEDITATION REVOLUTION THE BEATLES LOVED NEW TECHNOLOGY:

Many people are skeptical and wary about artificial intelligence in the creation of “original work” whether the work is a new literary creation or the creation of a new musical piece. Witness what happened when it was announced that AI was involved in the creation of the 2023 “new” Beatles song entitled Now and Then. People were speculating that it was not the late John Lennon who was actually singing the lead vocal. He was but the new technology was so misunderstood to realize that John’s vocal was actually separated from his original piano backing on his demo which was not used on the final recording. That was the use of AI in that circumstance and look at the beautiful final result.

The Beatles were always receptive to the use of new technologies and were always innovative in their utilization. They used new technology to push the boundaries of popular music!

Author John Pritchard was assisted by AI in the creation of this book, primarily in providing organizational structure. John is the undisputed author of the work, and AI was the assistant. The distinction matters especially to any prospective cynics!

John Pritchard, the author has been a practicing TM participant since 1980. He is a professional and accomplished filmmaker. He has created (with a little help from Claude) a book that does not need to be read linearly. The book has different sections which are both unique and distinct, but the sections are tied together through a common purpose of what the Yellow Submarine represents in cultural, psychological and spiritual terms.

Author John Pritchard has taken on this mammoth task and one that is seemingly difficult to successfully pull off. I say this because most readers of a book about Yellow Submarine make the predetermination that the book is merely an historical summary of the creation of both the film and the corresponding music in the Beatles album. Whereas the book has some of that historical data, this book contains far more, it presents the story of Yellow Submarine as being allegorical to a spiritual journey and it does so, convincingly! John Pritchard acknowledges the great Yellow Submarine research of Dr. Robert Hieronimus in his book. The book is more than 500 pages and in my opinion is a book you will continually come back to for inspiration. That is the mark of a successful book. It keeps calling you back…

Here is more detail about the author and the book:

HARDBACK, PAPERBACK AND KINDLE EDITIONS ARE AVAILABLE: SEE PROVIDED AMAZON LINKS BELOW FOR THE US AND THE UK SITES

JOHN PRITCHARD-BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

FILMMAKER/MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER

On July 16, 2017, John’s first feature film, ONE HEART – ONE SPIRIT, won “BEST INDIGENOUS DOCUMENTARY” at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival in Australia.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION AND WEBSITE LINK:

https://edufilm.ai

JOHN’S BIO
John Pritchard (born Jan. 13, 1961) helps clients with strategic multimedia design and specializes in video production for the web. He founded Pritchard Digital Arts in 2001, working with clients such as Sony, Williams College and The New York Times. John has extensive experience as an award-winning filmmaker, creative director, online learning/web designer and enhanced eBook producer. He has developed commercial software products and provided multimedia consulting to Fortune 500 and Advertising firms such as BBDO, Young & Rubicam, Saatchi & Saatchi, Time-Warner, McGraw-Hill, Canon, Simon & Schuster, Bear Stearns, Citibank, and American Express.

In 1983, John graduated from St. Lawrence University as a Dean’s List student and Fine Arts major focusing on filmmaking. He was awarded a grant by the Jeanne Scribner Cashin Endowment for Fine Arts to film in mainland China right as China opened its doors to western tourism in 1983. From 1984 to 1986, John became a Macintosh computer expert while serving as an Assistant Director of the Upward Bound Program where he worked with Native American high school students on the Akwesasne Reservation in upstate NY.

In Nov. 1986, he moved to NYC where he worked as a computer instructor for consulting giant, Booz Allen. His multimedia career began 9 months later by founding one of the world’s first interactive companies, Applied Imagination, to work with Apple and Microsoft on cutting edge educational projects. In 1993, he won McGraw-Hills’ $100,000 New Media Design Contest while competing against corporations such as Time Warner, IBM, and Microsoft. John won by showcasing 2 educational software projects he developed with professors from NYU (Culture 1.0 – The History of Western Civilization) and Hunter college (Inuit-The Arctic Survival Game).

In 1997, John moved from NYC to Boston to work as a Creative/Art Director on three start-up companies with Internet giant, CMGi: InfoMation, Planet Direct, and the $100 million iCAST.com site for musicians and filmmakers. After the dot com crash in 2000, he moved out to Williamstown in the Berkshires of Western MA to set up his multimedia consulting company: Pritchard Digital Arts.

In 2010, John launched ETERNAL WAYS as a multimedia publishing label for educational and inspiring movies, books, music, and online training. In 2012, he produced Freddy’s Guide, a great jazz improvisation training site featuring Berklee College of Music Professor Fred Lipsius of the legendary band, “Blood, Sweat & Tears.”

In 2016, John founded ONE HEART MOVIES as a non-profit, 501c3 educational film organization. Learn more at OneHeartMovies.org.

In 2017, John’s first feature film, ONE HEART – ONE SPIRIT, won “BEST INDIGENOUS DOCUMENTARY” at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival in Australia.

In 2018, on November 19th (Discovery of Puerto Rico Day), John released his second ONE HEART MOVIES documentary: ¡OJALÁ!-PUERTO RICO REBUILDS. He filmed over 50 interviews on location in July 2018. See the official bilingual trailers at ojalamovie.com. The movie is available ON-DEMAND at vimeo.com/ondemand/ojalamovie.

In 2019, John produced his third ONE HEART MOVIES documentary, RESPECT FOR ALL, which features Drum Circle Facilitator and Educator, Otha Day. During the coronavirus, you can watch it for free at RespectAllMovie.com.

In 2020, on December 3rd, John released his fourth ONE HEART MOVIES documentary: WE ALL JUST NEED TO DRUM! The film is dedicated to the great drummer, Baba Olatunji, who deeply inspired the modern drum circle movement. WE ALL JUST NEED TO DRUM! is about encouraging the entire world to use drumming as a personal healing tool to increase joy, reduce stress, and deepen our connection with one another. The whole world needs to start drumming! Learn more about John’s own drumming and music making at DrummerJohn.com.

The cover of John Pritchard’s book:

The back cover of the book:

John Pritchard was so kind in signing my copy! Thanks, John!

The Table of Contents:

A wonderful photo excerpt from the book (I assume the author is the photographer):

Information about the Author:

More info about the Author:

BOOK DESCRIPTION AND AMAZON LINKS:

AMAZON LINKS:

AMAZON US LINK:
We All Live In A Yellow Submarine: The Beatles and the Meditation Revolution: Pritchard, John: 9798274452779: Amazon.com: Books

AMAZON UK LINK:
We All Live In A Yellow Submarine: The Beatles and the Meditation Revolution: Amazon.co.uk: Pritchard, John: 9798274452779: Books

AMAZON DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK:

What if a psychedelic animated film from 1968 contained profound spiritual wisdom that could transform your life? What if the Beatles’ journey to India catalyzed a consciousness revolution still unfolding today? What if “All You Need Is Love” wasn’t just a catchy song but a revolutionary principle backed by ancient wisdom?

This groundbreaking book reveals the hidden connections between the Beatles’ spiritual seeking, Yellow Submarine’s esoteric symbolism, and the meditation movement that has now reached hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Main Description

In August 1967, four young musicians from Liverpool attended a meditation lecture in Wales—and accidentally sparked a spiritual revolution. Six months later, they traveled to an ashram in Rishikesh, India, studying with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi while writing the songs that would become the White Album. Their very public embrace of Transcendental Meditation made consciousness exploration mainstream, paving the way for yoga studios, mindfulness apps, and the $4 billion meditation industry.

But there’s more to this story than celebrity endorsement.

Part 1: The Meditation Revolution documents what really happened in Rishikesh—the intensive practice, the creative explosion, the disillusionment with the guru, and the lasting impact on Western spirituality. Drawing from interviews, historical records, and scientific research, this section traces meditation’s remarkable journey from exotic Eastern practice to mainstream wellness activity, showing how the Beatles’ seeking continues shaping contemporary life.

Part 2: The Yellow Submarine reveals the 1968 animated classic as sophisticated spiritual text encoding teachings about consciousness transformation, shadow integration, love as revolutionary force, and the journey toward awakening. Through chapter-by-chapter contemplative analysis, you’ll discover:

• Why the submarine represents protected consciousness navigating existence’s challenges
• How the Blue Meanies embody the shadow we must face and integrate
• What the various seas teach about levels of awareness and states of consciousness
• Why “All You Need Is Love” is revolutionary principle, not naive sentiment
• How music functions as sacred practice and creative force
• What Pepperland reveals about our natural state of joy and connection

Part 3: Scholarly Validation examines Robert Hieronimus’s groundbreaking research documenting Yellow Submarine’s hermetic, alchemical, and mystical symbolism. This section shows that reading the film as spiritual teaching isn’t projection but documented reality—the creators genuinely encoded esoteric wisdom from multiple traditions.

What Makes This Book Different

Three approaches in one: Historical documentation meets spiritual interpretation meets scholarly analysis. Each illuminates the others, creating understanding none alone provides.

Practical and transformative: Not just history or theory—includes contemplative practices, meditation guidance, and frameworks for applying ancient wisdom to contemporary challenges.

Contemporary relevance: Explicitly connects 1960s consciousness revolution to today’s climate crisis, political polarization, mental health epidemic, and search for meaning in turbulent times.

The Journey Awaits

The Beatles showed that transformation is possible. Yellow Submarine showed what awakened consciousness looks like. This book shows how it all connects, why it matters now, and how you can participate in the ongoing consciousness revolution.

Board the Yellow Submarine. Navigate the seas of consciousness. Discover that love really is all you need.

Press Kit – We All Live In A Yellow Submarine by John Pritchard

ENJOY THE TRIP!!!

Be healthy and be happy!

Buzz

OUR FEATURED BOOK – THE INFINITE UNIVERSE OF YOKO ONO

THE BEATLES IN CANADA – TWO SPECIAL BOOK EDITIONS!

Just received a truly wonderful book that I recently purchased from one of my favorite Canadian Beatles book authors, Piers Hemmingsen!

To view an interview with the author and David Bedford, click here.

Piers has written the Canadian equivalent of a Beatles bible with his stunning, more than 600-page study of the Beatles in Canada. To say the content is detailed and well-researched is a gross understatement. The Beatles in Canada- The Evolution 1964-1970 represents the second of two masterworks by the author about the Beatles association and involvement with Canada over the years. You will be amazed by the extensive detail of how Beatlemania hit the Canadian mainland before it ever hit the US.

The first book, The Beatles in Canada-The Origins of Beatlemania!, was published in 2015/16 and is shown at the conclusion of this post. I was so impressed with Piers first volume that I knew I had to have the sequel and once again he has greatly exceeded my expectations. This book is excellent and that is only one of the positive descriptors I can use. This title will be “THE” source to turn to whenever you want to learn anything about the Beatles in Canada or their cultural impact on the Canadian population.

For those interested in purchasing this wonderful new book, here are the links:

1. North America link

https://www.thebeatlesincanada.com

2. UK/Europe link

The Beatles in Canada: The Evolution 1964-1970 – omnibuspress.com

Please read the content distinctions provided below for the Bookplate Signature edition of the book and the Author’s Signature edition before making your decision as you want to be able to make the best-informed decision applicable to your wants and collecting needs!

Piers Hemmingsen with Forewords from Sandy Gardiner, John Brower and Ritchie Yorke ​ The following information is from the https://www.thebeatlesincanada.com website. I have included a large segment here for your convenience. If you have any unanswered questions, please access the link! THE BOOK DESCRIPTION: Almost ten years in the making, this is the second volume in the two volume book series The Beatles In Canada. Following right where the first book—The BEATLES IN CANADA – The Origins Of Beatlemania!—left off in 2015—The BEATLES IN CANADA – The Evolution 1964-1970!— is the definitive history of the group in Canada, starting in late 1964 and winding along the Beatles road all the way through to mid-1970.   Between late 1964 and early 1970, the musical evolution of The Beatles impacted many aspects of social life in the Great White North. This second volume of The Beatles In Canada series chronicles the six years following The Beatles’ first tour of Canada in 1964. The group returned to Canada for four fab concerts in 1965 and 1966. In a population of 20 million people, hundreds of thousands of Canadian teens were tuned in to the music of The Beatles. The Beatles’ TV appearances, films and recordings exerted a profound influence on young Canadians, whether it was fashion, religion, politics or community. Canadian-manufactured Beatles records were selling in the hundreds of thousands too. Nowhere was their influence greater than on Canada’s performing arts and on the new music coming out of Canada. Some of Canada’s greatest musical artists of the Sixties and Seventies have shared their stories inside this book.​​​​​​​​​​​​ Read the excellent review of The Beatles in Canada – The Evolution 1964-1970 in Spill Magazine – click here. THE TWO SPECIAL EDITIONS THE SIGNATURE NAMEPLATE EDITION BOOK DESCRIPTION: (Limited to 200 books worldwide – No.1 to No. 200 available online direct from Hemmingsen Publishing) 640-page full colour hard cover coffee table book printed in Canada by Marquis Books, Shawinigan, Quebec Strictly limited to 200 numbered editions worldwide signed by the author. Includes: A signature nameplate bearing the autographs of Sandy Gardiner, the first journalist to publish a review of Love Me Do in March 1963, and John Brower who, along with Ritchie Yorke, convinced Beatle John Lennon and Yoko Ono to appear with the Plastic Ono Band at the Toronto Rock & Roll Revival in September 1969.  A glossy 4-page “Of Beatles And Mounties” insert from noted American Beatles researcher and author Bruce Spizer, including a full colour image of the one-of-kind stereo ‘butcher cover’ slick sent to Paul White of Capitol Records of Canada in June 1966, signed and dated by Bruce Spizer. A specially created ‘Book Mark’, individually numbered and signed by Beatles expert Mark Lewisohn. A 50-track companion audio disc A 14″x20″ full colour poster detailing key moments in The Beatles’ history in Canada throughout the Sixties and into 1970 THE AUTHOR’S SIGNATURE EDITION BOOK DESCRIPTION: (Limited to 850 books worldwide – No.201 to 250 and No.501 to No.1,500 available online direct from Hemmingsen Publishing) ​ 640-page full colour hard cover coffee table book printed in Canada by Marquis Books, Shawinigan, Quebec Strictly limited to 1,300 numbered editions worldwide signed by the author (includes 250 available via Omnibus Books in the U.K.) Includes: A 50-track companion audio disc A 14″x20″ full colour poster detailing key moments in The Beatles’ history in Canada throughout the Sixties and into 1970 A bookmark featuring Mark Lewisohn and Piers Hemmingsen Items include: Bruce Spizer “Of Beatles and Mounties” booklet, Mark Lewisohn bookmark, companion audio CD with booklet and The Beatles in Canada – The Evolution poster. About the Author Piers Hemmingsen (b. Salisbury, UK, 1955) is a British-Canadian music historian based in Toronto, specializing in all aspects of  The Beatles and their connections to Canada. His 476-page book, The Beatles in Canada: The Origins of Beatlemania!, was published in 2015. He has handled numerous media interviews, written articles, given lectures, conducted tours, and curated museum exhibits on the subject of the Beatles in Canada. Between 2017 and 2025, Piers contributed chapters on The Beatles relating to Canada to all nine volumes of Bruce Spizer’s popular Beatles ‘album series’ books in the USA.   Publishing Details Publication date: December 2025​ ISBN: 978-0-9878293-4-4  Category: Popular Music, The Beatles, Social History, Music Industry Binding: Hardback Extent: 640 pages, large format Images: Colour and B&W images throughout ​ Distribution Canada & U.S.A. (online and select retail locations) U.K./Europe (Omnibus Press via online sales beginning in early 2026) Items include: Bruce Spizer “Of Beatles and Mounties” booklet,Mark Lewisohn bookmark, companion audio CD with bookletand The Beatles in Canada – The Evolution poster. RESERVE YOUR COPY NOW!Choose from either a Signature Nameplate Edition or an Author’s Signature Edition, or both! The Signature Nameplate Edition is limited to 200 books worldwide.Includes nameplate signed by Sandy Gardiner, John Brower and the author. Each book also includes: Bruce Spizer “Of Beatles and Mounties” booklet,Mark Lewisohn signed bookmark, companion audio CD with bookletand The Beatles in Canada – The Evolution poster. The Author’s Signature Edition is limited to 1,300 books worldwide. Each book is signed by the author. Each book also includes: Bruce Spizer “Of Beatles and Mounties” booklet,Beatles in Canada bookmark, companion audio CD with booklet and The Beatles in Canada – The Evolution poster. Reserve your copy by placing an order on our web site and requesting the number of your choice. Those who purchased a specific number of the first book The Beatles in Canada – The Origins of Beatlemania! If you have already reserved your book, we Thank You Girl… or Boy!] 😉 Home | Beatles In Canada

A couple of videos for your viewing enjoyment that have connections to the books that you are reading about!

Revival 69 Behind The Scenes Ft. John Brower

#90 – The Beatles In Canada – Featuring interviews with John Brower and Piers Hemmingsen

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RATIONALE FOR A BEATLES BOOK COLLECTOR TO ACQUIRE 2 COPIES:

I will take a brief moment to explain my reasoning and justification as a collector for buying a copy of each special signed edition that was being offered of this wonderful new book. I just want you to understand that collecting is not a simple or always easily explained phenomenon. There are many psychological variables that can channel a choice or decision to be made. Some may accuse me of being obsessive for buying 2 copies of a book and they may be correct but as a collector here were my reasons for the choices. First, I am retired and collecting Beatles books makes me happy, especially books of this sort. Secondly-the book has excellent quality, so we are off to a good start!

THE PLOT DEEPENS:

THE SIGNATURE NAMEPLATE EDITION – I also collect the signatures of people that have played important roles in the history of the Beatles. Buying this edition allowed me to have the signature of John Brower the promoter of the concert at Varsity Stadium that featured the return of John Lennon to performing live on stage, though minus his former three famous colleagues. Some say this concert gave John the confidence he needed to be able to say his official goodbye to his former group! The 200-copy edition of the book also features the signature of Sandy Gardiner who was the first journalist to write a review of a Beatles record in North America with his review of Love Me Do. The review appeared in the Ottawa Journal in March of 1963 according to Piers Hemmingsen!

THE AUTHOR’S SIGNATURE EDITION:

The back cover of the book:

The signatures of Sandy Gardiner, John Brower, author Piers Hemmingsen and the # of the Signed Bookplate edition:

The bookplate edition of the book included a special bookmark signed by the Beatles trilogy author, Mark Lewisohn! Sounds and looks like a great endorsement of the book, Piers!

The author’s signature in the bookplate edition of the book:

Another fabled Beatles author and historian, Bruce Spizer wrote a wonderful insert for the book entitled: OF BEATLES AND MOUNTIES where he discusses his fascination of collecting rare Canadian Beatles records & artifacts. The cover of the insert featured a photo of a rare Stereo Canadian Butcher cover slick of which Bruce is the justifiable proud owner of!

In the insert there is also a photograph of the two Beatles authors with their signatures and the number of the copy of the book which is #200. That is one of my collecting obsessions. Piers had informed me through the advertising email about this edition of the book, that there were only 200 copies of this special signed bookplate deluxe edition. I have a special inclination to try and collect the last numbered & signed copy of limited-edition Beatles books. Knowing this was the last one of the 200 copy bookplate edition, I asked if the last copy was available and when I received the affirmative reply, I purchased it.

As an added incentive this edition featured the special bookplate signatures that I discussed above. However, that was not the end of the story as the balance of the signed limited-edition book was actually 1500 copies though the first 200 copies had features exclusive to those copies. So, I gave it great thought, and I made the determination to also purchase copy #1500 of the book to officially have THE last copy of the signed edition for my collection! I guess they call that double indemnity! Maybe that would be a good alternate identity for me to use on the computer!

The signatures of Piers and Bruce Spizer in the special insert that accompanies the signed bookplate edition:

My copy of the special 50-track audio disk featured in the 200-copy Nameplate edition. This disk also accompanies the Author’s Signature edition!

AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT TO BEING A BEATLES COLLECTOR:

AUTHOR’S SIGNATURE EDITION
(Limited to 850 books worldwide – No.201 to 250 and No.501 to No.1,500)

This is from copy #1500 of the limited signed author’s edition of the book. Thank you for the wonderful inscription, Piers! I just had to have that last official copy of your great title! It is difficult if not impossible to acquire the first copy of any limited edition so I decided many years ago that I would try to acquire the last signed and numbered copy for my Beatles library! I have been very successful in that pursuit…

Here is a photo of the first part of this beautiful book series by Piers Hemmingsen. Holding to the Beatles business fascination with the colors of red and blue, (the red and blue double album sets), the earlier book had the color red as its visual focal point and the new one has the color blue! It must also be noted here that two other Beatles book authors have released or plan to release Beatle book titles that feature the popular red and blue motif!

For those interested in purchasing this wonderful new book, here are the links:

1. North America link

https://www.thebeatlesincanada.com

2. UK/Europe link

The Beatles in Canada: The Evolution 1964-1970 – omnibuspress.com

Wishing you all the best! Beatles book collectors, take my word for it, the new blue Piers Hemmingsen book is already one of my favorites and I just received it in the mail. If you collect books about the Beatles, this one will hold a prominent place in your Beatles library!

Be Healthy and Be Happy!

Buzz

The two enclosed pictures are of the album by Sounds Nice released in 1969. The sessions were recorded at Abbey Road Studios whilst the Fab Four were at times in residence working on Abbey Road. The album is an instrumental offering, and there are some superb pieces within the grooves, namely “Love At First Sight”, “I Heard it Through The Grapevine”, “Summer Night”, “Galouise”, and “Love You Too”, plus one other track, which we shall come to just a bit later.

That Sounds Nice – Paul McCartney

The two people really behind the group Sounds Nice were Paul Buckmaster and Tim Mycroft, The Abbey Road Studio team were suitably impressed and apparently so, was a certain Mr Paul McCartney. He heard one of the demo tapes of “Love At First Sight”, and the reply from him was “that  Sounds Nice”. That became the group’s name for the duration of their tenure.

Sounds Nice had “Love at First Sight” issued as a single on the Parlophone Label in the UK, and it was played frequently on Radio 1 and they  also appeared on Top of the Pops, which had the result of sending the song into the British Top 20. This was indeed the instrumental track to Serge Gainsberg’s and Jane Birkin’s “Je T’aime Moi Non Plus”, the  French language-based single which, due to its high sexual content, was banned by the BBC from the UK airwaves. It still draws comment today, (yet it is a most beautiful recording indeed). It is still indeed banned from BBC airwaves, but not commercial stations. (Yes, this was 1969, believe it or not!!).

It only enhanced the sales of the single still further, as it reached No 1 in 1969 on the Major Minor record label, the playing of the instrumental track must have really helped sales, because just a little later it again attained a No 1 position being issued by the Fontana label. It was the first time a banned song had reached number 1, and it did it twice in the same year as well!

Another rumour gaining strength at the time was that the group were going to be signed to Apple, but the policy towards new and emerging talent had changed, (maybe Allen Klein’s mode of operation nipped that into the bud). We may never be in a position to ever know, but the thought certainly does indeed carry some weight.

The links went still further as the album was issued in the USA on the Rare Earth Label via the Tamla Motown Outfit in Detroit. My copy is the USA album version, and I said then and do now, that the UK packaging is far superior, and I am amazed that it has kept so well, maybe keeping it in a plastic outer sleeve, and out of the sunlight is good for it. It still plays excellently too as a matter of fact !! 

Any way it is certainly a nice piece of pop history with links to the fab four, and has been very hard to obtain in its original form. I am glad to say I have this copy, and these photographs show what a typical 1969 EMI based pop production looked like. CD Copies of the album with a different cover have started turning up on eBay and are sometimes listed at about £95-00 a throw, so I will continue to look after my original 1969 copy.

FLYING

Amongst the grooves contained within the sleeve there is a cover version of The Beatles track – “Flying”, from The Magical Mystery Tour. They even at times kept the groups original aerial feel to their cover and I have to say that it works quite well. For the inquisitive ones, “Flying” is on Side 1, track 4, so that takes all the hard work away for you.

The album works quite well in 2026, and shows what a 1969 pop album look and sounded like. The attractive lady on the front cover was a well – known model and pretty face at the time, and she appeared on a huge amount of magazine and fashion shots then. So when you look at the cover now, she seems like an old friend that you used to know.

So there is another interesting link to the fab four, and one that draws some interest, and maybe will draw more now, enjoy.

Nigel Pearce

OUR FEATURED BOOK – CAVERN CLUB – THE INSIDE STORY

In this new interview, David Bedford talks to Piers Hemmingsen about Volume 2 of his great work on The Beatles in Canada.

Get Piers’ book here The Beatles in Canada : The Evolution 1964-1970 (Blue Book) The Beatles in Canada 2: Piers Hemmingsen: 9780987829344: TGJones

Watch out for more information in a blog from BUZZ!