Memorabilia expert Terry Crain discusses Paul McCartney and Beatles memorabilia in the 1960s.
“Beatles memorabilia featuring Paul McCartney always did well in the first-generational wave of dimensional items from 1964-1966. In fact, research by retailers and manufacturers showed that the two most popular Beatles in the US at that time were Ringo and Paul.
Paul McCartney Board cut-out
“Even when Beatles toy rings, valued at 29 cents each, were stolen in a burglary in the St. Louis area in 1964, the shop owner after the theft was quoted as saying: ‘Frankly, I was stuck with the George rings because they did not sell, but now I won’t have to worry about them. Ringo and Paul sell much better.'”
Discover this and more amazing stories in Terry Crain’s book:
NEMS and the Business of Selling Beatles Merchandise in the U.S. 1964-1966 (2ND EDITION)
The book covers the approximately 150 licensed items that dotted store shelves and helped fuel the band-crazed fan during the time right after the band landed in America and performed on The Ed Sullivan Show. Toys, games, dolls, jewelry, clothing, wigs, and more!
On A Certain Softness, from the album Chaos and Creation in the Backyard of 2005, you can hear how much Paul has evolved since the Beatles. Compare this love song with She Loves You. It is much more delicate, painting the more subtle feelings of a love affair. In this song a powerful musical element is used: the perfect detail. After 1:21 minutes you hear a piano line, simple, not difficult to play, but perfect. The song is not the same without it.
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
The Beatles have used the perfect detail too, but never as beautiful as in this song. In Good Morning Good Morning from Sgt. Pepper for example, you have the electric guitar after 1:16 minutes. In Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da from The White Album you have a funny piano part, two short lines, towards the end, after 2:32 minutes. When the Analogues performed this song, as part of the integral performance of The White Album, they accentuated this perfect detail by a musician who came on stage, especially for these two piano lines.
The perfect detail, one of the musical elements used by Paul and the Beatles which make their music so interesting. A more detailed analysis of the musical elements of Beatles music can be found in The Beatles Era, A Quest for the Secret of the Beatles, by Peter Eijgenhuijsen, especially in the chapter The Secret of Their Music.
Discover more about the secrets of Paul McCartney and The Beatles in Peter’s book:
Seeing Paul’s birthday coming up, reminds me of the time he celebrated his Dad’s 62nd birthday following the premiere of “A Hard Day’s Night” in London.
They were at the after party at The Dorchester Hotel, and when it turned midnight and became the 7th July, Paul presented Jim with a big flat brown paper parcel. He opened it to find a framed picture of a horse. Jim was a bit bewildered and said, “Thanks son, it’s a very nice picture.” To which Paul replied, “It’s not just a picture Dad, I’ve bought you the bloody horse, his name is Drake’s Drum, and he’s running at Aintree next Saturday”.
A Thoughtful Gift
Angie, Paul and Jim McCartney with Drakes Drum
Paul knew his Dad liked a little flutter on the horses, and decided on this unique present, which brought Jim much happiness over the years. What a thoughtful gift.
I know Paul will have the loving wishes of family and friends around the world when he celebrates this next trip around the sun.
Ruth and I join in sending our warm and fuzzies.
Read Angie’s stories in her fascinating book:
Your Mother Should Know
Your Mother Should Know is the second book from Dr. McCartney, who published her first, My Long and Winding Road, in 2013. Now 90 years old, she shows no signs of slowing down. Her latest work is a collection of often hilarious and always heartfelt quips, memories, lifehacks, salty one-liners and witty observations. Along for the ride is McCartney’s ever-loyal and equally saucy daughter Ruth, who, as a young child greeted her future stepbrother Paul at their first meeting with “I know who you are! You’re on my cousin’s wallpaper.”
On LIPA Graduation Day 2006 my fellow Companions to be inducted at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall included the late actress Lynda Bellingham, motivational speaker Sir Ken Robinson, electronics pioneer Dr. Jörg Sennheiser and actor Terence Stamp, honoured in his unavoidable absence. We all lined up for the traditional pre-ceremony photograph with Paul, before taking our places in the procession into the hall.
The format is virtually the same each year, with the new Companions and other VIP guests all gathering in the Philly’s Green Room ahead of the ceremony to be greeted by LIPA CEO Mark Featherstone-Witty. The first big moment occurs when Paul arrives, having usually flown up to Liverpool from his home in Sussex that morning, often in the middle of a big summer tour. It’s always a privilege to meet him there, while he always makes sure to greet old friends as well as LIPA staffers.
Paul Gives the Graduation Certificates Out
During the course of the next three hours, well over two hundred students will receive their Graduation certificates from Paul, while Mark introduces each new Companion at regular intervals, upon which they are required to make a speech.
By sod’s law I had to follow one of Britain’s most celebrated orators, Sir Ken Robinson (who sadly passed away in August 2020), who made such a brilliant, inspiring and humorous speech that I thought I may as well pack up and go home. But somehow I got through mine unscathed, with references to how the Beatles and Paul had influenced my life and career, working at record labels and other companies before starting SongLink, before ending with some words of encouragement to all the graduates along the lines of, “Follow your instincts in choosing your goals, if I can do it, so can you.”
Macca Liked My Speech
I must have made some impact on Paul as during the reception afterwards he said to me, “I didn’t know you’d done all that!” In other years we might discuss the latest SongLink Prize winners and nominees. For one day each year Paul also makes a point of spending time with each songwriter student during the Easter term, conducting short one-to one sessions during which he’s even been known to start co-writing a new song with some of them. Now that’s what I call integrity and dedication, otherwise known as being a “mensch”.
Happy birthday Paul!
What had d
David done for Paul to be so surprised? Find out in David Stark’s great book:
It’s All Too Much
It’s All Too Much is the unique memoir by music industry veteran David Stark, who grew up in north London during the 1960s as a dedicated Beatles fan and was lucky enough to meet his musical heroes on various memorable occasions. From gate-crashing the Yellow Submarine film premiere in 1968 (aged just fifteen) and ending up sitting directly behind the group, to meeting all of them individually in some extraordinary circumstances, David has some highly entertaining stories about his many Beatles encounters which have never been told before.
SheSaidSheSaid Interview with Beatles Stylist Leslie Cavendish
June 2, 2021
Leslie Cavendish, trained in London by Vidal Sassoon as a master stylist (truly an artist), became not only The Beatles’ personal stylist, but also their trusted friend. He developed their post-Fabs look during the later Beatle years. They set him up in his own salon near the Apple Boutique.
His days were spent in the Apple offices, and he was a member of the Magical Mystery Tour Bus! When George Harrison invited the Hell’s Angels to Apple, they stayed in Leslie’s home! Leslie, with his own wry humor and delightful personality, will tell you true Beatles stories you’ve NEVER heard before?
Which Beatle was called “The Headmaster” and couldn’t sit still for a haircut? What were the earliest days of Yoko’s presence in Apple like? How did Jane Asher figure into Leslie’s career? This is a riveting interview. And his book, The Cutting Edge, is even better.
It is remarkable how many people – young – old – worldwide – become or remain intrigued by the legacy of The Beatles. Reissues, covers, films, fan sites, books, it provides an endless stream of new reflections on the music, life and cultural influence of The Fab Four. One such fascinated person is pharmaceutical scientist Peter Eijgenhuijsen, who was only twelve when The Beatles fell apart, but followed them with interest even then. Now at the age of 63 he publishes a book in which he reflects his own quest for the secret of The Beatles.“The Beatles Era, a Quest for the Secret of the Beatles” is written in English to reach a wide international audience and is available through Amazon.
Musical Development
Eijgenhuijsen, involved in daily life in writing registration files for new medicines, listened endlessly to details in the recordings, read every fragment that could be found about the boys and thought thoroughly every facet in order to understand the secret of The Beatles. He goes into detail about their musical development; from “Love me do” to “The End”, trying to find out why their music, fifty years later, still sounds fresh and remains interesting.
The Five Periods of The Beatles
Eijgenhuijsen divides his argument into five distinct periods: Before the Beatles, The Beatles Years, The Solo Years, The Reduced Solo Years, and After the Beatles, and tries to use these periods to explain why the Beatles became so great. He does this with wonder and admiration. To him it is not so much about what happened, but why it happened. The inability and frayed edges that also characterized the mutual relationships of the boys are often left out of consideration, but that is not necessarily a nuisance in a passionate argument in which the composition and performance of the most influential songs are central. McCartney’s musical genius and Lennon’s quirky originality are given free rein. Harrison’s fabulous final sprint as a songwriter is not forgotten.
Excellent Musical Knowledge
You can always argue about taste, but Eijgenhuijsen’s interpretations show excellent musical knowledge. Whether the secret of The Beatles is actually unravelled in this book is up to every reader. In any case, the writer of this piece was intrigued by the raised question that also occupies him and which he believes will continue to exist forever, because miracles cannot be explained.
Jan van Galen (original book review in Dutch on BEATLESFANCLUB.NL)
