The Beatles Bookstore

Just received this wonderful press release of what I am sure will be another wonderful musical release from the pre-Badfinger group known as the Iveys. I have all of the special releases put together by Y&T Music!

I strongly encourage you to check out these excellent recordings and to consider adding them to your respective collections. I have already placed my order!

New album of unreleased demos by THE IVEYS,

‘Miniskirts And Rainbows’ to be released Nov. 28, 2025 on Y&T Music

Y&T Music is proud to announce the release of a previously unreleased album by THE IVEYS, Miniskirts And Rainbows. The album, which features 19 rare demos, recorded between 1966 and 1969, will be released on CD and all streaming services on November 28, 2025. There will also be a strictly limited edition 17-track vinyl pressing of 300 copies.

There were a few major developments since the last Iveys release, titled, How Much Is The Sky. The release of Pete Ham’s Acoustic album was the follow-up release to Y&T Music’s Gwent Gardens, which has sold out, and Badfinger’s long lost final album recorded with Pete Ham, Head First, was remixed from the original multi-tracks and issued on both CD and vinyl as a special 50th Anniversary edition.

Badfinger archivist & historian Tom Brennan has been compiling and editing this new collection of rare & interesting demos since 2024, and mastering engineer & Badfinger historian Kevin McElligott has been cleaning up the recordings during the past year for public consumption.

The CD edition of Miniskirts And Rainbows includes 19 tracks by The Iveys recorded between 1966 and 1969, of which, only 1 has ever been heard by serious collectors in the versions that appear here. The album contains 6 titles that are alternate versions of tracks by The Iveys or Badfinger that have been previously released, and 10 titles that either collectors or the public have heard of before. Three of these are solo demos by Mike Gibbins, and two by bassist, Ron Griffiths.

The theme of this Iveys Volume 5 Anthology collection is based on the song “Black & White Rainbows” which makes reference to a purple miniskirt in addition to its title. Of course, we also have the opening and closing tracks which have the word “miniskirt” in their titles.

For the first time, two songs written or co-written by Bill Collins, who was considered as the unofficial 5th member of the group, are included on an Iveys release.  The first is a co-write with guitarist Tom Evans, called “Good Boy”, from the time in late Summer of 1967 when he had just joined the group. The second song which was entirely written by Collins for Apple artist Mary Hopkin in November 1969, was a song called “All The Fun Of The Fair.” On the demo produced by Tom Evans, Pete Ham sang the lead vocal.

In 1969, tape dubs of 6 Iveys demos were sent to both Paul McCartney and Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham to get their opinions for which songs they should record for a follow-up single to “Maybe Tomorrow.” The last of these to be issued, The Iveys’ own version of “Blodwyn” appears here.

 Here is the link for the first single: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vQcBZG_1w0

THE SONGS (CD edition)

  1. Cleopatra In A Miniskirt
  2. I Love You
  3. Blodwyn [demo]
  4. All Of My Life
  5. That’s Okay
  6. Spider Woman
  7. Angelique [demo]
  8. Bound To Get Lucky Someday
  9. Girl Without Love
10. Black & White Rainbows [version 2]
11. Tomorrow Today [version 2]
12. Yesterday Ain’t Coming Back [demo]
13. Love Means Happiness
14. Good Boy
15. All The Fun Of The Fair
16. Please Understand Love
17. I Miss You [demo]
18. I Love The Way You Hate Me
19. Girl Next Door In The Miniskirt [whistling version]

THE SONGS (vinyl edition)

 SIDE 1:

  1. Cleopatra In A Miniskirt
  2. I Love You
  3. Blodwyn [demo]
  4. All Of My Life
  5. That’s Okay
  6. Spider Woman
  7. Angelique [demo]
  8. Bound To Get Lucky Someday
  9. Black & White Rainbows [version 2]

 SIDE 2:

  1. Tomorrow Today [version 2]
  2. Yesterday Ain’t Coming Back [demo]
  3. Love Means Happiness
  4. All The Fun Of The Fair
  5. Please Understand Love
  6. I Miss You [demo]
  7. I Love The Way You Hate Me
  8. Girl Next Door In The Miniskirt [whistling version

To Purchase the CD release:

AMAZON US:

The Iveys – Miniskirts & Rainbows – The Iveys Anthology Volume 5 – Amazon.com Music

AMAZON UK:

Miniskirts & Rainbows – The Iveys Anthology Volume 5 by The Iveys: Amazon.co.uk: CDs & Vinyl

For more information:

https://www.badfingerlibrary.com

www.ytmusiconline.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/BadfingerIveys#p/u

CONTACT Y&T – For Questions you may have:

YTMusic1@aol.com             

Wishing you all the best!

Be Happy and Be Healthy!!!

Buzz

I remember reading this advertisement for a non-English Beatles book title, The Beatles in Copenhagen, a while back:

“About 50 b/w photos from The Fab Four’s two concerts on June 4th. 1964 have emerged. The photos were taken by the Danish photojournalist Knud Ørsted at KB-hallen in Copenhagen, Denmark. The historic photos will be featured in a new book entitled “Beatles i København – 4.6.64” (Beatles in Copenhagen – 6.4.64), which will be published by Strandberg Publishing on November 7th. The book is in Danish only, but the pictures are absolutely amazing!“

Found a link to the book on the Danish Amazon site:

The Beatles in Copenhagen 4.6.64 : Knud Orsted, Strandberg Publishing: Amazon.de: Books

FabFour

As you can see, I now have a copy of this wonderful book in my collection signed by the author/photographer. When the book was sent to me, it included an 8 page insert in English that helped to explain to me the background of the creation of the book that discussed the concerts that began the Beatles 1964 World Tour. It also dealt with a topic that I have always been fascinated with, the 13 days that Jimmie Nicol substituted for Ringo Starr due to Ringo’s short-term illness. Even if you can not read or understand Danish, you will enjoy the photographs in this wonderful book!

A picture is certainly worth more than a thousand words! That is not a cliche…

The Beatles’ 1964 world tour – Wikipedia How it Began

The author’s inscription:

The Publisher credits: STRANDBERG PUBLISHING

The 8 page English language insert that I received:

One sample photo from the book featuring Jimmie Nicol on the drums: Photo by Knud Ørsted

BE HEALTHY AND BE HAPPY!

BUZZ

OUR FEATURED PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

Of all the so-called supergroups over the years, the Traveling Wilburys hold the esteemed distinction for me of creating the sames sense of fun that the Beatles did in their early years of singing wonderful melodies that are not couched in today’s musical tendencies for over-production and digital perfection. What a lineup-George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. Kick in one of the world’s best drummers, Jim Keltner and what a stellar group of musicians.

Though they only made two albums together and their best singer died soon after the release of their first album ( I am of course referring to Roy Orbison), they were two excellent albums, indeed, clever lyrics, poking fun at everyone. Despite the possible or potential ego overload of the band, the distribution of contributions of the individual members seemed well-balanced and fair. The most important ingredients were the catchy melodies and the direct message being sent out by all of the members of the band that they were having a helluva good time checking those individual egos at the door.

The band started with a song that George Harrison thought would make a great B-side as he had just recently completed his Cloud Nine album. Through several twists of fate George made a few calls and before you know it, they had a new band. Handle With Care became their first single.

So as not to offend certain affections that others have for their favorite musicians, George once gave an interview where he speculated who who would make a good Wilbury and who would not. I would love to hear his specific reasons for his choices. I have got to find that interview one day! I will not attempt to incite people’s anger to hear George’s choices as to who would make a good Wilbury! That audio interview is available Online somewhere!

This is a band I would have loved to see tour. What a grand show that would have been. There are some who disagree with my choice of the best singer in the band. To me there was no doubt, it was Roy Orbison. I saw him perform live on several occasions over the years and he would receive standing ovations in the middle of several of his numbers. His seemingly effortless several octave voice was truly memorable. He was one of the best singers I have ever heard. You could see in their promo films how much admiration and respect the other Wilburys had for Roy and his heavenly vocal chords.

When you have George Harrison and Bob Dylan contributing lyrics as well as memorable tunes, Jeff Lynne with his keen sense of harmony and melody, Tom Petty with his sharp wit and strong songwriting skills, this was the chemistry needed for greatness! Add in one of the best percussionists and drummers in the business, Jim Keltner, and the recipe for success was there and waiting to be tapped!

Though I prefer the tunes on the first Wilbury release and believe it was the best of the 2 Wilbury releases, the 2nd volume,which was ironically called Volume 3, had a significant amount of great tunes. Like the Beatles, the Wilburys left me always yearning for MORE!!! WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE???

ANOTHER GORGEOUS GENESIS PUBLICATIONS BOOK:

The Traveling Wilburys – Limited Edition Book

The slipcase of my copy of the book:

The Genesis Publications Traveling Wilburys Limited Edition book:

A little biographical background about the Wilburys on Wikipedia.

Traveling Wilburys – Wikipedia

The sleeve encasement containin the facsimile reproduction of the lyrics to George Harrison’s song which would launch the Wilburys:

A reproduction of George’s lyrics in the sleeve:

The credits page of the special Genesis title:

To me this statement in the book sums up the message of the Wilburys perfectly:

The Table of Contents in the book:

Jeff Lynne’s Foreword to the book:

Jeff Lynne’s signature in my copy of the book-copy #3000 of 3,000 copies issued!

The Traveling Wilburys – Handle With Care And one of the many gorgeous photos from the book

A SPECIAL ROMANIAN LP ORGANIZED BY OLIVIA HARRISON: NOBODY’S CHILD

THE LP CAN BE FOUND ON AMAZON, EBAY AND DISCOGS:

Olivia Harrison in cooperation with Yoko Ono, Barbara Bach, and Linda McCartney cooperated to raise funds for the horrific conditions of many Romanian orphanages at the time. The LP was designed to help alleviate some of those conditions and received help from the contributing artists to the LP.

The track listing of this excellent LP:

The special thank you to the purchasers of the record:

Olivia Harrison’s message to the purchasers of the Romanian Appeal Album:

VOLUME 1 OF THE WILBURYS:

Track Listing for Volume 1:

VOLUME 3:

The Traveling Wilburys – The Devil’s Been Busy (Official Visualizer)

Congratulations

Amazon.com: Traveling Wilburys Collection [2 CD/DVD Combo]: CDs & Vinyl

A few sources where the 2 volumes of the Wilbury releases can be found:

AMAZON US:

Amazon.com: The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1[LP]: CDs & Vinyl

Amazon.com: The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 3[LP]: CDs & Vinyl

AMAZON UK:

The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1: Amazon.co.uk: CDs & Vinyl

The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 3: Amazon.co.uk: CDs & Vinyl

The Traveling Wilburys Collection by The Traveling Wilburys: Amazon.co.uk: CDs & Vinyl

George Harrison on The Beatle who suited The Traveling Wilburys

Be Healthy and Be Happy!!!

Buzz

OUR OFFER OF THE WEEK

In their new book, David Bedford and Andrew Phillips discuss 70 key moments in Beatles history on which history could have changed.

Ivan Vaughan

The key What If moment that started this whole process was the whole coincidence of how John Lennon was introduced to Paul McCartney. Ivan Vaughan, John’s childhood friend from the age of 5, was one of John’s best friends, but Ivan’s parents weren’t keen on their son attending the same High School as “That Lennon”, so instead of him attending Quarry Bank with his friends, Ivan was sent to the Liverpool Institute. He ends up in the same class as Paul McCartney, and they become friends. They were even born on the same day!

It was this coincidence that meant that Ivan brought his new friend Paul McCartney to meet his childhood friend, John Lennon. Without Ivan, John and Paul would not have met and we would not have The Beatles.

But what about these “What If?’ scenarios?

There are 4 possible outcomes discussed in the book:

1. If the outcome would have ended up finishing The Beatles career – “The End”
2. If The Beatles would have continued, but it would have made a huge change in the outcome, it is “Tomorrow Never Knows”
3. If they did something, but managed to get away with it, it is “You Can’t Do That”.
4. If events would have meant a change, yet the outcome was the same, it is “Let It Be”.

The Beatles: What If?

1. What if they didn’t meet Allan Williams and Lord Woodbine?
2. What if they don’t go to Hamburg?
3. What if The Beatles don’t record “My Bonnie”, the record that brings them to the attention of Brian Epstein?
4. What if they don’t meet Brian Epstein?
5. What if they passed The Decca Audition?

These are just a few of the many scenarios discussed in the book, and you also have the chance to disagree with us! That is fine!

What if there was No Beatles? Not worth thinking about, is it?

But what if the history of The Beatles had changed in any of these 70 scenarios?

Get your copy of the book here. The Beatles: What If?

THE LARGEST BEATLES CROWD EVER WAS IN AUSTRALIA

The book shown below with the yellow background is a special leatherette edition of only 300 copies by Andy Neill and Greg Armstrong. When I first learned of this book and went to order a copy, I discovered at the purchase stage that because I lived in the United States, that they could not/ would not sell me a copy. Simply put, you could not order a copy if you lived in the States the way the purchasing system was setup. I believe it had something to do with the very high cost of postage in being able to send the book across the Pacific.

Obsessive Beatles Collectors!

There is a part of the mind inherent in some obsessive Beatles collectors that when they are denied something that they wish to acquire, it makes them even more determined to want to obtain a copy. I used the contact information provided at the publisher’s website and informed them that I ran a Beatles Book/Print blog and had the intention of presenting the special edition of the book on my blog indicating it would also help them in informing others of this special book title. I then proceeded to ask them if they would make a one-time exception in that case and allow me to purchase one of the 300 copies of the special edition for that purpose. Their management kindly agreed, and I was able to purchase a copy to show on the blog and to have it securely and safely ensconced in my personal archives.

True to my word, this is my second post about the book!

The book arrived on November 4, 2025, and it is a marvelous addition to my Beatles Book collection! I do not know if that exclusion to US buyers’ policy remains in place but if not, thought you would like to hear the story in the event you ever encounter a similar circumstance in your hunt for limited edition print artifacts!

Leatherette is a type of artificial leather, usually made by covering a fabric base with plastic. It is designed to mimic the appearance and texture of real leather, while being more durable and easier to maintain. It is often used for upholstery, clothing, bags and other items.

BOOK DESCRIPTION AT THE PUBLISHER WEBSITE: INSIDE THE BEATLES AUSTRALASIAN TOUR 1964

Description

The Beatles’ historic – and hysterical – tour of Australasia was now over 60 years ago, but interest in the band and the visit never fades. The importance of the tour remains deeply significant, not only in the memories of baby boomers who lived through it, but also to today’s millennials who wish they had. The Beatles Australasian tour is continually celebrated as a major social landmark for both countries, a huge and lasting step in the advancing development of youth culture, and a major highlight of the Beatles’ remarkable career. 

When We Was Fab: Inside The Beatles Australasian Tour 1964 is the definitive and highly illustrated (with many previously unseen photographs) account of this extraordinary tour by the world’s most creative and influential musical force; the key moment in the coming of age of Australian and New Zealand youth as they embraced the cultural explosion of the 1960s. This leatherette hardcover collectors’ edition is limited to 300 copies.

https://www.woodslanepress.com.au/?ref=vjqwamuh

When the site opens up – type in Beatles in the search grid and it will bring up the two October 1, 2025 editions of the book:

The red volume issue of the book at one time was being offered for a limited time on Amazon but I believe most of those copies are now sold out, though a few copies may still be available in certain countries.

The gold edition only appears as a 300 copy limited edition book:

THE AMAZON HARDBACK EDITION

The following book is the edition that started it all for me. I bought it on Amazon and I was very happy I did as I was not aware that the publication of the hardcover was a limited run. I have been told that now there is only a few copies left of the hardcover edition at select Amazon sites! It is a gorgeous book, many beautiful photos and stories.

WHEN WE WAS FAB: INSIDE THE BEATLES AUSTRALASIAN TOUR 1964 by ANDY NEILL and GREG ARMSTRONG

Woodslane Pty Ltd Published: 21 October, 2024

When We Was Fab: Greg Armstrong: 9781922800688: Amazon.com: Books

FLEXI-BOUND EDITION DESCRIPTION–OCT. 1, 2025

WHEN WE WAS FAB: INSIDE THE BEATLES AUSTRALASIAN TOUR 1964 by ANDY NEILL and GREG ARMSTRONG

Description- Flexibound edition-to be issued on October 1, 2025–WOODSLANE PRESS

When We Was Fab: Greg Armstrong: 9781922800688: Amazon.com: Books

The Beatles historic – and hysterical – tour of Australasia was now over 60 years ago, but interest in the band and the visit never fades. The importance of the tour remains deeply significant, not only in the memories of baby boomers who lived through it, but also to today’s millennials who wish they had. The Beatles Australasian tour is continually celebrated as a major social landmark for both countries, a huge and lasting step in the advancing development of youth culture, and a major highlight of the Beatles’ remarkable career.

When We Was Fab: Inside The Beatles Australasian Tour 1964 is the definitive and highly illustrated (with many previously unseen photographs) account of this extraordinary tour by the world’s most creative and influential musical force; the key moment in the coming of age of Australian and New Zealand youth as they embraced the cultural explosion of the 1960s. This new flexi-bound edition follows the sold-out limited edition hardback which was marketed on Amazon

Definition of a flexi-bound book from Imago What is a Flexibound Book? | A Visual Guide (Infographic)

In truth, flexi-bound books are closer in their binding style to a cased book (hardback book) than to a limp book (paperback book). The only difference being that flexi-bound book covers are made of flexible card stock, instead of a rigid binding board. Just like a cased book, the edges of the cover overhang the book block.

This means that while the two book styles are almost identical in their binding processes, a finished flexi-bound book remains lightweight with its flexible cover.

Hope this information helps you if you are attempting to seek out this wonderful book!

Be Healthy and be Happy!

Buzz

OUR PHOTO OF THE WEEK AT THE BEATLES BOOKSTORE – THE QUARRYMEN IN ROSEBERY STREET SIGNED BY THE QUARRYMEN