John Lennon’s blunt nature often displayed truth in the observation that he could be his own worst enemy at times, especially with his “More Popular Than Jesus” comments! Public relations were certainly not his area of expertise. That was more of Paul’s realm! Though some would argue that John’s airing of his viewpoints was one of their favorite Lennon qualities as they made people “think” about social problems rather than just blindly accepting them as normal aspects of everyday life. Some subjects are certainly more controversial than others and discussing them can often lead to spirited conflict. Well, the Beatles were not immune to controversial subjects during their tenure at the top of the musical hierarchy…
John Lennon, in the mid-sixties made a comment to journalist Maureen Cleave that many believed was taken out of context that the influence of religion on the youth was declining whereas the mass following the Beatles were receiving was having more of an impact on the youth culture at that particular point in time.
Though his religious comments did not have a significant impact in Europe when they were made to journalist Maureen Cleave, when the comments appeared in the States, quite the controversy ensued as there was burnings of Beatles records and threats made on the Beatles lives. No doubt that this contributed to the 1966 decision for the Beatles to stop their touring careers!
Here are a few items from my collection dealing with this controversy
The September and October issues of Datebook magazine
September 1966 issue – the Cleave interview appears in this issue:
John’s More Popular Than Jesus Comments Appeared Here
The October 1966 issue where the publisher defends Lennon’s comments:
An excerpt of the Datebook publishers letter surrounding the controversy:
Finally, the “I Apologize” LP put together to market the controversy. It contained a news conference surrounding the matter and interviews with individual band members. It was not a big seller!However, I did add a copy to the collection primarily because of all the heated conversations about the incident.
In your opinion, what was the most controversial aspect of the career of the Beatles? What event seemed to bother you the most?
Buzz
Discover More about John Lennon at The Beatles Bookstore
Discover Jude’s Fascinating John Lennon Series here
Shivering Inside (Vol 2) Dec 1961 – Jan 1963
But for John Lennon, the hectic rise to glory failed to cure the constant Shivering Inside. He was still searching for something…or someone…to fill the hole in his heart. There are no hard copies left but you can get it on Kindle here for $9.99.
The “novelty” of getting a Novelty Beatles book title that is not commonplace still provides a great thrill to me as a Beatles book collector. A special category of those uncommon titles are Beatles novelty books. I have provided a couple of examples below of books from the ’60s where these books not only were poking fun at the Beatles phenomenon, but the authors may have missed out on some important details. Little did they know at the time that the books they were writing for a chuckle or a laugh, or perhaps to CAPITALIZE on the group’s incredible popularity, that the novelty books intent has boomeranged and changed over time as the perceptions of the band evolved through the ensuing years.
Novelty Books
Courses on the Beatles are now taught on the collegiate level, and I am willing to wager that most of the novelty books had the intention of solely poking fun at this long-haired group from Liverpool that was uplifting the younger generation to the forefront and front page of the culture. Little did the older generation realize what the lasting power of that group would be and the influence they would have on a worldwide basis!
Here are a few examples of Beatles novelty books.
BEATLE MANIA HITS THE BIG WIGS by STAN FINE. Published in 1964 by Gem Publishing Co.
FRONT COVER
Novelty Beatles Books – Beatlemania Hits The Big Wigs
The back cover-how many of you Baby Boomers remember the names of the celebrities portrayed in the Beatles wigs?
This book was a collection of satirical photographs from 1964 of many prominent public figures making comments about their appearance adorned in Beatles wigs and poking fun at the Beatle phenomenon. The photos contained within the book could double as postcards as a place to affix a stamp was also provided on the individual backside of the photos.. Here a few sample pages:
BIT BY LOVE AND THE BEETLE BUG
Published in 1964 and authored by Diane David and Julie Ann Lyman
Printed by Ravenswood Guardian Press
Perhaps the spelling of the group name was changed to avoid legal issues, but this book had a similar premise though the people portrayed in the photographs were not celebrities unlike the first title.
Stan Fine had a similar set of postcards under a different title that he devised for another presentation of prominent world leaders at the time presented in Beatles wigs
For me these books are important to have because it serves as evidence, that at the beginning the group was possibly not being taken seriously by the older generation or that they were simply being seen as a fad or a novelty. The unfolding events of musical history certainly proved that opinion to be misguided and faulty!
If you have any Beatles novelty books in your collection, would love to hear their titles and the premise that the book takes in it’s presentation. I also have a selfish reason for asking. If it is a book that I am not aware of, I may want to add it to my want list!
BUZZ
Art & Craft
Original art and craft related to Liverpool and the Beatles
TERRY CRAIN’S RESEARCH LEADS TO EXCITING NEW “TREASURE HUNTS” WITH THIS NEW BOOK TRILOGY – Copyrighting The Beatles
The print version of this wonderful new series of books “Copyrighting The Beatles” is so massive (over 1,000 pages) that it requires 3 volumes to thoroughly cover the subject! There is an electronic version of the title as well as print softcover and hardcover editions. For further details concerning this great 2024 Beatles book release you can go to Terry’s website at: www.fabgear.company
Watch as further details unfold and ordering details for the print version are unveiled and provided.
Designer, Beatles author, and collector Andrew Croft created the cover graphics for the trilogy, Tom Frangione wrote the Foreword, and Cha Chi Loprete wrote the Introduction.
Over 900 Beatles-Related Copyrights
The series of books chronicle over 900 Beatles and Beatles-related copyrights that are held in the US Library of Congress that were applied for between 1964 and 1966.
The three softcover editions of the Terry Crain trilogy:
Copyrighting The Beatles
My personal preference for book editions that appear in all three formats of digital, softcover and hardcover, is undoubtedly the hardcover copies. They are certainly more durable and will last a longer time. However, they are also more expensive. For me, superb research like Terry’s certainly justifies the hardcover purchase!
These are photos of the three volumes I acquired in the hardcover format:
Copyrighting The Beatles By Terry Crain-Hardcover Volume 1:
Copyrighting The Beatles Volume 1
Terry’s inscription to me in the hardcover edition:
Copyrighting The Beatles By Terry Crain-Hardcover Volume 2:
Copyrighting The Beatles Volume 2
Copyrighting The Beatles By Terry Crain-Hardcover Volume 3:
Copyrighting The Beatles Volume 3
Terry’s previous work NEMS is pictured here along with the new work “Copyrighting the Beatles” Volumes 1-3
Mark Lewisohn-possibly the world’s greatest authority on the Beatles gives Terry Crain the ultimate praise and compliment on the new book’s back cover:
Quote from Mark Lewisohn
The previous stellar book of research by author Terry Crain, tells the story of the company that was set up by Brian Epstein to officially license Beatles product in the early years. This book is a must-have title to help determine what items were officially sanctioned by the Beatles when they were initially were having their image marketed to the world…
COPYRIGHTING THE BEATLES BY TERRY CRAIN–The following item included in the paragraph below was uncovered by Terry Crain’s great expertise in conducting Beatles research and the details are provided in his new three volume set of books entitled “Copyrighting the Beatles.”
I consider this to be one of many special items that he found in the 3 volume set that help to demonstrate his great perseverance and diligence to be able to locate and describe such interesting collectibles. A person like me has a tendency to gravitate towards the more rare and unusual pieces that have a great story associated with them. These items inevitably make for great conversation pieces. Terry Crain and I both hold this interest in common, a genuine love for Beatles novelty records. His superb research skills concerning Beatles novelty records turned up the following treasure and the fascinating detail about the song’s writer and her musical accomplishments over the years.
Very few Beatles book authors truly impress me with new and interesting Beatle book ideas, but Terry certainly does!!! His titles are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, eBay and book search services such as Abe Books as well as Terry’s website.
Here is one of the Treasures that Terry discusses in his new book trilogy-“Copyrighting the Beatles”
One of the most unusual Beatles Novelty Records that I have ever seen!!!
It is very unusual when an item that you may be searching for to acquire in your collection may not even be an officially sanctioned release. It makes one stop and think that you could actually be trying to find an underground record (bootleg) to fill a hole in your Beatles novelty record collection!
A special Beatles novelty record by (Carol Connors) with the birth name of Annette Kleinbard. Carol/ Annette has a great musical pedigree which we will explore in the balance of this post: Carol/Annette’s most famous musical composition is probably her co-writing credit for the “Rocky” theme “Gonna Fly Now”, which is known all over the world. That is not her only link with musical immortality as she also sang lead on the 1958 recording of Phill Spector’s Teddy Bears’ recording of “To Know Him is to Love Him.” Carol also knew and dated the King, Elvis Presley and has her own book about those experiences, a photo of which appears at the bottom of this post!
The Beatles novelty song that appears on the apparent Thai bootleg recording shown below with the odd-spelled title Yeh, Yeh, Yenh is from the 1965 movie The Girls on the Beach which also features music by the Beach Boys and Lesley Gore. The song as it appears in the movie is listed as “I Want to Marry a Beatle.” Even though there were a few songs issued legitimately from the movie, specifically from the Beach Boys, there is no firm indication that the following song appeared officially on vinyl, only appearing on a suspected bootleg EP issued in Thailand! Years later, the writer of this Beatles novelty was reminded by the people conducting the interview that she had indeed written that particular song for the movie.
Here is the photo that was shared with me of the underground (unauthorized) Thailand issued EP release featuring the rare Beatles novelty as the last track on side 2 with the misspelled different title!
The Girls on The Beach
This is the song written by Carol Connors being sung in the 1965 film called “The Girls on the Beach” and as it appears in a YouTube video. Here the song is called “I Want To Marry a Beatle.”
Whatever one’s opinion may be of this song, the story about the individual who wrote it, makes this a special Beatles-related collectible to me. Terry has come up with quite a few of these rarities and obscurities in his new series of Beatles copyright books! “I Want to Marry a Beatle from the film “The Girls on the Beach” was written by the same lady that sang lead on the Teddy Bears hit single “To Know Him Is To Love Him” written by Phil Spector in the 1950’s. Her name is Carol Connors and her birth name is (Annette Kleinbard).
A poster from the 1965 film:
The Girl on The Beach
An excellent and very entertaining Plastic EP interview with Carol Connors and author Terry Crain:
This is the famous 1958 television appearance where Carol Connors sang lead on the Phil Spector written song called “To Know Him is To Love Him.” Phil Spector plays guitar and also sings along with Carol on this hit song.
As we near the end of this post we would also like to present a book written by the lady who wrote the Beatles novelty record mentioned and discussed above that was discovered by Terry Crain in his research for his new Beatles copyright books. This is Carol’s fascinating story about her experiences in the music industry. Special thanks go to Terry Crain for informing me about the above novelty record and for significantly increasing my knowledge in general concerning Beatles novelty records!!! As a result I am poorer in the wallet, but richer in the mind!
The Book is available on Amazon and Ebay!
The interest that Terry inspired with me about Carol Connors career prompted me to obtain an early photograph signed by Carol when she was a young lady from Ebay.
To officially bring this post to a close, thought I would end the post with another novelty record that I recently acquired as I would like to highlight why I love to collect them so much. They make me smile and happy and brighten my mood. If you want to see more examples of Beatles novelty records and the many copyrights registered in the US between 1964 and 1966, you will want to seek out and acquire the new Terry Crain book trilogy. In a time where it is becoming increasingly more difficult for collectors to find Beatles books that cover new ground that has never appeared in print before, this new Terry Crain Beatles copyright trilogy passes that test with flying colors. You will be significantly entertained and informed by getting these titles!
I’m Better Than The Beatles
Love this 1965 Beatles novelty record which I recently purchased as a result of my friend Mike Mazzarella sending me a photo of the 45, and by reading Terry Crain’s fantastic trilogy. Have a great day! You’ve got me hooked, Terry!!!
Do you have a specific interest in finding a particular Beatles novelty record for your collection? Would love to hear your comments! If you own a Beatles novelty record in your collection, what is it and why do you own it? If you own more than one is there a specific Beatles subject matter that attracts your interest in the records you have acquired?
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!
Ethan Allen Russell was born on November 26, 1945 and he has quite the photographic resume helping to chronicle and preserve precious images of the rock ‘n’ roll era of the 1960s and beyond, and the iconic bands that played such a dynamic role in the history of those times. Would like to honor Mr. Russell with this blog post as photographers often do not receive the full recognition or credit that they deserve for capturing the wonderful images of the times and the events that are so fleeting in all of our lives. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Ethan Russell has written the equivalent of the Gutenberg Bible!!! Ethan has the distinction of being the photographer who has shot album covers for The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and the Who!!!
Ethan’s wonderful website where you can purchase and peruse many of his wonderful images:
Would like to highlight some of the books that have a Beatles connection that Ethan has been involved with and that I have purchased over the years, but before I do that. I want to show you the beautiful signed print I purchased from Ethan back in 2016 that he shot in 1968 at Montagu Square, London. I believe that Ethan has titled this print as “Wistful.” John was living in Ringo’s apartment at the time and this was the location where he was arrested by policeman, Norman Pilcher for cannabis possession. Lennon pleaded guilty to the charge though he claims to have been planted. This plea led to the government of the US under Richard Nixon to institute deportation proceedings against John that haunted him in the early 70’s until he was eventually granted his green card thanks to the efforts of attorney Leon Wildes. Many people believe that this was a sly way for the US government to get rid of an anti-war protestor who could possibly influence the younger voters to vote against the reigning President. Nineteen sixty eight had another Lennon/Ethan Russell connection. Ethan took some fabulous photos of John’s super group, the “Dirty Mac” at “The Rolling Stones Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus.”
“Wistful” by Ethan Russell
John Lennon by Ethan Russell
The COA that Ethan sent with the photograph:
Ethan Russell’s Certificate of Authenticity
The slipcase of the special edition of the boxed set put together by Ethan as a special remembrance for his son. I love this independently published box set, from 2019:Entitled “Ethan Russell Photographs The Best Seat in the House published by independent Publisher–KQLY Press. This book is available on Ebay and some special book search services such as Abe Books!
Ethan’s inscription to me in my copy of the book:
Ethan’s signature on the limited edition book:
The Inside Story-the booklet that accompanies the deluxe box which gives Ethan’s assessment and further details of some of the photo’s that he chose to comprise the special limited edition version of the book “The Best Seat in the House”:
The actual cover of the Ethan Russell Photography book – Ethan Russell Photographs – The Best Seat in the House, featuring a photo of Keith Richards leaving the Stones plane on the cover:
The Dear Mr. Fantasy softcover book featuring the photos of Ethan Russell:
Publication Year-1986 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
Book is available on Amazon, Ebay and many other book search services like Abe Books:
Hardcover Edition of the Dear Mr. Fantasy book featuring a partial list of the cavalcade of musical celebrities and luminaries that Ethan has photographed over the years:Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 1985.
Book is available on Amazon, Ebay and many other book search services like Abe Books:
The 1970 Get Back book-softcover that was issued in only a few countries featuring the photographs of Ethan Russell. One of the criticisms of the book was the loose binding that caused many frustrated collectors to wonder why some of the pages were falling out as the years went by.This book has become a collector’s item because of it’s relative scarcity:
THE BEATLES : GET BACK APPLE PAPERBACK 1969
1ST EDITION PUBLISHED BY APPLE LONDON
TEXT BY JONATHAN COTT + DAVID DALTON
The hardback book that came out after the Disney Get Back movie appeared on the network. Published by Callaway, it contained photos by Ethan Russell and Linda Eastman. Mal Evans, I believe, was also credited for taking a few photos.
Callaway Editions, Incorporated Published in 2021
The book is available on Amazon, Ebay, Abe Books, The Callaway website and many other venues:
Target Department stores issued a special edition of the Callaway book with lobby cards and I believe there was another edition featuring a few select prints as well:
Ethan Russell has the distinction of being one of the photographers at the final Beatles photo session conducted at John’s home in Ascot at Tittenhurst Park.
This album featuring many Beatles tracks that had previously only appeared on singles turned out to be what was to becomes an Apple Records oddity as the album received two distinct titles. Initially, first being called “The Beatles Again” and then being retitled “Beatles Hey Jude” because of the greater marketing impact of mentioning the Beatles biggest hit in the title would have on sales. Ethan shot the cover of this LP.
The Final Beatles Photoshoot
The Beatles Again LP on Apple: One of the label variations of the LP
The album retitled yet with the same contents:
This LP was released after Abbey Road even though it was recorded before it. Ethan is credited for having taking this album cover as well:
Ethan’s Famous LP Cover of Let It Be
Thank you Ethan Russell for the beautiful photographs of the Beatles that you were able to take. They will be enjoyed by fans and historians for many generations to come…and that is only a part of your rich legacy!!!
Buzz
Another great book of Beatles Photographs
Bill Zygmant – Where Did You Get That Shirt? (Signed Limited Edition)
Get your copy of Bill Zygmant’s portfolio book of unique photographs covering his career from the late 1960s to the 1980s.
This will be a signed, numbered edition – maximum of 250 numbered editions.
It comes with one of Bill’s signed photographs, which usually sells for £50!
With this Blog I decided that as The Our First Four was featured in my book Inside No3, I thought that it would be very much an experience for many Beatle fans who visit The Beatles Bookstore, that they would appreciate an in depth look at my very own copies. The set was originally published and distributed to just over 400 very notable people in August 1968.
It announced to the world that Apple Records, ( a part of the Apple Foundation for the arts) was now fully in swing, to give artistic and talented people a fairer chance to be able to produce a telling work of art. The record division was only one of the five divisions that the company would operate through to reach its audience
Those Divisions were Apple Retail, Apple Records, Apple Electronics, Apple Films, and Apple Books. Apple Records was by plan and effect the most visible to the everyday punter, as their products were able to be bought via your local record store. However, to announce Apple Records a wonderful and now extremely rare Public Information vehicle was to be used. That item was the package simply titled “Our First Four”.
This package was altogether a Black Cardboard package with the words Our First Four printed in various colours on a white background on the front. This package when turned over opened a small box / packet which contained within it the first 4 Apple Records Released singles. ( Again, this was in effect the first 3 Apple singles, as Hey Jude was ostensibly an EMI Parlophone release, complete with Parlophone catalogue numbers ).
However, in effect it contained 4 Apple labelled singles. Each of these singles were held in a plastic polythene sleeve stuck onto a piece of foldable card, which contained a photograph of the artist. This was to be inside the card, and the front carried on it an introduction to the artist penned by PR man Derek Taylor. The back was intentionally left blank.
This was to prove a stunning package and as only slightly over 400 were produced, and many were simply just thrown away or destroyed forever without anyone realising the value to which this document package would accrue. To further enhance this wonderful and expensive package roughly a dozen was made in plastic, and sent to world notable dignitaries, which included Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, The British Prime Minister, The President of the United States, and a few others. We believe that Buckingham Palace has kept the copy sent to the Queen as well as the White House, but the others very likely have been stolen, or most likely destroyed.
So, what were the packages like. Well for the very first, (and may I say only time), I have displayed my set to be photographed and seen here at The Beatles Book Store, so that others may get to see this long lost and much sought after item. Finally, I have placed the whole set inside a heavy black box for protection. That is not part of the set, and I have stuck to the lid an officially printed Apple ID card which has been personally autographed by the late Tony Bramwell. This makes the collection to me, very complete.
You will now see the collection fully displayed and described. Thank you
This is my separate box to hold the sets in and to protect them further. The box is completely black, and the top card is an officially produced Apple box label autographed by Tony Bramwell in 1972.
Our First Four by Apple Corps
This is a general package shot of the American Our First Four Package. This will be described fully in a later Blog.
Here is the package outer box art used for the UK Package. This is the cardboard version.
Our First Four UK Box
The inside header sheet fronts for the artists and individual records held within
Inside Header Sheets
The American package in a general presentation.
The USA Package
The internal design for The Beatles Hey Jude Record and Folder.
Hey Jude
The internal Design for Mary Hopkin Those Were The Days Folder.
Mary Hopkin
The Internal Design for Jackie Lomax Sour Milk Sea Folder.
Jackie Lomax
The Final internal package for The Black Dyke Mills Band Thingumybob Folder.
Black Dyke Mills Band
The Associate Stamps set for Our First Four.
Apple Stamps
The Apple Collection
As you can see it is a truly wonderful set, and displayed here one can only marvel at the splendour, which also includes 4 nice shiny Apple 7-inch record sleeves to protect the records still further. This only enhances the visual effect of the entire package, which was bright, beautiful and so very daring, not to mention the cost at the time either!!. This is the complete United Kingdom package, which as I explained earlier is kept out of the sunlight and very rarely opened.
Inside Number Three – The Illustrated History of Apple Records
Inside No3 takes you through that famous door, deep into the minds of all who worked there at Apple Records. This is done also in a very different way. This is not a kiss-and-tell diary, it is through fan adulation and understanding via a personal collection of artifacts and memorabilia that author Nigel Pearce has built up over the last 50 years.
