The blog is designed to feature both old and new Beatles-related print material including books, magazines, posters, or correspondence with people that have a Beatles connection or association. The blog will also feature books from people that have worked with the individual members of the group during their solo careers! Looking forward to seeing you here! Looking forward to your participation and feedback on the blog!
John “Buzz” Bezzini has one of the world’s largest collections of Beatles books and he will share his thoughts and opinions on some of the more rare and unusual Beatles titles.
John taught a course in 1984 called “The Beatles in Retrospect” marking the 20th anniversary of the Beatles’ arrival in America.
John also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication.
Enjoy Buzz’s Beatles Book Blog.
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What was to be an animated feature project was ultimately never realized or issued. The only documentation of that project was a vinyl album of songs that were to be featured in the animated feature. There was also a book written by UK actor Donald Pleasance that was issued around the time of the vinyl album release.
According to Wikipedia, an animated television version of the story was planned for airing on ITV in the UK, but it was delayed due to a strike and ultimately shelved. It involved the story of a mouse emigrating from Liverpool that travels to New York and dealt with his exploits in the States.
This album was issued in the UK but not in the United States. The release of the album served to fulfill Ringo’s contractual obligations to Polydor Records! It was released in 1977.
What I find fascinating about these recordings are several of the Ringo interpretations of the songs written for the soundtrack. Ringo is great in his performance of Scouse the Mouse and his interpretations of many of the songs featuring him as the lead vocalist. Living in a Pet Shop and Boat Ride are very catchy tunes. Most of the songs performed on the album were composed by Roger Brown. The song, A Mouse Like Me was later to be used by Ringo on his album Bad Boy and to be retitled as A Man Like Me. The song was also to close out Ringo’s television special in the States in the 70s entitled Ringo which was loosely based on the Prince and the Pauper tale.
I found the Ringo material to be very entertaining on this LP, and I am very happy and fortunate to have been able to secure a copy for my collection.
Scouse The Mouse
Back cover of the LP
Scouse The Mouse
SIDE 1 OF THE LP:
SIDE 2 OF THE LP:
Some copies of the LP featured a coloring and drawing contest that could win a copy of the Scouse the Mouse book with a story by noted actor, Donald Pleasance:
THE TRACK LIST:
Ringo Starr, Adam Faith, Donald Pleasence, Barbara Dickson – Scouse The Mouse Polydor -Vinyl UK Released: Dec. 09, 1977 Tracklist
Side 1 Position Artists Title/Credits Duration Ringo Starr: Living In A Pet Shop Written-By – Roger Brown Barbara Dickson: Sing A Song For The Tragapan Written-By – Donald Pleasence, Roger Brown Ringo Starr: Scouse’s Dream Written-By – Roger Brown Ben Chatterly: Snow Up Your Nose For Christmas Written-By – Donald Pleasence, Meira Pleasence Ringo Starr: Running Free Written-By – Roger Brown Adam Faith: America Written-By – Roger Brown Lucy Pleasence: Scousey Written-By – Roger Brown
Side 2 Ringo Starr: Boat Ride Arranged By [Flute] – Pete Zorn Written-By – Roger Brownn Ringo Starr: Scouse The Mouse Arranged By [Brass] – Pete Zorn Written-By – Roger Brown Barbara Dickson: Passenger Pigeon Written-By – Donald Pleasence, Roger Brown Polly Pleasence With Ringo Starr: I Know A Place Written-By – Donald Pleasence, Roger Brown, Ruan O’Lochlainn Jim Parker: Caterwaul Written-By – Jim Parker Ringo Starr: S.O.S. Written-By – Roger Brown Rick Jones: Ask Louey Written-By – Donald Pleasence, Roger Brown Ringo Starr: A Mouse Like Me Written-By – Ruan O’Lochlainn
YOUTUBE LINKS TO THE SONGS THAT RINGO PERFORMED ON THE SCOUSE THE MOUSE LP:
The Scouse the Mouse book cover written by famed actor Donald Pleasance which I recently acquired a copy of. Pictures by Gerald Potterton:
A RINGO STARR/ BOB DYLAN SONG ON AN UNISSUED RINGO ALBUM:
News of the unissued Ringo Starr album that involved a lawsuit:
Found a couple of websites that discussed a Ringo Starr Chips Moman album that Ringo had recorded in the 80s. Ringo claimed it was a collection of subpar recordings due to alcohol and drug consumption and did not want it issued/ released. The producer Chips Moman wanted to issue it to help reclaim the high studio costs in session time that was incurred in making the album. The court granted Ringo’s wish that it was not to be issued but determined that Ringo needed to pay a determined amount for the recording session time spent recording the tracks. Among the tracks that were reportedly recorded at the sessions was a Ringo Starr cover of the Billy Swan song, I Can Help and a song that Ringo Starr sang with Bob Dylan!
Found a couple of internet sites to substantiate these claims!
Found the Scouse the Mouse LP to be one of those special treasures of recordings that are not well-known but still a part of the recording legacy of one of the world’s best drummers!
I love this kind of stuff because it is not widely circulated but it has musical merit and quality and it is worthy and entertaining. It is my contention that it deserved a better fate with a much-wider circulation in the marketplace,
It is 1954. Steve and Dave are looking for adventure. Their hometown of Liverpool is scarred by war. New York is the future and it will soon be the richest city in the world. They need to see it and feel the excitement. They need to be there. They need to become Cunard Yanks.
The Beatles Decca Audition is one of the most discussed moments in early Beatles history. What really happened, and does this letter from Brian Epstein reveal something extra? Nigel Pearce investigates!
I understand that I centre in on the Apple years, but the situation regarding Decca Records will always need to be re-affirmed and discussed as it is an integral part of Beatles history, and also that all important growing curve that the band undertook during 1962 before “Love Me Do” was officially released for the first time in October that year.
It all started really sometime in December 1961 when Decca A & R man Mike Smith came to The Cavern, and this single event caused quite a commotion in itself!! (How Mike Smith was encouraged to the Cavern has still a little mystery about it, though Tony Barrow, who worked at Decca, definitely helped!). Brian Epstein entertained Mike Smith and amongst a quota of things delved into the Liverpool scene. At this stage Brian kept this information from the group at first, but told them soon after. Mike saw The Beatles perform and informed Brian that he liked very much what he had seen them do and the reaction. His comment was “I will see what I can do”. The outcome of all this was that an audition was secured at Decca’s studios in Hampstead, London on New Years Day Jan 1st 1962 – No Bank Holiday then at all; perhaps there should have been.
They journeyed to London and stayed at The Royal Hotel paying the princely sum them of 27/- shillings a night. That equates in today’s money to 1 pound and 35 pence including Breakfast in Woburn Place – very swish indeed!!.
They arrived at Decca’s Hampstead studios at 11am in a bitter cold wind with ice and snow laying on the ground, and apparently Mike Smith himself was late. This only served to heighten the tension still further. It is worth remembering that at this time there were no tapes of any songs that Brian had to play so all of their material had to be played for recording purposes.
Apparently the session was done in a very impersonal and somewhat brutal fashion, and The Beatles felt that there was no encouragement or warmth from the Decca staff at all. This unfortunately gave everyone, including the Decca staff, an edge of unease on the day.
With no promise of further progress, the session was done and all returned to Liverpool and carry on and wait for things to happen.
February 1962 came and Brian found himself back in London at Decca, apparently to have lunch with some people, so Brian had built up some hopes that things might well be a little positive – how wrong!! He was to be hit and hurt like never before, and it hit home like a sledgehammer to the stomach.
There were two people to meet Brian, Dick Rowe and a Mr Beecher Stevens. As the pre lunch meeting turned to coffees, it was Dick Rowe that delivered that brutal – and now infamous – statement – “Not to mince words Mr. Epstein, we don’t like your boys sound. Groups of guitarists are on the way out.”
A very hurt Brian cut in and replied with the following statement: “You must be out of your minds. These boys are going to explode, and I am completely confident that they will be bigger than Elvis Presley!!”
Dick Rowe and Beecher Stevens were amazed at his reply and then rammed their point home with: “The boys won’t go Mr. Epstein. We know these things. You have a very good record business in Liverpool, just stick to that”.
With this statement, the meeting was apparently deemed over and they went for lunch. Brian took this opportunity to impress further the impact of the group on the local scene and was tirelessly pursuing and pushing their talent. Brian did sense just a little crack in their self-determination not to record the group. After this apparent onslaught from Brian, it was Dick Rowe himself who came up with a possible solution, and Tony Meehan’s name was mentioned, with the caveat that Tony would produce a few records and give his experience, but that this would cost 100 pounds to be done.
This hurt and also annoyed Brian tremendously, but Brian went back to Decca the next day and met with Tony Meehan. After a wait, they both went to another room and once again, this time through Meehan, the cold shoulder and heart of Decca reared itself with the following comment.” Look Mr. Epstein, Mr Rowe and I are very busy men, we know what you want, and need. We will fix a date for a tape to be made of these Beatles and if you phone my secretary, I will make sure that I am available to do the session etc. This will cost you 100 pounds”. With that the meeting was deemed over and after this passage of time, Brian left Decca for the third time and knew that Decca records was not for The Beatles in any way. A date was fixed for this session and Brian had already decided that the group and himself would not attend at all. The rest they always say is history.
So this letter was sent by Brian to Decca Records in London, and has become one of the most talked about and glossed over periods in their history.
Letter from Brian Epstein to Decca Records
Decca tried with all of their PR might to block it out when The Beatles became world famous, and it followed Dick Rowe around for the rest of his life. What happened to Beecher Stevens is never talked about, but that decision was not just Dick’s alone, but it seems he has taken all the flak, and others have quietly hidden away.
So I hope that this does explain and clear the air, but it is worth noting that EMI also turned the group down in 1961, and again I have a copy of that rejection letter. It will appear one day I am sure!
What do you think of the Decca Audition? Was it a disaster? Were there some good elements to it? Would you have signed them? Let us know in the comments.
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.
JOHN LENNON, ROCK N ROLL AND THE ROOTS ALBUM & THE BOOK ABOUT THE ALBUM’S SORDID ORIGIN!
THIS POST IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE WRITER AND AUTHOR, IVOR DAVIS! WE WILL MISS YOU, IVOR!
When John Lennon was on his so-called Lost Weekend, he had expressed a desire to return to his musical roots in paying tribute to the artists of his youth that had given him the inspiration to pursue a musical career. Wonder if he could have foreseen what that decision would mean to him on both a personal and legal nature.
John and May Pang travelled to California after arrangements were made for John to record an oldies album with legendary record producer, Phil Spector!
I wish someone would do an exhaustive book about the Spector/ Lennon oldies sessions as it seems there are endless stories about the party-like disorganized atmosphere that were often clouded in chaos and drunken behavior. Often there as many as 26 musicians on a track. Wish I knew which musicians played or sang as backing vocalists on particular specific tracs. Lists have been provided in some excellent books like Chip Madinger’s, but I would love to see an entire book devoted to all of the surrounding stories and the history and details of the sessions contained in a single volume.
John apparently attempted to co-write two songs with Phil Spector around the time of the oldie’s sessions. John has acknowledged Phil writing the unused middle portion of “Mucho Mungo” which John did not like and ended up not using and instead combined his piece of the song with a Harry Nilsson piece called “Mt. Elga” to finish the song off for Harry’s Pussy Cats album. The other track which Spector was given a co-songwriting credit for, was called “Here we Go Again”. Don’t quite see how that song would have fit in on an oldies album and maybe that is why it sat in the vaults until it eventually was issued on the Menlove Avenue album compiled by Yoko which also featured a few more of the unused Phil Spector session tracks on that album!
ROOTS: I remember picking up a copy of the Roots album at a Beatles convention. The reasons as a collector that I wanted it was that it featured at that point two unissued tracks that were not to appear on the official Rock ‘n’ Roll album, “Angel Baby” and “Be My Baby”. In addition, the Roots album featured longer versions of several of the songs than the Rock ‘n’ Roll version of the album did which for a completist collector was precious despite the poorer sound quality and the bad cover choice for the Roots album which was designed for a TV advertising marketing by the people who worked for notorious music publisher, Morris Levy!
Despite its poorer sound quality and the sordid history surrounding the album’s release as a collector. I am happy to own a copy because of the story surrounding it being issued! Sometimes a collector can have an odd rationale or justification for explaining their individual collecting decisions!
This is the album that Morris Levy released that was deemed to be an illegal release because EMI/ Capitol owned the rights to release Lennon material as John was under contract to Capitol. John had given a poor-quality reel to reel tape to Levy as they were trying to work out an arrangement to satisfy Levy’s claims about John possibly infringing Chuck Berry’s rights on “You Can’t Catch Me” with his “Here Come Old Flat-Top” line on the song “Come Together”!
The back cover of the Roots Album – You may have noticed but Levy did not even acknowledge the songs composers on the track listing on the back cover! The songwriting composers are also not listed on the vinyl as well! Didn’t Levy realize he was also inviting legal trouble on that front?
The John Lennon Roots Album
JAY BERGEN AND HIS WONDERFUL BOOK ABOUT THE LITIGATION SURROUNDING THE ROOTS ALBUM AND THE MORRIS LEVY LAWSUIT!
Many people may be aware that John was being litigated for the line he borrowed from Chuck Berry that he used for the Beatles song “Come Together”. He had apparently taken (borrowed) the line Here Come Old Flat Top from the Chuck Berry number called “You Can’t Catch Me”. The music publisher that administered the number for Berry was none other than Morris Levy. Morris worked out a verbal arrangement with John whereby he would record a specific number of songs that Levy published, which of course would translate into $$$$ for Levy.
That began a back-and-forth disagreement and continuous exchange between Lennon and Levy which eventually led to Levy releasing an unauthorized Lennon recording of Spector session tapes that John had given him. John did not have the legal authority to allow Levy to release the recordings as he was under contract to Capitol Records and he would have to secure their permission for such an album to be released. Additionally, the sound quality of the tape was substandard Lennon and did not measure up to the sound quality he would normally allow to be officially released. All of the fascinating details to this story and the litigation that ensued is detailed in Jay Bergen’s wonderful book, Lennon, The Mobster & The Lawyer.
Lennon, the Mobster & the Lawyer: The Untold Story Paperback – May 1, 2022 by Jay Bergen (Author), Bob Gruen (Photographer) “Before John Lennon retreated peacefully into private life in 1975, he fought a major legal battle that went under the public radar.
Just as his Rock ‘n’ Roll oldies album hit the market, Morris Levy, the Mob-connected owner of Roulette Records, released Roots, an unauthorized version of the same record. Levy had used rough mixes of John’s unfinished Rock ‘n’ Roll recordings-and claimed the former Beatle had verbally agreed to the arrangement. The clash led to a lawsuit and countersuit between Levy and Lennon.
Attorney Jay Bergen, a partner in a prestigious New York City law firm, represented John in this epic battle over the rights to his own recordings. Millions of dollars were at stake.
Jay tells the intimate story of how he worked closely with John to rebut Levy’s outrageous claims. He also recounts how John explained his recording process in poetic, exacting terms before a judge who knew little about the Beatles and John’s solo career.
Lennon, the Mobster & the Lawyer catches the high drama of the courtroom skirmishes in this previously untold story. It also paints a detailed personal picture of John and his world in 1975-76, when he was soon to have a new son and went into happy seclusion to be a husband and father.”
THE BOOK THAT TELLS THE STORY BY JOHN”S ATTORNEY – JAY BERGEN:
Praise on the back cover of Jay Bergen’s book!
One of the Phil Spector numbers that appeared on the Spector Session tapes that appeared on Roots was “Angel Baby”, which was one of John Lennon’s favorite oldies. It must be noted that the version that appears on the link below was Sean Lennon’s remix of the song and it is not the poor sound quality the song that was issued on Levy’s version appearing on the Roots album.
Godfather of the Music Business: Morris Levy (American Made Music Series) Hardcover – 30 April 2016 by Richard Carlin (Author)
The Amazon Description of the book: “This biography tells the story of one of the most notorious figures in the history of popular music, Morris Levy (1927-1990). At age nineteen, he co-founded the nightclub Birdland in Hell’s Kitchen, which became the home for a new musical style, bebop. Levy operated one of the first integrated clubs on Broadway and helped build the careers of Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell and most notably aided the reemergence of Count Basie. In 1957, he founded a record label, Roulette Records. Roulette featured many of the significant jazz artists who played Birdland but also scored top pop hits with acts like Buddy Knox, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Joey Dee and the Starliters, and, in the mid-1960s, Tommy James.
Stories abound of Levy threatening artists, songwriters, and producers, sometimes just for the sport, other times so he could continue to build his empire. Along the way, Levy attracted “investors” with ties to the Mafia, including Dominic Ciaffone (a.k.a. “Swats” Mulligan), Tommy Eboli, and the most notorious of them all, Vincent Gigante. Gigante allegedly owned large pieces of Levy’s recording and retail businesses.
Starting in the late 1950s, the FBI and IRS investigated Levy but could not make anything stick until the early 1980s, when Levy foolishly got involved in a deal to sell remaindered records to a small-time reseller, John LaMonte. With partners in the mob, Levy tried to force LaMonte to pay for four million remaindered records. When the FBI secretly wiretapped LaMonte in an unrelated investigation and agents learned about the deal, investigators successfully prosecuted Levy in the extortion scheme. Convicted in 1988, Levy did not live to serve prison time. Stricken with cancer, he died just as his last appeals were exhausted. However, even if he had lived, Levy’s brand of storied high life was effectively bust. Corporate ownership of record labels doomed most independents in the business, ending the days when a savvy if ruthless hustler could blaze a path to the top.”
The Chuck Berry Song published by Levy where John Lennon borrowed a line from:
I personally believe John Lennon attempted this very short cover version from his Walls and Bridges album as a jab at Morris Levy, it features John Lennon’s son Julian then a 12-year-old on percussion. I believe Levy owned the rights to Ya Ya and Lennon and his son did a very brief jam of the number!
Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James & The Shondells Hardcover – 16 Feb. 2010 by Tommy James (Author), Martin Fitzpatrick
“Everyone knows the hits—“Hanky Panky,” “Mony Mony,” “I Think We’re Alone Now,” “Crimson and Clover,” “Crystal Blue Persuasion.” They are nuggets of rock and pop history. However, few know the unlikely story of how these hits came to be..
Tommy James was discovered in 1966 at the age of nineteen, and was pursued by every record mogul in New York until, inexplicably, every offer but one quickly disappeared. James soon found himself in the office of Morris Levy at Roulette Records, where he was handed a pen and ominously promised “one helluva ride.” Morris Levy, the legendary “godfather” of the music business, needed some hits and Tommy would provide them.
Me, the Mob, and the Music tells the intimate story of the relationship between the bright-eyed, sweet-faced blonde musician from the heartland and the big, bombastic, brutal bully from the Bronx, who hustled, cheated, and swindled his way to the top of the music industry. It is also the story of this swaggering, wildly creative era of rock ‘n’ roll when payola and the strong-arm tactics of the mob were the norm, and the hits kept coming.”
I bought a copy of the book signed by musician Tommy James which is shown below.
THE END RESULT FOR JOHN LENNON & THE SPECTOR OLDIES SESSIONS RESULTED IN TWO ALBUMS: ROCK ‘n’ ROLL & MENLOVE AVENUE
John re-recorded many of the songs he had recorded at the Spector sessions and used a much smaller set of musicians and recorded the Rock n’ Roll album in NY following the release of Walls and Bridges. A few songs from the Spector sessions were included on the album. John used an old photograph taken by his German friend, Jurgen Vollmer for the cover and reminded his followers that “they should have been there.”
Back cover of the recording:
John Lennon says goodbye to the music business in 1975 with this earlier Spector session tape. This is the longer unedited version where he says hello to the other three ex-Beatles which someone posted on YouTube!
Yoko Ono was posthumously to release John’s Menlove Avenue album which featured a few Spector session tapes on side 1 including To Know her is To Love Her, Since My Baby Left Me and Angel Baby which was a song that appeared on the Roots album. It was later remixed by Sean with a much clearer sound on the Gimme Some truth collection. The other side of the album featured rehearsals for some of the Walls and Bridges songs.
The album cover choice by Yoko for Menlove Avenue was done by none other than Andy Warhol. The album opener also featured the only official co-written song by John Lennon and Phil Spector called “Here We Go Again” which reportedly was recorded around the same time as the Spector session tapes on the West Coast.
Yoko used three unused Spector session tapes on the Menlove Avenue album. Since My baby Left Me, To Know Her is to Love Her, and Angel Baby. Not absolutely sure that John had planned to use the Here We Go Again track that he had written with Spector on the oldies LP unless the title was going to reference going back and reminiscing!
One of the Roots tracks which was to later appear officially on the Menlove Ave LP and later a superb sounding version on the collection of Lennon tracks called Gimme Some Truth featuring a great remix by Sean Lennon
Some of the demos played on the Lost Lennon Tapes that someone posted on YouTube demonstrate some of the concerns discussed earlier on this blog piece revealing John’s ability for creative decisions. He thought Nilsson’s piece to finish the song outweighed original Spector’s contribution to the song.
John was not completely satisfied with the original middle section of the song
Encourage you to check out the books mentioned in this blog post. It will demonstrate that the music industry can also have a much darker side than the positive results we hear after we purchase a musical piece from our favorite artists that we admire so much.
A question to ponder is will Sean Lennon one day get around to producing a detailed box set of the Spector/ Rock ‘n’ Roll sessions and are there any unissued tracks still left in the can?
The marvelous job Sean Lennon did on Angel Baby bodes well for such a possible future release!
Be healthy and be happy!
Buzz
Our Featured Book About John Lennon and The Quarrymen
When John Lennon and his group The Quarrymen stepped onto the back of a wagon in Rosebery Street on 22nd June 1957, Charlie Roberts borrowed a camera and took a few photos of the event. It was just a group of friends having fun at a street party.
HENRY GROSSMAN HASTWO OF MY ALL-TIME BEATLES PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS:
Every so often I feel compelled to create what some may call a repeat post of a couple of books from the collection that I have spoken about before. I do this because I consider those books worthwhile for a 2nd look because they bring me so much satisfaction and pleasure to have on the bookshelf. Some would call that vanity, but I consider it to be having made good choices and was fortunate enough to have been able to acquire them for the collection!
Henry Grossman’s collection of photographs that he took of the Beatles was certainly voluminous. Here are a few books I have acquired from Curvebender Publications over the years dealing with that subject matter.
Curvebender Publications has a reputation for producing stellar quality books and the books they have published about the late photographer Henry Grossman’s work with the Beatles do not veer away from that observation. Two of my favorite Beatles photography books are by the same man and are published by the same company.
This book, Kaleidoscope Eyes, is one of the favorite Beatles books in my collection. It was issued in a limited-edition of 1967 copies to reflect on the year the fabled Sgt. Pepper album was released. The copies were signed by the photographer. The book received its title from the fact that the photographs in the book were a chronological photo essay of the recording of one of the most famous songs from the album entitled Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Even the number of the books issued was magical to me as 1967represented a special time for the evolution of pop music as popular music finally began to receive the praise and accolades that it so richly deserved.
The intelligentsia and the masses were beginning to be on a more equal footing in their appreciation of these new sounds. Needless to say, I was overjoyed to be able to secure copy # 1967 for my collection, it being the last signed and numbered copy of this beautiful book!
The slipcase for the book:
The front cover of the book:
The gloves provided to handle turning the pages of the book:
The signed Henry Grossman print what was included in the book:
Title page of the book which was edited by Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew:
The signed and numbered copy of the book:
PLACES I REMEMBER – MY TIME WITH THE BEATLES:
This book is so heavy that you would be better using a forklift to take it out of your bookshelf. This book documents Grossman’s multiple years of photographing the Beatles and it serves as a wonderful time capsule of his time with them! This is a numbered edition, but I did not purchase the signed edition of this volume!
A side view of the book to demonstrate to you how immense or thick that it is:
The title page which once again has been brilliantly put together and edited by the team of Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew:
There were only 1,200 copies of this edition and this is copy # 494:
The Table of Contents for the book:
Made the decision to conclude this post with my favorite magazine cover featuring the Beatles. Ironically, it is also a Henry Grossman photo which only appeared on the Asian edition cover of Life in late July 1967! I searched for years to find a near mint copy of this edition of the magazine at a reasonable price, and I was fortunate to be able to eventually find and secure one!
Henry Grossman passed away in 2022.
Hope you enjoyed this post about Henry Grossman’s photography work with the Beatles!
Michael Hill is one of the few people to have been friends with John Lennon from the age of five, through Dovedale School and Quarry Bank too. It was Michael who introduced John Lennon to rock ‘n’ roll – the moment John said changed his life. This is the story of how that happened.
We’re excited to welcome you to this special event!
Performances, record release, dignitaries, and film screening — all a part of this one night only event.
Badfinger, one of the most beloved bands from the classic rock era, is getting royal treatment in Waukesha, home of Les Paul. This is a remarkable event that any fan of rock music would enjoy, especially fans of the Beatles and the golden era of the mighty British Invasion.
Program Overview
Performances This concert will feature an all-star band playing Badfinger’s greatest hits including “Baby Blue,” “Without You,” “No Matter What,” and “Day after Day,” as well as songs from the new tribute release “Just Look Inside the Cover.“ The band will be led by Jeff Alan Ross, who played in founding member Joey Molland’s band until Joey passed away in March of 2025.
Film Screening Between sets, portions of an upcoming documentary film about Joey Molland will be shown. The Director, John Anderson, will share insights into the making of this film.
New CD Release “Just Look Inside the Cover” is the latest tribute recording based on songs written by Pete Ham. It will officially be released on this date. Some of the guest singers from the recording will perform songs.
Badfinger Family Some family members of the founding bandmates will share stories in person, and video messages will also be shown.
Raise money for non-profit programs A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Chad Smith Foundation after-school youth music programs. Badfinger Celebration 2026 is produced by a collective of managers led by Mark Strothmann Jr. Mark has overseen Badfinger’s re-emergence with multiple anthologies, including the 2024 release of “Head First,” recorded in 1975 with the original lineup but never released.
Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend arriving early for the best experience. If you’re joining us with friends or family, please reach out to our venue after purchasing your tickets so we can do our best to seat your group together.
Contact information:Reservation Page – Let It Be Please note that some tables may be shared with other guests. Also, note that documentary filming may take place during the event. By attending, you confirm you are comfortable appearing in filmed footage or event highlights.
Doors open at 5:30 PM for General Admission | Show Begins at 7:00 PM
Sounds like a great and exciting event to me. If you decide to go, have a wonderful time!
HAPPY 63RD BIRTHDAY TO JULIAN LENNON ON APRIL 8, 2026
It is hard to believe that a Beatle’s son is now turning 63 years old. It is a reminder of how fleeting time can truly be.
Would like to use this post to celebrate two earlier projects that Julian Lennon worked on as a younger man. One of those projects was helping out on the soundtrack to Mike Batt’s music that Batt composed for the album and a live performance of the famous author’s Lewis Carroll’s work ofTheHunting of the Snarkat the Royal Albert Hall!
The back cover with track listing and the cast listing for the Royal Albert Hall performance which included singers Roger Daltrey, Art Garfunkel, Cliff Richard and Julian Lennon. All speakers’ verses were written by writer Lewis Carroll and the lyrics and music for the songs were written by Mike Batt.
Mike Batt – The Hunting of The Snark Vinyl LP Complete Promo Press Pack 1986. I was able to acquire this promo pack on eBay!
Explaining to the press, the concept behind the performance and album from the promo pack:
Background information about the Lewis Carroll poem that inspired the musical work provided in the promo packet:
The press release for the Hunting of the Snark:
Formats that were being used to promote the work:
Some of Mike Batt’s history and background:
The public performance and itinerary of the live work:
A closer view of some of the items in the promo pack:
A couple of Julian Lennon’s performances from the Royal Albert show which have been posted on YouTube:
The back cover of the special Julian Lennon single from the soundtrack. Julian is in his special company on these tracks with narration by actors John Hurt & John Gielgud and with co-performers Mike Batt & Maggie Reilly!
Michael Philip Batt (born 6 February 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, record producer, director, and conductor. He served as the Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry.
Batt created the novelty pop band The Wombles, after recording the theme song for the animated BBC series of the same name.
Batt has conducted the London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony and Stuttgart Philharmonic.
The signed Mike Batt 45 from the track that George Harrison played guitar on from The Hunting of the Snark soundtrack:
ONE OF JULIAN LENNON’S EARLIEST RECORDED WORKS: SINGING ELTON JOHN’S SONG FOR GUY PERFORMED BY THE LATE SAX PLAYER RAPHAEL RAVENSCROFT:
This could be the earliest professional recording made by Julian Lennon possibly earlier than his recording of his first album Valotte. He was asked to sing the ending verse of the Elton John song entitled Song for Guy which was being performed by the late sax player Raphael Ravenscroft on his album called Lifeline. I acquired this rare and obscure vinyl album from well-known Beatles collector and author, Bill Last, who I have purchased several items from over the years! Bill also sold me a copy of the rare Ringo Starr, Scouse the Mouse LP!
The sax player Ravenscroft is well-known for his sax solo on Gerry Rafferty’s song Baker Street:
You will notice the album cover acknowledges both Julian Lennon and Kiki Dee at the bottom of the front cover
The Ravenscroft album was not the first interaction that Julian had with the sax player, Ravenscroft. In 1981 about a year after his dad’s murder Julian went into the studio and recorded a version of his dad’s then unreleased song called I Don’t Wanna Face It which featured Ravenscroft on sax. Yoko put a stop to the release of the recording as she had plans to release John’s version of the song and she eventually did in 1984 with the Milk and Honey album. Julian’s version remains unreleased though the bass player on the song actually posted it on YouTube several years ago and when Julian learned of that he had YouTube remove the song!
Back cover of the Lifeline LP with track listing and credits:
Hope you enjoyed these 2 earlier Julian Lennon projects that he was involved with as a young man. He is no longer a young man, but he continues to produce excellent photographic works and occasionally he will continue to issue wonderful new musical contributions to his wonderful legacy!
