The blog is designed to feature old and new Beatles-related print material including books, magazines, posters & autographs of people that have a Beatles connection or association. The blog also features books from people that have worked with the solo members of the group after the breakup. Looking forward to seeing you as a subscribing member of the blog and I eagerly anticipate your participation and feedback on the blog!
John “Buzz” Bezzini has one of the world’s largest collections of Beatles books and Beatles-related print material and he will share his thoughts and opinions on some of the more obscure & rare and unusual Beatles titles in addition to the new and forthcoming titles as well!
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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Love reading books put together by Beatles fans as the love of the band comes shining through with their writings. Here are a couple recent examples!!!
Got these great new titles from Charles Rosenay and Michael Ventrella recently, and the books are thoroughly riveting and entertaining!!! Many celebrities give their Top 10 Beatles-related lists along with numerous interesting anecdotes in the Rosenay book! It is so nice to see Charles Rosenay, who I have known for more than 40 years, finally releasing a Beatles book. The other author featured in this post, Michael Ventrella, was involved with the layout of the Top 10 Ten Beatles lists book! Well done guys!
Beatles fans who write these books do so with the primary motive being their lifetime love and appreciation of the band!
The Book of Top 10 Beatles Lists
The Book of Top 10 Beatles Lists
The Beatles on the Charts
Another book recently arrived that fills a much needed niche in the Beatles canon and that is their chart history. The author is Michael Ventrella, and it is only fitting that the all-time most successful entertainment phenomenon in total worldwide record sales should have a book like this to document their historic achievements and accomplishments!
The Beatles on the Charts
The Beatles on the Charts
The Beatles on the Charts
So what is your favourite Beatles song and album? Let me know in the comments?
Buzz
More Great Books on The Beatles at the Beatles Bookstore
The Beatles v The Rolling Stones – THE RIVALRY CONTINUES!!!
In 2023, we have a new Rolling Stones LP, “Hackney Diamonds”, and a new Beatles track, “Now and Then.”
The whirlwind that began in 1964 may have subsided but it has never come to an end. Enjoy Martin Orkin’s new second volume of his sold out limited edition book “Rivals of the Beatles.” Here are the details of Volume 2:
Rivals of The Beatles 2
Rivals of The Beatles 2
Coming very soon: Rivals Of The Beatles 2!!
Rivals Of The Beatles
In early 2021 Martin Orkin self-published his first book, Rivals Of The Beatles in a limited numbered first edition of 500 copies. Martin’s book told the fascinating detailed stories of 20 of the groups who competed with The Beatles during that magical 1960s era. But he also showed the influence that The Beatles had on each of them: groups like The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Dave Clark Five and The Monkees. Rivals Of The Beatlescame in a glossy, hardbound cover, and contained over 800 pages. These were sewn-in, not glued, to ensure that no pages would ever fall out, no matter how much each copy was read. This was a book to treasure – and keep!
Rivals Of The Beatles 2
Martin’s first book was incredibly well received by its readership and has recently sold out. So it’s just as well that his new follow-up book, Rivals Of The Beatles 2 is coming along very soon, to fill the gap! Rivals 2 continues with the same theme as before, of telling the intriguing tales of more of the music acts who were at their peak in the 1960s, or slightly after.
This time around, 10 more groups are covered. These feature several music acts that would have been in Martin’s first book, only he ran out of space: The Who, The Animals, The Doors and Badfinger. To this renowned collection Martin has added a further six names, including Simon & Garfunkel, Love, The Small Faces and….Queen!
Limited Edition
Rivals Of The Beatles 2 will again have a limited first edition of 500 numbered copies. It will contain 528 pages and will again be presented in a glossy hardbound volume – with sewn-in pages. This book will have a recommended retail price of £15.00 + post & packing. This is a highly competitive/attractive price for a book of this length and quality.
Special Introductory Offer!
But Martin will be offering Rivals of The Beatles 2 for a limited period at a Special Introductory Price of just £10.00 + post & packing!
Copies are expected from the printers at end November/early December 2023.
So place your order on Martin’s website rivalsofthebeatles.com as soon as copies are available, to take advantage of this special deal!
Martin’s sold out first book:
Rivals of The Beatles 1
The Question:
Were you a fan of The Beatles AND the Stones?
BUZZ
Another Book with The Beatles and Their Rivals Photographed
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!
COLLECTORS ALERT! THE BEATLES IN ITALY PART 3 (July 1965/July 1970)
THE BEATLES IN ITALY PART 3 (July 1965/July 1970) is the third and final chapter after the two acclaimed books on the Fab Four in Italy (1963/65 and 1965/67).
It’s scheduled for release on October 27, 2023. Another Fab collection of artifacts from the era, this time on a massive 540-page photographic book. Authors and fellow collectors Fulvio Fiore and Alex Franchi have privately published this as a limited, hand-numbered edition. If you enjoyed the 1st two chapters you’ll be delighted by this one! How the Italian press reported on the Beatles, from the psychedelic era, through Apple, until the breakup. A splendid time is guaranteed for all the readers, so don’t miss this one!
Please contact the author Alex Franchi for further information. Enjoy the sample pics and email him to reserve your copy, or send him an e-mail: soundlover30@hotmail.com
Sample Pages from the Book – The Beatles in Italy 3
The Beatles first engineer, Norman “Hurricane” Smith, who engineered their recordings up to and including Rubber Soul. Geoff Emerick was to take over the mantle from Norman. Not only was Norman an engineer, he was also a writer and performer who had a hit 45 with the single “Oh Babe, What Would You Say.” He also had a stint at producing.
The book pictured below with the signature, I purchased from Norman at the Fest For Beatles Fans in 2007. It truly was a pleasure meeting him. Norman passed away in 2008.
Norman Smith’s “Oh Babe What Would You Say”
Published specifically for the 2007 Fest for Beatles Fans Published by Opix Media London and Ireland:
John Lennon Called Normal
Norman Smith’s signature
Smith’s Autograph
Published by Lulu 2008 after Norman had passed, this is the more recent edition of Norman’s book.
Several Iveys/ Badfinger print Items that I have acquired over the years which I hope you will find interesting to peruse.
The first series of items are petty cash invoices signed by Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland, and Mike Gibbins. One of the tragic elements of having Badfinger petty cash invoices is their tragic story of how their recording success did not translate into financial security. According to many sources, financial mismanagement by impresario, S. Polley, ultimately led to drive two members of the band to commit suicide. The drummer, Mike, is also now deceased and the only surviving member of Badfinger is Ron Griffiths, formerly of the Iveys, who was with Badfinger for only a short time, and Joey Molland, who replaced Griffiths in the band.
Pete Ham petty cash invoice:
Pete Ham Petty Cash Receipt
Tom Evans petty cash invoice:
Tom Evans Petty Cash Receipt
Mike Gibbins petty cash invoice:
Mike Gibbins Petty Cash receipt
Joey Molland petty cash invoice:
Joey Molland Petty Cash Receipt
Petty cash voucher signed by early Iveys/ Badfinger manager-Bill Collins:
Petty Cash Receipt for Bill Collins
A nice handwritten inscribed message to me from early Iveys/Badfinger member, Ron Griffiths. Ron wrote the Badfinger song “Dear Angie.”
Autograph of Ron Griffiths
For a recent cd release, Joey Molland did a fundraising event with Kickstarter whereby pledging a certain amount could secure a handwritten Badfinger song by Joey even if Joey did not write the song. I chose “Apple of My Eye” for several reasons. It was Pete Ham’s song of regret of having to leave Apple Records and it also referred directly and indirectly to the problems that artists have in dealing with record companies. This was unfortunately to get much worse for Badfinger when they moved on to their new record company. Sad to realize that the end of the both the Beatles and Badfinger were issues related to business and management. This song summarizes for me what business problems can lead to with a band.
Apple of My Eye by Pete Ham of Badfinger
If you would like to learn more about the tragic story of Badfinger, I highly recommend the following book by the late Dan Matovina which is superb. It is difficult to track down and commands high prices because of the great demand.
Without You – The Tragic Story of Badfinger
Without You – The Tragic Story of Badfinger
Buzz
Two Great Books about Badfinger at The Beatles Bookstore
Heavenly Encounters: Wish You Were Here Part 2 (Paperback)
Inspired by the group Badfinger.
Rock star Tomas Alvers finds that searching for his friend Paul isn’t as simple as he’d hoped. Still in Heaven, Tomas meets past souls from times gone by, such as Marc Bolan and Marylin Monroe. Along the way, Tomas discovers a strange and mysterious stone and stumbles upon an exact replica of a club where his Earthly band debuted.
Taupin and Lennon on stage – special thanks to David Morrell
Information about the Beatles is of course not just limited to books written solely about the Beatles.
One of the reasons it is difficult to keep up with the information onslaught in compiling a Beatles-related library is that there is a significant amount of little-known stories and information about the band and their solo careers found with friends and associates the Beatles made over the years. These individuals, who are often superstars themselves, manage to come out with stories of their own in their respective books!
A wonderful example of that is the new book by Elton John’s lyricist, Bernie Taupin with his terrific new book entitled “Scattershot.”
There is a chapter in this book that Bernie writes about his experiences with John Lennon entitled “John Lennon’s Not So Lost Weekend.” Not to detract from the other interesting parts of the book that have nothing to do with the Fab Four or John Lennon specifically, but the Lennon chapter I found to be especially riveting as Taupin deals with both Lennon’s insecurities and his own. For example, at the famous Elton Thanksgiving concert, when it was time for the encore and John’s return to the stage to play tambourine with Taupin, they literally had to encourage and push one another to return to the stage to end the show.
Both were reticent, but their mutual fright made it easier for both of them to encourage one another to make their appearance. Bernie also tells an amusing but very sad tale about Lennon and Taupin’s encounter with Beach Boy Brian Wilson at a party. Bernie also attended a Bob Marley show with John Lennon and that is detailed in the chapter about John. Needless to say, that story gives the line, “The grass is always greener,” a totally new meaning. Bernie obviously had a lot of respect for John Lennon as did Elton John.
Some say that Bernie’s lyrics to the Lennon tribute “Empty Garden” are perhaps the best lyrics attributable to any Lennon tribute song! The Lennon/ Taupin respect for one another was obviously mutual as many people do not realize that Lennon also contributed a collage he designed for the song “Bennie and the Jets” for the book.
This is the book that the collage appears in:
Bernie Taupin’s Book
Here is the book described at the beginning of this post!
Scattershot by Bernie Taupin
Published by Hachette Books-2023
I loved this book and was so happy that I purchased it!
Bernie Taupin Scattershock
This is a signed/autographed copy that was available at Premiere Collectibles.
Signed Copy of Bernie Taupin’s Book Scattershock
Here is a brief excerpt from the beginning of the Lennon chapter in the Taupin book:
