Bought a copy of this item at the Discogs site several years ago. It is a promo cd, based on music that appeared in some of George’s Handmade films. It is estimated that there are less than 100 copies of this promo in existence!
FROM SOUTH AFRICA, THE PHILIPPINES, AND ISRAEL, AND ONE BONUS RARITY FROM THE NETHERLANDS
Shown below is the cover of the fabulous book that got me interested in the subject noted above. As a collector, I have become fascinated with the matter of rare Apple Records. The person that I know that fits the bill of being one of largest collector of Apple Records in the world is Nigel Pearce whose collection is both extensive and fabulous.
Nigel’s Book – Inside Number Three
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.
There are also many knowledgeable people about the subject in Europe in countries such as Belgium where a good friend, Philippe Colinge, assisted me in finding some of the records you are about to see for me to purchase, or at least finding photographs of many of them to present to you so you are aware of their existence.
Magical Mystery Tours
There is a chapter in Tony Bramwell’s book that deals with the various licensing deals that Apple did to issue many of its records in multiple countries across the world. Three of the countries hold a particular fascination for me: The Philippines, South Africa and Israel.
For quite some time it has been reported that Tony has been working on an updated version of this book!
Magical Mystery Tours by Tony Bramwell
Mary Hopkin-Mary Had A Baby
According to some reports, the Philippines was the only country in the world that issued this Christmas holiday record on Apple Records, as Mary’s contract with Apple had just expired with Apple when it was issued there. The song appeared on different labels in all of the other worldwide locales. Mary’s husband at the time, noted record producer, Tony Visconti was involved in the production of this record. After the dissolution of their marriage, Tony was to marry May Pang who in 1973-75 had more than an 18 month relationship with John Lennon of the ex-Beatles!
First of all, I would like to take the time to acknowledge a phenomenal site based in the Netherlands that is a primary source of many of the photographs you are seeing on this blog post: This is the site and it is highly recommended. Philippe Colinge from Belgium shared this with me and I am very grateful to him. The Netherlands are the source of some of the most knowledgeable Beatles fans in the world!!!
In the Philippines, the title of Instant Karma was transposed and the A-side reads as We All Shine On with Instant Karma within parentheses!
John Lennon Mother/ Isolation and The Beatles?
For some strange reason, many of the solo Beatles recordings in the Philippines began to appear with the solo artist’s name being followed by “The Beatles” on the label. This happened to John, George, and Ringo, but not Paul so I can only assume this was due to some management issue or lack thereof. What was odd about this Mother 45, it not only had the incorrect Beatles labeling but the A side of Mother was also issued as the B-side in other issues of the 45.
APPLE – “LOVE”
APPLE – “POWER TO THE PEOPLE” and the Beatles listed as the performers of Yoko Ono’s “Open Your Box”
“IMAGINE”/ “OH MY LOVE”
Soon thereafter, the Beatles label was dropped from John’s 45’s.
George: “My Sweet Lord”/ “Isn’t It a Pity”
George – “What Is Life”/ “Apple Scruffs”
George – “Bangla Desh”/ “Deep Blue”
After Bangla-Desh, the Beatles attribution was dropped from the Philippine George 45’s
Ringo – “Beaucoups of Blues”/ “Coochy Coochy”
Ringo – “It Don’t Come Easy”/ “Early 1970”
A couple of Paul rarities from the Philippines. The Apple issue of Give Ireland Back to the Irish is credited as Wings featuring Paul and Linda McCartney and The “I Lie Around” Apple 45 featured I Lie Around as the A-side to Live and Let Die as the B-side!
A rare Beatles 45 from the Philippines is one that I am still seeking for in my collection: It is Two of Us with the flip side of Across the Universe from the Let It Be album! This would have made a wonderful single from the LP in my opinion. Here is a photo of the 45:
From Israel:
On Discogs, I was able to locate the rare Billy Preston EP on Apple which featured the only Apple appearance of the song “In the Midnight Hour,” by Wilson Pickett and Steve Cropper. Cropper was also to play guitar on the Phil Spector Lennon oldies sessions in California in 1973.
I want to make one exception to my three-country Apple rarity discussion. This rarity is from the Netherlands and it is the only version of James Taylor’s first Apple album to feature it on the label listed as “The First Album.”
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, APPLE RARITIES FROM SOUTH AFRICA
UYANDIZE UMABENGWANE / SIYAV UNGAZELA (Abafana Be Myunge)
DIE JARE GAAN VERBY / ROSE IS ROOI (Gene Rockwell) The AFRIKAAN VERSION OF THOSE WERE THE DAYS
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language that is spoken in South Africa according to Wikipedia!
“TSI TSI NO.1″ / “MAHLOMELA (Big Voice Jack)”
The 4th known Apple South African release-no photograph is available:
DARK CITY JIVE / WHITE CITY JIVE (Izinyozi Boys)
Hope you have enjoyed this post! Special thanks go to Philippe Colinge for providing many of the photographs presented hereas well as the wonderful site based in the Netherlands of:www.applerecords.nl
TRIVIA QUESTION: “Which was the first Beatles song released on Apple Records in the UK”? Answers in the comments below.
Many people do not realize that Peter Max, the celebrated pop artist, was approached by the Beatles to be involved with the Yellow Submarine film project. John Lennon had called him directly to work on the project. However, the project would require his committing to be in Europe for a 17-month period which he was not willing to do. It was Peter Max who recommended that Heinz Edelmann take the reins.
Much of this story is provided at the Park West Gallery link shown below. The link below provides a photo of the Peter Max piano that Ringo signed for him and it also discloses/ reveals that Heinz Edelmann’s business cards identified him as the “German Peter Max.” This may help to explain why many people were convinced that Peter had been involved with Yellow Submarine’s production. Edelmann’s work on Yellow Submarine certainly had similar properties to Peter Max’s artistic style. Peter Max and The Beatles: Friends, Artists, Icons of the 1960s (parkwestgallery.com)
In 2002, New Life Magazine asked Peter Max to do the four Beatles as separate covers for their magazine. Each issue featured a pull-out poster of the issue’s respective Beatle. Finding all four of these issues is not easy and usually is expensive. Luckily, I was able to obtain a set at a very reasonable cost on eBay. Sometimes the price that you pay on eBay is being fortunate to be at the right place at the right time.
Here are the four New Life Beatles covers with the Peter Max design:
John Lennon on New Life by Peter Max
Paul McCartney on New Life by Peter Max
George Harrison on New Life by Peter Max
Ringo Starr on New Life by Peter Max
My Peter Max signature in one of the books concerning his artwork:
Peter Max Signature
The Art of Peter Max
When Ringo Starr visited Peter Max in his studio, he signed the music stand on Peter’s piano:
Ringo’s signature to Peter Max
Hope you like these covers?
Buzz
More Artwork at The Beatles Bookstore
Art & Craft
Original art and craft related to Liverpool and the Beatles
Author Steven Gaines who co-wrote the book “The Love You Make” with Peter Brown, the longtime Beatles associate, has disclosed that he has numerous hours of unreleased interviews from his research conducted for the original best-selling book from the 1980’s. Steven has expressed the desire to be able to eventually leave the actual audio tapes to a research based institution like a university library or a museum.
This book seems to be a bonus release for Beatles historians to use as research source material. It also creates the unique opportunity for a book that deals with the creation of a best-seller which was also a biography that was tinged with controversy upon it’s release. Having the full transcribed interviews rather than an author’s editorial choice of what to print from the interviews can help to lend credibility to the conjectures presented by an author writing a biography. For researchers of the future having access to the actual audio interviews from these tapes would also be fascinating because one’s tone of voice often adds credibility to what one is saying, or often it strips that credibility away. History’s best-selling musical entertainers deserve the most accurate portrayal possible.
This is Steven’s partial list of the audio interviews that he has transcribed and will be publishing in the book. Perhaps the complete interviews with these individuals will help to shed some distinct credibility to those who criticized the authors for relying on controversy to sell the original book.
The tapes are approximately 80 hours of interviews with Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, George Harrison, and their families, friends and business associates. The tapes were recorded in 1980-1981 during the preparation of the international bestseller, “The Love You Make.”
The full transcription of these interviews have never been seen by the public. Here is the partial list of the tape archive that the April 2024 release contains the transcribed interviews of the participants with:
Brian Epstein (from a tape discovered in the closet of Nat Weiss, it’s only one paragraph)
Paul McCartney
Alistair Taylor
Queenie Epstein
Nat Weiss
Alistair Taylor on Brian’s Death
Peter Brown on Brian’s Death
Allan Williams
Bob Wooler
Dick James
Geoffrey Ellis
Peter Brown on Manila
Vic Lewis
George Harrison
Alexis Mardas
Peter Brown on Maharishi
Pattie Boyd Harrison Clapton and Jenny Boyd Fleetwood
Neil Aspinall
David Puttnam
Martin Polden
Peter Brown on Apple
Alistair Taylor on Apple
Derek Taylor
Peter Brown on “Hey Jude”
Robert Fraser
Ray Connolly
John Dunbar
Cynthia Lennon Twist
Ron Kass on Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
May Pang
Peter Brown on Allen Klein
Dick James II
Ron Kass
John Eastman
Alistair Taylor on Allen Klein Having Him Fired
Allen Klein
Maureen Starkey
Ringo Starr
US COVER TO THE APRIL 2024 RELEASE OF THE BOOK
All You Need Is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words: Unpublished, Unvarnished, and Told by The Beatles and Their Inner Circle Hardcover – April 9, 2024 by Peter Brown (Author) Steven Gaines (Author) Published by St. Martin’s Press
All You Need Is Love
UK COVER TO THE BOOK
All You Need Is Love: The End of the Beatles – An Oral History by Those Who Were There Hardcover – 11 April 2024
Published byMonoray
All You Need Is Love
You can pre-order the book at Amazon now! Click the link below:
The Beatles Bookstore will be at The Fest for Beatles Fans in New York this coming weekend – 9th to 11th February 24. Come and find them in the Marketplace and talk to them and buy some books too! And if you can’t make it, you can order their books below.
Authors At The Fest:
David Bedford
Jude Kessler
Terry Crain
Madeline Bocaro
Kit O’Toole
Liddypool: Birthplace of The Beatles – New Fourth Edition (Softback)
New Fourth Edition of Liddypool: Birthplace of The Beatles, the first book by David Bedford, the definitive book on The Beatles and Liverpool: the stories, the history, the guide.
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!
In Your Mind – The Infinite Universe of Yoko Ono (Signed Hardback)
Now in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Library & Archives
Acclaimed by MOJO & Goldmine
Recommended by Olivia Harrison
Spotlighted on The Beatles Channel, Sirius XM Radio
The true story of the woman John Lennon loved. Includes the work and music they made together, the love story of John & Yoko, and her relationship with the Beatles.
Ono’s incredible story goes way beyond what most people know.
There are astounding details about Yoko’s life (thirty-three years before meeting Lennon, twelve years with him, and over forty years of creativity since his death).
The author has followed Ono’s career since the mid-1960s, assembling a vast media archive on the artist. Yoko’s own voice, along with Lennon’s and others (in cited, published interviews) tell her undeniably true and complete story, disproving many myths. Bocaro has spent valuable time with Ono, gaining incredible insight.
Here is the ultimate exploration of Yoko’s childhood, her relationship with Lennon, her art, films, music and activism for peace and women’s rights.
Take A “Magical Mystery Tour” through the Beatles’ Deep Tracks. The Beatles’ music has become so ingrained in our culture that their songs have become an integral part of our everyday lives. Who doesn’t know the words to “Hey Jude” or “Let It Be”? Who hasn’t been moved by the poetry of “Eleanor Rigby” or energized by that opening chord of “A Hard Day’s Night”?
Songs We Were Singing uncovers the buried treasures that deserve a second listen.
Despite owning a massive Beatles book collection, there are only a few Beatles titles that I can honestly say that once I began reading it, I finished reading it in one sitting. “It’s All Too Much” is one of those titles, David Stark has led the life that most Beatles fans can only dream of. The beneficiary of good timing, good luck, and his own uncanny ability to think quickly on his feet, has led David to lead a charmed Beatles fan’s life.
We are so fortunate to have this book, a collection of stories about David’s extraordinary encounters with the Beatles over the years. His Yellow Submarine premiere story is worth the price of the book alone. David has so many Beatles-related adventures to discuss in the book, it is virtually mind-blowing! He worked for Beatles publisher Dick James for a short while and he has many
links and connections to the music industry. He is also a musician and a drummer in the band “The Trembling Wilburys.” David is also involved with Paul McCartney’s LIPA and has the honor of giving out one of the school’s most prestigious honors.
This is the cover of his wonderful book that you will not be able to put down once you begin reading it.
As a special surprise and gift to all of us at the blog. David has given me permission to post one of his precious Beatles-related artifacts (though not in the book).
Here is David’s note to me recently:
“Here’s something you will love, a note I own from George to an engineer named Cormack about (I presume) the soundtrack to the Raga film about Ravi Shankar, probably around 1971.”
George Harrison note owned by David
This is the tremendous band that David is the drummer for and he performed a tribute to George in March of 2023.
The Trembling Wilburys
The Trembling Wilburys is the UK’s finest tribute to rock supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, featuring a line-up of top musicians and vocalists who perfectly recreate the unique sounds & style of the amazing band created in 1988 by George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne.
Band members include Andy McNish as Bob Dylan and Tom Petty; Dave Collison as Roy Orbison; Michael Goulding as George Harrison; and Marko Laver as Jeff Lynne; lead guitarist Dzal Martin (Terry Reid/Equals); keyboard player Steve Salvari (Central Line/Chaka Khan); and drummer Dave Stark (John Lennon Experience/Dave Stark Five).
Their superb show features a great mix of Traveling Wilburys’ classics such as ‘End of The Line’, ‘Handle With Care’ and ‘She’s My Baby’, as well as solo hits by all five original Wilburys plus Beatles and ELO classics, including ‘Here Comes the Sun’, ‘Taxman’, ‘Hold On Tight’ and ‘Roll Over Beethoven’. An incredible band who deliver a high-octane show of the highest standard, don’t miss them!
The Trembling Wilburys
David Stark has provided the ticket link to the Feb 2024 event.
It’s All Too Much is the unique memoir by music industry veteran David Stark, who grew up in north London during the 1960s as a dedicated Beatles fan and was lucky enough to meet his musical heroes on various memorable occasions. From gate-crashing the Yellow Submarine film premiere in 1968 (aged just fifteen) and ending up sitting directly behind the group, to meeting all of them individually in some extraordinary circumstances, David has some highly entertaining stories about his many Beatles encounters which have never been told before.
