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.
Mark Lewisohn always has special Beatles projects he loves to work on and then eventually share with the public. One such special project was issued back in 2016, nearly ten years ago. It was a special book dealing with the Beatles first film, A Hard Day’s Night. Having access to many rare items from the estate of the late producer of the film, Walter Shenson, Lewisohn produced this wonderful hardback book celebrating what is now considered as a film classic both in film and music circles.
I once met Walter Shenson at a Fest for Beatles Fans held in NJ and he signed a Fest program for me. He was a cordial and friendly man.
Though the book is expensive, it is a quality release as are all of Mark Lewisohn’s books and in my personal opinion, it is certainly worth the cost!
If it is in your budget, I recommend you seek this book out for your collections. There were a limited number of copies that were also bookplate signed by Mark Lewisohn as well. The signed copies can occasionally be found on Abe Books and on eBay!
Happy hunting for this wonderful and exciting book!!!
AMAZON US:
The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night: A Private Archive Hardcover – September 5, 2016 by Mark Lewisohn (Author)-Phaidon Press
Including never-before-seen photographs and ephemera, a behind-the-scenes look into The Beatles’ acclaimed first film
“In March of 1964, director Richard Lester began shooting A Hard Day’s Night, a feature film starring The Beatles. With fast, sharp humour and a brilliant soundtrack, the movie depicts the excitement and chaos of thirty-six hours in the life of the Fab Four, and stars John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, with Wilfrid Brambell portraying McCartney’s grandfather. This collection of photographs and unique ephemera captures the infectious energy and anarchic spirit of this groundbreaking film.”
A Hard Day’s Night
Back cover of the book:
A Hard Day’s Night
My copy featured a bookplate signature from the author Mark Lewisohn:
The front and back dustjacket flaps of the book:
Reading the reviews of the book on Amazon I would like to highlight one in particular written by someone named Stardazer. Wish I knew his real name as I would give him the proper acknowledgement that the review deserves. I loved the review because it helps to accurately capture the magical quality of the contents of the book! I was very impressed as he captured many shared feelings about the title:
This is one of my favorite reviews of this wonderful book-It is located in the Amazon review section at the book location
Scroll down below the Mark Lewisohn bio info and you will find it:
An excellentAmazon review by Stardazer of the book:
Amazon review by Stardazer of the book:
“If you love the film A Hard Day’s Night, this is THE Coffee table book for you!! Drawn from the purchased collection of producer Walter Shenson’s personal archives on AHDN, this is a feast for the eyes of the ardent Beatles fan. The greatest number of images are film stills, most with outstanding clarity–far clearer than the ones you’ve seen in the Di Franco book (1977). For instance, page 62 shows that maniacal scene on the train with John pleading with Pattie Boyd about escaping, feigning invisible faux handcuffs. That image is clear enough to resolve that the magazine cover Pattie was browsing actually boasted a pic of the Dave Clark Five! Moreover, on page 120, the semi-clothed waiter holds another issue of Fabulous magazine where the name “Dave Clark” can be read on its cover, above the large image of Elvis! What delicious irony embedded so suavely in this movie! Admittedly, after seeing AHDN maybe a hundred times over the decades, I had never noticed that when John pantomimes in falsetto the line, “My name’s Betty” that the name Betty was displayed on the mirror he was standing in front of (see page 188)! Or how about that pic of Paul apparently mocking and mirroring Richard Lester’s body language in an unused scene on page 26? The snapshot of the continuity director logging details on a very old and heavy mechanical typewriter on her lap while seated on the train speaks volumes (page 65).
The film stills are ordered in the approximate sequence where they occurred in the movie as you page thoughtfully through the book. These are interspersed with many alternate or between the takes scenes as well as interesting memorabilia and lyric sheets of most of the songs featured in the movie. Many pics are full page or nearly so and some are in color! Reproductions of certain documents or news articles show you line item totals for the production budget, newspaper articles, magazine covers that will rekindle memories, letters from fans and that William F Buckley Jr op-ed that concluded, “The Beatles are not merely awful…they are godawful…unbelievably horrible, so appallingly unmusical…” well you get the gist! On the other hand, a reproduction of the actual AP teletype advance review of AHDN dated on July 30, 1964 and written by Bob Thomas gushed, “The surprise is that it is good…It shows that the quartet may be with us a long time, not as freaks but as unqualified entertainers.”
284 large sized pages showcased on thick glossy stock with superb attention to detail, informative introductions and occasional captions supplied by renowned Beatles historian, Mark Lewisohn, with glorious imagery of the Fab Four in their madcap heyday all beg for coveted ownership and a great, memorable gift to surprise and delight the Beatles fan in your life.”
Hope you enjoyed the details of this special book by Mark Lewisohn!!!
Be Healthy and Be Happy!
Buzz
OUR BOOK OF THE WEEK – CUNARD YANKS BY JOHN WINTER
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.
This Beatles Book Odds & Book Ends blog post is similar to many of the Hodgepodge posts that I have presented on the blog in the past. I would like to begin with another author that has written several books that have held strong interest for me and that I have purchased for my collection. Many of these books have a strong Beatles connection to them.
This post begins with a few books from author, Brian Southall:
BOOKS FROM FORMER EMI EXECUTIVE BRIAN SOUTHALL
Brian Southall is another writer who I have managed to acquire most of his book titles that he has written that have some type of Beatles connection or story within their pages!
Brian Southall began his writing career about the music industry back in the 1960s beginning at a local newspaper and then advancing to the likes of Melody Maker and Disc. Then he pursued a thirty year career in the record business. He started out at A&M, then moved on to EMI Records, where, he had a 15 year career, serving in press, promotion, marketing, artist development, and corporate communications.
From 1989 he was a consultant to Warner Music International, HMV Group and both the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and the International Federation of the phonographic Industry (IFPI).
POP GOES TO COURT: ROCK ‘N’ POP’S GREATEST COURT BATTLES
Pop Goes to Court: Rock ‘n’ Pop’s Greatest Court Battles Southall, Brian
From a discussion of the suit brought to officially split the Beatles, to who really wrote A Whiter Shade of Pale,
many court cases involving many prominent rock ‘n’ roll figures or celebrities over the years are discussed in this unique Brian Southall book. You will find some of these cases truly fascinating!
SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND : THE ALBUM, THE BEATLES, AND THE WORLD IN 1967
An excellent book by Brian that not only deals with the music but the times that inspired the music.
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band : The Album, the Beatles, and the World In 1967
Southall, Brian
Published by Charlesbridge Publishing, Incorporated, 2017
A book written by Brian Southall to celbrate the 50th anniversay of the release of Sgt.. Pepper. Not only detailing the creation of the album, it delves into a study of the times that helped to inspire the LP.
ABBEY ROAD: THE STORY OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS RECORDING STUDIOS
A detailed history of the world’s most famous recording studio.
Abbey Road: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Recording Studios Brian Southall; Allan Rouse; Peter Vince
Published by Omnibus Pr & Schirmer Trade Books, 1997
A book co-authored by Brian Southall, Peter Vince, and Allan Rouse detailing a history of the what may possibly be the most famous studio in the world. The book does a great job to uncover the history of the famous building,the significant musical milestones, and a few previously untold stories of how and why the magic happened.
A signed copy:
THE BEATLES IN 100 OBJECTS: DISCOVER WHAT MADE THE FAB FOUR FAB
The Beatles in 100 Objects: Discover What Made the Fab Four Fab Southall, Brian
Published by Carlton Books, 2019
One hundred of the most famous or influential objects associated with the Fab Four are presented in this book by Mr. Southall. Obviously many of the object choices could be considered subjective by individual viewers and readers but the intent or premise of the book is seemingly to promote people to think about them and how they would weigh in on the particular object’s importance or possibly to suggest their own!!!
This book is both a happy one and a very sad one as well. A happy one because it features the collection of Julian Lennon of many of the Beatles items that he was able to purchase or acquire at auction over the years. The sad element is that he had to purchase them at all instead of receiving them as an inheritance after his father’s passing!
Beatles Memorabilia: The Julian Lennon Collection Southall, Brian; Lennon, Julian
NORTHERN SONGS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE BEATLES’ SONG PUBLISHING EMPIRE
I found this book to be fascinating and what gives credence to the expression Money is the Root of all Evil. It was business and money matters that were the greatest contributor to the demise of the the world’s greatest band. Sometimes the best of friendships and close families can break apart due to money or financial matters!
Check this book out!
Northern Songs: The True Story of the Beatles’ Song Publishing Empire Southall, Brian; Perry, Rupert
Published by Omnibus Pr & Schirmer Trade Books, 2007
THE WHITE ALBUM: REVOLUTION, POLITICS & RECORDING – THE BEATLES AND THE WORLD IN 1968
The White Album: Revolution, Politics & Recording – The Beatles and the World in 1968 Hardcover – Illustrated, 4 Oct. 2018 by Brian Southall (Author), Chris Thomas (Foreword)
AMAZON DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK:
Packed full of musical and historical analysis centred on the Beatles at the peak of their popularity, The White Album: A-side/B-side takes a look at one of the greatest albums ever created, and the tumultuous time period it was born into. Dive into the revolution and turmoil that followed the ‘The Summer of Love’ and follow the disruption on streets through the ground-breaking music of The Beatles. The ultimate guide to the eclectic styles, techniques and stories behind the universally renowned “The White Album”. Including an indepth guide to the album and an exploration of the political and social influences, this captures revolutiony moment in musical history.
My signed Chris Thomas White Album. Chris Thomas produced a handful of White Album tracks alongside his engineering work on the album! He would also go on to produce Badfinger among many other artists.
A RARE BOOK FROM JOHN’s SISTER-JULIA(IN HIS OWN YOUTH IN MY OWN WORDS)
A nice early book from the mid 1980s from John’s half-sister Julia! Had a wonderful assortment of early photographs
Published by River Women Press Press, Cheshire England, 1985
Julia was later to release later works about her family and her brother. Those will be dealt with in a future post.
Here is an example of inflation as I originally bought my signed copy of the book (shown below) forr $35.00. I recently saw a signed copy on Abe Boks for $200.00!
Back in 2022, I contacted Andrew Fleming of Strawberry Fields , the organization that strives to preserve the historical significance of this great Liverpool site where the buliding and grounds that housed the place which inspired John to write the Beatles classic were situated, “Strawberry Fields Forever.” I asked Andrrew if I could purchase a signed copy of the special cd they were offering of John’s sister Julia, having a conversation with non other than Paul McCartney. .Andrew was so kind in asking Julia, who is a director at the site, to sign this great interview cd for me which is presented below. I am including the Strawberry Fields link, as purchases from the website help them to preserve and sustain this wonderful place for future generations!
An interesting book about Paul McCartney’s songwriting and appearance on other artists records by Rick Swan published by Wymer Publishers in Bedford England in 2020. As I have stated before, the one problem with books such as these is when new recordings are issued, the book becomes in need of an update or a revised edition. The book is entertaining but the author I personally believe is overly harsh and critical on his assessment of some of McCartney’s numbers.
“The Beatles: Literary Anthology recounts the group’s mercurial rise from the British Merseybeat scene; the “British invasion” that made them iconic figures in the USA; the experimentation with song structure and sound-recording technique that re-defined pop music forever; their embracing of psychedelic drugs, hippie utopianism and pacifism, amidst the social changes of the mid-to-late 1960s; the band’s acrimonious split, and the disparate, sometimes tragic post-Beatles paths followed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The strange extremes of a career virtually unparalled in terms of mass-media fame are also examined in thought-provoking articles: the American Far Right’s conspiracy theory that marked the Beatles as agents of Communism; the “Paul is Dead” myth, and the cryptographic reading of Beatles trivia that inspired it; the attempts of Lennon, with all his human failings, to live with his absurdly messianic status; the insane “messages” that the Manson Family girls deciphered from the lyrics of The White Album; the obsessions of disturbed Beatles fan Mark Chapman, and his tragic attempt to steal a little of Lennon’s celebrity.”
Back cover of the book:
McCARTNEY ON THE COVER OF ESQUIRE UK MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2015
ESQUIRE UK MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
As a US resident and collector, I love to acquire cover stories of UK magazines about the Beatles or the solo members.
Here is one from August 2015 featuring Paul!
A 1974 YOKO ONO JAPANESE TOUR PROGRAM:
During the Lost Weekend, Yoko did a tour of Japan featuring many New York session musicians. This was a program from that tour:
AMAZON US DESCRIPTION: “TITTENHURST PARK: A PICTORIAL HISTORY is a comprehensive collection of colorful images gathered to document the colorful history and development of one of the beautiful 19th century country home outside of London that is most famous as the home of musicians John Lennon & Ringo Starr. Most of the images that appear in the book have never been published before. Informative text provides readers with an understanding and appreciation for the accompanying images, and major events, of the amazing history of one of one of The Beatles’ most legendary landmarks.”
AMAZON’s description of the author:
“The Cardinals,” led by Investigative & Architectural Historian Scott Cardinal, are the creators of books that showcase the Dakota apartment building, Friar Park, Tittenhurst Park, the Ansonia, and other legendary 18th and 19th century buildings, homes and gardens. They are the creators and producers of Audible Adventures, an online educational platform that showcases the design psychology behind the homes and work spaces of the world’s most creative luminaries. Learn more at CampfireNetwork.com”
Back cover of the book:
Scott Cardinal’s inscription:
IMAGES OF THE BEATLES: PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE DAILY MAIL
Images of The Beatles: Photographs From the Daily Mail Hardcover By Tim Hill Author/editor – 1 May 2007
Parragon Book Service Ltd
This book was put together by Tim Hill who has been involved in producing several Beatles photo books. This one features photos that appeared in the UK’s Daily Mail.
These type of specialized photo books represent and serve as excellent time capsules!
Though my favorite books about the FBI’s attempts by J. Edgar Hoover and the Nixon government to throw John Lennon out of the country because of his perceived power with the youth of the time, were written by author Jon Wiener (see: Come Together: John Lennon in His Time and Gimme Some Truth: The John Lennon FBI Files), I also purchased this book by Julien Kerry. It makes a great companion piece to the two Jon Wiener books!
JOHN LENNON – Wanted by the FBI by Julien Kern | Oct 15, 2014
“The ultimate and most comprehensive book on the John Lennon FBI files. For the first time, the complete FBI files on John Lennon are published, explained and illustrated. These documents, completed by CIA and INS archives, shine a new light on John Lennon’s post-Beatles life in New York City. He was investigated for pornography, harassed for several years by President Nixon’s administration that wanted to deport him because of his political and anti Vietnam War activism. The FBI also investigated when Lennon and his family were later threatened for money. The last file tackles issues relating to his murder in December 1980. This book is a must have for every Lennon fan and for anyone interested in his life, artistic achievements, political activism and peace campaigns.”
Back cover of the book:
AUCTION CATALOG:
Occasionally I will purchase an auction catalog if it features items of interest to me. Even if I can not afford the item, purchasing the catalog will at least allow me to have pictures of the items that intrigue me. For example, I could never afford what is on the cover of this Julien’s auction catalog, a signed set of baseballs by all 4 Beatles, but at least I have a photo of it to preserve in the print collection.
The back cover of the catalog:
UK MAGAZINE-CLASH WITH A PAUL McCARTNEY COVER STORY–JULY 2007
CLASH MAGAZINE WITH PAUL ON THE COVER
LENNON REVEALED-(Larry Kane is able to tell some great stories in this title)
Larry Kane has had a long, storied, and distinguished broadcast career and he holds the distinction of being the only broadcast journalist to travel to every stop on the Beatles’ 1964 and 1965 tours according ti Wikipedia. He has written this excellent book about his memories of John Lennon and the Beatles and his encounters with John following the Beatles breakup.
Lennon Revealed Hardcover – September 27, 2005 by Larry Kane (Author)
If you are looking to purchase this title, make sure you confirm if the copy you are purchasing has the dvd exclusive which was only available on earlier editions of the book!!!
Larry Kane’s signature:
Back cover of the book:
IN THEIR LIVES: GREAT WRITERS ON GREAT BEATLES SONGS
In Their Lives: Great Writers on Great Beatles Songs Hardcover – May 23, 2017 by Andrew Blauner (Author/EDITOR)
AMAZON DESCRIPTION “The perfect gift for any Beatles fan, In Their Lives is an anthology of essays from a chorus of twenty-nine luminaries singing the praises of their favorite Beatles songs.
Blue Rider Press Publication date May 23, 2017
The Beatles’ influence—on their contemporaries, on our cultural consciousness, and on the music industry ever after—is difficult to overstate. We all have a favorite song from the band that made us want to fall in love, tune in, and follow our dreams. Arranged chronologically by the date of the song’s release, these essays highlight both the Beatles’ evolution as well as the span of generations their music affected. Whether they are Beatlemaniacs who grew up listening to the iconic albums on vinyl or new fans who stream their favorite songs on their phones, all of the contributors explore that poignant intersection between Beatles history and personal history.
With contributions from twenty-nine authors and musicians—Roz Chast on “She Loves You,” Jane Smiley on “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” Rosanne Cash on “No Reply,” Gerald Early on “I’m a Loser,” Rick Moody on “The End,” Maria Popova on “Yellow Submarine,” David Duchovny on “Dear Prudence,” Chuck Klosterman on “Helter Skelter,” David Hajdu on “You Know My Name (Look Up the Number),” and more—the breadth of the band’s impact is clear. From musings on young love and family strife to explorations of racial boundaries and identity, these essays pay tribute to a band that ran the gamut of human experience in a way no musical group has done before or since.
Timed for the fiftieth anniversary of the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, this anthology captures the full spectrum of reasons fans still love the Fab Four after all these years.”
Need your help with determining who these signatures belong to…
The book is autographed but I can only speculate as to who the signatures belong to, perhaps, signatures of what Charles Murray and Roz Chast?
UP FRONT…(Autobiography) by Victor Spinetti
The actor comedian who was a close friend of the Beatles and was in the the films ,A Hard Day’s Night, Help and Magical Mystery Tour!
Here is his autobiography:
Up Front…(Autobiography) by Victor Spinetti (21-Jul-2008) Paperback Paperback by Victor Spinetti (Author)
“Described by Sir Paul McCartney as ‘the man who makes clouds disappear’, Victor Spinetti is one of Britain’s best-loved and most outrageous performers. He became known to the Sixties generation through his comedic roles in the landmark Beatles films and the classic Return of the Pink Panther, starring Peter Sellers. His remarkable wit and versatility have earned him fresh popularity with every generation since. A veteran stage actor, writer and director, Spinetti gives us an irresistible account of his own life, from his Welsh-Italian upbringing to his role as one of the few trusted friends of the Beatles through to his recent portrayal of Einstein on stage in London. Up Front contains startling new insights into life with the Beatles, and a selection of previously unpublished photos of the Fab Four. Spinetti’s charismatic personality and his fabulous ability to entertain combine to make this a book of exquisite charm, joy and irreverence.”
Alternate cover-the hardback issue of the book:
A signed copy of the book:
The back cover of the book with a little background about Mr. Spinetti:
The Lennon Play: in His Own Write [By] John Lennon, Adrienne Kennedy [And] Victor Spinetti Hardcover – 1 Jan. 1968
This is the copy of the book that Victor Spinetti signed for me when I met him at a Fest for Beatles Fans in New Jersey.
He was a kind and cordial individual who was very funny! You can see and understand why the Beatles liked him so much. This book was a theater application to John’s first book-In His Own Write!
Spinetti’s signature:
PAUL McCARTNEY AFTER THE BEATLES: A MUSICAL APPRECIATION VOLUME TWO
One of Adrian Allan’s many excellent McCartney books:
Paul McCartney After The Beatles: A Musical Appreciation Volume Two Hardcover – 27 Mar. 2020 by Adrian Allan (Author)
Adrian’s signed inscription to the book. It is nice to see his kind words about my former Facebook page but I simply could not tolerate the algorithims of social media any more and I am very happy on the blog!Already three years have passed. Upward and onward…
JOHN LENNON: IN MY LIFE (BY PETE SHOTTON AND NICHOLAS SCHAFFNER)
A great book about one of John Lennon’s closest friends growing up. Having met personally once at a NJ Fest for Beatles fans, I could see why John and Pete were such good friends. They seem to thrive on that keen sense of wit!
John Lennon: In My Life Paperback – January 1, 1983 by Pete Shotton (Author), Nicholas Schaffner (Author)
Henry Holt & Co Publication date January 1, 1987-hardcover
Both authors of this book, Pete Shotton and Nicholas Schaffner signed ny copy of the book at A Fest for Beatles fans near Secaucus, NJ back in the 80’s. Unfortunately so many great guests at the Fest have passed away since those wonderful early conventions!
Be Healthy and Be Happy!!!
Buzz
OUR BOOK OF THE WEEK AT THE BEATLES BOOKSTORE
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.
Well the reaction to the first Beatles scrapbook post was very positive and therefore their presentation will continue but I had a change of heart about one element of the scrapbooks. I am not planning on avoiding the presentation of controversial topics or potential negative information about the band. I will be presenting articles that deal with the murder of John Lennon though not making that the focus of a particular Beatles scrapbook’s content.
Also some negative articles portrayed in some of the tabloid press as part of the scrapbook potpourri will be shown from the scrapbooks. This is not to give credibility or to lend credence to the gossip articles or to demonstrate the veracity of everything that is shown. By presenting the multitude of Beatles articles presented over the years, both good and bad, you will see many truthful well researched and substantiated articles, but also gossip media as well. We know that many people prefer to read rumor, and conspiracy theories because of the often explosive nature of those type of stories, not because of any basis in fact. Hopefully, with these scrapbooks you will be exposed to a healthy balance of what has appeared over the years in the various print media.
You may be pleased with some of the articles and others may anger you but I caution you not to shoot the messenger!!! If album reviews are presented that you disagree with, do not personalize your criticism to me as it does not mean that I personally agree with the negative review. My goal has always been to expose you to the various print material about the Beatles that have been issued or appeared over the years, both positive and negative…
So sit back, relax, and hopefully, enjoy!
A pot pourri from 1979/1980 or so:
Paul McCartney
Remember FAN is short for FANATIC:
Bits of info:
The Dakota
They’re gonna put him in the movies:Ringo
Caveman review:
Anyone in New England remember this?
Caveman review:
More bits and pieces:
Film ad for I Want to Hold Your Hand:
JAPAN OR BUST? BUST APPARENTLY!!!
Here is a McCartney novelty record that I don’t remember hearing about, has Howard Stern connections and the late Al Anderson of NRBQ as well!
A McCartney II review:
A review of London Town from 1978:
A story about the Lapidos Fest for Beatles Fans:
An early Charles Rosenay convention and an ad for one of my favorite Beatles books:
BEATLES RELATED RECORDS
Some of the picture sleeves stored in the scrapbook:One of those rare times that both John and Paul were on the same page politically as Paul released Give Ireland back to the Irish and John released The Luck of the Irish and Sunday Bloody Sunday dealing with the crisis In Ireland as it relates to the British involvement in the crisis!
A Beatles novelty record:
I love George’s B-side on this record:
If we ever get a Rubber Soul box set I want to hear John’s full original demo for What Goes On which has a radically different feel to the released version of the song!
A rare Lennon song that received virtually no airplay at all.
Mary Hopkin
Mary, Mary— Quite Contrary Mary Hopkin never seemed comfortable to me in much of the material Apple asked her to record. That is a subjective opinion, of course, but I believe she has stated as much in some select interviews she has done over the years!
My Sweet Lord
Yoko’s controversial cover for her Now or Never Apple 45. Featured a photo of the My Lai massacre in Vietnam:
“Walking in the Park with Eloise” is a jazz instrumental written by Jim McCartney, Paul’s dad, and later recorded by his son Paul McCartney, reflecting a heartfelt connection between father and son.This is the picture sleeve of the song. The flip side was Bridge on the River Suitewhich was an instrumental by Paul.
From RIngo’s Goodnight Vienna album:
A #1 Wings 45:
Despite some McCartney critics detesting the song, I love it. Great melody line and I believe McCartney did this number in order to sock it to some of his critics accusing him of being too saccharine!
Not quite boys, but I give you credit for trying!
The rare Girl picture sleeve:
Ending this scrapbook with a copy of my withdrawn picture sleeve of Leave My Kitten Alone which should have been released early in the Beatles career. Fantastic Lennon vocal on the Anthology recording where it eventually appeared!
The other side of the sleeve:
Be healthy and be happy!
Buzz
CHECK OUT THE GREAT BOOKS WE HAVE AT THE BEATLES BOOKSTORE
Rarely do I see a John Lennon film that deals with the last ten years of his life that I am impressed with, but Borrowed Time does that. This dvd is a clear exception to that observation. The Blu-ray 2 disc set features a 3 1/2 hour Director’s Cut of the film which contains numerous interviews and details that are not available on the 2 hour version of the film.
The story covers the last ten years of Lennon’s life when he and Yoko decided to move permanently from the UK to New York.
One of the reasons given for the departure of the two from the UK, according to some of the interviews on the discs seemed to be the intense hostility directed at Yoko Ono from both the UK press and fans. The attitude also became a staple belief in the US but it apparently was not as pronounced or as vicious. That is the theory. I do not know if there is any empirical support for that contention. It is ironic that many of the same people who loved John’s message of peace and love during the Beatles years, had trouble accepting John’s desire to be with the person he loved in a post-Beatles world.
They blamed Yoko for the breakup of the Beatles without having access to all of the information of the multiple internal band problems the band had. Those problems indicated that they were slowly crumbling from within. For example, George Harrison was emerging as a songwriter equal to and in some circumstances even occasionally superior to his mentors, Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Yet the space on Beatles albums for George’s songs was still being severely limited and restricted. Business differences were an enormous factor as well in the disintegration.
There is a tendency to want to explain the disintegration of the group by blaming a single source or enemy like in the case of Allen Klein. He may have been the main culprit but there were other business issues in the group causing problems that are often ignored by the public and press discourse. I suspect this is due to the tendency for the public to have the need to explain all of the problems being attributable to a single source or villain. I am sure the reality of the situation was far more complex than that and we will never have the full perspective of what caused the band’s split to be irrevocable.
Life and fate can be fickle as the decision of the couple to move to America for a more critically acceptable environment was possibly a strong determining factor that led to John’s early death. Gun availability in the UK is certainly frowned upon there! Borrowed Time is not a film that portrays John Lennon as a saint. His weaknesses, his naivete and the parts of his personality that were disliked by others are discussed. In balance, we also see a man of tremendous talent and courage that was not afraid to go against outdated views of what is considered acceptable in a culture. He challenged many widely held accepted norms. Whether you agreed with him or his philosophy was not as important as the end result of him declaring his beliefs -“It made you think about them.”
The story is wisely told in this dvd set with interviews of many of the participants in the Lennon lives during those 10 years from 1970 through the year it all ended in 1980. I found the director’s cut-the longer film, to be superior to the other disc not only because it has significantly more content but the interviews in this disc are generally considerably longer. Many of the individuals that appear in the Director’s cut have fascinating tales to tell like Jay Bergen, John’s attorney during the Morris Levy trial.
(check out Jay Bergen’s wonderful book about his times with John)
The Borrowed Time disc reveals that in 1981 John Lennon and Yoko were planning to return to the UK and they were planning a limited concert tour. There are even details of the stage design for the tour that were being considered for the shows which would have been considered revolutionary for the time.
The interviews provided in this film will help the viewer understand why John Lennon was so important to so many people and why we miss him so much more than 40 years after his unnatural passing. Unlike portrayals of John as a saint following his passing, this film gives a far more accurate and balanced description of a man who had many faults but was always searching for the answer!
Beatles scholar Ken Womack contributes many astute comments and observations throughout this film, also lending credibility to the film’s quality. Check out Ken’s wonderful Lennon book:
Mark Cunningham who was a former member of my Facebook page Beatles in Print Together and Solo has written the original music in the film along with Steve Tilling. The high cost of the copyrights and charges for using the original Lennon material must have been extraordinary for an independently produced film with a finite budget. The two gentlemen, Cunningham and Tilling did an excellent job in providing a wonderful musical bed for the story.
Would like to provide a few YouTube interviews with Alan Parker where he discusses the film in far greater detail than this post:
The flip side of the Blu-ray featuring the credits of the discs:
Borrowed Time – Lennon’s Last Decade
A PREVIOUS ALAN G. PARKER FILM
I find all of Alan Parker’s film work about the Beatles to be extremely interesting and informative. Here is a wonderful account of the 50th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper with commentary and interviews about the creation of the classic LP.
You never get cheated by the content in any Parker Beatles film. Here is an Alan. G Parker interview about the Sgt. Pepper film: Please note that due to significant copyright charges to use the Beatles and Lennon musical material is so astronomical, it is a wonder and quite honestly a pleasant surprise that Mr. Parker has told two beautiful stories about the creation of the music without the astronomical cost of using the Beatles/Lennon music in the films. Shows that the man has imagination…
Currently the Borrowed Time dvd is available at Amazon UK and a distribution deal for the US has apparently been completed and is scheduled/slated for August of 2025!
OUR BOOK OF THE WEEK – THE CAVERN – THE INSIDE STORY
Cavern Club – The Inside Story
This first-hand account of Debbie’s teen years frequenting and eventually helping to run the original Cavern Club is the authentic inside story of the Beatles launch pad, full of triumphs and failures – and surprise celebrity encounters.
£17.25Original price was: £17.25.£13.50Current price is: £13.50.
Count Elvis Presley, Lenny Bruce, and John Lennon as only some of the targets of Albert Goldman.
Jim Morrison of the Doors was to be the next bullseye that Mr. Albert Goldman was setting his sights on and working on a book about the Doors lead singer, when he passed away from a heart attack on a plane flight from Florida to London in 1994.
There are those that claim that Goldman did his homework exceedingly well when writing his books as his sources were certainly very numerous in his work. Let us try to be fair and acknowledge there may be a lot of truth in his writings based on his research. That does not discount the tone in which his books are written with the obvious intended goal of taking established cultural icons and cutting them down to size, reflecting all their faults, failings and insecurities.
It is the same rationale and logic that makes people feel better when they criticize celebrities. Or when people read the tabloids to see the foibles of people that have always been described as being better or more talented, or having more advantages than the reader has. The stories of the celebrities failings often help to serve the purpose of putting the reader and the celebrity on the same level. “They have the same problems that we do.”
Albert Goldman’s Lennon Biography
It is my opinion that Albert Goldman in his Lennon biography revealed more about his own insecurities than he did of John Lennon. How can a person write a book, painting a picture of someone with seemingly no redeeming qualities evident on virtually every page of the book and pass it off as the “researched truth.” If Goldman’s conjectures were 100% accurate, what does that say about the people that chose to be around John, like Paul McCartney, who admired John? Did Paul therefore have a bad judge of character by choosing to be a friend of John’s? How can Goldman write a biography about a man who made his fame and reputation on being a musician and only touch minimally on his musical creative talents in the book?
It is known that Goldman wanted the sleaze and controversial information about John to be the focus of the book as that is the modus operandi of his journalistic style. He directed his researchers to dig up the dirt. Goldman was not a stupid man. He knew that controversy sells, whether it is true or not. The accusation always gets more coverage in a news story than the retraction does. It is reported that A. Goldman received an $800,000 fee for writing the Lennon book. He spent 800 pages questioning John Lennon’s motivations and behavior, yet little is known about what the motivations were of the author who wrote the book about John!
The power of language is so important to any writer. The choice of words being used can immediately alter your perceptions about someone that is being described. If someone calls you a freedom fighter vs. calling you a terrorist, that choice of words will radically alter the mind’s eye view of how you are perceived. Albert Goldman’s prose is loaded with vitriol and venom with the obvious intention to cut away the reverence people might have held for the celebrity in question. He wants to bring them down to earth. That notion appeals to the masses as it serves the purpose of elevating the feelings of self-importance that the non-celebrity may have of themselves.
Many people were amazed that Yoko Ono said very little publicly about the book believing that to acknowledge the title would be giving it added publicity and credence. However, Yoko did do a one hour Westwood One radio show hosted by confidante Elliot Mintz which dealt with the Lennon family discrediting many points raised by Goldman in his Lennon biography.
Most people who followed John’s career would tell you that John himself would be the first person to tell you he had a lot of faults. Many of those faults helped to contribute to and create a tremendous amount of great music.
The Goldman Phenomenon
I think it is important to me to use some “rock” imagery to finish discussing this portion of the “Goldman phenomenon” .
Cliches and Bible wisdom seem to be the most suitable avenue to take:
“Let he who would be without sin, cast the first stone.” “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones!”
That sums it up for me…..What about you? We all know John Lennon was certainly not a saint, but we also know he was not the demon that was portrayed by Mr. G in his book!!!
NOW WE CAN LOOK AT SOME OF THE PRINT ITEMS DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE:
In 1971 Mr. Goldman took a decidedly different tone in this rare 2-part interview he conducted with John Lennon,
in the JUNE and July 1971 Issues of CHARLIE MAGAZINE!
These two magazines reflected a different Albert Goldman who realized that Mr. Lennon was a very intelligent human being who was as sharp as a tack and that he seemed to actually admire.
It makes one wonder why his tone would change so drastically, 13 years later when he sought to write Lennon’s biography. Also, why when Goldman writes any biography, the tone of the book is based on tearing down the protagonist, most of the time in a brutal fashion!
These two magazines are very difficult to find. One I was able to locate on Ebay and the other issue I was able to find with the assistance of the former editor of the Lennon fanzine entitled Instant Karma, Marsha Ewing.
Goldman’s Interview with Lennon
The Walrus imagery from my copy of the magazine:
The 2nd part of the interview in the July 1971 issue of Charlie Magazine:
A brief excerpt from the magazine:
The Lives Of John Lennon
US Edition of the book:
Publisher-William Morrow & Co
Publication date – January 1, 1988
The Lives of John Lennon by Albert Goldman
People will ask me why would I consent to collect a signed copy of a book where I personally detested the author’s approach to his task. To answer that criticism I say that Mr. Goldman is part of the Beatles story, whether I like it or not. I also have Lew Grade’s signature. I did not approve of what Lew Grade did to John and Paul regarding their publishing empire, but he was part of the story/history, and for that reason I also have his signature in my collection.
I collect the bad guys as well as the good guys…
UK Editon of the book with the light cover in direct contrast to the US edition. I remember visiting Liverpool in 1988 when the book was issued and I remember fans tearing out pages of the book in protest of the book’s content. It was at the Adelphi hotelprior to a Liverpool Beatles convention!
Transworld/Guild Publishing -1988
The Doors
Goldman’s last book victim was going to be about the Doors lead singer, Jim Morrison.
This Wikipedia article details some of the magazine prep work Goldman had done with the Jim Morrison saga.
Goldman was to die of a heart attack on a plane flight from Florida to London and the Jim Morrison book was never completed
LENNY BRUCE by ALBERT GOLDMAN from the journalism of Lawrence Schiller published by Virgin Books – 1975
I own this Lenny Bruce bio by Goldman because I wanted to learn if his journalistic style was evident in all of the books he writes. He inscribed and signed this volume to a lady he knew:
Elvis by Goldman
This is the book that started the reputation of Goldman’s known talent and penchant for taking rock icons and bringing them down to earth with their assortment of faults. What someone forget to tell Goldman was that these figures certainly had faults but his portrayals of them had the pendulum swinging too far in the other direction classifying the celebrities as being devoid of seemingly any good qualities, whatsoever. A lack of balance in his presentation, so to speak!
Publication Year 1981
Hardcover Elvis author: Albert Goldman, Publisher: Allen Lane
Elvis by Albert Goldman
PEOPLE MAGAZINE
AUG 15 1988– Excerpts of the Goldman bio circulation in People magazine which would be seen alongside the National Inquirer at supermarket checkouts…
The Australian Nov.1988 issue #424 of Rolling Stone magazine whereby the Rolling Stone authors dispute many of the claims made by Goldman in his book: The Inside Story article was written by David Fricke and Jeffrey Ressner!
Rolling Stone Magazine # 537 October 20, 1988 John Lennon – The US edition of the magazine a month earlier
The Character Assassination article was written by David Fricke, Jeffrey Ressner
Though not having anything to do with the Goldman book there was an article in this magazine that dealt with how others were dealing with the passing of John Lennon and not in the best of ways!!!
Playboy Magazine in MARCH 1984-featured an article entitled The Betrayal of John Lennon. Not completely sure if the article was written exclusively by Vicki Sheff or if her former husband, David Sheff was involved in contributing to the piece. (If you know, please fill me in with the details). This unbelievable article demonstrates that the Lennons were on the receiving end of a tremendous amount of vile behavior by many assorted individuals many of which were some of Albert Goldman’s primary sources for his book. I wonder what Albert Goldman thought of the observations and reporting of Ms.
Sheff when constructing his own version of what supposedly happened in The Lives of John Lennon. After all, many of Goldman’s primary sources certainly had axes to grind and they also had their own personal agendas to satisfy. Therefore, try to be careful thinking you ever know the absolute or complete truth about anything unless you know every facet of the story…remember people in general have a tendency to believe what they WANT to believe! That is how rumors are often spread and are propagated!
A few programs on YouTube about the controversial Goldman book:
Closing comment, I wonder why Albert Goldman only chose to write about dead celebrities? Was he afraid that a living individual would contest or challenge any of his data or conjecture?
As most people are aware, you can not be held legally responsible or accountable for libeling the dead!
Conclusion?
What do you think of Goldman and his books? I would like to hear what you think.
John “BUZZ” Bezzini
OUR BOOK OF THE WEEK
The Beatles What If? Limited Edition Hardback (UK EUROPE)
How different would the world have been without The Beatles?
This book explores the many times The Beatles story could have turned out so differently. What if it didn’t happen the way it did?
