I had heard rumors that Terry Crain was working on a book about Beatles Novelty Songs this and I am so happy and excited to learn that it is being planned for an early August 2026 release. It will be a mammoth-sized book because of the exhaustive research skills of Terry. He is planning both a hardcover edition and a softcover edition of the book. More information will be forthcoming as the official release date of the book nears. This will be another great book title for Terry Crain as he explores the 500 Beatles novelty records that were issued between 1964 and 1966!
Stay tuned for more information about this wonderful book!
Beatles Novelty Songs
In the near future there will be another post about this wonderful book. Terry always has two very important terms associated with all of his work & books – EXCELLENCE AND QUALITY!
My sincere wish after the release of this title is to also eventually read a sequel covering Beatles novelty records from 1966 to the present. Once we have that book from Terry, he will certainly be regarded as the world’s foremost authority on Beatles novelty records! The laurel wreath will belong exclusively to him!
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!
Brian Epstein and The Beatles: : The address book that defined an era October 13, 2026 Release
I remember seeing the address book of Brian Epstein being offered either on eBay or the UK Tracks website. In my less frugal days, I actually considered bidding on it but then my fears of economic distress took control which established a firm holding pattern on my reasoning and I pulled away from bidding on the item. Now it seems that the ultimate purchaser of the address book of Brian Epstein has managed to turn the address book into a 60s narrative. I genuinely look forward to reading this book when it is issued in October of 2026 and the subsequent tales that are woven from the address book of the Beatles late manager.
ABOUT ONE OF THE AUTHORS:GARY KEMP OF SPANDAU BALLET!
About the author Gary Kemp from the Amazon description: Gary Kemp is the prime mover, songwriter and guitarist with Spandau Ballet. Among his most famous compositions are True, Gold and Through the Barricades. The band has sold over 30 million records, tapes and CDs worldwide. Gary has also enjoyed a successful screen career – he starred in ‘The Krays’ alongside his brother Martin Kemp.
AND THE OTHER AUTHOR, SIMON HALFON – ALBUM DESIGNER!
Informationabout co-author Simon Halfon from his NEMPEROR website:
1967 – The World of Brian Epstein and The Beatles: The address book that defined an era Hardcover – 13 Oct. 2026 by Gary Kemp (Author), Simon Halfon (Author)
Pre-ordered my copy through Amazon UK as atthe time of the writing of this blog piece, I could find no current listing for the book at Amazon US! This blog will be amended should one appear!
Amazon Description and author’s comment about the book:
“When I first saw Brian Epstein’s black Twinlock binder, I was struck by how small and unassuming it was – just 160 by 100 millimetres, the kind of thing you could slip into a coat pocket. But inside, it held a universe. The book felt alive, buzzing, ready and waiting to be explored. So, I dug deeper.” by Gary Kemp (Author)
1967 – The World of Brian Epstein and the Beatles is a remarkable fusion of biography and detective story, offering a vivid portrait of The Beatles’ inner circle and the cultural energy of the 1960s. This engaging work delves into the extraordinary cast of characters – from Mick Jagger to David Bailey – a dazzling mix of celebrities, musicians, icons, power players and the occasional shady character. Everyone who was anyone in the 1960s found their way into its pages.
When Gary first acquired the book, he was seized by an irresistible curiosity. Who was Brian Epstein, really? And who were all these fascinating names? This project offers an intimate and unprecedented exploration of the connections he forged and the figures who helped define a generation.
More than just an address book, it is a time capsule of one of the most electrifying years in modern culture: 1967.
Perfect for Beatles fans, music historians, and anyone curious about the electric culture and untold stories of the 1960s.
The World of Brian Epstein and The Beatles
The task presented by this book is not an easy one. The authors need to create a narrative based solely on a listing of names & addresses and hold the narrative together that is consistent and thematic in order to hold the interest of the viewer/reader.
Wishing the authors the best in this endeavor and I look forward to reading the stories that have been inspired by the late Brain Epstein’s address book in October of 2026!
As Beatles fans, we often find ourselves speculating about Beatles history and asking, yes, but What If…….
What if John and Paul did not meet?
What if The Beatles didn’t go to Hamburg?
What if they didn’t meet Brian Epstein?
What if they didn’t meet George Martin and work with him?
What if The Beatles didn’t break up in 1970?
Now, in one book, all of those questions have been asked, and potential answers given, for what would or could have happened.
Through over 70 different key moments in Beatles history, David Bedford and Andrew Phillips have examined these key moments and, using their knowledge and research, give their opinion as to what the outcome might have been.
Through these scenarios, you will gain a better understanding of Beatles history in a new way, and also start some great discussions too.
GET YOUR COPY OF THE BOOK NOW – SIGNED LIMITED EDITION COPIES AVAILABLE – SELECT EITHER US/ CANADA OR UK/EUROPE
We all know how important those long hard nights endured by The Beatles in Hamburg were to the whole Beatles story and to their success. Now for the very first time, you can hear all 4 Nights that were recorded in 1962 on that last trip to Hamburg, before they returned to England and begun their march onto the rest of the world.
FIRST TIME EVER
Recorded at the Star Club in Hamburg, the tapes have never been heard in their full delivery, that is until now!!
This brand new package has for the first time all four nights together and complete and in the order to which they were played during that historic time!!
Versions of these nights have been issued before, but always edited and cut down to a single performance, but now you can hear those nights complete and to the highest clarity possible in 2026. What a piece of Beatle History!!
THE BOX SET
The Beatles Star Club Tapes – Remastered
All this comes together in a simply beautiful package, that shows care and ever so careful consideration to The Beatles Legacy. They are in fact a wonder to behold. Those who saw the band on any of those 4 historic nights were left with a memory that was about to change the world. With the passage of time, those memories have dimmed into folk lore, but now they have been brought back to life ready for the ears of the world to listen and feel what it was like to see and hear The Beatles working live in a small intimate club. Stuff like this is born into legend, and now the Legend can be heard in a complete and earth shattering experience. This is never to be heard in this form again!!
Why, because it is new, clear, vibrant and completely uncluttered and so full of energy. This is what The lads were all about. It may have been 56 years ago, but hearing them play like this will make that passage of time dissolve in an instant, and one is back there again, feeling that ever so special experience, that is now dipped into 25 carat gold!!
PRE-ORDER YOURS NOW
Pre-orders are being taken, now for prior to the official release date, which will be notified here. So order and reserve your copy by visiting the link shown above, and once again take yourself back to those vibrant and special days at The Star Club in Hamburg!!
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.
WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS FACTORS IN THE CHOICE OF A COVER?
I have been communicating recently with the author of this forthcoming book about the influence of Bob Dylan and the Beatles not only on pop, rock and folk culture, but also how the respective artists influenced one another in their musical and poetic development. In viewing the prospective book cover differences for the US and the UK editions of the book, which I look forward to with great anticipation, it made me wonder why the same book would have distinct and different covers in the two different countries?
I realize that each has a different publisher listed for the different countries but that raises other issues for inquiry. Are book covers exclusive to each company and is that part of the licensing agreement between author and publisher? I am ignorant of this subject and would like to know what goes into these issues when final covers are chosen for worldwide distribution. I would appreciate your input in the comment section about this element of the publishing industry. What factors are considered by publishers and authors when covers are chosen for a book? Do they use focus groups to make that determination or is it more common to have a single marketing executive making that decision? Is the primary or most salient factor the cost of obtaining the licensing rights for those specific photos to use as the cover?
Where the Music Had to Go: How Bob Dylan and the Beatles Changed Each Other―and the World Hardcover – April 14, 2026 by Jim Windolf (Author)
Persuasive, captivating, and bursting with insight, this dual biography by acclaimed New York Times journalist Jim Windolf dives into the surprisingly supportive, occasionally rivalrous, and always fertile relationship between Bob Dylan and The Beatles, uncovering how they inspired and transformed each other as songwriters, recording artists, and cultural icons.
Few artists have shaped pop culture as profoundly as the Beatles and Bob Dylan. In Where the Music Had to Go, journalist Jim Windolf unveils the profound and often startling relationship between these era-defining musical acts. This must-read work explores how Dylan and the Beatles not only transformed the music scene but also each other, creating a legacy that continues to resonate.
From Dylan’s early dismissal of the Beatles as being for “teenyboppers” to his jaw-dropping realization of their talent, the book captures the pivotal moments that pushed Dylan to “go electric” and inspired the Beatles to deepen their lyrics. Packed with vivid anecdotes—imagine the Beatles rehearsing Dylan songs or Dylan spending hours at Lennon’s childhood home—the book paints a picture of a relationship full of camaraderie, rivalry, and mutual evolution.
Windolf’s meticulous research uncovers hidden gems, peeling back layers of history to reveal the stories fans didn’t even know they were missing. From Lennon’s and McCartney’s lyrical transformations to George Harrison’s growth as a songwriter, the book showcases the ripple effects of the Beatles-Dylan connection.
More than a music biography, this is a front-row seat to the forces that shaped the sound of a generation. With Windolf’s captivating storytelling and unrivaled insight, Where the Music Had to Go offers an unmissable experience for music lovers, history buffs, and anyone curious about the magic that happens when legends collide.
Where the Music Had to Go: How Bob Dylan and The Beatles Changed Each Other – and the World Hardcover – 16 April 2026 by Jim Windolf (Author)
Amazon UK description of the book: FEATURING AN EXCLUSIVE NEW INTERVIEW WITH SIR PAUL McCARTNEY
Persuasive, captivating and bursting with insight, this dual biography by acclaimed journalist Jim Windolf dives into the surprisingly supportive, occasionally rivalrous, always fertile relationship between Bob Dylan and the Beatles.
Few artists have shaped pop culture as profoundly as the Beatles and Bob Dylan. In Where the Music Had to Go, Jim Windolf offers a new, persuasive interpretation of how two of the twentieth century’s greatest recording artists influenced one another – and reveals how their apprenticeships, accomplishments and legacies are uncannily intertwined.
From Dylan’s early dismissal of the Beatles as being for ‘teenyboppers’ to his rapid acknowledgment of their talent, the book captures the pivotal moments that pushed Dylan to ‘go electric’ and inspired the Beatles to deepen their lyrics. Packed with vivid anecdotes (the Beatles rehearsing Dylan songs; Dylan spending hours at Lennon’s childhood home), the book paints a picture of a relationship full of camaraderie, rivalry and mutual evolution.
Windolf’s meticulous research uncovers hidden gems, peeling back layers of history to reveal the stories fans didn’t even know they were missing. From Lennon’s and McCartney’s lyrical transformations to George Harrison’s growth as a songwriter, the book showcases the ripple effects of the Beatles-Dylan connection. More than a music biography, this is a front-row seat to the forces that shaped the sound of a generation.
Where The Music Had To Go – Beatles/ Bob Dylan
Mini Survey – We Need Your Help!
In the comments section I would like for you to express two things for a mini survey. Which cover do you prefer and why? Finally, what region of the world are you expressing your opinion from?
Thank you in advance for your opinions and insight!
In closing I will give you my personal opinion.
My preference is the UK cover for 2 two reasons. I prefer the black and red lettering which grabs my attention, and the UK cover is setup to imply that Dylan and the Beatles are looking at one another which is one of the main focal points of the book!
Though the ultimate judgement of the book will not rest with the cover, it will of course be the content and text that will be the determining factor in the importance of the book. My preliminary communication with the author portends well for the final result in 2026!
Knowing that Peter Jackson is currently working on a “MAL” corrected version of the Beatles at the Star Club recordings helped to serve as the inspiration for this post ABOUT THE BEATLES IN GERMANY!Peter, I sincerely hope you are successful in the task in being able to present the clear and vibrant live pre-famous Beatles to the world…
Several years ago, I remember seeing a boxset being advertised on the UK website named “TRACKS.” In the internet years I had purchased several wonderful items from the site. One item that caught my attention was the following boxset entitled: The Beatles in Germany! Being a Beatles print collector, the first draw to me was the wonderful booklet written by the late Tony Barrow former Beatles publicist discussing the Beatles relationship and links to Germany, and how important that country was in helping them to reach the top of the ladder of fame.
The booklet was to contain rare photographs taken of the Beatles in Germany including their last collective visit while touring in 1966. Then I learned that the boxset also contained a signed note of authentication from the noted Star Club house photographer Günter Zint, stating that the boxset contained an original piece of wood from the Star Club stage where the Beatles, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, and so many other celebrities had played. Günter had personally removed the wood from the stage, and his story is reflected below in the authentication photo. That piece of history fascinated me and prompted me to pursue the item for the collection!
The Beatles In Germany Boxset
The actual box:
The booklet which contains Tony Barrow’s text as well as many photographs:
The Beatles In Germany Boxset
A sample page of Tony Barrow’s text:
A poster advertising Rory Storm and the Hurricanes and the Beatles at the Kaiserkeller!
Some of the credits from the credit page of the booklet:
Günter Zint’s signed note of authentication stating that he had removed the wooden stage boards from the original Star Club and that the box contained a piece of the original Star Club: Günter Zint took some of the best early photos of the Beatles in Germany during those very early years when the 60s had just begun. Little did we know what was to come…
Contents described on the envelope:
Maybe Ringo’s drumkit rested on this piece??? LOL!!!
Hope you enjoyed this quick trip to the Grosse Freiheit!!!!
See you next time.
Be Healthy and Be Happy!
Buzz
OUR FEATURED BOOK THIS WEEK
One Dream Ago
In 1964, The Beatles had their biggest reception ever, with 300 000 people lining the streets of Adelaide to see the band (minus Ringo). Adelaide and South Australia also had other (sometimes surprising) connections to The Beatles, many of which have never been written about before this book. One Dream Ago‘s striking cover artwork was created by Klaus Voormann.
