Tag: The Beatles

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Just Imagine- Photographer Tom Hanley

With A Little Help From My Lens
With A Little Help From My Lens

Tom Hanley had been taking photos of the Beatles as early as ’63/ ’64. He was with them at the end of their collective career as well, taking many ‘fly on the wall’ photos of the business meetings that were to spell the group’s demise. He was also around for John Lennon’s early solo years taking many photos of the Imagine sessions, for example.

Years later, he was also involved with the Beatles as they were coordinating efforts for the Anthology project. He even assisted in helping Apple in acquiring the Beatles’ copyrights for photos taken by other photographers. Tom took several photos of Paul, George, and Ringo during the preparation and making of the Beatles Anthology.

Tom Hanley was to pass away in November of 2021 and his son, Tony has taken the words to the story that his father authored some ten years previous about his time with The Beatles and curated over 300 of Tom’s images in an excellent limited edition book of 1,000 copies.

Mark Lewisohn with Tom Hanley

Below is a photo of the slip-cased limited edition with a signed Imagine photo exhibition invitation sent by Tom included as I intend to use the signed invitation as a bookplate to the limited edition book making the book, the only signed copy by Tom in existence.

Tom’s limited edition Beatles book ‘With a Little Help From My Lens; was released in October of 2022.

Inquiries about the book can be addressed to tony@tommyhanley.com

With A Little Help From My Lens
With A Little Help From My Lens
The Imagine Photos by Tom Hanley
Signed Article about The Imagine Photos by Tom Hanley
With A Little Help From My Lens by Tom Hanley
With A Little Help From My Lens by Tom Hanley

Here is a signed book of some of Tom’s Imagine photos taken in 1971 published by Pavilion Books in 1995

Imagine - A Celebration of John Lennon
Imagine – A Celebration of John Lennon
Imagine - A Celebration of John Lennon
Imagine – A Celebration of John Lennon

Here is the toughest Tom Hanley book to find among collectors. Now, out of print, this book was also signed by Tom. Published by Hodgson Press in 2010, featuring photos of many of the musical icons that Tom had photographed over the years.

The Esher Collection by Tom Hanley
The Esher Collection by Tom Hanley
The Esher Collection by Tom Hanley
The Esher Collection by Tom Hanley
The Esher Collection by Tom Hanley
The Esher Collection by Tom Hanley

Tom was one of the few photographers that was able to capture the stellar images of the four guys from Liverpool who helped change the world through their music all those years ago!!!

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Other Books About John Lennon

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Julian Lennon – Valotte

Julia Lennon Valotte
Julian Lennon Valotte

Here is a nice print item that I was able to acquire for a reasonable price. After the early 70’s it became impossible to be able to afford a handwritten Beatles lyric as the prices went upwards in leaps and bounds as people were becoming more aware of the possibility that the Beatles might never reform.

After December 8, 1980, the fan-desired possibility became non-existent and very few people can afford a handwritten Beatles lyric after 1980. 

When Julian Lennon released his excellent debut LP in 1984, I made a decision that if any of his handwritten compositions ever made it to the marketplace, I would attempt to purchase one as I love his work. I was able to acquire the handwritten lyrics to Julian’s song “Valotte” at a Las Vegas auction as well as a signed Valotte album cover. Julian had donated his handwritten lyrics to the Nordoff-Robbins charity to raise funds for children with disabilities.

Julian has a warm heart and that is demonstrated through the many beautiful melodies he has written and released over the years. I am very grateful that I was able to acquire these lyrics.

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Books About John Lennon

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When We Find Ourselves in Times of Trouble – The Beatles

When We Find Ourselves In Times of Trouble: The Beatles: All Their Songs with Encouraging Words
When We Find Ourselves In Times of Trouble: The Beatles: All Their Songs with Encouraging World

When We Find Ourselves in Times of Trouble: The Beatles (All their songs with encouraging words for challenging times)

By Tim Hatfield

The perfect Christmas gift for all Beatles fans! Every Beatles song in easy point-and-click format, along with a back story for each as well as brief encouragement to keep moving forward through all of life’s challenges. Just $9.99. Order yours today!

[Go to www.amazon.com, search “Tim Hatfield Beatles” and download the free app to read the ebook on your device]

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Beatles Undercover Paperback – July 31, 1998

Kristofer K. Engelhardt

Beatles Undercover
Beatles Undercover

How reference books can help you to find very obscure items-in this case a very rare Paul McCartney rarity!

Below are listed three excellent Beatles reference books by author, Kristofer K. Engelhardt!. Kris is directly responsible for adding a very rare item to my collection. Kris’s investigative talents are both superb and legendary. For example, in the first book shown here, Beatles Undercover, in the early copies of the book, Kris uncovered a rare 1970’s era recording on cd of a co-written song where John Lennon helped write the lyrics to a song originally written by sound engineer Roy Cicala. The tune with John’s rewritten lyrics became a song based on a native American that John Lennon had met and the song was to be called “Incantation.”

Beatles Deeper Undercover Paperback – March 1, 2010

Kristofer K. Engelhardt

Beatles Deeper Undercover
Beatles Deeper Undercover

In the second volume of his trilogy Beatles Deeper Undercover, I learned of another fabulous Kris discovery and I was able to acquire the item from him in a negotiation. The item I was able to secure are two very rare Paul McCartney penned tracks that he wrote in the mid 80’s and he brought the songs with him to Barbados and a group called Ivory were given permission by Paul to record the two numbers on their rare album called Print Out. The tracks that he provided to the band were called “Runaway” and “Freedom Land.”

The fantastic surprises that Kris covered in his earlier two works makes you wonder what may be lurking in the new volume entitled “Beatles Fully Uncovered.” This book was issued in September of 2022.

The above titles, I believe are still available on Amazon. They are all certainly valuable reference works for the discerning Beatles collector.

Beatles Fully Uncovered Perfect Paperback – September 19, 2022

by Kristofer Engelhardt (Author), David Fishof (Foreword)

The Beatles Fully Uncovered
The Beatles Fully Uncovered

The rare LP issued only in Barbados featuring the two rare McCartney-penned tunes that he gave to Ivory to record is shown below. It is through the efforts of the author of the above books that I was able to obtain a copy of this rare LP for my collection, and I will always be grateful.

Ivory
Ivory
Print Out - Ivory
Print Out – Ivory
Print Out - Ivory
Print Out – Ivory

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Featured Book

Just Like Starting Over: John Lennon and The Quarrymen

Just Like Starting Over: John Lennon and The Quarrymen

When John Lennon and his group The Quarrymen stepped onto the back of a wagon in Rosebery Street on 22nd June 1957, Charlie Roberts borrowed a camera and took a few photos of the event. It was just a group of friends having fun at a street party.

What Charlie didn’t know at the time was that he was capturing a piece of Beatles history. This was the first time that John Lennon had been photographed performing with his group. Skiffle was the new music and soon, John would meet Paul McCartney who would then introduce George Harrison to John.

£15.00
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Julian Lennon Help Yourself

Julian Lennon - Help Yourself
Julian Lennon – Help Yourself

Hard to Find Rarity – Julian Lennon Help Yourself

Though not a book these items present an interesting Beatles-related story and collecting rarity.  There were rumors that Julian had consulted with George Harrison about suggestions for the guitar work on the song Saltwater for Julian’s album “Help Yourself.” Unfortunately, that rumor has not been given adequate substantiation, though I believe George receives a thank you note on the credits if memory serves me correctly.

Julian Lennon released the album “Help Yourself album back in 1991 which featured the hit single “Saltwater” which was a hit in both Australia and the UK, but did nothing in the US, largely through poor promotion by his record company in the States

Little is known that in 2 countries, there was a rarity issued of Julian Lennon singing three songs in the Spanish language on the special edition of the album called “Help Yourself.” One country that issued the vinyl LP with the 3 songs in Spanish was Venezuela. The ultra-rare version on cd was issued in Spain. 

The cd which was available in Spain with the three Spanish songs is even rarer than the Venezuelan LP with the same contents. I have known many people that live in Spain that have a cd of the album but it is not the version with the 3 songs in their native language. If you find one of these rare CDs you have quite the rarity. I had spent 8 years looking for a copy before a European friend helped me locate a copy for the collection

These are the songs that appear in Spanish on the Venezuelan LP and the special edition of the cd appearing in Spain:

Saltwater = Creo Que Voy A Llorar (Spanish Version)

Maybe I Was Wrong = Es Tarde Ya (Spanish Version)

Take Me Home = Corazón De Palmera (Spanish Version)

Julian Lennon canta tres canciones en español en la edición especial de su álbum llamado “Help Yourself”.

Contents of the Venezuelan LP and the rare version of the cd appearing in Spain

1Rebel King
2Saltwater = Creo Que Voy A Llorar (Spanish Version)
3Get A Life
4Would You
5Maybe I Was Wrong = Es Tarde Ya (Spanish Version)
6Help Yourself
7Listen
8  Other Side Of Town-Lead vocals=Paul Buchanan
9New Physics Rant
10Take Me Home – Corazón De Palmera (Spanish Version)
11Imaginary Lines
12Keep The People Working
The Songs on the Album
Help Yourself by Julian Lennon

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Featured Book – Cavern Club – The Inside Story

Cavern Club - 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.

Original price was: £17.25.Current price is: £13.50.
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I Drove John Lennon’s Psychedelic Car

John Lennon’s Psychedelic Rolls Royce

John Lennon’s Psychedelic Car – The Rolls Royce

The Rolls Royce Phantom V was one of only 517 cars of this model made. It was a 1964
Mulliner Park War Phantom V, finished in Valentines black, so that everything, apart from
the front radiator, was black. Lennon wanted the radiator to be black too, but Rolls Royce
refused! It was equipped with leather seats, wood trim, cocktail cabinet, writing table and a
portable TV. However, Lennon didn’t know how to drive them and only passed his test in 1965.

He had the car customised at the end of 1965 to be fitted with a double bed, a floating record player (so that the records wouldn’t jump) as well as a car radio-telephone.

After Lennon had used it out in Almeria, Spain, while filming How I Won The War, it needed
a new coat of paint. So, John being John, he commissioned J.P. Fallon Ltd. to create a custom paint job in the style of a gypsy caravan. The car was shipped out to America when he moved there, and regularly loaned it to his friends, like Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. The car was donated to the Smithsonian Institute in 1977 due to a problem with the IRS. It was sold in 1985 for $2,299,000.

Bill Zygmant Remembers:

“When I photographed Lennon’s psychedelic car, the chauffeur let me have a go, so I drove
Lennon’s car. It was a lovely car. I am the only photographer who managed to photograph the psychedelic caravan, car and the Apple store.”

The Apple Boutique - Photo by Bill Zygmant
The Apple Boutique – Photo by Bill Zygmant
The Psychedelic Caravan
The Psychedelic Caravan

Get Your Copy of Bill’s Fantastic Book

Bill Zygmant - Where Did You Get That Shirt? (Signed Limited Edition)

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!

£75.00
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