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2.48am
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1 May 2011
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I think the beatles/stones rivalry was hyped up by the press: nice clean beatles v dirty rebellious stones, which was not at all accurate but nice beatles was something Brain was keen to maintain. The Stones were seen as being anti-establishment whilst the Beatles were the ones you’d take home to meet your mum (not realising what would happen after suppertime when the parents had gone to bed).
There are stories that Brian Jones wanted to leave The Stones and become a fifth beatle but no idea how true that is, he did play sax on You Know My Name. And it was George H who recommended The Stones to Decca who gobbled them up.
No-ones written a detailed account of Ringos chess skills after learning during recording Pepper.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
9.33am
26 March 2012
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vonbontee said
Not worthy of an entire book, obv; but I’d STILL like to know exactly when & how John learned piano. The Philip Norman bio and other Beatle history books I’ve read all make a big deal about how he came to play the harmonica & (obviously) guitar, but not a word about his learning keyboards.
This is interesting actually, I’ve never thought about it. When was the first time in the Beatles’ career John used the keys? According to Lewisohn, the earliest I can find is that he played Hammond organ on “I Wanna Be Your Man “, then piano on “Things We Said Today .” I know there was a piano in the “music room” that he liked to sit about and trip in at Kenwood, and he did a lot of songwriting on that; I’m guessing that was moved in in 1964 when John and Cynthia moved in there. So I’m guessing he started learning very rudimentary piano from just messing about on it in Hamburg, then picked up further skills just from practicing and attempting songwriting on the one at Kenwood, and he probably learned a bit more from Paul and George Martin along the way. By his own admission John was even worse at piano than he was at guitar, but I think his minimalist playing style served his music very well, particularly the Plastic Ono Band album.
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
12.08pm
16 February 2011
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I have recently played some rudimentary piano myself, and I wonder how John learnt to play chords on the piano, because obviously he could play them, is that something you can just “catch” on? I mean, if you know the chords on guitar, can you play them “by ear” on piano as well? I don’t think Paul intentionally taught John, anyway, I’m pretty sure he would have mentioned it by now if he did.
I would like to read a picture of book of John’s cats
12.53pm
26 March 2012
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minime said
I have recently played some rudimentary piano myself, and I wonder how John learnt to play chords on the piano, because obviously he could play them, is that something you can just “catch” on? I mean, if you know the chords on guitar, can you play them “by ear” on piano as well? I don’t think Paul intentionally taught John, anyway, I’m pretty sure he would have mentioned it by now if he did.
Yes. I started with guitar and bass and although I’m still not very good at piano I was able to teach myself all the major, minor, suspended, seventh and maj-seventh chords on piano by ear, experience with guitar helps. If you know the names of the notes of each key on the piano you can work it out fairly easily from there so I guess John did it like that.
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
5.00pm
10 August 2011
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Anything that HASN’T been written yet?
Good question. Considering the literally hundreds of books out there, what else is there to learn?
For one, someone from the Beatle entourage can still step forward to provide their take on things. Cynthia Lennon and Pattie Boyd have (relatively) recently done so.
And there’s still Ringo.
Who wouldn’t be interested in his Beatley opinions?
Essentially all books give you the historical facts + some analysis (musical, sociological,…).
What I’ve found to be lacking is a perspective on the feel for what it was like when Beatle songs, albums, and movies were released.
This of course is what led me to write Into the Sky, even though already 15 years ago when I started the project there were already hundreds of books on the Beatles (and the Race to the Moon).
If your first Beatle experience occurred after 1970, that means you instantly had access to the entire Beatle catalog.
In the space of a day you could listen to every Beatle song ever released.
This of course can be a major plus.
If you didn’t like the “early” Beatles, you could instantly move to the psychedelic period – or vice versa.
But to every ying there’s a yang; if you lived through the Beatle era, you experienced the anticipation and excitement of each release.
If you were a teenager, you devoted considerable time arguing with your classmates the merits of this or that song. Every day was one big BB Forum!
Joe, our fearless leader, has questioned the value of a historical novel, preferring to stick to strict history.
My feeling is that a strict history book with give you facts and analysis, but a historical novel has a much better chance of conveying a feeling or a mood.
What’s going to give you a better sense of life back in the day: a history book or a novel by Charles Dickens?
"Into the Sky with Diamonds" (the Beatles and the Race to the Moon – a history)
1.32am
8 June 2012
Offline Full disclosure: I’ve visited this site somewhat frequently, but not enough to realize there was a message board. I’d written my own Beatles-related book and sought a place to get the word out a bit. I didn’t want my first post to double as a new topic (from my message board experience elsewhere, newbies creating threads tends to be looked down upon) and I came across this one. It seemed perfect. While my book isn’t covering new ground on The Beatles’ material per se, I feel pretty confident that I’ve traversed new ground.
It’s called Sonic and The Beatles, and it’s a comparative analysis of the Sonic the Hedgehog series and The Beatles’ music.
(Shameless plug, but here’s a link — it’s a Kindle title, and it’s free to borrow if you have Amazon Prime: qid=1339114952&sr=8-1 )
In short, I compare the game series and the musical output as a whole, noting the overarching parallels. Just as The Beatles struggled to live down the band’s work in their solo offerings, the Sonic gaming series has failed to match the greatness (or critical perception of greatness) of its initial, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive titles from the early 90s.
More than that, I derive comparisons between individual games and albums, finding uncannily fitting Beatles matches for each and every Sonic release. I know I sound a bit too sure of myself, but this idea started as a bit of a joke and came to fruition after match after match between the games and albums offered almost eerie similarities and parallels.
At any rate, I’m hoping some of you might be interested in this (even if you aren’t familiar with the Sonic gaming series, I took great pains to boil down those elements, as I always intended this book to appeal more fundamentally to the Beatles fan than the Sonic fan) and could give me some feedback. I’m not begging for purchases here, but if you are so kind as to buy the book I would be incredibly grateful. But what I really want is a discussion about the idea and the content of the book. I’ve yet to get a review (but I’ve got two “likes” on Facebook 😛 ) and I’m craving critical response of any kind.
1.34pm
11 November 2013
Offline The Beatles and The Law – their contracts and court cases.
8.13pm
Reviewers
29 August 2013
Offline I would like a nice slipcase box with 2 books:
1) Complete solo recording sessions (including full track-lists etc. and a selection of reviews of each)
2) Updated ‘solo years’ biographies of the 4 in around 500 pages
==> trcanberra and hongkonglady - Together even when not (married for those not in the know!) <==
8.14pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline - The Beatles – All These Years: Volume Two
- The Beatles – All These Years: Volume Three
- Joe‘s book
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
8.20pm
Reviewers
29 August 2013
Offline ^^^ Hey Dav. welcome aboard.
Way-out idea that. I like video games but not Sonic so would be unable to say how well it works not knowing the games themselves – good luck with it.
==> trcanberra and hongkonglady - Together even when not (married for those not in the know!) <==
8.22pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline The Complete Guide to Beatles Memorabilia: 1962 – 2013
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
8.40pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline trcanberra said
^^^ Hey Dav. welcome aboard.Way-out idea that. I like video games but not Sonic so would be unable to say how well it works not knowing the games themselves – good luck with it.
A bit late to welcome davchild I think, trcanberra. He made one post in June 2012 about his book. Looks like a classic “pimp”.
Welcome vectisfabber. Peter Doggett’s You Never Give Me Your Money takes in much of the legal side of their relationships. Another book I have always loved, though too close to events for them to have played out fully, is 1972’s Apple to the Core: The Unmaking of The Beatles by Peter McCabe and Robert Schonfeld, which goes into huge depth about the legal wrangles surrounding the end of the group, and I have never read a better or more detailed account of the battle for Northern Songs.
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
8.43pm
Reviewers
29 August 2013
Offline ^ Oops, I’d say ‘better late than never’ but totally forgot to check the date 
==> trcanberra and hongkonglady - Together even when not (married for those not in the know!) <==
8.18pm
15 May 2013
Offline skye said
Has there been one on their keen fashion sense?
Yes, there is one indeed.
Fab Gear: The Beatles and Fashion, by Paolo Hewitt.
12.25am
1 November 2012
Offline How about a book about the religious background and spiritual ideas of the Beatles, through their biographies (childhood, family, teen years, Beatles years, post-Beatles time), and their songwritings.
Title it:
The Gospel of John & Paul’s Epistles
(and the Baghavad Guitar of George and Starkey’s Ringo Cult)
Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
2.02am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Funny Paper said
How about a book about the religious background and spiritual ideas of the Beatles, through their biographies (childhood, family, teen years, Beatles years, post-Beatles time), and their songwritings.Title it:
The Gospel of John & Paul’s Epistles
(and the Baghavad Guitar of George and Starkey’s Ringo Cult)
There is the ‘Gospel According to the Beatles’ by Steve Turner. Amazon.com description reads
Renowned British music journalist and author Steve Turner surveys the religious and spiritual influence of the Beatles, the band that changed the history of music forever. With new interviews, never-before-published material, and fresh insights, Turner helps the reader understand the religious and spiritual ideas and ideals that influenced the music and lives of the Beatles and helps us see how the Fab Four influenced our own lives and culture.
Topics discussed include the religious upbringing of John, Paul, George, and Ringo; the backlash in the United States after John Lennon ‘s “The Beatles are more popular than Jesus” comment; the dabbling in Eastern religion; the use of drugs to attempt to enter a higher level of consciousness; and the overall legacy that the Beatles and their music have left. While there is no religious system that permanently anchored the Beatles or their music, they did leave a gospel, Turner concludes: one of love, peace, personal freedom, and the search for transcendence.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.38pm
8 November 2013
Offline i’m not sure if there is such a thing already (most likely there is), but i would love to read a really good written piece of beatles-fiction. you know, like the germany-time or the splitting up – as fiction. i know there are some beatle-related fiction-films around (like “nowhere boy” and so on…) but are there any books? if not, you guys should write one. 
5.01pm
8 November 2012
Offline I really liked Larry Kirwan’s Liverpool Fantasy, but it’s a what-if and it is dark, dark, dark.
One of the blogs had a great article recently about literary approaches. I thought it was Hey Dullblog, but I can’t find it. As soon as I do I’ll edit with the link.
Other that, I only got McLennon to recommend. ;->
parlance
5.15pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline There are a few fictions based on the life of The Beatles, including one – Into the Sky with Diamonds – written by one of our members here, Ronald P. Grelsamer (who posts as “Into the Sky with Diamonds”). An excellent book, which has just seen its third edition published, it tells the story of The Beatles and NASA’s race to the moon via the fictional friendship (largely carried out by letter) between Beatles’ roadie Mal Evans and a NASA scientist. It’s a fantastic read.
I think Sam Taylor-Wood might be a bit bothered by you calling Nowhere Boy fiction. It certainly isn’t intended to be. It is a biopic that- while some of the facts could be argued – attempts to tell as truthfully as possible the story of John’s teenage years, and his relationship with his mother and his aunt, and was based largely on the biography of John’s half-sister, Julia Baird, who was also an adviser on the film.
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
5.44pm
Moderators
Members
Reviewers
20 August 2013
Offline jenny wren said
i’m not sure if there is such a thing already (most likely there is), but i would love to read a really good written piece of beatles-fiction. you know, like the germany-time or the splitting up – as fiction. i know there are some beatle-related fiction-films around (like “nowhere boy” and so on…) but are there any books? if not, you guys should write one.
Not sure if these are what you are looking for, but I thought I’d toss them out there.
One of our forum members wrote a book called Into the Sky with Diamonds: the Beatles and the Race to the Moon in the Psychedelic ’60s. (by Ronald Grelsamer)
A few other titles I found that are Beatles themed. I haven’t read them, but quite a few libraries have copies of each of these so I’m going to say they are probably o.k.
1. First of the True Believers: a Novel Concerning the Beatles (by Paul Charles)
2. The Girl Who Became a Beatle (by Greg Taylor)
3. Paperback Writer: the Life and times of the Beatles, the Spurious Chronicle of Their Rise to Stardom, Their Triumphs & Disasters, Plus the Amazing Story of their Ultimate Reunion : a Novel(by Mark Shipper)
4. Paul is Undead: the British Zombie Invasion (by Alan Goldsher)
5. Pepperland (by Mark Delaney)
6. She Loves You: a Curious Tale Concerning a Miraculous Intervention (by Elaine Segal)
I set the entries to link to their WorldCat entry. You could also look them up in Amazon. You could check your local library to see if they have any of these or ask your librarian about getting the books through Interlibrary Loan.
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