BeatlesNews.com: The Ultimate Internet Source for the latest Beatles News http://www.beatlesnews.com en-us Beatles News (rss@beatlesnews.com) Copyright © 2001-2009 David Haber. All rights reserved. 2009-01-05T14:20:55-08:00 http://www.beatlesnews.com/news/the-beatles.html#20090105111725 The Beatles will make a bulk of their musical catalog available for the first time as a free, legal download thanks to a series of Norwegian podcasts. In 2001, a Norwegian documentary told the stories behind every Beatles track, with the tracks themselves being played. The series is now available as a downloadable podcast. Beatles News 2009-01-05T11:17:25-08:00 http://www.beatlesnews.com/news/john-lennon.html#20090105070243 The MBE medal that John Lennon famously rejected has been unearthed in a royal vault. Now, 40 years after Lennon sent the award back to The Queen, Beatles historians are calling for it to be dusted off and put on public display. A Buckingham Palace spokesman confirmed that the MBE has been located and that it remains the property of John Lennon's estate. Beatles News 2009-01-05T07:02:43-08:00 http://www.beatlesnews.com/news/rock-and-roll.html#20090105065744 For many musicians, your latest song just hasn't been released until it's been forced on to a small, grooved plastic disc. The Wombats and Franz Ferdinand are among the artists whose seven-inch vinyl records are being made at the factory that used to be owned by EMI in Hayes, on the edge of west London. Beatles News 2009-01-05T06:57:44-08:00 http://www.beatlesnews.com/news/rock-and-roll.html#20090105065348 The Queen's New Year's Honours list has bestowed upon Zeppelin singer Robert Plant the considerable honor of CBE. Though he's best known as the swaggering singer of the '70s hard rock juggernaut Led Zeppelin, perhaps Plant's 2007 softer collaboration with bluegrass babe Alison Krauss turned the royal ear. Beatles News 2009-01-05T06:53:48-08:00 http://www.beatlesnews.com/news/the-beatles/200901041058/fans-to-celebrate-2009-international-beatles-freak-day.html The excitement and anticipation for this year's International Beatles Freak Day celebration is already brewing, as January 14th quickly approaches. The day when 'Beatles Freaks' from all over the world can come together to celebrate the greatest band that ever was (and ever will be!) along with their Fab Four-loving friends. Beatles News 2009-01-04T10:58:45-08:00 http://www.beatlesnews.com/news/paul-mccartney.html#20090104081637 Pop star Michael Jackson is leaving his share of the Beatles back catalogue to Sir Paul McCartney in his will, which, he hopes, may end an almost 24-year-long feud with the legendary rocker. Macca was upset with Jackson when he outbid him in 1985 to win the ownership of the 350 million-pound publishing rights for the whole Lennon-McCartney songbook. Beatles News 2009-01-04T08:16:37-08:00 http://www.beatlesnews.com/news/paul-mccartney.html#20090104080002 "Paul McCartney is a straight-ahead, old-school rocker, and that's what I aim to capture. These are songs that every person in the audience has an attachment to, and our goal is to reproduce them faithfully, with the vocals and musical hooks sounding as they should," says Paul "Pab" Boothroyd, who mixed Paul's "Friendship First" concert in Tel Aviv. Beatles News 2009-01-04T08:00:02-08:00 http://www.beatlesnews.com/news/rock-and-roll.html#20090104075652 Philip Seymour Hoffman thinks that 60s pop music can help people through the credit crunch. The Oscar-winning actor is convinced his new movie The Boat That Rocked, set in a 60s pirate radio station loosely based on the infamous Radio Caroline, will allow people to forget about the global economic crisis. Beatles News 2009-01-04T07:56:52-08:00 http://www.beatlesnews.com/news/ringo-starr.html#20090103085720 Could this year see a new respect between Ringo Starr and his fans? In October Ringo turned his back on his Mr. Nice Guy persona to tell his followers all future autograph requests would be binned. But it seems that, if you are polite and ask nicely, the moody ex-Beatle will make exceptions. So we're hoping he's cheered up. Beatles News 2009-01-03T08:57:20-08:00 http://www.beatlesnews.com/news/the-beatles.html#20090103085117 Liverpool has entered a new era following its spell as the European Capital of Culture. According to the Liverpool Echo, the northwest city has been "born again" as a result of the events and developments it has seen in the last year, including the opening of the new Echo Arena and a performance at Anfield by Sir Paul McCartney. Beatles News 2009-01-03T08:51:17-08:00