Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Life photographer and chronicler John Loengard dies at 85 When Life magazine sent John Loengard to Miami to photograph the Beatles in February 1964, he wanted to pose them in a swimming pool, as a Fab Four of bobbing heads. But on a very chilly day, he could find only an unheated pool. The Beatles were reluctant to take the dip, but their manager, Brian Epstein, urged them in, citing Life's importance. Source: NY Times

Friday, May 22, 2020

Paul McCartney pays tribute to Astrid Kirchherr In the days following the passing of Beatles photographer Astrid Kirchherr, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison and Pattie Boyd wrote tributes to her. On May 21, Paul McCartney wrote that her passing "brought back memories of our days in the clubs in Hamburg." He added, "We fell in love with [her] style." Source: Best Classic Bands

Friday, May 15, 2020

Beatles photographer Astrid Kirchherr dies at 81 Astrid Kirchherr, the art student and photographer who met The Beatles during their visit to Hamburg, Germany, in 1960 and ultimately received near-unparalleled access to them in their early years, died Wednesday, May 13. She was 81. On Twitter, Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn wrote, "Her gift to the Beatles was immeasurable." Source: Best Classic Bands

Monday, May 11, 2020

Paul McCartney responds to passing of Little Richard On social media, Paul McCartney has called Little Richard "a great man" and shared memories of The Beatles' early days when they performed on the same bill as him. He said, "In the early days of The Beatles we played with Richard in Hamburg and got to know him. I owe a lot of what I do to Little Richard and his style; and he knew it." Source: Best Classic Bands

Ringo Starr and other rock celebs pay tribute to Little Richard Little Richard, the "true original", died on May 9 at 87 of bone cancer. Ringo Starr called him "one of my all-time musical heroes." Elton John said, "Without a doubt - musically, vocally and visually - he was my biggest influence." Bob Dylan wrote, in part, "Of course he'll live forever. But it's like a part of your life is gone." Source: Best Classic Bands

Little Richard, rock pioneer, dies at 87 Little Richard, a major architect of early rock and principal influence on Paul McCartney, has died at age 87. The Beatles' version of Long Tall Sally excited Little Richard so much that it ended up luring him out of retirement. "Little Richard was one of the all-time greats," John Lennon said in the Beatles Anthology. Source: Ultimate Classic Rock

Monday, April 20, 2020

Beatles associate Terry Doran dies Terry Doran, a longtime associate of the Beatles, from supplying them with sports cars via the dealership he co-owned with their manager Brian Epstein to providing a key word to their song A Day in the Life to managing their publishing arm, and more, has died, according to noted Beatles historian, Mark Lewisohn. Source: Best Classic Bands

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Liverpool's first coronavirus death was Scouse legend Tributes have flooded in for one of Liverpool's "very best" Cy Tucker, who died after suffering from coronavirus symptoms. The legendary musician, who used to rub shoulders with the likes of Cilla Black and The Beatles, died on Tuesday morning. He is believed to be the first person to die of coronavirus in Liverpool. Related Articles  Source: Liverpool Echo

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Julian Lennon pays tribute to late Rush drummer Julian Lennon recently took to social media via Twitter to pay his respects to Neil Peart who lost a battle with brain cancer this past week. Lennon wrote, "RIP Neil... You were one of the Best... And Rush was one of the 1st Live Shows I went to see as a Teenager... Always Loved them, always will.. My Sincere Condolences to All Family & Friends." Source: Alternative Nation

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Neil Innes: I'm just like Shakespeare, except with better songs Music was always on Innes' radar, though he attributes his love of satire to the Bonzos, who he first played with in his student days at the Royal College Of Art canteen. By late 1966 they were making a decent penny as a live act, touring clubland Britain with their surrealist explosion of trad jazz, avant-pop and music-hall nonsense. Source: Louder Sound

Ninja of comedy and melody touched Python, Beatles, Oasis and beyond His Beatles connection cemented Neil Innes' legend. After Python, Innes and Eric Idle joined forces on Rutland Weekend Television, which spawned the sensation that was The Rutles, nicknamed The Pre-Fab Four. His mimics of classic Beatles songs were so convincing that his "Cheese And Onions" even found its way onto a Beatles bootleg. Source: NME, UK

Monday, December 30, 2019

Neil Innes, Monty Python collaborator and Beatles parodist, dies at 75 Neil Innes was revered by musicians, especially those in England regularly exposed to his songs with the Bonzos and in the late '60s on a children's TV series "Do Not Adjust Your Set". He may be most widely recognized for the songs he crafted for the Rutles, that evoked the style and sound of the Beatles without directly imitating them. Source: Los Angeles Times

Monty Python songwriter Neil Innes dies aged 75 Neil Innes has died aged 75. Python Michael Palin said, "He was a great writer and he was eccentric and he was clever without being pretentious. And he was the warmest of people to be with, he was a most lovely friend." John Cleese tweeted he was "utterly dismayed" to hear of Innes's death, calling him "a very sweet man." Source: BBC News

Neil Innes, Rutles singer-songwriter and Python collaborator, dies at 75 Neil Innes, British songwriter and comedian who collaborated with Monty Python and co-founded the Beatles pastiche band The Rutles, has died at age 75. "We have lost a beautiful kind, gentle soul whose music and songs touched the heart of everyone and whose intellect and search for truth inspired us all," a spokespersons' statement said. Source: Billboard

Neil Innes, of Bonzo Dog Band, Rutles and Monty Python fame, dies at 75 British comedian and musician Neil Innes, best known as a member of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, a collaborator with Monty Python, and a member of the Beatles parody act The Rutles, died yesterday, according to reports in the U.K. media. He was 75. His death came unexpectedly, he had been traveling home from France and had not been ill. Source: Best Classic Bands

Monday, December 29, 2014

Joe Cocker: The Beatles connections Joe Cocker first came to fame in the UK in 1968 with his cover of With A Little Help From My Friends, and his performance of that song at Woodstock the following summer rocketed him to world fame. The Beatles were not always thrilled by some of the covers of their songs, but that was not the case with Joe. Source: Beatles News

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Man who brought Beatles to America to be remembered in NYC On Wednesday, February 12, family, friends and artists will come together to celebrate the life of and to pay tribute to Sid Bernstein, the legendary promoter also known as "the man who brought The Beatles to America" and "The Father of the British Invasion" at The Cutting Room in New York City. Source: Beatles News

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Rock pioneer and human rights supporter Lou Reed passes away Songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and punk-poet Lou Reed died on Sunday at 71. Reed is most recently featured on a new 6-disc DVD box-set for Amnesty International that features him prominently performing alongside Sting, Bono, Bryan Adams, Jackson Browne and Bruce Springsteen. Source: Beatles News Blog

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Davy Jones to be remembered at Monkees convention The one-year anniversary of Davy Jones' passing will be commemorated with a celebration of the former teen idol's life, and his band, at the The David T. Jones Memorial Monkees Convention, March 1-3, 2013 at The Sheraton in East Rutherford, New Jersey. There will be live concert performances and special guest interviews. Source: Beatles News

Monday, June 25, 2012

Imagine the Beatles Tribute remembers Victor Spinetti Neil Burg of Imagine The Beatles Tribute remembers fondly the night they had the pleasure of performing in front of the late Victor Spinetti back in 1995 in Northridge, LA at the Volare Restaurant. Neil says Victor told them that they made him cry when he heard the songs that they performed, especially the songs from Hard Days Night. Source: Beatles News Blog

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

I won an award... It's on the wall in my office The wonderful British character actor Victor Spinetti passed away on Monday at the age of 82. Over the years, I got the chance to spend many hours one on one with Victor. He was the warmest, kindest, most wonderful soul I ever met on this planet. The time I got to spend with him was a wonderful gift which I will never forget. Source: Beatles News Blog

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Another Sgt. Pepper's face passes away Actor and Hollywood legend Tony Curtis has passed away. He was among the actors and famous people that the Beatles admired that were pictured on the cover of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. In March, 2009, he visited Las Vegas to sign autographs and showed up to the event wearing a Sgt. Pepper's t-shirt. Source: Beatles News Blog

Friday, August 27, 2010

Thinking of Brian Today we remember Brian Epstein, who passed away 43 years ago on this day, August 27, 1967. He believed in the Beatles when no one else did and tamed them without changing who they were. It's a crime an accident took Brian from us at such a young age. He was only 32, but he lives on in the hearts of every Beatles fan forever. Source: Beatles News Blog

Sunday, January 17, 2010

George Harrison's nephew passes away Gordon Caldwell, George Harrison's nephew, and son of Louise Harrison, this morning, Sunday, January 17th, 2010 at the age of 52. Louise said, "Gordon, like his uncle George Harrison, was a very spiritual person and was a siddha". Source: Beatles News

Friday, July 17, 2009

Peter Asher says Gordon was the duo's heart and soul In an official statement released today, Peter Asher said of his late partner, "Gordon played such a significant role in my life that losing him is hard to comprehend ? let alone to tolerate. Without Gordon I would never have begun my career in the music business in the first place." Source: Beatles News Blog

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