Before Ringo Starr joined The Beatles, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison worked with a different drummer. Pete Best traveled to Germany with The Beatles when they played in Hamburg. Best never reaped the prolific benefits of the band’s success, though. They fired him just before hitting it big, which McCartney described as one of the most difficult things they ever had to do.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles had to make a difficult decision
In 1962, The Beatles auditioned for producer George Martin. While Martin saw potential in the band, he didn’t see a path forward for them with Best. He asked them to consider finding a new drummer.
“He agreed to audition us, and we had a not-very powerful audition in which he was not very pleased with Pete Best,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “George Martin was used to drummers being very ‘in time,...
Paul McCartney said The Beatles had to make a difficult decision
In 1962, The Beatles auditioned for producer George Martin. While Martin saw potential in the band, he didn’t see a path forward for them with Best. He asked them to consider finding a new drummer.
“He agreed to audition us, and we had a not-very powerful audition in which he was not very pleased with Pete Best,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “George Martin was used to drummers being very ‘in time,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Who may have popularized guitar smashing, but John Lennon said The Beatles were tearing up the stage long before the other band. Before The Beatles wore neatly matching suits and sang behind gates and police barricades, they played sweaty, chaotic shows. Lennon described these early performances as violent.
John Lennon said The Beatles were tearing up the stage years before The Who did
In The Beatles’ early years, they played in cramped clubs to frenzied audiences. In order to keep up with their grueling performance schedule — it had them playing multiple shows a day — they began taking stimulants. As they combined these with alcohol, they were often as agitated as their audience.
“We were frothing at the mouth,” George Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “Because we had all these hours to play and the club owners were giving us Preludins, which were slimming tablets. I don’t think they were amphetamine,...
John Lennon said The Beatles were tearing up the stage years before The Who did
In The Beatles’ early years, they played in cramped clubs to frenzied audiences. In order to keep up with their grueling performance schedule — it had them playing multiple shows a day — they began taking stimulants. As they combined these with alcohol, they were often as agitated as their audience.
“We were frothing at the mouth,” George Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “Because we had all these hours to play and the club owners were giving us Preludins, which were slimming tablets. I don’t think they were amphetamine,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and the rest of The Beatles were the subject of fan obsession for years. Even today, The Beatles have fans who love to discuss and defend the band. Lennon was always appreciative of his fans, as they buoyed his success. Still, he couldn’t defend some of their behavior. He shared the type of fan he did not like to see at the band’s shows.
John Lennon found a fan irritating at a concert
The Beatles played their shows behind barriers and police protection in order to keep them safe from anyone who might storm the stage. Still, some people managed to get close to the band. Lennon recalled one show in which a fan stole his hat, which he found incredibly frustrating.
“It [the San Francisco show] was wild. Some little lad got my hat,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “Somebody like him doesn’t really care about the show anyway,...
John Lennon found a fan irritating at a concert
The Beatles played their shows behind barriers and police protection in order to keep them safe from anyone who might storm the stage. Still, some people managed to get close to the band. Lennon recalled one show in which a fan stole his hat, which he found incredibly frustrating.
“It [the San Francisco show] was wild. Some little lad got my hat,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “Somebody like him doesn’t really care about the show anyway,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After John Lennon completed his album Two Virgins, he took the cover photo to Ringo Starr to view. This was a moment The Beatles drummer said he would never forget. He was shocked by the nudity in the image and slightly annoyed that he’d likely have to answer questions about it. Still, his first instinct was to point to an extremely minor detail in order to draw attention away from Lennon’s nudity.
Ringo Starr recalled how he felt when John Lennon showed him the ‘Two Virgins’ cover
In 1968, Lennon and Yoko Ono released Two Virgins. They worked on the album at the very start of their relationship and wanted to express that they were freshly in love. They also wanted to use the album to bare themselves to the public. To achieve this, they took a very literal route, posing completely naked on the album cover.
‘Two Virgins...
Ringo Starr recalled how he felt when John Lennon showed him the ‘Two Virgins’ cover
In 1968, Lennon and Yoko Ono released Two Virgins. They worked on the album at the very start of their relationship and wanted to express that they were freshly in love. They also wanted to use the album to bare themselves to the public. To achieve this, they took a very literal route, posing completely naked on the album cover.
‘Two Virgins...
- 3/17/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In The Beatles’ early days of success, John Lennon set himself apart from his bandmates by publishing two books. He published his first book, In His Own Write, in 1964. His second, A Spaniard in the Works, came out the following year. After these two, Lennon said he felt he needed to take a break from writing books. He did not like the headspace into which writing brought him.
John Lennon shared why he lost interest in writing books
When Lennon compiled In His Own Write, he was able to pull from years worth of writing and artwork. For A Spaniard in the Works, he had to sit down and work on new material.
“The second book was more disciplined because it was started from scratch,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “They said, ‘You’ve got so many months to write a book in.’ I wrote In His Own Write...
John Lennon shared why he lost interest in writing books
When Lennon compiled In His Own Write, he was able to pull from years worth of writing and artwork. For A Spaniard in the Works, he had to sit down and work on new material.
“The second book was more disciplined because it was started from scratch,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “They said, ‘You’ve got so many months to write a book in.’ I wrote In His Own Write...
- 3/17/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon notoriously spoke out against much of Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles music. He even criticized the work McCartney did while in the band. McCartney took a similar stance against one of Lennon’s albums. Though he wrote liner notes for Two Virgins, McCartney didn’t think the album was all that good. Still, he took credit for parts of it.
Paul McCartney wasn’t a fan of one John Lennon album
In 1968, Lennon and Yoko Ono released Two Virgins, the first of three experimental albums they put out as a couple. The album drew major controversy for its cover; Lennon and Ono posed fully naked for it. The other Beatles fielded questions from reporters about it, to their frustration.
McCartney claimed that the cover raised his eyebrows, but he didn’t find it overly shocking. His bigger problem was that he didn’t much like the contents of the album.
Paul McCartney wasn’t a fan of one John Lennon album
In 1968, Lennon and Yoko Ono released Two Virgins, the first of three experimental albums they put out as a couple. The album drew major controversy for its cover; Lennon and Ono posed fully naked for it. The other Beatles fielded questions from reporters about it, to their frustration.
McCartney claimed that the cover raised his eyebrows, but he didn’t find it overly shocking. His bigger problem was that he didn’t much like the contents of the album.
- 3/15/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When John Lennon released the album Two Virgins in 1968, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were politely shocked. While they tried not to get caught up in the public outcry over the album cover — which featured full frontal nudity from Lennon and Yoko Ono — they didn’t approve of it. Lennon said it surprised him that McCartney and Harrison were so prudish.
John Lennon said Paul McCartney and George Harrison were surprisingly prudish
Lennon and Ono chose to pose naked on the cover of Two Virgins because they wanted to reveal all of themselves to the public. It was a bold choice that brought the couple a great deal of blowback.
“It was insane!” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “People got so upset about it — the fact that two people were naked. I didn’t think there’d be such a fuss. I guess the world thinks we’re an ugly couple.
John Lennon said Paul McCartney and George Harrison were surprisingly prudish
Lennon and Ono chose to pose naked on the cover of Two Virgins because they wanted to reveal all of themselves to the public. It was a bold choice that brought the couple a great deal of blowback.
“It was insane!” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “People got so upset about it — the fact that two people were naked. I didn’t think there’d be such a fuss. I guess the world thinks we’re an ugly couple.
- 3/14/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While John Lennon was still in The Beatles, he put out an album with a cover that shocked people around the world. His bandmates even had to field calls from reporters about it. On the cover of Two Virgins, one of three experimental albums Lennon released with Yoko Ono, the couple posed naked. When his aunt saw the image, she complained that Lennon looked ugly. This, he said, was his intention.
John Lennon surprised people with one album cover
In 1968, Lennon and Ono released Two Virgins. The cover featured full frontal nudity, prompting many record stores to put the album in a paper bag in order to sell it. Lennon shared the intention behind the photograph.
“We were both a bit embarrassed when we peeled off for the picture, so I took it myself with a delayed-action shutter,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “The picture was to prove that...
John Lennon surprised people with one album cover
In 1968, Lennon and Ono released Two Virgins. The cover featured full frontal nudity, prompting many record stores to put the album in a paper bag in order to sell it. Lennon shared the intention behind the photograph.
“We were both a bit embarrassed when we peeled off for the picture, so I took it myself with a delayed-action shutter,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “The picture was to prove that...
- 3/13/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Of all The Beatles, Ringo Starr wrote the fewest songs for the band. He was more interested in supporting his bandmates’ writing with his drumming. Still, Starr played an important role in the inception of a couple of classic Beatles songs. His “Ringoisms” inspired the titles of two songs.
Ringo Starr accidentally named 2 Beatles songs
Practically as soon as Starr joined The Beatles, his bandmates grew accustomed to his unique way of speaking. He often coined phrases that they’d never heard before.
“Ringo would always say grammatically incorrect phrases and we’d all laugh,” George Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “I remember when we were driving back to Liverpool from Luton up the M1 motorway in Ringo’s Zephyr, and the car’s bonnet hadn’t been latched properly. The wind got under it and blew it up in front of the windscreen. We were all shouting, ‘Aaaargh!
Ringo Starr accidentally named 2 Beatles songs
Practically as soon as Starr joined The Beatles, his bandmates grew accustomed to his unique way of speaking. He often coined phrases that they’d never heard before.
“Ringo would always say grammatically incorrect phrases and we’d all laugh,” George Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “I remember when we were driving back to Liverpool from Luton up the M1 motorway in Ringo’s Zephyr, and the car’s bonnet hadn’t been latched properly. The wind got under it and blew it up in front of the windscreen. We were all shouting, ‘Aaaargh!
- 3/12/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Over the course of their time in The Beatles, Paul McCartney’s bandmates grew increasingly frustrated with him. To them, McCartney’s perfectionism and insistence on controlling many aspects of the recording process was highly annoying. McCartney himself admitted that he could be a bit bossy to his bandmates. Still, he claimed that he tried to take a step back on Abbey Road but his bandmates didn’t want him to.
Paul McCartney said his bandmates wanted him to exert control over ‘Abbey Road’
Though it was not the last album the band released, the final time The Beatles got into the studio together was to record Abbey Road. The band fought bitterly while recording the White Album and Let It Be. As a result, McCartney vowed to be less overbearing with his bandmates on the latest album.
“Again the feeling that I mustn’t be dominating was plaguing me,...
Paul McCartney said his bandmates wanted him to exert control over ‘Abbey Road’
Though it was not the last album the band released, the final time The Beatles got into the studio together was to record Abbey Road. The band fought bitterly while recording the White Album and Let It Be. As a result, McCartney vowed to be less overbearing with his bandmates on the latest album.
“Again the feeling that I mustn’t be dominating was plaguing me,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Paul McCartney worked closely together while writing “A Day in the Life.” The two Beatles wrote different portions of the song to create the final version. Though Lennon was the one who began working on it, McCartney made major contributions to the song. Still, Lennon said McCartney seemed almost shy when he presented his portions.
John Lennon said Paul McCartney seemed bashful while writing ‘A Day in the Life’
Lennon and McCartney began writing more as individuals in the latter half of the 1960s, but they still worked closely together on songs.
“Paul and I were definitely working together, especially on ‘A Day In The Life,’” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “The way we wrote a lot of the time: you’d write the good bit, the part that was easy, like ‘l read the news today’ or whatever it was. Then when you got stuck or whenever it got hard,...
John Lennon said Paul McCartney seemed bashful while writing ‘A Day in the Life’
Lennon and McCartney began writing more as individuals in the latter half of the 1960s, but they still worked closely together on songs.
“Paul and I were definitely working together, especially on ‘A Day In The Life,’” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “The way we wrote a lot of the time: you’d write the good bit, the part that was easy, like ‘l read the news today’ or whatever it was. Then when you got stuck or whenever it got hard,...
- 3/9/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ringo Starr rarely wrote or sang Beatles songs. He preferred to play the drums and support his bandmates. Even after The Beatles broke up, his bandmates often wrote him songs for his solo albums. Still, he had several writing credits with the band. John Lennon insinuated that Starr got his first solo writing credit with the band because he was bored.
John Lennon shared how Ringo Starr wrote his first Beatles song
In 1968, Starr received his first solo writing credit with The Beatles with “Don’t Pass Me By.” The song appeared on the White Album. Starr said he wrote it while lazing around his house.
“I wrote ‘Don’t Pass Me By’ when I was sitting round at home,” Starr said in The Beatles Anthology. “I only play three chords on the guitar and three on the piano. I was fiddling with the piano — I just bang away — and...
John Lennon shared how Ringo Starr wrote his first Beatles song
In 1968, Starr received his first solo writing credit with The Beatles with “Don’t Pass Me By.” The song appeared on the White Album. Starr said he wrote it while lazing around his house.
“I wrote ‘Don’t Pass Me By’ when I was sitting round at home,” Starr said in The Beatles Anthology. “I only play three chords on the guitar and three on the piano. I was fiddling with the piano — I just bang away — and...
- 3/8/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1965, John Lennon published his second book, a collection of nonsensical stories and drawings called A Spaniard in the Works. His first book, In His Own Write, sold well and received critical acclaim. His second book sold fewer copies and did not go over as well with critics. According to Lennon, this was partly because critics accused him of stealing portions of another book.
John Lennon said people accused him of stealing portions of his second book
When Lennon put together In His Own Write, he pulled from years worth of writing. With A Spaniard in the Works, he had to write a new book from scratch. While this was a major challenge for him, he wrote longer stories for A Spaniard in the Works.
“Most of A Spaniard in the Works is longer than the bits in the first book,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “But my mind...
John Lennon said people accused him of stealing portions of his second book
When Lennon put together In His Own Write, he pulled from years worth of writing. With A Spaniard in the Works, he had to write a new book from scratch. While this was a major challenge for him, he wrote longer stories for A Spaniard in the Works.
“Most of A Spaniard in the Works is longer than the bits in the first book,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “But my mind...
- 3/7/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In The Beatles, one of George Harrison’s biggest problems was the way John Lennon and Paul McCartney treated his songwriting. They had been the primary songwriters for the first half of the 1960s. When Harrison started contributing more songs, they seemed to view it as more of an intrusion than an opportunity for growth. According to Harrison, they hardly paid any attention to what would become one of his best-known songs.
George Harrison said John Lennon and Paul McCartney didn’t take 1 song seriously
While Harrison was at his parents’ home, he began using books to write a song.
“I decided to write a song based on the first thing I saw upon opening any book — as it would be relative to that moment, at that time,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “I picked up a book at random, opened it, saw ‘gently weeps’, then laid the book...
George Harrison said John Lennon and Paul McCartney didn’t take 1 song seriously
While Harrison was at his parents’ home, he began using books to write a song.
“I decided to write a song based on the first thing I saw upon opening any book — as it would be relative to that moment, at that time,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “I picked up a book at random, opened it, saw ‘gently weeps’, then laid the book...
- 3/7/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Paul McCartney worked closely together on “A Day in the Life.” They each wrote portions of the song and married the parts together to create the finished product. Lennon was often hard on McCartney’s writing, but he complimented the work his bandmate put into the song. He believed that one line McCartney wrote was particularly beautiful.
John Lennon admired one of Paul McCartney’s contributions to ‘A Day in the Life’
While Lennon and McCartney wrote closely together in the early years of The Beatles, they drifted apart as the 1960s progressed. Still, some songs were the product of their close collaboration in later years. “A Day in the Life” was one of them.
“Paul and I were definitely working together, especially on ‘A Day In The Life,’” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “The way we wrote a lot of the time: you’d write the good bit,...
John Lennon admired one of Paul McCartney’s contributions to ‘A Day in the Life’
While Lennon and McCartney wrote closely together in the early years of The Beatles, they drifted apart as the 1960s progressed. Still, some songs were the product of their close collaboration in later years. “A Day in the Life” was one of them.
“Paul and I were definitely working together, especially on ‘A Day In The Life,’” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “The way we wrote a lot of the time: you’d write the good bit,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon met Paul McCartney and George Harrison when they were teenagers, and they performed together in The Beatles all through their 20s. When Lennon left The Beatles, he said he did it because he wanted to be able to grow up. He didn’t think it was possible to do this while in the band.
John Lennon said he felt he couldn’t mature in The Beatles
In 1969, Lennon told his bandmates that he no longer wanted to be in The Beatles. His life had been intertwined with his bandmates’ for so long and he was ready for a break.
“We’re all individuals. And in The Beatles we grew out of it,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “The bag was too small. I can’t impose far-out films or far-out music on George and Paul if they don’t want to do it. Vice versa, Paul can...
John Lennon said he felt he couldn’t mature in The Beatles
In 1969, Lennon told his bandmates that he no longer wanted to be in The Beatles. His life had been intertwined with his bandmates’ for so long and he was ready for a break.
“We’re all individuals. And in The Beatles we grew out of it,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “The bag was too small. I can’t impose far-out films or far-out music on George and Paul if they don’t want to do it. Vice versa, Paul can...
- 2/28/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ringo Starr has been a professional musician for years and has dedicated his life to creating and consuming rock music. In the early 1960s, when The Beatles rose to fame, they had the opportunity to see and meet many other bands. One night, they attended a concert in Miami for a band Starr loved. He was disgusted by the way other people were enjoying the music, though.
Ringo Starr was not happy to see people dancing to rock music
In 1964, The Beatles went to America. As they traveled around the country, they often crossed paths with the American band The Coasters.
“When we were in New York, The Coasters were on there, and then when we were in Florida, they were there, too,” George Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “Everywhere we went, even when we were in California, The Coasters were advertised.”
The Beatles went to see The Coasters in Miami.
Ringo Starr was not happy to see people dancing to rock music
In 1964, The Beatles went to America. As they traveled around the country, they often crossed paths with the American band The Coasters.
“When we were in New York, The Coasters were on there, and then when we were in Florida, they were there, too,” George Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “Everywhere we went, even when we were in California, The Coasters were advertised.”
The Beatles went to see The Coasters in Miami.
- 2/25/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison wrote the majority of The Beatles’ songs. While Lennon and McCartney were the primary writers in The Beatles’ early years, Harrison made more contributions later on. They were all competitive with one another, which typically pushed their creative output. Still, Lennon claimed the competition between them led McCartney and Lennon to resent him.
John Lennon said Paul McCartney and George Harrison resented his creativity
In the mid-1960s, Lennon said he dealt with a creative slump. He pulled back his songwriting contributions, but he continued writing more in the later years of the decade. One of the songs he was excited about in 1968 was “Revolution.” Harrison and McCartney didn’t seem to share the sentiment.
“When George and Paul and all of them were on holiday, I made ‘Revolution’ which is on the LP,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “I wanted to...
John Lennon said Paul McCartney and George Harrison resented his creativity
In the mid-1960s, Lennon said he dealt with a creative slump. He pulled back his songwriting contributions, but he continued writing more in the later years of the decade. One of the songs he was excited about in 1968 was “Revolution.” Harrison and McCartney didn’t seem to share the sentiment.
“When George and Paul and all of them were on holiday, I made ‘Revolution’ which is on the LP,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “I wanted to...
- 2/25/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
During The Beatles’ 1964 trip to America, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr went to a comedy show. Don Rickles was doing standup in Miami and the band stopped in to see him. They weren’t familiar with his comedy but quickly discovered that he liked poking fun at his audience. Harrison said that if they had been in their own element, they could have hit back at Rickles.
George Harrison said The Beatles could have ripped Don Rickles to shreds
The Beatles were some of the most famous people in the world in 1964, so, naturally, Rickles poked fun at them during his show.
“He went on, ‘It’s great. They just lie up there on the ninth floor, between satin sheets and every time they hear the girls screaming they “Oooohh”‘ McCartney recalled in The Beatles Anthology. “Very funny, we thought. We were not amused, as I recall.
George Harrison said The Beatles could have ripped Don Rickles to shreds
The Beatles were some of the most famous people in the world in 1964, so, naturally, Rickles poked fun at them during his show.
“He went on, ‘It’s great. They just lie up there on the ninth floor, between satin sheets and every time they hear the girls screaming they “Oooohh”‘ McCartney recalled in The Beatles Anthology. “Very funny, we thought. We were not amused, as I recall.
- 2/23/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1964, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr acted for the first time in A Hard Day’s Night. While filming a new movie was an entirely new experience for The Beatles, they all jumped into their roles with excitement. Starr loved movies as kid and loved the experience of filming one. Still, some days on set were a challenge for him. He revealed how feeling terrible while shooting actually helped his performance.
Ringo Starr had a rough day on the set of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’
While The Beatles were happy to make a movie, they found it difficult to wake up for the early call times.
“It was a very early start,” George Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “We’d have to arrive and get dressed and have our hair and faces done. While all this was going on they would set up with stand-ins. They...
Ringo Starr had a rough day on the set of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’
While The Beatles were happy to make a movie, they found it difficult to wake up for the early call times.
“It was a very early start,” George Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “We’d have to arrive and get dressed and have our hair and faces done. While all this was going on they would set up with stand-ins. They...
- 2/23/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles had a public reputation for their charm, but they could be incredibly unpleasant to those they disliked. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were a close-knit group who were quick to defend one another. The band’s combined disdain could be incredibly unpleasant to its target.
The Beatles quickly turned on people they disliked
Beatles manager Brian Epstein began working with the band early in their career. He liked them and even went on vacation with Lennon. Still, he was slightly afraid of them.
“There was a famous early story; one of those legends that may or may not have been true,” press officer Derek Taylor said in The Beatles Anthology. “I think it was at the Emi studios when Brian said, ‘I think one of you is flat,’ and John said, ‘We’ll do the songs, you keep on counting the percentages.’ Brian told...
The Beatles quickly turned on people they disliked
Beatles manager Brian Epstein began working with the band early in their career. He liked them and even went on vacation with Lennon. Still, he was slightly afraid of them.
“There was a famous early story; one of those legends that may or may not have been true,” press officer Derek Taylor said in The Beatles Anthology. “I think it was at the Emi studios when Brian said, ‘I think one of you is flat,’ and John said, ‘We’ll do the songs, you keep on counting the percentages.’ Brian told...
- 2/20/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In the Beatles’ earliest concerts, they played for crowds who seemed to be out for blood. Their audiences picked fights with staff at the venues, brawled with one another, and sprayed tear gas as the band played. They shared what it was like to constantly have this kind of chaos happening during their shows.
The Beatles played to tough, violent crowds in their early concerts
The Beatles’ first big break came when they traveled to Hamburg. Here, they learned how to play to an audience and work together onstage. They also learned how to continue to perform in the face of tumult.
“The problem with the nightclubs in Hamburg was that most of the waiters and the barmen were gangsters,” George Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “They were tough guys, anyway; they were fighters, and there would always be fights.”
Their audiences were so predictably violent that the band...
The Beatles played to tough, violent crowds in their early concerts
The Beatles’ first big break came when they traveled to Hamburg. Here, they learned how to play to an audience and work together onstage. They also learned how to continue to perform in the face of tumult.
“The problem with the nightclubs in Hamburg was that most of the waiters and the barmen were gangsters,” George Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “They were tough guys, anyway; they were fighters, and there would always be fights.”
Their audiences were so predictably violent that the band...
- 2/19/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
George Harrison appeared in a handful of films and even opened his own production company. He loved movies, but there was one film he simply couldn’t get behind. In the 1960s, he watched a screening of a much-loved Western while on LSD. He couldn’t stand the movie, referring to it as a “load of baloney shite.” Here’s the movie that aggravated him so deeply.
George Harrison was not a fan of a much-loved film
In the 1960s, The Beatles were in Los Angeles and decided to take LSD. They spent their afternoon swimming in a pool with Peter Fonda and members of The Byrds. Later in the day, they attended a screening of the film Cat Ballou.
“Later on that day, we were all tripping out and they brought several starlets in and set up a movie for us to watch in the house,” he said in The Beatles Anthology.
George Harrison was not a fan of a much-loved film
In the 1960s, The Beatles were in Los Angeles and decided to take LSD. They spent their afternoon swimming in a pool with Peter Fonda and members of The Byrds. Later in the day, they attended a screening of the film Cat Ballou.
“Later on that day, we were all tripping out and they brought several starlets in and set up a movie for us to watch in the house,” he said in The Beatles Anthology.
- 2/17/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1970, the final single The Beatles released before announcing their breakup failed to hit No. 1 because of an actor George Harrison disliked. Harrison was no fan of actor Lee Marvin or the film that won him an Oscar. It likely stung, then, when the song “Wanderin’ Star” blocked “Let It Be” from hitting No.1 in the U.K.
The Beatles’ George Harrison said he never liked this actor
While The Beatles were in California, Harrison and John Lennon tried to convince their bandmates to try LSD. While Paul McCartney refused, the others spent their day swimming in the pool and trying to avoid the attention of reporter Don Short. Later in the day, they viewed a screening of the film Cat Ballou.
“The movie was put on, and — of all things — it was a drive-in print of Cat Ballou,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “The drive-in print has the...
The Beatles’ George Harrison said he never liked this actor
While The Beatles were in California, Harrison and John Lennon tried to convince their bandmates to try LSD. While Paul McCartney refused, the others spent their day swimming in the pool and trying to avoid the attention of reporter Don Short. Later in the day, they viewed a screening of the film Cat Ballou.
“The movie was put on, and — of all things — it was a drive-in print of Cat Ballou,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “The drive-in print has the...
- 2/15/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Abbey Road was the final album The Beatles recorded and was a relatively pleasant studio experience for John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Recording The White Album and Let It Be had been contentious and challenging. While the recording process for Abbey Road was smoother, not everything was perfect. Lennon walked away unhappy with a significant portion of the record.
John Lennon disliked Paul McCartney’s additions to ‘Abbey Road’
By the time The Beatles were working on Abbey Road, Lennon and McCartney were writing separately despite sharing a writing credit. Lennon did not approve of the songs McCartney added to the album.
“I tried to get Paul to get back into the old Pepper way of creating something really worthwhile and we put together the long side,” producer George Martin said in The Beatles Anthology. “John objected very much to what we did on the second side of Abbey Road,...
John Lennon disliked Paul McCartney’s additions to ‘Abbey Road’
By the time The Beatles were working on Abbey Road, Lennon and McCartney were writing separately despite sharing a writing credit. Lennon did not approve of the songs McCartney added to the album.
“I tried to get Paul to get back into the old Pepper way of creating something really worthwhile and we put together the long side,” producer George Martin said in The Beatles Anthology. “John objected very much to what we did on the second side of Abbey Road,...
- 2/14/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When The Beatles broke up, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, were on decidedly bad terms. They were embroiled in a legal battle and spoke publicly about their gripes with one another. One of Lennon’s biggest problems with his bandmates was how unwelcoming they were to Yoko Ono. While it angered him, he still said he could understand their frustration.
John Lennon understood why his Beatles bandmates were unhappy with him
Lennon and Ono were incredibly close, both emotionally and physically. She joined him in the studio, to the irritation of the other Beatles.
“He just wanted to go off in the corner and look into Yoko’s eyes for hours, saying to each other, ‘It’s going to be all right,’” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was pretty freaky when we were trying to make a track.”
John Lennon and Yoko Ono | Bettmann...
John Lennon understood why his Beatles bandmates were unhappy with him
Lennon and Ono were incredibly close, both emotionally and physically. She joined him in the studio, to the irritation of the other Beatles.
“He just wanted to go off in the corner and look into Yoko’s eyes for hours, saying to each other, ‘It’s going to be all right,’” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was pretty freaky when we were trying to make a track.”
John Lennon and Yoko Ono | Bettmann...
- 2/13/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After The Beatles broke up, John Lennon had no fear of speaking his mind. He gave lengthy interviews in which he spoke poorly about his bandmates and their music. While Lennon spoke his mind in The Beatles — he notably caused a stir when he said The Beatles were bigger than Jesus — he said he wasn’t as honest as he wanted to be. He shared why they had to compromise in order to achieve success.
John Lennon said The Beatles had to change themselves
In the early years of The Beatles, the band received criticism for their clothing and long hair. According to Lennon, their style was already a compromise. They had to change themselves in order to seem palatable to the public.
“We weren’t as open and as truthful when we didn’t have the power to be,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “We had to take it easy.
John Lennon said The Beatles had to change themselves
In the early years of The Beatles, the band received criticism for their clothing and long hair. According to Lennon, their style was already a compromise. They had to change themselves in order to seem palatable to the public.
“We weren’t as open and as truthful when we didn’t have the power to be,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “We had to take it easy.
- 2/12/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1964, John Lennon extricated his public image from The Beatles when he published the book In His Own Write. The book, which was full of Lennon’s nonsensical poems and short stories, received acclaim from critics. It proved that even if he hadn’t been a famous musician, he may have been able to find success as a writer.
John Lennon shared his plan for life if he weren’t a Beatle
Lennon became a published author in 1964. It wasn’t necessarily something he sought out to do; he had simply amassed enough writing to fill a book.
“It’s about nothing. If you like it, you like it; if you don’t, you don’t. That’s all there is to it,” Lennon said of In His Own Write in The Beatles Anthology. “There’s nothing deep in it, it’s just meant to be funny. I put things...
John Lennon shared his plan for life if he weren’t a Beatle
Lennon became a published author in 1964. It wasn’t necessarily something he sought out to do; he had simply amassed enough writing to fill a book.
“It’s about nothing. If you like it, you like it; if you don’t, you don’t. That’s all there is to it,” Lennon said of In His Own Write in The Beatles Anthology. “There’s nothing deep in it, it’s just meant to be funny. I put things...
- 2/12/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The songwriting relationship between Paul McCartney and John Lennon was one of the most prolific of all time. They began to write on a more individual basis as the 1960s wore on, and their working relationship fell apart entirely when The Beatles broke up. McCartney noticed a shift in their dynamic when Lennon met Yoko Ono. He believed Lennon was intentionally putting distance between them to leave more time for her.
Paul McCartney said it was a bit off-putting to watch John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the studio
When Lennon and Ono began a relationship, they started spending all their time together. He brought her to Beatles recording sessions, which bothered his bandmates.
“Now John had to have Yoko there,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “I can’t blame him, they were intensely in love — in the first throes of the first passions — but it was fairly off-putting...
Paul McCartney said it was a bit off-putting to watch John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the studio
When Lennon and Ono began a relationship, they started spending all their time together. He brought her to Beatles recording sessions, which bothered his bandmates.
“Now John had to have Yoko there,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “I can’t blame him, they were intensely in love — in the first throes of the first passions — but it was fairly off-putting...
- 2/11/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In John Lennon’s life, he had two wives and a number of girlfriends. Some of these women have spoken publicly about the difficulties of dating him. He could be physically abusive, demeaning, and inattentive. Lennon himself said he could be a terrible partner. He admitted that one of his high school girlfriends endured a lot when she was dating him.
John Lennon said his high school girlfriend had a difficult time
When discussing his teenage years, Lennon brought up one of his girlfriends, Barbara. After mentioning the time he had sex with her in a graveyard, he said, rather insultingly, that her time dating him should have prepared her for anything.
“Barbara, where are you now? Fat and ugly? Fifteen kids?” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “Years of hell with me should have made you ready for anything.”
John Lennon | Universal Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Still,...
John Lennon said his high school girlfriend had a difficult time
When discussing his teenage years, Lennon brought up one of his girlfriends, Barbara. After mentioning the time he had sex with her in a graveyard, he said, rather insultingly, that her time dating him should have prepared her for anything.
“Barbara, where are you now? Fat and ugly? Fifteen kids?” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “Years of hell with me should have made you ready for anything.”
John Lennon | Universal Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Still,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Even in The Beatles’ earliest performances, they were able to whip their audience into a frenzy. The band played nightclubs in Hamburg, Germany in the early 1960s. They developed their stage presence, grew closer as a band, and learned to dodge the blows the members of their audience were throwing. The crowd got so riled up at their shows that they often ended in fights. According to George Harrison, there was one song that always resulted in violence.
The Beatles could provoke their audience into fighting by playing one song
The Beatles cut their teeth in Hamburg, playing long performances each night in clubs. They grew used to seeing fights break out in their audience.
“The problem with the nightclubs in Hamburg was that most of the waiters and the barmen were gangsters,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “They were tough guys, anyway; they were fighters, and there would always be fights.
The Beatles could provoke their audience into fighting by playing one song
The Beatles cut their teeth in Hamburg, playing long performances each night in clubs. They grew used to seeing fights break out in their audience.
“The problem with the nightclubs in Hamburg was that most of the waiters and the barmen were gangsters,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “They were tough guys, anyway; they were fighters, and there would always be fights.
- 2/6/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In The Beatles’ touring years, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr dealt with screaming fans, natural disasters, and political unrest. The band felt exhausted and worn out by 1966, when they agreed to stop touring. This exhaustion came through during one early show, though. Harrison and Lennon were so fed up that they tried to leave in the middle of their performance.
George Harrison and John Lennon tried to leave in the middle of a concert
In 1963, The Beatles played a show at the Wimbledon Palais for their Southern Area Fan Club Convention. Beatlemania was not yet at its peak, but the band got a hint of how their future shows would go. They had mentioned liking the candy Jelly Babies, and fans began pelting them at the band during their performance. They felt boxed in, and Starr said they all began to get nervous.
“I remember we...
George Harrison and John Lennon tried to leave in the middle of a concert
In 1963, The Beatles played a show at the Wimbledon Palais for their Southern Area Fan Club Convention. Beatlemania was not yet at its peak, but the band got a hint of how their future shows would go. They had mentioned liking the candy Jelly Babies, and fans began pelting them at the band during their performance. They felt boxed in, and Starr said they all began to get nervous.
“I remember we...
- 2/2/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
At the peak of The Beatles’ fame, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were the most sought-after people in the world. Fans crowded them wherever they went and other celebrities wanted to be their friend. They met hundreds of new people after their rise to fame. According to Lennon, they didn’t like many of the people they met.
John Lennon said The Beatles didn’t like many of the new people they met
By the mid-1960s, The Beatles were the biggest band in the world. They’d met royalty and celebrities and were always on the invite list to parties.
“Everybody wanted to be The Beatles’ friend,” road manager Neil Aspinall said in The Beatles Anthology. “That’s showbusiness. I’ve always found it very transient. You meet people when you’re doing a gig and you might not meet them again for another six months or a year.
John Lennon said The Beatles didn’t like many of the new people they met
By the mid-1960s, The Beatles were the biggest band in the world. They’d met royalty and celebrities and were always on the invite list to parties.
“Everybody wanted to be The Beatles’ friend,” road manager Neil Aspinall said in The Beatles Anthology. “That’s showbusiness. I’ve always found it very transient. You meet people when you’re doing a gig and you might not meet them again for another six months or a year.
- 1/31/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Like many of the musicians in his generation, Paul McCartney grew up idolizing Elvis Presley. He listened obsessively to the American singer and took inspiration from his records. When McCartney himself rose to fame with The Beatles, he had the opportunity to meet Elvis. In the years after this, though, his perception of Elvis changed. He shared why he ultimately felt the singer had betrayed him.
Paul McCartney felt Elvis Presley betrayed The Beatles
In 1970, several years after he met The Beatles and months after they had announced their break up, Elvis told Richard Nixon to be cautious about the group. He claimed they had been a “real force for anti-American spirit” (via Vox). He also said they “came to this country, made their money, and then returned to England where they promoted an anti-American theme.”
This was, of course, disappointing for The Beatles. It was a betrayal to know...
Paul McCartney felt Elvis Presley betrayed The Beatles
In 1970, several years after he met The Beatles and months after they had announced their break up, Elvis told Richard Nixon to be cautious about the group. He claimed they had been a “real force for anti-American spirit” (via Vox). He also said they “came to this country, made their money, and then returned to England where they promoted an anti-American theme.”
This was, of course, disappointing for The Beatles. It was a betrayal to know...
- 1/29/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1967, John Lennon’s songwriting was broadcast live around the world. “All You Need Is Love” appeared on the broadcast Our World, the first live program to reach multiple countries. Lennon’s Beatles bandmates saw “All You Need Is Love” as a fitting song for the program. Though Lennon did not disagree, he thought the finished song sounded a bit “strange.”
John Lennon said one of his songwriting achievements sounded strange when recorded
In 1967, The Beatles welcomed many of their contemporaries into the studio to sing “All You Need Is Love” for Our World. They were a global sensation at this point, but they were treading new ground with the live broadcast.
“The Our World broadcast was great, going out to hundreds of millions of people around the world,” Ringo Starr said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was the first worldwide satellite broadcast ever. It’s a standard thing that people do now; but then,...
John Lennon said one of his songwriting achievements sounded strange when recorded
In 1967, The Beatles welcomed many of their contemporaries into the studio to sing “All You Need Is Love” for Our World. They were a global sensation at this point, but they were treading new ground with the live broadcast.
“The Our World broadcast was great, going out to hundreds of millions of people around the world,” Ringo Starr said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was the first worldwide satellite broadcast ever. It’s a standard thing that people do now; but then,...
- 1/29/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When The Beatles officially broke up in 1969, George Harrison breathed a sigh of relief. He had grown tired of the band and had even briefly quit. While he acknowledged that being in the band had some benefits, he saw it as a rut. He said that by the end of the 1960s, he would have done anything to get out of the band.
George Harrison was ready to leave The Beatles
When Harrison became more interested in writing songs, his frustration with The Beatles began to mount. Paul McCartney and John Lennon were the band’s primary songwriters, and they didn’t seem to want this to change. They pushed back on Harrison’s contributions and valued their work over his. As a result, he saw the band’s breakup as a chance to grow creatively.
“My feeling when we went our separate ways was to enjoy the space that it gave me,...
George Harrison was ready to leave The Beatles
When Harrison became more interested in writing songs, his frustration with The Beatles began to mount. Paul McCartney and John Lennon were the band’s primary songwriters, and they didn’t seem to want this to change. They pushed back on Harrison’s contributions and valued their work over his. As a result, he saw the band’s breakup as a chance to grow creatively.
“My feeling when we went our separate ways was to enjoy the space that it gave me,...
- 1/27/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In the early years of The Beatles, Paul McCartney said the band was incredibly tight-knit. They lived, toured, and wrote music together. While each of them had serious long-term relationships in the early years of the band, McCartney said their band relationships were more important to them. He admitted that this made them chauvinistic.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles were so tight-knit they could be ‘chauvinist’
In 1963, McCartney met Jane Asher, an actor. The couple dated for five years and McCartney lived with her at her parents’ home for a portion of this time. While he said it was a “good relationship,” she was not his primary focus. His bandmates were.
“To tell the truth, the women at that time got sidelined,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “Now it would be seen as very chauvinist of us. Then it was like: ‘We are four miners who go down the pit.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles were so tight-knit they could be ‘chauvinist’
In 1963, McCartney met Jane Asher, an actor. The couple dated for five years and McCartney lived with her at her parents’ home for a portion of this time. While he said it was a “good relationship,” she was not his primary focus. His bandmates were.
“To tell the truth, the women at that time got sidelined,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “Now it would be seen as very chauvinist of us. Then it was like: ‘We are four miners who go down the pit.
- 1/25/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
By 1966, every Beatle but Paul McCartney was married. Their manager had tried to keep their relationships secret for fear it would alienate their fans, but this didn’t stop the Beatles from pursuing romance. According to McCartney, it was difficult to date a Beatle. He shared why he thought the bond between bandmates was difficult for their partners to handle.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles’ closeness was hard on their romantic relationships
The relationships between members of The Beatles would eventually fracture and ice over. In the early 1960s, though, they were quite close. The band did everything together even when they weren’t working on music. This meant that the women in their lives often took a secondary role.
“We had a good relationship. Even with touring there were enough occasions to keep a reasonable relationship going,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “To tell the truth, the women at that time got sidelined.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles’ closeness was hard on their romantic relationships
The relationships between members of The Beatles would eventually fracture and ice over. In the early 1960s, though, they were quite close. The band did everything together even when they weren’t working on music. This meant that the women in their lives often took a secondary role.
“We had a good relationship. Even with touring there were enough occasions to keep a reasonable relationship going,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “To tell the truth, the women at that time got sidelined.
- 1/24/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono did not get along, a fact that John Lennon knew well. He resented the way McCartney and George Harrison treated Ono and they grew frustrated with her presence in the studio. Despite this, McCartney said he maintained a level of respect with her because she was his bandmate’s partner. He found it impressive that Lennon didn’t hit someone who didn’t show her any respect.
Paul McCartney was proud of the way John Lennon reacted to teasing
Lennon and Ono met in 1966 and married in 1969, shortly after Lennon’s divorce from his first wife, Cynthia. Lennon’s bandmates had their problem with Ono, but so did people outside The Beatles. McCartney recalled watching footage of someone being openly rude to Ono in front of Lennon.
“If you watch some of the great footage in Imagine you see the cartoonist Al Capp,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology.
Paul McCartney was proud of the way John Lennon reacted to teasing
Lennon and Ono met in 1966 and married in 1969, shortly after Lennon’s divorce from his first wife, Cynthia. Lennon’s bandmates had their problem with Ono, but so did people outside The Beatles. McCartney recalled watching footage of someone being openly rude to Ono in front of Lennon.
“If you watch some of the great footage in Imagine you see the cartoonist Al Capp,” McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology.
- 1/21/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
During one of The Beatles’ most stressful concerts, John Lennon managed to make George Harrison laugh onstage. He began behaving in such an outrageous fashion that all of his bandmates took note. According to Lennon, his joking was so successful that Harrison couldn’t play his guitar.
John Lennon made George Harrison laugh during a Beatles concert
The Beatles’ concert at Shea Stadium in New York was their largest up until that point. They were incredibly nervous before taking the stage. Once they did, though, Lennon began to behave comically. He did a Jerry Lee Lewis impression and began playing the piano with his feet. Harrison found all this hilarious.
“I was putting my foot on it and George couldn’t play for laughing,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “I was doing it for a laugh. The kids didn’t know what I was doing.”
The Beatles | Michael Ochs...
John Lennon made George Harrison laugh during a Beatles concert
The Beatles’ concert at Shea Stadium in New York was their largest up until that point. They were incredibly nervous before taking the stage. Once they did, though, Lennon began to behave comically. He did a Jerry Lee Lewis impression and began playing the piano with his feet. Harrison found all this hilarious.
“I was putting my foot on it and George couldn’t play for laughing,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “I was doing it for a laugh. The kids didn’t know what I was doing.”
The Beatles | Michael Ochs...
- 1/21/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1965, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr received MBEs from Queen Elizabeth II. The Beatles went to Buckingham Palace to receive the honor and awaited their meeting with the queen. While they were nervous, they also cracked a few jokes. Starr recalled one joke he and McCartney made that had him wondering if the queen would punish them.
Ringo Starr worried he and Paul McCartney’s comment would land them in trouble with Queen Elizabeth
While The Beatles were surprised to receive MBEs, or Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire medals, they agreed to accept them. When they received them, they met Queen Elizabeth II.
The Beatles | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty
When the queen asked them questions about the band, Starr and McCartney simultaneously cracked a joke. Starr joked that he worried the queen would hate it so much that she sentenced them to death.
Ringo Starr worried he and Paul McCartney’s comment would land them in trouble with Queen Elizabeth
While The Beatles were surprised to receive MBEs, or Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire medals, they agreed to accept them. When they received them, they met Queen Elizabeth II.
The Beatles | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty
When the queen asked them questions about the band, Starr and McCartney simultaneously cracked a joke. Starr joked that he worried the queen would hate it so much that she sentenced them to death.
- 1/21/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1967, Paul McCartney admitted that The Beatles had taken LSD. This, of course, sparked major controversy and brought criticism to the band. Each of McCartney’s bandmates had taken LSD more than him, but they’d avoided speaking about it publicly. They weren’t happy with McCartney for breaking the news to the media.
Paul McCartney irritated the other Beatles by talking about LSD
In 1967, McCartney gave an interview in which he admitted to having taken drugs.
“I remember a couple of men from ITN showed up, and then the newscaster arrived: ‘Is it true you’ve had drugs?’” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “They were at my door — I couldn’t tell them to go away — so I thought, ‘Well, I’m either going to try to bluff this, or I’m going to tell him the truth.’ I made a lightning decision: ‘Sod it. I’ll give them the truth.
Paul McCartney irritated the other Beatles by talking about LSD
In 1967, McCartney gave an interview in which he admitted to having taken drugs.
“I remember a couple of men from ITN showed up, and then the newscaster arrived: ‘Is it true you’ve had drugs?’” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “They were at my door — I couldn’t tell them to go away — so I thought, ‘Well, I’m either going to try to bluff this, or I’m going to tell him the truth.’ I made a lightning decision: ‘Sod it. I’ll give them the truth.
- 1/21/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1965, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr played a show at New York’s Shea Stadium. The concert was The Beatles’ largest to date and, understandably, jangled their nerves. While they said they always felt better once they got onstage, Starr noticed some surprising behavior in Lennon. He believed Lennon went “mad” during the show.
Ringo Starr said John Lennon seemed to have gone mad during a Beatles concert
The Beatles’ concert at Shea Stadium had over 55,000 attendees, making it their largest concert up to that point. They found it overwhelming and, according to Starr, the pressure got to at least one of them.
“If you look at the film footage you can see how we reacted to the place,” Starr said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was very big and very strange. I feel that on that show John cracked up. He went mad; not mentally ill,...
Ringo Starr said John Lennon seemed to have gone mad during a Beatles concert
The Beatles’ concert at Shea Stadium had over 55,000 attendees, making it their largest concert up to that point. They found it overwhelming and, according to Starr, the pressure got to at least one of them.
“If you look at the film footage you can see how we reacted to the place,” Starr said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was very big and very strange. I feel that on that show John cracked up. He went mad; not mentally ill,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon’s first wife, Cynthia, was likely more familiar with the musician’s caustic side than most. The couple did not separate on good terms, and Cynthia dealt with his coldness and infidelity throughout their marriage. After their divorce, Cynthia learned that musician Terri Hooley punched Lennon. She told Hooley he should have hit him harder.
Cynthia Lennon joked that musician Terri Hooley should have punched John Lennon harder
In 1970, Hooley met Lennon in London. They were looking for radio equipment, but Lennon, incorrectly believing they were members of the Ira, offered to give them weapons.
“Me and a few friends had just set up a pirate radio station in the Craigantlet Hills and were in London to get equipment for it when I met Lennon,” Hooley told the Belfast Telegraph. “I can clearly remember that one of Lennon’s friends brought us to a garage and showed us...
Cynthia Lennon joked that musician Terri Hooley should have punched John Lennon harder
In 1970, Hooley met Lennon in London. They were looking for radio equipment, but Lennon, incorrectly believing they were members of the Ira, offered to give them weapons.
“Me and a few friends had just set up a pirate radio station in the Craigantlet Hills and were in London to get equipment for it when I met Lennon,” Hooley told the Belfast Telegraph. “I can clearly remember that one of Lennon’s friends brought us to a garage and showed us...
- 1/10/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Throughout their time as a group, The Beatles received praise for the way they pushed musical boundaries with their songs and albums. This has earned them a permanent place in the musical canon. As they were releasing songs, though, it occasionally brought them ridicule. While listening to a new Beatles song, a friend responded with disbelief. He thought it sounded like a joke.
Paul McCartney said friends couldn’t believe the sound of one Beatles song
In 1965, The Beatles released Rubber Soul. The album marked a shift for the band into more introspective, mature songs. When the band played one of the album’s songs, “Michelle,” for a friend, though, he responded with confusion.
“We’d just put out ‘Michelle,’ and I remember one night at the Ad Lib club David Bailey hearing it and saying, ‘You’ve got to be joking — it is tongue in cheek, isn’t it?...
Paul McCartney said friends couldn’t believe the sound of one Beatles song
In 1965, The Beatles released Rubber Soul. The album marked a shift for the band into more introspective, mature songs. When the band played one of the album’s songs, “Michelle,” for a friend, though, he responded with confusion.
“We’d just put out ‘Michelle,’ and I remember one night at the Ad Lib club David Bailey hearing it and saying, ‘You’ve got to be joking — it is tongue in cheek, isn’t it?...
- 1/6/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Before The Beatles, Ringo Starr’s career ambitions had a lot to do with what would look good to girls. After recovering from an illness, Starr took a job on a boat with hopes of earning a position at deep sea. He also hoped the position would win him popularity with women. His attempts at flirting didn’t often go well, though.
Ringo Starr tried to use a fake job to flirt with girls
Starr was sick for much of his childhood. Once he began to recover, he took a job on a local boat, hoping it would launch a career for him.
“Then I worked on the St. Tudno, a pleasure steamer that went from Liverpool to Menai in North Wales,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “I wanted to go deep sea, and this was an easy way to get my ticket. If you did three months on the local boats,...
Ringo Starr tried to use a fake job to flirt with girls
Starr was sick for much of his childhood. Once he began to recover, he took a job on a local boat, hoping it would launch a career for him.
“Then I worked on the St. Tudno, a pleasure steamer that went from Liverpool to Menai in North Wales,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “I wanted to go deep sea, and this was an easy way to get my ticket. If you did three months on the local boats,...
- 1/4/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After The Beatles left Hamburg, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe, and Pete Best went their separate ways. While exhilarating, Hamburg had also been an exhausting experience, and they didn’t contact one another for a time. At his father’s urging, McCartney got a job before the band got back together. In order to get him back in the band, Lennon had to convince him to go against his father’s wishes.
John Lennon convinced Paul McCartney to rejoin The Beatles
When The Beatles returned from their time in Hamburg, they avoided one another for several weeks. They were all exhausted, embarrassed, and reconsidering their music careers. McCartney wanted to get back to making music, but he got a job as he waited on his bandmates.
“I started working at a coil-winding factory called Massey and Coggins,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “My dad had told...
John Lennon convinced Paul McCartney to rejoin The Beatles
When The Beatles returned from their time in Hamburg, they avoided one another for several weeks. They were all exhausted, embarrassed, and reconsidering their music careers. McCartney wanted to get back to making music, but he got a job as he waited on his bandmates.
“I started working at a coil-winding factory called Massey and Coggins,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “My dad had told...
- 12/29/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon left Hamburg, Germany, without the other Beatles. The government had deported George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Pete Best, and Stuart Sutcliffe remained in Germany with his girlfriend. Lennon did not enjoy his time alone in the city and liked his trip back to England even less. He shared why he felt terrified on the journey.
John Lennon made his way back from Hamburg without the other Beatles
After Harrison, McCartney, and Best left Hamburg, Lennon remained for a brief time.
“They were all deported and I was left in Hamburg, playing alone with another group of musicians,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was quite a shattering experience to be in a foreign country, pretty young, left there all on my own. We’d spent our money as we went along. I didn’t have any to spare and being stuck in Hamburg with no food money...
John Lennon made his way back from Hamburg without the other Beatles
After Harrison, McCartney, and Best left Hamburg, Lennon remained for a brief time.
“They were all deported and I was left in Hamburg, playing alone with another group of musicians,” he said in The Beatles Anthology. “It was quite a shattering experience to be in a foreign country, pretty young, left there all on my own. We’d spent our money as we went along. I didn’t have any to spare and being stuck in Hamburg with no food money...
- 12/26/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Though Paul McCartney can afford to celebrate Christmas lavishly these days, he looks back fondly on his childhood celebrations of the holiday. McCartney shared how he celebrated Christmas as a child. He also spoke about why these are among his favorite memories.
Paul McCartney shared how he spent Christmases as a child
McCartney grew up in a Liverpool home with his mother, father, and younger brother. He said that his favorite Christmas memories come from this era of his life.
“I think waking up as a really little kid on Christmas morning, and just seeing the white pillowcase that we used to get,” he said in an interview on his official website, adding, “It was like a stocking but Mum and Dad used to put it in a white pillowcase, and it would be a present, a couple of nuts and a tangerine.”
Paul and Linda McCartney | David Redfern/Redferns...
Paul McCartney shared how he spent Christmases as a child
McCartney grew up in a Liverpool home with his mother, father, and younger brother. He said that his favorite Christmas memories come from this era of his life.
“I think waking up as a really little kid on Christmas morning, and just seeing the white pillowcase that we used to get,” he said in an interview on his official website, adding, “It was like a stocking but Mum and Dad used to put it in a white pillowcase, and it would be a present, a couple of nuts and a tangerine.”
Paul and Linda McCartney | David Redfern/Redferns...
- 12/25/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Long before fame, George Harrison received a Christmas present that made him fear his future. Though he wanted to pursue music, his father made it clear that he should look for a more stable job. Harrison found this upsetting because he didn’t think he would be able to follow through on his dad’s dreams for him.
George Harrison received a Christmas present from his father that depressed him
After Harrison left school, he struggled to find a job. His friends returned to school as he tried, unsuccessfully, to get his music career off the ground.
“I used to borrow money from my dad,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “I didn’t want a job — I wanted to be in a band. But it got a bit embarrassing when my father kept saying, ‘Don’t you think you’d better get a job?'”
George Harrison | Max Scheler...
George Harrison received a Christmas present from his father that depressed him
After Harrison left school, he struggled to find a job. His friends returned to school as he tried, unsuccessfully, to get his music career off the ground.
“I used to borrow money from my dad,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “I didn’t want a job — I wanted to be in a band. But it got a bit embarrassing when my father kept saying, ‘Don’t you think you’d better get a job?'”
George Harrison | Max Scheler...
- 12/24/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.