The Songs the Beatles Gave Away — My Article Today in Slate.com
When Lennon and McCartney skipped school to write songs as teenagers, they envisioned themselves becoming a great composing team like Leiber and Stoller or …
Ringo Rocks Out With Elton In “Snookeroo”
One of the 1970s stars who came closest to reaching Beatles heights was Elton John, and he worked with both Lennon and Starr in …
“Looking For My Life” and the Night George and Olivia Saved Each Other
Harrison started smoking in 1957 and quit in 1992, but in 1997 he developed a lump on his neck and in his lung. But …
McCartney Declares War Then Peace On Lennon In “Too Many People” and “Dear Friend”
No song by McCartney captures the loneliness and anger of the Beatles’ feud as intensely as “Too Many People,” in which all his vitriol …
They Should’ve Done This Instead of Magical Mystery Tour
In 1967, the Beatles discussed starring in LORD OF THE RINGS. John wanted to play Gollum, mystic George was going to be Gandalf, Paul …
About the Book/ Get It Here/ As Seen In USA Today and Rolling Stone.com
Recommended by USA Today and excerpted in Rolling Stone.com, Still the Greatest: The Essential Songs of the Beatles’ Solo Careers is not just another …
I Will Be on The John Lennon Hour this Sunday with Host Jude Southerland Kessler Counting Down the Essential Solo Beatles Songs (1/6/13, 5:00 PM Pacific/ 7:00 PM Central)
Jude is the author of The Lennon Series, a 9-volume work on the life of John Lennon. The first book, Shoulda Been There, covers …
McCartney’s Anthem to Optimism “Hope of Deliverance”
The lyrics of the single from 1993′s OFF THE GROUND album recall the stiff upper lip of World War II–era Britain. They’re married to …
Ringo Rebounds With a Vengeance in “Don’t Go Where the Road Don’t Go”
After being unable to get distribution for his 1983 album OLD WAVE in the States or the UK, Starr dropped out of the music …
I Will Be On Chris Carter’s Breakfast With the Beatles This Sunday Talking About Still the Greatest (12/16, 9 AM-12 PM)
Breakfast With The Beatles is the nation’s longest-running Beatles radio program, heard weekly on 95.5 KLOS-FM in L.A. and on Little Steven’s Underground Garage …
Did Lennon Pinch a Lick From a Coke Commercial For His Final Political Song?
When Lennon and Ono co-hosted The Mike Douglas Show for a week in January 1972, they brought in friends ranging from radical political figures …
George’s Original Version of “It Don’t Come Easy”
Harrison had a habit of offering his best tunes to his friends. He originally gave “My Sweet Lord” to Billy Preston. He gave a …
Macca Gets Freaky With “Monkberry Moon Delight”
Backed by what sounds like a villainous circus organ from a creepy 1930s cartoon, McCartney lurches in with a voice that has gone beyond …
Solo Beatles Event at L.A.’s Book Soup Dec. 4!
If you’re near the Sunset Strip on Tuesday, December 4 at 7PM, please drop by my reading at Book Soup and bring your own …
Tune Into Fab Four Radio’s Side Track Sunday This Sunday (11/11) at 7 PM Pacific/10 PM Eastern
Host Happy Nat and I will play and discuss the Solo Beatles’ Best Songs of the ’70s. (Video playlist here.) Fab Four Radio continuously …
Interview in Examiner.com
Recently I spoke with Beatles expert Steve Marinucci about pivotal moments in the Fab Four’s saga after the break up. Here’s the link to …
Interview in This Month’s Culture Magazine
Writer David Jenison interviewed me for this month’s CULTURE MAGAZINE in honor of the 50th anniversary of the release of the Beatles’ first single …
Lennon’s Most Underrated Love Song? Mind Games’ “Out the Blue”
In June 1973 Yoko Ono told Lennon she wanted a separation right before the sessions for the Mind Games album began began. Lennon didn’t …
If You’re in New York For John’s Birthday October 9
Go sing with the crowd at Strawberry Fields. I don’t live in New York but I happened to be there back in 2003. I …
It Was 50 Years Ago Today the Beatles’ First Single Hit the UK
“Love Me Do” was released on October 5, 1962, so in honor of the Fabs’ Golden Anniversary, here’s a couple of stories on the …
McCartney Celebrates His Groups Old and New With “Band on the Run”
Bored with recording in England in 1973, McCartney checked out a list of EMI’s international recording studios and discovered one in Lagos, Nigeria. Dreaming …
Those Were the Days — An Alternate “Best of Apple Records”
By Tom Frangione/ Beatlefan Magazine: Ok, Ok…. let’s get the obvious out of the way right now …… No telling of the Apple Records …
The Super Group of “That’s the Way God Planned It”: Keith, Eric, Ginger, Billy, and George
When George produced Billy Preston’s album “That’s the Way God Planned It” for Apple Records in 1969, he scraped together a pretty decent little …
Lennon’s Only Non-Album B-Side: “Move Over Ms. L”
I didn’t cover this song in my book but here’s an article on it from the fantastic website http://www.beatlesbible.com: The b-side to John Lennon’s …
Ultimate Yacht Rock: McCartney’s “Girls’ School”
Wings’ rhythm guitarist Denny Laine lived on a houseboat, so he suggested making their next album (which would end up being called LONDON TOWN) …
“Beautiful Girl” and the Two Loves of Harrison’s Life
With its jangling twelve-string guitar and vocal harmonies, 1976′s “Beautiful Girl” sounds, as Harrison scholar Simon Leng says, like it could have come from …
Harrison’s Wistful Love Letter to the Apple Scruffs
In the early ’60s, girls used to stand in line for three hours before the Beatles’ daily Cavern Club shows, sometimes clawing Starr’s future …
Paul and George Help James Taylor on the Original “Carolina in My Mind”
After the Beatles signed James Taylor to their label Apple in 1968, McCartney played bass on the original “Carolina in my Mind” and Harrison …
Lennon Celebrates the Love of His Life in “Oh Yoko!”
The romantic songs Lennon composed in the Beatles’ early days still resonate with millions of fans, but for the most part there has not …
McCartney’s Coolest B-Side? “Oh Woman, Oh Why”
The rock snobs of 1971 were underwhelmed by the cute and seemingly non-tortured “Another Day,” but had they listened to the flipside they would …
Lennon Faces Off Against Li’l Abner Cartoonist Al Capp
Beatle expert Tom Frangione (Beatle Brunch, Beatlefan Magazine) pointed out that I had erroneously included Li’L Abner cartoonist Al Capp as one of the …
Lennon Produces Jagger’s “Too Many Cooks” During “The Lost Weekend”
In 1973 or 1974 (accounts vary) while Lennon was in L.A. during his infamous “Lost Weekend,” he produced a song for Mick Jagger — …
McCartney Gets “Back on His Feet” with the Help of Elvis Costello
In the mid-’80s, the commercial drop off that had hit Starr and Harrison finally caught up to McCartney. First, his feature film GIVE MY …
It was 50 Years Ago Today Ringo Joined the Band To Stay
Ringo officially became a Beatle on August 18, 1962. Here’s a great interview with Beatles biographer Bob Spitz about how it was only when …
Today’s Excerpt on Rolling Stone.com: Ringo’s “Beaucoups of Blues”
Ringo realized a dream by recording a country album in 1970 with Nashville legends. Today it stands as one of his finest moments. Click …
Today’s Excerpt on Rolling Stone.com: George, “Wah Wah,” and “Run of the Mill”
Two classic songs in which George expressed his mixed emotions at the dissolution of the Beatles. Click here for the story at Rolling Stone.com: …
Today’s Excerpt on Rolling Stone.com: Paul and “Silly Love Songs”
Paul reconquered America in 1976 ten years after the Beatles’ last tour with the help of this classic single. Please click the link below …
Rolling Stone.com is Running Excerpts From the Book. Today’s: John and “Borrowed Time”
Rolling Stone is running excerpts from the book this week for the Beatles’ 50th anniversary (Ringo joined on August 18, 1962). Click the link …
If You’re In Chicago, Roll Up for the Fest For Beatles Fans This Weekend!
I’ll be talking about the book this Sat. 8/11 at 7:00 pm and Sun. 8/12 at 4:45 pm, and on a panel with other …
Harrison Celebrates the Wild Years in “When We Was Fab”
In 1984, Michael Jackson wore a Sgt. Pepper–style jacket when he collected an honor at the White House from President Reagan for his efforts …
Lennon’s Accidental Farewell, “Nobody Told Me”
Lennon began the song in 1976 with the title “Everybody’s Talkin’, Nobody’s Talkin’,” a nod to his friend Harry Nilsson, who had covered Fred …
Ringo Sings One of John’s Most Strangely Confessional Songs, “Goodnight Vienna”
1973’s RINGO album was a smash, so the idea was — in the time-honored pop tradition — if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, …
McCartney Revisits the Heady ’60s Nights in “The Song We Were Singing”
In 1997, two years after the Beatles Anthology documentary was released, McCartney released an autobiography covering his youth and the Beatles era called Many …
“End of the Line” — Homages to Orbison & Eras Gone By
Beatlemania ignited in March 1963 during the group’s second British package tour. The headliners were Chris Montez and Tommy Roe from the U.S., enjoying …
The Mournful Glory of McCartney’s “Wanderlust”
The stately piano and Phillip Jones Brass Ensemble give “Wanderlust” perhaps the finest sense of grandeur of any McCartney composition, which is why it …
“Beautiful Boy” and Lennon’s Journey as a Father
Lennon resented the fact that his girlfriend Cynthia Powell got pregnant right as Beatlemania was exploding in 1962, but he appreciated how she had …
Starr Recaptures the ’60s Sound with ’80s Disciples
A jewel that could have come off of Help! or Rubber Soul, “I Don’t Believe You” was a track on one of Ringo’s best …
Happy Birthday, Ringo!
In honor of his 72nd birthday, here’s 5 great Ringo songs (that he never plays in concert, unfortunately!)
“Best of the Solo Beatles” Boxed Set
People have asked what an anthology of the Fabs’ greatest hits since 1970 would include so below is my proposed track listing. I tried …
Lennon’s Funkiest Rocker: 1974′s “What You Got”
Spurred on by McCartney’s Band on the Run comeback, Lennon produced one of his finest albums with 1974’s Walls and Bridges. The record was …
McCartney and Jimmy Fallon Spoof “Yesterday”
Originally performed on the Jimmy Fallon Show December 10, 2010, McCartney and Fallon’s duet has been included on Fallon’s new album “Blow Your Pants …
The 1973 Album Living in the Material World
The long-awaited follow up to the one-two punch of All Things Must Pass and The Concert for Bangladesh, Harrison’s second solo album Living in …
McCartney Cherishes His Last Years with Linda in “Beautiful Night”
McCartney originally attempted “Beautiful Night” with producer Phil Ramone in 1986. Musically it is reminiscent of their big song together, “Once Upon a Long …
Lennon’s Best Album: If Double Fantasy & Milk and Honey Were One
In 1980 Lennon returned to the studio for the first time in almost 6 years and recorded enough material for a complete solo album. …
Ringo’s Movie Career
In the early ‘70s Ringo was wondering what he was going to do with the rest of his life. He drummed on Lennon and …
Lennon Fights to Transcend the Past in “Remember”
Hammering the piano like a ticking bomb, Lennon recalls how when he was young it seemed the outlaw heroes always escaped. But now it’s …
John and Ringo Promote Each Other’s Albums in 1974
The McCartney/Costello Demos
The mid-‘80s saw a dip in McCartney’s career after the triumph of his 1982 album Tug of War. Pipes of Peace (1983) received lukewarm …
John and Paul Reunion 1974
In 1974 Lennon produced Harry Nilsson’s album Pussy Cats in Los Angeles. With Nilsson’s gift for gorgeous melodies and his peerless voice, there was …
Macca, Michael, and The Man
“The Man” is the second of McCartney’s three collaborations with Michael Jackson, recorded in 1981 and released on Pipes of Peace (1983). Jackson wrote …
The Road to All Things Must Pass
The triple album All Things Must Pass was the culmination of a remarkable recipe of influences George Harrison had been synthesizing for years — …
Paul Inducts John into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Paul’s touching speech inducting John into the 1994 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Last Unfinished Beatle Song
In the early ‘90s, Harrison and Apple Records manager Neil Aspinall asked Yoko Ono if she had any unreleased Lennon demos the other Beatles …
McCartney and Starr Reunite for Transcendental Meditation
A short film about McCartney and Starr’s reunion on April 4, 2009, for a benefit concert for David Lynch’s Transcendental Meditation foundation. The foundation …
Decades Before U2′s Spider-Man on Broadway, Paul celebrates Marvel Comics
In the mid-60s, with Dylan saying things in lyrics that had never been said on record before, the Beatles and Stones worked hard to …
Blue Jay Way For Sale
The L.A. pad where George wrote the eerie Magical Mystery Tour track “Blue Jay Way” is available for $4.6 million. (The address is 1567 Blue Jay Way, …
Songs of the Break Up
The video playlist for the songs the Solo Beatles wrote venting about the group’s acrimonious split. To play the mix continuously, please go to …
Vince Guaraldi and Marianne Faithfull cover “I’m a Loser”
Two interesting takes on Lennon’s 1964 classic. Guaraldi of course did the music for the Peanuts TV Specials, starring the world’s biggest loser, Charlie …
Ringo on His Last Visit with George
A clip from the Martin Scorsese documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World.
John Discusses the Beatles Reuniting (1975)
The cartoon Beatles do Tomorrow Never Knows
You might have thought the animators for the Beatles’ Saturday morning cartoon would have been at a loss for how to build an episode …
The 1971 Beatles Album That Should Have Been
The video playlist for the songs profiled in chapter two. Unfortunately, the George Harrison tracks from All Things Must Pass are not available on …
The Heather Mills Story in Song
With Heather Mills as his muse in the 2000s, McCartney wrote and performed with a startling new level of honesty and vulnerability. From the …
John and Paul Mirror Each Other With First Solo Releases
1970: Not the happiest year for either of them. Even though they had just split up as a band, Lennon and McCartney’s debuts were …
Solo Beatles #1 Singles
In 2000, the Beatles released the album 1, which gathered every single by the band that had topped the charts in either the U.S. …
Panthers and Politics
Between 1971 and 1972, Lennon, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan all released songs of solidarity with the Black Panthers. McCartney had already released …
Run Devil Run Vs. Backbeat
When McCartney’s mother died from breast cancer in 1956, he buried himself in the distraction of rock and roll. When his wife Linda passed …
The (almost) Saturday Night Live Reunion
In 1976, promoter Bill Sargent offered the Beatles $50 million for one reunion show. Then Sid Bernstein, the promoter of the Beatles’ Shea Stadium …
The 1970 Beatles Album That Should Have Been
The video playlist for chapter one. To play the mix continuously, please go to the YouTube playlist below and select “Play All” in the …
A Hard Day’s Night of the Living Dead
Walt Disney Does the Beatles
Walt Disney wanted the Beatles to voice the vultures of The Jungle Book and gave them mop-top haircuts, but Lennon nixed the idea, as …
