PRODUCER JACK DOUGLAS REVEALS WHY JOHN LENNON WAS EASY TO WORK

As a producer, Jack Douglas has helped shape some of the greatest albums in rock and roll history.
From Aerosmith to Cheap Trick to Rick Derringer to Alice Cooper to Clutch to John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Douglas knows rock stars better than most — perhaps better than anyone should.
And in a profession full of excess, insecurity and unrealistic expectations, Douglas says the easiest star he ever produced was also the biggest: Lennon.

Douglas worked with Lennon and Ono on their Grammy-winning 1980 album, Double Fantasy. On the latest episode of Ken Dashow's Beatles Revolution podcast, Douglas explains that, unlike many of his contemporaries, Lennon didn't sweat the small stuff. He also surrounded himself with people, like Douglas, whom he trusted with his songs.
"He drew a real line between who was the artist and who was the producer, and he liked to take direction," Douglas explains. "For example: you're putting together John's vocals. You'd think he would be there like ... [micromanaging] 'The 's' from this [take]...' You know, when you're working with Steven Tyler, he's going to want to break up the syllable on the song until I have to smack him... But with John, the only think he would ever say that he would get into my head with was, 'If I make a really bad mistake, make it louder, and it'll seem like something cool I did on purpose.'"
Douglas says Lennon would rarely stick around for vocal edits; he would instead make himself scarce and wait to be called back to perform any overdubs that were necessary.

Despite his accomplishments with The Beatles and as a solo artist, Douglas says Lennon was overly critical of his own work and hyper-sensitive to his limitations as a musician. While self-consciousness was a constant struggle, it also allowed Lennon some distance from his work. Lennon knew he couldn't be objective until he heard a finished project; that's why he put his trust in Douglas to craft the arrangements for Double Fantasy.
Going into Double Fantasy, Lennon thought his career might be over. He thought he was out of good songs and everything he had written towards the album was substandard.

"On the demos, there's narration," Douglas recalls. "[Lennon would say] 'Oh, here's another crappy piece of s--t. And when something would be 'kind of good' [in Lennon's opinion], he would say, 'You know what? This one's for Ringo.' I gave those tapes to Ringo (laughs)."

JOHN LENNON's TRACKSUIT IS GOING UP FOR SALE FOR $35,000

John Lennon's tracksuit that he wore on a trip to Denmark in 1970 is going up for sale for $35,000.

The tracksuit, worn with wife Yoko Ono, is going up for sale through the memorabilia company, Moments In Time.

It comes from the collection of Yoko's ex-husband, Tony Cox, and the vintage top is available for $35,000.

Lennon wore it when he and Yoko traveled together to Denmark to visit Cox and their daughter. 

The couple wore matching tracksuits on the trip and even shaved their hair off to give away as part of a peace protest.

The trip was in order for Ono and Cox to discuss custody of their daughter as the pair were locked in a legal battle.

DIARY OF A BEATLEMANIAC : AN INTERVIEW WITH PATRICIA GALLO-STENMAN

Diary of a Beatlemaniac (Cynren Press, 2018) isn’t your run of the mill accounting of the journey of just another Beatle fan. Southwest Philly’s own Patricia Gallo-Stenman landed a gig penning her own column, Teen to Teen while still a teen herself.  In simply trying to wrangle a press pass the author unwittingly took the first step in an award-winning career, which would take her as far as northern Europe from the shores of her native America.

The author sat down to speak with Bob Wilson, and recounted insights into an amazing career, and her new work.  

Beatles Magazine: You seem to have been a natural writer from early on. Would you describe your early efforts?

Patricia: My love for writing dates from grade school when I wrote for our elementary school newspaper. I did start scribbling down my thoughts in a small black diary/journal in December 1962 at age 13. Early in 1964, “My Little Black Book” started to incorporate news of the Beatles and Beatlemania.

Beatles Magazine: When did you first become aware of the Beatles, and what was the reaction of your inner circle of friends?

Patricia: The very first time I became aware of the Beatles was during the1963 Christmas Season when our Sunday newspaper magazine ran a black and white photo essay of the popular English group and their hysterical fans. I also saw a short clip of the Beatles on the Jack Paar TV show. The very first reactions from my high school friends followed the Beatles’ Sunday evening February 9, 1964 appearance on the Ed Sullivan TV show. We all chose our favorite Beatles then and there.

Beatles Magazine: How many times did you see the Beatles live, and what memories are strongest in your mind relating to the shows?

Patricia: I was fortunate to see the Beatles live in concert three times: September 2, 1964 – Philadelphia Convention Hall. August 16, 1966 – John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. August 23, 1966 – Shea Stadium New York. Memories: Not seeing the stage at Philadelphia Convention Hall as everyone on the main floor was standing on wobbly folding chairs and falling over. Huge crowds attended the other two stadium concerts with sticky summer humidity and music piped over loud speakers.

Beatles Magazine: When following a band so avidly, the interaction with other fans can be a large part of the experience? Does this hold true for you?

Patricia: Our high school group of “Beatle Buddies” closely bonded together from the start. We supported each member of our team, had lots of fun, and understood what the others were experiencing. For example, we hovered over our shocked Beatle Buddy at the time her fave Beatle got married thousands of miles away. We attended Beatles’ films together (several times) and bonded at Beatle birthday parties, concerts, outside hotels, at school and wherever Beatle stuff was sold.

Beatles Magazine: The term ‘Beatlemania’ has been used so frequently, that we may forget the nuance of what the term represents. How would you describe a ‘Beatlemaniac’, and ‘Beatlemania’ in general?

Patricia: In my memoir, I outline what exactly IS a Beatlemaniac, and look at the difference between a Beatlemaniac and an ordinary fan. True first-generation Beatlemaniacs lived, dreamed and schemed to celebrate and meet their favorite group, whereas typical fans merely enjoyed the music and films of the Beatles. I believe it is the difference between being a fan-atic and being a fan. We were addicted to the thrill of ALL things Beatle.

Beatles Magazine: When you look over this work as a writer, is there a section that you enjoy the most?

Patricia: Rather than a favorite book section, I feel the “growing-up” saga makes the book so special to me. Starting as a very young 13-year-old, then onto an adventurous Beatlemaniac, and finally a more-mature university student, it bridges this coming-of-age tale. It is truly a memoir in three-life stages where the Beatles played a starring role.

Beatles Magazine: Would you please tell us about your coming to know Victor Spinetti? 

Patricia: Actor Victor Spinetti was our muse. Our Beatle Buddies met Victor on September 16, 1964 after I wrote a letter to him. He was starring in the British theatre production of Oh! What a Lovely War in Philadelphia prior to its NY Broadway run. Victor had already appeared in A Hard Day’s Night; wherever he went, Beatle fans followed him. He would entertain the fans at the theatre after rehearsals. Victor enjoyed telling stories of the Beatles. He was so kind and giving. Later, when I interviewed him the final time for my book, he explained that he knew how it felt to actually yearn after someone that you love and you will probably never meet. We founded the Official Victor Spinetti Fan Club of America O.V.S. F. C.A. Chapter 1 in late September 1964, and it existed for three years. Our friendship with Victor is intertwined throughout the book. Victor was an extraordinary gentleman who certainly did not mind his “extra” fame due to the Beatles. It was an honor that he and I remained friends until his passing on June 18, 2012 at 82.

Beatles Magazine: What would be your favorite album, individual Beatle and song?

Patricia: I am afraid that choosing a favorite Beatle album or song is akin to picking a favorite child. I cannot even attempt to choose one over the other. But, yes, I can pick my favorite Beatle. I chose Paul on the evening of February 9, 1964 when the group first appeared on the Ed Sullivan TV Show. Today, it is still Sir Paul. It was simply love at first sight.

Beatles Magazine: Is there something that you would particularly like the reader to come away with when they have finished your book?

Patricia: I would like the readers of my memoir to come away with the knowledge that we first-generation Beatlemaniacs were multi-dimensional. Despite what you see in grainy black and white newsreels, we did much more than scream at concerts and faint outside hotels. We enjoyed such a rich experience back in the mid ‘60s using our creativity whether it was plotting to infiltrate the Beatles’ hotel rooms, founding fan clubs, or attacking journalists who panned our group. Our side of the story needed to be told in full. The “Screaming Girl” is a stereotype. According to anchorman and author Larry Kane (who wrote my foreword), “The story has never been told in a first-person way – until now.”

Beatles Magazine: Where can fans look to obtain the book, and what’s up next for you?

Patricia: Diary of a Beatlemaniac can be obtained on Amazon, through Cynren Press (my publisher), via my website diaryofabeatlemaniac.com (autographed copies)or at some local bookstores.I recently returned from appearing at the NY Metro Fest for Beatles Fans followed by an East Coast Book Tour. Next up: Local book event summer venues and Beatles at the Ridge music festival, Walnut Ridge, Arkansas in September. Thinking about attending Liverpool’s Beatle Week in September 2020.

By Bob Wilson

PAUL MCCARTNEY - SOUNDCHECK , PNC Arena Raleigh

Freshen Up Tour.

SOUNDCHECK at PNC Arena Raleigh.
27 May, 2019.

A LOVE LETTER FROM JOHN AND YOKO TO PEOPLE WHO ASK US WHAT, WHEN AND WHY

From the back page of The New York Times
Sunday, May 27, 1979 

The past ten years we noticed everything we wished came true in its own time, good or bad, one way or the other. We kept telling each other that one of these days we would have to get organized and wish for only good things. Then our baby arrived! We were overjoyed and at the same time felt very responsible. Now our wishes would also affect him. We felt it was time for us to stop discussing and do something about our wishing process: The Spring Cleaning of our minds! It was a lot of work. We kept finding things in those old closets in our minds that we hadn't realized were still there, things we wished we hadn't found. As we did our cleaning, we also started to notice many wrong things in our house: there was a shelf which should never have been there in the first place, a painting we grew to dislike, and there were the two dingy rooms, which became light and breezy when we broke the walls between them. We started to love the plants, which one of us originally through were robbing the air from us! We began to enjoy the drum beat of the city which used to annoy us. We made a lot of mistakes and still do. In the past we spent lots of energy in trying to get something we thought we wanted, wondered why we didn't get it, only to find out that one or both of us didn't really want it. One day, we received a sudden rain of chocolates from people around the world. "Hey, what's this! We're not eating sugar stuff, are we?" "Who's wishing it?" We both laughed. We discovered that when two of us wished in unison, it happened faster. As the Good Book says -- Where two are gathered together -- It's true. Two is plenty. A New Clear Seed.
More and more we are starting to wish and pray. The things we have tried to achieve in the past by flashing a V sign, we try now through wishing. We are not doing this because it is simpler. Wishing is more effective than waving flags. It works. It's like magic. Magic is simple. Magic is real. The secret of it is to know that it is simple, and not kill it with an elaborate ritual which is a sign of insecurity. When somebody is angry with us, we draw a halo around his or her head in our minds. Does the person stop being angry then? Well, we don't know! We know, though, that when we draw a halo around a person, suddenly the person starts to look like an angel to us. This helps us feel warm towards the person, reminds us that everyone has goodness inside, and that all people who come to us are angels in disguise, carrying messages and gifts to us from the Universe. Magic is logical. Try it sometime.
We still have a long way to go. It seems the more we get into cleaning, the faster the wishing and receiving process gets. The house is getting very comfortable now. Sean is beautiful. The plants are growing. The cats are purring. The town is shining, sun, rain or snow. We live in a beautiful universe. We are thankful every day for the plentifulness of our life. This is not a euphemism. We understand that we, the city, the country, the earth are facing very hard times, and there is panic in the air. Still the sun is shining and we are here together, and there is love between us, our city, the country, the earth. If two people like us can do what we are doing with our lives, any miracle is possible! It's true we can do with a few big miracles right now. The thing is to recognize them when they come to you and to be thankful. First they come in a small way, in every day life, then they come in rivers, and in oceans. It's goin' to be alright! The future of the earth is up to all of us.
Many people are sending us vibes every day in letters, telegrams, taps on the gate, or just flowers and nice thoughts. We thank them all and appreciate them for respecting our quiet space, which we need. Thank you for all the love you send us. We feel it every day. We love you, too. We know you are concerned about us. That is nice. That's why you want to know what we are doing. That's why everybody is asking us What, When and Why. We understand. Well, this is what we've been doing. We hope that you have the same quiet space in your mind to make your own wishes come true.
If you think of us next time, remember, our silence is a silence of love and not of indifference. Remember, we are writing in the sky instead of on paper -- that's our song. Lift your eyes and look up in the sky. There's our message. Life your eyes again and look around you, and you will see that you are walking in the sky, which extends to the ground. We are all part of the sky, more so than of the ground. Remember, we love you.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono
New York City 

PS. We noticed that three angels were looking over our shoulders when we wrote this! 

ECHO IN THE CANYON FEATURING RINGO STARR

Regina Spektor and Jakob Dylan reveal their rendition of Love’s “No Matter What You Do” from the Echo In The Canyon film soundtrack, out 5/24 on BMG. Echo In The Canyon - the acclaimed new documentary about the Laurel Canyon music scene from 1965-67 directed by Andrew Slater and featuring Jakob, Regina, Beck, Brian Wilson, Fiona Apple, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and more - opens in Los Angeles this Friday, May 24th. Listen to “No Matter What You Do” here: https://echointhecanyon.lnk.to/NoMatterWhatYouDoAudioPR

This Thursday, May 23rd, the Arclight Cinerama Dome will host a special red carpet event and screening celebrating the film’s release. Following the screening, Stephen Stills, Jakob Dylan, Jade Castrinos and Cat Power - who star in the film - will perform the music of The Beach Boys, The Mamas & The Papas and Buffalo Springfield with the Echo In The Canyon band.
The Cinerama Dome is one of Southern California’s most iconic movie theaters, having hosted world premieres for Apocalypse Now, Back To The Future, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and more.
Echo In The Canyon opens to the public on Friday, May 24th at Hollywood’s Arclight Cinerama Dome and Landmark Theater with showings throughout the weekend. Special guest performances will take place after the 8:30 PM Cinerama Dome showings on May 24th, 25th and 26th and 7 PM Landmark showings on May 24th, 25th and 26th.
The film features illuminating, in-depth interviews with Tom Petty (his last on-camera interview) Brian Wilson, Eric Clapton, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Jackson Browne, Michelle Phillips, Ringo Starr and others, revealing never-before-heard stories from that time and place.
Echo In The Canyon will open in New York at the Angelika and the Landmark at 57 West on May 31 before the film’s wide release in select theaters this June.

“IS SYRACUSE READY FOR YOKO ONO AND JOHN LENNON?’’

Yoko Ono is bringing her work back to Syracuse this summer for a show at the Everson Museum of Art.
The museum is planning for Ono to attend this year’s show and to perform in at least one of the pieces, said Elizabeth Dunbar, executive director and CEO. But it’s too early to promise that Ono will appear at the show, which opens Aug. 31.
“We hope she will be here,’’ Dunbar said. “We are planning that she will be here. But until we get a little closer to the date, we’re all kind of waiting to know for sure.’’

At a concert featuring Ono’s compositions in March, the artist arrived in a wheelchair.
“Yoko Ono: Remembering the Future’’ will run through Oct. 27, taking up nearly the full interior of the Everson and some outdoor space, Dunbar said. Curated by the Everson’s D.J. Hellerman, the retrospective exhibit will feature works from Ono’s career up to the present, including some works from the 1971 show.

That 1971 show occurred during a tumultuous time, and it met with strong reactions.

For one, there were rumors the Beatles would reunite in Syracuse. John Lennon, accompanied her to Syracuse. Ringo Starr and other celebrities showed up to help John celebrate his birthday during the event, but there was no reunion.
Some 6,000 people visited the 1971 museum show on opening day.
“That evening the doors to the Everson were broken down because people had heard there’d be a secret Beatles concert at the Everson,” former museum employee David Ross recalled in a 2005 interview. "The entire museum was filled with people furious that it had been canceled, and we were afraid they’d trash the place. (Poet Allen) Ginsberg calmed them down.’’
The New York Times covered the art show opening, leading off with the question, “Is Syracuse ready for Yoko Ono and John Lennon?’’ The Everson “sees itself as a bastion of the avant‐garde set down in a cultural wasteland,’’ the newspaper reported.
The editorial board of the The Post-Standard dismissed the show, accusing the Everson, then just three years old, of peddling “hokum’’ just to lure Lennon to Syracuse and attract attention.
Lennon and Ono wrote a letter to the paper in reply, mocking the editorial board as “Blue Meanies.’’

LISTEN: PAUL MCCARTNEY - FRANK SINATRA´S PARTY (Egypt Station Bonus, 2019)

Listen: #PAULMCCARTNEY :  FRANK SINATRA´S PARTY
(Paul Mccartney - #EGYPTSTATION #BONUS) 2019 ..

LISTEN  .. H E R E . 

RINGO STARR: PHOTO SESSION IN CALIFORNIA

....They needed a photographer in San Jose, California, to photograph Ringo. As in Ringo Starr. Yes, the Beatles drummer.

Not only that, but they needed someone to photograph Ringo and His All-Starr Band. When it comes to music, I listen to everything from classical to Nine Inch Nails. Being a self-respecting European, I also listen to a lot of deep house and soft lounge house, but really I’m all about rock ’n’ roll and the blues — AC/DC, Pearl Jam, B.B. King, Eric Clapton. When I was little, though, I’d listen to my parents’ music: the Beatles. 

Read more..Here.

PAUL MCCARTNEY REMEMBERS DORIS DAY: ‘SHE WAS A TRUE STAR’

Paul McCartney remembered his longtime friend and fellow animal lover, Doris Day. The legendary singer and actress died Monday at age 97 after contracting pneumonia. “She was a true star in more ways than one,” he wrote on his website. One of those ways was as a lifelong animal welfare activist.
The actress-singer was considered an early advocate of animal protection services and her love of dogs in particular earned her the nickname “the Dog Catcher of Beverly Hills.” She founded the Doris Day Pet Foundation in 1978, which evolved into the Doris Day Animal Foundation.

“Visiting her in her Californian home was like going to an animal sanctuary where her many dogs were taken care of in splendid style,” the Beatle wrote. “She had a heart of gold and was a very funny lady who I shared many laughs with. Her films like Calamity Jane, Move Over, Darling and many others were all incredible and her acting and singing always hit the mark. I will miss her but will always remember her twinkling smile and infectious laugh as well as the many great songs and movies she gave us.”

In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2016, Paul quoted Day when discussing aging with David Fricke. “Doris Day, who I know a little bit, once said to me, ‘Age is an illusion’ …I reminded her of it recently – I was wishing her a happy birthday. People say age is a number. It’s a big number the older you get. But if it doesn’t interfere, I’m not bothered. You can ignore it. That’s what I do.”

THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX IS UNDERSTOOD TO BE A FAN OF THE BEATLES

Meghan Markle gave her newborn son Archie the middle name Harrison ‘as a tribute to her favourite Beatle’, friends have claimed

Brit expat Edmund Fry, said the choice reflected her love of music:
“My theory is she has a great fond feeling for George Harrison and that’s where that name came from more so than the American actor. She loved the music very much so, because she's a great fan of The Beatles.”
Fry feels that Meghan picked the name as the Beatles brought about a unity around the world especially between the US and the UK.
He added: “The Beatles had a huge effect on the relationships particularly between the younger people in America and Britain. Before them, was there a connection? Not really.

 
“Certainly not through music.“I think what Harry has done by marrying Meghan, and it seems to be working exceptionally well, I'm sure you've seen the photos of the Queen.“I've never seen the Queen smiling like the way she's been smiling for the last few days. It's absolutely magnificent. It's fantastic to see them so happy.”
The little boy's name was announced by his royal parents on Wednesday shortly after he was presented to the world
And another theory is that Archie was inspired by cousin Prince George, five, who told a dog walker in Berkshire earlier this year that his nickname is 'Archie'.

ELVIS COSTELLO’S NEW ‘PURSE’ EP FEATURING PAUL MCCARTNEY, BURT BACHARACH COLLABORATIONS

Elvis Costello collects songs he co-wrote with Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach and tracks featuring lyrics by Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash on the rocker’s new EP Purse, which arrived digitally Friday following its Record Store Day exclusive release in April.

The four-song EP includes Costello and the Impostors’ take on “The Lovers That Never Were,” a song co-written by Costello and McCartney that the latter released on his 1993 LP Off the Ground. Bacharach and Costello’s “Everyone’s Playing House,” also features; the duo released a collaborative LP in 1998, Painted From Memory.

RARE BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO OF THE BEATLES VISIT TO SAN FRANCISCO IN 1965

In August 1965, The Beatles ended their North American tour with two concerts at San Francisco's Cow Palace. This video includes Channel 7 reporters with The Beatles as they arrive, excited fans who got to see them and a wide ranging news conference held in between performances.

 

Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr answered questions in their own sly style on everything from police protection to criticism of music with electronic amplification to what they think of San Francisco.
The Beatles played San Francisco three times. The first concert was at the Cow Palace in August 1964 when the city was their first stop on an American tour. They returned a year later in 1965. Then in August of 1966, the Beatles played at Candlestick Park in what would be their last stage performance ever.
Look back with us through the ABC7 archives to witness our unique communities through the eyes of some of the first people to broadcast their stories, as ABC7 celebrates 70 years in the Bay Area.

A SELECTION OF AUCTION ITEMS ON DISPLAY IN THE BEATLES STORY

‪A selection of auction items are now on display in the Beatles Story ahead of tomorrow’s huge Beatles auction with Juliens auctions.