BEATLES MAGAZINE

Saturday, 8 August 2026

THE ERASED ELEMENT ON THE "RUBBER SOUL" LP

In the original photograph taken by Robert Freeman for the cover of The Beatles' 1965 album Rubber Soul, John Lennon had a loose thread or stray piece of yarn on the right shoulder of his brown suede jacket.

This small textile imperfection became a cult detail among the band's fans due to how it was handled in the different editions of the record.

The original photo: Clearly shows the frayed white thread sticking out from the shoulder seam of John's jacket.
The retouched version (Standard): In the vast majority of commercial editions released worldwide, this thread was removed using an airbrush (photographic retouching of the era) to make the seam look clean.
The rare copies: There are a few very specific early vinyl pressings (particularly test pressings or very early promotional editions) where the retouching was not properly applied and the loose thread is still visible if closely inspected with a magnifying glass.

The garment in question is an iconic brown suede jacket with contrasting white stitching. It was one of John Lennon's favorite pieces of clothing during 1965. Today, the original jacket is preserved as a valuable collector's item and has been exhibited in places such as the Hard Rock Cafe.

The photo taken by Robert Freeman used for the Rubber Soul LP cover was uncropped and undistorted. This is the original enlarged photo, which was not known in its entirety and surfaced to the public a few years ago , taken in the Kenwood garden of John Lennon´s home in Waybridge, Surrey:

This picture remains uncropped, unwarped, and entirely unpublished until now.

Across various volumes featuring Freeman's Beatles portfolio, no frames from the Rubber Soul session at John Lennon's residence have ever surfaced, leading many enthusiasts to believe the negatives were permanently misplaced or simply omitted by the photographer.

Assuming this piece is genuine rather than a clever reproduction, it captures a perspective supporters have long hoped to uncover. One notable detail reveals the chilly weather of that afternoon, evidenced by Paul keeping his hands tucked inside his cuffs.

Regarding the iconic artwork and its unique warping, the anecdote suggests the group was examining Freeman's slides projected onto a cardboard cutout shaped to album dimensions.

The board accidentally shifted during the viewing, producing an elongated and warped visual effect that instantly won them over, presumably resembling something like this:

Returning to the subject of the original album photo that was later retouched for the album cover, here is the visual comparison of the Rubber Soul cover with and without the famous loose thread on John Lennon's jacket:

The unedited original photograph: In Robert Freeman's authentic, unstretched square frames captured against the foliage, a careful inspection of John Lennon's right shoulder (positioned on the left side of the picture) reveals a tiny white fiber or thread poking out right from the seam.

The final retouched album cover: During the creation of the stretched, brown-and-green tinted final artwork, manual touch-ups completely erased the stray thread to ensure the jacket's silhouette appeared seamless and clean for retail display.

The stray thread was officially airbrushed out in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Given that most countries around the world utilized the corrected negatives sent from EMI headquarters in England or Capitol in the US, the vast majority of global editions display a completely clean jacket.

However, due to quality control oversights, a lack of manual retouching at local printing plants, or the use of alternative negatives, notable exceptions exist.

United Kingdom (Early proof/promotional copies only): Although retouching was ordered for mass production, early proof covers produced by printing firms Garrod & Lofthouse or Ernest J. Day were printed before the final airbrushing was applied.

Countries where the thread was removed (Standard retouched version): In these markets, the official edited version was used to ensure a "perfect" textile finish at the seam, such as: United Kingdom: In all mass-market commercial Parlophone editions from December 1965 onward. United States and Canada: Capitol Records editions (both mono and stereo) processed the official clean image. Germany, Japan, France, and Australia: Strictly followed the corrected negatives provided by the British EMI parent company.

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Tuesday, 4 August 2026

RINGO STARR INTERVIEW (THE BAHAMAS, 1965)

This interview features journalists Derek Taylor and Dave Hull representing KRLA, who sat down with The Beatles for The Beat magazine in the Bahamas.

Derek Taylor: Good morning, Ringo

Ringo Starr: Good morning, Derek. Good to see you again.

Derek: Good to see you, Ringo, particularly in weather like this. Is it too hot for you?

Ringo: Uh…it gets a bit hot when you’re staked in the sun and have to lay there for half an hour or so, fully dressed.

Derek: Why the red paint all over your suit, Ringo?

Ringo: Well, it’s…the film is basically a chase film and it’s about a ring, and it starts off where they’re going to sacrifice a girl, and they paint everyone they sacrifice red, you see…this tribe…but they can’t sacrifice the girl because she hasn’t got this magic ring on which she sent to me because I wear rings. And so they’re after me now and they can’t get the ring off and so they’re going to sacrifice me…and that’s why I’m red.

Derek: And the paint has been put on you so they could sacrifice you?

Ringo: Yes.

Derek: How many times have you been painted up now?

Ringo: Oh, about four or five times.

Derek: Do you like filming? It seems hard work for you. You always seem to be the one out on your own while all the other Beatles are in bed.

Ringo: Not all of the time. Some of it. I’ve enjoyed filming anyway. It’s just that I hate to get up in the mornings. That’s the only drag.

Derek: What tie do you have to get up in the morning, Ring?

Ringo: Malcom woke me up at 25 to seven this morning.

Derek: How do you stand the separation so soon after getting married?

Ringo: Oh, you know, you just when we were getting married that I would have to leave to come out here for the film and we just got used to the idea. It’s a bit of a drag, y’know. But there was no point fetching Maureen because we’re working like lunatics and we don’t have a day off when we’re on location.

Derek: It wasn’t a question then, really, of having a Caribbean honeymoon, which is many people’s dream?

Ringo: No, no. Well, we didn’t have an England one…never mind the Caribbean one.

Derek: how long were you actually away from London?

Ringo: We got married on a Thursday and went back on a Sunday night.

Derek: It was quite a dramatic story, which broke at a very good time of day, too. How long was it planned before it happened?

Ringo: Well, we decided to get married two weeks to the day, and it started getting planned from then.

Derek: Well, let me say congratulations because everyone who knows you, and knows you both, is delighted. I think it was a marvelous move and I’m sure you thought so too or you wouldn’t have done it.

Ringo: Well, thanks a lot, Derek. I thought it was a good move.

Derek: It means that at least we won’t have to deny or confirm the quires, “Is Ringo married,” so will you now say into the mike something for all time, on record, “I married Maureen Cox.”

Ringo: I married Maureen Cox. I’m very happy…and her name is now Maureen Starkey.

Derek: Which is no bad name and we’re all very happy. Tell me, the other Beatles in the film…are they detached form you for a time as they were in ‘A Hard Day’s night?’”

Ringo: Yes, just a short time. Not too long this time, though.

Derek: In this film there’s no question of you falling out at all?

Ringo: No, no. Well, as I say, I get captured and things and they’re looking for me, and when they’re looking for me you won’t’ see me on the screen, and when I’m sort of being captured and taken away you’ll see me and not them.

Derek: Is the film in Technicolor?

Ringo: Yes, yes. Well, it’s in some color. I don’t know if it’s in Technicolor or one of the other colors.

Derek: It’s a beautiful day, Ringo.

Ringo: It’s marvelous. I think it must be getting 75 or 80 degrees.

Derek: It’s a different climate form California, of course, because I think there is more humidity coming in from Florida.

Ringo: Well, it’s very hot if you get into the town. It’s not so bad while you’re on the beach, but while you’re in town it’s hard going, y’know….you sweat like a pig.

Derek: this sort of climate suits me very well, which his really why I came to live in California. Dave Hull just walked up.

Ringo: Yes, I’ve noticed. Hi, Dave.

Dave: Hi Ringo. I think it’s my turn to toss a few questions at you.

Ringo: Yeah, I sort of expected that.

Dave: Speaking of Maureen again, are you happily married?

Ringo: Yes, very happily, thank you.

Dave: Good. That’s very good. I know all of your fans..there are a few dissenters but I’m sure most of your fans.

Ringo: I hope I haven’t upset anyone too much.

Dave: No. I don’t think it has. Most of your fans are quite happy if you’re happy. I know that’s they well they feel.

Ringo: Well that’s good. Thank you.

Dave: The time you were in the States, in Hollywood, and in Los Angeles in particular, I asked you a question, “What about Maureen? And your answer was: “Maureen who?” Do you know the Maureen that I meant now?

Ringo: Yes, yes. Yes, but I mean…when I was last in the States there was nothing…no thought about getting married or anything. I just used to take her out a lot and other people as well, you know. And I got back and about November/December we sort of went out together, just the two of us, all the time. I didn’t go with anyone else or anything, and then three weeks before we got married I asked her to marry me. And then two weeks form the day before we got married we started setting up the wedding.

Dave: How did she feel about not being with you on this particular trip?

Ringo: I don’t know, really. I don’t think she likes it. When I phone her says, you know, “I miss you,” and things like that. And I miss her. But you know, we’re working every day and there would be nothing for her to do and she’s busy with all the family because none of the family came to the wedding, only her mother and father and mine, and she’s sort of going around being congratulated by the aunties and uncles, you know. So, she’s doing that job while I’m doing mine.

Dave: that’s good. Yesterday—to get back to the movie for just a moment---yesterday there was—not a mishap, but the car is which they were shooting you and John and Paul and George, slammed into the tree a little hard. Is that correct?

Ringo: Yesterday? That was about four days ago---three days ago. None of us were in the car. George was on top of it when it smashed into the tree, and it’s all part of the film…so…

Dave: Oh, it is?

Ringo: So there was no great danger.

Dave: They are shooting some of this in Austria?

Ringo: Next Wednesday we go back to Britain for two days and then we fly out to Austria for eight days, and then we finish the film in Britain the next two months.

Dave: Listen, it has been awfully nice of you to take this time, Ringo.

Ringo: It’s my pleasure.

Dave: Best of luck to Mrs. Starkey.

Ringo: Thank you very much. I’m still not really used to that name: Mrs. Starkey.



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Friday, 31 July 2026

'THE BOYS OF DUNGEON LANE' SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 MERCURY PRIZE

'The Boys of Dungeon Lane' Shortlisted For The 2026 Mercury Prize. Paul McCartney's internationally acclaimed new album The Boys of Dungeon Lane has been named as one of the 12 albums of the year shortlisted for the 2026 Mercury Prize.
Although Paul’s performance with the Smokin’ Mojo Filters as part of the HELP album was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize in 1996, today’s news marks an incredible career-first. The Boys of Dungeon Lane is Paul’s first-ever Mercury Prize-shortlisted album.
This landmark accolade arrives as the latest news in a career filled with incredible achievements. The Boys of Dungeon Lane shot to #1 in the Official UK Albums Chart on its release, strengthening Paul’s position as the UK's most successful album artist of all time as his 24th UK chart-topper.
Speaking about his first-ever Mercury Prize shortlisted album, Paul said:
"What a brilliant and exciting surprise to be part of such an incredible list. To have The Boys of Dungeon Lane recognised alongside so many brilliant artists and albums is a huge honour for me. Thank you to everyone who continues to support and enjoy the album. We have been having so much fun along the way. From making it with Andrew Watt to getting it out there for people to hear. I must say the reaction has been really special. So this news has just totally blown me away.'

Get your copy here:
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https://amzn.to/4wRlUJf (RED EDITION)

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Monday, 27 July 2026

ON THIS DAY JULY 27 ...

Saturday, 25 July 2026

DHANI HARRISON AND NIGEL GODRICH FORM NEW PROJECT: DRAGONFLIES

Fans of forward-thinking audio engineering and atmospheric composition have plenty to celebrate as Dhani Harrison and renowned producer Nigel Godrich gear up to release their upcoming full-length project, Dragonflies. To build anticipation, the creative pair recently released the captivating single ‘Slower’, giving listeners an early preview of the record’s signature aesthetic.

Looking back at their previous collaborations, this new release feels like a natural evolution rather than a sharp pivot. ‘Slower’ carries a subtle sense of nostalgia, reminding audiences of an era where albums were treated as immersive works of art. It serves as an effective reminder of how powerful well-crafted soundscapes can be when it comes to briefly transporting an audience to another realm.

The upcoming album is shaping up to be their most daring endeavor yet, building on a long-standing reputation for challenging traditional genre boundaries. Every single note reflects their undeniable chemistry in the studio, stacking layers upon layers to forge a deeply cohesive listening experience. With its lush environments and meticulous attention to detail, the record is well on its way to claiming a spot among the most notable releases of the year.

At the core of ‘Slower’ is a masterclass in balance. Harrison's delicate, floating vocals merge effortlessly with Godrich’s complex, multi-layered production techniques. The end result is a hypnotic, drifting expedition across auditory territories that manage to feel simultaneously nostalgic and entirely groundbreaking.

What makes the Harrison-Godrich partnership so compelling is how they manage to bridge the gap between organic instrumentation and modern electronic texture without sounding forced. While many collaborative projects in this vein lean too heavily on studio polish at the expense of emotion, 'Slower' proves that technical precision and genuine warmth can coexist. If the rest of Dragonflies maintains this level of atmospheric depth, it won't just be a highlight of their respective discographies—it could very well redefine how we expect modern art-rock and electronica to merge.

DRAGONFLIES will be released on September 18, 2026.

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