The Beatles on the Roof

Author: Tony Barrell
Publisher: Omnibus Press
ISBN: 1783239697
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 172

Book Description
At lunchtime on a bitterly cold January day in 1969, the strains of guitar chords could be heard in the streets surrounding London’s Savile Row. Crowds gathered – At ground level and above. People climbed onto roofs and postboxes, skipped lunch to gather and listen: For the first time in more than two years, The Beatles were playing live. Ringing from the rooftops, disturbing the well-to-do ears of the tailors below, they upset the establishment and bewildered the police. It was filmed by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who hoped the footage would act as the finale to a celebratory TV special. When it finally surfaced, it was in the bleak, tumultuous documentary Let It Be. And The Beatles would never play live again. Tony Barrell examines the concert within the context of its time. He speaks to those who were there: the fans, film-makers, roadies, Apple Corps staff and police. He explores the politics of 1968, when peace gave way to protest, and how music promotion began to collide with cinéma vérité and reality TV. The Beatles on the Roof makes essential reading for anyone interested in the band’s reinventions and relationships, revealing why the rooftop concert happened at all, why it happened the way that it did, and why it would never happen again.

Magical Mystery Tours

Author: Tony Bramwell
Publisher: Portico
ISBN: 1910232165
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 518

Book Description
Tony Bramwell's remarkable life with The Beatles began in a post-war Liverpool suburb where he was childhood friends with John, Paul and George. By the time he unexpectedly ran into George Harrison on top of a bus, Tony was well into a life story absolutely unlike any other. At Apple Record's insistence, Tony stayed with The Beatles for every step of their meteoric rise. His story has been sought for over thirty years, and here it is, detailing with an insider's shrewd eye the incomparable success and inevitable failure of the Apple empire; Brian Epstein's frolics; Ken Kessy's Merry Pranksters; Phil Spector's eccentric behaviour; as well as never-heard-before stories about Yoko Ono. 'Magical Mystery Tours' reveals fresh insights that have never been published in any of the 800 plus books already on the market, including compelling details of the early recordings and songwriting and Yoko's pursuit of John and her growing influence over The Beatles' lives. From the first number one to the last and from scraps of song lyrics to the discovery of the famous Mr Kite circus poster, this is a broad ranging account of the swinging sixties and the decade's most successful rock band.

The Songwriting Secrets Of The Beatles

Author: Dominic Pedler
Publisher: Omnibus Press
ISBN: 0857123467
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 713

Book Description
Thirty years after The Beatles split up, the music of Lennon, McCartney, Harrrison and Starkey lives on. What exactly were the magical ingredients of those legendary songs? Why are they still so influential for today's bands? This ground-breaking book sets out to explore The Beatles' songwriting techniques in a clear and readable style. It is aimed not only at musicians but anyone who has ever enjoyed the work of one of the most productive and successful songwriting parterships of the 20th Century. Author Dominic Pedler explores the chord sequences, melodies, harmonies, rhythms and structures of The Beatles' self-penned songs, while challenging readers to enhance their appreciation of the lyrics themselves with reference to the musical context. Throughout the book the printed music and lyrics of The Beatles' songs appear alongside the text, illustrating the author's explanations. The Songwriting Secrets Of The Beatles is an essential addition to Beatles literature - a new and perceptive analysis of both the music and the lyrics written and performed by what Paul McCartney still calls 'a really good, tight little band'.

The Beatles, The Bible and Bodega Bay

Author: Ken Mansfield
Publisher: Post Hill Press
ISBN: 1637583249
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Book Description
#1 Best Selling Beatles Book – Amazon.com #2 “Books About the Beatles” – Senior Editor, Rock, Amazon.com (Beatles Anthology listed as #1) MAJOR PRESS REVIEWS Barnes&Noble.com (Kevin Giordano) “There is something quite Lennonesque about Mansfield’s soul-searching—his tales are astonishingly clear and vivid.” Amazon.com (Gail Hudson) “It is his writing talent and depth of personal story that makes this spiritual memoir rock.” Fox News Channel “A fabulous book about the Fab Four. It’s historical and a must-have.” Publishers Weekly, June 2000 “Eschewing the usual druggy histories of musicians, Mansfield delivers a book that is more philosophical than tell-all. There are enough tidbits to satiate any Beatle maniac, Library Journal, August 2000 “This is a ruminative and ultimately very personal journey through a man’s life and his personal relationships with each member of the Fab Four. Washington Post, October 2000 “This account is a warm-hearted look at an exciting period, related by an observer who was often at the right place at the right time.” ********************************** *Because of Ken’s personal relationship, respect and loyalty to Apple and the Beatles he sought all necessary official and personal approvals from Capitol, Apple, and each of the Beatles including Yoko on John’s behalf. At the time of the original release of The Beatles, The Bible and Bodega Bay he was informed that outside of their own Anthology that this was the only book approved by them. Once again, out of that same respect there have been no changes or updates—the content before you is exactly the same as the original book. These are the thoughts and events exactly as they were happening then…a unique insider’s look at a time that will never exist again.

And in the End

Author: Ken McNab
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 125080373X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
"Ken McNab's in-depth look at The Beatles' acrimonious final year is a detailed account of the breakup featuring the perspectives of all four band members and their roles. A must to add to the collection of Beatles fans, And In the End is full of fascinating information available for the first time. McNab reconstructs for the first time the seismic events of 1969, when The Beatles reached new highs of creativity and new lows of the internal strife that would destroy them. Between the pressure of being filmed during rehearsals and writing sessions for the documentary Get Back, their company Apple Corps facing bankruptcy, Lennon's heroin use, and musical disagreements, the group was arguing more than ever before and their formerly close friendship began to disintegrate. In the midst of this rancour, however, emerged the disharmony of Let It Be and the ragged genius of Abbey Road, their incredible farewell love letter to the world"--

The Beatles Finally Let It Be

Author: Bruce Spizer
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781637610015
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 208

Book Description

Beatles Gear

Author: Andy Babiuk
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
ISBN: 9780879306625
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 264

Book Description
Chronicles the Beatles' use of instruments from 1956 through 1970, including photographs and discussion about Paul's 1963 Hofner 500/1 violin bass, John's Rickenbacker 325 12-string, and George's Gibson Les Paul.

The Beatles from A to Zed

Author: Peter Asher
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 1250209587
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 189

Book Description
“At last, I finally understand the alphabet! I also love this book: secret Beatles knowledge from one of the closest insiders.” —Steve Martin Peter Asher met the Beatles in the spring of 1963, the start of a lifelong association with the band and its members. He had a front-row seat as they elevated pop music into an art form, and he was present at the creation of some of the most iconic music of our times. Asher is also a talented musician in his own right, with a great ear for what was new and fresh. He was asked by Paul McCartney to help start Apple Records; the first artist Asher discovered and signed up was a young American singer-songwriter named James Taylor. Before long he would be not only managing and producing Taylor but also working with Linda Ronstadt, Neil Diamond, Robin Williams, Joni Mitchell, and Cher, among others. The Beatles from A to Zed grows out of his popular radio program “From Me to You” on SiriusXM’s The Beatles Channel, where he shares memories and insights about the Fab Four and their music. Here he weaves his reflections into a whimsical alphabetical journey that focuses not only on songs whose titles start with each letter, but also on recurrent themes in the Beatles’ music, the instruments they played, the innovations they pioneered, the artists who influenced them, the key people in their lives, and the cultural events of the time. Few can match Peter Asher for his fresh and personal perspective on the Beatles. And no one is a more congenial and entertaining guide to their music.

The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles

Author: Kenneth Womack
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139828061
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 344

Book Description
From Please Please Me to Abbey Road, this collection of essays tells the fascinating story of the Beatles – the creation of the band, their musical influences, and their cultural significance, with emphasis on their genesis and practices as musicians, songwriters, and recording artists. Through detailed biographical and album analyses, the book uncovers the background of each band member and provides expansive readings of the band's music. • Traces the group's creative output from their earliest recordings through their career • Pays particular attention to the social and historical factors which contributed to the creation of the band • Investigates the Beatles' unique enduring musical legacy and cultural power • Clearly organized into three sections, covering Background, Works, and History and Influence, the Companion is ideal for course usage, and is also a must-read for all Beatles fans

The Beatles

Author: Paul Trynka
Publisher: DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley)
ISBN: 9780756606701
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
This day-by-day analysis of The Beatles phenomenon examines the private and public events that revolutionized the music world. From their iconic domination of the music industry to the dramatic split, rare and unseen photographs reveal the band as never before.