Beatles

December 11: John Lennon’s John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band was released in 1970

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

… Lennon presents everything on the surface, and the song titles — “Mother,” “I Found Out,” “Working Class Hero,” “Isolation,” “God,” “My Mummy’s Dead” — illustrate what each song is about, and charts his loss of faith in his parents, country, friends, fans, and idols. It’s an unflinching document of bare-bones despair and pain, but for all its nihilism, it is ultimately life-affirming; it is unique not only in Lennon’s catalog, but in all of popular music. Few albums are ever as harrowing, difficult, and rewarding as John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine (allmusic.com)

I don’t believe in Beatles
~John Lennon (“God”)

Mother:

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Remembering John Lennon with 5 fantastic covers

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

 

Photo – Iain Macmillian

 

John Lennon died on this day in 1980. We miss him.

At approximately 5:00 p.m. on 8 December 1980, Lennon autographed a copy of Double Fantasy for fan Mark David Chapman before leaving The Dakota with Ono for a recording session at the Record Plant. After the session, Lennon and Ono returned to their Manhattan apartment in a limousine at around 10:50 p.m. EST. They exited the vehicle and walked through the archway of the building when Chapman shot Lennon twice in the back and twice in the shoulder at close range. Lennon was rushed in a police cruiser to the emergency room of Roosevelt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 11:00 p.m. (EST)

Let us honor him with some songs done by artists that sees him as an inspiration and who are capable of covering his songs with respect. When we listen to these cover versions the tremendous impact of John Lennon shines through. Continue reading “Remembering John Lennon with 5 fantastic covers” →

Album Documentary: Band On The Run by Paul McCartney and Wings (video, ITV Special)

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

Paul McCartney and Wings: Band On The Run – ITV Special with Dermot O’Leary

 

From YouTube:
Paul McCartney and Wings: Band on the Run In this one hour documentary Dermot O’Leary meets Sir Paul McCartney to hear about the making of the 1973 classic Wings album Band on the Run. Dermot hears how McCartney flew out to Lagos in Nigeria to make the record — even though two members of his band resigned before the flight Arriving there, the former Beatle found the recording studio half finished. McCartney was mugged, lost his demo tapes – and could have lost his life.. Continue reading “Album Documentary: Band On The Run by Paul McCartney and Wings (video, ITV Special)” →

December 3: The Beatles released Rubber Soul in 1965

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

There are places I’ll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I’ve loved them all

All four faces of The Beatles appear stretched on the cover of 1965’s Rubber Soul, but it is not only the picture that is mind bending, the music within stretches the boundaries of popular music, too. In my mind it is he first truly unified album by The Beatles (and their first recorded within a specified session period), it is a quantum leap compared to the band’s past work. The Songwriting is out of this world, and the instrumentation was cutting edge. A milestone in rock history.
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November 24: The Beatles released Hello, Goodbye / I Am The Walrus in 1967

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

The Beatles’ third single of 1967 was released in the UK on November 24: ‘Hello, Goodbye’, with ‘I Am The Walrus’ on the b-side (The single was released on 27 November in the US.)

“Hello, Goodbye” is written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. Backed by John Lennon’s “I Am the Walrus“, it was issued as a non-album single in November 1967, the group’s first release since the death of their manager, Brian Epstein. The single was commercially successful around the world, topping charts in the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and several other countries. Continue reading “November 24: The Beatles released Hello, Goodbye / I Am The Walrus in 1967” →

October 9: The Legendary singer and songwriter John Lennon was born in 1940

Posted on by Egil Mosbron
Photo – Iain Macmillian

 

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”mulled_wine” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-quote-left”]You don’t need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are!
~John Lennon

From the Liverpool docks to the red light Hamburg streets
Down in the quarry with the Quarrymen.
Playing to the big crowds
Playing to the cheap seats
Another day in your life on your way to your journey’s end
Shine your light, move it on, you burn so bright, roll on John
~Bob Dylan

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
― John Lennon[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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