**2002**

 February 7
HISTORIC BEATLE STAGE SAVED

Liverpool City Council reaches an agreement with church authorities: The stage at Saint Peter's Church Hall in Woolton will be put into storage "in an undisclosed location while talks are held to find a permanent home," reports the BBC.

While the church attempted last year to sell the stage at London 's "Sticky Finger's Cafe," it failed to do so because a buyer could not be found to match the £50,000 price tag they were asking for. 

With the failed auction, Liverpool City Council quickly moved in to rescue the historic stage: "The days are long gone when the city council turned a blind eye to its heritage by allowing places like the Cavern to be demolished," said Councillor Mike Storey. "We will never let that happen again. It was on this very spot that one of the most successful musical partnerships in history first began."

Mike Storey concluded by saying: "This stage is an important part of The Beatles legend - Liverpool without the Beatles would be like Stratford without Shakespeare."

February 8
EMI RECORDS TO BE SCRAPPED

On this date, the BBC News reported the following: "Troubled music company EMI Group is to reshuffle its artists and staff in a move that will mean the EMI record label will cease to exist.

The EMI Group will merge its labels into two global brands, Virgin and Capitol."

Surprisingly, the origins of EMI happened under similar conditions: to avoid bankruptcy, the Gramophone Company and its arch-rival the Columbia Graphophone Company merged in April 1931 to form Electric and Musical Industries when the Great Depression hit.

BOB WOOLER -- THE CAVERN CLUB'S COMPÈRE -- PASSES AWAY

After a lengthy illness, Bob Wooler, the man who introduced the Beatles nearly 400 times between 1961 and 1963 in the Cavern Club, passes away at the age of 76 in the Royal Liverpool hospital.

Liverpool music promoter, Joe Flannery -- who was a personal friend to Bob Wooler since 1950, made the following comments about the loss of his friend: “He was the gentleman of the Cavern. He was so loved by everybody.” Flannery also added that “Bob never cashed in on being such a vital part of the Beatles scene, but his name will remain forever a vital part of that story.”

Bob Wooler, who was restless working as a clerk in the railway dock offices in Garston, entered the music business in 1956 by managing skiffle acts. His job involved booking skiffle acts (such as the Kingstrums) into different club venues where he soon  found himself introducing his acts as a way to warm up the audiences. The next natural progression in Bob Wooler's music career saw himself taking on the additional role of "Disc Jockey" at those clubs. Bob would play records between performance breaks while the next act was getting ready to perform. By 1960, his name became synonymous within Liverpool 's music scene thus allowing him to have a solid foundation to work from.

Bob Wooler first met Paul McCartney and George Harrison at a bus stop at the Holyoake Dance Hall in Liverpool during the month of December in 1960. Upon noticing that both Paul and George were carrying guitars, he offered them a booking at the Litherland Town Hall on December 27, 1960 for a £6 fee. Paul McCartney singles out the December 27 date in his Who’s Who entry as being the "first important appearance as the Beatles."

Shortly after the Litherland Town Hall venue, Wooler booked the band’s first residency at the Cavern Club on February 9, 1961. Wooler would later witness the first contract offer made to the Beatles on December 3, 1961, from Brian Epstein who became the group's manager.

The Cavern Club's compère became the first writer to predict just how successful the Beatles were to become. In August, 1961, Bob Wooler wrote down this observation in the Mersey Beat edition concerning the Beatles: "Truly a phenomenon. I don’t think anything like them will ever happen again." Perhaps Wooler's best summation about the local success of the Beatles during that period can be found in a one catch-phrase slogan that he came up with. He declared the phenomenon of Cavern-era Beatles as being "The Stuff That Screams Are Made Of."

February 26
 ROYAL LINE-UP CONFIRMED FOR QUEEN'S GOLDEN JUBILEE

Dubbed as a 3-day "Party At the Palace," it is announced that Sir Paul McCartney is scheduled to perform at the Queen's Golden Jubilee concert on June 3. Among others confirmed in the line-up are: "Eric Clapton, Brian Wilson, Phil Collins, Aretha Franklin, Queen, S Club 7, Tom Jones and Pop Idol winner, Will Young," writes a Dotmusic.com news source.

And in a much later report filed by Ananova.com on May 17, revealed that Sir Paul McCartney "plans cheeky song for the Queen. The star will perform The Beatles song Her Majesty - originally a hidden track at the end of the Abbey Road album."

Sir George Martin who was chosen as musical director for the entire jubilee (including a "classical tribute" slated in the program for June 1st) made the following comment: "The artists today represent the greatest composers and performers of their generation."

"Thousands will relish the chance to see them perform together live on stage at Buckingham Palace ."

He added: "No country has a finer tradition in producing great talent than ours, and we should be very proud of the enormous contribution that British artists and composers have made to the world of entertainment over the last fifty years."

It was decided that 24,000 tickets be made available to the general public for the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The tickets were distributed evenly in the following regions: all of  England , Scotland , Wales , Northern Ireland , the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man.

March 4
PAUL McCARTNEY TO WED

The Daily Post reports that Sir Paul McCartney announced yesterday that he will marry his 34-year-old fiancée Heather Mills during the month of June. 

While the wedding location was to be kept secret from the media, the Daily Post article did find out what kind of wedding dress the bride-to-be was planning to wear:  "Heather has already decided on a off-white Chantilly lace and silk traditional wedding dress with a corset-style bodice, veil and train."  The Daily Post also mentioned that Heather was "adamant to design the dress herself."

BEATLES PHOTOGRAPHER HERBERT DIES AGE 89

Emma Gunby of Liverpool Echo, writes: "One of the Beatle's first official photographers has died.

"Herbert Hughes, 89, from Birkenhead , was employed by the Fab Four's manager Brian Epstein to take a photo of the band on December 17, 1961."

March 14
YOKO ONO BUYS JOHN LENNON'S CHILDHOOD HOME

In a C.B.C. Arts Now news report, Yoko Ono has bought her late husbands "childhood home and donated it to Britain 's National Trust." 

Arts Now revealed that Yoko Ono paid a little "more than ₤150,000 ($340,000 Cdn.). "The home is located at 251 Menlove Avenue and has long since been regarded as a historic cultural landmark in Liverpool -- the place being where the Beatles rehearsed and wrote their first big hit "Please, Please Me. " 

John was raised in the Menlove home by his Aunt Mimi.

Said Yoko Ono: "I think Menlove Avenue has an important place in Beatles history, and it saddened me to think that it might be lost. The fact that this is happening in the same week that Liverpool airport is officially opened as Liverpool John Lennon airport would have made my husband very happy."

March 15
LENNON STATUE UNVEILED AT LIVERPOOL AIRPORT

A beautiful bronze statue created by Liverpool sculpture Tom Murphy was unveiled by Yoko Ono, widow of Beatles icon, John Lennon.

The unveiling of the statue was used to commemorate the renaming of " Liverpool Airport " to " Liverpool John Lennon Airport " after completing a new 30 million pound ($43 million) terminal.

The statue stands seven-foot (or 2.15 meters) high and resembles the "songsmith in his New York days, striding out with long hair swept back," reported Reuters news services. The statue also contained the inscription "Above us only sky" -- a phrase that was immortalized in John Lennon's classic hit-song: Imagine. 

At the special unveiling ceremony, Yoko Ono said: "The world needs communication and this Liverpool John Lennon Airport will promote the growth of international communication for Liverpool and for the world.

"Communication and exchanging will lead to understanding and understanding will create love and peace. And the world needs peace.

"I think the statue is brilliant. It captures John and shows him moving, alive, rather than standing still like some statues."

March 21
BEATLES "1" COMPILATION
STILL A STRONG CONTENDER IN SALES

Phil Gallo from Variety in Hollywood , reports the following USA sales figures: "Capitol's Beatles' 1 compilation...has now sold more than 8.1 million units and continues to sell about 9,000 per week."

April 12
HMV's £600m FLOTATION OFFERS EXIT ROUTE TO EMI

A report emerges from The Guardian that HMV Group has announced plans for a floatation deal to raise £600m.  HMV, a music, video and book retailer, would like to see the owner of Waterstone's book stores obtain an eventual "market capitalization of more than £1bn while offering troubled music group EMI the chance to sell part of its 43% stake."

The £600m raised by HMV would allow the company to expand in Japan -- a key marketplace for the company -- from 34 to 100 retail stores.  Also in the plan would be a growth of retail outlets in Britain from 135 to 200.  Waterstone agreed that money will also be used in restoration of older stores, about  £20m.

"Named after the trademark image of a dog listening to His Master's Voice on a gramophone," writes the Guardian, "HMV was part-sold by EMI in 1998 to US venture capital group Advent which now controls 40% while management controls a further 17%.

"EMI had been considering a trade sale of HMV but is expected to hang on to
a small stake in the group post-flotation."

April 13
PAUL McCARTNEY PRAISES CANADIAN LEADERSHIP!

On this date, Paul McCartney performs the only Canadian date from his "Driving USA" tour at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto .

In a Canadian Press interview, Paul continued promoting his public relations campaign for an international ban on land mines and had some kind words for Canada :

"I would be very keen at the moment on banning land mines, and seeing as Ottawa is the place where the treaty is from, you guys have been leaders on this," he said.  

"But unfortunately, places like the States haven’t signed it.  We’re very keen on that issue and cleaning them up. There's countless millions still in the ground."

At the Air Canada Center , 16,000 fans saw Paul play tributes to deceased band mates John Lennon and George Harrison.  Paul selected "Here Today" -- a beautiful ballad he wrote in memory of John from his 1982 solo album "Tug of War." In a tribute to George, Paul chose "Something", a beautiful composition from George which became the songwriters only #1 hit single when he was a Beatle. That single was released in the USA marketplace on October 6, 1969 and became the second-most covered version of a Beatles' song done by other artists, including Frank Sinatra, placing it just behind Paul's "Yesterday." Paul performed George's number by using a ukulele which was one of Harrison 's favourite musical instruments.

Apart from performing "Something", Paul's set-list included additional Beatle songs: Hello Goodbye; All My Loving; Getting Better; Blackbird; We Can Work It Out; Mother Natures Son; You Never Give Me Your Money/Carry That Weight; Fool On the Hill; Eleanor Rigby; Here, There and Everywhere; Back In the U.S.S.R.; Can't Buy Me Love; Let It Be; Hey Jude; Long and Winding Road; Lady Madonna; I Saw Her Standing There; Yesterday; Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise); and The End.

McCartney also performed selected numbers from his Wings and solo era:  Jet; Coming Up; Let Me Roll It; Lonely Road ; Driving Rain; Loving Flame; Every Night; Vanilla Sky; Band on the Run; C Moon; My Love; Freedom; Live and Let Die.

Interestingly enough, this Toronto tour date would see the first-performance only of "Mull of Kintyre" -- this song, not originally listed in the 36 song set-list when the tour began, was backed up by the Peel Regional Police Pipe Band of Ontario.

April 19
OVERPRICED BEATLE MEMORABILIA:
EUROPEAN COMMISSION SAYS CHRISTIE'S AND SOTHEBY'S FIXED PRICES

In what might explain for over-inflated prices of popular Beatle memorabilia, Reuters reporter David Lawsky revealed that both Christie's and Sotheby's auction houses had formed a "secret duopoly in the world of art" from 1993 to 2000 and colluded in price fixing. The European Commission who is currently investigating the "duopoly" declared: "We have collected evidence that the two leading auction houses have colluded to fix commissions and on other aspects of the trade." Reuters David Lawsky writes that the statement comes "more than one year after the United States convicted them of the same offence" and that  "Sotheby's Holdings agreed...to pay out $45 million in criminal fines in the United States ."

Christie's, who was the first to blow the whistle on the duopoly, was granted immunity by the US Justice Department avoiding $45 million in criminal fines. However, while Sotheby's paid $45 million in criminal fines, both Christie's and Sotheby's auction firms agreed to pay out damages of $512 million to clients and $70 million to shareholders.

The European Commission further proclaimed that "in addition to raising commission rates, the companies agreed to other trading conditions including advances paid to sellers, guarantees given for auction results and payment conditions." This collusion by both auction houses, according to Reuters David Lawsky, impacted on much sought-after treasures by collectors ranging from artistic works of Van Gogh, Monet, to popular memorabilia items such as Princes Diana's evening dress and even "signed copies of Beatles albums."

Behind the mastermind scheme is 78-year-old Alfred Taubman, of Sotheby's Holdings who "is facing a maximum three-year term in a US prison and is expected to pay $87.6 million in fines, twice the sum sellers were overcharged."  (French billionaire Francois Pinault owns Christie's auction house.)

Lawsky reported that European Commission spokeswoman Amelia Torres had "no estimate" of how long "the investigation might take or what punishment might be."

April 26
PAUL McCARTNEY ANNOUNCES THAT
GEORGE HARRISON'S "PORTRAIT OF A LEG END" IS STILL IN THE WORKS!

In an interview with Paul McCartney conducted by Plain Dealer Pop Music Critic, John Soeder, had asked Paul whether he would do some sort of "posthumous collaboration" for the album that George more or less finished before he had passed away. Paul responded with: "I don't know about that. I do know he (George) had a lot of good material. I heard some of the songs. I do know at some point something will be coming out. I understand there is a little bit of work going on about it. But I don't know if people want it known yet. So I'm not gonna go blabbing....And if someone asked me to do something on it, I'd be honoured."

April 29
BEATLES' 'HEY JUDE' LYRICS BARRED FROM AUCTION!

  Paul McCartney was granted an injunction by Justice Laddie at London 's High Court preventing Christie's auction house from selling a draft manuscript of "Hey Jude."

The lyrical manuscript's estimated value is $116,000 but the sale was successfully blocked by Paul's lawyer, Richard Meade.  According to Reuters, the injunction was granted because at issue in the case is a "man identified in court only as Monsieur Tessier" and whether or not he is the rightful owner of those lyrics. The news report went on to say that Monseiur Tessier "bought them in the famous Portobello Road street market in London when he was a student in 1971 or 1972." Richard Meade, lawyer for McCartney argued that the lyrics disappeared during one of the numerous break-ins that occurred in Paul's St. John's Wood home. In Justice Laddie's decision, a BBC news report claims the judge "halted the sale because the lyrics could end up going abroad if sold in auction, making a future decision about ownership much harder."

Reuters declared in their news report that 'The court order will be a major blow to Christie's auctioneers, who billed the "Hey Jude" lyric as the centerpiece of Tuesday's pop memorabilia sale.'

April 30
NEW GEORGE HARRISON BIOGRAPHY OUT IN MAY

Ananova.com reports on this day that the Editors of Rolling Stone magazine will release a new George Harrison biography in May. The book will contain a special heartfelt forward written by Olivia Harrison.

But in an early release to the Canadian marketplace, this writer discovered that the biography also contains many personal family photographs by the Harrisons along with past photography work of Jurgen Vollmer; Max Scheler; Astrid Kircherr; Harry Benson and many others. The book includes Rolling Stone interviews with George; a special discography section exploring the musician's iconic pop writing abilities; and a review of George's guitar artistry as covered by Andy Babuik, author of the highly acclaimed book, "Beatles Gear."

The biography also includes some nicely written tributes from Bob Dylan; Mick Jagger; Keith Richards; Yoko Ono; Tom Petty; Elton John and Paul Simon.

The hardbound book is published by Simon & Schuster, Incorporated.

May 10
LIVERPOOL'S " BEATLES STORY MUSEUM " TO OPEN EXHIBIT ON BAND'S
QUARRYMEN DAYS

"This is...Pop!" reports that The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool will present an special exhibit called: "The Quarrymen and Skiffle -- the U.K. Years." The opening date for the exhibit is May 16 and will run to November 1, 2002.

The exhibit which is apparently the first of its kind in Liverpool "reveals the fascinating yet forgotten story of how a new musical craze sweeping across Britain led to one of the biggest stories the music industry has known," cites the report.

"On display at the exhibition will be several of the original instruments used by the group - including a banjo that John Lennon played, Colin Hanton's first drum kit - still with its sticks and brushes and a record of Lonnie Donegan's Rock Island Line, which Lennon sold for 2 shillings and sixpence to Rod Davis." The exhibit will also display some recent photographs of the Quarrymen and will offer an historical accounting of how skiffle music became the catalyst for rhythm and blues, rock 'n' roll, and pop music in general.

The Beatles Story Museum will also be showcasing John Lennon's upright Steinway piano, the one John used to compose his classic hit song Imagine. George Michael bought the piano on October 17, 2000, through a Hard Rock Cafe auction organized by Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac. Michael's successful purchase bid of  £1.45 million (or $2.1 million in US currency) caused Guinness Book of Records to list the Steinway as being the most expensive piano in the world.

May 18
LIVERPOOL STILL THE NUMBER ONE HIT CITY

David Roberts, editor for the newly released Guinness Book of Hit Singles, claims that " Liverpool is responsible for almost 6 percent of all the number one hits to enter the charts in the past 50 years."

In making his announcement, Roberts spoke of a full-page dedication on Liverpool 's musical success story that is listed in the new Guinness Book of Hit Singles.  He explain the rational for the full-page entry this way:  "There are 17 number ones from The Beatles, but there is a real diversity of talent out of Liverpool , which has stretched from Lita Roza in 1953 right through to Atomic Kitten.

"And of course since last year, when we announced Liverpool as the Capital of Pop, there have been two more number ones, a second from Atomic Kitten and George Harrison's My Sweet Lord."

The Daily Post, who filed the report, added that The Lord Mayor, Jack Spriggs, is to be presented with several copies of "new Guinness pop bible to be distributed to the city's libraries."

Beaming with pride, The Lord Mayor proclaimed: "It was fantastic to get a world record last year and now to think that people all over the planet will be reading about us in this new book is very exciting. We really are a music city."

May 22
GLUM MUSIC INDUSTRY OUTLOOK PLAGUES EMI

Reuters news services files a report indicating that the EMI Group saw year-end profits slump by "40% in adjusted pre-tax profit."  News of the post-results meeting with investors saw EMI stock fall by 7 percent casting doubts as to whether or not "substantial improvements" for EMI would likely occur by the end of this year. 

Martin Dobson, head dealer at Natwest Securities in London , provided Reuters with an explanation for EMI's poor profit woes: "(EMI) faces so much of a struggle with piracy and they need to find a way to protect themselves.  Sales are falling and there are a number of factors to take into consideration, such as the HMV float not going well."

In an effort to boost profitability, EMI had announced a restructuring plan last March that would see 1,800 job cuts along with 400 artists scrapped from its roster.  Said EMI's CEO Alain Levy in a news report last month with USA Today: "Not having star power tends to take the margins out of the music commodity. We've cut the artist roster a lot, but it was still pretty bloated."  Later, Alain Levy would do just a little bit of an about-turn on his comment: Levy now "wanted to find five stars topping five million global sales in the next three years", he told Reuters, "and two or three topping 10 million" to help increase EMI's profit margins.

EMI's restructuring plan has come at a cost -- 240 million pounds, for savings 98.5 million pounds. While the total restructuring of job cuts won't fully impact until September of this year, Alain Levy hopes to improve EMI's profit margins from the 5.1% expected this year to 13% percent in three years.

May 30
THE LIVERPOOL LENNONS

On this date, Julian Lennon announces at Joe Johnsons' on-line Beatle Brunch, that the Official Website of the Liverpool Lennons has been launched.  The site traces the history of the Liverpool Lennons from the 1800's and right up to the present. This excellent site by Julian Lennon boasts of some never-before seen family memorabilia.  Said Julian: "...items like the ‘Sgt Pepper’ gold disc and Dad’s afghan coat from ‘Magical Mystery Tour’. And much more."  The site is well researched and very user-friendly...definitely a-must-see!

 
June 3
ROCK ROYALTY AT QUEEN'S JUBILEE

Marking Elizabeth II's 50 year reign as queen from 1952 to 2002, the BBC production of Party at the Palace highlighted a special celebration of popular music with performances from:  Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Cliff Richard, Eric Clapton, Phil Colins, Roger Daltry, Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams, Ricky Martin, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Ozzy Osbourne, Aretha Franklin, Emma Bunton, Steve Winwood, Atomic Kitten, Mis-Teeq, Queen, Joe Cocker, Brian Wilson and Sir Elton John (who was pre-recorded on video tape.)

An estimated 1 million people had lined up in Trafalgar Square , the Mall, and parks to watch the performances from huge video screens while 12,000 lucky ticket-holders converged at the queen's back garden.  There, pop/rock royalty showcased their numbers before a swaying crowd.

Sir Paul McCartney sang homage to Elizabeth II by selecting compositions from the Beatles' musical cannon: Her Majesty; Blackbird; All You Need Is Love; The End; Hey Jude; and a vocal duet with Eric Clapton on While My Guitar Gently Weeps 

In an interview the night before the gala event, Sir Paul explained his rational for choosing All You Need Is Love: "I still believe that love is all you need," said Sir Paul. "I don't know a better message than that."

June 11
PAUL McCARTNEY MARRIES HEATHER MILLS

A very special day in the lives of Heather Mills and Paul McCartney: the couple marry in St. Salvator's church in County Monaghan , Ireland .  The church was built in the 17th century and is located on Castle Leslie's 1,000-acre estate.  The wedding commenced at around 4 p.m. (11 a.m. EDT) and was conducted by the Venerable Cecil Pringle, Archdeacon of Clogher.  The service was finished when the church bells rang out at 5:20 p.m. (12:20 p.m. EDT).

According to a report filed by USA Today: "McCartney's brother, Mike, who was best man when Paul married Linda Eastman in 1969, was best man again Tuesday.  John Eastman, Linda's brother, along with Paul's children, Stella, James, Mary and stepdaughter Heather, were on hand, but not part of the ceremony."  Mike's 19-year-old son Joshua was in charge of the box of rings at the wedding.

Mike McCartney, recounting later in an exclusive interview with The Sun said of his brothers marriage: "Over there I was just feet away from two people who love each other - that's all you want in life.  If you're lucky and you both love each other, that is all anybody needs." 

Mike said that Paul, 59, felt lucky before the wedding because he had spotted a bright double rainbow the previous day.

And for extra luck he wore a "magic buttonhole" to marry former model Heather, 34.

"Not only did he have a pink McCartney rose but he had a sprig from Dad's lavender bush and Mum's favourite flowers - two buttercups - in his lapel.

 
TO PAUL AND HEATHER,
OUR OTTAWA BEATLES SITE SPECIAL THOUGHT TO YOU:
"Of all the music that reached farthest into heaven, it is the beating of a loving heart." -- Henry Ward Beecher

"That lavender bush came from our family home in Forthlin Road , Liverpool . All our lives we had lavender around us.

"Mum would put it in little sachets and leave it in drawers and Dad would burn it in his ashtray." 

Heather's bridal dress was made of ecru lace, designed by Heather but with assistance from London fashion house Avis & Brown.  Her hair was styled by Amanda Amos from Brighton and her make-up was by Mathew Alexander of Michael John.

Paul McCartney's publicist, Geoff Baker, described the ceremony as "joyful and moving.  Heather captured the hearts of the congregation when, overcome by the emotion of the occasion, she briefly faltered and wept tears of joy whilst making her vows."  Heather was given away by her sister Fiona Mills. While traditional hymns were used at the service, "Praise My Soul," "The King of Heaven" and "Lord of All Hopefulness", the couple also selected "Heather", a song written recently by Paul and was used as Mills entered the St. Salvator's church while carrying a bouquet of 11 pink McCartney roses.  As Heather and Paul made their way back down the church aisle, an organist played the "Wedding March" which Paul had wrote in 1966 for the hit movie "The Family Way."

Apart from the immediate family members in attendance, an estimated 300 guests were also invited to Paul and Heather's wedding.  Some of the famous notables present were: ex-Beatle Ringo Starr, the band's producer Sir George Martin, Pink Floyd's front-man David Gilmour, Jools Holland, 60's pop model Twiggy, Chrissie Hynde, and actor Steve Buscemi.

On Thursday, June 13, the newly weds flew to the Seychelles from Belfast to honeymoon on one of the Indian Ocean archipelago's private islands. 

After the honeymoon is over, the couples future plans will include co-hosting the "Adopt-A-Minefield Second Annual Dinner" to be held on September 18 at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles .  It is expected that Paul McCartney will perform with other musicians while Jay Leno emcee's the event.

June 14
PETER BLAKE RECEIVES KNIGHTHOOD IN QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST

Peter Blake, responsible for the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover, receives a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.  Sir Peter Blake was the first fine artist as opposed to a record-cover designer to transcended himself into the art world...Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band became the pride in the homes of millions of record-buyers during the Summer of Love in 1967 -- remembered not only for its groundbreaking music, but also for its exceptional art work and cover design.  This was the first time in the history of pop where both music and art combined together and became one.

 Said Sir Peter Blake: "It's a wonderful time to get this, as I celebrate my 70th birthday next week.

"I started at the Royal College of Art the year of the Queen's coronation in 1953.

"And it's funny to be getting a knighthood at the same time as Mick Jagger - we lived 50 yards away from each other. It's nice that two Dartford boys are getting honours simultaneously."

June 24
BEATLES EARN £34.2M

The Beatles "accrued a stunning £34.2M fortune after selling 11M copies of '1', their singles compilation, in the US last year.  Significant revenue from publishing earned a substantial income for Apple Corps, the group's American holding company", reports the Daily Post.

The article also mentions Sir Paul earning "at least £8M from his recent American tour" with "tickets for the show fetching up to £1,000 each on the black market."

June 28
RINGO STARR HELPS RAISE MONEY FOR THE DAVID SHEPHERD WILDLIFE FOUNDATION

 

In an effort to both raise money and the profile of critically endangered mammals in Africa and Asia, Ringo Starr and his wife Barbara Bach turned up before a large crowd in their hometown of Cranleigh , England , to lend support to The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.  Ringo Starr encouraged the crowd to buy David Shepherd's special sketches and prints, each one being autographed by the artist himself.  The charity event saw £6,000 raised on opening day.  The former Beatle is expected to show up with celebrities the following day for the "Cranleigh Carnival and Fun Day".

July 4
HARRISON 'S ATTACKER RELEASED ON CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE

In a statement from the Mersey Care National Health Service Trust which oversees the Scott Clinic in Rainhill, Merseyside, George Harrison's attacker "has been given a conditional discharge today by a mental health review tribunal."  The attacker who suffers from schizophrenia, received fortnightly injections under the direct care of the Scott Clinic to control his illness.  While the conditions of the patient's release were to "remain confidential" to "ensure the safety of the public", both Olivia and her son Dhani Harrison were not notified of his release by officials.  As news quickly travelled to the Harrison family concerning the attacker's release, Olivia and Dhani provided an interview July 5th with the BBC and said: "We can never forget how brutally close [he] came to killing dear George and myself, nor the trauma inflicted on our son and family." The Harrisons declared the "vicious" attack on George, who died of cancer last November, had robbed him of the vital energy he needed to maintain his health. 

Then, on July 9, a report emerged in Hello! magazine indicating that Olivia Harrison has decided that she will "sell Friar Park ".  The 120-room mansion is located in Oxfordshire and was purchased by George Harrison on January 14, 1970.  In December of 1999, it was here that Olivia Harrison fought off a knife-wielding intruder who tried to kill her husband.  Olivia's decision to sell the £20M property was based on the new information about the attacker's release back into the community.  Said a family friend: "[His] release just reinforces her decision to sell.  Olivia and Dhani didn’t want to hold on to a property that, among some very good memories, also held some pretty dreadful ones."

July 11
FUTURE DVD RELEASE OF THE CANADIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION'S PRODUCTION OF "JOHN AND YOKO'S YEAR OF PEACE" PLANNED

 
John and Yoko's Year of Peace, which originally aired in Canada to commemorate Lennon's 60th birthday on C.B.C. television, will be released in DVD format in the United States on September 17, 2002. In a report from the Music News Industry Network claims that Image Entertainment will distribute the DVD.

 When they were producing the special, the C.B.C. made extensive use of its own archival film from 1969. Interestingly, Yoko Ono also contributed to show not only by way of providing exclusive interviews, but donated photographs and rare film footage which resulted the show being praised by The Globe and Mail as "a brilliant documentary". It also also won a finalist certificate at the New York Festivals. Doug Thompson, the brainchild behind the program enlisted Paul McGrath as the producer and Alan Lysaght as the programs director for the show. Both gentlemen were responsible for chronicling the Lennons three visits to Canada in the special. Definitely an excellent program worth picking up a copy for yourself!

July 25
QUEEN VISITS LIVERPOOL FOR BEATLE TOUR

On this date, Queen Elizabeth II attends two very special functions in Liverpool: The Queen is present for the official 10:50 a.m. opening of a new airport terminal recently built and renamed as the " Liverpool John Lennon Airport ". There, the Queen unveiled a special plaque with Yoko Ono present. The second function saw the Queen leave at 11:20 a.m. to visit the city's Walker Art Gallery which is currently displaying Paul McCartney's art work.

Paul McCartney, who gave Queen Elizabeth a tour of his paintings, noted: "I think she liked them. She said they were very colourful and I took that as a great compliment."

Commenting on the ceremonies at the airport, Yoko Ono said this about the Queen: "It is such an honour to meet the Queen. John would have been very proud and honoured." Yoko later watched a cultural parade from the balcony of the Liverpool Town Hall . The Queen also had a chance to meet with Tom Murphy, the sculptor of the statue of Lennon that is found in the check-in hall at the airport.

September 9
GEORGE HARRISON'S "BRAINWASHED" LP SET FOR RELEASE!

EMI announces that the last material recorded by George Harrison will be released on November 18. The album, whose provisional working title was "Portrait of a Leg End" is now to be called "Brainwashed". According to Billboard writer Jonathan Cohen, there are "11 Harrison originals and an as-yet-unannounced cover."

The tracks were produced by George Harrison along with his son, Dhani. Overseeing the final production aspects of the album is George's long-time musician friend and record producer of Electric Light Orchestra fame, Jeff Lynne.

The album will be released on Dark Horse records and distributed through EMI. David Munns, vice chairmain of EMI Recorded Music told the Daily News that "EMI is thrilled to have this new affiliation with Dark Horse.

"George Harrison is an absolutely legendary artist and this is an extraordinary record and a testament to his genius. We are proud to offer this album to the world."

It is anticipated that "Brainwashed" could give George a posthumous number one album on the first anniversary of his death.

September 10
FOR THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE 9/11 TRAGEDY, YOKO ONO PLEADS "GIVE PEACE A CHANCE"

Marking the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Yoko Ono releases a new re-mixed version of "Give Peace A Chance" that includes lyrical references to the tragedy. Accompanying the re-mix is a short film that was released on MTV music to promote the idea of peace and not war. Said Yoko in a statement: "Let's create peace, unity and light. I think John's words are needed just as much now as when they were written -- 'Imagine all the people living in peace' and 'Give Peace A Chance'. Like all of us, I'd like to see the human race survive, living in health and in love with each other."

"Give Peace A Chance 2002" was available as free download from Mindtrain Records.

September 14
PAUL McCARTNEY PLANS TO RELEASE UNPUBLISHED BEATLE TRACK: "CARNIVAL OF LIGHT"

Predating John Lennon's Revolution 9, the Beatles recorded Carnival of Light on January 5, 1967, during the Sgt. Pepper period and will be heard for the first time in 35 years. The 14-minute track, according to their record producer Sir George Martin, is "...one of those weird things. It was a kind of uncomposed, free-for-all melange of sound that went on."  According to press reports, Carnival of Light will be used as a "soundtrack to a film montage of his late wife Linda's photographs."

Music historians consider Carnival of Light as the first avant-guard piece of recorded material done by the Beatles and was the mastermind of Paul McCartney. This is confirmed later in an interview held on September 26 with Professor Glenn Gass who teaches a course on Beatles music at the Indiana University . He is interviewed by David Pencek of Norwich who is covering Paul's latest tour across the U.S.A. Here is what Professor Glenn Gass had to say: "He [Paul McCartney] was the most eager to experiment. He was more avant-garde than he gets credit for. People see Paul as sentimental and John as cutting edge. That's not fair, and Paul gets a bit defensive about it." 

Carnival of Light had last been played at a London avant-garde festival in 1967.

September 23
"THE BEST OF FELLAS - THE BOB WOOLER STORY"

In an exclusive to the Ottawa Beatles Site, Joe Robinson shares his personal reminiscences of Bob Wooler. Joe had the unique opportunity of having met Bob Wooler in person on several occasions. This enabled Joe to personally assist Bob Wooler in developing his memoirs regarding his days as the DJ in the most famous of all beat cellars: "The Cavern".

Joe Robinson's excellent write-up provides readers with "a taster of things to come" with the pending release of Spencer Leigh's new book: "The Best of Fellas - The Bob Wooler Story" which is to be published on November 7, 2002, by Drivegreen Publications. The book will be full of Bob’s first hand accounts taken from his personal memoirs.

Click on the link with exclusive photos of Bob Wooler along with a personal letter Bob had sent to Joe...

A HARD DAY'S NIGHT DVD COLLECTORS EDITION IS RELEASED

Miramax releases in 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen, A Hard Day's Night, the DVD Collectors Edition. The DVD sound quality is remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, similar to the theatrical re-release from a few years ago. 

DVD Talk critic Aaron Beierle claims the quality of the film is "a remarkably clean presentation, considering the age of the film. Obviously, considerable work has been done....No major wear & tear is seen at all." He also had praise for the soundtrack: "...the new 5.1 soundtrack hits the ears wonderfully from the opening moments with the title music. The music sounds terrific throughout the picture, with a warmth and clarity that impressed me."

The Hard Day's Night DVD Collector's Edition also an extra bonus: The DVD boasts up to 30 different people interviewed who were directly involved in the making of the movie. Beatle historian Martin Lewis interviewed 29 of those 30 people which included Richard Lester and George Martin. Unfortunately, about the only thing that is missing is an on-camera commentary from the Beatles themselves, otherwise, the DVD should prove to be a another winner for Beatle fans and for the money coffers at Apple.

October 2
SIR GEORGE MARTIN RELEASES HIS NEW BOOK: "PLAYBACK"

Premiering his book at the Hard Rock Cafe in Melbourne , Australia , Sir George Martin announces his limited edition autobiography entitled Playback. The book, which has a run of 2000 copies are each individually autographed by Sir George Martin and contains a CD. While the autobiography comes with a hefty price tag of $880.00, it does contain previously unseen documents, diaries and recording notes that Sir George Martin made at EMI studios while he worked with John, Paul, George and Ringo. Playback also lists his favourite Beatle albums, in order: Abbey Road , Revolver, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Rubber Soul.

In an interview with Simon Plant of Herald Sun, Sir George Martin had this to say about choosing favourite albums: "I love them all, really. It's a bit like asking, 'Who's your favourite child?' "

Four decades later, the great importance of the Lennon-McCartney partnership is not lost in Sir George Martin's mind as to their writing abilities of Beatles songs: "[W]hen they worked together they produced something a little bit bigger than the sum of the individual parts. It wasn't just a collaboration, it was a rivalry as well. I don't think either of them really achieved the heights they did as Beatles in their solo careers. They needed each other," he told The Age press. "I'm sure Paul misses John very much. And George."

And what of the Lennon-McCartney legacy? Well, Sir George Martin feels pretty confident that John and Paul's musical collaboration is indeed secured in the history books: "I'm not saying it's as good as Ravel or Beethoven -- though it might be -- but there is no other form of musical art in the late 20th century that is any better," he told the Herald Sun.

Sir George Martin has won five Grammy awards and holds the British record for producing 30 number 1 hit singles. Playback is being published by Hedley Australia .

November 3
Lonnie Donegan, "King of Skiffle" Music, Dies

Lonnie Donegan, who has been acknowledged by The Beatles as a major influence on their early musical careers, died in Peterborough , England , at the age of 71. Lonnie, whose real name is Anthony James Donegan,  introduced "skiffle music" to England in the 1950's. He is best remembered for his hit song "Rock Island Line" which lasted 22 weeks on the British charts. It was that song that inspired both George Harrison and John Lennon to pick up a guitar. Said George Harrison in his autobiography, I, Me, Mine: "Lonnie Donegan was a much bigger influence on rock than he was ever given credit for. He was a big hero of mine." 

Pre-dating rock 'n' roll, Donegan's "skiffle music" comprised of the following musical instruments: a guitar, a washboard, jugs, a snare drum, and a stand-up bass with a broom handle attached to an empty tea chest - and two chords that created a gritty mixture of folk, jazz, gospel and blues. According to Hunter Davies, author of "The Quarrymen", states that by 1957, an estimated "5,000 skiffle groups" existed in Britain (in 1956, London alone had 1,000 skiffle groups!)  The music was joyous and yet simple enough to create that caused John Lennon to form his own skiffle group, the Quarrymen, around the time when Lonnie Donegan was at his peak.

Lonnie Donegan's other notable hit songs were: Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (on the Bedpost Overnight); My Old Man's a Dustman and Puttin' on the Style. His accomplishments over the years eventually led him in receiving a lifetime achievement award: the Ivor Novello in 1997. Lonnie was also made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2000.

November 19
George Harrison's final album "Brainwashed" is released!

"There’s nothing magic about this," said George Harrison. "It’s acoustic guitars played by musicians into a microphone that leads to a tape recorder."  George, in a video, was referring to the demo tapes he made that would be used in the making of his new album, "Brainwashed".  

Full credit should be given to George’s son, Dhani, for encouraging his father to record as much of the material as possible: "He used to say, 'Oh, you're going to have to finish all these songs.' I'd be like, 'Well, not if you do it first -- get off your arse and finish them!' " Dhani laughs.   

It was no secret to friends and musicians who were closest to George that when he re-mastered and recorded bonus tracks for " All Things Must Pass ", it became the catalyst for George to write and record new songs which ultimately appeared on George's final album. Jeff Lynne, who co-produced and finished up the tracks with Dhani, said in an interview with the Toronto Star: "It wasn't the first time I'd heard these songs. George had played them all for me live on his ukulele. I knew he'd been working on them in the studio, and we'd been talking about producing them together when we found the time. I had no idea how much work George had actually done in the studio until I opened the tape boxes four months after he died," he says. "The album was more or less complete, though it was in demo form."

In a tribute to George's final songs, Capitol Records general manager, Mark DiDia, threw a "listening party" for Harrison 's "Brainwashed" album and had this to say: "These aren't songs that were left behind on the cutting-room floor -- these are from his heart and soul." And, interestingly enough, Geoff Emerick who had been working in an adjacent studio where Capitol Records were throwing the "listening party", expressed some of his fond memories he had about George: "People don't realize it, but George had a great sense of humour. He was also such a gifted musician. On "Taxman," from the Revolver album, I can remember him writing the guitar parts backwards to get the effect. He could do anything. At first, John and Paul didn't realize how well he could write songs. But then they saw what he could do."

Advance press reviews of "Brainwashed" had Fox News heralding the album as a "bona-fide success" while  Colorado’s Rocky Mountain News in their write-up described it as an album that "echoes the sonic trademark of his classic work, Brainwashed doesn’t sound dated; it sounds timeless." 

The album features some very respected musicians in the pop music industry: Jim Keltner and Ray Cooper on drums; Mike Moran and Marc Mann on keyboards; Jools Holland on piano; Herbie Flowers, bass and tuba; Joe Brown, acoustic rhythm guitar. The album's co-producer, Jeff Lynne, plays bass, piano, guitar, keyboards and supplies backing vocals while Dhani Harrison plays electric and acoustic guitars, Wurlitzer and contributes backing vocals.

Said Jeff Lynne on Dhani's performance for this album: "Dhani's a great guitar player, and he matched his dad perfectly," says Lynne. "He's an incredibly talented young man, a musician, a painter, charming and knowledgeable. He's in no rush to become a pop star. He's very quiet and wise, much like his father." 

U.S. retailers predict that "Brainwashed" might debut in the top-10. Said Dave Alder, vice president of marketing and promotion for Virigin Megastores: "It's a perfect time for George's album. We'll be featuring the album at the front of all of our stores," he told RollingStone.com. "There's a curiosity among Beatles fans about George's last album."

COST CUTTING MEASURES RETURNS EMI TO PROFIT LEVELS

After a massive program of job cuts and a reduction of poorly performing singers from their repertoire, the BBC reports that EMI "is back in the black." The company saw "£174.8m" return to profit during the first half of this year. Apart from job cuts and reduction of musical artists from its organization, EMI also sold off their stake with Viva Media and part of their stake with the HMV record chain which aided in the recovery. The report, which was announced by EMI Group Chairman Eric Nicoli, added that the company is still tackling concerns affecting profit margins: the decline of album sales and musical piracy in Latin America, South Asia and in Southern Europe as well as digital piracy. That part of Nicoli's announcement sent negative ripples into marketplace as "EMI's shares fell from 10% to 165 pence shortly after the London stock market opened", the BBC reported. However, Nicoli was confident that EMI's financial ledgers will improve "at all levels of profitability" as they continue to sell off their remaining interests in HMV. Also, he anticipates that with newly acquired pop superstar, Robbie Williams, should increase EMI's record sales thereby improving the company's profit margins: "We not only profit from album sales," said Nicoli, "but also participate in revenue generated through other music-related activities such as touring and merchandise." EMI is anticipating that all of the combined measures outlined will help the media giant maintain their strong financial position well into 2003.

November 27
Year One: A.P. (After Peace)
With 15 new photos of John and Yoko's visit to Ottawa and Montreal

  By special arrangement with the Montreal Gazette and the National Archives of Canada, the Ottawa Beatle Site proudly presents a special photo essay on John and Yoko's visit to Canada . The feature includes an exclusive interview from Timothy Porteous, Prime Minister Trudeau's Executive Assistant who was present during the historic 50-minute meeting when the Lennons met with Canada 's Prime Minister on December 23, 1969. Also included on the same page is an exclusive interview with André Perry who produced "Give Peace A Chance" and "Remember Love" for the Lennons. The interview was conducted by Andrew Croft, publisher of the highly acclaimed Beatlology Magazine. Click on the above image to gain access to both of these excellent interviews and the photo collection.

November 29
 "Concert for George at the Royal Albert Hall"

Marking the first anniversary of George's death, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston and other close friends who knew and performed with the ex-Beatle, showcased a memorial concert in his honour at London's Royal Albert Hall. The concert, which was described by Ringo Starr as "a reflection and celebration", was organized by Olivia Harrison with Eric Clapton as musical director.

Ravi Shankar, who opened the show with a combination of Indian and Western musical influences, presented a prayerful introduction which included "The Inner Light", told the audience: "I strongly feel that George is here tonight. I mean how can he not be here when all of us who loved him so much have assembled all together to sing for him and play music for him."  And Eric Clapton, whom George regarded as one of the finest guitar players in the pop music industry, had this to say about the concert: "It's a beautiful occasion for me because I can share my love of George with you, his wife Olivia and son Dhani can experience and witness how much we loved him through his music."

The sell-out crowd of 5,000 -- which included Sir George Martin -- saw performances from the two surviving Beatles: Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney. Ringo paid tribute by performing "Photograph", a song that he and George had written together in 1973. For this number, Ringo was accompanied on guitar by George's son, Dhani. The ex-Beatle also did "Honey Don't" which was an old Beatles' cover version the band recorded on October 26, 1964. Fans most familiar with the number will readily attest that some very fine guitar picking by George Harrison can be heard on that recording -- so raucous was the session that an overjoyed Ringo Starr shouted on the track: "Ah, rock on George, one time for me!" Perhaps it was the fun-filled memories of that recording session that made Ringo choose "Honey Don't" -- and it certainly brought back lots of memories for George's fans!

For Paul's tribute, he chose three of George's songs: the classic "For You Blue" which was one of the big highlights from the "Let It Be" album and "Something" from the Abbey Road album. Paul also did a duet with Jeff Lynne on " All Things Must Pass ", the title track from Harrison 's first solo album since leaving the Beatles. Of all the three songs that caught the most media attention, was "Something." The Independent news reported that McCartney's "solo ukulele version of 'Something' glided beautifully into Clapton's reliably note-perfect guitar solo" which caused the "song's symphonic grandeur" to shine "brightly."  On stage, Paul made mention that his heartfelt performances were "a tribute to a beautiful friend."

The memorial concert also saw fervent appearances from Jools Holland; Gary Brooker; Tom Petty; Sam Brown;  Dhani Harrison and Joe Brown on "Here Comes the Sun". Billy Preston performed "My Sweet Lord" and did a duet with Eric Clapton on "Isn't It A Pity."

Proceeds from the concert will go to the "Material World Charitable Foundation, funded by Mr. Harrison since 1973, to support the arts, music, education and people with special needs," reported the Daily Telegraph.

December 8
Beatles '1' -- Fastest Selling Album Ever!

On this date, This is London reports the following: "The compilation album of the Beatles' number one hits - '1' - was the fastest selling in history." This fact is also acknowledged by Guinness World Records when they declared " '1', [which was] released on November 13, 2000, sold 13.5 million copies around the world in the first month, making it the fastest selling album." Sales of Beatles '1' continue to prove to be quite lucrative for its shareholders when accounts filed by Apple saw the company's "pre-tax profits for the year [2002] to last January soared to £18.4m", wrote This is London. Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison's widow Olivia, and John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono also made £7.5m each for "promotional services charged to the company as well as payments for the use of their name and likenesses". 

Special Note of Interest: Guinness World Records also states that "The Beatles have amassed the greatest sales for any group. All-time sales have been estimated by EMI at over one billion discs and tapes to date."

December 10
John Lennon's 'Imagine' -- Centerpiece
of New Amnesty International Campaign for Human Rights

With usage rights from Yoko Ono, Amnesty International will re-record John Lennon's legendary anthem 'Imagine' featuring an international children's choir. The recording is to be produced by Academy Award winning composer, Hans Zimmer and will be used over the next two years by Amnesty International as a campaign "to reach out across generations to rally support for human rights," wrote the U.S. Newswire services.

In a statement from Yoko Ono: "The 'Imagine' campaign is such a beautiful campaign. I'm just enthralled by it. Bringing this 'Imagine' campaign all over the world, and by asking children of different countries to sing the song, it's a way of getting children -- and adults -- to come together. It will mean so much to today's world for children to sing this song."

The campaign includes a CD to be released in the Spring of 2003, a music video, television ads, print and radio as way to get their message out. Advertising for the 'Imagine' campaign had already commenced in a December 8th edition of the New York Times and a "a four-page insert" will be included "in the December 23 issue of The New Yorker" according to the press report. Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) has also commenced with an interactive on-line website with a special interview from Yoko Ono: http://www.amnestyusa.org/imagine

Curt Goering, senior deputy executive director for AIUSA, explained why the organization chose 'Imagine' for their crusade: "John Lennon's vision was of a world in which the needs and rights of every single person were respected and people everywhere lived in peace and harmony. His lyrics challenged people to imagine and act -- the same challenge Amnesty International has issued for 40 years. With ongoing and impending conflicts around the globe, Amnesty International calls on people everywhere to join us not only in imagining a better world, but also in working to protect human rights and create a more secure and just world."

Since its founding in 1961, Amnesty International has freed more than 45,000 prisoners.

December 22
Sir Paul McCartney gets his own coat of arms

"Sir Paul McCartney has sealed his move from rock star to pillar of the Establishment with a coat of arms to go with his knighthood. The arms - with a guitar and a Liver Bird symbolising his music career and Liverpool roots - use a formula that dates back to the 15th century," wrote Mark Ludlow of The Sunday Times. "The shield features two black flaunches, or curved emblems. Each is divided in two and the resulting four shapes, resembling beetles' backs, symbolise McCartney and his fellow Beatles John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo
Starr. Two circles refer to records and CDs, and guitar strings pass over them." At the bottom of the coat of arms contains the motto: "Ecce Cor Meum" and is Latin for "Behold My Heart" which is the title of an oratorio he composed.

Queen Elizabeth II gave Paul the title of nobility on December 30, 1996. He then applied for the coat of arms but the design and approval was delayed when Linda McCartney, Paul's first wife, died from cancer in 1998. The shield was finally granted by the College of Arms (part of the royal household) and was "delivered to McCartney after payment of a £3,500 fee," wrote The Sunday Times.

Only two other pop stars have their own coat of arms: Sir Cliff Richard and Sir Elton John.