Cilla Black dies, aged 72

Sad news reaches us from Spain, where Priscilla White, better known under her stage name Cilla Black, died aged 72.

Cilla Black's biography reads like a huge Beatles-related novel, and her story cannot be seen without that of the Fab Four from Liverpool.

Just like the Beatles, she came from Liverpool. Her first run-into with the Beatles probably dates back from the Cavern Club days, when she was a part-time cloakroom attendant at that famous music venue.

Cilla Black soon became a guest-singer for groups like Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes, and The Big Three.

She was soon signed on by Brian Epstein (the only female singer in his portfolio) and her first record was the Lennon-McCartney composition Love of the Loved. later in life she would go on recording many other Beatles songs, including Yesterday, The Long and Winding road, For No One and Across the Universe. Paul McCartney wrote "Step Inside Love" and George Harrison I'll Still Love You and The Light that has Lighted the World.

Other notorious occassions when she joined The Beatles was during the Cannes festival with Ringo Starr and George Harrison, and holidaying on a yacht. Picture: Cilla Black in Amsterdam, CC BY-SA 3.0, Nationaal Archief

Ben E. King dies, aged 76

Sad news from America. Benjamin Earl King, better known as Ben E. King died today.

He will always be remembered by Beatle fans as the author (together with Leiber and Stoller) of Stand By Me, the soul classic that was covered by John Lennon on his Rock 'n Roll cover album.

The single released by John Lennon reached No. 20 on Billboard and remained 9 weeks in the charts

picture: Ben E. King performing at the 2006 Summerfest, Manhattan, New York. June 2006 - CC BY-SA 2.0 - by Flickr user J&R Music World

Link between Roy Orbison and The Beatles

Roy Orbison (April 23, 1936 - December 6, 1988) was an American singer-songwriter, famous for wearing dark sunglasses, having an characteristic vocal range and hits like Pretty Woman, Only the Lonely and Dream Baby

His career is closely linked to The Beatles. Not only was he a major influence on them (Please Please Me was supposed to be a "Roy Orbison"-style song, only slower. George Martin suggested speeding it up a bit.

The Beatles also performed work by him, including "Dream Baby", the very first song they recorded for the BBC (broadcasted on March 8, 1962 on "Teenager's Turn")

From May 18 till June 9, 1963, The Beatles and Roy Orbison toured together and played in 20 different venues.

George Harrison remained a good friend of Roy Orbison, playing accoustic guitar on his last album (Mtystery Girl) and inviting him to join his "super-group" The Travelling Wilburys.

Ray Manzarek died aged 74

Ray Manzarek died today, aged 74. Famous for being the talented keyboard player of The Doors, he also had some connection to The Beatles.

In March 1973 (40 years ago) Ray Manzarek and the two other remaining Doors members (Robbie Krieger and John Densmore) arrived in London to look for a possible replacement for deceased Doors singer Jim Morrison.

Some of the names on Ray's list were Iggy Pop, Joe Cocker and Howard Werth (of The Audience). But they also had a meeting with Paul McCartney.

Paul McCartney said the following about The Doors: "I always liked the Doors and was sorry I missed them at Isle of Wight. It was a few months after the breakup and I wasn’t in a good place. But their music has always been cool."

Ray Manzarek recalls how they came up with Paul McCartney: "It was clear we needed to find a new front man. We couldn’t go on with me and Robby. So we figured let’s go to London and find someone. We thought about Joe Cocker- he’s a great singer. Iggy Pop came up. Do you know him? From the Stooges? Really raw and onstage he’s kinda like Jim, way out there. We were talking about singers we liked and Robby loved Little Richard. He said “that’s rock power.” That’s when I thought, what about Paul McCartney? Besides singing better than all of us he is the best bass player around and I won’t have to play bass anymore. We’d be like Lennon, musically at least, and provide that darkness and edge. So I called Paul and I was happy he agreed to come by and talk."

Complete list of Roy Orbison and The Beatles Tour 1963

After playing for smaller audiences in April and May 1963, The Beatles went again on a monster tour, this time with Roy Orbison. Orbison was a major star, having had a string of hits which included Only The Lonely, Crying, Love Hurts, Running Scared, In Dreams and many many more.

Much later Roy Orbison would become one of the Traveling Willburys (together with George Harrison)

18 May Adelphi, Slough
19 May Gaumont, Hanley
20 May Gaumont, Southampton
22 May Gaumont, Ipswich
23 May Odeon, Nottingham
24 May Granada, Walthamstow
25 May City Hall, Sheffield
26 May Empire, Liverpool
28 May Gaumont, Worcester
29 May Rialto, York
30 May Odeon, Manchester
31 May Odeon, Southend-on-Sea
1 June Granada, Tooting
2 June Hippodrome, Brighton
3 June Granada, Woolwich
4 June Town Hall, Birmingham
5 June Odeon, Leeds
7 June Odeon, Glasgow
8 June City Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
9 June King George's Hall, Blackburn

Emili Sande takes The Beatles UK record

Records are there to be broken. And so Emili Sandé broke one of the longest running records by The Beatles. In the 1960's, Please Please Me, The Beatles' debut LP remained in the charts for a staggering 62 weeks in the Top 10 in Great Britain. And on Saturday Emili Sandé did one better by being in the charts for 63 weeks with her debut "Our Version of Events". Good for you Emili, and lets see in 10 years' time if you managed to break any other Beatles' records.

Richie Havens dies, aged 72

Richie Havens, famous for opening the Woodstock festival in 1969, died today aged 72.

He will be remembered by Beatle fans for his version of "Here Comes the Sun" which made it into the charts in 1970.

He also released two other Beatles singles: Rocky Raccoon and Lady Madonna

Two McCartneys and One Rolling Stone on stage

Yesterday on Wednesday 27 March 2013 spectators at the Ambassador Theatre (London) were in for a real surprise.

James McCartney (the only son of Paul McCartney) was scheduled to perform at a warm-up for his pending American tour, but he was joined on stage by his dad (Paul McCartney) and Ron Wood (Rolling Stones).

Paul played piano on three songs, and Ron Wood apparently played acoustic guitar on six songs.

Who appeared with The Beatles in March 1963

During March 1963 The Beatles toured the UK with Chris Montez and Tommy Roe.

But there were other acts during these tours:

- America's Exciting Chris Montez
- America's Fabulous Tommy Roe
- The Terry Young Six
- Glamorous Debbie Lee
- Tony Marsh
- The Viscounts
- Britain's Dynamic Beatles

American Idol takes on The Beatles!

It was Beatles night at "American Idol" and not everybody did the Fab Four from Liverpool justice.

Let's have a look at the contestants and their performances.

1. Lazaro Arbos picked "In My Life" and didn't manage to hit the right key. The song is known for its warmth and  pathos, but Lazaro just didn't connect with it. He would have been much better having picked "Yellow Submarine" or "Something"

Mariah Carey tried to be positive but said "It was a little bit low for you".
Nicki Minaj was more straight-forward: "You are still not the Lazaro I remember. ... You used to be ownin' it! Now it's like ... I don't know. ... Something is bothering you, babe."
But the worst reaction come from Randy Jackson: "That was your worst performance ever, It was out of tune from beginning to end!

My points? 3/10 for bravery

2. Paul Jolley took on "Eleanor Rigby", and that was also a mistake. He should have taken "Help" or "Get Back" in my opinion.

Nicki Minaj was clear: "I like that jacket and I like that shirt, and I like them skinny jeans but did not like your performance, Jol. You know why? Very very safe. Very bland and forgettable."

My points? 4/10 for trying

 3. Candice Glover performed much, much better with her rendition of 'Come Together'

My points? 7/10 for being the rock chick we want her to be

4. Janelle Arthur tried her luck with "I Will" and managed to convey part of the tenderness that goes with the song.

My points: 8/10

And the others?
Well, there was Angie Miller with "Yesterday," Kree Harrison's "With a Little Help From My Friends" and Burnell Taylor's version of "Let It Be." Devin Velez sang "The Long and Winding Road" and Amber Holcomb tried her hand at "She's Leaving Home"

Who was Chris Montez?

During the month of March 1963 The Beatles appeared on stage with Chris Montez. But who was he, and what is his link with The Beatles?

Chris Montez was born Ezekiel Christopher Montanez on January 17, 1943 in California. When Ritchie Valens had his first successes with latino-flavered music (La Bamba, Donna,...), Montez decided to try a similar carreer.

In 1962 he had a big hit with "Let's Dance" and he came over to England to perform together with Tommy Roe and The Beatles. Initially he did not have a high opinion of the Beatles, as can be deducted from the following quote: "Who are these guys The Beatles? I try to keep up with the British scene, but I don't know their work"

Later he would work with Herb Alpert, the same producer who worked with Tony Sheridan and The Beatles in 1961 in Hamburg.

At the Fest for Beatles Fans in 2010 (Secaucus, New Jersey) Chris Montez previewed his documentary "El Viaje Musical de Ezekiel Montanez: The Chris Montez Story"

Paul McCartney appears on the new Eric Clapton record

On 12 March 2013 Eric Clapton released his 20th studio album. The record contains all-time favourite songs and 2 new songs.

Paul McCartney plays  bass and sing on the cover of All Of Me.

TRACK LISTING

1. Further On Down The Road
2. Angel
3. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
4. Gotta GetOver
5.Till Your Well Runs Dry
6. All Of Me
7. Born To Lose
8. Still Got The Blues
9. Goodnight Irene
10. Your One and Only Man
11. Every Little Thing
12. Our Love Is Here To Stay

The Pathfinders

On 19 February 1963 The Beatles returned to the Cavern after a 2-week absence and the club was booming with people since their single Please Please Me was doing so good in the charts.

One of the other bands that appeared on stage that day was The Pathfinders from Birkenhead. Around that time it was estimated (by Mersey Beat editor Bill Harry and Cavern DJ Bob Wooler) that there were approximately 300 active music groups in the Liverpool area (playing skiffle, jazz, beat or country & western).

The Pathfinders often played The Kraal Club in New Brighton but on this occassion they appeared at the Cavern.

The line-up of The Pathfinders changed often. Some members included:
- Tony Berry
- Tony Aldridge
- Tom Early
- Roy Brockhurst
- Pete Brockhurst
- Dave Stephenson
- Mike Allen
- Mike Jones
- Billy May
- Brendon McCormack
- Frank Bowen
- Richie Prescott
- Tom Bennet

The connection between Kevin Ayers and The Beatles

Today, 18 February 2013, is the day that Kevin Ayers died. Kevin was an English singer-songwriter who was a major influence on the psychedelic rockscene. He used to be in the prolific band Soft Machine but was also succesful as a solo artist.

There is actually one point of common interest between The Beatles and Kevin Ayers: they both had one common song on their repertoire: Falling in Love (Can't Help It).

The Beatles played this German song at the Starclub in Hamburg, and Kevin Ayers played it on an album in 1975

Klaus Voormann Biography

Happy 70th Birthday to Klaus Voormann!

Exactly 70 years ago, Klaus was born in Berlin. He played a very important role in the Beatles universe, befriending him early during the Hamburg days, designing the Revolver cover and later playing with Ringo, George and John.

Klaus Voormann is probably responsible for bringing Astrid Kirchherr in the picture, since he wandered into the Kaiserkeller Club where Rory Storm and the Hurricanes were playing, followed by The Beatles. Klaus was so fascinated by the music that he invited Jürgen Vollmer and Astrid Kirchherr the next day to see The Beatles perform.

John Lennon called them "the Exies" and they befriended The Beatles (especially Stu Sutcliffe and George Harrison).

In the early 1960's, Voormann lived with George Harrison and Ringo Starr in their Green Street flat (London Mayfair) when Paul decided to move into Jane Asher's home and John lived with his wife Cynthia.

In 1963 Klaus was managed by Brian Epstein and had formed a group called "Paddy, Klaus & Gibson", made up of Paddy Chambers (guitar/vocals), Klaus Voormann (bass/vocals) and Gibson Kemp (drums).

In 1966 Voormann designed the cover of Revolver and received a Grammy Award for it. He would later design the cover for RINGO, George's single "When We Was Fab" and the Anthology records.

Later, he would show up on numerous ex-Beatle records: as part of the Plastic Ono band on Live Peace in Toronto 1969, on John's Walls and Bridges and appearing on The Concert for Bangla Desh.

Other Beatle-related works are:

- John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

- Imagine

- Ringo

- Instant Karma