In 2023, biographer Philip Norman published a book about George Harrison. Norman has previously released biographies about Harrison’s bandmates, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, but he had an odd relationship with Harrison. The Beatle spoke negatively about one of Norman’s books, and Norman wrote a controversial obituary for Harrison. Norman said that in learning more about Harrison for the biography, he found that he was full of contradictions.
George Harrison’s biographer said the musician was full of contradictions
After Harrison’s death in 2001, Norman wrote an obituary in which he pointed out some of the musician’s less flattering traits. He said that while he has some regrets about that, he wasn’t wrong in the way he characterized the Beatle.
“I wasn’t totally wrong in saying that he could be, as we say in this country, a bit of a miserable git and that he was a serial philanderer,...
George Harrison’s biographer said the musician was full of contradictions
After Harrison’s death in 2001, Norman wrote an obituary in which he pointed out some of the musician’s less flattering traits. He said that while he has some regrets about that, he wasn’t wrong in the way he characterized the Beatle.
“I wasn’t totally wrong in saying that he could be, as we say in this country, a bit of a miserable git and that he was a serial philanderer,...
- 12/15/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When Paul McCartney began a relationship with Linda McCartney, all three other Beatles were married. Once people learned about their relationship, Linda began dealing with Beatles fans just as the other Beatles’ wives had. Fans gathered outside of McCartney’s London home every day and shouted at Linda when she walked past. Once, McCartney felt fans had gone too far. When he scolded them, though, they were completely unapologetic.
Paul McCartney was not happy to hear of how fans treated Linda McCartney
When McCartney began dating Linda, his most dedicated fans turned their ire on her. Fans waited outside his home and shouted at her. They left hateful graffiti on the fence and, on one occasion, threw dessert at her.
Linda returned to the house, and when she walked past the fans, someone threw a frozen chocolate dessert at her. Shortly afterward, McCartney came out of the house.
Paul and...
Paul McCartney was not happy to hear of how fans treated Linda McCartney
When McCartney began dating Linda, his most dedicated fans turned their ire on her. Fans waited outside his home and shouted at her. They left hateful graffiti on the fence and, on one occasion, threw dessert at her.
Linda returned to the house, and when she walked past the fans, someone threw a frozen chocolate dessert at her. Shortly afterward, McCartney came out of the house.
Paul and...
- 11/20/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney and John Lennon met as teenagers, years before they became international superstars. While it didn’t initially seem that they had much in common — McCartney admitted that he found Lennon frightening — they got along. Through their obsessions with music, they formed a friendship that invigorated Lennon.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon clicked when they wrote together
Lennon and McCartney met at a church festival. Lennon and his band, the Quarrymen, had performed to an audience that included McCartney. He was impressed enough with Lennon’s talent and showmanship that he had to introduce himself afterward.
From there, they became fast friends and collaborators. McCartney would meet with Lennon over lunch, and they worked on music together.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Universal Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
“Paul would have a school notebook and he’d be scribbling down words,” Lennon’s classmate Helen Anderson said...
Paul McCartney and John Lennon clicked when they wrote together
Lennon and McCartney met at a church festival. Lennon and his band, the Quarrymen, had performed to an audience that included McCartney. He was impressed enough with Lennon’s talent and showmanship that he had to introduce himself afterward.
From there, they became fast friends and collaborators. McCartney would meet with Lennon over lunch, and they worked on music together.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Universal Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
“Paul would have a school notebook and he’d be scribbling down words,” Lennon’s classmate Helen Anderson said...
- 11/18/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul and Linda McCartney had an extremely close relationship. The pair met and quickly fell in love, and then rarely went a night without each other for their nearly 30-year marriage. Linda adapted to having an incredibly famous husband. She learned to deal with both fans and people who were giving him negative attention. At one point, she seemed willing to take a bullet for him.
Linda McCartney seemed ready to take a bullet for Paul McCartney
When McCartney first began dating Linda, she got an immediate crash course in what it meant to date a Beatle. Fans waited outside McCartney’s house all day and did nothing to disguise their hatred of his new girlfriend. They wrote graffiti about her on the gates and shouted at her. One day, a fan threw chocolate mousse at Linda and remained unapologetic even after McCartney scolded her.
As a result, Linda grew...
Linda McCartney seemed ready to take a bullet for Paul McCartney
When McCartney first began dating Linda, she got an immediate crash course in what it meant to date a Beatle. Fans waited outside McCartney’s house all day and did nothing to disguise their hatred of his new girlfriend. They wrote graffiti about her on the gates and shouted at her. One day, a fan threw chocolate mousse at Linda and remained unapologetic even after McCartney scolded her.
As a result, Linda grew...
- 11/17/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Before The Beatles were household names, they had several band members who would not stay with the group through their fame. The band fired drummer Pete Best, but they had bigger problems with the skill level of one-time bassist Stuart Sutcliffe. While they didn’t fire him — he was too good of friends with John Lennon — they didn’t want his subpar playing to affect their music. Their solution was rather mean-spirited.
The Beatles didn’t want the audience to hear one band member playing
Sutcliffe was a close friend of Lennon’s who used money he made selling paintings to purchase a bass guitar and new amps. He helped name the band and was one of Lennon’s closest friends. Despite this, he wasn’t much of a musician.
“Stuart was in the band now,” George Harrison said, per The Beatles Anthology. “He wasn’t really a very good musician.
The Beatles didn’t want the audience to hear one band member playing
Sutcliffe was a close friend of Lennon’s who used money he made selling paintings to purchase a bass guitar and new amps. He helped name the band and was one of Lennon’s closest friends. Despite this, he wasn’t much of a musician.
“Stuart was in the band now,” George Harrison said, per The Beatles Anthology. “He wasn’t really a very good musician.
- 11/16/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Of all The Beatles, Paul McCartney was the most invested on keeping their career on track. He called his bandmates to get them in the studio and kept John Lennon focused. In the band’s earliest days together, he also stood out on the stage. According to another musician who played shows in Hamburg, Germany, with The Beatles, McCartney was clearly the most skilled musician in the group.
Paul McCartney outshone his bandmates in the early days of The Beatles, said another artist
One of the biggest turning points in The Beatles’ early career came when they began playing shows in Hamburg. They grew tremendously as musicians and performers because they had to learn how to keep the audience’s attention.
“They had to be good,” musician Frank Dostall said in the book Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman, “or else the customers just left and went to the...
Paul McCartney outshone his bandmates in the early days of The Beatles, said another artist
One of the biggest turning points in The Beatles’ early career came when they began playing shows in Hamburg. They grew tremendously as musicians and performers because they had to learn how to keep the audience’s attention.
“They had to be good,” musician Frank Dostall said in the book Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman, “or else the customers just left and went to the...
- 11/15/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1969, Paul and Linda McCartney married at the Marylebone Register Office. McCartney was the final Beatle to wed, and his marriage lasted the longest. The couple had a uniquely close and loving relationship, particularly for the entertainment industry. According to Beatles associate Tony Bramwell, the couple had a once-in-a-lifetime connection that appeared to develop over the course of a conversation.
Paul and Linda McCartney seemed to fall in love during a single conversation
McCartney had met Linda several times when he asked her to meet him in Los Angeles. Though they were really only acquaintances at this point, Linda agreed. McCartney had offered to buy her a plane ticket, but she purchased her own, surprising him when he walked through the front door and found her sitting amongst the other women staying in the house.
“She was waiting for [Paul] radiantly, totally spaced out,” Bramwell said in the book Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman.
Paul and Linda McCartney seemed to fall in love during a single conversation
McCartney had met Linda several times when he asked her to meet him in Los Angeles. Though they were really only acquaintances at this point, Linda agreed. McCartney had offered to buy her a plane ticket, but she purchased her own, surprising him when he walked through the front door and found her sitting amongst the other women staying in the house.
“She was waiting for [Paul] radiantly, totally spaced out,” Bramwell said in the book Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman.
- 11/15/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Before The Beatles were famous, Paul McCartney and his girlfriend were able to go to movies and concerts without the constant attention that would soon follow McCartney. When his girlfriend, Iris Caldwell, had nights off from her commitments as a dancer and The Beatles didn’t have shows, they would go out together. On their dates, Caldwell sometimes found herself cringing away from McCartney. She shared why his behavior could be embarrassing.
Paul McCartney’s girlfriend said he was sometimes embarrassing
In the early years of The Beatles, McCartney began dating Caldwell, the younger sister of fellow Liverpool musician Rory Storm. They had known each other for years, but he began to view her in a different light after watching her dance at a Beatles show. They began dating, going out together when they could find time between their respective performances.
“We’d go to the cinema every Tuesday: Paul would pay one week,...
Paul McCartney’s girlfriend said he was sometimes embarrassing
In the early years of The Beatles, McCartney began dating Caldwell, the younger sister of fellow Liverpool musician Rory Storm. They had known each other for years, but he began to view her in a different light after watching her dance at a Beatles show. They began dating, going out together when they could find time between their respective performances.
“We’d go to the cinema every Tuesday: Paul would pay one week,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When the early Beatles — John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best, and Stuart Sutcliffe — were first beginning to see success as performers, they nearly destroyed it. Lennon and McCartney took an impromptu hitchhiking trip together. The rest of the band was so upset to have been left behind that they began looking for other groups to join.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney took a hitchhiking trip without their bandmates
After playing shows in Hamburg, Germany, The Beatles returned to Liverpool triumphant. While they were not yet mainstream successes, they were on their way to fame. This all almost fell apart, though.
Lennon invited McCartney on a hitchhiking trip through France and Spain using his birthday money. To go, they ditched several Beatles gigs and seriously angered their bandmates.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon | William Vanderson/Fox Photos/Getty Images
“Accordingly the two just took off together, wearing matching bowler hats — the Nerk twins reincarnated,...
John Lennon and Paul McCartney took a hitchhiking trip without their bandmates
After playing shows in Hamburg, Germany, The Beatles returned to Liverpool triumphant. While they were not yet mainstream successes, they were on their way to fame. This all almost fell apart, though.
Lennon invited McCartney on a hitchhiking trip through France and Spain using his birthday money. To go, they ditched several Beatles gigs and seriously angered their bandmates.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon | William Vanderson/Fox Photos/Getty Images
“Accordingly the two just took off together, wearing matching bowler hats — the Nerk twins reincarnated,...
- 11/12/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After the chaos of early Beatles concerts, Paul McCartney would head to his girlfriend Iris Caldwell’s house to unwind. Surprisingly, though, he didn’t seek Caldwell’s company to help him relax. Instead, he went to her mother and made a surprisingly intimate request of her. Caldwell said her mother was always happy to oblige.
Paul McCartney asked his girlfriend’s mother for a surprising favor after concerts
In the early 1960s, The Beatles played sweaty shows in cramped, airless basements. After the performances, they needed time to relax. McCartney would go to Caldwell’s house to see her and her parents.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Pete Best | Mark and Colleen Hayward/Getty Images
“Paul and John [Lennon] used to love my parents,” Caldwell said, per the book Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman. “My dad was the most totally good man I’ve ever known. Each week,...
Paul McCartney asked his girlfriend’s mother for a surprising favor after concerts
In the early 1960s, The Beatles played sweaty shows in cramped, airless basements. After the performances, they needed time to relax. McCartney would go to Caldwell’s house to see her and her parents.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Pete Best | Mark and Colleen Hayward/Getty Images
“Paul and John [Lennon] used to love my parents,” Caldwell said, per the book Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman. “My dad was the most totally good man I’ve ever known. Each week,...
- 11/11/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In the early 1960s, Paul McCartney began dating Iris Caldwell, a former girlfriend of George Harrison. Harrison had dated Caldwell briefly as a young teenager, so her relationship with McCartney was more mature and serious. Still, the couple fought often and broke up regularly. Every time they split, Caldwell could count on Harrison to come knocking on her door to ask her out.
George Harrison was interested in Paul McCartney’s girlfriend
In the two years McCartney and Caldwell dated, they got into many arguments. She found his desire to always be the center of attention exhausting, particularly because he often followed John Lennon’s lead.
“One night we’d gone to this coffee bar in Birkenhead called The Cubic Club because everything was cube-shaped — the tables, the seats,” Caldwell said, per the book Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman. “Paul’s showing-off got on my nerves so much...
George Harrison was interested in Paul McCartney’s girlfriend
In the two years McCartney and Caldwell dated, they got into many arguments. She found his desire to always be the center of attention exhausting, particularly because he often followed John Lennon’s lead.
“One night we’d gone to this coffee bar in Birkenhead called The Cubic Club because everything was cube-shaped — the tables, the seats,” Caldwell said, per the book Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman. “Paul’s showing-off got on my nerves so much...
- 11/10/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Years after The Beatles broke up, Paul McCartney still spent a good deal of time reflecting on the group. The split had been acrimonious, but after the dust settled, the surviving Beatles had improved their relationships. McCartney was also able to look back fondly on his friendship with John Lennon. He discussed all this with Peter Cox, a prominent vegetarian, within minutes of meeting him, to Cox’s slight alarm.
Paul McCartney surprised a stranger with the way he talked about The Beatles
In 1988, Paul and Linda McCartney met Cox, the former chief executive of the Vegetarian Society. He thought they were an “amazingly beautiful couple” and was excited to meet them. The excitement went both ways. McCartney was a vegetarian and animal activist and was familiar with Cox’s work.
“[Y]ou’re Peter Cox! I saw you on the Wogan [TV] show, talking about your book,” McCartney said to him in greeting,...
Paul McCartney surprised a stranger with the way he talked about The Beatles
In 1988, Paul and Linda McCartney met Cox, the former chief executive of the Vegetarian Society. He thought they were an “amazingly beautiful couple” and was excited to meet them. The excitement went both ways. McCartney was a vegetarian and animal activist and was familiar with Cox’s work.
“[Y]ou’re Peter Cox! I saw you on the Wogan [TV] show, talking about your book,” McCartney said to him in greeting,...
- 11/9/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Following the death of their manager, The Beatles hired Allen Klein, a move that Mick Jagger warned John Lennon against. Klein had worked with The Rolling Stones as well, and Jagger felt that it would be a terrible idea for The Beatles to hire him. He called Lennon to try to warn him, but Lennon wouldn’t listen. Several years later, though, he realized Jagger had been right.
Mick Jagger told John Lennon not to work with Allen Klein
The Rolling Stones worked with Klein before The Beatles hired him, and their working relationship did not end well. The band alleged that Klein had pocketed their royalty payments, failed to pay their taxes, and stolen their publishing rights. Jagger was especially suspicious of Klein, and the band ultimately hired a law firm to look into the way he’d handled their affairs.
As this was happening, Lennon campaigned for Klein...
Mick Jagger told John Lennon not to work with Allen Klein
The Rolling Stones worked with Klein before The Beatles hired him, and their working relationship did not end well. The band alleged that Klein had pocketed their royalty payments, failed to pay their taxes, and stolen their publishing rights. Jagger was especially suspicious of Klein, and the band ultimately hired a law firm to look into the way he’d handled their affairs.
As this was happening, Lennon campaigned for Klein...
- 11/4/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In the 1960s, Mick Jagger moved in several doors down from The Beatles’ Ringo Starr. Jagger and Starr were members of two of the biggest bands of the era. Naturally, both of their presences drew fans. This became a problem for Jagger. When he and his girlfriend were leaving the house, a fan of Starr’s rushed forward and attacked.
Ringo Starr’s fans caused problems for Mick Jagger and his girlfriend
In the mid-1960s, Rolling Stones fans discovered that Jagger and Keith Richards were living together in Hampstead, an area in London. The constant presence of fans and the long-term relationships of both Jagger and Richards led them to decide it was time to move.
After bouncing around for a while, Jagger moved into the home of composer Lionel Bart. He moved in with his girlfriend, Chrissie Shrimpton.
Though Jagger had moved to avoid the hoards of fans gathered outside his Hampstead home,...
Ringo Starr’s fans caused problems for Mick Jagger and his girlfriend
In the mid-1960s, Rolling Stones fans discovered that Jagger and Keith Richards were living together in Hampstead, an area in London. The constant presence of fans and the long-term relationships of both Jagger and Richards led them to decide it was time to move.
After bouncing around for a while, Jagger moved into the home of composer Lionel Bart. He moved in with his girlfriend, Chrissie Shrimpton.
Though Jagger had moved to avoid the hoards of fans gathered outside his Hampstead home,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Decades after The Beatles broke up, Mick Jagger is still captivating audiences as the lead singer of The Rolling Stones. The Stones have been performing together for 60 years and are still releasing music. While they’ve taken a short break before, they’ve never announced a permanent split like The Beatles did. Jagger once said that if The Rolling Stones did break up, they wouldn’t do it as dramatically as The Beatles had.
Mick Jagger said a Rolling Stones breakup wouldn’t look like The Beatles’ split
In 1969, John Lennon told his bandmates he no longer wanted to be in The Beatles, effectively breaking up the band. Paul McCartney broke the news to the public in 1970, and from there, the former bandmates began airing their dirty laundry.
They spoke negatively about one another in interviews and wrote songs about one another. McCartney even sued his former bandmates to ensure...
Mick Jagger said a Rolling Stones breakup wouldn’t look like The Beatles’ split
In 1969, John Lennon told his bandmates he no longer wanted to be in The Beatles, effectively breaking up the band. Paul McCartney broke the news to the public in 1970, and from there, the former bandmates began airing their dirty laundry.
They spoke negatively about one another in interviews and wrote songs about one another. McCartney even sued his former bandmates to ensure...
- 11/1/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
As key members of two of the biggest bands of the 1960s, it’s hardly surprising that John Lennon and Mick Jagger spent time together. Despite rumors of a rivalry — and a history of trading insults — the two bands got along. Lennon and Jagger were friendly for years, going out together and visiting one another’s homes. During one visit, Jagger and his fiancée witnessed some very unpleasant behavior by Lennon.
Mick Jagger and his fiancée were surprised to see the way John Lennon treated his wife
In 1965, Jagger and his new fiancée, Chrissie Shrimpton, visited the home Lennon and his wife, Cynthia, shared. Problems plagued their marriage for years, and Lennon hardly bothered to hide this in front of guests. After the group watched Citizen Kane in the Lennons’ private theater, the Beatle suggested that they play Risk.
John Lennon and Mick Jagger | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via...
Mick Jagger and his fiancée were surprised to see the way John Lennon treated his wife
In 1965, Jagger and his new fiancée, Chrissie Shrimpton, visited the home Lennon and his wife, Cynthia, shared. Problems plagued their marriage for years, and Lennon hardly bothered to hide this in front of guests. After the group watched Citizen Kane in the Lennons’ private theater, the Beatle suggested that they play Risk.
John Lennon and Mick Jagger | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via...
- 10/31/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon was the first Beatle to have both a wife and a child. He married Cynthia Lennon just before the explosion of Beatlemania because they discovered she was pregnant. He wanted to keep their relationship private, but news of their nuptials leaked. The press quickly gave Cynthia and the couple’s son, Julian, nicknames, much to Lennon’s disgust.
John Lennon didn’t like the nickname the media gave his wife and child
Lennon and Cynthia married in 1962 after several years of dating. He didn’t have plans to propose to her, but they quietly tied the knot after learning about her pregnancy. He didn’t want people to know he was married, and Cynthia worked to keep her pregnancy under wraps.
John Lennon and Julian Lennon | Keystone Features/Getty Images
“If … the main man in the group, John, was found to be married, then it might take away from that particular success,...
John Lennon didn’t like the nickname the media gave his wife and child
Lennon and Cynthia married in 1962 after several years of dating. He didn’t have plans to propose to her, but they quietly tied the knot after learning about her pregnancy. He didn’t want people to know he was married, and Cynthia worked to keep her pregnancy under wraps.
John Lennon and Julian Lennon | Keystone Features/Getty Images
“If … the main man in the group, John, was found to be married, then it might take away from that particular success,...
- 8/14/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
By 1967, The Beatles had released so many No. 1 singles that it seemed impossible that one of their songs wouldn’t take the top spot. That year, they released “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane” together. Both songs were so strong on their own that it felt like another slam dunk for the band. Ultimately, though, another artist got the top spot on the U.K. charts. John Lennon was not a fan of this musician.
The Beatles consistently had No. 1 singles until 1967
The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein wanted the band to release a single in early 1967. They gave him three songs: “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Penny Lane,” and “When I’m Sixty-four.” While “When I’m Sixty-four” was a solid song, “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane” were seen as unbeatable.
“I decided to give [Brian] a super-strong combination,” producer George Martin said, per the book The Beatles: The Biography by Bob Spitz, “a double-punch that could not fail,...
The Beatles consistently had No. 1 singles until 1967
The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein wanted the band to release a single in early 1967. They gave him three songs: “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Penny Lane,” and “When I’m Sixty-four.” While “When I’m Sixty-four” was a solid song, “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane” were seen as unbeatable.
“I decided to give [Brian] a super-strong combination,” producer George Martin said, per the book The Beatles: The Biography by Bob Spitz, “a double-punch that could not fail,...
- 8/4/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s differences were what made them work so well together. Lennon’s dry wit balanced out McCartney’s sentimentality in songs and their personal lives. Dorothy “Dot” Rhone, who dated McCartney for two years, pointed out another surprising difference between the two bandmates. She claimed that Lennon was more compassionate than McCartney.
Paul McCartney’s ex-girlfriend said John Lennon was the more compassionate Beatle
In 1959, when The Beatles were still The Quarrymen, McCartney began dating Rhone. She traveled to Hamburg with Lennon’s future wife, Cynthia, to watch the band perform during their residency. As a result, she got to know each member of the band well. Though she was in a relationship with McCartney, Rhone said Lennon was often kinder to her.
“Paul was always supposed to be the charming one, but John was more compassionate,” she said, per the book John Lennon: The Life by Philip Norman.
Paul McCartney’s ex-girlfriend said John Lennon was the more compassionate Beatle
In 1959, when The Beatles were still The Quarrymen, McCartney began dating Rhone. She traveled to Hamburg with Lennon’s future wife, Cynthia, to watch the band perform during their residency. As a result, she got to know each member of the band well. Though she was in a relationship with McCartney, Rhone said Lennon was often kinder to her.
“Paul was always supposed to be the charming one, but John was more compassionate,” she said, per the book John Lennon: The Life by Philip Norman.
- 7/24/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Isley Brothers were one of the first bands to put Jimi Hendrix on the map. They also ended a career dry spell the guitarist had been experiencing in 1963/64. Here’s how Hendrix’s audition went.
Jimi Hendirx’s audition for the Isley Brothers
After he moved to New York, Hendrix’s reputation reached the Isley Brothers. They were in need of a new backing guitarist and Hendrix seemed like he could possibly be just what they were looking for. So the band found Hendrix, contacted him, and invited him to audition at their home in Teaneck, New Jersey.
The youngest of the brothers, Ernie Isley, then-eleven and not yet in the group, recalled Hendrix’s audition:
“When he arrived, he said he couldn’t audition because his guitar was in the pawnshop,” he said, according to Wild Thing: The Short, Spellbinding Life of Jimi Hendrix by Philip Norman. “We got it out for him,...
Jimi Hendirx’s audition for the Isley Brothers
After he moved to New York, Hendrix’s reputation reached the Isley Brothers. They were in need of a new backing guitarist and Hendrix seemed like he could possibly be just what they were looking for. So the band found Hendrix, contacted him, and invited him to audition at their home in Teaneck, New Jersey.
The youngest of the brothers, Ernie Isley, then-eleven and not yet in the group, recalled Hendrix’s audition:
“When he arrived, he said he couldn’t audition because his guitar was in the pawnshop,” he said, according to Wild Thing: The Short, Spellbinding Life of Jimi Hendrix by Philip Norman. “We got it out for him,...
- 7/24/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1968, John Lennon and Yoko Ono released an experimental album that many people, including actor Sissy Spacek, did not like. Critics derided the album but Spacek took a different approach. She was trying to make it as a musician at the time and released a song about Lennon. In it, she scolded the Beatle for posing nude on the cover of his Two Virgins album.
Sissy Spacek released a song about a new John Lennon album
After she graduated from high school, Spacek moved to New York with the hopes of becoming a folk singer. She signed with a record label and decided to go by the name Rainbo. Her career as Rainbo was short-lived, but she did record one song about Lennon’s Two Virgins album.
On the album cover, Lennon and Ono posed naked, a choice that sparked outrage at the time. Spacek referenced it in the song...
Sissy Spacek released a song about a new John Lennon album
After she graduated from high school, Spacek moved to New York with the hopes of becoming a folk singer. She signed with a record label and decided to go by the name Rainbo. Her career as Rainbo was short-lived, but she did record one song about Lennon’s Two Virgins album.
On the album cover, Lennon and Ono posed naked, a choice that sparked outrage at the time. Spacek referenced it in the song...
- 6/24/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1964, Bob Dylan met The Beatles and showed an immediate interest in John Lennon. According to The Beatles’ road manager, Dylan viewed Lennon as the leader of the band. They began spending time together, likely to Lennon’s delight. He was a huge fan of Dylan and took inspiration from him. As time went on, though, Lennon’s opinion of Dylan shifted. He grew more critical of the American artist at the same time that Dylan started showing more appreciation for him.
Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Cyrus Andrews/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images John Lennon and The Beatles were early fans of Bob Dylan, but Dylan didn’t want to admit he liked them
Even before The Beatles met Dylan, they admired his music. Dylan was an early influence on them.
“For three weeks in Paris, we didn’t stop playing it,...
Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Cyrus Andrews/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images John Lennon and The Beatles were early fans of Bob Dylan, but Dylan didn’t want to admit he liked them
Even before The Beatles met Dylan, they admired his music. Dylan was an early influence on them.
“For three weeks in Paris, we didn’t stop playing it,...
- 5/5/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Before forming The Beatles, John Lennon found himself in a complicated position with a bandmate. He founded the group The Quarrymen in the 1950s with some of his school friends. By the time Paul McCartney joined the group, it was clear that Lennon was ready to move on to other, bigger things. He fired one of his bandmates and longtime friends by smashing an instrument over his head.
John Lennon | Helmut Reiss/United Archives via Getty Images John Lennon worked closely with a bandmate in The Quarrymen
Lennon spent some of the earliest days of his music career in The Quarrymen, a skiffle band he formed with school friends. The original lineup was Lennon, Eric Griffiths, Bill Smith, and Pete Shotton. They named the group after their school song.
Lennon and Shotton were particularly close friends, having met in school and discovering that they had similar senses of humor.
“My...
John Lennon | Helmut Reiss/United Archives via Getty Images John Lennon worked closely with a bandmate in The Quarrymen
Lennon spent some of the earliest days of his music career in The Quarrymen, a skiffle band he formed with school friends. The original lineup was Lennon, Eric Griffiths, Bill Smith, and Pete Shotton. They named the group after their school song.
Lennon and Shotton were particularly close friends, having met in school and discovering that they had similar senses of humor.
“My...
- 4/9/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
By 1968, despite, or maybe because of, their huge popularity and success, the Beatles found themselves spiritually exhausted. “We’d been the Beatles, which was marvelous,” Paul McCartney later recalled in The Beatles Anthology. “We’d tried for it not to go to our heads and we were doing quite well – we weren’t getting too spaced out or big-headed – but I think generally there was a feeling of: ‘Yeah, well, it’s great to be famous, it’s great to be rich – but what it’s all for?'”
The...
The...
- 2/15/2021
- by David Chiu
- Rollingstone.com
Accompanying the opening this week of "Yoko Ono: One Woman Show" at MoMA is a feature by Lindsay Zoladz. But New York has been covering Yoko for years. Here's a brief timeline. "Here at the Dakota," 1978 By Delia Ephron "Residents of the Dakota feared that the Lennons would appear naked in the courtyard once they moved in. But they proved amicable neighbors: Ono even brought sashimi to a courtyard party, with the names of the host’s children spelled out in peas." "A Talk With Yoko," 1981 By Philip Norman She invited the writer over five months after Lennon’s death. "John Lennon’s Killer," 1981 By Craig Unger A cover story on Mark David Chapman. "Double Fantasy," 1985 By John Leonard “So what if John and Yoko were silly or obtuse?” "The Flux Stops Here," 1989 By Kay Larson "Ono’s 1989 one person show at the Whitney commodified her Fluxus art...
- 5/13/2015
- Vulture
An absorbing portrait of Patrick Leigh Fermor found the man behind the myth, while Edna O'Brien's perfect memoir cherished her many lives and loves
The outstanding achievement in literary biography this year was Artemis Cooper's Patrick Leigh Fermor (Murray £25). Like Dickens (whose life as told by Claire Tomalin was a highlight of 2011), Paddy Leigh Fermor lived life to the limit. Before he was 30, he had not only walked from London to Constantinople, but had fallen in love with a Romanian princess and, famously, abducted a German general in the battle for Crete. Leigh Fermor is a colourful and romantic proposition, but how do you write about a man who has already been mythologised in bestsellers such as Ill Met By Moonlight? Cooper's answer is to find the man behind the myth in a sharp, absorbing portrait of the scholar-gypsy. I was particularly grateful for the news that, until well into old age,...
The outstanding achievement in literary biography this year was Artemis Cooper's Patrick Leigh Fermor (Murray £25). Like Dickens (whose life as told by Claire Tomalin was a highlight of 2011), Paddy Leigh Fermor lived life to the limit. Before he was 30, he had not only walked from London to Constantinople, but had fallen in love with a Romanian princess and, famously, abducted a German general in the battle for Crete. Leigh Fermor is a colourful and romantic proposition, but how do you write about a man who has already been mythologised in bestsellers such as Ill Met By Moonlight? Cooper's answer is to find the man behind the myth in a sharp, absorbing portrait of the scholar-gypsy. I was particularly grateful for the news that, until well into old age,...
- 11/29/2012
- by Robert McCrum
- The Guardian - Film News
London, Nov 25: Rolling Stones rocker Mick Jagger says he was once horrified when an elderly fan showed off a naked photograph of herself.
The 69−year−old has enjoyed many memorable run−ins with fans over the course of his career as a rock star and some of the craziest things happened while the band were on tour in the Us, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Describing an incident in New York in his biography, 'Mick Jagger', author Philip Norman wrote: "He was stopped on the street by a grey haired, grandmotherly woman who said she had a photograph she wanted to show him.
"It proved to be of herself, lying on.
The 69−year−old has enjoyed many memorable run−ins with fans over the course of his career as a rock star and some of the craziest things happened while the band were on tour in the Us, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Describing an incident in New York in his biography, 'Mick Jagger', author Philip Norman wrote: "He was stopped on the street by a grey haired, grandmotherly woman who said she had a photograph she wanted to show him.
"It proved to be of herself, lying on.
- 11/25/2012
- by Lohit Reddy
- RealBollywood.com
Sir Mick Jagger was horrified by an elderly lady who showed him naked photos. The Rolling Stones singer has enjoyed many memorable run-ins with fans over the course of his career as a rock star, with some of the craziest happening while the band were on tour in the Us. Describing an incident in New York in his biography, 'Mick Jagger', Philip Norman wrote: 'He was stopped on the street by a grey haired, grandmotherly woman who said she had a photograph she wanted to show him. It proved to be of herself, lying on a bed, naked, with legs spread wide. When Mick showed distaste , the vintage vamp grabbed his hair and pulled him to the...
- 11/24/2012
- Monsters and Critics
Sir Mick Jagger was horrified by an elderly lady who showed him naked photos. The Rolling Stones singer has enjoyed many memorable run-ins with fans over the course of his career as a rock star, with some of the craziest happening while the band were on tour in the Us. Describing an incident in New York in his biography, 'Mick Jagger', Philip Norman wrote: ''He was stopped on the street by a grey haired, grandmotherly woman who said she had a photograph she wanted to show him. It proved to be of herself, lying on a bed, naked, with legs...
- 11/24/2012
- Virgin Media - Celebrity
Marianne Faithfull preferred reading to having sex with Sir Mick Jagger. The model-and-singer dated The Rolling Stones singer from 1966 to 1970, and although there have long been rumours of how exotic their bedroom activities were, it has been claimed that not long into their relationship they preferred to read to each other. In his biography, 'Mick Jagger', Philip Norman writes: 'She'd always found sex a 'problem' - as beautiful people not infrequently do. Within about six months the initial passion between Mick and her had cooled to friendship. 'In bed, more often than not, they would have ramparts of books between them and be reading aloud to each other.' While they weren't often having sex with each other,...
- 11/19/2012
- Monsters and Critics
Marianne Faithfull preferred reading to having sex with Sir Mick Jagger. The model-and-singer dated The Rolling Stones singer from 1966 to 1970, and although there have long been rumours of how exotic their bedroom activities were, it has been claimed that not long into their relationship they preferred to read to each other. In his biography, 'Mick Jagger', Philip Norman writes: ''She'd always found sex a 'problem' - as beautiful people not infrequently do. Within about six months the initial passion between Mick and her had cooled to friendship. ''In bed, more often than not, they would have ramparts of...
- 11/19/2012
- Virgin Media - Celebrity
Mick Jagger's First Girlfriend Looks Back Chrissie Shrimpton met Mick Jagger in 1963, when she was an aspiring model and actress of seventeen. They were together for three years. In Philip Norman's new biography of the singer, Mick Jagger, Shrimpton remembers the highs and lows of the relationship. Outed as Mick's steady girlfriend some months previously, Chrissie was regularly pictured by his side with her flicked-up, Alice-banded hair, enormous black eyes, and matching full-lipped pout, her famous surname giving that intriguing extra twist to his own accelerating fame. Along with Paul McCartney's similarly "classy bird," Jane Asher, she was the envy of almost every young woman in Britain. In reality, Chrissie hated the life she now found herself leading as the consort of a fast-rising star. "The fans used to attack me and throw things at me, and it was often really frightening. [...]...
- 10/10/2012
- by Philip Norman
- Nerve
If we believe all the eulogies to the Hollywood star, how can we say that only thin women are truly beautiful?
At the time of writing, the death of Elizabeth Taylor has yet to feature on Goop, the lifestyle website founded and run by another movie star, Gwyneth Paltrow. Admittedly, the older actress's weakness for bourbon, hot dogs and prescription drugs are not a natural fit with Gwyneth's tips for eternal life – how differently Taylor's career might have ended had she stuck to morning draughts of kale juice, "full of calcium and antioxidants" – but in the tributes following her death, many varied, usually dissonant voices have agreed that the woman, with all her fleshly vices, was a goddess and an inspiration of the sort we shall not see again.
We find Julie Burchill, for instance, who once addressed Camille Paglia as a "crazy old dyke", in full agreement with the...
At the time of writing, the death of Elizabeth Taylor has yet to feature on Goop, the lifestyle website founded and run by another movie star, Gwyneth Paltrow. Admittedly, the older actress's weakness for bourbon, hot dogs and prescription drugs are not a natural fit with Gwyneth's tips for eternal life – how differently Taylor's career might have ended had she stuck to morning draughts of kale juice, "full of calcium and antioxidants" – but in the tributes following her death, many varied, usually dissonant voices have agreed that the woman, with all her fleshly vices, was a goddess and an inspiration of the sort we shall not see again.
We find Julie Burchill, for instance, who once addressed Camille Paglia as a "crazy old dyke", in full agreement with the...
- 3/27/2011
- by Catherine Bennett
- The Guardian - Film News
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