George Harrison documentary to include unreleased music

From the Hollywood Reporter:

Titled "Living in the Material World: George Harrison," the documentary will take on the whole of the Beatles guitarist's life before, during and after his time in the world's most popular and successful band.

...Olivia [Harrison] and Scorsese acknowledge that their film will feature never-before-seen footage and personal recordings of Harrison's, as he saved everything and left a ton of material. Scorsese says that all of that personal music led the way to the nonchronological exploration they wanted to take.

Scorsese finishing his George Harrison documentary

From Variety:

Martin Scorsese revealed Thursday that he has finished shooting documentary "Living in the Material World: George Harrison," working in tandem with Olivia Harrison, the musician's widow.

...Scorsese said the former Beatles' life was a remarkable musical and spiritual voyage. He and Olivia Harrison both said George Harrison was always trying to find the balance between the physical and the spiritual, hence the film's title.

"I grew up a Roman Catholic and wanted to become a priest, so it is a subject matter that has never left me. The more you're in the material world, the more the search for serenity," Scorsese said.

...Film also uses never-before-seen footage in tracing the guitarist and songwriter's life, from his days with the Beatles until his death in 2001. It includes interviews with those closest to him, including Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Eric Idle, Tom Petty, Yoko Ono and Phil Spector.

Berkeley Beatles class popular with students

From CBS 5 TV:

It's one of the hottest classes on the UC Berkeley campus. Eager students took a quiz just to qualify, with a waiting list twice the capacity of the classroom.

...The course was conceived and taught by undergrad Max Keller.

"I've dedicated chunks of my life to creating this course," Keller said. "I took almost a year to build this course from the ground up. I researched; I read 15-20 books. I went back and I learned every aspect of them."

Keller is 22 years and old and wasn't even born when the band broke up in 1970.

"But it doesn't matter when you were born. People love them regardless of their age, their music is timeless," Keller said.

Bidding tops $31,000 for signed Sgt. Pepper cover

Online bidding on a signed sleeve from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band has already reached over $31,000, according to reports on WhatSellsBest.com.

The website, which monitors rare items placed for auction on eBay, had cited that figure halfway into the 10-day auction, which ends in another two days.

Adding to the value of the sleeve is the fact that there are photographs documenting the four Beatles signing the album.

Oasis singer developing Beatles film

Oasis singer Liam Gallagher plans a film adaptation of "The Longest Cocktail," an insider look at the Beatles' Apple Corps days by Richard DiLello.

The movie would feature actors portraying the Fab Four and cover the years when rock ’n’ roll was moving from its cool, ‘let it be’ vibe to the point where it was controlled by soulless multinational corporations.

Photographer rediscovers negatives for 1963-64 Beatles photos

From Amateur Photographer:

A photographer has expressed surprise at the condition of negatives depicting his previously unseen images of The Beatles which had lain forgotten for more than 45 years.

Speaking to Amateur Photographer (AP), photographer Paul Berriff explained how he shot the images as an untrained 16-year-old while working as an editorial assistant on the Yorkshire Evening Post.

He said the 37 pictures of the Fab Four were among 850 negatives that have languished in various attics for more than four decades since the early 1960s.

The pictures show band members during unguarded moments on and off stage during a tour in 1963 and 1964.

McCartney reissues in the works

Concord Music Group has plans to reissue more than two dozen Paul McCartney albums, beginning with Band on the Run in August with added bonus material.

BBC working on biopic of Beatle pal Kenny Everett

Details:

The BBC is developing a 90-minute film called Number One in Heaven about Everett, who died of an Aids related illness in 1995 aged 50.

...Everett, born Maurice Cole in Seaforth, Lancashire, started his professional life as a pirate DJ for Radio London and Radio Luxemburg before joining Radio 1 in the mid 1960s. He befriended the Beatles and accompanied them on their 1966 tour of the US.

Lennon solo singles set for 45 rpm release on Record Store Day

From the Beatles Examiner:

EMI announced today it will release a limited edition "John Lennon Singles Bag," a three disc set of 45 RPM vinyl singles by Lennon on April 17 in support of Record Store Day.

The set will contain three vinyl 45 RPM records with artwork. The three records are:

- Single 1: John Lennon “Mother” / Yoko Ono “Why”
- Single 2: John Lennon “Imagine” / John Lennon “It’s So Hard”
- Single 3: John Lennon “Watching the Wheels” / Yoko Ono “Yes, I’m Your Angel.”

More info on Record Store Day.

McCartney announces full slate of UK gigs

From Mojo:

Macca will also play massive shows in Glasgow and Cardiff (his first gig in Wales for 31 years), as well as headlining the Isle Of Wight Festival on June 13 and the Hard Rock Calling festival in London's Hyde Park on June 27.

McCartney planning new U.S. tour

Paul McCartney has listed tour dates in Phoenix on March 28 and the Hollywood Bowl on March 30 with presumably more to follow.

Abbey Road Studios receives historical status

From Billboard:

Following speculation over the sale of Abbey Road studios, the U.K. government has listed the building at Grade II, which gives it a protected status.
..."It has huge cultural importance and a very special place in the hearts of recording artists and music lovers alike," said a government statement. "The new listing status will ensure that, although changes to the interior are not prohibited, care must be taken to ensure that any alterations with respect to its character and interest are fully considered.

Beatles' studio NOT for sale

Now EMI is saying it won't be selling Abbey Road Studios.

After days of speculation over the fate of the site made famous by the eponymous Beatles album, EMI released a statement saying it believes the studios should remain under its ownership.

The firm, which is owned by private equity parent Terra Firma, also said it had rejected an offer for the historic building last year.

It did however say it was in talks with “interested and appropriate third parties” about funding a “revitalisation” project.

The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions: The Official Story of the Abbey Road Years 1962-1970

Report on the Plastic Ono Band gig in New York

From Billboard:

Yoko Ono revived the Plastic Ono Band for a concert on Tuesday night that was part tribute, part vanity project and all irresistible fun.

The show belonged as much to her son Sean Lennon, 34, as to Ono, 76. Looking and sounding like his famous father, Sean Lennon pulled together an all-star lineup that included Eric Clapton, Paul Simon and Bette Midler as special guests.

EMI puts Abbey Road Studios up for sale!

Wouldn't it be an awesome site for a Beatles museum?

From the Financial Times:

Abbey Road, the London recording studios immortalised by the Beatles album of the same name, has been put on the market by EMI as the music group looks to extricate itself from the debt burden of Terra Firma’s 2007 leveraged buy-out.

There'll be a new Starr on the Walk of Fame

Ringo is finally getting his due on Hollywood Boulevard.

Ringo is delighted, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce will be honoring him with a star in 2010 on the Walk Of Fame.

Ringo said, "A star for a Starr - what an honor and a privilege it is to be walked on! Peace & Love."

A special evening ceremony 7:00pm on Monday, February 8th, in front of Capitol Records in Hollywood to celebrate Ringo Starr AND the 50th Anniversary of the Walk of Fame!

EMI releasing McCartney soundtrack song

From the Daily Mirror:

Sir Paul McCartney has inadvertently found his new single is being released by EMI - the music giant he famously quit in 1997 after more than four decades, complaining he was being treated as "part of the furniture".

The track, (I Want To) Come Home, was recorded for the soundtrack of the movie Everybody's Fine and is due to be released on March 1.

The track comes out on Walt Disney Records, along with the rest of the soundtrack album - but in the UK and Europe, it will be issued by EMI, the label he quit after 45 years of Beatles and solo releases.

Ringo interviews with NPR, New York Times

Ringo chats with National Public Radio and The New York Times.

"I'll say it again: I love being in a band," Starr says. "I love playing with other human beings. I've never practiced drums unless there was another human being in the room. If you could play, I'd play with you all night. But if I'm just playing by myself, it gets boring pretty quick."

Former Doctor Who plays John Lennon

One-time Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston is playing John Lennon in a new BBC mini-series.

The 45-year-old has donned glasses and grown his hair to take the role of the musical legend for new BBC4 drama Lennon Naked.

In a newly released publicity shot the former Time Lord wears a replica white suit worn by Lennon in 1968 at an art gallery with wife Yoko Ono.

The one-off 90-minute film, which looks at Beatle’s life from 1967 to 1971, will be part of the BBC’s new spring drama season.

McCartney to present at Golden Globes this Sunday

Paul will be among those presenting awards on the show, which airs Sunday on NBC. Check yer locals.