Price drop: 'On Air: Beatles Live at the BBC, Vol. 2'

Copyright Apple Corps. Ltd.

The Beatles "On Air - Live at the BBC, Volume 2" is now $8.99 at Amazon.com. Please order through this link. (Thanks to L) It's also £6.76 at Amazon.co.uk and ¥1,369 at Amazon.co.jp.

Special Beatles 'Sgt. Pepper' media event on June 1 in Los Angeles

The historic Capitol Records tower at night. Photo: Steve Marinucci

The 50th anniversary of the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper" album will be celebrated June 1, 50 years to the day of the release of the album with a special media event photo op flag raising at 9 a.m. PT at the Capitol Records tower on Vine Street in Hollywood. According to the media announcement, "Sgt. Pepper’ from the Las Vegas stage production of The Beatles™ LOVE™ by Cirque du Soleil® will raise a custom ‘Sgt. Pepper’ flag at 9:09am PDT that day.

The announcement said the Capitol Records tower will also be decked out in commemorative ‘Sgt. Pepper’ regalia from the ground up, including special signage and a large inflatable ‘Sgt. Pepper’ drum above Capitol’s Vine Street entrance. After sunset, vibrant rooftop lighting in the four colors of The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ suits will be featured. A spokesman for Universal Music said Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr would not be attending.

The news of the event comes a day before the release of several CD box sets, including the big prize -- a 6-disc set with a new remix, outtakes, the mono mix, a hardback book and a DVD and Blu-ray. The price on this has dropped in the last several weeks and is now under $120.

Help May Pang raise money for Red Nose Day

Red Nose Day

May Pang is raising money for Red Nose Day USA through her Facebook page. "Every little bit helps. This cause means a lot to me, and I believe that we can make a difference together. The good news is that every dollar raised Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will match it. The money will be DOUBLED. So come and donate. Thanks!," she wrote on the page.  

#RedNoseDay is on a mission to end child poverty, one nose at a time on May 25! You can learn all about Red Nose Day USA here.

Giles Martin on working on "Pepper," why no "Carnival of Light" and what might be next; other Beatles news

Copyright Apple Corps Ltd.

In a shameless self-plug, we interviewed Giles Martin about his work on "Pepper." You can read it on Billboard.com. 

And iTunes announced Friday night that those who have pre-ordered the 2-disc digital version have received both the new remix and take 1 of "Lucy in the Sky (With Diamonds)" in advance of the album release. If you get automatic downloads, you won't need to do anything. Otherwise, you can download them from the Purchased page in iTunes.

 On the first day of the Beatles Channel, we heard a variety of songs -- John Lennon's "Real Love" demo, influences like Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock," and plays of some of the 2017 "Sgt. Pepper" mixes. Paul and Ringo did audio promos that were heard the first day. Look for a 30-second TV commercial from SiriusXM for the new Beatles Channel which started Friday on Friday's Jimmy Kimmel show.

Paul McCartney reschedules opening U.S. tour date

Copyright MPL Communications LTD./photographer MJ Kim

Paul McCartney announced today (May 17) the opening date of his One on One U.S. tour dates, originally scheduled for July 5 at Miami's American Airlines Arena has been moved to July 7 for what the announcement called "enhancements to the tour production," though no further details were given.  Tickets for the original date will be honored for the rescheduled performance.  Those unable to attend the new date can get refunds at their original point of purchase. 

Two-part promo ad for new Beatles Channel running this week

This ad is running this week. 

The first two parts appear on two adjoining pages. 

And now part two.

Book on life at the Dakota with the Lennons and others on sale

Stephen Birmingham's book "Life at the Dakota: New York's Most Unusual Address" is currently on sale at Amazon.com in the Kindle e-book version for $1.99, which is a bargain compared to the paperback and hardback versions which start at $10. While not strictly a book about John Lennon, both he and Yoko Ono are mentioned all through it and there are several stories about their residency there, including how Lennon once ran twine across a staircase balustrade that the author speculates was probably done for Sean's safety to keep him from falling through it. But the book looks at the entire history of the building and many of its famous residents along with its history. It is one of those e-books on sale at Amazon for the month of May only.

Sirius/XM announces Beatles channel -- the official announcement

The Beatles Channel - Coming May 18 - Exclusively on SiriusXM

- First ever Beatles-backed radio channel to feature exclusive programming, spanning the songs, stories, influences and legacy of The Fab Four

- The Beatles Channel launch to be celebrated with SiriusXM's free listening preview program, offering 24/7 listening on inactive satellite radios

NEW YORK, May 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SiriusXM is pleased to announce The Beatles Channel, launching May 18 at 9:09 am ET exclusively on SiriusXM channel 18. Celebrating popular music's most legendary and influential band, The Beatles Channel has been created by SiriusXM to present unique and exclusive programming in collaboration with and fully authorized by The Beatles' Apple Corps Ltd. The Beatles Channel will also be available online and through the SiriusXM app.
The Beatles Channel will showcase all-things-Beatles with regular and special programming spanning the history-making careers of the band and its members: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The channel will explore The Beatles' entire career including their hits and deeper tracks, live recordings, rarities, and solo albums, while also spotlighting musicians who have inspired, and have drawn inspiration from, The Beatles.

Paul McCartney said, "I still remember the thrill of when we first heard our music on the radio, but I don't think any of us would have imagined that we'd have our very own Beatles radio channel more than 50 years later. The SiriusXM channel will have it all, 8 Days a Week."

Ringo Starr added, "Great news, The Beatles will have their own channel on SiriusXM. Now you can listen to The Beatles, Any Time at All. Peace & Love."

"We are so proud to announce the most popular band in history has joined us for their own SiriusXM channel," said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer of SiriusXM. "We've worked with The Beatles and Apple Corps Ltd. to create a channel that is as vital today as when the band's music was first recorded. The channel will be all-things-Beatles, 24/7. The soundtrack of our world, made by John, Paul, George and Ringo."

The Beatles Channel will launch at exactly 9:09 am ET on Thursday May 18, and will be celebrated as part of SiriusXM's free listening preview program, offering 24/7 listening on inactive SiriusXM radios from May 17 to May 30.

The Beatles Channel will present a curated mix of music tailored to a wide range of Beatles fans, along with a variety of regular shows and specials, including:

• Breakfast with The Beatles: A daily morning show hosted by musician and lifelong Beatles aficionado, Chris Carter, featuring music, stories and all things Beatles.
• A Day in the Life: A daily feature noting milestones in the lives and career of The Beatles.
• My Fab Four: A daily guest DJ session, hosted by musicians influenced by The Beatles, celebrities, and super fan listeners, each playing their four favorite Beatles songs.
• Beatle Bites: A daily "name the song" quiz featuring a short snippet of a Beatles recording.
• Dedicated Phone: # 844-999-BEATLES, for fans to make requests and share their Beatles stories.
• The Fab Fourum: A live weekly call-in roundtable show hosted by veteran broadcaster Dennis Elsas; TV producer and author, Bill Flanagan; and panelists including authors, musicians and fans.
• Peter Asher: From Me To You: He sang Beatles compositions as a member of Peter & Gordon, was part of the formation of Apple Records and went on to become a multiple Grammy-winning producer and much more. Now, his stories come to life in this exclusive weekly series.
• Magical Mini Concert: A weekly fantasy concert featuring live music from The Beatles and their solo works.
• Northern Songs with Bill Flanagan: A regular show from TV producer and author Flanagan, focusing on themes that tell the story of The Beatles, their music and the effect it had on generations of fans.
• Get Back: The Beatles in Britain: A monthly show recorded in and around London and Liverpool that offers the UK perspective of the Beatles phenomenon, hosted by Geoff Lloyd.

On June 1, The Beatles Channel will celebrate "Pepper Day" on the 50th Anniversary of the band's acclaimed Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, playing the album's new Anniversary Edition stereo mix in its entirety. The album spotlight will be accompanied by commentary by the album's original producer, the late George Martin, and by his son, Giles Martin, who produced the album's new stereo and 5.1 surround mixes from The Beatles' session tapes, guided by his father's original, Beatles-preferred mono album mix. Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe will release 'Sgt. Pepper' in several Anniversary Edition configurations on May 26.

www.thebeatles.com
siriusxm.com/thebeatles
www.siriusxm.com

Be sure to explore our That's What I Want Beatles store, That's What I Want UK Beatles store and our That's What I Want Monkees store for almost everything you could ever want at the very best prices.