Writer takes up challenge for funny song about Beatle-hating girlfriend

Ken Sharp, the author of "Starting Over: The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy" and other books on music, also dabbles in recording. He took up a challenge from his co-producer and pal, Fernando Perdomo, who suggested he write a song about a girlfriend who disliked the Beatles. Sharp, who is a huge Beatles fan, told us, "Given that I LOVE The Beatles and they’re my favorite group I took him up on that challenge. The song is about a guy who is in a good relationship, his girlfriend treats him very well, but her dislike of the Fab Four is a major deal breaker and he has to break off the relationship. I mean, who is their right mind could hate the Beatles, right?"

The song was recorded and produced by Sharp and Perdomo and recorded at Reseda Ranch Studios in Reseda, CA.

And the lyrics are cute. Here's one verse: "She don’t know John from Paul, but baby what’s the worst of all, she thinks Wings is a TV show and Lennon is a Russian mole."

You can get the song here.

Beatles festival to feature The Fifth Estate ("Ding Dong, the Witch Is Dead")

The Fifth Estate (Courtesy Liverpool Productions)

Liverpool Productions announced today that the 2018 Fab 4 Music Festival will be held on from 1 to 10 p.m. June 9 at the Toyota Oakdale Theater, 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford, CT 06492. The event will feature 20 groups on two stages, both indoors and outdoors.
Special guest performers will be The Fifth Estate, whose hit song "Ding, Dong, The Witch Is Dead" hit #11 on the Billboard singles charts during an 11-week run. Other live acts include The Hofners, Penny Lane, Number Nine, The Taxmen, Rotary, Take Two & Call Me In The Morning, Double The Dial, Corporation TeeShirt, Beatlehead and Pat Horgan's Thunder Road.

The Fab 4 Music Festival is presented by Live Nation is association with Liverpool Productions, which presented "NYC FAB 50: The Beatles' 50th Anniversary Celebration" in New York City, and have produced the Connecticut Beatles conventions since 1978. They also organize the annual "Magical History Tour" fan vacations to Liverpool and London. For further info, visit website www.Fab4MusicFestival.com or call (203) 795-4737.

Klaus Voormann book pre-sale has begun!

Picture copyright Klaus Voormann

Klaus Voormann has begun taking orders for his next book, "It Started in Hamburg." The exclusive edition which is signed by Voormann is now available for pre-sale in his website shop. It will be published in the second half of May.

Here are details taken from the website (and thanks to J. for the alert):

Scheduled to be available as of the second half of May 2018

Softcover/adhesive (unsewn) binding
22 cm x 26 cm
220 pages
More than 200 images (fotos, illustrations, sketches, objects)

About the book:

Musician and graphic designer Klaus Voormann’s Grammy award-winning Beatles “REVOLVER” album cover is considered a masterpiece. However, confining his achievements to the “REVOLVER” album cover wouldn’t capture the whole picture of his multifaceted artistic work.

On the occasion of his 80th birthday in 2018, the book „KLAUS VOORMANN – IT STARTED IN HAMBURG“ is dedicated to his substantial creative work, beginning in Hamburg in 1958. Looking back on a productive period of 60 years, the graphic art also refers to
the musician Voormann and the perennial influence of the world of music.
Besides well-known illustrations from the Beatles-area, almost 200 pieces of artwork will reveal the artist’s diversity, including many graphic works, sketches and productions supplemented by fotos and stories – hitherto unknown to the general public – and contributions of companions and friends.

You can see images of pages from the book on the website.

Julian Lennon sets book autograph sessions in New York and L.A.

Julian Lennon announced today he will sign copies of his new book "Heal the Earth" at 7 p.m. April 6 at Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003 and 7 p.m. April 13 at Barnes & Noble The Grove at Farmers Market, 189 The Grove Drive Suite K 30
Los Angeles, CA 90036.

Amazon purchase link for "Heal the Earth" 

Amazon purchase link for "Touch the Earth" (his previous children's book)

Paul McCartney announces four new reissues for 2018

Paul McCartney announced today catalog upgrade reissues of "Chaos and Creation In the Backyard," "Wings Greatest," "NEW" and "Thrillington" with single CDs and colored vinyl due May 18. All four titles will be issued in single CD digipak and 180 gram black vinyl single LP formats and be made available for the first time in limited edition 180gram color vinyl pressings. All vinyl LPs will include a download card. Here are ordering links from those that are currently available on Amazon.

• "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" 2018 CD
• "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" 2018 vinyl
• 'NEW" 2018 CD
• "NEW" 2018 vinyl
• "Thrillington" 2018 CD and vinyl
• "Wings Greatest" 2018 CD (Amazon.co.uk)

New book by Klaus Voormann to be revealed

Klaus Voormann's new book (Photo courtesy Klaus Voormann)

Klaus Voorman has announced he'll be revealing details of a new book called "It Started In Hamburg" on April 10 on his website.  (Thanks to John Bezzini for the alert.)

Fab 4 Music Festival to take place June 9

Liverpool Productions' Fab 4 Music Festival festival honoring The Beatles will be held on June 9 to celebrate the 50th anniversaries of "The Beatles (White Album)" and the movie "Yellow Submarine." The event will be held at the Toyota Oakdale Theater in Wallingford, CT. Hours are from 1 to 10 p.m. There will be two stages of performances with 20 groups performing indoors and outdoors.

Advance general admission tickets are $19.68. There are also V.I.P. tickets available. Admission will be higher at the door. Advance tickets available at Ticketmaster. For more information, click here.