Ringo at the Grammies

You might have seen Ringo on the Grammy awards tonight. If you want to see some photos from tonight, please go here. I have here some photos from when Ringo (along with Nancy Andrews) were at the Grammy awards in 1977. I believe these are more along the lines of paparazzi photos than fan photos, but the last one could go either way.

Funny photo

I don't think this is a "fan photo" at all and I am totally stretching it here, but that is ok. I have always seen this photograph cropped. I never have seen this lovely early Beatles photo with someone holding their baby up to be in the picture! How funny is that? "Here let me get my baby in there with you fellows" I would guess that was taken January 1964 in France if I was forced to guess.

John's Germany press conference

A big thank you goes out to Ken Wood for all of the research he has been doing getting dates and things together for when John was in Germany making the movie , "How I won the War." In his research, he found this photo of John and Dick Lester taken at the press conference that was in Hamburg, Germany just before shooting for the film took place.

Performing for the fans

Donovan and Paul

I love Donovan's music. I have been a big fan for years! Now I don't understand his songs all of the time. I don't know what an electrical banana is, or why it must be the season of the witch or my favorite...first there is a mountain...then there is no mountain...then there is. I don't know what any of that means at all. But I truly enjoy his music. His biography was a little dry just for the record. My favorite Beatles bootleg is called Abbey Road N.W.8. It is a classic Beatles bootleg (or Beatleg if you will) that I have had in my collection for at least 15 years. But I LOVE the stuff off of it that has Paul and Donovan singing. Great stuff! And that my friends is why this photo is cool....

Meeting George 1964

It was a numerologists dream, but I was totally unaware of any of that at the ripe old age of 14. I had been chosen the 14th winner in a 14 person contest to see the Beatles at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh. It was sponsored by KQV radio whose frequency was 1410 on the AM dial. The concert was held on September 14, 1964. It was my 14th. birthday.

We watched the concert from the first row. And that was about it. We WATCHED the concert. The screaming was constant from the time they came out until the time they left the stage. I don't think anyone heard a single chord but then I don't think anyone really minded.

After the concert we were whisked backstage to meet the Beatles. It was an atmosphere of smoke, clinking glasses, loud talking and laughter, flashbulbs going off, reporters shouting questions. It was very disorienting for a 14 year old.

We were taken through the crowd where we were literally presented to the Beatles. Our audience lasted about 20 seconds but it seemed like hours. The only thing I said was..'It's my Birthday!' Upon hearing this, George Harrison said, 'Happy Birthday'. He motioned for me to sit next to him on a trunk and a black and white Polaroid picture was taken of me sitting next to George with his arm on my shoulder.

If anyone remembers the old B/W Polaroid's, you had to coat the picture with this goo after you took the picture. Needless to say that no one thought of doing that at the time. I still have the picture, but because of the lack of secret coating, it has turned to a brown color and the image is more of a negative now than the original positive image. But I know it's there. I had it framed for awhile, but I found out that light was deteriorating it due to the lack of the coating. So every now and then, I take it out. I took it out the day he passed on and I was 14 again.

I guess you could say that I was then what is now known as a dork or geek. For a guy to be "into" the Beatles they had to be uncool. Before they hit the scene I had no interests in anything. They gave me a life, which enabled me to feel confident within myself. I am re-reading this as I type and it seems so trite and yes, dorky, but I wouldn't have traded a single moment of my experience with them growing up for anything in the world.

Hollywood 1964

Here is a very interesting find. It is a Polaroid photograph of George Harrison with two fans. They are standing outside of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood (I was right there this past summer!!) taken while the Beatles were playing the Hollywood Bowl and staying in L.A. during the 1964 North America tour.

The fans waited for the photo to develop (gotta love Polaroids for the quick processing!) and had George sign the back of the photo. Now for me this would be a big issue. What side would you display? On the front is a phot of YOU with George and on the other is George's authentic autograph!

Paul in the Big Easy

Much thanks to Rachael for sending me a fan photo of Paul that I have never seen before! She says that this photo of Paul with a fan in New Orleans (1975) was found on myspace and included a story written by the fan. So if you are the fan in this great photo, and you happen to be reading this blog, please contact me with the story!

Side profile

Looks like Ringo turned his head the wrong direction when this fan photo was snapped. Oh well. At least they were super close to Ringo!!

Teen Idols

A former teen idol meets a current teen idol when one of the Jonas Brothers met Paul recently. I wonder if he gave him any tips about screaming girls and disguises.

Awesome John photo!

Using my inferencing skill, I have determined that this man with John Lennon (I would guess around 1973) is named Manuel and he is a tailor from the Nashville area. Whatever John said to him right before this photo was snapped, was obviously very funny to Manuel. That doesn't surprise me, John could be a really funny guy. It looks like the photo was taken in the back of a shoe store or something? Amazing photo!

Tina the Tabla player meets Ringo Starr

Here is the blog that Tina Sugandh posted about her playing the tabla at Ringo's house for his current album, Y Not. While from the post and youtube video, I gather that Tina is a celebrity in her own right, she still seemed thrilled to meet Ringo and thus is no doubt a fan! I love the fact that Ringo is wearing a Doors t-shirt!

I'm not sure how exactly to say this casually, so I must just resort to using
all caps-I JUST WENT TO RINGO STARR'S HOUSE AND PLAYED TABLA AND SANG IN HINDI
ON HIS ALBUM AND ALSO GAVE HIM A LITTLE TABLA TUTORIAL!!!
Seriously, how
crazy is that?? I've met lots of celebrities and I really must say, "Starr" is
the perfect name for him. He somehow manages to be humble and sweet and warm,
but also just inadvertently commands attention with his and infectious
enthusiasm and his seriously witty one-liners. He is the KING of one-liners.
Everyone in the room was just cracking up the whole time. He's SO loveable a
person, and it really is NOT because of the fact that he is a legend, but just
because he is a truly beautiful person.

He gave me a white "peace and
love" band (which I have still have not taken off). The greatest thing about him
giving out these bracelets is that he really and truly wants to spread peace and
love throughout the world. For example, he got a bit annoyed at one point when
we had to dump out half of a small water bottle since we didn't know whose it
was. He said "just this much water could save a little kid's life". How sweet is
that?!

I wish all celebs could be like Ringo-gracious, kind, incredibly
entertaining, humble, able to focus on the truly important things in life, etc.
What a truly wonderful experience...

Seattle '64

Paul in '68

I would guess that these two photos were taken at the same time. Does anyone have the one that is in the frame in better condition?

My new blog

So I am starting up a 2nd blog that focuses on the Beatles. The Meet the Beatles for Real blog will still be the one that I put the most time and effort into because I LOVE the Beatles fan photos and stories way too much to give up on it at all.

My two favorite things are the Beatles and Disney. I decided to start up a blog about the Beatles and Disney. Right now I have 2 entries, but I have a lot more in mind for the future. I might not update it all of the time, but I wanted you all to be aware of it in case you are interested.

Thanks!

Denver 1964

Tonight on ebay I found the mother load of awesome press conference photos. I am supposed to be with my boyfriend right now, and he is waiting for me actually. But I had to look at ebay and then I found these photos and I am here screaming like well....like a Beatlefan!!! I have been looking for good photos from the 1964 Denver press conference forever! Look at the guys in their little cowboy vests that were given to them! EEEEEEEEEEEE!

More about Marilyn doerflers

That same ebay seller has more Marilyn Doerflers photos and items for auction.

Airplane photos

Why you shouldn't use magnetic albums

I am posting this message as a public service announcement. You should never and I mean NEVER use magnetic photo albums for your pictures. If you happen to have used those evil albums and current have photos in them, please remove them today! It doesn't matter what photos you have in them. If they are important to you, please for the love of God, get those precious photos out of there! The magnetic albums EAT UP your photos. They ruin your photographs. To remove the photos from them, you need to carefully use dental floss and an letter opener. It is a long process, but you will be happy to have saved your photos. The Beatles photo currently on ebay is a prime example of what happens if you put your photo in a magnetic album. This photo was saved, but just barely.

Snapshot from Sydney

Wax Dummy???

Is it just me or does one guy between George and Paul in this photo look like a wax dummy and not a real person? Sort of freaky!

George Tebbens' photo

I think this is a great John and Yoko photo from the late 1970's. It is a shot I don't believe I have seen before! It was taken by George Tebbens. Looks like a windy night in NYC....

George again

I posted this photo once before, but this copy of it is cropped closer and much lighter.

Early Beatles fans

Back at Kinfauns

Some more of the Kinfuans photos I have saved... I especially enjoy seeing his cat, Josstick.

Harrison family

The story behind this photo is that it was taken during a visit that Pattie and George made to visit George's mom, dad and brother in Liverpool. Well...Pattie sent this photo to a fan that wrote a letter to her. And what do you think that fan did with this great photo? Yep! That fan made copies and passed it around to other fans! So thank you to Pattie for sending this photo to a fan in the first place and thank you to the fan who received this photo and passed it around so that we have it today!

Richard Porter's photos

In case I haven't mentioned it lately, I am going to be in London and Liverpool in June! That is just 5 months away! Whoo hoo! I can't wait! I am setting up some of the details and one of the things I will be doing for sure is going on Richard Porter's Beatles walk tours in London. Richard has met Paul McCartney on several occassions and posted those photos on his facebook.

Filming for a Hard Day's Night

When the Beatles were filming their first movie, A Hard Day's Night, they drew a HUGE crowd everywhere they went to make the movie. This is very obvious when they were filming at Somerset for one of the train scenes. Fans were coming up to the train in large crowds and wanting photos and autographs. This wouldn't be the most intimate way to "meet the Beatles" but it would be better than nothing, that is for sure!