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Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Beatle Blasts Radio 1 Ban (1996)
Beatle Blasts Radio 1 Ban
No author listed
March 11, 1996
Paul McCartney today hit out at Radio 1 bosses who have banned the Beatles' new single from their playlist. The Beatles are at number four in the charts with " Real Love " despite the BBC's refusal to play the track on its prime shows. They claim the single "lacks merit" and is a turn-off to young music fans.
Multi-millionaire McCartney says, "If Radio 1 feels we should be banned, it's not exactly going to ruin us overnight. But as I see it, Radio 1 is part of the BBC, and the BBC is paid for by you and me.
"I can afford the license fee, but from my time growing up in Liverpool, I know a lot of people have to work damn hard to find the cash."
McCartney accused the station's "kindergarten kids" of being out of touch with the audience they were trying to woo after losing some 5 million listeners in recent years. McCartney said, "You can't put an age limit on good music. Just because I don't suffer from teenage spots doesn't mean I can't play the guitar any longer. I'm forever reading how bands like Oasis are openly crediting the Beatles as an inspiration."
April 16, 1982
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| All photographs taken by Ron Gallella |
April 16, 1982
By Karen Dyson
With a Little Help From My Friends
April 1982
On April 16, 1982 in Los Angeles, I was lucky enough to be in the presence of one Paul McCartney for about 45 seconds, along with Patty, Mary Ann and Lynda on a lazy Friday night.
Paul's Friday morning was spent with his family at Universal Studios, then on to a studio to tape the intro to the " Ebony and Ivory " video for Fridays. From there, it was on to West Lake Studios to finish up recording with Michael Jackson. Paul had been in the studio with Michael since Wednesday. Unfortunately, we didn't find out until Friday afternoon. Paul was scheduled in the studio till 7pm. We arrived about 6:30 and waited out the ordeal.
A few people, plus kids and a bodyguard, came out to stroll over to the shopping center. They stopped at a corner for a short while to mark initials and doodles in freshly laid cement. I noticed that one little fellow looked very much like James. When Mary Ann and Lynda arrived, Patty and I trekked over to the drug store where the troop from the studios had headed. We found the group, and sure enough, it was James! He's such a doll and so little. James was carrying a big box that contained a toy of sorts, which had to do with CHiPS, under his arm, and a candy bar in his other hand. The woman with the kids told James he had to ask his mom about the candy.
We headed back to the studios and waited it out. Trevor came out to his car a couple of times (which he set off his own alarm each time). I asked him, "How was everyone?" And he replied, they were all great.
The aforementioned people with James returned to the studios. It was only a matter of time now. Trevor came out again, and Mary Ann asked if Paul was coming out the front or back. He replied, "Out the front, but please don't cause a commotion." "No problem. We're cool." I then told Trevor, "It's just nice to see him after such a long time." Trevor replied, "I can get into that." He was very nice.
John Hamill came out and opened all four doors to the black Mercedes parked in front of the studio (behind my Volkswagen), so we knew it was time. First out was Michael Jackson, who posed for photos. (I forgot to mention there were two professional photographers waiting outside too.)
Meanwhile, John Hamill walked James and Stella to the car. It was now about 8:30, and out came Paul and Linda. They stopped for the photographers. Flashes were going off wildly, and Paul joked with the one male photographer, Tony Russo, joking about having Vista cups as Paul started throwing punches in the camera's direction.
Paul looked good, needless to say. He was wearing a white Hawaiian-style shirt with colorful parrots on it over a white T-shirt. I think he was wearing jeans, but I couldn't swear to it. The man is in lovely shape. What more could be said?
Paul never realized we were there until he and his family got in the car. He looked out, leaned toward the window, and saw four girls smiling and waving madly at him. Paul smiled and waved back, just as variously, I think. Linda joined in too, returning with the Wings logo with her hands.
Suddenly, we hear this high voice from behind us. "Don't forget me." As Mary came running to the car, it was so comical! As they drove out of the parking lot space, Paul, Linda, and the kids all waved goodbye. The car was so loaded down. Paul and the entire family were in the back seat of this car. I've never seen the family before. Heather was there too. The McCartneys left me with the sense that they're all definitely a normal, close-knit family.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Dr. Beatles
These photos were taken the day after the Beatles had to cancel a show because Paul was sick. The other Beatles are proving that they have taken care of the situation and their bass player is doing fine.
John Lennon News from April 1980
John Lennon News
With a Little Help From my Friends
April 1980
According to the New York Daily News, the March 21 edition, for their anniversary, John gave Yoko a diamond heart and had 500 gardenias flown in. A surprised and pleasedYoko countered with a vintage Rolls-Royce.
Lennon recording rumors still abound. Even one of the doormen at the Dakota thinks he's up to something. He has been working in his studio apartment and has been out of town in mid-April, again, supposedly to record somewhere. Hmm.
Rita Hanson, who just got back from vacationing in New York, told us a few interesting tidbits. One of New York's tour buses goes right by the Dakota, and she saw Sean from the bus window. She also saw John and Yoko returning from somewhere on April 15, at 11:20am, looking very tired and talking with one of the doormen.
Rita learned a few things. Comusako, who looks after Sean, quit because she wanted to go back to Japan. Sean and the nanny had a near accident with a taxi. So now, John rarely uses a cab. It's always the silver limo now, whether Sean's going to the park or to the store.
John's seventh-floor apartment faces Central Park, the whole floor on that side, but also the courtyard, which is where the kitchen is. John has three pianos, two white and one black. The doorman Rita talked to helped do some moving and said he saw a whole wall full of pictures sent to them of him,Yoko, and Sean. Also, there's a white room where you can feel pure, but you can't go in without shoes. Every single thing in the room is white. The decor is modern, and they have oriental knick-knacks. Sean has a playroom with swings coming down from the ceiling, a slide, and monkey bars. The floor has two to four inches of foam in case he falls.
Whenever traveling, Sean and the nanny always go separately, never with John and Yoko. They go ahead or behind on a different flight. John still gets an enormous pile of mail daily, like over 100 letters. John, at the time Rita saw him in mid-April, was wearing a blue jacket, jeans, his hair Shaggy and almost shoulder-length, and a tapered beard. He was slender and very much in a hurry. She also heard that Sean was pulling out of school because they weren't satisfied, whatever that means.
John gets up early on Sunday mornings to get the Sunday paper. Also at the time she was there, a film was being made at the Dakota in the morning, something to do with a janitor.
Remember the postcard we mentioned that our friend Beth and Mary got a while ago in the last newsletter? They sent him photos they'd taken around Liverpool. The postcard you see above is the result, by the way, after getting that card, they did send him a photo of the art college, and he sent another thank you note in response.
Ringo signs with Atlantic Records
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