Self Interview (aka FAQ)

In 1970, to promote his album, "McCartney," Paul released what was a called a self interview.  There were a bunch of questions and instead of answering them on television or in person during a press conference, he wrote out the answers and released them.   Today this might be called "FAQ" instead of a self interview.   I thought I would do something similar for "Meet the Beatles....for Real."   Unlike Paul, Peter Brown didn't write my questions.   Many of them came from questions I have been asked either by email or in person.     So here we go!

Here I am with Nancy Andrews

Here I am with Pattie Boyd



  1. Were you one of the Apple Scruffs?       No.  Unfortunately I was not yet born when the Apple Scruffs were hanging around 3 Savile Row and EMI.
  2. Then who are you?   My name is Sara Schmidt.   I am a 40-something 2nd generation Beatles fan who lives outside of St. Louis, Missouri in the United States.   Basically I am no one special.   I am just a normal gal who teaches reading to elementary school kids.   I have been a Beatles fan since the late 1980's.
  3. How many times have you met the Beatles?  Zero.   I personally have never met one of the Beatles.   I still have hope that someday I will.   I  have seen Paul in concert 7 times (one time he read my sign during the concert)  and Ringo in concert 4 times (and he pointed to me!).   I have met tons of Beatles related people, including Pete Best.
  4. How long have you been collecting Beatles photos?  I started collecting Beatles photos in magazines and books since the late 1980's.    Then around 1996, I started collecting Beatles photos digitally online.    I also purchase Beatles photos from online auctions and flea markets. 
  5. Where do you get all these photos?   If I gave away all my secrets, then everyone would know where to find them.   I get the photos from a variety of places.    As I said, I have been collecting photos online since 1996, so I have a large amount of Beatles photos on discs from way back.    I also scan every book and magazine that I own.   I am good at doing online searches and find a variety of rare photos on the Internet.   I also look through online auctions (current and old ones), blogs, facebooks, myspace, flickr, tumblr, google images, stock photos sights, newspaper archives and anywhere else that might have Beatles photos with fans. 
  6.  How much money do you make off this blog?  I decided when I started this blog in 2009 that I wasn't going to have ads or make money in any way off this blog.   It didn't seem fair to me that I was using photos and stories that were other people's and making money off of it.   If anything I spend a ton of money on this blog.   While the site itself is free on blogger, I spend hundreds of dollars on magazines, books, photos, and a variety of things just for the purpose of posting them on this blog. I will admit that I have received and a handful of free Beatles books, a DVD and a few other Beatles things plus free shipping because of this blog.
  7.  Why don't you ever put watermarks on your photos?  A lot of Beatles photos I see online have watermarks on them.    Most likely I don't own the photo.  I don't want to ruin the integrity of the original photo by putting my watermark on the photo, even if it was small.  Besides, it isn't my photo!   I don't own it.  I don't want other people to think that I own something I don't own.  I personally hate watermarks with a passion.   You scanned a photo?  Good for you.   I have scanned thousands of Beatles photos over the past 20 years.   It doesn't make you special.   Yes, scanning photos takes time, but this is a hobby and hobbies take time.  You don't deserve credit for simply scanning a photo.
  8. Do you own any of the photos here?   Yes.   Obviously, any photos that I have taken at a concert or event myself I own.   I have also bought a few photos on high-scale auctions that came with copyright.   You will know of those photos because they will say "copyright:  Sara Schmidt" under them.   I don't put watermarks on them.  If you would like to share any of the photos that I own from my personal collection, please ask me first.   I almost always say yes and just want a link back to this blog.
  9. Hey!  You have my photo on this blog!  I never told you that you could do that!  I want it removed!  Where did you find it!  I could sue you!   *sigh*   I hate emails like this and they make me cry.   I am sorry if I make anyone upset by sharing their Beatles photo.  That is never my intention.  I post photos here for educational and historical purposes and never to make money.   If you see a photo that belongs to you, please please please do not file a formal complaint until you speak to me about it.    I will promptly act on all requests to remove photos from the blog.  Your photo will be moved into a file on a flash drive called "not to share online" so that I don't accidentally share it again.    I try to locate the photographers or copyright holders and ask for permission whenever I can.   I don't always succeed and I just go ahead and post the photo anyway.   I have learned that about 95% of the people do not mind and actual are happy to share their photo.   But about 5% are angry about it.   If you are in that 5% please think about why it makes you angry.   Are you trying to make money off of your Beatles photos?   That is understandable.   Let us know when your photos are available to purchase.   Also please remember that if you took a photo of the Beatles and ever shared it with anyone, then it is out there in the public.   People have made copies upon copies over the years of great photos and passed them around in the pen pal circles.    One of those copies somehow got into my hands and I shard it.   That is most likely what happened.
  10. Who is on the team of Meet the Beatles...For Real?  Team?   There isn't a team of people that work on this blog.   There is just me, Sara.   I am always looking for people who are a bit in the know around the globe to share Beatles photos and information with me.   People email me photos and stories to share, but overall it is just me trying my best to run a Beatles blog in the same way Beatle fanzines in the 1970's and 1980's were ran.    

18 comments:

  1. I never knew you met Pattie Boyd!!! Was she nice??? (just to ask a question not on the self-interview!) (*plus, I didn't know Nancy Andrews wrote a book! I should seek that out since there's not a whole lot of info about that period in Starkey Richard's life!

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    1. Pattie was very nice to me. I think one of my very first blog entries was about how I met Pattie Boyd.

      Nancy's book is a photo book, with a little bit of writing included. She doesn't go too deeply into her time with Ringo, although she did when she was interviewed at the Fest when I met her.

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    2. Aw, that makes me happy! I love all the pics where Pattie's with the fans, and she always looks unpretentious and kind!

      Which we cannot say for ALL the Beatle ladies, god bless 'em!!!! (not that I can blame them for what they had to put up with!)

      Thanks for answering!! I'll seek out that blog post!! I am way behind catching up on all the amazing posts you've put up!!!!

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    3. Sara,
      I love your blog! I can't wait for your new book to come out in our new yr. I want an autographed copy of it for sure....
      love you,
      Big Steve
      ( a couple of miles from you here in Madison County,IL)

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  2. Hi Sara, what a fun blog. Love the post as I too am a big Beatles fan. Will post your blog on my facebook.com/mywifesdamninheritance Took a family trip and visited beattle sites in England. Thanks, Jeff

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  3. Sorry, blog site is www.mywifesdamninheritance.com Visited Abbey road and at the end of trip, Liverpool.

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  4. SARA! wonderful meeting you and your mom....sorry i didn't get to share a PBR with her. thanks for all you do.....ENOCH DOYLE JETER

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    1. It was great to meet you as well Doyle! I am sure that we will meet again at future Beatle events. Have a great John birthday party!

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  5. Loooovve your blog, wow you're really good at unearthing great pics of the lads et al..thanks for your dedication. Can we re post your finds on our own pinterest pages if we give you the credits? Thanks again and if I find any treasures I'll pass them on to you straight away...Hare Krishna!

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words. It truly means a lot. You are free to post things on pintest as long as long as they are not photos that are meant just for this blog (and I always will post if they are). Thanks for linking back and come visit often.
      Peace and Love!

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  6. Great idea for a site, this. It's grand, as we say up north (in England).

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  7. What additional info do you have on Carol Webber? I purchased what I thought were autographed Beatles albums from her estate in NJ but when I tried to authenticate them they turned out to be fake!!!

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  8. lovely self interview Sara

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  9. Hi Sara
    I have a photo you might be interested in and I've permission to publish
    https://www.facebook.com/bruce.coffman.9/posts/10209369240572169

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  10. Hi Sarah,

    You have a photo on the blog of the helicopter arriving at the August 28, 1964 concert at the Forest Hills stadium- my grandfather was actually the pilot that evening. Do you have the original of this photo- or a high quality version? Would love to work out a way to have a copy!

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    1. Hi! Could you email me and let me know where you found this photo? I am not sure if I have a better copy, but I sure can look. I am just not sure what photo you are referring. Starshyne9@yahoo.com

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  11. Sara, Great photo of the three Beatles in the elevator at the Deauville in Miami Beach, Feb 16, 1964, less John. Where did you acquire that one? My sister was at the rehearsal and I might have an answer for you as to "where was John"!!!

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  12. Hello, I love the Beatles and I love your page! I'm sorry to be the annoying one, but you spelled Eleanor Bron's name incorrectly on the side. I have debated saying anything since I first saw you page a while ago, but I can't keep it in. Please forgive me.

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