Paul I am

So Will i am (can't we just call him William?) from the Black Eyed Peas is a McCartney fan.  He posted this on his twitter page after he met Paul at the Queen's Jubilee concert earlier this year.  I wonder if Paul likes Will's music?  

Yesterday...these two pictures were from yesterday...

The memorial service for our dear Victor Spinetti was held in London yesterday.    Those who were in attendance say that it was a very nice service.  There was a mixture of readings and music, including a reading of "The Fat Budgie" and the song "in my life."  Paul McCartney was there and he read something he had prepared about his memories of Victor.   Afterwards, Paul mingled outside of the church for a bit and posed for photos with a few fans.  Then Paul was off to the Magical Mystery Tour showing.   Busy day for Paul on October 2nd!

photo:  Richard Porter

Fans hats

All four members of the Beatles have worn some pretty neat hats over the years.  I think John and Ringo especially were known for their hats.   They even made replica versions of them in the 1960's.   Recently when Ringo and his All Star Band played Baltimore, a fan named Dr. Bob (who wrote one of the single best books about the Yellow Submarine ever and if his last name wasn't so long, I would type it out) threw the hat he had on his head onto the stage.   Ringo picked it up and wore it!   You can see a video and Dr. Bob's little story about this here.

And that is pretty cool!   To think that the hat that was on your head was suddenly on Ringo's head is very neat.  If you watch the video clip, Ringo acknowledges Dr. Bob with a little bow.   Awesome!  I would have been thrilled out of my mind.  But it gets better.   On August 8, 2012, Ringo posts one of his video messages and what is he wearing?   Well yeah...a  Revolver t-shirt....but he is also wearing Dr. Bob's hat!    Alright if that was me, I would be totally freaking out!   Ringo must REALLY like that hat!

This wasn't the first time a fan threw a hat onto the stage and one of the Beatles picked it up and wore it.   A fan made this hat for Paul and tossed it onto the stage and Paul plopped it on his head.   Yet...I do not think Paul wore it after the show.

And then we can't forget that in 1965, the opposite happened to John Lennon and a fan jumped onto the stage and ripped the hat John was wearing right off his mop topped head.  

So now in the past month I have written a blog post about Paul's socks and the Beatles hats.   My goodness...I need to get out more.

Report from the Fest for Beatle fans Chicago 2012

Hello to new views of this blog who I met at Beatlefest or who picked up one of my cards that I left laying around and decided to check this blog out!   We are glad to have you join the family!

Also hello to the regular viewer of this blog that I met at the Fest.  It was great to see each and every one of you.   Thank you for coming up and saying hi.   Sitting here alone in my house working on this blog in the evenings, it sometimes gets difficult to remember that there are other fans sitting at their homes looking at the work I did.  It was nice to see the faces of the people who appreciate what I do.

So here is my annual report on the Fest.   I am going to keep this positive.  I could easily write about everything that I dislike about the Fest for Beatle fans.   And there are a lot of things that I have issues with.  However, overall I love going to the Fest.   I always make sure I have fun.   I always do what I need to do so that certain things don't ruin my fun.    I wish all of you could have been there.

Here I am at the Fest in Chicago 2012!  photo:  Coral Schmidt

Friday:  My mom and I left our home in southern Illinois and headed north towards Chicago on the train.   Six long hours of riding in a train. From there we caught the "el" to Rosemont and then walked to the Hyatt Regency O'Hare.    Once the Fest officially started at 5:00pm, we went down to the marketplace to do some Beatle shopping!  Here is where I could complain that there were nearly as many venders as previous years.   But let's stick to positives.   I bought the world cutest and softest plush Blue Meanie.    I also bought a large stack of magazines and photographs for this blog.   My mom and I tried out Beatles Yoga and decided that Yoga is not for us.   It was then time for the Beatles dance party and look-alike / dress up contest.    For the first time ever I dressed up for this event.  I told you that my costume had to do with this blog.   It was a Beatlemaniac from 1965 waiting for the Beatles at the airport.   I might go into details about the costume later.

In my Beatle fan costume.  Photo:  Coral Schmidt

Needless to say, I didn't come even close to winning.   But I had fun!    We listened to Liverpool's (which were pretty good this year) set.  Then we watched a new film called "Beatles stories" which I will be reviewing in an upcoming blog post.


Saturday:   Our Beatlefest adventures began by watching the rest of "Beatles Stories."   I was very happy to see Cathy Sarvers interviewed on it.    Next was time to sit in the freezing cold ballroom and listen to the speakers.  We heard David Bedford (Liddypool) and Bruce Spizer both give wonderful talks.  After a little lunch and a bit of checking out the art contest, we went back into the freeze box of the ballroom and heard most of Ken Scott's talk and then we heard Freda Kelly.   I love Freda.  I think she is a doll.  To keep this as positive as I can, I just wish she was asked different questions.  She has a load of stories to share, and I hate that she wasn't being lead in the direction to share the ones that most of us would have liked to hear.   But her photos were great.  After that was the Beatle auction where I won 3 scrapbooks full of newspaper clippings (more things to scan for the blog!).  I overspent on it, but I think I got carried away in the excitement of the moment.  Oh well. 

Tom Frangione and Mark Lapidos during the auction.  photo:  Sara Schmidt

Next up was watching some of the "Name that Tune" contest (I don't participate because I have learned just how bad I am at that game.).   Then there was a discussion on a new book called Essential Songs of the Beatles Solo Careers (By Andrew Grant Jackson).   It was a great discussion and I am looking forward to reading his book.   Next was time for the panel that I was on!  I mentioned the Write Thing and Barbara Fenick, Lizzie and Gayleen, the Apple Scruffs and all of the wonderful things that female fans have done in the world of the Beatles.   It thought it went over really well.   I would love to be on a panel again sometime.

Talking about this blog at the Fest.  Photo:  Coral Schmidt

Shortly after this I got to meet Freda Kelly in person and have her sign some things for me.  And the rest of the night is a blur.   Did some shopping, some singing, some talking with people.


Sunday:   The only thing to do on Sunday morning is watch the Beatles puppet show.   So that is what I did.  Wanted to hear Bruce again, but my hunger got the best of me and went back to hear David Bedford talk about the Fab 76.    I made sure to stick around to hear Freda again.   Once again I was not happy with the interview.  When someone says that they do not want to talk about something, you should not continue to ask that person questions about it.   Just sayin'.

Freda Kelly at the Fest.  Photo:  Sara Schmidt

I missed out on my chance to enter the Sunday Trivia contest because I was listening to Freda's talk.  I got to watch it and I knew 95% of the answers.   Oh well.  The guy I beat last year won.  I will have to re-gain my title in 2013.    The next topic was photographing the Beatles, which as a Beatles photo blogger interested me a lot.   Then I heard the best discussion about the album, Revolver.   Everyone must get Robert Rodriguez's new book!  I am half way finished with it and think it is great.

The battle of the Beatle Bands was extremely good this year.   In the past there were a lot of "clunker" bands.  But there were some really top notch bands playing.   I didn't even have a favorite. 

Overall I had a great time and I am anxious to go back in 2013. 

The Arrow Contest Winner!

So there is a classic rock radio station in Salt Lake City, Utah that was holding a contest this summer.   And the winner got two backstage passes and got to eat dinner backstage at the Ringo Starr and the All Starr Band concert prior to the show on July 11, 2012!   Diane Chenier was the winner and she and a friend got the once in a lifetime experience of meeting Ringo and the rest of the All Star Band.   Isn't Ringo a sweetheart in the photo he posed with the ladies?   And I love that peace sign belt buckle, Ringo!  Congrats to these two lucky ladies!  

Track meet the Beatles

Here is a snap of Paul taken on August 2, 2012 when he was in the crowd of the Olympics.   This person who posted the photo could not believe that Paul McCartney himself (and I see the back of Nancy and Stella I believe) was just there watching the track runners at the Olympics in the regular crowd.   It would be a surreal moment.  And since I don't care for the summer Olympics, I would have been watching Paul and not the runners.  

Come see me at the Fest!

I just got my tickets for the Fest for Beatle Fans in Chicago in the mail.   I am super-excited about going this year.  In part because I haven't gotten out of town all summer and I am just generally excited to be going somewhere.   But also because I know that this is going to be a great Fest!

I have been asked to be on a panel of women Beatle writers at the Fest.   I will be with Susan Ryan, Tina Kukla, Kit O'Toole,  and Jude Kessler to discuss the women's point of view of the Beatles.   I am can't even begin to tell you how excited I am!   Speaking at a Beatles convention has always been a dream of mine.    Now, I personally do not think of myself as a writer.   I just type of stuff that I find on this blog.   I have dreams of writing a Beatles book, but I can't afford to publish a book at this point in my life.   But hey....they asked me to be on this panel to talk about the Beatles, so why not?   The panel will be at 7:45pm on Saturday in the forum room.   If you are a reader of this blog, I would LOVE to see you there.   I personally will be talking about the blog, because that is what I do.  I thought it would be super-fun to get together with people who are viewers of the blog and get a photo taken.  

But even if you don't make it to the panel, and are going to be at the Fest, I would love to talk to you.  That is why I am putting up a current photo of myself so everyone can see what I look like (Yikes!).   I was going to put up a photo of myself at the Fest last summer, but (excuse me while I brag) I have lost 61 pounds since then and look different.   So here I am a few weeks at at the Muny in my hometown area of St. Louis Missouri.

I also am working on putting together a costume for the first time to wear on Friday night.   It is something that has to do with this blog (and no I am not dressing up like Lizzie Bravo, although that isn't a bad thought).    I will post photos after the fact.  I am keeping it a secret right now.  

Hope to see you all at the Fest in Chicago in a few weeks! 

All you need is love,
Sara S.

Fan encounter 2012

Splash  news documented this fan encounter with Paul just a few days ago!

Congratulations Dhani and Sola!

A big congratulations goes out to Dhani Harrison and his new bride, Sola Karadottir.  The couple were married at Friar Park on June 2.  His father's former band mates, Paul and Ringo were there to celebrate.  Best wishes to the couple!   Whoo hoo!   

Nude fan meeting

Guy:  "Oh my God!  Look who is walking on the beach!  It is Paul McCartney!"

                               Girl:  "What?  You said that we didn't know anybody here.  You said no one important goes to this beach.  You said in France everyone works on their tan without their top on.  I can't meet a Beatle half naked!"

                               Guy:  "I can't believe this!  I am I going to shake his hand!"
                               Girl:  "This cannot be happening.  Where is my towel?  Oh no.  I need to cover myself quick!"

Guy:  "Sir Paul!  I am such a big fan.  It is such an honor to meet you.  I have all your records."

 Paul:  " Glad to meet you.  Isn't this sun great?"    Guy:  "Yeah..the beach here is wonderful.  Hey honey!  Come over here and say hi to Paul!"  

Girl: "Um...hi Paul."   Paul:  "Hello."  Nancy:  "Enjoying the sun today?"  Girl:  "Yes...it is very nice."  (Thinking:  I am going to kill my boyfriend.  This is so embarrassing.  It can't get worse!"

Guy:  "Honey...here take the camera.  Get a picture of me and my new buddy, Paulie."

  Girl (thinking)  "How can I take the picture with one hand and cover myself at the same time?  I can't believe that is Paul McCartney!" 

Girl:  "Smile!" 

 Nancy:  "That was awkward!"
Paul:  "I swear I didn't look!"


Just a reminder that you can meet a Beatle anywhere, as seen in these photos.   Always be prepared.

Mary Poppins

Earlier this year, Paul and his family went to see the same Broadway musical that I saw last summer when I was in New York city:  Disney's Mary Poppins!   But Paul was allowed to go backstage and meet the cast, as seen here.   Lucky Mary Poppins kids!

Adorable 2 year old on stage with Paul

Here is an article written by Simon Neville about a lucky Paul fan who happens to only be 2 years old who made it onstage with Paul during a recent sound check.

His music has been called timeless, spanning across generations.
And Sir Paul McCartney certainly lived up to his reputation when he invited a two-year-old fan to play alongside him on stage at a recent gig.
The 69-year-old former Beatle spotted two-year-old Ichiro decked out in an impressive replica of the costumes worn by the Fab Four on their iconic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover.

The blue military-style outfit is the same colour worn by Sir Paul on the cover, and little Ichiro finished the look with a replica Hofner bass guitar – similar to the singer’s own guitar.

Sir Paul opted for a more casual look of grey jeans, blue shirt and dark sunglasses, and he struck a pose alongside the two-year-old.
The boy had traveled from Argentina with his Beatles-mad parents to the aging rocker’s latest concert in neighbouring Uruguay, South America.
Security guards spotted Ichiro, and his impressive outfit, during a sound check.

They informed Sir Paul, who insisted on bringing the child on stage for a jam together.
Whether Ichiro knew quite what was happening is unknown, but he attempted to play along on his guitar and pulling rockstar poses.
The pair played a version of The Beatle’s 1969 number one hit, Get Back, in front of Ichiro’s parents.
Father Pablo said: ‘Ichiro was a fan even before he was born.  This was an incredible moment.  No one is bigger than Paul McCartney.’

Paul McCartney gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Paul McCartney gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, originally uploaded by HelloKewpie.

Congrats to Paul!!