John's last day in England

 

August 12, 1971 

Bravo Photographer

 

Bravo interview

March 28, 1975 Interview for Bravo magazine in Germany.   The interview went unpublished until 1988. 

Bravo photo shoot

Mrs. Paul McCartney

Linda was always at her husband's side.   At the time that often came across as annoying and controlling.  However -- Linda and Paul truly loved one another and that is how they wanted their relationship to be.   Paul and Linda had a marriage that many people can only dream of.

Put your feet up

The Beatles with their Bravo Otto Award

The German concert tour was sponsored by Bravo magazine, so they took the opportunity of the first Beatles press conference in their country to present them with the Bravo Otto Award and get plenty of photographs of the Beatles with the award.

Heading to Munich

Comments?

This photo is from Bravo magazine in Germany.   I have been looking at it for weeks trying to figure out if the man in the middle has been added into the photo or if he was really there.    I go back and forth in my mind about this and thought I would throw it out to you.    Maybe the German text in the right hand corner gives us a clue?

The bass he never played

I wonder how many other bass guitars have been auctioned off that were signed by Paul that he has never, even played.  

Bravo for Ringo!

Ringo is awarded with the Bravo awards in 1970. 

Three Germans at Kenwood

Photo taken by Richard Hall appeared in Bravo magazine

Photo taken by Richard Hall

I have always been amazed by this story about the fan who met John at Kenwood and when she asked him for something to remember the trip, he handed her this award.  So I posted a more cropped version of the above photo on tumblr (and later found this better at the Kenwood page)  with just one sentence saying how she got this award from John just because she asked.  I had a great response and I wanted to share some of what else I learned. 


First of all, a reader named Manuela from Germany was kind enough to translate the story from Bravo magazine: (a BIG thank you to Manuela for translating this for us! Let's hear it for Manuela!  Hip hip hooray!)

"During my visit in England, there was that idea in my head, to meet John at his house in Weybridge. An it worked for me! Finding his house wasn't not really easy. Together with my friend, another girl, we finally found after an half hour later in an extensive park-like area. And then I spotted John. He stood in a room behind a curtain and shaved himself.

But there was a problem, how to enter his house? It was a hard piece of work to persuade the housekeeper, letting us in. 

I was introduced as "Renate from Germany" to John. 

With a "How are you?" he shook my hand. With my eyes on his long uncombed hair I jokingly asked him, if he washed it sometimes.

After that John answered: "I just washed my face!" 

My friend asked for a souvenir gift, whereupon John gave her a bronze statue as gift.

In parting, he escorted us to the front door.

For me it was an unforgettable meeting with that famous "mushroom head" (so the Germans called the Beatles ... mushroom heads, because of their hairstyles)

Then Beatlesneveroutofstyle posted that she actually met Maureen (the girl receiving the award) and her husband, Richard (who took the photos) in New York City and talked to them for 45 minutes!  This is in part what she had to say about their memories:

 The first story they told me, was how on this day when they knocked on the door, Julian was holding onto John’s leg. Maureen remembers how Julian was trying to push in front of John to see who he was talking too, and John was VERY protective of Julian and kept pushing Julian back behind him so he would be in front. They both remember very vividly of how fatherly John was. They also told me the whole time John had his eye on Julian and made sure he was okay…watching him very closely.  They said they could tell he was a very loving father.

And lastly, I found the story again from our friends over at the Kenwood blog.   I am sure Sean won't mind if I share a snippet of the story that he got directly from Richard Hall.  

Maureen said to him "Would it be possible for me to have a souvenir of our visit please?". O.K. he said as he turned and went back into the house. I said to Maureen - You must be joking - The man has given us his time - what more could you want to remind you of this day? I won't forget today for as long as I live. You know, said Maureen - he might give me an ash tray, a tea cup, a saucer, an empty flower vase - something small just to remember him by. The Mind boggles was all I could say. John returned from the house holding a small bronze statuette which he gave to Maureen, saying 'Would you like this? As Maureen took the statuette from him I could clearly see the word
V E L L O inscribed around the base. Maureen let me hold the statue and I saw that the base had the inscription A N I V O R N O V E L L O A W A R D inscribed around it. There was a small metal plate with the inscription 'John Lennon' She's Leaving Home 1967' I held the statue out to him and said - Lennon - you can't give her this - you won this for your music - it's yours - you should keep it. He took the statue from me and gave it back to Maureen - 'Look, he said - it's only gathering dust inside the house and if she would like it - let her keep it" Maureen clasped the statue to her and there was no way she was going to part with it - it was hers. Thank you, Thank you John she said. I then took a photo of Maureen and John together with him handing the statue to Maureen.

What ever became of the award?   It was sold at Bonham's auctions in 2010.   The sale price is no longer available online, but it was expected to go for $25,000-$33,000 USD.

Leaving Germany

What is the guy in the background doing to Paul?   That is what makes this photo so funny to me.

Paul and Linda with Bravo

Paul and Linda were interviewed for the German Bravo magazine and they did this drawing and autograph for the magazine to say hello to all of the fans.

Peace and dove

This is a photo of the team that worked with John and Yoko from Bravo magazine for the "Dove" photographs from 1969. 

They Wait for Their Paul

This is a short story written by Christel Lorenz for Bravo Magazine in 1968 about a trip she took to London and saw a lot of girls hanging around Paul's house.   For those who were unable to make the trip to London during that time, I think it would have been surprising to learn that so many girls were hanging around Paul's house day and night....


I have just returned from a 14 day stay in England. Since I'm a big Beatles fan, I visited the house of Paul McCartney in St. Johns Wood on the first day.  It was of course a  little adventure for me to  find Paul's house, because St. Johns Wood is not a  small place. When I finally asked someone on the street where I should turn to get to Paul's house, I knew immediately it was his door.  There were at least 10 to 12 girls sitting on the garden wall and waiting  until "her" Paul came out. Sometimes when a few went away, others were added. But I never saw the place in front Paul's house completely empty.

As proof of my report I pressed a couple of times on the trigger of my camera box and can show you these two pictures.

Christel Lorenz Heppenheim

Bravo Gripweed

John reading a copy of Bravo magazine while in Spain in 1966.  

The Beatles are our bosses!

For the past 2 days I have been working hard on this story.   I find the girls that worked at Apple to be very interesting and I always wanted to learn more about them and how they got such a great job.  But with most things I find interesting, there is very little information about the Apple girls out there.  So when I found this story about them in Bravo magazine, I wanted to read it right away.   The only problem is that Bravo magazine is written completely in German and even though I have a very German last name and even went to Hamburg last summer, I do not know German.   

So I took to Google translator to figure out what they were saying.   Only I could not cut and paste because of the format of the DVD that Bravo article was one.  So I wrote out the whole article in a notebook by hand and then typed out all of the German into Google Translator and then from there I tried to make it sound like English.    I hope I am somewhat close to what these girls had to say.   It sure was a lot of work.   

I think the little story that interested me was the girl who got a dog from Paul.   Where did Paul get the Yorkshire Terrier?   Surely he didn't give her Eddie???

The black and white photos in this post came from the Bravo article and the color ones came from a post at Miss Tammy's Beatles photo blog many moons ago. 

Janet Lumley

Kitchen maid (16)
I have been cooking for the Beatles for half a year.   It is fantastic.   I cook just as carefully for the four of them as I do for my own family.  John is the pickiest, he is vegetarian. Paul is the hungriest and has even brought his plate back to tell us how good it tasted to him.

Betty Rodrigues

Kitchen Maid (18)

I applied to an ad that only gave a box number. Apple does that all the time when people are searching for work.  Of course, I found it super that I should be a cook for the Beatles.  At first I was very afraid that I would not meet their needs. Although the four are not big eaters.  But I work for the nicest bosses in the world.

Sally Burgess

Press Secretary (21)
John, Paul, George and Ringo only have young, funny and talented people around and it flatters me to be a part of it. Although we work hard, the atmosphere is casual and fun, better than any other company in the world. And every day something new happens.  You must learn to quickly adapt to any situation. Once however, it even became too much for me and I just crawled under my desk.

Debbie Wellum

Receptionist (20)
I have decided that I have the most exciting Apple job. I have to catch all the teenagers who want to speak to my bosses.  Recently, a group of Italian scouts were here, all of whom claimed to be cousins ​​of George Harrison.  But I didn’t fall for such a dirty trick.  I wouldn’t trade in my bosses for anyone else in the world, even if they had really had so many cousins!

Sally Reed

Secretary (20)

I've been a Beatle fan before I started here eight months ago. The four are no longer for me, but I've learned to respect them as businessmen and superiors. I work in the production department; the Beatles are always nice and easy going, even if everything else is wobbling around them. They have a professional attitude which is a very different attitude to these things than a normal human; sometimes I wish I could have some of that.

Dee Meehan

Assistant (25)

I have to listen to all the tapes that are sent to the Beatles from people who want to make a career out of music.   A tough job, but whoever has worked in the pop industry, knows what is going on, especially if you have the Beatles as bosses. Paul is the best; he always knows exactly what he wants. George and Ringo are always nice and polite, but sometimes John gets on my nerves. . But he has improved a lot recently.

Amanda Hull

Tea cook (39)
I am responsible  for tea and coffee,  which  is used a lot with us, because Apple is a hospitable house. In a little chamber, I have a two burner stove, on which is always a pot of water and a pot of coffee standing. The tea is always fresh, otherwise it will be bitter. With Paul, I make sure that he does not get too much sugar. This is not good for his future children.

Jean Griffin

Secretary (24)

I got my job through an agency. I could never write a letter of application, as all these young girls, especially Americans want my job.  They also come up to say Ringo and say,” I'm crazy about you” “I work for you.” “You need me --pay any salary” But I would not like to change places with anyone. I prefer to work for Ringo, he has the best manners

Linda Bristow

Assistant Publisher (22)

I work for Apple music publishing. Of course I'm a Beatles fan, but I do not fall into a swoon every time they come through the door. Just to be a fan is not enough for a job at Apple. There is plenty to do and you have to know something too. But as for us, we are paid well and have the best bosses in the world. My favorite boss is George. He is for me the most beautiful thing. But I cannot tell him - because he would be pissed.

Frankie Hart

Press Secretary (19)

Anyone who thinks that we spend the whole day painting our lips and putting mascara on our eyelashes because our bosses are not there would be completely wrong. After all, there are four of them, and one is always there to make sure no one is getting paid for nothing. But what girl would not like to work overtime, if, for example, Paul McCartney asked?

Carol Padden

Press Secretary (23)

Of course, I'm a Beatles fan. Who isn’t? It's easy to work for such pleasant, young handsome men instead of old thick, bad-tempered men who are constantly, trying to flirt with you. Such a thing does not exist in the Beatles.   I have never heard any girls complain that one of the Beatles had flirted with her!

Terrie Clemmons

Accountant (28)
We are constantly in turmoil, but you always know that you will to be treated decently. We rarely see the Beatles here because; of course they have no clue about accounting. . But if any one of us has a longing for our bosses, she can just go and talk with them.  My funniest experience at Apple? Once Mick Jagger ran through the room and I did not recognize him!

Sally Stewart

Secretary (19)

My relatives have always regretted that the Maharishi and the marijuana occurred. You probably have the feeling that I'm working in a brothel for the Beatles. I can only say what has happened to us girls inside and the Beatles were always first class.  I wish every girl could have such considerate and kind bosses.

Carol Chapman

Secretary (23)

It's a wonderful feeling to know that a hundred thousand girls envy this job I arrive in the morning a half hour earlier, because I live opposite of Apple. And when I hear the Beatles on the radio, my heart beats faster because it is my bosses who are singing.  Who else can say that?

Barbara Bennet

Secretary (24)

My best experience with Apple was when Paul gave me a little Yorkshire terrier.  He had heard me gushing to a colleague about this breed, and a few days later he had one in tow. But once when I visited my friend Colin Peterson the terrier ran into the city by himself.  I never saw him again, although I'd put up a lot of ads.

Laurie McCaffrey

 Switchboard (25)

I get  an average of 2,000 calls a day. During the school holidays there are even a lot more.  Sometimes a child will call and say “This is Mrs. McCartney, Can I speak to my son please?”  I have been working six years for the Beatles and I still do not know what is going to happen next. . But honestly I want this job even though I don’t know!