Making the White Album

Photos by Linda (Eastman) McCartney 

 

John looks so different without his glasses in this photo...

Trying to Move on without George

 January 13, 1969

Paul gets his kicks

 

John and Yoko's first show together

 July 1, 1968 

54 years since the Roof

 

Kevin and George

 

Practice walk

 

Here are some Apple employees taking a walk across Abbey Road as a test run for the Beatles to do the same for the album cover.   Notice that the same Beetle car is in the background.   

George and Kevin

 

Happy Anniversary to the Apple Scruffs!!!!

A lot of 50th Anniversaries have come and gone over the past month but here is one that I just knew would be forgotten.  (But not by me!)    It was around this time of year (Late October-Early November) in 1969 that the Apple Scruffs were named. 

Sure the "regulars" and the "goodies" and the "baddies" had been hanging around since 1966 and were there all through the trials and tribulations of the White Album and Abbey Road.   But they did not have an official name until the autumn of 1969 and that is when one of them (some say it was Margo, but does it really matter anymore?)  dubbed them "The Apple Scruffs."    And from there Apple Scruff badges and membership cards were made.   Once the Beatle Book Monthly ended in December 1969, the Apple Scruff Monthly started to appear.   

We all know George wrote that great song about them where he claims "there's so much you don't know about Apple Scruffs."    That is still true today.   I have tried to research all I could about them.  I have tried to ask questions.   I have found that they are extremely sweet, lovely ladies that are still gaga over John, Paul, George and Ringo.  However, they have chosen to remain silent in concern to many of their memories of waiting to see the Beatles.   While I don't like it, I understand it.   These are their personal memories that they want to keep between those that were there. 

I hope history understands that none of them were groupies.   None of them were stalkers.   They were a group of friends that passed the time waiting for the Beatles on the steps of 3 Savile Row.  Their story is one that is more about friendship because of The Beatles than about The Beatles themselves, and that is something that we all can relate to.

So tonight I raise a toast to The Apple Scruffs and wish them a happy 50th anniversary! 

Two Virgins and Kevin

Paul the newlywed

Checking out the roof

You Are Here

July 10, 1, 1968 -   John and Yoko have one of their exhibits -- their first big one called "You Are Here." 

The Crazy summer time

Who's the Redhead on the roof?---book review

If you are a Beatles fan, then you have seen the photos of the Beatles during the rooftop concert and have seen a redheaded guy holding music for John Lennon. Ever wonder who that guy was? Well, through this blog, we learned that his name is Kevin Harrington. He worked for the Beatles in the late 1960s. And he has written an ebook with the appropriate title, Who's the Redhead on the Roof?

Interestingly enough, Kevin got the job in 1966 when he was 15 years old. He saw an ad in the "help wanted" section of the newspaper for an office boy wanted at NEMS. For a while, Kevin was the boy who delivered things for Brian Epstein—pretty impressive! Things progressed, and Kevin eventually ended up working alongside Mal Evans at EMI, getting the Beatles whatever they needed.

I really enjoyed reading the kind things about Mal in this book. I often say that Mal does not get the recognition he deserves, and Kevin really shows how kind Mal was to "the boys" and others. Even though they didn't part on the best of terms, Kevin never badmouthed Mal, which he could have easily done.  

Kevin and Mal in a photo from the book

The part I loved the most in this book was the chapter about the Apple Scruffs.  I found it hilarious that Kevin felt intimated by the Apple Scruff girls at first.  Really?   But I guess I can understand---they were there every day in all types of weather and knew where the Beatles would be.  But he eventually became friends with them and received the honor of being named "Mr. Valentine" in the Apple Scruff Monthly in 1970.   He even asked one of the girls to be his "date" to the premiere of "Let It Be."   

Kevin and George leave 3 Savile Row with some fans outside

Kevin shares a little of what went on in the studio from 1968-1970, but he stayed away from politics and knew very little about the disagreements between the Fab Four. He did accompany Paul on a trip to Kinfauns to talk to George after George quit the band, but he stayed in the car the entire time. 

If you are looking for a book that is technical and gives you the complete ins and outs of working in the studio with the Beatles, you aren't going to find it here.  But if you are looking for a quick summer read about a guy who had one of the best jobs ever and his personal memories of that job, then this is the book for you.    I really enjoyed it and I found myself often laughing at some of the stories.  Can you imagine having to buy tampons for Yoko Ono?   I would put "Who's the Redhead on the Roof" as one of my "must-read" Beatle books for the summer of 2015.

The link below is the affiliate link to Amazon, where you can purchase this book.  I get a small percentage of anything purchased through this link.  Money made from the Amazon Afflication is used to pay the annual fee to keep this site online.  Thank you for your support.  Sara

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