Sleepless Nights by Lizzie Bravo (final installment)

June 4, 1967

 

June 7, 1967

Sunday, June 4, 1967 -  Paula and I went to the Saville.  Procol Harum and Jimi Hendrix were on tonight.  We stood by the door watching the people go in, went to have something to eat, and ended up missing Paul.  The girls told us someone kicked Jane when she got out of the car and that Paul was upset, but found it funny, too.  He had his "joker" jacket on (as usual these days).  George, Pattie, and Cynthia also arrived.  Cyn was wearing orange.  We saw Mick Jagger and Peter Asher.  During intermission, we managed to sneak into the theatre and saw the part with Jimi Hendrix, which was great!  Paul and the others were there at their usual upstairs place.  He clapped many times, smoked about 4 cigarettes, and bent over like he was trying to see something.  Jimi started his show playing "Sgt. Pepper," --fantastic!  We went outside to wait for you-know-who.  HE came with Jane and was rather in a hurry -- I suppose he was worried the girls would kick Jane again.  He put his left hand on Paul's shoulder and said, "Excuse me" (which left her rather dazed), then took Jane's hand, got in the car, and left immediately.  Jane had a nice light flowered dress with a headband of the same material.  I took two photos of Paul. 

Tuesday, June 6, 1967 -  Went to Cavendish.  Saw Paul and Jane arriving in the Aston around 6:00.  He had on green trousers, light green jacket,  and the baseball boots he's been wearing. 

Wednesday, June 7, 1967 -  Paula came here around 11:00, and we listened to the LP, then we went to Cavendish.  Paul was in.  Neil arrived and left shortly afterwards with John and Mal in his car.  They came back in about 15 minutes.  John was smiling and playing the guitar, gorgeous!  I took some pictures. They all left again.  This time Paul was in the back seat with Jane in his lap (his fans didn't like seeing that too much...).  We rushed to EMI.  Mal and George Martin arrived first, then at around 7:30pm, was in Ringo arrived in a new black car.  He was in a great mood, signed for a few people, and pretended to scare a girl who was trying to take his picture!  Neil, John, Paul, and the others arrived next.  John signed a few autographs and said, "I've got no time, luv."  Paul just rushed in.  A long time after that, Pattie, Cyn, Carl Wilson, and Mick Jagger arrived. Cyn had a blue dress on.  She looked at me a lot -- I wonder if she realizes that I am the one that asked her to send that letter back.  

Ringo was the first one to come out.  He was in a great mood, signed my "Sgt. Pepper" album, and asked me quite seriously why wasn't I wearing the moustache (from inside the cover), for which I greatly apologized!  Paul was second out at 2:40a.m.  Paula stopped him by the door, politely asking him to sign for her (she was rather shaky at this moment), to which he replied, "Sure, got a pen?"  She handed him the pen, and he signed.  One of the girls took a photo of him and her at that moment.   She thanked him and, he said, "Alright luv, good night" and went down the stairs, with his hands in his pockets.  He met Carl Wilson, who asked him, "Can I go with you?" getting, "No, Jane's home" as a reply.  (he was walking backwards while saying this!)  He said, "See ya" and walked home.  Mick and Marianne left next, full of bell sounds (from necklace)  . George came out, signed my album,, and said, "Hello."  John left around 3:00.  Paula accidentally bumped into him.  I said, "Can you sign, John?" and he said "Yes, I can!" and "Yes, you may" to Paula (I can't remember what she asked him). I took some photos and gave Cyn some roses I had picked up at a garden for her.  I told her they looked nicer when I'd just picked them.  She was genuinely pleased, but I think at first she thought I was going to hit her (some of the girls would call her names and be really rude).  She was surprised when I handed her the roses.  She said, "Oh, thank you, great!"  and smiled, and I asked her if Julian was alright, to which she replied, "Yes, fine, great, thank you"  I asked her to give him my love and said,, "Yes, great, thank you."  She was very, very sweet and kind and has a very sweet voice too.  (Mad me feel REAL guilty for wanting her husaband so much, still I can't help it -- how can I possibly resist the handsomest, sexiest human being on earth?).  My album slipped out of its cover right on the ground, and John bent down and picked it up for me, for which I thanked him.  I gave him the little lucky charm from Brazil that my mum had sent for him, and he said, "Thanks mum!"  Cynthia sat on his lap in the car but thank goodness I didn't see that --the girls told me.  I would have died of jealousy and pure envy.  This girl must be the luckiest person on earth.  I walked back home and went to sleep.

Sleepless Nights by Lizzie Bravo (3rd installment)

Photo taken by Lizzie Bravo

 Friday, June 2, 1967 - Cynthia sent my father's letter with the check inside it to me -- thank God! (If you can believe it, I wrote my father and put John's address instead of mine in the letter -- I was certain everybody on the planet had to know his address by heart.  My dad thought I'd moved again and sent a letter and check there and a telegram to my "old" address to let me know.  Do I need to say how I felt when I got the telegram?  I phoned Cyn and asked her to please send it to me. I told her I'd moved and my dad didn't know my address but knew I'd be around John somewhere (a dirty lie))  

Paula came here to listen to the new album -- she loved it, of course!  Spent the afternoon at Cavendish, as usual -- it was pouring down with rain.  John arrived in the Rolls that is now all painted yellow with lots of flowers, and it's really beautiful!  George was with him.  Paul opened the front door to greet them.  Some girls rushed inside the gates, which infuriated Paul, who said, "Get out, come on!" with his right finger pointed at them.  He was really upset and called the cops.  John was wearing a red coat and pink corduroy trousers.  Paula went to EMI, and the doorman told her as a secret that they would be recording there on the 7th, 8th, and 9th.

Saturday June 3, 1967 -  Paula met me at Cavendish in the afternoon.  "Stick" told us to leave twice.  Millie (the housekeeper) told us Paul was home and had a bit of a cold.  A couple we had never seen got in the house.  A taxi stopped in front of the house, the gates opened, and Paul came out in the Aston.  It was about 9:30pm.  Jane had her hair tied back and a navy-blue dress, and she didn't sit beside Paul.  There were other people in the car.  Paul turned the car lights on and kept looking back.  We left, and I came back home and worked on my scrapbook on John. 

Sleepless Nights - Lizzie Bravo's diary (part 2)

 Sleepless Nights 

Lizzie Bravo

"With a Little Help From My Friends"

January 1985

Photo taken by Lizzie Bravo (3 months before this story takes place)

Thursday, June 1, 1967

Paula and I went back to Cavendish and spent the whole time running from the cops -- it was awful.  One of the girls told us Paul and Jane had taken Martha to Regent's Park.  We went there, but his car wasn't in the usual place.  We went back to Cavendish and spent hours walking around the block since the cops wouldn't leave us alone.  After a while, right through the gates, which Mr. Kelly had already opened.  We didn't see much, as the gates were immediately closed.  Paul got John's phone number from one of the girls, and she called from her hotel.  Cyn answered, and Paula asked her very politely if they were recording tonight.  Cyn was very nice and told her they would be, so Paula got a taxi and went straight to EMI.  They were not there, the recording was to be at another studio, and we couldn't find out which one it was.  Paula met me at Cavendish, where I had seen John arriving in the Mini.  We were there with two other girls who left shortly afterwards.

The phone rang inside Paul's, and we saw a shadow passing by his bedroom -- must have been him.  Somebody closed the windows.  A few minutes after that, we heard footsteps and a car door slamming.  John came to open the gate.  He had on a flowered jacket and a straw sombrero with a colourful ribbon on it, and dark trousers.  Paul was standing there and said something to John while Terry got the car out.  Then Paul closed the gates with his left foot.  John held the car door open for him, and he got in the back.  I tried taking a photo, but Paul said, "No, no, no....no, no, no...."  Paula wanted to talk to him, but I had warned her he doesn't always talk or sign autographs when we're outside his house -- it depends on his mood.  It's better to try at EMI.

Paula and I were talking in Portuguese, and John got curious and said, "What??" and I explained to him that I was talking to Paula.  They left. I think they went to the other place they had been recording at, that is not EMI.  I heard something about Olympic studios, but I am not sure. 

Sleepless Nights by Lizzie Bravo

 Beatle friends, I have a treat for you!  I know that most of you have been waiting for Lizzie Bravo's book to be published in English.   No word on when/if that is going to happen.  But I found a few of Lizzie's diary entries that she translated for "With A Little Help From My Friends" newsletter in 1985.  At that time, her book was titled "Sleepless Nights."   I will be adding one entry a day over the next week or so

. 

Enjoy!

Photo by Lizzie Bravo (I included it because it was the photograph from the article)

Wednesday, May 31, 1967 -  I went with my friend Paula to Cavendish.  She was very excited as she had never seen Paul or any of the others before.  We learned from the girls that Paul, Jane, John and Ringo left in John's black Mini just before we arrived.  "Stick" (Mr. Kelly, Paul's housekeeper) went out to walk Martha.  Anthony (John's chauffeur) arrived driving Cyn's caramel Porsche.  There was another man inside the car.  The police are chasing us all the time -- it's terrible.  Our feet hurt from walking around the block over and over again.  John and Paul arrived together in one car.  Ringo and Jane were not there.  The gates were closed very quickly and we had to rush to the other side of the road to try to see them going in the front door. Paul was wearing black trousers and his "joker" jacket (green and blue).  John had on red trousers and a short flowered jacket.  We went to EMI to see if they were recording tonight, and the answer is no.

When we went back to Cavendish the girls told us Jane and her mother had just arrived.  After a few minutes the gates were opened and we rushed to see who was coming out, but it was only Mrs. Asher.  We went to the corner of the street to see if all was "clear" (of cops, of course), and as we were returning we noticed the gates were open.  We rushed there.  The front door was open.  Paul came jumping down the steps and got into the car beside Terry Doran, who was driving.  John was already inside, in the back.  Terry had to get out of the car to close the gates, since Mr. Kelly was out.  The car windows are dark, and you can only see faint shadows through them.  We were trying to see them through the windows.  Paula rushed to Paul's side and was lucky enough that he had left the little side window open.  He had the end of a cigarette in his left hand resting on his thigh.  Paula was in shock -- it's the first time she's seen him so close.  One of the girls had the cheek to open Paul's door -- he grabbed the door and without looking at her said, "Come on..."  John did something really cute:  he knocked on the window so I knew where he was, and as I got closer to see him, he smiled through the dark glass.  He really melts my heart with these sweet little things he does.  The car finally left and I had to "assist" Paula, who was in the middle of the road, suffering from "total paralysis and amnesia"--a common thing for first-timers.  I know how she feels, for I can well remember the first time I saw John, only a few months ago.  We saw Jane upstairs in their bedroom, apparently making the bed.  Paula left for her hotel and I went home and slept really late.  

The day they recorded the accordion

 

Lizzie and her guy

 

55 years ago Lizzie Bravo got her photograph taken with her favorite Beatle, John Lennon.   I know how excited she must have been at the moment this photograph was taken.   There isn't a day that goes by since Lizzie passed away that I haven't thought of her.   I find myself sitting at my computer or picking up my phone whenever I see a good John photo to share it with her.  Sometimes I still can't believe she is gone.  I keep expecting to see a comment on this site from her.    I just love this photo-- don't you?

Sunday night at the Saville

Lizzie Bravo is standing near Paul (with the blue eyeshadow) 

 

Lizzie -- Across the Universe -- Rest in Peace

 

It is with much sadness and tears in my eyes that I want to let all of you that haven't already heard, that one of the biggest supporters of this site from day 1 and Beatles fan, Lizzie Bravo has passed away.  

Because of Meet the Beatles...For Real, I became friends with Lizzie.   Before I had this site, she was just a name that I knew as one of the girls that were chosen to sing in the background of "Across the Universe."    Almost right away in 2009 Lizzie contacted me and started correcting me on facts and photos.  She'd tell me the names of fans in the photos and a little information about them.   She would leave comments and tell other fans to visit this site.    I really believe that Lizzie Bravo is the reason why so many people have come to this place on the Internet and I could never thank her enough. 

Lizzie and I had a lot in common -  we both love John Lennon the most.  We are both very sensitive.  We both had similar outlooks on life.  We both wrote a book and were trying to self-promote it.   We would chat on the phone from time to time.   I would have never thought I would have been friends with someone that actually recorded with the Beatles.  Someone that lived in Brazil.   

I know that everyone that visits this site knows Lizzie too.   Her death is a huge loss to the entire Beatles community.   I am sure that most of you here have your own story of her answering your question, telling you about when she recorded Across the Universe, or some other amazing tale.  

We were so blessed to have Lizzie in our community of Beatles friends.  I heard that she passed away during a procedure on her heart, but I am not sure if that is true or a rumor.  

I ask that everyone listens to Across the Universe today and spread peace to those around you in Lizzie's memory. 

We will always love you Lizzie!  

Getting cozy with Paul

Photo by Lizzie Bravo June 23, 1967

This is what Lizzie posted on her Facebook about this great photograph:

 I had the pleasure of introducing this young man to my dear friend and his mega fan Nicia who came to London on holiday with her parents. I took this and other photos of them that night. It was quite late and he was leaving the studios.

Approaching Lennon

In this group of fans, we spot Lizzie Bravo standing on the steps, waiting to see John and Yoko walk by.   Someone is taking home movie footage of the arrival right above Lizzie's head.

50 years later -- the best story of fans that met the Beatles...for real.

On February 4, 1968,  The Beatles were doing something different than what was normal for them:  they were at EMI, working on a song.     The Beatles usually took the weekends off from recording sessions, but for their own reasons, this particular Sunday was a work day for the four Beatles. 

The song they were working on was one that John Lennon had written at the end of 1967 when he was laying in bed listening to his then wife, Cynthia talk on and on about her day.  The lyrics "words are flowing out like endless rain..." came to his mind as he listened to her talk.   By the time Cynthia fell asleep, John was wide awake and working on what would turn into "Across the Universe."    (And people claim that John never wrote a song about Cyn....)

In the studio in 1968

By early 1968, there was a devoted regular group of girls that waited to see the Beatles outside  of EMI and Paul's house.   Some of these girls later became Apple Scruffs.   Of course being a Sunday, the group waiting outside of EMI was a little smaller than usual.    Two of the girls that day were Gayleen Pease and Lizzie Bravo.    They arrived at EMI on that day, they had hoped to catch a glimpse of the Beatles coming or going and maybe get to talk to them.    The two girls could never imagine what was about to happen.

While the girls were waiting outside in the cool London winter weather, the Beatles were working inside on "Across the Universe."  Somewhere along the line, someone thought the song was missing something --  high voices singing "nothing's gonna change my world" during the chorus.   But where could they get someone that had sing a high note to give it a try on such short notice and on a Sunday?   Wait--- weren't there girls waiting outside?   Paul McCartney walked outside of EMI and approached the fans.   That along must have gotten them all excited.   Paul was leaving the studio and heading towards them?!

Paul asked the small group of girls if anyone could hold a high note.   Now, I don't know how many hands went up when he asked this question.   I don't even know how these fans could comprehend what he was asking them, but Gayleen and Lizzie were chose and walked with Paul into the studio to make history.

John and Lizzie in 1967

For about two amazing hours, the girls learned the chorus to "Across the Universe" and shared a microphone with John Lennon and Paul McCartney recording the song.   It is such a shame that Beatle Book Monthly wasn't there that day to take photographs and document this amazing time when two fans got to sing with the Beatles.   No photos were taken of the Beatles in the studio that day and so the time spent singing with the Beatles only lives in the memories of those that were there.

When it was all over, the girls went back outside to join their friends and share their incredible experience.    I often wondered how many of the fans believed the story, especially since the song was not released until 1969. 

Gayleen and Lizzie -- the ultimate in a Beatles fan meeting

This story has been one that has amazed me since I first heard it year ago.   Would I have raised my hand if I was there?     What were those girls thinking as they stood next to John and Paul? 

Over the years Lizzie has became more than just a name of person on a trivia question -- she has became friends to many of us that visit this blog.   Gayleen isn't online, but somehow I believe that she too would be our friend if she was here.    And while they were the only fans invited into the studio to sing with the Beatles, I have always felt that they represented all of us in a way.     Just like all of us, they are fans that loved the Beatles.   And even after the fact, they still love the Beatles.  Lizzie has been kind enough to share her photos and stories with us and we have all been so blessed by her. 

I want to wish both Lizzie and Gayleen a happy 50th anniversary of their special day.   I hope the wonderful memories of that event stay with them forever.    Thank you both for sharing your extraordinary meeting the Beatles with the world. 

A typical summer of '69 photo

Paul in a blue suit without any shoes getting into his green mini outside of EMI while Lizzie looks on---yeah seems like another day in the life of the Beatles in 1969!

Do Rio a Abbey Road by Lizzie Bravo: A Book review

When I started this blog in 2009, the name "Lizzie Bravo" to me was nothing more than an answer to a trivia question  (Really the question of "who was one of the fans that sang on 'Across the Universe' truly is a question on Beatles Trivial Pursuit).   Over the years, we all have been blessed to have Lizzie Bravo herself share photos and stories of her life as a Beatles fan in London in the 1960's with us on this blog and my "sister blog"  The Beatles photo blog.  

I have come to find that Lizzie is a true sweetheart of a women and a real Beatle fan.   I felt connected with her right away because we both  love John Lennon and appreciate certain pictures of him.   I am honored to be able to consider Lizzie to be a friend of mine, although I have never had the pleasure to meet her in person.  

For many years Lizzie has said that she was going to publish a book based on the diaries that she kept during her time in London.   I know that I have waited patiently for a long time and the wait is over!  Lizzie book, Do Rio a Abbey Road is published in glorious colors and let me tell you:  it was worth the wait!

The book is Lizzie's diaries from when she was a teenage Beatle fan living in London beginning in February 1967 when she first waited outside of EMI studios and met the members of the Beatles after they were recording tracks for the Sgt. Pepper album.    Of course Lizzie was hooked and went back to EMI and Paul's house on Cavendish Avenue over and over again---making wonderful friends along the way.  

Lizzie will tell details about what Paul was wearing on a particular day and will lament about how she will just die if she doesn't see John soon---and then when she DOES get to see John, she says that she just about died!     I am certain that Lizzie was not the only teenage girl in 1967 that felt that way.

Of course she tells her story including the amazing day in February 1968 when she sang backup on "Across the Universe" and until she left London and got married in 1969.

Lizzie's story isn't the only one in the book.  I particularly enjoyed a section of the book written by Paul Minett, who was someone that met Lizzie at EMI around the time the Beatles were recording "All you need is love."   Paul and his friend, Gordon, traveled out to Kinfauns and met up with not just George but also John.  They also met Ringo at Sunny Heights and saw the Beatles many times at EMI.   The photographs from Paul and Gordon are breathtaking, particularly one of George Harrison at the window of the painted Kinfuans.

The photos in the book are just amazing.  Lizzie published every photo regardless of the quality or if it was the back of a Beatles' head.    But there aren't very many "bad" photo---they are all so amazing and they reminded me why I started this blog in the first place.   Because I truly believe that the snapshots taken by the fans show a side of the Beatles that we never see in posed photographs.   And the photos Lizzie has taken of the Beatles, particularly the ones of John Lennon, show how much she loved and adored them.  

The best part of the book for me was at the end, there is a thumbnail of each photo in the book with the date the photo was taken (if known) and where the photo was taken.   What an amazing resource!

Right now Do Rio a Abbey Road is only available in the Portuguese language.  Hopefully it will eventually be available in English.    However, the photographs are amazing regardless of what language you speak.

If you live in Brazil and would like to order the book online, you can go to
http://www.estantevirtual.com.br/buritisebo/Lizzie-Bravo-Do-Rio-a-Abbey-Road-Autografado-pela-Autora-198500393


If you live in Rio, you can buy the book directly at the bookstore that is located downtown.  They are open 2:00-6:00pm
Buriti Sebo Literário
Rua do Carmo, 9, sala 902 - Centro
 Rio de Janeiro / RJ
 (21) 2220-5492



And if you are in the rest of the world?   You can contact Lizzie directly at lizzie.bravo@gmail.com   and she will telly you more about how you can own a copy for yourself.   

Look who is standing by the car???

Much thanks goes to Bruno!

You should recognize three important people and one important dog in this photo.   We see Paul McCartney along with his girlfriend at the time, Jane Asher.  The photo was taken in 1968 shortly after the couple left India and returned to London.  And of course in the car is the beloved sheepdog, Martha.   But who else do we spot??   Our very own Lizzie Bravo is standing next to the car looking in with a bewildered look on her face that makes me think that Lizzie is disappointed that it is Paul and Jane in that car and not John and Cyn.    What do you think Lizzie? 

While I am sure Lizzie was hoping for John at the time, there is no doubt that this is a treasure of a photo to find today!   

Christine meets George

A big huge THANK YOU goes out to our friend, Lizzie Bravo, who kindly sent this story,  of a friend of hers that met George Harrison in Brazil in 1979.     I am sure that I speak for all of us when I say that we are so thankful to Lizzie for all of the wonderful stories she shares with the Beatles community.   So little has been written about George's visit to Brazil, that any information we have is a treat!   Thank you thank you!

Christine Corrêa meets George Harrison in Rio de Janeiro (as told to friend Lizzie Bravo)

A week before he arrived, I read in Jornal do Brasil (newspaper) that George was arriving in Brazil with Jackie Stewart for the Formula One races in São Paulo.

I felt sad since he was going to be so close and I couldn’t see him (Christine lives in Rio). I was very, very sad, but I sort of got over it after a few days.

On the day – February 7th, 1979 – it was 2:00 pm, I had to go to the gym but was still at home and decided not to go to the gym.  The phone rang;  it was my friend Regina (huge George fan) and she said get over here quick because HE is here.  I hadn’t seen Regina in years. I became quite tense, took a shower, looked for my best outfit and got dressed rather slowly, thinking there wouldn’t be enough time.  Then I got in a taxi and went to the Warner Brothers offices, a house at the Jardim Botanico (Botanical Gardens) section of town.

When I arrived at the front of the house there were a lot of fans and I thought I wouldn’t be able to get in.  Meanwhile, I spotted Frederico (Frederico Mendes, well-known Brazilian photographer and Christine’s ex-boyfriend) who was there to photograph George.  I told him, “Frederico, I have to get in!”.  He said stay close to me and come in with me.  If anyone asks, you say you are Isabel, my wife.  We got in, and so did Regina.

I arrived at the second floor, in a hallway with 3 or 4 closed doors and Frederico told me George was going to get out of this door and get into the door in front of it.  There was a large table in this hallway and I sat on it.

A while later the door opened, George came out and got into the other door as planned.  Andre Midani from Warner Bros. was with him.  Frederico got in and I was hypnotized.  They kept walking, I got in after Frederico and the door closed behind me.

George was relaxing between interviews, reading a magazine, having something to eat and drink and I was just looking at him.  What I found most amazing was the color of his skin. The real person had a skin tone that no photo could reproduce. That was what most got my attention. 

Frederico said for me to go talk to him so he could take a photo of us together.  I thought – “What can I say to this man, I am already so happy to see him in person!”.  But I did go.  The only thing I could talk to him about - since I am an astrologer - was astrology.

I asked him at what time he was born and he said there was some confusion since he had been born around midnight but wasn’t sure if it was before or after the hour. He was also unsure because apparently they were on daylight savings time because of the war.

George talks to Christine

We talked about that, he signed two autographs for me, one of them on an envelope I got from his mother, but I was too shy to point that out to him.  As you can see in the photo, for those brief moments he was concentrated on talking to me, which was so very special.  

The other autograph is on a page I tore out of a book.

My English turned out really good.  It seemed I had left England that day…  I spent 10 to 15 minutes in that room.

He then started another interview and I stayed and watched.

I left the building by myself, walked down a hill to the main street, got on a bus and stopped for a Coke before coming home.  That's when it started to hit me, that I had met my idol, my dream had come true... and it made me shiver inside.

P.S. From Lizzie:  at that time, I was an assistant to a major Brazilian musician.  His office was very near the Warner Bros. location, I could have walked there.  When I got to work, I told him George would be there that day.  He said, as a joke “Do you want to sit on his lap?”, then he said he could cal Mr. Midani at Warner Bros. and ask him to let me in.  I went into a slight panic and said, no thanks.

I was still “traumatized” by having spent so many days standing outside EMI, Apple, Paul’s house, etc. and I thought George would be upset to see me.  When I think back, that was a totally STUPID idea.  Why would he be upset?  I was in my city, would have been a guest of the Warner Bros. CEO at the time.  You know when you wish you could turn back time and do the right thing?  I do!

Our friend makes an appearance

This fan photo might have turned out a bit blurry, but that is alright because it is good enough to see Paul McCartney at EMI Studios and our friend, Lizzie Bravo right there behind him!   I just have to wonder where John Lennon was that day?!   It looks like the male fan with the camera around his neck is trying to get Paul to sign a Beatle Book Monthy.   I hope he was successful!  

you really got a hold on me

Photo by Henry Grossman

photo taken by Denise Wernek on Feb 14, 1967

I find this to be just so awesome!   Notice the girls sitting at EMI waiting for the Beatles.   Lizzie Bravo is the girl in the glasses with the beautiful smile.   Next to her is who I believe to be her friend, Denise who took this great photo of Paul where he looks sort of like a spy during the recording of the Sgt. Pepper album.   In the Grossman photo she is holding up the Paul photo that she took and here is a copy of the actual photo.  I just think this is so cool and I hope it doesn't anger anyone that I posted it.

Thanks to Lewis for sending me the H. Grossman photo and to Bruno for the Paul photo.

Hanging inside Cavendish

So the story goes that  one day during the summer of 1967, Stuart Kendell was going to interview John Lennon inside Paul's home on Cavendish Avenue.   However, Stuart forgot his camera.   Who does Stuart talk to outside of Paul's home?   None other than Lizzie Bravo (where else would she be if John Lennon was inside?).  Lizzie let's Stuart borrow her camera and so Stuart goes inside the gates and snaps photos of Paul and John as well as Mick Jagger who also just happened to be there that day.   Lizzie and Stuart didn't think at the time to exchange addresses and they didn't hear from each other again until the modern land of fandom that we know as the Internet came along.   They somehow "met" each other again and finally got to exchange photos.     Lizzie found these photos taken by Stuart online.    I love love love seeing the inside of Cavendish Avenue!  I think that Sgt. Pepper drum is just too cool!

Photo taken by Stuart Kendell

The John Lennon Letters: A book Review

Being a big John Lennon fan, when I first heard about the Hunter Davies book, The John Lennon Letters, I knew that I HAD to get it!  The things John wrote always fascinated me, be it lyrics to his songs, one of his books or one of the many fan letters I had read over the years.   As a matter of fact, whenever a letter John had written went up for auction, I always saved the photo of it for my files, just because I enjoyed reading them.

The book is very interesting. It is for those of us in the world who are major John Lennon fans.   It isn't for someone who has just a slight interest in John because they like the song Imagine.  This book is to be read alongside Lennon biographies such as the one by Ray Coleman.  Personally I feel that the new Hunter Davies book helps fill in some blanks and paints a more complete picture of the 40 years John was on this earth.  

The book is full of letters, notes, autographs and things that John wrote to other people. It is called "The John Lennon Letters."  Davies uses the word, "letters" loosely and includes basically anything John wrote in a means to communicate to others.  He has things that he wrote to his family members, things written to fans, to magazines, to Beatle insiders, and to his personal assistants. Nothing in the letters particularly"shocked" me.  I am sure that we all read the M.M. letter war that went on between John and Paul.    While I was reading through that section, I had to think that if this were to occur today, it would have been a Twitter or Facebook war between these two.  But the way it was done in the 1970s was through the rock magazines. 

As one might expect from me, my absolute favorite part of the book was the letters that John wrote to his fans. It amazes me that seriously throughout his entire career as a performer, John was writing to his fans.  Sure, not nearly everyone got a response, but it is amazing that he even took the time to respond to anyone.    And with just a few exceptions, he was always very kind to the fans. I also enjoyed reading the letters that John wrote to his family in England. These letters added a certain amount of "human" to John.  He was bragging about his son and asking for photos of the family, just like any father might do.   He showed concern for his family, and he truly missed him. It was just a nice thing to read.

I have read that people think it is "boring" to read most of the things in this book.  It might be asked, "Why would I want to read John Lennon's grocery list?" I didn't mind the lists.  It really put the whole "househusband" thing into perspective.  And I liked knowing that he needed to get cat food.

The only thing that I disliked about the book was the errors that I found.  I respect Hunter Davies as the only person who was officially the Beatles biographer.  His 1968 biography was groundbreaking at that time. His book on the Quarry Men is very good.  He is one of the people who I consider to be in the amazing Beatle authors book club.  So, I was very shocked to see a few glaring mistakes in this book.   The first one was a doozy.  He puts the date of John Lennon meeting Paul McCartney as June 15, 1957.   How he made this mistake on the date is beyond me.  There is one entire book about every single detail of what happened on the day John met Paul (July 6, 1957).  Another big error is the picture of John taken November 14, 1973 in Los Angeles is placed right before the chapter on 1967-1968 with a caption of "John at home by the pool at Kenwood."  (cringe!)    What really confuses me when I find this type of mistake is how books on the Beatles get published with such big errors?   Aren't there people that are supposed to correct that sort of stuff?  However, these mistakes do not take away from the letters written in the book.

I just loved this part of the book: a letter from John and Yoko to Kyoko from the summer of 1970!

I also must mention that our friend, Lizzie Bravo, is mentioned in this book!  It is well worth getting for that reason alone!  If you want to know what John Lennon wrote to Lizzie on the back of this photograph, then you need to get the book.  

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

https://amzn.to/3wIk5UC

Hippie John

Photo:  Lizzie Bravo