Writing songs for the White Album

 

Meeting the Beatles in India -- Film Review

 

First, I want to thank the 8 people who bought a ticket through my link for "Meeting the Beatles in India."  I truly appreciate your support for this site.  

I watched the film "Meet The Beatles in India" on Friday night with great hope that it was going to offer new Beatles information, and the film did not disappoint.    

The film is the story of Paul Saltzman, a Canadian who was going through a time of self-discovery in his early 20's.   He decided to travel to India for a job opportunity, and while there, he wanted to learn transcendental meditation from the Maharishi.   Having been in India for his job for a while, he had no clue that The Beatles were in the Ashram with Maharishi, and he was originally denied access to the ashram.   So Paul, who really wanted to meditate, decided to camp out in a tent outside of the gates for eight days.    After that, he was finally allowed inside and learned about meditation.   He joins The Beatles, their wives (girlfriend for Paul), and Mal Evans, who are sitting around talking.   Suddenly, he was in with The Beatles and was allowed to take photographs of them. 

The film goes along with Paul sharing some amazing stories about being with the Beatles, including a personal performance of George singing "The Inner Light" and observing John and Paul writing "Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da)

The film doesn't just tell Paul Saltzman's stories but also more about The Beatles' time in India and the White Album.    One of the most interesting parts is the interview with the man who was the real "Bungalow Bill."   While I knew that the song was inspired by someone John encountered at the ashram, I never really thought about how "Bill" would have his own story about The Beatles.   I really enjoyed hearing him talk about his memories.   It is really worth watching the Q&A section after the film because there is more with "Bungalow Bill," and we learn some about his mother's connection with The Beatles and the friendship she kept with George until his death in 2001. 

The scenes with Mark Lewisohn were excellent.  I just wish there was more.   His insights were very necessary.   The part with Paul and Mark discussing exactly how many songs from The White Album were written in India was so interesting and a great topic.   

I liked that Paul and Mark were on the grounds of the actual ashram where The Beatles stayed.  However, it was disappointing that we weren't able to see more of the bungalows and grounds.  I also thought some of the interviews were pointless and not needed.  I would much rather hear more from people who were actually with The Beatles, such as the Indian musician who played the flute on "The Inner Light," than from people who did not spend time with The Beatles. 

The link below is the affiliate link to Amazon where you can purchase or rent this film.   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/49VZIBQ

Tomorrow is the big day!

 

Paul Saltzman was the lucky Beatle fan that went to India in 1968 and got to hang out with all four of the Beatles.    He took many beautiful photographs of the boys while he was with them.   THEN he got to meet Ringo again and present him with this photograph he took in India.  

Paul went back to India 50 years later to tell his story for a documentary.   That documentary, "Meeting the Beatles in India," is now availbale to watch, and you can see it for $12 tomorrow in the comfort of your own home.   In the film Paul speaks to many Beatles insiders.   There is a Q&A with Paul afterward.    

Meet The Beatles..For Real is hosting a rental of the film.   If you rent it through me, you are free to watch it any time for 24 hours after tomorrow.   However --- if you want to watch it at 6pm (Central) time and then join me for a Zoom chat abot the film at 8pm (again Central time) you are more than welcome.   Just email me for the Zoom link  at Starshyne9@yahoo.com

If you purchase your ticket RIGHT NOW, you will be entered into a raffle to win the deluxe version of the book "The Beatles in India."   

I thank you for your support of Meet The Beatles...For Real.   

Click on a photo of your favorite Beatle to purchase your ticket today.   

Have you bought your ticket to see Meeting the Beatles in India Yet?

 

Photo by Paul Satlzman (used with permission) 

Friday is the big day!   Have you bought your ticket yet?   "Meeting the Beatles in India" film premieres this week with the Meet The Beatles For Real release this Friday!     Just a reminder that you do NOT have to watch it on Friday.   This is a rental and is available for you to watch anytime between this Friday until January 2021.     The price is $12.00 a ticket (not per person, so everyone in your family can watch on the same ticket).   

Everyone can join us for a Zoom discussion at 8pm (Central time) to talk about the film and Paul Saltzman's beautiful photos of The Beatles in India.   I will post the link later.  

Here is the link to pre-order your ticket.   Also, anyone that pre-orders a ticket, you will be entered into a raffle to win the deluxe version of the book  "The Beatles in India".   

Please click the link below to order your ticket today.

https://gathr.us/screening/31653?oid=1&affid=27&__ef_tid=b05e945825c74595840766ceef5627c2&affname=Sara+Schmidt

Two Ringos and a Paul

Paul Saltzman -- a Beatle fan who has gotten around

Paul Saltzman and Ringo mess around with Ringo's camera.  The footage Paul S. shot with this camera appeared in the Anthology.

So the other night I was watching a documentary on Netfix called "The Last White Knight."  It was about a guy who was a member of the KKK and how he attacked a man who was in Mississippi in 1965 for helping Blacks register to vote.    The film starts up and I realize that I "know" the guy who is making the film--- the guy who was attacked in 1965 during the Civil Right Movement.   He doesn't know me, but I have spoken with him many times at Beatlefest.    Paul Saltzman traveled to India in 1968 to mend a broken heart and hopefully gain some wisdom from a guru.   While he had been a Beatle fan for many years, he did not realize that he would be in the Ashram in Rishikesh at the same time as John, Paul, George and Ringo.    He was able to become friends with the guys and take some of the most beautiful and intimate photos of them in India.     Having watched this documentary about his experience in the south of the United States in 1965, I wonder if he ever talked about this with the Beatles.   They had traveled through the southern states and refused to play to a segregated audience.   I just wonder if Paul ever brought up what happened to him and what the Beatles had to say about it.    Just one aside:  I noticed that Paul was wearing a Beatles cap during one of his interviews in the film.  Great job representing the Beatles fandom!!

Here is a little bit about what Paul experienced in India:

Somewhat nervously, I walked over, 'May I join you?' I asked.  'Sure, mate,' said John, 'Pull up a chair.'  Then Paul said, 'Come and sit here.' and pulled a chair over next to him.  As soon as I sat down, to my surprise, I heard this voice in my head scream, 'Eek!  It's the Beatles' Before I even had time to think, I was surprised by a second voice within me.  This one was calm, deep and resonant, 'Hey Paul,' it said, 'They're just ordinary people like you.  Everyone farts, and is afraid in the night.'  And from that moment on, I never thought of them as the Beatles again, but rather, as four individual human beings.

The man with the BEST Beatles photos.

The Beatle fan who took what might be the best fan photos ever was Paul Saltzman. The shortened version of Paul's story goes like this: Paul was a Beatles fan and in 1964 saw them in concert in Toronto. In early 1968, Paul's girlfriend breaks up with him and he is devastated. He decides to travel to India to study meditation to help himself get over this break-up. Little did he know it, but the Beatles were there at the same time he was. So he gets to spend time hanging out with the Beatles and getting to know them while he is in India He also got permission to take photos of them. They are all found in his amazing book, The Beatles in Rishikesh (which I personally recommend). I am highlighting a few of those pictures here. However I encourage you all to get his book and / or purchase his prints. http://www.beatlesinindia.com/

Paul claims to have shot some of the home movie footage seen in the Beatles Anthology during the India section of the program. One of the neatest thing I have stumbled upon is a photo of Paul and Ringo in India looking at Ringo's video camera.