Ringo arrives in New York

 May 31, 1972  

The press conference for Bangla Desh

 

Apple Offices in New York City on  July 27, 1971 

John and Yoko at U.S. Customs

 

June 1, 1971 --  John and Yoko are in New York City, once again trying to locate Kyoko.  

Wild times

 

At the club

 

Backstage photo

 

Talking to John and Yoko

 

January 31, 1972

Pete and George

I have this in my files as April 23, 1970. 

Autographs on the boat

Here come George Harrison

I have posted this photo before, but this is the complete photo where you can see more of the fans that were waiting to see George.   What a thrill that must have been!

George's trip to New York

Does anyone know the girl in the background?  Could she be Sandi Morse?

Sometimes when I'm researching Beatles fan club stuff,   I stumble upon something to share with you all.   This article's author is not listed, but it was published in the July 1970 issue of the Harrison Herald.


Geroge's Trip to New York

Geroge arrived in New York City on April 27th (1970) accompanied by Derek Taylor.   George, Pattie, John, and Yoko had finally received their U.S. visas.  Pattie did not accompany George to New York because she was in Los Angeles.  She has been commissioned by a London art dealer to buy some of the things being auctioned at the MGM film studios   George was in New York mainly for business purposes.    When he arrived, he was lonely so Pete Bennett (George's director of activities) arranged for him to spend some time with the Hall family.    Mrs. Hall is a reporter for a local newspaper in Yonkers.  He was interviewed and Mrs. Hall had the article printed in the paper.  Also during his New York stay, George went on a shopping spree.  He bought shirts and a white denim outfit at Kauffman's on E. 24th Street, and a pair of work shoes at Hudson's on Third Avenue.  He rented an electric guitar at Manny's Music Store.  He looked at tractors at Mount Vernon.  He did an interview for the ABC-FM radio network and almost went to see "Oh Calcutta!" but he was too tired from his shopping spree.

On May 1st he went to the fan club office to see Sandi, Rusty and anyone else who happened to be there.  Sandi said she was at her desk working and when she looked up, George was just standing there in the doorway in his faded denims, barefoot with his shoes in his hands.   He came in her office, sat down and just started to talk.   Before leaving the office, he took with him some "Govinda" posters which he flipped over, some Yellow Submarine books and Fan Club booklets.

Later Sandi and Rusty accompanied him to the hotel Pickwick where he was staying.  Rusty proceeded to take about 70 photos of him.  He serenaded them with the guitar he had rented playing stuff from "Abbey Road" and things he made up on the spur of the moment.  He played some records and Sandi interviewed him for "Datebook."  He changed his shirt and put his hair in a ponytail apparently for Rusty's benefit since she was taking photos.  Sandi asked why he wouldn't smile for pictures and he said, "You don't have to smile outwardly to be smiling inwardly.  I'm always smiling."  He said he's sure the Beatles break-up in only temporary while they do their own albums.  (He started doing his on May 20th with the assistance of Badfinger and Ringo.  Phil Spector is producing the album).  Apparently, after his visit with Sandi and Rusty, George went to the studio where Bob Dylan was recording.  During the 12 hours, he was there, he and Dylan cut an entire LP together which is supposed to be fantastic with both Beatle and Dylan songs on it.  He also was in N.Y. to find out why his Radha Krishna Temple and Doris Troy records were selling in America.  He accomplished a lot during the short time he was here.  He went back home on May 4th. 

For the record...

Keeping the fans at bay

Someone must have tipped off a large group of fans if they set up those barriers.   However --- check out how close they get to be to George. 

Everybody in the club gettin' tipsy

Out Clubbin'

I love these shots from the party at the Hippopotamus Club after the opening of the Sgt. Pepper musical because ti shows you more than just John, but sort of the whole picture.

Be my Baby by Ronnie Spector -- A Book Review

It has been a while since I posted a "Wednesday Review," and I am glad to be back on my regular schedule and post one tonight. This week, I read the book Be My Baby by Ronnie Spector. It was written in 1990, so it is an older book. I have read that a second revised edition came out in 2004. I personally borrowed this book from my local library. 

The book is the autobiography of Ronette, Ronnie Spector and her very crazy life.  The things this woman has lived through is just amazing.   Even if she didn't have an amazing singing voice, the things she has endured makes her pretty awesome.

The book explains how Ronnie, Estelle, and Nedra got their start as the Ronettes and how they first danced at the Peppermint Twist club. Then Murry the K saw them, hired them, and got them to perform at his shows every week in New York. From there, Phil Spector saw the girls, and they started recording and had a huge hit, "Be My Baby."

There is a LOT of Beatles stuff in this book.  Much more than I ever thought.  In January 1964, the Ronettes traveled to England to do some concerts.  And while they were there, the first night they went to a party and John, Ringo and George were there.  They had a really fun time dancing, and it became obvious that Estelle and George were flirting and the two of them went off to a private room.  Ronnie and John also went off to a private room and they started to kiss, but Ronnie stopped it after that.   However, the four of them double-dated several times at fancy London restaurants, and George even flew back to London during a short break in the Paris tour to spend some time with Estelle.

The next month, the Beatles came to America, and the Ronettes were leaving England. They almost flew on the same plane together---but they didn't.  But Phil did in a sneaky way....

While at the Plaza, the guys invited the Ronettes over (and they brought along Murray the K.).  There is a pretty wild story about a naked girl having sex with one of the Beatles entourage while everyone is snapping photos and about John trying to get Ronnie to sleep with him, but Ronnie turned him down.    Honestly----I am not sure if I totally believe this.  Cynthia was with John on this trip.  They shared a hotel room. So how did John get Ronnie into his room without Cyn knowing about it?   Something about that story didn't add up to me.

Anyhow---Ronnie and Phil have an insane relationship.  Phil basically kept her prisoner in their home in California.  He wouldn't allow her to go into the kitchen and eat or leave the house very much, and he was so mean to her.  He had a golden coffin with a glass top made and told her that is where she would be if she ever tried to leave because he would kill her!  But she still ended up married to the guy and became an alcoholic to escape the craziness of Phil Spector.

Then, in 1971, they went to London, and Ronnie recorded a song written by George Harrison, "Try Some Buy Some," on Apple Records.  Ronnie's explanation about this made me laugh.  She really disliked that song and wasn't surprised that it wasn't a hit.

Ronnie eventually does divorce Phil, and it was a big mess of a divorce hearing.  John and May Pang even go to court one of the days.   

Pete Bennett, Ronnie and John during the Lost Weekend

The last time Ronnie saw John Lennon was in 1976 outside of the Dakota. They chatted for a bit, and John told her how happy he was being a househusband. Then he introduced her to someone in the music business who helped her get back on track a bit.


I really liked this book and not just the Beatles stuff.   Ronnie Spector (who took that name after George and John suggested it) lived the life of a strong woman.   Especially knowing what we do now about Phil Spector, it is amazing to know that she made it out alive.    

I give "Be My Baby" my recommendation.   It honestly was a hard book for me to put down because I couldn't wait to see how she overcame her next obstacle.

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/4a1aVRp

Bangeldesh premiere

George brought the master tapes to NYC himself

Pete Bennett, Pattie Boyd, and George walk past some pretty amazing fans in New York City.   No one expects George to be hand carrying the tapes of "All Things Must Pass" from London to New York to finish working on them.

So long Pete Bennett

I just read on one of the Beatles news sights that Pete Bennett passed away.  That made me want to share these photos that Lizzie sent a while back.  They were taken by Vinnie Zuffante.