Sun Rise (1965)

 Sun Rise

By Burnett Rigg

Fabulous Magazine

1965

    "Help!" shouted Victor Spinetti. "Someone ransacked my pad!" And he wasn't just plugging the Beatles' new movie. For a fortune and souvenirs of the locations of the second film Vic had made with John, George, Paul, and Ringo had flown actor Victor. 

    He was the stuck up TV producer in A Hard Day's Night, and is the zany professor in Help!  He told me about the robbery the morning after it happened in his London flat. With Help! now running in the West End, Fab wanted to look back on the making of it. This was why I had called on Victor. 

    We were sitting in his lounge, which has a window with a panoramic view of London. "Ringo and  Maureen live just up the road, "said Vic. "I was over at their flat a couple of nights ago. John, Cynthia, George, Pattie Boyd, Paul, and Jane Asher were there too. We were going to a party, but we didn't move. Instead, Maureen made tea, and we just sat chatting and watching television."

     He got up and fixed a couple of drinks, handed me one, sat down, and said, " You asked me about the film. I love working on it even more than A Hard Day's Night, and that's saying something.! 

    "We had fabulous fun in the Bahamas and in the Alps. We got up at dawn nearly every morning in both places and began shooting straight away. In the Bahamas, it was very hot, and we swam every morning before work.

     "George celebrated his 22nd birthday there. We had a rave-up party that night. In fact, the birthday Beatle gave me the candles from his cake to distribute among the members of my fan club."

     Vic's success in the States through A Hard Day's Night and on Broadway with the show, Oh, What a Lovely War, has gained him four fan clubs, three stateside, and one here in Britain, which keeps him busy answering fan mail, not that Vic minds. He went on happily talking about Help! 

    "One time, our director, Dick Lester had called a coffee break on the set," he said. "John Lennon and I were sipping coffee in a corner, and suddenly he turned to me and said, 'Hey, Victor, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. You know when the director shouts 'action' and all the others, Eleanor, Braun, Leo, McKern, and Roy Kinnear jumped into their characters? Why do you just stay the same? Does that make your acting as bad as ours?"

     And Vic spoke to me about George. "The first time I saw George was at London Airport en route to Nassau and  he said, 'Victor, I just want you to know that my mom's Glad you're in the picture with us. I thought this was great. Actually, one night, George and I went on a crazy spin around Nassau in his open sports car. (The Beatles each had an open sports car to run around in. ) Suddenly, George began singing at the top of his voice. He belted out numbers like 'Leaning on a Lamp Post'  and went on singign "Cleaning Windows" and a host of other old-time hits made famous by the late George Formby. I asked him how he managed to memorize all the words of old numbers. 'I really dug old George Formby,' was George's reply. Then it began raining, and we ended up tearing along singing 'When You Walk Through a Storm.' It was crazy, but fun."

     He talked about Ringo and Paul. "Ringo and Paul couldn't get together to supply a cabaret for all of us on the Film Unit often enough, as far as we were concerned, they do an improvised act, which is hysterical. I'm not joking when I say we were on the floor, helpless. What fabulous ad lib talent these boys have.

     Finally Victor Spoke about Victor. "There was the night our plane touched down in New York, and a load of members of my fan club had turned up to meet me. They cheered as I left the plane. They didn't know the Beatles were on board. Then the boys followed behind me, but I had stolen the scene. John, George, Paul, and Ringo still send me up about it."

     I could have listened for hours to Victor Beatle talk, but it was noon, and Vic had a lunch appointment. I rose to leave, but not without a picture of Vic dressed as a guardsman and George saluting him. That was one souvenir the burglar did not pinch from Vic's pad. I.

Paul at the kit

 Paul is behind the drums at a birthday party for Denny Laine.

Mystery Girl

 Anyone recognize this girl with George in Japan in 1966?

Intermission

Photo taken by Madeleine  Schatz 

 

Playing on the stairs

 April (9-12) 1971 - Ireland 

In shock around Paul

 April 11, 2006 -  David Gilmour and Scott Booker with Paul 

Paul Can Still Stop Traffic (1981)

 Paul Can Still Stop Traffic

No writer listed

The London Evening Standard

April 9, 1981

    Nearly 20 years on from the Beatles' first hit record, Paul McCartney still manages to stop the traffic and send the audience into paroxysms of screaming when his new film Rock Show was unveiled before Lord Snowden and a host of celebrities at the Dominion Theater, Tottenham Court Road, last night.

     The movie is simply a collection of concert footage film during Wings tour of America five years ago and hung around a show played by the band before a recording 67,000 people at a hall in Seattle.

     Despite a lack of consistency in recent Wings albums, the film confirms yet again that Wings is one of the most exciting rock bands in the world, and it verifies McCartney's status, along with Mick Jagger and Pete Townsend, as one of the last of the '60s rock legends still functioning. 

    The film might have been even more exciting with a little backstage action, but it would appear to have been shot with the home video market eventually in mind, and as such, it must be destined eventually to become a number one video cassette best seller. Certainly, it catches one of the great bands of the 70s at their peak.

Beatles Music Straightforward on Next Album (1969)

 Beatles Music Straightforward on Next Album

By Alan Smith

New Musical Express

May 3, 1969

    "If I could only get the time to myself right now, instead of all this Monopoly and financial business with Northern Songs, I think I could probably write about 30 songs a day.  As it is, I probably average about 12 a night. Paul, too, he's mad on it. It's something that gets in your blood. I've got things going round in my head right now, and as soon as I leave here, I'm going around to Paul's place and start work.

     "The way we're writing at the moment, it's straightforward, and there's nothing weird. Songs like 'Get Back'- things like that. We recorded that one on the Apple roof. And I'm not sure if that's the version that went out. We always record about 10 versions. 

    "You get lost in the end. I'm not really interested in the production of our records. In fact, I wish I didn't have to go through the whole thing -- going through the production and balancing the bass and all that. For me, the satisfaction of writing a song is in the performing of it. The production bit is a bore. If some guy would invent a robot to do it, great, but all that, 'get the bass right, get the drums right.' That's a drag to me. All I want to do is get my guitar out and sing songs.

     "I quite fancy giving some live shows, but Ringo doesn't, because he says, you know, it'll just be the same when we get on, nothing different. I can't give you any definite plans for a live show when we're not even agreed on it. We've got to come to an agreement for a start. There's too much going on now for us to even talk realistically about going on tour.

     "In a way, that's why it's unfortunate that all the publicity came out about doing live shows when it did; we were only thinking about it vaguely, but it kind of got out of hand. I suppose the next Great Beatle Event will be the next LP in about eight weeks. A lot of the tracks will be like, 'Get back.' A lot that we did in one take, kind of thing. We've done about 12 tracks, some of them still to be remixed.

     "Paul and I are now working on a kind of song montage that we might do as one piece on one side. We've got two weeks to finish the whole thing. So we're really working at it. All the songs we're doing sound normal to me, but probably they might sound unusual to you. There's no 'Revolution #9' there, but there's a few heavy sounds. I couldn't pin us down to being on a heavy scene or a commercial pop scene or a straight, tuneful scene. We're just on whatever's going--- just rocking along.

     "The follow-up to 'Get Back' is 'The Ballad of John and Yoko'. It's something I wrote, and it's like an old-time ballad. It's the story of us going along, getting married, going to Paris, going to Amsterdam, all that. It's 'Johnny B Paperback Writer', as I say. We don't want to release it straight away, because it might kill the sales, and I suppose we're cowards that way.

     "I don't regard it as a separate record scene. It's the Beatles' next single, simple as that. The story came out that only Paul and I were on the record, but I wouldn't have bothered publicizing that. It doesn't mean anything. It just so happened that there were only two of us there. George was abroad, and Ringo was on the film, and he couldn't come that night. Because of that, it was a choice of either remixing or doing a new song, and you'll always go for doing a new one instead of fiddling around with an old one. So we did, and it turned out well.

     "As for this financial business that's going on, it does get in the way of the writing, but I don't find it that much of a drag. It is. It is that much of a drag. It's like Monopoly, what with all these bankers and played around a big table with all these heavies, you know, the bit, 'then I'll give you the Strand or Old Kent Road', and you say, 'No, you give me two houses.' It's just like that. Really, the outcome of this whole financial business doesn't matter. We'll still be making records, and somebody will be copping some money, and we'll be copping some money, and that'll be that. 

    "I don't have any involvement in Mary Hopkin's records. It's pure Paul. But there is one discovery I'd like to promote. I think I'm going to make a pop record with Yoko. I've got this other song we've been singing last night, and I think it would be quite a laugh for her to do a pop record. It's one I've written myself, and it's about Yoko, but I'll just change the word Yoko to John, and she can sing it about me.

     "This TV film, Rape, we did for Austrian TV--- so it didn't get fantastic reviews, but then neither does every record the Beatles make. Hell, do you remember the reviews of "Hey Jude?" I remember Stuart Henry saying, 'Och weel, y' either like it orr y' don't.' The critics are the same with Rape. It's a good film, and we stand by it. There's a few people  who understand it, and the rest have no idea. They don't know the difference between Jean-Luc Godard and Walt Disney.

    It's funny. The critics can accept it from Luc Godard, but they can't accept it from us, too, because they're so hung up on who Yoko and I are and what we do that they can't see the product. But that'll die, and Yoko and I will just have to overcome our image, and people will have to judge us on our art, not the way we look. 

    "You can say Paul and I are writing separately these days. We do both. When it comes to needing 500 songs by Friday, you've got to get together. I definitely find I work better when I got a deadline to meet. It really frightens you. You've got to chum them out all the time. I'm sort of arranging things in my mind. The film that The Beatles recently made of us recording and working. Somebody is editing that at the moment, it's 68 hours, and they're trying to get it down to five for several TV specials, or then it might be a movie. I don't know. 

    "This image thing that people are always on about with the Beatles' image is something in Joe Public's eye. That's why it's a drag when people talk about fresh-faced Beatles like it was five years ago. I mean, we're always changing, like the TV clip of 'Get Back.' Now I've got the beard, Paul is clean-shaven, and George is the one with the mustache. Even I can't keep up with our own image, I come into Apple one day, and there's George with a new head on him. So if that's the way it is with us, I tell you, the public doesn't stand a chance of keeping up with how we look. Anyway, who we are, is up to ourselves. Personally, music is what's important. As far as that's concerned. 

    "In my case, Yoko and I stimulate each other like crazy. For instance, did you know she's trained as a classical musician? I didn't know that until this morning. In college, she majored in classical composition. I've just written a song called  'Because.'  Yoko was playing some classical bit, and I said, 'Play that backward', and we had a tune. We'll probably write a lot more in the future.

     I've written with other people as well. For instance, there's this mad thing I wrote half with our electronic genius Alex. It was called, 'What a Shame Mary Jane had a Pain at the Party,' and it was meant for the last Beatles album. It was real madness, but we never released it, and I'd like to do it again. There was another song I wrote around Pepper time that's still in the can called, 'You Know My Name, Look Up the Number.' That's the only words to it. It just goes on all the way like that. And we did these mad backings, but I never finished it, and I must.

     Why did we spring 'Get Back' on the public so suddenly? Well, we'd been talking about it since we recorded it, and we kept saying, 'That's a single.' Eventually, we got so fed up talking about it. We suddenly said, 'Okay, that's it. Get it out tomorrow.'

Paul with glasses

 

April 11, 1966

1973 -- Another Chapter in the Adventures of....

Ringo at his office at the St. James Apple office in 1973

The Apple Offices where the story takes place

1973---Another Chapter in the Adventures of...

By Kris Spackman

With a Little Help From My Friends 

October 1975

    For the benefit of new members, in 1973 some friends and I were lucky enough to spend five wonderful months in Merry Ould in London, in which many lovely adventures passed our way.

     And so continuing in the backward tradition of the eastside: the story of George and the office party.

     T'was the day before the official Apple Christmas party, and we arrived as usual at the offices to find the place buzzing with activity. There was to be an informal office Christmas party/luncheon, carefully planned by our pals and Apple kitchen Cooks: Angela and Margo (Tony King's secretary and ex-Apple Scruff.) So while things began to move inside, Marie, Kathy, Pattie, and I took our positions on the steps outside to wait for Ringo, who Ang assured us was to arrive "shortly."

     Every few minutes or so, either she or Margo would pop out to chat, and then Margo totally surprised us by bringing out four glasses of white wine in elegant, curving wine glasses!  Toasting each other, her and the New Year, we giggled over the prospect of being picked up for public intoxication as a couple of cops who directed traffic out front on busy St James Street. The fact that the wine was our breakfast didn't help, but we certainly enjoyed it.  Next, Ang bombarded us with plates of turkey, vegetables, and sweets. I'm sure the gang inside couldn't have been enjoying themselves half as much as we were in our rather chilly December picnic. 

    But as if that weren't enough, moments later, Tony King opened the door and invited us in (maybe he  was afraid Marla'd add some additional stains to her mayonnaise stain left from one of our waiting lunches.)

     Yes again! Never one to refuse a promising invitation, we trooped inside, buoyed by the wine and Ang's happy smile. It was such a great feeling to be welcomed by most of the Apple people, and further delighted when Robin (Ringo's furniture partner) Cruikshank's secretary, gave us a lovely Christmas card from Robin and his assistant, Craig.

     The St James Street office consists of a main reception room stretching almost the length of the building and decorated with Apple albums. Off to its side are Tony King's office and numerous accountants' offices, which face Benet Street to the side. The kitchens were in the basement, Ringo's, Neil's, Robin's, and Hilary Gerard's offices were all upstairs on that secluded second floor.

    In Tony's office, tables full of food and drink were set up, and most of the employees were crammed in, sitting in circles on chairs, couches, floors, wherever there was room, and we were eating and talking.  Tony steered us to the food line and instructed us to help ourselves. We did mostly to wine, which is a terrific remedy for nerves. We mingled as best we could, thoroughly enjoying ourselves.

     At one point, Kathy and Mar had their heads together with Peter Bendry, plotting on  their getting into the party the next night. Pattie and I were having a really nice chat with Robin, who is one of the nicest people I've ever met. I stood facing the doorway, Pattie with her back to it. I looked up and suddenly went cold all over, literally frozen to that spot for who should be standing in said very doorway?  None other than ol' Harri G. himself! Have you ever tried to remain calm, cool, and collected when you can hear your heart pounding away like a semi barreling down the freeway?! And the fact that your legs continue to support you is not only a total amazement for yourself than an other other scientific phenomena!! Through gritted teeth and a pasty smile, I mumbled subtly, "Pattie!!! George!!!!" And the two frozen zombies carried on a perfectly normal conversation with Robin.

 The object of all these "ice capades", meantime, continued to stand for a minute or two in the doorway scanning the goings on with that "take it all in at a glance" Harrison stare. He was wearing jeans, a red plaid heavy jacket, and a darling denim one. A moment later, he was back in the lobby where he was sacosted by Tony King, who threw his arms around him in greeting. The next instant he was gone (he went upstairs, we guessed.) And who could blame him after all that?

     Somehow, Mar and Kath had totally missed him, and without being terribly obvious, we managed to get the word to them that he was there, and then pass it to Angela, who disappeared to summon Anna Maria.  The party carried on, and somehow, so did we. Shortly after Terry Doran, sporting a 10-gallon hat, popped in and joined one of the groups. And suddenly there was George again, strolling in, smiling and nodding hello to his employees as he moved to join Terry's group. When he when his glance fell on us, we knew he knew we were "unofficial", but he nodded and smiled just the same. Whew!

    Once again, they were only in the room for a short time, and as they left to go upstairs, the party began to slowly break up. By this time Anna Maria had arrived, and we somehow got the word he'd only be a "short time."  As we drifted back into the lobby, who should we find, but Maureen and her mother, which meant obviously that Ringo had arrived and obviously slipped past us!

     Gathering up coats and all our miscellaneous junk, we returned to our steps to wait and see what would happen next. We sure didn't have long to wait. In 15 minutes, he was back down, bopping around the lobby until Terry joined him, and out they came. One of the drivers had taken his car, so we couldn't imagine where they were going to go. He said, "Hello", and suddenly amazed us by standing out into the street and across to the other side. A bit scary too, since you usually took your life in your hands if you cross St James in the crosswalk. Terry followed, and off they went down Jermaine Street towards Piccadilly. 

    Mar and Kath, meanwhile, had been across the street at Mokaris, a restaurant we often went to, and we dashed over to see if they'd seen him pass. They hadn't.  Anna's efforts to get out of work for the remainder of the day had failed; she then caught a cab back to her office, and, as a cab driver headed down Piccadilly Street, nearing the Circus, who should she see? But you guessed it -- George, all smiles, gabbing away with Terry. 

    A long afternoon passed by, the only point of interest occurring when Maureen and the mother-in-law took their leave around four. Neal, son of Sid (our dear friend from Morgan's studio days) turned up looking for us. Good ol' Sid knew just where to send him! He no sooner sat down when he got an additional surprise as Elton John showed up and was unfriendly!  He went into Tony K's office, and moments later, Ringo came down to see him.

    Shortly after, Neal took Mar, Kath, and Pattie round the corner to the pub for a quickie. And of course, it was at that point that George decided to return. Yours truly was comfortably curled up on the steps and engrossed in the Evening Standard crossword puzzle and almost missed him completely. He smiled and said "Hello", and I'm sure he was thinking, "Well, it takes all kinds."

     As he went inside, I watched until he disappeared up the stairs again, then made a mad dash to get the girls. Pattie came back with me. Then Anna Maria and Elena arrived, and suddenly, more people began to arrive. Keith Moon's girlfriend with a bunch of little kids,  Mickey Dolanz's and his wife, Apple employees with their kids. And we came to the conclusion that the party was still going on.

 Ang popped out for a moment to quickly report that Tony King was peeved because he had to Christmas shop for George and Ringo, and also that Harry Nillson was upstairs (it would therefore be a long night we thought ). Maureen and mom-in-law also made a reappearance, and Angela, worn out, caught a cab home.

     It was nearly 8pm when Peter, Ringo's driver, came out to load up the car, telling us that it would only be a few minutes. Was he true to his word! Almost before he'd gotten the words out of his mouth, George was in the lobby. While we scrambled to ditch the Cokes and sandwiches we were dining on, he came strolling out with Terry. He looked first at Anna and Pattie on one side and said, "Hello. How are you?" Then Elena and I with a "Hello". He didn't stop, but added, "Well, I'll see you...." And looked at me. All I could manage was a smile and say "Soon."  We watched him walk around the corner to his car. Of course, being that we expected him to drive off, he pulled a fast one on us and suddenly got back out of the car, but was only to go quickly back inside to give something to Sarge. And with the goodbye, he was on his way. Terry at the wheel.

     Watching him go, I was suddenly numb with exhaustion, but too happy to care. I just couldn't believe we'd seen him five times in one day. Following this, Anna, Kathy, and Pattie decided to call it a night and head for home, while Mar, Elena, and I opted to wait for Ringo. Mother-in-law had come down and got in the car, so we figured he couldn't be too much longer, and poor ol' Peter, he got stuck sitting in the car keeping her company. 

    By 8:20, Ringo Mo and Nilsson were in the lobby, where they lingered chatting for a few minutes. Ringo looked just adorable, all in black, except for a purple shirt. As always, his solemn nod and "good night, girls," first to us, then to Elena, just tickled and delighted us. Harry accompanied them to the car, where they talked for a few minutes more, teasing Mo about something and laughing. Nilsson kissed her goodbye, and they too were finally on their way. 

    The party was still going on upstairs. As he returned to the building, Harry said "hello" to us, and really surprised me by telling me that I was a "smiler."  With one George and one Ringo around, who can help it, I ask you?