Rehearsing for Bangla Desh

 July 26, 1971 

We Might Play Again --- Lennon (1971)

Klaus Voormann taken by John Lennon in 1971 

 

We Might Play Again --- Lennon

By Don Short

Daily Mirror

May 1, 1971

    Will the Beatles make a comeback as live performers without Paul?  It's a possibility, according to John Lennon --but not under the name of the Beatles.

     We were meeting during an interlude in the headline-making drama in Majorca over Yoko's seven-year-old daughter Kyoko. We were quietly chatting in their hotel about the Beatles and their music when John broached the idea.  "Now what's this about Klaus Voormann joining the Beatles?" He asked, referring to my story the other week that the German guitarist was enlisting in their ranks in place of Paul.  Said John, "There aren't any Beatles anymore. They've been disbanded. But if you'd said that George, Ringo, and John had an idea they might do a live show or two, then Klaus would be our man to play with us.

     "It's just an idea. We can't say whether or not it will happen or not. Sometimes we get the urge to have another go, and then we think, 'we've done it all before, and what do we want to suffer it again for?' So for the moment, Klaus backs us on our individual sessions."

     "Some old Apple friends," I say, "are growing more optimistic that there would be a reconciliation between him and Paul now that the legal conflicts are being resolved."

     "You never know," winked John. "If he walked through into this room now, we would still be good friends, although I doubt if I could forgive him on one or two things." Whatever the outcome, there is little likelihood that Lennon and McCartney will ever write together again. The musical gap between them continues to widen. Paul pens the romantic sonnet and John goes deeper into rock and roll. 

    "I can't get back to writing fairy tales anymore," said John bluntly. "I have got to live with the realities of life as it is today and reflect them in my music. Besides, we are all happy doing what we are. Look at good old Ringo. He's hooped one in the charts, and George is happy doing a Elvis and the Plastic Ono isn't wanting..."

     Of the Lennon legend, John said he couldn't help being the blabbermouth, the one who's done the frontal starkers bit and is sometimes known to sit it out in a plastic bag.

     "That's John Lennon being John Lennon," he explains. Not as though the Beatle was anything like that on this occasion. He was in a smart brown suit and clean-shaven and was as conventional as Mr. Suburbia. What's more, he looked remarkably youthful, like a picture of his early Beatle days. 

    John and Yoko still hope for children of their own. "Yoko keeps dropping 'em," says John, referring to his wife's two miscarriages. Says Yoko, "We're going to keep on trying, and in the next two to three years, we just hope we will be lucky." Said John, "If not, we'll adopt. We'll adopt all sorts of children, Jews and Arabs, blacks and whites and polka dot kids too. If there's any going around and going."

Hiding behind a big Paul

 December 11, 1999 

The Record Plant

 October 21, 1974

George's sweater vest

 

Floor plan

 

Two extremely cool cats

 

Beatles at the Breakfast table

 

Drumming day and night

 

October 1971

Dinner at Tittenhurst

 

Estelle

 

Happy Birthday Klaus

Happy birthday to the man who is a talented artist and bass player and who is also a friend to each of the Beatles:  Klaus Voorman!!    I love that even after all these years Klaus remains friends with Paul and Ringo.   These guys met way back in 1960! 

Bangladesh Rehearsals

Question:  Were any of you at the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971?   If so what do you remember that really stands out about the concert?   How did you get your tickets?     I am trying to get some general information from a fan's point of view for my book and there is not much other there about this.   Thanks! 

Air rehearsal

September 13, 1969

Happy Birthday to everyone's favorite sideman

Happy Birthday, Klaus!

Visiting old haunts

Klaus and Ringo in Hamburg

Ringo and Klaus were  seen at the Kaiserkeller in Hamburg
photo by Stefanie Hempel

Klaus joined in on singing "With a little help from my friends"

Nothing warms the heart as much as seeing one of the Beatles spending time with an old pal from the Beatles circle.   I love that when Ringo was in Hamburg, Germany yesterday and today, he hung out with Klaus Voormann!   

Happy birthday to Klaus Voormann

Best wishes today to Klaus Voormann on his 80th birthday!   Klaus is looking good at 80! 

Sara's 10 Best things of the Fest for Beatles Fans 2017 (A review)

This past weekend I had a great time at the Fest for Beatle fans in Jersey City, NJ.    I spent most of my time behind a table where I was selling my book and photographs.    I want to say "thank you" to all of the people that stopped and said that they enjoy this blog.   You have no clue how good that was to hear.    While I have always done this blog for my own enjoyment, it is really amazing to see the faces of the people that actually share in this adventure with me.  

It was a thrill of a lifetime to see my name and photograph in the Fest program and to go up on stage and sing along with the "Hey Jude" finale.  

I had a great time at the Fest.   If you haven't been to one or haven't been in a long time, I really want to encourage you to give it a try, if even for just one day.    Yes, the Fests are very expensive and sort of commercialized; however it is really one of the few chances you get to talk in person to other Beatle fans.   There is a real feeling of peace and love and just a great vibe that you won't find anywhere else.     Think about it and I hope to see you there!

Here are my 10 favorite things about the 2017 Fest for Beatles fans in Jersey City, NJ.


10.  The hotel and the view from the hotel.
This year the Fest was held at the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City, which is located on the Hudson.   From one side of the hotel, you could see the Freedom Tower and the New York skyline and from the other side you could see the Statue of Liberty.   This was only my 2nd Fest on the East coast, but from what I have been told, this hotel was a huge stop up from the previous venues.    The staff was very accommodating and I really enjoyed the hotel overall.

The nighttime skyline taken from the window of the hotel

9.  Fabcast live

I listen to a lot of Beatles podcasts.   There are so many that are excellent and it is hard to choose just one to call a favorite.   However, one of my top 5 Beatles podcasts is "Fabcast"  with Howie Edelson, Stephen Bard and David Morrell.   It is a pretty deep podcast and is worth checking out.    In the past, the live podcast discussions have always been one of my favorites to watch and the "Fabcast" session I went to was no exception.      Howie and Bard were on hand and discussing Paul and John in 1980 and how they inspired one another.   It was a really good discussion.  

Howie Edelson and Stephen Bard of "Fabcast"

8.  Sgt. Pepper Party (honoring Brian Epstein)
On Saturday night, there was a party and everyone was encouraged to come dressed in their "Swinging '60's" garb to celebrate the life of Brian Epstein.     It was a little bit "out there" for my taste, with some strange poetry being read, but it was all in good fun.    The best part was the reading of the "5th Beatle" script.

7.  Meeting Facebook Friends
I lost track of all of the people that came up to me and said, "We are friends on facebook."    Some of them I  have had really long conversations with over facebook messenger and others I barely knew.  However, it was awesome to meet everyone in person.

6.  The unexpected mini Wings reunion.
Wings drummers Denny Siewell and Steve Holly as well as guitarist Laurence Juber were all announced to be guests this year at the Fest.    Once the weekend got underway, Denny Laine showed up unannounced!   I am not sure if he was a surprise planned guest or if he just appeared on his own and decided to join in.   However,  the four Wings members sang a few songs and it was really awesome and unexpected.

5. The stories I heard!
As I said, most of my weekend was spent behind a table.    So many fans came up to me and started telling me the funniest and wildest Beatles stories!    I spoke with a woman who went to middle school with Nancy Shevell,  a woman who saw the Beatles in concert in Boston and after their limo drove by, she saw a cup sitting in oil on the driveway and she figured that oil came from the Beatles limo and so she scooped it up with the cup and took it home with her, and a man who hung out at the Dakota in the 1970's and one time with John and Sean returned home from the circus the driver of the car gave this fan popcorn kernels from John's popcorn from the circus.     And so many more little things----it was really fun for me to hear because I just love those stories.

4.  Panel discussions
I was on two panels and gave one presentation.    One of my favorite panels was a discussion on "who was the 6th Beatle."    Now in order to be considered a "Six Beatle" person, that means you aren't ever considered in the "fifth Beatle" category.  Therefore folks like Brian, George Martin, Pete Best and Stu are out.    Who did I ague for?  Can't you guess?  Mal Evans.

The Sixth Beatle Panel discussion

3.  Meeting Klaus Voorman
I actually met Klaus at a Fest in Chicago in the early 2000's.  He signed my Revolver album.   I always had regrets that I didn't get a photo taken with him, and so I fixed that this year.  I purchased his Revolver book (and had him sign it) and sat down next to the one and only Klaus Voorman for a photo.  

Klaus Voormann and me!

2.  Finding Lennon documentary

On Friday night, we had the amazing opportunity to see the world premiere of the new documentary about John Lennon called "Finding Lennon."    The film isn't quite finished yet, but let me tell you---whenever it is, you have to see it!    I wasn't expecting to be blown away by this film because---ANOTHER John Lennon documentary?     But this really was a fresh and fair look into John's life from birth to teenager.   Interviews with friends that John went to school with were shown and they told stories that none of us had ever heard before.    I am going to do a full review of this film once it is official available.


1.  Leon Wildes
I can't speak for anyone else, but the single best thing of the Fest for me was hearing Leon Wildes talk on Sunday afternoon.   I actually left my table and stopped trying to sell books in order to see Leon talk.    As you will remember, Leon Wildes was John Lennon's immigration attorney.    He single handedly was the person that got John Lennon his green card and allowed him to stay in the United States.   I was able to shake the man's hand and tell him thank you for all he did for John and Yoko.     Hearing Leon speak was very emotional for me.    

Me with Leon Wildes and his son Michael (and as luck would have it---my flash didn't go off so the photo is super dark)

Overall I would have to give this year's east coast Fest an 8/10.     I personally enjoy the Chicago area Fest a lot more, but that could be simply because it is the one I have attended for over 20 years and I am familiar with the faces of the people.  

War is Over