Explore Steve Martin’s Life and Career The Road to Stardom: How Steve Martin Became Famous 10. The Jerk (1979) – 83% Score 9. All of Me (1984) – 85% Score 8. Roxanne (1987) – 88% Score 7. The Spanish Prisoner (1997) – 89% Score 6. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) – 89% Score 5. Little Shop of Horrors (1986) – 90% Score 4. L.A. Story (1991) – 91% Score 3. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) – 92% Score 2. Parenthood (1989) – 92% Score 1. Only Murders in the Building (2021-Current) – 99% Score
Steve Martin has donned many hats in the entertainment industry throughout his prolific career.
As a writer, comedian, musician, actor, and so much more, this extremely talented creator has always made us smile. At 78 years old, Steve Martin hasn’t let his age hold him back and has continued to flex his comedic acting muscles without slowing down.
As this beloved actor’s birthday passes and we continue to laugh at his outrageous performances, we thought it’d be a joy to look back at this masterful amuser’s career so far.
With such a...
Steve Martin has donned many hats in the entertainment industry throughout his prolific career.
As a writer, comedian, musician, actor, and so much more, this extremely talented creator has always made us smile. At 78 years old, Steve Martin hasn’t let his age hold him back and has continued to flex his comedic acting muscles without slowing down.
As this beloved actor’s birthday passes and we continue to laugh at his outrageous performances, we thought it’d be a joy to look back at this masterful amuser’s career so far.
With such a...
- 6/6/2024
- by Anne De Guia
- Your Next Shoes
Classic rock music has produced few songs as layered, mysterious, and intertextual as Don McLean’s “American Pie.” The tune took many years to complete. McLean explained why it took so long to write “American Pie” and what he was trying to accomplish with the tune. Notably, “American Pie” was partly inspired by one of America’s most important rock stars.
Don McLean wrote ‘American Pie’ because he missed 1 singer’s music
“American Pie” starts with the sad story of a man dying young. This could apply to many people, but it’s often understood as a reference to the death of Buddy Holly. Holly died in a plane crash in 1959. Before Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, or the Sex Pistol’s Sid Vicous, Holly was arguably the first rock star whose early death shocked and shook the world of music.
During a 2022 interview with American Songwriter, the singer discussed the origin of “American Pie.
Don McLean wrote ‘American Pie’ because he missed 1 singer’s music
“American Pie” starts with the sad story of a man dying young. This could apply to many people, but it’s often understood as a reference to the death of Buddy Holly. Holly died in a plane crash in 1959. Before Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, or the Sex Pistol’s Sid Vicous, Holly was arguably the first rock star whose early death shocked and shook the world of music.
During a 2022 interview with American Songwriter, the singer discussed the origin of “American Pie.
- 5/13/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
(This article is unintentionally a counterpoint to my colleague Owen Gleiberman’s considerably more-positive take on the Beatles’ “Let It Be” film, restored by Peter Jackson and released today on Disney+.)
When I was a Beatles-obsessed seven-year-old, my mother, in an act of selfless parental love, took me to a Fab Four film festival: “Hard Day’s Night,” “Let It Be,” “Yellow Submarine” and “Help!,” one after the other. My mom was a cool assistant professor of English at the local university who dressed “hip,” loved music and picked up some listening habits from her students. My obsession began after she brought home the “Sgt. Pepper” album a year or two earlier.
“Hard Day’s Night” was the Beatles the world fell in love with — sweet songs, charming cheeky personalities, matching clothes, screaming girls, moptops. But “Let It Be” was so different: the Beatles as grown-ups, real people who weren...
When I was a Beatles-obsessed seven-year-old, my mother, in an act of selfless parental love, took me to a Fab Four film festival: “Hard Day’s Night,” “Let It Be,” “Yellow Submarine” and “Help!,” one after the other. My mom was a cool assistant professor of English at the local university who dressed “hip,” loved music and picked up some listening habits from her students. My obsession began after she brought home the “Sgt. Pepper” album a year or two earlier.
“Hard Day’s Night” was the Beatles the world fell in love with — sweet songs, charming cheeky personalities, matching clothes, screaming girls, moptops. But “Let It Be” was so different: the Beatles as grown-ups, real people who weren...
- 5/8/2024
- by Jem Aswad
- Variety Film + TV
A song from The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is so old-fashioned it could have come out during the Victorian era. One of The Beatles’ rock ‘n’ roll peers said that he couldn’t have written the song because he had no sense of time. Regardless, that singer’s tunes have lasted over the course of generations.
Donovan on why Paul McCartney wrote a song from The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’
One of The Beatles’ fellow British Invasion stars was Donovan. He contributed to psychedelia as much as they did with hits such as “Sunshine Superman,” “Atlantis, and “Hurdy Gurdy Man.” Donovan also accompanied the Fab Four on their fateful trip to India to meet the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and learn about Transcendental Meditation.
During a 2013 interview with BusinessLive, Donovan discussed his own sense of time. “One couldn’t remember last Tuesday or think about next Tuesday,” he said,...
Donovan on why Paul McCartney wrote a song from The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’
One of The Beatles’ fellow British Invasion stars was Donovan. He contributed to psychedelia as much as they did with hits such as “Sunshine Superman,” “Atlantis, and “Hurdy Gurdy Man.” Donovan also accompanied the Fab Four on their fateful trip to India to meet the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and learn about Transcendental Meditation.
During a 2013 interview with BusinessLive, Donovan discussed his own sense of time. “One couldn’t remember last Tuesday or think about next Tuesday,” he said,...
- 4/4/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paris, France – Howlin’ Jaws has once again set the rock scene ablaze with the release of their second album, “Half Asleep Half Awake”. Following the success of their debut album, “Strange Effect”, this latest offering from Djivan Abkarian (vocals and bass), Lucas Humbert (guitar), and Baptiste Leon (drums) promises to reignite the flames of rock music with its potent blend of luminous melodies and diabolical jams. The album garnered attention from esteemed publications such as Rock & Folk and Rolling Stone France who featured them on their covers.
Drawing inspiration from rock legends like Cochran, Small Faces, Beatles, Kinks, and Slade, Howlin’ Jaws showcases their modern twist on a classic sound. Recorded at Liam Watson’s prestigious Toe Rag Studios in London, “Half Asleep Half Awake” embraces spontaneous creativity and psychedelic elements to deliver an immersive sonic experience.
With standout tracks like “Lost Songs” and “Mindreader”, Howlin’ Jaws invites listeners on...
Drawing inspiration from rock legends like Cochran, Small Faces, Beatles, Kinks, and Slade, Howlin’ Jaws showcases their modern twist on a classic sound. Recorded at Liam Watson’s prestigious Toe Rag Studios in London, “Half Asleep Half Awake” embraces spontaneous creativity and psychedelic elements to deliver an immersive sonic experience.
With standout tracks like “Lost Songs” and “Mindreader”, Howlin’ Jaws invites listeners on...
- 3/31/2024
- by Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Music
Considering the complexity of The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, it makes sense that Paul McCartney has some difficulty singing one of its songs. He said he was instrumental in writing the song. John Lennon might have told a different story.
1 ‘Sgt. Pepper’ song is a vocal challenge for Paul McCartney
During a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, the “Silly Love Songs” star discussed performing a Sgt. Pepper song live. “I also like doing ‘For the Benefit of Mr. Kite!’ [sic] that’s nice to do,” he said. “With ‘Mr. Kite,’ the thing about it is, it’s quite challenging cause the bass part goes somewhere that the vocal doesn’t go. So it’s like you’ve got to split your body in half and send one half to do the vocal and send the other half to do the bass part. That’s good to do; it’s quite hard to do.
1 ‘Sgt. Pepper’ song is a vocal challenge for Paul McCartney
During a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, the “Silly Love Songs” star discussed performing a Sgt. Pepper song live. “I also like doing ‘For the Benefit of Mr. Kite!’ [sic] that’s nice to do,” he said. “With ‘Mr. Kite,’ the thing about it is, it’s quite challenging cause the bass part goes somewhere that the vocal doesn’t go. So it’s like you’ve got to split your body in half and send one half to do the vocal and send the other half to do the bass part. That’s good to do; it’s quite hard to do.
- 3/29/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Marianne Faithfull is a singer who served as a muse for The Rolling Stones‘ Mick Jagger. She said The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is darker than it seems upon first listen. Notably, John Lennon was not the biggest fan of the record.
Marianne Faithfull said The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ is ‘very weird’
Faithfull is a singer most known for her hit “As Tears Go By” and her cover of The Beatles’ “Yesterday.” In her 2008 book Memories, Dreams & Recollections, the singer wrote about her feelings about the Fab Four. “Their sweetness is very superficial,” he said. “You hear the undercurrent in Paul’s bass playing, you hear it in John’s harmonies, you hear it in the call-and-response stuff. Maybe not the first couple of records, but when you get to Revolver and Rubber Soul, things begin to darken.
“And there’s something very weird about Sgt.
Marianne Faithfull said The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ is ‘very weird’
Faithfull is a singer most known for her hit “As Tears Go By” and her cover of The Beatles’ “Yesterday.” In her 2008 book Memories, Dreams & Recollections, the singer wrote about her feelings about the Fab Four. “Their sweetness is very superficial,” he said. “You hear the undercurrent in Paul’s bass playing, you hear it in John’s harmonies, you hear it in the call-and-response stuff. Maybe not the first couple of records, but when you get to Revolver and Rubber Soul, things begin to darken.
“And there’s something very weird about Sgt.
- 3/25/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney is known for bringing a bit of inspired silliness to his songwriting — after all, one of his most famous his is called “Silly Love Songs!” Paul said he added a joke to The Beatles’ “When I’m Sixty-Four” to make it “funnier.” He said “When I’m Sixty-Four” was inspired by old-school songs he and John Lennon appreciated so much. On the other hand, John said he never could have written “When I’m Sixty-Four.”
Paul McCartney added a line about starving to The Beatles’ ‘When I’m Sixty-Four’ as a joke
During a 2012 interview with The Independent, Paul discussed the concept behind “When I’m Sixty-Four.” “It was about myself, looking to the future,” he recalled. “Retirement age of 65 felt too obvious, so I made it a year earlier.”
One of the tune’s most famous lines could have been very different. “‘Will you still need me, will you still feed me...
Paul McCartney added a line about starving to The Beatles’ ‘When I’m Sixty-Four’ as a joke
During a 2012 interview with The Independent, Paul discussed the concept behind “When I’m Sixty-Four.” “It was about myself, looking to the future,” he recalled. “Retirement age of 65 felt too obvious, so I made it a year earlier.”
One of the tune’s most famous lines could have been very different. “‘Will you still need me, will you still feed me...
- 3/15/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon gave one of the most renowned Playboy interviews of all time. The interview is partly famous because the “Imagine” singer died shortly after giving it and partly because it’s incredible. Of course, John often dismissed his great projects. Here’s a look at what he thought of the interview and why the interview continues to have relevance for Beatles fans and fans of rock ‘n’ roll in general.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono had the same reaction to John’s final Playboy interview
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980 conducted by David Sheff. In the book’s epilogue, Sheff discusses talking with John after the interview. “I spoke to him once on the telephone after that,” he said. “I called a number within The Dakota when the main telephones were out. John never answered the telephone,...
John Lennon and Yoko Ono had the same reaction to John’s final Playboy interview
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980 conducted by David Sheff. In the book’s epilogue, Sheff discusses talking with John after the interview. “I spoke to him once on the telephone after that,” he said. “I called a number within The Dakota when the main telephones were out. John never answered the telephone,...
- 2/24/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John, Paul, George and Ringo will each be the subject of a different upcoming feature film.
Director Sam Mendes plans to make four separate movies, one from each Beatles member’s point of view. They will intersect to “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history,” leading up to their 1970 breakup, according to a press release. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of the late John Lennon and George Harrison have granted full life story and music rights for the scripted films.
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker of “American Beauty,” war drama “1917” and James Bond films “Skyfall” and “Spectre,” said in a statement.
Sony Pictures Entertainment will finance and distribute all four films theatrically in 2027. Details about...
Director Sam Mendes plans to make four separate movies, one from each Beatles member’s point of view. They will intersect to “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history,” leading up to their 1970 breakup, according to a press release. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of the late John Lennon and George Harrison have granted full life story and music rights for the scripted films.
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker of “American Beauty,” war drama “1917” and James Bond films “Skyfall” and “Spectre,” said in a statement.
Sony Pictures Entertainment will finance and distribute all four films theatrically in 2027. Details about...
- 2/20/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
John Lennon brought a connection to former Beatles‘ drummer Pete Best to the cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. While Paul McCartney and George Harrison adorned their costumes with their MBEs, Lennon did not want to do this. Instead, he reached out to Best’s family several years after unceremoniously firing him from the group. Here’s how he got a hold of his grandfather’s medals.
John Lennon requested to wear Pete Best’s grandfather’s medals on the ‘Sgt. Pepper’ cover
In 1962, The Beatles fired their drummer, Best, and hired Ringo Starr. They were too afraid to tell Best themselves, so they had their manager, Brian Epstein, let him go. Lennon admitted this was cowardly.
“We were cowards when we sacked him,” he said, per The Beatles: The Authorized Biography by Hunter Davies. “We made Brian do it. But if we told Pete to his face,...
John Lennon requested to wear Pete Best’s grandfather’s medals on the ‘Sgt. Pepper’ cover
In 1962, The Beatles fired their drummer, Best, and hired Ringo Starr. They were too afraid to tell Best themselves, so they had their manager, Brian Epstein, let him go. Lennon admitted this was cowardly.
“We were cowards when we sacked him,” he said, per The Beatles: The Authorized Biography by Hunter Davies. “We made Brian do it. But if we told Pete to his face,...
- 2/13/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles are so huge it might seem like they wouldn’t be in competition with anyone. Despite this, Paul McCartney felt The Beatles were in competition with another iconic 1960s band from a different country. The Beatles and the other band had a significant influence on each other.
Paul McCartney felt The Beatles were The Beach Boys’ rivals
During a 1990 interview with Rolling Stone, the interviewer said Paul always wants to prove that he’s commercially viable. “It’s never stopped,” Paul said. “I will never stop competing with every other artist in this business. Pet Sounds kicked me to make Pepper. It was direct competition with The Beach Boys. So what? That’s what everyone’s doing. Although when Brian Wilson heard Pepper, he went the other way.” While Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper are different in many ways, they are both psychedelic rock albums that make use of animal noises.
Paul McCartney felt The Beatles were The Beach Boys’ rivals
During a 1990 interview with Rolling Stone, the interviewer said Paul always wants to prove that he’s commercially viable. “It’s never stopped,” Paul said. “I will never stop competing with every other artist in this business. Pet Sounds kicked me to make Pepper. It was direct competition with The Beach Boys. So what? That’s what everyone’s doing. Although when Brian Wilson heard Pepper, he went the other way.” While Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper are different in many ways, they are both psychedelic rock albums that make use of animal noises.
- 2/12/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Here’s a trivia question for you: Who was the first person to win the Grammy for Album of the Year? It was legendary composer Henry Mancini, who won for the soundtrack to the television show “Peter Gunn.” Let’s take a look back at all of the albums that have claimed this coveted prize in music history.
The attributes of what makes a great album always vary but a well made album will always be viewed as a work of art. Great albums can just be an amazing collection of songs that flow together musically or they can be songs that collectively make a statement. The albums that have won Album of the Year have encompassed all of these areas. They have ranged from some of the most revered classics, from “Sgt. Pepper” by The Beatles and “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, to the biggest achievements in recent years, from...
The attributes of what makes a great album always vary but a well made album will always be viewed as a work of art. Great albums can just be an amazing collection of songs that flow together musically or they can be songs that collectively make a statement. The albums that have won Album of the Year have encompassed all of these areas. They have ranged from some of the most revered classics, from “Sgt. Pepper” by The Beatles and “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, to the biggest achievements in recent years, from...
- 2/4/2024
- by Charles Bright, Zach Laws and Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
The Beatles regularly paid tribute to the classic rock pioneers who paved the way for them. One of Paul McCartney’s songs is about a blues singer who helped create rock music. The “Silly Love Songs” singer said the tune in question had good lyrics that he should take as advice.
1 of Paul McCartney’s songs was inspired by a book about Lead Belly
During a 2020 interview with The New York Times, Paul was asked to name his favorite song from his album McCartney III. “I’m very happy with ‘Women and Wives,'” he replied. “I’ve been reading a book about Lead Belly.” Lead Belly was the stage name of blues icon Huddie William Ledbetter. He gave the world classic tunes such as “Cotton Fields,” “Boll Weevil,” “Midnight Special,” “Goodnight, Irene,” and “In the Pines.” His work laid the groundwork for much of rock ‘n’ roll music.
“I...
1 of Paul McCartney’s songs was inspired by a book about Lead Belly
During a 2020 interview with The New York Times, Paul was asked to name his favorite song from his album McCartney III. “I’m very happy with ‘Women and Wives,'” he replied. “I’ve been reading a book about Lead Belly.” Lead Belly was the stage name of blues icon Huddie William Ledbetter. He gave the world classic tunes such as “Cotton Fields,” “Boll Weevil,” “Midnight Special,” “Goodnight, Irene,” and “In the Pines.” His work laid the groundwork for much of rock ‘n’ roll music.
“I...
- 1/24/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Most of Paul McCartney‘s songs are about love. Paul writing a tune about abuse in the modeling industry is a bit of a surprise. The “Live and Let Die” singer connected the song’s lyrics to the way the music industry treated The Beatles.
Paul McCartney has the experience to write a song about male beauty
In 2020, Paul released McCartney III, the long-awaited sequel to McCartney and McCartney II. The record includes a folk tune called “Pretty Boys.” In the track, Paul compared a group of men to bicycles. Paul has a much more extensive history of singing about attractive women than attractive men. However, surely the cute Beatle would know a thing or two about male beauty! During a 2020 interview with The New York Times, Paul was asked about the origin of “Pretty Boys.”
“I’ve been photographed by many photographers through the years,” he said. “And when you get down to London,...
Paul McCartney has the experience to write a song about male beauty
In 2020, Paul released McCartney III, the long-awaited sequel to McCartney and McCartney II. The record includes a folk tune called “Pretty Boys.” In the track, Paul compared a group of men to bicycles. Paul has a much more extensive history of singing about attractive women than attractive men. However, surely the cute Beatle would know a thing or two about male beauty! During a 2020 interview with The New York Times, Paul was asked about the origin of “Pretty Boys.”
“I’ve been photographed by many photographers through the years,” he said. “And when you get down to London,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Scott Manners, a veteran talent agent who co-founded Artists & Representatives, died Friday, Jan. 19. He was 68.
He died at home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family, after a bout of Als.
The partners at Artists & Representatives announced Manners’ passing in a statement, writing, “Through the years, we have each been moved by his commitment and mission to brilliantly represent the artists who bring our society closer to love. It was his life’s work to make a difference every day and change lives for the better.”
Manners’ work in Hollywood extends as far back as 1978, when he landed an acting role in “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” He co-founded the boutique talent agency Stone Manners with Tim Stone nearly four decades ago. In 2010, after Glenn Salners was promoted to partner, the agency rebranded to Stone Manners Salners. And the company was renamed again in 2019, to Artists & Representatives, as...
He died at home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family, after a bout of Als.
The partners at Artists & Representatives announced Manners’ passing in a statement, writing, “Through the years, we have each been moved by his commitment and mission to brilliantly represent the artists who bring our society closer to love. It was his life’s work to make a difference every day and change lives for the better.”
Manners’ work in Hollywood extends as far back as 1978, when he landed an acting role in “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” He co-founded the boutique talent agency Stone Manners with Tim Stone nearly four decades ago. In 2010, after Glenn Salners was promoted to partner, the agency rebranded to Stone Manners Salners. And the company was renamed again in 2019, to Artists & Representatives, as...
- 1/22/2024
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Jamie Foxx’s favorite Beatles song is from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. And while hee made a good choice, Foxx associates the tune with an infamous movie. Here’s a look at one of the most widely hated movies of the 1970s and its connection to The Beatles.
Jamie Foxx said all of The Beatles’ songs displayed their ‘incredible talent’
During a 2009 interview with Cleveland.com, Foxx was asked to name the Fab Four tune he likes the most. He chose the title track from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” is a hard-rock ditty and a far cry from Foxx’s soul/hip-hop style.
“That sticks out because of the movie,” he opined. “Everything they did … incredible talent, man. It’s just amazing how great they were, how they influenced our culture, and how the music still stands up today.
Jamie Foxx said all of The Beatles’ songs displayed their ‘incredible talent’
During a 2009 interview with Cleveland.com, Foxx was asked to name the Fab Four tune he likes the most. He chose the title track from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” is a hard-rock ditty and a far cry from Foxx’s soul/hip-hop style.
“That sticks out because of the movie,” he opined. “Everything they did … incredible talent, man. It’s just amazing how great they were, how they influenced our culture, and how the music still stands up today.
- 1/22/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Green Day songs are some of the most essential classic rock tunes of the 1990s and 2000s. However, the band drew significant influence from The Who, one of the most iconic bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong revealed The Who’s “Pinball Wizard” was the inspiration for one of Green Day’s singles. He feels he made some major missteps on that song’s parent album.
How The Who’s ‘Pinball Wizard’ inspired Green Day’s ‘Minority’
During a 2020 interview with Rolling Stone, Armstrong revealed the origin of Green Day’s “Minority.” After ‘Time of Your Life,’ I started getting into playing more acoustic guitar, and I really wanted to have more for [the album] Warning,” he said. “And there was also a lot of kind of bad pop-punk that was starting to happen, and I wanted to go against that genre.
“This felt like the next step,...
How The Who’s ‘Pinball Wizard’ inspired Green Day’s ‘Minority’
During a 2020 interview with Rolling Stone, Armstrong revealed the origin of Green Day’s “Minority.” After ‘Time of Your Life,’ I started getting into playing more acoustic guitar, and I really wanted to have more for [the album] Warning,” he said. “And there was also a lot of kind of bad pop-punk that was starting to happen, and I wanted to go against that genre.
“This felt like the next step,...
- 1/5/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band probably has the most famous album artwork ever. Despite this, one of the artists who created the cover wasn’t much of a Beatlemaniac. At the time, she was more interested in one of the singers who inspired The Beatles. She discussed what she thought of the Fab Four after spending some time with them.
An artist compared working on The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ cover to meeting Marilyn Monroe
Jann Haworth and her then-husband Peter Blake were the artists behind the Sgt. Pepper artwork. During a 2017 interview with Good Times, Haworth revealed she wasn’t too impressed with The Beatles at the time.
“I always had a fairly detached sense with The Beatles, because my ear was American and I was interested in, you know, Bo Diddley and that area of music,” she said. “Chuck Berry and stuff was what I was tuned to.
An artist compared working on The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ cover to meeting Marilyn Monroe
Jann Haworth and her then-husband Peter Blake were the artists behind the Sgt. Pepper artwork. During a 2017 interview with Good Times, Haworth revealed she wasn’t too impressed with The Beatles at the time.
“I always had a fairly detached sense with The Beatles, because my ear was American and I was interested in, you know, Bo Diddley and that area of music,” she said. “Chuck Berry and stuff was what I was tuned to.
- 12/20/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Even though Elvis Presley deserved to be there, he’s not on the cover of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Paul McCartney explained why this was the case. Interestingly, some of the “Hound Dog” singer’s contemporaries are on the album cover.
Elvis Presley isn’t on The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ cover but Bob Dylan is
The cover of Sgt. Pepper pays tribute to people from all fields, including non-fiction writers, fiction writers, actors, athletes, political leaders, and religious leaders. Surprisingly, only a handful of these figures are musicians. Headshots of 1960s icons Bob Dylan and Dion Dimucci are visible on the record, and a doll wears a shirt reading “Welcome The Rolling Stones Good Guys.” Singer-actors like Shirley Temple, Diana Dors, and Marilyn Monroe are part of the artwork as well. Despite this, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll is nowhere to be seen.
According to the History Channel,...
Elvis Presley isn’t on The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ cover but Bob Dylan is
The cover of Sgt. Pepper pays tribute to people from all fields, including non-fiction writers, fiction writers, actors, athletes, political leaders, and religious leaders. Surprisingly, only a handful of these figures are musicians. Headshots of 1960s icons Bob Dylan and Dion Dimucci are visible on the record, and a doll wears a shirt reading “Welcome The Rolling Stones Good Guys.” Singer-actors like Shirley Temple, Diana Dors, and Marilyn Monroe are part of the artwork as well. Despite this, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll is nowhere to be seen.
According to the History Channel,...
- 12/19/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The final cover of The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band doesn’t reflect the Fab Four’s original idea. The Beatles removed one star from the image for financial reasons. The star might have made a huge mistake when he corresponded with The Beatles.
An artist said the creation of The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ cover was ‘pretty funny’
Jann Haworth was one of the artists behind the Sgt. Pepper artwork. Famously, the record includes the visages of many celebrities, writers, and historical figures. During a 2017 interview with Good Times, Haworth said The Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, decided the band needed permission to use the famous figures’ images late in the creative process.
“And the story as it’s written up is that Emi thought of this, but as it was presented to me it was Brian saying ‘Oh my god, we’ve got to get this straightened out,...
An artist said the creation of The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ cover was ‘pretty funny’
Jann Haworth was one of the artists behind the Sgt. Pepper artwork. Famously, the record includes the visages of many celebrities, writers, and historical figures. During a 2017 interview with Good Times, Haworth said The Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, decided the band needed permission to use the famous figures’ images late in the creative process.
“And the story as it’s written up is that Emi thought of this, but as it was presented to me it was Brian saying ‘Oh my god, we’ve got to get this straightened out,...
- 12/19/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Mahatma Gandhi was arguably the most famous political activist who preached nonviolence and John Lennon was the most famous rock star who preached nonviolence. John still didn’t understand something about the Indian independence leader. Yoko Ono questioned whether people should follow in Gandhi’s footsteps.
What John Lennon said about Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980. In the interview, John discussed his views on politics. He endorsed the message of The Beatles’ “Revolution,” saying that he wanted to see the plan for any possible revolutions. John revealed that he would only show up to a barricade if he was handing out flowers, referencing Flower Power, a famous photograph of a protestor putting a flower in the barrel of a soldier’s gun.
He also discussed two of the most...
What John Lennon said about Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980. In the interview, John discussed his views on politics. He endorsed the message of The Beatles’ “Revolution,” saying that he wanted to see the plan for any possible revolutions. John revealed that he would only show up to a barricade if he was handing out flowers, referencing Flower Power, a famous photograph of a protestor putting a flower in the barrel of a soldier’s gun.
He also discussed two of the most...
- 12/18/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney said one of his Wings songs sold 100,000 copies a day. He contrasted this with record sales in the modern music industry. While the tune in question was a massive hit in the United Kingdom, it made no impact whatsoever in the United States.
Paul McCartney got to experience the ‘best’ of the music industry through 1 of his songs
During a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Paul discussed music sales. “The scene has changed, but it doesn’t disturb me, because I had the best of it — selling 100,000 a day on something like ‘Mull of Kintyre.’ I’ve had the joy of that.
“If I don’t have it now, it’s not just about me,” he added. “All of my contemporaries, who are still pretty cool, don’t have it, because things have moved on. And you know what? We had it. And it was great.”
Paul McCartney said...
Paul McCartney got to experience the ‘best’ of the music industry through 1 of his songs
During a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Paul discussed music sales. “The scene has changed, but it doesn’t disturb me, because I had the best of it — selling 100,000 a day on something like ‘Mull of Kintyre.’ I’ve had the joy of that.
“If I don’t have it now, it’s not just about me,” he added. “All of my contemporaries, who are still pretty cool, don’t have it, because things have moved on. And you know what? We had it. And it was great.”
Paul McCartney said...
- 11/28/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Every classic rock fan can remember one or two songs that left them slack-jawed. A rock star was blown away by one of the songs from The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. He said the tune put John Lennon’s genius on full display. The star in question put his own spin on the track with some help from Miley Cyrus.
A rock star wanted to understand how a song from The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ came together
Wayne Coyne is the frontman of The Flaming Lips, a band behind numerous psychedelic experiments such as “She Don’t Use Jelly.” During a 2014 interview with Newsweek, he recalled his reaction to “A Day in the Life” from Sgt. Pepper. “The ‘Day in the Life’ song is one of the marks of the sheer genius of not just John Lennon but The Beatles as singers, as players, as arrangers, as conceptualizing,...
A rock star wanted to understand how a song from The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ came together
Wayne Coyne is the frontman of The Flaming Lips, a band behind numerous psychedelic experiments such as “She Don’t Use Jelly.” During a 2014 interview with Newsweek, he recalled his reaction to “A Day in the Life” from Sgt. Pepper. “The ‘Day in the Life’ song is one of the marks of the sheer genius of not just John Lennon but The Beatles as singers, as players, as arrangers, as conceptualizing,...
- 11/24/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney said a song from The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band features a sleazy line that was rumored to be about a real person. Paul said it was complete fiction. The song also shows off many of Paul’s main traits as a songwriter.
The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ has a sexual lyric about a plush interior
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul recalled the origin of a line from “She’s Leaving Home.” “There’s the famous little line about a man from the motor trade; people have since said that was Terry Doran, who was a friend who worked in a car showroom, but it was just fiction, like the sea captain in ‘Yellow Submarine,’ they weren’t real people,” he said. “George Harrison said once he could only write songs from his personal experience, but they don’t have to exist for me.
The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ has a sexual lyric about a plush interior
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul recalled the origin of a line from “She’s Leaving Home.” “There’s the famous little line about a man from the motor trade; people have since said that was Terry Doran, who was a friend who worked in a car showroom, but it was just fiction, like the sea captain in ‘Yellow Submarine,’ they weren’t real people,” he said. “George Harrison said once he could only write songs from his personal experience, but they don’t have to exist for me.
- 11/20/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Yoko Ono revealed she likes one of The Beatles‘ albums better than Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. She also named her favorite Beatles song, which was a huge hit. Blasphemous though it may seem, John Lennon wasn’t the biggest fan of Sgt. Pepper.
Yoko Ono loves ‘The White Album’ and the message of 1 Beatles song
During a 2016 interview with US Weekly, Yoko discussed her attitude toward two of The Beatles’ albums. “I don’t know if people will hate me for saying this, but I always preferred The White Album to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Pepper’s too.” At this point, plenty of Beatles fans would agree with Yoko’s conclusion.
During a 2012 interview with The Telegraph, Yoko named “All You Need Is Love” as her favorite Beatles song. “I’m glad they were saying all you need is love,...
Yoko Ono loves ‘The White Album’ and the message of 1 Beatles song
During a 2016 interview with US Weekly, Yoko discussed her attitude toward two of The Beatles’ albums. “I don’t know if people will hate me for saying this, but I always preferred The White Album to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Pepper’s too.” At this point, plenty of Beatles fans would agree with Yoko’s conclusion.
During a 2012 interview with The Telegraph, Yoko named “All You Need Is Love” as her favorite Beatles song. “I’m glad they were saying all you need is love,...
- 10/31/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney looks very happy on the back cover of his debut solo album, McCartney. Paul once discussed why he was so smiley in that particular photo. His smile had something to do with a famous lawsuit wherein he sued the other members of The Beatles. Interestingly, the album gave fans one of Paul’s most famous love ballads.
Paul McCartney said that his big smile on the back of the album ‘McCartney’ was genuine
According to NBC News, Paul sued The Beatles in 1970. He disputed The Beatles’ contract, which gave manager Allen Klein control over the band’s finances. Paul was told that suing the band was his only choice, as Klein himself was not the relevant party. Paul was alright with suing John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr in the process because he felt it was better for all of them in the end. In Paul’s recollection,...
Paul McCartney said that his big smile on the back of the album ‘McCartney’ was genuine
According to NBC News, Paul sued The Beatles in 1970. He disputed The Beatles’ contract, which gave manager Allen Klein control over the band’s finances. Paul was told that suing the band was his only choice, as Klein himself was not the relevant party. Paul was alright with suing John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr in the process because he felt it was better for all of them in the end. In Paul’s recollection,...
- 10/26/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney said he finds “solace” in listening to an Elvis Presley album. He wants his music to have the same effect on listeners. John Lennon had something to say about the same Elvis album.
Paul McCartney revealed what happened when The Beatles listened to 1 Elvis Presley album
During a 2020 interview with Uncut, Paul was asked what music had a positive effect on him. “Something like ‘God Only Knows,'” he said. “It’s just … Wow! The thrill it gives me, the inspiration and the solace — whatever you want to call it — it makes me feel great. I want my songs to have that effect, too.
“Early Elvis stuff, too,” he added. “When we were just starting out, we’d be sitting round, maybe playing snooker or something, and someone would put the first Elvis album on. It’d make you feel so good. That was always my ambition. ‘Wow,...
Paul McCartney revealed what happened when The Beatles listened to 1 Elvis Presley album
During a 2020 interview with Uncut, Paul was asked what music had a positive effect on him. “Something like ‘God Only Knows,'” he said. “It’s just … Wow! The thrill it gives me, the inspiration and the solace — whatever you want to call it — it makes me feel great. I want my songs to have that effect, too.
“Early Elvis stuff, too,” he added. “When we were just starting out, we’d be sitting round, maybe playing snooker or something, and someone would put the first Elvis album on. It’d make you feel so good. That was always my ambition. ‘Wow,...
- 10/23/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Some classic rock stars managed to influence nearly every rocker who came after them. One of Elvis Presley’s songs inspired Meat Loaf’s “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.” In fact, “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” tune took some of Elvis’ lyrics and made them a lot darker. The song went on to change Meat Loaf’s life.
Meat Loaf’s ‘Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad’ was desperately written as an Elvis Presley tribute
Jim Steinman was a songwriter who wrote big, dramatic power ballads such as Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me.” He also worked on Meat Loaf’s two most famous albums: Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell. In an interview on JimSteinman.com, Steinmen discussed the conception of “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.
Meat Loaf’s ‘Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad’ was desperately written as an Elvis Presley tribute
Jim Steinman was a songwriter who wrote big, dramatic power ballads such as Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me.” He also worked on Meat Loaf’s two most famous albums: Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell. In an interview on JimSteinman.com, Steinmen discussed the conception of “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.
- 10/18/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The son of a famous producer found a demo of The Beatles‘ “Yellow Submarine” with John Lennon singing the lead vocal. The demo includes some morose lyrics. Ringo Starr revealed that other members of the band decided to “liven up” the song before they had him sing it.
Producer George Martin’s son compared The Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’ demo to gold
In 2022, USA Today reported John moped a lot in a demo of The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine.” In the demo, he sangs lines like “In the place where I was born, no one cared, no one cared,” “and the name that I was born, no one cared,” and “in the town where I come from, no one cared.”
Giles Martin, son of Fab Four producer George Martin, discussed the demo. “I had no idea it existed,” he said. “It was a complete discovery and I was surprised. One of the...
Producer George Martin’s son compared The Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’ demo to gold
In 2022, USA Today reported John moped a lot in a demo of The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine.” In the demo, he sangs lines like “In the place where I was born, no one cared, no one cared,” “and the name that I was born, no one cared,” and “in the town where I come from, no one cared.”
Giles Martin, son of Fab Four producer George Martin, discussed the demo. “I had no idea it existed,” he said. “It was a complete discovery and I was surprised. One of the...
- 10/14/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
George Harrison was the most spiritually-minded of The Beatles, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t indulge himself by showing off. He once said he wrote the solo from The Beatles’ “Within You Without You” to draw attention to himself. George revealed what he thought of “Within You Without You” in hindsight and contrasted it with the other songs from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
George Harrison explained the time signature of The Beatles’ ‘Within You Without You’
The book George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters features an interview from 1993. During it, George discussed the difference between Western and Indian musical composition. “In Western music, basically the tempo goes 4/4 or 3/4, and that’s it,” he said. “In Indian music, they have a hundred-and-eight rhythm cycles, and they can even play in things like 7½.
“It’s quite complex, but I did learn this little piece, one...
George Harrison explained the time signature of The Beatles’ ‘Within You Without You’
The book George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters features an interview from 1993. During it, George discussed the difference between Western and Indian musical composition. “In Western music, basically the tempo goes 4/4 or 3/4, and that’s it,” he said. “In Indian music, they have a hundred-and-eight rhythm cycles, and they can even play in things like 7½.
“It’s quite complex, but I did learn this little piece, one...
- 10/6/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
U2 kicked off their “U2:uv Achtung Baby” residency at Las Vegas’ Msg Sphere on Friday night. The sphere, which cost $2.3 billion to construct, features a wraparound interior LED screen, 170,000 ultra-directional speakers that utilize beamforming technology to deliver targeted audio to every seat in the venue, and a haptic flooring system, among many other high-tech features.
Bono and co. made full use of these features as they ran through a 22-song set that included material from their 1991 studio album, Achtung Baby, as well as their new song “Atomic City” and classics like “Vertigo,” “Where the Streets Have No Name,” With or Without You,” and “Beautiful Day.”
Oftentimes, the 35-story building’s floor-to-ceiling screens would project Es Devlin and Brian Eno-inspired artwork, while fans were treated to a crystal clear street view of Sin City during their new Vegas-inspired song. At one point, moving visuals came down from the ceiling to suspend over the audience,...
Bono and co. made full use of these features as they ran through a 22-song set that included material from their 1991 studio album, Achtung Baby, as well as their new song “Atomic City” and classics like “Vertigo,” “Where the Streets Have No Name,” With or Without You,” and “Beautiful Day.”
Oftentimes, the 35-story building’s floor-to-ceiling screens would project Es Devlin and Brian Eno-inspired artwork, while fans were treated to a crystal clear street view of Sin City during their new Vegas-inspired song. At one point, moving visuals came down from the ceiling to suspend over the audience,...
- 9/30/2023
- by Scoop Harrison
- Consequence - Music
On Friday nights, IndieWire After Dark takes a feature-length beat to honor fringe cinema in the streaming age.
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: Once Upon a Time, in a Far Away Land, the Vibes Were Fucked
I’m a simple man with simple political views: I believe the United States government should take all of its pageantry cues for state events from the film “Donkey Skin.” Dead presidents should be laid to rest inside a giant glass Christmas ornament. White House staffers should be required to paint themselves red or blue to reflect the party in power. And the Speaker of the House should preside over congress while sitting on a giant stuffed cat.
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: Once Upon a Time, in a Far Away Land, the Vibes Were Fucked
I’m a simple man with simple political views: I believe the United States government should take all of its pageantry cues for state events from the film “Donkey Skin.” Dead presidents should be laid to rest inside a giant glass Christmas ornament. White House staffers should be required to paint themselves red or blue to reflect the party in power. And the Speaker of the House should preside over congress while sitting on a giant stuffed cat.
- 9/9/2023
- by Christian Zilko and Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Tl;Dr:
John Lennon noted that one of The Who’s songs was originally by an American artist. John felt The Beatles’ covers of songs by American artists weren’t always so good. The Who’s cover song had a major connection to a few Elvis Presley hits.
John Lennon didn’t like one of The Who’s songs. Despite this, he liked a version of the song by another artist. Notably, John didn’t think The Beatles always did a good job covering other artists’ songs.
John Lennon felt 1 of The Who’s songs was a subpar cover that was emblematic of the time
The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations With John Lennon features an interview from 1974. During the interview, John discussed Swinging London. “There was a discotheque scene in London, and the main club we all went to was the Ad Lib,” he said. “There was a couple more,...
John Lennon noted that one of The Who’s songs was originally by an American artist. John felt The Beatles’ covers of songs by American artists weren’t always so good. The Who’s cover song had a major connection to a few Elvis Presley hits.
John Lennon didn’t like one of The Who’s songs. Despite this, he liked a version of the song by another artist. Notably, John didn’t think The Beatles always did a good job covering other artists’ songs.
John Lennon felt 1 of The Who’s songs was a subpar cover that was emblematic of the time
The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations With John Lennon features an interview from 1974. During the interview, John discussed Swinging London. “There was a discotheque scene in London, and the main club we all went to was the Ad Lib,” he said. “There was a couple more,...
- 8/25/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
John Lennon compared TV music to The Beatles’ Revolver. He felt advertisements were “selling” President Richard Nixon. Revolver became a smash in two different decades in the United Kingdom.
In the early 1970s, John Lennon said jingles sounded like The Beatles’ Revolver. In addition, he revealed what he thought about advertising. Notably, Revolver produced three hits in the United States and two in the United Kingdom.
John Lennon said jingles were as good as the music from The Beatles’ ‘Revolver’
The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations With John Lennon features an interview from 1972. In it, John discussed the Fab Four’s influence. “People are talking about Beatles music,” he said. “The commercial music on TV they use for the back of ads is as good as Revolver, it sounds like to me.
“When you make a decision about the kind of music you’re gonna make and you...
John Lennon compared TV music to The Beatles’ Revolver. He felt advertisements were “selling” President Richard Nixon. Revolver became a smash in two different decades in the United Kingdom.
In the early 1970s, John Lennon said jingles sounded like The Beatles’ Revolver. In addition, he revealed what he thought about advertising. Notably, Revolver produced three hits in the United States and two in the United Kingdom.
John Lennon said jingles were as good as the music from The Beatles’ ‘Revolver’
The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations With John Lennon features an interview from 1972. In it, John discussed the Fab Four’s influence. “People are talking about Beatles music,” he said. “The commercial music on TV they use for the back of ads is as good as Revolver, it sounds like to me.
“When you make a decision about the kind of music you’re gonna make and you...
- 8/10/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band changed the history of science when it inspired the name of a famous fossil. A scientist explained why the Fab Four inspired the moniker. In addition, he said using a name from a Beatles song made the fossil iconic.
A song from The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ played during an important expedition
In 1974, paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson discovered the skeleton of a prehistoric ape-like creature of the species Australopithecus afarensis. The female skeleton garnered the name “Lucy.” During a 2014 interview with Scientific American, Johanson discussed why Lucy was named after a Beatles song.
“I knew from the beginning that she would be important,” he said. “But in hindsight, she also got the right nickname. A member of the expedition suggested if she was a female, as we suspected, why not call her Lucy, after the Beatles song ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,...
A song from The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ played during an important expedition
In 1974, paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson discovered the skeleton of a prehistoric ape-like creature of the species Australopithecus afarensis. The female skeleton garnered the name “Lucy.” During a 2014 interview with Scientific American, Johanson discussed why Lucy was named after a Beatles song.
“I knew from the beginning that she would be important,” he said. “But in hindsight, she also got the right nickname. A member of the expedition suggested if she was a female, as we suspected, why not call her Lucy, after the Beatles song ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,...
- 7/25/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band features numerous famous people on the cover. One movie star is featured on the album three times. During one of those appearances, she’s depicted as a doll.
A movie star is on The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ 3 times and 1 time she’s barely visible
The cover of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper includes people from many fields. For example, it includes authors like Karl Marx and Oscar Wilde, musicians like Bob Dylan and Dion Dimucci, and religious leaders like Aleister Crowley and Paramahansa Yogananda.
Despite this, Hollywood stars make up a huge portion of the people on the album. Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, W. C. Fields, Laurel and Hardy, Bette Davis, Tyrone Power, and Marlene Dietrich are all there. According to Goldmine, child star Shirley Temple is on Sgt. Pepper three times. Each appearance is very different from the last.
A movie star is on The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ 3 times and 1 time she’s barely visible
The cover of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper includes people from many fields. For example, it includes authors like Karl Marx and Oscar Wilde, musicians like Bob Dylan and Dion Dimucci, and religious leaders like Aleister Crowley and Paramahansa Yogananda.
Despite this, Hollywood stars make up a huge portion of the people on the album. Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, W. C. Fields, Laurel and Hardy, Bette Davis, Tyrone Power, and Marlene Dietrich are all there. According to Goldmine, child star Shirley Temple is on Sgt. Pepper three times. Each appearance is very different from the last.
- 7/16/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
Paul McCartney said avant-garde music inspired The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. A song from Sgt. Pepper might be The Beatles’ most avant-garde moment. The album was a big hit in the United States and in the United Kingdom.
Paul McCartney said a song from The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is “madness.” He decided that Sgt. Pepper song should include an orchestra. Subsequently, he clashed with The Beatles’ producer over this decision.
Paul McCartney wanted a song The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ to be chaotic
During a 2021 interview with NPR, Paul discussed what inspired The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life.” “Because I’d been listening to a lot of avant-garde music at that time, just for my own pleasure and just to examine the scene and just see if I liked it, I thought that this orchestral cascade, this sort of...
Paul McCartney said avant-garde music inspired The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. A song from Sgt. Pepper might be The Beatles’ most avant-garde moment. The album was a big hit in the United States and in the United Kingdom.
Paul McCartney said a song from The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is “madness.” He decided that Sgt. Pepper song should include an orchestra. Subsequently, he clashed with The Beatles’ producer over this decision.
Paul McCartney wanted a song The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ to be chaotic
During a 2021 interview with NPR, Paul discussed what inspired The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life.” “Because I’d been listening to a lot of avant-garde music at that time, just for my own pleasure and just to examine the scene and just see if I liked it, I thought that this orchestral cascade, this sort of...
- 7/11/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
Howard Stern first heard The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band when he was 13. He said listening to The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper felt like a major discovery. Stern got closer to his mother because of the album.
Howard Stern first heard The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band when it was new. He said he had a strong reaction to one classic song from Sgt. Pepper. Subsequently, the experience influenced his attitude toward music as an adult.
Howard Stern felt like a rabbinical student while analyzing The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’
In his 2019 book Howard Stern Comes Again, Stern discussed hearing The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper for the first time in the summer of 1967 when he was 13. “I had a record player in my room, and I called to my mother: ‘Mom, come in here! You gotta hear this!'” he said. “She sat on my...
Howard Stern first heard The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band when he was 13. He said listening to The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper felt like a major discovery. Stern got closer to his mother because of the album.
Howard Stern first heard The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band when it was new. He said he had a strong reaction to one classic song from Sgt. Pepper. Subsequently, the experience influenced his attitude toward music as an adult.
Howard Stern felt like a rabbinical student while analyzing The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’
In his 2019 book Howard Stern Comes Again, Stern discussed hearing The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper for the first time in the summer of 1967 when he was 13. “I had a record player in my room, and I called to my mother: ‘Mom, come in here! You gotta hear this!'” he said. “She sat on my...
- 7/6/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Some listeners thought The Beatles‘ “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!” contained a line about heroin. John Lennon dismissed that idea. In addition, he revealed what inspired “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!” and what he thought of the song in retrospect.
A poster inspired John Lennon to write The Beatles’ ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!’
During a 1971 interview in the book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon, John discussed a song from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. “There was Henry the horse in a song I wrote called ‘Mr. Kite!'” he said. “The lyrics, which I got most of off an old poster for an old-fashioned circus from the 1800s, were all about Pablo Fanque’s Fair, and the horse was there, and they said Henry the horse was horse [heroin], which I didn’t know anything about then.”
For context, “Henry...
A poster inspired John Lennon to write The Beatles’ ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!’
During a 1971 interview in the book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon, John discussed a song from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. “There was Henry the horse in a song I wrote called ‘Mr. Kite!'” he said. “The lyrics, which I got most of off an old poster for an old-fashioned circus from the 1800s, were all about Pablo Fanque’s Fair, and the horse was there, and they said Henry the horse was horse [heroin], which I didn’t know anything about then.”
For context, “Henry...
- 6/23/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles weren’t just a groundbreaking band during their heyday. They were also archivists. The Fab Four turned down a massive reunion offer in the 1970s but kept fans satisfied in the decades since with compilation albums (the three Anthology releases), expanded reissues, and documentary films culled from old material in the vaults. The Beatles’ AI song, which Paul McCartney put together for a 2023 release, won’t be the first time musicians turned to artificial intelligence to create something new.
Paul McCartney announces Beatles AI song, which will be ‘the last record’ by the Fab Four
Artificial intelligence could be the wave of the future. Yet the visionary John Lennon couldn’t possibly have imagined it as he demoed songs before he died in 1980. The Beatles’ AI song needed 21st-century tech and John’s lo-fi archiving system to come to fruition.
Paul broke the news he planned to release...
Paul McCartney announces Beatles AI song, which will be ‘the last record’ by the Fab Four
Artificial intelligence could be the wave of the future. Yet the visionary John Lennon couldn’t possibly have imagined it as he demoed songs before he died in 1980. The Beatles’ AI song needed 21st-century tech and John’s lo-fi archiving system to come to fruition.
Paul broke the news he planned to release...
- 6/15/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
A song from The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was assumed to be about heroin because of a word in its title. Subsequently, Paul McCartney wasn’t thinking about drugs when he penned the song. Instead, he said the track had a positive message.
The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ | Science & Society Picture Library / Contributor ‘Fixing a Hole’ from The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ was thought to be about fixing heroin
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul said “Fixing a Hole” from The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper had nothing to do with heroin. “‘Fixing’ later became associated with fixing heroin but at that time I didn’t associate it really,” he said.
“I know a lot of heroin people thought that was what it meant because that’s exactly what you do, fix in a hole,” he added. “It’s not my meaning at all.
The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ | Science & Society Picture Library / Contributor ‘Fixing a Hole’ from The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ was thought to be about fixing heroin
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul said “Fixing a Hole” from The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper had nothing to do with heroin. “‘Fixing’ later became associated with fixing heroin but at that time I didn’t associate it really,” he said.
“I know a lot of heroin people thought that was what it meant because that’s exactly what you do, fix in a hole,” he added. “It’s not my meaning at all.
- 6/12/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney said The Beatles’ “When I’m Sixty-Four” was meant to be a joke. In addition, he explained how The Beatles’ producer changed the song to give it some vitality. Notably, the tune was the Fab Four’s best foray into a certain genre.
Paul McCartney | Mike Coppola / Staff Paul McCartney said The Beatles’ ‘When I’m Sixty-Four’ was a joke and a love song
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul recalled adding “When I’m Sixty-Four” to the tracklist of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. “‘ When I’m Sixty-Four’ was a case of me looking for stuff to do for Pepper,” he said.
“I thought it was a good little tune but it was too vaudevillian, so I had to get some codlines to take the sting out of it, and put the tongue very firmly in cheek,” Paul added. “‘Will you still need me?’ is still a love song.
Paul McCartney | Mike Coppola / Staff Paul McCartney said The Beatles’ ‘When I’m Sixty-Four’ was a joke and a love song
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul recalled adding “When I’m Sixty-Four” to the tracklist of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. “‘ When I’m Sixty-Four’ was a case of me looking for stuff to do for Pepper,” he said.
“I thought it was a good little tune but it was too vaudevillian, so I had to get some codlines to take the sting out of it, and put the tongue very firmly in cheek,” Paul added. “‘Will you still need me?’ is still a love song.
- 6/12/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon felt The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band didn’t “go anywhere.” He felt only a few tunes on the album connected to each other. Today, Sgt. Pepper looks like a scattershot concept album, especially compared to the work of other artists like David Bowie.
Artwork based on The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ | NurPhoto / Contributor What Paul McCartney was trying to accomplish with The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features a 1980 interview. In it, John discussed what Paul McCartney said about Sgt. Pepper. “As I read the other day, he said in one of his ‘fanzine’ interviews that he was trying to put some distance between The Beatles and the public — and so there was this identity of Sgt. Pepper,” John said.
“Intellectually, that’s the same thing he did by writing ‘He...
Artwork based on The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ | NurPhoto / Contributor What Paul McCartney was trying to accomplish with The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features a 1980 interview. In it, John discussed what Paul McCartney said about Sgt. Pepper. “As I read the other day, he said in one of his ‘fanzine’ interviews that he was trying to put some distance between The Beatles and the public — and so there was this identity of Sgt. Pepper,” John said.
“Intellectually, that’s the same thing he did by writing ‘He...
- 6/10/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ringo Starr joined a wild ride when the Beatles added him to their roster. The drummer seemed to be the key to unlocking the band’s potential as they climbed to the top of the charts in England within nine months. The Beatles were rarely upstaged after that, and Ringo proved his worth when he came up big one of the greatest Fab Four songs. Yet some older entertainers weren’t ready to cede the spotlight in the early 1960s. That included actor Marlene Dietrich. She shared a bill with and tried to grab the spotlight from The Beatles, but Ringo found the upside of sharing a bill with her.
(l-r) Ringo Starr; Marlene Dietrich | Evening Standard/Getty Images; Chris Morphet/Redferns Ringo Starr took in Marlene Dietrich’s legs when she tried to grab the Beatles’ spotlight
The Fab Four’s rise in England and the United States happened differently.
(l-r) Ringo Starr; Marlene Dietrich | Evening Standard/Getty Images; Chris Morphet/Redferns Ringo Starr took in Marlene Dietrich’s legs when she tried to grab the Beatles’ spotlight
The Fab Four’s rise in England and the United States happened differently.
- 6/8/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles were a magical band. Paul McCartney and John Lennon found it easy to write songs together in the early days, and those shared hits helped propel the band to international fame and a slew of No. 1 songs and albums. Still, One Direction set a record The Beatles never could with their debut album.
(l-r) Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Niall Horan of One Direction; Beatles members Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison | Larry Busacca/AMA2013/Getty Images for Dcp; Bettmann/Contributor One Direction set a record The Beatles never could by debuting at the top of the Billboard albums chart
We won’t sit here and pretend One Direction had the same cultural impact as The Beatles.
The Fab Four churned out dozens of top-100 songs during their short time together, tunes that still stand as some of the best ever.
(l-r) Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Niall Horan of One Direction; Beatles members Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison | Larry Busacca/AMA2013/Getty Images for Dcp; Bettmann/Contributor One Direction set a record The Beatles never could by debuting at the top of the Billboard albums chart
We won’t sit here and pretend One Direction had the same cultural impact as The Beatles.
The Fab Four churned out dozens of top-100 songs during their short time together, tunes that still stand as some of the best ever.
- 5/25/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tina Turner was, by all accounts, simply the best. Not just as a musician, where she released unforgettable hits like "Proud Mary" and "What's Love Got to Do With It?", but also as an actor. You probably remember her scene-stealing, villainous turn in the classic post-apocalyptic action thriller "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome," where she played a woman trying to reboot the world by bringing barbaric capitalism and grotesque industry back to the wastelands.
Auntie Entity was certainly Turner's most memorable role and even won her an NAACP Image Award for Best Actress, but the singing sensation did have an acting career beyond "Thunderdome." You can find her in musical classics like "Tommy" and musical not-so-classics like "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," two films that emphasized her titanic celebrity as a musician. She was also the subject of the Oscar-nominated biopic "What's Love Got to Do With It," which...
Auntie Entity was certainly Turner's most memorable role and even won her an NAACP Image Award for Best Actress, but the singing sensation did have an acting career beyond "Thunderdome." You can find her in musical classics like "Tommy" and musical not-so-classics like "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," two films that emphasized her titanic celebrity as a musician. She was also the subject of the Oscar-nominated biopic "What's Love Got to Do With It," which...
- 5/25/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
In 1967, Bob Dylan and The Beatles both released albums. Dylan, along with many other people, made an appearance on the cover of The Beatles’ album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. When he released his album John Wesley Harding several months later, people wondered if Dylan had returned the favor and put The Beatles on the cover.
Bob Dylan | Steve Morley/Redferns Did Bob Dylan hide The Beatles’ faces on his ‘John Wesley Harding’ album?
Dylan’s 1967 album John Wesley Harding had a snapshot of him standing in front of a tree with three men. It was a good fit for the album, which had a relatively simple production value compared to the psychedelic rock his peers were releasing at the time.
When listeners looked closely at the album cover, they began to wonder if faces hid in the tree branches. Per Rolling Stone, when the album is upside down,...
Bob Dylan | Steve Morley/Redferns Did Bob Dylan hide The Beatles’ faces on his ‘John Wesley Harding’ album?
Dylan’s 1967 album John Wesley Harding had a snapshot of him standing in front of a tree with three men. It was a good fit for the album, which had a relatively simple production value compared to the psychedelic rock his peers were releasing at the time.
When listeners looked closely at the album cover, they began to wonder if faces hid in the tree branches. Per Rolling Stone, when the album is upside down,...
- 5/12/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
All four Beatles stood front and center on the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band cover. They’re impossible to miss. And since it’s one of the most iconic album covers ever, millions of people have glanced at John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr over the years. But there were actually five Beatles on the Sgt. Pepper cover.
Original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe joins John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison on the cover of The Beatles album ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ | Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images 5 Beatles appeared on the ‘Sgt. Pepper’ cover with Stuart Sutcliffe among the photos
The four living and breathing Beatles stood smack dab in the middle of the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band cover. Wax figures of the Fab Four were nearby. But the left side of the sleeve showcased the fifth Beatle — original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe.
Original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe joins John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison on the cover of The Beatles album ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ | Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images 5 Beatles appeared on the ‘Sgt. Pepper’ cover with Stuart Sutcliffe among the photos
The four living and breathing Beatles stood smack dab in the middle of the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band cover. Wax figures of the Fab Four were nearby. But the left side of the sleeve showcased the fifth Beatle — original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe.
- 5/2/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney played a huge role in The Beatles’ success. As one of the group’s main songwriters (along with John Lennon), Macca created some of the band’s biggest hits. Producer George Martin was also a key player. He was responsible for making the songs sound great. Paul and Martin worked together on Beatles songs for years, but there’s a connection between the producer and the self-professed instigator of The Beatles.
(l-r) George Martin and Paul McCartney | KMazur/WireImage Paul McCartney and George Martin had a hidden connection besides The Beatles — Jane Asher’s mother
The influx of money that came with being pop stars meant The Beatles could afford to live almost anywhere. His bandmates settled in the London suburbs, but Paul remained in the city.
He moved in with his girlfriend, Jane Asher, and her family: Parents Richard and Margaret, and her older brother Peter.
Paul...
(l-r) George Martin and Paul McCartney | KMazur/WireImage Paul McCartney and George Martin had a hidden connection besides The Beatles — Jane Asher’s mother
The influx of money that came with being pop stars meant The Beatles could afford to live almost anywhere. His bandmates settled in the London suburbs, but Paul remained in the city.
He moved in with his girlfriend, Jane Asher, and her family: Parents Richard and Margaret, and her older brother Peter.
Paul...
- 4/29/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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