John Lennon’s first wife, Cynthia, was likely more familiar with the musician’s caustic side than most. The couple did not separate on good terms, and Cynthia dealt with his coldness and infidelity throughout their marriage. After their divorce, Cynthia learned that musician Terri Hooley punched Lennon. She told Hooley he should have hit him harder.
Cynthia Lennon joked that musician Terri Hooley should have punched John Lennon harder
In 1970, Hooley met Lennon in London. They were looking for radio equipment, but Lennon, incorrectly believing they were members of the Ira, offered to give them weapons.
“Me and a few friends had just set up a pirate radio station in the Craigantlet Hills and were in London to get equipment for it when I met Lennon,” Hooley told the Belfast Telegraph. “I can clearly remember that one of Lennon’s friends brought us to a garage and showed us...
Cynthia Lennon joked that musician Terri Hooley should have punched John Lennon harder
In 1970, Hooley met Lennon in London. They were looking for radio equipment, but Lennon, incorrectly believing they were members of the Ira, offered to give them weapons.
“Me and a few friends had just set up a pirate radio station in the Craigantlet Hills and were in London to get equipment for it when I met Lennon,” Hooley told the Belfast Telegraph. “I can clearly remember that one of Lennon’s friends brought us to a garage and showed us...
- 1/10/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Decades after The Beatles broke up, Mick Jagger is still captivating audiences as the lead singer of The Rolling Stones. The Stones have been performing together for 60 years and are still releasing music. While they’ve taken a short break before, they’ve never announced a permanent split like The Beatles did. Jagger once said that if The Rolling Stones did break up, they wouldn’t do it as dramatically as The Beatles had.
Mick Jagger said a Rolling Stones breakup wouldn’t look like The Beatles’ split
In 1969, John Lennon told his bandmates he no longer wanted to be in The Beatles, effectively breaking up the band. Paul McCartney broke the news to the public in 1970, and from there, the former bandmates began airing their dirty laundry.
They spoke negatively about one another in interviews and wrote songs about one another. McCartney even sued his former bandmates to ensure...
Mick Jagger said a Rolling Stones breakup wouldn’t look like The Beatles’ split
In 1969, John Lennon told his bandmates he no longer wanted to be in The Beatles, effectively breaking up the band. Paul McCartney broke the news to the public in 1970, and from there, the former bandmates began airing their dirty laundry.
They spoke negatively about one another in interviews and wrote songs about one another. McCartney even sued his former bandmates to ensure...
- 11/1/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
People dubbed George Harrison the quiet Beatle. In reality, he was measured, thoughtful, stoic, and principled. That last trait led to George’s diva moment in Hamburg, Germany, before The Beatles made it big. It resurfaced years later when the guitarist stood up to John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s nitpicking while George Martin offered no support.
George Harrison | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images George Harrison refused to clean up his vomit in a diva moment during The Beatles’ early years
George once said The Beatles didn’t have a clue about performing live until they went to Hamburg. Playing multiple shows per day in front of raucous crowds honed their skills. John once said he was born in Liverpool but grew up in Hamburg.
They weren’t yet the Fab Four when they started another Hamburg residency in mid-April 1962. Still, that didn’t stop George from going full...
George Harrison | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images George Harrison refused to clean up his vomit in a diva moment during The Beatles’ early years
George once said The Beatles didn’t have a clue about performing live until they went to Hamburg. Playing multiple shows per day in front of raucous crowds honed their skills. John once said he was born in Liverpool but grew up in Hamburg.
They weren’t yet the Fab Four when they started another Hamburg residency in mid-April 1962. Still, that didn’t stop George from going full...
- 6/8/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
One of John Lennon’s favorite Beatles songs was “I Am the Walrus.” It’s also one of the band’s most confounding tunes. Based on the Lewis Carroll poem “The Walrus and the Carpenter” from Through the Looking-Glass, Lennon wrote intentionally confusing lyrics. He explained that when he went back over the source poem, he realized he’d misinterpreted it. He’d written the song about the wrong character.
John Lennon | Max Scheler – K & K/Redferns John Lennon didn’t realize ‘I Am the Walrus’ was about the villain
Lennon appreciated that “I Am the Walrus” was a song that listeners could find new meaning in every time they heard it. He wrote it based on “The Walrus and the Carpenter,” a poem he admitted to not understanding until after writing the song.
“It’s from ‘The Walrus and the Carpenter’; Alice in Wonderland,” he said in The Beatles Anthology.
John Lennon | Max Scheler – K & K/Redferns John Lennon didn’t realize ‘I Am the Walrus’ was about the villain
Lennon appreciated that “I Am the Walrus” was a song that listeners could find new meaning in every time they heard it. He wrote it based on “The Walrus and the Carpenter,” a poem he admitted to not understanding until after writing the song.
“It’s from ‘The Walrus and the Carpenter’; Alice in Wonderland,” he said in The Beatles Anthology.
- 6/2/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
By the time Ringo Starr joined The Beatles, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison had already been working together for several years. The other three met as students and had formed the band together. When Starr joined the group, he became its oldest member. While he and Lennon were only several months apart, Starr seemed much older to McCartney. He explained why the drummer felt so much more mature to him.
Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney | Anthony Harvey/Getty Images Paul McCartney said Ringo Starr has always seemed much older than him
Before McCartney met Lennon, he found him intimidating at least in part due to their two year age gap. He felt this even more acutely with Starr.
Paul McCartney | Keystone/Getty Images
McCartney had, in some ways, grown up with Lennon. He met him as a young teenager and they muddled their way through music together. They...
Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney | Anthony Harvey/Getty Images Paul McCartney said Ringo Starr has always seemed much older than him
Before McCartney met Lennon, he found him intimidating at least in part due to their two year age gap. He felt this even more acutely with Starr.
Paul McCartney | Keystone/Getty Images
McCartney had, in some ways, grown up with Lennon. He met him as a young teenager and they muddled their way through music together. They...
- 5/7/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Believe it or not, Paul McCartney’s best-selling song in the U.K. is not with The Beatles. It’s a single that he released in his solo career. However, McCartney had second thoughts about releasing the song because he thought it would be a flop.
‘Mull of Kintyre’ is Paul McCartney’s best-selling song in the U.K. Paul McCartney | David Harris/Keystone/Getty Images
In 1966, McCartney spent some of his Beatles money on a Scottish farm in an area called Mull of Kintyre. When The Beatles broke up in 1970, he and his wife, Linda, moved to the farm where they raised animals and their kids. It was a way for the international star to escape the hustle and bustle of London.
In 1977, he wrote a song called “Mull of Kintyre” that honored one of his favorite locations. He performed the song with his second band, Wings, and it...
‘Mull of Kintyre’ is Paul McCartney’s best-selling song in the U.K. Paul McCartney | David Harris/Keystone/Getty Images
In 1966, McCartney spent some of his Beatles money on a Scottish farm in an area called Mull of Kintyre. When The Beatles broke up in 1970, he and his wife, Linda, moved to the farm where they raised animals and their kids. It was a way for the international star to escape the hustle and bustle of London.
In 1977, he wrote a song called “Mull of Kintyre” that honored one of his favorite locations. He performed the song with his second band, Wings, and it...
- 4/23/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney’s education in Liverpool included a great deal of literature. One author who influenced the young songwriter was William Shakespeare, whose poetry and rhyming style impacted McCartney’s songwriting. For a few Beatles songs, McCartney went back to his Shakespeare education and used the author as an inspiration.
Here are 3 Beatles songs influenced by Shakespeare ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
McCartney’s English teacher, Alan Durband, introduced him to several of his literary favorites, including Chaucer and Shakespeare. He read a lot of Shakespeare, some of which would unintentionally make its way into his songwriting. In The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, McCartney said Shakespeare may have influenced The Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There.”
The song was a collaborative effort between John Lennon and McCartney, but Paul came up with the line “beyond compare.” He isn’t...
Here are 3 Beatles songs influenced by Shakespeare ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
McCartney’s English teacher, Alan Durband, introduced him to several of his literary favorites, including Chaucer and Shakespeare. He read a lot of Shakespeare, some of which would unintentionally make its way into his songwriting. In The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, McCartney said Shakespeare may have influenced The Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There.”
The song was a collaborative effort between John Lennon and McCartney, but Paul came up with the line “beyond compare.” He isn’t...
- 3/15/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Billy Preston is amongst an exclusive club of a few musicians who some refer to as the “fifth Beatle.” Billy Preston was a keyboard player who impacted The Beatles more than some may realize. Outside of The Beatles, Preston had an accomplished career, working with many of the greatest artists ever.
Billy Preston was a keyboard prodigy as a child Billy Preston | Ian Showell/Keystone/Getty Images
Some people are naturally gifted at playing instruments, and Preston realized his gift at a young age. By the age of 10, he was playing the organ for gospel singers like Mahalia Jackson, despite being entirely self-taught. At 11, he appeared on an episode of Nat King Cole’s NBC TV show and sang a Fats Domino song with Cole.
In 1962, Preston joined Little Richard’s band as an organist. While performing in Hamburg, Preston met The Beatles, who had been invited to be Little Richard’s opening act.
Billy Preston was a keyboard prodigy as a child Billy Preston | Ian Showell/Keystone/Getty Images
Some people are naturally gifted at playing instruments, and Preston realized his gift at a young age. By the age of 10, he was playing the organ for gospel singers like Mahalia Jackson, despite being entirely self-taught. At 11, he appeared on an episode of Nat King Cole’s NBC TV show and sang a Fats Domino song with Cole.
In 1962, Preston joined Little Richard’s band as an organist. While performing in Hamburg, Preston met The Beatles, who had been invited to be Little Richard’s opening act.
- 3/12/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While The Beatles broke up in 1970, they had stopped touring by 1966. While many fans were disappointed they could no longer see their favorite band perform live, the decision to stop touring was great for The Beatles’ music. In the four years where The Beatles stopped touring, the group was able to make their most commercially successful music.
The Beatles stopped touring in 1966 The Beatles | J. Wilds/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
The Beatles’ final tour occurred in North America in the summer of 1966. The tour consisted of 18 concerts and ended at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. While the public was unaware this would be their last tour, The Beatles knew they needed to take time away from performing. The screaming from fans was becoming too much, and they no longer enjoyed the experience.
According to Rolling Stone, Paul McCartney said concerts stopped being fun, and they knew Candlestick Park would...
The Beatles stopped touring in 1966 The Beatles | J. Wilds/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
The Beatles’ final tour occurred in North America in the summer of 1966. The tour consisted of 18 concerts and ended at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. While the public was unaware this would be their last tour, The Beatles knew they needed to take time away from performing. The screaming from fans was becoming too much, and they no longer enjoyed the experience.
According to Rolling Stone, Paul McCartney said concerts stopped being fun, and they knew Candlestick Park would...
- 2/26/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
On Feb. 23, 1971, John Lennon and George Harrison went all in on their former bandmate, Paul McCartney. After ongoing disagreements about who should be managing The Beatles, McCartney sued the band. The rest of the band stood against him, requiring them to make statements about McCartney. Harrison and Lennon were incredibly frustrated with McCartney when The Beatles broke up, and they made their feelings clear in their affidavits.
The Beatles | John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images Paul McCartney went against John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr in a lawsuit
In 1970, McCartney publicly announced that The Beatles had broken up. They had been arguing for a while and finally reached a breaking point. That same year, McCartney sued the band. He’d staunchly opposed his bandmates’ decision to appoint Allen Klein to preside over the band’s finances. McCartney felt the only way to save the band was to sue them.
“If I hadn’t done that,...
The Beatles | John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images Paul McCartney went against John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr in a lawsuit
In 1970, McCartney publicly announced that The Beatles had broken up. They had been arguing for a while and finally reached a breaking point. That same year, McCartney sued the band. He’d staunchly opposed his bandmates’ decision to appoint Allen Klein to preside over the band’s finances. McCartney felt the only way to save the band was to sue them.
“If I hadn’t done that,...
- 2/23/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ringo Starr’s son, Zak Starkey, followed in his footsteps, becoming a drummer and playing for bands like Oasis and The Who. While it seems that drumming runs in the family, Starkey said he didn’t learn much from his father. Starr offered to help him play the drums, but he gave his son one lesson. He said he wanted to play the instrument because of a different drummer.
Maureen Starkey, Zak Starkey, and Ringo Starr | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images Ringo Starr’s son Zak said he didn’t like being related to a Beatle at first
Starkey said that when he was growing up, his father was often absent. Starkey resented him for this.
Zak Starkey | John Atashian/Getty Images
“To be perfectly honest, being Ringo’s son is the biggest drag in my life,” he said as a teenager, per the book Ringo: With a Little Help by Michael Seth Starr.
Maureen Starkey, Zak Starkey, and Ringo Starr | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images Ringo Starr’s son Zak said he didn’t like being related to a Beatle at first
Starkey said that when he was growing up, his father was often absent. Starkey resented him for this.
Zak Starkey | John Atashian/Getty Images
“To be perfectly honest, being Ringo’s son is the biggest drag in my life,” he said as a teenager, per the book Ringo: With a Little Help by Michael Seth Starr.
- 2/16/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The “Fab Four” are also fathers, with each Beatles member getting married and having at least one child. When Ringo Starr has his first son with Mo Starkey, he chose a name that sounded “western” — even if he didn’t think it was a cowboy name.
Here’s what the drummer said about his child’s name.
Which members of the Beatles have children? The Beatles’ Ringo Starr, His Son Zak, And His Wife Maureen | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
All four Beatles members were married at one point, the first of whom was John Lennon. He wed his college sweetheart after she became pregnant with their first son, Julian.
The couple eventually divorced (with Paul McCartney writing “Hey Jude” for Lennon’s son), and Lennon had a second child with Yoko Ono.
McCartney has five children — Heather, Mary, Stella, James and Beatrice McCartney. Four of those were with his late wife,...
Here’s what the drummer said about his child’s name.
Which members of the Beatles have children? The Beatles’ Ringo Starr, His Son Zak, And His Wife Maureen | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
All four Beatles members were married at one point, the first of whom was John Lennon. He wed his college sweetheart after she became pregnant with their first son, Julian.
The couple eventually divorced (with Paul McCartney writing “Hey Jude” for Lennon’s son), and Lennon had a second child with Yoko Ono.
McCartney has five children — Heather, Mary, Stella, James and Beatrice McCartney. Four of those were with his late wife,...
- 2/15/2023
- by Julia Dzurillay
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
Paul McCartney said Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” inspired The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.”Paul said The Beatles were “breaking boundaries [and] questioning previous values” thanks to Dylan.“Hey Jude” held a chart record until Don McLean’s “American Pie” became a hit in the United States. The Beatles | John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images
Paul McCartney said Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” partly inspired The Beatles‘ “Hey Jude.” Notably, “Hey Jude” broke a record because of its success. Subsequently, Don McLean and Taylor Swift songs both broke the record.
Paul McCartney discussed crossing paths with Bob Dylan alongside The Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones and Keith Richards
In the 2015 book Conversations with McCartney, Paul discussed crossing paths with Dylan. “I remember going to see Dylan when he was at the Mayfair Hotel,” he said. “He’d be in the back room, there’d be me, Brian Jones,...
Paul McCartney said Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” inspired The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.”Paul said The Beatles were “breaking boundaries [and] questioning previous values” thanks to Dylan.“Hey Jude” held a chart record until Don McLean’s “American Pie” became a hit in the United States. The Beatles | John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images
Paul McCartney said Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” partly inspired The Beatles‘ “Hey Jude.” Notably, “Hey Jude” broke a record because of its success. Subsequently, Don McLean and Taylor Swift songs both broke the record.
Paul McCartney discussed crossing paths with Bob Dylan alongside The Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones and Keith Richards
In the 2015 book Conversations with McCartney, Paul discussed crossing paths with Dylan. “I remember going to see Dylan when he was at the Mayfair Hotel,” he said. “He’d be in the back room, there’d be me, Brian Jones,...
- 2/7/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Plagiarism is often a problem in music and has plagued many rock bands, including The Beatles. The Beatles were influenced by many artists, and sometimes their sound would be too similar to other artists. Paul McCartney and John Lennon would pull from other artists but learned to “police each other” to avoid plagiarizing other artists.
The Beatles were influenced by many artists Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
The Beatles took inspiration from many artists of their time. Their rock n’ roll style took influence from early rock stars like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley. Often, the artists came close to imitating the rockers and McCartney once admitted to stealing the guitar riff from Berry’s “I’m Talking About You” for “I Saw Her Standing There.”
Lennon’s songwriting was also heavily influenced by Bob Dylan. Lennon liked the honesty and vulnerability...
The Beatles were influenced by many artists Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
The Beatles took inspiration from many artists of their time. Their rock n’ roll style took influence from early rock stars like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley. Often, the artists came close to imitating the rockers and McCartney once admitted to stealing the guitar riff from Berry’s “I’m Talking About You” for “I Saw Her Standing There.”
Lennon’s songwriting was also heavily influenced by Bob Dylan. Lennon liked the honesty and vulnerability...
- 2/7/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ringo Starr’s eldest son, Zak Starkey, followed in his father’s footsteps and became a drummer. Starkey said he admires his father’s talent and is happy to be his son. He didn’t always feel this way, though. Starkey said that as a child and teenager, he resented the fact that Starr was his father. He explained that Starr was rarely around, and he didn’t seem all that interested in his music career.
Zak Starkey and Ringo Starr | David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images The Beatles’ drummer has three children
Starr has three children from his marriage with his first wife, Maureen Starkey. The couple married in 1965 after realizing Starkey was pregnant. Zak Starkey was the couple’s first child, followed by another son Jason, in 1967, and a daughter, Lee, in 1970. Starr said he never felt that the chaos of his life with The Beatles meant he couldn’t have children.
Zak Starkey and Ringo Starr | David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images The Beatles’ drummer has three children
Starr has three children from his marriage with his first wife, Maureen Starkey. The couple married in 1965 after realizing Starkey was pregnant. Zak Starkey was the couple’s first child, followed by another son Jason, in 1967, and a daughter, Lee, in 1970. Starr said he never felt that the chaos of his life with The Beatles meant he couldn’t have children.
- 2/5/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
Ringo Starr had three children with his first wife.Ringo Starr once said he didn’t necessarily think of himself as a good father.Ringo Starr was the first Beatle to become a grandfather. Maureen Starkey, Jason Starkey, and Ringo Starr | Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Ringo Starr first became a father in 1965. He had two more children with his first wife, Maureen Starkey, and two step-children from his second marriage. Starr and his children have solid relationships now, but he said that he was often absent during their childhood. He admitted that he didn’t necessarily think of himself as a good father to his children.
Ringo Starr is the father of three children
In 1965, Starr married Starkey. She was a fan of The Beatles, and the pair decided to wed after she discovered she was pregnant with their first child, Zak. In 1967 they had their second child,...
Ringo Starr had three children with his first wife.Ringo Starr once said he didn’t necessarily think of himself as a good father.Ringo Starr was the first Beatle to become a grandfather. Maureen Starkey, Jason Starkey, and Ringo Starr | Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Ringo Starr first became a father in 1965. He had two more children with his first wife, Maureen Starkey, and two step-children from his second marriage. Starr and his children have solid relationships now, but he said that he was often absent during their childhood. He admitted that he didn’t necessarily think of himself as a good father to his children.
Ringo Starr is the father of three children
In 1965, Starr married Starkey. She was a fan of The Beatles, and the pair decided to wed after she discovered she was pregnant with their first child, Zak. In 1967 they had their second child,...
- 2/4/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
George Harrison stood in the middle of the fighting that led to The Beatles’ demise. His songs rarely made it on Fab Four albums, and Paul McCartney said Harrison’s songs weren’t any good until the very end of the line. The so-called quiet Beatle got so fed up that he quit the band during the Get Back sessions. But George also helped save the work that eventually became the Let It Be album.
George Harrison of The Beatles | Keystone/Getty Images George Harrison quit The Beatles and went into a shell during the ‘Get Back’ sessions
Paul and John Lennon wrote most of the songs that put The Beatles on the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. That hierarchy persisted even as George developed as a songwriter. He once said he’d have to make a hundred Beatles albums to release the songs he penned during one particularly prolific year.
George Harrison of The Beatles | Keystone/Getty Images George Harrison quit The Beatles and went into a shell during the ‘Get Back’ sessions
Paul and John Lennon wrote most of the songs that put The Beatles on the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. That hierarchy persisted even as George developed as a songwriter. He once said he’d have to make a hundred Beatles albums to release the songs he penned during one particularly prolific year.
- 2/4/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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