Tag: Paul McCartney

Tony Sheridan and the Beatles

51BIVQ1ow1L._SY300_ Tony Sheridan, a British singer-songwriter forever linked to The Beatles, passed away on February 16, 2013 at the age of 72 in Germany. While Sheridan recorded through his later years, he is best-known for his brief work as lead singer on what was essentially the first album by the Beatles.

Sheridan knew the Beatles when they consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe, and Pete Best. And he worked with them through Sutcliffe’s and Best’s departure and Ringo Starr’s arrival in 1962.

In 1961, a German producer signed Sheridan and the Beatles as the back up band. Under the name Sheridan and the Beat Brothers, the group recorded nine songs in 1961-1962 with Sheridan singing on seven of them. According to Sheridan’s website, the reason they used “Beat Brothers” instead of “Beatles” is because the latter name did not translate into German “except as a slang term for the male sex organ.” Sheridan also claimed that he brought Ringo to the Beatles too.

When the first single “My Bonnie” was released in Liverpool, fans mobbed record shops. The reaction to the single with Sheridan led one record store owner to seek out the Beatles. That record store owner, Brian Epstein, would then go on to manage the Beatles as they rose to super-stardom. Here is “My Bonnie”:

In this 30-minute video, Sheridan looked back on his experience with the Beatles and on music in the early 1960s:

After the Beatles went on to massive fame, Sheridan continued to perform, and in the 1960s spent a lot of time entertaining troops in Viet Nam. For his devotion to the soldiers, the U.S. Army made him an honorary captain. Sheridan also met Elvis Presley when Elvis was stationed in Germany.

The Beatles themselves maintained a friendship and fondness for their one-time front-man, whose last album was 2002’s Vagabond. Paul McCartney had nicknamed Sheridan “The Teacher” because of how he influenced the band by introducing them to R&B artists like Little Richard. Similarly, Ringo Starr once said he learned from Sheridan “all I know about rock and roll.” So, while Sheridan may not be a household name, he is certainly an important part of the history of rock music.

What is your favorite Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers song? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Paul McCartney & Members of Nirvana: “Cut Me Some Slack”

    The big story leading up the the 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief last night was the news that Paul McCartney was going to play with the surviving members of Nirvana — Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear.  Although it might have first seemed like an odd pairing, remember that McCartney and the Beatles recorded songs like “Helter Skelter.”  Anyway, if you missed the performance, here the group plays a new song, “Cut Me Some Slack.”

    In addition to appearing on the concert’s soundtrack, “Cut Me Some Slack” will appear in Grohl’s upcoming film, Sound City Movie.

    What do you think of the performance?  Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    World Series Songs: San Francisco Bay Blues

    San Francisco Giants hat In honor of a big win by the San Francisco Giants, in this year’s edition of World Series Songs featuring songs related to the championship team’s name or locale, we get the opportunity to look at the timeless song “San Francisco Bay Blues.” Also, check out our past Super Bowl Songs.

    “San Francisco Bay Blues” was written by Jesse Fuller in 1954. Fuller was a type of musician we do not see much of anymore, the one-person band. While it is true today one might find a one-person band using computers and electronics, there was a time before that when a musician would play multiple instruments all at once. I have been lucky a few times to find a one-person band playing at a street fair and found the performances very entertaining. It has been a long while since I have encountered such a performer, making me wonder if these musicians are a thing of the past. But I guess they are still around, and they also have taken on different forms with the advent of technology.

    Jesse Fuller was born in Georgia in 1896 and passed away in 1976 in Oakland, California. After working for a railroad and in a shipyard, he turned to music, playing around the San Francisco bay area where he lived. His most-famous song, “San Francisco Bay Blues” immortalizes his stomping ground as the singer tells about his “best girl” who no longer loves him. In the video below, watch Fuller and his one-man band perform “San Francisco Bay Blues” in 1968.

    “San Francisco Bay Blues” has been covered by a number of artists, ensuring its lasting fame. Eric Clapton performed the song on MTV Unplugged in 1992 during the taping in England. The live album earned six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.

    Another performer who helped make the song familiar to us is Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. Below is one of his performances of the song.

    Finally, one knows one wrote a great song when one of the greatest songwriters of the century decides to cover your song. Here is Paul McCartney singing “San Francisco Bay Blues.”

    In the song, the singer wonders about the woman returning and creating a “brand new day.” For those whose teams did not make the playoffs, we will have to wait until spring for our brand new day. And that’s the story behind the song.

    What is your favorite song about San Francisco? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Punk Prayer Leads to Two Years in Russian Prison

    Although I rarely write about Russian punk bands on this blog, we cannot ignore the news about three members of the band Pussy Riot being sentenced to two years in prison in Russia. Below is a video taken during their actions that are at issue. On February 21, they staged a protest at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, where they gave their “Punk Prayer” of “Mother Mary, please drive Putin away.”

    Band members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Maria Alyokhina appeared in their usual tights and face-covering balaclavas at the sacred place to protest President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox church’s close ties to the leader. The three women, who have already been behind bars for six months, were sentenced today to “two years deprivation of liberty in a penal colony” after they were found guilty of the crime of hooliganism.

    Pussy Riot Protest As the feminist punk rockers were being taken from the courtroom, Tolokonnikova said, “We are happy because we brought the revolution closer.” A number of prominent people have voiced support for the women, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madonna, Bjork, Sting, chess champion Gary Kasparov, and Paul McCartney. Amnesty International plans to send a truckload of colorful balaclavas to Putin in protest, while there is a “Free Pussy Riot” webpage too. Others have argued that the issue is more complicated and that most Russians do not support the band. As people around the world protest, though, only time will reveal whether the band’s case has lasting impact.

    What do you think of the sentence for the band members? Leave your two cents in the comments. If you are unfamiliar with the band, check out this interview with band members a few days before they were arrested.

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    Jet!: Man Flies Over Rio With a Jetpack

    jetpack over rio

    Former Swiss fighter pilot Yves Rossy used a winged jetpack to fly over Rio de Janeiro today, reaching speeds up to 186 miles per hour. All I can say, is that it is about time! When I was a kid, I was under the impression we’d all be using jetpacks to travel by now.

    Anyway, Rossy cheated a little because he had to launch from a helicopter and then use a parachute to land. But the video is still pretty cool.

    The 11-minute-and-35-second flight was not Rossy’s first. Rossy, who began working on the project in 1993, flew over the English Channel in 2008 and has also flown over the Grand Canyon. Speaking of wings and jets, it seems the most appropriate music to salute Rossy’s flight is “Jet” by Wings.

    “Jet” is from the excellent album Band on the Run (1974). What is it about? According to Wikipedia, McCartney explained in an interview that it is about a pony he once owned. Well, we have come a long way since the days of traveling by pony. Here’s to my future jetpack, “with the wind in your hair of a thousand laces / Climb on the back and we’ll / Go for a ride in the sky.”

    What do you think of the jetpack flight? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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