Archer's Beatles Basement

MTV Games and Harmonix have announced 44 of the 45 songs that will appear in "Rock Band: The Beatles," keeping the 45th song a surprise until the game's release on 09.09.09.

In addition, "All You Need Is Love" will be released exclusively as a downloadable song through Xbox LIVE on 9/9/09 with charity proceeds to benefit Doctors Without Borders.

A Hard Day's Night
And Your Bird Can Sing
Back In The U.S.S.R.
Birthday
Boys
Can't Buy Me Love
Come Together
Day Tripper
Dear Prudence
Dig A Pony
Do You Want To Know A Secret
Don't Let Me Down
Drive My Car
Eight Days A Week
Get Back
Getting Better
Good Morning, Good Morning
Hello Goodbye
Helter Skelter
Here Comes The Sun
Hey Bulldog
I Am The Walrus
I Feel Fine
I Me Mine
I Saw Her Standing There
I Wanna Be Your Man
I Want to Hold Your Hand
I Want You (She's So Heavy)
I'm Looking Through You
I've Got A Feeling
If I Needed Someone
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Octopus's Garden
Paperback Writer
Revolution
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Something
Taxman
Ticket To Ride
Twist And Shout
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
With a Little Help from My Friends
Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows
Yellow Submarine

According to British press reports, Ali Hewson claims that Stella McCartney's new version of her Stella fragrance � dubbed "Stella Nude" � infringes on the trademark of Hewson's Nude Skincare line.

A previously-unearthed photo of Paul McCartney and his classmates at Joseph Williams elementary school will be put up for auction in Liverpool on August 29th, 2009.

Young James Paul McCartney is making a face while apparently reading a comic book in the photo.

The Beatles memorabilia auction � conducted by the Beatles Store at the McCartney Auditorium at LIPA, will also include a photo of an eight-year-old Ringo Starr wearing his St. Silus School jacket and a lithograph of the hand-charted orchestral score to "Yesterday" signed by George Martin and Paul McCartney.

They handily topped a new poll of favorite musical acts conducted by the Pew Research Center. They garnered high numbers among every age segment, including placing number one with people 50 to 64.

Those 65 and over favored Frank Sinatra. The Eagles were the favorites of 30-to-49-year-old music fans and Michael Jackson was number one among those younger than 30.

Were you watching the Abbey Road Crossing Cam on BeatlesBasement.com on the 40th anniversary of the Abbey Road LP's photo shoot?

All manners of Beatles fans and impersonators turned up at Abbey Road studios and the famous zebra crossing, pied-pipered in by famous London Beatles tour guide Richard Porter.

Former Beatles road manager Tony Bramwell was also at the celebration � Bramwell, Paul and Ringo are the only survivors of the quickly-organized shoot, which was conducted by the late photographer Iain MacMillan on August 8th, 1969.

Cheap Trick � accompanied by the Cleveland Orchestra � will perform favorites from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band at Scott Hamilton's return to the ice.

Hamilton is scheduled to take to the rink at the 10th Annual "An Evening With Scott Hamilton and Friends" on November 7, 2009 in Cleveland.

Earlier this year, Oprah Winfrey announced that Hamilton would perform live again. Since then, he's called in his former coach and choreographer and is now training daily for his return at this event.

"It is a tremendous thrill to be celebrating two milestones this year - the 10th year of this important cancer fundraiser and Scott's comeback to skating," says Dr. Derek Raghavan, Chairman and Director of the Taussig Cancer Institute. "We're so grateful to have Scott working actively on our behalf to raise awareness and support for key programs that give cancer patients guidance and resources along their journey."

Beatles producer Sir George Martin plus producers Hugh Padgham, Jack Douglas and Terry Date are lending their talents to Extreme Music's production music library, a storehouse of music scores, cues, themes, backgrounds and other pieces licensed for use in radio, television, videos, films and games.

Quincy Jones and Snoop Dogg are among the mega-star producers already affiliated with the production house.

Martin and the others will be part of Extreme Music's "Kings Of The Control Room" series which debuts in late 2009.

Live Nation confirms that Paul McCartney's two gigs at Boston's Fenway Park set a new record for the highest-ever two-night attendance in the stadium's 97-year history.

Macca has also been joking that he shattered all previous attendance records at New York's Citi Field. He was the first act to perform at the new venue.

The Ottawa Beatles Site has disclosed provisional broadcast dates for How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin.

Producer Leslie Woodhead tells the site, "BBC transmission is scheduled for September 7 when the BBC is broadcasting a major Beatles Festival, aligned with the release of 14 digitally remastered Beatles albums and accompanying DVDs. ARTE will transmit the film in Europe in October, and PBS in the States on November 8 will show a version 4 minutes shorter than the BBC."

Heinz Edelmann, the illustrator and art director who helped create the psychedelic landscape of the Beatles film Yellow Submarine, has died of heart disease in Stuttgart, Germany at age 75.

Edelmann was born in Czechoslovakia in 1934. From 1953 to 1958 he studied and worked at D�sseldorf Academy of Fine Arts. In 1958 he became a freelance graphic designer and by the time he was 30, he was among the most promising designers in Europe. He did innovative work for the avant-garde German magazine Twen, including drawings on the horrors of war.

The stylistic achievements of Yellow Submarine, under Edelmann's art directorship, were considered startling innovations at the time.

He created Jeremy Hilary Boob Ph.D. � the "Nowhere Man" � for the film. Many of Edelmann's illustrations shaped the plot, which was written on the fly by, among others, Erich Segal and Roger McGough.

A naked picture of John Lennon "too graphic to be shown online," is now on sale for 54 thousand dollars through MomentsInTime.com.

The shot comes from the same photo shoot that produced the cover for John & Yoko's Two Virgins LP.

The site is also selling a note to former assistant Fred Seaman dated April 1980, suggesting security concerns about a "front door that any nut can open."

Legendary promoter Sid Bernstein, the first to book a Beatles concert in the U.S., has joined the Songs of Love Board of Advisors.

"In all of my years in the music industry I have never seen a music-based charity quite like this one," says Bernstein. "Like the Beatles, they truly stand on their own. I strongly urge the entire music community to join me in support of this unique and worthwhile organization."

The Songs of Love Foundation is a national nonprofit children's charity that creates uplifting, personalized songs for children and teens struggling with a life-threatening illness or lifetime disability, free of charge.

Rumors are swirling that Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney may make good on that collaboration they've both mentioned in recent times � as early as mid-September 2009.

Paul's and Dylan's separate tours end mid-August. Dylan, who had been traveling with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp, has announced he'll return to touring as a solo act in October, with appearances in Seattle, Portland, Berkeley and L.A.

An insider claims Dylan and Sir Paul may lay down some tracks together at Dylan's home studio between Dylan's tour legs.

Paul's summer tour has not disappointed his fans, as blogs and reviews have remained extremely positive. Paul's including his tributes to George Harrison ("Something") and John Lennon ("Here Today," "A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance") along with a large assortment of Beatles and solo material � including a couple of songs from alter-ego The Fireman.

At some venues, such as Halifax, he has enlisted the local Scottish guard pipers to help out on "Mull Of Kintyre" during the first encore. It was at the Halifax concert that Paul signed a fan's arm so the autograph could become a permanent tattoo.

Sir Paul also made a now-legendary appearance on Late Night With David Letterman, which included a performance atop the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theatre.

Macca has also been making the traditional denials to tabloid claims that he'll be retiring.

"This is what I do," counters Paul. "I'll be doing this as long as I'm physically able. Yes, some day I may be wheeled out on a stage to do 'Yesterday.' And I'll be happy about it."

Here's the tracklist from the McCartney concert in Halifax, Nova Scotia, courtesy of attendee and Beatles Basement contributor Darin Toohey:

07/11/09 � Halifax Commons, Halifax NS
07/17/09 � Citi Field, New York NY
07/18/09 � Citi Field, New York NY
07/21/09 � Citi Field, New York NY
08/01/09 � FedEx Field, Landover MD
08/05/09 � Fenway Park, Boston MA
08/06/09 � Fenway Park, Boston MA
08/15/09 � Piedmont Park, Atlanta GA
08/17/09 � BOK Center, Tulsa, OK
08/19/09 � New Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX

Paul McCartney's adventures of Wirral the Squirrel are being adapted for the big screen.

Paul is also writing new songs for the animated version of his 2005 children's book, High In The Clouds.

The book, which was co-written by Philip Ardagh and illustrated by Geoff Dunbar, tells the story of how Wirral's woodlands are destroyed by developers from the polluted human city of Megatropolis. Wirral and his furry friends seek sanctuary in an animal eutopia during an adventurous balloon ride piloted by world-class amphibian aviator Froggo.

Wirral made his animation debut in the film accompanying Sir Paul's songTropic Island Hum.

Rob Minkoff, whose credits include The Lion King and the Stuart Little films, will direct the movie version of High In The Clouds.

"One of America's greatest bands ever, doing their live interpretation of this classic rock album, an album nobody believed could be performed outside the recording studio, sets a new standard for rock and entertainment in Las Vegas," says Ken Ciancimino, executive vice president of the Las Vegas Hilton.

"Sgt. Pepper Live" will be performed several nights in September 2009 at the Vegas Hilton.

"This is a groundbreaking performance that everyone said couldn't be done live," notes producer Bill Edwards, "but Cheap Trick has perfected it."

Paul McCartney's St. John's Wood townhouse has been removed from Google Street View.

"Since the launch of Street View in the UK, millions of people have used it and the vast majority are very happy to have their house included," says a statement on the site. "But we recognize that some people, like Sir Paul, don't want images of their house to appear on Street View and, by simply clicking on a button on the site, they can have them removed."

An electric guitar inscribed "to Julian from Daddy, Christmas 1973" and Paul McCartney's handwritten lyrics for "Hey Jules" are among the items included in the exhibition of John Lennon-related letters, photos, clothing and other items.

"Julian has spent a lot of money buying back things that were important to John in our lives, for the family," says Cynthia. "They've been stuck in a bank vault for too long and we thought, 'This is cruel, we really should put them on show.'"

It's the first major exhibition of documents and artifacts from John's time with Cynthia and Julian.

"It's a little bit like the Bible," notes Cynthia. "There are so many different ways of looking at this story and very few actually live it."

White Feather: The Spirit Of Lennon runs at Beatles Story Pier Head in Liverpool through December 31st, 2009.

The Imagine Corporation is giving away the Beatles' 1962 management contract with Brian Epstein � in a contest that costs entrants 16 bucks a guess.

The goal is to match the appraised April 2008 value of the contract. Details and a view of the contract are at Imagine.UK.com.

Olivia Harrison tells Beatles Basement that whittling down Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison to its final form was the hardest part of the project.

The collection, remastered by Giles Martin and Paul Hicks, spans George's solo career from All Things Must Pass through the posthumous Brainwashed album.

Among the nineteen cuts are four live performances of George's Beatles songs from The Concert For Bangladesh.

"They sound great don't they? They probably sound the best they've ever sounded," says Olivia. "And they benefit UNICEF and that's always a bonus."

Olivia points out that the last career-spanning collection, The Best Of George Harrison, had a lot shorter career to span.

Vegan Paul McCartney says the the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has declared "livestock production responsible for more climate-changing GHG emissions globally than transportation � up to 18 per cent of emissions as opposed to 13 percent for transport."

Sir Paul with his daughters Mary and Stella � plus Yoko Ono � launched a British Meat-Free Monday in mid-June to encourage people to lower their meat intake. Similar campaigns have been previously launched in Australia and the U.S.

One of the few still-standing U.S. hotels to be visited by the Beatles has received a top rating from the American Automobile Association.

The Brown Palace in Denver, Colorado has received Triple A's Four-Diamond rating for the summer of 2009.

"Four of the hotel's suites are named for their famous residents: the Beatles Suite, Eisenhower Suite, Reagan Suite and Teddy Roosevelt Suite," notes the association."Today, this hotel is known for its relaxing spa, fabulous restaurants and decadent tea service."

Yoko Ono has won a lawsuit against a group of collectors holding a home movie of John Lennon smoking pot, joking about slipping Richard Nixon some LSD and composing songs.

Worldwide Video had claimed ownership of the film, saying it was purchased from Yoko's estranged husband Tony Cox in 1970.

Meanwhile, a lawsuit against a woman who was reselling a rare Beatles poster to Rita Wilson has been settled.

Under the agreement, which resolved some questions of authentication, Rita has purchased the poster on behalf of her spouse, avid Beatles collector Tom Hanks.

That was Paul McCartney's question as he and Ringo Starr appeared at Microsoft's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles to promote The Beatles: Rock Band.

Also attending the event at the University of Southern California's Galen Center were Olivia Harrison and Yoko Ono.

Rock Band players will be able to follow � and perform in � the Beatles' history in the game, which features three-part harmonies as well as the band's instruments.

Microsoft's Xbox � along with Playstation 3 and Wii � will have software and bundle versions of the game released on September 9th � "09.09.09," as MTV Games refers to it.

In addition to the 45 Beatles songs loaded into the game, Microsoft will make a download of "All You Need Is Love" available for Xbox with proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders.

The Mammoth Book Of The Beatles � being issued in the U.S. and Canada by Running Press � is a massive collection of old and new writings on the Beatles, from Sean Egan, author of The Rough Guide To The Rolling Stones and One Hundred Albums That Changed Music.

The compilation runs 600 pages and includes Mareen Cleave's "Beatles Bigger Than Christ" as well as articles by William Mann, Hunter Davies, Don Short, John Tobler & Stuart Grundy, Lester Bangs, Kenneth Tynan and Paul Gambaccini. Egan also includes rare excerpts from The Record Producers featuring George Martin and Glyn Johns and excerpts from Mitch Axelrod's long-out-of-print book on the Beatles cartoons.

According to figures released by the U.K.'s Sunday Times, Sir Paul's worth has dropped 87 million dollars in the past year due to "falling property and share values."

It's official: Bill Harry is bringing back his famous music newspaper Mersey Beat in August 2009.

Bill tells Beatles Basement with Archer he decided to revive Mersey Beat after testing the waters with a special edition in May.

The paper was founded in 1961 and named after Bill Harry's vision of walking the Merseyside music beat like a policeman. Mersey Beat boasted an A-list of guest writers and photographers � Bill's friends: the Beatles, Mike McCartney and Astrid Kirchher among them.

Long beyond the Beatles' breakup, Liverpool's music scene has continued to thrive and the new Mersey Beat's future relevance is considered to be a given. Mersey Beat's online home is at merseybeat.co.uk.

Bill Harry is also putting the finishing touches on a new book, Liverpool: Bigger Than The Beatles.

The world-famous Reeperbahn district of Hamburg, Germany, where the Beatles got in their musical chops performing at clubs, has been transformed from a red-light district into a musical and cultural center � and is now home to a Beatles museum.

Beatlemania Hamburg � publicized as being "just a guitar's throw from Beatles Square" � features exhibits on various stages of the Beatles' career, starting, of course, with the Hamburg days.

The Reeperbahn's music scene � under the slogan "New International Music" � has been experiencing a renaissance in recent times.

Paul McCartney is calling on President Barack Obama to support The OneVoice Movement's work to reconcile the Israelis and Palestinians.

The grassroots OneVoice wants to make sure "the voice of the moderate majority on both sides is heard and acted upon by their respective leaders," according to a press release announcing that Macca had written to the president.

Earlier this year, Sir Paul officially joined OneVoice's International Board of Advisors, which also includes Danny DeVito, Muhammed Ali and other notables.

"I hope President Obama looks into this organization and feels that OneVoice could be part of a peaceful solution," says Paul.

The tracklist for Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison, the new George Harrison compilation, spans virtually all of his solo career from All Things Must Pass through Brainwashed.

Giles Martin digitally remastered all the cuts at Abbey Road Studios. The CD's special packaging includes a 28-page booklet featuring previously unseen and rare photos plus newly-written liner notes by Warren Zanes.

The hard-to-find Porky's Revenge soundtrack single, "I Don't Wanna Do It," which was performed by George and written by Bob Dylan, is included along with George's four U.S. #1 hit single sides, "My Sweet Lord"/"Isn't It A Pity," "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" and "Got My Mind Set On You."

George, who passed away from cancer in late 2001, garnered 11 Grammys as a Beatle and solo artist and has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in both of those roles.

The Plastic Ono Band's 1969 performance in Toronto, Canada will be released on DVD on June 23rd, 2009.

John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band Live in Toronto '69 features the lineup of John & Yoko, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman and Alan White.

Seven songs from John and two pieces from Yoko are featured along with one song each from the other rock icons on the bill, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. The new DVD contains a bonus interview with John & Yoko.

Hollywood's Vine Theater will light up with laser light shows starting June 25th, 2009, one of which contains Beatles music.

The Laserium CyberTheater will offer a variety of "experiences," at the refurbished Vine, including technologically-updated versions of three of the most popular Classic Laserium shows, featuring music from Pink Floyd, the Beatles and Led Zeppelin.

One of the world's most avid Beatles covers collectors, rock/pop writer and dentist Dr. George Krieger, has found an odd vinyl LP by the Now Sound Orchestra titled A Salute To John Lennon & The Beatles Greatest Hits which, for some unexplained reason contains George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord."

Even odder is one of the photos from the album's back cover � see if you can spot the anomaly.

John Lennon's sister, Julia Baird, and Merseyside actor/comedian Ricky Tomlinson have announced a second "Beatles Day" will take place on July 10th, 2009.

Last year's debut event raised nearly $100,000 for the Imagine Appeal and Liverpool Unites. This year's beneficiaries are the Imagine Appeal and the Marina Dalglish Appeal for breast cancer research.

"We are using Beatles wigs as props for this day, much as the red nose is used for Comic Relief," says promoter Chaz Cole. "There are many more events and competitions planned for 2009 with businesses, shops, schools, performers and the general public having the opportunity to be involved."

Bob Dylan tells Rolling Stone he's open to collaborating with Paul McCartney � if their paths cross.

A spokesman for Macca tells Britian's Independent Paul would be very interested.

Meanwhile, Dylan went unnoticed as he joined tourists in Liverpool on a bus outing to John Lennon's childhood home, Mendips.

One of the most in-depth and entertaining 21st-Century radio interviews with Paul McCartney is available on a limited-edition memorial CD.

Les Is More: The Essential Les Sarnoff is a compilation of broadcasts from Les Sarnoff's 30 years at Portland, Oregon's alternative album station, KINK.FM. Sarnoff died of lymphoma April 17th, 2009. The CD was issued one month later as thousands gathered in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square for a memorial concert.

The 12-minute interview, recorded during a concert stop in Portland in 2002, finds an upbeat Paul talking about guitarist Rusty Anderson and his tour band, the "special feeling" the band had that led to extending the tour, details on Paul's process for choosing songs to perform live, what led to recording a video documentary of the tour, the differences in technologies between his present-day recording and the Beatles' sessions (including Paul's brief impression of John Lennon singing) plus an admission that all four Beatles were afraid to re-form the group � and why.

The CD, which benefits the Les Sarnoff Memorial Fund, is available exclusively from Portland's Music Millenium.

"I'm happy to say that its only a dream
when I come across people like you
its only a dream
and you make it obscene
with the things that you think and you do..."

Those are lyrics from a George Harrison song that was never recorded, preserved on a piece of yellowed notebook paper that is now on display at the British Library.

The lyric sheet, which was given to biographer Hunter Davies as a handwriting sample, has detailed instructions on how to get to Beatles manager Brian Epstein's country house on the reverse side.

Capitol will issue a career-spanning solo hits collection by George Harrison on June 16th, 2009.

Let It Roll: The Songs Of George Harrison will feature digitally-remastered versions of his solo hits, most-popular album cuts and several live solo performances of his Beatles standards.

Capitol/EMI made the announcement to coincide with the dedication of George's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Olivia and Dhani Harrison, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Tom Hanks, Jeff Lynne, Joe Walsh, T-Bone Burnett, Jim Keltner and Eric Idle were among those attending the dedication as over a thousand fans looked on.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex in New York City will open a John Lennon exhibit in May 2009.

"John Lennon: The New York City Years" will be dedicated to the period John and Yoko lived in Manhattan.

The Hall says the exhibit will include "exclusive artifacts" from John's life and work in New York City.

Rock illustrator Alan Aldridge, whose Beatles Illustrated Lyrics has sold over ten million copies, will be honored with an exhibit at L.A.'s Mister Musichead Gallery.

Aldridge's forty-year career includes two Grammy nominations and hundreds of graphics, illustrations and album art for the likes of Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, Elton John and Led Zeppelin � along with the best-selling Butterfly Ball and Grasshopper's Feast publications.

The exhibition, called "Alan Aldridge: Tripping The Art Fantastic," opens April 29th, 2009 and runs through mid-May. Aldridge will appear on opening night.

According to a poll of visiors to date.com, matchmaker.com and amor.com, Macca and Richard Gere share 27.3% of the vote. Next is Al Pacino, with 16.4%.

"Women find Richard Gere and Paul McCartney sexy not just because they look good but because they are two of the most philanthropic celebrities on the planet," says website "relationship advisor" Shira Zwebner.

Producer Phil Spector has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting of 40-year-old starlet/waitress Lana Clarkson.

He was also found guilty of using a gun to commit a crime. The jury in the re-trial chose not to let him off with a lesser charge, involuntary manslaughter.

The judge remanded Spector to jail immediately. He could receive 18 years to life upon sentencing.

Clarkson was shot to death at Spector's L.A. mansion six years ago. The defense claimed she killed herself, but prosecutors showed that Spector had a history of threatening women with guns when they tried to leave his presence.

In addition to several solo albums by George Harrison and John Lennon, Phil Spector produced the Beatles' Let It Be album. Although the album was supposed to represent the Beatles in the raw, Spector added choruses and orchestration to the title cut, "Across The Universe," "I Me Mine" and "The Long And Winding Road." In 2003, the year Spector was charged with murder, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr oversaw a remixing of the album, retitling it Let It Be ... Naked.

Spector was a guest of the Beatles on their first flight from London to New York in 1964. At that time, the Beatles were fans of his production, songwriting and the girl-group hits he produced.

Digital remasters of most of the Beatles' catalogue will be released on September 9th, 2009, the same date the interactive game "The Beatles: Rock Band" goes on sale.

The remasters will be issued on CD � no plans for digital downloads were announced.

Apple Corps Ltd. says 13 Beatles albums plus a single Past Masters compilation will be issued in digitally-remastered stereo in a 16-CD boxed set and as 14 individual albums. The first four LPs will be available in stereo on CD for the first time in the UK and US.

In addition, a boxed collection called The Beatles In Mono will compile 10 mono Beatles albums plus mono versions of single and EP cuts, along with the original 1965 stereo versions of Help! and Rubber Soul.

"Discussions regarding the digital distribution of the catalogue will continue," says an Apple spokesperson. "There is no further information available at this time."

The only non-compilation hit album that was never released on CD, The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl, is not included in the new remasters.

John Lennon's star on Vine St., Hollywood

George Harrison will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 14th, 2009.

"His songwriting was powerful enough to generate standards in the field," says the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. "His love for humour and film turned him, almost inadvertently, into an important movie producer. And, without a doubt, his contribution to the Beatles left an indelible mark on that band�s music and character � we hear it still. "

Olivia and Dhani Harrison will be on hand for the star dedication ceremony, scheduled for 11:30 AM outside the Capitol Records tower at 1750 Vine Street.

EMI and Capitol will unveil a new George Harrison music release on the same day.

Bandmate John Lennon and the Beatles as a group already have stars on the Walk of Fame.

You could make their wax counterparts your best buddies, if you come up with enough coinage at an auction of wax figures from the Hollywood Wax Museum.

May 1st, 2009, the museum will auction off the likenesses of the fab four along with wax versions of 200 other celebrities � ranging from Cher to Tiger Woods and from Charlie Chaplin to Michael Jordon.

The auction, administered by Profiles in History, will designate a portion of the profits to support efforts to preserve Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

The Beatles' "Let It Be" was performed by 35 members of the London Community Gospel Choir at the memorial service for British reality TV sensation Jade Goody.

Goody gained fame on Britain's version of "Big Brother" and, after sharing all of her medical woes publicly over the past few months, died of cervical cancer at age 27.

In a video beamed to fans outside the Buckhurst Hill Church in suburban London, Goody proclaimed, "See you around, maybe. Bye!"

A juror became ill on April 1st, 2009 during the third day of deliberations, shutting down the process. An L.A. Superior court judge has ordered the jurors to return to the job on Monday, April 6th.

Spector � who produced the Beatles' Let It Be album and several releases from John Lennon and George Harrison � has been accused of murdering starlet Lana Clarkson at his mansion in 2003.

Yoko Ono was in Montreal to open a new exhibit at�that city's Museum of�Fine Arts. "Imagine: The Peace�Ballad Of John & Yoko" marks the 40th anniversary of John & Yoko's Bed-In for Peace.

John & Yoko held court from a bed in the�Queen Elizabeth Hotel in�Montreal from May 26th to June 2nd, 1969, inviting the press to ask them "anything at all" and recording the Plastic Ono Band anthem "Give Peace A�Chance."

Prior to the opening in Montreal, Yoko was in New York to unveil a mural of clouds in the sky which, after being split into 67 puzzle pieces, is raising funds for world Autism awareness.

The seven-foot tall "Promises" mural, created by Yoko from acrylic materials, is being auctioned off through April 22nd, 2009 at CharityBuzz.com.

"When I was first approached to create an artwork for autism awareness I was shocked by the worldwide prevalence of this serious situation, especially among our children," Yoko said at the auction launch at the United Nations.

"My work, 'Promises,' symbolizes that we all hold a piece of this puzzle and we must work to raise awareness, funds for research and advocate for families who experience autism."

Yoko divided the mural into 67 pieces to represent the 67 million people on the planet who have autism.

The Plastic Ono Band's "Live Peace In Toronto 1969" will be issued on 180-gram vinyl in the U.S. on June 16th, 2009.

It's part of Capitol/EMI's "From The Vaults" series of limited-edition album releases.

George Harrison's son Dhani says he had a hand in getting the Beatles version of Rock Band developed and released.

"I took the project to Apple and sort of convinced everybody to have a presentation," Dhani tells Billboard.

"My job description is simply being enthusiastic. We've been working on it for the past two years. This is the first one that is going to be totally, historically accurate. It's been a real headache, but it's been the most enjoyable work I've done in my life."

Dhani also acted as a model for a character in the game. The Beatles: Rock Band will be released on September 9th, 2009.

The Capitol Records president who signed off on promoting and releasing the Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" stateside has died at age 91.

Alan Livingston was persuaded to exercise Capitol's first-refusal on the single by Beatles manager Brian Epstein, after previous releases on lesser labels failed to attract American radio airplay.

Livingston, the brother of songwriter Jay Livingston, developed children's recordings at Capitol, Disney and Warner Brothers and eventually became chief of creative operations. He left Capitol to become programming chief at NBC-TV, where he had a hand in developing the "Bonanza" series.

Upon his return to Capitol Records as label president in the early '60s, he was responsible for signing the Beach Boys, the Kingston Trio and other younger acts, but resisted the Beatles until convinced to pick up the band by Epstein's account of their massive success in Great Britain.

Badfinger's sole surviving member, Joey Molland, has lost his wife to an undetermined disease.

Joey tells friends that Kathie Molland was feeling ill a day before she died peacefully in her sleep.

A memorial is scheduled for 1PM on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at the Washburn-McReavy Strobeck Johnson Chapel in Hopkins, Minnesota.

One in three American adults listens to British music over any other non-U.S. musical artists, according to a recent survey by VisitBritain, the national tourist office for England, Scotland and Wales.

When asked which British musical artists they listened to in the past twelve months, nearly half of American adults cited the Beatles (48 percent), Elton John (49 percent) and the Rolling Stones (41 percent).

Paul McCartney has officially joined the OneVoice International Board of Advisors, which includes other celebrities such as Danny DeVito and Jason Alexander.

OneVoice seeks to empower the moderate majorities of Israel and Palestine along with citizens to work toward a two-state solution to Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

Sir Paul first spoke with Israeli and Palestinian representatives of the group during his visit to Israel at the end of September 2008. He met with OneVoice Israel chairwoman Irit Admoni Perlman and staff members and youth activists from the movement. At the meeting, he expressed his support for OneVoice's activities on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides.

Speaking to Nisreen Shahin, OneVoice Palestine's executive director, Macca reaffirmed his commitment to OneVoice's moderate, grassroots approach to ending the conflict.

At his concert in Tel Aviv, Paul and members of his band wore OneVoice pins in a show of support for the movement and the ideas it promotes.

"Having met representatives of the association OneVoice, I was impressed, first of all, by the fact that half of the organization is Palestinian and half is Israeli," says Paul. "Almost 650,000 people have signed on to their manifesto, supporting their steadfast work to bring about a negotiated solution, and peace in the region ... I am, therefore, happy to lend my support in this way to the cause of peace."

OneVoice has trained over 2,000 youth leaders in Israel and Palestine. Its board includes over 60 world leaders, dignitaries, celebrities, business people, and political figures.

L.A.'s Magical Mystery Tour has been named GigMasters' 2008 Rising Star Award winner for Beatles tribute bands. It's their second consecutive win in that category.

Winners in 154 categories were selected from GigMasters' nationwide database of over 5,500 client-rated entertainment acts.

New York's new Not Fade Away Gallery, which is exhibiting previously-unseen Bob Bonis Beatles and Rolling Stones tour photos, is close to announcing a publishing deal for the Bonis archive.

Not Fade Away plans to publish a series of fine-art books featuring the candid shots Bonis took while he was the U.S. tour manager for the Beatles and other bands which "invaded" America on their heels.

The long-awaited Beatles version of Rock Band will be released on September 9th, 2009 ("09-09-09," as beatlesrockband.com declares). It marks the first appearance of Beatles music and likenesses in an interactive video game format.

The Rock Band software for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Wii will retail for $59.99. Stand-alone guitars will be priced around $100. A "limited edition" premium bundle will be priced at around $250.

The British-American co-produced TV series Live From Abbey Road will launch its third season with a 40th anniversary tribute to the Beatles' Abbey Road album.

Liverpool Hope University has become the first college to offer a Master of Arts degree in the study of the Beatles.

"The Beatles, Popular Music and Society" is made up of 48 weeks of study and a dissertation.

"There have been over 8,000 books about the Beatles but there has never been serious academic study and that is what we are going to address," popular-music instructor Mike Brocken tells Reuters. "Forty years on from their breakup, now is the right time and Liverpool is the right place to study the Beatles."

Wendy Richard and Paul McCartney in a scene deleted from ''Help!''

Actress Wendy Richard, who is best known in America for her role as Miss Brahms in the Britcom Are You Being Served?, has died of cancer at age 65.

In 1965, at age 22, she played a scene opposite Paul McCartney in the Beatles' Help! � it was cut out of the final edit of the movie. The footage has never been recovered, but promotional stills of the scene turned up when Help! was being remastered for DVD.

A collection of "lost" photos of the young Beatles and Rolling Stones has been tapped by curators for a new gallery in New York City.

Over 50 of the 3,500 photographs taken by tour manager Bob Bonis are part of the gallery's inaugural exhibit, "The British Are Coming: The Beatles and The Rolling Stones 1964-66."

They're on display through April 14th, 2009 at the Not Fade Away Gallery, which occupies the second floor of 901 Broadway.

It normally costs 1600 bucks a night to stay in the Amsterdam hotel suite occupied by John & Yoko during their famous 1969 Bed-In For Peace, but the hotel will let Beatle fans take a free peek at the room to commemorate the event's 40th anniversary.

Fans can visit the Amsterdam Hilton suite from March 21st through 29th, 2009. A number of events connected to the showing are also planned.

Some traditionalist Christian groups are upset that John Lennon's "Imagine" will be played on the Anglican Cathedral Bells in Liverpool.

The song, which begins with the line, "Imagine there's no heaven," will ring in the Futuresonic Festival on May 13th, 2009.

Liverpudlian Ian Chatsworth, commenting to Beatles Basement about the furor via e-mail, writes: "What the big twist? Church bells peal. They don't sing lyrics."

The Wings Track Pack for Activision's Guitar Hero World Tour is now available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says her favorite musicians are the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

She tells the Indonesian teen variety show Awesome that people shouldn't ask her to sing along, though.

"Here is the problem," she told the audience. "See all of these people? If I start to sing, they will leave."

The Beatles tribute band Rain filed an intellectual property suit against Korea's Rain � whose real name is Jeong Ji-hoon.

Yoko Ono has posted one of those "25 Things You Might Not Know About Me" lists up on her Facebook page. If you're not already signed up as one of her friends, you won't be able to access it, however, because Facebook declares that "Yoko has too many friends."

One interesting tidbit: John nicknamed her "Martian" because of her large head and small body.

Yoko, who just turned 76, is also asking for people to repeat the John & Yoko Bed-Ins for Peace on her fully-accessible site, ImaginePeace.com. The John & Yoko Bed-ins took place 40 years ago.

It's official: the David Lynch Foundation benefit concert in New York on April 4th, 2009 now includes Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

Moby, Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper, Paul Horn, Sheryl Crow and Donovan are also in the lineup.

A reliable source tells Beatles Basement that legal Beatles downloads may not make their first appearance on Apple's iTunes.

"If a deal with iTunes can't be worked out fairly soon, the first legal downloads will appear on the Beatles' own web store," the source writes. "In fact, there is a prototype Beatles download site in existence and ready to go. I would suspect this will be the method for official downloads if a deal with iTunes isn't completed in time for an '09 holiday season launch."

Asked if the Beatles download store will co-exist with an iTunes launch, the source says, "Eventually. I hear that one of the sticking points in negotiations is the length of time iTunes gets an exclusive. I believe the Beatles want to let the catalogue be eventually available on a wide range of vendor sites, such as Amazon, Ninja and TheBeatles.com."

A podcast on the BBC World Service website reveals interesting details on how fans in the U.S.S.R. obtained Beatles music, despite its strict ban by the Communist government.

The bootlegged Beatles "records" were actually made from thick x-ray sheets because of the Iron Curtain's stronghold on vinyl record production. The documentary says you could hold Soviet Beatles bootlegs up to the light and see broken bones.

Playing live electric music was also banned. The 23-minute documentary reveals that Soviet rock fans would steal mouthpieces from pay phones to use as guitar pickups and wire them into their TV sets for amplification.

Sir Paul McCartney has been making the interview rounds to promote the Fireman's Electric Arguments and revealing some informational tidbits along the way.

For instance, Paul reveals he's practicing a form of "eye yoga," in which he excercises his eye muscles up to six times per day.

He's also voiced some details on the forthcoming Beatles version of the Harmonix Rock Band game. Paul says players will look like young moptopped Liverpudlians when they start out and work ther way up to the long-haired bearded freakish look of the later Beatles.

The Art Gallery of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia is hosting John Lennon - Imagine! � a collection of images by world-reknowned photographers.

The exhibition, which includes many previously unseen photographs, also features Australian paintings and sculptures from the '60s and '70s drawn from the gallery�s own collection.

Neither Paul nor Ringo snagged a Grammy Award, but Paul, who performed "I Saw Her Standing There" at the 51st annual ceremony, said, "I don�t come to win it, I come to be in it."

Sir Paul was sporting a Beatles t-shirt designed by his daughter, Stella, using a photograph taken by his late wife, Linda. The fab four portrait, with red clown noses added, is part of a series of Stella-designed t-shirts to benefit Comic Relief.

In addition to his upcoming Coachella Valley appearance on April 17th, 2009, Paul will perform on behalf of the David Lynch Foundation in New York on April 4th and at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel's The Joint on April 19th.

As the Beatles' U.S. invasion is commemorated throughout the world, it holds special memories for one of Archer's Beatles Basement listeners.

"My family and I immigrated from Italy to the USA in October of 1962," says Mike D'Aiuto.

"I was four years old but my first recollections of America included the horrible assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963, soon followed by the Beatles first appearance on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' on February 9th, 1964. The CBS Sunday night variety show was always a family favorite, but to watch the American TV debut of the Beatles was a huge delight to my older sister and I."

Mike has since made pilgrimages to the Ed Sullivan Theater and Strawberry Fields in New York, plus the rooftop at Apple and Abbey Road Studios in London.

"The Beatles have a very special place in my heart and I will always love them," says Mike, whose last name, D'Aiuto, is Italian for "of help!"

Hundreds of people turned out for a 45th-wedding-anniversary renewal of vows by a couple in Niagra, New York who, in a way, honeymooned with the Beatles.

Pat and Rosa Simon spent their honeymoon at the Plaza Hotel in New York when it was occupied by the Beatles during the band's first U.S. visit in 1964.

Pat Simon and his brothers took over the family business, Simon's Restaurant, after the couple returned from New York City. Simon's Restaurant was founded by his grandmother in 1884.

thenewno2 will issue their debut album You Are Here on CD on March 31st, 2009.

The album, which was previously offered only as a download, will be re-issued digitally as well.

Consisting basically of Dhani Harrison and Oli Hecks, thenewno2 are scheduled to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April � Paul McCartney is also on the bill.

Dhani and Oli make their national American TV debut on Late Night With Conan O'Brien February 16th.

To celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Beatles' invasion of the U.S., Abbey Road On The River, the annual Memorial Day Weekend Beatles celebration in Louisville, Kentucky, is offering special deals through February 15th, 2009:

Buy a one-day ticket and get two days free; buy any combination of Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday and get free tickets for Thursday and Monday.

The Norwegian Beatles and Russian pop star Alyona have been added to AROTR's massive lineup.

Papito Serguera, the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television president who banned the Beatles in the mid-sixties because they were "subversive," has died.

The former Communist government administrator admitted in recent years that he enjoyed listening to the Beatles privately.

Kier Property plans to sell the building for office space � and believes the Beatles' legacy will help them fetch a high price for 5-story building.

The Beatles performed their last live concert on the roof of Apple in January 1969.

World Entertainment News Network reports that Paul McCartney had planned a global tour for 2009, but put the plans on hold because he didn't want to spend a long time away from his daughter, Beatrice.

He is, however, headlining the 10th annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which runs April 17th, 18th and 19th, 2009 in Indio, California. Paul will perform on April 17th, the 11th anniversary of Linda McCartney's passing.

George Harrison's son, Dhani (with Oli Hecks, as thenewno2), Amy Winehouse, the Killers, Leonard Cohen, the Cure, Booker T, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Paul Weller, My Bloody Valentine and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are also on the massive Coachella roster.

February 8th, Macca will perform for the Grammy Awards � he received two nominations this year.

Stella McCartney has designed some limited edition T-shirts for Comic Relief that feature photos of celebrities taken by her late mother, Linda, and other famous photographers � except all the people depicted on the shirts have red clown noses.

Sister Mary McCartney has contributed portraits of Gwyneth Paltrow, Claudia Schiffer and other present-day luminaries wearing the shirts for a promotional campaign.

An EMI insider says there are "no immediate plans" to release the Beatles' library on 180-gram vinyl as part of the "From The Capitol Vaults" reissues.

Paul's Band On The Run LP and John's Imagine and Rock 'N' Roll albums have been included in the series of limited vinyl releases.

In an interview posted at photographer Gerard Fleming's LiverpoolDays.com, Mersey Beat founder Bill Harry says George Harrison got a shiner eye as the result of the band firing drummer Pete Best.

"Although there was a degree of initial fury, it died down virtually straight away at the first appearance Ringo made with them at the Cavern," says Harry. "Brian Epstein was terrified and had to have a bodyguard and Bruno, a friend of Pete's, gave George Harrison a black eye. The girls were yelling 'Pete forever, Ringo never,' but they settled down once the Beatles began playing and things were soon restored to normal."

Paul McCartney appeared on The Colbert Report on Comedy Central on January 28th, 2009. It's was billed as his only scheduled U.S. late-night show appearance. Click here to see Paul's guest appearance, courtesy of Comedy Central.

Paul will also play at the Grammy Awards on February 8th, 2009 � his second performance at the ceremony.

"I Saw Her Standing There," which Macca first sang on the Beatles' debut album, has been nominated for best solo rock vocal. Paul's live version of the Memory Almost Full song "That Was Me" is up for best male pop vocal performance. Both performances come from the Amoeba's Secret EP.

Ringo Starr has been nominated for a Grammy as well � Ringo 5.1: The Surround Sound Collection is contending for best surround sound album.

The producer of a new Jonas Brothers TV series says the show is heavily based on the feel of the Beatles' first movie.

The Disney Channel series, which premieres in May, will also have the look and feel of another TV series influenced by A Hard Day's Night � The Monkees.

The show is called J.O.N.A.S.! In addition to Joe, Nick and Kevin, the series stars younger brother Frankie "Bonus" Jonas, Chelsea Staub, Nate Hartley, Nicole Gale Anderson, Dani Miura and Davida Williams.

Easy Star Records is releasing an all-star reggae remake of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

In 2003, the label had commercial success with a "re-imagining" of Pink Floyd music with Dub Side Of The Moon.

Once available exclusively on a limited-edition vinyl faux bootleg, Paul McCartney's L.A. secret gig EP is now available on CD.

Amoeba's Secret contains versions of "Only Mama Knows," "C Moon," "That Was Me" and "I Saw Her Standing There" performed at Amoeba Records.

Paul McCartney and Dolly Parton join Yusuf Islam, aka Cat Stevens, on a new album. The trio perform on a track called "Boots and Sand." A video of the song is directed by Bob Dylan's son, Jesse.

Yusuf, as he now prefers to be called, also covers George Harrison's "The Day The World Gets 'Round." Joining him on that track is iconic bassist/artist Klaus Voormann. The song will be issued as a charity single and appear on Klaus Voormann's A Sideman's Journey album as well.

The British Music Experience interactive music exhibit will include a bevy of Beatles memorabilia.

Tickets to the museum, which opens March 6th, 2009 in London, will also act as "magic wands," allowing possessors to access extra online exhibitions, information and media.

In his first RingoStarr.com video update since the "no-more-autographs" flap, Ringo has announced the winner of the 2008 All-Star Band photo contest.

Ricardo Martinelli de Medeiros, who flew from Mata da Praia, Brazil to see Ringo in North Hollywood, Florida, receives an autographed drum head for his photo.

Cheap Trick is expected to announce a run at the Las Vegas Hilton in which the original lineup of the band will perform the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album in its entirety � accompanied by a full orchestra.

The band performed the album at Hollywood Bowl to commemorate its 40th anniversary in 2007.

Academy Award-winner Kristin Scott Thomas has been cast as John Lennon's Aunt Mimi in Nowhere Boy, an upcoming bio-pic which marks the directorial debut of Sam Taylor-Wood.

Aaron Johnson has already been announced for the lead role and Anne-Marie Duff has been cast as John's mum, Julia. The film begins shooting in Liverpool in March 2009.

''Liverpool Sound '08'' at Anfield Stadium, captured on cellphone by Darin Toohey.

Liverpool wrapped up its year as the European Capital of Culture with a massive fireworks display and the giant-screen showing of a video of 2008 highlights from the city's year-long celebration.

The 7,000 Merseyside events throughout the year were kicked off with Ringo Starr performing "Liverpool 8" from the top of St. George's Hall.

Other highlights included Liverpool hosting the MTV Europe Music Awards and the Liverpool Sound '08 Concert headlined by Paul McCartney.

Ringo Starr, Alice Cooper, Bruce Willis and Elle MacPherson appear in a TV ad in Britain announcing the name change of insurance company Norwich Union to Aviva.

View the commercial, posted on the UK paper The Guardian's site, by clicking here.

Yoko Ono says she fully endorses a campaign to establish a Department of Peace in the U.S. government. Yoko's asking fans to vote for the idea at ThePeaceAlliance.org.

"Our planet, our media, our social interactions, our homes all suffer from the epidemic of inter-personal violence and warfare that plagues America," says Steven Zendt, who proposes the U.S. appoint a Secretary of Peace. "With the establishment of a Department of Peace and Non-Violence, with a respected Secretary of Peace in the president's Cabinet, and a program to reduce violence in cities, nations, and even in our homes, we will all benefit from the growth of a culture of peace."

Paul McCartney and Youth's "Nothing Too Much, Just Out Of Sight" has been featured in the Starz cable network's first original drama series.

The song, part of the Fireman's Electric Arguments album, was included in the January 9th, 2009 season finale of Crash, which stars Dennis Hopper and Jocko Sims.

Since the MBE that John Lennon returned to the Queen under protest has been found in a royal vault, fans have been petitioning Buckingham Palace to place the medal � and the accompanying note � on public display.

A royal spokesperson, however, says the MBE, which John returned 40 years ago, is considered to be property of the Lennon Estate.

Cancer Research UK will hold their annual Sound & Vision event at Abbey Road Studios on February 26th, 2009.

The event will feature access to the recording studio along with an exhibition and auction of images featuring iconic musicians by famous photographers.

Attendees will be able to participate in a memorabilia auction and mingle with celebrity guests, as well as enjoy live performances by some yet-to-be-announced Abbey Road alumni. Beatles producer George Martin is among Cancer Research UK's patrons.

The ability to legally download Beatles music from Norway's radio outlet, NRK, has turned out to be not legal after all.

An NRK spokesperson says the 212-song podcast of "Our Daily Beatles," which aired in 2007, has been canceled.

"Our new agreement with rights holder TONO gives us rights to publish radio and TV shows we aired a long time ago," explains NRK. "But the agreement NRK has with rights holders IFPI and FONO only allows us to publish shows that have been aired the last four weeks. And since 'Our Daily Beatles' was aired in 2007, we have to pull it from the podcast."

Meanwhile, Paul McCartney says he's anxious to get the Beatles catalogue up on iTunes.

"It is out of our hands, really," Sir Paul tells the Liverpool Echo. "It is a business thing and there is some gridlock somewhere. It is being held up, but I definitely hope it comes through because it is about time it happened."

The BBC denies editing a Michael Jackson impression by Paul McCartney from press conference footage because the Beeb's higher-ups considered it racist.

Britain's Daily Mail had claimed a BBC source told them that Macca's Jacko impression was removed because, "They say it's a 'trans-racial impression' � that's what they say in a memo � and even by Macca that is beyond the pale."

Macca has done his Jacko impression in previous interviews, including a chat with Beatles Basement host Archer in 1984 and during his 1997 appearance on Oprah.

Some fans of Las Vegas' Killers who think the band's material is reminscent of earlier Paul McCartney tunes may be in agreement with Macca himself.

Sir Paul reportedly told the Killers during a Royal Albert Hall gig that he's a big fan and would like to collaborate with them one day.

Paul allegedly approached Killer Brandon Flowers backstage while wearing an Alice Cooper mask.

Violinist Patrick Halling is fighting to keep the few pennies he earns every time the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" airs on British radio.

Under European Union law, the 1966 tune will enter the public domain in 2016, meaning Halling's violin arrangement will lose its copyright protection.

Halling, who's now 84, makes over $10,000 a year from the hundreds of songs he's recorded with the Beatles, Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield, the Moody Blues, Enya and others.

A former nanny of Paul's ex-wife Heather Mills has filed a legal claim against Heather alleging sexual discrimination and unreasonable working conditions.

Sara Trumble, who resigned in September 2008, claims Heather went beyond the job description of nanny to Beatrice by requiring Trumble to blow-dry her hair, spray-tan her naked body and work unreasonable hours.

One of the studios where the Beatles recorded may close down in 2009 due to EMI budget cuts.

Olympic Studios in London's West End is where the Beatles performed and recorded "All You Need Is Love" for a worldwide telecast. The single's B-side, "Baby You're a Rich Man," was also recorded there.

Among the many other hitmakers who've recorded at Olympic: Barbra Streisand, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Procol Harum, Tony Bennett, the Zombies, the Rolling Stones, the Eagles, Queen, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Duran Duran, the Cranberries, Tears For Fears, INXS, Prince, Blind Faith, U2, the Killers, Oasis, Madonna and Donovan.

The Beatles' main studio, Abbey Road, still turns a profit and is not in jeopardy of EMI downsizing.

Delaney Bramlett, the man who introduced George Harrison to bottleneck slide guitar, has died from complications from gall bladder surgery at age 69.

Bramlett � born in Mississippi � had been hailed as a mentor by such luminaries as Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, J.J. Cale and Duane Allman. His legendary songwriting ranged from the Carpenters' "Superstar," which he co-wrote with Russell, to "Let It Rain," one of many collaborations with Eric Clapton. His Delaney and Bonnie hit, "Never Ending Song Of Love," has spawned over a hundred cover versions. George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Dave Mason were among those who toured with Delaney and Bonnie and Friends in late 1969 and 1970.

He produced recordings by Clapton, Etta James, King Curtis, John Hammond, Ray Charles and dozens of others, and appeared on stage with some of the greatest rock and blues artists of the '60s and '70s, including Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker and Janis Joplin.

This bittersweet account of his death was posted on his website:

John Lennon's image � and, according to fans who've e-mail to complain, a weak impression of his voice � is being used in a public service message for the "One Laptop Per Child" campaign.

Yoko Ono approved the production, which was done for free by Taxi, a New York creative media company. The announcement is not endorsing a commercial product of any kind.

"With his music, John Lennon tried to get the powers that be to imagine a better world. His message is that with the XO laptop, today we all have the power to change the world," says Taxi creative director Paul Lavoie.

"This is sick," says one e-mailer. "It's a good cause, but it could lose credibility with that 'Yellow Submarine' fake voice synced to old footage of John."

"Why would you want to give to a charity that uses deception in its ads?" writes another. "Tacky deception at that!"

The PSA may be viewed on YouTube by entering the search words "lennon+laptop."

Beatle buddy and character actor Victor Spinetti will peform his one man show at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts on January 5th, 8th and 10th, 2009. The performances of Victor Spinetti: A Very Private Diary will be free to the public.

Among Beatles fans, Spinetti is best known for his roles as a TV director in A Hard Day's Night, the mad scientist in Help! and the over-the-top drill instructor in Magical Mystery Tour.

"In My Life" topped a list of the top 30 Beatles and solo-Beatles song requests compiled for the year-end edition of Beatles Basement with Archer, which runs on 120 radio stations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and in the U.K.

The newest song in the list was "Ever Present Past" by Paul McCartney; the oldest was "Twist And Shout." The Beatles' largest-selling single, "Hey Jude," came in at number two.

Since the Beatles Basement's debut in August 2008, 6,068 individual song requests have been e-mailed to the program from which the top 30 were:

Beatles News Archives

Stereo Box Set
(Discs 1 through 16 also sold individually)

Mono Box Set

Beatles News Archives

Stereo Box Set(Discs 1 through 16 also sold individually)

Mono Box Set

Stereo Box Set
(Discs 1 through 16 also sold individually)