As soon as this settles (for Apple) then we can have Shea on Blu-ray.

Rick A.

Beatles' first manager, Allan Williams, dies at 86

Allan Williams, best known as the first manager of the Beatles, has died aged 86, it has been announced. It was Williams who took the band to Hamburg, where its members learned much of their craft, before returning to the UK and stardom.

He was the owner of the Jacaranda club in Liverpool, which confirmed the news of his death on Friday night. “His legacy has allowed us to remain at the heart of the Liverpool music scene for almost 60 years, and his memory will live on through every band that plays our famous stage. Allan, you will be missed. All of our thoughts and wishes go to his family and his wife Beryl,” a message on the club’s Facebook page read.

The Beatles Story, an exhibition in Liverpool celebrating the band’s success, praised Williams for his “significant role”. Martin King, its spokesman, said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Allan Williams. Our thoughts go out to his family at this sad time. Allan was a friend to many of us at the Beatles Story and his legacy will continue to be told for years to come.”

In a statement released on Friday, the exhibition said: “His involvement in the Beatles’ early years in Liverpool and on to Hamburg helped shape the band in to what we see and know today.”

The team behind the attraction said they were shocked and saddened by the news that Williams, who also served as the Beatles’ first booking agent, had died. “He personally drove the van to take the young band to Hamburg, Germany in 1960, where they gained the vital show business experience that led to their emergence on the world stage,” they said. “In May this year, Allan was awarded a top civic honour in recognition of his contribution to the music industry in Liverpool.”

In 2009, Williams spoke about the Beatles’ early days, saying he had confidence in the band when others in Liverpool did not. “It was mainly their personalities, because most of the groups were a bit on the thick side, whereas they all had good educations; they were a bit posher and more articulate. So I thought, no, I will take a chance,” he said.

He also remembered bonding with a young John Lennon. “I had him down as a coffee-boy layabout, as I used to call him, and thought he was rather arrogant. But when I got to know him – it’s quite tragic, really. I had an unhappy childhood, too, so there was a bit of an understanding there, although we never talked about it.”

'Magic' Alex Mardas, Sham Technological 'Guru' to the Beatles, Dies at 74

Alexis Mardas, better known to Beatles fans as "Magic Alex," has died at age 74, according to multiple news reports, including CNN Greece. He was reportedly found dead in his apartment of natural causes. News IT reported he had been dead several days before his body was found.

Mardas was probably one of the more infamous characters from the Beatles universe. John Lennon was reportedly introduced to him by Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones after Mardas created a psychedelic light box for them. He was friendly with John Dunbar, who was a friend of Paul McCartney's and the husband of Marianne Faithful before she was involved with Mick Jagger.

His strange electronic gadgets were embraced by all of the Beatles, but especially Lennon, who dubbed him "Magic Alex." Some of his ideas had foresight, like the phone that dialed by voice recognition and displayed the numbers of callers. But then there were others, like the electronic brooches that made noise and flashed in no particular order, the artificial sun using laser beams and the invisible curtain that used ultrasonic vibrations to screen the Beatles from their fans.

"I invented a large number of electronic devices, none of which had anything to do with music of the business of the Beatles," he said in a statement to The New York Times in 2010. "It must be remembered that none of these had even been thought about by others at the time, although most of them are now in common use," citing an electronic camera and a "memory phone" among them.

Lennon thought so much of him that, according to author Philip Norman, he introduced him at a group meeting as "my new guru." His friendship with the band was also demonstrated in the fact he went on several holidays with various members of the group. When Mardas married in 1968, The Beatles attended his wedding. And when The Beatles began Apple Corps, Mardas was hired to head Apple Electronics, which author Tony Bramwell in his book Magical Mystery Tours: My Life With The Beatles called "a waste of time and money." He was also chosen to design lighting for The Beatles' newly opened Apple Boutique and reportedly tried to help them buy a Greek island.

John Lennon had Mardas deliver a devastating message to his first wife Cynthia Lennon when he was about to leave her for Yoko Ono. "I've come with a message from John," quoted Philip Norman in his book John Lennon: A Life. "He is going to divorce you, take Julian away from you and send you back to Hoylake," where she grew up. The message caused Cynthia Lennon to lose her voice and be confined to bed with a fever.

In 1969, Mardas was chosen to put together a 78-track recording studio for them at Apple. But instead of the studio, The Beatles found only components from a German manufacturer still in boxes. When Allen Klein took over as The Beatles' business manager, Klein pushed Mardas out for good.

Paul McCartney Sues Sony to Regain Rights to Beatles Songs

Paul McCartney has filed suit in New York against Sony/ATV and is looking to get a declaratory judgment that states he will soon regain his copyright ownership share to a treasured catalog of songs created as a member of The Beatles.

In what could become one of the most important legal battles in the music industry this decade, the iconic songwriter is looking to leverage the termination provisions of the Copyright Act.

In 1976, Congress increased the period that works are under copyright protection, and, in recognition of authors who had signed over their rights to publishers and studios without much bargaining power, allowed such authors 35 years hence to reclaim rights in the latter stages of a copyright term. Artists such as Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Prince have used the mere threat of termination to negotiate new deals and better compensation arrangements.

According to McCartney's complaint, he transferred rights to songs co-authored by him and John Lennon between 1962 and 1971 to various music publishers.

It's well known that in the 1980s, after getting advice from McCartney himself that the big money in music was tied to rights in song compositions, Michael Jackson bought songs including "Yesterday," "Hey Jude" and "Let It Be." Jackson then entered a joint venture with Sony/ATV, and last year, his estate sold the late pop singer's remaining interest to Sony.

The lawsuit notes that McCartney has been serving and recording termination notices for nearly a decade. Represented by attorneys at Morrison & Foerster, he now expects to recover copyright interests as soon as Oct. 5, 2018. "For years following service of the first Termination Notices, Defendants gave no indication to Paul McCartney that they contested the efficacy of Paul McCartney’s Termination Notices," states the complaint. "Defendants’ affiliates did, however, oppose at least one other artist’s terminations of transfers under the terms of the 1976 Copyright Act."

That refers to Duran Duran's own attempt to regain rights under the termination protocol outlined by U.S. copyright law. In December, Sony scored a shocking win when an English court ruled that American termination law took a backseat to an interpretation of contracts under English law. The justices determined that Duran Duran's contractual promise to not transfer its interest in copyrights foreclosed its ability to terminate a grant of rights as a transfer of reversionary interest from the song publisher to themselves.

Apparently, that has given Sony hopes of pulling off the same maneuver with respect to Beatles songs.

Sony, states McCartney's complaint, has refused to provide confirmation of termination and has "thus attempted to reserve Defendants’ right to assert that once Paul McCartney’s terminations go into effect, Paul McCartney will have breached his contractual obligations to Defendants. Rather than provide clear assurances to Paul McCartney that Defendants will not challenge his exercise of his termination rights, Defendants are clearly reserving their rights pending the final outcome of the Duran Duran litigation in the U.K."

By filing this suit now, McCartney clearly is looking to have an American court rather than a U.K. one rule in the dispute. By doing so, the complaint hints that he will soon be bringing arguments that in the U.S., the statutory termination right supersedes any contractual right. Whether or not an English court recognizes such a decision will be something for down the road.

In the meantime, conversations between the parties, attached as an exhibit to the lawsuit, reveal that Sony has made arrangements with respect to John Lennon’s share and will retain its worldwide rights in his share of the compositions for the life of the copyright. Sony chairman Martin Bandier has been conversing directly on this issue, and the defendant has retained attorney Donald Zakarin for its legal defense. When the topic of Duran Duran was first addressed in December, it was interpreted as a "threat." Zakarin later wrote the other side that it had no wish to engage in litigation with McCartney and hoped to reach an agreement with him that would be mutually beneficial. But money can't buy love. The two sides haven't been able to come to a deal, and now the dispute has been put before a judge.

In response to the lawsuit, Sony issued this statement: "Sony/ATV has the highest respect for Sir Paul McCartney with whom we have enjoyed a long and mutually rewarding relationship with respect to the treasured Lennon & McCartney song catalog. We have collaborated closely with both Sir Paul and the late John Lennon’s Estate for decades to protect, preserve and promote the catalog’s long-term value. We are disappointed that they have filed this lawsuit which we believe is both unnecessary and premature.”

John Lennon, Yoko Ono Love Story Movie in the Works

Imagine ... a John Lennon-Yoko Ono movie.

Producer Michael De Luca is working with Ono on an untitled feature that would track her relationship with the Beatle, as well as their antiwar efforts.

Theory of Everything scribe Anthony McCarten will pen the feature and will act as a producer on the project, along with Ono, De Luca and Immersive Pictures’ Josh Bratman.

“The story will focus on ripe and relevant themes of love, courage and activism in the U.S. — with the intention of inspiring today’s youth to stand up for and have a clear vision for the world they want,” said De Luca. “I am also honored and privileged to be working with Yoko Ono, Anthony McCarten and Josh Bratman to tell the story of two amazing global icons.”

De Luca is the megaproducer behind award-winning films like Captain Phillips, Moneyball and The Social Network. This year, he won't be in the audience on Oscars night; instead De Luca will be busy producing the live telecast with Jennifer Todd.

McCarten also wrote the Gary Oldman-starring Winston Churchill biopic Darkest Hour, due out Nov. 24. He is repped by ICM.

Wasn't that done back in the '80s as a TV movie?

“The story will focus on ripe and relevant themes of love, courage and activism in the U.S. — with the intention of inspiring today’s youth to stand up for and have a clear vision for the world they want,” said De Luca.

It was such a beautiful romance.

All you need is gum: