FBI Releases John Lennon Surveillance Documents

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

The final pages of government documents detailing John Lennon's left-wing activities in the early 1970s have been released following a 25 year legal battle.

Historian Jon Wiener first asked for the Federal Bureau Of Investigation (FBI) surveillance report on Lennon in 1981, just months after the former Beatle was murdered in December 1980, to help with his book "Come Together: John Lennon in His Time."

Although Wiener was given some files; his request for all of them was turned down by the FBI due to freedom of information laws. The organization argued the Lennon files could lead to political, diplomatic or economic retaliation against America.

In 1997, the FBI handed Wiener a number of files in a settlement after he sued the government. However, the final 10 pages continued to remain unseen - until now.

They show Lennon was monitored in 1971 and 1972, and that the star turned down a request for money to fund a left-wing bookshop in the UK.

Wiener says, "I doubt that Tony Blair's government will launch a military strike on the US in retaliation for the release of these documents.

"Today, we can see that the national security claims that the FBI has been making for 25 years were absurd from the beginning."

In the early 1970s, President Richard Nixon's administration wanted to deport Lennon, who lived in New York City, claiming the popular musician's left-wing sympathies represented a national threat to America - this battle is the subject of recent documentary 'The U.S. vs. John Lennon.'

Copyright World Entertainment News Network 2006

Beatles Album Sells for $115,000

The autographed copy of 'Meet The Beatles!' was a gift for George Harrison's sister Louise.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006

A signed Beatles album cover has been sold at auction for over $115,000.

The autographed copy of the band's first U.S. release 'Meet The Beatles!' was originally a gift for guitarist George Harrison's sister Louise, but was put up for sale on auction site ItsOnlyRockNRoll.com on Friday..

Harrison wrote, "To Lou with love from 'Brother'!!", while John Lennon's message said, "To Lou many love from John Lennon X," on the album cover, which was inscribed by all four band members in 1964.

The sale was believed to be a record for a signed Beatles work purchased by a member of the public.

Copyright World Entertainment News Network 2006

Gosh, I hope they'll accept my check....

$115,000??

Gosh, that's what Jimbo has budgeted for next month's CD purchases!!!

BWAH-HA-HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This sort of news makes me feel even more sore about having been cheated out of getting Ray Davies' autograph. He's not as famous as The Fabs, but he's from the same period and was a prime mover in UK beat. Those four Fab autographs will continue to rise exponentially in value. It's no fun buying Ray Davies' autograph. What was special was standing there right in front of Ray Davies in a tiny venue, but alas, I'd been tricked into giving the large part of my ticket to some asshole fake doorman, so I could only look on as the others around me got their autographs.

Yup. As is many times the case with FOIA requests...

McCartney Wants To Rework Late Lennon Song

January 3, 2007 7:45 a.m. EST

Maira Oliveira - All Headline News Reporter


London, England (BANG) - Paul McCartney hopes to soon be reunited with the late John Lennon - on his next record.

Paul reportedly wants to bring his late Beatles band member Lennon back from the grave on a new song. He is said to be desperate to work on the abandoned Lennon solo track "Now And Then" and possibly release it as a single.

The musician originally wanted to add to the track when he and the late George Harrison and Ringo Starr reworked two other Lennon solo songs, "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love," for the Fab Four's "Anthology" albums in the mid-90s. But George, who died from cancer in November 2001, put a stop to Paul's plans because he didn't think the track was good enough to warrant it being worked on.

A source told Britain's Daily Express newspaper, "It has always bothered Paul a bit that they didn't finish 'Now And Then.'Although George wasn't keen, Paul always felt the song had a lot of potential. He is now hoping to complete it, with him singing the harmonies to John's lead vocal. It would be very moving to hear the two of them singing one last time."

John Lennon was shot dead outside his Dakota apartment building, in New York, by crazed fan Mark Chapman in 1980.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006024227

I have a problem with post-mortem "collaborations" like this one: How do we know that if Lennon had lived that he would have thought any of the songs that were reworked into "Beatles" songs on the Anthology were worthy?? The answer: we don't and never will.

I think they should leave Lennon's unfinished recordings in their original state. Perhaps include them on a box set or collection of his solo work, but there can be no true "new" Beatle tracks unless they're unreleased tracks from 1962-1970.

Just my two cents. Just mah opinion, is all.

I'd like to hear it, just out of curiosity, but I don't trust that this will be "one last time".

Beatle stamps - anyone else order theirs yet?

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/shop ... at41450006

"and lennon never has to sing another paul mccartney song"
kevin gilbert - joytown - from thud.

I'm sure Yoko would have to give her imprimatur for this to happen. We'll see how that goes.

Yep. Ordered mine on Tuesday.

I'm $ure $he'll come up with a rea$on to $ay "Ye$"....

I am so anxious to hear this.

NOT

Real Love is one of my favorite Beatles songs and if this new song is a John track that Paul likes, it can't be that bad.

I'd like to hear it and will probably buy it.

¥ou'r€ a v€r¥ c¥nica£ man. R€a££¥.

Brian Wilson sang with the late Carl Wilson on the post-mortem "Soul Searching", which was one of the highlights on the album "Gettin' in Over My Head". So I don't see why this collaboration shouldn't work. But it shouldn't be touted as a Beatles song.

And let's not forget that some of Buddy Holly's hits were home demos that were overdubbed post-mortem also. ("Peggy Sue Got Married" comes to mind off the top of my head but there were several others.)

In addition to the well-known hit versions, the Hollies overdubbed backing vocals on "PSGM" for a Buddy Holly tribute LP in the early 90's.

And there's Natalie Cole's overdubs on her father's recording of "Unforgettable."

As per a discussion in the SH Forums, some people are speculating that this news report might be an inaccurate interpretation of this one. http://www.therockradio.com/2006/12/pau ... shing.html

If the rumor proves to be true, I'm all for it! I think Paul has the talent and respect for Lennon's (and the Beatles') legacy and believe that he would produce something worth listening to. Since Paul, George and Ringo worked on this recording during the Anthology sessions, I can't help wondering if Paul envisions finishing the work that the three of them began or if he wants to start anew and scrap all of George and Ringo's contributions.

Yes! I ordered a couple of packages that included the first day covers.

I ordered mine toward the end of last year, and I've already received the post card versions. These are the same designs, only much larger -- also they're generally released a month or so in advance of the stamps themselves.

I find these designs to be incredibly cool.

Since I was a stamp collector long before I became a Beatles collector, of course I ordered all the items some time back. Haven't received anything yet, though.

The traditional Queen's head sillhouette (which appears on all UK stamps) looks like a record label logo in this context. I like the mini sheet design as much - it shows a copy of the Love Me Do single with the "correct" company sleeve!