George, Billy, and The Beatles’ Cease-Fire

"I'll play, you know, whatever you want me to play, or I won't play at all if you don't want to me to play. Whatever it is that will please you, I'll do it." That's the way George Harrison sarcastically responded to Paul McCartney's request that he alter his style of playing on "Two of Us," a song recorded during the tension-filled sessions that would eventually spawn The Beatles' "Let it Be" album and documentary film. By the time the band entered their late '60s period, relationships among all four members had become downright hostile. The situation had become so tense that even the usually unflappable Ringo walked out in frustration during the recording of the "White Album" in 1968, planning not to return. Eleven months later, in the midst of what Paul referred to as the "Get Back" sessions, the situation had deteriorated. Following arguments with Paul, and heated exchanges with John that nearly resulted in fisticuffs, it was George's turn to break free of the band. He left the studio one day and returned with an old friend whose phenomenal playing and gregarious nature brought about some much needed harmony. No one would dare bicker while Billy Preston was on the scene.

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Merry ‘Nice and Naughty’ Christmas Greetings from The Beatles and The Stones

In the early 1960s, The Beatles came off as cute and cheeky, while the Rolling Stones - marketed by manager Andrew Loog Oldham as the anti-Beatles - were perceived as snide and snarky. Here's a look at how these two very different bands greeted the public at Christmas time.

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Lennonova Zed’ : Where ‘Power to the People’ Took Hold in Prague

Each year on the anniversary of John Lennon’s death, his son Julian thanks his Facebook followers for their heartfelt condolences, and asks them to buck up, remember the good times, and not wallow in sadness. Right on, Jules. Even though I shed a tear each and every December 8th – the date of John’s murder in 1980 – this year I'd like to present an upbeat memorial to the man whose music changed my life. How about a little story about his influence on the city of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, where the Lennon Wall - Lennonova Zeď - stands as a symbol of freedom.

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The Beatles’ White Album – In Need of a Damn Good Whacking?

If you could whittle down The Beatles' double "White Album" to a single-disc LP, which songs would you include (or toss)? Today, this album is considered iconic among fans and critics. Yet, upon its release, many critics considered the songs somewhat mediocre and purposeless. I played this album till it was nearly grooveless, but when it comes to critical analysis, I believe its content could have used "a damn good whacking," to borrow a line from George Harrison's song "Piggies" (a tune I'd cut, by the way).

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Private Johnny and the Spectacles of War

It's ironic that a tireless war protester like John  Lennon would have ever accepted a film role as a soldier. But that's just what he did back in 1966 when he appeared as Private Gripweed in Richard Lester's movie "How I Won the War." The film was an absurd black comedy about the misadventures of an army troop led by…

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