Bonhams new and innovative Pioneers of Popular Culture sale takes place on 15th August 2010 at the inaugural Goodwood Vintage Festival.

The sale celebrates all that is cool and iconic from the period 1940–1990, combining important and interesting objects from Entertainment Memorabilia, Vintage Guitars, Cars, Motorbikes, Scooters, Robot and Television Toys, Fashion Accessories, Wristwatches, Photographs, Prints, Posters and 20th Century Designer Furniture.

One of the major highlights of the sale is the Challen upright piano from Abbey Road studios, played by The Beatles and Pink Floyd. The piano features on several Beatles songs including Tomorrow Never Knows and Paperback Writer. Originally located in Studio Three at Abbey Road until it was retired from service in the 1980s, the piano is also believed to have been used by Pink Floyd on a number of recordings, including the Wish You Were Here and Dark Side of the Moon albums.The pre-sale estimate for the piano is £100,000 – 150,000.

Other exciting lots offered in the sale are a 1953 Electric Solidboy Fender Telecaster guitar (estimate £25,000 – 35,000); an original Westminster Carnaby Street road sign (estimate £800 – 1,200); a jacket worn by Brian Jones during the famous Terry O’Neill Stoned Alone photo shoot (estimate £12,000 – 15,000); and a Union Jack decorated 1968 Lambretta SX150 (estimate £4,000 – 5,000).

Highlights also include a three-strand simulated pearl necklace formerly owned by Jackie Kennedy Onassis, which she wore during the early 1960s (part of three lots of the former First Lady’s jewellery), which has been estimated at £25,000 – 35,000; a collection of Peter Anderson photographs, including ‘DMC’ of Run DMC fame (estimate £1,000 – 1,500 each); a 1965 The Who VW Camper Van (estimate £25,000 – 35,000) and a black Hermes Kelly bag (estimate £10,000 – 15,000).

Several items from the estate of the British actor Stewart Granger (1913-1993) also feature in the sale, including a gold pen and a French Limoges style box gifted to Granger by Vivien Leigh (estimated at £300 – 500 and £200 – 300 respectively). An autographed photograph of Elvis Presley posing with Granger’s second wife, Jean Simmons, is expected to fetch £1,000 – 1,500, while a gold torque-style necklace that belonged to his first wife, Elspeth March, and that was worn by Sir Laurence Olivier in Stanley Kubrick’s 1960 film Spartacus, is estimated at £800 – 1,200.

The Vintage at Goodwood Festival is the brainchild of fashion designers Wayne and Gerardine Hemmingway in conjunction with Lord March. Set over three days, it is a celebration of all that is best about British popular culture in music, fashion, art, design and film.

Viewing of the sale takes place at Bonhams, New Bond Street: 2–5 August and at Goodwood: 13-15 August.

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Cool news today for fans of The Beatles and Japanese author Haruki Murakami. I didn’t even know this was happening, but Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung is apparently hard at work prepping his adaptation of Murakami’s novel “Norwegian Wood” for a December release in Japan. Fittingly, Hung insisted that The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” be licensed for use in the film; the music of the Fab Four can be rather expensive to get usage rights for, and it doesn’t happen very often.

It seems like the news has been out there for awhile but I’m most intrigued by the idea of Murakami being adapted for the big screen. He’s a wonderful author, someone you should take the time to at least try on if you’ve never read his work. “Norwegian Wood” is as good a place to start as any. Unlike a lot of artistic endeavors that come out of Japan, Murakami is uniquely tuned in to Western sensibilities. His work has a sort of all-cultural appeal and is definitely worth your time. I’ll be very curious to see Hung’s film treatment

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NOWHERE Boy director Sam Taylor-Wood has had a baby girl with her 20-year-old fiance Aaron Johnson. The 43-year-old gave birth to Wylda Rae in London on Wednesday. The artist turned film-maker and Aaron, who played John Lennon in Sam’s Liverpool-made movie, confirmed the news in a “happy announcement” yesterday.

Love blossomed for the couple on set while they filmed the story of the future Beatle’s teenage years. A statement issued on the couple’s behalf said: “Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson are happy to announce the birth of their daughter Wylda Rae, who was born on July 7, in London.” Acclaimed biopic Nowhere Boy was Sam’s first foray into directing a feature-length film.

The pair announced their engagement on the night of the film’s premiere in October last year and in January they confirmed they were expecting their first child together. Sam already has two daughters with her ex-husband, art dealer Jay Jopling.
Despite the 23-year age gap, the couple have said their friends and family are “really supportive” of their relationship.

Sam, who has battled cancer twice, said previously: “(They have reacted) really positively. They know how intensely we feel.” Aaron has described himself as “a very lucky man” after landing a breakthrough film role as well as a wife-to-be. He said previously: “(My friends and family have been) really lovely and supportive.”

Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Aaron’s co-star in the movie Kick-Ass, posted on the website Twitter: “Aaron Johnson’s baby was born!! So exciting!” Earlier this year Aaron was named best newcomer at the prestigious Jameson Empire Awards for his portrayal of the young Lennon in the movie. Last month he was voted Man Of The Year at the Glamour Awards.

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Cavern Walks was celebrating the musical legacy of the fab four today after commissioning Liverpool-based artist, Mike Badger to produce a permanent sculpture in the shopping centre to mark Beatles Day.

The Liverpool based artist and singer-songwriter, who is well known by music enthusiasts as a founder member of The La’s, has been commissioned by the boutique shopping centre to produce a themed-sculpture to mark the city’s third annual Beatles Day on Saturday 10th July.

The sculpture, which is entitled “Musical Composition”, will feature an assemblage of reclaimed musical instruments associated with famous Beatles hits, including a vintage Zenith guitar donated by Mike himself in honour of Paul McCartney who wrote some of his earliest hits on a similar Zenith guitar of the same era.

Mike Badger, 48, from Wavertree, who is well known in the art world for his amazing sculpture work using reclaimed materials, also currently runs workshops on recycled materials in schools and galleries.

He said: “I’m delighted to win the commission to produce a sculpture at Cavern Walks in celebration of Beatles Day as it allows me the opportunity to combine my experience of music and art.”

“My own entrance into Liverpool’s music scene happened on the same street as the Cavern so the area signifies a lot of importance to me.”

“The idea was to use a collection of reclaimed musical instruments placed together in an assemblage, reflecting musical composition.”

“I have made many sculptures from reclaimed and recycled materials and I enjoy allowing the objects themselves to inspire and determine the eventual finished piece.”

“The main parody explored in the sculpture is that you can’t touch music but it can touch you and this is what I hope visitors will enjoy about the finished piece when it is unveiled.”

Derek Millar, Commercial Director at Cavern Walks, which is owned by Warner Estates, added: “We thrilled to team up with such an established artist as Mike Badger.”

“Mike’s experience of both music and art made him the perfect candidate to commission the piece of work and we hope that shoppers and visitors to Cavern Walks will enjoy viewing the artwork.”

“The sculpture will be displayed permanently suspended in the centre to celebrate not only Beatles Day but the immense musical heritage of Liverpool.”

After leaving The La’s, Mike formed The Onset and is currently concentrating on his solo work as well as a collaboration project with musicians from Nashville. Alongside his own musical career, Mike is also a partner in local record label ‘Viper’ who archive Liverpool music.

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At this point, does anyone really care that the Beatles aren’t available on iTunes? Hard to imagine there’s a living soul who doesn’t own the group’s music but would — if only they could buy it via Apple’s music store.

Still, today’s announcement that the Beatles’ Apple Records music label will be releasing some of its albums — by artists other than the Beatles — for digital download this fall only serves to remind us that you still can’t buy Abbey Road on iTunes.

When will you? I assume that at some point this summer, Apple (AAPL) will announce a press conference/product launch for early September, as the company often does. And then various outlets will insist that Steve Jobs must be planning a Beatles announcement at said event, as various outlets often do. Maybe this time they’ll be right.

Meantime, worth noting that the announcement from EMI doesn’t mention iTunes, or any other online retailer like Amazon (AMZN), by name. Does that mean the albums won’t actually be available on iTunes, after all? Unlikely. But something for Apple conspiracists to gnaw on until October, when the albums are supposed to be released

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London, July 5 : Beatles drummer Ringo Starr is urging fans to think of him on his 70th birthday later this week and mark the milestone by making the iconic peace hand symbol.

The musician will reach the landmark age Wednesday and to celebrate he’s calling for everyone to put two fingers in the air to make a V-shaped peace sign at midday, which he famously used during his Beatles days, reports contactmusic. com.

“Wherever you are at noon put your fingers in the air and say ‘peace and love’ for me. It’s sort of caught on, it’s worldwide now,” he said.

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Ruth McCartney, the sister of the legendary Paul McCartney, has been confirmed to partake in a tribute to the Fab Four in Los Angeles.

The Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park is proud to launch their 4th annual Summer Concert Series with a special performance by Harmony Project. The youth orchestra consists of talented, inner-city musicians. McCartney will introduce the ensemble, who will pay homage to The Beatles.

The event will take place on July 7 in Los Angeles. Admission is free for those who wish to indulge in Beatle-mania.

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If this were the ’60s, you probably wouldn’t call Ringo Starr the strongest link in his band – but this isn’t the ’60s. The past two decades have seen the ex-Beatle grow into a first-class frontman. Alas, the star power in his All-Starr Band just isn’t what it used to be.

Hitting the Bank of America Pavilion on Tuesday, just a week shy of his 70th birthday, Ringo looked spry and healthy, drummed up a storm and brought his usual bag of solo hits, Beatles memories and pleas for peace and love. But this year’s band didn’t match the superstar lineups of previous tours, instead offering a mix of club warhorses (Edgar Winter and Rick Derringer), a session guy (drummer Gregg Bissonette) and a handful of one- and two-hit wonders (keyboardist Gary Wright, Romantics guitarist Wally Palmar and Mr. Mister bassist/singer Richard Page).

The night started strong with Starr doing “It Don’t Come Easy” and Derringer digging up his ’60s band the McCoys’ hit “Hang on Sloopy.” Palmar maintained the garage-rock vibe on the Romantics’ two biggies, “What I Like About You” and “Talking in Your Sleep.”

Yet most of the set seemed designed for people who listen to a lot of classic-rock radio and don’t go to a lot of live shows – folks who haven’t burned out on Winter’s “Free Ride” or Wright’s “Dream Weaver,” who’d get dazzled by Derringer’s three-minute finger-tap guitar solo on “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo,” and who maintain a soft spot for Mr. Mister’s earnest MTV hits
“Kyrie” and “Broken Wings.”

The recent Ringo songs “Choose Love” and “Peace Dream” (detect a theme here?) were catchy and Beatle-y, but it was the vintage Beatles songs that brought the band to life. “Boys” brought a taste of the Cavern Club days. And Starr’s never toured with a group that didn’t get an obvious kick from playing “I Wanna Be Your Man” and “With a Little Help From My Friends” (which was merged with John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance” for the finale).

Maybe it’s time for Starr to finally do his own tour where he sings more than 10 songs. He still has plenty of hits that the All-Starrs don’t play, and when it comes down to a choice between more Beatles and more Mr.Mister, that should be an easy call.

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-“Lennon Naked” starring Christopher Eccleston as John Lennon, was shown in the U.K last night on BBC4 as a TV special. It comes on the heels of another Lennon docu-drama, Sam Taylor-Wood’s film called “Nowhere Boy.” It couldn’t have been timed better, as Lennon Naked picks up just about where Nowhere Boy.

Lennon Naked begins at the very peak of Beatlemania in 1964. It begins with Lennon teasing manager Brian Epstein over his homosexuality, revealing the acid wit that Lennon was reputed to have, as Brian patiently tolerates the ribbing. He is being taken to a hotel room to meet his long lost father, Freddie Lennon, (Christopher Fairbank) whom he has not seen since that awful day in Blackpool when he was just five years old.

It’s interesting that while Nowhere Boy focuses on the renewed connection with his mother Julia, until her tragic death in 1958, Lennon Naked deals with his reunion with his father. In my opinion, these two elements of John’s life, the reunions with both biological parents, are important keys to his soul; if we can understand the pain he suffered a little more deeply, experience those events a little, through his eyes, we can understand the heart of John Lennon just a little more. Lennon Naked certainly delivers on that front, and a box of kleenex is recommended.

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Here’s an article from Manila Bulletin that, once again, makes me want to buy the whole re-mastered Beatles Boxed set.. If only I have the money..

We’ve been having The Beatles’ albums on CD. This time, EMI is bringing you a brilliant audio collection comprising the magical journey of the Fab Four with The Beatles Stereo Boxset distributed by PolyEast Records. This perfect gift is now exclusively available at all Odyssey outlets.

For the first time, their entire recorded output has been re-mastered for the 21st century, complete with unique liner notes and special digital packaging to boot. Plus, the boxset does include a bonus DVD featuring all of these short sequences together so you can enjoy it on your very own DVD player. You can also avail The Beatles Stereo Boxset in a limited edition 16G USB Flash Drive housed in a green aluminum apple which contains full contents of the Beatles Stereo Boxset; 13 mini-documentaries in MPEG 4 video format; and custom-designed Flash Player menu system with full booklet artwork, album cover wallpapers and photo gallery.
(more…)

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