Paul McCartney discusses the design for Sgt Pepper with Mike Read in an interview for BBC Radio 1 (broadcast 1989)
PAUL: See I always hark back, when I'm making a record, in my mind, to me - in Liverpool I used to get on the bus, Saturday morning, go down to this big department store called Lewis's, go in the record department, get my record, that was a big favourite I'd been saving up for, get on the bus, upstairs on the bus, and unwrap it. And then I had a half hour to look at it. I couldn't play it, but I could look at it, and read the sleeve note and look at the pictures and everything. So I knew that other people would be doing that kind of thing so we designed Pepper with that in mind, you know, the person who's just been to his version of Lewis's, he's got that half hour to go home. So we'll give him masses, he could look at this one for months, you know, because after all its only cardboard and it really doesn't cost more to put a complicated picture on than it does just to put a picture of an orange, or something. READ: Of course Brian Epstein's idea was it being brown paper bags. PAUL: Well Brian was very keen on the album, we'd played it [for] him once it was all finished out at George's house. He was very sort of flamboyant [Brian impression] 'Oh! It's wonderful.' He really loved it, you know, he did this big, theatrical [Brian impression] 'Oh it's a wonderful album!' And we said 'Well we're still thinking about the cover, you know, we can't quite decide how to do the cover.' He said [Brian impression] 'Put a brown paper bag on it, it doesn't matter. It's so wonderful.'
Live long, my angels.
Paul & Linda McCartney photographed by Robert Rosen, April 22nd, 1982.
❝ There was a Music Awards Party at Abbey Road, the famous recording studio. It was 1982 and I crashed it. Paparazzi were outside, it was snowing and they were there freezing with their zoom lenses. My snappy was in my pocket, the security guy saw me and because I always liked to dress well must have mistaken me for a pop star. He said, "Hurry up inside the awards are starting," and whisked me through the doors. Next thing I know I am inside standing next to Paul and Linda McCartney. We began a conversation and I asked to take a shot, they were in a joyous mood and most accommodating as you can see. On the third click they kissed - I got it! That photo went worldwide and I sent them a print to say thank you. Six months later I bumped into them again, but didn't assume they would remember me; however Linda called to me, "Darling are you ignoring us? Come on, give me a hug." It meant so much to me, maybe more than anything, that she loved that photograph. ❞
— Robert Rosen
INTERVIEWER: It’s hard, given his level of fame, to imagine [George] in such fatherly domesticity.
OLIVIA: You mean doing the school run? He did. He used to be there handing out oranges at half-time. Being a dad was something he loved. He just loved that time. - The Times (2014)
“George never held anything back, even when Dhani was really young, so they were very close, and Dhani had a clear understanding. Some of the things George told him, it was almost like he knew he might not be around later on, so he had to tell him then. So yes, it’s difficult to make your own way, but that’s what it was, and Dhani loved that guy, they were very close.” - Olivia Harrison, The Huffington Post (2014)
“He pulled out a photo of his baby son Dhani, and showed the group. Baby Dhani was dressed in a miniature Gumby suit, thanks to his Uncle Eric [Idle].” - Howard Johnson
“Olivia spends hours each day playing with Dhani, and George talks to him like an adult, and patiently answers his never-ending stream of questions.” - Liane Maxfield, The Australian Women’s Weekly (1982)
“What I saw in the father was great devotion, love, and gentleness. His whole thing was that little boy.” - Eric Estrada, People (1986)
“I’m sure he’d watched every skate film with me anyway because there’s no way he couldn’t have seen from start to finish every single Bones Brigade film. I must have sat him down and watched them all.” - Dhani Harrison
“I can’t even begin to describe how I miss him. He always supported me in everything I did. He was a very wise man and I realised at an early age I could learn a lot from him. He always gave me the right answer. But above all he was a very easy-going guy and all he wanted was to be my best friend. I’m an only child and so he shared everything with me. Of course he was very young to die and I was very young to lose a father. But there was nothing left unsaid between us.” - Dhani Harrison, The Times (2002)
“I could draw naked ladies. I could do them on folded paper so that when it was closed up the lady had her clothes on and then when you opened it up…wey-hey! The only trouble was before she did the washing my mum used to go through my pockets for school dinner tickets and, of course, one day she found one of my naked ladies. I came home and my dad said, I want a word with you. Did you do this? It was like death. Anguish. Tears.”
— Paul McCartney on his claim to fame in school, from The Paul McCartney World Tour concert program, 1989 (via theoldpaulband)
The Beatles and their fans: Some interesting facts that Lizzie Bravo, a brazilian fan who lived the beatlemania in 1967/1968, said. I translated from the interview that Lizzie gave to "Pitadas Do Sal" in 2021. May Lizzie rest in peace. ♡
Paul McCartney lived near Abbey Road so he walked around and sometimes barefoot.
The Beatles called their fans "luv" and always said hello/goodbye even if they were in the car.
When Lizzie was invited to record Across The Universe with the band, Paul McCartney asked her to sing something "in brazilian" but she was so nervous that she couldn't.
It was hard to distract John Lennon and Paul McCartney when they were together. They talked a lot in private, laughed a lot, and even finished each other's sentences. "They lived in their own bubble" Lizzie about Lennon-McCartney.
When Lizzie met John Lennon for the first time (her favorite beatle), she started crying and Mal Evans hugged her and gave her a chocolate.
George Harrison wrote Apple Scruffs for specific fans, not for all the fans who stayed in the studios.
George Harrison also wrote letters to these 3 fans in particular, thanking them for their support especially when he was starting his solo career.
Once, John Lennon was leaving Paul McCartney's house and when he said goodbye to Lizzie, who was waiting for him outside, she said "I love you" spontaneously. John smiled and waved.
Lizzie said they never seemed as mad as people sounded.
The fans did a marathon every day: They ran to Abbey Road, saw The Beatles and in the end of the afternoon they ran to Paul McCartney's house to see John Lennon go there - something he did a lot.
Sometimes they arrived together in the studio in the same car.
There were 20 or 30 fans waiting to see them everyday! It depended on which beatle would arrive before or after.
Lizzie said that The Beatles were very humble, kind and didn't even seem like the renowned band they were (and are!).
" we sort of conned my way out of hospital so i didn't have to be there for my 15th birthday. we went down to romford, where my stepdad's family lived. his dad was great, and he knew london like the back of his hand. we went walking all over london and saw the sights, the british museum and the searchlight tattoo.
it was a great day out, but it was a bit long for someone who'd just come out of hospital. "
- ringo starr, PHOTOGRAPH (2013)
There is the video of the Beatles dissolution where George is running.
and the comments are often like this:
But what I've never seen people talking about how the actual reason why George is running in the video is because he was avoiding Klein's lawyers.
Loiacono went back to the Plaza at around 10 p.m. to wait for Harrison, this time reinforced by three additional private investigators. Two of them took up watch outside the hotel, while the third stood near the elevators at the Plaza’s 58th Street entrance. Loiacono positioned himself at the main elevator bank near the Plaza’s 59th Street entrance.
Within an hour, Harrison’s entourage arrived from Madison Square Garden. Imhoff immediately spotted Loiacono. To distract the process server, Imhoff began following him around the hotel lobby, asking questions while a cameraman and lighting assistant who happened to be with the Harrison group recorded the scene. This allowed Harrison the opportunity to bolt from his car and scurry through the hotel lobby into the safety of the hotel’s kitchen elevator.
They wanted to serve him Klein's lawsuit over the ownership of Harrisongs.
In May Pang book “Loving John”.
Linda: “Don’t you miss england?”
John: “frankly.” “I miss Paris”
I wish I could’ve seen the look on paul face when john said he “missed paris” I know he probably would’ve been starstruck im guessing,
also John said he wanted to name his second son,Sean “Paris” ……..
but i dunno maybe he just really like Paris,I’m not gonna let my theories in the way of these, take them as you please,
How George and Paul met Being childhood friends George and Paul knew each other the longest. Meeting when they were 12 and 13. They met on the bus. They would take the same bus route into town, they both went to Liverpool Institute of High School, it wasn't common to have younger or older friends, you would stick to your own year, but on the outside it was different. This is where they’re paths would cross.
George says Paul struck him as odd. When George was getting on the bus, he thought Paul was laughing at him, but then realized Paul wasn’t laughing at anyone around him, he was giggling at his own reflection.
“Q: How did you first meet Paul?
A: On a bus coming home from school. He was sitting by himself and laughing! thought we had a real nut on our hands!”