Michael Gerber • Hey Dullblog, the Beatles fan blog

The Beatles and David Frost

By Michael Gerber|2021-09-15T19:57:15-07:00September 1, 2013|1968, Obituaries|

This Was The Guy That Was David Frost has died, suddenly it seems while on a cruise ship, at age 74. The most prominent overlap between The Beatles and David Frost was, of course, his involvement in their 1968 promo film for "Hey Jude" and "Revolution," which I've embedded at the end of this post. But there's much more to say about it than that. Frost was a quintessential "mid-Atlantic man" in the Beatle and solo era, and his passing is another reminder to examine that time, and celebrate the blending of American and British pop culture which made it [...]

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John’s Vocals on Don’t Let Me Down

By Michael Gerber|2013-08-31T10:32:44-07:00August 30, 2013|1969, john and yoko, John Lennon, Yoko Ono|

Commenter Barb L. sent along this video of John's vocals on Don't Let Me Down, embedded below. (h/t openculture) http://youtu.be/X_1b0nZONes

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Introducing…The Beach Pals!

By Michael Gerber|2014-12-30T21:27:04-08:00August 29, 2013|comedy|

From the wonderful site LiarTownUSA (h/t Jonathan Schwarz). Don't go there unless you want to lose two hours, minimum. I wonder if anyone's done a whole Pet Sounds parody album? Mr. Innes, your agent is on line one. I think they cover "Fiper in the Body."

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What if Brian Epstein Lived?

By Michael Gerber|2019-08-12T23:47:52-07:00August 22, 2013|1967, Brian Epstein|

TOO COOL CATS: George Martin and Brian Epstein, undated. (Before we begin: Any readers not familiar with the details of Beatles manager Brian Epstein's life might wish to watch this 1998 BBC documentary, "The Brian Epstein Story." It's the best potted history of the man.) MIKE GERBER • Commenter Annie said this in a recent comment: Question: George Martin is quite adamant in his ’78 book that the Beatles were definitely going to cut Brian loose. What do we think about that? I haven't read All You Need Is Ears, and it's not at the library down the street, so [...]

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Sid Bernstein obituary

By Michael Gerber|2013-08-21T15:49:58-07:00August 21, 2013|1964, 1965, Obituaries|

Paul McCartney and Sid Bernstein. MIKE GERBER • Sad news today: Sid Bernstein, one of America's first Beatlemaniacs and a man who helped orchestrate the peerless mayhem of 1964 and 1965, has died at 95. "The son of a Harlem tailor," wrote Bob Spitz, "he was convinced of The Beatles' greatness before he ever heard them sing a note…Bernstein reached into his own pocket to book no less a venue than Carnegie Hall for a group that had no hit record and no following in America." Then Capitol decided to really push "I Want To Hold Your Hand," Ed Sullivan [...]

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Great Beatles Tumblr: Amoralto

By Michael Gerber|2019-10-12T00:45:38-07:00August 20, 2013|Beatles on the Web|

"Look John! Nuns!" MIKE GERBER • Commenter Annie McNeil just turned me on to a great Beatles Tumblr: Amoralto. It's quite Dullblog-like, and I am very grateful to Annie (and the anonymous, dare I say mysterious proprietor of Amoralto) for the good word on this treasure trove. A small aside: Are there any other types of troves? If so, you never hear about them. A subject in need of a Tumblr! Anyway, thanks Annie—my career may never recover, but Dullblog will be so much the better for what Amoralto saves from the Beatle memory hole. Though Annie brought it up in [...]

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Lennon and Christianity

By Michael Gerber|2013-08-19T00:46:24-07:00August 18, 2013|1972, 1973, 1977, John Lennon|

Oral Roberts: John Lennon's secret penpal? MIKE GERBER • Commenter Karen brought something to my attention recently that I certainly had a strong reaction to, and thought Dullblog readers would, too. In January, 1973, American televangelist Oral Roberts claimed in a speech that he'd received a letter from "ex-Beatle John Lennon." The letter, which he said was handwritten, detailed John's misery at his life as a Beatle, and his desire to be saved by Jesus Christ. You can read about it all here. I've been wrong before, but I would be willing to wager $100 right now that this letter is [...]

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David Bailey documentary: Four Beats to the Bar, and No Cheating

By Michael Gerber|2013-08-13T23:16:14-07:00August 13, 2013|Documentaries, Photos|

MIKE GERBER • In the process of relinking and refurbishing this site, I was reminded of a David Bailey documentary that I watched late last year. I think you might enjoy it — it's called "Four Beats to the Bar, and No Cheating." Well worth your time. http://youtu.be/zDjLXi-BPCA Will I ever get enough of the BBC? Probably not. And I know I won't get enough of Bailey's work. We've covered it before on Dullblog, and if you haven't seen his photos of John and Paul or Brian Epstein, you're in for a treat.

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John Lennon on Allen Klein, 1973

By Michael Gerber|2026-04-07T01:10:36-07:00August 7, 2013|1973, Apple, john and yoko, John Lennon|

Courtesy of commenter @Karen (anybody know how I can link to her commenter profile?), here's a very interesting little snippet (possibly from LWT's "Weekend World," 06 April 1973), where John Lennon says a few words on Allen Klein, his soon-to-be ex-manager. As stated many times, John wasn't always so quick to admit when he'd made an error in judgment; he'd enter into relationships proclaiming their perfection—and, naturally, his brilliance for arranging them—and if they'd go south, he'd back out quietly. In other words, the guy was a human being. What's particularly interesting to me is how John seems to be very aware [...]

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Just how blind was John Lennon without his glasses?

By Michael Gerber|2019-05-22T23:48:25-07:00August 6, 2013|1963, John Lennon|

Lennon peers down uncertainly at a 45. So we've all heard how John Lennon without his glasses moved around in the land of Monet—how his famous tough-looking stage persona was actually him peering nearsightedly into the crowd, hoping he'd see the incoming bottle or fist just in time to avoid it—but this photograph made me smile. Beatle John blinks down at that thing like he's 85. "Is this bloody 'Watch Your Step'?" A slight disability like that (perhaps the disability is being too vain to wear your specs!) often pushes people into their imagination. From there, it's a short step [...]

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About Michael Gerber