The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. In their heyday the group consisted of John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals). Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, the group later worked in many genres ranging from folk rock to psychedelic pop, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways. The nature of their enormous popularity, which first emerged as the “Beatlemania” fad, transformed as their songwriting grew in sophistication. The group came to be perceived as the embodiment of progressive ideals, seeing their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s.

With an early five-piece line-up of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe (bass) and Pete Best (drums), The Beatles built their reputation in Liverpool and Hamburg clubs over a three-year period from 1960. Sutcliffe left the group in 1961, and Best was replaced by Starr the following year. Moulded into a professional outfit by music store owner Brian Epstein after he offered to act as the group’s manager, and with their musical potential enhanced by the hands-on creativity of producer George Martin, The Beatles achieved UK mainstream success in late 1962 with their first single, “Love Me Do”. Gaining international popularity over the course of the next year, they toured extensively until 1966, then retreated to the recording studio until their breakup in 1970. Each then found success in an independent musical career. McCartney and Starr remain active; Lennon was shot and killed in 1980, and Harrison died of cancer in 2001.

During their studio years, The Beatles produced what critics consider some of their finest material including the album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), widely regarded as a masterpiece. Nearly four decades after their breakup, The Beatles’ music continues to be popular. The Beatles have had more number one albums on the UK charts, and held down the top spot longer, than any other musical act. According to RIAA certifications, they have sold more albums in the US than any other artist. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the all-time top-selling Hot 100 artists to celebrate the US singles chart’s fiftieth anniversary, with The Beatles at number one. They have been honoured with 7 Grammy Awards, and they have received 15 Ivor Novello Awards from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. The Beatles were collectively included in Time magazine’s compilation of the 20th century’s 100 most important and influential people

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Bono says U2 ‘humbled’ to play Glastonbury

By Tim Masters
Entertainment correspondent, BBC News

Bono has said that U2 are “delighted and humbled” to be headlining at next year’s Glastonbury Festival over its 40th anniversary weekend.

The band will lead the line-up at the Somerset show on Friday 25 June.

“Everyone in the band is very excited about it,” Bono told the BBC at the launch of an anti-Aids/HIV campaign.

It will be U2’s first festival gig for more than 25 years and will see them make a flying visit to the UK in the middle of a North American tour.

Asked if he would use the festival to promote the campaign, Bono said: “I think it will just be about the music on that day, and that spirit that seems to take over everybody in that sacred ground.”

He added: “We’ll certainly be well-rehearsed, we’ll be coming straight from the tour.”

Red laces

Bono was in central London on Monday to launch the “Lace Up. Save Lives” campaign – a partnership between Nike and the (RED) brand, which was co-founded by the U2 frontman.

He was joined at the launch, just ahead of World Aids Day, by Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and several other international football stars.

The campaign encourages people to buy red laces to help fund AIDS medication and education programmes in Africa.

Next year’s Glastonbury takes place from 25-27 June – during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

No other headliners have yet been confirmed. David Bowie has denied that he will join U2 on the bill, but it is rumoured that stadium rockers Muse could appear.

Tickets for the event sold out shortly after they went on sale last month.

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Robbie Williams denies engagement

Robbie Williams has said he is not engaged to his girlfriend, despite his mother appearing to confirm the news.

Under the heading “Robbie And Ayda: Are They Or Aren’t They?” on his official website, Williams simply wrote: “Hey all. We are not engaged. Rob.”

Speculation began when the singer made an off-the-cuff proposal to Ayda Field on an Australian radio show.

His spokesman said it was a joke, but his mother Jan later told BBC 5 live he had been planning to pop the question.

After Williams published his denial on Saturday, his spokesman said: “We have no more comment on this apart from to confirm that they are not engaged.”

On Friday, Mrs Williams told 5 live that her son had revealed his proposal plans to her “a week ago”.

She said she was “really pleased” for the couple, adding: “I’ve always wanted a daughter-in-law.”

Asked when she thought the wedding would be, Mrs Williams said: “I don’t think it will be that far in the not-too-distant future, but that’s all I’m going to say on that.”

She added: “I’m very excited. I’m really pleased. They’ve been together for nearly three years, so it’s about time.

“She’s a great mate, as well as a lover. She’s got all the qualities that he needs in a girl. It’s a lovely match.”

Williams had appeared on Australian radio station 2Day FM, where breakfast show host Jackie Henderson told him that Sydney had a reputation for celebrity proposals.

Turning to his girlfriend, the 35-year-old said: “Ayda Field, I love you so much. Do you mind being my betrothed for the end of time?”

Field, who was in the studio at the time, laughed before saying: “I would love to be your betrothed ’til the end of time.”

He then borrowed Henderson’s frog ring and slipped it onto Field’s finger.

For the remainder of the show, Williams accepted the congratulations of fans who phoned in to speak to him.

But when one caller asked Williams to divulge the last lie he had told, he replied: “I told one this morning.

“I mainly just tell people the truth. With the exception of a few white lies here and there.”

Earlier this month, Williams told Jonathan Ross on his chat show that he thought he was “going to be a bachelor” until he met Field.

“I was introduced to Ayda and things just changed. She’s a wonderful person and I’m in love. She’s really broody and I’m getting there,” he said.

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Elton says he wants to adopt boy (Use this Code 5XXXUKRA, and get 5% of all canvas art)

Sir Elton John has said he wants to adopt a toddler he met during a visit to an orphanage in Ukraine.

The 62-year-old singer had performed at the orphanage, where some of the children’s parents had died of Aids.

Sir Elton said during a news conference that he had always rejected the idea of adoption because of his age and his lifestyle of regularly being on tour.

But he said a 14-month-old boy called Lev had “stolen his heart” and forced him to consider a change of mind.

‘Wouldn’t be fair’

Sir Elton said he and partner David Furnish, 46, were asked whether they thought of adopting.

He said: “David and I have always talked about adoption, David always wanted to adopt a child and I always said ‘no’ because I am 62 and I think because of the travelling I do and the life I have, maybe it wouldn’t be fair for the child.

“But having seen Lev today, I would love to adopt him. I don’t know how we do that but he has stolen my heart. And he has stolen David’s heart and it would be wonderful if we can have a home. I’ve changed my mind today.”

The singer added that the death of his long-term keyboardist, Guy Babylon, had also influenced his decision.

“Last week I lost one of my best friends; my keyboard player died of a heart attack at 52.

“It broke my heart because he was such a genius and so young and has two wonderful children.

“What better opportunity to replace someone I lost than to replace him with someone I can give a future to.”

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Moyles sets breakfast DJ record (Use this Code 5XXXUKRA, and get 5% of all canvas art)

Chris Moyles has become the longest-serving breakfast DJ on BBC Radio 1.

The host, who took charge of the show in 2004, has overtaken a record set by Tony Blackburn more than 30 years ago.

Moyles has now clocked up 2,073 days in the job. He has also revealed that he took a 20% pay cut three months ago as a result of cost-cutting at the BBC.

“No-one likes to take a pay cut,” he told BBC News. “But I want to work at the BBC, which is trying to save some of its gazillions.”

Moyles and his team are celebrating the milestone in Plymouth, at the start of a tour of Britain. They will travel to Cardiff, Leeds and Glasgow before returning to London.

The 35-year-old joined the station in 1997, initially working in the 0400 slot.

But the self-styled “saviour of Radio 1″ never hid his ambition of landing what he considered to be the top job in radio.

Since taking over the breakfast slot from Sara Cox, Moyles’s time on air has been extended twice and he has boosted the show’s audience from 5.5 million listeners a week to the current level of 7.3 million.

His zoo-style format has won him a loyal audience, and his core team – co-presenter “Comedy” Dave Vitty, producers Rachel Jones and Aled Jones and newsreader Dominic Byrne – have been with him since the show started.

Sports reporter Carrie Davis replaced Juliette Ferrington in October 2004.

But Moyles’s career on the station has not been without controversy, and he has previously drawn fire for jokes about Auschwitz and gay singer Will Young.

In July, the DJ hit out at BBC red tape and the lengths that the corporation goes to not to cause upset.

Some critics have also questioned whether Moyles can keep in touch with the young listeners the Radio 1 aims to attract.

Tony Blackburn gave up the breakfast show up when 29, saying at the time he was married and “didn’t fit the image any more”.

Earlier this year BBC Radio 1 denied that it was preparing to replace Moyles.

“He has a hugely successful show with over seven million listeners,” a spokesman said at the time.

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Madonna explains Gypsy comments (Use this Code 5XXXUKRA, and get 5% of all canvas art)

Madonna has said she was “compelled” to comment on the discrimination of Romany Gypsies while on stage in Romania, despite being booed by fans.

The 51-year-old was jeered by the audience in Bucharest after saying the discrimination “made me feel very sad”.

Publicist Liz Rosenberg said Madonna made the comments after being made aware of the prejudice towards Romany people in eastern Europe.

The star uses a group of Roma musicians on her Sticky and Sweet tour.

Madonna paused during her two-hour show to say: “It has been brought to my attention, that there is a lot of discrimination against Romanies and Gypsies in general in Eastern Europe – it made me feel very sad.”

“We don’t believe in discrimination, we believe in freedom and equal rights for everyone.”

Jeers and cheers

The star then received more boos when she mentioned prejudice against homosexuals and others.

Rosenberg said Madonna had told her there were cheers as well as jeers from the 60,000-strong crowd.

“Madonna has been touring with a phenomenal troupe of Roma musicians who made her aware of the discrimination toward them in several countries so she felt compelled to make a brief statement,” she added.

Concert goer Ionut Dinu, 23, said: “I jeered her because it seemed false what she was telling us. What business does she have telling us these things?”

Romania has the largest number of Roma in eastern Europe.

Nearly half of Europe’s estimated 12 million Roma claimed to have suffered an act of discrimination over the past 12 months, according to a recent report by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency.

The agency says Roma face “overt discrimination” in housing, health care and education.

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Kylie to perform at Abba tribute (Use this Code 5XXXUKRA, and get 5% of all canvas art)

Kylie Minogue will give her only live UK performance this year at London’s Hyde Park in September, as part of an Abba tribute concert.

The singer, 41, will perform Super Trouper and will be joined on stage by Abba’s Benny Andersson for a rendition of When All Is Said And Done.

Abba’s Bjorn Ulvaeus will also perform at the 13 September show.

Other acts confirmed for the gig, organised by BBC Radio 2, include Lulu, Chaka Khan and The Feeling.

Minogue said: “The opportunity to perform classic Abba songs on stage with members of Abba really is a dream come true.

“Their music has played such a great part in my life from a very early age and I’m thrilled I’ll be able to share that with them personally.”

US tour

Thank You For The Music: A Celebration of the Music of Abba, which will be hosted by Chris Evans and broadcast live on Radio 2, will also feature jazz musician Jamie Cullum, former Texas lead singer Sharleen Spiteri and Elaine Paige.

The West End cast of Abba musical Mamma Mia! will also perform.

Minogue’s performance comes ahead of her first tour of North America, starting on 30 September in Oakland, California, and finishing at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom on 13 October.

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Beatles fans mark Abbey Road pic (Use this Code 5XXXUKRA, and get 5% of all canvas art)

Hundreds of Beatles fans have gathered to mark the 40th anniversary of when the zebra crossing shot from the band’s Abbey Road album cover was taken.

People crowded around the crossing and celebrated by singing Beatles songs, causing traffic chaos in the process.

Four Beatles lookalikes then strolled across the road for the picture reconstruction.

The event was organised by Richard Porter, a Beatles tour guide and owner of the nearby Beatles café.

“The picture is just so easy to copy – well normally it is easy to copy. It is simple and it’s like a shrine to the Beatles,” said Mr Porter.

Tony Bramwell, the band’s former road manager, was present on the day the shot was taken.

“Other than Paul and Ringo, I’m the only person alive who was here on that day,” he said.

“It’s great to see that the whole thing carries on. Through the musical genres and revolutions of the last 40 years the Beatles are still number one.”

The Beatles recorded much of their work at the Abbey Road studio in north London.

The photographer who took the famous original cover shot was the late Iain Macmillan.

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Jackson goods given green light (Use this Code 5XXXUKRA, and get 5% of all canvas art)

Official Michael Jackson commemorative goods such as calendars and posters could soon hit the shops after a judge approved various merchandising deals.

The LA judge agreed that Jackson’s estate and Apple’s iTunes store could sell songs and videos of Jermaine Jackson’s performance of Smile.

He sang the Charlie Chaplin classic at Michael’s public memorial.

The deals were presented to Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff by the administrators of Jackson’s estate.

The administrators are lawyer John Branca and music executive John McClain.

They are due to have another hearing with Judge Beckloff on Monday to ask that other deals be cleared.

They include a film featuring the singer’s final rehearsals and preparations for a series of comeback concerts in London.

Columbia Pictures has agreed to pay $60m (£36m) for the rights to the footage but the deal must be approved by Monday.

Private Trust

The judge is also considering a deal from merchandiser Bravo for worldwide distribution rights to several Jackson-themed products.

These include trading cards, lighters, stuffed animals that play Jackson songs, and tattoos for online games.

Jackson was heavily in debt when he died. He is reported to have owed between $300m (£180m) and $500m (£300m).

Jackson’s assets are being placed into a private trust. His three children and his mother, who is also the children’s guardian, are expected to receive 80% of the singer’s estate. The rest will go to unnamed charities.

Jackson’s will said the singer’s estate consisted almost entirely of “non-cash, non-liquid assets, including primarily an interest in a catalogue of music royalty rights which is currently being administered by Sony ATV, and the interests of various entities”.

This refers to the singer’s share of the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalogue, which includes rights to the songs of The Beatles.

Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home on 25 June at the age of 50.

Speculation continues about the possible role prescription drugs played in Jackson’s death.

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Warhol’s Jackson goes to auction (Use this Code 5XXXUKRA, and get 5% of all canvas art)

A portrait by Andy Warhol of the late singer Michael Jackson is set to be auctioned in New York.

The 1984 portrait will be on show ahead of the sale at London’s British Music Experience, inside the O2 Arena, where Jackson had been due to perform.

“This Andy Warhol portrait brings together the uncontested King of Pop Art with the uncontested King of Pop,” said Janet Lehr, acting for the seller.

Warhol’s painting of actress Liz Taylor, fetched $23.7m (£14m) in 2007.

In the same year, the 1963 painting Green Car Crash (Green Burning Car I) – depicting an overturned car on fire – sold for $71.7m (£42.8m), a record for a Warhol piece.

“The portrait was painted at the height of their careers and is a celebration of two of the great talents in global cultural history,” said Ms Lehr, of the Jackson artwork.

American artist Warhol was a leading figure in the Pop Art movement, and he experimented by creating artworks from mass-produced images from American popular culture.

He died in 1987, following a gall bladder operation.

Autopsy results

The British Music Experience will be the only European venue to host the 1984 portrait ahead of the auction.

Earlier this week it was announced that details of Michael Jackson’s autopsy results would be announced imminently.

Speculation continues about the possible role prescription drugs played in the singer’s death.

The singer suffered a cardiac arrest at his rented home in Los Angeles on 25 June, at the age of 50.

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