Across the Universe and Sgt Pepper's

I recently watched Across the Universe, and if you are a Beatles fan, I would recommend it. I haven’t done any research to see if the character who played Jude sang the parts himself but he had the perfect voice for Beatles songs.

Watching it got me to thinking about another film where Beatles music took center stage, 1978’s Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band starring Peter Frampton and The Bee Gees. I remember getting to tag along and see it in the theatre because my brothers and friends were going just to see Aerosmith in it. Even at eight years old I knew the movie was terrible. Aerosmith was the best thing in it! Maybe it's because Aerosmith's version of Come Together was the first I had heard, but it remains my favorite over the original. You judge for yourself. --J

The Beatles' Biggest Secrets

Saturday night I watched a documentary on BBC America called The Beatles' Biggest Secrets. Among others a former publicist, bodyguard, a Hamburg barmaid, and John's brief romantic interest, Mai Pang, are interviewed. They reveal some things I should have expected to hear about the supposedly squeaky clean Fab Four. Here are some points I found interesting:

Manager Brian Epstein was in love with John. One week after Julian Lennon was born John left to join Brian alone in Barcelona for a short holiday.

John Lennon said that Pete Best was a good drummer, but Ringo Starr was a better Beatle.

Contrary to some opinions about John leaving Yoko for Apple secretary Mai Pang, Mai admits that Yoko asked her to take John off her hands for a while. They ended up staying together for three years. During this time, John was very excited about a possible reunion with Paul McCartney. However, John decided to return to Yoko, who convinced him that this was not a good idea and the idea fell through.

John was once caught in a compromising position in a transvestite bar called Monika in Hamburg's red light district Reeperbahn.

There are supposedly several illegitimate Beatles offspring in Liverpool.

Tony Sheridan, fellow British guitarist and former Hamburg roommate, thought that Paul McCartney was a homosexual for months. He thought Paul was a diva and his eyebrows seemed too defined for a straight man.

In the Hamburg days, the boys all had sex with the same woman in the same night and bragged about it.

Royston Ellis, beat poet and longtime friend of John's, engaged in a threesome with John one night. This night included polythene and oil. This event inspired the song Polythene Pam.

Those who saw The Beatles around Reeperbahn figured they were lucky to have known the real band, before Beatlemania hit. I would highly recommend this documentary for anyone who, in all honesty, would enjoy seeing the pop image deflated. -K