Saturday, 29th November

One of my most unexpected Beatle moments was finding this sentence at the end of a review of a book about Branwell Bronte, brother of the novelists: "He painted himself out of the famous portrait but left a sketch in which he looks a mix between a Victorian John Lennon and Woody Allen" (Saturday Review p16)

In an article in today's Times2 (p4) Emeli Sande talks about her life - the journalist lists her recent achievements including "capping off the BBC's coverage of London 2012 with her rendition of Imagine ..." 

I caught a bit of Tom Odell's cover today on Graham Norton's R2 show - if I hadn't read the news earlier in the week I wouldn't have recognised it as a John Lennon song.  I'm looking forward to seeing the advert. I listened to the radio for most of the day - too wet to venture out.  No Beatles number in Tony Blackburn's chart show but he did introduce his first countdown as "long before the Beatles ... 1958".

Of course I also watched "Strictly".  And very glad I did.  Pixie Lott danced to When I'm 64. Tess Daly couldn't resist the temptation to say that she hoped the routine would get them A Ticket to Ride to Blackpool - next week's venue.

Thursday, 6th November

"John Lewis propels Beatles tune towards Christmas No 1" So starts a little article in The Times (p20).  It goes on to explain "One of the Beatles last songs could be catapulted to the top of the Christmas charts after being chosen as the soundtrack for John Lewis's festive television commercial".  And the song is .. Real Love written by John Lennon. But its to be sung by Tom Odell.

I caught a little bit of Sweet Sixteen by Ringo this afternoon on Johnny Walker's show.  This week's guest was Captain Sensible who spoke about his early days touring explaining it was a "Magical Mystery Tour-like the Beatles film".

But my favourite reference was in The Times Saturday Review (p9).  In a review of a new book, "A history of the 20th century in 100 maps" I read the following sentence: "And the childhood haunts of John, Paul, George and Ringo are meticulously plotted on a 1974 map catering for the millions of Beatles fans making the pilgrimage to Liverpool". Great, eh!

Monday, 27th October-

I've had a few days in Yorkshire. Quite a few Beatles references: LP covers in shop window display (Whitby) and more of the same in a York music store; a young girl wearing a John Lennon New York T-shirt (Selby); a reference to Strawberry Fields forever on the news because this warm autumn may gives us  us strawberries for Xmas; a clip on "Have I got news of you" of a UKIP rep supporting Mike Reid's recent calypso debacle - by saying white men, including The Beatles, have always stolen music from the black man.

Saturday, 25th October

Caitlin Moran (my favourite journalist) devoted her regular column in The Times Magazine to discussing who's the best Beatle.  She started with Ringo, her writing as humorous as ever, but she finally chose - Paul McCartney. I think I agree.

Friday, 17th October

Two little references on telly tonight: an "Apprentice" trailer included a challenge involving yellow candles, one contestant suggested they call the product Yellow Submarine; on the Graham Norton show, U2 revealed they've had a road named after them - this led to list of our celebrity streets including John Lennon Drive.

Chris Evans' "Beatles Monday" tune was Strawberry Fields. I listened to it in my coat at the bottom of the stairs to make sure I got the right song, then dashed out of the house.

Tonight's "Only Connect" came up with a reference too.  The first clue in a four-part sequence was Peace.  One of the contestants mentioned John Lennon.  In fact, the clues revealed the answer to be "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell (Peace, Love, Truth, Plenty - the names of the regime's ministries!)

Lazy morning  in bed reading yesterday's Times including an obit.: "John Gustafson. Bass player with The Big Three, a raucous Liverpool band who rivalled the Beatles as a live attraction at the Cavern Club". Gustafson once recalled that he played with the Beatles: "I went backstage to see them and John said, "You're on", George had the flu but his guitar was there and so I played the whole of their second set, 45 minutes" (p80). Shame The Big Three - by all accounts a very good live band - never made it, but Gustafson did go on to have a successful career in music.

A music business expert was talking on Simon Mayo's show tonight about "covers" and the money they make for the writers.  He mentioned Lennon and McCartney but I didn't catch any details - I was too engrossed in my T2 crossword.

But I did hear Iggy Pop on "Newsnight" explaining that his boyhood musical influences where The Beatles and The Kinks which he listened to on the radio.  He was being interviewed by Kirsty Wark because he's recently delivered a lecture on music and its relationship to business (I think).

I've just ordered Leonard Cohen's new album.  Mark Ellen recalls chats with him in yesterday's "Times 2" (p4) and writes: "Most songwriters are fearfully pragmatic, Lennon and McCartney famously agreeing times in their diaries ... to write ... But in the dusty, delightful and exquisitely romantic manner that's characterised his career, Cohen still waits humbly for the muse to visit him.

I heard on Simon Mayo's show tonight as I did a bit of painting in the kitchen When I'm 64. 

I've put my brushes down now to watch "Oh You Pretty Things: The story of Music and Fashion" (BBC4) - It starts in the 1960s so I'm fully expecting to see at least one picture of The Beatles ... 10 minutes in there was a bit about the tailor shop "Lord John": there's a cape hanging on the wall, made for John Lennon but he never collected it. 

And in a segment about the "Granny takes a trip" shop there's a shot of George Harrison wearing a floral jacket - the very one shown in this photo.

A bumper crop of references this weekend.  I heard John Lennon singing on Smooth Radio in Hinckley's Mind Charity shop on Saturday; Wings on R2 in my summerhouse this afternoon.



Peter Prichard

I've read Peter Prichard's obit in yesterday's Times (p76) - the show business agent and Ed Sullivan's eyes and ears in Europe who made the famous Beatles booking that led to a record 73 million Americans tuning in to see them : "The Beatles' sensational performance at Studio 50 on Broadway ... would not have happened but for the cool showbiz acumen of a largely unheralded figure back in London: the agent Peter Prichard.

The Beatles also featured in Daniel Finkelstein's Notebook (p21): "I am reminded of George Harrison's remark about writing Something  and Here Comes the Sun.  He said he hadn't seen himself as a songwriter, "but then I thought, if John and Paul can write, then everyone can write"".

And a few moments ago whilst checking to see if there are any tickets available for Wolf Hall (unsurprisingly, there are not) I saw that there's also a play on about Brain Epstein.



Today "The Times" and BBC Radio newsreaders are referring to the ISIS killer as "John - the Black Beatle". Peace-loving Lennon must be turning in his grave.  I hope the media drop this moniker soon.

My newspaper's lead story concerns the British ISIS guard responsible for yesterday's filmed killing of an American hostage. "One former hostage said that he recognised the voice to be that of a jailer known as John.  The group were jokingly referred to as "the Beatles", he said" (The Times, p1).  The Radio2 news bulletins tell it slightly differently saying that 3 or the 4 jailors were British and known as John, Paul and Ringo. Either way, its not a reference I am happy to record.  And I imagine Paul and Ringo are distressed at this use of their names.

I  caught a little of dear old Desmond Carrington's show on R2 tonight.  His playlist included an old Liverpool song "Fair Maggie May" .  The version he played was by The Quarryman - and, of course, he didn't fail to mention that Harrison, McCartney and Lennon were former band members.

"Kings of Rock n' Roll" repeated on BBC4 again tonight.  I'm watching it now.  I'm not expecting a Beatles reference but a picture of John Lennon with Chuck Berry did pop up a few minutes ago.

PS And a bit later on Paul McCartney remembers Little Richard saying to him "Paul, I taught you everything you know" and Paul kinda agreed.  At the end of the programme with the "Kings" in decline for one reason or another the rock n' roll mantle was taken up by the ... Beatles.

Simon Mayo's R2 stand-in (an Irish fella) introduced John Lennon's "Mind Games" as a song that reminds him of the Muppets' "Am I a Man or a Puppet" - I couldn't quite see the connection. 

YESTERDAY: I was touching up the paintwork on my summerhouse when I heard Paul McCartney singing "Every Day" (or is it "Every Night") on the "Sounds of the 70s" R2 programme. Nice song, haven't heard it in ages.

TODAY: Terry Jones is campaigning to restore the fortunes of his hometown, Colwyn Bay.  He recalled the acts that played at the local theatre in its heyday including a "singing troupe featuring Jack Lennon, John Lennon's grandfather".  Sometimes, even I can't believe the  places you stumble across a Beatle (Times, p21).