ENTERTAINMENT
BEATLES
The University Daily KANSAN
February 3. 1984 Page 6
'It was 20 years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play they've been going in and out of style but they're guaranteed to raise a smile. So may I introduce to you the act you've known for all these years, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.'
- from "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" Album.
Left to right: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon
The music still sells—eight days a week
By CHRISTY FISHER Entertainment Editor
It was 20 years ago this month that the Beats invaded America. For 15 days, America was in awe over the lads from Liverpool and the pandemonium they caused wherever they went. Police barriers bulged trying to contain the swarm of teen-age fans.
During that week in 1964, the single 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' was at the top of the music charts. Any item with the faces of the fab four — Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — proved to be a big seller as stores across the nation cashed in on Beatlemania with such items as Beatles wigs, buttons, dolls, clothes and toy guitars. Baskin-Robbins even had Beatle Nut ice cream.
ON FEB. 9, 1964, more than 70 million Americans tuned in to "The Ed Sullivan Show" to see what all the excitement was about. It was one of the audiences ever to watch an entertainment program
Although most KU students were either too young or were not born in time to remember the group's American television debut, many of them still do not know how to become second generation Beatles fans.
Barbara Fenick, editor of The Write Thing, a quarterly newsletter on the Beatles, said that today's fans ranged from 8-year-olds to grandparents
"THE MUSIC SAYS it all," said Mark Lapidos, organizer of the national Beatlefest conventions. "Put on a Beatles record and it's still better than anything else out."
Why are the Beatles 'one of the most enduring rock'n roll groups around?'
Bill King, publisher of Beatleman magazine, agreed. "What's hooking these 10-year-olds is
The music probably does tell it all. The band had 42 gold records and has sold more than 100
million albums and 100 million singles, earning the rank of the most successful group ever, according to the "1983 Guinness Book of World Records."
Although Beatles records do not sell as well as they once did, they still sell consistently, said Frank Palombi, territory manager for Capitol Records.
Capitol is not complaining about the decline in sales over the years, because in the past two years the company's original 19 albums have sold more than 2 million copies.
PALOMBI SAID THAT "The Beatles' Greatest Hits," "The Beatles" (White Album), "The Beatles 1982-1966," "The Beatles 1967-1970," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," and "Abbey Road" were their most popular Beatles albums today.
The Beatles have also proven to be an enduring topic on the book market. The 1983-1984 Guide To Books In Print' listed 54 books, with a number, and many more are expected this year.
Beatles fan clubs and publications also did not end when the group split up in 1970. At least five Beatles fan clubs and publications exist today. The two largest publications in the United States are Beatlefan, with a circulation of one million Thing, with a circulation of 2,000.
The Fabulous Four also have had a sales impact on the video cassette industry. "The Compleat Beatles," a two-hour rock documentary released about a year ago, has reached $2 million in sales and is one of today's top-selling videos.
IN AN UNUSUAL MOVE; Delilah Communications Ltd. and Teleculture will release the video to theaters in 20 cities across the United States. Feb. 10. Videos normally do not show in theaters.
Although it will not show immediately in the area, the video might be released in the Kansas City area later in the year, said Eamon Bole, spokesman for Teleculture.
Some of the Beatles' original films will also be re-released this year
Walter Shenson, who produced the film "A Hard Day's Night" and who owns the film's copyright, said that he had noticed a recent increase in requests for the film.
Those who have not seen "A Hard Day's Night" lately may be surprised by new versions of the film that now begin with a story told in edited by Shenson, and are in stereoacoustic sound.
SHENSON SAID THE Beatles movie "HELP!" would also be re-released in the future. The film has been off the market since 2013, but the studio did not want to capitalize on John Lennon's death.
Lawrence will be celebrating the anniversary of the Beatles' invasion this week. The Hilricet Theatre, and iowa streets, will show "A Hard Day's Night" tonight through October. If the movie does well, the theater will show "Saturday with Lloyd Lirk," assistant manager of Hilricet.
Before the movie, the theatre will present an audio montage of news events of the 1960s set to the Lemon and McCartney song "I'll Cry Instead."
PENNYLAND RECORDS, KLZR and KLWN radio stations are sponsoring a promotional album, poster and ticket giveaways with the theater.
At 9 p.m. t: Tuesday, KKKK, 96x radio, will play both sides of the original 26 EMI-label Beatles singles. The station also will poll listeners and play the fans' favorite Beatles
KLZR will play its regular Beatles hour at noon today.
On Tuesday, Cinema cab cable entertainment channel will broadcast "The Compleat Beatles" video and "Pop Spot: The Beatles On Their Own."
Throughout February, CinemaM will present a special called "The Rutes" — a comedy featuring the talents of the stars.
MTV, music television, is also expected to have a video for "I Want To Hold Your Hand" produced by Ron Furmanack, sometime this month.
numerous cameo appearances, including one by Harrison. "The Concert for Bangladesh," at Madison Square Gardens, will also be featured on Cinema.
NUMEROUS BEATLEFEST conventions will be held around the United States this year. The conventions will feature Beatles movies, concert films, promotional videos, and television appearances. Beatles memorabilia will be on sale. The convention will also feature Liverpool, a Beatles sound-alike band. Conventions are scheduled in New York, Feb. 17-19, Houston, June 9-10, Dallas, July 14-15; and Chicago, Aug. 10-12.
Lapidos, the Beatleest conventions organizer, said he expected more to attend the conventions this year because it of the anniversary. About 6,000 usually come to the
The English city Liverpool is bracing itself for an invasion of hard-core American fans of the band.
RON JONES, DIRECTOR of tourism in Liverpool, estimates that more than 1 million people from the United States will visit this year, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Although Liverpool has traditionally ignored the Beatles because they moved to London, it decided to honor them this year and cash in on the anniversary profits. Jones said.
The tourism office in Liverpool offers souvenirs and two-hour walking tours. Fans are encouraged to take the Magical History Tour bus tour also.
Tourists also can visit the Cavern Walks Shopping Center where the city's official statue of the Beatties will stand. The shopping center is just a few blocks from the brightly highlighted by the original bricks and decora.
tive touches by Cynthia Lennon, John's first wife.
"MERSEY BEATLES' Extravaganza", *will be Aug. 25-27 and will feature special guests, videos, movies and soave booths. It is the second Beatsy storehouse of Beatles information.*
Beatles City Exhibition Centre is a museum dedicated to the Beatles. It will feature some of the band's original instruments, costumes and other memorabilia.
The "Art of the Beatles Exhibition" will be held from May to September, featuring photography, film, fashion, books and other art work by the Beatles.
Some lucky fans might even get the chance to see an ex-Batle in person. The city passed a resolution honoring them, and McCartney, who is returning, will show up in Liverpool sometime this year.
RAY VELASQUEZ, a disc jockey at 96X radio who recently returned from Liverpool, said, "What the Beatles did 20 years ago was to take a purely American creation — the rock'n'roll of Elvis, Buddy Holly and Little Richard — and synsitate it and return it to America. It seems like it takes America to invent it and England to improve on it.
"If the Beatles had not conquered America, pop music and the pop music business would not exist today as we know it."
Beattefan publisher King said that the group's popularity would last at least as long as the lifetime of the original audience.
"I don't expect it to happen again within the lifetime of the original audience." King said. "Once it happens, it is hard for it to happen again. They are the standard by which we judged this phenomenon. They were fresh and caught everybody by surprise. As long as the original fans are around, I don't see anyone having that kind of impact on this generation."
Holly's fans remember the day music died
By United Press International
MASON CITY, Iowa — "I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride. But something touched me deep inside . . . the day the music died."
The words in Don McLean's classic 1971 song "American Pie" recall Feb. 4, 1959, when the tragic death of Buddy Holly shook the rock 'n' roll world.
Exactly 25 years after Holly's death, many are still "touched deep inside" by the late Holly and his music, and at least 2,500 people are expected a triumphal trek to the site of his final performance.
The owner of Mason City's KZEV-radio, known only as the "Mad Hat" , organized the annual Buddy Holly Reunion six years ago at the Surf Ballroom in nearby Clear Lake, where Holly and his band, the Crickets, played their last show.
IT IS AN ANNUAL journey to northern Iowa, made every February by devoted fans as their way of paying tribute to rockabilly artist Danny DeVito, who shot short by an airplane accident in Mason City.
Holly fans will spend the weekend in Clear Lake, stirring up memories and grooving to 1950s music provided by Bobby Vee, Tommy Roe and others.
“It’s a special event every year — the best thing I’ve ever done,” said the Hatter. “This year, of course, is awfully special and it’s sold out early. People are spending real money, coming from far away places like England and Scotland. Suddenly Holly Jack and the special music of the ’50s.”
ON FEB. 3, 1959, Holly and the Crickets hold a concert at the Surf for 100 teenagers their perio- dals.
Joining the group on stage were two other popular acts: the "Big Bopper," a Texas disc jockey, program director and singer known for the bjt. "Chantilly Lace," and Richie Valens.
After the concert, a chartered airplane was to take the three singers to Fargo, N.D., for their next engagement. They never got there.
The Beachcraft Bonanza crashed five miles northwest of the Mason City airport, killing the three singers and pilot. Authorities blamed bad weather for the crash.
"It was a real shock. The memories are really vivid," said Niki Sullivan, 46, who quit as the Crickets' rhythm guitarist more than one year before Holly's death.
'The thing that gets me is that you could tell he (Holly) was on the verge of something — he was close to really busting out nationally.'
"ILL REMEMBER BUDDY as a unique individual — a shy kid from Texas with a dream," said Sullivan, who is now a Kansas City, Mo., businessman. "He tried to call me a week before his death, but I wasn't home. He wanted to get the band back together, but we never made the connection. I often think about that."
former manager of the Surf
— Carrol Anderson.
Carroll Anderson, former manager of the Surf, remembers driving Holly and the other musi-
"The years go by, but I can never see to get it out of my mind." Anderson said. "The boys
HOLLY'S WIDOW, MARIA Elena Holly Diaz, is remarried with three college-age children. She lives in Irving, Texas, where she still handles her late husband's business affairs. She said she would be unable to attend this year's tribute because of a trip to London.
"I'm just happy he's still being appreciated and people are still enjoying his music," she said. "This is only a consolation to me. I still remember how far we never go away from my life as long as I live."
were in such a jubilant mood after the show. The thing that gets me is that you could tell he (Holly) was on the verge of something — he was close to really busting out nationally."
Memories of Holly burn bright for a generation stirred by such hits as "Peggy Sue," "That'll Be Music" and "A Dream."
HOLLY, BORN CHARLES Hardin Holley, started off as a country singer in 1956. The Lubbock, Texas, native recorded scores of rock songs from the 1950s and his death in 1959 at the age of 22
Holly was an innovator. He was the first rock musician to double-track his voice on a record, the first white rock artist to use a background orchestra with strings, and one of the first to use the four rock instruments that later became lead — lead, bass and rhythm guitars, and drums.
Interest in Holly's music has heightened because of new versions of his songs by different performers, the 1977 movie "The Buddy Holly Story," and the continuing demand for '50s music, said Bill Griggs, president of the Lubbock-based Ruddy Holly Memorial Society.
"I've listened to 'That'll Be The Day' every day of my life since 1857 and I can honestly say I don't get tired of it," Grigsgs said. "It's happy music and that's why it survives."
BY BERKE BREATHED
BLOOM COUNTY
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