FAQ's
You can ask whatever you want to know about the Beatles or their significant others (wives, girlfriends, friends, relatives...): music, private life, stories behind the songs... Whatever!!
Found below are frequently asked questions about the Beatles. I hope you learn more about our favourite group, "The Beatles", by reading the FAQ's presented below.
1.- What is Oobu Joobu? I have no idea, because I'm a rather new fan. All I know is it was Beatle related radio prgram. Could you tell me a bit more?
"Oobu Joobu" was a radio talk show with music and interviews that premiered on Westwood One Radie Networks. The one hour weekly radio program ran for 13 weeks, having its debut program on Memorial Day 1995 and its finale on Labour Day 1995. It was a program created, directed and presented by Paul McCartney.
The name "Oobu Joobu" is a reference to a BBC production of Al Jarry's play, "ubu Cucu", which Paul heard on the radio over 30 years ago. Paul got his idea for the radio program in 1981, but never found the time to put it together until recently.
During each of the one hour spots, Paul would showcase unreleased songs, play rehearsal outtakes, chat with guest artists, play favourite selctions of music from his own personal record collection, tell personal stories relating to the Beatles, and include one of Linda's vegetarian receipes.
When Paul released his "Flaming Pie" (recently), the two hour debut Oobu Joobu program was offered on CD. There are many bootleg copies of the remaining program available for purchase.
2.- What is the REAL reason Pete Best was kicked out of the Beatles? What are you owner of the page opinion on this?
Pete Best was the original drummer with the Beatles, but in August 1962, he was abruptly fired from the group, with Ringo Starr hired as his replacement. The truth has never come out of the group. It has been a mystery for over 30 years, and the Beatles lips have remained sealed on the matter. What is my opinion on the subject? I think that there were two main reasons wjy the Beatles wanted Pete out of the group. In the aerly 60's, it is a well documented fact that Pete was regarded as the most handsome and popular Beatle. It was Pete who the girls waited outside for and screamed most loudly at. At one time, Pete Best was given top billing in an advertisement for a Beatles club date, referring to them as "Pete Best & the Beatles", which didn't sit too well with the others. I certainly think there was some jealousy involved here of the attention that Pete received, and of Pete's good looks. Most likely, Paul wanted him out. The balance of power in this group was always ultimately between John and Paul, and a third person would be in the way.
But well, I don't certainly know. Another reason that also enters my mind could be because of the influence Pete Best's mother had on the group. Mona, or "Mo", was very involved with promoting the Beatles in the early years while her son was a member. She owned her own club, The Casbah, where rock'n'roll groups performed. Mo booked them many of the gigs that gave the Beatles notoriety. She often lent them cash and helped them in many other ways. It is my opinion that John, Paul and George felt Mona wanted to have a part in continuing to manage them, even after Brian Epstein had been hired. This is something they didn't want. They could make a "clean break" of her and her interference would be terminated if Pete was no longer a part of the group.
The strongest and most disturbing part of this all is found in the book "Beatle! The Pete Best Story" by Pete Best and PAtrick Doncaster. Pete says that day in August 1962 was the last time any of the Beatles ever spoke to him. Pete says he had seen them by chance only two or three timed after the split. They never acknowleded eatch other or echanged a word.
Does anyone else find this odd? Perhaps some day the truth will come out... Remembr, these are only my opinions. I hope I shed some light on the subject for you, and I apologize if I offended any of you, Paul lovers.
3.- Are any of the parents of the Beatles still living?
Both of George Harrison's parents are deceased. Louise French harrison died from a brain tumor on July 7, 1970. Harold Hargraves Harrsion died in May 1978 of emphysema.
Paul McCartney's parents are no longer living. mary Mohin McCArtney died on October 31, 1956 from breats cancer. James McCartney died in March 18, 1976. In his later years he was crippled by arthritis.
Both of John Lennon's parents are also deceased. Julia Stanley Lennon died after being struck by a car on July 15, 1958. Alfred Lennon died of stomach cancer in MArch 1976.
Ringo's birth parents are divroced. Last known info on Richard Starkey senior stated that he is remarried, living in NW England and he's employed as a window cleaner. I have never seen anything in print about Ringo's mother, Elsie Graves, dying. However, in an interview in the early 90's, Ringo mentioned briefly that his mother had died (supposedly around 1987). Elsie's second husband, harry Graves (Ringo's stepdad) died in 1994.
4.- I've read that none of the Beatles can read music. Is that rally true?
Well, Paul McCartney has tried several times to learn how to read music, so he has a basic idea. In the Let it be demo, the explanation that went with the demo was that Paul was reading music off to the toher Beatles since they didn't know how to read it. So, really the only one who knew how to read notes was Paul, John, George and Ringo had a difficult time with it. I f today they can read music I don't know but certainly in the early days they could not. In one of his quotes, Ringo sums up all this: "John and Paul played a lot of paino on the Beatles records, because it gave a differnt quality than having a real pianist. If we wanted a real pianist, then we would have had George Martin, because he'd know where the actual notes were: we'd be guessing".
5.- What made Ringo leave during the "White Album" sessions?
Well, first of all, it wasn't a particular fact but many that led up to Ringo quitting the band at that time. Tensions were already quite visible within the group, for instance, and it was clear that sooner or later one or other would jump.
Most of the time during the making of the White Album, Ringo would sit in the corner and play cards with Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans. Sometimes, Paul would dub in the drum tracks himself after Ringo had left the studio for the day. Then when Ringo returned to ther studio the next day he would pretend not to notice what Paul had done, even though he knew it Paul who was drumming on the track. Ringo became very upset one day when Paul criticised his drumming and decided to quit. It is Paul you actually hear dubbing in the drum tracks on "Back in the USSR" and "Dear Prudence".
Ringo thought he himself was playing terribly and the other three were doing great. So he went one by one to the other Beatles saying: "I'm leaving the group because you three get on so well and I feel like an outsider". So he got quite surprised when the other three told him: "I thought it was you three". Even so, he went on holiday to sort things out. When he returned to the studio, his drumset was all smothered with flowers by the other Beatles. Everything settled down after that and it ended up that the "White Album" was Ringo's all time favourite record he made with the Beatles.
6.- Hey!! can you tell me please if John's aunt Mimi is still alive? If so, she may be quite old.
John Lennon's aunt Mimi, Mary Elizabeth Smith, died on December 6, 1991 at the age of 88. For those who don't know who Aunt Mimi is, I will say she was one of Julia Lennon's four sisters, Julia being John's mother. When John was five he went to live with aunt Mimi because Julia could not take care of him. It was also Mimi who bought John's first guitar. (Read more about them on Biographies).