Tag: The Beatles

Apple Corps has unveiled plans for a city centre redevelopment and new home for The Beatles Story. 

The long-running attraction will move in 2028 from its current home in Liverpool’s Albert Dock to a brand new site that was formerly St Johns Market in St Johns Shopping Centre, directly opposite Liverpool Lime Street station. 

The new 100,000 square foot site in the heart of the city will more than quadruple the attraction’s current footprint. Meanwhile, the St Johns Beacon will also house a Yellow Submarine themed viewing experience over the city of Liverpool.

In addition, The Beatles Story will move into the hands of Apple Corps, the company founded in 1968 to oversee The Beatles’ creative and business interests. 

“It will be the first official fan experience to be operated in Liverpool by the company, creating a truly world-class authentic destination befitting of the world’s greatest musical legacy,” said a statement.

The new iteration of The Beatles Story will open in 2028. 

The Beatles Story will use immersive technology, original artefacts and reconstructed sets. Fans will be able to step inside some of the most iconic locations and moments in Beatles history, including The Cavern, Abbey Road, Shea Stadium, Savile Row and many more. 

A number of these immersive locations will be created using sets and props from Sam Mendes’ upcoming The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event, which Sony will release in cinemas around the world in April of 2028.

The St Johns Beacon (left) Yellow Submarine themed experience will also give fans the opportunity to enjoy a panoramic 360-degree view of Liverpool, taking in the landmarks and key locations where pop history was made. The Beacon will operate as a standalone attraction, although fans will be able to bundle both experiences.

Every ticket sold to The Beatles Story will contribute to the The Apple Corps Liverpool Trust, a charitable initiative established to provide financial support and opportunities for emerging Liverpool artists and local cultural endeavours. 

Apple Corps will take over the running of The Beatles Story in its current location in 2027, before moving the attraction to St Johns in 2028. 

Apple Corps CEO Tom Greene said: “Liverpool birthed the greatest band in history and today we are announcing a new experience in the city that does justice to that legacy. Just like Graceland or Dollywood, it’s fitting that The Beatles will have a world class destination for fans to visit in the centre of the city where the story started. It marks a new chapter in Apple Corp’s history and we can’t wait for people to see what we’ve been working on.”

Sir Paul McCartney said:  “I find it incredible and humbling that people are still interested in our story and it’s very exciting to me that The Beatles Story and The Beacon are being transformed in such an exciting way in the heart of Liverpool city. I love Liverpool. It’s part of who I am, it’s part of who The Beatles are. If you’d told us this was going to happen when we were hanging out and getting started we’d never have believed it. 

“The extraordinary plans the Apple Corps team have shown me for The Beatles Story take me right back to that journey, from Liverpool to the world and back home again. It couldn’t have happened without Liverpool and I can’t wait for people to be able to step into our story and share the experience.”

Liverpool birthed the greatest band in history and today we are announcing a new experience in the city that does justice to that legacy. Tom Greene

Ringo Starr said:  “When we grew up in the Dingle, we never thought we’d be on a plane, much less all the places this long, long road took us. I was blessed from the moment I first held a drum at 13 years old, and from then on it’s been my dream to be a drummer. I remember it all so well, on Saturdays Roy [Trafford] and I would spend many great hours at the Bodega and then the Cavern. I have such great memories of the first band I was in – me, Eddie, and Roy were all working in the factory when we started a skiffle group. 

“Who would have thought where the story went from there – leading to me joining The Beatles. Liverpool was, and still is, music city. And now we are expanding the The Beatles Story Experience in Liverpool – how far out. The beat goes on. I also love that proceeds from every ticket will go back to support new Liverpool artists. It is great to be part of this – deep down I am still a scouser –  I love what Apple [Corps] and Liverpool are doing.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “The Beatles are one of the greatest examples of what Britain can give to the world. Four young men from Liverpool changed music and popular culture forever – and, more than sixty years later, their story is still a source of enormous pride for this city and for our whole country.

“This is the kind of ambition I want to see more of across Britain: backing the things our great cities do best and turning that global reputation into jobs, opportunity and growth. This will be a world-class addition to Liverpool and another showcase for British music and creativity on the international stage.

“But the best legacy we can give The Beatles is to make sure theirs isn’t the last great British success story to begin this way. Talent exists in every part of our country; opportunity still doesn’t. I want the next generation of young artists, wherever they grow up, to believe there is a route from their bedroom, rehearsal room or local venue to the very top of the world. The fact that this project will help open those doors makes it even more special.”

The extraordinary plans the Apple Corps team have shown me for The Beatles Story take me right back to that journey, from Liverpool to the world and back home again

Sir Paul McCartney

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said:  “The Beatles belong to the world – but Liverpool will always be home. Their music changed popular culture forever and carried the name of our city to every corner of the globe, so it feels absolutely right that the definitive Beatles experience should be here, in the place where it all began.

“People already travel halfway around the globe to visit the birthplace of four lads that shook the earth. These plans take that extraordinary pull to another level – creating a world-class destination that will give millions more fans a reason to make the pilgrimage to their spiritual home and experience the city, its music and its culture for themselves.

“And I love that this won’t just be harking back. Every ticket sold will go towards ensuring that the band’s extraordinary story is kept alive and passed on to generations still to come, helping the next generation of Liverpool artists start writing stories of their own. That feels very Liverpool: fiercely proud of where we’ve come from but always looking to what comes next.”

The Beatles are one of the greatest examples of what Britain can give to the world

Andy Burnham

Intensive work has been undertaken by Apple Corps Ltd with Liverpool City Council and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, with support from central government. 

The music industry has welcomed the plans for The Beatles Story.

“With this innovative new fan experience, The Beatles continue to shape the cultural and artistic identity of Liverpool as one of the greatest musical cities in the world,” said Dickon Stainer, chairman & CEO, Universal Music Group UK & Ireland, which has a long-term partnership with Apple Corps on The Beatles catalogue.

“Local music scenes can create a global impact and there’s no better example of this than The Beatles and Liverpool, who together share a special story that occupies a unique place in Britain’s music heritage,” said Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI chief executive. “Apple Corps launching a new Beatles Experience in the city is wonderful news, not just for its people and the wider region, but for the whole of the UK. This investment will inspire a whole new generation of creative talent who can build on this incredible legacy and look forward to a bright future.”

“The launch of Liverpool’s first official Beatles experience is great news not only for the city but for Fab Four fans the world over,” said Tom Kiehl, UK Music chief executive. “The Beatles continue to inspire generation after generation of artists and music lovers, and this official experience in their hometown will help back local creative communities, drive economic growth, employment and music tourism in Liverpool and the wider city region, support the UK’s £8 billion music sector and ensure that The Beatles’ influence endures for decades to come.”

Who Was The Potential Fifth Beatle?

Who did we ensure was there on the cover of our book, The Beatles: What If? He is there, in the top, middle, and stands above the others – Paul, Pete, George and John.

He was asked to join The Beatles, and could have transformed their sound. But he said No! Yes, he turned The Beatles down, and he wasn’t a drummer!

I interviewed him several years ago, and he has sadly since died, but a great musician who could have made a difference.

Who was he?

Let me know in the comments!

David

Revolver is Released

When Revolver was released on 5th August 1966, it took people by surprise. How could a group that two years earlier had released a great soundtrack to A Hard Day’s Night, composed of great pop and folk rock songs, transition so much in those two years. A good friend of mine, Andrew Phillips, when he bought and first played Revolver, was not impressed, put it down and went to listen to the Monkees. He then returned to it a few months later and, after a few plays, realised how incredible an album it was, and got back into the Beatles. This album probably took fans longer than any other to fully appreciate its groundbreaking musical evolution, or more accurately, a revolution.

In 1966, there were important albums by Dylan, the Byrds, the Kinks, and the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. Did Lennon and McCartney feel they couldn’t be left behind? How important was the competition to The Beatles?

Lennon and McCartney were definitely aware of everything happening in the music scenes on both sides of the Atlantic. The was now making huge leaps in terms of songwriting, as well as the advances in technology in the studio, meaning that nobody could stand still, especially John and Paul. Their thirst for continued success meant that, instead of being prepared to sit back and keep generating the same musical genres on each album, which still would have sold, they were determined to lead the revolution from the front. They listened to every album by their competitors, and then set out to improve upon what they were producing. This drove them on to greater and greater success. 

For this reason, I say that Revolver was the most important album of the 1960s. With so many great tracks, everything was leading up to the most transformative song on the album, “Tomorrow Never Knows”. At that point, all the other bands must have thought to themselves: “How do we beat that?” And the answer was, they couldn’t.

Revolver stands tall and proud as the most incredible and culturally important album of the 1960s. 

The Beatles: What If?

Discover how Andrew Phillips and I debate the importance of Revolver, and 70 other key moments in Beatles history, in our book, The Beatles: What If?

The Beatles: What If?

Why did we write the book? Why another Beatles book?

My friend Andrew and I spent ages at a Fest of Beatles Fans debating various situations when Beatles history could have worked out differently, and by the end of the conversation had agreed to write the book.

Why? Because we all have “What If” moments in our lives, when something happens and it changes the course of our lives, maybe in a small way, or maybe in a big way.

For me, it was being signed off work back in June 2000 for 1 month, which became 3 months then 6 then a year and then I was told I would not be returning to my job. At 35, my working life was over. I had a wife and three young children. It completely changed my life.

However, out of the madness of giving up work, I ended up with this Beatles life which has been incredible. It ended up being a blessing. But it completely changed the lives of me and my amazing family.

What is your “What If” moment or moments?

I am sure when it comes to the life and career of The Beatles, you can think of many career-changing moments, but probably the biggest and most important was the meeting of John and Paul, which only came about because of Ivan Vaughan. If that doesn’t happen, we have no Beatles! What if Paul and George don’t meet on the bus because they were at the same high school? What if Ringo doesn’t join The Beatles and Pete Best stays? What about Stuart Sutcliffe? So many meetings and chances.

Others we will discuss: what if they don’t meet Brian Epstein? What if Decca DOES sign The Beatles? What if they don’t get onto the Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964? What if Brian doesn’t die? What if John doesn’t meet Yoko?

The book contains 70 key moments in Beatles history, and we look at four possible outcomes: “Let It be”: nothing changes. “The End”: it would have been the end of The Beatles. “Tomorrow Never Knows”: we can guess but we don’t know the impact of the event/ incident. And “You Can’t Do That”: things they did which could have ended up with The Beatles being finished, but they got away with!

You don’t have to agree with us! But, once you get your mind into ‘What If?”, you will find yourself debating these points with other Beatles fans, and you won’t stop, before you head down many rabbit holes!!

It is meant to be fun, whilst also looking at the incredible story of The Beatles. Only then, as we found when writing the book, we realised that phrases like “destiny” and “written in the stars” don’t even begin to describe what really happened.

This is a unique and fresh look at the story of The Beatles that will have you hooked.

If you haven’t already, get your copy now by clicking below.

Thanks for supporting my work!

David