All part of a to-do list written by John Lennon that goes behind the monotony of everyday tasks to the creative, including a 1979 book by Canada’s then first lady – Margaret Trudeau.

Eleven items on this one, complete with little self-affirmations, directions and reminders as to exactly what the items mean.

I got a kick out of it, though you might too.

Click through to brainpickings.org to see this posting from November 2011, featuring John Lennon’s to-do list.

Enjoy,

Jeff

“I started in the late nineties with my computer art. While I was touring it gave me something to do in all those crazy hotels you have to stay in on the road” – Ringo

“Most of the titles for my pieces arrived because on computer you have to call them something , so I have. The easy way to look at it is, if it has a hat on -it will probably be called Hat Man”- Ringo

“In its way “Pop” art is always changing – like “Pop” artists. It’s a natural move of things like pop music and even Popeye the sailor man.” – Ringo

“I like Rembrant, Van Gogh, Shonberg, Condo, Nall, Max, the list is endless” – Ringo

Established in 1983, Liss Gallery is located in the heart of Toronto and is a leader in the promotion of Canadian and International art. The gallery features contemporary fine art including original paintings, photography, sculptures and limited edition prints.

Liss represents renowned artists and photographers such as Todd White, Bernie Taupin, Ronnie Wood, Bob Gruen, Harry Benson, and Billy Dee Williams.

Liss Gallery is equipped with a custom frame shop offering a large selection of the highest quality frames as well as expert Residential, Hospitality and Corporate design consulting and pack and ship fine art to cities across the world.

It was the 14^th of May 1968, on a publicity tour to promote their new record label, Apple, John and Paul appeared on NBC-TV’s Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Unfortunately, Johnny was away that week, and his replacement, sportscaster Joe Garagiola, has almost no idea what to talk about with The Beatles. Guest Tallulah Bankhead, the other guest, looks on at the bizarre interview, cut short so as to give the appearance that the two Beatles have somewhere else to go.

As legend has it, Carson was unaware of the Beatles drop-by and wasn’t particularly pleased that he wasn’t there for it.

Sadly, the only known survived footage, features audio taped by one fan, with video recorded by another, synchronized to give you what you’ll see by clicking through to YouTube (note: the clip features some still photos first, and then the footage)

The dream was about a woman, who had passed away more than 10 years before, in 1956 when Paul was just 14. And so for him, it was great to see her because it felt like a reunion, if only for a second, during which she was very reassuring, saying to Paul, ‘It’ll be all right’, advising him to not worry too much because it will turn out OK.

It was such a sweet dream he woke up thinking how great it was to visit. And then he set about writing the song, based on the dream, a tribute to that person whom Paul turned to when he found himself in times of trouble. His mother. The mother Mary, in the Beatles classic, that reached #2 in England, #1 most everywhere else.

I’ll play it, and an entire hour of Beatles songs and Beatles solo songs, this weekend on your radio in a Mother’s Day special, on The Complete Beatles, in a tribute to mom’s and the memory of mothers.

He changed his name to Little Richard and took the 50’s into a territory that was wildly out of control. And the kids loved it. Paul McCartney included. In fact the first song Paul ever performed publicly was Little Richard’s Long Tall Sally. That and Tutti Frutti and Good Golly Miss Molly among his favourites and clearly 3 of the songs that helped define rock and roll music.

Paul wanted to do more than just sing Little Richard songs, he wanted to write those kinds of songs. The first one he let rip? From an Abbey Road studio’s recording session in the summer of ’65 …

(contest, now over, below)

I can’t count how many times I’ve enjoyed the George Harrison biopic, produced by Martin Scorsese, out in 2011 on television, and now available to everyone on DVD.

The 2012 Critics Choice Award Winner For Best Documentary Feature, and Mojo magazine’s DVD Of The Year, comes out today, the 1^st of May.

The double-feature-length film tribute, features previously unreleased material including never-before-seen footage from George Harrison’s childhood, throughout his years with the Beatles and solo career

Features private home videos, photos and never before heard tracks to chronicle the incredible story of the extraordinary man

Includes interviews with Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, Olivia and Dhani Harrison among many others.

Box Set: 2DVDs and Blu-ray (each with 6 exclusive special features), a CD of 10 previously unreleased never-before-heard tracks exclusive to the box set, 2 exclusive lithograph prints of George Harrison, a 96 page book all beautifully packaged within a collectible picture frame box.

I will feature music from the set on the radio series The Complete Beatles (airing this weekend i.e. weekend of May 5/6 across Canada)

I have 5 related prize packs to give away here …

Each include a DVD set of the double feature length film Living in the Material World, plus a CD – George Harrison – Early Takes Vol. 1, containing 10 unreleased recordings.

To enter the contest, simply enter a comment below, stating in as little as one sentence – anything about your appreciation for George Harrison.

Of all the comments submitted, by end of day Monday May 7^th at 11:59pm eastern, 5 random names will be drawn, and a prize pack awarded to each. Each of the 5 winners will be contacted to arrange pick up or delivery of prize.

Contest open to Canadian residents only.

Comments won’t appear immediately, so don’t panic if you don’t see it right away.

One entry/comment per person.

Winners to be announced Tuesday May 8^th by 5pm eastern.

Good luck!

Jeff

p.s.

George Harrison: Living in the Material World is now available in a Multi-Touch edition that brings the book alive with audio from Harrison himself, as well as from Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and others. Available exclusively on the iBookstore, this elegant, fully immersive book also includes image galleries and videos from both the Scorsese film and the Harrison archive, giving readers an unparalleled reading experience on iPad. Watch the trailer

It wasn’t a practical suggestion, since it’s the last track on the entire album, however, it was the one that thematically made the most sense, given the episode that presented more questions than answers about the couple’s future.   I won’t get specific, for the benefit of those who aren’t ‘current’ with the show presently, short of suggesting that the tune wasn’t exactly Don’s cup of tea.

John Lennon wrote the song in January 1966, with lyrics adapted from the book The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of The Dead by Timothy Leary,, Richard Alpert and Ralph Metzner, which was actually an adaptation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

In particular, John was inspired by the words: “When in doubt, relax, turn off your mind, float downstream”.

The song’s title does not appear in the song lyrics. Turns out it came with inspiration, like ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, from Ringo.

Here’s an excerpt from an interview from BBC TV from 1964, upon the Beatles return from their first North American visit:

• Interviewer: “Now, Ringo, I hear you were manhandled at the Embassy Ball. Is this right?”
• Ringo: “Not really. Someone just cut a bit of my hair, you see.”
• Interviewer: “Let’s have a look. You seem to have got plenty left.”
• Ringo:(turns head)“Can you see the difference? It’s longer, this side.”
• Interviewer: “What happened exactly?”
• Ringo: “I don’t know. I was just talking, having an interview (exaggerated voice). Just like I am NOW!”
• (John and Paul begin lifting locks of his hair, pretending to cut it)
• Ringo: “I was talking away and I looked ’round, and there was about 400 people just smiling. So, you know — what can you say?”
• John: “What can you say?”
• Ringo: “Tomorrow never knows.”

The 1971 album will be released across a variety of formats with new and exclusive content including a beautifully packaged Deluxe Edition Box Set – the ultimate collectible.

The RAM reissue is now available to pre-order.

For more, hit up Paul’s website.

Astrid Kirchherr was a German art-school student who met the boys in 1960 when they were house band at the Kaiserkeller club in Hamburg. Her then boyfriend Klaus Voorman took her there and introduced her to the band that then featured John, Paul George, drummer Pete Best and bassist Stu Sutcliffe (Paul was playing guitar then). She asked to take their pictures, (some of the best early shots to this day), and then she fell madly in love with Sutcliffe. They were together, and in fact were engaged, until his premature death of a brain hemorrhage – you should see the movie Backbeat for that story – it’s a must for Beatle fans.

Kirchherr would became close with the other Beatles, especially George who although five years younger ,was like a big brother to her. Beyond taking their pictures, it was she that convinced the Beatles to abandon their rock and roll style duck-tail do’s, and break out the bowl, and give them those legendary Beatle shag cuts.

While she has taken very few photographs since 1967, her early work has been exhibited in all over the world, including the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and she has published three limited-edition books of photographs.

Better than all of this, here’s a first-hand account of the early days of The Beatles, with the great Astrid Kircherr herself!

Enjoy,

Jeff.