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   THE BEATLES DIARY VOLUME 2: AFTER THE BREAK-UP 1970-2001

1972


Q: "Have you seen your former Beatles mates recently?"
Paul: "No, I've got no particular reason to, and I don't really
want to. They're into their things and I'm into mine."


January

In Scotland, Paul's home studio sessions continue. This month he records 'Little Woman Love' and unreleased versions of '1882' and 'Soily' (see entry for January 13). Towards the end of the month (around the 25th), the former Grease Band guitarist Henry McCullough becomes the latest addition to join Wings, having left his previous group in December. Meanwhile at the very last minute, a planned visit by Paul to tout his new group Wings and their music at the 6th Annual Midem Music Trade Festival in Cannes in the South of France, is scrapped because Paul felt that "it was not worth doing".

John spends most of the month at the Record Plant (until January 21), mixing the (soon to be titled) Sometime In New York City album. He also spares time to mix (for release as proposed EPs) the audio tapes from the John Sinclair Benefit Concert, on December 10, the Apollo Theater concert from December 17 and the Lyceum Ballroom concert from December 15,1969. (The latter eventually appears on side three of the Sometime In New York City album.) This month, John also gives approximately 25 hours of unreleased Lennon music to Bruce Bierman during the sessions for David Peel's album The Pope Smokes Dope, which John produced. Also this month, the magazine Arts And Artists features an article entitled Yoko Notes by Michael Benedikt.

George, meanwhile, finds the grounds of his Friar Park mansion overrun with a film crew. They are there to shoot the exterior scenes for the Kenneth Shipman produced soft-pom movie Au Pair, starring the British comedy actor Richard O'Sullivan and Gabrielle Drake. (The completed film, sporting the new title of Au Pair Girls, will be released to UK cinemas in July and follows the sexual exploits of four au pair girls who have just arrived in England.)


Thursday January 6

John and Yoko announce the formation of Joko Films Ltd.


Monday January 10

John assists Yoko during her concert at the Alice Tully Hall in New York's Lincoln Center. Due to their failure to obtain US work visas, their performance has to be carried out from seats in the audience.


Wednesday January 12

While the film crew continues to work on Friar Park, George is forced to record interviews for inclusion in four programmes of the upcoming BBC Radio One series The Beatles Story at 3 Buregate Road in Felixstowe, Suffolk. For his services, he is paid £20.

Ringo's film Blindman receives its American premiere in Chicago.


Thursday January 13

John and Yoko guest with David Peel and The Lower East Side Band on The David Frost Show on American TV (see entries for Thursday December 16, 1971, for further details).

Still in Scotland, Paul begins the recording sessions for 'Mary Had A Little Lamb'. During the rehearsals, a team from RKO Radio in America arrives to record an interview for their programme Paul McCartney Now. Sessions are concluded on Saturday (the 15th) and, following a break on Sunday, the group head down to London on Monday (see next entry).


Monday January 17 (until Friday January 28)

Paul begins a mammoth 12-day period of rehearsals at London's Scotch of St. James club, all arranged so that he can decide on his final line-up of Wings. Henry McCullough is invited down by phone on the 24th. After playing with Paul, Linda, Denny Laine and Denny Seiwell, McCulloch is invited to join the group full-time. McCulloch recalls the event to the press: "I had a call asking me to come down for a blow with the band and Paul asked me to join after the rehearsal. All we have played so far has been rock and roll, and I am a good rock and roll guitarist." Asked about his role in the group, he replies: "I will be doing some vocals and hope to do some songwriting." Meanwhile, Paul's assistant, Shelley Turner, throws some light on their rehearsals: "They are getting a show together and doing material for the next album. They are getting ready for live appearances, but it won't be before April."


Friday January 28

In Studio C at the BBC TV Centre, Wood Lane, London, Ringo videotapes a most unusual television appearance, guesting in a non-speaking role at the tail end of an edition of Monty Python's Flying Circus, This clip features Ringo, alongside the singer Lulu, sitting on a large couch waiting to be interviewed by the host of a television chat show. Underneath a large "It's" sign, Ringo and Lulu wait patiently until the host arrives. It turns out to be a scruffy tramp, portrayed by Python member Michael Palin, who regularly appears in this guise to open and close each Monty Python episode. The tramp enters and sits between them and begins his introduction, in David Frost style: "Hello, good evening, welcome ... It's ..." a cue for the closing titles of the programme to run. While Lulu gets up and storms off stage in a huff, Ringo (still not uttering a single word) becomes involved in a skirmish with the tramp (Palin). This one-minute sketch is first transmitted on BBC1 on Saturday October 26,1972 (between 10:17 and 10:47pm), at the very end of episode six in the third series.


Saturday January 29

Henry McCullough's first interview since becoming the new full-time member of Wings appears in today's New Musical Express.

Paul and Linda leave London's Heathrow and head to New York where they have arranged to meet John and Yoko. During dinner John and Paul agree to stop "slagging off each other in the press".


Sunday January 30

During Paul's stay in the city, he is interviewed about Wings for the radio station KHJ, but because of Paul's strong language during a discussion on the shootings in Ireland today, the recording has to be severely edited prior to the broadcast. The following day Paul and Linda return to London where he immediately arranges a recording session for February 1 to record his new song 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish', hastily written about the Irish troubles.


Monday January 31

During the morning, at a press conference in New York to announce their appearances on The Mike Douglas Shows, Yoko announces to the world: "We tried to show that we're working to change the world, not with dollars, but with love. We're not just freaks shouting and screaming about it, but we're thinking in terms of a balanced life - changing it gradually through our daily lifestyle. We're saying to older people, let's work it together, because we have to work it together."

John & Yoko on The Mike Douglas Show

Monday January 31 (until Monday February 7)

In New York, John and Yoko begin taping five programmes as the week's co-hosts on the prestigious Emmy award-winning WBC (Westinghouse Broadcasting Corporation) afternoon talk show The Mike Douglas Show. The shows are transmitted in two weeks time, between February 14 and 18. The line-up and highlights of the week's shows (transmitted daily between 4:30 and 6:00pm) are as follows:

Monday February 14 (show 1, recorded Monday January 31)

John informs Douglas that he had written the middle eight of 'Michelle', which was used as the show's introduction, adding, "Normally they play 'Yesterday' which was Paul's song." John & Yoko (with The Plastic Ono Band and the New York group Elephant's Memory) perform live: 'It's So Hard'. Guests on the show include the comedian Louis Nye, Attorney Ralph Nader and The Chamber Brothers. Yoko begins the reconstruction of a broken china cup.

Tuesday February 15 (show 2, recorded Tuesday February 1)

'With A Little Help From My Friends' is used as the show's introduction, together with 'Oh My Love' (excerpt from Imagine film). Yoko, John, Plastic Ono Band and Elephant's Memory perform live: 'Midsummer New York'. Guests on the show include US Surgeon General Dr. Jesse Steinfield, the outspoken radical Jerry Rubin, the actress and film maker Barbara Loden and, making their television debut, the two-piece folk duo Yellow Pearl.

Wednesday February 16 (show 3, recorded Wednesday February 2)

After Yoko and John perform 'Sisters O Sisters' with John on acoustic guitar, he remarks: "Some people thought she was singing about nuns!" The 'Crippled Inside' excerpt from the Imagine film is aired. John, Yoko, Chuck Berry, Plastic Ono Band and Elephant's Memory perform 'Memphis, Tennessee' and later, 'Johnny B. Goode' live. The Lennons, Berry and Douglas take part in a cookery demonstration by the macrobiotic food expert Hilary Redleaf. At one point, John and Chuck share the same apron! Other guests on the show include Joseph Blatchford, the head of Action Corps For Peace and David Rosenbloom, the musician, composer and computer scientist.

Thursday February 17 (show 4, recorded Friday February 4)

John, Plastic Ono Band and Elephant's Memory perform 'Imagine' live. Yoko gives Douglas a Box Of Smile (from 1967) which reflects his smile back at him. The 'Mrs. Lennon' excerpt from Imagine film is aired. Guests on the show include the actress/singer Vivien Reed, the four-piece comedy routine act Ace Trucking Co., the President of the Black Panther Party Bobby Searle, Marsha Martin, the student body President and Donald Williams, a medical student.

Friday February 18 (show 5, recorded Monday February 7)

Yoko concludes her china cup reconstruction. John & Yoko take questions from the studio audience in a segment called "Everything you've always wanted to know". John & Yoko perform an acoustic (censored) version of 'Luck Of The Irish'. The 'How' excerpt from the Imagine film is aired. The show ends with Yoko performing a Japanese folk song and then Mike Douglas sings 'Thanks To John & Yoko' for being his co-hosts for the week, to an accompaniment of a visual record of the five days by the resident Douglas photographer Michael Leshnov. Guests on the show include the comedian George Carlin, biofeedback expert Dr. Gary E. Schwarte and the New York appeals attorney Rena Uviller.

(Note: For several years after their original transmissions, the five 73-minute shows languished, untouched, in a film and video archive in Pennsylvania. Yoko rescued them for clips to be inserted into her 1984 Milk And Honey videos. All five shows appear officially in America on home video on May 19, 1998.)

Also during this period:


February

During the month, Ringo records at the Record Plant in New York City.


Tuesday February 1

Henry McCullough is quickly thrown into a political controversy when today at Island Studios in London, Wings record vocal and instrumentation versions of the controversial track 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish'. (ABC TV of America videotape Wings in the studio rehearsing the song.) The track is Paul's heartfelt reaction to the events of only two days previous when, on January 30, British paratroopers shot dead thirteen Catholics after a civil rights demonstration in Londonderry. The troops claim that they were replying to sniper fire. The tragedy will soon become known in Northern Ireland as Bloody Sunday. The ABC TV London reporter George Watson asks Paul about his political stance: "As an entertainer, it doesn't worry you about getting a bit into politics?"

Paul: "No. You can't stay out of it, you know, if you think at all these days. We're still humans, you know, and you wake up and you read your newspaper, it affects you. So I don't mind too much, it doesn't worry me, like I say. I don't now plan to do everything I do as a political thing, you know, but just on this one occasion I think the British Government overstepped their mark and showed themselves to be more of a sort of a repressive regime than I ever believed them to be."

The clip reappears in the ABC TV programme David Frost Salutes The Beatles, transmitted on May 21,1975 (see entry for more information on the programme).


Wednesday February 2 (until Monday February 7)

Wings resume rehearsals for their upcoming college appearances by assembling at the ICA (Institute Of Contemporary Arts) on the Mall in London. Tyncho Films capture the sessions for a production Paul will suitably call The ICA Rehearsal. The Let It Be style production features performances of 'The Mess', 'Wild life', 'Bip Bop', 'Blue Moon Of Kentucky', 'Maybelline', 'Seaside Woman', 'My Love', 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish' and 'Lucille'. In between takes, the group is seen relaxing, puffing on cigarettes and drinking cans of Coke. To date, just 50 seconds of this film has been seen publicly, forming a short piece in the 1979 MPL documentary Wings Over The World.


Friday February 4

A secret memo addressed to the US Attorney General, John Mitchell from Senator Strom Thurmond, suggests that John Lennon should be deported as an "undesirable alien", due to "his political views and activism".


Saturday February 5

In temperatures well below freezing, John and Yoko are among 400 protesters outside the offices of the British Overseas Airways Corporation in New York. The protest is against the New York union leaders, Thomas Gleason and Matthew Guennan, who announce they will boycott all British exports into America. Their action is aimed towards the British policy in Northern Ireland.


Tuesday February 8

Paul and Linda, the band, wives, girlfriends, children and even pets, climb into a caravan and head onto the motorway, stopping at whichever university town takes their fancy. Their musical instruments along with two roadies follow in a van. Once there, Paul will send in an assistant to ask if they can put on a show for the students the following day. Once agreed, word is spread around the campus and posters are put up. This scenario occurs today at Nottingham University. The road manager for this tour, Trevor Jones, remembers the historic first concert: "We went into Nottingham University Students' Union at about five o'clock and fixed it up for lunchtime the next day. Nottingham was the best because they were so enthusiastic. No hassles. No one quite expected it or believed it. We went down there at half-past eight the next morning with the gear. We threw up a few posters and put the word out on the tannoy."

Wings University Tour Of The UK
February 9-23

Paul and Wings, anxious for live concert experience without generating the massive media exposure an ex-Beatle in concert would naturally attract, play a string of small low-key unannounced UK University dates. Their repertoire of songs during this 11-date tour consists of 'Blue Moon Of Kentucky', 'Help Me', 'Say Darling', 'Wild Life', 'Bip Bop', 'Henry's Blues', 'My Love', 'Long Tall Sally', 'Seaside Woman', 'Some People Never Know' and 'Smile Away'. 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish', 'The Mess' and 'Lucille' will sometimes be reprised due to the lack of sufficient songs fully rehearsed by the band. Occasionally the group will drop into their set 'mock' portions of the songs 'Turkey In The Straw' and 'The Grand Old Duke Of York'. The running order of songs for the tour will vary from one night to the next, with the tracks 'Lucille' and 'Wild Life' alternating as the opening number of the show. Their unscheduled shows include performances at the following venues:

Nottingham University (Wednesday February 9)

York's Goodridge University (Thursday February 10)

Hull University (Friday February 11)

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (Sunday February 13)

Lancaster University (Monday February 14)

Leeds Town Hall (Wednesday February 16)

Sheffield (Thursday February 17)

Manchester (Friday February 18)

Birmingham University (Monday February 21)

Swansea University (Tuesday February 22)

Oxford University (Wednesday February 23)

Some universities they approach are unable to accommodate Paul's concert offer as exams are being held or the halls at the venues simply aren't big enough to cater for the audience Paul and his band will attract. Linda, with absolutely no previous musical experience, tells The The Sunday Times how she came to be involved in this tour. "Paul went on and on about it, saying he was dying to get back to performing, but wanted me to join in. 'Can you imagine,' he said, 'standing on the stage, the curtain going up, the audience all waiting.' He made it sound so glamorous that I agreed to have a go."

Wednesday February 9

With 18 hours notice, the tour kicks off at Nottingham University. The lunchtime audience comprises 700 curious students who file m to see this new band. Paul remembers the first gig: "It was a spur of the moment thing. One of the group said he had played at Nottingham University and liked it so that's where we ended up. It was 50p at the door, and a guy sat at the table taking the money. The kids danced and we all had a good time. The Students' Union took their split and gave us the rest. I'd never seen money for at least ten years. The Beatles never handled money... we (Wings) walked around Nottingham with £30 in coppers in our pockets."

After the concert, Paul, having just made his first live scheduled performance since The Beatles' final show at Candlestick Park on August 29,1966, is reluctant to say much about the group's performance but he is obviously relieved by the tremendous response from the audience. He tells Melody Maker: "It was very good for us. We will go on touring the country for a while, playing more of these concerts when we feel like it." He also remarks to another journalist: "All I'm doing now with Wings is rehearsing... the main thing for me is I don't want to do old Beatle numbers. The obvious connection is like trying to live off your old records!"

Thursday February 10

A proposed concert today at Leeds University is cancelled at short notice when Paul discovers that there has been some major advance publicity. Instead, he drives out of the venue and at short notice books the group into the dining room at York's Goodridge University. Unfortunately the show doesn't go quite as smoothly as the opening concert as Linda suffers her first attack of stage fright. Paul recalls: "She was paralysed by fear and quite unable to put her hands on the keyboards." Paul immediately goes to her rescue and discovers that he has forgotten the chords to their opening song 'Wild Life'. The lunchtime crowd cheer enthusiastically. Another 300 fans are locked outside, unable to enter. From her office in London, Paul's assistant Shelley Turner, somewhat oblivious to his recent concert appearances, tries to explain to journalists on the phone the current university tour: "They are on the road at the moment and have taken a lot of sandwiches with them. They could turn up anywhere and play this week. I don't know exactly where they are."

Meanwhile, there is further bad news for Paul today when the BBC announces that, due to its political nature, they have banned the single 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish'.

Saturday February 12

With the controversy growing over 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish', Shelley Turner announces: "EMI are 100 per cent behind it and are very keen to put it out. As soon as they have got the final lacquer, they will put it out. It will probably be in the shops by next week. Paul has strong feelings about the Irish situation."

Taking a night off from the university gigs, Paul makes a live appearance with Kid Jensen on his Radio Luxembourg show tonight between 10:30 and midnight. He takes phone questions from listeners and uses the opportunity to vent his feelings towards the BBC banning 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish'. One cheeky caller rings in to ask Paul if he can release, as a bootleg single, The Beatles' version of 'How Do You Do It?'

Monday February 14

In an interview for Melody Maker, Linda talks about how pleased she is with the tour so far: "We've only been playing together for five days and already I have confidence in the band. So far audience response has been good. Surprisingly perhaps, I am enjoying these one-night appearances - it's like a touring holiday, and the children love it too." Again she is asked why they are doing the unscheduled concerts: "We just don't want to be tied down. If we wake up one morning and decide that we don't want to go to Hull, we don't have to. With an organised tour your freedom is limited. This is the only way to do it."

Thursday February 17

While Wings are preparing for a concert in Sheffield, the High Courts of London dismiss an application by Northern Songs to put in a counter claim in the proceedings originally started by Paul back in December of 1970. Paul wants a ruling that any songs he composes in collaboration with anyone other than John is not bound by the 1965 agreement giving copyright benefits to Northern Songs, as under the terms of the original agreement. (This agreement is scheduled to terminate in February of 1973.)

In America, at the annual meeting of stockholders in New York, Allen Klein announces that the other three Beatles are to make an offer to Paul for his 25% interest in Apple within the next weeks. It is reported that the offer will be made because of the recent improvement in the relationship between John and Paul.

Monday February 21

In London, Paul's assistant Shelley Turner announces that: "Paul is interested in the proposed offer by John, George and Ringo to buy his 25% share of Apple, but he has seen no statement yet."

Tuesday February 22

At 5pm, Paul rings Swansea University to ask them if Wings can play there. Within 75 minutes a queue of 800 students has built up outside the university hall to watch the performance.

Also during this period:


Thursday February 17

In England, John and Yoko's gift to the Hanratty family, a 40-minute colour film of the campaign into the enquiry of the hanging of James Hanratty, charged with the A6 motorway murder in 1961, is shown in the crypt of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church, London. This is the only public screening of the complete Lennon film, although a short clip from the production later appears in the UK during a Channel 4 television programme on the subject. (John and Yoko had first discussed the idea of the film with Hanratty's parents at an Apple press conference in Saville Row, London on December 10, 1969.)


Saturday February 19

Allen Klein is quoted as saying: "I have the ability to think like a thief!"


Friday February 25

In the UK, Wings release their first single, 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish'. (The American release occurs on February 28.) An Apple produced 30-second television commercial for the release, featuring Paul, is immediately banned by the ITA (Independent Television Authority, the controller of the ITV network) because it contains "political controversy" canned under the ITA Act. ATV, Radio Luxembourg and the GPO also announce that they too have banned the single. When Paul is told of the ban by the BBC, he retorts: "Up them! I think the BBC should be highly praised ... preventing the youth from hearing my opinions." One station that doesn't ban the single is Thames, the TV station that serves the London and South-East region of the ITV network. For the next six weeks they, albeit unsuccessfully, try to lure Paul on the weekday news programme Today for an interview with Eamonn Andrews.


Saturday February 26

Linda tells the Melody Maker about the low-key Wings university concerts: "Eric Clapton once said that he would like to play from the back of a caravan, but he never got around to doing it. Well - we have! We've no managers or agents - just we five and the roadies. We're just a gang of musicians touring around." Radio One DJ John Peel comments on the BBC ban of 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish': "The ban disturbs me -the act of banning it is a much stronger political act than the contents of the record itself. It's just one man's opinion."


Sunday February 27 & Monday February 28

In Hungary, Ringo and Maureen attend Elizabeth Taylor's two-day 40th birthday party, held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Budapest. Fellow celebrities in attendance include the comedian Frankie Howerd and the former actress Grace Kelly, now Princess Grace of Monaco.


Monday February 28

In New York at their Greenwich Village apartment, John and Yoko are visited by a two-man crew from London Weekend Television in England who are there to shoot film of the Lennons for an Aquarius documentary on the theme of "The Pursuit Of Happiness in Modern-day America". For their three-minute 13-seconds appearance, John is seen performing (on a steel guitar) a version of the song 'Attica State', which breaks down one minute 14 seconds into the song because, in his words: "I've forgotten the last verse ... I've forgotten the rest." John spends the rest of the time explaining his and Yoko's attempt to change the apathy of the youth in America.

John optimistically announces:"0ur job now is to tell them there is still hope and we still have things to do and we must get out now and change their heads and tell them it's OK. We can change it! It isn't over just because flower power didn't work. It's only the beginning; we're just in the inception of revolution."

With Yoko sitting by his side, he goes on to say: "That's why we are going out on the road. All our shows we do will be for free. All the money will go to prisoners or to poor people, so we'll collect no money for the performance. We hope to start touring in America and then eventually, go around the world and go possibly to China too. For instance, we'd go to, say, Chicago and then, in the Chicago prison, half or quarter of the money earned will go towards releasing the first 500 people alphabetically who couldn't get bail to get out of prison. So, wherever we go, the show will arrive and we will release people in each town. So possibly when the Stones are touring America for money, we'll be touring for free!" John concludes by cheekily looking into the camera and, laughing, asks: "What are you going to do about that Mick?"

The feature is included in the 53-minute, Tony Palmer directed, Aquarius special, which is transmitted for the only time across the ITV network on Saturday March 11, between 10:10 and 11:08pm. The show, taking in locations from New York to Los Angeles, also includes an all-female roller derby, a male film star called Candy Darling and an experimental theatre group called the Liquid Theater.

Still in New York, Allen Klein announces that he is suing the magazine New York for $150 million for libel. The article claimed (last month) that from each copy of the Bangla Desh album: "$1.40 of the proceeds from each record sold could not be accounted for in the production and distribution costs." As Klein angrily points out: "This implies that ABKCO Industries have received the money. Based on the present figure of 568,000 copies sold, we will make a loss of more than a dollar on each copy sold!"

Paul, Linda, their family and Wings depart for Los Angeles to begin work on their next album.

George and Patti Harrison, on their way to London from their Friar Park mansion, are involved in an accident on the M4 motorway near Maidenhead in Berkshire. Around midnight, during an electrical blackout in the area, their 6-litre Mercedes car approached a recently opened roundabout and collided with a lamppost on a centre barrier. (The bright fluorescent lighting on the road had been extinguished just 75 minutes before the accident occurred.) George, with blood streaming down his face, and Patti, are immediately transferred by ambulance to Maidenhead Hospital where they are treated for their head injuries in the casualty department. George is discharged but has to return later to the hospital to have his stitches removed. He returns to his Henley mansion while Patti is taken to the nearby Nuffield Nursing Home in Fulmer, Slough, suffering from concussion. She is detained for observation and the following morning the hospital announces that she is "quite comfortable". (George is ordered to appear before magistrates over the incident on July 12 - see entry.)


Tuesday February 29

John and Yoko's original US visa expires. They are immediately granted a 15-day extension. This sees the beginning of a three-and-a-half-year struggle by John to reside in America. The government's opposition to his request is apparently based on his 1968 UK drug conviction.


March

In Los Angeles, Wings enter the studios to begin recording tracks for the album Red Rose Speedway. The first period of sessions produce the following tracks: 'Big Barn Bed', 'One More Kiss', 'Little Lamb Dragonfly', 'Single Pigeon', 'When The Night', 'Loup (1st Indian On The Moon)', medley: 'Hold Me Tight - Lazy Dynamite - Hands Of Love -Power Cut'. He will also produce the first recording of the song 'I Would Only Smile', which Wings member Denny Laine will later release as a solo recording. Paul also records 'My Love' and the track 'Mama's Little Girl', which will not appear until February 5,1990 when, in the UK, it is released as a bonus track on the CD and 12-inch single of 'Put It There'. (The recording sessions for the album Red Rose Speedway will move to the Olympic Studios in Barnes on Monday, March 19, and will continue off and on until October this year.)

Apple recording artist Mary Hopkin quits the record label and is therefore currently without a recording contract. Mary's manager Jo Lustig says: "I have had offers from three major companies but haven't made a deal yet."


Wednesday March 1

In New York, at the Record Plant, John and Yoko begin recording tracks for the album Some Time In New York City. The sessions, which are co-produced by Phil Spector, feature the following songs: 'Woman Is The Nigger Of The World', 'Sisters 0 Sisters', 'Attica State', 'New York City', 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', 'Luck Of The Irish', 'John Sinclair' and 'Angela'. (The sessions continue until March 20.) Unreleased "jam" tracks from this period, featuring John and Elephant's Memory, include 'Don't Be Cruel', 'Hound Dog', 'Send Me Some Lovin' ', 'Roll Over Beethoven', 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On', 'It'll Be Me', 'Not Fade Away', 'Ain't That A Shame' and 'Caribbean'. John and Yoko also spend some of this time, again at the Record Plant, producing an Elephant's Memory album. The photographer Bob Gmen captures the Lennons at work and playing host to celebrities, including Mick Jagger, Rudolph Nureyev, Andy Warhol and Jerry Rubin, who all drop in to see the couple.


Friday March 3

Legal custody of her daughter Kyoko is again granted to Yoko, but the girl's father, Anthony Cox, has again fled with the child. The situation is one of John's main reasons for wishing to remain in America, so that he and Yoko can try and find the girl.


Saturday March 4

In the American albums charts, George's Concert For Bangla Desh album sits at number two, while in the UK singles charts, Badfinger's 'Day After Day' is at number nine and Wings' 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish' enters at number 28.


Monday March 6

Just five days after being granted an extension, the American Immigration and Naturalisation Services cancel John and Yoko's extensions on their US visas. Even though the Lennons are currently in America legally, this cancellation means that they are now, by a technicality in the States, "overstays". This problem will soon come to haunt John in his battle to obtain a 'green card' and thus remain in the US legally.


Monday March 13

The BBC's ban on The Beatles' 1967 track 'A Day In The Life' is finally lifted. Hardly anyone notices when a portion of the song is played today on BBC Radio Four's long-running show Desert Island Discs, where it is chosen by the novelist David Storey.


Tuesday March 14

In America, at the 14th annual Grammy Awards ceremony, The Beatles are honoured, receiving a NARAS Tmstee Award for their "outstanding talent, originality and music creativity that have done so much to express the mood and tempo of our times to bridge the culture gap between several generations".


Thursday March 16

In New York, John and Yoko persuade the US Immigration Authorities to let them stay for another four weeks. The couple are called to explain why they should not leave the country. They are granted a further temporary extension to their stay in America and told to reappear in court on April 18. Afterwards, outside the court, John tells the waiting reporters: "We want to stay permanently because New York is the centre of the earth and also because we want to find Yoko's daughter Kyoko."


Friday March 17

Ringo's single 'Back Off Boogaloo' (produced by George, on which he plays guitar)/'Blindman' (co-produced by Ringo and Klaus Voorman) is released in the UK. (The US release takes place on March 20.) As part of the special UK promotions, EMI set up a special London phone line for advanced hearing of the song. 'Boogaloo' has long been cited as Paul's nickname from the other Beatles, but on VH-1 Storytellers, recorded in May, 1998, Ringo announces that the song was influenced by Marc Bolan, when he came to dinner one night. "He was an energised guy. He used to speak 'Back off boogaloo ... ooh you, boogaloo.' 'Do you want some potatoes?' 'Ooh you, boogaloo!' "

The middle section of the song ("Get yourself together now and give me something tasty") was inspired by the English football presenter Jimmy Hill, who Ringo just happens to be watching one Sunday afternoon on London Weekend Television's soccer show The Big Match. Hill remarks that a particular footballer's playing was very "tasty".


Saturday March 18

Filming begins on the Marc Bolan and T.Rex Apple movie Born To Boogie during Bolan's two performances this evening at the Empire Pool, Wembley. Ringo, sitting in the photographers' pit below the stage, directs the shooting of both concerts, although only footage from the second show will appear in the finished film. (Additional scenes of Bolan at the afternoon soundcheck and brief shots of his first Wembley show, again directed by Ringo, can be seen during the final credits of the Born To Boogie film.) Additional scenes for Born To Boogie are arranged for Tuesday March 21 (see entry).


Monday March 20

Work on Red Rose Speedway resumes at the Olympic Sound Studios in Bames, where Paul enlists the assistance of producer Glyn Johns.

Meanwhile in Ascot, during one of Ringo's frequent "house-sitting" stints at John's Tittenhurst Park mansion, Ringo films a unique promotional film for 'Back Off Boogaloo', which features him wandering aimlessly around the vast grounds looking for his creation, a Frankenstein monster. This image is reused on the picture sleeve of the single and suitably ties in with the advertising slogan for the release "Another monster from Apple". Surprisingly enough, Apple does not finance the clip. Instead, the production is carried out by Caravel Films, the Slough based company regularly employed by BBC TV to produce for Top Of The Pops the amusing short films that accompany the various songs on the programme when an artist cannot appear or no promotional film clip was available. The camera work for 'Back Off Boogaloo' is by Alan Tavemer with direction by Tom Taylor.


Tuesday March 21

During the afternoon, the full line-up of Marc Bolan and T.Rex join Ringo at John's Tittenhurst Park mansion to film additional scenes for Born To Boogie. Joining T.Rex and Eiton John in Lennon's ASS (Ascot Sound Studios), Ringo joins in on an all-star jam to perform, before the cameras, versions of 'Tutti Frutti', 'Children Of The Revolution' and 'The Slider', with only the first two tracks appearing in the finished version of the film. An additional day's filming is set for tomorrow.


Wednesday March 22

Apple's film The Concert For Bangla Desh is previewed in New York at The DeMille Theater with John, Yoko, Jerry Rubin and Nino Tempo in the audience. John is reported to have enjoyed the screening but is seen leaving the theatre during Bob Dylan's segment.

Meanwhile back in England, the final piece of shooting for Born To Boogie is completed this afternoon, when Ringo supervises the filming of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party sequence on the grounds of John's vast estate. This scene features disgusting table manners from Micky Finn, Bolan's right-hand man from T.Rex. (The Born To Boogie film will premiere in London on December 14.)


Thursday March 23

The film The Concert For Bangla Desh officially opens in New York. The movie is presented in 70mm film with six-track sound. (The UK release will not take place until Thursday July 27 - see entry.)


Tuesday March 28

In the UK, the ITV network transmits (between 10:32 and 11:28pm) the ATV (Associated Television) documentary entitled Whatever Happened To Tin Pan Alley? a 50-minute examination into the changing face of popular music. The show also features a three-minute retrospective look at The Beatles, and includes an interview with their producer George Martin. He remarks: "I think the four of them are greater than the individuals and obviously each individual album that has been produced is good because they're all very talented people, but I still don't think they're as great as they were when they were Beatles together."

A clip of 'Twist And Shout' from Granada Television's Scene At 6:30 (originally transmitted in June 1963) along with a medley of Beatles hits (from 1962-1967) set to a collage of Beatles photographs, accompany their part of the show. The programme also includes contributions from modem day pop contemporaries, including singers Mick Jagger, Paul Jones, record producer Mickie Most, Marc Bolan & T. Rex, The Who, Cliff Richard and Jonathan King.


Friday March 31

The official Beatles' Fan Club in England is closed. Freda Norris (nee Kelly) who has been running the club for 11 years remarks: "Paul pulled out of the fan club last August and John, George and Ringo in January. So there was no point in keeping the project running as a corporate Beatles fan club with the four principals shooting off in different directions." She goes on to reflect on the declining popularity of the club. "Around 1965 the membership was 80,000... the membership now is down to 11,000."

Meanwhile, the second year of McCartney Productions Ltd. accounts reveal sales figures of £4,234, while outgoing expenses have increased to a hefty £13,446, meaning a loss of £9,212 for the tax year ending March 31,1972.


April

In an interview, Ravi Shankar is asked about George: "To me, he is like a son, like a younger brother, like a disciple all combined together. I have a very great love and affection for him."

The first edition of the politics and arts magazine Sundance features an article by Yoko entitled "What A Bastard" describing how different women suffer when they have a job. Meanwhile, also this month, the Lennons are requested to join two respected US anti-drug organisations, the American Bar Association Council Against Drug Abuse and the Presidents Commission Against Drug Abuse.

Possibly in a turmoil becuase the company has made a loss for the second consecutive year, callers to the McCartney Productions office in Soho Square London hear a recording of 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish'.


Saturday April 1

John writes again to Melody Maker, this time in response to the March 18 claim that:

"Marc Bolan was now as important as Lennon or Dylan and that people like Lennon and Jagger were now checking him out." John writes: "I ain't never heard 'Jeepster', tho' I heard and liked 'Get It On' and his first hit. Anyway, we all know where all these 'new licks' come from - right, Marc? ... By the way, Marc's checking us out not vice-versa! He's called us babe! Anyway, he's ok - but don't push yer luck. Love

Lennon, Ono."

A quick look at the UK charts reveals that 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish' is placed at number 23 (down from number 20) and 'Back Off Boogaloo' has entered at number 30 in the singles charts. While in the album charts, Imagine is at number 11 and Bangla Desh is at number 15.


Saturday April 8

In the UK singles chart, 'Back Off Boogaloo' has risen to number 16, while Wings' 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish' has slipped to number 30.

George and Patti are present at a London party honouring the composer Jim Webb. Also in attendance are Harry Nilsson, Alan Price and Dudley Moore.


Monday April 17

Producer Glyn Johns reveals that he has walked out of the sessions for Paul's latest album at the Olympic Studios in Bames. They part company due to a "disagreement" over the recordings. "Now we have respect for each other," Glyn announces.


Tuesday April 18

An Immigration and Naturalisation Service hearing is held in New York regarding deportation proceedings against John. Immediately following the brief trial, John and Yoko meet, for the first time, with Geraldo Rivera who interviews the Lennons about the case for ABC TV Channel 7's Eyewitness News. When John and Yoko leave the Immigration and Naturalisation building they face an army of newspapers and TV reporters. Asked why is it so important for him and Yoko to stay in America, John states: "Well... the judge who gave us temporary custody of Kyoko said we must bring the child up in the continent of America, and we're quite happy with that. Yoko has been here half her life. She was educated here ... fifteen years she's lived here. She has an American child, she was married to an American citizen and now she is married to an English citizen ... and that's caused all the trouble. But we love to be here."

Further hearings for the case occur on May 12 and 17. (Incidentally, evidence revealed much later shows that the Nixon administration feared Lennon would lead demonstrations at the upcoming 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami, Florida, but in fact John never even went near the convention site.)


Saturday April 22

In New York, John and Yoko address the National Peace Rally in Dufiy Square. They are seen leading a chorus of 'Give Peace A Chance'.

Ringo and Maureen are in the audience for Jerry Lee Lewis' concert at the London Palladium.


Monday April 24

John's single 'Woman Is The Nigger Of The World'/'Sisters 0 Sisters', performed by Yoko, is released in America only. A large number of US radio stations refuse to play the record but, nevertheless, it still manages to reach number 57 in the Billboard charts.


Thursday April 27

John publicly states that "deportation proceedings against him are politically motivated".


Saturday April 29

John Lindsay, The Mayor of New York, asks the Federal Authorities to allow John and Yoko to remain permanently in America and to quash the deportation proceedings against them. He announces: "A grave injustice is being perpetrated!"


May

Early this month, John, in an interview with Ray Connolly, is quoted as saying about Paul: "I went through a period of saying things that I thought would spur him on, but I think they were misunderstood. That's how 'How Do You Sleep?' was intended. Although I suppose it was a bit hard on him. But that was just how I felt when I wrote and recorded it."

Paul takes possession of his new car, a brand-new Lamborghini.

Ringo, for the third year running, attends the Cannes Film Festival in the South of France.

Allen Klein denies alleged mismanagement of The Beatles' finances: "Under Brian Epstein, the group made six and a half-million pounds in six years; under me and my ABKCO Industries, they earned £9 million in 19 months - that's a published fact!"

On the break-up of the group. Klein states: "One of the things that has always concerned me is that so much emphasis is put on 'Oh! The Beatles have broken up.' I don't think it was a tragedy. They haven't died! Maybe it was time they had a chance to live their own lives. It's almost like saying that every time a child leaves home it's a tragedy. But why? Doesn't he grow, isn't it time he started his own life?"


Tuesday May 2

In America, the New York Times runs an editorial supporting John and Yoko's bid to remain in the States. To support the campaign, the National Committee for John and Yoko is formed.


Friday May 5

John and Yoko make their second, and final, appearance during the second half of ABC TVs The Dick Cavett Show, Unlike their first appearance last year, John and Yoko perform live in the studio. Along with Elephant's Memory, they sing "Woman Is The Nigger Of The World' and 'We're All Water'. Besides the songs, John also takes the opportunity to again express his feelings against television in England and announces that he and Yoko watched George's appearance on the programme last November where he plugged the Lennons' single 'Happy Christmas (War Is Over)'. "That was nice of him," John adds. The couple also uses The Dick Cavett Show to explain, in great detail, the history of the problems they've faced trying to regain custody of Kyoko. In addition, Yoko uses the show as a launch pad for her new appeal, a campaign for Children's Medical Relief International to help raise money for a hospital in Saigon called The Centre for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. This is a modem facility designed to treat children directly and indirectly injured during the Vietnam war, whose financial support is currently being stripped by the US government. During their interview, John also claims to Cavett that his phones are being tapped and that he is being followed.

"Intellectuals? They can't hear or feel anything!" - John on The Dick Cavett Show, May 11,1972.

Joining the Lennons on the show is the actress Shirley MacLaine. Incidentally, before the broadcast on Thursday May 11, the bosses at the ABC television station had decided to cut the performance of "Woman Is The Nigger...' from the broadcast completely, fearing that it might upset some viewers. Cavett objected to the cut and insisted that the song remain and, prior to the telecast of the programme, inserted a brief videotape of him explaining why the song must be shown. Critics and viewers rate the show a success, a response particularly pleasing to Cavett who is now facing a possible axe from the station due to a "lack of audience response". By the time of this programme, a National Committee acting for both John and Yoko had collected a petition urging the US government to halt deportation proceedings against him.


Friday May 12

Originally scheduled for the 5th, the Wings' single "Mary Had A Little Lamb'/"Little Woman Love' is released in the UK. Described by Paul and Linda as ""A song for spring to make people happy", its EMI release number comes exactly 1,000 singles after The Beatles' debut "Love Me Do' in October 1962. (The American release takes place on May 29.)

When Paul is asked why he recorded the track he said it was because ... "my daughter Mary liked hearing her name sung. It's the one song people seem to think is a bit daft. I don't regret writing it, 'cos I wrote it for her." The song, in complete contrast to the controversial slant of his previous A-side, naturally confuses the music press. The paper Sounds ask Paul about this. "I'm crazy. I've always been crazy from the minute I was born ... Geminis are supposed to be changeable and I don't know if that's true or not but I'm a Gemini and I know one minute I might be doing "Ireland' and the next I'll be doing 'Mary Had A Little Lamb'. I can see how that would look from the sidelines, but the thing is we're not either of those records, but we are both of them. "Mary' is just a kids' song. It was written for one of our kids, whose name is Mary and I just realised if I sang that, she'd understand." With retrospect, Paul admits that "Mary' was not "a great record", but points out that "it goes down well at live shows". In conclusion, Paul remarks: "The quote that sums up that song for me is I read Pete Townshend saying that his daughter had to have a copy... I like to keep in with the five year olds!"


Saturday May 13

Meanwhile in America, John and Yoko, along with Elephant's Memory, appear in Washington Square at the benefit concert held in the Methodist Church. Backstage at the concert John gives an exclusive interview to KUPS Radio.


Monday May 15

Back in England, at the Manor Studios in Oxfordshire, Paul begins the first mixing of tracks intended for the album Red Rose Speedway.


Sunday May 21

Two months after it was originally scheduled, due to a clearance problem with Apple, BBC Radio One broadcast the first part of The Beatles Story (between 5:00 and 5:55pm). The opening show is called The Birth Of The Liverpool Sound. (The series, written and produced by Johnny Beerling and narrated by Brian Matthew, will run weekly, for 13 parts, until Sunday August 13.) To celebrate the series, originally titled The Lives And Music Of The Beatles, models of the group adorn the cover of the BBC listings magazine Radio Times, covering the week May 20-26. Inside this edition, there is an interview with John by Ray Connolly and Paul by Pete Matthews. Paul is not impressed with the idea of the series, saying: "It's like an obituary for me, I don't like these old "Remember them' things; you know, one of them's a bin man ..."

To trace the initial idea for the series we have to go right back to October 1965, when D.H. MacLean, of BBC Radio, first approached Brian Epstein with the view to telling, in their own words, the story of the group. In January of 1966 the plans were put on hold because, amazingly, they felt that there was not enough pre-taped material of the group from both England and America. With the split in 1970, the idea to resurrect the series came full circle and production on the series began towards the end of 1971 when a number of Beatles connected people, besides the fab four, were interviewed for the series, including George Martin (interviewed in London at his AIR Studios), Anne Nightingale (interviewed at her home in Brighton, Sussex) and Radio One presenter David Wigg (at his home in London). To help ease the burden of the high production costs, a rushed sale of the series on 13 BBC Transcription Disc records goes ahead to America at a cost of (for the time) an amazing $100,000.

Paul makes no secret of his distaste for the programmes so no specific pieces by him appear throughout the entire series. The BBC instead have to be content with pre-recorded material, such as the interview by Michael Wale conducted backstage at Wings' first European concert in France on July 9 which is included in the thirteenth and final part transmitted on August 13.


Monday May 22 (with a break on Thursday May 25)

Paul and Wings return to London's Scotch of St. James where they rehearse for their upcoming tour, although the details of this will not be released until the following Monday, May 29.


Thursday May 25

At the BBC Television Studios in Wood Lane, London, Wings take a break from rehearsals to record their first studio appearance on Top Of The Pops where they mime a live performance of 'Mary Had A Little Lamb'. The show, which is transmitted later this night on BBC1 between 7:25 and 7:59pm, is hosted by Ed "Stewpot" Stewart and also features studio performances by The Move, John (formerly Long John) Baldry and Friends, T. Rex and Elton John. The BBC reach a separate agreement with Paul to use, on future radio broadcasts, the live performance used on this broadcast. Unfortunately the Wings' videotape clip is wiped during the year.

Paul: "I hear people knocking Top Of The Pops, but I'm telling you, I watch Top Of The Pops just because it is pop. In Britain you just do not have anything, and I'd rather watch that than the news any day. Top Of The Pops, Tom & Jerry; they may be for kids, but I'm a kid then, because I dig that stuff. I think rather than don't do Top Of The Pops, you should do Top Of The Pops. Rather than drop a show like that, there should be five more like that!"


Sunday May 28

BBC Radio One transmits part two of The Beatles Story (between its regular 5:00 to 5:55pm slot). The show is called Getting It Onto Wax.


June

George and Ringo fly to New York together. George is there to collect an award (see June 5) and to oversee the latest matters involving money raised from his Bangla Desh concert. To date, money raised from the album stands at $1,320,000 (and rising) and $255,000 from the concert. The film has just begun to show a profit.


Saturday June 3

Melody Maker announces: "Wings To Play 'Official' Tour", revealing that: "Paul McCartney's Wings will be playing British dates in London, Manchester and Glasgow during July - and also making an extensive tour of the Continent." The report adds: "... they will visit France, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, Belgium and Holland."


Sunday June 4

Part three of The Beatles Story (Chart Success And The Package Tours) is transmitted on BBC Radio One.


Monday June 5

Following their fundraising efforts for the people of Bangladesh, UNICEF, the United Nations children's fund, award George, Allen Klein and Ravi Shankar, its "Child Is The Father Of The Man" award at its annual luncheon.


Tuesday June 6

Wings shoot a new videotape clip for 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' at the BBC Television Theatre in Shepherds Bush, London. This clip, which features the band miming the song at what is supposed to be the bottom of a hill with Paul playing the piano, all intercut with animated sequences to illustrate the lyrics, is inserted into programme eight of the latest series of the long-running children's programme The Basil Brush Show, transmitted on BBC1 on Saturday June 24 between 5:00 and 5:29pm. Hosted by Derek Fowlds, the comedy show also features contributions by The Roger Stevenson Marionettes and The Bert Hayes Sextet. During the taping session, Paul is informed by a member of the Joe Lights lighting company that the lyrics to the 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' song were the first words ever recorded by Thomas Edison when he invented the phonograph back in 1877.

To aid with the promotions for 'Mary Had A Little Lamb'; Wings appear in two further video clips. The first features the group miming the song in a barnyard setting. Paul is seen playing the song on the piano while a hen perches on top of it. Linda is seen cuddling a lamb and then singing the song while playing bongos. The second performance, affectionately called the "psychedelic version", features Wings performing the song in matching orange T-shirts and dungarees, with strikingly bright blue, yellow, black and red colours appearing in the background. Incidentally, Nicholas Ferguson, who first met Paul on the set of Ready Steady Go! in the sixties, directs all three of the above versions. He also directed The Beatles Intertel studio promotional films on November 23,1965. (Paul will appear in another taped version of 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' during the 1973 TV special James Paul McCartney, see entry for March 10,1973.)


Wednesday June 7

A month before its UK premiere, Apple's film The Concert For Bangla Desh opens in Sweden at selected cinemas.


Saturday June 10

It is announced that Paul and Linda, as composers and owners, are continuing their association with the ATV group with a seven-year agreement. All differences between them and Sir Lew Grade have been, according to an ATV spokesman, "amicably settled" The agreement is in the form of a co-publishing deal.


Sunday June 11

Part four of The Beatles Story (The Start Of Beatlemania), is transmitted on BBC Radio One.


Monday June 12

The album Sometime In New York City, by John, Yoko and Elephant's Memory, is released in America. (The UK release takes place over three months later on September 15 due to copyright problems over the songs.) Also on the 12th, as part of promotions for the album, John records an interview with the freelance American radio journalist Scott Johns at his Greenwich Village apartment, during which he discusses his relationship with the musician David Peel. In 1980, the tape is subsequently released on the limited edition disc The David Peel Interviews.


Sunday June 18

Part five of The Beatles Story (The World Surrenders) is transmitted on BBC Radio One.


Sunday June 25

Part six of The Beatles Story (The Life And Rewards Of Success) is transmitted on Radio One.


Wednesday June 28

In London, at the annual Ivor Novelle Awards luncheon, George wins two awards for his song 'My Sweet Lord'.


Thursday June 29

In England, the "barnyard" version of the MPL promotional film-clip of Wings performing 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' is broadcast on BBCl's Top Of The Pops between 7:25 and 7:59pm, and introduced by Jimmy Savile.


Friday June 30

Another exhibition of Yoko's work this time entitled Documenta 5, opens in Kassel, West Germany. The show runs until October 8.


July

At the start of the month, George finally takes delivery of his brand new BMW 3.0 litre CSA Coupe, having purchased it on June 26. He will keep the car for five years until July 1977, when he will sell it to a dealer in Suffolk.


Sunday July 2

In New York, lawyers representing John and Yoko prepare a final brief for the United States Immigration and Naturalisation Service outlining the reasons why they should be allowed to stay in the United States. The special inquiry officer Mr. Ira Fieldsteel holds the case over until the following day.

In the UK, BBC Radio One transmits part seven of The Beatles Story. This week's show is called When The Touring Had To Stop.


Monday July 3 (to July 6)

Wings hold their final rehearsals in preparation for their European tour at the ICA on The Mail in London.


Friday July 7

Wings leave England en route to France to begin their Wings Over Europe tour. This is in fact the first pre-planned tour by any Beatle since 1966 and the longest itinerary by any member of the group since they stopped touring that year. For the next seven weeks Wings will travel through France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Holland and Belgium, using as their base a specially converted, gaily painted London Transport double-decker bus, rented from a company in Hounslow and driven by Pat Puchelli, which had its roof removed and will be affectionately nicknamed Silverline Tours by Paul. It reaches a top speed of only 38 mph, and its fridge contains cheese, steaks and beer. Paul also takes with him the Rolling Stones Mobile Recording Unit, which he will use to professionally record five of their shows in Holland and Belgium (only 'The Mess' will see the light of day). Paul reveals to waiting journalists, who are there to cover their departure: '"When we were on holiday recently I was rediscovering the song Yesterday', playing it on an acoustic guitar. I love 'em ... I enjoyed it all. Fantastic thing (The Beatles) while it lasted!"

'Wings Over Europe' tour 1972
July 9 to August 24

On Sunday July 9, Wings perform an open-air concert at the Theatre Antique, Chateau Vallon in France, marking the start of the Wings Over Europe 1972 tour, which extends through until August 24. Songs performed during the tour include: 'Smile Away', 'The Mess', 'Hi Hi Hi', 'Mumbo', 'Bip Bop', 'Say You Don't Mind' (performed by Denny), 'Seaside Woman' (performed by Linda), 'I Would Only Smile' (Denny), 'Blue Moon Of Kentucky', 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish', 'Henry's Blues' (by Henry McCullough), '1882', 'I Am Your Singer', 'Eat At Home', 'Maybe I'm Amazed', 'My Love', 'Mary Had A Little Lamb', 'Soily', 'Best Friend', 'Long Tall Sally', 'Wild Life' and 'Cottonfields' (a cover of The Beach Boys' hit). The repertoire varies slightly from one concert to the next, an exercise to sharpen up the Wings live act. Paul produces a film of this tour called The Bruce McMouse Show. This features animated footage, intercut with live Wings concert film, of a cartoon character called Bruce McMouse along with his wife Yvonne and their children Soily, Swooney and Swat who travel with Wings and live beneath the stage while the band perform. To date, this MPL film, edited down to 50 minutes, has never been released. The only public screening from the film occurs when a short clip of 'Hi Hi Hi' is included in the 1986 BBC/MPL programme McCartney (first screened on BBC1 in England on August 29 1986).

The full Paul and Wings European concert tour includes shows at:

Theatre Antique, Chateau Vallon, Toulon, France (Sunday July 9)

Juan Les Pins in France (Wednesday July 12)

Theatre Antique, Aries, France (Thursday July 13)

Aries, France (Friday July 14 - Cancelled due to poor ticket sales)

Olympia Hall, Paris, France (Sunday July 16-2 shows)

Circus Krone, Munich, Germany (Tuesday July 18)

Offenbach Halle, Frankfurt, Germany (Wednesday July 19)

Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland (Friday July 21)

Pavilion, Montreux, Switzerland (Saturday July 22 & Sunday July 23)

Then, following a few days rest, the tour resumes with shows at:

K.B. Hallen, Copenhagen, Denmark (Tuesday August 1)

Messuhalli, Helsinki, Finland (Friday August 4)

Idraets, Kupittaan Urheiluhalli, Turku, Finland (Saturday August 5)

Tovoli Gardens, Kungliga Hallen, Stockholm, Sweden (Monday August 7)

Idretis Halle, Oerebro, Sweden (Tuesday August 8)

Oslo, Norway (Wednesday August 9)

Scandinavium Hall, Gothenburg, Sweden (Thursday August 10)

Olympean, Lund, Sweden (Friday August 11)

Fyns Forum, Odense, Denmark (Sunday August 13)

Wejiby Risskov Hallen, Arkus, Denmark (Monday August 14)

Hanover, Germany (Wednesday August 16)

Evenementenhal, Groningan, Holland (Thursday August 17 - Cancelled/redated August 19)

De Doelan, Rotterdam, Holland (Thursday August 17)

De Doelan, Rotterdam, Holland (Friday August 18 - Cancelled/redated August 17)

Turschip, Breda, Holland (Saturday August 19 - Cancelled)

Evenementenhal, Groningen, Holland (Saturday August 19)

Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Holland (Sunday August 20)

Congresgebouw, The Hague, Holland (Monday August 21)

Cirque Royale, Brussels, Belgium (Tuesday August 22 - Cancelled)

Borgerhout (originally Cine Roma), Antwerp, Belgium (Tuesday August 22)

Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, BRD (Thursday August 24)

The former Rainbow Theatre manager John Morris handles the tour. He announces to the music press: "We have no specific plans to play Britain. Paul wants to play small halls and most of the capacities here are less than 3,000. He wasn't interested in playing the monstrous places which he probably could have filled." The concerts, which feature no support act and no encore, are divided into two sets. The second set is accompanied by a movie (which includes clips of the countryside, flying birds, waves crashing against rocks and astronauts landing on the moon) which is flashed onto a screen behind the group as they perform.

Sunday July 9

Backstage prior to the opening concert at the outdoors Theatre Antique in Chateau Vallon, Paul is asked about the tour: "We wanted to start at quite a smallish place. We're going to appear in England but if you go and play Britain or America with a very new band you're really put on the spot. You've got to be red hot, and it takes a little time for a band to get red hot!" Interestingly, he then reveals that George had invited him to appear in last year's Concert For Bangla Desh in New York. He tells reporters why he turned George down: "If I'd gone there I know for certain it would have been played up as 'Hey! The Beatles are back together again!' It may have only been for one night, but the whole world would have taken it as the truth. But it's ended! The Beatles have definitely ended. The man from the record company (EMI) said, Would you play just once a year lads?' like a sort of memorial tribute. Well, I'm not going to get into that because I'm not dead yet. You can get into all that when I'm dead if you want to, but it's no good for me now."

The attendance for this opening concert is approximately 2,000. The top ticket price was 20 francs, approximately £1.25. Following a triumphant show, Paul enthusiastically offers his view on the tour to Melody Maker reporter Chris Charlesworth, who naturally begins by asking him "why no British dates?" Paul optimistically replies: "We will play there sometime or other, but not right now. The audiences are very critical in Britain and we're a new band just starting out - no matter what we've been through before. We have to get worked in before doing any big shows in Britain or America." Paul's mood characteristically changes when he is asked: "Have you seen your former Beatle mates recently?" Paul bluntly replies: "No, I've got no particular reason to, and I don't really want to. They're into their things and I'm into mine."

On a lighter note, another reporter asks Paul why Wings are travelling around in a double-decker London bus. "It mainly came about when we were on holiday and we were trying to get healthy before a tour," he explains. "We suddenly thought 'Wait a minute', if we're gonna be in Europe in summer going to places like the South of France, we thought it'd be silly to be in some box all day gasping for air. So we came up with this idea to have an open deck. We've got mattresses up there so we can just cruise along - fantastic! Just lie around, get the sun and keep healthy."

Linda is asked if she was nervous during the concert: "I was nervous in the first half. We had no soundcheck, no rehearsal, no nothing. We had to go out cold, so I had to warm up a bit. We were very hot in the second half."

Friday July 14

A Wings concert, scheduled for today in Lyons, France, is cancelled due to poor ticket sales, so instead Wings, comprising of Paul, Linda and Denny, hastily assemble at the EMI Pathe Marconi Studios in Paris, to record the first version of Linda's 'Seaside Woman'.

Saturday July 22

The single 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' reaches number 28 in the American charts. (The song will reach number nine in the UK charts.)

Thursday August 10

Following their performance at the Scandinavium Hall in Gothenburg, Sweden, the P.A. system is abruptly cut off by the police who are waiting to question Paul, Linda and Denny Seiwell about seven ounces of marijuana that customs officials had intercepted. Amidst scenes of confusion backstage, caught in pictures by the tour photographer Joe Stevens, the three, along with Paul's secretary Rebecca Hines, are taken away for questioning at police headquarters. They are later arrested on charges of drug possession and fined the equivalent of $1,000, $200 and $600 respectively. After three hours of questioning, they confess to the police that the cannabis they smoke is sent to them daily by post from London. Paul, Linda and Denny admit, according to the authorities, they smoke hash every day and are almost addicted to it. But, according to John Morris, a different set of events took place at police headquarters. "Paul, Linda and Denny did admit to the Swedish police that they used hash. At first they denied it but the police gave them a rough time and started threatening all sorts of things. The police said they would bar the group from leaving the country unless they confessed. The drugs were found in a parcel addressed to Paul by customs men. Lots of people send drugs to the band. They think they are doing them some kind of a favour, instead it causes all this kind of trouble. It was simply a case of pleading guilty, paying the fine and getting out of the city. As far as we are concerned, the whole business is finished." An unnamed member of Wings though is heard to playfully remark: "The police acting against us was an excellent advertisement... our name now flies all over the world."

Throughout the duration of the tour, the European press continues to snipe at Paul and his new band, blowing even the most trivial matter out of proportion. As one leading tabloid reports: "At virtually every hotel there have been tantrums because the McCartneys will not accept the conventional Scandinavian single beds. Their attitude seems to be, 'I want it, therefore it must happen.' "

Sunday August 20

During their seven-day stay in Holland, Wings appears today on the VPRO radio programme Popsmuk, the highlight of which is when the group gathers round Henry McCullough, seated at the piano, who plays the improvised tune 'Complain To The Queen' which features a vocal by Paul.

Monday August 21

An extra date to the tour is added tonight at the Congresgebouw, The Hague, in Holland, where Paul and Wings are recorded singing 'The Mess'. Their performance is later released on a single as the B-side to 'My Love'.

At the conclusion of the European tour, Paul sums up: "The main thing I didn't want was to come on stage, faced with the whole torment of five rows of press people with little pads, all looking at me and saying, 'Oh well, he is not as good as he was.' So we decided to go out on that university tour which made me less nervous, because it was less of a big deal. So we went out and did that, and by the end of that tour I felt ready for something else, so we went into Europe. I was pretty scared on the European tour, because that was a bit more of a big deal. Kind of, 'Here he is, ladies and gentlemen. Solo!' I had to go on there, with a band I really didn't know much about, with all new material. We had decided not to do Beatle material, which was a killer of course. We had to do an hour of other material, but we did not have it then. I didn't even have a song then that was mine. I felt that everybody wanted Beatle stuff, so I was pretty nervous about that. By the end of the European tour I felt a bit better. By then, there was enough of a repertoire to do it. I wouldn't mind doing Beatle songs, but it's a bit funny when you feel that people want to hear certain Beatle songs, just through nostalgia, and yet you don't want to live on your laurels. You want to try and create a whole new thing, so that you say, 'Well, this is me.' Then you do the Beatle stuff, once you've established yourself. That's the way I felt really."


Sunday July 9

In the UK, BBC Radio One transmits part eight of The Beatles Story, entitled The Psychedelic Chapter.


Wednesday July 12

George appears before the magistrates in Maidenhead, Berkshire, to explain his car crash on February 28. He tells the court: "I hit a motorway interchange crash barrier because I did not see the warning sign." George is later found guilty of careless driving and is fined £20. In addition, his licence is endorsed for the second time, the first being on Tuesday February 23,1971 (see entry).


Sunday July 16

The Beatles Story part nine, Meditation And Corporation, is broadcast.


Sunday July 23

The Beatles Story part ten, Hello Goodbye Or Come Together, is broadcast.


Wednesday July 26

At 11:30am, a special preview screening of The Concert For Bangla Desh takes place at the Rialto cinema in Coventry Street, London.

"The Greatest Concert Of The Decade. Now You Can See It And Hear It... As If You Were There!" - Advertising slogan for the film.

George recalls the problems with the Concert For Bangla Desh film: "I put all the expense to Apple at the time, and the only way Apple could break even was if the film came out any good. And the film wasn't that good! The cameramen were crazy and it took Dylan and I months to try to make it into something decent All the cameras had cables hanging in front of them, and another camera was out of focus all the way through so we couldn't use that one. The film finally shows what the concert was about. I said to the artists, 'Look, we are recording and filming it, but if it turns out lousy, I promise you we are not going to put it out. I want you to see it and hopefully you will agree to let us do if

"Bob (Dylan) came down to the editing of the film, but he didn't really want to. I mean if you look at Bob's section, there is one single camera shot all the way through. Which, in a way, you can get into. It is funny, once you realise it is not changing camera angles and it is all grainy. But that was because Bob wanted it like that, he's a bit of a funny little fellow! But he wanted it like that, so I am not going to argue. It was great to have him in it at all!"


Thursday July 27

The Apple film The Concert For Bangla Desh opens to the general public at The Rialto cinema in Coventry Street, London. Over its first twelve days of business the movie will take £12,979 at the box office, smashing the ten previous daily records. The figures are the best for the theatre in two years. Continuous round-the-clock screenings take place between 10am and 4am on July 27, 28 and 29.


Sunday July 30

The Beatles Story part eleven, The End Of The Beatles? is broadcast on BBC Radio One.


August

At the start of the month in his Friar Park studios, George records, with Cilia Black on vocals and Eric Clapton on guitar, the tracks 'You've Gotta Stay With Me' and 'When Every Song Is Sung', a song that in 1976, will be re-recorded by Ringo as 'I'll Still Love You' for his Rotogravure album. Also this month, George is seen socialising with Joe Cocker and is present in the audience at the CBS annual dinner, held at the Grosvenor Hotel in London. Towards the end of the month, George takes a summer holiday without Patti, spending a week in Portugal at a villa rented by his musical friend Gary Wright and his wife Christina. Wright remarks about the former Beatle: "George is just driving around Portugal and the South of France, staying with friends and at hotels. He seems to be enjoying himself. He's writing lots of new things and he seems to be having a good time." (Patti, incidentally, is to be found back home at Friar Park, while renovation work is being carried out.) Summing up, Wright adds: "Sometimes, George goes off on his own. Sometimes he takes Patti with him but I think he just felt like a holiday and wanted to get away."

Ringo begins filming Count Downe on location around London. Billed as a "comedy rock-horror flick", the film features the direction of Freddie Francis, best known for his low-budget British horror and science fiction films of the sixties. Although production is completed in November, the film will not premiere until April 19,1974, when by then, it will be retitled Son Of Dracula. Some of Ringo's dialogue and the songs 'Daybreak' and 'At My Front Door' from the film, appear on the soundtrack album Son of Dracula, In total, it is estimated that Ringo is investing some $800,000 in the picture. (See further entries for the film, listed August 15,16 and November 25.)


Thursday August 3 (until Sunday August 6)

In a further attempt to find Kyoko, John and Yoko travel to San Francisco. Geraldo Rivera covers their journey for an ABC TV Channel 7 Eyewitness News special programme concerning the Lennons' constant attempt to find Yoko's child. Film footage (on Saturday August 5) taken by Geraldo includes him travelling through the city with John and Yoko in a car, aboard a tram car and braving extremely windy conditions to pay a visit to the Golden Gate Bridge. Later this night, back at the Lennons' hotel, and for the benefit of the Eyewitness News cameras, John (on acoustic guitar) and Yoko perform a medley of the tracks including: 'Well (Baby Please Don't Go)', 'Rock Island Line', 'Maybe Baby', Teggy Sue', Woman Is The Nigger Of The World', 'A Fool Like Me' and 'The Calypso Song'.

It is during this weekend that the idea for the One To One concerts for the benefit of the Willowbrook School for Children is conceived. John enlists the assistance of Elephant's Memory and the first rehearsals for the show are arranged for Friday August 18. John and Yoko return to New York, again without Kyoko, on Monday August 7.

Meanwhile, back in England on Sunday August 6, The Beatles Story part twelve, The John, Paul, George and Ringo Show, is broadcast on BBC Radio One.


Friday August 11

In London, George hires a small Mayfair cinema, behind the Hilton Hotel, to show selected guests the Apple film Raga. One of those invited is the star of the film Ravi Shankar, who is currently in Britain for a concert at Southwark Cathedral in London on Tuesday August 15.


Sunday August 13

The final part of The Beatles Story, John, Paul, George And Ringo Today, is transmitted on BBC Radio One in the UK.


Tuesday August 15 & Wednesday August 16

At the Surrey Docks, Ringo, along with Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon, Peter Frampton, Klaus Voorman, Rikki Farr, Bobby Keyes and Jim Price, who are collectively known as The Count Downes, begin filming three tracks intended for the next Apple film production Count Downe. Songs shot over these two days include 'At My Front Door', 'Jump Into The Fire' and 'Daybreak'. (For the second day's shoot, scenes are filmed with Led Zeppelin's drummer John Bonham, replacing Keith Moon who has flown to Belgium to rejoin The Who on their current European tour.) Ringo attends the filming but does not appear in the two concert sequences.


Thursday August 17

George returns to Liverpool to witness a performance by Ravi Shankar at the Philharmonic Hall.


Friday August 18

In America, John, Yoko and Elephant's Memory begin rehearsals for the One To One concerts at the Butterfly Studio at West 10th Street in New York City. During the three days of rehearsals (days two and three take place on August 20 and 22), the group rehearses the following tracks: 'Cold Turkey', 'Give Peace A Chance', 'Come Together', 'Well Well Well', 'Mother', 'New York City', 'Instant Karma', 'It's So Hard', 'Sisters 0 Sisters', 'Woman Is The Nigger Of The World', 'Don't Worry Kyoko', 'It's Only Make Believe', 'Open Your Box', 'We're All Water', 'Tequila', 'Move On Fast', 'Roll Over Beethoven', 'Unchained Melody', 'New York City', 'Long Tall Sally', 'Hound Dog', 'Mind Train', a short burst of Ringo's 'Back Off Boogaloo' and a jam entitled 'Bunny Hop'. Taking a break from the sessions, the group takes time out in Chinatown. (The rehearsals usually continue until the early hours of the morning.)


Sunday August 20 - Tuesday August 22

Additional One To One concert rehearsals are carried out by John, Yoko, and Elephant's Memory. But this time, the sessions move across to the Fillmore East Theater in New York.


Wednesday August 23

A Following a late night of rehearsals, a rather exhausted looking John (wearing a black beret) and Yoko announce their One To One concert plans in a press conference at the blue room in New York's city hall. Accompanying them is John V. Lindsay, the mayor of New York City, Geraldo Rivera and a young girl who is a resident of the Willowbrook School; a home for retarded children. The day of the concert, August 30, will also be, as John and Yoko reveal, "One To One Day". As a preview to the shows, this week John records some One To One concert radio commercials.


Tuesday August 29

During the afternoon and early evening, the final rehearsals for the One To One concerts again take place at the Fillmore East Theater in New York.


Wednesday August 30

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, from Madison Square Garden in New York, John Lennon and Yoko Ono present the One To One concert..." - The MC's announcement at the start of the show.

John and Yoko perform two One To One benefit concerts (one in the afternoon and one in the evening) at Madison Square Garden in New York with The Plastic Ono Elephant's Memory band, performed for the benefit of the Willowbrook School for Children. Before the concerts rumours circulate in the press to the effect that the money raised from the shows will actually be going to the artists and not the children, a story which prompts one unnamed top recording group to drop out of the show.

John and Yoko's set-list for the two shows is as follows: Afternoon: 'Power To The People', 'New York City', 'It's So Hard', 'Move On Fast', 'Woman Is The Nigger Of The World', 'Sister 0 Sisters', 'Well Well Well', 'Born In A Prison', 'Instant Karma', 'Mother', 'We're All Water', 'Come Together', 'Imagine', 'Open Your Box', 'Cold Turkey', 'Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking For Her Hand In The Snow)' and 'Hound Dog';

Evening: 'Power To The People', 'New York City', 'It's So Hard', 'Woman Is The Nigger Of The World', 'Sisters 0 Sisters', 'Well Well Well', 'Instant Karma', 'Mother', 'We're All Water', 'Come Together', 'Imagine', 'Cold Turkey', 'Hound Dog' and 'Give Peace A Chance', where John and Yoko are joined on stage by the stars and organisers of the shows.

The shows, organised by the ABC TV reporter Geraldo Rivera, also feature the legendary Motown recording star Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack and Sha Na Na. Prior to the concerts, John purchases $60,000 worth of tickets for the show and gives them away to volunteer fund-raisers. The event will raise over $1.5 million for the Willowbrook School. As the sell-out crowd enters the building, they are handed a tambourine and asked to shake it during the concert. (A live radio broadcast of the evening show appears on the programme The King Biscuit Radio Hour.)

A selection of the songs performed at the concerts, are later released on the album John Lennon: Live in New York City (released in America on January 24 1986 and in the UK on February 24), namely 'Cold Turkey', 'Hound Dog', 'Give Peace A Chance' (clip) from the evening show; and 'New York City', 'Come Together', 'Imagine', 'Instant Karma', 'Mother', 'It's So Hard', 'Well Well Well', and 'Woman Is The Nigger Of The World' from the afternoon performance. A short clip of 'Give Peace A Chance' also appears on the 1975 John Lennon compilation LP Shaved Fish.

Both concerts are professionally filmed, and a version featuring seven of the songs performed at the evening concert ('Imagine', played to scenes of the One To One Day fun activities in Central Park this afternoon, 'Come Together', 'Instant Karma', 'Sisters 0 Sisters', 'Cold Turkey', 'Hound Dog' and 'Give Peace A Chance') is transmitted on ABC TV in America as a 53-minute special on December 14 1972.

Incidentally, the afternoon performance of Yoko's 'Move On Fast' will receive a rare one-off screening in England during the January 30,1973 edition of BBC2's late night rock show The Old Grey Whistle Test (see entry). Meanwhile, a one-hour videocassette, suitably titled John Lennon: Live in New York City is released at the same time as the LP, and features different edits of some of the songs and adds some of Yoko's numbers. (The recording supervisor for the shows is Phil Spector.) Following the successful concerts, John, Yoko, and the other artists on the bill attend a celebratory party at the Tavern In The Green in Central Park.


Thursday August 31

In America, an interview carried out with Paul backstage at the Theatre Antique concert in France on Sunday July 9, is published in today's Rolling Stone magazine.


September

At the Olympic Sound Studios in London, with the London Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir, Ringo records 'Fiddle About' and 'Tommy's Holiday Camp' for inclusion on the album of Lou Reizner's production of Pete Townshend's rock-opera Tommy. The all-star cast also includes The Who, Steve Winwood, Richte Havens, Rod Stewart, Maggie Bell, the actor Richard Harris, Graham Bell, Sandy Denny and Merry Clayton. (The album is released in the UK on November 24.)


Saturday September 2

George is rumoured to be appearing today at Crystal Palace's Garden Party Concert alongside his friend Gary Wright. He fails to show.


Wednesday September 6

In New York, John and Yoko appear live with Elephant's Memory towards the end of the all-day annual American TV special Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, an event to raise money for the illness muscular dystrophy. They perform live versions of 'Imagine', 'Now Or Never' and a reggae version of 'Give Peace A Chance'.


Saturday September 9

In England, an exclusive interview with Ringo, carried out by Ray Connolly, is published in tonight's Evening Standard.


Tuesday September 12

The Daily Mirror publishes a report on the making of Ringo's film Count Downe.


Saturday September 16

John and Yoko travel to Far Hills in New Jersey, to attend the memorial celebrations for Ken Dewery.


Tuesday September 19

Following a routine surveillance, police raid Paul's Scottish farm in Kintyre, Argyll, where they find cannabis plants in a greenhouse. The plants are analysed by police chemists the following day (see entry for Friday, December 22).


Wednesday September 27

In a bizarre double suicide, Rory Storm, the leader of Ringo's old group, The Hurricanes, is found dead with his mother in their beds at their Stormsville home in Liverpool. They had died from barbiturate and alcoholic poisoning. Two empty whisky bottles are found in the house. Rory, aged 33, had been depressed for a very long time because he had not reached the big time like The Beatles. His mother, meanwhile, had not recovered from the death of her husband. Allan Williams later asks Ringo why he never went to the funeral. "I wasn't at his birth either, was I?" he replies.


Saturday September 30

Melody Maker publishes its annual readers' poll. Amongst the results in the British Section: Male Singer - John no. 9 and Album - Imagine no. 5; in the International Section: Best International Composer-John no. 3. Drums - Ringo no. 9. Bass - Paul no. 7. Album - Bangla Desh no. 2 and Imagine no. 7. In the NME musicians' poll, John is named as the world's no. 1 singer.


October

At the Morgan Studios in Willesden, London, Paul and Wings record 'Hi Hi Hi', 'C Moon', 'Country Dreamer', 'Live And Let Die' and 'I Lie Around'. During the evening they record 'C Moon' and jam with Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. Meanwhile, the recordings for Red Rose Speedway, which had begun in March, are later this month moved to London's Abbey Road studios.

Ringo flies to Hollywood to screen Born To Boogie to prospective film buyers.

Rumours fly about this month that: "John and Elephant's Memory will be joined for a Madison Square Garden charity concert by Wings and a special group comprising of George and Ringo." Apple reply: "It ain't so ..." But what does happen this month is that, again at the Record Plant, John co-produces with Yoko, her album Approximate Infinite Universe. At the conclusion of the sessions in December, the Lennons participate in an episode of the Marks/Avcoin produced music series Flipside. The 22-minute show, which is primarily a promotional tool for Yoko's new album (which is released in America on January 8 1973 and in the UK on February 16 1973) features studio performances of four tracks from the album, 'Shirankatta (I Didn't Know)', 'Death Of Samantha', 'Catman (The Rosies Are Coming)' and "Winter's Song'. Although John is not seen performing, he does contribute lengthy interviews in between the tracks. (The first public airing of this programme occurs on February 16 1973.)

Back in England, during a mammoth three-month Abbey Road recording session, George records tracks intended for The Light That Lightened (sic) The World album (later re-titled Living In The Material World). Working with Phil Spector, he first produces: 'Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)' and 'Miss O'Dell' which will be released the following year as a single, the latter featuring George bursting into laughter several times. The sessions, which feature Ringo alternating with Jim Keltner on drums, Nicky Hopkins (piano), Klaus Voorman (bass) and Gary Wright (keyboards), also produce the following." 'Sue Me, Sue You Blues', 'The Light That Has lighted The World', 'Don't Let Me Wait Too Long', 'Who Can See It', 'Living In The Material World', 'The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord)', 'Be Here NOW', 'Try Some, Buy Some' (originally started during February of 1971), 'The Day The World Gets Round' and 'That Is All'. At this stage, the album is scheduled for a January/February 1973 release. (The recordings ultimately continue through into January 1973.)

Sgt. Pilcher, in charge of the drug squad at Scotland Yard in London, is jailed for six years on corruption charges. John has long claimed that Pilcher was responsible for planting the illegal substances in his flat when he was busted in 1968.


Wednesday October 11

Paul, through the British media, issues an appeal for the return of a stolen guitar he used on stage with The Beatles. He says: "If the thief stole it to sell it, he can sell it back to me!"


Thursday October 12

The promotional film clip of Wings performing 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' (the psychedelic version) is transmitted on The Flip Wilson Show on American TV.


Monday October 23

Ringo travels to Butlins holiday camp based on the Isle of Wight to begin filming the Goodtimes Enterprises' production of That'll Be The Day for Anglo-EMI. The film co-stars David Essex, who leaves his current role as Jesus in the musical Godspell, Billy Fury, and Keith Moon, the drummer with The Who. Based on a screenplay by the Evening Standard writer Ray Connolly, the seven-week shooting will be completed on December 14, although Ringo completes his scenes two weeks previous to that and returns home to London. The London premiere takes place on April 12,1973. (For an interview on the set of That'll Be The Day, see entry for November 25.)


November

The Record Plant recording studio opens its third location in Sausalito, a small community across the bay in San Francisco. John and Yoko are among those attending the grand opening. During the middle of the month, Mick Jagger drops by to visit the Lennons at the New York Record Plant studio. He plays piano and guitar on some tracks.

Apple announce that they are now compiling for cinema release a film entitled Ten Years In The Life Of The Beatles. Ringo announces: "We are getting together all the clips we own to show the change in our music and our attitudes to life. It's a kind of All Our Yesterdays." Original plans reveal that the film is scheduled to be released to coincide with a proposed Beatles greatest hits package early next year.

Ringo completes the shooting of the film Count Downe.


Thursday November 2

A copyright is registered for the track You've Gotta Stay With Me', written by Paul L. Woodall (responsible for the words, music and the arrangement) and George Harrison (music and arrangement).


Sunday November 12

At his Friar Park mansion, George begins drilling 200-feet deep holes, not for oil, but for water. His quest is to find 500,000 gallons of the stuff to cater for the needs of his vast ornamental lakes, based in the grounds of his mansion in Henley-on-Thames.


Monday November 13

In America only, Apple releases the Yoko Ono/Elephant's Memory single 'Now Or Never' b/w 'Move On Fast'.


Friday November 24

The album Tommy, featuring the two songs by Ringo, is released in the UK. (The American release takes place three days later, on November 27.)


Saturday November 25

On the set of That'll Be The Day, Ringo gives an interview to Cinema & TV Today to promote the completion of his first feature, the Apple film Count Downe. Directed by Freddie Francis, the film is a musical with horror overtones and stars Harry Nilsson, Freddie Jones and Susannah Leigh. Ringo also appears, this time in the role of a wizard. He explains the film's story: "I just think that if Dracula were around today he would be into rock. We've got the whole family in this one - Frankenstein, the Mummy, Dracula, the Wolf Man, and me as Merlin. On Count Downe I went through everything - casting, meetings with actors, electricians, the lot. I wanted to make the film here in England because it's easier to learn at home." Count Downe is Apple's fifth full-length film, the others being The Concert ForBangla Desh, Raga, El Topo and Born To Boogie. (Count Downe will not see the light of day until April 19,1974 when it receives its premiere in Atlanta, Georgia, where, by then, it appears under the different title of Son Of Dracula.)


Monday November 27

Paul and Wings work on 'Seaside Woman' at AIR Studios in London.


Tuesday November 28

Wings travel to the Southampton based studios of Southern ITV, at Northam in Hampshire, to shoot two promotional film clips, one for either side of their new single 'Hi Hi Hi' and 'C Moon'. Directed by Steve Turner, best remembered for his work on the award-winning BBC2 late-night 1968/1969 music show Colour Me Pop, these straightforward performance films feature the group miming on a low three-step stage. For 'C Moon', Paul plays the piano while sporting a pink sweatshirt emblazoned with the song's logo. Though shot on tape, the clips are subsequently transferred onto 16mm film for distribution to television, not yet utilising the convenient videotape process. Paul oversees the tape-to-film transferring process immediately after shooting and leaves the Southern ITV studios later this evening clutching the 16mm film masters. 'Hi Hi Hi' will receive a screening on LWT's Russell Harty Plus on Saturday December 16. While in Europe, amongst many screenings, the ZDF German music show Disco 73 belatedly screens the clip during March of the following year.


Thursday November 30

To celebrate the release of 'Hi Hi Hi'/'C Moon', Paul throws a lunchtime party at the Village Restaurant near London's Charing Cross Station.


December

George, at his home studios in Friar Park, Henley, records an unreleased demo version of 'Sue Me, Sue You Blues'. He will return to the song again during January 1973.

With the shooting now complete on Count Downe (Son Of Dracula) the Apple film undergoes sound dubbing at the World Wide Studios in St. Anne's Court, London.


Friday December 1

The Wings double A-side single 'Hi HI Hi' / 'C Moon' is released in the UK. (The American release takes place on December 4.) The record is released purely because of the tremendous response the songs have received during the last tour. BBC Radio One and Two immediately ban 'Hi Hi Hi'. BBC publicity officer Rodney Collins explains the ban: "The ban has nothing to do with drugs," he remarks. '"We thought the record unfit for broadcasting because of the lyrics. Part of it goes: 'I want you to lie on the bed and get you ready for my body gun and do it, do it, do it to you'. While another part goes:

'Like a rabbit I'm going to grab it and do it till the night is done.' " The irony of the story is that Paul did not write 'get you ready for my body gun'. The lyrics, as he wrote, go 'get ready for my polygon'. He admits that it was intended to be suggestive "in an abstract way". While the BBC ban on the song has taken an immediate effect, someone at the Corporation had unfortunately forgotten to tell DJ Tony Blackburn who had already spun the track on his radio show last week.

The flip side, 'C Moon', is inspired by the 1965 hit 'Wooly Bully' by Sam Sham and The Pharaohs, which features the line "Not to be L7", in other words "square". So Paul made up 'C Moon' which makes a circle, the opposite of square. The single reaches number five in the UK charts. Paul explains the story behind the songs on the single:

"We wrote 'Hi Hi Hi' in Spain, because we had this tour coming up. Purposely as a nice easy rocker... it's basically a rock and roll thing written on three rock and roll chords to give us something aside from the rest of our material. The general reaction is that 'Hi Hi Hi' is kind of the strong side, but the reason we made it a double A is that 'C Moon' is one of those songs that catches up on you after a while. I can hear 'C Moon' in a year's time, people saying, Yeah! I like that one'. There's things to listen to on that one, put it on headphones and it's quite a trip."

Linda chips in: "Especially if you've just come home from work, that's the side to get into." Paul also explains the recordings on the track: "We left all the little bits in that you'd normally clean up for the record. There's the intro., the bit 'is this the intro.' that was for real. I missed the intro. and the song has changed because of it."


Saturday December 2

" 'Mary Had A Little Lamb'... those lyrics are a heavy trip. Anyway, it sold as many as 'Tumbling Dice', so there! There was a critical thing about it, but listen, the point is we were all babies once and there are still a lot around who like to sing the song." - Paul, being interviewed by Mark Plummer in today's Melody Maker.

He continues his discussion of 'Mary Had A Little Lamb': "For me there were lots of silly little interesting things about the song, like I never knew beyond the first verse before. I knew 'Mary had a little lamb and its feet were white as snow, and everywhere that Mary went the lamb was sure to go' and I knew they sang the la las. Then after that I knew it followed her to school, but I never knew that the whole story was about the teacher chucking the lamb out of class. I thought it was just a great end where it gets chucked out. Everyone's wondering why this lamb is hanging about 'cause Mary loves the lamb. To me that's like a heavy trip those lyrics. It's very spiritual when someone hangs around because it's loved. I'm sure no one ever thinks about those kind of things."

Fresh from the filming of That'll Be The Day, Ringo and Maureen attend the London premiere of Josef Shaftel's production of Alice In Wonderland starring Fiona Fullerton at the Odeon Marble Arch in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen. Also in attendance are the celebrities Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Michael Crawford. Following the screening, Ringo and Maureen are among those attending a party at the Inn On The Park hotel.


Tuesday December 5

The proposed release today of John's single 'Woman Is The Nigger Of The World' (Apple R5953) is cancelled.


Tuesday December 12

Ringo appears live, promoting the film Born To Boogie, on the Thames/ITV children's television show Magpie. Meanwhile a clip of 'Children Of The Revolution' from the Born To Boogie film appears on tonight's edition of The Old Grey Whistle Test, broadcast on BBC2 between 10:35 and 11:20pm. The show also features 'Gimme Some Truth', extracted from John and Yoko's film Imagine.


Wednesday December 13

This morning, Ringo attends the Born To Boogie press screening at the Oscar One cinema in London. Whilst there he undertakes a few brief question and answer sequences with members of the British press.

Reporter: "How did you come to be filming Marc Bolan?"

Ringo: "I telephoned him one day and said, 'Come and see me. I've got this idea. See what you think. Yes or no.' And on that particular thing it was 'no'. But through that meeting we got to know each other and became friendly. Then I heard he was going to be filmed at his Wembley show. Well, Apple has a film company so I said, 'Why don't you let me do it? I'm your pal.' And he said, 'Okay. We'll do it together.' After the show we looked at the footage we had got and decided to add to it. You see, my theory about filming concerts is that you cannot create the atmosphere that was in the hall. So I needed to do more. We got him to write a few things and set up a couple more days shooting."

Reporter: "What about the 'Some people like to rock. Some people like to roll' sequence?"

Ringo: "Oh yes! It was so messy that it had to be included!"

Reporter: "Was the Wembley show in any way a nostalgic experience for you?"

Ringo: "Very much so. They were screaming and shouting and I love that."

Reporter: "So you enjoy the screams then?"

Ringo: "Oh yeah. If they had been quiet when I played I would have died. I wouldn't have known what to do."


Thursday December 14

At 7pm, Ringo's film on Marc Bolan and T.Rex, Born to Boogie, premieres in London at the Oscar One cinema in Brewer Street, just off Shaftsbury Avenue. In attendance is Ringo with Maureen, plus Marc Bolan, Micky Finn and Eiton John. During its opening two weeks at the cinema, the film will net approximately £1,613.

In America, ABC TV broadcasts the film version of John and Yoko's One To One Concert, which took place on August 30. While in England, this evening's Top Of The Pops (transmitted on BBC1 between 7:25 and 8:00pm) includes the promotional clip for 'Happy Christmas (War Is Over)', filmed at the recording sessions on October 31,1971 (see entry for further details).


Saturday December 16

In the UK, the London Weekend Television chat-show series Russell Harty Plus transmits the Wings promotional film for 'Hi Hi Hi' during tonight's broadcast in the London region of ITV only. (The screening occurs between 10:41 and 11:39pm.)


Thursday December 21

The Times book review section Quick Guide, unfavourably reviews the new Beatles publication Apple To The Core, which sets out to chart the slow decline and disintegration of the group.


Friday December 22

It is announced that Paul is to face trial on March 8,1973, accused of growing cannabis on his farm near Campbeltown, Kintyre, in Scotland. Paul does not appear to face the three charges at the Campbeltown sheriff court today. Through his solicitor, Paul pleads not guilty. Two of the three charges allege that he possessed cannabis at High Park farm and Low Ranachan farm, and the third charge alleges that he cultivated five plants of the drug.


Saturday December 23

The world premiere of John and Yoko's 70-minute film Imagine takes place on American television. (An edited 60-minute version, omitting Yoko's tracks, will be released on PMI [Picture Music International] home video in 1985.) The final version is an edit from more than 40,000 feet of film taken by the Lennons and is meant to serve as an accompaniment to John's Imagine album and Yoko's Fly, but unfortunately, by the time of this release, both albums had been freely available for over a year.


Monday December 25

Keith Moon, dressed as Father Christmas and accompanied by a sleigh pulled by several reindeers, appears unannounced at Tittenhurst Park in Ascot, as a Christmas Day surprise for Ringo and Maureen. Unfortunately, Keith hasn't got the money to pay for the prank so he asks Ringo to pay the bill, which he does.


Tuesday December 26

This afternoon on BBC1, between 3:31 and 4:59pm, during the corporation's annual "Boxing Day With The Beatles" slot, Help! receives its second TV broadcast. Later this evening, the BBC2 rock music programme The Old Grey Whistle Test broadcasts (between 11:15 and 12:04am) a 16mm film supplied by Granada Television, of The Beatles at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on August 22,1962, performing 'Some Other Guy'. (This is only its third ever TV screening.)


December

Denny Laine remarks: "The next year is really going to be exciting for Wings. A lot of amazing stuff is bound to happen!"

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