The blog is designed to feature both old and new Beatles-related print material including books, magazines, posters, or correspondence with people that have a Beatles connection or association. The blog will also feature books from people that have worked with the individual members of the group during their solo careers! Looking forward to seeing you here! Looking forward to your participation and feedback on the blog!
John “Buzz” Bezzini has one of the world’s largest collections of Beatles books and he will share his thoughts and opinions on some of the more rare and unusual Beatles titles.
John taught a course in 1984 called “The Beatles in Retrospect” marking the 20th anniversary of the Beatles’ arrival in America.
John also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication.
Enjoy Buzz’s Beatles Book Blog.
The images shared here are part of John’s private collection and are shared under Fair Use/ Fair Dealings. If you have any questions, contact the administrator.
If you would like to receive notifications of all new posts to this blog, you will need to register or subscribe. Then you will be kept up-to-date by email that new posts have appeared! If you enjoy the page, please pass the word on to your fellow Beatle Fan Friends! Thank you!
Don’t forget that there are hundreds of Blog Posts here, so check them out on the Index at the bottom of the page!
As a Beatles print collector, I have a particular fascination in finding and purchasing the rare independent Beatles books. Recently it proved to be a treasure trove for finding these items which I covet on Ebay. I love these independently produced books not only because of their difficulty to find but many of them are first-rate productions despite their creation and production problems due to operating under low budget constraints.
A book about collecting the original UK pressings by Mitch Scharoff:
Collecting UK Pressings
Collecting UK Pressings
Noted Beatles fan, Katie Collard, produced this independently produced book:
In The Hollows
In The Hollows
The back cover of the Katie Collard book:
An independently produced biography of the Beatles issued in 1981-need assistance with the author of this piece, maybe it is a factor of getting older, but I could not find evidence of the author in my copy of the book:
A Magical History Tour
A Magical History Tour
A sample page from the interior:
A Magical History Tour
Another sample page:
A rare title written by European Beatles authority Arno Guzek who wrote one of the earliest known Beatles discographies. This title was issued in 1977. C. Mattoon was the co-author of this work.
Recordings Of John, Paul, George & Ringo
Recordings Of John, Paul, George & Ringo
A sample page from the title:
Recordings Of John, Paul, George & Ringo
The copyright page for the book:A 1977 release
Enlighten Books 1992 release by John Aylward dealing with Apple singles. I have been looking for this title for quite some time.
Apple Singles File
A few sample pages:
Apple Singles File
Apple Singles File
Apple Singles File
Apple Singles File
Interested in hearing about the rare independent Beatles-related publications that you may have.
What is your crown jewel?
The item that you may have been searching for a long time that either was incredibly difficult to find or expensive to the point where you may have pondered and had 2nd thoughts about the purchase. Thank you for your input on these questions.
Buzz
Some Great Books in our Bookstore
Cavern Club – The Inside Story
This first-hand account of Debbie’s teen years frequenting and eventually helping to run the original Cavern Club is the authentic inside story of the Beatles launch pad, full of triumphs and failures – and surprise celebrity encounters.
£17.25Original price was: £17.25.£13.50Current price is: £13.50.
In Your Mind – The Infinite Universe of Yoko Ono (Softback)
Now in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Library & Archives
Acclaimed by MOJO & Goldmine
Recommended by Olivia Harrison
Spotlighted on The Beatles Channel, Sirius XM Radio
The true story of the woman John Lennon loved. Includes the work and music they made together, the love story of John & Yoko, and her relationship with the Beatles.
Ono’s incredible story goes way beyond what most people know.
There are astounding details about Yoko’s life (thirty-three years before meeting Lennon, twelve years with him, and over forty years of creativity since his death).
The author has followed Ono’s career since the mid-1960s, assembling a vast media archive on the artist. Yoko’s own voice, along with Lennon’s and others (in cited, published interviews) tell her undeniably true and complete story, disproving many myths. Bocaro has spent valuable time with Ono, gaining incredible insight.
Here is the ultimate exploration of Yoko’s childhood, her relationship with Lennon, her art, films, music and activism for peace and women’s rights.
It’s All Too Much is the unique memoir by music industry veteran David Stark, who grew up in north London during the 1960s as a dedicated Beatles fan and was lucky enough to meet his musical heroes on various memorable occasions. From gate-crashing the Yellow Submarine film premiere in 1968 (aged just fifteen) and ending up sitting directly behind the group, to meeting all of them individually in some extraordinary circumstances, David has some highly entertaining stories about his many Beatles encounters which have never been told before.
As I rummage through my Beatles-related collection and cataloging the pieces for future reference, I often come across items that I think that may be of interest to other Beatles fans or solo Beatles fans. Many of these books or magazines and assorted print media are from different countries or may simply have not reached a large mass audience when they were issued or released. This is the 2nd Buzz’s JPGR Hodgepodge post featuring some of these items. The Hodgepodge posts will become an occasional feature on this blog. The regular posts will continue to cover books or magazines that have some feature or some specific subject matter in common with each other or have a common theme tying them together!
Hope you will enjoy today’s Hodgepodge: The items pictured here are from my personal collection and were acquired from such various venues as Ebay and Abe Booksand other private collectors.
Tribute to George Martin:A special Billboard publication from April 11, 1998
In My Life-The Billboard Tribute to George Martin
Love these types of publications that are not widely circulated but are precious as collector’s keepsakes!
George Martin
The inside photo of George featured on the reverse side of the cover:
George Martin
The name of the individual who wrote the feature article about George Martin: Paul Sexton
George Martin
I love to collect Beatles-related auction programs for a various number of reasons. This one is from the great organizations in the UK called TRACKS, which I have purchased many Beatles items from. This one was from a 2014 auction. The reason I like these catalogs so much is that many items that I have never seen before and cannot afford to buy, I can at least have a nice photograph of the item and the history behind it in the archive. In another catalog I purchased a long time ago, (I don’t believe it was a TRACKS catalog) I had a picture of the reel-to-reel tape recorder that Bob Molyneux used to record the Quarrymen at the Woolton Village Fete. To top things off, Molyneux signed that same auction catalog.
Tracks
The back cover of the 2014 Tracks auction catalog:
Tracks
Interviews with John and Yoko from this era fascinate me in trying to understand their political views at that moment of their history:
John and Yoko
Love the cover stories on music magazines, this one was about the One-to-One Concert. My only disappointment with these sorts of magazines as a collector is their fragile nature and the eventual yellowing of the magazine over time. We will see more about the One-to-One event somewhere down the road, of that, I am sure. Possibly a photo book and a remixed and remastered audio of the complete concert as well.
John Lennon
Never had seen this magazine entitled New Departures before I saw it on Ebay. Published in 1981. It features a tribute to John Lennon. I also included the magazine credit page to identify the people that put the issue together: The cover features a photo collage put together by Peter Blake who helped design and put together the Sgt. Pepper cover
John Lennon
New Departures
I love cover stories about the Beatles from Billboard magazine, this one featuring the famous Richard Avedon photos.
This is the November 18, 2000, issue:
Billboard
Could not resist this UK issue of the Independent on Sunday Magazine from March 9th, 2008. It was the photo of two musical titans speaking about their views of what was going on the world in 1968…
John and Mick
I normally do not purchase too many Beatles-related books and magazines that are not written in English. However, I purchased this wonderful magazine from Spain featuring many unique photos from the J and Y Bed-In. This issue is from March 22, 2009.
Spanish Magazine
Sundance Magazine Vol 1 No 1 April 1972features John and Yoko discussing Women’s Liberation issues. In 1972 John and Yoko agreed to do a series of articles for Sundancewhich dealt with many social issues. Somewhere in the collection I have the magazine with the poem that John wrote about another issue…
Sundance
Saw this magazine on Ebay in order to read the feature on Sean Lennon published in this UK magazine. Article written by Conrad Bischoff and photographed by Zackery Michael. Interesting interview and many nice photos of Sean are featured in this article from Foxes magazine in 2017.Apparently, this magazines strongpoint are the great photo essays being presented.Bought this on Ebay!
Sean Ono Lennon
Journalism has changed over the years and certainly so has the treatment of women in popular magazines. I bought this magazine of course because of the John and Yoko article but I was amazed of how the material was presented judging by today’s cultural norms of what is considered appropriate. I personally believe that Yoko would have been offended by the way some of the material was being presented in the article but maybe I am not being fair in that assessment. I will leave that judgement to you, if you ever get the chance to read it or indeed if you have already seen it.
LIFE – In Asia
This is one concert I wish I had attended. It was a loving tribute to George Harrison in 2002, a year following his passing. Many of George’s friends and fellow musical luminaries contributed to this wonderful show which was released as a cd, dvd, and a beautiful Genesis book title to commemorate the event. Having been unable to attend this event in the UK, I attempted to do the next best thing. I saw on Ebay the concert program being offered for sale as well as an unused ticket from the event. I purchased the program, and I am very happy that I did.The concert was such a special one that I was thrilled to have acquired this keepsake though I certainly would have preferred that I had been able to attend this special event!
Concert for George
The ticket of the event:
Concert for George
This Progressive Media magazine from 1980 known as CMJ Magazine was published bi-weekly. This issue came out in that horrible month of December 1980. Published by College Media this Vol 4 No. 6. Jeff Tamarkin was the Managing Editor of this magazine. Jeff was a former editor of Goldmine magazine and is a music scholar.
This issue contained a tribute to John Lennon following his murder/passing. This is the back cover of that December 1980 issue of the magazine:
Progressive Magazine
Prior to the onslaught of digital media, it was very difficult to acquire magazines and books that were available only across the pond. The rapid expansion of computers and the quickly evolving internet and such internet sources as Ebay allowed us all to acquire print items that we were not privy to before.
Love this 1996 issue of Weekend magazine, a supplement to the UK based Daily Mail. Features an interview with John’s sister Julia.
John’s Sister Julia Speaks
Main photograph below is by Steve Poole. The story in this wonderful magazine article is by Lynda Lee-Potter:
John’s Sister Julia Speaks
I have a particular fascination in collecting Beatles-related magazines from the Sgt. Pepper era like this cover shot of John Lennon from theJune 3, 1967 issue of a radio-based magazine.
Then and Now
My copy of this January 1969 issue of Disc magazine. A great issue featuring a cover photo of John Lennon from the 1968 Rolling Stones R&R Circus. I love scouring through the old rock magazines especially those from the UK as you often find information of events or projects that may have been planned by the group but never materialized. Unfortunately, older magazines in the newspaper like format such as the older Rolling Stone Magazine yellow over time and become very fragile, and they need to be placed in plastic encasings to postpone their deterioration.
Disc
This is the hardcover edition of the Paul McCartney 2011 Tour program which comes encased in a slipcase. I do not normally collect tour books, but this one was special to me because not only was it a hardcover edition of the tour book, but it was also presented in a protective slipcase. Shown here are front and back covers of the book followed by a side view of the blue slipcase with the book inside.Many wonderful photos of Paul and the tour entourage are included in this tour book.
Paul on the run
Back cover of the hardback tour book:
Paul on the run
The side view of the book in the provided blue slipcase:
Paul on the run
This book has a multicultural origin. The book was printed in Hungary, but the publisher BAKHALL is located in Sweden and the text of the book appears in English. Published in 2007 under the supervision of Yoko Ono. The book presents a snapshot of the 1969 Bed-In event with many quotes from John and Yoko. The book is a small in size hardback which come with a dvd that features Bed-In documentary footage and Yoko’s Onochord video from 2004. The dvd is in the PAL format which is the European configuration for dvd’s and may not be watchable in some US dvd machines.
Front cover of the book:
Give Peace a Chance
Back cover of the hardback book:
Give Peace a Chance
A photo of the PAL format dvd that came with the book:
Give Peace a Chance
Hope you enjoyed the HODGEPODGE post of today! In the comments section I would like to hear from you about Beatle print-related items that were very difficult for you to find or locate or were so obscure that you felt compelled to buy them when you first encountered them. I am interested in hearing about Items that you had never seen before or that that your first reaction in seeing them was WOW, I have to purchase this for my collection!!!
The Beatles and The Jungle Book when The Beatles could have been turned into Vultures! – ANOTHER “WHAT IF” OF BEATLES HISTORY
This is a pin featuring the Vultures – Dizzie, Buzzie, Ziggy, and Flaps – issued in 2009 by Disney to commemorate the appearance of the characters in the 1967 Disney “Jungle Book” film. The pin sold out, no doubt due in some part to the supposed connection to the Beatles. Apparently, the Beatles were approached to do the voices of the vultures in the Disney film “The Jungle Book.” According to the article presented in the link below, John Lennon vetoed the notion of the Beatles doing the voices for the characters. Hope you enjoy the story. Written by Jordan Potter and appearing in FAR OUT!!!
What impact would it have had on the fans if the Beatles had made the decision to do a cameo vocal appearance in the film? Would it have been a positive career move or a negative one in your opinion?
The Lennon Play: In His Own Write by John Lennon, Adrienne Kennedy, and Victor Spinetti
Published in 1968 by Simon and Schuster – Victor Spinetti collaborated with Lord Laurence Olivier in a 1968 stage adaptation of a John Lennon work, The Lennon Play: In His Own Write, for the National Theatre!!!
Here is an excerpt from a Daily Mail article written by Ephraim Hardcastle on June 19, 2012
Laurence Olivier and the John and Yoko mix up
Spinetti recalled recently: ‘When I told Olivier that we now had John Lennon’s permission to go ahead, he said, “I’d very much like to meet with Johnny Lennon.” John and Yoko arrived at the National dressed exactly alike, in white, with their long hair. Olivier said, “Which is which, my dear baby? I can’t tell them apart!
This is the book of the play co-authored by Lennon, Kennedy, and Spinetti
This is my copy signed by the late Victor Spinetti and a Fest for Beatles Fans that was held in New Jersey several years ago.
Front cover of the book:
The Lennon Play: In His Own Write
The signature page of Spinetti’s inscribed message, signed at a Fest for Beatles Fans:
Signed by Victor Spinetti
The back cover of the book:
The Lennon Play: In His Own Write back cover
Adrienne Kennedy also shares her memories of working with and meeting a Beatle in the following title co-authored by her son Adam! This book is more difficult to find than the Spinetti title. I have seen this being offered on Ebay and book search services such as Abe Books!
Mom, How Did You Meet the Beatles by Adrienne Kennedy and Adam P. Kennedy
One of my favorite types of rare Beatles books is the titles about gigs they performed at locations in Europe that may not be well-known to many who live in the US or other countries outside of Europe.
Author Simon Hurford has written a couple of UK Beatles titles that were of great interest to me. The more recent title “There’s a Place” is featured on top followed by a photo of his earlier work, “Twist and Shout, The Beatles in Bath 1963.”
These rare Beatles books and the stories surrounding them are so interesting because they virtually always feature stories and information that are not commonplace or well-known by the typical Beatles fan. That coupled with the titles being usually limited to a UK release makes them more appealing than the more widely circulated Beatles books that appear all over the world.
Front cover of the 2nd Simon Hurford Beatles book:There’s a Place
There’s A Place
Back cover of the “There’s a Place Hurford title:
There’s A Place Back Cover
The signature page of the 2nd Simon Hurford Beatles book:
Simon’s first Beatles Book:
This book was incredibly difficult to find. Would like to thank Geoff Clode for his assistance in acquiring a copy of this title.
Twist and Shout
Inquiries about these 2 books can be sent to:sphurford@yahoo.co.uk
A message from the author:
“My approach to writing about pop music is to contact local newspapers and ask fans who have attended concerts to get in touch with me with their memories and stories. It is amazing what information comes out of that.
Many fans have visited the concert halls the Beatles performed at, and stayed in the same hotels as well. I also visit these places myself, speak to people, and spend hours in the local library and the homes of any archives that still exist.
Of course with venues closing and fans getting older it is becoming a disappearing world. Seeing or meeting The Beatles is the highlight of many fan’s lives and they love to talk about those times.
I write as a hobby. I saw there was a need for a book on The Beatles concert in Bath in June 1963, people still talk about it 60 years on. That was my first book and the start of this ridiculous obsession I have with pop.
If anyone wants copies of my books they can be obtained from Mr B’s Emporium 14-15 John Street in Bath, which is a wonderful independent shop that is perfect to browse in.
I have written 2 books on the Colston Hall in Bristol (now called Bristol Beacon) and both were commissioned by the Hall. One contains a chapter on The Beatles concerts. Copy attached of the covers.
Stay groovy
Simon”
Do you collect or buy books like these? Do you have a favourite? Let me know.
William Pobjoy, John Lennon’s headmaster at Quarry Bank School signed this testimonial for a student in one of his remaining classes as he faced his retirement years. Mitch Poole, a former member of my Facebook group sent me Mr. Pobjoy’s signature for my collection. That was so kind of him to do that. Pobjoy was one of the few teachers that John Lennon had, who he spoke fondly of in a public forum.
Mr. Poole gave me permission to post this testimonial on several occasions for which I am very grateful. Mitch was so kind as he realized that I also collect the signatures of people who played a role in the lives of the Beatles, and he kindly donated this to me knowing that I probably am going to donate all of the signatures to a Beatles museum!
Thank you, Mitch! Your kindness will never be forgotten!
William Pobjoy
William Pobjoy
Mitch Poole’s testimonial, signed by William Pobjoy, shortly before Pobjoy’s retirement. You will notice that it also was signed in the year that John Lennon was murdered in New York:
