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Every couple of weeks we will answer all of your Beatle questions. So if there is something that you've been dying to find out just send in your question to "Dear Abbey" and she will have it signed, sealed and delivered to this page in no time flat.
Dear Abbey.
Q. Did The Beatles ever demonstrate any interest in sport over the years?
ROBERT FREEMAN GYMEA BAY NSW
A. Thanks for writing in Robert. This is an interesting question for there is scant reference throughout their careers about them having any interest in sport. But I do know that Paul, George and Ringo have all played cricket over the last ten years. George of course also likes racing anything on four wheels and Ringo has even played polo on elephant back!. Lately he's been seen snow skiing. He is also fond of backgammon if you can call that a sport. There's a photo of Paul playing tennis from the early eighties and both he and Linda liked horseriding. Paul also likes body surfing and swimming as well as sailing (which he did quite a bit of while in Oz in 1993). Paul has in the past also tried his hand at water and snow skiing. He also dosen't mind riding motorbikes (as long as he dosen't fall off). And if memory serves me correctly I think he follows Liverpool in the soccer comp over in England but have no idea if he ever played it as a youngster or not. I think John played soccer when he was young but can't find any reference to it at the moment. Recently Paul has become a keen baseball and tennis fan turning up at a few matches in both New York and London. No idea if he ever participates at these sports socially though. If anybody else can think of any sports that they've participated in over the years then please let us know.
Dear Abbey,
Q. While reading one of the newspaper reports on the "Beatles reunion" I wondered if it's true that besides Anthology and Paul's Flaming Pie they've never been in the studio together since they broke up. Do you know if they have or not?
Irwin Allen, Robinson, Victoria
A: What an interesting question, Irwin. It certainly got me thinking and the answer almost asks the question, when haven't they been together! Actually there hasn't been one year go by since the breakup where at least two Beatles didn't get together for some reason or other and yes, they have recorded together, many times in fact, either in pairs or threesomes but unfortunately, as far as anyone knows, they never regrouped in the studio as a foursome. All of the times that they have recorded together or appeared together in public since the breakiip that I know of are as follows and if you know of any other occasions please let me know:
Legend:
RS: Recording Session
CON: Conceet;
TV: TV Special/lnterview;
M: Movie;
RAD: Radio Interview;
PRO: Video Promo;
S: Social;
BM: Business Meeting.
1970:
RS: Ringo and George
on "It Don't Come Easy" and "Early 1970" Single
RS: George and Ringo on
"All Things Must Pass" LP
RS: George and Ringo on
"Leon Russell" LP
RS: John and Ringo on "John
Lennon/Plastic Ono Band" LP
RS: John and Ringo on "Yoko
Ono/Plastic Ono Band" LP
RS: John and George on
Yoko's "Who Has Seen The Wind" Single
S: John, Ringo and George
during sessions for "JL/POB" LP
S: George and Ringo at
a birthday party for Pattie Harrison
S: John, George and Ringo
at John's 3Oth birthday party
1971:
RS: Ringo and George
on "Back off Boogaloo" Single
RS: George and Ringo on
"Bangladesh" and "Deep Blue" Single
RS: George and Ringo on
"Concert for Bangladesh" Concert and LP
RS: John and George on
"Imagine" LP
M: John and George in "Imagine
- The Movie" and "Imagine"
S: John and George get
together in New York
S: Ringo and John at opening
of Yoko's art exhibition in New York
S: Ringo and John at John's
31st birthday party
1972:
RS: George and
Ringo on "Son of Schmilsson" LP by Harry Nilsson
S: George and Ringo and
wives holiday together in Cannes, France
1973:
RS: George and Ringo
on "Living in the Material World" LP
RS: Ringo and George on
"Ringo" LP and "Down and Out" Single
RS: Ringo and Paul on "Ringo"
LP
RS: Ringo and John on "Ringo"
LP
RS: John and Ringo on "Rock
n Roll" LP
RS: Paul and John on "Band
on the Run" LP (unconfirmed rumour)
RS: Ringo, John and George
on "Ringo" LP S: Paul and Ringo attend the premiere of movie "T'hat I'll Be
The Day"
S: John, George and Ringo
at a fund raising party in L.A 1974:
RS: George and Ringo on
"Dark Horse" LP
RS: George and Ringo on
"Shankar Family and Friends" LP
RS: Ringo and John on "Goodnight
Vienna" LP
RS: John and Ringo on Nilsson's
"Pussycats" LP
1974:
RS: George and Ringo
on "Dark Horse" LP
RS: George and Ringo on "Shankar Family and Friends" LP
RS: Ringo and John on "Goodnight Vienna" LP
RS: John and Ringo on Nilsson's "Pussycats" LP
RS: John and Paul during sessions for Nilssons "Pussycats" LP
S: John and Paul while Paul was in the U.S recording
S: George and Ringo attended a party for producer Richard Perry
S: John and Ringo attended many parties together during the year
S: John and George got together while George was in New York on his first
U.S tour
BM: Paul, George and Ringo held a business meeting together that John was
to attend but instead sent a balloon with the inscription "Listen to this
balloon"!
1975:
RAD: George and
Ringo while George did interview for '"Extra Texture"
S: Paul and George at Paul's "Venus and Mars" completion party
S: Paul and George attended a Frank Sinatra concert together
S: Paul and John when Paul visited John while recording in the U.S
S: George and Ringo at a Atlantic records party for Rolling Stones
S: George and Ringo at Ringo's 35th Birthday party
19761976:
RS: Ringo and Paul
on "Rotogravure" LP
RS: Ringo and John on "Rotogravwe" LP
S: Ringo and John during visit by Ringo to New York
S: Ringo and Paul at Ringo's birthday party
CON: Paul and Ringo when Ringo walked onstage at end of Paul's Los Angeles
concert. Ringo also joined them backstage
1977:
S: Ringo and Paul
when Paul visited Ringo on the set of "Sextette"
S: John and Paul were rumonred to have been together in New York and decided
to just walk on to the set of "Saturday Night Live", who had been doing a
running gag about the Beatles reforming for just $50. The two fabs thought
this was funny considering the millions of dollars they had recently been
offered to perform just one concert. So the rumour goes that they called a
cab but it didn't turn up and they missed the show, which is broadcast live.
Believe it or not!!
1978:
TV: Ringo and George in Ringo's TV special "Ringo" aka "Ognir Rrats"
1979:
TV: George and Ringo
when interviewed at the Monaco Grand Prix
S: Paul, George and Ringo at a party celebrating Eric Clapton's wedding to
Pattie Boyd
1980:
RS: Ringo and Paul
on "Stop and Smell the Roses" LP
RS: Ringo and George on "Stop and Smell the Roses" LP
S: John and Ringo when Ringo visited him at the Dakota
1981:
RS: Paul and Ringo on 'Tug
of War" LP
RS: George, Paul and Ringo on "All Those Years Ago" Single
S: George, Paul and Ringo at Ringo's and Barbara's wedding
1982:
RS: Paul and Ringo on "Pipes
of Peace" LP
PRO: Paul and Ringo in "Take it away" Video Promo
PRO: Paul and Ringo in "So Bad" Video Promo
PRO: Ringo and Paul in "The Cooler" Video Promo
M : Paul and Ringo in "Give my Regards to Broad St" Feature Movie
S: Paul and Ringo at "Buddy Holly Week" Party
1983:
RS: Paul and Ringo on "Give
my Regards to Broad St" LP
S: Paul, George and Ringo got together for a drink in London
BM: Paul, George, Ringo and Yoko held a business meeting in London
1984:
M: George and Ringo in the
Handrnade Movie "Water"
S: Paul and Ringo at the premiere of the Movie "Broad St"
1985:
TV: George and Ringo interviewed at the British Grand Prix
1986:
S: Ringo and Paul at a 21st
birthday party for Ringo's son Zak
TV: George and Ringo in the TV Special "Carl Perkins and Friends"
1987:
RS: George and Ringo on "Cloud
Nine" LP
CON: George and Ringo at The Princes Trust Concert"
S: George and Ringo at EIton John's Birthday Party
BM: Paul, George and Ringo held a business meeting together
1988:
TV: George and Ringo appear
together on the TV show "Aspel"
TV: George, Ringo, Yoko, Julian and Sean appeared at "The Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame Awards" in New York
PRO: George, Ringo (and Paul?) in "When We Was Fab" video
1989:
PRO: George and Ringo in Tom
Petty's Promo of "I Won't Back Down"
S: (March 20th)George, Olivia, Ringo and Barbara all attend the premiere
of the movie "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" in London.
PRO:(March 22-23)George and
Ringo participate in the filming at London's Pinewood Studios of a promo
video for Tom Petty's song
"I Won't Back Down".
S:( June 7th) George, Ringo, Eric Clapton and Jeff Lynne all attend a Bob
Dylan concert in Birmingham, England.
1990
S:( July 18th) George, Olivia,
Ringo and Barbara host a charity luncheon for the "Romanian Angel Appeal"
in London where they launch the "Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal"
album.
S: (October 12th) George attends the launch party for Ringo's All Starr
Band's live album at Bar One in Los Angeles.
S:( October 14th) George and Ringo and their wives all fly back together
to London from L.A. Upon arriving the press ask if this means a reunion
is at hand, Ringo replies "Sorry, we'd love to tell you, but we're not allowed
to talk about it!".
1991
S: ( June 20th) Paul and Linda
along with Ringo and Barbara and Priscilla Presley plus good friend Victor
Spinetti attend a party at London's Hard Rock Café for the launch of their
"Veggie Menu".
S: ( Mid November) Ringo visits George and Eric during their rehearsals
at "Bray Studios". He leaves with George and has dinner at Friar Park. During
the month George also has dinner one night with Paul and Linda.
S: ( December 2) Ringo and Barbara, Olivia, Jason Starkey and Mary McCartney
attend the "BMI Awards" in London to accept a variety of awards.
1992
CON: ( April 6th) George with
Eric Clapton's backing band give a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London
to benefit the "Natural Law Party". Guests seen in the audience and backstage
include Ringo, who comes on stage for the encore with George's son Dhani,
Olivia and Barbara, Maureen, Jason, Lee, Zak, Julian, Mary, Stella and Heather.
S: ( July 7th )Ringo and his All Starr Band hold a concert in London, England.
Guests include George, Barbara and Dhani, Jason and Lee, Mary and Stella
McCartney and Neil Aspinall.
BM: (Oct 8th)Paul, George and Ringo meet at Paul's MPL offices before joining
Yoko for a business meeting in London.
S:( Dec 9th) Paul and Linda visit George and Olivia in Los Angeles.
1993
CON: ( April 16th) Paul and
his band perform a short set at the "National Earth Day Concert" held at
the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Ringo joins them on stage for the chorus
of "Hey Jude”.
S/CON: September 11th) Ringo and Barbara, George, Olivia and Pattie Boyd
attend Barbara's sister's wedding in Cornwall, England in the afternoon.
George then picks up their son Dhani and head off to Paul's concert in London.
BM: ( October 7th) Paul and Linda fly home to England. Sometime during this
day or the next Paul meets with George and Ringo in London to discuss possible
recording sessions for the "Anthology".
1994
Throughout the whole year all three Beatles help with work on the Beatles anthology project
S: (January 19th) Paul and
Linda fly to New York in the morning. Later that evening they join Yoko
and Sean on stage to induct John into the "Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame" at
this year's awards ceremony held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. Earlier
Paul and Yoko had appeared together at a press conference. Afterwards Paul
and Linda are invited back to The Dakota and while there Yoko gives Paul
some of John's demo tapes that may be used in a Beatles reunion.
S: ( January 19th) George, Olivia, Ringo, Barbara, Eric Idle, Tom Scott
and others attend the funeral of their friend and colleague Harry Nilsson
at a private ceremony in Los Angeles.
RS ( Early Feb) : Paul, George and Ringo reunite at Paul's studio in Sussex
to record overdubs onto John's late seventies demo, "Free as a Bird".
S/RS/TV: ( June 23rd) Paul, George and Ringo convene at Friar Park to film
group interviews for the documentary on The Beatles, which is now going
under the title of "The Beatles Anthology". They are also filmed having
a bit of jam together playing old rock 'n' roll stands like "Blue Moon of
Kentucky".
1995
Throughout the whole year all three Beatles help with work on the Beatles anthology project
S/RS: ( Jan 28th) The Threetles
plus Yoko and Sean get together in London for a "Anthology" meeting at the
Hyde Park Hotel. Following the meeting Yoko and Sean are invited to spend
a couple of days with the McCartney's at their home in Sussex. Whilst there
Paul sets up a recording session at his nearby studio for Yoko to record
a new song called "Hiroshima Sky is Always Blue". As Paul and Linda and
all their children plus Sean are present, Yoko asks them all to contribute.
The finished recording features Paul on stand up bass and occasional backing
vocals, Linda on organ and backing vocals, James McCartney on guitar, Heather,
Mary and Stella McCartney on percussion, Sean Lennon on guitar and electric
piano and Yoko doing her inimitable lead vocals. Most of the song is later
aired during a Japanese television interview with Yoko.
RS: (Jan 30th - Feb 3rd )The Threetles reunite once again at Paul's Sussex
studio to record additional tracks onto John's demo of "Real Love". George
doesn’t arrive until the second day. Some of the sessions are filmed and
used in the promo video to accompany its release at the end of the year.
S: ( May 21st) Linda holds a photo shoot for Paul, George, and Ringo and
Paul’s home in Sussex.
PRO:( Sept 21st) Paul, George and Ringo are present in London to film special
inserts for a promo video for their second reunion song "Real Love". They
actually are filmed taking off one of John's art films titled "Smile".
1996
RS: ( May 13-14 ) At Paul's invitation Ringo arrives in Sussex to drum on a couple of tracks for tracks on Paul’s "Flaming Pie" album
1997
RS: ( Sept 29th) Paul records
vocals and bass for Ringo’s Vertical Man album in Paul’s Sussex studio.
.
S: ( Oct 14th) Paul, Linda, Heather, Mary, James, Ringo & Barbara, Mark
Hudson and many relatives and friends attend the London premiere of Paul's
new classical work "Standing Stone". Following the concert The McCartney's
and Starr's head to the airport and catch a flight to Paris to attend Stella's
first ever fashion parade the following day.
S: ( Oct 15th) Paul, Linda & family, Ringo & Barbara attend Stella McCartney's
first fashion parade for Chloe in Paris which is an overwhelming success.
1998
S: (June 8th) George & Ringo and their families join Paul and his family and friends at a memorial service for Linda in London at St. Martins in The Field church.
1999
S: (May 24th)George and Ringo and their wives attend the annual Chelsea Flower Show. Good friend Jools Holland accompanies them
2000
S:( March 1st) Paul and son,
James along with Sean Lennon, Jason and Lee Starkey attend this year's first
Chloe fashion parade put on by Stella McCartney in Paris. .
S: ( Early March) Paul and Heather Mills along with Ringo and Barbara are
photographed leaving a London restaurant together further fuelling rumours
of Paul's romance with Heather.
S:'(June 27th) George and good friend Ray Cooper attend the almost annual
Ravi Shankar concert at the London Barbican Centre. Also reportedly in attendance
is Stella McCartney. A week earlier Olivia, Dhani and his girlfriend and
Mary McCartney attended Ravi's
recital
S: ( Sept 17th) According to reports both George and Ringo were invited
to grand prix race driver Damon Hill's 40th birthday party held on this
day at Damon's home in Hambleton in England. An impromptu jam reportedly
ensued with participants including Damon, George, Ringo and Leo Sayer singing
a set of Who songs. Believe it or not!
S: ( December 16th) George, and presumably Olivia, attend a "Cirque De Soliel"
charity performance in London. Also attending but apparently not together
are Ringo and Barbara who are pictured with Python, Michael Palin.
