Anglophenia » The Beatles

Unseen Beatle Notes Are Generously Kept From Collectors

Fraser McAlpine — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:29:33 +0000

When it comes to the stuff left behind by the Beatles, it’s fair to say the madness of collectors has overtaken whatever joy can be gleaned from the items themselves. Why else would the conversation around such items be restricted ...

Six Iconic Instruments That Built British Rock

Fraser McAlpine — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:00:34 +0000

Note: these aren’t British instruments. In fact there aren’t many, if any, musical instruments that could be said to have definitely had their sole origin in the British Isles, although bagpipes come close.

Emma Watson And The Nine Scary Waxworks Of Doom

Fraser McAlpine — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:28:07 +0000

This week, a new waxwork of Emma Watson was revealed at the world famous Madame Tussaud’s in London. She looks, as a lot of waxworks do, not entirely unlike herself, but also not unlike someone else wearing an Emma Watson ...

(Up To) Eleven Of The Greatest British Rocker T-Shirts

Fraser McAlpine — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:28:33 +0000

See this pic? That’s Sarah from BBC AMERICA’s Orphan Black rocking a particularly iconic Clash teesh.

Five Inspired Beatles Album Cover Parodies

Fraser McAlpine — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 12:54:50 +0000

If there is one overarching lesson the world would do well to learn from the internet, it’s that a truly great parody is incredibly hard to pull off. Whereas, a mediocre one seems to be fairly straightforward.

British Cartoonist Bob Godfrey Dies

Fraser McAlpine — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:57:36 +0000

There’s a generation of British inventives, people who were young during the Second World War, and were used to fixing things, and being creative, using materials that were to hand. Somehow, they managed to put these skills to ...

How Are You Spending ‘Please Please Me’ Day?

Fraser McAlpine — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:17:02 +0000

50 years ago today, the four musicians in the Liverpudlian band the Beatles assembled in the EMI studios in Abbey Road, London, to make their debut album. There were 10 tracks to record, so that, with the addition of the A and B-sides ...

Ian Hart Is Playing John Lennon…AGAIN

Fraser McAlpine — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:59:18 +0000

If you haven’t seen the Liverpudlian actor Ian Hart – who you may remember as the turbanned Professor Quirrell in the first Harry Potter movie – playing John Lennon, this post isn’t going to make a whole lot of sense, ...

Not Every Beatles Anniversary Is A Cause For Celebration

Fraser McAlpine — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:10:41 +0000

Today, 50 years ago, the Beatles released “Please Please Me” as a single. It did very well for them in the UK, rocketing to the very top of the charts, or the very next spot down, depending on which magazine’s chart ...

Ten Great British Songs Performed By Muppets

Fraser McAlpine — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 08:58:13 +0000

Note: some of these are songs performed with Muppets as well as by Muppets. But there are songs and there are Muppets, so that should be good enough for anyone.