by David Bedford

We associate The Beatles' spiritual lives with their journey to Rishikesh to study with the Maharishi. However, that journey can be traced back to their childhood and their families, where circumstances and family life shaped their spiritual thinking and rebellion from an early age.

by Paul Sherlock

9 February 2011 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' first appearance at the Cavern Club. On the 9 February 1961, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe were paid the total sum of £5 for what would become the first of nearly 300 appearances that the Beatles made at "the most famous club in the world". The Cavern Club is celebrating of course with a day of music and events which I will tell you about in future articles.

WHO PUT THE BEAT IN THE BEATLES? NEW CD HAS THE ANSWER

by David Bedford

In my book, “Liddypool: Birthplace of The Beatles”, Liverpudlian I tracked down former school friends of John Lennon, plus one of his primary school teachers, Harry Holmes.

  Holmes, who described the young Lennon as a “polite, well-spoken self-confident” boy,
  has fond memories of his former pupil, especially in his role as Squire Trelawney in the
  school’s adaptation of Treasure Island.

  I also tracked down former classmates who have uncovered school photos – like the one
  < on the left which shows John at Dovedale School in 1951 is very rare -
  and retold stories of their pre-Beatle school friend.

                                                   They tell stories like:

• John Lennon knocked out my front teeth
• The day I entered a boxing ring with John
• I slapped John Lennon over a girl
• Lennon threw a flick-knife between my legs!