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Ray Connolly

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The Ray Connolly Beatles Archive Kindle Edition

by Ray Connolly (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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‘Most books about the Beatles are by writers who never met them. I was lucky, I was a journalist and I was there. I knew all of them, John Lennon confiding in me during a visit to Canada in 1969 that he’d left the Beatles - months before it became public knowledge; and then Paul McCartney asking me to interview him so that he could explain his side of the break-up.‘Before that I went to Beatles’ recording sessions at Abbey Road studios, followed the Magical Mystery Tour around England, and when John Lennon returned his MBE to the Queen it was me he phoned to break the news. I was there in the front row at George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh in Madison Square Gardens, while Ringo would co-star in a movie I wrote called That’ll Be The Day. Then, in December 1980, I was about to fly to New York to interview John when I got the phone call telling me that he’d been murdered.‘So this is my account of the Beatles’ story, a selection of some of my many interviews with them and others connected with them, as well news stories and reflections that I’ve published over the past half century in various British national newspapers.’ – Ray Connolly

Print length

384 pages
Language

English
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On Kindle Scribe
Publication date

May 26, 2019
File size

814 KB
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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07S7RPDZQ
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 26, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 814 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0956591531

Best Sellers Rank: #1,188,105 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #3,393 in Biographies of Actors & Entertainers
- #13,796 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies

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Ray Connolly

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RAY CONNOLLY has written several novels, including SHADOWS ON A WALL, LOVE OUT OF SEASON and SUNDAY MORNING, the movies and novels THAT'LL BE THE DAY and STARDUST and the television series LYTTON'S DIARY and PERFECT SCOUNDRELS.

He also wrote and directed the TV documentary JAMES DEAN: THE FIRST AMERICAN TEENAGER, worked with record producer SIR GEORGE MARTIN on the BBC Television series THE RHYTHM OF LIFE, and has written TV plays, films and documentaries, radio plays, short stories and much journalism.

Recently he wrote the biographies ELVIS - A LONELY LIFE, JOHN LENNON - A RESTLESS LIFE , ELVIS - A LONELY LIFE, the novella 'SORRY, BOYS, YOU FAILED THE AUDITION' and the novel KILL FOR LOVE. After spending six months in hospital suffering from Covid 19 in 2020, he turned the experience of being in a coma into the BBC Radio Play DEVOTED. In 2023 he published the memoir BORN AT THE RIGHT TIME.

He is married and lives in London.

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4.4 out of 5

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Fascinating

Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2020

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I've always thought that a book compiling stories about the Beatles written during their heyday (rather than the standard fare of retrospectives we generally get) would have been fascinating as the stories would likely provide us with some insight as to the day-to-day perceptions of them, both complimentary and critical, which would be interesting. For example, the book mentions John Lennon being named 'Clown of the year' in one newspaper after his various antics with Yoko Ono (bed-in's, naked album covers etc.) had worn a bit thin. That would have been a funny read for sure! Ray Connolly's wonderful book goes some way towards covering this as many (but not all) of the stories were written as the Beatles slowly disintegrated after the Sergeant Pepper album and these are easily the best parts of the book. Many of the chapters delve into life after the band's split and there are various opinion pieces as well as chapters focusing on people who were part of The Beatles' circle such as George Martin and Mal Evans. There's more than enough here for any Beatles fan though there is a bit of repetition here and there. Still, an enjoyable read.

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Mirimae

Excellent but biased

Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2015

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I've read many Beatles bios, but I think that this one gives the clearest picture of John and Paul, being the result of actual conversations with them. I do feel that Connolly is too caught up in his idolization of the two, and is dismissive of George's contributions to the "Beatles sound." There could not have been a better guitarist for them, as much as John wanted to think that. In fairness, George never gave Connolly an interview, being naturally suspicious of journalists, tired of the whole rigmarole, and not really giving a flip about anyone's opinion of him. His solo career soared far above either Paul or John's in the 70's, and even to this day, he continues to be inspirational to so many; it was not an ego trip for him, just about the music. "And wheeeere would they be without the steady beat of (Ringo's) drumsticks?" I do not think that, as Connolly repeatedly quoted John, "Paul and I were the Beatles", but as Paul now says, it was all four of them who made them what they were.

7 people found this helpful

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glitterheart

A few factual clangers, but still a very good read

Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2016

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Fascinating insight into a world we think we know, the crazy never-private world of the four most famous pop stars ever. Connolly has some really interesting tales to tell, some things I already knew about, some I didn't. I actually didn't realise Ray had written the screenplay for the movie That'll Be The Day, which co-starred Ringo. The most interesting stories, oddly, are those not about the Fabs themselves, but the people Connolly knew or interviewed who inhabited the magic circle in the '60s and '70s, such as Cynthia Lennon, Mal Evans and Freda Kelly, and the man who had his ticket to the carnival cruelly snatched away from him on the eve of The Beatles' success, Pete Best. There are some good interviews with Paul, John and Ringo, but none (Connolly says he now regrets) with George. There are a few blunders factually here and there (Lennon-McCartney, Connolly states, wrote Cilla's You're My World - er- no they didn't) and chronologically inaccurate elements (he says that John and Yoko did their Peace Bed-In, then posed naked on the Two Virgins sleeve together, while those two things happened the other way round, Two Virgins in '68, the Bed-Ins in 1969). He actually only came into The Beatles' orbit in 1967, covering their Magical Mystery Tour in September that year and then met and interviewed three of them fairly regularly, staying closest to John, still in touch with the Lennons when and after they moved to New York in 1970. It's a good read, if fact-fanatics (like me) can overlook the occasional clanger.

5 people found this helpful

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Ruben Betancourt

Superb Truthful Book About The Beatles -- The Real Thing!

Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2016

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Ray Connolly is an English writer, who wrote for many British newspapers, and wrote a lot about The Beatles, especially John and Paul, with who he became friends. His book, "Beatles Archive," a collection of a lot of his articles about "the boys" for various newspapers, gives us their stories as they happened, in real time.

If you love The Beatles, the real guys not the myth (and, trust me, they're very different and just as wonderful), you should read it.Ray's book opened my eyes to the reality of Yoko Ono, the good and the bad, for instance, and the positive effect she had on John, a very complicated man, a true troubled genius. The book's an eye opener!

Suffice it to say Yoko wasn't either as bad as the myth says or as good as she would want you to believe. But their love was really real. And this book is simply fantastic!

5 people found this helpful

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Bigangbo Bonanno

Enjoyable, mostly be prepared if not known already to some truths from one who was close.

Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2019

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Except where repeats of instances I liked this read. I more so like when truths whitewashed or just plain wrong are out into perspective. I watched that first Sullivan show and all the rest, followed The Beatles as the band and in their solo years and still do. So I appreciate truths and myths uncovered. The truth is as a Band The Beatles were untouched back in their time, and today with renewal interest they stand the test of time. Finally No John Lennon was no Saint. Just a great songwriter , singed who greatly worked well with Paul McCartney and vice a versa. Ringo and George are way under appreciated too.

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2013

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I just finished this book and it was ok, not the best book about the Fab Four, but not the worst.

4 people found this helpful

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DebGS

I Loved This Book

Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2014

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When reading this book it's nice to know how personally Ray Connolly was involved with a Beatle or two. His writing is not researched; rather, his writing came directly from his exposure to and his writing about the subject matter, the Beatles. He was a member of the press during the era of the Beatles. Because of this, Mr. Connolly had experiences (with John and Paul, mainly) that lets us in on a more authentic experience with the boys from Liverpool. He writes of what really happened because of his first hand interactions - professionally and socially - with these Beatles. This book is a series of his newspaper columns during this time. He oftentimes adds his current reflections to a column. A great read for Beatlephiles or not...easy, entertaining, fun reading.

5 people found this helpful

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perfetto

Reviewed in Italy on April 16, 2023

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libro arrivato in perfetto stato

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roger sweet

enjoyed the

Reviewed in Canada on December 8, 2016

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information written from the view point of a newspaper reporter, gave new insight into the beatles. enjoyed the read

Amazon Customer

Amazing Beatles Insights

Reviewed in Australia on November 28, 2019

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This collection of articles and interviews penned by Beatles insider Ray Connolly provides exclusive access to the Fab Four. He was there; he knew them all. I got so much out of this book – portraits of each Beatle in their homes, on the road, recording and just hanging out. I’ve read so many books on the Beatles, but Connolly’s book provides such striking insight into the personalities of each Beatle. Highly enjoyable!

David Heys

A terrific archive of Beatles history - worth keeping as a reference

Reviewed in France on August 20, 2016

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A brilliant narrative of the Beatles progress from teenagers to stardom by someone who was with them every step of the way. Incredible and fascinating snapshots of what went on behind the scenes

stuke

Dear Sir or Madam,

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2014

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Ray Connolly's Beatles Archive is as verbatim as you'll ever get it. Amongst the plethora of recent so-called 'authoritative' biographies, diaries, movies and theories, this book shines brightly with the truth. Ray was there, not only as a first class journalist with his finger on the pulse of all The Beatles' news at the moment it happened, but often as a counsellor and sounding board for both John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who each confided in him as perhaps the only newsman they could trust. When he wrote many of his articles there were details that he couldn't reveal, at the time. But here you'll read his revealing comments added to many of the articles that broke the biggest news stories of the day. And Connolly's not just an accurate observer, his special relationship with The Beatles was one on which real trust was built, especially with John who got 'sick and tired of reading things from...'. All he wanted was the truth. And here it is.

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