Over the gate...

Designed in 1913 by Victorian/Edwardian/other architect Theophilus A Allen; John Lennon's house between 1964 and 1968; sunroom, attic and prisco stripe hibernice; Mellotron and caravan; Babidji and Mimi; mortar and pestle; Wubbleyoo Dubbleyoo; curios and curiosity; remnants and residue; testimonials and traces; (Cavendish Avenue, Sunny Heights and Kinfauns); Montagu Square; mock Tudor: Brown House: *KENWOOD*.

(Also available as a blog.)

Legal Blah: This blog is for historical research only, and is strictly non-commercial. All visual and audio material remains the property of the respective copyright owner, and no implication of ownership by me is intended or should be inferred. Any copyright owner who wants something removed should contact me and I will do so immediately. Alternatively, I would be delighted to provide a credit. The writing is by me, such as it is, unless otherwise stated, and this is the only Beatles related blog I am responsible for.

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Comments are the responsibility of the individual commenter, and commenters' opinions do not necessarily reflect my own. (NB: This blog revels in flagrant trivia. If that's not yer "thing", this won't be yer "thang".)

Correspond via: kenwoodlennon@googlemail.com

Tuesday 5 February 2013

57 Green Street: Flat L.


Despite lysergic dreams of communal living in 1967, the only time all 4 actually co-habited was in the autumn of 1963, at number 57 Green Street in Mayfair, central London. And yes, you guessed it - massive renovation means that this place is almost completely unrecognisable, making the auld then unt nau-ing almost impossible.
However, tragically, I have nothing better to do today, so hier ist der guff; fireplaces may be ripped out and renewed, but the locations don't tend to move about, so it's probably safe to assume that the above correspond.
The famous photos of fan-mail-openage would have been taken at the other end of this room. Note the bit of wall above the right hand red arrow - back in '63 there were 2 rooms here, with the far end forming a small dining room next to the kitchen. That section of wall "hanging" from the ceiling is what remains of the division between the living/dining rooms:



I think the record player would have been in the living room, and the windows seem to correspond:


As does the brick edge visible outside the window. Note too how the '63 ceiling has gone, so to utilise what would have been attic space back then and create a more "roomy" room:


If that's a blind, then these may correspond:


I'm pretty sure these don't, though. The modern one is an en-suite off one of the two bedrooms; I'd guess the '63 shot was taken in the small central toilet designed for communal use (though one at a time, gentlemen please):


Or.................................................................................not.

Kenwood: June 29, 1967.


The Beatles' Book Monthly photo library is being digitised and put on-line, including, o' course, the Leslie Bryce session from Kenwood. As suspected, a few new 'uns have been lurking unused in the files. Above - another sunroom seamstress shot, below - Lennon Jnr on the steps down to the pool:


This is maybe the most "interesting", however; the shelving in the living room, giving a glimpse of the platters that mattered at Kennie in the summer o' '67:


The first Buffalo Springfield album, clearly, plus that copy of Electronic Music again, somewhat less clearly, and then the rest is lo-res sludge:


...though I bet someone recognises them. Comment away if so. (I think there might be a Pepper in there. Or not.)

More new shots may follow.

Sunday 3 February 2013

The Beatles: All These Years, Vol 1.


Exciting! For once! The Special Edition of Mark Lewisohn's Beatles' history can now be pre-ordered! (He's the one on the right, above.)(I think.)

I don't need to to tell you, do I not, that this tome has been 8 years in the making, that this tome promises to be the ultimate why? what? where? when? how? whathefuck? tome; that though this tome will certainly spawn a thousand trails leading to other tomes, there will never be another tome like this tome. 3 volumes (or tomes), overall, and, finally, here is the first.

According to Amazon, Volume 1 will have, initially, two editions: a standard hardback first, priced at 30 pounds, and the Special Edition, priced at 120.

Now, 120 quid in these disgusted times is a lot o' dough, no question, but you are getting the whole schnizzle for that - the unexpurgated poop, the undefiled shiznit... 1856 pages, apparently, and, in short, the fruit of 8 years' research and writing, and half a century's knowledge.

Plus it's a limited edition and I guarantee you there won't be a more sure-fire investment this year.

So, if you can possibly afford it, here it is: ALL THESE YEARS - SPECIAL EDITION VOLUME 1

The above leads to the UK Amazon site. The US one doesn't have it up yet. As it were.

But all actually quite exciting, no?

UPDATE: Official site link now added under Friends unt Neighbours!