Despite having established copyright on a distinctive name, the Beatles were to generate many imitators, some of whom were to use the title quite blatantly. There was even a group who called themselves the Beatles and issued a disc, ‘The Girl I Love’ in 1965 – and another artist called himself John Lennon and issued a single called ‘Ram You Hard’ in 1970. There was also a John Lemon and a duo who called themselves John and Paul. The following were all genuine acts or recording artists: The American Beatles, The Canadian Beatles, The Japanese Beatles, The German Beatles, The Sex Beatles, The Bootleg Beatles, The Female Beatles, The Beetles, Beatles Costello, the Mersey Beatles.

When Beatlemania hit the United States in February 1964, New York’s radio station, WMCA, ran a competition for listeners to paint or draw someone in a Beatlewig – either celebrity pictures clipped from newspapers or photographs of friends. The most popular subjects were: Nikita Khrushchev, Mayor Wagner, Alfred E. Newman (of Mad magazine), Brigitte Bardot, the Jolly Green Giant.

When he lived in Weybridge, Ringo has nine cats and six television sets.

In Linda McCartney’s high school yearbook she was described as “a strawberry blonde with a yen for men.”

The name Apple was inspired by the painting by Rene Magritte which hung in Paul McCartney’s living room.

Ringo Starr penned the sleeve notes for Count Basie’s album ‘Basie On The Beatles.’

Robert Lipsyte was a journalist who was present when the Beatles met Cassius Clay in February 1964. 

His memories of the event were featured in the book ‘Muhammed Ali: Through The Eyes of the World.”

He recalled, “I remember the very first moment that I saw him (Ali) in the flesh was in the Fifth Street Gym in Miami Beach, which is now South Beach, and the Beatles had shown up there for a photo opportunity with him.

“They were herded into the gym and they kept looking at their watches. They were really mad because he was late and they decided that they weren’t gonna wait: “Fuck it, let’s go!” When they started to move out, the press agent signaled to these huge security guards and they just pushed the Beatles into a locked room, and I got pushed along with them, because I was talking to them. So the five of us were locked in a dressing room, waiting for Cassius Clay.

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