X Factor chiefs have lined up Sir Paul McCartney to be the special guest star on the show's live final next month. The former Beatle is in talks to take to the stage on December 13 for his first appearance on the hugely popular ITV series. If Macca signs, the theme for the grand final would be Beatles week, which has been postponed from tonight's show. An X Factor insider revealed: "The big plan by Simon Cowell is to get Sir Paul for the final, which would be just fantastic. "Everybody knows the Beatles wrote some of the best songs in history so it would be a sensational end for the series." [read more]
Beatles fans will be giving thanks next week for some holiday TV specials featuring the Fab Four. The documentary "The Beatles on Record," debuts at 10 p.m. Wednesday on the History channel, focusing on the group's recorded works. Director Bob Smeaton, who also helmed the celebrated "Beatles Anthology" series, weaves together commentary by the four band members and producer George Martin as the program's sole narration, while the 60-plus song clips include previously unreleased studio material. An hour-long portion of the new Paul McCartney DVD, "Good Evening in New York City," follows at 10 p.m. Thanksgiving on ABC.[read more]
The first guided tour app of Beatles locations is released on the App store for the Apple iPhone® this month. Fully digital and downloadable, it celebrates the 40th anniversary this November of the band’s Abbey Road LP topping both UK and US album charts. Beatles Walk London includes 16 key Fab Four locations from Abbey Road’s zebra crossing to the Savile Row rooftop.
Incorporating maps, written content and pictures, the app has been created by designers Clay Interactive with writers David Roberts and Martin Downham and is available for download.
The app can operate independently as an informative look at London’s Beatle locations or enjoyed as a walking tour guide with easy to follow instructions street by street.
The app is the first of a series of literary and pop walks to be launched soon. Visit http://www.itunes.com/app/beatleswalklondon
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I n the past few months, it's been like that whole deja vu thing all over again. Or, at the very least, a second wave of Beatlemania. On Sept. 9, the complete Beatles catalogue — every album, every single — was rereleased, brilliantly remastered and digitally scrubbed pristine. It was timed to coincide with the release of a new video computer game, "Rockband — The Beatles," which introduced The Fabs to a whole new generation in the brand new millennium. Beatle freaks will appreciate the irony: Sept. 9, 2009, was the ninth day in the ninth month in the ninth year of the 21st Century. (No. 9 ... No. 9 ... No. 9 ... Get it?). Smart, those Apple executives. As a first generation Beatles fan, I'd already single-handedly made the Beatles millionaires by buying every album and every single record 40 years ago, then, in turn, every subsequent 8-track, cassette and CD release. [read more]
"BEATexpo 2009," coming to the Downtown Stamford Holiday Inn in Stamford, CT on November 28-29, currently boasts a wonderful guest-list, some fine tribute bands, a memorabilia marketplace + other worthy convention attractions. Now the event has one other amazing element to it: a motion picture casting call! But not just any casting call, this is the national audition for the upcoming Fab Four film being produced by Disney. They are not looking for singers, as the film is using 16 original Beatles tracks, but they are seeking four actors to play the leads who resemble or can imitate, or have the mannerisms and idiosyncrasies of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr. Aspiring actors and hopefuls are invited to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play a Beatle in what will undoubtedly be the biggest animated film of the year (it was previously reported that this was the 3-D remake of "Yellow Submarine"). The official casting call takes place at the hotel's "Shippan Point Room" on Saturday, Nov. 28 from 10am-6pm and Sunday, Nov. 29 from 12 noon-8pm as part of the convention. Below are the casting details...
FOR AUDITION, PLEASE CHOOSE THE ROLE THAT YOU BEST EMBODY:
[JOHN] 20-45, British Accent (Liverpool).LEAD ROLE
[PAUL] 20-45, British Accent (Liverpool).LEAD ROLE
[RINGO] 20-45, British Accent (Liverpool).LEAD ROLE
[GEORGE] 20-45, British Accent (Liverpool).LEAD ROLE
BE A BEATLE IN A MOVIE!
AUDITION INFO:
Location: BEATexpo 2009/Holiday Inn Stamford
At 700 E. Main St., Stamford, CT *Shippan Point Room*
Dates: Saturday 11/28 10am-6pm, Sunday, 11/29 12 noon-8pm
*please come dressed appropriately for the late 60's era
*actors should come in character with the accent & mannerisms
This film will be done in the Motion Capture technique that has been used in features such as BEOWULF, THE POLAR EXPRESS, A CHRISTMAS CAROL and MONSTER HOUSE. The human characters will resemble the Fab Four and not the particular actor playing the role. For all of the characters, we will capture not only the actor's voice but also physical performance in incredible detail. The captured performance then drives the computer-generated character in the final screen image. The actor's actual performance is very non-technical and liberating and is rehearsed and performed in a studio like a play.
Those auditioning will be portraying characters between ages 20-45. Actors should come dressed appropriately for the late 60's era and come in character with required accents and mannerisms. For research material and audition scenes, visit the blog: http://fabfourcasting.blogspot.com.
