Blog » Bill's blog - October 13-18, 2008
Saturday 25th October 2008
Bill has been increasing his focus on project work lately, and both Monday, October 13 and Tuesday were similar, with Bill wrapped up in his work all day in London. On Monday, Bill did have a quick chat with Charlie Watts, and spoke to both Evie Bricusse and Michael Winner on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, October 15, Bill's brother John celebrated his 70th birthday, and Bill sent flowers to John to celebrate. In the afternoon, Bill met up with Andrew Oldham, and together the pair walked over to The Chelsea Arts Club for some lunch and a chat, as Andrew was flying back to Colombia on Thursday. In the evening Bill continued working - though he would have watched the England game if it wasn't on a pay TV channel that he won't subscribe to, though he did catch up on the highlights later.
Thursday, and Bill is up at the crack of dawn and sorting through business issues, and at 4pm Bill did a phone interview with Jules Farber in the South of France about the black writer James Baldwin for Jules' book. Bill also got some early birthday presents: an orchid plant from Jerry Hall and a tree plant from Jo Wood.
Bill had also helped arrange an early birthday dinner for him (see photo, right) with close friends. Guests arrived from just after 7pm, with friends such as Mick Hucknell, Ken and Barbara Follett, Richard O'Brien and Chrissie Shrimpton, Lorraine Ashton and son Claude, Michael Winner and Geraldine, Lesley and Evie Bricusse, Jerry Hall and Jo Wood and friends, Bob Geldof and Jeanne, and finally Michael Caine and Shakira. Terry popped by later.
Bill says the evening was great - loads of great conversation, and Bob gave Bill a birthday gift of George Bush cufflinks from the US.
On Friday, Bill was doing media work again, with a two-hour filmed interview in the afternoon - Charlie Watts also gave Bill a call to apologise for not coming to the party last night, and Bill arranged to catch up with Charlie in November. The day ended with the escape of Jessie's hamster, which headed under the floorboards at midnight and couldn't be found.
On Saturday, Bill pointed out an article from the Dail Telegraph:
Daily Telegraph (18.10.08) said: "For the two groups who exercised utter domination over the Sixties, there was a simple question in the decade's final year: where could they go from here? The Beatles had grown from loveable Scouse mop-tops to the only truly global musical brand. The Rolling Stones were introduced on stage as "the greatest rock and roll band in the world" - an epithet with which few could argue.
Late in 1968, The Beatles' White Album was released, to wide acclaim for its song writing, but also puzzlement at its unevenness and hotch-potch of styles. With some prescience, Rolling Stone magazine compared it to "four solo albums under one roof" (though Ringo Starr's one credited track would have made for a short album indeed). Behind the scenes, the band was scarcely operating as a unit any more.
When the Beatles stepped onto the roof of Apple Records' Savile Row HQ two months later, on January 30, 1969, George Harrison had already briefly walked out of the group. On his return, plans for a public concert were shelved. Instead, the group (accompanied by keyboardist Billy Preston) performed for the final time to a smattering of friends, hangers-on, Apple employees, astonished passers-by and office workers. After five songs - plus a brief rendition of God Save the Queen - the police arrived to end the concert, and John Lennon made his famous quip: "I hope we passed the audition." By November, Paul McCartney confirmed to Life magazine that the Fab Four were no more.
The year of 1969 was by no means the end for The Stones; but it brought the tragedy that divides the two phases in the group's history. Heavy drug use had left founding guitarist Brian Jones barely able to contribute musically, and he had been refused a visa to perform in the US. In June, the other band members broke the news that he was no longer required in the group. In the early hours of July 3, Brian Jones was found drowned at the bottom of his swimming pool. A verdict of misadventure was recorded at the inquest; rumours of foul play persist to this day.
Jones's death and the disintegration of The Beatles form a natural bookend to the "greatest decade ever known", as a character in Bruce Robinson's film homage to the Sixties, Withnail and I, puts it. Things would never be the same again."
Bill got up mid-morning, and opened thank-you emails from Mick Hucknell, Michael and Shakira Caine, and others, as well as thank-you card from Richard O'Brien, as well as a bouquet of white roses from Michael and Shakira.
Bill worked throughout the day, though he attention was often caught up by the football on TV. In the evening, Bill and Suzanne drove to Kenny Jones' 60th birthday party (picked up Jerry Hall en route), as well as Kenny's daughter Casey's 21st birthday at Huntwood Park Polo Club. Guests included Patti Clapton, Nick Cooke, Ronnie Wood, Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr and Barbara, comedian Jimmy Tarbuck, and artist Peter Blake.
On Wednesday, October 15, Bill's brother John celebrated his 70th birthday, and Bill sent flowers to John to celebrate. In the afternoon, Bill met up with Andrew Oldham, and together the pair walked over to The Chelsea Arts Club for some lunch and a chat, as Andrew was flying back to Colombia on Thursday. In the evening Bill continued working - though he would have watched the England game if it wasn't on a pay TV channel that he won't subscribe to, though he did catch up on the highlights later.
Thursday, and Bill is up at the crack of dawn and sorting through business issues, and at 4pm Bill did a phone interview with Jules Farber in the South of France about the black writer James Baldwin for Jules' book. Bill also got some early birthday presents: an orchid plant from Jerry Hall and a tree plant from Jo Wood.
Bill had also helped arrange an early birthday dinner for him (see photo, right) with close friends. Guests arrived from just after 7pm, with friends such as Mick Hucknell, Ken and Barbara Follett, Richard O'Brien and Chrissie Shrimpton, Lorraine Ashton and son Claude, Michael Winner and Geraldine, Lesley and Evie Bricusse, Jerry Hall and Jo Wood and friends, Bob Geldof and Jeanne, and finally Michael Caine and Shakira. Terry popped by later.
Bill says the evening was great - loads of great conversation, and Bob gave Bill a birthday gift of George Bush cufflinks from the US.
On Friday, Bill was doing media work again, with a two-hour filmed interview in the afternoon - Charlie Watts also gave Bill a call to apologise for not coming to the party last night, and Bill arranged to catch up with Charlie in November. The day ended with the escape of Jessie's hamster, which headed under the floorboards at midnight and couldn't be found.
On Saturday, Bill pointed out an article from the Dail Telegraph:
Daily Telegraph (18.10.08) said: "For the two groups who exercised utter domination over the Sixties, there was a simple question in the decade's final year: where could they go from here? The Beatles had grown from loveable Scouse mop-tops to the only truly global musical brand. The Rolling Stones were introduced on stage as "the greatest rock and roll band in the world" - an epithet with which few could argue.
Late in 1968, The Beatles' White Album was released, to wide acclaim for its song writing, but also puzzlement at its unevenness and hotch-potch of styles. With some prescience, Rolling Stone magazine compared it to "four solo albums under one roof" (though Ringo Starr's one credited track would have made for a short album indeed). Behind the scenes, the band was scarcely operating as a unit any more.
When the Beatles stepped onto the roof of Apple Records' Savile Row HQ two months later, on January 30, 1969, George Harrison had already briefly walked out of the group. On his return, plans for a public concert were shelved. Instead, the group (accompanied by keyboardist Billy Preston) performed for the final time to a smattering of friends, hangers-on, Apple employees, astonished passers-by and office workers. After five songs - plus a brief rendition of God Save the Queen - the police arrived to end the concert, and John Lennon made his famous quip: "I hope we passed the audition." By November, Paul McCartney confirmed to Life magazine that the Fab Four were no more.
The year of 1969 was by no means the end for The Stones; but it brought the tragedy that divides the two phases in the group's history. Heavy drug use had left founding guitarist Brian Jones barely able to contribute musically, and he had been refused a visa to perform in the US. In June, the other band members broke the news that he was no longer required in the group. In the early hours of July 3, Brian Jones was found drowned at the bottom of his swimming pool. A verdict of misadventure was recorded at the inquest; rumours of foul play persist to this day.
Jones's death and the disintegration of The Beatles form a natural bookend to the "greatest decade ever known", as a character in Bruce Robinson's film homage to the Sixties, Withnail and I, puts it. Things would never be the same again."
Bill got up mid-morning, and opened thank-you emails from Mick Hucknell, Michael and Shakira Caine, and others, as well as thank-you card from Richard O'Brien, as well as a bouquet of white roses from Michael and Shakira.
Bill worked throughout the day, though he attention was often caught up by the football on TV. In the evening, Bill and Suzanne drove to Kenny Jones' 60th birthday party (picked up Jerry Hall en route), as well as Kenny's daughter Casey's 21st birthday at Huntwood Park Polo Club. Guests included Patti Clapton, Nick Cooke, Ronnie Wood, Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr and Barbara, comedian Jimmy Tarbuck, and artist Peter Blake.
