Category: Music

Sour Sugar, Sugar

If you’re of a certain age, the Monkees were once a very big deal. For two-and-a-half years I’d loved the Beatles, and “Revolver” had just been released. I was amazed by their progression, but I still loved light Pop music, and I thought the Monkees were great.

Way back in January, the Smithsonian Channel showed “Making the Monkees,” about the fascinating birth, brief life, and demise of the Pre-Fab Four, the all-time greatest manufactured Pop music entity. Here are five minutes from the documentary, focusing on the conflict between the group — especially Mike Nesmith, not so much Davy — and music supervisor Don Kirshner.

Mike’s interview is over ten years old, but the others were interviewed more recently. All of them, after these many years, still speak with anger and bitterness over what happened. Everybody was right, and everybody was wrong, but Kirshner comes across as a fool, for thinking that any four guys could have done what the Monkees did.

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2009/NOV/Monkees.flv 512 384]

Prue Bury at the Beatles Weekend, Ouistreham

I had told Prudence Bury-Fuchs a while ago that she should be prepared to sign autographs at the Beatles Weekend in France. Prue thanked me for the thought, but she sincerely doubted that anybody would ask her!

Hi Doug,
You were right, I did not stop signing autographs. People were “thrilled” to meet me!!! So it was most enjoyable. You will have to organise a “Beatles Weekend” across the pond!

Prue Bury at the Beatles Weekend, Ouistreham

Prue Bury on stage at the Beatles Weekend, Ouistreham

Of course I was right! Who wouldn’t be thrilled to meet her? In flawless French, Prue had no trouble charming the audience.

Prue must be the last person with a legitimate connection to the Beatles to make a first appearance at a fan event. I don’t have experience organizing shows, but now that Prue has come out of hiding from Beatles fandom, it is indeed time for her to make an appearance stateside, as well as in her native England, of course.

This is Prue with a gent named Yvon…

Prue Bury with Yvon at the Beatles Weekend, Ouistreham

…and here she is with a fan named Jean-Claude. You lucky guys!

Prue Bury with Jean-Clause at the Beatles Weekend, Ouistreham

Les Beatles Weekend en France

Prue Bury in \

By now, the Beatles Weekend in Ouistreham, Normany, with Prue Bury as a guest of honor, must be winding down. I hope somebody has been taking pictures. I would love to get hold of some.

Prue Bury, Pattie Boyd, Paul McCartney

I found thumbnails of other photos with Prue and Pattie from “A Hard Day’s Night,” seen nowhere else, that apparently are sealed in the Disney Vault.

I found this “Hard Day’s Night” dress on the Beatles Web site, which looks as though it were made for Prue:

When I pointed it out to her, Prue replied…

“That is a great dress!! Can’t think why I haven’t got one!!”

I’m in the middle of helping Prue with a Christmas project she has in the works, by trying to secure performance rights for songs that aren’t in the Public Domain. So far I’ve found only limited success, but I’m hoping for better results this week. I would like to thank Mr. Lawrence S. Kartiganer for his help. He is a Hollywood attorney in the great and grand tradition, and a true gentleman. If there were more like him the world would be a better place.

http://www.rmslaw.com/attorneys/Lawrence-Kartiganer/

While I was away…

I should take more time off from the blog. October has been the third busiest month this year for hits!

While I was away, to my utter amazement, lo and behold, those kooky ladies from Belgium, K3, finally went to #1 on the blog hit list! I suppose that must be due to the interest in the new girl, who was introduced at a live show in Holland a few weeks ago. Her name is Josje, which begs the question, how can they still call the group K3?

http://youtu.be/Rr96GO8ncvg

(BTW… Karen Damen is pregnant.)

A Hair Day’s Night

In this video, hair dresser Betty Glasow talks about working on “A Hard Day’s Night.” Note: it starts with a clip that includes Jimmy Nichol, the temporary touring drummer who filled in for Ringo, while he was having his tonsils taken out.

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These pictures show Betty setting the hair of beauteous Prue Bury. (Prue’s name is pronounced like “blueberry.”)

Betty Glasow setting Prue Bury\'s hair

Betty Glasow setting Prue Bury\'s hair

The next picture is a truly delightful one of Prudence, taken before filming started of the scene with her and Pattie Boyd. Click to see a 1024×768 scan.

Pattie Boyd, Prue Bury, John Lennon
© Astrid Kirschherr

See how Prue still has the clips in her hair? The newspaper next to Prue says “the Beatles” and if you look at the paper John Lennon is holding it says, “she’s with it! she’s got it!” That is so perfect. Prue is still very with it and she’s definitely still got it. I’m fairly sure that Ringo was sitting across from John.

And this is Betty Glasow getting Prue’s hair camera-ready for that day’s filming.

Betty Glasow and Prue Bury

Betty Glasow and Prue Bury

The finished product.

AHDN

AHDN

By the way, Prue’s regular hair stylist was Vidal Sassoon. Not one of his people, but Sassoon himself.