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When it comes to animation, Hayao Miyazaki’s name is often mentioned by other anime directors, and Makoto Shinkai is also one of them. The acclaimed director of Your Name and Suzume has long aspired to follow in the footsteps of Miyazaki. However, there’s one individual who ignited Shinkai’s passion for storytelling long before Miyazaki did, and that is none other than the legend, Haruki Murakami.

Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name | Credit: CoMix Wave Films

Murakami, a contemporary novelist known for his surreal, dreamlike narratives, is one of Japan’s most famous authors. By understanding the significance of Murakami’s literary influence and Miyazaki’s animation legacy, we can appreciate how Shinkai has crafted his unique, emotionally charged brand of anime.

Haruki Murakami’s Influence on Makoto Shinkai’s Storytelling

During the time promoting his films at the BFI London Film Festival, Makoto Shinkai shared the details with...

Celebrating the joy of watching films at TIFF, particularly in the movie theater, the poster features acclaimed actor Kikuchi Rinko, this year’s festival navigator.

Kikuchi entered the limelight in 2006, when she was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Babel by Alejandro González Iñárritu, and has since appeared in many films by foreign directors, including Norwegian Wood (2010) by Tran Anh Hung, Pacific Rim (2013) by Guillermo del Toro, and Endless Night (2015) by Isabel Coixet. Last year, she won the Best Actress Award at the Shanghai International Film Festival for Yoko by Kumakiri Kazuyoshi. For her significant commitment to the film industry as an actor, she has been appointed Festival Navigator for the 37th TIFF. Beyond her powerful gaze, we hope to present a new landscape of cinema.

The poster images were created by Japanese fashion designer Koshino Junko, who has designed TIFF’s visuals...

Many different Beatles songs have been cited as the moment when they “grew up.” Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler said that a track from Rubber Soul showcased how much the Fab Four changed in a short period of time. The track in question paved the way for an Aerosmith song.

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler liked when The Beatles took a musical trip to India

In his 2011 book Does the Music in My Head Bother You?: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Memoir, Tyler discussed why The Beatles blew up. “They were English and they had long hair when nobody else did and they said funny things, but it wasn’t that, either,” he said. “It was the alchemy they cooked up — Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Chuck Berry — and music hall numbers.” In other words, Tyler is saying that The Beatles were popular because they drew from an eclectic range of influences.

John Lennon’s 12-string Framus Hootenanny acoustic guitar recently sold for $2,857,500 million at auction. Lennon, along with George Harrison, had used the guitar to record such Beatles albums as Help! and Rubber Soul.

According to Julien’s Auctions, the auction house that oversaw the sale, the guitar had been lost for 50 years before unexpectedly turning up in the attic of a British home. Lennon had reportedly given the guitar to Gordon Waller, of Peter & Gordon, in 1965. Waller then passed it on to one of his road managers, who subsequently returned home to throw the instrument in the attic of his countryside home, where it remained for half a century.

Eventually, an English man discovered Lennon’s long lost Hootenanny when he was helping his parents move. It was still housed within its original guitar case. After contacting Julien’s Auctions, the guitar was examined and authenticated by Beatles historians Andy Babiuk and Danny Bennett.

A guitar used by John Lennon has sold for $2,857,500, setting a new record for the highest-selling guitar at auction in the Beatles’ history.

The Framus 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar, used in the recording of the Beatles’ 1965 Help! album and film, was bought through a telephone bid as part of a two-day music icons sale by Julien’s Auctions. The guitar had an estimated price of $600,000 to $800,000, but was expected to fetch far more. It surpassed the $2.4 million price tag of Lennon’s Gibson J160E, which sold in 2015.

“We are...

Johnny Greenwood is scoring Paul Thomas Anderson’s next film.

The news comes via an interview Greenwood did with the Guardian promoting his new eight-hour organ composition. Towards the end of the interview, Greenwood was asked about his other projects and he confirmed that he’s actively working on the score for Anderson’s next film.

“I’m incredibly lucky that Paul indulges me and gives me so much time to experiment and compose,” he said. “That’s not usually the case in Hollywood, where the soundtrack writers are often very far down the food chain, and are sometimes given only a couple of days to bash out a complete score.”

The as-yet-untitled film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Alana Haim, and Teyana Taylor, is currently shooting in California. A release date has been set for August 8th, 2025 through Warner Bros.

Greenwood previously scored Anderson’s films There Will Be Blood,...

Johnny Greenwood is scoring Paul Thomas Anderson’s next film.

The news comes via an interview Greenwood did with the Guardian promoting his new eight-hour organ composition. Towards the end of the interview, Greenwood was asked about his other projects and he confirmed that he’s actively working on the score for Anderson’s next film.

“I’m incredibly lucky that Paul indulges me and gives me so much time to experiment and compose,” he said. “That’s not usually the case in Hollywood, where the soundtrack writers are often very far down the food chain, and are sometimes given only a couple of days to bash out a complete score.”

The as-yet-untitled film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Alana Haim, and Teyana Taylor, is currently shooting in California. A release date has been set for August 8th, 2025 through Warner Bros.

Greenwood previously scored Anderson’s films There Will Be Blood,...

French Concession

Vietnamese French director and screenwriter Tran Anh Hung has been named as president of the jury for the upcoming Shanghai International Film Festival.

The festival, which runs June 14 to 23, said that his works “blend the expressions of Eastern and Western cultures, with sensitivity, delicacy, and a romantic style.” His films include: 1992’s “Scent of the Green Papaya”; 1995’s “Cyclo,” starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai; 2009 English-language thriller “I Come With the Rain,” starring Josh Hartnett; and “The Taste of Things,” which earned him the best director prize at Cannes last year.

The jury president role marks a return and a promotion for the director. He was previously on the Shanghai festival’s jury in 2011, when he also screened his “Norwegian Wood.”

Laser Focus

Sm Cinema, the largest exhibitor in the Philippines, is to open giant screen Imax cinemas in three new venues. It will also upgrade seven other cinemas to Imax with Laser installations.

After being discovered in an attic, John Lennon’s famous Help! guitar is headed to auction as part of the upcoming “Music Icons” sale at Julien’s Auctions on May 29 and 30.

Both Lennon and George Harrison played the Framus 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar while making Help! — both the album and accompanying film — as well as Rubber Soul. Lennon can be seen strumming it in the performance of “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” in the Help! movie, while it’s distinct 12-string shimmer also graced songs like “Help!”, “It’s Only Love,...

We know that Beatles fans all have their favorites, and now we want to know yours. Over Memorial Day weekend, The Beatles Channel (Ch. 18) will play the band’s 100 most popular songs — according to you, the real experts — during the annual “All Together Now” special.

The Beatles ChannelAll Together Now 2024Listen on the App

Listen on the App

Tune in to hear the countdown starting May 24, the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, on The Beatles Channel (Ch. 18).

Stream the countdown in full anytime, anywhere, on the SiriusXM app.

Directions: Select 10 songs from the list below. Voting ends April 17 at 11:59pm Et.

Memorial Day weekend is a time to remember our family, friends, and loved ones. If you’d like to be a part of this year’s “All Together Now” countdown, here’s your chance to introduce your favorite song on air. Please submit a dedication via voice memo to beatles@siriusxm.

Ariana Grande has a whole new era—or should we say, it has her? Her excellent new Eternal Sunshine is a bold personal statement, with her most inventive, pained, reflective songs. “It’s kind of a concept album,” the pop queen said in February. “‘Cause it’s all different heightened pieces of the same story, of the same experience.” So no wonder she’s taking inspiration from the crazy boys who invented the concept album: The Beatles. In a NYC playback session for Eternal Sunshine, the pop queen revealed that...

In September 2023, The Film By the Sea Festival in Vlissingen focused on French cinema, and on literary book adaptations. With Trần Anh Hùng's The Taste of Things they scored a double-whammy, as it falls in both categories. A loose adaptation of Marcel Rouff's 1924 novel La Vie et la Passion de Dodin-Bouffant, Gourmet, The Taste of Things is a surprisingly enjoyable film, a veritable highlight of cinema this year. Director Trần Anh Hùng makes peculiar films, but he makes them well. The famous Japanese writer Murakami stated that Trần was the only director allowed to adapt his novel Norwegian Wood, and Trần's latest, The Taste of Things, even won the 'Best Director' award in Cannes this year. And no wonder, as while its story...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Sometimes, celebrities say things that really throw you for a loop. Paul McCartney said one of the wildly popular songs from The Beatles’ Rubber Soul was created with “minimum effort” at “minimum expense.” He wanted this track to serve as a blueprint for other bands. John Lennon revealed the tune was inspired by another essential 1960s artist.

The Beatles never bothered to make a song from ‘Rubber Soul’ sound funkier

In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed the creation of “Michelle” from Rubber Soul. “We never remixed it for dance, we never did a funky mix,” he said. “That was the end of it and it’s still around and it’s still a popular song, still clocking up numbers on the little tachometer or whatever it is they’ve got: four million broadcast performances. From that one little thing. Minimum effort, minimum expense, minimum everything.

The Beatles were just full of surprises. Paul McCartney said The Beatles’ “Drive My Car” (1965) contains a joke derived from a common theme in blues music. On the other hand, John Lennon barely had anything to say about the song.

Paul McCartney on The Beatles’ ‘Drive My Car’ and ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’

In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul recalled the writing of “Drive My Car.” “It was wonderful because this nice tongue-in-cheek idea came and suddenly there was a girl there, the heroine of the story, and the story developed and had a little sting in the tail like ‘Norwegian Wood’ had, which was ‘I actually haven’t got a car, but when I get one you’ll be a terrific chauffeur,'” he said. “So to me, it was LA chicks, ‘You can be my chauffeur,’ and it also meant ‘You can be my lover.

The best music sometimes causes physical reactions in listeners. For example, Peter Frampton said one song from The Beatles’ Rubber Soul gives him “goosebumps.” Frampton also revealed how he learned one of The Beatles’ codenames.

Peter Frampton said John Lennon emoted on a song from The Beatles’ ‘Rubber Soul’

During a 2009 interview with Cleveland.com, Frampton named his favorite Beatles song. He picked “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” from Rubber Soul. “There’s an emotion there in John’s voice,” he said. Frampton’s comment is interesting, as John’s performance on the song could just as easily be interpreted as detached or sarcastic.

“The chord structure of it — the way he put the song together — has always given me goosebumps,” Frampton added. “And don’t forget: Buy the mono versions. That’s all we had. I can’t wait not to hear voices on the left. I want...

Over the course of his career, John Lennon worked with many musicians. The Beatles brought in other musicians to play on their songs, and he collaborated with many artists in his solo career. Despite this, Lennon said he found it difficult to talk about music with other artists. He explained that he relied on producer George Martin to do this for him because he was too shy.

John Lennon said he found it challenging to talk to musicians

In the early 1960s, The Beatles began working with Martin. He helped transform their music and bring their visions to life.

“George Martin had a very great musical knowledge and background, and he could translate for us and suggest a lot of things,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “He’d come up with amazing technical things, slowing down the piano and things like that. We’d be saying, ‘We want it to go un,...

George Harrison was the most spiritually-minded of The Beatles, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t indulge himself by showing off. He once said he wrote the solo from The Beatles’ “Within You Without You” to draw attention to himself. George revealed what he thought of “Within You Without You” in hindsight and contrasted it with the other songs from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

George Harrison explained the time signature of The Beatles’ ‘Within You Without You’

The book George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters features an interview from 1993. During it, George discussed the difference between Western and Indian musical composition. “In Western music, basically the tempo goes 4/4 or 3/4, and that’s it,” he said. “In Indian music, they have a hundred-and-eight rhythm cycles, and they can even play in things like 7½.

“It’s quite complex, but I did learn this little piece, one...

Vietnamese-born French director Trần Anh Hùng's is famous for films like The Scent of Green Papaya, Cyclo and Norwegian Wood. His newest film The Taste of Things won him the prize of Best Director at Cannes this year, and has just been chosen as the French selection for the Academy Award for best Foreign-language Film. That means the film has to play in the United States in 2023, and to that effect IFC Films will distribute it in a limited release in December, after which a full roll-out will happen in February 2024. With a release comes a trailer, and here it is. The film is a loose adaptation of Marcel Rouff's 1924 novel 'La Vie et la Passion de Dodin-Bouffant, Gourmet' (which translates as...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

John Lennon worked closely with George Harrison on “Norwegian Wood.” While Lennon had limited interest in working on his bandmates’ songs, he was protective over his own work. Therefore, he grew frustrated as he and Harrison struggled to get the song right. He admitted that he grew angry while recording the song.

John Lennon found it frustrating to record The Beatles’ ‘Norwegian Wood’

In the mid-1960s, Harrison became interested in the sitar. As he learned to play the instrument, Lennon asked him to play it on the song “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown).” While Lennon wanted the sound in the song, they struggled to achieve his vision for it. Lennon grew increasingly upset as they worked their way through it.

“George had just got the sitar and I said, ‘Could you play this piece?'” Lennon told Rolling Stone. “We went through many different sort of versions of the song,...

The Film By the Sea Festival in Vlissingen focused this year on French cinema, and on literary book adaptations. With Trần Anh Hùng's The Taste of Things they scored a double-whammy, as it falls in both categories. A loose adaptation of Marcel Rouff's 1924 novel 'La Vie et la Passion de Dodin-Bouffant, Gourmet', The Taste of Things is a surprisingly enjoyable film, a veritable highlight of cinema this year. Director Trần Anh Hùng makes peculiar films, but he makes them well. The famous Japanese writer Murakami stated that Trần was the only director allowed to adapt his novel Norwegian Wood, and Trần's latest, The Taste of Things, even won the 'Best Director' award in Cannes this year. And no wonder, as while its story seems...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Exclusive: Lighthouse Media & Management has signed the multi-hyphenate Kiko Mizuhara, best known for starring in Toho’s adaptation of Norwegian Wood and the beloved manga Attack on Titan, for representation in all areas.

Based on the novel by Haruki Murakami, the former film follows Toru Watanabe (Kenichi Matsuyama), a young man in 1960s Tokyo, as he grapples with the suicide of a friend, as well as fledgling relationships with both the friend’s girlfriend and another woman. Mizuhara played the latter, Midori. After world premiering in Venice, the film was released in Japan in 2010, making its way to the U.S. two years later.

Released in two parts in 2015, Shinji Higuchi’s live-action Attack on Titan — based on the Hajime Isayama manga — is a post-apocalyptic actioner picking up with Eren (Haruma Miura) and his friends as they join a military group known as The Survey Corps, in order to take...

Japan has selected Perfect Days, the Tokyo-based fiction feature from German filmmaker Wim Wenders, as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2024 Oscars.

The pic, which debuted in competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, was picked by the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. The decision marks the first time a non-Japanese filmmaker has been chosen to lead the country’s Oscars push. Wenders’ Perfect Days is likely to have beat out Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy And The Heron for the spot.

The film’s official synopsis reads: Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine, he enjoys his passion for music and books. He loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveals more of his past.

Starring are Koji Yakusho (Babel), newcomer Arisa Nakano,...

Bob Dylan noted that John Lennon took much inspiration from his music. He also believed Lennon let another American artist inspire him. Dylan thought Lennon lifted the beginning guitar portion of The Beatles’ “Revolution” from a 1954 song from American guitarist Pee Wee Crayton. He didn’t think Lennon did it purposely, though.

Bob Dylan believed John Lennon borrowed from a 1954 song

In 2008, Dylan put together an album called The Music That Matters To Me. On it, he highlighted the 1954 song “Do Unto Others” by Pee Wee Crayton. Crayton was an American blues guitarist. Dylan noted on the album’s liner notes that Crayton, like the other artists on the compilation album, “somehow managed to turn lead into gold for a couple of minutes.”

Dylan believed the song was more influential than one might initially think. He thought it was likely that Lennon had lifted the song’s opening guitar riff and used it for “Revolution.

Tl;Dr:

John Lennon felt the “basic” Bob Dylan songs were based on the music of three countries from Europe. Yoko Ono said The Beatles’ songs were influenced by “the frame of capitalism.” Yoko felt that “to make their names big, [The Beatles] had to play the game, smiling and all that.”

John Lennon called some of Bob Dylan’s songs “basic.” Yoko Ono had a similar view of The Beatles’ songs. Despite John’s comment, Dylan’s songs still influenced him.

John Lennon said ‘basic’ Bob Dylan songs were ‘Scottish, Irish, or English folk songs’

The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations With John Lennon includes an interview from 1971. In it, John discussed how American music influenced his style. “We all were very conscious of being imitation Americans in the early days,” he said. “But we delved into the music and found out that it was half white country western...

The Lennon-McCartney songwriting credit appeared on Beatles albums for years, even when Paul McCartney and John Lennon primarily wrote songs alone. The partnership was an enormously successful one. They sold millions of records and, at least early in their time with The Beatles, relied wholly on one another to finish songs. They worked more independently in the latter half of the 1960s, but Lennon’s longtime friend Pete Shotton said he still liked the Lennon-McCartney credit. He was too insecure to solely have his name on a song.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney used the Lennon-McCartney songwriting credit for years

In their early days with The Beatles, Lennon and McCartney spoke about writing “eyeball to eyeball.” They relied on one another to write hits. As they grew as musicians, though, they began writing independently and turning to each other for feedback. While they were highly competitive, Shotton said Lennon was...

When John Lennon first heard a Bob Dylan song, his songwriting changed entirely. He took a great deal of inspiration from the American artist. Suddenly, Lennon’s lyrics held more introspection and depth. According to Lennon’s longtime friend Pete Shotton, the musician hadn’t previously considered the fact that his lyrics should have meaning.

John Lennon changed his perspective on songwriting after he heard Bob Dylan’s music

When The Beatles first heard Dylan’s music, they began listening to it at every chance they got. Shotton, who had known Lennon since they were in school together, had a firsthand look at the way Dylan influenced his friend’s writing.

“My personal association with John’s songwriting began at a time when he was first starting to repudiate the greeting-card sentiments of the Beatles’ early hits,” Shotton wrote in his book The Beatles, John Lennon, and Me. “In this...

Jimmy Page and George Harrison were two of the most famous guitar players ever, but few music fans would confuse them. Page’s blistering solos, folk- and blues-based style, and layered riffs as Led Zeppelin’s lone guitarist stood in contrast to George’s more pop-oriented style. Yet they both enjoyed The Black Crowes’ music and shared a passion for Eastern music. Page bragged about owning a sitar before George, though Zep’s founder admitted Harrison played it much better.

Jimmy Page bragged about owning a sitar before George Harrison but admitted The Beatles’ guitarist played it better

Harrison and The Beatles went to India in early 1968, but he had already used a sitar on several Fab Four songs. He played the instrument on “Norwegian Wood (“This Bird Has Flown),” “Love You To,” and “Within You Without You.”

Still, George wasn’t the only English guitarist interested in Eastern sounds.

1967’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is still The Beatles’ best-selling album. It was also their most experimental, as the band took on new personalities and dived deep into rock psychedelia. While the album saw the band at their highest peak creatively, it owes a lot to another project. According to producer Giles Martin, son of Beatles’ producer George Martin, Sgt. Pepper’s would not have happened without an album from The Beach Boys.

Giles Martin said The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’ wouldn’t exist without The Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds’

Giles Martin followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming an accomplished music producer. He’s remixed and remastered some of his dad’s work, such as the 2022 remaster of 1966’s Revolver. His father helped The Beatles create many of the most successful albums ever, including Sgt. Pepper’s.

In an interview with Musicradar, Giles shared his conversation...

Wim Wenders’ Tokyo-based Cannes Competition title Perfect Days has clocked a series of international deals for The Match Factory.

Deals reported include UK/Ireland/Latam/Turkey (Mubi), Australia/New Zealand (Madman), Benelux (Paradiso), China (DDDream), Italy (Lucky Red), Spain (A Contracorriente), Switzerland (Dcm), Baltics (A-One Baltics), Bulgaria (Art Fest), Cis (A-One), Czech Republic and Slovakia (Aerofilms), Former Yugoslavia (McF), Greece (Feelgood Entertainment), Hong Kong (Edko Films), Hungary (Cirko), Israel (Lev Cinemas), Poland (Gutek), Portugal (Alambique), Romania (Bad Unicorn), Scandinavia (Future Film) and Taiwan (Applause).

North American rights were previously sold to Neon, while France went to Haut et Court.

The official synopsis for the movie reads: Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and for books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected...

In 1973, the band Stealers Wheel released “Stuck in the Middle With You,” a song that many listeners have incorrectly attributed to Bob Dylan. Dylan had nothing to do with the song, but it’s unsurprising that people think it was his. The lyrics sound like Dylan could have written them, and the nasally vocals sound like his. In reality, “Stuck in the Middle With You” was a surprise hit that singer Gerry Rafferty wrote to parody Dylan.

Bob Dylan | Val Wilmer/Redferns The song ‘Stuck in the Middle With You’ is meant to sound like Bob Dylan

In 1973, Scottish band Stealers Wheel released “Stuck in the Middle With You,” a song about their experience in the music industry.

“We signed a contract with a big American company and they threw a launch party in a chic restaurant in Chelsea,” Rafferty told Record Collector. “There was a huge table with about 50 people there,...

Tl;Dr:

A comedian listened to The Beatles’ “Michelle” because he couldn’t find any classical music. He said the chorus of the song had lyrics that could easily have fallen flat. “Michelle” appeared on a compilation album of The Beatles’ love songs. The Beatles | Keystone Features / Stringer

A comedian went to India and listened to a compilation of The Beatles‘ love songs for a month straight. Subsequently, he said he found The Beatles’ “Michelle” “hypnotic.” He compared it to the work of one of the greatest composers of all time.

The Beatles’ songs were once the closest thing to classical music the comedian could find

Rainer Hersch is a comedian/musician. He’s known for combining humor with Western classical music. During a 2012 interview with The Telegraph, he named “Michelle” as his favorite Beatles song. He explained how he fell in love with the track.

“I did my de rigueur,...

Exclusive: Neon is nearing a deal for North American rights to Cannes competition entry Perfect Days from The Match Factory in a deal pegged in the mid-to-high six figures.

The parties declined to comment.

Wim Wenders’ well-received Japan-set movie debuted today on the Croisette. The official synopsis for the movie reads: Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and for books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past.

Starring are Koji Yakusho (Babel), newcomer Arisa Nakano, Tokio Emoto (Norwegian Wood), Yumi Aso (Carnation), Sayuri Ishikawa, Tomokazu Miura (Adrift in Tokyo), Aoi Yamada (Netflix series First Love) and veteran actor and dancer Min Tanaka (The Twilight Samurai).

Related: Cannes Film Festival 2023: All...

In the late 1970s, Bob Dylan began releasing music with overtly Christian themes, a development that made John Lennon roll his eyes. Lennon was once an avid Dylan fan, but by this stage of his life, his respect for the other musician had cooled considerably. He even wrote a song to mock a Dylan tune he hated.

John Lennon and Bob Dylan | Bettmann via Getty Images; Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images John Lennon wrote a song that made fun of something Bob Dylan wrote

In 1979, Dylan released the album “Slow Train Coming,” his first of three Christian albums. Lennon said he found Dylan’s embrace of religion surprising, though he didn’t want to comment on it.

“I don’t like to comment on it,” he said, per the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview With John Lennon and Yoko Ono by David Sheff. “For whatever reason he’s doing it,...

In 1967, Bob Dylan and The Beatles both released albums. Dylan, along with many other people, made an appearance on the cover of The Beatles’ album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. When he released his album John Wesley Harding several months later, people wondered if Dylan had returned the favor and put The Beatles on the cover.

Bob Dylan | Steve Morley/Redferns Did Bob Dylan hide The Beatles’ faces on his ‘John Wesley Harding’ album?

Dylan’s 1967 album John Wesley Harding had a snapshot of him standing in front of a tree with three men. It was a good fit for the album, which had a relatively simple production value compared to the psychedelic rock his peers were releasing at the time.

When listeners looked closely at the album cover, they began to wonder if faces hid in the tree branches. Per Rolling Stone, when the album is upside down,...

After The Beatles discovered Bob Dylan, his music inspired much of John Lennon’s writing. Lennon spoke highly of the American artist, and they began spending time together. Lennon pointed to a Beatles album that took particular inspiration from Dylan. He said he realized Dylan was writing “artsy-fartsy crap” and getting away with it. He wanted to try doing the same thing.

Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty; John Downing/Getty Images John Lennon noted the way people spoke about Bob Dylan’s work

When reflecting on his work in The Beatles, Lennon said Magical Mystery Tour was one of his favorite albums because of its absurdity.

“Magical Mystery Tour is one of my favorite albums, because it was so weird,” Lennon said, per The Beatles Anthology. “‘I Am The Walrus’ is also one of my favorite tracks — because I did it, of course, but also because...

Tl;Dr:

George Harrison used a sitar on a song from The Beatles’ Rubber Soul. He said the sitar wasn’t good. A famous sitar played had mixed feelings on the song in question. The Beatles near a window | Icon and Image / Contributor

George Harrison took issue with an instrument he used in a song from The Beatles’ Rubber Soul. In addition, Indian musician Ravi Shankar had mixed feelings about the song. Despite these opinions, Rubber Soul became a big hit in the United States and the United Kingdom.

George Harrison disliked a sitar he used in a song on The Beatles’ ‘Rubber Soul’

The book George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters includes an interview with George and Shankar from 1997. In it, George discussed the origin of The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown).” He said the Fab Four were open to taking influence from a variety of sources at the time,...

Paul McCartney always had a knack for songwriting. Yet Paul almost gave up on “Drive My Car” until John Lennon helped rescue it. They worked out the kinks before bringing them to the rest of The Beatles, and Paul repaid the favor by helping John finish two of Rubber Soul’s best songs.

Paul McCartney and John Lennon | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Paul McCartney almost gave up on ‘Drive My Car’ until John Lennon saved it

Writing songs never presented much of a challenge for Paul once he got used to the process. He proved his genius as a songwriter with “Ob-la-Di, Ob-la-Da” from the White Album. A friend spoke the titular phrase during a hang-out, which sparked the bouncy tune. Macca wrote several songs on the spot and needed only a few hours to finish his synth-heavy holiday “Wonderful Christmastime.”

“Drive My Car” was the opposite.

In 1964, Bob Dylan met The Beatles and showed an immediate interest in John Lennon. According to The Beatles’ road manager, Dylan viewed Lennon as the leader of the band. They began spending time together, likely to Lennon’s delight. He was a huge fan of Dylan and took inspiration from him. As time went on, though, Lennon’s opinion of Dylan shifted. He grew more critical of the American artist at the same time that Dylan started showing more appreciation for him.

Bob Dylan and John Lennon | Cyrus Andrews/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images John Lennon and The Beatles were early fans of Bob Dylan, but Dylan didn’t want to admit he liked them

Even before The Beatles met Dylan, they admired his music. Dylan was an early influence on them.

“For three weeks in Paris, we didn’t stop playing it,...

The Beatles had an extensive catalog and a relatively brief touring career; as a result, there were a number of songs they never performed live as a band. In his solo career, Paul McCartney has dusted off some previously unplayed songs in concerts, but many have still gone unperformed. Here are five songs The Beatles never performed live.

The Beatles | Edward Wing/Express/Getty Images ‘And Your Bird Can Sing’

John Lennon wrote the Revolver song “And Your Bird Can Sing” in 1966, and it has puzzled listeners since. People have speculated that the song is about anyone from McCartney to Frank Sinatra to Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull. Lennon did little to clear it up. When reflecting on the song, Lennon rolled his eyes at it.

“Another of my throwaways,” he said, per The Beatles’ official website. “Fancy paper around an empty box.”

Because The Beatles stopped touring in 1966, they...

Tl;Dr:

The Beatles’ “Love You To” incorporates George Harrison’s “cheap sitar” and it sounds amazing. The song combines Eastern sounds with an embrace of earthly pleasures. It’s a masterpiece that’s been overshadowed by “Tomorrow Never Knows.” The Beatles | Hulton Archive / Contributor

The Beatles‘ “Love You To” is not one of their most famous songs. Despite this, it deserves a lot more attention. The song shows off George Harrison’s genius as a songwriter in a way that’s novel for a Western pop song.

George Harrison revel how a trip to a store called Indian Craft changed The Beatles’ songs

The book George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters features an interview from 1992. In it, George discussed how “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” paved the way for “Love You To.” “First of all, there was ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown),’ because I’d...

John Lennon considered Bob Dylan one of his musical influences. Lennon adapted a more introspective approach to songwriting and often cited Dylan as someone he wanted to emulate. Unfortunately, that admiration soured over time, and the two did exchange a few insults. Here are three times Dylan and Lennon threw insults at each other.

John Lennon called one of Bob Dylan’s albums ‘pathetic’ John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images

Bob Dylan was raised in a Jewish household but never expressed many religious themes in his music. In 1979, he became a born-again Christian, baffling many of his fans who were unaware of his religious views. These themes were first expressed in 1979’s Slow Train Coming.

Around that time, John Lennon recorded a long monologue discussing the state of the industry and Bob Dylan’s latest work. He called his latest music “pathetic” and dissed Dylan’s instrumentals and lyrics.

It took time, but George Harrison proved he was hardly the third wheel among The Beatles’ songwriters. He might have been the most progressive writer in the group and wrote several experimental songs that saw him dabbling in technicolor psychedelia and Indian music. George’s demo for “Love You To” is a wonderful look at how the sitar- and tabla-led Revolver song took shape from the bare-bones acoustic version.

George Harrison | Evening Standard/Getty Images George Harrison brought Indian music to Western audiences with ‘Love You To’

It wasn’t the first Beatles song with George on sitar (that would be “Norwegian Wood”), but “Love You To” was the first Fab Four tune where the Indian instrument takes the lead. George turned the Revolver song into a showcase for the sitar, starting with two lush opening strums.

From there, George layered in some drones underneath a gentle mini solo and...

While The Beach Boys had a competitive rivalry with The Beatles, the two bands greatly respected one another. Many of their work was in response to or influenced by music released by the other. The Beach Boys’ lead singer Brian Wilson said The Beatles’ Rubber Soul is one of his favorite albums, and he once shared his favorite track from the record.

Brian Wilson was amazed by The Beatles’ ‘Rubber Soul’ Brian Wilson | Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

In 1965, The Beatles released Rubber Soul. While not their best-selling or best-performing album, the record did include classic songs, like “In My Life” and “Michelle”. While many Beatles fans wouldn’t consider this one of their best albums, Rubber Soul profoundly impacted The Beach Boys’ singer.

In an interview shared by Far Out, Wilson recalled hearing Rubber Soul for the first time in Hollywood.

“It must have been in November of 1965,” Wilson shared.

George Harrison earned a few nicknames with The Beatles. The quiet one, the shy one, the third Beatle, and the most easy-going Beatle. Whatever name people called him, at least one thing was true — he was a talented songwriter who was overshadowed by his older songwriting bandmates. That didn’t prevent George from being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 14, 2009, a second prestigious posthumous honor for one of Liverpool’s most famous sons.

(l-r) Paul McCartney, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Leron Gubler, actor Eric Idle, Olivia Harrison, Los Angeles city councilman Tom Labonge, actor Tom Hanks, and Dhani Harrison | Lester Cohen/WireImage George Harrison was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 14, 2009

The Hollywood Walk of Fame welcomed George on April 14, 2009, and it was well-deserved. After all, he played a large part in crafting music that changed the world.

Exclusive: The Match Factory will be handling world sales on Wim Wenders’ Japan-set Cannes Competition entry Perfect Days.

The film reunites three-time Oscar nominee Wenders with Cannes, where he has debuted 12 movies and previously won the Palme d’Or for Paris, Texas.

The official synopsis reads: “Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and for books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past.” Above is a first look image of the film.

Starring are Koji Yakusho (Babel), newcomer Arisa Nakano, Tokio Emoto (Norwegian Wood), Yumi Aso (Carnation), Sayuri Ishikawa, Tomokazu Miura (Adrift in Tokyo), Aoi Yamada (Netflix series First Love) and veteran actor and dancer...

The Beatles were masters of the rock n’ roll genre. While they could create songs that sounded different from each other, they mostly stayed in the realm of rock, where they were comfortable. However, a few times, The Beatles branched out into other genres, creating a new sound that advanced rock even further.

‘Love You To’ The Beatles | Fox Photos/Getty Images

On the set of 1965’s Help!, George Harrison became fascinated by the sitar and began fiddling with the Indian instrument. He first used the instrument on “Norwegian Wood”, but that song still remained closer to the classic Beatles sound with a bit of influence from Bob Dylan. “Love You To” from 1966’s Revolver was the first Beatles song to fully embrace Indian culture and the spiritual nature of its music.

Harrison, who was learning the sitar from sitarist Ravi Shankar, almost entirely orchestrated the track. The only help...

George Harrison was best known for his guitar skills, but he also developed an interest in the sitar. The Beatle began fiddling around with the instrument while on the set of Help! In 1965. Soon, the instrument made its way onto a Beatles record. The instrument isn’t present in many of the band’s songs, but it did make repeat appearances. Here is every song that features George Harrison on the sitar.

‘Norwegian Wood’ George Harrison and Ravi Shankar | Bettmann / Contributor

“Norwegian Wood” is the first song featuring George Harrison playing the sitar. John Lennon wrote the 1965 Rubber Soul track, which is a Bob Dylan-influenced track with a blend of Indian music. Harrison bought the sitar he used for this song at a shop in Oxford Street called Indiacraft. Lennon suggested he use the instrument in the song, but it took Harrison a few tries before he could get the melody right.

Bob Dylan was one of John Lennon’s musical heroes. The “Imagine” singer was impressed by Dylan’s introspective songwriting style and folk vocal performances and wanted to incorporate these traits into his music. Dylan heavily influenced a few of the songs John Lennon wrote for The Beatles, and Lennon wasn’t afraid to admit it.

Here are 5 of John Lennon’s Beatles songs that were influenced by Bob Dylan ‘Norwegian Wood’ John Lennon | Max Scheler – K & K/Redferns

“Norwegian Wood” is from The Beatles’ 1966 Rubber Soul album. The track was written by John Lennon and featured the first use of the sitar on a Beatles song by George Harrison. The lyrics involve Lennon discussing an extramarital affair he was involved in. Dylan’s vulnerability influences him as he reveals personal details in the verses.

Dylan could tell Lennon was inspired by him but felt like the Beatles singer was ripping him off.

Bob Dylan has been a successful musician for decades, picking up critical acclaim, awards, and even a Nobel Prize along the way. His songwriting has also inspired many other musicians, including those who rose to prominence at the same time he did. Here are five musicians who took inspiration from Dylan.

Bob Dylan | Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers grew as musicians after joining Bob Dylan on tour

In the 1980s, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers joined Dylan on tour as his backing band. Petty would go on to work with Dylan in The Traveling Wilburys, but he said the initial tour was an incredible learning experience for the band.

Tom Petty, Ge Smith, Roger McGuinn, Neil Young, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Steve Cropper, Clapton & Duck Dunn; shot by very young me in 92 pic.twitter.com/mN0EBaY47L

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) October 8, 2017

“I learned so much from Bob Dylan,...

George Harrison’s contributions to The Beatles were limited to his guitar playing, but when he could shine, he created many of the band’s most unique sounds and experimental tracks. One of Harrison’s most famous Beatles songs was based on a “30 or 40 minutes” piece by Ravi Shankar and had to be condensed dramatically.

George Harrison discovered an interest in the sitar while filming ‘Help!’ with The Beatles George Harrison and Ravi Shankar | Central Press/Getty Images

During the 1960s, Harrison developed a passion for Indian classical music. He learned how to play the sitar and first incorporated it in a Beatles song on “Norwegian Wood” from 1965’s Rubber Soul.

In a 1992 interview with Billboard, Harrison said he was first exposed to the sitar while filming a scene for the movie Help!. There were Indian musicians in the background of a scene, and the singer-songwriter was captivated by the sound.