New book includes previously unseen Beatles photographs

When photojournalist Michael Peto died in 1970 he left an extensive collection of 130,000 prints and negatives to the University of Dundee. Two years ago, while archiving the collection, the university discovered over 400 photographs of the most influential band in history all of which had never been seen in public before. On 26th January the photographs of The Beatles by Michael Peto will be published for the firsttime in Now These Days Are Gone, a limited edition book from Genesis Publications, to be launched with a unique exhibition at Hoopers Gallery, London.

Shot in 1965, the Michael Peto collection features images of John, Paul, George, and Ringo at the time of the filming of Help!, in the studio, taking tea-breaks, at press conferences and at home. Peto’s images possess an unusually natural quality, taken at a time when most official photographs of the band displayed their growing awareness of the power of their image.

Now These Days Are Gone also features examples of Peto’s work as a photojournalist, positioning the lives of The Beatles within the everyday world of the Sixties -- fishmongers, steel workers and dockers -- showing Peto to be one of the outstanding photographers of his generation. With forewords by renowned music journalist Paolo Hewitt and Professor Jim Tomlinson, as well as a timeline comparing world events and key Beatles events throughout 1965, Now These Days Are Gone provides an historical context to Michael Peto’s photographs, and reflects the incredible social and cultural changes which The Beatles came to embody.

With only 2500 copies to be published -- including 350 copies signed by Beatles director Richard Lester -- all handbound to Genesis Publications’ usual high standard, Now These Days Are Gone will be a rare collectors’ item.

To launch this remarkable collection, previously unseen Michael Peto photographs will be showcased in an exhibition at Hoopers Gallery in London from 27th January 2006. The exhibition will provide a rare opportunity to purchase limited edition prints from the collection.

Hoopers Gallery is located at 15 Clerkenwell Close, London EC1 0AA. For more information about the exhibition, the telephone number in London is 0207 490 3908

Comments

[Rick Linville]

You definitely love the Beatles. I was wondering if you know about our international campaign to get Oprah Winfrey to do one show featuring Beatlefans, young & old, their lives as beatlefans, their memories, as well as their memorabilia.What was it like growing up loving the Beatles, what people did for you because they knew you loved the Beatles, what did your parents think, your brother/sister think. What did your schoolmates think? How old were you when you became aware of your feelings for the Beatles? What did you do before & after Paul's concerts if you went?We are having people e-mail their stories or just e-mailing their support for the idea to Oprah, a popular talk show host here in the USA. We need Beatlefans from all countries.Would you be interested in sending your Beatlefan stories and/or send letter of support for such a show to Oprah? Please pass this information to anyone or any site you possibly can.
Any questions Rick Linville RedRoseSpdwy@AOL.COM
To send your Beatlefan history and/or letter of support for the show
Click here: Contribute as a guest to upcoming shows
or
http://www2.oprah.com/index.jhtml
Then click below it Be On The Show in the middle. If you wish to send full-length story (above sites only permit 2000 charctars length) use US mail to Harpo Productions, Inc., 110 N. Carpenter Street, Chicago, IL 60617.
Sample letter below (before editing)
Dear Oprah
I write this letter as the excited 8 year old boy watching Ed Sullivan in 1964, as a father of two little girls getting to know Paul McCartney & a person who has sung Paul's songs for 40 yrs (in spite of being off key) I have been attempting to find others who have the same lifelong passion & lifelong stories about Paul McCartney similar to mine. . The significance of this passion instilled in my then 8 yr old heart in 1964- it is very unlikely person or band will likewise take the world by storm.
My history as a fan for 41 years follows. I am Rick Linville, a 49 year old fan from Columbus Ohio. I have been a Paul McCartney/Beatles fan since 1963 , when I first started hearing about the Beatles in the news. My first contact with them was on the Ed Sullivan Show. I sat one Sunday night in 1964 with my mom,dad, sisters Kay & Jane & deep down knew my life had just totally changed. I gave up toys at that point & all desires became Beatle albums. I would organize Beatle shows with 3 friends at 8 & 9 years old. I always impersonated Paul McCartney because he was my favorite. We made wooden guitars, used overturned wastebaskets for drums & pie tins for cymbals. We would setup on top of my parents big chest freezer in the basement. Neighborhood girls would pay us 10 cents each to watch our show. We would play a Beatles record on a small 16 inch by 16 inch "phonograph (AKA record) player & lip sync. At the end of the show we would run out of the house with the girls screaming behind us in play. I have always loved singing Beatle songs(even though family, friends ,even total strangers would ask me to stop singing) When I was in the third grade 1964 I wore my moms black crushed velvet boots to school because they looked like the boots on Meet the Beatles. My parents, sisters & girlfriends , for the next 40 years or so, knew what I would want for birthdays or Christmas. Initially, the Beatles were so cool looking & had a cool different sound. Their songs were meaninful & romantic. I have always loved singing Beatle songs(even though family, friends ,even total strangers would ask me to stop singing)
As with many Beatlefans, the third most outstanding date in our lives, behind the discovery & the breakup of the Beatles, was the violent death of John Lennon. I had loved & respected his music. My older sister called me from California that evening at 11PM to break the news to me. I cried that night, as well as weeped with hundreds of fans at the Ohio Statehouse lawn in downtown Columbus, Ohio.
I have seen Paul McCartney 7 times in concert, Ringo 3 times, George almost once (1971 canceled) & John never. I saw Paul once around 1976 with his group Wings. Then I saw him 3 times in 1989. Before the 1989 tour I found out if you joined his official fan club you can get preferred seating. So I joined & sent a money order to England. After 3 weeks I got concerned so I sent another money order. A lady from England called me at work & said the fan club had received my first money order. She said the only question-do you want the 2nd money order returned or an extra pair of tickets for a different show? I thought I must be dreaming. I said send the extra tickets. I had 2 Cincinnati tickets 18th row. The two extra tickets were for Detroit 8th row dead center. I was thrilled. A buddy & I went to Detroit to see him. He was alone on stage singing "Put It There". The song about his father putting out his hand to shake hands when Paul was an upset little boy. Everyone was seated while Paul was on stage singing. When he went into the main chorus, I stood up & put out my hand. He winked, smiled & nodded at me. I fell back in my seat dumbfounded. It was the one personal moment I always wanted with Paul. After that show I also saw him in Cleveland & Cincinnati on that tour. He came back on tour about 1993 & I saw him in Cincinnati with my soon-to-be wife. In about 2001 he came back on his Driving Rain tour. Another friend & I saw him in Cleveland & in 2002, on the 2nd leg "Back in the US" tour, saw him in Columbus Ohio. The interesting thing about the Back In The US tour-my dying mother knew the greatest gift she could give her then 45 year old son was a main floor seat for the show. Another bonus-my twin sister Kay, who was ho-hum about the Beatles since we were kids, wanted to go see him.
So Kay, myself & two other friends went to the Columbus show. Before the concert, we went to the venue early to see some Beatles impersonators band. While we were waiting for the doors to open, we decided to go over by the limousine entrance. I thought what a waste of time, but I agreed. While we stood there for 15 minutes with 20 other people, an English guy said Mr McCartney will be arriving in 5 minutes. Please do not rush the limo or he will not slow down for a wave & photos. Pauls entourage (4 limos & police escort motorcycles) arrived & I handed the camera to my sister, thinking I might be the one to get too excited to get the picture. Paul pulls up, pops his head out the window & begins waving. My 45 year old sister begins screaming & jumpimg up & down. She messed up the most important photo & got a photo of the front door of the limo. That broke my heart. So we went on in to the concert.
I finally stepped up to a microphone & sang Live & Let Die (without musical backing) on 3/18/05. It was "The Step Up To The Mike Columbus" American idol type contest for local singers. I saw it advertised on a news show at PM. So I drove down to see how many people were lined up downtown at the Promowest Pavilion. Pretty long line but I decided why not. My sisters Kay & Jane probably got the biggest kick out of me, of all people, being in a singing contest. But it was fun. I told everyone as we waited that people often ask me to stop singing. I also joked my wife makes me lip sync in church.
I was talking to a couple sitting behind me in the 13th row from the stage before the US Tour Columbus concert this past October. I told them I will be unable to buy any tour merchandise.The damage to my car in a burglary was not covered by insurance. It happened while waiting in a hotel lobby for Paul McCartney to possibly pass through (he never did appear) The couple said they talked it over, have 2 concert programs in the car & want me to have one of the programs. I gave them my address while I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming. Sure enough, 2 days ago I received the program PLUS a sealed clear box of greeting cards with McCartney artwork on each card. Priceless...even though I had to use my t-shirts & cups money for car repair, I still walked away with a souvenier. Does anyone know where these cards came from?
In conclusion,Oprah, My wish is for you to dedicate a show to Beatlefan stories. Again, I write this letter as the 8 year old boy watching Ed Sullivan with an adrenalin rush & now a 49 year old man with that same
adrenalin, hoping to see Paul McCartney again in October this year . I am RICK LINVILLE-Columbus, Ohio/USA
RedRoseSpdwy@aol.com