Post by Jan Owen on Apr 23, 2008 17:29:46 GMT
A few thoughts about the great, much-missed Neil Aspinall.....
First off, I am very lucky to say that I am world-traveling musician. Besides London, Scotland, Paris, Bermuda, Hawaii and all over the USA, I've had the great honor of performing at Liverpool's Beatle Week every year since 2004, and Buenos Aires' Beatle Weeks since 2005. And the journey, along with my EVERYTHING, Wendy, has led us to many wonderful and exotic places, and we got to meet and talk with some very famous people, and also some behind-the-scenes, yet very IMPORTANT people. In this case, a man who was extremely integral to the careers of The Beatles.........
In 2006, Wendy and I attended the VIP-Only Premier of Cirque du Soliel's "The Beatles LOVE" at the Mirage Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas.
We met and got the chance to chat with Sirs Paul McCartney & George Martin, Brian Wilson, Jeff Lynne, "Rutle"Eric Idle, Cynthia&Julian Lennon, Dhani Harrison, both of Macca's and Ringo's live & studio mates, and a mind-boggling 30 or so more famous actors, musicians and comedians. (See the PS at the bottom). That alone would have been enough for one lifetime!
But one of the people I somehow thought I'd never meet, suddenly was right in front of me, in the Mirage's Pre-Show VIP Party: I found myself having a drink and talking briefly with the great Neil Aspinall!! Although we didn't get to talk with him for for any great length of time, it was so nice just to be able to thank him for his important contribution to the remarkable story and adventure that was "The Beatles", and for keeping Apple alive and well (especially with the release of the "Anthology" DVDs and CDs). Anyway, just meeting Neil face to face was a big thrill for me!
Neil Aspinall seemed to be a quiet man ("a man of very few words", as they say, but anything said was well-chosen and intelligent). He was soft-spoken and a classy fellow – not "full-of-himself", y'know? This description would also be apt for George Martin, Ringo, Dhani, Julian&Cyn, and Brian Wilson that night (as well as for engineer Norman Smith, who we met in '07 in New Jersey, who unfortunately also passed away recently). And, just like these others mentioned (including Paul, on the number of times our paths crossed), he came off as a very normal, accessible, "regular guy". Neil was kind enough to autograph the CD jacket from my Revolver CD, which I "happened" to have in my jacket pocket!
Another thing always struck me as being very "telling", re the type of person Neil was:
Though obviously offered millions by book publishers through the years, he NEVER wrote a tell-all book about the Beatles' private lives (with all the accompanying dirty little secrets, etc, – that we all have, don't we? – you'd find in those books). In the studio, on stage on every tour, in hotel rooms, crummy club "dressing rooms" & luxurious homes, on tour-busses/planes/cars, on private vacations, et al, – only HE and Mal Evans (who, to my knowledge, never penned a nasty book either) were the only ones in these rooms and vehicles with the Fabs, just about 100% of the time. Not even Brian Epstein or George Martin could claim that distinction. Music biz-wise, Neil (and oft-times Mal) were the ONLY ones allowed complete access to their "inner circle". So, if ANYBODY could ever come close to knowing the complete "warts-'n'-all" story of the Beatles, it was Neil (even more so than Mal, to get a bit technical). He could have made countless millions for his secret knowledge – yet he never wrote one of those books (and even if he ever would have, it wouldn't be of the "tell-all" variety).
He was a true friend to The Beatles, and respected their privacy to the end. Neil Aspinall went to his grave with reputation and integrity proudly intact. That alone speaks volumes of the man. Wendy and I were proud to have met him.
He'll be missed.
Much Love & Peace,
Jan Britten Owen
PS - If you're interested, go to www.janowen.com/slideshows . In the 1st SlideShow, the second person you'll see me with (right after Jeff Lynne), is the one with Neil.
PPS - See ya at the 2008 Beatle Week in Liverpool!
Jan Britten Owen
Singer/Songwriter("Have Axe, Will Travel")
www.JanOwen.com
www.MySpace.com/janbrittenowen
janowen@optonline.net
First off, I am very lucky to say that I am world-traveling musician. Besides London, Scotland, Paris, Bermuda, Hawaii and all over the USA, I've had the great honor of performing at Liverpool's Beatle Week every year since 2004, and Buenos Aires' Beatle Weeks since 2005. And the journey, along with my EVERYTHING, Wendy, has led us to many wonderful and exotic places, and we got to meet and talk with some very famous people, and also some behind-the-scenes, yet very IMPORTANT people. In this case, a man who was extremely integral to the careers of The Beatles.........
In 2006, Wendy and I attended the VIP-Only Premier of Cirque du Soliel's "The Beatles LOVE" at the Mirage Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas.
We met and got the chance to chat with Sirs Paul McCartney & George Martin, Brian Wilson, Jeff Lynne, "Rutle"Eric Idle, Cynthia&Julian Lennon, Dhani Harrison, both of Macca's and Ringo's live & studio mates, and a mind-boggling 30 or so more famous actors, musicians and comedians. (See the PS at the bottom). That alone would have been enough for one lifetime!
But one of the people I somehow thought I'd never meet, suddenly was right in front of me, in the Mirage's Pre-Show VIP Party: I found myself having a drink and talking briefly with the great Neil Aspinall!! Although we didn't get to talk with him for for any great length of time, it was so nice just to be able to thank him for his important contribution to the remarkable story and adventure that was "The Beatles", and for keeping Apple alive and well (especially with the release of the "Anthology" DVDs and CDs). Anyway, just meeting Neil face to face was a big thrill for me!
Neil Aspinall seemed to be a quiet man ("a man of very few words", as they say, but anything said was well-chosen and intelligent). He was soft-spoken and a classy fellow – not "full-of-himself", y'know? This description would also be apt for George Martin, Ringo, Dhani, Julian&Cyn, and Brian Wilson that night (as well as for engineer Norman Smith, who we met in '07 in New Jersey, who unfortunately also passed away recently). And, just like these others mentioned (including Paul, on the number of times our paths crossed), he came off as a very normal, accessible, "regular guy". Neil was kind enough to autograph the CD jacket from my Revolver CD, which I "happened" to have in my jacket pocket!
Another thing always struck me as being very "telling", re the type of person Neil was:
Though obviously offered millions by book publishers through the years, he NEVER wrote a tell-all book about the Beatles' private lives (with all the accompanying dirty little secrets, etc, – that we all have, don't we? – you'd find in those books). In the studio, on stage on every tour, in hotel rooms, crummy club "dressing rooms" & luxurious homes, on tour-busses/planes/cars, on private vacations, et al, – only HE and Mal Evans (who, to my knowledge, never penned a nasty book either) were the only ones in these rooms and vehicles with the Fabs, just about 100% of the time. Not even Brian Epstein or George Martin could claim that distinction. Music biz-wise, Neil (and oft-times Mal) were the ONLY ones allowed complete access to their "inner circle". So, if ANYBODY could ever come close to knowing the complete "warts-'n'-all" story of the Beatles, it was Neil (even more so than Mal, to get a bit technical). He could have made countless millions for his secret knowledge – yet he never wrote one of those books (and even if he ever would have, it wouldn't be of the "tell-all" variety).
He was a true friend to The Beatles, and respected their privacy to the end. Neil Aspinall went to his grave with reputation and integrity proudly intact. That alone speaks volumes of the man. Wendy and I were proud to have met him.
He'll be missed.
Much Love & Peace,
Jan Britten Owen
PS - If you're interested, go to www.janowen.com/slideshows . In the 1st SlideShow, the second person you'll see me with (right after Jeff Lynne), is the one with Neil.
PPS - See ya at the 2008 Beatle Week in Liverpool!
Jan Britten Owen
Singer/Songwriter("Have Axe, Will Travel")
www.JanOwen.com
www.MySpace.com/janbrittenowen
janowen@optonline.net