The Beatles
Latest
Wii Warm Up: I wanna rock!
Following yesterday's news about the one and only Jimi Hendrix making his way into Guitar Hero World Tour, we figured now would be a good time to ask you who you'd love to see featured in your music game of choice. Want to play some The Beatles songs? Looking for some more Freezepop? Want to have your favorite Pink Floyd song featured? Well, out with it!
The Beatles revival in progress
The biggest and most famous band there ever was -- The Beatles. They have been notably absent in every release from the biggest rhythm games in the world -- Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Hopefully the creators have gotten all that metal nonsense out of their system, because The Beatles might just be on the way to a plastic guitar near you.People have talked about talking about it, but according to the Financial Times, actual representatives for The Beatles have been sitting down with Activision and MTV Games to make some progress. It's entirely possible that the Fab Four might make it to both games, but we'll be getting whichever one features this nifty number. Automatic screamage factor of twelve.%Gallery-23491%[Via MCV]
Activision and MTV Games in talks for Beatles catalog
While we may find ourselves favoring Rock Band's a la carte offerings far more than Activision's band-themed bundles, we're not sure whose model will win in the long run. Take the Beatles for example: getting the notoriously protective (note: they're not even on iTunes) band's tracks onto either offering (or both!) would be a huge coup, to be sure, but wouldn't Guitar Hero: Beatles be more attractive to the license holder than some downloadable tracks for Rock Band?FT.com revisits the pursuit and reports that, perhaps unsurprisingly, Beatles "representatives have held discussions with both Activision and MTV Games" in pursuit of a "final deal [that] would be worth several million dollars" and "could be reached in a matter of weeks." Well, we'll be here in a matter of weeks ... say, E3 would be a really nice time to announce something. We're just sayin' ...
The Beatles in licensing talks with MTV & Activision
Rumors about a possible licensing agreement that would see The Beatles join the music game revolution have been swirling and according to the Financial Times, MTV and Activision are in talks to bring the fab-four to their respective music platforms.Citing a source familiar with the ongoing talks with representatives from The Beatles, the two rival publishers are currently attempting to woo the classic back catalog into their respective music games; Rock Band or Guitar Hero. A final deal could be "reached in a matter of weeks," believes the Financial Times. The deal, expectedly worth millions, is complicated by the fact that two different organizations own stock in The Beatles-- record label EMI owns the master recordings while Apple Corps supervises the band's business interests.If the report is accurate, we may learn more information regarding possible Beatles music around the time E3 goes live this July.[via GameSpot]
Beatles' catalog coming online at long last?
Word on the street (and by street, we mean mostly British tabloids) is that Paul McCartney's deal to sell the Beatles back-catalog is done, and the Greatest Works of Musical Art Ever Recorded will be appearing on the iTunes store "within months." Of course, we've been hearing whispers about this for what seems like a million years, and since both Apple Corps and Apple are delivering "no comment" and "rumor and speculation" responses on the topic, we won't get too excited. Still, there does seem to be some serious movement on this front, with everyone and their mother saying the lot is to be sold any day now for around $400 million -- which is no small sum. We will, of course, keep you abreast of any developments which will lead to you stocking your music players with the Fab Four's work.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
McCartney "pretty sure" The Beatles will go digital next year
Well, it looks like the long saga of The Beatles slow transition to digital downloads could finally be nearing a close, at least according to one source that has a fairly big say in the matter. According to Reuters, Paul McCartney recently told Billboard that "It's all happening soon," adding that, "Most of us are all sort of ready. The whole thing is primed, ready to go -- there's just maybe one little sticking point left, and I think it's being cleared up as we speak, so it shouldn't be too long." McCartney then went on to get a bit more specific, saying that, "It's down to fine-tuning, but I'm pretty sure it'll be happening next year, 2008." Of course, there's no indication as to exactly how The Beatles' catalog will be distributed in digital form, although there's certainly be no shortage of rumors on that front.
Steve Jobs presenting in London at EMI event, Beatles rumors flow again
Looks like El Jobso is coming out of his busy, busy office in Cupertino to, of all things, present "exciting new digital offering" at an EMI media event in London. Now, EMI is, as many know, where much of The Beatles catalogue resides, and none of that music has ever been made available online; we've long heard rumors of Apple getting the digital exclusive -- especially since Apple Corps and Apple, Inc. have settled their differences -- so to you, dear reader, we submit this: wouldn't any kind of real Beatles fan already have all the cuts on vinyl or CD -- or at least have downloaded or copied all they need? And hell, anyone who doesn't already have this stuff can always go pick it up relatively cheaply at any local record store and rip it -- at least then you won't have to deal with the DRM. In other words: we're still not sure why we should care about the world's most ubiquitous rock band selling music on the world's most ubiquitous digital download service in an all out DRM-love-in.[Thanks, Josh]
Apple and Apple bury the hatchet, planning iTunes push?
There really hasn't been a whole lot of love lost between Apple Computer and Apple Corps over the years -- especially since that whole "we won't sell music" debacle -- but it seems that Stevie J and co. might finally be getting through to the guardians of all things Beatles, and could be on the verge of an exclusive iTunes launch of the elusive catalog, reports Fortune. From the sound of things, plenty of millions are set to change hands if the deal goes through, with Apple Computer potentially providing a good bit of advance cash for the marketing push and prospective sales. The Beatles haven't been incredibly receptive to the use of their music in marketing so far, though there was word recently of a downloadable offering somewhere, but it sounds like Steve is hoping they'll make an exception to be featured in one of those snazzy iPod ads -- it was good enough for Dylan and Bono afterall. Purportedly EMI Group, the band's label, is the catalyst behind these talks, and while nothing is quite legit yet -- in fact, it's all still hearsay as far as we're concerned -- hopes are high for Strawberry Fields, Revolution, LSD and all that jazz down in Cupertino any day now.[Thanks, Mack S]
Steve invites the Beatles to iTunes
After emerging victorious in the trademark dispute between Apple Computer and Apple Corps, Steve is extending the olive branch to the record label. In a statement made to Macworld, Steve said, "...We have always loved the Beatles, and hopefully we can now work together to get them on the iTunes Music Store...We are glad to put this disagreement behind us."Before you get a warm, fuzzy feeling in your heart, know this: Apple Corps have already issued an appeal. Can't we all just get along?[Via Playlist Mag]
