Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

Few rock musicians have shone as brightly as John Lennon. Before he was killed at the age of 40 in December 1980, the former Beatle was revered as a pop star, a songwriter and a peace advocate. Since his death, his fame has continued to grow, as new generations discover the man who instilled rock with both wit and a conscience. To mark what would have been his 70th birthday, Lennon’s record company is reissuing eight of his solo records, plus a greatest hits collection and a four-disc anthology. Available separately or packaged together with bonus material in the John Lennon Signature Box, they serve as a fitting tribute to the “Imagine” singer. Says his widow, Yoko Ono: “I hope this will he...

They sat in a box for 30 years, intimate photographs of the Beatles taken during the group's retreat in India in early 1968. Toronto filmmaker Paul Saltzman, then a backpacking 24-year-old on a spiritual quest himself, had snapped the pictures at a transcendental meditation workshop in the Indian village of Rishikesh led by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. After returning to Canada later that year, Saltzman sold some of the shots, along with an account of his "life-changing" experience, to Maclean's. But after that, he rarely thought about the photos, although he did return to the subcontinent many times.Then, two years ago, Devyani, Saltzman's teenage daughter from his marriage to film director D...

Don’t feel sorry for Ringo. Although the man born Richard Starkey was always the sad-sack Beatle, the drummer with the large schnoz and puppy-dog eyes, Ringo Starr has always enjoyed a comical presence, coining some of the band’s most memorable phrases and often stealing scenes from John, Paul and George in the movies Help! and A Hard Day’s Night. Ringo’s own career, meanwhile, has been prosperous enough to contradict his image as the least talented member of the Fab Four. In fact, after Paul McCartney, Ringo was the most commercially successful solo Beatle. During the 1970s, he scored seven consecutive Top 10 singles, including “It Don’t Come Easy,” Back Off Boogaloo,” Photograph” and “You’...

Beatles fans are spoiled for choice these days, with the release of the Remastered box set and Rock Band video game. This CD-DVD set, recorded in July, provides yet another tempting option. Featuring 33 songs spanning Beatles classics, Wings favorites and solo tracks, it captures Macca at his best—whether rocking out with guest Billy Joel on “I Saw Her Standing There” or crooning “Yesterday” and “Hey Jude.” When he pays tribute to John on “Here Today” and George on “Something,” there are few dry eyes in the house. December 2009

They changed the world and saved a generation from the doldrums of an otherwise drab world. Now, 40 years on, the Beatles are back—and expectations are running high that, once again, all we need is a little love from the world’s most famous rock band. The Beatles’ albums have been digitally remastered, providing the highest fidelity since their original release. At the same time, fans of all ages will now be able to twist and shout to the Fab Four with the The Beatles: Rock Band video game. The spin-off prospects have retailers anticipating a Beatles bonanza. The band’s catalogue was first re-issued on CD in 1987. The difference in sound quality between then and now is astonishing. Using sta...