Beatles Weekly News Roundup: "Hey, Grandude!"; vintage Ringo interview; Yoko installation; Billy Preston; Micky Dolenz; Tower Ballroom

Paul will sign copies of his new children's book, "Hey Grandude!," with illustrator Kathryn Dunst in London's Waterstones bookstore.

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Ringo discusses T. Rex, Sgt. Pepper and more in a 1977 interview unearthed by Paste magazine.

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A look at "Sky Piece," a Yoko Ono art installation now on display in Cambridge, England.

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Via Culture Sonar: Billy Preston - the Other 'Fifth Beatle."

Billy Preston’s impact on The Beatles resonated beyond the famous “Get Back” sessions. He was invited back to contribute keyboards on a bit of the Abbey Roadalbum which would prove to be The Beatles’ swan song. He was later signed to Apple Records and enjoyed a solid career of hits from “Nothing from Nothing” to “Will It Go Round in Circles.” In the aftermath of their breakup, various solo Beatles drafted Billy Preston for contributions on their own works. Billy’s piano graces the penultimate track on the John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band album. Look for Billy on George’s The Concert for Bangladesh. Preston was also enlisted by Ringo Starr in the 1990s as an original member of the All-Starr Band.

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Former (current?) Monkee Micky Dolenz says he's looking forward to kicking off a new tour which sees Todd Rundgren, Badfinger's Joey Molland, Christopher Cross, Chicago vocalist Jason Scheff and himself paying tribute to the "White Album."

Among the White Album songs Dolenz will be performing are “Rocky Raccoon” and “Yer Blues,” plus two or three more. He says “Rocky Raccoon” stands out for him because it was “one of the songs I would sing my little kids as a lullaby.” As for his own songs, he says he’ll probably be singing the Monkees hits “I’m a Believer” and “Pleasant Valley Sunday.”  

Dolenz also reveals that Rundgren will be singing “Helter Skelter” and “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey” — even though Micky says he wanted to do that one, for obvious reasons.

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A large Beatles mural was unveiled Sept. 1 in New Brighton, where the group performed at the Tower Ballroom 27 times in its early days.

...the main elements of the artwork will feature extracts from the original posters created by Tony Booth who sadly passed away in 2017.