AIDAN O’ROURKE Writer Photographer Coach

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38 Beatles locations in Liverpool & Wirral – Slide show video & English and Japanese subtitles

2020-07-14 By Aidan O'Rourke

A Beatles journey

With this video I wanted to create a work of art, combining my photography with a wonderful contemporary-oriental musical backdrop and subtitles in English and Japanese, paying tribute to the band whose music dominated my early childhood. I wanted to portray a side of Liverpool that’s different to the clichés, a magical side, a place of hidden corners, nostalgic views and special places, each one with connections to the Beatles. I wanted to reach out to another culture, and overlay Liverpool with an Oriental quality.

Written and produced by Aidan O’Rourke | Tuesday the 14th of July 2020

So what’s the connection between Liverpool and Japan? It’s because John Lennon married Yoko Ono of course. There are many Beatles fans in Japan who visit Liverpool to find out more about their heroes, where they grew up and the story of how they became famous. Even before the Beatles arrived, Liverpool had a connection with the Orient: It is home to the oldest Chinese community in the UK.

I’ve chosen music that mixes genres – an Oriental sound blended with Classical-style violins, set above contemporary synthesisers with a strong beat. The strings at the start of the track named ‘Shibuya’ have overtones of ‘Eleanor Rigby’ and towards the conclusion of our journey, the piano has a quality of ‘Hey Jude’.

The young artist who created this music is called Bad Snacks and is she is based in Los Angeles though I understand she’s originally from Boston. Her YouTube channel is called Bad Snacks and she contributes to the YouTube Audio Library. That’s where I found the six wonderful tracks I used in this video.

All the photos are by me except two: The photo of the New Brighton Tower taken possibly around 1910 and the one of Ringo Starr’s birth house, 9 Madryn Street, taken in 2020. I hope that this video will be appreciated by people from Japan and those who are learning Japanese.

I spent many hours placing the Japanese subtitles into the video. They were translated from English into Japanese by teacher and translator Maya Shimizu, who did a fantastic job.

So here is English text of the video. You can read it as an article and you can play the video. I would

The story as told through the English subtitlesMusic: Mizuki

Liverpool and Japan are linked through the marriage of John and Yoko. The Beatles are very popular in Japan and many Japanese fans come to Liverpool. For this reason I wanted to make use of Japanese language. I’ve chosen music with overtones of Japan and of the violins in ‘Eleanor Rigby’.

These city tour buses will take you to the main tourist attractions in Liverpool.

The Magical Mystery Tour will show you many of the most important Beatles locations. For a personalised Beatles tour you can take one of the Fab Four taxis. There’s a transcript of the commentary in eight languages including Japanese.

John Lennon statue Liverpool Airport

John Lennon statue Liverpool Airport

Location number one: In 2002 Liverpool Airport was named Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Inside the terminal is a statue of John Lennon by the artist Tom Murphy.

02-Liverpool Airport Yellow Submarine

Number 2. This Yellow Submarine stands outside the terminal. The film ‘Yellow Submarine’ was released in 1968.

3. Third location: The old airport terminal is not far away. Here, in 1964, thousands of fans welcomed the Beatles home after their US tour. Today it’s the Crowne Plaza hotel.

4. The 86 bus runs between south Liverpool and Liverpool city centre. It’s not a tour bus but it travels through many of the places the Beatles knew in their childhood. This advert is for the 2018 Double Fantasy exhibition which was on at the Museum of Liverpool from May 2018 to April 2019

5. The Sgt Pepper Bistro stands on a traffic island at the top of Penny Lane. Unfortunately it has been closed for a few years.

Penny Lane sign 31 Dec 2005
Penny Lane sign with Paul McCartney signature

6. Penny Lane is famous for the song released in 1967 about Paul’s childhood memories of this place. This sign was new in 2006. This is how it looked in 2018.The council painted this sign on the wall to prevent people from stealing it. In June 2018 Paul returned to Penny Lane with James Corden for the Late Late Show and wrote his autograph on the sign

7. The song ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ is about John’s childhood memories of a children’s home called Strawberry Field. It’s not far from the house where he lived with his Aunt Mimi. Beatles fans from all over the world write messages on the gates.

Music: Shibuya

8. Not many people know that there is a Japanese garden not far from the childhood homes of John and Paul. It’s in Calderstones Park. Calderstone Park has many associations with the Beatles in their early years.

Eleanor Rigby gravestone

Eleanor Rigby gravestone

9. In the churchyard of St Peters Church in Woolton you will find the gravestone inscribed with the name Eleanor Rigby. It is possible that this gravestone inspired the famous song.

10. John and Paul first met at St Peter’s Church in 1957. They played at a garden fete on a stage in the field behind the church.

Location number 11 is 10 Admiral Grove, the house where Ringo Starr lived until he became famous in 1963. Today it’s a private home.

12. In 1943 George Harrison was born at 12 Arnold Grove. He lived here until 1950.

9 Madryn Street 6 May 2018

9 Madryn Street 6 May 2018

13. In 1940 Ringo Starr was born in this house, 9 Madryn Street. The house has been saved from demolition.

Music: Summer in the neighborhood

14. In 1964 at the height of Beatlemania, the Beatles stood on the balcony of Liverpool town hall in front of thousands of screaming fans. Twenty years later they were awarded the Freedom of the City . Their names are written on this plaque, which you can see in the foyer of the town hall.

15. The Liverpool Institute was a boys’ grammar school. Paul McCartney went to this school. Today it’s LIPA, co-founded by Paul McCartney and opened in 1996.

16. The Blue Angel Night Club a music venue. In the 1960s, the Beatles and other famous bands played here. It’s on Seel Street in Chinatown.

17. Falkner Street is a historic street with houses from the 18th century. John Lennon and his first wife Cynthia lived for a while at 36 Falkner Street.

18. The Philharmonic is the most magnificent pub in Liverpool. John Lennon liked to come here and in June 2018, Paul gave a surprise performance herefor the Late Late Show with James Corden.

19. The Beatles often went to Ye Cracke pub on Rice Street. Inside the pub there are photos and memorabilia.

John Lennon Peace Monument

John Lennon Peace Monument

20. The John Lennon Peace Monument was unveiled in 2010. It was designed by the American artist Lauren Voiers when she was only 19 years old. It stands next to the Echo Arena.

21. The Museum of Liverpool is about the history of Liverpool and there are some exhibits about the Beatles. It’s situated on the Pier Head.

22. You can learn about British pop music including the Beatles at the British Music Experience. Here on the Pier Head you will also find the most popular photo opportunity in Liverpool…

Beatles Statues – Paul McCartney
Beatles Statues – George Harrison
Beatles Statues – Ringo Starr
Beatles Statues – John Lennon

 

23. …the Beatles Statues, unveiled in 2015 and designed by sculptor Andy Edwards.

Music: Shibuya

And now we take the train under the River Mersey to the seaside town of New Brighton.

24. This is where the Tower Ballroom used to be. It once had the tallest tower in Britain. The tower was taken down over 100 years ago. The Beatles played here from 1961 to 1963. The Tower Ballroom was destroyed by fire in 1969.

The Grosvenor Ballroom interior

The Grosvenor Ballroom interior

Music: Wallflowers

25. This is the Grosvenor Ballroom in Liscard, not far from New Brighton. The hall looks almost the same as it did when the Beatles played here.

Many tourists come to Port Sunlight to visit Lady Lever Art Gallery and to see the beautiful English traditional-style houses

26. At Hulme Hall, Port Sunlight on 18 August 1962, the Beatles played their first concert with Ringo Starr as drummer.

Now we return to Liverpool.

Music: A Caring Friend

27. The Eleanor Rigby statue near Mathew St was inspired by the song Eleanor Rigby and was created by the singer and artist Tommy Steele.

28. The Hard Day’s Night Hotel on North John Street is a Beatles-themed hotel. On the exterior there are statues of
of the four Beatles.

29. Mathew Street is dedicated to the Beatles and to other famous Liverpool stars.

John Lennon Statue profile (black and white film photo)

John Lennon Statue profile (black and white film photo)

30. The John Lennon statue depicts John as a young man before the Beatles were famous. Lots of people have their picture taken next to him.

31. The Cavern Club is the most famous club in Liverpool. The Beatles played here 292 times between 1961 and 1963. This is not the original Cavern Club but a reconstruction that is very similar to the original.

32. The Beatles often went to the Grapes Pub before playing at the Cavern.

33.Four Lads Who Shook The Worldis an artwork on Mathew Street. John Lennon was added as a baby after his death in 1980.

34. The Magical History Museum opened in 2018 and presents a huge collection of Beatles memorabilia on three floors.

Music: Honey

Casbah Coffee Club piano and speakers
Casbah Coffee Club photos and memorabilia
Casbah Coffee Club house, home of Mona Best
The Casbah Coffee club performance area
The Casbah Coffee Club sign and signatures

35. Three miles from the city centre in the cellar of a house in West Derby is The Casbah Coffee Club. Here Paul, John, George and drummer Pete Best played their first concerts. Today the club looks almost the same as it did in 1960.

36. The Beatles Story is about the amazing career of the Fab Four from childhood to worldwide fame.
.
Our 37th location is number 20 Forthlin Road, where Paul McCartney lived with his family from 1955 to 1963. Inside, the house looks the same as it did in the early 1960s. You can visit the house by booking on the National Trust tour.

252 Menlove Avenue, Mendips childhood home of John Lennon

38. Not far away is 251 Menlove Avenue, where John Lennon lived with his Aunt Mimi. You can visit the house on the National Trust tour. The house is a time capsule of the early 1960s, but I can’t show you what the interior looks like as photography is not allowed. You’ll just have to come and see it with your own eyes!

Music: Mizuki

My name’s Aidan O’Rourke. Thank you very much for watching and I’ll see you again soon in Liverpool.

Filed Under: Liverpool, Music Tagged With: 20 Forthlin road Liverpool, George Harrison childhood home, Imagine, John and Yoko, John Lennon Aunt mimi, Liverpool Beatles, LIverpool Beatles tour, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Liverpool music, Liverpool Welsh Streets, Magical Mystery Tour, Museum of Liverpool, Paul McCartney's house, Penny Lane, Ringo Starr Arnold Grove, Strawberry Field, Strawberry Fields Forever, The Beatles, The Beatles childhood homes, the Beatles Come Together, Where the Beatles grew up

The Leaving of Liverpool due to Brexit – Music video and interview with Zinney Sonnenberg

2020-07-12 By Aidan O'Rourke Leave a Comment

Music slide show video and musician interview

In July 2020 I made a slide show for a video by the singer Zinney Sonnenberg. The video was showcased on 04.07.2020 in the Global Liverpool Facebook Event. The song ‘Liverhearts – Where can I find me another river’ is about the songwriter’s love for his adoptive home city of Liverpool and the pain of having to leave it. For this feature I present the slide show video featuring my photos and the transcript of the interview.

Written by Aidan O’Rourke | Sunday the 12th of July 2020

ENGLISH VERSION | GERMAN VERSION .

For the music slide show video I chose around fifty of my photos of Liverpool. I wanted to find out more about Zinney Sonnenberg, so I did an Interview with him via Zoom. The Audio and the transcript appear here in English as well as German.

Aidan O’Rourke Productions · The Leaving of Liverpool because of Brexit – Zinney Sonnenberg audio interview
Interview transcript

First I want to ask: What is your name? Where are you from and where do you live now?
My name is Gerd Zinsmeister. My artist name is Zinney Sonnenberg. I’m originally from Saarland. It’s on the border triangle of Germany, Luxembourg and France. I’ve been living in Bavaria, Dachau, for a year, known for the concentration camp in Dachau.

What is your profession?
I’m a musician by profession and work at the Dachau Music School as a music teacher and teach guitar, piano and singing. Otherwise I record and play live in Germany, England and Holland.

What kind of music do you play?
My music could be described as folk music with influences from pop and rock and world music.

How long were you in Liverpool?
I lived in Liverpool for 21 years.

When and why did you move to Liverpool?
I moved to Liverpool on the 10th of August, 1998 with my wife and three year old daughter to do a course at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

What were your early impressions of Liverpool?
I immediately fell in love with Liverpool, a fantastic city with friendly, open-minded people, a very special light, a lively nightlife and a very special accent that I had to get used to.

Where did you live?
For the first three years we lived in Toxteth on Pengwern Street, behind Saint Silas School in the Welsh Streets area. Our home was the second to last house at the end of the street, with a view of the schoolyard of Saint Silas school. Later, we lived in Aigburth for fourteen years.

Why did you stay in Liverpool?
After my course at LIPA was over, we had acclimatised ourselves well to Liverpool. I worked as a nurse in a nursing home on Mill Street in Toxteth. My wife took a course at Arts College on Myrtle Street. Our daughter Zoe had already made a lot of friends at Windsor School.

How is Liverpool different from other cities?
As a port city, Liverpool is home to people from many cultural backgrounds. In my daughter’s class at primary school, there were children from thirteen different countries.

Architecturally, the centre of Liverpool is very compact. The River Mersey, which has been the main artery of Liverpool for decades, dominates the city. But the the most striking peculiarity is the humorous, friendly and open-minded mentality of the Scousers.

What are your top 10 recommendations for visitors?
There are many interesting attractions in Liverpool and many things to do. Be sure to visit the Antony Gormley exhibition ‘Another Place’ in Waterloo. In addition, the two cathedrals, connected by Hope Street, are well worth seeing.

All the museums in Liverpool are free, and above all the Maritime Museum, with its Slavery section, is an absolute must for every visitor.

The new museum in the docks is interactive and describes the history of Liverpool. On the second floor you have a wonderful view of the Liver Building and the mouth of the Mersey.

You should definitely dive into the nightlife of Liverpool. Just go along to the various restaurants, pubs, clubs, live music venues or comedy clubs.

For those interested in art, there is the Walker Art Gallery and the Tate at the Albert Dock. You can combine a visit to the Palm House in Sefton Park with a glass of wine in Lark Lane or Penny Lane. For football fans it’s an absolute must, once in your life, to hear ‘You’ll never walk alone’ in Anfield.

The sunsets in Liverpool are unique and so I would highly recommend a walk between Aigburth and Liverpool city centre.

What is your personal favourite place?
My favourite place in Liverpool is Otterspool Park. The walk that leads through the park and ends at the Mersey is a wonderful walk and means a lot to me personally because I used to take the dog for a walk there every day.

Describe your career on the Liverpool music scene.
After studying at LIPA, I worked at first in order to buy more recording equipment. I was able to buy an analogue tape machine from The Christians and later a computer that I could use to record.

In between times, I regularly went to open mike events and played two or three songs there. In 2004 I met Jeff Davis from Probe Plus Records in Berlin at a music fair.

In 2007 we released my first album ‘Fishing In The Pool’ on the Probe Plus label with my band called Sonnenberg.

Then we released two more albums, ‘The End of the Rain’ and ‘Into The Light’.

Between 2004 and 2018 I went on tour with the band or solo in Scandinavia, the UK, Germany and Holland and as a supporting act for Half Man Half Biscuit, I played mainly in larger venues in the UK, such as the Shepherds Bush Theatre or the Liverpool Academy

Why did you decide to leave Liverpool?
The sole reason for leaving Liverpool was Brexit. We didn’t want to live outside of the EU as second class citizens in Britain without the right to vote.

When did you leave Liverpool and where did you go in Germany?
We left Liverpool on the 19th of July, 2019. We then moved to Bavaria, to Dachau.

When and why did you write the song ‘Where can I find me another river?’ ?
I wrote the song ‘Liverhearts Another River’ in 2018. It’s intended to reflect my love for Liverpool, as well as the pain and sadness of having to leave my adopted home because of social or political circumstances.

In general, as a songwriter, you try to express your feelings or create some breathing space for yourself. In this case, it was the frustration with the political change in 2016 that influenced some of my songs between 2016 and 2019

Thank you very much! I’m sorry about Brexit. I hope that you can come back to Liverpool some time.

I will do.

Filed Under: E-List, Interviews, Liverpool Tagged With: German Liverpool, Liverpool, Liverpool attractions, Liverpool Brexit, Liverpool folk scene, Liverpool German, Liverpool music, Liverpool rock scene, Mersey songs, Merseyside, musicians in Liverpool, song LIverpool Mesey, songwriters Liverpool, Study LIPA, The Leaving of Liverpool, the3million, Welsh Streets, world music

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