Die-hard fans of the Beatles will be toolin' in to the desert Oasis this weekend in their rattle-trap VW Bugs - decorated with peace signs and tributes of "love" - to catch an annual fest that is dedicated to the pop icons who first caught the world's curiosity way back in the sixties.
The nostalgic extravaganza will kick off at the Mirage on Sunday and run through Tuesday.
When I was a teen, the controversy boiled down to one issue: who were more popular, the Beatles or the Rolling Stones?
Of course, Jagger appealed to the naughty side of rebellious teens, so a handful of bad boys were inclined to go that route.
Meanwhile, the romantics - delighted by catchy lyrics and bouncy melodies - were drawn to the Fab Four. Their cute little mop heads, and tailored black suits, did a lot to catapult them into the stratosphere of pop-idol status, too.
I recall the first night I saw the mesmerizing Liverpudlians on Ed Sullivan. As I sat in my grandmother's prim and proper parlour, I tried to contain myself; but - like others in the room - could not help but twitch, sport a goofy smile, and tap my foot to the upbeat tunes as they emanated from the little idiot box and propelled -John, Paul, Ringo, and George - into the rarefied air of exalted super-star realms.
And, of course, Beatlemania was born!
If your parents were hip enough to buy you a Beatles' cap, then you were the envy all the boys. I wore one, in spite of the fact my aunt teased that the visual effect was not unlike that of a - as she demurely put it - "a pimple on a pig's ass".And - better yet - if your locks were inclined to suit the mop-top hairstyle, you were the absolute coolest, man!
Darn. As fate would have it, my curly hair just wouldn't cut it.
But, I managed to save face. After all, I had the uncanny ability to expertly mimic Paul's vocalizing, much to the amazement of my pals.
When "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was released, I recall taking a gander at the cover of the LP, trying to fathom the meaning of it all.
Then, came an alleged experimentation with psychedelic drugs, a foray into Eastern Religion, and a dalliance with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (who turned out to be a fake, by the way).
I have a particular fondness for the Beatles - "White Album" - released shortly after that. No wonder! On the occasion I heard the musical musings fresh off the press, I smoked my first joint.
Whoo-ee! For three mind-boggling days I tried to decipher the words and their cryptic meaning - with some foggy notions - I might add.
There was the intriguing "No 9", for instance. Bungalow Bill. And, Rocky Raccoon.
"Rocky Raccoon, checked into his room, only to find Gideon's Bible". (???)
And, the frenetic - "Helter Skelter" - which caused a lot of speculation at the time.
Far out, man!
This weekend at the Mirage there will be a handful of scintillating exhibits to take in, memorabilia to turn over, trivia to expound on, and fun opportunities to interact in sing-a-longs, participate in art events, or try your memory recall in "name-that-tune competitions".
The Beatles celebration has been on-going now about three decades.
A fan - Mark Lapidos - approached John Lennon about the idea almost thirty-four years ago and it has been going strong since.
60's Pop Icon - Donovan (the quintessential hippie with flowers in the hair and flowing robes to boot) will appear for performances on Monday and Tuesday.
Funny that, just heard - "Catch the Wind" - on the radio yesterday. The haunting tune is one of my favorite ballads.
Recently - "Hurdy Gurdy Man" - was incorporated into the "Zodiac Killer" soundtrack with chilling effect (starring Jake Gyllenhaal).
Allegedly, on a couple of occasions when Paul and John suffered from a bit of writer's block, they approached the talented song-writer for a creative push. Donovan is credited for rustling up a couple of lyrics that spun a couple of well-known melodies into bona fide hits.
Recently, I caught a screening of - "A Hard Day's Night" - a film the Beatles shot during their heyday just before they stormed America back in the sixties.
In the film, they are clever, funny, and reveal keen comedic ability.
In fact, when the film was first released, critics compared them to the legendary Marx Brothers.
Some say, that since the Beatles broke up, life has never been the same.
Uh-huh!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said,
"How beautiful is youth! How bright it gleams with its illusions, aspirations, dreams! Book of beginnings, story without end, each maid a heroine, and each man a friend!"
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