I
think we all need at least one really nice positive thing about the
entertainment business every single day of the year, including weekends.
Sometimes it may be something simple, like a video that showcases
something fun and sometimes it may be a movie poster that embraces the
aesthetic we all want Hollywood to aspire to. Sometimes it may be a
long-winded diatribe. Sometimes it’ll be from the staff and extended
family of CHUD.com. Maybe even you readers can get in on it. So, take
this to the bank. Every day, you will get a little bit of positivity
from one column a day here. Take it with you. Maybe it’ll help you
through a bad day or give folks some fun things to hunt down in their
busy celluloid digesting day.

9.30.10
By Steve Murphy (Author Page)

What I’m Thankful For:

Paul Is Dead Rumors.

These things are great, Almost every one is so absurd it boggles the mind, but there are a few that are put forward so convincingly it gives you reason to pause.

I speak of course of the infamous ‘Paul is Dead’ rumors, beginning in 1969 and surviving to this day. The rumors speak of McCartney dying in a car accident on November 9th, 1966. Instead of releasing this information to the public, the surviving three Beatles decided to hold secret auditions for his replacement. After settling on William Campbell (or Billy Shears, whichever you prefer), and after a little plastic surgery to complete the transformation, his first appearance was on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band… and the public never knew.

The whole story is complete bonkers, but for some reason I just can’t get enough of it. Somehow I own two books on the matter, and a few magazines detailing the whole saga, and yet I don’t believe a word of it! Perhaps it’s because I love a good story – although this doesn’t really quantify as that, due to the fact that the tale has changed over the years. Still, because there are people who really do believe Paul died in ’66, and as YouTube came to become the icon it now is, the number of outlets detailing every inch of the story continues to grow.

I love every bit of it. It’s irrational, but I don’t care.

From his scarred lip on the White Album (a result of the surgery) to the backwards message on the drum head on Pepper, I find it completely fascinating that people devote so much time to ‘uncovering’ these clues. There’s the “butcher” album cover that was pulled almost as soon as it was released, to another American compilation showing McCartney sitting in a case that was standing on end. To the clue people, it was almost as if he was sitting in a coffin!

I don’t know, I just can’t get enough of it. The clues continue even now, as some try and discover messages in his solo albums, so this is not something that is going away anytime soon. And God forbid the day he REALLY dies, the conspiracy folks are going to have a field day with that one.

So, if you’re like me and love The Beatles and enjoy weird stories, check these books out: there’s no way you will be disappointed.

The Walrus Was Paul: The Great Beatle Death Clues, by R. Gary Patterson.

The Lennon Prophesy: A New Examination of the Death Clues of The Beatles, by Joseph Niezgoda.

Want to contribute one? Send me the text and links to materials for your own ‘What I’m Thankful For’.

Requirements:
Well written, fun, and not self-promotional. Also, no pseudonyms or
fake names. Stand up and be proud of your opinions. MESSAGE BOARD SUBMISSION THREAD or EMAIL YOUR IDEA TO ME.