I am intrigued by this rumour which spawned a whole industry in lyric analysis and album cover examination. Anyone remember this rumour and is intrigued by it as much as me. I am researching this stuff with a view to writing something on it and would like to speak with people who remmeber the said incident, ie car crash october 1966 as reported on radio and in the newspapers.
I remember my buddies and I looking for all the so called clues on the album covers and in the music.
As far as I can remember, the rumour came out in 1969, about the time of Abby Road's release. It was started by a part time weekend radio disc jockey in Detroit. The DJ has since left the business and has been teaching Communications in a Detroit area High School.
It actually started shortly after "Rubber Soul" was released. I don't recall the year off hand. Late 66 or 67, I think.
It really was a major topic of the day. I can remember that my PE class sat down on opposite sides of the gym depending on whether you believed it was true or not. Our teacher wasn't so happy about our new seating plan. But, it was wild how much in their songs and covers supported that rumor. Didn't Paul come up with it as a marketing idea? Or was that part of the rumor, too?
Hi guys thanks for the replies...Ole Goat your info is massive, you are correct the rumour was started by a DJ called Russ Gibb, but I didn't know he was now working at a Detroit High school, do you know which school, and please feel free to contact me via email. My book "Dark Ghosts Rising" has just been published and you can find it at www.amazon.com I also work for a Spanish newspaper and am looking to find an angle on this story. Tarrabelle, it would be good to hear more about what you can remember re Paul is Dead rumour. Thanks all.
At the end of Strawberry Fields, Lennon is supposedly saying "I buried Paul". He says it was really 'Cranberry Sauce". Lennon and McCartney were throwing some nice lyrical darts at each other in the early 70s. 'How Do You Sleep' by Lennon and 'Uncle Albert' by McCartney.
i read somewhere once that if you look at the sergant pepper album cover in a mirror there is a hidden message written in the words on the drum!
I've managed to track down Russ Gibb, the DJ who broke the story in 1969 on WKNR Detroit. I'll try and speak to him about it, and I have a US magazine interested, still looking for people's experiences of the time, feel free to email.
Ah yes...WKNR...aka Keener Radio. Good times over the airwaves during that time. One of the disc jockeys at that time was "Dick Purtan" It might be useful, depending on your article to google Dick Purtan. Has been broadcasting on various radio stations in the Detroit area over the last 35 years. He also has a couple of Beatles stories of his own. Don't think they relate to "Paul is Dead" subject. There are also web sites devoted to Keener radio, ei., http://www.keener13.com/jocks/dick_purtan_interview.htm Home Page for Keener13 is: http://www.keener13.com/ Hope this helps.
Great stuff my friend. I'll certainly follow that lead. Good album for you guys Unkle (James Lavelle and DJ Shadow) Psyence Fiction, it's excellent, bit of trip hop in there.
