November 2008

Beatles Superfan Kolya Vasin - moving spirit of the "John Lennon Temple of Peace and Love" in St Petersburg

Recently returned from shooting in St Petersburg and Moscow for my film “HOW THE BEATLES ROCKED THE KREMLIN” .

I filmed at a day-long birthday party for John Lennon in St Petersburg where a dozen Russian bands belted out Beatles songs and local Fab fans ranging in age from 12 to 80 sang along.

Among a rich harvest of witnesses who told me how the Beatles had changed their lives, I interviewed Sergei Ivanov, Russia’s Deputy Premier who insisted that he learned English from smuggled Beatles records.

I shot with a Beatles Punk band whose leader is changing his name from Igor to John Lennon. And at St Petersburg’s super-opulent Pushkin Ball, I filmed Russia’s mega rich dancing to “Yesterday”., The film will be completed for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 2009.

The Punk Band OZ who play Lennon songs. The lead singer Igor Salnikov is changing his name to John Lennon

August 2008  

In June, I did a shoot in Kiev for my film “How the Beatles rocked the Kremlin" around Paul McCartney's vast free concert in the city centre. The concert battled with an epic rainstorm - great pictures of Paul doing his thing amid thousands of umbrellas. I also filmed in Kiev's wonderful "Cavern Club" with Beatles tribute bands and wrinkly Ukranian Fab fans.

My next shoot for the film will be in October, and will include the celebrations in St Petersburg for John Lennon's birthday on October 9th.

The film will be completed for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 2009.

"HOW THE BEATLES ROCKED THE KREMLIN"

It may sound like hippy hype, but as serious people insist that the Fab 4 played an important part in the collapse of Communism.

One of my earliest jobs back in 1962 was a two-minute item shot in Liverpool’s Cavern Club with a then unsigned group of rockers - this was to be the first ever film of the Beatles.

I’ve always been fascinated by the story of how the moptops conquered the world. And since I’ve made a series of documentaries in the former Evil Empire over the past 30 years, I have a special taste for this film.