While yesterday was Ringo Starr’s 70^th birthday, it seems as if hardcore Beatles fans and obsessives were the ones who got the best present, as Ringo’s All Star Band – which was performing a birthday set (with Ringo on drums, natch) at Radio City Music Hall in New York City – was joined live and onstage by Paul McCartney for a roaring take on the Beatles’ “Birthday” (and since this is kind of cool and a bit of a big deal, I won’t make too much of a fuss about how “Birthday” is one of the worst Fab Four songs ever).

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Because no one has ever, ever misinterpreted the lyrics of the Beatles or their message, MVD Visual has announced the release of a DVD entitled PAUL McCARTNEY REALLY IS DEAD, The Last Testament of George Harrison, which continues and builds upon the hoax that Paul McCartney was killed in a 1966 car accident and replaced by a double, based on supposed clues in the Fab Four’s lyrics.  Plus, the disc is being co-released by a distribution company known as Wienerworld, so you know it’s gotta be true.

According to MVD’s press release:

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Remember how we told you about ex-Oasis frontman/ faded John Lennon copy-of-a-copy-of-copy-of-a-copy Liam Gallagher’s plans to make a film about the Beatles’ — of course — Apple Corps record label?  Well, NME reports that the singer announced at Cannes earlier this week that he’s found a “more exciting” group than the Beatles to soundtrack the upcoming film—his new band.

According to Gallagher:

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You woke up this morning, checked the iTunes store and still no Beatles for sale (and how great would it be to actually purchase the album Beatles for Sale on iTunes?!). It’s quite ridiculous that we cannot download a Beatles song on iTunes, but just know that Sir Paul McCartney hears our collective weeping. The music legend has chimed in by pointing his finger at record label EMI for the prevention of Beatles’ music on iTunes.

Spinner points us to a BBC Newsbeat chat with McCartney, who placed the blame on EMI for the slowdown in getting a deal signed to deliver the Fab Four’s songs onto the digital music store.

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Liam Gallagher is taking a shot at The Beatles. UK’s Daily Mail reports that the former Oasis frontman is developing a film about the Fab Four’s lesser heyday and more so high-days at Apple, their record company at Savile Row Headquarters. Liam attained the rights to Richard DiLello’s 1972 memoir, The Longest Cocktail Party: An Insider’s Dairy of The Beatles, Their Million Dollar Apple Empire and Its Wild Rise And Fall. Fancy title, eh?

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Proving that the Catholic Church has nothing absolutely nothing larger or more serious to worry about, nope, absolutely nothing at all, the Vatican has announced that they have “finally made peace with the Beatles,” according to the Associated Press. 40 years after the seminal pop band’s breakup, Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano offered a tribute to John, Paul, George in Ringo in their latest weekend edition, while also forgiving the Fab Four’s occasional misdeeds, which was something the collective pop world has been waiting for with bated breath and agonizing anticipation for nearly a half century.  Right?

From L’Osservatore Romano:

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The Beatles disbanded long ago and Paul McCartney has had an incredible solo career so far with Ringo Starr attempting to follow close behind. However, the end of the Beatles era may truly be turning into a reality very soon. The famous recording studio on Abbey Road is up for sale because of EMI’s severe financial problems.

Yes, we’re talking about the famous studio in London where the Beatles recorded their last album. Yes, we’re talking about the album that made that zebra striped crosswalk famous. Most importantly, when we’re talking about Abbey Road we’re almost always talking about the Beatles! However, EMI has gotten themselves into such a rut that they may be selling the pop culture landmark to a buyer who will turn it into an apartment complex. Excuse us, flats.

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Let’s face it — rock writers don’t have the same power and influence today as they did when Bruce Springsteen was just releasing Born to Run, or when U2 first visited Los Angeles. However, one thing we can all count on is the unprecedented stories that older writers have written about rock legends like John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

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Seven new black-and-white photos of The Beatles will go up for auction in London on November 10th. The photos were taken by a fan, Gwyn Blanchard, when she was only 13-years-old with a little Kodak camera. Blanchard happened to live in the town where the group was filming one of their movies, entitled Help!.

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