Sara Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 Flea Market Suitcase Yields Beatles Trove Some believe bag may have belonged to Mal Evans LONDON, England (AP) -- All you need is luck: A vacationer who purchased a suitcase at an Australian flea market found a trove of Beatles memorabilia inside, including photos, concert programs and unreleased recordings, The Times newspaper reported Tuesday. While the materials have yet to be authenticated, some experts believe the collection is the lost "Mal Evans archive," originally belonging to the Beatles' roadie and confidant. Evans was killed by police in Los Angeles in 1976 after he had brandished a fake gun. His belongings were lost during the police investigation. Fraser Claughton, 41, from Tinkerton, England, bought the suitcase in a small town outside of Melbourne for about $36. "It's like finding the end of the rainbow in Australia," The Times quoted Claughton as saying. "I spotted one tatty old suitcase, which frankly I wouldn't have given house room, but when I picked it up there was something in it." A 4 1/2 hour reel-to-reel tape recording includes John Lennon and Paul McCartney experimenting with previously unrecorded tracks, plus new versions of "We Can Work It Out" and "Cry Baby Cry." The Times put an extract from another of the newly discovered recordings, "I'm in Love," on its Web site, www.timesonline.co.uk The Lennon-McCartney song was never released by The Beatles but was released by another Liverpool band, The Fourmost. The tapes, labeled "Abbey Road ... not for release," will be evaluated by the Beatles' record label, Apple, and examined by experts to determine their origin and authenticity. A spokeswoman for Christie's said while the auction house has had no contact with the collection as of yet, there is "Beatles memorabilia in every pop memorabilia sale -- it's very popular." In 1998, a notebook compiled by Evans, containing draft lyrics for "Hey Jude" and "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," sold for $185,000 at a London auction. A year earlier, McCartney obtained an injunction to prevent Evans' widow from selling a scrap of paper with the original lyrics to "With a Little Help From My Friends." This article is from the CNN website: article source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 Is this your way of saying, "Hey folks there is a new forum in town, and it's called MUSIC NEWS ?" :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costellogirl75 Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 That discovery is the best news I have ever read in my life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesboy Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 After the dust settles... I'll say...the recordings (photographs?, where is the copyright line drawn...) in the suitcase belong to The Beatles or Apple Records... not finders, keepers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara Posted July 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 I'm not sure why I know this, but I am fairly certain that legally the contents of the suitcase belong to the person who purchased it. Do we have any lawyers that know for certain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elvish Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 It's a substantial find. No matter who benefits financially, Beatle fans everywhere will (eventually) benefit from hearing the unrealeased material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmosis Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 More Beatles!! WEEEEEEEEEE!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy1104 Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 I'm not sure why I know this, but I am fairly certain that legally the contents of the suitcase belong to the person who purchased it. Do we have any lawyers that know for certain? I have to believe the same Sara. The gentleman who purchased the trunk does have exclusive rights to the trunk and it's contents. In this country possesion is nine tenth's of the law. It was a lawful purchase, not under any guise and that should make him the rightful owner. A few years ago, I believe in Massachussetts and if not, one of the New England states, someone purchased a portrait. When the new owner decided to remove the backing in an attempt to refurbish the frame he found an original copy of the Declaration of Independence. I believe I read there were about 10 - 12 copies of the Declaration, all hand written of course since there were no Xerox machines back then! Anyway, the portrait was purchased legally and the owner of that portrait was also the proud new owner of one of the most important documents of our country. Let's hope Australia has similiar laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danielj Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 I hope the name of whoever sold the suitcase doesn't get out! And I hope they don't hear about this! That would not be too fun for them! I wonder if buddy who found the stuff is going to keep it. That would be a VERY tough decision. I'm sure a hug beatles fan would but that could add up to millions!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evelyn Posted April 21, 2005 Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 i really wish i had bought that suitcase - that guy better get to keep that stuff. He bought it! awesome news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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