Beatle Motors

I have struggled today to avoid using any clichéd ‘man from the motor trade’ quips to title this piece, however, the net result, given my customary lack of imagination, is the rather poor effort you read above.

Never mind. Should I produce some marvellous piece of prose during the course of writing this I shall retitle the post, delete this paragraph, and none of you will be any the wiser as to the struggles suffered by the poor blogger in the everlasting quest for the LOST WORDS!

Anyway, I digress; I feel compelled to spend a little time bringing to your attention the fact that two major pieces of Beatle related motor memorabilia are due to shortly go under the auctioneer’s hammer. I shall attempt to add a little history and background to this piece so as it will have an on-going sense of relevance beyond the time of writing – June 2013 – and beyond the dates at which these items are auctioned.

It helps also, I believe, to add a little to what we know about the Beatle’s automobiles as they clearly play a huge part in this little drama that we know as the PID hoax. To recap then, the legend goes that Paul McCartney died in a car accident on the 9^th November 1966 (9/11/1966), or, alternatively, the 11^th of September 1966 if you are American.

I feel the need at this point to launch into an utterly pointless rant about the American date system; so, should you have no interest in the ramblings of a delusional blogger please skip this paragraph. However, how can it be logical to employ a system that goes month, day, year? It is like saying the alphabet should go a, c, b. No, the only way to go is day, month, and year dear reader; clear, concise and logical. So, if the slogan on the Sgt. Pepper drum head that can only be read by producing a mirror image and which then employs both standard and Roman numerals, and, it should be pointed out, a very poor use of tense, is a message that provides the confirmation of, and the date of, Paul McCartney’s death; then that date is the 9^th November 1966. Rant over.

Whatever may, or may not, have happened on 9^th November 1966 we know for certain that Paul McCartney’s friend and John Lennon’s one time muse, that Guinness child - or that Rothschild dependent upon your point of view - the real Percy Thrillington, the inimitable, and some say Honourable, Tara Browne fell of his gilded perch on December 18, 1966 in an automobile accident that bears a spooky resemblance to the fictional one that purportedly killed our hero.

As the lyrics to the tune that should have been called ‘A Final Day In The Life’ go, “He blew his mind out in a car”, “He didn’t notice that the lights had changed”, and, his car is up for sale. Not the turquoise Lotus Elan in which he died of course. No, that was crushed into a cube and recycled and repainted by Yoko Ono and then displayed at the Robert Fraser Gallery under the amusing title, ‘White Shite’.

Tara Browne and his car of many colours watched by Robert Fraser

No, this car is the AC Cobra that was once painted in a fantastic (their words) psychedelic vision by those ‘60’s masters of hippy trippy vileness; Binder, Edwards and Vaughan, and that was then wedged into the window of the afore-mentioned Robert Fraser Gallery. I am sure that this was done as some groovy Sixties representation of the cars artistic merits and not merely as a display of vulgar wealth or anything as crass as that. It featured, lest we forget, the same BEV design that has adorned Paul McCartney’s Magick piano for nigh on fifty years. He did this; I am sure, as a tribute to the wonder of the design and not as a shrine for a fallen pal or anything.

Seriously though, Tara does have a shrine. It is located at Lugalla, his brother’s country pile in the wilds of Ireland, where it sits as one of three situated on the shore of Lough Tay, next to a structure known as the Temple. Paul McCartney leaves a single red rose there every year before carving the initials L.I.L.Y. onto the headstone. (L.I.L.Y. means Messiah in Hebrew or something.)

Tara's Temple Shrine

The legend goes that little Lord Fauntleroy was travelling with his sometime ‘girlfriend’ Suki Potier that night and, according to the Beatles Bible, he had swerved to avoid an oncoming Volkswagen – I hope it was a Beetle – and in so doing smashed into a van. Tara died of his injuries, however, Suki escaped without a scratch. Indeed, given her lack of injuries and the indecent speed with which she then jumped into Brian Jones’ bed, one may well question if she was present at all that night? Suki died in an actual car crash many years later whilst driving a Ford Karma, possibly.

Add to this the unverifiable rumour from Marianne Faithfull that Tara was off his nut on acid the night he died, and the equally unverifiable rumour that Paul McCartney first sampled LSD with his Irish dandy Tara, then a little frisson of conspiracist excitement should rise to the fore.

Could it be that Tara’s passenger, that fateful evening, was not Suki but Paul? I honestly don’t know and only the dark knight can confirm, however, when I asked his PR people for a response they could only tell me that Paul was at home that night growing a moustache to hide a totally unrelated scar from a totally unrelated motorcycle incident that involved a totally unrelated Tara Browne and that happened nearly a full year before!

Anyway, the king of the Kings Road’s car is now purple and is due to be auctioned on the 29^th of this month,  (that’s 6/29/13 for my US cousins) and will set you back an estimated £350,000 to purchase.  How much it would have cost if it still possessed its psychedelic daubings is anyone’s guess, however, at least you won’t be a laughing stock when driving it.

Should you require any further reading about the auction please repair HERE where you will find that they quote my wondrous tome “The Sgt. Pepper Code” which is available from Amazon at a very competitive price!!!

Slightly cheaper at a measly 15 – 20 grand sterling (the car, not the book; that costs mere pennies!) is Brian Epstein’s mini cooper. 

It appears that he took delivery of his motor on 2^nd November 1965; just nine days before Tara received his Cobra, when it was delivered new to Brian Epstein Automobiles, trading as Brydor Cars in Hounslow, London. 

Eppy's mini

It appears, according to the blurb HERE, that Eppy was the first of the boys to own a cooper and so impressed were they with his little blue gadabout that they all soon wanted one for themselves. Indeed, a certain Mr J P McCartney from Merseyside was so impressed he bought two. A green one for use whenever a photographer was in sight and an invisible black one that could be loaned to art dealer’s servants whenever drugs needed transporting.

As impressive as that sounds though, Mick Jagger had a cooper with a built in TARDIS feature that allowed six full grown men to fit in at the same time. Seriously, look at the photo above, how can you possibly fit six men in there? 

For those of you with absolutely no idea what I am banging on about now, please click HERE.

Anyway, back to the car belonging to the fifth Beatle, no, sorry the sixth, no, seventh….sod it, the Beatles manager. It appears his infatuation with the car was fleeting for on the 14^th November 1966, a little over a year after buying it; he flogged it to George Harrison’s brother Peter for a song. Sadly the song was crap so they gave it to Ringo.

What I find quite remarkable is just how focussed and hard-working Mr Epstein was. Given that at that time he was just nine months away from his own demise, and given that presumably he was speeding off his tits most of the time, Eppy could still find the time to sell his car just 5 days after McCartney’s inconvenient death and when, we assume, he would have been very busy supressing the media and launching global Paul McCartney look-a-like competitions!

Beatles, More Sgt Pepper's Masonic Initiation Clues

Hand of the Mysteries

The alchemical symbol of apotheosis, the transformation of man into god, is traditionally represented by an image of a hand with other symbols, including skulls, crowns, stars, fish, keys, lanterns, astrological symbols and the all-seeing eye.

The Hand of the Mysteries goes by many other names, including the Hand of the Master Mason, Hand of the Philosopher, and the Emblematic Hand of Mysteries.

It is said that the hand holds the keys to divinity, and is used as an invitation to discover the ‘great secrets.’

Besides its alchemical and Qabbalistic meanings, the figure symbolizes the hand of a Master Mason with which he "raises" the martyred Builder of the Divine House, so in this case Issy Bonn - a Hebrew comedian - represents the Master Mason and McCartney represents Hiram Abiff, the matyred Builder, being resurrected from the dead.

You're holding me down (Oh Oh)
Turning me round(Oh Oh).....

You gave me the word, I finally heard
I'm doing the best that I can 

Beatles, Sgt Pepper's Masonic Initiation Clues

"All antiquity believed ...in a Mediator or Redeemer, by means of whom the Evil Principle was to be overcome and the Supreme Deity reconciled to His creatures. The belief was general that he was to be born of a virgin and suffer a painful death. The Hindus called him Krishna; the Chinese, Kioun-tse; the Persians, Sosiosch; the Scandinavians, Balder; the Christians, Jesus; the Masons, Hiram"

It is my belief that the Sgt. Pepper cover is a coded reference to a Masonic initiation ceremony and there does seem to be a lot of evidence to back this up.

If you take your copy of Sgt Pepper and scan down the lyrics to the opening track, ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’, you will find that the opening letters, capitalised, to the last four lines begin with the letters, S.T.A.B.

Go now, to the third track ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’, and beginning with the line ‘A girl with kaleidoscope eyes’ and you will find the lines begin with the letters A.C.T. Stab Act.

This ‘Stab Act’ could possibly be interpreted as a reference to Hiram Abif and, therefore, relate to the Third Degree of Masonry. The following text comes from here; http://www.christian-restoration.com/fmasonry/hiram.htm

 

The Blue Lodge (degrees 1 - 3) are centred upon the legend of Hiram Abiff. This legend loosely has its historical basis in 1st Kings 7 and 2nd Chronicles 2.  King Hiram of Tyre sent a skilled man, also called Hiram, to Israel to help King Solomon build the Temple of the Lord.

Hiram Abiff, "a widow's son" from Tyre, skilful in the working of all kinds of metals, was employed to help build King Solomon's Temple.

The legend tells us that one day, whilst worshipping the Grand Architect of the Universe (GAOTU) within the Holy of Holies, Hiram was attacked by three ruffians, (called 'Jubela', 'Jubelo' & 'Jubelum' and known collectively as 'The Juwes') who demanded the "Master's word", that is, the secret name of God.

The first ruffian, named Jubela, struck Hiram across the throat with a 24 inch gauge. The second ruffian, named Jubelo, struck Hiram's breast, over the heart, with a square.   The third ruffian, named Jubelum, struck Hiram upon the forehead with a gavel, whereupon Hiram fell dead. His blood, therefore, was shed within the temple.

Hiram, having been killed, was carried out the East gate of the Temple and buried outside Jerusalem on Mount Moriah.

Early the following morning, King Solomon visited the temple and found the workmen in confusion because no plans had been made for the day's work. Fearing evil had befallen Hiram, King Solomon sent out twelve Fellowcraft Masons to look for Hiram. King Solomon himself accompanied the three who journeyed towards the East.

Having finally located the grave of Hiram, Solomon and his fellow Masons exhumed the body. A search was made for the Master's word (the Name of God), but all that was found was the letter "G".  Finding the word lost, a lament went up: "O Lord, my God, is there no help for the widow's son?".

They first took hold of Hiram's body with the "Boaz" grip of the first degree. This failed to achieve its purpose.

They then re-positioned their hold upon Hiram's body using the "Jachin" grip of the second degree. This also failed to accomplish its purpose.

Solomon finally raised Hiram from the dead by using the third degree grip of the Master Mason, the five points of fellowship (explained shortly), and by uttering in Hiram's ear the phrase "Ma-Ha-Bone".

    These first three degrees are based upon the legend. The Scottish and York Rites base themselves largely upon the Hiramic legend that follows after Hiram Abiff's 'resurrection'.

Hiram Abiff has been raised from the dead.  However, he soon leaves the legend, for he has been ushered into a more glorious existence.

Solomon is left to continue building the Temple. Many decisions have to be made. Solomon first selects seven expert masons to guard the Temple, before holding a requiem for the departed Hiram Abiff. Solomon then appoints seven judges to hand out justice to the workmen building the Temple.

Five superintendents are installed to oversee the continuing building of the Temple. Solomon then focuses upon apprehending the assassins of Hiram Abiff. He appoints nine Masters, who begin the search for the assassins. The first assassin is discovered asleep. He is stabbed in the heart and head, then decapitated.

It is upon this tale that the basis for the Masonic initiation ceremony is formed. Within these ceremonies the candidates – those being initiated – will find themselves being held down and turned around and being asked for a secret password.

So, to return to Sgt. Pepper, if we go to track four – immediately after the STAB ACT clue – we find the song ‘Getting Better’ which includes some intriguing lyrics; in the first verse:

It's getting better all the time

I used to get mad at my school (No, I can't complain)

The teachers who taught me weren't cool( No, I can't complain)

You're holding me down (Oh Oh)

Turning me round(Oh Oh)

Filling me up with your rules(Oooh)

And in the second verse:

Me used to be angry young man

Me hiding me head in the sand

You gave me the word, I finally heard

I'm doing the best that I can

Viewing the lyrics from the perspective of a Masonic initiation one could argue that they talk about the initiation itself and then the effects of that initiation on the candidate.

Holding me down. Restrained so that you will know the true meaning of freedom.

Turning me round. Blindfolded and turned round  so you don't know your direction or path. Ritual teaching one to know their direction and point of view. 

You gave me the word. The replacement terms given to the candidate in place of the lost name of God.

 

Aleister Crowley and the RAOB

One of the long-standing mysteries arising from the cover of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band LP is the inclusion of the enigmatic Legionnaire from the Order of the Buffalos, or the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) character.

I have postulated that the character may have been included as a nod to John Lennon’s Uncle Charlie who was a member of Liverpool Dingle Lodge 4303 of the RAOB, however, a comment on my YouTube channel states that there is no such title as Legionnaire from the Order of the Buffalos in the RAOB.

I contacted the RAOB and asked if they were aware of the connection and could they shed any light on why it may have been included? They did reply, but claimed it was merely a reference to the Loyal Order of Water Buffalos that appeared in the cartoon series ’The Flintstones’.

The character is, I believe, a Masonic clue. In this photo we are not hampered by the inclusion of Diana Dors and we can see what appears to be an apron, presumably Masonic, and possibly a key in his hand?

 

Alternately Iamaphoney has speculated, in his Rotten Apple series, that the character may represent an Aleister Crowley double, or doppelganger, which, whilst possible, could also be disinformation. 

However, the character is wearing a fez and this recently led me to consider if this may be a reference to a Crowley poem that appears in his ‘Winged Beetle’ book entitled ‘The Jew of Fez’.

The poem essentially refers to someone born into the Jewish faith but who adopts different religious beliefs before, finally, reverting back to his original beliefs.

The poem is interesting because it is dedicated to Winston Churchill, who at the time of the poems publication was serving in government as Home Secretary, and is believed to refer to Churchill’s decision to swap political allegiances and ‘cross the floor’. Churchill moved from the Conservative to the Liberal party. The poem also seems to further predict Churchill’s later return to the ranks of the Tories. 

The dedication is curious in that, on the surface at least, there is little to connect the two men apart from some mutual friends. Perhaps of greater note, though not surprise, however, is that both Crowley and Churchill were prominent Freemasons. Churchill indeed following in the very shadowy footsteps of his father, Randolph Spencer Churchill.

Churchill would expand his secret society credentials by also joining the Ancient and Archaeological Order of Druids whilst Crowley would traverse from Golden Dawn through to A:.A:. (Argenteum Astrum or Silver Star or even, Atlantean Adepts) to the OTO.

Crowley parodying Churchill

Could it be that the poem was a warning to Churchill that he had nailed his colours to the wrong mast with the Druids and that this was a subtle attempt by Crowley to lure Churchill towards the A:.A:.? 

Were the Beatles aware of this and did they include the ‘legionnaire’ as an obscure clue to those ‘in the know’ to remain in the OTO?

Certainly, Iamaphoney repeatedly uses the 'Winged Beetle' book in reference to Paul McCartney (the Winged Beatle) and Aleister Crowley. Is he asking us to pay more attention to the 'double'?