FIVE YEARS IN THE LIFE RESULTS IN ‘BEATLES STORIES’

AWARD WINNING, SINGER-SONGWRITER AND BESTSELLING AUTHOR,
SETH SWIRSKY, REVEALS UNTOLD STORIES ABOUT THE ICONIC
POP GROUP IN HIS FASCINATING NEW DOCUMENTARY,
MAKING ITS NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE WITH TWO SHOWINGS
AT THE NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL APRIL 29 AND MAY 2

***

The 75-Minute Indie Film Featuring 55 Interviews With Rock and Pop
Legends (Brian Wilson, Graham Nash, Art Garfunkel, Smokey Robinson), Actors (Sir Ben Kingsley, Jon Voight), Media Personalities, Beatles Intimates
And Even A Former First Daughter Made Its International Debut At
The European Independent Film Festival In Paris April 3

Decades pass, musical and cultural trends come and go, new generations grow up and the world becomes ever more complicated—yet the love of The Beatles endures.

More than four decades after Seth Swirsky used to jump up and down on his bed to his favorite Beatles songs during the ‘60s, the critically acclaimed, award winning songwriter, recording artist, author and indie filmmaker celebrates John, Paul, George and Ringo with “Beatles Stories,” a fascinating documentary featuring interviews Swirsky conducted over a five year period with 55 famous (and not-so famous) people who had a unique or intimate encounter with one or all of the Fab Four during their heyday and beyond.

After receiving a rousing reception at its World Premiere at the European Independent Film Festival in Paris on April 3, the 75-minute film makes its North American debut with an unprecedented two showings at the Newport Beach Film Festival. The first screening is Friday, April 29 at Triangle Square 7 at 6 p.m. The second is at Triangle Square 2 on Monday, May 3 at 3 p.m.

During his five year labor of love journey to document “Beatles Stories,” Swirsky (www.seth.com) found that that everyone from legendary pop and rock stars to early recording engineers and former girlfriends had incredible and animated tales to offer. The 55 edited interviews were chosen out of an incredible 110 he shot everywhere from Los Angeles to New York to London and Liverpool. Taking an intimate grassroots approach, Swirsky worked with only a handheld camera he personally operated and an HD camera he placed in the room for potential cutaway shots.

The diverse array of subjects who lent their joyful recollections to “Beatles Stories” is a testament to Swirsky’s passion. Among them are renowned rock and pop stars: Justin Hayward, Smokey Robinson, Brian Wilson, Jackie DeShannon, Donovan, Ray Manzarek, Graham Nash, Art Garfunkel, Peter Noone, Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick, Susanna Hoffs from The Bangles and Joey Molland from Badfinger.

“Beatles Stories” are also shared with Swirsky by various media personalities (Bob Eubanks, Frank Gifford, Chris Carter); Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay (who boasts one of the world’s largest collections of guitars, including the one George Harrison played on Revolver); New York Yankees baseball great Bernie Williams; former First Daughter Luci Baines Johnson; onetime Elvis Presley bodyguard Jerry Schilling; and actors Henry Winkler, Jon Voight and Sir Ben Kingsley, who launched his career at the West End Theatre in London in a 1966 show directed by Beatles manager Brian Epstein—with John Lennon and Ringo Starr in the audience!

The documentary also includes Swirsky’s encounters with numerous Beatles intimates, from May Pang (John’s girlfriend during his “Lost Weekend” in L.A. after his split with Yoko Ono) and Nancy Lee Andrews (Ringo’s girlfriend in the mid- ‘70s) to Fred Seaman (John’s personal assistant during the last year of his life); the band’s legendary producer George Martin; Klaus Voorman, a friend of the band who designed the cover for Revolver; Denny Laine from Paul’s ‘70s band Wings; Beatles engineers Norman Smith, Ken Scott and John Kurlander; Jack Douglas, who produced John’s final recording, Double Fantasy, amongst many others.

Swirsky, has enjoyed a lengthy career in a multitude of media, from penning worldwide hit songs for Taylor Dayne (“Tell it to My Heart”), Al Green, Celine Dion, Tina Turner and Rufus Wainwright to writing three bestselling baseball books. As a solo recording artist, his album Instant Pleasure won for “Pop Album of the Year” at the 2005 Los Angeles Music Award while the title track from his critically-acclaimed second album, Watercolor Day, won a 2010 Hollywood Music in Media Award for “Best Pop Song of the Year” for the title track. He will soon be releasing the second independent recording from his band, The Red Button, which scored a commercial and critical success with their British Invasion-sounding debut She’s About To Cross My Mind in 2007. That album featured the song “Cruel Girl,” which reached #1 on Billboard’s “Coolest Song of the Week” chart.

But in “Beatles Stories,” Swirsky is a lifelong fan simply trying to get closer to his idols and musical muses through the recollections of those who were witnesses to history. “The essence of this project to me is intimacy, connecting to The Beatles in ways I could never have dreamed of through the rich stories of these great people who took time out of their lives to share them with me,” he says. “I just wanted to share the joy of these stories with others, who loved The Beatles as I did and do. My goal was to learn more about The Beatles, and I did.

Now, through ‘Beatles Stories’, Swirsky has found a way to give back to the band that has meant so much to him and the world.