Leslo
I'm doing a little research for a story I've been wanting to write for a few years now. I hate doing research at times because I get very fanatical about it. However, it can be fun too. You find the most interesting little tid-bits. Here's some information I picked up about the island the Beatles were going to buy in July of 1967: The most promising island was called Leslo, which had a small fishing village, four beaches (one each) and 16 acres of olive groves. And it only cost ninety grand! Derek Taylor worked out that they could pay back the entire cost by exporting olives for the next seven years. "We're all going to live there," said John enthusiastically, "perhaps forever, just coming home for visits. Or it might be six months a year. It'll be fantastic -- all on our own little island. There's some little houses on there which we'll do up and knock together. It will be amazing. We'll be able to just lie naked in the sunshine together. There will be no hassles with the police because there won't be any police. The kids won't bother us because there won't be any kids. We can set a studio up and just make our albums, swim about in the Aegean and get stoned." Even Paul was pretty keen: "I suppose the main motivation for that would be that no one could stop you smoking. Drugs was probably the main reason for getting some island, and then all the other community things that were around then - 'Oh, we'll paint together. We'll do this. I'll chop wood.'"
Plans were drawn up to buy it on the 26th, but because of the currency restrictions in force at the time, it was illegal to take so much money out of the country, so they had to seek special dispensation frm the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He duly gave permission, but only up to a total of ninety-five grand. He then sent them a cheeky letter, saying: "But not a penny more... I wonder how you're going to furnish it?" Alistair Taylor said: "They allowed us to spend the £90,000, but wouldn't sanction the extra expense necessary to build homes and the planned recording studio. We battled on for weeks and got lawyer's opinions, drafted appeals, and tried to recruit support for the purchase. Then Neil came to me with the news that The Beatles were fed up with all the aggro and wanted to forget the whole thing."
So it seems that the island deal was pretty close to happening, except for the money issues. If everything had been cleared right away they woudl have bought it. I never realized it was so close to happening. Granted I doubt it would have held their fancy more than a few months, anyway, but it would have still be quite interesting. I like John's thoughts on the matter, anyway.
Anyway, I thought that was interesting enough to report about. Now back to doing actual research and see how long my interest in it it lasts. Ha.
Plans were drawn up to buy it on the 26th, but because of the currency restrictions in force at the time, it was illegal to take so much money out of the country, so they had to seek special dispensation frm the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He duly gave permission, but only up to a total of ninety-five grand. He then sent them a cheeky letter, saying: "But not a penny more... I wonder how you're going to furnish it?" Alistair Taylor said: "They allowed us to spend the £90,000, but wouldn't sanction the extra expense necessary to build homes and the planned recording studio. We battled on for weeks and got lawyer's opinions, drafted appeals, and tried to recruit support for the purchase. Then Neil came to me with the news that The Beatles were fed up with all the aggro and wanted to forget the whole thing."
So it seems that the island deal was pretty close to happening, except for the money issues. If everything had been cleared right away they woudl have bought it. I never realized it was so close to happening. Granted I doubt it would have held their fancy more than a few months, anyway, but it would have still be quite interesting. I like John's thoughts on the matter, anyway.
Anyway, I thought that was interesting enough to report about. Now back to doing actual research and see how long my interest in it it lasts. Ha.