Follow the Sun: The Beatles in Greece
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A ‘seismic period’ for the Beatles’ brand – and their legacy
Apple Corps has signalled big ambitions for the Beatles brand in the coming years – but it may take decades to understand the group’s real significance.
May 8
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Jonathan Knott
5
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Magic Alex, the Shah of Iran and the King of Spain
When asking the Shah for $10m to help tackle Spain’s socialist 'threat', Juan Carlos I suggested his 'personal friend' Alexis Mardas could act as a…
Apr 2
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Jonathan Knott
2
1
The Kalashnikovs, the kings, and the abandoned mansion: Magic Alex's hidden life on Hydra
Alexis Mardas owned a huge house which had a swimming pool, a cinema, and (according to one neighbour) guns. Then he disappeared – and the source of his…
Feb 12
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Jonathan Knott
6
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John Lennon’s island fantasies
Sep 19, 2024
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Jonathan Knott
18
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How a Beatles myth was built - and dismantled
Dec 16, 2025
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Jonathan Knott
9
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1. Where is ‘Leslo’, the Greek island the Beatles wanted to buy?
May 16, 2022
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Jonathan Knott
4
2
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George Harrison on Monolia?
Oct 8, 2024
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Jonathan Knott
9
4
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Desertion, theft and a stay in hospital: Alfred Lennon’s eventful war
Sep 11, 2025
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Jonathan Knott
5
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Recap: what we’ve learned about the Beatles’ Greek island mystery
Jul 24, 2025
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Jonathan Knott
6
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The historian and the mystery of Billy Hall’s birthday
Mark Lewisohn’s error over when the key witness to the ‘Blackpool incident’ was born highlights the challenges of researching Beatles history in the…
Jan 14
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Jonathan Knott
5
2
How a Beatles myth was built - and dismantled
The heartbreaking choice facing John Lennon in Blackpool was an accepted part of Beatles history – until a retired businessman in New Zealand read a…
Dec 16, 2025
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Jonathan Knott
9
2
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The Greek island that disappeared
The new Anthology series doesn’t mention at all the group’s visit to Greece in 1967, or their intention to buy an island there – but it better explains…
Dec 2, 2025
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Jonathan Knott
4
George Martin’s 'perfect island' postcard
While the Beatles were recording tracks for the ‘White Album’, the group’s producer sent them a postcard from Italy, saying he’d found ‘the perfect…
Oct 30, 2025
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Jonathan Knott
1
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Getting to know 'Magic Alex'
There are lots of stories about Alexis Mardas on the Greek island where he spent much of his time.
Oct 16, 2025
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Jonathan Knott
4
Anatomy of a quote from ‘The Beatles Anthology’
What exactly did George Harrison say about the Greek island, and when?
Sep 24, 2025
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Jonathan Knott
4
1
Desertion, theft and a stay in hospital: Alfred Lennon’s eventful war
Newly-discovered ships' records reveal how John Lennon’s father jumped ship in New York and was imprisoned in Algeria for stealing cargo, before being…
Sep 11, 2025
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Jonathan Knott
5
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Follow the Sun: The Beatles in Greece
Investigating the Beatles' Greek island mystery
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