Archive - Follow the Sun: The Beatles in Greece

Where does the island name ‘Leslo’ come from?

While the name appears in Paul McCartney’s authorised biography, the author’s records suggest it didn’t originate from the Beatle himself.

Feb 5 •

December 2024

Who was the ‘Swedish actress’ with the Beatles in Greece?

A woman who appears in footage of the trip bears a surprising resemblance to a 1960s Hollywood star

Dec 4, 2024 •

October 2024

George Harrison on Monolia?

Footage shown during Paul McCartney's live performance of 'Now and Then' appears to show Harrison in the Lichadonisia archipelago

Oct 8, 2024 •

September 2024

John Lennon’s island fantasies

Considering Lennon’s interest in islands could help us understand his idealism, his reading habits, and his musical and literary writing – perhaps even…

Sep 19, 2024 •

August 2024

Mistake or misdirection? The ‘Aegos in Konstadinos’ mystery

The supposed name for the island the Beatles wanted doesn't seem to actually exist - but it's very similar to the name of a real place, that was close…

Aug 24, 2024 •

June 2024

A closer look at the Lichadonisia

Like the cluster of islands said to have been desired by the Beatles, Greece’s hidden ‘Seychelles’ are home to a natural harbour, abandoned houses and…

Jun 20, 2024 •

May 2024

A secret service connection? Argyris Mardas, IDEA and KYP

Employment by Greece’s Central Intelligence Service could explain why Alexis Mardas’ father is often associated with military and secret activity

May 29, 2024 •

April 2024

How a reporter tracked down the Beatles in Greece

Labis Tsirigotakis’ account fleshes out our picture of the group’s trip – while raising a few additional questions

Apr 24, 2024 •

February 2024

Lord Goodman: Lawyer to the Beatles - and the prime minister

The peer whose law firm worked on the group’s plans to buy an island was a confidant to Harold Wilson and a notable figure in British public life

Feb 8, 2024 •

November 2023

'Alex said they could pay less tax in Greece’: the financial context of the Beatles’ island plans

Alexis Mardas is said to have claimed that he could help the Beatles ‘pay a lot less tax in Greece than they were paying in England’

Nov 15, 2023 •

September 2023

Article in the Journal of Beatles Studies

Apologies for the recent lull in writing.

Sep 13, 2023 •

May 2023

Visits by ‘British personalities’: An MP’s PR advice to the colonels

As the Beatles’ island plans took shape, a Labour politician suggested that visits by high-profile British figures could help improve Greece’s image in…

May 4, 2023 •

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