8th June 2007

Have A Go - Magazine

When John Lennon was shot, Marcus Cahill wanted to call up the band and offer to be the next Beatle. After all he knew all the songs backwards. The only problem was that he was only 10-years-old.

While he never did get to join the Beatles, Marcus is now the next best thing. He’s a John Lennon impersonator who performs songs written by the late Beatle in a show which has seen him travel all over the world to perform.

A life-long musician, Marcus says the concept of paying tribute to Lennon had been in his head since he was a kid. After forming and playing in various bands around Perth he decided it was time to finally put his long-time dream into action.

”John Lennon is my hero,“ says Marcus who has studied the singer-songwriter from every angle and can imitate his performance at every level. ”The songs of Lennon helped change the voice of popular music forever. He rescued rock ‘n’ roll from the doldrums and helped give youth culture a common voice all in the name of peace and love,“ says Marcus of songs like She Loves You, A Hard Days Night, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Across the Universe, All You Need Is Love, Give Peace a Chance and the iconic Imagine.

His theatre show has been applauded by the thousands of people who see him perform every year, including those at the annual International Beatle Week in Liverpool in August and the Australian Beatle Festival in Adelaide this month. Lennon’s sister, Julia Baird has even called him the closest anyone has ever come to paying tribute to her brother’s music and mannerisms.

”I am trying to be true to the man when I perform the songs and talk about the stories around them. Many of the nuances are things only true fans would notice but that’s what makes it so much more exciting for them to watch. Everyone else just loves the music.

”I can’t come up with a better answer for why I do this other than that I love it. The Beatles songs are something which have never left me and they cover just about every part of your life.“

By Ara Jansen

14th April 2007

A day in the life - The West Magazine

I'm what you might call A Wanna-Beatle. I grew up with the Beatles as a kid. I admired the talent, the professionalism and the fun. Four crazy guys travelling the world, everybody's screaming after them - and I thought: that's the job I want.

I was into music in general; it wasn't like I was a one-eyed monster about the Beatles, albeit that a lot of people see me that way. How could he not be? He's got the glasses, the hair, the T-shirts, the posters, the guitars; I developed into a monster. But I haven't allowed it to consume me: my feet are very firmly in reality. I know I'm not John Lennon. It's just a little thing I fell in love with.

After years of playing music, I had studied every little thing that the Beatles ever did: sneezes, handclaps, backwards talking - the whole thing. I did my research out of passion, respect and love for it rather than homework, which makes it a really easy job. It was frowned upon that you'd look back in music; people would ask, "Why are you living in the past?" It's like asking a conductor, "Why do you play Mozart?" Because I love it.

I got the band together and began a John Lennon tribute. I thought, really and truly I'm not too interested in jamming with a wanna-be Paul McCartney or George Harrison. I decided that I was actually more of a Lennon fan, or at least of the Lennon material.

My touring has taken me to the Cavern in Liverpool: a venue that the Beatles played at around 295 times. Currently I've performed there three times so I've got a few shows to go. It's magic for me, standing on the stage looking down the archways like you see in all the movies and pictures of the Beatles. Suddenly you're in Pepperland - the light comes on and you just think: Oh, I'm here!

The Australian Beatles festival is coming up in Adelaide in June so I'm looking forward to that. At the moment because of the isolation of Perth, a lot of venues can't afford to fly our band to perform there, so it limits us quite a lot. What we need at the moment is a promoter, manager, director and producer so we can take our work to the next level.

After a show people will come up to me and treat me like I wrote the songs. It's strange meeting people like that - it's like, you do realise I'm not John Lennon? I've met people who still live in that space where John is alive. What I guess I'm doing is bringing back memories; taking people back to places in their lives. I'm playing my favourite songs to people who love them - and you can't really get any better than that.

As told to Annika Kristensen

4th November 2006

Fans or FANATICS? - The West Australian (Weekend Extra)

Marcus Cahill is a Perth musician who has spent the last three years touring the world with his tribute show - Imagine John Lennon.

"I've been into him since I was a kid, my dad would sing me to sleep with Beatles songs," he says.

He's toured the US, Canada and Hong Kong, played before an audience of 10,000 and had numerous television appearences. but his most memorable moment was after a gig in Adelaide.

He met the step-sister of Lennon and asked whether she enjoyed his performance, her reply will stay forever etched in his memory.

"She said, 'actually, you're the best John I've ever heard". I was shaking like a leaf, the tears were pissing down my face, it was like Adelaide was having an earthquake," he says.

Despite the accolades, Cahill does sometimes run into critics. "You get the odd character on the pub scene who says "this is shit, can you play some Jimmy Barnes" and I'm like "Oh mate you're two steps from death," he says.

"I mostly get criticism from people who are ignorant, they say "Do your own music, get a life, the guys dead, get over it". But its not like I'm dragging them to the show."

He admits he sometimes gets lost in the moment when playing, but not to the point of actually believing he is Lennon.

"No that would be a bit of an identity crisis wouldn't it?"

By Steven Hounsome

1st October 2006

In the shadow of stars - Western Independent (Oct Edition)

On the anniversary of a famous fan assassination Mark David Chapman came to believe John Lennon was a phoney and in 1980, he camped outside the former Beatle's door and killed him, firing four bullets.

These extreme cases, though are rare, more often the fan will find a positive outlet for their passion. Some have become managers, as was the case with The Doors, and even members of their idolised groups. Others settle for setting up a fan club or tribute band.

The tribute band serves a dual purpose, it allows the fan to indulge their fantasy by emulating their hero before an audience. And it allows other fans the opportunity to experience the band they adore in what may be the closest thing they'll ever get to a live performance.

Marcus Cahill is a Perth musician who has spent the last three years touring the world with his tribute show - Imagine John Lennon.

"I've been into him since I was a kid, my dad would sing me to sleep with Beatles songs," he says.

He's toured the US, Canada and Hong Kong, played before an audience of 10,000 and had numerous television appearences, but his most memorable moment was after a gig in Adelaide.

He met the step-sister of Lennon and asked whether she enjoyed his performance, her reply will stay forever etched in his memory.

"She said, 'actually, you're the best John I've ever heard". I was shaking like a leaf, the tears were pissing down my face, it was like Adelaide was having an earthquake," he says.

Despite the accolades, Cahill does sometimes run into critics. "You get the odd character on the pub scene who says "this is shit, can you play some Jimmy Barnes" and I'm like "Oh mate you're two steps from death," he says.

"I mostly get criticism from people who are ignorant, they say "Do your own music, get a life, the guys dead, get over it". But its not like I'm dragging them to the show."

He admits he sometimes gets lost in the moment when playing, but not to the point of actually believing he is Lennon.

"No that would be a bit of an identity crisis wouldn't it?" he says.

But he hasn't always been so fortunate with his audience. Some fans get so caught up in their Beatles obsession they fail to remember what they are witnessing is only a tribute.

"I had this one guy come up, he had a few loose screws" he says he was convinced I was John Lennon, it was sad. He wanted my autograph so I signed it Marcus. He probably got it home and wondered "Who the hell is Marcus?"

Music obsession hardly tops the list of dangers to the fabric of modern society.

In most cases it is a healthy outlet for the expression of passion and can even lead to a career, as with Marcus Cahill.

But when the obsession is all-consuming it can also be limiting - like a damaged record, stuck in the groove, endlessly repeating the same note.

By Steven Hounsome

11th September 2006

Marcus Cahill wore many hats….but John Lennon’s stuck! - Irish Scene (Sept-Oct Edition)

"I heard Marcus singing what I can only describe as John songs, songs that John wrote, sang and loved. He sounds uncannily like John...." Julia Baird (John Lennon’s sister)

During a visit to Kalgoorlie some months ago I met up with Marcus Cahill who was playing at Paddy’s Ale House during that week. I had heard around the traps that there was a Dublin bloke who did a John Lennon impersonation and when I saw Marcus with the small rounded glasses I put 2 and 2 together, they are the same person.

Over a coffee some weeks later I asked Marcus about his music background and where he came from and when. "I perform under different stage names, Marcus Cahill, Mark Anthony and John Lennon". Marcus and his father Tony played for many years at the Irish club with a band called Poteen. I asked Marcus about the John Lennon connection. "I’ve been playing Beatles stuff for years and we played anything at the Irish Club, whatever they asked for". Marcus told me he was into music since he was 5 and would sit around listening to his father playing his songs and of course when they started to play together Marcus knew all the songs his father knew. "My ould man was a big Beatles fan and I always had the records at my disposal, I listened to them and fell in love with the music". He told me his father would play Beatles songs such as Yellow Submarine or Rocky Racoon to get him to sleep at night.

The whole family arrived in Australia in November 1988. His father played in a folk band in Dublin called Scholar. "They were a top folk band around and played on the Late Late Show and places like the Wexford Inn. I was playing with a band called Power of Dreams who were signed to Polydor and we left all that behind and headed down under". The band went on to more success and toured the world with their music. "This was a sad time, leaving all that behind but we moved on and got to Perth, put another band together called Dems the Brakes and sure enough that’s what it turned out to be". Ken Woods, Brendan Woods' son was our bass player with the band. "We won many competitions with the band, we did the Yamaha Rock, won an award with 96fm and I was the first to win a Wami award in its first year". Poteen was going on at the same time when all this was happening and Marcus told me he had 2 or 3 different things going at the same time. "I remember one St Patrick’s Day I did 7 shows and I must hold the record". On that day he played with Alan Woods at one gig, then Brendan Woods another, etc etc. "I was knackered at the end of it and I never did that again". Marcus told me at one stage or another he has played with just about every Irish band in Perth.

I asked Marcus about his John Lennon show. "From day one I was destined to do this and I was determined to do it well because my heart was always there". Over the years Marcus said that he had been influenced by John Lennon and he could sing along with Lennon’s songs word for word. "It was time to make the dream come true, I turned it into a full time job, a business and here we are". The show I aimed at the corporate market, special events and festivals. Marcus has been organizing the bookings for the show until recently and now he has nominated Les Hinton Enterprises to work as an agent but he continues as manager.

Marcus played in Liverpool in 2005 for the International Beatle Week in the famous Cavern. "That was amazing and a dream come true. I was fairly confident about that performance but I didn’t want to be too confident. Being the dream that I wanted to play in the Cavern I was thinking at the time that this was insane, standing where John Lennon stood". That was Marcus with just a guitar with no backing music as they will not allow backing tracks in the Cavern. "You must remember that fans come from all over the world to see the Cavern for this week and has been going for a long time, packing out every year". Marcus has been invited back again this year. "I am hoping that I can bring the whole band this time but fingers crossed we may get round the expense".

I asked Marcus if he had ever returned to Ireland to play. "I played in Ireland last year after the Beatle Festival and it was an opportunity to take my wife back to where I came from". It was great to show her the ould school and catch up with my Dublin mates and we visited Mayo where I used to go as a kid for holidays every year with my family. We stayed in a little place called Neale and I had the guitar with me. Next thing we are in this pub and they are all buying me drinks shouting for more songs and the next think you are down in Wexford more drinks more songs, a great craic… only in Ireland". Marcus told me that the jam sessions in the country are brilliant and that side of his trip was memorable. "The musos in the sessions were absolutely brilliant and some of these fellas are just part-timers".

I asked Marcus about his future music plans. "John Lennon, that’s the focus for the future. I am planning big things for the show". Marcus has been in music now for 30 years and tried just about everything but his passion for the John Lennon show is obvious. "At a recent, sold-out, show in Mandurah we asked for a reference and their comments were that the show is second to none, absolutely brilliant. This is very encouraging and is what helps us to go on to even bigger things. We've now played in Hong Kong, a Beatle Festival in Adelaide, a Beatle Festival in America in Louisville Kentucky along with 30 other bands, huge!"

Have a peek at Marcus Cahill website: www.imaginejohnlennon.com.au (ed: now offline)

You Can hear Marcus do his Beatle Show every Saturday from 3 to 4pm on Twin Cities Radio www.twincitiesfm.com.au You can listen online!

By Fred Rea

4th February 2005

Musician chases Beatles dream - Kalgoorlie Miner

MARCUS CAHILL is a walking example of someone who chases their dreams.

The Irish-born musician, who has performed regularly at Kalgoorlie's Paddy's Ale House over the past two years, grew up wanting to be a Beatles impersonator.

Like many people with slightly left-of-centre ambitions, Mr Cahill spent many years in transition before waking up one day and deciding that the time for action had come.

"I've been doing this (impersonating the Beatles) in one way or another since I was five," he said.

"I've been working as a musician but decided that I wanted to chase the dream and make my Beatles gig more of a full-time thing.

"So now I'm focusing on my Imagine John Lennon show".

Mr Cahill's career has taken off in recent times and he is soon to jet off to the US, where he will play at the Abbey Road on the River Beatles Festival in Kentucky, which attracts more than 50,000 Beatles fans from across the world.

He said he was nervous about playing such a huge gig but it would provide him with the ultimate opportunity to indulge in his passion for performing.

"I really enjoy watching people's faces," he said when asked what fueled his love for performing.

"It's great seeing people being moved by your performance - smiling or crying.

"My favourite songs to perform are Nobody Told Me, because it's got a great feel to it and good rhythm, and A Day In The Life, because it's just a classic Sgt Pepper track."

By Ronan O'Connell

25th May 2004

Lennon Rules...ask Marcus - Community Newspaper Group

Beldon musician/singer Marcus Cahill (32) does his best to look like Beatle John Lennon, sing like him and speak like him.

Not only is he a lifelong Beatles and Lennon fan, but his birthday is one day before that of Lennon and remarkably, of Lennon's son Sean.

For four days in June he will sing and play John Lennon along with hundreds of other Beatle impersonators at the Australian Beatles Festival in Adelaide, where the Beatles started their Australian tour 40 year ago.

Cahill was born in Dublin, Ireland on October 8, 1971, the year John Lennon bought out his song "Imagine" and says he became a Beatles songs fan and singer from about five years of age.

His father is a professional musician and Marcus has been a professional singer and guitarist all his working life - 16 years.

His wife, Lisa, is also a song and music fan, but of Elvis Presley, not the Beatles.

Their home is stacked with all kinds of Beatle memorabilia, records, CDs and videos and Cahill said one of the most thrilling experiences in this life was going to The Cavern, in Liverpool, where the Beatles sung many of their early songs.

"You go down, down, downstairs - like going down into the basement of that mental asylum in the movie Silence of the Lambs," he said.

"But just being there was an experience I'll never forget."

His next biggest thrill was being invited by the Sydney-based group Australian Beatles to sing with this in the Beatles Festival in Hong Kong in 2000.

At the festival in Adelaide, he will be in four shows from June 11 to 14. And he hopes to meet up with special guests Pete Best, who was the Beatles original drummer, and Lennon's half-sister Julia Baird.

"I think the distinctive thing about Beatles music is it's longevity," he said.

"Every other band just died, but they've never ceased being popular."

By John Murphy

18th May 2004

Imagine a life like Lennon's - The West Australian

The first time John Lennon met Paul McCartney, he knew the pair were not going to hit it off.

But Lennon had signed on for a tour in Hong Kong with the Australian Beatles and was committed to completing the contract.

"Let's just say that I didn't see eye to eye with Paul, who was a real control freak," he says.

On his return to Perth, however, John Lennon, otherwise known as Irish-born Marcus Cahill, decided it was time to go out on his own as an impersonator.

Next month, Cahill will get his biggest test when he performs at the first Australian Beatles Festival in Adelaide.

Beatles bands from all over the world will converge on Adelaide for the four-day festival - a chance to relive the Beatlemania of that city, which was the first to host a concert in Australia by the original Beatles exactly 40 years ago.

The festival's major guests will be the real Lennon's half-sister Julia Baird and Pete Best, the original drummer who was replaced by Ringo Starr as the band began it's climb to fame.

Perth's own John Lennon is looking forward to meeting the real John's half-sister and also hopes to meet Best. He says the festival will be a chance to rub shoulders with other Beatles impersonators and maybe gain a few tips about performing the Fab Four's material.

Like most Beatles impersonators, Cahill is a walking encyclopedia on his favourite Beatles' life and career and has collected literally hundred of bootleg tapes of just about everything Lennon sang or recorded.

"It's an addiction, or maybe it's a disease," says Perth's John, who was born in 1971, the year Lennon release Imagine.

For his Adelaide appearances, Cahill will present material from Lennon's early career with the Beatles - as well as songs from the Abbey Road album period.

That means two costume changes - and a long-haired wig that cost him $700 for the Abbey Road part of the act.

Cahill was born and raised in Dublin and migrated to Perth with his family at the age of 17. His father has been a professional folk musician for much of his life and Cahill began his musical career singing with his father's Irish folk band around Perth.

He has also played with other folk and rock bands on the local pub circuit.

The Beatles festival runs from June 11-14.

By Ron Banks