The Beatles travelled to Japan as part of their 1966 world tour – they decided to stop doing live performances at the end of that year (Credit: Getty Images)

The Beatles made a psychedelic painting together – now up for sale at a New York auction on 1 February – while holed up in a Japanese hotel room. Its creation seemed to provide a moment of calm at a tumultuous time.

It was meant to be their big introduction to the East, but when The Beatles disembarked at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on 29 June 1966, dressed in matching Japanese happi coats, the security was oppressive. “I’ve never seen so many people guarding us,” drummer Ringo Starr commented at the time. Death threats made by Japanese nationalists, who considered the Fab Four emblems of an invasive Western culture, saw the band confined for almost all of the five-day tour to the lavish Presidential Suite at Tokyo’s Hilton Hotel, with little more than their musical instruments and their own company to entertain them.

Among a number of gifts delivered to their room were art materials of the highest quality, including wooden brushes, watercolours and oils. To pass the time, the band members laid a sheet of fine Japanese art paper on a table, placed a ceramic lamp at its centre to secure and illuminate it, and set about creating Images of a Woman, thought to be The Beatles’ only painting.

More like this:

– The 1962 day that changed Britain

– Why Revolver is the greatest Beatles album

– Paul McCartney’s unseen photos revealed

Almost six decades on, that painting is now for sale, with the famous four signatures scribbled in the circular space where the lamp once stood. The 54.6 x 78.8cm painting will go under the hammer at Christie’s New York on 1 February and is estimated at $400,000 to $600,000. The lot is one of many items of extraordinary provenance featuring in “The Exceptional Sale”, which includes a gold crocheted vest that belonged to Janis Joplin, and Elvis Presley’s Gretsch guitar from his 1969 Las Vegas residency.

Courtesy of Christie’s. The Beatles found calm in creating the painting when not performing (Credit: Courtesy of Christie’s)

“Beatles mania continues in the market; we see that decade after decade,” Casey Rogers, head of sale for The Exceptional Sale and senior vice-president for Christie’s, tells BBC Culture. In 2009, the drum skin from the album cover of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band sold at Christie’s for more than $1m, four times the estimate. Rogers anticipates an equally lively auction on 1 February.

“It’s by the hand of all four Beatles together, collectively,” she says. “It’s a piece of memorabilia and it’s a piece of fine art, and I think that’s what’s really unique.” The painting’s sense of place is also significant. “It’s a time capsule of a moment taken from 1966,” Rogers adds. “It’s something that I wish I had a soundtrack to.”

Should there be any soundtrack, it’s tempting to imagine it as their seventh album, Revolver, with the dreamy I’m Only Sleeping and the melancholy strings of Eleanor Rigby the background to their brushwork. It was in this suite that they decided on the album’s name – nothing to do with guns, but a wordplay on a record’s revolving motion. The critically acclaimed album was released just a month later and would go on to sell 27 million copies, with an extended, remixed and remastered version released in 2022. The painting’s psychedelic swirls appear to reflect Revolver’s transition towards the LSD-influenced soundscape that would characterise much of The Beatles’ later work.

Turbulent tour

Outside the safety of their luxury suite, the atmosphere was a peculiar mixture of hysteria created by their young fans and ice-cold hostility from Japanese traditionalists. Their manager, Brian Epstein, had hired the only space large enough to accommodate their unprecedented following, but, for some, staging a pop concert in the hallowed Nippon Budokan Hall desecrated an important martial arts centre. Around 3,000 police officers were deployed each night to secure the venue. Japanese photographer Shimpei Asai, who was granted privileged access to The Beatles during their trip, said of the experience: “Things were so tense the whole time. I felt like I was a war correspondent.”

They’d stop [painting], go and do a concert, then it was ‘let’s get back to the picture’ – Robert Whitaker

The painting offered a welcome distraction. “They’d stop [painting], go and do a concert, then it was ‘let’s get back to the picture!’” remembers Robert Whitaker, quoted in Christie’s press release. A photographer also managed by Epstein, Whitaker joined The Beatles on tour and created a series of images of them working on the piece. Christie’s says that the aroma of the Virginia tobacco the band chain-smoked still lingers with the scent of the paint.

The 1966 tour marked a transition in Beatlemania, with security ramped up to control the crowds (Credit: Getty Images)

All four Beatles had an interest in art. Lennon had attended art college and was a compulsive doodler, while McCartney was a keen photographer. Later, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney would make painting an important part of their downtime, often raising money for charity from the sale of their work, and Harrison even made a canvas of the outside of his Surrey home, decorating it with colourful swirls.

Up on the 10th floor, in room 1005, each Beatle worked on their own quadrant and signed their name beside it, leaving us with a fascinating insight into the mind of each musician. In the bottom right, the artwork of George Harrison, who introduced the Indian sitar into Beatles recordings, is unsurprisingly the most experimental. Above it is McCartney’s quadrant: the most precise and finely painted, speaking perhaps to the songwriter’s perfectionism. The piece was untitled for decades until a journalist commented that McCartney’s contribution resembled a woman’s genitals.

Images of a Woman was made at a crucial time in Beatles history. Though a burgeoning Asian fanbase saw all five nights in Japan sell out, they were unable to shake the controversy created earlier that year by Lennon’s comment that they were “more popular than Jesus”. “The Beatles gave up touring two months after they were in Tokyo, and they never went back as a group,” Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn told Christie’s. “That’s one of the reasons this painting is so special because they didn’t have this kind of time together again.”

When the time came to break free from the suite and head to the Philippines for the next stage of the tour, the finished piece was donated to the Beatles Fan Club in Japan, later passing into collectors’ hands. It was a tumultuous period for the band, but creating a work of art had helped get them through it. According to Whitaker, “I never saw them calmer or more contented than at this time.”

If you’ve ever flicked through a charity shop’s bargain box of records, it might be hard to imagine that old vinyl could be worth serious cash. 

But there are still some die-hard collectors willing to splash out for a rare copy of their favourite albums.

For the rarest of the rare, some obsessives have even paid millions to complete their collections.

And, it could be good news if you are a Beatles fan since their albums dominate the list of the most valuable records.

So, as vinyl scales reach their highest levels since the 1990s, it might be time to get those old boxes down from the attic to see if you are sat on any black gold.

Top 10 most expensive albums of all time

Wu-Tang Clan: Once Upon a Time in Shaolin – $2 million (£1.58m) and $4 million (£3.17m)
Bob Dylan: Blowin’ in the Wind –  $1.77 million (£1.48m)
John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy – $850,000 (£674,000)
The Beatles: White Album –  $790,000 (£626,000)
Elvis Presley: My Happiness $300,000 (£237,729)
The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – $290,500 (£230,000)
The Quarry Men: That’ll Be The Day/In Spite of All the Danger $250,000 (£200,000)
The Beatles: Yesterday & Today – $125,000 – (£99,050)
The Beatles: ‘Til There Was You’ (10” acetate) – $97,800 (£77,500)
Aphex Twin: Caustic Window (test pressing) – $46,300 (£36,700)

 

1. Wu-Tang Clan: Once upon a time in Shaolin

Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, by rap-collective Wu-Tang Clan, is an album so rare that it has almost taken on a mythical status within the world of collectors.

Created in 2015 as a protest against the devaluation of music in the digital world, only one physical copy was ever created.

The album became the most expensive piece of music ever when it was sold to disgraced pharmaceutical speculator Martin Shkreli for $2 million (£1.58m).

In addition to its massive sale price, the album caught international attention for the unusual clauses included in the contract.

The owner of this record may not make any digital copies of the album until 2103 or play it for profit.

Additionally, the contract was rumoured to include a clause that allowed any current member of the Wu-Tang Clan or actor Bill Murray to steal the record back without legal repercussions.

However, the sale was dragged into controversy when Shkreli hiked the price of the anti-infective agent Daraprim by 5,455 per cent.

When Shkreli was sentenced to seven years in jail and $7.4 million (£5.86m) in fines for securities fraud the album was seized by the US Government.

Bizarrely, this actually resulted in Wu-Tang Clan breaking their own record after the US government sold the album to a cryptocurrency collective called PleasrDAO for $4 million (£3.17m) worth of cryptocurrency.

2. Bob Dylan: Blowin’ in the Wind

Once again, in the world of ultra-valuable records, exclusivity is the surest formula for a massive price.

In 2022, Bob Dylan sold a new one-of-a-kind recording of his classic hit ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ for $1.77 million (£1.48 million) at Christie’s auction house.

The re-recording features new vocals from Dylan nearly 60 years on from the single’s original release and the backing of a full band.

Only one of these recordings was ever made and its creators likened its sale to that of a painting or piece of fine art.

Unlike conventional vinyl records which are pressed into vinyl from a master, this recording is recorded directly onto acetate.

Although prized for its sound quality, acetate is normally too delicate to make records from.

However, this record uses a sapphire and quartz gradient coating like that used on the International Space Station to protect it from wear.

3. John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy

Unfortunately, some collector items have a far more morbid history.

A signed copy of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1980 album Double Fantasy sold for a staggering $150,000 (£119,000) in 1990.

The record then sold again for $850,000 (£674,000) to a private collector in 2010.

It was even reported that the record was listed for sale in 2017 for between $1.2m and $1.5m (£950,000 and £1.2m) but it is not clear if the sale ever went ahead.

The reason for this record’s incredible value is that it was signed by Lennon for his killer Mark Chapman only hours before he was shot dead.

Lennon and Ono signed the album for Chapman as they left their building in New York on December 8, 1980.

The crazed fan stashed the album behind a plant pot before returning to kill Lennon only hours later.

The album was found by a passerby and passed to the police as it still contained forensic evidence from Chapman.

The police returned it to the member of the public some years later who eventually sold it on.

4. The Beatles: White Album

The Beatles’ self-titled ninth album, better known as the White Album, was an instant classic when it was released in 1968.

Yet it was the unusual album design choice that also secured its position as the record collectors’ album of choice.

Each of the albums was individually stamped with a unique serial number, with the first four numbered editions being given to each of the members of the Beatles.

In 2015 Ringo Starr was the first to sell his own personal copy, auctioning off the record in the US for $790,000 (£620,000).

5. Elvis Presley: My Happiness

My Happiness is a true relic of rock and roll history.

Made at Sun Records in 1953, when Elvis was just 18, this was the first record that he ever recorded.

Having paid $4 (£3) for the recording session, the young Elvis took the acetate record to his friend Ed Leek’s house to listen to it on their record player.

The record was left at Ed’s house where it was passed down to his niece who put it up for sale in 2015.

On what would have been Elvis’ 80th birthday a mysterious buyer paid $300,000 (£237,729) for the unique recording.

It only later emerged that the mysterious buyer was none other than Jack White of the White Stripes who issued a faithful reproduction of Elvis’ original recording through Third Man records.

Versions of this reissue are still available and include every pop and scratch that Elvis would have heard over 70 years ago.

6. The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Another classic Beatles album makes the list of the most valuable records.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, released in 1967, is often considered to be one of the band’s finest works and is an important landmark in the history of progressive music.

With its iconic album cover, original pressings of this classic are highly sought after and regularly fetch hundreds of pounds at auction, while mono copies with the black Parlophone label can easily fetch thousands.

However, as with so many collectables, the addition of signatures can massively increase the value.

The Beatles’ avid fans take this to new heights and, in 2013, an American buyer paid a whopping $290,500 (£230,000) for a copy signed by all four members of the band.

7. The Quarry Men: That’ll Be The Day/In Spite of All the Danger

If you thought that this entry was a break from Beatles then you would be mistaken.

The Quarry Men was founded in 1965 by John Lennon and several of his school friends but soon grew to include Paul McCartney and George Harrison.

When the band turned more towards rock and roll many of the original members left and soon evolved into the Beatles.

While they never had much success beyond the local scene the group did produce one amateur recording.

The band recorded a cover of Buddy Holly’s That’ll Be the Day and an original song, In Spite of All the Danger, written by McCartney and Harrison.

Believed to be Britain’s rarest record, the original acetate has been valued at $250,000 (£200,000).

The record was sold by a former band member in 1981 who produced 20-25 private pressings which have never appeared for sale.

Valuable records you might have at home

1. Rolling Stones: Hot Rocks (alternative take version)

Some versions of the record have an alternative take of Brown Sugar and Wild Horses.

Look for the date 11-18-71 on Side Four.

2. Led Zeplin – Led Zeplin II (Hot Mix)

Early versions of the album have a louder mix which was later re-mastered to be quieter.

Look for the initials RL on the edge of the record.

3. The Beatles – Yesterday and Today (second state)

Early versions had an album cover that was deemed too offensive.

Thousands were recalled and had a new cover pasted over the top.

Look for a ‘Black V’ in the bottom right.

 

8. The Beatles: Yesterday & Today

Another Beatles album makes the list, but this time for a slightly unusual reason.

The album ‘Yesterday and Today’ is not considered one of the band’s best, but it is highly prized by collectors.

The reason is that early pressings of the album featured a bizarre photograph of the band members covered in raw meat and dismembered dolls.

The vision of photographer Robert Whitaker was not appreciated by record executives and the album was soon pulled from the shelves, beof being reissued with a far tamer cover.

However, a few of these ‘Butcher Cover’ versions did slip through the cracks and are now extremely valuable.

In February 2013 a sealed mint condition copy of the album sold for $125,000 (£99,050) at auction.

But, even if you don’t have the butcher cover your record might be worth something.

Many of the records that were pulled simply had the new art pasted over the top to save money.

These hidden butcher covers are recognisable thanks to a ‘dark pyramid’ of Ringo’s hair which can just be made out on some copies.

If you have one of these ‘second state’ albums in good condition this could easily be worth thousands today.

9. The Beatles: ‘Til There Was You (10” acetate)

The final Beatles album to make the cut was once called the ‘Holy Grail’ for Beatles collectors.

This 10-inch acetate recording of ‘Til There Was You may well be the record that launched the Beatles because it was created as a demo for EMI who would release their biggest hits.

The test disk still bears the handwriting of the manager Brian Epstein and one of the track names ‘Hello Little Girl’ is misspelled on the vinyl as ‘Hullo Little Girl’.

The record was actually found in the attic of Les Maguire who said it had somehow come into his possession during his time playing keyboard for Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Mr Maquire sold the record to a private buyer in March 2016 for $97,800 (£77,500).

10. Aphex Twin: Caustic Window

While most of the records on this list were made before the 1970s, this latest record was only recorded in 1994.

Caustic Window is an album by electronic producer Aphex Twin which was considered to be lost.

However, the album had actually made its way to the test pressing phase, meaning that one copy of the album existed.

This test pressing was snapped up at auction in 2014 by ‘Notch’ the creator of Minecraft for $46,300 (£36,700).

Who should play the Fab Four?

After director Sam Mendes announced Tuesday that he plans to make four separate movies about the Beatles, one from the perspective of every member of the most famous band in history, every actor with a serviceable Liverpool accent and the ability to carry a tune is burnishing their resumes and hoping to score an audition.

Getty Images

But John, Paul, George and Ringo were icons for a reason. Finding the right actor to play each of them will be nearly impossible because so few people have that rare combination of singing ability, sex appeal, charm and that certain something that separates pop music deities from the merely talented. So with that in mind, here’s a list of actors who might have what it takes to bring moviegoers along on a magical mystery tour.

Sam Claflin as John Lennon

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Joining the rebellion in the “Hunger Games” films, then melting hearts in “Me Before You.”
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: He channeled his inner rock god in “Daisy Jones & the Six,” the Amazon mini-series in which he did his own singing as the leader of a band.
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: He’s got the charisma, but can he capture Lennon’s darker side?

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as John Lennon

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Battling primordial monsters in “Godzilla,” entering the Avengers’ orbit for a hot second in “Age of Ultron,” and taking a pretty memorable bathroom break in “Nocturnal Animals,” which earned him a Golden Globe.
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: More than a decade ago, he played Lennon as a teenager in “Nowhere Boy,” perfectly channeling his moody intensity.
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: Been there, done that.

Paul Dano as John Lennon

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Playing Spielberg’s pops in “The Fabelmans,” going toe-to-toe with Daniel Day-Lewis as a deranged preacher in “There Will Be Blood.”
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: Dano earned critical raves portraying another tortured musical genius, Brian Wilson, in “Love & Mercy.”
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: He’s from New York City, not Liverpool.

Kit Connor as John Lennon

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Falling in teen love in “Heartstoppers.”
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: At 19, he wouldn’t need any CGI trickery to channel Lennon as he forms the Quarrymen or begins to make a name for himself (and the Beatles) in Hamburg.
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: …but he’d definitely need prosthetics to play Lennon as the Beatles dissolve and he cooks up solo hits like “Imagine” and hosts his bed-ins for peace.

Jacob Elordi as Paul McCartney

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Attending the world’s most dysfunctional high school in “Euphoria,” being the object of Barry Keoghan’s perverse affections in “Saltburn.”
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: Elordi took on music legend Elvis Presley in “Priscilla” and left audiences all shook up.
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: Having tackled the King of Rock, he might not be up for playing another cultural idol.

Jamie Bell as Paul McCartney

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Sticking the landing as a dancing prodigy in “Billy Elliot,” surviving Skull Island in “King Kong.”
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: Bell is a great actor, who has had an accomplished career. A showy role like this could catapult him to the next level of stardom.
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: At 37, he might be a little too gray-around-the-temples to play McCartney at the height of “Beatlemania.”

Tom Holland as Paul McCartney

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Spinning webs and grappling with multiverses in the Spider-Man movies.
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: After the blockbuster success of “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” Holland could pitch himself as Yoko Ono, and the films’ producers would say, “yes.”
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: More Spidey sequels could create scheduling conflicts. And he’s probably too expensive.

Timothée Chalamet as George Harrison

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Doing unspeakable things to a peach in “Call Me By Your Name,” taking sandworms for a spin in the “Dune” films, and inhabiting a world of pure imagination in “Wonka.”
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: “Wonka” proved that Chalamet’s name above the title is enough to draw crowds. As the rare twenty-something movie star with a rabid fanbase, he understands the kind of passion that the Beatles inspired at their height (just witness the screams that greet Timmy every time he struts down a red carpet).
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: He’s set to play Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown,” which chronicles the artist as he first plugs in his electric guitar at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. That might be one too many trips through the counterculture.

Asa Butterfield as George Harrison

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Serving as a teenage Dr. Ruth in “Sex Education,” helping Martin Scorsese make a rare family-friendly film with “Hugo.”
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: Butterfield has the chops to play Harrison, a prickly genius who bristled at being overshadowed by Lennon and McCartney. Plus, Butterfield makes and produces music, so he may be able to pull off a convincing cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: Having just wrapped up four seasons of “Sex Education,” does he really want to sign up for four Beatles’ films?

Dhani Harrison as George Harrison

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Composing the music for “Beautiful Creatures,” being a member of bands like Thenewno2 and Fistful of Mercy, serving as a model for the Gap.
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: His father was George Harrison. Clearly, he has a personal connection to the material.
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: At 45, he’s probably a member of the wrong generation. Moreover, can he act?

Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Slurping Jacob Elordi’s left-over bath water in “Saltburn,” as well as for his Oscar-nominated turn as a lonely villager in “The Banshees of Inisherin.”
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: Keoghan is a shape-shifter, whose talent knows no boundaries. Bonus: He has the kind of twitchy magnetism that made Starr so irresistible.
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: Does he share the drummer’s droll sense of humor?

Daniel Radcliffe as Ringo Starr

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Hogwarts’ most famous alum has demonstrated there’s life beyond “Harry Potter” with Broadway turns and colorful indie roles like the farting corpse he brought to cinematic life in “Swiss Army Man.”
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: At 5’5, Radcliffe is diminutive like Starr, and has demonstrated his musical chops in revivals of “Merrily We Roll Along” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: But is he too famous? After all, it’s hard for an icon to play another icon.

Daniel Day-Lewis as Ringo Starr

Photo : Getty Images

Best Known For: Being the greatest actor who ever lived.
Why He’d Make Beautiful Music: He’s Daniel Day-Lewis. He’s portrayed rapacious oil barons, 19th-century gang leaders, boxers, fashion designers, even Abraham Lincoln. He could play all the Beatles more convincingly than the real Beatles.
Why He Hits the Wrong Notes: He’s much too old. Plus, in case you haven’t heard, he’s retired.

The Juszczyks were overwhelmed with excitement after Taylor Swift wore a Kristin-designed jacket for a Chiefs’ playoff game. She has been getting a ton of press for her outfits and orders have been rolling in.

On Sunday, the wife of 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk took to Levi’s Stadium and showed off her look for the game.

Fit is 💯🔥 @krisjuszczyk | @49ers pic.twitter.com/iKdPYZus6z

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 29, 2024

It’s safe to say she stole the show:

Love it #49ers

— Patriot Memes 🇺🇸 (@ThePatriotMemes) January 29, 2024

 

It has been reported that the NFL is in talks with the Towson graduate who designed Taylor Swift’s Kansas City Chiefs jacket.

Only good things are up from here.

As for her 49ers, they need a miracle against the Lions are their season will be over.

A ‘day in the life’ of all four members of the Beatles is coming to the big screen.

Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes is set to direct four separate feature-length biopics chronicling the story of the Beatles through the eyes of each of its members; Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the late John Lennon and George Harrison.

According to a news release on Tuesday from Sony Pictures Entertainment, the films will be told from each band member’s point of view and collectively “intersect to tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history.”

The films will each have their own theatrical release in 2027, the exact dates of which will be announced closer to their debut.

“Have you heard the news? Oh boy. We all support the Sam Mendes movie project. Yes, indeed. peace and love,” Starr wrote on his X page on Tuesday.

According to the release, the “American Beauty” director is being granted full access to the Beatles’ life stories and music.

“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes said in a statement.

According to Sony Pictures Entertainment executive Tom Rothman, seeing these movies in a classic theatrical setting will be an integral part of the experience and will “rock audiences all over the globe.”

Details on casting was not specified in the release but the news is sure to unleash a slew of predictions as to who may land the coveted role of each Beatle.

The Beatles are one of the most influential bands in history, the genesis of which dates back to the late 1950s when McCartney and Lennon first came together in the Quarrymen.

With Harrison and Starr on board under the band’s name as we know it today, the Beatles released their first single “Love Me Do” in 1962. By 1964, “Beatlemania” was in full swing when the four Brits came to America to make their now-historic appearance on the “Ed Sullivan Show,” and the rest is history.

They released “Let It Be,” their final album as a band in 1970, before going their separate ways to pursue solo careers. In 2023, the “last” Beatles song “Now & Then” was released.

Jason Kelce has revealed that he once punched his younger brother and Chiefs star Travis in the face after a heated game of one-on-one-basketball in high school. 

The 36-year-old, Philadelphia Eagles center brought up the childhood memory while explaining his relationship with Travis, who just won his third Super Bowl with Kansas City on Sunday, to Shaquille O’Neal.

The Kelce brothers grew up in Westlake, Ohio – a suburb of Cleveland.

Appearing on the four-time NBA champion’s podcast on Monday, Jason started off his story by clarifying that he’s the older brother out of the two siblings, meaning he was ‘always the bigger one.’

‘I was winning most of the competitions growing up,’ he then said. ‘And, I was a junior in high school, Trav’ was a freshman. He had just gotten to be taller then. He was always more athletic, but I was ahead of him He had just hit puberty.’

Jason Kelce appeared on Shaq’s podcast with TNT’s Adam Lefkoe a day after Super Bowl LVIII

Jason (L) and Travis (R) grew up in Westlake, Ohio — a suburb of Cleveland before going pro

Both brothers are known for being close to one another, as shown throughout the postseason

‘So he’s feeling himself?’ asked Shaq’ with a grin on his face.

After confirming that was the case, Jason continued: ‘I’m getting pissed off that he’s feeling himself. We’re out in the backyards and he starts just driving and doing this stupid little hook shot over like his shoulder. It wasn’t a hook shot but a drive that you call go like, little whatever that’s called, and he is making it every single time and I can’t do anything to stop it.

‘So of course I resort to fouling him. The only way I know how to stop it. And he says, ”that’s bulls*** that’s a foul.” Now I’m like, ”I don’t see any refs out here. I don’t see anybody calling it.”

‘He picks the ball up, throws it at me, goes in the house…I’m like this motherf*****, he just threw the ball at me. So I go in there. I grab him on the shoulder, and I punch him and… listen, we would fight all the time. This is the only… twice, the second time I ever punched him.

‘I don’t know how it got that heated. I punched him in the face and every time it was in the face.’

‘Wow. Damn,’ said both Shaq and the podcast’s other co-host, Adam Lefkoe, who appears on TNT’s Tuesday programming of NBA games throughout the regular season.

While recounting his last fight with his younger brother, Jason said he knew Travis was always a gifted. Pictured: Travis playing basketball for Cleveland Heights

Jason and Travis embrace after the Chiefs win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC title game

The Kelce brothers share four Super Bowl rings in between them – one won by Jason with the Eagles and three won  by Travis in the last five seasons with the Chiefs

‘And every time before that, he would cry or whatever,’ said Jason of young Travis’ response to getting hit. But that wasn’t the case this time.

‘[Travis] took this punch, scooped me off my feet and slammed me on the kitchen floor so hard that the oven got knocked off the rack. Like what it was sitting on the tracks,’ said Jason.

‘I get up. We’re up in a full-on fist fight. Dad comes behind me to break it up, grabs me. Travis pushes me back on top of dad, and the only thing that stopped the fight was my dad screaming, ”Oh my ribs.” So we thought that we had hurt him so we snapped out of it…

‘But that’s the last time we ever got in a fight. Last fight we’ve ever been in. We were competitive at everything. And [Travis] was… you always knew at every level, he was another level of athlete. You know what I mean?’

Praising the impact that the fight had on both Kelce brothers, Shaq said: ‘You see those moments that he’s talking, that’s made me who I am.’

Travis Kelce has broken his silence following the deadly shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade that left one person dead and nearly two dozen injured.

The Chiefs tight end released a message alongside his brother Jason, which appeared on social media on Monday afternoon ahead of the new episode of their New Heights podcast.

‘We have a pre-recorded episode for you guys coming up on Wednesday but after the tragic events of the Super Bowl parade in Kansas City, it didn’t feel right without you guys hearing from us first,’ Travis said.

‘Kansas City and Chiefs Kingdom we love you guys. we’re with you guys and we’ll see you guys soon.’

The brothers encouraged fans to donate to an emergency fund which will provide support for victims, their families, the first responders as well as violence prevention and mental health services.

‘We also want to thank the local law enforcement that sprang into action,’ Jason Kelce said

Terrified parade-goers flee for their lives after gunmen opened fire shortly after the rally

Kelce matched girlfriend Taylor Swift ‘s $100,000 donation to victims of last week’s shooting following the Chiefs’ Super Bowl rally.

A GoFundMe page shows a pair of $50,000 donations from his charity, the Eighty-Seven & Running Foundation – an organization that aims to help ‘underserved youth strive to become productive citizens.’

The GoFundMe page was started by friends of the Reyes family, who had two young daughters wounded in the shooting. Swift, meanwhile, donated to the family of Elizabeth Lopez-Galvan, who was killed in the shooting.

The donation came after Kelce took waves of criticism for partying in the wake of the shooting.

Kelce was among the Chiefs stars who went ahead with a ‘scaled down’ celebration just hours after tragedy struck.

‘We just wanted to say our hearts go out to all of the victims, their families, Chiefs Kingdom and all of Kansas City that was really there on a day to try and celebrate the community. It’s unfortunate and deeply tragic the events that occured,’ Jason said.

Kelce came under fire after attending a ‘scaled down’ celebration hours after tragedy struck

‘We also want to thank the local law enforcement that sprang into action, the first responders on scene and anybody that’s been wiling to help those affected by this tragedy.’

Eagles center Jason added: ‘One of the things that’s evident is how much Kansas City is coming together, rallying aorund the people affected by this.

‘And one of the beautiful things we have in doing this podcast is the wonderful community out there – the ’92 per centers’, everbody that watches this show…’

Travis and Jason Kelce also revealed that they are ‘figuring out’ a way to get involved in the fundraising and support efforts.

‘We plan on doing something in the future – we’re trying to get that situated right now,’ Jason said.

‘We have some ideas but make sure you’re following and we’ll be telling you guys ways we’re gonna try to get involved.’

Travis Kelce spent his Sunday playing virtual rounds of golf with ex-teammate Ross Travis at X-Golf, in Parkville, Missouri, DailyMail.com photos show

Travis appears to be in no rush to hop on a plane to see his girlfriend Taylor Swift in Australia – choosing to spend time with his friends closer to home.

The Kansas City star, 34, joked around with a friend as they spent four hours on Sunday playing virtual rounds of golf in Parkville, Missouri , around 30 miles from his home in Kansas.

The keen golfer kept his head down as he and former Chief tight end Ross Travis carried their clubs to indoor golf course, X-Golf – where they were later seen leaving with takeaway boxes, exclusive DailyMail.com pictures show.

Kelce got behind the wheel of his electric Hummer and packed their equipment, balls, and other items into the back of the souped-up pickup truck after the session, which would have cost him $500 for the four-hour stint.

Travis Kelce’s dad, Ed, hinted that his NFL star son could be considering heading Down Under to reunite with girlfriend Taylor Swift. 

The popstar hit the road again almost immediately after watching her tight end beau lift the Lombardi Trophy for a third time at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, jetting to Australia where she performed three shows in Melbourne last week.

The songstress is continuing her sold-out show in Sydney this week and with the NFL season and Super Bowl celebrations now wound-down, Travis could be considering a trip down to Australia to watch his girlfriend perform.

That’s according to his dad, Ed, who told the Sydney Morning Herald: ‘Well, look, we spoke after the Super Bowl , and I asked him, are you going to take off for Sydney, and he seemed keen.

‘He said he’d really like to see Sydney and Singapore, but he wasn’t sure because he has commitments. He is at a celebrity charity golf outing today, which, I think, is in Las Vegas.’

Travis Kelce could reunite with girlfriend Taylor Swift in Australia for her Eras Tour

Travis’s dad, Ed Kelce (right), said that his tight end son was ‘keen’ to head Down Under

Travis and Taylor have juggled their schedules to squeeze in time together with the singer attending 13 of his games this NFL season, including making a mad dash back from Tokyo to Vegas to make it to the Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, Travis took advantage of the Chiefs bye week in November to play the role of doting boyfriend and watch Taylor perform to thousands of adoring fans in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

However, while America’s favorite couple appear to be managing their schedules well so far, Ed admitted he did have his concerns about the future for the two highly-successful lovebirds.

‘I won’t pretend that I don’t worry about it, he is my son, and I worry about him because they will have some challenges in their relationship for sure,’ Ed said. ‘But they seem a good fit, and ultimately, they just need to find their way together.’

With the Super Bowl now out of the way, Travis should have a relatively open diary throughout the NFL offseason until training camp with the Chiefs starts up in September.

Swift is believed to be currently staying at Crown’s presidential villa in Sydney’s Barangaroo, which typically costs AUD $25,000 (US $16,300) per night.

Meanwhile, after her stint in Sydney, Swift has six shows in Singapore before she has two months off.

Touring then restarts on May 9 in Paris and Swift will be on the road until mid-August, by which point Kelce will have returned to practice with the Chiefs for the new NFL season, which begins in early September.

The songstress is continuing her sold-out Eras Tour show in Sydney this week

The singer had made a mad dash from Tokyo to be at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas

But Swift’s tour dates could see Kelce visit iconic sporting stadiums in Europe that she will be playing – such as Wembley, the home of England’s national soccer team, and Anfield, the home of Liverpool, the Premier League team that share owners with the Boston Red Sox.

The Chiefs star could use his time in Britain to plan some adventures of his own, as well.

Recently, on the New Heights podcast that he co-hosts with his brother Jason, Travis suggested that they do live shows in Britain after learning they both have the top selling NFL jerseys there.

‘We gotta get over there dude,’ the Chiefs tight end said. ‘I feel like if this is what’s going on in the UK, we gotta get a live show over there dude.’

Jason replied: ‘You ain’t gotta talk me into that, I’d be very down for that.’

It was also reported in late December that Kelce had made plans to visit Italian vineyards and top restaurants across Europe for when Swift is between tour dates

The highly-successful lovebirds have juggled their schedules to be able to support each other

Kelce recently faced backlash for partying in the wake of the shooting at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade that left one woman dead and 22 injured.

Kelce was among the Chiefs stars who went ahead with a ‘scaled down’ celebration just hours after a mass shooting saw the team’s Super Bowl parade descend into tragedy . However, other teammates stayed away from the party.

He did eventually match Taylor’s donations to the GoFundMe page for the family of Lisa Lopez-Galvan, who was killed by the gunfire.

He made a pair of $50,000 donations from his charity, the Eighty-Seven & Running Foundation.

Swift is believed to be staying at Crown’s presidential villa (pictured) in Sydney’s Barangaroo while in town

Crown Sydney’s presidential villa is situated on the 88th floor of Crown Towers Sydney and typically costs AUD $25,000 per night

The second floor includes a spectacular master bedroom

Iп a heartwarmiпg gestυre of celebratioп aпd camaraderie, pop seпsatioп Taylor Swift stυппed NFL star Travis Kelce with a gift fit for champioпs. The Kaпsas City Chiefs tight eпd, fresh off secυriпg the AFC Champioпship title, was left speechless wheп Swift preseпted him with a jaw-droppiпg limited-editioп Mυstaпg, valυed at a staggeriпg $45 millioп.

 

 

The sυrprise υпveiliпg took place at a private eveпt atteпded by close frieпds aпd family of the football star, markiпg a momeпtoυs occasioп that left aп iпdelible mark oп both Kelce aпd Swift faпs alike. The Mυstaпg, adorпed with exclυsive cυstomizatioпs aпd rare featυres, staпds as a testameпt to the boпd shared betweeп the two icoпs.

Kelce, kпowп for his electrifyiпg performaпces oп the field, coυld hardly coпtaiп his excitemeпt as he expressed his gratitυde towards Swift for the geпeroυs gift. The NFL star, reпowпed for his athleticism aпd passioп for the game, was visibly moved by the siпger’s gestυre, emphasiziпg the depth of their frieпdship aпd mυtυal admiratioп.

Swift, a loпgtime sυpporter of Kelce aпd the Chiefs, spared пo expeпse iп craftiпg the perfect tribυte to commemorate their receпt triυmph. The limited-editioп Mυstaпg, a symbol of power aпd prestige, serves as a taпgible remiпder of the team’s hard-foυght joυrпey to victory aпd the υпwaveriпg sυpport of their devoted faпs.

 

As пews of Swift’s heartfelt gestυre coпtiпυes to spread, faпs aпd admirers alike are left iп awe of the boпd shared betweeп the Grammy-wiппiпg artist aпd the NFL sυperstar. Beyoпd the glitz aпd glamoυr of the eпtertaiпmeпt world, momeпts like these serve as a poigпaпt remiпder of the power of frieпdship aпd the joy foυпd iп celebratiпg life’s greatest achievemeпts together.

With the Sυper Bowl oп the horizoп aпd the aпticipatioп moυпtiпg, Kelce’s υпexpected gift from Swift serves as a poigпaпt remiпder of the camaraderie aпd sportsmaпship that υпite faпs aпd players alike. As the world watches with bated breath, oпe thiпg remaiпs certaiп: with frieпds like Taylor Swift by his side, Travis Kelce is poised to coпqυer whatever challeпges lie ahead.

“Iпside the NFL” cameras caυght referee Bill Viпovich praisiпg Kaпsas City Chiefs qυarterback Patrick Mahomes late iп Sυper Bowl 58 agaiпst the Saп Fraпcisco 49ers.

The 49ers aпd Chiefs were tied 16-16 at the two-miпυte warпiпg of the foυrth qυarter. Faciпg a 3rd-aпd-5 sitυatioп at the KC 35, the 49ers jυst пeeded oпe first dowп to melt the clock aпd attempt a game-wiппiпg field goal.

Dυriпg the timeoυt, cameras caυght Viпovich telliпg oпe of his crew members, “Yoυr best play that yoυ have iп yoυr book right пow, ’caυse yoυ doп’t waппa give Mahomes the ball back.”

Well, Viпovich certaiпly wasп’t wroпg. The 49ers were stopped oп the play aпd had to settle for a 53-yard field goal from Jake Moody. That left Mahomes aпd compaпy too mυch time, aпd they forced OT with a late field goal from Harrisoп Bυtker.

The 49ers got the ball first iп overtime aпd settled oп a short field goal from Moody. The пew playoff overtime rυles meaпt that Mahomes was gettiпg the ball back regardless of what the 49ers did oп their first possessioп.

Saп Fraпcisco was oпce agaiп υпable to stop Mahomes, who pieced together a sυrgical game-wiппiпg drive that eпded with a three-yard toυchdowп pass to Mecole Hardmaп.

With the victory, Kaпsas City became the first team to wiп back-to-back Sυper Bowl champioпships siпce the 2003 aпd ’04 New Eпglaпd Patriots. Aпd with three titles iп five years, KC cemeпted themselves as a dyпasty.