Maureen Cleave
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Maureen Diana Cleave (20 October 1934 – 6 November 2021) was a British journalist. She worked for the London ''
Evening Standard The ''London Standard'', formerly the ''Evening Standard'' (1904–2024) and originally ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), is a long-established regional newspaper published weekly and distributed free newspaper, free of charge in London, Engl ...
'' from 1958 conducting interviews with many prominent musicians of the era, including
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
and
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
. Over 50 years, she continued to interview people in all walks of life, in the ''Standard'', the '' Telegraph Magazine'', '' Observer Magazine'', ''
Saga Sagas are prose stories and histories, composed in Iceland and to a lesser extent elsewhere in Scandinavia. The most famous saga-genre is the (sagas concerning Icelanders), which feature Viking voyages, migration to Iceland, and feuds between ...
'' magazine, '' Intelligent Life'' magazine, and elsewhere.


Early life

Cleave was born near
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
,
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
, on 20 October 1934. She grew up in Ireland, her mother Isabella's country of origin with an English father, Major John Cleave, of the 7th Rajputs. Cleave attended Rosleven boarding school in
Athlone Athlone (; ) is a town on the border of County Roscommon and County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located on the River Shannon near the southern shore of Lough Ree. It is the second most populous town in the Midland Region, Ir ...
and Howell’s Girls’ School in Denbigh, before reading Modern History at St Anne's College, Oxford. There, she had the distinction of being the first woman asked to speak at the Oxford Union. She graduated with third class honours in 1957.


Career

After graduating, Cleave first worked as a secretary for the ''
Evening Standard The ''London Standard'', formerly the ''Evening Standard'' (1904–2024) and originally ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), is a long-established regional newspaper published weekly and distributed free newspaper, free of charge in London, Engl ...
''. She convinced its editor, Charles Wintour, to make her a
show business Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz or showbiz (since 1945), is a vernacular term for all aspects of the entertainment industry.''Oxford English Dictionary'' 2nd Ed. (1989) From the business side (including managers, agents, produce ...
correspondent and to let her write a pop music column called "Disc Date". She travelled to Liverpool to interview
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
in January 1963 after a tip from a friend working there. The piece, titled "Why the Beatles create all that frenzy" and published in the ''Evening Standard'' the following month, was among the first substantial critiques of the band. It established a lasting friendship between Cleave and the Beatles as they gained international success. Cleave began guesting on TV’s pop panel game '' Juke Box Jury'' in 1964 alongside Millicent Martin, Matt Monro and Bobby Vee. In early1966, Cleave interviewed the four Beatles and their manager
Brian Epstein Brian Samuel Epstein ( ; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was an English music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1961 until his death in 1967. Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put hi ...
for a series of one-page accounts. Titled "How Does a Beatle Live?", the pieces were published in the ''Evening Standard'' from 4March to 1April on consecutive Fridays. Cleave's interview with Lennon quoted him as saying that the Beatles were " more popular than Jesus now". Via Five months later, on the eve of a 14-city US tour, an American magazine reproduced the remark, which led to a wave of anti-Beatle sentiment in many parts of the US, especially the
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and
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. According to the Bob Spitz biography of the Beatles, Lennon claimed a liaison with Cleave, inspiring the band's song " Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)". Pete Shotton, a friend of Lennon's, also suggested Cleave, though Cleave has said that in all her encounters with Lennon that he made "no pass" at her, and Lennon later said he could not remember who the song was about. It has also been said the woman in question was Sonny Freeman, wife of photographer Robert Freeman, who shot the photos on the covers of multiple Beatles albums, including '' With the Beatles'', ''
Help! ''Help!'' is the fifth studio album by the English Rock music, rock band the Beatles and the soundtrack to their Help! (film), film of the same name. It was released on 6 August 1965 by Parlophone. Seven of the fourteen songs, including the sin ...
'' and '' Rubber Soul''. Cleave ended her association with Lennon in 1966, the same year she married. In addition to the Beatles, Cleave interviewed
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
and
the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
during the 1960s. She favoured talking to individuals who were not celebrities and avoided actors and politicians "because they’ve said it all before". Her choice of "remarkable people" to interview included for example Guinness heiress Aileen Plunket (1983), rock star
Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...
(1985), and Donald Maclean, who was chairman of the National Vegetable Society. She later wrote a warm tribute to Lennon in ''The Telegraph Weekend Magazine'' a decade after he was
murdered Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse committed with the necessary intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisdiction. ("The killing of another person without justification or excu ...
in December 1980.


Personal life

Cleave married Francis Nichols in September 1966. They met while studying at Oxford and resided in Peru for three years during the late 1960s because of his job as an economist and farmer. After his mother's death in 1972, they relocated to his family home in Lawford Hall. They remained married until his death in 2015. Together, they had three children: Sadie, Dora and Bertie. Cleave was diagnosed with
chronic fatigue syndrome Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disabling Chronic condition, chronic illness. People with ME/CFS experience profound fatigue that does not go away with rest, as well as sleep issues and problems with memory ...
, shortly after collapsing on the platform of Tottenham Court Road tube station in August 1992. She died on 6 November 2021, two weeks after her 87th birthday. She suffered a short illness prior to her death.


References


Sources

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External links


Rock Back Pages Library on Maureen Cleave
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cleave, Maureen 1934 births 2021 deaths Anglo-Indian people British journalists English journalists Journalists from Delhi People with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome Journalists from London Alumni of St Anne's College, Oxford