Something About the Beatles

Today is her 80th birthday, and given the attention being brought by the auction of some personal items through Christie's (see https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/pattie-boyd-collection/lots/3508 ), the time was right for a conversation. We made the most of the hour, given the demand for interviews right about now, but among the things discussed were:  Meeting George on the set of A Hard Day's Night Her views on how fans see her The Fool  Apple boutique   Rishikesh  Get Back Philip Norman The happiest time and more...

Picking up where we left off (259: Sgt. Pepper Olympiad ), lecturer/professor Gary Wenstrup and I resume the Olympiad series with a pair of releases featuring film score music, the 1967 Magical Mystery Tour EP/album and 1969's Yellow Submarine release. Owing to the unique issues, with the latter representing only four new Beatle songs and the former being a six-song double 7" set, we got creative with the tracks reviewed.  Previous installments can be found here. Gary Wenstrup's site is here. 

We have discussed the insights of 1st gen fans who, frankly, were screamers in the presence of The Beatles (Debbie Gendler, author of this upcoming memoir and Carol Tyler, author of this one); see thisfor a detailed discussion.     Then there's Sibbie O'Sullivan - a high schooler when Deb and Carol were middle-schoolers. She too was swept up in the wave of mania in her native Maryland; like Deb, she witnessed an in-person Ed Sullivan Show taping, but unlike many girls, she did not scream. Her book, My Private Lennon: Explorations From A Fan Who Never Screamed, offers a series of essays, rich with insight and perceptive observations about her very personal fandom and what The Beatles meant to her, then and now. Leading the discussion is Dr. Allison Bumsted, who is cultivating a specialty in examinations of Beatles fandom.      An essay by Sibbie here.    Allison's review of Sibbie's book here. 

This British journalist/author/screenwriter/playwright is a SATB fave and was heard most recently among the 21 guests in the "Now and Then" discussion. But here he is alone in the spotlight, recounting his fabulous life as a chronicler of creators and a creator himself. Check out his website for a full accounting of his works - https://www.rayconnolly.co.uk/ - and this show for a discussion of his 2023 memoir.  Ray was friends with The Beatles and the screenwriter of THat'll Be The Day (1973), Ringo's finest film project. He discusses all and much more here. 

Conversations about a familiar subject with guys who know what's what are invaluable, because the depth of knowledge shared will always shed new light and get you to listen with fresh ears. My guests are the returning trio of pro musicians and musicologists: Cameron Greider (Sean Lennon), Jack Petruzzelli (Fab Faux) and Walter Everett (The Beatles as Musicians Vol 1 and 2). You've heard their insights on previous shows, and this time they counter some myths that have grown about The Beatles' most acclaimed album, focusing on the guitars.    Their Sgt. Pepper online class at RPM-School begins October 2 - you can see about registration and other details here.

As a follow-on to my last conversation with author Glenn Greenberg, we sat down to explore the Harrison-Lennon dynamic. A couple of things referenced in the show can be found below:    Here's John's 1974 note to George.    Here's John's 1976 Q&A.    Glenn Greenberg's Making of the White Album bookazine can be found here.     "I Know It's True" (end song) by Iamaphoney can be found here. 

Journalist Steve Matteo has a new book out - Act Naturally: The Beatles on Film.  It's an all-encompassing volume detailing and contextualizing the making of every one of their cinematic projects, including a few that didn't actually get filmed.  For this first discussion, we focused on their first two, both directed for United Artists by Richard Lester and produced by Walter Shenson. 

My guest today has recently completed the first volume of an exhaustive study of Paul's body of work in Paul McCartney: Music is Ideas 1970 - 1989. Luca Perasi is a Beatles historian who specializes in the group's bassist, post-split. He was a consultant hired by MPL for the recent 7" single box set, as well as the Italian translator for Paul's The Lyrics book.  For our first discussion, we focused on the broad parameters of Paul's art, pre-Beatles through the first Wings album. Luca's book discusses every McCartney session and the music it yielded, whether released at the time or not, for a greater context into Paul's musical development. You can find out more at Luca's site, and I encourage you to follow him on Twitter (@LucaPerasi ) for daily postings featuring amazing rare photos of Paul at work. 

Tony King was general manager of Apple US in the early 70s, but thereafter worked directly with John and Ringo, promoting their work from 1973 through 1975. Beyond that, he was a true British rock Zelig figure, partying with The Beatles the night before they flew to America for their 1964 Ed Sullivan Show debut; working with Andrew Oldham and the Stones during their "Satisfaction" heyday; thereafter for George Martin and AIR Studio, and then Apple. He also befriended Elton John (before he was) as well as tons of others. His story has just been published in "The Tastemaker: My Life with the Legends and Geniuses of Rock Music." (He's also in the May Pang doc, The Lost Weekend: A Love Story.) You can get his backstory here: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/music/article/tony-king-interview      and see him as "the Queen" in this 1973 Mind Games TV ad: https://youtu.be/lx-DNpoKfVg   We covered a ton of topics, including all the aforementioned plus the AIDS tragedy and his favorite music.  

The series with professor/lecturer Gary Wenstrup continues as we rate tracks on each Beatles album in Olympic style: Gold - Silver - Bronze. This episode introduces a modification, adding in for consideration the singles that bookended the 1967 release: "Strawberry Fields Forever"/"Penny Lane" and "All You Need Is Love"/"Baby You're A Rich Man."  Check out Gary's upcoming lectures at garywenstrup.com

"The Lost Weekend" was the handle John implemented (picked up by subsequent narrators) to describe the period of his separation from Yoko, during which time a romantic relationship began with his 22 year-old personal assistant, May Pang. Once the couple reconciled, May's impact on his life was swept under the rug in all sanctioned tellings, in the service of a narrative propping up the John and Yoko love story as the ultimate double fantasy: literally describing themselves as Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning incarnate.  Others beg to differ and among them is May herself. Her story was told twice in book form (Loving John and Instamatic Karma) but now a new documentary film chronicles their time together on the big screen, supported by other witnesses and loads of photos, footage and writings. The Lost Weekend: A Love Story is coming to theaters, while an exhibit of May's photos has already hit the road across the US.    Here's where to track the latest on May's photo exhibit and the film: https://www.maypang.com/

I asked for your questions last summer and you responded, so here you go! Aided by Gary Wenstrup (SATB regular of Olympiad series fame), we tackle the following subjects:  The "aaahs" on "A Day in the Life" The end of touring Beatles '76 Live Aid A psychological exam of John and Paul's relationship Mimi Smith's parenting The "Come Together" lawsuit George on Sgt. Pepper Where were you December 8, 1980?  Myths that won't die Check out Gary Wenstrup's lectures here: http://www.garywenstrup.com Gary's December 1980 review of Double Fantasy here.   Send further questions to: satb2010@gmail.com

Fifty years on, Ringo's third solo album (or first, as he counted it in 1977) remains a stunning achievement, not just for the near-Beatles reunion but also on its own musical merits. With Richard Perry in the producer's chair, an array of talent was rallied in support of the beloved ex-Beatle, resulting in something greater than the sum of its parts. At Perry's side was engineer Bill Schnee, who'd worked with him on hits by artists like Streisand, Nilsson, Carly, Leo Sayer and many others. Schnee has penned a memoir, Chairman at the Board, detailing a career that began with Three Dog Night and encompassed artists ranging from Steely Dan and Neil Diamond to Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. Schnee has been a mixer/remixer, engineer and producer in support of the rich soundtrack of life for anyone enjoying music during the 70s and 80s and beyond.  Bill was there at the right place and the right time to take full advantage of his gifts and creativity. His book is rich with stories, and in this conversation, we discuss his work with all four ex-Beatles, mostly but not entirely in support of Ringo.  Check out his website - https://www.billschnee.com/    This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/satb for 10% off your first month of treatment. 

No one on the planet knows more about the contents of The Beatles' Nagra reels than Beatle scholars Doug Sulpy (Drugs, Divorce and A Slipping Image) and Dan Rivkin (They May Be Parted blog). We convened to review the Get Back film and discuss how well it depicted the events revealed by the extant audio.    Doug's works can be found at www.dougsulpy.com   Dan's blog is here: https://theymaybeparted.com/ 

Returning guest Glenn Greenberg (216 Dear Friend; 223 The Beatles 1971 - 1973; 235 Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson at 80) is back for another discussion, this one examining the complex relations between George and Paul - the longest running friendship in the band.    This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/satb for 10% off your first month of treatment.  

This show was taped a month ago, in conversation with Yardbirds/Renaissance/Illusion founding member Jim McCarty, in an effort to widen the lens exploring the world of 60s British rock that The Beatles operated in. Sadly we find ourselves now memorializing his friend and bandmate, Jeff Beck - a giant of guitar whose boundless brilliance we were privileged to witness. So it is in the spirit of celebrating the legacy of Jeff and The Yardbirds as well as McCarty's creativity that this show is presented. If you are already a fan, I know you will enjoy it; if you are new to this band, I hope the music and story presented will set you off on your own discoveries.  Jim McCarty was far more than The Yardbirds' drummer - he sang and co-wrote, as well as collaborated with singer Keith Relf beyond the band's lifetime. They recorded together and formed Renaissance, as well as Illusion. McCarty also was part of the latter-day Yardbirds iteration, Box of Frogs, featuring contributions from Beck and Page. Jim has also recorded prodigiously, as a soloist as well as a collaborator on numerous projects.     He has also written a pair of books: 2018's Nobody Told Me (featuring a foreword by Jimmy Page) about his life in music, as well as the more esoteric She Walks In Beauty (2021), presenting his exploration into the world beyond this world and the answers he found when seeking communication with his late wife, Lizzie. Jim is a canny, insightful storyteller, and both books include much on what he's learned in and out of music. You can find all his info at http://www.jamesmccarty.com/    This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/satb for 10% off your first month of treatment.  

Musicologist Walter Everett joins professional musicians Cameron Greider and Jack Petruzzelli in a return visit to discuss the latest Beatles reissue set. Revolver is analyzed through the prism of its poetry as well as its musical maturity and what the new set reveals in terms of The Beatles' major artistic advance.     Check out the upcoming Revolver class here: http://www.rpm-school.com    This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit http://www.betterhelp.com/satb for 10% off of your first month of treatment. 

Returning SATB guest favorite Ray Connolly (journalist, Beatles insider, screenwriter) penned what remains the finest Lennon bio in print, Being John Lennon: A Restless Life. On this, his 82nd birthday, we celebrate John's life and Ray's as well as we discuss a wide array of topics with someone who knew John well: a journalist friend and confidant. In this far-reaching conversation, we touch on topics including the Get Back film - drug use - Michael X and James Hanratty - the abominable behavior of Phil Spector's entourage - skiffle - Mimi and Yoko - the "Working Class Hero"project - the Lennon-McCartney creative partnership - Ray's interactions with the Lennons during the last hours of John's life - and more.    Ray's works can be found on his website here.    Ray's miraculous COVID story here.  

Returning guest Robert Rosen (Nowhere Man) penned an essay last year discussing a phenomenon called "catch-and-kill," wherein the powerful who wish to keep unflattering stories from reaching the public exert pressure and influence to keep media companies from publishing them. In the instances he wrote about, a pair of book projects detailing life at the Dakota during John Lennon's final five years were suppressed, for no apparent reason beyond the estate wishing to keep any variance from the narrative they have been controlling for decades to be challenged in any way. This led to a discussion on the why and the how these stories are being kept hidden, despite the legitimacy of the narrators.     Here's to link to Robert's article in the Village Voice: https://www.villagevoice.com/2021/12/07/mike-tree-in-john-lennons-nutopia/    This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/satb for 10% off of your first month of treatment.

Luther Russell and I roll into the next hour of discussion and analysis of the intent behind Double Fantasy; about Yoko's standing in the rock world, and how The Beatles might better have dealt with her entry into their world. The album is ripe for a fresh listen, and no matter how you may rank it in the canon, is certainly worthy of an extended discussion as a release so heavy with meaning.    Enrollment open now for Why The Beatles? - an online 3-session course beginning in October:  https://ce.harpercollege.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=9470614&selectedProgramAreaId=27039&selectedProgramStreamId=508576   This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/satb for 10% off of your first month of treatment. 

Given the unique circumstance of Double Fantasy - John Lennon's first work in five years and his slaying within a few short weeks of its release - it is hard to assess the final work issued during his lifetime; a joint effort with his wife, Yoko Ono. Its initial tepid reception gave way to it serving as a place for mourners worldwide to project their grief, and has, for some, grown to status as perhaps his finest work. For others, it pointed to evidence of his irrelevancy in a world that had changed during his time away; for still others, it was a showcase for Yoko being in far more tune with the times than the former Beatle.  Singer-songwriter/performer Luther Russell (solo artist, Those Pretty Wrongs) returns to the show to make the case for the album representing peak Lennon-Ono collaboration - the culmination of their years together. He argues that it is ripe for reassessment, just as Ram was. See what you think during the first hour of our discussion.    My "Why The Beatles?" course is here:  https://tinyurl.com/3xe56k86    A sample of Sarabeth Tucek's work: https://youtu.be/CTFfoc4aeYg   Luther Russell's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmDA0CTEdPNeCuZ_I4nAJZA   This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/satb and receive 10% off your first month of treatment. 

Returning guest Terry Zobeck (234: Paul McCartney Lyrics ) spent his career studying drug addiction and its effects. With a PhD in anthropology besides, this Beatles scholar is uniquely qualified to discuss the Joe Goodenn's book, Riding So High: The Beatles and Drugs. (Here's Erin Weber's review.)    Our conversation covers a lot of ground, but mostly concerns itself with an informed perspective on how particular drugs affect the brain and behavior of users.  This podcast is sponsored by Better Help. Please go to betterhelp.com/satb to get 10% off your first month.  

As part of the Fab4ConJam online fan event, I convened these two Beatles insiders to take questions and reminisce. Chris O'Dell came from Tucson, AZ (yes! home of Jo Jo AND Linda) and was pulled into the Apple Press Office by Derek Taylor. She was a rooftop attendee as well as a one-time resident of Friar Park, witnessing the daily drama of the group as it ended, along with George and Pattie's marriage. She recalled her experiences in 2009's Miss O'Dell: My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, the Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and the Women They Loved.   Nancy Lee Andrews was a model, actress and briefly, in the music biz as well as a photographer. More importantly, she was Ringo's romantic partner from 1974 through 1980, and likewise a witness to much of the inside relations between the former Beatles. (She also attended the Concert for Bangladesh as a guest of her then-boyfriend, bassist and future Domino, Carl Radle.) Nancy's book of spectacular photos was published as A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll in 2008.  These women have maintained a close friendship since the 70s and it was our treat to hear them recall those days during this terrific conversation. 

One of the things that's kept Beatles fans captivated was their refusal to stay still and how each album felt like a progression into new territory. That said, as you delve deeper into the structures and configurations of the band's music across their discography, there are certain tools, tricks, and ideas that they used and repurposed to great effect. In today's episode, returning guests Jack Petruzzelli (Fab Faux) and Cameron Greider (Sean Lennon) sit down to discuss some of the most notable and how the band helped rock 'n roll to expand, becoming richer in the process. (Rock, not The Beatles, though there's that too...) We discuss Paul's links to Bach, John's connection to the blues and more static melodies, and how all the strands of musical history came together to create the vocabulary that we can observe and appreciate in their music.   Jack and Cameron operate the RPM School (Rock Pop Music) and their next session is just days away: details can be found here: https://www.rpm-school.com/ 

Two master craftsmen of pop/rock, born two days apart; both possessing a good number of commonalities as well as some major diverging paths. My returning guest, journalist Glenn Greenberg (Paul McCartney at 80) and I discuss their friendship and rivalry, as well as what each learned from the other.    Here's the 1967 CBS TV special, Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution: https://youtu.be/vyiGFRj5b-k    The Brian Wilson/"Surf's Up" sequence appears 50 minutes in, but the earlier "debate" between Graham Nash and Peter Noone is worth the price of admission alone. 

Long on the list of my coveted guests has been singer-songwriter Sam Brown. The daughter of Joe Brown - an early UK rock legend - and Vicki Brown - an astonishingly gifted singer herself - Sam's career as an artist kicked off in 1988 with Stop!, the first of seven albums. (The first letter of the titles spell out her name - the 8th installment, titled Number 8 is due out this year.) Sam is also known for singing with Pink Floyd and David Gilmour, as well as on television and on tour with Jools Holland. It was with Jools that Sam took center stage at the 2002 Concert for George, stealing the show with her reading of George's last recorded composition, "Horse To The Water."  She has remained active as a performer and a recording artist, despite tragically losing her ability to sing in 2007, following surgery. The mysterious condition forced a re-think of her career and led to her establishing a decade-long running school empowering folks to take up ukulele. In this conversation, we discuss her career and the struggles of being an artist - her friendship with the Harrisons and working with George - the concert - and how she's managed the challenging events that followed.  Sam is resourceful and an artist whose rich catalog is worth exploring. You can check out her work here:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO1Tns40    Vicki Brown's farewell to fans: https://youtu.be/b0SCoEu_9oM   Joe Brown sharing a 1964 stage with The Beatles: https://youtu.be/GjNB-2Bq6ag   Sam at Concert for George: https://tinyurl.com/34un27f6    "Stop!" live: https://youtu.be/WROOE-0IfjE   "Valentine Moon" - fixed: https://tinyurl.com/548b7ssb 

In which Gary Wenstrup and I return where we left off in offering our picks in ranking Bronze, Silver and Gold tracks off of The Beatles' 1965 releases, as well as a little beyond. This show represents the first hour of our conversation - part two coming next.    Loyal SATB fans: we are asking for you to take a minute to fill in this survey   https://tinyurl.com/y2y3crxm    First 50 respondents get a SATB bumper magnet (US only) but all are encouraged to help us get sponsors on board - thank you!   We commence Beatles Olympiad 2, where we left off, which was starting with their fifth album released in the summer of 1965, Help! Got two albums out of them that year, one being a soundtrack, more or less. It certainly was in the States and Capitol. Then the year ended with a bang, with Rubber Soul; two versions of that. Then in the next year, we got only one new album of material out of them, Revolver. In the States, it being the States, we got another one of those Capitol-only issues, which I think we will talk about today. Because I don't know if we're going to talk about Oldies, which came out on Parlophone, the end of ’66, while they were working on Strawberry Fields, but we'll see what we feel like. For the show, I think we can talk about the UK Help!, both Rubber Souls and Yesterday and Today.

Given Beatles author and historian Erin Weber's recently announced sabbatical from Beatling these days, I wanted to share with SATB listeners the Q&A we held last year for Fab4ConJam, where she fielded questions on the Beatles' literary canon.    Authors covered included:  Lewisohn (of course) Michael Braun Peter McCabe Barry Miles Mark Hertsgaard And much more... Also revealed: her favorite Beatles music - favorite Beatle - and why she detests "Jet."    Erin's website: https://beatlebioreview.wordpress.com/    Erin's podcast: https://anchor.fm/karen-hooper/episodes/All-Together-Now-A-different-approach-to-Beatle-Podcasting-e14v3rc 

A new phase SATB episode: audio with full video accompaniment! My guests are returning musician Jack Petruzzelli (Fab Faux, Joan Osborne, Patti Smith), joined by Cameron Greider (Freedy Johnston, Sean Lennon, Rufus Wainwright), who in the past year developed a series of online Beatles classes. For the latest, The Beatles and You, they are joined by musicologist Walter Everett (The Beatles As Musicians: The Quarry Men to Rubber Soul and The Beatles As Musicians: Revolver to Anthology). RPM School is presenting a holistic approach to getting inside Beatles music, combining lecture and discussion, music instruction and recording and performance sessions, geared to your individual level. Their approach is unique and individualized, as shown with the demonstration here on George's "Something." Learn the influences that informed its construction (and where else they were used), as well as the technique utilized to capture the song as we know it.  As this is an interactive presentation, you can see ALL of the conversation here.    Check out Walter's lecture here.  (password: SATB )   His slides here.   Sign up for The Beatles And You here.   RPM School site   Also discussed: their take on Peter Jackson's Get Back

My guest today is Dr. Christine Feldman-Barrett, author of A Women's History of The Beatles - an essential new work exploring the group's story through the lens of the women they interacted with and influenced, as well as how they were received and experienced by female fandom. Christine was also once a musician herself, and listen as she describes both her journey as well as what was experienced by young women and girls during the group's lifetime.     Christine's site:  https://experts.griffith.edu.au/7865-christine-barrett

In the latest of the SATB series examining Peter Jackson's Get Back, we bring on returning guests Debbie Gendler (first in heard in 121: New York Stories); the first US Beatles fan, plus cartoonist/author Carol Tyler (first heard in 146: Fab 4 Mania). In so doing, we present a first generation fan perspective and reaction to the documentary.    My special guest co-host: Dr. Allison Bumsted, who herself previously guested in 2019 in 176A and 176B: Critiquing The Critics: A Case Study with Wings

In this concluding hour of the conversation with Dennis Diken (The Smithereens), Pat Sansone (Wilco), Arion Salazar (ex-Third Eye Blind) and Luther Russell (Those Pretty Wrongs), we discuss: The Get Back film as therapy for fans (and the world)  Billy Preston Ringo and Paul observations Jamming with Heather 

Our panel of Pat, Arion, Luther and Dennis continues their conversation on Peter Jackson's Get Back documentary.    Among the topics:  The rooftop performance The "Flowerpot conversation" Bass stuff The road to Abbey Road Let It Be - the film   Partial transcript of the "Flowerpot Conversation" here. 

Any analysis of the Get Back documentary would be remiss in not factoring in insights gleaned from those who've followed in The Beatles' professional footsteps: working musicians. To that end, I assembled a panel of some illustrious pros who also happen to be hardcore fans. Three are returning guests; one is new to SATB:  Luther Russell: (Those Pretty Wrongs) - multi-instrumentalist Currently performing as one half of the duo Those Pretty Wrongs alongside ex-Big Star Jody Stephens, Luther has become a semi-regular on the podcast. As a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist/producer, he has discussed The Beatles' recording techniques, work as a collaborative, and the magic of Ringo's drumming.   The first two albums from Those Pretty Wrongs are being reissued as a double album set, while a third is due out this year. He will also have a new solo set out as well.    Arion Salazar: (ex-Third Eye Blind) - bass In his first appearance on SATB, he discussed Paul McCartney as an innovator, impacting generations beyond the 1960s. It was Arion who offered up the back cover design of Third Eye Blind's multi-platinum 1997 debut ("Semi-Charmed Life") which evoked the back cover of The Beatles' 1966 Revolver album. In early 2021, the bassist put together ensembles of musicians from bands including Smash Mouth, Smashing Pumpkins, Stevie Wonder and Testament, among others, to perform heartfelt covers of Beatle-related material for the first Fab4ConJam. He recently recorded with Flipsyde in Muscle Shoals for a pending release this year.   Pat Sansone: (Wilco) - multi-instrumentalist He waxed eloquently for over two hours on the Sgt. Pepper album on a 2021 episode of SATB.   Pat's radio show: Baroque Down Palace - a 2 hour show every month that centers on Rock, Pop, Soul, Folk music of the 1960s and 1970s that feature symphonic embellishments, or influence in some way from the classical music world:https://wyxr.org/baroque-down-palace/   Pat has released a 7" vinyl single ; a book of his photography, 100 Polaroids, was recently reissued.    New to the show (but not The Beatles): drummer Dennis Diken, founding member of The Smithereens. In addition to their work over the course of several gold and platinum releases, he and his band recorded a pair of studio albums and one live one honoring The Beatles. They currently continue to perform live, alternately fronted by Gin Blossoms vocalist Robin Wilson and recording artist Marshall Crenshaw (also a previous SATB guest), in place of the late Pat DiNizio.     He also records with Bell Sound, whose critically acclaimed album Late Music was released in 2009. Look for new material from both bands in '22.     Dennis's radio show: Denny's Den airs weekly on Wednesday at 2-4pm Eastern Standard Time.  Go to wfmu.org and hover over "LISTEN" then go down to "ROCK 'n' SOUL RADIO", slide to the right and click on "ROCK 'n' SOUL RADIO HOMEPAGE" to access archives and the weekly broadcast.

In the third and final hour, Dan Rivkin (They May be Parted blog) and I explore more of the Get Back project with its director. Among the subjects discussed:    ~ Coordination between the Get Back book, the Let It Be album reissue and this film (hint: none)   ~ Directives from the Beatle heirs and Apple (hint: none)   ~ Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s original draft of Let It Be   ~ The missing Nagra audio   ~ An extended cut?   Be sure to check out party one and two, as well as the write up in Forbes.

Well, it's finally here. Worth the wait? Oh, we think so! But before we get into discussions on SATB about what we thought about it, we thought it would be worthwhile to discuss the making of it - the intent behind it; the goals; the challenges; the nuts-and-bolts - with someone who worked on it. To that end, a listener in New Zealand offered himself up as a guest who could offer an insight or two.    My co-host for this one is Dan Rivkin (They May Be Parted), who of course is one of the leading scholars on this material, presented on his blog. Normally, Dr. Duncan Driver would be part of the discussion too, but he had beg off on short notice. (We'll have him back next time...)  Meanwhile, we hope that this - presented in the grand tradition of Peter Jackson - in three parts - will suffice.    

We have all made compilations of Beatles solo material, but within this large group, a smaller group has imagined taking some of this material and arranging it as The Beatles might have, had they recorded this material and issued it as "Beatles," the collective. There's actor Ethan Hawke's famous Black Album; Spencer Leigh's Finishing School, as well as any number of other efforts out there.    Then, there are the ones created by myself and my guest, Glenn Greenberg. You can find his list here, or else listen to the show and hear our choices and justifications, which are every bit as good as anything you listeners can come up with. See what you think - we can talk about this stuff endlessly!

SATB has touched on the Sgt. Pepper album in the past, but never like this. My guests, Pat Sansone (of Wilco and The Autumn Defense) and Luther Russell (Those Pretty Wrongs) are each accomplished singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalists/performers/producers/engineers AND hardcore Beatle geeks. This album became a touchstone for both of them during their formative years, and it is with decades of insight that we discussed the magic and mystique of the landmark release.   Luther has been working on the third album by Those Pretty Wrongs with Jody Stephens this year, while Pat has a book of his photography coming out soon: https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelraso/galleries/72157624760590414/  Wilco has just began a string of live dates around the US but extending into Mexico, the UK and Spain next year.  See https://wilcoworld.net/ for details.  

In 1969, Bill Rotari was Regional Managing Director with Capitol Records in Quebec when he received word that John and Yoko were coming. As label rep, it was his job to see to it that John's needs were met; ultimately this included securing recording gear for tracking the first Plastic Ono Band record, "Give Peace A Chance."       Bill has led an interesting life; as record company executive, recording artist...and minor league pitching prospect for the Atlanta Braves. His group, The Favorites, recorded for London during the 1950s, and later, as Managing Director of CBS/Sony Records in Montreal, he was directly responsible for signing Celine Dion and getting her first English language recordings produced.   Bill tells all about the Montreal Bed-In, as well as his life and career in music (encompassing Paul and George, the Rolling Stones, Petula Clark, Pink Floyd, Leonard Cohen, Tony Bennett and others). 

Back in 2018, I had a conversation with Dr. Robert Hieronimus  and Laura Cortner, authors of Inside the Yellow Submarine: The Making of the Beatles' Animated Classic - the definitive history of the 1968 film. But they are back with a sequel, delving deeper into the story: profiling others who made the vision a reality as well as exploring the greater context of the times and the deeper meanings to be gleaned from the film in It's All In The Mind: Inside The Beatles' Yellow Submarine. This newly-published follow-up is richly illustrated in full color and presents new stories from the creative minds who made the project a reality, despite considerable odds. It also illustrates how what shouldn't have worked did, and what meanings can be found, drawing upon classic myth. 

In this episode, we examine the process of a song becoming a record, as heard through the ears of those in the producer's chair. Luther Russell, previous SATB guest and Fab4ConJam star, has operated as a composer, performer, collaborator, engineer and producer and is therefore more than qualified to offer his insights as a musical idea gets transformed into a production and how creative decisions are made along the way.    

It was in 1968 that a young Canadian filmmaker, seeking solace in TM for a broken heart, was befriended by The Beatles in Rishikesh during their immersive study with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In 2000, Paul Saltzman published his wonderfully immediate photos in a book (The Beatles in Rishikesh), later augmented and re-published as The Beatles in India in 2018. 2020 saw the release of his documentary, Meeting The Beatles in India - a film that brings together others who were there (Pattie and Jenny Boyd) as well as the real "Bungalow Bill," Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn and filmmaker David Lynch, a major booster of TM.  You can check out Paul's website here, and see the film as well as participate in a Q&A with Paul at the first Fab4ConJam on February 21, 2021.  Details: fab4conjam.com   

Big things take much time to execute: both this episode and the long-awaited event I've been teasing for the last few months.... First: the new show. SATB 210 features n guests and no host; instead, it depicts in rigid but scaled down time, the unfolding of their career from the October 5, 1962 issue of "Love Me Do" to the May 1970 issue of "The Long and Winding Road" as a final US single. What lies between is the sounds of their hectic pace, with interviews, shows, projects, radio, film and TV populating their days. There is no greater way to get the context of their hard work and success than experiencing it in context.    (Want to hear a version, Beatles only? Click here . ) Next: the really big show - welcome to the first Fab4ConJam, coming February 20-21, 2021. It's two days of global community, featuring speakers, panels and music celebrating the world's greatest unifying force.  Check out the site now for details as they unfold.  

Returning guest Jack Petruzzelli of The Fab Faux has been playing Beatles music onstage all over the world since 1998. In this conversation, he goes into detail about what goes into the effort to replicate heavily-produced music not necessarily intended for live performance, by a core of five members. Given the current conditions, the band is on hold, but Jack can be seen performing online on his Facebook page ("Thursday night service"November 19th 8pm ET), as well as his interactive Beatle class: https://www.gowanusmusicclub.com/beatles-101   Thanks to Joe Chinnici for recording the Fab Faux in New York for the Sirius XM Beatles Channel.

Coming on what would've been the 80th anniversary of his birth, this collection of Lennon material - Beatles and solo - is being presented by a number of artists associated with Beatles music, among them The Weeklings and The Gripweeds. Consider this one a "new phase" SATB show - the first to feature a guest host: Tom Frangione. You may know him from his writings in Beatlefan magazine - his role twice annually at The Fest for Beatles Fans, or as one of the three hosts heard on the Sirius XM Beatles channel program, Fab Fourum. His guests on this episode are JEM Records' president Marty Scott; veteran musician Glen Burtnik (Beatlemania, Styx, The Orchestra) of The Weeklings, and Kurt Reil (The Gripweeds). They discuss the process of putting this collection together, including song selection as well as the process of arranging such familiar material into something fresh.    http://www.jemrecordings.com/ 

Rock historian and radio interviewer Spencer Leigh has been chronicling the music scene generally and The Beatles specifically from his native Merseyside for decades. He has penned well over two dozen books, half of them on Beatles-specific subjects. In this conversation, we discuss an array of topics, including writing and researching The Beatles; Bob Wooler; Liverpool bands; Bob Dylan, and Ken Dodd, among other topics.     Check out Spencer's work here.