Everything Fab Four

Latest Episodes:

Episode 35: Queen of Christmas Darlene Love on what the Beatles took from Black musicians, and what they gave back Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

Ken Womack's guest this week is Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Darlene Love (born Darlene Wright). Best known for her holiday hit "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," in addition to her vocals on records by "girl group" The Crystals and her acting roles such as in the "Lethal Weapon" film series, Love's beginnings were modest, having started out singing in the Los Angeles church choir where her father was the pastor. She began working in 1962 with notorious producer Phil Spector (who'd given her the "Love" surname for recording, and who also worked on several Beatles-related projects). In light of his later troubles, Love explains to Womack, "I will say this: He was not the same guy to me back then that he later came to be." In this conversation she dives deep into her storied career, opens up about working with Phil Spector, and answers a complex question: Were the Beatles influenced by Black musicians, or did they steal from them?

Episode 34: May Pang opens up about John Lennon, the Beatles and her front-row seat to rock history Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

May Pang is a former music executive and an eyewitness to key moments in rock 'n' roll history, particularly in terms of the lives and times of the former members of the Beatles, especially John Lennon.

After growing up in Spanish Harlem and Manhattan, Pang's early jobs included working as an old-school record-plugger and at Allen Klein's management office, which represented Apple Records and three former Beatles: Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. In December 1970, Pang was invited to assist Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono with their film projects, "Up Your Legs Forever" and "Fly." Pang was then asked to be Lennon and Ono's secretary in New York and Great Britain, which led to a permanent position as their personal assistant when the Lennons moved from London to New York in 1971. That October, Pang famously coordinated an art exhibition for Ono's This Is Not Here art show at the Everson Museum in Syracuse.

When Lennon and Ono separated in 1973, Pang and Lennon began a relationship that lasted more than 18 months. Lennon later referred to this time as his "Lost Weekend". In addition to acting as Lennon's muse, she served as production coordinator for him on such hit LPs as "Rock 'n' Roll" and "Walls and Bridges," which included "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night," John's only number-one solo hit during his lifetime.

After Lennon returned to Ono in 1975, Pang began working as PR manager for record companies. Pang subsequently authored two books about her relationship with Lennon—a memoir entitled "Loving John" (in 1983) and a book of photographs, "Instamatic Karma" (in 2008). She was recently the subject of a critically acclaimed documentary, "The Lost Weekend: A Love Story," which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival this past June.

Bonus Episode 33: How Klaus Voormann gave Revolver its signature look Nov 01, 2022

Show notes

German artist, musician and record producer Klaus Voormann, former bassist for Manfred Mann, has played on a number of iconic recordings, from Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" to Lou Reed's "Transformer" album, and with many projects of the former members of the Beatles, whom Voorman has known since their Hamburg days. The one-time London roommate of George Harrison and Ringo Starr won a Grammy for designing the cover of their 1966 album "Revolver," which has just been reissued in a deluxe remastered box set. In 2009, Voormann released his debut solo album "A Sideman's Journey," which featured the two surviving Beatles, McCartney and Starr, performing as "Voormann and Friends." His latest work involves the composition of the graphic novel "Birth of an Icon, which details his efforts behind the creation of the "Revolver" cover art. In this bonus episode of "Everything Fab Four," Voorman — on the phone all the way from Germany — and host Ken Womack discuss the evolution of the Beatles' songwriting, everyone's favorite Mal Evans, and of course, how he created the "Revolver" cover. A note to our listeners: Technical difficulties resulted in audio that's less clear for this episode, but we hope you'll stick around for Klaus' fascinating eyewitness accounts of working with the Beatles.

Episode 32: There are two musicians inside Peter Frampton: "There's a studio me and a live me" Oct 25, 2022

Show notes

This week's guest is celebrated English guitarist, singer, and songwriter Peter Frampton. A musical prodigy, Frampton taught himself to play the guitar at age 7. Within the next few years, he mastered complex jazz, blues and rock riffs. He spent his pre-teen years performing with bands including George & The Dragons, a group that included fellow up-and-coming musician David Bowie. Eventually, Frampton caught the attention of the Rolling Stones' Bill Wyman, and in 1967, under his mentorship, Frampton became the lead guitarist and singer for the pop group The Herd. In 1969, after achieving the adoration of teenaged fans with hit singles like "From the Underworld" and "I Don't Want Our Loving to Die," and after a stint with the blues-based rock band Humble Pie, Frampton decided to strike out on his own.

The popularity of his first three solo albums coupled with Frampton's captivating live performances culminated in the 1976 live double recording Frampton Comes Alive!, which sold more than 10 million copies. The LP held the notable distinction of being the best-selling live rock album in history, while the singles "Baby I Love Your Way," "Do You Feel Like I Do?" and "Show Me the Way" dominated the American charts. Considered the crowning achievement of Frampton's career, the album influenced both Billboard and Rolling Stone magazines to name him Artist of the Year.

On this episode of Everything Fab Four, host Kenneth Womack and Frampton talk about his watershed live album, John Lennon's legendary Rickenbacker and "Son of Dracula," hearing an early "Sgt. Pepper's" copy that had "fallen off the back of a truck," and how Frampton came to play lead guitar to George Harrison's rhythm on "Doris Troy."

Episode 31: The Bacon Brothers Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

This episode's guests are the duo ensemble The Bacon Brothers — younger brother and veteran actor Kevin and his older sibling Michael, an award-winning composer. Since his breakout roles in the early 1980s, including a starring turn in "Footloose," Kevin has been a star on the big and small screens. And Michael, a music professor at Lehman College, has enjoyed a long and celebrated career as an accomplished guitarist, keyboardist and cellist. Over the years, Michael has composed hundreds of film and TV soundtracks and scores. And since the late 1990s, they've performed together as The Bacon Brothers. In this conversation with host Ken Womack, the brothers talk about how the Beatles brought the electric guitar into their lives, keys to great songwriting, what they thought about the "Get Back" docuseries, George Martin's influence on the Beatles, and the finer points of "Revolver."

Episode 30: Shawn Colvin on writing her hit revenge song and the Beatles landmark that "knocked me dead" Sep 27, 2022

Show notes

This episode's guest is Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and musician Shawn Colvin. A participant in Greenwich Villages' Fast Folk Collective in the early 1980s, Colvin cut her teeth in the Buddy Miller Band and toured with Suzanne Vega after singing back-up on Vega's 1987 hit "Luka." Her 1989 debut, "Steady On," won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Her 1996 album "A Few Small Repairs" and its hit single "Sunny Came Home" rocketed her to mainstream commercial success, landing in the number one spot on the Adult Contemporary chart for four weeks, and earning Grammy Awards for Song and Record of the Year. She's the author of a memoir, "Diamond in the Rough," and a sought-after collaborator, recording songs with Sting, Béla Fleck, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and more.

Episode 29: Ken Burns on the genius of "Penny Lane" and why the Beatles are "etched in my hard drive" Sep 13, 2022

Show notes

American filmmaker Ken Burns is renowned for his documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle American history and culture, such as "The Civil War," "Baseball," "Jazz," and "Country Music." Burns's documentaries have earned two Academy Award nominations and have won several Emmy Awards, among other honors. His latest documentary is "The U.S. and the Holocaust," which premieres this month and was produced with longtime collaborators Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein. But before that, he worked at a record store where the best-selling album of his tenure was "Abbey Road." He still thinks about the Beatles every day. In this conversation with our host Kenneth Womack, Burns discusses what his creative process shares with the Beatles' and reveals the secret ingredient that he believes has made the band's catalog so timeless. And he makes the case for a significant portion of the top 10 "quintessential" Beatles' songs aren't written by Paul or John.

Episode 28: Heart's Ann Wilson on her epiphany about rock and gender roles: "I could be a girl, I could be Paul McCartney" Apr 26, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, host Ken Womack and powerhouse rocker Ann Wilson go deep into Beatles songs and their influence on her own work, the high school politics of fandom, and what the Beatles taught her about gender as a young rocker. Wilson rose to fame alongside her younger sister, guitarist Nancy Wilson, as lead vocalist in the rock band Heart, the first hard rock group fronted by women. In their heyday, Heart released numerous albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including "Dreamboat Annie" and "Little Queen," and "Dog and Butterfly," which generated hit singles such as "Magic Man," "Crazy on You," "Barracuda," "Straight On" and "Dog and Butterfly." The band later enjoyed commercial success with a trio of albums, including the self-titled "Heart," "Bad Animals" and "Brigade," along with a raft of hits such as "What about Love," "Never," "These Dreams," "Nothin' At All," "Who Will You Run To," "Alone," and "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You." To date, Heart has sold over 35 million records. Over the years, Wilson has earned her place as one of rock's most vaunted singers. Known for her operatic abilities and banshee screams, she was ranked no. 78 in Hit Parader's 2006 list of Greatest Heavy Metal Vocalists of All Time. And in 2013, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Heart.

Special Episode: Inside "The Beatles: Get Back to Let It Be" at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Mar 29, 2022

Show notes

Today's special episode features our good friends from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, here to discuss their new exhibition, The Beatles: Get Back to Let It Be.

Designed to serve as an immersive complement to Peter Jackson's Get Back docuseries, the groundbreaking exhibition allows fans to experience The Beatles' creative journey through original instruments, clothing, and handwritten lyrics used by The Beatles and seen in the film.

Artifacts include items loaned directly by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the estates of George Harrison and John Lennon. The exhibit features high-definition film clips, audio, and custom projections, transporting fans into The Beatles' vibrant world of January 1969.

Fans will also enjoy audio engineer, producer, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Glyn Johns' record acetate from the sessions and iconic photography by Linda McCartney and by Ethan Russell, who documented the band's January 1969 rehearsals, sessions, and rooftop performance, and whose photos are featured in the Let It Be album art.

As with Jackson's Get Back docuseries, the exhibit shows how The Beatles composed and recorded many of their iconic songs from scratch. The exhibit's three screening rooms feature a selection of footage from each location from the docuseries: Twickenham, Apple Studios, and the Apple Corps rooftop.

Ken's first guest is Greg Harris, President & CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Prior to serving in his current role, Greg worked as a senior executive at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for 14 years.

Ken is also joined by Nwaka Onwusa, the Rock Hall's Chief Curator & Vice President of Curatorial Affairs. Prior to joining the Rock Hall in 2019, Nwaka spent a decade researching, developing and curating more than 20 full-scale exhibits for The GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE.

Episode 27: Colin Hay on his Beatles influence, Men at Work's breakup and the truths of "Get Back" Mar 08, 2022

Show notes

Scottish-born musician, singer, songwriter, and actor Colin Hay first came to prominence as the lead vocalist of the Australian rock band Men at Work, which won the Best New Artist Grammy in 1983. Their big break came in August 1982, when Men at Work toured Canada and the US to promote their first LP Business as Usual, supporting Fleetwood Mac. That October, their song, "Who Can It Be Now?" reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In January 1983, they became the first Australian artists to have a simultaneous No. 1 album and No. 1 single on the United States Billboard charts with Business as Usual and the song "Down Under" (1981), respectively. As a solo artist, Hay's music has been used frequently by actor and director Zach Braff in his work, which helped establish a career rebirth for the musician in the mid-2000s. Hay has also been a recurring member of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. In this conversation with host Ken Womack, Hay talks about his musical childhood and the work behind the band's seemingly "overnight success," his Beatles influences, playing with Ringo, and what the Beatles documentary "Get Back" reveals about the realities of being in a band.

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