Something About the Beatles

292: The Comedy of The Beatles with Jeff Martin Oct 23, 2024

An essential component of The Beatles' appeal was their sense of humour, showcased not only in their two feature films (A Hard Day's Night, Help!) but also their TV appearances, interviews and even their music. TV comedy writer (Late Night with David Letterman, The Simpsons) Jeff Martin returns to the show to discuss how this facet of their talents was not only exceptionally developed, but also an element that set them apart from their peers, as well as key to their enduring legacy.

For further reading, check out The Beatles and Humour: Mockers, Funny Paper and Other Play.

291: December 8, 1980 with David Whelan Oct 10, 2024

In the 44 years since John Lennon's death, the trauma of that night is still as raw, so much so that, for most people, the facts of what went down are far too painful still to examine closely. But when one does, as returning guest David Whelan has, they depict sometihng far more disturbing and sinister than the story we thought we knew. Whelan's research was presented in his book, Mind Games: The Assassination of John Lennon. Our earlier discussion this year (275) barely scratched the surface on what his research uncovered. Today's discussion goes deeper, and is in part a response to the recent show with Robert Rosen (Nowhere Man), 286.

Check out David's YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/@AssassinationOfLennon

and his SubStack writings here: https://davidwhelan.substack.com/

290: "Hey Jude" Reconstructed Sep 24, 2024

In 2023, I hosted writer James Campion with Jeff Martin for a discussion of The Beatles' 1968 mega-hit and Apple Records debut. This time, we're drilling down deep for an analysis of the song's composition (as well as possible sources of inspiration) with the musicologists of RPM School: Walter Everett (author of volumes one and two of The Beatles As Musicians) plus working musicians and recording artists Jack Petruzzelli and Cameron Greider. This is where we get deep into the weeds with musical theory and a breakdown of the song's lyrical construction, as well as elements from other pieces of music that may have influenced the principal author, Paul McCartney.

RPM's new semester (on Let It Be) begins soon - see their site for details:

https://www.rpm-school.com/

289: A Hard Day's Night At 60 Sep 13, 2024

With The Beatles' film debut turning 60 this summer, the time was right for a deep dive into the cultural and cinematic significance of it all. Joining the conversation are two new guests: Sarah Pleydell and Moya Luckett. Both were born in the UK, one's a first-gen fan, and both are authors and academics with cred particularly suited to the topic. Rounding out the talk are our three fave 1st-gen fans, Sibbie O'Sullivan, Carol Tyler and Debbie Gendler, authors all.

288: Band On The Run (Hand Clapping) with Luca Perasi Aug 31, 2024

My guest, Luca Perasi, first appeared on the show in 2023 (262). He is the McCartney historian based in Italy, whose previous works include Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas 1970 - 1989 as well as his newest, Paul McCartney and Wings Band On The Run: The Story of A Classic Album. You can check out all his works on his site here.

In this conversation, we discuss the tumultuous creation of Paul's post-Beatles breakthrough album, as well as 1974's One Hand Clapping project, just released as an album in 2024 and soon to be in theatres.

287: The Historian and Get Back with Erin Weber Aug 10, 2024

In the years since Peter Jackson's epic re-imagining of the January 1969 saga landed, SATb has examined it through a number of angles: from Brits - women - musicians - authors - and so forth. But this will be the first time I have actually had a conversation about it with a professional historian, your friend and mine, Erin Weber. This conversation analyzes the film through the prism of (secondary) source material, and brings into focus how the work should be viewed by fans of a more serious scholarly bent.

286: Nowhere Man '24 with Robert Rosen Aug 08, 2024

In this conversation, my returning guest (see episodes 189 - 245 - 266) discusses his recent visit to Spain, where a belated Beatlemania is in full swing. He also offers his insights on the recent May Pang documentary, The Lost Weekend: A Love Story, as well as his take on David Whelan's investigation into John Lennon's murder and the latter's preoccupation with "lucid dreaming."

Check out Robert's writings at https://www.robertrosennyc.com/index.htm

Highlights of his evening in Sevilla (with Mary Lyn Maiscott) can be found here:

https://youtu.be/qiin_ZOt9gw?si=65MgdhrGvNOUqsmv

285: Sixty Years Ago in America with Lee Abrams, Dennis Diken, and Elliot Easton Jul 21, 2024

As part of the ongoing campaign in 2024 to look back at 1964, we present another conversation with first-gen fans, this time focusing on the Capitol issues as well as US Top 40 radio. Returning guests Elliot Easton and Dennis Diken (The Cars and The Smithereens respectively) are joined by Lee Abrams, radio visionary and co-founder of Sirius XM. We discuss their fandom as it unfolded in real time, the impact and influence of radio, as well as their takes on the US releases (and the Beach Boys too).

You can find Lee's writings here: https://www.leeabramsmediavisions.com/blog

Something About The Beatles is an Evergreen podcast.

284: Sixty Years On with Ivor Davis Jul 12, 2024

Returning guest (episodes 130 and 174) Ivor Davis is a British journalist who, in 1964, went on tour with The Beatles for the Daily Express, covering their North American dates while ghost-writing a column for George Harrison (having taken over the assignment from Derek Taylor). He did similar duties for the following year, and after which, he settled in California as west coast correspondent. His job saw him cover the Warren Commission findings, the gubernatorial campaign trail for Ronald Reagan (governor) and in 1968, Bobby Kennedy (whose murder Ivor was a witness to). The following year, Ivor was at the center of the Manson Family case when he became the first journalist to visit Spahn ranch, as well as the first writer to publish a book on the Tate-LaBianca murders, Five To Die. (We discussed this in the two previous shows.) Ivor was there when Bob Dylan introduced The Fabs to weed; he was also there when they met Elvis. In short, he's been around.

He first published his memoir of The Beatles' experience as The Beatles and Me On Tour ten years ago for the 50th; it's now been expanded and republished for the 60th anniversary. In his conversation, Ivor offers his observations from the current perspective, post Get Back and "Now and Then," as well as inner-circle personas he came to know along the way.

He also has a new true crime book out, The Devil in My Friend about a 1980s double murder in Malibu. You can find info on all at his website, https://ivordavisbooks.com/

283: Giles on Trial - The Reissues Critiqued with John Leckie and Jerry Hammack Jun 05, 2024

Beginning with the 2017 Sgt. Pepper 50th anniversary release, a series of deluxe reissues (The Beatles, Abbey Road, Let It Be, Revolver, 1962-1966, 1967-1970) featuring remixing and the application of MAL (“machine-assisted learning”) to deconstruct and re-assemble the master recordings have hit the streets. Supervised by engineer Sam Okell and Giles Martin, these issues have met with mixed reactions from fans, especially those who hold the original recordings sacrosanct. For some they are revelatory; for others, an abomination.

I convened a 2-man panel of returning guests with expert ears to assess them. John Leckie (Abbey Road engineer for John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pink Floyd and producer for Radiohead, XTC, The Stone Roses, The Verve, New Order) has one of the finest sets of ears in the business, as does producer/engineer/author Jerry Hammack (https://www.beatlesrecordingreferencemanuals.com/), whose newest work, The Beatles’ Recording Techniques: Recreating The Classic EMI Studios Sound In Your Home Studio, has just been published.

This conversation is front-loaded with techie-talk, but soon finds its level with an analysis of the work done for these new sets and whether or not they achieved a clear-cut goal.

For Jerry’s newest: https://www.beatlesrecordingtechniques.com/

We Didn't Start The Fire - British Beatlemania with Mark Lewisohn (Part I) May 31, 2024

YEAH YEAH YEAH, we’ve been waiting 88 episode for this and it’s finally here!! In the 60s, The Beatles’ rise to fame would change the landscape of pop music and fandom forever. People were so excited to watch them, they’d urinate and scream so loud you’d struggle to hear the music. No one had ever seen fan culture or heard music like it. So it’s no surprise that we’re absolutely ecstatic to chat to Mark Lewisohn, arguably the world’s LEADING authority on the Beatles! So ecstatic that we’ve made a two part episode, so make sure you listen to that once you’re done with this one.

282: The Women’s Revolution (Or: The Beatles’ Effect) May 10, 2024

My guests are three very special ladies whom have all appeared on the show before, but this time, all three have memoirs out. Debbie Gendler was the first to appear on SATB (121: New York Stories) and her story as the 1st US fan (as far as I’m concerned) was initially laid out there. But now HER memoir has been published, I Saw Them Standing There: Adventures of an Original Fan During Beatlemania and Beyond.

Debbie joins returning guests Carol Tyler (146: Fab 4 Mania) and Sibbie O’Sullivan (273: My Private Lennon) as they react to each other’s books. What ensued though was something bigger than what we anticipated, as the notion of collating their stories and those of other 1st-generation fans into something bigger and grander took shape.

Something About The Beatles is now an Evergreen podcast.

281: The Beatles and The Cars with Elliot Easton Apr 28, 2024

Of the 73 million Americans who viewed The Beatles’ live debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964, we know with absolute certainty that a high percentage had their lives changed forever – this is not hyperbole. And of those, many were moved to take up instruments or start bands. And of that fraction, a handful went on to stellar careers in music, producing art that became a part of our lives in the years to come.

Today’s guest is one such example. Elliot Easton was the lead guitarist in The Cars, but he was put on a path to music as a livelihood at the tender age of three; The Beatles merely codified the trajectory he was on. Elliot went on to hit virtually every checkmark a musician could desire: a successful career with hit singles and albums, induction into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, even recording with a Beatle. And Elliot also happens to be student of music and rock history, The Beatles especially. He comes to the show as a fellow fan as well as an artist inspired by The Beatles to live his dream.

280: All You Need is the Love You Make with Steven Gaines Apr 26, 2024

As the first insider Beatles tell-all (not counting Francie Schwartz’s Body Count – because why would I) – 1983’s The Love You Make, a collaboration between Brian Epstein’s protege Peter Brown and today’s guest, shocked fans with what was perceived as an airing of dirty laundry. Drug use, infidelity, betrayal, wife-swapping, and overall bad behavior was chronicled in detail, and Brown’s insider status gave credence to the reporting.

But many Beatle historians recognize the inaccuracies and questionable decision making, rendering what was once a best-selling book into something with considerably less esteem, to put it one way. But the original interviews with an array of insiders, many of them now dead, has arrived as a sort of unfiltered access to the source material. All You Need is Love is out now, and presents many witnesses, sum of questionable veracity, but with little comment, allowing the reader to judge their truthfulness for themselves.

279: The Mal Evans Project Part One with Ken Womack Apr 25, 2024

At last: the SATB conversation with the man who brought The Beatles’ road manager’s long missing manuscript to press. Living The Beatles Legend is the story Mal wanted to tell before his life ended at 40 in Los Angeles in a hail of gunfire in 1976. But perhaps the wait was worth it to get his insider eye-witness story augmented by research and interviews Ken has conducted to fully flesh out the story.

This talk covers the first volume of this must-read book. Another volume, presenting the Evans photo archive and diaries, is due out later this year

278: An Hour With Pattie Boyd Mar 17, 2024

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...

277: "Mike Tree" in Nutopia with Michael Meideros Mar 10, 2024

Listeners: you may recall my conversation with Robert Rosen (245), detailing the blocking of a pair of books by reputable authors that detailed the "househusband" years of John's life; it evolved out of an essay Robert wrote. Well, one of those writers is here to tell his story himself. Michael Meideros was hired in 1977 to work on the indoor gardening at the Lennon's Dakota apartments. But as he performed his assigned tasks, his role grew to ad hoc personal assistant and eventually, archivist. His memoir, Barefoot in Nutopia, remains unpublished - yet. But Michael wanted to share some stories and insights and we're happy to have him, in what we project to be the first of at least two conversations. Subjects include day-to-day life, Yoko, Bermuda, Fred Seaman, and the night the unspeakable occurred, and its aftermath.

276 Filmtrack Olympiad: Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine Feb 25, 2024

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.

275: Anomalies in the Assassination of John Lennon with David Whelan Feb 09, 2024

There's no joy to be had in this subject, but it is an important topic for an open discussion. We have been fed a narrative for 43 years regarding the murder of John, yet there were aspects that either lacked detail or, upon closer inspection, made little sense. At least a couple of of authors have published books on the case, but documentary-maker David Whelan has approached the subject with fresh eyes, resulting in three years of research and interviews that he presents in Mind Games: The Assassination of John Lennon. He makes the case that virtually nothing we were ever told about what happened is supported by evidence and much is substantially contradicted. We managed to touch on only part of his research in this conversation, but you can learn more through the book, David's Substack site, and his YouTube channel.

274: George, The Reluctant Beatle with Philip Norman Jan 25, 2024

The author of Shout: The Beatles In Their Time has brought out his third Beatles individual biography, forty plus years after the publication of his group one. George Harrison: The Reluctant Beatle was put together tapping Norman's body of old interviews (with witnesses now beyond reach) as well as fresh research and new conversations (including his star witness, Pattie Boyd). The complexity of the subject matter is matched by the complexity of the narrator, who through series of unforced errors has led many a Beatle fan to view him with scorn. But SATB has always been about opening doors rather than shutting them, and if one is prepared to listen without prejudice, one can make up one's own mind on the value of what he has to say about George in this book.

273: My Private Lennon with Sibbie O'Sullivan Jan 09, 2024

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.

272: Born At The Right Time with Ray Connolly Dec 25, 2023

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.

271 Here and Now with "Now and Then": a SATB Special Dec 08, 2023

The release of a new Beatle recording in our lifetime warrants a special approach. To that end, I assembled a group of some of your favorite podcast guests, plus a few new ones to discuss, critique, and analyze the new Beatle record. Folks representing a number of geographical and generational perspectives weigh in with their insights and observations. In alphabetical order, they are: Nancy Lee Andrews (Photographer and Author, A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll) Dr. Allison Bumsted Ray Connolly (British journalist and Beatles insider, author of Born At The Right Time and Being John Lennon, etc.) Richard Courtney (Beatles radio host and author, From Me To You) Dennis Diken (The Smithereens) Dr. Duncan Driver (University of Canberra) Dr. Christine Feldman-Barrett (Author, A Women's History of The Beatles) Debbie Gendler (Author, I Saw Them Standing There) Glenn Greenberg (Author of Beatles bookazines) Cameron Greider (Musician and musicologist, RPM-School.com ) Jerry Hammack Chip Madinger Skylar Moody Dr. Sibbie O'Sullivan Dan Rivkin Luther Russell Arion Salazar Pat Sansone Carol Tyler Erin Weber Gary Wenstrup

270: Top Ten Most Important/Influential Beatles Sources with Erin Weber Nov 16, 2023

The first half hour+ was taped live at The Fest in August 2023, as you can doubtless tell. The rest was done in the usual way, and you'll note we didn't necessarily cover everything we listed in great detail, but that's showbiz. Here's Erin's list: 1. A Hard Day's Night film 2 and 3. The Internet. Two slots because I see it impacting the historiography in two major ways: First, it has vastly increased accessibility to primary sources and research materials that in previous decades were extremely difficult to find. Second, its fundamentally changed the fandom experience thru podcasts, discussion boards, etc. 4. Hunter Davies: The Beatles - An Authorized Biography 5. Lennon Remembers/Rolling Stone 6. Mark Lewisohn: The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions 7. Philip Norman: Shout! 8. The Beatles Anthology (mainly the documentary, but the book, too). 9. Barry Miles: Many Years From Now 10. Christine Feldman Barrett's A Women's History of the Beatles Here's mine:

Influential

Red and Blue albums
The Beatles: An Illustrated Record by Roy Carr and Tony Tyler
Shout!
Lennon Remembers
Here, There and Everywhere by Geoff Emerick

Important

The Beatles and The Historians by Erin Torkelson Weber
Lewisohn Chronicles/Tune In
Love Me Do by Michael Braun
The Beatles: An Authorized Biography
A Women's History of The Beatles

What's your list look like?

269: George Harrison in the 70s with Eoghan Lyng Nov 01, 2023

Between 1970 and 1979, George issued six studio albums (plus one triple-live one), followed by a second draft of his 1980 album the following year. Rock scribe Eoghan Lyng and I re-examine these works with fresh ears - we hope you will too. Eoghan's book: https://www.amazon.com/George-Harrison-70s-Eoghan-Lyng/dp/1789521742

268: Buddy Holly and The Beatles with Luther Russell Oct 20, 2023

The Beatles were the end result of an array of confluences, circumstances and influences. On the short list near the very top (if not THE top) was American rocker Buddy Holly. In his short career, he wielded his influence on the budding Liverpool rockers in an array of ways, which returning guest Luther Russell and I discuss here. Though his time on earth was brief, the impact he made casts a long shadow, as he provided an unwitting blueprint on what a successful rock artist looked like, sounded like and could aspire to.

267: Sgt. Pepper's Guitars Sep 21, 2023

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.

266: Nowhere Man '23 with Robert Rosen Sep 17, 2023

The author of Nowhere Man (2000) returns for a conversation prompted by the book's recent re-publication, augmented with an array of new material and appendices. Robert will also be making a rare personal appearance in St Louis on October 4th in St. Louis - details here. Among the subjects we talked about this time round were:

May Pang
Fred Seaman
Early 1970s US politics and its coverage in Observation Post
His upcoming book, tentatively titled No Future
John's opinion of Double Fantasy
Jack Douglas
John's murder
The Manchurian Candidate Theory
Robert's purported role in John Lennon's murder

Robert's website and blog can be found here.

265: EMI Days with John Leckie and Friends Sep 02, 2023

Returning guest and renowned producer John Leckie is back on SATB and this time he brought his friends; colleagues from EMI with impressive credentials of their own, who also worked with The Beatles: Nick Webb and Roger Ferris. It was a real delight to be a fly-on-the-wall as three guys who've known each other for decades spun stories about working at the most famous recording facility on earth, and the clients they supported. Among the topics that came up:

What well-known event coincided with the day John Leckie interviewed for a position at EMI

Quick takes on George Martin - Norman Smith - Geoff Emerick - Ken Scott - Ken Townsend - Alan Parsons - Peter Bown and other EMI staffers

Stealing from Mick Jagger

Their takes on Get Back

The 1971 Wings Launch Party

Phil Spector

Sessions for "All You Need is Love" and "You Know My Name"

Seventeen Watts by the late Mo Foster

In the studio with Paul and Wings

IRA bomb scares of the 70s

John and Yoko's curry

plus loads more...

264: Harrison, Lennon: It's Also Complicated Aug 10, 2023

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.

263: Fab 4 On Film: The Dick Lester Films with Steve Matteo Jul 31, 2023

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.

262: McCartney's Musicality; Post-Beatles with Luca Perasi Jun 10, 2023

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.

261: Making All Things Must Pass with John Leckie May 28, 2023

Hired as a tape op by EMI in February 1970, Leckie quickly found himself among rock royalty when his career began with work on Ringo's Sentimental Journey, followed quickly after with McCartney. But his major immersion with the cream of rock's musicians soon came with the All Things Must Pass project, placing him at the service of George Harrison and Phil Spector and with a team that included Ringo, Klaus Voormann, Eric Clapton, The Dominoes, Gary Brooker, Peter Frampton, Phil Collins, Gary Wright, Billy Preston and Badfinger, among others. This conversation focuses on that landmark album. Joining as co-host is author/producer Jerry Hammack (The Beatles Recording Reference Manual series), with a cameo from Luther Russell. Jerry's latest book has just been published: Home Studio Recording - The Complete Guide. John was a previous guest discussing the making of John and Yoko's respective Plastic Ono Band albums, as well as alongside his previous collaborators Derek Forbes (Simple Minds) and Ian McNabb (Icicle Works) for a conversation on Peter Jackson's Get Back film. His excellent recall of events he witnessed as well as insights as someone with some amazing career achievements (Roy Harper, Be Bop Deluxe, Pink Floyd, Wings, Radiohead, XTC, Stone Roses, and so on) to his credit make this conversation something special.

260: Tastemaker Tony King May 10, 2023

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.

259: Sgt. Pepper Olympiad May 02, 2023

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

258: May the First - The Lost Weekend with May Pang Apr 08, 2023

"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/

257: Questions From Listeners Mar 21, 2023

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

256: The Making of Ringo (and Goodnight Vienna) with Bill Schnee Mar 05, 2023

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.

255: Peter Jackson's Get Back with Doug Sulpy and Dan Rivkin Feb 19, 2023

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/

254: McCartney, Harrison - It's Complicated Jan 28, 2023

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.

253: Something About The Yardbirds & Jeff Beck with Jim McCarty Jan 18, 2023

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.

252: The Inner Light Jan 10, 2023

Author Susan Shumsky first appeared on SATB in 2019, upon the publication of her memoir, The Maharishi and Me, which detailed her twenty years living at his ashram (including six years working directly for his organization). We discussed her knowledge of The Beatles' Rishikesh sabbatical then, but with her new book, The Inner Light, she goes deep with an exploration of how their interactions with Indian culture and the TM movement impacted their lives and their art. In the course of over 500 pages, she gives chapter and verse on the manifestations of these interactions, sometimes hiding in plain sight, that appeared in their music.

251 Revolver: Art and Music Dec 25, 2022

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.

250: Something About The Beatles' Christmas Messages Dec 14, 2022

Between 1963 and 1969, The Beatles issued ephemeral holiday greetings to members of their fan club on flexidiscs. These were collected onto an LP in 1970, but for the most part, escaped a proper issue for the masses (excepting the 2017 limited edition set). In this holiday edition of SATB, Gary Wenstrup (Beatles Olympiad shows) and I take a deep dive into the history of these recordings, providing context and analysis. In their way, the seven messages serve as a microcosm of the group's career, reflecting the state of the band each year. You can hear the entire collection here: https://tinyurl.com/23v8vuwe "Beatles Christmas Supermash" by Tom Teeley. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/satb for10% off your first month of treatment.

249: Ray Connolly's Lennon Dec 04, 2022

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.

248: Hey Jude Deconstructed with James Campion and Jeff Martin Nov 24, 2022

An entire book dedicated to a single song may strike some as bewildering, but not if the song in question is both The Beatles' longest single (in length) as well as one of their most successful (quadruple platinum): 1968's "Hey Jude." Deceptively simple and universally appealing, the Apple Records debut marked an astonishing launch to their label while serving as an anthem of healing during a tumultuous year - in the world as well as within the band. Author James Campion (Take A Sad Song: The Emotional Currency of Hey Jude) discussed the song with returning guest Jeff Martin and I for nearly two hours. You too will discover what James did - that uncovering the magic and pull of this recording is something that will take you farther than you can imagine. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to www.betterhelp.com/satb for 10% off your first month.

247: Critiquing The Critics II - This Time It's Personal with Bill Wyman Nov 16, 2022

In which the worlds of three returning guests collide to discuss 1) is there (or should there be) a common starting point for all critiques of art and 2) the world of rock criticism generally - what's the purpose and where does it go wrong? Dr. Allison Bumsted is a popular music scholar, specializing in teen magazines (Teen Set in particular) and has written extensively on rock criticism on the 60s and 70s. She appeared on SATB here and here.

Kyle Driscoll is a writer for Medium.com and this article is where the conversation began: https://medium.com/@kpdriscoll33/the-art-of-quantifying-art-663729c02c89 He was on SATB here. Bill Wyman has been writing and reviewing art and music for 30 years for outlets ranging from the Chicago Reader to NPR, EW, WSJ and currently with New York and Vulture.com His ranking of The Beatles list can be found here. His SATB appearances include this and this. Check out the Beatles Song Sorter here.

246: The Rooftop Reunion Oct 28, 2022

Are you Get Back-ed out yet? No? Good, because there are still plenty of avenues to explore within the scope of January 1969. Featured today is something from the vaults: the conversation reuniting three witnesses to the events on Savile Row on 30 January, 1969: Apple press office deputy Chris O'Dell, Beatles equipment manager Kevin Harrington, and EMI tape operator Alan Parsons; yes, the eventual producer and recording artist himself. This was taped live at the Fab4ConJam event in February 2021 and therefore before Peter Jackson's film had been screened. Therefore, their recollections come purer: what they remembered and how they remembered it, unaffected by any more recent info coming their way. They all experienced the day from different perspectives, but over 5 decades on cannot help but be moved by what the were a part of, all these years later. Co-hosting is Beatles author and podcaster Anthony Robustelli. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/satb for 10% off your first month of treatment.

245: Catch and Kill - Controlling The Narrative with Robert Rosen Oct 08, 2022

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.

244: Double Fantasy Revisited part two Sep 25, 2022

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.

243: Double Fantasy Revisited part one Sep 19, 2022

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.

242: Beatles Olympiad '66 part two Sep 09, 2022

In which Gary Wenstrup and I continue the discussion of Revolver, followed by a thorough analysis of the group's OTHER 1966 UK release, A Collection of Beatles Oldies (But Goldies!). This podcast is sponsored by Betterhelp. Go to betterhelp.com/SATB for 10% off your first month of treatment.

241: Beatles Olympiad '66 part one Aug 26, 2022

Taking a detour from some of the heavier SATB topics of late for end-of-summer light entertainment, Gary Wenstrup and I return to the series of gold, silver and bronze rankings of Beatle cuts through their catalog. We're at the halfway point now as The Beatles turned the page from a touring to a studio band, but not before a final blast of nostalgia by years' end.

240: The Beatles on Drugs: Riding So High Aug 16, 2022

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.

239: Get Back to Kevin Harrington Aug 06, 2022

In the time since publishing his memoir, The Redhead on the Roof and first appearing on SATB (160), Beatles equipment manager Kevin Harrington has now become known to millions of fans by his ubiquitous presence captured on film and presented in the eight hours of Peter Jackson's Get Back. It therefore was time to bring him back to get his reaction to the film and drill down deeper on his experiences working with The Beatles.

238: Remembering the 70s with Chris O'Dell and Nancy Lee Andrews Jul 29, 2022

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.

237: The Dream is Over with Dan Richter Jul 17, 2022

He's known to millions, in the words of Arthur C. Clarke, as “The most famous unknown actor in the world.” Richter was a mime (and a poet) during the 1960s, but also gained cinematic immortality as "Moonwatcher" in the iconic "Dawn of Man" sequence in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. This in itself would be enough to stir our interest, but Dan was also intimately involved with John and Yoko as a personal assistant for five years, during which time he helped manage their film and recording projects while kicking his heroin habit. He tells his story in compelling detail in his book, The Dream is Over: London in the 60's, Heroin and John and Yoko. Joining the conversation is guest co-host Ian McNabb (see SATB 234). The conversation covers Dan's time with the Lennons, as well as work on 2001 with Stanley Kubrick.

236: The Beatles' Bag of Tricks Jul 02, 2022

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/

235: Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson at 80 Jun 29, 2022

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.

234: Paul McCartney at 80 - The Lyrics Jun 16, 2022

In the latest effort in a line of works presenting his side of his own history (which include Many Years From Now, Wingspan, the McCartney 3 2 1 docuseries as well as Anthology), Paul McCartney published The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present in 2021. It was in collaboration with Irish poet Paul Muldoon, an as-told-to project where he got deep into his recollections about a selection of his works, pre, during and post-Beatles. But the book is deeper than that: his observations detailing his entire life from boyhood in Liverpool onward were sparked by the 25 hours of conversations he and Muldoon had. My guest is Terry Zobeck: a first-generation Beatles fan and collector who reviewed the book for Doug Sulpy's 910 newsletter. The most recent issues also feature the first two parts of his three-part critique of The Beatles Get Back docuseries. All of Doug's writings, including the indispensable Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image (revised edition) can be found at www.dougsulpy.com

233: The Brits' Get Back with John Leckie, Ian McNabb and Derek Forbes May 31, 2022

After shows post-Get Back with guests representing American musicians, multi-generation female fans, and the film's maker (Peter Jackson), conspicuously missing from the SATB conversation to this point has been the POV of British fans/musicians. No longer: today's guests are drawn from the UK music scene and ALL have a deep fandom for The Fabs - some have even worked with one or more. Producer John Leckie first came to SATB in late 2020 to discuss his experiences working on John and Yoko's 1970 Plastic Ono Band albums; thereafter, he appeared at Fab4ConJam to recall working on All Things Must Pass. Afterward, his career during the '80s and beyond included working as producer for some top UK talent, including, Stone Roses, XTC, Radiohead...and Simple Minds. By sheer happenstance, John has worked with BOTH of his co-guests, who are new to SATB: bassist Derek Forbes worked with a number of Scottish acts, including The Subs, Simple Minds, Big Country, etc, while Ian McNabb fronted The Icicle Works: "Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)." ALL are hardcore Beatle fans going back a ways, and each fully immersed themselves in the 8 hours of Get Back. But the conversation ran far broader, covering their fandom during the 70s, working with an ex-Beatle, the Liverpool scene post-Beatles, Stiff records, musical influences, Dan Richter, Mickie Most, Wings, and a lot more. It's a freewheeling conversation and you haven't heard the last of these guys on the Something About The Beatles podcast.

232: Sam Brown and the Concert for George May 21, 2022

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

231B Beatles Olympiad: Help! & Rubber Soul + part 2 May 13, 2022

The conclusion of the discussion Gary Wenstrup and I had in rating individual tracks on the albums named here, as well as the 1966 Capitol release, "Yesterday"...and Today.

I think, is so overlooked, both message-wise and musical construction-wise. It's one of those songs, first of all, musically, based on piano. Not a lot of guitar, except those little stabbing, which was a 1965 sound in other people's records that year. Nice block harmonies. Then John breaking out his own for the verses, starting this implicitly spiritual song, the first words out of his mouth of the verse in the beginning. Nice touch. That's beautiful. It's this precursor to certainly, All You Need is Love and Give Peace A Chance. It's him. It's messianic John for the first time, really wanting to use his platform to promote something good. They'd said that they're all potheads at this point. I mean, they'd taken acid a couple of times at this point, but not the full immersion by the time of Revolver. That has to be what's informing his wanting to evangelize on behalf of love at this point. It's interesting that they didn't use this one for Yellow Submarine, because that whole love thing at the end in pepper land, in the face of the mayonnaise, it seems like it would be enmeshed right in there. I guess, they had All You Need Is Love. That was what they went with. I think, it's a great message, a great performance, nice arrangement. I love that organ. Then there's that whole musical, we're going to build a song around one note and it's got that drone throughout it, so you've got that musical experimentation going on at the same time. Not a song that got a lot of airplay. I don't know if anybody ever covered it. One, they never seemed to look back at it, but it's an early clue to the new direction. It's just this forerunner of lots of things that would come and they just pull it off. They don't sound like you're being preached to. It works as a pop ditty, but also, it's like, wow, it's got a really good message to it, that's bigger than boy-girl relationships.

231 Beatles Olympiad: Help! & Rubber Soul + May 06, 2022

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.

230: Erin Weber Q&A Apr 16, 2022

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

228B: A Woman's History of The Beatles part two Mar 27, 2022

"Every aspect of what they put out there just became so attractive to people who encountered it, whether it was in the 60s, (when) it was all new, or later generations interfacing with that material, and still being dazzled by all the aspects of it. Not just the music, but the evolving style that they had. Again, as Brian Epstein said so beautifully, he was overwhelmed by their personal charm. Everybody is overwhelmed by The Beatles’ personal charm. Everybody." The concluding hour of my conversation of Dr. Christine Feldman-Barrett (A Woman's History of The Beatles) covers

The role of women in setting examples for The Beatles when they were young.
The effects that The Beatleshad on the women who enjoyed watching them.
Perspectives on screaming at concerts and what it expressed.
How The Beatles held themselves played a role in changing cultural norms for women.
How The Beatleshave helped people to see the beauty in everyday life.

229: Something Deconstructed Mar 23, 2022

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

228A: A Woman's History of The Beatles part one Mar 14, 2022

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

227B The Girls' Get Back part two Feb 19, 2022

In this continuation of the conversation with Debbie Gendler (1st US Beatles fan) and cartoonist/author Carol Tyler (Fab 4 Mania), Dr. Allison Bumsted and I explore the 1st generation fan's perspectives on:

Supporting players in Get Back Mal Evans and Billy Preston
How Get Back may influence future generations
The life-changing force of The Beatles
Carol's missing original albums

www.debbiegendler.com https://www.fantagraphics.com/collections/carol-tyler www.allisonbumsted.com

227A: The Girls' Get Back part one Feb 13, 2022

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

226C The Musician's Get Back part three Jan 30, 2022

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

226B: The Musician's Get Back part two Jan 22, 2022

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.

226A: The Musician's Get Back part one Jan 15, 2022

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.

225B: Beatles Olympiad II Jan 01, 2022

In which returning guest Gary Wenstrup and I continue our ranking conversation of faves, discussing A Hard Day's Night and Beatles For Sale. Along the way, we analyze their vocals and blendings, as well as what personal experiences may inform the writing.

225A: Beatles Olympiad Dec 25, 2021

In which we pull away from the Get Back film for a while and converse about something completely different. Returning guest Gary Wenstrup and I conduct a conversation going through the first four Beatles albums, selecting our picks for Gold, Silver and Bronze status. Along the way we examine our criteria for what constitutes "favorite" songs, and how the criteria is fluid and evolving.

224C The Making of Get Back part three with Peter Jackson Dec 20, 2021

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.

224B: The Making of Get Back part two with Peter Jackson Dec 13, 2021

Dan Rivkin (They May Be Parted blog) and I continue our conversation with director Peter Jackson about the innovation used to create the film - some technique used to advance the story - and a number of other observations gleaned from viewing so many hours of footage, both in and outside of the final cut. The history of the Get Back project is at last coming into focus, challenging a number of previously held assumptions.

224A: The Making of Get Back Dec 02, 2021

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.

223: The Beatles 1971 - 1973 Nov 15, 2021

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!

222: On Pepper Oct 03, 2021

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.

221: Lennon in Montreal Aug 29, 2021

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).

220: Get Back to Peter Jackson Aug 02, 2021

In June and again in July, the director of the upcoming The Beatles: Get Back series gave interviews - in Vanity Fair and in GQ - holding forth on what to expect from his re-tooling of the Beatles Let It Be project. Though there was a certain amount of rehashing what had already been said, there were also things that provided much to discuss and analyze as we approach the countdown to broadcast. I therefore reconvened Dr Duncan Driver and Dan Rivkin (They May Be Parted blog) for a discussion on the latest and how what Peter Jackson had to say - and didn't say - suggests where the project is going and what to expect.

219: John - George - Eric & Layla Jul 17, 2021

In late summer 2020, my guest Kyle Driscoll penned this wonderful analysis of the three 1970 releases by three artists whose paths had intertwined and who, as it happened, all found themselves at similar crossroads at the time. You can read it here (which I strongly urge you do) and then listen to the deeper discussion we had on these artists and their impact on each other's work.

218: Beatles on Guitar Jul 03, 2021

You may recall my returning guest from his first appearance in late 2020: Mike Pachelli is an accomplished jazz guitarist and recording/performing artist, as well as a major Beatles fan. His series of popular Youtube videos deconstruct Beatle songs and show each guitar and vocal component. He's back now with a new release: 16 Beatles songs performed instrumentally, Beatles on Guitar. In this conversation, he details his insights into the challenges of selecting and presenting their music and doing it justice without vocals.

217: It's All In The Mind Jun 25, 2021

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.

216: Dear Friend Jun 05, 2021

There's been loads of speculation as to the exact nature of the friendship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney; during and after The Beatles. And when I say "loads," it runs the gamut from former bandmates who recalled each other fondly from a distance to something encompassing a physical nature. What does seem clear is that between the two of them, while Paul's descriptions of their relationship stayed pretty constant, John's went from demonizing Paul in print and song to describing him as his best (male) friend. Somewhere in there lies a truth, and to help unearth it, my guest today is journalist and author Glenn Greenberg, who recently penned an 80th birthday magabook on John.

215: Four Sides of a Square May 04, 2021

In this discussion, Dr. Duncan Driver (SATB 205, Fab4ConJam, One Sweet Dream podcast) springboard off of the title Paul McCartney quote, in which he asserted that each Beatle was as important as another to the group's success. We explore the shifting power dynamics within the group and the question of leadership; we also discuss Duncan's thesis of the four distinctive elements of the Beatles collective identity: live performers - singles makers - album makers - songwriters.

214: Beatle Production Apr 25, 2021

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.

213: John Lennon's 1980 Playlist Mar 31, 2021

My guest Tim English (Sounds Like Teen Spirit, Popology) discuss his newest book, examining the artists that John was listening to in the last few years of his life and how certain artists and records influenced the recordings he (and Yoko) made during the summer of 1980. Some of the acts we've known about for awhile (B-52s, Lene Lovich, etc) but many others were less obvious (The Selecter, Christopher Cross, The Doobie Brothers). John Lennon: 1980 Playlist is out now.

212: Countdown To Break-Up II Mar 12, 2021

Back in SATB 205, Dr. Duncan Driver (showcased 2+xs at Fab4ConJam) and discussed his article on the timeline to The Beatles break-up. In this episode, returning guest Gary Wenstrup and I dissect the subject further: when exactly did The Beatles - or individual members within - decide they were quits exactly? The answer - like so much else in Fab history - is not as straightforward as you might think.

211: Meeting Paul Saltzman in India Feb 02, 2021

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

210: The Beatles 1962 - 1970 Jan 24, 2021

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.

209: The Wish List Dec 22, 2020

In which Luther Russell and myself detail our picks for the things in the vault known to exist, group and solo, that we one day hope for Apple to release, in well-presented packages. This episode was the live round-the-world broadcast we did from Chicago back in September 2020, powered by in.live (thanks David Simon!) and that is why you get to hear a bit of the city in the background, along with loads of rare audio detailing what we're talking about. Happy Holidays to all and onward and upward in 2021!

208: The Beatles As Guitarists with Mike Pachelli Dec 07, 2020

If you aren't already aware of this veteran jazz/blues guitarist's Youtube channel with loads of deconstructions of their music, by all means, check it out. Mike has been performing and recording for decades (18 solo albums), as well as with artists ranging from Phil Keaggy to Micky Dolenz. Like so many others, his life was changed on the evening of February 9th, 1964. Much of the what he absorbed beginning then became the basis for his career, which he now shares in the form of informative videos. In this discussion, he offers his insights into what The Beatles' primary guitar players were up to and the basis of their brilliance. Check out MikePachelli.com, and his most recent project - High Standards - which features Tony Levin and Danny Gottleib.

207: John Leckie/Plastic Ono Bands Nov 24, 2020

This episode features a conversation between Luther Russell and I with producer John Leckie - if you aren't familiar with his name, you may be with the acts he's worked with (working backwards chronologically): My Morning Jacket - New Order - Radiohead - Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians - The Posies - Stone Roses - XTC - Dukes of Stratosphear - Human League - Simple Minds - Magazine - Be Bop Deluxe - Wizzard - Mott The Hoople - Barclay James Harvest - Syd Barrett - Pink Floyd - Roy Harper - Paul McCartney and Wings. For the purposes of our discussion, we focus on three key albums he worked on at the onset of his career: the pair of Plastic Ono Band releases by John and Yoko, and All Things Must Pass. It's those first two that we examine in detail, fifty years on (well, a little Pink Floyd too). John has the stories and the insights - it was our honor to host him (and keep him from his dinner).

206: Performing The Beatles Nov 10, 2020

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.

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205: Countdown to Break-Up Oct 30, 2020

With so many conflicting accounts and blame laid for the series of events that led to The Beatles' split, it's hard to detect a coherent narrative that, fifty years on, makes any sense as to exactly what went down and how. But Dr. Duncan Driver, in an article published earlier this year in Beatlefan magazine, has laid out a timeline detailing the sequence of events, from which some measure of patterns emerge. You can (and should) read the full-length piece here. We discuss the direction that things were moving in during the last years of the group (and past that point, too), toward a greater understanding of how events played out, maybe not exactly as we'd been led to believe.

204: The Guest List Part 2 Oct 21, 2020

Back in May 2020, my guest Gary Wenstrup and I presented the first half of our conversation, where we offered up our respective lists of what people in Beatle world we would like to be able to sit down and interview: insiders who knew The Beatles well - worked with and for them - and essentially operated as part of the infrastructure; people who haven't been tapped out as interview subjects. Here are more names we came up with of folks still among the living that may end up on the show yet - time will tell. Gary is a lecturer and adjunct professor at College of DuPage, specializing in Beatles and classic rock. PS: Guess who's on an upcoming episode of the Fans on the Run podcast? Ethan Alexanian and I just had a lengthy sit down. Also, remember Luther Russell evoking the Yesterday and Today podcast? He and I both contributed to their upcoming 100th episode.

203: In The Studio 1968 with Jerry Hammack part two Oct 05, 2020

As you may recall: back in July, SATB featured the first part of a conversation covering The Beatles in the studio in 1968, during the White Album sessions and just before. Here's the continuation, featuring SATB semi-regular Luther Russell (singer-songwriter/producer/performing artist). As always, the talk goes where it goes, covering a lot of Beatle ground. Jerry's volume 5 of The Beatles Recording Reference Manual series will be out later this year; it covers all of the 1969 recordings, including the Let It Be sessions, the Yellow Submarine soundtrack and Abbey Road. Luther's music here: https://lutherrussell.bandcamp.com/

SATB Bonus show: JEM Records Celebrates John Lennon Sep 28, 2020

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/

202: Sylvie Simmons Sep 25, 2020

You may know her as the award-winning veteran rock journalist (Creem, Kerrang!, Mojo, and so forth) who also penned the best-selling biography of Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen (2011), as well as Debbie Harry's memoir, Face It (2019). But as a music-stricken child growing up in London during the 1960s, she became what she'd describe later as "Beatle damaged" at an early age. Here, Sylvie recounts that backdrop when music was absolutely everything; so much so that, starting in 2014 and after a successful career as one of rock's most thoughtful scribes, she became a recording artist: first with Sylvie and now - six years later - Blue on Blue. Her musical endeavors have won her further praise, but on this show, she offers up her perspective and insights on the Beatles as a group and solo, through the eyes (and ears) of a journalist and fan. Her books, archive and interviews can be found here: http://sylviesimmons.com/

201: The Break-Up and "John vs Paul" with Erin Weber Sep 19, 2020

In which this returning SATB fave (The Beatles and The Historians) and I expand from previous discussions focusing on books to cover the media specifically around the time of the break-up, and how the nonsensical "John vs Paul - who was the greater genius?" discussion got fueled and put forth into the world. The role of Allen Klein in their break-up is also discussed, in this two-hour conversation that drills deep into the dynamic between these two and hour the world viewed it.

200: A Conversation with Ethan Russell (part two) Sep 11, 2020

For SATB's 200th episode (more or less), we're doing something special: returning with guest photographer/writer Ethan Russell, one of this most storied individuals in rock history through his iconic visual documentation of The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and The Who, to name three (scores more as well). Ethan was the official rock photographer of the Rock 'n' Roll Circus, the Let It Be sessions, the final Beatles group photo shoot, as well as behind tons of other classic images, most of which have been gathered up and published in his latest book, Photographs - a singular monograph of superlative visuals presented in stunning quality. It's available only at his website: www.ethanrussell.com I spoke with Ethan last year and this follow on covers more details of his work with the Fabs: his impressions of them individually - of Yoko - of the Let It Be project and Michael Lindsay-Hogg, as well as of Peter Jackson (of whose upcoming work Ethan got a peek). Ethan came of age in San Franciscoand went to London in 1967 - within a year he was in the orbit of the top British acts of the day. As a chronicler of the times, his work and observations are impeccable.

199: Credit Where Due with Luther Russell Aug 20, 2020

In which my returning guest and I discuss this: what if The Beatles' songwriting credits were more accurately apportioned to reflect actual significant contributions from not-credited bandmates? Their recording career began with a singular "McCartney-Harrison" credit for "In Spite of All The Danger" - one can make the case (and we do) that their career was book-ended by "I Me Mine," which might have rightfully have bore the same credit. Anyway, as always, it leads down many rabbit holes...

198: Chip Madinger/Plastic Ono Band Aug 13, 2020

Presented as forerunner of the inevitable show revisiting John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band to come later this year as part of the 50th anniversary, returning guest Chip Madinger (Eight Arms To Hold You, Lennonology) and I discuss some of the assorted odds and sods produced (or proposed) by John Lennon under the Plastic Ono Band brand circa 1969/1970. The POB debut year gave us the singles "Give Peace A Chance" and "Cold Turkey," but what about the other announced releases? ("Laughing"/"Whispers"; "You Know My Name"/"What's The New Mary Jane," and the mysterious instrumental, "Rock Peace"). Chip knows the work and chronology better than anyone when it comes to the solo Beatles and John Lennon in particular. He presents some astonishing information about what was originally planned for 1970 (and about the original form of "How Do You Sleep"). This one's a treasure trove for Lennononistas... Check out his work at https://www.lennonology.com/ (including the current special).

197: Collecting The Beatles Part Three Jul 27, 2020

Previous guest Russ Lease returns with stories from the world of top end collecting: vehicles (including the Magical Mystery Tour bus), attire (shoes, boots, jackets), paper (a Brian Epstein contract) and vinyl. Russ was the founder of Beatles Suits, the go-to resource for Fab tailoring; he was also the auctions columnist for Beatleology magazine. Lastly: he is a partner in Fab Four Exhibitions, the traveling Beatles museum of artifacts. Russ has a lot to say about the back story on a lot of familiar Beatle items that have come up for auction.

196: In The Studio 1968 w/ Jerry Hammack Part One Jul 11, 2020

In his return to the show, we discuss 1968 and the making of the "White Album" (mostly), as explored in his most recent work, The Beatles' Recording Reference Manual Volume 4. Joining us is another returning guest, recording artist/performer/producer Luther Russell (Those Pretty Wrongs, The Freewheelers, solo). Because we covered so much ground, I am presenting the conversation spread over two parts (the conclusion to follow later....) Check out Jerry's work here.

195: Little Richard Remembered Jun 07, 2020

It seems particularly fitting at the time we find ourselves in to be discussing the art and career of rock pioneer Little Richard, who passed recently at 87. He represented a marginalized group in society, and his breakthrough, as unlikely as it was, carried with it resonance relevant to the present day. Add to that his absolutely key role in the development of The Beatles - going back to The Quarry Men days, really - and you can see why he is a subject worthy of a deep discussion. But the springboard for this show is the article published online at Vulture just after Richard's passing; it was written by returning guest, journalist Bill Wyman and really is essential reading: https://www.vulture.com/2020/05/little-richard-put-wild-sex-into-the-top-40-for- good.html The salacious aspects of Little Richard's life must be discussed in any thorough conversation about his life, but there's much more to the story. And as this is SATB, you can count on any number of other topics coming up, including Motown - touring - Elton John - David Bowie - the record industry - even The Replacements and The Ramones. (We also sneak in a word or two about The Beatles...)

194: The Guest List Part 1 May 25, 2020

So an idea came up: who would SATB like to talk to in Beatle world and sit down for an interview? Qualifications: first, they have to be among the living (as of this taping); Second, they have to be completely honest and not fall back on deflection or "professional Beatle fan" chatter: stories they've entertained with for years that may or may not be factually accurate. Last, they have to be people on the inside who have either not told their stories at all or not told them to death. Though mortality hangs over us all, there are still folks out there who, to the best of my knowledge, range to speaking on record only sparingly or not at all; have written books, but if we discussed them here, it's because their books didn't go deep enough or raised more questions.) Joining in the conversation is a returning guest (182 and 188), retired academic Gary Wenstrup. He came up with his list, I came up with mine, and together we covered as much ground as we could in this, the first of a two-parter (at least).

193: On The Beat with Spencer Leigh May 07, 2020

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.

192B: Ringo Forensics Part Two Apr 18, 2020

The continuation of my conversation with musician/singer/songwriter/producer Luther Russell - whom you may recall (SATB 192) as one half of Those Pretty Wrongs, a duo with Jody Stephens (ex-Big Star). As a devout fan from birth and a drummer himself, Luther possesses considerable insight into what made Ringo the essential Beatle: how a combination of unique skills, background and chemistry with the others made him the band's most valuable player in a very real sense. This sprawling conversation addresses Ringo's singular gifts that not only served his band so well over the course of their live and studio career but also how he built the vocabulary that countless others followed in his wake. Luther's thesis here Heard in this show: "Everything You Do" by Luther Russell from the album The Invisible Audience

192 Part One: Ringo Forensics Apr 17, 2020

My guest today is musician/singer/songwriter/producer Luther Russell - you may recall him (SATB 192) as one half of Those Pretty Wrongs, a duo with Jody Stephens (ex-Big Star). As a devout fan from birth and a drummer himself, Luther possesses considerable insight into what made Ringo the essential Beatle: how a combination of unique skills, background and chemistry with the others made him the band's most valuable player in a very real sense. This sprawling conversation addresses Ringo's singular gifts that not only served his band so well over the course of their live and studio career but also how he built the vocabulary that countless others followed in his wake. Luther's thesis here Heard in this show: Luther on drums with Liam Hayes on "Eat In Sin"

191: Jenny Boyd Mar 20, 2020

You may know her as the muse who inspired Donovan's "Jennifer Juniper"; maybe you know her as Pattie Boyd's sister who went to Rishikesh with The Beatles. She may be known to some as the one-time flat-mate of Magic Alex or the two-time wife of Mick Fleetwood, but above all, she was a perceptive observer with a ringside seat at some of the most momentous events in 60s youth culture; wise beyond her years but in tune with the zeitgeist as it shifted around her. Meet (Dr.) Jenny Boyd, author of the newly-published Jennifer Juniper: A Journey Beyond The Muse. She also authored Musicians In Tune, republished and expanded as It's Not Only Rock 'n' Roll: Iconic Musicians Reveal The Source of Their Creativity; a fascinating exploration into the creative process with some of her best friends. In this conversation, we discuss her life and times, along with a lots of familiar personas in her circle. Check out all things Jenny Boyd here: http://www.thejennyboyd.com/

190B: Memo To Peter Jackson Part Two Mar 08, 2020

The January 1969 sessions at Twickenham and Apple Studio are The Beatles gift that keeps on giving. Thoroughly taped and filmed, it is a rich vein of material to analyze, especially as it has been chronicled in such a bad light by the group themselves, at odds with much of the evidence that has surfaced. SATB has examined the subject numerous times, notably with the two part Winter of Discontent episodes but also two additional episodes featuring Doug Sulpy (author of the seminal Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image ) and journalist / blogger Dan Rivkin ( They May Be Parted ) . SATB 158 and SATB 151 respectively But with the pending autumn release of the new and revised cut of Let It Be on its way, we thought it would be a good time to both summarize and re-examine what there is to work with, considering that Peter Jackson's work is bound to stand as THE final word for a long time on the subject. Further, it is in the interest of offering a corrective to any public perception that what is to come will be a "whitewash" (the quotes in circulation discuss the group's friendship - as you will hear here, there is ample support for this, counter to the narrative they themselves have put out through the years). Dan Rivkin and I discuss (in a three-hour conversation split over two parts) what we feel are the important and key documented moments that * should * make the cut of Jackson's work. Part Two includes: ~ "Commonwealth" ~ Billy Preston ~ Oldies ~ The Rooftop ~ Afterward

190A: Memo To Peter Jackson Part One Mar 08, 2020

The January 1969 sessions at Twickenham and Apple Studio are The Beatles gift that keeps on giving. Thoroughly taped and filmed, it is a rich vein of material to analyze, especially as it has been chronicled in such a bad light by the group themselves, at odds with much of the evidence that has surfaced. SATB has examined the subject numerous times, notably with the two part Winter of Discontent episodes but also two additional episodes featuring Doug Sulpy (author of the seminal Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image) and journalist/blogger Dan Rivkin (They May Be Parted). SATB 158 and SATB 151 respectively But with the pending autumn release of the new and revised cut of Let It Be on its way, we thought it would be a good time to both summarize and re-examine what there is to work with, considering that Peter Jackson's work is bound to stand as THE final word for a long time on the subject. Further, it is in the interest of offering a corrective to any public perception that what is to come will be a "whitewash" (the quotes in circulation discuss the group's friendship - as you will hear here, there is ample support for this, counter to the narrative they themselves have put out through the years). Dan Rivkin and I discuss (in a three-hour conversation split over two parts) what we feel are the important and key documented moments that *should* make the cut of Jackson's work. Part one includes: ~Discussions on what their goals should be ~The prospect of "divorce" ~ The roots of Abbey Road ~"All Things Must Pass" ~"White Power"

189: A Conversation with Robert Rosen Feb 20, 2020

My guest today is best known in Beatles world for having published Nowhere Man (originally in 2000 but since revised in 2015), a book in part drawn from Rosen's exclusive access to John Lennon's diaries. He is also the author of the newly-published memoir, Bobby in Naziland, a telling of his coming of age in Flatbush during the late 50s and early 60s. Rosen's work captures the essence of time and place, with an eye for detail and an ear for the rhythm; true for both of the aforementioned titles. Nowhere Man is a fascinating synthesis, based on interviews and original research as well as a reconstruction of the Lennon diaries. Rosen fleshes out a unique perspective on who John was during his last five years, drawn from John's own privately expressed words. You won't want to miss this illuminating discussion. Check out Robert's works and events here: http://www.robertrosennyc.com/blog

188: HandMade Redux Feb 14, 2020

In a follow-up to 171 (An Accidental Studio), I revisit the story of George Harrison: Filmmaker with Gary Wenstrup. Coming off the heels of the recent losses of both Neil Innes and Terry Jones, there was certainly more to discuss about George's relationship with the Pythons, encompassing Life of Brian as well as The Rutles and side issues like Dennis O'Brien (and his archetype, Allan Klein).

187: 1973 Jan 29, 2020

My (returning) guest is Andrew Grant Jackson, author of the newly-published 1973: Rock at the Crossroads. He makes the case for this period being a time of tremendous conflict: AM vs FM - 60s giants vs emerging upstarts - mainstream vs underground, all achieving levels of success whether at the time or in years later as influences. Against this backdrop, the four ex-Beatles issued five all albums of new material in total; all of which made the Top Ten (while three scored US number one hit singles, two of them back-to-back). We discuss where The Beatles as a collective and individually fit into the picture and how this year set the table for arguably greater triumphs in the year that followed.

186: Fly on the Wall Two: Holiday Edition Dec 25, 2019

In which SATB listener favorite Jeff Martin returns, and where we honor you, the listener, by running down nearly three hours' worth of your suggested events to revisit (as winged insects). Loads here covering The Beatles' career from start to finish - loads of music - and a nice way to spend holiday leisure time, while traveling or escaping boredom; posted in time to wrap up 2019 (and to salute Jeff's birthday, too). Thank you, each and every listener!

185: Ringo's White Album Dec 21, 2019

My guests Alex Cain and Terry McCusker are back, presenting a discussion of their newest work, Ringo's White Album. Building on their previous work, Ringo Starr and The Beatles' Beat, this work examines in great detail what Ringo brought to these tumultuous 1968 sessions (which he did walk out of at one point), pushing the boundaries of his art with stylistic innovation as well as advanced studio technique. We also talked a bit about Ringo's work on Abbey Road, which will be the subject of their next deep dive. Alex and Terry are both drummers themselves; tune in to find out which one of them saw The Beatles in Liverpool at The Cavern (with Ringo's predecessor).

184: "Yesterday" and the Myth of Meritocracy Dec 07, 2019

2019's Danny Boyle rom-cam featuring a Beatles subtext has inspired a lot of discussion among fans this year, given the pretext of a struggling English musician apparently being the only person on Earth who can remember existence of the group. Most of the chatter was about the film itself, but I thought there were even richer discussions to be had, using the film's core idea as a springboard. The idea for this show was prompted by an article by my guest, Noah Berlatsky (I would encourage listeners to check it out). He forwarded the notion that buying into the film's premise required universal agreement that 1) The Beatles were the greatest rock band ever and 2) that their music was so great that its inherent genius would be universally recognized no matter who was performing it, and when. We shall see.... There has never been a musically more diverse episode of SATB than this one: in addition to The Fabs, you will be hearing from artists ranging from Chuck Berry and Moon Mullican to R.D. Burman and Rhianna; Dee Dee Sharp and Elvis to Mobley and Nick Drake. Yet it all fits together: what it means to be a successful artist and what are the factors that result in our bestowing the term "genius" upon them.

183: McGear with Mike McCartney Nov 27, 2019

Special guests don't come much more special: today, a man who needs no introduction. His 1974 album, McGear, was produced with a little help from his big brother ("Our Kid" to you). It features contributions from members of a then-contemporary band, including Linda McCartney, Denny Laine and Jimmy McCulloch, and has often been spoked of as a "missing" Wings album. But Mike's artistry is all his own, making McGear, in a way, the album Paul never did make. This extended conversation covers not only the brand new re-issue from Cherry Red Records (including a bonus disc of unreleased material + DVD and poster, as well as a deluxe vinyl edition) but Mike's work with The Scaffold - the 1968 McGough and McGear album produced by Paul - and an array of artists: Paul Robeson - Tina Turner - Pete Wingfield - Paddy Maloney, and Jimi Hendrix. Check out the reissue series here. Find The Weirdos here.

182: Here We Go Again (1) Nov 16, 2019

In what will be an ongoing feature of SATBs going forward, I welcome to the show Gary Wenstrup. In addition to being a regular listener, Gary is a college-level teacher and lecturer, whose expertise encompasses an array of 1960s music acts. He saw an opportunity for following up shows to dig deeper, in ways that might not have been possible given time constraints. This episode uses as the starting off point my interview with Susan Shumsky, detailing The Beatles' 1968 visit to Rishikesh; but it also encompasses the White Album, Lennon Remembers, and other ancillary subjects.

181: Erin Weber and The Beatles Nov 04, 2019

It's the return of our favorite Fab historian. In this lengthy dialogue, we discuss an array of literature from the Beatles historical canon: among the works, Many Years From Now - The Love You Make - John Lennon: In My Life - Ray Coleman's bios of John and of Paul - Mike McCartney's The Macs: A Family Album, and others as well. As usual, Erin employs the methodology of a trained historian to assess how reliable these works are, in terms of presenting research and history that are worthy of our time as fans. Be sure to check out her book, The Beatles and The Historians, as well as her blog.

165: The Beatles as Performers on the White Album Oct 29, 2019

Last year - upon the 50th anniversary of the release of The Beatles; that eponymous double album issued as the group's Apple debut - a symposium was convened at Monmouth College in New Jersey, as many of you know. An ad hoc band performed some tunes from the record as the accompaniment to a discussion convened for the podcast featuring Jack Petruzelli, multi-instrumentalist/producer/recording artist best known for his membership in the Fab Faux. His insights as a musician who has performed these very songs live many times helps us understand what the Beatles were going for in their unique approach to recording this particular project, a philosophy that spilled over into their next project. Thanks to Jack - Vinnie Zummo (heard in the Monmouth segment) - Marc Pepin - Marc Muller - Dan Eisenberg - Joe Rapolla - Kenneth Womack. (Field recording by BJ Rowling)

180: "...I Buried Paul..." Oct 20, 2019

Fifty years on and the "Paul is dead" hoax has lost none of its power to fascinate on so many levels. Perhaps the most compelling angle for examination is how did something so clearly nonsensical in the light of day get disseminated so widely and not just dismissed out of hand? It seems that a perfect storm of circumstance gave it traction and resonance, with both what was happening within The Beatles and within the community most receptive to believing that truth was not what authority figures told us. Helping unpack all of this is sociologist Candy Leonard, author of Beatleness. Her book covers the subject in some detail.

179: You Made Me Such A Big Star (A Conversation with Those Pretty Wrongs) Oct 17, 2019

What happens when the surviving member of a legendary American power pop band and a Los Angeles musician whose lineage includes two giants of the Great American Songbook, both steeped in Beatles, get together to make music? The result is now two albums deep in a band called Those Pretty Lies. Jody Stephens, formerly of Big Star and Golden Smog is a singer/songwriter/drummer and Luther Russell is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer, formerly of The Freewheelers. Their latest release as Those Pretty Wrongs, Zed For Zulu, has just been released. Their insights into making music and what they gleaned from The Beatles makes for a fascinating discussion.

Check out their work (and current tour dates) here: http://www.thoseprettywrongs.com/ https://lutherrussell.com/ https://www.ardentstudios.com/

178: Chris Carter Oct 08, 2019

The host of the longest running Beatles program on US radio, Carter's passion for The Beatles has taken many forms through the years: buying the records as a child - becoming a musician himself - getting involved in Beatlesque bands - taking on a job as a broadcaster. He has now hosted the Los Angeles franchise of Breakfast with the Beatles since 2001; since its inception in 2018, Chris has also hosted the program on the Sirius XM Beatles channel. Chris is also a producer and documentary filmmaker; a rock writer and a Beatles consultant (connected to the All Things Must Pass reissue in 2000). Mostly though, Chris is a fan like us. Few of us wouldn't exchange places if we could, if just for a little while.

177: Being Ray Connolly 2 - Beatles '69 Sep 23, 2019

Anybody hear anything about a newly-revealed taped Apple meeting from September 1969 that's been public knowledge since the 1970s? You will now, with the return of journalist/writer Ray Connolly. Ray was tight in The Beatles' orbit during their final years; with John and Paul especially. He was the only one outside their inner circle to learn that John had "quit" the group - his bio of John, Being John Lennon: A Restless Life, is now out in paperback, as is his indispensable collection, The Ray Connolly Beatles Archive. Last: his novella, 'Sorry, Boys, You Failed The Audition' is newly-published. It's a work of "alternative history" and has been presented as a BBC radio play. Ray and I discuss the end of The Beatles and their relationships going forward, as well as his 'Sorry Boys' project.

176B: Critiquing The Critics - A Case Study with Wings Sep 13, 2019

This show represents a deep (3 hour) dive into examining the evolving language of rock criticism: the ideology employed - the fluid definitions of "rock" and "pop" - the application of "authenticity" as a value to an artist's work, in this specific case, Paul McCartney and Wings. The 1970s was a time when rock critics achieved nearly the status of rock icons themselves: everyone from John Mendelssohn and Jon Landau to Simon Frith and Lester Bangs. Paul's post-Beatle career stands as an example of an artist that reviewers struggled to get a handle on, resulting in sometimes unfair assessments. Leading this exploration is PhD candidate (with an M.A. in Beatles, Popular Music, and Society) Allison Bumsted, currently studying in England at Liverpool Hope University. For ease of listening, the conversation has been split into two 90 minute parts.

176A: Critiquing The Critics - A Case Study with Wings Sep 13, 2019

This show represents a deep (3 hour) dive into examining the evolving language of rock criticism: the ideology employed - the fluid definitions of "rock" and "pop" - the application of "authenticity" as a value to an artist's work, in this specific case, Paul McCartney and Wings. The 1970s was a time when rock critics achieved nearly the status of rock icons themselves: everyone from John Mendelssohn and Jon Landau to Simon Frith and Lester Bangs. Paul's post-Beatle career stands as an example of an artist that reviewers struggled to get a handle on, resulting in sometimes unfair assessments. Leading this exploration is PhD candidate (with an M.A. in Beatles, Popular Music, and Society) Allison Bumsted, currently studying in England at Liverpool Hope University. For ease of listening, the conversation has been split into two 90 minute parts.

175 Beatle Jazz with Ramsey Lewis Aug 26, 2019

[powerpress]

An area heretofore unexplored on SATB is jazz: specifically, which artists took raw material from The Beatles and took it in a new direction. It is our good fortune to have within reach a true legend of the idiom: Ramsey Lewis, a multi-Grammy-winning keyboardist whose work spans decades and genres. In late 1968 - mere weeks after The Beatles' "White Album" was released - Ramsey issued a 10-song collection drawing from the Beatles' fresh work. Mother Nature's Son was hailed as a classic, with bold re-imaginings of songs familiar to us fans - but not like this. His reading of "Julia" became a standard in his repertoire, alongside his well-known hit take on "The 'In' Crowd."

Ramsey hosted a jazz show for years on radio, so he is well-familiar with the sonic landscape. But joining us to shed further light is a friend to both me and to Ramsey, going back years: Radio Hall of Fame deejay Terri Hemmert. In addition to spinning records on WXRT since the 1970s until announcing her retirement this year, she also hosted a jazz program for many years (and many of you know her as the MC in Chicago at The Fest for Beatles Fans). Together, listen to these two explore the intersection between Beatles and jazz.

Artists heard in this show:

The Beatles - Ramsey Lewis Trio - Ella Fitzgerald - Count Basie - Duke Ellington - Louis Armstrong - Wes Montgomery - Ramsey Lewis - Esther Phillips - Vince Guaraldi Trio - George Benson - Earth, Wind and Fire - Paul McCartney - Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Fats Domino - John Scofield - Danger Mouse

174: Once Upon A Time with Ivor Davis Aug 18, 2019

[powerpress]

1969 was a tremendous year, in the world generally and with The Beatles as well. We find ourselves commemorating (if not celebrating) a number of 50th anniversaries this year, among them the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders; tangentially tied to the "White Album" by Charles Manson's (mis)reading of certain lyrics. That he was able to incite a bunch of confused misfits into sociopathy remains a fascinating area of study, and SATB has previously explored the purported ties between Charlie's "gospel" and what the rest of the world heard as simply great music.

But reporter and Beatles confidant Ivor Davis is back, with a new book summarizing his investigation into the case, which dates back to day one. Manson Exposed: A Reporter’s 50-Year Journey into Madness and Murder has just been published, and he's here to present a timely summation of the case, just as public interest has been again raised with director Quentin Tarantino's latest, Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood. Not only is Ivor uniquely placed to discuss the film, but also to talk about a couple of Beatles events he'd personally witnessed while accompanying them on tour: their 1964 meeting with Bob Dylan, as well as their 1965 visit with Elvis. Check out all his works at ivordavisbooks.com

173: Being Ray Connolly Aug 06, 2019

Few professional scribes received access to The Beatles like Ray Connolly. As a journalist with the Evening Standard, he found himself in the right place at the right time to cover the group during their final years. (It was to him that John confided that he'd quit the group; it was to Ray that Paul divulged: "I didn't leave the Beatles - The Beatles left the Beatles.")

He later scripted the films That'll Be The Day and Stardust; he also wrote radio plays and biographies. In 2018, he published Being John Lennon: A Restless Life. His e-book, The Ray Connolly Beatles Archive is essential.

We discuss John as he knew him, abetted by Lennon biographer Jude Kessler. Ray's site: https://www.rayconnolly.co.uk/ "In My Life" performed by Mary Ruane (Talent scouted by Lisa Kasco)

172: Collecting The Beatles Part Two with Terry Crain Aug 02, 2019

Back in 2017, SATB first explored of Beatles collectors. This year, a terrific addition to Beatle literature arrived with the publication of Terry Crain's new book, NEMS and the Business of Selling Beatles Merchandise in the U.S. 1964-1966. Terry didn't merely catalog the merchandise of the period: instead, he methodically researched the history of the items marketed stateside, each of which tells a story itself. There's a ton of history to be gleaned from these ephemeral footnotes of the era - each one a memory trigger - as well as from Terry's book. Terry's site

171: An Accidental Studio - George's HandMade Films Jul 17, 2019

Beginning in 1978, George Harrison became drawn into a vocation he'd only dabbled in previously: filmmaker. HandMade Films came into being serendipitously, simply because he wanted to see Monty Python's Life of Brianget made. This "accidental studio" went on to produce work of staggeringly high quality, resulting in works ranging from Time Bandits and The Long Good Friday to Mona Lisa and Withnail and I. (Also: Shanghai Surprise.) The story of George's cinematic career has now been told, in a new documentary produced by AMC UK: An Accidental Studio. My guests today are two of the documentary's producers and directors, Bill Jones and Ben Timlett. Join us for this discussion of a surprisingly sturdy cinematic legacy, brought to us by the Quiet Beatle.

170: The Maharishi and The Beatles Jul 01, 2019

The full story of The Beatles' Rishikesh visit and their relationship with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi had never been explored in detail and from the inside before - until now. Susan Shumsky spent over twenty years studying TM, including seven working directly with the Maharishi. The author of 14 books, her newest - Maharishi and Me: Seeking Enlightenment with the Beatles' Guru - sheds light on the Rishikesh experience and how it impacted The Beatles' lives and art. Years of misinformation is cleared aside by her direct knowledge and insider accounts of the good, the bad and the ugly of the Maharishi experience.

Susan Shumsky's site: http://www.divinerevelation.org/

169: In The Studio; 1967 part two, plus Jun 22, 2019

In which I resume the conversation with engineer/producer Jerry Hammack, begun earlier this year. This time, our sounding board is writer/musician/engineer/producer/podcaster/returning guest Anthony Robustelli. We discuss the specifics of their studio work throughout 1967 and into 1968, encompassing Magical Mystery Tour and then some.

Jerry's third volume of The Beatles' Recording Reference Manual series was recently published.

My guests: https://www.beatlesrecordingreferencemanuals.com/ https://www.anthonyrobustelli.com/

168: Mary Hopkin May 31, 2019

The first break-out star at Apple Records was, of course, Mary Hopkin with "Those Were The Days." A huge international hit, it typed her as a cheery ingénue, somewhat removed from her folk roots (and aspirations). Other hits followed, diverging from her preferred stylistic path, until her second Apple album, Earth Song / Ocean Song (produced by her future husband, Tony Visconti) at last gave her some artistic satisfaction. Her story - at Apple and beyond (including session work for David Bowie, Linda McCartney...and The Beatles) - is recounted here by her daughter, Jessica Lee Morgan (herself a recording artist).

Check out Mary's releases - including archival studio and live recordings, as well as recent work - here: http://www.maryhopkin.com/

Jessica's releases and tour news can be found here: http://www.jessicaleemorgan.com/

Jessica live in Belgium 2018

167: Apple Jam May 25, 2019

Apple Jam is a Seattle-based recording and performing outfit specializing in Beatles music; specifically, songs written by Lennon-McCartney and Harrison that, for the most part, went unrecorded/released as "Beatles" product.

My guests today are Richard Lovrovich, Jaekal Tristram and Doug Kilishek. In this conversation, they discuss the curation of obscure Beatles material: the selection process (what makes the cut - and what doesn't), the recording and the performance of this music.

Off The Beatle Track was released in 2009: 1. I'm In Love 2. Tip Of My Tongue 3. Love Of The Loved 4. You Know What To Do 5. I'll Be on My Way 6. I Don't Want To See You Again 7. Nobody I Know 8. I'll Keep You Satisfied 9. It's For You 10. Hello Little Girl 11. Like Dreamers Do 12. Bad To Me 13. A World Without Love 14. From A Window 15. One And One Is Two

Off The White Album was released in 2018: 1. Not Guilty

2. Child of Nature 3. Goodbye 4. Step Inside Love 5. The Rishi Kesh Song 6. Cosmically Conscious 7. India, India 8. Sour Milk Sea 9. What’s the New Mary Jane 10. Circles 11. Suicide https://applejamband.com/home

166: The Magic of Collaboration Part One May 17, 2019

It is not a unique observation to note that bandleader Duke Ellington and The Beatles shared some commonalities, creativity-wise. They were unclassifiable musically, and a great deal of what made their art magic came from the collaborative process, hardwired into their working method. My guest, musicologist Thomas Brothers, has written a terrific new book - Help: The Beatles, Duke Ellington and the Magic of Collaboration. This conversation provides an overview of his thesis (to be followed up with a deeper exploration soon...).

164: George Martin's Sound Pictures with Ken Womack Apr 08, 2019

Back in 2017, SATB featured a conversation with Ken Womack on the publication of volume one of his George Martin biography, Maximum Volume (here). In late 2018, volume two emerged, this one taking up the story where George Martin resumed production chores with The Beatles, this time as an independent contractor. It marked the era of their highest artistic achievement as well as an eventual erosion in relations between producer and proteges. This discussion also covers the post-Beatles years and Sir George Martin's other productions, as well as his curation of The Beatles' latter-day collections.

More about Sound Pictures: The Life of Beatles Producer George Martin (The Later Years 1966 - 2016) here

More about Ken's new novel, I Am Lemonade Lucy here

Check out Ken's site here

163: Fly On The Wall Moments with Jeff Martin Apr 02, 2019

He’s back, and with a terrific topic: each of us choosing 7 moments in the history of The Beatles that we would’ve liked to have been around to witness as a fly on the wall. The criteria being, occasions where the history is unclear, or simply moments that would’ve been amazing to witness.

This ended up as an interesting Rorschach exercise, mapping out our respective concentrated areas of interest as well. You’ll hear ours but we want to hear yours: leave ’em for consideration on Twitter, Facebook or on the site. We’ll take ’em up for a future show.

162: A Conversation with Ethan Russell (part one) Mar 27, 2019

You know him as the photographer responsible for one Beatles album cover (two in the US); their last group photo shoot, and as the official photographer on the “Get Back” / Let It Be project (his photos filled the book packaged with the original issue). But Ethan Russell also produced iconic images for the Rolling Stones and The Who, as well as album covers and short films for an array of artists, plus wrote several books (including Dear Mr. Fantasy).

His latest is in the works as part of a Kickstarter campaign – check out EthanRussell.com for details.

In this first conversation, we present an overview of his life and career. More detailed Beatle-centric recollections will come in the second installment.

161: January 1969 part two – Into the Nitty-Gritty with Dan Rivkin Mar 22, 2019

This is the second part of a discussion begun with Doug Sulpy (co-author of Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image/Get Back), this time with blogger Dan Rivkin. His blog, They May Be Parted, is a detailed examination of the Nagra tapes of the “Get Back”/Let It Be project. Dan adds detail, analysis and context to the recordings, and we dive deep into what all there is to be gleaned from the extant record (and speculate on what to expect from Peter Jackson).

Part one of January 1969 here.

Dan’s blog: https://theymaybeparted.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheyMayBeParted Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theymaybeparted/

160: The Redhead on the Roof Mar 09, 2019

You know him as the human music stand kneeling before John Lennon for “Dig A Pony” during the rooftop session of January 1969. But Kevin Harrington was much more than that: coming into The Beatles’ orbit beginning in January 1966 as an office boy at NEMS; an employee of the Saville Theatre the following year, and lastly, a roadie/gofer at Apple from 1968 on, setting up their musical gear for recording sessions (and hanging out otherwise).

Kevin’s stories are entertaining and insightful: The Beatles as seen up-close from day-to-day through the eyes of a teenager.

“What a Beatle wants, a Beatle gets!”

Some links for Who’s The Redhead on the Roof?US: https://www.amazon.com/Whos-Redhead-Roof-life-Beatles-ebook/dp/B00XRCZDD2 UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whos-Redhead-Roof-life-Beatles-ebook/dp/B00XRCZDD2 plus https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KevinHarrington and https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/who-s-the-redhead-on-the-roof

159: Eight Arms To Hold You Revisited Feb 24, 2019

Back in 2000, Chip Madinger and Mark Easter produced an exhaustive study of every extant recording of the solo Beatles, up to that very year: studio sessions, live concerts and broadcasts. Eight Arms To Hold You was a one-of-a-kind detailed examination of what the four ex-Beatles did musically, when and with whom. The book went out of print, but the good news is, it’s back (in PDF form) and updated with another 20,000 words, further detailing the ground covered (though it still ends at 2000).

I talked with Mark and Chip about the lay of the land, unreleased recording-wise; what else is out there and what we can make of what we have been given.

Eight Arms To Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium (2018 edition) can be found here.

Lennonology: A Scrapbook of Madness, by Chip and Scott Raile, can be found here.

158: January 1969 part one – An Overview with Doug Sulpy Feb 12, 2019

Two words: Peter Jackson

Remember the “Winter of Discontent”? My guest today is Doug Sulpy, co-author (with Ray Schweighardt) of Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image (AKA Get Back: The Unauthorized Chronicle of the Beatles’ “Let It Be” Disaster.)

With the announcement of the long-desired fresh look at the Let It Be project being in the works, we discuss what can be learned from a close study of the Nagra reels, and where the common perceptions have missed the mark. This episode is an overview: we take a deeper dive in January 1969 part two.

The revised version of Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image can be found at dougsulpy.com

Check out Doug’s 910 newsletter here

05: Fifty Years of US Releases Feb 06, 2019

In this episode, Robert and Richard discuss some of the Beatle novelty recordings of fifty years ago, plus the new box set release of all their American albums.

157: In the Studio; 1967 (The Ben and Jerry Show) Jan 24, 2019

It’s the return of Jerry Hammack – creator of the Beatles Recording Reference Manual series. Volume 3, covering the end of 1966 (“Strawberry Fields Forever”) through the whole of Sgt. Pepper (plus Magical Mystery Tour) has just been published. Producer Ben Rowling and I discuss the high level of studio innovation that typified the post-touring era, and though we didn’t get to Magical Mystery Tour in this conversation (part two to come), we did discuss elements of their work habits through the White Album, Let It Be and Abbey Road. (Plus, Jerry tips his hand as to what’s next…)

Check out Jerry’s work here

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156: A Conversation with Vic Flick Jan 13, 2019

In a slight departure from the SATB norm, I present an account of the career of a Beatles peer: session guitarist Vic Flick, whose work appeared in 1960s music charts alongside The Beatles. Every Fab fan will know his soundtrack work on their first two United Artist films, but in addition to this, he contributed to a McCartney solo project, worked with George Martin (and Beatle acolytes Peter and Gordon), as well as scores of other “British Invasion” acts.

And yes – it was he who played the iconic 007 James Bond theme guitar riff.

Check out his memoir, Guitarman, on Amazon or direct from Vic (http://vicflick.com/).

Special thanks to Bob Rush!

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155: 1968 with Candy Leonard Jan 04, 2019

First off, listeners: kindly indulge the first 15 minutes, which represents an audio document of 1968 (January through end of August). It’s one thing to know what happened that year, but it’s quite another to hear the immediacy of actual sound, both news and music. 1968 was a convulsive stream of history and it is with that context in mind that we can come to a better understanding of the world The Beatles operated in.

Second: this conversation was an attempt to discuss how the Beatles and their audience interacted at a critical moment: between the triumph of Sgt. Pepper and the year of breakdown. Candy Leonard, author and sociologist, is ideally suited to illuminate this dynamic. Her book, Beatleness, explores “how The Beatles and their fans remade the world.” As always in such discussions, a certain amount of meandering occurs, and therefore a lot more than 1968 is fair game in this conversation.

Check out more of Candy’s writings here: http://beatleness.com/beatleness-blog/

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154: IT’S CHRIS ThoMAS TIME! Dec 25, 2018

The long-awaited conversation with producer Chris Thomas, recorded at the White Album Symposium in Monmouth University. Audio deficiencies with the sound due to the electrical system; deficiencies in my voice due to an ill-timed tribute to George’s Dark Horse Tour.

Thanks to Ben Rowling Joe Rapolla, Dr. Kenneth Womack and everyone at Monmouth University.

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153: Lon Looks Back (And Forward) Dec 24, 2018

In general, you can tell how well a conversation went by how long the show runs. At just past the two hour mark, you get an idea of how well things went with Lon Van Eaton, one-time Apple recording artist and protege of George Harrison. In addition to being one half of the Van Eaton brothers, who issued an album and single in the US in 1972, he did session work for Ringo beginning with the 1973 self-titled release (and performed live with him on TV), as well as other 1970s acts produced by Richard Perry.

He went on to good works with his charitable organization, Imagine A Better World, inspired by examples gleaned from The Beatles. While this may be the most spiritual discussion yet had on SATB, it is also perhaps one of the most lighthearted. One can easily see how Lon connected with George and Ringo particularly: being equal parts deep-thinker/philosopher and everyman comedian.

Lon witnessed life with the ex-Beatles (and acolytes like Klaus Voormann, Pete Ham and Harry Nilsson) up close. He has the stories and the insight – you don’t want to miss this one.

Lon’s new album is called Cupid. Find it at Imagineabetterworld.com

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152: Best of SATB 2018 Dec 08, 2018

As a sonic landscape to accompany your holiday season demands: driving places – online shopping – gift-wrapping, and so forth, SATB presents an end-of-year look at the highlights of this years’ shows. We had some terrific guests this year, ranging from notables like Randy Bachman and the Mona Lisa Twins to SATB favorites like Erin Weber and Jeff Martin.

Tons of great discussions and explorations – more to come in the New Year.

Special thanks to: Ben Rowling – Vinnie Zummo – Jeff Martin – Erin Weber – Jack Petruzzelli – Ivor Davis – Axel Korinth – Jon Savage – Bill Wyman – Michael Salfino – Andy Martino – Candy Leonard – Ken Mansfield – Carol Tyler – Tom Murray – Jerry Hammack – Michael Hill – Bob Heironimus – Laura Cortner – Randy Bachman – Michaela Wagner – Anthony Robustelli – Kenneth Womack

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151: On The Roof with Ken Mansfield Nov 30, 2018

In the 2nd of a quartet of shows recorded (in part) at the White Album Symposium at Monmouth University (as well as the 2nd in a trio of shows covering Apple in its 50th year), I speak with my friend, Ken Mansfield: former manager of US operations of Apple, as well as author of several books, including two published this year: a novel, Philco and a memoir, The Roof: The Beatles’ Final Concert.

Ken is a natural storyteller as well as a confidant of the Beatles, whose accomplishments include work with artists ranging from the Beach Boys to Waylon Jennings. We cover it all here.

NOTE: as pointed out in the show’s intro, field recordings are susceptible to issues beyond our control, in this case a fluctuation in the current every time the heat came on in the room we were in. That’s why you hear crackling/static noise throughout the first half hour. Like Live At Leeds, do not attempt to correct – Ben Rowling and I have already tried.

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150: Behind The Esher Demos Nov 22, 2018

In the first of what will be a series of shows originating from the White Album symposium held at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey, I am presenting my opening remarks, followed by a brief Q&A. For those who couldn’t attend, it gives you a good flavor of how these events go down. Asked to present on the Kinfauns recordings, newly remastered and issued as part of the 50th anniversary White Album package, I opted to offer my take on what the recording of these songs meant to The Beatles, as a way of getting back to where they once belonged.

Special thanks to Ben Rowling for capturing this field recording and to Dr. Kenneth Womack for making the event possible.

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149: No Obvious Title – A Conversation with Vinnie Zummo Nov 05, 2018

You may know his name from his years on tour and in the studio with Joe Jackson; possibly from his series of solo projects (Swinging Guitar Sounds of Young America Vol 1-3, plus The Coyote and two Christmas collections – find them here). But this multi-instrumentalist has been a lifelong Beatle fan, and as he says here, the group served as proxy tutors, as he learned ALL the instrumental parts of their records as they were released.

This show began as an examination of George’s evolution as a guitarist, as seen by a professional musician, but it became much more than that, with observations on band dynamics, Ringo’s drumming, John’s guitar, personal interactions (Vinnie’s sister worked at ABKCO) and much more!

Vinnie’s musical tributes to each Beatle can be found here:

John

Paul George

Ringo

Vinnie’s works on Spotify

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148: Nothing But Today – A Conversation with the Mona Lisa Twins Oct 25, 2018

If all you know about this sister act out of Austria is an array of Beatles covers on Youtube, then you don’t know the Mona Lisa Twins. They are the present-day embodiment of the ripples of waves begun when the Beatles entered popular consciousness over half a century ago; a manifestation of what Geoff Baker called “a good way of looking at the world.”

Lots of great artists emerged from the sixties and afterward, inspired by a force that The Beatles embodied and then set into motion. This puts the Mona Lisa Twins in good company. Listen and discover.

Home site: https://monalisa-twins.com/

Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/MonaLisaTwins

Thanks to Rick Wey and Trevor Beaumont

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147: The ‘Perfect’ Beatles Album – A Hard Day’s Night vs. Sgt. Pepper Oct 18, 2018

There is no real perfection, a much-loved artist once sang. But in Beatle world, where excellence is the common consensus, the act of assessing how well they executed their art as distinguished by individual releases is – at the very least – ripe for a thoughtful discussion. Returning to the show is TV writer Jeff Martin (4th time around!), and new to SATB is sports reporter Andy Martino. It was his stray observation on the Shea Anything podcast that prompted this conversation.

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146: Fab 4 Mania with Carol Tyler Oct 09, 2018

Ever wonder what the lives of those screaming legions of fans were like? Wonder no more: today, I speak with award-winning cartoonist, Carol Tyler, whose memoir of her Beatles adoration, Fab 4 Mania: A Beatles Obsession and the Concert of a Lifetime, has just been published. The book builds on the diary that she kept as 13-year old, vividly chronicling her devotion with the art and journals she kept from back in the day. Her journey articulates the fan experience of someone who grew up with The Beatles, while also serving as a love letter to the city of her birth (and mine): Chicago, and how local top 40 radio (WLS, WCFL, WVON) impacted young lives while shaping tastes.

Carol’s richly illustrated book transports readers back in time, capturing the immediacy of anticipating and witnessing a Beatles concert during those all-too-brief touring years. It features an Introduction written by Beatles biographer Hunter Davies.

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145: Something About The Rolling Stones (and The Beatles) Sep 29, 2018

At last: SATB takes on a long-requested topic, comparing and contrasting two of the biggest acts out of the UK during the 1960s. Quantifying art is a fool’s errand, yet here we are because we can’t help ourselves. The conversation takes this article by Michael Salfino as a starting point, along with our Bill Wyman’s recent piece on the membership of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. These accomplished journalists join me and Ben Rowling in a conversation tracing the respective internal band dynamics and the arc of their respective artistry into the decades that followed.

Check out Bill’s work here:

http://www.vulture.com/author/bill-wyman/

Check out Michael’s work here: https://www.pastemagazine.com/writers?name=michael+salfino

Mashups courtesy of BDJ – hear his work here: https://bdj.podomatic.com/ Twitter: @MichaelSalfino Bill Wyman: @hitsville

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144: Seeing The Beatles Sep 05, 2018

As an end-of summer two-fer, SATB presents a double bill: two different ways of “seeing” the Beatles.

First, on the 50 years since the Mad Day Out, my guest is photographer Tom Murray; author of the newly-published book, The Beatles: Tom Murray’s Mad Day Out – a colorful revisit to a summer’s day when all was Fab in the world.

Second, meet John Pring and Rob Thomas: graphic artists and authors of Visualizing The Beatles. Their book presents the Beatles’ story visually, laying out all manner of data in the form of colorful graphics, enabling the reader to grasp a lot of information quickly.

Tom Murray’s site

Visualizing The Beatles site

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143: Yellow Submarine at 50 Aug 09, 2018

In this expanded episode, I speak with Dr. Bob Hieronimus and Laura Cortner. The two have worked together for decades researching a number of topics, but in this instance: the Yellow Submarine film; interviewing every available participant in its creation. Dr. Bob published Inside the Yellow Submarine: The Making of The Beatles’ Animated Classic in 2002 – it remains the definitive telling, but they are preparing a follow-up volume of new research and interpretation later this year.

Check out their latest info and YS books here: https://yellowsubmarinebook.com/

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142: Truth and Beauty…and Keyboards (with Jeff Martin) Jul 20, 2018

Television writer Jeff Martin makes his third appearance on the show, this time focusing the conversation on one of his vocations – playing keyboards in a band – and how The Beatles (Paul mainly) utilized an array of instruments in the studio: piano – electric piano – organ – harmonium – Mellotron – synthesizer, and so forth; and how their use evolved from doubling instrumental parts to adding color to forming the basis of some of their finest compositions.

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141: The Historian and The Beatles Jul 09, 2018

In which we welcome back to the show historian Erin Torkelson Weber. In this episode, we pick up where we left off; this time discussing older canon works like Ian MacDonald’s Revolution in the Head and Peter Doggett’s You Never Give Me Your Money; (also Peter McCabe’s outdated Apple To The Core and the problematic memoir of Geoff Emerick) as well as new essential works like Riding So High by Joe Gooden. We also talk about how the Beatles’ historic narrative was shaped, countered and re-evaluated as Mark Lewisohn’s works represented a true revolution in Beatles scholarship. Erin’s previous appearance: http://somethingaboutthebeatles.com/116-beatles-historians/

Her blog: https://beatlebioreview.wordpress.com/

Erin in action:

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140: John Lennon: The Boy Who Became A Legend with Michael Hill Jun 19, 2018

It isn’t often that we are given a firsthand account from somebody who set in motion events that literally changed the world. But there we are and here it is: Michael Hill was a classmate and friend of John Lennon’s, beginning at age 5. A keen observer and articulate narrator, he has set his recollections down for all of us in his book, John Lennon: The Boy Who Became A Legend.

As Michael himself points out, lots of boys went to school with John Lennon but only one – this one – stirred something inside the directionless 15 year-old and set him on the path to rock – and conquer the world in the process.

Check out Michael’s story – and his book – here: http://www.johnlennonlegend.com/

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139: As Time Goes By with Derek Taylor Jun 08, 2018

It was 45 years ago that Beatle confidant and Apple Press Officer Derek Taylor published his first memoir, As Time Goes By. Long out of print, it has recently been re-published, this time with a contextualizing foreword penned by rock journalist Jon Savage (Mojo magazine, England’s Dreaming: Sex Pistols and Punk Rock, 1966: The Year The Decade Exploded, plus much more). Jon sat down with me to discuss Derek, As Time Goes By, The Beatles, the White Album, 1966, plus an array of offshoot topics. Check out Jon’s As Time Goes By playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/user/fabersocial/playlist/5q60ISNL0EZAhgP0vdrRQa Here’s Jon’s write-up on The Residents’ “Beyond the Valley of a Day in the Life” from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2010/jun/21/savage-song-residents-beatles

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138: A Is For Apple May 22, 2018

50 years: in the first of what will be a series throughout this year and next, we examine The Beatles’ Apple enterprise; focusing here on the start-up and in articular on Apple Publishing and the array of what-if talents drawn to the corps.

My guest is Axel Korinth, co-author of the two volumes of A is For Apple books – mammoth richly illustrated histories of Apple.

Songs heard in whole or in part: 1. Mary Hopkin – Those Were The Days 2. The Perishers – How Does It Feel 3. Coconut Mushroom – Any Day Now 4. Grapefruit – Dear Delilah 5. Jackie Lomax and Elvis Presley – How The Web Was Woven 6. Jackie Lomax – Sour Milk Sea 7. Grenville and Weston – Aeroplane (acetate) 8. Slow Dog – Little Girl 9. Crosby, Stills and Nash – Blackbird 10. Contact – Round and Round 11. Chris Hodge – We’re On Our Way 12. White Trash – Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight 13. The Iveys – I’ll Kiss You Goodnight 14. The Iveys – I’m In Love 15. John Tavener – excerpt from The Whale (Melodrama and Pantomime) 16. Elastic Oz Band – God Save Us 17. Brute Force – King of Fuh 18. Bojoura – Everybody’s Day 19. Jackie Lomax – New Day (BBC) 20. Contact – Lovers From The Sky For more on the projects produced by Axel Korinth and Ed Dieckmann, see http://www.apcor.net/ For volume 1: http://www.apcor.net/a-is-for-apple-reprint/

For volume 2: http://www.apcor.net/a-is-for-apple-volume-2-the-winter-of-discontent-jan-mar-1969/

For the CD A is for Acetates: http://www.apcor.net/a-is-for-acetates/

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137: With Billy Preston May 10, 2018

To call the stunningly-talented musician/singer/songwriter a “Beatles sideman” is to sell short his tremendous gifts and the tangible effect he had on the group when they most needed a spark plug. Billy Preston was a keyboard savant for sure, but he was also someone the Beatles embraced as an equal; going so far as to float him as an actual “fifth Beatle.”

I’m joined by multi-instrumentalist/producer/recording artist/Beatles author Anthony Robustelli for a conversation covering not just the “Get Back”/Let It Be sessions, but also Billy’s collaborations with the ex-Beatles going into the solo years (and with the Rolling Stones).

Check out Anthony’s work here: https://www.anthonyrobustelli.com/

https://www.thebeatlesiwanttotellyou.com/

https://www.shadybear.com/

https://shadybearbklyn.podbean.com/

and the video I referenced here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXSPZd9hYy4

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136: The Beatles in the Studio with Jerry Hammack (part 2) May 03, 2018

Ben Rowling and I resume our conversation with the author of The Beatles Recording Reference Manuals series. In this episode, we talk gear (amps and guitars), as well as examine some long-held beliefs about certain recordings. Check out Jerry’s series here.

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135: Ranking The Beatles Apr 28, 2018

Even if we don’t write them down, we all make lists (if only mentally). Back in June 2017, rock journalist Bill Wyman boldly committed his ranking of every Beatles canon recording from worst to best. It was a move certain to stir the pot of debate, and so it did. On this show, we discussed not only his list, but also the role of the rock critic – the role of radio in shaping tastes, and how it’s evolved – and how we as fans quantify Beatle music. Bill’s list can be found here. Other works can be found here and here. Follow him on Twitter here. The Sirius XM list as selected by fans is here.

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134: The Beatles in the Studio with Jerry Hammack (part 1) Apr 21, 2018

In which we (Ben Rowling and I) discuss the Beatles’ approach to their work in the studio – their creativity, work ethic and use of technology to push the boundaries of their art – with author/producer/engineer/musician Jerry Hammack. Check out Jerry’s series – The Beatles Recording Reference Manuals – here.

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133: Rutles I – A Conversation with Director Gary Weis Apr 05, 2018

In the first installment of what will, over time, serve as a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the All You Need is Cash TV film, I spoke with director Gary Weis. In addition to his career as a documentary filmmaker, SNL short film creator and music video director, he recalls his work on The Rutles’ long-form “rockumentary,” as well as his interactions with George Harrison throughout his career. [SNL sound clips owned by NBC and Broadway Video]

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132: John and Paul – Truth and Beauty Mar 27, 2018

Returning as a SATB guest is Jeff Martin, whom you will remember from 122 – The Simpsons episode. In addition to his writing on that show as well as Late Night with David Letterman beginning in the 1980s, he is also a musician and therefore speaks the language of The Beatles specifically, as well as creativity generally.

Our conversation centered on the Lennon-McCartney partnership and the way that their unique combination of talents and temperaments created something far bigger than the sum of its parts. More on Jeff’s career here. (The article he referenced – The Power of Two by Joshua Wolf Shenk – was published in The Atlantic in July 2014 and can be found here.)

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131: The Beatles and Randy Bachman, By George! Mar 09, 2018

Yes, he’s the guy who sang “Takin’ Care of Business” and “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” but if that’s all you know about this accomplished artist, then you are missing out on a lot. Randy has penned #1 hit singles for two different recording acts; toured as an All Starr; hosted a popular radio show in his native Canada; published several books, and much, much more.

Our conversation encompasses his new album, By George – By Bachman, but much more, including production tricks, Beatle secrets, touring with Ringo, Winnie the Pooh and a deeply personal discussion of spirituality and how George directly impacted his life. Check out Randy’s activities here: http://randybachman.com/ and his deconstruction of the “A Hard Day’s Night” opening chord here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwfH9oAiPH0

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130: The Beatles and Charles Manson Feb 23, 2018

Now that there’s been an ending to the story, it seems like a good time to examine the intersection between artists who stood for love and peace and a career criminal/sociopath who will forever be tied to them, by virtue of the demented “gospel” ripped straight from their albums. It may be unfathomable from this distance that a group of young people could be persuaded by Charles Manson to commit unspeakable acts, but that’s exactly what happened in the summer of 1969, when seven innocents (and an unborn baby) were brutally slain, purportedly to ignite a race war.

I’m joined for this discussion by a friend of the show, whom many of you are doubtless familiar with: journalist Ivor Davis, who penned his memoirs of touring with The Beatles across America during the 1960s. But did you know that he was at the center of covering the Tate-LaBianca case and even penned the first book on the crimes, Five To Die (1970)? It was his findings that provided a roadmap to the prosecution, later chronicled in Vincent Bugliosi’s best-seller, Helter Skelter (co-written by Curt Gentry).

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129B: “Acoustic Beatles” with Dave Mirkin 2 (This Time It’s Personal) Jan 15, 2018

Picking up where we left off, we discuss an array of topics and songs, mostly adhering to the “acoustic Beatles” theme. (For some reason, we seemed to gravitate to the White Album a lot…)

But there’s also much about the impact of success; the level of support the Beatles gave each other; George and the Traveling Wilburys; the US albums and the inherent comedy in and around their work.

Songs in no particular order include: “I Feel Fine” – “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” – “Junk” – “Two of Us” – “Norwegian Wood” – “Blackbird.”

Dave Mirkin, who first guest appeared on SATB 122, needs no introduction.

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129A: “Acoustic Beatles” with Dave Mirkin Jan 12, 2018

Back in September, I first talked Beatles with this Renaissance man, in the context of The Beatles with The Simpsons. As you listeners will remember, Dave had a lot to say about the Beatles well beyond the parameters of that TV show. Well he’s back, and the subject we set out to discuss was the Beatles’ use of acoustic instruments – something Dave is well-versed in.

But as conversations will, we went far afield from that, covering subjects ranging from sincerity to darkness versus happiness to re-arranging songs on the fly to what the Beatles were doing alongside their contemporaries. And as the momentum mounted, I realized that there were more things discussed than any one show could reasonably contain. So enjoy 129A; 129B coming up (so to speak)!

“I Am The Walrus” acoustic excerpt by Laurence Juber: https://www.amazon.com/LJ-Plays-Beatles-Vol-2/dp/B003U8O2OY Revolver mash-up by Douglas Grant: https://beta.prx.org/stories/11512

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128: The Beatles, Paul McCartney (and added Attraction) Dec 20, 2017

In 1978 – the year he joined Elvis Costello in The Attractions – bassist Bruce Thomas was personally selected by Paul McCartney to participate in the Rockestra – an all-star ensemble assembled for a pair of Back To The Egg tracks. The collective gathered onstage a year later as part of Wings’ finale at the Kampuchea benefit. But Bruce Thomas is more than an inventive bass player: he’s a veteran musician (with roots in Britain’s 60s Blues Boom) as well as an acclaimed author of fiction and non-fiction both. His newest project – a collaboration with Spencer Brown – includes a Beatles cover. Check out Back To The Start here: https://spencerbrownbrucethomas.bandcamp.com/releases Check out Bruce’s works here: https://www.brucethomas.co.uk/

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127: John Lennon, “Invisible Guitarist” Dec 04, 2017

John once observed that, in his opinion, Paul was “…an egomaniac about everything else about himself, but his bass playing” – which was as influential as it was innovative. It is therefore a delicious irony to report the same was true of John: while he touted his status as an artist (not to mention “genius”) at every opportunity, he could be surprisingly reserved / conflicted about his own technical abilities on his chief instrument.

In this episode, I talk with musician/producer Ben Rowling, who breaks down John’s unsung contribution to The Beatles’ sound, as well as the impact he had on the rhythm guitarists that came after. With isolations and recreation, no one will ever again think of John’s instrumental Beatles work as “invisible.”

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126: 70s Beatle Fandom, etc… Nov 24, 2017

SATB began as a conversation between two Beatle friends who happened to be writers; this episode began as a conversation about being a Beatles fan in the 70s. But in both instances, some unexpected twists and turns along the way led to other destinations… I’d like you all to meet Andrew Vaughan – a good friend of mine, a music writer and hardcore Beatle fan. He’ll be helping out with the show, and in this episode, we try our best to stay on topic. Results may vary.

Songs include recordings by The Damned, The Optimists and The Residents.

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125: Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and the Traveling Wilburys Nov 02, 2017

The unexpected loss of The Heartbreakers’ leader (and “Charlie T./Muddy Wilbury”) presents an opportunity to look back on the career of the accidental supergroup: the Traveling Wilburys, whose debut album issued almost thirty years ago represented an unimaginable musical collaboration among some of rocks’s giants. Presenting their back story is rock journalist Jeff Slate (http://jeffslatehq.com/index/), whose newly-published Roy Orbison: The Authorized Biography traces the career of a singular artist who, truth be known, served as an unwitting catalyst in the group’s formation. His ties to The Beatles as an artist and a friend are likewise traced.

Check out http://royorbison.com/ for more on the book.

“Please Please Me” by “Roy Orbison” recorded by Jared Lekites: jaredlekites.bandcamp.comJared’s band, The Lunar Laugh: thelunarlaugh.bandcamp.com

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124: Finding The Fourth Beatle with David Bedford Oct 22, 2017

You may already know the author of Liddypool and The Fab 104 for his meticulous research in already well-trod grounds. But with his latest work, David Bedford reveals new revelations – some of them shocking. In Finding The Fourth Beatle, David brings a fresh interpretation and critical new analysis to Beatles scholarship, going where the evidence leads him regarding the truth behind Pete Best’s parting ways with the group, as well as the process of recruitment that (eventually) led to Ringo. There is also new light shed on the 18 (!) Beatle drummers, the Decca audition, Brian’s unsigned managerial contract and those who might have been Beatles – but weren’t. David is also working on an accompanying documentary and a companion CD release. Find out more at https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/finding-the-fourth-beatle

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123: All About That Bassist Oct 07, 2017

In something of a departure from the usual, SATB presents a conversation with Arion Salazar, original bass player with Third Eye Blind (“Semi-Charmed Life” – “Losing A Whole Year” – “How’s It Going To Be” – “Never Let You Go”) and this year on tour with XEB. As you will hear, he is an accomplished recording artist whose life path was impacted virtually from birth by The Beatles (who, as it happened, had just split up while he was in utero). Arion offers up his insights as a fan and as a student of the Beatles on the group, on Paul (certainly as a bassist) as well as on Klaus Voormann.

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122: Simpsons Stories Sep 28, 2017

In 1989, Paul McCartney hit the road again for the first time in a decade. That same year, the longest running sitcom in US TV history debuted, and like Sir Paul, The Simpsons is still in action today. In addition to the high-calibre talent involved from day one, the show has made frequent references to The Beatles, culminating with three episodes featuring guest appearances by the three ex-Beatles. In this special expanded edition, we hear from writer/producer Jeff Martin, who wrote “Homer’s Barbershop Quartet” (which featured George); and writer/director/show runner David Mirkin, who went to Sussex to record the McCartneys (for “Lisa the Vegetarian”) and experienced something every Beatle fan can only imagine…

This is a NEW PHASE SATB episode….

Making his final appearance is our original co-host. Making a cameo in this episode is upcoming guest, Arion Salazar – original bassist with Third Eye Blind and on tour this year with XEB.

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121: New York Stories Sep 17, 2017

Our guest’s 13 year-old face has left an indelible impression upon the memory of every Beatles fan who has ever watched their debut appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. Deb Supnik (nee Gendler), dubbed “the first fan” by director Andrew Solt, is much more than just an attendee of The Beatles’ first live TV performance in America: her life changed forever that evening. Over the next several years, she worked tirelessly on behalf of the group (and their US fans) while maintaining relationships with members of the group’s organization (and even the odd Beatle parent or two).

Deb has shared her amazing stories in documentaries before, but here she gets to present them full-length and in exquisite detail.

Find Richard’s books here. Find Robert’s books here.

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120: Hey Jude / Revolution Sep 05, 2017

49 years ago, The Beatles launched their Apple label with one of rock’s most successful single releases. Paul’s “Hey Jude,” backed with John’s “Revolution” – if not officially a double A-side release – surely ranks as among the finest 7″ records the group ever produced. It was also, as George observed years later, a real turning point in the band’s fortunes: a high point after which things could only go downhill. In this episode, Richard and Robert discuss the context of this record, as well as the writing, the recording and the public presentation of Apple’s first issue: a record that spent two weeks atop the UK charts and nine at number one in the US. Find Robert’s books here. Find Richard’s books here.

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119: Skiffle, The Beatles, and Billy Bragg Aug 29, 2017

For too many years, the role of Skiffle in The Beatles’ development as artists has been glossed over or diminished. Not anymore: in his new book, Roots, Radicals and Rockers: How Skiffle Changed the World, singer/songwriter/activist Billy Bragg presents an examination of the musical and sociological history of skiffle – where it came from; what it meant to a generation in post-war Britain, and how it paved the way for the British Invasion – while also restoring Lonnie Donegan to his rightful place as a true cultural revolutionary.

In this episode, Robert and Richard host this special guest, discussing his book as well as his recent release, Shine A Light – a collection of railroad songs recorded on the road across the US.

The Shine A Light project: http://shinealight-joehenry.billybragg.co.uk/ For more on Billy: http://www.billybragg.co.uk/ Find Richard’s books here. Find Robert’s books here.

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118: London Stories; ’67 – ’68 Aug 21, 2017

In a recent show, we profiled a pair of Liverpudlians who witnessed the Beatles up close and personal during their ascent to greatness. This time, we feature conversations with two personas – one English, one American – who likewise had a series of most memorable encounters with The Beatles; by this time, greatness achieved. Richard and Robert talked with the two Davids: the Brit is David Stark; the Yank goes by “Mr. Bonzai.” Check out David Stark’s online Beatles archive here and Songlink International here. Check out John Lennon’s Tooth here – Mr. Bonzai’s site here, and his podcast pilot here. Find Robert’s books here. Find Richard’s books here.

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117: George Martin – Maximum Volume Aug 12, 2017

The first volume of a new biography detailing the life of the late Sir George Martin has just been published. Kenneth Womack has been responsible for a number of fine volumes covering aspects of the Beatles’ career, but with Maximum Volume: The Life of Beatles Producer George Martin, he takes on a figure whose background and story have long lacked a detailed telling.

Backstage at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, Robert and Richard sat down with Kenneth to discuss what’s in volume 1, as well as George’ Martin’s working relationship with The Fabs.

Find Richard’s books here. Find Robert’s books here.

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116: The Beatles and the Historians Aug 07, 2017

A show on Beatle books is a fine idea but at the same time a little too broad: without some sort of focus, the confines of a single episode will not allow for a thorough examination. But with the arrival of this recent work by Erin Torkelson Weber, Richard and Robert are able to narrow the discussion to some key works, selected for their power in shaping public perceptions of the Beatles’ story. Applying a strict historiographic methodology, Erin’s book examines where various authors have succeeded or (mostly) failed in presenting accurate and essential tellings of their history. Authors discussed include Mark Lewisohn, Philip Norman, Albert Goldman, Bob Spitz, Hunter Davies, Barry Miles and Jann Wenner. About Erin’s book: https://www.mcfarlandbooks.com/2016/04/newly-published-beatles-historians/ Find Robert’s books here. Find Richard’s books here.

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115: Collecting The Beatles Jul 31, 2017

The Beatles remain the most collected rock band on the face of the planet: records of every kind – books – art – toys – and so forth. That’s just for the mainstream fandom; for the more serious collectors, there are promotional items, rare pressings, autographs, etc. Beyond even this, there rare those who’ve made it their pursuit to acquire items of a more personal nature: clothing – glasses – instruments – teeth. Of those in the latter two categories, Robert and Richard spoke with Todd Jackson and Russ Lease, both of whom have assembled what must be described as world-class collections. You can see items from Russ’s collection (along with a few others) on tour – click here for info. Find Richard’s books here. Find Robert’s books here.

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114: A Week In The Life – July 1969 Jul 22, 2017

While echoes of 1967 live on this year with 50-year commemorations of Sgt. Pepper and the Summer of Love, the events of two summers later were, if anything, even more portentous as far as the Beatles’ story goes. In this episode, Richard and Robert examine one specific week: July 1 through July 9, 1969. These eight days marked the resumption of the Abbey Road sessions after a month-long break. During this time, several tracks were recorded or developed – John crashed his car in Scotland – Brian Jones died – the Rolling Stones performed a free concert in Hyde Park – “Give Peace A Chance,” the Plastic Ono Band’s debut single was released, and John returned to work (along with Yoko – and her bed). The period saw the group compartmentalizing a 3-1 business split while striving to remain functionally harmonious musically. Songs include “You Never Give Me Your Money” and “Give Peace A Chance.” Find Robert’s books here. Find Richard’s books here.

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113: Liverpool Stories Jul 16, 2017

Our guests in this episode – Jim Mawer and “Rita” – are not likely anyone you’ve ever heard of before. They’ve haven’t written books or appeared as guest speakers at any Beatle fan gatherings. But they did grow up in Liverpool; being a few years younger than the Beatles, they were uniquely situated in the right place at the right time to witness history up close.

In this episode, Jim (from Huyton) and Rita (West Derby) share their memories with Robert and Richard, representing two sides of the community that made up the group’s earliest fans and supporters.

Songs include “That Was Me” and “Liverpool 8.” Find Richard’s books here. Find Robert’s books here.

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112 77 on 7-7: Ringo Starr and The Beatles Beat Jul 06, 2017

In honor of his birthday, Richard and Robert honor Ringo by focusing an entire show on his drumming (as well as that of his predecessor). Aboard for the discussion is Gary Astridge, Ringo’s drum historian and archivist, as well as Alex Cain and Terry McCusker, authors of Ringo Starr and The Beatles Beat. We’ll be exploring the kits he used as well as his evolution as a drummer and percussionist.

Songs include “Boys” and “Dear Prudence.”

Find Alex and Terry’s book here. Find Gary’s site here. Find Robert’s books here. Find Richard’s books here.

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111: It Was 60 Years Ago Today Jun 30, 2017

July 6, 1957 is the day that should be commemorated in Beatledom for all that sprang from it: not only in terms of the Beatles’ career, but in 1960s popular culture as well. In this special (nearly) 60-minute show, Robert and Richard discuss not the events of that day per se, but really, what it meant when the first of a series of minor miracles occurred: Paul was introduced to John.Songs include “Be Bop A Lula” and “20 Flight Rock.” Find Richard’s books here. Find Robert’s books here.

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110: Take Me To The Bridge – Beatles Middle 8s Examined Jun 26, 2017

In another listener suggested topic, Richard and Robert examine this aspect of song craft and how it evolved in Beatles recordings over time. Songs include “All I’ve Got To Do,” “With A Little Help From My Friends,” and “I Me Mine.”

Find Robert’s books here. Find Richard’s books here.

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109: Desert Island Solo Discs Jun 20, 2017

Suggested by a listener, your hosts, Robert and Richard divulge their favorite post-Beatles desert island discs (and books and videos, too), in a follow-up to their earlier Beatles Desert Island Discs show. Songs include…well, listen and find out! “Sleepy Lagoon” performance by Martin Wheatley – check out his music here. Find Richard’s books here. Find Robert’s books here.

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108: The Beatles and Ed Sullivan Jun 10, 2017

In this special episode, Richard and Robert take listeners back to 1964 and the life-changing live TV debut of The Beatles in America before 73 million viewers.

Sharing their impressions of the Sullivan experience are director/writer/filmmaker Andrew Solt (Heroes of Rock N Roll,This Is Elvis!, Imagine: John Lennon), whose Sofa Entertainment owns the Sullivan archive of shows, as well as CBS executive Vince Calandra, who occupied a unique perspective: directly working with the group.Songs include “She Loves You” and “Long Tall Sally.”

Find Robert’s books here. Find Richard’s books here.

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107: Sgt. Pepper at 50 – A Conversation Jun 02, 2017

In what’s likely to be the first of a series of Sgt. Pepper discussions, Robert and Richard attempt to sort out their feelings toward a most complicated and singular Beatles release; one that stirs powerful emotions within those who were there at the time – and more than a few that weren’t. (Be sure to listen for the bonus observations by a fan who was there in ’67.) Songs include “Good Morning, Good Morning” and “A Day in the Life.” Find Richard’s books here. Find Robert’s books here.

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106: Deconstructing The Beatles – Revolution 9 May 30, 2017

Before you roll your eyes, take a second: in this special episode, Richard and Robert dissect what is easily the most polarizing recording of The Beatles’ entire canon: the musique concrète produced by John, with assistance from Yoko and George, issued on their wildly expansive 1968 self-titled double album. Adding to the conversation: Jack Petruzzelli from The Fab Faux – a rare ensemble who have actually performed the piece live. No matter what you think of “Revolution 9,” there’s a lot here worth discussing: the inspiration – the intent – the influence (yes, there is that).

Songs include “Your Feet’s Too Big.”

Find Robert’s books here. Find Richard’s books here.

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105: Marshall Crenshaw, The Beatles and Power Pop May 22, 2017

Said Allmusic about our guest: “He writes songs that are melodic, hooky and emotionally true, and he sings and plays them with an honesty and force that still finds room for humor without venom.” (See any commonality with The Beatles?) In this episode, Robert and Richard sat down and talked Beatles (and music generally) with Marshall Crenshaw, before discussing the meanings of “power pop” and “Beatlesque,” citing some favorite artists along the way. Songs include “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” and “Soldier of Love.” Find Richard’s books here. Find Robert’s books here.

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104: Paperback Writer / Rain May 13, 2017

“Are The Beatles on their way out now?,” asked The Daily Sketch. Said a critic at The Sunday Mirror: “They have, to put it bluntly, goofed. ‘Paperback Writer’ would have gone into my junk box had it been by another group.” They were speaking of this, The Beatles’ 12th single: a work signaling the transition from their rock ‘n’ roll era into psychedelia. Though not an official double-A-side release, both songs warrant a detailed examination by Richard and Robert. Find out if they concur with the contemporaneous words of producer George Martin: “A pretty ordinary rock beat…As far as I’m concerned, there are other tracks I much prefer to it.” Find Robert’s books here. Find Richard’s books here.

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103: Solo Beatle Covers May 06, 2017

Setting aside the thematic full album works like Run Devil Run, Rock ‘n’ Roll or Sentimental Journey, the former Beatles recorded a fair amount of material written by others. Naturally, Ringo – the least prolific writer among them – relied on covers the most, but each of them had favorite tunes that they took on, mostly (but not always) for official release. Robert and Richard present some of their favorites (and some, not so much). Songs include Randy Newman’s “Have You Seen My Baby,” Bob Dylan’s “If Not For You” and Ian Dury’s “I’m Partial To Your Abracadabra.” Find Richard’s books here. Find Robert’s books here.

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102: Compiling The Beatles Apr 29, 2017

Throughout the years, The Beatles’ music was repackaged in ways beyond counting, notwithstanding their aversion to anyone tampering with their presentation. In this episode, Richard and Robert examine the myriad ways their work was re-imagined and compiled: from A Collection of Oldies to Rarities to 1, from Alpha-Omega to Reel Music. Songs include “Bad Boy,” “Things We Said Today” and “Girl.” Find Robert’s books here. Find Richard’s books here.

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101: Beatle Guest Stars Apr 20, 2017

Throughout the course of their career, The Beatles freely tapped the talents of a number of outside musicians to add color to their musical palette. Many (string and brass players, mostly) were professionals toiling in relative obscurity, but a handful were well-known personas in their own right: Eric Clapton – Brian Jones – Billy Preston – Nicky Hopkins – Ronnie Scott. In this show, Robert and Richard examine the contributions these men provided; names that many of us are familiar with for work issued under their own names. Songs include “Don’t Pass Me By,” “Lady Madonna” and “Waiting For The Band.” Find Richard’s books here. Find Robert’s books here.

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100: Something About The Beatles’ Humour Apr 14, 2017

Comedy was an aspect of The Beatles’ personas that came through loud and clear from day one. In this milestone episode, Richard and Robert discuss the comedic influences on the group that manifested themselves in the Beatles’ presence, songs and in John’s books. Comedians include Ted Ray, Ken Dodd and Stanley Unwin. Find Robert’s books here. Find Richard’s books here. Find their Playboy interview here.

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99: Autumn ’74 – Walls and Bridges and Dark Horse Apr 04, 2017

Ten years after The Beatles’ North American debut, at least three former members of the group battled an array of personal problems. John, George, and Ringo went through marital break-ups in 1974, which along with other issues, informed releases by at least two of the three ex-Beatles. In this episode, Robert and Richard discuss the parallels between albums issued by George and John that year.

Songs include “Nobody Loves You When You’re Down and Out” and “Dark Horse.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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98: I’ve Seen That Road Before – Beatle Influencers and Inspirations Mar 25, 2017

Like all successful artists, The Beatles drew from sources all over the place, some obvious; some not so much. In this detailed discussion, Richard and Robert provide a precise rundown of songs and artists whose work directly impacted particular Beatle recordings.

Songs include “Albatross” and “The Inner Light.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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97: Chuck Berry and The Beatles Mar 20, 2017

The esteem held by The Beatles for Chuck Berry is obvious if one considers that they performed more songs penned by him than any other single artist. This musical icon’s shadow looms large: as a performer – as a songwriter – as a guitarist. Not for no reason were his songs among the first learned by aspiring rock guitarists, and the Beatles were no exception. In this show, Robert and Richard examine the admiration they had for him and how it manifested itself through the years.

Songs include “Roll Over Beethoven” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Music.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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96: Ex-Beatles Helping Ex-Beatles (in the studio) Mar 12, 2017

Covering the period of John’s lifetime, Richard and Robert examine the recordings produced by the formerly Fab foursome and how their individual artistry contributed to each other’s work.

Songs include “I’m The Greatest and “Oh My Love.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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95: Heart’s Ann Wilson Talks Beatles Mar 03, 2017

This episode features Robert and Richard in conversation with singer/songwriter Ann Wilson from Heart, who reveals how her deep love for The Beatles set her and sister Nancy on their life path from childhood. Also featured is Heart’s guitarist Craig Bartock (his second appearance), who offers insight into how a female singer approaches Beatles music. (Lastly, your hosts present some of their favorite Beatle covers by female artists.)

Songs include “Across The Universe.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

Look for the Ann Wilson of Heart tour dates here.

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94: The Man Who Gave The Beatles Away – Allan Williams Remembered Feb 22, 2017

In this special expended edition of SATB, Richard and Robert sit down with Beatles historian and author Mark Lewisohn to review the life and times of the Beatles’ first manager (yes, manager), who passed away late last year. Songs include “Ramrod” and “Shimmy Shimmy.”

[Art assistance by Mary Ruth Webb]

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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93: Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane At 50 Feb 17, 2017

Half a century ago, The Beatles ushered in the second half of their career – the studio years – with this landmark double A-side release. Though the single’s commercial fortunes might not have reflected it, the Lennon-McCartney songwriting team was at its zenith in terms of creativity and desire to break new ground. In this episode, Robert and Richard trace how the band utilized their newfound freedom, no longer restrained by the requirements of touring. Songs include a performance of SFF by Rosalie Cunningham – check out the video here.

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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92: The Beatles – A Day In Their Lives Feb 11, 2017

In which Richard and Robert trace the rather momentous events of February 11th (give or take) throughout the entirety of The Beatles’ career. As with their Christmas messages, each fixed date saw major developments, mostly positive ones. Songs include “There’s A Place,” “Woman” and “Instant Karma.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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91: The Beatles’ Live Reunion Feb 04, 2017

What if the events of December 8, 1980 played out completely differently and somehow, an unscathed John Lennon – bereft of any obstructions – was able to join his former bandmates in a live concert situation; perhaps more than one? In a subject suggested by a listener, Robert and Richard discuss the form that such a concert might take: what the set list and the staging might have looked like. Songs include “Here, There and Everywhere” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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90: George and Paul Jan 27, 2017

Within the Beatles, there were any number of complex inter-personal dynamics. Those between the group’s lead guitarist and bassist were among the most convoluted: the Pisces fish vs. Gemini twin. In this episode, Richard and Robert discuss, examine and otherwise attempt to interpret this most volatile relationship as it evolved over time. Songs include “Don’t Ever Change, “I Me Mine” and “All Things Must Pass.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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89: Post-Beatles Albums That Never Were Jan 21, 2017

Not what you might think: collations of solo Beatle songs, if they’d been recorded for collective Beatle albums. Instead, Robert and Richard focus on albums that were conceived and/or recorded by each ex-Beatle that, somehow, never made it to release. Songs include “I Can Help,” “Sat Singing,” “Tennessee” and “Tragedy.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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88: Compiling McCartney Jan 14, 2017

Last year’s Pure McCartney compilation set stirred some debate among fans: how could a career spanning 46 years and over 500 recordings be adequately compressed down to 67 tracks? Beatlefan magazine’s Tom Frangione weighed in with an alternate 100 track set, and he is our guest, making the case for the choices he made, In this episode, Richard and Robert offer up their thoughts on what should go into a career-spanning representative set.

Songs include “Put It There,” “Wanderlust” and “Daytime Nightime Suffering.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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87: The Beatles’ Decca Audition Jan 06, 2017

The New Years Day 1962 showcase at Decca Records in London did not pan out as The Beatles and Brian Epstein had hoped. But the decision to turn down the Beatles has long been regarded in rock history as one of the most bone-headed executive decisions ever made. But was it? Should it more properly be regarded as a lucky break? Find out what Robert and Richard have to say as they analyze the material performed and what it said about the group’s thought process. Songs include “Like Dreamers Do,” “Hello Little Girl” and “Silence is Golden.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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86: 2016 In Review Dec 31, 2016

In this year-end special, Richard and Robert took a look back at some of the Beatle-related events of 2016: the new releases – the films – the tours – the anniversaries – the passings. While at the moment we may think of this year as ending not a minute too soon, your hosts manage to offer up some lighthearted observations on all things Beatles. Songs include “Now is the Time.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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85: Magical Mystery Tour – The Film Dec 20, 2016

The Beatles’ 1967 self-produced TV special/film has been pilloried from day one as their first critical disaster; a creative overreach that critics saw as proof of how lost they were when operating out of their element. But was it that bad? In this episode, Robert and Richard explain its production and contextualize decisions made that resulted in a finished product at odds with expectations.

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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83: John Lennon Memorialized Dec 08, 2016

It has been 36 years since the December night when we lost John. On this show, Robert and Richard discuss the array of musical tributes to the slain former Beatle that came from peers and admirers alike, some many years later. Artists presented include Elton John, Queen, Oasis, Gerry Marsden and two of his former bandmates.

Songs include “Empty Garden” and “Here Today.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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82: Our Favorite Solo George Songs Dec 01, 2016

For an artist with such a deep and diverse catalog of top-flight material, George remains “the Quiet Beatle” – as his most familiar songs seem to be those from two albums in particular (while the remaining eight are routinely overlooked). In this episode, Richard and Robert present some of their favorite songs from the post-Beatles Harrison canon, shedding light on the richness of his work from All Things Must Pass through Brainwashed. Songs include “Horse To The Water,” “Give Me Love” and “Cheer Down.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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81: SATB’s Beatles Live Anthology Nov 25, 2016

It occurred to us, as it must have with everyone else, that the release of Eight Days A Week really called for an accompanying soundtrack, or at least a parallel collection of music spanning the whole of The Beatles’ documented live performing career. Into that void Robert and Richard have stepped, with their proposed collection of live performances ranging from the Star Club to Candlestick. Necessarily, some of the extant audio is rough, but not unlistenable and certainly essential to understanding what kind of live musicians these guys were (and how they did it to an audience).

Locales represented here include Hamburg – Stockholm – London – New York City – Melbourne – Blackpool – Paris – Houston – Tokyo – San Francisco.

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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80: Blueprinting The Beatles’ White Album Nov 17, 2016

At the suggestion of Executive Producer Rick Wey, Richard and Robert discuss “the Kinfauns Tapes” (or “the Esher Demos”): 27 new songs composed by John, Paul and George mostly in Rishikesh, India during the Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation retreat in early 1968 and taped at George’s home in advance of the studio sessions. Hear how these tunes evolved before their recording and release on the the group’s self-titled double-album. Songs include “Revolution,” “Honey Pie” and “Sour Milk Sea.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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78: Beatles ’78 Nov 14, 2016

Reminisce with Robert and Richard through a post-Beatles year where residual mania was still rampant, taking the form of two motion pictures – two television specials – two albums from ex-Beatles – (at least) two new books – and a resurgence of re-releases, re-packaged in visually attractive forms. Songs include “Hard Times,” “With A Little Luck” and “Flying Hour.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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79: Beatle Politics Nov 04, 2016

Given the imminent wind-down of the current political season, Richard and Robert thought it timely to examine the political interests connected to The Beatles, both during and after their collective career. Songs include “Taxman,” “All You Need Is Love” and “Save The World.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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77: Death and The Beatles Oct 27, 2016

In this episode, Robert and Richard explore mortality as experienced by the members of the Beatles: friends, family, acquaintances – the inner circle; and how it was reflected in their music. Songs include “Art of Dying,” “Deep Blue” and “Lonely Road.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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76: Solo-Beatle Collaborations Deconstructed with Anthony Robustelli Oct 21, 2016

In this episode, Richard and Robert talk with the host of the Multitrack Meltdown podcast, author/musician Anthony Robustelli (I Want To Tell You: Volume 1 1962/1963; Steely Dan FAQ). His specialty is revealing what lies beneath the surface of the masters of Beatles and Beatles-related recordings. Here, you’ll get to hear the inner workings of John’s recordings with Elton John and David Bowie (“Whatever Gets you Through The Night” and “Fame” respectively); Paul with Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson (“What’s That You’re Doing” and “Say Say Say” respectively) and George with Tom Petty (“I Won’t Back Down”).

Check out Anthony’s work here:

http://www.thebeatlesiwanttotellyou.com/multi-track-meltdown

https://soundcloud.com/user-493432193/tracks

Songs include “Act Naturally.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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75: Favorite Covers BY The Beatles Oct 14, 2016

Some day Robert and Richard will devote a show to their favorite covers of songs written BY the Beatles, but in this 90-minute episode, they run down some of their favorite songs written by other artists that they recorded or performed; where recordings exist. Songs include material that originated with Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Willie John, Larry Williams, Carl Perkins, The Miracles, Mikas Theodorakis…and The Donays!

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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74: Lennonology with Chip Madinger: The Interview Oct 07, 2016

In this episode, Richard and Robert chat with Chip Madinger, co-author of Lennonology: Strange Days Indeed – A Scrapbook of Madness. Chip is also the co-author (with Mark Easter) of the acclaimed Eight Arms To Hold You: The Solo Compendium. (2000).

Songs include “Nobody Told Me” and “Aisumasen (I’m Sorry).”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Chip Madinger’s and Scott Raile’s Lennonology sites here:

http://www.lennonology.com/main.htm

http://www.lennonology.com/Preorder_2015_Live.htm

http://www.lennonology.com/Master%20Quotes%20List%201966-1980%20v1.1.pdf

Photo forum here (no, you don’t need to have bought the book to access; just register):

http://forum.lennonology.com/

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73: The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl Sep 30, 2016

In this episode, Robert and Richard discuss the reissue of the classic 1977 album of the 1964 and 1965 Hollywood Bowl concerts, concurrent with the Ron Howard Eight Days A Week documentary.

Songs include “If I Fell,” “I Feel Fine,” “I Wanna Be Your Man” and “I’m Down.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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72: Ron Howard’s Beatles – Eight Days A Week Sep 24, 2016

In this expanded edition, Richard and Robert examine the new film on The Beatles’ performing years, in theaters and on Hulu; as well as the restored Shea Stadium concert film. Joining us are two guests who contributed to the project: renowned archivist Erik Taros and author (”Some Fun Tonight”) Chuck Gunderson, explaining the process from the inside. Their insights offer a glimpse into the project’s evolution and how we got to where we ended up.

Songs include “Act Naturally” and “Long Tall Sally.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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70: Late 1970 Sep 09, 2016

In this expanded episode, Richard and Robert discuss the parallels between the concurrent releases, George’s All Things Must Pass and John’s Plastic Ono Band. Songs include “Beware of Darkness,” “Let It Down,” “Love” and “Mother.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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69: Sgt. Revolver – Two Landmark Beatle Albums Compared Aug 31, 2016

In this episode, Robert and Richard further the discussion of Revolver, comparing it with the more acclaimed work that followed. Songs include “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “When I’m 64.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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68: Beatle George, Guitarist – Our Favorite Moments Aug 24, 2016

In this episode, Richard and Robert reveal their picks of George’s finest moments in his traditional Beatle role. Songs include “Till There Was You” and “Here Comes The Sun.”

Find Robert’s books here.

Find Richard’s books here.

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67: Questions For The Beatles Aug 19, 2016

In this listener-suggested subject show, Robert and Richard lay out the questions they would ask John, Paul, George and Ringo, if given a chance (and total candor). Songs include “Do You Want To Know A Secret” and “You Know My Name (Look Up My Number).”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

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66: Revolver at 50 Aug 13, 2016

In this edition, Richard and Robert discuss the creation of what is arguably The Beatles’ collective highest achievement – Revolver. Taped before a live audience, you’ll hear an array of in-progress takes of the album as well as the single recorded during the sessions, “Paperback Writer” / “Rain.” Songs include “Tomorrow Never Knows,” “I Want To Tell You” and Here, There and Everywhere.”

Thanks to Winona Patterson and Xavier Duran.

Check out Robert Rodriguez’s Revolver: How The Beatles Re-Imagined Rock ‘n’ Roll here.

Check out Richard Buskin’s Classic Tracks here.

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65: The Beatles of August Aug 04, 2016

In this episode, Robert and Richard examine the whole of band’s career, seen through the prism of one momentous month, from the start to the end of their career. (Notably, were photographed as a “The Beatles” for the first and the last times on the same day – August 22 – seven years apart.) Songs include “Help!” and “Because.”

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64: Questions From Listeners #2 Jul 29, 2016

Remember the last time we did this?

In another extended episode, Richard and Robert take on an array of topics suggested by listeners, ranging from who played what on certain recordings to the upcoming Hollywood Bowl reissue and much, much more!

Songs include “Free As A Bird” and “Eight Days A Week.”

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63: The Beatles on the Telly Jul 22, 2016

In this special extended episode, Robert and Richard discuss the group’s career through the prism of their television appearances. Rather than music performances per se, the focus here is on the occasions where they were tapped for their comedic skills, or interview situations that offered viewers insights into how they saw themselves at the time, and how these appearances evolved, along with their artistry and group dynamic.

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62: The Music and Artistry of Beatle Paul Jul 14, 2016

In this episode, Richard and Robert trace the arc of Paul’s musical development as a Beatle, encompassing singing, writing and instrumental prowess. Songs include “All My Loving,” “Yesterday” and “You Never Give Me Your Money.”

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61: The Beatles and The Monkees – It Goes Like This Jul 09, 2016

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the unleashing of the “Pre-Fab Four” on an unsuspecting public, Robert and Richard examine the ties, parallels and overlapping phenomenon between the two acts. Songs include “Paperback Believer” and “Daydream Believer.”

The post 61: The Beatles and The Monkees – It Goes Like This appeared first on Something About The Beatles.

60: You Say You Want An Evolution: The Beatles’ Left Turns and Re-thinks Jul 01, 2016

In this episode, Richard and Robert examine the songs that The Beatles drastically re-thought before releasing or abandoned altogether. Featuring insights from singer/songwriter/producer/guitarist Craig Bartock from Heart.

Songs include “I Saw Her Standing There” and “Two of Us.”

Roy Orbison’s “Please Please Me” performed by Jared Lekites of The Lunar Laugh.

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