When They Was Fab: Electric Arguments About the Beatles

"Now and Then" was followed up by the sort-of 50th anniversary of "Red and Blue".     This week we look at three albums of goodness from the folks at Universal Music.      The blue album is very much a compilation in the traditional sense -  a nice sampler for the Giles Martin post-2017 remixes.     This week we consider the additions to the collection, other choices that might have been made and what is that sound in "Hey Bulldog"

The hits just keep on coming!    This week, friend of the show Doctor Kenneth Womack joins the show to discuss his just-released book "Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans."    "Big Mal" has been both part of the Beatles story, and a figure in the background.     What drove the "Gentle Giant", and what was it like to be the friend, confidante and guy who found socks, bowties and guitar strings for John, Paul, George and Ringo.

I know it's true.     There's a new Beatles song and video and short documentary out in the wild.     Lonnie and I are joined by Kit O'Toole (Queen of all Beatles Media!), Tom Hunyady (one of the two legs) and Erika White (BC the Beatles), as we go through the single (does clear count as a color?), the song, the documentary, the video and the T-shirt.      

Lonnie Pena and I go through the first four episodes of the Paul McCartney and Paul Muldoon podcast "A Life in Lyrics".    Paul goes through Eleanor Rigby, Back in the USSR, Let It Be, When Winter Comes and Mull of Kintyre.    Old stories, new stories and you might even learn something!

The record is flipped as we travel through "Devil Woman", the how's why's and extended versions of "Six O'Clock", right through to a bit more of the legend of Jack Nitzsche, Klaus Voorman, Vini Poncia, David Hentschel and the inimitable Ringo Starr.    We'd like to thank you for making that little bit of plastic.  

Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Harry Nilsson, Klaus Voorman, John Lennon and Ringo Starr join together to answer the question "What Shall we do with a Drunken Sailor"?    Tune in as Marv and I discuss and celebrate 49 years and 50-ish weeks of the Ringo Starr album "Ringo."

Jon Stone co-hosts as we chat with Deirdre Kelly, author of "Fashioning the Beatles: The Looks that Shook the World."   The topic is John Lennon as influencer, both inside and outside of the Beatles.    John Lennon liked to say that the Beatles were not necessarily the originators of their style (both musically and not), but "the ones in the crow's nest."    This week we discuss the taste and style of the Lads - and how their choices in that arena are still echoed to the present day!

Lonnie and I return to talk more about 2005, as we finish up our "Space Within US" commentary track.    More about the crowd and families, a little bit of Steve Jobs (before the iPhone took him to the "topermost" of the CEO's), and our thoughts on songs Paul should and shouldn't bring back into the live show.  

Lonnie and I celebrate the (separate) returns of the twotles to the concert stage by looking back to 2005/6, and the US (pronounced "us", not "U.S.") tour from 2005, as represented by the 2006 concert film.    Paul, Wix, Abe, Brian, Rusty, those "No More Landmine" T-shirts and a whole boatload of celebrities in cameo and longer appearances.

 

Brian Epstein and NEMS were frequently viewed as the "golden ticket."     A shiny new record contract, a song from Lennon-McCartney, and a hit record was assured.    Or was it?     Tune in this week as we look into some of the acts that became the "stable."     Many found success, but others either missed out, or had to move on before they would ascend the charts.