Not My Forte

Joel started a new podcast! It's about movies!   While you're waiting for season 2 of Not My Forte maybe check out "Movies and Films," Joel's new podcast with his friend Jake Runyon.    This is a short conversation between the two hosts about the new show. If you're interested in checking it out, go find it on Apple Podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movies-and-films/id1653337458   Or on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/04OrAR2FaXQvcXuEgT39Rr?si=60b2244298af4e63   First episode will be available on Monday, November 14th with new episodes every Monday after that.

Six short months ago, Ian Zumback didn't know anything about The Beatles. Now, he's listened to all of their albums, watched a couple of movies about them and talked about them for so, so many hours.   If you've been along for the ride, first of all thank you for joining us. Second of all, join us for this retrospective/celebration episode on what Joel and Ian took away from this experience.    You'll also hear:  - Joel and Ian rank all 12 albums  - Their favorite 3 Paul, John, and George songs - Their votes for the worst 3 Beatles songs - At long last, a couple rounds of "How Many Beatles Songs Can Joel Identify in One Second?" - And moooooore! 

It's been long and sometimes winding, but Joel and Ian have almost reached the end of this journey. This week they discuss the last album the Beatles ever recorded as a group, 1969's "Abbey Road."   In episode 12, Joel basks in the simple songwriting brilliance of "Something," Ian finally tells us his honest thoughts about "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," and they both just sit there and soak up the elemental heaviness of "I Want You (She's So Heavy)."    THIS IS NOT THE FINAL EPISODE OF SEASON ONE. We will be back next week for a final episode where Joel and Ian will talk through their feelings and experiences from out first season, "Ian Hears the Beatles" share their favorite and least favorite Beatles songs, rank all 12 albums and MORE! Join us then for the exciting conclusion!

This week, Joel and Ian wade into The Beatles' 11th album (In recorded order) "Let it Be" and Peter Jackson's incredible 2021 documentary "Get Back," which is about the making of that album.    This one's a long one so make sure to take a pee break before you start and probably watch the movie "Get Back" as well.   "Ian Hears the Beatles" #11 is a love-fest of true friendship, live music, Fender Rhodes Electric Pianos and Peter Jackson so if you hate any of those things, give this episode a wide berth. 

Ten episodes in and Ian and Joel are ten albums deep into the Beatles' catalogue.    Here they present the thrilling conclusion to last week's sprawling conversation on the topic of The White Album. Listen in for:   - Joel's incredulity at Ian's pick for the worst Beatles song (yet) - Maybe John Lennon's most personal and heartfelt song ever - Metal-lovers Joel and Ian basking in the vibrations of The Beatles' heaviest song ever - Lots of monkeys. More than you'd expect, at least.

The Beatles took two LPs to put out their sprawling 10th album "The Beatles (More commonly known as The White Album)" in 1968. In 2022, Joel and Ian are staying true to form and taking two podcast episodes to cover it all.   This album has the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and that also sums up our two heroes' experience while analyzing and appreciating it.    This part one episode will cover almost all of Disc 1 and ends with a shocking revelation that will be fully resolved next week. Stay tuned!   But for now, enjoy such topics as: The universal brilliance of Blackbird Ringo finally finished his first song! Uh oh. Bungalow Bill vs. Rocky Raccoon And much mooooooore...

Roll up, roll up for episode 8, in which Ian has STRONG FEELINGS and HOT TAKES about The Beatles' 9th album, Magical Mystery Tour.   Joining Joel and Ian is Frankie Orella (@frankieorella), Nashville-based singer-songwriter and one of Joel's Beatles Buddies™. She shares her favorite Beatle (clue: it's not Ringo) and which song off this album was one of her first songs to play and sing as a kid.   Also, our three Magical Mystery Tourists play a fun album cover-based game at the end of this episode! Stick around for that or maybe you'll regret it missing it for the rest of your life?

Today is the day for the much-anticipated conclusion from last week's discussion with John Mays (@mayscast)!   You should really listen to "A Day in the Life" before listening to this. Or at least have it queued up and ready to play.

Our brave hero Ian descends deeper and deeper into The Beatles' catalogue. On Episode 6 of our first season, IAN HEARS THE BEATLES, we encounter the groundbreaking, the paradigm-shifting splendor of The Beatles' 8th album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. And for Ian, it's of course his first time experiencing it.   Our guest this week is John Mays (@mayscast)! John is the Vice President of A&R at Centricity Music and was a wonderful choice with which to discuss this big honkin' album. He was such a lovely conversationalist that we are turning this discussion into a TWO-PARTER!! Side 2 will come out next week.   Hear: - John's recollections about seeing the '64 Ed Sullivan show performance - Why this album didn't spawn any #1 singles - What were the two songs that producer George Martin left off Sgt. Pepper's and forever regretted doing so?   Learn all this and much more on episode 6!

Episode 5 of IAN HEARS THE BEATLES and there's no turning back now. Ian Zumback has never listened to the Beatles before 2022 and now he's heard about half of their ENTIRE published work in the last couple months.   Join Ian and Joel and very special guest Jess Rousseau (@rousseaujess) as they discuss The Beatles' 7th album, "Revolver" and their 1966 single "Paperback Writer."   Hear Joel overuse the spit out of the concept of "Turning a corner," hear Jess compare John Lennon to Jony Ive and listen to Ian find the precedent for White Zombie in "Yellow Submarine" and MUCH MORE... 

IAN HEARS THE BEATLES Episode #4!    This week Joel and Ian are joined by their FIRST EVER guest and it's the incredible singer/songwriter Stephanie Lambring!   They chat about The Beatles' 6th studio album Rubber Soul, as well as both sides of the We Can Work it Out/Day Tripper Single.    Hear all about why "Nowhere Man" is the perfect canvas for any listener's life story and also about the time that Ian almost didn't graduate high school because of how punk rock he was.   Also, please listen to Stephanie's music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/autonomy/1604262250

On this third episode of Season 1: Ian Hears the Beatles, Ian and Joel talk about The Beatles' 3rd and 4th albums: "Beatles for Sale" and "Help!"   Listening in, you might pick up on topics like   - John Lennon literally crying out for help through his songwriting - What's the worst Beatles song yet? - Which word do the flag letters on the front of the "Help!" album cover actually spell?   And you'll get to hear Joel completely nerd out all about the lyrical and harmonic elegance of the song "Yesterday."   

One episode two of our first season, Ian increases his all-time Beatles listening by roughly 200% and shares his feelings about it! Our heroes discuss the albums "With the Beatles" and "A Hard Day's Night" (Album AND movie!) as well as the unprecedented international hit "I Want To Hold Your Hand." Joel shares how the movie version of "A Hard Day's Night" made him feel particularly seen this week and gets really excited about listening to the band's next single, "I Feel Fine."

On the FIRST EPISODE of Not My Forte: Ian listens to the Beatles' debut release "Please Please Me" as well as the singles "She Loves You" and "From Me To You" and shares his reactions. Discussion ensues.   Joel also provides some background info about the band and our heroes look onward to the next steps of this Magical Mystery journey!