Something About the Beatles

In late May 1969, producer Glyn Johns turned in a draft album, culled from hours of tape recorded in January 1969 during the Get Back/Let It Be sessions. His work reflected the original concept: catching The Beatles as they really were in the studio, with off-the-cuff performances of oldies, warm-ups, false starts and blown takes. It would have made for a fine tie-in with the original cut of the Let It Be film, but ultimately, the group rejected the idea, instead moving back to their established productions values, with Abbey Road being the result. The tapes, handed off to Phil Spector, emerged in May 1970 with a new tie-in: the group's break-up. Let It Be, the album, drew the worst reviews of their career, being a neither fish-nor-fowl collection of tunes bearing Spector's worst impulses (choirs and lush orchestration) alongside vestiges of the original concept (studio chat and tossed off improvisations). In this episode, Robert and Olympiad partner Gary Wenstrup re-imagine the group's history – what if Get Back HAD been accepted and released in spring 1969, the missing link between the “White Album” and Abbey Road?   You can read Glyn's account of things here and hear the actual work here. The artwork is here and the track listing here. 

In recent years, the quality of Beatles scholarship has risen considerably, and the old days of accepting and repeating any old data (even coming from sources that should be credible) – without examining it deeper to see if it really stands up – are long gone. With The Beatles, music is always at the heart of their story, and in particular, what they did in the studio. Examining how their recordings were produced tells us a ton about how the group operated, and therefore getting it right is pretty important to understanding what we're hearing. My two guests – Marcus Phelan and Andrew Shakespeare – are 2nd-gen fans, hailing from Australia. Both are musicians who've been playing for decades and have been studying The Beatles' music for just about as long. We selected a group of songs that have been disputed as to who is playing what and how the recordings were constructed for this first installment of Contentious Credits.  Here's the episode's playlist:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWJwXBl8_fsfe9Nu1Z1HqZgRAXcu4kb7G&si=_b46MSAyw8VcipS4 Plus Marcus Phelan's Guitar Videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsvcWjz7Ghh6byDBitzvVHeB9IKzRKth3&si=MdIaGZZaznwUW4kQ And: youtube.com/@RBStems2

Beatle proteges Badfinger were an Apple band that simultaneously produced some of the finest pop/rock of their era while beset by management malfeasance leading directly to their decimation by suicide. It was fifty years ago that Pete Ham, their songwriter responsible for “No Matter What,” “Day After Day” and “Baby Blue” and co-writer with Tommy Evans of “Without You” took his life at 27. Only a few months before, he and the band recorded one final album (at Apple Studios), Head First. Multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Bob Jackson, the group's newest addition, was fully on board with the project, which went unreleased at the time but through his determination, was tracked down and fully realized in late 2024. In this conversation, Bob discusses his tenure in the band alongside Pete, Tommy, Mike Gibbins and the late Joey Molland, as well as his work with them through the years that followed as well as the lasting impact of the two tragedies. Official band site: https://badfingeruk.com/home Episode 304 playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWJwXBl8_fsf5tniBjOirCrKE-SSQL7z8&si=Oqa0_xKDPi3ds6s0 The Autumn 1974 UK tour setlist:The Winner Blind Owl Suitcase In the Meantime/Some Other Time Gotta Get Out of Here I Don't Mind Love is Easy King of the Load Andy Norris Give It Up Get Away

My guest has produced one of those rare books in The Beatles' literary canon not penned by an insider (or by someone named Lewisohn) that has arrived with a tidal wave of press; in advance and since. Ian Leslie, who in the past has written about psychology, has put together a thesis examining the singular personal and professional relationship between Lennon and McCartney, and how it manifested in their art. That's a lot to unpack but we cover a lot of ground in our conversation.  

An important part of understanding both rock history generally and The Beatles' history specifically is contained in a study of the fan magazines produced throughout the 50s and 60s. For the purposes of this discussion, Dr. Allison Bumsted's newly-published TeenSet, Teen Fan Magazines and Rock Journalism: Don't Let The Name Fool You is THE roadmap to understanding the role these journals played in both promoting artists and instilling a sense of community among fans, pre-internet and social media. Allison focuses much of her research on TeenSet, a groundbreaking magazine created by Capitol Records that began as one thing and ended as something else under the guidance of visionary editor Judith Sims.  You can check out Allison's research and new articles at www.allisonbumsted.com

Returning guests Cameron Greider and Jack Petruzzelli (both of the RPM-School.com) are on hand to discuss more of what The Beatles used in their songcraft: 6th and minor 3rds. If ths sounds like indecipherable music theory, hang on – it isn't and once you become aware of it, you'll recognize it everywhere – how often and … 301: The Beatles' Bag of Tricks Vol. 2  Read More »

YOU the loyal listeners decided what your fave moments of the show were, and based on your input, SATB runs down moments from the past 7+ years, featuring only a sampling of the many guests we've had on the show. These include (alphabetically): Nancy Lee Andrews Christine Feldman-Barrett Pattie Boyd Allison Bumsted James Campion Laura … 300: Something About The Beatles' 300th Episode Read More »

For most whose lives were changed by The Beatles, it can only remain a dream that they would one day meet one, much less work alongside one and develop a key role in that Beatle's life and develop a friendship. But Buffalo, New York native Gary Astridge was one exceptional fellow, whose passion for percussion, … 299: Ringo's Beats and Threads with Gary Astridge Read More »

In this “Goldilocks Zone” of Beatles scholarship, where we are far enough from their heyday to achieve some critical distance but close enough to access people who knew them (plus the two survivors), a golden age has arrived where heretofore unexplored aspects shining light and understanding on their story is being explored. One of the … 296: The Beatles and Fandom with Richard Mills Read More »

Returning guest May Pang has had a busy couple of years, both with the presentation of her story in the acclaimed documentary, The Lost Weekend: A Love Story, as well as her ongoing touring photographic exhibit of photos she took fifty years ago. In this conversation, we discuss a number of topics outside the doc, including … 298: May the Second – The Found Weekend with May Pang Read More »

2024 winds down with the merging of two guests that have appeared on the show this year, in a spirited discussion of David Whelan's investigation into John Lennon's murder as presented in Mind Games. Robert Rosen (Nowhere Man) serves as skeptic in a conversation weaving together the bigger picture that converged on December 8, 1980, as … 297: All I want Is The Truth with David Whelan and Robert Rosen Read More »

Many of you have by now seen the new doc, re-presenting the February 1964 footage of The Beatles' two-week jaunt in NYC, Washington and Miami, shot by Albert and David Maysles. As you know, producer Martin Scorsese has a history of music documentaries (including Living on the Material World) but this one is directed by his … 295: Beatles '64 with David Tedeschi and Margaret Bodde Read More »

The Olympiad series picks up again, with music scholar Gary Wenstrup on board, picking up where we left off at episode 276, the Filmtrack Olympiad. Be sure to add your name to the satb2010@gmail.com Newsletter list to enter the giveaway of the vinyl Beatles '64 Mono Capitol albums. About “(Wild) Honey Pie”

Viewed at one level, Paul's 1980's career was bookended by the album triumphs of Tug of War and Flowers In The Dirt. But that would be to overlook the January 1980 Tokyo drug bust, the dissolution of Wings, John's murder, and then a period that may best be described as uneven: duets (of varying quality), … 293: Macca's 80s Read More »

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 Jeff Martin (Late Night with David Letterman, The Simpsons) returns to the show to discuss how this … 292: The Comedy of The Beatles with Jeff Martin Read More »

n 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 … 291: December 8, 1980 with David Whelan Read More »

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 … 290: “Hey Jude” Reconstructed Read More »

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 … 289: A Hard Day's Night At 60 Read More »

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 … 288: Band On The Run (Hand Clapping) with Luca Perasi Read More »

http://www.somethingaboutthebeatles.com/287 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, … SATB 287: The Historian and Get Back with Erin Weber Read More »

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 … 286: Nowhere Man '24 with Robert Rosen  Read More »

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 … 285: Sixty Years Ago in America with Lee Abrams, Dennis Diken, and Elliot Easton Read More »

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, … 284: Sixty Years On with Ivor Davis Read More »

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 … 282: The Women's Revolution (Or: The Beatles' Effect) Read More »

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 … 281: The Beatles and The Cars with Elliot Easton Read More »

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 … 280: All You Need is the Love You Make with Steven Gaines  Read More »

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 … 279: The Mal Evans Project Part One with Ken Womack Read More »

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 … 278: An Hour With Pattie Boyd Read More »

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 … 277: “Mike Tree” in Nutopia with Michael Meideros Read More »

Picking up where we left off (259: Sgt. Pepper Olympiad ), lecturer/professor Gary Wenstrup and I resume the Olympiad series with a pair of releases featuring film score music, the 1967 Magical Mystery Tour EP/album and 1969's Yellow Submarine release. Owing to the unique issues, with the latter representing only four new Beatle songs and the former being a six-song … 276 Filmtrack Olympiad: Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine Read More »

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 … 275: Anomalies in the Assassination of John Lennon with David Whelan Read More »

The author of Shout: The Beatles In Their Generation 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 … 274: George, The Reluctant Beatle with Philip Norman Read More »

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 … 273: My Private Lennon with Sibbie O'Sullivan  Read More »

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/ – … 272: Born At The Right Time with Ray Connolly   Read More »

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 … 271 Here and Now with “Now and Then”: a SATB Special Read More »

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 … 270: Top Ten Most Important/Influential Beatles Sources with Erin Weber Read More »

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

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 … 268: Buddy Holly and The Beatles with Luther Russell Read More »

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 … 267: Sgt. Pepper's Guitars Read More » The post 267: Sgt. Pepper's Guitars appeared first on .

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:  Robert's website … 266: Nowhere Man '23 with Robert Rosen Read More » The post 266: Nowhere Man '23 with Robert Rosen appeared first on .

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 … 265: EMI Days with John Leckie and Friends Read More » The post 265: EMI Days with John Leckie and Friends appeared first on .

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 … 264: Harrison, Lennon: It's Also Complicated  Read More » The post 264: Harrison, Lennon: It's Also Complicated  appeared first on .

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 … 263: Fab 4 On Film: The Dick Lester Films with Steve Matteo Read More » The post 263: Fab 4 On Film: The Dick Lester Films with Steve Matteo appeared first on .

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 … 262: McCartney's Musicality; Post-Beatles with Luca Perasi Read More » The post 262: McCartney's Musicality; Post-Beatles with Luca Perasi appeared first on .

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. 

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. The post 261: Making All Things Must Pass with John Leckie appeared first on .

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.   

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; … 260: Tastemaker Tony King Read More » The post 260: Tastemaker Tony King appeared first on .

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

The series with professor/lecturer Gary Wenstrup continues as we rate tracks on each Beatles album in Olympic style: Gold – Silver – Bronze. This episode introduces a modification, adding in for consideration the singles that bookended the 1967 release: “Strawberry Fields Forever”/”Penny Lane” and “All You Need Is Love”/”Baby You're A Rich Man.” Check out … 259: Sgt. Pepper Olympiad Read More » The post 259: Sgt. Pepper Olympiad appeared first on .