Something About the Beatles

Since 2003, Ringo Starr has been producing an incredibly prolific run of releases: albums and EPs, plus live recordings. With him on this journey of multiple producers and supporting musicians has been engineer Bruce Sugar, the one constant. Bruce comes with stories and observations about working with the world's most beloved drummer, including alongside Sir Paul McCartney in the studio (including an upcoming duet), as well as on the “last Beatles song, “Now and Then.” It's a delightful dose of positivity (as well as peace and love) to hear what Bruce has to say, including work on the upcoming Long, Long Road.  This episode is brought to you by DistroKid and Magical Mystery Camp.

It may be beyond argument that the two most successful and influential pop/rock acts of the 1960s were The Beatles and Bob Dylan: one, an English ensemble from Liverpool who turned out evergreen standards and evolved seemingly without effort; the other an American from the upper midwest, initially cast as a vagabond folkie who constantly reinvented himself as he was anointed spokesman for a generation. For the most part, one could easily imagine the two acts operating in separate lanes, but Dylan and The Beatles had a much more significant and profound influence on each other that ran deeper than previously believed. Author Jim Windolf presents the results of his extensive research in Where The Music Had To Go: How Bob Dylan and The Beatles Changed The World – And Each Other. Even if you have read everything, there's plenty to learn when these two chronologies are presented side by side, revealing the ongoing dialogue between artists that shaped the cultural landscape ever onward. This episode is brought to you by DistroKid and Magical Mystery Camp.

The cinematic treatment of the 2022 Mark Lewisohn lectures on the first year of The Beatles' recording career has been given a terrific cinematic treatment (see it on Amazon Prime). This episode features my conversation with the film's director, Chris Purcell, and its producer, Simon Weitzman. BOTH filmmakers have produced other Beatle-themed films, including Miss O'Dell, A Love Letter To The Beatles, The Beatles and Us, and Why Don't We Do It In The Road?, as well as other non-Beatle projects. We discuss ALL of it (and the Dementia Choir as well) in this talk. This episode is brought to you by DistroKid and Magical Mystery Camp.

One doesn't immediately connect The Beatles with the world of comic books but there's plenty there. Besides musical references to Captain Marvel and “Magneto and Titanium Man,” the group themselves have been regularly represented in the pages of comic books, beginning in 1964; sometimes as plot figures. Then we also have graphic novels and latter-day accounts of their history.To lead *me* in a discussion, SATB welcomes two award-winners from the world of comics, both of whom once worked for Marvel. Emmy-winning cartoonist Stephen DeStefano has been connected with works ranging from Popeye to Cuphead as well as his own ‘Mazing Man and Hero Hotline. He also hosts a conversation show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@S.DeStefano  Glenn Greenberg (a previous guest) is a writer associated with Spider Man, Silver Surfer and Hulk, among others. He has also penned works for the Star Trek book series. He also has written several Beatles-related bookazines, with a new one about to be published. Together, they make the case for the affinity for this art form the Beatles demonstrably had, as well as how well (or not) they have been represented in works ranging from Marvel's 1978 The Beatles' Story to the more recent Fifth Beatle and Fab4Mania.   This episode is brought to you by DistroKid and Magical Mystery Camp.

This month George Harrison would've turned 83. The “quiet Beatle” holds the record for THE most streamed Beatles song, his 1969 composition, “Here Comes The Sun,” but to the general public (and not the hardcores), he may remain in the shadow of Lennon and McCartney, despite his key contributions to songs bearing their names. Musician/podcaster Sam Popkin (Gear, There and Everywhere) joins the conversation for an examination/appreciation of what George brought to The Beatles, as well as his singular solo work. Sam also details the guitars and gear that facilitated George's evolution from a young rockabilly to a pioneer of world music and unique slide guitarist. This episode is brought to you by DistroKid and Magical Mystery Camp.

The Beatles' Olympiad series of shows is nearing its end point, with Gary Wenstrup and myself assessing their final group project for Olympic honors. Where will the bronze, silver and gold land among the 17 tracks? You'll have to tune in to find out (and discover some unexpected developments). This episode is brought to you by DistroKid and Magical Mystery Camp.

If you don't know the name then you certainly know his work: writer/director Oliver Murray was responsible for giving us that twelve-minute making of “Now and Then” video in 2023 that got everyone up to speed (and teary) about the “last” Beatles song. In 2025, he wrote and directed the 9th episode of the re-launched Beatles Anthology documentary series, quickly followed by the short film, “Free As A Bird” – A Song Reborn. But Oliver has also directed a number of other music videos and documentaries you may have seen, among them The Quiet One (2019), Ronnie's (2020), They All Came Out To Montreux (2023), and The Story of Band Aid (2024). I was privileged to have a talk with an insider to discuss the presenting of The Beatles' story and the delicate balancing act between educating new fans while satisfying the old ones. This episode is brought to you by DistroKid and Magical Mystery Camp.

Returning to the show today is the RPM School trio: Walter Everett (The Beatles As Musicians book series) – Cameron Greider – Jack Petruzzelli. They run the Beatles-centric online school which will be launching the winter 2026 semester with a deep dive into The Beatles' fifth long player, released in the summer of 1965.  In this conversation, we focus on some of the innovations, influences and production techniques representing the group's evolving artistry as a studio band and as songwriters.  Visit rpm-school.com for details on the upcoming class and magicalmysterycamp.com for information on this year's event in the Catskills. 

Presented here is an analysis of the current streaming version of the Beatles documentary first produced 30 years ago. This is less a conversation comparing a cut by cut A/B comparison so much as an overview of some changes that HAVE been made, and much discussion into what the intent behind the new presentation may be, who it is made for, what the strategy is (if any) behind some of the changes and where there is room to go forward in presenting the group's history.  SATB welcomes two new additions to the Beatles podcasting pool: Mike Vaccaro and Jesse Pollack, who host All You Need Is Pod. You can find it on Apple podcasts and follow them on Instagram. 

Rob has dug deeper into the magic of Macca's bass lines than anyone and has the website and videos to prove it. We went down the rabbit hole of influences and evolution.  Also on board: bassist Arion Salazar, musician extraordinaire and Beatles geek.  Be sure to check out Rob's site and YouTube channel. (And look for Arion's fab Beatles tributes while you're at it.)

Thirty years after the first Anthology collection was released, several years after the Special Deluxe Edition (SDEs) series commemorating individual albums became a thing, and on the eve of an unexpected 4th Anthology series installment, we take stock. Are The Beatles (or Apple or otherwise those overseeing these re-packages) doing as good a job as they can be? There are plenty voices in the world of Beatle “authorities” that insist that we should be grateful for anything we are given – they don't owe us anything. But at SATB, we take a different position: no one is above criticism and that once upon a time, The Beatles were simultaneously the cutting edge and the gold standard in what they produced. Those days are long gone and we now find ourselves in a world where many an artist with a fraction of their following is showing how it's done.  So in the name of hashing this out, I invited a couple of returning guests who are the world authorities on what exists in the vaults, on tape: Beatles scholars Doug Sulpy and Chip Madinger. Between the two of them, they have been going deep for years on the contents of the proverbial Beatle (and solo) vaults and are therefore in position to not only suggest where things could be done better but what kind of material is sitting around, awaiting the day the official curators deem it time to go public with these treasures. Hopefully, some of us are still around.  You can find Dougs writings (books like Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image and informational newsletters) at dougsulpy.com  Chip Madinger's works (which include Eight Arms To Hold You and Lennonology: Strange Days Indeed – A Scrapbook of Madness) can be found at lennonology.com 

The story of Badfinger is bookended with The Iveys as prequel and the Head First album on the other end, months before the tragic suicide of Pete Ham. We explored the latter with Bob Jackson earlier this year but this time it's the pre-history we examine, with Ron Griffiths, bassist and vocalist. He was recruited by Pete Ham and in turn was responsible for the addition of drummer Mike Gibbins. Tom Evans joined in 1967 and within a year, they were signed to Apple.  Ron was there as a witness to the band's development, and interactions with Ray Davies of The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, and The Beatles' Mal Evans, who led them to the start-up label. It was directly because of Ron that Paul offered them “Come and Get It” as what became the first Badfinger single and a worldwide smash, but Griffiths did not make the transition to Badfinger. He remains a lucid witness to their history even after being sidelined, and his connections remain to the present day and performances with Bob Jackson and the current Iveys reissue program. Tune in and hear his unique perspective on the triumphs and tragedies of this mightily talented band.  Read the Disc article that led Paul McCartney to offer “Come and Get It” after reading what Ron had to say here.   The Iveys PR from Apple. Episode playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWJwXBl8_fsfzV0dB-9cLPbUZC9_Js0rD&si=Oh_KxNaVUZJn5qK9

Back in May 2025, two hardcore Beatle historians haling from down under came on the show for an analysis of the conventional wisdom regarding Beatles instrumental credits and how, in certain instances, it was found to be lacking.  They're back again, and this time we examine:  “Long Tall Sally”  “I Don't Want To Spoil The Party” “Michelle” “We Can Work It Out”“Paperback Writer”/”Rain”“Sgt. Pepper (reprise)” “Piggies” “Don't Pass Me By”  “Not Guilty”  Marcus Phelan and Andrew Shakespeare have been studying the recordings for decades, as fans and as musicians themselves. The sources critiqued include:  Ian McDonald's Revolution in the Head Mark Lewisohn's The Beatles Recording Sessions Kevin Howlett's liner notes to The Beatles special deluxe editions The public pronouncements of Giles Martin 

Most Beatles fans are generally familiar with the story of their UK fan club, managed by Freda Kelly and depicted throughout the 2013 documentary, Good Ol' Freda. But the story of their North American fan clubs is, if anything, even more fascinating: their set-up was treated nearly as an afterthought upon the group's 1964 arrival here, and as they fumbled their way forward, hundreds of unofficial Beatles fan clubs sprang up, many of them doing a far better job of creating community and supporting the band than the official one did. (And then there were the sub-groups set up to police the other fans and protect The Beatles from their out-of-control fervor.) Beatles historian Sara Schmidt has chronicled this heretofore untold history in her book, Dear Beatle People: The Story of The Beatles North American Fan Club. Rich with tons of ephemera, photos and correspondence, Sara brings to life the immediacy of '60s American fandom and the unsuspected drama that went along with it. She spoke with hundreds of 1st-gen fans, collecting and preserving their stories of encounters with The Beatles, as well as the stories around the regional clubs around the country that weren't just limited to “Beatles.” (There were, for instance, associated clubs for Beatle wives, actor Victor Spinetti, and a Beatle sister.)  Beatles fandom is an area of study only recently starting to get its due as an illuminating aspect of the phenomena. Joining Sara and I for the talk is rock scholar Allison Bumsted (TeenSet, Teen Fan Magazines and Rock Journalism) as we discuss the history of American Beatles fans in their efforts to put their devotion to purpose. Be sure to also check out Sara's Beatle photo blog, https://www.meetthebeatlesforreal.com/

Why are we still talking about these guys? Does a band that stopped recording together over half a century ago have any relevance in the 21st century? Have we reached the bottom of the barrel yet in terms of exploring every aspect of their story? If you answered yes and no respectively to the last two questions, press on, because in this conversation with author Sean Murphy, we dive into the continued appeal and inspiration that The Beatles gave us, as potent in 2025 as it was in the '60s. Check out Sean's work here:  Twitter & Insta = bullmurph  FB = ⁠  / authorseanmurphy  ⁠  LinkedIn = ⁠  / sean-murphy-4986b41  ⁠  Substack = seanmurphy.live / ⁠https://murphlaw.substack.com Check out MY talk on HIS show here:https://murphlaw.substack.com/p/season-4-ep-6-robert-rodriguez-the Sean's online Beatle writings: 

We are now sixty years on from the crest of The Beatles' touring years, if you figure the August 15, 1965 Shea Stadium show that kicked off their second North American tour as “the top of the mountain,” as John Lennon once did.  Therefore, who better to talk about those three intense years and shows than Chuck Gunderson, author of Some Fun Tonight: The Backstage Story of How The Beatles Rocked America? It was published in 2014 in two slipcased volumes, richly illustrated with many never-before-seen photos of The Fabs onstage, as well as behind the scenes and of period ephemera. Chuck is the expert on those shows, and in this conversation – taped live in front of an audience at the 2025 Rosemont Fest For Beatles Fans – we convened to discuss Shea, Margies Candies, the Chicago mob, segregation, and how Brian handled the demands of sailing into uncharted waters.  Check out the book here: https://www.somefuntonight.com/

In 2014, sociologist Candy Leonard published Beatleness: How the Beatles and Their Fans Remade The World. It was a groundbreaking work, representing a serious exploration into the phenomenon of fandom and the reciprocal relationship between artist and audience, and the impact that all of it had on lives – and the world – that reverberates ever onward even today, sixty years on.  Candy has twice been a guest on the show (155: 1968 and 180: “…I buried Paul…”) but for this conversation, we focused on the politics of Beatles: not their personal convictions per se but what they meant fresh out of the gate – what they represented and how they were received by fans and the establishment alike.    In this talk, we covered hair (as a statement) – drugs – evolution – One to One – Beatles '64 – feminism – Taylor Swift – The Monkees.   Check out Candy's site for her essays and more (https://www.candyleonard.com/beatleness ). 

Director Alan G. Parker's newest film is a personal expression of gratitude toward John Lennon for being a figure that helped him through some difficult years when he was growing up. Borrowed Time: Lennon's Last Decade includes interviews with dozens of figures who knew him; everyone from Aunt Mimi (archival footage) to journalists like Ray Connolly, Chris Charlesworth, and Anthony DeCurtis, plus writers like Philip Norman and Ken Womack and other figures of influence, like Tariq Ali. The result is an impressionistic portrait of John's post-Beatles years, tapping the creativity that comes from working without official sanction. Parker's other work includes 2017's It Was Fifty Years Ago Today on Sgt. Pepper, plus other films and books covering punk acts including The Clash and the Sex Pistols.     

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 »