Gen X ex-cruise ship comedians TJ Shanoff and Tony Mendoza discuss the Fab Four without taking anything too seriously. Roll up for the long and rambling road.
Dust off your funny bone (actual NBC ad copy circa 1987), it's the long-awaited conclusion to T.J., Tony and Producer Casey's forensic deep dish into Paul McCartney's 1993 appearance on Saturday Night Live! Yes, the boys are combing through every Macca performance, each Clinton-era comedy sketch, and almost every opinion... Unfortunately, Producer Casey did not inform the affiliates that we would be running over, so regularly scheduled programming resumed as planned. Of course, any well-executed satire (like the Gap Girls sketch!) will elicit thought-provoking questions. Such as:
Remember when Paul wasn't in The Beatles anymore? And, um, he was on that TV show Saturday Night Live? A second time? And he played all those songs nobody knew from that record only T.J. Shanoff loved called Off the Ground? Remember that? That was awesome. (But also some of it might've been hot garbage #AlecBaldwin #AnalcAnal) Join Tony, T.J., and Producer Casey as they foray into Sir Paul's second foray into live sketch comedy, his 1993 appearance on SNL. Along the way, the gang finds out:
Did you know that fellow '60's Brit rockers The Kinks had their biggest ever hit in 1984? Who didn't love "Kum Backing", their tribute to one of the very first bootlegs: the Beatles acetate "Kum Back"? Here at the UBP we love the Kinks, kink shaming, Kum & Go gas, and this legendary bootleg, heard by the #Kum2GetherToo for the very first time just this month! Some Beatles "fans", right? I'll bet they can't even pronounce "Esher" correctly... So do get your tape recorders rolling, but be forewarned; Kash Patel may come to your home to sing songs about justice for people who poop on senate desks. Smart fella, that one. All of 'em, really. ANYHOO, when your tape is rolling, Bob, be ready for more questions than a societally-destructive right wing manosphere podcast is "just asking", such as:
Some “podcasts” only hear The Beatles (TM, pending) tell some. But only one “Podcast” hears the Beatles tell all, for one. #Sting #BryanAdams #RodStewart #TellMeAllYourThoughtsOnRod This week, our own Dunhill & V.J. - Tony & T.J.! - jump into one of the long-forgotten, 1964 V.J. record label cash grabs, “Hear The Beatles Tell All”. This tabloid-style Beatles interview album contains no Beatles music, but it does feature one of rock & soul music's greatest drummers this side of Purdydice City. Take! Me! Home! #PurdiePlayedOnThatTrackToo Take a trip back to late 1964, when this album was released, or sometime in the 1980's, when T.J bought a fake V.J. version in a real Chicago record store, played it, and carefully put it back in a rice paper sleeve, where it lived until about a week ago. Which pressing does he have? Do you really care? Does he? Does Tony? Casey? P3Z-Nutz? Why is John pregnant, again? And why not use this gone tropportunity to ask more questions, such A$: Some “podcasts” only hear The Beatles (TM, pending) tell some. But only one “Podcast” hears the Beatles tell all, for one. #Sting #BryanAdams #RodStewart #TellMeAllYourThoughtsOnRod This week, our own Dunhill & V.J. - Tony & T.J.! - jump into one of the long-forgotten, 1964 V.J. record label cash grabs, “Hear The Beatles Tell All”. This tabloid-style Beatles interview album contains no Beatles music, but it does feature one of rock & soul music's greatest drummers this side of Purdydice City. Take! Me! Home! #PurdiePlayedOnThatTrackToo Take a trip back to late 1964, when this album was released, or sometime in the 1980's, when T.J bought a fake V.J. version in a real Chicago record store, played it, and carefully put it back in a rice paper sleeve, where it lived until about a week ago. Which pressing does he have? Do you really care? Does he? Does Tony? Casey? P3Z-Nutz? Why is John pregnant, again? And why not use this gone tropportunity to ask more questions, such A$:
Holy Beatles Discovery! Two 1963 concerts, in arguably made up British towns, have surfaced! They capture the early days of British Beatlemania (#BillyJoel) and are a revelatory addition to the Beatle live catalog. One can only hope Calderstone/UMe releases it in a souped up vinyl version, with an Apple and on Capitol's 1988 purple label, for only $75! #ThrowInADamnGnome #AndAnXDRChime As if we needed any more proof that the fabs were on top of their game well before they hit the U.S. (angry Chicago guy: "How come Tony & T.J. hate A Murica so bad? And how come I'm wet again, in my no-fun places?"), these raw and rare recordings reiterate the unmatched power of the early live Beatles. A newly, virtually, reunited Gab Two discuss this and more, and ask the questions only the censored, silenced media on Fox, Newsmax, Breitbart, countless podcasts, and Sinclair's local news affiliates are brave/high enough to ask, like:
As our beloved US quickly descends into cruel authoritarian idiocy, the UBP crew reunited IRL to wax fab on new RSD purchases, old Reckless Records purchases, and then attend an IMAX screening of the new Magnolia Films doc One To One: John & Yoko. Within the fortified safety of their top secret Meigs Field Beatle Bunker Bag, T.J., Tony and Producer Casey hunkered down to opine freely about anything (¿
Spring Break Alert! Get your bus ticket to Cabo and/or Wabo, because it's time for a springtime April catch-up! Tony and TJ 1969 Xmas Flexi Disc the heck out of this episode, as they review the latest Beatle film news, and more! Plus, newly crowned 8th Beatle Yoko Ono takes the spotlight, with a deluxe reissue of our early-ass look at Approximately Infinite Universe; now in Dolby NR! EPISODE LINKS Like and subscribe! Please support our scrappy show. Score some sweet merch or find us on Patreon. Come hang with us on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram! Drop us a review on Apple Podcasts! ----- Originally reissued August 12, 2023 Yang Yang! You've given me a Yang Yang! And we're thinking of Yoko…so we've decided to reach into our archives for a limited, deluxe remix/remaster/reissue/bonus Gnome edition of our vaunted 4th episode in 2020, where we deep-dished a Tony favorite: Yoko Ono's “Approximately Infinite Universe”! Did you know it's TWO albums? Well hell yeah, it is! Good for Tony. Butt, what about T.J.? Well, there are even more questions that must be answered, such a$:
March may be officially in the rearview, but its Madness sticks around for one more week! Join T.J., Tony, and Producer Casey as they Duke it out over their Eighth Beatle Brackets, and maybe also inadvertently disseminate dubious biographical details. We're just asking questions here. Like:
It's 1964. The Beatles have conquered America. But beneath the screams and the hysteria lies a secret—a mystery so audacious, so rhythmically complex, that it has remained hidden for decades. Could it be true that Bernard Purdie, legendary session drummer, played on Beatles records? Join hard-hitting investigator Tony Mendoza as he dives headfirst into one of rock and roll's most bizarre conspiracy theories. Along the way, he encounters a rogue's gallery of underground insiders whose stories paint a picture of deception, syncopation, and a janitor with a mop that could shuffle harder than a Reno croupier. Did Bernard Purdie really lay down the beat for the biggest band in the world? Or is this just another myth in the long, strange history of Beatles lore? Find out in The Purdie Sound of Music—an exhaustive 87-part true (or false?) crime docuseries. Coming April 1, 2026, only on The Untitled Beatles Podcast.
It's March Madness! Can you feel the excitement, between bouts of despair from our rapid descent into a fascist state? And did anyone else pick Fascist State to beat Attica State in the Hate Eight? The UBP takes March Madness more seriously than Americans take hating Duke. (David. F**k him!) Because at the UBP, we have two jobs: being the podcast of academic record for serious Beatle (and bible) study, and creating a tournament bracket destined to cement Dick Biondi's legacy as a Top 10 figure in Beatles history! So play along with us as Tony, T.J., and Casey crown this year's champion, the iron-clad, Apple/Calderstone-endorsed, OFFICIAL Eighth Beatle. Who will win it all this year? As John & Yoko once said, “Listen To This Podcast”! EPISODE LINKS Download your bracket to play along at home Like and subscribe! Please support our scrappy show. Score some sweet merch or find us on Patreon Come hang with us on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram! Drop us a review on Apple Podcasts!
It's the end of an error, as Tony & T.J. conclude their three years/one day saga of binging reissued Macca 45s with a couple of absolute late-era McCartney gems; and an exclusive, world-wide/WorldStar, legally dubious debut of T.J.'s "Liverpool Oratorio" test pressing! We'll be back next week with an all new episode where we get in the March Madness spirit; and by that we mean point-shaving, baby!! In the meantime, go ahead and grab a Macca snack; they're meat free and it's not even Monday. Unless it is! EPISODE LINKS Like and subscribe! Please support our scrappy show. Score some sweet merch or find us on Patreon. Come hang with us on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram! Drop us a review on Apple Podcasts!
Move over, "Cloud 9". 1987's biggest release, at least for fans of the kind of hard, f rock that Appleton's legendary WFUK made famous, is Tiffany's "Could've Been". #
In what many scholars consider one of the most revelatory album releases of 1994 (perhaps second only to Sade's "Best of Sade"), the Beatles' "Live at the BBC" provides a portal back to the early 60s, when the Beatles weren't yet quite as popular as the big J.C. This week, T.J and Tony dust off their CD collections to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 30th anniversary of some of the Fab Four's finest live studio recordings, and in the process, answer the timeless questions:
Have you ever had a Rock & Roll Fantasy? The Kinks did. So did Bad Company. And nobody hated Bad Company more than rock music's Stephen Sondheim. #FireElaineStritch Some Rock & Roll fantasies are quite dangerous, like the troubling, cancel-worthy ones Rick Rubin has about feet. ALLEGEDLY. But others are healthy enough to dream out loud, on, by any reasonable metric, one of America's most acclaimed podcasts. Inspired by an inspiring suggestion from longtime listener, Patreon supporter, and singer/songwriter, Montreal's own Max "Como" Comeau (which translates loosely in ‘Murican to "Max, how"?), Tony and T.J. dare to dream: what would have a Beatles reunion concert been like in the late 1970's? Would George wear his silly stache from his self titled LP? Would Paul arrive on a laconic boat from London Town? Would John bake bread as Yoko verbally assaults Chuck Berry? And would Ringo be sober enough to zug-zug his way from Monte Carlo to the venue? These questions will NOT be answered in this fairly insane excursion in to fantasyland - you'll thank us for the two drink minimum, folks - but don't fret; neither will these:
The fab four's fourth fab album, Beatles for Sale, isn't just absolutely freaking underrated. It offers perhaps the last of their comparatively-less-ubiquitous knockout tunes. Side 2 illustrates this point perfectly, where just about Every Little Thing is magical*. (*May not include cover songs!) And yet, the UBP's very own Tony “Dave Dexter Junior, Junior” Mendoza wants to make this album even better. How will he do this you may ask? That's why you literally have to listen! (No, really this time we're not f**king around.) Spoiler alert: just when the “lawyers” said Rush and The Beatles was too legally sick of a collab, The Spirit of Hard Rock Radio on WFUK - Your Home for Appleton Foxes Baseball - proves that in Tony's world, the timeless wavelengths remain, well, timeless. And also, wavelengths. You can't spoil a UBP “Beatles For Sale” party, because a UBP “Beatles For Sale” party don't spoil! Oy, unless it's too hot at this meshugana picnic! Which one of you shcmucks brought egg salad, it's a thousand degrees out here!? And also:
It's one of the more unique and perhaps under-appreciated albums in the Beatles otherworldly catalog: “Beatles For Sale”. Recorded in the eye of the Beatlemania storm, with the making of what would become “Help” right around the corner, this is one of the few Beatles albums that, to quote TLC's tribute to Zach Braff (NBC's “No Scrubs”), “Beatles For Sale”, sadly gets no love. It's occasionally dismissed as a creative and energy step down from the album which preceded it, “A Hard Days Night”. BY MORONS, AM I RIGHT? Because this is a damn fine album, however exhausted and transitional the boys may have been, and it's long past time it gets an authentic, patented UBP deep dish. Hold the sausage, it's almost Meat Free Monday, you jagbag! In addition to dishing Dylan, The Beatles, and the age old political battle of mono vs. stereo, the Now On Sale Two also ponder:
Sure, in 1982, George may have “Gone Troppo” … but who could've guessed that some 43 years later, his old pal Ringo would have “Gone Conttro”? That's right! Buckle your buckles, scoot those boots, and pour out'cher ten gallon hats, because this week the Twangin' Two dish deep not just on Ringo's new Nashville-infused release, “Look Up”, but they Look Back on their own Americana and country music roots. Join us as we hit the open highway with our radios tuned to Tom T. Hall, Dave “Curley” Dudley, and Dick Butkus, and along the ride we ask:
The rager of an anny party continues over at the UBP, as the team celebrates their 200th (200-point-fifth?) episode! With the help of some fab listener questions, Tony, T.J., & Casey dish deep on all things Beatles - and some exciting news that may be revealed for 2025! (This is called a tease, but it's a bad one, because there's no special news. There is, however, a rarely-heard Tony Mendoza production, crafted exclusively for Beatlefest 2024, seamlessly bringing together the world's two most important proper nouns.) While reflecting on the future of UBP, and also preparing for the past, the UB3 (#Cantaloop?) also ponder:
It was 200 episodes ago today… The world was thrown into chaos by a pandemic that real scientists, like the bumbling, mediocre, former host of a largely stupid, 2000's NBC reality show, knew could be cured with basic medical know how; like injecting bleach. #NegativeCreep #FileHimUnderARock From this weird, wild world of alternative facts and despair came The Untitled Beatles Podcast, and we couldn't be more proud to share our 200th sojourn into the vast, beautiful world of Beatles music and culture. In this special episode, Tony, T.J., and Producer Casey take the rare step of making things about themselves, and discuss how a deep love of Beatles music—as well as the much anticipated sequel to “All The Best”—brought them together. They answer pointedly personal, potentially problematic questions from some loyal listeners, and also consider:
Cheer Down, Untitled Beatlefreaks! This week, Tony gives T.J. Cliff's notes (shouldn't have left your locker open, Cliff) on the fascinating book, Dark Horse Records: The Story of George Harrison's Post-Beatles Record Label, written by Aaron Badgley. Did the quiet Beatle create the first indie label, one that featured appearances from Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, and at least one former Wing? The guys discuss this and more, like:
To celebrate the release of The Beatles 1964 US Albums in Mono, Untitled T.J. invited Untitled Tony over to his Untitled Beatles Paradise, where the two middle-aged lads Beatled about for hours with these new HOTLY CUT platters. In this episode, the first in a sporadic series, they delve into this MOSTLY FAB box set, leading off with Side 1 of Meet The Beatles. While the hot wax spins, the Jurk Twins ponder:
The fellas are offline for the holidays this week, enjoying a restful end of the year and prepping furiously for all-new episodes in 2025. And hey BY THE WAY, UBP Episode 200 is coming up real soon! If you'd like to be a part of the celebration, we'd love to have you. Record an audio memo with a question for the guys and email it to untitledbeatlespod@gmail.com with "Episode 200" and we'll try to find a way to work it into the episode. And in the meantime, dust off those old Xmas Flexidiscs, and please enjoy this encore release of our 2021 deep dish conversation about the Beatles' Christmas Records. ----- Originally released December 25, 2021 It's been a real gear year for the Untitled Beatles Podcast and it's all due to you! ‘Spect some of you are getting out a 50¢ piece to weigh down your rare out of print Beatles Christmas Flexi Discs. For those going without these cherished “only fans” records, T.J. and Tony will cover each holiday curiosity released from 1963-1969, with noses red from holiday cheer. In this very special holiday episode:
Since Xmashanukkwanza has been an ongoing celebration since late September, we here at the UPB have already spent all of our allotted giving spirit for 2024 (#ThanksObama). Therefore it's time to focus on what we WANT to RECEIVE from The Beatleverse in the years to come. So this week, Crimbledee and Crimbledum list off all the major contenders on their fab wishlists, while leaving these remaining items for future wishlists:
George Harrison's tribute to Smokey Robinson, "When Smokey Sings", isn't just Rob Sheffield's favourite solo Beatles tune. The Motown legend, arguably best known for covering "So Bad", is a huge part of "Beatles '64", the Mouse's latest entry in the world of Beatles documentaries. 1964 is THE seminal year in Beatles history, so surely this Scorcese-produced doc provides a comprehensive look at the full year? Clearly, the talking heads are relevant and used sparingly? Obviously, this release comes in concert with expanded, cleaned up footage improving on what we all really want, a reissued "The First U.S. Visit"? Our own Medved and (Mister) Roeper explore the highs and lows of yet another Beatles holiday gift, and along the way they ask:
Right around Thanksgiving (the American one, THE ONLY ONE), the Material World got a whole lot more material! The Harrison estate graciously reintroduced one of George's most acclaimed records to the world; via a sparkling, glorious Paul Hicks remix in honor of its' (approximately, infinite) 50th anniversary. There are many iterations of this current reissue, as Beatleworld continues its transition from “marketing exclusively for the masses” to “marketing primarily for boomers with loads of disposable cash”. In arguably the greatest national tragedy of 2024, Theater Tony (The Annoyance) and Theatre T.J. ("Madonna: The Musical") could only afford the 2-LP/streaming version of this title. (Producer Casey, please put an “awwwww” drop here. K? Then do it, damn it!) But fear not! The guys delve into this reissue with their usual panache, like a couple of panache-holes, but also find the holiday spirit to ask other hard questions, like:
This week, T.J., Tony, Casey, and P3Z-Nutz all gather round the cornucopia at Untitled Beatles HQ to reflect for just a moment on all the fab fortunes 2024 has brought to Beatledom, while saving a little room for the requisite holiday grievances. Fun and turkey tomfoolery abound, and we are grateful to get to share the table with all of you. EPISODE LINKS Like and subscribe! Please support our scrappy show. Score some sweet merch or find us on Patreon. Come hang with us on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram! Drop us a review on Apple Podcasts!
This week, we gotta get back in time. Back to 2022, when a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and edible-influenced T.J. and Tony ripped through Teej's brand new box set of the 7” Macca Singles, joined by their close (and possibly hallucinated) friends P3Z-Nutz, Mrs. Vandebilt, and Uncle Pecos. Will they make it all the way through the bonus test (your patience) pressing of 4 random songs from Liverpool Oratorio? Pop in your earbuds and a coupla your favorite Macca Snacks, and you might just find out. EPISODE LINKS Like and subscribe! Please support our scrappy show. Score some sweet merch or find us on Patreon. Come hang with us on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram! Drop us a review on Apple Podcasts!
You got a problem with me, guy? What about The Beatles, you don't got a problem with them, right? Because some of their songs, depending who you ask, are pretty darn problematic. Where's Jerry Falwell when you need him? Oh, yeah, dead! He Gone!!!
Not everyone gets lip serviced. Like, have you ever been lip serviced, pal?Being lip serviced, also known as “paying someone lip service” is when someone talks about you. For example, “Donald T****p once paid his daughter
For anyone with a pulse - and/or a mint copy of the Pink Floyd CD with a still-functioning blue light - Beatles music makes life better. The Fab 4 (or 5, depending where one sits with Sir Jimmie Nicol) were imperfect men, who created mostly perfect music; “12 Bar Original” and “Sie Liebt Dich”, notwithstanding. Despite their very human flaws and contradictions, they sought to communicate light and love through their remarkable music, lyrics, and an unmatched accessibility to every generation and background. In mere hours, America [F**K YEAH!] will decide our next president. Regardless of one's political leanings, it's a stressful time ‘round here. And, when we find ourselves in times of trouble, many of us rely on Beatles music to soothe, entertain, inspire, and fulfill us. Those who don't are probably d-bags, and it's best to cancel them. #PeaceAndLove Even though entertainers should absolutely stay in their lane and SHUT THEIR PIE HOLES about politics (looking at you, Chachi! And especially you, longtime host of NBC's “The Apprentice”!), this week's UBP focuses on favorite, optimistic music from the Beatles world that serves to inspire Tony & T.J. on the eve of this precarious moment in American history. Plus, there's many insider-y, beltway-adjacent questions posed by our own Nate Silver and Nate Gold (#YukonCornelius #SoulTrain), as we also ask:
A book can take you anywhere… …Out to sea on a vengeful hunt for a fierce white whale…Trapped on a stalled train car solving the grisly murder of a fellow passenger…Madly pacing at a record retailer, deciding whether or not to purchase a Leon Russell Christmas LP because it's on green vinyl… That last scenario hasn't been published yet, and those pretentious snobs over at Simon & Schuster won't accept unsolicited submissions. Same goes for Penguin. And the dorks at HarperCollins. And the jerks at Random House. And Macmillan. And The Hachette Book Group… That's why this week, per another fab listener suggestion, T.J. and Tony are taken to 1960s Great Britain, where they discuss some of their favorite Beatles books. Were this episode to be optioned into a page turning best seller, these would be some of the chapters:
In 2003, The Redwalls, a really good band hailing from Chicago suburb Deerfield, IL kicked off their album “Universal Blues” by encouraging a “Colorful Revolution”; in a most Beatle-esque Banger fashion. By coincidence (?), a mere 31 years earlier, there was a colorful “Daytime Revolution” as John, Yoko, and friends took over a week's worth of “The Mike Douglas Show” - a.k.a. the guy all of us, if we're being honest, initially confused/conflated with “The Dick Cavett Show”. This new, soon-to-stream documentary examines these historic episodes, and had a brief in-theaters showing on what would've been John's 84th birthday. Tony saw the film solo in Chicago suburb Glenview, IL, as T.J. handled the un-related, un-paid improv rehearsal many miles from his home - and even further from #GlenviewsFamousDawgPark. The result is a new-ish phase Beatles podcast, reproduced for streaming by Producer Casey. Roll up for this special UBP field trip, an aural journey (cue: “Faithfully”) of Tony documenting a documentary, as documentary commentary from T.J. documents Tony's documentary commentary of the documentary's documentary commentary. ALSO: The UBP's Medved + (Helen) Roeper ask:
What is Beatle-esque? Webster's Dictionary has no entry for the term. Nor does Punky Brewster's Dictionary or Boner's Thesaurus. Historians have speculated, scholars have debated, and Beatle sniffers have sniffed for a little too long, yet no one knows for certain. So this week our listeners help define the phrase with their own submissions of non-Beatles songs that evoke the Fab Four, aka Beatle-esque Bangers. T.J. and Tony also offer a couple of their own bangers (a la carte, sans mash)…with lively controversial results. Will be fab! Along the way, the Nerk Nerds ponder:
As Marla Gibbs (look her up, Boomer. Did I get that right?) once said, “there's no place like home!” And she was obviously singing about Skokie, Illinois - home of a cookie cutter AMC Movie Palace so glorious, it rivals only Chicago's famous Esquire Theater, now home to a shuttered Dallas-based steak chain. (#Progress) Usually, Tony and T.J. only go on post-Bears game movie dates when it involves seeing the latest Marvel sequel to a Marvel sequel. (Turn up the volume on those explosions, projector man!) But a special field trip was made after a SEASON-TURNING BEARS WIN, to go see the limited, first ever theatrical release of Paul McCartney's “One Hand Clapping”. Is the film better on the big screen than tucked away on the “Band On The Run” Archive Collection DVD? Does the music rock even harder in the theater? What's the deal with popcorn prices these days, Obama? Tony and T.J. ask these salient and Soily questions, and also ponder from the backyard (of the theater):
Sick episode, bro! No, literally, this episode is sick! Well, actually, Producer Casey was sick with COVID-19 during what was supposed to be a rare, in-person, Rosemont reunion of the Ubp3. #Cantaloop Fortunately, The Fest For Beatles Fans (nee “Beatlefest”) is always sick. Sick, in a good way, like the kids said in spring, '95. We need to legally mention that the Fest was NOT COVID-19 sick, thankfully; which means it probably injected bleach, and horse dewormer. What a great way to own the libz, for freedumb! Somehow, Tony & T.J. were as healthy as two legally-giddy, mid-1970's born Chicago guys can be, so they spent two beautiful days checking out all that this inspiring, lovely collection of fellow Beatles nerds has to offer. And Poducer Casey was able to rally, and contribute to our recorded shenanigans at the Fest from his sad, GrubHub-reekin' hotel room. (Oddly, Casey did not order GrubHub.) So stop your elitist reading, just push play (#FUAerosmith), and come celebrate the 50th Anniversary of The Fest for Beatles Fans with us! Because we also ask other burning Beatles questions, like:
Move aside, Mark Lewisohn. It's SPIZERTIME. That's right. At long last, the Beatles have announced a new 8 LP box set of the U.S. Beatles records they're (dubiously) calling "The Beatles: 1964 Albums in Mono". T.J.'s first phone call was to the Venture at North Ave. and Kostner to pre-order his box set. His next call was to his doctor, to address a sudden and impolite-to-discuss medical condition lasting longer than 4 hours. #ringthebonephone And his third (and arguably most important) call was to his pal Tony so they could compare their hopes and dreams for the impending November release. [Editor's note: T.J. impending release joke #REDACTED] They also cover the truly pressing questions, like:
Attention loyal podcast description reader! Mighty fine morning in your town, init? Say, are you an “Only People” fan? Ever think, “I want to be, but it's just not long enough!” Well, have we got a John Lennon boxed set for you, featuring 11 - count ‘em, 11 - more seconds of “Only People”. It's “Mind Games!” Still a Capitol Records Value, now available for the low price of one month's rent/mortgage. #ImagineNoPosessions The Grumpy Gabbers deep dish this sprawling Lennon reissue's many gorgeous ups and frustrating (Hugh) downs: the demos, myriad remixes, hidden tracks, glow-in-the-dark RSD exclusives, and more, like:
In 1981, the Capitol Records green label LP, budget line re-release of "Mind Games" cost $5.99. In 2024, that same record, when heard in a cube complete with a gnome sized replica of Yoko (allegedly), can be purchased for roughly $1700. Thanks, Obama! (#Sarcasm #Satire #Satcasm) A new precedent in solo Beatles reissues has been set with this reissue, including the more moderately priced (yet still insane) 6 disc edition. Is that a good thing? Does hearing 6 versions of "Intuition" really enhance the experience of listening to the album? And if T.J. doesn't collect it, does it even exist? Tony and T.J. begin to dive into this massive release and answer these questions, and more, like:
Labor Day already? That's it? Summer's over? T.J. and Tony, just like ev'ry summer, are busy packing up their rented cottage in the Isle of Wight. But they both found some time to hop behind a microphone, along with Producer Casey and P3Z-Nutz, to preview some of the fabbest gab they've got lined up for the fall.
Live, from Beatlefest's famous/non-existent Midway Ballroom, in the outskirts of beautiful, mobbed-up, downtown Rosemont, it's Saturday Afternoon Live! WITH SPECIAL GUEST, #1 BEATLES STAN, SKYLAR MOODY! For the second year in a row, Tony Shanoff, T.J. Mendoza, and Producer Case3Z-Nutz said, “f**k it, we'll do it live!”, and recorded this episode at the always-incredible Fest For Beatles Fans (née Beatlefest), in front of some loyal UBP fans; and a few very confused people who were probably too embarrassed/disturbed to leave. (Seeing P3Z-Nutz in person can do that to a newbie.) This year, they're joined by Beatles superfan/influencer/digital creator - the wonderful Skylar Moody - for an intense game of Beatles Trivial Pursuit! Plus, Tony celebrates the Beatles rich history in Chicago - AMERICA'S GREATEST CITY, YA JAGBAGS! T.J. pays tribute to arguably 2025's 8th Beatle (#GiveIrelandBackToTheIfield)! And they also ask, to a HUGE CROWD THAT'S WAY BIGGER THAN KAMALA'S, WHICH IS IMPORTANT AND TRUE BECAUSE I'M MISERABLE INSIDE:
The Untitled Beatles Crew are all still recovering from an epic, whirlwind Fest for Beatles Fans 2024. And by recovering, I mean still passed out somewhere under the Apple Jam Stage. This week, please enjoy one of our all-time faves! ----- [Originally released May 6, 2023] Trivia! What a silly word. I mean, how many words rhyme with “Jergens?” Feel me, Jacque? Sadly, ever since Alex Trebek pulled a (rather cowardly) #HeGone, the pursuit of trivia - Beatles and otherwise - has been largely dormant in America. But not this week! Because Tony and T.J. each break out their deluxe editions of Beatles Trivial Pursuit and play a heated, often deadly round or three of the game! But don't you D.A.R.E. think we put the board in “bored game”! Because, madness (#OurHouse) ensues as we also trivially pursue:
Tell me why? Ain't nothing but a heartache! Tell me why? Ain't nothing but a mistake!Maybe if you're a jag-bag! Because real Fab fans love “Tell Me Why”, by The Beatles but, especially, The Backstreet Boys. ALL RIGHT!The Gab 2 love this record in all of its' forms, and they get a little overly excited as they continue to deep dish “A Hard Day's Night”, both the U.K. and U.S. versions. Perhaps unintentionally, Tony & T.J. make a strong case that the 1987 cassette track listening is definitive, but also - rather generously - take the time to ask:
It's the 50th anniversary of Beatlefest ... errr... The Fest for Beatles Fans™, and Tone-J ShanDozOff and Producer K3C Nutz will obviously all be there. Because at least one time a year: The Untitled Beatles Podcast is filmed before a live studio audience. Roll up and join us this Saturday, August 10, at 1 p.m. in the Palisades (Park) Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare. Tickets and more details at thefest.com.
One need not be Mark Lewisohn (TM) to agree that the two fabbest early Beatles albums are, in no particular order, “Jolly What!” and “A Hard Day's Night”. In honor of Frank Ifield, who died in May and, tragically, missed out on this episode, we're super proud to present the long awaited, much belated, Paperlated, Untitled Beatles Podcast deep dish on the “A Hard Day's Night” LP! Spoilers: 5 FREAKING FABS! In fact, it's not just a great album; it's one of the greatest and most timeless records ever made. Look, every Beatles album is mind-bogglingly great. And yet, it's entirely possible that “A Hard Day's Night” is the most perfect collection of songs they ever recorded. In this episode, the Fab Two On Pod dive into the album's history and legacy, and also ponder from out yonder:
The Untitled Beatles Podcast 60th anniversary celebration of A Hard Day's Night is in full swing, all thanks to Producer Casey's decision to have an open bar. It is a classic film after all and… oh great. Tony just shaved his head to resemble Gene Siskel and now T.J. is trying to squish into his childhood Q-bert costume. Cheeky! And while these pie-eyed faboons intercept every drink (and jam butty) intended for the Fabs, they ponder:
All right, cool, so a lot of y'all like "Head", whether giving it, or getting it, on DVD. Fine! But without question, A Hard Days Night - like Jets Detroit pizza - is better. Because it has to be. #PizzaMarketingTruths Tony and T.J. continue to explore this still-vital film and its unbreakable impact on pop culture, and also ask:
Head. Some would argue it's not just a married birthday treat, but also the greatest rock film ever made. Others, like the UBP, contend that the
The 4th of July is a wonderful time to remember that life's all about picking sides - and, often, hands; across the water, and across America! And today we pick sides…deep dishing sides three and four of One Hand Clapping! Plus, we dive into the incredible bonus, backyard vinyl EP that under no circumstance should be included anywhere digitally, because the millions of peons who dare to get their music from places other than the Universal Music online store don't deserve live “Blackbird”. (Nope, not letting this one go.) Tony and T.J. agree that the first official release of “One Hand Clapping” is a masterpiece, perhaps one of Paul's very best albums; unless one is Rob Sheffleld, in which case this would rank just below “Gone Troppo”. But when it's time to pick sides, perhaps they're more Siskel & Ebert and less Medved & Lyons as they also ponder:
What exactly is the sound of one hand clapping? Is it similar to one man napping? Some band slapping? Dumb planned crapping? Crumb...tanned...uh, line? LINE? No, you can't get in line at your local record shoppe for a midnight release party, because the first ever official, complete vinyl issue of "One Hand Clapping" is being sold exactly as it would've been in 1974: exclusively on Universal's website. Eat it, beloved, local record stores! And unlike Wacco Jacko's '88 parody "Eat It", these live-in-studio Wings tracks have never sounded fresher. 50 years after they were recorded, can a case be made that this is a top-tier McCartney album, filled with definitive versions of Macca classics? We'll leave that to Rob Sheffield, who'll rank "Love My Baby" ahead of "Watching The Wheels", and instead ask:
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