When They Was Fab: Electric Arguments About the Beatles

Much like the Blues Brothers, Ringo Starr understood the value of two types of music - Country and Western.     Of course, to the benefit of the world, Blues, Rock, bluebeat and "The Great American Songbook" would join in that tremendous soup,  resulting in the backbeat that carried the Beatles, solo hits and more.      We look at Ringo's dips into country with the Beatles, Nashville, the Beaucoups of Blues album, and subsequent work with both Buck Owens and Willie Nelson.

Peace and Love!     Join us in wishing Ringo Starr a very happy 76th birthday with this "extra" edition of Beatling About!

July 4 show!     We take this opportunity to look back at Paul McCartney's involvement in the Concert for New York City and the documentary recording the preparations for the show.     Central to the events was the new song he wrote, the short and long-term perceptions of the tune, and why some people felt overstayed it's welcome.   We are talking about "Freedom", everybody.

Chartbusters!  The Big Hits from England & USA.     In 1964, the Beatles were the leaders of the pack in the American charts, but the Beach Boys kept it together with four top ten hits ("Fun,Fun,Fun", "I Get Around", "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)", and "Dance,Dance Dance"), and still managed to spread some of their California sound to England.    This led to years of competitiveness, as "Rubber Soul" beget "Pet Sounds" beget "Revolver" beget "Good Vibrations" beget "Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane" and "Sgt. Pepper".      We look at the relationship between the Beatles and the Beach Boys, specifically John, Paul and Brian Wilson in this week's Beatling About with special guest Greg Mayfield. .

We celebrate Paul's 74th birthday (+ a day or two) by continuing our look at the One on One tour.    This latest round has taken McCartney and his crew to Argentina, Germany, France, Spain, the Czech Republic and the Pinkpop festival in the Netherlands.    Even on evenings when "the voice" isn't in top shape, he is still the reason everyone is coming to the show, and the result is fully entertaining.   The best description came from one reviewer, who called the show "an Instagram filter for three hours of your life."

Paul McCartney returns to the road, both in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.    We take a look at the "One on One Tour" from the inside out.    This week we consider the soundcheck experience, the material Sir Macca chooses to play each day, the vegetarian dinner, and the wonder known as Shelley Lazar.

For over fifty years people have wanted to know all of the Beatles secrets.       That goal has not been accomplished.     However, some of the books stand above the others (and, as with Beatles music, our favorites change regularly).   Why?   It could be a particularly nice set of photographs, the text of a historic interviews, or great research.    All that and more this week.

Does your Beatles bookshelf look like this?    Ours certainly does.     With Philip Norman's high profile biography of Paul McCartney grabbing headlines, we decided to spend this week and next going through some of the Beatles books that have inspired and informed us and made us the sort of guys who would do a show like this one!

Part 2 of our look at the "Pure McCartney" compilation.     It is Coming Up (dig that Peter Gunn theme!) in a couple of weeks, and we will soon know how well the promotional machine does its job.     Will Stuart Bell have some exciting tidbits about Paul playing the tunes loudly?    Will Nancy admit which is her favorite (beyond "My Valentine"?)     Currently, I guess Only Mama Knows, but soon enough we all will!

What's "New" in the world of Paul McCartney?     A compilation from Sir Macca covering his career from 1970 to the present day.    He envisions it as a collection for a long car journey, or for playing at a party.    Do we agree?    This week and next we will discuss that very question.   Download, listen, and repeat!

Joe Pope, how do you do it?   You got the story correct when both George Martin and Hunter Davies were still telling tales!  "George Martin wanted the Beatles to release "How Do You Do It" as their first single, but the Beatles chose to go with "Love Me Do" primarily because they wanted to release one of their own compositions."    The story of this song and record is investigated in this episode!   

Has that "unknown artist" Sir Paul McCartney been riding on Kanye West and Rihanna's coat tails by performing that hit song "Four Five Seconds" live?       How many people today even know just what is a Rutle?    We ask the question where the next generation of Beatles fans are coming from, and how the message of "All You Need is Love" stands up in this more cynical era, and find that young people are still listening to the music and becoming fans of the Fab Four.

I read the news today, have you?     We cover some recent happenings in and around the Beatles world.    Remember "The Beatles vs. Don Ho?"     Who was the man behind that label, what else did he do, and what famous friends did he have?    Second, we take a look at Geoff Emerick's stage play "The Beatles: Sessions" that debuted at the Albert Hall, and end with several more topics in speed round.

Many tunes loom large in the Beatles legend.    However, only a handful of these have been performed in multiple versions by multiple Beatles.    Sometimes they are serious, and sometimes they are taking the mickey out of each other.     We dive through the mists of time and build a DIY playlist for everybody.    A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

In part two of our Hamburg spectacular, we move up the Grosse Freiheit and look at their time in the Top Ten Club, the Star Club, and Gretel and Alfons.    Along the way, speed round returns and we investigate Ted "Kingsize" Taylor, his Grundig recorder, and the drunken Christmas tapes that have become history.