Friday, December 31, 2010

Paris Sports Palais



CBM, 1974

The first, and for a long time, only, issue of the afternoon Paris concert from June 20th, 1965.

- Twist And Shout
- She's A Woman
- I'm A Loser
- Can't Buy Me Love
- Baby's In Black

- I Wanna Be Your Man
- A Hard Day's Night
- Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
- Rock And Roll Music
- I Feel Fine
- Ticket To Ride
- Long Tall Sally

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

A Hard Clay's Night



Disc jockey Tom Clay of CKLW-AM in Windsor, Ontario flew to London early in April 1964 to visit The Beatles at Twickenham Studios during filming of their first motion picture. Sometime around April 7th, he taped interviews with various combinations of Beatles (depending upon who was needed on the set).

Clay's interviews were issued on two singles mailed to "International Beatle Boosters", one in 1964 and the second the following year. Here is a composite of both recordings.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

The Black And White Minstrel Show



Stash Records, 1988

Compilation of Beatles covering their favorite artists - one side each for Buddy Holly/Carl Perkins/Chuck Berry/Little Richard. Mostly from BBC Radio performances with some Get Back jams and solo renditions thrown in.

NOTE: The last song on side 3 cuts off abruptly due to damage on my copy of the LP.

- That'll Be The Day
- Love Me Do
- Words Of Love
- Crying, Waiting, Hoping
- Cannonball/Not Fade Away/Hey Little Girl/Bo Diddley
- Peggy Sue
- I'm Gonna Love You Too
- Maybe Baby/Peggy Sue
- Well All Right
- Maybe Baby
- Crying, Waiting, Hoping
- Mailman Bring Me No More Blues

- Glad All Over
- Honey Don't
- Sure To Fall (In Love With You)
- Matchbox
- Lend Me Your Comb
- Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
- Honey Don't
- Your True Love
- Blue Suede Shoes

- Too Much Monkey Business
- I Got To Find My Baby
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Roll Over Beethoven
- Johnny B. Goode
- Sweet Little Sixteen
- Carol
- Rock And Roll Music
- I'm Talking About You

- Lucille
- Long Tall Sally
- Ooh! My Soul
- Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey!
- Jenny Jenny/Slippin' And Slidin'
- Short Fat Fannie
- Rip It Up

Monday, December 27, 2010

Yo Ho Ho! A Pirate Christmas


On December 6th, 1966, in the midst of extended sessions for "Strawberry Fields Forever", The Beatles took time out to record some Christmas greetings for Radio Caroline and Radio London, two offshore (pirate) radio stations which had enjoyed a banner year.

Although they were reading scripted messages, the group decided to liven things up by recording them against backgrounds of Mellotron loops and sound effects from the Abbey Road tape library. Here is a monitor mix of several takes; some of these were released on the "Free As A Bird" single in 1995.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Watching Rainbows



Audifon, 1978

- Watching Rainbows
- Madman
- Mean Mr. Mustard/Madman
- Blackbird
- Honey Hush
- Stand By Me
- Hare Krishna Mantra
- "Well, If You're Ready"
- Two Of Us
- One After 909

- Too Bad About Sorrows
- Just Fun
- She Said She Said
- Mean Mr. Mustard
- Don't Let Me Down
- All Things Must Pass
- Fools Like Me
- You Win Again
- She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
- Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight
- A Quick One While He's Away
- Her Majesty

Thursday, December 23, 2010

My Eyes Ken Seymour




Here is another of the many interviews John Lennon and Yoko Ono gave from their room in Montreal's Queen Elizabeth Hotel during the May 1969 Bed-In. This one, conducted by Ken Seymour for CBC Radio, may have been taped the morning of the 27th, before the Bed-In officially began, according to this:

"Ken was roaming around Montreal, where he was living, looking for stories and contacts. At about midnight, he received an anonymous tip that John and Yoko had booked in at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. At the time, they couldn’t enter the USA because of his drug convictions in Britain.

“As soon as I got up the next morning, I went straight round there,” recalls Ken, now from Saltash, Cornwall, during a visit to the museum. “I asked to see them and eventually talked to Derek Taylor (then The Beatles’ publicity officer). I think he remembered me from coverage of Ringo’s honeymoon in Hove, Sussex. He said that they’d give me five minutes, so I went in. I did the five minutes, but we struck it off so well. It was flowing beautifully.”

Ken said that was all he needed for the news bulletin, but he invited them to continue the interview for a possible documentary about their “bed-in”. They agreed.

“John was wearing pyjamas and Yoko was in a nightdress,” says Ken. “They were preparing to do the bed-in, but hadn’t yet started it."

Source: http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-life-features/liverpool-arts/2008/12/03/listen-to-john-lennon-s-vision-of-heaven-64375-22391522/2/

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Almost Grown



King Records, 1983

The second album in Yellow Dog's early 80's Get Back trilogy. Some fun Chuck Berry covers from Apple Studios on side A, and some dull Twickenham rehearsals on side B.

- Get Back
- Bad Boy
- Sweet Little Sixteen
- Around And Around
- Almost Grown
- Madman

- One After 909
- All Things Must Pass
- Across The Universe
- A Case Of The Blues
- Gone Gone Gone
- Let It Be

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Québec, Jojo!



The Beatles' only performances in Montréal took place September 8th, 1964 at the Forum (at 4:00 pm and 8:30 pm). It was the last stop prior to a short break in the North American tour, and notable for the death threats Ringo received (as well as a bomb scare prior to the second show). A press conference was held at 6:00 pm between concerts, and Larry Kane recorded lengthy interviews with Paul, George, and an understandably distracted Ringo backstage.

Monday, December 20, 2010

From Session To Session...



Alternative Record Company, 1983

Sloppily-designed compilation with a handful of Beatles/Lennon outtakes, a song from Tokyo, a few Get Back rehearsals, and a Badfinger song.

- Angel Baby
- Be My Baby
- How Do You Do It
- Come And Get It
- Let It Be

- Yesterday
- I've Got A Feeling
- Get Back
- Don't Let Me Down
- House Of The Rising Sun
- Let It Be

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Big B.D.



A few weeks into the prolonged "White Album" sessions, Paul flew to America to promote Apple Records and meet with Capitol executives in Los Angeles. While there (between June 20th and 25th, 1968), Paul spoke with disc jockey Bobby Dale about Apple Films, the Maharishi, the military draft, and setting up the new company.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Beatlemania 1963-69 Twenty Never Published Songs



Zakatecas, 1976

Pretty much a sampler from Sweet Apple Trax and Yellow Matter Custard, with some Christmas bits and "Some Other Guy" tossed in.

- Christmas Time (Is Here Again)
- Move It/Good Rockin' Tonight
- Honey Hush
- Shakin' In The Sixties
- Hi-Heel Sneakers
- I Me Mine
- Across The Universe
- House Of The Rising Sun
- Some Other Guy
- Suzy Parker
- Get Back
- Tennessee

- "Get Off!"
- Crying, Waiting, Hoping
- The Honeymoon Song
- Nothin' Shakin' (But The Leaves On The Trees)
- So How Come (No One Loves Me)
- I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You)
- A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues
- Sure To Fall
- To Know Her Is To Love Her
- The Beatles' Seventh Christmas Record

Thursday, December 16, 2010

George, Jerry & Debbie



Cleveland disc jockey Jerry G. Bishop would accompany The Beatles on their August 1965 North American tour, but a few months earlier, he had the opportunity to speak with George Harrison.

During the filming of Help! in mid-April 1965, Bishop placed a call to Twickenham Film Studios and was able to chat with George, a "slow eater", in the studio canteen after the others had finished lunch. Also on the line with Bishop was teenage fan Debbie Kreuger, who asked a few questions. It's interesting to hear George confirm that Eight Arms To Hold You is no longer the film's title, but that the new one hasn't been decided just yet (which places this interview just prior to April 13th, when the title song "Help!" was recorded).

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

The Beatles [The Black Album]



no label, 1981

Perhaps Audifon's best-selling title, the "Black Album" was a three-disc set of Get Back rehearsals packaged as a "White Album" antithesis. Discs one and two are just CBM's Sweet Apple Trax LPs, but the third disc has some new material and some upgrades. Came packaged with a full-sized poster including a photo collage and dialogue from the Get Back book.

- Tennessee
- Across The Universe
- House Of The Rising Sun
- "Commonwealth"
- "Enoch Powell"
- "Get Off!"
- Honey Hush
- For You Blue
- Let It Be

- Get Back
- Don't Let Me Down
- Two Of Us
- Baa Baa Black Sheep
- Don't Let Me Down
- Suzy Parker
- I've Got A Feeling
- Get Back

- Let It Be
- She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
- Be-Bop-A-Lula
- She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
- Hi Heel Sneakers
- I Me Mine
- I've Got A Feeling
- One After 909

- One After 909
- Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
- She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
- La Penina
- "Shakin' In The Sixties"
- Move It/Good Rockin' Tonight
- Across The Universe
- Two Of Us
- "Ramblin' Woman"/I Threw It All Away/Mama You've Been On My Mind
- I Me Mine
- Domino

- Honey Hush
- Stand By Me
- Hare Krishna Mantra
- Two Of Us
- "You Got Me Going"
- Twist And Shout
- Don't Let Me Down
- I've Got A Feeling
- St. Louis Blues
- One After 909

- Too Bad About Sorrows
- Just Fun
- She Said She Said
- Mean Mr Mustard
- Don't Let Me Down
- All Things Must Pass
- Fools Like Me
- You Win Again
- She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
- Watching Rainbows

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Meet The Baggy Sweegers



"Marsha Albert, 55, was a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Silver Springs, Maryland, when she first heard the Beatles on a CBS television report about the group's phenomenal success in Britain.

A snippet of the report had been shown on the morning news on November 22, 1963, the day that With the Beatles, the band's second album, was released in Britain, and the full four-minute version was to be broadcast on The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. But President Kennedy was shot that day and CBS cancelled its regular programming.

Ms. Albert happened to be watching when the segment was finally aired on December 10. It opened with a clip of the Beatles playing She Loves You.

The next day, she wrote to her local DJ, Carroll James of WWDC in Washington, asking: "Why can't we have music like that here in America?" Mr. James, who had also seen the CBS report, got a BOAC flight attendant to bring him a copy of the Beatles' latest single from Britain. On December 17, 1963, he invited Ms. Albert to the studio to introduce I Want to Hold Your Hand. Listeners went berserk.

"The switchboard went crazy," Mr. James recalled. "They were begging us to play it again, and you know, I did something that I had never done until that day - and that was play the same song twice during my show. For ten days, WWDC was the only station in America to have a copy."

Capitol Records had not planned to release the Beatles record until January 13, 1964, and hired a lawyer to seek a cease-and-desist order. But the record label decided that it would be wiser just to bring forward the release date."

Source: http://www.thefab40.com/media/pressclips/thetimes_20040117.html

When The Beatles finally arrived in Washington DC on February 11th, they were more than willing to chat live on the air with Carroll James, who would also MC their first US concert that night at the Washington Coliseum. The result was a loose and silly interview, and even Marsha was there to meet the boys!

Baggy Sweegers

Monday, December 13, 2010

At The Alamo



Tuna Records, 1980

Yet another issue of the 1965 Houston concert, this one brought to you by Charlie the Tuna.

- Twist And Shout
- She's A Woman
- I Feel Fine
- Dizzy Miss Lizzy
- Ticket To Ride
- Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby

- Can't Buy Me Love
- Baby's In Black
- I Wanna Be Your Man
- A Hard Day's Night
- Help!
- I'm Down

Friday, December 10, 2010

You Always Hurt The One You Love



By request, here is a recording of David Wigg interviewing Ringo for the BBC Radio series Scene And Heard. The conversation was taped in the back of a limo as Ringo traveled to Apple Studios for the start of "phase two" of the Get Back recording sessions on January 21st, 1969.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Liverpool May 1960



Indra, 1987

Yellow Dog's issue of the less-than-thrilling "Beatals" home recordings from early 1960. Most of the set is rambling (and artificially extended) blues instrumentals, but a couple of real songs give a glimpse into the early repertoire of John, Paul, George, and Stu.

- I'll Follow The Sun
- Instrumental
- Instrumental

- Hallelujah I Love Her So
- Instrumental (aka "Turn The Switches Off")
- "Come On People"
- "I Don't Need No Cigarette Boy"

- "I Don't Know"
- One After 909
- Movin' And Groovin'/Ramrod
- Instrumental

- Instrumental
- Wildcat

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Assignment: Almeria



This is one of my favorite John Lennon interviews. In the autumn of 1966, John traveled to Germany and Spain to film a supporting role in Richard Lester's movie How I Won The War.

Towards the end of October 1966, as shooting was winding down, entertainment reporter Fred Robbins visited the film set in Almeria, Spain, and taped a lengthy conversation with Lennon for his syndicated radio show Assignment: Hollywood.

Halfway between the end of Beatles touring and the start of the Sgt. Pepper sessions, John was at a crossroads in his life. In this interview, he sounds weary and ruminative, a feeling captured in his contemporaneous composition, "Strawberry Fields Forever".

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

A Hard Road



Moriphon, ca. 1981

Side one contains stereo tracks from the One To One benefit concert. Side two features extracts from one of John's final interviews, conducted by Andy Peebles for BBC Radio on December 6th, 1980.

- Peace Message
- Mother
- Come Together
- Give Peace A Chance
- Imagine

- John talks to Andy Peebles
- Chicago press conference
- A Day In The Life

Monday, December 6, 2010

Come To Town At 6.30



On November 20th, 1963, Pathe cameras came to The Beatles' concert at the ABC Cinema in Manchester to film a full-color newsreel, The Beatles Come To Town.

Also backstage was a crew from Granada TV, who interviewed the group for Scene At 6.30 prior to the concert. The main topic was their upcoming visit to the USA.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Yellow Matter Custard (Remastered)



Starlight, 1988

"Upgraded" version of the classic TMOQ boot, mastered from the newer high-quality tapes used on Yellow Dog's Beatles At The Beeb series, with a few bonus tracks added.

- I Got A Woman
- Glad All Over
- I Just Don't Understand
- Slow Down
- Don't Ever Change
- A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues
- Sure To Fall (In Love With You)
- I Got To Find My Baby
- Youngblood
- That's All Right (Mama)

- Nothin' Shakin' (But The Leaves On The Trees)
- Lonesome Tears In My Eyes
- So How Come (No One Loves Me)
- I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You)
- Crying, Waiting, Hoping
- To Know Her Is To Love Her
- The Honeymoon Song
- I'll Be On My Way
- The Hippy Hippy Shake
- Johnny B. Goode

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Two Junkies



A low point in John Lennon's career was the January 1969 Get Back sessions at Twickenham, and perhaps the low point of that period was this interview. Known to collectors as "Two Junkies", it was filmed on the 14th by CBC-TV but never aired (bits have appeared in Imagine: John Lennon and other documentaries).

Whether due to drug use, alcohol, or something he ate that morning, John grew progressively greener and more nauseated as it progressed. After pausing halfway through to visit the toilet, he returned to Yoko's side and completed the interview, but it's a highly uninspiring 29 minutes to sit through.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The Final Curtain



Beat, 1995

A Japanese colored vinyl release of "Get Back" material that was one of the last Beatleg LPs produced (although they have been making a comeback in recent years). In this case, the contents are copied right from the CD Jamming With Heather. As such, they are more interesting than the usual Kum Back/Sweet Apple Trax fare on most vinyl boots.

- Two Of Us
- "I Told You Before"
- I've Got A Feeling
- Don't Let Me Down
- I've Got A Feeling
- All Things Must Pass
- She Came In Through The Bathroom Window

- Take This Hammer/Lost John/Five Foot High And Rising/Bear Cat Mama/Black Dog Blues/Right String, Wrong Yo-Yo/Run For Your Life
- I've Got A Feeling
- Hear Me Lord
- Carry That Weight
- Octopus's Garden/Carry That Weight
- Carry That Weight
- improvisations
- "My Imagination"