Something About the Beatles

In general, you can tell how well a conversation went by how long the show runs. At just past the two hour mark, you get an idea of how well things went with Lon Van Eaton, one-time Apple recording artist and protege of George Harrison. In addition to being one half of the Van Eaton brothers, who issued an album and single in the US in 1972, he did session work for Ringo beginning with the 1973 se...

As a sonic landscape to accompany your holiday season demands: driving places – online shopping – gift-wrapping, and so forth, SATB presents an end-of-year look at the highlights of this years’ shows. We had some terrific guests this year, ranging from notables like Randy Bachman and the Mona Lisa Twins to SATB favorites like Erin Weber and Jeff Martin. Tons of great discussions and explorations –...

In the 2nd of a quartet of shows recorded (in part) at the White Album Symposium at Monmouth University (as well as the 2nd in a trio of shows covering Apple in its 50th year), I speak with my friend, Ken Mansfield: former manager of US operations of Apple, as well as author of several books, including two published this year: a novel, Philco and a memoir, The Roof: The Beatles’ Final Concert. Ken...

In the first of what will be a series of shows originating from the White Album symposium held at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey, I am presenting my opening remarks, followed by a brief Q&A. For those who couldn’t attend, it gives you a good flavor of how these events go down. Asked to present on the Kinfauns recordings, newly remastered and issued as part of the 50th annivers...

You may know his name from his years on tour and in the studio with Joe Jackson; possibly from his series of solo projects (Swinging Guitar Sounds of Young America Vol 1-3, plus The Coyote and two Christmas collections – find them here). But this multi-instrumentalist has been a lifelong Beatle fan, and as he says here, the group served as proxy tutors, as he learned ALL the instrumental parts of...

If all you know about this sister act out of Austria is an array of Beatles covers on Youtube, then you don’t know the Mona Lisa Twins. They are the present-day embodiment of the ripples of waves begun when the Beatles entered popular consciousness over half a century ago; a manifestation of what Geoff Baker called “a good way of looking at the world.” Lots of great artists emerged from the sixtie...

There is no real perfection, a much-loved artist once sang. But in Beatle world, where excellence is the common consensus, the act of assessing how well they executed their art as distinguished by individual releases is – at the very least – ripe for a thoughtful discussion. Returning to the show is TV writer Jeff Martin (4th time around!), and new to SATB is sports reporter Andy Martino. It was h...

Ever wonder what the lives of those screaming legions of fans were like? Wonder no more: today, I speak with award-winning cartoonist, Carol Tyler, whose memoir of her Beatles adoration, Fab 4 Mania: A Beatles Obsession and the Concert of a Lifetime, has just been published. The book builds on the diary that she kept as 13-year old, vividly chronicling her devotion with the art and journals she ke...

At last: SATB takes on a long-requested topic, comparing and contrasting two of the biggest acts out of the UK during the 1960s. Quantifying art is a fool’s errand, yet here we are because we can’t help ourselves. The conversation takes this article by Michael Salfino as a starting point, along with our Bill Wyman’s recent piece on the membership of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. These accomplish...

As an end-of summer two-fer, SATB presents a double bill: two different ways of “seeing” the Beatles. First, on the 50 years since the Mad Day Out, my guest is photographer Tom Murray; author of the newly-published book, The Beatles: Tom Murray’s Mad Day Out – a colorful revisit to a summer’s day when all was Fab in the world. Second, meet John Pring and Rob Thomas: graphic artists and authors of...

In this expanded episode, I speak with Dr. Bob Hieronimus and Laura Cortner. The two have worked together for decades researching a number of topics, but in this instance: the Yellow Submarine film; interviewing every available participant in its creation. Dr. Bob published Inside the Yellow Submarine: The Making of The Beatles’ Animated Classic in 2002 – it remains the definitive telling, but the...

Television writer Jeff Martin makes his third appearance on the show, this time focusing the conversation on one of his vocations – playing keyboards in a band – and how The Beatles (Paul mainly) utilized an array of instruments in the studio: piano – electric piano – organ – harmonium – Mellotron – synthesizer, and so forth; and how their use evolved from doubling instrumental parts to adding col...

In which we welcome back to the show historian Erin Torkelson Weber. In this episode, we pick up where we left off; this time discussing older canon works like Ian MacDonald’s Revolution in the Head and Peter Doggett’s You Never Give Me Your Money; (also Peter McCabe’s outdated Apple To The Core and the problematic memoir of Geoff Emerick) as well as new essential works like Riding So High by Joe...

It isn’t often that we are given a firsthand account from somebody who set in motion events that literally changed the world. But there we are and here it is: Michael Hill was a classmate and friend of John Lennon’s, beginning at age 5. A keen observer and articulate narrator, he has set his recollections down for all of us in his book, John Lennon: The Boy Who Became A Legend. As Michael himself...

It was 45 years ago that Beatle confidant and Apple Press Officer Derek Taylor published his first memoir, As Time Goes By. Long out of print, it has recently been re-published, this time with a contextualizing foreword penned by rock journalist Jon Savage (Mojo magazine, England’s Dreaming: Sex Pistols and Punk Rock, 1966: The Year The Decade Exploded, plus much more). Jon sat down with me to dis...

50 years: in the first of what will be a series throughout this year and next, we examine The Beatles’ Apple enterprise; focusing here on the start-up and in articular on Apple Publishing and the array of what-if talents drawn to the corps. My guest is Axel Korinth, co-author of the two volumes of A is For Apple books – mammoth richly illustrated histories of Apple. Songs heard in whole or in part...

To call the stunningly-talented musician/singer/songwriter a “Beatles sideman” is to sell short his tremendous gifts and the tangible effect he had on the group when they most needed a spark plug. Billy Preston was a keyboard savant for sure, but he was also someone the Beatles embraced as an equal; going so far as to float him as an actual “fifth Beatle.” I’m joined by multi-instrumentalist/produ...

Ben Rowling and I resume our conversation with the author of The Beatles Recording Reference Manuals series. In this episode, we talk gear (amps and guitars), as well as examine some long-held beliefs about certain recordings. Check out Jerry’s series here. The post 136: The Beatles in the Studio with Jerry Hammack (part 2) appeared first on Something About The Beatles. Learn more about your ad ch...

Even if we don’t write them down, we all make lists (if only mentally). Back in June 2017, rock journalist Bill Wyman boldly committed his ranking of every Beatles canon recording from worst to best. It was a move certain to stir the pot of debate, and so it did. On this show, we discussed not only his list, but also the role of the rock critic – the role of radio in shaping tastes, and how it’s e...

In which we (Ben Rowling and I) discuss the Beatles’ approach to their work in the studio – their creativity, work ethic and use of technology to push the boundaries of their art – with author/producer/engineer/musician Jerry Hammack. Check out Jerry’s series – The Beatles Recording Reference Manuals – here. The post 134: The Beatles in the Studio with Jerry Hammack (part 1) appeared first on Some...

In the first installment of what will, over time, serve as a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the All You Need is Cash TV film, I spoke with director Gary Weis. In addition to his career as a documentary filmmaker, SNL short film creator and music video director, he recalls his work on The Rutles’ long-form “rockumentary,” as well as his interactions with George Harrison throughout his car...

Returning as a SATB guest is Jeff Martin, whom you will remember from 122 – The Simpsons episode. In addition to his writing on that show as well as Late Night with David Letterman beginning in the 1980s, he is also a musician and therefore speaks the language of The Beatles specifically, as well as creativity generally. Our conversation centered on the Lennon-McCartney partnership and the way tha...

Yes, he’s the guy who sang “Takin’ Care of Business” and “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” but if that’s all you know about this accomplished artist, then you are missing out on a lot. Randy has penned #1 hit singles for two different recording acts; toured as an All Starr; hosted a popular radio show in his native Canada; published several books, and much, much more. Our conversation encompasses his...

Now that there’s been an ending to the story, it seems like a good time to examine the intersection between artists who stood for love and peace and a career criminal/sociopath who will forever be tied to them, by virtue of the demented “gospel” ripped straight from their albums. It may be unfathomable from this distance that a group of young people could be persuaded by Charles Manson to commit u...

Picking up where we left off, we discuss an array of topics and songs, mostly adhering to the “acoustic Beatles” theme. (For some reason, we seemed to gravitate to the White Album a lot…) But there’s also much about the impact of success; the level of support the Beatles gave each other; George and the Traveling Wilburys; the US albums and the inherent comedy in and around their work. Songs in no...