When They Was Fab: Electric Arguments About the Beatles

The twelve months between Fall of 1965 and fall of 1966 were difficult ones for the Beatles and their American record label Capitol records. While the Beatles prepared and released a single album, Capitol found a way to release two (creating a deficit for the forthcoming "Revolver" as well). We look at the material, the covers, the hours, the times and more in this week's episode.

Dr. Kenneth Womack of Monmouth University and author of more (Beatle and other) books than you can shake a stick at joins us this week for a look back at George Martin questions that have emerged since "Get Back", and forward to Mal's diaries, the (unpublished) diaries/archives, and the two forthcoming books covering the life and times of "The Gentle Giant". A man quite possibly the closest to the group, and the only assistant worthy of working alongside the Beatles.

This week we start a periodic (i.e.: not contiguous) series covering the Beatles at the BBC, using the Lord Reith "BBC Archives" series (available at finer Internet sites everywhere) as our basis. We run through the first volume of this 24-disc set (which roughly corresponds with their first year) watching the drummers change.

September 1968. Paul McCartney tells the media that the Beatles would be performing live before the end of the year. We know that project eventually became "Get Back", but what if it had proceeded as planned?

We conclude our seven weeks of Get Back (with more to come soon enough) live on a London rooftop. It would soon enough become a golden age for lawyers (although none with a legal bent ever went broke at Savile Row), but right here, right now (well, 53 years ago), it was four young men singing for the world without the aid of wine, bowties or black slip-ons [size 8]. Oh, yeah, there was also day 22.

The penultimate episode of our "Get Back" review. Allen Klein enters the Beatles world, weather delays the proposed show, and Paul gets cold feet. Rehearsals and recording continue while Glyn Johns and Michael Lindsay-Hogg hold their collective breath (for reasons other than Ringo farting).

Darin Murphy joins us for Days 15-17. The deadlines for Ringo and Glyn Johns draw ever closer as January comes to end. The Beatles do not quite manage a breakthrough, but they do start to get some numbers down for the album, while the crew scrambles for a replacement ending for the film now that Primrose Hill is no longer possible.

WTWF 2021-ish year end review. Jon and I start last October (with the John Lennon "Gimme Some Truth" set), and carry through to Peter Jackson's "Get Back". 20+ discs of material: remixed, remastered and sometimes just plain new. Happy Holidays! All the best for 2022!

Lonnie Pena (and the one-time Mrs. Lonnie) return this week as we continue our look at Get Back. George has returned to the band and the sessions are ready to begin in earnest at Apple Studios. Billy Preston wanders down to the basement (after an invitation?), and is swept up into the world of the Fab Four.

The third week of our look at "Get Back". This time, Martin ("Marv") Quibell of "Pods Like Us" and "P2 Podcast Blues" joins us for George Harrison's departure and eventual return to the Beatles. (For those playing along at home, the end of Part one, and the beginning of Part two). Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice? Try Eric and Charlotte and George and Pattie.

This week, we continue our look at "Get Back" the film, but just begin the journey with "Get Back" the song. While waiting for John, Paul strums the Hofner and comes up with a little bit of magic. Three days (mosty) without arguments, although there is still some lingering thoughts of a trial separation between the rehearsals. Special guest, Alan Doss - drummer of Galactic Cowboys and bass player for the Rikki's.

WTWF starts its deep dive into the new production from Disney+, Peter Jackson and the Beatles. This week, the first three days as presented in part one of the new feature. A new year, a soundstage (paid for by another production), four Beatles, Michael Lindsay-Hogg, Glyn Johns and Mal Evans in search of some chairs. Is it any wonder the disagreements move from subtext to screen.

Part two of the WTWF (and "Winter of Discontent") first look at Peter Jackson's: The Beatles - Get Back. Stick around as Jon will soon return, and we will begin our deep dive into the days of their lives.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody. Jon spent the holiday with family, so we will wait for the forthcoming "Deep Dive" to hear his thoughts. In the meantime, I was joined by Nick Anthony of the "Winter of Discontent" podcast (Nagras, nagras and more nagras!) for our first impressions of the nearly eight hours that is "The Beatles: Get Back". Part two will be arriving as soon as I can make it happen.

Jon and I talk a bit about the original Michael Lindsay-Hogg "Let It Be" and the comings and goings of the Beatles in the studio as Ringo began work on "The Magic Christian". George Martin, Glyn Johns production and overdubs were the order of the day, making one wonder if they were continuing on from January, moving on to the next project or still figuring it all out.

Week 4 of the WTWF review of the Let It Be Superdeluxeedition. This week, Disc 3: Rehearsals and Apple Jams. Quite different from George Harrison's "Apple Jams". Eric Clapton is only whispered about here, John's safety net if George doesn't return. Have a sit, pull up a bowl of cauliflower with cheese sauce, and let us know what you think of what we thing. All through the day....

Week 3 of the WTWF look at the "Let It Be" SDE box. This week, Apple Sessions. Chat and sessions from January 1969. The Beatles are working on their next project with the start date on filming for "The Magic Christian" looming. Jams, recording sessions on EMI's portable in the basement and more!

Continuing our look at the "Let It Be" box set. This week, a bit of recap on the history of the "Get Back" LP. Glyn Johns mixes, radio airplay, bootlegs and other artifacts from 1969. We then follow this up with a look at Disc 4. We ponder the mystery of the "Japanese mixes", and discuss how an unreleased, unmastered tape went on to become something nearly as well-known as Phil Spector's "overproduction".

The "Giles Martin" Let It Be is finally here! This week Jon and I start our dive into the project with the remix of the main record (*waving fist at Phil Spector*) and the EP. More to come as we do our usual thorough job on the fun and excitement to be found within the bits of cardboard.

A repost of our first visit with Martin Quibell from 2019. More ukuleles and banjoleles than you can shake a stick at! Remember, The ukulele is a type of lute class that is quickly becoming the primary choice of instrument for musicians everywhere.

Kit O'Toole - the Queen of All Beatles Media (Talk More Talk), and Martin Quibell (Pods Like Us) join the show this week as we go deeper in-depth on the trailer to the forthcoming Peter Jackson's "The Beatles: Get Back" than some might have thought possible. Roll on November!

A peek behind the scenes of A Hard Day's Night. Richard Lester, Walter Shenson, Wilfrid Brambell, Alun Owen and many others came together at the behest of United Artists to shape a movie around the Beatles. Owen and George Martin would even be nominated for an Academy Award in their respective areas. A long way away from "Gutter Girls!"

Ringo released the "Change the World" EP on September 24. This week, we dive into the songs, songwriters, and how these pieces fall together into the whole that is expected to hear next year. We continue to "Rock Around the Clock" with a playlist of some of Ringo's pre-Beatlemania favorites that he has chosen to cover over the years.

Part two of our look at the singles of records. Hits, misses and sounds that definitely fall in-between. Would you believe Apple released a single on 78? Even Allen Klein could not stop the multiple artists that Apple presented to the world during those years. Say hello to Chris Hodge, everybody!

Week one of the "When They Was Fab" look at the singles on Apple Records. This week: Mary Hopkin, Jackie Lomax, Billy Preston, The Black Dyke Mills band and JOHNPAULGEORGE&RINGO - the foursome that started it all. We discuss Richard DiLello delivering copies of this box set to Buckingham Palace, and the unique writing style of Derek Taylor.

The fifth (and final) week of our look at the fiftieth anniversary box set of "All Things Must Pass". Sessions and jams. Who is walking down lovers lane while "Those Wedding Bells" play? Why could 2021 possibly be called "The Year of Get Back"? All this and more on this edition of "When They Was Fab".

Week four of our look at ATMP. This week, the day one demos. Also a bit about the official announcement of the "Let It Be" box set, the songs Apple made available to the public, and Charlie Watts. Hang on, only one more week before this (box set) too shall pass and we get some other topics before the year end rush of even more new product! Om Hare Om!

We continue our graze through the "All Things Must Pass" box, and this time the wheel stops on LP2 and side 6 (aka "Apple Jam side 2"). We ponder the nature of life, the universe, "Jam Piece", fidelity (as used in both audio and marital terms) and the passing of one of the few remaining fifties rock legends.

Week two of our look at "All Things Must Pass". This week, the first LP and side one of the "Apple Jams" box. George, Eric, Bobby Whitlock and Friends galore. What was George doing in 1970, and how did it end up as a three record set?

On August 6, 2021 UMe and George Harrison presented the fiftieth anniversay remix of "All Things Must Pass" in multiple versions. This week, we look at disc four (better known as "Day 2" or "Beware of ABKCO") from the streaming, 5CD, 8LP and Uber editions of this set. Nearly an hour of George Harrison, occsionally a bass player and Phil Spector listening in the booth.

Jon and I finish our review of the first series of McCartney 3 2 1. You know the routine. Paul, Rick Rubin, isolated tracks, stories both new and old - while we talk about their discussions, what they missed out on and where exactly the "Paperback Writer" bit from the trailer went!

Kit O'Toole tunes up for the B-side, as we present our review of episode 4 of McCartney 3 2 1

Kit O'Toole guests this week as we look at the "Find My Way" video from Paul and Beck, and review pt.3 of "McCartney 3 2 1". Don't stop here though, as Kit also joined us for our review of pt.4, which can be found in the "B-side" of this show.

Part two of Sam Whiles' "classic" visit to When They Was Fab. Further discussion of the Beatles in 1970, and how the lives of John, Paul, George and Ringo continued to intertwine through their early solo efforts.

"These Things Bring You Together" and "The Notes That like each Other". This week we look at the first two episodes of Paul McCartney x Rick Rubin, also known as "McCartney 321". We go through the tracks and the stories. Is it possible top find new revelations, even among old stories from "The act we've known for all these years?"

"Classic" When They Was Fab. Sam Whiles joined us in 2020 to discuss the Beatles in 1970, and how the lives of John, Paul, George and Ringo continued to intertwine through their early solo efforts. Pt.2 will be posted shortly!

The Monkees both were are were not "a weekly dose of A Hard Day's Night." This week, we look at the relationship between the two acts. How did Bob Rafelson come to the concept of "four zany musicians having wild adventures." What did the "Four Kings of EMI" think of their counterparts, and how often did their paths cross?

This week: The Beatles take drugs! No, nothing surprising about that revelation, so we spend the rest of the hour talking about how the substances changed their mindset (and subsequently songwriting, recording and production). We also examine the different ways substances altered Lennon, McCartney and Harrison - and how each spoke of their drug use without being overtly encouraging (usually).

Have fun, cue this episode up and hit start 5 minutes to noon local time (7/7/21). Peace and Love everybody, and the happiest of Birthdays to Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sir Richard Starkey. Peace and Love everybody!

Jon and I consider an alternate set of All Starrs. In the thirty plus years of the band, Ringo has only had one female member. Should Ringo choose to go a different route, what would it look like? Which musicians might fit well in the band - providing and performing "songs you know and love".

Thorsten Knublauch's new book ("The Beatles Mach Schau in Hamburg") and a deep dive into Lord Reith's "Executive Version") of Live at the Star Club inspired this week's topic - a look at the Beatles trips to Hamburg, We trip through the highlights of 1960, 1961 and 1962 and each of the trips John Paul George (and variously Pete, Stu and Ringo) would make along with figures including Bruno Koschmider, Peter Eckhorn and Horst Fascher.

Jon and I spend this week talking about Apple Corps Limited. Publishing, Records, Retail, Manufacturing, Schools, Electronics and maybe even an island off the coast of Greece. They even managed a Recording Studio at 3 Savile Row. Even though the results were questionably successful, many of pieces would be resurrected in the form of Dark Horse Records, Handmade Films, LIPA and even to a certain extent MPL.

Jon and I move through the highlights of the remaining discs. Out-Takes, Elements and raw studio mixes for each. We talk through some of our favorite tracks, discuss the more (or less) significant items, and consider what we might have done different. We then close with thoughts on what's coming next - quite possibly Sometime in NYC, and a mention of Dhani and All Things Must Pass.

The George Harrison Estate has announced the fiftieth anniversary edition of "All Things Must Pass", which includes the contents of the beloved "Beware of ABKCO" unofficial release. This classic episode from 2020 features Lonnie Pena and myself reviewing that very disc. Squint, and it might even sound like something from the future (if you ignore the McCartney III and Taylor Swift chat!)

A classic WTWF that has always been among the favorites of Lonnie Pena and myself. Darin Murphy sat down behind a drum kit and demonstrated some of Ringo Starr's drum stylings and how Ringo's playing evolved through the years.

Part two of our visit with friend of the show Darin Murphy covering the Demos and Evolution documentaries from the John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band Ultimate Collection. More of the three of us wandering around Beatles topics, while managing to talk about the business of demoing new songs for friends and family, and then turning those demos into the finished recordings we are all familiar with? How well is that process represented in this box?

The second part of Darin Murphy's first visit with WTWF from 2018. New episode coming on schedule!

Darin Murphy returns for this week and next. This week we catch up, wander through the discs and start considering the set from the perspective of a singer, songwriter and performer. What surprised us in the demos, and do we think the evolution documentaries are a true representation of John, Yoko and friends in the studio working toward the finished singles (and "Mother")

WTWF classic. The first appearance of friend of the show Darin Murphy (2005's Lennon: The Musical, Cotton Mather, Trish and Darin). Originally released 2018.

We move on to disk 7 - the Jams. John, Klaus, Ringo and Yoko have fun in the studio during the recording of John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. John leads the band through his favorites - predominantly, but not entirely classic rock and roll.