When They Was Fab: Electric Arguments About The Beatles

This week Lonnie and I go back to 2010/2011 and consider the most recent world tour of Ringo and the All Starr's.    From "Hang on Sloopy" to "Frankenstein" to Kyrie, and lots from Ringo's then new record!     All we are saying is Give Peace a Chance with a Little Help from Your Friends.

Two appearances from Brian Epstein in 1964.     An October spot on "What's My Line?", where panelists try and deduce the role that [sic] "Barry Epstein" plays within the Beatles organization.    Despite Paul Anka excusing himself (Anka knew Brian), the other panelists managed to figure out the "line" of Brian pretty quickly!    This is followed by a discussion surrounding Brian on "Talking Frankly", where he sat for thirty minutes with Bill Grundy in March of 1964.

Marv and I are honored to be joined by Chris O'Dell, as we discuss her travels through rock and roll.     After some initial forays into the industry, she met Derek Taylor (who introduced her to her new roommate, Teri Garr.     Soon enough, she found herself in EMI with the Beatles (and cameo-ing on both "Hey Jude" and "Revolution"), the Apple rooftop, then the Concert for BanglaDesh, the Rolling Stones, and a decade WORKING for both the solo Beatles and many other members of rock royalty.     Her story is now streaming in a documentary "Miss O'Dell" (based in part on her book), available on Peacock, Tubi, Amazon Prime in the US with UK (and worldwide) distribution in the works.

More from the Gab Four.    Jon, Lonnie, Martin and I continue our thoughts on Beatles 1969 - Abbey Road and ???    What else might the sessions of January 1969 become?     Each of us assembled significantly different album(s) from the multitudes of songs rehearsed, jammed or half-remembered by the Beatles (and captured for us on the nagras).    Tune in and see who you agree with, or who you don't!    A cameo from the Queen of all Beatles Media herself (defending her title) as some of us discuss the Beatles news!

Gab Four together again.     Jon Stone, Lonnie Pena, Martin Quibell and myself sit down to consider alternate albums that might've come out of the January 1969 sessions.     Beware, the ripples through time extend well beyond a single record.    What happens to the film?    Abbey Road?    Do all roads lead to "For You Blue?"    George Martin, Glyn Johns and others guest.     More next week!

George Harrison played with many associates of both Dylan and the Stones.    Bobby Keys was one of the most renowned sax men of rock and roll, Nicky Hopkins contributed to the buzz of "Revolution", and Jesse "Ed" Davis had his fingerprints all over early seventies solo Beatles.   This week, we consider some recordings, most made at Apple Studios, most featuring George Harrison on electric (usually slide) guitar.      Who knew George could compose Mexicali blues (as some call "The Holdup")

More of Paul McCartney and his political notions.    Animal Rights, Gun Violence, "No More Landmines", and the environment have been a big part of the "McCartney brand" for the last 30-35 years.     We continue from last week, as we touch on nearly a full album of political thought from "the cute Beatle", and how Paul's brand of radicalism was both similar and different to that of his bandmate John Lennon.

Following on from "One to One", Martin and I spend this week and next discussing the politics of Paul (and Linda) McCartney.     This week, the Beatle years.    How Paul brought John into the peace movement (and possibly why he deserves that credit on "Give Peace a Chance"), McCartney and Bertrand Russell, Blackbird, Commonwealth and on through the early solo years.    Next week, a rundown on solo McCartney's political songs! #madeonzencastr

Lonnie Pena and I (separately) saw "One to One: John & Yoko" in IMAX from Magnolia Pictures during it's recent run (it is still available in selected theaters, and pay streaming in May).     Our first thought?     They really should have emphasized that "Year in the Life" subtitle a bit more.    Other than that?     Tune in and find out!

More from Lonnie's Scrapbook as we shoot back to the late nineteen seventies and consider the Knack (the band, not the noun or the film), George Harrison's wedding to Olivia, the 1979 fire at Ringo's residence, the aftermath of Paul McCartney / January 1981, and  the farms of John and Yoko - including their Holstein cattle (Mango the cow!).    

More from the Gab Four!    Lonnie, Jon, Martin and I wander from Revolver through the Beatles era, passing by landmarks including "Teddy Boy", "Ms. L.", "Goodnight Vienna", "Lavatory Lil", Mr. Double-It-Up", and the "Dark Sweet Lady".    Stories and characters you know and love, and maybe some you should discover!    Who doesn't want two girls [or young men] in the back, calling them Daddy?

A Gab Four spectacular!    Jon Stone, Lonnie Pena, Martin Quibell and I gathered to talk about the characters and stories in Beatles songs.     They started with covers of folks like Long Tall Sally, and this episode takes us through Rubber Soul, where the band gives us Michelle, the Nowhere Man, and asks about the possibility of exchanging golden rings in favor of getting behind the wheel to "Drive My Car!"

George was quite busy between "All Things Must Pass" and "The Concert for Bangladesh".      However, many of the things he played on were not under his own name!    We look at two projects where George was a significant contributer: Gary Wright's "Footprint", and Billy Preston's "I Wrote a Simple Song".      Excellent playing, and a link between George's Beatles guitar-playing, his work on "All Things Must Pass", and his turn on John Lennon's "Imagine" (when he finally turned back to his own projects with "Living in the Material World!")

Lonnie and I chat about the CBS version of "Ringo and Friends at the Ryman" which aired on Monday, March 10, 2025.     Jack White, Sheryl Crow, and even Larkin Poe honor the man, the music, the COUNTRY legend that is Ringo Starr.

Marv and I sit down to talk the first disc of the new 2024 edition of the Internet favorite "Spot the Looney".    Ever wondered where you could find those rarities George Harrison played on that are not readily available from Apple (records or Music)?     Try this box.     Harry, Derek and the Dominoes, the Remo Four, the Silkie, Bobby Whitlock, Ashton Gardner & Dyke and MORE can be found on just the first disc of this set      Nine more to come, but don't worry, they will be spread out over the next year or maybe more!

Kit O'Toole and I are honored to speak with Sally Martin Katz, the Photo Curator for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco as Paul McCartney's "Eyes of the Storm" photo exhibition comes to the deYoung museum in the Bay Area.    We talk about the exhibition, the photos, and the role photography and photographers weave around the life story of Paul McCartney.

What ties Studio Two, the Casbah Coffee Club, the Bahamas, Rishikesh, and an airplane returning to London with the Beatles?      George Harrison's birthday!      After the news (where Kit once again drops in her mellifluous tones), we consider the changes in George and the Beatles as he moved from his nineteenth birthday to his twenty-second.

Sam Whiles joins for some chat about "Back To The Egg", but primarily one of the few interviews Paul did for "Back to the Egg".   James McCartney was not quite two years old, Wings was settling into the outfit that would become the final iteration, and Paul was toying around with tunes that would become "McCartney II".    Also found in this episode is news that is slightly out of date (will that matter in a year, month or even a week?)

Marv and I sit down with Kenyon Rosewall of the "Note by Note" podcast.     We each compile some of our "key" Beatles songs written during the Beatles "first act".      Before there was "Help!" or "Rain", there was "Do You Want to Know a Secret", "No Reply", and even a couple of Elvis-inspired three-chord raveups!

2022.     Sir Paul McCartney was recovering from the passing of Linda, preparing for a tour backing his "Driving Rain" album, and celebrating fifty years of Queen Elizabeth II.     The BBC gathered together a number of interesting and important figures (including Astrid Kirchherr, Jurgen Vollmer, Arthur Kelly and Kermit the Frog?)  in advance of his appearance at the Jubilee (and a little thing at Castle Leslie in Glaslough, Ireland).     Lonnie and I look back and discuss the documentary and how well it tells (at least some of) Paul's story.