When They Was Fab: Electric Arguments About The Beatles

During ten days in 1977, Neil Innes, Rikki Fataar, Ollie Halsall, John Halsey and Andy Brown recorded twenty+ songs that would last a lunchtime.     No time for trousers, but plenty of laughs and maybe a poignant comment or two about the boxing kangaroo's.  

Jon and I sit down to review the 2010 documentary "LennoNYC" (aka: Lennon NYC).      Lots of interviews, lots of fairly rare footage, a bit of surprisingly candid Yoko Ono, but does it deliver on the stated objective.    Hint: "Does Exactly what it says on the tin" may be stretching things.     Also a bit of chat about the new single featuring Ringo on drums, Louise Harrison and speculation concerning the announced McCartney/Wings documentary.

George Harrison was quite generous with his talents - not just for friends and relatives, but associates and "friends of friends" as well.    Kristof Engelhardt has been chasing such recordings for thirty years, most recently in "The Beatles Fully Uncovered."    https://www.amazon.com/Beatles-Fully-Uncovered-Kristofer-Engelhardt/dp/1897350619. The George Harrison corner of that square can be filled in with "Spot the Looney" from FLO records, and we go through some of our favorites from the set, and the enirety of one of the discs.

Part two of our chat with Allan Kozinn (co-author of "The McCartney Legacy" with Adrian Sinclair).      Lots more chat about Wings, Thrillington, Bruce McMouse and other oddities from the RAM era.    THIS is pure McCartney.

Part 1 of our discussion with Allan Kozinn, co-author (with Adrian Sinclair) of "The McCartney Legacy: Volume 1, 1969-1973".     Some might describe this book as "Everything you wanted to know about Sir Macca, but was afraid to ask", but that would be inaccurate, as Allan has asked plenty of Paul when he got the opportunity to speak with him several times during "the Kozinn era" at the New York Times.  

This week we look at the 1965 Granada television special "The Music of Lennon and McCartney".      Peter Sellers, Billy J. Kramer, The Beatles and a thingie which is not too terribly fiendish.       We close out with some additional thoughts on Mary McCartney's "If These Walls Could Sing", which is getting a lukewarm reception from the public at large.

What do "Benny and Joon", "Mad Men" and 1976 (the year) have in common?     The VH-1 television movie "Two of Us", which featured two of the leads from those projects in a fictionalized version of what happened when John Lennon and Paul McCartney hung out one evening, and Lorne Michaels (on the then new "NBC's Saturday Night") made an offer to four guys - "The Beatles."

We start 2023 by looking  back to 2022.      The Revolver box set, Paul and Ringo tours and more!    Happy New Year to everybody listening, and thank you for downloading each week and offering up your support.

Merry Christmas everybody!    This week, Jon and I talk "Unforgettable" (aka "Paul's Christmas Message"), the Beatles Christmas disks and the finances at Apple.   

Episode 2 of Toppermost of the Poppermost!      November 1962.    More "Love Me Do", Helen Shapiro, Frank Ifield (and Iris Caldwell), The Beach Boys and more.   Please like, subscribe, review and give both WTWF and Toppermost five-start ratings on Apple podcasts or your provider of choice.      Only one more episodes will be included on the "When They Was Fab" feed.     https://zencastr.com/z/nn_rpxPS

Disc five of Lord Reith's "Live at the BBC" series.     Three of the four "Pop Goes The Beatles" episodes on this virtual disc were recorded in a single day.     Join us as we discuss several incredible performances by Ringo, a performance of that new single "She Loves You", and their guests The Shadows, The Hollies, The Swinging Blue Jeans and Russ Sainty.    As always, Rodney Burke, Jon Stone and me too.

Part two of our look at a year of "Get Back".    A bit of discussion on the theatrical screening of the rooftop show,  a bit more pondering on the future of the Blu-Ray, and lots more chat covering the book (Apple Studios to January 31 and beyond).

Episode 1 of Toppermost of the Poppermost!      "Love Me Do", Elvis, Buddy, Chris Montez and more.   Please like, subscribe, review and give both WTWF and Toppermost five-start ratings on Apple podcasts or your provider of choice.      Only two more episodes will be included on the "When They Was Fab" feed.   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toppermost-of-the-poppermost/id1656605625

Thanksgiving 2022 brought "The Beatles Get Back" to the world.     Not just the monumental three-part documentary from Peter Jackson, but also the book, the SuperDeluxeEdition CD set, the streaming rooftop concert and eventually the unenhanced DVD/Blu-Ray set.    This week and next we look all of these, the different ways things play between each unique set of media, and compare the book transcription to the Nagras we have had for "All These Years."

A look into the world of the singles from McCartney, Wings and more along with some thoughts on Ed Rudy, Ken Mansfield and Ringo's latest.      In a most un-Thanksgiving mode, we may be a little down on the Liverpool Lads (not the real ones), feet (comma, Ringo's), Freedom (the song), a Wonderful Christmastime (Jon only), and "Peace and Love" (as an overused sentiment in Ringo's lyrics).

A new project from Ed Chen, Kit O'Toole and Martin Quibell.     We all know the Beatles dominated the charts in both the UK and US through the sixties, but what of the others.    John Lennon described the Beatles as "being in the crow's nest".     This new show will look at those that influenced them, the bands they knew, toured and work with and how those songs sat alongside the Beatles own progress.     Subscribe soon, but all 2022 episodes will appear in our collective feeds.

We'd like to be ... under the sea ... in a Yellow Submarine, with you.      Week four of our look at the Revolver Super Deluxe Editions.    This week, sessions disc two.       Picking up from Disc One last week, we discuss even more "And Your Bird Can Sing" through to "She Said, She Said", and wonder how song choices were made by Giles, The Beatles and UMe.

Continuing our deep dive into the Revolver Super Deluxe Edition, this week we go into the first Sessions disc.    Lots of "Love You To" and "Got to Get You Into My Life", but also both sides of the single ("Rain" at the original speed!), "Doctor Robert" and "And Your Bird Can Sing."      While we always want more, this is a nice selection of new, interesting and important material.

Part two of our look at the Revolver SDE.    Kit O'Toole and Lonnie Pena return for our dive into the album proper (both the new remix and the mono).    

The first part of the WTWF view of Revolver.      This week: The book, the cover, assorted memories of the era and the EP.      Coming soon - part 2 - the album proper.