When They Was Fab: Electric Arguments About The Beatles

Sam Whiles (Paul or Nothing) steps in as we discuss the life, loves and trousers of Denny Laine.    Also joining is Darin Murphy (who gets a few more words in than Roger McGough, the man who actually knew the Rutles).    Merry Happy Holidays to all.

We continue with our look at the 2023 remixes of "The Beatles 1962-1966".    As with disc one, the percussion blows us away.     Join Martin Quibell and I as we consider the remixes and discuss some of the recent announcements as we look forward to 2024.

Now we are channeling the SuperDeluxeEdition energy!    Nineteen new mixes on the first CD of 1962-1966.    Hear Ringo playing the bongos on "A Hard Day's Night".    Claves, handclaps, and drums as far as you can hear.    Martin Quibell (and a bit of Lonnie Pena) join as we talk the wonders of MAL and the ears of Giles Martin.

Paul McCartney's "Got Back" tour hit Mexico City in mid-November 2023.    This is Paul and the band's first visit to "Ciudad de Mexico" in six years.     Despite being highly similar to the 2022 US version, a splendid time is still guaranteed for all, particularly with crowds like those we shared the evening with!

"Now and Then" was followed up by the sort-of 50th anniversary of "Red and Blue".     This week we look at three albums of goodness from the folks at Universal Music.      The blue album is very much a compilation in the traditional sense -  a nice sampler for the Giles Martin post-2017 remixes.     This week we consider the additions to the collection, other choices that might have been made and what is that sound in "Hey Bulldog"

The hits just keep on coming!    This week, friend of the show Doctor Kenneth Womack joins the show to discuss his just-released book "Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans."    "Big Mal" has been both part of the Beatles story, and a figure in the background.     What drove the "Gentle Giant", and what was it like to be the friend, confidante and guy who found socks, bowties and guitar strings for John, Paul, George and Ringo.

I know it's true.     There's a new Beatles song and video and short documentary out in the wild.     Lonnie and I are joined by Kit O'Toole (Queen of all Beatles Media!), Tom Hunyady (one of the two legs) and Erika White (BC the Beatles), as we go through the single (does clear count as a color?), the song, the documentary, the video and the T-shirt.      

Lonnie Pena and I go through the first four episodes of the Paul McCartney and Paul Muldoon podcast "A Life in Lyrics".    Paul goes through Eleanor Rigby, Back in the USSR, Let It Be, When Winter Comes and Mull of Kintyre.    Old stories, new stories and you might even learn something!

The record is flipped as we travel through "Devil Woman", the how's why's and extended versions of "Six O'Clock", right through to a bit more of the legend of Jack Nitzsche, Klaus Voorman, Vini Poncia, David Hentschel and the inimitable Ringo Starr.    We'd like to thank you for making that little bit of plastic.  

Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Harry Nilsson, Klaus Voorman, John Lennon and Ringo Starr join together to answer the question "What Shall we do with a Drunken Sailor"?    Tune in as Marv and I discuss and celebrate 49 years and 50-ish weeks of the Ringo Starr album "Ringo."

Jon Stone co-hosts as we chat with Deirdre Kelly, author of "Fashioning the Beatles: The Looks that Shook the World."   The topic is John Lennon as influencer, both inside and outside of the Beatles.    John Lennon liked to say that the Beatles were not necessarily the originators of their style (both musically and not), but "the ones in the crow's nest."    This week we discuss the taste and style of the Lads - and how their choices in that arena are still echoed to the present day!

Lonnie and I return to talk more about 2005, as we finish up our "Space Within US" commentary track.    More about the crowd and families, a little bit of Steve Jobs (before the iPhone took him to the "topermost" of the CEO's), and our thoughts on songs Paul should and shouldn't bring back into the live show.  

Lonnie and I celebrate the (separate) returns of the twotles to the concert stage by looking back to 2005/6, and the US (pronounced "us", not "U.S.") tour from 2005, as represented by the 2006 concert film.    Paul, Wix, Abe, Brian, Rusty, those "No More Landmine" T-shirts and a whole boatload of celebrities in cameo and longer appearances.  

Brian Epstein and NEMS were frequently viewed as the "golden ticket."     A shiny new record contract, a song from Lennon-McCartney, and a hit record was assured.    Or was it?     Tune in this week as we look into some of the acts that became the "stable."     Many found success, but others either missed out, or had to move on before they would ascend the charts.

More from the "Gab Four" as we continue our look at April 4, 1962 - The Beatles at the Stowe School.    George Harrison's guitar comes through loud and clear, but a bout with the cold or flu has limited what he can do with his voice.    Despite this issue, the band does their best and still finds a way to change the lives of the young men who will become the next generation of power brokers in the UK.

The "Gab Four" come together (and join the party).     Lonnie Pena, Jon Stone and Marv Quibell join me for the first of a two-parter where we go in depth on Ringo's new release ("Rewind Forward"), his appearance in the Nils Lofgren video, and the dual autumn/winter tours.    (The All-Starr's and Sir Macca).    This leads into the beginning of our usual in-depth look at the Stowe school tape, which managed to grow legs and crawl out of the British Library in the recent past!

This week, Lonnie Pena and I are joined by Nashville Hall of Fame songwriter Kent Blazy.     We discuss his recent trip to Liverpool, and how visiting the Beatles sites inspired him to write and record his new collection: "From the Beatles To the Bluebird."     We also touch on his thoughts on fame (one of his frequent collaborators is country superstar Garth Brooks), the uniqueness of the 12-string, and how he frequently tries to channel Lennon/McCartney when he starts a new project.

A very special live edition of When They Was Fab.     I am joined by "The Co-Pips" - Dr. Kit O'Toole (Queen of all Beatles Media, Talk More Talk, Toppermost of the Poppermost) and Dr. Kenneth Womack (Everything Fab Four, the keeper of Mal Evans' flame, and author of more books than you can shake a stick at).     Our topic:    "Alpha Omega", "Red and Blue", "Original Greatest Hits", "20 Greatest Hits", a bit about "Now and Then" (nothing new, unfortunately) and somehow the Star Club Tapes.

August 11, new show!    Kit O'Toole and Martin Quibell join me to preview our various appearances at Fest for Beatles Fans Chicago!    Tune in, turn on, and join us as we do live renditions of this very show (Red and Blue in 2023), "Toppermost of the Poppermost", and various other panels.    We'll have Fun, Fun, Fun! (oops, wrong band)

Frequent and beloved guest Darin Murphy (Skyrocket, HeartByrne, Cotton Mather) joins us to obsess a bit more on the guitars that The Beatles used on "The Beatles" (aka: "The White Album").     Diversions into the Fender VI (bass), Ringo and his attempt at using a double bass kit, and even a bit of Andy Summers, Eric Clapton and the "Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton" (aka: "The Beano Album")