73: The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl

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In this episode, Robert and Richard discuss the reissue of the classic 1977 album of the 1964 and 1965 Hollywood Bowl concerts, concurrent with the Ron Howard Eight Days A Week documentary. 

Songs include “If I Fell,“I Feel Fine,” “I Wanna Be Your Man” and “I’m Down.”

Find Richard’s books here.

Find Robert’s books here.

8 thoughts on “73: The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl”

  1. Great Show, thank you so much!
    Good analysis of the so much….Yes, the SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP is what will forever be studied and craved. It is important to keep in mind as to why Ron Howard attempted to make a perfect film (it isn’t)…and all the other recreation of the live concerts.

    I’d love to see a docu on the concerts in Europe, and some other U.S. you mentioned, such as the Bournemouth show.

    Interpreting all the revelry is natural…and it’s that yearning for what was then..that cannot return, that compels anyone to go on and on into discovering and studying The Beatles music and legend till the end of time.

    It’s because it all was JUST THAT GOOD if you were there back then. I was 17 when I saw The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl, 1965, both shows. I was already cutting my teeth on pop culture and music. I was a teen DJ on a junior college radio stations and loved finding my way through the West Coast radio music culture. Meeting all the KRLA djs, being at all the Sunset Strip shows of everyone from the Byrds to the Seeds.

    I’m seriously disappointed in the Bowl CD release not having a photo of the Bowl. What’s up with that? There’s so much contrivedness….in a lot of the reproducing of the Beatles times. Good night! I wrote a huge comment on FB where I initially saw your ‘Something About The Beatles’.

    Personally…..while listening to your show here: I’m digging all the hell out of Ringo’s ‘Wanna Be Your Man’ you played on here. He’s practically screaming himself! I had no idea. Interesting to hear. I’d not trade it for the whole experience, but man oh man….listen to what was going on down there at that stage while I was standing in a box surrounded by screaming 12-year olds. (the screams on this re-done recording sound strange)

    Yes, the LIVE RECORDINGS were the energy of the LIVE Beatles on stage…and it’s why it all happened. The sound…it’s what compelled those of us who heard them on a car or home radio for the first time in our lives, many days before we saw their faces, which drove us all wild into the future of The Beatles for all time.

    The raw ’65 Bowl Tapes you’re playing. Wooo, nice. Love hearing ‘She’s A Woman’. It ‘feels’ like the performance that night, listening to McCartney here. The screams sound great! 2016 version sounds too ‘worked’.

    The “I Want to Hold Your Hand” you played on the show: ditch it.

    I’ll close with a huge thanks for your show.

  2. Great Show, thank you so much!
    Good analysis of the so much….Yes, the SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP is what will forever be studied and craved. It is important to keep in mind as to why Ron Howard attempted to make a perfect film (it isn’t)…and all the other recreation of the live concerts.

    I’d love to see a docu on the concerts in Europe, and some other U.S. you mentioned, such as the Bournemouth show.

    Interpreting all the revelry is natural…and it’s that yearning for what was then..that cannot return, that compels anyone to go on and on into discovering and studying The Beatles music and legend till the end of time.

    It’s because it all was JUST THAT GOOD if you were there back then. I was 17 when I saw The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl, 1965, both shows. I was already cutting my teeth on pop culture and music. I was a teen DJ on a junior college radio stations and loved finding my way through the West Coast radio music culture. Meeting all the KRLA djs, being at all the Sunset Strip shows of everyone from the Byrds to the Seeds.

    I’m seriously disappointed in the Bowl CD release not having a photo of the Bowl. What’s up with that? There’s so much contrivedness….in a lot of the reproducing of the Beatles times. Good night! I wrote a huge comment on FB where I initially saw your ‘Something About The Beatles’.

    Personally…..while listening to your show here: I’m digging all the hell out of Ringo’s ‘Wanna Be Your Man’ you played on here. He’s practically screaming himself! I had no idea. Interesting to hear. I’d not trade it for the whole experience, but man oh man….listen to what was going on down there at that stage while I was standing in a box surrounded by screaming 12-year olds. (the screams on this re-done recording sound strange)

    Yes, the LIVE RECORDINGS were the energy of the LIVE Beatles on stage…and it’s why it all happened. The sound…it’s what compelled those of us who heard them on a car or home radio for the first time in our lives, many days before we saw their faces, which drove us all wild into the future of The Beatles for all time.

    The raw ’65 Bowl Tapes you’re playing. Wooo, nice. Love hearing ‘She’s A Woman’. It ‘feels’ like the performance that night, listening to McCartney here. The screams sound great! 2016 version sounds too ‘worked’.

    The “I Want to Hold Your Hand” you played on the show: ditch it.

    I’ll close with a huge thanks for your show.

  3. Agree that the legacy sadly seems to be undervalued by Apple. Disagree entirely that John and George possessed an artistic edge that would have somehow elevated what is being presented today as Beatles’ product.

    Neither did all that much worthwhile artistically after 1972. George’s artistic presentation after Living in the Material World was pedestrian. Walls and Bridges was nice, but, again, after Imagine . . . . nothing special. A handful of memorable songs in packages of no special merit.

    It’s pure projection to think that in 2016 they would have been more concerned about The Beatles products presentation than are Paul or Ringo. There’s simply no evidence to suggest that’s true and some indirect evidence that they would have been at best no less indifferent/nonchalant than the other Fabs. I think Paul’s level of concern is more accurately judged by how he treats The Beatles in his own work, which treatment is loving, respectful, and artistically excellent.

    By the way, you were talking about live records. Paul’s version of Something on his New York live record, which I think I heard for the fist time last night, is superb.

    Thanks my friends!

  4. Agree that the legacy sadly seems to be undervalued by Apple. Disagree entirely that John and George possessed an artistic edge that would have somehow elevated what is being presented today as Beatles’ product.

    Neither did all that much worthwhile artistically after 1972. George’s artistic presentation after Living in the Material World was pedestrian. Walls and Bridges was nice, but, again, after Imagine . . . . nothing special. A handful of memorable songs in packages of no special merit.

    It’s pure projection to think that in 2016 they would have been more concerned about The Beatles products presentation than are Paul or Ringo. There’s simply no evidence to suggest that’s true and some indirect evidence that they would have been at best no less indifferent/nonchalant than the other Fabs. I think Paul’s level of concern is more accurately judged by how he treats The Beatles in his own work, which treatment is loving, respectful, and artistically excellent.

    By the way, you were talking about live records. Paul’s version of Something on his New York live record, which I think I heard for the fist time last night, is superb.

    Thanks my friends!

  5. I love that kid from NYC talking about people rushing the stage at the Animals gig. That disc truly captures the aura of Beatlemania and the effect it had on a city. Recorded in 1966, the whole thing can be heard on CD two of HMC’s 2007 SHEA! release.

  6. I love that kid from NYC talking about people rushing the stage at the Animals gig. That disc truly captures the aura of Beatlemania and the effect it had on a city. Recorded in 1966, the whole thing can be heard on CD two of HMC’s 2007 SHEA! release.

  7. Hollywood Bowl was the first LP I bought by any artist with my own money at the ripe old age of – well I guess probably 9 or 10. I remember standing in the record department of a local discount store, knowing I wanted something by the Beatles…not having a clue where to start…and there was that shiny new “Live” album. I played the hell out of it. I can still recite the between song patter from memory. Whatever doctoring was done, I have to say those performances were remarkably tight, particularly for a band that presumably couldn’t hear itself!

    From there I went on to collect everything else, but this was my introduction to the Beatles, other than what was on the radio…

    And I feel no sentimental attachment to it at all. It is bewildering how parsimonious Apple is with the content. Their market is collectors. Collectors want everything. For god’s sake, GIVE US EVERYTHING! Is there really a fan out there who wouldn’t want to hear everything they recorded at these shows?

  8. Hollywood Bowl was the first LP I bought by any artist with my own money at the ripe old age of – well I guess probably 9 or 10. I remember standing in the record department of a local discount store, knowing I wanted something by the Beatles…not having a clue where to start…and there was that shiny new “Live” album. I played the hell out of it. I can still recite the between song patter from memory. Whatever doctoring was done, I have to say those performances were remarkably tight, particularly for a band that presumably couldn’t hear itself!

    From there I went on to collect everything else, but this was my introduction to the Beatles, other than what was on the radio…

    And I feel no sentimental attachment to it at all. It is bewildering how parsimonious Apple is with the content. Their market is collectors. Collectors want everything. For god’s sake, GIVE US EVERYTHING! Is there really a fan out there who wouldn’t want to hear everything they recorded at these shows?

  9. I agree that Apple/Universal could have done so much more for the long overdue reissue of Hollywood Bowl on CD.

    Also I would love to have Messeur Buskin locked in a room listening to the new “Pure McCartney” box set start to finish for him to realize what millions already know-to see why he is such an important and legendary artist post Beatles and that his career did not end in 1970! Amen!

  10. I agree that Apple/Universal could have done so much more for the long overdue reissue of Hollywood Bowl on CD.

    Also I would love to have Messeur Buskin locked in a room listening to the new “Pure McCartney” box set start to finish for him to realize what millions already know-to see why he is such an important and legendary artist post Beatles and that his career did not end in 1970! Amen!

  11. Hey. I’ve really enjoyed the last two shows, the disemboweling the the Eight Days a Week movie and CD. I have not heard such glee from you guys since the (we’re really trying to be nice to) Yoko show. I have to say that I enjoyed the CD, the movie and the Shea concert when I heard and saw them. Willing suspension of disbelief? I wanted Shea, in particular to be great. And it played well. And it was color, on a big screen,loud and it was a Beatles show. In that case, purists be damned. I’ve seen the concert with “real” sound and it’s weak in comparison.
    Eight Days a Week, however, on third look, is a touring years documentary. It’s Opie-oid for the gen pop. (At least there was no Jeff Bridges narration.) All the early sources and cuts you mentioned and all the harder, edgier, scarier stuff as 1966 ground down would have made for a better documentary. That and some of the shocking sex and violence from the Australian documentary would have made it much more fun. And since no one is going except die-hards, who cares? I want to see Paul’s and Ringo’s faces watching the Australian bits.
    The soundtrack-ish CD is fun. It’s great to blast in the car. My hearing is shot from endless listening to those shrill Harrison leads on the White Album. So, more volume, more better.
    Please put together your chronological Beatles live album. Great shows!

  12. Hey. I’ve really enjoyed the last two shows, the disemboweling the the Eight Days a Week movie and CD. I have not heard such glee from you guys since the (we’re really trying to be nice to) Yoko show. I have to say that I enjoyed the CD, the movie and the Shea concert when I heard and saw them. Willing suspension of disbelief? I wanted Shea, in particular to be great. And it played well. And it was color, on a big screen,loud and it was a Beatles show. In that case, purists be damned. I’ve seen the concert with “real” sound and it’s weak in comparison.
    Eight Days a Week, however, on third look, is a touring years documentary. It’s Opie-oid for the gen pop. (At least there was no Jeff Bridges narration.) All the early sources and cuts you mentioned and all the harder, edgier, scarier stuff as 1966 ground down would have made for a better documentary. That and some of the shocking sex and violence from the Australian documentary would have made it much more fun. And since no one is going except die-hards, who cares? I want to see Paul’s and Ringo’s faces watching the Australian bits.
    The soundtrack-ish CD is fun. It’s great to blast in the car. My hearing is shot from endless listening to those shrill Harrison leads on the White Album. So, more volume, more better.
    Please put together your chronological Beatles live album. Great shows!

  13. Colin Ricketts

    Great stuff as ever, thank you.

    Interesting that although you say George Martin wasn’t a big fan of live recordings, and was happy to mess around with them, wasn’t it he who suggested that debut album might be done as a live recording at the Cavern?

    An idea that didn’t go far, but there you go.

  14. Colin Ricketts

    Great stuff as ever, thank you.

    Interesting that although you say George Martin wasn’t a big fan of live recordings, and was happy to mess around with them, wasn’t it he who suggested that debut album might be done as a live recording at the Cavern?

    An idea that didn’t go far, but there you go.

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