2018

Even if we don’t write them down, we all make lists (if only mentally). Back in June 2017, rock journalist Bill Wyman boldly committed his ranking of every Beatles canon recording from worst to best. It was a move certain to stir the pot of debate, and so it did. On this show, we discussed not only his list, but also the role of the rock critic – the role of radio in shaping tastes, and how it’s evolved – and how we as fans quantify Beatle music. Bill’s list can be found here. Other works can be found here and here. Follow him on Twitter here. The Sirius XM list as selected by fans is here.

In which we (Ben Rowling and I) discuss the Beatle’s approach to their work in the studio:

In the first of what will, over time, serve as a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the All You Need is Cash TV film, I spoke with director Gary Weis.

Returning as a SATB guest is Jeff Martin, whom you will remember from 122 – The Simpsons episode. In addition to his writing on that show as well as Late Night with David Letterman beginning in the 1980s, he is also a musician and therefore speaks the language of The Beatles specifically, as well as creativity generally. Our conversation centered on the Lennon-McCartney partnership and the way that their unique combination of talents and temperaments created something far bigger than the sum of its parts. More on Jeff’s career here. (The article he referenced – The Power of Two by Joshua Wolf Shenk – was published in The Atlantic in July 2014 and can be found here.)

Yes, he’s the guy who sang “Takin’ Care of Business” and “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” but if that’s all you know about this accomplished artist, then you are missing out on a lot. Randy has penned #1 hit singles for two different recording acts; toured as an All Starr; hosted a popular radio show in his native Canada; published several books, and much, much more. Our conversation encompasses his new album, By George – By Bachman, but much more, including production tricks, Beatle secrets, touring with Ringo, Winnie the Pooh and a deeply personal discussion of spirituality and how George directly impacted his life. Check out Randy’s activities here: http://randybachman.com/ and his deconstruction of the “A Hard Day’s Night” opening chord here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwfH9oAiPH0

Now that there’s been an ending to the story, it seems like a good time to examine the intersection between artists who stood for love and peace and a career criminal/sociopath who will forever be tied to them, by virtue of the demented “gospel” ripped straight from their albums. It may be unfathomable from this distance that a group of young people could be persuaded by Charles Manson to commit unspeakable acts, but that’s exactly what happened in the summer of 1969, when seven innocents (and an unborn baby) were brutally slain, purportedly to ignite a race war. I’m joined for this discussion by a friend of the show, whom many of you are doubtless familiar with: journalist Ivor Davis, who penned his memoirs of touring with The Beatles across America during the 1960s. But did you know that he was at the center of covering the Tate-LaBianca case and even penned the first book on the crimes, Five To Die (1970)? It was his findings that provided a roadmap to the prosecution, later chronicled in Vincent Bugliosi’s best-seller, Helter Skelter (co-written by Curt Gentry).

Back in September, I first talked Beatles with this Renaissance man, in the context of The Beatles with The Simpsons. As you listeners will remember, Dave had a lot to say about the Beatles well beyond the parameters of that TV show. Well he’s back, and the subject we set out to discuss was the Beatles’ use of acoustic instruments – something Dave is well-versed in. But as conversations will, we went far afield from that, covering subjects ranging from sincerity to darkness versus happiness to re-arranging songs on the fly to what the Beatles were doing alongside their contemporaries. And as the momentum mounted, I realized that there were more things discussed than any one show could reasonably contain. So enjoy 129A; 129B coming up (so to speak)! “I Am The Walrus” acoustic excerpt by Laurence Juber: https://www.amazon.com/LJ-Plays-Beatles-Vol-2/dp/B003U8O2OY Revolver mash-up by Douglas Grant: https://beta.prx.org/stories/11512