September 2019

Anybody hear anything about a “newly-revealed” taped Apple meeting from September 1969 that’s been public knowledge since the 1970s? You will now, with the return of journalist/writer Ray Connolly. Ray was tight in The Beatles’ orbit during their final years; with John and Paul especially. He was the only one outside their inner circle to learn that John had “quit” the group – his bio of John, Being John Lennon: A Restless Life, is now out in paperback, as is his indispensable collection, The Ray Connolly Beatles Archive. Last: his novella, ‘Sorry, Boys, You Failed The Audition’ is newly-published. It’s a work of “alternative history” and has been presented as a BBC radio play. Ray and I discuss the end of The Beatles and their relationships going forward, as well as his ‘Sorry Boys’ project. Welcome

Part Two: McCartney and Wings This show represents a deep (3 hour) dive into examining the evolving language of rock criticism: the ideology employed – the fluid definitions of “rock” and “pop” – the application of “authenticity” as a value to an artist’s work, in this specific case, Paul McCartney and Wings. The 1970s was a time when rock critics achieved nearly the status of rock icons themselves: everyone from John Mendelssohn and Jon Landau to Simon Frith and Lester Bangs. Paul’s post-Beatle career stands as an example of an artist that reviewers struggled to get a handle on, resulting in sometimes unfair assessments.  Leading this exploration is PhD candidate (with an M.A. in Beatles, Popular Music, and Society) Allison Bumsted, currently studying in England at Liverpool Hope University. For ease of listening, the conversation has been split into two 90 minute parts.     

Part One: Background Theory and The Beatles This show represents a deep (3 hour) dive into examining the evolving language of rock criticism: the ideology employed – the fluid definitions of “rock” and “pop” – the application of “authenticity” as a value to an artist’s work, in this specific case, Paul McCartney and Wings. The 1970s was a time when rock critics achieved nearly the status of rock icons themselves: everyone from John Mendelssohn and Jon Landau to Simon Frith and Lester Bangs. Paul’s post-Beatle career stands as an example of an artist that reviewers struggled to get a handle on, resulting in sometimes unfair assessments.  Leading this exploration is PhD candidate (with an M.A. in Beatles, Popular Music, and Society) Allison Bumsted, currently studying in England at Liverpool Hope University. For ease of listening, the conversation has been split into two 90 minute parts.