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In what will be an occasional theme of SATBs going forward, I welcome to the show Gary Wenstrup. In addition to being a regular listener, Gary is a college-level teacher and lecturer, whose expertise encompasses an array of 1960s music acts. He saw an opportunity for following up shows to dig deeper, in ways that might not have been possible given time constraints. This episode uses as the starting off point my interview with Susan Shumsky, detailing The Beatles’ 1968 visit to Rishikesh; but it also encompasses the White Album, Lennon Remembers, and other ancillary subjects.
That was a quite wonderful episode. Well done all around.
That was a quite wonderful episode. Well done all around.
Good conversation, looking forward to more between the two of you.
At some point there’s reference to John and Paul hanging out in ’71. I would have guessed their first “reunion” was in ’74, the well-documented visit Paul and Linda made to L.A., including the infamous jam with Stevie Wonder and others. So, did I mishear this bit about ’71? Anyone?
No, it was ’71. After that bit of public sniping between them in the pages of Melody Maker, they met in New York, around Christmas (I think just after).
John took the occasion to gift Paul a Beatles bootleg. (Not actually the Decca audition – really, some BBC recordings variously re-issued as Yellow Matter Custard and As Sweet As You Are.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f2/7a/26/f27a26cd8f3befec1779fe9fe6181416.jpg
Thanks for the image and information. If I’d seen that before, I didn’t make note of the date, or realize how the gift / communication from John casts his spat with Paul in a different light. I really appreciate how the podcast continually offers up the nuanced view of the Beatles story, and resists repeating easy hand-me-down narratives about how it all played out. The truth of it has more dimensions than we can know, more puzzlements, more unexpected richness.
Good conversation, looking forward to more between the two of you.
At some point there’s reference to John and Paul hanging out in ’71. I would have guessed their first “reunion” was in ’74, the well-documented visit Paul and Linda made to L.A., including the infamous jam with Stevie Wonder and others. So, did I mishear this bit about ’71? Anyone?
No, it was ’71. After that bit of public sniping between them in the pages of Melody Maker, they met in New York, around Christmas (I think just after).
John took the occasion to gift Paul a Beatles bootleg. (Not actually the Decca audition – really, some BBC recordings variously re-issued as Yellow Matter Custard and As Sweet As You Are.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f2/7a/26/f27a26cd8f3befec1779fe9fe6181416.jpg
Thanks for the image and information. If I’d seen that before, I didn’t make note of the date, or realize how the gift / communication from John casts his spat with Paul in a different light. I really appreciate how the podcast continually offers up the nuanced view of the Beatles story, and resists repeating easy hand-me-down narratives about how it all played out. The truth of it has more dimensions than we can know, more puzzlements, more unexpected richness.
I liked this format a lot, that’s great.
I liked this format a lot, that’s great.
Great show. I think the main reason Jackie’s single and album didn’t sell well is that his voice doesn’t really lay well on the ear. “Sour Milk Sea” isn’t really a good enough song, I my opinion to be a hit without a great vocal performance to sell it. Frankly, I don’t think Jackie’s voice was very good. Just my opinion, but even George’s demo is better. Thanks for another wonderful show!
Great show. I think the main reason Jackie’s single and album didn’t sell well is that his voice doesn’t really lay well on the ear. “Sour Milk Sea” isn’t really a good enough song, I my opinion to be a hit without a great vocal performance to sell it. Frankly, I don’t think Jackie’s voice was very good. Just my opinion, but even George’s demo is better. Thanks for another wonderful show!
Thanks again for an interesting episode – I enjoyed hearing your favorites from all the songs written in Rishikesh! Dear Prudence is also probably my fave. I also thank you for examining some more open-minded narratives, especially regarding Paul McCartney. When I venture into more mainstream (i.e., male-dominated) Beatle spaces, there seems to be a real bad-faith attitude towards questions and examinations of everything Paul did or does, which is really disheartening. I’ve been mostly fandoming in spaces where there are more women, and it seems in general those spaces treat Paul and John with more equal fondness and exasperation, i.e., they’re both dear and idiotic in turn. So it’s nice to hear you reply and keep it real regarding each of the band-members’ strengths and foibles. 🙂
Thanks again for an interesting episode – I enjoyed hearing your favorites from all the songs written in Rishikesh! Dear Prudence is also probably my fave. I also thank you for examining some more open-minded narratives, especially regarding Paul McCartney. When I venture into more mainstream (i.e., male-dominated) Beatle spaces, there seems to be a real bad-faith attitude towards questions and examinations of everything Paul did or does, which is really disheartening. I’ve been mostly fandoming in spaces where there are more women, and it seems in general those spaces treat Paul and John with more equal fondness and exasperation, i.e., they’re both dear and idiotic in turn. So it’s nice to hear you reply and keep it real regarding each of the band-members’ strengths and foibles. 🙂
Excellent discussion. I don’t think George ever fell under the sway of Lennon after the Maharishi. George was completely enamored of Indian religion and music and the spirituality it brought into his life. It was his freedom from Beatlemania. Both Wonderwall Music and All Things Must Pass make that obvious.
Excellent discussion. I don’t think George ever fell under the sway of Lennon after the Maharishi. George was completely enamored of Indian religion and music and the spirituality it brought into his life. It was his freedom from Beatlemania. Both Wonderwall Music and All Things Must Pass make that obvious.
Very good episode. And the first one that confused me as a listener. Why does seemingly nobody talk about why the white album is a double? I’m constantly mystified having heard several Beatles podcasts discuss the record without addressing this rather salient aspect. Wikipedia doesn’t address the matter. But George Martin did. It’s not irrelevant.
“Why does seemingly nobody talk about why the white album is a double?”
Because a double album would count as 2 records on the Beatles’ contract with EMI. They had a deal that paid them far fewer royalties than most of their peers and they wanted to fulfill it as quickly as they could. That’s why they rebuffed George Martin’s suggestions to whittle it down to one solid album.
Very good episode. And the first one that confused me as a listener. Why does seemingly nobody talk about why the white album is a double? I’m constantly mystified having heard several Beatles podcasts discuss the record without addressing this rather salient aspect. Wikipedia doesn’t address the matter. But George Martin did. It’s not irrelevant.
“Why does seemingly nobody talk about why the white album is a double?”
Because a double album would count as 2 records on the Beatles’ contract with EMI. They had a deal that paid them far fewer royalties than most of their peers and they wanted to fulfill it as quickly as they could. That’s why they rebuffed George Martin’s suggestions to whittle it down to one solid album.
Such a great episode.
Drugs, sigh. So much damage.
One quibble. Paul is 8 months older than George (and as George famously said) he’s still 8 months older!
Such a great episode.
Drugs, sigh. So much damage.
One quibble. Paul is 8 months older than George (and as George famously said) he’s still 8 months older!