Newsletter

Hello all; Since the newsletter doesn’t aspire to serve as Grim Reaper, we’ll save the casualties for last, shall we? Instead, we go with the current Beatles-in-the-news story, RE that “find” in Canada of a reel containing the January 1, 1962 Decca audition. The 15-song set has only officially been made available in excerpted form on the 1995 Anthology 1 release (and with plenty of grey market issues along the way). By now, all rights should belong to Apple, if they decide to officially fill this Pete Best-sized hole in their canon, but it will be interesting to see how this all plays out.  As to the provenance of this tape, it appears to have been a dub made in the early 70s by someone with access to a first-gen copy and is said to sound stunning, though it’s an open question whether it sounds as good as this. Anything you could possibly want to know about the session and the context around it (drumroll, or maybe atom beat….) can be found in this newly-published book.  On the subject of Jerry Hammack’s new co-write, we just guested on the Booked On Rock podcast with Eric Senich. (Video here). Also, The Fest for Beatles Fans NJ edition begins this week –  I am happy to report that the signed book labels that were lost in transit arrived, my scribble was applied, and they should be on-site for anyone needing one. We won’t be on hand for this one but come August in Rosemont….. The new episode, number 301, should be up as you are reading this. The Beatles Bag of Tricks Vol. 2 features Cameron Greider and Jack Petruzzelli, whom you all know from previous shows, including Bag of Tricks the first. In this one, we examine the mystery of 6ths and minor 3rds. If that sounds insanely complicated, it isn’t – really! Instead, it puts a spotlight on two musical devices that the Fabs employed repeatedly, where they came from and where they were used. Once you hear them and become aware, it becomes an “A-ha!” for you and another way to appreciate their unschooled talents.  Jack and Cameron have been featured a number of times on the show, sometimes alongside musicologist Walter Everett, all of the RPM School. Their spring semester, on Sgt. Pepper, is coming up, and so is a songwriting tutorial that includes recording artist Freedy Johnston, so check out their site. Also, check out the Magical Mystery Camp site if you are interested/curious about the upcoming activities in the Catskills this June, featuring an immersive musical experience and summer fun in a stunning locale.     Remember Allison Bumsted? She’ll be the returning guest for 302, on the subject of her acclaimed book, TeenSet, Teen Magazines and Rock Journalism: Don’t Let The Name Fool You. And if anyone reading this is interested in her book but hasn’t yet purchased it, her publisher has a spring flash sale going on but it ends today (March 24).   We said goodbye to Badfinger’s Joey Molland last week in a lovely service that was live streamed worldwide. It was a worthy send-off, and on the subject of Badfinger, I can confirm an upcoming show is in the can on the subject; this may possibly be the first of two, depending on listener interest. (You’ll let me know, won’t you?) Also transitioning on: BBC broadcaster Andy Peebles. He famously hung out with John and Yoko during the weekend preceding his death, capturing an hours-long interview with a UK spin. (Not the last – that was of course the RKO one that occurred just hours before…) It is worth a listen if you never have; Andy made the news in recent years when he came forth openly questioning the circumstances of the shooting (and he therefore figures in David Whelan’s book).  So as not to end on a downer note: this reimagining of a White Album-era Harrisong was made public recently. Your appreciation of the work (recording and video) may vary depending on how much you like “Sour Milk Sea” or AI, but the toothpaste has left the tube. Let me know what you think!

Hello all! Before getting to the fun stuff, I just wanted to make clear a couple of things RE the newsletter: first, I have sent these out every Monday since the start back in November 2024. It may be early in the day; it may be just as you are getting into bed, but always on a Monday. It has come to my attention that there are some of you who have received some newsletters, but then a week or two or three may go by and you are not seeing another. There will never be more than a week between mailings – maybe I shouldn’t say never – but that’s the norm and if there is a contingency, there will be an explanation. What I have heard from some of you is that they stopped coming, and for that, I have no explanation – nothing has changed on my end, you are still in the newsletter mail list, and if ever a week goes by without you hearing from me, let me know – it means something has glitched. And of course, you can always catch up on these – once we hit 20, I will probably move them to the SATB website and you can access them all there.  Second, the Ribbons of Rust site has a similar gateway, prompting an email sign-in to get on a mailing list to get updates on stuff related to the book Jerry and I just published. All info for the book, updates, podcast appearances, and so forth, will be handled through this newsletter, so that there is no duplication of energies. So if you signed up either on that site, or the SATB one, you are in good shape.  On the subject of the book, there have been several online reviews and more to come. (Bonus: some of them spell our names right!) Also, as alluded to, we will be appearing on some podcasts soon, among them Joe Wisbey’s fab Beatles Books, Jonathan and Julia Pretus’s Ranking The Beatles, and Eric Senich’s Booked on Rock. We’ll keep you posted here as they come up. Also, as a heads up for anyone attending the upcoming Fest For Beatles Fans: Mark Lapidos bought a quantity of books to have on hand – that’s the good news! He also likes to have signed copies, and neither of us will be there – that’s unfortunate. But – to remedy this – he requested sigs on bookplates to have on hand so that anyone who wants one can get a signed copy – that’s the good news! But the plates Jerry produced and signed apparently vanished en route between Toronto and Chicago – that’s unfortunate! But – I am told that they mysteriously returned to Jerry’s doorstep just this weekend – that’s the good/bad news. If they arrive overnight today as I expect, I will sign ‘em and send ‘em to Mark 🤞. Otherwise, I will be in Rosemont in August for sure – Jerry possibly too. And both of us will be in the Catskills come late June for the Magical Mystery Camp, presented by the RPM-School and starring the Fab Faux, Peter Asher, Joan Osbourne, Steve Forbert and Ken Womack, Scott Freiman, Walter Everett, and ourselves. Loads of music, open stage, lessons, presentations, and more, in the wonderful locale of the Catskills. (On-site hiking and swimming, plus attractions like Woodstock and the site of Peg Leg Bates’ former resort are within driving distance.)   On the subject of the RPM School: remember the Beatles’ Bag of Tricks episode with Cameron Greider and Jack Petruzzelli? We just convened for another dip into the bag – it’s coming next… Today is Pattie Boyd’s birthday, and I’m sure many of you can remember the conversation we had a year ago, on the occasion of her auction at Christies. (And if you ever wondered why “Pattie,” just look at the calendar.) Some backstage notes: I had been pursuing her as a guest for a while before her handlers acquiesced, in the spirit of publicizing the sale. She had recently published a book of photos and I really wanted to talk about that as well, but the sale was the focus and because she was doing a lot of media at the time, she could only give an hour. Fair enough, and I was well prepared, in case this was the only shot. She was great, of course, and a real pro, although apparently she was not accustomed to the idea of wearing headphones or earbuds, so that the computer mic recording her would not also pick up me – you want to keep these tracks separate for editing purposes. Anyway, at about 20 minutes into the talk, she was fiddling with one of the buds and inadvertently dropped the call…..completely gone. I frantically reached out to her handler, hoping she was in the next room or something, but found out nope, they were in two different places. Finally Pattie figured things out and got back on the call, but only after a good 15 minutes had passed, cutting into our hour.  So I made the most of the time we had and she genuinely seemed to enjoy it; in fact, I was hoping that the “great idea” she thought I had about turning photos of her auction items into another book, with her telling anecdotes about them, would be taken up. But in our follow up discussion, she’d decided that, having just turned 80, that she was just going to take it easy for the foreseeable and get out of the “Pattie Boyd” business. So this may end up as her last lengthy conversation, but I hope this is not the case. (Recently, she was the subject of a finger-wagging piece in the UK tabloid rag, the Daily Mail, for “disgracefully” using ayahuasca and copping to a recent one-and-done Botox experiment being a regret. I won’t post a link but you can find it easily enough.)   Did you

Hello all,  We’re now in March – a month not as heavy with Beatles anniversaries as other months I can think of but with some notable ones nonetheless. One that comes to mind is the start of the A Hard Day’s Night shoot back in 1964, on the heels of their triumphant return to the UK after that first US Visit. It is vaguely astonishing that right out of the gate, just as they lucked into finding the perfect visionary and frustrated creative-type to handle their studio recordings, they likewise connected with expat Dick Lester and producer Walter Shenson to get behind this project, originally planned as exploitation for some unknowns who hadn’t actually scored a US hit at the time the deal was inked. But possessing the talent to recognize opportunity and seize it was The Beatles’ hallmark and for that, we’re able to add cinema to their list of triumphs.  Seen here: a BBC documentary that aired in August 1964, Follow The Beatles. This invaluable short caught them behind-the-scenes at work on both the film as well as in the studio. (Chances are you’ve seen footage culled from this doc.)   I must admit I’m still reeling a bit from the passing of Badfinger’s Joey Molland. A Badfinger-themed episode was always in the cards for SATB, but now with heightened urgency. I was happy to see Sir Paul acknowledge the loss, though I am wondering how and when they crossed paths: he worked with The Iveys for the sessions that produced “Come and Get It” and music used in the Magic Christian film but that proceeded Joey’s tenure in Badfinger; George and John’s interactions are well-documented. (Speaking of, the Imagine sessions were filmed in part, but if any footage of “Joey and Tommy Badfinger” has ever surfaced, I’ve never seen it.)   I easily could’ve kept on going with the Joey playlist I put together but I figured that for the uninitiated a couple dozen tracks was plenty to get started with, and the hardcores have heard it all anyway. BUT – I did want to call out his final release, 2020’s Be True To Yourself. It was a collaboration with Mark Hudson, and for anyone who may be wondering what happens when some Beatles-influenced/adjacent artists get together for the love of music-making, this is your thing! Virtually any late career release will get hyped as “their best work since (whatever)…” but in this case, BTTY is a fine testament to the talents of Joey and Mark, making you wonder why they didn’t get together sooner. The supporting cast included Julian Lennon, Micky Dolenz and ex-Wings drummer Steve Holley. A number of music videos were produced for various tracks, but to offer a purely musical sample of the release, here’s one: the all-too-fitting “Heaven.” Onto more pleasant news: tonight the Ringo & Friends at The Ryman TV special airs on CBS and Paramount+. (I believe you can get it outside of the US as well.) I can’t say with certainty (and neither can he) whether or not episode 299 guest Gary Astridge appears in it or not but he was certainly on hand. (Someone has to look after the traveling peace sign statue). Guaranteed on hand for the two shows as part of tonight’s broadcast are Jack White, Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris, Molly Tuttle, and Billy Strings, among others. The event was profiled this weekend, and if you’re like me, you may be wondering about the shirts they depict…  LOADS of good suggestions for upcoming shows have been coming in, so keep them coming – thanks! (Subject line: “Topics”) Also, if you are so moved, anyone taking a moment to leave a podcast review on Apple iTunes is greatly appreciated, as it helps the algorithms get the show found. Very useful for the pending Spotify expansion.  Jerry Hammack and I will be doing a round of podcast interviews ourself starting next week, so we’ll keep you posted on those. (One is with Joe on Beatles Books – I forget what the other is.) We will also be doing an online book launch event for Ribbons of Rust Vol. 1 soon, with a couple of folks you listeners should know. We’re thinking of staging it like the one Allison and I did for her TeenSet book awhile back, with an opportunity for you the listener to come in on the call and ask questions. Details to come!   As always, share this with anyone you know who may be interested and send an email with subject line “unsubscribe” to get off this. Old newsletters always available (subject line “old newsletters”). 

Hello all; I hope everyone has had a chance to take a dip into 300. I am glad to have finished it up, but I think I would’ve been fine-tuning it to death, absent a deadline, to no one’s great benefit. But once again I am grateful to all who contributed their thoughts, input and support through the years and for this episode specifically. It was great to hear what you had to say, and also to remind me of things I’d forgotten about.  The biggest takeaway I have is that even as I included most every suggestion, I could easily have cut another show every bit as long without repeating a guest. It could have included Jenny Boyd, Alan Parsons, Randy Bachman, Tom Brothers, Tom Murray, Paul Saltzman, Jody Stephens, Dave Mirkin, Bruce Thomas, Ivor Davis, Chip Madinger, Walter Everett, Doug Sulpy, Vic Flick, Keven Harrington, Lon Van Eaton, Mike McCartney, Gary Weis, Spencer Leigh and many more. What it really tells me is that there is a ton to discuss and explore and therefore we can keep this going for the foreseeable.    As it is the start of a new month, here is another installment of the Seederman Chronology. Volume 5 begins in June 1971 with the Imagine sessions and ends with the February 1973 appearance of Badfinger on Midnight Special; along the way are excerpts from the Bangladesh and One to One shows, plus promos from Wings and Ringo, as well as more Badfinger and some Fab covers from Richie Havens and Faces. Even though we’re talking a window of less than two years, the former Beatles are still operating at a pretty high level of productivity with music, performances and film work. Pretty astonishing from the perspective of what we’re accustomed to these days.  Last week was the Teaflix conversation (not really an interview as such) with Angie and Ruth McCartney. You can see it here. Their show has hosted the usual suspects in recent months, including two who will be familiar to SATB listeners, Debbie Gendler and Allison Bumsted.  In case anyone is wondering what the McCartney connection is: Angie was a widow with a young daughter when friends introduced her to widower James McCartney, Paul’s father, in 1964. They were married in November that year and lived in Wirral until Jim’s death in 1976. There are stories connecting Angie and Ruth to compositions Paul wrote: some of you may be familiar with a circulating tape of “Blackbird” containing a number of false starts that Paul dedicates to “Edie” – according to Angie, Edie was her Mum and there’s a definite blackbird story behind it. Most fans are familiar with the “Golden Slumbers” backstory and how Paul found an open music book on the piano when visiting his father; the book was Ruth’s, who was studying piano at the time. Paul made up his own melody since, unlike Ruth, he couldn’t read music, but he did crib some of the lyrics. We talked off air about having them on the show to relate their side of things. Mike McCartney’s June 1968 wedding: that’s Angie at right (w/glasses) and Ruth to the left of her. Speaking of Sir Paul, word came of a new book and film project about Wings this week. One of the criticisms of the 2001 Wingspan project was that it was McCartney-centric to the point of shutting out pretty much every other POV. But at the time, Paul (and daughter Mary) said that it was more meant to present Paul and Linda’s story in a band, rather than an all encompassing history of Wings. So the fact that we are now getting something drawn from oral histories drawn from the key players is a good thing. We’ll withhold judgment until we see it, but in the meantime for anyone who didn’t see it, here’s Wingspan.     Other stuff: Dennis Diken plays drums with The Smithereens, as you all know. One of the beautiful unexpected side effects of producing this podcast has been meeting people who I have admired for years, who connect with me because they enjoy SATB. It is slightly surreal to spend time with a guy who, in a previous life, I was in a garage band copying his licks. But Dennis is far more than a terrific musician: he’s a rock historian/writer/researcher and also occasional radio show host.  The Smithereens with Marshall Crenshaw You’ve heard him on SATB on the Now and Then episode as well as the Sixty Years Ago in America show (285) with Lee Abrams and Elliot Easton. In any event, he’s a guest on the current episode of Discograffiti podcast, discussing the Beach Boys.  We’ve had a couple of sad passings to note: Joey Molland’s is a huge one and is addressed separately, but there was also David Johansen, known to all as a solo recording artist, as Buster Poindexter and of course for his tenure with the New York Dolls. Like so many others, there is a Beatles (or more specifically Lennon) connection: his legs appear in the 1971 LenOno film, Up Your Legs Forever, and he also appeared in 2014 at a NYC Lennon tribute concert (pictured here). David was 75.   Last: Magical Mystery Camp is coming up. You can check out the line-up here, and the events here. Know that there will be loads of music: some you can watch, some you can partake in, and a lot that’s discussed and analyzed. Tickets here. Thanks to everyone for being here. As always, you can unsubscribe at any time (subject line “unsubscribe”), request old newsletters (subject line “old newsletters”) or suggest topics (subject line “topics”) for the show. And turn your friends on to this show, please!   __________________________________________________________ Joey Molland March 3, 2025 This has, so far, been a year heavy with losses, many of them noted in this newsletter. But this one hits particularly hard, with someone I knew personally and reconnected with fairly recently. It is a measure of the

Hello folks;  I had hoped to have the much-touted 300th episode finished by now, but it’s still – at this hour – in progress. Fingers crossed, I am hoping to give it that final push in the next 36. Your input was fab: listeners and past guests both, so I am hoping to honor your kind words and support by delivering something worthy of your input.  This note likely reaches you on what would’ve been George‘s 82nd birthday. I am happy to note that he has been the subject of many a SATB show, either directly or indirectly:  125: The Traveling Wilburys 131: The Beatles and Randy Bachman (In part a tribute to George) 171: Handmade Films (plus 188 Handmade Redux) 229: “Something” Deconstructed 191: Jenny Boyd 219: John, George, Eric and Layla 232: Concert for George with Sam Brown 254: George and Paul 261: Making All Things Must Pass 264: George and John 269: Solo George Harrison 274: Philp Norman’s George 278: Pattie Boyd And this doesn’t count the “George-adjacent” shows on Rishikesh or the Maharishi. There will be more to come, of course, so stay tuned.  In sad news, the death of Roberta Flack came today. She’d only just turned 88 years old recently; in addition to her career as a Grammy-winning recording artist (known for “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” “Killing Me Softly With HIs Song,” “Feel Like Makin Love,” and “The Closer I Get To You,” among others), she interests us because of her ties to the Lennons. She was a neighbor at the Dakota for many years (here’s a look inside). But she also shared a stage – the Madison Square Garden, to be specific – at the 1972 One to One show, alongside Stevie Wonder and Sha-Na-Na. She also performed a Yoko cover – “Goodbye Sadness” – for the 1984 Every Man Has A Woman compilation album.  Speaking of, Yoko turned 92 last week. She reportedly left the Dakota awhile back, living in one of the Lennon properties outside of NYC. Sean has essentially taken over her duties administering LenOno business and she is rarely seen publicly these days.    Tomorrow (or today) February 25th, I will be talking with Angie and Ruth McCartney for their Teaflix series, which streams live in Facebook. Afterward, it will be posted on YouTube and as a podcast everywhere else. If you get on while it’s happening (1:30PM Chicago time/2:30PM east coast/11:30AM Pacific/7:30pm London), you will be able to chime in with a question if you are so moved. We will be talking about the new book, sans Jerry Hammack, I’m afraid, but I’ll keep you posted on all other upcoming appearances (being scheduled now) as they come up.  On the subject of books with red covers, I did that one about Revolver awhile back. I got a request from Jude Kessler of the John Lennon series to submit a summation of said album for a blog she runs on The Fest for Beatles Fans site. Jude’s a longtime friend, so I can’t say no, and it was just posted this weekend.  Before the month ended, I wanted to mention the February 1969 “Mystery Session” at Apple Studio that Dan Rivkin and Peter Jackson kicked around back when we had our talk. What makes it a mystery is that the session, photographed by Ethan Russell, came off the heels of the Get Back project and depicts the band conspicuously in recording mode (they are mic’ed up), yet no documentation exists as to what exactly they were doing. February 20 is likely the day, but there’s little else known with certainty. Perhaps some unseen document or diary or letter may one day be uncovered and spell it all out, but until then, it’s just one more mystery.   As always, all past newsletters available upon request (subject line “old newsletters”) and you can also unsubscribe anytime (subject line “unsubscribe”). Thanks to all for the 300th input and continued support!

Greetings all;  Let’s get the sad news out of the way first before moving on: first, the passing of EMI engineer John Kurlander. He began working with The Beatles while still in his teens; a class field trip when he was 13 saw him witness a bit of the Help! sessions, but he found employment there at 16 and it was when he was brought on board the Abbey Road sessions that he became a key player.  The Kurlander story concerns what happened inadvertently: he was on hand when The Beatles, or at least Paul, were listening to a playback of “The Long One” as the side two medley was called. As originally designed, the medley alternated between John and Paul songs. Following “Mean Mr. Mustard” was Paul’s “Her Majesty,” but upon hearing it fully realized, he declared that it didn’t work and asked Kurlander to excise it. It was Kurlander’s job to fulfill any Beatle’s wish, but he was also mindful of standing Parlophone rules (by 1969) not to discard anything the group recorded. Faced with this, he opted for what he saw as the best option: remove the song but splice it to the end of the master reel, following a suitable length of silence. This would be how the world came to hear the song, as a “hidden track.” (Those who believe it to be the world’s first apparently never listened to 1967’s Their Satanic Majesties Request, for starters.)  Kurlander went on to work on other Apple projects (Mary Hopkin’s Post Card and Badfinger’s No Dice), as well as with the four ex-Beatles. His greater achievements came with the soundtracks he worked on at the Abbey Road facilities in later years, including three Grammy wins for – ironically – Peter Jackson’s Lord of The Rings film trilogy. Here’s a terrific article on Kurlander’s work with The Beatles. He was 73.  Another sad farewell – for now at least – is to Erin Weber from the world of Beatling. When I first solicited feedback from you listeners for the 300th episode, asking for your favorite moments or conversations, hands down she came up at top of the list. It’s not hard to see why: her book, The Beatles and The Historians was a game-changer, showing us all how to read a book about the group, and how to judge them by the solid criteria employed by historians. Personally, I can’t look at history – any history – the same way again, and for that I thank her. I am happy that we had the opportunity to meet in person at The Fest a couple of years back, and look forward to the day when we cross paths again. But there is nothing more important than family and, for now, her energies must be directed elsewhere. But we owe her all a big thanks for what she’s given us and how it has impacted our enjoyment of Beatles history going forward.  Says Erin: “When McFarland published The Beatles and the Historians, I fully expected it to be little more than an obscure textbook for college history historical methods classes. (To be honest, I was trying to corner a small and uncompetitive academic market: there aren’t too many books on historical methodology and historiography, but history students still have to take those classes). I would have been fully happy in my little historian’s niche. Instead, I was given the great opportunity to discuss the greatest band in music history with a number of amazing authors, fans, and musicians. I’ve attended conferences and had incredible discussions with some excellent podcasters, and made some fab friends, too.”  Erin, if you never publish another word on The Beatles, your esteemed place in every SATB listener’s heart is indelible.     In good news: first, the recent Ringo shows in Nashville, taped for broadcast, have been announced as coming on March 10 – details here. Second: the amazing surprise Paul shows at Manhattan’s Bowery Ballroom – three in all. Here’s a write-up, but if anyone reading this was there, please contact me (subject line “Bowery”) if you’d like to serve as a stringer for the show. We’d love to hear your impressions. (Not sure how long this link will be working but here you go.) And then to follow it all up, Paul came on live as show closer for the Saturday Night Live 50 special on Sunday night. These are the things to savor while we can.  Does it seem odd when we are in the Ed Sullivan Show anniversary mode to consider that we are only 58 years out from the issue of the “Strawberry Fields Forever”/”Penny Lane” single? The lightning quick speed in which The Beatles evolved is staggering to consider in this day and age. Here, via the AdamBound channel, is a collection of all the footage shot for the SFF promo, directed by Peter Goldmann. He’d been recommended to the group by Klaus Voormann; given the staggering results of the collaboration, it is surprising that they never again worked with him. It was shot at Knole in Kent at Sevenoaks. Here is some background from folks who were there.  Last: here’s where the value of this Newsletter as a direct pipeline for your feedback has proven most helpful. Jerry Hammack and I knew in advance that using so much color in the new book, Ribbons of Rust, meant certain limitations: in addition to being a more costly printing process, Amazon – in certain Pacific markets (Australia and Japan specifically) – were not set up to produce a color print run. Personally, I am not so presumptuous to assume that surely there’d be a demand for this book absolutely everywhere, but hearing back from some of you was motivation enough to find a solution, and Jerry and I believe we have…  Essential  in our thought process when putting this book together was placing the reader into The Beatles’ world as best we could. That meant the sights and the sounds, which

Hey there folks,  Welcome to the working week. We just now passed the anniversary of the Ed Sullivan Show debut on February 9 (aligning with the 1964 calendar on a Sunday). I am thinking that the tardy arrival of Beatles ’64 in November rather than the actual 60th anniversary months earlier may make the milestone seem a little tired by now, but on the other hand, I do feel like we are really lucky to have so many 1st-gen fans around whose lives were changed that night, utterly, that share their stories. We’ve had quite a few on the show, and most recently, again with 299. Speaking for my own generation (as well as that of my kids), we didn’t get a unifying and impactful event of our own (that I can think of), experienced by millions that likewise touched our lives for the better, so consider the importance of that day: they don’t come along every generation.  This week has milestones of its own to recognize. February 11 must rank as surely one of the most auspicious days in Beatles history, and I have often wondered whether they themselves were aware of it. (Doubtful!)  1963: The Please Please Me album sessions. (Which began that morning with “There’s A Place”  1964:  The Washington DC concert (shared in newsletter #3.5) 1965: Ringo and Maureen were married (60 years if only…) 1966: The McCartney-penned “Woman” released by Peter and Gordon in the UK. (Beating John to the title by 14 years, Klaatu by 22.)  1968:  Filming day for the “Lady Madonna” promo, capturing instead The Beatles tracking “Hey Bulldog.”  1970:  The Plastic Ono Band taped appearances to promote “Instant Karma” on Top of the Pops. The entourage, besides John and Yoko, included Klaus, Alan White, Mal Evans, and journalist BP Fallon. The “crocheting” take aired the next day, followed a week later by the “cue card” one. (Apparently The Beatles spent 1967 and 1969 OTD slacking off.)  So let’s unpack this a bit. You cannot do better for completeness in curating all known footage together than the AdamBound channel on YouTube. Here’s his Bulldog compilation.   Ringomania continues this week unfettered. Son Zak must be sitting on an enormous pile of unseen photos; remember it was he who shared the first photo taken in 1979 at the Clapton-Boyd nuptials jam, showing himself onstage along with Uncle Paul and Jim Capaldi. (More recently, Pattie shared another, this one including her ex at around the same moment.) Anyway, in a now-deleted post on Instagram, Zak shared a fast-moving reel of never-before-seen pics, including Beatles and other well-known personas. He’s since deleted it, saying it was meant only for private sharing, but one day he will have a fabulous book to publish, should he so decide to. (Did anyone else think his mother was one of the best things never before seen in the Get Back film?)  There was a Record Store Day (April 12, 2025) announcement this past week: a Plastic Ono Band EP of newly-remixed performances from the 1972 One-To-One show. George will have one out too, and on the subject of vinyl, Paul recently announced the release of a 50th anniversary Venus and Mars 180-gram double issue.  If you want to say anything about SATB for the 300th show (next in line), this is the place to send it, and honestly, there’s been a bunch of submissions (thanks!) but this is last call – say by this weekend.  Finally, February 11 is the publication day of the book Jerry and I wrote. This was not contrived, it was just the way the calendar fell, so for those who believe in portents, I’ll take it. This was just launched into cyberspace.

Hey there Beatle folk;  For this week’s edition, we’ll lead with actual news: the Grammy Awards handed out last night yielded one win for team Beatles (“Now and Then”); one for the John Lennon’s Mind Games reissue and two acceptances by one person, Sean Lennon. (Per Sean, Giles was supposed to be the one to collect for NAT.) The Beatles’ award was not without some controversy, being an AI-assisted recording, which now sets a precedent. Also interesting was what Giles told the Los Angeles Times:  “‘Now and Then’ as the last record, to me, is incredibly poignant, a song that John wrote to Paul,” Martin said. “Paul lost his best friend. Whatever differences they had, they lived an incredibly close life. I think Paul missed him, like he missed my dad. He missed him creatively, and he wanted to work with him again, to collaborate again. This technology was a pathway towards that.” I wonder how it is that Giles thinks he knows this with such certainty?  Also in the news last week was the passing of Marianne Faithfull at 78. She was another one that got away: when I spoke with journalist Sylvie Simmons back in 2020, she mentioned Marianne in passing as someone she spoke with regularly. I made the effort, but Marianne sustained a near-fatal bout of COVID not long after and it sapped her energies to the point where sitting for a Beatles-centric conversation just wasn’t in the cards. It would’ve been interesting: she and The Fabs were intertwined socially at least during the 60s; when they took up TM with the Maharishi, Marianne and then-boyfriend Mick Jagger went along for the ride.  (That’s her top left, along with John and Cyn; Jenny Boyd, Pattie and George, Ringo, then Paul and Jane. Maureen had just given birth to Jason.) George was at the notorious party at Keith’s Redlands home in February 1967 and departed before the cops swooped in, making Marianne a casualty with their salacious (and embellished) description of how they found her. The next year, she appeared on the same bill as John with the Dirty Mac at the Rock and Roll Circus. Marianne’s comeback album, 1979’s Broken English was hard-sledding for most yet finally won her the critical acclaim her talents warranted. It was a monumental statement, reclaiming a legacy as something considerably more than Mick’s bird, featuring a sound as brutal as the then-current punk scene (which she certainly had an affinity for), delivered with a rasp far removed from her Andrew Oldham presentation so many years before. The set included a cover of “Working Class Hero” that many compared favorably to the original. Unfortunately, her subsequent 1980 appearance on SNL did her no favors with the public (back story here), but to those who appreciated what she was putting across, with the ravages of a hard-lived life pouring out of every note, it was intoxicating stuff.  It’s another new month and therefore another serving of Seederman’s Simple Chronology. Part 4 begins, fittingly, during the January 1969 sessions at Twickenham and ends in June 1971, with John and Yoko onstage with Zappa at the Fillmore East.  Other things: Ribbons of Rust Volume 1 1954 – February 1954 written with Jerry Hammack will officially be out on February 11. There will be an array of interviews and other promotional stuff going on, and as soon as I know what’s what, I’ll let you know.  I do hope that most of you gave a listen to the conversation with Gary Astridge (299), because in my mind, it’s something really special – as is Gary. I’ve been getting some really awesome feedback, for which I am most grateful.  This leaves 300 next… I am thankful to all who have passed along messages and contributions to the show. I am thinking that February 11 makes a nice cut-off for anyone else wishing to send a note describing fave moments on the show or else submit audio contributions. Everything submitted will get used.  Once again: Thanks all of you for signing up and for the continued support for the show. I hope that these newsletters remain welcome additions to your in-box (and if not, just reply to “unsubscribe” and we’ll fix that). All past newsletters available upon request (subject line “old newsletters). Be sure to share this with any like-minded friends – thanks!   

Hey everyone!  Maybe it’s my COVID-induced dementia, but I meant to include a couple of more Ringo things in yesterday’s mailing:  First, for those who can see it in real time, Ringo will be appearing tonight on Jimmy Kimmel’s show to promote his hit album, Look Up. I will try to be mindful of these things as they pop up, for anyone needing a reminder. For everyone outside the US, the segment will likely be on YouTube within the next day or so.  Also worth mentioning in passing: Ringo’s firstborn made the news and not in a good way. We of course wish him all the best.  And they said journalism was dead! From that same periodical, this stellar reporting (which stayed online for days). 

Hello folks;  Thanks to all of those taking the time for well-wishes. The recent COVID event was prolonged, but not as bad as it might have been. It’s behind me now and I appreciate all the kind words.  Hopefully by now most of you have listened to the conversation with Richard Mills. He is a terrific guest, likewise his book, The Beatles and Fandom, and I really look forward to having him on again. His new book will be coming in May, but I have an idea that I may float to him sooner – we shall see! On the subject of books, the new one with Jerry Hammack, Ribbons of Rust: The Beatles’ Recording Career in Context volume one 1954 – February 1963 has been given an official publication date: February 11, 2025. If that date rings familiar in Beatles history, it should! More on this next time.  Up sooner than later will be the next podcast, #299. This is a conversation with Gary Astridge, Ringo’s drum curator and author of the book, Beats and Threads, combining a history of Ringo’s kits with a stroll through his wardrobe. Trust me when I tell you it works amazingly well! Gary’s a great friend and a superb storyteller. And he’s got the stories to tell… I’d mentioned in 296 the Magical Mystery Camp event in the Catskills, coming in late June. (Did you know that June 25th is recognized as Global Beatles Day?) If those of you inclined to plan your vacations now figure New York into your plans, this should dovetail quite nicely. The four day event will bring together guests, presentations, workshops and lots of music. Jack Petruzzelli, whom you know from previous appearances on the show (sometimes along with Cameron Greider and Walter Everett, both of the RPM School) is a member of The Fab Faux, who will be appearing. He and I had a recent talk about it, which I will be sharing in the podcast feed and also as a video on YouTube. More on this in the next newsletter.       There was a report in the news this past week, wherein Dhani Harrison was quoted as saying that he and Sean Lennon had listened to AI enhancements of the two Anthology Threetles tracks, suggesting that some kind of release was imminent. Those who looked into it concluded that 1) it was an old interview, not news and 2) that his actual words were that he thought it was possible, not that it was a done deal. Personally, I thought it was something they should have had done and dusted concurrently with the “Now and Then” release, but if there’s any truth to it at all, it would make sense as part of a revamped 30th anniversary issue of Anthology. There has been no lack of effort by unsanctioned engineers to tackle “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love” – an official release could be amazing (especially if they address the Jeff Lynne production…).   This is, of course, the 56th anniversary of the wrap up of the Let It Be sessions, which climaxed on the rooftop of Savile Row. Personally, I was not among those who got to the theater to see the Peter Jackson IMAX presentation (it came and went superfast here) but hopefully most of you did. And for everyone else, here’s a restored print of the rooftop sequence as it appeared in the 1970 film (minus the retakes).  For anyone wishing to hear the complete rooftop performance, here you go. As alluded to in an earlier newsletter, I am expecting to produce a brand new show on the Let It Be/”Get Back” project, with a new guest with a new book. Stay tuned!  To repeat: Thanks all of you for signing up and for the continued support for the show. I hope that these newsletters remain welcome additions to your in-box (and if not, just reply to “unsubscribe” and we’ll fix that). All past newsletters available upon request (subject line “old newsletters). Be sure to share this with any like-minded friends – thanks!