Before you roll your eyes, take a second: in this special episode, Richard and Robert dissect what is easily the most polarizing recording of The Beatles’ entire canon: the musique concrète produced by John, with assistance from Yoko and George, issued on their wildly expansive 1968 self-titled double album.
Said Allmusic about our guest: “He writes songs that are melodic, hooky and emotionally true, and he sings and plays them with an honesty and force that still finds room for humor without venom.
Are The Beatles on their way out now?,” asked The Daily Sketch. Said a critic at The Sunday Mirror: “They have, to put it bluntly, goofed.
Setting aside the thematic full album works like Run Devil Run, Rock ‘n’ Roll or Sentimental Journey, the former Beatles recorded a fair amount of material written by others.
In this episode, Richard and Robert examine the myriad ways their work was re-imagined and compiled: from Greatest to Rarities to 1, from Alpha-Omega to Reel Music.
Throughout the course of their career, The Beatles freely tapped the talents of a number of outside musicians to add color to their musical palette.
Comedy was an aspect of The Beatles’ personas that came through loud and clear from day one. In this milestone episode, Richard and Robert discuss the comedic influences on the group
Ten years after The Beatles’ North American debut, at least three former members of the group battled an array of personal challenges.
Like all successful artists, The Beatles drew from sources all over the place, some obvious; some not so much. In this detailed discussion
It is a sign of the esteem that this musical icon was held by The Beatles that they performed more songs penned by him than any other single artist. Chuck Berry’s shadow looms large: as a performer – as a songwriter – as a guitarist.
Covering the period of John’s lifetime, Richard and Robert examine the recordings produced by the formerly Fab foursome and how their individual artistry contributed to each other’s work.
This episode features Robert and Richard in conversation with singer/songwriter Ann Wilson from Heart, who reveals how her deep love for The Beatles set her and sister Nancy on their life path from childhood.
In this special expended edition of SATB, Richard and Robert sit down with Mark Lewisohn to review the life and times of the Beatles’ first manager (yes, manager), who passed away late last year.
Half a century ago, The Beatles ushered in the second half of their career – the studio years – with this landmark double A-side release. Though the single’s commercial fortunes might not have reflected it,
In which Richard and Robert trace the rather momentous events of February 11th (give or take) throughout the entirety of The Beatles’ career.
What if the events of December 8, 1980 played out completely differently and somehow, an unscathed John Lennon – bereft of an obstructions – was able to join his former bandmates in a live concert situation; perhaps more than one?
Within the Beatles, there were any number of complex personal dynamics. Those between the group’s lead guitarist and bassist were among the convoluted: the Pisces fish vs. Gemini twin.
Not what you might think: collations of solo Beatle songs, if they’d been recorded for collective Beatle albums.
Last year’s Pure McCartney compilation set stirred some debate among fans: how could a career spanning 46 years and over 500 recordings be adequately compressed down to 67 tracks?
The New Years Day 1962 showcase at Decca Records in London did not pan out as The Beatles and Brian Epstein had hoped. But the decision to turn down the Beatles has long been regarded in rock history as one of the most bone-headed executive decisions ever made.
In this year-end special, Richard and Robert took a look back at some of the Beatle-related events of 2016: the new releases – the films – the tours – the anniversaries – the passings.
The Beatles’ 1967 self-produced TV special/film has been pilloried from day one as their first critical disaster; a creative overreach that critics saw as proof of how lost they were when operating out of their element.
It has been 36 years since the December night when we lost John. On this show, Robert and Richard discuss the array of musical tributes to the slain former Beatle that came from peers and admirers alike, some many years later.
For an artist with such a deep and diverse catalog of top-flight material, George remains “the Quiet Beatle” – as his most familiar songs seem to be those from two albums in particular (while the remaining eight are routinely overlooked).