Something About The Beatles

Category: Podcasting

  • 196: In The Studio 1968 w/ Jerry Hammack Part One

    196: In The Studio 1968 w/ Jerry Hammack Part One

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:46:41 — 178.3MB)

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    In his return to the show, we discuss 1968 and the making of the “White Album” (mostly), as explored in his most recent work, The Beatles’ Recording Reference Manual Volume 4.

    Joining us is another returning guest, recording artist/performer/producer Luther Russell (Those Pretty Wrongs, The Freewheelers, solo). Because we covered so much ground, I am presenting the conversation spread over two parts (the conclusion to follow later….)

    Check out Jerry’s work here.

  • 195: Little Richard Remembered

    195: Little Richard Remembered

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:43:34 — 165.2MB)

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    It seems particularly fitting at the time we find ourselves in to be discussing the art and career of rock pioneer Little Richard, who passed recently at 87. He represented a marginalized group in society, and his breakthrough, as unlikely as it was, carried with it resonance relevant to the present day. Add to that his absolutely key role in the development of The Beatles – going back to The Quarry Men days, really – and you can see why he is a subject worthy of a deep discussion.

    But the springboard for this show is the article published online at Vulture just after Richard’s passing; it was written by returning guest, journalist Bill Wyman and really is essential reading:  https://www.vulture.com/2020/05/little-richard-put-wild-sex-into-the-top-40-for- good.html

    The salacious aspects of Little Richard’s life must be discussed in any thorough conversation about his life, but there’s much more to the story. And as this is SATB, you can count on any number of other topics coming up, including Motown – touring – Elton John – David Bowie – the record industry – even The Replacements and The Ramones. (We also sneak in a word or two about The Beatles…)

  • 194: The Guest List Part 1

    194: The Guest List Part 1

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:04:12 — 202.3MB)

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    So an idea came up: who would SATB like to talk to in Beatle world and sit down for an interview? Qualifications: first, they have to be among the living (as of this taping); Second, they have to be completely honest and not fall back on deflection or “professional Beatle fan” chatter: stories they’ve entertained with for years that may or may not be factually accurate. Last, they have to be people on the inside who have either not told their stories at all or not told them to death.

    Though mortality hangs over us all, there are still folks out there who, to the best of my knowledge, range to speaking on record only sparingly or not at all; have written books, but if we discussed them here, it’s because their books didn’t go deep enough or raised more questions.)

    Joining in the conversation is a returning guest (182 and 188), retired academic Gary Wenstrup. He came up with his list, I came up with mine, and together we covered as much ground as we could in this, the first of a two-parter (at least).

  • 193: On The Beat with Spencer Leigh

    193: On The Beat with Spencer Leigh

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:40:40 — 153.2MB)

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    Rock historian and radio interviewer Spencer Leigh has been chronicling the music scene generally and The Beatles specifically from his native Merseyside for decades. He has penned well over two dozen books, half of them on Beatles-specific subjects. In this conversation, we discuss an array of topics, including writing and researching The Beatles; Bob Wooler; Liverpool bands; Bob Dylan, and Ken Dodd, among other topics.

    Check out Spencer’s work here.

  • 192B: Ringo Forensics Part Two

    192B: Ringo Forensics Part Two

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:35:52 — 159.5MB)

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    The continuation of my conversation with musician/singer/songwriter/producer Luther Russell – whom you may recall (SATB 192) as one half of Those Pretty Wrongs, a duo with Jody Stephens (ex-Big Star).

    As a devout fan from birth and a drummer himself, Luther possesses considerable insight into what made Ringo the essential Beatle: how a combination of unique skills, background and chemistry with the others made him the band’s most valuable player in a very real sense. This sprawling conversation addresses Ringo’s singular gifts that not only served his band so well over the course of their live and studio career but also how he built the vocabulary that countless others followed in his wake.

    Luther’s thesis here

    Heard in this show: “Everything You Do” by Luther Russell from the album The Invisible Audience 

  • 192A: Ringo Forensics Part One

    192A: Ringo Forensics Part One

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:39:48 — 165.8MB)

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    My guest today is musician/singer/songwriter/producer Luther Russell – you may recall him (SATB 192) as one half of Those Pretty Wrongs, a duo with Jody Stephens (ex-Big Star). As a devout fan from birth and a drummer himself, Luther possesses considerable insight into what made Ringo the essential Beatle: how a combination of unique skills, background and chemistry with the others made him the band’s most valuable player in a very real sense. This sprawling conversation addresses Ringo’s singular gifts that not only served his band so well over the course of their live and studio career but also how he built the vocabulary that countless others followed in his wake.

    Luther’s thesis here

    Heard in this show: Luther on drums with Liam Hayes on “Eat In Sin”

  • 191: Jenny Boyd

    191: Jenny Boyd

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:35:20 — 159.7MB)

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    You may know her as the muse who inspired Donovan’s “Jennifer Juniper”; maybe you know her as Pattie Boyd’s sister who went to Rishikesh with The Beatles. She may be known to some as the one-time flat-mate of Magic Alex or the two-time wife of Mick Fleetwood, but above all, she was a perceptive observer with a ringside seat at some of the most momentous events in 60s youth culture; wise beyond her years but in tune with the zeitgeist as it shifted around her.

    Meet (Dr.) Jenny Boyd, author of the newly-published Jennifer Juniper: A Journey Beyond The Muse. She also authored Musicians In Tune, republished and expanded as It’s Not Only Rock ‘n’ Roll: Iconic Musicians Reveal The Source of Their Creativity; a fascinating exploration into the creative process with some of her best friends.

    In this conversation, we discuss her life and times, along with a lots of familiar personas in her circle, as well as the nature of creativity.

    Check out all things Jenny Boyd here: http://www.thejennyboyd.com/
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  • 190B: Memo To Peter Jackson Part Two

    190B: Memo To Peter Jackson Part Two

    The January 1969 sessions at Twickenham and Apple Studio are The Beatles gift that keeps on giving. Thoroughly taped and filmed, it is a rich vein of material to analyze, especially as it has been chronicled in such a bad light by the group themselves, at odds with much of the evidence that has surfaced. SATB has examined the subject numerous times, notably with the two part Winter of Discontent episodes but also two additional episodes featuring Doug Sulpy (author of the seminal Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image ) and journalist / blogger Dan Rivkin ( They May Be Parted ) . SATB 158 and SATB 151 respectively     

    But with the pending autumn release of the new and revised cut of Let It Be  on its way, we thought it would be a good time to both summarize and re-examine what there is to work with, considering that Peter Jackson’s work is bound to stand as THE final word for a long time on the subject. Further, it is in the interest of offering a corrective to any public perception that what is to come will be a “whitewash” (the quotes in circulation discuss the group’s friendship – as you will hear here, there is ample support for this, counter to the narrative they themselves have put out through the years). Dan Rivkin and I discuss (in a three-hour conversation split over two parts) what we feel are the important and key documented moments that * should * make the cut of Jackson’s work.

    Part Two includes:
    ~ “Commonwealth”
    ~ George’s walk out and Billy Preston
    ~ Oldies

    ~ The Rooftop
    ~ Afterward

  • 190A: Memo To Peter Jackson Part One

    190A: Memo To Peter Jackson Part One

    The January 1969 sessions at Twickenham and Apple Studios are The Beatles gift that keeps on giving. Thoroughly taped and filmed, it is a rich vein of material to analyze, especially as it has been chronicled in such a bad light by the group themselves, at odds with much of the evidence that has surfaced. SATB has examined the subject numerous times, notably with the two part Winter of Discontent episodes but also two additional episodes featuring Doug Sulpy (author of the seminal Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image) and journalist/blogger Dan Rivkin (They May Be Parted), heard on  SATB 158 and SATB 151 respectively

    But with the pending autumn release of the new and revised cut of Let It Be on its way, we thought it would be a good time to both summarize and re-examine what there is to work with, considering that Peter Jackson’s work is bound to stand as THE final word for a long time on the subject. Further, it is in the interest of offering a corrective to any public perception that what is to come will be a “whitewash” (the quotes in circulation discuss the group’s friendship – as you will hear here, there is ample support for this, counter to the narrative they themselves have put out through the years). Dan Rivkin and I discuss (in a three-hour conversation split over two parts) what we feel are the important and key documented moments that *should* make the cut of Jackson’s work.

    Part one includes:

    ~Discussions on what their goals should be
    ~The prospect of “divorce”
    ~ The roots of Abbey Road

    ~”All Things Must Pass”
    ~”White Power”

  • 189: A Conversation with Robert Rosen

    189: A Conversation with Robert Rosen

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:54:33 — 190.8MB)

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    My guest today is best known in Beatles world for having published Nowhere Man (originally in 2000 but since revised in 2015), a book in part drawn from Rosen’s exclusive access to John Lennon’s diaries. He is also the author of the newly-published memoir, Bobby in Naziland, a telling of his coming of age in Flatbush during the late 50s and early 60s. Rosen’s work captures the essence of time and place, with an eye for detail and an ear for the rhythm; true for both of the aforementioned titles.

    Nowhere Man is a fascinating synthesis, based on interviews and original research as well as a reconstruction of the Lennon diaries. Rosen fleshes out a unique perspective on who John was during his last five years, drawn from John’s own privately expressed words. You won’t want to miss this illuminating discussion.

    Check out Robert’s works and events here: http://www.robertrosennyc.com/blog