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Hello SATB people!
Consider this a beta test. If you’re receiving this, it is likely because you signed up for the newsletter or we have corresponded in the past. In any event, I don’t want anybody feeling like they’re being spammed right out of the gate and if you think you got this by mistake or wish to opt out, please return an email, subject line “unsubscribe” and we’ll sort it out.
But if you are here on purpose, good on you and thank you for supporting the show. I’ve long wanted to do this and enter into it with the trepidation of taking on another task that will take time, but I think will also pay off with getting your direct input in the shows going forward. A win-win for everyone.
Here’s some announcements for the short-term:
As you may have heard from the most recent show and social postings, November 12th is fast coming. That’s the day I will be hosting an online book launch for Allison Bumsted, author of the newly published, TeenSet, Teen Fan Magazines, and Rock Journalism: Don’t Let the Name Fool You.
If you never heard of it, know this: It began publishing in 1964, essentially as a Capitol records promotional tool. But it quickly morphed into something far more substantial, with pioneering editor Judith Sims at the helm, producing substantive articles belied by the magazine’s own title and featuring photography by the likes of Jim Marshall and Bob Bonis. TeenSet was a treasure hidden in plain sight that never got its due, in part because when they finally did change their name, it was a little late and they’d become superseded by other publications that lasted substantially longer.
In any event, Allison’s book shines a light on the unsung role that magazines directed at fans and a largely female audience played as part of the promotional infrastructure of artists we revere today, and how historically they have been undervalued and certainly under examined. So this will be a free event where Allison will present her book, I’ll ask questions and you can too. Not a podcast taping per se, although if things go well…
You can sign up for it here.
SATB hosts an awful lot of authors and I’m thinking if this goes well, it may become a part of future endeavors, giving the listenership a chance to ask questions directly. On the subject of books, books is what got me here and there’s another one coming soon if you haven’t heard. It’s a co-write with Jerry Hammack, author of The Beatles Recording Reference Manual series and essentially serves to contextualize the history going on in and around The Beatles at every juncture that the committed music to tape.
Volume 1 (because it’s a series!) presents a prehistory, which may strike you as a bit odd until you realize their first Beatle-related recording came in 1957, on the very day John and Paul were formally introduced. The following year, The Quarry Men lay down a Buddy Holly cover and an original tune. This was followed by home recordings at Forthlin Road, then recordings in Hamburg, followed by an unsuccessful audition at Decca and a successful one at EMI. Then there were the live records captured in Hamburg at the end of 62. That’s a lot to discuss and a lot of history; the point of this book would be to trace how instruments got put in these guys hands and how they were put on their path as well as their true motivations.
More on that later. Also upcoming: SATB’s 300th show. I’m absolutely not one to bang on about my own birthday or any such self-celebrations, but a long-time listener to the show offered up a great suggestion recently, one that essentially hands the microphone over to you. More on this later…
Here’s the newsletter part: we are now one year on from the issue of the “last” new Beatles song, “Now and Then.” With a year to absorb it, what do we think? Please post your thoughts on the SATB socials for everyone to see.
Now for all those who got on this list immediately, here’s my attached bonus. Back just before COVID started, a massive collection of curated video files were shared with me – we’re talking around six hours a pop! I sent the link out to a few friends at the time but now I’m going to share them with you. This is the first installment of a chronological series that I’ll parcel out over time.
In the meanwhile, I am sitting on a mountain of files, video and audio. There’s no call for the former on the show and the latter can be problematic. But if you are interested in anything that you know to exist, chances are I might have it. Just shoot an email back to this address, subject line Dutch Imports and I’ll say what I got and we’ll share it with the group.
Thanks to each and everyone for your continued support of this show!