George Harrison joke in The Onion
A friend who works for The Onion wrote a George Harrison joke, which you can find here. George tells his own Beatles joke below. http://youtu.be/42udXDE36-0
Good Ol’ Freda: True tales from the Beatles’ loyal secretary
Guest review by LINDA MARSHALL-SMITH • When 17-year-old Beatles fan Freda Kelly was hired as Brian Epstein’s secretary in 1962, she couldn’t have known she was in for a uniquely intimate ten-year view of Beatlemania and its aftermath. Unlike many of the Beatles’ former associates, Kelly—a self-described “private person”—has kept her stories of the band under wraps for decades. In Ryan White’s newly released documentary, also available on iTunes, she finally shares her tales. (Well, some of them.) A Beatles fan’s dream job Kelly’s firsthand observations about the Beatles and their inner circle make the film well worth watching. She tells stories [...]
Pop Chart Lab Beatles Charts
Graphic swiped from Visual News. MIKE GERBER • "To render all of human experience into chart form”—is this a good idea? Unclear. Must we prepare for the ascension of our new, chart-toting overlords? Beyond the purview of this blog. All we can say for sure: Brooklyn-based graphic designers Pop Chart Lab have produced another in their series of incredibly beautiful, insanely detailed, not always so decipherable charts, this time about The Beatles. The Beatles Song Charts, Volumes I-III displays each member's contribution to each song, and is perfect for that Beatle-less space above your couch. Make any room your Beatle [...]
The Fifth Beatle graphic novel
MIKE GERBER • In keeping with our recent spate of blather on Brian Epstein, I wanted to alert Greater Dullblogania about something that I am certainly getting for Christmas (with the Lewisohn book, it's looking mighty Beatle-y this Noel). It's a new graphic novel about Brian called "The Fifth Beatle." They've got a snazzy website, and a book trailer, which I'm pasting below.
Tune In by Mark Lewisohn…
This cover is what happens when a club flyer has sex with the phone book. ...is coming and I cannot wait! MIKE GERBER • According to this article, it's off the press in the UK. According to the author, if you think you've seen an advance copy, you haven't. There are lots of editions—US and UK, mass market (960pp) and Extended Special Mike Gerber Xmas Present Edition (1728pp). The Super-Duper Obsessive Edition, which is the only one we really will discuss on this site, obviously, is slated for November 14 in the UK, and February (maybe) in the US. Rather odd [...]
The Beatles and David Frost
This Was The Guy That Was David Frost has died, suddenly it seems while on a cruise ship, at age 74. The most prominent overlap between The Beatles and David Frost was, of course, his involvement in their 1968 promo film for "Hey Jude" and "Revolution," which I've embedded at the end of this post. But there's much more to say about it than that. Frost was a quintessential "mid-Atlantic man" in the Beatle and solo era, and his passing is another reminder to examine that time, and celebrate the blending of American and British pop culture which made it [...]
John’s Vocals on Don’t Let Me Down
Commenter Barb L. sent along this video of John's vocals on Don't Let Me Down, embedded below. (h/t openculture) http://youtu.be/X_1b0nZONes
Introducing…The Beach Pals!
From the wonderful site LiarTownUSA (h/t Jonathan Schwarz). Don't go there unless you want to lose two hours, minimum. I wonder if anyone's done a whole Pet Sounds parody album? Mr. Innes, your agent is on line one. I think they cover "Fiper in the Body."
What if Brian Epstein Lived?
TOO COOL CATS: George Martin and Brian Epstein, undated. (Before we begin: Any readers not familiar with the details of Beatles manager Brian Epstein's life might wish to watch this 1998 BBC documentary, "The Brian Epstein Story." It's the best potted history of the man.) MIKE GERBER • Commenter Annie said this in a recent comment: Question: George Martin is quite adamant in his ’78 book that the Beatles were definitely going to cut Brian loose. What do we think about that? I haven't read All You Need Is Ears, and it's not at the library down the street, so [...]
Sid Bernstein obituary
Paul McCartney and Sid Bernstein. MIKE GERBER • Sad news today: Sid Bernstein, one of America's first Beatlemaniacs and a man who helped orchestrate the peerless mayhem of 1964 and 1965, has died at 95. "The son of a Harlem tailor," wrote Bob Spitz, "he was convinced of The Beatles' greatness before he ever heard them sing a note…Bernstein reached into his own pocket to book no less a venue than Carnegie Hall for a group that had no hit record and no following in America." Then Capitol decided to really push "I Want To Hold Your Hand," Ed Sullivan [...]