New way to look at Beatles vs. Stones…
For as long as there are Boomers... How about this: The Beatles are about the world as it could be. The Stones are about the world as it is. Convincing?
Best of What’s Left of?
The bottom of the bottom of the barrel? Or something better than that? Recently I ran into a problem that I thought the Beatles hive-mind here at Dullblog might be able to solve. My wife and I were driving to a party at a friend's house; the last time we'd met this friend, he'd discovered I was a Beatle freak. In the course of the conversation, he'd asked me the following question: after the Anthology series, what good stuff is left? Being lazy and easily distracted, I pointed him to the "Beatles Anthology Outtakes" set. But surely we could improve on [...]
Salman Rushdie, Rutlemaniac
"I just discovered this great band that sounds just like The Rutles." According to this article, Salman Rushdie was at the Rutles NYC gig last night. After which he immediately declared a fatwa against Ron Nasty for breaking up the group. OH THE IRONY
"Don’t touch Neil. He’s ours."
Neil Aspinall and Paul McCartney in 1969. Allan Kozinn, the NYT's resident Beatle expert, writes a top-notch obit of Neil Aspinall. And Beatle biographer Hunter Davies has some interesting things to say about Neil here. Hey Dullblog--your one-stop Neil Aspinall obituary source. Re: the photo: Sixties fashions were incredibly unkind to men over 25, don't you think?
Send good vibes to Neil Aspinall
The right hand of the Fab Four. I heard this morning that Neil Aspinall, ex-Apple Corps exec and long-time right hand man to the Fabs, is seriously ill with cancer and receiving treatment at Sloan-Kettering in NYC.Perhaps the grapevine is incorrect in this case; hope so. But if not, I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing Neil--or, as the group christened him, "Nell"--a speedy and complete recovery.UPDATE: Unfortunately, Mr. Aspinall has died at the age of 66. The first obits are inevitably referring to Neil as "the fifth Beatle," and he probably was, beating Mal Evans out by virtue [...]
My night of Rutlesmania
The Faux Fabs. People fortunate enough to witness a defining moment in human history always say the same thing: you can sense it happening. It’s as if there’s a subtle vibration, a whiff of something special in the air. If that’s true, no place in the world stank harder than Hollywood this past Monday night, as a majority of the world's celebrities packed themselves into the venerable Egyptian Theater to pay homage to one of the most important musical groups of our, or anyone’s, lifetime. Of course you already know who I’m talking about: Ron, Dirk, Stig, and Barry, the [...]
Seth Swirsky: Magical Mystery Tourist
One of these people is George Martin. The other is Seth Swirsky. This morning on "Breakfast with the Beatles," Chris Carter interviewed a friend of his, Seth Swirsky, a songwriter/author/blogger/jack-of-all-trades who is (naturally) a Beatles fan. (Here's Seth's photo with George Martin at the "LOVE" premiere in Las Vegas, 2006.) Seth is finishing a documentary called "A Year in the Life," where... [MORE]...he documents the twelve months he spent traveling around the world interviewing famous people and hearing their stories about The Beatles. There's a great trailer on his site, Seth.com. (Early adopter, eh Seth?) According to the site, the [...]
Too Much Time on My Hands, Part I: “Good Day Sunshine”
"..she feels GOOD" MIKE GERBER • My long-suffering voice must be tortured somewhat in order to reach some of the notes in "Good Day Sunshine," so out of respect for my neighbors (not to mention my own dignity) I turn the volume 'way up when I sing. If I'm going to irritate somebody, I'd rather do it via loud Beatles instead of croaky old me. Anyway, in the mono version of "Good Day Sunshine" ("Alternate Revolver," track #8) at precisely 1:28, after Paul sings, "...she feels good," I could distinctly hear Lennon answer, "She feels good" in one of his low [...]
Happy 65th birthday to Beatle Ted…I think?
George Harrison and one of his three ukeleles. Every Beatlefan worth his/her moptop knows that George Harrison was born February 25th, 1943. Or was he? On this morning's edition of Breakfast With the Beatles KLOS' Chris Carter revealed that Harrison also gave his birthday as February 24. George's mother Louise said that he was born at 12:05 or 12:10 am on February 25. She should know, right? But on the other hand, one could understand if she was a little distracted. Harrison himself thought he was born 25 minutes earlier, which would've made it February 24. Last year Carter attempted [...]
Beatles singles that never were?
45 sleeve for "Coming Up"--very New Wave graphic design This morning, while listening to LA's version of "Breakfast with the Beatles"--I grew up with Terri Hemmert on XRT in Chicago, but I think Chris Carter's show might be even better--I was reminded how John Lennon had been roused to record again by Paul's single "Coming Up." Carter said that the first song Lennon wrote in this ego-pricked, ambitious state was "I Don't Wanna Face It," which later appeared on Milk and Honey. That got me thinking: both songs are good, but I think John and Paul working together would've made [...]