Michael Gerber • Hey Dullblog, the Beatles fan blog

Seth Swirsky: Magical Mystery Tourist

By Michael Gerber|2015-01-16T18:25:12-08:00March 9, 2008|Chris Carter/Breakfast With the Beatles, Documentaries|

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 [...]

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Too Much Time on My Hands, Part I: “Good Day Sunshine”

By Michael Gerber|2014-07-01T19:45:32-07:00February 26, 2008|Revolver|

"..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 [...]

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Happy 65th birthday to Beatle Ted…I think?

By Michael Gerber|2015-01-16T18:16:55-08:00February 24, 2008|George|

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 [...]

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Beatles singles that never were?

By Michael Gerber|2013-12-14T12:22:02-08:00February 17, 2008|1980, alternate history, solo|

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 [...]

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What Sexy Sadie did

By Michael Gerber|2014-12-22T11:21:57-08:00February 6, 2008|1967, 1968, Lennon|

"Hey guys, could one of you introduce me to Mia Farrow's sister?" MIKE GERBER • "Which one of you geniuses," Ed emailed this morning, "is on the Maharishi beat?" As the least-employed member of our merry band, I guess that's me (Mike). I admit to having a real fondness for The Giggling One, and not just because I spent yesterday afternoon at a Mindfulness Meditation workshop at my local public library. (Me and 99 senior citizens.) As cartoonish as his public persona could be, it's undeniable that the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi helped change Western culture, largely for the better. And it's [...]

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Oh! Our mistake

By Michael Gerber|2022-07-24T12:51:53-07:00February 1, 2008|biography, books, Drugs, McCartney|

Harmless-seeming Pied Piper of the Get High Generation From Many Years from Now, Paul McCartney's memoir/bio, page 314: "...Another inaccurate but frequently told story is that 'Fixing a Hole' was about heroin. This track is actually about marijuana."

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Get Back on the rooftop

By Michael Gerber|2022-07-24T12:45:59-07:00January 31, 2008|1969, concert, Get Back, Let It Be|

Today's the 39th anniversary of the rooftop concert, perhaps the most splendid public nuisance in human history. I have it on Vigotone's As Nature Intended--anybody know a better source? While you're thinking, here's an outdoor version of "Get Back," audio only but we can all imagine it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txk0j8JVKbI

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"Let It Be" dissected

By Michael Gerber|2014-07-01T18:22:04-07:00January 3, 2008|1969, Let It Be|

Let It Be, Naked or not, makes me itchy; I chalk it up to all the crap vinyl boots I listened to as a kid. But not everybody shares my allergy; an academic from Chicago is poring through the sessions, tape roll by tape roll, on this site. What I've heard so far of Let It Be Dissected, I've found quite interesting, in spite of myself.

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Video: You Can’t Do That

By Michael Gerber|2022-07-24T12:12:25-07:00January 2, 2008|1964, AHDN, Lennon|

Apparently this performance--of "You Can't Do That," one of my all-time favorite Beatles tunes--was deleted from A Hard Day's Night. You can understand why; it's Lennon at his most creepily aggressive (bested only by "Run For Your Life" off Rubber Soul). Am I forgetting any others? https://vimeo.com/540777186

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