Recent Comments Hey Dullblog, the Beatles fan blog

Confessions of a Teenaged Beatleg Fanatic Comment by Michael Gerber on Aug 13, 08:56 I feel the same way, @Rafael. There is no more mystery, no more thrill of the hunt. Something I should’ve talked about in the initial post was the intimacy that a bootleg inspired. It’s probably the beginning of the impulse in me that eventually led to the creation of Dullblog. The internet simply doesn’t convey that; it is many things, but the web is the opposite of intimate.
The Artist as a Dissipated Man: Fred Seaman’s “The Last Days of John Lennon” Comment by Michael Gerber on Aug 13, 08:53 @mac b, without getting into a blow-by-blow discussion of Fred Seaman — whom I don’t know — it’s not quite right to dismiss what he writes because “he’s a convicted thief.” If we dismissed biographies simply because their authors did something shady, we’d dismiss a lot of truth. Seaman may have stolen the items, or the Estate could’ve given him “an offer he couldn’t refuse.” We can’t know — but I don’t think Seaman’s account is any more untrustworthy than any other Beatle tell-all. If we compare it to other sources and take them all with a grain of salt, that should be sufficient.
Some Thoughts on The Boys of Dungeon Lane Comment by Nancy Carr on Aug 13, 07:55 Nick, I agree with your take on “The Boys of Dungeon Lane.” I think it’s stronger than McCartney’s last couple of albums and I’m enjoying it. I’m sure part of that is that I’m getting older myself, so looking backwards to take stock of what is gone and what remains feels natural. . It’s interesting that the album is being overpraised in some quarters, just as it was interesting that “Ram” was, at the time of its release, savaged in some quarters. I can’t claim to be an impartial listener — for anyone who’s looked through the HD archives, it’s clear that I’m a longstanding McCartney fan — but I’m glad he’s still out there performing and creating music. . (An aside to Neal: it needn’t cost “a few thousand” to go to a McCartney concert unless you must travel and stay overnight. I saw him last November for about $250, which is the going rate for arena venues.) . Overall it seems this album is being overpraised, which is, as Michael G. remarks, largely about McCartney’s place in the culture. “Dungeon Lane” is no “Ram,” but then so very few albums are. I like the vibe of “Dungeon Lane,” and what I hear as its reckoning with the reality of being 84. It reminds me of some lines from Tennyson’s poem “Ulysses”: . “Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’ / We are not now that strength which in old days / Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are.”
The Artist as a Dissipated Man: Fred Seaman’s “The Last Days of John Lennon” Comment by mac b on Aug 11, 09:47 well, keep in mind that Seaman’s characterizations may or may not be accurate…they are taken from memory…he’s a convicted thief who’s account should not be taken at face value.
Confessions of a Teenaged Beatleg Fanatic Comment by Rafael on Aug 11, 07:11 At the beginning of my Beatlemania—in the mid-1980s—bootlegs were almost a Holy Grail. They were incredibly hard to find in my hometown, in Brazil, and even in larger cities they were extremely rare. Somehow, though, I managed to get hold of a few: The Decca Tapes, Who’s Shouting in My Ears, Beautiful Picture of You, and Johnny & The Moondogs. Fast forward to 2026. I was in Barcelona and found an abundance of Beatles bootlegs in several record stores. Forty years ago, I would have been ecstatic. Today, they no longer interest me. I already know the tracks. Time — and the internet — have done quite a number on that sense of discovery. What really interests me is the music, so the digital files made available by Purple Chick are more than enough. But even those hold little appeal these days. Aside from previously unreleased songs, and with a few exceptions, each track is simply an inferior version of what the Beatles officially released. They no longer fascinate me the way they once did.
Should I do t-shirts? Comment by Michael Gerber on Aug 9, 12:13 I didn’t do ’em, Paul, but I’d be happy to — lemme post it again.
“Broke” John Lennon Comment by Paul on Aug 9, 10:09 If you’re insecure about money, it doesn’t matter how much you have. John probably would have been a wreck whether he had more or less. it’s really a mindset that is difficult to overcome.
Should I do t-shirts? Comment by Paul on Aug 8, 11:54 Any left? I can PayPal
Get Back Release Date: September 4, 2020 Comment by Paul on Aug 8, 11:53 I really liked Besame Mucho
Reader Question #1: George Harrison and Beatlemania Comment by Michael Gerber on Aug 5, 07:43 @Paul, Gerald Ford’s son Jack was a fan of George’s, and invited him to the White House, which he visited in December 1974 during his Dark Horse tour. Here’s a fun little Instagram reel on this: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DSM1Et0CG-q/
Reader Question #1: George Harrison and Beatlemania Comment by Paul on Aug 4, 18:51 Anyone know what this is about? https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/president-ford-is-greeted-in-the-oval-office-of-the-white-news-photo/515113084?slot=6
Craig Brown’s “One Two Three Four” Comment by Paul on Aug 3, 09:44 Maybe Paul wasn’t expecting it to be such a hit, which must have made John very jealous. The competition was at its height by then.
Are the guitars on Pepper…different? Comment by Michael Gerber on Aug 3, 06:38 Thank you for the implied compliment, but since I was absolutely desperate (and I was really seriously jacked up), I had to jump into the deep end of the pool. Which gave me a LOT of hairy symptoms. I went through deep deep discomfort, and was very close to not making it. I spent six solid months feeling “depersonalization”—I felt like I was outside my body; I lost my ability to write or work or really do anything; I was terrified all the time. Fortunately I had a great team and partner and some family resources to draw on. At the time, if there had been an opportunity for me to use heavy drugs, I probably would have done so, just for some relief. If I’d come from a lifestyle like Lennon’s I would’ve been lost; but I’d been so sick for over a decade that I came to it all without drugs and alcohol (though spiritually quite sick). It was only after going through this experience and re-reading John’s story, I suddenly thought, “wow, this might have been what happened to John Lennon!” And so was launched a thousand Dullblog posts. John’s excessiveness, desperation for a guru, and impatience made him very likely to do what he did — run into something strong, do it a lot until he broke something, and then live with that injury. And something that came from the best parts of him, his curiosity and desire to be better, turned into another layer of damage. I only have compassion for the guy.
Are the guitars on Pepper…different? Comment by Michael Gerber on Aug 3, 06:26 Yes, it’s amazing stuff. I am more interested in Eastern culture than most people (in part thanks to the Beatles), but only came to it when I had exhausted all Western options and was near death. Luckily I was not too far gone to save. Worsley acupuncture and qigong are both imperceptible but very powerful, if incremental. Speaking of kundalini (which I suspect is a form of qi; it seems to combine jing [vital life essence] and shen [spirit]), what I think happened to John is something called “a spiritual emergency,” or “kundalini awakening.” The symptoms come from an uncontrolled, large release of energy that overwhelms the channels/meridians—which I believe are called “nadis” in the Hindu tradition. A lot of people in the late 60s and after experienced this, thanks to heavy drugs and heavy meditation. Both should only be used under the supervision of wise experts.
Are the guitars on Pepper…different? Comment by Baboomska McGeesk on Aug 2, 09:55 I suspect your experience with these modalities was different from John’s because you approached them more thoughtfully. You did research and adopted them respectfully. You did your homework, in other words. John most likely jumped into the experience the same way he embraced gulping down a handful of pills in Hamburg, or grinding up a bunch of substances in Kenwood. He was never a “do your homework” guy (one notable exception: his encyclopedic knowledge of 1950s/early ’60s rock ‘n roll). The “10,000 push ups” analogy makes sense. It’s like learning how to swim by diving into the deepest part of the pool, and then thrashing.
Are the guitars on Pepper…different? Comment by Justin McCann on Jul 31, 11:25 Interesting. Qi in the Chinese system reminds me of what I’ve heard about shakti and kundalini in the Indian one, via accounts from Ram Dass and other Americans who went to Uttarakhand to study under Neem Karoli Baba. So many eyewitness testimonies from so many more-or-less-normal people about so many amazing things…shame the average Westerner is maybe even less open to hearing about any of it than in Lennon’s time.
Are the guitars on Pepper…different? Comment by Michael Gerber on Jul 30, 08:48 “he title track was the Beatles’ attempt to keep up with Hendrix” This sounds right to me.
Are the guitars on Pepper…different? Comment by Michael Gerber on Jul 30, 08:41 @Justin, if you do tai chi regularly, you’ll start to feel changes in your…self?…which are predictable and cumulative. You’ll start to notice different things, react differently emotionally, and develop sensitivities that you didn’t have before. It’s precisely the same as doing push ups every day and getting bigger arm muscles. The difference is, Western medicine hasn’t yet been able to observe and measure the process. It clearly exists — the only alternative is that it’s entirely psychosomatic, which seems vanishingly unlikely. My personal experience with Hindu forms of medicine is very limited, but there is some overlap. In doing qigong (Chinese system) I developed an injury which can be treated Ayurvedically (Indian system). But when I talk, I’m only talking with experience in Chinese philosophies of medicine, and as a layperson. As a layperson, I think what happened with John in India is, metaphorically, he started doing 10,000 push ups a day, and (quite predictably) ended up damaging himself. Because the extremely strenuous effort was directed at his energy system, the negative effects manifested there, too. He could’ve been fixed, probably completely but certainly in part; but did not avail himself of the people/things that might’ve fixed him. New York in the Seventies was full of people like Cheng Man-Ching, who taught extremely advanced tai chi and traditional Chinese medicine to the lovely hippies who eventually saved my life. Eating macrobiotically is fine, but he clearly needed much more, and different, care. That John was never under an expert’s care is a tragedy, but it’s a tragedy that happens often to extremely rich and famous people. Healing requires a kind of humility (which was very difficult for me, btw).
Are the guitars on Pepper…different? Comment by Justin McCann on Jul 30, 06:40 I see what you’re saying. I know more than I want to know about psychosomatic disregulation – and am always meaning to get to that ‘here’s how this emotional response of mine may map onto this physical symptom of mine’ post – but nothing about the energy body, beyond the little I’ve picked up from occasional tai chi. As with the chakra system etc, I’m always willing to entertain ideas from outside of Western philosophy and medicine, but have never so far been ready to follow a particular one of them all the way down. Of course people’s personal stories make things far more vivid and real than any theoretical map could, so I’m intrigued to read about your own experience (as well as feeling compassion).
Beatles on Ed Sullivan, 57 years ago Comment by Paul on Jul 25, 13:11 Am I the only geezer here who saw the original Sullivan broadcast? I was starstruck at 9 years old
What happened in India? Comment by Michael Gerber on Jul 22, 15:48 I know this is what the Ballad suggests — that all John needed was the love of a good woman, who could show him the vast creative vistas beyond the Beatles, so he could do what he really wanted to do since August 1966. But it doesn’t cut much ice with me. First, because there was a lot of great Lennon music created between August 1966 and August 1969, and a lot of close contact between the four. Do we really think that John hated all his work, and hated working with the other guys? The tension isn’t in evidence until after India, and the hating-all-his-Beatle-stuff is the 1980 interviews, which is heavy myth-making. If John had really wanted to leave — for YEARS — do we really think he was that passive? He’s passive like that with Yoko, but not with P/G/R. So let’s say for the sake of argument that Lennon was conflicted after August 1966. Conflicted or not, The Beatles was his band, something he’d practically invented, and something that was still pretty much under his control even post-India in 1968-69 — insofar as if John didn’t want to do something, the group didn’t do it. Why would he feel he needed to leave, rather than take a break from? Who did it benefit that he permanently leave the group? Not him as a political figure — Lennon’s political platform was immensely bigger as John Beatle. Not his pocketbook. It benefitted his ego, and his new wife. Or was he simply feeling stifled, musically within the Beatles? But with the exception of his Plastic Ono Band record which was a departure and something you couldn’t see as a Beatles record, Lennon’s solo stuff seems to fit solidly in the Beatle bin; it was when he was a Beatle that he did all the experimental music. Why couldn’t that have continued indefinitely? Who was stopping him from recording with Clapton and The Stones? Nobody. So what impelled him to go? People always talk about how John Lennon never did anything by half-measures, and once he’d lost interest in The Beatles, it was old news, doomed. But while he’d pick up and put down enthusiasms like LSD or TM, Lennon didn’t really act like that with the people who were important in his life — he didn’t sever ties with Aunt Mimi, nor Cyn, nor the other three Beatles, nor even Yoko during the Lost Weekend. In fact, storming off and then hanging around was much more John’s style. “Making a clean break” with P/G/R doesn’t fit with him; and in fact he didn’t do it. With the benefit of hindsight, the thing that’s weird about John is how little he reinvented himself; yeah, he wasn’t the same guy at 31 that he was at 21, but who is? The guy at 40 was dressing like he had at 17, still playing Beatle-like music, still talking to the other three, even (supposedly) wanting to write with Paul again. All of the data suggests that 1) something happened in India that really shook his relationship with the other three; 2) he brought Yoko in as a wrecking ball; but 3) by 1971, he’s firmly back into the pop star (not pop artist) game, and 4) by 1976, he’s back loving The Beatles. Do I think Yoko encouraged him, via letter and in person, to think of himself as a genius and get rid of those other three freeloaders? Yeah. Do I think that’s why he left the band? No.
How I’d publish Tune In Vol. 2 and 3! Comment by Michael Gerber on Jul 22, 15:12 I agree, @Beasty. Whatever Mark Lewisohn’s problems are, money to write Beatles books shouldn’t be one of them.
Prince Plays While My Guitar Gently Weeps Comment by Paul on Jul 20, 12:11 Even later to the party, I discovered Prince’s performance while surfing during covid lockdown. I knew nothing about Prince, or his music, but I was totally blown away by his performance. Enough so to send the link to friends and family, who all agreed that it was the most amazing and beautiful guitar solo they had ever seen.
Reader Question #1: George Harrison and Beatlemania Comment by Paul on Jul 20, 10:30 I always thought I was an introvert, but none of the descriptions fit me. Sociopath? IDK. It’s difficult to put people in boxes, and even the professionals can struggle to identify personality ‘disorders’, whatever that even means.
How I’d publish Tune In Vol. 2 and 3! Comment by Beasty Glanglemutton on Jul 19, 14:33 I can’t remember where I saw it (it was a very long time ago), but I seem to recall his deal was for $1.4 million? Or one-point-something at any rate. That was in about 2003 or so. It wouldn’t have been at all difficult to have spent all that by the time Vol. I was published, depending on his cost of living. Doesn’t he live in London? Pretty expensive place. But further to the point, I would absolutely contribute to any crowdfunding effort for Vols II & III. And I think your estimates of how many people would contribute to it are very low. Just enlist every Beatles podcast/Youtube channel in existence to spread the word, and Lewisohn would be absolutely swimming in money.
“Let It Be,” “Get Back,” and History as Art Comment by Paul on Jul 19, 11:11 We didn’t like it — how could you? – Michael G. I just can’t understand this Mike. Perhaps because I’m a boomer who missed Let It Be the first time around. In 1970, I was 15. And although I was a big fan of the music, I wasn’t into the background noise.
The Beatles, “Let It Be,” and “Get Back”: “Trying to Deceive”? Comment by Paul on Jul 19, 10:59 Having watched both movies only recently, I didn’t feel a lot of negativity. If anything, there was more of an apathy (drugs?) I think John was basically done with the Beatles after revolver, but couldn’t decide how to leave, and what would he do on his own, until Yoko came along. Similarly, George had lost interest in the band, but wanted to be able to get back together when he needed money. I thought Jackson was most disingenious with the lunch time recording, trying to make it more negative than the actual conversation on the Nagra tapes. Lindsey Hogg probably did the best he could with the constraints he was under.
Lester Bangs’ anti-Beatles sermon, 1975 Comment by paul on Jul 19, 06:49 Sounds bitter to me, I wonder who spurned him?
Memories of Nicholas Schaffner and The Beatles Forever Comment by Baboomska McGeesk on Jul 16, 10:10 Doug, I got excited for a moment when I saw your comment about the “Get Back” book. I thought I might be sitting on a gold mine. So I looked online, and the book is available at places like Abe Books and eBay for about 50 to 70 bucks. Certainly more than the dollar or two I paid in 1970, but not enough to lift me out of my genteel poverty.
What happened in India? Comment by paul on Jul 16, 09:17 “Yoko sending love notes to John in India”
What happened in India? Comment by paul on Jul 16, 09:16 I think it was simply motivated by Yoko send love notes to John in India, then later encouraging him to leave the Beatles, which he had been disinterested in probably since doing How I Won the War. He didn’t have the courage to leave on his own, but she finally convinced him that he had the talent to do his own thing, which is what he wanted, but was too insecure.
What happened in India? Comment by paul on Jul 16, 07:57 This is brilliant, imo. I just finished watching LIB again, and I don’t see much negative there. I’m a boomer, but didn’t get to see or read about it when it first came out. I really enjoyed it, especially since the Jackson polishing. All the negativity surrounding the initially tv show must have simply been a sign of the times.
The Artist as a Dissipated Man: Fred Seaman’s “The Last Days of John Lennon” Comment by Edward Sinclair on Jul 16, 04:19 It’s also worth noting that NYC was the world epicentre of the HIV/AIDS epidemic at the time. The first cases had not even been identified or given a name. That said, I’d still argue it’s unlikely.
Some Thoughts on The Boys of Dungeon Lane Comment by Michael Gerber on Jul 14, 09:29 @Paul, that’s often how I feel. I like the Beatles’ whole catalog, and like a smattering of each Beatle’s solo work. It’s rather uncomfortable-feeling.
“Get Back” open thread Comment by paul on Jul 12, 07:00 A little late, but that was absolutely amazing and hilarious, thank you @Alejandra!
“Get Back” open thread Comment by paul on Jul 9, 08:18 It makes me wonder how they did it on earlier albums. There seemed to be a lot of fooling around and time wasting for a concept with a deadline.
“Get Back” Halftime Report Comment by paul on Jul 9, 08:12 You can still see that Paul irritates George in the Anthology series, over two decades later. George just can’t let go of it.
Memories of Nicholas Schaffner and The Beatles Forever Comment by Doug on Jul 2, 21:41 This book is “Get Back;” it was issued in Britain and Canada (but not the US) as part of a boxset with the “Let it Be” album. I live in the US and had never heard of it until around 1976, when I found it on a clearance table in a book store. The were selling the box with the book (but not the LP) for a dollar! I bought a copy; if I had been thinking like an investor, I would have grabbed a lot more. I’m sure they’re worth more than a buck now.
“You, my pal, ROCK!”: Inspiration from the spam filter Comment by angles on Jun 29, 11:37 Just because they call it advanced doesn at mean it is.
Some Thoughts on The Boys of Dungeon Lane Comment by Paul on Jun 29, 08:24 They all have some great post Beatles songs imo, but I don’t have any of it on my playlist. It’s more like a greatest hits, than like the Beatles music, which I like 99% of.
From Faith Current: “Fool on the Hill: The Myth of Perfectionist Paul” Comment by Paul on Jun 26, 09:55 I love Paul’s granny songs
Ian Leslie: “Notes on Peter Jackson’s Get Back” Comment by Paul on Jun 23, 11:10 And I loved Ian Leslie’s article, I thought he was spot on. Thanks for pointing me to it back in ’23.
Ian Leslie: “Notes on Peter Jackson’s Get Back” Comment by Paul on Jun 23, 11:08 Great album, and a great movie, although I think Peter Jackson is tedious, and could have shortened it by a few hours, or perhaps used other material if worthwhile. I burned this 8 track tape out by 1972.
Will the Beatles Last? Comment by Paul on Jun 22, 17:16 My twenty something dental hygienist told me she was going to India to visit her grandparents. I said the only thing I knew about India was the Beatles and their visit to the maharishi and the ashram. I asked her if she had ever heard of the Beatles, and she said, ‘oh yeah, I listen to them all the time”
The Dizz Gillespie Story Comment by J. W. Lennon on Jun 16, 08:13 If I encountered Dizz like that in the bathroom, I would’ve beaten his ribs in.
Some Thoughts on The Boys of Dungeon Lane Comment by Michael Gerber on Jun 13, 18:31 @J.D., I have always 100% believed the rumor that John and Paul planned to write together in the UK in 1981.
Some Thoughts on The Boys of Dungeon Lane Comment by J.D. on Jun 11, 21:30 @Mike, it does seem as if John’s death took something out of Paul; I imagine he rarely wrote a song without wondering, at some level, what his old partner would think about it, and surely the same was true for John. It doesn’t seem accidental that Paul seems to have been much more inclined to collaborate with other major musicians — Elvis Costello, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson — after 1980; before that, I suspect there was some part of him always waiting for John to come to his senses and reignite the old partnership. I will have to revisit the songs Paul did with Costello, who strikes me as someone who — at his best — displayed some of the best qualities of both Lennon and McCartney as a songwriter: sharp wordplay combined with surprising tunes.
Some Thoughts on The Boys of Dungeon Lane Comment by Neal S. on Jun 10, 16:08 Michael, Your “fans, man” arrived at just the right time. We were, by happenstance, given two behind-the-dugout seats to a major league baseball game last evening. I have not been to a game in decades, but what a fun date night under the lights it was and we got to see, even though we were neutral as to who won, a couple of players who will be in the Hall of Fame one day. The “fan experience ” as it is so labeled was however, to put it mildly, an eye-opener. Thousands of men and women wearing jerseys of their favorite player and frequently springing from their seats to cheer on their cherished team. It was about the 4th inning when a group of guys, who seemed to have frequented the beer stand on more than one occasion, leaped up and waved towels around and lodged vociferous complaint with the umpire. They were, apparently, disputing the latter’s call at second base against the baserunner. My wife, who had also read your reply, leaned over and asked “What was that you were saying about Paul McCartney fans?” All I could do was shrug my shoulders and say “fans, man.”
Some Thoughts on The Boys of Dungeon Lane Comment by Neal S. on Jun 10, 15:57 Thank you for the reply J.D. You make a great point about finding it rewarding to take Paul’s post Beatle career on its own terms. Here I was bellyaching about how I get tired of his music, but then you named two of my absolute favorites in Uncle Albert and Mull and I had to immediately listen to them again. Great stuff!
Some Thoughts on The Boys of Dungeon Lane Comment by Michael Gerber on Jun 8, 11:45 @J.D., you’ve summed my thoughts on solo Paul pretty precisely. After Tug of War — that is to say, after Paul’s solo work loses the tension of a possible reunion with John or the other three — he becomes an Inoffensive Tunesmith that I am happy exists, but no more than that. I will say I felt a stirring of interest when he collaborated with Elvis Costello, which is interesting.