Fab Four FAQ
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NewsFebruary 8, 2010Fab Four FAQ 2.0 on Facebook In the interest of creating something fresh and immediate, there's now a Fab Four FAQ 2.0 fan page on Facebook. Here, you'll find daily updated archival videos, offering insights on historic anniversaries relevant to the ex-Beatles or the 1970s generally. Contribute your thoughts and opinions, or visit the Fab Four FAQ 2.0 site to check out the new book's contents or read web-exclusive chapters. November 1, 2009Beatles intimate Ken Mansfield Fab Four FAQ 2.0, which hits stores in March 2010, features a Foreword by Ken Mansfield. Until several years ago, even most hardcore Beatle fans were unaware of his name, as the self-effacing former record executive eschewed the limelight for many years. His bona fides as a Beatle intimate are stellar: a former folk singer (in The Towne Criers), his career led him to taking a job with Capitol Records, becoming one of the youngest execs at their Los Angeles tower in the early sixties.
He met the band when they came over to America during their ’64, ’65, and ’66 tours, but not until the start-up of Apple in 1968 did their acquaintance become formalized – and deeply personal. Mansfield was hand-chosen by the band to become president of Apple’s U.S. operations, placing him firmly within the Fabs’ orbit at a most momentous time. In addition to their professional whirlwind, which included the near-simultaneous release of both The White Album and John and Yoko’s Two Virgins (an anecdote Mansfield relates in his first memoir concerns how he was blindsided at the sight of the latter’s infamous cover art, until “rescued” – his word – by Paul McCartney), he was on hand to witness their road to disintegration. He was present on the rooftop of Apple’s Savile Row office building on a windswept January lunch hour when the group gave their final semi-public performance, making Mansfield among the very few able to make that claim.
After the Beatles’ demise, Mansfield stayed active in the record industry, heading MGM and Barnaby Records briefly before moving full time into the production end of things. There, he pioneered what became known as the “Outlaw” sound of modern country, with acts like Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, and Willie Nelson scoring big. All the while, he maintained his contacts with the former Fabs, especially Ringo, well-known for his country music leanings. Mansfield was one of the last people to speak with the doomed former Beatles road manager Mal Evans. Hours before his death at the hands of Los Angeles police, Evans and Mansfield made plans to meet, but a spiral of despair reached a climax that night and Evans was killed. Mansfield’s own personal troubles soon overtook him and – despite his years of success at the highest level of show business – he found himself down and out in Nashville in the mid-eighties. To hear him tell it, it was finding Jesus that enabled him to turn his life around. Slowly but surely, a humbled but wiser Mansfield was able to take his own story and frame it as a message of hope to others, through his personal traveling ministry and through the first of his three books: the intriguingly-titled The Beatles, The Bible, and Bodega Bay. I found his story quite captivating and in 2007, I wrote a profile of Mansfield for Fab Four FAQ. While in Las Vegas in 2008, I unexpectedly ran into the man himself at the Fest For Beatles Fans. With unpardonable immodesty, I gave him a copy of my book, being sure to direct him to the section on him. I watched him first read it, then, as a smile spread across his face, call his wife over to share it.
Ken Mansfield is a most charming fellow, full of years of entertaining anecdotes and hard-won wisdom. He followed his first book in 2007 with a second memoir, The White Book: The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider's Look at an Era. This one, more focused on his music business exploits, is a fascinating read. In 2009, he offered up something completely different: Between Wyomings: My God and an iPod on the Open Road. The book’s point in being is best summarized by the author: "Knowing that a real search needs momentum, I decided to go back down the physical roads of my past so that I could catch up with the mystery of what I have become today. But by going there, I found that where was never the question, and that the why things turn out the way they do was forever a question that couldn't be answered in my present state of understanding.
In the course of promoting my first Beatles book, I’ve been privileged to meet some wonderful people with a range of experiences and observations to share as broad as humanity itself. I’m proud to call Ken Mansfield, if not exactly a friend, a man whose presence within my orbit has enriched it for the better. I encourage everyone reading this to check out any one of his books. You won’t regret it. August 31, 2009A Sneak Preview of the New Re-masters On August 31, at the invitation of Chicago Tribune writer Mark Caro, a group of Beatle geeks including myself convened in Evanston for a sneak preview of the much-anticipated Beatle remasters. Among us were WXRT's Terri Hemmert, arch-Beatle Geek and host of Breakfast With The Beatles; her partner in crime, Greg Alexander (aka Professor Mop Top); and blogger/Beatle geek Bob Purse. Not just any sound system would do for such an esteemed set of releases, so Mark arranged for the good folks at Audio Consultants to provide a private room for the listening session. Indeed, it was on a $100,000 system that we were afforded the privilege of hearing these recordings for the first time. Adding to the heightened experience were A/B comparisons of the Mono and Stereo box sets (as well as a vinyl copy of the Mobile Fidelity pressing of Abbey Road and the 1987 CD issues). What we heard fulfilled our high expectations while simultaneously offering up a few surprises. First though, I should mention that the packaging itself on these new issues is top notch. Each CD comes in a fold-out glossy cardboard sleeve, containing a booklet detailing the particular album. Much care seemingly went into providing lots of images that haven't been seen to death through the years. (We did not have the time to examine the accompanying DVD mini-documentaries, however, so I cannot speak to how well they've been put together.) It is an established truism of Beatle lore that the group's mono mixes were the gold standard. As the prevailing currency of the sixties was monaural, these mixes were the ones slaved over by the Fabs and their engineers, while stereo mixes, usually thought of as for the very small percentage of audiophile fans, were delegated to engineers once the band left the studio. Thus, most fans first heard their music in mono when it was new, but for everyone hearing it after their break-up, when stereo mixes became the norm, it was an entirely different listening experience. Complicating things was the fact that Capitol in America did not always take the trouble to issue properly mixed stereo masters. Subpar false stereo mixes were often thrown out for public consumption, driving purists to distraction, while some attempts to translate powerful mono mixes into stereo gutted the overall sound as intended. (The single take of "Revolution" was destroyed by a poor stereo mix issued on the "Blue" album, according to the song's author.) Like most early CD issues, the Beatles compact discs suffered from indifferent mastering. As what worked on vinyl doesn't translate digitally without re-tweaking, the compact discs sounded inferior to their vinyl ancestors, lacking the punch of the percussion, or the bottom end, in most instances. And though most of the Beatles' sixties peers have seen the CD editions of their work keeping pace with the evolving digital technology, for years Apple turned a deaf ear to what was demonstrably in demand by their fans. Not anymore. With the passing of Neil Aspinall, notoriously indifferent to anything that wasn't new, and the advent of the Rock Band video game, long championed by Dhani Harrison, the remastered Beatle catalog is finally reaching the public. Apple made the decision to issue the mono mixes in a limited edition box set, clearly intending the stereo versions to become the standard. Much concern has been expressed in recent weeks about the online orders for both sets being sold out well in advance of the release date. Apple has attempted to reassure would-be buyers that more mono sets will be pressed, and the sell-outs are simply the depletion of advance allotments. So to return to the listening party... I had expected that the mono set would have been the more powerful in a side-by-side test. And yet, when doing A/B comparisons, more often than not, the stereo mixes featured much more instrumental definition: the bass popped from the speakers; you could practically hear the sound of the wooden sticks hitting the drum heads, or the guitar picks strumming against the strings. This is not to say that the mono mixes were generally inferior - they simply presented a more limited view of the recordings. On the other hand, what was always wrong with the stereo mixes is still wrong. Contrary to what many fans may have believed, these issues have not been remixed; therefore the wide "vocals on one side, instruments on the other" mixes are intact. Conversely, the engineers have emphasized that they were not above fixing technical flaws in the tapes. For example, anomalies such as drop out, long familiar to Beatle fans (such as in "Day Tripper" at around 1:50, fixed for Beatles 1) were addressed. One that caught my ears was the imprecision in the double-tracking in John's vocal on "It Won't Be Long," at the "till I belong" near the end. To me, it sounded as though the part had been at least slightly tightened up. (We didn't listen to "Matchbox," which is studded with imprecisions.) Per the Law of Unintended Consequences, I thought I noticed that certain edits made to create the finished masters from several takes back in the day seemed more obvious. I didn't take any notes, but I invite you to listen for yourself, especially in the earlier albums, like With The Beatles. I can't imagine that the engineers working on the project intended for listeners to spot the seams. As Mark reported in his article, I was quite struck by how the stereo mix of "If I Fell," generally superior, was marred by what sounded like an overabundance of effect slathered onto the vocals in the intro, robbing the song of its intimacy. This was not evident in the mono mix. "Nowhere Man" demonstrated the same phenomenon, while Revolver's "Tomorrow Never Knows" sounded slightly shrill in stereo, though the mono mix lacks many of the familiar tape loop effects, making it virtually an alternate take. Unsurprisingly, Abbey Road, the most technically advanced recording the group ever committed to tape, seemed to be the least improved by remastering. The only surprise we caught was what sounded to us (in that room, anyway) like an overdriven bass on "Here Comes The Sun." Alone among the albums we sampled in terms of sheer superb listening was Sgt. Pepper. That it was recognized even in 1967 as a stunning technical feat of engineering was unsurprising: in 2009, it still packs a wallop, but one that surpasses all previous issues. The instrumentation is fat and clear, but not cluttered, while the vocals are robust throughout. On a final note, we briefly sampled the Rock Band game. The one time I'd played the game before, I quickly discovered that being an actual musician is a handicap, running counter to what the game intends as little more than the ability to play along with a visual metronome. That said, hearing the multi-track breakdowns was fascinating. At last, I actually got to hear the chilling "shoot me" John utters on the isolated vocal track to "Come Together." Unbelievable. In sum, all I can tell you is that most listeners will be served well by picking up the stereo edition. To hardcores, the monos are a must, affording listeners the opportunity to hear the Beatles as they themselves intended. While many can argue without dispute that Apple blew a major opportunity by not having the engineers actually engage in some remixing, such as centering all the vocals right down the line, beyond dispute is the fact that the Beatles have never sounded better on compact disc, nor has the presentation ever before equaled the music contained within. Until the Blue Ray editions appear oh, say in about twenty years, consider this a good start. September 20, 2008The First Annual Harrison on Harrison™
Both Stu and I have played – together and separately – in Chicago-area bands going back to our teens. While Stu continues to perform as part of the Captain Blood Orchestra, I consider myself to be fairly retired unless put into a corner, as I was when asked to be a part of the festival celebrating the life and music of George Harrison. Actually, the one or two times a year that I get to play music with friends are very much a favorite pastime. And when Clare and GiGi Monaco from the Wonderwall Music Shoppe and Emporium came a-calling, well, who was I to refuse? Part of the reason that performing is so rare these days – for me at least – is simply the demands on our time. It’s been very hard for us to get together for anything, much less the logistics of proper rehearsals needed to pull off something as important as a public performance. But the love of the music and fun of playing together usually makes things happen, despite ourselves. We therefore were able to squeeze in exactly one and a half practice sessions before the big day.  Stu has a couple of friends named Rick and Rita who likewise are Beatle geeks as well as musically gifted. They’ve gotten together to jam in the past, but for this gig to fly, they needed a drummer. Lacking better options, I was called and the ad hoc ensemble began to take shape. A list of Harrisongs was put together and we ran down the list, with occasional detours (such as “Ain’t She Sweet” and “Cry For A Shadow” – gotta start at square one, folks). Meanwhile, Clare and GiGi were pressing us for a name to call the act; inspiration hit out of nowhere, and so we became Rita and The Meter Maids. Alas, due to a personal emergency that called Rita to the left coast, we were simply the Meter Maids on the day in question. But in her absence, my right hand dog ably stepped in, providing his multi-instrumental capabilities to the task at hand while heightening the fun quotient exponentially. To his wife, he’s Mike; to those within our circle, he’s Dogbro. 
Opening the festivities was the Sandalwood Sitar Music Ensemble. Just as described, there were sitars, incense (it could’ve been sandalwood) and entrancing music, complete with tabla and finger cymbals. A real treat for the gathered masses was the inclusion of the “Another Hard Day’s Night” medley from the Help! soundtrack in their set. (Now be honest: how many of you ever thought you’d get the opportunity to hear that track performed live?) At around 2pm on this glorious late summer Saturday, we took the stage. Dogbro was on bass, while Rick multitasked on keys and guitar. Though we’d been operating on the assumption that we’d have a lead guitarist joining us, unfortunately, there was a conflict and so we arm-twisted Stu into kicking it up a notch. It all worked out, and as we were coming on in the wake of an Indian act, we saw our opportunity to re-create (on a small scale) the Concert for Bangladesh. The set list ran as follows:
“Wah-Wah” Luckily, no one was hurt and after we vacated the premises, further delights awaited, including a ukelele ensemble, Beatlefest satirist Danny Donuts, and lastly, Rex Van Zant’s Dark Horse Tribute. (For a fuller description of the day’s roster, click here.) The day was a blast and a big shout-out must go to everyone involved in making it happen, especially Clare and GiGi. We hope this will indeed become an annual event as part of Oak Park’s Arts festival – thanks to everyone who came out, including Pete and Megan (who showed up just in time for our last number), and Kati (for acting as child wrangler over the course of several hours). See you next time! August 8 - 10CHICAGO FEST FOR BEATLE FANS
In August, we celebrated the one year anniversary of Fab Four FAQ’s publication at, where else, the Chicago Fest-That-Dare-Not-Speak-Its-Name (known to you and me as Beatlefest – shhh! Don’t tell Apple!). Coming so quickly off the heels of the Vegas event left me frankly exhausted (which is why it’s taken so long to tell you about it), but suffice to say, a grand time was had by all, as usual. This year’s Chicago event included appearances by some of the fine folks who attended the Las Vegas show: Patti Boyd, Ken Mansfield, Nancy Lee Andrews, Mark and Brett Hudson. Appearing in Chicago were Billy J. Kramer and, in a much-celebrated appearance, Neil Innes. Innes is the subject of a new documentary, The Seventh Python, produced by Brett Hudson’s Frozen Pictures. A sneak preview of the film, followed by an appearance by Ron Nasty’s alter ego in person, was a special treat that Chicago-festers received exclusively.
As for us, we made the rounds of a Meet The Authors talk onstage in the ballroom on Friday, followed by signings and discussion forums, ably (and I met add, adroitly) hosted by Tom Frangione. I was remiss in not getting Tom’s picture but you can see him for yourself here if you scroll down. Meanwhile, here’s a picture of Joe Johnson. 
Also appearing as guests were The Smithereens. You may remember that last year these New Jersey rockers and rock and roll archivists released a song-by-song cover of Meet The Beatles! (which doubtlessly pleased Martin Lewis immensely). This year, they announced that they had a follow-up entitled B-Sides The Beatles waiting to drop. (It’s out now.) Also out now is a rather unique offering from Belmo, longtime Beatle archivist. It’s called The Beatles Christmas Book: Everywhere It’s Christmas. I have to say that it isn’t easy to find a new angle to explore in Beatle literature, but Belmo has managed to do just that.
Speaking of new product, I would like to announce here to all who may not have heard: Stu and I will have a pair of new books out next year. His will be a Pink Floyd FAQ-style book, while mine is a follow-up to the one you may already own. It will be called Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Solo Years 1970-1980. Watch this website for more news.
TributeJIM STAGG
Back in the 1960s, deejay Jim Stagg was one of the biggest names in Top Forty radio. Whether broadcasting from Cleveland’s KYW beginning in 1962 or Chicago’s WCFL starting in 1965, Stagg eschewed the gimmickry common to the on-air talent of the day, instead providing a conduit for listeners to talk on the air (“the Stagg Line”) or hear intelligent, in-depth interviews with stars ranging from Frank Sinatra to The Monkees (“Stagg’s Starbeat”) while helping to shape the musical taste of audiences far and wide. But perhaps of greatest interest to anyone reading this were his extensive talks with John, Paul, George and Ringo, captured on portable tape recorder and broadcast to listeners as he traveled with the Beatles on all three American tours. Getting in a quick word with the band here and there, whether on their plane or backstage after a show, brought an insider’s perspective and immediacy to fans. Hundreds of hours of tape were recorded and, after airing, archived.
Jim sadly passed away in 2007, but before he did, he and his family began to revisit the tapes. He made excerpts available to Chicago Beatlefest MC and WXRT deejay Terri Hemmert, who aired them during her annual Rampant Beatlemania show. She credits Stagg with providing the impetus for her career path: “I saw a picture of Jim Stagg interviewing Ringo in Datebook, or one of those magazines, and I immediately thought, ‘If I was on the radio, I could meet the Beatles!’ And eventually, I did!” Now Jim’s widow Valene and daughter Dina have begun to market what they expect will be many in a series of CDs of Jim’s talks with the Fabs. Though they don’t yet have a dedicated website up, they can be contacted through their www.imlookingback.com site. The CDs they issue are a real treat for fans too young to have experienced Beatlemania first hand, while providing an enduring tribute to the man whose sign-off was: “Music is my business. I hope my business was your pleasure.” A tribute to Jim can be heard here. June 29 - July 1FAB FOUR FAQ IN VEGAS  Representing Fab Four FAQ, I was honored to find myself alongside some incredibly awesome Beatle folk at the Second Annual Fest For Beatles Fans held in Las Vegas at The Mirage. Then too, there were the celebrity guests. Though I wasn’t able to actually squeeze in a Cirque Du Soleil Love performance, I was otherwise well occupied between the discussion forum and the signing table, where I found myself alongside not one but two Hudson Brothers, Mark and Brett. (Their fondly remembered Saturday morning TV show is out now on DVD.) It was extremely gratifying to hear from so many of you that you already own the book and were enjoying it. This is exactly what makes all the work so worthwhile. On the other hand, in the various talks had at the table, in the forum room, and in line for Pattie, I found myself being drawn into everyone else’s personal stories. As some of us sitting around in Meeting Room E discussed (till past midnight), there is something about the Beatles that transcends mere artistry. To meet a stranger somewhere out in public wearing a Beatle shirt or otherwise telegraphing their fandom is like finding an instant friend. The sense of community that a love of Beatle music instills is what we celebrate, and to Mark and Carol Lapidos we owe an unpayable debt of gratitude for annually facilitating such an environment.
Beyond a doubt, the biggest buzz at the event surrounded the first-time presence of the lovely Pattie Boyd. Within minutes of meeting her, one is immediately struck not just by her beauty but also by a warm, intelligent woman who has experienced history close-up and is willing to share it. There are qualities that the photos we’ve seen of her through the years do not convey, such as her laughter (which was frequent), her eloquence, and her dry wit. One highlight came when emcee Martin Lewis was able to coax her dialogue from A Hard Day’s Night out of her, before the hundreds gathered in the ballroom: “Prisoners?!?” A “This Is Your Life” moment came when Donovan was surreptitiously ushered onto the stage near the end of one of her discussions. The singer, who’s appeared at Fests in the pasts, did not disappoint, regaling attendees with stories from his autobiography, The Hurdy Gurdy Man. His later performance in the ballroom, backed by Liverpool, was a thunderous, powerful affair – not what most would have expected, given his flower-power troubadour image.  Also in attendance was Spencer Davis, soon to be offering his memoir: The Man Who Gave Stevie Winwood Away. No, not really, but he remains a charming and engaging fellow, as someone who was at the center of the what’s called the British Invasion on this side of the pond. Equally storied is former Capitol exec and American head of Apple, Ken Mansfield. Though the Vegas event was not graced by the presence of May Pang, whose newly-published Instamatic Karma is another must-own, her absence was made up by the newly-resurfaced Nancy Andrews, who has a book of her own out entitled A Dose Of Rock And Roll.
Nancy, as some of you might know, was involved with Ringo throughout the seventies. As such, she had a first-hand look – up close and personal – of some of the biggest names of the decade, including John, George, Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon, Clapton, and of course, Ringo. Her revelatory photos are now in book form; like Pattie, her modeling past is obvious (to put it one way) and she too was also full of great stories from a most eventful time. Treading a similar path – minus the ex-Beatle romance – was photographer Deborah Chesher. During the seventies, her career path placed her in the orbit of many of the aforementioned stars and more; a collection of her work has just been published under the provocative title, Everybody I Shot Is Dead (a not entirely inaccurate claim). Ironically, she enjoyed a close relationship with Ringo’s ex, Maureen. The book is worth checking out, as is her 1979 volume, Star Art, featuring the artistic side of rockers as diverse as Klaus Voormann, Ronnie Wood, Joni Mitchell, and the former Cat Stevens.  Also in attendance were two real king pins in Beatle Radio: our Beatle Brunch buddy, Joe Johnson – it was great to finally meet him face to face; and L.A.’s Chris Carter, who earned our everlasting gratitude for blurbing Fab Four FAQ with “I LOVE this book.” It was great to touch base with every one of you, and not least all the devotees who stopped by and shared stories of their Fab experiences (the Hollywood Bowl, Kansas City, Candlestick Park), and to one in particular with some stories and songs to share – great meeting you, John Niems. Singer Billy J. Kramer was also in attendance, though I was not able to catch his act. Paul Saltzman, photographer, documentarian, and author of The Beatles In India, was also on hand, with his unique stories and photos documenting the Beatles’ 1968 extended field trip to write the White Album. Thanks to again to Mark and Carol for having me – I’m looking forward to continuing the party in our hometown in August. (NOTE: It is said that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. In my case, what was left behind was two toenails. Per local custom, that story will have to remain an untold mystery.) May 24THE SONG SHE WAS SINGING The last portion of our trip to England featured a Friday night reading from Fab Four FAQ at Waterstone’s near Goodge Street in London. This event, attended by an attentive group of attendees, featured some interesting back-and-forth about Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Yoko.  Following that, Fiona from Waterstone’s invited Cecilia and I down the pub for a drink, where we met several of her co-workers and had some nice conversation about Syd Barrett, MPL Productions, Madness, and the quality of British crisps. Later, we joined our good friend Andre McLean and his family for dinner up in Camden Town. The next day—my only truly work-free day in England—we decided to hit some art galleries. First on the agenda was the Linda McCartney photo exhibit at 5 Savile Row, just next door to the original Apple offices. I always knew that Linda was a quality photographer of musicians; her Linda’s Sixties book is excellent, particularly the empathetic portraits of Janis Joplin, Traffic, and, yes, the Fabs. But I was not prepared for what I’d feel seeing this exhibit. Not only did Paul put together a fine memorial to Linda’s talent, he, his daughter Mary, and gallery owner James Hayman also created—over a nearly three-year period—a poignant tribute to her heart. Some of the photos here are familiar, but many are previously unseen, either family portraits (Heather dashing off as Paul laughs, little James jumping from a truck on the family farm, Paul rolling a joint in Jamaica in 1972) or still-lifes. You get from these photos a good sense of Linda’s perspective, feel for the natural order of things, and excellent timing. She knew how to plan a shot and when to press the shutter. One photo in particular nearly reduced me to tears. In 1997, not long before her death, she went to artist Francis Bacon’s studio and set up a self-portrait. Ghostly thin Linda McCartney was a great woman. Not only was she an accomplished photographer, animal rights activist, and entrepreneur, she also brought peace and stability to one of the world’s great musicians and became a decent enough musician in her own right—along with perhaps her most important achievement: raising what appears to be a remarkably functional show-biz family. How many people can live in the constant eye of celebrity and claim that? We’ll wrap up the trip in my next post. Peace. May 11EVERYONE IN THE ‘POOL Having nailed down a relationship with a new distributor (PGUK), Hal Leonard has released Fab Four FAQ in the United Kingdom. This is an exciting development for us, and I chose to travel to England for the purposes of promoting the book on English radio. Cecilia and I arrived in London late last week, and on Saturday morning (May 10) traveled by train from London to Liverpool for my first promotional gig: A radio appearance with Spencer Leigh on BBC Merseyside.
I was glad that Jon “Mojo” Mills (editor of Shindig! magazine and an expert music PR man) had set up this gig, but felt some trepidation at going on Spencer’s program “On the Beat.” In Liverpool! I mean…Liverpool! Home of the Beatles—the home of the men who changed rock and roll. And on BBC radio—the real deal—available to hundreds of thousands of listeners in Northern England and streamed worldwide. I could NOT afford to have an off-day! Many of my concerns evaporated once we reached Liverpool itself. First, Ceci and I found the Waterstone’s Bookstore off the Liverpool Central train station, where we met Allan McAvoy, who brought down his store’s copies of Fab Four FAQ for me to sign. His genuine excitement at having me books was, to be frank, a very big and very welcome difference from the usual ennui greeting mid-level authors back home in Chicago. We then traversed to the BBC studio on Great Charlotte Street and met Spencer, a very pleasant and funny gentleman. And he knows his onions, as the British say; he has written several important rock’n’roll books, including The Cavern: The Most Famous Club in the World (SAF Publishing), an exhaustive chronicle of the rock venue at which the Fabs played approximately 275 times. As I was to find out, he’s also an excellent radio host with a terrific ear and a wide range of tastes. Also on the air with Spencer was Ray O’Brien, another lifelong resident of the ‘pool—who not only saw the Beatles in the early 1960s, but also went to high school with George and Paul. In the last few years, this keen historian of Merseyside used his research skill to pen two books on the halls, clubs, and theaters at which the pre-U.S. Beatles played their gigs. These two books have now been combined into one really fascinating volume: There Are Places I’ll Remember (published by The Bluecoat Press).
Meeting these two men was a real treat, because between what they know, there’s little left to learn about the 1960s Mersey rock scene. Spencer played a brilliant, heretofore unreleased 1966 song off an upcoming Swinging Blue Jeans (!) compilation that sounded like a precursor to the Kinks’ monumental “Love Me Til the Sun Shines.” Ray told stories about Gerry & the Pacemakers and the Big Three. The radio show itself, all three hours of it, went very well. Several dear friends back home tuned in live, and the second half of the show can still be heard on the Spencer’s page on the BBC Merseyside site by clicking “listen again” in the right-side column. (You’ll need to install Real Player on your computer.) Before and after Spencer played taped interviews with the Blind Boys of Alabama and Syd Griffin (formerly of the Long Ryders—he’s the first voice heard on the webcast), we talked about the Beatles’ connection with the Monkees; discussed some outtakes and how they showed the Fabs’ unstinting dedication to getting songs just right; and dissected the rationales (real and disclosed) for the decision to sack Pete Best, among other topics. I felt as though I’d acquitted myself well, and certainly didn’t let the side down. It was a good night. Later, we journeyed by Merseyrail to suburban Blundellsands to stay at a lovely bed and breakfast (The Park Corner), which was more like a country estate than a B&B. After a great Sunday breakfast, and some nice conversation with owners Dawn and Mike, we headed back toward London.
Spending an intense 24 hours around an endless string of friendly people with thick Merseyside accents was like a crash course in the world from which the Beatles emerged. It’s easy to forget that these international pop idols, who we respect and love not just for their humor and singing but also for their intellect, humor, and effect on Western consciousness, grew up working-class (if not poor) in an often grimy, hardscrabble section of Northern England—which even at its most glamorous is never taken seriously by Londoners. Our biggest eye-opener was spending time in Liverpool itself and watching and interacting with a cross section of its people. We saw, in several places, groups of teenaged kids, many done up in punk rock gear that seems retro to people my age but is clearly not retro to them. Hanging out in alleys, burned-out buildings, or public squares, talking, laughing (or NOT laughing), smoking cigarettes, these kids touched a nerve. Our first reaction was one of discomfort, the kind of nervousness one feels anywhere when confronted by kids who make a lot of noise and seem to be purposely anti-social—doing things that people in their 40s don’t quite understand, even though we used to be the same way. It soon hit us that 50 years ago, these kids were the Beatles and their friends and fans. These kids are just Liverpool street kids, some with futures, some without. Somewhere in that crowd of kids near the cemetery or hanging around in that vacant lot could be tomorrow’s Cilla Black, Lee Mavers, or John Lennon. We’re back in London now—various radio interviews are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday before we head back to Chicago. There’s more to come, of course, including the tale of our courageous efforts to eat our way across England, one Indian restaurant at a time. Cheerio! March 23Click out a clip of Stu discussing and playing an early version of Paul McCartney's "For No One." It's part of a story they're running on Sunday about The John Cage Beatles Manuscripts.
HAVE YOU HEARD? THE WORD IS…“UNFINISHED” One fascinating aspect of the Beatles story is how they produced such high-quality material, given how little time they had to actually create it. From summer 1964 through summer 1966 (a period that many consider their artistic peak) the Fabs released five albums and a passel of great singles—a high amount for the era and certainly more music in a faster timeframe than artists are asked to provide now. Doing this amidst constant touring, which soon proved a soul-sucking experience for at least three Beatles, makes the music they released in these years all the more impressive. They continued to change musically once they stopped touring, and with their slightly more relaxed schedules of 1967-69 became productive in a different way, releasing fewer songs but spending increasing amounts of time (and EMI money) in the studio perfecting what they did. Regardless, however, of the many books, CDs, and television shows devoted to showing us how the Beatles created their music, we still don’t know as much as we’d like about these songs—and we have many blind spots, in particular, in our knowledge of the songwriting, arranging, and pre-production work that John and Paul (and, increasingly, George) did before entering the studio. IN THE COLLECTION I recently examined some largely unseen Beatles material on just this subject. Lou Carlozo of the Chicago Tribune and I visited the Northwestern University Music Library in Evanston, Illinois to view some of the Library’s collection of music manuscripts—a collection including seven Lennon/McCartney lyric sheets! Let’s step back for a minute and hit this from the front. During the middle 1960s, modern classical composer/philosopher/mycologist John Cage began collecting music manuscripts in order to document his fellow composers’ creative processes. Cage solicited and received 400 pieces of sheet music, composition notes, and other material from nearly 250 artists including Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Morton Feldman, Karl-heinz Stockhausen, Terry Riley, and a young Fluxus artist named Yoko Ono. Once Yoko Ono entered John Lennon’s orbit in 1966-67, she let Cage know that she might be able to procure some Beatles manuscripts from the source, should he want them. Perhaps not too versed in the Beatles, Cage apparently shrugged and said, “Sure.” Could he have known that one day, the Fabs’ writings would be the most valuable manuscripts in the collection? Some two decades ago, Cage gave Northwestern University, which has a formidable collection of 20th century music of all sorts, the entire passel of manuscripts. The university’s Music Library has carefully managed these papers, surely worth many thousands of dollars, ever since. Recently noting the unceasing interest in all things Beatle, the music library has prepared an exhibit of the Fab Four’s lost lyric sheets. High-quality color photocopies (not the originals) of the manuscripts are currently on display in the library, which is open to the general public. D.J. Hoek, Head of the Northwestern University Music Library, allowed me to see the originals and take copious notes of the seven Lennon-McCartney lyric sheets included in NU’s collection. Six of these songs hail from the Revolver era and one from Rubber Soul. These documents give amazing insight into the songwriting and pre-production of the Revolver album, which many feel is the band’s best. The documents also provide more evidence of the band’s work ethic and sense of fun. The seven song manuscripts show Lennon bringing his songs to the band as completely finished entities, complete with, in some cases, demo recordings. McCartney, meanwhile, tended to slave more over his work, fussing over details and changing things around before recording. This songwriting tendency also spilled over to the amount of time and care each Beatle took with his songs in the recording studio (John, not much; Paul, maybe too much). IN THE BEGINNING I MISUNDERSTOOD Chronologically, the first piece in the series is Lennon’s set of lyrics to “The Word.” The document with these lyrics is certainly not a worksheet—rather, it’s a completed lyric, as sung on Rubber Soul. What’s interesting about this document is that Paul McCartney has essayed a full-color watercolor painting on the page to illustrate Lennon’s lyrics. The title, at the top, is bathed in yellow, framed by red, and abutted by a brightly colored tree. Colorful abstracts, which might be interpreted as trees or bushes, frame the right side of the page. The second verse is completely complemented by yellow paint. McCartney also appears to have gone over Lennon’s lyrics in dark pen to emphasize them on the page. According to Hoek, Yoko Ono informed John Cage that this manuscript had been in McCartney’s possession, and that Paul had done watercolor renderings of other Beatles lyrics as well. None of the six Revolver lyrics are decorated in this way, indicating that Paul probably completed the painting on “The Word” well after the fact. LIVES IN A DREAM The Revolver manuscripts show six songs from this classic LP in various states of completion. “Eleanor Rigby” features the verses, as sung, written on lined white paper in blue ink. All of the choruses are shortened to “All the lonely, etc…” except for the song’s opening chorus, which is written out completely (“Ah, look at all the lonely people”). The chorus, however, has been written in black ink at the top of the page, indicating that beginning the song with “Ah, look at all the lonely people” was not the original plan. Perhaps Paul made the change, or John. Maybe George Martin suggested opening with the chorus, as he had done back in early 1964 for “Can’t Buy Me Love.” Paul did not sign this particular manuscript; Yoko Ono herself wrote “Paul McCartney” at the bottom of the page (apparently to indicate authorship) before donating it to Cage. The manuscript of “Good Day Sunshine” is obviously a work document of a finished piece; it takes up both sides of a single sheet of paper, one side for lyrics and the other for arrangement. It does not contain the original title “A Good Day’s Sunshine,” and the lyrics are complete as sung on Revolver. The lyrics of “I’m Only Sleeping” provide no surprises. These words were completed well before recording, as early recordings of the song on the Anthology series confirm. Here, the lyrics are written exactly as they were eventually sung. It appears that Paul’s contribution to this song was musical rather than lyrical. YOU DON’T GET ME “And Your Bird Can Sing” is represented in these manuscripts by a sheet of paper featuring lyrics and Lennon drawings. At the time John wrote the lyrics out, the song was still called “You Don’t Get Me”—an early title little known to most Beatles fans. The lyrics on this sheet are nearly identical to the finished version of the song. The differences include “you don’t see me” being rendered as “you won’t see me,” and the “But you don’t get me” not being immediately repeated, as it is on the record. Also, Lennon wrote “Look in the direction, I’ll be ‘round,” then scratched out “the” and replaced it with “my.” In addition, on this manuscript, a possibly, er, altered Lennon has drawn an odd cyclotron or alien-type figure: a base with a round head and a huge pair of what appear to be spectacles. The “head” also features a nose and a thin mouth. This doodle barely resembles Lennon’s more famous drawings of squiggly, grotesque figures. The manuscript to “Yellow Submarine” features a bit of comic editorializing; someone—it’s not clear who—took exception, either real or sarcastic, to the line “As we live a life of ease.” The mystery critic has written, “Disgusting! See me” after that line on the lyric sheet, perhaps mocking the tone of a stentorian schoolteacher. The rest of the lyrics on the “Yellow Submarine” manuscript are complete as sung on Revolver. WHY DID IT DIE? The biggest revelation to Beatles fans from this collection of manuscripts is sure to be the lyrics to “For No One.” Or, rather, the lyrics to “Why Did It Die?” Paul’s classic baroque-styled ballad began its life as “Why Did it Die” in early 1966. He remembers writing the music while on holiday, and obviously spent a good deal of time working on both the music and lyrics. The lyrics, written on a 9 ½ x 13 manila envelope, feature significant differences from the final lyric aside from the title. The first two verses of the song are written as sung on Revolver, with the exception of the first verse’s “She takes her time and doesn’t feel she has to hurry,” which is written in the far more formal “She takes her time and does not feel she has to hurry.” Obviously McCartney was aiming at a 17th century drawing-room feel even in the original lyrics, though he at some point obviously felt that singing “does not” would feel too mannered. McCartney’s draft of the first chorus reads, “Why did it die?/I’d like to know./Cry…and blame her.” As many of the “final” lyrics are missing from this chorus, the meter, of course, is off. It’s hard to know how McCartney imagined this to be sung. Did he mean for the chorus to last only half as long, since there are roughly half as many words? The third verse carries the regular meter, but is completely different: “You wait/You’re too late/As you’re deciding why, the wrong one wins/The end begins/And you will lose her.” This lyric has far more internal rhyme here than any of the Revolver-version verses, but McCartney eventually cashiered it anyway. The next chorus reads, “Why let it die?/I’d like to know./Try…to save it.” In just a few words, he has given the protagonist a sense of optimism, or at least hope, in that there is some action to be taken to “save” this broken affair. This hopeful chorus transitions into a final verse implying that some action on the protagonist’s part could actually fix the relationship. “You want her/You need her (love)/So make her see that you believe it may/Work out…one day…/You need each other.” There is no “final” chorus written after this verse, indicating that McCartney at this point had yet to decide to end it on the well-known refrain. Maybe when McCartney rewrote the lyrics to the chorus—which are the same all the way through, rather than the differing lyrics in this early draft—he felt it was strong enough to end with. When McCartney changed his lyrics, he removed all sense of hope from the song, putting the entire decision to end the romance in “her” hands. Obviously he chose to alter the chorus lyrics in order to show the disempowerment of the protagonist—that everything rests on what the girl has chosen to do. While these early lyrics are fascinating to read, what Paul eventually came up with is lyrically much more unusual, and much more effective. Lennon himself said it was “one of my favorites of his.” EVOLVER At least two sources have already mentioned the first draft of “For No One.” Charles Reinhart’s Book of Beatle Lists noted that the song’s original title was “Why Did It Die?” while Walter Everett, a University of Michigan professor who had seen these manuscripts, discussed the lyrical changes in his 1999 book The Beatles as Musicians. (Everett wrote an informative two-book series on the Beatles’ recordings, which, unfortunately, are dull and dry enough to reduce the Fab Four’s songs to the level of dead butterflies pinned to a cork board for dissection.) The Revolver period was something of a peak for the Beatles, a time of great songwriting, adventurous sounds, and spreading their wings in the studio—hiring various session musicians, working later hours, and taking more time in recording. Geoff Emerick had come on the scene as their engineer and was able to help the group find the sounds in their head (and create a few of his own). George Martin’s ability to orchestrate and arrange was at the forefront, and the Beatles were, with the help of spiritual searching, new and exciting books, travel, and illicit substances, writing great songs despite an insane schedule. The decision to end their touring led to a more relaxed atmosphere from this point, but never again did the group compact their talent for pop songs so well into a single package as in 1966. The manuscripts at Northwestern University are not only eye candy—because of their visuals, the sense of immediacy they convey, and the actual Beatle handwriting—but also give critical insight into how their songs developed in an exciting time. The idea that more such manuscripts may exist in Yoko Ono’s, Paul’s, Olivia Harrison’s, or even Ringo’s, collections is thrilling. If you’re around Evanston, Illinois, call Northwestern University’s music library and learn how to visit this exhibit. It’s a piece of Beatles history that few have ever been privileged to see. November 15
Today, Joe's show is carried via Westwood One to over 100 stations around the country. Additionally, Joe can be found at the Fest For Beatles Fans, conducting interviews with celebs and attendees alike. On this day, Stu and I went down to the studio at WXRT 93.1 FM in Chicago. There, we taped an interview with Joe for broadcast on December 2. We found Joe to be a thoroughly knowledgeable and congenial host. Visitors to this site are encouraged to tune in: click here to find the station nearest you. Like others with longevity in this most capricious business, Terri has rubbed shoulders with many an iconic figure. During our chat, she regaled us with anecdotes, making the day all the more memorable. We look forward to seeing her again next August as she once again hosts the Chicago edition of Fest for Beatles Fans. November 10 As described in Fab Four FAQ, Beatlemania took off in Canada a little sooner than anywhere else in North America, particularly in Toronto. Rene was there. Like so many of us, his interest in music began with The Beatles. Unlike many of us, he saw them live - the first concert he attended was the Beatles at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto in August 1966. Rene began doing a weekly Internet radio show at www.thedividingline.com back in 2002. Says Rene: "The show is called ' ProgRoots.' I don’t know if you’re into progressive rock at all, but that is the genre of music our station specializes in. Like many prog fans, I thought the genre had died out in the late 1970’s, but as I discovered, it is alive and well on the Internet. There are plenty of modern day progressive rock artists. I play some of the classic and contemporary progressive music. If you enjoy getting turned on to new music, you’ll enjoy my show. "It's on Sunday evenings at 7pm Pacific, but you can download or stream the most recent edition any time. There’s an archive that gets replaced each week, but if you come into the chat room during a live show, I will know you’re listening and I can play some specific selections. My play list often gets adjusted on the fly due to listener requests. Unlike the podcast, which is MP3, our other broadcasts are in OGG format. The best player for a PC is Winamp." A couple of years ago he added a second show, "Ticket to Ride," focusing on the "Musical and cultural phenomenon known as The Beatles." In early 2007 the show moved to a podcast format, with new editions every few weeks. To hear the Fab Four FAQ interview, click here. October 19
He also was part of the team spearheaded by Bob Eubanks that brought the Fabs to the Hollywood Bowl twice (p. 87-88). In fact, for those familiar with the unedited recordings of the shows, his name is evoked by KLRA personnel as that "Wild I-talian" moments before the Beatles took the stage. Dick has returned home to Chicago, resuming where he left off spinning the records he's played most of his professional career at 94.7FM True Oldies, one year after being unceremoniously dumped by 104.3 to make way for the "Jack" formula - his 24th such dismissal. Currently, his show anchors evenings from 8pm to Midnight. To those who've never heard him, his made-for-radio voice and humor return one to the days when DJs had personalities and listeners made requests and were treated to schtick leading into the records. Biondi is indeed a treasure that we are grateful to have, still doing what he does best - not bad for a man who just celebrated his 75th birthday. On this Friday evening, Biondi was hosting a request event at a local car dealership. He was presented with a copy of Fab Four FAQ - True Oldies will be doing a book giveaway through their website at www.947trueoldies.com. October 13
September 26
In addition to hosting us, the store often brings notables to talk and sign within its walls, including one of our favorite writers: Chicago’s own Studs Terkel. We were honored to do our thing at such an esteemed venue; thanks to Becky Gizicki and the Book Cellar staff for having us and providing such a hospitable ambience to hang out in – do check them out. September 14-19
“Some Other Guy” from the Cavern – August 22, 1962 “Love Me Do” 1982 re-issue promo “Long Tall Sally” live from Drop In on Swedish TV – October 30, 1963 “I Want To Hold Your Hand” from Late Scene Extra – November 25, 1963 “All My Loving” from The Ed Sullivan Show – February 9, 1964 “She Loves You” (broadcast and rehearsal footage) from The Ed Sullivan Show – February 16, 1964 “A Hard Day’s Night” promo/trailer – Summer 1964 “I’m A Loser” from Shindig – recorded October 3, 1964
“I Feel Fine” the infamous “fish and chips” InterTel video – November 1965 “We Can Work It Out” (Paul cracks up) – November 23, 1965 “Paperback Writer” and “Rain” promos filmed at Chiswick House – May 1966 “Yesterday” live in Hamburg – June 24, 1966 “If I Needed Someone” live in Japan – July 1, 1966 Beatles cartoon singalong – 1965 “Strawberry Fields Forever” as aired on Beatles cartoon in 1967 “A Day In The Life” promo clip – recorded February 10, 1967 “Hey Bulldog” promo clip – recorded February 11, 1967 “Hey Jude” promo clip for the David Frost Show – recorded September 4, 1968 “Don’t Let Me Down” from the rooftop session in Let It Be – recorded January 30, 1969 “I’ve Got A Feeling” from the rooftop session in Let It Be – recorded January 30, 1969 “One After 909” from the rooftop session in Let It Be – recorded January 30, 1969 “Dig A Pony” from the rooftop session in Let It Be – recorded January 30, 1969 “Get Back” from the rooftop session in Let It Be – recorded January 30, 1969 “The Ballad of John and Yoko” promo clip – May 1969 “Something” promo clip – assembled fall 1969 “I Saw Her Standing There” live in Washington DC – recorded February 11, 1964
We really had a blast doing these presentations, especially as it affords us a chance to chat and hang out with all you Beatle people as well as all our friends and family who attended. September 11
Director Jill “call it nepotism if you must” Rodriguez arranged to offer Fab Four FAQ to the stream of round-the-clock visitors, while I (Robert) was on hand to deface copies of the book with a Sharpie, on demand (though bribes were cheerfully accepted). For more on this event, click here. September 2 Eighteen cars were featured, all either owned by famous rockers, showcased in well-known videos or album covers, or in the case of Madonna and U2, used as on-stage props. The jewel of the collection was, of course, the 1965 For those similarly enthralled by axes wielded by some of rock's bigger names, the collection on display is of interest (though truth be told, without the significant contributions of Cheap Trick's Rick Nielson, there wouldn't be much of an exhibit). Of note to Beatle people is the 1963 Fender Telecaster, complete with string-bender. Owned by Nielson, it was used by John Lennon in 1980 during the Double Fantasy sessions. September 1 The presentation and discussion went quite well - so much so, that there's talk of doing it again in December. If we can arrrange some radio support, there's a good chance that this will happen. To all who made it out and to the staff of B&N, I had a great time and would love to do it again. Thanks for coming out! August 29Stu and I have done quite a bit of radio on stations around the country in advance of the book's publication. But on this day, I accepted an invitation to appear on Mancow's Morning Madhouse, reaching Beatle folk across the country (though not in Chicago, ironically enough) in one fell swoop. Mancow did a great job reading the questions I'd provided in advance. As one of the country's most renowned provocateurs (by word and by deed), you'd have thought I'd be amply prepared for a "shock" of my own. Yet there it was, and I wasn't: who knew you can't say "hand job" on the air? Not me! Click to Download A Clip of The Show August 25
Though we signed quite a few books before we left, the only blow-out we experienced on this day came on the road, just outside Chicago on the Tri-state. August 5Chicago Fest For Beatles Fans, August 3-5, 2007
All in all, we couldn’t have wished for a better launch to our joint publishing venture. Our book sold out; we had a blast mixing with attendees at the forums; and mostly, I suppose we felt a greater sense of community with our fellow festers. To everyone (all right, have it your way—deep breath) at the Fest For Beatles Fans, we had a grand time. Maybe next year, we can do it all again. |
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On this day, I (Rob) did an interview for podcast with Rene Young, host of 
For those of you who weren’t around to witness any of the Fab Four FAQ video presentations, here is a rundown of what was shown:
“Twist and Shout” and “I’m Down” live at Shea Stadium – August 15, 1965
“Revolution” promo clips for the David Frost Show – recorded September 4, 1968
These events were attended by folks ranging widely in age, from the quite young (like Jordan, shown here with his proud parents at Old Orchard), to others who boasted openly of having witnessed the Fabs’ American television debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. 
Having fulfilled all promo duties at the Allen Park Barnes and Noble store, the following day the family and I headed out to the nearby Henry Ford Museum to take in the 
