If Robbie Leff keeps pointing out videos like this fantastic Petula-Beatles mash-up, I won’t have to think up any more ideas for blog posts!
The official Beatles mash-up is, of course, the Love CD, which has me thinking of the infamous Beachles mash-up of Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper that resulted in a cease-and-desist order for its creator from Capitol/EMI.
Over the past four years I’ve tracked some of the Boston radio scene events, including:
Deaths:
The Internet has had a huge effect on the radio industry, of course. Something I didn’t like for a long time was the Web player that the CBS network was using. I don’t know when CBS hooked up with Radio.com to update the player, but I think the results are excellent, despite a couple of pop-ups that have caused Firefox to crash.
The CBS station WODS — Oldies 103 in Boston — is still the best place to catch The Beatle Years and Beatle Brunch. You’ll find them on the WODS podcast page.
Almost three years ago I mentioned a documentary called Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)? It seems that at long last the film has a distribution deal, and will be out on DVD before the end of year.
And this just in, Denro says…
I just saw it in an email from James Taylor. The first step in Beatles stuff being available for download?
Apple Records Catalogue Remastered and Reissued on CD and Digital Download, Classics Set for Release on October 26th
Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music raise the curtain on remastered CD and digital download releases of 15 key albums from the Apple Records catalog. All 15 titles will be released on October 26th. Most of the physical CDs will include bonus material. Together, the 15 albums represent the first ever Apple Records releases to be available via digital download.
Is see that somebody has asked what I asked Denro — “Where is “Brother” by Lon & Derrek [Van Eaton]?” And there’s no mention of the other Apple, or iTunes. Perhaps Apple Records is testing the waters for doing its own online Beatles catalog.
The fact is that the ultimate digital copy of the Beatles catalog is already available on Beatles.com, in (lossless) FLAC 44.1 kHz 24-bit and MP3 320 Kbps formats.
Recommended — Ringo’s Postcards from the Boys. Hover over the picture to see who wished Ringo were also at the Capitol Records building.
One of Bismo’s favourite programmes (note British spelling) is Top Gear, the show for automotive enthusiasts on BBC America. But long before Top Gear, there was Pop Gear, a 1965 movie featuring a bunch of British music acts, introduced by BBC TV personality Jimmy (now Sir Jimmy) Savile.
Last night, the season opener of Mad Men ended with Tobacco Road by the Nashville Teens, which you’ll find in part 5 of Pop Gear, compliments of YouTube user nyrainbow2.
One of the the most controversial figures, and frustrating subjects, in the history of the Beatles is Dave Dexter, Jr. (1915-1990). Dexter hated the Beatles, both personally and professionally — as you’ll hear for yourself later — and yet he was in charge of their American releases on Capitol Records until the Yesterday and Today album, which was “prepared by Bill Miller” and was originally released with the infamous “butcher cover.”
Before I say anything more about Dave Dexter, Jr., listen to the recording on the player below. “The Chase” is exclusive to Dexter’s American version of “HELP!”, and it’s a noteworthy recording to be found on a Beatles record, but it isn’t by the Beatles.
“The Chase” is credited to Ken Thorne, who scored the soundtrack to “HELP!”, but it was performed by Pandit Shiv Dayal Batish (1914-2006). Click here to read his account of the recording session, and his subsequent involvement with George Harrison.
