It was recently brought to my attention that the new Apple USB Memory stick containing all the Beatles remasters offers a sonic advantage over their CD equivalents. The memory stick contains 44kHz FLAC files, but they are in 24 bit of superior audio quality in comparison to CDs (which are 44kHz/16bit, which is all a standard CD can handle). This is the second time we have been offered music in such a high quality from The Beatles. The first one was when the DeLuxe version of the LOVE album contained a DVD with all the songs from the regular CD in 5.1 surround sound and 24 bit, both in DVD Audio as well as in the standard DVD format with two-channel stereo (48 kHz 16-bit PCM) and 5.1-channel surround (448 kbit/s Dolby Digital and 754 kbit/s DTS). Ringo Starr has also offered us higher quality when his 2005 album Choose Love was issued as either a 1 DVD + 1CD package or as a hybrid CD/DVD disc, where both sides were playable. The DVD contained the same songs in 24 bit. Now The Beatles has done it again and released a higher than CD quality version of their albums, although in a far less accessible format. Due to the incompatibility of FLAC in a standard home audio set up, you're going to have to plug your computer in to your amplifier and either play the FLAC's in a FLAC compatible media player, or convert the FLAC's to WAV, which can be played by most media players. Or, if you don't want to connect your computer to your audio system, you can convert the files to WAV and author either a DVD-Audio or a DVD-Video (with just a still picture) and use the WAV as the soundtrack. This can then be played back on your audio system, provided you already have your DVD player connected to it (and we all have, don't we?). I'm hoping someone out there will do this and make it available, so I can sample the difference!
List of countries who released Beatles records in the sixties: Angola Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Bolivia Brasil Canada Chile Columbia Congo Costa Rica Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia at that time) Denmark Dominican Republic East Germany (DDR) Egypt Equador Finland France Greece Guatemala Holland Hong Kong Hungary India Iran Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Lebanon Malaysia Malta Mexico Nigeria Nicaragua Norway New Zealand Pakistan Paraguay Peru Philippines Portugal Singapore South Africa Spain South Korea Sweden Switzerland Thailand Taiwan Turkey UK Uruguay USA Yugoslavia West Germany (BRD) Venezuela Zimbabwe (South Rhodesia at that time)
The list was put together by Polish Beatles collector Piotr Kaczmarczyk. You can find a work-in-progress of his Chronology at this Polish Beatles web site.
Backstage auctions event "The Rockin' Holiday Auction" is on from December 6 - 13th, 2009, and this Thanksgiving Weekend the auction lots have been put on display for preview. Lots of memorabilia from many artists are being presented, but we're of course going to focus on the Beatles lots. It seems that the company has acquired an entire collection from a Beatles fan, because here's stuff that you would expect when visiting a Beatles fanatic. Records, magazines, books and promotional items. Aside from that, some professional photos from the solo years are also up for sale at the auction, and here are some of those. Head on over to Backstage Auctions to feast your eyes on some of the stuff they have for sale. Perhaps you'll find something to bid on?
Back in 1981, World Records, EMI's mail order division put together a boxed set of eight newly compiled Beatles albums. The set was advertised vigourously in the national press from 5th November 1980 through into 1981. This means it was at the forefront right across the period of John's murder, and therefore sales must have been quite good, but as this box set was sold only by mail order the figures did not qualify for chart entry, and consequently are not publicly known. All the songs throughout the eight albums are arranged chronologically, and the covers reflect this, in that each has a picture from the appropriate period on the front, and a well-written biography of the period by Hugh Marshall on the rear. The Box itself is well designed looking like a wooden crate (see detail above), with plenty of information and sold for £29:75. And Simon Sinclair who compiled these albums seems to have known what he was doing, because he has sprinkled the albums with some interesting variations from the regular versions of the songs. Main track differences from the regular Beatles albums in the UK:
Across The Universe - (Version 2) produced by Phil Spector.
All My Loving - begins with five taps on Ringo's "hi-hat" cymbal.
All You Need Is Love - the mono version.
And I Love Her - contains six bars of acoustic guitar in the fadeout instead of the usual four.
Baby You're A Rich Man - the true stereo version, previously found just on the German Magical Mystery Tour LP.
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill - appears as it does on The Beatles ("white album"), minus the opening guitar obbligato.
The End/Her Majesty - the pause between the two songs lasts for only five seconds. On Abbey Road, the time between tracks is fifteen seconds.
Get Back - the album version, produced by Phil Spector.
I'm Only Sleeping - the extremely rare version with the slightly delayed guitar solo, previously found just on the U.S. stereo eight-track tape edition of "Yesterday" And Today.
I Am The Walrus - the composite version put together by Capitol Records engineers John Palladino and George Irwin for the U.S. commercial Rarities.
I Feel Fine - the true stereo version that begins with tapping drum sticks, whispering, coughing and Ringo closing his "hi-hat" cymbal.
Let It Be (Version 2) "reproduced for disc" by Phil Spector.
Love Me Do - (Version 1) the rare one with Ringo on drums.
Penny Lane - the composite version from the U.S. commercial Rarities.
She's A Woman - the true stereo version previously available just in Australia and in Singapore/Malaysia/Hong Kong.
Strawberry Fields Forever - the true stereo version.
Thank You Girl - the original mono version without John's extra harmonica fills.
This Boy - the mono version.
Full track list Album 1 Side One : Love Me Do - (2:19) - Original single version w/Ringo on drums P.S. I Love You - (2:02) I Saw Her Standing There - (2:50) Please Please Me - (2:00) Misery - (1:43) Do You Want To Know A Secret - (1:55) A Taste Of Honey - (2:02) Twist And Shout - (2:32)
Side Two : From Me To You - (1:55) Thank You Girl - (2:01) - Original mono version without John's extra harmonica fills She Loves You - (2:18) It Won't Be Long - (2:11) Please Mr. Postman - (2:34) All My Loving - (2:04) - features a 6 tap hi hat intro Roll Over Beethoven - (2:44) Money (That's What I Want) - (2:47)
Album 2 Side Three : I Want To Hold Your Hand - (2:24) This Boy - (2:11) - mono version Can't Buy Me Love - (2:15) You Can't Do That - (2:33) A Hard Day's Night - (2:32) I Should Have Known Better - (2:42) If I Fell - (2:16) And I Love Her - (2:47) - final riff is repeated 6 times (instead of the normal 4)
Side Four : Things We Said Today - (2:35) I'll Be Back - (2:22) Long Tall Sally - (1:58) I Call Your Name - (2:02) Matchbox - (1:37) Slow Down - (2:54) She's A Woman - (2:57) - True stereo version I Feel Fine - (2:19) - true stereo version that begins with tapping drum sticks, whispers etc.
Album 3 Side Five : Eight Days A Week - (2:43) No Reply - (2:11) I'm A Loser - (2:31) I'll Follow The Sun - (1:46) Mr. Moonlight - (2:35) Every Little Thing - (2:01) I Don't Want To Spoil The Party - (2:33) Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey - (2:37)
Side Six : Ticket To Ride - (3:03) I'm Down - (2:30) Help! - (2:16) The Night Before - (2:33) You've Got To Hide Your Love Away - (2:08) I Need You - George Harrison - (2:28) Another Girl - (2:02) You're Going To Lose That Girl - (2:18)
Album 4 Side Seven : Yesterday - (2:04) Act Naturally - (2:27) Tell Me What You See - (2:35) It's Only Love - (1:53) You Like Me Too Much - (2:34) I've Just Seen A Face - (2:04) Day Tripper - (2:37) - Different stereo mix (also found on "Yesterday & Today") We Can Work It Out - (2:10)
Side Eight : Michelle - (2:40) Drive My Car - (2:25) Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) - (2:00) You Won't See Me - (3:19) Nowhere Man - (2:40) Girl - (2:26) I'm Looking Through You - (2:20) In My Life - (2:23)
Album 5 Side Nine : Paperback Writer - (2:25) - Remixed stereo version (Also found on the "Hey Jude" album) Rain - (2:59) Here, There And Everywhere - (2:29) Taxman - George Harrison - (2:36) I'm Only Sleeping - (2:58) - Extremely rare version with the slightly delayed guitar solo Good Day Sunshine - (2:08) Yellow Submarine - (2:40)
Side Ten : Eleanor Rigby - (2:11) And Your Bird Can Sing - (2:02) For No One - (2:03) Doctor Robert - (2:14) Got To Get You Into My Life - (2:27) Penny Lane - (3:00) - Composite version taken from the US rarities album Strawberry Fields Forever - (4:05) - True stereo version
Album 6 Side Eleven : Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - (1:59) With A Little Help From My Friends - (2:46) Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds - (3:25) Fixing A Hole - (2:35) She's Leaving Home - (3:24) Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite - (2:36) A Day In The Life - (5:03)
Side Twelve : When I'm Sixty-Four - (2:38) Lovely Rita - (2:43) All You Need Is Love - (3:57) - original mono version Baby, You're A Rich Man - (3:07) - the true stereo version Magical Mystery Tour - (2:48) Your Mother Should Know - (2:33) The Fool On The Hill - (3:00) I Am The Walrus - (4:35) - composite version also found on the US "Rarities" album
Album 7 Side Thirteen : Hello Goodbye - (3:24) Lady Madonna - (2:17) Hey Jude - (7:11) Revolution - (3:22) Back In The U.S.S.R. - (2:45) Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - (3:10) While My Guitar Gently Weeps - (4:46)
Side Fourteen : The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill - (3:05) - Without guitar intro Happiness Is A Warm Gun - (2:47) Martha My Dear - (2:28) I'm So Tired - (2:01) Piggies - George Harrison - (2:04) Don't Pass Me By - Richard Starkey - (3:52) Julia - (2:57) All Together Now - (2:08)
Album 8 Side Fifteen : Get Back - (3:09) - Album version, produced by Phil Spector Don't Let Me Down - (3:34) The Ballad Of John And Yoko - (3:51) Across The Universe - (3:51) - Version 2, produced by George Martin For You Blue - (2:33) Two Of Us - (3:33) The Long And Winding Road - (3:40) Let It Be - (4:01)
Side Sixteen : Come Together - (4:16) Something - (2:59) Maxwell's Silver Hammer - (3:24) Octopus's Garden - (2:49) Here Comes The Sun - (3:04) Because - (2:45) Golden Slumbers - (1:31) Carry That Weight - (1:37) The End - (2:04) Her Majesty - (0:23)
The box was available in several countries. In Japan, a poster (depicted above) was included in the box. The album box set was deleted in the UK in 1982, only to reappear in July 1987 as an eight cassette box, called "The Last Chance Edition". Due to good sales, the boxed set is fairly common, and shouldn't command to high a price, although some people will always have the nerve, or the excuse of ignorance.
The music video for Strawberry Fields Forever was filmed in Knole Park, Sevenoaks, Kent on 30 and 31 January 1967. Directed by Peter Goldman. Peter Goldman - A Swedish pop film maker who worked for Swedish Television during the 60's and 70's tells his story behind the making of the Strawberry Fields Forever film.
"Everything went so fast. It wasn't until I sat on the plane for London I realised what I was up to. I felt the nervousity and the excitement crawling under the skin. How in the world should I be able to make something enough funny-bizzard-cleaver-crazy-sofisticated to satisfy The Beatles."
"John, Paul, George and Ringo liked good food and they did lose their temper if they didn't get their special food even during the shootings. So, their big metal coloured catering bus followed them wherever they went. Containing a staff of cooks made the tables with their favourite food, baked in a gratin-disk with parsley over it or the special chicken that they liked of something else that they ordered." "-The food was served in a special order. First John, Paul, George and Ringo were served, then me, the head director, and after me my assistant and then the other assistants and so on."
"- Ringo had a dog named 'Tiger' that he was very proud of. Tiger wasn't the most terrifying dog in his class, not the least of all. It was the smallest and the most taken cared of little white puddle I've ever seen. Paul had a dog that looked like a little pony; named Martha."
"The film was filmed on an estate in Kent. The surroundings were incredible English with a great old castle and hundreds of half tamed deers that were strolling around in a giant park. We built a giant instrument that actually was an old torn-apart piano with strings up in the air. The wind played on the strings that kept falling all the time and made a mess."
"In Johns special built Rolls Royce the fab four had a real big laugh. Through a microphone and a loudspeaker they tried to cheear me up with comments and advises that made an echo out over the neighbourhood." This gave an unexpected result. A lot of truant boys from an boarding school nearby came to see what it was all about. Boys in all ages dressed in uniforms and straw hats hunting for autographs and souvenirs. A piece of a cigarette or an autograph by Peter Goldman was good enough. Peter could just establish the fact that the Beatles fever seemed to get higher for every year. The Beatles talked to the arriving fans and John took his film camera and filmed the crowd. The truant boys from the boarding school wasn't as keen as The Beatles to listen to their director. - Jump! said John. I want everybody to jump! Nobody jumped so John didn't get the scene he wanted on film. Instead he had to satisfy with filming trees, the piano strings and other things that he felt that he should immortalise. All four of The Beatles have excellent equipment for film at their houses. Ringo proudly showed his 16 mm equipment to Peter. The Beatles were very patient actors in front of the camera. They were interested and competent in all the technical things. There were cold winds blowing at the estate, but The Beatles kept the whole team in a good mood. In spite of frozen noses they fooled around and always had encouragement things to say. In Strawberry Fields Forever there are seven changes of clothes. Four red coats was all that they had to buy specially for the film, the rest came from John, Paul, George and Ringo's own wardrobes. Peculiar combinations occurred. Ringo loved an old uniform coat. John changed between a knee long beige jersey, a scarf and a preachers coat that he originally had hired for masquerade, but not been able to divorce.
Music! was released in 1968 and it is a celebration of music in Britain, ranging from Tippett, The Beatles, folk clubs, brass bands right through to bell ringing. The Beatles footage captures rehearsals for "Hey Jude", and was filmed on Tuesday 30th of July, 1968. The Beatles recorded takes 7 through to 25, though according to Mark Lewisohn, it was not The Beatles' intention to capture the perfect recording yet. But this session was arranged as more than a means of rehearsing "Hey Jude", it was also arrenged so that the Beatles could be filmed for part of this documentary. The resulting film only includes around six minutes of Beatles footage, compiled from several hours of shooting, showing The Beatles busking, chatting and rehearsing. The musical takes recorded during this session featured just piano, drums and acoustic guitar - so there was no role for George Harrison. Music! showed him in the control room of studio 2 with George Martin and Ken Scott. "The film crew was supposed to work in such a way that no-one would realize they were there," recalls Scott. "But of course they were getting in everyone's way and everyone was getting uptight about it." Most of the footage used were from take 9 of "Hey Jude". Part 2 of 5. This part includes footage of The Beatles and Yehudi Menuhin.
Part 4 of 5. This part includes footage of The Beatles (Hey Jude) and the Black Dyke Mills Band.
EXPERIMENT IN TELEVISION: MUSIC! Credits: Director: TUCHNER, Michael Production Company: James Archibald Productions Sponsor: National Music Council of Great Britain Producer: ARCHIBALD, James Script: ARCHIBALD, James Photography: WILSON, Ian Editor: HARRIS, Gregory Sound: SUTTON, Kevin
"I'm Down" from the new Paul McCartney Live CD/DVD Good Evening New York City takes footage from The Beatles performing the song at Shea Stadium in 1965 and mixes it with footage of McCartney and band performing the same song at Citi Field in 2009. "I'm Down" was the finale for the Beatles' concert in 1965, and McCartney first performed the song solo at the Concert For New York City in 2001. After that, it hasn't been performed until this year's Citi Field gigs, but I'm hoping it will still make the set list when McCartney commences his tour of Europe on December 2nd in Hamburg. Here's the full Beatles version:
M. Clay Adams, the former owner of Clayco Films, produced many film segments for the Ed Sullivan Show during the 1960s. When Ed Sullivan’s production company collaborated with The Beatles to produce a documentary of their legendary 1965 performance at Shea Stadium, Clay Adams was the manager of production operations for the film.
At the time, Adams, who died last year at the age of 99, had been in the film business for over 25 years. He had a young teenage son, Michael, who was a huge Beatles fan. In February 1964, Michael was one of the lucky ones who attended the live February 9, 1964 Beatles debut on the Ed Sullivan Show as well as The Beatles dress rehearsal (the segment filmed for their third Ed Sullivan appearance which aired on February 23, 1964). He actually got to meet The Beatles after the dress rehearsal. He also attended both Beatles concerts at Shea Stadium in 1965 and 1966.
So after his dad, Clay, flew to London to work with George Martin and The Beatles on the over-dubs to the Shea Stadium film soundtrack, Michael was extremely anxious to hear about the trip. In the lost art of letter writing, Clay typed up a letter dated January 10, 1966 to his son, who was busy in school, and told him intimate details of working with George Martin and The Beatles in the recording studio. He also revealed his personal observations on each of the Fab Four.
For example, Clay Adams, describes his first impressions of Paul McCartney:
Paul was the first one to get there, right on the dot of 9:30. He came in with a short black fur coat and needing a shave. But he was full of fun and ready to get down to work right away. Actually what the boys and George Martin really felt was wrong with the Shea soundtrack was only that it was lacking in the “low end” and drums in some places. The bass guitar was not as loud as on their records. So while we were waiting for the other boys to arrive, we over-dubbed “I’m Down”, “Dizzy Miss Lizzy”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”, and “Baby’s in Black” with Paul only.
Readers can get a sense of what the Beatles daily lives were like from this historic letter. This excerpt almost seems like a scene out of A Hard Day’s Night as Adams writes:
Meanwhile nobody seemed to know where the rest of the boys were. Every time I’d ask what has happened to John, George and Ringo – George Martin would say he hadn’t the slightest idea except that Paul was living in the city nearby while the other boys had to come from out of town. Finally at about 10:30 in bounced the other three, all laughing and quite unaware that they had been keeping us in suspense.
What’s most fascinating about Adams’ letter is how he truly was a “fly on the wall” during a Beatles’ recording session.
All four of the boys were really great. They worked hard, did anything we asked them to and cooperated in every way. Also, they are such great “pros” and know their own arrangements so well that the recording session went much easier and faster than I ever anticipated. John was quite anxious to do “Ticket to Ride” better so we did that completely over and our track of “Help!” had a big drop-out in it which we had tried to fix up in New York – so we did that one all over. The rest were merely fixed here and there to fortify the Shea track. Paul loved my word “fortify” and whenever there was a lull he would say to me, “How are we doing Clay – did we fortify that one okay?”
Adams’ observations about the individual Beatles are quite insightful as well:
It was fun between recording sessions. Almost invariably Paul and John would immediately start tinkering around with some new musical ideas for new songs on their guitars. As soon as one would play a few notes, the other would pick up an accompaniment no matter how complex the arrangement. Meanwhile, George Harrison – who I called a frustrated drummer – would be trying to teach Ringo some new trick beat that he had thought up. They are all constantly fooling around with the other’s instruments. Ringo fooling with a guitar or the piano. George on the drums, etc. I thought Paul was the most musical though. When we had finished the over-dubbing I sat with him at the piano while he improvised. He has a great sense of harmony and phrasing. You should have heard his improvised chords fooling around with that song that’s my favorite from “Oliver” – I can’t think of the title.
The Beatles at Shea Stadium 50-minute documentary concert film was first aired on the BBC on May 1, 1966. The film was aired in the United States on ABC on January 10, 1967. However, since then, the film has never been commercially released to the public. Michael Adams commented on the status of the film:
The film was a joint Sullivan Productions and NEMS venture. My Dad provided the film and sound crew and everything that came afterward until it was a finished product. When both parties had signed off on the completed film, two masters were made. Copies were then made and were presented to Sullivan Productions and NEMS for their prospective broadcasts. My Dad hung on to the masters and waited for the companies involved to follow up and ask for them.
In 1987, Paul McCartney phoned my Dad and requested a master for Apple. At the time, Paul said that they were interested in releasing it. They subsequently released a few songs on the Beatles Anthology. They [Apple] still have that master and who knows, maybe one day they will release it. In the meantime it keeps getting bootlegged. There’s boot copies of the US and the UK telecasts floating around out there (as well as that 2nd master). Source: Daytrippin'
Nowhere Boy, the new biopic about the formative years of John Lennon has not been universally praised. Originally based on Julia Baird's book about her half brother "Imagine This - Growing up with my brother John Lennon", the film diverges from the book towards the end, betraying Julia's scorching portrait of (Aunt) Mimi and replacing it with a rose-tinted view of her. This eventually lead Baird to distance herself from the movie. Native Liverpudlians of the right age has also criticized the way the city is portrayed in the film. But anyway, here's the soundtrack album, due out December 14th.
CD1 - Original Soundtrack
Wild One - Jerry Lee Lewis Mr Sandman - Dickie Valentine Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats Shake, Rattle & Roll - Elvis Presley Hard Headed Woman - Wanda Jackson I Put A Spell On You - Screamin’ Jay Hawkins Maggie May - The Nowhere Boys That’ll Be The Day - The Nowhere Boys Rockin’ Daddy - Eddie Bond & The Stompers Twenty Flight Rock - Eddie Cochran That’s Alright Mamma - The Nowhere Boys Movin and Groovin - The Nowhere Boys Raunchy - The Nowhere Boys Hound Dog - Big Mama Thornton Be-Bop-A-Lula - Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps Hello Little Girl - Aaron Johnson In Spite Of All The Danger - The Nowhere Boys Mother - John Lennon
CD2 - (Tracks subject to final clearance)
Elvis Presley - Baby Let’s Play House The Isley Brothers -Twist & Shout Duane Eddy - Rebel Rouser Charlie Rich - She Loved Everybody But Me Lonnie Donegan - Putting on the Style Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue Frankie Vaughan - These Dangerous Years Dale Hawkins - Susie-Q Barrett Strong - Money (That’s What I Want) The Del Vikings - Come Go With Me Bill Haley - Rock Around the Clock Lloyd Price - Stagger Lee Little Richard - Rip It Up Alligator Charles - See You Later Little Richard - Long Tall Sally Chan Romero - The Hippy Hippy Shake Buddy Knox - Party Doll Shirley & Lee - Let the Good Times Roll Fats Domino - Ain’t That A Shame Everly Brothers - Bye, Bye Love Bobby Fuller Four - I Fought The Law Jimmy Lloyd - I Got A Rocket In My Pocket
So let's hope those oldies are in original versions and we're looking forward to hear the cover of Lennon's first composition "Hello Little Girl" and the 1958 Quarrymen composition "In Spite of All The Danger".
WogBlog is an internet blog about The Beatles and the respective members of The Beatles. It is kept by Roger Stormo, who has been associated with the norwegian Beatles fan club, Norwegian Wood, since 1980.
It's not a news blog, but if we hear about something that has yet to be reported by other Beatles news services, we tend to write about it. Apart from that, we will write stuff about the Beatles on an irregular basis at the whim of the author. Most of our readers arrive at specific blog posts from internet searches or references to the blog from forums and other Beatles sites. If you did, we encourage you to click here to access the main page, and also to indulge in our archives - you may find other posts that are interesting. You may also subscribe to the blog and have each new issue delivered to your rss feed reader.
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