May 20, 2016

Author Mark Lewisohn — Talks About 3 New Beatles Books



The interview "Author Mark Lewisohn: Serious Jibber Jabber With Conan O'Brien" that went public Wednesday is an amazing in-depth discussion on the Beatles centered mostly around Lewisohn's “All These Years: Volume 1: Tune In,” but also talking about the Beatles' career as a whole. The interview, which lasts 83 minutes, is something that never could likely have been done on O'Brien's TV show because of the time spent and the topics covered. The knowledge that emerges on both sides of the interview from Lewisohn and O'Brien, who himself is a huge Beatles, fan, is not only illuminating but enlightening.
For example, the two get into a discussion of Brian Epstein with O'Brien saying, “He's the only one who sees them in '62 and says they're going to be the biggest thing ever.” “He was a man of tremendous energy,” Lewisohn answers. “He would consume himself with whatever it was that was interesting him. And the Beatles were miraculous to him. They came along at just the right time in his life much as he came along at the right time in their lives. It was the perfect marriage of manager and artist.”
An interesting moment is when, in discussing the personalities of the four Beatles, Lewisohn says Paul McCartney, not John Lennon, caused the most problems for Epstein. “They all had their difficult sides, but Paul's was the one that Brian had the most trouble with for sure because Paul was the most conspicuously ambitious for the Beatles. John and George were both ambitious, too, no doubt about it, but they would be more laid back. You wouldn't see it quite so openly as you would with Paul.”
They also discuss Ringo Starr as the rock of the Beatles. “They wanted Ringo first of all for his character and personality was a fit. Secondly, tempo, rock-solid tempo, unwavering beat, metronomic, perfect for guitarists and singers. The guy before, Pete, they always felt he always wavered on his beat. He was erratic, he speeded up, he slowed down. Ringo was rock solid.” “He was also rock solid through every outtake,” O'Brien quipped.
These are just a couple of highlights from a discussion that has many and shouldn't be missed. It's the second interview in two days featuring an intense discussion with Lewisohn. Stephen K. Peeples posted four videos on YouTube with more great talk about the Beatles from Lewisohn. The first is here. None should be missed.
Source: http://www.examiner.com/review/mark-lewisohn-s-interview-with-conan-o-brien-is-a-must-see



May 03, 2016

Beatles Remastered Anthologies Released

The Beatles Anthology, Vols 1-3 are now available on all collaborating streaming services, and it is the June 2011 remastered-for-iTunes versions. Originally released in 2CD volumes in 1995 and 1996, Anthology’s three chronological collections of rare and previously unreleased Beatles recordings include studio outtakes and alternate versions. The “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love” singles, from Anthology, Volume 1 and Anthology, Volume 2, respectively, were completed in 1995 by George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr from 1977 demos recorded by John Lennon.
The 2011 remasters sound a lot better than their 1995-96 counterparts, which is especially noticeable on the first of the three volumes.



Upon their original release, Anthology, Volumes 1-3 topped charts and went multi-platinum in several countries around the world. “Free as a Bird” became The Beatles’ 34th Top 10 hit in the U.S., winning the 1996 GRAMMY® Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Anthology, Volume 3 includes “A Beginning,” an instrumental orchestral arrangement originally recorded for The Beatles (The White Album).


Anthology, Volumes 1-3 were remastered at Abbey Road Studios by the same team of engineers responsible for The Beatles’ GRAMMY-winning 2009 studio album remasters, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings. The collections are accompanied by original collage artwork created by Klaus Voormann from classic Beatles imagery.

You can listen to The Beatles Anthology Vol 1-3, and the selected highlights collection, right now. Find your local streaming partner at thebeatles.com.

Highly Recomended

A podcast has also been made,with Kevin Howlett and Mark Ellen discussing The Beatles Anthology. Available here.





 

 Beatles’ “Anthology” Receives a Very Digital Remaster

So here’s some good news for Beatlemaniacs: the Anthology series, the three-volume clearinghouse of Beatles outtakes and vault material released in 1995-1996, is getting digitally remastered. The bad news? You’re not going to find it in your local record shop.

 

This new remaster of each two-disc set is actually going to be an iTunes exclusive – quite a difference from years ago, when no Beatles material was sold digitally. Not only did Apple Computer crack the code for Apple Records, they also offered unreleased bonus tracks when the Love soundtrack for the Cirque du Soleil show was offered through the digital retailer earlier this year.

EMI has already confirmed that this remaster will not be available physically, nor will the iTunes albums include the Anthology documentaries, either. For those whose interest in The Beatles was piqued by finally having the catalogue accessible on iTunes, this is obviously a good thing, but most collectors aren’t going to care one way or another. And isn’t a digital remaster in a
n uncompressed format a contradiction in terms?A physical product would have made perfect sense for collectors or anyone still missing those sets – I don’t believe all three Anthology entries were ever packaged as a six-disc box set (nor were they ever combined with the Anthology documentaries on DVD for a whopper of a 10-disc set) – but it is what it is, at the moment.

The Beatles’ Anthology is on iTunes June 14. The full details for the digital sets are after the jump.Each two-disc Anthology set can be pre-ordered for $29.99, or bought as a digital box set for $79.99. A 23-track highlights collection will be sold for $12.99, and all tracks can be bought a la carte at $1.29 apiece.

The Beatles’ iTunes page also has a new radio featurette, Meet The Beatles, to listen to, which features testimonials from famous Beatle fans including Brian Wilson, Jackson Browne and more. All of that can be found here.

And here are the track lists. Starred tracks will be included in the highlights collection.


The Beatles, Anthology 1 (Apple/Capitol CDP 72438 34445 2 6, 1995)
Disc 1
  1. Free as a Bird *
  2. John Lennon speaking to Jann Wenner (interview #1)
  3. That’ll Be the Day (Mono) (Phillips Session, 1958 )
  4. In Spite of All the Danger (Mono) (Phillips Session, 1958 )
  5. Paul McCartney speaking to Mark Lewisohn (interview)
  6. Hallelujah, I Love Her So (Mono) (Home Recording, 1960)
  7. You’ll Be Mine (Mono) (Home Recording, 1960)
  8. Cayenne (Mono) (Home Recording, 1960)
  9. Paul McCartney speaking to Malcom Threadgill (interview)
  10. My Bonnie (Live @ Frierich-Ebert-Halle, Hamburg – 6/22/1961)
  11. Ain’t She Sweet (Live @ Frierich-Ebert-Halle, Hamburg – 6/22/1961)
  12. Cry for a Shadow (Live @ Frierich-Ebert-Halle, Hamburg – 6/22/1961)
  13. John Lennon speaking to David Wigg (interview)
  14. Brian Epstein from A Cellarful of Noise (interview #1)
  15. Searchin’ (Mono) (Decca Audition, 1962)
  16. Three Cool Cats (Mono) (Decca Audition, 1962)
  17. The Sheik of Araby (Mono) (Decca Audition, 1962)
  18. Like Dreamers Do (Mono) (Decca Audition, 1962)
  19. Hello Little Girl (Mono) (Decca Audition, 1962)
  20. Brian Epstein from A Cellarful of Noise (interview #2)
  21. Bésame Mucho (Mono) (EMI Session, 1962)
  22. Love Me Do (Mono) (EMI Session, 1962)
  23. How Do You Do It (Mono) (EMI Session, 1962)
  24. Please Please Me (Mono) (EMI Session, 1962)
  25. One After 909 (Sequence) (Mono) (EMI Session, 1963)
  26. One After 909 (Complete) (Mono) (EMI Session, 1963) *
  27. Lend Me Your Comb (BBC Session/Pop Goes The Beatles radio show, 1963)
  28. I’ll Get You (Mono) (Live on Val Parnell’s Sunday Night at the London Palladium – 10/13/1963
  29. John Lennon speaking to Jann Wenner (interview #2)
  30. I Saw Her Standing There (Mono) (Live @ the Karlaplansstudion, Stockholm, Sweden – 10/24/1963
  31. From Me to You (Mono) (Live @ the Karlaplansstudion, Stockholm, Sweden – 10/24/1963
  32. Money (That’s What I Want) (Mono) (Live @ the Karlaplansstudion, Stockholm, Sweden – 10/24/1963
  33. You Really Got a Hold on Me (Mono) (Live @ the Karlaplansstudion, Stockholm, Sweden – 10/24/1963
  34. Roll Over Beethoven (Mono) (Live @ the Karlaplansstudion, Stockholm, Sweden – 10/24/1963
Disc 2
  1. She Loves You (Mono) (Live @ the Prince of Wales Theatre, London – 11/4/1963)
  2. Till There Was You (Mono) (Live @ the Prince of Wales Theatre, London – 11/4/1963)
  3. Twist and Shout (Mono) (Live @ the Prince of Wales Theatre, London – 11/4/1963)
  4. This Boy (Mono) (Live on Morecambe and Wise – 12/2/1963)
  5. I Want to Hold Your Hand (Mono) (Live on Morecambe and Wise – 12/2/1963)
  6. Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise speaking to The Beatles
  7. Moonlight Bay (Mono) (Live on Morecambe and Wise – 12/2/1963)
  8. Can’t Buy Me Love (Takes 1 & 2) *
  9. All My Loving (Mono) (Live on The Ed Sullivan Show, CBS-TV, 2/9/1964)
  10. You Can’t Do That (Take 6)
  11. And I Love Her (Take 2)
  12. A Hard Day’s Night (Take 1)
  13. I Wanna Be Your Man (Live @ IBC Studios, London – 4/19/1964)
  14. Long Tall Sally (Live @ IBC Studios, London – 4/19/1964)
  15. Boys (Live @ IBC Studios, London – 4/19/1964)
  16. Shout (Live @ IBC Studios, London – 4/19/1964)
  17. I’ll Be Back (Take 2)
  18. I’ll Be Back (Take 3)
  19. You Know What to Do (Demo)
  20. No Reply (Demo)
  21. Mr. Moonlight (Takes 1 & 4) *
  22. Leave My Kitten Alone (Take 5) *
  23. No Reply (Take 2)
  24. Eight Days a Week (Sequence)
  25. Eight Days a Week (Take 5) *
  26. Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! (Take 2) *
The Beatles, Anthology 2 (Apple/Capitol CDP 7243 8 34448 2 3, 1996)

Disc 1
  1. Real Love *
  2. Yes It Is (Takes 2 & 14)
  3. I’m Down (Take 1)
  4. You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (Takes 1, 2 & 5) (Mono)
  5. If You’ve Got Trouble (Take 1) *
  6. That Means a Lot (Take 1) *
  7. Yesterday (Take 1) *
  8. It’s Only Love (Takes 2 & 3) (Mono)
  9. I Feel Fine (Mono) (Live @ ABC Theatre, Blackpool – 8/1/1965)
  10. Ticket to Ride (Mono) (Live @ ABC Theatre, Blackpool – 8/1/1965)
  11. Yesterday (Mono) (Live @ ABC Theatre, Blackpool – 8/1/1965)
  12. Help! (Mono) (Live @ ABC Theatre, Blackpool – 8/1/1965)
  13. Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby (Mono) (Live @ Shea Stadium, New York City – 8/15/1965)
  14. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Take 1)
  15. I’m Looking Through You (Take 1) *
  16. 12-Bar Original (Edited Take 2)
  17. Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1) *
  18. Got to Get You Into My Life (Take 5) (Mono)
  19. And Your Bird Can Sing (Take 2)
  20. Taxman (Take 11)
  21. Eleanor Rigby (Take 14 String Section)
  22. I’m Only Sleeping (Rehearsal) (mono)
  23. I’m Only Sleeping (Take 1) (Mono)
  24. Rock and Roll Music (Mono) (Live @ Budokan, Tokyo – 6/30/1966)
  25. She’s a Woman (Mono) (Live @ Budokan, Tokyo – 6/30/1966)
Disc 2
  1. Strawberry Fields Forever (Mono Demo Sequence)
  2. Strawberry Fields Forever (Take 1) *
  3. Strawberry Fields Forever (Take 7 & Edit Piece) (Mono)
  4. Penny Lane (Take 9 Horn Overdub)
  5. A Day in the Life” (Takes 1, 2, 6 & Orchestra)
  6. Good Morning Good Morning (Take 8 )
  7. Only a Northern Song (Takes 3 & 12)
  8. Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! (Takes 1 & 2)
  9. Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! (Take 7 & Effects Tape)
  10. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (Takes 6-8 )
  11. Within You Without You (Instrumental Takes)
  12. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) (Take 5) (Mono)
  13. You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) (Composite)
  14. I Am the Walrus (Take 16, No Overdubs)
  15. The Fool on the Hill (Mono Demo)
  16. Your Mother Should Know (Take 27)
  17. The Fool on the Hill (Take 4)
  18. Hello, Goodbye (Take 16 and Overdubs)
  19. Lady Madonna (Takes 3 & 4)
  20. Across the Universe (Take 2) *
The Beatles, Anthology 3 (Apple/Capitol CDP 7243 8 34451 2 7, 1996)

Disc 1
  1. A Beginning
  2. Happiness is a Warm Gun (Kinfauns Home Demo) (Mono)
  3. Helter Skelter (Edited Take 2) (Mono)
  4. Mean Mr. Mustard (Kinfauns Home Demo)
  5. Polythene Pam (Kinfauns Home Demo)
  6. Glass Onion (Kinfauns Home Demo)
  7. Junk (Kinfauns Home Demo)
  8. Piggies (Kinfauns Home Demo) (Mono)
  9. Honey Pie (Kinfauns Home Demo)
  10. Don’t Pass Me By (Takes 3 & 5)
  11. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Take 5)
  12. Good Night (Rehearsal & Take 34) *
  13. Cry Baby Cry (Take 1)
  14. Blackbird (Take 4)
  15. Sexy Sadie (Take 6)
  16. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Demo) *
  17. Hey Jude (Take 2)
  18. Not Guilty (Take 102) *
  19. Mother Nature’s Son (Take 2)
  20. Glass Onion (Take 33) (Mono)
  21. Rocky Raccoon (Take 8 )
  22. What’s the New Mary Jane (Take 4)
  23. Step Inside Love/Los Paranoias
  24. I’m So Tired (Takes 3, 6 and 9)
  25. I Will (Take 1)
  26. Why Don’t We Do It in the Road? (Take 4)
  27. Julia (Take 2)
Disc 2
  1. I’ve Got a Feeling (Savile Row)
  2. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window (Savile Row Rehearsal)
  3. Dig a Pony (Savile Row)
  4. Two of Us (Savile Row)
  5. For You Blue (Savile Row)
  6. Teddy Boy (Savile Row)
  7. Medley: Rip It Up/Shake, Rattle and Roll/Blue Suede Shoes (Savile Row)
  8. The Long and Winding Road (Savile Row) *
  9. Oh! Darling (Savile Row)
  10. All Things Must Pass (Demo) *
  11. Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues (Savile Row)
  12. Get Back (Live on the Apple Building Rooftop, Savile Row, London – 1/30/1969)
  13. Old Brown Shoe (Demo)
  14. Octopus’s Garden (Takes 2 & 8 ) *
  15. Maxwell’s Silver Hammer (Take 5)
  16. Something (Mono Demo)
  17. Come Together (Take 1)
  18. Come and Get It (Demo) *
  19. Ain’t She Sweet (Jam)
  20. Because (A Cappella)
  21. Let It Be (Savile Row)
  22. I Me Mine (Take 16)
  23. The End (Remix)


    Source: http://theseconddisc.com/2011/05/31/beatles-anthology-receives-a-very-digital-remaster/