Hosted by award-winning author Robert Rodriguez, Something About The Beatles is an intelligent but entertaining examination of The Beatles' music and career. Sm...
Viewed at one level, Paul's 1980's career was bookended by the album triumphs of Tug of War and Flowers In The Dirt. But that would be to overlook the January 1980 Tokyo drug bust, the dissolution of Wings, John's murder, and then a period that may best be described as uneven: duets (of varying quality), the diminishing returns of Pipes of Peace, the lambasting that Give My Regards To Broad Street earned him, the "Frog Chorus," Press To Play, the abandoned Phil Ramone sessions, and the public discord over the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Beatles induction. Plus litigation aplenty.
It was a time that saw his reputation eclipsed by his martyred bandmate and hit records harder to come by, all before he found his feet with a new collaborator (Elvis Costello) that seemed to rejuvenate him, setting the table for a return to world touring. All of this is discussed in my latest conversation with author Glenn Greenberg, where we examine the good and the bad during challenging times.
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292: The Comedy of The Beatles with Jeff Martin
An essential component of The Beatles' appeal was their sense of humour, showcased not only in their two feature films (A Hard Day's Night, Help!) but also their TV appearances, interviews and even their music. TV comedy writer (Late Night with David Letterman, The Simpsons) Jeff Martin returns to the show to discuss how this facet of their talents was not only exceptionally developed, but also an element that set them apart from their peers, as well as key to their enduring legacy.
For further reading, check out The Beatles and Humour: Mockers, Funny Paper and Other Play.
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291: December 8, 1980 with David Whelan
In the 44 years since John Lennon's death, the trauma of that night is still as raw, so much so that, for most people, the facts of what went down are far too painful still to examine closely. But when one does, as returning guest David Whelan has, they depict sometihng far more disturbing and sinister than the story we thought we knew. Whelan's research was presented in his book, Mind Games: The Assassination of John Lennon. Our earlier discussion this year (275) barely scratched the surface on what his research uncovered. Today's discussion goes deeper, and is in part a response to the recent show with Robert Rosen (Nowhere Man), 286.
Check out David's YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/@AssassinationOfLennon
and his SubStack writings here: https://davidwhelan.substack.com/
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290: "Hey Jude" Reconstructed
In 2023, I hosted writer James Campion with Jeff Martin for a discussion of The Beatles' 1968 mega-hit and Apple Records debut. This time, we're drilling down deep for an analysis of the song's composition (as well as possible sources of inspiration) with the musicologists of RPM School: Walter Everett (author of volumes one and two of The Beatles As Musicians) plus working musicians and recording artists Jack Petruzzelli and Cameron Greider. This is where we get deep into the weeds with musical theory and a breakdown of the song's lyrical construction, as well as elements from other pieces of music that may have influenced the principal author, Paul McCartney.
RPM's new semester (on Let It Be) begins soon - see their site for details:
https://www.rpm-school.com/
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289: A Hard Day's Night At 60
With The Beatles' film debut turning 60 this summer, the time was right for a deep dive into the cultural and cinematic significance of it all. Joining the conversation are two new guests: Sarah Pleydell and Moya Luckett. Both were born in the UK, one's a first-gen fan, and both are authors and academics with cred particularly suited to the topic. Rounding out the talk are our three fave 1st-gen fans, Sibbie O'Sullivan, Carol Tyler and Debbie Gendler, authors all.
Hosted by award-winning author Robert Rodriguez, Something About The Beatles is an intelligent but entertaining examination of The Beatles' music and career. Smart, funny and surprising - just like the Fab Four.
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