The Beatles' Thread

[JKL2000]

When the first one came out, the Wherehouse was giving away a vinyl single of "Free as a Bird" as a bonus. For some reason the clerk at my store hadn't gotten the message and refused to give me one. After verifying that yes, I should have gotten the bonus with my purchase, I called the store to complain, and the manager actually hand-delivered the single to my door. That's service! I remember getting coffee and donuts at Tower Records for the second one, and a beautiful poster from the Wherehouse with the third one, which really perked me up on what had been a shitty day.

I guess in-store events like this are a thing of the past - I hadn't really thought of that. I got to meet all of the original lineup of KC, and ELP at in-store events. Also saw a Los Trios Marillos show, met Todd Rundgren, and a couple of other things.

That story about the hand-delivered Free as a Bird single is great!

[JKL2000]

Man, there are some major gaps in my Beatles viewing. I'd never seen this Hello, Goodbye video. It's a little hard to watch - they seem to be embarrassed by the costumes and just not fully into it and the miming (especially George) - but it's also one of the funniest things I've seen. What's with Ringo's changing drum kit, and is the one that's so far down supposed to be for real? Undoubtedly Ronmac with have some info about this for me!

This is a special song to me, as it's what was played at the end of my high-school graduation ceremony, and was so appropriate.

[Zeuhlmate]

This is weird

[Mister Triscuits]

What's with Ringo's changing drum kit, and is the one that's so far down supposed to be for real?

It isn't that the kit is low, it's that they have Ringo on a stool so tall that he's practically standing up.

[JKL2000]

This is weird

Wow, that IS weird. Waiting for the Super Deluxe Edition. (What is it though, really?)

[JKL2000]

It isn't that the kit is low, it's that they have Ringo on a stool so tall that he's practically standing up.

Any particular reason why?

[Mister Triscuits]

Any particular reason why?

I would guess just for looks. So his pretty pink suit isn't hidden behind the drums. And it fills up the screen better.

[Zeuhlmate]

Wow, that IS weird. Waiting for the Super Deluxe Edition. (What is it though, really?)

Somebody else playing the music of Beatles, but (mostly) keeping the original voices

[ronmac]

Man, there are some major gaps in my Beatles viewing. I'd never seen this Hello, Goodbye video. It's a little hard to watch - they seem to be embarrassed by the costumes and just not fully into it and the miming (especially George) - but it's also one of the funniest things I've seen. What's with Ringo's changing drum kit, and is the one that's so far down supposed to be for real? Undoubtedly Ronmac with have some info about this for me!

This is a special song to me, as it's what was played at the end of my high-school graduation ceremony, and was so appropriate.

That was pretty much Paul playing film director. There were a number (3?) of versions. This is the first, more common one with the Pepper uniforms and the old collar-less jackets. Very odd. Seems a bit embarrassing. Not sure what Paul was thinking here.

This does offer another glimpse into Paul's experimentation with film at the time. He was the driving force behind the ill-fated "Magical Mystery Tour" movie and more avant-garde efforts, including the still-yet-to-be-heard "Carnival of Light." He did "The Family Way" sound track around the same time. I think people will be let down by "Carnival of Light" if and when it does get released. Much of this work is more curiosity than entertainment to many.

[JKL2000]

I've never seen Magical Mystery Tour, and have only ever had the photos and notes in the LP to go on over the years. Is it totally unwatchable? (I'm guessing so.) Is it available on DVD or to stream?

[Mister Triscuits]

I've never seen Magical Mystery Tour, and have only ever had the photos and notes in the LP to go on over the years. Is it totally unwatchable? (I'm guessing so.) Is it available on DVD or to stream?

It is available on DVD. Unwatchable? Certainly it suffers from sloppy editing, poor production values, and pointless rambling, but it obviously has great music, there are some cool psychedelic/surrealistic scenes, and the striptease with music by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (while John and George perv out in the audience) is a hoot.

[JJ88]

The story with Magical Mystery Tour is that many homes in the UK at that time only saw it in black and white, and it obviously wasn't the Christmas variety spectacular that its original slot suggested.

I view it as an extended music promo film, really. If you view it like that it's fine, as all of the musical sequences are excellent, IMHO- visually striking and memorable. The rest of it is pretty thin gruel but there are some neat moments, such as Ringo bickering with his 'auntie' and John playing the waiter shovelling spaghetti onto the latter's plate. (The waiter was by many accounts based on his stepfather...according to John a 'sleazy little waiter' if any of you have heard that tape!)

I could say the same about Help! Nothing substantial going on beyond the music. A Hard Day's Night is of course a masterpiece.

[JKL2000]

^ Thanks. I didn't know MMT was made to be shown on television, I thought it was a theatrical release.

[ronmac]

MMT was a bit of a folly on their part. As one author put it (I'm paraphrasing), "They decided to load up a bus with unusual people, drive through the countryside and see what happened. Unfortunately not much did."

Yes, the big problem was that it was broadcast in B&W, not good for a psychedelic effort. I'm not sure it's fair to call it a movie, because it does seem to lack a plot, unlike "AHDN" and "Help!"

It's often considered to be their first failure; a sign of their fallibility. Yep, after all their successes, even The Beatles were imperfect.

It's fun to watch, though.

[Vic2012]

Paul said, re: MMT.....So we boobed... In other words, big deal. I've never seen it either. The Anthology covers it pretty well.

[mogrooves]

https://www.wamc.org/post/there-are-...ooftop-concert

https://www.wamc.org/post/being-john...e-ray-connolly

https://www.wamc.org/post/man-who-ba...rmed-rock-roll