Not long after I bought my Beetle, at the tail end of 2004, I decided I needed an awesome album for the Beetle’s stereo. I needed the Grey Album. The Grey Album was the infamous mash of Jay-Z’s The Black Album and The Beatles’ The Beatles (which everyone refers to as “The White Album,” becauseContinue reading “On DJ Danger Mouse’s Grey Album”
Category Archives: Beatles
On Beatles Archeology
Last summer, I read Michael Moorcock’s Doctor Who novel, The Coming of the Terraphiles. Set about 50,000 years in our future, the novel concerns itself with the Doctor and Amy’s adventures with a group of Earth re-enactors, the Terraphiles. They think they know what Earth, circa 1900, was like, but what they have to goContinue reading “On Beatles Archeology”
On The Beatles’ The Lord of the Rings
In 1963, when the Beatles agreed to make A Hard Day’s Night, the film, they signed a three-picture deal with United Artists. In 1964, they made A Hard Day’s Night. In 1965, Help! By and large, though, they didn’t like making films. Too much work. And so, when the idea was floated of an animatedContinue reading “On The Beatles’ The Lord of the Rings”
On The Beatles’ Movie Medley
Yesterday, I happened to be in Barnes & Noble. I was searching for Doctor Who Magazine #429, which I’d ordered at work, only for whatever reason I never received it. They didn’t have DWM, unfortunately, and so I browsed. I found Dayton Ward’s Paths of Disharmony, his new Star Trek novel, and then I found,Continue reading “On The Beatles’ Movie Medley”
On John Lennon’s 70th Birthday
As I write this, the hour is well past midnight across the Atlantic. It’s October 9th there in Liverpool, and John Lennon has turned seventy. I’ve been listening the past few days to Lennon music, either the music he recorded himself, or covers of his music recorded by others (I’m particularly fond of Green Day’sContinue reading “On John Lennon’s 70th Birthday”
On An Awful Beatles Cover
“Let It Be.” As many people know, it’s probably my favorite Beatles song. At least in the top five. The album version, with the blistering guitar solo, is better than the single version, in my not-so-humble opinion. However, you have never heard “Let It Be” until you’ve heard it like this… I have no ideaContinue reading “On An Awful Beatles Cover”
On Piratical Songs
No true pirate can let International Talk Like a Pirate Day pass without a rousing rendition of “The Pirate Song” from Pirate Bob (better known as George Harrison) from Eric Idle’s Rutland Weekend Television:
On Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Songs” Beatles Special
I invariably feel stupid when I spend money on a Rolling Stone publication. Fifteen years ago, even ten years ago, I subscribed to Rolling Stone year in, year out. What changed was that I felt that the magazine was growing increasingly fluffy (when I pick up a music magazine, I want to read about music;Continue reading “On Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Songs” Beatles Special”
On Granting Parole to Mark David Chapman
Next month, Mark David Chapman, the murderer of John Lennon, goes before New York State’s parole board. Sentenced to a 20 years-to-life sentence for second degree murder in 1981, he first came up for parole in 2000. Now, in 2010, he is up for parole for the sixth time, having served 29 years in AtticaContinue reading “On Granting Parole to Mark David Chapman”
On Zombies and the Beatles
I don’t get the current fascination with zombies. I really don’t. Just Saturday, I saw at Barnes & Noble Shakespeare Undead, a zombie Shakespeare novel. I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which was amusing, but I liked Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, with no zombies but lots of steampunk, so much more. ThenContinue reading “On Zombies and the Beatles”