What the hell is wrong with the world? A Muslim preacher, Omar Bakri, has threatened Paul McCartney if he performs, as planned, in Tel Aviv later in the month in a concert celebrating Israel’s 60th anniversary: If he values his life, Mr. McCartney must not come to Israel. He will not be safe there. TheContinue reading “On Paul McCartney and Israel”
Category Archives: Beatles
On the Beatles Remasters and Compilations
Long rumored, it appears that the Beatles back catalogue is finally being released in a remastered form. The next issue of MOJO says sometime in 2009. I’ve long been a proponent of a remastered Beatles catalog. The original albums — from Please Please Me to Let It Be — on CD were done in 1987,Continue reading “On the Beatles Remasters and Compilations”
On a Strange Beatles Experience
And now, for something completely different… I’ve made a bizarre musical discovery. As long-time Allynologists know, I love The Beatles. As soon as I have a frame for my poster of A Hard Day’s Night, that’s going up in the stairwell. I have over sixty hours of Beatles music on my hard drive. (To putContinue reading “On a Strange Beatles Experience”
On Paperback Writer
It sometimes surprises me, given the cultural signifance of the Beatles, that there’s not more fiction devoted to the Beatles than there is. There’s a few novels — Liverpool Fantasy stands out — and some short stories, like Ian MacLeod’s “Snodgrass” and Stephen Baxter’s “The Twelfth Album.” Curiously, all of these novels are alternate historiesContinue reading “On Paperback Writer”
On Something for the Beatles Fans
From time to time I’ve mentioned “Now and Then,” a John Lennon demo that keeps getting touted as a potential release in some fashion in the coming months. Indeed, there’s a fan-created mix of the song that I think sounds positively Beatlesque. Maybe it’s all just wishful thinking. That there’s something in the vault, somethingContinue reading “On Something for the Beatles Fans”
On Another Imaginary Beatles Album
Stephen Baxter created “God.” Maximum Bob created “Imaginary.” I created “Hot As Sun.” Imaginary Beatles albums. Had the band not broken up in 1969/1970, what would their next album after Abbey Road have been? Saturday, while looking for any sort of complete list of the solo #1 hits of the Beatles, I came across thisContinue reading “On Another Imaginary Beatles Album”
On Some Beatles Updates
After all my excitement that the Beatles back catalogue was finally coming to iTunes, unfortunately that’s not actually the case. I swear, it’s like Lucy and the football. Eventually, a deal will be made. There’s too much money to be made for there not to be a deal. Not just in digitial distribution, but inContinue reading “On Some Beatles Updates”
On Beatles Songs for American Idol
So, American Idol is doing another Beatles-themed week next week. That’s all well and good. Because Beatles songs are fab. 🙂 But! My advice to the American Idols? Do something challenging. Do something under the radar. Do something that doesn’t have a lot of preconceived ideas about, except in the minds of the truly conversantContinue reading “On Beatles Songs for American Idol”
On the Beatles iTunes Deal
The Beatles may finally be coming to iTunes. It’s been rumored for a long while. The Beatles were one of the hold-outs on putting their music online. The solo catalogs are, I believe, largely available on iTunes, but songs like “Hey Jude,” “Yesterday,” and “Revolution”? Not as John, Paul, George, and Ringo created them. NotContinue reading “On the Beatles iTunes Deal”
On Liverpool 8
A few days before Farpoint I finally located Ringo Starr’s newest studio album, Liverpool 8. I’d been looking for the album off-and-on since its release in mid-January, only I could find this album absolutely nowhere. Best Buy? Target? Wal-Mart? Nope, nope, and nope. Oh, I could have bought it on iTunes, but I like havingContinue reading “On Liverpool 8”