While I’d known about Eric Idle’s pseudo-Rutles song, “Ging Gang Goolie,” for years, I’d never heard it until last night. It’s an old Boy Scouts nonsense song, performed by “Dick & Stig” — ie., Eric Idle and Ricky Fataar, as Idle played Dirk McQuickly and Fataar played Stig O’Hara in Idle’s The Rutles: All YouContinue reading “Ging Gang Goolie”
Tag Archives: Ringo-Starr
The Beatles Anthology Podcast
Last week the Beatles released a new 3-part podcast that takes a look at Beatles Anthology project from twenty years ago — “British music journalists and Beatles experts Kevin Holwett and Mark Ellen discuss the classic Anthology releases, shining a light on the fascinating stories behind these albums which tell the story of the developmentContinue reading “The Beatles Anthology Podcast”
Alternate Beatles
Recently I’ve seen the traffic spike on some of my Beatles writings, specifically on alt-history Beatles, so I’m going to assemble a guide to things I written on the subject over the years. Post-Abbey Road Albums It’s an interesting game to imagine what the Beatles might’ve done had they soldiered on into 1970. There’s interestingContinue reading “Alternate Beatles”
Sorry, Boys, You Failed the Audition
What if the Beatles didn’t get a record contract with Parlophone in 1962? That’s the subject of BBC Radio 4’s radio play, Sorry, Boys, You Failed the Audition, adapted by Ray Connolly from his novella of the same name. Originally broadcast by the BBC in 2013, it was rebroadcast again this week, and I streamedContinue reading “Sorry, Boys, You Failed the Audition”
Party of Eight
This year I’ll be spending Thanksgiving by myself. I don’t have family nearby, and publishing doesn’t stop just because there’s a holiday; Friday I’ll be hip deep in getting January’s catalog out the door, long-distance travel to see family (only to have to turn around) simply doesn’t make sense. Don’t worry about me. I haveContinue reading “Party of Eight”
Ethan Hawke’s “The Black Album”
I haven’t seen Richard Linklater’s new film Boyhood yet, and despite the rave reviews I may not anytime soon, but there is an aspect of the film that touches on my interests. At some late point in the film, the character played by Ethan Hawke gives his son a 3-disc mixtape of post-Beatles songs. It’sContinue reading “Ethan Hawke’s “The Black Album””
A Single-Disc White Album
Let’s talk about the Beatles’ White Album. Recording in 1968, after the Beatles went to India to study transcendental meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the White Album, thirty tracks long, is famously bloated. The band came back from India with a wealth of material and the intention to record it all. Then the recordingContinue reading “A Single-Disc White Album”
The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963
On Tuesday the Beatles issued their second major release of the year, after last month’s On Air: Live at the BBC Volume 2 — The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963. This was a surprise release. While we knew about On Air for a few months, Bootleg Recordings 1963 was quietly announced a few days before itContinue reading “The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963”
On Receiving the Ringo Starr Tickets
Yesterday in the mail, the tickets for the Ringo Starr concert arrived. On my birthday, Ringo and his All-Starr Band — including Todd Rundgren, Gregg Rolie (of Santana fame), Steve Lukather (Toto), Richard Page (Mr. Mister), saxophonist Mark Rivera, and drummer Gregg Bissonette — will be playing in Baltimore. And I’m going to take myContinue reading “On Receiving the Ringo Starr Tickets”
On Thinking About a Ringo Starr Concert
Ringo Starr is going out on tour again. No surprise there. Ringo tours every other summer or so, and this summer he has a new album to promote, Ringo 2012. Well, Ringo’s 2012 tour brings him to Baltimore on my birthday. I’ve seen Paul McCartney in concert, back in 2002. George Harrison last toured inContinue reading “On Thinking About a Ringo Starr Concert”