LATEST ADDITIONS

Michael Fremer  |  Sep 10, 2014  |  1 comments
A YouTube promotional video for a George Harrison box set shows Living in the Material World being pressed at EMI's Hayes-Middlesex factory and at Capitol Records in 1973.
Michael Fremer  |  Sep 09, 2014  |  31 comments
Last night's Beatles in MONO listening session at Electric Lady Studios played to an overflow crowd of fans, young and old, male and female. The event and the one Wednesday night September 10th at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, both sponsored by UMe feature Beatles engineer Ken Scott, reissue mastering supervisor Steve Berkowitz in a panel discussion moderated by Sound & Vision music editor Mike Mettler.

Michael Fremer  |  Sep 09, 2014  |  27 comments
While the 108 page book included in the The Beatles in MONO box set can't compare with the more sumptuous 252 page one included with the stereo box set, it is a fun read and more a fun look. It's filled with great pictures and especially advertisements, press reviews and tape box and internal notes images.

Particularly interesting are Harry T. Moss's cutting notes for some releases. I wish they'd have shown them all but that's probably something only geeks would wish to see (in other words count us all in).

Michael Fremer  |  Sep 08, 2014  |  43 comments
Lovers of original British vinyl had to hand it to Capitol: they collected the "B" sides and British EP tracks and packed them onto Beatle LPs of their invention, keeping the track total skimpy to help create even more LPs. One could buy the EPs to complete the collection but they were less convenient to play though the laminated picture sleeves added value.

Michael Fremer  |  Sep 07, 2014  |  24 comments
Before leaving for a long planned mid-February 1968 trip to India to meet with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (a/k/a “Sexy Sadie” but not back then) The Beatles began work on “Lady Madonna”, the gorgeous “Across the Universe” and the now somewhat obscure “The Inner Light”, which was chosen as the “Lady Madonna” “B” side but only because Lennon wasn’t happy with “Across the Universe” for reasons known only to him and not to anyone else because everyone else loved it.

Michael Fremer  |  Sep 07, 2014  |  28 comments
What a mess. For all of his brilliance on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Paul McCartney must take much of the blame for the ill-conceived for television movie “Magical Mystery Tour”. McCartney had thought of it while in America in April of 1967. The others agreed to it so they all share it to some degree. He wrote the title tune and recording began April 25th.

Michael Fremer  |  Sep 07, 2014  |  29 comments
After a few month’s break during which the Beatles were apart they reconvened on November 24th 1966 to record “Strawberry Fields Forever” the first song for the as yet untitled new Beatles album. It was among the most complex and difficult to produce songs the group had yet attempted and it took months to complete and mix to everyone’ satisfaction.

Michael Fremer  |  Sep 06, 2014  |  32 comments
Rubber Soul was released on Friday, December 3rd 1965 three short years after The Beatles first entered Abbey Road Studios and met George Martin. It was their fifth album and the final one engineered by Norman Smith who was promoted a few months after Rubber Soul’s release to EMI’s A&R (artist and repertoire) Dept.

Michael Fremer  |  Sep 05, 2014  |  39 comments
Help! was released in August of 1965. The Beatles needed to produce another album for release well before Christmas. But they first were obliged to visit America at the end of the month to once again play The Hollywood Bowl.

Michael Fremer  |  Sep 04, 2014  |  23 comments
The Beatles in Mono box launches Tuesday, September 9th. UMe is sponsoring events on both coasts and you cannot sign up to possibly attend because it has already SOLD OUT.

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