In last week’s episode we took a deep dive into 1962. The final year of John, Paul, George and Ringo’s musical apprenticeship.
This week we look at the first year of the second phase of their career, 1963. In particular, we delve into their live appearances. As this was the year when they moved out of the clubs and halls and entered the world of the package tour circuit. It was also a transition period with regard their fame. As they were no longer the property of a small group of Merseyside teenagers, but now Beatlemania was a nationwide phenomenon.
Welcome to episode 32 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.
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By December 1962 John, Paul, George and Ringo had completed their apprenticeship. All the hard work they had put in slogging around the night spots of Liverpool and Hamburg had started to pay off.
The year had begun with an audition for Decca and a single released in the UK from Polydor. National radio for the BBC soon followed. While by the end of the year they had a regional TV broadcast under their belt. Plus. Love Me Do, their first official UK single release reached number 17 in the charts.
In this weeks episode we take a deep dive into 1962. We look at what The Beatles did that year and why it marks the end of the first phase of their career. We also look at what still exists among collectors.
Welcome to episode 31 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.
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In 1966 plans were hatched to commission an animated feature based on The Beatles song, Yellow Submarine.
However, with a production team which included the maker of 200 'Popeye' cartoon shorts. John, Paul, George and Ringo wanted nothing to do with it. In fact, The Beatles voices were recreated by a by an ensemble of British character actors and comedians!
However, by the time the production was complete and the group watched this psychedelic jukebox of a film, they were 100% behind it.
In this week’s episode we tell the story of this one of a kind animated film. Who was behind it, the music, the voice over artists, its premiere and the merchandise. In fact, the complete story. So settle down with a coffee (or tea) and listen to
Welcome to episode 30 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.
If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
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When did The Beatles creativity peak?
For me the answer is 1967.
Why 1967?
That’s what Mark and I discuss in this week episode. We look at John, Paul, George and Ringo output in this pivotal year. A year of not just new music, Penny Lane, Sgt. Pepper’s, Hello Goodbye. But also, film making an equally creative statement, Magical Mystery tour, Our World and of course the Strawberry Fields Forever promotional film.
Do you agree?
Listen to this weeks episode to hear Pauls’ argument for 1967 being peak Beatles!
Welcome to episode 29 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.
If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
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In April 1966 The Beatles released their 12th UK single 'Paperback Writer'. A Paul composition which tells the story of a budding author who wants to get his book published.
In 1968, journalist and author Hunter Davies published the first authorised biography of John, Paul, George and Ringo.
Since then the floodgates have opened and their have been an avalanche of Beatles books about many different aspects of the bands career. Books about the record releases, television and radio broadcasts, their live concerts and much more.
In this weeks episode Paul takes a deep dive into his Beatles library and selects 10 volumes which Beatles fans should own.
Welcome to episode 28 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.
If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
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April 1971 marked the first anniversary of Paul's statement that he was leaving The Beatles.
During those 12 months the music landscape had changed. The loss of The Beatles was old news. T-Rex were literary riding high in the singles chart with Ride A White Song. Rod The Mod - Rod Stewart was about to hit number one in both the singles and album charts simultaneously in the UK and USA with Maggie May from his album Every Picture Tells A Story. Albums were now big business for record companies, as Led Zeppelin would prove. Plus Slade, Sweet and of course the legend that is David Bowie were waiting in the wings. Ready to dominate the early 70's charts.
So was the solo work of John, Paul, George and Ringo relevant to music fans of the 1970's?
In this weeks weeks episode we try to answer that question, By looking at the UK singles chart of 18 April 1971.
Welcome to episode 27 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.
If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
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By the end of 1970, John had released 4 albums outside of The Beatles. Two Virgins, Life With The Lions and The Wedding Album were Avant Garde pieces which had more in common with Revolution 9 rather than Strawberry Fields Forever. While Live Peace in Toronto was a record of a live concert performed as the Plastic Ono Band.
Clearly Johns album output away form his band mates did not have the commercial appeal of Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, or Abbey Road. However, his solo singles fared much better on the charts. Give Peace A Chance, Cold Turkey and Instant Karma were all major hits.
Then just before 1970 came to a close. John gave his masterpiece. John Lennon Plastic Ono Band, was a stripped back John, baring his soul about family, relationships and The Beatles.
Imagine might be his most played song, but John Lennon Plastic Ono Band is the real john Lennon, laid bare.
Welcome to episode 26 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.
If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
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When the Beatles contract with EMI expired in the February of 1976. EMI were free to exploit the band back catalogue....or were they?
With Paul signing a new contract with EMI subsidiary Capitol. EMI were mindful not to upset one of their most lucrative assets.
Following the rerelease of all 22 UK Beatles singles, EMI and Capitol came up with a compilation of The Beatles rockier recordings. Which although housed in an ill conceived 50's influenced sleeve. The album was a great introduction for new fans.
The following year came a live album compiled from tapes which had sat unreleased in the vault since the mid 60's. The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl is a fantastic document of Beatlemania, which we all hoped would lead to more excavations of the vault, but no. What we received were compilations of Love Songs, Ballads, Film Songs.
In this episode we look at the full story behind these themed compilations. What was released. What never left the vault and why.
Welcome to episode 25 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.
If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
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For 50 plus years Jacques Volcouve has been one of the world’s leading Beatles authorities and archivist.
From his Paris home he has written 9 books, published 2 long running fanzines and run a media press agency for all things John, Paul, George and Ringo. On top of which he also built one of the greatest Beatles record and memorabilia collections.
In this episode of Fixing A Hole, Mark and Paul chat with Jacques and discovered how this obsession with all things John, Paul, George and Ringo evolved. His work with radio and media companies and get the lowdown on his latest project, his podcast ‘Beatles’ Secrets’, which he hosts with Philippe Gault and is available on all major podcast platforms.
Welcome to episode 24 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.
If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
Visit our new patreon channel at patreon.com/fixingahole its currently free to join with new and exclusive material being added from 1 September.
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Jacques Volcouve and Philippe Gault podcast ‘Beatles’ Secrets’, is available on all major platforms including:
Spotify
Beatles' Secrets | Podcast on Spotify
Apple Music
By December 1973, no one could knock Paul's work ethic. It was now 3 years since he announced he was leaving The Beatles. In that time he had released 4 albums and 8 singles (in the UK). But although the albums had their moments, they were not on the same level as later Beatles albums - Sgt Pepper, White Album, Abbey Road.
Now, on the eve of recording a fifth album, his new band Wings was falling apart. But as we have seen throughout his career, Paul is not one for rolling over and giving up. Instead with surviving Wings members wife Linda and Denny Laine he travelled to Lagos, Nigeria and under the most basic of conditions created his post Beatle masterpiece, Band On The Run.
In this episode we tell the story of the recording of the album and discover why this is Paul's greatest post Beatles work.
Welcome to this weeks edition of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.
If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
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In last weeks episode we took an indepth dive into The Beatles record breaking appearance at Shea Stadium, New York in August 1965.
This week we backtrack exactly 3 years to the August of 1962. When a film crew from a regional television magazine programme visited the Cavern in Liverpool, to film John, Paul, George and newly appointed drummer Ringo Starr, perform one of their now legendary lunchtime performances.
This historic clip of The Beatles performing Some Other Guy demonstrates what a great live band they had become following years of playing clubs and halls around the north west of England and of course, Hamburg.
In this episode of Fixing A Hole, we discuss how the filming came about. What other songs they performed that day. How due to sound issues a further recording date was organised. And how after all this effort, the clip was consigned to the vault until Beatlemania erupted in Great Britain in the autumn of 1963.
Welcome to this weeks edition of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.
If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
Visit our new patreon channel at patreon.com/fixingahole its currently free to join with new and exclusive material being added from 1 September.
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60 years ago, The Beatles played the biggest concert of their career. When on 15th August 1965 they played to over 55,000 fans at New York’s Shea Stadium.
Only 2 years ago they had waved goodbye to the Cavern, the famous Liverpool city centre venue. Where playing to a few hundred fans at lunchtimes and evenings, they had grown the seeds of Beatlemania, before becoming the global phenomenon they still are today.
The concert at Shea was not only the pinnacle of the groups live career. It was also the moment when touring by major artists stepped away from theatres and became the stadium events we still have today.
In this episode we look at why this concert was so important and what audio-visual material of this ground breaking show has survived.
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By the mid-1960s, The Beatles had achieved global superstardom, but were increasingly frustrated by the limitations of touring and the expectations of their audience. "Rubber Soul," their previous album, had already hinted at a more introspective and adventurous direction, but "Revolver" would fully embrace the possibilities of studio experimentation.
Released in the United Kingdom on 5 August 1966, "Revolver" is the seventh studio album by The Beatles. Widely regarded as one of the most influential albums in popular music history, "Revolver" marked a departure from the band's earlier sound and a bold leap into experimental territory, both sonically and lyrically.
Many music fans consider this to be The Beatles masterpiece, including Fixing A Hole co-host Mark Wakely. In this episode we discuss the background to the album and why it has become so highly regarded.
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Unlike in the USA where Capitol released Beatles singles in colourful picture sleeves. British 45's, with 2 exceptions came in Parlophone company sleeves. But unlike America where EP releases failed to ignite the imagination of teenage record buyers. UK fans were gifted 13 EP releases presented in colourful, laminated picture sleeves.
Join us this week as we take a Magical Mystery Tour through The Beatles UK EP releases. We discuss why EP's were an important tool in EMI's commercial exploitation of The Beatles catalogue. The music which was released exclusively on EP. The EP's which never reach the public and where you can find this music today.
So make a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, relax and tune-in to this edition of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.
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Between their debut single 'Love Me Do' in October 1962 and their final 45, 'Let It Be' in March 1970, The Beatles released 22 original singles.
Many of these releases featured songs that were unique to the 7" format at the time. Unlike many artists who would struggle to find a song to place on the B-side. The Beatles presented us with an embarrassment of riches, 'Rain', 'I Am The Walrus', 'Revolution' to name a few examples.
They also gifted us with what could be the greatest 7" single of all time, 'Strawberry Fields Forever' / 'Penny Lane'. Which in a first for a UK single came in a beautiful, if fragile picture sleeve.
In this episode, Mark and I discuss The Beatles 22 original UK EMI singles. Along the way we talk about how they were presented, contact pressings, unreleased singles, export 45's and the fact that EMI actually gave us an official 23 single, back in 1965!
To find out more, tune in to this edition of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.
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John Lennon has been quoted as saying "You haven't heard Sergeant Pepper, if you haven't heard it in mono"... and he's right. Yes, the songs are the same, but the mix is very different. Once you hear it in mono, you wont want to go back to stereo.
So why did George Martin make mono and stereo mixes of the majority of Beatles recordings between Love Me Do in 1962 and the White Album in 1968? That's what Paul and Mark chat about in this weeks episode of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.
If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
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Love it or hate it, music streaming is here to stay and for younger listeners is introducing the music of The Beatles to a whole new audience.
The collectors out there who cherish their original first pressing vinyl, reel-to-reel tapes and cassettes may well be under the impression that with streaming being a non-physical music media that is stored in the cloud, the medium has nothing to offer them.
However, as always in reality streaming does offer Beatles collectors some unique releases.
In this episode Mark and Paul chat about the how The Beatles arrived on download and streaming services and what is available for the hardcore collector.
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In 1964 Dave Lewis discovered music courtesy of the Dave Clark Five. But with the arrival of Thunderbirds on the television and football at the local park, music quickly new took a back seat.
Then in April 1969, The Beatles released the first new recordings from their January 1969 sessions at Twickenham and Savile Row, Get Back / Don’t Let Me Down. This would be the spark that ignited a lifelong passion for music.
Along the way Dave has spent 35 years in music retail. Become part of the inner sanctum of Led Zeppelin through his Tight But Loose fanzine and since 2009 been a freelance music journalist and author.
Currently in the process of writing his memoirs. Dave joined us for a chat to discuss his love of the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo including his enviable collection of Beatles bootlegs, his 35 and still counting White Albums and what it was about The Beatles Get Back single 56 years ago that started him on this long and winding road in music.
To discover more about Dave, his writing and collecting, visit his website:
http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/
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In this week’s episode Paul and Mark take a peep into the world of alternate mixes.
Not those multi-format extended mixes record companies released in the 1980’s. Paul McCartney’s ‘No More Lonely Nights’ comes to mind. No, the alternate mixes of Beatles recordings which EMI inadvertently sent out to affiliated distributors across the globe.
Welcome to the world of high-hat intro’s, mysterious whispering, alternate backwards guitars and trumpet codas!
Intrigued?
Grab a coffee and listen to Fixing A Hole, the Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.
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Following on from last week’s pirate radio edition of Fixing A Hole we carry on with the pirate theme. Looking into the under the counter world of Beatles bootlegs.
We trace the origins of these Illegal releases in the late 60’s with the infamous Bob Dylan boot ‘Great White Wonder’ and the plethora of low-fi compilations of Beatles concerts, radio and television appearances which began to surface in the early 70’s. Through to the CD age and the arrival of Ultra Rare Trax which presented unreleased Beatles session recordings in wonderful sound quality.
Along the way we discuss the sources of these recordings and what influence these albums had on Apples official Anthology series in the mid 90’s.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Beatlegs!
P.S. If you spot the mistake about Mal Evans early in this edition drop us a line via the email below. Unfortunately there is no prize, but we would love to hear from you.
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