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| 1493052365
| 9781493052363
| B08YWSHKYN
| 3.55
| 11
| unknown
| Jun 01, 2021
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really liked it
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If for no other reason to obtain this book, I will say with enthusiasm that author John Kruth has given the most extensive read on Yoko Ono and HER ve
If for no other reason to obtain this book, I will say with enthusiasm that author John Kruth has given the most extensive read on Yoko Ono and HER version/release of 1970’s ‘Plastic Ono Band.’ The preview of “Hold On World: The Lasting Impact of John Lennon & Yoko Ono’s Plastic Ono Band – 50 Years On” (Backbeat Books, 2021) had my eyesight focused on the recording, release and retrospective narrative of Lennon’s ‘Plastic Ono Band,’ released in 1970. The cathartic nature, stark production and legacy of this watershed album cannot be lost on those who know Lennon and this soul-baring work. However, I cannot tread too heavily on how Kruth chose to structure the chapters in regards to context and explanation of influences - past and present. While showcasing a view of Lennon and Ono in that time period, he also dives around in many corners, explaining and expanding on various historical incidents - both in The Beatles and solo Lennon that defies sequencing - and also wades into a good portion of the times that propelled ‘POB,’ some political and some personal. It makes for a challenging, non-chronological read. Kruth’s own voice is quite unique in that he opines on how various family, ‘characters’ and associates influenced the Lennons’ life story and how and why it drove them to extremes, most notably the time spent with Arthur Janov with his Primal Scream therapy. The narrative here is primitive and raw but what most benefits the reader in “Hold On World”’ is not John Lennon’s transformation from his years in one of the most influential bands of the 1960s to stomach-churning, searing early-70s provocateur. It’s the insightful and haunting life of Ono and how her version of ‘POB’ came to fruition. Most listeners know that an album takes months to conceive and record. Ono’s ‘POB’ was done in one day. You read it right. Recorded and mixed with the same musicians - Lennon, Ringo Starr, Klaus Voorman and George Harrison - Ono’s shrieking “like a giant radioactive insect from a 1950s horror movie” had the desired effect: it one fell swoop she was able to stand alongside Lennon as both a collaborator and artist… and also managed to sustain the pure energy needed to keep up with Lennon as a musical supernova. Ono’s unconventional upbringing - bookended by World War II and her meeting with Lennon - is ripe for dissertation within these pages. As Lennon was channeling his painful past (the abandonment issues brought on by his parents’ separation) into a commercially-acceptable package, Ono was dealing with her private demons, most notably the miscarriages she suffered which were couched in the standout song from ‘POB,’ ‘Greenfield Morning I Pushed An Empty Baby Carriage All Over The City.’ Moved at a 180-degree angle from her accepted distorted keening, ‘Greenfield’ has a haunting, mesmerizing backbeat (enhanced by Harrison’s sitar contribution), while Ono’s mono-symbolic vocals give way to iridescent bird calls - not unlike Lennon’s ‘Across The Universe.’ Kruth also gives over several pages to the performance of trumpeter Ornette Coleman and Ono’s collaboration ‘AOS,’ recorded in 1968. While Coleman had already embraced free-form jazz, the inclusion of Ono’s vocals helped propel this style beyond what would be musically and culturally ‘acceptable.’ What remains is a final critique on the “Lennon Remembers” interview, first published in Rolling Stone in 1971. The caustic wit, the deep-seated pain he levied against McCartney and producer George Martin and the circus atmosphere known as The Beatles came down like a sledgehammer. While Wenner published the interview in book form (costing him his friendship with the Lennons), the myth-busting conversation contained contradictions that Lennon later regretted. The dovetailing into more political ground with the release of ‘Sometime In New York City,’ a loose collaboration with Frank Zappa, the continuing paranoia and battles with immigration effectively eroded the Lennons high profile prophesying. Lennon/Ono shared a great love and however their messages came across to the public during Lennon’s lifetime was both unifying and divisive. Kruth has painted a rich mural, which can be a little demanding on the senses, given the textural background that this complex couple projected. While I highly recommend this read for those who would appreciate a deeper delve into Ono, I will say that overall it can be a tricky read. I tentatively give this book 4 out of 4 beetles. Merged review: If for no other reason to obtain this book, I will say with enthusiasm that author John Kruth has given the most extensive read on Yoko Ono and HER version/release of 1970’s ‘Plastic Ono Band.’ The preview of “Hold On World: The Lasting Impact of John Lennon & Yoko Ono’s Plastic Ono Band – 50 Years On” (Backbeat Books, 2021) had my eyesight focused on the recording, release and retrospective narrative of Lennon’s ‘Plastic Ono Band,’ released in 1970. The cathartic nature, stark production and legacy of this watershed album cannot be lost on those who know Lennon and this soul-baring work. However, I cannot tread too heavily on how Kruth chose to structure the chapters in regards to context and explanation of influences - past and present. While showcasing a view of Lennon and Ono in that time period, he also dives around in many corners, explaining and expanding on various historical incidents - both in The Beatles and solo Lennon that defies sequencing - and also wades into a good portion of the times that propelled ‘POB,’ some political and some personal. It makes for a challenging, non-chronological read. Kruth’s own voice is quite unique in that he opines on how various family, ‘characters’ and associates influenced the Lennons’ life story and how and why it drove them to extremes, most notably the time spent with Arthur Janov with his Primal Scream therapy. The narrative here is primitive and raw but what most benefits the reader in “Hold On World”’ is not John Lennon’s transformation from his years in one of the most influential bands of the 1960s to stomach-churning, searing early-70s provocateur. It’s the insightful and haunting life of Ono and how her version of ‘POB’ came to fruition. Most listeners know that an album takes months to conceive and record. Ono’s ‘POB’ was done in one day. You read it right. Recorded and mixed with the same musicians - Lennon, Ringo Starr, Klaus Voorman and George Harrison - Ono’s shrieking “like a giant radioactive insect from a 1950s horror movie” had the desired effect: it one fell swoop she was able to stand alongside Lennon as both a collaborator and artist… and also managed to sustain the pure energy needed to keep up with Lennon as a musical supernova. Ono’s unconventional upbringing - bookended by World War II and her meeting with Lennon - is ripe for dissertation within these pages. As Lennon was channeling his painful past (the abandonment issues brought on by his parents’ separation) into a commercially-acceptable package, Ono was dealing with her private demons, most notably the miscarriages she suffered which were couched in the standout song from ‘POB,’ ‘Greenfield Morning I Pushed An Empty Baby Carriage All Over The City.’ Moved at a 180-degree angle from her accepted distorted keening, ‘Greenfield’ has a haunting, mesmerizing backbeat (enhanced by Harrison’s sitar contribution), while Ono’s mono-symbolic vocals give way to iridescent bird calls - not unlike Lennon’s ‘Across The Universe.’ Kruth also gives over several pages to the performance of trumpeter Ornette Coleman and Ono’s collaboration ‘AOS,’ recorded in 1968. While Coleman had already embraced free-form jazz, the inclusion of Ono’s vocals helped propel this style beyond what would be musically and culturally ‘acceptable.’ What remains is a final critique on the “Lennon Remembers” interview, first published in Rolling Stone in 1971. The caustic wit, the deep-seated pain he levied against McCartney and producer George Martin and the circus atmosphere known as The Beatles came down like a sledgehammer. While Wenner published the interview in book form (costing him his friendship with the Lennons), the myth-busting conversation contained contradictions that Lennon later regretted. The dovetailing into more political ground with the release of ‘Sometime In New York City,’ a loose collaboration with Frank Zappa, the continuing paranoia and battles with immigration effectively eroded the Lennons high profile prophesying. Lennon/Ono shared a great love and however their messages came across to the public during Lennon’s lifetime was both unifying and divisive. Kruth has painted a rich mural, which can be a little demanding on the senses, given the textural background that this complex couple projected. While I highly recommend this read for those who would appreciate a deeper delve into Ono, I will say that overall it can be a tricky read. I tentatively give this book 4 out of 4 beetles. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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not set
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Sep 12, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 9798410362726
| B09RJNVWJ7
| 4.52
| 21
| Oct 11, 2022
| Oct 10, 2022
|
it was amazing
|
[Originally published on my Substack, January 2023] Kal Smagh’s “A Cozy Beatles Mystery Series” are books chock full of smart dialogue, period-correct [Originally published on my Substack, January 2023] Kal Smagh’s “A Cozy Beatles Mystery Series” are books chock full of smart dialogue, period-correct details, and best of all, each one is squarely centered on the disarmingly charming Helen Spencer. Told from a present-day perspective, Smagh interweaves Helen’s halcyon days as an assistant to Brian Epstein with plausible and well-conceived historical plotlines that showcase a down-to-earth personality (with hints of self-doubt) as her sleuthing abilities take hold of stolen guitars, car chases, mistaken identity, and puzzling coincidences. The beauty of this series (including a short prequel and mini-story) is the humor and authenticity assigned to the Beatles’ interactions with Helen. Painting a teenager as a strong, multi-layered narrator, mixed up with the real-life circus known as Beatlemania, makes for a genuinely inventive oeuvre. Merged review: [Originally published on my Substack, January 2023] Kal Smagh’s “A Cozy Beatles Mystery Series” are books chock full of smart dialogue, period-correct details, and best of all, each one is squarely centered on the disarmingly charming Helen Spencer. Told from a present-day perspective, Smagh interweaves Helen’s halcyon days as an assistant to Brian Epstein with plausible and well-conceived historical plotlines that showcase a down-to-earth personality (with hints of self-doubt) as her sleuthing abilities take hold of stolen guitars, car chases, mistaken identity, and puzzling coincidences. The beauty of this series (including a short prequel and mini-story) is the humor and authenticity assigned to the Beatles’ interactions with Helen. Painting a teenager as a strong, multi-layered narrator, mixed up with the real-life circus known as Beatlemania, makes for a genuinely inventive oeuvre. ...more |
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2
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not set
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Sep 12, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
| B08GFCPBH9
| 4.25
| 16
| unknown
| Oct 01, 2020
|
it was amazing
|
What a primer book on The Beatles should be is a concise, informative chronicle (with natural branching off) that gives a reader the very essence of i
What a primer book on The Beatles should be is a concise, informative chronicle (with natural branching off) that gives a reader the very essence of its subject. Author Vikki Reilly has stumbled upon that magic formula in her book ‘The Beatles 101: A Pocket Guide in 101 Moments, Songs, People and Places’ (Polaris Publishing, 2020) Reilly has delved into what is considered a complex web of music history that requires extricating the wheat from the chaff: to that end, the best thing about her tome are the examples put forth of the band in chronological sequence: from origins and upbringing, the band’s embryonic beginnings onto Hamburg and Beatlemania and into the studio years, their companions and cohorts, tons of well-placed facts and beautifully sprinkled with a dose of rarely-seen photos (one showing Ringo, George and John in Wales upon hearing of Brian Epstein’s death was especially stunning) which gives the book a higher edge than most of the paint-by-numbers (read: inaccurate) quickies that attempt this same style. By all means, this is not a dry reference manual or a zippy thumb-thru that skips the details. In fact, Reilly has portioned out the writing in a factual, easy-to-understand language that by turns has much humor (her enthusiasm and infectious laugh poured forth in a recent podcast with presenter Chris Shaw that only heightens her presence in this book) and a deep understanding of The Beatles that will have ‘serious’ fans appreciative of her studious research. I also took note of her witticisms and use of vernacular that may not be familiar to US readers (the word ‘quicksmart’ for example) and having interspersed the chapter entitled ‘The Fifth Beatle’ throughout, assigning it to inner-circle people from Neil Aspinall to Yoko Ono to Phil Spector. There are plenty of well-known stories here for readers to digest and a good number of pages are dedicated to ‘Fab Facts’ in regards to their singles and albums (which are handy to have if you’re caught blank in a trivia quiz!). And as a pleasant diversion, Reilly presents a chapter on the always-debatable ‘Beatles vs. Stones’ in a Friends-Rivals breakdown. The conclusion takes on several chapters of post-Beatles history, the deaths of Lennon & Harrison, ‘Anthology,’ and the digital/streaming era of their music. While there is nothing earth-shattering in these passages, I was happy to see the inclusion of relevant material that completes the story and frames the narrative more wholly. With the title that pretty much lives up to its’ subject matter and presented in down-to-earth dialogue, I give this book 4 out of 4 beetles: https://beatles-freak.com Merged review: What a primer book on The Beatles should be is a concise, informative chronicle (with natural branching off) that gives a reader the very essence of its subject. Author Vikki Reilly has stumbled upon that magic formula in her book ‘The Beatles 101: A Pocket Guide in 101 Moments, Songs, People and Places’ (Polaris Publishing, 2020) Reilly has delved into what is considered a complex web of music history that requires extricating the wheat from the chaff: to that end, the best thing about her tome are the examples put forth of the band in chronological sequence: from origins and upbringing, the band’s embryonic beginnings onto Hamburg and Beatlemania and into the studio years, their companions and cohorts, tons of well-placed facts and beautifully sprinkled with a dose of rarely-seen photos (one showing Ringo, George and John in Wales upon hearing of Brian Epstein’s death was especially stunning) which gives the book a higher edge than most of the paint-by-numbers (read: inaccurate) quickies that attempt this same style. By all means, this is not a dry reference manual or a zippy thumb-thru that skips the details. In fact, Reilly has portioned out the writing in a factual, easy-to-understand language that by turns has much humor (her enthusiasm and infectious laugh poured forth in a recent podcast with presenter Chris Shaw that only heightens her presence in this book) and a deep understanding of The Beatles that will have ‘serious’ fans appreciative of her studious research. I also took note of her witticisms and use of vernacular that may not be familiar to US readers (the word ‘quicksmart’ for example) and having interspersed the chapter entitled ‘The Fifth Beatle’ throughout, assigning it to inner-circle people from Neil Aspinall to Yoko Ono to Phil Spector. There are plenty of well-known stories here for readers to digest and a good number of pages are dedicated to ‘Fab Facts’ in regards to their singles and albums (which are handy to have if you’re caught blank in a trivia quiz!). And as a pleasant diversion, Reilly presents a chapter on the always-debatable ‘Beatles vs. Stones’ in a Friends-Rivals breakdown. The conclusion takes on several chapters of post-Beatles history, the deaths of Lennon & Harrison, ‘Anthology,’ and the digital/streaming era of their music. While there is nothing earth-shattering in these passages, I was happy to see the inclusion of relevant material that completes the story and frames the narrative more wholly. With the title that pretty much lives up to its’ subject matter and presented in down-to-earth dialogue, I give this book 4 out of 4 beetles: https://beatles-freak.com ...more |
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1
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not set
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not set
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Jul 11, 2023
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| 1800856210
| 9781800856219
| 1800856210
| 5.00
| 2
| unknown
| Jun 01, 2022
|
it was amazing
|
This gorgeously put-together book has everything one would imagine when either researching or reading in-depth the history of Chiswick House Gardens.
This gorgeously put-together book has everything one would imagine when either researching or reading in-depth the history of Chiswick House Gardens. Noting from a US reviewer, I found the history fascinating and with dozens and dozens of illustrations, paintings, and photographs depicting the legacy of Lord Burlington and William Kent and the beginnings of what is called 'landscape gardens.' Restoration is one of the key themes and I appreciated the care that Mr. Jacques has undertaken in this capacity. All in all, a wonderful narrative.
...more
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Apr 05, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 1739957407
| 9781739957407
| 1739957407
| 4.33
| 12
| unknown
| Nov 25, 2021
|
it was amazing
|
While Squeeze may not be as well known as it should be, author James Griffiths helps immensely in pushing the message forward with a conversational an
While Squeeze may not be as well known as it should be, author James Griffiths helps immensely in pushing the message forward with a conversational and informative read about the band during what many fans consider their ‘classic’ period. To backtrack, Squeeze has been described and saddled with, many metaphors and comparisons. For those who have a cursory knowledge, their best-known tune from 1981 “Tempted,” is perhaps an encapsulation of their career: a one-off that stands on its own, apart from the long history and despite its success, doesn’t fully represent them musically. Griffiths has several advantages in research, namely his journalistic credentials and tenacity for details, a feature sorely lacking in the many hundreds of magazine articles from across the globe that fail to paint a complete and true portrait of this storied group. Many writers have touched down on the musicality of their songwriters - Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook - and the flowery adjectives and humdrum, overused phrases used to describe their partnership - Griffiths has gotten down to the nitty-gritty (and there is plenty of that): from their background in South London to the pubs, grimy gigs, muses that inspired, the inter-band tension and dynamics and the slow rise to ascent in the UK. The pinpoint focus of this book is the critical growing years of 1978 to 1982 and the crucial chemistry that created the nucleus of those years: Difford, Tilbrook, pianist Jools Holland, drummer Gilson Lavis, and bassist John Bentley. A good portion is delivered in back history, necessary for the start of a rich and complicated dynamic that began in the UK with a misguided attempt at being a power-punk group (courtesy of their first producer John Cale) that produced yards of amusing anecdotes (noted by the interviews that Griffiths unearthed). Griffiths’ delivery is refreshing in that he is now able to stand back from those early days and give a good reading on how and why Difford and Tilbrook became the dysfunctional, brilliant songwriting team that begat classics like “Cool For Cats,” “Up The Junction” and “Goodbye Girl.” However, it’s the advancement in the band’s performances and the growing maturity of Difford and Tilbrook that set them on the path to greater things. It also set them down the wormhole of bad management, difficult interpersonal relationships, unspoken feelings, and half-hearted label promotion that nearly stopped them before they started. Their US travails were and are a fascinating, nearly horrifying read on how not to behave on tour. Griffiths extracts little known incidents that magnified the group insecurities and brilliance and helps to clarify where Squeeze stood with their contemporaries such as The Police and Elvis Costello (who supercharged their career during that brief period of ‘East Side Story’ as Holland withdrew and Paul Carrack crooned his way to MTV-led success with ‘Tempted’). As great as everything is portrayed, the nagging feeling that they could have been greater in other circumstances pervades this book. There is undeniable brilliance within the Difford/Tilbrook partnership, but also great miscommunication. Griffiths paints a brutally honest picture of the failed attempts that Squeeze endured (sometimes through no fault of their own) and sometimes by pure circumstance of the industry, all the while Difford and Tilbrook churned out stellar songs. As the band was winding up for their break-up (instigated by the songwriters' burnout), the book showcases 1982 as a finality out of their control. The could have beens, the might haves… the lack of identity or direction… whatever it was, Squeeze could not hang their collective hat on that hook and left the scene at a time when the musical tide was going their way. I appreciated Griffiths’ deep dive into Squeeze history. To be honest, this is a book that had to happen and actually gets it pretty much right and also corrects some misguided tropes that seem to follow Squeeze to this day. Of course, all was not the end for Squeeze in 1982. But for those who truly want in essence a great read from someone who is also a dedicated fan, Griffiths’ book is a must-have. ...more |
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Apr 05, 2023
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0813068932
| 9780813068930
| 0813068932
| 4.38
| 29
| unknown
| Mar 07, 2023
|
it was amazing
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[Originally published on my Substack, March 2023] The narrative for this story is not merely to chronicle the Beatles’ time spent in Florida. While tha [Originally published on my Substack, March 2023] The narrative for this story is not merely to chronicle the Beatles’ time spent in Florida. While that is covered in-depth, what speaks volumes is the historical backstory concerning race relations in the State and the collective individuals who make this tale incredibly impactful. Author Bob Kealing has given us a history lesson one might not expect with such an enticing title. While most of the Beatles’ experiences in Florida are tied closely to their February 16 live appearance at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, the rich detail that went on before, during, and after that broadcast speaks more to the culture that was South Florida than Liverpool. As Kealing delves into the racial divisions that were on graphic display, several prominent individuals stand out, notwithstanding the most vocal and prominent leader of that time: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As the voice of color inequality who could actively push against the atrocities surrounding Southern bigotry and hatred, his persona weighs heavily at the start of this story. As the Beatles began their serendipitous journey to America, this chasm was still vast, as the assassination of President Kennedy appeared to drive down the morale and dreams once held up as the future of a free nation, no matter the color of your skin, as Dr. King so famously expounded in 1963. However, in February of 1964, the focus would be on this group of four young upstarts from Merseyside England. As they made waves in New York City, at the other end of the seaboard, a small storm was brewing on Miami Beach. The Beatles would be heading down for a live broadcast at The Deauville Hotel and their charge was an unsuspecting member of the Miami Beach Police Department, Sgt. Buddy Dresner. Dresner had already pulled celebrity duty for President Kennedy when he spoke the previous year at the Deauville. Now his superiors were requesting his special attention for the young kids coming in for The Ed Sullivan Show. Dresner had no idea what was heading his way. Emerging as the heroic lifeline in Miami, Kealing details all the craziness and hyperactivity associated with Dresner chaperoning the Fabs (and their entourage) in the midst of screaming teens, Murray the K, wayward tourists, and of course, the famously staged event with the one and only Cassius Clay. Between the seemingly endless publicity photo shoots, rehearsals, songwriting (as revealed that Lennon was composing ‘You Can’t Do That’), and some attempt at normalcy at a Dresner family dinner, the Beatles emerge as young adults not quite understanding that their fame could muster the hysteria and adulation thrust upon them in the States. With regards to their impact that February, Kealing details the transformation on a number of future rockers - Tom Petty, to name one - but the real history marker is drawn by the presence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his stance with supporters in St. Augustine. Florida had become a flashpoint for race discrimination and as Dr. King’s arrest and incarceration in June are explained, the historical ramifications of this event reverberated down the line for the next chapter in Florida’s adventures with the Beatles. As their North American summer tour commenced, the band (with manager Brian Epstein) had already made known in the performing contract that there would be no segregation of blacks from whites at any of their concerts. As Kealing allows for the many personal stories tied to this, he also gives a viewpoint unique to both camps. More so noted, with the unexpected September layover in Key West as Hurricane Dora raged off the east coast, with a Gator Bowl appearance in Jacksonville in jeopardy. [The Beatles are] Scourges of Liverpool… a passing fad, perfectly timed and fitted to the mores, morals and ideals of a fast-paced troubled time. — Jacksonville Times Union, 1964 John Trusty - a Navy hospital corpsman stationed in Key West - observed the interaction of the Beatles with several Black performers: Ringo Starr carousing and splashing in the Key Wester hotel pool with the female members of the Exciters (one of their opening acts); acknowledging the presence of another opener Clarence “Frogman” Henry and Lofton “Coffee” Butler, a local legend who played with Starr and George Harrison at the hotel’s bar. At these moments in time, coupled with the group’s vocal aversion to the Vietnam War (noted by Larry Kane’s insightful questions on this and other topical events), the tone had been set for Jacksonville’s storm-ravaged performance. Teenage ticketholder Tom Petty couldn’t make the show due to the damage, but Kitty Oliver did. A young Black teen who favored Ringo, she attended the concert. Alone. As Kealing writes, “There were no angry segregationists to protest her attendance, no police to sanction her for sitting somewhere out of bounds.” Oliver came to appreciate all those that had fought for civil rights and was able to attend the University of Florida the following year, earning a doctorate and becoming a historian, author, and one of the devoted fans that were interviewed for Ron Howard’s “Eight Days A Week.” The Gator Bowl concert was fast and furious and seemed like another blip on the radar, another hassle to deal with. But looking back on those embattled, youthful days, the Beatles were quietly paving the way for acceptance and understanding. It might have been hard to hear that above the high-pitched screaming, yet their insistence in bringing an audience to their table with their message now stands as a small triumph, in spite of all the danger. Kealing has given us not only a fascinating insight as to where the Beatles’ legacy lives in Florida but also reveals the heroic efforts of the activists that need to be remembered, understood, and most importantly appreciated for the work they did. ----------------------------------------- Bob Kealing was an Edward R. Murrow and five-time Emmy award-winning reporter for WESH-TV in Orlando, FL, and is the author of five books, including “Calling Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock.” He played a leading role in the renovation of the Derry Down, a Winter Haven concert venue at which the late Parsons performed as a youth, and Orlando’s The Kerouac Project, inspiring creativity, and building a literary community that honors the spirit of Jack Kerouac’s legacy. ...more |
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not set
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Apr 04, 2023
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1639363319
| 9781639363315
| B0B3Y7PT9Y
| 4.15
| 597
| Feb 07, 2023
| Feb 07, 2023
|
it was amazing
|
[Originally published on my Substack, February 2023] Is it wrong to think that James Bond and The Beatles were mutually joined together by the sheer fa [Originally published on my Substack, February 2023] Is it wrong to think that James Bond and The Beatles were mutually joined together by the sheer fact that A: it’s a British thing and B: it was the ‘60s? According to author John Higgs, this comparison is, believe it or not, measured with a simplistic benchmark. On the surface we’re looking at two opposing forces, referenced many times in these pages: Beatles = love, Bond = death. There is no middle ground. Cuddly and branded hyper-real, the Beatles were bathed in adoration by young teenage girls. Bond was the uber-male, pithy, misogynistic spy who was licensed to kill, courtesy of writer Ian Fleming. “That's as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.” - James Bond, Goldfinger What then of Fleming that caused such blasphemy, with a dose of upper-class snobbery? The distinction lay in his family genetics. Born in 1908 to wealth in a society that measured worth by class, Fleming’s familial circle included a father that served in Parliament and a mother whose beauty and standing could only be defined as flamboyant. After Fleming’s father was killed during WWI, his mother (who would have been cut off from his trust), ended up as the mistress of painter Augustus John. Fleming’s schooling was fraught with bullying and loneliness. Unable to meet the expectations of his older brother Peter - a world traveler, writer, and decorated military officer - Fleming nonetheless tried his hand at banking (the family business), eventually called into the military and then journalism, covering Stalin’s Soviet Union. By the time Fleming was deep into his military career, the four lads from Liverpool were in the middle of being born. As Higgs chronicles the sharp differences in the realm of being from the ‘North,’ the war had deeply scarred not only the English countryside but in effect, kickstarted the end of the Empire - a shift that conservative Fleming would find disdainful but an era that the Beatles, encapsulating Liverpool’s scrappy resilience could take advantage of to worldwide success. As a writer, Fleming found inspiration and respite at his home Goldeneye in Jamaica. The seeds for Bond were coming into flower and while the style was as cool as the Caribbean waters, the approach in movie-making a few years later (with Sean Connery as 007) had a sense of hip, modern sheen - somewhere in space the Beatles would be heading to with open arms. Higgs has the advantage of seeing Fleming’s tone evolve from the written page to the screen. As Connery was able to interject dark humor into an otherwise serious-as-a-heart-attack character, the Beatles were looking to break the bonds of an accepted British institution. This becomes an overarching theme in the book: the treatment of women, both onscreen and in real life. "If a woman is a bitch, or hysterical, or bloody-minded continually, then I'd do it." - Sean Connery on justifying a slap, 1965 Connery was taken to task for his public remarks in this Playboy interview throughout the years on how to treat women and as a parallel, Fleming’s conservative worldview on this issue was a carbon copy. In the same breath, history has also acknowledged John Lennon’s complicated childhood would manifest itself in bullying, violence and sarcasm. As Higgs notes, these mid-20th century viewpoints towards women make films like Goldfinger and Thunderball “difficult to watch.” The Beatles were moving thru these times at lightning speed, visually and musically. The most significant impact the Bond style had on the group was 1965’s ‘Help!’ It has not been lost on anybody, that this was a direct visual homage (albeit couched with tax reasons) to the global payoffs of Bond locales. Within the margins of the thinnest storyline, the Beatles were able to roam across land and sea, inserting themselves into a hair-brained plot concerning a cult that wants to kill RIngo. True to form, this cinematic clash of ideals doesn’t play well to this day. In direct opposition to their perceived lovable characters, there was no emotional connection. It was a losing proposition for the four. The Beatles were too lightweight and flippant to survive in Bond’s vicious, and rampantly violent world. A broad theme for Higgs here is the sense of self. While the Beatles as a whole gave the world a unified consciousness of being, Bond was moving as a singular entity. The “four-headed monster” to quote Mick Jagger, was able to give and get the message to the masses with their universal themes of brotherhood and empathy, especially to women. Bond, however, was actually a serpentine of emotions. As told by Higgs, the real story underlining every other story is Fleming. His utterly fascinating life reads like pulp fiction: from wealth and a taste for marital sadomasochism and his contempt for the liberal atmosphere that was on the horizon for Britain, to essentially the life that would transpire up to his death; tho he did compose ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ for his son Caspar, notwithstanding. That the Beatles slotted in with a rapidly changing environment perfectly - most of it due to their idealism - doesn’t seem too outlandish, but perhaps more than a bit spiritual. Higgs touches down on the unthinkable ending in ‘No Time To Die,’ and one chapter that zeroes in with the subject of death and John Lennon is titled ‘The No Mark.’ This is Liverpudlian slang for someone who is a nobody. As the term fits the ‘jerk of all jerks,’ this chapter is harrowing in its prescient capture of that moment in time, circa December 1980. Higgs fills the pages with reliable wit, and sympathetic and historical storytelling ranging from the Beatles methodology in the studio and it’s impact on the public to how realistic world events would be constructed past Fleming’s death to how the ‘spectre’ of Bond actors has evolved the past 60 years, (who the heck was George Lazenby and was does everybody hate him?) and with no sense of irony how Strawberry Fields (in ‘Quantum of Solace’) fits in as a figure in British psyche. “If the Beatles are an expression of ‘yes,’ and Bond is a statement of ‘no,’ they are the ability to choose which is the right response at any given moment.” ...more |
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[Originally published on my Substack, January 2023] YA fanfic is a fascinating concept contained within “Back In the USSR.” Author Patrick Joyce has a [Originally published on my Substack, January 2023] YA fanfic is a fascinating concept contained within “Back In the USSR.” Author Patrick Joyce has a keen sense of espionage thrillers, combined with the real-life state of affairs that was the Soviet Union, circa 1983. In as much as The Beatles themselves don’t appear as characters, the overall tone has one focus: the White Album. Joyce’s staggeringly detailed account of Russian topography and language is lovingly supported by the main theme: how American teenager Harrison George (the name is explained with humor) and his close ally Prudence Akobo stumble into a tangled web that involves black market collectors, the KGB, and stalwart Australians, couched in a believable backstory on how a defective White Album test pressing is the key to Cold War dominance. For some connoisseurs of Beatles fanfic, this book may not constitute a strict adherence to band lore, imagined or real. What drives the tale is Joyce’s representation of The Beatles’ music as a lifeline to freedom. The well-known accounts of how their music was smuggled in, as dissident citizens carved songs onto used X-rays are the stuff of legend. In context to Joyce’s telling, much of what lies in the portrayal of this story’s big reveal is driven by fear, retribution, loyalty, and hopefully, trust. ...more |
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[Originally published on my Substack, January 2023] F. Fox North’s “The Chaos Agents” falls into the sub-genre called ‘queer fiction.’ This is very fam [Originally published on my Substack, January 2023] F. Fox North’s “The Chaos Agents” falls into the sub-genre called ‘queer fiction.’ This is very familiar territory for the fandom at home with what’s colloquially termed ‘McLennon.’ Devotees of AO3 (Archive of Our Own), Wattpad, and Tumblr are well-versed in the tantalizing drama that encompasses storylines focused on a ‘slash ship,’ i.e. gay relationship between John and Paul. Between the covers, this slice of the AU intertwines four tales that don’t explicitly name The Beatles. However, what is explicit is how the interrelations are documented. The teenage alliance between Liverpool friends Baron and Edward reverberates throughout the timeline of events that closely mirror the Beatles. But bear in mind, North takes liberal license with people and events we may know intimately and as a point to note, all four stories contain graphic sexual content as each weaves back and forth in a show of unity and associated circumstances from the ‘50s to 2017. The dialogue is uninhibited and frank throughout and illustrates the intense attraction (and fear) within a same-sex coupling. Of the four plotlines, the most striking in tone concerns Richard Charles and his younger brother Zach as North casually lays the groundwork for one of the most pivotal scenes in the book. The intertwining of the related tales Sid & Cymbeline with Matt & Naomi also plays out in rich rock ‘n roll detail. ...more |
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[Originally published on my Substack, January 2023 - This review applies to the Revised Edition] The word that has described the research I do when it [Originally published on my Substack, January 2023 - This review applies to the Revised Edition] The word that has described the research I do when it comes to the Beatles: granular. Sometimes I throw in the odd ‘sub-atomic’ as well. However, few authors on said subject get to the electron particles. One of those specialists is Kenneth Womack. The less-appreciated aspects of covering the Beatles in academic terms come from the storytelling through the portal of literary instruction. Womack has updated his 2007 book, no part due to the extended backstory and recent events that keep this band ever-so-relevant. Not merely a rehash, Womack spins the familiar anecdotes we know and love (and loathe) with a keen eye toward understanding and enhancing our interactions with the group. With details galore from front to back, including critical analysis and historical perspective, the revision speaks volumes. What makes Womack invested in this story is his dedication to untangling the threads and then putting the bits together in a finely-woven tapestry of readability. Relying on ‘just the facts’ doesn’t begin to cover the broad range of Beatles as a chronology of significant happenings. The act of enjoying this narrative is part of the appreciation. It is significant to recount the groups’ Liverpool upbringing and the chain of events that brought them together as a band, including the initial trip to Hamburg and Brian Epstein’s descent into the Cavern Club to the dismissal of Pete Best and the first recording session with producer George Martin. What sets Womack’s record going are the numerous stories as the Beatles enter their post-touring years. It’s hard to fathom as you sit back and discover how particular songs were conceived (with contradictory tellings included), the technical wizardry of Geoff Emerick, and the distinctive character of EMI Recording Studios. While the book's tone is academic (with dozens of quote citations), the standout narrative is John Lennon. This may cause controversy or… it may not. Womack is not saying or writing in biblical proportions about Lennon’s character. Nor is he continuing the trope of ‘Lennon was The Beatles.’ What his read feels like are moments to be captured: the impatience, the fondness, the guts, the confusion, the dreamer… the man who disliked his vocals, yet wanted perfection for his compositions. No doubt the death of Epstein in August of 1967 was devastating to the group, and Womack picks up on the resulting failures. Even though ‘Revolver’ and ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ proved that the group was ahead of everyone else musically, the abysmal reception and fallout from ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ was an eerie portent of things to come. The trip to Rishikesh and the introduction of Yoko Ono firmly imbibed the environment with a sense of false stability. Womack details the sessions for ‘The Beatles’ (known as the ‘White Album’) as both irritating and cosmic. His text draws upon the Esher demos as joyful, yet Lennon’s tone is withdrawn, complicated, acidic, and nostalgic as the sessions wore on. This pushes into the re-imagined celebration that is called ‘Get Back.’ The cinema of truth as shown by January 1969 straddles both hemispheres: the group as a dynamic cauldron of emotions, trying to strike deals for comradery, while outsiders like Billy Preston and Glyn Johns (although the latter’s literal interpretation of a ‘trousers off’ LP mix was a disaster) apparently were the standouts for balance. However, the group’s dismal perception of the proceedings was further skewered by the lack of authoritative control. Business dealings spiraled out of control as Lennon’s personal choice for Allen Klein drove more than a few nails in the coffin. McCartney, through the lens of Womack (and with hindsight), began the rebuilding of a band that eventually led to ‘Abbey Road.’ Womack constructs the most penetrating analysis of this time period - and not coincidentally, its most open and honest portrayal with regard to their lingering finale: “It is a message that never fades with age, that never drifts into the shadow of obscurity.” ...more |
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[Originally published on my Substack January 2023] Not so long ago, getting seriously academic about The Beatles was a misnomer — and laughable. Even P [Originally published on my Substack January 2023] Not so long ago, getting seriously academic about The Beatles was a misnomer — and laughable. Even Paul McCartney thought getting a Master’s degree in ‘Beatles’ was a little silly. But academia is now producing some wordsworth-y articles and essays, chief among them is from Liverpool University Press in the inaugural edition of ‘The Journal Of Beatles Studies.’ There is undoubtedly a particular niche audience in this category. Even to the point of studying the band with the intention of obtaining ‘The Beatles: Music Industry and Heritage’ MA which sounds like a blow-off, when in fact from all accounts it’s a workout. To be honest, there is a genuine appreciation for discovering this sector of academia and truthfully, more than a little empathy and understanding need to be utilized when delving into the program, as described here. The journal itself is more readable than you think. As an Open Source collection of documents, you can download PDFs in their entirety or separately. You’ll find a blend of opinion, autoethnographic studies, and dissemination and appreciation of the Beatles, yet each contributor paints an intensely personal connection with the Beatles. There are a few noteworthy takeaways: as mentioned, it’s driven by the ‘academic-ness’ of sheer association with the publisher. Do not be put off. Full transparency: I’m a fan of Beatles’ academia. It doesn’t get enough mainstream press and frankly, it should. In tandem: since the dawn of Beatlemania, this 60+ year narrative has been driven by a male-dominated (read: skewed) perspective. While this continues to be the accepted trope, those viewpoints and history are being challenged, more so than ever and more pointedly in this journal. Why is that? As Steve Jones and Walter Podrazik ponder in their article ‘Streaming through a glass onion: Curation, chronology, control and the Beatles’ legacy,’ it boils down to how the band’s heritage will be presented to future generations. How long will the ‘official’ rehashing of their story go on? “The opportunities to direct the group’s legacy from top down are now more difficult than ever” as they state. And that includes entering the group’s history from any point in time, making Spotify playlists to suit individual tastes, and how to work the angles in ‘Get Back’ if Christopher Nolan (and not Peter Jackson) had been the director. Many of the articles deal with these struggle points: how the City of Liverpool moved off the fence of fear and loathing to reclaim, mythologize and straighten out the Beatles’ heritage; legitimizing that above-noted MA in Beatles from graduates and educators; informational cascade algorithms that led to their success (could we have had instead Kinksmania? Holliesmania?); a tribute to beloved uber fan Lizzie Bravo; ‘80 at 80,’ a cooperative piece commemorating McCartney’s birthday with a sampler of fave Macca tracks and concluding with several media reviews, including a heartfelt, insightful analysis from Allison Bumsted, Ph.D. on author Sibbie O’Sullivan’s ‘My Private Lennon: Explorations from a Fan Who Never Screamed.’ Not dwelling on the stereotypical teenage girl painted with faint disdain by the male news reporters of that time, Bumsted assesses O’Sullivan’s memoir by association with the fandom, which should embrace, not ridicule, those rich experiences. As we continue to celebrate the ongoing juggernaut that we call the Beatles, as noted by co-editors Holly Tessler and Paul Long, “it is our intention for the journal to highlight new thinking and scholarship about the Beatles, particularly from writers with original perspectives and diverse views.” Looking forward, this should be a compelling and scholastically informed journey. ...more |
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it was amazing
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[Originally published on my Substack, December 2022] Don’t be fooled or intimidated when you see the length of this book. At 720 pages when one has the [Originally published on my Substack, December 2022] Don’t be fooled or intimidated when you see the length of this book. At 720 pages when one has the longevity that encompasses all that is Paul McCartney in only the first volume, it’s still too short. Authors Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair have joined together with unique expertise to inform and enlighten this lengthy narrative. Admittedly, both have acknowledged that this will be a multi-part series with details unsurpassed in previous books. Kozinn, with his extensive journalistic background and interviews with McCartney, coupled with Sinclair’s award-winning career as a documentary filmmaker, lends this book (no pun intended) heavyweight authority. Realistically, McCartney is a challenging subject to pin down for long ago specifics concerning day-to-day activities. However, Kozinn and Sinclair have brought together not only the story-telling ability required in understanding the nuances in the recording sagas but also humanize the man in the context of the difficult years of 1969–1973, through interviews and sourced information with those involved in McCartney’s orbit. As history recalls, McCartney in 1970 was a changed being from the McCartney of 1969. With The Beatles in tatters — personally and financially — McCartney came off ‘Abbey Road’ and headed straight to his farm in Scotland. There began the slow process, as chronicled by the authors, of rebuilding the charmed life only he could have lived. His chief support system was his wife Linda. No stranger to the vagrancies of rock ‘n roll, she was however stunned to see her husband spiral downward into depression and alcohol. Sleeping and drinking in a suicidal cycle, he barely functioned in their ramshackle farmhouse for weeks on end. Not content with these circumstances, Linda pushed and prodded and got McCartney out of his stupor, rallying him to rediscover his passion for music and his gifted abilities to craft unforgettable tunes. He began work on what would become his debut solo album, McCartney, with minimal equipment and fragments of songs. Kozinn and Sinclair have liberally peppered the book with descriptive callouts, detailing the timeframe, songs rehearsed, overdubs, demo titles, personnel, and studio location with granular detail. These are not merely filler, but important links to trace the development at any time that McCartney & Co. were creating in the studio or at home. Aside from defining the technicals, several passages also speak to McCartney’s frame of mind as he started his life over: whether it was conducting negotiations with his in-laws, legal wranglings that involved Allen Klein and the other Beatles, or presenting himself to the music press as an individual, the deep dive and brick-by-painful-brick rebuilding of his self-worth to the world is recounted in the beginning chapters. Aside from the ins and outs of the business, Kozinn and Sinclair charter McCartney’s musical reconstruction. The reviews for McCartney were tepid at best, and hostile at their worst, and while sales were strong with the public, he felt a change in venue would reinvigorate his mojo, and possible collaborators in the studio would help his outlook. As he headed into the fall of 1970, McCartney (with family in tow) switched environments and headed to New York City. The sessions for what would become Ram were complicated but noteworthy. Grappling with criticism for including Linda as a songwriting partner, he nevertheless began to formulate a plan to make her part of his creative ‘team.’ Recruiting session musicians Hugh McCracken and Dave Spinozza for guitars and Denny Seiwell on drums, McCartney felt he could bring more to the songs than just his solo tinkering. This setup allowed McCartney room to develop the album as he saw fit. This also brings up a common thread throughout the entire chronicle: while most could see it his way, McCracken, Spinozza, and Seiwell had difficulties with being told ‘what to do.’ As Spinozza had to depart midway through (due to his need for a consistent schedule), Ram concluded on a positive note, and Seiwell in particular was beginning to think he could enjoy working with the ex-Beatle in some capacity. Maybe even in a band? Unfortunately, music critics (now a force to be reckoned with) were not so kind. Like McCartney before it, Ram was put through the wringer, even with the excellent musicianship of everyone involved, including the multi-part brilliance of ‘Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey.’ McCartney had been so keen on Ram, he had begun talks of turning the album into an instrumental-only version, with the nom de plume of Percy Thrillington, with Seiwell contributing and McCartney handing over production to an outsider. But as the hammer fell, that concept was put on the back burner until much later. McCartney, painted with a wide brush by Kozinn and Sinclair, comes with many moving parts that were spread thin under constant stress. While juggling pressure headaches to find a manager, a brick-and-mortar building to call home to McCartney Productions Limited (MPL), and the personnel to run the day-to-day, a band unit was where he felt most secure. He brought in the comfortable Seiwell, made time for a McCracken audition (which McCracken turned down), and called up Denny Laine, someone McCartney knew well enough musically that he could work with him. But the genuine concern focused on a lead guitarist. That slot was filled after the band’s debut by Henry McCullough, a hard-drinking, Northern Ireland bloke who McCartney believed would give the band a tough edge. In the evolution of what was to be called Wings, several telling anecdotes come to the front. Kozinn and Sinclair put a corkscrew spin on McCullough’s ornery nature concerning Linda’s keyboard playing and not more than once does he voice his concern. Laine and Seiwell while claiming not to care as much, still had doubts as to her musical abilities, which caused tension and touched heavily on Linda’s insecurities onstage. Linda had no ambitions of becoming a musician and said so in many interviews quoted throughout. She was there to support her husband and provide a sounding board to his ideas and as time went on, she wrote her own tunes that were showcased live, including ‘Seaside Woman.’ While Wings’ debut Wild Life was impromptu, quick, and freeform, the inclusion of McCullough fired the group to rush record ‘Give Ireland Back to The Irish’ released in February 1972. Quickly banned by the BBC, its footnote was harrowing for McCullough: his brother was beaten by a group of thugs in Derry once his lineage was discovered. McCartney was able to save face and managed to gather everyone up for a short British tour that he believed would firm up the unit and give unknowing university kids a kick in the pants when the band pulled up to the door, sometimes unannounced. As chaotic as it seems with the Dennys and McCullough blasting along, these were the defining gigs that pushed both McCartneys forward, more importantly giving Linda some much-needed confidence, despite the critical drubbing in local reviews. Spinning a 180-degree turn, McCartney then released ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’ in May. Often seen as flipping off to the BBC, in actuality he just wanted to record a simple song for his daughter Mary. This was nearly the breaking point for McCullough musically and he teetered on the edge of leaving, screw the banal embarrassment of this effort. But he was pulled back in for the Wings Over Europe tour in the summer. Criss-crossing the continent in a psychedelic-painted double-decker bus, all families in tow, the portrait of a rag-tag bunch of hooligans seemed apropos. Even when the McCartneys and Seiwell were busted for pot possession in Stockholm, coupled with McCullough’s drunken escapades, their flippant attitude was shockingly naive for people not aware of the seriousness of the situation it projected. Seiwell, throughout the book, comes across as more tightly woven in with the McCartneys than previously documented. He, unlike McCullough, felt obliged and privileged that the McCartneys trusted him to stay the course, through thick and thin. And while ‘Hi, Hi, Hi’ was a slap in the face with another BBC ban, late 1972 saw the group reconvene to record a James Bond movie title track, coral for an ill-conceived television production, and record a batch of tunes for a new album. Kozinn and Sinclair track the ups and downs of 1973 in fairly good order, with the success of ‘Live and Let Die,’ the puzzlement attached to ‘James Paul McCartney,’ and the release of Red Rose Speedway. The latter had been an ongoing bone of contention between EMI and McCartney who wanted a double album and the record label brass rejecting it due to previous lackluster sales. To the point, money and servitude were becoming more and more irksome to the Dennys and McCullough. While all three spoke independently (and sometimes in code) many times to the music press about their work in Wings, it was no surprise that they felt underappreciated, monetarily speaking. McCartney had pleaded his deliverance of a less-than-useful paycheck as being frozen out from his funds due to the ongoing financial battles with Apple. But as with this talk (and the visual of the McCartneys screaming down the road in their Lamborghini), the reality hit hard: McCullough took a walk, and Seiwell, torn about his friendship with the family, decided he couldn’t live life with the meager salary or promised equality and had to let go, even as the booked trip to Lagos to start recording was a done deal, with Linda screaming down the phone to Seiwell “How dare you inconvenience us!” Band On The Run ends the long run of this storied, upside-down, topsy-turvy saga. From the unexpected hostility of the locals to the near-disastrous conditions of EMI Lagos to the mugging of the McCartneys and the near-fatal collapse of the man himself, the determination of McCartney to power ahead proved fortuitous. From the ashes of a sullen, dejected being to a risen phoenix, The McCartney Legacy proves that there is more to see and learn than previously thought. And to think… there’s more to come. ...more |
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In the Beatles canon, there is one composition, one performance that stands up and takes notice of the world. Since 1968, that song has been ‘Hey Jude
In the Beatles canon, there is one composition, one performance that stands up and takes notice of the world. Since 1968, that song has been ‘Hey Jude.’ Author James Campion elongates the timeline from then to now with ‘Take A Sad Song: The Emotional Currency of “Hey Jude”’ (Backbeat Books, 2022). If one questions why this song has come to define how we feel - deeply - about ourselves and globally, each other, he details those passages to great effect and empathy. Campion brings together several noted musicologists, journalists, and musicians whose love for and knowledge of The Beatles helps to describe the far-flung reasons and reactions that bind ‘Hey Jude’ to our collective DNA and the shared elements of the individual who miraculously brought it all together. Paul McCartney’s childhood is well documented with the loss of his mother to cancer and the hardships that followed. The ensuing years saw the rise of The Beatles with not only their popularity as a band, but as songwriters, Lennon and McCartney ascended to the top of the charts with their catchy memorable tunes and distinctive sound. But what really happened went far deeper. While the struggle to maintain a normal life was in fact an everyday occurrence for those involved, McCartney processed his soul into a song. As early-to-mid 1968 has shown, his personal life started to unravel: the trip to Rishikesh proved insightful but fractured his relationship with Lennon, and his longtime girlfriend Jane Asher broke off their engagement. What else could he do but pour all this into an elegy? Campion’s book is not so much a studious laundry list of how ‘Hey Jude’ came to be and where it went. The uniqueness of the times, as many interviewees noted, demanded to be heard and then have it propelled forward. The mechanics of the composition are unmatchable. McCartney - as has been noted in a previous blog entry - was surrounded and imbibed with music. His mind was constantly spinning, never slowing down in absorbing breath and emotion coming from his environment. Whether he intended to construct what has become an epic, relatable anthem is only up for reflection by McCartney himself. The frequently told and legendary story surrounding ‘Hey Jude’ is not hard to fathom: as Lennon became involved with Yoko Ono and left behind his wife Cynthia and young son Julian, McCartney traveled out to see them. During the car trip, the germination of the song came to him and while the conversation with Cynthia was lighthearted, he knew immediately the sense of loss and abandonment that was coming soon, especially for a boy whose circumstances mirrored his own. Instead, the implied autobiographical details infused in ‘Hey Jude’ elicited personal empathy from Lennon. While also losing his mother months after McCartney’s mother's passing, Lennon refused to live with the scenario that she was gone. Hence his blocked emotion at explicitly revealing this in song… until ‘Hey Jude.’ It was his comment to McCartney about leaving in the placeholder sentence ‘the movement you need is on your shoulder’ that gave his junior partner the confidence that this song was relatable to not only him… but anyone. Two areas that are especially interesting are the recording of the song and the filming of the video. While noting that the band switched over to the then-new Trident Studios (with the intention of using their 8-track recording system), once completed and taken back to EMI Studios, the dissimilar operational logistics and control settings between the two seemed insurmountable. Campion explains those defeating circumstances and the fixes utilized by the team at EMI (including the brief return of engineer Geoff Emerick) to the great relief of everyone who had believed it was a lost cause. With humor, the story behind the filming of the video is decidedly more intriguing. In fact, there are two filmings that Campion covers. The first was the rehearsals of the song at EMI. Filmed by the National Music Council of Great Britain for the documentary ‘Music!,’ this footage is notable for the fact of George Harrison’s presence in the control room with George Martin and Ken Scott. McCartney’s specific demands led to a spat and Harrison exited the studio below. The bassist’s attitude toward perfection was an open secret that would lead to further friction in the coming months. Another surprising revelation (to this reviewer) was the Michael Lindsay-Hogg-directed version of ‘Hey Jude.’ As presented to the UK public, one surmised it was specifically done for exclusivity for David Frost - hence his introduction. However, Campion unearths the hysterical reasons why Frost shouldn’t have been there and then delves into the unspoken visual nuances of the performance, the band’s interaction with the invited audience, and the “cosmic kinship’ as described by Campion between Lennon and McCartney. But what really drives this narrative along are the numerous observations from Campion’s interviewees and his own personal examination of the crucial four-plus minute coda. Initially, told that ‘it just wasn’t done,’ what does one think if you’re The Beatles? You go ahead - and do it. Na… na… na… na na na na will in fact, become more than an ending to a long song. At the time, it is a rule-breaking, non-conformist leader that disrupts the leftover hippy-dippy AM sounds of summer and reaches out in a soul-searching, personal call-to-arms as 1968 explodes in domestic and worldwide chaos. Several scholars note that where McCartney succeeded was reaching back from childhood and leaning on the Christian hymn ‘Te Deum.’ And to add: a fourth-century canticle that he subconsciously meshed with The Drifters’ 1962 soulful ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’ (a Beatle favorite) is not an unreal possibility. As Campion notes several times (and with the comments and remarks from his respondents), ‘Hey Jude’ is not just about Paul McCartney inheriting a character (one of his songwriting traits) and offering a manufactured tale. This was a Paul McCartney who passionately cared that this creation succeeds on the ‘everyman’ level: from a TV audience in 1968 to the countless world tours to young non-English speaking musicians such as Korean pop band BTS who when asked what their favorite Beatles song was, jumped up and began Na… na… na… na na na na. The impact of ‘Hey Jude’ from a song to an event is incalculable. By definition or perhaps default, this milestone in music has come to define the personal and professional attainments one feels - whether it be a comforting lyric in a time of mourning or a place that thousands of artists aspire to reach every time they compose. Campion has fashioned a unique testament to the power of one song to countless individuals. ...more |
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Yoko Ono. No two words in the world, past or present, can conjure up such a deep emotional response. No one else in the world of art, music, and liter
Yoko Ono. No two words in the world, past or present, can conjure up such a deep emotional response. No one else in the world of art, music, and literature can rev up enough words to fill a bag as she has always done. Author Donald Brackett has bravely put together ‘Yoko Ono: An Artful Life’ (Sutherland Books, 2022) by turns refreshing and frustrating (like the subject herself). That the reader will be rewarded with a better understanding of this complex woman is again refreshing and frustrating. Approaching with an unbiased mind is not its sole purpose. There are enough people on Team Ono in today’s society that will appreciate the balance of life Before Yoko and After Yoko, with regards to the Beatles. Refreshing: a good first half. Brackett pulls together numerous outside sources - including Ono - to paint her as a rebellious-contained-by-society-privileged-free-thinker who was most certainly ahead of the times. While her father remained distant (physically and literally) with his banking business, Ono’s mother was cold and indifferent in her relationship with her daughter. These circumstances and her transatlantic family uprooting due to World War II led to the bohemian lifestyle that became her trademark. Brackett’s unflinching narrative, interwoven with Ono’s quotes about these early years is harrowing and dramatic, speaking volumes about her upcoming travails. New York City became her canvas in the early ‘60s, as she oscillated between a divorce, second marriage, giving birth to her daughter Kyoko and finally involvement in the city’s downtown experimental movement known as Fluxus. Here is where Brackett shines with descriptive and informative details regarding Ono as an outlier, pushing to be accepted by a male-dominated genre. Her minimalist approach couched with survival instincts brought on by early childhood drama, flung her into a world she felt she had a driven purpose - but denied by the misogynistic environment and with few artistic choices left, she went to London. Frustrating: second half. As has been written in the last fifty-plus years, the events that brought Ono and John Lennon together are interwoven with well-known stories and numerous anecdotes. Based on this narrative, the point brought home by Brackett is that being with Lennon was the worst thing that happened to Ono’s projected art career and musical endeavors. The portrait of Ono is one of a domineering witch that ripped a generation’s voice away from the biggest cultural phenomenon of all time. With hindsight (and Brackett being fortunate to include observations from Peter Jackson’s ‘Get Back’), we can now see the role reversal: he needed her more than she needed him and her last recorded work with him - ‘Walking On Thin Ice’ - showed the eerieness of that future soundscape. However, Lennon was such an undeniable presence that the book suffers in that context. As a reader, one is left to blip in and out of the next 5 decades, save for a few moments of Ono’s artistic leaps, post-1980. Focusing on the facts, figures, and accomplishments since Lennon’s murder can leave the reader wanting more. And that may be how Ono wants it. Her greatest achievement by far has been her son Sean. And with the re-telling here of Lennon and Ono’s ‘housebound’ years, weighs heavily on the tone of the latter half of the story. As Sean gained a sense of identity and has recently begun representing his mother in business decisions, we may be seeing a shift to only the listings of Ono’s handiwork - sold-out gallery showings, the Imagine Peace Tower, her purchase of Menlove Ave, and donating it to the National Trust, Number One dance hits - in that he will be the gatekeeper of her legacy. A casual fan of the Beatles may gain some knowledge of the dynamic yet still elusive Ono, especially in the first chapters up until the Lennon years. For that reason, I’ll give this book 4 out of 4 beetles. https://beatles-freaks.com ...more |
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| 9781788840910
| 1788840917
| 4.17
| 6
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| Nov 22, 2021
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it was amazing
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It’s not an overstatement to say I was very happy to see not only what one would consider a travel guide about and for The Beatles, but one that is la
It’s not an overstatement to say I was very happy to see not only what one would consider a travel guide about and for The Beatles, but one that is lavishly illustrated and beautifully laid out. ‘The Beatles: Fab Four Cities: Liverpool - Hamburg - London - New York’ (ACC Art Books, 2021) provides not only an up-to-date showcase of major touchpoints within their universe but also includes numerous anecdotes and descriptions of how all four cities provided links and support along the way from childhood to present day. Compiled and written by historians well-versed in all things Beatles, ‘Fab Four Cities’ is educational and informative, while sidebar callouts showcase Beatle facts that connect all four cities from a historical perspective. If you’re intimately familiar with Beatle background information, you might not want to simply skim over the text. Each section provides a rich history inside locations that helped push the band forward. Augmented by latter-day photos, it’s a printed walking tour and provides a helpful supplement if you happen to travel to any of these places. One important note that ties these together is that all four cities have ports. Not to be lost on how significant this is to the band, Liverpool gave them music, Hamburg gave them a sense of self, London gave them worldwide recognition and New York gave them the US. The voice that the authors use is genuine and personal: Bedford is Liverpudlian and intimately knowledgeable in that environment; Porter has been a tour guide in London and Ryan is a lifelong New Yorker and tour guide who knows landmarks galore. However, my favorite section from Bedford and Porter concentrated on Hamburg. While much has been journaled in the last 60 years, I found the words rich in detail, the photos fascinating and the city map was a nice addition (all four city maps are colorfully illustrated). Ryan’s expertise in covering events, landmarks, and areas connected particularly to John Lennon is of importance for those not familiar with his deep-seated love of the city and his fight to stay in NYC in the early ‘70s. In conclusion, with a nicely constructed design and pertinent prose (and some pretty sweet images!), I rate this book 4 out of 4 beetles! https://beatles-freak.com ...more |
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| 4.03
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| 2017
| Jun 05, 2017
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it was amazing
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Dear Younger Self, Remember when you went to the newsstand at the drugstore with your parents? Looking at all that cheap newsprint, something jumped ou Dear Younger Self, Remember when you went to the newsstand at the drugstore with your parents? Looking at all that cheap newsprint, something jumped out at you. The faces! The pop art colors! The headlines with lots of exclamation points! Wait! Is David Cassidy looking at me?! Why, yes he is. And for that you can thank one woman: Ann Moses. Aptly titled, ‘Meow! My Groovy Life With Tiger Beat’s Teen Idols’ (Q Coding, LLC, 2017) author Ann Moses recounts the life moments she led as the editor of Tiger Beat magazine. This is a highly personal and fascinating glimpse into an era of innocent admiration, yet laced with the stark reality of Moses’ unique, coveted position. As a teenager growing up in Anaheim, California, Moses had a chance encounter with ‘Uncle Walt’ at Disneyland while working at the Sunkist orange juice kiosk. His encouraging response to her mentioning she had written for the park’s newsletter set her off on her journalistic career. Volunteering as an usher at the Melodyland Theater in 1965, she had the gumption to approach a gentleman at the side of the stage, stating she was “on assignment” to write about the group that was performing: The Dave Clark Five. The man was their tour manager Rick Picone. He graciously arranged the meeting and Moses got her interview published in her junior college newspaper. She gained steam writing for ‘Rhythm ‘N’ News’ covering gigs in south Los Angeles (considered unsafe by most for a teenager). However, an off-chance remark from a fellow writer about Tiger Beat (and a connection with former Beatles press officer Derek Taylor) quickly propelled her into the office of the upstart to ‘16’ magazine and the beginning of her mind-blowing journey into the world of teen idoldom. Throwing aside ‘respected journalism,’ Moses adapted the jargon and lifestyle that appealed to the young, aspiring teens who read Tiger Beat: as noted by her “everyone was presented as single and free.” And using descriptors like ‘groovy’ ‘heavenly’ and ‘fab’ were de rigueur. And as many exclamation points as possible!! By the summer of 1966, Moses had been cast headfirst into a world of music, photography assignments and close encounters with Jefferson Airplane and The Rolling Stones. Her travels had also led her into the world of Paul Revere and The Raiders, then one of the biggest pop groups in the US, helped by their exposure on TV’s ‘Where The Action Is.’ Moses’ exclusivity to the band and her first-person encounters didn’t help to win her friends with ‘16’’s Gloria Stavers, the matriarch who could power play herself onto the band’s tour bus. Moses was angry and intimidated by Stavers, but recognized she could turn the tables with help from her pop idol peers at any given time. Moses became feature editor as Tiger Beat’s boss Chuck Laufer handed her more assignments, a handsome salary and a car. She was out and about, meeting people and when The Monkees hit the TV airwaves in September 1966, Laufer’s relationship with Screen Gems gave Moses access unlike any other writer or photographer. While she became close to Peter Tork, Davy Jones and to a lesser extent Micky Dolenz, she hit a roadblock with Mike Nesmith’s abrasive personality (which she didn't recover from for nearly a year). Another group that Moses had access to on tour was The Standells. While they were the support act to the Raiders in November 1966, Moses found herself drawn to the band’s lead singer and drummer, Dick Dodd. A former Disney Mouseketeer, his background in show business kept him “un-Hollywood,” as Moses wrote. She also found herself with a major crush on her hands. With this dilemma, she decided to move into her own apartment and later, when she and Dodd slept together, she was left somewhat disappointed and confused. Dodd never called her again. However, a new love was on the horizon. After attending the Monterey Pop Festival, she details her good fortune in becoming the Hollywood correspondent for UK’s ‘New Musical Express,’ and in July 1967 she flew into the orbit of The Bee Gees. What followed was a whirlwind romance with Maurice Gibb, that at the time seemed destined to be true love. He and Moses set out - first in England and then when she returned home - on a courtship that spoke of intense attraction through shared interests, especially music. However in the brief weeks that encompassed her life with Gibb, she was blindsided with the news that he had married pop singer Lulu. While he kept his word to attend her twenty-first birthday party, the gathering was the last time she was with him. She later learned that he was in fact not with Lulu (a ploy Moses suspected was instigated by manager Robert Stigwood to keep a clean, freewheeling image alive), although the singers did marry in 1969 (and divorced a few years after that). Moses’ complete devastation swung her back into covering the pop music scene (and marriage to a high school sweetheart). She continued with various outings (the taping of Elvis Presley’s 1968 comeback special and a subsequent, tho unexpected, conversation with The King on the set of ‘Change of Habit’), but her life at Tiger Beat was going through tumultuous changes. She continued into the early 70s with (then) up-and-coming teen idols Bobby Sherman, David Cassidy and more personally, The Osmonds (who she stayed in touch with when she later moved to Utah). But in 1972, just as the magazine’s offices were moving to a bigger and better space, she discovered a bombshell: while she made good salary for the times, she was making half of what a sister publication’s editor was making. Floored, she marched out. And while she was coaxed into finishing out publication dates, she left Tiger Beat in May of 1972. Moses quickly sums up her later years - divorce, second marriage, adoption of two children and a jaw-dropping spoiler from her former co-workers that I won’t mention here. All in all, ‘Meow!’ has the tasty ingredients that pull you into a time warp, reported and lived by a sharp, insightful lady given incredibly fortunate circumstances and access that could only have happened in that era. I give this book 4 out of 4 beetles! https://beatles-freak.com ...more |
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| 3030791009
| 9783030791001
| B09CCNH9JF
| 5.00
| 1
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| Aug 10, 2021
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it was amazing
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Paul McCartney is his own definition. He inhabits an environment that pretty much everyone else that isn’t him, finds difficult to describe. Approachin Paul McCartney is his own definition. He inhabits an environment that pretty much everyone else that isn’t him, finds difficult to describe. Approaching a study of his creative output in all its facets requires an open mind and an affinity akin to a history of sociology, pop culture and the mysterious process called songwriting. What ‘Paul McCartney and His Creative Practice’ (Palgrave Studies in Creativity and Culture, 2021) achieves is not solely a critical analysis of how he writes a song or a deconstruction of his life’s work. Instead, authors Phillip McIntyre and Paul Thompson couch the theory of flow with the outside influences of his world into a package that has many layers to uncover. As an explanation to address this book’s function, it is a serious, academic-minded reader for those interested in McCartney’s one-of-a-kind creative process. And although The Beatles take up quite a portion of the text, the vital connections from the end of that tenure right up through 2020’s ‘McCartney III’ examines how he grew as a musician, songwriter, producer, and engineer with ‘a little help from his friends.’ Owing to considerable forethought, the authors bring to the table one of the more enigmatic, yet common perceptions attached to someone of McCartney’s stature: Romanticism. Like the label ‘genius,’ most people associate the concept of Romanticism with awe and reverence. To hold McCartney to that limited definition - minus the technical and personal achievements he gained from others - belies all the pieces that has formed his personal character and musical artistry. While there is no doubt few individuals can amass the accolades in their lifetime associated with reverent creativity, McIntyre and Thompson also impart significant import to how McCartney’s sociocultural touch points - listening to his father’s piano playing, gregarious family singalongs, and his uncanny ear in picking out tunes - weigh into a system of interwoven related communal support and geographical upbringing. Weighing this, one can start piecing together the early structure that brought a teenaged McCartney into the orbit of John Lennon and thru that into The Beatles. Often quoted yet undeniable, is the shared experiences all four individuals had as they grew into their musical roles. While many outsiders gave them opportunities to test the waters, Lennon, McCartney, Harrison (and later) Starr inhabited their own world as they began in Hamburg - Starr with Rory Storm - and found their footing in the hazardous, grueling schedule that honed their playing skills. Critical to the genesis of The Beatles was the departure of Lennon’s classmate Stuart Sutcliffe on bass. McCartney inherited that position more as a “well, it better be you, then” attitude and thus his future was solidified. As a bassist, his style is fluid and dynamic. However what the general public considers his greatest achievement is his songwriting. While McIntyre and Thompson address his process in three specific cases, his ultimate masterpiece has been and will be ‘Yesterday.’ Effective as McCartney continues to be in extolling the mystical inspiration of its origin, ‘Yesterday’ as deconstructed by the authors paints a more realistic history: McCartney while living with the Ashers in November 1963 did have the oft-told musical dream, and then awoke to play it on a nearby piano. Doubtful that he had actually concepted this original melody, McCartney played it to several people including John Lennon. All assured him it was of his own making. Yet what became the driving force was McCartney’s belief that it might have come from somewhere in the past or that he had subconsciously heard it elsewhere. While the persona of his habitus instigated this internal questioning, McIntyre and Thompson adhere to many practical instances where McCartney’s childhood spent listening to the music around him imbibed a sense of familiar, encapsulated memories that stuck in his head where he could conveniently pull them out years later. Hence his dogged nature in pursuing this tune’s origin. Living the professional musician life, McCartney continued to hone ‘Yesterday’ (most famously fine-tuning the “scrambled eggs” placeholder lyrics) over a two-year period. By mid-1965, he had it complete and ready to go. After presenting it to the band and producer George Martin, the consensus was, beyond McCartney and a guitar, there was nothing more to add. While Martin came up with the idea for the string accompaniment (much to the songwriter’s horror), the arrangement was through McCartney’s intuitive ear for tonality. The only surprise that has surfaced since then was what transpired at EMI Studios the day of the recording: McCartney’s first two vocals were ‘I’ve Just Seen A Face’ and the larynx-shredding ‘I’m Down.’ The strings were overdubbed a few days later and ‘Yesterday’ - finished on June 17 - was infused into the lexicon of songs that will continue to mystify and polarize generations to come. McIntyre and Thompson also delve into McCartney’s creative collaborations and help to clarify his partnership with John Lennon. As written about in the past fifty-plus years, the duo’s alliance - while popular to imagine as a person-centric perspective driven by mythical free-thinking, self-expression embedded with romanticism - has markedly changed to a more pragmatic, rational-based approach since the dissolution of The Beatles. Debunking the myths surrounding their singular, isolated genius brainstorming, the authors lay out the dyad of their collaborative partnership. How these two individuals with starkly contrasted backgrounds found their common ground is not unfathomable: both had a shared geographical and sociological connection, a similar interest in songwriting and a love for rock ‘n’ roll. As their status germinated and grew, both men were forced into tight deadlines and even tighter spaces that had them together with few contacts, except for the inner circle of Harrison, Starr, Mal Evans, Neil Aspinall and Brian Epstein. As the overall arc of their influence permeated the rest of the music scene, the ‘mid-period’ in their alliance afforded more focus, more time in the studio and for McCartney, a more disciplined approach to songwriting. Although Lennon’s mindset was shifting towards introspective soul-searching, McCartney gave way to taking his fully-formed ideas to Lennon for input and constructive criticism. This worked on many levels, each dovetailing their own unique work habits into the others’ space of works. Each had - through their joined association - the ability to start or finish or bring together the possibilities surrounding them musically. But as they began the transition from simple pop band to respected, critically acclaimed songwriters, the duo drifted apart from their tight-knit bond of collaboration to one of competitive rivals. Lennon, as the authors note, is one for endless speculative psychological analysis. But McCartney was far less interested in self-examination. While Lennon was the force of nature in the early years, his younger colleague quickly gained speed and surpassed him artistically. From this vantage point, it only seems natural that they would move on personally and professionally. While their global creative world was simultaneously shifting and constraining, it was uncertain at that juncture what was going to transpire for McCartney in the foreseeable future. What did happen was that McCartney assumed the mantle of jack-of-all-trades. Free from social dynamics and power relationships, he began his complete immersion into the creative system. McCartney was fortunate to have as his mentor a skilled and multifaceted individual like George Martin to learn from. Thus it enabled him to move into a coworker mode, as he worked with Martin on ‘The Family Way’ soundtrack. Independently, he assumed producing duties under the pseudonym Apollo C. Vermouth for The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and then when Apple Records formed, constructing a resume that included Badfinger, Mary Hopkin and The Black Dyke Mills Band. McCartney moved on after The Beatles to become his own production boss, with gained confidence, and as he was more musically-inclined, trusted the judgment of engineers to help calibrate precisely the technicalities of recording. His esoteric choices in studios were sometimes called into question (cutting the basic tracks for ‘Band On The Run’ in the less-than-hospitable location of Lagos, Nigeria and laying down tracks on boats in the Virgin Islands for ‘London Town’), but no-one could argue that McCartney himself played safe. He continued to hone his vision through several amalgamations of musical partners - Eric Stewart, Elvis Costello - and then most importantly, McCartney came together with Harrison and Starr to bring back their version of The Beatles (with Jeff Lynne as producer) to re-work demos of John Lennon’s for the ‘Anthology’ project starting in 1994. Having said that, McCartney expanded his playground of sound to many locations and invited band members throughout the years to give input during those sessions. Even when he built his current studio Hog Hill Mill near his home in Sussex, England he could sometimes butt up against stronger personalities at the board or be at odds with collaborators; as previously mentioned, although Costello was a magical connection, it was a partnership fraught with tension that for whatever reason did not gel with his musical output. The authors, however, make it crystal clear that despite the metallurgy process, McCartney has deftly blended his vintage leanings - continuing to play his beloved Hofner bass - with the stylistic turns in technology to this day. The authors note in detail McCartney’s musical processes in the studio (he likes to work quickly!) and his laser focus on creating the music at hand with the vast array of instruments he has at his home studio. McCartney since the ‘60s had shown interest in the esoteric and experimental, in the studio and social situations. As he moved along, his musical output may not have equaled his stellar reputation as he ventured into areas that the general public and critics labeled ‘risky’ and ‘unbearably inept.’ But with his habitus in the singular mode, he forged ahead with electronic music (as The Fireman), orchestral presentations and organizing the Concert For New York after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Another less ventured avenue are his business practices. While a good portion of the popular media took to task his later struggles with Michael Jackson’s acquisition of his catalog, McIntyre and Thompson see with a keen eye the history of that timeline. Early on, his negotiating savvy took off as he acquired publishing rights to various songs that would generate phenomenal earnings. His foray into scriptwriting and acting wasn’t as successful, however his strong preservationist eye had him restoring his old school Liverpool Institute into the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. He also retains a dedicated team at his McCartney Productions Limited (MPL) to help keep in touch with engaging social media and manage his massive tours. McIntyre and Thompson have undertaken an enormously complex personality such as Paul McCartney and pieced together the diverse domain that he has inhabited since his childhood. Having characterized his position in the musical ‘ecosystem’ as it pertains to the multiple components that he represents, his fully formed knowledge of music has enabled him to be continually relevant and deeply valued to this day. I rate this scholarly book 4 out of 4 beetles! ...more |
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Mar 08, 2022
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| 1838379878
| 9781838379872
| 1838379878
| 4.38
| 8
| unknown
| Dec 16, 2021
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it was amazing
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As a casual listener or a dedicated Harryhead, this loving tribute to the man (and the band) known the world over as Nilsson is as seriously put toget
As a casual listener or a dedicated Harryhead, this loving tribute to the man (and the band) known the world over as Nilsson is as seriously put together as one could hope for. ‘Harry & Me’ (This Day In Music Books, 2021) brings us into the atmosphere that inhabits any great tribute from a fan perspective: well-designed with attention to detail, numerous interviews, thoughtful analysis and quotes from the subject himself. And for a Nilsson aficionado, I can’t emphasize enough this is a must-add to your collection. While this isn’t a straight up biography, what it does fulfill is the outpouring of positive vibes (truly no other phrase fits) that are brought forward about Nilsson. What is especially eye-opening is the diversity in fans, colleagues and contributors’ passages: from those that played with him, helped his career musically, cared about his work and his family and ultimately after his passing, continue to spread the word and not let his legacy stall at his death. After John Lennon and Paul McCartney gave an official endorsement in 1968, Nilsson’s profile rose stratospherically. While making notices for his songwriting (The Monkees ‘Cuddly Toy’ and Three Dog Night’s ‘One’), his voice became his calling card, rapturously recalled by dozens of fans in these pages. Chief among the highlights was his interpretation of ‘Without You,’ written by Badfinger’s Pete Ham and Tom Evans. Not one single person in this book comes away not untouched by Nilsson’s emotive, soaring delivery and the tragic sad story associated with it’s writers. Nilsson also gained notice with his cover of Fred Neil’s ‘Everybody’s Talkin’ from ‘Midnight Cowboy.’ While these songs could have cemented his reputation early on, Nilsson continued to deliver (and as Roberts and Watson gathered for the book) either in collaboration (with Randy Newman) or the revelation on how rock legends Aerosmith got their name. An informative and recurring feature is Watson and contributor Mark Richardson’s amusing and helpful analysis of Nilsson releases: from ‘Nilsson - Early Years’ to ‘Losst and Founnd,’ both bring their personal memories and picks for tracks… measured in pints of beer! Another feature is ‘Harry On’ sprinkled throughout in Nilsson’s own words from various interviews given over his career. One can see his laidback, self-deprecating humor, his utter lack of celebrity-ism even when fans who in their own words describe meeting Nilsson at any given time in his life: his home, the recording studio and at fan gatherings. These sorts of insights serve as a reinforcement that despite the sound bite culture of today, we should appreciate Nilsson and soak in at length the down-to-earth person he was. More than a few fans and colleagues recall his tireless perfection in production and his notorious aversion to live performances. Most of these interviews focus on the ‘what ifs’ had Nilsson thought it worth his while and many fans were overjoyed if they happened to see him in at an informal function or private party where he felt comfortable singing and playing the piano for a small audience. As far as the ‘discovery’ of Nilsson, the stories that are woven in ‘Harry & Me’ are almost nearly the same: fans and industry insiders speaking in the book found Nilsson on their own and genuinely felt (and continue to feel) an almost cosmic connection. Many were also able to come upon his work through older siblings, chance meetings in record stores with like-minded listeners, pen pals or simply from buying anything and everything they could find. Whether it was ‘The Point!’ (beautifully narrated by Nilsson), ‘Nilsson Schmilsson’ (an undeniable classic) or ‘A Little Touch of Schmilsson In The Night,’ he affected many demographics and geographics throughout his career. One could argue though that his career into the mainstream sense suffered greatly with his well-known alcohol consumption. Too many stories abound with the negativity surrounding his drunken escapades and the nadir that became ‘Pussy Cats.’ While there was some good that came from his friendship with Lennon, the direction of his life and music changed after this release. There were several outstanding career moments (stage adaptations of ‘The Point!,’ the ‘Popeye’ movie soundtrack and attendance at fan fests), as Lennon’s death re-charged him as an anti-gun advocate. Nilsson continued off and on with releases that Roberts and Watson duly note while also bringing in the downturn in his life after a trusted advisor embezzled his production company funds. Many close friends and fans attempted to help him during this part of his life and it’s noted with great sadness that this may have been the long goodbye that Nilsson never fully acknowledged to the public. As the book winds down and touches with great emotion on his death in 1994, the collective of fans began a push to get Nilsson inducted in the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall Of Fame. While this movement has been an ongoing, heartfelt love letter, it has yet to happen and it’s worth noting that many of his musician friends and collaborators keep the message alive and ongoing. The overall arc of Nilsson’s contribution to pop music is never without question. ‘Harry & Me’ has brought together the people who truly serve the greater purpose. Someone who had much to deliver on behalf of Nilsson was his son Zak. With a poignancy that can only be seen from the date of publication, this book is dedicated by Roberts to him after his passing from cancer in March of 2021. In the hopes that ‘Harry & Me’ generates continued beloved insight into Nilsson - with it’s dozens of little-seen images, thought-provoking interviews with supporters and volumes of Nilsson narrative… I give this book 5 out of 4 beetles (as Nilsson is unofficially a ‘Fifth Beatle!’) ...more |
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| B092HG9JSC
| 3.89
| 114
| Apr 13, 2021
| Apr 13, 2021
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it was amazing
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As Beatles literature goes, one can never fully appreciate the care and for want of a better word research, that goes into what is termed ‘fan fiction
As Beatles literature goes, one can never fully appreciate the care and for want of a better word research, that goes into what is termed ‘fan fiction.’ All the more surprising that an entire full-length series with a strong, funny and multi-layered female lead can leave The Beatles in a secondary narrative! Author Kal Smagh has done a fine job integrating a fact-based historical narrative, while weaving a mystery/alternate universe character through ‘A Cozy Beatles Mystery Series’ (independently published, 2021). What I found most entertaining through this 4-volume series (including a short story) was the completely formed universe that we know, and love of The Beatles wrapped around a 60-year storyline that – to be honest - really encompasses the main character, the down-to-earth, disarmingly charming Helen Spencer. What begins in 1962 Liverpool as Helen begins her journey with Freda Kelly and Brian Epstein, winds it way through the decades as we come to see her lifelong friendship (and employment) with the band expand worldwide. Smagh’s imaginative storytelling is actually told in flashbacks for the entire series – as an elderly Helen (retired and living in Florida) is recounting her experiences to a character we as readers are not quite sure is entirely forthright in their intentions! As individual ‘stories,’ each holds its own: Helen’s crime-solving beginnings are told in ‘Larceny in Liverpool,’ and given a short nudge in ‘Punching Up,’ then gather steam in ‘Mayhem for Her Majesty,’ ‘The Beverly Hills Burglary’ and finally conclude in ‘The Beatle Car Bandits.’ Smagh has interwoven timely characters and locations pivotal to the band’s story, while taking liberties with their dialogue and interactions. I can say I found Helen’s story fascinating as Smagh spends a great deal of time with her and her family – and that is a tentative warning for those of you out there that are hardcore fan-fic readers. His series really hangs on Helen and her sleuthing abilities and how certain real-life elements – from the Cavern Club to London to California to Oxford University - can be stretched to fit nearly the entire history of the band’s lifespan – and beyond. What is also crucial is to the ability to suspend disbelief in certain situations, yet find Helen’s hilarious observations and determined mindset (which is key in linking this series together) believable in this Beatles AU. What I will say – and this is a little tough with no spoilers - is that the narrative is poignantly written and very sweet as Smagh brings us to the present day. I find that in this age of cynicism and social media bashing, the ability to convey a fictional character’s travails (sometimes not altogether perfect and with hints of self-doubt and a smattering of guts) with the real-life Beatles – without graphic blandishment or judgmental abandonment – is refreshing and to be honest, entertaining and readable. I recommend getting all 4 books (including the short story) for the complete picture and then giving the series 4 out of 4 beetles! https://beatles-freak.com ...more |
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Dec 16, 2021
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| 1350107433
| 9781350107434
| 1350107433
| 3.88
| 8
| unknown
| Sep 09, 2021
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really liked it
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While the world of academic studies continues past the history of The Beatles’ lifespan, I will never tire of the deep dive (yes, an overused term, I
While the world of academic studies continues past the history of The Beatles’ lifespan, I will never tire of the deep dive (yes, an overused term, I admit) with regards to those whose research and passion go above and beyond the usual biographies and fact-checking in the world they helped to define during those 10 glorious years. Author Ken Campbell has given an intriguingly personal, yet historical account of the band in that crucial decade with authority and dare I say, love. ‘The Beatles and the 1960s: Reception, Revolution and Social Change’ (Bloomsbury, 2021) captures what few volumes are able to do: give those details that are already familiar to the devoted and yet place these memories inside a contextual, readable and relatable narrative, not usual for this style of book. Campbell, as a noted scholar and historian, has been able to pluck out the familiar anecdotes and incidents intrinsic to The Beatles intensely devoted fans, yet crucially place all of this into graphic perspective. I didn’t just find this a dry timetable of distant facts and stories, but rather a highly important historical treatise, gathering steam from Kennedy to Kennedy, from Profumo to Paris. Most importantly, Campbell has woven many interviews from male and female fans who lived through the Beatles in real time, especially as the songs were released then. How they reacted, how they changed as people, what they decided to aspire to in their life… their words are quite honest, insightful and at times humorous when juxtaposed against some of the more serious situations that were rumbling around the world during The Beatles musical lifespan. While most of their early days were void of political commentary (much of it culled at the behest of manager Brian Epstein), as the decade wore on (and the band’s personal fortunes, both personally and musically changed), the group were able to divulge highly individualistic comments, ranging from Lennon’s famous Christ comment to McCartney’s LSD revelation and Harrison’s stance on Transcendental Meditation and his love of India. Of course what is most important to The Beatles legacy is the music and how it became the yardstick for which all others were measured. Campbell does a superb job of invoking the “which album is better” debate (‘Revolver’ vs. ‘Sgt. Pepper’) by suggesting that each - only separated by a year’s time - are highly influenced by each of The Beatles contributions and experiences. While the aspect of their stoppage in touring surely impacted the sound of ‘Pepper,’ which had the benefit of time, money and energy, one can see how it can also be viewed as dated, closed and vintage in many respects. Of its time in 1967, it is absolutely certain. Viewed from afar, however (and with Lennon’s pithy recollections of lifting off from newspapers and LSD-inspired laziness juxtaposed to McCartney’s workaholic attitude), it suffers greatly. ‘Revolver’ on the other hand (and near to the ‘White Album’ in a sense) has aged much better. Taken with the charged and scarred political atmosphere, 1968’s ‘White Album’ and more pointedly The Rolling Stones’ ‘Beggars Banquet’ heralded a coming of age for both bands. But it also signaled the change in personal gain for both fans and the bands themselves. The gap between radicalism and protest coming from Lennon and Jagger seemed somehow removed from reality. And while Campbell’s interviewees were handed a newer version of both, laced with the mature viewpoints, inner soul seeking, and mouthy call-to-arms, one began to wonder if these ‘pop stars’ really understood their audience anymore. As 1969 came over the horizon, the political juggernaut that was Richard Nixon was coming into play and conservatism on both sides of the Atlantic are covered neatly by Campbell as the 60s come to a close. As is well-documented, The Beatles time in January was taken up with the ‘Get Back/Let It Be’ sessions which segued into separate career pursuits, both musically and personally. McCartney and Lennon’s marriages in March were the focal point of the group’s splintering dynamic, though not entirely the cause of tensions mounting within the band. And while managerial efforts were thumping across the table (also well-documented from those times), the real maelstrom of publicity was whether the group would lash themselves down at Abbey Road and produce an album. While the namesake studio and album seemed to signal a return to the classic group sound, it was also a foreshadow of life events to come. While Lennon and Ono had used their marriage to cajole world leaders to seek peace and McCartney retreated to home, farm and studio production of others, most of the summer of ‘69 was taken up by other sounds: the Stones’ Brian Jones’ death, Apollo 11, Woodstock, Chappaquiddick, Vietnam and the notorious Manson murders. In short, an upheaval that signaled an end to the ‘Summer of Love’ and yet gave growth to the four members, most pointedly the one soul who had come across as the most troubled and withdrawn Beatle: George Harrison. His two most poignant (and to this day) most popular compositions - ‘Something’ and ‘Here Comes The Sun’ - were the jewels that shimmered on each side of the album. While Lennon’s ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ was a thick chunk of vocals, synthesizers, knotty bass lines with a droning abrupt ending, Side Two’s medley from mostly half-finished songs was brought together beautifully with the support and wisdom of George Martin. The autumn of 1969 - while ‘Abbey Road’ was showing it’s grandeur - had the curiosity of the ‘Paul Is Dead’ spectre mixed into the fold. As Campbell points out, all the signs were (supposedly) there as he generously gives way to the acres of coverage that were posted by not only fans but serious rock writers. McCartney defiantly stonewalled the entire debacle, only to be tracked down in Scotland and resigned to quote that he was in fact, still alive as Campbell delves into the relationship between fans relationships with a band like The Beatles and their emotional reactions to breakups and death. This mindset quickly became apparent as those January 1969 sessions would soon become the band’s swansong. As we have recently witnessed, that time period is covered with misinformation and hazy recollections of sour relationships. In accordance with the publication of this book, Campbell can only cover what was available as far as the film and album are concerned, both of which suffered greatly in the wake of the public announcement that the band was no more by May 1970. The dissolution of the group has - and Campbell quotes Lennon directly - been compared to a divorce. While the tightest pairing of Lennon & McCartney would draw the strongest connotation, the entire band were moving in different directions, both personally and musically. As Campbell notes in Joshua Wolf Shenk’s ‘The Powers of Two’ he quite rightly identifies reasons for a split in partnerships: wedges (where something comes between two people) and stumbles (unable to clear obstacles in the path). No one thing or incident defined the break, not Yoko Ono’s presence or the disagreements on Allen Klein as a business manager. Everyone had simply grown up. As had their fans. Some fans did not simply care about The Beatles and their influence during the 60s; they came to view them as a cultural phenomenon, one that changed their lives forever. As Campbell concludes, the 1970s began with growing cynicism and doubt. The Beatles would splinter into their solo careers and as we know, Lennon would rage with his ‘Plastic Ono Band’ release, McCartney would be the self-styled DIY with ‘McCartney’, Starr would go nostalgia with ‘Sentimental Journey’ and Harrison - he would emerge from the ashes and fly the highest at the start with ‘All Things Must Pass’ and ‘The Concerts for Bangladesh.’ The 1970s would give more of the four - in spurts of grandeur or depths of questioning - but the one overriding question was who would succeed them. Campbell puts forth with some intrigue Steely Dan and of course The Who and The Stones. Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd are also a strong consideration and even The Police, Elton John (not thru coincidence I may add!) and even Bruce Springsteen. However no one person or collection of people or movement or genre would replace The Beatles. As Campbell cannot ignore Lennon’s death in 1980 (and how could that not be ignored), we’ve come to appreciate that short time that they did change us for the better. I give this book 4 out of 4 beetles! https://beatles-freak.com ...more |
Notes are private!
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Dec 16, 2021
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my rating |
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| 3.55
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really liked it
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Sep 12, 2024
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| 4.52
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it was amazing
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Sep 12, 2024
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| 4.25
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it was amazing
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not set
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Jul 11, 2023
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| 5.00
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it was amazing
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not set
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Apr 05, 2023
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| 4.33
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it was amazing
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not set
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Apr 05, 2023
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| 4.38
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it was amazing
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not set
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Apr 04, 2023
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| 4.15
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it was amazing
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not set
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Apr 04, 2023
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| 4.09
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it was amazing
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not set
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Apr 04, 2023
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| 4.50
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it was amazing
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not set
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Apr 04, 2023
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| 4.00
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it was amazing
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not set
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Apr 04, 2023
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| 3.75
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it was amazing
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not set
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Apr 04, 2023
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| 4.47
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it was amazing
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not set
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Apr 04, 2023
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| 4.25
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it was amazing
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not set
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Jun 06, 2022
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| 3.81
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really liked it
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not set
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May 09, 2022
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| 4.17
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it was amazing
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not set
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Apr 20, 2022
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| 4.03
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it was amazing
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not set
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Apr 04, 2022
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| 5.00
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it was amazing
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not set
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Mar 08, 2022
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| 4.38
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it was amazing
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not set
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Jan 24, 2022
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| 3.89
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it was amazing
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not set
not set
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Dec 16, 2021
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| 3.88
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really liked it
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not set
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Dec 16, 2021
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