%s1 / %s2

Playlist: gOrdO's Beatles

Compiled By: Paul Gordon

 Credit:
No text

The White Album Listening Party: Revisiting The Beatles' Top-Seller (3-Hour / Newscast-Length Version)

From Paul Ingles | 02:42:04

Beatle fans and musicians gather to re-experience The Beatles' top-selling album, which came to be known as The White Album.

Whitealbumthebeatles_small Beatle fans and musicians gather to re-experience The Beatles' top-selling album, which came to be known as The White Album.

NOTE: THIS IS THE THREE HOUR VERSION OF THIS SPECIAL. IF YOUR STATION CAN CLEAR THE TIME, WE FEEL THIS IS THE BEST EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR LISTENERS AS IT RECREATES THE EXPERIENCE OF LISTENING TO THE WHOLE ALBUM. IF YOU CAN ONLY ACCOMMODATE A TWO-HOUR SLOT, THERE IS A TWO-HOUR VERSION AVAILABLE NOW AT PRX. THERE IS ALSO A NON-NEWCAST LENGTHED VERSION OF THIS THREE PART SHOW ON PRX. http://www.prx.org/pieces/29916 ----- November 22, 2008 marks the 40th anniversary of one of The Beatles' most remarkable releases. The two-album set was officially called THE BEATLES, but it became known forever after as The White Album. It was the top-selling of all The Beatles' albums and ranks #11 on the all-time album sales list. Emerging from what many called their three-album psychedelic period that produced Sgt. Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine, The Beatles' White Album was a wildly diverse collection that included instant classics ("Back in the U.S.S.R", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Dear Prudence", "Blackbird"), gentle ballads ("Mother Nature's Son", "I Will", "Julia"), raucous electric rock ("Helter Skelter", "Yer Blues") amusing ditties ("Honey Pie", "Savoy Truffle", "Rocky Raccoon"), and surprising experimental tracks ("Revolution #9"). The writing and performing styles of the four individual Beatles became distinct. Many Beatle fans and historians point to the White Album as the beginning of the break-up of the Beatles. In little over a year, the band would be dissolved. Join award-winning producer Paul Ingles for another one of his in-depth explorations of The Beatles' experience by airing THE WHITE ALBUM LISTENING PARTY. Ingles recalls being 12 years old in 1968 and listening with his best friend to this challenging and, at times, disturbing collection in the basement of his suburban Maryland home. "I knew I couldn't play this one on the family stereo upstairs," says Ingles. "A lot of the music seemed naughty, tortured and edgy." In an effort to re-create that listening experience, Ingles invited about a dozen Beatle fans into the studio to listen through to the album again and share both their memories and more current observations about the landmark music. Among the guests are Beatle author Steve Turner who shares the stories behind each of the White Album tracks. Also, a panel of musicians help listeners tune into the musicality of The Beatles, calling attention to a certain bass line here, a drum lick there, a production trick over there. Other friends share stories of dancing to "Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da", dropping acid to "Glass Onion", or being scared to death by "Helter Skelter" and wishing for a return of the ol' mop-tops. Hour 3 even includes a special combination of both versions of "Revolution" - the fast single and the slower White Album version, mixed and mashed together, courtesy of engineer Douglas Grant. In addition to Steve Turner, Paul's guest list includes musicians Jon Spurney, David Gans, Kristy Kruger, Douglas Grant, and Rob Martinez. KUNM radio personalities Scott MacNicholl, Luciano Urbano, Suzanne Kryder, and Travis Parkin join in as well. ------- The program will be offered in several formats to suit your needs. They will be scripted to allow for them to run either consecutively on one hour at a time over multiple days or weeks. - A three-hour version will include full plays of nearly every song on the two albums for the complete White Album experience. - A two-hour version will include most of the best-known tracks in full and excerpts of the rest. - Both versions will be offered at 54:00 lengths to accommodate hourly newscasts. ----- Programming Suggestions: >>November 22 marking the 40th anniversary of the UK release of the album. >>November 25 marking the 40th anniversary of the US release of the album. >>November 27-30 - Thanksgiving Weekend. >>November 29 - 7th anniversary of George Harrison's Death. >>December 8 - 28th anniversary of John Lennon's Death. >>Throughout the November/December/New Year's Holiday Season. >>In a Holiday or Fundraising Beatles' Marathon with Paul Ingles' other Beatles Documentaries The Beatles In America - 1964 http://www.prx.org/pieces/3512 / http://www.prx.org/pieces/3525 Everything Was Right: The Beatles' Revolver http://www.prx.org/pieces/15368 The Two Sides of Sgt. Pepper: An Honest Appraisal http://www.prx.org/pieces/18227

The Two Sides of Sgt. Pepper: An Honest Appraisal of The Beatles' Classic

From Paul Ingles | 01:57:48

Musicians, writers and fans explore the lore and speak their minds on the Beatles' landmark album SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND.

Dsc00835_small For decades, The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band has ranked highly on many All-Time Best Album lists. Celebrated as the first quasi-concept album in rock, fans and critics have long lauded the songcraft, the pioneering production sounds, and its colorful, now iconic, cover art. Some say it both reflected and drove the burgeoning youth culture through the "Summer of Love" in 1967. In more recent years, some critics have tried to cut through the mythology of the album and reconsider it in every way. Some have ranked other Beatle albums as superior to Pepper and feel the record has been over-hyped. In this two-hour special, producer and host Paul Ingles ("Everything was Right: The Beatles' Revolver" and "The Beatles in America-1964") presents a lively ride that functions as both a celebration of a landmark recording and a balanced survey of critical opinion about "Sgt. Pepper." Listeners will experience this music in a new way as they'll hear both the stories behind the creation of these memorable tracks as well as thoughtful perspectives that place the work in context. The "Pepper Panel" assembled for the show includes musicians, writers, fans and critics. Some still love Pepper. Some "have issues." It features Steve Turner, Ashley Kahn, Anthony DeCurtis, Jim DeRogatis, Greg Kot, Scott MacNicholl, Ann Powers, Deborah Holland, Richard Goldman, Jim Fusilli, Douglas Grant, Leslie Healy, Stuart Madow, Paul Zollo, Jon Spurney, David Gans, Richie Unterberger, and Howard Massey.



The Beatles Greatest Single Ever: Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane

From Paul Ingles | 19:33

Musicians, writers and Beatle fans weigh in on what some critics call the best pop/rock single ever: Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane.

Scan0001_small Taken from the public radio special THE TWO SIDES OF SGT. PEPPER: AN HONEST APPRAISAL, this excerpt spotlights the single The Beatles released from those sessions. Although neither Strawberry Fields Forever nor Penny Lane was included on the ensuing Pepper album, the single, released in February of 1967, is heralded by many critics as one of the most remarkable two-sided hits of all-time. SUGGESTED INTRO TO PIECE: In 1967, pop radio listeners were hearing a new sound from the top band of the time, and some say, of all-times, the Beatles. Like many of the songs on Revolver, The Beatles daring and inventive album from 1966, the single released in the spring of 1967 shook things up as well. The recording sessions that would eventually result their landmark Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band also produced what some call the greatest single of all-time. Reporter Paul Ingles assembled a panel of musicians, writers and fans to recall what was noteworthy about Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane.

A Spin Down Abbey Road (59:00 / 54:00)

From Paul Ingles | 58:59

Music writers, musicians and Beatles fans weigh in on The Beatles' Abbey Road, the album that turned out to have the last songs the band ever recorded together. It was released in September of 1969.

Beatles_abbey-road_small Award-Winning producer Paul Ingles adds another installment to his series of programs spotlighting The Beatles album releases with A Spin Down Abbey Road.  A panel of music writers, musicians and Beatles fans offer historical background on the tracks and their own personal feelings about this landmark album.  Their comments are woven through the music of Abbey Road.

Featured guests are music writers Anthony DeCurtis, Steve Turner, Ann Powers, Richie Unterberger, Jim Derogatis and Greg Kot.  Musician guests include Shawn Colvin, Glen Phillips, Richard Goldman, David Gans, Phil & Tim Hanseroth and Jon Spurney.


The Last Year In The Life of The Beatles - 1969/1970

From Paul Ingles | 01:58:01

A two-hour special that chronologically follows The Beatles through 1969 and 1970 as they record their final tracks, struggle with their company, squabble with each other, pursue other interests, and ultimately split apart.

Beatlesend_small

Although their fans didn't know it, the music The Beatles were making in 1969 turned out to be the last recordings they would ever make as a four-some.  When John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr gathered in the studio the day after New Year's that year, the last chapter of their remarkable journey began with the sometimes contentious Get Back / Let It Be sessions.  The band's business affairs began to unravel soon after and several members' minds started drifting toward getting off The Beatles' merry-go-round.  Still they managed to pull off one final masterpiece, Abbey Road, before being photographed together for the last time in August and formally closing the book on the Beatles early in 1970.
 
Award-winning producer Paul Ingles continues his documentation of The Beatles' story with The Last Year in the Life of The Beatles, a two-hour special that chronologically follows the band through 1969 as they record their final tracks, struggle with their company, squabble with each other, pursue other interests, and ultimately split apart.  Listeners will hear behind the scenes studio chatter, rehearsal takes of songs, and finished classics, mixed with informed commentary from a host of music writers, musicians and fans.  Clips from news events and other classic music from the tumultuous year that ended the 1960's will also be blended in.
 
Commentators include writers Steve Turner, Anthony DeCurtis, Mikal Gilmore, Richie Unterberger, Greg Kot, and Ann Powers, and musicians Shawn Colvin, Richard Goldman, Jon Spurney, and David Gans.

(Song List Will Be Posted Shortly)
 
Ingles has produced programs spotlighting many Beatles albums as well as documentaries on Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Shawn Colvin and Bob Dylan.  More information about his work is at www.paulingles.com.