Hear a bit of the Beatles 78 RPM disc being auctioned

Omega Auctions

This two-sided 78 RPM is being auctioned, as we've reported. Well, the BBC's "5 Live Drive" program played a clip of "Hello Little Girl." We've reported that it's from The Beatles' Decca sessions, but this clip is at a faster speed. But we think it's the Decca tapes at the wrong speed. Anyway, judge for yourself by listening here. Listening to it slowed down shows it's Decca. 

Update: Oxtango White Album Demos

As we mentioned yesterday, Oxtango is releasing a new upgrade of White Album demos. As we noted, this was originally announced for September.

But Oxtango told us today that the versions from last September were actually scrapped and these new versions were completely redone to get "tangible improvements in the sound." "I think that has been achieved," we were told. More on their Facebook page.

New Beatlefan #218

Some highlights of issue 218:

• Brad Hundt makes the case for a deluxe reissue of "Let It Be."
• Ken Sharp talks with director Michael Lindsay-Hogg about making the movie.
• Kit O’Toole and Al Sussman on Beatles streaming. 
• Bruce Spizer on how Capitol created an unplanned hit single with "Nowhere Man"
• Plus memories from Dave Morrell, Dennis Ferrante and Richard Porter.

For a sample issue or subscription info, email goodypress@gmail.com.

New Oxtango White Album demos sampler

Oxtango posted a new video for its White Albums demo package tonight. The set was first announced last September. They said then the new version features a more full-bodied sound with less hiss and overall better balance.

Beatles chart news for week of Feb. 13

Copyright Apple Corps Ltd. 

The "Beatles 1" dropped a few places in the latest Billboard 200 chart for the week of February 20. It now sits at No. 70, down from No. 64 last week. And on the Billboard classical album charts, Milos' "Blackbird: The Beatles Album" sits at No. 21, down from No. 14. A special CD-SHM/DVD package of the album was released in Japan.

On the jazz chart, Diana Krall's "Wallflower," which has a cover of the Beatles' "In My Life" and the previously unreleased McCartney ballad "If I Take You Home Tonight" sits at No. 12, down from No. 9.

In the UK, The Beatles "1" is at #50 on the album chart, while David Bowie albums with "Fame," sung with John Lennon hold multiple places.  The single album "Best of Bowie" is at No. 3, while the 3-CD "Nothing Has Changed: The Very Best of David Bowie" is at #13. And on the vinyl singles chart, the Paul McCartney-Michael Jackson duet "Say Say Say" made it return to the chart at No. 20.

Dhani Harrison and friends in new preview from 'George Fest'

The latest video preview from "George Fest: An Evening to Celebrate the Music of George Harrison" features Dhani Harrison singing "Let It Down." The concert release, which also includes Brian Wilson, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Norah Jones, the Flaming Lips and many others, will be released globally on Feb. 26.

We'd really appreciate it if you would order the set in its various configurations (CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, vinyl) at this link for the U.S. also for the UK, in Germany and Japan.

Courtesy BMG

Beatles author to spin record business stories on new show

Dave Morrell, author of “Horse Doggin'” and “1974: The Promotion Man New York City” about life in the record business in the '70s, will tell more of his tales on the first episode of “The Classics presents 'FABCAST,'” a new Beatles podcast from United Stations Radio Networks that will premiere on April 1. Morrell will co-host the show with Howie Edelson and Stephen Bard.

Dave was a featured speaker at 2014's Beatlefest in Los Angeles and has been a panelist at three of the GRAMMY Museum's Record Theatre events. You can hear Dave talk about some of his stories on a recent episode of “Things We Said Today.” A new interview with Morrell will be in the next issue of Beatlefan.

"A Hard Day's Night" on the big screen in an art deco theater

"A Hard Day's Night" will be playing one day only on Feb. 17 at the luxurious Castro Theatre in downtown San Francisco. There will be two showings at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. The Criterion Collection has released the film on DVD and Blu-ray. The double bill that night will also feature a rare big-screen showing of the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy For the Devil" at 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. 

The theater is located at 429 Castro Street (at Market Street). It is accessible by the MUNI bus line from the K, L or M lines. Muni bus lines that stop nearby are the 33, 35, 37 and 24. The F streetcar runs down Market Street. We saw "Yellow Submarine" there several years ago. The place is gorgeous and has a wonderful sound system. 

   

(For the most current and best source of Beatles news, please subscribe to our Beatles Examiner, Paul McCartney Examiner, George Harrison Examiner and Ringo Starr Examiner columns. And don't miss the weekly Beatles radio show "Things We Said Today" that we co-host with Allan Kozinn, Al Sussman and Ken Michaels.) We would very much appreciate you. And check out our That's What I Want Beatles store for everything Fab.) 

Now out on Blu-ray: "How I Won the War"

This one came out on Blu-ray in mid-January. Haven't seen it yet, but you can order it here for the U.S. or at this link for the UK. For those without a Blu-ray player, the regular DVD has been out since 2011. You can order that here.

(For all the best Beatles news, please subscribe to our Beatles Examiner, Paul McCartney Examiner, George Harrison Examiner and Ringo Starr Examiner columns. And don't miss the weekly Beatles radio show "Things We Said Today" that we co-host with Allan Kozinn, Al Sussman and Ken Michaels.) We would very much appreciate you.) 

"A Hard Day's Night" not a classic?

So the other day, we picked up this book because we love old movies. More than 5,000 entries, the cover says. So we're looking through the book and all the ones you'd expect are there. "Casablanca." "Gone With the Wind." "Ben-Hur." "King Kong." "The Godfather." Not everything in the book is on the list of best movies, but many are, as they should be. But some of the worst were there, too, like "Plan 9 From Outer Space." 

So, as we often do with books, we go looking for Beatle mentions. Like "A Hard Day's Night." Turn the pages to the H's. Not there.  Huh? And no "Help!," "Magical Mystery Tour," "Yellow Submarine" or "Let It Be." Hmm... Curiously, though, the Monkees' "Head" is listed. As is the Dave Clark Five's "Having a Wild Weekend." So is "Jimi Hendrix." "Jailhouse Rock." "Rock, Rock, Rock." "Go, Johnny, Go!" "Beach Blanket Bingo." "Beach Party." 

Tucked in the back are checklists of directors' films. It is there (and only there) we found AHDN, plus "How I Won the War" and the McCartney tour film "Get Back" listed. In tiny print.

The key seems to be the mention in the Editor's Note that the book excludes ("painfully," it says) British films, except for early Hitchcock films and also James Bond movies, but makes an exception for films that "feature predominately Hollywood-associated casts or directors." So presumably, then, John Boorman, who is British, incidentally, and his direction of "Having a Wild Weekend" makes it, but the films of Richard Lester, an American, do not?

By the way, this is not a recent book, but came out in 1999. I have to admit I like the book otherwise because I love reading about classic movies. But this was a huge error and there's no excuse for it. 

(For all the best Beatles news, please subscribe to our Beatles Examiner, Paul McCartney Examiner, George Harrison Examiner and Ringo Starr Examiner columns. And don't miss the weekly Beatles radio show "Things We Said Today" we co-host with Allan Kozinn, Al Sussman and Ken Michaels.) We would very much appreciate you.) 

New Beatles live in Atlantic City 1964 CD --- or is it something else?

Available from Amazon.co.uk on February 26, "The Beatles - Live at the Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1964" on Livewire Records. The description says "From an FM broadcast," which you can take or leave. The track list:  "Twist and Shout," "You Can't Do That," "All My Loving," "She Loves You," "Things We Said Today," "Roll Over Beethoven," "Can't Buy Me Love," "If I Fell," "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "Boys," "A Hard Day's Night," "Long Tall Sally."

We haven't heard the new disc, but according to write-ups about the so-called FM broadcast at the time (in 2014), this is the Fabs at the Convention Hall in Philadelphia, which has been out for many many years under many names including "Live at Atlanta Whiskey Flat." But if you don't have that, this is a cheap way to get it. Quality is very good. But it's not Atlantic City. 

Listen to the full show from a vinyl boot on YouTube. 

Beatles chart news: 2/13/16 issue of Billboard

Copyright Apple Corps. Ltd. 

The new issue of Billboard has barely any chart news of The Beatles. But there is one bit. Yes, we're talking about "1." The album is at #64 on the Billboard 200 album chart, down from #56 last week. It's making its 209th appearance on the chart this week.

The #1 album on the Billboard 200 this week is Adele's "25," in case you were wondering. Coincidentally, it was produced by the guy who Paul McCartney may be recording new material with. Or something. 

(For all the best Beatles news, please subscribe to our Beatles Examiner, Paul McCartney Examiner, George Harrison Examiner and Ringo Starr Examiner columns. And don't miss the weekly Beatles radio show "Things We Said Today" we co-host with Allan Kozinn, Al Sussman and Ken Michaels.) We would very much appreciate you.)