Thursday, March 31, 2016

"Pure McCartney" .. finally a pure reality, but not without some screwups

Concord/Hear Music

Concord/Hear Music
We were the first to report all the details and tracklists for the new "Pure McCartney" album as it was finally announced today. The story is on our Paul McCartney Examiner page. (The news there is not duplicated on our Beatles Examiner page, so please subscribe.)

It'll be available in 2-CD, 4-CD Deluxe (with a book) and 4-LP vinyl versions. The first fan reactions to it have been extremely mixed with those loving it, those wondering why certain tracks aren't there, and others wondering why it's coming out at all. For what it's worth, he hasn't had a full compilation since 1987's "All the Best".

The cover was revealed prematurely Wednesday night in a screwup by Concord Music, which posted it to their press site, then took it down. Order links also went up early on Amazon and were also taken down, then put back up today. 

Our friend Bob Gannon made another interesting discovery pre-ordering the deluxe album on iTunes, which allows you to get seven downloads in advance. He said all seven preview links were wrong -- and he is absolutely right. "Maybe I'm Amazed" plays "Here Today"; "Jet" plays "Great Day"; "Listen to What the Man Said" had "No More Lonely Nights"; "Uncle Albert" plays "Winedark Open Sea"; "Live and Let Die" had "Goodnight Tonight"; "Save Us" had "Don't Let it Bring You Down" and "Say Say Say 2015" had "Big Barn Bed." We just checked and they're still messed up. And interestingly, Amazon.co.uk doesn't have it listed, though the Evening Standard did a story on it. 

Be sure to check out the blog post before this one with some details from Wednesday night, including the "Pure McCartney" album already out there. 

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

New album is Pure(ly) McCartney





The first details leaked out about "Pure McCartney," a new career-spanning compilation that two retailers, one of them Amazon, say will be out June 10, though there's been no announcement yet. Amazon lists a two-CD regular,  a 4-CD deluxe edition and a vinyl release.  We won't know how the track listing will work until the official announcement, which will likely be Wednesday. 

But as we reported on Paul McCartney Examiner, 67 tracks were named in the second promo video put out Wednesday. They are:  “Maybe I'm Amazed,” “Heart of the Country,” “Jet,” “Warm and Beautiful,” “Listen to What the Man Said,” “Dear Boy,” “Silly Love Songs,” “The Songs They Were Singing,” “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey,” “Early Days,” “Big Barn Red,” “Another Day,” “Flaming Pie,” “Jenny Wren,” “Too Many People,” “Let Me Roll It,” “NEW,” “Live and Let Die,” “English Tea,” “Mull of Kintyre,” “Save Us,” “My Love,” “Bip Bop,” “Let 'Em In,” “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five,” “Calico Skies,” “Hi Hi Hi,” “Waterfalls,” “Band on the Run,” “Appreciate,” “Sing the Changes,” “Arrow Through Me,” “Every Night,” "Junior's Farm,” "Mrs. Vandebilt,” “Say Say Say (2015 Remix),” “My Valentine,” “Pipes of Peace,” “The World Tonight,” “Souvenir,” “Dance Tonight,” “Ebony and Ivory,” “Fine Line,” “Here Today,” “Press,” “Wanderlust,” “Winedark Open Sea,” “Beautiful Night,” “Girlfriend,” “Queenie Eye,” “We All Stand Together,” “Coming Up,” “Too Much Rain,” “Good Times Coming”/“Feel the Sun,” “Goodnight Tonight,” “Baby's Request,” “With a Little Luck,” “Little Willow,” “Only Mama Knows,” “Don't Let It Bring You Down,” “The Back Seat of My Car,” “No More Lonely Nights,” “Great Day,” “Venus and Mars”/“Rock Show,” “Temporary Secretary,” “Hope for the Future” and “Junk.” 

And there actually is already a "Pure McCartney" album by Tim Christensen (see pic above) that will probably get a lot more attention now.  

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Japanese group Love Psychedelico covers the Beatles (and John Lennon) and encounters Yoko Ono



I was looking through a bargain bin the other day and found something by Love Psychedelico, an electropop group led by two Japanese female singers. I'd never heard of them, but what attracted me about their disc was the fact they covered the Beatles' "Help!" When I saw the imagery and energy in their official video for "Freedom" that was on the disc I bought, it reminded me of both Yoko Ono and the Beatles' "Real Love." The first video below is not the official version, but a good live version. And, interestingly, Yoko Ono appears for about a second at the beginning of it.

While their cover of "Help!" didn't do much for me, their covers of "Hey Jude," and, even better, two John Lennon songs, "Watching the Wheels" and "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," are very very good. Take a listen.












Saturday, March 26, 2016

Update: Klaus Voormann charity single going, going …

A self-portrait of Klaus Voormann.


APCOR Records, the guys putting out the 1,000-copy limited edition vinyl Klaus Voormann single for charity, said this week that the single has been pre-selling very well. They expect the disc to ship in late May or early June.

For those who missed the original information, the short story is Klaus Voormann has authorized a special release of a demo he made for Apple Records called “Lu La Le Lu.” The two-sided vinyl disc features the demo on one side and a rare cover of the song by Wishful Thinking on the other. Proceeds are going to the The Intereuropean Human Aid Association (IHA). More details are here.

The disc is available through the A Is For Apple book website. A limited edition of 250 copies that will be signed by Klaus Voormann will be sold for 50 Euros (approximately $55.05 USD, £38.67 UK) with worldwide shipping included. They said that price will stay valid until April 15, when it was rise to 75 Euros (£59.28 UK, $83.76 USD)for the signed copies. (The Fest For Beatles Fans announced today they will also carry the signed version of the single with U.S. shipping for $98.) The remaining unsigned 750 copies will sell for 15 Euros (approximately $16.51 USD, £11.60 UK), also including shipping before April 15 and 20 Euros (£15.81 UK, $22.35 USD) after.

The incredible Mr. Voormann put out a solo album, “A Sideman's Journey,” in 2009. It included “I'm in Love Again,” with a vocal by Paul McCartney and drums by Ringo Starr. It also had many other guest stars.

Friday, March 18, 2016

RIP, Keith

No, not Keith Richards, but Keith Sluchansky, indie record store owner in New York who'd made a lot of Beatles fans happy over the years. He had a YouTube channel that posted rare video, including this one of Sir George Martin.

RIP, Keith.



Wednesday, March 16, 2016

The best Paul McCartney One On One Tour day-by-day story coverage



Photo by Steve Marinucci
Our stories on the McCartney "One On One Tour", starting with the most recent: 

(Please bookmark this page ... it'll be updated regularly)

Here's the list of officially announced One on One Tour dates. Need tickets? Tickets for McCartney's North America One On One Tour shows are available here and also here (orders over $300 on this link get a $10 discount by using the code TNTIX). Additionally, you can get tickets at this link for every one of McCartney's One and One Tour shows both inside and outside of the U.S.  
  1. April 13: Save Mart Center, Fresno, California 
  2. April 15: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon 
  3. April 17: Key Arena, Seattle, Washington
  4. April 19: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia
  5. April 20: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia
  6. April 30: Verizon Arena, Little Rock, Arkansas
  7. May 2: Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
  8. May 4: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  9. May 5: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  10. May 15: Alberto Kempes Stadium, Córdoba, Argentina 
  11. May 17: Estadio Unico de la Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina (Tickets here.)
  12. May 19: Estadio Unico de la Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina (Tickets here.)
  13. May 28: Esprit Arena, Dusseldorf, Germany (Tickets here.)
  14. May 30: Accor Arena, Bercy, Paris, France (Tickets here.)
  15. June 2: Vicente Calderon Stadium, Madrid, Spain (Tickets here.)
  16. June 10: Olympic Stadium, Munich, Germany (Tickets here.)
  17. June 12, Pinkpop Festival, Landgraaf, The Netherlands (Tickets here.)
  18. June 14: Waldbuhne, Berlin, Germany (Tickets here.)
  19. June 16: 02 Arena, Prague, The Czech Republic (Tickets here.)
  20. June 24: Bergenhus Fortress, Bergen, Norway (Tickets here.)
  21. June 25: Mulberry Inn, London (charity show. Liverpool Echo story)
  22. June 27: Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning, Denmark (Tickets here.)
  23. June 30: Rock Werchter, Werchter, Belgium. (Tickets here.)
  24. July 8: SummerFest, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Tickets here and here.) 
  25. July 10: US Bank Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio (Tickets here and here.) 
  26. July 12: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Tickets here and here.) 
  27. July 17: Fenway Park, Boston Massachusetts (Tickets here and here.) 
  28. July 19: Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, Pennsylvania (Tickets here and here.) 
  29. July 21: FirstOntario Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (Tickets here and here.) 
  30. Aug. 7: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey (Tickets here and here.) 
  31. Aug. 9: Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. (Tickets here and here.) 
  32. Aug. 10: Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. (Tickets here and here.) 
  33. Aug. 13: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri (Tickets here and here.) 
  34. Aug. 15: Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Michigan (Tickets here and here.) 
  35. Aug. 17: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio (Tickets here and here.)  
  36. Aug. 18: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio (Tickets here and here.) 
  37. Oct. 4: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California (Tickets here and here.) 
  38. Oct. 5: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California (Tickets here and here.) 
  39. Oct. 8: Desert Trip, Indio, California (Tickets here.)
  40. Oct. 15: Desert Trip, Indio, California (Tickets here.)
SPOILERS! -- Paul McCartney's basic One On One Tour set list. Set list changes listed at bottom.

“A Hard Day's Night”
“Save Us”
“Can't Buy Me Love”
“Letting Go”
“Temporary Secretary”
“Let Me Roll It”
“I've Got A Feeling”
“My Valentine”
“Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five”
“Here, There, And Everywhere”
“Maybe I'm Amazed”
“We Can Work It Out”
“In Spite Of All The Danger”
“You Won't See Me”
“Love Me Do (tribute to Sir George Martin)
“And I Love Her”
“Blackbird”
“Here Today”
“Queenie Eye”
“NEW”
“Fool On The Hill”
“Lady Madonna”
“FourFiveSeconds”
“Eleanor Rigby”
“Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite”
”Something”
“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”
“Band On The Run”
“Back In The USSR”
“Let It Be”
“Live And Let Die”
“Hey Jude”
Encore: “Yesterday”
“Hi Hi Hi”
“Birthday”
“Abbey Road” medley: “She Came In Through the Bathroom Window”/“Golden Slumbers”/“Carry That Weight”/“The End”

Additions and subtractions to set list:
  • April 17: In Seattle, "Helter Skelter" with guest Krist Novoselic of Nirvana added after "Birthday."
  • April 19: In Vancouver (first night), Diana Krall guested on piano on "My Valentine." 
  • April 19: In Vancouver (first night), "Mull of Kintyre" was performed with the Delta Police Pipe Band after "Hi Hi Hi."
  • April 20: In Vancouver (second night), "Mull of Kintyre" was performed again after "Hi Hi Hi." "Birthday" omitted.
  • April 20: In Vancouver (second night), after "Mull of Kintyre," Jimmy Fallon joined in on "I Saw Her Standing There."
  • May 4 and 5 in Minneapolis: At both shows, "Let's Go Crazy" was performed as a tribute to Prince after "Hi Hi Hi."
  • May 17 in Buenos Aires: At this first show in Buenos Aires, Paul McCartney allowed, at her request, a 10-year-old girl musician to play bass with him. They played on "Get Back," which, wasn't included on the official set list. According to setlist.fm, it followed "Yesterday" in the encore. (See this story for more details.)
  • May 19 in Buenos Aires (second night): The encore featured "Jet" after "Yesterday" in place of both "Get Back" and "Hi Hi Hi."  
  • May 28 in Dusseldorf, Germany: "Hi Hi Hi" was added in the encore after "Yesterday," and "Jet" was omitted.
  • May 30 in Paris: "Michelle" added to the Paris show after "FourFive Seconds."
  • June 2 in Madrid: Same set list as Paris except for "Michelle," which was not played.
  • June 12 at Pinkpop Festival: Not played: "Temporary Secretary," "You Won't See Me," "And I Love Her," "Queenie Eye" and "Fool on the Hill." One addition was "Ram On" before "Something." 
  • June 14 in Berlin: The tour returned to a full set list.