Paul McCartney announces new reissues of four live albums.

By Steve Marinucci

 Paul McCartney has confirmed updated releases of four live albums with performances spanning from 1975 to 1976. The albums — Amoeba Gig, Paul Is Live, Choba B CCCP, Wings Over America — will be released July 12, 2019 via MPL/Capitol/UMe digitally, on CD and on both black and limited edition color vinyl. Notably, the full 21-song set from the Amoeba show will be released for the first time legally. Paul Is Live also has some tracks added to the original lineup. 

Order them through the links below from Amazon.com. (Also at Amazon.co.uk for Great Britain.)

Amoeba Gig has been newly remixed by Paul’s engineer Steve Orchard and will be available in configurations including CD, 2 x 180g black vinyl, and limited edition color vinyl (LP1 - clear, LP2 - hazy amber transparent).

Amoeba Gig vinyl
Amoeba Gig CD

Amoeba Gig (CD)
1. Drive My Car
2. Only Mama Knows
3. Dance Tonight
4. C Moon
5. The Long And Winding Road
6. I’ll Follow The Sun
7. Calico Skies
8. That Was Me
9. Blackbird
10. Here Today
11. Back In The USSR
12. Nod Your Head
13. House Of Wax
14. I’ve Got A Feeling
15. Matchbox
16. Get Back
17. Baby Face
18. Hey Jude
19. Let It Be
20. Lady Madonna
21. I Saw Her Standing There
 
Amoeba Gig (LP)
Side A:
1. Drive My Car
2. Only Mama Knows
3. Dance Tonight
4. C Moon
5. The Long And Winding Road
6. I’ll Follow The Sun
 
Side B:
1. Calico Skies
2. That Was Me
3. Blackbird
4. Here Today
5. Back In The USSR
6. Nod Your Head
 
Side C:
1. House Of Wax
2. I’ve Got A Feeling
3. Matchbox
4. Get Back
 
Side D:
1. Baby Face
2. Hey Jude
3. Let It Be
4. Lady Madonna
5. I Saw Her Standing There
6. Coming Up [Soundcheck]

Paul Is Live has been newly remastered at Abbey Road Studios and will be available in configurations including CD, 2 x 180g black vinyl, and limited edition color vinyl (LP1 - opaque baby blue, LP2 - plush peach white opaque).

Paul Is Live (CD)
1. Drive My Car
2. Let Me Roll It
3. Looking For Changes
4. Peace In The Neighbourhood
5. All My Loving
6. Robbie's Bit (Thanks Chet)
7. Good Rockin' Tonight
8. We Can Work It Out
9. Hope Of Deliverance
10. Michelle
11. Biker Like An Icon
12. Here, There And Everywhere
13. My Love
14. Magical Mystery Tour
15. C'mon People
16. Lady Madonna
17. Paperback Writer
18. Penny Lane
19. Live And Let Die
20. Kansas City
21. Welcome To Soundcheck (link)
22. Hotel In Benidorm (soundcheck)
23. I Wanna Be Your Man (soundcheck)
24. A Fine Day (soundcheck)
 
Paul Is Live (LP)
Side 1:
1. Drive My Car
2. Let Me Roll It
3. Looking For Changes
4. Peace In The Neighbourhood
5. All My Loving
6. Robbie's Bit (Thanks Chet)
 
Side 2:
7. Good Rockin' Tonight
8. We Can Work It Out
9. Hope Of Deliverance
10. Michelle
11. Biker Like An Icon
12. Here, There And Everywhere
13. My Love
 
Side 3:
1. Magical Mystery Tour
2. C'mon People
3. Lady Madonna
4. Paperback Writer
5. Penny Lane
6. Live And Let Die
 
Side 4:
7. Kansas City
8. Welcome To Soundcheck (link)
9. Hotel In Benidorm (soundcheck)
10. I Wanna Be Your Man (soundcheck)
11. A Fine Day (soundcheck)

Paul Is Live vinyl
Paul Is Live CD

Choba B CCCP has been newly remastered at Abbey Road Studios and will be reissued as the original 11-track Russian release. It will be available in configurations including CD, 180g black vinyl, and limited edition opaque yellow vinyl.

Choba B CCCP vinyl
Choba B CCCP CD

Wings Over America will be available in configurations including double CD, 3 x 180g triple vinyl, and limited edition color vinyl (LP1 - transparent red, LP2 - transparent green, LP3 - transparent blue) both come with original souvenir poster.

Wings Over America vinyl 
Wings Over America CD

A must read: Paul McCartney's tender letter to the son of Harry Nilsson

Paul McCartney (MJ KIM/MPL Communications Ltd.)

Zak Nilsson, the oldest son of the late singer Harry Nilsson’s seven children, posted Feb. 16 on social media that he had received a letter from Paul McCartney after the former Beatles bassist had learned Nilsson was being treated for cancer. The letter was dated Feb. 4.

“I got this letter from Paul McCartney the other day. He heard I had cancer and sent me this note. I was very touched that Harry’s friendship meant this much to Paul,” Nilsson wrote on Facebook.

You can read the rest of the story that we wrote on Medium.

Beatles News Briefs 2-part series: The Week The Beatles Hit America

 

"The Week the Beatles Hit America"

A two-part Beatles News Briefs series on YouTube

(Also available on iTunes, Google Play, Podbean and wherever you get your podcasts.)

Part 1

Part 2

The Beatles and 'The Big Bang Theory'

Latest "Beatles News Briefs" podcast -- an exclusive interview with Gay Linvill, the associate director on "The Big Bang Theory," who reveals how the show's biggest Beatles fans and Sirius/XM came together for "Big Bang Beatles."

Listen now!!

Sir Ringo Starr announces new 2019 U.S. tour dates

Photo: Scott Robert Ritchie

Sir Ringo Starr today officially announced a bunch of new U.S. dates in August.

They are:

• August 1 The Colosseum at Caesars, Windsor, Ontario
• August 3 & 4 Ravinia, Highland Park, IL
• August 6 DPAC, Durham, NC
• August 7 & 8 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
• August 10 & 11 Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA
• August 13 Berglund Center Coliseum, Roanoke, VA
• August 14 The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
• August 20 State Farm Center, Champaign, IL
• August 22 Mystic Lake Casino, Prior Lake, MN
• August 23 Harrah’s Council Bluffs Casino, Council Bluffs, IA
• August 25 Santa Fe Opera House, Santa Fe, NM
• August 26 Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
• August 28 Paramount Theatre, Oakland, CA
• August 30 Thunder Valley Casino Resort, Lincoln, CA
• August 31 Vina Robles Amphitheatre, Paso Robles, CA
• September 1 The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

He also announced his annual July 7 Peace and Love birthday event will be at Capitol Records in Los Angeles. Ringo has already announced the first leg of 2019 tour dates would begin with a U.S. show at Harrah’s Resort Southern California on March 21st before the band heads to Japan. The Japanese tour will launch in Fukuoka on March 27th and wrap up April 11th in Osaka.

"Backbeat" coming on Blu-ray

Just announced -- "Backbeat" is being released on Blu-ray Feb. 19 from Shout Factory.
The film, released in 1993, is a gritty look at the early days of the Beatles and features some great music by a band that includes Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters. The blu-ray features: A conversation with Astrid Kirchherr, deleted scenes, interviews with Iain Softley and actor Ian Hart, Iain Softley interview for the Sundance Channel, Audio commentary with Iain Softley, Ian Hart, and Stephen Dorff, TV featurette, casting sessions.

Get it at this link.

Very special Beatles News Briefs show looks into new White Album set

Our Beatles News Briefs podcast has a new special show on the 7-disc White Album deluxe set out today (Nov. 9). The show features three Beatles authors, including new Contributing Editor to the show Candy Leonard ("Beatleness"), plus Brian Southall ("The White Album: Revolution, Politics and Recording: The Album, the Beatles and the World in 1968") and Ken Mansfield ("The Roof: The Beatles Last' Concert") plus a very special interview with set producer Giles Martin conducted at Capitol Records in Hollywood. 

Lots to hear and lots of information. Please let us know what you think and subscribe to the show.

Special free Beatles White Album streaming event with Giles Martin Wednesday on YouTube

Giles Martin to lead special White Album
streaming event on Wednesday. 

Capitol Records/Universal Music Group released the details today of the special streaming event taking place on The Beatles' YouTube channel Wednesday to promote the release of the 7-disc (6 CD and 1 Blu-ray) White Album box set and other 50th anniversary releases of the album this Friday.

The panel event, to be streamed live from London at 7 p.m. GMT (2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT) will feature Martin, plus several British journalists and musicians. They are Dan Stubbs, Commissioning Editor for New Musical Express; Felix White, former guitarist of The Maccabees; Andy Bell, guitarist of Ride; Miles Kane from The Last Shadow Puppets; and Georgie Rogers, presenter, DJ and music journalist from BBC 6 Music, Soho Radio and Foundation FM. The moderator will be Matt Everitt of BBC 6 Music. Miles Kane will also perform a live acoustic version of "I'm So Tired."

The panel will talk about the new anniversary edition, its influence and whether an album as diverse as it is could be released in today's musical environment. Fans online will be able to ask questions and make comments.

(Please share this.)

Two special "Beatles News Briefs" podcasts on White Album preview and passing of Geoff Emerick

On Sunday, we published a report on the White Album listening session we attended last week at Capitol Records.

13 - Beatles News Brief 9.30.18 - Special report on the White Album listening session

Then last night, we did an emergency podcast on the passing of Geoff Emerick.

14 - Beatles News Briefs - Breaking news — Geoff Emerick has died

We also had stories on Emerick on the Billboard and Variety websites.

3 -3 - Beatles News Brief 9.30.18 - Special report on the White Album listening session Beatles News Brief 9.30.18 - Special report on the White Album listening session

3 - Beatles News Brief 9.30.18 - Special report on the White Album listening session

"Egypt Station" hits multiple Top 10s in first chart positions

"Egypt Station" (Copyright MPL Communications)

Paul McCartney's “Egypt Station” has hit the top 10 on nine different charts in its first chartings. It hit #1 in Germany, #2 in The Netherlands and on Ultratop Flanders in Belgium, #3 in Norway, on Official Charts.com in the UK, and on Ultratop Wallonia in Belgium, #4 in Sweden, #5 in Italy, #7 on Ireland, and #12 in New Zealand. And a story on Billboard.com says that it looks like the album will make a #1 debut In the U.S.

Paul is about to play some of those songs in concert as he begins his Freshen Up tour Sept. 17 in Quebec. You can get tickets to shows on the tour here.

'Yellow Submarine' now streaming

"Yellow Submarine" is now streaming on Amazon Prime starting today in the U.S., the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Canada. And the "Yellow Submarine Songtrack" is also streaming on Amazon Music.

New Weeklings single covers Beatles classic

Here's a video of the new Weeklings single,  a cover of "Baby, You're a Rich Man." The song starts out as you would expect and is transformed about 3 minutes into a cozy little beat. It'll be available for download July 20. 

Beatles to release limited edition 'Yellow Submarine' picture disc single

Three views of the new "Yellow Submarine"/"Eleanor Rigby" picture disc. (Courtesy Subafilms)

 The Beatles announced on social media May 30 they'll release a limited edition vinyl picture disc single of "Yellow Submarine"/"Eleanor Rigby." The mixes are taken from "1" and "1+," according to a source we asked at UMG. The release date is July 6. You can order this directly  from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.ca (Canada). Using these links helps us and we appreciate you doing so.  The movie will be back on the big screen starting in July. Tickets are now available at www.yellowsubmarine.film.

We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the classic animation film #yellowsubmarine with a brand new limited edition 7" picture disc! 

— The Beatles (@thebeatles) May 30, 2018

New Cilla Black compilations feature Lennon-McCartney and Lennon remixes, album produced by George Martin

"All Mixed Up"/"Beginnings
Revisited"  (Cherry Red Records)

Cherry Red Records has announced two new 2-CD Cilla Black compilations coming on July 20 -- "Surround Yourself With Cilla"/"It Makes Me Feel Good" and "All Mixed Up"/"Beginnings Revisited."  (Order from Amazon.co.uk here.) The second, however, will be of special interest since it includes dance remixes of a Lennon-McCartney song she recorded "Step Inside Love" and  reworked versions of John Lennon's "Imagine" and Ringo's "Photograph."

The two titles each combine lineups of two previously released CDs. "All Mixed Up"/"Beginnings Revisited" were her last two CDs.  "Beginnings Revisited" featured new versions of early songs.  George Martin produced "Surround Yourself With Cilla," which featured cover versions of songs by the Bee Gees, Paul Simon and Harry Nilsson.  Each set also includes a Cilla interview.

(Order from Amazon.co.uk here.)

"Surround Yourself With Cilla"/"It
Makes Me Feel Good" (Cherry
Red Records)

+ Tracks appearing on CD for first time

Track listing for "All Mixed Up"/"Beginnings Revisited":

 Disc One: Cilla All Mixed Up:  1.Step Inside Love(Almighty Radio Edit)+ 2.Something Tells Me(Almighty Mix) 3.Anyone Who Had A Heart (Almighty Mix) 4.Baby We Can’t Go Wrong (Almighty Radio Edit)+ 5. I Don't Know How To Love Him(David Lee Marks Radio Edit)+ 6.Beautiful Goodbye (Klubkidz Extended Mix)+ 7.Faded Images (Tommy Sandhu's Ram Mix)+ 8.Kiss You All Over (Tommy Sandhu's Big Bill Mix)+ 9. A Fool Am I (Marley M Remix)+ 10. Your Song (Pookadelic Remix)+ 11.Step Inside Love (DJ Ronstar -Step In Daclub Mix)+ 12. Something Tells Me (Dan Thomas Club Mix)+ Bonus Tracks: 13.Black Paper Roses(2009 Chicken Feed Remix) 14. Imagine (Matt Pop Club Mix)

Disc Two: Beginnings: Revisited  1. Kiss You All Over (2009 Mix)+ 2. Imagine (2009 Mix)-With Cliff Richard + 3.BEAUTIFUL Goodbye(2009 Mix -Full Version)+ 4.Let There Be Love (2009 Mix)+ 5.Beginnings (2009 Mix)+ 6.This Kiss (2009 Mix -Extended Version)+ 7.My Man (YOU’VE Changed My Tune) (2009 Mix)+ 8. If You Could Read My Mind(2009 Mix)+ 9. I've Been Wrong Before (2009 Mix)+ 10. Photograph (2009 Mix)+ 11. Anyone Who Had A Heart (LATE Night Version)(2009 Remix)+ 12. Step Inside Love (All Burnt Out Remix) 13. Kiss You All Over(2009 Acoustic Mix) 14.Imagine (2009 Acoustic Mix)+ 15. Beautiful Goodbye (Klubkidz Remix -Radio Edit) 16.Imagine(2009 Orchestral Mix)+ 17. My Man (YOU’VE Changed My Tune) (2009 Alternate Mix)+ 18.Beautiful Goodbye(2009 Stripped Down Mix)

Track listing for "Surround Yourself With Cilla"/"It Makes Me Feel So Good": 

Disc One: Surround Yourself With Cilla:   1.Aquarius 2.Without Him 3.Only Forever Will Do 4.You'll Never Get To Heaven (IF You Break My Heart) 5. Forget Him 6.It'll Never Happen Again 7. Think Of Me 8. I am A Woman 9.Words 10.Red Rubber Ball 11.Liverpool Lullaby 12.Surround Yourself With Sorrow bonus Tracks 13. London Bridge 14.Your Heart Is Free (JUST Like The Wind) 15.Quando Si Spezza Un Grande Amore (Mono) 16.SURROUND Yourself With Sorrow (False Start) 17. Surround Yourself With Sorrow(Take 9 -2009 Mix –Without Fade) 18.Aquarius(Mono)+ 19.Without Him (Mono)+ 20.ONLY Forever Will Do (Mono)+ 21.YOU'LL Never Get To Heaven (IF You Break My Heart) (Mono)+ 22. FORGET Him (Mono)+ 23.THINK Of Me (Mono)+ 24.WORDS (Mono)+ 25.RED Rubber Ball (Mono)+ 26. LIVERPOOL Lullaby (Mono) 27. SURROUND Yourself With Sorrow (Mono)+

Disc Two: It Makes Me Feel Good: 1.Something About You 2.I'll Take A Tango 3.September Love Affair 4.Lay The Music Down 5.San Diego Serenade + 6.HEARTBEAT 7.RUNNING Out Of World+ 8.To Know Him Is To Love Him 9.It Makes Me Feel Good 10.Lay It All Down 11.One Step From Your Arms 12.Lovin' Land + BONUS Tracks 13.Fantasy 14.It’s Now 15.I Believe (When I Fall In Love, It Will Be Forever) 16. Easy In Your Company + 17.Little Things Mean A Lot 18.A Bad Case Of Rock 'N' Roll 19.Slow Dance+ 

Writer takes up challenge for funny song about Beatle-hating girlfriend

Ken Sharp, the author of "Starting Over: The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy" and other books on music, also dabbles in recording. He took up a challenge from his co-producer and pal, Fernando Perdomo, who suggested he write a song about a girlfriend who disliked the Beatles. Sharp, who is a huge Beatles fan, told us, "Given that I LOVE The Beatles and they’re my favorite group I took him up on that challenge. The song is about a guy who is in a good relationship, his girlfriend treats him very well, but her dislike of the Fab Four is a major deal breaker and he has to break off the relationship. I mean, who is their right mind could hate the Beatles, right?"

The song was recorded and produced by Sharp and Perdomo and recorded at Reseda Ranch Studios in Reseda, CA.

And the lyrics are cute. Here's one verse: "She don’t know John from Paul, but baby what’s the worst of all, she thinks Wings is a TV show and Lennon is a Russian mole."

You can get the song here.

Beatles festival to feature The Fifth Estate ("Ding Dong, the Witch Is Dead")

The Fifth Estate (Courtesy Liverpool Productions)

Liverpool Productions announced today that the 2018 Fab 4 Music Festival will be held on from 1 to 10 p.m. June 9 at the Toyota Oakdale Theater, 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford, CT 06492. The event will feature 20 groups on two stages, both indoors and outdoors.
Special guest performers will be The Fifth Estate, whose hit song "Ding, Dong, The Witch Is Dead" hit #11 on the Billboard singles charts during an 11-week run. Other live acts include The Hofners, Penny Lane, Number Nine, The Taxmen, Rotary, Take Two & Call Me In The Morning, Double The Dial, Corporation TeeShirt, Beatlehead and Pat Horgan's Thunder Road.

The Fab 4 Music Festival is presented by Live Nation is association with Liverpool Productions, which presented "NYC FAB 50: The Beatles' 50th Anniversary Celebration" in New York City, and have produced the Connecticut Beatles conventions since 1978. They also organize the annual "Magical History Tour" fan vacations to Liverpool and London. For further info, visit website www.Fab4MusicFestival.com or call (203) 795-4737.

Julian Lennon sets book autograph sessions in New York and L.A.

Julian Lennon announced today he will sign copies of his new book "Heal the Earth" at 7 p.m. April 6 at Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003 and 7 p.m. April 13 at Barnes & Noble The Grove at Farmers Market, 189 The Grove Drive Suite K 30
Los Angeles, CA 90036.

Amazon purchase link for "Heal the Earth" 

Amazon purchase link for "Touch the Earth" (his previous children's book)

Paul McCartney announces four new reissues for 2018

Paul McCartney announced today catalog upgrade reissues of "Chaos and Creation In the Backyard," "Wings Greatest," "NEW" and "Thrillington" with single CDs and colored vinyl due May 18. All four titles will be issued in single CD digipak and 180 gram black vinyl single LP formats and be made available for the first time in limited edition 180gram color vinyl pressings. All vinyl LPs will include a download card. Here are ordering links from those that are currently available on Amazon.

• "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" 2018 CD
• "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" 2018 vinyl
• 'NEW" 2018 CD
• "NEW" 2018 vinyl
• "Thrillington" 2018 CD and vinyl
• "Wings Greatest" 2018 CD (Amazon.co.uk)

New book by Klaus Voormann to be revealed

Klaus Voormann's new book (Photo courtesy Klaus Voormann)

Klaus Voorman has announced he'll be revealing details of a new book called "It Started In Hamburg" on April 10 on his website.  (Thanks to John Bezzini for the alert.)

RIP: Beatles expert Bruce Hamlin

Some sad news: Bruce Hamlin, one of the pre-eminent Beatles authorities in Australia, has died. Don't know if his name was that well known in the States, but he was very well known in Australia and was responsible for The Beatles Information Record Service there.

RIP...