THE BIG THRILL!

Many thanks to Derek Gunn for some great questions and to THE BIG THRILL for the opportunity!

Read the interview here: http://www.thebigthrill.org/2018/02/all-saints-by-jason-jack-miller/

THE PRESTON BLACK MIX TAPE IS HERE!

See it at Amazon!

The PRESTON BLACK MIX TAPE bundle is a literary box set! (Almost 220,000 words of Preston Black goodness.) You get both Preston Black novels—THE DEVIL & PRESTON BLACK and THE REVELATIONS OF PRESTON BLACK, plus two short stories that were only available in other anthologies. ALMOST A NEW YEAR is a vignette that shows how family and friends deal with the loss of a deployed soldier, in this case Stu Croe. RHYTHM OF WAR is Ben Collins’ first person account of his role in the Battle of Fallujah.

In addition to the stories above, you get the following essays, articles, and non-fiction bits I’ve published in various places over the course of writing the first two Preston Black novels:

• THE DEVIL & PRESTON BLACK Reading & Resource Guide
• THE REVELATIONS OF PRESTON BLACK Reading & Resource Guide
• THE MUSIC OF THE REVELATIONS OF PRESTON BLACK
• JASON JACK MILLER’S SOUNDCHECK: DON’T BE THAT GUY! THE FINAL SAY IN THE CONCERT T-SHIRT DEBATE
• JASON JACK MILLER’S SOUNDCHECK: THE MUSIC AND THE REVELATIONS OF PRESTON BLACK
• Because You CAN’T, You WON’T, You DON’T Stop: ADAM YAUCH
• Murder Ballads and Old Magic
• A LOOK BACK, A LOOK AHEAD
• AMERICANA MUSIC: THE ROOT(s) of (SOME, NOT ALL) EVIL
• PATHS TO PUBLICATION: Preston Black
• PUTTING THE BOOK TO BED
• HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRESTON BLACK!

THE BEATLES(ish) ON SPOTIFY!

 

Of course none of the music of The Beatles is available on Spotify, but here's the next best thing--a collection of amazing Beatles' covers done by a variety of artists! 

John Lennon Cover Project!

In an effort to try to stay positive this weekend, I'm spending it listening to all of the music Lennon gave us. I've written other posts about what his music means to me, and what he means to me, so I figured I'd do something a little different and compile my favorite Lennon covers. Here are just a few from his time with The Beatles and from his solo stuff, played by people who are also very important to me.

Hope you enjoy them!

Beatles on Ready Steady Go, November 23, 1964.

So I'm watching this Beatles vid from this day in 1964, and I'm trying to draw parallels to my own career. Which is stupid, because I'm not a Beatle. But I figure THIS is still their infancy. THIS is the band before the alternate personas and transcendental meditation.

I know, I know... These are The Beatles and you're just writing books about a guitar player and a woman who may or may not be the devil. But I love the idea of a young band, playing just to play. Smiling at the camera like nobody's watching. And that's how I write on a good day. Like nobody's reading. And that's why I'm going to continue to look at The Beatles as role models in 2014. And the haters can just keep hating.

Preview of 'The Beatles Live at The BBC: Volume 2' album streams online – listen

Thought the idea of an embed was a great way to promote the new release.

(Non-winning) Beatles Grammy nominations (Winners in parentheses)

 

(Sad Beatles are sad.)

 

Because sometimes it's all about perspective. 

 

From http://abbeyrd.best.vwh.net/grammy.htm See more of the list, and other lists there.

 

(Non-winning) Beatles Grammy nominations (Winners in parentheses.)

1964, Record of the Year -- The Beatles, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (Getz and Gilberto, "The Girl From Ipanema")

1964, Songwriter's Award -- John Lennon, Paul McCartney --"A Hard Day's Night" ("Hello, Dolly!")

1964, Best Rock and Roll Recording -- The Beatles, "A Hard Day's Night" (Petula Clark, "Downtown")

1964, Best Original Score Written For a Motion Picture or TV Show -- The Beatles, "A Hard Day's Night" ("Mary Poppins")

1965, Album of the Year -- The Beatles, "Help!" (Frank Sinatra, "September of My Years")

1965, Record of the Year -- The Beatles, "Yesterday" (Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, "A Taste of Honey")

1965, Song of the Year -- John Lennon, Paul McCartney, "Yesterday" ("The Shadow of Your Smile")

1965, Best Vocal Performance, Male -- Paul McCartney, "Yesterday" (Frank Sinatra, "It Was a Very Good Year")

1965, Best Performance By a Vocal Group -- The Beatles, "Help!" (Anita Kerr Quartet, "We Dig Mancini")

1965, Best Contemporary (R&R) Single -- Paul McCartney, "Yesterday" (Roger Miller, "King of the Road")

1965, Best Contemporary (R&R) Vocal Performance, Male -- Paul McCartney, "Yesterday" (Roger Miller, "King of the Road")

1965, Best Contemporary (R&R) Performance By a Group, Vocal Or Instrumental -- The Beatles, "Help!" (Statler Brothers, "Flowers on the Wall")

1965, Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist or Instrumentalist -- George Martin, "Yesterday" (Gordon Jenkins, "It Was a Very Good Year")

1965, Best Original Score, Motion Picture Or TV Show -- John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ken Thorne, "Help!" (Robert Arnbruster Orchestra, "The Sandpiper")

1966, Album of the Year -- The Beatles, "Revolver" (Frank Sinatra, "A Man and His Music")

1966, Best Vocal Performance, Male -- Paul McCartney, "Eleanor Rigby" (Frank Sinatra, "Strangers in the Night")

1966, Best Contemporary (R&R) Recording -- Paul McCartney, "Eleanor Rigby" (New Vaudeville Band, "Winchester Cathedral") (Also nominated in this category, but not winning: The Beach Boys, "Good Vibrations")

1966, Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist Or Instrumental -- George Martin, "Eleanor Rigby" (Ernie Freeman, "Strangers in the Night")

1967, Best Performance By a Vocal Group -- The Beatles, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (The Fifth Dimension, "Up Up and Away")

1967, Best Contemporary Group Performance, Vocal Or Instrumental -- The Beatles, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (The Fifth Dimension, "Up Up and Away")

1967, Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) Or Instrumentalist(s) -- The Beatles, George Martin, "A Day in the Life" (The Fifth Dimension, Jimmie Haskell, "Up Up and Away")

1968, Album of the Year -- The Beatles, "Magical Mystery Tour" (Glenn Campbell, "By the Time I Get to Phoenix")

1968, Record of the Year -- The Beatles, "Hey Jude" (Simon & Garfunkel, "Mrs. Robinson")

1968, Song of the Year -- John Lennon and Paul McCartney, "Hey Jude" (Bobby Russell, "Little Green Apples")

1968, Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Performance, Duo or Group -- The Beatles, "Hey Jude" (Simon & Garfunkel, "Mrs. Robinson")(Also nominated, but not winning: Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66, "Fool on the Hill")

1969, Album of the Year -- The Beatles, "Abbey Road" (Blood, Sweat & Tears, "Blood, Sweat & Tears")

1969, Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Group -- The Beatles, "Abbey Road" (The 5th Dimension, "Aquarius"/"Let the Sunshine In")

1969, Best Original Score Written For a Motion Picture Or TV Special -- The Beatles, "Yellow Submarine" (Burt Bacharach, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid")

1970, Record of the Year -- The Beatles, "Let It Be" (Simon & Garfunkel, "Bridge Over Troubled Waters")

1970, Song of the Year -- The Beatles, "Let It Be" (Simon & Garfunkel, "Bridge Over Troubled Waters")

1970, Best Contemporary Vocal Performance By a Duo Or Group -- The Beatles, "Let It Be" (The Carpenters, "Close To You")

1970, Best Contemporary Song -- John Lennon and Paul McCartney, "Let It Be" (Paul Simon, "Bridge Over Troubled Waters")

Top 9: Yellow Submarine Clips

In honor of YELLOW SUBMARINE'S 1968 New York City premier.

YELLOW SUBMARINE'S Trailer.


9. YELLOW SUBMARINE


8. NOWHERE MAN


7. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE


6. LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS


5. ONLY A NORTHERN SONG


4. ELEANOR RIGBY


3. SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND


2. IT'S ALL TOO MUCH


1. HEY BULLDOG

Download Yonder Mountain String Band, Cain's Ballroom, Tulsa, OK 01/29/05

     I reached into my pocket.
     "What’re you looking for?" Katy said.
     I showed her the long set of rattles I found in my dad’s closet. Jamie watched with keen interest, then said, "To keep the devil away, huh?"
     "Think I need it?" I gave him a half smile which he didn’t reciprocate. I dropped the rattles into an f-hole, then gave it a shake.
     Preston said, "Those don't always work, you know."
     "You hush up now, Preston." Jamie looked at me, "Hell Up Coal Holler, on three?"
     Jamie, Katy and I drew my bows like archers about to fire. When we released, sad triads floated into the valley. The syrupy notes that sprang from my f-hole stunned even my own ears. That unmistakable sound couldn’t be produced where Kentucky’s bluegrass sprouted. They were too busy with horses and basketball. And that sound couldn’t be produced in Tennessee’s Smoky hollows; they were too worried about Country and Western. That sad squeal was pure West Virginia. As I played I could feel the devil riding my bow.
     I had a real hard time keeping up with Jamie and Katy, who played these notes with well-practiced flourishes. These twelve notes, which journeyed with my pap’s grandfather over the gray North Atlantic when famine forced him from Ireland’s stony-green shore. These twelve notes, which sustained my grandmother’s grandmother when food couldn’t, when her trail led over frosty ridges into territory still haunted by ghosts of the first people. These few measures, which I played to announce my gratitude, to announce that my blood flowed for those who made me what I was, and for those who would speak of me when I was dead.

From the novel, HELLBENDER.

Banjos and Beatles. They said it would never work.

Download the show at Sugarmegs.

Yonder Mountain String Band
01/29/05
Cain's Ballroom
Tulsa, OK

Source: SBD (xlr out) > UA-5 (Oade warm mod) > Nomad JB3 @ 44.1 khz
Transfer: Nomad JB3 > PC (via USB) > CD Wave > FLAC16
Taped, transferred, and converted by Phil Rollins (philrollins@hotmail.com)

*******Do not encode to MP3 or sell this recording*******
*******Please contact me if you are going to do any remastering of this
recording*******

Set I
Disc 1

1. Intro
2. Bloody Mary Morning
3. Half Moon Rising
4. Easy As Pie
5. Near Me
6. Old Plank Road
7. New Horizons>
8. Finally Saw The Light>
9. New Horizons
10. Rag Mama
11. Idaho>
12. Come Together>
13. Traffic Jam


Set II

Disc 2
1. Intro #
2. Ruby
3. What's Going On In The Head Of That Woman
4. Night Is Left Behind
5. Hit Parade Of Love
6. Sharecropper's Son
7. Train Bound For Gloryland> *
8. Little Rabbit> *
9. Granny Woncha Smoke Some *

Disc 3
1. Sometimes I've Won
2. You're No Good
3. Only A Northern Song>
4. Snow on the Pines>
5. Mother's Only Son
Encore:
6. Crowd
7. Reuben & Cherise

Download The Beatles, Shea Stadium, New York, New York, August 15, 1965

     “And at least once a day I ask myself what if I hadn’t given up. You know, what if I’d have kept at it for another year more.” Mick waved me aside. Once his line of sight cleared he relaxed.
      “So you think I should keep going?”
      “Is failing something you can live with?”
      “Why would I have to fail?”
      “You’re going to fail a lot before you ever get it right, son. Your skin’s thick enough and your head’s hard enough that in ten or fifteen years you’ll know.”
      “Know what?”
      “Whether or not it’s time to give it up. Giving up too early leaves a pretty sour feeling. Might be the only thing worse than hanging on too long.”

From THE DEVIL AND PRESTON BLACK

When I was a kid I didn't have many heroes. I can't remember if it was some sort of discontentment, or just plain ignorance. I mean, I liked Han Solo and all, but I knew I'd never pilot my very own Millennium Falcon. So I think, in retrospect, this was why I wasn't very ambitious.

Blame grunge and Eddie Vedder, but my musical heroes were not, to my teen-aged mind, hard workers. Pink Floyd, Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Soundgarden gave the appearance of rolling out of bed and playing shows in what ever they happened to be wearing. Magazine articles focused on lifestyle and 'shredding' which was why I focused on weed and 'shredding.' Not sure how I missed all the stuff about hard work.

And that's what I like about Lennon and The Beatles. Enough has been written about the band to provide a blueprint for guys like me who otherwise would have no idea how to pursue success. They were perfectionists, tenacious and they weren't afraid to have a laugh. Reading Lennon's bio by Philip Norman right now, and in some ways, the book is magic. I mean, IT'S ALL THERE. Laid out. Everything a boy needs to dominate the world.

But I'm not a boy. And I'm not John Lennon. Doesn't matter though. World domination... It's coming.

"To the toppermost of the poppermost!"

Download the show at Sugarmegs.

Artist: The Beatles

Album: The Beatles And The Great Concert at Shea!

Label: Yellow Dog Masters Choice

Source: Silver CD > EAC > Flac Frontend > You

CD 1

Line Recording (part 1)

1. Introduction
2. Twist And Shout
3. She's A Woman
4. I Feel Fine
5. Dizzy Miss Lizzy
6. Ticket To Ride
7. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
8. Can't Buy Me Love
9. Baby's In Black
10. Act Naturally
11. A Hard Day's Night
12. Help!
13. I'm Down

--A few other acts round out the first disc, but I've edited them out of the track list for the sake of space.

CD 2

Original 1966 BBC Soundtrack

6. Introduction
7. Twist And Shout
8. I Feel Fine
9. Dizzy Miss Lizzy
10. Ticket To Ride
11. Act Naturally
12. Can't Buy Me Love
13. Baby's In Black
14. A Hard Day's Night
15. Help!
16. I'm Down

The entire Shea Stadium Concert 1965 plus the BBC TV special and a reproduction
of the vinyl album THE BEATLES LIVE AT SHEA as described by Erupting fans [???].
For the first time ever the complete unedited version of the famous Shea Stadium concert.

A HARD DAY'S NIGHT The Film

Required viewing for anybody who's ever heard a note of music. Thanks to Hulu.com for the free stream.

BEATLES COVER PROJECT: A Hard Day's Night

This is my favorite 'old' album. I guess because it's the first album that consists mostly originals. I wonder if that's why the quality of covers is better?

Anyway, the quality of covers is much better, even if you disregard all the Beach Boys stuff. Many standouts on here for me, including the Maroon 5 and Sugarcult covers. I'm a little lukewarm on the She and Him cover, although I like the intent. Please leave a comment with your favorite cover and why.

A HARD DAY'S NIGHT: Sugarcult


I SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER: She and Him


I SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER: The Beach Boys


IF I FELL: Maroon 5


IF I FELL: Weezer


I'M HAPPY JUST TO DANCE WITH YOU: The Cyrkle


AND I LOVE HER: Pat Metheny


AND I LOVE HER: The Wailers


TELL ME WHY: April Wine


TELL ME WHY: The Beach Boys


CAN'T BUY ME LOVE: Chet Atkins


ANY TIME AT ALL: Nils Lofgren


I'LL CRY INSTEAD: Joe Cocker


THINGS WE SAID TODAY: Dwight Yoakam


WHEN I GET HOME: The Hassles


YOU CAN'T DO THAT: Vanilla Fudge


I'LL BE BACK: UB40

Beatles Cover Project: WITH THE BEATLES

While a little easier than PLEASE, PLEASE ME, WITH THE BEATLES still proved to be a bit of a challenge. Sorry about "All I've Got to Do." Redemption comes from Franz Ferdinand, Robert Palmer, and, as much as I hate to say it, Amy Winehouse.

It Won't Be Long FRANZ FERDINAND


All I've Got to Do LINDA RONSTADT and PETER ASHER


All My Lovin' AMY WINEHOUSE


Don't Bother Me DELAVERDE


Little Child THE INMATES


'Til There was You PEGGY LEE (This was the version that inspired Paul.)


Please Mr. Postman THE MARVELETTES (original recording artist)


Roll Over Beethoven CHUCK BERRY (original recording artist)


Hold Me Tight THE TREASURES


You Really Got A Hold On Me SMOKEY ROBINSON (original recording artist)


I Wanna Be Your Man THE ROLLING STONES


Devil In His Heart THE DONAYS (original recording artist)


Not A Second Time ROBERT PALMER


Money (That's What I Want) BARRETT STRONG

Beatles Cover Project: PLEASE PLEASE ME

First in a series of cover versions, by album, in order. I hope it gets easier. I hope the covers get better.

I Saw Her Standing There THE TUBES


Misery KENNY LYNCH


Anna (Go to Him) Arthur Alexander (original recording artist)


Chains THE COOKIES (original recording artist)


Boys THE SHIRELLES (Original recording artist)


Ask Me Why LES LIONCEAUX (Je Suis Fou)


Please Please Me MATT DUSK


Love Me Do DAVID BOWIE


P.S. I Love You

Baby It's You THE SHIRELLES (original recording artist)


Do You Want to Know a Secret BILLY J. KRAMER & THE DAKOTAS


A Taste of Honey HERB ALPERT AND THE TIJUANA BRASS BAND


There's a Place THE SMITHEREENS


Twist and Shout TOP NOTES (original recording artist)

THE MUSIC AND PRESTON BLACK The Beatles, River Rhine Tapes 1969

From THE DEVIL AND PRESTON BLACK:

    To his credit, he let it go. Maybe he was right, and maybe I knew it, but now wasn't the time. So we did my third song, which I called "Twickenham." The mediocre mid-tempo riff sounded too much like Social D. I wrote it about George Harrison after seeing the abuse he put up with while recording Get Back.
    I considered doing the Preston Black song as a fourth cut, but by the time I changed my mind Jamie started transferring files and fiddling with levels and all that, so I figured we were done. He burned me a disc, then said we'd leave in a bit, and that Katy would meet us later.

"Nobody ever loved me like she does..." Don't Let Me Down, John Lennon.

For some reason I'm very partial to LET IT BE. I think it was because everybody else went for ABBEY ROAD or SGT. PEPPER. Little did I know when I picked the disc up I was catching a glimpse of a band in free fall. Yoko attached herself to John's hip and George had quit the band a few times. Paul's attempts to rebuild the band through live performances had the exact opposite effect--the others began to resent him for his pursuit of perfection.

The RIVER RHINE TAPES are a very clean set of outtakes from the LET IT BE rehearsals. If you're somebody who has overlooked this album because it's not ABBEY ROAD or the WHITE ALBUM, this is your chance to see what you've been missing. Highlights for me include Dig a Pony, Don't Let Me Down, the I, Me, Mine Waltz, and Across the Universe. It's a nice look at what could've been.


Download the show at Sugarmegs.com

The Beatles, River Rhine Tapes 1969

SOURCE- SILVER CD - FLAC (level4)
Quality - EX+

01.Two of Us [03:39]
02.I Dig A Pony [03:55]
03.I Got A Feeling [03:53]
04.Dont Let Me Down [03:36]
05.I Me Mine Waltz [01:26]
06.Let it Be [03:37]
07.For You Blue [02:52]
08.One After 909 [03:19]
09.Long and Winding Road [03:47]
10.Get Back [03:48]
11.Oh Darling [02:42]
12.Across the Universe [03:22]
13.Dig it [02:17]
14.(Track Deletet) [01:51]
15.Good Rockin Tonite [01:43]
16.20 Flight Rock [02:09]
17.Her Majesty [01:43]
18.Maxwells Silver Hammer by John [01:10]
19.Maxwells Silver Hammer by Paul [03:39]
20.Suzy Parker [02:00]
21.Bad Finger Boogie [01:17]
22.Mean Mr Mustard [01:21]
23.All Things Must Pass [03:09]
24.The Walk [03:54]
25.River Rhine [04:20]
26.Billybeatle Boogie [05:18]

SHARE FREELY, AND ENJOY. 75:47 min

THE MUSIC AND PRESTON BLACK: Strawberry Fields Forever THE COMPLETE HISTORY

From THE DEVIL AND PRESTON BLACK:

    "Here's a quiet one for you all. But mostly, this one's for Stu."
    I had notebooks full of songs and hadn't memorized a single lyric, title, or chord. Even though I'd be singing a lie, I leaned into the mic, closed my eyes and drew in all the breath I'd ever need. I whispered the first line to "Strawberry Fields Forever."
    A few people clapped.
    I ignored them. This song was too beautiful for this crowd, for this room. And as I sang, the true meaning of the song began to unfold like a map of the universe. I used to think Lennon meant that the people with their eyes closed just had to expand their consciousness or whatever, a metaphorical eye-opening. Start seeing with their hearts. But while I stood there, strumming somebody else's chords and thinking that Stu's departure meant the end to my time making music, I realized that my eyes had been closed.
    And it wasn't that I couldn't understand the things I saw. The truth was I was only capable of seeing misunderstanding. I'll be doing covers forever.
    Stu came out of the bathroom and stopped. I found his face and shut out everybody else's. I knew it was a dream, and he knew that I knew. But the words I sang were words I needed to hear. Maybe more than Stu needed to hear them. But if Stu and everybody else thought I sang to Stu I figured it was okay to go on letting them think that.
    Nothing is real I kept telling myself. Because we never built anything real. Like maybe I should've been trying to make something of myself instead of worrying about what Pauly wanted. People clapped though. For the first time tonight somebody did something on this stage worth acknowledging. Stu pointed at me then saluted. If only he knew that I'd have done anything to keep him from putting that uniform back on.

Little Mike Rega told me that one of Sir George Martin's biggest regrets was releasing "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane" on a 45 instead of including them on SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND. Mike went on to say if he could ask Martin one question, it would be where he would've put the songs on the track list.

"Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." I could write a thesis on what I think Lennon meant, or what the song means to me, and in a way I suppose I did. Being afraid of living with eyes closed is the same as living with eyes closed.


Download the Complete History of Strawberry Fields here.

From http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/asxcards/Beatles_A_complete_history_of_Strawberry_Fields.html

Beatles - It’s Not Too Bad, Peg Boy 1997

Taken from original CD, extracted by NeroMix, converted to flac by Nero Mix

A complete history of Strawberry Fields Forever, from demo to (nearly) final version. Two tracks have been removed as they exist in similar form on commercial release.

Santa Isabel Demos:
1. Warm-up
2. Take 1
3. Take 2
4. Take 3
5. Take 4
6. Takes 5 and 6
7. Rehearsal

Kenwood Demos
8. Electric Guitar Overdub Rehearsal
9. Electric Guitar Overdubs onto Instrumental Demo
10. Demo Playback with chat
11. Vocal Overdub onto Demo
12. Demo Playback
13. Electric Guitar Demo 1
14. Electric Guitar Composing Sequence
15. Electric Guitar Demo 8
16. Mellotron/Vocal overdubs onto Composing Sequence

EMI Sessions
17. Take 1 (Removed from torrent – re-mixed version available on “Anthology”)
18. Take 2
19. Takes 3 and 4
20. Takes 5 and 6
21. Take 7 (Tape Reduction Take 6)
22. Take 7 (RM3)
23. Take 25
24. Tale 26
25. RS5 (Removed from torrent – remix of commercial version of song)

Full info can be found at http://www.bootlegzone.com/album.php?name=pb1008§ion=1

JOHN LENNON AND DECEMBER 8, 1980, ALL OVER AGAIN

It’s a bit embarrassing to admit this, but I didn’t discover The Beatles until about ten years ago.

NEVERMIND came out when I was a junior in high school. That album’s release was supposed to have been the shot heard through the Gen X world, but I got into Pearl Jam a whole lot more than I ever did Nirvana. And as far as I was concerned, the kind of music I listened to sprang from seeds like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath. The Beatles, and the Beach Boys, and Chuck Berry were oldies radio. Background. My mom liked The Beatles. That’s who we were rebelling against.

So yeah, my youthful naivety deprived me of the greatest band I’d ever hear. I don’t have a problem with that, because I believe I found The Beatles exactly when I was supposed to. In my thirties and unsatisfied with the life I’ve been living. The music I loved becoming the background noise I resented so much in high school. My passion to pick up my guitar waned as I felt myself plateauing as a player. Strumming out riffs on my porch swing with a glass of bourbon was relaxation, not the passion it’d once been.

I can’t remember how I got into The Beatles. May have been LET IT BE…NAKED in 2003, or a random Yonder Mountain String Band Beatles’ cover. Must’ve been the LET IT BE, because DON’T LET ME DOWN stands out as the song that changed everything for me. It didn’t sound like The Beatles I knew about--sock hops and cruisin' (without the ‘g’) or whatever. It was like I stumbled upon an entirely new genre.

And when I watched video from the Rooftop Concert, it made me sad to learn the stuff I liked came so close to the end. And even though I went backwards and bought the whole catalog and downloaded concerts and studio outtakes with esoterica like multiple versions of STRAWBERRY FIELDS and THE ESHER DEMOS, I couldn’t help feeling like I was getting to the scene a little too late. Like, if I’d gotten PLEASE, PLEASE ME first I would’ve experienced a rise and fall with each successive album I bought. But as it was, starting at the bottom of the discography only reminded me that no matter what happened, it all comes to a sad, inevitable end. It was like I got to experience the break-up all by myself. I couldn’t ask anybody if they heard rumors, if the band would get back together, if Lennon had fired Allen Klein yet. Because I already knew the Rooftop Concert was the last.

And I knew exactly what was going to happen when I started buying Lennon’s solo albums. The bitter strength and sadness of WORKING CLASS HERO and IMAGINE would only, always, give way to The Lost Weekend, and the birth of Sean and John’s return to the studio in the late 70s. And no matter what happened, no matter in what order I bought his albums, December 8, 1980 would always come rushing up at me.

During the recording of NEVERMIND, Kurt Cobain refused to double-track his vocals. Butch Vig eventually got Kurt to agree by telling him that his hero, John Lennon double-tracked his vocals. I couldn’t hear John in Nirvana way back in 1992. But I hear John when I listen to Nirvana today. I hear John in The Clash, in Radiohead. I hear John almost every time I hear music.

http://www.johnlennonday.com/

The Black Keys SHE SAID, SHE SAID.

Thanks, Little Mike, for the head's up.

BEATLES Rock Band arrives in the nick of time...

Somehow between DEAR PRUDENCE and HERE COMES THE SUN I missed Joe Wilson's outburst. Man, I would've loved to have seen that live (because it affirms what I think of people like Joe Wilson) but I was hanging out on the rooftop of Abbey Road Studios.

The game is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Live action blends with stylized animation seamlessly. The menus have been streamlined, so getting straight to gameplay is much easier than on Rock Band 2. No bands to be created or bandmates to dress. No instruments to buy. Heidi and I halfway through the set at the Cavern Club within a half hour of opening the beautiful box. The Hofner looks amazing. Target had George's Rickenbacker on the shelf, but I felt guilty enough for dropping $250 on the game to begin with, so it'll have to wait. I expect it looks amazing as well. The drums are a nice upgrade from the other Rock Band drums. The differences aren't as noticeable as the details on the bass, but who cares? The drums are just going to get abused anyway.

The music is great. Song choice left a little to be desired, but I know the rest will be coming soon. I played for a few hours and got to the end of the Ed Sullivan Theater on story mode before jumping into Quickplay to play HERE COMES THE SUN a few times.

It's an amazing game. Nothing new here as far as gameplay goes. But we knew there wouldn't be, right? I get the impression that people who planned on getting were going to get it regardless. I'm still curious to see what sales figures for the special edition will be like.

Can't wait for Rock Band parties to resume when the weather cools. When I show off my mad drumming skills I'm doing it to try to get a little more love for Ringo.