Skip to main content

Beatles On The Brain

Hey Soul Mates,
Happy Christmas Week.

When I was in college, my dormmates used to tell me that all the time: You've got Beatles on the brain. Not a day went by in school that I didn't listen to a Beatles record or three. Well, it had been a while since I inundated my mind with Fabness. But the month of December has been a real throwback. It started slowly with the McCartney concert and the anniversary of Lennon's death. Then I got sick. And being home in bed, I got to watch a lot of TV. I thought I would catch up on some things lent to me including Let It Be. Over the course of a long weekend, I watched:
The Beatles First US Visit and all the bonus materials
Anthology discs 2-4
A Hard Day's Night, disc 2 supplements and interviews
The Beatles promotional videos
Let It Be
How I Won The War
Imagine


Now, I'm working my way through the music. I hadn't listened to Beatles For Sale in years. All of my Beatles discs were just gathering dust. Having completed my collection long ago. It's been a blast revisiting their music in semi-chronological order. I also have a soft spot for Beatle Muzak and have been listening to those discs as well.

The Fab Four is where my musical education began. In fact, I'm certain I learned to read by following the lyrics on the back of the Sgt. Pepper LP. It's impossible to really describe what impact their music has had on my life. So, I'm not gonna try. I'm just going to throw With The Beatles and Past Masters Vol. 2 in the backpack and head to work.
Love, Power, Peace

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Being There [Grammy Recap]

Hey Soul Mates, Check out your boy. Yes, I did look that damn suave at the Grammys last night. Look, the tickets very clearly said "black tie." What could be less rock and roll than black tie? Not wearing "black tie." Frankly, the hipsters and the club girls just looked silly. Maybe I'm getting sartorially conservative, but you must be clean for the Grammys. We arrived early in the afternoon. A beautifully mild afternoon in downtown L.A. and not a sign of the predicted rain. I wanted to experience the whole nine, so we got there in time for the "Pre-telecast" ceremony. This is where 97 of the 108 gramophone statuettes are awarded. It was much more entertaining and endearing than the actual broadcast. The winners were genuinely moved, were not limited in their speech time and came in all stripes. Now, very few of the acts I voted for won. But the day did start off with a bang as OK Go won best short form video for the treadmill hopping video for Here...

John Lennon 40 Years On

Remembering John Lennon today. Forty years have flashed by. I can still hear my clock radio turning on to the incongruent sound of the Beatles on Dec. 9, 1980 and wondering why? I think about John every day. I am fortunate to have been able to make pilgrimage to Mendips, Abbey Road and Strawberry Fields, NY; to play on stages like the Cavern, the Jacaranda and the Troubadour where he performed or made trouble, or both. Here’s a quick playlist for you and me. (Just Like) Starting Over I Should Have Known Better Bless You Nobody Told Me Strawberry Fields Forever Nowhere Man Enjoy the day. Fill it with peace. Fill it with music. #JohnLennon #Liverpool

Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air - Book Review

“The Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air” is a trippy new mystery novel from Phillip Mottaz. It captures the grit and gilt of the City of Angels with the flair of a contemporary Raymond Chandler. The brisk pace and wit are reminiscent of Douglas Adams’s entries in the detective game. Flourishes of  Fletch  and “Medium” also spring to mind. However, Mottaz has added a psychic/mutant/superhuman touch and his own comedic voice, structure and internal monologues to the proceedings that help the author announce his own style and the arrival of a literary heroine for a new generation. Hairstylist and budding private investigator, Danica Luman is the perfect character to convey the irony, angst and sarcasm needed to tell a 21st century L.A. crime story. Danica also represents anyone who thought it would be neat to get tangled up in a mystery and the darkly comic cautionary tale that follows. The genre is recognizable, but Mottaz offers a fresh take on the not-ready-for-prime-ti...