Back in the Beatles Album You Should Own Special

A week is a long time. When we were here last, I'd finished telling you to buy all Beatles albums up to and including Revolver. Hopefully you've done that and have been spending your hard earned money and been rewarded with a positively perfect piece of musical history gold.

Now, I'm here to help you complete the next step in your Beatles back catalogue bonanza. By the end of 1966, things were changing: they had quietly given up touring, been on various holidays and John had even appeared in a film, 'How I Won The War'. Even more momentously, they'd all had a bit of a haircut and grown moustaches. They were now in the process of recording what would become the ground-breaking album we all know as 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. And as if by sheer coincidence...

Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
This album probably took the world by surprise more than any Beatles record had done. Gone were the breezy two minute pop songs, replaced by a cacophony of new sounds and ideas. From the opening sound of an orchestra tuning up leading into the drums and guitar intro of the the title track, you know this is something different and special. After the title track, you've got the sing-along 'With A Little Help From My Friends' which is perfect for Ringo to sing (being as that was why it was written), followed by the controversial 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'. Is it about LSD? Or is it merely based on a picture drawn by a young Julian Lennon of his friend Lucy? The BBC felt it was the former, and banned it. 'Getting Better' and 'Fixing A Hole' continue the album, leading us on to 'She's Leaving Home' - Paul McCartney's story of a girl sneaking out whilst her parents are still asleep to run away with a "man from the motor trade".

Then you get John's 'Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite', a smorgasbord of sound and noise, achieving the aim of actually sounding like the circus that John intended. More studio trickery and genius from producer George Martin, who was still guiding The Beatles through their musical adventures - helping them make the sounds they wanted. George Harrison's only offering on the album 'Within You Without You' takes his Indian mysticism to the next level. This is followed by two chirpy efforts from Paul - 'When I'm Sixty-Four' and 'Lovely Rita'. As the album draws to a close, with 'Good Morning Good Morning' and the reprise of Sgt Pepper, we are then treated to the best song on the album. 'A Day In The Life' is a musical masterpiece that not only broke all boundaries, but picked them up, gave them a good slap round the face, then climbed into a juggernaut and ran them over again and again. And just when you think it's all over, you get what could possibly be the world's first 'hidden track'.

Magical Mystery Tour
Released to coincide with the TV film of the same name, this was originally a double EP, but with the transfer to CD, the singles from around the time were added to make up a full album. Whilst the film was critically panned at the time, and left the public even more baffled than they were, the soundtrack album was still music to their ears. Stand out tracks for me are 'The Fool On The Hill', 'Blue Jay Way' (which incidentally is the name of my as-yet unproduced sitcom script) and, of course, 'I Am The Walrus'. Add into the mix, singles 'Hello Goodbye', the forever brilliant 'All You Need Is Love' and the double A-side single that signalled the beginning of the era (but failed to reach the coveted Number 1 in the charts), 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'Penny Lane'. It was always going to be difficult to follow 'Sgt Pepper' but this is a pretty damn good nontheless.

The Beatles (The White Album)
There are thousands of words in the English language, yet I struggle to find any good enough to describe this double album. The scale of it is mind-bending. Of the 30 tracks on offer, they all give something different. From 'Back In The USSR' to 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' via 'Blackbird' and the country rock of 'Don't Pass Me By', Ringo's first proper writing credit, after years of cleverly re-writing existing songs, much to the amusement of all! Then, when you change the record, you get battered over the head with songs like 'Birthday', 'Yer Blues', 'Helter Skelter', then soothed by 'Mother Nature's Son' and 'Good Night'. But only after the avant garde sound collage that is 'Revolution 9' - a Yoko Ono inspired John Lennon attempt at capturing the sound of revolution in action. Apparently.

It would be unfair of me to go on from this point until you've had chance to take it all in. I suggest you pop out to buy the albums featured in this blog, come back, find a darkened room somewhere and just listen. Then appreciate that this is music written and performed by people who weren't even 30 years old at the time and had been through so much in such a short space of time.

When you're done with these, I'll finish the job off. And you had better be prepared for that!!!

Being A Continuation of My Albums You Should Own: Beatles Special

Ok, so you've read and digested the first part. You've been out to your local record emporium, or been internet shopping, or (through gritted teeth) downloaded the albums in their entirety from that well-known bunch of bastards with a fruity name.

Now, I'm going to tell you why you need to buy the next phase of Beatles recording gold. By now, The Beatles were growing up. Both in life (John was now a father; Paul was heavily involved with Jane Asher; George had nabbed Patti Boyd, who would later be the subject of two truly awesome love songs, and Ringo had his girl, Maureen) and artistically. They'd moved on from the simple love songs aimed directly at the screaming fans, and were now writing more philosophical, personal songs. Yet the constant work-load never let up. By now, the tours were getting huger, even America was struggling to find a venue big enough.

Then The Beatles took live performance to the next level (size-wise at least). Shea Stadium in New York hosted the first ever stadium gig. 55,000 screaming American kids. And The Beatles in the middle of it all. They could hardly hear themselves, let alone the fans hearing them above all the din. They also starred in their second film, 'Help!' and were fitting in the time to write and record new material. And it is here that my continuation, er, continues...

Help!
So then, another movie, another soundtrack. While the film lacked a certain something, the soundtrack album that accompanied it lacked nothing. The blistering title track 'Help!' enabled John to hide his low morale, self-confidence and self-worth behind an upbeat pop song guaranteed to sell millions. From this to a totally acoustic 'You've Got To Hide Your Love Away' demonstrates their growing versatility as a band. Other stand out tracks include 'Ticket To Ride', 'I Need You', George's second recorded song, which signalled how far his craft had come, yet not necessarily signposting the quality yet to come, and 'You're Going To Lose That Girl'. The other outstanding track on the album which went on to become the most played on radio and most covered song is 'Yesterday'. The story goes that Paul woke up with the melody already in his head from start to finish, played to all his friends an family trying to find out what it was, not believing it was his own creation. Eventually he was persuaded that it was all his own work, and set about putting some lyrics to the tune. Then, when it came to the recording, no other Beatle was able to add anything to it, so it was virtually a McCartney solo recording.

Past Masters Volume 1
I've chosen this point to insert the first of The Beatles singles, b-sides and rarities compilations as the track listing ends with the b-sides from the 'Help!' singles. There are the 4 non-album singles, 'From Me To You' (a little piece of local interest here, this was written on the bus journey from York to Shrewsbury in 1963, a show one of my parents went to at the old Music Hall), the awesome 'She Loves You', the single that broke America 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' and it's equally wonderful B-side 'This Boy', and the world's first feedback record 'I Feel Fine'. Then you've got the single release version of 'Love Me Do' (not featuring Ringo on drums), tracks from the 'Long Tall Sally' EP: 'Long Tall Sally' being Paul's rendition of Little Richards rocker, and 'I'm Down', the B-side to 'Help!', itself a McCartney attempt at emulating the energy and noise of Little Richard's song. Finally, as a curio, you have the two German language recordings of their biggest singles of the time: 'Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand' and 'Sie Liebt Dich'. (Answers on a postcard!!)

Rubber Soul
When they reconvened to record the first of what I like to call the "Beatles' Holy Trinity" (ie the three albums which are generally considered to be the most creative and consistently top the 'Greatest Album Ever' polls), drugs were beginning to play a bigger part in the mood and writing of the band. By now it's getting harder to pick just a few strong songs to highlight, given the quality on offer: 'Drive My Car', 'Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)', 'Nowhere Man', 'Michelle', 'In My Life' and George's ever improving writing talent this time showcased with 'If I Needed Someone'.

Revolver
Revolver consists of 14 genuinely brilliant songs. Not one can be considered below par (well, maybe one or two, but that's being overly harsh).
We begin with 'Taxman', George Harrison's first true classic. Written as a riposte at the incredibly high tax rate that they were being forced to pay, it served to give George the image of being overly money conscious. Before you know it, we're on to 'Eleanor Rigby'. Another virtual McCartney solo piece, and the first example of Paul's ability to write songs about other people that don't really exist or have any meaning. But didn't he do well?!! From there to 'I'm Only Sleeping', John's way of saying "hey, slow down, or just leave me be, I'm taking my time".
'Love You To' is George's first really Indian inspired song. 'Here, There And Everywhere' goes together with 'Good Day Sunshine' and 'For No One' as further examples of Paul's genius at this point in time. We all know 'Yellow Submarine', of course. Written specifically with Ringo in mind, and all-out fun with the recording process. 'She Said She Said' and 'Doctor Robert' are a useful duo of drug influenced songs ('She Said She Said' based on a comment made by a tripping Peter Fonda, and 'Doctor Robert' being the well-connected doctor who could get their hands on a plethora of substances for the rich and famous).
'I Want To Tell You' is an unprecedented THIRD Harrison song on a Beatles single album. Which leaves the last two tracks. 'Got To Get You Into My Life' is Paul's song, it could easily be taken as a love song about accommodating a woman, yet it's merely expresses his developing love and use of Marijuana.
And so the album finishes with an aural explosion of sound and effects. Intended to sound like a group of monks chanting on a mountain-top, studio trickery and experimentation gave it the other-worldly sound John hoped for. The lyrics were taken and inspired by the 'Tibetan Book of The Dead' which was being used by the acid generation as a guide for the mental experiences encountered during an acid trip. To listen to this track and then appreciate that this can be produced by the same mind that just two years earlier gave us 'A Hard Day's Night' takes some doing.

And so we come to the end of the second instalment of my Beatles extravaganza. Stay tuned for more...

Albums You Should Own: Beatles Special

Returning to my series which attempts to ensure you have a music collection as good as mine, you're in for a treat this time around. Because I'm going to suggest not one, not two, nor three but four. Yes! Four albums in one go!

Yes, over the next week I am going to tell you that you should own EVERY single Beatles album (the 13 studio albums and the 2 Past Masters albums). And I'm going to tell you why you should own them. When I planned this blog post, I asked myself "how shall I order them? Should I put them in order of my favourite?" Then I said to myself: "Bollocks. I'll do it chronologically!"

So, here it is then, the first part of my Beatles Albums You Should Own Extravaganza!!!!

Please Please Me

The first album which was an attempt to capture them "as live". When they entered the studio to record the album, producer George Martin got them to run through their live repertiore and this album is the result. Recorded in one day (how many artists could boast that achievement these days?), bursting with youthful energy and containing a mixture of covers and self-penned songs, this announced that The Beatles were here, and ready to take on the world. From Paul's count-in on 'I Saw Her Standing There' through changing tempo's of 'Anna (Go To Him)' and 'Chains', the first single 'Love Me Do', a bit of a show tune in 'A Taste Of Honey' to the final rip-roaring, throat-shredding vocal of 'Twist And Shout', this album is a must.

With The Beatles

Having shown their versatility with the first album, The Beatles returned to the studio to provide their ever growing band of devoted fans with another mix of covers and Lennon/McCartney originals. The album also allowed George Harrison to showcase his own songwriting skills. Of the covers, 'You Really Got A Hold On Me' and 'Roll Over Beethoven' stand out, and of the self-written songs, 'All My Loving' is by far the best in my opinion. Then there is the song that inspired Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to start writing, 'I Wanna Be Your Man' which John and Paul finished in front of them and gave to them for a single.

A Hard Day's Night

The first and only album completely written by Lennon and McCartney, and recorded to tie in with their first big screen outing. You've got the heavyweights of 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'Can't Buy Me Love', along side the underrated 'If I Fell', 'You Can't Do That' and 'I'll Be Back'. The fact that they were able to produce 13 of their own songs of such consistent quality amidst the singles, touring and filming shows what talent and commitment The Beatles had to their music. You might wonder how they managed it. But they did. Get it in your collection.

Beatles For Sale
After the exertions of the first years, you would be forgiven for expecting a bit of a lull in quality or activity. Not The Beatles. Still producing 2 albums in a year, still packing them with their own songs, and still touring at the speed of sound, they produced yet more gold. Having had their legendary meeting with Bob Dylan, and his influence now seeping into their output, this album gives us the delights of 'No Reply', the heavily Dylanesque 'I'm A Loser', the world's first fade-in track 'Eight Days A Week', not to mention great covers like the 'Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey' medley and George's rendition of 'Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby'.

So, four albums in two years, not to mention the endless tours, a film and hit singles. Bet you can't wait for the next one now!

Words don't begin to describe it...

London's Burning
Panic
I Predict a Riot.

Who thought we would actually see scenes like we have done over the past three evenings? I didn't. I've heard people talk about the Brixton and Toxteth riots without actually appreciating what happened. Much like 78rpm records.

The thing that angers me most about it is that the original incident was dealt with and could have just as easily faded into news history without a second thought. Then some people took offence at a police Stop & Search, which they are well within their rights to do and madness ensued. The police are getting some bad press at the moment surrounding the hacking scandal, and it's true they've handled things badly in the past (the De Menezes case is just one example, sadly) but the complete lack of respect shown to them by a bunch of badly educated, selfish, mindless idiots is beyond reproach. David Cameron's 'Big Society' is currently laying in smouldering ruins right now.

Watching those cars and buildings burn fiercely on the news, I was filled with disbelief, and disgust and frustration that a country like England has bred animals like this, when the youth of other countries are trying to overcome brutal regimes in a far less rowdy manner, yet you would almost forgive them for doing so. Can you imagine what they would do if Dave and Co tried to disconnect the nation's Internet access like they did in Egypt?

People's livelihood have been destroyed by acts of pure vandalism and criminality with no purpose. To be practical, just think of the Insurance claims that will cost the nation (if I'm not mistaken, the Insurers pay the initial claim, then recover their money from the police, who then recover their outlay from HM Treasury). We're already trying to avoid financial meltdown on the scale of the Eurozone, and this sort of thing can easily tip a country over the edge.

The spread of the trouble across London and then to other cities just shows how pathetic our youth culture is. Jumping on bandwagons (then setting fire to them, probably) and smashing up shops to help themselves to things that don't belong to them does nothing to aid their cause. It speaks volumes that McDonalds, JD Sports and mobile phone shops have taken the brunt of the damage. Then the scummy chavs of Birmingham, who already have a huge chip on their shoulder for only living in the "second city" decide to get in on the act and rampage through the city centre for a bit of Armani gear. You can guarantee that the markets will be awash with knock-off gear in a matter of days. And before you know it, Liverpool, Bristol and Leeds are having a go.

My only hope is that the police are given the support they need from the Government and are able to restore order to our streets. There has been talk of the Army being brought in, but aren't they overstretched as it is? Never-ending wars in Afghanistan, unnecessary air strikes against Libya are already taking up their time, without having to take to the streets of our cities to chase after a bunch of dole scrounging dimwits who when gathered together still don't have the brain power to wipe their own arse. Because, don't forget, our Armed Forces are also feeling the pinch, laying off servicemen and women (for all you PC zealots) so they can work effectively within their budgets.

I do believe I'm done for now. And, if by any chance you've been involved in these disturbances and are having this blog read to you because it contains too many big words for you, I have four words for you (in text lingo, to help): Ure a stupid Cnt.

All You Need Is Love
Shropshire 2011.

Here We Go Again...

So, after a summer of boredom, unfulfilled Tennis dreams and pleasantly surprising Cricket success, this coming Saturday heralds the return of the Football season. Saturday afternoons will have purpose once more, the BBC's Red Button will get plenty of action (subject to bloody BBC cuts) and millions will watch the likes of Gary Pallister, Steve Claridge and Garth Crooks watching games on television and discussing talking points until the cows come home.

And, in true footballing tradition around the world, fans will be scouring the fixture list for nailed-on victories, hopeful away draws and potential banana skins, then casting a wilful glance all the way to May to wonder how it will all turn out...

Well, here's how I think it'll turn out (which basically means everything that follows will be as far off target as an American missile in Iraq).

In the Premier League, the race for the Champions League could be quite a congested affair, but when all is said and done, I think it will be title number twenty for Manchester United. Chelsea and Manchester City will complete the top 3, with Arsenal just beating Liverpool and Tottenham into 4th. Liverpool will take 5th place.
At the bottom, Swansea will make the drop back down, along with Norwich, while after a couple of seasons struggling, Wigan will finally succumb to relegation.

In the Championship, West Ham should do enough to get back up as champions, along with Reading. Cardiff will be doomed to another Play-off appearance, along with Birmingham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds. I'm going for Leeds to make the jump up.
In the Relegation picture, Brighton and Peterborough will go straight back down, joined by Crystal Palace.

Down in League One, after dropping down last season, Sheffield United will go back up as champions, joined by city rivals Wednesday. Colchester, Huddersfield, Charlton and Preston will fight it out in the Play-offs, with Charlton coming out on top.
In the relegation mire, Stevenage and Bury will find the step up too much, and will be joined back in the basement by Walsall and Notts County.

And in the lowest division, League Two, Swindon will be inspired to the title by Paolo Di Canio, followed up by Shrewsbury and Bristol Rovers. In the Play-off picture, Crawley will fight it out with Plymouth, Crewe and Gillingham, with the Football League new boys riding the crest of a financial wave into League One.
At the bottom, Barnet will bid farewell, and it will be a short lived fairy tale for AFC Wimbledon.

Of the Blue Square Premier teams aiming for promotion to the Football League, I think Luton and Lincoln will be celebrating when the season is over.

And there you have it. Either I'll get it slightly right, or badly wrong. Which means that Sheffield Wednesday fans might be better preparing for a relegation battle, and Plymouth supporters had better hope their team survives a whole season with Peter Ridsdale all but confirmed as the new owner!

Feel free to leave your own opinions by the way!

Que Sera Sera etc...