When They Was Fab: Electric Arguments About the Beatles
471 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★ - 72 ratingsTalk, more talk, chat, more chat - We’re happy to do it for you (Beatles)
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Episodes
2024.16 Wings in Kampuchea - December 29, 1979
April 21, 2024 23:52 - 1 hour - 155 MBLonnie Pena and I discuss Wings at the Hammersmith Odeon - the Concert(s) for the People of Kampuchea. Through circumstance, December 29, 1979 would end up being the final Wings concert ever. Got to Get You Into My Life, Coming Up, Maybe I'm Amazed, Mull of Kintyre and Let It Be. One-Two-Three-Four!
2024.15 Oops - all Ringo! (and Rob Sheffields list)
April 14, 2024 23:10 - 1 hour - 147 MBMarv and I sit down and chat about the Ringo selections on Rob Sheffield's "100 Best Solo Beatles Songs" list. As Dana Carvey might say, "isn't it conveeeeenient" that each claims one of the top four. More seriously, we discuss the nature of such lists, how, when and why - and we talk about the thirteen selections. Does Ringo deserve 25% of the take? Is thirteen too little?
2024.14 Life in Lyrics Season 2 - episodes 6_7 and_8
April 08, 2024 00:00 - 1 hour - 157 MBMore of our thoughts on the "Life in Lyrics" podcast. Martin Quibell and I discuss Episodes 6, 7, and 8. The episodes are entitled "Silly Love Songs", "A Day in the Life" and "Hey Jude". However, roughly fifteen different songs get covered within the three episodes...
2024.13 The Beatles Forever (not that one) - 1977
March 31, 2024 22:25 - 1 hour - 164 MBA Beatles special you might not know about. In 1977, NBC purchased "The Beatles Forever", a variety-entertainment special from ITC Entertainment (aka: The company led by Sir Lew Grade). The Toppermost gang "comes together" to discuss this Thanksgiving spectacular!
2024.12 Wings in Newcastle - July 10, 1973
March 25, 2024 00:43 - 1 hour - 179 MBMartin Quibell and Sam Whiles (Paul or Nothing) join to discuss the final Wings show of the summer 1973 tour. If your experience of Wings Live begins with Jimmy McCulloch, you are in for quite a different experience. Excerpts have been available for years (and are now on the official McCartney YouTube channel), but we are discussing and describing the full show, including "Turkey in the Straw."
2024.11 Red Rose Speedway (sort-of Underdubbed)
March 18, 2024 00:05 - 1 hour - 152 MBMartin Quibell joins this week as we discuss the recent "fan mixed" Underdubbed version of "Red Rose Speedway". Sorry Paul, the term still is not going to catch on among the general public. This mix is probably more accurately referred to as an "Elements" or (to borrow a term from the Lennon camp), a "stripped" mix - it is not something that ever existed for Paul, or that he used to make decisions on future directions, but it *is* a reflection of the stages these songs passed throu...
2024.10 Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session
March 11, 2024 00:48 - 1 hour - 157 MBWelll...It's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready now go cat go! George "Don't Call It a Comeback" Harrison joined his buddy Carl Perkins and his other buddies Ringo Starr and Eric Clapton to pay tribute to their friend and mentor Carl Perkins in a Cinemax special filmed in 1985 and aired in the UK (and later in the US) in 1986. Lonnie Pena co-hosts.
2024.09 Life in Lyrics Season 2 - episodes 3_4 and_5
March 04, 2024 02:22 - 1 hour - 170 MBA grand old painter died last night. I must've done something wrong. More life, more lyrics from McCartney and Muldoon. Lonnie Pena and I run through three more episodes of the "Life in Lyrics" podcast, talking about their talking, but also presenting some general chat about "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", "Yesterday" and "Picasso's Last Words."
2024.09 Life in Lyrics Season 2 - episodes 1 and 2
February 26, 2024 00:26 - 1 hour - 163 MBPaul McCartney and Paul Muldoon return for the second season of the "Life in Lyrics" podcast. We sit down to consider the first two episodes of the new season ("Love Me Do" and "Band on the Run"), and talk about the slight stylistic change between the two seasons. We also talk a bit about the return of Paul McCartney's 1961 Hofner, and the Apple-approved, Sam Mendes directed quartet of biopics planned for 2027 release!
2024.08 The Ed Sullivan Show, Feb 9 and 16
February 19, 2024 02:01 - 1 hour - 154 MBIt was Sixty Years Ago Today... Beatlemania finished its reach as the Fab Four use New York City, Miami Beach and the Ed Sullivan Show to broadcast across the United States. We not discuss the Fab Four, but Fred Kaps, Mitzi Gaynor, Rossi and Allen, Pillsbury, Aero Shave (Wet, Wet, Wet!) and Kent Cigarettes, and even manage a bit of Davy Jones and Leonard Nimoy.
2024.07 Band on the Run Underdubbed (Review/Overview)
February 12, 2024 02:02 - 1 hour - 154 MBBefore he jetted off to New York, and then Vegas, Sir Paul and his team dropped the fiftieth anniversary release of "Band on the Run", highlighted by the "Underdubbed edition." This week we consider the new release and look at what is under the orchestra and horns.
2024.06 Beatles and the BBC (review/overview)
February 05, 2024 00:34 - 1 hour - 153 MBLonnie Pena and I consider the recent production "The Beatles and the BBC". An interesting collection of BBC clips ranging the Beatles years and beyond with some effort putting the "Threetles" in the historic context of the band they once were.
2024.05 Muldoon and McCartney, Life in Lyrics Podcast episodes 9-12
January 29, 2024 02:27 - 1 hour - 182 MBMarv and I finish our review of episodes nine to twelve of the McCartney "Life and Lyrics" podcast and look forward to what we might find in the second series which is expected in the coming weeks! Magical Mystery Tour (roll up), The Birds of McCartney (not Linda or Nancy), Too Many People and Helter Skelter
2024.04 John Lennon - Life in Ten Pictures (review)
January 22, 2024 00:42 - 1 hour - 150 MBLonnie Pena and I sit down to consider the John Lennon episode of "A Life in Ten Pictures". One hour is barely enough time to give an overview of a "regular person's" life, much less a complex superstar. How well did the BBC accomplish that task, and are the photos chosen really representative of a chameleon-figure like John Lennon?
2024.03 Muldoon and McCartney, Life in Lyrics Podcast episodes 5-8
January 15, 2024 00:08 - 1 hour - 171 MBMore from the Muldoon and McCartney Life in Lyrics podcast. "Penny Lane", "Here Today", "Uncle Albert" and "Live and Let Die". A study in how Paul McCartney thinks about characters, both his own and those given to him for a song. Martin Quibell co-hosts, which only seems proper.
2024.02 2023 in Review (July - December) and upcoming for 2024.
January 08, 2024 01:12 - 1 hour - 149 MBTime continues to march on as Jon Stone, Martin Quibell and I (Naturally!) move through the latter half of 2023. Not just "Now and Then", but a number of tremendous books, a new Ringo EP, more touring from Sir Ringo and Sir Paul and collaborations with Dolly Parton and the Rolling Stones,.
2024.01 2023 in Review (Jan - June)
January 01, 2024 02:01 - 1 hour - 140 MBThe "Gab Four" are together again for the first show of 2024. A lot of Ringo, some chat on Beatle books from the first half of the year and "in memoriam" to folks like Royston Ellis, Chas Newby and Caroline Buckman.
2023.52 The Beatmas (review)
December 25, 2023 00:39 - 56 minutes - 129 MBThis week: The "When They Was Fab" Christmas spectacular. Three of the "Gab Four" review the 1995 "Rubber Band" album from Dutch band the Beatmas (featuring Soren Dahlberg). The Fab Four were not the first to do Beatles-styled Christmas Carols. Tune in for XMAS! fun.
2023.51 Denny Laine (featuring Darin Murphy and Sam Whiles)
December 18, 2023 01:36 - 1 hour - 160 MBSam Whiles (Paul or Nothing) steps in as we discuss the life, loves and trousers of Denny Laine. Also joining is Darin Murphy (who gets a few more words in than Roger McGough, the man who actually knew the Rutles). Merry Happy Holidays to all.
2023.50 Red Album 2023 CD2 Overview and Review
December 11, 2023 02:05 - 1 hour - 168 MBWe continue with our look at the 2023 remixes of "The Beatles 1962-1966". As with disc one, the percussion blows us away. Join Martin Quibell and I as we consider the remixes and discuss some of the recent announcements as we look forward to 2024.
2023.49 Red Album 2023 CD1 Overview and Review
December 04, 2023 00:11 - 1 hour - 169 MBNow we are channeling the SuperDeluxeEdition energy! Nineteen new mixes on the first CD of 1962-1966. Hear Ringo playing the bongos on "A Hard Day's Night". Claves, handclaps, and drums as far as you can hear. Martin Quibell (and a bit of Lonnie Pena) join as we talk the wonders of MAL and the ears of Giles Martin.
2023.48 Macca in Mexico City
November 27, 2023 01:17 - 1 hour - 170 MBPaul McCartney's "Got Back" tour hit Mexico City in mid-November 2023. This is Paul and the band's first visit to "Ciudad de Mexico" in six years. Despite being highly similar to the 2022 US version, a splendid time is still guaranteed for all, particularly with crowds like those we shared the evening with!
2023.47 Blue Album 2023 Review
November 20, 2023 01:15 - 1 hour - 149 MB"Now and Then" was followed up by the sort-of 50th anniversary of "Red and Blue". This week we look at three albums of goodness from the folks at Universal Music. The blue album is very much a compilation in the traditional sense - a nice sampler for the Giles Martin post-2017 remixes. This week we consider the additions to the collection, other choices that might have been made and what is that sound in "Hey Bulldog"
2023.46 Living the Beatles Legend - Ken Womack
November 13, 2023 00:47 - 1 hour - 169 MBThe hits just keep on coming! This week, friend of the show Doctor Kenneth Womack joins the show to discuss his just-released book "Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans." "Big Mal" has been both part of the Beatles story, and a figure in the background. What drove the "Gentle Giant", and what was it like to be the friend, confidante and guy who found socks, bowties and guitar strings for John, Paul, George and Ringo.
2023.45 Now and Then
November 04, 2023 21:36 - 1 hour - 195 MBI know it's true. There's a new Beatles song and video and short documentary out in the wild. Lonnie and I are joined by Kit O'Toole (Queen of all Beatles Media!), Tom Hunyady (one of the two legs) and Erika White (BC the Beatles), as we go through the single (does clear count as a color?), the song, the documentary, the video and the T-shirt.
2023.44 A Life in Lyrics podcast (review, overview, summary)
October 29, 2023 23:34 - 1 hour - 170 MBLonnie Pena and I go through the first four episodes of the Paul McCartney and Paul Muldoon podcast "A Life in Lyrics". Paul goes through Eleanor Rigby, Back in the USSR, Let It Be, When Winter Comes and Mull of Kintyre. Old stories, new stories and you might even learn something!
2023.43 Ringo (Side B)
October 22, 2023 23:01 - 1 hour - 154 MBThe record is flipped as we travel through "Devil Woman", the how's why's and extended versions of "Six O'Clock", right through to a bit more of the legend of Jack Nitzsche, Klaus Voorman, Vini Poncia, David Hentschel and the inimitable Ringo Starr. We'd like to thank you for making that little bit of plastic.
2023.42 Ringo (side 1)
October 16, 2023 00:47 - 1 hour - 151 MBClarence "Frogman" Henry, Harry Nilsson, Klaus Voorman, John Lennon and Ringo Starr join together to answer the question "What Shall we do with a Drunken Sailor"? Tune in as Marv and I discuss and celebrate 49 years and 50-ish weeks of the Ringo Starr album "Ringo."
2023.41 - Fashioning the Beatles
October 08, 2023 23:43 - 1 hour - 177 MBJon Stone co-hosts as we chat with Deirdre Kelly, author of "Fashioning the Beatles: The Looks that Shook the World." The topic is John Lennon as influencer, both inside and outside of the Beatles. John Lennon liked to say that the Beatles were not necessarily the originators of their style (both musically and not), but "the ones in the crow's nest." This week we discuss the taste and style of the Lads - and how their choices in that arena are still echoed to the present day!
2023.40 The Space Within Us Commentary Track, Pt.2
October 01, 2023 23:49 - 1 hour - 163 MBLonnie and I return to talk more about 2005, as we finish up our "Space Within US" commentary track. More about the crowd and families, a little bit of Steve Jobs (before the iPhone took him to the "topermost" of the CEO's), and our thoughts on songs Paul should and shouldn't bring back into the live show.
2023.39 The Space Within Us Commentary Track, Pt.1
September 25, 2023 01:07 - 1 hour - 161 MBLonnie and I celebrate the (separate) returns of the twotles to the concert stage by looking back to 2005/6, and the US (pronounced "us", not "U.S.") tour from 2005, as represented by the 2006 concert film. Paul, Wix, Abe, Brian, Rusty, those "No More Landmine" T-shirts and a whole boatload of celebrities in cameo and longer appearances.
2023.38 Brian and NEMS acts
September 18, 2023 01:26 - 1 hour - 169 MBBrian Epstein and NEMS were frequently viewed as the "golden ticket." A shiny new record contract, a song from Lennon-McCartney, and a hit record was assured. Or was it? Tune in this week as we look into some of the acts that became the "stable." Many found success, but others either missed out, or had to move on before they would ascend the charts.
2023.37 Stowe School Show - part2
September 11, 2023 00:03 - 1 hour - 169 MBMore from the "Gab Four" as we continue our look at April 4, 1962 - The Beatles at the Stowe School. George Harrison's guitar comes through loud and clear, but a bout with the cold or flu has limited what he can do with his voice. Despite this issue, the band does their best and still finds a way to change the lives of the young men who will become the next generation of power brokers in the UK.
2023.36 Stowe School Show - part 1
September 03, 2023 23:16 - 1 hour - 138 MBThe "Gab Four" come together (and join the party). Lonnie Pena, Jon Stone and Marv Quibell join me for the first of a two-parter where we go in depth on Ringo's new release ("Rewind Forward"), his appearance in the Nils Lofgren video, and the dual autumn/winter tours. (The All-Starr's and Sir Macca). This leads into the beginning of our usual in-depth look at the Stowe school tape, which managed to grow legs and crawl out of the British Library in the recent past!
2023.35 Kent Blazy - From the Beatles to the Bluebird
August 28, 2023 00:30 - 1 hour - 165 MBThis week, Lonnie Pena and I are joined by Nashville Hall of Fame songwriter Kent Blazy. We discuss his recent trip to Liverpool, and how visiting the Beatles sites inspired him to write and record his new collection: "From the Beatles To the Bluebird." We also touch on his thoughts on fame (one of his frequent collaborators is country superstar Garth Brooks), the uniqueness of the 12-string, and how he frequently tries to channel Lennon/McCartney when he starts a new project.
2023.34 Live-ish from the Fest for Beatles Fans, Chicago. August 12, 2023
August 20, 2023 23:30 - 1 hour - 146 MBA very special live edition of When They Was Fab. I am joined by "The Co-Pips" - Dr. Kit O'Toole (Queen of all Beatles Media, Talk More Talk, Toppermost of the Poppermost) and Dr. Kenneth Womack (Everything Fab Four, the keeper of Mal Evans' flame, and author of more books than you can shake a stick at). Our topic: "Alpha Omega", "Red and Blue", "Original Greatest Hits", "20 Greatest Hits", a bit about "Now and Then" (nothing new, unfortunately) and somehow the Star Club Tapes.
2023.33 Fest for Beatles Fans Chicago Preview!
August 11, 2023 02:19 - 1 hour - 153 MBAugust 11, new show! Kit O'Toole and Martin Quibell join me to preview our various appearances at Fest for Beatles Fans Chicago! Tune in, turn on, and join us as we do live renditions of this very show (Red and Blue in 2023), "Toppermost of the Poppermost", and various other panels. We'll have Fun, Fun, Fun! (oops, wrong band)
2023.32 White Album Gear (mostly, but not exclusively guitars)
August 07, 2023 00:43 - 1 hour - 155 MBFrequent and beloved guest Darin Murphy (Skyrocket, HeartByrne, Cotton Mather) joins us to obsess a bit more on the guitars that The Beatles used on "The Beatles" (aka: "The White Album"). Diversions into the Fender VI (bass), Ringo and his attempt at using a double bass kit, and even a bit of Andy Summers, Eric Clapton and the "Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton" (aka: "The Beano Album")
2023.31 Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis) - A Review
July 31, 2023 00:21 - 1 hour - 153 MBAubrey "Po" Powell and Storm Thorgerson were once known as "Hipgnosis". It is not an exaggeration to say that their collective was responsible for much of the significant album cover artwork of the 1970's. This includes Wings from "Band on the Run" through "Back to the Egg", and Aubrey Powell would continue on-and-off with McCartney through "Off the Ground" and his 1992 World Tour.
2023.30 Eyes of the Storm, A Life in Lyrics and More
July 23, 2023 23:08 - 1 hour - 163 MBMartin and I sit down to go through the rest of Paul McCartney's "1964: Eyes of the Storm". Liverpool, London, Paris, New York, DC and Miami. A Beatle's eye view of a much too serious world. We also get a brief drop-in from Kit O'Toole as we discuss the news - Penn Jillete's revelations concerning the "new" Beatles single, Paul McCartney and Paul Muldoon's forthcoming podcast, and some mumblings on Shankar Family and Friends, the lack of an announcement of the next "Archive Editi...
2023.29 Stuart Sutcliffe: The Lost Beatles (a Review)
July 16, 2023 23:48 - 1 hour - 99.9 MBStuart Sutcliffe is remembered as the one-time bass player of the Beatles, and artist who happened to die under tragic circumstances, but is that all their is to the young man? Jon Stone and I look at a BBC Four Documentary from 2005 (a decade after the story was fictionalized in "Backbeat") which features interviews with many of the participants telling Stuart's story in their own words.
2023.28 Paul and Conan and Stanley Tucci
July 09, 2023 23:08 - 1 hour - 54.4 MBPaul McCartney has done two major interviews supporting his show at the National Portrait Gallery in London, and the global release of "1964: Eyes of the Storm" We look at the highlights of his program with Stanley Tucci, and the Tribeca Film Festival interview with Conan O'Brien (now available in audio in full from the "Conan O'Brien needs a Friend" podcast.
2023.b01 Happy 83 to Ringo Starr!
July 06, 2023 23:16 - 18 minutes - 24.2 MBRingo Starr hits 83. Download this episode and start it at 11:45 AM local time and we will guide you to the big moment at noon on July 7!
2023.27 Ringo’s All Starr Band 2006
July 03, 2023 00:23 - 1 hour - 108 MBRingo Starr, Rod Argent, Sheila E, Billy Squier, Edgar Winter, Hamish Stuart. On July 16, 2006 Ringo and the All-Starrs joined the High Rollers at the Mohegan Sun, transforming another Sunday night at the tables into a bit of rock and roll history. Martin Quibell joins the co-host roster officially, and we talk about this tour, the assembled talent, and eighties MTV pretty boys.
2023.26 Fathers and Sons
June 25, 2023 23:54 - 1 hour - 153 MBLonnie Pena co-host as we discuss (mostly) Beatles fathers and father figures. "It Takes a Village", and John, Paul, and Ringo are examples of what that phrase means. Jim, Johnny, Charles, Richard, Freddie, Harry, Harry, Henry, and Harold as well as several others!
2023.25 One-Two-Three-Four
June 18, 2023 23:44 - 1 hour - 157 MBOne, Two, Three, Four. Can I have a little more? Yes, you can. Jon Stone, Lonnie Pena and Martin "Marv" Quibell are all here for the start of WTWF, Mk. IV (or is it V?). We chat about a number of things in Beatle-land, and settle on some lightly edited "as nature intended" chat!
2023.24 Pianos and Moog and Mellotrons (oh my!)
June 11, 2023 16:44 - 1 hour - 140 MBPeople don't necessarily think of the role of keyboard instruments in the Beatles beyond Billy Preston and a few other obvious examples. This week, we dive a little deeper, starting with Roy Young, through the harmonium, the mellotron, the moog onto the synthesizer revolution and "Band on the Run."
2023.23 Rubber Soul the Movie (a Review)
June 05, 2023 00:20 - 1 hour - 171 MBFilmmaker Jon Lefkovitz has just released his 2014 SXSW film "Rubber Soul" on YouTube. Jon and I review. Quoting his description: "In December 1970, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were interviewed for "Rolling Stone" prior to the release of their "Plastic Ono Band" albums. Ten years later, in September 1980, the couple granted their first in-depth interview in five years to "Playboy" while they were in the process of recording "Double Fantasy". RUBBER SOUL reconstructs portions of these two ...
2023.22 John Lennon 1970 and 1980
May 29, 2023 01:45 - 1 hour - 138 MBJohn Lennon did two major interviews acting as bookends to the 1970's. This week, we look at Rolling Stone, Playboy and their relationship to John Lennon, Yoko Ono (and to a lesser extent Paul McCartney). Did Jann Wenner have any ulterior motives? Did David Sheff? Do any of us?
2023.21 Beatles Compilations through the years.
May 22, 2023 00:13 - 1 hour - 138 MBCapitol spent much of the seventies repackaging the Beatles under a variety of concepts and song orders. As we pass the fiftieth anniverary of the first (and possibly the best), 1962-1966 and 1967-1970; we take the time to look at those collections, and propose our own!