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Playlist: Beatles

Compiled By: Kathryn Smith

Caption: PRX default Playlist image

Analysis of Beatles' albums

The White Album Listening Party: Revisiting The Beatles' Top-Seller (3-Hour / Newscast-Length Version)

From Paul Ingles | 02:42:04

Beatle fans and musicians gather to re-experience The Beatles' top-selling album, which came to be known as The White Album.

Whitealbumthebeatles_small Beatle fans and musicians gather to re-experience The Beatles' top-selling album, which came to be known as The White Album.

NOTE: THIS IS THE THREE HOUR VERSION OF THIS SPECIAL. IF YOUR STATION CAN CLEAR THE TIME, WE FEEL THIS IS THE BEST EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR LISTENERS AS IT RECREATES THE EXPERIENCE OF LISTENING TO THE WHOLE ALBUM. IF YOU CAN ONLY ACCOMMODATE A TWO-HOUR SLOT, THERE IS A TWO-HOUR VERSION AVAILABLE NOW AT PRX. THERE IS ALSO A NON-NEWCAST LENGTHED VERSION OF THIS THREE PART SHOW ON PRX. http://www.prx.org/pieces/29916 ----- November 22, 2008 marks the 40th anniversary of one of The Beatles' most remarkable releases. The two-album set was officially called THE BEATLES, but it became known forever after as The White Album. It was the top-selling of all The Beatles' albums and ranks #11 on the all-time album sales list. Emerging from what many called their three-album psychedelic period that produced Sgt. Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine, The Beatles' White Album was a wildly diverse collection that included instant classics ("Back in the U.S.S.R", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Dear Prudence", "Blackbird"), gentle ballads ("Mother Nature's Son", "I Will", "Julia"), raucous electric rock ("Helter Skelter", "Yer Blues") amusing ditties ("Honey Pie", "Savoy Truffle", "Rocky Raccoon"), and surprising experimental tracks ("Revolution #9"). The writing and performing styles of the four individual Beatles became distinct. Many Beatle fans and historians point to the White Album as the beginning of the break-up of the Beatles. In little over a year, the band would be dissolved. Join award-winning producer Paul Ingles for another one of his in-depth explorations of The Beatles' experience by airing THE WHITE ALBUM LISTENING PARTY. Ingles recalls being 12 years old in 1968 and listening with his best friend to this challenging and, at times, disturbing collection in the basement of his suburban Maryland home. "I knew I couldn't play this one on the family stereo upstairs," says Ingles. "A lot of the music seemed naughty, tortured and edgy." In an effort to re-create that listening experience, Ingles invited about a dozen Beatle fans into the studio to listen through to the album again and share both their memories and more current observations about the landmark music. Among the guests are Beatle author Steve Turner who shares the stories behind each of the White Album tracks. Also, a panel of musicians help listeners tune into the musicality of The Beatles, calling attention to a certain bass line here, a drum lick there, a production trick over there. Other friends share stories of dancing to "Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da", dropping acid to "Glass Onion", or being scared to death by "Helter Skelter" and wishing for a return of the ol' mop-tops. Hour 3 even includes a special combination of both versions of "Revolution" - the fast single and the slower White Album version, mixed and mashed together, courtesy of engineer Douglas Grant. In addition to Steve Turner, Paul's guest list includes musicians Jon Spurney, David Gans, Kristy Kruger, Douglas Grant, and Rob Martinez. KUNM radio personalities Scott MacNicholl, Luciano Urbano, Suzanne Kryder, and Travis Parkin join in as well. ------- The program will be offered in several formats to suit your needs. They will be scripted to allow for them to run either consecutively on one hour at a time over multiple days or weeks. - A three-hour version will include full plays of nearly every song on the two albums for the complete White Album experience. - A two-hour version will include most of the best-known tracks in full and excerpts of the rest. - Both versions will be offered at 54:00 lengths to accommodate hourly newscasts. ----- Programming Suggestions: >>November 22 marking the 40th anniversary of the UK release of the album. >>November 25 marking the 40th anniversary of the US release of the album. >>November 27-30 - Thanksgiving Weekend. >>November 29 - 7th anniversary of George Harrison's Death. >>December 8 - 28th anniversary of John Lennon's Death. >>Throughout the November/December/New Year's Holiday Season. >>In a Holiday or Fundraising Beatles' Marathon with Paul Ingles' other Beatles Documentaries The Beatles In America - 1964 http://www.prx.org/pieces/3512 / http://www.prx.org/pieces/3525 Everything Was Right: The Beatles' Revolver http://www.prx.org/pieces/15368 The Two Sides of Sgt. Pepper: An Honest Appraisal http://www.prx.org/pieces/18227

A Spin Down Abbey Road (59:00 / 54:00)

From Paul Ingles | 58:59

Music writers, musicians and Beatles fans weigh in on The Beatles' Abbey Road, the album that turned out to have the last songs the band ever recorded together. It was released in September of 1969.

Beatles_abbey-road_small Award-Winning producer Paul Ingles adds another installment to his series of programs spotlighting The Beatles album releases with A Spin Down Abbey Road.  A panel of music writers, musicians and Beatles fans offer historical background on the tracks and their own personal feelings about this landmark album.  Their comments are woven through the music of Abbey Road.

Featured guests are music writers Anthony DeCurtis, Steve Turner, Ann Powers, Richie Unterberger, Jim Derogatis and Greg Kot.  Musician guests include Shawn Colvin, Glen Phillips, Richard Goldman, David Gans, Phil & Tim Hanseroth and Jon Spurney.


IN PRAISE OF RINGO: HIS BEATLES DRUMMING (Hour 1) [54:00/59:00]

From Paul Ingles | 59:02

This special program explores Ringo Starr's drumming technique and style during his time with The Beatles. Includes a "Top Ten" of Ringo Drum Performances with The Beatles.

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This program features a detailed tour of Ringo's drumming work with The Beatles   It features samples of Ringo's best drum songs with the Beatles woven in with archival comments from Ringo as well as from several drummers who've studied his work, and Ringo friends Joe Walsh, Ben Harper and Don Was.
 
Hour Two  (posted separately on PRX - http://www.prx.org/pieces/49831-in-praise-of-ringo-the-singer-hour-2-59-00-5 ) spotlights the songs Ringo sang as a Beatle including undeniable classics like "With a Little Help from My Friends" and "Yellow Submarine" and some intriguing tracks from his long and successful solo career.
 
Your station could schedule both hours either consecutively or separately.  Or you can just run Hour One, which refers listeners optionally to Hour Two on your station or to the web to hear it.
 

Everything Was Right: The Beatles' Revolver

From Paul Ingles | 01:58:00

Either a two-hour program (with optional 5:00 newscast length content in each hour that can be dropped), or a one-hour program (with additional newcast friendly 54:00 cut) in which musicians, writers, and Beatle fans explore what made Revolver one of the top rock albums of all time.

Showlogo1athumb_small NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL OF PUBLIC RADIO. "AWESOME! BEST PIECE OF RADIO I HAVE HEARD in ages. A must listen for any Beatles fan." PRX REVIEW by Jonathan Fahey When rock music critics and fans are asked to rank the top rock albums of all time, The Beatles' 1966 release Revolver either heads the list or falls into the top tier. To mark the 40th anniversary year of the album's release, award-winning producer and host Paul Ingles presents Everything Was Right: The Beatles' "Revolver" Ingles explores the landmark album's story and influence in depth, talking with historians, musicians, music critics, and fans and spotlighting each Revolver track (along with the 1966 single "Paperback Writer and Rain") The Beatles experimented with new sounds and subject matter on Revolver, pioneering psychedelic rock on some tracks and exhibiting extraordinary song-craft on others. Listeners learn about the sources for the tunes, the studio experiments The Beatles used to get their ground-breaking sounds, and the lasting impact of the collection on the pop/rock music scene. Among the guest commentators is Mark Lewisohn, author of The Beatles Recording Sessions. The only journalist to have listened to every second of the Beatles' studio recordings, Lewisohn is a major authority on the band's history. Everything Was Right also features music writers Jim Derogatis, Steve Turner, Jeff Sobul, and Stuart Maddow. Musicians Shawn Colvin, Mark Erelli, John Leventhal, Deborah Holland, Richard Goldman, David Gans, Kristy Kruger, and Jon Spurney join other Beatle fans to talk about their favorite tracks on what is arguably the greatest album by the greatest band of all time. "...it does do a solid job of dissecting the psychology, backstory and musicianship of each song note for delicious note. This is the kind of program that makes musical pedants like myself pant with delight...this documentary does offer solid journalism, excellent production values and a style that leaves most of the talking to the interviewees. Highly recommended." PRX REVIEW by Jonathan Groubert    "...relentless, meticulous work on the part of the producer and host, with a rich overflow of excellent interviews. Finally, once each song has been perfectly framed, they actually let you hear it in its entirety, or nearly. And it's like you're hearing it for the first time." PRX REVIEW by Marjorie Van Halteren