Something About the Beatles

Evergreen Podcasts

Hosted by award-winning author Robert Rodriguez, Something About The Beatles is an intelligent but entertaining examination of The Beatles' music and career. Smart, funny and surprising - just like the Fab Four. read less

Our Editor's Take

The Something About the Beatles podcast has an understated title. This show doesn't teach listeners something about the band. It teaches them thousands of things, including facts devoted fans wouldn't know. Host Robert Rodriguez is a Beatles scholar who's written several books about them. He won an ARSC Award for Revolver: How the Beatles Reimagined Rock 'n' Roll.

On the podcast, Rodriguez examines the band's lyrics, albums, politics, lawsuits, and breakup. He plays songs and explains their influences. Rodriguez also interviews authors, historians, and people who performed with the Beatles. Author Susan Shumsky joins one episode of Something About the Beatles. She wrote The Inner Light, about how Transcendental Meditation (TM) influenced the band. Shumsky discusses the band denouncing drugs and promoting TM. She also talks about George Harrison playing Eastern instruments. "Love You To," from Revolver, was the first full rock song made with sitars and tablas.

Renowned musician Randy Bachman visits the Something About the Beatles podcast. He released By George By Bachman, which has interpretations of Harrison's songs. Bachman performed in Bachman-Turner Overdrive and The Guess Who. He chronicles how he wrote "American Woman" onstage. Bachman's guitar string broke, forcing him to improvise. He recalls an invitation to play in Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band. Bachman thought it was a prank and hung up. When Starr called back, Bachman said that he had another booking. Starr replied, "Well, get un-booked." He's glad he did.

Bachman also talks about a funny phone call with Harrison. A woman answered his phone. Bachman stated his name and said he was calling from Winnipeg. She asked an unexpected question about the city, referencing a Teddy bear. When Harrison came to the phone, he asked the same question. Listeners learn why the topic interested him. Details like these make this podcast unique.

Rodriguez isn't only a Beatles fan. He's researched them for two decades. Rodriguez executive produces Fab4Con Jam, a Beatles convention. Even the most educated fans can learn from Rodriguez, who welcomes questions. New episodes of the Something About the Beatles podcast arrive often.

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293: Macca's 80s with Glenn Greenberg

293: Macca's 80s with Glenn Greenberg

Viewed at one level, Paul's 1980's career was bookended by the album triumphs of Tug of War and Flowers In The Dirt. But that would be to overlook the January 1980 Tokyo drug bust, the dissolution of Wings, John's murder, and then a period that may best be described as uneven: duets (of varying quality), the diminishing returns of Pipes of Peace, the lambasting that Give My Regards To Broad Street earned him, the "Frog Chorus," Press To Play, the abandoned Phil Ramone sessions, and the public discord over the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Beatles induction. Plus litigation aplenty. It was a time that saw his reputation eclipsed by his martyred bandmate and hit records harder to come by, all before he found his feet with a new collaborator (Elvis Costello) that seemed to rejuvenate him, setting the table for a return to world touring. All of this is discussed in my latest conversation with author Glenn Greenberg, where we examine the good and the bad during challenging times.

Episodes

293: Macca's 80s with Glenn Greenberg

293: Macca's 80s with Glenn Greenberg

Viewed at one level, Paul's 1980's career was bookended by the album triumphs of Tug of War and Flowers In The Dirt. But that would be to overlook the January 1980 Tokyo drug bust, the dissolution of Wings, John's murder, and then a period that may best be described as uneven: duets (of varying quality), the diminishing returns of Pipes of Peace, the lambasting that Give My Regards To Broad Street earned him, the "Frog Chorus," Press To Play, the abandoned Phil Ramone sessions, and the public discord over the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Beatles induction. Plus litigation aplenty. It was a time that saw his reputation eclipsed by his martyred bandmate and hit records harder to come by, all before he found his feet with a new collaborator (Elvis Costello) that seemed to rejuvenate him, setting the table for a return to world touring. All of this is discussed in my latest conversation with author Glenn Greenberg, where we examine the good and the bad during challenging times.

292: The Comedy of The Beatles with Jeff Martin

292: The Comedy of The Beatles with Jeff Martin

An essential component of The Beatles' appeal was their sense of humour, showcased not only in their two feature films (A Hard Day's Night, Help!) but also their TV appearances, interviews and even their music. TV comedy writer (Late Night with David Letterman, The Simpsons) Jeff Martin returns to the show to discuss how this facet of their talents was not only exceptionally developed, but also an element that set them apart from their peers, as well as key to their enduring legacy. For further reading, check out The Beatles and Humour: Mockers, Funny Paper and Other Play.

291: December 8, 1980 with David Whelan

291: December 8, 1980 with David Whelan

In the 44 years since John Lennon's death, the trauma of that night is still as raw, so much so that, for most people, the facts of what went down are far too painful still to examine closely. But when one does, as returning guest David Whelan has, they depict sometihng far more disturbing and sinister than the story we thought we knew. Whelan's research was presented in his book, Mind Games: The Assassination of John Lennon. Our earlier discussion this year (275) barely scratched the surface on what his research uncovered. Today's discussion goes deeper, and is in part a response to the recent show with Robert Rosen (Nowhere Man), 286. Check out David's YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/@AssassinationOfLennon and his SubStack writings here: https://davidwhelan.substack.com/

290: "Hey Jude" Reconstructed

290: "Hey Jude" Reconstructed

In 2023, I hosted writer James Campion with Jeff Martin for a discussion of The Beatles' 1968 mega-hit and Apple Records debut. This time, we're drilling down deep for an analysis of the song's composition (as well as possible sources of inspiration) with the musicologists of RPM School: Walter Everett (author of volumes one and two of The Beatles As Musicians) plus working musicians and recording artists Jack Petruzzelli and Cameron Greider. This is where we get deep into the weeds with musical theory and a breakdown of the song's lyrical construction, as well as elements from other pieces of music that may have influenced the principal author, Paul McCartney. RPM's new semester (on Let It Be) begins soon - see their site for details: https://www.rpm-school.com/

289: A Hard Day's Night At 60

289: A Hard Day's Night At 60

With The Beatles' film debut turning 60 this summer, the time was right for a deep dive into the cultural and cinematic significance of it all. Joining the conversation are two new guests: Sarah Pleydell and Moya Luckett. Both were born in the UK, one's a first-gen fan, and both are authors and academics with cred particularly suited to the topic. Rounding out the talk are our three fave 1st-gen fans, Sibbie O'Sullivan, Carol Tyler and Debbie Gendler, authors all.

288: Band On The Run (Hand Clapping) with Luca Perasi

288: Band On The Run (Hand Clapping) with Luca Perasi

My guest, Luca Perasi, first appeared on the show in 2023 (262). He is the McCartney historian based in Italy, whose previous works include Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas 1970 - 1989 as well as his newest, Paul McCartney and Wings Band On The Run: The Story of A Classic Album. You can check out all his works on his site here. In this conversation, we discuss the tumultuous creation of Paul's post-Beatles breakthrough album, as well as 1974's One Hand Clapping project, just released as an album in 2024 and soon to be in theatres.

287: The Historian and Get Back with Erin Weber

287: The Historian and Get Back with Erin Weber

In the years since Peter Jackson's epic re-imagining of the January 1969 saga landed, SATb has examined it through a number of angles: from Brits - women - musicians - authors - and so forth. But this will be the first time I have actually had a conversation about it with a professional historian, your friend and mine, Erin Weber. This conversation analyzes the film through the prism of (secondary) source material, and brings into focus how the work should be viewed by fans of a more serious scholarly bent.

286: Nowhere Man '24 with Robert Rosen

286: Nowhere Man '24 with Robert Rosen

In this conversation, my returning guest (see episodes 189 - 245 - 266) discusses his recent visit to Spain, where a belated Beatlemania is in full swing. He also offers his insights on the recent May Pang documentary, The Lost Weekend: A Love Story, as well as his take on David Whelan's investigation into John Lennon's murder and the latter's preoccupation with "lucid dreaming." Check out Robert's writings at https://www.robertrosennyc.com/index.htm Highlights of his evening in Sevilla (with Mary Lyn Maiscott) can be found here: https://youtu.be/qiin_ZOt9gw?si=65MgdhrGvNOUqsmv

285: Sixty Years Ago in America with Lee Abrams, Dennis Diken, and Elliot Easton

285: Sixty Years Ago in America with Lee Abrams, Dennis Diken, and Elliot Easton

As part of the ongoing campaign in 2024 to look back at 1964, we present another conversation with first-gen fans, this time focusing on the Capitol issues as well as US Top 40 radio. Returning guests Elliot Easton and Dennis Diken (The Cars and The Smithereens respectively) are joined by Lee Abrams, radio visionary and co-founder of Sirius XM. We discuss their fandom as it unfolded in real time, the impact and influence of radio, as well as their takes on the US releases (and the Beach Boys too). You can find Lee's writings here: https://www.leeabramsmediavisions.com/blog Something About The Beatles is an Evergreen podcast.

284: Sixty Years On with Ivor Davis

284: Sixty Years On with Ivor Davis

Returning guest (episodes 130 and 174) Ivor Davis is a British journalist who, in 1964, went on tour with The Beatles for the Daily Express, covering their North American dates while ghost-writing a column for George Harrison (having taken over the assignment from Derek Taylor). He did similar duties for the following year, and after which, he settled in California as west coast correspondent. His job saw him cover the Warren Commission findings, the gubernatorial campaign trail for Ronald Reagan (governor) and in 1968, Bobby Kennedy (whose murder Ivor was a witness to). The following year, Ivor was at the center of the Manson Family case when he became the first journalist to visit Spahn ranch, as well as the first writer to publish a book on the Tate-LaBianca murders, Five To Die. (We discussed this in the two previous shows.) Ivor was there when Bob Dylan introduced The Fabs to weed; he was also there when they met Elvis. In short, he's been around. He first published his memoir of The Beatles' experience as The Beatles and Me On Tour ten years ago for the 50th; it's now been expanded and republished for the 60th anniversary. In his conversation, Ivor offers his observations from the current perspective, post Get Back and "Now and Then," as well as inner-circle personas he came to know along the way. He also has a new true crime book out, The Devil in My Friend about a 1980s double murder in Malibu. You can find info on all at his website, https://ivordavisbooks.com/

283: Giles on Trial - The Reissues Critiqued with John Leckie and Jerry Hammack

283: Giles on Trial - The Reissues Critiqued with John Leckie and Jerry Hammack

Beginning with the 2017 Sgt. Pepper 50th anniversary release, a series of deluxe reissues (The Beatles, Abbey Road, Let It Be, Revolver, 1962-1966, 1967-1970) featuring remixing and the application of MAL (“machine-assisted learning”) to deconstruct and re-assemble the master recordings have hit the streets. Supervised by engineer Sam Okell and Giles Martin, these issues have met with mixed reactions from fans, especially those who hold the original recordings sacrosanct. For some they are revelatory; for others, an abomination. I convened a 2-man panel of returning guests with expert ears to assess them. John Leckie (Abbey Road engineer for John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pink Floyd and producer for Radiohead, XTC, The Stone Roses, The Verve, New Order) has one of the finest sets of ears in the business, as does producer/engineer/author Jerry Hammack (https://www.beatlesrecordingreferencemanuals.com/), whose newest work, The Beatles’ Recording Techniques: Recreating The Classic EMI Studios Sound In Your Home Studio, has just been published. This conversation is front-loaded with techie-talk, but soon finds its level with an analysis of the work done for these new sets and whether or not they achieved a clear-cut goal. For Jerry’s newest: https://www.beatlesrecordingtechniques.com/

We Didn't Start The Fire - British Beatlemania with Mark Lewisohn (Part I)

We Didn't Start The Fire - British Beatlemania with Mark Lewisohn (Part I)

YEAH YEAH YEAH, we’ve been waiting 88 episode for this and it’s finally here!! In the 60s, The Beatles’ rise to fame would change the landscape of pop music and fandom forever. People were so excited to watch them, they’d urinate and scream so loud you’d struggle to hear the music. No one had ever seen fan culture or heard music like it. So it’s no surprise that we’re absolutely ecstatic to chat to Mark Lewisohn, arguably the world’s LEADING authority on the Beatles! So ecstatic that we’ve made a two part episode, so make sure you listen to that once you’re done with this one.

282: The Women’s Revolution (Or: The Beatles’ Effect)

282: The Women’s Revolution (Or: The Beatles’ Effect)

My guests are three very special ladies whom have all appeared on the show before, but this time, all three have memoirs out. Debbie Gendler was the first to appear on SATB (121: New York Stories) and her story as the 1st US fan (as far as I’m concerned) was initially laid out there. But now HER memoir has been published, I Saw Them Standing There: Adventures of an Original Fan During Beatlemania and Beyond. Debbie joins returning guests Carol Tyler (146: Fab 4 Mania) and Sibbie O’Sullivan (273: My Private Lennon) as they react to each other’s books. What ensued though was something bigger than what we anticipated, as the notion of collating their stories and those of other 1st-generation fans into something bigger and grander took shape. Something About The Beatles is now an Evergreen podcast.

281: The Beatles and The Cars with Elliot Easton

281: The Beatles and The Cars with Elliot Easton

Of the 73 million Americans who viewed The Beatles’ live debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964, we know with absolute certainty that a high percentage had their lives changed forever – this is not hyperbole. And of those, many were moved to take up instruments or start bands. And of that fraction, a handful went on to stellar careers in music, producing art that became a part of our lives in the years to come. Today’s guest is one such example. Elliot Easton was the lead guitarist in The Cars, but he was put on a path to music as a livelihood at the tender age of three; The Beatles merely codified the trajectory he was on. Elliot went on to hit virtually every checkmark a musician could desire: a successful career with hit singles and albums, induction into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, even recording with a Beatle. And Elliot also happens to be student of music and rock history, The Beatles especially. He comes to the show as a fellow fan as well as an artist inspired by The Beatles to live his dream.

280: All You Need is the Love You Make with Steven Gaines

280: All You Need is the Love You Make with Steven Gaines

As the first insider Beatles tell-all (not counting Francie Schwartz’s Body Count – because why would I) – 1983’s The Love You Make, a collaboration between Brian Epstein’s protege Peter Brown and today’s guest, shocked fans with what was perceived as an airing of dirty laundry. Drug use, infidelity, betrayal, wife-swapping, and overall bad behavior was chronicled in detail, and Brown’s insider status gave credence to the reporting. But many Beatle historians recognize the inaccuracies and questionable decision making, rendering what was once a best-selling book into something with considerably less esteem, to put it one way. But the original interviews with an array of insiders, many of them now dead, has arrived as a sort of unfiltered access to the source material. All You Need is Love is out now, and presents many witnesses, sum of questionable veracity, but with little comment, allowing the reader to judge their truthfulness for themselves.

279: The Mal Evans Project Part One with Ken Womack

279: The Mal Evans Project Part One with Ken Womack

At last: the SATB conversation with the man who brought The Beatles’ road manager’s long missing manuscript to press. Living The Beatles Legend is the story Mal wanted to tell before his life ended at 40 in Los Angeles in a hail of gunfire in 1976. But perhaps the wait was worth it to get his insider eye-witness story augmented by research and interviews Ken has conducted to fully flesh out the story. This talk covers the first volume of this must-read book. Another volume, presenting the Evans photo archive and diaries, is due out later this year

278: An Hour With Pattie Boyd

278: An Hour With Pattie Boyd

Today is her 80th birthday, and given the attention being brought by the auction of some personal items through Christie's (see https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/pattie-boyd-collection/lots/3508 ), the time was right for a conversation. We made the most of the hour, given the demand for interviews right about now, but among the things discussed were: Meeting George on the set of A Hard Day's Night Her views on how fans see her The Fool Apple boutique Rishikesh Get Back Philip Norman The happiest time and more...

277: "Mike Tree" in Nutopia with Michael Meideros

277: "Mike Tree" in Nutopia with Michael Meideros

Listeners: you may recall my conversation with Robert Rosen (245), detailing the blocking of a pair of books by reputable authors that detailed the "househusband" years of John's life; it evolved out of an essay Robert wrote. Well, one of those writers is here to tell his story himself. Michael Meideros was hired in 1977 to work on the indoor gardening at the Lennon's Dakota apartments. But as he performed his assigned tasks, his role grew to ad hoc personal assistant and eventually, archivist. His memoir, Barefoot in Nutopia, remains unpublished - yet. But Michael wanted to share some stories and insights and we're happy to have him, in what we project to be the first of at least two conversations. Subjects include day-to-day life, Yoko, Bermuda, Fred Seaman, and the night the unspeakable occurred, and its aftermath.

276 Filmtrack Olympiad: Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine

276 Filmtrack Olympiad: Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine

Picking up where we left off (259: Sgt. Pepper Olympiad ), lecturer/professor Gary Wenstrup and I resume the Olympiad series with a pair of releases featuring film score music, the 1967 Magical Mystery Tour EP/album and 1969's Yellow Submarine release. Owing to the unique issues, with the latter representing only four new Beatle songs and the former being a six-song double 7" set, we got creative with the tracks reviewed. Previous installments can be found here. Gary Wenstrup's site is here.

275: Anomalies in the Assassination of John Lennon with David Whelan

275: Anomalies in the Assassination of John Lennon with David Whelan

There's no joy to be had in this subject, but it is an important topic for an open discussion. We have been fed a narrative for 43 years regarding the murder of John, yet there were aspects that either lacked detail or, upon closer inspection, made little sense. At least a couple of of authors have published books on the case, but documentary-maker David Whelan has approached the subject with fresh eyes, resulting in three years of research and interviews that he presents in Mind Games: The Assassination of John Lennon. He makes the case that virtually nothing we were ever told about what happened is supported by evidence and much is substantially contradicted. We managed to touch on only part of his research in this conversation, but you can learn more through the book, David's Substack site, and his YouTube channel.