Another crazy month for us Beatles fans! This episode, we’re going through the Beatles’ new vinyl releases, including the brand-new Mono box set and its breakouts. (Which you can win in our special holiday giveaway!) We also review the new Disney+ doc, Beatles ’64 , premiering Nov. 29. We’re giving you our thoughts on this remastered, remixed look into the Beatles’ US debut in February 1964 - be sure to give us yours via email or socials! Note: This review contains spoilers for Beatles '64. To a...
Nov 25, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 96
We’re back from our summer break and are so excited to welcome author Madeline Bocaro. Madeline is a music journalist with a lifelong admiration for Yoko Ono. Her new book, In Your Mind - The Infinite Universe of Yoko Ono , tells the story of her amazing life, struggles, art, activism, films and music in astounding detail. The book dives deep into Yoko’s life before, during, and after her relationship with John, highlighting her childhood in Japan during wartime, her art, films, music and work f...
Aug 21, 2024•47 min•Ep. 95
We’re still on our summer break, so we’re bringing you a preview of our recent appearance on one of our favorite podcasts, Ranking the Beatles. This episode keeps the Let it Be vibes going and discusses "One after 909," ranked #85 on Ranking the Beatles' list. Listen to the full episode and subscribe to Ranking the Beatles here. About Ranking the Beatles: Musician and self-described Beatles fanatic Jonathan Pretus ranked the entire recorded catalog of the Beatles, because he's a big, big nerd. T...
Aug 14, 2024•19 min•Ep. 94
The month of August has historically been full of significant changes for the Beatles. In August 1962, Pete Best was fired, and Ringo joined the band, completing the lineup and creating the chemistry that propelled them to worldwide stardom. August 1966 brought the backlash against John’s “more popular than Jesus” comments and marked the end of their touring career. And the death of Brian Epstein, in August 1967, was a tragic loss that in many ways, signified the beginning of the end for the Bea...
Aug 07, 2024•32 min•Ep. 93
It's part two of our Mind Games extravaganza, and we're going track-by-track on the new Mind Games Ultimate mix. Listen along with us as we dive into each song on this fabulous new release. And don't forget, enter our giveaway to win your own copy of Mind Games! --------------------- Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , and Twitter/X for photos, videos, and more from this episode & past episodes — we’re @bcthebeatles everywhere. Follow BC the Beatles on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTu...
Jul 31, 2024•52 min•Ep. 92
We're going deep with a two-parter celebrating the new release of John Lennon's solo album, Mind Games . In part one, we discuss the original album, the musicians who made up the "Plastic U.F.Ono Band," and the expansive offerings in this new set. And Erika tells Allison about the Mind Games Dolby Atmos listening event in New York City this month, which included a 50-year reunion of the entire Plastic U.F.Ono Band! Plus, enter our giveaway to win your own copy of Mind Games. --------------------...
Jul 24, 2024•39 min•Ep. 91
The trailer for 'Midas Man' — the new film about Beatles' manager Brian Epstein — dropped this week, and we couldn't be more excited! Scheduled for release on August 29, 'Midas Man' follows Brian's career from 1963 through his death in 1967. It delves deep into Brian's family life, the Liverpool music scene, and his struggles as a closeted gay man in a world where homosexuality was still considered a felony. After noticing how Brian's last name is pronounced in the film (hint: you get bleeped fo...
Jul 17, 2024•46 min•Ep. 90
We celebrate Ringo's birthday by diving into the solo album that was almost a Beatles reunion: 1973's Ringo. With contributions from John, George, and Paul, Ringo gave fans hope that, although their breakup was acrimonious, the four Beatles might find a way back together. For Ringo, the album, his third, was a triumph after a shaky start to his solo career and produced some of his most beloved tracks thanks to his collaborations with not only the other three Beatles but also a host of who's-who ...
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 89
On July 3, 1966, the Beatles landed in Manila, The Philippines, for the final stop on the first leg of their world tour. But two days later, after a misunderstanding with the country's first family, the band and their entourage narrowly escaped with their lives. The third part of our touring years series dives into this harrowing moment — an event that would kick off a summer of strife, and reinforce the Beatles' determination to stop touring for good. --------------------- +Follow us on Faceboo...
Jul 03, 2024•49 min•Ep. 88
This week, we’re re-releasing a double header of episodes (two-in-one!) that digs into pivotal moments from the Beatles' touring career. The first part is about their very first tour backing Johnny Gentle in 1960. Part two discusses the band’s Winter 1963 tour, opening for UK singing sensation Helen Shapiro — a tour that intersected directly with the rapid rise of British Beatlemania. These two episodes are the first two parts of a three-part series on the Beatles’ touring years. And next week w...
Jun 26, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 87
Today is Juneteenth, a day that has held significance for the Black community for many years and one that, for the past four, has become a national holiday in the United States. It’s a day for education, listening, learning, and increasing awareness of the Black experience. Though we are two white women who are still doing a lot of learning and listening ourselves, we wanted to celebrate Juneteenth by exploring the Beatles’ connection to civil rights, especially during their 1964 tour. 1964 was ...
Jun 19, 2024•59 min•Ep. 86
Paul McCartney and Wings’ One Hand Clapping is one of the most bootlegged albums in rock history. Fifty years later, the album is being officially released for the first time, with a fabulous new mix by Steve Orchard (and Giles Martin collaborating on the Atmos version). We’re joined by Sam Whiles, host of the Paul or Nothing podcast and the Macca in your Attic YouTube series. Join us as we nerd out over one of the most interesting and exciting Paul McCarrtney releases in recent history! Plus, w...
Jun 12, 2024•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 85
Our guest today is the wonderful May Pang, who we’re so excited to welcome onto BC the Beatles! May began her career in the music industry at ABKCO and Apple Records before transitioning into being John and Yoko’s personal assistant. Three years later, Yoko came to her with a strange request: to be John’s lover and companion during a period of their separation. This became his “Lost Weekend” in 1974-1975, in which he and May split time between NYC and LA. May was witness to many of the tall tale...
Jun 05, 2024•39 min•Ep. 84
This month, two behemoths of British culture crashed into one another, when the new season of Doctor Who featured a much-anticipated Beatles episode called “The Devil’s Chord.” Both fandoms have been hoping for this crossover episode for years, and we finally got it, complete with an incredible new villain played by Jinkx Monsoon. Erika is joined by James Ryan and Ed Chen, who both have one foot solidly planted in both of these fandoms, giving us an excuse to nerd out over these worlds colliding...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 83
Our very, very special guest today is the great Kevin Harrington, who most Beatles fans will recognize as the “redhead on the roof” in the Let It Be and Get Back films. At the time, Kevin was only 18 years old(!) but had been working for the Beatles, in some capacity, for years, first as an errand boy at NEMS and then as an assistant to Brian Epstein. He worked alongside Mal Evans as the Beatles’ “roadie,” as he’s billed in the Let It Be credits. After the Beatles broke up, Kevin stayed closely ...
May 22, 2024•44 min•Ep. 82
This week, Erika participated in a roundtable discussion of the newly-released Let it Be film with some of our favorite Beatles podcasters. Enjoy this supersized episode about all things Let it Be. And if you like what you hear, please head on over to our the other participants’ podcasts: Blotto Beatles , hosted by Becker, RB, Scotty C., and Tommy Ranking the Beatles , hosted by Jonathan and Julia Pretus Fans on the Run , hosted by Ethan Alexanian Paul or Nothing and Macca in Your Attic , both h...
May 15, 2024•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 81
We’re thrilled to welcome the incredible Michael Lindsay-Hogg to the podcast. Michael is, of course, the director of the Beatles’ film “Let it Be,” now fully restored and available worldwide on Disney Plus. Michael joined us to talk about his original vision for "Let it Be," its relationship to "Get Back," and give us the details on how he originally wanted the film to end. And of course we couldn’t resist asking him about one our favorite films that Michael directed, "Two of Us." After the inte...
May 08, 2024•53 min•Ep. 80
The trailer for the restored version of Michael Lindsay-Hogg's "Let it Be" film dropped this week, and we couldn't be more excited! So in anticipation of the big day, we combined two of our favorite "Let it Be" episodes from the archives. Giles Martin on Remixing a #NextGen "Let it Be" — our first interview with Giles from 2021, where he tells us about everything from making the Beatles sound “fresh” for a new generation to dealing with critics. The "Let it Be" Remixes, Track-by-Track — our anal...
May 01, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 79
This week, we welcome Melissa Brumm, Co-Producer and Creative Director for the Abbey Road on the River music festival. Abbey Road on the River (AROTR) is the world’s largest Beatles-inspired music festival (and is very close to Allison's heart!). Since 2002, AROTR has celebrated the best in Beatles music, hosting Beatles and other classic rock tribute bands, as well as many of the original bands themselves. Now taking place in Jeffersonville, Indiana, AROTR presents over 250 Beatles and ‘60s-the...
Apr 24, 2024•33 min•Ep. 78
In an April 1973 press conference, John Lennon and Yoko Ono declared the birth of Nutopia, a "conceptual country" founded in response to John's ongoing immigration struggles. In past weeks, Nutopia has resurfaced online through a new website. We look at the history of Nutopia's founding, born out of John's wild journey to U.S. citizenship. And we explore the newest incarnation of Nutopia as an online presence, just in time for the 50th anniversary release of John's album, Milk and Honey. Plus, w...
Apr 17, 2024•44 min•Ep. 77
When we first started this podcast way back in 2018, one of the reasons we called it “BECAUSE the Beatles” was because we wanted to be able to not only talk about the Beatles, but anything adjacent to them in any way … hence "because" the Beatles. And one of our original reasons was because we wanted to do the episode we’re FINALLY doing today — an episode on Cilla Black! Cilla is unique in the Beatles’ story — the only woman managed by Brian Epstein, and, as we’ll discuss, she was one of his fa...
Apr 10, 2024•54 min•Ep. 76
This week, we're sharing an episode of one of our favorite Beatles-adjacent podcasts, We Say Yeah!, a show about Cliff Richard and the Shadows. This is one of the only — if not the only — podcasts exclusively about Cliff Richard, who was, of course, a huge success in the UK, and a contemporary of the Beatles. Erika was recently a guest host, discussing Wonderful Life, a movie musical that was released mere days before A Hard Day's Night, but couldn't be more different. About the podcast: Cliff R...
Mar 27, 2024•44 min•Ep. 75
Today we're joined by Laurie Kaye, author of the new book, Confessions of a Rock 'N' Roll Name-Dropper: My Life Leading up to John Lennon’s Last Interview. As a young rock journalist, Laurie got the opportunity of a lifetime: to spend the day with John and Yoko at their home in New York City. She and her team spent hours with the couple, and the resulting interview was one of the most candid John had ever given. It touched on a wide range of topics, including their latest album release, John’s L...
Mar 20, 2024•36 min•Ep. 74
Our excitement over the upcoming Sam Mendes Beatles biopics got us thinking about some of our favorite Beatles movies. From classics like Birth of the Beatles and Backbeat, to contemporary Beatles stories like Nowhere Boy and Yesterday, we look at some of the most impactful biopics to hit both the big and small screens. And, inspired by the recent Academy Awards—and Sean Lennon’s win for the animated short, War is Over!—we created our own awards show for all things Beatles movies. Do you agree w...
Mar 13, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 73
Sara Schmidt returns to the podcast to discuss her new book, Dear Beatle People: The Story of the Beatles North American Fan Club . Dear Beatle People: The Story of the Beatles’ North American Fan Club tells the stories of both the official and unofficial fan clubs in the US and Canada. With over 100 photos and rare historical documents like fan club membership cards and letters, this book gives new insights into the engine that fueled North American Beatlemania. You may know Sara as the founder...
Mar 06, 2024•54 min•Ep. 72
Four new Beatles biopics are coming, and we're obsessed! Oscar- and TONY-award winning director Sam Mendes will direct the films, slated for 2027, with full life rights for all four Beatles. We break down what we know so far, speculate on what's to come, and opine on our dream casts. Plus, we look at Pattie Boyd's upcoming auction full of memories of her time with both George Harrison and Eric Clapton, and congratulate Paul on being reunited with his original Hofner bass. Beatles Get a Biopic. A...
Feb 28, 2024•56 min•Ep. 71
This week marks what would have been George Harrison’s birthday… or is it birthdays? So we pulled one of our most popular episodes out of the archives in his honor. We’re looking at George’s early life in Liverpool, his all-encompassing guitar obsession, and the talent that even impressed the much-older John Lennon. Plus, we attempt to get to the bottom of the age-old question: what is George’s actual birthday? Links we mentioned: Rebeat's interview with Louise Harrison George's childhood home o...
Feb 21, 2024•34 min•Ep. 70
This Valentine's Day, we're reading some of the love letters fans sent to the Beatles 60 years ago this year, published in 1964's Love Letters to the Beatles . Plus a recap of the 2024 Fest for Beatles Fans at the fabulous TWA hotel! --------------------- +Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , and Twitter/X for photos, videos, and more from this episode & past episodes — we’re @bcthebeatles everywhere. +Follow BC the Beatles on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening now...
Feb 14, 2024•40 min•Ep. 69
It’s the 60th anniversary of the Beatles’ first American visit and their groundbreaking appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. We’re tracing the twists and turns that brought the Beatles to America, and opened the doors to a cultural revolution in the process. And we tell the story of Erika’s grandfather, the jazz guitarist who met the Beatles, got his picture taken by none other than Paul McCartney, and maybe… overdubbed George Harrison on The Ed Sullivan Show? Rebeat’s interview with Louise Harr...
Feb 07, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 68
This week, we welcome Dr. Richard Mills, author of the book The Beatles and Fandom: Sex, Death, and Progressive Nostalgia, as we discuss the intricacies of Beatles fandom in all its glory. From sex and death to slash fanfic and tribute bands, join us for this fun trip down the rabbit hole of the quirky, creative, and sometimes freaky fan world. Read the AMAZING “Into My Life” fanfic: https://www.alsfrombothsides.org/intomylife/index.html --------------------- +Follow us on Facebook , Instagram ,...
Jan 31, 2024•56 min•Ep. 67
