When They Was Fab: Electric Arguments About the Beatles - podcast cover

When They Was Fab: Electric Arguments About the Beatles

Ed Chen and Jon Stone, Lonnie Pena, Martin Quibellwhentheywasfab.podbean.com
Talk, more talk, chat, more chat - We’re happy to do it for you (Beatles)
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Episodes

2025.05 There's Only One Paul McCartney (BBC 2002 review/overview)

2022. Sir Paul McCartney was recovering from the passing of Linda, preparing for a tour backing his "Driving Rain" album, and celebrating fifty years of Queen Elizabeth II. The BBC gathered together a number of interesting and important figures (including Astrid Kirchherr, Jurgen Vollmer, Arthur Kelly and Kermit the Frog?) in advance of his appearance at the Jubilee (and a little thing at Castle Leslie in Glaslough, Ireland). Lonnie and I look back and discuss the documentary and how well it tel...

Feb 02, 20251 hr 20 minEp. 220

2025.04 Beatles '64 Review

The past is gone, but something might be found to take it's place. However, sometimes, the past is only a few weeks ago. Ethan Alexanian joins Martin and I to review "Beatles '64" - the good, the bad, and the questionable.

Jan 26, 20251 hr 13 minEp. 219

2025.03 Look Up Review and Overview

The definition of a "hit record" in 2025 is fairly difficult to determine, but by the "old fashioned" metrics, Ringo certainly has one with his country album "Look Up." Lonnie Pena and I go through the album, track-by-track and talk about the songs, guests, and the directions the career of Ringo Starr might head in. We close the show discussing the (mostly positive) reviews, where even the most negative reviewers can only niggle on the songwriting of T-Bone (when they could have used ALL of THAT...

Jan 20, 20251 hr 5 minEp. 218

2025.02 Jon Stone's 1964 in Review

Jon Stone is guided by Voices (or are voices guided by Jon Stone?) Following on from Beatles '64, Marv and I wanted to talk actual memories of the year with the only co-host who had some. Lots of Beatles chat, a bit of meandering (Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, Sunday-Sunday-Sunday), and a tiny bit of off-period chat, but that's true to the documentary ;), and in this case, it does all manage to come around to almost-cohesive!

Jan 13, 20251 hr 8 minEp. 217

2025.01 2024 in Review (Part Two)

After a news segment (update on Julian, Richard Perry), Marv and I sit down for part two of our look back at some of the happenings in the Beatles world over the last twelve months. A passel full of Documentaries, the 'Living in the Material World" box, Ringo tour pt. 2, and the latest chapter in the "Got Back" tour. We also chat about Ringo's plans for 2025 (country album, Nashville shows and Spring/Summer tour), the Concert for Bangladesh and some of the other things we are looking forward to....

Jan 06, 20251 hr 17 minEp. 216

2024.53 2024 in Review (Part One)

After a news segment (Julian, Joey Molland, Ringo and Paul!), Marv and I sit down for part one of our look back at some of the happenings in the Beatles world over the last twelve months. New music in the form of an EP from Ringo, an anniversary release from Paul for "Band on the Run", a brand new mix for "One Hand Clapping" and more!

Dec 29, 20241 hr 9 minEp. 215

2024.52 Living in the Material World - Disc One (Eoghan Lyng, Ken Michaels)

Marv and I are joined by Eoghan Lyng and Ken Michaels to discuss the "Living in the Material World" album with an emphasis on the 50th Anniversary remix as found on the "Super Deluxe Edition". Ken rates the record at the very top, but in general the reviews over the years have been on the positive side, but perhaps less than ecstatic.

Dec 23, 20241 hr 15 minEp. 214

2024.51 Director David Tedeschi - Beatles '64

Marv, Lonnie and I sit down with Director David Tedeschi to talk Beatles '64 - the documentary newly available on Disney+ presenting 17 minutes of new Maysles Brothers footage. The Documentary also features greatly cleaned up footage, complete with new audio stems and remixes from the 1964 Ed Sullivan shows, the Washington Coliseum, and newly restored interviews from "The Beatles Anthology". All this and chat covering Tedsechi's entire career that goes from "The Shield" to "Vinyl" to "No Directi...

Dec 16, 20241 hr 9 minEp. 213

2024.50 The McCartney Legacy Volume 2, Pt.2

Part Two of our discussion with Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair covering the McCartey Legacy, Volume 2. All four of us (Lonnie, Jon, Ed and Marv) are still in on the conversation, as we pick up the McCartney story in New Orleans, visit John Lennon in the Dakota ("Live From New York, It's Saturday Night!") travel around the globe on a world tour, record on the high seas, record in a castle, complain about Pete Townshend (he wouldn't wear the suit), and end up in Japan...

Dec 08, 20241 hr 9 minEp. 212

2024.49 The McCartney Legacy Volume 2, Pt.1

Part One of our discussion with Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair covering the McCartey Legacy, Volume 2. All four of us (Lonnie, Jon, Ed and Marv) are in on the conversation, as we proceed from the McGear album to Paul's time in Nashville, with stops along the way at Rembrandt, Printer's Alley and that room Jimmy McCulloch hung out while he was working with Paul in Scotland.

Dec 02, 20241 hr 10 minEp. 211

2024.48 Living in the Material World (Disc 2, review)

Marv and I talk a bit about the new "Living in the Material World" box, mostly Disc Two - EXTRAS! Alternate versions of the entire record, remixes of "Miss O'Dell", and a brand new recording of "Sunshine Life For Me (Sail Away Raymond)" featuring a George Harrison lead vocal, and guest appearances from Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, and Rick Danko from The Band, alongside Ringo Starr.

Nov 25, 20241 hr 16 minEp. 210

2024.47 John Lennon and the 1994 RRHOF Class

Marv and I sit down to discuss the 1994 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class. Yoko Ono handed over a tape. Paul McCartney inducted John Lennon as a solo artist (an honor since given to Paul, George and Ringo) while friends and familiars including Elton John, The Band, the Animals, the Grateful Dead and Bob Marley had their names added to the pantheon now housed in Cleveland.

Nov 18, 20241 hr 12 minEp. 209

2024.46 Midas Man (overview and Review)

Lonnie and I review "Midas Man". We discuss the good (production and set design), the bad (dancing around the relationship the NEMS acts including the Beatles had with Brian's homosexuality), and the downright odd (the height difference between Jonah Lees' "smaller-than- John Lennon" and Jacob-Fortune Lloyd's "taller-than-Brian Epstein".

Nov 11, 20241 hr 26 minEp. 208

2024.44 The Murky Times.

A "Gab Four" show! Martin, Lonnie, Jon and I are together chatting on what Jon has named "The Murky Times". The period between the end of the "Get Back" sessions and McCartney's "Self Interview" in the "McCartney" promotional package!

Nov 03, 20241 hr 29 minEp. 207

2024.43 John, Paul, Ringo ... and Lonnie?

News, updates and discussion on the last few weeks. Ringo Starr has a new country album. A very nice stream (both video AND audio) of Paul McCartney in Buenos Aires. Answers to some of our questions regarding John and Yoko on Mike Douglas, and a bit of "Lonnie's Scrapbook", mostly a couple of pieces from the seventies (and the Houston Post) covering John and Yoko's trip to Houston in 1971 (while dealing with custody and visitation rights over Kyoko Chan Cox), 1979, and how things were finally se...

Oct 27, 20241 hr 4 minEp. 206

2024.42 Daytime Revolution Review pt.2 + Interview with Director Erik Nelson

Marv, Lonnie and I finish our review of "Daytime Revolution" (and to a certain extent, more generally John and Yoko's week on Mike Douglas). Following that, we are joined by Erik Nelson, the man behind "Daytime Revolution", who gives his own thoughts on the the week of shows (filmed over five weeks), the process of editing 7+ hours of television down to less than ninety minutes, locating and filming new interviews with the guests still with us, and choosing representative elements (bumpers, etc)...

Oct 20, 20241 hr 9 minEp. 205

2024.41 Daytime Revolution (review, pt.1)

Marv and Lonnie join me for our discussion of the first few days of the Lennons on the Mike Douglas show in 1972, particularly as the days are represented in the new documentary "Daytime Revolution." John, Yoko, Jerry Rubin, Bobby Seale and Mike Douglas? How did millions of American housewives react to the counterculture entering their avocado-colored breakfast nooks? The review concludes next week, which will also feature a discussion with director of the film Erik Nelson.

Oct 13, 20241 hr 14 minEp. 204

2024.40 One Hand Clapping (Theater) Review

Lonnie joins as we review the theatrical presentation of "One Hand Clapping", combined with the first ever appearance of the full (?) "Backyard" film. Paul, Linda, Denny, Geoff and Jimmy. Also in the studio were two other musicians, an orchestra and a dog. One of the musicians was called Howie Casey and played a saxophone. The other was called Del Newman and he conducted the orchestra. The dog was called Poppy and didn’t really do much at all. The studio at number 3 Abbey Road, London is where T...

Oct 06, 20241 hr 11 minEp. 203

2024.39 Revival 69

Lonnie and I spend this week looking at the Ron Chapman film "Revival 69." How much did we really know about the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival Festival? This fil goes into the nitty gritty of September 13, 1969 - and exactly how John Lennon ended up in Canada premiering "Cold Turkey".

Sep 29, 20241 hr 18 minEp. 202

2024.38 Solo Beatles Number Ones in the 70s! Part 2!

Marv and I finish our look at the Seventies US number ones of John, Paul, George and Ringo. Casey drops by, as do clips of John, Paul, Elton and Billy Preston. Look for a bit of a Billy Revival as Jon Batiste portrays him in the forthcoming "SNL 1975" film. With all these other films, the casting of Beatles incidentals is done for him!

Sep 23, 20241 hr 16 minEp. 201

2024.37 Solo Beatles Number Ones in the 70s! Part 1! + News.

While the four solo artists formerly known as the Beatles did not equal their illustrious previous decade, they did all show chart success in the Seventies. Eleven total number ones. This week we start our next multi-part series (hey, two counts as "multi") covering those chart toppers. We partially go the Paul McCartney route ("we play the hits"), but also look back at how these songs were viewed in "real time". Lots of news, and plenty of archival clips from Casey's coast to coast!...

Sep 15, 20241 hr 17 minEp. 200

2024.36 Mind Games Ultimate Box Review (Disc Six - The Outtakes)

Marv and I are joined by Antony Rotunno (Glass Onion: On John Lennon), as we finish our look at the Mind Games Box Set with Disc Six - The Outtakes. While we discuss the tracks, we also take a step back and consider Lennon the man. The personal, political and psychological are all strongly represented in the lyrics found between the grooves.

Sep 08, 20241 hr 30 minEp. 199

2024.35 Mind Games Ultimate Box Review (Disc Five - Raw Studio Mixes)

The return of friend of the show Darin Murphy (a man who portrayed John Lennon on Broadway, and played with Denny Laine, Todd Rundgren, Joey Molland, Micky Dolenz and more!) He pojoins us to discuss Disc Five of the Mind Games Box, the raw studio mixes. Sean gives us plenty of material to consider, and we discuss how this album would influence artists as diverse as Meat Loaf, Tom Petty and possibly the Beats headphones!

Sep 01, 20241 hr 29 minEp. 198

2024.34 Live From the Fest 2024! (Featuring Dr. Kenneth Womack!)

Recorded Live in Chicago (with additional audio from Houston, Cleveland and more), this week we present "When They Was Fab" in front of a live audience. Dr. Kenneth Womack ("Living the Beatles Legend", "Solid State", "John Lennon: 1980" and more) joins us as we look at the circumstances of 1960, 1961 and 1962 which would lead to a new drummer and a new era for everyone that is a fan of popular music!

Aug 25, 20241 hr 11 minEp. 197

2024.33 Reunion a Rock 'n Roll Fairy Tale (Discussion with author Gary Burr)

Marv, Lonnie and I sit with Nashville HOF songwriter, author and man who worked with a Beatle about his lifelong love of the Fabs, touring (and writing!) with Carole King, his Brian Epstein-themed song on the new Billy J. Kramer record, collaborating (and recording) with Ringo and the forthcoming Ringo country album. We also dig into his new novel ("Reunion"), which imagines a universe where John Lennon's fate changed, and all four were still present when Paul (at the urging of his daughters) de...

Aug 18, 20241 hr 25 minEp. 196

2024.32 Mind Games Ultimate Box Review (Disc Four - The Evolution Mixes)

The "Mind Games" train rolls on. Disc four, the evolution mixes. Possibly the closest we will get to hearing the evolution of the "Mind Games" album. Each track, from the earliest known demo through the various changes in the studio through to the near-complete version. John, Yoko, Roy Cicala and all the musicians chime in at various times for a full look at just how the recording process worked for John Lennon in New York City in the early 1970's!

Aug 11, 20241 hr 17 minEp. 195

2024.31 Mind Games Ultimate Box Review (Disc Three - The Elements Mixes)

The Ultimate Box review continues! This week we move on to the third disc - the elements mixes. How many other (non-instrumental) albums have a disc not featuring lead vocals from the named artist? This one does. Marv and I talk about what we learned, and we extend the concept talking about Keltner, Gordon, Something Different, Sneaky Pete and the others that migrated from "Feeling the Space" over to "Mind Games".

Aug 04, 20241 hr 6 minEp. 194

2024.30 Mind Games Ultimate Box Review (Disc Two - The Elemental Mixes)

Lonnie and I roll on with part two of our "Mind Games" SDE review. This week, disc two - the Elemental mixes (not to be confused with the Elements mixes). Lonnie also unveils his initial thoughts on the Mind Games (Ultimate Collection) Super Deluxe Box Set! Roll the I-Ching and see if it advises you to drop the cash!

Jul 28, 20241 hr 9 minEp. 193

2024.29 Mind Games Ultimate Box Review (Disc One - The Ultimate Mixes)

Lonnie Pena, Jon Stone and I sit down to discuss the first disc of the "Mind Games: Ultimate Collection" Deluxe Box set. When asked about the release, Sean Lennon says: "People were having trouble adjusting to the 'new' John Lennon. So, I think Mind Games fell through the cracks for a number of reasons. The fact that the mixes were a bit thin didn’t help either." Does that apply to Jon, Lonnie (who picked up the disc at release) and me (who didn't get turned on to it until the early eighties and...

Jul 21, 20241 hr 9 minEp. 192

2024.28 Welcome to Soundcheck! (McCartney, Birmingham 2015 and more)

Marv and I talk the Birmingham, UK Soundcheck (2015, "Out There" tour). Soundcheck is 40-60 minutes of Paul doing (mostly) songs not part of the main show. This week we talk "Celebration", "Miss Ann", "It's so Squeazy", "I'll Follow the Sun", and a bit about how the show has changed since Out There (two encores compressed to one! No "Yesterday"). As they say in "Midnight Special" (another soundcheck favorite of Paul's) "If you ever go to Houston, you better act right!"...

Jul 14, 20241 hr 15 minEp. 191
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