FABRACADABRA!

[Lord Reith]

I was a bit shocked to hear Paul say in '66 that Nowhere Man is about "a terrible, terrible person". I've never heard it that way, more as "Isn't he a bit like you and me".

In memory of John I will upload Fabracadabra 8 later today, which of course contains some of his finest songs.

[lyntone]

LR Many thanks the lateste volume, superb stuff. Regarding John's Lucky Face speech at Foyles he definitely said it as shown here.
Perhaps it was one the Fab's running gag phrases of the moment. "Good old Freda/ Eddy" etc
being another one.

[Phil_Lip]

I think 'You've got a lucky face' is quite an old saying, but maybe it was triggered by this.

https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/good_luck_s ... ucky_face/

Broadcast Friday 31st January 1964

[Lord Reith]

Hey thanks! I've never seen that video before and have only heard the audio grab "thankyou very much and God bless you" in the BBC Beatles Story from 1972. It does indeed seem like he is quipping the "You've got a lucky face" line from the Marty Feldman show (and I didn't know about that either!)

I'm sure I read in Beatles books that the press manufactured this comment, but clearly he did say it. Helen Shapiro was there and says everyone expected him to make a speech, and it's kind of a shame he didn't because he wasn't exactly inarticulate. Perhaps he felt naked without the otehr three to back him up?

[Lord Reith]

I wanted to post this on John's anniversary but the board did one of its frequent vanishing acts! But here is Volume 8 in its revised form. Nearly all the songs have been tweaked to have their separations upgraded or other small changes made. For instance, the grungy guitars on the left channel in Pepper are more solidly defined, as are the guitar and organ in the reprise. The mellotron no longer occasionally pulls to the centre in Strawberry Fields. I have also added take 4 of that song, which I could not get a good demix of last time. It's a gentle version with John's undoctored voice. Listening to these takes I am in wonder as usual at Ringo's drumming. It is not easy to do a plaintive song at that slow tempo and have a drum part that is not either overbearing or underwhelming. As Phil Collins said in 1987, "You could take a really good modern drummer and say 'I want it to sound like that' and he just wouldn't know what to do." From 1962 to 1966 Ringo put the "Beat" in Beatles. And from 1967 on he reinvented himself and gave them something else for which there is probably no name. But only he and he alone could have provided it.

A few songs the panning has changed. The drums and bass are now in the centre in Fixing A Hole, which is how I wanted it all along. Likewise, the drums are centred in take 10 of Pepper. John's voice is in the centre for takes 1 and 2 of A Day In The Life. But otherwise the mixes are the same, just in upgraded quality.

hxxps://drive.google.com/file/d/1UX1aCoGh8Agh-6-QHr8GI3TMft1vmV9C/view?usp=share_link

(thanks to applebonkerz for re-ups)

[Nimbus]

I'm sure I read in Beatles books that the press manufactured this comment, but clearly he did say it. Helen Shapiro was there and says everyone expected him to make a speech, and it's kind of a shame he didn't because he wasn't exactly inarticulate. Perhaps he felt naked without the otehr three to back him up?

I think it was that John could never tolerate people in authority or part of the establishment, as much of the audience here appear to be. He said as much in the Wenner interview, spat out with much venom ...

One has to completely humiliate oneself to be what the Beatles were . . . . It happened bit by bit, until . . . you're doing exactly what you don't want to do with people you can't stand -- the people you hated when you were ten.

And I always thought that Nowhere Man was autobiographical, part of his low self esteem during the 'fat Elvis' period.

PS. Thanks so much for V8

[Mr Muckle]

Yeah, John was probably the most empathetic cynic in modern celebrity culture ever. He exuded love and tried to hide it too. But the love was intrinsic to his personality, and he couldn't hide that.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Phil Collins covered "Tomorrow Never Knows" (not that good); I remember his interview; he was talking about "A Day In The Life". It's pre-rock progressive drumming; Ringo was really impressive and powerful. Like on "God", each drum-fills is different and so good.
Same for "Tomorrow Never Knows" : The Beatles sum-up into a 3 minutes song the rock-progressive which would start 2 years later (Pink Floyd borrow the drumming for "Syncopated Pandemonium" part in "A Saucerful Of Secrets", not to mention the seagulls in "Echoes" - David Gilmour often said in interviews he wanted to be a Beatles)
I think now that the story starts with "Yellow Submarine" and his sad lyrics ("no one care"); a melody a-la Strawberry Fields. Perhaps you should include it; I like so much the mix you did for "Lemonade" EP.

[rhino]

Thanks Lord Reith. Will be listening to this tonight !

[Rick]

Thanks much! Great stuff! If it's not too much trouble, at some point could we get a copy of the artwork with the cover photo flipped back around? 'Salright if not, just figured I'd ask! =)