Harry And His Box Set (V1, 2, 7, 10, 12, 15, 14 update.)

[JoeWadley]

quote]

That would probably be a book in itself. Maybe one day.

I loved the way you presented Lewisohn’s A COMPLETE CATALOGUE OF THE BEATLES' BBC RADIO PERFORMANCES last time, with your addendums that included comments on the tape sources for each show. I know that’s a lot of work in itself, but an update of that including the ramblings would be fun.

[evenswr]

I loved the way you presented Lewisohn’s A COMPLETE CATALOGUE OF THE BEATLES' BBC RADIO PERFORMANCES last time

Isn't that what's included in volume 18 of this set?

[Lord Reith]

I loved the way you presented Lewisohn’s A COMPLETE CATALOGUE OF THE BEATLES' BBC RADIO PERFORMANCES last time, with your addendums that included comments on the tape sources for each show. I know that’s a lot of work in itself, but an update of that including the ramblings would be fun.

I did update it but to add everything including the ramblings would be too much. That's why the ramblings were separate.

Thanks, the change in balance engineer does seem a good explanation for the change in sound. I still love the August/September sessions, but I suppose I prefer the 'jazz band' sound of the earlier sessions

Unfortunately the BBC never kept track of who did the balance on each session, and Keith Bateson died a short time ago. In his later years he liked to claim that The Beatles wouldn't do a BBC session unless they knew Keith was on the controls. That might be a bit of an exaggeration but I think they probably found it was easier to work with a 23 year old than a guy in his 50s. Bev Phillips did some of their sessions for Saturday Club and Top Gear I think and you can hear his voice on the Top Gear eavesdrop tape. He seems to have been a guy who liked to have the drums fairly low down in the mix. Keith did the first From Us To You and the very last special Ticket To Ride and you can hear that he liked a very dry mixing style with close miked drums. Charles Clark Maxwell was on balance at the start of PGTB and I think he was a mate of Henebery's who had been to Eton and was a jazz guy, so to me at least The Beatles are recorded very much like a jazz band for those PGTB eps up until episode 11. Put on a jazz album like Take Five by the Dave Brubeck Quartet and you've got the exact same sound on something like The Beatles version of I Got A Woman. In contrast, the session that produced the last three episodes sounds a world apart and more like a live Cavern set. Then you've got a few early Saturday Clubs where somebody clearly liked to have heaps of reverb on everything. I don't know who that was but I call him the "Reverb Guy".

The balance engineers are the forgotten cog in the machine I find. The producer organises the music and gets everything done, but it is the guy on the knobs who ultimately controls what a group sounds like. Unlike modern groups who have their own sound guy, The Beatles were at the whim of whoever was on that day and there is an enormous variation in sound between their EMI recordings on one hand and all the other radio and tv sessions they did. At the very bottom of the heap you've got guys working on the Ed Sullivan audio who clearly have absolutely no idea what they are doing: "Hey, let's turn up and down a random bunch of faders until we get the right one! It doesn't matter, there's only 70 million people listening!"

[tymime]

I always found it astonishing how many Beatles live recordings have poor balance. There are so many times when a vocal mic or a guitar is completely buried in the mix. The BBC recordings are much better in that regard.

[Spaniard in da Works]

I always found it astonishing how many Beatles live recordings have poor balance. There are so many times when a vocal mic or a guitar is completely buried in the mix. The BBC recordings are much better in that regard.

Yes. I used to say that the best way of picking isolated vocal parts in Beatles songs was to look for live versions because you were certain to find one where one of the vocalists was more prominent than the others.

[Spaniard in da Works]

there is an enormous variation in sound between their EMI recordings on one hand and all the other radio and tv sessions they did.

When I listen to some of the Decca audition recordings I wonder if John's guitar was plugged at all. And frankly, with what Pete Best is doing, the rhythm guitar is sorely missed.

[Lord Reith]

One of our members sent me this interesting account of the recording session for From Us To You #4, from Disc on 25th July 1964. It is transcribed at the bottom of the page.

Interesting to hear how George didn't even know the chords to IHJTDWY. That explains him not playing on it. But he also didn't know the words! Which explains the gender bending lyrics.

Disc FUTY article.jpg (623.38 KiB) Viewed 918 times

From DISC, 25th July 1964

Fab Four's holiday show is great

Nigel Hunter goes to the recording session

I went along to the BBC's Paris Cinema radio studio in Lower Regent Street last Friday afternoon to watch The Beatles record their "From Us To You" Light Programme August Bank Holiday Monday show.

First to arrive was Paul McCartney with a carton of Cokes.

"Phew, isn't it hot?" he said, mopping his brow. "It's a drag working on days like this. Still, at least it's a good excuse to wear some crazy casual clothes.

"What do you think about the reaction to A Hard Day's Night?" I asked.

"Fabulous," said Paul, opening a coke with the practised speed of an expert. I thought it might be regarded as a load of rubbish by the critics. I enjoyed doing the picture we all did - but I never expected everyone else would enjoy it too. You can say I'm surprised and delighted."

We went back into the studio, just in time for the entry of the rest of the boys.

"Hello, Mick Jagger!" greeted Paul, as a burly, dark-spectacled John Lennon in swingingly casual gear led the way.

"What about a second film then?" I inquired of John with supreme optimism.

Dunno yet. We're still talking about it," he answered, unpacking his guitar. "It will be done by United Artists again, and Walter Shemson and Dick Lester will be handling the production and direction.

"It's a bit difficult about what we can do, isn't it? We can't do another Beatle-type thing like the first really, and we can't take the parts of total strangers if we're going to sing together. I'm looking at a book at the moment which might be okay to adapt into a film."

Producer Bryant Marriott got the session underway, and the first item going into the can was the belter "Long Tall Sally" featuring Paul.

"Great stuff," said John after Sally was complete, and he caught sight of a tray of sandwiches and tea coming in for him and George. There was a swift assault on the food, and then they got cracking on "Boys."

Next on the list was "Things We Said Today," which carried some minor alterations.

Ringo rose from his seat, crossed over to the group's cases, and picked up a coat. He returned to his kit, and tenderly wrapped the coat around the snare drum. Paul had followed him over, and now waved to me with a wide grin.

"Contrast"

"Here's a story for DISC, then, he called. "Ringo's playing his coat. Improvisation and all that." Ringo wasn't doing it to prevent his drum catching cold. He explained the reason later while John and Paul were doing a spot of double-tracking.

"It's for contrast," he said. "Helps deaden the sound a bit, and comes close to the effect we got in the studio when we recorded the number. I should use a cloth on the drum really, but I forgot."

John was playing acoustic guitar for this number, and used cigarette packet to help position the mike firmly near the sound-board of his instrument.

It was George's vocal turn next on "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You." But he wasn't very happy about it at all, especially after the first run-through.

"Sorry," he said to the control room, we haven't got much idea about this one yet. If I knew the chords, I could read the words, or if I knew the words, I could read the chords,"

He enlisted the aid of a music stand to prop up the song copy, much to the delight of the rest of the group, and got the number in the can after two false starts. Congratulations came from all sides, but he went back to his chair shaking his head about the whole thing.

The boys worked steadily through the hot afternoon, gagging among themselves and with the studio folk but not wasting any time at all in the process. Number after number went into the can with gratifying speed, and Bryant Marriott began to look less like he was producing the Queen's Christmas speech.

Judging by what I heard before I left and by the enthusiasm of the normally poker-faced studio staff, "From Us To You" on Bank Holiday Monday should get your radio receivers white hot with beautful entertainment.

[Kando]

Great share LR. Really enjoy hearing at least a bit of the inner workings of a session like this.

[Lord Reith]

Clearly the BBC didn't have any air conditioning. No windows, and fans would be too noisy. That could have gotten rather stifling!

[Rubberswan]

I wonder if Nigel Hunter is the source for the “Parlophone Rehearsal Session” boot. Maybe he recorded it as an aide memoire.