Episodes
Ep. 198 | Our Fab Holiday Wishlist
Since Xmashanukkwanza has been an ongoing celebration since late September, we here at the UPB have already spent all of our allotted giving spirit for 2024 (#ThanksObama). Therefore itâs time to focus on what we WANT to RECEIVE from The Beatleverse in the years to come. So this week, Crimbledee and Crimbledum list off all the major contenders on their fab wishlists, while leaving these remaining items for future wishlists:
đ§âNow and Thenâ Then and Now Commemorative Scrapbook Vault. A crafty 12âx12â cube to warmly display all of your âNow and Thenâ 100+ coloured 7â, 10â, 12â vinyls, posters, t-shirts, keychains, beach towels, cuckoo clocks, handcuffs, luxury camping gear (including bug zappers!), weather balloons and other assorted âNow and Thenâ ephemera!
đŤ The Royal Mint in conjunction with Heinz Beans presents: Ringo Starr Edible Schilling Legumes in a deliciously ârichâ tomato sauce. Make your farts work for you!
đ§ď¸ âRain/ Paperback Writerâ Reversible Drizzle Parka* and Bookmark**
*not recommended for rain
**wait 12-36 hours after drizzle for bookmark use
***Parka will not work as a bookmark
****Bookmark will not work as a parka
Plus a pint-size review of Elliot Mintzâs new book about John Lennon!
Fabby Holidays from the Untitled Beatles Podcast!
T.J., Tony, Producer Casey, and P3Z-Nutz
Ep. 197 | Beatles â64 Documentary (2024)
George Harrison's tribute to Smokey Robinson, "When Smokey Sings", isn't just Rob Sheffield's favourite solo Beatles tune. The Motown legend, arguably best known for covering "So Bad", is a huge part of "Beatles '64", the Mouse's latest entry in the world of Beatles documentaries.
1964 is THE seminal year in Beatles history, so surely this Scorcese-produced doc provides a comprehensive look at the full year? Clearly, the talking heads are relevant and used sparingly? Obviously, this release comes in concert with expanded, cleaned up footage improving on what we all really want, a reissued "The First U.S. Visit"?
Our own Medved and (Mister) Roeper explore the highs and lows of yet another Beatles holiday gift, and along the way they ask:
đ If Leonard Bernstein discusses "She Said She Said" in "Beatles '64", should Dave Grohl and Questlove discuss "Now And Then" in "Beatles '67"?
đż Why did director David Tedeschi opt to open with a whispery YouTube cover of "All My Loving" over one of Tears for Fears' celebrated Depeche Mode covers?
đ If this doc was trying to attract a younger audience, how come it didnât include an interview with Matt Gaetz?
EPISODE LINKS
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Ep. 196 | George Harrison's "Living In the Material World" Super Deluxe Edition
Right around Thanksgiving (the American one, THE ONLY ONE), the Material World got a whole lot more material! The Harrison estate graciously reintroduced one of Georgeâs most acclaimed records to the world; via a sparkling, glorious Paul Hicks remix in honor of itsâ (approximately, infinite) 50th anniversary. There are many iterations of this current reissue, as Beatleworld continues its transition from âmarketing exclusively for the massesâ to âmarketing primarily for boomers with loads of disposable cashâ.
In arguably the greatest national tragedy of 2024, Theater Tony (The Annoyance) and Theatre T.J. ("Madonna: The Musical") could only afford the 2-LP/streaming version of this title. (Producer Casey, please put an âawwwwwâ drop here. K? Then do it, damn it!) But fear not! The guys delve into this reissue with their usual panache, like a couple of panache-holes, but also find the holiday spirit to ask other hard questions, like:
đ¤ Whatâs the Kim Deal with Seinfeld?
đşđ˝ Does the deluxe remix archive crate gnome edition of âLiving In The Material Worldâ come with a skibidi toilet?
đŞ If Krishna showed up to Ed McMahonâs house, would McMahon hand him a cartoonishly large check and then bellow in his face, âyou are correct, sir?â
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Ep. 195 | Our 2024 Fabsgiving Feast
This week, T.J., Tony, Casey, and P3Z-Nutz all gather round the cornucopia at Untitled Beatles HQ to reflect for just a moment on all the fab fortunes 2024 has brought to Beatledom, while saving a little room for the requisite holiday grievances.
Fun and turkey tomfoolery abound, and we are grateful to get to share the table with all of you.
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Ep. 194 | Macca Snacks #3 / Paul McCartneyâs The 7â Singles Box (2022)
This week, we gotta get back in time. Back to 2022, when a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and edible-influenced T.J. and Tony ripped through Teejâs brand new box set of the 7â Macca Singles, joined by their close (and possibly hallucinated) friends P3Z-Nutz, Mrs. Vandebilt, and Uncle Pecos.
Will they make it all the way through the bonus test (your patience) pressing of 4 random songs from Liverpool Oratorio? Pop in your earbuds and a coupla your favorite Macca Snacks, and you might just find out.
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Ep. 193 | âProblematicâ Beatles Fantasy Albums
You got a problem with me, guy?
What about The Beatles, you don't got a problem with them, right? Because some of their songs, depending who you ask, are pretty darn problematic. Where's Jerry Falwell when you need him? Oh, yeah, dead! He Gone!!! đĽ°
Tony and T.J. attempt very hard to get cancelled as they debate which Beatles songs are, to quote Lindsey Buckingham, Trouble; as they discuss their unique and very real compilations of Problematic Beatles Songs.
Along the way, Tony, T.J., and stone cold early 90s Miami DJ legend - nepotism alert! - DJ Double DJ, discuss these dirty, Murica hatin songs and also ask:
𤥠Is Matt Gaetz's favorite song, "I Saw Her Standing There"? Because, she was just 17? #GaetzyPuckett
đ¸ (Our Chicago friend at the bar. It's 3pm, he hasn't showered in a bit, and he just called the RC Cola delivery guy "Ozzie Guillen, Jr.") "How come Queen and Fred McMercury stole that big butts song from the Beatles and then Sir Mix A A Lot made a rap song about it? And how come rap music don't go away, so I can feel comfortable again??"
đĽđď¸ If one man makes another man "spit on his microphone", is it probably at Matt Gaetz's house?
EPISODE LINKS
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Ep. 192 | Fab Lip Service
Not everyone gets lip serviced. Like, have you ever been lip serviced, pal?Being lip serviced, also known as âpaying someone lip serviceâ is when someone talks about you. For example, âDonald T****p once paid his daughter đIvankađ lip service when he literally joked about wanting to date her on the Howard Stern showâ. But itâs not usually that creepy or gross, in fact itâs often a compliment, like the many songs that feature a direct mention of The Beatles, in every generation and genre of music.
This week, Tony & T.J., as reproduced for podcast by Producer Casey, delve into some of their favorite (and least favorite) songs that mention The Beatles. They also wonder, aloud, because itâs a podcastâŚ
đ¨ Would âKids Incorporatedâ have been a more interesting show if it was called âKids Incarceratedâ?
đ´ Are Rod Rogers and Rick Astley the Dream Academy and Beatles of their respective eras? And why are you acting like you donât know what that means, are you ok?
âľď¸Who can say where the road goes? Where the day flows? And who can say if your love grows, as your heart chose? And, is this a joke or just lazily quoting Enya?
EPISODE LINKS
In case you need it, here's last week's Songs for Times of Trouble playlist.
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Ep. 191 | Songs for Times of Trouble
For anyone with a pulse - and/or a mint copy of the Pink Floyd CD with a still-functioning blue light - Beatles music makes life better. The Fab 4 (or 5, depending where one sits with Sir Jimmie Nicol) were imperfect men, who created mostly perfect music; â12 Bar Originalâ and âSie Liebt Dichâ, notwithstanding. Despite their very human flaws and contradictions, they sought to communicate light and love through their remarkable music, lyrics, and an unmatched accessibility to every generation and background.
In mere hours, America [F**K YEAH!] will decide our next president. Regardless of oneâs political leanings, itâs a stressful time âround here. And, when we find ourselves in times of trouble, many of us rely on Beatles music to soothe, entertain, inspire, and fulfill us. Those who donât are probably d-bags, and itâs best to cancel them. #PeaceAndLove
Even though entertainers should absolutely stay in their lane and SHUT THEIR PIE HOLES about politics (looking at you, Chachi! And especially you, longtime host of NBCâs âThe Apprenticeâ!), this weekâs UBP focuses on favorite, optimistic music from the Beatles world that serves to inspire Tony & T.J. on the eve of this precarious moment in American history. Plus, thereâs many insider-y, beltway-adjacent questions posed by our own Nate Silver and Nate Gold (#YukonCornelius #SoulTrain), as we also ask:
đ¤ How many voters will be swayed by the effects of inflation on the pre-order price of Ringoâs new country + western cassette tape?
đŚ Is there a better chance MPL will release a Deluxe Archive Collection reissue of Ringoâs two versions of âWingsâ before actually reissuing Wings âLondon Townâ or Wings âBack To The Eggâ? And will there ever be two versions of âTwo Virginsâ?
đ Is the $80 vinyl of Seanâs âMind Games: The Meditation Mixesâ the RFK Jr. of Beatles re-issues?
EPISODE LINKS
If you're anything like us, you might want to bookmark this playlist.
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Ep. 190 | Fab Beatle Books
A book can take you anywhereâŚ
⌠Out to sea on a vengeful hunt for a fierce white whale
⌠Trapped on a stalled train car solving the grisly murder of a fellow passenger
⌠Madly pacing at a record retailer, deciding whether or not to purchase a Leon Russell Christmas LP because itâs on green vinyl
That last scenario hasnât been published yet, and those pretentious snobs over at Simon & Schuster wonât accept unsolicited submissions. Same goes for Penguin. And the dorks at HarperCollins. And the jerks at Random House. And Macmillan. And The Hachette Book GroupâŚ
Thatâs why this week, per another fab listener suggestion, T.J. and Tony are taken to 1960s Great Britain, where they discuss some of their favorite Beatles books.
Were this episode to be optioned into a page turning best seller, these would be some of the chapters:
đď¸đ Other Podcasts Who Shall Not Be Named
đââď¸đ Begrudging Appreciation For âSheâs Leaving Homeâ
đâ˝ď¸ Recommended Reading At Gas Stations
đżđď¸ Reckless Records Locations in Chicago 1988-1993
đŤđ Incorrect Pronunciations of âPomeloâ
If this all sounds boring to you, bring a book!
EPISODE LINKS
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Ep. 189 | âDaytime Revolutionâ Documentary (2024)
In 2003, The Redwalls, a really good band hailing from Chicago suburb Deerfield, IL kicked off their album âUniversal Bluesâ by encouraging a âColorful Revolutionâ; in a most Beatle-esque Banger fashion.
By coincidence (?), a mere 31 years earlier, there was a colorful âDaytime Revolutionâ as John, Yoko, and friends took over a weekâs worth of âThe Mike Douglas Showâ - a.k.a. the guy all of us, if weâre being honest, initially confused/conflated with âThe Dick Cavett Showâ.
This new, soon-to-stream documentary examines these historic episodes, and had a brief in-theaters showing on what wouldâve been Johnâs 84th birthday. Tony saw the film solo in Chicago suburb Glenview, IL, as T.J. handled the un-related, un-paid improv rehearsal many miles from his home - and even further from #GlenviewsFamousDawgPark. The result is a new-ish phase Beatles podcast, reproduced for streaming by Producer Casey. Roll up for this special UBP field trip, an aural journey (cue: âFaithfullyâ) of Tony documenting a documentary, as documentary commentary from T.J. documents Tonyâs documentary commentary of the documentary's documentary commentary.
ALSO: The UBPâs Medved + (Helen) Roeper ask:
đĽđĄ Does a movie with too many talking heads stop making sense? Or does it get nothing but flowers? Is Wings Wild Life > Wild Wild Life? Sick Byrne, quâest-ce que c'est?
âžď¸đť (Chicago guy - a Sox fan, but he doesnât hate the Cubs; only Wrigleyville and their fans, and maybe he has a point): âHow come the unique single mix of Steve Goodmanâs âGo Cubs Goâ - pressed, my friendt, on WGN Records! - ainât been made available anywhere else since the original 45? Maybe Dean Richards will return one of my many handwritten letters and tell me what exactly woke WGN is trying to hide?
𼪠Would former American Idol Reuben Studard have been more successful if heâd been slathered in extra 1000 Island and better swiss?
EPISODE LINKS
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