PINK FLOYD/The Wall: Experience it like never before! Coming February 28th, 2012!

PINK FLOYD

THE WALL

THE EXPERIENCE VERSION (3CD)

THE IMMERSION VERSION (7CD)

DOUBLE VINYL LP PRESSING

IN MEMORY OF DON CORNELIUS

Remembering DON CORNELIUS:

The legend of SOUL TRAIN!

Spaz waxes poetic on the iconic TV show’s history and gains a little insight from the ‘Soul Conductor’ himself!

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

When American Bandstand brought Rock ‘n’ Roll into American living rooms in the ‘50s, it helped to usher in one of the most exciting periods in music. From bobby-soxers to greasers, every teenager in the U.S. tuned in to view the latest dance crazes, listen to the latest hits and watch host Dick Clark introduce some of the hottest acts on the planet. While not technically a ‘music video’ show (it was more of a dance show), American Bandstand was a cultural phenomena. It spawned many copycat programs throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s, yet none of them lasted more than a season or two.

Nearly two decades later, in October of 1971, a fairly similar weekly music television show hit the airwaves which would ultimately change the playing field; that show was called Soul Train. Instead of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Soul Train featured the absolute best in Soul, Funk, and R&B, all performed by the hottest black artists on the scene. Similar in format to American Bandstand, Soul Train was an hour long program that featured dancers groovin’ to the latest hits, live and/or lip synched performances by new artists and veteran performers plus host Don Cornelius, who may not have been as suave as Dick Clarke, but he was certainly twice as cool!

Cornelius came up with the idea of the show while he was a disc jockey in Chicago. While he has always denied that the show was based on the American Bandstand format, the shows were destined to be compared, even four decades later. But the real difference was in the musical acts, many of whom performed live on Soul Train while AB’s musical guests would lip-synch to their latest recordings.

“There were certain artists that didn’t want to lip-synch”, says Don today. “If we wanted them to do the show, we had to do it the way they wanted to do it… even though it wasn’t the tradition with the dance show format. We tried things with the Barry White Orchestra, James Brown…”

From Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin to The Isley Brothers and Sly & The Family Stone, Soul Train was both a platform for new artists and a showcase for the veteran performer.

While many acts were initially eager to hitch a ride on Soul Train, it wasn’t that easy at first to snag some of the bigger acts.

“It took a little while for some of the major people like James Brown, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson Five and Aretha Franklin.” remembers Don. “It took awhile to get that caliber of guests. Once we started to see those artists come in, we knew that we were going to make it. Those artists in particular were the ones that started to put us on the map, so to speak.”

The show received an overwhelming response not only from Soul/Funk fans but also from those who followed Rock, Pop and Jazz. While parts of Middle America may still have been feeling racial tensions in the early ‘70s, music fans were generally color-blind. Most Top 40 stations played Soul, Pop, Rock and Country, not bothering to base airplay on skin color. Soul Train helped in knocking down those racial barriers and brought the music home, literally and figuratively.

By the time MTV premiered in August of 1981, the local and syndicated dance/music video shows suffered and began disappearing from television programming. Thankfully, Soul Train stayed on track and flourished. Since MTV didn’t showcase any of the popular black artists of the time, the Soul/Funk/R&B musician’s only real shot at television airtime was via Don and Soul Train. Even when MTV broke the color barrier in 1983 and began featuring videos from black artists, Soul Train thrived. And it continued to do so for a few decades more, coming to its final destination in 2006, thirty five years after it began its journey.

While the legend of Soul Train lives on, the actual episodes of the television show remained elusive for all but the hardcore collector/bootlegger. Now, that has changed with Time/Life’s Best Of Soul Train DVD collections. There’s a three DVD set which features amazing footage from the show’s most acclaimed era (1971-79) including performances from Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, The O’Jays, the Chi-Lites, Sly & The Family Stone, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson Five and many others. Alongside these performances, you’ll find popular segments of the show (the scramble board, commercials, etc) and plenty of the smooth coolness of host Don Cornelius. The episodes are crisp, clear and are visually stunning. In my brief conversation with the man himself, he assured me that all episodes of Soul Train look as beautiful as those featured here.

There’s also a single disc DVD that features the best of these performances, including some sizzling work from The Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight & The Pips and many others. For the novice, this may be your best introduction into the fast-paced and funky world of Soul Train.

Because of his work with Soul Train, Don Cornelius himself has become a Pop Culture icon and his name has become synonymous with the Soul music that he helped bring to the masses. Modestly, the ‘Soul Conductor’ doesn’t quite see it that way.

“That would be presumptuous to think that on my part… but if that’s the case, I’d like that very much!”

(This feature originally ran in August of 2010)

 

Thanks to Don Cornelius

Special thanks to John McCormack, Maureen O'Connor, Michael Mitchell and Thomas Hemesath.


SOUL TRAIN, VOL. ONE

SOUL TRAIN, VOL. TWO

SOUL TRAIN: DANCE DANCE DANCE

BEST OF SOUL TRAIN (3 DVD SET)

BEST OF SOUL TRAIN (9 DVD SET)

Soul Train Promo Reel from Saguaro Road on Vimeo.

An EXCLUSIVE interview with GRAFITTI6's JAMIE SCOTT!

Heart And Soul:

An EXCLUSIVE interview with

GRAFFITI6’s

JAMIE SCOTT

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     Regardless of what you may have heard, the music industry is alive and well and cranking out tunes by the hundreds, if not thousands, each and every week. From DIY efforts recorded in small bedrooms around the world to big budget studio recordings funded by major labels, the parade of tunes can make your head spin. Trying to find something that connects to head, heart and soul can be a bit of a chore, though. But when that song hits you, it feels like a momentous mix of Christmas and the Fourth of July. Graffiti6’s U.S. debut single “Free” is one of those songs.
     Released towards the end of 2011, “Free” is the perfect combination of modern and retro styles: a production that blends electronics and acoustic Pop with a melody that sounds like it’s straight off a vintage Northern Soul single. Vocalist Jamie Scott’s heartfelt vocals and TommyD’s pristine production add a timeless quality to “Free”, ensuring that it’s magic will sound just as captivating 10 years from now.
     The British duo’s full length debut, Colours, expands upon the musical blueprint of “Free” by adding even more genres and creating one delicious Pop pie of an album. From Soul to Pop, Electro to Folk, Colours is as perfect as modern Pop music gets. It is an album that will satisfy music fans looking for something with substance yet it is slick enough to shift millions of units. Colours is the kind of album that bridges the gap between the cool and the commercial. It’s jam packed full of songs that are sophisticated yet easy to love.
     While both of Graffiti6’s members have made a name for themselves in the business (including TommyD’s production work and two albums from Jamie Scott & The Town), this collaboration is perhaps the most fully realized outing that either has been involved with. The album has been long in the making (they began working together in 2008) but it has been worth the wait. Judging by the reaction from audiences so far, its probably safe to say that Jamie and Tommy will have to leave their solo careers on the backburner and concentrate on this project full time.
     Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with Jamie to discuss the band, the album and more…


SPAZ: Your debut album, Colours, is just about to drop. How are you feeling about the album and the reaction you have encountered so far?
JAMIE SCOTT: Really excited because I have been waiting for the album to be released in the U.S. for a while now and the reaction we have got so far from playing shows and touring America has been overwhelming

SPAZ: Pop music today seems more about style over substance, yet Graffiti6 bucks the trend and puts the heart and soul back into the music. Did you realize that you were doing something a little different when you began putting the album together?
JAMIE: I think we never really sat down and questioned what we were writing and producing. That was really the reason it flowed like it did. But it’s cool to hear people say that about our music

SPAZ: When writing for the album, where did you draw your greatest inspiration from? Does it tend to be music or other forms of art that inspire you?
JAMIE: The inspiration lyrically for the album and for anything that we wrote or I've written for myself has always been from personal experience. In terms of musical inspiration, I think everyone has influences but the idea is that you find your own style I suppose. The collaboration between Tommy and myself became a mix of genres because of our eclectic mix of influences.

SPAZ: While the album is lushly produced, the songs remain the primary focus. Are the songs usually born on an acoustic guitar, or perhaps based around a studio-created groove? Maybe a bit of both? JAMIE: Most of the album was written on the guitar or wurly first before any production took place but there were a few tracks like “Colours” and “Calm The Storm” that we were just jamming in the studio and became songs.

SPAZ: Production-wise, when putting together the album, did you both work out each track together or did you lay down the basics and let Tommy D take it to the next level?
JAMIE: We pretty much worked together on everything. That became the signature sound of what we were doing. It was the chemistry we both had when playing together.

SPAZ: Is there a difference between your approach to songwriting in the context of Graffiti6 versus your solo material?
JAMIE: No, not really. It's still about writing a good song.

SPAZ: Were there moments when a song would take a completely different direction than what you imagined when writing it? And were there times when you had to set a song aside because you had two differing opinions and couldn’t reach a compromise?
JAMIE: We only recorded 17 songs in all. 12 made the album, a further 3 made the EP and the remaining tracks were the ones that we both weren't convinced about. So yes, I would say that is correct. IN terms of direction, we both worked together so much on the album, that was really never an issue.

SPAZ: The album is very cohesive yet takes many detours down various musical paths including House, R&B, Pop, etc. Where do you think Graffiti6 fits in?
JAMIE: We've already seen the album as a merge of Folk, Blues and Northern Soul but after touring we have had so many different references that I'm not sure any more. But I suppose that's the whole point of music - you take your own personal view on things.

SPAZ: When you write a song like “Free”, which is by far the best single of 2011, at which point did you realize “OK, I think we might have something here?”
JAMIE: The minute we first started writing the verse, actually. I felt that something was really special about it already.

SPAZ: Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse in regards to Graffiti6?
JAMIE: When we first released the record on our own label in the UK, the internet was actually a blessing because it enabled us to reach a lot of people without spending much money that we didn't have.

SPAZ: What’s next for Graffiti6?
JAMIE: Touring America, hopefully, for the rest of the year and playing to big crowds after the record comes out.

SPAZ: What is currently spinning on your CD and DVD players?
JAMIE: (CD) Lewis Taylor’s Bitter Sweet and Ryan Adams’ new record. (DVD) Flight Of The Conchords.

Thanks to Jamie Scott

Special thanks to Jacki Feldstein, Alexis Goldberg and Richard Wilson

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB/A Different Kind Of Fix: Available January 17th, 2012!

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB

A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIX

1.17.12

2012 release, the third album from the British Alt-Rock/Pop band. Recorded in Hamburg, London and Atlanta, A Different Kind Of Fix sees the guitars firmly plugged back in for album number three, but added to the mix are synths, sampled loops, layered vocals from all four band members and washes of reverb throughout. Production-wise, the album reunites BBC with Jim Abbiss--who produced their debut--and also introduces them to Ben Allen (noted for his work with Animal Collective) whilst lead singer, Jack Steadman co-produces throughout. Includes first single, "Shuffle", "How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep" and "Take The Right One".

LABEL PROFILE: Sireena Records

The electric and eclectic world of German reissue label

SIREENA RECORDS

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     The greatest musical gift that we have today is that we already have over 100 years of recorded music to immerse ourselves in. From classical to Heavy Metal, there is so much for a music fan to discover and rediscover.  No matter what you are looking for, genre-wise, it is out there and ready to be found.
     If you are a fan of slightly obscure German and European Prog Rock, Krautrock, Jazz Fusion and Rock 'n' Roll, then there's a label I'd like to introduce you to: Sireena Records.  Already over a decade old, Sireena's catalog generally consists of reissues by artists that might be obscure to the general public but are adored by the music aficianado. From Octopus and Harlis to Shaa Khan and Bullfrog, there is a treasure trove of great artists to acquaint yourselves with. Mixed in with '70s and '80s reissues are some bona-fide current releases by some of the bands, including live recordings.
     Sireena was founded in 2000 by Tom Redecker and Lothar Gartner.  Redecker has steered the label forward for over a decade and shows no sign of slowing down.  Alongside Bend Paulat, who has been part of the Sireena family since 2008, Redecker has plenty of releases planned for 2012 and beyond.  One look at where they have come from and where they are headed will tell any music fan that this is a quality label that will continue to excite and surprise listeners for a long time to come....
  

STEPHEN SPAZ SCHNEE: Before starting the label, were you an avid music collector? If so, what types of music were you collecting (genres, bands, formats, etc)?

TOM REDECKER: My interest in music always was big. I didn’t care if it was Rock, Folk, or even Jazz: I absorbed everything like a sponge. Music from the USA, England, France, Germany, I didn’t care. I spent all my pocket-money on records and music mags. And for concert tickets. Thank God I  worked as a stagehand at concerts and I was able to see a lot of bands live!

SPAZ: What inspired you to start up a label?
TOM: There were several vinyl releases which had not yet been published on CD. Therefore, Lothar and I founded Sireena Records in 2000. We were two huge music fans. Krautrock, folk, hardrock, psychedelic – there was and still is NO border in regard to the taste of music. Meanwhile there are a lot of labels which specialized in reissues – great labels like Rhino or Bear Family – but we are even more specialized…

SPAZ: How did you go about picking the name of the label?

TOM: Sireena is a title from my musical project The Perc Meets The Hidden Gentleman. We thought that this also fits as our label-name.

SPAZ: When did the label first start operations?

TOM: We started in the year 2000 with the first label release of a CD called Pueblo Woman from Electric Family (Sireena 2001), which contained live recordings and studio outtakes.

SPAZ: When you first set up the label, what were your initial goals? And do you feel you’ve achieved those goals so far?

TOM: We had no special targets except to produce CDs and vinyl and to survive. And we are still alive! There are still so many diamonds to be dug out. Guess that is our main goal.

SPAZ: How do you go about picking the titles that you release?

TOM: We do have long lists which we created on our own and which are growing constantly. This is due to the fact that many fans of our vinyl are steadily feeding us with worthy sugestions. We have very close contact to music collectors all over the world with whom we are communicating with. Once we receive a suggestion, we research, apply for licence, and possibly have a future release on the label.

SPAZ: Is there an elusive album out there that you have been eager to reissue but haven’t been able to get the rights to?

TOM: This is something we face time and again. Especially the major labels, whoare not often willing to give their permission and license to us. Therefore, we prefer to work directly together with the artist. We do have a fine series called The Artist’s Choice. Here, we publish music directly out of the artist’s archives which is special fun to us. But in the meantime, we also get permissions from record companies and publishers to produce our records.

SPAZ: Is there a particular artist (or artists) out there that you would love to have on your roster?

TOM: Neil Young! To me, he’s still the greatest musician alive. Journey Through The Past is not yet available on CD but I would much more prefer to reissue it on 180gm heavy vinyl. Neil, if you’re reading this, please contact me!!

SPAZ: If you had a choice, would you prefer to reissue an album as it was originally released or do you like the opportunity of adding bonus tracks?

TOM: Depends on what kind of album it is. If the original was a concept album then you don’t need any bonus tracks. But if I heard fantastic additional tracks, then it would make sense to add them to the album.

SPAZ: Which format do you personally prefer? (CD/Vinyl/Cassette/MP3)

TOM: Definitely vinyl! I am very happy that the interest to buy vinyl is rising. It is the format of the music collectors.

SPAZ: As a collector and music lover, how do you view the current music scene?

TOM: The music disappears more and more into the internet and that worries me. But I don’t give up!

SPAZ: How do you view the idea of a future filled with download-only releases? Don’t you feel that collectors will always want to physically own the music that they purchase?

TOM: Definitely! As already mentioned, we’re producing for music collectors not for music consumers. Collectors want to have a physical CD/vinyl at hand, preferably vinyl, and mp3 files are of no interest to them.

SPAZ: Do you see the resurgence in the popularity of vinyl growing?

TOM: It makes us very happy. It is definitely much more fun. It is more expensive, the handling is more complex but that’s all OK: this way it is more fun. We release music on vinyl which hasn’t been released on vinyl before. From Stone The Crows, Mott The Hoople or Chic. Exclusively on vinyl – wouldn’t have thought about it five years ago – but it is working!

SPAZ: At the end of the day, do you have a particular personal favorite amongst your own label releases?

TOM: Very difficult. I have a relation to all our releases and I don’t want to highlight one of them. They all are our babies.

SPAZ: What would you like people to know about the label?

TOM: We are music maniacs but this is our gear! This helps us to go on searching and finding. Join us during this search.... there’s so much more to explore !

SPAZ: How can our readers contact the label with suggestions, comments and praise?

TOM: http://www.sireena.de/  or info@sireena.de

FAB FAN MEMORIES: THE BEATLES BOND

When They Was Fab:

An EXCLUSIVE interview with

LOUISE HARRISON and

producers DENNIS SCOTT,

BRYAN CUMMING & NATHAN BURBANK

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     No matter how much information is available at our fingertips, whether on the ‘net or in books, we can never get enough of The Beatles. From the heady days of vinyl in the ‘60s up through the age of digital downloads, The Beatles have continued to dominate the music world, even 40 years after they split. Practically every Rock band with a snappy tune has been compared to the Fab Four at some point in their career and most bands borrow from the blueprint that John, Paul, George and Ringo wrote back in the ‘60s.

     Four decades after they called it a day, they are still being listened to by new generations of music fans, many of whom were born after the deaths of John Lennon (1980) and George Harrison (2001). Even after they told their own story in The Beatles Anthology, there still seems to be a passionate desire to learn more. The recent release of Fab Fan Memories: The Beatles Bond is the latest chapter in The Beatles’ tale: a collection of fans talking about how the band affected their lives. From normal folks off the street to celebrities like Alan Menken, Phil Keaggy, Janis Ian and Melissa Manchester, everyone has their own personal memory of The Beatles.

     The most dominant voice on this fascinating release is Louise Harrison, George’s older sister, who shares some of her own Beatles memories and introduces each of the subjects discussed. Louis has been involved with many projects over the years, making her a familiar and comforting voice to many Beatles fans. On Fab Fan Memories, her relaxed and friendly voice practically steals the show.

     In a unique twist, on this release, brief musical interludes are provided by two separate bands: The WannaBeatles and The Liverpool Legends. The WannaBeatles are a quartet of dedicated and stellar musicians featuring Grammy-winning producer Dennis Scott. They provide the Beatles-influenced originals and are executive producers of Fab Fan Memories. The Liverpool Legends are a Branson-based Beatles tribute band that Louise Harrison helped create and is still involved with.

     Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to connect with Louise, Dennis and fellow WannaBeatles members Bryan Cumming and Nathan Burbank to discuss this fab and gear release and to shed light on all things Beatles related…

SPAZ: Fab Fan Memories is now available. How are you feeling about the project and everything leading up to it?

LOUISE HARRISON: I’m really happy with how the project turned out. All the people that I’ve given it to have been very, very happy to listen to it. They’ve all thought it really gives a nice, friendly insight to the response that people have had toward the Beatles all these years. I’m hoping that it will be something that people will enjoy having as part of their library.

DENNIS SCOTT: It’s great when a project lives up one’s expectations. That has certainly been the case with Fab Fan Memories. Both longtime Beatles fans as well as new listeners have expressed a deep appreciation for this album which allows them to tell their stories about The Beatles. As one of the album’s producers, is very gratifying to know that this album has helped accomplish that goal. Conceptually, this project “come together” even better than I could have hoped for. It is the power of the idea behind the album that makes the recording itself so unique.

NATHAN BURBANK: Knowing how much the Beatles influenced me growing up, It was fun talking to Beatle fans about how the band influenced them. I now feel even more rooted into the worldwide Beatles family.

BRYAN CUMMING: This has been an unusual project, full of unexpected surprises, with a tight deadline that brought a lot of creativity into the process.

SPAZ: How did this project come about?

DENNIS: A series of related incidents caused the idea to germinate. As you know, I play with a Beatles tribute band known as The WannaBeatles. The group was approached to write and perform a theme song for a Beatles themed local TV show. It was agreed that the audio track for that show would also be used as the content for an upcoming CD. However, that did not go quite as planned. At around the same time, I attended a Nashville based Beatles Meetups Group where I saw guest stand up and tell their own “Beatles Stories.” I was touched by affection and friendship of these fellow fans. Some of their stories were just amazing. It was an “ah ha” moment wherein I knew that somewhere in all of this was an album that needed to be made.

NATHAN: The same spirit that visited Paul the morning he woke up with “Yesterday” in his head must have visited Dennis in his sleep. I think he woke up knowing that we were to make an album which married interviews with music, and that it was to be called, Fab Fan Memories – The Beatles Bond.

SPAZ: How did you decide which audio bytes to use for the release? I’m sure you had plenty to choose from?

DENNIS: Yes. It’s too bad CDs don’t have a longer playing time because there were several stories that did not make it to the final mix. During the editing process, I gravitated towards the interviews that were touching or funny rather than a regurgitation of Fab Four facts. It is the emotional attachment to The Beatles that impressed me. Hearing what fans went through during those times really struck a chord with me.

NATHAN: Some audio bytes were obvious – the dancing Barbies; the man losing his job in order to acquire a Beatle’s autograph, etc. – while others were more subjective. Sometimes one of us would remember an interview we had personally done and so we would suggest certain parts of it be included. The hard part was having so many good stories but so little space!

BRYAN: It was like editing a documentary, finding and staying tuned in to the underlying themes. But even more intuitively, it boiled down to the selecting most entertaining and engaging stories, and then finding music that best fit the tone of that particular segment.

SPAZ: Louise, how did you get involved with the Fab Fan Memories?

LOUISE: I received a call from Dennis Scott in Nashville. I’ve worked a number of times with different people from Nashville. I have a great respect for everything that Nashville is all about. I’m very spontaneous about everything. I don’t give much thought to what I’m getting into most of the time, which isn’t always good for me, but I immediately said yes. I was thrilled with the idea of working with Beatles fans because, let’s face it, for the last 48 years, they have been my family and they consider me their global mum. I was happy to be part of something that was bringing the fans to the fore and giving them a chance to have a voice in the whole story of The Beatles.

SPAZ: You’ve done voice over work with Beatles-related projects in the past, correct?

LOUISE: I’ve done so much stuff that I don’t even remember half of the things that I’ve done! (laughs). Back in the ‘60s, I was doing daily Beatle reports on about 21 radio stations all across the country. In the ‘90s, I put together what I called Good Earth Keeping Tips, which were environmental spots that were addressed to Beatle people and anybody else who was interested about the environment. I did 170 of those public service announcements and they were broadcast on 9200 radio stations all across the country during ’93 and ’94. So, yes, my voice is fairly well-known to Beatles fans all across the planet, really.

SPAZ: Instead of interviewing obvious celebrities in regards to the Beatles’ influence on them, you’ve thrown a curveball and featured people not normally associated with them and their music including Melissa Manchester, Billy Swan, Phil Keaggy, Wesley Orbison and Janis Ian. Did you purposely try to avoid the obvious artists and go for the ones that the public may not immediately realize were influenced by the Beatles?

DENNIS: Although celebrity appearances are interesting and help draw attention to the product, I wanted to hear from the everyday fans. And “In the end” (sorry, but life is full of Beatles song titles) I learned that when it comes to The Beatles all of us are everyday fans.

NATHAN: We started talking to anyone we thought would have an interesting take on the Beatles – fellow musicians and fans - and then we slowly widened the circle as we made more contacts. Practically everyone over the age of twelve has a Beatles’ story to tell.

BRYAN: The reality is that the influence of the Beatles is far deeper than has been documented by cultural historians at this point in time. Almost by accident, we wound up with a Studs Terkel type of approach, where interviews with everyday people provide the essential material from which the cultural landscape can be observed.

SPAZ: Dennis, tell us a little about The WannaBeatles. Does the band normally do Beatles-influenced recordings as opposed to Beatles covers? Or a bit of both?

DENNIS: The WannaBeatles came about when three other musicians and I were playing a gig at a Mexican Restaurant. At some point in the evening, we started playing Beatles songs and felt an immediate reaction from the crowd. That turned in to a regular Beatles night billed as “Beatles and Fajitas.” We became inspired to do a better job re-creating the music and went back to school using all the technological aids available to us. Four years later, we’re doing a high energy show that not only covers Beatles songs but also includes songs we have written in tribute to or in the style of The Beatles. Although we are not a “look alike” band, we introduce comedic elements that offer fun and variety for our audiences. This includes Beatles parodies (i.e. “Crème Brule” for “Yesterday”). And, because people say I look like Paul Simon, we have worked up a spoof of Simon and Garfunkel (“The Sounds of Nonsense). Audience involvement is almost as important as the songs which, of course, are timeless.

SPAZ: The Liverpool Legends appear on the album as well. Isn’t this the group that Louise had a hand in putting together?

LOUISE: Back in the early part of the 21st century, I became good friends with Marty Scott, the guy who plays George in this band. I had met him shortly after my brother died. If we believe in anything dealing with eternal life or things like that, it just seemed to me that my brother’s being had sort of enabled this particular meeting. When I met Marty and got to know him, he became so much of a substitute or replacement brother to me and has been ever since. When he realized that I didn’t have much in the way of resources, he said “Hey, why don’t we put together a Beatle band and that way, you’ll have something to keep you occupied and something to keep me out of mischief and a way of making a living.” So, that was really how we started this thing. I think that my brother’s being had something to do with us being able to round up just the right guys as quickly as we did. We have done something that’s very exceptional: it’s just a phenomenal group of people. We have had such tremendous acclaim from everybody that has seen us. People walk out of the show in awe and they come over to me and say “This is the best show I’ve ever seen!” so I guess we’re doing something right!

SPAZ: Is it a bit strange seeing someone portraying the ‘role’ of your brother?

LOUISE: Not really. Let’s face it: people have been portraying my brother for the last 40 years so I’ve gotten used to it!

SPAZ: The Beatles seem to have surpassed Elvis in being the most influential Rock artists of all time. Why do you think that their appeal has stood the test of time?

DENNIS: In my opinion, it was the culmination of various forces at work that brought the Beatles together. It was the times in which we were living as well as their undeniable talent that allowed the group to grow. They created music that was melodically and lyrically interesting. Add to that the contributions of George Martin, their producer, and you have songs that are memorable and will continue to endure.

LOUISE: I’ve talked to many theologians, philosophers, psychiatrists and all kinds of people over the years and so many of them have said the Beatles phenomenon went far beyond just the music. Their message has resonated with people all across the planet, the good people. Again, I’ve been very very privileged to be part of that Beatle family because, inevitably, the people that I am associating with, the people that love The Beatles are the positive people that want to do some good in the world. I think the message is something that people want to hear, people want to live by it. The Beatle message is so, so important, especially the lines in John’s song ‘Imagine’, where he says “Imagine all the people sharing all the world” and “Imagine all the people living life in peace”. Those are two of the most important things that The Beatles, as a group, ever said and although it was John that said it, they were all part of that mindset.

NATHAN: The Beatles were intentional not to copy their successes. They were constantly looking for new sounds and new subject matter. In the song, “She Loves You,” for example, they wrote the lyric from a third person’s perspective, which was a fresh way to write a love song. In the song, “You’re Gonna Lose that Girl,” John further expanded this approach by speaking to a girl’s current boyfriend, rather than to the girl directly. Couple these ideas with creative chord changes and melodies, and you get an idea of why the Beatles created such a lasting legacy.

BRYAN: It was a combination of factors that made them so big. The central factor was their talent and cohesiveness and chemistry as a group, but along with this raw material were the essential roles played by Brian Epstein and George Martin, and of course, the timing of the cultural moment.

SPAZ: With each passing year, the Beatles’ dedicated fan base continues to grow. Even with the Beatles Anthology and all the info on the internet, there still seems to be a desire for more info. Are you surprised that there is still so much to share, as you have proven with Fab Fan Memories?

DENNIS: No, there is a tremendous thirst for any new tidbit of information or discovered recordings. When it comes to Beatles fans, you can never have too much. That’s why Fab Fan Memories: The Beatles Bond is becoming a welcome addition to collectors. And, of course, getting Louise Harrison’s memories and unique perspective on tape is quite a treat.

LOUISE: I’m certainly hoping that there still is a lot of space for people to want to know more about The Beatles because, finally, after 45 years of people saying to me “Isn’t it about time you wrote a book about The Beatles and about your experience with them?”, I’m finally writing my book about them and it’s called It’s About Time.

NATHAN: By hearing what others think about the Beatles, it broadens one’s own understanding. It’s akin to having multiple camera shots of the same scene. People want to keep learning about the group they love by studying them through different lenses.

BRYAN: What we've learned with Fab Fan Memories is that there's no bottom to the well of art. The Beatles are like Shakespeare or Bach: popular, endlessly fascinating and worthy of our attention, because it's constantly fresh and alive. Their music does exactly what great art is supposed to do.

SPAZ: What’s next?

LOUISE: (laughs) Well, apart from trying to finish my book and starting Help Keep Music Alive (her charity dedicated to keeping music programs in schools across the U.S.), I may get a chance to put my feet up now and again. But I’m not really holding my breath that that might happen

DENNIS: With Laurie Montgomery at the helm, our distributor, MDI, is busy setting up interviews and shows that will help bring the Fab Four memories to an ever growing audience. The WannaBeatles and I continue to tour. As a producer who wears several hats, I am completing work on writing a producing music for a touring showed based on the popular children’s character Clifford, The Big Red Dog. More projects are in the wings.

SPAZ: What do you have currently spinning on your CD and DVD players?

LOUISE: I hardly have time to put my CD or DVD player on at all, as a matter of fact! One of George’s songs that keeps going through my mind when I’m not thinking of anything is a song, a fairly obscure one, where he sings “I don’t want to do it” (‘I Don’t Want To Do It’, written by Bob Dylan and featured on the Porky’s Revenge soundtrack). I don’t know why, but that keeps going through my mind.

DENNIS: Being consumed with music of one form or the other, 24/7, I like to roll down the car window and just enjoy the sounds of silence. However, if there is to be any music coming through my speakers, you can bet that it will be courtesy of The Beatles.

NATHAN: I tend to listen to a lot of theatrical cast recordings and soundtracks. I’m particularly interested in how arrangers create tension and mood for film underscoring.

BRYAN: The "Disk Repair" utility!

Thanks to Louise Harrison and Dennis Scott

Special thanks to Laurie Montgomery, Bryan Cumming and Nathan Burbank

FAB FAN MEMORIES:

 THE BEATLES BOND

Available NOW!

The return of SPAZ!

OK, so I haven't been keeping the NEW WAVE JUNKIE blog active over the last 18 months or so, but I've certainly been busy over at www.discussionsmagazine.com.  

Just today, I imported all of the things that I thought fans of old New Wave would be interested in.  Might not stick to the New Wave genre specifically, but I'm sure that you are like me and you enjoy to dabble in all things music.  

I'll try to keep this site more updated as I go along, but feel free to visit me here or there.... and drop me a line if you find the time!