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7.25pm
Anyway, I guess you've established that you think the studios should be the starting point for any discussion. But to keep coming back to it time and time again might inhibit others from joining in what might otherwise be a varied discussion. This is a forum for everybody, not just for musicians, studio staff or historians (amateur or otherwise), and I wouldn't want to keep covering the same old ground unless it's directly relevant. Would that be OK?
Joe
I found some parts of Geoff Emericks book rather fascinating especially the parts of about the” Band On The Run ” album and Nigeria. The actual words of McCartney's song actual make sense in the context of what he wrote. Anyway, I just see Beatles music much differently then most people. After I started reading the book “Recording The Beatles” (which is well worth the money) my opinions drastically changed about the Beatles songs. I always thought that their was a lot more to their music then what was previously written. The book Revolution in the Head pointed me in the right direction. Then I accidentally found the holy grail of Beatles book (Recording The Beatles) and a lot of my opinions came up to be quite correct. The Beatles sound, like any other group is more then the performance done in a studio room, it's the recording console the acoustics, the microphones, the tape machine and all the other equipment that is used during the session. It's looking at music from another angle of perspective that most people can't even comprehend. With today's digital music and sampling, this art is lost and artist have moved to simplicity with computers then developing sound over tracks, with the minimal amount of technology. At it's core the Beatles music is the development of a group along side the development of studio equipment. A lot of listeners just don't understand that concept. I think if a lot of Beatles fans came up to a higher education of learning Beatles music then they would have a lot better understanding of music at many levels. I am all for, educating people about the Beatles music , but not with pushing it on someone who doesn't real care. It's a balance, to appease the people who are amateurs and to find other forum users that will be able to fully understand what you are trying to put across.
I am just very passionate about Beatles music and Abbey Road Studios and this comes accross rather strong at times.
Anything you want, sounds good to me 
John Senchak Beatlogist john@antihotmail.com
“Sitting in a english garden, waiting for the sun”
10.12am
14 October 2009
Offline I am just very passionate about Beatles music and Abbey Road Studios and this comes accross rather strong at times.
I enjoy your posts because you ARE very passionate, but like you say yourself, you sometimes forget others aren't quite into the real 'nitty-gritty' of the recordings and you give off the impression they are not worthy!
I look forward to some more discussions about Everett et all, so don't go too far away. I've just finished reading about the recording of Revolver in Everett's second volume. My, that was a lot different to anything before wasn't it? Talk about ADT overload! To be honest I think I need to read over it again whilst listening to the actual tracks.
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
4.31am
I enjoy your posts because you ARE very passionate, but like you say yourself, you sometimes forget others aren't quite into the real 'nitty-gritty' of the recordings and you give off the impression they are not worthy!
I look forward to some more discussions about Everett et all, so don't go too far away. I've just finished reading about the recording of Revolver in Everett's second volume. My, that was a lot different to anything before wasn't it? Talk about ADT overload! To be honest I think I need to read over it again whilst listening to the actual tracks.
Being very passionate about something is great but overstepping your boundaries can be annoying , I agree.
Something about the Beatles music going through those vacuum tubes in the recording console to me is pure magic. The thought of the electrons being amplified in those tubes can not be described in any book. Just think of the orchestral crescendo in ” Day in the Life” going though those tubes, it just amazes me. Those tubes should have been kept and displayed in a music museum with the caption ” These vacuum tubes amplified the Beatles music , created their amazing sound, and a took one hell of a beating”
You could right a book just of the recording consoles alone, and it would be highly fascinating.
Enough of my own ADT overloading. Vocal overdub track 2, the light is one !!!
I need to check out Everett's book maybe, I am missing some information that I should know about.
John Senchak Beatlogist john@antihotmail.com
9.33am
14 October 2009
Offline I need to check out Everett's book maybe, I am missing some information that I should know about.
John Senchak Beatlogist john@antihotmail.com
You haven't got them 
Oh my goodness………….what are you missing out on! You'll need to take recluse in a darkened room after digesting those I tell you! You MUST invest and I await your findings with MUCH INTEREST
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
10.23am
31 March 2008
Offline
Walter Everett's focus is on developments in The Beatles as musicians (as the title suggests): how their songwriting developed, how other musicians influenced them, the songwriting structure, and themes and motifs that recurred (or not) throughout their career. It's not a book about recording technology, though that is touched upon.
The musical notation is valuable in explaining how much of this occurred – none of it is 'pointless' or 'useless information'. It's fascinating.
Here's a layman's example: Ian Macdonald wrote about how Lennon's melodies tended to be horizontal, whereas McCartney's were vertical – ie went up and down the scales, rather than repeating notes. In his questionable Lennon biog, Albert Goldman wrote about how many of Lennon's melodies (All You Need Is Love , Instant Karma , My Mummy's Dead) were based on the melody of Three Blind Mice. Everett takes this to the next level and beyond, giving some astonishing breakdowns of their evolving techniques as songwriters and musicians. It's true that melodies and notes can be manipulated in the studio, but – and I must stress this – that isn't the point here.
You're welcome to start a thread elsewhere about Abbey Road technology, but let's try to keep this a discussion about Walter Everett's books.
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Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs
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8.47am
14 October 2009
Offline As you know (well those of you who have been following) I'm working my way through these books chronologically. I've now got to the start of Magical Mystery Tour .
I must admit that it took until Revolver for it to get really interesting in terms of the recording proccess becoming more challenging and inventive, but so far I've really enjoyed it. I do have to skip a lot of the musical notation stuff, but there you go!
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
3.54pm
5 February 2010
Offline This sounds fascinating, mjb, thanks for pointing out a book that I would probably really enjoy. I've been a songwriter/guitarist/pianist for almost 20 years now, so this kind of musical notation detail that you're talking about would most likely be a gold mine for me. How many books are in this set?
Not a bit like Cagney.
4.58pm
14 October 2009
Offline PeterWeatherby said:This sounds fascinating, mjb, thanks for pointing out a book that I would probably really enjoy. I've been a songwriter/guitarist/pianist for almost 20 years now, so this kind of musical notation detail that you're talking about would most likely be a gold mine for me. How many books are in this set?
There are two Peter. Are you UK based? If so, visit Amazon. Thery're not cheap (from anywhere). The pair cost me just of £50
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
8.26pm
31 March 2008
Offline I absolutely recommend both volumes. I've got copies of both, though I've not got very far reading them yet (I'm still on the early years, though I've dipped into both).
Google Books has them, though there's no substitute for a proper paper copy.
http://books.google.co.uk/book…..38;f=false
http://books.google.co.uk/book…..
Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs
Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!
8.35pm
14 October 2009
Offline Joe said:
I absolutely recommend both volumes. I've got copies of both, though I've not got very far reading them yet (I'm still on the early years, though I've dipped into both).
Google Books has them, though there's no substitute for a proper paper copy.
http://books.google.co.uk/book…..mp;f=false
http://books.google.co.uk/book……
Joe – just put it in the bathroom and open it up every time you pay a visit. That's how I've read it. Thing is, my wife keeps saying “what have you been doing up there all this time?”
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
8.48pm
5 February 2010
Offline mjb said:
Joe – just put it in the bathroom and open it up every time you pay a visit. That's how I've read it. Thing is, my wife keeps saying “what have you been doing up there all this time?”
Ha! I don't suppose it would do to answer, “studying the usage of borrowed chords and contrapuntal bass lines in the latter half of the Beatles' compositional career.”
She'd just say you were full of … well, you know.
Not a bit like Cagney.
6.16pm
14 October 2009
Offline I've finished them both
What can I say……well as previously stated, they are VERY musically written, so much so that I probably skipped 50%+ of the text purely because I didn't understand it!
In essence Everett breaks down each song recorded with an in depth summary of it's musical value and then he attempts to go into very precise detail about who played what, which instrument was used, how each track was panned in the stereo mix etc. This is the part that interested me. We know he wasn't there and a good part of it was guesswork (i.e. he assumes George used his Telecaster, or John played the tambourine when in fact it could have been his Fender or Ringo was playing the tambourine), but he does display a good knowledge and I would imagine that maybe his training allows him to identify the sound of the guitars so that is why he makes the assumption in the first place?
I found it particularly interesting that he spotted things being played that I hadn't heard before, or that he was able to say how a particular sound had been produced.
Yes I spotted errors. i.e. he states Paul sang backing vocal on Come Together when Paul has admitted he was too frightened to ask John if he could, so John sang both vocals. But does that really matter? I think not.
If you can understand music notation then you will get much more out of these than I did, but they are reference books and I now plan to sit down with the books and play an album and follow his text. That will most definitely enlighten my enjoyment (and knowledge) orf each song as I hear it and I know these books will be referred to time and time again.
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
4.17pm
27 February 2010
Offline I’m currently reading the second book, and something that I realized from the first pages is that the author is constantly thowing snarky punches to Macca, while at the same time have a respectful look at Ringo and George, and an almost sacramental look at John.
It’s not that I don’t have a similar view, but, you know, I’m just a John fanboy, and he is a famous musicologist.
I'd like to say "thank you" on behalf of the group and ourselves and I hope we passed the audition.
John Lennon
2.44am
15 May 2015
Offline mjb,
“Yes I spotted errors. i.e. he states Paul sang backing vocal on Come Together when Paul has admitted he was too frightened to ask John if he could, so John sang both vocals.”
Really? I never heard that before! I’m dubious, because I can clearly hear Paul… (Oh oh, I hope I haven’t sparked another interminable “ah-ah-ahs in Day in the Life” debate…!
A ginger sling with a pineapple heart,
a coffee dessert, yes you know it's good news...
4.01am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Paul’s clearly on the track as proven by the isolated backing vocals from ‘Rock Band’. Paul overdubbed his vocal later which would account for his quote about being too embarrassed to ask if he could sing with John.
Not as clear when all the vocals are as one but you can still make out Paul.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
1.25pm
10 August 2011
Offline
My recollection is that McCartney said he was reticent about singing harmony with John.
"Into the Sky with Diamonds" (the Beatles and the Race to the Moon – a history)
1.39pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline Paul commented in an interview with the Evening Standard (London newspaper) in 1970:
Even on Abbey Road we don’t do harmonies like we used to. I think it’s sad. On Come Together I would have liked to sing harmony with John and I think he would have liked me to but I was too embarrassed to ask him and I don’t work to the best of my abilities in that situation.
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
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