Upcoming On A TV or Radio (Possibly) Near You | Page 10 | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

HMBeatlesfan said
I’d watch this, but since I live in the US, it doesn’t work, even when I use a proxy website. What’s their problem, please don’t tell me they’re still pissed off that we won the Revolutionary War because most UK citizens are over that now.  

We’re still livid over it. Every second Friday at 1pm there is a national grumble over the loss.

Pablo Ramon said

How can you distinguish this particular grumble from the usual every day at 1pm grumble?  

We turn to face America.

A couple of radio programmes airing on the BBC over the next few days or so.

‘How Sgt. Pepper Changed the World‘ – BBC World Service, Saturday 27th May @ 14:06

“To mark the 50th anniversary of the release of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper ‘s Lonely Hearts Club Band album, which was released on 1 June 1967, we examine the cultural impact of the album regarded by many social historians as the most important and influential LP ever released.

The album was the spark that ignited the most creative period in modern music when artistes fueled by psychedelic drugs produced music that had a seismic impact on art, fashion, dance, theatre, literature, film, architecture and design. It inspired changes in prevailing political, social and religious attitudes – borne from the ideology of peace, love and true respect for one another.

Music has always been a potent force for social change; it serves as both catalyst and sound track for social justice movements throughout time and in 1967, Sgt Pepper ’s provided one of the most powerful musical cornerstones to the now legendary `Summer of Love’. It became an inspiration for a new generation of free thinking activists to oppose the social and political norms at the time, triggering dramatic cultural changes. And 50 years after its release, the album is still providing inspiration for a new generation of artists.”

‘An Alternative View of Beatle History‘ – BBC Radio 2, Monday 29th May @ 22:00 (Part 1 of 4)

The year is 1974. Labour’s Harold Wilson is Britain’s Prime Minister, and Richard Nixon is in the White House. Abba win Eurovision, Germany win the World Cup and a new writer called Stephen King publishes his first novel.

After 5 years of tension, ill feeling and fraught negotiation the four Beatles have buried their individual hatchets and are moving tentatively towards a full scale reunion, hopefully culminating in their first new album since 1969.

As a warm up for the recording sessions, the Beatles – and some of their famous friends – have come together once more for a surprise concert, their first time live on stage since 1966 when they gave up live appearances after a show at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.
Join Paul Merton on the commentator’s microphone as the Fab Four take to the boards once more….

Well, kind of. Well, all right, not at all. Not really.

Like all of us, Paul Merton is a huge Beatles fan and like all Beatle fans his mind often turns to the “What if’s…” of their career.

What if they’d never broken up? What if they were still playing live? What if they made another album?

This four part series is Paul’s attempt to answer those questions, and to put forward a fantastical version of Beatle history.

Based on the known facts, and using the recordings available, he imagines the concert that the Beatles could have given, and follows it up with the album that they could have made.

The result is a fascinating look into an alternative reality, but also a clear eyed examination of the strengths and of the forces that drove – and drove apart – the greatest band of all time.

It never happened, but it could have. Couldn’t it?

Whilst ‘An Alternative View of Beatle History’ will be on the BBC iPlayer shortly after broadcast, I’m not sure programmes on The World Service are available.