This is a new phase STTS episode…

Essential to the concept of the ‘International White Album Symposium’ at Monmouth University, New Jersey, was that we recorded the show in front of an audience, revisiting and merging the much-discussed topics of Episodes #2 and #4 with a couple of our mates: celebrated Beatles author Mark Lewisohn and our resident musicologist Allan Kozinn.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney each contributed 12 songs to the White Album. These could have been justifiably issued as LPs in their own right. And what stunners they would have been; filled with an eclectic array of incredible compositions and unforgettable performances that captured both men—and their bandmates—at the top of their game.

Here we review the Lennon and McCartney White Albums, comparing them with each other as well as with the legendary, recently remixed Beatles opus. In comes the warmth and freshness of a live appearance, captured for you by the STTS team. Featured tracks:

• Birthday
• I’m So Tired
• Julia
• Dear Prudence
• Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
• Back in the U.S.S.R.
• Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?
• Revolution

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A tribute to the recording engineer whose in-studio innovations helped shape The Beatles’ sound—and alter the course of popular music.

Geoffrey Emerick (born 5th December 1945, died 2nd October 2018) was just 16-years-old when, on 6th June 1962, he joined the EMI Studios on Abbey Road as a tape operator. Two days later, he attended the group’s first recording session with Ringo Starr on drums. He subsequently assisted on a number of sessions, including those for ‘She Loves You’ and ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’, before replacing Norman Smith as The Beatles’ chief engineer in early 1966 and diving straight into the deep end with the first track committed to tape for their landmark ‘Revolver’ LP: the revolutionary, now-legendary ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’. The following year, ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ won him his first of four Grammy Awards.

In this episode, Richard, Erik, Allan and Craig examine how, together with producer George Martin, Geoff helped realize The Beatles’ most far-flung creative ambitions. And there is also an enlightening interview with multi-award-winning engineer John Kurlander, who assisted Geoff on the group’s final album, ‘Abbey Road’.

Featured Tracks

• Tomorrow Never Knows (STTS remix)
• Yer Blues
• Good Day Sunshine
• Good Morning Good Morning
• Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End (STTS remix)
• I’m Only Sleeping
• A Day in the Life (STTS remix)

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They’ve been labeled the Prefab Four, America’s answer to The Beatles; a manufactured group performing songs on TV and in concert that were written by accomplished composers and recorded by crack session musicians. All of which is true—up to a point. Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork boasted assorted pedigrees as actors and/or musicians, and they eventuially exerted greater control over their own career. But, as fast as they became superstars on both sides of the Atlantic, they flamed out, and to this day the debate continues regarding their musical validity and credibility. Which is where Richard, Erik, Allan and Craig enter the picture…

The music featured on this show comprises a wide array of singles, session tapes, outtakes and tracks from the albums ‘The Monkees’ (1966), ‘More of The Monkees’, ‘Headquarters’, ‘Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.’ (all 1967), ‘The Birds, The Bees and The Monkees’ and ‘Head’ (both 1968).

Featured Tracks:

• (Theme from) The Monkees
• Mary, Mary
• Goin’ Down
• (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone
• Cuddly Toy
• Daydream Believer
• Your Auntie Grizelda
• Ladies Aid Society
• Saturday’s Child
• Papa Gene’s Blues
• Take a Giant Step
• Last Train to Clarksville
• I Wanna Be Free
• She
• When Love Comes Knockin’ (at Your Door)
• Sometime in the Morning
• The Day We Fall in Love
• Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)
• Laugh
• I’m a Believer
• Gonna Buy Me a Dog
• For Pete’s Sake
• Randy Scouse Git
• Shades of Gray
• A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You
• Salesman
• The Door into Summer
• Words
• What Am I Doing Hangin’ ’Round?
• Star Collector
• Love is Only Sleeping
• Peter Percival Patterson’s Pet Pig Porky
• Valleri
• Ditty Diego – War Chant
• Pleasant Valley Sunday

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Arguably the most famous of all unfinished albums, at the center of an infamous showdown between Brian Wilson and his fellow Beach Boys, SMiLE was envisaged as a means of elevating the standard pop opus to unprecedented artistic heights. Commercial considerations, a copious intake of drugs and Brian’s rapidly deteriorating mental health put paid to that—especially after he heard The Beatles’ landmark Sgt. Pepper. For years it was alleged that he had destroyed the session tapes, yet these eventually emerged intact and a rejuvenated Brian has since performed the entire set live. So, how would SMiLE have fared if released as intended at the start of 1967? And what kind of impact might it have had on the contemporary music scene? Erik, Richard, Allan and Craig dive into this intriguing, part-tragic, ultimately inspirational topic along with special guest John Anderson, the Emmy-winning, Grammy-nominated director of numerous films featuring Brian, The Beach Boys and assorted other rock luminaries.

Check out John’s credits here: http://www.thisisandersonproductions.com/AboutUs.html

Featured tracks:

• Our Prayer/Gee
• Heroes and Villains
• Do You Like Worms? (Roll Plymouth Rock)
• I’m In Great Shape/Barnyard
• You Are My Sunshine/Old Master Painter
• Cabin Essence
• Wonderful
• Look (Song for Children)
• Child is Father of the Man
• Surf’s Up
• I Wanna Be Around/Workshop
• Vega-tables
• Holidays
• Wind Chimes
• Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow
• Love to Say Dada (In Blue Hawaii)
• Good Vibrations

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The things we loved back in the 1960s that we’re now embarrassed about, as well as the things we still love from the 1960s that we should be embarrassed about: the music, movies, TV shows, products, fashions, you name it.

The musical content on this show includes:

• Ian Bernard – ‘Inquistive Tango’ (theme from Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In)
• Bikini Beach cast – ‘Bikini Beach’
• Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs – ‘Wooly Bully’
• Elvis Presley – ‘Kissin’ Cousins’
• The Flintstones – ‘The Way-Outs’
• The Jetsons – ‘Jet Screamer’
• Gary Miller – ‘Aqua Marina’
• The Flower Pot Men – ‘Let’s Go to San Francisco’
• Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch – ‘The Legend of Xanadu’
• Paper Dolls – ‘Something Here in My Heart’
• The Glitterhouse – ‘Barbarella’
• Elvis Presley – ‘Wolf Call’
• Ricky Nelson – ‘Hello Mary Lou’
• Napoleon XIV – ‘They’re Coming to Take Me Away’
• Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs – ‘Little Red Riding Hood’
• The Royal Guardsmen – ‘Snoopy vs. the Red Baron’
• The Swingin’ Medallions – ‘Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)’
• Sopwith Camel – ‘Hello Hello’
• The T-Bones – ‘No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach’s In)’
• Tony Hatch/Wings –Crossroads theme
• Ann-Margret – ‘Bye Bye Birdie’
• Doris Day – ‘Move Over Darling’

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