Episodes
Ep. 176 | âA Hard Dayâs Nightâ Film (1970)
Head. Some would argue it's not just a married birthday treat, but also the greatest rock film ever made. Others, like the UBP, contend that the đ is 1964's "A Hard Day's Night", now in color, only on TBS.
This incredible film has lived on at Beatlefest, every imaginable home video incarnation, and a few important theatrical rereleases. It remains the cultural pilar of the Fabs early worldwide domination. Sixty years later, It holds up impeccably well as a musical, a social comment, a madcap comedy, a damn-near documentary, and a fun excuse to hear pitched-down versions of Beatles standards and wonder if you're losing your mind.
Tony and T.J. are more mad about this film than Paul Reiser was about Helen Hunt. (And who says our references aren't topical and đŻ Beatley? YOKO freaking guest starred, fellow Beatle weirdos!)But they have a few other queries, tight a$:
đş Is the Heineken Beatles cassette from 1986 a good thing, or a dangerous prelude to U2 hate-gifting that bad U2 album to everyone with an iPhone?
đź Is MPI Home Video a good thing, or a dangerous prelude to Calderstone, a corporate Beatles entity neither Tony nor T.J. fully understand?
đ Is Jewel merging with Mariano's a good thing, or a dangerous prelude to Sarah McLachlan merging with Piggly Wiggly?
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Ep. 169 | INSTANT REACTIONS: "Let It Be" Restored and Re-Released (1970 / 2024)
As Apple (and Etta James) promised, "At Last"; the original cut of "Let It Be" is available! Only streaming, no LaserDisc, you wackers Radio Shackers.
Speaking of LASIK, Apple's marketing team would have you believe the last time this film was seen was "54 years ago today". #WhenIm64Minus12Plus2
In reality, the last time this core, historically vital film was available was in 1981, but it struggled to compete with season 2 of "Bosom Buddies" and quickly fell out of print.
Tony and T.J., who played John and Paul in VH1's "Two Of Us", instantly react to the greatest this film has ever looked or sounded, and also, dig these ponies:
đŚ Does âMicrobesâ, from a forgotten/bad George album we all obligatorily own, make more sense on $40 Zoetrope vinyl?
đ When Mal Evans plays the anvil, does George Martin take some Advil?
đŽââď¸đŽââď¸(Our sad, drunk Chicago friend, at the bar. It's 11:05 am in Bridgeport) "How come woke Michael Lindsey Boss Hogg didn't make the Beatles play the Benny Hill theme when the cops came in? And why don't Hawk Harrelson do games no more on SportsChannel?"
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Ep. 166 | The Birth of the Beatles (1979) Part 2
The Untitled Beatles Podcast is going to the top! What top? (Spoilers) THE TOP!
...The top of the podcast charts, bay-beeeee! Because it's time to review and dish deep 1979's lost-in-the-sands-of-time TV docudrama, "Birth Of The Beatles".
What makes this ridiculous, dated, Pete Best-biased movie such a fun watch? Is it gangster John? The music by Rain? The commercials by Mitsubishi? And speaking of really important Beatle stuff:
đ¸đ Is the real tragedy of Stu Sutcliffe that he never lived to ride the CTA's Pink Line?
đ§â𦰠Is the best Hall & Oates fantasy parody about the actor who played Cousin Oliver on the final season of The Brady Bunch, "Your Kiss Is On My Rist"?
đłď¸ In Chicago improv parlance, is John to the Annoyance what Paul is to The Second City? (Angry Chicago Guy, from the other side of the bar, with Malort-stained eyes:) "And how come Tina Pohler don't accept my friend request on MySpace dont she remember me from the Improv Olympics alley? She too good for me now?"
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Ep. 165 | âThe Birth of the Beatlesâ (1979)
1979. It was the Pete best of times, it was the Pete worst of times. In the 9 long years since the break up, there'd yet to be a major bio-pic about the Fabs, not counting than the rather obviously "Magical Mystery Tour"-influenced, "Jaws".
Enter Dick Clark, long before he was regenerated into Ryan Seacrest. Dick, with a little help from Pete Best, and a director who'd later work with Jabba The Hutt, created "Birth Of The Beatles"; basically the "Tune In" of its time. (Related: please don't sue us, Mr. Lewishon!)
The film aired repeatedly on American television for many years. T.J. grew up with it, via a VHS tape from ABC's Summer, 1980 airing. Tony discovered a different edit altogether, one which played in U.K. cinemas. Which begs the question: is this movie any bloody good?? We just might answer that, and also:
đĽ What's the best technical drumming in a film: the last scene of "Whiplash", or Pete Best's Cavern solo in "Birth Of The Beatles"?
đ° Which is the more controversial TV performance: Sinead O'Connor on SNL, or Eddie Money on "Fridays"?
đť (Angry Chicago Guy:) How come Channel 9 don't play "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" weekdays at 2 no more? And how come woke WGN let Tom Skilling retire when he's all I got left?
The drama, the humor, the excitement of (the great Wilco album) "Being There"; it's the #Untitled #Beatles #Podcast.
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Ep. 88 | Get Back - The Rooftop Concert IMAX Experience (A Very Special Untitled Beatles Field Trip)
This is a new phase Untitled Beatles Podcast...essential to the content of seeing the film, Get Back in IMAX was that Tony & T.J. each recorded their experiences driving to the theater; in comes the warmth and general nonsense of discussing the film together in a live bar performance, as reproduced for mp4 by Producer Casey. Also in this very special episode:
đť Baby, if youâve ever wondered, does T.J. wax nostalgic when his favorite sitcom actor leaves the material world?
đˇ Which better suits the George Martin Orchestraâs âThis Boyâ: Sad Ringo (not living in a van) down by the river, or Tonyâs musings on the Sgt. Pepper costumes?
đ¤Śââď¸ Do the Gab (and/or Abacab) Two know if one of the most influential figures in Beatles history is alive or dead? (Spoilers: Nope.)
Take that plastic flap off your mouth holes, slam an I-talian beef or two, and enjoy this inside look at a joyous, Tony & T.J. field trip to see this remarkable film together.
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Ep. 23.2 | DELUXE REISSUE: Sgt. Pepperâs Lonely Hearts Club Band (Film Review)
After a whole flurry of November drops and live episodes and whatnot, this week the Untitled Beatles Podcast gets back (see what we did there?) to what we do best: Super Deluxe Reissues of our early classics. We're revisiting our review of the critically unclaimed 1978 Sgt. Pepper film, this time replete with music cues, needle drops, and other sonic shenanigans.
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[Originally published 31 October 2020]
Itâs the silliest episode to date...
For Halloween, T.J. and Tony dissect the 1978 box office flop Sgt. Pepperâs Lonely Hearts Club Band. Robert Stigwood, Peter Frampton and the very lupine Bros. Gibb have a lot of âsplainin' to do. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS...and fact-check buzzers!
While inside, T.J. takes Steve Martin and Sir George Martin to task and Tony offers a hot take on the television show Emergency!
Due to a technical error, Tony was forced to put on a T.J. costume and re-record T.J.âs keyboard parts in post, with note-for-note precision. He hopes he passed the audition.
Dust off your cheaply-made Pepper outfit and Trip or Treat to this delightful monstrosity in the Beatles story.
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Ep. 64 | McCartney 3,2,1 (2021) Part 3
What type of Macca apprecionado are you⌠a âLive and Let Dieâ-harder, a casual âMaybe Iâm Amazedâ fair-weather type, or an ironically distanced, âCheck My Machineâ troll?
In this, the final installment of our âMcCartney 3,2,1â deep dish, T.J. and Tony discuss episodes 4, 5, and 6 of Rick Rubinâs âHulu and chillâ with Sir Paul, covering both his modern standards and less-celebrated obscurities.
Chock-full of Beatle conspiracies and high noon standoffs, this episode will have you wondering:
Which hit 80s sitcom theme did Julian Lennon secretly sing?
How much did T.J. pay for a Spanish copy of McCartneyâs Unplugged LP at Sound Warehouse in June of 1991?
Did Hulu use AI to make Paul sing âGot My Mind Set On Youâ?
Polish your anvil and set your Moogs to fab, this episode is worthy of the Sledge-O-Matic!
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Ep. 63 | McCartney 3,2,1 (2021) Part 2
The 3,2,1 saga continues...
In this episode T.J. and Tony go over the recent Hulu 6-part docuseries "McCartney 3,2,1" with a fine-toothed comb, in which "Shoeless" Rick Rubin explores Sir Paul's 20th century catalogue with the precision of a pedicure cuticle nipper. #wikifeet/RickRubin
In this bonus mid-week splash, we'll deep dish on Episodes 2 and 3, with enough nostalgia to feed your inner-Curt Claudio, plus:
T.J. plays his favorite chillwave song
Tony becomes the new Al Sharpton
And a deleted scene from Space Jam 2.
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Ep. 62 | McCartney 3,2,1 (2021) Part 1
Like most Macca productions, this one hasnât gotten a lot of publicity, but didja hear that all six episodes of "McCartney 3,2,1" recently dropped on Hulu? Legendary music producer/everyoneâs favorite uninvited Tittenhurst house guest, Rick Rubin, interviews Sir Paul on some of the most important - and, sometimes, completely random- tracks he ever recorded in his unmatched career. So check your (podcast) machine and get ready for a look at the background of this incredibly satisfying love-fest from M.P.L. and co. Itâs a little like Paulâs version of "The Last Dance," though "3,2,1" shamefully omits any interviews with B.J. Armstrong, the 271st Beatle. Itâs the filmâs one big flaw.
Weâll deep dish on Episodes 2-6 next week; but in this week's show, weâll tackle Episode 1, plus all the pressing topics real Beatles fans are dying to know, like:
Why does classic rock radio continually ignore the Steely Dan/Led Zeppelin collab?
Does Producer Casey do a killer version of âCrease Lightningâ, from the hit RSO motion picture, âCreaseâ?
And can a kid be a kid at both Showbiz Pizza and Chuck E. Cheese? Or is there regional bias at play?
Be forewarned, spoilers abound, both about "3,2,1" and also Run D.M.C.'s 1988 film "Tougher Than Leather." Please send all angry e-mails, both about this and your life-in general, to Tony, also known as Producer Casey.
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Ep. 61 | The Compleat Beatles (1982)
Before The Beatles Anthology a generation of Beatles fans fell in love with 1982âs The Compleat Beatles. From Malcom McDowellâs dramatic narration, to Gerry Marsdenâs take on âLiving Doll,â from the ominous droning soundtrack accompanying the nightmare of their last tour to early 80âs Billy Preston demonstrating his âGet Backâ solo, the sights and sounds of this movie are indelible.
Still, by the end of the VHS era, Apple/Sir Paul seemingly wiped this film from history; to date, itâs never been released on DVD or digitally. And while the Apple-produced Anthology is far more thorough and pristine, The Compleat Beatles remains a vital part of the consciousness and education of many 70âs & 80âs Beatles fans. Isnât it a pity that itâs so hard to find?
Listen as Tony and T.J. delve into this critically important film that meant so much to their early, rampant fandom. Along the way, they find time to tackle the biggest Beatle topics, including:
Do kids still start their mornings with Jolt Cola Cerealâ˘
Whoâs more bad-ass, Horst Fascher or Ivan Drago?
Is it ok to eat a McDougal's cheeseburger while watching âComing To Americaâ on Meat Free Monday?
Unlike syrupy early 60âs music, weâre sure youâll agree thereâs nothing #AckyDacky about this episode of the Untitled Beatles Podcast.
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