Episodes
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:
🌸🚊 Is the real tragedy of Stu Sutcliffe that he never lived to ride the CTA's Pink Line?
🧑🦰 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"?
🛳️ 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 | “The Birth of the Beatles” (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:
🥁 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"?
💰 Which is the more controversial TV performance: Sinead O'Connor on SNL, or Eddie Money on "Fridays"?
🍻 (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:
📻 Baby, if you’ve ever wondered, does T.J. wax nostalgic when his favorite sitcom actor leaves the material world?
📷 Which better suits the George Martin Orchestra’s “This Boy”: Sad Ringo (not living in a van) down by the river, or Tony’s musings on the Sgt. Pepper costumes?
🤦♂️ 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. Pepper’s 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]
It’s the silliest episode to date...
For Halloween, T.J. and Tony dissect the 1978 box office flop Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Robert Stigwood, Peter Frampton and the very lupine Bros. Gibb have a lot of ‘splainin' 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.’s 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 “Live and Let Die”-harder, a casual “Maybe I’m Amazed” fair-weather type, or an ironically distanced, “Check My Machine” troll?
In this, the final installment of our “McCartney 3,2,1” deep dish, T.J. and Tony discuss episodes 4, 5, and 6 of Rick Rubin’s “Hulu and chill” 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 McCartney’s Unplugged LP at Sound Warehouse in June of 1991?
Did Hulu use AI to make Paul sing “Got My Mind Set On You”?
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 hasn’t gotten a lot of publicity, but didja hear that all six episodes of "McCartney 3,2,1" recently dropped on Hulu? Legendary music producer/everyone’s 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. It’s a little like Paul’s version of "The Last Dance," though "3,2,1" shamefully omits any interviews with B.J. Armstrong, the 271st Beatle. It’s the film’s one big flaw.
We’ll deep dish on Episodes 2-6 next week; but in this week's show, we’ll 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 “Crease Lightning”, from the hit RSO motion picture, “Crease”?
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 1982’s The Compleat Beatles. From Malcom McDowell’s dramatic narration, to Gerry Marsden’s take on “Living Doll,” from the ominous droning soundtrack accompanying the nightmare of their last tour to early 80’s Billy Preston demonstrating his “Get Back” 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, it’s 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 70’s & 80’s Beatles fans. Isn’t it a pity that it’s 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 Cereal™
Who’s more bad-ass, Horst Fascher or Ivan Drago?
Is it ok to eat a McDougal's cheeseburger while watching “Coming To America” on Meat Free Monday?
Unlike syrupy early 60’s music, we’re sure you’ll agree there’s nothing #AckyDacky about this episode of the Untitled Beatles Podcast.
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Ep. 49 | Give My Regards to Broad Street (Film Review)
At long last, T.J. and Tony review Sir Paul's magnum opus: Give My Regards to Broad Street. Starring and written by Paul McCartney, the 1984 movie was panned by critics and audiences alike, but brought us some of Paul's best music of the decade ("No More Lonely Nights"), and some of his worst remakes of his best music from decades past (lookin' at you, "Long and Winding Road").
This long and rambling podcast leads to all the usual goofs and giggles, and—as far as we're able to ascertain—what we believe to be the first reference to the theme music from NBC's "The Days & Nights of Molly Dodd" in podcasting history. And what movie review is complete without also covering the Commodore 64 video game adaptation?
Movie viewing recommended (you might be able to find it on YouTube), but certainly not required. Good times guaranteed either way, or your money back.
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Ep. 37 | Caveman (Film Review)
This week TJ and Tony dust off their "Sneak Previews" sweaters to review the cult classic Caveman, starring Ringo Starr.
Is this difficult-to-stream comedy superior to A Hard Day's Night?
Is this hard-to-watch romp more enjoyable than Two Virgins?
Is it better than a stag film shown in a small room at Beatlefest 81?
In this spoiler-laden assessment, the Tangential Two wax nostalgic about the golden era of NBC's Thursday night line-up, Ribbie and Roobarb, and a pre-Fox television landscape.
Meanwhile, R.E.M. finds their way within blowtorch range of a Barenaked Ladies/They Might Be Giants hot take. Plus TJ and Tony dream of turning this celluloid oddity into a cruise ship musical that's sure to win a coveted "Code Oscar."
See you at the movies!