Episodes
Ep. 171 | T.J. Shanoff (1974) 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition
Itâs T.J.âs birthday! Itâs T.J.âs birthday! And we would like to give him all of the cassettes!
The celebrated 4th member of the UBP (a. Tony, b. Casey, c. P3Z-Nutz) celebrates 46 years of Beatles love and weirdo-sniffer-collecting on the occasion of his 50th birthday! From meeting Paul McCartney to a crisis of what Apple â92 closeout cassettes to buy in â96, T.J. and Tony discuss some of the birthday boyâs favorite Beatles memories in a lifetime of loving the music and unmatched excellence of the Fab 4.
But a special birthday episode canât derail the usual chicanery, and lots of rando preguntas are asked, including:
đ Is âMy Girlâ by The Turtles more or less of a soul classic than the one by The Temptations? And can a bee sting really f you up, like kill you? #MyGirl
đ Holy s**t, Peter Noone is still alive? Do you think Kathy Bartlett knows? Holy s**t, is Kathy Bartlett still alive?
đĽ Was the absolute highlight of Record Store Day 2024 Ringoâs âCrooked Boyâ EP? Or are only the criminally insane interested in this item?
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Ep. 168 | Seventh Beatle Bracket
Glass Onions, baby! It's the UBP's third annual (note the TWO "n"'s and a "u", you grotty kids) Beatles March Madness! This week, we begin the Journey (#whenthelightsgodowninthecitay) to naming the official, Apple/Calderstone/Odeon/Ring'o Records 7th Beatle!
This year, for what feels like the very first time, the field is all musicians; and Tony, T.J., and our very own Tim Donaghy, Producer Casey, have some tough life decisions to make! Among them:
đ¸ Is Beatlemania's Tom Teeley straight up more important to The Beatles than Linda, George, and original/best (of the) Beatles drummer Jimmie Nicol, combined?
đ¸ Did Beatlemania's Tom Teeley invent the music video? Or just the now-wildly popular subset of music videos featuring extended tripping-on-bodega-fruit takes?
đ¸ I just bet $20k on FanDuel that Beatlemania's Tom Teeley is gonna f'ing win this thing. I'll kill you bozos if I lose, do you f'ing hear me? And no, overly accessible legal gambling is definitely not f'ing up sports! Also, I'm sweating profusely. From the cocaine.
Life's too short! So you'd better back off, because it's Beatles March Madness! Stay tuned next for your late local news. Then, don't miss Martin Mull in the hilarious, new, can't miss, 1984 comedy, "Domestic Life". Only on (this is) CBS!
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Check out the Beatlemania's Mitch Weissman on "Joanie Loves Chachie"
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Ep. 162 | Fab Grammys
Itâs the dead of winter! So toss them [sic, intentional] wet towels on yer [sic, unintentional] space heater, serve your guests a hearty slice of calico flaming cat, and cozy up for the biggest awards show this side of the regional Tonys - the Fab Grammys! This week, Tony, T.J., Sizzle Chest Casey, and the increasingly ill-behaved P3Z-Nutz, tackle - powder puff âfootieâ style - the complicated history of the Beatles and the Grammy Awards.
The (Lou) Gram Two get into the electric moog mood groove (#Madonna) and also demand to know:
đŞ If it donât rain in Indianapolis in the summer time, why does Schneider ALWAYS carry a plunger in tool belt? And how come said plunger is in the upright position every time Ms. Romano walks by, guy? Go on, answer the question.
Is Gary Sinise a true natureâs child?
đť (Angry Chicago guy:) How come Ryne Sandberg didnât win no Grammy for the 1984 novelty Cubs hit âMen In Blueâ?
đ¤ (P3Z-Nutz:) Hey, you MalĂśrt-soaked jagbag, that 45 only featured Rick Sutcliffe, Jody Davis, Leon Durham, Keith Moreland, and Gary Woods.
đ (Angry Chicago guy:) (begins weeping, cries out for someone named âJoan?â)
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Ep. 159 | A Tribute to Denny Laine (1944 - 2023)
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Denny Laine is in our ears and in our eyes. And since December 2023, also, sadly, in the skies. As Maccaâs most consistent post-Beatles collaborator, Denny Laineâs imprint on Wings and Sir Paul's overall legacy is unquestionably secure. This week, Tony & T.J. look at some of Denny Laineâs greatest moments with Wings and beyond, and also ask:
đ Would the Florida State Seminoles still have acted like straight bi**hes had they been invited to the Kenny Rogers Roasters Bowl?
đ (Angry Chicago Guy) How come Jim Caviezel didnât make no movie when Denny Laine wrote multiple songs about children on âLondon Townâ? And how come Lauren Bobert donât give me no lap treats when I watch Beatlejuice on VHS?
đš Is repeatedly discussing specific Chicagoland record stores that closed in the 1990âs the key to making millions of dollars hosting a podcast? (Out of nowhere, man, angry Chicago Guy callback:) And how come the Rose Records on Wabash donât carry no Nancy Faust??
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Ep. 158 | Why We Love The Beatles
Ding Dong, Ding Dong! Itâs a New Year! And all we are saying is, itâs about time we open a universal can of Beatles whoop-ass on 2024! Our first show of â24 gets to the heart of why the UBP crew - and a good many listeners! - all passionately love this incredible band and their magical story; album after album, song after song, year after year, reissue after reissueâŚ
But a few other major Beatles-related question remain, such as:
đş In the fall of 1988, Sundays at 7p Eastern/6p Central and Mountain, did you watch ABCâs âIncredible Sundayâ or FOXâs â21 Jump Streetâ? (*For our younger listeners, there were only two channels in 1988.)
đ¤ (Angry Chicago Guy) How come Lapidos donât got no Fest-branded jet packs for sale at the TWA hotel? (Tearing up:) And how come no lady wonât be the Rosie to my George Jetsons [sic]? And how come that jagbag P3Z-Nutz donât return no fan mail? And why ainât Magglio Ordóùez (zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz)
đ¸ Itâs totally normal for late 40-somethings to consider the stage and movie musical âBeatlemaniaâ their âEd Sullivan Showâ, yes?
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Ep. 150 | Liverpool Drag
What happens when you take the energy of Beatlemania and mix it with a helping of questionably written and performed Beatles-inspired songs? You get Liverpool Drag. Not the Beatles, but an unincredible simulation!
This week, Tony & T.J. examine the early 60's phenomenon of Beatle-inspired cash-in records. Are they good? Awful? Somewhere in between? The answer is, "yes".
Along the way, the Drag Duo ask:
đşđ¸ Since drag shows are unarguably killing our children, is the only solution to ban more books? Because, freedumb?
1ď¸âŁ Whoâs idea was it to exclude âLittle Miss Margieâ from The Manchesters âNot 1â compilation?
đď¸ Come March 2024, should MadTVâs Bobby Lee become eligible for the Untitled Beatles Podcast 7th Beatle Bracket?
Place a mop atop your head, shake it like a mimeograph, and chant âyeahâ 3 times, because itâs Liverpool Drag on the UBP! Wooo!!!
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BONUS! Back in the U.S.S.R. from McCartney: A Life in Lyrics
Cue the Salt âNâ Pepa: Pu-Pu-Pushkinâs real goodâŚat producing podcasts and audiobooks! Theyâre the force behind the just-dropped âMcCartney: A Life in Lyricsâ pod, which is off to a delightfully entertaining and insightful start. The dulcet tones of Paul Muldoon had better be the future voice of AI. (Weâre talking about practice. Not a game.)
And on this very special episode of the UBP, the Gab Two is proud to present, in partnership with Pushkin, a special airing of âMcCartney: A Life in Lyricsâ Episode 2. How cool is that?! This one oneâs a Double Paul deep-dish on âBack In The U.S.S.R.â, a definitive #FileUnderRock track, though, as the episode sadly fails to acknowledge, was largely unknown until Billy Joelâs live take on âKohueptâ (2 LPâs on 1 CD!).
Weâll be back with our usual chicanery and a whole new episode/world, DONâT YOU DARE CLOSE YOUR EYES, next week. In the meantime, all 3.5 of us at the UBP are absolutely honoured to be associated with anything Macca-related. We hope you will enjoy the show as much as we did. Five Freaking Fabs!
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McCartney: A Life in Lyrics | Back in the U.S.S.R
Whatâs Paul McCartney, a Liverpudlian, doing writing about the Soviet Union in 1968? Turns out McCartney was doing a little Chuck Berry, a bit of The Beach Boys, some pastiche and a lot of subversion. Opening âThe White Albumâ, âBack in the U.S.S.R.â raised some eyebrows. And because of The Beatlesâ evolving position within the former Eastern Bloc the song has over the years taken on a life of its own, following the trajectory of the Westâs often fraught relationship with the region.
Ep. 145 | Beatlefest 2023 Part 2: Live from the Fest Floor
Roll up! Roll up for another Untitled Beatles Podcast Field Trip, this time to the 2023 Chicago Fest For Beatles Fans. In this podcast concrète, T.J. and Tony - aka the Beavis & Butthead of the Beatleverse - take a 2-day sound bath of live Beatle music, as they scratch and sniff rare Beatles vinyl, aimlessly wandering and wondering:
đ Is Halloween slasher Michael Myersâ favorite Beatles song âHelp!â, âRun For Your Lifeâ or âChuckâs Monster?â
đŚ¸đťââď¸ How many records must T.J. collect to warrant wearing a collectorâs cape?
ă°ď¸ Is there anyone still in line for Patti Boyd? Might want to check on them.
With interjections from Producer Casey, this episode is like taking a Time Machine back to August of 2023, or like wearing a Yellow Submarine Virtual Reality Helmet ($499) available on the official Beatles Store secret menu.
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Ep. 141 | Labor Day FALL PREVIEW
Summertime done, come and gone, oh my my! (#RingoGarcia) Yep, fall is upon us and with it means a boatload of forthcoming Beatles goodies! Maybe? Could there be a 50th âMind Gamesâ? A deluxe âRubber Soulâ? The long-anticipated expanded âLove Songsâ box set, with a bonus 7â test pressing of âGirlâ/âYouâre Gonna Lose That Girlâ and a gnome or two, for only $400? Sign us up!And over at Untitled Beatles Podcast HQ, we canât wait to kick off the fall season with our usual chicanery and good times. This week, in the spirit of Labor Day, we sip good old American brews, and preview our line-up with a TV Guide style Fall Preview Guide! And this ainât the free one you get in the Sunday paper, jack! Itâs the real deal. And youâll straight-up cheers *and* jeers all of your favorite returning fall shows on WUBP, Channel 3, like:
𼊠Wednesdays on âSheâs The Sheriffâ, does Suzanne Summers microwave her meat? And does a poster of Nancy Reagan and Mr. T make special guest Mickey Rooney trickle down?
đđť On Saturdays, âValerieâs Familyâ returnsâŚsans Valerie! She wanted more money, so she died in a fire and âAuntâ Sandy Duncan showed up with scratch âNâ sniff Betty and Veronica fan art for all!
đŠđ˝ââď¸ And âNight Courtâ returns Thursdays, as alternate juror âFlannel Caseyâ (Chris Makepeace) explains to Selma Diamond why iTunes is for soccer moms; but no Band On The Run retrospective is complete without the â89 âBarn Rehearsalâ (WTF?) of the title track.
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Ep. 140 | UBP ESP: Our Red and Blue Album Reissue Predictions
Ice-T asked the question with which many Beatles fans wrestle on his 1988 hit, âColorsâ: Red or Blue?
Both double albums are amazing chronicles of the Beatlesâ chart hits and key album tracks. But they were assembled 50 years ago, and for their anniversary year, itâs been rumored that both LPâs will be reissued, remixed, and expanded! How do we know for sure? Well, itâs like Ice-T said in his 1988 hit, âColorsâ - in arguably the most savage diss in rap history: âYou donât know me, foooooool! You disown me? Coolâ! #SavageAF
This week, Tony & T.J. use the power of ESP to wildly speculate what essential Fab cuts will be added to each album. With musicâs 2nd greatest catalog from which to choose (#1 is Korn, obvi), would the Red & Blue Two make similar adds? Thereâs only one way to find out! Send a check or money order to P3Z-Nutz! Or you could listen, I guessâŚbecause we also consider:
đ If The Beatles were McDonalds, would Allen Klein and Dave Dexter be the Fry Guys?
đŠ (Angry Chicago Guy:) HOW COME TONY CANCELLED DONUTS?
đ´đş If Horst Fascher changed his name to Horse Fascist, would he be Florida's governor?
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