Animated trailer for Community season 5


Second trailer for Doctor Who: Time of the Doctor



Season's greetings from View-Master!




Pop culture roundup: John and Yoko! Macca draws! TARDIS crash! Beatle boots!

Via Beatles Magazine: Print and post these John and Yoko "War is Over" posters, commemorating their 1971 Christmas single "Happy Christmas (War is Over) and their campaign for peace. Click the link to get posters in other languages!




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 An interesting piece of memorabilia surfaced on eBay this week: A 1966 drawing of George Harrison's wife, Pattie, penned by Paul McCartney. Evidently, the drawing was given by Pattie to a fan. There's a letter from Pattie to the fan accompanying the drawing.




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Speaking of Macca: He was thisclose to getting a free t-shirt Sixers-Nets game the other day, but no cigar.


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Some guys fly -- and crash -- a replica of Doctor Who's T.A.R.D.I.S.



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More Beatles: The band's quiet release of unreleased 1963 material generated a lot of attention (and cash) this week. But did you know John Lennon was a fan of Beatles bootlegs back in the 1970s? He gave one for his buddy Paul.

 

Fab Friday: Beatles' toons!

A look back at the Beatles' animated series.









"Official" Beatles bootleg is OUT!

...at least it was when I posted this. It was up at iTunes in the U.S., briefly, then went down, then went back up. The same story in some other parts of the world, from what I hear. The price also has increased in the U.S. compared to New Zealand, the first country where the songs appeared.

You can find, and download it, here for $39.99.

At any rate, here are the basics:

The Beatles have released a batch of 59 songs all recorded in 1963, reportedly in an effort to protect their copyright over the material. In Britain, there was a danger of the songs falling into public domain unless included in an official release by the band. It's available only as a download on iTunes as the album The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963.

The Beatles camp has done zero promotion and provided very little information about the release, giving the impression that it is reluctant to put these songs out and is doing so merely as a legal maneuver. Even so, I'm predicting the Beatles make a bundle off of this.

The songs are a mix of studio outtakes, live-in-the-studio recordings for the BBC and even a couple of home demos. Nearly all have appeared on bootlegs but the sound of many -- according to fans in the know -- is much improved.

I agree. I have a whole mess of Beatle boots and have had a chance to, so far, listen to the new album's first 10 tunes, and they sound fantastic. Much better fidelity, even as downloads, compared to the boots that are out there, even though some of those are also quite good.

If you're a fan, you'll love this. If you are a bootleg collector, I'd argue that you almost have an obligation to purchase it. Hasn't the rationale of many of us over the years been that if this stuff was officially released that we'd gladly pay for it? Well, if that's the case, it's time to pony up.

I have various mixed feelings involving the album. I love hearing this stuff in great quality. I sort of wish that it would've been pressed on CD and/or LP with detailed notes.

On the other hand, there's part of me who feels it's unfortunate that the Beatles feel obligated to release this stuff, even though they don't want to. Shouldn't artists have a choice about which of their works should be available to the public?  Obviously, that's not going to be the case with a group as big and as important as the Beatles, which has seen many of its officially unreleased albums leak out over the years. If these things are out there, shouldn't the band take some control over them? That seems to be what the Beatles have done.

It'll be interesting to see what develops with the release of these songs. How long will they remain officially available? Will sales change the Beatles' thinking about marketing of previously unreleased material? Will we see a similar release, next year, of 1964 material?

We published the track listing for the album a few days ago, but here it is again:




1. “There's A Place” - Takes 5, 6. 2:19
2. “There's A Place” - Take 8. 1:58
3. “There's A Place” - Take 9. 2:04
4. “Do You Want To Known A Secret” - Track 2, Take 7. 2:17
5. “A Taste Of Honey” - Track 2, Take 6. 2:12
6. “I Saw Her Standing There” - Take 2. 3:07
7. “Misery” - Take 1. 1:54
8. “Misery” - Take 7. 1:56
9. “From Me To You” - Take 1 & 2. 3:24
10. “From Me To You” - Take 5. 2:17
11. “Thank You Girl” - Take 1. 2:09
12. “Thank You Girl” - Take 5. 2:04
13. “One After 909” - Take 1 & 2. 4:29
14. “Hold Me Tight” - Take 21. 2:42
15. “Money (That's What I Want)” - RM 7 Undubbed 2:48
16. “Some Other Guy” - Live At BBC For "Saturday Club" / 26th January, 1963. 2:02.
17. “Love Me Do” - Live At BBC For "Saturday Club" / 26th January, 1963. 2:31
18. “Too Much Monkey Business” - Live At BBC For "Saturday Club" / 16th March, 1963 1:50
19. “I Saw Her Standing There” - Live At BBC For "Saturday Club" / 16th March, 1963. 2:38.
20. “Do You Want To Know A Secret” - Live At BBC For "Saturday Club" / 25th May, 1963 1:50
21. “From Me To You” - Live At BBC For "Saturday Club" / 26th May, 1963. 1:54
22. “I Got To Find My Baby” - Live At BBC For "Saturday Club" / 26th January, 1963 1:59.
23. “Roll Over Beethoven” - Live At BBC For "Saturday Club" / 29th June, 1963 2:29
24. “A Taste Of Honey” - Live At BBC For "Easy Beat" / 23rd June, 1963 2:01
25. “Love Me Do” - Live At BBC For "Easy Beat" / 20th October, 1963 2:29
26. “Please Please Me” - Live At BBC For "Easy Beat" / 20th October, 1963 2:08
27. “She Loves You” - Live At BBC For "Easy Beat" / 20th October, 1963 2:29
28. “I Want To Hold Your Hand” - Live At BBC For "Saturday Club" / 21st December, 1963 2:19
29. “Till There Was You” - Live At BBC For "Saturday Club" / 21st December, 1963 2:16
30. “Roll Over Beethoveen” - Live At BBC For "Saturday Club" / 21st December, 1963 2:16
31. “You Really Got A Hold On Me” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 4th June, 1963 2:54
32. “The Hippy Hippy Shake” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 4th June, 1963 1:43
33. “Till There Was You” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" /11th June, 1963 2:14
34. “A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 18th June, 1963 2:06
35. “A Taste Of Honey” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 18th June, 1963 1:56
36. “Money (That's What I Want)” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 18th June, 1963 2:41
37. “Anna” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 25th June, 1963 3:02
38. “Love Me Do” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 10th September, 1963 2:29
39. “She Loves You” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 24th September, 1963 2:16
40. “I'll Get You” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 10th September, 1963 2:05
41. “A Taste Of Honey” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 10th September, 1963 2:00
42. “Boys” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 17th September, 1963 2:12
43. “Chains” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 17th September, 1963 2:22
44. “You Really Got A Hold On Me” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 17th September, 1963 2:57
45. “I Saw Her Standing There” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 24th September, 1963 2:41
46. “She Loves You” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 10th September, 1963 2:15
47. “Twist And Shout” - Live At BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" / 24th September, 1963 2:36
48. “Do You Want To Know A Secret” - Live At BBC For "Here We Go" / 12th March, 1963 1:55
49. “Please Please Me” - Live At BBC For "Here We Go" / 12th March, 1963 1:57
50. “Long Tall Sally” - Live At BBC For "Side By Side" / 13th May, 1963 1:49
51. “Chains” - Live At BBC For "Side By Side" / 13th May, 1963 2:23
52. “Boys” - Live At BBC For "Side By Side" / 13th May, 1963 1:53
53. “A Taste Of Honey” - Live At BBC For "Side By Side" / 13th May, 1963 2:04
54. “Roll Over Beethoven” - Live At BBC For "From Us To You" / 26th December, 1963 2:17
55. “All My Loving” - Live At BBC For "From Us To You" / 26th December, 1963 2:06
56. “She Loves You” - Live At BBC For "From Us To You" / 26th December, 1963 2:21
57. “Till There Was You” - Live At BBC For "From Us To You" / 26th December, 1963 2:12
58. “Bad To Me” - Demo 1:29
59. “I'm In Love” - Demo 1:32

CORREX: Horace Silver NOT dead

Apparently the report earlier today that jazz great Horace Silver had passed away was erroneous. Glad to hear that's the case.

Here he is performing on of his classics, "Song for My Father."


Season's greetings from the Marvel Bullpen!


New comics Dec. 18, 2013: Conan; Showcase Presents Strange Adventures 2; Star Trek Classics; Tarzan Russ Manning Newspaper Strips 2; Atlas Era Strange Tales; Golden Age Marvel Masterworks 2; Asterix and the Picts!

Click the links to order discounted items from Amazon.


The Savage Sword of Conan Volume 15


Showcase Presents: Strange Adventures Vol. 2


Star Trek Classics Volume 5: Who Killed Captain Kirk?


Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips Volume 2 (1969-1971)


Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Strange Tales Volume 6


Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics Volume 2


Asterix and the Picts: Album #35