Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Es-Say #11 Easter Eggs

Sir Paul has started his 2014 tour this week in South America. He's "Out There" at the moment and I'm nowhere "Near There" so what's a girl to do? That's right, I've been looking all week for uploaded videos of from fans that actually attended the shows!

Record Store Day was this past Saturday. I managed to get a "Don't Blame Yoko" badge but that was all Beatles-related as unlike last year, no McCartney vinyl was released. In 2013, McCartney did release a special Wings record but I have forgotten which one already because a man waiting in front of me got the last copy then. (Actually, It was "Maybe I'm Amazed" and I forced myself to think of this minor trivia).

Easter Monday came along and a bit of a shock occurred for me. I found another "Goodnight Tonight" 45! This was like Easter, Christmas, and my Birthday all rolled into one as my partner rolled his eyes waiting in the shop. I was even spoiled for choice. I could have bought the French or Holland version and I practically flung the one of the two out of the way for the other...
 
 
  I'm not saying I don't want the French version, but I do have it already just in another location(see additional Es-says). My interest in this particular 45 is a bit scary, but I don't care. I've made this video(sadly, without the French version).
http://youtu.be/yRaXKUrJiI8
I think my next search for GNT remains Brazil, Australia, Japan, and two US versions(45 and Disco Mix) but I will definitely get another French copy when able.

I've been attempting to join more Beatles or McCartney related internet groups, it probably can't hurt for things like current news. I was interested in joining an official fan club. I did find some of these British Beatles Fan Club magazines also this Monday.

 
 
 Spring has definitely sprung this week!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, April 14, 2014

Es-Say #10 Mod-ern Merchandise Mentions

Companies are still producing new Beatles merchandise. I thought I had little interest in any of this, partly from a collecting view. Is a 2014 released Beatles T-shirt rare? What about the 1995 Beatles T-Shirt I wear at least once every two weeks? Not really. Original Wings T-shirts can be sold for ridiculous amounts, so I'm hesitant to pay $40 for a new one. Will I pay $13 each for those t-shirts in the above photo? (Yup, I did!)

There seems to be a slight problem with these t-shirts from Primark. They aren't damaged yet my partner swears George's face in the "jumping" shirt doesn't look correctly printed. Granted these shirts may not last after a trip to the washing machine either. My "slight problem" is that each shirt is printed on Primark's own brand(Atmosphere) shirts. The white one is apparently officially licensed to another company(and then printed on a Primark T-shirt). Watch my video about this. I still can't explain it. http://youtu.be/NQq8v-1tFcg

All I can tell you, even though I got some vegan chocolate on the "JFK Airport" one. These sort of WTF?-styled questionable things are great, collectable or not, yet somehow better than 100% expensive run-of-the-mill official stuff.

The next item purchased from HMV is 100% official merchandise. Yet, this is one of those items I consider, uh "hot right now" and..um.."possibly worth something in two decades." Why? Well, lets examine little ole £6.99 coffee mug. I bought it last week and it has been available for almost 6 months. I really should get another one but it's always a gamble what gains value.

The mug is to promote the "Live at the BBC V2" CD from November. Let's try to ignore the 20 year gap between the two volumes of this fantastic series as I make the following point. This ticks all the boxes.
  • Only available from HMV     
  • Should be Limited Edition
  • Not a reproduction item but a new goods item
  • I really need to buy another one because I will freak if it breaks in the kitchen.
Best thing to do is keep tabs on this item and other promotional items from Live at The BBC series. I don't even want to think about the promo stuff from Beatles Anthology. I have been shown the light- There are some current items that need to be snapped up immediately. It's just one big guessing game that usually gets resolved every two decades...


 
 
 
 

Monday, April 7, 2014

Es-Say #9 #9 #9 By George...It's The Hidden Threetles!

Let's get one thing straight- I have no problem being an uninformed fan. That's the beauty of not knowing everything about about The Beatles and Paul, I learn as I go. I'm not planning on going into the Guinness Book Of World Records for being an expert on all things Beatles. This is why I didn't know that the George Harrison record, "All Those Years Ago" I bought last week(see above) was more than just a solo hit record. Heck, I thought it was from the 70s. I played the vinyl and still had no idea that this recording was done with a little help from Paul, Linda, Denny(or !"£$%^ Wings!!!!), Ringo, and the fifth Beatle, producer George Martin. This is what the internet has led me to believe. I quote my source as Wikipedia and a couple other pages who may have also sourced this information from Wikipedia. Overall, it is considered a "Threetles"(George, Paul, and Ringo) song but this record, in my uninformed fan opinion, is most certainly not.

The finished product of the song is supposed to have Paul and Linda McCartney and Denny Laine singing backing vocals. I'm not a musician, but I am a DJ and I enjoy listening to songs, especially vocals. The contribution of Wings (really!) of oohing and ahhing along with Harrison is nowhere listed on the '45. Maybe because anyone could have been responsible for it, including the person on the street. The strongest bits of this song are Al Kooper on Electric Piano and all of George's lead vocals and guitars. Even if the full musicians are noted in the LP, it wouldn't matter. It is a Threetles recording but the final product wasn't marketed or presented to sound that way. Paul is very good at being anonymous on a song when he wants to. Here's a great example of the opposite from Rockshow- http://youtu.be/SgrG8XURuP4

On "All Those Years Ago," the song became exactly what George wanted it to be- His own tribute to John Lennon. The intention for it to be a "Threetles" or friends of John's song tribute didn't happen. Had it been that way, maybe "Here Today"(a song written for John) by Paul McCartney for the Tug Of War LP wouldn't have been released.  It's clear that Paul wanted to have some recording available as his own associated tribute for Lennon.  "All Those Years Ago" was not that song but it is a lovely song http://youtu.be/85Smw33PKJA

 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Es-Say #8 No More Blindly Spendings (edited version)

I have learned my lesson. I need a spending plan and a strategy the next time I decide to go on a major vinyl shopping trip.

This week, I had the opportunity to travel West. I was assured that my two hour journey was in the vicinity of at least four vinyl record shops and an HMV. I'm happy that I only spent 3/4th's of my normal budget, but I question what the heck I actually carried back home. Here's a picture of only the McCartney/Beatles related purchases.

Looking at the vinyl above and the little research I did online, it's highly unlikely the value of these items will increase. I like the condition of the copy and sleeve of "Say, Say, Say" and I hope it will play on my record player. I don't think I've heard the B-side "Ode To A Koala Bear." It was worth it to me as standard 80s picture sleeves like this aren't worth more than £5/$5.66 at most.

The 12' records of "No More Lonely Nights" and "Love Me Do," and the Julian Lennon LP was supposed to cost four times what I was charged even though all vinyl was 1/3 off. I'm still confused by this deal, but the one store I got these in was strange enough. It sold records and sci-fi memorabilia, yet most of the products were clearly "not for sale." I only knew this because there were at least 50 signs telling me this. I'm not kidding.

In hindsight, I feel that maybe I got the discount in kindness rather than error. The wacky store turned out to want to listen to what I was saying about the vinyl...and they were closing. I guess any sales a sale! The Beatles record turned out to be about 13 years earlier than predicted. It was clearly a re-issue, but I told the shop owner I thought it was from the mid-1990s. The labels don't give away the date, but once I read the back cover at home it mentioned it was a 20th anniversary pressing. The shop owner asked me what language the Julian Lennon album was issued in. Yeah, I think my leg was being pulled, but at least I wasn't being overcharged with the original store price. (I also found McCartney's Russian LP 1988's Choba B CCCP and didn't get want it this time around)

The 12' copy of  "No More Lonely Nights" was an impulse buy. It will have to be replaced as "No More Lonely Nights" and "Good Night Tonight" are, let's be honest, the focus of my entire collection. I think I need to be more aware of the versions of these releases that I need prior to just any old copies. The quality of this copy is terrible and I'm considering using it as a serving tray.

I went to another record shop and nearly bought the Mike McGear Lp. Along with Chob B, that would be the 2nd copy I've had to replace and both records are special. I just didn't feel it was the right times to get those albums.

HMV didn't seem to offer anything. I only looked in the McCartney section and they didn't have much back catalog. I just bought the Moody Blues first album on CD as Denny Laine was a member at that time of recording.

Another shop that I went into had some great picture discs of other bands but they didn't want to sell me any McCartney or Beatles records which were located right behind the counter. They showed me about two stacks of 45s with either plain sleeves or Apple sleeves. They all looked in fair condition and some were 5th pressing 1976 re-issues. Collecting Beatles vinyl is very involved, tricky, and not fun for me. McCartney vinyl collecting is much more interesting and less aggravating. I need to continue down this path and not get side-tracked. Yet, if I can ever find one of the actual Butcher covers for an insanely low price, all bets will be off.