Friday, July 17, 2015

Es-Say #27 Just Say No: Record Show Relapse
 
 ...And one CD turned into six...

...meanwhile, subconsciously, 45s had to match...


It was a day to relax, so I decided to head to the city to attend a bi-monthly record show. Usually I come home with a few items and stick to a budget. This time, "budget" didn't seem to matter,even though it should. I figured I saved about £15 asking for discounts, but I wished I walked away sooner.
I had an idea of what I was looking to buy and found it straight away-TMOQ Gazette Volume 19. After that purchase, my brain went out the window. Let's review each item and why I parted with my cash.
Summer-Heat-Induced Paul McCartney and Beatles purchases


  1. TMOQ Gazette Vol 19- A collection of the original 70s film footage that eventual was recycled for use in The Beatles Anthology Film, Plus various bonus 60s videos. Reason For Buying- The Gazette is hard to ignore because it complies past attractive material. I taped Anthology 20 years ago off PBS when I had a VCR and my television had a contrasting problem where the picture was tinted pink. You try watching Anthology in psychedelic colours for years and tell me I shouldn't be greatful for the availability of raw footage on DVD...
  2. Help The Alternative Help- live and alternative takes. Reason For Buying- need it, wanted it, got it. Basically, a "questionable release" of a "questionable release", so not too expensive.
  3. The Beatles Live at Last- I have to devote another blog to this as the discussion involves copywriter law that has gone " free-for-all" to get Beatles Live material from 50 years ago which is official in the public domain for dealers to attempt to sell to schmos like me... Reason For Buying- 2015 UK release of live '63\'64 material. 16 tracks of fairly common recording that for whatever screwed up reason(that reason copywrite nightmare) CANNOT be sold in the US. (Again needs a separate blog of drawn out moaning concerning the topic of Live Copywrite law changes).
  4. Paul McCartney B-Sides Himself- Macca various "B-Sides" Reason For Buying- I saw the words "Mole Mix" which meant The  "MaccaMeri unhealthy craze to all things 'Give My Regards To Broadstreet' alert" was activated. Just like the "MaccaMeri unhealthy craze to all things 'Goodnight Tonight' alert", not much thought goes into opening the wallet. The day I get the actual vinyl " Mole Mix" of "No More Lonely Nights" margaritas for all but this CD copy is welcomed to own.
  5. Wings Back To The Egg Trevor Jones collection Volume 2- Mostly the Egg material from Jones with separate sources of alternative mixes. If it's half as good as "Wings At The Speed Of Sound" Trevor Jones collection, the BTTE one should be pretty decent. Reason For Buying- An over 7 minute version of "'Goodnight Tonight", which I assume is probably the "Disco Mix" that I have shelved the need for collecting on vinyl due to focusing on purchasing all version of the hit songs on 45 rpm. (I can't make sense of this either, but I didn't have that 7 min version at all).
  6. Paul McCartney Toyko 1993 2nd Night- numbered limited edition two discs of touring for "off the ground" Reason For Buying- not much thought went into this but I got it due to reasonable price, the set list, and the word "Toyko". A candy-in-front-of-a-baby moment.
  7. Wings With A Little Luck Australian 45- Reason For Buying- Australian and red labeled with the full version of the song. Blind purchase for £5.
  8. Susie and The Red Stipes Seaside Woman a&m 45- Linda Mac and Friends release from Germany. Reason For Buying- It's German issued , what more can I say?
   9. Wings Hi Hi Hi b\w C Moon Apple 45- A Belgium release with         a nice cover and on Apple for £5. No need to list a reason for         buying, it just sorta happened. . .
Not sure how long it will take to listen to all the CDs, but it was a a successful visit to "London Town" yet I might have learn to hold off on shows for awhile if I like eating on a daily basis. Something about the cute one keeps me interested regardless...(I think I have a 1984 movie to go rewatch...again!).

Until copywrite law gets me riled up again, dear readers....

Friday, July 10, 2015

Es-Say #26- More Unseen Beatles Photos? Everybody's Got Time For That...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3155728/Rare-Beatles-photos-uncovered-Fab-Four-smiling-laughing-lounge-pool-Miami-Ed-Sullivan-appearance.

I've spent the better part of the week trying to find out if my new (old) Mac sig is authentic. Now, Im at the point of standing on my head to try to see if that will show me what tell tale signs of "realness" it has.

I have nearly missed out on how these newly discovered Miami photos(at the above link) are going to be distributed, if at all. Maybe I just like old pictures of a 22 year old in a bathing suit.

In the meantime, all these 2015 magazine features are coming out.
I wound up reading the esquire article online on a long train ride and the rest are collecting dust because I've just been too busy to relax and read Uncut or Record Collector. I shouldn't need to read the Uncut article as I was at the Paul concert at the 02(1st night) the magazine reviews. In fact, I think I did briefly look it over, but I like David Byrne so I'll have to make time for it.

Back to The Beatles: Record Collector has the 2nd part of that interesting history of the Star Club recordings story. I want to read that too and possibly find one of those several boots(er...I ment "questionable recordings"), from those sessions. I need a 25 hour day...

Too my delight McCartney has spoke out against next weeks England vote to relax the Fox Hunting ban. Wildlife doesn't deserve this horrible action to be passed. #KeepTheBan all day Monday on Twitter people, please! 

Yours in Beatlesdom...


Saturday, July 4, 2015

Es-Say #25- Jackpot!...Or Not?

Greetings sports fans! This is either the best post this blog will ever feature (unless we meet you-know-who), or a complete disaster. Let's get to the story...

The photo above is my new LP of Mary Hopkins debut Apple album (UK version) from 1969. I paid roughly 15x what this fair condition disc is worth on it own(about $75). Yet if you look above it seems to be signed in pen by some guy named "Raul McCartney". And then there's this...

" Love and best wishes from Mary", it says. Hmmm.

I pause for a moment to scream the following "what the f@##£k do I now own?" Is this a fake or real?

The reason I ask is the circumstances that convinced me I might actually have something that I got dirt cheap. If you ever browse autographs online supposedly signed by "a Beatle" you know many of them are fake and the legitimate ones cost ridiculous amounts of money. Now, that I decided to buy this record from an owner of an auction house thrift store, I'm either one of the luckiest biotches around or as The Beatles song fittingly goes *ahem* "IMA Loooooooosah!"

OK, so looking at the cover(and the back), and after looking at some period autographs, I conclude it's one of three options-
A) Paul McCartney signed the front and Mary Hopkins signed the back (The Jackpot scenario)
B) Paul McCartney signed the front and "Some other guy" signed the back(honestly, not necessarily Paul).
C) The whole thing is as legitimate as myself tracing 
an autograph (actually, I'm not that bad).

At the very least I can learn about Mary Hopkins and listen to her interpretation of my "close personal friend," Donovan's song(I'm obviously kidding but I did meet him twice).

So you be the judge. Is it possible that a deciest man who was related to a television personality had this in his record collection? Or did I leave this shop deceived yet they promised to return my money if I can prove otherwise. All's I know is I dragged a bin bag home and had a shmata on my head for 45 mins while walking around in the blazing sun and passing a "McCarthy Driving School" sign (not McCartney), thinking I might be that "Lucky Biotch" I mentioned earlier? Do you think I'm lying? Obviously, you haven't read this blog...