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Yellow Submarine Week, Eleanor Rigby
When the Yellow Submarine movie came out in 1968, the Beatles were already edging away from the psychedelic movement they helped flower across the world. In 68, the Beatles were recording the “White Album,” a record more psychedelic in the abstract than the literal. All and all they were inching back towards their rock and…
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Yellow Submarine Week, Part 1!
Ahh, Yellow Submarine, the movie responsible for injecting coolness in every child that comes across it at just the right age. I personally believe that any age is the right age for Yellow Submarine, and that is why, naturally, Yellow Submarine Week is commencing today on this very website. Yellow Submarine is infamous for not…
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Stu Sutcliffe, Love Me Tender
There is a lot of conjecture as to who the fifth Beatle is, or was. Some think it was George Martin, their famed producer, others Brian Epstein, their cavalier manager. Others think it was Pete Best, the drummer ousted on the precipice of the Beatles massive fame. The real answer is the departed Stuart Sutcliffe. …
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The Kinks, Rats
I was wandering around New York City feeling depressed as hell last week when “Rats” by the Kinks popped on my iPod. It was the kind of song just randomly on my music player without my knowledge, and without me ever hearing it before. It immediately altered my mood from depressed and sad, to something…
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Battle of the Bands, Part 5, Stones Surrender to the Beatles in Cleveland, perform "I Saw Her Standing There," as Pennance
As the battle raged for decades, with both bands suffering unspeakable tragedy (Brian Jones, John Lennon), the bloodshed just HAD to end. And end it did with Mick Jagger’s historic concession in Cleveland, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mick, clearly disgusted at being forced to admit bitter defeat, inducted the Beatles, minus…
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Battle of the Bands, Part 2, Beats & Stones, Day Tripper vs. Satisfaction
Welcome to part 2 of the epic slug-fest between Britain’s greatest musical exports, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Part 1 was a close contest, in which we found the Beatles barely squeaking by in a battle as to who could rock “I Wanna Be Your Man,” more proficiently. That was just kid stuff however,…
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Battle of the Bands, Part 1, The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones, I Wanna Be Your Man
I was sitting around my new apartment, feeling kind of directionless and antsy, when a genius idea struck my temple. Get this, you take bands, and you pit them in some sort of competition, almost like a battle. Then, after all the notes are sung, and the riffs are all licked, you determine a winner,…
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The Unicorns, Sea Ghost
I was walking to my new office in Sheepshead Bay this morning when “Sea Ghost” by the Unicorns popped into my shuffle. As I was strolling down the dirty street towards my destination, I found myself hypnotized by the maritime swing rock of the nautically themed song. The guitar tone has that perfect garage band…
