U2 Rock The Garden With a Cameo From Jimmy Fallon

Time goes by so fast. I remember waiting agonizingly on Ticketmaster for an hour and a half getting my tickets for U2's Innocence and Experience Tour at Madison Square Garden back in December, and was lucky enough to get some pretty great seats. And now the show happened. It was all worth it, with U2 doing what they do best...knocking you off your feet in an arena.

The set list was largely a hits set of some of their biggest singles. I'm a big fan of deep cuts and rare songs being performed, but being in there and taking it all in, I didn't care what songs they played. It all worked so well - the moments of just the band on the main stage playing some of their loud rockers, and then them moments where they used the latest technology like the giant 3-Dimensional screen that the band walked inside of to put on an orgasm for the eyes. The new songs from their latest album Songs of Innocence packed a punch, especially "Iris", written by Bono for his mom who died when he was 14.

Jimmy Fallon was pulled out of the crowd, and he joined the band in a performance of "Desire". He famously dressed as Bono on the Tonight Show and performed it with The Roots, and then before the start of the tour U2 & Fallon dressed up as street performers to perform in the Subway. The Roots were then brought out to lend a hand on "Angel of Harlem". It's not often U2 have a special guest on stage at a concert, as they don't need it. However, it worked in this setting.


The show ended with a sing-along version of "One" that concluded with Bono singing a bit of The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" since Paul McCartney was in the crowd to perfectly cap off yet another strong concert from U2.

2015 Anniversaries

How has it been 20 Years since 'Toy Story'?

Can you believe we are already halfway through the 2010's? 2015 unbelievably kicks off the second half of this decade, even though many of those Back To The Future II predictions didn't come true (although some did, like big flat screen TV's and video chatting).  There are also some hard to believe anniversaries this year.

2010, 5 Years Since... Lebron James joined the Miami Heat and oddly became a media "villain". Cavs fans burned his jersey, but now that he's made his return to Cleveland, love him again. Funny how sports work. The Chilean miners were freed and one famously kissed his mistress. The double rainbow also became a hit viral video, and now everyone searches for one.

2005, 10 Years Since... YouTube debuted. Before 2005 it was harder to find shareable videos where you can watch people make fools of themselves. You could still find them, though you had to search a bit more depending on which site people used. YouTube made it easy for everyone to use one site. Xbox 360 was launched, and its still going strong today despite the updated generation of video game consoles being released recently. August will see the 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating natural disasters in American history.

2000, 15 Years Since... The last Subway Series. I mean the real Subway Series, during the World Series, not that interleague stuff. The Mets and Yankees squared off in the first Subway(All New York) World Series since the 1950's. Looking back, this was also New York in the final year before 9/11, and America as a whole was a different place in 2000. People also said "The Year..." before 2000. Why did so many people say "The Year 2000" again?

1995: 20 Years Since... Toy Story. That's right, this fall will mark 20 years since Toy Story hit theaters and launched Pixar into the huge studio it is today. Feels like yesterday when it came out and jaws dropped at the sight of the first fully computer animated movie. Clueless also came out, and perfectly encapsulates the style and lingo of the time. It was also the year of the OJ Simpson trial, one of the first times a trial became a television phenomenon thanks to cable news, and people are still obsessed with these today.

1990: 25 Years Since... Home Alone. The Christmas favorite will be a quarter of a century old. I wonder what Buzz's girlfriend looks like now? East & West Germany finally reunited. And now we get Angela Merkel pantsuits. "U Can't Touch This" was released and popularized parachute pants. Thankfully those have not stood the test of time.

1985: 30 Years Since... Live Aid took place on July 13, 1985, simultaneously from London and Philadelphia, becoming one of the biggest TV broadcasts and satellite link-ups ever. Bono sported quite the show stealing mullet when he moved down to the crowd during U2's 14-minute performance of "Bad".  The Breakfast Club and The Goonies came out. It has really been 30 years since the Truffle Shuffle.

1980: 35 Years Since... John Lennon was sadly shot in December 1980, but his timeless music and memory live on today. The Empire Strikes Back took over the world and had people waiting in long lines for tickets, which is a rare thing now thanks to the internet and apps.

1975: 40 Years Since... Saturday Night Live began, launching many careers and providing some late night laughs. Sonny and Cher divorced, which made "I Got You Babe" a bit awkward. Jaws started the summer blockbuster movie craze and scared tons of people from going in the water.

1970: 45 Years Since... The Beatles broke up and released their final album, Let It Be. I'm sure lots of people were sad, but they all went on to have successful solo careers anyway. Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin both dies at age 27, which gave rise to the "27 Club" of famous musicians who tragically passed away at the same young age.

1965: 50 Years Since... The Beatles performed at Shea Stadium and the New York World's Fair took place in Queens. The NY World's Fair was not a money maker, but still has become quite a famous event which is still talked about.

2014 Anniversaries

2014 is here...and with it will bring a whole slew of new things celebrating an anniversary, some of which may shock you since you remember them happening like it was yesterday.

It's been a decade since Usher hit us with his song "Yeah!" featuring Lil' Jon in 2004. Also known as the song that even people who hate dancing couldn't help but want to dance to, regardless of what they say. That song is now 10 years old. It's also been 10 years since U2's "Vertigo" helped launch the iPod into even more households. Tina Fey also brought us 'Mean Girls' 10 years ago, going on to be quoted by pretty much everyone to this day. It all seems like it was just yesterday. 

Happy 20th, Lion King!

And believe it or not, Disney's 1994 smash hit "The Lion King" will turn 20 this year. Two full decades of Hakuna Matata. As if "Jurassic Park" turning 20 last year wasn't enough to make you feel a bit old for remembering when they were in theaters for the first time...and then when they came out on VHS finally. 1994 also saw Friends premiere on TV. 

As we gear up for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, we must remember its been 20 years since the United States hosted the record breaking 1994 World Cup, and 15 years since hosting & winning the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. Both events helped make Soccer a much bigger sport in America now than it was in the previous few decades. 

The Simpsons will become 25 years old, and the series shows no signs of slowing down. I would be shocked if they didn't have a 30th Season at least.

It will also be the 50th Anniversary of when The Beatles first landed in America at JFK Airport in February 1964, performing to an estimated 34 percent of the US population on The Ed Sullivan Show. It launched a wave of Beatlemania that is still going on now, as they have continued to sell albums in the millions from their breakup in 1970 through to today.

The Beatles, February 1964

Listen To Paul McCartney's 'New' Song

Artwork for McCartney's new song, 'New'

Paul McCartney doesn't have to release new music. He's set for life and can sell out stadiums forever with a back catalogue of The Beatles, Wings, & countless solo work. Which makes the fact that he can still release such a fantastic new song capable of standing with his best music all the more impressive. He clearly put forth a good effort in crafting his newest gem.

His new song, titled 'New', sounds like something that could fit on a Beatles album. Take 'Got To Get You Into My Life', mix in some 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da', add a dash of 'Penny Lane' and you get 'New'. If you aren't in a happy mood while listening to this song, then I'm not sure what will put you in that magical place. Listen to it in the video below.

The song is is off his upcoming album, also titled 'New', which is out October 14th [UK] and October 15 [USA]. If this track is any indication, the album should continue the impressive streak of recent McCartney albums that have all been well received since 'Flaming Pie' in 1997.

U2's Greatest Live Performances

U2 were in New York City last week, apparently mixing their new album at Electric Lady Studios. Rumors suggest the goal is to have their 13th studio album out sometime between October and December 2013, with a tour to follow starting in the Spring. We'll see if this holds up, but it looks like some new music is on the horizon. Throughout their long career, they've been known for creating some real chill inducing performances that could even leave non-fans speechless. Here are some of their greatest live performances, though there are plenty more to choose from.

All I Want Is You/Where The Streets Have No Name, Slane Castle (2001) - The Slane Castle concert is one of U2's most highly regarded shows. They seem to be in such a loose mood at this show, possibly because it wasn't originally going to be released as a DVD. Streets, with its slow building intro, is enough to deliver goosebumps to even the most jaded person. If you're looking for a top quality performance of the song, Slane Castle is one of the better versions you can get.  

Wake Up Dead Man/Walk On, Boston (2001) - I love the combination here, as this slow performance of "Wake Up Dead Man" leads into a passionate and rousing rendition of the live staple "Walk On". "MLK/Walk On" from the U22 Live album of the U2360 Tour has a similar effect. "Walk On", written for Aung San Suu Kyi while she was under house arrest in Burma, always has a high level of passion when performed.

Beautiful Day/MLK/Where The Streets Have No Name, Super Bowl (2002) - A few months after 9/11, U2 were tasked with putting on the first Super Bowl Halftime following the tragedy. And they delivered on a grand scale. It started with the soaring & energetic "Beautiful Day". Once the somber "MLK" kicked in, the giant screen with the victims' names rose to the roof and created the greatest moment in Super Bowl Halftime history. This eventually leads to the building "Where The Streets Have No Name" that ends the set on a high note that left everyone feeling that things were going to be alright.

Surrender, New Year's Day, & Sunday Bloody Sunday, Red Rocks (1983) - While their Live Aid performance is what launched them to mainstream status, Red Rocks (Under a Blood Red Sky) is what made U2 known amongst music fans as one of the best live bands in the world. Red Rocks is a famous outdoor amphitheater in Colorado, and on this particular night the rain was coming down, while torches lit the amphitheater. The red lighting & smoke from the fire amidst the mist and rain created quite the stunning visual and a fitting backdrop to the powerful music coming from the stage. MTV (back when they played music) put many of the song performances into rotation, and the video became a best seller. The rest is history, as the show solidified their presence. You could really pick any song, though those three are my personal stand outs from the show.

Bad, Live Aid (1985) - After the success of "Red Rocks" on MTV & video, U2 found a new venue to showcase their live performance, this time at a music festival headlined by some of the biggest acts on the planet at Live Aid 1985. The band played a 14-minute version of "Bad", which took up most of their set forcing them to cut a song. Bono jumped into the crowd and danced with a girl, who was close to being crushed by fans who were pushing towards the stage. Bono saw it and made his way to her to save the day and create a memorable moment. He just can't help himself! The performance put them on the map in a mainstream way for the first time.

SFOR Soldiers Stood Watch

Sarajevo Concert, PopMart Tour (1997) - There aren't any specific performances that stood out at this show, considering Bono was suffering from vocal issues that hurt his performances, though The Edge and the crowd helped him along. The main reason this is such a big moment is the magnitude of the show itself, where they became the first act to put on a major concert in Bosnia following the ends of the brutal Bosnian War in 1995 & Siege of Sarajevo in 1996. The band lost a lot of money on the show due to extremely low ticket prices, since unemployment in the region was so high following the war. Trains ran into Sarajevo for the first time since before the start of the war on the day on the concert. They were also the first big act to perform at Madison Square Garden just a month after 9/11 when other acts were nervous about putting on shows with large gatherings. U2 has a knack for using music and performance to help heal and boost morale.

With or Without You, Live in Paris (1987) - "With or Without You" is their signature song, and pretty much any version during the late 1980s is a gem. The live version occasionally is longer and adds the line "We'll shine like stars in the summer night/We'll shine like stars in the winter light/One hope/One love" which is simple yet adds so much to an already perfect song.

The Fly, ZooTV Live from Sydney (1993) - "The Fly" launched U2 into the 90s when it was released as a lead single from Achtung Baby, showing their versatility. The live version is a highlight from the ZooTV DVD, as the band tears through the track and Bono sings into a mic that distorts his voice. The track was thankfully resurrected on the U2360 Tour in 2011.

Vertigo, Glastonbury Festival (2011) - "Vertigo" is one of their most energetic songs, and the live version adds a nice intro that builds up to the pulsating guitar courtesy of The Edge. The crowd at Glastonbury provided some nice background vocals for Bono, as the rain fell down which was reminiscent of Red Rocks. This Glastonbury version also has a nice little snippet of The Beatles' "She Loves You", which is always great to hear.

12-12-12 Concert TONIGHT

People all over the world can watch the 121212 Concert tonight starting at 7:30pm ET. There are already plenty of rumors about some of the surprises in store for the concert, which will help raise money for the Robin Hood Foundation for Hurricane Sandy relief. A ton of channels will be showing it, such as AMC, Fuse, and HBO. Check the website for more.

One such rumor that has been virtually confirmed is that Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic will be reuniting as Nirvana, with Paul McCartney taking over Kurt Cobain's vocals! A fusion of the biggest musical act of the 1960s & all time, The Beatles, with the biggest band of the 1990s, Nirvana. Apparently they will be performing a new song.

Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam will also be singing Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" with original Pink Floyd member Roger Waters.

With The Rolling Stones performing, one can also wonder who might join them onstage to take the female vocals if they perform "Gimme Shelter"? Lady Gaga is doing it at their concert on Saturday, so might she show up? Or Mary J Blige, who performed it with them in London?

Halloween Playlist

Happy Halloween! Need a Halloween themed playlist to scare up your day? I've thought up a few obvious and not so obvious songs for you to listen to or download.

1. The Beatles - "Revolution 9". The experimental avant garde track from 1968's The White Album is 8 minutes of "What the fuck?" It doesn't make sense, but a fun song to listen to around this time of year for its creepy sounds filled throughout. 

2. Michael Jackson - "Thriller". Well, this is the obvious one. The music video is the way to go, and pretty much everyone has heard this song and seen the video already. Listening to this around Halloween is the same as watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." A must for everyone. 

3. The Rolling Stones - "Sympathy for the Devil". A song sung from the point of view of Lucifer himself, the devil. Is there anything else you need to know? 

4. Bette Midler - "I Put a Spell on You". Not originally her song, but this version stands out for being in the Halloween classic Hocus Pocus. And there's Sarah Jessica Parker pre-Sex and the City. 

5. The Cranberries - "Zombie". Zombies are in right now more than ever thanks to the massive record breaking success of The Walking Dead. 

6. Stevie Wonder - "Superstition". Possibly his most famous song, its also another perfect song for Halloween. The song brings up many of the popular superstitions that exist in our culture. 

7. U2 - "Until the End of the World". This one is especially good for the 2012 edition of Halloween, with all the Mayan calendar hooplah going on. 

8. The Nightmare Before Christmas cast - "This is Halloween". The song is made specifically for today's holiday, and is best listened to while watching the scene in the film itself.

9. David Bowie - "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)". You can tell this is creepy from the title, and the song is about a woman who turns mad. 

10. Lady Gaga - "Judas". How about a more recent song? Its not really about the devil, the devil is more of a metaphor in this song. Plus, Lady Gaga tends to scare some people, as well as dress up like its Halloween more than just on October 31. 

The Beatles Catalog Back on Vinyl

In 2009, new remastered versions of The Beatles' studio albums were released on CD to replace the 80s versions which featured sub-par sound for the world's most popular musicians. In 2010 they were finally released digitally on iTunes. Since then they've been talking about re-releasing them to vinyl like the original albums obviously were, and it finally happen on November 13th. Every studio album, plus Past Masters will be released to vinyl using the remastered sound both individually and in a limited edition box set. The box set includes a huge 252-page book and collector case. But of course for those who don't want to spend a fortune, you can just buy your favorite albums separately. These are the stereo versions, mono versions will be released in 2013.

Each album will be identical to the original albums, for example The White Album will feature the cards and poster that came with the LP when it was released in 1968. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band will come with the cutouts, and the Magical Mystery Tour album will have the 24-page book which featured a comic based on the film. The film is also being re-released to blu-ray and DVD with bonus footage and interviews. If you don't know what to buy for someone this Christmas, one or more of these vinyl records make a great piece of memorabilia.

Vinyl Record sales have been increasing each year in the 2000s, and obviously will increase further with this release appealing to collectors, people who want the albums with the vinyl sound or just those who want the large artwork. Over the past few years only Abbey Road was available on vinyl, and was the best selling vinyl record each year. There is obviously a demand for Beatles vinyl records, so it will be interesting to see how much of a boost this gives.

London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony

Freddie Mercury

All good things must come to an end, and once again the Olympics have come and gone too quickly, with London 2012 ending with a bang, with one of the best Closing Ceremonies ever. Featuring performances from the likes of The Who, Spice Girls, George Michael, Muse, Anne Lennox as well as the members of Queen with Jessie J on vocals. They were introduced by the late, great Freddie Mercury on big video screens. It was old footage of him (from Live Aid 1985) interacting with a crowd, and the crowd in the London Olympic Stadium interacted back with him in a fantastic moment. This was the highlight along with the next one.

Another amazing moment came when a bunch of children came out to perform John Lennon's legendary song "Imagine". Then old footage of John Lennon came on the screens to sing the song, and it sent everyone into a frenzy (myself included). The children performed the song in sign language. The video was remastered from the archives of Yoko Ono especially for the Olympics. Much better than a hologram! Thank you Yoko for helping to bring John into the closing ceremony, where people from hundreds of countries were together singing and dancing, all "living life in peace." A sculpture of John's face was also created on the floor.

There were also tributes to David Bowie, Pink Floyd and The Beatles of course. The Spice Girls had a fairly good entrance, each coming out on a British style Taxi which then drove around the stadium floor with them standing on top. Russell Brand performed The Beatles' classic "I Am The Walrus" in a very psychedelic setting. Though Jessie J got so much screen time (too much) that I was half expecting her to come out and sing the "Olympic Hymn." Annie Lennox was dressed like some giant bird on a pirate ship which was odd, but interesting. Also got to see a great Monty Python performance. Some NBC viewers are mad that they cut out the band Muse and waited until midnight to show The Who after airing a new sitcom in between. Should have watched a BBC stream.

I loved the closing ceremony, and London knows how to stage on Olympics like no one else. This was their record third time hosting (1908, 1948 & 2012). Next its on to Sochi, Russia for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

Spice Girls Reunite

London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony to the London 2012 Olympics is just hours away, being shown in the USA on NBC at 730pm ET (tape delay). I already have the inspiring Olympic theme songs stuck in my head, as millions of you probably do. The ceremony is directed by Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle. It will of course celebrate British culture, and most of it is kept under wraps, but there are some rumors that have slipped through as well as some confirmations.

One amazing rumor that I hope is true is that a 40-foot Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter will do battle with various other British characters such as ones from Alice in Wonderland & Peter Pan. He will apparently be taken down by 30 Mary Poppins actors who will descend from the rafters. We'll see how exactly this plays out. I assume Ralph Fiennes will be portraying Voldemort on some giant screen or something similar.

Another is that there will be a short film of James Bond. Earlier in the year they were filming some helicopter scenes around London, with two helicopters chasing through the Tower Bridge. Maybe they can't compete with the 2,008 drummers from Beijing 2008, but London has the advantage of beloved popular culture and entertainment, plus huge musical superstars.

Paul McCartney will also be performing to apparently close the opening ceremony. Expect a huge sing-along of The Beatles classic, "Hey Jude". The Spice Girls have been confirmed to be performing at the Closing Ceremony on August 12th. Mick Jagger has denied that The Rolling Stones will be making a surprise appearance at one of the ceremonies.

And of course, the parade of nations featuring all the athletes will take place as per tradition.

Mad Men Gets The Beatles

AMC's hit show Mad Men finally got an actual Beatles song on last nights episode "Lady Lazarus". At the end of the episode, Don's (Jon Hamm) younger wife Megan (Jessica Pare) gives him the latest Beatles album, "Revolver" (the show is currently in late 1966). She tells him to play the outstanding psychedelic track, "Tomorrow Never Knows." The song kicks in and we hear the rare sound of an actual Beatles song on a TV show. You can listen to it below.

The reason it's so rare is because the songs are expensive to license, and they are also picky about it in general. When the film Dinner For Schmucks got the right to play the song "Fool on the Hill" in the movie, Paramount/Dreamworks paid $1.5 Million. (Yoko Ono & Paul McCartney also saw the movie first and enjoyed it.) For Mad Men, Lionsgate reportedly paid $250,000 to feature the song. Its not just the money though, because many have tried to get songs and have been turned down. They have to like the script & context of the song before signing off on it. Paul & Ringo are fans of the show, which helped. I believe this is the first time a Beatles song has been featured in a TV show, at least recently. A few movies have had Beatles songs in them though: Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Social Network, Bowling For Columbine, & Nowhere Boy. Plus their own movies of course.

The cost is referenced in the episode itself as a joke. Early in the episode the characters are pitching an ad campaign with their concept playing off the Beatles film, "A Hard Day's Night." Their task is to find a song that sounds similar, since it is too difficult and expensive to get an actual Beatles song for an ad campaign. Its a little wink and nudge at the audience that AMC spent the big bucks to finally get a Beatles song in an episode. And it worked out perfectly, because the track fit in so well with the story and the time frame they are in right now. Don doesn't understand why music has become so important, because he grew up in the 1930s/1940s when it wasn't. There were no larger than life musicians. Halfway through listening to "Tomorrow Never Knows", after seeing clips of Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) smoking a joint while working and Megan laying down at her acting class with her mind "turned off, floating upstream", Don turns the song off and walks away. The generational differences are surfacing as Mad Men moves through the psychedelic era of the 1960s. Don is out of touch and can't understand the Beatles or the younger generation, yet he married into it. Pretty sure this marriage will end up on the rocks. What are the odds Megan becomes a member of the "flower power" movement?

And if you haven't listened to The Beatles masterpiece Revolver by now, go out and get it. Remember to "lay down all thought, surrender to the void" (unlike Don).

Sophia Grace & Rosie at the Grammy Museum

Sophia Grace and Rosie, everyones favorite energetic children from Essex, England are back! For those who have been living under a rock, they are the latest and youngest members of the British Invasion, following in the footsteps of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Spice Girls and David Beckham. They performed a spot-on version of "Super Bass" by Nicki Minaj on YouTube, and quickly caught the attention of Ellen DeGeneres. Well, Sophia Grace performed it, with Rosie acting as her "hype girl." They appeared on the Ellen Show and since then, captured the attention of people all over. Here's the first Ellen Show appearance and when they met Nicki Minaj: 

Now they have their own YouTube channel and recently visited the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles for their "Sophia Grace and Rosie Show." Admit it, you want to see them running around the Grammy Museum. Sophia Grace makes her own rap song, and does a great job, as well as spontaneously bursting out into performances of "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, "All My Loving" by The Beatles and "Firework" by Katy Perry. Oh, and she tells Slash to eat his heart out! Dear Ellen, please bring them back on your show in 2012!

Beatles 1 Compilation on iTunes

The best selling album of the 2000s with over 31 million worldwide and close to 12 million in the US, The Beatles' 1, is now on iTunes. It will also be re-released in a digipak CD with the remastered audio from the 2009 remasters on September 13th.

The set is on sale at iTunes for only $9.99 for a limited time. For anyone who has yet to own any Beatles music, what are you waiting for? The album contains all 27 US & UK Number One songs by the group. You really can't beat 27 amazing songs for just $10. No wonder the set has fittingly shot to Number 1 on iTunes in most countries around the world. For those yet to really listen to The Beatles, it's the perfect time to meet John, Paul, George and Ringo.

Like the other digital Beatles albums, this is also in the iTunes LP format with a digital booklet. The CD version which is packaged like the 2009 Remastered CD's is available for pre-order as well. When the album was first released in November 2000, it was Beatlemania all over again. It became the fastest selling album in history, and shot to Number 1 around the world. In the US, it spent Eight weeks on top of the Billboard 200 at #1 from 2000 into 2001. The Beatles are always getting new fans with their timeless music, so it's no surprise. Even though the Beatles are the biggest music act of all time, it still has to be impressive that a band that broke up in 1970 can have the best selling album of the 2000s.

The Beatles Anthology Gets Remastered

The Beatles Anthology was originally released in 1995 and 1996. There are three of these double albums, with a number of outtakes and unreleased material, plus the two good new songs "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love." Paul, George and Ringo recorded around John Lennon's demo versions to create those songs. They are being re-released in remastered form on June 14th along with "Anthology Highlights", which takes the best of all three onto one release.

The only problem is it is only being released onto iTunes. Surely Amazon will put the original CDs on sale to capitalize, but I wonder if they will eventually release physical CD versions in remastered form along with the Highlights disc. Personally I rarely use iTunes. I prefer CDs, and when I do download it's using Amazon MP3, which is easier and they always have great deals. I was also hoping they would release the other Lennon demo song they worked on in 1995, Now and Then. It was unfinished, but rumors have persisted that McCartney and Starr would finish it and include whatever Harrison did for it during the 90s session. The Highlights album would have been perfect for that, but it looks like "Now & Then" won't ever be finished. (They also apparently worked on a song called "All For Love" which was entirely new and not a Lennon demo.)

The Anthology albums are great and should definitely checked out by anyone who likes The Beatles. It gives an insight into the recording process, and has some great songs and alternate versions of songs you love. There is also the amazing Anthology DVD set, which is a documentary that chronicles their entire career in depth.

See the official press release for more information Here. And Check out my Beatles Album Rankings, and comment your own!

Ranking The Beatles Albums: Part Three

Ranking The Beatles albums is always a difficult task. How can you choose one as a top album when so many could fit there? Everyone has their favorite Beatles album, and I will try to make my list of them. It's always tough when you get into the Top 5 especially. Abbey Road seems to be their most popular in the general public, but will it top my list? I will be including the Past Masters with the original 12 studio albums. All albums can be bought in digitally remastered form on CD, or downloaded on iTunes. I prefer CD's. (Album cover images belong to Apple/EMI.) These albums are so hard to rank because they all seem so equal. How would you rank them?
Click Here for Part One & Here for Part Two

5. The Beatles (The White Album) (1968) - Their self titled double album obviously has the most material on it, and is quite the collection of outstanding songs. Probably the best double album of all time. Tensions may have been high between them during recording, but they were still able to create amazing music during a time when they were wanting to do solo material. They reach such a wide variety of styles on this album, and make it all sound great together. Even the avant-garde "Revolution 9" is interesting, for being unique. There really is something on this The White Album for everyone.

4. Abbey Road (1969) - This is their most popular album with today's audience and for good reason. It's full of hits like "Something," "Come Together," "Here Comes the Sun" and the flawless Abbey Road Medley. The Medley helps separate the album from the others and always leaves you wanting more. George Harrison really stands out on this album, and makes a good preview of his first solo album. The iconic album cover is so simple but was pure genius and will be replicated forever, with fans going there to recreate it. The street even has it's own live webcam just for that.

3. Revolver (1966) - Psychedelic. Revolver launched the psychedelic era into the mainstream with songs like "Tomorrow Never Knows," "I'm Only Sleeping" and "She Said, She Said." It's not all about psychedelic music though, but the rest of the songs still manage to sound so much different than any of the others that came before them. "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yellow Submarine" still seem like songs that don't fit any category, they're just great. All the tape loops, backwards vocals, Indian influenced sounds and feedback make this album special, and groundbreaking when it was released.

2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) - The groundbreaking production from Revolver was expanded even further on Sgt. Pepper's, and listening to this album through some good headphones really make you appreciate all of the details in the songs. The colorful cover is just as detailed. No singles were released from the album, it didn't need any to sell millions like it has. It was all about the album from one song to the next. It's an album to get lost in, very visual like a kaleidoscope. A personal favorite is "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite." I just love the carnival sounds that bring the song together and make it so unique.

1. Magical Mystery Tour (1967) - It usually isn't #1 in Beatles rankings, but love the whole package of it. The songs are great and the album comes with it's own comic in the booklet. The title track as well as "I Am The Walrus," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Penny Lane," "Baby, You're a Rich Man" and "All You Need is Love" are some of the most well known songs and can all be found here. "Blue Jay Way" is one of the more hypnotic songs you can find. I think the album is underrated since it was originally just an EP in Europe, excluding some of the popular singles that were added to it in the American release, which is now the standard version around the world. John Lennon also stated that this was his favorite Beatles album, "because it's so weird." Weird and amazing.

Ranking The Beatles Albums: Part Two

Ranking The Beatles albums is always a difficult task. How can you choose one as a top album when so many could fit there? Everyone has their favorite Beatles album, and I will try to make my list of them. It's always tough when you get into the Top 5 especially. Abbey Road seems to be their most popular in the general public, but will it top my list? I will be including the Past Masters with the original 12 studio albums. All albums can be bought in digitally remastered form on CD, or downloaded on iTunes. I prefer CD's. (Album cover images belong to Apple/EMI.) Click Here for Part One. Here is part two:

9. Past Masters (1988) - During their career they released many singles that were not on any original studio album, feeling it was better value for people as opposed to having a bunch of singles people already owned on the albums. This was released in 1988 to collect all those singles and B-Sides. Classic songs like "She Loves You", "I Feel Fine", "Rain", "Hey Jude", "Revolution", and "Don't Let Me Down." However, I didn't want to rank it any higher than this because it's not an original studio album, more of a compilation. But still, those classic songs aren't on any of the studio albums, so this fits in perfectly with the standardized catalog. 

8. Help! (1965) - This album features some influence by Bob Dylan ("You've Got To Hide Your Love Away). This was a preview of things to come with the group, while still retaining the fun rock-n-roll of previous albums. The songs here all fit together nicely, with a bunch of stand outs, "Ticket to Ride", "Help!", and "You're Going to Lose That Girl." This accompanies their film of the same name.

7. Let It Be (1970) - Their final album released has perhaps one of their top 10 songs of all time on it, the title track. The album is interesting, and while the Phil Spector wall of sound is sometimes criticized, I don't think it is too bad. It sounds especially good on "I Me Mine." Also worth giving a shout out to Let It Be... Naked (2003) which was released without any of Spector's overdubs, and includes "Don't Let Me Down", which the 1970 original version left off. Paul McCartney prefers the Naked version, but both are solid. The songs on the naked version sound more like the ones played on the famous Apple rooftop concert.

6. Rubber Soul (1965) - This is The Beatles album that completely moved them to a more mature place. It also featured completely original material, no covers as with most previous albums. The sitar made its first appearance here as well on "Norwegian Wood", and would be used further on their next few psychedelic albums.  This is where it becomes difficult to rank the albums, because they are all excellent masterpieces. They began their experimentation with music here, and would expand it on further albums. 

*Special Shout-out* - Love (2006) - While not part of the list, the Love mash-up album which accompanies the Vegas show is definitely worth owning. The songs sound fresh and give you a whole new perspective. They did a great job mixing different tracks together, and they give you interesting info in the album (or iTunes LP) on how they did it. It's like listening to The Beatles all over again for the first time.

Ranking The Beatles Albums: Part One

Ranking The Beatles albums is always a difficult task. How can you choose one as a top album when so many could fit there? Everyone has their favorite Beatles album, and I will try to make my list of them. It's always tough when you get into the Top 5 especially. Abbey Road seems to be their most popular in the general public, but will it top my list? I will be including the Past Masters with the original 12 studio albums. All albums can be bought in digitally remastered form on CD, or downloaded on iTunes. I prefer CD's. (Album cover images belong to Apple/EMI.) Here's part one:

14. Yellow Submarine (1969) - This soundtrack album is the easiest to place. The album contains only four Beatles songs unique to it. The other two Beatles songs are both on previous albums.The rest of the songs are from the George Martin score to the film. It's still a good album, but it's obviously their weakest. It's definitely worth a part of your collection though, and the artwork inside is some of the best.

13. Please Please Me (1963) - Their first album, which was recorded in one day, is full of fun, classic songs such as "Twist and Shout" and "I Saw Her Standing There." This didn't show The Beatles changing things up from the norm like their later albums, but it shows that they were better than everyone else no matter what songs they recorded. And the fact that they recorded this entire album in one day is nothing short of amazing. There are artists who take years to make an album and it still doesn't reach the quality of this one.

12. A Hard Day's Night (1964) - Another album chock full of hits, the best besides the title track being "Can't Buy Me Love" and "I Should Have Known Better." This accompanied their first film, and really showcases how strong they were as songwriters early on. According to John Lennon the title comes from something Ringo Starr said just as a remark one time that stuck. This is the first albums that features only original songs, and the only album where every song is written by Lennon/McCartney. George Harrison would get a couple songs on other albums.

11. With The Beatles (1963) - Their second album was no Sophomore slump. The cover songs they recorded on here are some of the best, managing to outdo or at least equal the originals. The covers may also outshine the Beatles' original songs on here, but those are no slouch either. My favorites are "Please Mister Postman," "You Really Got a Hold On Me" and "It Won't Be Long." Their famous harmonies sound especially great on this album. 

10. Beatles For Sale (1964) - This is an often underrated album, but is a personal favorite of their four 1963/1964 albums. The first three tracks on the album are amazing, and a preview of things to come on later releases. They have a more emotional, somber tone than any of the songs on their previous albums and the lyrics stand out. They felt a little overworked at this point so that may be the reason for the heavier first three songs. The album cover fits the songs perfectly, with their lack of smiles in the autumn setting of Hyde Park in London. "Eight Days A Week" is the standout track on the entire album, mainly because it is easy and fun to sing along with. 

ESPN Rock Band March Madness

In honor of March Madness in College Basketball, ESPN is having one for Rock Bands at this fun little time wasting link where the fans vote for their favorite bands to move on in the tournament. There are 64 bands so it's too many to list here, but the four "#1 seeds" are fittingly The Beatles, U2, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. Some of the others include Aerosmith, The White Stripes, The Jackson 5, Bon Jovi, Nirvana, Queen, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd and a whole bunch more.

On a side note, Creed as of this writing has 9% to The Beatles' 91%. There are actually 9% who would pick them over The Beatles? Scary. My prediction for the final would be The Beatles and either Led Zeppelin or U2. Beatles for the win either way.

So if you don't want Nickelback to beat Led Zeppelin, go vote.

 

U2 & The Beatles: Possible Final?