DID LEAVE IT TO BEAVER ET AL LEAD TO WILD&CRAZY ONES?

If it really was like this...

Any self-respecting Baby Boomer worth his or her arthritic knees watched

Leave it to Beaver, and others of the ilk like My Three Sons and the Beverly Hillbillies all during the 50s, 60s, 70s, on TV, and now on DVD.
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And according to a recent DVD trade mag, a Beverly Hillbillies comp, box-set is actually number 6 on on the top 10 of TV series'

DVD sales.

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I found that a tad surprising give all the sheit and drek that is usually popular, sales-wise. (You know what those titles are!)

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In any event, Beaver-which will get a full-Monty, all 235 episode box set come June- Sons, and to a lesser extent the Hillbillies, all presented a jolly, patriarchal, dulcet domestic atmosphere wherein just
about every damn thing works out well in the end, although of course there was never a time even in the flacid 50s and sensational 60s that that fantasy was so.

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And what I find really interesting is that many of the kids who grew up in the day watching the aforementioned shows led pretty counter-culture-anti-Leave it to Beaver lives, and the kids of those kids are even wilder.
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Can anyone figger how a couple raised on the Sons and Beav and Jed and
Granny could sire a Courtney Love?

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I mean, if things were so good back in the good ole days, then how
did we end up with so many hostile, disillusioned, nihilistic narcissistic children from those 50s and 60s children.
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And accordingly, why are those Baby Boomers-who are the ones driving the 50s and 60s TV series DVD boom(let)-who apparently didn't get with the cultural program back then, embracing it again, today?
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Again, the mind is bungling...http://www.boomermediareview.com/HoleNobodysDaughter.html

JOHN, PAUL, NO GEORGE, RINGO

Hot on e-Bay!

Originally going for about $30, and only from independent record stores in honour of the most recent Record Store Day, the John Lennon Singles Bag is fetching up and over $50 on e-Bay, perhaps due to its limited release of 7000 units.
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Although it is rather neato-guido, what with the oversize cardboard "bag," three 45rpm singles-two in pic sleeves-3 post-cards, and large fold-out b&wposter of the bed-in, there is nothing really "rare," here.
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I mean, would it have hurt for Mz. Ono to throw the hardcore fans a bone with some kind of unreleased material?

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The answer to that, I'd guess, is why waste a good opportunity to make the Lennon-lovers buy the same old, same old, over and over and over-and over again?
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Besides, come this fall, we shall be seeing-and hearing-lots of
previously unreleased Lennon stuff, and therefore, shelling out again.

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Any who, I got to thinking of what will happen have after Mz. Ono- if she ever does-departs this mortal coil, and the Lennon Legend and money-machine is placed in some other hands.
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Say or think what you may about Yoko, but one thing she is not, is dumb.

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So, she undoubtedly has a Lennon estate succession plan that may, or may not, include having son Sean O'Lennon take over the day-to day running of the watching of the wheels, and shekels.
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Perhaps Sean does not even have an interest in carrying the torch.

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I mean, the media shall surely be laying for him to see what he would be up to, re-issue-wise, and for that matter, anything JL related.
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But in all fairness, it would be a large burden to put on the young
man to try to manage his late father's eminent legacy, and dead celeb street-cred.
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And while this may place me in the realm of heretic, if Priscilla Presley-who did a superb job of resurrecting Elvis's product quotient after his death-can sell off to an outsider, than in this money really talks whilst bullshit walks world, then anything is
also possible with the Lennon brand.

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Meanwhile, in the land of the living ex-Beatles...although Paul

McCartney has to be happy to place number five in the top-ten
music mogul fortunes at about 700 mill, he certainly can't be too

pleased that he had to go to the Concord Music Group to re-issue
such a seminal-and mega-million selling-Band On The Run.
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Sure Starbucks and Concord are about right for new PM releases and the ever-growing Macca live catalogue, but BOTR with bonus material?
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Geez, that was a monster album in the 70s, and sells well to this day, so I'm wonderin' why it was not placed with a major label fro the upcoming reissue.

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Maybe McCartney wanted to much up-front dolleros for a deal with a major, or, could it be that the majors don't think they could sell enough to make their money back?

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The mind bungles...

LENNON STYLE and WOT, SHALL, LET, IT BE FOR BEATLE PRODUCT IN '10?

NYTimes loves the Lennons





A few weeks back, the Sunday New York Times' Men's Style magazine
contained a couple pages on John Lennon's contribution to fashion, silliness, and style, etc.
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Quoted in the piece is music writer Alan Light who whilst opining on JL
with the rather obvious-"He wore glasses"-is overshadowed by the author of the page, T. Cole Rachel, who notes, "in a culture obsessed with irony and hollow celebrity, Lennon's talent and earnestness-not to mention his strident political views and penchant for grand gestures, like taking out ads for peace-make him a figure worthy of being celebrated, even copied."
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Now that, T. Cole, is some damn fine writing.
And most likely the truth, too.
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FINALLY...sprouting on the gripe-vine, are always rotting fruit Apple/Beatle release wankings.
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Supposedly, the Apple/EMI rocket scientists are "always working on something," whatever that means.
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If you take a given-and you should-that some kind of John Lennon product will show up by October near when he would have turned 70, then it is also fair to guess what it will be.
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Of course a Double Fantasy redux thang is certainly possible if not probable, but how about the complete 1972 NYC One to One benefit, on CD and DVD?
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But the real wild card is a summer release, be it Beatles, or a solo Fabs' thing.
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I've been told a possible Capitol Albums Vol. 3 is deceased, but hey, who knows?
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Or, against ALL Apple common senselessness, the Hollywood Bowl-with extras-on CD?
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Could we get a new Dark Horse or Extra Texture? And what about a remastered Ringo (1973)? Still (retardedly) only available via download.
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$trange daze, indeed.
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HEY, Dead Heads!
http://www.boomermediareview.com/GratefulDeadCrimsonWhiteIndigoCDDVDSet.html

FAB FOUR FAQ 2.0 IS A MUST OWN

This dude knows of what he writes

Supposedly, there are over 20,000 books on the Beatles.
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Probably at least a couple hundred are good ones, and here's another-good one, that is.
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And what makes Chicago native Robert Rodriguez's effort a good

one is that unlike some other "pop culture" writers and "historians," this guy obviously knows the music, and therefore does not have to fake it, which real Fabs' fans can spot on a dime.
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So in this fine follow-up to RR's Fab Four Faq, FFF2.0 on the lads' individual endeavours continues the style of fact-driven, critical narrative that does not descend to Geek 2.0 hell.

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Because as neat as it is for many get-a-life, please! Beatle fans-and sometimes I even stray into that ZIP code-the greater music-book reading
public rarely does, causing many books with something to say to languish as curios, and for collectors only.
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But not Fab Four Faq 2.0.

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Rodriguez keeps it for the most part just a shade off the mainstream so that rabid fans can still find something they may have missed, whilst new-

comers or 2nd Gen Beatle lovers will go, "WOW, I never knew that!"

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And for those who like rare and hard to find/see Beatle solo career pics, this is the book for you.
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Especially interesting are Rodriguez's insightful and often humorous captions on some of the many pictures in the book.
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My fave is the one concerning John Lennon's Jet magazine cover in 1972.

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"Not a complete fool,John tried to inoculate himself against charges of racism for the feminist manifesto, 'Woman Is The Nigger of the World,' by giving interviews to African-American forums like Jet magazine."
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This is the kind of non-politically-correct telling it like-it-is writing that most scribes today are too gutless to type.
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Because even today, you may hear Woman Is the Nigger of the World on the radio, but I'd bet you'll never hear an announcer announce the title unless it comes via a BET-like media forum.
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Another great part of this book is the chapter on rarities.
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Again, Rodriguez does not wimp out with words when discussing the (in)famous Beatles Alpha-Omega TV mail-order phenom, which eventually
forced Capital/Apple off their arses to provide product.

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"It took a certain testicular effrontery to flagrantly pirate copy-
righted Beatles (and solo) recordings...marketing them as legitimate releases," notes Rodriguez.

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And the Beatle writer is right!
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If you were lucky enough to grab one of these sets before the old
"cease and desist" was issued, hold on to 'em!
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Rodriguez also notices that despite the success of the 1977 release of The
Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl on record, 8-track and cassette, the rocket scientists at Apple have "indicated no plans to reissue the album on CD."
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Yeah, that makes great sense; just leave it to the Russians to regularly
put out CD variations of the album, some with extra material.
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Perhaps Rodriguez's next book should be entitled, "Rotten Apple:How To Wreck The World's Biggest Rock Band's Catalogue!"

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Barring that, Fab Four Faq 2.0, The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970-1980, 474 pages, $20, from Backbeat Books, is available at http://www.backbeatbooks.com/ And if you just need even more, here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fab-Four-FAQ-20/249609304243?ref=nf

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OI!

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MORE, Brit Invasion:

http://www.boomermediareview.com/WhoGreatestHitsLiveCD.html

FABS VISIT THE LAND OF BOBBY Z In '65, SHAKE IT UP, BABY!

Yeah, yeah, and yeah!




Many Beatle fans recall the summer 1965 tour, as the group's best, of their three US trips.
Regardless of which one was best, the '65 sojourn, in the midst of the Help! movie and soundtrack and single media saturation, has produced a number of books and chronicles, and this new one from
renown photographer Bill Carlson-who shot the group whilst still a teen with his first media pass-is a keeper.
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Entitled, "A One Night Stand In The Heartland," Carlson's pics and text bring back some warm 45 year old memories, when the Fabs could (still) do no wrong.
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Still yukking it up with the journalist, as they were then untouched by controversies to come, the boys actually look like they are enjoying themselves in Minneapolis.

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Although there was the general hysteria preceding and during the show, the gig failed to sell out at the triple-decked baseball stadium, but did draw a very healthy crowd of over 30,000, mostly delirious young people.
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And like the Shea Stadium show from the same tour, many of the fans needed magnification to even see their heroes, as most seats were at least 40 yards from the stage, which was situated in the infield of the baseball diamond.
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Ultimately, such large, and largely inappropriate venues would sour the Fabs on touring, yet for a half hour or so on a warm August evening, Metropolitan Stadium was the place to be for Twin Cities Beatle fans.

Less than a full house






Waiting at the airport





Coming on stage







Here's some RAW POWER!
http://www.boomermediareview.com/IggyStoogesRawPowerLegacy.html

MORE BEATLE EYE-AND EAR-CANDY, AND SUCH FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

Cor......

Found yet another Russian knock-off of a Japanese Beatle album.
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This time, a very nicely reproduced-as you can see with OBI-With
The Beatles, in excellent stereo sound.
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Comes equipped with a great 8 page booklet, with some fairly rare
pics.

American press conference

Looks like it may be from the bubblegum card

Another publicity shot

Cover of CD booklet

Staged photo

Inside of lyric booklet...

...and back cover of LP

Finally, coming soon are two reviews of Robert Rodriguez's latest, the Fab Four Faq 2.0.
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Of course this is a follow-up to the superb, Fab Four FaQ, which should be in every Beatle fiends book shelf.
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Look for my review here, and at http://www.boomermediareview.com/
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Cheers

ANOTHERBRIT MUSIC HERO

http://www.boomermediareview.com/JeffBeckEmotionCommotion.html

B&T, BUT NO O: YET STILL TAKIN' CARE OF THE BIZ

Rollin', again

For a band that sold over 100 million records in the space of about 3 years, the Bachman, Turner Overdrive, better known as BTO, seemed to not be on the reunion radar, whilst scores of other guitar groups from the 1970s cashed in, again.

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But, according to the April issue of Classic Rock mag, BTO founder Randy Bachman, and lead vocalist Fred Turner, he of the Thor-thunder-yell stylings, are reforming minus the other, original members, Robbie Bachman and Blair Thorton.

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Yet according to CR, B&T are not in it only for the money.

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Yes, a tour kicking off in the UK this summer will take place where many of the old hits-You Ain't Seen Nuthin; Yet, Let it Ride, Hey You, etc.-will be played, but there is also a new album in the can, slated for release later this year.
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While generally well-informed, the CR article seems to give short-shrift to Bachman's first big band, Canada's Guess Who, which Bachman abandoned just when the group hit the top of the charts with American Woman, and then went on to sell millions of records.

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No explanation is given by CR as to why Bachman has once again shredded his partnership with Guess Who lead vocalist, Burton Cummings, with whom Bachman had enjoyed a near 10 year reunion renaissance beginning back around Y2K.

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Last time the duo parted ways in 1969, hard feelings led Bachman to later pen Hey You about Cummings. And now, Cummings has reportedly begun making off-hand references to Bachman during the intros to some Guess Who songs that he still performs in concert.

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Cummings is said to be preparing a new LP, so perhaps the old ex-ex-friends may get into a CD bitch-slap showdown.

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After all, rock and roll is a dangerous game...

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AND, speaking of rock and roll, who better than the grandaddy?

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CHUCK BERRY: http://www.boomermediareview.com/ChuckBerryHaveMercyCDBoxSet.html

HEATHER'S HYPERBILI & NANNY'S NEW NURSERIES +WIMIN THAT CAN ROCK!

Wot a catfight!




Call it tabloid titilation, or odoureous offal, dirt on so-called celebrities sure accumulates a steaming pile.
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Yet regardless, many people seem to like this stuff.
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So, in my quest to exclude no one from this place, here is some clickable
ka-ka from the New York Post that has published several artilces on the
ongoing wank/legal-fest between the very vilified Heather Mills and her
ex-nanny, a certain Ms. Sara Trumble.
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As only the Post can do best, the paper has assembled some scandalous allegations along with a little bare flesh, to captivate the readers' fancy.
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And while most of the recent goings on in the unlawful dismissal action brought by Mz. Trumble against Mills is of the she said/she said variety, at least one point was
at least somewhat or even certainly close to fascinating.
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Because according to testimony, Sarah got the sack as the McCartney hosusehold nanny after she asked Heather for a loan of about $6000 with which to augment her rather modest bossum, quite a few sizes grander.
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As you can see in the pic at upper left-what the Post called a "booby prize"-the operation was certainly a success, regardless where the dollars came from.
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At least this time, the Post made proof of mountains from molehills.
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Moving right along...
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In 1975, the Runaways became the first-at least first bigtime-all
girl, heavy rock band.
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And although only original founding member Joan Jett still remains in the rock limelight, the Runaways have been back in
the mainstream news, lately, with a feature film dramatization of
their short, yet groundbreaking tenure as "queens of noise."
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For more on a new Runaways CD: http://www.boomermediareview.com/RunawaysMercuryAnthology2CD.html

A UNIVERSAL BUY IN TO EMI = MORE BEATLES AND LESS BS!

Dive EMI, dive!




Bloomberg business wire is reporting that EMI Group and Universal Music have resumed licensing talks "that may help EMI stave off default and give its rights to including the Beatles..."
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If the above is true, and the deal happens, it is time for Fabs' fans
to shout HALELULJAH!
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Because if the 300 million dollero deal comes to be, we shall for
sure see much more Beatle product, and more frequently than has
been the practice of the moribund EMI.
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Universal will want instant bang for their hundreds of millions of bucks, and the Beatles will do that for them.
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However, Bloomberg also says that if the deal falls through, then that much loathed, bailed out itself Citi Bank which holds about 4 billion dollars of EMI debt, will take control, and presumably do as fine a job with the music company as they did with sub-prime lending.
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Cor; maybe the US government will eventually own the Fabs' music!!
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More Brit music news, here:
http://www.boomermediareview.com/WhoGreatestHitsAndMore2CD.html