They Shoulda Called It "The Why Album" Reissue

Every fanatic of every long dead band would always rather have a fresh album of unreleased songs than 70 bonus demos. This is a scientifically proven fact.

The Anthology series already fulfilled the "demo" requisite, but despite that, it wasn't hard to predict that The White Album reissue would fall short of expectations. The world does not need more demos, especially when there is an entire album worth of interesting shit that could have easily filled up a single 55-60 minute disc of music.

But what's worse: If they must insist on filling this collection with endless bullshit, couldn't they at least include the holy grail of White Album outtakes?

The greatest White Album outtake that exists is the 10-minute version of "Revolution" that acts as the official conduit between the radio version (from the b-side of "Hey Jude") and "Revolution 9." This version mysteriously arrived on Soundcloud in 2009 and was yanked from Youtube in 2013 after appearing in a Rolling Stone headline. Many would assumed that if "Apple Corps" wanted this song kept off the internet, they must have considered it valuable enough to include on a "definitive" collection of outtakes. But sadly, this was not the case.

And why was the 17-minute "Carnival of Light" excluded from the Sgt Pepper reissue?

And why haven't any of their weirdo fanclub-only Christmas collages been released?

Why are they so afraid to get weird? Beatles fans are willing to spend money on literally any official product. It doesn't matter what the fuck it is. So one would think they might as well try to make it a little more interesting than this. Instead, we get another clone of the Anthology series. It's been 50 years. This will never happen within our lifetime. The dream is over.

A year or 2 ago, we attempted a hypothetical "What If" album titled EMI India. The record could have feasibly existed if the songs from late 1967 hadn't been spread across Side 2 of Magical Mystery Tour and the Yellow Submarine soundtrack, and if they had chosen to package The White Album as a single LP instead of a double.

This imaginary album is their most psychedelic, as it includes a half dozen songs that stretch past the 6-minute mark: "It's All Too Much," "What's The New Mary Jane," "Revolution 9," "Hey Jude," and the only inclusion from the recent White Album reissue, the 13-minute version of "Helter Skelter." And if the option were available, it would have certainly included the 10-minute "Revolution."

"Revolution"

"Revolution" will turn 50 later this year. The Nike ad happened 31 years ago.

We say "Fuck Nike commercials" generally speaking. But they didn't feel the same way between 1987 and 1992. It seemed like there was legit artistry involved in unifying people. Yes, everyone involved was selling stuff, but not in a manner that's anywhere close to egregiously blatant product placements in the past 10 years of rap videos.

Ultimately, Yoko was right...
https://www.rollingstone.com/sports/30-years-after-nikes-revolution-beatles-commercial-w468218



Every kid in our 2nd grade class knew "Revolution" because of this commercial. And honestly, it was a dope commercial. (If you were younger than 13 when the ad came out, you should be allowed to remember a commercial as "dope.")

Every kid in our 7th grade class knew "Instant Karma" for the same reason - because of a dope Nike commercial that was played on MTV a lot.

The version of the "Revolution" commercial that we remember does not seem to be anywhere on Youtube, but "Instant Karma" is there.

"Awaiting on you all" (demo version)

Never realized how much Phil Spector's wall of sound drowns out the lyrics of this song... Or AKA never realized what the lyrics actually were, period. Jesus, yo. That dude got rull fuckin hgih. (PS This is almost the best song about Jesus. "My Sweet Lord" possibly tops it, maybe.)

"the making of MMT" doc

The original DVD of Magical Mystery Tour is kinda not great, and they've finally gotten around to putting together one that's a bit more official with this documentary as a bonus feature. Coincidentally, over the past few years, we posted four or five clips from Youtube that were used in this, and all of them received the tags "beatles" and "drugs."

prank calls 1996

check it out. harry sachz.

harry responds, "somebody gawna diiii."

pumped up with some steam. the next portion of our 1996 jams/mix has been supplied by Stewart Stevenson.

#111 Superdrag “Destination Ursa Major”

Superdrag dresses like the The Ramones and plays songs like this one.

#110 Prodigy “Firestarter”

Can dubstep really be traced back to Keith Flint? I think we've re-discovered all responsible parties. They all were members of Prodigy, and they stuck lots of metal crap into holes in their faces.

#109 DJ Shadow “Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain”

I was startled to realize my name was touching my face until it moved.

#108 The Beatles "Real Love"

There are 6 or 7 different videos of "Real Love" on Youtube. All of them suck.

#107 Sponge “Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina)”

Post-grunge dudes started wearing glam outfits. They're possibly in a high school during roller derby class. Mostly weird images involving pills and the sale of drugs and honey.

#106 Polvo "Bridesmaid Blues"

These parents can't take them away. "Wobbly will prevent the firestorm." "ITS ON FIRE!" no go back to sleep you were just having a stupid fucking nightmare.

#105 Brujeria “Hermanos Menendez”

The Menendez brothers didn't get to sing on this song because they're in jail for killing their parents. Was it #MurderForPizza ? We're taking your calls. http://www.hlntv.com/video/2012/09/27/cops-boys-13-hatchet-granny-death-pizza-money

#104 My Bloody Valentine “Map Ref 41N 93W”

Light flickerers. Interrupting my train of thought. MBV reunion actually started up in 1996 with this song. The subsequent new full length is prepared at a rate of 2 songs a year so that means we'll have 32 songs on this bitch. Word up.

#103 Counting Crows “A Long December”

Justifies their existence. Which is saying a lot for this song.

#102 Spazz “WWF Rematch At The Cow Palace (Aluta Continua)”

The cartel's power team is in. Poison man's reign of terror. These kids.

#101 DJ Kool “Let Me Clear My Throat”

Ed Lover dance invention. Special dedication to all the ladies if you got real hand, real fingernail, real kneecap, you goin to school, make some noise.

#100 Weezer “Devotion”

Fluterying pieces off of the lego rainbow. Scurrying away. In the deep central caramel center of "Devotion" lies the first or second or many push-asides. Lego tower was serious business. The kids in the class made sure to "fingerprint" (actually ink on a piece of scotch tape) and match the finger prints with the legos. The effort was a long shot to begin with, Now it looks like a big dark blue half sqere with white stripes haning out of it.

#99 Busta Rhymes featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard "Woo-Haa! I Got You All In Check"

Jonah's stern fern big face. It looks like the trash heep but more 2-D. And more mobile. A kid got run over by a car and ODB was the only gentlemen who was able to investigate and access the situation facy enough too pull little small little child same from out of harm's way. Later that night he jumped on stage because I needed to let people know what the true story was all about. "Puffy's Good, But Wu-Tang Is For The Children. I went out today and I got me a new suit."

#98 No Doubt “Happy Now?”

No Doubt's pissed in this one. inner-tension! ooooohh so dramatic you guys.

#97 Redman “Whateva Man”

Meth and Red continue rolling and rulings. This was possibly a pilot/trailer for their other collaborative videos and movies. But prolly not.

#96 Bush "Swallowed"

wtf this song doesn't suck at all, quit bein' a little bitch.

#95 Failure “Solaris”

Much concern over George Clooney's 2005 blockbuster Solaris. Wasn't sure if it kicked any ass. (words...words...words...)

#94 White Town "Your Woman"

It loos like someone's following people around town with a telescope, which is topical since voyeurism appears to be very topical in the media as of late. This was one of the songs that song dude made on a 4-track in his bedroom and then was played all over K-Rock 12 months later.

#93 Beck "Readymade"

Listening to modern rock stations in 95/96/97 sounded somewhat exciting. The obvious turds kept the stations grounded. However, outside of this was strange variety and creativity. Locate any "Buzz Clip" commercial within that period for the proof. "Song 2" Squirrel Nut Zippers, the Odelay singles, "Your Woman," "The Perfect Drug," and "Paranoid Android" could be played in succession and no one would think twice about it. (EDIT: None of these were on the radio in 1996 lol. Except "Odelay" singles obviously.)

#92 Satyricon "Nemesis Divina"

They really hit their stride with this one. The guns are helping.

butcher cover commentary

"Leave My Kitten Alone"

don't do it Ringo!!

christmas stuff

More "20th anniversary of 1991" shit... Pearl Jam's first "Ten club" release included what we think is one of the best Christmas songs... A lot of people who don't like Pearl Jam tend to enjoy this one...


This is mostly the sound of John Lennon going through heroin withdrawal...

"You're Gonna Lose That Girl"

Part of me wishes The Beatles had just shot these as stand-alone videos without the context of how they fit into a movie... (which would make the end of this clip more amazing..)

Watch in full-screen IMO...

"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)"

"Revolution 1" (Take 20)

"Yer Blues"

Dirty Mac version...

"Tomorrow Never Knows"

that lennon dude: still dead

paul's stoned wisdom

"I Feel Fine"

Finally, a Beatles video that makes sense...

Drugs

Today's video is one of the greatest scenes from any movie ever.. no introduction needed obviously.



They spent six years working on those remasters and somehow this was left out.. WTF?

Happy 09.09.09!

On the east coast, there's only about 3 hours left of the 9th day of the 9th month in the 9th year of the 3rd millennium. It's a trippy situation.

Ten years ago was 09/09/99, an experience I have captured on VHS somewhere.. I went back and forth between camcorder funth and taping the VMA's from that night.. I'm pretty sure this was the night Lauryn Hill won Best Video with "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and Paul McCartney announced the winner as "some guy named Lawrence Hill."

The Beatles reissues and The Beatles Rock Band are released today. I already went nuts over the reissues and I have no desire to play Rock Band right now. That movie 9 was released which I saw this afternoon, which I would not recommend.. watch Wall-E or Coraline instead. I may close out the evening by finally getting around to seeing District 9 and listening to the newly remastered "Revolution 9." And yes, it's all because I'm an extremely dorky nerd. Thanks.

BEATLES REISSUES LOL?!?!

Up until yesterday, I assumed reissuing The Beatles albums wouldn't be an especially thrilling experience, but this all changed last night.. and surprisingly what ended up catching my attention the most was Pitchfork themselves, the very website I criticized 2 weeks ago for their less-than-outstanding take on music videos released during the past decade. This actually makes sense, however, since Pitchfork normally does a great job of discussing music from the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's.

Their reviews of The Beatles reissues are probably the most quality music writing I've ever read on their website, and I will proudly link to the first of their series here..

Pitchfork: Album Reviews: The Beatles: Please Please Me

Starting from there and working through all the album reviews one by one is an experience in itself. On a message board post, I read someone refer to Pitchfork's take on The Beatles' albums as the start of a "new generation" getting their chance at approaching this music in a way that people like myself can understand a lot better, without attempts to attract baby-boomers with elements of 60's nostalgia, such as that normally found within Rolling Stone (who at this point, rarely have anything new to say about ANY music, let alone on the pages of yet another issue of their magazine with a picture of The Beatles thrown on the cover for probably the 40th time in 40 years).