Update: New Beatles Star Club tracks... maybe
[Posted by Dave Haber on Wednesday, 01/16/08 7:35 pm] [Permalink] [Full Blog] [Tweet This]Last friday we reported here on the WGO Beatles news blog about "15 lost Beatles songs". Today the original press release has hit the main-stream media, and we know a little more about the release.
No release date has been set for the recordings. According to Billboard Magazine today, Jeffrey Collins, holder of the material, says, "Through legal channels, we will be making these albums available for release," says Collins. "The Beatles know these tapes exist and their lawyers know these tapes exist. It's a matter of certain legalities."
However, a spokesperson from Apple Corps. says, "We don't have a comment as such but not surprisingly are looking into the claim."
Billboard also repeats info from Steve Marinucci of Abbeyrd's Beatles Page, who has reported that of the four tracks on the Fuego site, only "A Taste of Honey" is unheard, and the "Lovesick Blues" cover isn't even by the Beatles at all. As for the sound quality, Marinucci says they are no better than earlier "Star Club" releases, which are decidedly lo-fi.
So, stay tuned, we'll have more information about these controversial recordings as it becomes available.
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New Beatles Star Club tracks... maybe
[Posted by Dave Haber on Friday, 01/11/08 6:05 pm] [Permalink] [Full Blog] [Tweet This] You might have heard something about a new album of "15 lost Beatles songs". I heard about this on Wednesday, but for several reasons, we have not reported about it on What Goes On.
I'm not saying they are not true, but there are some questionable claims in the press release on Thursday that announced these new tracks. The press release states the 15 tracks were "recorded at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany a short while after the Ted Taylor recordings". But as Steve's Abbeyrd's Beatles page points out, and confirmed in the book The Beatles Chronicle by Mark Lewisohn, the Star Club Hamburg recordings that we've known about and heard since the late 70's were recorded on the Beatles' last night in Hamburg, so how could these new ones have been recorded after? In addition, the press release states "it was the very first time that Ringo Starr actually played with The Beatles 'live'," but we know Ringo appears on the classic Star Club tapes, which the press release admits came before.
Our initial reaction to the news that new Star Club recordings were being released was, Apple has efectively stopped distribution of the classic Star Club tapes. If they did that, why would they be allowing these now? Questions to the company releasing this material said they had "checked with their lawyers", but no details are known.
Also, the manner in which they want us to pay to hear these new tracks is also troubling to many WGO readers who have written in to us. The site wants you to become a member for $4.95 per quarter, and for that you get one, perhaps two tracks released per quarter, with short clips from other tracks. In addition, one reader wrote in to tell us he paid his $4.95 yesterday and as of today, Friday, he hasn't heard back with his access password.
Most of all, if there really was new Beatles music, wouldn't you think this news would be plastered all over every news outlet in the world? But, besides publication of the original press release yesterday, there has been no other mentions in the news anywhere.
So, stay tuned, if there really are new Beatles Star Club tapes, and if they are being legitimately released, you will hear about it here on WGO!
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