One of our readers (Guy in the USA) prides himself on securing every possible variation and often sends us a tantalising image or two. For ‘Now and Then’ he points out that most collectors only show pictures of the outer covers. Here, he says, are the contents – photographed all together:
For collectors in the west there are no fewer than 9 variations to seek out. If you add in unique Japanese editions that number creeps up to 14.
Because there are enough different pressings we thought we’d create another visual representation to capture them all (we have previously created these for McCartney III and McCartney III Imagined too):
(Click on the image to see a larger version)
The Japanese ‘Now and Then’ vinyl pressings are unique in that they have a rear cover written in Japanese. They also come with a special lyric sheet with the lyrics in English and Japanese:
Additionally, the SHM-CD single comes with an OBI strip (and also the extra lyric insert):
To add to the onslaught on collector wallets there was also Black Friday Record Store Day.
Also released on that day were further coloured vinyl editions (in “Yellow Submarine Yellow”) of Ringo Starr’sOld Wave and Stop and Smell the Roses. Here’s Guy again:
You can see there on the bottom row the little Yoto kids toy card editions of the 2023 Red and Blue albums, plus a unique Paul McCartney card containing a selection of his hits for kids which also contains two hard-to-get instrumentals.
To mark the 50th anniversary of its release in December of 1973, most fans were expecting an LP of Paul McCartney and Wings’Band On The Run in Half Speed Mastered form. This would follow the pattern of previous releases for McCartney, RAM, Wings Wild Life and, earlier this year, Red Rose Speedway.
What we didn’t expect was that Band On The Run would be accompanied by a whole bonus LP featuring previously unheard music that is being termed “underdubbed mixes”. In other words, early mixes without overdubs.
These “underdubs” aren’t newly created in 2023. They come from 1973 and were prepared by the album’s engineer, Geoff Emerick. They’re basically a previously unreleased mix of Band On The Run, but without any of the orchestral and string overdubs written by Tony Visconti that were used on the final release. Interestingly, the tracklisting for these “underdubbed mixes’ doesn’t follow the original sequencing of album. The bonus LP mirrors the original analogue tapes as discovered in the MPL archives (see the changed running order below).
“This is Band on the Run in a way you’ve never heard before. When you are making a song and putting on additional parts, like an extra guitar, that’s an overdub. Well, this version of the album is the opposite, underdubbed.”
There’ll be three physical releases for the 50th Anniversary, and these will be available from February 2, 2024.
You can get a stand-alone Half Speed Master of the original LP, cut from the original master tapes from 1973 by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios. The single vinyl album configuration mirrors the US tracklist, which added the song ‘Helen Wheels’ to the end of the LP. The 50th anniversary album includes the original inner sleeve and poster featuring a series of Polaroid photos taken by Linda McCartney during the making of Band On The Run :
Then there’s the 2 LP edition featuring the original US album, remastered at half speed as above, plus a second LP titled Underdubbed Mixes Edition. The two LPs are housed in a premium slipcase. The set includes two Linda McCartney Polaroid posters:
The 2 LP slipcase version can only be purchased from Universal Music’s own online stores around the world, as well as from Paul McCartney’s own online store.
And there’ll be a 2 CD set, with one disc containing the original US album, and a second disc with the “underdubbed” mixes. There’s a double-sided fold-out poster of Polaroids taken by Linda included:
Band on the Run (Underdubbed) will also be released digitally. The album itself has also been newly mixed in Dolby Atmos by Giles Martin and Steve Orchard – but there is no physical edition of this mix.
Here’s the running order for Disc Two – Band on the Run (Underdubbed Mixes):
1. Band on the Run 2. Mamunia 3. No Words 4.Jet 5. Bluebird 6. Mrs. Vandebilt 7. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five 8. Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me) 9. Let Me Roll It
Very much looking forward to reading and reviewing Kenneth Womack’s latest – an authorised biography of the Beatles’ ever-present minder, Mal Evans.
If you live in the USA the book is published by Harper Collins and is called Living The Beatles Legend – The Untold Story of Mal Evans. It comes with this cover:
If you’re in the UK it is also published by Harper Collins, but has a slightly different title Living The Beatles Legend – On The Road With The Fab Four The Mal Evans Story, and comes in this cover variation:
In Australia it looks like we’ll be getting the UK edition.
The New York Times has a review headline which neatly sums up exactly what this book is about:
The publisher’s press release has a bit more:
The first full-length biography of Mal Evans, the Beatles’ beloved roadie, assistant, confidant and friend. A towering figure in horn-rimmed glasses, Malcolm ‘Mal’ Evans was an invaluable member of the Beatles’ inner circle. Serving as their long-time roadie, personal assistant and protector, he was a sometime lyricist, occasional performer and regular fixer at the height of the group’s fame and beyond.
But Mal’s dedication to his beloved ‘boys’ and his own desire for stardom took its toll, leading to the dissolution of his marriage and his untimely death in January, 1976.
Until now, Mal’s extraordinary life has remained shrouded in mystery. Drawing on hundreds of exclusive interviews and with full access to Mal’s unpublished archives – including his personal diaries, manuscripts and memorabilia – renowned Beatles scholar Kenneth Womack paints the first complete portrait of this complicated figure at the heart of the Beatles’ story.
Living the Beatles Legend is a fascinating but ultimately tragic tale about life at the edges of superstardom.
Ever heard of Yoto, the children’s educational toy?
Me either, until one of our readers named Tom pointed out that they exist, AND they have a couple of items that will be of keen interest to the absolute Beatle completists among us.
Yoto is a digital player that accepts specially pre-recorded cards (slightly larger than a credit card) which kids slot into the player to hear stories, podcasts, games and……..music:
The big news is that Yoto has just added two very special music cards.
Yoto describes the contents of their unique 12-track Red Album like this:
An introduction to The Beatles for kids. Enjoy timeless hits from their early years, 1962-1966.
Twelve special chosen tracks from the early years of The Beatles, 1962-1966. The perfect introduction for music-loving kids to the fab-four.
Discover the songs that broke them onto the world stage. Sing, dance and play along to these timeless classics, some of the most popular and indelible rock songs of all time.
Tracklist:
Love Me Do (2023 mix)
Please Please Me (2023 mix)
From Me To You (2023 mix)
She Loves You (2023 mix)
Can’t Buy Me Love (2023 mix)
Ticket To Ride (2023 mix)
I Want To Hold Your Hand (2023 mix)
If I Needed Someone (2023 mix)
Drive My Car (2023 mix)
Got To Get You Into My Life (2022 mix)
I’m Only Sleeping (2022 mix)
Yellow Submarine (2022 mix)
And their 12-track Blue Album like this:
An introduction to The Beatles for kids. Enjoy timeless hits from their later years, 1967-1970.
The second curated collection of tracks from the most iconic band of all time. Charting the later part of their career where they experimented with new sounds and created some songs that are loved across generations and around the world.
The perfect way to share music as a family and the ultimate inspiration for all the music-loving, dancing and singing little ones out there.
Tracklist:
Penny Lane (2017 Mix)
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (2017 Mix)
With A Little Help From My Friends (2017 Mix)
All You Need Is Love (2015 Mix)
Hello, Goodbye (2015 Mix)
Magical Mystery Tour (2023 Mix)
Hey Jude (2015 Mix)
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (2018 Mix)
Blackbird (2018 Mix)
Here Comes The Sun (2019 Mix)
Octopus’s Garden (2019 Mix)
Let It Be (2021 Mix)
But that’s not all the original Beatle content Yoto has. Also recently added is a unique Paul McCartney card, Say Hello To Paul McCartney:
Yoto says: Dance, sing and play along to a selection of songs, especially chosen for Yoto.
Say Hello To Paul McCartney is a unique collection of timeless songs from one of the greatest ever songwriters and performers. Paul McCartney has curated this collection of tracks from his legendary catalogue and it’s sure to get all of your family singing and dancing along.
Sway and jump to ‘Dance Tonight’, take a trip to the Scottish Coast with ‘Mull of Kintyre’ or sing along in chorus to ‘We All Stand Together’ – these and many more songs await you on this ultimate Yoto music card! This card also includes two tracks never before released on a music product – the ‘Hey Grandude’ and ‘Hey Nandude’ themes, from Paul’s highly acclaimed children’s books.
Tracklist:
Grandude Theme
Dance Tonight
Little Willow
Heart of the Country
Mary had a Little Lamb
We All Stand Together
Great Day
Mama’s Little Girl
Calico Skies
Let ‘Em In
Mull of Kintyre
Winter Bird, When Winter Comes
Who Cares
Nandude Theme
So, this is one way for you to get clean versions of two rare original McCartney tracks – the instrumental ‘Grandude Theme’ and ‘Nandude Theme’, taken from the audiobook recordings of his two children’s books Hey Grandude (2019), and Grandude’s Green Submarine (2021).
Sincere apologies if this news is going to cost you more money!
Techmoan has done a great video explaining just how these little players and the cards work (you don’t have to have a player):
Our readers Tom and Guy have both confirmed that you don’t need a stand alone Yoto player. The Yoto app can be downloaded for free to your phone, and a simple tap of the card gives you access to the contents. The cards are the size of a credit card:
Hot on the heels of a huge two weeks of Beatle announcements and expectation comes just a little bit more vital detail on the John LennonUltimate Collection box set of his 1973 album Mind Games.
This builds on the scant detail in an October 9 Tweet (for John’s birthday) teasing that the Lennon estate would indeed be releasing “….a brand new, completely remixed Mind Games (The Ultimate Collection) in the summer of 2024, featuring an incredible six albums worth of material, followed by even more surprises later in the year.”
Today’s news makes it very clear that the June 2024 box set follows in the format footsteps of Imagine and Plastic Ono Band, two highly acclaimed reissues already out there. Good news for Lennon fans and collectors!
We can also confirm that, as was done for Imagine and Plastic Ono Band, there will be a separate accompanying hardback book to go with Mind Games.
There’s been huge discussion on a lot of forums and socials about the cover art choices for the new ‘Now and Then’ Beatle single.
This post on Reddit (by PowerPlaidPlays) is an articulate argument for why it actually works:
“A lot of people have a lot of negative things to say about the new single art. I initially did not like it at first ether, but it’s grown on me and I thought a post defending it would be a good counterbalance to all of the “improved cover” mock ups lol.
The biggest thing I appreciate about it is how it stands on it’s own.
It reminds me of how The White Album was a deliberate departure from Sgt Pepper’s cover, or how Abbey Road lacked the band’s name on the front. It’s not rubbing the band’s legacy in your face or leaning too hard into nostalgia. We already have Anthology if you want references to their entire career, or the Red/Blue albums if you want the ‘Please Please Me’/’Get Back’ photos paired together. It’s not just a normal boring photo of the band like the ‘Real Love’ single got. It’s not focusing too much on John like the ‘Free as a Bird’ single did by using one of his drawings. The song has it’s own unique image.
I think the most it hearkens back to old Beatles imagery is the serif font (similar to the drop-T logo) and the color palate reminds me of Abbey Road, with the blue (like the sky), green (like the trees), grey (like the road), and white (like the crosswalk).
The back cover is where I think some more symbolism is present. With the “Then” being the I ‘Wanna Hold Your Hand’ photo, and the “Now” being a clock with 3 and 9, but missing 6 and 12. I think the assembled sculpture also is fitting for a song that is a mix of 1979, 1995, and 2023 recordings, with apparently some stuff sampled from a few other Beatles songs.
I also do like how it seems to be a painting and not digital typography. Looking at higher resolution images of it, you can see the canvas texture and paint imperfections.
Admittedly I am not in love with it, and probably like it more for the things it’s not, but I can appreciate it for being an interesting decision. I keep looking at it, and it keeps making me think. It’s not just an obvious “yep, it’s a Beatles single and it has a photo of the Beatles.”“
And this (from zosterpops) also on Reddit:
“To add to the interpretation, the angles are reminiscent of the covers on the Red & Blue comps and it has a decades-spanning quality to it with its colors, typography, and texture.
I think it’s also worth mentioning how the cover works as a minimalist design. It’s inspired paragraphs of both appreciative and unappreciative discussion on this sub. That’s always a hallmark of good art/design for me. Something that gets people talking about it.“
This make a lot of sense. Yes, it’s a very plain front cover but it has lots of references and room for interpretation.
As to the rear cover image, more information on the origins of the cute little clock image have come to light since the 7″, 10″ and 12″ records have landed in fan hands.
Inside the record sleeve is an insert with notes by John Harris which reveals the origins of the art piece shown:
So, it turns out this is an actual little clock owned by the Harrison estate, purchased by George in 1997. It was made by an Oregon artist named Chris Giffin, who is regarded as something of a local cultural treasure. She specialises in found object, assemblage and altered art.
“I create objects from materials that capture my eye, and that can be recycled materials or found objects. I make functional and sculptural and jewelry objects out of these materials that I collect. I try to take things that have had a past life and then give them a new life.”
Much of Giffin’s work involves metaphor, specifically concepts having to do with measurement, or man-made divisions applied to natural forms: “Time for me is a real metaphor, so I do make a lot of clocks, and I have a lot of measurement objects in them. Because time is a measurement, and of course tape measures and rulers and protractors—all that kind of stuff—to me is just the way we have chosen to decipher our need to organize our daily lives.”
What better way to depict “Now” and “Then”? You can see more of Giffin’s work on this Pinterest page. You get the feeling that the value of their pieces just went up 1000%!
It was always odd that there wasn’t a CD single of “the Beatles last ever single” included in the long-awaited big release announcement last week.
Well, now there is.
A CD single, in what looks to be a simple cardboard slipcase, has belatedly appeared on the official UK Beatles site:
Like all other formats, the CD will feature ‘Now and Then’, plus the 2023 stereo remix of ‘Love Me Do’.
The release date is 3 November – exactly the same date as all the other formats – which suggests that physical product has been prepared and is ready to go out to stores. So why was it not part of the launch last week? Did somebody at Apple/Universal Music stuff up?
So far the CD single only appears on the UK Beatle store site but we’d expect it to pop up elsewhere during the day.
By now you’ll be aware that there’s a brand new Beatle song coming. It is called ‘Now and Then’ and is the last Beatles song ever to be released.
Like the singles ‘Free As a Bird’ (1995) and ‘Real Love’ (1996) before it, ‘Now and Then’ is all four Beatles contributing additional music and vocals to a cassette demo that John Lennon was working on in the late 1970’s but never got to properly record. It will now be released in 2023 as a vinyl single (in a variety of colours, plus as a 12″ single), and as a cassette (or a “cassingle” as we used to say), on November 3.
The new single has ‘Love Me Do’, the song that started it all off for the band, on the other side. So, it is listed as a “Double A Side”. The ‘Love Me Do’ news is that it is in stereo in a 2023 mix!
The colours for the 7″ are:
And an exclusive Beatles Shop blue/white marble 7″. Also available at some independent record stores:
There is also a 12″ single.
It’s a little confusing as to whether this is also available on red vinyl. It’s shown on the front page of the official Beatle announcement site, but when you click through to purchase it is not on either the US or UK stores.
Not finished with vinyl yet…..on some official sites there have been links to a black vinyl 10″ pressing. Take the French Beatles store for example:
The 10″ was listed briefly on the UK official site too – as a “Spotify Fans First” exclusive – but the link provided no longer seems to work. However, it is still up on the US Beatles Store, Universal Music Canada, and the Universal Music Brazil sites – but with all now showing as ‘Sold Out’. Strangely it is still for sale on the Universal Music Columbia site though!
In 2022, Paul and Ringo set about completing the song. Besides John’s demo vocal (now much enhanced quality thanks to the use of new technology developed by film director Peter Jackson and his audio team for the Get Back documentary series) ‘Now And Then’ includes electric and acoustic guitar recorded in 1995 by George, Ringo’s new drum part, and bass, guitar and piano from Paul, which matches John’s original playing. Paul added a slide guitar solo inspired by George; he and Ringo also contributed backing vocals to the chorus.
Then in Los Angeles, Paul oversaw a Capitol Studios recording session for the song’s Beatlesque string arrangement, written by Giles Martin, Paul and Ben Foster. Paul and Giles also added one last touch: backing vocals from the original recordings of ‘Here, There And Everywhere’, ‘Eleanor Rigby’ and ‘Because’, which are woven into the new song using the techniques perfected during the making of the LOVE show and album. The finished track was produced by Paul and Giles, and mixed by Spike Stent. Can’t wait to hear it!
Just by the way, the cover artwork is by celebrated US artist Ed Ruscha. That’s a Paul McCartney influence right there because Ruscha did the cover art (in all it’s many variations) for the McCartney III, McCartney III Imagined releases, and the box set McCartney 1,2,3.
Coincidentally, Ruscha is the subject of a major retrospective currently showing at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It’s title? “Now Then”. You can see a short CBS News interview and retrospective about the man here.
As if all this wasn’t enough, on November 10, The Beatles’ 1962-1966 (aka The Red Album) and The Beatles 1967-1970 (aka The Blue Album) collections are to be released in 2023 Edition packages.
Both collections have been expanded, with all the songs mixed in stereo and Dolby Atmos. Together both sets contain 75 tracks, 36 of which have new mixes for 2023. The booklets will contain new sleeve notes by journalist and author John Harris.
The UK single version of ‘Love Me Do’ now kicks off the CD version of The Beatles 1962-1966 (2023 Edition) – now expanded with 12 additional tracks added chronologically. ‘Now And Then’ ends the CD version of The Beatles 1967-1970 (2023 Edition) – now expanded with 9 additional tracks also added chronologically – to complete the career-spanning CD collections. Both are 2CD sets.
But is is different with the vinyl.
The Red and the Blue will have the first two discs just as they were originally released when they were double LPs, with the third disc containing all the expanded material. In other words, 12 extra tracks on Disc 3 for the Red, and 9 extra tracks Disc 3 for the Blue. Quite a different approach to the CD. No slotting in the newly added songs in chronological order here. In fact the new song ‘Now and Then’ is Track 1 of Side 6 of the Blue. A little bit odd.
Both are 180 gram Half Speed Mastered. They will be available on black vinyl separately as triple LP sets, and they’ll be sold together as a 6LP box set:
The Beatles Store is also offering exclusive limited editions of the box set and individual albums on red and blue colour vinyl:
And here’s the CD packaging:
And a 4CD collections will pair the Red and Blue in a slip-cased set.
The new music video for ‘Now And Then’ will debut on Friday, November 3. It is directed by Peter Jackson.
There’s also going to be a short “making of” documentary film released on November 1. Here’s the teaser:
Beatles Blog 