The White Album at 50 Years Old

The Beatles eponymous 1968 double album turns 50 today. Forever known as 'The White Album' thanks to its stark white cover, this is a collection of songs that has some fans and critics saying they topped their previous release 'Sgt Pepper' and some citing this album as the beginning of the break up.

My opinion is the White Album today remains the benchmark over which future albums were measured by. Most of the songs were written during their trip to Rishikesh, India in early 1968 and demoed at George Harrison's house in Esher, England before the album was recorded. This trip produced a huge volume of songs from John, Paul and George. So much that it was decided that the next album would be a double album. Their producer, George Martin, didn't feel that it should have been and the songs should have been condensed into one single album which led to a little tension during the sessions.

During interviews about the excellent 2018 remix of the album, George Martin's son, Giles compared his father's dislike of the album to an argument he himself had with his father over not measuring Pimm's. "The white album was the Beatles not measuring Pimm's!" is what he said in the interview.

The remixes sound incredibly fresh. Some have expressed discontent with some of them, While My Guitar Gently Weeps being one coming under fire for not having the bass and drums centered in the mix. Personally, I prefer the remix of Good Night to the original one but the Esher Demos and studio takes are the big draw for many fans in the deluxe package. All of them cleaned up and remixed.

What is your favourite remix from the White Album? Do you prefer it to the original mix?? Let us know on Facebook in the Tea & A Butty group!

Tom Murray’s Mad Day Out With The Beatles by Paul Skellett & Simon Weitzman

Tom Murray's Mad Day Out with The Beatles.

During 1968, The Beatles were entering their final phase of being a group. With the death of Brian Epstein a year before, they had started to fight amongst themselves, tensions came to a head during the sessions for the White Album and things were never the same again. Still, photo shoots were a necessity to keep their evergreen image in the public eye and in July, they set up a photo shoot that became known as the 'Mad Day Out' shoot, as they constantly kept changing locations in London due to fans overrunning them. Tom Murray was the photographer and he took 23 fabulous shots of the band over the course of the day.


New York, NY – Tom Murray left his house on July 28th 1968 not knowing he would step into the most memorable photo shoot of his early career. Waiting for him were John, Paul, George & Ringo, of The Beatles, along with hurdles of screaming fans that pushed the group to move constantly from location to location and unknowingly inspiring the name of the famous collection of 23 photographs: The Mad Day: Summer of ’68. Almost fifty years later Tom Murray’s mad day has come back to life in a visual book, created by Paul Skellett and Simon Weitzman, that dives into the details, backstage, culture of the 60’s and anecdotes, that made the last publicity photoshoot done by the group before it split up, so glorious: Tom Murray’s Mad Day Out With The Beatles.

Published by Archivum, Tom Murray’s Mad Day Out With The Beatles, draws from the legendary impact that the band had-and continues to have- on society. Through Tom Murray’s photographs, memories and tales the book tells a visual story of how the Beatles weren’t only a music sensation but a phenomenon that influenced generations.

Murray retraces the locations that made the backdrop of the Mad Day photoshoot: The Docklands, Old Street Station (where Paul McCartney nearly fell off the roof), Regents Park, Paul McCartney’s house in St. John’s Wood, St. Pancras Church Garden and Wapping Pier Head. For each image shot Murray tells the story of how it came to be, depicting the playful and unexpected characters of each member of the band and recreating the energy of that moment. 


To buy the book, head here:

http://archivumuk.businesscatalyst.com/#tommurray

Tea & A Butty Podcast 11 - 'The Beatles (The White Album)'

Here is our 11th Podcast, all about the White Album, with Kara Mancuso as our guest! We hope you all enjoy this longer Podcast!

Beatles Interview Series: 1968 - The Beatles White Album Session

In part seven of our 10-part Beatles Interview Series, we'd like to share an interview that took place on June 5, 1968 at Abbey Road Studios during the recording of The Beatles White Album.  This is an informal interview conducted by one of the Beatles' favorite radio personalities, Kenny Everett of the pirate radio station, Radio London, according to Jay Spangler of The Beatles Ultimate Experience.  Though this interview is primarily with John, the others do eventually make an appearance and in fact, this would be one of the last interviews in which all four Beatles appeared together.

Paul McCartney and John Lennon working on one of the songs on The White Album.

JOHN: "So, we better turn the guitaring down a bit, little. So, Kenny, how are you goings?"

KENNY: "Oh, it's wonderful. Listen. First a few questions, then I'd like you to sing me a jingle. A goodbye jingle."

JOHN: "Okay, a goodbye jingle."

KENNY: "What can we expect from you in the next few months? I've heard you're working on it."

JOHN: (comical whisper) "Alot of brown paper bags, Kenny."

KENNY: (laughs)

JOHN: "We're working very hard on that at the moment, the boys and me."

KENNY: "Anything tuney?"

JOHN: "Oh yeah. There's alot of tunes we've found in the bags, actually."

KENNY: "I got told that you don't actually come in here with the idea of doing an album-- it just sort of 'falls out' at the sessions."

JOHN: "Mmm. Well, we have a vague idea, you know, Ken."

KENNY: "Yes."

JOHN: (strumming and singing) "'As I was only saying the other day-- we have a vague idea, but very vague-- What's up? Very vague.'"

KENNY: (laughs)

JOHN: "Just a bit of laughter, ladies and gentle-phones."

KENNY: "Have you done any actual complete numbers?"

JOHN: "No. We're halfway through the second uncomplete number now."

KENNY: "You don't actually do them whole complete, finish with them, and then start another one?"

JOHN: "See, we got to a stage with one where the next bit is (additional) musicians, so we'll have to write the musicans' bit. You see, you see."

KENNY: "Do you ever get to, umm-- you've done your bit and you decide it would be good on its own, and then forget the musicians?"

JOHN: "Oh yeah. Yeah."

KENNY: "Yeah."

JOHN: (slide guitar and singing) "'Somebody stole my gal/ Somebody stole my pal.'"

KENNY: "Can you sing me a goodbye jingle? It doesn't have to rhyme or anything."

JOHN: (slide guitar and singing) "'Goodbye jingle/ Goodbye jingle goodbye/ Goodbye.'"

(laughter)

KENNY: "Wonderful. (laughs) Are there any particular records at the moment..."

JOHN: "Oh yeah, let me think-- Nilsson. One of Nilsson's."

KENNY: "Which one, particularly? As you know we've played quite a few of them."

JOHN: "Yes. Oh, let me think, Ken, for the moment. Uhh... 'River Deep Mountain Dew.'"

KENNY: "Yeah?"

JOHN: (strumming and singing) "'When I was a little baby my mama used to SMASH me in the cradle/ Pickin' those old cotton fields back home/ When mama was a little bitty baby she used to SMASH me in my cradle/ When I was a little bitty baby back home.'"

KENNY: "That was impressario John Lennon playing for you. And now, a few words from him."

JOHN: "Enzay cuzum dadey stobidacho, Charlie. Masik consip. Wezamarchi chewano wita tomata tawiaty. Wertum moriaty conan dia. Kenny Everetto, M B E."

KENNY: "So that's what India taught you?"

JOHN: "Exactly."

KENNY: "Did you come back with anything incredibly fantastic?"

JOHN: "Yes. A beard."

KENNY: "Yeah. I met Donavon the other day on a show, and he looked a little better for it."

JOHN: "Yes, it was very healthy, you know."

KENNY: "I got a photograph of you in the Daily Mirror standing in a sheet. You look very peaceful."

JOHN: "That's called a benuse, Kenny, and I got it from Moracco." (laughs)

KENNY: "Really?"

JOHN: (jokingly) "Standing in a sheet-- What do you mean?"

KENNY: "It looked like a sheet."

JONH: "Well they do. Benuses look very, very like sheets, see, so the lower classes in Moracco don't feel too put out-- having only the sheets to wear."

KENNY: "Do you have anything to say about anything you've recorded so far?"

JOHN: "We've just done two tracks, both unfinished. The second one is Ringo's first song that we're working on this very moment."

KENNY: "He composed it himself?"

JOHN: "He composed it himself in a fit of lithargy."

KENNY: "And what do you think about it?"

JOHN: "I think it's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard since Nilsson's River Deep Mountain Dew. (strumming and singing) 'Kenny Everett/ It's the Kenny Everett show.'"

KENNY: "Are you composing this straight out of your head?"

JOHN: "This is ad nausium-- straight from the mouth that bit me."

KENNY: "I don't know how he does it, friends."

JOHN: "Neither do I, friends. He's sitting here cross-legged on the amplifier, strumbling away. I hope we're gonna hear this, listeners, because we have alot of fun doing 'em, but never quite hear them, listeners. Never quite hear them when you get home."

KENNY: "Well, I will play this completely, all the way through, just for you."

JOHN: "Right."

KENNY: "What kind of guitar is that? It's very strange looking."

JOHN: "A fretless guitar."

KENNY: "How's business with Apple?"

JOHN: "Oh, it's... I mean, what can I say? I couldn't ask for any more tapes, or bits of paper."

KENNY: (jokingly) "They won't get that, either. But still..."

JOHN: "So, wonderful radio wonders...!"

KENNY: "Ask me a few questions."

JOHN: "Okay, Kenny. What are you doing?"

KENNY: (pause) "Well, at the moment, I'm having a daily show come on soon."

JOHN: "Really? So they haven't sacked you? I was getting you a job with the Isle of Man. I put in a word for you with Ronald Manks."

KENNY: "If you were stranded away on a desert island, what one grammophone record would you take with you, excluding the Bible and Sgt Peppers for obvious reasons."

JOHN: (laughs) "One grammophone record? Uhh... (pause) It hasn't been made yet."

KENNY: (laughing) "You don't think there's any records worth taking?"

JOHN: "Not all the way to a desert island."

KENNY: "When you produce something of such high standards as your last album, don't you think that you've really got to strive to produce something a bit better?"

JOHN: "No. It only got high because everybody said how high it was. It's no higher than it was when we made it."

KENNY: (laughs) "Yes. There are hidden meanings in that one, ladies and gentlemen."

JOHN: (comical voice) "No. What I mean, Kenny, is that it doesn't pose a problem. It was so long ago we've forgotten what it was about anyway. And let me put it this way..."

(long silence)

KENNY: "That's it? (laughs) Hey, listen. You were saying, last time I met you, that you hadn't really had a chance to listen to Sgt Pepper because you'd been so busy making it."

JOHN: "I don't think I ever did listen to it, since we made it, properly. I heard bits of it. I mean, I played it just after we made it, and that's it really. (laughs) But I like to hear it on the radio."

KENNY: "Alright, shall I play it?"

JOHN: "Yes, that'd be nice."

KENNY: "Ladies and gentlemen, Sgt Pepper!"

JOHN: "Mmmm."

KENNY: "Do you think Paul and you could do a duo-harmony jingle?"

JOHN: "Well, you'd have to get him."

KENNY: "Paul? Can you come and do a goodbye jingle?"

PAUL: "Oh! Why, sure Kenny!"

JOHN: (strumming and singing) "'Goodbye to Kenny Everett/ He is our very pal.'"

PAUL: (singing along) "'Jingle, jingle. Very pal. Jingle.'"

JOHN: (sings) "'Goodbye Kenny Everett/ And old Mount Everett, too.'"

JOHN AND PAUL: (singing) "'And it's a goodbye rousing cresendo!'"

KENNY: "Thank you, John. Thank you, Paul"

JOHN: "Wonderful."

PAUL: (giggles like singer Tiny Tim) "Ooo-hoo."

JOHN: (excitedly) "Play Tiny Tim! That's what you gotta play! Tiny Tim! He's the greatest ever, man! You see if I aint right, Kenny Everett! He's the greatest fella on earth! Play Tiny Tim, gentle-readers."

KENNY: "Tiptoe Through The Tulips."

PAUL: "He's real."

JOHN: "He's real, man. We saw him."

PAUL: "I mean, he's good with it. It's like-- it's a funny joke at first. But it's not, really. It's real and it's true."

JOHN: "He's great. (sings) 'Tiny Tim for President/ Oh, Tiny Tim for Queen!'"

KENNY: "Thank you, Ronald."

JOHN: (to George) "He'd like to interview with my cohorts for a following few month show."

GEORGE: "What is it?"

JOHN: "The Kenny Everett Show."

GEORGE: (excitedly) "Oh, great! Well, it's nice to be on the air again! Beatle George speaking from the EMI Studios."

PAUL: (Tiny Tim giggle) "Ooo-hoo!"

KENNY: "It's my last show next week."

GEORGE: "Is it? Got the sack, did you?"

RINGO: (pounding on drum and singing) "'Goodbye Kenny, it's good to see you back/ Goodbye Kenny, we hear you got the sack!'"

GEORGE: "You've got an LP, there."

(laughter)

PAUL: (Tiny Tim voice) "Ooo-hoo, it's nice to be here!"

KENNY: "Okay Henry, wrap it up."

PAUL: (American accent) "Goodbye Kenny, and thank you for all you've done for us in the past."

KENNY: "It's been a pleasure."

PAUL: (American accent) "You're wrong, Kenny. It has NOT been a pleasure!"

JOHN: "Repeat-- Not! N, O, T, O!"

KENNY: "Give us a rousing chorus of 'Strawberry Fields Forever' in jazz tempo."

JOHN: (singing) "Strawberry Fields Forever... cha ch-cha cha!"

PAUL: (singing) "Let me take you down... pah pah, 'cuz I'm going to-- ahh! Strawberry Fields-- ahh! Nothing is real."

JOHN: "Ho-hay! Hep me!"

PAUL: (singing) "And nothing to be going with!"

JOHN: "Hoop-hay. I tell ya, pooo-ahhh!"

(laughter)

KENNY: "That's the end. Let's go out like that!"

(the tape speed switches to chipmunk voices)

JOHN: (yells) "What speed is it?!!"

KENNY: "Seven and a half."

JOHN: "Oh, you crumbs!"

(laughter)



 

Source: Transcribed by www.beatlesinterviews.org from an audio copy of the interview

The Beatles' Apple Promotional Film, 1968.

This is the Apple Promotional Film from 1968. In case you haven't a clue, Apple Corps was set up by the Beatles in 1968 and it quickly got out of control. In the below film, you can see that it wasn't exactly thought out.

There's a conversation in the beginning between Paul, John and Dick James (Yes, the same Dick James who sold all of their songs in 1969 without offering the Beatles themselves a chance to buy them!) and then cuts to Paul playing 'Blackbird' in the studio. (The woman seen next to him is Francie Schwartz, one of Macca's many girlfriends at the time) and then at the end of that segment, George Martin briefly appears. Then some more shots of Swinging London, including the much maligned and ill-fated 'Apple Boutique' on Baker Street.

Then a segment with new Apple artist Mary Hopkin singing and playing guitar in what appears to be Paul McCartney's back garden in Cavendish Avenue. Paul's sheepdog Martha is seen making an appearance and then Paul strolls in at the end holding what appears to be a glass of Iced Tea and says "That was Mary Hopkin and this is Alex..."

The 'Alex' in the next segment was John Lennon's new mate Alexis Mardas or "Magic Alex" as he came to be known thanks to Lennon, who was the head of Apple Electronics but when approached to design and build a new studio for the Beatles to use in the basement of 3 Savile Row, failed to do so. The "studio" turned out to be an absolute disaster and Alex quietly disappeared when Allen Klein came in.

After that, it was a piece where John, Paul and Dick James listen to a phone playing music that sounds like "on hold" music. (This may have been what George Harrison remembered in the anthology that Alex Mardas' only invention of note was a "Toilet with a radio in it or something")

The last segment is Paul demoing 'Helter Skelter' and there's a shot of John & Yoko sitting on the floor next to George Martin. The film ends with the painting that inspired it all.

Here's the film: