All Things Must Beat. Share Anything Beatles!!

[StereoPlayer]

Surreal…

 

[mellowinman]

Speaking of Yesterday, I recently saw that film. It’s the one where there is some sort of strange electrical glitch and an alternative world results in which no one has ever heard of the Beatles. Also Ed Sheeran is in the film as well. Did you guys already see it?
I thought it started out pretty good but it sort of fell flat after the plot line took the romantic lane. There is an interesting scene where the dude hooks up with John Lennon and they talk. I guess the screenwriter was thinking since there was no Beatles then all four of those guys would have had different lives and John would have never been shot.

My beef about the movie were the songs being highlighted in the film seemed to be heavily weighted on Paul’s tunes. Nothing too terribly wrong with that except it puts the music out of balance as a whole. Instead of a complete work by the band it leaned heavily towards one member. They did do “In My Life” and “ Here Comes the Sun” I don’t recall a Ringo song but I remember seeing Yellow Submarine paraphernalia.

I see three changes that would improved the film IMO:
1) Change the Title of the film to Tomorrow Never Knows instead of Yesterday.
2) After meeting John Lennon, the story could have developed and changed course with a contemplative and introspective look at the main dude’s life, thoughts and direction. Maybe even sing Imagine? IDK, that might be going a little too far.
3) Come up with a better ending to the story. Instead of the same old boy girl romance gig maybe have the dude making movies or going on a magical mystery tour or taking a Yellow Submarine around the world?

I thought the premise good. The exection? You're being far too kind in saying, "it sort of fell flat."

I thought the film genuinely sucked.

 

[mellowinman]

“Although the Beatles had no direct involvement with the movie, they’ve been supportive. “I got the sweetest note from Paul [McCartney],” Curtis said, “and I also had a very sweet letter from [George Harrison’s widow] Olivia and one from Ringo.”
In fact, Starr told The Times recently, “I loved it. It’s a great premise — he’s like us but nobody knows him.” John Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, also has been complimentary about “Yesterday.”

That’s also evident in that the Beatles organization approved the use of 15 songs in the film and licensed the title song for use during the end credits.”

The remaining Beatles believe in 'Yesterday,' says film's screenwriter

I think this is cool.

I totally agree with this quote, "There are so many Beatles cover versions, but there are a lot that are not very good.”

 

[b/o 402]

I thought the premise good. The exection? You're being far too kind in saying, "it sort of fell flat."

I thought the film genuinely sucked.

Screenwriter Richard Curtis is also responsible for such cringefests as “Love Actually”, “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, and both “Mamma Mia” pics. So not surprised that reception is mixed.

 

[duanev3]

I just found out recently Paul played a Jazz Bass on the white Album.... So I modified a Squire.
I just found out George Harrison painted his strat with DayGlo paint... So I modified a Squire and painted one.
I found out George Harrison received a Rosewood Tele.. So I ordered a Brazilian RW neck and body and made one.

All done in this year. The Get Back Documentary got the best of me. I watched it 5x.

 

[G-Dog]

Speaking of Yesterday, I recently saw that film. It’s the one where there is some sort of strange electrical glitch and an alternative world results in which no one has ever heard of the Beatles. Also Ed Sheeran is in the film as well. Did you guys already see it?
I thought it started out pretty good but it sort of fell flat after the plot line took the romantic lane. There is an interesting scene where the dude hooks up with John Lennon and they talk. I guess the screenwriter was thinking since there was no Beatles then all four of those guys would have had different lives and John would have never been shot.

My beef about the movie were the songs being highlighted in the film seemed to be heavily weighted on Paul’s tunes. Nothing too terribly wrong with that except it puts the music out of balance as a whole. Instead of a complete work by the band it leaned heavily towards one member. They did do “In My Life” and “ Here Comes the Sun” I don’t recall a Ringo song but I remember seeing Yellow Submarine paraphernalia.

I see three changes that would improved the film IMO:
1) Change the Title of the film to Tomorrow Never Knows instead of Yesterday.
2) After meeting John Lennon, the story could have developed and changed course with a contemplative and introspective look at the main dude’s life, thoughts and direction. Maybe even sing Imagine? IDK, that might be going a little too far.
3) Come up with a better ending to the story. Instead of the same old boy girl romance gig maybe have the dude making movies or going on a magical mystery tour or taking a Yellow Submarine around the world?

The premise for the movie was great, and the trailers looked very promising. I agree, the execution fell flat. I was disappointed after watching it since my expectations were high. For some reason I enjoyed it more the second time around.

I enjoyed the movie “Yesterday”. Yes it’s true that it’s not the story of the Beatles but a story that imagines a world without the Beatles with this guy, who performed the songs great, bringing the songs to the world for the first time. It’s a love story also that’s true. But hey what’s wrong with that. It’s a movie. I enjoyed the movie so much I bought the HDR dvd lol. I don’t have many but that’s one I had to have.
My hope is it brought more young fans who are fans of Ed Sheearn and Hamesh Patel and Lilly James to keep the Beatles flame alive…

I enjoyed it a lot. It was cool having Beatles songs in a movie and I never expected great accuracy or a history story line. It was just a fun movie with Beatles songs in it. I was shocked by the John Lennon “appearance” but I got to explain to my daughters about him and his tragic death.

My advice: Take the movie for what it is and just enjoy it.

I thought the premise good. The exection? You're being far too kind in saying, "it sort of fell flat."

I thought the film genuinely sucked.

I generally dislike other artists covering Beatles songs. I always find something lacking, or they change it way too much! Joe Cocker being the main exception, and @nixdad's Link Removed and The Bluegrass Beatles, and, ... ... , I think that's about it!

The Bee Gees' and Frampton's "Sgt. Pepper's ..." movie started it for me as a disappointment but, over the years, I've learned to accept its "over the top" campiness. Then, my Beatles fan granddaughter simply LOVED the movie "Across The Universe", which I almost hated, except for Joe Cocker's song. And don't get me started on all the "stars' covers" on collaborative albums. But, speaking fs "Stars", I simply LOVED the Stars On 45 disco-esque medley of Beatles hits* when it was on the radio, it sounded SO much like the originals.

The advertising trailer for the movie "Yesterday" did look very interesting from a "what if ..." viewpoint. But, I agree that, as a hardcore Beatles fan, there was too much boy/girl-love story (and maybe other junk, too, I dunno) in there. But I was very intrigued by the old John Lennon cameo, but felt they coulda done a lot better with it. I dunno, maybe it's time to watch it again.

*
.​

 

[duanev3]

Started out as a Lake Placid Squier Strat.

Started out as a Brazilian Rosewood Neck & Body Kit

Started out as a Squire 60's Jazz Bass

Always a 20/40th 63 Hofner

Started out as a 1991 Gibson Les Paul Junior

Always a 2003 JL Revolution Epiphone

 

[Michael Favata]

I generally agree with you @G-Dog.
Not usually a fan of Beatles covers.

I do like the ones found at the following links a lot. Someone here shared this one a while back.



I’ve always been a fan of the following cover song of probably my favorite Beatles to tune if I was forced to choose. Not sure why it couldn’t be more different than the original. But if someone is going to do a cover I would prefer it be an original take. Maybe that’s why I like these two so much.



As far as the movie guys guess we just have to agree to disagree. I think it was great and really enjoyed the ride. It’s a movie. Not a documentary. Hamish Patel performed them really well. What a cool premise. I guess I agree with the remaining Beatles and their survivors. Maybe watch it again?

 

[G-Dog]

I generally agree with you @G-Dog.
Not usually a fan of Beatles covers.

I do like the ones found at the following links a lot. Someone here shared this one a while back.



I’ve always been a fan of the following cover song of probably my favorite Beatles to tune if I was forced to choose. Not sure why it couldn’t be more different than the original. But if someone is going to do a cover I would prefer it be an original take. Maybe that’s why I like these two so much.



As far as the movie guys guess we just have to agree to disagree. I think it was great and really enjoyed the ride. It’s a movie. Not a documentary. Hamish Patel performed them really well. What a cool premise. I guess I agree with the remaining Beatles and their survivors. Maybe watch it again?

Ah! Thanks, Mike. You helped me to better understand what I like in the few Beatles covers I really enjoy. I like 'em to sound like the originals! Or, at least hit some, preferably most, of the same vibes that I recall from the originals. Hence my love of the Stars On 45 medley and @nixdad's The Fab 8.

OR I like 'em to add something very different and interesting to me, hence my affinity for Joe Cocker covers. Mike, I'm sorry, but your two examples, to me, seemed to just give the sheet music to some professional (and very competent!) musicians of a particular genre and they just seem to sight-read it with emphasis on their genre, rather than either hitting any of the original vibes or adding anything really different or interesting to me. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just not my cuppa .. .

I suppose the same criticism could be said of my infatuation with The Bluegrass Beatles, and Allison Krauss's "I Will"*. It's probably because most of my live jams are with a bunch (up to two dozen at a time) of acoustic bluegrass and old school country (and mostly very competent) musicians, with my favorite being the real high speed bluegrass stuff. I find it gives a very spirited Americana vibe to the British Invasion music! (Can't recall what non-Beatles brit song our country/bluegrass jam did once that I just simply LOVED, but we never did it, or another, since!)

Different strokes for different folks, To each their own. YMMV ... ... ...

* ​

.

 

[duanev3]

I generally agree with you @G-Dog.
Not usually a fan of Beatles covers.

I do like the ones found at the following links a lot. Someone here shared this one a while back.



I’ve always been a fan of the following cover song of probably my favorite Beatles to tune if I was forced to choose. Not sure why it couldn’t be more different than the original. But if someone is going to do a cover I would prefer it be an original take. Maybe that’s why I like these two so much.



As far as the movie guys guess we just have to agree to disagree. I think it was great and really enjoyed the ride. It’s a movie. Not a documentary. Hamish Patel performed them really well. What a cool premise. I guess I agree with the remaining Beatles and their survivors. Maybe watch it again?

The Drive My Car is AWESOME!!!!

The Dont Let Me Down one not feeling it at all.... What comes to mind if a Banjo could sing a Beatles song that would it would sound like...... Just a bit too twangy for me.

 

[G-Dog]

Started out as a Lake Placid Squier Strat.

Started out as a Brazilian Rosewood Neck & Body Kit

Started out as a Squire 60's Jazz Bass

Always a 20/40th 63 Hofner

Started out as a 1991 Gibson Les Paul Junior

Always a 2003 JL Revolution Epiphone [edited to flip "right" side up]

WOW! duane, did you paint/build/refinish/whatever these? I really love the Squier "Rocky" and, of course, the "Revolution" Casino!
.

 

[Michael Favata]

Love @nixdad Fab 8. I was jamming today with a friend. I mentioned I was done with bands (the last one was a pandemic victim) unless I could find a spot in a band like his. Not wearing wigs or using the original instruments and amps or talking like them. Just real musicians who love the Beatles doing justice to the songs. So I found the videos (@nixdad your fab 8 web site is down) at YouTube and showed them to my friend.

As far as people doing Beatles covers that sound like the Beatles and remain true to the songs (on recordings not at gigs) there are dozens for each song they recorded so you should have your fill there. I can do without those. They have been done already in my opinion by the lads. At a gig (like @nixdad i could listen contently all day long)

But then again you always seem to see things differently than me don’t you @G-Dog .
It’s all good. As you said, to each his own…

 

[G-Dog]

Love @nixdad Fab 8. I was jamming today with a friend. I mentioned I was done with bands (the last one was a pandemic victim) unless I could find a spot in a band like his. Not wearing wigs or using the original instruments and amps or talking like them. Just real musicians who love the Beatles doing justice to the songs. So I found the videos. ... ... ...

Amen! I agree! Wish I could find some similarly talented Beatles fan/musicians around me! ​

... ... ... As far as people doing Beatles covers that sound like the Beatles and remain true to the songs (on recordings not at gigs) there are dozens for each song they recorded so you should have your fill there. I can do without those. They have been done already in my opinion by the lads. At a gig (like @nixdad i could listen contently all day long) ... ... ...

Well, yeah, I admit that I do occasionally enjoy a very good live Beatles Tribute band (suits, instruments and accents) that captures the original vibes. I never got to see the real thing live, so that's as close as I'm ever gonna get. Saw one live at EPCOT that was simply great! Saw the Classical Mystery Tour live with my local symphony that was absolutely fantastic! But, like Elvis impersonators, there are lots of bad ones and only a few very good ones. In live performance it's very difficult to fake. But, yep, I love it when the talent, feel and effort comes together for a very accurate live Beatles impersonation! Elvis, not so much.

On recordings, I agree with you totally. Too much room for electronic studio tricks to nail the sound these days. To quote Shania Twain, "That don't impress me much!" The Stars on 45 was back in the disco days before ProTools and things like Giles Martin's re-editing the original master tapes for the Beatles "Love" Cirque Du Soleil show. And what people here think of the music in that show! (I'm almost afraid to ask.)​

... ... ... But then again you always seem to see things differently than me don’t you @G-Dog .
It’s all good. As you said, to each his own…

Well, I often see things at least a little differently than most people, ... especially my wife! That doesn't mean I don't like them (or love her!) any less, or don't appreciate their views that may not be to my taste. I try, sometimes really hard, to "play well with others" and understand, ... especially my wife!

But, I do enjoy civilized discussion of differing viewpoints, Michael, in addition to points of agreement, especially here on TalkBass.
.​

 

[ElectroVibe]

The only good cover is when the performer totally transforms the song to fit his style.

 

[juancaminos]

I used to use this as one of my pa sound check songs, Crank It!

 

[G-Dog]

I used to use this as one of my pa sound check songs, Crank It!

Now, I really like that! That hit most of the original vibes, for me, without going overboard for an exact sonic copy. I assume it is still within their style?
.

 

[nixdad]

I enjoyed the movie “Yesterday”. Yes it’s true that it’s not the story of the Beatles but a story that imagines a world without the Beatles with this guy, who performed the songs great, bringing the songs to the world for the first time. It’s a love story also that’s true. But hey what’s wrong with that. It’s a movie. I enjoyed the movie so much I bought the HDR dvd lol. I don’t have many but that’s one I had to have.
My hope is it brought more young fans who are fans of Ed Sheearn and Hamesh Patel and Lilly James to keep the Beatles flame alive…

We’ll said, Michael Favata.

I enjoyed it a lot. It was cool having Beatles songs in a movie and I never expected great accuracy or a history story line. It was just a fun movie with Beatles songs in it. I was shocked by the John Lennon “appearance” but I got to explain to my daughters about him and his tragic death.

My advice: Take the movie for what it is and just enjoy it.

+1

I generally dislike other artists covering Beatles songs. I always find something lacking, or they change it way too much! Joe Cocker being the main exception, and @nixdad's Link Removed and The Bluegrass Beatles, and, ... ... , I think that's about it!

The Bee Gees' and Frampton's "Sgt. Pepper's ..." movie started it for me as a disappointment but, over the years, I've learned to accept its "over the top" campiness. Then, my Beatles fan granddaughter simply LOVED the movie "Across The Universe", which I almost hated, except for Joe Cocker's song. And don't get me started on all the "stars' covers" on collaborative albums. But, speaking fs "Stars", I simply LOVED the Stars On 45 disco-esque medley of Beatles hits* when it was on the radio, it sounded SO much like the originals.

The advertising trailer for the movie "Yesterday" did look very interesting from a "what if ..." viewpoint. But, I agree that, as a hardcore Beatles fan, there was too much boy/girl-love story (and maybe other junk, too, I dunno) in there. But I was very intrigued by the old John Lennon cameo, but felt they coulda done a lot better with it. I dunno, maybe it's time to watch it again.

*
.​

You’re too kind, @G-Dog. Thanks so much for your kind words.

Ah! Thanks, Mike. You helped me to better understand what I like in the few Beatles covers I really enjoy. I like 'em to sound like the originals! Or, at least hit some, preferably most, of the same vibes that I recall from the originals. Hence my love of the Stars On 45 medley and @nixdad's The Fab 8.

OR I like 'em to add something very different and interesting to me, hence my affinity for Joe Cocker covers. Mike, I'm sorry, but your two examples, to me, seemed to just give the sheet music to some professional (and very competent!) musicians of a particular genre and they just seem to sight-read it with emphasis on their genre, rather than either hitting any of the original vibes or adding anything really different or interesting to me. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just not my cuppa .. .

I suppose the same criticism could be said of my infatuation with The Bluegrass Beatles, and Allison Krauss's "I Will"*. It's probably because most of my live jams are with a bunch (up to two dozen at a time) of acoustic bluegrass and old school country (and mostly very competent) musicians, with my favorite being the real high speed bluegrass stuff. I find it gives a very spirited Americana vibe to the British Invasion music! (Can't recall what non-Beatles brit song our country/bluegrass jam did once that I just simply LOVED, but we never did it, or another, since!)

Different strokes for different folks, To each their own. YMMV ... ... ...

* ​

.

Love @nixdad Fab 8. I was jamming today with a friend. I mentioned I was done with bands (the last one was a pandemic victim) unless I could find a spot in a band like his. Not wearing wigs or using the original instruments and amps or talking like them. Just real musicians who love the Beatles doing justice to the songs. So I found the videos (@nixdad your fab 8 web site is down) at YouTube and showed them to my friend.

As far as people doing Beatles covers that sound like the Beatles and remain true to the songs (on recordings not at gigs) there are dozens for each song they recorded so you should have your fill there. I can do without those. They have been done already in my opinion by the lads. At a gig (like @nixdad i could listen contently all day long)

But then again you always seem to see things differently than me don’t you @G-Dog .
It’s all good. As you said, to each his own…

Thank you, Michael Favata - very kind indeed. I appreciate you sharing our videos as well.
Thanks for the heads up about our website. It seems fine, so maybe it’s the link in my signature that needs to be updated.
Link Removed

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Michael Favata]

I always enjoy listening to you guys.
Thank you Chris!

 

[RedVee]

I really like this old cover. RIP Doug Parkinson.

 

[Aussie Player]

I really like this old cover. RIP Doug Parkinson.

Haven't seen that since it came out in about '69.
Thank you. Was a final influence on my taking up bass.