There has been quite a bit of discussion here lately about all the AI recordings that have begun to surface, creating “fake” versions of songs by manipulating “sound-alike,” computer-generated vocals to simulate an updated recording by some of the many stars who have left us. Generally, our position has been that we don’t really want any part of it … and feel it would be bad for the music industry as a whole to allow these recordings to become available.
And then, out of the blue, Paul McCartney announced on Tuesday that HE has taken part in an AI recording to create “the last Beatles record,” utilizing an old cassette tape that John Lennon recorded decades ago, cleaned it up and then created a whole new recording.
It’s a technique pioneered by film director Peter Jackson, who used it to better isolate the dialog of all four Beatles recorded during the filming of “Let It Be” / “Get Back.” As Paul explains it … “[Jackson] was able to extricate John’s voice from a ropey little bit of cassette. We had John’s voice and a piano and he could separate them with AI. They tell the machine: ‘That’s the voice. This is a guitar. Lose the guitar.’
“So when we came to make what will be the last Beatles record, it was a demo that John had and we were able to take John’s voice and get it pure through this AI. Then we can mix the record, as you would normally do. So it gives you some sort of leeway.”
I’ve got real mixed emotions about this, especially with George gone now, too. The “Threetles” were supposed to record THREE of John’s songs for the anthology series but “Grow Old With Me” was never completed … so I wonder if THIS is the new recording that Macca is talking about. (“The Guardian,” who broke the story, speculates that it’s a track called “Now And Then” that Lennon recorded on a cassette and left in a box marked “For Paul” shortly before he died.)
One of the first AI examples that we ran in Forgotten Hits was, in fact, a recreation of Lennon’s complete “Grow Old With Me” … and, despite all of my negative views expressed above, it was downright sensational! Especially classical sounding, it was a full production … but only with John’s voice on the track. (Ring recorded the song on his own several years ago when The Beatles’ attempt was abandoned.)
One would think that Jeff Lynne would likely know what tracks were available and being considered at the time since he was the one producing the sessions. (Jeff could have filled in for John vocally and it’s likely no one would have even noticed!!! John used to call ELO “the baby Beatles!!!”)
As much as we personally may be against promoting this new technology to create “new” work by older artists (including the many who have left us), our opinion isn’t going to sway or slow down technology … especially when some of the artists themselves are embracing these new techniques. Cleaning up old recordings to make them more enjoyable for today’s ears is one thing … but creating new “manufactured” work is quite another. I wonder who’s going to sort all this out fifty years from now … and just how the dust will settle. (kk)
UPDATE: Apparently the track in question IS “Now And Then.” (I’ve heard bits and pieces of this and it’s nowhere near as strong as “Grow Old With Me” … but McCartney keeps referring to this new release, due out later this year, as “the last Beatles record.”
McCartney went on to say that he, George Harrison and Ringo Starr spent a day on “Now and Then” for Anthology but George didn’t like it, as he felt it was too incomplete and, by democratic vote, it was rejected for that project. The song was once again considered for release around 2005 but again rejected.
What has changed now is the new technology available, developed by Peter Jackson’s company to separate sounds into their own channel. Jackson used the technology on the ‘Get Back’ movie. Producer Giles Martin (son of famed Beatles Producer George Martin, who has been putting together all of the recent anniversary box sets released by the band) also used it on the recent ‘Revolver’ box set and has used it on his new remix of The Beach Boys ‘Pet Sounds’ album, which reportedly sounds remarkable.
When I read about these hologram shows … and something like ABBA’s phenomenal avatar (ABBAtar???) show playing in London, I cannot help but wonder where this technology will take us in the years to come. Seeing ABBA recreate their own music through this new technology sounds interesting and appealing to me … and when the show finally tours, you can bet we’ll be there to see it. (And I’ll likely download “Now And Then” the minute it’s available, too!) There’s just something “old school” about me ‘tho that says “Let their body of work stand as it is” … I’m just not convinced any “updating” or “new creations” are really necessary, other than improved sound to what already exists. (kk)
In other John Lennon related news, “The Photography Of May Pang” will be on display this weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) right here in Northbrook, IL … featuring photos from her 18-month “Lost Weekend” with John … and the exhibit is free to the public. (In fact, if you buy one of her photos, she’ll even be there on hand to sign it for you!!!) kk
More information here: https://artpostgallery.com/
And, speaking of new releases, The Estate of Bobby Darin has got some interesting titles coming up …
Including Bobby’s two albums that he recorded for his own Direction Record Label in the late ‘60’s (when the toupee came off … and Bobby became “Bob”.)
Some recently discovered, previously unreleased gems are supposedly in the offing … so you might want to get on the list for these! (kk)
More information here: https://theseconddisc.com/2023/06/13/new-direction-bobby-darins-60s-label-reactivates-in-july-unreleased-music-promised/
Hi Kent,
It's hard to believe that a whole year has gone by since Joel Whitburn passed away. I miss our conversations about music, sports and life in general. He was not only my boss, but also a dear friend and mentor. I've attached one of my favorite photos of Joel, at his home office desk, always looking ahead to the next book project. I think he'd be happy that his company is carrying on.
Paul Haney
Record Research
I was shocked when I got your letter … I cannot believe it has been a year already!!! Seriously, where does the time go. Still sad to think that he’s gone … and Fran now, too.
But Record Research has a brand new release on the horizon … and hopefully many more to come down the road.
As they say … “The Hits Just Keep On Comin’!”
Thanks, Paul. (kk)
We were concerned when Shelley Sweet-Tufano sent us this message, posted on Micky Dolenz’s Facebook page the other day …
To my dear friends and fans (both old and new),
Apologies for the global post, but in response to the many calls, texts, emails and social media enquiries, I want to assure everyone that I am fine.
It turns out that extreme exhaustion, from a hectic 10 week schedule, jetlag (of the international variety), and high altitude do not mix well, and I want to apologize to anyone that hand tickets for the two cancelled Park City, UT shows this past weekend.
Thank you ALL for the care, love and support you’ve shown me! I now intend to rest up and remind myself, again, that I’m 78 and not 28!
Love and thanks,
Micky
Micky had to cancel a couple of shows due to exhaustion. (A recent flight to London to take part in the James Burton tribute caused him some serious jetlag … and then right back to it as soon as he landed in The States. I’m telling you, this guy never stops!!!)
We checked with his East Coast PR Guy David Salidor who reassured us:
He's the man! But all is good - I think the altitude just took it's toll
- D
I no sooner read this than I got an email from Ron Onesti, announcing that Micky will be back at The Arcada Theatre on Sunday, October 15th!!! (kk)
Shelley also told us ...
From Gary Pig Gold …
And who could forget The Sulli-Gulli!!!
Or Ed in a Beatle Wig!!!
Hi there FH readers,
There's no question that the Ed Sullivan show was one of the most influential TV shows in America, and the show spotlighted everyone from Elvis Presley to the Beatles, the Dave Clark Five, The Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, the Doors, Janis Joplin and so many other recording artists of the time. If you were seen on the Ed Sullivan show, you pretty much had a guarantee of a successful musical career. One person that actually turned down an offer to appear on the Ed Sullivan show was Jimmy Drake, a fellow that made demo song recordings better known to most people as Nervous Norvus. That was his problem. He really was too shy and nervous to appear on the Ed Sullivan show, so after a few singles released in 1956, his recording career just died.
One interesting fact that most people have forgotten after only seeing the Beatles clip and not the whole show, is that on the same night that the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan show, February 9, 1964, one fourth of the Monkees also appeared on the show as well. Davy Jones, whose voice hadn't changed yet, was part of the theatrical performance of Oliver that night, but teenagers waiting to see the Beatles didn't care about that.
But as great and as powerful as Ed Sullivan was, he was an easy TV show host to make fun of, with his unique voice, his wooden manner on TV which I understand was due to a neck injury. When talking about Ed Sullivan, almost everyone imitated the way he said, "We're gonna have a really big shooow tonight." It was all in fun, and Sullivan didn't seem to mind. After all, many entertainers always felt that the best
flattery is imitation.
Stan Freberg was one of the most popular satirists of the time, and anyone was fair game for Freberg to make fun of. They ran the gamut from Johnnie Ray, Les Paul and Mary Ford, Mitch Miller and Lawrence Welk, to the Chords, the Platters, Lonnie Donegan and Elvis Presley. Even Harry Belafonte's The Banana Boat song was fair game.
But when Stan Freberg created comedy skits about Ed Sullivan and Arthur Godfrey,
Capital Records felt that it wasn't right to make fun of these two giants in the entertainment industry. The label refused to release the material at the time. It has since surfaced on the 1999 Tip Of The Freberg CD box set. The comedy skit created in 1956 is called The Worst Of The Town (The Most Of The Town), an obvious take off of the title of his original TV show, Toast Of The Town.
There's an all but forgotten comedian from the mid fifties named Will Jordan that was pretty darn good at imitating other entertainers like Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Liberace, Arthur Godfrey, Jackie Gleason and more. Some of his imitations are pretty darn good in my opinion. In 1956, Will Jordan did his own spoof of Ed Sullivan in a two part single called Roast Of The Town (Shnook Magazine TV Awards Parts 1 and 2)
And finally, one of the most popular easy listening groups of the time, the Kirby Stone Four, recorded their own spoof of Ed Sullivan in a 1958 song called A Really Big Show Tonight. This is definitely rare material and shows a different and slightly irreverent look at Ed Sullivan and how comedians and even vocal groups were portraying him at the time.
Hope you enjoy these rarities. With the possible exception of the Kirby Stone Four's song, these aren't even forgotten hits.
Take Care, Kent -
Sam Ward
Lots of fuss about the new all-inclusive Stevie Nicks discography box set coming out …
Her complete solo works (and a bunch of extras, too!)
More on this here: https://theseconddisc.com/2023/06/14/stevie-nicks-complete-box-rhino/
And, since we’re talking about great rock box sets, check out this list that Ultimate Classic Rock put together …
Their choices for the 40 Greatest Box Sets (and it turns out that I own 40% of the list!!!)
Lots of others that could be added to this list …
But this is a GREAT starting point if you’re just building a collection. (kk)
Gloria Estefan is being inducted into The Songwriters Hall Of Fame this evening (June 15th) …
And Billboard took full advantage of the opportunity to play the Twenty Questions game …
I have always enjoyed Gloria’s music … and was fortunate enough to see her a couple of times. It’s been awhile since she’s been on the charts … and I’m not really up to speed on any new music she may have released over the past dozen years or so …
But her catalog is quite impressive indeed … eighteen
Billboard Top 40 Hits, including eleven that made The Top Ten: “Conga” (#10, 1986); “Bad Boy” (#8, 1986);
“Wods Got In The Way” (#5, 1986); “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” (#5, 1987); “Can’t
Stay Away From You” (#6, 1988); “Anything For You” (#1, 1988); “1-2-3” (#3,
1988); “Don’t Wanna Lose You” (#1, 1989); “Here We Are” (#6, 1990); “Coming Out
Of The Dark” (#1, 1991) and “Music Of My Heart” (with N*Sync … #2, 1999.)
