The Beatles 1962-66 and 1967-70... and inserts

Many of you have probably seen the Beatles' "red" (1962-1966) and "blue" (1967-1970) greatest hits compilations, which feature cleverly taken photos -- seven years apart -- of the band looking down in a stairwell.  But since those photos were on the front and back of the album, there was no way to know at the time what the actual songs inside were.  So a two-sided, black and white insert was sandwiched on the back, inside the shrink wrap.  Some people saved it; most did not.  One side had the tracks, the other was "For Your Information," with all of the band's material (together and solo) listed.  It was impossible to find a nice copy of this online, so here it is (below), with some interesting things I've noticed...

-Let It Be is not listed as being available on 8-track (this is due to a whole weird contract clause with United Artists, who released the film itself)

-George's Wonderwall LP is available on vinyl and 8-track, but not cassette?

-The Beatles Story (2LP audio documentary) is only available on vinyl... it hit #7 when released in 1964, and is the only original Capitol Records Beatle release of the '60s NOT to make #1 or #2 on the charts.

-John's Two Virgins LP is not listed anywhere, because it was actually released in the US via Bill Cosby's Tetragrammaton Records, due to the front cover (a nude John and Yoko)... by the time of this insert (March 1973), it was likely out of print anyway

-George's second single is incorrectly listed as "What Is Live" (instead of "What Is Life")

-John's first two singles (Give Peace a Chance; Cold Turkey) seem to be out of print at this time

-Paul's Hi Hi Hi single IS included, the newest release at the time

-The first single in the Beatles list is "Yellow Submarine/Thingumybob" (cat. # 1800)... which is actually the John Foster & Sons cover of this tune on Apple (with The Black Dyke Mills Band on the b-side)

-John's Live Peace In Toronto LP is credited to the Plastic "One" Band on 8T (as opposed to Plastic Ono Band)

-The Bangladesh cassette and 8T have Columbia records catalog numbers, since that company got the rights to non-vinyl issues in exchange for allowing Bob Dylan to appear on the set

-no 4-tracks or reels listed, since they seem to have gone out of print in autumn, 1970 and Dec. '71, respectively

Coincidentally, these albums came out as a response to "Alpha Omega," a cheaply made box of Beatle hits released in 1972 (allegedly) with the backing of organized crime figures in Northeast Ohio.  That quasi-legit album was supposedly an attempt to test then-new copyright laws.  It did not work.  "Alpha Omega" (and its TWO sequels) contained both group and solo material -- an idea that was dropped for the official red and blue LPs.

HOWEVER, when these albums were reissued on CD in 1993, they could have easily fit on 2 CDs instead of 4.  But since they were required to maintain the 4CDs, they had a lot of extra space.  I would have liked to have seen the following tunes added...

-Twist & Shout; Long Tall Sally (left off because they wanted only original compositions on the set)
-I Saw Her Standing There (left off since it wasn't actually the A-side of a single, perhaps?)
-Taxman, Tomorrow Never Knows, Got to Get You Into My Life (all left off for time on the original album; the Revolver LP is woefully under-represented)
-Birthday; Happiness Is a Warm Gun (again, THREE songs from the White Album?!)
-Oh! Darling
-Two of Us; I Me Mine

What's Wrong with HBO's VINYL?

Martin Scorsese asked me not to post this in 2016, but I just noticed he unfriended me on Facebook.  So all best are off...
I REALLY wanted to like Vinyl, but it challenged my personal beliefs...
We’re supposed to believe it’s 1973? OK. Except for the various pieces of Marantz equipment installed in the office wall that clearly post-date the 1973.
We’re supposed to believe the coked-up record exec (Richie) is going to take his secretary into the bathroom, get his pants off, and then just go back to his desk?
We’re supposed to believe a mob chop shop gets raided and they decide that the drugged out big mouth guy they JUST TOLD ABOUT THE CHOP SHOP doesn’t need to be killed? So they kill some other dude?
We’re supposed to believe Richie has such a weak system that one druggy weekend puts him into another orbit?  To the point he misses a crucial meeting with a German conglomerate?
We’re supposed to believe Alice Cooper wants to waste a whole day taunting some peon over Richie’s long-ago disrespect? Why not just demand to see the boss himself?
We’re supposed to believe that Richie is going to seek out some forgotten blues player because THAT’s what audiences wanted in 1973 (instead of Donny Osmond and Elton John)?
We’re supposed to believe that other weasel exec can hide and (later) dispose of crates and crates of illegitimate teeny bopper albums? What idiot record exec thought THOSE were the ticket to long-term sales (instead of some long-established marquee act)?!
We’re supposed to believe that some lame dummy gets demoted to the mail room and all of a sudden develops a sense of rhythm and an ear (and a conscience) and invents house music? And all the other guys suddenly accept him?
We’re supposed to believe Mick Jagger’s son DIDN’T get into music just to sleep with that one lady exec?
We’re supposed to believe the company is banking on a third-rate New York Dolls ripoff to save them?
We’re supposed to believe Richie suddenly respects his former mistress, and she’s the only successful lady in the biz (according to the show), and he’s going to allow her to come back and turn around the company?
We’re supposed to believe that Ray Romano flips out when he thinks he’s lost a ton of money?  And he doesn’t realize they can just use creative accounting to make up for it?
We’re supposed to believe Richie got close enough to talk to Elvis – and coherently -- IN 1973?!
We’re supposed to believe Richie’s wife is going to leave luxuriousness to crash with a boring artist, and that Richie isn’t too upset about it?
We’re supposed to believe all those lame lip-sync montages where an actor WHO LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THE ARTIST IN QUESTION stands around on a fire escape and sings for 4 minutes?!
The only parts I enjoyed were when Ray Romano got annoyed at Elvis’ song selection during the show... and when Richie explains how they ripoff artists.
Oh, and I enjoyed the end credits because I watched the series for free on a flight overseas... so when it ended, that meant I could leave my seat and throw up everywhere and just blame it on airline food.
I got a free blanket!

Former SNL castmembers return to make fake commercials

Haven't posted any recent SNL sketches here in a wire that were (mostly) kid-safe... all with former castmembers for hosts!
Here's a commercial shoot (with Will Ferrell), a backhanded compliment at Taylor Swift (with Chris Rock), a basketball scene and the Turtle Shirt commercial (both with Jimmy Fallon).  Notice Fallon channeling his Robin Williams imitation during the basketball scene, and how easily Ferrell plays an excellent elderly person.  There's his chance for a dramatic role! #snl4kidz