In April 1966 The Beatles released their 12th UK single 'Paperback Writer'. A Paul composition which tells the story of a budding author who wants to get his book published.

In 1968, journalist and author Hunter Davies published the first authorised biography of John, Paul, George and Ringo. 

Since then the floodgates have opened and their have been an avalanche of Beatles books about many different aspects of the bands career. Books about the record releases, television and radio broadcasts, their live concerts and much more.

In this weeks episode Paul takes a deep dive into his Beatles library and selects 10 volumes which Beatles fans should own.

Welcome to episode 28 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
 
 Visit our new patreon channel at patreon.com/fixingahole its currently free to join with new and exclusive material being added from 1 September.
 

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April 1971 marked the first anniversary of Paul's statement that he was leaving The Beatles.

During those 12 months the music landscape had changed. The loss of The Beatles was old news. T-Rex were literary riding high in the singles chart with Ride A White Song. Rod The Mod - Rod Stewart was about to hit number one in both the singles and album charts simultaneously in the UK and USA with Maggie May from his album Every Picture Tells A Story. Albums were now big business for record companies, as Led Zeppelin would prove. Plus Slade, Sweet and of course the legend that is David Bowie were waiting in the wings. Ready to dominate the early 70's charts.

So was the solo work of John, Paul, George and Ringo relevant to music fans of the 1970's?

In this weeks weeks episode we try to answer that question, By looking at the UK singles chart of 18 April 1971.

Welcome to episode 27 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
 
 Visit our new patreon channel at patreon.com/fixingahole its currently free to join with new and exclusive material being added from 1 September.
 

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By the end of 1970, John had released 4 albums outside of The Beatles. Two Virgins, Life With The Lions and The Wedding Album were Avant Garde pieces which had more in common with Revolution 9 rather than Strawberry Fields Forever. While Live Peace in Toronto was a record of a live concert performed as the Plastic Ono Band.

Clearly Johns album output away form his band mates did not have the commercial appeal of Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, or Abbey Road. However, his solo singles fared much better on the charts. Give Peace A Chance, Cold Turkey and Instant Karma were all major hits.

Then just before 1970 came to a close. John gave his masterpiece. John Lennon Plastic Ono Band, was a stripped back John, baring his soul about family, relationships and The Beatles.

Imagine might be his most played song, but John Lennon Plastic Ono Band is the real john Lennon, laid bare. 

Welcome to episode 26 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
 
 Visit our new patreon channel at patreon.com/fixingahole its currently free to join with new and exclusive material being added from 1 September.
 

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When the Beatles contract with EMI expired in the February of 1976. EMI were free to exploit the band back catalogue....or were they?

With Paul signing a new contract with EMI subsidiary Capitol. EMI were mindful not to upset one of their most lucrative assets. 

Following the rerelease of all 22 UK Beatles singles, EMI and Capitol came up with a compilation of The Beatles rockier recordings. Which although housed in an ill conceived 50's influenced sleeve. The album was a great introduction for new fans.

The following year came a live album compiled from tapes which had sat unreleased in the vault since the mid 60's. The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl is a fantastic document of Beatlemania, which we all hoped would lead to more excavations of the vault, but no. What we received were compilations of Love Songs, Ballads, Film Songs.

In this episode we look at the full story behind these themed compilations. What was released. What never left the vault and why.

Welcome to episode 25 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
 
 Visit our new patreon channel at patreon.com/fixingahole its currently free to join with new and exclusive material being added from 1 September.
 

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For 50 plus years Jacques Volcouve has been one of the world’s leading Beatles authorities and archivist.

From his Paris home he has written 9 books, published 2 long running fanzines and run a media press agency for all things John, Paul, George and Ringo. On top of which he also built one of the greatest Beatles record and memorabilia collections.

In this episode of Fixing A Hole, Mark and Paul chat with Jacques and discovered how this obsession with all things John, Paul, George and Ringo evolved. His work with radio and media companies and get the lowdown on his latest project, his podcast ‘Beatles’ Secrets’, which he hosts with Philippe Gault and is available on all major podcast platforms.

Welcome to episode 24 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.
 
 Visit our new patreon channel at patreon.com/fixingahole its currently free to join with new and exclusive material being added from 1 September.
 

Please get in touch via:

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Jacques Volcouve and Philippe Gault podcast ‘Beatles’ Secrets’, is available on all major platforms including:

Spotify

Beatles' Secrets | Podcast on Spotify

Apple Music

Beatles' Secrets - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

By December 1973, no one could knock Paul's work ethic. It was now 3 years since he announced he was leaving The Beatles. In that time he had released 4 albums and 8 singles (in the UK). But although the albums had their moments, they were not on the same level as later Beatles albums - Sgt Pepper, White Album, Abbey Road. 

Now, on the eve of recording a fifth album, his new band Wings was falling apart. But as we have seen throughout his career, Paul is not one for rolling over and giving up. Instead with surviving Wings members wife Linda and Denny Laine he travelled to Lagos, Nigeria and under the most basic of conditions created his post Beatle masterpiece, Band On The Run.

In this episode we tell the story of the recording of the album and discover why this is Paul's greatest post Beatles work. 

Welcome to this weeks edition of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.

Visit our new patreon channel at patreon.com/fixingahole its currently free to join with new and exclusive material being added from 1 September.

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In last weeks episode we took an indepth dive into The Beatles record breaking appearance at Shea Stadium, New York in August 1965.

This week we backtrack exactly 3 years to the August of 1962. When a film crew from a regional television magazine programme visited the Cavern in Liverpool, to film John, Paul, George and newly appointed drummer Ringo Starr, perform one of their now legendary lunchtime performances.

This historic clip of The Beatles performing Some Other Guy demonstrates what a great live band they had become following years of playing clubs and halls around the north west of England and of course, Hamburg.

In this episode of Fixing A Hole, we discuss how the filming came about. What other songs they performed that day. How due to sound issues a further recording date was organised. And how after all this effort, the clip was consigned to the vault until Beatlemania erupted in Great Britain in the autumn of 1963.

Welcome to this weeks edition of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.

Visit our new patreon channel at patreon.com/fixingahole its currently free to join with new and exclusive material being added from 1 September.

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60 years ago, The Beatles played the biggest concert of their career. When on 15th August 1965 they played to over 55,000 fans at New York’s Shea Stadium.

Only 2 years ago they had waved goodbye to the Cavern, the famous Liverpool city centre venue. Where playing to a few hundred fans at lunchtimes and evenings, they had grown the seeds of Beatlemania, before becoming the global phenomenon they still are today.

The concert at Shea was not only the pinnacle of the groups live career. It was also the moment when touring by major artists stepped away from theatres and became the stadium events we still have today.

In this episode we look at why this concert was so important and what audio-visual material of this ground breaking show has survived.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.

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By the mid-1960s, The Beatles had achieved global superstardom, but were increasingly frustrated by the limitations of touring and the expectations of their audience. "Rubber Soul," their previous album, had already hinted at a more introspective and adventurous direction, but "Revolver" would fully embrace the possibilities of studio experimentation.

Released in the United Kingdom on 5 August 1966, "Revolver" is the seventh studio album by The Beatles. Widely regarded as one of the most influential albums in popular music history, "Revolver" marked a departure from the band's earlier sound and a bold leap into experimental territory, both sonically and lyrically. 

Many music fans consider this to be The Beatles masterpiece, including Fixing A Hole co-host Mark Wakely. In this episode we discuss the background to the album and why it has become so highly regarded.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.

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Unlike in the USA where Capitol released Beatles singles in colourful picture sleeves. British 45's, with 2 exceptions came in Parlophone company sleeves. But unlike America where EP releases failed to ignite the imagination of teenage record buyers. UK fans were gifted 13 EP releases presented in colourful, laminated picture sleeves.

Join us this week as we take a Magical Mystery Tour through The Beatles UK EP releases. We discuss why EP's were an important tool in EMI's commercial exploitation of The Beatles catalogue. The music which was released exclusively on EP. The EP's which never reach the public and where you can find this music today.

So make a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, relax and tune-in to this edition of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed. 

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.

Please get in touch via:

Facebook: Fixing A Hole https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

Email: [email protected]