Untitled Beatles Podcast

In honour of spring break, it’s a super deluxe reissue of the Untitled Beatles Podcast’s third episode. Travel back to the simpler times of 2020, a world under lockdown during a deadly global pandemic, when two old friends/comedy nerds try podcasting about their favorite band on a platform called Zoom. Spoiler: the band is The Beatles. Wax nostalgic about scrubbing your vegetables with soap while reliving the golden days of Covid-19 with all the bells and whistles you’ve come to expect from today’s Tangential Twosome.

Originally published June 13, 2020

T.J. turns Tony on... to two George Harrison solo albums: the self-titled 1979 studio record and the 1991 live double-LP with Eric Clapton's band. Plus detours into the Beatles Sirius channel, Mitch Weissman, Beatle baseball, and The Jimmie Nicol Telethon.

EPISODE LINKS

It’s one of the biggest albums of the late 1980’s.

No, not “Small World”, Huey Lewis & The News’ misguided attempt at a jazz-pop record that sadly gave us a song called “Bobo Tempo”, and can be found in near mint condition for a dollar in used record bins across the country. Rather, dear bleeder, it’s George Harrison’s comeback album, “Cloud 9”. Led by its spirited cover of “Got My Mind Set On You”, and the unofficial theme to Disney’s Mulan (“Breath Away from Heaven”), this is a record that’s held up through the years as one of the best by a solo Beatle not named “Pete”.

Tony & T.J. continue their deep-dish of this legendary album, as they explore questions about fonts, album covers, Weird Al, random Billy Joel deep cuts, and more; like:

😈 Whilst (look it up, pal) listening to the 8-Track of “Cloud 9”, do most/moist Harrison fans prefer “Devil’s Radio” (Beginning) or “Devil’s Radio” (Conclusion)? And what meta, psychological data does that provide about the listener?

🐣 Is the UBP so “woke” (ed note: gross) that they won’t let their fans eat Big League Chicken Chew before a little league game?

🏝 (Angry Chicago Guy, he’s angrily waving a dirty, BMG Record Club, CD copy of “The Immaculate Collection”. It belonged to his wife, before she moved to Hammond to "find herself":) HOW COME “LA ISLA BONITA” AIN’T NO BONUS TRACK ON NO “CLOUD 9” REISSUE?

EPISODE LINKS

Look. George Harrison took five years after "Gone Troppo" to complete his 1987 masterpiece "Cloud Nine", so excuse us if we take a couple weeks to wrap up our long awaited deep dish.

This week, the Untitled Twotles finally get around to talking about side one, and promise not to wreck the episode with tacky gated reverb like some sorry Fine Young Cannibals knockoff.

EPISODE LINKS

After spending the past three weeks in 1995’s Anthology universe, the Untitled Beatles Podcast needs a break. So this week… we head WAY BACK… to 1987.

That’s right. At long last, by popular demand—LLGH! Cheers, big ears!—Tony and T.J. delve into George Harrison’s smash-hit solo record, “Cloud Nine”, which T.J. SHANOFF LOVED LONG BEFORE ALL YOU BANDWAGON B*S.

Along the way, they find time to foray into Format Foyer, and answer the pressing questions like:

📼🌴 OK, but does T.J. own the 1987 cassette released on Contessa records in Indonesia?

💿💦 Was Tony’s copy of Cheap Trick’s “Lap of Luxury” CD damaged in a flood, or by teenage Tony’s tears?

💗📻[Angry Drunk Chicago Guy] HOW COME THEY STILL AIN’T PLAYIN’ THESE BEATLE BLOWHARDS ON CHICAGO’S OWN ROCK 95.5 (AN IHEART RADIO STATION)?

EPISODE LINKS

Some say the “Sgt. Pepper”, post-touring era is the peak of The Beatles recorded music. Others prefer Korn.

For those who are slightly more into The Beatles, Tony, T.J. and Producer Casey deep dish Episode 6 of “The Beatles Anthology”. This has always been one of the most fertile and astonishing chapters in Beatles history, but we can all be thankful that Disney truncated it by 15 minutes for those of us in a rush. Beep beep, toot toot, no time for the “For No One” bridge, damn it!

And, sure! The UBP3zteetles (you try it, tough guy) talk “Anthology” 6 in great detail, but still find time to probe the throbbing questions, like:

🏛️ Why exactly is Dhani keeping George Harrison & Yanni’s legendary collab at the Acropolis unreleased?

🍇 Ray Charles is a true all-time legend. Is his singin’ raisin doppelgänger even better?

♟️ Do most non-poseur Beatles fans think “One Night In Bangkok” belongs on “Sgt. Pepper” instead of “She’s Leaving Home”?

EPISODE LINKS

Real Beatlefans have been saying it on the DL (#JimmyButler) for years: "Who the hell needs Rubber Soul?"

Certainly not “The Beatles Anthology”, which puts nearly as much emphasis on the 1965 classic as they do “The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl” (Pre-Ron Howard Edition). OK so maybe it’s not that bad, but c’mon Apple, it’s RUBBER SOUL! (#HeyHey #Rip)

For better AND worse, Beatles Anthology 5 is much like its predecessors; chock full of incredibly remastered footage and audio; while missing certain key elements for time or perhaps simply to please a mouse. (SFX: Buzzer) Sorry! “The Mouse”!

Come join Tony, T.J., and Casey as we mansplain how men mansplain Beatles stuff, and since the rule of two mansplainings cancels things out, we’ll ponder other life quandaries, like:

🏀 Do The Warriors come out to play to “Dear Prudence”, or is Steph Curry more of a “Wild Honey Pie” guy?

🏍️ Should a cover band who only does 90’s McCartney call themselves Mullet Kintyre?

🏝️ (Angry Chicago Guy: he just did a shot of Malort with an Ajax chaser): HOW COME YOKO AIN’T ON MY COPY OF “B-SIDE TO SEASIDE”? AND HOW COME SUSIE AIN’T WEARIN’ NO RED STRIPES IN MY DAMP DREAMS?

EPISODE LINKS

Wait no more, it’s Anthology 4! It’s better streaming, and also way worse! It’s shorter, which is nice, and also truly stupid. Official Beatles history is being re-written forever, a travesty that's never sounded or looked so good. Yes, if you’ve also found yourself stroking out at the tightening and edits of “Beatles Anthology - 2025”, you’ve got some pals at the Untitled Beatles Podcast. We’ve never been more grateful for such glorious Beatles product, and also, hey Calderstone, WTF MY DUDES???

It’s quite the conundrum as the fellas deep dish the 4th installment of this generation’s “Frozen 2”, now with Bernard Purdie as Josh Gad. They also ask the tough questions that CBS won’t allow their remaining journalists to even consider, like:

🎟🎡 Should The Beatles have re-recorded “Ticket To Ride” with lower production value for use in The Charlie Rich Anthology?

🏈🐴 Does Ringo prefer his beloved Raiders in L.A., Oakland, or Las Vegas; or merely singing “Kicks” with Paul Revere?

🍆📦 Since Sir Paul clearly created the original “I’m On A Boat” viral smash, can we finally credit John for the original “Dick In A Box” on the Two Virgins album cover?

EPISODE LINKS

How late’s too late to wish people a Happy New Year …? How late’s too late to run a New Year Preview episode of a Beatles podcast? LOOK: THIS EPISODE DROPS JANUARY 31ST SO CLOSE ENOUGH.

We’re back, baybee! Join Tony and T.J. as they spend the better part of an hour writing down their deepest wishes for Beatle baubles in 2026, lighting them on fire, and releasing them into the night sky. And UBP GenZ Correspondent Skylar Moody drops in with reflections on the recent news of a BeatleFest furlough. Er, I mean the Fest for Furlough Fans.

As we pop the last of our unpopped poppers and nuke the last of our leftover Bears playoff jalapeño poppers, we ponder:

🔮🥁 Will 2026 be the year that Calderstone finally releases the Purdie tapes?

🔮🥫 Did Bernard “The Hitmaker” Purdie play on the jingle for Heinz Baked Beans, or French’s Mustard, or was it Spring Hill Ford?

🔮🏈 Is it also true Bernard “Mississippi Bigfoot” Purdie was a wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the early 2000s, training former Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward at Heinz Field?

EPISODE LINKS

Originally released September 23, 2023

No less an authority than Mark Lewisohn knows that the skiing scene in "Help!" was filmed in Stowe VT, during the 1997 Winter X-Games, exclusively on ESPN.

But before (ahem, #apres) skiing was a very Beatles activity, Stowe was known as a small British boys school (Ringo! Ringo!), where the Beatles gave one of their longer and most interesting concerts whilst on the cusp of British fame.

Recently, a tape surfaced of the mostly complete show, and like the Star Club release in 1970's, this one is truly a mammoth moment in Beatles history. Tony & T.J. gab fab on the concert, the set list, and the immense historical significance. And because they're morons, they also ponder:

🕘2️⃣🕔 Do Dolly Parton and the Twotles perform the definitive whisper version of "Let It Be"?

🎤 If you yell "How Do You Do It" repeatedly at an All Starr band concert, will Ringo and Steve Lukather feel compelled to tease it?

⚽ Would Brexit have happened had rich white British kids learned to not clap on the f**king 1 and 3, ffs?

EPISODE LINKS

We pick up where we left off, in March 1963. The Gab Two follow the Fab Four along their journey in Anthology episodes 2 and 3: touring Britain, navigating Beatlemania, (probably) disappointing the Queen Mother, (probably) disappointing the boys in Paris, and—just in case you haven’t had enough coverage of it—INVADING THE STATES. #Don’tTellICE

Tee-Jay and Tony continue their Disney+ Deep Dish, and in classic Gen X fashion, spend most of their time waxing poetic about how much cooler everything was in the 90s. Their nostalgic trip leads them to the important inquiries, like:

⚡️🐱‍👤 Which one’a those Mighty Morphine Power Rangers played the sax?

 📰📺 How’d NBC 5 Chicago’s Carol Marin end up on CBS News? WHEN DID CAROL MARIN GO MAGA? (#buzz)

🤡🤡 Do you think middle-aged Tony regrets teenaged Tony’s decision to get a hipster Morecambe and Wise tattoo in 1993?

EPISODE LINKS