We want the Beatles!

To paraphrase the opening line of one of their most famous songs, it was 45 years ago this month that the Beatles made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and, in the words of that well-worn phrase, changed the face of pop music forever.

Since November 2007, when Led Zeppelin’s catalog became available for download, the Beatles have remained the only major recording act not available for legal download. In addition, the Beatles’ CD catalog is in serious need of upgrading, since the currently available CDs are taken from the original digital remasters done in the mid-’80s, and they are sadly lacking in quality compared to other classic rock acts whose catalogs have been upgraded in recent years (i.e., Led Zeppelin). 

For all you Beatlemaniacs, there’s good news and bad news. First, the Beatles catalog indeed has been upgraded. That job was completed back in 2006. In fact, you can get a taste of the upgraded masters on the soundtrack CD for the Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas show called Love, which features Beatles music. The upgraded masters were utilized in the creation of the soundtrack, and although the songs were deconstructed and reassembled for the soundtrack, the improvement in sound quality heard on this CD is nothing short of dramatic. Last year, in their 40th anniversary celebration of the release of the White Album, England’s MOJO magazine reported on a listening session the staff had of the upgraded version of the album at Abbey Road Studios, and the reviews were ecstatic.

The bad news is that the upgraded CDs will not appear until the Beatles’ catalog becomes available for download, since the main reason for upgrading the masters in the first place was their imminent arrival on iTunes, etc. So what’s holding up the show? Unfortunately, the ongoing dispute between Apple Computers (owners of iTunes) and the Beatles’ company Apple Corps Ltd., a feud going back to the early days of Apple Computers when the Beatles (through Apple Corps) sued Steve Jobs & Co. for trademark infringement. Although that dispute was eventually resolved, its ugly head has reemerged during the sticky negotiations for the digital rights to what is arguably the most lucrative catalog in all of recorded music.

Although recent comments from Paul McCartney to the effect that a deal would get done soon would lead one to be optimistic, it appears the stalemate will continue to drag on for the foreseeable future. It’s interesting to note, however, that the Beatles’ solo catalogs are all available for download right now.

Stay tuned.

NOW HEAR THESE!

Sound Opinions, Sundays 6-7pm on RadioMilwaukee (88.9 FM or radiomilwaukee.org)

At long last, the Siskel & Ebert of rock music have a Milwaukee radio home. Sound Opinions, the long-running show featuring Chicago rock critics Greg Kot (of the Tribune) and Jim DeRogatis (of the Sun-Times) got its start on Chicago’s venerable WXRT before moving to public radio, where it became nationally syndicated and now can be heard locally on RadioMilwaukee. The program features lively discussion of current events in rock, along with musician interviews and exclusive live-in-studio performances. In other words, a great resource of what’s happening in rock music, and a great addition to the Milwaukee radio scene.

Steve Martin, The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo

Well, the banjo-totin’ funnyman (prominently featured in Episode 1 of Make ‘Em Laugh, PBS’s great history of American comedy) has finally carried out his promise to release an album consisting of nothing but music featuring the banjo. The album contains 15 original songs recorded in locations from Dublin to Hollywood to Nashville. And Steve gets plenty of big-time assistance from folks like Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Mary Black, Earl Scruggs (”Mr. Banjoman” himself), and Tony Trischka (another great banjo player). Yes, he’s really serious about this project, and though it’s been long in the making (but not as publicized as Guns N’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy), the result is one of the best bluegrass albums in many years. Available exclusively from amazon.com.

Buddy Holly, The Memorial Collection

Feb. 3 marks another major anniversary, 50 years since the “day the music died,” as immortalized in Don McLean’s “American Pie”-the day the plane crashed killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson, known as the Big Bopper. Of these three, Holly’s legacy has been strongest. His music’s ongoing influence on scores of musicians, most notably the Everly Brothers and the Beatles, cannot be underestimated. To commemorate the occasion, Universal Music is releasing the three-disc Memorial Collection Feb. 10, featuring every song issued during Holly’s career. In addition, Universal is issuing Down the Line, a two-disc compilation containing demos, outtakes, etc., that will delight collectors. It’s the first time all these Holly rarities have been assembled in a self-contained collection. A very classy way to commemorate this milestone.