By Terry Ott

Helter Skelter.

Two words that will live in cultural infamy, or just the title of pop song?

I guess that would depend on your perspective, but for better or worse, a relatively obscure album track from the The Beatles (White Album) will soon be front and centre some 30 plus years after it was a key part of the state of California's 1970 case against convicted mass murderer, Charles Manson.

CBS television plans to broadcast in May a completely new 3 hour movie entitled "Helter Skelter," based on Vincent Bugliosi's best selling book of the same name.

Although many students of the Manson tragedies have come to discount the former Los Angeles assistant district attorney Bugliosi's premise that that Manson ordered the horrific killings to bring about "Helter Skelter," which Manson understood to be the Beatles message of an impending race war between blacks and whites, Bugliosi was nevertheless successful in winning a guilty plea against Manson and several other "Family" members.

(Manson and his accomplices were sentenced to death, but their sentences were commuted to life in 1972 when the US Supreme Court abolished the death penalty. All of the convicted, remain in jail, some 35 years after their crimes.)

Thus the mystique of Helter Skelter endures.

And the myth also.

In Bugliosi's 1974 book, Helter Skelter, he states that in the song Revolution #9, which he believes Manson interpreted as the blueprint for Helter Skelter, John Lennon can be heard saying "rise, rise." However, a close listen reveals that Lennon is actually saying "right, righhht!".

This is significant, as Bugliosi maintained at the trial the killers-who wrote the word "rise" in the victim's blood at one crime scene-were leaving messages as to the coming of Helter Skelter.

(A elastic point perhaps, as the killers may in fact made the same error listening to the record.)

But in fact, there are some startling coincidences between the activities of the Manson Family, and some of the lyrics on the WA-such as the song Sexy Sadie which Manson twistedly interpreted as an ode to Family member Susan Atkins whose nickname was Sadie, and the song Piggies, a popular family term for the police and establishment.

Manson also highjacked other Beatle songs, including Magical Mysery Tour to describe the Family's nomadic and acid-fueled lifestyle.

No doubt that the new CBS Manson movie will send people scrambling to dig out their copies of the White Album.

But unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons.

As original Apple artist Marry Hopkin sang, "those were the days, my friend."

40 years ago today, North America was finally recovering from its first up close taste of Beatlemania, and the gathering summer storm that was to define 1964 was in the planning stage only.

And as I sit here today-just short of my 49th birthday-I have a hard time grasping that so much time has flown from the heady days of 1964.

Most of the Baby Boomers-and original first generation Beatle fans-have already seen most of their lives slip by. They have got married, had children and raised them, got divorced, and started over. Some more than once.

I guess John Lennon said it best: "life is what happens to you when you are busy making other plans."

And I know that the plans that I made and the life that I have has been influenced by the incredible energy that invades our lives in 1964.

When I am down, I try to think of that spirit that was so thick in 1964, and how the style and words and music and attitude shaped so many of our lives.

But if we are feeling nostalgic this year, just think what it will be like when we celebrate the golden anniversary of the Beatles seizure of North America in 2014.

Now that, will really blow my mind.

Yes, my friend, those were-and will be- the days.

Well if what Neil Aspinall has been saying lately is accurate, then the Beatles/Apple/EMI may have finally done it;killed and cooked the golden goose, that is.

AbbeyRd has a posting that has Neil claiming that 2005 will be the year that the Apple outfit "will blow your mind" with something.

NOTE TO NEAL ET AL: 2005 IS TOO LATE!!!!

With audio technology zipping ahead at unprecedented rates, what the Beatles think will blow your mind 2 years from now, may in fact on that day only but blow your nose, and your wallet, and be no big deal.

I mean this is just getting silly now, every other major artist-and most of the minor ones as well-have at least one complete rejigg of their back catalogue, and now we are told we have another 2 years to wait? Give me-and millions of others-a break, Neil.

Take some of the time and effort expended on suing everything that moves-man are the Fabs ever getting back at everyone who wronged them from 1964-1970-and put it into the music!

The current crop of Beatle catalogue CDs excepting for Let it Be Naked sound lousy and are now nearing 20 years old!!!!!

If Apple/EMI does not smarten up quick, they risk relegating the Beatles recorded music to the dustbin of technical desert island.

And seeing as how the Beatles were always so cool and cutting edge, right now, they are getting to be anything but.

Steve has asked me to pass on that due to a family emergency, there will not be any news updates for an indefinite time.

Got an e-mail today from independent film director, David Kessler, advising me that I "would love," his short film entitled A Hard Day's Day, at ifilm.com.

Can't say that I really loved the 9 minute short, which is advertised as being shot in the spirit of A Hard Day's Night, but I did find it worthwhile, and occasionally humorous.

The guy playing John Lennon is almost a ringer, and the English accents are pretty much right on.

The film follows the Beatle tribute band called the Mop Tops as they lose their Ringo Starr right before a big gig.

Then there is an interesting plot twist, which I won't spoil for you. So check it out for yerself.

Director Kessler also says that the film will soon be available on DVD.

And I also got an e-mail today from a reader from the UK that has a 20 minute 16mm Pathe newsreel featuring the Fabs "from the late 60s" for sale.

The seller says the film has the Beatles performing and fooling around in Manchester.

Not sure about the tag "from the late 60s," but at least if the tape is authentic, the seller won't have to deal with Apple claiming ownership.

But then again, you never can tell, can you?

Well, here we go again.

Another "rare" purported Beatles tape has surfaced on e-Bay.

It seems that every quarter or so, we get a new item with which to conjecture.

This time, the seller claims-and provides fairly authentic looking pix of-to be selling an original 1/4" 15 ips tape of the Beatles Let it Be album, along with the Olympic Studios tape box.

The front of the tape box has a hand scribbled message that is rather obtuse, announcing that this tape is the version "before overdubbs by Phil Spector," but that alone does not invalidate the item. At least as of now. And at least of this writing, there had been no bids on the $36,000 US minimum bid artifact, being peddled out of the UK.

If you are curious by now, you can check out this tape via e-Bay, item #4001721577.

I guess anything is possible, but I would be mildly surprised at least, if this item turns out to be the real deal.

Perhaps one way we will know if there is even the possibility of it being real is if we hear Apple/EMI is investigating the seller because for damn sure they will lay claim to the tape if they think or have reason to believe it is legit.

Under the above scenario, the least the seller could expect to recieve would be a service for a lawsuit, and the most, a summons for theft.

If the tape is real, the chances of Apple letting the seller auction it off free and clear are nil.

For collectors, the question of what version of the pre-Spector alleged tape is will come into play.

Glynn Johns gave it two tries back in 1969,-when the record was known as Get back-both of which were ix-nayed by the Beatles, but have since been bootlegged a million times.

I doubt this latest tape is legit, but it will certainly be interesting if it is.

Do you know what I like most about writing for you all-even the Macca Madhatters?

I don't care, I'm gonna tell ya anyways.

1/ You love me.

2/ You love to hate me.

It never ceases to amaze me that when I employ my ususal lazy sod persona and don't get around to posting a new BB for a few days, in come the e-mail like,"where are ya man," and "what the hell happened;did you get canned," as well as a few more polite ones enquiring if I was sick, or had been murdered.

Hell, I thought "sick" was a prerequisite for being a writer, but I want to assure one and all that I remain in a somewhat sound mind and body form.

And to those that love me, I say take this brother (sister) may it serve you well.

And to those that hate me, I say, the way things are going, they're going to crucify me (again).

But isn't that what makes it fun?

I mean I really enjoy hearing from the readers that have many useful and insightful things to say, and even those who don't.

And even the playground psychotics who vex me from time to time, are of some amusement, and YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! So take your meds and be nice, elsewhiles I'll ring the Internet cops, if you're not amusing enough.

It is funny how Beatle fans reflect the greater society.

I find about 25% are real intelligent-like, 25% have some highschool, 25% CAN spell kat, and the other 25% are, well, daft.

But regardless, they, we, us, are are all still fans of the Fabs, and I salute you, er, them. Whatever.

In this, the momentous and triumphant 150th edition of writing that will last a lunchtime, I present a review of an album by yet another Beatle clone/test-tube (Beenie) baby, that will surely be a millstone in pop history.

Eh up! What the bloody'ell am I going on about, then?

I'll tell ya: some guy named Ed Shepherd from something called East October that sent me an e-mail with a tricky looking attachment crowing about his new album entitled "Infinity and Beyond," which he says is a take-off-duh!- on the Beatles Yesterday and Today Butcher Cover, circa 1966.

Ed also sez that his album-that incidentally comes in 7 different variations that are all the same or at least all sound the same-has been compared favorably to Two Virgins, by no less than accomplished Fabs author and Beatle book shiller par excellance, Bruce Spizer.

Although I'm not sure that is exactly a ringing endorsement of the new Butcher, which instead of Beatles, features Beanie Baby's, or some such thing, time and its artiste's march on.

And you thought I was weird, man!

Hands up from all those that listened to more than 5 minutes of each side of Two Virgins.

If you still have your hand(s) up, hail a cab and go directly to the nut house, or at least an insane asylum.

Meanwhile's, as they say down in Texas, Ed claims not to be a rock and roll player, but rather an "avant-garde" musician, whichever and whatever that is, I hope its good.

Anyone interested in this venture, send me a stamped, self-dressed elephant, and I will forward the goods to ya.

FOOTNOTE: Due to numerous threats, I hereby recind my lukewarm rating for The Dark Horse Years CDs, especially Gone Troppo, which after further review may be the number 1 album of all time. Hare K, and o-u-t spells OUT.

Right off the top, I'd like to say that I love(d) George Harrison.

He was a major creative force in driving the style and tone of the Beatles music, and had a long solo career after the group unceremoniously broke up in 1970. He sold millions of records in the early 1970s and became more of a "leader" than ever before.

In fact, George may have been the swing vote in deciding the demise of the Beatles. John Lennon and Paul McCartney could battle all they want, but when George too decided he'd had enough, the Beatles fate was decided, as was any possible hope of any kind of real reunion.

I am thinking of George today because of the recent re-release of 6 of his Dark Horse Records titles, that can also be purchased in a box set, with an exclusive DVD.

Some kind of quirk has got this set selling for about $90 American dollars here in Canada, and the store I frequented was quickly sold out.

I did not buy the box, but rather decided to sample a few titles to see what I thought.

And my first thought is that offerring only one ot two bonus tracks per CD and none on Live in Japan is just not enough.

I picked up Somewhere in England, and although it contains the jaunty All Those Years Ago is-in my opinion-a very mediocre album, and if memory serves me right, George's record company did not even want to release it in its original form.

Live in Japan, in glorious SACD, has been remixed and remastered to perfection, and sounds delicious.

The music is super, but another thing now stands out like never before: George was a very average vocalist, and had trouble projecting his voice during these concerts.

I don't know if he was already having medical problems at that time, but he sounds like he is straining, at least to me.

So I pulled out my copy of All Things Must Pass, and it reaffirmed my belief that George Harrison produced the best solo album of all the Fabs, but thereafter things didn't work out so well creatively for the quiet one.

In fact, I think the reality of the situation is that had George not been an ex-Beatle, we would not even be discussing The Dark Horse Years box set, because, there would not have been one.

Now remember, this is only my opinion, but besides Cloud Nine and LIJ, a single CD of the "best" of the Dark Horse titles would have been sufficient for the simple reason that George too often sounds uninspired and without a musical muse during the period the reissues cover. Gone Troppo, which apparently George delivered as a sort of "screw you" to the record biz, may be the "worst" of all solo Beatle releases, and certainly not worth paying a full CD price for.

Luckily, there is good news to come, however.

We can look forward to-in hopefully deluxe trimmings-Living in the Material World, Concert For Bandladesh, and even Dark Horse, all titles that put to shame anything save for Clound Nine just re-released by Mr. Harrison.

Sorry, but that's the way I see it.

And besides I still love George.

We have been lately consumed with the 40th anniversary of the Beatles taking North America by storm.

I think I mentioned before that I had a 40th anniversary story that was somewhat different, and here it comes.

When I interviewed photographer Harry Benson for the National Post back in 1999, he told me a great story about the Fabs, and another icon who recently celebrated an important 40th anniversary

Millions of people have seen Benson's famous pix of the Beatles meeting and clowning with then heavyweight contender Cassius Clay AKA Muhammad Ali, who was set to meet the fearsome champ Sonny Listen in Miami on Feb. 24, 1964.

Benson told me that he first called the Liston camp and asked if he could bring the Beatles-in town for an Ed Sullivan appearance and a vacation- 'round for a photo-op, but that the notoriously cantankerous Liston told Benson to take a hike, apparently calling the Fabs "bums."

So Benson said that he proposed to the Beatles that they meet Clay/Ali instead.

Benson told me that at first John Lennon resisted because, Benson said, Lennon thought Liston "would kill," Clay/Ali in the upcoming fight.

But the photo session with the Beatles and young Clay happened and proved to be a great hit, and shortly thereafter Clay "shook up the world," with a 7th round TKO over Liston, and became the heavyweight champion of the world.

Ironically, the meeting between Clay/Ali and the Beatles, perhaps the two greatest cultural icons of the 60s, would not be repeated.

I don't want to make this sound like its brand spanking new or anything, but even belatedly, I think it sure is worth mentioning, or writing about.

What you ask? Well I have just heard for the first time, the live Beatle recordings that Capitol considered for release, apparently for Christmas time, 1964.

Dr. Ebbett's has provided a sample by way of regular reader Marty from deep in the heart of Texas, and I thank all concerned.

First off, I can see -or rather hear-why the group and Capitol decided not to release what was known as a "Capitol Project," otherwise known as the Beatles Live at the Hollywood Bowl circa August 1964.

The tapes would remain unreleased for another 13 years-and more on that later on.

Its not that the recordings are that technically bad-recorded on a 3 track stereo machine-or that the crowd drowns the band totally out, but most likely at the time, the group and producer George Martin were unimpressed with the overall musicianship and dynamic of the Beatles set. Obviously, the band could not hear themselves playing, and mixed up vocals and clinker notes abound.

(Despite the above, the boys really rock out on Roll Over Beethoven.)

At one point in the set between songs, John is banging and shouting into a mic, asking if it is on.

So sure 40 tears later, these recordings sound quaint and historical, but in 1964, the Fabs were always in an onward and upward mode, so releasing these sub-par live recordings would have been a step backward for the group, and may have been seen as a cash-grab to critics who were looking to burst the Beatle balloon.

So it was most likely to the Beatles advantage that the HB recordings of 1964, and then 1965, would remain unreleased until the summer of 1977.

And although the Beatles Live at the Hollywood Bowl-an amalgam of the '64 and '65 shows, digitally cleaned up and edited skillfully-has still not had its CD release, I was also provided with a vinyl transfer of the 1977 HB issue, and as most of you fans already know, the music on this particular issue was well worth releasing in 1977 and in fact, at any time.

So now I guess we are at the point that we obviously deserve a CD release of the 1977 HB issue, but also some of the material left off the '77 edition because of space limitations. And since recording technology has improved endlessly since 1977, we should expect to hear an even better Beatle concert recording than ever before.

The release of the HB concert on CD has been talked about for at least the last 5 years, with at one point even Ringo Starr telling the press around 1999 that a release was upcoming. But like so many other Beatle wish-list goodies, nothing ever came of it.

And maybe Apple is holding on to some decent recordings of the 1966 tour, and they could be part of a live album package. Or maybe the 1965 Shea Stadium film with a cleaned-up soundtrack is on the short-list.

Well, at least we can dream.

Not to be blasphemous or anything, but I think I'll subtitle this BB as "The Passion of the Beatles," just as a way of being in the moment.

Of course this being Oscar weekend, and also the weekend that perhaps the most controversial movie since the Exorcist was released--now some 30 years ago-that has got tongues a-waggin' and cluckin' right 'round the world.

And as well Mad Mel's Passion of the Christ has brought down upon our heads many different viewpoints about religion in America today, and how "big" it really is.

Recall anyone else who dared speculate about how "big" Jesus Christ was/is?

When John Lennon said-or didn't exactly say depending on your viewpoint-that in the year of Our Lord, 1966, the Beatles were "bigger" than organized religion, but more especially Christianity, pardon the pun but all hell broke loose.

As was so famously stated in the Rutles, fans were burning their fingers just to burn the Beatles albums, and a boycott in some Bible Belt areas of the US was no joke.

Lennon had to "apologize" for his remarks, that were made to a British journalist months before the Beatles final tour in 1966. I'm sure that he felt he had been metaphorically crucified for his opinions, and 3 years later would say so in a song. And he was probably right.

And Gibson's movie about the last 12 hour's of Christ's life has been attacked by many mainstream media pundits as a kind of pornographic brutal bloodbath for the sake of blood.

Usually artists like Lennon and Gibson, are given more latitude than other public figures to project their ideas

So it could-or should- be objective to state that both men felt strongly about a subject and spoke out, and both suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune because of their public stand.

To me, I find it deliciously ironic that almost 40 years on, the gospel according to John (Lennon) when it comes to Christianity has largely been proven wrong, and Mad Mel's new movie proves it. Even at the same time that the Catholic Church released a report that admitted that just under 10% of their priests in the US were involved in some form of sexual abuse with mostly underage same-sex parishioners, Christianity remains a force.

So go figure, heathens and all others.

For the Beatles may have been bigger than Elvis and still have millions of passionate fans, but apparently nothing is "bigger" than JC, yet.

Christ, you know it ain't easy...