By Terry Ott

Fellow Canuckistaner Neil Young's latest effort that was posted today in its entirety on his website got me to thinkin'.

Why doesn't Apple Corp provide some exclusive content on the offical Beatles website?

Even if it is a premium, subscription service, it could help create buzz, and also lead to many more head phone wearing music fans walking around with Fab stuff in their heads.

It could start modestly, say with 1 or 2 unreleased tracks, alternate mixes, outtakes etc., per week, and because there are hours and hours of tapes, Apple could keep the really "good stuff" for another Anthology-type release, yet at the same time making the product much more modernly accessible.

If they wanted to cut down on bootlegging-although that is going to happen no matter what-they could do what Neil Y has, and just stream the audio, with no free downloads.

This type of approach would also help the Corpse gauge just how much demand there is out there for Internet delivered Beatles music, for when they finally get around to entering the 21st century and actually start doing it.

A good friend of mine said something the other day that really hit home.

Although both of us are 5.1 nuts, my friend commented that it is a mobile headphone world now, and perhaps that fact may be the real, ultimate future of Beatles music rather than remastered CDs and surround sound mixes.

Bob Dylan has been providing exclusive Internet content for some time now, with the outtakes and unreleased tracks being a popular feature.

However, does this whole premise just make too much sense for Apple to do it?

Well, damned if I know, but as the song sez, tomorrow never knows...

Your friendly and trusty correspondent has been getting mucho e lately on former EMI knob twidler Geoff Emerick, and his new tome, "Here, There and Everywhere."

But the former Beatle button pusher now appears to be twidling his own knob.

Even Dallas Barbie (Doll) felt compelled to write a review, and send it along, and methinks I agree with her, she an admitted card carrying Macca maven.

DBD sez that Geoff doth spend way too much time slagging the still dead George Harrison, and I very much agree with that premise. (Stig is still dead, honestly.)

In fact, I just don't get it.

Why wait for 40 odd years to piss on a Beatle you obviously didn't care for, whilst at the same time pulling somewhat of a Linda Lovelace on Paul McCartney?

And again, accusing a dead guy of not being able to play? Palpable nonsense, really.

If George was no good as an axe-man, they would have kicked him out, simple as that.

What is with all this revisionism where it just so happens that in just about every book-save for Tony Bramwell's for the most part-Macca becomes the best Beatle, John Lennon a difficult bastard, George a small talent, and Ringo, well, you know.

Geoff's book is great for informing on how the records were made, but getting into personal observations on the Fabs is dangerous ground.

Because just Emerick being there is not enough to make his recollections, opinions, bias, etc., the "true" story.

The only "true" story would be a blend of all four Fabs, and the insiders, but obviously, this will never happen.

Yet I can't wait for a book that tells the "true" story about Macca.

As I've noted several times before, now that, would really be something.

In fact, I've got a title: The Only Thing You Done Was Yesterday.

Man, and you thought I was a nutter on tea.

All you DO need is cash, $9.95 worth actually, and enough spare time and daftness to go looking for the late, great John Lennon via a stupid PPV seance special.

Oh, yeah, for sure, the producers claim they even contacted John at his fave NYC eatery, La Fortuna, and that-wait for this-Lennon said: "The message is...peace."

Wow! What a revelation, and oh how so original!

Surprised he didn't say Give Peace A Chance.

Ironically, the wire services and mainstream media did not really take the piss out of this farce, as they also sort of ignored the Cap Vol. 2 mix mess cock-up.

Guess the boys still walk on water, if not air.

And speaking of air, how about Canuckistan's Neil Young having the cajones to record an anti-war record with a song about impeaching Bush?

Too bad the seance the other night didn't ask John Lennon to team with Neil to kick some Neo-Con ass.

Betcha if John was still with us he would have done it-antiwar, that is- about 2 or 3 years ago, instead of singing silly shit about "Freedom," and sucking seals and veggies.

That's, what John woulda done, folks.

PS: To the wanking MMs in advance, kiss me arse, English Tea twits.

I have just returned from my honeymoon rally in Nurnberg-that's the non-Anglo correct spelling of the city- and I'd like to say that it's great to be back, but, well, fook that.

Also scooted over to India to see the Marsh, then over to Spain to party with Julian and he Mum, and now back 'ome to Canuckistan.

Had the paper bag on my knee, man I had a dreadful flight.

But it was mi-T-fine I gotta tell ya to bug out of blogging along with Coach Marriachi during the infernal and non-stop wanking over the Capitol Albums Vol. 2, of which Cap/EMI did finally come sort of clean about, about 10 days ago.

And yes, poor Bruce is still out there on the triple W doing his best to downplay the whole kooky cock-up, and after a few increasingly testy e-mails exhanges, we have decided to agree to disagree. Although I still think BS is shooting it!

Oh well, that's showbiz, all you need is cash, lucky really, etc.

But, I did get an e-mail from Beatletoon Mitch-who I understand has had some dealings with the Apple Corpse-noting that the whole affair du sheit had a dsintinctly un-consumer friendly aire, and that in fact, only about 170,000 or so of Vol. 2 had been shifted since April 11.

Addditonal reports of some retail outfits-did I read Tower Records?- giving an ix-nay to returns, of course are pure heresay at the moment.

Yet I must admit, if and when I find a USED copy of a CORRECT Vol. 2 in a second hand shope, say for about $35 Canuck, I may even purchase it. But only for Bruce's notes!

Finally, the goode newz is that tomorrow (April 24) we get to find out what John would have done.

Please excuse me, but as usual, money-and lots of it-talks, and bullshit walks.

So, take it to the bank that the Beatles will be sometime in the near future cutting a deal with Sony-either in a merger with EMI, or other machination-after news comes that Mikey Jackson done gone and sold most of his Beatles song pub catalogue of 251 songs to Sony, so as Jackson can get somewhat out of the shit-spot he finds hisself in.

Er, follow the money.

So, what a coincidence that Neil Ass starts yakin' about Fabs' Int song downloads at a London court wankest last week, eh?

I am so cynical about these buggers, it ain't even it's all about money, honey (Rutle) funny.

Oh, so now Neil care about what the sheit CDs sound like? What a joke, folks.

Personally, I wish most if not all of the Cap/EMI insuferable twits would take a very long walk on a very, very short pier. Or, as the Beatles themselves liked to opinine, "fook them," and all that look and act like 'em.

And too bad that no daft reporter at the trial bothered to ask olde Neil whether the new, better sounding downloads might be buggered up like the Capitol Ablums Vol. 2 mixes were. Or, even if the whole thing at court was but BS legal manuvering?

Eric Idle truly was a visionary genius, now some 35 years ago with Rutland Weekend Telly, which later became the Rutles: All You Need Is Cash.

Well, wankers, I been buying Beatle records since Jan. 1964, but I ain't given' ya none of mein money, no more.

Sod off.

Ok, so yesterday, Capitol-or as the Iranians call it, "The Great Satan"-FINALLY came clean and copped out a little more, I guess, on the Beatles Vol. 2, apparently giving out some product code info so the average mook would be able to identify their bad set, and return.

Gee whiz, how dumb do these wankers really think we long suffering Fabs' fans are?

Reports I got from readers-thanks CT Gary and Brainwashed-claim that about 170,000 first run defective V2 sets were distributed in North America on or just before April 11.

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that it was, for Capitol, get these suckers out and on the shelves at all costs, and damn the mistakes, and fans.

At least one (unconfirmed) report I read yesterday said that Cap became aware of the cock-up at least 3 weeks before release.

So, why not hold back the lot, and fix 'em?

Ha! That would be too kind to the consumer.

Better to ship 'em all out, and hope that few Beatles fans will bother to return the defective sets for replacement, believing, foolishly I think, that their bad set is some sort of "collectable." As the Beatles said when told they would be flying to Washington DC in Feb. 1964 in a snowstorm: NO FOOKIN' WAY! With nearly 200 grand of these things out there, they ain't gonna be no collectable, trust me.

Or maybe Cap did the math, and figgered only maybe 5 or 10 thousand tea'd off fans would bother to return their bad sets. That, they could live with, and hope that the rest just couldn't be bothered to return the defective sets.

No, this whole thing has been a primer on HOW NOT TO run a record company, and handle the public when things go wrong.

Yes, sadly, several thousand gullibles and or masochists will buy 2 sets-one bad, one good-but I still bet this rotten thingfishy sells considerably less than the 1 mill Vol 1 did.

I ain't buyin'.

Sorry Bruce; wankers, all.

I guess I have to again preface a post with I'm sorry, but dad-nagb-it, there are just Too Many People out there who are Macca luvin' tea twits who make me wanna hurl.

Latest case in point, the needy thing that rides range over the Yahoo Beatles Collectors Forum. An individual who so courageously oversees Anon, and goes by the handle "Sooz."

When I saw yet another potential poster to the mostly McCartney suck 'n' blow site complain that previous attempted posts down on SPM had not made it up, or were censored, I wistfully whipped off an e-mail to "Sooz," whilst (admittedly) in a total tea stupor.

'With all due regrets,' I wrote with some cheek, 'you, are a goof.'

I then went on to wonder aloud what Yahoo might think of the way "Sooz" attends to "free speech," and whether this person had ever even heard of the 1st re-make of the Consitution of the United States that concerns basic rights and freedoms.

Ever since The Great December 2005 Spitz Wars, your friendly correspondent-a member of the Yahoo board I think, since 1999 or so- has been BANNED from posting on the Beatles Collectors forum by "Sooz", sort of like the way the gangsters in China media handle things when they get wind of a POV or anything else they don't particuarly care for.

Of course, "Sooz," whatever this thing is, did not respond to my e, because, perhaps, that might indicate at least a somewhat functioning conscience, or at least nerve.

The Forum, as skipped by "Sooz," as I see it anyway, is tight little cozy affair of co-conspirators who in cahoots either ban or jump on any comments considered non fellating to Macca, or to group members who knob gobblinishly do.

Some of the icky English Tea tooters on this forum, including a cheapo magazine publisher who has become truly smarmy, sucking up totally to McCartney and Macca Madhatters and then complaining when CAP/EMI does not take his mag seriously, are a sad comment on what have become of some Beatle, but mostly SPM sucky "fans," and/or silly shilling for multi-billionaire pop stars as unpaid stupid spinmeisters can be.

My God, why don't you all-guys included-post an open letter to Macca offering to bear his children for now and for as long as he is still 64 and spunkin'?

In fact, I suggest "Sooz" change the name of the Forum to "The Paul (wee) Neil and Bob Slurpee Show," and then let the people decide. Or is that too scary for ya?

Seriously, some Forum folks, get a life, or a new moderator.

Ok, fellow Beetle peeple, as vowed, this is my last Capitol Albums Vol. 2 rant until the basterds explain just wot the bloody 'ell has REALLY gone on over the past month, or so.

So,on the eve of the release, I will give them this: the packaging of Vol. 2 is very good, and Bruce Spizer's notes, as one might Imagine, are excellently arrived without aging.

(Still, don't fergit that Cap JAMMED Bruce on the notes for Vol.1, and the Beatle author had to assemble his own parallel set of notes and send them out for a buck.)

But that, in MY OPINION, is where the good newz ends.

And repeating BB407: In MY OPINION, Cap. Vol 2 is not worth buying as presently presented. Send Capitol a message, the only one their kind understands.

In fact, the whole concept of the series MUST be re-thunk for Vol. 3-if there is in fact to even be one.

In my OPINION, the premise of the NA Cap album warm and fuzzies is basically a good one, BUT, it MUST be tweaked to be worth a damn, in The End.

Let's just say for argue's sake that Vol. 3-if a reality, most likley around X-Mas 2006-is made up of Revolver, Yesterday and Today, Sgt. P and Magical Mystery Tour.

Original stereo and mono mixes, yes. The much sought after mono mix of Sgt. P finally arrives on (legit) CD, even if it is from a 3rd or 4th gen master tape edition originally mastered by hearing impaired guys.

BUT, also since some of those "stereo" mixes are fake, WHY Bother to feature that as a reason to buy? Sounds Rutlish to me. Include 'em, but don't brag on 'em! They mostly sucked!

So, how about the original stereo and mono mixes, AND a 21st century true stereo mix as well? For most titles, all 3 mixes should fit on one CD. (If not, a modern true ST mix still with NA cover artwork as an add-on would be good.)

Nah, makes too much fookin' sense!

And hey! Whatever becomes of the UA A Hard Day's Night?

I guess God, and the Committee, only knows.

LAST MINUTE ADD: See bottom of BB408 for first impressions of CapV2. Hint: not good.

Again, sorry, but Paul McCartney is, well, a dink, and fer-shure back on strong tea.

Congratulating one'self on and in current Goldmine mag is one thing, BUT going on a tea bender in the ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS mag-for fooks sake!!!!!!!!!!!!!-is another.

"They say John was the Motzart, Paul was the Saileri (who dat?)-like John was the real genuis, and I was just the guy who sang Yesterday," as noted in Liz Braun's Toronto Sun column on April 9, re SPM bleatings to ARP. "People say, 'Paul, people know.' (What?) But what about the future? If this revisionism gets around, a lot of kids will say,'Did he have a group before Wings?'", he wanked.

Wow! What a delightful pissing contest. Can't wait for Yoko to weigh in!

Christ, you know it ain't easy, but Macca must have flipped out.

CAP V2, SCHNEID:

Now,let me make this perfectly clear(!)that I am not trying to Swiftboat this release.

BUT, in my opinion Vol. 2 is not very good. Even notwithstanding the mix mess-up, that actually may be the red herring in all this.

I have heard all 4 discs in their entirety-thanks to Chris, who ain't Cheapie(s):

The Early Beatles - Surprisingly-to me at least-the "best sounding" of the lot. Way, way better than Please Please Me CD. Throw your UK CD in the rubbish.

Help! - "Best" of the 4 track recordings, with not a bad stereo soundstage. Knowing use of stereo to mono fold down-despite that is what was done in 1965-is daft.

Beatles VI - Crummy. Noisy, echo, reverb laden junk in stereo, with some tracks fake ST. May be "worst sounding" of the lot. One of my fave Fabs' LPs is a BIG let down.

Rubber Soul - No wonder George Martin remixed for stereo in 1987! Some tracks bass light, and tinny sounding. Not much of a stereo mix at all.

Now, youse all know me, and know that I have had tea, lots of tea, and will continue to tea-out, with biscuitts.

BUT as configured, and in MY OPINION, I would NOT buy this set.

It may have been a good idea-er to try to go back to the future with the edtions we all knew and loved, but the Cap master tapes-at least the ones used here-do not sound good no matter how well massaged by 24 bit 21st technology, "third party" alleged mistakemeisters.

Cap V2 is, in my opinion, a bust, and a PR nightmare to Beatle boot.

Geez, who woulda thunk that DR.E would have done a better job?

Wonder how Cap will manage to bollocks up Vol. 3?

Sorry, Bruce; nice college try.

Terry "Just Won't Drink The Kool-Aid" Ott

I have a tremendous amount of respect and professional consideration for the work of Beatle author, Bruce Spizer. I have utilized Bruce's incredible Fabs knowledge in several stories and I still stand by that.

Katrina-ravaged Bruce is an honourable guy, his true no bullshit love for the Beatles and their legacy comes through loud and clear, and he is arguably/perhaps the group's most important historian, at least west of the UK.

BUT, recent e-mails to me from Bruce, and Mr. Spizer's posts to the Yahoo Beatles Collectors Internet forum-yes the same one that still bans me-have, as a journalist, soured me a bit on Bruce the (un)offical Capitol spokesman/apologist.

Bruce seems to be have put in the postion of being the 1974 Ron Ziegler to Richard Nixon, defending, basically, the logically un-defendable.

And judging from the many e-mails I have received about the whole Capitol Albums Vol. 2 stereo to mono mix mix-up piss-fest, a lot of ticked off Beatle fans believe,as I do, that Capitol is effectively hiding behind Bruce's good name to escape the heat from this mistake that they blame on someone else, anyway!

As I have maintained since I first learned of this cock-up, it is CAPITOL that needed to be out front, NOT Bruce Spizer, who if you recall, was jammed by Cap when it came to the notes for Vol. 1. Bruce had to release his own, for that one.

Now, with first hand reports from both Canada and the US that most if not ALL of the first run sets shipped for April 11 contain the defective mixes, we NEED to hear from Cap head honcho Andy Slater on wot the bloody 'ell is going on, NOT Bruce Spizer via Yahoo Beatle Collectors Forum and/or other Net sources, including AbbeyRd and Beatle Bits.

I want to hear from Capitol, NOT Bruce, that the sound on Vol. 2 is great, and what's more, the defective mixes have been fixed, sound great, and will soon be shipping out.

Otherwise, the whole thing comes off as a Ron DeKlein/Eric Manchester defending an obvious Rutle Corpse silly suck'n'blow-fest. Mistakes? Who, us? Nah, petty rubbish.

And what's next? Will we have Dirk McQuickly coming out and admitting that he, and the "third party" that Capitol alleges fooked up the thing, have had tea?

Oh, and speaking of that "third party" that in a bad open secret is Sterling Sound where the set was mastered, well by God Capitol better damn well have the goods on them, or they will most likely have their Hollywood and Vine golden asses sued for mega bucks, toots fricken sweet.

Funny, ain't it, how we have not heard the other side of the story, of which I GUARANTEE you, there is.

But, since Bruce is such a good guy, I will pass on that he sez he HAS heard the repaired/right Beatles VI and Rubber Soul mono mixes, and has prounounced them kosher, and good sounding. Good newz, fer sure, fellow Fabs freaks.

Yet dig this Capitol: although I know you could care less, if you do not make an official announcement on how you intend to address the whole bloody mess by the April 11 release date, I will do no further reporting on the set, until you do so.

(The horror. The horror.)

Finally, and in light of how this has been (un)handled by Capitol, I will not be purchasing the set until I know for sure that I am buying one that is not defective, and to be honest, I think anyone who does differently, is, well, daft, proving the PT Barnyard circus folks correct yet again in that "there is a sucker born every minute." (My apologies in advance to any dedicated just gotta have it bottom feeders out there.)

And that, it is my Beatle-fan-consumer-journo-that's-showbiz soapbox rant for today.

No sheit.

Well, for those who like me to lay off Dirk McQuickly and seal wife Martini, this past week has really been something, eh?

The Continuing Story of Buggaboo Capitol, and their can't master straight gang has been all the rage.

I had copius e-mails today from readers and feeders (of info) that I very much appreciate.

Although Coach Steve and AbbeyRd have done a great job of bringin' youse up to speed on the whole screw-up, there are still a few q's unanswered, at least by 11:30 Eastern, April 5.

1/ Nobody seems to know-or ain't tellin'-how many defective sets are out there already, or for that matter, how many may end up in NA. But I can tell you that just about everyone I have heard from in Europe has the mistake version.

2/ When, exactly, did Capitol become aware of the mistake? And would they have done anything about it in the first production runs if it were not for the Internet chatter. I really doubt it.

3/ According to everything I have ever read, the Beatles spent most of their mixing time on the mono mixes right up to the White Album. So, if that is true, why would Help, a 4 track recording, be a stereo to mono "reduction" mix? Makes no sense to me.
(However,The Early Beatles, a 2 track recording, bounced to mono as per Please Please Me, would, to me, be kosher, and is the case with Vol. 2)

4/ Mike from Musicangle, who first wrote of then unknown but looming mistake machinations at Sterling Sound about 30 days ago, told me that in his opinion, it makes no sense at all for Sterling to have made "referrence" stereo to mono mix downs. For what reason, he asks. This is a valid question, as the Capitol PR makes mention of it in their "explanation" of what happened.

5/ Has this latest incident put the Fabs in the olde Rutles paradigm of being somewhat of a joke? After all, the whole thing does seem Rutlish. Perhaps those involved had too much tea, and biscuitts.

6/ Bruce Spizer told me that "time constraints" were partly to blame for Help's original gatefold design not being duplicated. With all due respect,huh?

7/ Vol. 1, I'm told, under-performed at about 1 million units. Will the attendant less than flattering press about the Vol. 2 problems cause even less to be shifted?

I guess we will find out some of the answers to these questions in a week or so. Or hell, maybe not.

But you know what? That's showbiz!

So, it was not some clever April Fools hoax after all.

Yes, Capitol admitted on April 4-and passed on to Coach M- that there had been a mistake in mastering the mono Beatles VI and Rubber Soul albums for the Beatles Capitol Albums Vol. 2, as has been kicked around in ever increasing frenzy on the Triple W for about a week now.

The good news? Acccording to the very lawyerly Capitol PR, the mistake will NOT as of now affect the North American April 11 skedded release date.

More good news? Apparently the Internet chatter that the stereo to mono reduction mix mistake also affected The Early Beatles and Help, is not accurate, at least Capitol makes no mention of it in the April 4 PR.

(Although some lay audio Internet critics continue to insist that all 4 albums are not quite kosher, as they claim that synching the stereo and mono examples up show no discernable difference in audio wave form. We may hear more on this matter.)

Cap's transient mea culpa actually laid the blame on a "third party mastering facility" -which I guess would be Sterling Sound-and further stated that "adjustments to the manufacturing run" were undertaken as soon as the record company found out about the mix-up. They can probably thank the Beatles fans on the Net for that.

Capitol goes on to say that they made the decision to correct the mistake for "historical accuracy," and that anyone getting an incorrect mix was able to exchange for the real deal, with proof of purchase, of course.

Maybe there will be a sticker on the corrected box stating "Not Screwed Up?" ! Who knows? This is the Fabs trousers were talkin' about here, so, like, look out.

Around 8PM EDT on Aprl 4, the Capitol PR was posted on various Internet forums, and Bruce Spizer kindly got back to me late on the 4th with the word, so by the morning of April 5, it could be old news, such is the WWW wild fire.

As I speculated in BB404, I wonder how many fans will get the mixed up mix, and keep it?

Hey! Was this a brilliant marketing ploy by Capitol to sell two sets to every crazed fan? Nah, I doubt even Oliver Stone would believe, or buy that.

But I'd be willing to wager that it will be in the thousands-if that many units or more were made in error-that are NOT returned, but kept as a "collectable," coming soon to an e-Bay account near you.

As for me, I want the right mixes, and will keep tryin' 'till I get 'em.

Would you buy two for one? Let me know, please, please.

NEVER a dull moment in Beatle land, eh?

Ouch!

In between multiple cups of tea-and biscuitts- today, I spent hours fielding e-mails from Beatle fans who are DEMANDING to know just what is going on with the mono mixes on the Capitol Albums Vol. 2, due out April 11.

Coach Mariachi and I were busier than two one armed paper hangers trying to make sense of this whole, and latest, cock-up.

Is this a Rutles on tea-like screw-up of laughing perportions, a smaller much to do about nothing, or even an Internet wildfire-come-hoax.

Fooked if I know, to be honest, and now we have all this.

Bruce Spizer has not answered my quieries, and I don't what that means, if anything.

But what I did get today from readers like Steve, Ron and Sean was a believable narrative of what COULD have gone on.

Now I am not vouching for this info, but what I heard was that at least several people-including a Philly DJ who evidently was given a final edition US box-set claim that their copies DO have fold-down stereo mixes for the mono Beatles VI and Rubber Soul, instead of the advertised true mono mixes, from the EMI UK masters nee Capitol US masters.

Trained ears noticed that the mono version of I'm Looking Through You had the Cap stereo only false start, so that, if true, would be a dead give away, UNLESS, it was tacked on a la Anthology for some reason.

Then, I heard that the initial Taiwan editions-which come out April 4-were ALL saddled with the in error mixes, including not only BVI and RS, but also The Early Beatles and Help.

But then, I heard that the mono mix-up was just confined to the sampler, and at most, several thousand copies of the set everywhere, because, Capitol became aware of the problem early on and took immediate steps to correct it.

Still another version was that a referrence stereo fold down was made by Sterling Sound during the project remastering work-for some reason-and somehow found its way to the manufacturing plant.

So, take your pick of what story you want to believe.

I guess two lousy things could happen: 1) the NA release date will be postponed, or 2) it is too late to stop the initial shipments, and you will be faced with either buying a defective set, or waiting for a do-over.

But then won't some of the more anal retentive collectors actually WANT to buy this alleged mistake for prosterity? I'd bet quite a few would, so who knows?

Coach Steve sez he is working hard on getting to the bottom of this, so be sure to check the Beatle News Briefs for what most likley will be the most accurate and up to date report.

Me, I'd wait for the right mixes, AND a goode explanation from Capitol, Apple, or whomever, whatever.

Now, back to me lots of tea. And biscuitts.

Although I doubt that more than the Beatle 1 Percenters will truly care, I guess we have to get to the bottom of the latest talk on the Internet of the mono Beatles VI and Rubber Soul from the forthcoming Capitol Albums Vol. 2 set.

I'm getting e-mails asking what is going on, and I am doing a story for the Vancouver Sun on the set, so I guess I gotta try to sort it out.

I enquired of Bruce Spizer who Capitol employed to write the liner notes, but did not immediately hear back from him.

Word was that some 8 track samplers of the set were at the Beatlefest show, and talk on the Steve Hoffman site claimed that the sampler contained "fold downs" of stereo mixes for BVI and RS, instead of the correct mono mixes as advertised.

But now I'm hearing that if in fact there were fold downs on the sampler, apparently this will NOT be the case for the full set when it is released.

Another story making the rounds is that Vol. 2 was actually prepared along with Vol. 1 in 2004, but that would not jibe with a recent widely circulated pix on the Internet of the RS tape box at Sterling Sound being remastered.

And one poster to the Hoffman forum claimed that the Help sleeve is not a gatefold, as was the original record. However, I have only seen this claim from this one source, so who knows if it is true or not. But I hope it ain't as the gatefold was one of the neat things about that kinda of lame US version of Help.

If anyone actually has a copy of the set, and wants to let me know what the real story is, please get in touch.

Yes, Coach Marriachi went the extra Abbey Road mile to get today's scoop about the Son Tour, but I'm afraid he is in error.

In actual actuality, it is the Rutles Sons Tour that is really going to give it a go, and let it rot.

Ouch, Coach! But if you would have come to me, I would have glady given you an olde germalist's courtesy heads up.

I wouldn't have told you.

The RST, beginning today, will feature Dirk McQuickly's son by Martini, Dink, on bass, Ron Nasty's son by Chastity, Gearbox on mouth organ, Stig O'Hara's son, Indira on uke, and finally, last, and always so, Barry Wom's son, Dummy, on Apple skins.

Yes, the Sons of Ruts have written new material, an albums worth, and a new single entitled, "If Dad's Music Was Good Enough For Charlie Manson, Why Not For iTunes?"

"Steve Jobby is a wanker," commented Dink to BB.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmm," chanted Indira.

"Fabulous," said Gearbox.

Nothing, noted Dummy.

In any event, we have scoop of the century here at Beatle Bits, and look forward to today's PPV of the SRO Ruts Sons debut gig at the White House tonight.

Asked by BB if they will feel better after seeing the president, Dink claimed, "No, you feel better after you've seen your tea dealer."

Ha! Nothing ever changes, nevertheless.

PS: Today is me 51st birthday. No kidding. Thanks to Trippy Sister for the e-card.