Episodes
Ep. 173 | Rolling Stone's 100 Best Beatles Solo Songs (A Very Special Untitled Beatles Penpals Episode)
Is any magazine as influential as Rolling Stone magazine? From the iconic Garth Brooks/Goo Goo Dolls issue (4/93) to the glibly unsuccessful attempts to help sway the outcomes of the ass-brutal 2004 and 2016 elections, hooray for Rolling Stone! (And, Caddyshack fans, hooray for the Douglasses!)
We at the Untitled Beatles Podcast donât dare hold a Beatles-related opinion without first consulting what the culture-makers at RS want us to know. So we were thrilled - no, THRILLED - when RS (dba Rob Sheffield) released a list this spring of the 100 Best Beatles Solo Songs!
In fact, we were so thrilled, we decided to start an old-school letter writing campaign all about the rankings - to each other! Thanks to the bravery and diligence of the U.S. Postal Service - which the previous president proudly tried to sabotage, because, uh, âOwn the libsâ I fâing guess? - the New Box Tops (dba Tony & T.J.) read their pointed correspondences aloud. They have some questions, including:
đ (Angry Chicago fella): How come Paulâs got a song about Dominoes, and not a real Chicago pizza joint like the Barnabyâs in South Bend or the Old Town Pizza Hut on North & Wells that they turned into some woke Boston Market? And how come I keep getting kicked out of Old Town Ale House at 2 in the afternoon?
â€ïžđŠ If Kurt Cobain were Jesus, would he have returned to stop âCut Me Some Slackâ from happening?
đ Is it a coincidence that the UBP is sponsored by Kenny Rogers Roasters in Malaysia, and longtime Beatle roadie Mal Evans and early 80âs supergroup Asia are both essential parts of The Beatles story? #MalAsia
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Ep. 170 | Ringo Starrâs âCrooked Boyâ EP (2024)
If itâs Saturday, it means one thing: Ringo has another new EP! Nobody other than Ringo has released more music in such a short amount of time - LOOKING AT YOU, TAYLOR* (*Fred Taylor, longtime Jaguars running back.)
The masses want to know: is Ringoâs âCrooked Boyâ the biggest musical release of 2024? As Macca might opine, Who Cares what the idiots say! Any Ringo album is a gift to us all, right? RIGHT? In this episodic journey - which also begins to touch on the recent, disturbing silver streak of greed in Beatles reissues - we discuss the newest Ringo record, arguably his finest EP since whatever the hell the last one was called, and also get into these hot button hot topics:
đđ Is the Pizza Hut in Normal Illinois best known for its personal pan pizza, or for Rich Hallâs infamous 1987 visit?
đ©đ Is Ringo a Butthole Surfer, or merely one of the two?
đ» Is Linda Perryâs âWhatâs Goinâ Onâ way better than Marvin Gayeâs long-forgotten, critically derided, socially irrelevant version? (Angrier than usual Chicago guy:) AND HOW COME WGN AM-720 STOPPED USING BOTH OF THOSE SONGS, FEAT. DEAN RICHARDS, AS PROMO BUMPERS? AND WHY DID MILT ROSENBERG HAVE TO DIE?
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Ep. 161 | Ringo Starrâs âRingoâ (1973) Side Two
Is it possible that Side Two of Ringo Starr's seminal 1973 self-titled album could be the finest piece of plastic ever committed to the work of the Fab Four? Or even second finest, after 2007's Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur" ...?
I know just the two guys for this job. (#CallAhead)
This week, T.J. and Tony step lightly into the album packaging and closing side of "Ringo", and along the way examine:
đž What's EMI got against count-offs, and what else might they be hiding?
đïž Maybe the 1974 live-action/animated short "Harry and Ringo's Night Out"? (#ReleaseTheBrucknerCut)
đš How many "Oh My My" verses will Ringo cut before guy just owns it and Pelotons his ass back into playing shape? (#WeLoveYouRingo #PeaceAndLove #NotSponsored)
Warm up your winter with a bowl of Klaus Voorman's famous Zoup, and a second sumptuous serving of our Deep Dish into "Ringo".
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Ep. 160 | Ringo Starrâs âRingoâ (1973)
Is it possible - merely possible - that Ringo Starrâs 1973 album, âRingoâ is the best solo Beatles album of that incredible year of classic solo Beatles albums? And while weâre at it, does Ringoâs 1978 entry âBad Boyâ still run circles - from a sheer rock & roll perspective - around the flaccid, weak-ass âSome Girlsâ? To be discussed on our final episode, stay tuned! Because, todayâs episode is dedicated to 50 years of the closest thing to a Beatles reunion album this side of the Threetles, and maybe even The Ladders. Tony and T.J., with a little help from our friends, Producer Casey and P3Z-Nutz, deep dish Side 1 of the greatest album (sorry, Liverpool 8) from the greatest drummer (sorry, Andy White) of the greatest band (sorry, Korn) of all time. And they also find (Morris Day and the) time to ask:
đ How in G-dâs name does the Skokie, IL, Buffalo Big Wingz (TM) stay open? Like, what uniquely moronic morons repeatedly pay to eat there?
đ» (Validly angry Chicago guy:) How come coach Ditka let âRingoâ producer Richard âThe Fridgeâ Perry score a touchdown in Super Bowl XX (âex-exâ) but not Sweetness?
đ Is it too late to cancel the actor Tom Skerritt, for taking the starring role in the 90âs CBS dramedy, âWilson Pickett Fencesâ?
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BONUS: Ringoâs âRewind Forwardâ EP (2023)
Breaking UBP Bonus Episode! Tony and T.J. waited until midnight at the long-shuttered Tower Records on Clark St, while dreaming of corned beef sammies from the even-longer-shuttered Belden Deli, to be among the first to stream the new Ringo Starr EP âRewind Forwardâ in their respective and collective not-so-tidy-whities. And they have one question: was that really worth the run-on sentence? And who do you think you are, Warriners, my guy?
What the Bad Boy-oy-oy-oys discovered is this just might be the best Ringo EP of 2023. Thereâs peace, and love, and groovy tunes. And Steve Lukather! And Sir Paul McCartney! If youâre not certain that this EP should be among your Private Property, donât go breaking the law; listen to this special mid-week deep dish of the newest Ringo release, just dropped in your feed like weâre Bono or some s**t! Along the way, the Two Andyâs (White and Frain) also ask:
đ°If, like Canadaâs please-make-them-stop Barenaked Ladies, you had a million dollars, would you spend it all on 17 copies of the âRewind Forwardâ cassette tape?
đđđ When listening to Ringoâs âShadows On The Wallâ, donât you miss the big time now, youâre no longer on the ball?
đŒ Is it true that rejected titles of this album include, âPause Ejectâ, âStop Playâ, âRecord Auxâ, âLine Inâ, âTuner AM/FMâ, âCr02â, âHigh Biasâ, âCoax [pronounced CO-AX, as in a coaxial cable, not âcoaxâ, as in to convince someone to do something], âClock Timerâ, âClock Towerâ, âMarty, Itâs Plutoniumâ, insert your own joke here?
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Ep. 146 | Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band Live in Chicago
Itâs already October, and itâs been quite the merry goo year for The Untitled Beatles Podcast. In August, we recorded live at Beatlefest! And last week, we took a field trip to see Ringo Starr and His All Star Hamms (TM) at the beautiful, historic Chicago Theater; a Chicago landmark owned and operated by Madison Square Garden, just a few blocks from longtime classic Chicago store, Macyâs! (Damn you, NYCâŠ)
Tony and T.J. got to grace an actual Beatle with their presence - together, as a duo - for the very first time, And this weekâs episode captures the all the rawdio as the guys pre-game to the rockinâ sounds of Chicago Bears legend Dick Butkusâ death, demand obscure requests from the All Starr Band, and deep dish the entire concert; something TONY ABSOLUTELY WANTED TO DO!
Along the way, they simply must ask:
đ· Is Warren Ham aware that, per Fox âNewsâ, thereâs a War on Ham?
đœ Is the studio version of âRosannaâ better than the live version because itâs tighter, or because it actually fâing ends?
đ§ž(Sad Chicago Guy:) IF THESE TWO CHUCKLEHEADS SITTING BEHIND ME DON'T STOP SHOUTING "PRIVATE PROPERTY" BETWEEN EACH SONG SO HELP ME BUTKUS I WILL SEND THEIR ASSES HOME TO KENOSHA IN GREEN AND GOLD FULL-BODY CASTS.
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Ep. 133 | Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (1990) Part 2
From TV's "All Star Blitz" to the the NBA all star celebrity game (feat. some dude from "Grey's Anatomy"), a collection of rando all-stars usually sucks. But not when left to the devices of our dear Ringo, as evidenced in part two of our deep dish on his first all starr band LP!Along the way, Tony and T.J. ask:
đŠđ€« Is "Shine Silently" to 1989 what "Shine Silently" was to 1979, only double?
đ„đ„ Speaking of double, If T.J. plays Doubleâs âThe Captain Of Her Heartâ on the piano for no reason, and Tony doesnât notice the forgotten '85 yachty deep cut jam, did T.J. even play it? #GetRidOfThePiano #Horrible
đ§đ© (Angry Chicago Guy:) How come Ringo had a Cardinals shortstop play guitar in his first all starr band? And what ever happened to that big guy, big home run hitter, oh yeah, poo holes? Dat's rite, my friendt, POO HOLES!
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Ep. 132 | Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (1990) Part 1
The Traveling Wilburys were all right, even if they say you're wrong (#JulianLennon). But sometimes you gotta be strong and make the claim that they were only the 2nd best solo Beatle supergroup of the 80's.
#1? Obviously, it's Paul, Linda, and Eric Stewart! Ringo and his first All Starr Band!
Ok maybe that's a stretch. But as the 1990 tour LP & video show, they were a damn fine band, with a strangely cohesive line up of rock legends that Ringo would never again replicate.
This week, the UBP gets really serious (angry fan: "DAT'S VOLUME TOO!") about this great record and also ask:
Did Keef get beef in his teef doing Improv Warmup Wednesdays at Kenny Rogers Roasters?
Is Tony the UBP's Joel Whitburn, which is a sick reference for those of you who are familiar with longtime Billboard chart historian Joel Whitburn?
Was the All Starr Band promoter experienced at novelty concerts, or more of a Fishof out of water?
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Ep. 116 | Beatle Black Friday Record Store Day
If you're a real patriotic American, you spent the early hours after Thanksgiving waiting in a frigid-ass line at Best Buy at 4am to get a $199 microwave for $192.97. In fairness, it's one o'them microwaves with a built in VCR, so HELL YES.
Or, maybe, like us libz at the UBP, you made your way to your local record store at a more humane hour to pick up some Beatles-related Black Friday Record Store Day vinyl?
On this episode, Tony & T.J. review their RSD experience, the limited Ringo and Dark Horse releases, and also consider:
đŁ Did it take changing his name from Elvis Costello to Declan McManus to get back on his feet?
đ€ Will Tony eventually complete his extensive and very expensive solo Devo vinyl collection?
đ· Has the Live At The Greek All Starr Band's take on "Rosanna" ended yet? No? Fuuuuuuu********k.
Join us for all this and a very special tribute to Mike Ditka's 1988 heart attack (#OliviaNewtonJohn) on this hot off the presses episode!
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Ep. 107a | 70s Solo B-Sides Part 1 (Ringo & George)
Untitled Beatles Fans, Whatâs Happening!!! Hey, hey hey! (#StanleyClarke) Which Doobie yoobie is b-sides the point. And b-sides, todayâs show is Solo 70âs B-Sides that werenât married to an LP; from the absolute classics (âBlindmanâ, âI Donât Care Anymoreâ,) to the hated-by-real-fans missteps (âDaytime Nighttime Sufferingâ, âMove Over Ms. Lâ). In this episode, the Off White Tâs focus on Flingo & George (Tuesdays, on BBC1), and also consider:
đž Are The Byrds really âjust alrightâ with Jesus?
đ Should Tony be concerned about his #ThrobbingGristle?
âïž How come that lib Ringo didnât call his classic âChachi-Chachiâ?
As George once said, we had a B-sides podcast episode to make, ladies and gentlemen. And we made two. Come back next week for the thrillington (angry Chicago voice: DATâS NOT A B-SIDE) conclusion of solo 70âs B-Sides from John and an old estranged fiancĂ©e called Paul.
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