Mark Lewisohn gives us a taste of his new Beatles show - “62 stories from 1962”

Mark Lewisohn, author, old pal of the pod and without question the world’s leading Beatles authority, is back onstage in October. As with his last show in 2019 about the making of Abbey Road, he’ll be using illustrations from the archive he’s amassed over 40 years - unheard tapes, unseen newspaper clippings - to tell 62 two-minute stories about their life in 1962. To add “a touch of drama”, each half of the show will be exactly 62 minutes long. It starts with a tale about the clock he’s holding in this picture.
‘Tune In’, the first instalment of his trilogy, came out in 2013 and ends with the making of their first album and he’s currently immersed in volume two, Turn On, which covers the next four years. This, he barely needs to remind us, is “the best job in the world”. At one point here he delivers a soliloquy about the grim challenges the world’s enduring in 2022 and how the “purely joyous” story of the Beatles is the moral uplift we all need, “the best of humanity”. And talks about the magnetic allure of Beatles landmarks, visiting the Royal Turks Head Hotel in Newcastle recently because She Loves You was composed in one of its upstairs rooms.
And he remembers the first shows he ever saw - T Rex at the Empire Pool, the Greedy Bastards at the Electric Ballroom at which he pogo-ed so energetically he ruptured his Achilles tendon.
We know a ton about the Beatles but came away from his Abbey Road talk in disbelief at the amount we’d learned. See this new show at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre and you’ll no doubt feel the same. It couldn’t be more highly recommended.
The tour website:
beatlesevolver.com/
Promo films (tasters of the show):
/ @marklewisohn-official
website:
www.marklewisohn.net
Twitter: @marklewisohn
Instagram: marklewisohn19
Subscribe to Word In Your Ear on Patreon for a whole world of extra and exclusive content, benefits and rewards: / wordinyourear

[@patrickcrowther9195]

Paul and Linda McCartney walked past my Mum and I when I was in my cot on Hampstead Heath in 1969. They smiled at us. So as far as I’m concerned I’ve been in the presence of a Beatle while they were extant.

[@fishhookism]

We need the second installment of "Tune In."

[@Phillyhillbilly]

In June 2022, the wife and I visited Liverpool/London for the first time. As a fan since Ed Sullivan, the breakup, bad press, and life in-general staled my interest, but now is rejuvenated by authors like Mark. Yes, we need the Beatles.

[@johnbarry1965]

I had a heart palpitation on seeing the great Mark and thinking that Volume 2 was close to release!!!

[@keriford54]

I looked at him and thought he looks healthy enough to finish volume 2, I hope he starts working to a timeframe.

[@paulafay8551]

Really enjoyed this! I work as a Custodian at both National Trust Beatles' homes here in Liverpool and just today, a visitor was talking about Mark's TUNE IN. I did meet Mark and his wife many years ago though I doubt he'd recall but he is a friend of my good friend Colin! I do wish him the greatest of luck and hope he will bring this show up to Liverpool at least, while I understand he needs to be getting on with creating a book that can reflect the immense complexity and magic of the years 1962 to 1966 in Beatles' history. It lives. People young and old are here visiting daily. Mark, we have so many small kids who are Beatles' fans! There is something in the music, a warmth, that is connecting the generations' to one another through the music. Thanks guys. :) I know you both - Mark and David from the Old Grey Whistle Test day and early 80s' music mags.

[@bimpson78]

Really really really really want him to come to Liverpool with this one! The Hornsey Road show was wonderful. Mark's hard work and passion is palpable

[@ClueSign]

May the fates protect Mark Lewisohn at all costs.

[@colinharper8791]

Wonderful. Mark's a lovely soul and I couldn't agree more with the view of the world at present. Thank you for hosting the chat Mark and David.🙏

[@Mokkari77]

Reading the first volume of his Beatles bio was like being transported back to Liverpool in the 1950s and Hamburg in the early 60s!

[@papercup2517]

It absolutely was! Incredible detail, brought it all to life.

[@lonmaness6222]

At 19:50, when Mark was giving his comment about how the governments of various countries around the world are being run, 'Truer Words Were Never Spoken', the world needs The Beatles. They give us sunshine, they give us hope, they make us feel good, they bring a smile to our face when we hear their music or see the videos or movies.

[@donnaearley7069]

Mark says we need the Beatles....agreed but we also need Mark! Thank you for writing a wonderful book!

[@brucedanton3669]

Thank you for this of course. Mark Ellen and David Hepworth are fine fellows for sure-and great people too. I first knew of them when they edited Smash Hits, one after the other between 1981 and 1985 roughly. I still have a lot of those issues-they have stood the test of time on music as it was then! I then later read some of Q Magazine when they were involved in that and then The Word, which was alright too. Sad to say of course that all of those are no more and closed down some years ago now. David now writes in the Radio Times though. Mark Lewisohn is a fine fellow too-he used to write in the Radio Times also about all things television or radio at the time. I wrote to him I think in 1999 and I am glad to say that he sent a reply for which I was very grateful too. He also of course, as here, writes about the Beatles and other passions that I am sure he must have. Well done of course!!

[@johnc.8409]

Mark is absolutely right . Right now we need The Beatles.

[@tbwatch88]

yeah, mark, where's volume two, mate. come on. we're dying for it!

[@ianlaker9161]

When Mark Lewison appeared at the Gulbenkian theatre at the University if Kent with his Abbey Road show, it was a thoroughly enjoyable night for this particular Beatles geek and one that turned up many things I didn't know previously. I, too, am desperate for that second volume but Mark was kind enough to sign my first and took plenty of time out to chat to other obsessives. A thoroughly nice guy.

[@_SliK_]

It’d be great if Mark could film and upload the remaining videos of Evolver on his KZbin channel.

[@gbarge4]

Mark is three months older than I, so we saw the world unfold from different places but nearly the same age. Yes, we desperately need a proper psychological lift. My wife, daughter and I got exactly that with Ringo and his All Starr Band in June. He's a world treasure and every bit of his peace and love is contagious. And timeless. Peace, all.

[@MCorangutan]

That speech about what the Beatles bring to world is wonderful. Thank you, Mark!

[@Robutube1]

"We need the Beatles - they did it with the right spirit". Ah, that's it!

[@emlyngriffith5846]

I wrote to Mark after reading “Tune In” recounting my tale of meeting the Beatles in Bangor in 1967 and getting their autographs. He had the courtesy to write back and send me some photos. I look forward to reading volume 2 but fear I will be no more…..I’m so old….and as for volume 3…..

[@papercup2517]

Oh wow - were you on the retreat with them? I'd love to know how to contact Mark about my own little anecdote (recounted above) but his website contact email says 'business enquiries only'...

[@emlyngriffith5846]

@@papercup2517 …..it was a student hall of residence of the local college where they were staying. Nowhere special. My father was a police inspector and got me in to meet them. They were very nice and friendly. I emailed the full story to Mark via the email address he provides at the end of his book “Tune In”.

[@papercup2517]

@@emlyngriffith5846 Thanks, Emlyn. What a thrill that must have been, and how lovely to get to interact with them - even if it was just an autograph!

[@adrianburn7178]

My first gig was the Beatles in Melbourne, Australia in June 1964! I was ten years old.

[@ObjectiveDynamics]

Me, Liverpool December 1965 and 7 years old

[@ashith1297]

Oh God how I envy you both...🗿

[@beatlebarb64]

Mark is the ultimate Beatle fan; this interview is very sweet! The Bringers of Joy! Love it!

[@michaelolson9881]

I read tune in and have been not so patiently waiting for Volume 2. He promised 10 years and it's now 11 still waiting. He is 65 now, and should it come out when he is 67 and need another 10 years for volume three, I fear he will die before getting it written.

[@BeatlemaccaAR]

Thank you for this 🤗. Number One source of utter joy in my life as well since 1969. We need them more than ever before I reckon!

[@neilb224]

A fine man. Let’s hope he stays fit and healthy for years to come.

[@bonsaibiker5378]

oh please tour with this show, i loved the last one

[@paulaelizabethg]

Also I love Mark's hidden John quote, ".....just a band that made it very very big...."

[@richbailey8174]

It really isn't "hidden"

[@vonsboy]

Hey Mark, I was at the Hammersmith Odeon show as well, down from RAF Upper Heyford, first Macca show was at Oxford 1972 or 3. Discharged in 1976 saw McCartney at Fort Worth show, first stop on Wings Over America

[@tonyr1950]

IMO, volume two is not getting done anytime soon. Volume three is a pipe dream. I hope I’m wrong.

[@paulcropper4717]

I hope Mark Lewisohn takes this show on tour. It would be a shame if he didn't.

[@joselmoreno]

Please finish Volumes 2 and 3 of the books soon!

[@angryoharas]

ML was kind enough to answer an email I wrote 2 years ago. He was projecting end of '22 for Vol 2. Bummer!!

[@philiphaigh8349]

Great stuff 👍

[@astrosjer822]

Mark was just at the Chicago Beatlefest and he is the best!

[@Slydeil]

I saw Hornsby Road at Edinburgh and it was a wonderful experience, entertaining and engrossing. I met Mark after the show and thought I'd a lead on Mean Mr Mustard as I live and work in Elgin, Moray, in the North East of Scotland, his birthplace, and I know a John Mustard and thought Eureka he must be related...but sadly there are many strains of Mustards up here and it's a completely different one. The Beatles played their first ever UK tour of 1963 up here starting at The Two Red Shoes, Elgin before heading up to Dingwall in the Highlands and back down to Aberdeen and Bridge of Allan. Albert Bonici of Elgin booked them in late 1962 and they were still just another band, but weeks later "The Love Me Do boys" released Please Please Me and went to the toppermost of the poppermost. Bonici then promoted their next couple of tours in central Scotland and one of his bands Johnny and the Copycats supported them in 1964. They had been due to support them on January 2nd 1963 at The Longmore Hall in Keith, Moray but The Beatles couldn't get through due to a really band snowstorm. And finally my cousin Alasdair Gordon played keyboards in the support band at the Two Red Shoes on 3rd January. He was a lot older than me I wasn't born til 5 years later, but I only found out at his funeral...but he is supposed to have thought they played great arrangements of songs, but weren't very good musically.

[@paulaelizabethg]

Apple or MPL should hire Mark as the permanent Beatles historian and purchase his archives (for a large, Mark could retire whenever he wished to) amount of money. I am surprised they haven't done this already.

[@opticscolossalandepicvideo4879]

Apple wants nothing to do with him. He has done many dubious and shady things including possessing a stolen meeting tape of a private meeting. George Harrison fired him years ago

[@GoldenGodDennisReynolds]

I wonder which will be finished first, Mark’s Beatles books or George R R Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire 🤔

[@sianwarwick633]

What a concedence thst I saw someone reading 📚 test book yesterday afternoon

[@davecostello560]

How is it that ML can't get a healthy second advance from his publisher to support Volume Two? Surely it's one of the definitive fabs books, and can only sell so much better, post Get Back.

[@charliewest1221]

Yes, very curious.

[@MegaMacReal]

Surely he’s collecting royalties on all the books he’s written, probably paid every quarter.

[@500Erin]

Mark please go on Patreon - I'm sure there are thousands of people willing to help you financially and then you can hire some assistants to help, this is an enormous task and we're all rooting for you. We know you can do this but don't be shy - we will help!

[@BeatlemaccaAR]

Count me in.

[@opticscolossalandepicvideo4879]

@@BeatlemaccaAR he is a fraud - he is never going to finish them books -he wants to do everything himself

[@ObjectiveDynamics]

@@MalEvansUSA maybe Dr Ken Womack should get off his arse and write it then. If he did he wouldn't need you to pimp him as a substitute

[@chrisnewman7281]

I think the point could be made that the Beatles were sprinkled with magic dust for 10 years. Wonder if either of the surviving Beatles has read Volume one

[@papercup2517]

August 1962 - pretty sure it was John and George I spotted in a hotel dining room in Edinburgh, when I was just 10 years old (Yes, I'm 70 now.) In walked two unusual looking young men, into this slightly posh and extremely sedate establishment with its hushed atmosphere of restrained politeness, with everyone properly dressed in tweed jackets and pearls, and I thought my people had come from my home planet at last, to rescue me... My father 'tsked' disapprovingly at their loud voices and strong accents and murmured something about "Louts!" while my mother told me not to stare.... But I HAD to stare! I couldn't take my eyes off them. For me, at least, they lit up the room with their energy and difference. I had no idea who they were; they looked vaguely beatnik-y and called out to each other across the room apparently unembarrassed that they were causing a minor scene. John(?) - the one with the lighter hair that looked as if it hadn't quite decided yet if it was a Teddy Boy quiff or a combed forward fringe - immediately got busy making the hotel staff at the checkout desk double up with laughter at what was clearly an outrageous joke or story he was telling them. As he got to the punchline, he mock-ducked, grinning triumphantly, as if to avoid the blows that might follow. (I later saw John Lennon make that exact same gesture after cheekily instructing the richer patrons - who would have included the the Queen Mother - to 'just rattle your jewellery' at the 1963 Royal Command performance.) Meanwhile George(?) came past me - within a few feet - prowling through the room, scanning the tables hungrily, looking for a place to sit. I still remember his skinny legs and dark eyebrows. I was hoping desperately that he'd come and sit down next to me and tell me who he was and everything about his life. I just knew he was someone special. But the place was packed since it was in the middle of the Festival and the famous annual Military Tattoo was on that night. But after a further exchange with the staff, John called out to George that the main bar was open now so they could go there to get a drink. But George wanted to EAT! He wanted LUNCH! Everyone else in the restaurant was studiously ignoring these rough fellows with their inappropriately loud voices, in that very middle/upper-class British/ Scottish way, while I was just praying they'd stay... But my prayers were not answered and John called out "It's OK - they say we can order lunch in the bar". After a further brief discussion - George anxiously trying to ascertain if the full lunch menu would be available there, not just snacks (that boy was HUNGRY! ) - to my great disappointment, he was finally apparently convinced, turned around and walked back past me and the two of them left the dining room together, still talking and joking a bit 'too' loudly, as the suffocating calm of the dining room descended once again. The next time I saw them (if it was indeed them) was on stage in our local East Anglian Gaumont Theatre in 1964, when a little musical group called the Beatles who had recently conquered America and were now the biggest thing in show business, if not the world, were appearing in our town. For a moment I got a jolt of shock as I thought I recognised the quiet one with the dark eyebrows and the skinny legs, who scanned the rows of hysterically screaming fans with a penetratingly quizzical expression, just like another(?) young man had scanned a restaurant with that same penetrating gaze up in Edinburgh a couple of years earlier. Thanks to Mark Lewisohn's wonderfully detailed book I recently discovered that John had relatives in Edinburgh and visited quite often as a child and teenager (and from another source, IIRC, that it was his favourite city)... and that he liked the Tattoo. The Beatles Bible shows they had a packed schedule as usual that month, but their day by day diary for August '62 did show a couple of dates when they could conceivably have travelled up from Liverpool by train early in the morning, arriving in time for lunch, gone to the Tattoo or perhaps to watch a musical act in the evening, and gone back by train the next morning in time for their lunchtime gig in Liverpool. At the Tattoo that evening, the organisers had delighted the crowd with a daring novelty - 'something for the young ones' - a brass band rendition of 'Let's Twist Again' by Chubby Checker, to which audience members were invited to get up and dance. I like to think John and George, still anonymous and free to mix with ordinary people without being mobbed, might have been among the crowd of teenagers and twenty-somethings that answered the call, dancing under the Edinburgh moon and stars beneath the ancient ramparts of Edinburgh Castle to American rock 'n' roll. But sadly, both those beautiful people are gone from us too soon, and there's no way I can ask them...

[@adrianmadden]

The shows at the Bloombury theatre. Will the Hendersons be there.......???? But seriously, I haven't bought the Tune In book, but am in two minds about whether to go for the the slimmer version or the more expensive version.......did anyone feel they just got bogged down in the 1,700 pages ???? May just settle for the slimmer book !!!!

[@irvinepanda]

Bought the thin one. Loved it. Then bought the thick one. Loved that even more. The incredible detail just makes it more fascinating.

[@adrianmadden]

@@irvinepanda May do both in that case......cheers.

[@papercup2517]

I don't know whether the Hendersons will be there or not, but the show begins at ten to six, and a splendid time is guaranteed for all... apparently...

[@paulreichel1522]

The last 2 minutes - I went 'WHoaaaah!' - dangerous stuff that I agree with 110% - serious stuff too! I'm not sure The Beatles are the total panacea for these ills but at least they give, like much music from then until the beginnings of the '90s - wish, a chance to escape. Think I'll buy Tune In just to help the work along.

[@stephenfisch615]

Please bring your show to New York City.

[@sharynloshakoff5404]

And San Francisco!

[@sianwarwick633]

Would it be worth it for you to attend after the books II and III are published, even as Q and A ?

[@joankovacs9669]

Hello Mark, Will there be 2 versions again? A regular book and another book with all the extras? Thank you for all your hard and enjoyable work!

[@matthewsnyder6127]

Sounds kind he might need THREE versions: Abridged, sort-of-abridged, and the 50 volume version. I'll opt for the longest one.

[@BeesWaxMinder]

I’d love to know what he thinks about Judy Kessler!

[@Smudgie]

World Beatles expert. Which languages are Mark's books translated into? I'm particularly interested which of his books (if any) are translated into German? My brother-in-law is German and a massive Beatles fan.

[@hoisin75]

what will arrive first, Tune In vol 2, Dylan: Chronicles vol 2 or The Winds of Winter?

[@barrieflix]

Can't blame or acclaim the Beatles for "where we are now", but Mark's correct that successive governments have dragged us down.

[@eoghanlyng5074]

I'd like to see this show.

[@AZ-xm2oq]

yay they changed the intro!

[@eti313]

Mark Lewisohn gives us a taste of his new Beatles show? Somehow I missed that part.

[@charliebadger]

Come on. Every beatles fan in the world should send £1 or $1 to Mark. That would do it. :)

[@charliewest1221]

Nonsense! This fella is a leech.

[@wavinbridge]

Whatever happened to the trilogy which Mark Lewisohn was supposed to write regarding the Beatles. He completed the first volume, but I have never seen the other two. Does anyone know why these two books were never completed and distributed?

[@NNnn-zc2bm]

He is still writing volume 2.

[@papercup2517]

They discuss it in the video. :-)

[@johnricco5366]

13 in 1972? ithought you were a bit older. i was 23 in 1972 and had been riding the crest of the first british invasion in 1963/1964. 14/15. 1972 was a relatively late era by comparison. those 8 or 9 years was another age. beatlemania to t-rex.

[@apollomemories7399]

1972 was the start of a completely new era with T.Rex and Slade monopolising the airways and new people coming through such as David Bowie and Roxy Music. It was a very exciting time for pop music in general and the fact that the album charts were so much more interesting than they had been all through the 1960's. Us 13 year old teenagers weren't much interested in what had been around in 1963/1964, although we heard enough of it on the Jimmy Young show.

[@joankovacs9669]

If Patreon would help I’d love to give to you.

[@Dexter_2105]

Mark, Come to Australia......🌏✈

[@johncoan]

where's this bloody BOOK?!?!?

[@hoisin75]

Does Mark have a level of relationship with Paul or Ringo that he can call them for a fact check?

[@davecostello560]

Surely Lewisohn needs his publisher to appoint an editor to now help set some boundaries around Volume Two. It sounds like ML is being buried under an ever deepening quagmire of microscopic detail. Someone with a bit of perspective might be helpful!

[@opticscolossalandepicvideo4879]

@@charliewest1221 your post is spot on. He actually thinks minute details and irrelevant facts is scholarly endeavors when in fact it is irrelevant. He is a fucking hack con man who keeps appearing cup in hand asking for funds. He can’t write because he is obsessed with details and irrelevant facts and has lost the scope of project. He can’t stop researching

[@opticscolossalandepicvideo4879]

Olivia Harrison once said that Lewisohn is a charlatan of immense proportions She is right

[@stevecityrocker]

You did nut jobs need get over your bizarre fixation. Mark Lewisohn owes you/us NOTHING.

[@andrewnbrown]

I am the 62nd person to like this. Do I get a prize?

[@spaceengineer1452]

When you're 64...

[@sianwarwick633]

Guess what ? ​@@spaceengineer1452

[@scottandrewbrass1931]

We need more Lewisohn and less Guiliano.

[@charliewest1221]

Mark Lewisohn is a conman in my opinion. He has been pussyfussing for years concerning the release of Volume 2, finding all sorts of feeble excuses (the lack of funds being one). He also claims to be scholalastic (which he most certainly is not). I read his Volume 1. Yes, his work abounds with a plethora of obscure and irrelevant details (the result of painstaking research, granted) but it is far from critical and analytical in the true tradition of scholarly discourse. He is essentially an archaelogist digging, unearthing and presenting. His work is, in the final analysis, a lumping together of many personal and intimate minutiae (often vulgar and offensive) without interrogating these details to present a synthesis and objective assessment as the scholarly historian ought to. How far should the historian go in respecting the privacy of his subjects? I doubt whether the Beatles - Lennon in particular - would be very impressed. McCartney has also expressed reservations about Lewisohn's work. I shall give Volume 2 (if it ever sees the light of day) a categorical miss. I shall spend the time, instead, listening to the music of my beloved band.

[@sianwarwick633]

Please don't ✍️: 'in the final anal-y-sis'🙏

[@MercuriusHibernicus]

Personally I doubt Lewisohn wants to publish Vol2 or 3 while McCartney and Ono are still alive, does he really want to dish the dirt on the 66-69 era? how about Epstein's grimy personal life and relationship with the Krays? how about Yoko and Linda being children of the 0.1%? how about McCartney's relationship with Jane Asher... and her father who committed suicide? Richard Asher reeks of some sort of Tavistock figure... curious isn't it McCartney lived in his house and woke up from a dream with the melody of 'Yesterday' in his head... is Lewisohn really going to tackle any of this???

[@scottandrewbrass1931]

I very much doubt it. Unless -he loses it completely and becomes a conspiracy theory nut job who believes anything he reads on the internet . We'll all have to wait and see .

[@MercuriusHibernicus]

@@scottandrewbrass1931 it's best not to elevate mortals to heroes

[@lucasoheyze4597]

All that information is already publicly available and easy to find...for instance, we're discussing it right here.

[@mikewa2]

There is a rumour that the release of 2 is waiting for someone to die in order for sensitive unreleased info to be revealed. Not one of the remaining Beatles It just a rumour, just a rumour

[@paulj6138]

Doesn't Mark get book royalties every month including those prior to TUNE IN. & They didn't ask Obvious Question Is 2024 a possible release time or 25 more likely