The Beatles Story ALBUM REVIEW |

[@Mrvictorfernandes]

This album used to pop up at a lot of flea markets back in the late '80's and early '90's and sell for roughly 20 dollars or more! I remember finding it at the bargain bin and being intrigued by the front cover artwork. But when I saw the back cover and read the heading "IT'S LIKE SPENDING A VERY SPECIAL EVENING IN THE COMPANY OF THE BEATLES THEMSELVES!", I had to put it back in the rack. Even at the age of 10 in 1989, I could smell the exploitation that emanated from that record...

[@John_Fugazzi]

I had no idea Gary Usher and Roger Christian had anything to do with this album - up to this point they were totally involved with surf and car music. The narration was excruciating to listen to even back then. A live concert from the Hollywood Bowl would have been so incredible. Maybe the recording setup was not set up correctly to capture the music and not too much screening. I saw the Beatles in concert that summer indoors and I couldn't hear a thing.

[@tunesdonebyone3428]

It's funny, I don't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday BUT I remember from this record a clip of an hysterically crying girl about how she just missed seeing the Beatles I believe as they were escorted away from the huge crowds and I think she was crying at how she was there for hours waiting to see them and how it's horrible!! Lol.

[@britt2001b]

I cherished this album as a kid back in the 60s. The narration is still engrained in my mind as a 71 year old!

[@danaatkins6827]

The narration was hypnotic...I was 7 years old, my father was a traveling salesman in the 60's, he came home from the road once with this album for my older sister, she didn't like the Beatles!! She gave the record to me, loved it, would even take it to my grandmother's to play it...

[@britt2001b]

@@danaatkins6827 Back then without the internet, KZbin or social media one had to wait a long time between Beatles' exposure other than the radio. This album provided some relief for that. I wore this album out. I recall it was the first time I heard a live recording by them (the snippet of 'Twist And Shout').

[@JohnSmith-yp7ww]

My dad gave me this album from his collection when I was kid, I’m glad to see it get some recognition. Love your channel and your videos!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you, John. Plenty more to come!

[@DavesTVZone]

I got this for Christmas 1964, I enjoyed it very much being 15 years old, so it work for me.

[@Borella309]

The "Millionaires" segment was from an Australian interview, June 1964 in Melbourne (the city I was born and bred in) - the interviewers heard are Ernie Sigley, and (I think) Tony Charlton (Aussie TV/Radio media presenters) - You can find the video interview on KZbin (runs for around 15-20mins - George's quip is priceless and cracks everyone up, in fact the whole interview is one of the best one's they ever gave, with great comic lines and sensible answers to some sensible questions throughout the interview. Thank me later, kind regards, Terry, Australia.

[@NewFalconerRecords]

Just last night I was just talking to an Aunty who I hadn't seen in over 25 years, and she was telling me all about going to see the Beatles at Festival Hall (Melbourne) and being in the crowd crush outside the Town Hall. She was 14 at the time. Said that the crowd outside the Town Hall was really scary once they started to heave and move around. Looking at photos of that, I can see why.

[@Borella309]

@@NewFalconerRecords Around 2005 I had the great pleasure of meeting a beautiful elderly lady named Betty Stewart a few times (through work-related matters), who was the Promotions Manager for the Beatles 1964 tour of Oz. She travelled with the Beatles for the entirety of their Australian tour - she wrote a book titled "A Survivor in a Star-Spangled World" - the cover features her surrounded by the 4 guys (you can Google for this image). By the 2nd or 3rd time I met with Betty I dared to ask her, in confidence, what the Beatles were really like in private - She didn't reveal anything scandalous, but did give me her opinion of each of them, which as our conversation was in confidence, I can't share, but was amazing to hear. She was a lovely person who lived a very long eventful life, who passed away about 10 years ago. I was so lucky (and thankful) to have met her on a handful of occasions, as she happily shared many stories from her colourful career with me, and also to meet a person who personally knew The Beatles was a thrill as well.

[@AlterMann57]

I can remember buying that load of shite back in the 1960's and I listened to it once and thought it seemed like one of those awful news clips which used to be played at movie theatres to update the audience on what was currently happening in the world. During the 1970's there was a very good double album of Beatles interviews with the interviewer being David Wigg. If you've ever heard of that album you'll know what I mean. David Wigg interviewed each member one many occasions , especially around the time when they broke apart. That is the best interview album concerning The Beatles I've ever heard. Unfortunately I sold it a couple of years ago, but I now have sellers remorse.

[@shyman99]

I could hardly stomach the short segments from it, let alone having to sit through the entire album.

[@richbailey8174]

I would bet that it's the most mint record in anyone's collection!...:)

[@matthewstreet1961]

Gosh, Matt this album fascinated me as a young boy. I totally agree with you that Hear the Beatles tell All is a much better album. However, when I had this as a kid, I absolutely was enthralled by it. And I think I played those first 50 seconds of side 4 over and over and over again! I couldn’t get enough of that little snippet of live Beatles. What a treat! Great overview of this album, which brings back a lot of memories for me. Cheers.😎👍❤️😊🙏

[@rickhager3288]

Hey Matt, great analysis of this stepchild LP and the related Vee Jay stuff. You are so right - three albums in the span of four little months is crazy in today's standards. My current copy of Beatles Story is an orange label. (had all of them on the rainbow lables at one point...) Interesting concept for you to suggest that maybe this very possibly is rock's first double-album release. Thanks, my friend.

[@timothyflyte9443]

This album showed up on some of the inner sleaves of the Beatles albums , and also on the back covers from Beatles '65 ( Dec 64 ) The Early Beatles , Beatles VI , and Help (July 65 ) and again on the back cover of " Yesterday & Today " . Rubber Soul being the only back cover not showing previous albums since Beatles Second Album. From the description ,I knew I needed this album as a young boy ( 12 to 13 ) to complete my Beatles Collection. So in 1968 I found a music / record store in my hometown that could order this album. By then , it wasn't a normally in stock album. I ordered it and waited . I remember the day they called to say it was in and my Dad drove me to town to pick it up. I went in to get it , but I was a few dollars short. Not only was it a double album , but the stereo version !!! I had to run back out and ask my Dad for the difference. I remember , I needed $5 , which in 1968 , was quite a bit of money , my Dad gave me the money , but I remember him saying " this sh++ has got to stop until you get a job " ... Anyway , I still have this album. What's interesting is the brief snippet of a live version of " Twist & Shout " and also The Beatles Medley , way before stars on 45 came out or The Beatles own " movie medley ". Some of the stereo versions , though brief , were exclusive to this release at the time. Great channel. Great video.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks for the comments, Tim!

[@martywalsh8340]

I enjoyed this album as a 7 year old who was trying to get any and all the details on the Beatles....but listening now...I have to say your take is as usual spot on. Great example of Capitol as a business motivated by capitalism during those early days of Beatlemania- how to get the most money out of what they thought would be a short lived phenomena . No different from those magazines at the the time. Remember those mags and these few albums were all we had in those early days....no internet, no streaming, no video tapes, etc. And in some ways the chase for the buck has not changed....ready to spend $160 or more for a 6 CD re-release of mind games? ....maybe that is what it all is about all along...."we're playing those mind games" on your wallet. Thanks for another good video review. Always enjoy the show!

[@BenjaminNavillus]

I had absolutely zero idea that this and the interview album ever existed.

[@magneto7930]

I had two copies of this album, my first one I had when I was a child. Yes I did notice all the mistakes, such as "Paul McCartney explains" and then we hear George's voice. I had the Capitol label and then later on I had the Apple label. It's a largely fabricated story, but I enjoyed it when I was a kid. The music by the Hollyridge Strings was really nice. Like many other people I just bought everything Beatles. Vinyl records, that was mostly all we had to hold on to back then.

[@billleary5779]

Thanks for covering this Matt! When I was building my Beatles collection in the early 1980s my goal was to get everything on the Capitol label and this was the last one that I purchased. I already listened to a copy owned by a relative so I knew what I was getting….it’s probably the cleanest Beatles LP in my entire collection. Thanks for sharing this.

[@canadianstudmuffin]

Excellent series! This was the one American/Canadian album I never bought in the 60's, but I would always see it advertised on the back of Beatles albums and wonder what it was all about.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

I wouldn't spend too much on it but it's a nice curio to have.

[@Sp33gan]

I bought this when I was 12/13 and flush with pocket money from my first real job, a dream job working in a club with live bands ♥ At the time I was buying everything Beatles related so I thought nothing of including it in my collection. In the 50 years I've had it I've listened to it a whopping once. The narration felt like I was being talked down to - as if I were a stupid kid who needed a lesson in becoming an adult. Seriously condescending. This album has always reminded me of the TV shows who add a character representing an aspect of popular culture they don't understand. The Hollywood movies with so-called "hippies" or the TV sitcom introducing the brief "punk rocker" boyfriend who had no clue what Punk was all about. At least Gilligan's Island could have fun with the idea without being condescending. Maybe a perfect example is the clothing exec who corners George Harrison in A Hard Day's Night. "You'll love it, sonny boy. You'll think it's fab and gear and all the other pimply hyperbole you teenagers use" Capital had no clue. Since the day I bought The Beatles' Story I've never seen it for sale anywhere since. Probably a good thing.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

We’ll said!

[@bruceink9]

Good job, Matt. Might be worth noting that interview discs became common, including three which were sold in conjunction with the three Anthology double albums.

[@johnnytheg]

One interesting thing to note is that Al Wiman was working as a reporter for KABC TV in 69 when he discovered discarded clothes used in the Sharon Tate killing. Wild, but true. He was interviews by David Ono (strange coincidence) from ABC about it in 2017.

[@kellstud]

Thanks for this Matt. It’s on my shelf as well and I’ve listened to it maybe twice. Spot on about the design being better than the content. #7!!!!!!!!!! I wonder how many disappointed people there were expecting music. Your live/interview release idea is great but I think there was some 1977 tech that cleaned up HWB to make it actually listenable. I don’t think they could have done it in 64-65?!?!

[@NewFalconerRecords]

And even after they cleaned up HWB it was still only vaguely listenable.

[@EdWilson-zj7uf]

Matt, the reason Capitol had the "throw it all out there" attitude was probably that they, along with everybody else, thought the Fab Four were a craze that would be over in around six months. The way to deal with the cringiness in a record like this is to look at it like an old issue of Confidential Magazine, scholky but sort of fun.

[@brenthooton3412]

Incredibly... Capitol issued the first 3 albums roughly at three-month intervals. Can you imagine that today?? They must have been panicking when they didn't have anything new to issue in the fall of 1964. Maybe that led them to issue this one ("we gotta issue something.... *anything*!!!"), even if it was only three weeks before Beatles '65...

[@NewFalconerRecords]

@@EdWilson-zj7uf Spot on! That was the attitude of rock and pop music in general back then.

[@rocksinger45]

I had a girl friend neighbor who asked me to listen to this lp when it was released back in 1964 ~ I was 14 ~ After listening to it my remark was that it sounded like one of my mothers Soap Operas and that there was nothing new on it that I hadn't heard before ~ In other words a milking of the Beatles Cash Cow by Capital Records that would happen again and again ~ The announcer reminded me of Walter Cronkite ~ Big fans of the band were clamoring for anything they could get their hands on at this point in the American Beatles invasion ~ A Smart move by Brian Epstein ~ Leave them wanting more ~

[@jamesy4003]

I use Apple Music and shuffle the US Albums for play - every so often in between the songs off the US Albums - a track will play from this LP and it fits in perfectly! The narrator sounds very much of the time and is very nostalgic for me a very young 7yo in 1964

[@popgoesthe60s52]

That’s a cool way to experience it!

[@aceopinions]

Great review Matt. I have the Capitol rainbow version in mono that I received as birthday gift in February 1965. Never listened to it that much, except for the music clips. Good point regarding the narration vs interviews . I never really thought about since I had nothing to compare it to. I never even heard of" The Beatles Tell All" until your video. I do have" Introducing the Beatles" and was aware of the other Vee-Jay records you mentioned . As always, great detailed information and analysis!! ---Tom

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you, Tom. The comments are much appreciated!

[@onlysleeping8934]

I had this album as a kid but when I was a teenager many many years ago, I sold it for beer money! (along with some other albums) Looking forward to Beatles 65 review (and all the rest of the US albums). Absolutely love your channel!. Thanks Matt!

[@thanosb.5403]

Having been a fan for 35 years now (wow!! I'm old), this is the first time I've listened to snippets of this... I did find it at a flea market a couple of years ago but I thought it wasn't worth the price asked for! Great video, now I'm on the lookout for the Vee-Jay one!

[@mattgregory971]

Good one Matt ! I have to admit I hardly played Beatles Story. I have it in the US albums box set.

[@markjamesmeli2520]

You are so right. I've thought about this for decades. These are documentary albums about a pop band! Think about that for a minute. What other band had that done? Whether you like the album or not, it was a reflection of a phenomenon that we probably won't see again. You're right, STORY is very "Hollywood." Being an aspiring radio announcer, that's why I loved it. TELL ALL had some great interview bits, the only problem I had with it was the background music and percussion during the interview segments. But again, having JUST turned 60 myself recently, it just makes me ponder the world as I entered it. I am glad that a cultural event like the Beatles happened in my lifetime.

[@joelgoldenberg1100]

Once, a radio station asked viewers to call in with the name of the first rock double album, and people called in saying Freak Out and Blonde On Blonde, and were told they were wrong, I called in and said Greatest Hits From The Beginning by the Miracles, from March 1965, and was told I was right.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

I wasn't aware of that Miracles album! Thanks for that info.

[@robertcalvin2643]

Hi Matt- I have a copy of this one on Apple and it is of it's time but part of the big picture that was / is Beatle Mania. Cheers.

[@Tom-el5cq]

Hey Matt, very interesting comparison of the two albums you cover here. The latter is, to me, definitely the most blatant display of “Capitol-ism” in the Beatles catalog. I remember the disappointment when hearing it, & thinking how the album didn’t deliver what the cover seems to promise.

[@jerrylev59]

I doubt most American fans could have distinguished that well between Paul and George's speaking voices back then from such a small snippet, and we were starving for content, so it sold.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

No but one would hope Capitol could.

[@brenthooton3412]

The Beatles Story! I bought it on cassette as a kid in the 80s (yes, Capitol issued it on cassette in Canada in the 80s). I have no idea what possessed me at the time. The text on the cover got rearranged ("their whole story on cassette!"), which was fine... but true to mid-1980s cassette packaging, you didn't get any of the gatefold or rear cover presentation. And I still remember the "it all goes to Her Majesty" quip!

[@antoniodalfonso]

A well-researched and honest analysis, Matt. Thank you.

[@wyliesmith4244]

Matt, I still remember walking into the Squirrel Hill branch (that's Pittsburgh, PA) of National Record Mart and seeing this album on display on a front rack. I agree that the cover, especially the full color British flag, was eye-catching, so I picked it up. Luckily I viewed the back and decided that I'd rather save my money for something else. And national Record mart charged more than the indie stores I shopped at. I was shocked to see that Gary Usher and Roger Christian were involved, but it was 1964 and LA led the land in studio created recordings. This cash grab illustrates how much the record industry would change in two or three years by which time it was clear that groups like the Beatles, Stones, and Beach Boys were not going to disappear. A friend did buy this record and called me over to hear it. One side was all I could stomach. Sadly the cover was the best thing about it. And your idea of a double album is a great idea. Barring classical music (usually recorded in England), Capitol didn't give a rat's ass about sound quality. Does anything sound worse than Capitol's duophonic 'stereo' records? So the fact that the Beatles, themselves, did not approve of releasing the Hollywood Bowl recording, I can't Capitol allowing an artist's desire thwarting Capitol's chance to rake in more money. But this episode had me riveted (unlike The Beatles Story). Thanks!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks Wylie!

[@timothyflyte9443]

Keep in mind Capital did do a live album of The Beach Boys , w a gate fold cover that was released in Oct.'64. Had Capital done as you mentioned , they would've had the two biggest live albums of the year , instead of just one. That would've pushed Beatles'65 to January '65 then. Crazy times. Thanks for mentioning the Hollyridge Strings , I ended up getting all those too , but years later when I did have a job. Lol.

[@caryrodda]

I take no issue with your criticisms of this record, which all sound valid. I think the one thing I might have added, and I think you did allude to this point, was the context of when it was released. Beatlemania was rampant, but there was no internet, no plethora of books (except for the quickie fly by night type), just much less information available about The Beatles overall. So something like this did serve a bit of a purpose, although I agree with your criticisms of how they actually went about putting it together. I did sort of have this one on my "someday" list to get, but I think it's fallen down that list substantially.

[@rodneygriffin7666]

Capitol Records was full of shit. Can we still say that on KZbin? Capitol Records? Or full of Shit?

[@popgoesthe60s52]

It is a nice curio to have in the collection and I can imaging young fans really liking it because where else could you hear the Beatles speak on demand?

[@That_Boi_E]

Another great insightful album review Matt! Also on the mail front btw I called my old apartment complex and told them to be on the look out for a album shape package that should be coming there way by accident but unfortunately nothing from them yet ☹️ So now it’s just in the hands of Rod I mean God (Little Rutles humor for you there lol)

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Sounds good Eli! Keep me in the loop.

[@aminahmed2220]

Absolutely fantastic have a wonderful weekend matt ❤😊

[@joemadariaga359]

Great series on US lps Matt... looking forward to Beatles '65 (one of my two original Beatles purchases). I remember my birthday party that year (Dec. 8 of '64) playing musical chairs to "I Feel Fine".

[@jamesholland8057]

Yes. Beatles ‘65 is still great.

[@erniericardo8140]

Enjoyable video Matt on the Beatles Story album, I got this album when I was about 16 in the mid 80's, thinking it was going to have music on it, since then I dont think Ive played these albums more than 3 times, (Next to Ringo the 4th,Two Virgins, Electronic Sound,and Press To Play) this is definetly my least played album by The Beatles, the albums I have has the purple Capitol label and is still in excellent condition - Nice to know that the Hollyridge Strings played the background music, always thought it was George Martín.

[@benmeltzer]

I love the three Byrds albums Gary Usher produced. They are arguably their best albums.

[@fittobetiedyed5315]

Hi Matt. Good on ya for giving The Beatles Story some attention. I've always gotten a kick out of the album. I do find criticisms of it often don't consider the time and place the album was released in. I think for most Beatlemaniacs, the target audience, The Beatles Story more than the Hear The Beatles Tell All would have been more accessible given the reach and marketing of Capitol compared to Vee Jay. Of course I'm coming at it from a Canadian perspective where Hear The Beatles Tell All was unheard of.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Hey Paul! Thanks for weighing in. I still like the whole idea of this style of album at that time. Certainly it was a time where an album like this could "go gold!"

[@fittobetiedyed5315]

@@popgoesthe60s52 I never owned a copy of it until I got back into vinyl in the 2000's. In my obsession to collect all the Canadian variations I've ended up with several copies. There's also a pressing from the Japanese flag series that is an actual box set, which is an interesting piece to have in the collection. Hope all is well.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

@@fittobetiedyed5315 Wow I didn't know that about the Japanese version.

[@frankmuscato7741]

I always like this album, especially that medley tease of songs edits

[@thomasguild8675]

I picked the Beatles Story in my early fan days. One listen was enough. LOL It also shows that slapping the word Beatles on anything would sell.

[@bandcouver]

I had a copy of this rather shoddy documentary. A 2 record set with one side being less than 10 minutes long. Mistakes with The Beatles names when introducing far too short interveiw clips, mistaking George for Paul, getting the name of the rival group Ringo was in before the Beatles wrong, and just the slap dash way it was put together as they thought they'd be a passing fad by the end of '64. I too prefer the Vee Jay album 'Hear The Beatles Tell All' which I bought pretty cheap in the late 70's. I still have the later.

[@brenthooton3412]

I remember being a confused kid mis-hearing the "early Liverpool history" part and wondering why they called themselves the "Aquarium Men".

[@georgeprice4212]

I would have made this album a triple set: first two discs, one side each member being interviewed with the third being live.

[@mndandy]

Made my mom track this down for me one Xmas in the mid '70s, very tuff to find at the time. I was in 7th grade and needed it to perfect my Liverpudlian accent. Can't believe you didn't excerpt the obviously phony interviews with irritated parents ("monkey see, monkey do" and "motley crew"); probably what has stuck with me the longest! Though in my dotage I've come to love the syrupy Hollyridge Strings interludes.

[@grahampaulkendrick7845]

Nice one, Matt!

[@TheGlebeLaird]

I think Capitol was building a story that didn’t include Epstein or Martin. Sort of crazy, but a great artifact on a lot of levels. Thanks for your channel.

[@fredricbloom5781]

I would have to agree with “Pop Goes the 60’s” narrator, on this Beatles LP It certainly looks more exciting than it was, and I bought it as a ten-year-old(about to turn 11) 60 years ago, and felt a touch of corniness even then, as it was in essence over the top corniness, as only Capitol Records could have done at the time, when everything Beatles was selling. But case in point in the very early days; I found it hard enough to distinguish, between the Beatles (e.g.) thinking it John singing “Do You Want to Know a Secret” (It was George) to the sound of their voices. I had seen “A Hard Day’s Night” that past summer, and between the girls screaming in the theater, and their Liverpool accents/phrases most of the time, I could not understand the dialogue, and even now 2024, with CC where you can read what they are saying: : Wilfrid Brambell who played Paul‘s grandfather, in the film has a line where he wants Paul to autograph a photo of the Beatles, which comes out like this: “Hey Paulie would you ever sign one of these for us?” Which to American eyes, and ears sounds like what? On “The Beatles Story”: there an interview where they try to describe the origin of the name Beatles. The Capitol Records narrator says, “We asked Paul McCartney where the origin of the name Beatles came from”, while the answer is given by George Harrison “John thought up the name Beatles ages ago when we needed a name……” So, if Capitol records people cannot tell one Beatle from another, how was a ten year old American kid supposed to? That said: The LP packaging was actually better than the product, which was enough to seduce me into buying it, and I remember towards the end, they had a nice little Beatles medley of songs mixed nicely; as well as one snippet of “The Beatles Live at the Hollywood Bowl” concert not to be officially released until 1977 (Introduction by Bob Eubanks, an American Disk Jockey, and eventual host of a popular game show called “The Newlywed Game” Another added bonus, was The Hollyridge Strings in the background throughout the LP, which added something classy. The Hollyridge Strings released I believe two Volumes of Beatles songs. “The Beatles Story” which seemed semi-genuine then, is off the rails now, as far as the actual story of the Beatles is concerned. It is worth having as a memento if you have the space, and it can be sold for as much as $600.00, as it is a collector’s album. Rick Bloom "Beatlemania" (Drums/Vocals 1978-1980) New York City

[@michaelholycross2633]

I owned that. Listened maybe twice. Thank you for bringing the VJ album to my attention.

[@donkeyboy585]

I remember seeing it on the back cover of other records where they plugged the previous Capital records but I never knew anyone who actually owned it. I guess word of mouth was strong.

[@markwestervelt9708]

I bought the album in 1966. Was so excited and disappointed in one hour. Was so bad I only played it once since I bought it. To this day still haven’t played it.

[@NewFalconerRecords]

By 1966 this would've been so dated though. It's amazing how quickly things changed in those days.

[@jeffreyg4626]

To think I bought this album new in 1981 when I was 15 yrs old before I bought Rubber Soul, Revolver, Pepper, or the White Album is mind blowing to me. All in due time I guess.

[@redrav4]

I got it for Christmas in 1980 and I actually loved it though I do agree there's some low quality parts, but overall I think it's a good collector's item. There was one blooper that sticks out. The narrator mentions Ringo's first band as Rory Storm and the Texans. That's wrong. It was Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. I think there was a band called the Texans however.

[@robertfontaine356]

I believe that the Hollywood-type narrator heard in the first clip is DJ Roger Christian who wrote the lyrics to the Beach Boys Little Deuce Coupe and Don`t Worry Baby. Am I right? Whoever he is he sounds like the same guy who narrated the Sci-Fi B-movie Invisible Invaders, an absolute (and very entertaining) classic of filmmaking ineptitude made for about 20 bucks in 1959. I wonder how the Beatles felt about Liverpool being called a "poor seaport slumtown"? The producers were really trying to push the rags to riches narrative. Very Hollywood indeed! One more thing: it seems incredible to me that Apple re-released this aberration.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Yes, that is the same Roger Christian.

[@SurferJoe1]

Here's what they should have released- S1 interviews with JPG&R S2 interviews with Yoko S3 Hollyridge Strings: highlights from the White Album S4 27-minute "Helter Skelter". That would have been a good value.

[@jeffclement2468]

Even at the age of about 13, I recognised this for what it was... a cash-grab. When I finally heard it at a friend's house in the 70's, it confirmed my suspiscions. The corny, melodramatic narration...re: their bowl haircuts, "Exposing the fore head is a Cardinal sin!" 😝 And here, crediting Paul for explaining the spelling of their name, when it's clearly George. No. I avoided it like the plague.

[@750drums]

Great review, Matt: the lp was the worst of Capitol's trash.

[@theresafeighery254]

Reading book (taken out of local library), ‘The Beatles Story on Capitol Records’.

[@thomasspravka1370]

It's a good example of corporate blindness, never seeing the value. I bought this to get the live clip!

[@tonihernandez6862]

again, i got sucked in by another great album cover! i bought it on the apple label in the 80s, then later bought a used, near mint copy on capitals' rainbow label. capital also released a "Nat King Cole Story" album, but that had full length songs! they couldnt do the same with the fabs? what capital should have done was devote one side for "From Me To You", "Misery", "Sie Liebt Ditch", "There's A Place" and possibly "Shout" from "around the beatles". another great post, thanks matt!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you, Toni!

[@ronfowlermusic]

The thing that makes me laugh on that VJ album is the guys calling out the interviewer for publishing their home addresses! George is kind of mellow about it, but Paul is not pleased at all!

[@lk63]

I bought this album new from Bradleys in 1977; it cost me $10, double what I usually paid for a album at that time.

[@debbieblaylock9997]

I have not heard of this. Thanks for sharing this

[@charlesbronson4282]

Ya..i talked my mom into buying me this thing back when i was little...when i was full blown into my Beatle craze phase. What a let down. Plus it was a pricey album being a double.

[@captainclockwork4007]

HollyRIDGE Strings

[@billymorris8819]

Was there an earlier pressing of this album or one similar that was packaged differently. I recall one during later 60’s early 70’s that included many reproduced pictures of The Beatles. Just like Magical Mystery Tour later pressings dropped the included 24 page booklet. It too The Beatles Story modified packaging un-inclusion of the photos for profit purposes.

[@acj2789]

Describing Liverpool as a 'slum town', as happens in the extract, is pretty outrageous. Certainly Liverpool had, and has, slum districts, but it has always had upmarket districts.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

I'm glad you caught that. What is interesting, is in the Hear the Beatles Tell All album, Lennon addresses this very point saying, "Americans think we came from the slums," which is true only for Ringo, but really misses their true beginnings.

[@terrynak]

This album should have gone out of print sometime in the late 60's - unfortunately, it sold too many copies. I bought this album in 1976 and still have it today.

[@johnlorinc2081]

Hi Matt! You nailed it with your point about how no other band....before or since.....would have had a double album like this made. And let's not forget this came out less than a year after the earth-altering appearance on the Sullivan Show. It goes without saying TBS was yet another transparent cash grab from Capitol. To be fair......I can totally see why Capitol made this album. It's nice that it exists.....I guess, but for completists only. Great video once again!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you, John.

[@familydogg1234]

I never bought this :( I've had it in my hand in the 70s. Caldors store had a display of BEATLES LPs arranged in chronological order with release dates. I memorized it at 15 ( 1972).

[@robertzastrow4648]

I thought, after watching your review, Matt, of The Beatles Tell All album, that Vee Jay was trying to milk Beatles product any way they could. Have felt that The Beatles Story album was always a rip off, put out by Capitol. Surprised and disappointed that some people who had worked with the Beach Boys (Roger Christian, Gary Usher) were involved in putting together this Beatles album, considering that it was mostly short snippets of Beatles answers to questions, with bogus narration spliced in between the answer clips. Not surprised at how well the album sold. Like your idea at how the album could have been presented, with one record being recorded interviews of the Beatles (Without the narration) and another record being the complete Hollywood Bowl concert from 1964. Think the technology existed in 1964, where the crowd noise could have been suppressed, and the vocals/instruments increased, to where it would sound like a decent live album by the group.

[@stevenbaker6658]

A Brilliant video, I liked what you said about it been better if it had included live music. This is now an opportunity to have a Beatles album that never was for a new video

[@McGarvey_music_1]

Hey Matt, because the next album that would be coming out in the US would be Beatles 65 it would be cool to do an album that never was type of thing with that as well. I was thinking that if they took all the covers off of Beatles for sale and just released the originals from Beatles for sale plus’s the three tracks they added, it still be enough to make a full record and then they could take the covers off of please please me and Beatles for sale and make an album called inspirations band and artist that molded the Beatles

[@threeofakindbygeneraldean3007]

Another good review: never bought vinyl + only have it via US albums box. Play once without caring then forget such unimportant product exists. The worst capitol release by a major act I've heard!

[@ronfowlermusic]

I got the VJ album in a bargain bin, circa 1981. The interviews are good, but I find the drumming throughout side one to be intrusive. I got The Beatles Story much later, probably 1989. I was expecting it to be like the great radio documentaries I'd heard on the group; instead, it seemed to be aimed at very, very young fans more interested in haircuts than music. I ended up making my own version, using longer interview clips, and complete songs.

[@danaatkins6827]

Had the album in 1965....

[@DocDoccus]

Luckily The Beatles Story IS available on CD! CD still lives!

[@joelgoldenberg1100]

One of the stranger reviews in the 1979 edition of the Rolling Stone Record Guide was that of the Hollyridge Strings albums of Beatles and Beach Boys songs, both of which got "worthless" ratings, not a surprise. But why the heck would Rolling Stone be reviewing such albums in that guide - the only rock connection was the originals of the music being covered and there were plenty of other instrumental albums of rock tunes.

[@AdrianLee-i7g]

I remember seeing this album around the big London record shops as an import in the 1970s. Unfortunately, being only about 12 years old, I only had limited pocket money and chose to spend it on the actual music instead. I never knew anything about the actual content. I love the American narrator! He sounds wonderfully formal at the start and a couple of decades out of date. It is just like he's narrating "March of Time" newsreels in WW2. Thanks for this. I greatly enjoyed it.

[@LapsangTe]

If The Beatles ever listened to this album I'm sure they would have reacted to Liverpool being decribed as "a slum town".

[@edphs75]

I do have this album.

[@jonnuanez7183]

Weird to think that they had already wrapped up their 3rd album and first film by the time Beatlemania hit the states and also of this album's release.

[@davederave792]

I was only ten years old when that album was released and I remember seeing it in our local record store. Even at ten I realized the album had no music on it and wasn't worth any of my attention. Great job Matt!

[@keithlarson9304]

Thank God they didn't release that live Beatles album in 1964. Regardless of how appropriate it could have been packaged with the interviews, compared to their studio albums it would have been such a stark disappointment. I'm 70 years old and I was there when it was happening. I, like you matt, was mesmerized by the capital covers of something new and the Beatles story even though I didn't buy them. But if I had to listen to a live album compared to a hard Day's night and meet the Beatles. Well let's just say it would have been a bummer. Other than that Matt I rarely disagree with you.

[@terryprill2510]

This album is the best I could get at the time. At the time it gave the fans what they probably wanted... only a teenaged candy coated fab cover.

[@gordonteats298]

Thank you for this. Jesus loves you

[@CartersRemasters]

6:18 not to metion that it was primarily Stu Sutcliffe's band name

[@RodneyHickey-m4m]

Very good. Album

[@amb2745]

Are you going to do the Ed Rudy interview albums with The Beatles??

[@popgoesthe60s52]

I don't have those so it may be awhile until I get to them. :)

[@bobburroughs6241]

I think I'm gonna be sad I think it's today - Sat, all this Beatles stuff is driving me mad Matt. 🤣

[@davidgreenberg5517]

obviously, this album doesn't represent the art of The Beatles. But if anyone like me who was born after 1964 wants a taste of the contrast between the multicolored counterculture The Beatles were leading, and the b&w Establishment unable to relate to their chuldrens' culture, this authentic 1964 artifact does the trick.

[@BrixtonTone]

Hi Matt . A bit of a swerve here. I was thinking about Beatles album titles and although the choice for most of them are obvious I found myself wondering about the titles for "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver" . Why were they titled like that ? and who made the choice ? . Decided the only fella who could help me with this question was you ! .

[@popgoesthe60s52]

So far as I know, they were just knocking around some ideas for a title. Paul McCartney is heard referring to Mick Jagger as "plastic soul" during the Rubber Soul sessions, so that kind of stuck. Abracadabra was a possible title for Revolver but was abandoned. I thing the Revolver idea came from the record revolving on the turntable.

[@BrixtonTone]

@@popgoesthe60s52 Cheers Matt, can only thank Christ they ditched the idea of "Abracadabra" , sounds like something the Monkee's would have put out . 😆

[@markwilliams2434]

I always thought that the clips of interviews were like they were putting words into the Beatles mouth, so they would say what the interviewer wanted them to say, it's a bit doctored .

[@JohnJones-tj1nn]

I *think* that the band "Motley Crüe" got their name from this LP.....

[@mndandy]

I think you're right!

[@jamesholland8057]

I bought it garage sale and don’t like listening to loud fast dj talking and not enjoyable. Maybe if I got it in 1964, which was way beyond my budget, I may have enjoyed it.

[@ernestoborrego5102]

I bought the cassette in the 80’s… worst waste of 99cents EVER!

[@NewFalconerRecords]

Please furnish me with your bank account details. I would love to give you recompence and deposit 99 cents into your account. Hey, let's allow for inflation and make it a full dollar. If I were you I'd feel ripped off as well. By the time of the 80s, this album would've been pretty hard listening. So corny and schmaltzy.