Yesterday and Today

It's the fall of 1989 and the Paul McCartney World Tour is officially underway! Along the way on the road with Macca were the lessons gleaned from tours past - including the notion that his band ought to be broken-in in front of friendly or otherwise European crowds before heading to the UK or North America. And so it was on September 25th that the McCartneys - along with guitarist Hamish Stuart, keyboardist Paul "Wix" Wickens guitarist Robbie McIntosh and drummer Chris Whitten - hit the stage in Oslo, Norway for a series of engagements up and down the continent for the next several months. Paul's tour was met with praise from fans and reviewers alike, and would serve as exactly the boost he needed to sustain a hefty touring schedule for the foreseeable future - as well as serving as an overall template for future tours to come. As McCartney won the hearts and minds of Europe, Ringo Starr was making a return of his own, playing the Budokan in Japan for the first time since the Beatles themselves performed there live in 1966... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's September 1989 and Ringo Starr is on the road! This time Ringo and his friends are on home turf - Los Angeles California - for a star-studded line-up and audience ready to rock the city of angels. But hob-nobbing with Jack Nicholson (at the height of Bat-mania no less) or parting with Tom and Roseanne is just another day in the life of a solo Beatle taking a well-earned and sober victory lap around North America. Meanwhile, George Harrison could be found not in LA but on record, guesting on Belinda Carlisle's Leave a Light On - a brand new cut from her solo LP!   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a jam-packed August of 1989, activity abounds in Beatleworld as Paul McCartney revs up for his first North American tour in 12 years. Hitting the road with wife Linda, guitarists Robbie Mcintosh and Hamish Stewart, keyboard player Paul "Wix" Wickens and drummer Chris Whitten, Macca & co hit the stage at the Lyceum Theater in New York City to play-test the new live band before a crowd of press and select fan club members. Amongst those fan club members? The Yesterday & Today podcast's own Wayne Kaminski and wife Elizabeth, excitedly expecting baby James and ready to rock'n'roll. On the other side of the continent, Ringo Starr and the All Stars head down the west coast, from Vancouver to Northern California to Las Vegas... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ringo Starr is on the road! In August 1989 the All Star Band tour rolled across North America, featuring the talents of the many legendary rockers sharing the stage with Ringo...along with some special guests to boot. Chief amongst those special guests was none other than the boss himself, Bruce Sprringsteen, who joined two of his fellow E-Street Band members on stage before a crowd of star-struck fans. Ringo's comeback tour was a rousing success, but the ghosts of his past would continue to dog the former Beatle. This time in the form of a lawsuit from Chips Moman, alleging that Starr's drunken Nashville sessions were fit for public consumption. Ringo disagreed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's summer of 1989 and for the first time in history not one but TWO former Beatles are on tour! And for the newly sober Ringo Starr, these live shows were a helpful reminder of his skills as an artist and his importance to the world of music -- hitting the road with an all-star band of friends and like-minded creatives for a triumphant North American leg in July. Joe Walsh, Nils Lofgren, Dr. John, Billy Preston, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Clarence Clemons, Jim Kelter and a host of special guests and rave reviews accompanied this All-Star Band on tour, and reinvigorated a wave of Beatles nostalgia...just in time for Paul McCartney to hit the road himself... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Paul McCartney's newest LP Flowers in the Dirt climbing the charts and reigniting a wave of critical praise for Macca's music, Parlophone and Capitol release the second single slated from the album: This One. A rare glimpse into Paul's emotional state, the song captures a conciliatory tone of regret and longing...albeit alongside Paul's trademark deflection lurking around every corner. As the McCartneys dug in on promotion for the single, Ringo Starr had some big news of his own: his first ever concert tour! Ringo Starr and the All Star Band will pair Ringo with friends and musicians for a North American victory lap of hits, and the freshly sober Starr was ready to put rubber to the road on the idea starting later in the summer of 1989... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The eventful Beatle year of 1989 rolls on with a brand new release, and a brand new batch of critical acclaim for Paul McCartney. Still reeling from the critical failures of his last two projects of original material, Paul's so-called comeback album at last reached shelves -- the LP Flower in the Dirt -- and it did NOT disappoint. Through Macca's musical collaboration with Elvis Costello, plus a band of fresh and like-minded musicians playing strong material, this new record reasserted Paul's position as master of his craft...a position which was slowly but definitely evolving beyond success in the moment... into a success as a legacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Yesterday & Today Podcast is proud to present an all-new extended interview with the one and only Pete Best! This summer, Pete hits the road with the Pete Best Band throughout North America, and we're here to talk to the former Beatle about his upcoming live appearances and much more. In 2008, Pete released the LP Hayman's Green, a rock'n'roll retrospective of Liverpool's music scene, the roots of the Best family and a look forward at life beyond The Beatles for one of rock's most storied figures. We'll discuss his solo music, his time with John, Paul, George and Stu, a firsthand account of 1995's Beatles Anthology and of course the one and only Casbah Coffee Club located at 8 Hayman's Green, Liverpool. We'd like to thank Pete, Roag and the entire Best family for this wonderful interview, and we hope you'll all catch Pete on tour this summer!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's March 1989 and a new solo album from Julian Lennon is fresh on the stands - a stylistic departure titled Mr. Jordan. This latest effort in some ways marked the end of Julian's success streak as a pop star, though the effort did still manage to chart in the US, Canada and even go top 20 in the Australian market. While John Lennon's eldest son endeavored to craft musical distance from his late father, Paul McCartney and George Harrison maintained the break-neck pace that had come to signify activity in the late 80s former Beatle world by each heading into the studio. McCartney's cover of the Gerry & the Pacemakers classic Ferry Cross the Mersey was a charity single intended to raise money for the victims and families of victims of the Hillsborough disaster in Liverpool. Harrison's new composition? A freshly penned tune with fellow Wilbury Tom Petty... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's 1989 and George Harrison is still riding high on the success of the debut Traveling Wilburys LP! Of all the former Beatles, Harrison's late-80s resurgence resonated with near-universal public and critical acclaim, and the momentum of successful collaboration between George and producer Jeff Lynne showed no signs of slowing down. Also on an upturn in the early weeks of the year was Ringo Starr, whose newfound sobriety triggered an abundance of activity -- from starring in the PBS children's television show Shining Time Station (as the unflappable Mr. Conductor) to a collection of recent selections dubbed Star Struck: The Best of Ringo Starr vol2. Meanwhile, the release of the LP Spike by Elvis Costello heralded the coming of newly co-written material with Paul McCartney - material destined for McCartney's own resurgence in the months to come... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the end of the line for 1988, and the beginning of the epic super-group: The Traveling Wilburys! With the release of their debut LP ``Volume 1", George Harrison and friends Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and Jim Keltner floored both modern and classic rockers alike with a signature blend of harmony, guitar, and rambler-style songcraft. Listeners of the day, curious to know if the band could live up to the heights of their strong debut single Handle With Care, were not disappointed. From the joyous noise of Heading for the Light to the often-hilarious lyrics of Dirty World, six old friends proved to the masses that age has nothing to do with good music, and that the combined talents of otherwise disparate musicians could amount to something spectacular. Of course the December 6th passing of bandmate Roy Orbison would put a damper on the otherwise happy affair - still, through the heartache and pain, the music of the Traveling Wilburys was a beacon of comfort to those who might need to hear that they were not alone anymore... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A flurry of developments in the lives and legacies of all four former Beatles permeated October 1988, starting with the debut of the feature-length IMAGINE film chronicling the life of John Lennon, opening in movie theaters across the world. This template for future Beatles archival projects was met with warm embrace by John's fans, and was an important milestone in the preservation of film footage and audio artifacts from throughout Lennon's life. Another former Beatle in preservation mode was Ringo Starr, having finally sought help for alcoholism with his wife Barbara Bach later in the month. After decades of substance abuse Ringo has resolved to clean up, so as to evade the fates of his less fortunate and departed friends and fellow rockers. And lastly a new single, from a super-group calling themselves "the Traveling Wilburys"... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the summer of 1988 and a fresh wave of "Lennon Fever" was sweeping its way across pop culture. In this case, however, not all of the attention on the late great John Lennon was positive - case in point the scathing, unapologetic, and often needlessly cruel biography called The Lives of John Lennon by author Albert Goldman. Goldman's feet were held to the fire by a furious but captivated public...glued to the drama by a media apparatus unable to look away from this trainwreck of a depiction of John's life in book form. While this circus took a toll on Yoko Ono, the Lennon clan nevertheless soldiered onward with its own various rebuttals to the Goldman narrative, and a dose of positivity as well. Not only was the forthcoming theatrical release of the Imagine documentary poised to reignite positive memories of the Beatles and of Lennon's successful solo works, but a star on the Hollywood walk of fame put to pavement a legacy that would, despite its occasional cracks, endure for generations to come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the summer of 1988 heats up, a new super-group emerges from the primordial soup of rock'n'roll...they are The Traveling Wilburys. Born from a supplementary recording session in support of George Harrison's latest Cloud 9 single, George (aka Nelson Wilbury) was joined by fellow music legends Tom Petty, Jeff lynne, Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison to produce the superb track Handle With Care -- quickly deemed too good to be buried on an extended single release. Of course music and activity continued respectively for Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr at this time, but for the Yesterday & Today podcast we will linger with George for a moment, as opportunity knocks at Friar Park... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a busy March in 1988, with new music, releases, conventions and interviews surrounding the world of the former Beatles. First up, a first since the Beatle days with George Harrison and Ringo Starr conducting an interview together for the television program Aspel & Company. This eventful exchange covered topics ranging from the death of John Lennon, the status of ex-Beatle relationships, lawsuits from the 70s and much more. In the new releases category, George's new single This Is Love is snatched up from the Cloud 9 LP -- and The Beatles CD leases wrap up with Past Masters (collecting singles and b-sides not yet released on the format). New recordings emerge with George Harrison's Ride Rajbun and Paul McCartney's collaboration with Johnny Cash titled New Moon Over Jamaica...plus a new song from a gathering of a special set of musicians calling themselves the Traveling Wilburys... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's February 1988 and the promotional tour for George Harrison's Cloud 9 album remains in full swing. The former Beatle who often seemed the most uncomfortable with press tours was now in the thick of one, this time labeled as a "come back" story which further fried the nervous system. To cope, George (along with Cloud 9 producer Jeff Lynne) showed up for the radio program Rockline a few glugs too deep, and gave host Bob Coburn one of the most candid interviews Harrison would ever produce in his lifetime. Still, despite the annoyances of a media blitz, the "come back" narrative was hard to ignore - as Cloud 9 continued to sell gangbusters with the record buying crowd and its newest single, When We Was Fab, cracking the top 25 on both sides of the Atlantic... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's 1988 and a busy year of activity in Beatle world kicks off with a wave of retrospection. On January 20th the band was inducted into the Rock'n'Roll hall of fame, a recognition of their achievements in music and their cultural impact upon the world. Unfortunately for them (and for, apparently, one agitated Beach Boy also in attendance), the legal squabbles dogging Paul, George and Ringo for nearly two decades crept their way onto the award stage, made manifest by an absent Paul McCartney. Some tempers flared at this highly visible snub, but cooler heads did eventually prevail, with George Harrison himself speaking fondly of Paul while accepting the award. Yoko Ono, meanwhile, stood poised to unveil the Lost Lennon Tapes radio program to the world, a treasure trove of audio artifacts from her and John Lennon's private archive, made public... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the end of 1987 and George Harrison is riding the wave of a major comeback. With a new hit single in Got My Mind Set On You speeding up the charts, and a new LP - Cloud 9 - connecting with both fans and critics in equal measure, Harrison's resurgence in the latter half of the 80s was proof positive once again of that lingering Beatle magic...so pervasive even nearing 20 years since the band's split. While Paul McCartney's greatest hits LP All the Best was no resurgence of fresh material, strong sales and a slew of tv appearances to promote the new single Once Upon A Long Ago put Macca back in touring mode...an endeavor that would truly take flight in the months to come... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On November 2nd 1987 Dark Horse Records releases Cloud 9 by George Harrison. While George himself would insist (and rightly so) that one cannot be in the midst of a "comeback" if one has been there the entire time, no one - not even George - could not deny the reinvigorated attention upon his music heralded by the LP's lead-off #1 single Got My Mind Set On You. The happy album in which this smash-hit record resided within was produced by buddy Jeff Lynne to sound (controversially to some) much like Jeff's work with the Electric Light Orchestra - energetic, grand in scope, and future-facing in its production techniques.From the nostalgic When We Was Fab to the defiant That's What it Takes, George Harrison WAS back, and at the top of his game nearly two decades after the breakup of the Beatles. Of course George would be joined on the charts shortly by a new single from Paul McCartney, and some fresh talk about the possibility of a Beatles reunion (of sorts)... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even 17+ years after the breakup of the Beatles, solo career competition remained alive and well in the worlds of Paul McCartney and George Harrison. In October of 1987, George's first new single from a studio album release in over 5 years - Got My Mind Set On You - was blazing up the charts and stood poised to top them. The public's embrace of this unlikely comeback foretold the success of the forthcoming Cloud 9 LP, and - as if no time at all had passed since the days of all Things Must Pass - George Harrison hit the promotional trail. Not to be outdone by his former bandmate, McCartney's All the Best greatest hits compilation hit shelves the following November, and while its single Once Upon a Long Ago failed to reach the heights of Harrison's, this mammoth set of Macca marvels was no slouch on the album charts. All this, plus a return to Suzy and the Red Stripes as fall turns to winter, 1987... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.