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Saturday Extra! Now And Then!
🕑 Added 2023-11-04 15:00:04 +0000 UTCI'm joined by Eric Notarnicola to talk about the new and very last song by The Beatles!
You can also consider this a (final?) episode of Please Please, Let It Be!!
It's a little rough around the edges as we want to capture our immediate reactions today, so we just jumped on zoom and started chatting.
Peace and Love Peace and Love!
Comments
Brian and Casey
I really like the fan made version more. The part Paul omitted sounds a bit like Tame Impala or Portugal the man
Tim Heidecker
What’s the issue with the Patreon player? Is a Vimeo embed better? Can’t really see much difference from our side but open to suggestions here and want to make sure it’s good for you folks! -Matt
zac h.
PPLIB is the best—so happy you guys did this. The podcast took my whole family’s Beatle love and appreciation to the next level. We binged all the Beatles/solo albums followed by their corresponding podcast episodes on a long car drive during pandemic times. Hoping for more from this duo :) I had the potentially unfortunate introduction to this “new” track thru watching the video on my phone. Was initially turned off by all the visual oddities aforementioned and perhaps was too focused on that to get anything from the song. Upon more listens, I definitely enjoy the track. It feels a little over produced with all of its layers of instruments. But I think they made good choices with how they adapted a concise song from the original demo—largely in favor of eliminating the “abuse verse.” Think it’s probably my favorite of the three tracks born of the anthology session. Really like the chord progression and even get a little teary eyed when the chorus is building “now and then I miss you…” It’s already in the bedtime song rotation with my son. Like the album cover and its animation on Apple Music is cool. Tempted to buy the 45 And shoot I just watched the video again on our oled tv at home and was really blown away by the resolution of all the footage even the hologram versions—it reminded me of being in awe while watching the Get Back movie. Agree that I would’ve picked a more pared-back styling. But given Paul’s famously nonchalant first reaction to John’s death in 1980 maybe a more serious/sentimental approach just isn’t his nature. And yes wish Ringo and Paul’s handlers could’ve found a mutually convenient location to film and record together—but then what would we have to goof on :) Peace and love.
Bryce Levi Perkins
I think it’s funny how Paul’s still replacing George’s solos and doing them himself. The mark of a TRUE Beatles recording.
Brandon Martin
“Smell of Sex and Gas” is a VB original?! 🤯
Alexander Connolly
Same, the bridge is the best part of the whole song!
Jeff Franchetti
Eric, reboot.
turbinity
I can’t believe that they cut that bridge out, it MAKES the song.
Lise Silva
Being that the cover is by Ed Ruscha, I wish there was more information about the process of designing it. It’s so minimal and slightly haunting, it seems to invite theories… Did you see the match up with lines on the cover of Now and Then to the EMI stairwell on the Red & Blue albums? To be honest, I think I like this as the cover better… https://www.reddit.com/r/beatles/s/pCCsGFIbia Someone theorized the four spaces made by the three lines are the top one John in blue, ascended to Heaven, followed by the next three the mourners. Sounds kind of like the Paul is Dead myth of the Abby Road cover (John in white as the priest, George in his Canadian tuxedo as the grave digger, Ringo the mourner and Paul barefoot is the dead) so that might be just fan fiction. Also this story from Olivia about getting George’s approval: https://www.reddit.com/r/beatles/s/ZGAZXZNseN
Tim Heidecker
she wrote me that before the video came out so it was in response to the song
Jackson Hollis
Can’t wait for the Quarry Men bts footage to be released!
Jackson Hollis
It wouldn’t be a PPLIB episode without tech diffs
Alison Schmidt
I wonder if Tim's mom was talking about the video with the "too much AI" comment? Or if it's just as Tim thinks, which, as a mom-haver of the same age, I realize is clearly very possible!
Robert Churm
I love the song, especially the demo version (more than the paul version) and i'ts made me go back and been listening to real love and free as a bird again which i wasn't into when it came out, but maybe it was adam sandler in funny people but now i really love 'real love' and have been singing Now and Then and Real Love over in my head all weekend. I bought the single (£15! ouch) thought the artwork is good too and kinda of washed out wartime, powell and pressburger feel.
Nick Grant
See there is video footage of that we've all seen so there must be more????
Nick Grant
tim kind of called it check this article. It really might not be the end. "I might actually have quite a big problem with that" https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/nov/06/new-beatles-songs-ai-technology-now-and-then-peter-jackson
turbinity
I don’t really understand barking up these demos at all; is the fact that John didn’t release it himself not an indicator that he thought it wasn’t all that great?
Pappyland
Tangentially related to this, I only recently found out that Free as a Bird and Real Love were *remixed* in 2015. Kinda dig the louder harpsichord in Real Love, but the guitar licks feel much more flown in.
Stu Walker
His son, Eddie records music as Secret Circuit: https://secretcircuit.bandcamp.com/album/green-mirror and has a great radio show on DubLab: https://www.dublab.com/shows/cosmic-neighborhood/
Dan Mulcahy
This Now and Then early Beatles style cover popped up on my YouTube suggestions amongst all those same reactions videos. I think it’s pretty good and it actually works really well in this style (skip the silly intro). https://youtu.be/2tSefoJDKsU?si=Lt8FSkX3TpI2-kwT
Joseph Teegardin
I was just content with the song but then the video didn't help much and brought my feelings down a few pegs. This discussion of the pros and cons highlighted aspects I hadn't considered, but it didn't really change my overall view. That said, the 11-minute behind-the-scenes doc on Max I watched last night did add some depth. It recontextualized everything, making me feel more positive about the project as a whole. Definitely recommend it to all!
KatieMoe
Always more EN content appreciated
KatieMoe
I didn’t know that….but the FiRST thing I kept saying out loud to the screen when Tim posted it was,’ it looks like a Taschen cover of an Ed Ruscha book’!!! Phew my art history wasn’t a complete bankruptcy joke
Tommy LaCroix
the cover looks like a library production music LP from the 80s
Dudeface
Not to be cynical but it was an inevitability that they would make this song eventually given the advancement of technology. So knowing that I lowered my expectations and it wasn't that bad I'd say it was at least as good as the other two 90s Beatles songs. Its not a band anymore its a brand and its been a brand for most of our lifetimes. Would I rather it not be out there, no I'm glad its there for those that want it. Personally I'd rather they use the Tech to clean up all those early live recordings from the cavern days and star club. I'd love to hear early recordings cleaned up more using the AI technology.
Tim Heidecker
oh cool. thanks for the context.
Joss Humberstone
That video - woof! Thanks for doing this. It would be good to see more of these music breakdown vids with Eric. Wasn’t there talk of a possible run through of Tim’s favourite records? ✌🏻&❤️
Tom
The cover is by an old and pretty celebrated American artist, Ed Ruscha, well known for his text works. His work is great and the cover is cool imo
faroutmilkyway
i’m so bothered by that last note!
KD
Tim, your IG post saved me from watching it (and I skipped part of this to not let it penetrate my consciousness). Thank you , Tim!
Kevin S.
An auto-tuned mess of a song.
David Haycock
One thing that struck me is how odd it is to hear a new Lennon song on the radio in public. I have issues with the song and especially production but in that context it’s sort of…nice? Charming? It’s hard to place.
Sam B
it sounds nice in the supermarket
Michael Verrenkamp
The video couldn't be that bad... * looks it up * Oh my gosh, that is not... that is not great...
Zach Pierce
I both agree and am guilty of complaining.
Zach Pierce
I can listen to Ringo The 4th, but I can never watch the video again.
CB
Lovethe song, has Blonde Redhead qualities. Video is fine. All the complaining about both are so tiresome.
Sam Diego
Do the new Red/Blue album additions next week!
Jim Schroeder
I dig the new song, it’s catchy and grows on you. I also really enjoyed the mini doc on the making of it, but the music video truly is bafflingly ridiculous.
Colton Caulkins
The video though, again objectively speaking… yikes
Colton Caulkins
I wouldn’t call myself a Beatles fan really. A few tracks I like, listened to literally a couple albums all the way through so my opinion is probably meaningless but I really dig the new song. Just objectively speaking it’s got a dreary feel which I dig a ton
asidbrain
tum-tum-tum drum-drum
Jim D.
I can find a reason to listen to all of Pipes of Peace.....but I can never watch Peter Jackson's video again. (I am OK w/ the tune.)
Brian Rooney
Wait till the White Album footage is compiled. Please Please Let It Never End.
Old James
I think the song is pretty good. People need to chill more
rainbowdark
Not much that can be done about it when you're potentially going to be listening to long passages of music. Won't fly on youtube
Will Ochs
Can't wait to watch this after work! "Now And Then" sucks a big one but the music video is clearly inspired by the editing style and effects of "Decker."
Bobby Miller
I found the song moving. It’s not “great” but John’s voice is haunting and the idea that Paul hung onto it for so long helped further the emotion. The video is a travesty.
Ellie Hajdu
I hope they release a version of the song with just john and the piano. Too much noise. I ❤️ PPLIB- hope this isn’t the last one.
UUUUU
to me the most telltale sign of the mess we’d get in the end is Paul mentioning he’d play a slide solo like George would. Impossible. And Giles composing strings like his father, also impossible. Both those parts coming in are what fully pull you out of any fantasy that this is a Beatles track, they sound so generic. But like Tim said, it was barely a demo. It should have been left alone. The one thing that actually almost moved me was hearing John’s voice next to Paul’s present voice. Maybe there was something there.
James
With peace and love no more patreon video player.
Zach Pierce
Who knew that of all of the main players affected by the Beatles break up, Tim would the most scorned and devastated! Lol Julian doesn’t even get a single mention!
Raider Villalobos
Video had me baffled at how i could be so frustrated with it while smiling like a dope
Filip Boratyn
What a nice surprise to have Tim and (the other) Eric talk about „The Fab Four” one, hopefully last time. I still think about the „Love Me Doo” joke every time I listen to that song. One of the hardest I’ve ever laughed listening to a podcast.
Mark Bisi
The video is so dumb, but god help me it moved me in a few spots. I was watching it with my daughter, who is turning 2 in a month, and at the end when they fade away she waved at the screen and said “bye.” So stupid, but there was something profound about that.
Jason Luckey
I like the song. But I think it’s 50% sentiment and 50% music. The video starts meaningfully, but then just veers off into goofball antics.
St Cole
it's all 'bout the video
Zach Pierce
On the cover art, I’ve heard that it is an homage to the “balconies” photos that adorn the 1962–66 and 1967-70 Red and Blue albums. They kind of match up if you put them side by side…
Adam Rogers
The official music video is really something, Doug-style comping all over, also pretty obvious Paul and Ringo were never in the same room
Mark Bisi
The whole Now & Then thing inspired me to rewatch Peter Jackson’s Get Back, and I was literally just listening to the PPLIB episode reacting to the doc. This is beyond a treat. Tim and Eric N. are the foremost authority on the Fabs!
