REPOST: W.O.C.K On Vinyl - Beatles - Christmas Singles (1963-69)

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Before things get too serious here at Rock On Vinyl, I thought it might be fun to post a song / album at the end of each month, that could be categorized as being either Weird, Obscure, Crazy or just plain Korny.

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The Beatles' Christmas records was a composition of melodies interpreting love and support during the holidays from the English rock group The Beatles that were posted out on flexi disc at Christmas time to members of their official fan-clubs in the United Kingdom and the United States. One such record was issued each year from 1963 to 1969 and an LP compilation of all seven in 1970.

Conceived as a means to appease fan-club members whose letters, due to their sheer volume, were not always being answered in a timely manner, the records included the Beatles' messages of thanks to "loyal Beatles people", along with skits, Christmas carols, and original compositions.

None of the original recordings has ever been subject to general release though a version of "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)", an original composition which appeared in edited form on the 1967 record, eventually gained an official release in 1995, as part of the The Beatles Anthology project.

1963: The Beatles' Christmas Record

    Recorded: 17 October 1963

    Location: Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road

    Writer: Tony Barrow

    Producer: Tony Barrow

    Issued: 6 December 1963

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 492

    Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 331/3 RPM

    Total time: 5:00

The first Christmas recording from the Beatles featured several renditions of the traditional carol "Good King Wenceslas" and individual messages from the four, ending with a closing chorus of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Ringo". This offering, as well as 1964's, was scripted by Beatles' press officer Tony Barrow, who had instigated the Christmas message programme.

An edited version of this recording was sent to members of the Beatles' American fan-club in December 1964.

1964: Another Beatles Christmas Record

    Recorded: 26 October 1964

    Location: Studio Two Abbey Road

    Writer: Tony Barrow

    Producer: Tony Barrow

    Issued: 18 December 1964

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 757

    Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 45 RPM

    Total time: 3:58

The song "Jingle Bells" is sung, followed by individual messages to the fans. John mocks the prepared statement, doing an imitation of Paul Harvey and includes his own pseudo-words and ad-libbing. When Paul asks him if he wrote this himself, he says, "No it's somebody's bad hand-wroter. It's been a busy year Beople peadles, one way and another, but it's been a great year too. You fans have seen to that. Page two ... Thanks a lot folks and a happy-er Christmas and a Merry Grew Year. Crimble* maybe." (The statement is apparently handwritten as at various points in the recording, Paul reads "making them" as "melting them" before correcting himself and George reads "quite a time" as "quiet time" before correcting himself with "great time" as well.) Finishing up the record is a brief rendition of the traditional song "Oh Can You Wash Your Father's Shirt?"

Another Beatles' Christmas Record was not sent to American fans. Rather, at Christmas time 1964, US fans received an edited version of The Beatles' Christmas Record, which had been sent to British fan-club members in 1963. Also, as opposed to using flexi-discs, the US fan-club sent the message in a tri-fold cardboard mailer, with the "record" embedded in one of the flaps of cardboard.

* Crimble or Krimble is a slang term for Christmas coined by The Beatles as part of their 1963 Christmas record issued via the Beatles Fan Club

1965: The Beatles' Third Christmas Record

    Recorded: 8 November 1965

    Location: Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road

    Writer: Tony Barrow, The Beatles

    Producer: Tony Barrow

    Issued: 17 December 1965

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 948

    Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 331/3 RPM

    Total time: 6:20

Several off-key, a cappella versions of "Yesterday" are dispersed throughout the record, alongside Lennon's "Happy Christmas to Ya List'nas", "Auld Lang Syne", a one-and-a-half-line version of the Four Tops' "It's the Same Old Song" (which they quickly stop before they violate the copyright) and an original poem titled "Christmas Comes But Once a Year".

Members of the Beatles' US fan-club did not receive this (or any) Christmas flexi-disc in 1965. Rather, they received a black and white postcard, with a photo of the Fab Four and the message "Season's Greetings – Paul, Ringo, George, John." The Beatles Bulletin, the publication of the US fan-club, explained in its April 1966 edition that the tape arrived too late to prepare the record in time for Christmas.

1966: The Beatles' Fourth Christmas Record – Pantomime: Everywhere It's Christmas

    Recorded: 25 November 1966

    Location: Dick James Music

    Writer: The Beatles

    Producer: George Martin

    Issued: 16 December 1966

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 1145

    Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 33 RPM

    Total time: 6:36

Recorded between sessions for "Strawberry Fields Forever", for the 1966 offering, the usual greetings and thanks gave way to a 'Pantomime'-themed collection of original songs and dramatic skits. The songs include "Everywhere It's Christmas", "Orowainya", and "Please Don't Bring Your Banjo Back". Paul McCartney plays the piano. The sketches performed include "Podgy the Bear and Jasper" and "Felpin Mansions."

Once again, the US fan-club members did not get a flexi-disc. Instead, they received a postcard with the message on one side and a short version of The Beatles Bulletin on the other, with enough room for a mailing label and postage.

1967: Christmas Time is Here Again! 

    Recorded: 28 November 1967

    Location: Studio Three EMI Studios, London

    Writer: The Beatles

    Producer: George Martin

    Issued: 15 December 1967

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 1360

    Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 331/3 RPM

    Total time: 6:06

An elaborate production, Christmas Time is Here Again! was developed around the concept of several groups auditioning for a BBC radio show. The title song serves as a refrain throughout the record. The Beatles portray a multitude of characters, including game show contestants, aspiring musicians ("Plenty of Jam Jars", by the Ravellers), and actors in a radio drama ("Theatre Hour"). At the end John reads a poem, "When Christmas Time Is Over." This offering was likely a deliberate homage to/continuation of the broadly similar "Craig Torso" specials produced for BBC Radio 1 that same year by the Beatles' friends and collaborators the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, and also shares much in common with their then-unreleased track "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)", recorded six months previously.

While British fans received a flexi-disc in an elaborate sleeve, American fans received a postcard similar to that of 1966.

1968: The Beatles' 1968 Christmas Record

    Recorded: November–December 1968

    Location: various

    Writer: The Beatles

    Producer: Kenny Everett

    Issued: 20 December 1968

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 1743/4

    Flexi disc: 7", 2 sides, 331/3 RPM

    Total time: 7:48

The first Beatles Christmas fan-club disc to be recorded separately, the 1968 offering is a collage of odd noises, musical snippets, and individual messages. McCartney's song "Happy Christmas, Happy New Year" is featured, along with John's poems "Jock and Yono" and "Once Upon a Pool Table." Also notable is a rendition of "Nowhere Man" by the ukulele-playing Tiny Tim. Also included is a sped-up snippet of the Beatles' own "Helter Skelter" and a brief snippet of Perrey & Kingsley's "Baroque Hoedown" which was used three years later in Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," "Yer Blues," and "Birthday" are also heard in the background for part of the message. The dialogue and songs for the flexi-disc were organised and edited together by DJ and friend of the Beatles, Kenny Everett.

Finally, the US fans got a flexi-disc for Christmas in 1968, but it came in a modified version of the 1967 UK sleeve.

1969: The Beatles' Seventh Christmas Record: Happy Christmas 

    Recorded: November–December 1969

    Location: various

    Writer: The Beatles

    Producer: Maurice Cole

    Issued: 19 December 1969

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 1970/1971

    Flexi disc: 7", 2 sides, 331/3 RPM

    Total time: 7:39

The final Beatles Christmas offering was also recorded separately, as the band had effectively split by this point. It features an extensive visit with John and Yoko at their Tittenhurst Park estate, where they play "what will Santa bring me?" games. Harrison appears only briefly, and Starr only shows up to plug his recent film, The Magic Christian. Paul sings his original ad-lib, "This is to Wish You a Merry, Merry Christmas." Starting at 1:30, at the tail-end of Ringo's song, the guitar solos from "The End" are heard, followed by Yoko interviewing John.

For the only time, the American and British jackets were identical. The US version of the flexi-disc had an elaborate drawing of the Beatles' faces on it. Drawings were credited to Richard Starkey & Zak Starkey.

For extensive accounts of each Christmas release, I highly recommend you take a look at the following Rolling Stones Magazine review

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This post consists of FLACs ripped from the Yellowdog Bootleg and was sourced on the internet earlier this year (thanks to the original uploader). Full album artwork and label scans are included. The original Fan club flexi 45's are super rare, and individual flexi's in good condition sell for nearly $300 each on eBay.

And so these Beatles Christmas Records fit the WOCK on Vinyl charter - they are super Obscure and of course fill the Christmas spirit.

May I take this opportunity to wish all my blog followers a Joyful and Merry Christmas and a New Year full of wonderful music and cheer.

** NEW IMPROVED RIP **

Beatles Christmas Singles  (167Mb)

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W.O.C.K On Vinyl - Beatle Barkers (1983)

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Before things get too serious here at Rock On Vinyl, I thought it might be fun to post a song / album at the end of each month, that could be categorized as being either Weird, Obscure, Crazy or just plain Korny.
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There lies, below the fourteth parallel, an island in the shape of an old English crest. This rugged, tempest-lashed outcrop, although officially a stat of Australia, is a world apart. Famed for its wilderness regions, its apples, Errol Flynn and Young Einstein, Tasmania has air so rare that creativity abounds

Ten years ago, a jaded musician by the name of Glenn Salvestrin took over a modest sheep farm in Tasmania's ruggest southwest - isolated from the rest of the human race, with only the ghosts of convicts and bushrangers to keep him company. Glenn acquired canine companions - three affectionate and frankly lazy mutts known as Chipper, Blue and tangles.

Every evening, except during busy shearing season, Glenn would sit on his back veranda and sing old Beatle songs, accompanying himself on harmonica. In time, Chipper, Blue and Tangles became so familiar with the classic Lennon & McCartney melodies that they barked and howled along. Their master was so astonished by their grasp of melody, pitch and timing that he set up a portable recording studio in his washhouse and captured their unique vocal efforts. During the recording process he discovered that other members of his tiny farmyard community, such as the chickens had also been infected by the Beatle obsession. They too found themselves in the wash house clucking away for prosperity.

Armed with his priceless tapes, Glenn headed for the mainland, determined to share his unprecedented Fab Four tribute with the world. Sadly, overtures met with derision and scorn...until he walked through the doors of Galaxy Records. Within weeks, Beatle Barkers was on the Australian market and a new phenomena was born, one which is now set to spread across Australia. So join the The Mutz, whose bark is definitely more interesting than their bite, as they recreate the most potent sounds of the sixties. It is an experience you will never forget. [cover linear notes]

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Now, if you just bought this story above, then you are barking up the wrong tree! 

The true story of how this album came about is revealed in an interview with Bob Baker Fish.  Aussie heart throb 'Gene Pierson' from the late 60's and a close friend and sound engineer Roy Nicolson, got together in the early 80's  and using a Fairlight Synthesiser, produced this bizarre tribute album to the Beatles.

Whilst Nicolson handled the vocals, Pierson procured the backing music. To this day Nicolson doesn’t  know where they came from. “Don’t ask,” he laughs.

“There was a company in Germany that was providing backing tracks,” reveals Pierson, “you just paid a couple of hundred dollars or whatever it was in those days. I think the whole album in those days cost me $2,500 or $3,000 which in today’s equivalent is probably about $10,000 or something. It was no big deal. I think the cover art and the TV commercial cost more.”

The barking however proved a little more difficult with Nicolson not just having to locate and at times even record the samples for each animal, but he was struggling with some unforeseen pitch issues.

“Any kind of held note didn’t work and I wanted to get a good dog howling but dogs don’t tend to hold the note when they howl. They’re up and down and it doesn’t work musically. So we got in a session dog. Actually there was some little movie about a singing dog, I went along to try and get a recording of that dog, but it didn’t work out. But then we found this guy who did a really amazing impersonation of a dog. So we got him in to do a session, just for the long held notes. It’s a little bit Milli Vanilli. Those long howling notes are not actually a real dog – but all the others are.”

“I can’t remember his name,” Nicolson continues, “but we set him up in front of the mic and the first time he barked I jumped because I thought there was a dog in the studio. He sounded more like a dog than a dog.”

Nicolson laboured on an 8-track tape machine for about two weeks, with two tracks for the backing track, leaving him 6 tracks for dogs, chickens or sheep.

“It was pretty funny, because I was performing it on the keyboard and you know you have to channel a dog a bit to do it. I think I got somewhere in between what an actual dog might do and then putting it closer to the music. But I didn’t put it too close or it would have sounded mechanical. It is a bit out of time or out of pitch and a bit all over the place and sometimes they get a bit carried away and sing a few notes too many like a real dog might, because they don’t have good concentration.”

Yet for Nicolson and Pierson dogs weren’t enough, what about Beatle Squawkers, Beatle Meowers, or Beatle Bakers?

“We both felt the dogs became a bit monotonous after a while,” offers Nicolson, “and because I only had a limited number of samples it started to become a bit too similar. So we decided to throw in the whole farmyard, for variety really. If you’ve just got Paul singing the whole album it’s just not the same is it?”

At the time Pierson had been putting together compilations for cut rate record companies like Telmak, K-Tel and Demtel, auspicious recordings like the 20 Greatest Moments in Australian Sport, 20 Greatest Rock and Roll songs or 20 Tear Jerker’. “We were doing these kinds of crazy things and the guy from Demtel, David Hammer he was a little crazy and said “why don’t you come up with something really really crazy?’ And I was like “what?’ And he said “anything, I just want to break the monotony.’ It was just the same crap you know.”

Beatle Barkers broke the monotony. If Wikipedia is to be believed, they broke it over 800,000 times.

“Gene sold it to a record company and it was marketed by Demtel- they sold steak knives,” Nicolson laughs. ”They were actually going bust, and I think they did inevitably go bust, but this record saved them for another couple of years I think.”

Yet both Nicolson and Pierson refused to put their names to it, for fear of it tarnishing their other projects or even themselves. As a result the album was credited to the mysterious Woofers and Tweeters Ensemble.

“It’s disgraceful, it’s blasphemy,” Pierson laughs, “you’ve got the Beatles the best songwriters in the world and you’ve got dogs, cows and sheep singing songs. So we remained very anonymous. We got this crazy cover with half Beatle heads and dogs or whatever and had this crazy advertisement done. Then a couple of weeks later I’m driving along in Sydney and on JJ (it was in those days) comes this crazy song. And people were raving about it everywhere I’d go. Well some weren’t raving, some were actually giving it heaps.”

Yet that’s not the end of it. With sales of 860,000 units in Australia alone on the back of TV advertising and scant radio play, both Nicolson and Pierson kept their true identity as the woofers and tweeters ensemble hidden until recently when pirates forced their hand and copies of their album started appearing overseas renamed as 'Beatles Live From the Pound'.

“We kept out of it for a long long time,” begins Pierson, “up until about five years ago, when suddenly we realised that we missed out on all these royalties. We hadn’t officially released it anywhere else in the world; it was only released really on Demtel. All of a sudden a Google search revealed that Passport records have it out, every man and his dog can sample it from anywhere.”

“We proceeded to get some lawyers in LA who were pretty good at tracking down these Internet pirates. I believe its been pirated a million times in all forms, which is sad in a way because it means that the writers of the songs, whoever owns the Beatles stuff, Michael Jackson or whoever should be getting income for these songs. And we should be getting something for being so crazy or being so fucking stupid.”

“It was all done in cheek as a bit of a fun thing,” reflects Pierson. “It was never meant to be serious. We smoked a bit of pot in those days and it sounded really funny. When you heard that in the 80’s and you heard that you laughed yourself stupid. It’s still funny, I occasionally play round the house and the dog comes close to the house and starts howling, the cat runs away the kids go ‘eew’ and the wife walks out on me. All that happens. It’s quite disgraceful.”

“It was all done in great fun and it became bigger than we imagined it,” he continues. “We tried to keep away from it, but it keeps drawing us in here and there. The years have rolled by, it has matured, it’s standing on its own, people can laugh or they can cry.” [extract from cyclicdefrost.com]

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So, there you have it, this month's WOCK on Vinyl is a tribute to the Beatles by the Woofers and Tweeters Ensemble, a truly Korny and Crazy example of commercial exploitation and drug induced music. Ripped from my recently acquired vinyl (garage sale) in MP3 (320kps) format, this post will sound best played through your sub-Woofer.  LOL.

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Track Listing

01 I Wanna Hold Your Hand 2:27

02 Love Me Do 2:36

03 Ob-La Di, Ob-La Da 3:02

04 We Can Work It Out 2:08

05 I Saw Her Standing There 2:50

06 I Feel Fine 2:14

07 Can't Buy Me Love 2:12

08 All My Loving 2:02

09 Day Tripper 2:44

10 She Loves You 2:20

11 Hard Days Night 2:30

12 Paperback Writer 2:13

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Beatle Barkers (64Mb) New Link 12/04/2025

The Beatles - Unlicensed The Beatles Live (1993) Bootleg

(U.K 1962 - 1970)
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From their earliest bootlegs in the late 1960s, the Beatles have been one of the most bootlegged rock artists.
Beatles bootleg recordings have arisen from a multitude of sources, including broadcast performances, recordings of live shows, test discs, privately distributed copies of demos, and covertly copied studio session tapes. The largest single source of Beatles bootleg material is the set of Nagra audio tapes from the 1969 filming of the Get Back / Let It Be rehearsal and recording sessions. Performances for the BBC, stage and concert recordings, and studio outtakes have also been extensive sources for Beatles bootlegs.
This Mainline Music bootleg release contains no less than 7 different sources of recordings and covers a time span starting in 1963 up until 1968.  The following are brief accounts for each of these recording sessions, sourced from a variety of websites and Rolling Stones Magazine. Tracks included on this bootleg are listed in bold.

Radio Broadcast, BBC Paris Studio, Regent Street, London, UK - 4th April 1963

Having taped sessions for two programs in the Light Program radio series, "Side by Side" only the previous Monday, the Beatles returned to the BBC on Thursday, 4th April, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm to record a third. (An option for a fourth appearance in the series, to have been taped between 2:00 and 6:00 pm this day, was not taken up, however). 

The Beatles - 1963, April 4, 12 Regent St. Photo by Kevin Naill

The Beatles and the Karl Denver Trio did not bother to re-record their duet of "Side by Side", the BBC using the April 1st tape for this transmission, which took place between 5:00 and 5:29 pm on Monday, June 24th. (It was unusual for the Corporation to keep recordings so long before broadcast, and this was certainly the longest any Beatles tape remained "in the can"). Listeners to the show heard the group perform "Too Much Monkey Business", Love Me Do", "Boys", "I'll Be On My Way" and "From Me To You". [extract from beatlesradio.com]

The recording of  "I'll Be On My Way" is the only one by The Beatles known to exist. It was written by Lennon-McCartney for Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, another act managed by Brian Epstein. The group recorded it at Abbey Road on 14 March as the b-side to their cover of The Beatles' Do You Want To Know A Secret. Due to its rarity, I have included it on this bootleg as a Bonus Track.
After the BBC session, the Beatles attended photographic sessions with Dezo Hoffmann at mens-wear store Cecil Gee, London, and outside the BBC Paris Studio.

The Beatles - 1963, April 4, Photo session in Dezo Hoffman's studio

This episode of Side By Side was broadcast from 5pm on Monday 24 June 1963 on the BBC Light Programme. I'll Be On My Way, meanwhile, was released in 1994 on the Live At The BBC collection. [extract from beatlesbible.com]

Radio Broadcast, Karlaplansstudion, Karlaplan, Stockholm, Sweden - 24th Oct 1963

Start of Sweden Tour. Concert at the Karlaplansstudion, Karlaplan, Stockholm. Recorded for Swedish radio and for Swedish TV, through the programme `Drop In'. Beatles performance of She Loves You, Twist And Shout, Long Tall Sally and I Saw Her Standing There aired on Stockholm TV Show "Drop In" and recorded, later to be illegally included on Bootleg records like 'Sweden 1963', 'Stockholm 1964' and this boot 'Unlicensed'

The Beatles - 1963, October 23, London airport, on the way to Stockholm, Sweden

Although their short tour of Sweden didn't start until the following day, The Beatles recorded a radio appearance for producer Klas Burling's Sveriges Radio (Swedish National Radio) show Pop '63. In the morning they had attempted to do some sightseeing in Stockholm. Beatlemania had already broken out in Sweden, and they were soon swamped by hundreds of fans. They also held a press conference which was barely more orderly.

The recording took place at the Karlaplansstudion, later the Maximteatern - in Stockholm, in front of a studio audience of teenage girls. A hundred tickets were given away, but more than twice as many people turned up in the hope of seeing the performance. The Beatles played a spirited set of seven songs: I Saw Her Standing There, From Me To You, Money (That's What I Want), Roll Over Beethoven, You Really Got A Hold On Me, She Loves You and Twist And Shout.  Between Money and Roll Over Beethoven the group took a short break, and local band Hasse Rosén and the Northmen performed three songs.
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This edition of the radio show was subtitled 'Popgrupp från Liverpool på besök i Stockholm', which translates as 'Pop group from Liverpool visiting Stockholm'. It was recorded from 5pm and broadcast on Monday 11 November 1963 from 10.05-10.30pm. Studio engineer Hans Westman had trouble attempting to limit the distortion on The Beatles' recordings, a problem caused by the lack of a rehearsal and sound check. There were also problems converting the group's UK cables to Swedish electrical outlets.

Westman used six RCA and Velocity microphones to record The Beatles: two for vocals, one for the drums, a fourth by Paul McCartney's bass amplifier, and two more for John Lennon and George Harrison's guitar amps. Four more were used to pick up ambient noise including sounds from the audience. Although he later described it as "the worst recording I've ever made", The Beatles later expressed delight at the results.

Han's Westman comments.....I wasn't satisfied with the recording and I apologised The Beatles for the high distortion. But they seemed very delighted. I lost control over the height of the sound. The amplifiers couldn't make it when The Beatles started to play. It was the highest recording level I had seen and certainly the worst distortion I ever had heard.  Now, when I've seen the result, I can understand why The Beatles was so delighted. They had, already way back in 1963, started to use the distortion to create a very special sound.

Afterwards, The Beatles left the studio through the front doors, as there was no stage exit. They boarded a blue Fiat 1500 parked outside the studio, and were promptly besieged by fans. [extract from beatlesbible.com]

Festival Hall, Melbourne and filmed by Channel 9 TV for 'The Beatles Sing For Shell' June 15th 1964

The Beatles played two shows a night for three nights in Melbourne in June, 1964, and the sixth and last show was videotaped by Australia's Channel 9 for use in the hour-long special  "The Beatles Sing For Shell", first broadcast on July 1st and named after the oil company which sponsored the broadcast.

They played: I Saw Her Standing There, You Can`t Do That, All My Loving, She Loves You, Till There Was You, Roll Over Beethoven, Can`t Buy Me Love, Twist And Shout, This Boy and Long Tall Sally

This was The Beatles' last of three consecutive nights of shows in the city's Festival Hall, Each night they gave two concerts, which were enjoyed by a total of 45,000 people. After the night's shows, The Beatles attended a private party held in the city's affluent suburb Toorak.

The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein had initially agreed to allow Channel 9 to show just 12 minutes of the performance. However, after watching the recording an hour after the show he had a change of heart and increased the limit to 20 minutes. In the end 22 minutes of The Beatles were included, the rest of the hour being footage of Australian and international performers. The only song from the set not broadcast was This Boy. Full bootleg recordings exist of both concerts from this day. [extract from beatlesbible.com]

Radio (Top Gear) 14 July 1964

The Beatles made an appearance on the first edition of the BBC radio show Top Gear, a weekly late-night pop music programme, on this day.  Top Gear was produced by Bernie Andrews, who had worked on the Saturday Club radio show, and was presented by Brian Matthew. This first episode was broadcast two days after the recording, on the BBC Light Programme service, from 10pm on 16 July 1964.

Beatles with Brian Matthew

The Beatles recorded six songs between 7 and 11pm at London's Broadcasting House. They performed Long Tall Sally, Things We Said Today, A Hard Day's Night, And I Love Her, If I Fell and You Can't Do That.

This was the only occasion in which The Beatles performed "And I Love Her" outside EMI Studios. The song never made it into their stage repertoire, despite its popularity, and the group never performed it during their other numerous television and radio appearances.

Note:  BootlegZone indicate that the tracks I Feel Fine and I'm A Loser also came from the Top Gear Radio sessions but does not match the track listing provided by beatlesbible.com and beatles-discography.com  - so the jury is out on this one. 
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Palais des Sports, Place de la Porte de Versailles, Paris, France 20 Jun 1965

The Beatles opened their short European tour at the Palais Des Sports in the Place de la Porte de Versailles on Sunday 20 June 1965. They appeared on two shows at the arena, the first at 3.00pm and the second at 9.00pm. The second show was broadcast by both French Television and radio and the two houses were full to the 6,000 capacity – something which hadn’t happened for several years.

The songs performed: Twist and Shout, She’s A Woman, I’m A Loser, Can’t Buy Me Love, Baby’s In Black, I Wanna Be Your Man, A Hard Day’s Night, Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby, Rock And Roll Music, I Feel Fine, Ticket To Ride and Long Tall Sally.

The group received a tremendous reception after their final number, "Long Tall Sally". Ringo had a solo spot with ""I Wanna Be Your Man and George had sung lead on "Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby". There was enthusiastic applause for Paul when he tried to introduce several songs in French.
After the show French chanteuse Francoise Hardy visited the group at the George V Hotel and later they visited Castell’s nightclub. [extract from wogew.blogspot.com.au]

  
Nippon Budokan Hall, Daikan-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan. 30 June 1966

The Beatles' long journey to Tokyo ended with their arrival at Haneda Airport at 3.40am on this morning. In the evening they played the first of five concerts at the Nippon Budokan Hall. The group and their entourage stayed at the Tokyo Hilton, where they occupied the Presidential Suite. Security at the hotel was so tight that they were unable to make unscheduled excursions around the city. They did, however, give a press conference from the hotel.

'Images Of A Woman' by the Beatles

Over the three nights they spent at the Tokyo Hilton, The Beatles collaborated on a painting which became known as 'Images Of A Woman' (see left). All four members of the group painted parts of the 30"x40" paper, working by the light of a lamp in the centre. When the painting was complete the lamp was removed, and The Beatles signed the empty space next to their contributions.
The paper and paints were provided by the Japanese promoter, Tats Nagashima, who suggested that the completed painting be auctioned for charity. It was bought by a cinema manager and local fan club president Tetsusaburo Shimoyama. In September 2012, it was put up for sale again through Philip Weiss Auctions and sold for $155,250 including the buyer's premium.

The evening's concert had support from Yuya Uchida and Isao Bitoh. The Beatles performed before 10,000 fans, with a set containing 11 songs: Rock And Roll Music, She's A Woman, If I Needed Someone, Day Tripper, Baby's In Black, I Feel Fine, Yesterday, I Wanna Be Your Man, Nowhere Man, Paperback Writer and I'm Down.

The concert, and their first on the following day, was video taped by Nippon Television. The two shows were edited together and broadcast during The Beatles Recital, From Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, which was screened on NTV Channel 4 on 1 July from 9pm.

The Rolling Stones 'Rock And Roll Circus'  11th December 1968

On 11th Dec 1968, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were among guests performing on The Rolling Stones' television spectacular, 'Rock And Roll Circus'. The event was filmed on this day at InterTel, an independent video facility at Stonebridge House in Wembley, London. The footage was captured on video and film, with sound recorded by Glyn Johns and Jimmy Miller on Olympic's mobile studio.

The Stones enlisted a range of guests for the show, including Eric Clapton, Jethro Tull, Marianne Faithfull, The Who, drummer Mitch Mitchell, pianist Julius Katchen and blues singer Taj Mahal. The groups Traffic and Cream had also both been invited to perform, but had split up just before filming began. Lennon was part of a temporary supergroup known as The Dirty Mac, which also featured Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Mitch Mitchell. The group played a version of Yer Blues from the White Album.

It was followed by a piece known variously as Whole Lotta Yoko or Yer Blues. Yoko Ono emerged from a black bag on the stage, and she and violinist Ivry Gitlis performed an improvised 12-bar blues with the Dirty Mac.

Dirty Mac R-L (Clapton, Lennon, Mitchell, Richards)

A simple stage is set up for the Supergroup. John is wearing his Levi outfit, and Mitch Mitchell looks almost unrecognizable with his straight blond hair. Keith plays a simple bass line, and Eric performs with masterful imperturbability. John looks a little apprehensive, but once they start playing he relaxes, turns his back to the camera occasionally in the classic jamming position. Yoko gets up on the stage, climbs into her black bag, and during the breaks, holds John's hand. Even while you are watching, it is hard to believe all this is actually happening.

Mitch's drumming is a little brisker and he is more in control of the cymbals, but this is not a jam session, in fact, Yer Blues is almost identical to the album track. Why is Eric following the record so closely? It is a strange paradox, but simply the presence of all these magicians together is completely overwhelming. What more can you say?

Brian Jones, Yoko Ono with Julian, John Lennon

But the effect of Yer Blues live is very different to hearing it on the record. To begin with it is obvious that John means every word of this song. He has used the form because the blues is the ultimate expression of a down trip. "Even hate my rock and roll" screams at you like a nightmare. The day before at the rehearsal, John, Mick and Eric played Peggy Sue together and John did a wry version of Elvis' great hit, It's Now Or Never. After Yer Blues, Yoko gets in front of the microphone and wails, while virtuoso violinist Ivry Gitlis saws away like a country fiddler, and the Supergroup is playing behind them. The audience is totally awestruck; they do not move or talk. It was breathtaking. [extract from David Dalton, Rolling Stone, 19th  March 1970]
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This post consists of MP3's (320kps) ripped from my Australian 'Unlicensed' Bootleg and includes the signature 'red' artwork. I have also chosen to include as a bonus, the ultra-rare "I'll Be On My Way" track recorded at the BBC Paris Studios in Regent Street, London from 1963. Although the selection of tracks on this bootleg come from numerous recording sessions and time periods, they somehow compliment one another making it an enjoyable listen.
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Track Listing
01 - Too Much Monkey Business
     (Radio Broadcast, BBC Paris Studio, Regent Street, London, UK)
02 - I Saw Her Standing There
     (Radio Broadcast, Karlaplansstudion, Karlaplan, Stockholm, Sweden)
03 - You Really Got A Hold On Me
     (Radio Broadcast, Karlaplansstudion, Karlaplan, Stockholm, Sweden)
04 - This Boy
     (Festival Hall, Melbourne and filmed by Channel 9 TV for "The Beatles Sing For Shell")
05 - Twist And Shout
     (Festival Hall, Melbourne and filmed by Channel 9 TV for "The Beatles Sing For Shell")
06 - Money (That's What I Want)
     (Radio Broadcast, Karlaplansstudion, Karlaplan, Stockholm, Sweden)
07 - Till There Was You
     (Festival Hall, Melbourne and filmed by Channel 9 TV for "The Beatles Sing For Shell")
08 - And I Love Her
     (Radio Top Gear)
09 - A Hard Day's Night     (Radio Top Gear)
10 - I Feel Fine
     (Radio Top Gear?)
11 - I'm A Loser
     (Radio Top Gear?)
12 - Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
     (Palais des Sports, Place de la Porte de Versailles, Paris, France)
13 - Baby's In Black
     (Palais des Sports, Place de la Porte de Versailles, Paris, France)
14 - Can't Buy Me Love
     (Palais des Sports, Place de la Porte de Versailles, Paris, France)
15 - If I Needed Someone
     (Nippon Budokan Hall, Daikan-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
16 - Nowhere Man
     (Nippon Budokan Hall, Daikan-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
17 - Yesterday
     (Nippon Budokan Hall, Daikan-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
18 - Paperback Writer
     (Nippon Budokan Hall, Daikan-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
19 - She's A Woman
     (Nippon Budokan Hall, Daikan-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
20 - Day Tripper
     (Nippon Budokan Hall, Daikan-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
21 - Yer Blues
     (The Rolling Stones "Rock And Roll Circus")
22 - Dirty Mac Jam
     (The Rolling Stones "Rock And Roll Circus")
23 - I'll Be On My Way (Bonus Track)
     (Radio Broadcast, BBC Paris Studio, Regent Street, London, UK) 
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The Beatles Unlicensed Link (142Mb)  New Link 08/07/2019
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The Beatles - Unauthorised: Twist & Shout (1994) Bootleg

(U.K 1960-70)
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Beatles in Indianapolis - September 3, 1964

I was in the fourth grade when The Beatles came to Indianapolis on their first ever North American tour. I did not attend the show but remember the hype and the folklore (urban legends) very well and thought I should write a posting on my memories of these days. I tell the story of their first trip to the US and the events in Indianapolis often as the city has changed much and many don't even remember the Coliseum where concerts were played and the Indiana Pacers had their first home some 40 years ago.

The Beatles traveled from Philadelphia to Indianapolis, playing 2 shows on September 3rd at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. They had played one show at 8:00 pm on Wednesday, September 2 at Conventions Hall. After a fun and entertaining chat with the press, and a quick meet-and-greet with a group of lucky locals, the Beatles took to the stage.

Beatles arrive at Indianapolis Airport

According to motor racing writer Bob Jennings who was one of the teenagers in attendance that day: "There was an afternoon show in the fairgrounds Coliseum before a packed house of something like 10,000 screaming fans. Ticket demand was so hot, an evening show was hastily scheduled in front of the grandstand on the one mile dirt race track because the Coliseum was already booked for another State Fair event. I was able to get tickets to the evening show... a couple hundred yards from the stage. There was an electricity that's hard to describe... about the only thing I can compare it to is the start of the Indianapolis 500."

Following their two performances that day in Indianapolis, the Beatles departed for Milwaukee Wisconsin, the next stop along their frantically paced 1964 North American Tour.

I remember most of the "hype" centered around where the Beatles stayed during their visit to Indianapolis. As a young boy at the time, I recall every news report speculated they were staying at the now demolished "Essex House", an upscale hotel in downtown Indianapolis which sat on the east side of Pennsylvania Street across from University Park; the actual address of the Essex House was 407 N. Pennsylvania Street. Various plans have been reported through the years for former Essex House site.

Crowds camped out by the hotel in hope of viewing the "mop tops" who were the sensation of the world at this time. Also fans made their way inside the hotel ripping off wallpaper, removing door nobs and other artifacts. The promoters then moved the Fab Four to the Speedway Motel.

The Fab Four on stage in Indianapolis

The Speedway Motel (on the site of the Indianapolis 500 race track), is still at this location and in use; it is literally the same as it was during the Beatles visit with some minor innovation renovation of the rooms, but no structural changes to the building. The Beatles stayed in rooms 228, 230, 232 and 234. These rooms are virtually the same as when the band stayed in them with the exception on new carpet, wall paper, etc.

The Speedway Motel was built in 1963 and renovated in 1981. It is now called the Brickyard Crossing Resort & Inn which includes a complete renovation of the former "Speedway Golf Course" by local Indiana golf course architect Pete Dye. By visiting the pro shop, you can view a photo on the wall of the Beatles in 1964 just off turn 2 putting golf balls; on what was at that time the location of the practice putting green.[recollections by David Steele]
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Concert Review

The Indiana State Fair's finest moment was the booking of the Beatles. For two shows, one at 6 p.m. in the Coliseum, the second at 9:30 in the Grandstand. It was Sept. 3, 1964. (The Fair was held later in the summer then.)

David Humphrey was one of the some 15,000 people who saw the second show, sort of. He watched at a distance, through a fence, with his parents. "We were on Paul's side of the stage," Humphrey said. "We could see the Beatles."  Humphrey was 8. He and his parents were not paying customers, but his two teenage sisters and cousin were. They were in the Grandstand.

Some parents were lukewarm on the four long-haired English musicians who were cutting such a swath through the culture, but Humphrey's parents liked the Beatles, and for the next few years Beatles music pulsed through the Humphrey house, which was in Anderson.
Humphrey grew up and became a freelance writer and photographer (his work has appeared in The Indianapolis Star), and now he has written a book about the historic Hoosier night, "All Those Years Ago: Fifty Years Later, Beatles Fans Still Remember" ($19.95, Butler Books.com).

The book is illustrated with 10 pages of photos and photocopies of some hilarious letters from fans seeking tickets. For example: "Dear Congressman Brademas: Could you please use all the influence you can possibly muster to obtain these Beatles tickets for me?".
The bulk of the 84-page paperback is made up of interviews with some of the 30,000 people who were at one of the concerts. There are 40 interviews in all.

Twist & Shout

Among the people who saw the Beatles perform at the Indiana State Fair on Sept 3, 1964, were two boys who'd grow up to figure prominently in Indiana politics: Mike McDaniel, a lobbyist and former Republican state chairman, and Democrat John Gregg, a former House Speaker in the Indiana General Assembly and the 2012 Democratic candidate for governor.
Humphrey interviewed them both. McDaniel noted that he "rubbed against the car the Beatles arrived in and got a good look at all of them." He said his favorite Beatles were Paul and Ringo.
Gregg also had a thing for Ringo. "We were seated near the back of the stage, just to the left of Ringo Starr," he says in Humphrey's book. "I'll never forget when Ringo was introduced to the crowd. He was kind and gracious enough to stand and wave to the fans seated behind the stage. Ringo waved in our direction too, and the crowd went wild."

Fans packed the State Fairgrounds Coliseum for one of the two concerts by the Beatles on Sept. 3, 1964.
Despite the mania surrounding the bands' visit, 1964 was still a simpler time, as evidenced by the Beatles' contract rider, the portion that details musicians' hospitality needs.

In 1964, the Beatles were very easy to please. In his letter to Robert Weedon at the Indiana State Fair, dated Aug. 10, three weeks before their historic appearance, Beatles' handler Ira Sidelle of General Artists Corp. wrote that "we would appreciate it very much" if the lads' dressing room could be equipped with "a supply of clean towels, chairs, a case of cold Coca Cola, and if at all possible, a portable TV set." [extract from beatlesmagazine]

.This post consists of MP3's (320kps) ripped from my Grapefruit CD Bootleg and includes the usual 'red' CD artwork. I have also included some covers for other releases of this show and select photos from the concert.  Please note that the 2nd set on this bootleg is not from their 2nd Indianapolis show but rather from their Philadelphia concert held the night before on the 2nd of September, 1964.  Both concerts are crystal clear on this release and free from the distraction of the screaming masses normally associated with their concerts.
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Tracklist:

Indianapolis
01. – Intro (1:21)
02. – Twist and Shout (1:22)
03. – You Can’t Do That (3:10)
04. – All My Loving (2:18)
05. – She Loves You (2:41)
06. – Things We Said Today (2:16)
07. – Roll Over Beethoven (3:15)
08. – Can’t By Me Love (2:41)
09. – If I Fell (2:13)
10. – I Want To Hold Your Hand (3:13)
11. – Boys (2:29)
12.– A Hard Day’s Night (3:04)
13. – Long Tall Sally (0:53)
Philadelphia
14. – Intro (0:30)

15. – Twist and Shout (1:19)
16. – You Can’t Do That (3:14)
17. – All My Loving (2:21)
18. – She Loves You (2:34)
19. – Things We Said Today (2:10)
20. – Roll Over Beethoven (3:09)
21. – Can’t By Me Love (2:39)
22. – If I Fell (2:10)
23. – I Want To Hold Your Hand (2:59)
24. – Boys (2:30)
25. – A Hard Day’s Night (2:52)
26. – Long Tall Sally (1:59)  
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The Beatles:
John Lennon: vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Paul McCartney: vocals, bass guitar
George Harrison: vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Ringo Starr: vocals, drums
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The Beatles Unauthorised Link (115Mb)  New Link 07/07/2019
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