Take It Away: The Complete Solo Beatles Podcast

We've let you wait too long, but new episodes are at last incoming! The George Harrison solo catalog anniversary editions arrive at their sophomore release with 2024's Living in the Material World 50th anniversary box set and remix! Featuring stunning vinyl and cd box packaging and a new remix by Paul Hicks (All things Must Pass remix), this epic edition is covered here for you all to enjoy as a special bonus episode of the Take it Away podcast. Your humble co-hosts revisit the remix debate, discuss bonus tracks (Sail Away Raymond, indeed!), and take one final dip into the LITMW era before sojourning onward into the real of the "naughty period." Dark Horse is next, but in the meantime - now hear THIS!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's hear a round of one-handed applause for an all-new bonus episode of the Take it Away podcast! Your humble co-hosts are "live in the studio" to review, analyze and critique the two new Paul McCartney & Wings releases from this past year: One Hand Clapping and Band on the Run - Underdubbed. First up is the long-awaited standalone release of Wings Mach 1.5's most expansive effort before the departure of drummer Geoff Britton, an idea hatched by Paul & Linda to capture both audio and video of the band prepping for a new tour. While widely bootlegged and only ever officially released in sporadic chunks over the years, One Hand Clapping at last gets its due as a snapshot of this tuneful, rocking, high-energy era of the Wings project. Next, a revelatory gaze into the rough mixes of Paul, Linda and Denny's seminal Band on the Run LP, christened "Under-Dubbed" and freshly issued to mark 50 years since the album's initial release. So grab your polygons, take off your face, and rejoin TIA for a journey back into the complete Paul McCartney archive...Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're living in the material world! And we're excited to be giving you part one of a two-part TAKE IT AWAY series detailing the inception, writing, recording, and release of George Harrison's epic LP: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD! In 1973, after a (nearly) three-year absence from record store stands, Harrison returned to the charts with the follow-up studio album to 1970's ALL THINGS MUST PASS -- and thanks to the mammoth success of that album and its singles, anticipation for this new release was at a fever pitch. Thankfully for fans and critics alike, the lead single did not disappoint, and both "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" and its corresponding album shot to the top of the charts in short order. But while George's commercial successes continued, Living in the Material World showed the world another, darker side of his life -- one fueled by the temptations of both rock stardom and spiritual enlightenment. In this first episode we'll uncover the path toward this crossroads, and drill in on the songs that tell the story of a Pisces fish at a fork in the road...Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When George Harrison's friend came to him, sadness in his eyes - he told George that he wanted help, before his country died. And help is what he got. Enter rock's first major charity concert experience, the night that set the template for benefit shows for decades to come... the Concert for Bangladesh. Organized and headlined by George Harrison in response to friend Ravi Shankar's dismay over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in war-torn Bangladesh, this star-studded event helped rock'n'roll graduate from youthful idealism to pragmatic maturity. While not the first charity concert (nor the first George was in attendance for), this major media event carried into the spotlight by the star power of a former Beatle (still riding high from his successful solo debut the prior December), The Concert for Bangladesh in its various iterations raised millions of dollars and worldwide awareness for the suffering Bengal people. The Take it Away podcast now takes a deep dive into the event, the grammy-winning live album, and the legacy of this grand gesture of commitment to the human race. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let us in here, you know we've been here. Let us in for part two! The Take it Away podcast returns with the second installment in our three-part deep dive into All Things Must Pass by George Harrison. In the previous episode we covered the inception and recording of this triple album set - starting from the last gasp of the Beatles in those early months of 1970 right up through its release in time for the holiday season that same year. This time around we're picking back up where we left off on our track-by-track analysis with a look at the epic second single “What is Life,” and ending at the finale of the initial lyrical compositions with “Hear Me Lord.” While we roll on out the door, we want to hear what your favorite cuts from this solo masterpiece are! Because who are we, without you by our side?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to a special BONUS episode of the Take it Away podcast! This past week the world experienced a rarity decades in the making - the advent of a new single by The Beatles titled "Now and Then." Hardcore fans would of course be familiar with this track as the third John Lennon song attempted by Paul, George and Ringo in 1995 for the Anthology project - another demo in the spirit of "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love," which was left unfinished at the time and, as Paul put it, "languishing in a cupboard" for nearly 30 years. Thanks to Peter Jackson's MAL technology, John's demo has been cleaned and separated in spectacular fashion, and the song has at last seen the light of day, and more than that is now the #1 record in the UK charts at the time of this recording. Even MORE spectacular than that? Chris Mercer has not heard the track yet. So join Paul and Chris for a real-time reaction to this piece of Beatles history, experienced in the moment for the first time by Chris Mercer and discussed with the love and attention of the Take it Away podcast.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Because you're sweet and lovely, we're back for part two of our deep dive into the songs of Beatle George on the Take it Away podcast. On this savoy second installment, we'll cover 1967's “It's All Too Much” right through the breakup of the Beatles -- as we witness George Harrison's songwriting evolution from gifted novice to peak contender with Lennon and McCartney. The trauma of fame mixed with the clarity of eastern philosophy altered George's outlook drastically from the mid-60s onward…his songwriting acting as a reflection of the sincerity of his convictions. It was the truth of his artistry (embraced by the public, though not always by his bandmates) that would carry forward into the solo years, where George would continue to hone his craft as songwriter, producer, musician, and guiding light for the material world for decades to come. Though this episode marks the end of our "Beatle George" series, it is far from the end of our examination of George's music - and we invite you to join us for a long, long, long journey into the solo catalog of our favorite mystical one...Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The YESTERDAY & TODAY and TAKE IT AWAY podcasts are crossing over! In this special double-feature, double-interview episode, hosts Wayne Kaminski, Chris Mercer and Paul Kaminski join forces to discuss Paul McCartney historiography with special guest authors who have fresh releases on shelves now. Luca Perasi is certainly no stranger to the TAKE IT AWAY podcast -- Luca was interviewed by Chris and Ryan in 2019 to discuss his book PAUL McCARTNEY: RECORDING SESSIONS (1969-2013), which provided much of the framework for the original run of TAKE IT AWAY shows. Luca has returned to promote a brand-new book, PAUL McCARTNEY: MUSIC IS IDEAS, the first volume in a multi-part series which explores the stories behind Macca's massive catalog of solo songs from 1970-1989. Next up, returning YESTERDAY & TODAY guest Paul Salley -- author of LITTLE WING: THE JIMMY McCULLOCH STORY -- is back for the first time in 3 years to discuss the release of his definitive biography of Wings' exceptional young-gun lead guitarist. All this, plus a special announcement about the future of the TAKE IT AWAY podcast in this all-new crossover episode. We hope you will enjoy the show!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris and Paul take to the mic to tackle the latest McCartney release - the conclusion to a trilogy 50 years in the making. With McCartney III, Paul finds himself once again crafting a homespun record born of sudden time on his hands, this time the result of a global pandemic and a pause in the music business (rather than the band shake-ups that spurred McCartneys I and II). Of course, no pandemic could put a pause on the business of Paul McCartney...and Macca's creative engine is still firing on all cylinders. From up-front rockers like “Lavatory Lil” and “Slidin'” to the jammy, effortless atmosphere of “Deep Deep Feeling” and “Long Tailed Winter Bird,“ there's lots to discuss. Take It Away co-founder Chris Mercer is joined by fellow music podcaster Paul Kaminski (The Third Men, Now Hear This, Yesterday & Today) to weigh in on this complex, exciting new record - and to thank the incredible TIA listeners for all the love and support these past few months. This episode (and all episodes) of the show is dedicated to the music and memory of Ryan Brady. So welcome back to the fold, friends - you can see our podcast through windows in our hair.Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Side A: The Take It Away and Now Hear This Podcasts have joined forces to pay tribute to friend and podcasting pioneer Ryan Brady. Hosts Chris and Paul are joined by guests, family and listeners to share the special music and memories given to them - and to all of us - by Ryan over the years in this two-part retrospective. We'll touch on the many facets of a life lived in joy and melody, and spotlight our favorite music made by, and enjoyed, by Ryan Brady. Our thanks go out to all those helping to keep Ryan's memory alive, and to everyone whose support made Take It Away and Now Hear This possible. So sit back, sing along and don't forget to enjoy every sandwich.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back for another surprise episode of Season 4 because Paul released two new Egypt Station singles: "Home Tonight" and "In a Hurry." Also, we touch on Paul's upcoming It's a Wonderful Life musical. We recorded this before the world shut down, but we thought now is the perfect time for a little laughter. Join us for this fun episode.Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this short bonus episode, Mercer introduces his brand-new concept album More To Come. It’s an album about late night television from the early 70s through the mid-90s, using Johnny Carson (host of the Tonight Show from 1962-1992) as the focal point. The musical style is mainly art rock, but with clear influences from sunshine pop, baroque pop, musical theater, and film music. If you’re interested, please join me for a little more discussion on the album and a few musical excerpts.You can find More To Come, along with my other recent pop music projects, at Bandcamp:https://mercer1.bandcamp.com/album/more-to-comeStay up, stay tuned!Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oh boy, this is a fun one. We attempt to tackle all of the songs Paul McCartney covered during his career. We dip back into The Beatles catalog, roll through Wings, and investigate the McCartney solo years. We also pose this question: "What defines a cover?" Find out if we answer it in this hilarious episode. It ain't a shame.Click here for the Episode 33 topic list.Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.comPlaylist mentioned in the episode.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.