Monthly Archives: August 2011

August 19, 2011 · 3:30 pm

Music Review: ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ by Shannon her B.A.M.F.s

: Shannon MacDonald

There aren’t too many people in this world that would have the nerve to cover a song by John Lennon. I’ve watched as contestants on various singing competition shows try it…and it can easily end any attempt at fame.

And so that brings me to the latest attempt – Shannon MacDonald’s Tomorrow Never Knows. Most people know Shannon as ‘The World’s Greatest Beatles Artist’, a title given to her by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool. So one has to wonder, why would her first attempt to make her mark in the music industry be covering a Beatles’ song?

The first thing I noticed when I set out to hear this song for the first time is that it’s 7 mins 38 sec in length. The original version of the song was just 2 mins 57 sec. But that initial feeling of ‘I’m going to fall asleep before I hear the end…” quickly went away as I found that the song has the magical ability of wrapping around you like a comfortable blanket and taking you to your happy place. There is an absolutely peace about this cover that gives you that inner reconciliation like meditating on a high mountain top in the warmth of the sun and a gentle breeze gliding across your cheek.

Absolutely, everyone should take a chance and give this song a listen…and come back here to let me know the feeling that it inspired in you. I think it will truly be a grand experience for anyone.

Shannon‘s cover of ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ is currently doing a rapid climb up the charts on ReverbNation and is being noticed by many Beatles’ experts and DJ’s across the U.S..

For those inquiring minds – BAMFs = Bad A** Mother F***ers.

The song is available for download on iTunes and Amazon.

The Lennon Examiner – Shelley Germeaux recently interviewed Shannon about her music and this song. The article is here.

The history behind the writing of the original Beatles version, can be found here.

I rate this song: 4 out of 4 Beetles

CD Review: In This One Cold Blink of Time by Such As Us

: In This One Cold Blink of Time by Such As Us

Just as a refresher on who Such As Us is: I reviewed this band’s Priming The Pride EP this past June. They’re managed by Maureen Shames, who is also the publicist for Sid Bernstein – the man that brought the Beatles to America.

I really like this band and I would love to see them perform live! I’m hoping they start doing summer music festivals. This album inspires images of spreading out a blanket at a folk festival and just chilling to the music. Filled with songs with real meaning, it gives you something to think about…or you can just tap your toes and bob your head.

The four songs that were on their EP seem to have been fined tuned and join eleven other songs with beautiful harmonies (“Tall Town”) and some wonderful violin and flute solos.

Two new members have been added to the line-up, both of them percussionist and one providing back-up vocals. Michael and Joni seem to have provided more depth to Such As Us.

For more information on how to get this album and Such As Us’ upcoming shows, go to their Facebook page or find them on ReverbNation.

Such As Us will be having a CD Release Party this week and I truly wish I could be there to have the LIVE experience. If you’re in the NJ/NY area, here’s the info on the party:

Thursday, August 18, 2011

7:30 pm

Patsy’s Pizzeria

2287-91 First Ave. (near 118th St.)

New York, NY

I rate this album: 3.5 out of 4 Beetles

Book Review: A Date With A Beatle by Judith Kristen

A Date With A Beatle by Judith Kristen

This was my second attempt at reading A Date With A Beatle. I had bought the book at the Fest for Beatles Fans in NJ in 2010. The first time through, I managed to get to page 61 of this 171 page book about a young girl’s attempt to meet George Harrison. I’ll give my first impression report and in the end…I’ll give my overall impression after actually finishing this book.

I picked up this book after meetin Judith Kristen and her husband at The Fest. Knowing that the first editions of Jude Southerland Kessler‘s self-published novel on John Lennon now sell for up to $1000, I figured I’d pick up a 1st edition copy of ‘A Date With A Beatle‘ as an investment. After reading the first 19 very short chapters of this book, I just cringed. Something just didn’t sit right with me about how a woman could remember such detail after 45 years. It was then I saw in the front of the book, “This book is partially fictionalized”. Then it made sense to me that I wasn’t quite sure how much was made up and I felt duped! I put the book down for over a year.

Last week, I decided to pick this book up again and finally review it, knowing full well that this could turn out really bad for any future dealings with Ms. Kristen or her husband since we’ve been known to be seen in the came circles.

Once again…I struggled. After only 1o chapters, I felt like this was work, but I championed on…determined to finish and review it. I tried to anaylize why I was struggling with the way the story was being presented and then it hit me that Judith Kristen is also a children’s book author and I believe that in her own way…she dumbed down this book a bit much. Or maybe it’s the attempt to write it in her voice as it was when she was 16. Or maybe it was the over-the-top conversations between her and her friends and police officers. Finally, I can say I finished it.

I can honestly say that by the her last attempt to meet George Harrison in the story in this book, she had me hooked. The ending is whitty and will make you smile. I am glad I read it…and the latest edition has a beautiful new cover from Beatles artist Eric Cash. I’ve also read that Ms. Kristen has been invited to Beatles Week in Liverpool later this month and then will start a book tour of German where her book has now been published in German. Best of luck to her!

You can buy her book on Amazon.

I can believe I’m about to say this….but…

I rate this book: 3 out of 4 Beetles

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