“Beatles fans will probably have to wait until next year before they can buy the Fab Four’s tunes from online retailers such as Apple Inc.’s iTunes Store, George Harrison’s widow said on Friday,” Dean Goodman reports for Reuters.
“A recent settlement to a lengthy trademark dispute between Apple and the Beatles’ company, Apple Corps Ltd., has cleared the way for the band to distribute its catalog in cyberspace,” Goodman reports. “But Olivia Harrison told Reuters, ‘We just have a few things to work out elsewhere.’
“Specifically, all the Beatles CDs have been remastered — good news for fans who have long complained about the poor sound quality — and the organization wants to get the artwork ready for the physical packages,” Goodman reports. “Asked if the catalog would be available online by the end of next year, she said, ‘Oh God, yeah. Hope so … I don’t know if it would be the end of this year, but it would be nice. Imminent, let’s put it that way.'”
Goodman reports, “Paul McCartney, who has adopted an aggressive digital marketing strategy for the release next week of his solo album, ‘Memory Almost Full,’ told trade publication Billboard last month that an online deal for the Beatles catalog was ‘virtually settled.’ But he, too, shied away from saying that anything would happen in the short term.”
Full article here.
They should rename them “The Snails.” Sheesh, at least have The Beatles’ catalog available online by Christmas 2007!
That’s too soon for me
“Imminent, let’s put it that way.'”
From Websters:
imminent
Main Entry: im·mi·nent
Pronunciation: ‘i-m&-n&nt;
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin imminent-, imminens, present participle of imminEre to project, threaten, from in- + -minEre (akin to Latin mont-, mons mountain) — more at MOUNT
: ready to take place; especially : hanging threateningly over one’s head <was in imminent danger of being run over>
I guess Steve’s reference to the Beatle’s song “Two of Us” during the dialog with Bill Gates had little effect on gettting this sloooowwww train moving.
They should wait until late 2042 just to be safe.
Without Ringo they would have been the Beat’less…..
Good. Let them stay off of iTunes. Most people who love the Beatles (not I) already have their songs on CDs. Also, Apple Corps tried to sue Apple Inc. They are not deserving of the honor to be on the iTunes store.
Go to http://www.torrentz.com and type in “Beatles”. You can get their songs for FREE.
Besides, who in their right minds in the 21st century would listen to the Beatles? Anyone???!!! Anyone???!!! I REST MY CASE.
Bugger off, Apple Corps!!
Besides, who in their right minds in the 21st century would listen to the Beatles? Anyone???!!! Anyone???!!! I REST MY CASE.
Who in their right minds in the 21st century would listen to works by the 18th century masters? Or music performed on a dusty old Stradivarius?
Some things are timeless.
That said, IMO whoever’s managing the Beatles is worse than Microsoft. How many times do they expect to resell the same product to the same consumers? The Beatles will always be around, but for now the market is saturated.
It’s the 40th anniversary of Sgt. Peppers.
Ah, the Beatles. Two great song writers, a great guitarist, and Ringo. I’ve been a fan since ’62.
I don’t see any comment there that says 2008. So I think they will be out sooner.
Who gives a shnickerdoodle?
Well they better hurry. The vast majority of the original fan base will be to old to give a sh*t if they take to long.
agree with “bob”..who gives a rats ass bout Beat – less.
Ringo Starr. The worst drummer in a well-known band in the history of music.
Sh-tles, you don’t know cr-p about drummers and drumming, even if you are one.
Hey, “someone” — Sh-tles is right.
Go take a lesson from Steve Gadd, pal. Or Max Roach. Or Peter Erskine. Or Bobby Colomby. Or Neil Peart. Or the greatest drummer ever to walk the Earth, Buddy Rich.
Unless he was playing the simplified, pedestrian rhythms of the Beatles, Ringo Starr couldn’t drum his way out of a paper bag.
Hell, Animal on the Muppet Show was a better drummer than Mr. Starkey.
There have been many better and more creative drummers than Ringo, but he was the right drummer at the right time, and technically he wasn’t a “weak link”. He was better than okay. Got to give to Ginger Baker for energy and Mitch Mitchell for style and John Bonham for dynamics. For that era and the rock genre, I still think Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience brought the most to the party. Jimi Hendrix wouldn’t have been the same without Mitch.
I dare ya to put an electronic metronome on any of Ringos beats …
Even the Great Neal Pert and Buddie Rich werent that accurate …
Sure, Ringo’s beats were simple … but that in no way detracted from his talent !
Besides .. if you ask a dozen drummers for their top ten list of greatest drummers … expect to get at least 120 names !
(I betcha Alex Van Halens name wouldnt be on anyones list ! )
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oh my said: I dare ya to put an electronic metronome on any of Ringos beats …
Even the Great Neal Pert and Buddie Rich werent that accurate …
Sure, Ringo’s beats were simple … but that in no way detracted from his talent !
Uhhh, yes it does.
Starr was/is a serviceable drummer, but he’s not anything special. And he never was. Just because you could “put a metronome” on “Ringo’s beats” also isn’t indicative of anything – – a good drummer should be able to keep time with a metronome very well. Ringo just was never asked to do anything terribly . . . challenging.
As for the others you mentioned, first of all, it’s Neil Peart. Second, Neil has been compared to and called “better than” Buddy Rich (not “Buddie”), and Neil himself said that he’s not as accomplished as Buddy.
As for some of the others mentioned, it of course depends on what you are looking for in a drummer, but I would agree with Max Roach, and also Bobby Colomby of Blood Sweat & Tears — who, by the way, Buddy Rich called his favorite drummer.
As for Buddy, he was indeed deadly accurate. Almost frighteningly so. It’s arguable of course, but there has probably never been a drummer in his class. He is in a category of his own.
And Starr is not even in the same galaxy.
Al Gore.
I’m guessing that everyone that wants 40 year old shite has it already.
@ TornadoT
You raise some interesting points.. and I agree with most of them…
But .. if you did put a metronome on Ringo, you would see where he did shine .. He had the uncanny ability to (almost) never waiver … Ringo was a human metronome ..
Most drummers — even acomplished ones.. such as the ones you mentioned … would waiver the beat.. Its not noticeable to the general audiences .. and most people dont even care … and thats ok …
But to disparage Ringo because he wasnt flashy, like Neil, Buddy and all the rest, kinda misses the whole point of drumming !
While I do admire all the drummers mentioned above, a few other “forgotten” drummers seem never mentioned ..
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Such as John Densmore — Ainsley Dunbar and Carmen Appice ..
(Guess I’m showing my age, here huh ?)
If you’re going to have a list of great drummers you must also include Gene Kruper. Kruper is considered by many musicians as having had a huge influence on modern rock drumming. And yes, Ringo was NOT in the same league.
Neil Peart (Rush), John Bohnam (Zepplin), Taylor Hawkins, (Foo Fighters) and Travis Barker (Blink) are all powerful crafstmen. Ringo is a journeyman who tapped his way to fame.
In a way, putting Ringo in this league kind of reminds me of that recent Pepsi commercial that featured Beyonce, Britney and Pink. Beyonce has a great voice, Pink is a belter, but to belt out a song you must have a very good voice. Britney on the other hand was stretching to keep up with the other two. She and Ringo are both competent, nothing more, nothing less.
Krupa was the drum God before Buddy Rich .. for sure ..
but there is (I’m sure, somewhere) some footage of one of the best drum wars I’ve ever seen ..
Ed O’Shaunnesy (sp?) vs Buddy Rich … it happened on the Johnnie Carson show ..
I’d love to have a copy of that for my collection
oh my,
I think I saw that on an old clip some time ago and yes it was great. After reading your post I checked all the major torrent sites and it’s not listed. I guess we’ll have to wait for some obscure dvd that features the world’s greatest drummers. I wonder whether Ovation or some other cable channel can help out.
Also there was a black American contemporary of Kreuper who Gene used to say was better than he was. I’ve seen a clip of his work but I’m damned if I can remember his name.