Beatle news briefs: BBC repeating McCartney interviews; tribute with polka beat

All the latest need-to-know (and then some) Beatles news from around the world and around the corner (thank you, Ted Baxter):

BBC REPEATING McCARTNEY INTERVIEWS: The BBC is currently repeating the eight-part "McCartney on McCartney" series first broadcast on Radio 1 in 1989 on its website. In part 1, McCartney talks with Mike Read about his early days up to 1962. The BBC leaves the archived material up for a limited time. Part 1 will be up for about 12 more hours, part 2 for two days.

SUNDAY TV ALERT: Just discovered this one by accident. The latest broadcast of "The Jimmy Sturr Show," to be repeated again at 9:30 a.m. Sunday ET/6:30 a.m. Sunday PT on RFDTV, features Beatles tribute group Liverpool Legends as the show's guests. Jimmy Sturr leads a polka band -- and the show starts out with a polka version of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da." No, we're not kidding.

REMEMBERING MARCH, 1966: Friday was the anniversary of John Lennon's infamous "We're more popular than Jesus now" interview. Gordon Thompson, author of the excellent book, "Please Please Me: Sixties British Pop, Inside Out," has written a blog tied to the anniversary. It's here: http://blog.oup.com/2011/03/lennon/. And here's the text of the original interview as written by Maureen Cleave. Reading his remark in context shows intent is everything.

"YESTERDAY" PIANO FOR SALE: The piano said to have been used in the writing of "Yesterday" is going up for sale, according to Paul Fraser Collectibles. It's expected to sell for over $200,000 when it goes on the block April 14.

SGT. PEPPER WITH A SYMPHONY: The Black Jacket Symphony with perform "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, reports Alabama Live at 7 p.m. June 3 at the Alabama Theatre. The evening will include a performance of the album and other Beatles songs. Tickets are available on their site.

FAB FAUX DOES "ABBEY ROAD": The next two shows by the great Fab Faux on March 12 in Montclair, N.J., and March 19 in Ann Arbor, Mich., will feature a performance of the "Abbey Road" album and other Beatle songs with the Hogshead Horns and Creme Tangerine Strings. We saw these guys last year and enjoyed the show tremendously. They have lots of other shows upcoming, including a trip to the West Coast to play in Los Angeles. Well worth seeing. More info: www.fabfaux.com.

SHEA STADIUM BOOK COMING: Dave Schwensen ("The Beatles in Cleveland") tells us his next book, "The Beatles At Shea Stadium," is in its final stages. The book will just over 300 pages and have 50 photos.

REMEMBERING KEN BROWN: Bill Kopp corresponded by email with former Quarryman Ken Brown before his death last year. He discusses the exchange on his blog.

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