Beatle news briefs: Beatles curriculum a degree of excellence; old rockers (Spinal) tap into tour

March 3, 10:01 PMBeatles ExaminerSteve Marinucci

Previous Next

3 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Beatles Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

  Hopefully, the "Revolution" outtake sent a clear message
  to the Fabs. (Copyright Apple Corps Ltd.)

Liverpool Hope University will offer a Masters in Arts degree in the Beatles, which the university says is the first in its kind in the worlds, reports Reuters. The course, "The Beatles, Popular Music and Society," discusses the Beatles, their hometown of Liverpool, the contexts of the 1960s and the industries that have set up in their wake to capitalise on tourism in the city. It can be studied full or part time  and is composed of four 12-week modules and a dissertation. Mike Brocken, a senior lecturer in popular music at the university, on the university's website, says about the course, "There have been over 8,000 books about The Beatles but there has never been serious academic study and that is what we are going to address. Forty years on from their break-up, now is the right time and LIverpool is the right place to study The Beatles." How true. Who among us would have loved to say we majored in Beatles? Actually, I think I did and I suspect many of you did, too, though we didn't get diplomas that said so.

Earlier today, we posted new information about the David Lynch Foundation benefit show with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr April 4 at Radio City Music Hall. You can find that here. In short, general admission tickets go on sale at 11 a.m. ET Monday. Good luck.

Journalist Rip Rense, who originally gave us his opinion on the "Revolution" outtake that leaked out last week, goes into more detail about it in a post on his website.

Speaking of "Revolution," there are still some people -- and I'm not talking about the speculation on internet blogs  -- that really think the outtake that surfaced last week might be a fake. I'm not saying it is, but if that was the case, it still points up what a good idea -- and what money could be made -- from another "Anthology" release. Look at all the buzz out of that song. With the endless merry-go-round of discussion the Beatle brain trust seems to have whenever these issues come about (e.g. the reissues), who knows how long it would take? Let's hope someone heard what just happened.

Sirius/XM has announced a series of guest DJs for Paul McCartney's Fireman Radio. Here's the schedule: Today, Cousin Brucie; Thursday, New York City fireman Jerry Ayers; Friday, Barbara Walters; March 9, Fest for Beatles Fans' Mark Lapidos; March 11, Rescue Me's Daniel Sanjata; March 11; New York City fireman Tony Ferrante; March 12, Federico Castillucio of "The Sopranos."

Everybody's always looking for rock reunions. Here's one: Spinal Tap, without the name, is reuniting for a tour, reports Entertainment Weekly.

It's wet and rainy where I am tonight. Nice night to bundle up and stay warm. Make sure you do. Even if it's nice.