Unlike in the USA where Capitol released Beatles singles in colourful picture sleeves. British 45's, with 2 exceptions came in Parlophone company sleeves. But unlike America where EP releases failed to ignite the imagination of teenage record buyers. UK fans were gifted 13 EP releases presented in colourful, laminated picture sleeves.

Join us this week as we take a Magical Mystery Tour through The Beatles UK EP releases. We discuss why EP's were an important tool in EMI's commercial exploitation of The Beatles catalogue. The music which was released exclusively on EP. The EP's which never reach the public and where you can find this music today.

So make a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, relax and tune-in to this edition of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.

Please get in touch via:

Facebook: Fixing A Hole https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

Email: info@fixingahole.co.uk

Between their debut single 'Love Me Do' in October 1962 and their final 45, 'Let It Be' in March 1970, The Beatles released 22 original singles.

Many of these releases featured songs that were unique to the 7" format at the time. Unlike many artists who would struggle to find a song to place on the B-side. The Beatles presented us with an embarrassment of riches, 'Rain', 'I Am The Walrus', 'Revolution' to name a few examples.

They also gifted us with what could be the greatest 7" single of all time, 'Strawberry Fields Forever' / 'Penny Lane'. Which in a first for a UK single came in a beautiful, if fragile picture sleeve.

In this episode, Mark and I discuss The Beatles 22 original UK EMI singles. Along the way we talk about how they were presented, contact pressings, unreleased singles, export 45's and the fact that EMI actually gave us an official 23 single, back in 1965!

To find out more, tune in to this edition of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.

Please get in touch via:

Facebook: Fixing A Hole https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

Email: info@fixingahole.co.uk

John Lennon has been quoted as saying "You haven't heard Sergeant Pepper, if you haven't heard it in mono"... and he's right. Yes, the songs are the same, but the mix is very different. Once you hear it in mono, you wont want to go back to stereo.

So why did George Martin make mono and stereo mixes of the majority of Beatles recordings between Love Me Do in 1962 and the White Album in 1968? That's what Paul and Mark chat about in this weeks episode of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.

If you’re a fan of the podcast, or you like to be a guest on an episode, we’d love to hear from you.

Please get in touch via:

Facebook: Fixing A Hole https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

Email: info@fixingahole.co.uk

Love it or hate it, music streaming is here to stay and for younger listeners is introducing the music of The Beatles to a whole new audience.

The collectors out there who cherish their original first pressing vinyl, reel-to-reel tapes and cassettes may well be under the impression that with streaming being a non-physical music media that is stored in the cloud, the medium has nothing to offer them.

However, as always in reality streaming does offer Beatles collectors some unique releases.

In this episode Mark and Paul chat about the how The Beatles arrived on download and streaming services and what is available for the hardcore collector.

If you’re a fan of the podcast we’d love to hear from you.

Please get in touch via:

Facebook: Fixing A Hole https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

Email: info@fixingahole.co.uk

In 1964 Dave Lewis discovered music courtesy of the Dave Clark Five. But with the arrival of Thunderbirds on the television and football at the local park, music quickly new took a back seat.

Then in April 1969, The Beatles released the first new recordings from their January 1969 sessions at Twickenham and Savile Row, Get Back / Don’t Let Me Down. This would be the spark that ignited a lifelong passion for music.

Along the way Dave has spent 35 years in music retail. Become part of the inner sanctum of Led Zeppelin through his Tight But Loose fanzine and since 2009 been a freelance music journalist and author.

Currently in the process of writing his memoirs. Dave joined us for a chat to discuss his love of the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo including his enviable collection of Beatles bootlegs, his 35 and still counting White Albums and what it was about The Beatles Get Back single 56 years ago that started him on this long and winding road in music.

To discover more about Dave, his writing and collecting, visit his website:

http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/

If you’re a fan of the podcast we’d love to hear from you.

Please get in touch via:

Facebook: Fixing A Hole https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

Email: info@fixingahole.co.uk

In this week’s episode Paul and Mark take a peep into the world of alternate mixes.

Not those multi-format extended mixes record companies released in the 1980’s. Paul McCartney’s ‘No More Lonely Nights’ comes to mind. No, the alternate mixes of Beatles recordings which EMI inadvertently sent out to affiliated distributors across the globe.

Welcome to the world of high-hat intro’s, mysterious whispering, alternate backwards guitars and trumpet codas!

Intrigued?

Grab a coffee and listen to Fixing A Hole, the Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.

If you’re a fan of the podcast we’d love to hear from you.

Please get in touch via:

Facebook: Fixing A Hole https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

Email: info@fixingahole.co.uk

Following on from last week’s pirate radio edition of Fixing A Hole we carry on with the pirate theme. Looking into the under the counter world of Beatles bootlegs.

We trace the origins of these Illegal releases in the late 60’s with the infamous Bob Dylan boot ‘Great White Wonder’ and the plethora of low-fi compilations of Beatles concerts, radio and television appearances which began to surface in the early 70’s. Through to the CD age and the arrival of Ultra Rare Trax which presented unreleased Beatles session recordings in wonderful sound quality.

Along the way we discuss the sources of these recordings and what influence these albums had on Apples official Anthology series in the mid 90’s.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Beatlegs!

P.S. If you spot the mistake about Mal Evans early in this edition drop us a line via the email below. Unfortunately there is no prize, but we would love to hear from you.

If you’re a fan of the podcast we’d love to hear from you.

Please get in touch via:

Facebook: Fixing A Hole https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

Email: info@fixingahole.co.uk

Unlike the United States where you could hear wall-to-wall pop music on the radio 24 hours a day. In early 1960's Great Britain, the airwaves were controlled by the BBC. With numerous restrictions imposed on them including the dreaded 'Needle Time', which impacted on the number of records that could be broadcast weekly by the network. The broadcasting of 'Pop Music' was limited to a few shows per week.

Therefore, it was no surprise when Radio Caroline began broadcasting in the spring of 1964 off the coast of Essex. Signalling the arrival of pirate radio in the United kingdom.

In this weeks episode of Fixing A Hole we look at the links between The Beatles and the pirates and in particular the events of May 1967, when 'Big L', Radio London struck gold with a world exclusive and broadcast the new Beatles album, 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'.

If you’re a fan of the podcast we’d love to hear from you.

Please get in touch via:

Facebook: Fixing A Hole https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

Email: info@fixingahole.co.uk