A couple of weeks back my daytime job took me to Wallasey, or more precisely New Brighton. Formerly the location of the Tower Ballroom, where The Beatles played 27 times during there formative years.

Seeing the site of this long gone venue, got me thinking about other venues around the UK which have a Beatles connection. In this weeks episode we begin a new occasional series in which we deep dive into the back stories of these sites, some lost, while others are very much alive and working.

In this weeks episode in the company of my co-host and producer Mark I tell the story of three venues. The Tower Ballroom, the Granada Walthamstow and the Empire Pool, Wembley.

Welcome to episode 53 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles Podcast You Didn't Know You Needed.

An extended version of this podcast is available on our Patreon channel:

http://patreon.com/fixingahole

You can contact Paul and Mark via:

Email:

info@fixingahole.co.uk

Facebook:

Fixing A Hole The Beatles Podcast

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All previous episodes are available via all major podcast platforms, or our website:

http://fixingahole.transistor.fm

Fixing A Hole YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@fixingahole62_70

Fixing A Hole is a 1386 Audio production

https://www.1386audio.com

When Paul, George, Ringo and the John Lennon estate won control of the groups back catalogue in late 1989. It marked a changing point in the way The Beatles back catalogue was managed. Gone were the themed compilations from EMI, Rock 'N' Roll Music, Love Songs, Reel Music, etc. Instead we have been treated (on the whole) to a series of currated released designed for both the casual music lover and the die hard fan.

Around the spring of each year The Beatles rumour mill starts to gossip with what Apple are going to give us this year. I've not heard anything yet, but with the four Sam Mendes feature films due in April 2028. In this episode Paul and Mark, what we would like to see and what we think us fans will receive.

Welcome to episode 52 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles Podcast You Didn't Know You Needed.

An extended version of this podcast is available on our Patreon channel:

http://patreon.com/fixingahole

You can contact Paul and Mark via:

Email:

info@fixingahole.co.uk

Facebook:

Fixing A Hole The Beatles Podcast

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

All previous episodes are available via all major podcast platforms, or our website:

http://fixingahole.transistor.fm

Fixing A Hole YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@fixingahole62_70

Fixing A Hole is a 1386 Audio production

https://www.1386audio.com

The Hoffner violin bass is an iconic symbol of Paul's days with The Beatles.

Sometime during the 60's, or was it the 70's Paul's original 1961 Hoffner disappeared. Lost for 50 years, until some pure detective work by a few individuals discovered where it was hiding.

In this episode Paul and Mark review the documentary feature 'McCartney: The Hunt For The Lost Bass'.

If you enjoy reading Agatha Christie whodunits, or watching repeats of Columbo, you need too watch this documentary. To find out why, listen to episode 51 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles Podcast You Didn't Know You Needed.

An extended version of this podcast is available on our Patreon channel:

http://patreon.com/fixingahole

You can contact Paul and Mark via:

Email:

info@fixingahole.co.uk

Facebook:

Fixing A Hole The Beatles Podcast

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

All previous episodes are available via all major podcast platforms, or our website:

http://fixingahole.transistor.fm

Fixing A Hole YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@fixingahole62_70

Fixing A Hole is a 1386 Audio production

https://www.1386audio.com

In August 2024 when we published episode 1, I had no idea that 20 months later we would be publishing weekly, or that we would reach the milestone of 50 episodes!

To celebrate this achievement Mark and I take a look back at our highlights of the previous 49 editions. Share some details about our backgrounds and why Fixing A Hole came about. Plus tells a few stories about his 52 years of being a Beatles fan.

Welcome to episode 50 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.

An extended version of this podcast is available from our Patreon site:

http://patreon.com/fixingahole

You can contact Paul and Mark via:

Email:

info@fixingahole.co.uk

Facebook DM:

Search Fixing A Hole The Beatles Podcast

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All previous episodes are available via all major podcast platforms, or our website:

http://fixingahole.transistor.fm

and YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@fixingahole62_70

Fixing A Hole is a 1386 Audio production

https://www.1386audio.com

When you read the biographies of John, Paul, George and Ringo, it's very obvious how hard they worked to progress from 4 school boys playing music for fun, to becoming the entertainment phenomenon of the 20th Century.

This work ethic did not stop when fame came. In fact with everyone wanting a piece of them, record company, Television, radio, journalists, fans. There daily schedule exploded.

In this weeks episode we take a deep dive into 5th March 1963. A day of photoshoots and recording sessions.

Welcome to episode 49 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.

An extended version of this podcast is available from our Patreon site:

http://patreon.com/fixingahole

You can contact Paul and Mark via:

Email:

info@fixingahole.co.uk

Facebook DM:

Search Fixing A Hole The Beatles Podcast

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All previous episodes are available via all major podcast platforms, or our website:

http://fixingahole.transistor.fm

and YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@fixingahole62_70

Fixing A Hole is a 1386 Audio production

https://www.1386audio.com

Back in episode 20 of Fixing A Hole, my co-presenter and producer Mark declared that his favourite Beatles album is Revolver. That's the UK 14 track edition, not the edited 11 song Capitol version from American which I discovered back in 1975.

I on the other hand have avoided this question, as depending on what day of the week it is, my favourite could be one of two, or three, or four.....

In this episode Mark has finally made me put on record what my Top 10 favourite Beatles albums are. Well at least on the day we recorded this episode!

Here then for you is my Top 10......Welcome to episode 48 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.

An extended version of this podcast is available from our Patreon site:

http://patreon.com/fixingahole

You can contact Paul and Mark via:

Email:

info@fixingahole.co.uk

Facebook:

Fixing A Hole The Beatles Podcast

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

All previous episodes are available via all major podcast platforms, or via our website:

http://fixingahole.transistor.fm

Fixing A Hole is a 1386 Audio production

https://www.1386audio.com

YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@fixingahole62_70

Back in the October of 2022, my good lady and I travelled into London, to see a lecture by world renowned Beatles expert Mark Lewisohn.

Evolver 62 at the Bloomsbury theatre was a fascinating in site into the year The Beatles evolved from a club band to EMI recording artists and beyond. From his unique archive Mark presented 62 facts about the groups progression in 1962.

Now, a DVD and download via Amazon Prime allows every Beatles fan the opportunity to experience what I did back in 2022.

In this weeks episode I review the original show and the new video release to give you my thoughts on this new release, which surprised me when it dropped a few weeks ago.

Welcome to episode 47 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.

An extended version of this podcast is available from our Patreon site:

http://patreon.com/fixingahole

You can contact Paul and Mark via:

Email:

info@fixingahole.co.uk

Facebook:

Fixing A Hole The Beatles Podcast

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

All previous episodes are available via all major podcast platforms, or via our website:

http://fixingahole.transistor.fm

Fixing A Hole is a 1386 Audio production

https://www.1386audio.com

YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@fixingahole62_70

Since 1987 and the 20th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. You could be forgiven for thinking that every year their is a celebration of a Beatles anniversary.

March 2026, marks a forgotten anniversary, at least as far as Apple are concerned. For on March 6th 1976 all 22 original UK Beatles singles were reissued in smart new picture sleeves. Amazingly all 22 plus a new release of Yesterday b/w I Should Have Known Better entered the UK Top 100. With some, Hey Jude, Get Back and Yesterday even hitting the Top 20.

In this week's episode Mark and I discuss why this reissue series came about. And tell the story of a young 11 year old Beatles fan named Paul, purchasing his first brand new Beatles single.

Welcome to episode 46 of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.

An extended version of this podcast is available from our Patreon site:

http://patreon.com/fixingahole

You can contact Paul and Mark via:

Email:

info@fixingahole.co.uk

Facebook:

Fixing A Hole The Beatles Podcast

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562724166069

All previous episodes are available via all major podcast platforms, or via our website:

http://fixingahole.transistor.fm

Fixing A Hole is a 1386 Audio production

https://www.1386audio.com