The Beatleplaces Podcast With Mark & Col – Episode #26- It’s a John Lennon Special!

“How-do”, as we say, up North. Messrs Mark & Col wish you all well and welcome to another Beatleplaces Podcast. It’s the least we can do- a quantity we never seem to specialise in, because we’re more than pleased to present another excessively fun-packed edition of The Beatleplaces Podcast With Mark & Col and this time around (cue fanfare or three kazoos) its’ “L” in our “Beatles With An A” series, allowing us to self-indulge in a John Lennon Special podcast! That’s right, loads of John Lennon stuff tonight, so much so in fact, I wondered if this intro should be in pdf format. Understandably, Liverpool and the other three fellas in the band (who’s names escape me just now) get a mention here and there, but essentially, it’s Mr. Winston O’Boogie’s show all the way. Topics on the podcast include, John’s interest in the number 9, John’s brothers and sisters, when John found Elvis, more on John’s family tree, the schoolkid who inspired John to write “I Am The Walrus” as well as a look at the song itself, the songs John sang but never recorded and The Wizard of Oz connection. Of course, we’re contractually obliged to chuck in a few John Lennon quizzes to perplex brains 40 watts and over, including a silly one about teachers nicknames, we also get to meet Polythene Patricia, talk about Dungeon Lane, “The Prisoner” TV show and it’s Beatles associations, as well as a newly-found Beatleplace in Woolton, where you can buy a souvenir pastie (veggie available). Marvellous Mark enlightens us with a few recitals from John’s first book, “In His Own Write” and a few other places, plus Col reveals what you never knew about John’s ex-gf, Barbara Baker, and is back to his tangential toppermost when he tells you how to reach Ringo in 1961, the one Scouse word you’ll only ever need, some terrible Beatleplaces merchandise ideas, even naming the maternity nurses who brought John into the world in 1940, and most importantly of all, an update on Paul’s rotary drier. As per usual, the whole thing’s glued together with love of all things Beatles and Liverpool, ‘cos that’s who it’s about and where were from. We’re certainly not slick and we know it, but we hope you'll at least have a laugh listening to us whilst attempting to cure your insomnia. Zzz.

The odds (and sods) were against us, but we did it anyway. Well hi, hi, hi and hello all. We’re back with another Beatleplaces Podcast With Mark & Col, the show with more Beatles stuff per square inch than you could shake a stick at. Yes, we’ve returned, with an abundance of fun and facts about the Fabbest Four in the world, talking our heads off as per usual about The Beatles and Beatle places here in lovely Liverpool, presented by two blokes who might know what they’re talking about for a change. So, what’s in this show then smarty pants? I hear you say, well… it’s the letters K and L which feature in our Beatles With An A series (thought you deserved two letters after keeping you waiting). Mark enthralls you with the origin of Love Me Do and Col explains why a local place called Knotty Ash was so important to the band. We always have a heap of Beatle quizzes and random gumf for you, so Mark and Col duly provide a few rounds of The Terribly Terrific Beatle Trivia Quiz each, notwithstanding a special one from Col about, The Teachers Who Taught Me. Then Mark responds with another podcast fave, What Track Came Before & After, which always proves too much for Col’s brain and patience. As for features, we have a few interesting ones this time around, namely, Ringo Goes to College, who was Hilda Knipe, and name the shop where the band got their equipment repaired, amongst other random chat. Col tells you about the chemist who gave young John singing lessons. Luckily, we go off on a tangent more often than usual and talk about This Month in Beatle History, this time being January 1966 and January 1967 respectively, Col talks about Linda McCartney's one and only contribution to the Beatles records, the local Doctor who was asked to help Stuart Sutcliffe, and meet the real Uncle Albert. Beatle pseudonyms get a mention too, Mark gives his tonsils a workout, reading one of John’s stories again and somehow, once again, Col babbles on and on, chunnering about Stevie Wonder, illegal hedge trimming at Paul’s house and even a teacher nicknamed Hitler. If you like the show, drop us a message via the Beatleplaces Instagram page or better yet, tell Radio Merseyside all about us. And in conclusion, we promise more BPWMAC episodes before you can say, "Jack Robinson". Just don’t say it for a fortnight. Nighty-night folks.

The Beatleplaces Podcast With Mark & Col – Episode #24 – Yer daft get!

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good grief, we’re back. Mark and Col have had a brief sabbatical between podcasts to recharge themselves to being match-fit again for yet another vibrant Beatleplaces Podcast With Mark & Col. As a result, we’ve got a longer than usual show cos’ we haven’t exercised our tonsils in such a long time. And in the show we’ve packed in as much as humanely possible for all lovers of Liverpool and The Beatles. Covering the letter “J” in our Beatles with an A series, we talk about a multitude of miscellany and a ton of tangential trivia to go with it, all hopefully connected to (or as near as dammit about) the Beatles and Liverpool and we hope you like it. We have the well-loved Mark providing the more well-loved than him, “This Month in Beatles History”, this time going through all the 18th Augusts’ in Fab 4 history, which proves an interesting earful. He also delights us with more readings from John’s poetry books once more. In the opposing corner is Col and as usual, he talks too much, but this time tells you about all the John Lennon’s there ever were in the Lennon family tree, why Cynthia Lennon was born in Blackpool, a mention about Pete Best's girlfriend, the significance of the Jolly Miller pub, the secret girlfriends of John and Pete Shotton in Penny Lane, Paul's paypacket July 1962, all about the mysterious Mary Lennon, John’s first Japanese love, plus the Irish side of Ringo Starr and a whole heap more. All these items are glued neatly together with a few fave quizzes and features, “What Track Came Before & After”, "Krappy Karaoke" and a new one all about Beatles song titles. In addition, and as well, we chat about the real Bungalow Bill, plus the origins of Liverpool’s favourite dish and dialect, Scouse, and we also go on the hunt to find the missing co-writer of a Beatles hit song. On the home front, Col also provides news on Paul’s rotary drier this time too. Frankly, we went on a bit too much this time and we still weren’t finished yabbing. Time for a jam butty I think. And BTW if you like what you hear drop an email to BBC Radio Merseyside, you never know, they might like us too.