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45:04

'Fifth Beatle' Pete Best's 'True' Story

Pete Best was the drummer for The Beatles in their early days in Liverpool and Hamburg. His mother, Mona Best, was the owner of The Casbah Coffee Club in Liverpool. The various early incarnations of The Beatles played The Casbah more than 90 times. Best has just co-written a large-format book, The Beatles: The True Beginnings. Today he writes, records and tours with his own group, The Pete Best Band.

Interview
13:04

Remembering Derek Taylor.

Derek Taylor, a former press agent for the Beatles, died Sunday at the age of 65. He is the author of It was 20 Years Ago Today He served two stints with the Beatles. Once in 1964 during their world tour and again in 1968. (Originally aired 6/4/87)

Obituary
28:16

Forget the Beatles -- The Rutles are Back

Record produce and songwriter Neil Innes is a member of The Rutles, the band which he and Eric Idle of Monty Python that spoofed the Beatles. The band has recently been reunited and has a new collection called "Archaeology." The Rutles first came to the attention of the public in 1978 when their spoof documentary "All You Need is Cash" aired. Innes also co-founded the comedy group The Bonzo Dog Band.

Interview
39:53

Ex-Beatle and Current All Star Ringo Starr

Starr is back with his third All Starr Band. Produced by David Fishof, (who created and produced the first two tours), a world tour begins in Japan in June, and will be in America in July and August. Starr will talk to Terry about his life before, during and after the Beatles.

Musician Ringo Starr
08:13

The Beatles' Puzzling Christmas Records

Rock historian Ed Ward tells us about a series of Christmas singles the Beatles made in the 60s. If you were a member of their fan club, you got one each year.

Commentary
06:56

When Classical and Popular Music Collide.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz examines some recordings in which the worlds of classical and popular music combine. The most recent example is "Anything Goes: Stephane Grappelli and Yo-Yo Ma play (mostly) Cole Porter." Schwartz looks at other recordings that bring together Jascha Heifetz and Bing Crosby; Paul McCartney and George Mason of the New Philharmonia Orchestra; and Frank Sinatra and the Hollywood String Quartet.

Review
06:56

Tribute to Del Shannon.

The recent suicide of rocker Del Shannon triggered rock historian Ed Ward's reflections on his early fame and later obscurity. Shannon's fame came with his 1960 hit, "Runaway."

Commentary
06:15

Reviewing John Legend

John Lennon's life and legacy are revisited in a new film and biography. Rock critic Ken Tucker says Albert Goldman's book The Lives of John Lennon is an inelegant hatchet job that portrays the musician in a harsh light; the film Imagine, on the other hand, is little more than treacly hagiography.

Review
26:49

Navigating the Pop Music Industry

Record producer, musician and songwriter Todd Rundgren joins Fresh Air to talk about his career both in-studio and on the concert stage. Recently, he's branched out into television, writing music for Pee Wee's Playhouse.

Interview
27:58

A Career with the Beatles

Music publicist Derek Taylor was the press agent for the Beatles; he also ghost wrote the memoir of their manager, Brian Epstein. His new book, about 1967 -- when he started working for Apple Records -- is called It Was Twenty Years Ago Today.

Interview
06:04

The Beatles' Fraught Resurgence

The band's songs endure two decades on in new compact disc reissues and, rock critic Ken Tucker bemoans, radio and television ads.

Commentary
06:25

In the Shadow of the Beatles

Rock historian Ed Ward takes a look at the Liverpool rock scene that produced the Beatles. Judging from early recordings, he believes it's no accident that the Beatles rose to stardom, while many of their peers were largely forgotten.

Commentary

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