Beatles release brand new box set which doesn't include Abbey Road

It has been over four years since the Beatles last released a box set which did not include Abbey Road.

Now, on the cusp of the 50th anniversary of Their Royal Fabness's first visit to the shores of the US of America, Capitol is finally, and for the most recent time, releasing a new box set of the US albums not including Abbey Road.

As real fans know, Capitol improved the sound, presentation and running order of The Beatles' records for release in the United States of A. Some of these correct versions have not been available in a box set that doesn't include Abbey Road for almost eight years.

While the North American market agreed to accept the British versions of Beatles albums from Sgt Pepper onwards, there was still debate as to whether the mono or the stereo version were the correct versions. However, when the Four Fabs left mono behind in 1969, it meant that there was just one, single definitive version of the Abbey Road album, leaving proper fans nothing to argue over.

Beatles histrologer Buck McCaffery author of The Beatles I Knew and presenter of the So You Think You Know Your Beatles? Well, You're Probably Wrong podcast says: "Abbey Road really changed everything for the true fan because it was the same mix, same mastering, same tracklisting and same artwork in every region. We had nothing to compare and nobody to feel superior to. It was a bit of a drag really."

He continued: "The same could be said of Let It Be, but the beauty of that album was that The Beatles themselves had shelved it and they got Phil Spector in to sort through the miles of tape and make it something like a releasable album. So there was lots to argue over: Was it was The Beatles really would have wanted? Was it better than if they had stuck to the no-overdubs principle of the intended Get Back project? It got even better when Let It Be Naked came out, we got to have the arguments all over again with examples. Also, it was recorded before Abbey Road but released after it. So that's all we could ever argue about over Abbey Road - was it really The Beatles' last album?"

The author finally commented: "This box set is such a wasted opportunity. I mean sure, we'll get to argue about whether they should have used the 2009 remastered tracks or the original Capitol mixes, but we're still stuck with a clear answer to what the real version of Abbey Road should sound like. If they'd just make a mono mix or a US master of Abbey Road, then our righteous dissatifaction would finally be complete."

The Beatles US albums box set is released next week.

Paul McCartney to retire from live performance

Beatle News can now reveal that Sir James Paul McCartney, Kt, MBE has confirmed that the recently announced world tour will be his last.

In an interview to be published in NME this Monday, Beatle Paul says,
"Well, I've gotta admit I'm getting a bit past it, aren't I?  I mean, I remember back in the 80s looking at Mick Jagger still doing that chicken dance into his 40s and thinking, 'You can't be doing that much longer Mick, I mean own up!' It turned out we could do it for a lot longer than we though but I don't want to get to the point where I'm pushed onstage in a wheelchair. I mean, I've had a pretty good run."

Olympic Sign
Sir Macca said that it was his appearance at the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games that helped him make his decision.

"Yeah, that was a bit of a debacle, wasn't it?" His Fabness said.  "It went fine during the rehearsal but on the night, I've got this giant fookin' bell over me head and I couldn't hear a bloody thing!  And it made me think of that line, y'know? Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee."

Instrument helped
Lord Paul explained that part of his longevity as a live performer can be put down to his trademark Hofner violin bass.

"It was Elvis Costello who convinced me to pick it up again, cos he liked the sound," the music legend revealed for the first time ever, "and being such a dinky little bass, it's allowed me to go on a lot longer than I otherwise would have. I probably wouldn't be able to walk by now if I played anything else.  I mean, do you have any idea how heavy a Les Paul is?  There's a reason I only use it for three or four songs per show."

New projects
Baron Maccington said he would not be retiring from music completely and that he would be pursuing other projects after quitting the stage.

"Yeah, I've always wanted to try my hand at writing a Broadway musical.  And I've been in talks with producers about becoming a judge on American Idol."

Asked what he thought of the talent/reality program, the greatest living Englishman said, "I totally think it's the future of music, innit?  I mean, back when we were starting out, we were playing 8-hour sets in seedy bars in Hamburg every night.  These days, it's like you don't even have to sing 8 songs and you're world famous!  It's brilliant!  If we had something like that back in the early 60s, I reckon we really could've made it. Everyone knows the name of the guy who won American Idol two years ago.  Or girl... I can't quite remember, but that's mainly because I'm so old."

The full interview with Paul McCartney will be published in NME on Monday, April 1.