Prog-Watch 528
The Beatles were kind of my “gateway” band. Before I discovered them, I liked music probably about as much as your average teenager. After I discovered them, I became what I suppose you would call a “music fanatic”. Their music resonated with me on many different levels and I was amazed at the transformational musical journey they had made in less than a decade. Once I had absorbed just about everything they had done I moved on to explore the musical catalogs of Badfinger, The Who, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and countless other classic rock bands. Eventually my explorations led me to Yes, The Moody Blues, Genesis, ELP, and the entire world of Progressive Rock. But I really owe it all to the Beatles…for me they were the spark. If you listen to interviews with many of the people who went on to found some of the greatest Golden Age Prog bands, you will also find that many of them were directly influenced in some way by the Beatles.
So I always knew that I would do some kind of Beatles show at some point. The impetus to finally do it came a few weeks ago when I was presented with an opportunity to interview Tom Murray, an author and photographer who actually spent a whole day taking some beautiful, classic, color photos of the Beatles back in 1968, on the eve of the release of The White Album. Tom has since published a book called “Mad Day Out” with not only his Beatles photos from that day, but also lots of other great pictures from the heady days of the 1960s. Speaking to Tom was a link to the legend of the Beatles.
So I offer you Prog-Watch 528 – A Celebration of the Music of the Beatles! The program features a few of the Beatles “proggier” tracks, a few cool tribute tunes, and lots of great covers of Beatles songs by some Prog and Prog-related artists. Plus a bit of my chat with Mr. Tom Murray. I hope you will join me!
Tom Murray, LBIPP, is the holder of a variety of international awards for his photography. These include newspaper and magazine assignments, theatre and advertising, featured cover assignments and specialist portrait commissions worldwide.
Tom started working as a newspaper photographer in the early 1960s, and after a few years was interviewed by Lord Snowdon. Snowdon recommended that he try for the post of magazine photographer for The Sunday Times Colour Magazine. This was the top spot on the best and first Sunday Magazine in London. The five year period at The Sunday Times was a time of great strides in his photography, working with some of the world’s best photographers. He became the youngest photographer to be commissioned by The Royal Family, he also took the now world famous Beatles photographs. That sitting is known as the ‘Summer of 68 – The Mad Day’. These images are considered to be the best color photographs of The Beatles in 1968. They are now available in a book authored by Tom called ‘Tom Murray’s Mad Day Out’. The book includes the world famous photos as well as other photos of swinging London, some of Tom’s recollections of that time, some “then and now” shots, and some of his other work.
Tom’s work has appeared in: GQ, French Vogue, Women’s Wear Daily, Harper’s & Queen, House & Gardens, Casa Vogue, L.A. Style, L.A. Times, London Times, London Sunday Times, New York Times, English and American Vogue, Architectural Digest, The Radio Times, The TV Times as well as publicity and promotional items for major TV and film companies.
Tom has donated for auction some of his finest works in aid of thefollowing charities: The Richard Caron Foundation, Project Angel Food, Save The Children, Friends In Deed and other good causes. Tom’s favourite charity, The Make A Wish Foundation, has received a donation of a full set of 23 Beatles Mad Day limited editions, two at a time to be auctioned over the coming years.
| http://www.tommurrayphotos.com |
Music with some meat to it!
Prog-Watch is a weekly podcast and internet radio program dedicated to bringing the listener contemporary Progressive Rock music from around the world. Your big, hairy host, the “Prog-Squatch” wanders the woods of the world, beats the bushes, and digs in the dirt to bring the best Prog back for YOU! Sometimes solo and sometimes with a guest host, the Prog-Squatch will bring you new and interesting artists in each episode, and give you some background info and a taste of their music.
Want More Squatch? Check him out howling into the wild with his own Progressive Rock Band, Novus. Jam some Squatch in those ears! http://novus3.bandcamp.com/releases