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The Beatles
Alf Together Now

Album JP 2001 on Spank Records label
Rock, Spoken Word and Pop

This is the genuine Japanese pressing (as opposed to the cdr version pressed in usa) as detailed on the vigotone website, so it has the red circle on the disc, not black. The recordings on this disc once belonged to the Beatles' chauffeur, Alf Bicknell. While we have plenty of informal tapes of the later Beatles (the "Get Back" sessions, for instance), these are much more uncommon in the early 1960's. Portions of these tapes were previously available on "The Garage Tapes" and "Maybe You Can Drive My Car," but all of the available recordings have been gathered here, and most of the material is of significantly better quality than those two discs. As for the performances themselves, there's little to say. "Don't Bother Me" was recorded sometime between August 19th and 24th, 1963, as George was composing the tune. "Rockin' / Rollin'" seems to have been a very early attempt at home double-tracking (as a bonus, we've added a stereo version of this, which was originally included on "Anthology +"). "If I Fell" comes from early 1964, and is a very rare surviving example of a John Lennon composing tape from this era. In addition to the home recordings here as well - most significantly, outtakes of "Please Mr. Postman" and "It Won't Be Long," from July 30th, 1963 which appear nowhere else. Wrapping things are some audio verite tapes of the Boys (and Gerry Marsden) goofing on passersby, singing along with the radio, and offering some rather twisted Bible recitations. Admittedly, this material isn't the best of quality, but this is, most certainly, the best quality of this tape to surface. We hope you enjoy this audio time capsule of the early Beatles. 500 An Interesting Reel-to-Reel Tape Recording Made by The Beatles in A Studio Control Room at EMI Abbey Road, July, 1963, the recording made externally during a recording session the The Fourmost, with producer, George Martin, and engineer Norman Smith, and, appearing towards the end of the sequence, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, The Fourmost recording 'Hello Little Girl' given to the group exclusively by Lennon, the composer, The Fourmost recording another song, probably 'Little Egypt' (never released), and Billy J. Kramer recording at Abbey Road, and two alternative, unreleased, takes of 'Mr. Postman' and two alternative, unreleased, takes of "It Won't Be Long' The recording of 'Hello Little Girl' by The Fourmost took place on 24th July 1963, halfway through the Beatles week long residency at Weston-super-Mare. It would appear, therefore, that The Beatles left Weston-super-Mare on the morning of 24th July, attended the recording in the afternoon, then rushed back again to appear on stage for their first house at about six o'clock the same evening. This, together with lots 501, 507, 515 and 525 compile tape recordings made by The Beatles in 1963/64 on a portable machine which they carried with them. The recordings include George Harrison composing his first song 'Don't Bother Me', several attempts by John Lennon alone at recording 'If I Fell' and the group in conversation, at play and in the studio. These five lots are sold without copyright. (£5,000 - 8,000) 501 An Important Reel-to-Reel Tape Recording Made By The Beatles, 1963 comprising John Lennon and Paul McCartney singing 'Tell Me True' and 'Over The Rainbow', McCartney instrumentals, 'Michelle' instrumental (presumably played by Paul McCartney), 'Three Coins in a Fountain,' nursery rhymes with a child (possibly Ruth and Paul McCartney), and John Lennon and Paul McCartney singing 'Rockin' and Rollin' (£15,000 - 20,000) 507 An Important Reel-to-Reel Tape Recording Made By John Lennon, early 1964, comprising several attempts by John Lennon at a demo recording of 'If I Fell', taped solo by Lennon in a non-studio location, in this recording Lennon experiments with different keys and guitar patterns (£10,000 - 12,000) 515 An Important Reel-to-Reel Tape Recording Made By George Harrison, mid-1963, comprising George Harrison composing his first ever song, 'Don't Bother Me' together with guitar exercises, recorded in a Bournemouth hotel room in August 1963 (£10,000 - 12,000) 525 An Amusing Amateur Reel-to-Reel Tape Recording Made By The Beatles, July 1963, comprising George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Gerry Marsden (joined near the end of the sequence by John Lennon) reading from The Bible in their own and assumed voices, together with the hymns 'The Lord Is My Shepherd' sung by John Lennon and 'There is a Green Hill' sung by the assembled company, followed by Gerry Marsden in a vehicle asking passers-by for directions to various places in the town, towards the end of this section it becomes apparent that George Harrison and John Lennon are also with Gerry Marsden This tape was recorded at Weston- super-Mare during the week of 22-27 July 1963 when The Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers shared a twice-nightly six-day concert residency at the town's Odeon Cinema. Both groups stayed at The Royal Pier Hotel and the recording could have been made in one of the hotel bedrooms reading from a Gideon Bible. (£5,000 - 8,000) Alf Bicknell, the Beatles' former chauffeur, was responsible for this year's highlight: five reel-to-reel tapes given him by John Lennon on clearing out the limousine. After the auctioneer had read a statement from EMI and Apple that anyone making bad use of the recordings (and we all know what that means) would be heavily prosecuted, bidding could start on the tapes, proclaimed to be worth some £60,000. Lot 501 had two unreleased songs by Paul, 'Tell Me True' and 'Over The Rainbow', an instrumental of 'Michelle' and John and Paul doing a song called 'Rockin' And Rollin' (est. £15-20,000, sold for £11,000). Lot 507 had several takes of John experimenting with 'If I Fell' (est. £10-20,000, sold for £6500); lot 515 contained George playing guitar exercises and composing his first song, 'Don't Bother Me' (est. £10-20,000, sold for £7500); lot 525 has John, Paul, George and Gerry Marsden reading from the Bible and singing the hymns 'The Lord Is My Shepherd' and 'There's A Green Hill Far Away', as well as putting on comic voices to ask bemused residents of Weston-super-Mare the way to the golf course (est. £5000-8000, sold for £5500). Mr. Bicknell has every reason to be satisfied with the result, which will enable him to publish upcoming book.

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