From The Others

YouKnowMyName231's latest offering is 1995.



There are two new inspiring videos from PaulTheRevelator: A Friend Like You and One Love.





grandfatheraleister has also spoken with Y e l l o w S u b m a r i n e 2 0 0 9


Bonus: MikeNL1038 suggests there is more to life than PID with Mike Sloop John B

More Pilgrim Progress

UPDATE: New YouTube Channel claims to be separate from Iamaphoney, but links IAAP to Neil Aspinall. The host also claims a connection to Apple. The Point of View seems reminiscent of TKIN.

pid by SUNKIN6

________________________________________________________________________

This looks like another Pilgrimage. These videos should be dusted for Iamaphoney's fingerprints.

mrpilgrim by paymrcleancut.


Message From John by Y0KOONO.


According to the Abbeyrd Beatles News Site, Paul McCartney's spokespeople issued a statement denying that the "Electric Arguments" album contains a hidden message intended for Heather Mills. Apparently "some bloggers" have suggested that the statement "Warmer than the sun, cooler than the air," (which can be heard when you play the end of the track "Don't Stop Running" backwards) means that Paul has a warm heart and Heather has a cold heart. Of all the rumors that have swirled around Mr. McCartney in the past two years, one month and seventeen days, this is the one they felt was important enough to deny.

A Couple Links

Update: Two More Weird Items on YouTube

Mr Pilgrim & The Lightbearer by MrPiIgrim

A message from John Lennon by OLPCFoundation

_____________________________________________________________________________


Sorry, veddy veddy busy, but here are a couple links for you...

New Video from an Iamaphoney alias:

Not Funny by RlNGOSTARR



Here is a drum isolation track of from Guitar Hero:

Wings - Band on the Run - Drums Only by maccaspan2008

And from the "You've got to be kidding me" department we have:

BEAUTIFUL STRANGER by iamafhoney

Finally, here is an easy way to convert the soundtracks of YouTube videos to mp3 audio without having to install any software:

http://www.flvto.com/

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season. Big virtual hug to everyone who visits this blog.

Rotten Apple 72

Update #2: See "Observation 2" below.

Update: See "Observation" below.


"Just a good, uh, replica." I have not ever seen that footage.

Here it is: Rotten Apple 72 by Iamaphoney.
_____________________________________________________________________
Observation: The picture below is from the cover of the vinyl E.P. "Amoeba's Secret" by Paul McCartney, which has been nominated for two grammy awards. The back cover features a semi-completed Wordsearch puzzle with information about the record.


The last row of letters shown in this frame from Rotten Apple 72 is interesting. It is actually the 9th row of the puzzle. As you can see by my copy below, the letters in the ninth row are: E O V O B M I C A U S E N N L If you take the Letter 1 "E" and then go 2 letters, you have "V" and then 4 letters, you have "I" and then 8 letters you get "L." Okay, so that Rotten Apple 72 (7+2=9) and Row #9, and letters 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 making the word "Evil." Don't you just love randomness?


___________________________________________________________________

Observation 2

"Really, that's out of the past, that." This sentence shown visually in Rotten Apple 72 is dialog from the "Let It Be" sessions. Here is some context:

George: (???)... really making a film now
Ringo: mmm...
Paul: ...what you're saying. Yesterday, it's good.
George: (???)
Paul: It's like the castle paints. Well, you start from
nothing. `Cause, you know, we started from nothing, and it'll end up
as a T.V. show. And then I always sort of...
Ringo: (???)
Paul: (???)
[crossfade]
John and Paul (singing): ... she said she's traveling on the one
after 909.
Paul: O.K. Alright.
George: Should do it.
Paul: Oh yeah, should. I think that...
John: No, no. I've got a...
Paul: That's one of the first ones. Really, that's out of the past,
that.
John: (???) change the words a bit (??)
Paul: But, no, it's great. One after 909.
Paul: (??)
Paul: She's on a train...
John: Yeah, he goes to the station...
Paul: ...and he sort of...
Paul: ...and he goes back and finds he got the wrong number, so...
George: Wrong location.
John: To rhyme with station, you know.
Paul: That's great. Railman said you got the wrong location.
Well...great. (???) saying you should that for years. (???) you know,
Mike, you don't understand about these things, you know.
John: (??)
Paul: Yeah
John: (???) could do other things.
John and Paul (singing): Woke up in the morning, I don't feel blue.
'Coz I know, I've got you.
Get the funny feeling, all day and night.
Get the funny feeling, you don't treat me right.
Should I read your letter, and then I know
Well, I felt much better
Because I know you love me so.
Paul: (???) (singing) Because I know you lo-o-ove me so.
Paul: and we'd always just (singing) Because I kno-ow you lo-ove me
so.
John and Paul (singing): Woke up in the morning, I don't feel blue.
'Coz I know, I've got you.
Get the funny feeling, all day and night.
Get the funny feeling, you don't treat me right.
Should I read your letter, and then I know
Well, I'd have felt much better
Because I know you love me so.
________________________________________________________________

And here is some footage of Paul McCartney at HMV today in London. He appears to be bigger than life.

Message From Geoffrey Giuliano

The prolific and controversial author of "The Beatles: A Celebration" and several others has a new Beatles related project. The focus of the new release is this guy:



This was the message I received:

Hi

This is Geoffrey Giuliano. You may view my laterst outrage at:

http://www.johnlennonmanofpeace.com

G2
BKK

Giuliano is apparently spending his time these days in Bangkok, Thailand. The page appears to still be under construction, but it looks like there will be a special pre-publication price.

I realize that this is a free plug, but I would probably do this for anyone who visits this blog and asks. If you think this plug is bad, wait until Vince's book is out in print!

Let's hope this is a more favorable depiction of John Lennon than what we have seen and heard lately.

The Dichotomy

I have been arguing for quite some time (rather unsuccessfully) that Iamaphoney's videos depict two Paul McCartneys. The universal love object Paul McCartney may not get as much coverage in Rotten Apple videos as the sinister Crowley follower, but I believe there are examples of Paul, which reflect John Lennon's famous statement that "We're all Christ and we're all Hitler." John reportedly wanted both on the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band to drive home this point, not just about Paul but in reference to all four Beatles.

This dichotomous idea has been expressed by the Beatles on many occasions, sometimes referring to all four, but nearly as often, focusing solely on Paul.

On Sgt. Pepper we have two sets of Beatles, one wearing strange uniforms and the other looking like the lovable moptops, but made of wax.



The next project, Magical Mystery Tour featured the four musicians, but also the four or five magicians.



Complicating Magical Mystery Tour was the fact that four were dressed in animal costumes, which covered their faces, leaving some ambiguity about who was who.



Most real Beatles fans were able to easily determine the identities of the Beatles in the animal costumes, but there were some deliberate actions on the part of the Beatles to confuse things. They donned the animal costumes for John's "I Am The Walrus" sequence, but all copies of the record sleeve had the words "'No, you're not,' said little Nicola" after the song title.



"Yellow Submarine" revisited the Beatles and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band dichotomy. The scene "Hey Bulldog," which was cut from the American version featured the Beatles and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band dressed identically and confusing the hell out of the bulldog. At one point Paul is running with his counterpart.



The White Album poster featured two Pauls, the one we know, who was looking a bit disheveled in some of the pictures and then this guy:



On "Abbey Road" the second Paul was either extremely subtle, or the product of an overly vivid imagination. In addition to the barefoot Paul on the front cover, some people see a part of Paul's face in the elbow of the girl walking by in a dress on the back cover.



Another contestable one would be the cover of the Beatles album released in America that had two names. "Hey Jude" also known as "The Beatles Again" had a picture of the Beatles in a doorway, but embedded in the top of the doorway in the same cover was another picture of the Beatles.



The "Let It Be" album seems to be a conspicuous exception to this alter egos pattern, unless you listen to the record itself where John keeps referring to strange artist parody names as if they are the performers. John says, "That was Can you dig it by Georgie Wood, and now we´d to do Hark the Angels Come" between the songs "Dig It" and "Let It Be." The book "Many Years From Now" suggests that Paul was more angry about that than he was about the strings and women singers on "The Long and Winding Road." The album even begins with John saying, "I dig a pygmy by Charles Hawtrey and the Deaf Aids; phase one in which Doris gets her oats!"

One could even argue that the Red and Blue greatest hits albums that feature the Beatles in nearly identical poses at the same location six years apart is yet another way to suggest alter egos or dual identities.

Most people seem to be of the opinion that the Rotten Apple series depicts Paul McCartney as purely evil, and they may be correct. But I have noticed some subtle references that could be interpreted in the other direction. Most people spotted the Beatles' "T" turning into a Christian cross. But, in several of the videos there are grids of letters that come from the Bible. One particular grid is from the Old Testament book of Judges.



This particular passage deals with Ehud, a warrior who was chosen as a deliverer to the Israelites. The people were being oppressed by King Eglon of Moab. Ehud took care of Israel's problem by stabbing the big fat king (who probably had a big fat toe) with his double-edged sword. The two-edged sword idea implies a dichotomy. In the book of Revelation, Jesus is identified with a double-edged sword to imply both mercy and judgment. Was this particular Bible passage chosen by random chance out of some conspiracy Bible Codes video or was Iamaphoney trying to imply that there are two Paul McCartneys, a double-edged sword if you will?

Again, the evidence is admittedly weak. Also, even if the video was implying a dichotomy of some sort, does it refer to a Jekyll and Hyde type character, an impersonator, or two physical Paul McCartneys?

I don't know the answer. But in addition to having a four-letter name and being portrayed with a double-edge sword, the Bible makes a special point of telling us one more characteristic about Ehud that he happens to share with Paul McCartney. Ehud was left-handed.

Coincidence?

According to the Abbeyrd Breaking News Blog, Paul McCartney will be in HMV store in London on December 21. Paul will be signing copies of the Fireman album "Electric Arguments."

That's a strange coincidence because that block on Iamaphoney's YouTube channel that been interpreted as a schedule has, for at least a week, had an entry for "80021221," which could be interpreted as December 21, 2008.



Was it just luck or did Iamaphoney actually get inside information about Paul's activities before they were announced to the public? Maybe they have arranged a secret meeting at St. Paul's Cathedral, which is only about six minutes away from the store.



Best case scenario - Paul introduces his protege Iamaphoney and gives away free copies of the new album called "Iamphoney," produced by Paul McCartney and featuring the new single, "St. Paul."

Worst case scenario - Well, Paul McCartney has the best security team in the world, so there will not be a worst case scenario.

In happier news, I heard the song "Highway" on the radio today. Not bad at all.

Some of the Best Fan Videos for Highway:
Katmak21
Maccaspan2008
teenscrapbook

Creativity and Spirituality

Let me just say at the outset that I am not capable of covering all of the religious perspectives on the fringe aspects of the Beatles that we have been exploring on this blog. I especially feel no need to cover the "If I don't understand it, it must be evil" perspective. That has been covered extensively in other arenas going back as far as the writings of David Noebel in the 1960s.



But even rational thinking religious people [I understand that some of my readers will consider that a contradiction in terms] can run into mixed feelings when they are moved by an artistic work. What is this power in art that can touch us so deeply, and is there anything about it that would be a cause for concern? In many ways, the artist treads on religious and political ground and influences both. But the artist needs to have a different set of standards than the holy man (or woman) and the politician. Self-censorship is absolutely necessary for the holy person or the politician, but it is poison to the artist.

The creative process is spiritual in nature. Paul McCartney and John Lennon understood this. John spoke about it extensively and Paul spoke about it...well often. Despite the fact that Paul didn't go into depth about it, I think he put it succinctly when he said (again and again) that he and John didn't think you could OWN songs because they just came out of the air. The Beatles relationship to the concept of song ownership reminds me of the story of the American Indian who said, "If they offer us money for the land, take it, and maybe they will pay for the wind too." I'm convinced that both Paul and John believed that their songs were gifts from another world and they simply channeled them and crafted them to fit the accepted format of their own world and time. That may be why Paul can't see any difference between what he does and what Mozart did.

Inspiration is a gift from out there somewhere. Some people would call it a gift from God. Unfortunately, that kind of language is an immediate turn off to some as a result of the inverse relationship between power and influence for organized religion. Once a religion gains power and cultural legitimacy, people start looking for alternatives and its influence declines. And as its influence declines, its need to hold on to the power results in an increase in attempts to control. Gradually creativity and free thought become threatening and the artist's muse is viewed with suspicion.

The Beatles were viewed with suspicion when they first arrived on the American scene. First generation fans can attest to that. Even during the height of their popularity, the lovable moptops were asked questions like "Is 'Can't Buy Me Love' about prostitution?"



But the Beatles were embraced by many adults for a while, until their music and image started to get a bit weird. Based on the book of Genesis, a common view is that God brings order to chaos. So if you follow a formula and conform to expectations in your art, you are using God's spiritual gift. But when you start looking at alternatives to God's order by exploring taboo subjects and letting randomness guide some of your creative undertakings, you are doing the work of the devil. However, this is all a part of that power cycle. As our society becomes more dissatisfied with and suspicious of Religion, creative expression seems to take its place in the cultural mainstream. Once that happens, creative thinking, which was previously thought of as divination, alchemy or magick, becomes such a part of the mainstream and we create euphemisms like "out of the box thinking" and "alternative spiritual paths."

I think that every artist knows that the muse dries up if you don't tap into some of these other layers of creativity, but some would view cutting up pieces of audio tape, throwing them up in the air, and splicing them back together randomly an act of the devil. I'm sure that John Cage experienced a similar reaction when he played random radios simultaneously to produce aleatoric (conceived by chance) music. Burroughs did this with his cut-ups. Paul McCartney did it on his new Fireman album, but that is not the first time. He grabs music out of the air. Sometimes he respects those "demons" enough that he doesn't do enough crafting to make it palatable to his listening audience. Some of his lyrics seem random as if he is casting lots (a biblical roll of the dice) to make a song.

Ears twitch like a dog
Breaking eggs in a dish
Do not mock me when I say
This is not a lie.

-From "However Absurd" by Paul McCartney.

If McCartney's work as perceived as random chaos, then some people may perceive it as evil - the work of Satan. That sounds crazy and closed minded and it may well be, but it is a conclusion that can be drawn, even by people who do engage in real thought and are not just blindly following some religious doctrine.



I think that Paul's album title, "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" (Complete with an ambigram of his name) was quite revealing. Most creative people know that you often have to go into dark places for inspiration. Some creative people that I know live in those dark places. There are medications available that can bring them out of those places, but that corresponds with a loss of the creative muse, which for some is too high a price to pay. Many great artists live tortured lives because they can't quite come and go as they please to those dark places.

Aside from a couple bumps in the road, Paul McCartney seems to have no trouble moving back and forth from dark to light. He remains down to earth while at the same time, seems to be able to descend into that dark place and pull out a song any time he wants.

This effortless travel between the light side and dark side probably creates envy among Paul's contemporaries. I'm sure that it was tongue and cheek comment, but even Bob Dylan said, “I’m in awe of McCartney. He’s about the only one that I am in awe of. He can do it all. And he’s never let up… He’s just so damn effortless. I mean I just wish he'd quit, you know."

In some way, I wonder if this whole Iamaphoney take on Paul McCartney is a reaction to Paul's squeaky clean, family values image. That's why as negative and as sinister as it appears, I can look at it as a welcome contrast to the image that has made Paul a lightweight in the eyes of a significant portion of the public. I know that there are adolescents out there saying, "Wow, McCartney is on the dark side, cool."

That has been my perception of this whole Iamaphoney business from the beginning. He has been engaging in a creative undertaking. He has made two true statements since this thing started. 1) It's entertainment and 2) He is playing a character appropriately named Iamaphoney. Everything else from Iamaphoney has probably been a lie.

His medium is YouTube, a showcase for his music, and a stage that is 24,901.55 miles wide and 24,859.82 miles long to communicate his other artistic vision: the manipulation of some people. I think it was that guy that conspiracy theorists often credit for writing the King James Bible who said, "All the world is a stage." We are all the players. We are all in a reality TV show without the TV. The focus of the show is Paul McCartney's public image, not the real person, for God's sake.

I started writing this blog because I have always been fascinated by the "Paul Is Dead" mythology. Call it a guilty pleasure if you will. When Iamaphoney came on the scene, I saw a new and interesting perspective on this old myth and really enjoyed his use of imagery and music. I also saw some new clues for the first time in his videos and had fun making associations and trying to figure out if the Beatles placed those clues on purpose and why. When the videos started using religious imagery, psychology and symbolism, I felt I was in a unique position to write about it. I have not only an interest in those subjects, but I have an extensive Beatles collection and knowledge of the solo years. It seemed perfect. I knew nothing about Aleistair Crowley and that kind of stuff, but the Beatles possible dabbling into the occult seemed like a reasonable area of study too.



I still like Iamaphoney's videos and music for the reasons that I have stated consistently on this blog. His timetable drives me crazy, but I am looking forward to his next video.

Sometimes I feel that either I am the only person who gets it or I am the only person who doesn't get it. What difference does that really make?

Some Unusual Links for Research Purposes

Script for "A Hard Day's Night" - This is the original Alun Owen version, so there are some differences from the final draft. One key change is the names of the Beatles Road Managers. Instead of Norm and Shake, we have Nell and Mal.

Magical Mystery Tour Script (MS Word Format) or html version.

Yellow Submarine Script - It is actually a transcript from the final product and it doesn't indicate the names of the characters who are speaking, but it is useful for quick reference.

Interactive Sgt. Pepper Cover - Not as great of an experience for non-members, but you can at least mouse over and get the names of most of the characters. Interestingly, the only Shirley Temple that works is the one you can't recognize.

One of my favorite blogs, Grow A Brain gave a link to a page with 55 Sgt. Pepper Cover Parodies.

Here is a page where you can watch the entire "Son of Dracula" movie starring Harry Nilsson and Ringo Starr.

Deceptive Practice Makes Perfect (Sense)

I used the word subtle last time when Iamaphoney inserted the little "love mirror/fake mustache/pineal gland/Aries/ram" symbol into what appeared to be the official version of the "Sing the Changes" video. Well he is at it again, this time in what appears to be an official commercial for the Fireman album on a YouTube channel called JamesPauIMcCartney.

The video is simply called "Fireman" but the opening frame seems more than a little out of place, don't you think?



Isn't that Beach Boy and late friend of Charles Manson, Dennis Wilson? That's not supposed to be there. A quick comparison to the official version also shows the minor change to the soundtrack of the video as well.



Another interesting thing that happened today was the uploading of official Fireman videos to the official Paul McCartney YouTube Channel.

These uploads included:
Band Recording
Artwork Day
Paul and Youth
Sing the Changes

Prior to today these videos were only available on the official FiremanMusic YouTube Channel.

The message from Paul McCartney seems clear - "Paul McCartney is the Fireman."
The message from Iamaphoney seems clear as well - "Paul McCartney is not who you think he is."

I guess it is up to the reader to decide if these messages are mutually exclusive. That decision will complete a third clear statement: "Iamaphoney is ____________"

In A Play Anyway

Based on Iamaphoney's YouTube Channel, it appears that a new Rotten Apple video should be coming soon, although the date doesn't seem clear. You know how it is. For those anxiously anticipating the big event, I wanted to do a very different type of post today. Instead of simply sharing things that I know, I wanted to go one better, just this once, and actually make some stuff up.

That's right. The following account is fictional. I made it up during a long drive recently. Any similarity between the characters in this play and actual persons living or dead is purely the result of my madness. For those who have been requesting more information than I actually know about Iamaphoney, this post is for you. Those who are interested in facts, trivia and speculation might want to skip today's post and tune in tomorrow.

The Iamaphoney Story: Act IX, Scene 1

Setting: A recording studio in København, Denmark. It is early March 2008. The room is filled with computers, recording gear, and instruments. Ian sits at a Macintosh computer next to a large mixing console. There is a large Sgt. Pepper poster on the wall behind him. He is reading an email from someone he calls the Advisor’s typist. His associate arrives looking a bit disheveled.

Ian: Been drinking again?
M: Fine, how are you?
Ian: Sorry. Good thing you’re here. We’ll be hearing from the advisor any minute.
M: I thought he was too sick to…
Ian: That’s why I got your ass in here. This must be really important.
M: Really. How long has it been?
Ian: I talked to the typist about two months ago, you know about the papers. But yesterday I got this email saying to get you here today at 3:00 for this online chat.
M: Out of the blue?
Ian: Yeah.
M: What time is it in America?
Ian: I don't know. America has too many time zones.
M: Why didn’t he just call on the phone?
Ian: I don’t know. The typist says his voice is weak and this way is easier…Shit, here it is. Get over here. If he asks you to say anything, don’t do any of that net talk shit. He hates that. Pretend you’re writing a letter to Grandpa.


A: Pardon the intrusion. I trust you are well.

I: Yes, thank you. M is here with me as you requested. Hope you are feeling better.

A: Please don’t make me say good days and bad. Down to business.

I: Listening.

A: Concerned about this interview.

I: We have everything under control.

A: Bullocks. Why interview? Haven't you told him enough?

I: Mikey has been a little fighter for us, so I wanted to do something special for him.

A: Not this.

I: ?

A: Interview is a bad idea

I: We have it under control. I made him submit questions ahead of time. We won’t give away anything. Just more puzzles.

A: This is not your project. We've come a long way from those bits from radio shows you were doing when I found you. Realize that this is all happening several tiers above you now. You must not make them unhappy.

I: It will be fine.

A: And the date, mere happenstance?

I: April 10

A: Right, are you out of your mind?

I: Not good?

A: I cannot be connected with this in any way. NO APRIL 10

I: No one will figure that out. I thought it was appropriate.

A: April 10 puts me in the circle. Not acceptable. You underestimate the intelligence of your audience and your puzzles are too simple. Forget the interview.

I: What do I tell Mikey?

A: Tell him anything, no april 10!

I: If he turns on us, we’re in trouble. The natives are getting restless.

A: Is M still there?

I: m here

A: M, give Mikey some tracks. No interview

I: m again. how many tracks?

A: Nothing new, but give him a clean recording of St. Paul and maybe one or two others.

I: This is Ian again. Don’t know how Tafultong will react to no interview.

A: Taful what?

I: The guy who does the Iamaphoney blog.

A: Taful is not as smart as he thinks he is.

I: Everyone knows that. But he said he was doing a special tribute to us in April culminating with the interview on the 10th.

A:You didn’t tell him anything did you?

I: No no.

A: Good.

I: But I don’t know what he’ll write if I let everybody down who's waiting for this interview.

A: Throw together a new video, but don’t release it on April 10. A new vid should satisfy your blogger for now.

I: We’re going to lose fans if we delay this interview.

A: Trust me, by this time next year they will all hate you. Don't expect my superiors to care either. I have worked for these people for a long time. Never give a timetable ---- ever! Wait for them to contact you. Be patient. If people lose interest, que sera sera. It is not your game to lose anyway.

I: Yes, sir.

A: And don’t make any more promises. Lord knows I won’t be making any more promises.

I: What do you mean?

A: There's nothing you can do that can't be done.

I: Anything else I need to know?

A: Stay the course. And Happy Easter.

“A” has left the room.

Ian: You heard the man. Let’s make a few phone calls and throw together a new video.
M: Why did I ever get into this?
Ian: Really.