I'm Hopelessly a Beatles Fan

I just read this Reuters news stream about some of New York's finest studio musicians creating a lost Beatles album of songs rehearsed but never recorded as Beatles songs. It sounds fascinating and I'm hoping their concert is recorded.

Here's a blurb:

The Fab Faux's set will include the John Lennon songs "Jealous Guy," "Instant Karma," "Mother," "Remember" and "Gimme Some Truth." From Paul McCartney comes "Maybe I'm Amazed," "Every Night," "Another Day," "Hot as Sun/Glasses" and "Oo You." They'll also perform George Harrison's tunes "All Things Must Pass" and his solo hit "My Sweet Lord" and "What is Life."

And no late Beatles album would be complete without a Ringo Starr song, in this case, "It Don't Come Easy."

Many of the songs were tried out by the Beatles while they were together. But the Fab Faux chose December 1970 as the cutoff date for when a song had to be started to give them the best material to work with. The Beatles officially split in April 1970, when McCartney said he was leaving the band.

'WE'RE NOT A WIGS AND NOSES BAND'

The Fab Faux was dreamed up a decade ago, by musician Will Lee, who has played with all four Beatles and whose regular gig is playing bass in the house band on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman." He wanted to start "the greatest Beatles band that anyone has ever seen."

Within a year, four other musicians joined the project. There was Rich Pagano, who has toured with Rosanne Cash and Patti Smith, and whose love of the Beatles dates back to playing in a Beatles-tribute band as a teenager.

Petruzzelli, who has played with Joan Osborne and Rufus Wainwright, was also added to the lineup. So too was Jimmy Vivino, Lee's neighbor and the guitarist for NBC's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" band. Guitarist Frank Agnello, who had toured with Marshall Crenshaw and Phoebe Snow, rounded the Fab Faux out as the fifth member.

"We're not a wigs and noses Beatles band," said Vivino. The band's obsession with detail sets them apart from mere pretenders, he said.

"We look at it totally, totally from the music side, the way a chamber orchestra does Mozart or Beethoven."

Maybe John and George whispered in their ears that the world could use a hug right about now.

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