AJOBO: Best of REBEAT 2014
It’s not uncommon for folks to wonder in amazement where the time went when a year winds down, but I think it’s especially true for 2014. Personally, I spent the year traveling, sitting on panels at all three Fests for Beatles Fans in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, going to a lot of great concerts, meeting even greater people, and, oh yeah, starting REBEAT.
Believe it or not, REBEAT was the product of over two years worth of thoughts, scribbled notes on scrap paper, lots of abandoned ideas, even more abandoned name options, and a great deal of planning. It’s fair to say that I was pretty scared six months ago when we made our first post, but I was also super excited. And now, to say that this “blogazine” is the best thing that’s ever happened to me isn’t an understatement.
Obviously, none of this would be possible without this incredible staff, many of whom heard about this crazy idea I had from its infant stages and provided encouragement — and constructive criticism — along the way. Other members of our tireless crew came aboard after the initial launch, and I can’t imagine REBEAT without their vast knowledge of music and pop culture. There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes, endless emails, group chats, list and lists of ideas — the dedication of these awesome people amazes me. Each and every writer has made this place what it is and will take it strutting proudly into a new year.
And, of course, we’d be nothing without you, the readers! I can’t thank you enough for your support, your feedback, your comments on Facebook, and your retweets on Twitter. Many of you have become familiar faces on the interwebs, and we always look forward to hearing what you have to say. On behalf of all of us, seriously thank you for reading.
Now, with almost 34,000 hits since our debut on July 9, 2014, let’s look back on some of our most read posts of the past year.
1) Staff Picks: 6 1960s Rockers You Should Follow on Social Media
One of the perks of the interwebs in 2014 is closer access to folks who, only 40 or 50 years ago, were superstar enigmas. Now they post photos of their takeout Chinese online. (Isn’t the future grand?) Here are six of our favorite ’60s celebs you should probably be following on social media… More?
2) 10 Criminally Underrated Beatles Songs
Before I began this post, I resisted the urge to Google “most underrated Beatles songs” to see other people’s opinions — for about five minutes. Thankfully, one of the first hits (and the only one I peeked at, I swear) listed several tunes that I consider to be anything but underrated, like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “A Hard Day’s Night.” (Insert game show “wrong answer” buzzer.)… More?
3) 10 Things You Don’t Know ‘Bout Apple Scruffs
George Harrison said it best when he sang in 1970, “There’s so much you don’t know about Apple Scruffs,” mostly because many false facts about the dedicated group of Beatles fans that called themselves the Apple Scruffs are rampant on the Internet and in books… More?
4) RAVER: Chad & Jeremy’s Double Life
Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde met at drama school in London in the early 1960s. Though they both aspired to become actors, they bonded over their love of music, particularly the Shadows’ “Apache,” which Chad could play the whole way through, suitably impressing Jeremy… More?
5) “You Really Got Me” Celebrates A Very Kinky 50th Anniversary
Third time’s a charm, says the old adage. In rock ‘n’ roll, few sayings have ever been truer. On August 4, 1964, a quartet from northern London released their third single in the UK, and a few weeks later in the US, unleashing a sound that would herald in a new age of rock music… More?
6) What Keeps Billy J. Kramer Satisfied
Plucked from the same incubator as the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Searchers, and others, Billy J. Kramer, along with his Dakotas, quickly became a household name in England and, later, America during the first wave of the British Invasion… More?
7) An Ode to Bobbie Gentry at 70
In May 1981, Bobbie Gentry was one of many guest stars on the NBC special “An All-Star Salute To Mother’s Day.” She sang just one song: a touching rendition of the Broadway tune “Mama, A Rainbow,” dedicated to her own mother in the audience. What no one knew at the time was that this would be her last onstage appearance ever… More?
8) 20 Images That Capture the British Invasion 50th Anniversary Tour
Unless you checked out of reality back in August — or simply scrolled past our extensive coverage — you either heard about or managed to snag a ticket to one of the hottest tours in recent memory: the British Invasion 50th Anniversary go-round… More?
9) Let’s Go to Hawthorne: A Beach Boys Pilgrimage
It’s true that I’ve had to explain to more than a few people why I’m so excited about visiting the corner of 119th Street and Kornblum Avenue in Hawthorne, but once they’ve heard the words “Beach Boys,” they understand… More?
10) 10 Often-Censored Songs from the Early ’50s
In the late-1950s, early-50s African-American R&B took quite a few liberties with song content, and double entendres ruled the day. As a result, there are a number of songs from the period that are surprisingly suggestive, given the state of American music in the 1950s… More?
Congratulations to the winners of our last giveaway!
Art Wray, Janet Pitchford, and George Brandon will each receive a prize package from Real Gone Music!
This Week on REBEAT!
– As much fun as the 50-year anniversary of 1964 was, we’ll turn our attention to 1965 with the Top 10 one-hit wonders of the year on New Year’s Day.
– We’ll take a closer look at some new books on prog rock, the Beatles, a very famous supergroup, and a little-known powerhouse female vocalist named Janis Joplin.
– In celebration of 2015, we, the REBEAT staffers, will let you in on our very own resolutions, and kick off the new year with a retro workout playlist to help you with yours!
