Fixing A Hole - The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed

Hello, Fixing A Hole listener.

Yes, we're back following our extended Christmas break.

Just a short episode to wish you a happy 2026 and give you an update on the new improved format of the podcast.

Regular episodes drop from the Friday the 9th January 2026.

Many thanks for your support during 2025.

Best wishes Paul & Mark

Starting with the 50th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Apple have gifted us deluxe boxed sets of the White Album, Abbey Road, Let It Be and most recently Revolver. Therefore it was assumed as 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of both Help! and Rubber Soul. That this year Beatles fan would gift one or both of these titles the super deluxe treatment.

But this was not to be. Instead Apple decided to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Anthology. A worthy release, but not the deep dive into the vault we fans were expecting.

For George, it must have been a double edged sword being a member of the worlds biggest band, with two of the greatest song writers. On the one hand George the budding songwriter was finding it difficult to get his compositions included on a Beatles record. But on the other hand he had two great mentors to learn from.

By 1969 he had matured into a great composer. While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here cones The Sun are classics, while Something is the equal of the best of John and Paul.

By January 1969 George had built...

In last week’s episode we took a deep dive into 1962. The final year of John, Paul, George and Ringo’s musical apprenticeship.

This week we look at the first year of the second phase of their career, 1963. In particular, we delve into their live appearances. As this was the year when they moved out of the clubs and halls and entered the world of the package tour circuit. It was also a transition period with regard their fame. As they were no longer the property of a small group of Merseyside teenagers, but now Beatl...

By December 1962 John, Paul, George and Ringo had completed their apprenticeship. All the hard work they had put in slogging around the night spots of Liverpool and Hamburg had started to pay off. 

The year had begun with an audition for Decca and a single released in the UK from Polydor. National radio for the BBC soon followed. While by the end of the year they had a regional TV broadcast under their belt. Plus. Love Me Do, their first official UK single release reached number 17 in the charts.

In this weeks episode we...

In 1966 plans were hatched to commission an animated feature based on The Beatles song, Yellow Submarine.

However, with a production team which included the maker of 200 'Popeye' cartoon shorts. John, Paul, George and Ringo wanted nothing to do with it. In fact, The Beatles voices were recreated by a by an ensemble of British character actors and comedians!

However, by the time the production was complete and the group watched this psychedelic jukebox of a film, they were 100% behind it.

In this week’s episode we tell the story of this on...

When did The Beatles creativity peak?

For me the answer is 1967.

Why 1967?

That’s what Mark and I discuss in this week episode. We look at John, Paul, George and Ringo output in this pivotal year. A year of not just new music, Penny Lane, Sgt. Pepper’s, Hello Goodbye. But also, film making an equally creative statement, Magical Mystery tour, Our World and of course the Strawberry Fields Forever promotional film.

Do you agree?

Listen to this weeks episode t...

In April 1966 The Beatles released their 12th UK single 'Paperback Writer'. A Paul composition which tells the story of a budding author who wants to get his book published.

In 1968, journalist and author Hunter Davies published the first authorised biography of John, Paul, George and Ringo. 

Since then the floodgates have opened and their have been an avalanche of Beatles books about many different aspects of the bands career. Books about the record releases, television and radio broadcasts, their live concerts and much more.

In this weeks episode Paul takes a deep dive i...

April 1971 marked the first anniversary of Paul's statement that he was leaving The Beatles.

During those 12 months the music landscape had changed. The loss of The Beatles was old news. T-Rex were literary riding high in the singles chart with Ride A White Song. Rod The Mod - Rod Stewart was about to hit number one in both the singles and album charts simultaneously in the UK and USA with Maggie May from his album Every Picture Tells A Story. Albums were now big business for record companies, as Led Zeppelin would prove. Plus Slade, Sweet and...

By the end of 1970, John had released 4 albums outside of The Beatles. Two Virgins, Life With The Lions and The Wedding Album were Avant Garde pieces which had more in common with Revolution 9 rather than Strawberry Fields Forever. While Live Peace in Toronto was a record of a live concert performed as the Plastic Ono Band.

Clearly Johns album output away form his band mates did not have the commercial appeal of Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, or Abbey Road. However, his solo singles fared much better on the charts. Give Peace A Chance, Cold Turkey and I...

When the Beatles contract with EMI expired in the February of 1976. EMI were free to exploit the band back catalogue....or were they?

With Paul signing a new contract with EMI subsidiary Capitol. EMI were mindful not to upset one of their most lucrative assets. 

Following the rerelease of all 22 UK Beatles singles, EMI and Capitol came up with a compilation of The Beatles rockier recordings. Which although housed in an ill conceived 50's influenced sleeve. The album was a great introduction for new fans.

The following year came a live album compiled f...

For 50 plus years Jacques Volcouve has been one of the world’s leading Beatles authorities and archivist.

From his Paris home he has written 9 books, published 2 long running fanzines and run a media press agency for all things John, Paul, George and Ringo. On top of which he also built one of the greatest Beatles record and memorabilia collections.

In this episode of Fixing A Hole, Mark and Paul chat with Jacques and discovered how this obsession with all things John, Paul, George and Ringo evolved. His work with radio and medi...

By December 1973, no one could knock Paul's work ethic. It was now 3 years since he announced he was leaving The Beatles. In that time he had released 4 albums and 8 singles (in the UK). But although the albums had their moments, they were not on the same level as later Beatles albums - Sgt Pepper, White Album, Abbey Road. 

Now, on the eve of recording a fifth album, his new band Wings was falling apart. But as we have seen throughout his career, Paul is not one for rolling over and giving up. Instead with surviving Wings members w...

In last weeks episode we took an indepth dive into The Beatles record breaking appearance at Shea Stadium, New York in August 1965.

This week we backtrack exactly 3 years to the August of 1962. When a film crew from a regional television magazine programme visited the Cavern in Liverpool, to film John, Paul, George and newly appointed drummer Ringo Starr, perform one of their now legendary lunchtime performances.

This historic clip of The Beatles performing Some Other Guy demonstrates what a great live band they had become following years of playing clubs and halls around the north...

60 years ago, The Beatles played the biggest concert of their career. When on 15th August 1965 they played to over 55,000 fans at New York’s Shea Stadium.

Only 2 years ago they had waved goodbye to the Cavern, the famous Liverpool city centre venue. Where playing to a few hundred fans at lunchtimes and evenings, they had grown the seeds of Beatlemania, before becoming the global phenomenon they still are today.

The concert at Shea was not only the pinnacle of the groups live career. It was also the moment when touring by majo...

By the mid-1960s, The Beatles had achieved global superstardom, but were increasingly frustrated by the limitations of touring and the expectations of their audience. "Rubber Soul," their previous album, had already hinted at a more introspective and adventurous direction, but "Revolver" would fully embrace the possibilities of studio experimentation.

Released in the United Kingdom on 5 August 1966, "Revolver" is the seventh studio album by The Beatles. Widely regarded as one of the most influential albums in popular music history, "Revolver" marked a departure from the band's earlier sound and a bold leap into experimental territory, both sonically...

Unlike in the USA where Capitol released Beatles singles in colourful picture sleeves. British 45's, with 2 exceptions came in Parlophone company sleeves. But unlike America where EP releases failed to ignite the imagination of teenage record buyers. UK fans were gifted 13 EP releases presented in colourful, laminated picture sleeves.

Join us this week as we take a Magical Mystery Tour through The Beatles UK EP releases. We discuss why EP's were an important tool in EMI's commercial exploitation of The Beatles catalogue. The music which was released exclusively on EP. The EP's which never reach the public...

Between their debut single 'Love Me Do' in October 1962 and their final 45, 'Let It Be' in March 1970, The Beatles released 22 original singles. 

Many of these releases featured songs that were unique to the 7" format at the time. Unlike many artists who would struggle to find a song to place on the B-side. The Beatles presented us with an embarrassment of riches, 'Rain', 'I Am The Walrus', 'Revolution' to name a few examples.

They also gifted us with what could be the greatest 7" single of all time, 'Strawberry Fields Forever' / 'Penny Lane'. Which in a first f...

John Lennon has been quoted as saying "You haven't heard Sergeant Pepper, if you haven't heard it in mono"... and he's right. Yes, the songs are the same, but the mix is very different. Once you hear it in mono, you wont want to go back to stereo.

So why did George Martin make mono and stereo mixes of the majority of Beatles recordings between Love Me Do in 1962 and the White Album in 1968? That's what Paul and Mark chat about in this weeks episode of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn't know you needed.<...

Love it or hate it, music streaming is here to stay and for younger listeners is introducing the music of The Beatles to a whole new audience.

The collectors out there who cherish their original first pressing vinyl, reel-to-reel tapes and cassettes may well be under the impression that with streaming being a non-physical music media that is stored in the cloud, the medium has nothing to offer them. 

However, as always in reality streaming does offer Beatles collectors some unique releases.

In this episode Mark and Paul...

In 1964 Dave Lewis discovered music courtesy of the Dave Clark Five. But with the arrival of Thunderbirds on the television and football at the local park, music quickly new took a back seat.

Then in April 1969, The Beatles released the first new recordings from their January 1969 sessions at Twickenham and Savile Row, Get Back / Don’t Let Me Down. This would be the spark that ignited a lifelong passion for music. 

Along the way Dave has spent 35 years in music retail. Become part of the inner sanctum of Led Zeppelin through his T...

In this week’s episode Paul and Mark take a peep into the world of alternate mixes. 

Not those multi-format extended mixes record companies released in the 1980’s. Paul McCartney’s ‘No More Lonely Nights’ comes to mind. No, the alternate mixes of Beatles recordings which EMI inadvertently sent out to affiliated distributors across the globe. 

Welcome to the world of high-hat intro’s, mysterious whispering, alternate backwards guitars and trumpet codas!

Intrigued?

Grab a coffee and listen to Fixing A Hole, the Beatles podcast yo...

Following on from last week’s pirate radio edition of Fixing A Hole we carry on with the pirate theme. Looking into the under the counter world of Beatles bootlegs.

We trace the origins of these Illegal releases in the late 60’s with the infamous Bob Dylan boot  ‘Great White Wonder’ and the plethora of low-fi compilations of Beatles concerts, radio and television appearances which began to surface in the early 70’s. Through to the CD age and the arrival of Ultra Rare Trax which presented unreleased Beatles session recordings in wonderful sound quality.

Al...

Unlike the United States where you could hear wall-to-wall pop music on the radio 24 hours a day. In early 1960's Great Britain, the airwaves were controlled by the BBC. With numerous restrictions imposed on them including the dreaded 'Needle Time', which impacted on the number of records that could be broadcast weekly by the network. The broadcasting of 'Pop Music' was limited to a few shows per week.

Therefore, it was no surprise when Radio Caroline began broadcasting in the spring of 1964 off the coast of Essex. Signalling the arrival of pirate radio in the United kingdom.<...

By the summer of 1964 The Beatles had conquered the world. Hot on the heels of their first visit to America, they were back at work. But not in the recording studio. This time it was the film studio, to make their first feature film ‘A Hard Day’s Night’.

Back in the 60’s pop acts were fair game for feature films. Be it a cameo appearance or some convoluted storyline. ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ broke new ground with a story based around 24 hours in the life of John, Paul, George and Ringo.

However, th...

On 29 January 1964 while playing an 18-day residency at the Paris’ Olympia Theatre. The Beatles entered the Marconi Studios in Paris, for their first and only session for EMI outside of the United Kingdom. A session with a specific purpose. To rerecord two of their biggest hits ‘She Loves You’ and ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’. 

However, these weren’t straight rerecording’s, but German language versions with titles that translate as ‘Sie Liebt Dich’ and ‘Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand’. This would be the one and only time they recorded foreign language recording of their hits.

Patrick Humphries is a well-respected music journalist and author. He worked for both the NME and Melody Maker from the mid-70’s and has written features for Mojo, VOX and Record Collector. In addition, he has authored books about Nick Drake, Bruce Springsteen, and Elton John among many others.

In a change to our advertised episode. Patrick joined Mark and Paul to talk about his latest book, ‘With The Beatles, From The Town Where They Were Born To Now And Then’.

During this fascinating conversation Patrick discusses the impact John, Paul, George and Ringo had on mus...

At lunchtime on January 10th 1969, George Harrison walked out of Twickenham film studios and out on his band mates. As he left his parting words were, ‘I’ll see you in the clubs’.

The Beatles January 1969 ‘Get Back’ sessions were all about throwing aside the excesses of ‘Sgt. Pepper’ and getting back to a more basic sound which would allow them to play live together as a group. Just as they had in the Cavern.

In this episode of Fixing a Hole we take a look at the five-year period between 1957 and 1962 when Jo...

On their return from India in the spring of 1968. The Beatles set about recording the ‘White Album,’ a collection of 30 songs, many of which were written in Rishikesh. 

In between these 6 months of recording sessions, they released their 18th single ‘Hey Jude’ and launched their own record label Apple.

In episode 7 of Fixing a Hole we look at the 2021 Peter Jackson documentary ‘Get Back’. Which tells the story of why following this intensive period of work, John, Paul, George, and Ringo decided that 6 weeks after the release of the ‘White Album’, they would go back...

Ever since Paul McCartney announced he was leaving the group on 10th April 1970. Fans desire to hear new, or unreleased Beatles music has never stopped. 

In this episode we tell the story of how a series of articles published in the New Musical Express back in 1974, lead to EMI searching the tape vault for unreleased Beatles recordings. Compiling two reels of tape of unreleased music and the executive meeting which took please in the Spring of 1976 to listen and determine what if anything was suitable for future release.

Amazingly, like all key...

Each year between 1963 and 1969 The Beatles gifted members of the official UK fan club, specially recorded Christmas messages. These exclusive recordings have not only become collectors’ items. They inadvertently trace the story of the group. From the lovable ‘Moptops’ who conquered the world. Through the psychedelic years of peace and love. To John, Paul, George and Ringo starting to drift apart.

In this episode we not only discuss the story of these fascinating recordings. We also look at how I discovered and first heard them. Along the way we touch on how EMI schedule...

Like an old family photograph, or a treasured gift. Music has the ability, to instantly transport you back in time to the place where you first heard a certain song. Or trigger a special memory, of a first date, or family gathering.

In the first episode of Fixing A Hole, Beatles expert Paul Humbley told the story of how he discovered The Beatles as a 10-year-old and the impact they have had on his life. In Episode 4, we discover how and when he discovered The Beatles albums. From being gifted a couple of original 60s p...

In 1968 John, Paul, George and Ringo released their 9th studio album, simply titled The Beatles. But almost immediately it became known as the White Album. 

Welcome to episode 3 of Fixing A Hole, The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed. This time my co-host Mark Wakely quizzes me on the White Album. We discuss the writing and recording. Richard Hamilton’s pop art cover design. The mono and stereo mixes and rare issues of this the most fascinating of all The Beatles albums. 

Plus, we discuss if John was right when he...

You may be of a generation to whom the phrase ‘Gold Top’ describes a bottle of milk. But when it comes to Beatles cassettes that phrase takes on a different meaning. 

Welcome to episode 2 of Fixing A Hole, The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed. In which my co-host Mark Wakely quizzes me on the history of Beatles cassette production in the UK, and in particular, how the album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was released in this format.

Along the way we discuss the so called ‘Gold Tops’ an...

What is a collector?

According to the dictionary definition it is: A person who collects things of a specified type, professionally or as a hobby.
That in a nutshell describes me, Paul Humbley, founder of Fixing A Hole. The Beatles podcast you didn’t know you needed.

2024 marks the 50th anniversary of my Beatles collecting journey. 

 In this edition my co-host Mark Wakely uncovers the roots of my collecting habit and why four musicians from Liverpool collectively known as The Beatles became the focus of my collecting. Mark also explores the early infl...

We live in a world where music has become a commodity. You can have 2 million songs in your pocket and not own any. When the CD arrived in the early 1980s heralding in the digital age of music. No one would have predicted 40 years later new vinyl records would still be being pressed and sales would be in the ascendancy.

This new vinyl era has its roots in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll. When people began collecting records by Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. By the early 60s the music...