Here's the transcript of a short interview with Bruce Spizer done by CNN (thanks to Bruce and Steve Springer):
PHILLIPS: The date was February 7, 1964. We remember that well, don't we, Tony? The day American music and four lads from Liverpool would never be the same. The Beatles landed at New York's JFK airport to screaming fans and a media throng. Their manager Brian Epstein even said the band knew America would either make or break the Beatles as world stars. Today the Beatles are set to conquer the continent again. Capitol Records is releasing a box set of the original American edition of the first four Beatles albums, and even the most ardent Beatles fan will hear some new things. Beatles historian and author of "The Beatles Are Coming," Bruce Spizer joins me from New York to rock and roll through this new release. Good to see you, Bruce. Try not to start dancing. Why is this a big deal?
BRUCE SPIZER, AUTHOR, "THE BEATLES ARE COMING": These are the albums Americans grew up with and the things we remember. The British albums didn't have the 45 hit singles on them, whereas Capital to market the Beatles in America put the hit singles on it, songs like, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You" which weren't on those British albums or on albums like "Meet the Beatles" and the Beatles' second album.
PHILLIPS: Now, to give fans a difference and to explain what we're talking about here, 32 songs in stereo for the first time. Let's take a listen to "Things We Said Today." All right, so listening to this, why should this make us appreciate the abilities of the fab four even more?
SPIZER: When the British catalog came out in 1987, the first albums were only in mono. Whereas when we hear a song like "Things We Said Today" in stereo, you can hear the brilliant harmonies by Paul and John, how beautiful they really are.
PHILLIPS: And there were some changes. Capitol Records added, deleted, emphasized here, did a little switchy changey. Let's take a listen to "Roll Over Beethoven."
Now, you said Capital actually gave a little extra echo in this version? SPIZER: Yes, when they dubbed it from the original mixer, they punched it with extra echo on it to give it a more brighter sound, more energetic, and thinking that this would be something Americans would appreciate. And, yes, admittedly it's a little bit hokey, but you know it's wonderful to hear it like this way again.
PHILLIPS: Interesting. You say something Americans would appreciate. Do you think, though, when you look at the package this comes in that it gives the American perspective or is it more the British perspective?
SPIZER: I think because they use the original Capital masters from a sound standpoint, it's right on target. These are the albums that we all grew up with and loved. I think the great thing about it, when I sat down and listened to these CDs, I really felt that it was like I had gotten together with a group of old friends I hadn't heard from in a while. The running order of the songs was what I was used to and the bright sound of everything. They did a fabulous job in mastering these CDs.
PHILLIPS: And, you know, when you listen to the songs before hearing them, obviously like this, you remember these songs a certain way. Do you think the Beatles wanted -- would want everyone to hear the songs this way?
SPIZER: Well, I think this was not what they intended, but what you have to realize is America was their biggest market, and still is, and the way that "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was added to the album "Meet the Beatles" helped sell that album, and at the time, rock albums only sold 200,000 or 300,000 units but "Meet the Beatles" sold 3.6 million units in just two month's time. So obviously Capital was doing something right.
PHILLIPS: And within this box set too, there are a lot of quotes and sort of personal comments from the Beatles. Paul McCartney saying, yes, it's pretty funny, I remember when dads were telling their kids, oh, they're just weird guys wearing wigs. You sort of get this human insight into the Beatles that maybe we haven't had...
SPIZER: It was a very innocent time, and I think the book was great. It had wonderful pictures and images from the timeframe, a good essay by Mark Lewis who is a leading Beatles expert, and it's a very good package. And to complement it, I wrote an essay for -- which is from an American perspective, which I have on my website, www.Beatle.net. That gives -- it's from an American slant. The package is superb, and the music is superb. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't view this as a cause for celebration hearing these albums again on CD.
PHILLIPS: You've probably been asked this a million times, but why do you think that even kids that are 12, 13 love the Beatles?
SPIZER: It's the quality of the music. I know that sounds like a silly trite answer, but it's so true, and because of the outstanding song-writing abilities of John and Paul and later on George. These are classics songs. We're talking about it 40 years later, and 40 years from now hopefully we'll still be around talking about it some more.
PHILLIPS: I have no doubt that we will be. Bruce Spizer. Go get it if you haven't gotten it. It's the new release, "The Beatles, the Capital Album's Volume I." I know there's a Volume II headed our way also. Bruce, thanks.
SPIZER: Thanks. Glad to be here.
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