SO many emails on these Beatles remasters, and everyone of them approach from different angles. Some loved the early years, others the later years. Some believe The White Album (The Beatles) is the greatest album ever made and this remaster underscores that, while some believe that it is Revolver...or Rubber Soul...or Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It went every which way. But the most important thing to come out of this is that there are still a lot of people who are interested in what came before this current time. Certainly, The Beatles have headed a phenomenon in many ways. From the younger discoverers to the happy older adults, The Beatles represent the rise and fall of a great band, the musical development and maturity of four individuals. They set standards. They created timeless Pop and when they were done with that, they created timeless Rock. Regardless of where you stand in The Beatles camp, one thing is sure - you love them! There is no dismissal, only admiration and pride.

One can look at The Beatles' history and follow them through a memorable set of albums. They never really got bad before they crumbled. With just a handful of releases, they are a road map of a classic rise and fall. You can listen to every album beginning from the first one and hear dramatic changes in the way that they created their songs thereafter.

We're happy to have enjoyed them. These remasters gives us another reason to revisit them. And so I'll just say what everyone already has on their minds: Thanks forever, John, Paul, Ringo, and George!

There are three more responses to a request that we put out concerning bands that seem to have lost relevancy:

• Hi!
  Such a great poll indeed!!!
  I would say:

  The Cure - Wish was their last decent album. And please... someone tell Robert Smith that wearing makeup at his age, with his face swollen and the beard is laughable...

  Genesis - My favourite band, but after "Wind and wuthering" I can hear only bits of them.

  U2 - Never been a fan, but I liked "Achtung baby" and especially "Zooropa". Later efforts were su dull...

  Alan Parsons' Project - Great until "Ammonia Avenue", then... what's this techno-trip of yours, Alan?

  Jamiroquai - Jay Kay is more interested in cars than in music... and it shows in every post-"traveling without moving" CD.

  Queen - Should i REALLY explain why? ^__^

  Bye!
  Fabio

• Most of the 90's Alternative radio favourites are completely irrelevent now.  In fact I would contend most were not relevent back then either.

  With the exception of the forerunners (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, Tool, Radiohead and a handful of others) most of the 90's alternative bands are very hard for me to tolerate today. 

  Once Nirvana hit the charts all the labels started signing and promting every guitar band that had a distortion pedal and to be honest most of it was bad.  Sure there were lots of hits generated by the lesser ALT bands of the 90s and you can still here those songs on alternative stations today.  It is a sad commentary that the local alternative station in my city (Atlanta) has a playlist that averages out to be at least 10 years old or older.   - J Coleman

• One of the bands I grew up with was Chicago.  Yes, they were rock, pop and Top 40, but at least back in the 70's, they were flexible and innovative enough that they could rock out now and then, respectably, and still receive credence on both rock and top 40 stations alike.  They have been modern jazz relics since the 80's.  Obviously, they took their major hit when Terry Kath died, but I think Chicago VIII was their last cool album.  Chicago IX really their greatest hits bravado, IMO.  - Jon

If you're interested in adding your piece, now's your chance to tell us who you used to think were great but have since lost all relevance.

And in response to my request for songs that are guilty pleasures, we have the following two:

• "Holiday" by Madonna----I fought her (I had a college roomate who destroyed her first album for me for many years).  I finally realized she was the most consistent singles artist of the last 25 years (sorry, MJ & Prince were left in her dust on that score---we all know what happened to Jackson, but what the hell happened to Prince?  I know he still puts stuff out, but is it still good or does he just examine his navel and bemoan his former "slave" status with  Warners?  Talk about destroying your own career.  Oh, you too Sinead.).  Madonna may be an acquired taste for some as a person (me too), but musically, she can't be denied. - Tom

• McArthur Park! - James

I'm now off to watch the Bears battle the Packers. After losing 2 biggies this weekend (series loss of White Sox to Angels, and OSU loss to USC), I should be able to get this one,,,right? right?

...right?

Round 28 of Great Album Covers:

Tom F.:

John P. - Genuine Imitation Life Gazette - The Four Seasons: The album didn't sell, but the cover was the 1st "newspaper" format with several pages enclosed. A few years later, Jethro Tull did the "Thick As A Brick" cover in the same format. :

and David H.:

Geffen Records will release a 'best of' for Aqua in both CD and DD forms, planning on November 3 for the drop date.

Universal Motown will release Never Cry Another Tear by Bad Lieutenant on CD and DD on November 10.

Fantasy Records will issue Singles Collection for Creedence Clearwater Revival on November 3 on CD and DD formats.

Varese Sarabande will reissue an interesting title from Derringer/Bogert/Appice (2001) that emulates the appearances of the earlier (and awesome) Beck/Bogert/Appice collaboration. The Sky is Falling is scheduled for November 10.

Fantasy Records will reissue Shaft by Isaac Hayes on both CD and DD on November 3

Universal (UMe) will continue their Rolling Stones remasters program with a collection of familiar Live albums on November 3. Those will include Flashpoint; Live Licks; Love You Live; Still Life; and Stripped. These will appear on CD and DD on November 3. In addition, UMe will release Live at the Max on DVD, also on November 3.

Universal Motown will release I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters for The Jackson Five, scheduling for November 10 on CD and DD.

Varese Sarabande will release Mondo Birthmark from The Tubes on November 10.

Mercury Records adds three Rush titles to the Digital realm with DD availablity coming on September 22 for All the World's a Stage; Caress of Steel; and Exit...Stage Left.

Sanctuary Records will add Sunshine Day: The Pye/Bronze Anthology by Osibisa to the Digital realm on September 29.

Interscope reissues Antichrist Superstar by Marilyn Manson on DD on September 22.

The band is fronted by brothers Sonny and Michael Kilfoyle who are self-described “New Yorkers/Brooklynites by way of  Boston.”  Their intentions are pure, and their music is loud. They’ve got a 4-song EP, Teen Age, out now, digitally.

There is a downloadable free MP3, "Casually Sad Mercedes" that you can have.

They can be sampled further at their MySpace,and Facebook pages.

If you ever liked Echo and the Bunnymen, Siouxie and the Banshees, and/or killing Joke, then we have a new discovery for you. The Opposite Sex from DC has returned with an EP that juice those of you who appreciate good talent and that draws influence from the music that you loved in the past.

Their new (09/01) EP, Live + Burn follows their Violent Heartstrings from 2007 with more great music. I'll be surprised if you DON'T like 'em. To get you started, they are gifitng you with a free downloadable MP3 from the EP, "Frozen Heart, Frozen Mind."

They can be sampled further at their MySpace, Facebook, and LastFM. You can even follow 'em on Twitter.