#howard smith

[wingsoverlagos]

Lewisohn vs. Howard Smith, January 23, 1972

The Lewisohn-fact-checkification has heated up in other areas of the interent, and while I can't say the reception is unexpected, it's not the sort of thing for which I'm well-equipped. I'm leading with that because, honestly, I don't see the point in actively fighting Lewisohn's reputation anymore. I have several more comparison posts drafted, and I intend to step back after I churn those out. I want to put the evidence out there as clearly as I can - it may not matter now, but down the line, when more people are ready to put the actual history above a sham historian, it will be there. I can't forcefeed the truth to people who are still unreceptive to it.

This isn't a goodbye post (there are still quite a few drafts to go!), but I want to thank the community here for being so funny, openminded, and encouraging! I don't interact with you all as much as I'd like to--I'm an anxious little bird--but your thoughtful responses and feedback have meant the world to me :) Sincerely, thank you!

Anywho, enough whining - I've got an audio comparison today! I love audio comparisons - the immediacy of hearing John Lennon or Brian Epstein or Paul McCartney say words that are clearly different from what Mark Lewisohn wrote can't be beat. Today's comparison comes from Howard Smith's January 23, 1972 interview with John and Yoko. Let's all praise the estate of Howard Smith, as many of his interviews are available for purchase at a reasonable price! You can find this track for purchase here, and two other interviews at this link. There are three interviews available total, each chopped into two tracks, with each track costing ~$0.99-$1.50.

Lewisohn quotes this interview three times, and there are issues with all three quotes. One is a standard Lewisohn rephrasing (you'll find that under the cut), while the other two construct an equally standard but somewhat meatier John v. Paul narrative.

All three quotes fall in the same ~1:30 of the interview, running from 9:29-11:10 in the track linked above. I've included the clip here for your listening pleasure:

Tune In 24-5 vs. Interview by Howard Smith, January 23, 1972

HS: This tape, the Decca tape that we were talking about, that was for a Decca audition I’m informed, January 1, 1962 [crosstalk] JL: That was the famous one that they turned us down on. I listened to it, y’know, I wouldn’t have turned them down on that, not in those days, y’know. I think it sounds okay, especially the last half of it for the time-  the period it was, there wasn’t many people playing music like that. HS: Were you guys very disappointed? JL: Oh, it was terrible, yeah. I mean, See, we used to-Brian Epstein had come down to Liverpool- to London, and then he’d come back and say, ‘I’ve got you an audition.’ We’d all be excited, it was Decca and all that. We met this Mike Smith guy, and we were going to go down there. So we went down, we did all those numbers, [we were?] terrified, nervous- you can hear it on that album, start off terrified, and gradually settled down, and then we went back and waited, and waited and then we just found out they hadn’t accepted it. We really thought that was it then.

(Emphasis indicates quoted phrases. I've bracketed "we were?" because, while I don't hear it clearly in the audio, it's not clear enough for me to say with perfect certainty that John didn't say it)

Lewisohn gives this quote as John's assessment of the day of the Decca audition, but that's only partially correct. The first word, "terrible," is representative of John's feelings about Decca's rejection, which is clear from the context of the quote. The second part of the quote "we were terrified, nervous" does describe how John felt during the sessions, but only partially. He quickly goes on to say they "start off terrified, and gradually settled down."

The next citation continues on with this theme.

Tune In 25-12 vs. Interview by Howard Smith, January 23, 1972

JL: Oh, it was terrible, yeah. I mean, See, we used to-Brian Epstein had come down to Liverpool- to London, and then he’d come back and say, ‘I’ve got you an audition.’ We’d all be excited, it was Decca and all that. We met this Mike Smith guy, and we were going to go down there. So we went down, we did all those numbers, [we were?] terrified, nervous- you can hear it on that album, start off terrified, and gradually settled down, and then we went back and waited, and waited and then we just found out they hadn’t accepted it. We really thought that was it then. HS: What, that that was all? JL: That was the end, yeah, y’know, cause [crosstalk] YO: You think that the sound was too far out for them or something? JL: [crosstalk] Well, we’d been- they all said it’s too bluesy or too rocky, too much like rock ‘n’ roll, and that’s all over now, they used to keep telling us, y’know.

(Emphasis indicates quoted phrases. This segment overlaps with the transcript above)

Here, Lewisohn recounts Paul and John's reactions to Decca's rejection of the Beatles. The quote isn't too butchered, though there are some small changes (e.g. "they all said" to "they always said")

That's a quibble, though. The main issue here is Lewisohn's misrepresentation of John's feelings at the time. Lewisohn's assessment that "[John] also wondered if they'd shot their bolt" is correct, but the rest, which I've underlined in pink, isn't supported by the source. Lewisohn contrasts Paul’s reaction with John’s: Paul thought the rejection was “shortsighted” but, as Lewisohn writes, “John marked it differently. He knew the Beatles had underperformed on the day.”

John does not express that sentiment in this interview. Within the same brief span that John gives the “too bluesy” quote, he also says of the Decca tape, “I listened to it, I wouldn’t have turned them down on that, not in those days. I think it sounds okay, especially the last half of it for the period it was, there wasn’t many people playing music like that.” John says that their nerves were apparent for part of the session, but he clearly didn’t view it as a dud overall, and underperformance isn’t the reason he states for the rejection. When Yoko asks for clarification (“You think that the sound was too far out for them or something?”), John gives the answer that Lewisohn quotes here: “They all said it’s too bluesy or too rocky, too much like rock ‘n’ roll, and that’s all over now, they used to keep telling us.”

Lewisohn intentionally misrepresents the above quotes to set John up as more knowing, more aware than Paul, who, per Lewisohn's version, even with hindsight couldn't see the flaws John spotted the day of the audition. In reality, John and Paul were of one mind—they didn’t think the audition was that bad. Paul’s assessment that Decca’s rejection was “shortsighted” goes hand in hand with John’s true thoughts on the matter, which I’ll quote here a third time, in case I’ve failed to get the point across: “I wouldn’t have turned them down on that, not in those days. I think it sounds okay”

Tune In 5-17 vs. Interview by Howard Smith, January 23, 1972

JL: The first day I got interested in rock, the first six months, y’know, when Presley’s heartbreak hotel came out in England, they were saying rock was gonna die already, which- “Is calypso gonna take over?” That was what they were talking about then. So whenever- Even in Hamburg, when we auditioned for those German companies, they would tell us to stop playing the rock and the blues and concentrate on the other stuff, y’know. Cause they all thought rock was dead, y’know. But they’re wrong. They’re still saying rocks dead, right?

Minor changes. John starts this quote by discussing one time frame ("The first day I got interested in rock") and then changes to another ("the first six months") - Lewisohn swaps the order of "I got interested in rock" and "the first six months." John also clearly says "gonna" instead of "going to" - this is exceptionally minor on its own, but I do think there may be some interesting patterns on when Lewisohn preserves vs. erases vs. introduces certain colloquialisms and dialect-specific spellings. That would take a more in-depth analysis to tease out, and I shall resist the urge - I'm clearing my drafts & touching grass!

Sources:

Lewisohn M. 2013. The Beatles: All These Years Vol. 1: Tune In. New York (NY): Crown Archetype. [ebook]

Smith H. 1972 Jan 23. Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Purchased 2024 May 28. Available from: https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B00JMTMOTU

[thebarroomortheboy]

“It was an odd dream. Very odd dream. Willoughby. It was summer, very warm. Kids were barefooted. One of them had a fishing pole. It all looked like a Currier and Ives painting. Bandstand, bicycles, wagons. I've never seen such serenity. It was the way people must have lived a hundred years ago. Crazy dream.” - Gart Williams 

The Twilight Zone | 1.30 A Stop at Willoughby 

[nofatclips]

Glengarry Glen Ross (James Foley, 1992)

[gatutor]

Eva Gabor-Howard Smith-Glenn Ford "Vaya marineros" (Don´t go near the water) 1957, de Charles Walters.

[mx-pastelwriting]

Saving My Fanfiction Work

Due to the recent events in the United States. To clarify the recent events being Trump becoming president of the United States, Project 2025 more than likely going to be integrated. If you are not familiar with Project 2025 I urge you to look it up.

Along with the KOSA bill that has many problems and it has passed the senate now needing the finally vote in the house, which both are majority red. Go here to learn more on why it needs to be stopped and how you can. This is another component that will harm our communities. Go to: stopkosa.com

With all of its harmful plans some of the plans are to take down/restrict internet sites that have LGBTQ+ communities that means communities like the fan-fiction communities/sites in the United States.

I am only giving resources to those inside and out of the US in case they banned sites that hold fan-fiction. Better safe than sorry.

Being that I live in the US the possibly of mine and many others Fanfiction has the possibly of being in danger. Therefore I'm giving you recourses. (I'm not leaving or stopping my writing, I'm here for the fight!)

For those wanting to save my fanfiction, I give you permission to download them off of AO3 and to be used for your personal collection. Meaning, your eyes only. To clarify I’m saying this as others have asked if they could download my fanfic so for those who would like to you can.

If you do not know how to download them many others on online have tutorials on how to download them and add them to our phone libraries.

Here are some links to tutorials:

Downloading Fanfic

Adding to Iphone & Android Library

Adding to Kindle Library - Video on How (On TikTok)

Adding Book Covers (At the bottom) - Good EPUB Cover Changer (I use this)

Types of Files and What they mean

Please stay safe out there! Remember to follow the rules below.

DO NOT share the downloaded file anywhere online.

DO NOT repost the downloaded file under your name.

Fanfiction is protected under copyright law when plagiarism is involved. If you plagiarize my work, either a piece or whole in any language, I will take legal action. Inspiration or the same idea does NOT apply to this, only word-for-word plagiarism in any language.

♥ mx-pastelwriting does not consent to their fanfiction being copied, copied & credited, translated, used in videos and/or audios, screenshotted, used in AI, or reposted on any other platform without permission.

♥ mx-pastelwriting does give consent to "reblog," sharing links to direct work, and being in recommend lists.

Please stay safe out there friends! I love you so much! Know that there will always people that love you and in for the fight to make sure you are loved!

[badmovieihave]

Bad Movie I have Call Northside 777 (1948)

[azertyrobaz]

"Wait, "Wild Wild West" has its own line dance?"

[lostinmac]

I Saw the TV Glow (2024)

Dir. Jane Schoenbrun

[gradexmovies]

[cinematicmasterpiece]

i saw the tv glow (2024)

[chronophotographic-gun]

I Saw the TV Glow (2024)

[coloradosnumber1dad]

absolutely seething because I can never find any good fanfiction for a girl who isn’t some timid little fuck puppet. Like I get that some girls are hyper feminine but oh my god I just need a reader who can kick ass and hold their own. I’m not 4 foot 2 and 3 pounds I’m a decent sized female who could easily fill out the shirts of men I thirst over. I’m not cutely strolling into the room in my little pink sundress and white sandals, no dude I’m stomping into that room in jeans and a t shirt combat boots and saying the most disgusting dick joke you’ve ever heard. Sorry guys I’m not a girly girl

[oddcorecunt]

BTS from Jane Schoenbrun's Facebook ✨💕

[flightlessribbons]

Pt. 1 for the AU drawings! Gonna work on some more tonight, but I wanted to work on fleshing out the groups different dynamics with each other and their own personalities in my drawings 👍

[babadork]

I Saw the TV Glow (2024)

[mx-pastelwriting]

Kinktober 2024 Masterlist

Hello! I am doing Kinktober this year; here is the month's menu. For every year I will make my own and it will be open for anyone to use for a list promps.

Minors do not interact!

1 ☆ 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙘𝙠: 𝙎𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙪𝙨 𝙎𝙣𝙖𝙥𝙚

2 ☆ 𝘽𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙡𝙚 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣

3 ☆ 𝙐𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧: 𝙂𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙧𝙘𝙖/𝙆𝙪𝙜𝙤 𝙎𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙖

4 ☆ 𝙊𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙨𝙢 𝘿𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙖𝙡: 𝙉𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙣 𝙎𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙝

5 ☆ 𝙆𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝙀𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙠 & 𝙑𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙢

6 ☆ 𝙒𝙚𝙩 𝘿𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢: 𝙅𝙤𝙝𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚

7 ☆ 𝙋𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙭: 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙗𝙖𝙡 𝙇𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧

8 ☆ 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙘𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙨: 𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙞

9 ☆ 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩: 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙪𝙨 𝙇𝙪𝙥𝙞𝙣

10 ☆ 𝘿𝙧𝙮 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝙍𝙖𝙛𝙖𝙚𝙡 𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙗𝙖

11 ☆ 𝘽𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙟𝙤𝙗: 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙪𝙨 𝙑𝙤𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙞

12 ☆ 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙧/𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙝: 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙪𝙨 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙛𝙤𝙮

13 ☆ 𝘼𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙡: 𝙅𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙑𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙨

14 ☆ 𝙑𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧: (𝙋𝙧𝙚-𝙒𝙖𝙧 & 𝙋𝙤𝙨𝙩-𝙒𝙖𝙧) 𝘾𝙤𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙃𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 (𝙎𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚)

15 ☆ 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙚: 𝘾𝙖𝙞𝙪𝙨 𝙑𝙤𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙞

16 ☆ 𝙋𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤: 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙋𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙚𝙧

17 ☆ 𝙉𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙨: 𝙇𝙚𝙚 𝙍𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡

18 ☆ 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙠: 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙 & 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙡𝙚𝙮 (𝙎𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚)

19 ☆ 𝘾𝙪𝙢 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮: 𝙏𝙤𝙣𝙮 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙠

20 ☆ 𝙂𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙚: 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙪𝙧 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣

21 ☆ 𝙋𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙚: 𝙃𝙚𝙞𝙢𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙡

22 ☆ 𝘽𝙖𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙮: 𝙆𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙨 𝙈𝙞𝙠𝙖𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙤𝙣

23 ☆ 𝘿𝙧𝙮 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝘼𝙡𝙛𝙞𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨

24 ☆ 𝙇𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝙀𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧/𝙀𝙣𝙟𝙞 𝙏𝙤𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙞

25 ☆ 𝙍𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙊𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙨𝙢: 𝙑𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙍𝙚𝙣𝙯𝙞

26 ☆ 𝘽𝙚����𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝙂𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩/𝙎𝙞𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙍𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙮

27 ☆ 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩: 𝙅𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙀𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖

28 ☆ 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙥𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢: 𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙮𝙡 𝘿𝙞𝙭𝙤𝙣

29 ☆ 𝙇𝙖𝙥 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚: 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝘼𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣

30 ☆ 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙧 𝙃𝙪𝙡𝙠

31 ☆ 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢: 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙋𝙖𝙥𝙖 𝙀𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙨 (𝙎𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚)

Hello, I hope you enjoyed if there is any grammar mistakes or misspellings sorry about that feel free to let me know in the comments, have a great day/afternoon/night!

Fanfiction is protected under copyright law when plagiarism is involved. If you plagiarize my work, either a piece or whole in any language, I will take legal action. Inspiration or the same idea does NOT apply to this, only word-for-word plagiarism in any language.

♥ mx-pastelwriting does not consent to their fanfiction being copied, copied & credited, translated, used in videos and/or audios, screenshotted, used in AI, or reposted on any other platform without permission.

♥ mx-pastelwriting does give consent to "reblog," sharing links to direct work, and being in recommend lists.