MAL EVANS Living the Beatles Legend with Ken Womack |
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ต.ค. 2024
- The much anticipated book based on Mal Evan's diaries is here and Matt interviews writer Ken Womack on the long history of the diaries travels.
Living The Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans
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Just ordered the book. The stories of folks who had real relationships with the Beatles are so valuable. Once again, thank you, Matt, for this excellent interview.
Just finished the book. Heartbreaking story all around.
I read the book. Mal seemed like a great guy but a very conflicted person. Torn between family & his other 'family', the Beatles. As always, drugs & booze didn't help.
Getting ready to order it
Great book. A real and fact filled history of The gentle giant Mal Evans the Beatles roadie and close friend who was there every step of the way. So many untold stories not found in other Beatles books.
In the mid-90s I spent a few years “trying” to gather enough information to write a Mal book and after some really promising exchanges with May Pang I really thought it could be a thing despite friends and family constantly telling me there wasn’t enough material or interest from anyone. I wasn’t sure if the book would be mostly about the search for Living the Beatle Legend or maybe a fictional re-creation of what his diaries might have been like before they disappeared.. I had met Joey Molland a couple times at Beatlefests and while helping load in a Badfinger show I had an opportunity to mention my intention to write a Mal book and asked if we could speak about Mal and he asked me if I had spoken with his family.. which by that point, I hadn’t and knew of Lily but had no connection.. but Joey really gave the impression that the family had no interest in Mal’s story (and theirs) being shared. I would certainly have cleared everything I wrote with them and had no desire or intent to go the Albert Grossman approach and my energy about the project waned .. in large part due the brief conversation with Joey and the reality that all the work and research could be for naught if the family were to red light the whole thing. I’m so glad that Ken Womack took up the assignment and has put in the work to share this truly important person not only in Beatles history, but in history in general. Huge thanks to Mark and Carol Lapidos for the incredible work they’ve poured into their passion throughout the years and making it possible for me to pick up a copy of the book signed by Ken and Gary! Thank YOU for your wonderful informative and insightful interviews and observation videos!
Thank you, Kevin. I guess enough time passed so that the time was finally right to do a book on Mal.
@@popgoesthe60s52 there’s never been a better time!
Poor Mal glad his story is being told
In the early 70s, John was asked to clarify comments he'd made about people in the Beatles' entourage taking advantage and John was clear that Mal was not one of them.
That note from John & Yoko, though. Teared me up.
Perhaps the final significant behind the scenes Beatles book that can be written. Appropriate timing with the recent "Now And Then" release.
Great interview! You tell great rock history on your channel, but not everyone can hold up under an interview for one hour and be as full of being able to tell a tale along with your guests. Kudos to you!
Thank you, Terry!
Great interview. Mal is an important but oft-overlooked figure in the Beatles story. His story is tragic, all the more so because it didn’t have to be that way.
Matt, very glad that you interviewed Ken. Thank you.
This book arrived just at the right time this past week as I had a long flight to catch up on reading.
Ken writes well and that is much to his credit as books like this could end up be plodding--- and this one is not as it moves along smartly and never bogs down.
Not to be a contraian, but I still do not really get Mal. He subsumed his entire life, and the seeming well-being of his life to the Beatles. It is very tempting, because we know exactly how history unfolded and the Beatles took the world by storm, to think that this was the best course of action for him to have taken. I think I must be missing the obvious because I simply don't know the real motivation behind him.
Now granted, teasing out why we as humans act the way we do is the stuff of many a doctoral dissertation so this is always a hard task.
He was, for example, woefully/pitifully remunerated and yet never advocated or petitioned for a better pay packet. Is this simply a case of complete self-abnegation in the service of artistic greatness or an enjoyment of being close to the throne? I think of that famous quote by the Nixon era White House aide Alexander Butterfield who said he wanted to be "in the smoke" (where the action was).
Was it a form of escapism from what was perceived in early sixties Britain to be a more "normal " life?
Maybe I am drawing conclusions that I should not as I look at his treatment of his family. Why didn't the Beatles take better care of him? Maybe I am simply seeing a side of things that were not there, but while he was a good servant to the band I don't envy how his life unfolded.
It probably seems like Mal needed "taking care of" because he wasn't as responsible as Neil. You never have heard hard luck stories from Neil and he was paid roughly the same wage.
@@popgoesthe60s52 I really think it's a case of a lot of different things going on in Mals story from start to finish.
In the first place it's obvious Mal loved the music and the excitement of rock-'n'-roll, as his first love was Elvis. But then he actually found his own piece of real life action in the Beatles and just wanted to be and was happy being involved and part of it. Right in the middle in fact. And that is intoxicating. And as things went on the action moved to London and who wouldn't want to follow the action? Especially when you yourself have actively took part and sacrificed to get the band to that point, and are at least being paid more than what you were earning in your normal run of the mill job. And as the years go by you are now estranged from your wife and children and have been doing this job for 8 years and when the Beatles split I don't think Mal was the kind of person to go back to the old boring life and sadly by then drugs were playing a part and I don't think he knew how to change his life and it run it's course.
@@craigwarner6156 Well said.
I think you are looking for something most meaningful & momentous for Mal working for the most famous band in the world ! Personally I think he just liked doing what he did , nothing deeper than that
Knowing that Mal was such a closely held person to George, John, Paul & Ringo, you know that this must be a worthy account.
I was fortunate to see Mal give a lecture at a Beatle fest in NYC in 1975. He had many amusing Beatle stories. I definitely have to get this book.
In all sincerity nobody does a better interview than you Matt👍 Its a treat having Ken Womack as your guest, I really enjoyed his John Lennon 1980 book, and one thing that really hits me ( as Im sure many Beatle fans) is Ken sharing the story of Mal's death and John crying and expressing deep sadness,badly hoping its not real...fast forward to that fateful night in december of 1980 -We Beatle fans feeling the same about John's death and hoping that its just Not real.
Thank you, Ernie - I appreciate the feedback!
Matt does a great job in preparation and Interviewing and listening
Excellent interview! Mr. Womack referenced Badfinger during the interview. I would LOVE it if a writer of his ability and credibility would write a great book on Badfinger. I’m unable to find any decently produced documentaries about Badfinger and the one book that seems to be comprehensive and highly regarded is out of print and runs currently at $129 for a used copy on Amazon. Badfinger is ripe for a great biography and/or documentary.
I was just told of a bio on them that I was unaware of. I thought Ken may have mentioned it in the video. Apparently there is a good one out there.
Thanks so much for this. All Beatles-related subjects remain endlessly fascinating to me. Keep up the good work. 😻🌹✌
Thank you for an epic interview with Ken Womack. I’ve attended his class at Monmouth, and he’s a very astute, informative, and entertaining historian of The Beatles-plus very pleasant to chat with. Getting this latest book for Christmas, and can’t wait to get into it!
47:46 That is a beautiful little note from Lennon. I was always under the impression that the Beatles neglected those who had been close to them. Maybe they were/are discreet about their support.
Yeah, I’ve seen a comment or two from Paul describing him as ‘a guy that worked for us”
Ken’s two volume biography of George Martin was really good. (Doesn’t get mentioned on the dust flap of this book, for some reason.) This book gives a unique insight into the day to day - not always fun - reality of The Beatles on the road. Mal was a complex and fascinating character.
Such a great interview. Thanks. This is the first I heard that MAL had a real gun in his hand when the incident occurred. Such a shame that both MAL and John Lennon died by gunshot in the U.S. , such a tragedy. For those new to MAL’s story all you have to do is watch the GET BACK DOC where he is everywhere!
"Mal, we need an anvil". Mal was a legend and deserves this recognition.
Mal
@@mikek5958 sorry haha portuguese auto correct
@@MiguelRiscado No need to apologize I wasn't trying to be a smart ass just trying to help; no worries!
Interesting interview Matt. I recommend a book by Peter Lee called The Death and Life of Mal Evans. It is an alternate history of The Beatles with Mal at center stage, trying to keep them from splitting up.
Thanks, I will check that one out.
Thank you, a great interview, very informative and also revealing how unfortunately everything ended with Mal. Nice to finally learn more about all the background. I'm always amazed at how many interesting and moving stories the Beatles universe has to offer.
I’m most curious about Ken Mansfield’s book and his last conversation with Mal the night before Mal was killed. Did Mal write about it? What was the deal he said he just made with Paul to get credit on some songs and why Mal wanted to meet with Ken Mansfield, but Ken was going to the Billboard Music Award and planned to meet Mal for lunch the next day. Ken knew something was wrong. We’ll probably never know because even Womack seems nervous when Paul is mentioned.
That does sound interesting. Mal is said to have had an important hand in 'Eleanor Rigby' lyrics, one of the best songs they ever did.
Very informative interview, I have listened to the audio book and I am currently reading through it. I think the book has the making of a movie script. The book and the interview kind of fills in a lot of the gaps of other books that I have read.
A great interview on Mal Evans. I wonder if someone will do a book on Ian Stewart the unofficial “Rolling Stone “. Who like Mal was with the band from the very beginning until his death in 1985. Unlike Mal Ian was lucky that his band stayed together. And he seems to have avoided the pit falls Mal fell into.
A very informative and moving episode. Excellent guest.
Best thing you have done.
Womack has done invaluable service to Evans and the Beatles. For example, Lennon's purported "dead letter office" remark has stood for decades as the sole account of his reaction to Mal's death, but seeing his letter to Lily and hearing the account of his call to the house the day after the shooting made me emotional.
👍TY Matt & Ken...Mal Evens was a big part of Beatle History...
Fantastic information. Thank you.
Great discussion! I just picked up the book recently and looking forward to reading it. I loved Ken’s books on George Martin, Solid State, John Lennon in 1980. This was a topic that really needed to be told and I am glad it was Ken. Thanks for sharing this Matt!
Hi Matt
Hope all is well.
Throughly enjoyed this video regarding Mal Evans.
Some Great Insights were brought out during your discussion.
I have ordered the book through Amazon- due to arrive on Tues 12/5 So I can delve deeper into his story as a Beloved Member of The Beatles Inner Circle.
Thanks for doing the interview & posting the video.
Take Care
My pleasure, Richard.
@popgoesthe60s52 HI Matt.
Just Reported some 20 minutes ago Denny Laine Passed Away at age 79.
RIP. God Bless
Great interview Matt. Fascinating. How did Ken manage to pack all of this in? I confess I had long forgotten the tragedy of Mal's death. I didn't know the Badfinger story either til just looked it up. Wow.
Tremendous interview; I have the new book, will report back when I finish it.
Thanks for this gift, Matt!
You are welcome!
Hello matt.i have waited years on a book about mal.i bought the book and I am reading it at this time.love seeing this interview, thank you.beatle matt 9091.
Outstanding interview Matt! Could be your best ever, and you’ve conducted many great ones. I’m reading it now and it’s hard to put down. Ken has done a wonderful job bringing Mal and his story to life. What an exhilarating ride reading it thus far! The highs, the lows, and the ultimate tragic tale. I’m sure I’ll review it after I finish it. Thanks again Matt, you’re the best! Cheers 🍻 Matt Street
Hey Matt! This is a good one to have in the collection for sure. Thanks for stopping by.
Beatle Fans Love Mal Evans! ✌🤍🌎
Pop love it one of very top channels ✌️
Another great job. Thanks Matt.
Thanks so much for this wonderful episode!
That was fantastic, thank you Matt.
I'm not sure if this was already pointed out, but the photo on the cover of the book was taken on Feb. 20th, 1968 when they were on their way to the ashram in Rishikesh.
No that wasn't mentioned. Thank you!
Really nice interview. Interesting point about the dynamic between Neil and Mal. Both of them were essential parts of the Beatles story. Had Mal lived longer, it would have been cool to hear his points of view in the Anthology series.
Thanks for the interview.
Thanks both, a very entertaining and informative chat.
Cool. Mal is my favorite Beatle.
Excuse me
Really great interview, good questions, informative, and enjoyable.Thanks very much!
Fine interview with Ken and his cat. To learn about someone who was pretty intimate with the Fabs, and shared some of their adventures although not necessarily in their spotlight is appreciated. However, would it be too much to ask of you, might we also learn about Magic Alex? That's a story in itself, isn't it?
Ah, Magic Alex.... I know Lewisohn will will be delving into him in his upcoming volumes but I amy be able to find some more info on him. I appreciate the request, Doc!
@@popgoesthe60s52 The story of how he (allegedly) got a yacht and a house in Corfu for Donovan that were (allegedly) 'confiscated' from dissidents of the military junta in Greece should be v. interesting.
Man, well done ! Wonderful interview. We see Mal referenced many times in the Beatles story without exploration. Nice to see this angle fulfilled.
Thank you, Dan!
2 Mal Books and one for the illiterate! 😆 Great interview Matt. I will have to pick this up maybe for Christmas.
Loving the book so far!
My copy arrived last week and i just gotta bite the bullet and start to read it,I havent actually read a physical book for years as Igot really into audiobooks but when it comes to Beatles I like physical copies of everything.
Very nice interview. I had been waiting for this book and was on the fence about it, thinking it might not be worth a read, but after listening to your kind of cliff note version here and Womack's take, I will get it. Thanks.
Another excellent video!!
I have this book as a Christmas present, alongside Gerald Scarfe’s memoir - I’m really looking forward to reading both books over the festive break!
I just finished the book - it was brilliant, a real insight into the Beatles’ careers. Mal was an extremely likeable character, and clearly adored the Beatles. A recommended read for anyone interested in The Beatles, and their solo careers.
Great interview! I will defiantly buy and read Ken's book. Sounds like it was well researched and tells a side of the Beatles story we don't hear much about. Thanks ~~/)~~
This is good. I'm ordering the book.
Just bought a copy through the link. Looking forward to reading it. Interesting interview.
Thank you, TeleNikon!
Fantastic interview, Matt!! Kudos!!
Thank you!
Great stuff
Fab! Can't wait to read this book. 🥰 Meanwhile I keep flashing on that "glitch-in-the-matrix" scene in The Matrix where the black cat enters & re-enters the scene from right to left 🙃
Excellent discussion as always Matt ... thank you ...
One thing about Mal & others in the 'inner circle' was when the 'dream was over' ... in some respects so were they ... Mal's story to me was particularly traffic ... 🤔
I will being buying this book. One of the many Mal contributions to the Beatles was the "life of ease" answers on Yellow Submarine. I wonder if Mal was there in 65 when the Beatles finally met Elvis. He was probably was given his position in the Beatles world.
Ken Womack goes into the Elvis encounter a bit in the book. Elvis was Mal’s favorite.
A movie biog of Mal's should be considered.
Great interview excellent content
This is a much better interview than Womack has given in several other instances. I think Womack learned that being foxy with the contents to try & tease customers to buy the book backfires & makes for bland interviews that reflect badly on the book.
It's frustrating, in this age of 'infomercials,' that there are no insightful book reviews, just uncritical endorsements. With the wealth of exclusive material, most writers could fashion an interesting book out of this, & this is an interesting book, I'm finding.
I like how Womack acknowledged non-pc decadence on tour without going Woke & tabloid about it & imposing current morality on yesteryear.
But some readers may want to assess their buying options, once they realise there is another, more expensive Mal Evans pictorial book tabled for this time next year with more of his own words...& then, I predict & hope, a 3rd book that finally publishes Mal's memoir.
I'm uneasy about Womack's bio appropriating Mal's title for his own memoir - - even as a sentimental tribute, it means any future publication of Mal's memoir cannot now go out under his own title.
I'm on Page 150. Womack's a fair writer, not a good one, just good enough. Lewisohn is a better writer, & Lewisohn isn't as excellent as his revered reputation; & even Kevin Howlett is better, though Howlett is on autopilot for the Apple Superdeluxe books now.
Let me back that up so it's more than unsubstantiated opinion.
I'll take 2 sentences representative of loose writing that needed a better editor to get Womack to tighten it up. A reader doesn't need to analyse this style for the writing to have a lagging effect that does not fulfill the full potential of the material. Subliminally, these shortfalls dull the reader's awareness of better possibilities. These aren't 2 exceptions, but representative of a general lapse....
The book retells the Beatles story that we've heard many times - - hard to avoid that in telling Mal's story. So we get the Beatles tour minus hospitalised Ringo and plus Jimmy Nichol that any Beatles aficionado knows of old along with GH's reluctance to go without Ringo.
"For Martin, the old adage that the show must go on became literal."
Translation: For Martin, the show must go on. (It's still a cliche that way but at least doesn't labor the cliche. An obvious edit that the editor if not the writer should have caught in the 2nd draft.)
You might say this is nit-picking. I'd say it's a good editor's job to nit-pick, & I;d say it's the *writer's* job, too.
Listen:
"As usual in Beatle World, things were moving at lightning speed."
What that humdrum sentence does not do is move fast.
Womack has already mentioned the fast pace in Beatles' lifestyle, so by acknowledging this with "as usual," the preface witlessly implies not speed but pedestrian routine - - which in a way it was, but that's not what he wants to convey here. "Lightning speed" is another go-to cliche that would stand up better if used in a more inventive way.
I'd say the writing works in the way that hack writing can work from a competent jobbing writer - - that's the level here. People will read it for information & for the story of an almost unique perspective (it seems there's no treasure trove from Neil?) told 2nd hand by a biographer in lieu of Mal's own memoir.
For some it comes down to whether folks are interested in info or whether folks are interested in writing. I want both for my dollar.
Worth reading, if you can get it for a bargain.
Not speaking directly to this work, but I agree with points about the need for editing. I am quickly moving toward Old Guy status so I have been reading for decades and I have noticed a serious slippage in editing rigor and expertise. At first it was annoying. Then it was a trend. Now it is downright sloppy.
The second point that I hope I correctly drew from your comment is the need for critical examinations in book reviews. Being a critic, whether for film, music, theater, and writing was often a high art in itself. I pine for those days.
Last, Matt did solid work here in getting Ken to go into more detail than he has in other interviews. I understand that an author wishes for the listener to purchase the book, but I want to be convinced beforehand that the writing will be at least good and informative.
@@Neal_Schier Yes, agreed. The interview itself is by far the best of a handful of Womack interviews I've seen for this book. Such interviews are hard graft, making the interviewee welcome enough for him to relax so he can give open & fluent answers while asking incisive Qs while giving him a fair shake. Good job.
I should have added that for Beatles researchers, this book is indispensable, which is why I bought it (reduced price), for the many quotations. It's well referenced.
You do get a solid sense of Mal lumbering through the pages of his own life. (So maybe a lumbering style isn't altogether out of place.)
All good points and I appreciate the examples given. I also appreciated how Womack didn't dance around some of the debauchery in the tours. Overall, there wasn't a lot of new Beatles information but the Mal story was compelling.
@@popgoesthe60s52 Yes, with you, Matt. I felt sorry for Mal, & felt sorrier still for Lil. One thing unexplored is some testimony that Mal contributed significantly to 'Eleanor Rigby.' I also have a notion about the megaphone voice in 'Yellow Submarine' but that one's just me, whereas 'Eleanor Rigby' has stronger evidence - - if memory serves, from Pete Shotton, but KW leaves that alone.
Great interview. Just a quick aside to add to what was already stated. George and Paul were not big fans of auctions. They didn't like the huge sums of money that was generated for their discards. When Sotherby's first started Beatles auctions, Paul would turn on viewing days and have items removed.
Great video interview Matt. Thanks ! Does anyone know if video or audio exists from Mal Evans appearance at Beatlefest in 1975 I think was the year? I wish I could have been there.
That is a good question! I'd love to hear that audio.
Very interesting.
I’ll be supporting your patreon, love your content and personality massively! How about that win vs Kansas?!! All the best!
Thank you so much!
Due to Ken being a good author I bought Living The Beatles Legend a few days ago, and it's next on my reading list. A caveat my "Ken the good author" statement is that while he skilfully weaves a tale, I found his John Lennon 1980 book followed the blissfully content John & Yoko narrative too closely. I have higher hopes for LTBL.
Perspective: £100 in 1963 is worth £2,624.33 today, and before £ went decimal.
Like Brian Epstein, the Beatles were a way of life for devoted friend & roadie Mal Evans. I always loved Mal's production of Badfinger's "No Matter What" and the No Dice album. He knew all the little technical tricks to get the Beatles sound.
I read "Solid State: Abbey Road and the End of the Beatles," and it is a fine and very interesting book.
George Harrison: "Well, by around 1965, touring had gotten too big...so to speak."
Good interview. I'd really like to hear Mal's voice.
You can hear Mal speak if you watch the Get Back film. There is also one interview with Mal on TH-cam. It is with David Frost from 1975 but the sound quality is only ok. He sounded like John Lennon.
In all views that is seen, the Beatles took him for granted
Mals story was long to be heard. He was serving with love and was a superfan to do what he did....Mal was "there" always with them.
also noticed- ken , with his finger to his nose 3196 times , and approx every 30 seconds...finger to nose, finger to nose, finger to nose...lol
...read the book, its good but its never enough is it? we still want more Beatles stuff...
3 cool catz tail~~~
the horseback photo. on the '64 tour they apparently leased or were sponsored an airplane for some or maybe the whole tour. the fellow who owned was Reed Pigman if i recall properly. apparently weather halted flying for a day or so & they apparently stayed at his(?) ranch where there were horses etc. the photo w ringo & mal may be from that time. ive seen horseback photos from that time in books. ive not seen the ringo/mal shot so i could be way off.
i'm looking forward to reading this book,though i would have preferred mal's diaries to be published as-is(with a seperate book of photos)rather than a biography
I love his cat 🐈⬛
cool
Having grown up in the 50s and 60s, let me remind everyone that there was no suçh thing as "under-age"
Well said!
If this was the '70s, teens would be protesting in the streets the idea they couldn't consent to having sex. About a third of Americans lose their virginity before age 18. Now they enjoy being treated as snowflakes and some avoid sex entirely.
I want to see the pictures
Apple gave Mal a loan for 500 quid instead of just giving it to him when he couldn’t make ends meet? I’m reminded of a part of the Get Back doc that I haven’t seen anyone note: the Beatles were musing about not paying Billy Preston for his work. There’s something a little gross here.
The Beatles had terrible cash flow problems after Brian Epstein died. Nobody was watching the expenditures. And people were ripping off the Beatles left and right. So the Beatles didn't have much money and EMI took its time paying their royalties. Also the Beatles were working class, so they may have considered 48 pounds a week good pay. And he got to travel around the world with them. He helped them get to the top, but then he crashed when the group crashed.
“Music to Burn Your Oil By”? Possibly soundtrack choice for Sultan Al Jaber at the Climate Summit in Dubai this week-end. (I love the notion of corporate entertainment production back in the ‘60s!)
You were the first to notice that LP!
They could've recouped their advance by publishing it. I guess they were worried that the nature of his death would turn off readers? If anything, it should've driven sales. Were there legal reasons why they couldn't publish it after his death?
Book was great but sad ending
just saw a video with one of Mal's kids on it it was very interesting such a sad ending to this life. wonder if he was the character the guy in the movie Hard Days Night was based on(the one who gets stuck taking care of grandfather) that roadie had my fav scene in the movie where the guys are on stage singing and Paul looks and grandpa is handcuffed to the roadie and then a few minutes later he is gone and the poor roadie has this aweful look on his face like I dont know how he got away honest
Can we have more of the black cat please
Excuse me... White Cliffs of Dover?
Given that the entire Beatles story is kind of the template for everything that can go right and wrong with a band it doesn’t surprise me that Mail didn’t get credit for some of the lyrics. However he was part of the inner circle and given the Fabs were not business men it probably didn’t occur to any of them at the time. He was one of 3 people who were there from the start. (Neil Aspinall and Freda Kelly being the other two). That being the case and how tight they all were with each other the thought probably never came up
Look at the way Jagger & Richards froze Mick Taylor out of his writing royalties
I have heard and read that Ringos wife stopped going to concerts at the Cavern cause of the girls trying to beat her up
Absolutely no disrespect to Ken, but when I first heard about the release of this book, I wondered why Mark Lewisohn wasn't chosen to write the Mal Evans story. I wonder if Ken and Mark were in communication during the writing of this book. Mal must have received royalties from the Ringo album. Both Mal and Ringo cowrote "You & Me".
I know Lewisohn had access to the diaries and used them in his research, but he probably had too much time invested in the All These Years trilogy to be considered.
Mal was murdered by LAPD - Paul was gone by '67. Add 2 Kennedys, two more Beatles and we got a police state and Ringo left
Songwriting authorship … if the writer has the basic story and most of the words, it shouldn’t be assumed that adding a couple of words should result in a songwriting credit.
Wasnt he murdered to hide the firing and replacement of Paul and john