The Beatles' Please Please Me - Remaking a Classic

 

Ask most fans to name their favourite Fab Four album and chances are Please Please Me wouldn’t be among them. But the moptoppers 1963 debut – the one with them looking down the stairwell of EMI’s London HQ on the cover – undeniably changed pop for ever.

To mark the 50th anniversary (on 11 February) of the one-day recording session at Abbey Road, this harmonica-tooting celebration invites artists including Squeeze’s Difford and Tilbrook, Stereophonics and acoustic songstress Gabrielle Aplin into the studio to re-create that head-shaking feat.

Engineer Richard Langham and Beatles press officer Tony Barrow are among those with recollections of that hard day’s night including, we hope, the story of the cold-afflicted Lennon and the decision to leave his rasping vocal for Twist and Shout till the very end.

About this programme

Stereophonics, Joss Stone, Graham Coxon, Gabrielle Aplin, Chris Difford and Mick Hucknall re-create the band's 12-hour recording session at Abbey Road Studios for Please Please Me - their first album. With contributions from Burt Bacharach and Guy Chambers, as well as people who witnessed the original event 50 years ago, including engineer Richard Langham and Beatles' press officer Tony Barrow. Presented by Stuart Maconie.
 

Cast and crew

Cast

Contributor Richard Langham

Contributor Tony Barrow

Presenter Stuart Maconie

Contributor Stereophonics

Contributor Graham Coxon

Contributor Gabrielle Aplin

Contributor Joss Stone

Contributor Chris Difford

Contributor Glenn Tilbrook

Contributor Paul Carrack

Contributor Mick Hucknall

Contributor I Am Kloot

Contributor Burt Bacharach

Contributor Guy Chambers

 

Review by:Mark Braxton

Source: http://www.radiotimes.com