Toppermost Of The Poppermost

Bonus Episode! Live-ish from the Chicago 2023 Fest for Beatles Fans

Live (on Tape and edited) from the SEATAC room in Chicago, Illinois - it's "Toppermost of the Poppermost" with Ed Chen and Kit O'Toole.     Marv was present in spirit.     So may I introduce to you, the act you've known for all these years (well, at …

August 1963 (side B)

Brian Wilson and his love of close harmony (see Freshman, Four) appear, leaders of the surf trend.     Your boyfriend's back, your baby's gone surfin' and neither has grown the Beatle haircut that will become so visibile in less than half a year!

August 1963 (side A)

The summer of 1963 rolls on, and the Beatles introduce an unsuspecting audience to their next single "She Loves You".     Meanwhile, the charts roll on, and the acts who will be known as the "British Invasion" a year later are making their presence k…

July 1963 (side B)

July of 1963 in the United States.     Still no sign of the British invasion, but an interesting selection of songs ranging from terrible to all-time classics.    Danke Schoen, Trini Lopez, Joey Dee and a Surfin Hootenanny!

July 1963 (side A)

Mortal Enemies?    Mozart and Salieri?     Mick and Keith, John Paul and George.     A new band is on the charts with a song they are not big fans of, signed to a contract because George Harrison was kind enough to offer them as a recommendation.    …

June 1963 (side B)

The Billboard charts for June 1963.    VeeJay is pushing "From Me To You" in the papers, and Del Shannon brings his cover into the world.    All this and more.

June 1963 (side A)

June of 1963.     The crossroads of past, present and future.    Paul McCartney turned 21, John Lennon appeared on "Juke Box Jury", and The Beatles compete with Gerry and the Pacemakers for the top of the British charts.

May 1963 (side B)

The American charts for May 1963 show almost no sign of the forthcoming British invasion.    Despite that,  new acts are popping, while stalwarts like Dion and Tony Bennett (not to mention Rick Nelson) continue their run.  

May 1963 (side A)

The Beatles continue their reign atop the British charts, while other NEMS and George Martin acts look to challenge.  This month: Billy J Kramer with two Lennon-McCartney songs starts his rise.

April 1963

April 1963!   The Beatles unveil Please Please Me, the George Martin empire starts to take hold, and the old ways start to crumble.     Will Gerry and the Pacemakers overtake the Beatles?     Will any of these guys ever make it in the States?     Sta…