Sunday, May 29, 2011

My Beatles Book is Done!


You can now order it on Lulu.com and soon Amazon. Here's the press release:

Mark Arnold Picks On The Beatles is a song-by-song review by Comic Book and Animation Historian Mark Arnold of literally every song The Beatles ever recorded, both group and solo, released and unreleased.

The book features previously unpublished artwork by Bill Morrison (The Simpsons), who also drew the front cover, Jack Kirby (in a drawing presented by Kirby to Paul McCartney back in the 1970s), Patrick Owsley (Classic Media licensee artist) and many, many others.

The full list of writer’s and artist’s names include: Mark Arnold, Jack Kirby, Bill Morrison, Patrick Owsley, Greg Beda, Jerry Beck, Frankie Addiego, Dane Andrew, Armando Betancourt, Gary Bingaman, Lee Hester, Paul Maringelli, Shelley Pleger, Jeff Plotkin and Eytan Wronker.

Complementing each chapter is a survey of Harvey-related feature films, animated series, comic book indexes and reviews, and interviews and tributes to various Harvey artists, writers and creators. Lavishly presented with numerous illustrations.

Author Mark Arnold lives in Saratoga, California. He has four other books to his credit including The Best of The Harveyville Fun Times!, Created and Produced by Total TeleVision: The Story of Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo and the Rest and If You’re Cracked, You’re Happy: The Cracked Mazagine Story and assisted Craig Yoe with his book Archie: A Celebration of America’s Favorite Teenagers. He has had numerous articles published in Back Issue, Hogan’s Alley, Comic Book Marketplace, Alter Ego, The Comics Journal, and The Harveyville Fun Times! which he also edited and published.

His traveling original art show From Richie Rich to Wendy the Witch: The Art of Harvey Comics appeared in four cities from 2008-2010 including San Francisco, New York, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.

Arnold is currently working on a book about Walt Disney Productions and with Shout Factory on DVD releases for Casper, Underdog and Tennessee Tuxedo.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Last Call for Beatles Artwork


It's the last call for Beatles artwork for my book called "Mark Arnold Picks on The Beatles". Anyone who submits artwork that is used in the book will receive a free copy of the book when it is published.

It looks like I will be publishing it in March, so you have until the end of February to get something to me. Please send it via www.yousendit.com because I expect them to be large files.

I am looking for early Beatles and post-breakup Beatles because I have quite a few Sgt. Pepper/Yellow Sub era Beatles. I won't reject you if you do one from that era, however...

Cover is by Bill Morrison ("Simpsons Comics").

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Zoo Gang by Paul McCartney – ***

First released: 1974

For some reason this Wings song didn’t get released as the b-side of "Band on the Run" in the US as it had in the UK. It apparently is a theme song for some show that I’ve never seen, but it’s not a bad little instrumental. When my parents went to Europe in 1984, I asked my mom to pick up the 45 just for this song. When CDs came into vogue, McCartney remembered this and it ended up being included as a bonus track on the "Venus and Mars" CD.

When Paul reissued "Band on the Run" again in 2010, this was added on the deluxe edition.

Zindy Lou by Ringo Starr – (NR)

First released: 1976

Zindy Lou was a track from The Manhattan Transfer album called "Coming Out" in which Ringo played drums.

Zig Zag by George Harrison – ***

First released: 1986

Originally from "Shanghai Surprise" feature film where we actually see George perform it. He later stuck it on the b-side of "When We Was Fab". Finally, it was released on the 2004 CD reissue of "Cloud Nine". A nice jaunty sort of tune that really highlights George’s instrumental capabilities as the lyrics consist of “Zig Zag…oh, Zig Zag, etc.”

Yvonne by Paul McCartney – ***

Unreleased.

Harmless song by Paul dating from 1985 that didn't make the final cut for "Press to Play". Co-writer Eric Stewart went on to release a version of it on the 1995 10CC album "Mirror Mirror". There it was retitled "Yvonne's the One".

Your Way by Paul McCartney – *

First released: 2001

Too many dull tracks like this bog down Paul's "Driving Rain". He was too much in the ether of his marriage to Heather Mills.