Update: (But not on what you were expecting).

So, everyone in Beatledom is rightfully obsessing over Peter Jackson’s “Get Back,” the first part of which was released on Thanksgiving. I have added nothing to the discussion for the very simple reason that I haven’t had a chance to watch a minute of “Get Back.” I’m currently swamped in conferences and paper grading, and don’t want to divert my attention too far. (Plus, I get offering it on Thanksgiving, trying to catch the non-football watching couch potatoes. But show me any mom with toddlers (and older kids) hosting, cooking, cleaning, and refereeing a multi-family Thanksgiving holiday, and I will show you a woman who barely has time to take out the trash, let alone sit and watch a new documentary. Although, given the reviews I’ve read, at least, unlike the old “Get Back,” the new one seemingly offers more optimism than the Detroit Lions game that was on in the background).

Having not seen any of it, my only methodological assessment is this: It’s another person’s interpretation of primary source material. That’s neither good, nor bad, it’s just the reality of the source analysis, the same way Michael Lyndsay Hogg’s was an interpretation, and Sulpy and Schweghardt’s Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image offered a differing interpretation. The major issue lies with our inability to directly contrast *any* of the interpretations (Hogg’s, Jackson’s, Sulpy’s) with the actual primary source material — *all* the audio and video tapes they utilized to create their interpretations. What we are getting is essentially their translation. And as a translation, it qualifies as a secondary source.

So, now for the update:

I am excited to post the first part of a video interview I did a few week’s ago with Matt Williamson, from Pop Goes the 60’s. (I had to do it in my 10 year old son’s bedroom, since it’s the only one that has A. a desk and B. a door lock to keep the toddlers out, hence the Travis Kelce pennant on the wall. Yes, I’m a Chief fan, but I don’t have Chiefs posters/pennants on my bedroom wall. I’m *forty*, not fourteen). We did discuss a bit of “Get Back” — much of the same stuff I wrote above — and other Beatles/historiographical issues as well. For those interested in the link, here it is:

Questions and Comments are welcome, but please grant me a grace period on responding: I’m presenting at an international conference tomorrow, at the University of Columbia in Bogota, via zoom, and then fully expect to be buried, once again, under Finals and research papers.