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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I, Paul, haven’t listened to the Rubber Soul boxset yet. Thought I better dress for the occasion.

A blond haired man with glasses in a corduroy jacket and black rollneck top, stood in front of a massive load of ivy.

Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Mendips has been put back together, as it were, after the current round of filming for the Beatles Biopics. Looking lovely with the Blue Suburban Sky.

Photograph from outside of Mendips, John Lennon’s home with Aunt Mimi. Blue sky, a touch of cloud. Trees surrounding the framing of the photo.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I met someone yesterday who was at the Beatles show (technically the Joe Brown show) in Cambridge Hall, Southport on 26th July 1962. A fascinating time for the band as they stood on the cusp of an important change and the proper start of their recording career!

Poster advertising a show at Cambridge Hall, Lord Street Soutport. In big blocky letters at the top we see it's the Joe Brown show with his 'bruvvers' co-starring The Beatles. Then follows the remaining line-up and times/ticket prices. It's described as Southports BIG Event.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

PLEASE BE UPSTANDING… to give Big Sort head honcho @garryabbott.bsky.social a huge round of birthday applause and then an increasingly dangerous amount of the bumps on this special day! Harold Bathday, Garry! Beatles please!

A boy in a tracksuit top sat at a corner kitchen bench playing a Yamaha PSS480 keyboard.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

It’s our SIXTH birthday-day! Thanks to everyone who has listened and especially those who’ve stuck with us!

Screen grab showing episode one of Big Beatles Sort Out inside a podcast player.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Sixty years since the Beatles concluded their touring days with their show at Candlestick Park. Here’s the brief snippet of news about it in the following day’s New York Times

Beatles' Closing Concert On Coast Attracts 25,000
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 30 (AP)-The Beatles closed another successful tour of the United States last night with a performance in Candlestick Park before about 25,000 hysterical fans.
Ringo Starr, the drummer, said the group had experienced no hostile crowd reaction on the tour to John Lennon's quoted remarks about Jesus.
Mr. Starr said the group had no plans for retirement, and would continue to perform as long as they were in demand.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

A little walk through of our new Merch shop at BBSO.redbubble.com from our mini episode out today! if you would like to support the pod why not take a look and get a little something? Ta! #Beatles #podcast #merch #60s

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

But seriously, National Dog Day Folks, here's the last of the family dogs in a photo from 2015. This is Ben. He was a beautiful boy, a beautiful soul and daft as a brush. We miss him. x

A blank dog with a white bib and snout is pictured wearing a fez, a top hat, a bowler and a milkman's hat. He tolerates this silliness.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

We have a new shop where you can get Paul's excellent podcast logo designs on all sorts of cool merch, as demonstrated in these photos by our glamorous model... AND its currently up to 40% discount! Find it here and why not support the pod by getting a little something? BBSO.redbubble.com

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Here it is as it is these days, back last September when we made our Hamburg pilgrimage! A fascinating trip.

Outside of the Indra Club in Hamburg. It’s red with black and gold gates.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

They're Beatle obsessed at @liverpooluni.bsky.social! (Science story at the following, if you're interested: news.liverpool.ac.uk/2026/08/05/n...)

To support this work, researchers have developed innovative air-bearing vehicles known as a “BEATLE” – (Bearing-free Experiment for an Autonomous Testbed in a Low-gravity Environment).

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Part of our Big Sort Summer Duties™️ - here’s Paul (L), Garry (R) and our dad belting a few Sixties classics to the crowd at our uncle’s garden party festival. (Paul channeling his inner Mary Hopkin for the finale).

A small stage set up in a garden. Paul and Garry from Big Sort podcast are playing guitars and singing, with their Dad in the centre on bass.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

And here's how it looked in that day's edition of the Liverpool Echo (Saturday, 3rd August 1963) - in the classified section of the paper in the column for 'JAZZ'

Clipping from the Classified Adverts Page of 3rd August 1963 issue of Liverpool Echo, saying Calling All Beatle People, They're Back Home At The Famous Launching Pad of Merseyside's great Beat Music talent THE CAVERN

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Morning! It's time to tackle late summer '63 with four tunes from the top of the Billboard Charts. Strolling with your Fingertips, whilst your Boyfriend perpetuates violence whilst dressed in Blue Velvet? Something like that anyway! Find it in the usual #podcast places! plinkhq.com/i/1531129636...

Big sixties sort out episode 18 graphic showing Bobby Vinton, The Angels, Little Stevie Wonder and The Tymes.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Given how often we mention how hot we are, our new episode probably won't offer much relief from the heat, but it might just distract you for a little while. Surf's up! Don't be a hodad - start shooting the curl!

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Well, I am in hog’s heaven with this collection. Wow.

Three volume book set George Martin The Scores. It comes in a green slip case with a reproduction signature on the front.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Has he ever downloaded a picture of a horse called Jim Key from a newspaper archive? I DOUBT IT.

Jim Key. A horse shown essentially in shadow spelling the name Jim on a blackboard from an old newspaper article which says, "Jim Key needs no panegryic here. The merits of the attraction are well known."

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

From the Liverpool Echo, 22nd June 1962 - we find out about The Hurricanes' upcoming summer season at Butlins. It'd turn out to be the final one for their drummer, one Ringo Starr... within a couple of months another group had come calling.

For the third consecutive year, the Liverpool rhythm group known as The Hurricans have been booked for a summer season at a holiday camp in Skegness... Ringo Starr (21)... they got together for the first time five years ago.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Well, no theremin and frankly I did this because I think the heat has got to me (hence the glasses and dancing) but here are my additions to G's video, flubs and all. (P)

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Hey, this Saturday (7th January 1961) I hear there’s a great new band playing - all the way from Hamburg?! #globalbeatlesday

Advert in Ormskirk Advertiser for a show at the Aintree Institute with THE BEATLES FROM HAMBURG on the bill, January 1961

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Who’s going out this coming Monday, 13th March 1961? Let’s get together and watch THOSE BOPPING BEATLES!! I hear Rory Storm’s drummer is worth keeping an eye on as well. #globalbeatlesday

From the Liverpool Echo 11 March 1961: MONDAY NIGHT IS BEAT NiGHT -
"LIVERPOOL" JAZZ SOCIETY"
13 TEMPLE ST
"THE OLD IRON DOOR "
GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS!!
THOSE BOPPING BEATLES !!
RORY STORM AND THE HURRICANES !!
MEMBERS 3/5
VISITORS 4/6

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Alright then! You asked for it! 12 string version with singing! I now challenge you to do a version on your Theremin!

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

It’s #GlobalBeatlesDay and to celebrate here are some hovering boys from Billboard on 4th January 1964 - the start of their total domination of the music culture of the time!

Billboard press advert John and George are cut out and hovering above the words MEET THE and copy underneath explains how Britain’s Beatlemania has spread to America

Billboard press ad. Paul and Ringo are jumping above the words BEATLES! and an advert for their first capitol album and single.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

We chatted about the Rooftop Singers 'Walk Right In' in this weeks Big #60s Sort Out #Podcast and I commented on how I'd probably mess up the timing of the guitar part, but I reckon I've done ok? (Paul might disagree).

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Morning all! It's a brand new year. It's 1963. What are we going to find in the last pre-Beatles charts in the USA? This week, Steve Lawrence, The Rooftop Singers, Paul and Paula and The Four Seasons croon, strum, swoon and stomp their way to the number one spots. plinkhq.com/i/1531129636...

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Paul suprising me with my own Album a couple of eps ago! Bless him. (G)

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Popping to the shops and finally seeing Mega Dangling Macca™️

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

The subject of that edition of This Is Your Life was comedian Ted Ray (you might have worked out from the advert!) It was only the third edition of the BBC television show and was broadcast from the Television Theatre, so why had Harry Wardle recorded his piano part up in Kensington in Liverpool?

Black and White photo of Eamonn Andrews, with his red book, hosting This is Your Life. Subject Ted Ray sits to his left, whilst two guests stand and discuss memories.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

I had to pop out to Kensington today (blood tests, what fun), so I used the excuse to visit 38 Kensington - which it turns out is about 5 minutes from my office - the home of Percy Phillips' recording studio. I did, of course listen to the Quarrymen/Beatles recordings whilst taking the pics.

From the Liverpool Echo of 27 October 1955. Last Sunday on TV This Is Your Life - the piano introduction played by Harry Wardle was recorded at Phillips Gramophone Recording Studio, 38 Kensington.

38 Kensington, Liverpool, on 9 June 2026. Photograph from the front of a red brick terrace house, with lower bay window and blue plaque.

38 Kensington, Liverpool, on 9 June 2026. Photograph from the side of a red brick terrace house, with lower bay window and blue plaque.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

In reference to a comment on this week’s episode… how many commercially released Minidiscs did you ever buy?

Paul from Big Sort holding the packages of three commercial classical minidiscs from Naxos

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

What makes Big Beatles (and Sixties) Sort Out a pretty unique podcast? It's because we're brothers as well as buddies. If you're listening to Big Sort you're making the people in this photo happy!

Paul and Garry Abbott, hosts of Big Sort, in about 1982, sat on a classic brown and orange stripy seventies couch in front of some classic brown stripy seventies curtains.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Hello! We forgot to do our usual review of the contemporary US number 1 at the end of this weeks Big #60s Sort Out #podcast, so here we are, Bumpkin style. Enjoy!

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

LIVERPOOL PEOPLE - if you're looking for an indie record shop to buy Macca's Boys of Dungeon Lane tomorrow (on indie-only pink vinyl), we heartily recommend DEFEND VINYL on Smithdown Road!

the LP The boys of Dungeon Lane being held up outside Defend Vinyl record store on Smithdown Road, Liverpool.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Put sunscreen on, drink plenty of water, don’t stay out too long in the novelty Big Temperature Numbers, reverse climate change, destroy billionaires, invest in green energy.

The blazing sun above Wavertree, Liverpool

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Here's our almost live 'reaction' vid to @rablackart.bsky.social awesome Ork illustrations...! Aren't they adorable! (For Orks). Thanks! (G)

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

For context here's where the phrases came from. Billboard magazine, 17th March 1962

The Shirelles. Soldier Boy. The girls sing about their Solider Boy on the medium tempo ballads supported by a warm ork backing. Flip is a bright rocker... over a swinging ork riff.

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Big Beatles & Sixties Sort Out Podcast @bigsort.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Just two brothers in 2026, talking about a song that was a US Number 1 in 1962, written by guys born in the 1800s! Music spans the ages. (Refers to Connie Francis hit 'Don't Break the Heart That Loves You' #podcasting #conniefrancis #60s #music

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