Somebody should reconstruct this thing for home video. I'm sure all of the footage used is readily available in much, much improved quality now, and with video editing so easy to do on a home computer a new "remastered" version that's entirely faithful to the original would probably be just one afternoon's work...
While that would be an interesting exercise (much like the recently "available" Long and Winding Road film) the time for this has passed. Back then we were desperate for anything Beatles, but even when seeing this as a teenager when it originally played, I was sorely disappointed in the entire presentation. There are so many better things today (Anthology DVDs, 1+ BluRay, all the official films...and Let It Be re-edited on the way!) Some things are best left as a distant memory of a time that has passed. And for me, this wasn't all that good of a memory. I'm sure it took a lot of effort and cutting edge technology of the time (I remember that mass of slide projectors being controlled by a computer no less - Wow!) But the end result was underwhelming and for me disappointing.
I already have one in the garage, but I haven't used it in years...time to fire it up! No, you can't come...: )
I enjoyed seeing the presentation at the time but you're right about its time having passed. The thrill (if that's what it was) was being in a theater with a big screen and big sound system and enjoying the music. Now anyone who wants it (and likely most of us here) have the music in pristine sound and books with high quality photo reproductions (not to mention the endless availability of pics on-line.)
I worked for this touring multi-media show in 1972. I was 19 years old then. There were three of us who set up all the equipment, ran the show, packed everything back up, and loaded it back onto the truck. That truck was stuffed! We all took turns driving the 24' truck from city to city/town to town. Most of the guys who worked on the road were from Texas. The Lubbock area. I was and still am from NJ. My Texan co-workers were great guys and hard workers, we all hustled. As we traveled around we heard some interesting stories about Rock groups who preformed there recently. I never received the bonus money I was promised when there was a sell out crowd, so I gave notice that I was leaving. I stayed on until we trained a new guy from out of Lubbock. To get home I attempted to Hitch-Hike from Nashville, TN to Phoenix, AZ, were I lived for one year. Not easy Hitch-Hiking back then as a guy with hair half way down your back! I'm lucky that I'm still alive! Some of those tractor-trailer drivers need to steer straight! I had $900 cash on me then. All 50s. It was in my boot. Also not a good idea is smoking pot and Hitch-Hiking with $900 cash on you! I could not take it any more, so I caught a bus out of Albuquerque, NM. The President of this entertainment company was a great guy to. He was very busy working on many projects at the time. I was honored that he hired this goofy kid from NJ. When we were young.
I think when we went out on the road in June 1972, it was the very first show/the beginning. This entertainment company I worked for then ran another traveling multi-media show prior to" Away With Words". It was called " What Now America". That show was short lived. I know the details of why, but I still do respect all of my former co-workers and bosses to say so. Does anybody really care about old stuff like this? Charlie
I remember “What Now America?” It was sort of the various-artists version of the “Away With Words.” In fact, I still have a recording of the radio ad used to promote the show, which was billed as “the greatest multimedia experience in the history of entertainment.”
I remember that about half-way thru the show, the film had credits running on the screen for a while. A lot of movie-goers thought that this was the end of the show! People did get up to leave and I did hear a lot of grumbling.
I know the thread has drifted and trundled along for some time, but I too saw this 'thing' @ the Palais in St.Kilda in the 70s. Was so keen to soak up anything Beatle. It left no real lasting impression. I remember thinking it wasn't what I thought it was going to be. I did, however, discover my programme from it recently. Does anyone imagine it has any value?
Imagine there's no values. I wonder if you could. Just being silly! Yeah, a lot of people just would not let go of the Beatles. Especially after the breakup. But there were so many newer and not so new super groups out there. New sounds! Hard Rock! Heavy stuff! Led Zeppelin, The Who, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull to mention a few. Even if the Beatles stayed together and tried if they could, they could not compete with the newer groups forming! Even if they stayed in the recording studio exclusively. Well, try to keep your program in good condition. Protect it. I have zero knowledge of selling items.
I had a few of these back in the early seventies. My were new glossy photo's. I sent one of the photo's to a reproduction business in NYC. I paid them a small fee to enlarge the picture to where the Beatles heads would be a two foot circle shape. My idea was to make a wall poster of just the heads merged together. Just a circular shaped wall poster! No can do. It just did not look right! You really need the boarders. This picture, I think needs to be a square or a rectangle. It was an ugly picture anyway. Four deformed heads. What was the message here?
I'm sad to announce my Uncle Howard Ragland, who I believe was the main producer behind "Away With Words", passed away yesterday of a heart attack. Thanks for this thread everyone, it's cool that my uncle took part in Beatles history (as small as it may be!)
Very sorry to hear this. But as you say, it’s nice that his production is a small part of Beatles history. It’s also a big part of thousands of Beatles fans’ personal history, too.
I'm sorry to hear now that your uncle Howard has passed away. I met him a few times back in the day. He certainly was a strong person and we all could learn a lot from him.
It's AWAY With Words. I think it's meant to be a pun. As in: "Let's do away with words and show pictures and music", but also works as "A WAY with words".
