Bruce Spizer

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Bruce Spizer
BornDavid Spizer
(1955-07-02) July 2, 1955 (age 69)
New Orleans, Louisiana
OccupationTax attorney, music historian
NationalityAmerican
EducationB.A., M.B.A., J.D.
Alma mater Tulane University
Period1998–present
Genre Discography
Subject The Beatles
Notable awardsYoung Family Award for Professional Excellence [1]
Website
www.beatle.net

David "Bruce" Spizer (born July 2, 1955) is an American tax attorney in New Orleans, Louisiana, who is also recognized as an expert on the Beatles. [2] [3] He has published thirteen books about the band, and is frequently quoted as an authority on their history and their recordings.

Contents

Biography

Spizer was born and raised in New Orleans. He attended Isidore Newman School and then received B.A., M.B.A., and J.D. degrees from Tulane University, [4] where he was a member of honorary societies Phi Beta Kappa and the Order of the Coif. While pursuing his legal career, he also managed the Cold, a popular new wave band in New Orleans. [5]

In 1997, Spizer earned a large legal fee from the settlement of a class action lawsuit, and decided to use some of the money to replace his childhood collection of Beatles LPs (which had been damaged by cockroaches) with a new set of first edition albums. Drawn into the world of Beatles collectors, he ended up writing and self-publishing The Beatles Records on Vee-Jay, about the relationship between EMI, the Beatles' U.K. record label, and Vee-Jay Records, the U.S. label that released the band's first records in the U.S. [5] As of 2020, Spizer has written and published twelve books about the Beatles. [2] [4] [5] A reviewer for The New York Times described his books as containing "a wealth of detail about the Beatles' American recordings and their first visit to the United States, touching on everything from contracts and lawsuits to promotional materials, all richly illustrated." [2] A New York Daily News article called his The Beatles' Story on Capitol Records "a Beatle collector's fantasy by a fanatic Beatles collector and historian." [6]

The books about the Capitol releases were issued into two separate volumes: Part One, Beatlemania & The Singles and Part Two, The Albums, both issued in 2000. These were followed by The Beatles On Apple Records (2003), which told about the record releases on the group's own Apple label. The following book was The Beatles Are Coming!, released in January 2004 which was issued to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the group's arrival in America. Spizer's next book was the 2005 release, The Beatles Solo on Apple Records, which gave a complete documentation about the solo recordings of John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney that were released between 1968 and 1975. His sixth book in the series was The Beatles Swan Song: "She Loves You" & Other Records, a 2007 publication that told about the American-released Beatles records that were issued on the Swan, United Artists, Decca, MGM, Atco and Polydor labels. It also features information about the Beatles albums and singles released by Capitol in the 1970s and 1980s. In 2011, Spizer released Beatles For Sale On Parlophone, which documented Beatles discs released in the U.K. from 1962 through 1970, including the Parlophone EPs, which, according to Spizer, "up until now haven't been accurately documented in any book." [7] In 2017, he also published The Beatles and 'Sgt. Pepper': A Fans' Perspective which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the release of this ground-breaking album. [8]

Spizer has served as a consultant to EMI and Apple Records for their CD re-releases of the American configurations of the Beatles catalog. [2] He wrote the text for the companion booklet for the 2006 box set The Capitol Albums, Volume 2 , [9] and for the "catalography" that accompanies the 2009 "Box of Vision" release. [10] In 2015, he contributed to the re-release of 1 , by providing scans of international picture sleeves of some singles for the booklet. He was also chosen to write 2,592 questions for a special Beatles edition of the Trivial Pursuit board game. [5]

Spizer has appeared on television programs such as CBS's The Early Show , [11] Fox News, and Good Morning America , [5] and on the National Public Radio news program All Things Considered . [12] [13] [14] He has been cited as a Beatles authority in print publications such as Rolling Stone , [15] The Guardian , [16] The New York Times , [17] and Time . [18]

Books

Other works

(2007) Published The Beatles Price Guide For American Records 6th Edition (By Perry Cox and Frank Daniels. Foreword by Bruce Spizer) Pub. 498 Productions ISBN   978-0-9662649-6-8

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beatles</span> English rock band (1960–1970)

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and the recognition of popular music as an art form. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock 'n' roll, their sound incorporated elements of classical music and traditional pop in innovative ways. The band also explored music styles ranging from folk and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock. As pioneers in recording, songwriting and artistic presentation, the Beatles revolutionized many aspects of the music industry and were often publicized as leaders of the era's youth and sociocultural movements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beatles discography</span>

Worldwide, the British rock band the Beatles released 12 studio albums, 5 live albums, 51 compilation albums, 36 extended plays (EPs), 63 singles, 17 box sets, 22 video albums and 53 music videos. In their native United Kingdom, during their active existence as a band, they released 12 studio albums, 1 compilation album, 13 EPs, and 22 singles. The early albums and singles released from 1962 to March 1968 were originally on Parlophone, and their albums and singles from August 1968 to 1970 were on their subsidiary label Apple. Their output also includes vault items, remixed mash-ups and anniversary box-sets.

<i>Four by the Beatles</i> 1964 EP by the Beatles

Four by the Beatles is an EP of music by English rock band the Beatles. Released on 11 May 1964, it is the second of three Beatles EPs released in the United States and the first of two by Capitol Records. The EP features four songs that had previously been heavily imported into the US as Canadian singles. It managed to peak at No. 92 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark Horse Records</span> British record label

Dark Horse Records is a record label founded by former Beatle George Harrison in 1974. The label's formation coincided with the winding down of the Beatles' Apple Records and allowed Harrison to continue supporting other artists' projects while maintaining his solo career. The initial signings were Indian musician Ravi Shankar and Splinter, the latter of whom provided the label with its only significant commercial success until Harrison himself signed with Dark Horse in 1976. The label was distributed internationally by A&M Records for the first two years of its operation. Following a highly publicised split with A&M, Harrison and Dark Horse formed a long-term partnership with Warner Bros. Records that lasted until the expiration of his contract in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">From Me to You</span> 1963 single by the Beatles

"From Me to You" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released in April 1963 as their third single. It was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The song was the Beatles' first number 1 hit on what became the official UK singles chart but the second, after "Please Please Me", on most of the other singles charts published in the UK at the time. "From Me to You" failed to make an impact in the United States at the time of its initial release. Instead, a 1963 cover version released by Del Shannon resulted in the song's becoming the first Lennon–McCartney track to enter the US pop charts. The Beatles' original was re-released in the US in January 1964 as the B-side to "Please Please Me", and reached number 41.

<i>Meet the Beatles!</i> 1964 studio album by the Beatles

Meet the Beatles! is a studio album by the English rock band the Beatles, released as their second album in the United States. It was the group's first American album to be issued by Capitol Records, on 20 January 1964 in both mono and stereo formats. It topped the popular album chart on 15 February 1964 and remained at number one for eleven weeks before being replaced by The Beatles' Second Album. The cover featured Robert Freeman's iconic portrait of the Beatles used in the United Kingdom for With the Beatles, with a blue tint added to the original stark black-and-white photograph.

<i>Introducing... The Beatles</i> 1964 studio album by the Beatles

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<i>4 by the Beatles</i> 1965 EP by the Beatles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Please Please Me (song)</span> 1963 song by the Beatles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Act Naturally</span> 1963 single by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos

"Act Naturally" is a song written by Johnny Russell, with a writing credit given to Voni Morrison and publishing rights transferred to Buck Owens. It was originally recorded by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, whose version reached number one on the Billboard Country Singles chart in 1963, his first chart-topper. In 2002, Shelly Fabian of About.com ranked the song number 169 on her list of the Top 500 Country Music Songs.

<i>The Family Way</i> (soundtrack) 1967 soundtrack album by the George Martin Orchestra

The Family Way is a soundtrack album composed by Paul McCartney, produced and arranged by George Martin, and credited to "the George Martin Orchestra". Released on Decca Records in January 1967 under the full title The Family Way , it is the soundtrack to the 1966 film The Family Way, directed by Roy Boulting and starring Hayley Mills. It consists of Martin's arrangements of music composed by Paul McCartney of the Beatles especially for the project. The record was preceded by a non-album single, again credited to the George Martin Orchestra, issued on 23 December 1966 by United Artists Records and comprising "Love in the Open Air" backed with "Theme from 'The Family Way'".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Me Roll It</span> 1974 single by Paul McCartney and Wings

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<i>Love Songs</i> (Beatles album) 1977 compilation album by the Beatles

Love Songs is a compilation album that comprises love songs recorded by the Beatles between 1962 and 1970. It was released by Capitol Records in the United States on 21 October 1977 and on Parlophone in the United Kingdom on 19 November 1977. The compilation peaked at #24 in Billboard's Top LPs & Tape chart during a 31-week stay that began on 12 November 1977. The RIAA certified the album with sales of three million units in 2000 even though the compilation was deleted in the late 1980s. The New Zealand release followed the US release with cat. no. and pressing plates, and was released on 2 different EMI labels.

<i>Yesterday and Today</i> 1966 American studio album by the Beatles

Yesterday and Today is a studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. Released in the United States and Canada in June 1966, it was their ninth album issued on Capitol Records and twelfth American release overall. Typical of the Beatles' North American discography until 1967, the album contains songs that Capitol had withheld from its configurations of the band's recent EMI albums, along with songs that the group had released elsewhere on non-album singles. Among its 11 tracks are songs from the EMI albums Help! and Rubber Soul, and three new 1966 recordings that would appear on Revolver in countries outside North America.

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Perry Duane Cox is a pop & rock memorabilia expert and author specializing in the Beatles and the Beach Boys. He is best known for his price and reference guide books on The Beatles and The Beach Boys records and collectibles which have become the standard resource in the collector world. Mr. Cox is highly regarded by his fellow authors and collectors and is recognized as a leading expert in the area of counterfeit identification as well.

References

  1. ↑ "JEF to hold 2010 Young Family Lecture and Award Presentation". Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. Archived from the original on April 5, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Allan Kozinn, "A Book Publisher, Beatlemaniacs? Why Don't You Do It on Your Own?", The New York Times, December 26, 2006.
  3. ↑ Beatlemania – in 5 volumes, Deseret News , February 6, 2004 (pay site)("Spizer is what you'd call an expert in the subject").
  4. 1 2 The Beatles in America (Spizer's official website).
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Doug McCash, "New Orleans lawyer creates the questions for a new Beatles Trivial Pursuit game" Archived June 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine , Times-Picayune , August 10, 2009, reprinted as Who's tops in Beatles trivia? Bruce Spizer, Associated Press at USA Today , August 17, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Officially on the Web – Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" [ dead link ], New York Daily News , November 13, 2000.
  7. ↑ "Exclusive Details: New book documents Beatles on Parlophone". BeatlesNews.com. February 24, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
  8. ↑ Kit O'Toole (June 14, 2017). "The Beatles and 'Sgt. Pepper': A Fans' Perspective, by Bruce Spizer (2017): Books". SomethingElseReviews.com.
  9. ↑ Angus Lind, "He loves them, yeah, yeah, yeah: New compilation CD is another milestone for Beatlemaniac Bruce Spizer", Times-Picayune , April 12, 2006.
  10. ↑ Edna Gunderson, "Art in 'Beatles Box of Vision' is 'married to the music'", USA Today , September 8, 2009.
  11. ↑ Tatiana Morales, "'The Beatles Are Coming!': New Book With Over 450 Images Of The Fab Four And More", CBSNews.com, February 5, 2004.
  12. ↑ 'The White Album' 40 Years Later, audio interview with Spizer on All Things Considered (November 24, 2008).
  13. ↑ The Beatles in America audio interview with Spizer on All Things Considered (April 13, 2006).
  14. ↑ "The Lost Beatles Tapes, audio interview with Spizer on All Things Considered (March 14, 2003).
  15. ↑ "Apple: Beatles Tape "Bollocks" [ dead link ], Rolling Stone , December 17, 2003.
  16. ↑ David Fickling, "Psst! Wanna buy Abbey Road?", The Guardian , February 21, 2003.
  17. ↑ Bruce Weber, "Alan Livingston, at 91; helped to reshape American pop culture with Beatles, Bozo", The New York Times reprinted at boston.com, March 22, 2009.
  18. ↑ "That Old Feeling: Meet the Beatles", Time , February 7, 2004.
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