John, Paul, Tom & Ringo - The Tomorrow Show With Tom Snyder

Late night chat with the Fab Three

Earlier DVD packagings of The Tomorrow Show (a late night US TV chat show) focused on guests associated with the 60s counter-culture and 70s punk era. The latest set has a Beatles theme, featuring interviews with three of the former Fabs.

Host Tom Snyder’s 1975 interview with John Lennon has appeared in excerpt form in many documentaries – understandably, as Lennon is in a thoughtful, reflective mood, a refreshing presentation in stark contrast to today’s shows, which seem to focus on quick grabs for a catchy soundbite. The interview was rebroadcast in full on the 9 December 1980 show (featured here), which also has interviews with journalist and Lennon friend Lisa Robinson and Double Fantasy co-producer Jack Douglas.

The interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr aren’t as well known, which makes them more interesting. McCartney’s, taped before Wings’ 5 December 1979 show at London’s Rainbow, also features Linda, Denny Laine, and Laurence Juber, who aren’t always successful in masking their disinterest in the proceedings. Starr’s interview is the shortest (just part of a programme), with the questions focusing more on his marriage and lifestyle than his music. Nonetheless, all interviews offer a more human look at their subjects than one usually gets in celebrity profiles.

Shout! Factory | SF 10129

Reviewed by Gillian G Gaar
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