As ‘Magical Mystery Talk’ co-host Mark Devlin says in his opening intro to this latest episode of the podcast series, there’s a whole load to talk about.

Indeed there was.

Welcome to episode nine - number nine, number nine, number nine… - of Magical Mystery Talk, and of all the events and happenings of a Beatles-related nature that occurred in 2023 and that’s talked about and analysed from an occult/conspiratorial angle in this instalment, the most momentous is (you most probably won’t be surprised to hear) the release of ‘Now and Then,’ the so-called new and “last ever Beatles song” that was assisted into existence by AI, controversially piecing together the long-deceased John Lennon and George Harrison onto what one might perceive to be a virtual reunion. Desiree and I focus in on many of the aspects surrounding the creation and the release of this song whether it be the controversy that greeted its arrival thanks to its reliance on the use of artificial intelligence, or the occult elements that, quite possibly, are also attached to it, including the artwork for the cover of the physical release of the song.

In this episode of Magical Mystery Talk that Mark - with the exception of his opening intro - has stepped back from, thanks to his very busy schedule at the time of recording it, Desiree and I also talk about a number of new books that have been released since the last time we spoke in January 2023, including ‘Dead Groovy,’ which takes a look at the life, career and suicide - or was it murder - of David Jacobs who, during the 1960s, was lawyer for The Beatles and the band’s manager Brian Epstein, who was also his friend. Also published was ‘Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans,’ a biography about one of the group’s most trusted inner circle. He was their roadie, their gofer, their constant welcome presence, and a productive asset in some of the sounds that were written and also created in the recording-studio by one or more of the Beatles and/or their artists on their ‘Apple’ label. He too, same as Jacobs, met a suspicious end to his life, dying violently from police gunfire, four years before John Lennon was shot, and his death too is mentioned by me and Desiree given that yet another book out in 2023 is ‘Mind Games: The Assassination of John Lennon,’ authored by TV producer and researcher, David Whelan. As you might be aware, I posted up an interview with him some weeks prior to the release of this ninth episode of Magical Mystery Talk, and it’s available here.

Elsewhere, Paul McCartney’s daughter, Stella, has been flying the flag for so-called ‘climate change’ - yet again, as has her friend Phoebe Gates, daughter of Bill Gates - yes, you read that right(!). George Harrison’s son, Dhani, released an album in 2023 featuring lyrics of a Magical Mystery Talk flavour, it would appear, and towards the end of the year there was the passing of musician and singer/songwriter, Denny Laine, former member of the band Wings. All this is discussed plus a lot, lot more. There truly, really was much to talk about, and weaving in and out of a large chunk of it is P.i.D. - which Ringo has had something to say about in 2023!

· This episode of Magical Mystery Talk was recorded on December 18th 2023