SU Carrier Dome

Friday pun-day.  I read this WSJ blog today about a new class my alma mater (one shared with most of the Swankster crew), Syracuse University, is offering this semester on the fab four.  It’s not just any class however, this one is backed by some heavy hitters from The Beatles, Inc.

A new class at Syracuse University this semester offers students probably the closest thing to a history lesson from Paul or Ringo. “The Beatles” (course number RAE 400) is a dive into the band’s impact on business, technology and culture, featuring guest lecturers with first-hand knowledge of the Fab Four and their empire.

The class kicked off last week with speaker Peter Asher, whose resume includes talent scouting for Apple Records, the label launched by the Beatles in 1968. Back then, Asher brought a young James Taylor to the label and produced his debut album. His lecture touched on the strengths and weaknesses of the label as a business, but he also doled out some choice “I-was-there-when” nuggets. Example: his memory of being the first non-Beatle to hear “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” when McCartney and Lennon worked up the song in the basement room used by Asher’s mother as an oboe studio.

Pretty cool stuff.  As far as fluffy college classes go, you should have an easier time justifying this one to your parents than say, oh – beer and wine appreciation or horsebackriding (speaking from experience).  The piece continues with more insider tidbits offered in the curriculem and goes on to say everything has been approved by the principle stakeholders of the band (e.g. Yoko Ono).  Read the rest of the article here.