Behind the Scenes with The Fab Four

Lisa Condit spoke with Ron Mcneil of “The Fab Four: The Ultimate Tribute,” coming to The Hanover Theatre on Saturday, September 23. Read on for highlights from the August 26 WCRN interview, or listen to the full interview below.

Lisa: There are just a ton of Beatles fans here in central New England. I have to say I’m one of them. Have you been a fan a long time?

Ron: I kind of grew up listening to my older sister’s records. I borrowed them and never gave them back. I never thought I could have a job being one of the Beatles, because the Beatles were the Beatles. When I was a young kid, my father took me to a show called “Beatlemania,” and I thought, “Oh, this is kind of cool. Those guys aren’t the Beatles, but they are the Beatles.” And I was already learning all the parts just for my own amusement, but here I am years later performing as John Lennon.

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Lisa: The Hanover Theatre also has a conservatory, and you mention that you learned the Beatles music as you were learning music. I think that’s a really great way to become familiar with all sorts of different rhythms and chords and melodies. I remember both my brothers going through the same song books. So, there have got to be some favorites in there.

Ron: They really are all great. They broke so much ground.

The Fab Four: The Ultimate TributeLisa: And I’ve heard that watching The Fab Four is like watching the real thing. And you have toured all over the world.

Ron: We’re looking forward to going to Worcester. We have been all over, even to places that don’t speak the language, but the music has touched everyone, everywhere we go.

Lisa: What do you think makes it “The Ultimate Tribute”?

Ron: A lot of attention to detail. Ardy, for example, who plays left-handed Paul McCartney, is a right-handed player. So, he decided for the show to play left-handed. We try to appeal to the hard-core, the people who really know. Someone told me, well John Lennon doesn’t pick the guitar like that. So I had to wrap my fingers to make sure I got comfortable playing the guitar in a closed position.

What is your favorite Beatles song?