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When a Virtual Community Becomes a Real One

Fans of all kinds like to gather. It’s just human nature: getting together with friends to compare notes, debate, commiserate, and just generally hang out. Over the past decade or two, virtual communities of all kinds have sprouted all over the internet.

In our case, we’ve gathered a cohort of sweet-natured music nerds. This is exuberantly the case with The Fab Four Master Class, a pack of Beatle fans sherpa-ed by our pals Scott Freiman and Ken Womack.

The community gathered in the born-of-necessity COVID lockdown, but then something remarkable happened.

We’ll let Ken and Scott explain…

Q: How did the Fab Four Master Class come about?

Ken: In the dark days of the pandemic, Scott and I were trying to think of something we could do for all our fans who were stuck at home. We came up with the idea of a monthly online class about the Beatles. We got the word out through our newsletters, and we were overwhelmed with the response. We ended up teaching about forty classes over three years, covering the entire history of the Beatles through 1974 and their early solo albums.

Scott: We had thought about this as a one-way thing – Ken and I would be the instructors and people would show up to learn. What we didn’t anticipate is the way everyone got so engaged in the course. There was a running chat where people added commentary, shared stories, asked questions, and well, made fun of Ken and me.

Q: Tell us more about the community you’ve built through the FFMC.

Ken: People showed up every month just to engage with the friends they had made through the class. And Scott and I were able to interact with the students in real time, responding to comments and answering questions. Many of the suggestions that came out of the community led to specific topics and even a group trip.

Scott: That’s right. When people in the chat started suggesting that Ken and I organize a trip to London and Liverpool, Ken and I jumped at the idea. The tour sold out in about 24 hours. Ken has amazing contacts in Beatles world thanks to his many years of interviews. So, we were able to do things most people don’t get to do, like tour Abbey Road and Twickenham Studios. I even got to lead some of the musicians in our group in a jam session at the Hard Day’s Night Hotel in Liverpool with one of the Quarrymen!

So how is version 2.0 of the class different?

Ken: Scott and I have outlined a five-year curriculum that is going to be the most comprehensive Beatles course ever offered. We’re going to go deep into the Beatles history and discuss many of the people who surrounded them. Naturally, we will talk about every song the Beatles recorded and every album they produced. We’ll even be talking about some of the music that influenced the Beatles and some of the music they inspired.

Scott: That’s something I’m really excited about. We have a few classes outlined that will discuss the influence of early rock and rollers, American bands, girl groups, Motown, and more. In fact, our very first class is about the roots of rock and roll in America and England and the early musicians who inspired John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

Q: Are you doing anything different to engage with the community this time around?

Ken: The community is key to Scott and me. We have several things in mind to continue to build on this. For example, in addition to our in-class chat, we’ll devote a section of each class to a discussion topic, and we’ll bring some of our students “on stage” to participate.

Scott: We’re also looking for ways to engage with our community outside of class. We’ve launched a new section of our web site where we will post pre-class recommendations for things to read, videos to watch, and music to listen to. We’ll be adding a discussion board and a place for people to ask questions.

Ken: And, of course, we’ll be organizing a summer 2025 trip to Liverpool and London. Even better than the last one! This time, we’re adding Hamburg to the trip so we can see where the Beatles really became The Beatles.

What do the classes cost?

Scott: Classes are $10, and you can attend live or watch a recording at any time. We are also offering a subscription – $75 for a year of classes (10 classes). You can purchase tickets and subscriptions and see lots more information (including the entire five-year curriculum) at fabfourmasterclass.com.

-Al Cattabiani

Photos: Al’s shots of the group, July 2023

4 comments on “When a Virtual Community Becomes a Real One

  1. Ellen C Fagan

    This is glorious! When a vibe-y online connection turns into a memorable face-to-face encounter, something wonderful is happening. Bravissimo!

  2. Indeed, Ellen! It’s a wonderful group.

  3. Jenzi C Silverman

    I love everything about this!! My husband and I have been Beatles freaks for the vast majority of our lives (we’re GenXers so second-generation Beatles fans), and Ken and Scott and the original Fab Four Master Class series helped save our sanity during 2020-2021 for sure. They even inspired me to create and teach a short course on the Beatles’ time in India, and Indian influences in their music, which was so much fun and very well-received 🙂 Couldn’t be more thrilled about the new classes and can’t wait!

  4. Andi Rosenthal

    Great article, Al! Our class started as a Covid respite and became so much more. I am so excited to see my fellow Beatles peers in the 2.0 version.

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