John Katsilometes and fellow Beatles fanatic and Fab Four radio host Dennis Mitchell applaud today’s release of CD ‘Love’

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006 | 7:16 a.m.

There are two schools of thought at work as the Beatles' "Love" CD is released this morning.

One is that the Beatles' music should never be manipulated and to do so is sacrilege, even with the blessing of the surviving band members.

The other is, where can I get my hands on this music and let me be for a few hours while I blow out my surround sound.

Although the much-anticipated Beatles stew is available in stores today, my friend and fellow Beatles nut Dennis Mitchell has been listening to it for several days (he dowloaded an MP3 version from a news group on Thursday, and that's the type of behavior that makes him a genius).

"This is easily the biggest release since (the greatest-hits collection) '1' came out," Mitchell, host of KKLZ 96.3-FM's "Breakfast With the Beatles," which airs at 8 a.m. Sundays, said Monday afternoon. "It's the Beatles through the 2006 lens and it could be way bigger than we thought, but I have wondered about the backlash. I've wondered how I'd feel about it if I wasn't so attached to the Beatles and what I do."

Mitchell says he has been wowed by the slice-and-dice work of Sir George Martin and his son, Giles Martin, who took the whole of the Beatles' recorded history and blended songs and snippets into 80 minutes of seamless music. The purpose of the CD is to serve as the soundtrack to the show "Love" at the Mirage.

Mitchell debuted advanced tracks on his show two weeks ago and awaited response. About 30 e-mails came his way.

"I've had no negative responses," he said. "Some people have had problems with individual songs - a couple people didn't like 'Lady Madonna' and 'Strawberry Fields' - but it's been positive other than that. The best description I've heard is that it's a painting of all the songs and we get to look at that painting in a new way. I'm delightfully surprised, to be honest."

NoteMart

Flamingo Las Vegas President Don Marrandino has an unshakable confidence in Toni Braxton. On Monday morning Marrandino reaffirmed that confidence by announcing that Braxton's contract with the hotel has been extended through August, giving her at least a one-year commitment (she debuted in August) at the Flamingo Showroom ...

Las Vegas radio station KDWN 720-AM is again moving the weekly interview show hosted he city's foremost triple-monikered media personality and PR man, Ira David Sternberg. Beginning this week Sternberg's "Lunchtime With Ira, Live From the Las Vegas Hilton" will air at 9 p.m. each Thursday, two hours earlier than its former 11 p.m. time slot. In September the program moved from its noon Monday time slot (it is still taped live at that time, at the Shimmer Cabaret) to 11 p.m., taking advantage of KDWN's strong 50,000-watt signal. At night KDWN reaches listeners in 10 Western states, along with Mexico and British Columbia. The latest move is to reach those listeners while they are still awake ...

Soon you can travel on Allegiant airlines like you own it. Allegiant Travel Co. (promoted by well-traveled publicist Tyri Squyres) announced Monday it has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission as the first step in offering shares of the company for public trade ...

Tom Dane (the Danny Gans of Denmark) made his Vegas debut at the Suncoast last week. On Saturday night Dane, an accomplished artist and art collector, took in an Olivia Newton-John performance at the Luxor. Backstage after the concert Dane met Newton-John and artist/actress Jane Seymour, who invited Dane to her private show at the Stirling Club on Sunday. The two discussed hosting a show together in Denmark, and Dane purchased one of Seymour's paintings for $2,300 and said he plans to hang it "next to my Picasso in my kitchen." (watch for flailing elbows there) ...

Rolling Stone magazine has again interviewed Killers frontman Brandon Flowers. The latest issue of the magazine features a Q&A with Flowers conducted by Austin Scaggs, who asked about the band recording "Sam's Town" in the Palms' recording studio. Scaggs asked Flowers if Flowers ever gambled. The answer: "I have an addictive personality, so I worry about getting into poker too much. And being from Vegas, most of us have a family member with a gambling problem. But I like the occasional turn of the roulette wheel, or a little blackjack. I think I lost a couple of hundred bucks during the making of 'Sam's Town.' " ...

Ebony and ivory - for 14 hours: Congratulations to renowned pianist (and Idaho State University graduate) Roger Williams, who tickled (the ivories) for 14 consecutive hours at the Fashion Show mall on Friday. Williams celebrated his 82nd birthday by playing from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (he did allow short breaks each hour), and he also raised several thousand dollars for Vegas PBS. At one point longtime friend Clint Holmes (who we understand was shoe shopping) stopped by and sang "The Christmas Song" as Williams played away ...

The Thanksgiving spirit is alive at Las Vegas' holiday headquarters, the Imperial Palace. Beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday the hotel will be distributing two limited edition $5 Thanksgiving chips. The front design on one chip shows a woman about to kiss a turkey; the flip is an array of fall leaves. The second chip shows a turkey wearing an IP hat and holding a jack and ace of hearts; the flip side shows a bunch of pumpkins ...

There is a reason, turn, turn, turn: Spotted on the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and St. Louis Avenue about 11 p.m. Thursday was a guy in a motorized wheelchair, wearing a black suit, skull cap and big sunglasses. He was just spinning around, clockwise and then counterclockwise, to the blaring horns of passing traffic (which were a show of approval and support, I guess)

As a tribute to "Love," a couple of plates we've been holding: LOVEU2 and ILOVEUS.

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