In 1969, the dream wasn't over, but the closing credits were playing. However, as is frequently the case in the movie theater, the music that was playing during the closing credits was pretty wonderful stuff.
The 1967 death of Brian Epstein was the beginning of the end of the incredible pooled talent of what we knew as The Beatles. Epstein was a manager that the group respected, whose decisions weren't always perfect, but weren't disastrous either. On August 27 of that year, the day before I turned eight years old, Epstein died of an overdose of sleeping pills.
The Beatles muddled on under McCartney's taking the lead for awhile, but Paul's decision to commit the group to the film Magical Mystery Tour effectively ended the rest of the boys listening to him. While the accompanying album was a success, the film was a critical and financial flop.
By 1968, and the recording of the White Album, all four members of the band were thinking much more in terms of themselves as individuals rather than as members of the greatest pop/rock band in history.
The post-Epstein group was persuaded to film a live concert, along with the practice sessions leading up to it, tentatively called Get Back. As it turned out, the film's eventual completed version, released as Let It Be, captured the worst of the squabbling that was taking place among the members to the disintegrating group.
But there certainly was a glorious high point of the documentation: the Rooftop Concert of January 30, 1969.
The group met with the film's production department four days earlier. They presented the idea of setting equipment up in the cold January air on the rooftop of Apple's headquarters in Savile Row near Piccadilly Circus.
The idea was crazy on a number of levels. So of course it was agreed to and planning began.
On the busy Thursday workday, the group arrived at the rooftop, grabbed instruments, and began jamming. Cameras were rolling all over the place, including down in the streets as astonished Londoners engaged in their normal workday routines came out to see what all of the loud music was all about.
What none of them realized at the time was that it was history. It was the final live performance of The Beatles.
The bobbies hadn't been informed, nor had anyone else but the filming crews. So it wasn't long before the police showed up, looking curiously upward and trying to maintain order as the streets began to fill with both fans and detractors of the group.
Eventually, the police showed up at the rooftop itself and demanded that the impromptu concert cease. Legend has it that it might have gone on much longer, if not for the wool merchant next door. He was quoted as saying "I want this bloody noise stopped. It's an absolute disgrace!"
Footage exists of the magical moment, of course. The concert, as well as many other Get Back recordings, were among the most bootlegged moments of rock and roll history. Underground record stores like many medium-to-large-sized towns had in the 70's had the uncut products for sale freely.
George Martin eventually produced the album Let It Be, for better of worse, complete with heavenly choirs to help dissuade the depressing sound of the constant bickering. But thanks to YouTube, we have the wonderful video footage of the Beatles' last live performance to savor. What a wonderful trip the Fab Four took us on throughout the 60's.
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea6ZcfJspcI
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xINfAYiWVhU
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd8JYA4MvlQ
Comments (4)
Great stuff !!
Posted by Tudor_Boy | February 18, 2008 6:17 AM
Posted on February 18, 2008 06:17
The Jim is Bossesque typo sobriquet “BRAIN Epstein” is sarcastically apt in light of the fact that he shrewdly negotiated a 10% commission for the Beatles’ merchandising rights Beatles, resulting in untold millions of $ lost to the Fab Four and gained by Nicky Byrne. Admittedly the Beatles should have read the not so fine print and may not have realized the commercial potential of the band’s name. We will never know how the group may have fared absent Brian’s role as MAGANER but we can “Imagine” and the rest is history.
ed. note: I have fixed the "Brain" typo.
Posted by Burt | February 19, 2008 8:30 PM
Posted on February 19, 2008 20:30
I see you corrected the typo - so now my previous comment has lost its raison d'etre.
Posted by Burt | February 20, 2008 2:34 PM
Posted on February 20, 2008 14:34
Just to clarify, George Martin had little to do with the entire 'Get Back'/'Let It Be' project.
The string arrangements heard eventually on the released 'Let It Be' album, on songs such as 'Let It Be' and 'The Long and Winding Road' were as a result of Phil Spector's production.
Spector had been brought on by John Lennon, in an attempt to salvage SOMETHING useful out of a lot of nothing; the orchestra was used to strengthen otherwise weak performances by the Beatles as a whole. Spector's production is the reason 'Let It Be' followed 'Abbey Road' in terms of being released; it was a long process to turn the tapes into something worthwhile.
Paul McCartney was furious when he heard what was being done with the tapes and how 'Let It Be' and 'The Long and Winding Road' were treated to an orchestral score.
This move by Lennon contributed to the growing tensions in the band, as well as Lennon, Harrison and Starr agreeing to Allen Klein as their new manager, while McCartney wanted his father-in-law.
They new the end was drawing near, but basically came together for one last album as they did not want their last efforts together to be something they were not proud of. Thus 'Abbey Road' was born, with George Martin back in the production seat. These sessions were a lot less tense, as everyone kind of knew it was to be the last, and George Martin is often quoted as saying 'Abbey Road' sessions were his favourite; it was the group at their best, putting aside business and personal differences, and just doing what they did well: making great music.
'Let It Be' was eventually released in 1970, and I don't think it is a terrible album. Not their best, but a good example of them returning to the roots of rock n' roll. The original plan was to not overdub anything, which is why Billy Preston was brought on to play keyboards (otherwise Paul would have done it, I imagine).
Another reason McCartney was angry at Spector's interpretation of the songs on the final release of the album; it totally took away from the original concept of the album.
Posted by Jeffrey Harding | March 23, 2008 5:17 PM
Posted on March 23, 2008 17:17