“a reunion that never came”.
Beg to differ.
Although a reunion never occurred while all four members were ALIVE, Yoko did give Paul a couple of tapes with John’s vocals and keyboard backing. Add McCartney’s bass, Harrison’s lead, Starr’s drums and vocals from all three of them, and you get “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love” - both released in 1996.
The Staff Report being cited will appear on the website on Tuesday next. Meanwhile, here’s a link: Straight Dope Staff Report: Why did the Beatles break up?
It was billed as a reunion, but I think most people consider a reunion to be physical persons being in each other’s vicinity rather than adding vocals and instrumentation to a 20-year old recording of a dead guy. I know what you mean, of course, but you know what he meant, too.
I like the way the author takes pride in not making a Yoko joke, but can’t resist a little dig on Ringo. I’d always seen Ringo like everyone; a goofy type who lucked into being in the Greatest Band Ever. Then I heard the following story:
I have a friend who was a rock journalist for many years. He wrote for Rolling Stone many times, among other magazines and newspapers. He interviewed Ginger Baker, the legendary drummer from Cream, once, and somehow Ringo came up. Ginger said that he admired Ringo totally as a wild, innovative drummer. My friend expressed surprise, as would I, and Ginger said, “Yeah, whenever a new Beatles album came out, all the drummers would run out to get it to see what incredible new stuff Ringo was doing.”
Changed my opinion of Ringo forever. I think he gets a bad rap because (a) his singing and songwriting were certainly the weakest of the group, and (b) he always had that kind of sad-sack, hangdog, non-rock star aura about him. Great, great drummer, though.
Well, there is also the artistic point of: How do you top Abbey Road? You don’t. This was the logical conclusion of the types of music they were doing. They took it there. You take it all apart and start over.
Why was George only “allowed” two songs per album?
They quit while still a legend.
Imagine (pun) how awful it would’ve been had they started deteriorating, and became a joke band?
Legends have to die or break up before their time.
Wasn’t there a rumor going around that Paul used to routinely rerecord himself doing the drums instead of Ringo? Not sure where I first read that, though.
George was only allowed two songs per album because he was neither Paul McCartney nor John Lennon.
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As good as a songwriter as George was, he wasn’t quite in league with Lennon/McCartney. In addition, Lennon/McCartney shared songwriting credit, published under the same “company” Northern Songs. The combination of their talent and partnership within the Beatles gave them a bit more influence.
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Lennon and McCartney were both older and more extroverted than George. Big deal, you say; what was the age difference, a few years? True, but remember that they had gotten together when they were school lads, when a few years meant a much bigger difference. Harrison also joined slightly after Paul joined Lennon also. I think that early pecking order remained to a great degree.
Great article! A couple of questions, though. Y’see, back in the day, I was quite the Beatles fan. Granted, my “day” was about 15 years ago, but still, I read every book that came out. I don’t recall ever hearing that “Mystery Tour” was Paul’s baby, nor that he got teased about it later. And that was my favorite movie, so I’d probably remember that.
Also, I’d never heard that “Cold Turkey” got left off Abbey Road (my favorite album). John didn’t record it until late September 1969, long after the Abbey Road sessions (even after the album came out), and as far as I know no rehearsal or demo bootlegs have ever surfaced, as they have for almost all other Abbey Road tracks.
So I’d be curious to hear the cites for these two statements. Not that I disbelieve you; just would like to know where it comes from.
(Back in college I had a teacher who published Down Beat, a major jazz magazine. He had no use for Ringo, and kept playing these utterly unlistenable drum tracks for us. Ugh. Love Ringo’s work on “Ticket to Ride.”)
– Beruang
Paul did do drums for some ‘White Album’ songs because Ringo did walk out briefly.
Interestingly, I think Ringo’s best drumming was with the Plastic Ono Band. Listen to those albums - even the Yoko tracks - and the drumming is incredible to my untutored ears. Yeah I know Ginger Baker and John Bonham were supposedly better, so why are “Toad” and “Moby Dick” unlistenable more than once every 10 years.
Perhaps in some way Paul was holding down Ringo’s drumming…or at least cramping his own style a bit when he was still in the group.
The Beatles are broken up? Say it ain’t so!
They keep coming out with new material. Heck, just last year they were third on the Forbes list of 100 Top Celebrities, just ahead of Britney Spears. http://www.forbes.com/2001/11/30/1130harrison.html