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3.40am
25 September 2012
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meanmistermustard said
linkjws said
Von Bontee said
Wasn’t all the “reunion” talk just to give himself a legal pretext for his opposition to “Beatlemania” continuing to perform?I literally just read that in “You Never Give Me Your Money “.
That certainly rings a bell. But who is the reference point (i dont own the book, i borrowed it from the library)? If true it would therefore appear even more the case that John was not in favour of returning to the fold (so to speak).
As I Me Mine said John was one for speaking his mind at the time but it could change depending on where he was.
I suppose it comes down to source and who you believe. Did John ever state on record he was going to go out on tour and do beatle numbers of was it someone who ‘heard’ him say it? Was it Jack Douglas who said John was going to tour again i forget?
Its more taking it back to the core but again who do you believe and where do you draw the line.
Obviously we’ll never really know but it would be nice to get to the facts and eliminate the hearsay, gossip, and lines spun to preserve the idea that the Beatles would reunite and save the world.
From the book:
“You Never Give Me Your Money ” pg 268
“The next day Lennon visited Apple’s New York lawyers, who were preparing a court case against the producers of “Beatlemania”. He swore an affidavit, which included the startling statement “I and the three other former Beatles have plans to stage a reunion concert, to be recorded, filmed, and marketed around the world”. The claim was obviously designed to reinforce the case against the imitation Beatles by suggesting that their activities might impinge on the authentic version of the group. But it amounted to little less than perjury as there was no definite plan for a reunion. One of Lennon’s staff attempted to contact McCartney at MPL to ask him to support the deposition, but without success.*
*There was a strange addendum to Lennon’s affidavit: that week the New York Parks Department was approached by an unknown organization asking if it would be possible for the city to prepare a feasibility study for a Beatles reunion concert in Central Park. The details are lost in time; all that remains is this tantalizing fragment of a rumor, which might have been nothing more than an attempt to justify Lennon’s sworn testimony.”
Also from “YNGMYM” pg 269
“He (Lennon) talked excitedly to Jack Douglas about his plans to return to Britain after New Year as part of a world tour, and admitted that he was looking forward to rearranging Beatles standards such as ‘She Loves you’ and ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand ‘. On 6 December he phoned his Aunt Mimi to tell her he was coming home.”
8.19am
15 September 2012
Offline I quoted from ‘You Never Give Me Your Money ‘ a few weeks ago about this very thing, which made me start reading it again. Doggett has a comfortable writing style, and this is one of the better bios that deserve another read.
There are more ironic (and tragic) instances the author mentions of almost-planned reunions that never happened for some reason or other.
8.33am
25 September 2012
Offline Wildcat said
I quoted from ‘You Never Give Me Your Money ‘ a few weeks ago about this very thing, which made me start reading it again. Doggett has a comfortable writing style, and this is one of the better bios that deserve another read.There are more ironic (and tragic) instances the author mentions of almost-planned reunions that never happened for some reason or other.
There were a ton of possible reunions mentioned, to the point where it seemed like if they breathed the same air it was a “reunion possibility” and it seemed ridiculous. However all that said, it made me realize a little what they all lived with for so long. The constant barrage of “is it happening yet?” must have been exhausting. It was seemingly impossible for them to get away from it right up until it could no longer happen because of the most tragic of circumstances =/
5.28am
15 September 2012
Offline Though there were many instances that would suggest otherwise, I firmly believe John never totally ruled out a Beatles reunion in the decade between their breakup and his untimely death. John was mercilessly cruel towards Paul, George and even George Martin when he let his vitriol loose in Rolling Stone and other print interviews; he was also the most easily forgiven member within the group & from others who were closest to him, either despite of or because of his inability to maintain a consistent temperament, or to keep his fleeting thoughts to himself in similar circumstances.
If John had led a full life, being allowed to come full circle with the legacy and context of his remarkable past, as the other three were, he could have very well become the one to instigate a full-on reunion: don’t forget that his last public performance at a concert, less than five years after that seemingly irrepairable breakup, was a song he comfortably acknowledged was written by Paul, at a time when all of The Beatles still had years left to get over themselves and the situations that had come to define their lives.
I could go on forever about this, but instead I’ll just give this opinion & then shut up about it-
If there had been all four members of The Beatles alive and well, in 1990, or 2000, or most certainly at this writing- there is no way in Hell that Mick and Keith, or Jimmy and Robert, or The Who, or The Beach Boys or The Monkees or Bob Dylan would be entertaining their audiences with fortieth- and fiftieth- anniversary concerts and reverential retrospectives without The Beatles themselves having eventually joined in, only doing it better and more profoundly than these other artists could.
And I don’t think any self-respecting Beatles fan would allow them to do otherwise!
11.43am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline The thing with the MSG concert in 1974 with Elton where they played 2 Beatles tracks (Lucy (Elton’s latest single) and I Saw Her Standing There ) was that John had hung out with Paul earlier in the year and met up with Ringo a lot, not sure about George. It was only a few months after the John and Paul had considered going down to, was it Saturday Night Live. Basically John had been in a place of meeting old friends and more receptive to the beatles history whilst astranged from Yoko. 6 years later he was back with Yoko, Sean was 5, and a new stage of Johns career was beginning.
There would have have to have been a lot of things to work out people-wise for any reunion tho even in ’81. George was totally fed up with the music business and wanted out and im not convinced Yoko would have been that keen on John going back. Time changes things tho and further down the road it would have happened – even if just for the tv show. Not tours tho and i cant see there being an album or all new material – tho you never know.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
1.41am
19 April 2010
Offline According to the PBS American Masters documentary on Lennon, during the interview with Jack Douglas (Double Fantasy producer), Douglas claims Lennon was planning to “get the boys back together” to work on Ringo’s album. John kept saying over and over “gotta get the boys back together to help Ringo”
So, who knows, huh?
"She looks more like him than I do."
6.47pm
14 December 2009
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That certainly suggests just what it says: That they intended to make contributions to the Ringo album that became “Stop And Smell the Roses”, and Paul and George indeed did so. Would’ve counted as a symbolic reunion, anyways.
Paul: Yeah well… first of all, we’re bringing out a ‘Stamp Out Detroit’ campaign.
3.44pm
3 October 2012
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According to numerous statements John made around 1975, he was.
According to May Pang, she and John were going to New Orleans during the ‘Venus And Mars ‘ sessions to join Paul, when Yoko invited John to join her at the Dakota for a ‘hypnosis session’ to help him quit smoking…John never returned, and that was all SHE wrote.
6.03pm
19 April 2010
Offline frankdialogue said
According to numerous statements John made around 1975, he was.According to May Pang, she and John were going to New Orleans during the ‘Venus And Mars ‘ sessions to join Paul, when Yoko invited John to join her at the Dakota for a ‘hypnosis session’ to help him quit smoking…John never returned, and that was all SHE wrote.
Exactly – John never returned, he never went to New Orleans to record with Paul AND John never quit smoking. Hmmmm.
"She looks more like him than I do."
7.19pm
3 October 2012
Offline robert said
Exactly – John never returned, he never went to New Orleans to record with Paul AND John never quit smoking. Hmmmm.
Yes, he never came back…It was so sad what happened to John, being cut off from all of his mates and family back in England and never seeing them again…He was such a strong guy, but when it came to a certain female, he seemed to give up everything that made him John, to a great extent….God shelter his soul and forgive him his human foibles.
9.19pm
14 December 2009
Offline LOL at that last picture…You gotta appreciate Yoko titling an album “Yes, I’m a Witch” in the context of that one.
Paul: Yeah well… first of all, we’re bringing out a ‘Stamp Out Detroit’ campaign.
12.34am
12 January 2013
Offline I can’t remember which interview but I recall John saying that if Paul, George and Ringo were up for it he would have done it. I would’ve loved to see what they did.
The Incedibly True Story THat Never Ends. By Sam.
Best Friend: WHat are you listening to
Me: The Beatles
Best Friend: Go Figure
4.19pm
18 April 2013
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I think it’s probably good that The Beatles never reunited, because if they did, it’s possible they would have made a crappy album that would tarnish their legacy. Sure, the solo Beatles all made great music, and they made even better music together, but they didn’t ALWAYS put out good songs throughout their whole lives, and anything can happen–they could have all turned out somewhat sub-par songs for the reunion, they could have gone with a bad producer, they could have had cheesy 80’s keyboards, etc.
Does anyone agree?
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
5.10pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Yip. Live Fawlty Towers the Beatles ended at the right time. Most bands/artists go thru a drudge which reduces their overall brilliance to varying degrees or end up getting together to throw out one last new album. I cant say I have any desire to see, or miss the idea of the four doing She Loves You in 1982. And in all honesty, whilst there are good things about FAAB and RL my life wouldn’t be any worse if they hadn’t of been made.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
8.02pm
16 August 2012
Offline Can you just imagine if the Beatles, with their influence waning somewhat, started following the trends and made an album with Disco beats, or (*shudder*) they signed to Geffen and started making terrible synth-ey 80s albums…?
Just another reason that the Beatles were perfect, in the way that they walked out on a high note and left everyone wanting more. THAT’S how you do it.
Not to crap on the The Stones, but imagine how much more iconic their catalogue would be if they stopped, say, after ‘Some Girls’?
E is for 'Ergent'.
8.19pm
Reviewers
29 November 2012
Offline ^I’d put the Stones’ end point at It’s Only Rock N Roll (that’s the last album where I listen to them, nothing after), but that’s down to personal preference. For every band like Rush who still put out great albums (like Clockwork Angels from February 2013), there’s the Stones or Who pissing on their legacies when they are 2 of the all-time greats.
The Beatles, whether 100% by design or not, did it right.
"I know you, you know me; one thing I can tell you is you got to be free!"
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4.24am
17 January 2013
Offline I completely agree. They have their legacy, and it’s just perfect. 
"Please don't bring your banjo back, I know where it's been.. I wasn't hardly gone a day, when it became the scene.. Banjos! Banjos! All the time, I can't forget that tune.. and if I ever see another banjo, I'm going out and buy a big balloon!"
11.10pm
21 November 2012
Offline Yes indeed, the Stones were the first band that came to my mind too when I was reading this. They have put out some amazing things but also a lot of crap, especially the last few..well..decades? A lot of their stuff sounds the same and is really boring. The Beatles may not have existed as long as the Rolling Stones, but at least they didn’t keep repeating themselves.
I would have loved another Beatles album. Or two. Or ten. But like everyone says, we don’t know what would’ve happened and what s**t they would’ve put out. So what’s happened is fine by me. We’ve got like what? 12 or 13 albums we can enjoy. That’s still a lot more than most bands manage to release these days.
9.05pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline SatanHimself said
Can you just imagine if the Beatles, with their influence waning somewhat, started following the trends and made an album with Disco beats, or (*shudder*) they signed to Geffen and started making terrible synth-ey 80s albums…?
Yes…yes, I can.
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
9.44pm
8 November 2012
Offline Zig said
SatanHimself said
Can you just imagine if the Beatles, with their influence waning somewhat, started following the trends and made an album with Disco beats, or (*shudder*) they signed to Geffen and started making terrible synth-ey 80s albums…?Yes…yes, I can.
And here I was just talking to someone about how “Check My Machine” made me appreciate that Paul is capable of so much more than most of his 80s singles would have you believe.
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