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3.21pm
4 December 2010
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Couldn’t the Beatles have reunited without recording albums, at least until the time was right? The Stones and the Who, neither of whom have released a decent album for decades (The Who have stopped trying) are both currently playing massive shows. Ok, Jagger’s voice is gone, and the Who are having to pipe in old performances from John Entwistle and Keith Moon, but they’re still amazing, as are Paul’s shows. Now how much more amazing would concerts from the whole of the Beatles be?
They wouldn’t need to release albums, so they could do so only when they had something they thought had artistic merit.
I told her I didn’t
3.26pm
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1 May 2011
Offline It would have been interesting to hear Beatle versions of solo-Beatles tracks and if they would have been improved and/or reworked before the performances. It would have been great to see them together whatever they sang but it would be far more interesting to see Whatever Gets You Thru The Night over another standard performance of She Loves You .
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.05pm
14 January 2013
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I agree I would hate for them to be one of those bands that you say “I love the older stuff better or now they are s**t”. Speaking of the Stones, Mick Jagger brought up a good point in a joking way a while back on David Letterman. He said nobody wants to hear your new stuff or something like that. I think its true for like bands like the Stones, nobody really wants to hear their new stuff, they want to hear the old classics. It has pass through my brain, of course, what it would have been like for a reunion for The Beatles, but as you said I’m glad they did not.
Beatle disco = NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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QuarryMan5.14pm
14 December 2009
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“Whatever Gets You Through The Night” with John/Paul/George harmonies would be superlative Beatles proto-disco! (“With A Little Luck”, only so-so. But it’d certainly be better.) I think that probably ANY of the albums would be improved with those timeless Beatles harmonies (well, maybe not Plastic Ono Band.)
If they did make an album after several years apart, and it was bad, I’d simply go into denial and rationalize to myself that it’s not a “real” Beatles album. Just the way I dismiss the existence of “Free As A Bird ” and “Real Love .”
And there’s a reason that nobody wants to hear the Stones’ new stuff: it’s just not as good as their old stuff! They go through the motions of writing and recording a new album whenever they need something new for sale to promote their latest huge tour.
Paul: Yeah well… first of all, we’re bringing out a ‘Stamp Out Detroit’ campaign.
5.28pm
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1 May 2011
Offline I have Grrrr (the dreadful name of the latest Stones compilation) and there is no doubt in my head that the earlier stuff (up to the early mid-70’s at a push) is far superior to what came after (at least on that). If that’s the best of what they did later I have no interest in investigating a little deeper.
My view of FAAB and RL is complicated as I do see them as an official part of the cannon but deem them to be strictly under the Anthology banner, so I suppose an offshooting branch.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
2.05am
10 August 2014
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John was set to go to England a week after he was shot, reportedly to discuss the documentary project still then called “The Long And Winding Road .” Would there have been new material? Would it have even happened? Thoughts?
Favorite Beatle of the moment: Paul McCartney
1.54pm
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1 May 2011
Offline @paulramon1962, i’ve moved your post to this more generic thread for the reunion which you might want to look thru. Additionally there is some discussion on Johns Playboy comments as well as others from the mid-70’s relating to a reunion here.
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paulramon1962"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
2.37pm
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14 April 2010
Offline Sky999 said
I agree I would hate for them to be one of those bands that you say “I love the older stuff better or now they are s**t”. Speaking of the Stones, Mick Jagger brought up a good point in a joking way a while back on David Letterman. He said nobody wants to hear your new stuff or something like that. I think its true for like bands like the Stones, nobody really wants to hear their new stuff, they want to hear the old classics. It has pass through my brain, of course, what it would have been like for a reunion for The Beatles, but as you said I’m glad they did not.
Beatle disco = NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of all the concerts I’ve seen, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney best played into the thoughts you laid down, Sky. The Clapton show was in April 1990 on the tour for the Journeyman album. I love this album and was jazzed when he played songs from it during the first half of the show. Zag and I could not understand why the general audience was not getting into the show as much as we were. Then, he dove into the classics in earnest and the place erupted. As for the Paul show last month, I noticed the same thing. I was thrilled when he played songs from NEW and wished he played more from it. Again, the general audience were not as enthusiatic as I for the latest songs. So, it appears I don’t fit into the category of those who go to these shows from rock icons just to hear the classics.
I can’t help feeling that some of this can be attributed to the high cost of concert tickets. Looking back at both shows, especailly Macca’s, I recall the audience mostly made up of older folk with their children. These parents are established Beatles or Wings fans, love the classics and have careers now which allow them the luxury of taking the kiddies to the high priced show. Those same kiddies love the classics because their parents raised them on those songs. I can certainly understand both generations not caring for NEW as much as they do the classics or loving the album as much as I. This was borne out during my ride to the show. My brother and I went to the show together. My sister-in-law drove us to and from the show and my 14 year old nephew came along for the ride. I asked them to pop NEW into the CD player in order to get myself psyched up for the show (as if I needed it, eh Ahhh Girl?). To my dissapointment, I was the only one in the car who had ever heard the album. The good news is, they all loved it and we listened to it again when they picked us up after the show. But I wonder how many people in the audience had not heard it either – you know, the folks that can afford to bring the whole family to the show.
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Von BonteeTo the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
9.38pm
2 June 2014
Offline Im not 100% sure but i’ve read that john, a few hours before his death said something this
Paul and I are like brother and i’ll do anything for him and im sure paul will do anything for me
12.11am
Reviewers
29 August 2013
Offline Whatever John was thinking about a reunion I suspect Yoko would have stopped it as she would not want him back with his old mates in case she lost control. I’m not hating on her here, it was just the nature of their relationship and John chose Yoko.
==> trcanberra and hongkonglady - Together even when not (married for those not in the know!) <==
11.27pm
5 February 2014
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Wildcat said
Though there were many instances that would suggest otherwise, I firmly believe John never totally ruled out a Beatles reunion…
After the half-dozen books I’ve read in the past months, this is one of the constants.
Maybe it’s that jilted fan syndrome or whatever, but it’s what I’ve come away with. Lennon was consistently conflicting in his statements regarding a reunion and I have to appreciate his stance of wanting that era of The Beatles (more specifically, Beatlemania) to be done. He wanted it done and he wanted nothing to do with bringing it back. I wouldn’t want to see it again. Even back then, I thought it was strange.
Unlike most bands comprised of members sought out through trade magazines or notices posted in clubs, they literally grew up together. So that type of bond goes beyond being ‘The Beatles.’ It only makes sense that Lennon would not ‘be done’ with Paul or George or Richie. They were truly among the very few constants in his life. We’re familiar with the numerous occasions where they reunited in individual circumstances.
There is another peculiarity I’ve come away with. As much as I try to remain objective and give Ono credit whenever possible, there is a curious thing; whenever you read about Lennon having made comments in favor of a reunion, or lambasting the suggestion, where was she?
To me, whenever he talked favorably, she’s wasn’t around.
And… vice versa.
Add salt to taste.
4.20pm
19 April 2010
Offline To me it is inconceivable that in the nearly 21 years between John’s murder and George’s death that there would not have been a full fledged Beatles reunion including new songs, new albums and tours.
Things were already moving that way at the time of John’s death – see Jack Douglas’ quotes about John in the studio just days before he died.
Plus, John died at the age of 40 – I am now 57 – 17 years older than John was when he died – at the risk of sounding pompous, I will say that as we enter our 40’s and beyond, people tend to reach a new level of perspective on old hurts and the realization that time is winding down does leave one with a desire to erase as much regret as possible.
These guys started off as friends (esp John, Paul and George) and I am convinced that had they had enough time, their friendship would have rekindled even more, and prevailed thus leading to new creative interactions. This is what Ringo alludes to in Anthology when he says they were like brothers and they really loved each other and when things were good the music was always good.
Yes, don’t doubt it – they would have reunited and created more music together.
We were deeply cheated. John’s murder was, in many ways, one of the great singular tragedies of our time because it served no real purpose – not even an evil purpose – it was the random act of a madman.
We were cheated. They were cheated. The world was cheated.
"She looks more like him than I do."
8.03pm
22 December 2013
Offline John was very much the “LynchPin”, if you like, on any sort of Reunion ever transpiring, I think that the premise on which The Threatles Project later manifested very much confirmes this notion. Ringo spoke of “we kept hitting this wall” when the three of them first began to explore the idea of perhaps crafting a “Soundtrack” to the long overdue ‘Long And Winding Road’ volume that eventually evolved into the ‘Anthology’, which John of course was “unavailable” at the time. It’s not too far fetched to suggest that “The Threatles” were simply waiting for John to give them the go ahead during the 1970’s, and with Yoko Ono’s personal endorsement of trusting them with some of John’s last known unfinished creative concepts, the much awaited Beatles’ “Reunion” was finally given John Lennon ‘s “stamp of approval”, by the only living person REALLY able to answer the OP’s question of ‘Was John up for a Beatles Reunion’.
Yoko’s trust was certainly NOT misguided for The Beatles gave us atleast two more excellent workings in ‘Free As A Bird ‘ & ‘Real Love ‘, had John been uncategorically opposed to any future Beatles’ projects beyond ‘Abbey Road ‘, then I would think that Yoko Ono would’ve been the first to squelch any further dealings with them beyond his tragic passing, for she certainly didn’t need the money. There’s really no point in dwelling on “what might’ve been”, all we have is all as it was meant to be, and this is The Beatles’ legacy as it IS. John, like George, would come across as someone who was “done” with The Beatles from time to time, but they both couldn’t depart from this massive part of their respective beings forever, whether it was George’s re-acquaintance with his Beatles’ roots during his various concert appearances from 1971 – 1991 (and studio recordings like ‘When We Was Fab’) or, John also performing Beatles’ classics like ‘Come Together ‘, ‘I Saw Her Standing There ‘ & ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds ‘ during his even rarer live performances (not to mention playing ‘Money (That’s What I Want)’, ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzie’, & ‘Yer Blues ‘ live months after he’d first told Paul that “I ain’t no F*****g Beatle”).
I’d also direct those doubting ‘Was John up for a Beatles Reunion’ to read the article that I posted in this thread https://www.beatlesbible.com/f…..on-tour/ where those who were working close to John during the final months of his storied life hinted at The Beatles possibly reuniting for John’s planned World Tour in 1981. While any speculation is purely hearsay based on comments from those claiming to be “in the know”, the dialogue wreaks of John’s confidence in that he was indeed the “LynchPin” for a Reunion to happen. Perhaps he needed an “excuse” to give the go ahead, whether it was HIS Tour, or Live-Aid as some have speculated, or the blessings of Yoko Ono which eventually did make it happen, but for reasons beyond our comprehension he just couldn’t bring himself personally to outright declare it official to the world while he was still with us on the physical plane, and The Beatles’ legacy may be better off for it, for it is alive and well and touching yet another generation as it’s done more than once all ready. John may never have admitted this but his old chum Paul probably sums it up best when he simply stated ‘Let It Be ‘..:-)
8.18pm
22 December 2013
Offline Seems that the link that I provided is broken, try this:
https://www.beatlesbible.com/f…..nnon-tour/
…:-)
4.28am
28 February 2016
Offline I was reading this article and a portion of it stood out to me
http://nypost.com/2005/12/05/p…..me-at-all/
In 1976, with Bicentennial fever raging, Sid Bernstein, the legendary promoter who’d first imported The Beatles in 1964, offer them $230 million to reunite for an American tour.
What could of possibly made them turn that down? I’ve also hear in somewhere that there were rumors about a reunion concert to take place in Central Park around 1980
$230,000,000 in 1976 ? $980,193,693.69 in 2016
6.30am
1 November 2013
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8.36am
27 April 2015
Offline I guess this was the offer to which John said that he’d even be ready to stand on his head if offered that kind of money?
For tomorrow may rain, so I'll follow the Sun
12.01pm
26 January 2017
Offline I’m sure many of you have seen this where Lorne Michaels almost reunited John and Paul
"The pump don't work cause the vandals took the handles!"
-Bob Dylan, Subterranean Homesick Blues
"We could ride and surf together while our love would grow"
-Brian Wilson, Surfer Girl
7.27am
18 April 2013
Offline Jack Douglas just gave an interview where he said John talked about The Beatles all the time and he and Paul were “already in the process” of reuniting when he got shot.
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
7.40am
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20 August 2013
Online Expert Textpert said
Jack Douglas just gave an interview where he said John talked about The Beatles all the time and he and Paul were “already in the process” of reuniting when he got shot.
That would add to the level of turmoil going on in Paul’s mind when he was told the news of John’s death.
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