But somehow after the years go by, and really not all that many, you end up splitting apart because of creative differences, what appears to be hatred, bitterness towards one another or anything and everything. How does this happen when you were all having so much fun at one time… shit happens so you say fuck you and move on or else you die. Let’s roll down Penny Lane… From their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show 74million people watched them perform to screaming females. This was just a taste of what was yet to come as millions and millions more would soon be taken by them. From 1963 – 1966 The Beatles released 14 albums in the US. Unfreakin heard of today. Takes a rock band today 3 years to sober up after their first hit record. The Beatles had 14 very upbeat, love songs, sappy sometimes, goofy and all were popular. They had that chemistry, they had fun, people loved them and they were different. Then in 1967, The Beatles released Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour. Two great albums!
The music was different, edgy, intense, there was some kind of movement going on, there was Vietnam, there was racial tension everywhere and there were The Beatles. They were four young guys who formed a band and man, did they hit it big. They became so well known throughout the world that a year earlier, 1966, Lennon had made some stupid comment that the kids were paying more attention to The Beatles than they were to Jesus, or God, or Religion or whatever it was. It was one of those stupid comments that as soon as the last word begins to roll off your tongue you are already thinking, what the fuck did I say that for??? I didn’t know John personally but I do believe he didn’t mean it the way people took it. People like the KKK, people like the ones in the southeast part of the country who at the time hated anyone who wasn’t just like them, ran to the streets to burn Beatle albums. The whole thing was really over-analyzed. John was like 26 at the time with a pocketful of money and a pocket full of dope. I wouldn’t have expected him to say anything profound, would you? He was simply a rock star with a lot of talent but by any fetch of the imagination was he the devil. It’s now 2 days shy of a year since MMT and The Beatles released a great album by no surprise, a double album at that and were advised to hold back on the additional album but obviously they did not and got their way, The White Album simply titled in black; “The Beatles” and it worked. Not because of the less is more theor but because it was a musical genius. It was Rock n’ Roll never heard before. It was hard, it was soft, it was funny sometimes, it was like listening to a fairytale. In my opinion it has The Beatles best song ever on that album whi is George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. Too bad George wasn’t aloud to contribute more of his talent that way but how could the Beatles get any bigger? Props to George! Dear Prudence is another great song and the infamous “helter skelter” song because of the Manson murders. This reminds me that the only good thing I can say about Bono today is when I saw U2 in concert he said that Charles Manson stole this song from The Beatles and tonight he was taking it back to them. As corny as it sounds it was very touching. This is 1968, were at a loss as far as a solution goes to the Vietnam war, muscle cars were becoming stronger, drugs were everywhere and easy to get. The White Album somehow represented everything that was gong on back then. Just months earlier before the release of the white album Bobby Kennedy had been assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Bobby was celebrating his successful campaign in the California primary elections while seeking the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. The music of The Beatles didn’t make things better but it did make you forget for a few minutes. Not such a bad thing.
The Beatles released two albums in 1969. January 13th The Beatles released Yellow Submarine which did absolutely nothing for me. It just wasn’t happening on that album and The Beatles knew that as well. It was probably one of those albums that should have been sat on, put in the vault, let’s keep working it… toss it man. It was 40 minutes/12 seconds of whatever music. It just wasn’t there. Was this the beginning of the end?
But just a short 10 months later The Beatles released one of their masterpieces, Abby Road!
http://www.amiright.com/album-covers/abbey-road-parodies/
Technically, this was it for The Beatles. John wanted out, they were fighting all the time, George thought the band was ridiculous as he was by far the most talented one, Ringo was along for the ride and hoping for the best (not as in Pete) Paul thought The Beatles were the movement while John kept trying to get him to understand that The Beatles were only a part of “the movement”. ABBEY ROAD was recorded in the summer of 1969 and was the last album recorded by the Beatles (LET IT BE was released in 1970, but recorded in early ’69).
John went on with Yoko and formed The Plastic Ono Band which sucked. It was full of anger and shit Lennon never dealt with. However, he came through the other side and began writing beautiful music/songs starting with Imagine. Unfortunately, just when John seemed really comfortable in his own skin and enjoying the success of the album Double Fantasy he was shot and killed by a crazed fan Mark David Chapman who ironically had just gotten John to sign his Double Fantasy album. It makes you wonder what is wrong with people. John was 40.
George Harrison did a lot of charitable music. The most famous being the concert for Bangladesh which when you think about it George was also very spiritual and always wanting to give rather than take. Very admirable of him. Imagine George taking 200 million to perform. He probably would then give it to a poor country. Huge props for George! George passed away on 11/29/2001 at the age of 58.
Ringo goes around the country talking to people and doing his; “Ringo and his all star band” gigs. I’ve seen it once and it’s fine. He’s enjoying himself and having fun.
Paul is unquestionably the most successful Beatle. He went on to perform solo, then formed Wings, then went solo again and has been for 20 – 25 years or more now. Paul seemed to be grounded and together until his wife Linda passed away. Then it was like the nut finally fell from the tree and it married Heather Mills. I’m not knocking the handicap at all as I have a few of my own… but c’mon Paul. You were a freakin Beatle, a great solo career, Wings was way cool at the time and you end up with hop-scotch Mills who was a rippin bitch. What, you were married about 8 weeks and she wanted half of what you acquired throughout your life? Stay single Paul or talk to Rod Stewart the next time you get the itch.
Bringing it home with a trivia question; When The Beatles first toured America, what city is the only city they did not sell out to full capacity?