MUS 354 : The Beatles After the Beatles Section #1

1970's

- Abbey Road was their last great effort and their January of 1969 Apple rooftop performances their final live goodbe

"All Things Must Pass"

- George works with phil Spector to begin recording the triple album "All Things Must Pass" - most of the songs were written while with the Beatles but never saw the light of day - this well produced album was a huge success - Sunday November 15, 1970 - Paul, through his lawyers, files lawsuit against the other Beatles and Apple in the high British courts to dissove the Beatles

1972

- Paul continues to record at his home in Scotland - John spends most of the month at the record plant mixing songs ands working on David Peel's album entitled The Pope Smokes Dope - John and Yoko appear on the David Frost show with David Peal - Paul begins recording sessions and plans to head to London - Paul begins 12 days of rehearsal at a London club so he can decided on the final line-up for Wings

"Maybe I'm Amazed"

- Paul wrote this song for Linda back in 1969 but did not release it officially as a single until 1976 - Paul on vocals and three guitars, piano, bass and drums and Linda joining Paul on back up vocals and overdubs - Ascending chromatic scale (piano riff rises from lower to higher pitches) - drums, bass and high held harmonies back up. Pauls lead vocal - paul's vocal returns in high register screaming fashion - electric guitar plays a bright "chopping" sound - the verse returns with heavy organ and wordless vocal in the background - guitar solos over the verse music - organ playing 'staccato' on even beat punctuate the ending - bass guitar ascends to higher register for ab-libs - melody maker magazine: "the best and worst of an extraordinary talent" - would have been a classic had it been included on Abbey Road - "Man we was lonely is sheer banality. Its the worst example of his music hall side"

April 1970

- Ringo overdubs drums in Abbey Road studio.He is the last Beatle to play at a Beatles recording session - Paul: "Were all talking about peace and love but really were not feeling peaceful at all." - headline on the front page of Daily Mirror is "Paul is Quitting the Beatles" - paul publicly announces break up of band - Paul: "I do not foresee a time when the Lennon & McCarthney partnership will be active again in songwriting - Apple press officer Derek Taylor: "At the moment they seem to cramp each other's styles - Paul opposed the appointment of Klein and wanted to make his father in law John Eastman, the band's manager - " let it be" single reaches #1 in America - "McCarthey" released in the UK - Paul recorded most of this album at his home in London finishing it of at the professional studio - John says "its a simple fact that he couldnt have it his own way. He used to sulk and God knows what. Its always been the same, only now its bigger cause were bigger" - George flies to NYC to produce Bully Preston's album 'Encouraging Words - he visits Apple's New York offices - Apple Corp. Ltd. was the Beatles' recording label and business arm - Billy Preston was on the Apple label and worked closely with George - John and Yoko continue to work on art projects, leading to displays at the Fluxfest - They conclude 2 days of scream therapy with Arthur Janov in London - George meets up with Bob Dylan at his Greenwich Village home - John and Yoko fly to La for more therapy at Arthur Jonov's Primal Institute - Paul appears on cover of Rolling Stone in the US with Jann Wenner as interviewer - George jams with Dylan at his home recorded by Dylan and later bootlegged - Deluxe box set of Let It Be released in UK - Richard Williams ends his in-depth Melody Maker review of 'Let It BE' with "The Beatles the Dead, long live the Beatles

Let It Be

- film opens in Britian at northern (Liverpool) and southern (London) venues "Its an occasion for sadness. I felt that I was sitting at the death bed of one of the greatest group talents ever to escape from the trivial treadmill of so much pop music" " so I regret the passing of an institution: as I regret that this film should be judged as the most suitable hearse for the institution." - BBC Radio One transmits a taped interview program with all four Beatles separately "Its like a documentary... its good film, its interesting" - Paul "I cant stand seeing it but for other people who don't know really what were about, who like to go in and see our warts, its very good." - George - Ringo simply refers to John as his "soul brother" and talks about Maureen, Sentimental Journey, and his future in acting "I have no idea if the Beatles will work together again or not. I never really have. It was always open. If somebody didnt feel like it... thats it! It could be a rebirth or death. We'll see what it is. It'll probably be a rebirth." - Johnny - had advanced order in US of three million copies - reached #1 on the UK charts but reviews are not good - the new musical express describes it as, "a cardboard tombstone" and "a sad and tatty end to a musical fusion" - McCartney also reached #1 on US charts - Ringo records in Nashville for this 'Beaucoups of Blues' album with Scotty Moore as engineer - gorgeous mother passes away - Cynthia Lennon Marries an Italian hotel man named Roberto Bassanini - Apple closes its London press office - Paul writes a letter to Melody Maker in response to others stating "Will the Beatles get together again?... no" -Spiro Agnew publicly attacks the Beatles over references to drugs in their lyrics - George appears with Ravi Shankar at the 'Festival of Arts of India concert' - john joins Phil Spector at Abbey Road studios to record songs for the 'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band' album - John wrote these songs after going through primal scream therapy - Ringo and Klaus Voormam, bassist join John on songs such as "Mother", "I Found Out" and "Working Class Hero" - On John's 30th birthday he joing George and Ringo in an open Abbey Road studio where the other two Beatles present him with their special recording "Its Johnny Birthday" - George and Phil Spector begin final remixes of 'All things must pass'

Beaucoups of Blues

- released in the UK - recorded in Nashville with a "downright Country" flavor - engineered by Elvis' guitarist, Scotty Moore. Featuring 21 of Nashville's finest country musicians "Coochy-Choochy" "Wine, Women and Loud Happy Songs" - acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar, bass and drums setting up a country waltz - acoustic piano and harmonica join, along with great back-up vocals by the Jordanaires - pedal steel (smeary sounding) and lap steel (more twangy) guitars take a quick solo - piano, harmonica and the Jordanaires singing vocals pads return before the title line - the last 30 sec are strong, with prominent back-up vocals and bluesy harmonica and steel guitars ending the song