Get Back directed by Peter Jackson on Disney+

[dudog84]

You should listen to the recent (NPR) Fresh Air interview with Paul. He may be a musical genius, perhaps without argument, but he didn't come across to me all that well in it. There's something unseemly about trying to re-assign blame and re-crediting songs this many years after the breakup of the band, and with half the members dead. He comes across as affable as ever, but surprisingly needy. He sure seemed to feel vindicated by Jackson's Get Back, as an alt take on the subject of the Let It Be documentary.

Well, he is 79...that's way past 64.

[OldPhiKap]

Well, he is 79...that's way past 64.

I ain’t gonna feed him.

[Rich]

Just finished this documentary and as much as I felt the first episode was slow and tedious, the second two episodes are phenomenal and I didn't want it to end. What a fantastic view into arguably the greatest rock/pop band of all time and certain to dispel some myths that have perpetuated all these years. There's no one person or event to blame for the break up of the Beatles, it was just time for them to go their separate ways.

[johnb]

At one point--while waiting for John one morning--Ringo joked that he, himself, was always on time, that he was a professional.

And that was one small takeaway for me: Ringo seemed thoroughly involved in the music while listening to the other guys bicker and create. Of course, as a non-writing drummer, his role was more of a translator, but he came across to me as a dedicated craftsman. Yet I grew up thinking he was a bit goofy and lucky to have latched onto the Beatles; watching this (and a few other more current articles/videos), I've come around to believing that he was also an indispensable member, that his steady, attentive translation was crucial.

Anyway, my biggest take home from the documentary: magic.

[OldPhiKap]

At one point--while waiting for John one morning--Ringo joked that he, himself, was always on time, that he was a professional.

And that was one small takeaway for me: Ringo seemed thoroughly involved in the music while listening to the other guys bicker and create. Of course, as a non-writing drummer, his role was more of a translator, but he came across to me as a dedicated craftsman. Yet I grew up thinking he was a bit goofy and lucky to have latched onto the Beatles; watching this (and a few other more current articles/videos), I've come around to believing that he was also an indispensable member, that his steady, attentive translation was crucial.

Anyway, my biggest take home from the documentary: magic.

I heard an interview with Carl Palmer (drummer extraordinaire) a few years ago, and the interviewer made some snide comment about Ringo. Palmer corrected the guy, telling him that Ringo had an unique sound because he was left-handed playing a right-handed drum kit. He also said — correctly I think — that “Ringo was the perfect drummer for THAT band.”

Ringo is righteous. Peace and love, peace and love, peace and love……

[Rich]

At one point--while waiting for John one morning--Ringo joked that he, himself, was always on time, that he was a professional.

And that was one small takeaway for me: Ringo seemed thoroughly involved in the music while listening to the other guys bicker and create. Of course, as a non-writing drummer, his role was more of a translator, but he came across to me as a dedicated craftsman. Yet I grew up thinking he was a bit goofy and lucky to have latched onto the Beatles; watching this (and a few other more current articles/videos), I've come around to believing that he was also an indispensable member, that his steady, attentive translation was crucial.

Anyway, my biggest take home from the documentary: magic.

I'm not a Beatles historian by any stretch, but watching the documentary it seemed to me that although Paul and John had very different personalities they seemed to get along just fine. It was George who was tired of the situation, wanted a chance to make his own name and evolve from underneath their huge shadows. I also think it's clear the whole notion that Yoko broke up the Beatles can be put to rest. It's no wonder she was a producer of the film.

[OldPhiKap]

I'm not a Beatles historian by any stretch, but watching the documentary it seemed to me that although Paul and John had very different personalities they seemed to get along just fine. It was George who was tired of the situation, wanted a chance to make his own name and evolve from underneath their huge shadows. I also think it's clear the whole notion that Yoko broke up the Beatles can be put to rest. It's no wonder she was a producer of the film.

FWIW, Paul has said that John quit the Beatles because he wanted to go his separate way (with Yoko).

https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...-beatles-split

If Lennon had not quit, the band’s musical journey might have been much longer, McCartney agrees. “It could have been. The point of it really was that John was making a new life with Yoko. John had always wanted to sort of break loose from society because, you know, he was brought up by his Aunt Mimi, who was quite repressive, so he was always looking to break loose.”

{snip}

Asked about his decision to go solo, McCartney says: “Stop right there. I am not the person who instigated the split. Oh no, no, no. John walked into a room one day and said I am leaving the Beatles. Is that instigating the split, or not?”

McCartney tells interviewer John Wilson that Lennon described his decision to leave as “quite thrilling” and “rather like a divorce”. The other members, he adds, were “left to pick up the pieces”.

So, at least to Paul’s telling, John wanted to go his own way. It sounds like Yoko wasn’t the cause — it was a John — but Yoko may have been the reason/excuse/vehicle/opportunity that John wanted to go a different way.

FWIW.

[johnb]

I heard an interview with Carl Palmer (drummer extraordinaire) a few years ago, and the interviewer made some snide comment about Ringo. Palmer corrected the guy, telling him that Ringo had an unique sound because he was left-handed playing a right-handed drum kit. He also said — correctly I think — that “Ringo was the perfect drummer for THAT band.”

Ringo is righteous. Peace and love, peace and love, peace and love……

Here's a Ringo homage that goes into specifics on why he was such a good fit for the band. Drumming starts right away, but discussion/drumming starts at 1:19. BTW, the German lecturer appears to have been born about 30 years after the band broke up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NCczct2ZIM

Here's a more traditional one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CB8xToC-CU

[OldPhiKap]

Watched E3 today to complete the series.

Really enjoyable watch.

[weezie]

Saw a drummer named Ricky Wise based out of Baltimore this past weekend. Anybody in the area needs to check this fellow out. Close your eyes and he's an aural dead ringer for McCartney. He's got a feeling!

[jimsumner]

Saw a drummer named Ricky Wise based out of Baltimore this past weekend. Anybody in the area needs to check this fellow out. Close your eyes and he's an aural dead ringer for McCartney. He's got a feeling!

Dead ringer for McCartney? Or Ringo?

[Billy Dat]

I echo the near universal acclaim for this documentary. It is truly incredible to watch from multiple perspectives. Not only are you sitting in a room with the Beatles for hours, which is really the gift of the whole thing, but it's also a document of the creative process, the joy and tension of a long time group of friends and collaborators, the show biz "machine" and its demands, the outside interests of each member of a group that pulls them from the center...it's all there.

I was extremely moved watching it knowing about John's murder a decade later. I know there is a lot of evidence that maybe they would not have ever played together again, but watching the film I felt exactly the opposite. There was so much affection there, I feel like they would have found a way, maybe later in the 80s. It showed itself in many ways. I loved the scenes where George was trying to help Ringo work out "Octopus's Garden", after basically making fun of George's original music there is a scene where John is working with him one-on-one to work out some parts, the infamous audio-only flowerpot lunch dialogue between John and Paul where they talk about the leadership of the band, Paul's generous comments about Yoko and how the band must accept her presence as John needs her...it just lent the air of how much these guys cared about each other. Obviously, they are counters to that, like when George leaves and they are ready to just call Eric Clapton, but some of that felt like on the spot spite. John and Paul realized they needed to get him back.

John seemed so fragile to me. History tells us that he was doing a lot of drugs, but you could see that he really did need Yoko there, she was like a security blanket, the pain of the later lyrics, "Mama don't go, Daddy come home!" essentially echoed in this woman who started to play both roles. They were all so young when this was shot..none of them 30, George 25. It's insane.

I also loved the machinations of the non-band members trying to get their jobs done. Michael Lindsay-Hogg seems like a popular foil in the reviews I have been reading but he reminded me of, especially when I was younger, and I needed to corral the more powerful people than me, especially creative types, to settle on a direction to move a project forward. Glyn Johns, the recording engineer, letting dozens of good natured barbs bounce off of him while trying to get the sound right while wearing the wildest collection of outfits you have ever seen. George Martin, cool calm and collected helping keep it all together and offering wise counsel, the assistant Mal fetching tea and typing up lyrics and provisioning cigarettes (an incredible amount of smoking).

The man-on-the-street interviews with Londoners listening to the rooftop concerts, especially the older folks (most of whom complained) but some of of whom, against type, were big fans of both the band and the spectacle of a mid day concert.

A completely incredible experience, I was transfixed as it seems most of us were.

[dudog84]

Was watching a Beatles documentary and saw clips of this judge discussing the band's stop in Ohio in 1964, and it was too funny not to share. Found it on youtube:

[OldPhiKap]

Was watching a Beatles documentary and saw clips of this judge discussing the band's stop in Ohio in 1964, and it was too funny not to share. Found it on youtube:

(not for everyone — language or otherwise)

[jimmymax]

I didn't make it through the concerned Ohio dude's monologue but I like Todd Snider so I'll offer up this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZWmbWrMwqo

[Jeffrey]

FWIW, Paul has said that John quit the Beatles because he wanted to go his separate way (with Yoko).

https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...-beatles-split



So, at least to Paul’s telling, John wanted to go his own way. It sounds like Yoko wasn’t the cause — it was a John — but Yoko may have been the reason/excuse/vehicle/opportunity that John wanted to go a different way.

FWIW.

IIRC… While true (John made the call) Paul’s early public claim (probably to stimulate sales for his first solo release) was he quit the Beatles first. This BS claim angered John for many years.