Episode 28 – Beatles ’69 pt1

It’s a new year and the Beatles are back in the studio. Mere weeks following the release of their titanic eponymous double album (now colloquially dubbed “the white album” after it’s all-white outer packaging) the band was once again called together with another big idea from Paul. The goal? To rehearse a brand new album of new songs, film the rehearsal and then perform the album in some sort of live setting. That process would be broadcast as a tv special and the live performance of the new material would be released as the next album. Michael Lindsay-Hogg was signed on to direct, who not only had a history with the Beatles themselves but whom had just recently worked with John on the Rolling Stones Rock’n’Roll circus. It was yet another grand undertaking by a band that was standing on the brink of complete fracture following the tumultuous year prior. As George put it, “I just spent 6 months producing an album of this fella Jackie Lomax, and hangin’ out with Bob Dylan and the Band, in Woodstock, and havin' a great time, and for me to come back into the 'winter of discontent' with the Beatles, in Twickenham, was very unhealthy and unhappy.” To compensate, these very early days of January 1969 find John, Paul, George and Ringo endlessly jamming on their 50’s rock “comfort food”, avoiding the inevitable...