Will The Beatles "Esher Tapes" ever be officially released?

And when will the bubble burst? ​

 

I swear I can hear bird sounds on the "Dear Prudence" demo.

Perhaps Geoff Emerick engineered, which would answer another question about the proceedings.

 

Patti Boyd didn't like the sound of her own voice

 

Based on Sheffield's article, I don't think Yoko was at the Esther sessions, or they would not have been so surprised she showed up for the White Album sessions.

"On May 30, the first day of the White Album sessions, the other three were stunned to see Yoko in the Abbey Road control room at John's side, where she remained permanently – even joining him on the microphone in the first day's version of "Revolution 1." From now on, they only had access to John through her."

Rob Sheffield Looks Back at the Beatles' Intimate White Album Demos

 

Repost of a quote from a few days ago:
Paul on the subject of why they demo'd:

 

Prediction:

I'm thinking there will be some de-mixing of the demos, in order to present the best stereo picture, especially in cases where an element drops from the mix, or where it's decided to (briefly) drop an element from the mix. So some separating of voice from guitar.

If they're going to be a "highlight" of the set, as our insider says, I'm thinking they're going to be fussed over. Separating a voice from guitar is right up the alley of this software, it'd be hard to resist.

Of course, I could be totally wrong and think the opposite tomorrow.

 

Does anyone know why John Lennon's tape/the bootlegs sound so rough when compared to the tracks from Esher on Anthology 3? Did John just hold a microphone up to the speakers when the tracks were played back maybe?

 

It's well known that John was not at all what you would call a technical person; I wouldn't be surprised if in fact that's what he did. There's his original demo version of Strawberry Fields that you can find on Youtube, that sounds pretty rough. It sounds like all of the overdubs were done by just holding a speaker with whatever part he wanted to add up to the tape recorder, instead of doing it on actual tracks. I don't know if that makes sense or not!

 

Ah yes, of course! I certainly hope that a demo exists because it is a decent song, and strong enough for Paul to remember it all those years later.

 

That is still the one secret of the WA. Lots we know, track list not yet

That and actually hearing it

 

I recall reading somewhere that John and Yoko first hooked up long before the infamous Two Virgins all night session.

 

For the string of guitar solos at the end of Abbey Road, I think I read that when it was John's turn, he told Yoko...not this time. He was going to do his solo without her there.

 

Tony Barrow might have said that. But the night when they recorded Two Virgins was the first time that John brought Yoko to his home---where Cynthia met them in the morning.

 

I don't think Rob Sheffield knows anymore than what he has gathered from listening to the 27 demos that are "out there". I don't think he is more privy to any other tapes than what we have heard. There is also a big difference between bringing one's girlfriend to a low-key get-together to record some demos (that is, George's house) versus bringing the same girlfriend to one's workplace (that is, in the studio at EMI).

I still am leaning to the opinion that Yoko was NOT there. But the fact that John starts ad-libing Yoko's name on the "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" demo seems like an action that John would be more likely to do if Yoko was indeed there in person. But it's not firm evidence, so it's just an educated guess on my part. Others may see it the other way.

 

Just what I don't want to hear...a Kinfauns demo of Don't Worry Kyoko.

 

I think someone in this thread speculated earlier that George made John a copy of the demos simply by putting a single-microphone tape recorder next to the speaker. He likely didn't have two four-tracks in his home from which to make quality copies. That would explain why the demos that we heard on things like Lost Lennon were so rough and in mono.

 

Yes, Geoff was up in George's trees, specially recording the avian species at Kinfauns...

 

Of course we have a fantastic demo of this one. I am not sure how it could be improved upon. I love this song.

 

I have no interest in hearing them but I hope they are released for those who want them. I doubt it, since The Beatles are pretty shy about releasing archival material.

For me the final result is the only thing I want to hear. I listened to Anthology 2 once and never broke the shrink-wrap on 1 and 3. I can listen to Dylan outtakes all day long, maybe because he continues to change them around. The Beatles went out on top and are therefore static (in a good way).

 

I was thinking the same yesterday, will Giles & team de-mix some of the demos? On A3, they just panned the stereo demos on two sides.

But with today’s de-mixing software, they might just consider flying in the vocal in the center of the stereo picture. Giles did use some de-mixing on Pepper 50 so it is a possibility...

 

Wait. There may be a White Album boxed set? Like a 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe?

 

Now, if they would just come up with a middle/center speaker. Rather than the old fashioned left and right speakers.

 

Yup, you might want to center a vocal. He used it on 1+ too.

If you think "Junk" from Anthology, that was mixed to mono, probably because of all the noodling going on on one of the tracks. With de-mixing, it could be mixed to stereo, with the same mixing out of certain vocals or whatever.

 

Yoko has been sending John loads of letters/postcards whilst he was India so she definitely would have been on his mind even if they hadn’t slept together yet or she wasn’t present at Esher...

 

Im thinking they might de-mix these demos too and present them in a new form..
Didnt they do that with the hollywood bowl?