Speaking of Paul... The big mystery that everyone is talking about on the Rickenbacker Bass Facebook group that "Rickenbacker gave him a lefty bass with a right handed neck with a right handed nut that causes the A string to pop out". You would think that the E string would pop out of the nut not only the A string and he's been using that bass since 1965, that must explain why it's capo'ed in half of the studio shots. It's also odd that Rickenbacker would send out a left handed bass to a high profile player with a right handed nut, the nylon tape strings he was using during that era were also a heavier gauge. You see Paul play his 1964 4001 bass in Ep. 1 with the red/silver MMT psychedelic paint job and a few days later the finish is sanded off, the way the bass exists today. If the Rickenbacker was giving him trouble and intonation issues with the Hofner, why didn't Paul use the Fender Jazz he got a almost year earlier. A Epiphone Rivoli bass was seen with Paul's basses early on which has Beatles gearheads in speculation. Paul called Rickenbacker's customer service to find out but they never got back to him...
I think Linda said John acted like he didn’t believe her. Yoko did do all of the talking for John and I think that’s why George left the meaning.
I believe they did more (a few?) of these "bagism" events around that time. To this day I don't understand what they were promoting with Yoko being in a big white bag on a stage. What was the purpose, anyone know?
Can anyone quickly indicate what areas of London they were each living in at the time? I presume George and John lived further out? As they were often late.
…and it makes it that much more magical when you see them enjoying it WITH one another. This is what “got” me most as I watched the rooftop today. Tear evoking to be sure.
It was intended to promote removing the prejudice associated with appearance. You can’t judge someone’s looks in a bag
It’s hard to imagine now as smoking is on the decline and smoking indoors is heavily discouraged (rightly), but it was completely normalised in this era. I grew up in the 80’s and nearly every adult seemed to smoke cigarettes, and indoors too! It must have been even worse back in the 60’s.
Wasn't there another bit where Paul told one of the film people who wanted to discuss stage sets to "go talk to John & Yoko, they're the artsy ones"?
Tell me about it. When the relatives got together at holidays or whatever the house would be thick with cigarette smoke. Never heard anyone bitch about how second-hand smoke was killing everyone. All anyone ever said now and then was that somebody should open a window.
Ah. Glad I could be of help. BTW, I see that’s the “no E” edition of that society. A few more letter adjustments and that would really be a funny organization.
I think “the I’m not sure I want him back” comment is just John still being mad at George for leaving in the first place. He seems to have this defensive anger/humor he lashes out with when he is hurt (like we’ll just get Clapton in.) I still don’t feel like we know too much more about George leaving than we already did. I think even George himself mentioned that he and John had an argument but when was it? Maybe after that section where we see George talking about “let Apple handle it” and they realize they are still being recorded and say cut? Glyn Johns has been quoted as saying that they (the crew) left when it looked like things were going to get heated and from the film we saw nothing was heated up to that point. I thought it was interesting that Peter Jackson said he thought maybe Ringo and Paul had already turned the corner to go to lunch and may not have even heard George’s announcement. Anyway, if John is still a bit mad/hurt here it might explain his attitude and why he let Yoko do all the talking at the weekend meeting. On the other hand we also have John at one point, even in front of Ringo, telling Paul that the two of them were the Beatles or something to that effect.
Great post William…you combined my sentiments beautifully into one very well said post. This was a Beatle-watching experience like no other from start to finish. Nothing but heartfelt positives for this from me.
I think by that point John would have gone either way with whatever “worked”. If George came back, fine. If he didn’t, we’ll easily find another way. If we just end it right here altogether, fine again.
Yes, that is not quite believable, I must say. He also must have noticed the little back room conferences John & Yoko had with Robert Fraser, the guy who once tried to convince him heroin was a good idea as long as you could afford it....
I remember as a kid waking up on a Sunday morning with our living room filled with overflowing ashtrays, cocktail glasses used as ashtrays, beer cans and bottles filled with cigarette butts. I don’t remember the haze of smoke but it must have been substantial. We were already put to bed.
I know George is getting a lot of sympathy. But did anyone else find him a little less than upstanding when he was commenting on Billy Preston’s delight in playing with them? His point seemed to be that Billy was grateful to be involved with them, getting credit, etc, that other musicians were typically getting session wages, as if to suggest they could cheap out with him because he was given the privilege of working with them.
