Yes, true. Klein, whether present or not (or maybe specifically because he wasn't there), might have told Neil to record the meeting for him to listen to later.
I had heard of Lennon's proposal about 4 tracks from each per album----I had assumed it was before he asked for a divorce. I think had the others known this would have led to the end of the band (I believe Paul and George mentioning in later interview that all winter of 69 they were holding out for the possibility that Lennon might recant), maybe they would have (should have) allowed it-----even if it were 4 "out there" tracks.
A fascinating chapter in Mark Lewisohn forthcoming final part of his trilogy covering (I'm guessing) the time from september 1969 to december 1980. Pity that book won't arrive before 2025, I guess. Maybe someone can call him?
If I recall correctly, John’s 4 song proposal was tied in to his concept of a much looser definition of Beatles. Other members like Yoko and Eric. Solo recordings brought in and made into an album. Basically “if we say it’s the Beatles it’s the Beatles.” A way around the four of them in a studio for an extended period of time having to deal with other while also not having to kill the whole Beatles thing. A conceptual band called Beatles. It didn’t mean necessarily them making a formal follow up to Abbey Road.
And according to podguy, per the alleged mystery recording, Lennon himself thinks Maxwell was good for a single. As long as it was a Mary Hopkin single.
All the talk about "Maybe I'm Amazed" potentially having been a Beatles track (along with "Every Night")... Weren't those Paul's love songs to Linda because the Beatles were all but completely dead to begin with, and she was there as his support? Like, those songs wouldn't have been written at all if the Beatles weren't "stick a fork in it" done in the first place, so it's a moot point. Yeah?
From that list I can’t see Man We Was Lonely, Teddy Boy, and Hot As Sun becoming Beatles songs. Especially Teddy Boy. Lennon hated that song.
A lot of Lennon's actions in the late 60s/early 70s seem to be a "gotta get it out of his system" type of decisions. Had the other three relented and let John lead them into this split and experimental LP in late 1969, I think after that, having got it out of his system, John might have done a flip turn and been amenable to other recording ideas in the future as a unit, such as recording "Instant Karma" as a Beatles single. John's reaction to Pepper was to want to strip away the artifice and "story" and go raw with emotions on the White Album. If this story about the meeting is to be believed, he held true to form, and his response to the polished pop-rock of Abbey Road was to want to follow it up with something more raw and experimental. That sounds very John to me, and makes this story somewhat believable.
I also think Dylan putting out John Wesley Harding and The Stones Jumping Jack Flash......helped to steer the Beatles to "Get Back" on The White Album.
Exactly. So as I said, we don't have direct, on-the-record testimony from anyone with firsthand knowledge of the alleged tape's contents. We have someone saying he knows of an unnamed person who claimed to have heard parts of the tape. That's a secondhand, off-the-record report of a portion of the tape's contents, coming from an anonymous source. Anonymous sources and secondhand reports should always be viewed more skeptically. I'm not saying it's impossible this meeting happened in October 1969 as described, but I think it's unlikely.
I didn't catch anything about raw and experimental in the podcast talk about the private meeting. Just 4 songs apiece (when speaking with Harrison about his songs).
I, too, agree it's unlikely considering how these chaps have had their lives dissected. But my point was to point out that at least we've heard from a secondhand source. Around here...that's pretty good.
Or they could’ve imagined that they were other people rather than bring newcomers in. John would be Yoko, Paul would be Donovan, George would be Eric, & Ringo would be bored.
Nope, not a snowball's chance. The David Wigg stuff isn't even close to what has been discussed in this thread. I remain sceptical of the alleged tape and discussion, if they ever even happened. But I am even more sceptical of anyone trying to conflating these two events.
I had used this premise to create the "Slider" series of faux 70s Beatles LPs on Beatlemoney back in the earlier days of the internet. Now there are dozens of pages including here on Hoffman assembling Beatle 70s "collections" made up of solo material and a lot of stuff where "one or two play on the record". There are also 4 to 5 books on the fantasy subject. All in fun of course, but a concept first pitched by no more than Lennon himself.
Two of Us was a Paul song about Paul and Linda, though its performance certainly lends itself to thinking it could be Paul writing about John. Maybe those wouldn't have been written had the Beatles still be an entity. But I know they were professionally recorded hot on the heels of Instant Karma becoming a big Top of the Pops hit in both UK and US. I don't know when they were composed.
