Yesterday and Today

Beatles ’75 pt3

February of 1975 saw the official release of John Lennon's most laborious, expensive album project in the entirety of his solo career: Rock & Roll. This collection of oldies may have seemed like an effortless cash-grab from the recesses of John's nostalgia, but the truth, drama and love behind the project ran far deeper than any listener at the time could have expected. The concept of an oldies album dates back to 1973 and the beginning of John's initial separation from estranged wife Yoko Ono (the time period now known as his so-called "Lost Weekend"). Self-appointed "Godfather of the music business" Morris Levy was in hot pursuit of legal action against Lennon for cribbing lyrics from Chuck Berry's You Can't Catch Me (a song which Levy owned the publishing) for John's Abbey Road classic Come Together. The solution? A new album of cover songs by Lennon featuring some Levy-owned tunes and a host of other rock classics that would serve as an outlet for the pained and out-of-control former Beatle. Two years, stacks of missing tapes, gunshots in the studio and a completely separate other solo studio album later... and John's love-letter to the sound of his past was at last out in the world. Of course, this flurry of activity also coincided with John & Yoko's rekindled romantic relationship - the couple was seen together again in public for the first time that same week at the 17th annual Grammy Awards (where John and Paul Simon delivered an award). Down in New Orleans, Paul McCartney finally got the call from John cancelling plans to join the Venus & Mars sessions - and with that call, the last true possibility of a Lennon & McCartney studio reunion was dashed. But was the reunion hope truly dead? Believe it or not, Art Garfunkel may hold the answer... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’75 pt2

In the early weeks of 1975, the burst of productivity and music that characterized John Lennon's so-called "lost weekend" continued on in its typical, blistering pace. But the "weekend" was almost over, and while John didn't know it at the time, these last few projects at the beginning of 1975 would be among his last major works as a solo artist. First up? Pal David Bowie invites John into the studio to contribute to the Young Americans sessions. Bowie and John team up on an epic cover rendition of the Beatles classic Across the Universe, but while the pair were at it, a new song (and a new hit) emerges as well: the funky riff-jam titled simply Fame. But cranking out a hit with one of the biggest artists in the world was only the start - from there it's back in the studio to put the final touches on mixing the long-awaited Rock And Roll album, which was itself on the eve of finally being released. Started at the beginning of John's separation from Yoko Ono in 1973, it seems only fitting that the project at last see fruition as the estranged couple find their way back to one another once again. Yoko Ono was indeed back in John's life, and suddenly the scheduled recording session with Paul & Linda McCartney in New Orleans seemed less and less likely to actually happen... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’75 pt1

It's 1975! A new year brings a new locale and recording project for Paul McCartney and Wings, who are headed down south to celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans! While this newest Wings line-up continues to solidify, the band drinks in the sights and sounds of the Louisiana atmosphere, capturing moments and melodies destined for the follow-up LP to Paul's December '73 masterpiece Band On The Run. But it's more than just Wings that McCartney is looking to see take flight. An open musical invitation to old pal John Lennon on behalf of Paul in New Orleans appears to validate the ever-swirling rumors of a Beatles reunion that have ebbed and flowed since the fab foursome split 5 years prior. Wounds are now healed, friendships rekindled, and the stage appears to be set for the studio reunion of Lennon and McCartney...but another voice from the past has called for John's attention. Estranged wife Yoko Ono has recaptured John's attention as well, and the spell of the ocean child would ultimately prove more powerful than that of the McCartneys in the big easy... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’74 pt13

It's the end of 1974 - a year of productivity, transformation, music and the definitive ending for The Beatles partnership. After four long years of litigation, Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr (plus a parade of their respective attorneys) put pen to paper on the document that would once and for all conclude the greatest pop music enterprise the modern world had ever seen before or since. But this ending wouldn't be without the trademark drama and heartache that marred the former Beatles' lives since their split in 1970. On December 19th, 1974, George Harrison and his Dark Horse tour took the stage for the first of three engagements at New York City's famed Madison Square Garden - and John Lennon was scheduled to appear with George to perform as a special guest. With Paul in the audience, and George and John on the stage, the old friends planned to return together to an afterparty that would see the signing of the dissolution papers completed, and conclude the Beatles partnership on a happy note. This was not to be. For reasons known only to to the man himself, John Lennon hatched an excuse, bailed on the concert and refused to sign the papers. It wouldn't be for another 10 days, with some arm-twisting by McCartney, for John Lennon to finally sign the documents that would end the project he began so many years ago. A project that carried he and his friends from scruffy lower middle-class teddy boys to the most famous, most successful musicians on the planet - leaving a mark not only on history, but on the lives of the countless millions touched by their music. And with that, both 1974, and the Beatles, were finished. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’74 pt12

In a year jam-packed with new music from each of the four ex-Beatles, the 3rd and final studio album from the former fabs in 1974 was the widely anticipated, tour-supported George Harrison LP Dark Horse. In the wake of the Beatles' split (a full 4+ years earlier) George found himself uniquely poised for success amongst his colleagues - with arguably the lowest expectations for solo project output, combined with the soaring heights of his first full-fledged solo studio effort All Thing Must Pass. There was a time in the early 70's when George Harrison could do no musical "wrong". But audiences were growing increasingly frustrated with the preachy nature of Harrison's music, and that (combined with his noticeably strained voice and combative songwriting fodder) lead to the mixed reaction Dark Horse wound up receiving in December of 1974. Gone were the wall-of-sound pop gems of All Things Must Pass and the sweeping cinematic landscapes of Living In the Material World - replaced instead by ballads and grooves doused in pain, substance abuse and an existential confusion that permeated the quiet Beatle's personal life at that time. To say Dark Horse is a "break-up record" would be like calling She Loves You a "toe-tapper", and after years of solo dominance over John and Paul, George was once again back on his heels in the minds of fans, critics and contemporaries alike. But speaking of John, George and Ringo - one crucial step remained in the dissolution of their once-inseparable partnership -- and before 1974 was over, the world would see that final step fulfilled... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’74 pt11

It's November 1974 and George Harrison's Dark Horse Tour is rolling on through the heart of North America. While George's ragged voice continued its decline on these tour stops, the fun and energy of the musicianship on stage was evident to the thousands of excited fans packing concert venues to see the former Beatle perform some of his iconic hits for the first time in years (in some cases, ever). Classics such as In My Life and While My Guitar Gently Weeps may have been crowd-pleasers, but it was the brand-new soundcheck-written, boogie-woogie jams that truly exemplified the fun that George's band was having every and every night. But Harrison wasn't the only former Beatle taking the stage in November of '74, John Lennon had himself a bet to settle with pal and Whatever Gets You Through The Night collaborator Elton John. As Elton and his band reached New York City's famed Madison Square Garden on Thanksgiving night, fans in attendance bore witness to Lennon's triumphant return to concert performance (though no one could know at the time that it would be his last in such a context). It had been over two years since John was last seen at MSG, and he and Elton's band tore through an electric three-song set including Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, the aforementioned #1 hit single Whatever Gets You Through The Night and the McCartney-sung Beatles classic I Saw Her Standing There. One of those lucky fans in the audience that night? John's estranged wife Yoko Ono... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’74 pt10

Over four years had passed since the official break-up of the Beatles, and by the tail end of 1974 the world of music was changing, evolving and finding new stars to light the way. But despite these shifts in faces and trends, the Beatles' legend remained surprisingly vital, with not only a slew of successful solo material from the former fabs, but also from tributes such as the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road off-broadway musical. Though it was panned by critics, this production tapped into a public yearning for a return of the band that changed everything - and while a formal reunion was never to be, Beatle music was alive and well in the cultural zeitgeist. But nostalgia wasn't the only currency of the day, November 1974 also brought with it Ringo Starr's new album Goodnight Vienna. To follow-up the monster success of 1973's Ringo album, Starr and producer Richard Perry brought in new guest stars and new hooky material in the hopes of repeating their own critical and commercial heights the year prior. John Lennon also returned to lend his friend a helping hand on the title track, as well as lead-off single Only You (an arrangement Lennon and Harry Nilsson had been work-shopping for the ill-fated Oldies But Moldies project). From the Elton John/Bernie Taupin-penned Snookeroo to the novelty No-No Song, Goodnight Vienna was indeed another successful endeavor - though ultimately fell far short of its predecessor. And as 1974 draws to a close, there's still another solo Beatles LP ready for release... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’74 pt9

It's November 1974, and there's new music from all four former Beatles reaching fans around the world. First up, George Harrison's Dark Horse tour, premiering new music from his forthcoming LP release of the same name, barrels on through Oakland, Long Beach and Los Angeles California with some unfortunately mixed results. George was facing harsh critical backlash for the quality of his voice following a bout of laryngitis some weeks earlier, and these shaky vocals, combined with the Dark Horse's seemingly spiteful lyrical re-workings of some of the public's most beloved Beatles standards, cast a strange and ominous shadow on an otherwise joyous North American tour. Meanwhile, Paul and Wings were back in the studio cutting tracks for the much-anticipated follow-up to Band on the Run, while also rehearsing for a world tour tentatively scheduled to begin the following year. While Wings grappled with the forces of Venus and Mars in Abbey Road Studios, their new single Junior's Farm became yet another top 10 hit for the band and cemented once more McCartney's ever-growing stature as an artist outside his former enterprise. One more hit single from Apple Records rounds out the month, with John Lennon offering a helping hand to buddy Ringo Starr on the swooney-crooney track Only You. And believe it or not, there's a lot MORE activity in the world of the former Beatles to come in the closing weeks of this major powerhouse of a year... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’74 pt8

With the release of John Lennon's new #1 Walls and Bridges LP, the fall of 1974 was shaping up to be yet another season of success for the former Beatles. Its corresponding lead-off single, Whatever Gets You Through The Night was comfortably positioned atop the US singles charts as well, giving Lennon the boost of commercial approval he had been chasing for some time as a solo artist. So inspired was John, that he returned to the studio once again in October to finish the "oldies but moldies" sessions begun during his notorious "Lost Weekend" in LA. Things were looking up for Dr. Winston O'Boogie. Big things were also brewing for George Harrison, who was putting the final touches on his third solo album, the as-yet-to-be-released Dark Horse LP. This new collection of songs would be George's first since his calamitous split with wife Pattie Boyd and subsequent spiral into substance abuse and, well, "simply shady" activity. If new music wasn't enough of a pick-me-up, Harrison also embarked on an ambitions tour of the United States alongside good friends Ravi Shankar and Billy Preston - the first of the former Beatles to formally hit the road in the US since 1966. While touring on primarily new material, George's musical quest would bring him to new highs and unexpected lows as the fall of 1974 continued on... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Lennon Radio Tour: pt3

It's the finale of the John Lennon Radio Tour series! Over the past several episodes, we've heard some of John's favorite records, memories and new tracks from the freshly released Walls and Bridges album - all of which paint a surprisingly intimate portrait of where the former Beatle was in his life in these early weeks of fall, 1974. For this third and final installment, you'll hear Lennon relay music and memories from his early days, including some really cool stories about hanging with the Rolling Stones, the birth of "lick records" and whom from his fellow former fabs he felt closest to at that time. Plus, Wayne, James and Paul return to deliver their own final thoughts on the last 4 tracks of Walls and Bridges: Steel and Glass, Beef Jerky, Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out) and (James' favorite) Ya Ya. We hope you've enjoyed this deep dive into the last big Lennon project of original material for quite some time - though it's important to note that it won't be his last, and there will certainly be more music and moments to come on the Yesterday & Today podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.