The 2 hrs and 35 minutes flew by.
No fancy stuff, just the 4 guys (and the occasional extras) in a room creating, with little hints of underlying issues, which culminated in a suitable 'cliffhanger' at the end of the episode, which I am sure most folk will know about. It does seem to come quite out of the blue, but you can also see where it's coming from.
Roll on the next two episodes.
Haha, it seemed like Paul just annoyed the complete fuck out of him!
shareHe'd annoy the complete fuck out of me, the way he was bossing around his equals!
One interesting thing is: I've noticed for a long time, that when people behave badly and cause drama, you'd think they'd stop whatever behavior caused the drama when the shit hits the fan - but they usually step up whatever behavior pattern caused the problem. They feel threatened by the drama, refuse to recognize their own role in creating the problem, and do whatever it is that makes them feel empowered - whatever it was that created the problem. McCartney was doing that big time, when George had had enough of McCartney acting like he was in charge of the session, McCartney sat there with a glass of wine grumbling that they needed more discipline, they needed to show up earlier, stick to the plan, make progress every day... do everything *his* way.
He's got to boss people around because the rest are a bunch of lazy fucks!
shareThose "lazy fucks" were the top band in the world, who were rich enough to take all the time in the world in the studio, to jam to old songs and goof off before getting serious again, who were so monumentally famous that if they called up the BBC and said they'd changed their minds about doing a live concert on any particular date or at all, the BBC people would meekly beg to be included in whatever final plans they would make. Sure, they weren't sticking to their original schedule, but their original schedule was ridiculously optimistic and the sensible thing to do was what they did... change their plans.
They were also equal partners in the band, and did NOT appreciate one of four equal partners acting like a middle manager under a deadline.
Is the first paragraph supposed to prove my statement wrong?
shareYes and no.
Yes, they looked like lazy fucks, but for all we know that was their normal working method. But my point *was* that you can't deal with lazy fuckery from people who are at the absolute top of their field the way your deal with the lazy fucks at your workplace. People who are as successful as the Beatles can't be ordered around, threatened, coerced, intimidated, etc, you can't use any of the tactics a normal boss uses on their underlings, you have to use persuasion and be patient.
The Beatles weren't anyone's underlings, and McCartney was acting like they were his. Well, look how that went.
Maybe, but the honest truth is that Paul and John had no equals. I did not hear Paul as being bossy.
It was a crazy task to set up any group a month to create a whole album and the outline of a media event or show.
McCartney had every right to express his point of view ... and did you happen to keep count of how many songs Paul was coming up with. On his songs I can understand his desire to fulfill his vision of what the should should be like - and Paul was helping George with his music as well.
I am sure that after 10 years of world-shaking success they all had lives and wanted to enjoy themselves. The movie was interesting to watch ... and at least for me I thought it was best to avoid being judgmental on anyone because even with that movie I don't think we know really what are are looking at, except the Beatles at work, which was after their lives had changed so much.
I haven't watched it all yet but - as per the footage I'd already seen from those sessions - Paul looks completely off his face compared with the rest of them. Sweaty, fidgety, always playing with his face.
Looks like the rest of them - and John included here - were forced to indulge being with him, even if they didn't really want to be, for the sake of getting some more great music made.
Overall I agree. I watched the first two episodes and I love it so far. Planning to watch the 3rd and final this week. I imagine it will turn a lot of casual viewers or fans off because it is not pushing out entertainment to the viewer. You need to just sit and observe. And that is what I like about it. It is the Beatles demystified. Is shows they are normal people struggling with deadlines, conflicts, work/life and especially a group with different styles and personalities.
My primary reflection was on Paul. I was both in awe and irritated. First, the guy is a machine. To see him not ever stop playing and writing and developing. It is incredible. You even caught a glimpse of this in the recent Rick Rubin documentary. Paul's energy is what enabled the Beatles create so much output in so few years. I don't blame Paul for his drive and desire to move things along. They had a vision and a deadline to fulfill. Perhaps Paul felt the band was vulnerable without the management of Brian Epstein and he was just trying to fill that gap, as best he could, I honestly do not think he was on a power trip. Now, let's talk about what irritated me. He never knew when to pause. His is drive and energy level just crushed George. George is quiet as a church mouse - you would think the moment George finally decided to speak, he had something important to say and Paul (and John) should just shut up and listen. Paul had a comeback about everything George suggested. By now, across several albums George proved his musical and lyrical genius, I am baffled about how Paul did not just yield to whatever he said. After all George was going to let Paul and John do most of the arranging anyhow. It was just shocking. I completely understand why George stood up and left. Which by the way was awesome "I'm leaving the band now"...all matter-of-factly. Classic.
Sounds compelling. I have not seen the documentary and probably will not until it is out there streaming for free. I loved the Beatles as a kid when they came out, but never really liked the whole Beatlemania thing. They were an international force though. What amazing lives these guys had. So sad about John, and then George.
The story I had heard, not really paying a lot of attention, was that the band had gotten under bad management and that Paul really did not care for the management. I think Paul was born out right on that, which I guess had something to do with them losing or selling the rights to their own music? I confess I am curious about this doc, but on on the other hand it was old news, like 50 years ago, I think I can wait, but I am interested to see it.
Seeing them play and talk together candidly sounds fascinating. At the time I was a huge Lennon fan, and most of the people I knew though Paul was a sell out and so commercial, so the recognition of Paul's massive talent, for me, was something that has been growing and growing for a long time - plus the guy is just so amazing, in terms of productivity, vision and he is just magnetic in his ability to be charismatic as a person and performer.
Did they say or do anything relative to the Beatle's relationship with the Rolling Stones at all?
One really interesting thing that came out over the years was the Beatles' generosity and help for other artists. I'd like to hear more about that. Imagine being so talented that you cannot even use all your ideas yourself! What an amazing musical group and individuals.
This was a very interesting and thought provoking analysis sfuedy. I think it’s fair to mention that Paul was self-aware and self-critical of his impatient behavior that sent George to the edge. My perception was that that Paul was still enthusiastic and driven for the Beatles and that John was agnostic but a positive energy willing to be inspired by Paul. George however, seemed fatigued with the group and wanted to chart his own course.
The documentary often showed George as a negative, implacable, “devil’s advocate” throughout the effort to plan the live TV concert to introduce the new songs. He seemed to resist everything. John was enthusiastic about doing the concert on a cruise ship to the Mediterranean but George complained about “being stuck with a bloody big boatload of people for two weeks.” George trashed the idea of a concert in at a historical Libyan coliseum as “too expensive and insane.” I noticed Harrison actually quit the band during the lengthy dialogue about the prospects of doing the TV concert in Libya and seemed to return only after Paul and John assured him that a giant international live performance would not proceed. Even John was tired of George’s negativity, telling Paul he wasn’t sure he even wanted Harrison to return and that the Beatles could replace him with Clapton who was “just as good and without the headaches….”
When George complained that his songs always seemed to be marginalized, he failed to acknowledge presenting them in rudimentary form despite the tight schedule. Six months of his deliberations on the song “Something” had led to ridiculous inertia such that he was singing, “Something in the way she moves…. Attracts me like a pomegranate” Meanwhile Paul assembled the legendary “Get Back” at the pace of a couple hours while the band awaited John who was late to rehearsal. Watching George kind of made me understand why Paul became a bit exasperated with him.
Putting the band in the situation of having to write and the perform a whole new Beatles album in just a few weeks might have been a way to push L/M's ideas because George was not able to find anywhere to run, and I think he didn't want to say no, so he let himself into it.
shareIn George's defense: If he was negative about the idea of a huge televised concert, he was right! They had no new material ready, they hadn't performed live for years and hadn't performed in front of an audience that could hear them for longer, and the deadline was so ludicrously short that they had to change it. And they really weren't ready for a big heavily publicized concert, I mean their rooftop last concert was a half-assed squib, where they sand and played well but repeated songs and got shut down for not bothering to get the permits. And didn't that take place a couple of weeks after the original date?
No, I can see why a person would get tired of George, but I got tireder of Paul, bossing everyone around. I can see why he felt he needed to take charge, but the face is, he was a young guy trying to manage things... with no managerial skills. His pushing the other around caused as many problems as it solved.
Paul looked chubby.
Ringo looked smaller than I thought he was.
These guys were under a huge amount of pressure.
Come up with an album worthy of the Beatles brand in a month from nothing.
I think Paul gets too much criticism.
If Paul was being bossy, it might be just as true to say that George was being a baby.
Seems like they were on better behavior when Billy Preston joined them.
I cannot help but wonder what that album would have sounded with with Nickie Hopkins on keyboards. I love both of them Hopkins and Preston.
Yeah, having watched the rest of the episode I agree re Paul. You can't help feel a bit sorry for him what with John seeming pretty indifferent to the whole thing and George getting a bit too uppity (I posted another thread about his behaviour).
What I've since read is that John was apparently taking heroin throughout the period of these sessions which perhaps explains everything being left on Paul's shoulders.
But - as as been mentioned elsewhere on this thread - it was still quite surprising to see the dismissive attitude of John to George saying he was leaving. Given their legendary status, it's quite hard to dissociate how we view them now from what was probably their reality at the time of just being another band (albeit a very successful one). George was obviously seen as a very easily replaceable cog in the machine...
> it was still quite surprising to see the dismissive attitude of John to George saying he was leaving
If I had to guess, I'd say this docu-movie was put together to make money for Harrison and Ono, and as such it needed some dramatic inflation. I bet John did not take George's behavior for anything but a kind of tantrum and he knew George would be back, even if they had to placate him.
I don't think any of the saw George as being replaceable ... that would have just been stupid. Can you imagine Clapton joining the Beatles. That would have really hurt George since it was Clapton that stole his wife. And Clapton has really turned out to be a major ignorant ahole.
I think there was a lot here that was not touched on or even understood ... and only Paul and Ringo know, and really mostly Paul. I am not sure Ringo or Paul had much input to this movie. Honestly, this is more suited to a bunch of You-Tube clips, as a move or series, this is just not very good - and it really doesn't explain or clarify anything ... well, at least to me.
The birth of Get Back out of thin air while waiting for John.
That's the talent they had, an enormous world-wide hit all from just killing time strumming
its like Da Vinci Last Supper came from just absent minded doodling on a napkin
It was interesting to hear things from all the Beatles solo stuff to come that they all knew about.
One thing I was hoping they would clear up was the 2 versions of Get Back, the one on the album and then there was an extended version somewhere, maybe a single, where the drums pick up after the end and vamp to a fade, which is my favorite version.