In which songs did Paul use his RIC bass?

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 1:50 am

Here is another photo of George and Paul at Trident Studios.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 1:54 am

There is a bit of a somber tone to this photo for me. Contrast this photo with some of the early studio sessions and you see a far more individual rather than group effort. More work and less fun at this stage of their career.

larrywassgren · Post by **larrywassgren** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 12:03 pm

I remember reading somewhere that George said(just after The Beatles broke up) that he would get back in a group with John Lennon anytime, but never again with Paul McCartney. When this photo was taken, George had all those great songs ready to go that ended up being All Things Must Pass. I can sense in this picture he's ready to move on to his own work.

ricnvolved · Post by **ricnvolved** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 1:37 pm

I think the other 3 were pretty much fed up with Paul at the time these photos were taken. Part of the problem was Paul's insistence that Lee Eastman should be appointed the band's new manager. Paul had become increasingly bossy since the band had achieved fame & fortune and there was understandable resentment building up among George, John, and Ringo during that time. George especially had pretty much had it with Paul almost constantly telling him how & what to play on guitar. George openly began to wonder what his purpose was in the band anymore, given McCartney's "know-it-all" attitude about playing lead guitar. (There's a very revealing scene in the "Let It Be" movie where Paul is trying to console George, who is obviously angry.) In revolt against Paul's bossiness and the fear that Mr. Eastman would be chummy with Paul to the other's detriment, they insisted (foolishly as it turned out) that Allen Klein take over the band's management. And this in spite of Mick Jagger's & Keith Richards' explicit warning that Klein was pure poison. That they still wanted Klein over Eastman only serves to highlight the intense level of irritation the others had against McCartney when in hindsight this really was the one time when they should've listened to him. Klein has long since been exposed as a clever scoundrel and a crook, whereas Mr. Eastman, by any objective account, would've been a far better choice.

There has been the widespread misperception for over 33 years that Yoko Ono was the major reason for the break-up of The Beatles. While her presence and abrasive personality certainly did nothing to help matters, what most people don't realize is that money is the primary reason the band split up.(The other reason was the band's weariness of the intense pressure of living under a microscope.) None of the 4 ever really had the inclination to dispel the myth that "wedding bells broke up those old pals of mine" because each was too embarrassed to acknowledge the real reason.

Neal Aspinall emerged as the *only* person all 4 could agree on to trust handling the band's financial affairs. As far as I know, he's still doing so to this day.

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 12:19 am

Thanks for the info Nick & Larry about the '61 Hofner. Just goes to show you how many books out there can mislead information. It's great to have a forum like this with so many incredible like-minded people who share a passion for this.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 8:40 am

I have a CD of open mics at the Let It Be filming, and there's John getting down on George. George was trying to show them All Things Must Pass, or something slow (I've lent it out so can't reference it now), but while George is trying to show them this slow song, John butts in and says "we're a ROCK AND ROLL BAND!" I don't doubt Paul's commanding presence was stressful, but maybe George had taken all he could stand from everyone but Ringo!

ricnvolved · Post by **ricnvolved** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 10:15 am

Jerry-- I've never been a big admirer of John Lennon. The manner in which he trashed the band, and especially singling out George Martin, is something I've never forgotten. People can blame Yoko all they want for John's misbehaviour just before, and for several years after, The Beatles split up. But that's not giving John much credit for being a man. I refuse to believe that Yoko "emasculated" him to the degree he had little or no control of himself during that time period. George Martin was hurt and unjustifiably maligned by John's rude comments; there's no way they can be readily excused.

Your revelation about John butting in on George lends further credence to my belief that all 4 of the band members had become sick of each other and it was time for everyone to move on.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 5:15 pm

I believe he (Lennon) was heavily into heroin at this time (Yoko makes reference to "shooting" on this CD), which probably didn't help. BTW, Mac's first words to the group as he arrives are "'Morning, f*** heads". Sounds like disharmony abounded. Although it shows Mac helping George with "I Me Mine", Sir P. suggesting they do that 4/4 rockin' thing in the middle.

larrywassgren · Post by **larrywassgren** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 5:43 pm

John Lennon said he couldn't stand getting up early in the morning, having cameras rolling and trying to be creative at the same time. Conditions were awful as far as he and George were concerned. Paul didn't mind as it was his idea and he wanted it to work more than the others. I'm sure if the cameras had been rolling in Hamburg, Liverpool, and all the hotels on all those Beatle tours we would have heard plenty of fxxx-off's! That doesn't mean they didn't love the group. John Lennon said he could complain all he wanted about the group, but let somebody else(like Mick Jagger) run The Beatles down and they'll pay the price. They've said they were like brothers many times, and George Martin would be the 'fifth brother'. Who hasn't given their brothers ***** over the years?

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 4:37 am

I completely agree/comiserate with them being in that position. Also, at the time of Let It Be, you had super musicians, changing styles and bands emerging. The pressure for product must have been intense for a band who up to then had been the leaders. I feel, also, that all the b**ching Lennon did after the breakup was just a steam release valve opening, that his love for the other three, G. Martin, the work with the Beatles, et al was very much intact. Unfortunately, his early demise robbed us of the warm and fuzzy overview he might have provided on the Anthology, had he been there to contribute. Elvis had the unfortunate luck of bad timing regarding his demise. Most remember the fatness and the jumpsuits. Had he survived, he might have slimmed down, gotten back to his roots or at least joined the Wilburys! Lennon's bad luck is that those comments were some of his last comments, and I feel not what he would have wanted as a final say on his life.

larrywassgren · Post by **larrywassgren** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 4:44 pm

Yes, there were a lot of super musicians coming up, but none better than The Beatles. The Beatles had already done everything, gone full circle from straight rock to Rubber Soul(folk) to psychedelic and back to stripping their guitars and rocking again(White Album, Abbey Road). I can't think of another group that's done that. I don't think they felt much pressure from other musicians, it was just time to move on and what better time than when you're at the top? As for the filming of Let It Be, I give them credit again for being honest. They weren't acting like things were great and we have to be getting along because the cameras are rolling. That's what I've always loved about The Beatles, they were honest. They weren't afraid to give you their feelings.

ern · Post by **ern** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 2:33 pm

I guess the song they're working on the photo is "Long, Long, Long". I think it was recorded with a capo on the third fret.Does John appear on any of the other photos of this session?(John was not present on "Long, Long, Long").

admin · Post by **admin** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 4:26 am

Ern: You raise an interesting point. John was not in any of the other photos. Long Long Long was recorded witha capo on the 3rd fret as well, however, it was recorded at Studio 2. On the basis of the background in the photos posted here of Paul and George it seems to me that we can rule Studio 2 out. I am certainly no expert when it comes to the Trident studios. Perhaps others can assist here.

ern · Post by **ern** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 9:43 am

I'm not really sure, but I think I can see the staircase that leads to the control booth at studio 2(Behind George). Maybe I'm wrong!

admin · Post by **admin** » Mon Jul 07, 2003 4:29 am

Ern: I think that is a stairway behind George which can bee seen in the first photo posted in this thread. Here is a third photo showing a bit more enthusiasm, at least seemingly from George's perspective.