Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

It disappoints me to hear there is actually concern about "controversy" regarding the Beatles. Back in the day, they sprinkled controversy on their breakfast cereal. They lived and breathed it. They stood above it all and laughed it off.

Is it one of those "legacy" things? Wanting to protect their image?

What a drag.

Several bootleggers have made "Let it Be" DVDs from the original LP size Video Discs that were released, when that technology came out, many years ago. (Believe several of these source discs were from Japan). Many of the Bootleg DVD versions, such as one entitled "Winter of Discontent" also contains outtakes footage besides the Let It Be film as released. Some of the outtakes are lousy quality, black and white (which is ok for the Yoko jam, since its something one would likely only watch once) ... and other outtake scenes are good color resolution, from the camera's film archives.... such as the final rehearsal and takes of the cut "Get Back" around the 26-27-28 of January 1969 at 3 Saville Row. There is short snippet of that Get Back footage in the Beatles officially released Anthology DVD set.

Likely these bootleg versions will continue to proliferate until Mr. Aspinall OKs Apple Corp's own official released DVD.

When I was visiting England two years ago, I visited a Beatles tourist shop on Baker Street and they were playing on the store's video a real excellent color outtakes from Let it Be. I remember when I walked into the shop, it was showing footage of Paul and John doing their improvisations "Commonwealth" and "Enoch Powell". Too bad, with the lousy exchange rate then, that it was too expensive for me to buy the video. (More than $125 U.S dollars, I recall !!) Probably just taking advantage of Tourists !!!
Regards - Rich F.

Yes, I could imagine Paul wanting to snip out the famous part where he's telling George how to play "I've Got a Feeling," and the others resisting. And then maybe Paul wanting to at least insert some footage where the other guys look like jerks too, and the others resisting that change as well...

From some of the outtake footage I've seen, Paul got kind of shafted by the original edit of "Let it Be." Not that Paul wasn't annoying at times, but the others, especially John and Yoko, could be pretty annoying too, and I think that's not as evident in the original film.

Also...

On the ProTools black market, you can find digitized original session files for most of a few Beatles albums. For instance, you'd be able to listen to (and mix) the original session tracks for most of Sgt. Pepper.

It's just a guess, but I would think that the only reason these would be available in bootleg ProTools sessions would be if someone at Abbey Road was working on the album in ProTools. If that's the case, then remixes seem entirely possible for the new edition of the Beatles catalog. Of it could be a by-product of the "Love" project. Beats me.

It's probably asking for too much, but I really would like to get the original British albums and singles in mono and stereo. Twenty years ago, why did they insist on issuing the albums through 1964 in mono, but give us stereo mixes of I Want to Hold Your Hand and I Feel Fine? That drives me nuts.

One thing I've learned reading the many biographies is that they all could be KingHell jerks. But I forgive that in any celebrity. We have no idea how annoying their lives can be, and aggressive behavior is a necessary defense mechanism for famous people.

But "Let It Be" is hardly unknown...I can't believe they still would want to give it the "classified document" treatment.

Well, okay, yes I can. It's just too bad.

Concerning the Controversy and avoiding raising of issues ... they covered the Let it Be fiasco extensively in the Beatles Anthology Videos/DVDs and had quotes from everybody connected to it, including George (in 1994) talking about LIB and the infamous "row" with Paul being captured on film ... The bad vibes are already well documented on VHS Tapes and countless other media and bootlegs thereof.

Since Apple will sell tens of millions of copies whenever they do release the Let it Be DVD ... maybe Sir Pauls' Financial Advisers are suggesting to defer that staggering amount of income until after the Heather divorce !

No doubt!

You bring up an interesting point, Richard. Paul's legal entanglements may also delay the release of the remastered CD's and any impending digital downloads until this messy situation with Heather is adjudicated or settled outside of the courts.

Ethan,
According to Giles Martin, the entire catalog was dumped into Pro Tools during the Love project.

Thanks, Bill, that makes sense. I knew Love was done with ProTools, but I didn't realize everything was dumped into ProTools specifically for Love.

I'd love to know where to find any of The Beatles original multi track sessions digitized in any format. That would be a dream come true for me.

that's exciting stuff. As a Pro-tools user and coolector of rare Beatles audio, I'd be most interested in this....

Latest Rolling Stone has Derek Taylor saying that the entire, remastered catalog (British album versions) will be available online and on CD probably by summer. ITunes will not have an exclusive -- "all services," says Derek. I figure June, in honor of the 40th anniversary of SPLHCB.

Hmm, did 'nt Derek Taylor die in the late 1990's
you might be thinking of Neil Aspinall

Derek Taylor is the head of Apple Corps, no?