As a longtime Beatles fan (since 1979 when I was 11) and traveled many many years into my old age with this passion of mine; reading everything, studying everything, I have to say you are one of the very few that brought the breakup way back to John in 1965/66. And I have to agree. And I used to be on the "Yoko-Broke-Up-The-Beatles" bus for many years because, before the internet, we didn't have all the material we have today. But now, it's clear. Love your work. Thanks for giving the perfect view of why THe Beatles broke up.
I hate the live shows during Beatlemania. All those screaming teens drove me crazy. But I've come to love all their albums from the 1st to last. You did an amazing cover of "For You Blue" - fantastic! Great video as usual 👌 👍 👏
I have perused a lot of classic rock TH-cam channels and most of them tow the same boring, one dimensional line, and are tiresomely predictable in their presentation. But Jon, you always have the best in-depth takes, best research, the best archival footage and background stories. As for the topic at hand, we as a culture love scapegoats, we have an almost impulsive reflex to assign blame to help us deal with disappointment and anger. Yoko was always the perfect figure for that, and the media was all too happy to indulge the public’s frenzy-like need for scapegoating when it came to the Beatles. And dare I say there was a racist element to the scapegoating. I don’t think I really developed my position on her role until after living and working in her native culture. I lived in Japan for a few years and really got a sense of where she was from, her artistic background, and her cultural mindset. And I mingled with a lot of very cool Japanese music types who had a very different view of Yoko. She never was a villain in the Beatles story. That breakup story, as you illuminate in this video, began years before she entered the picture. If anything, she helped elevate and inspire John’s artistic achievements beyond Beatle songwriter to great solo artist. John loved her unconditionally, and she him. And if you want to say that this shared love is what broke up the Beatles, keep perusing those other classic rock opinions and channels cuz there is plenty to feed your need for cheap scapegoating. Do I like Yoko’s music contributions? That’s really beside the point and another angle used to assign her blame. Sorry for the rant. Another great video, Mr. Blackstone. 👏👏👏
You are such an excellent writer. I can’t imagine I’m the first person to say so. Reading your comments is a literal pleasure. Have you done any professional writing? Please send me some info if you have. I can’t thank you enough for your kind words. These videos are a labor of love for me; but they’re also a ton of labor! Your praise makes it worth every moment. Especially when others understand what I’m trying to do. Thank you for watching!
@@JonBlackstone Thanks, Jon. I don’t like to talk too much about myself, but suffice it to say I had good teachers through school who were hard on me. Further, my dad forced me to read Jack London and John Steinbeck as a kid, which turned out to be a very inspirational coercion. I always wanted to be a cross between Jack Kerouac and Lester Bangs, but alas, I ended up in the civil service as a communications staffer, writing, editing mostly. The art of the TH-cam comment seems a bit lost in the whirlwind pace of information flow, so I’m very selective with mine. Just trying to write songs these days. Otherwise, good TH-cam content like yours draws out good comments from me. As someone who spent time in media editing, I know these videos of yours take time, and I appreciate the effort and thought you put in. Your childhood filmmaker hobby is really paying dividends, and you have the music background to add to that. Don’t know why you aren’t a viral hit in this rock music content genre, but you should be. Keep up the fine work.
Enjoyed this one, Jon. I think you’re right on as to the reasons they broke up. It was just time. They had grown up and had grown a little apart, and they all felt the need to go their own way. They were married and had kids and it was time to start living another life. “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans”. That couldn’t be more true. And that’s exactly what happened to them. They became adults with families. That changes everything. John had his own way of saying that in that well known interview with that female reporter. He was abrasive and semi-rude when he said it. But he was completely right . They had outgrown the Beatles. They weren’t the “boys” and the “mop tops” anymore. They were men, with real life problems.
Wow. You’re the second comment I’ve received where I’m so impressed by the writing skill of the viewer. Seriously! Reading your comments is as enjoyable as any book I’m currently reading. You’re an excellent writer. Thanks for the kind words and thank you for watching!
Great video AGAIN. You're a go-to in YT. Props for the old footage of a young you NAILING Sexy Sadie. You seemed to have the vox on "Lennon" setting. Wow. Oh, and you hit the spot on the closing Harrison tune. I hope you can be a YT guy full time. I know your fans really enjoy your content, and your talent. I personally love your voice, both singing and narration. Kudos Jon. You have many talents to enjoy, not the least of which is your ability to tell a story. I hope your work can continue. Your love of the material shows through. That is the secret ingredient that makes it so good. You're a lot more than just the only kid with a camera.
There is no way you can know how much your comments mean to me. Sincerely. Right now I’m knee deep in editing my next episode and I really needed the encouragement. I absolutely love doing this work and to know it’s so appreciated is a blessing. I very much want to do this full time so it would be so great if you can share my videos with anyone who would appreciate them. The sooner I build my subscriber numbers the sooner I can quit my “day job” and do what I love most! Thank you for your compliments on my version of “sexy Sadie“. I’ve studied the Beatles music so intensely for so long that I know every little nuance to those songs. And when I sing such a great song, it’s an absolute thrill! I really appreciate you noticing my attention to detail.as always thanks for watching and thanks again for the encouragement!
@JonBlackstone You're welcome. My older brother has been a musician since he was 15 and I was 9 and so I can see and hear how much you put into your craft. My older sisters wore out their Beatles 45s with pennies stacked on the tone arm ploughing through the skips. When the Fab Four played our city, we lived close enough to the stadium to hear the sound in the distance. I was only 4, but its stamped into my memory. I was 7 the first time I heard stereo. I sat beside the different speakers, comparing everything that was different on each track of Sgt Peppers. I played in every school band I could get into, and when I got bored, I switched instruments trying all the brass, and all the woodwinds. I think I still have one arm longer than the other from carrying them all home to practice. I spent years as a DJ in bars, and decades in the entertainment industry as an agent for performers. I even took Audio Engineering back when it was an analog world. My point is, I really do hear and see what you put into the things you love. I can tell the cloth you are cut from and I sincerely appreciate all of the fine detail. I'm not at a point in my life where I can contribute financially so I am Duty bound to comment like and share. Maybe you can pick up a few other people that would enjoy the gem that is your channel. Respect and admiration, Jon. And thanks. Always thanks. You deserve much more than just that.
Great video Jon. I ,too, had my life changed by the Beatles. Music became the most important thing in my life because of them. Their story is so multifaceted, isn't it? To this day, I still think their albums contained some of the most creative music ever layed down. Funny how George, with his "non-show biz" personality, was in the most famous band in the world! I'm glad to have lived through a time when the Beatles were putting out music.
My thinking about The Beatles is that they had a purpose. There first few albums were a collection of great songs up to and including Help. When you do Help you don't follow up with Rubber Soul but they did and it was a triumph. When you do Rubber Soul you don't follow it up with Revolver but they did and it was a triumph. Same can be said with Sgt Pepper, The Beatles ( White Album ). Each album was completely different to its predecessor and it changed the whole music culture. Abbey Road to me is an album of great songs so it feels to me they had served their purpose and it was a nice way to go out.
I met a relative of John Lennon. ‘Of course you did you say’. Lol You definitely could see a resemblance! I worked with Julie at a restaurant in Nashville. Good person. I miss her. Also Nancy Lee Andrews was a friend. She and Ringo were an item for awhile. She has a photo book out that captures some history. Look her up. I remember my brothers and I going to record stores to see the first Beatles albums. I had to stand tall to see the racks. I remember the ‘who’s cuter’ controversy between the Beatles and the Stones…..😂🤷🏽♂️
Good grief Jon, another one knocked out of the park..... GREAT editing and narration! My wife got a great crash course of the break up, even though we know every nook and cranny ourselves. But GREAT job. I'd still love to make a video with you discussing anything Beatles related. If you like, you can watch my Salem's Lot tribute on my channel. I found myself being influenced by your narrations.
Thanks for the wonderful compliment! Send me your contact info through my website www.JonBlackstone.com. I’m really overwhelmed at this time because I’m still working full time and simultaneously producing content for my channel. But I would love to connect and discuss the possibilities. Thank for watching!
Honestly the Allen Klein debacle was a far larger part of the picture than any of these personal differences they had. I believe if they didnt have all the business fall out and the lawsuits, they would've came back together for records in the 70s.
If you actually watch you might discover it’s more unique and intricate than the title suggests. I say that because I’ve watched literally everything under the sun that addressed the subject and find that most still believe it was about Yoko or business disagreements. I also receive countless comments on my Beatles related episodes that reveal a lot of confusion and questions. There are plenty of good reasons to address how the band came to an end; otherwise I wouldn’t have spent hundreds of hours producing it. But thanks for your insightful (however jaded and condescending) criticism.
I think the true first inkling of "the end" was the recording and release of Yesterday. It's essentially a Paul solo tune and was almost released as such.
Amazing they stayed together as long as they did. Epstein, Apple, royalties, Klein, and competition for album space/time. They would have been far more successful as solo artists had they agreed to come in and do vocal harmonies on each other's albums.
The Allen Klein management affair was one big factor, creating a three against one split. Also George Harrison was the one who hated Paul towards the end of the Beatles, after being treated more like a session musician. John and Paul may have got back together, and Ringo would likely have followed. George was very unlikely for a full reunion. Though later the threetles worked together. The last unofficial recorded jam session John and Paul did in 1974 was when everyone was drunk and coked up. Added technical problems meant it was incoherent and lousy. But it proved they might well have worked together again.
I agree it wasn't Yoko, I always thought it was Paul and John's relationship after 1967. A bunch of those clips around Paul's 'death' - look like something changed between them then.
I think the biggest factor contributing to the Beatles breakup was Brian Epstein’s death. He was their manager from their very beginning as a popular rock group from 1962 on. He was the one who gave them their opportunity for a recording contract and worldwide fame, and he was also the person it was the hardest to say “No!” to when it came to doing things that would harm their image as a group, including John. Once Brian Epstein died, there was a giant fracture in the foundation of the Beatles that could never be repaired. After Brian Epstein’s death, John said, “I was scared. We’ve fucking had it now.” I don’t like Yoko Ono either, but she didn’t break up the Beatles. She was a symptom of a much bigger problem that included their immense fame that didn’t allow any four members of the Beatles to have a private life. Their fame is what kept them apart after breaking up.
Brian Epstein dying young certainly didn't help, but you're completely minimizing the turmoil Yoko Ono created in that band. If you read any of the books that aren't controlled by the Lennon/Ono estate you will see a very different picture, than the one that's been painted by Yoko Ono the last 40 years. Even Paul won't say anything too damaging, because every time he does Yoko has the ability to cuts off John's rights to be used in any project Paul wants to do. Kinda hard to do a Beatles project if you can't use John's songs, lyrics, images or likeness, right? Julian Lennon despises her, and has done a few interviews lambasting her. She financially cut him off for a few years to get him to stop blasting her in the press, so now he talks in more moderate tones about her. But in the 90's and early 2000's he viciously went after her in any interview he could, and rightfully so. Even George Harrison went on the record a couple of times and spoke about Yoko being in the studio as they were recording. That was absolutely against the band's rules, but John would say every time "hey, I'm just gonna quit if she can't sit in with me." Paul and George have also said in the past, that the tension in the studio was so thick you could cut it with a knife, on the days she was there.
Yep Onos sheer audacity, love the incident when she jumps in the back of John's limo with Cynthia there and has to forcefully removed, Cynthia was shocked and thought John had lost the plot when she comes home to find her in her nightgown with John. Apart from Yoko, George especially was ropeable about the pittance they were receiving due to Brian's business acumen, which must have driven them all mad. In the end all the pressure just got too much. Brian's death was a main breaking point because of the lousy contracts he signed that eventually took until the mid 80s to stop them haemorrhaging money.
The Beatle Film Festivals were great experiences. McCartney became the de facto leader of The Beatles after Touring Ended. Paul McCartney envisioned and conceptualized SPLHCB and MMT. There would be no Abbey Road without the driving force of McCartney. You kept mispronouncing “Epstein.” You kept categorizing The Beatles as if they were in their moptop days. Your assessment of The Beatles (White Album) is nuanced; accurate and excellent. There would be no Yoko Ono or Alan Klein involvement without John Lennon’s lack of character judgment. George Harrison came late to music writing; often with only 1-2 new songs to contribute. By 1968, George Martin, Lennon and McCartney gave Harrison plenty of studio time yet he refused to complete his songs for The Beatles. George Harrison had a massive inferiority complex resulting in 1 flawed masterpiece and 11 poor to mixed review albums in 30+ solo years. So much for his stockpile of songs. Harrison had his own demons. It was Lennon who officially announced his departure from The Beatles in September 1969. Post Beatles… Harrison, hardly the Quiet Beatles, and Lennon harshly criticized and denounced The Beatles; especially McCartney. While the end of The Beatles was inevitable, how The Beatles ended was avoidable.
Thanks for your comments and thanks for watching! It’s nice to know other people remembered those wonderful Beatles film festivals. It was so fun to go to a theater packed full of fans and watch these rare treasures on the big screen. Just talking about it gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling of excitement.having said that I absolutely love having so much Beatles material available today in high-quality on Blu-ray. I’ve collected everything that’s been released so far; and even a lot of stuff that’s never been officially released. Hopefully we’ll see all of it presented the highest possible. Thanks again hope to hear from you again!
I have listened to The Beatles since the mid 1970s. Easily the best band. But I am no fan boy. Lennon always seems to get treated with kid gloves. The scene of his clapping and making faces on stage and stomping his foot is Lennon making fun of people with intellectual and physical disabilities, whom small town leaders would bring to the shows. Lennon did not like that, and here he is acting out on stage. Not the greatest thing to do. Lennon's drug use also forever changed him, I think for the worst. As the band's leader, Lennon abdicated by 1966 as the drugs increased. As a musical artist, he was in decline by 1968 and never got it back. I know all his solo records inside and out, but I don't think I would care much at all about his solo career if he were not an ex-Beatle. Plastic Ono Band was brave and memorable, but it went too far. Sometime in NYC is artistic suicide. Imagine and Mind Games are uneven and originally badly produced (and yes I bought the latest reissues), Walls and Bridges deserves praise. Rock N Roll is utterly terrible. Double Fantasy is uneven and forever stained by his death -- and Yoko's contributions. by 1968, Lennon was ripe pickings for a controlling woman who satisfied his mommy issues. The realist part of me cannot let a Beatles breakup video skirt Yoko's role in the breakup, even if only that she introduced Lennon to heroin, which I think he never fully recovered from. Or gave him license to act out -- not necessarily a positive with so much anger and depression. Lennon was a songwriting genius through 1965 or so, then the slide began. Still, the day the music died will always be that day in October 1980. I wish he could have made peace with himself, his legacy and his other Beatles. Lennon's deterioration I think was the main cause of the breakup, though granted it was over years. When Lennon started losing interest by 1966, the band was on its way out. George was good with that. But not Paul and Ringo. Paul kept it going through his unbelievable, never-to-be-duplicated talent through 67-69.
As a longtime Beatles fan (since 1979 when I was 11) and traveled many many years into my old age with this passion of mine; reading everything, studying everything, I have to say you are one of the very few that brought the breakup way back to John in 1965/66. And I have to agree. And I used to be on the "Yoko-Broke-Up-The-Beatles" bus for many years because, before the internet, we didn't have all the material we have today. But now, it's clear. Love your work. Thanks for giving the perfect view of why THe Beatles broke up.
Thank you for the kind words; and for sharing your own understanding of this alway interesting end to The Beatles story. And thank you for watching!
I hate the live shows during Beatlemania. All those screaming teens drove me crazy. But I've come to love all their albums from the 1st to last.
You did an amazing cover of "For You Blue" - fantastic!
Great video as usual 👌 👍 👏
You’re the first person to mention my cover so I was assuming no one made it that far! 😂 Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching!
I have perused a lot of classic rock TH-cam channels and most of them tow the same boring, one dimensional line, and are tiresomely predictable in their presentation. But Jon, you always have the best in-depth takes, best research, the best archival footage and background stories. As for the topic at hand, we as a culture love scapegoats, we have an almost impulsive reflex to assign blame to help us deal with disappointment and anger. Yoko was always the perfect figure for that, and the media was all too happy to indulge the public’s frenzy-like need for scapegoating when it came to the Beatles. And dare I say there was a racist element to the scapegoating. I don’t think I really developed my position on her role until after living and working in her native culture. I lived in Japan for a few years and really got a sense of where she was from, her artistic background, and her cultural mindset. And I mingled with a lot of very cool Japanese music types who had a very different view of Yoko. She never was a villain in the Beatles story. That breakup story, as you illuminate in this video, began years before she entered the picture. If anything, she helped elevate and inspire John’s artistic achievements beyond Beatle songwriter to great solo artist. John loved her unconditionally, and she him. And if you want to say that this shared love is what broke up the Beatles, keep perusing those other classic rock opinions and channels cuz there is plenty to feed your need for cheap scapegoating. Do I like Yoko’s music contributions? That’s really beside the point and another angle used to assign her blame. Sorry for the rant. Another great video, Mr. Blackstone. 👏👏👏
You are such an excellent writer. I can’t imagine I’m the first person to say so. Reading your comments is a literal pleasure. Have you done any professional writing? Please send me some info if you have. I can’t thank you enough for your kind words. These videos are a labor of love for me; but they’re also a ton of labor! Your praise makes it worth every moment. Especially when others understand what I’m trying to do. Thank you for watching!
@@JonBlackstone
Thanks, Jon. I don’t like to talk too much about myself, but suffice it to say I had good teachers through school who were hard on me. Further, my dad forced me to read Jack London and John Steinbeck as a kid, which turned out to be a very inspirational coercion. I always wanted to be a cross between Jack Kerouac and Lester Bangs, but alas, I ended up in the civil service as a communications staffer, writing, editing mostly. The art of the TH-cam comment seems a bit lost in the whirlwind pace of information flow, so I’m very selective with mine. Just trying to write songs these days. Otherwise, good TH-cam content like yours draws out good comments from me. As someone who spent time in media editing, I know these videos of yours take time, and I appreciate the effort and thought you put in. Your childhood filmmaker hobby is really paying dividends, and you have the music background to add to that. Don’t know why you aren’t a viral hit in this rock music content genre, but you should be. Keep up the fine work.
@@GoneButNotGone I’m honored that you take the time to comment on my work. I sincerely appreciate it and take it to heart. Hope to hear from you soon!
Enjoyed this one, Jon. I think you’re right on as to the reasons they broke up. It was just time. They had grown up and had grown a little apart, and they all felt the need to go their own way. They were married and had kids and it was time to start living another life. “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans”. That couldn’t be more true.
And that’s exactly what happened to them. They became adults with families. That changes everything. John had his own way of saying that in that well known interview with that female reporter. He was abrasive and semi-rude when he said it. But he was completely right . They had outgrown the Beatles. They weren’t the “boys” and the “mop tops” anymore. They were men, with real life problems.
Wow. You’re the second comment I’ve received where I’m so impressed by the writing skill of the viewer. Seriously! Reading your comments is as enjoyable as any book I’m currently reading. You’re an excellent writer. Thanks for the kind words and thank you for watching!
Great video AGAIN. You're a go-to in YT.
Props for the old footage of a young you NAILING Sexy Sadie. You seemed to have the vox on "Lennon" setting. Wow. Oh, and you hit the spot on the closing Harrison tune.
I hope you can be a YT guy full time. I know your fans really enjoy your content, and your talent. I personally love your voice, both singing and narration.
Kudos Jon. You have many talents to enjoy, not the least of which is your ability to tell a story.
I hope your work can continue. Your love of the material shows through. That is the secret ingredient that makes it so good.
You're a lot more than just the only kid with a camera.
There is no way you can know how much your comments mean to me. Sincerely. Right now I’m knee deep in editing my next episode and I really needed the encouragement. I absolutely love doing this work and to know it’s so appreciated is a blessing. I very much want to do this full time so it would be so great if you can share my videos with anyone who would appreciate them. The sooner I build my subscriber numbers the sooner I can quit my “day job” and do what I love most! Thank you for your compliments on my version of “sexy Sadie“. I’ve studied the Beatles music so intensely for so long that I know every little nuance to those songs. And when I sing such a great song, it’s an absolute thrill! I really appreciate you noticing my attention to detail.as always thanks for watching and thanks again for the encouragement!
@JonBlackstone You're welcome. My older brother has been a musician since he was 15 and I was 9 and so I can see and hear how much you put into your craft.
My older sisters wore out their Beatles 45s with pennies stacked on the tone arm ploughing through the skips. When the Fab Four played our city, we lived close enough to the stadium to hear the sound in the distance. I was only 4, but its stamped into my memory.
I was 7 the first time I heard stereo. I sat beside the different speakers, comparing everything that was different on each track of Sgt Peppers.
I played in every school band I could get into, and when I got bored, I switched instruments trying all the brass, and all the woodwinds. I think I still have one arm longer than the other from carrying them all home to practice.
I spent years as a DJ in bars, and decades in the entertainment industry as an agent for performers. I even took Audio Engineering back when it was an analog world.
My point is, I really do hear and see what you put into the things you love. I can tell the cloth you are cut from and I sincerely appreciate all of the fine detail.
I'm not at a point in my life where I can contribute financially so I am Duty bound to comment like and share. Maybe you can pick up a few other people that would enjoy the gem that is your channel.
Respect and admiration, Jon. And thanks. Always thanks. You deserve much more than just that.
Great video Jon. I ,too, had my life changed by the Beatles. Music became the most important thing in my life because of them. Their story is so multifaceted, isn't it? To this day, I still think their albums contained some of the most creative music ever layed down. Funny how George, with his "non-show biz" personality, was in the most famous band in the world! I'm glad to have lived through a time when the Beatles were putting out music.
I agree with every word you said (especially the conundrum George found himself in). Thank you for the kind words and for watching!
My thinking about The Beatles is that they had a purpose. There first few albums were a collection of great songs up to and including Help. When you do Help you don't follow up with Rubber Soul but they did and it was a triumph. When you do Rubber Soul you don't follow it up with Revolver but they did and it was a triumph. Same can be said with Sgt Pepper, The Beatles ( White Album ). Each album was completely different to its predecessor and it changed the whole music culture. Abbey Road to me is an album of great songs so it feels to me they had served their purpose and it was a nice way to go out.
Agreed. Thank you for watching!
I met a relative of John Lennon. ‘Of course you did you say’. Lol
You definitely could see a resemblance! I worked with Julie at a restaurant in Nashville. Good person. I miss her. Also Nancy Lee Andrews was a friend. She and Ringo were an item for awhile. She has a photo book out that captures some history. Look her up. I remember my brothers and I going to record stores to see the first Beatles albums. I had to stand tall to see the racks.
I remember the ‘who’s cuter’ controversy between the Beatles and the Stones…..😂🤷🏽♂️
Oh wow! Thanks for sharing! Do you still live in Nashville? I was there for a few years and made some lifelong friends. Thanks for watching!
Welcome back, sir.
Thank you kindly! Thanks for watching!
Nicely researched and presented. Jon you still are the fifth Beatle!👏
Thank you kindly! I couldn’t hope for a higher compliment! Thank you!
Good grief Jon, another one knocked out of the park..... GREAT editing and narration! My wife got a great crash course of the break up, even though we know every nook and cranny ourselves. But GREAT job.
I'd still love to make a video with you discussing anything Beatles related.
If you like, you can watch my Salem's Lot tribute on my channel. I found myself being influenced by your narrations.
Thanks for the wonderful compliment! Send me your contact info through my website www.JonBlackstone.com. I’m really overwhelmed at this time because I’m still working full time and simultaneously producing content for my channel. But I would love to connect and discuss the possibilities. Thank for watching!
Excellent! Thanks for this...
My pleasure! Thank you for watching!
Thank you, I know about the beatles and some of what you say. My favourite all time band .
Mine too! Thank you for watching!
Honestly the Allen Klein debacle was a far larger part of the picture than any of these personal differences they had. I believe if they didnt have all the business fall out and the lawsuits, they would've came back together for records in the 70s.
Gee, I’m really glad you decided to do a video about why the Beatles broke up!!! It’s never been discussed before, wow!!!!
If you actually watch you might discover it’s more unique and intricate than the title suggests. I say that because I’ve watched literally everything under the sun that addressed the subject and find that most still believe it was about Yoko or business disagreements. I also receive countless comments on my Beatles related episodes that reveal a lot of confusion and questions. There are plenty of good reasons to address how the band came to an end; otherwise I wouldn’t have spent hundreds of hours producing it. But thanks for your insightful (however jaded and condescending) criticism.
I think the true first inkling of "the end" was the recording and release of Yesterday. It's essentially a Paul solo tune and was almost released as such.
Amazing they stayed together as long as they did. Epstein, Apple, royalties, Klein, and competition for album space/time. They would have been far more successful as solo artists had they agreed to come in and do vocal harmonies on each other's albums.
I agree! That’s one of the reasons I love Ringos self titled album. If you’ve never listened to it it’s a fantastic album. Thanks for watching!
The Allen Klein management affair was one big factor, creating a three against one split. Also George Harrison was the one who hated Paul towards the end of the Beatles, after being treated more like a session musician. John and Paul may have got back together, and Ringo would likely have followed. George was very unlikely for a full reunion. Though later the threetles worked together. The last unofficial recorded jam session John and Paul did in 1974 was when everyone was drunk and coked up. Added technical problems meant it was incoherent and lousy. But it proved they might well have worked together again.
I agree it wasn't Yoko, I always thought it was Paul and John's relationship after 1967. A bunch of those clips around Paul's 'death' - look like something changed between them then.
I think the biggest factor contributing to the Beatles breakup was Brian Epstein’s death. He was their manager from their very beginning as a popular rock group from 1962 on. He was the one who gave them their opportunity for a recording contract and worldwide fame, and he was also the person it was the hardest to say “No!” to when it came to doing things that would harm their image as a group, including John. Once Brian Epstein died, there was a giant fracture in the foundation of the Beatles that could never be repaired. After Brian Epstein’s death, John said, “I was scared. We’ve fucking had it now.” I don’t like Yoko Ono either, but she didn’t break up the Beatles. She was a symptom of a much bigger problem that included their immense fame that didn’t allow any four members of the Beatles to have a private life. Their fame is what kept them apart after breaking up.
Brian Epstein dying young certainly didn't help, but you're completely minimizing the turmoil Yoko Ono created in that band. If you read any of the books that aren't controlled by the Lennon/Ono estate you will see a very different picture, than the one that's been painted by Yoko Ono the last 40 years. Even Paul won't say anything too damaging, because every time he does Yoko has the ability to cuts off John's rights to be used in any project Paul wants to do. Kinda hard to do a Beatles project if you can't use John's songs, lyrics, images or likeness, right? Julian Lennon despises her, and has done a few interviews lambasting her. She financially cut him off for a few years to get him to stop blasting her in the press, so now he talks in more moderate tones about her. But in the 90's and early 2000's he viciously went after her in any interview he could, and rightfully so. Even George Harrison went on the record a couple of times and spoke about Yoko being in the studio as they were recording. That was absolutely against the band's rules, but John would say every time "hey, I'm just gonna quit if she can't sit in with me." Paul and George have also said in the past, that the tension in the studio was so thick you could cut it with a knife, on the days she was there.
Yep Onos sheer audacity, love the incident when she jumps in the back of John's limo with Cynthia there and has to forcefully removed, Cynthia was shocked and thought John had lost the plot when she comes home to find her in her nightgown with John. Apart from Yoko, George especially was ropeable about the pittance they were receiving due to Brian's business acumen, which must have driven them all mad. In the end all the pressure just got too much. Brian's death was a main breaking point because of the lousy contracts he signed that eventually took until the mid 80s to stop them haemorrhaging money.
The Beatle Film Festivals were great experiences.
McCartney became the de facto leader of The Beatles after Touring Ended.
Paul McCartney envisioned and conceptualized SPLHCB and MMT. There would be no Abbey Road without the driving force of McCartney.
You kept mispronouncing “Epstein.”
You kept categorizing The Beatles as if they were in their moptop days.
Your assessment of The Beatles (White Album) is nuanced; accurate and excellent.
There would be no Yoko Ono or Alan Klein involvement without John Lennon’s lack of character judgment.
George Harrison came late to music writing; often with only 1-2 new songs to contribute.
By 1968, George Martin, Lennon and McCartney gave Harrison plenty of studio time yet he refused to complete his songs for The Beatles.
George Harrison had a massive inferiority complex resulting in 1 flawed masterpiece and 11 poor to mixed review albums in 30+ solo years. So much for his stockpile of songs. Harrison had his own demons.
It was Lennon who officially announced his departure from The Beatles in September 1969.
Post Beatles…
Harrison, hardly the Quiet Beatles, and Lennon harshly criticized and denounced The Beatles; especially McCartney.
While the end of The Beatles was inevitable, how The Beatles ended was avoidable.
Thanks for your comments and thanks for watching! It’s nice to know other people remembered those wonderful Beatles film festivals. It was so fun to go to a theater packed full of fans and watch these rare treasures on the big screen. Just talking about it gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling of excitement.having said that I absolutely love having so much Beatles material available today in high-quality on Blu-ray. I’ve collected everything that’s been released so far; and even a lot of stuff that’s never been officially released. Hopefully we’ll see all of it presented the highest possible. Thanks again hope to hear from you again!
I have listened to The Beatles since the mid 1970s. Easily the best band. But I am no fan boy. Lennon always seems to get treated with kid gloves. The scene of his clapping and making faces on stage and stomping his foot is Lennon making fun of people with intellectual and physical disabilities, whom small town leaders would bring to the shows. Lennon did not like that, and here he is acting out on stage. Not the greatest thing to do. Lennon's drug use also forever changed him, I think for the worst. As the band's leader, Lennon abdicated by 1966 as the drugs increased. As a musical artist, he was in decline by 1968 and never got it back.
I know all his solo records inside and out, but I don't think I would care much at all about his solo career if he were not an ex-Beatle. Plastic Ono Band was brave and memorable, but it went too far. Sometime in NYC is artistic suicide. Imagine and Mind Games are uneven and originally badly produced (and yes I bought the latest reissues), Walls and Bridges deserves praise. Rock N Roll is utterly terrible. Double Fantasy is uneven and forever stained by his death -- and Yoko's contributions.
by 1968, Lennon was ripe pickings for a controlling woman who satisfied his mommy issues. The realist part of me cannot let a Beatles breakup video skirt Yoko's role in the breakup, even if only that she introduced Lennon to heroin, which I think he never fully recovered from. Or gave him license to act out -- not necessarily a positive with so much anger and depression. Lennon was a songwriting genius through 1965 or so, then the slide began. Still, the day the music died will always be that day in October 1980. I wish he could have made peace with himself, his legacy and his other Beatles.
Lennon's deterioration I think was the main cause of the breakup, though granted it was over years. When Lennon started losing interest by 1966, the band was on its way out. George was good with that. But not Paul and Ringo. Paul kept it going through his unbelievable, never-to-be-duplicated talent through 67-69.
Enough with the Beatles breakup stories