Members agreed that the band should not reunite; any slightest possibility was extinguished with the death of John Lennon
Practically from the first minute the Beatles announced their separation, through a press release released by Paul McCartney on April 10, 1970, fans were rooting for a comeback. That never happened. Any minimally plausible chance of a meeting was extinguished with the murder of John Lennonin 1980.
Even if this tragedy had not occurred, the producer George Martintreated by many as the true fifth Beatle (the size of his involvement with the creation and recording of songs), he was not at all in favor of a comeback. In his opinion, the musicians could even play together, but never under the name of the band that consecrated them worldwide (CheatSheets).
In a 1976 interview with Rolling Stone USA, Martin said he would “hate” the Beatles’ return. He explained his reasons:
“I think it would be a terrible mistake for them to even go into the studio together. I would hate to see that happen. What happened back then was great, but any time you try to recapture something that existed before, you’re treading on dangerous ground.”
The producer used a relatively common example in anyone’s life to illustrate his point:
“It’s like when you go back to a place you loved as a kid and find it’s been rebuilt. Destroy your illusions.”
Beatles in the past
in the opinion of George Martin, who left us in 2016, the Beatles should stay in the past. A reunion would consist of a completely different band.
“The Beatles existed years ago. They don’t exist today. And if the same four men were to play together again, wouldn’t they be the Beatles.”
The climate evidenced in the project sessions Get Backfilmed for film release let it be (and later expanded upon in the documentary The Beatles: Get Back), confirms another point: musicians no longer got along well in the professional environment. In an interview (via Cheat Sheet), Paul McCartney admitted he could only get along with John Lennon if they said absolutely nothing about business. Ringo Starr, the easiest to deal with of the four, maybe he didn’t feel the conflicts so much, but George Harrison, usually overshadowed by the duo Lennon/McCartney in the creative part, he would feel suffocated again in that sense.
The guitarist, by the way, said in a press conference in 1974 (via Ultimate Classic Rock) that “everyone was enjoying working individually”. And he was candid in addressing what would change his mind about a comeback:
“We were boxed in for 10 years. So it’s all fantasy about the Beatles get together again. If we do it again, it will probably be because we’re broke and strapped for cash.”
Shortly before passing away, John Lennon revealed to playboywhich maintained the same position.
“Do we have to be crucified again? Do we have to walk on water again because a bunch of assholes didn’t see it the first time? Or did you not believe it when you saw it? You know, that’s what they’re asking: ‘I didn’t understand what you did back then, can you do it again?’ No way.”
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
