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[KelMar]

anyway I recommend it, couldnt put it down actually

I thought it was very good too. It was a while ago that I read it but one thing that stayed with me was the fact that he never was able to know John that well, despite all the time he worked with him. Social dynamics are an interesting thing. John was an interesting thing.

On an unrelated note, I keep looking at your new avatar and wondering when that kid is finally going to break the vicious cycle that's going on. LOL

[nimrod]

I thought it was very good too. It was a while ago that I read it but one thing that stayed with me was the fact that he never was able to know John that well, despite all the time he worked with him. Social dynamics are an interesting thing. John was an interesting thing.

On an unrelated note, I keep looking at your new avatar and wondering when that kid is finally going to break the vicious cycle that's going on. LOL

He never learns Kelley 

As has been said its evident that he took to Paul and makes him the sort of unofficial musical director of the band which Im guessing in the later years was true
What struck me was how he mentioned Rubber Soul as a kind of poor relation LP, it hardly merited a paragraph, I know he didnt work on it, that was Norman Smith but  many many Beatle fans have that & Revolver as the best 2

[KelMar]

What struck me was how he mentioned Rubber Soul as a kind of poor relation LP, it hardly merited a paragraph, I know he didnt work on it, that was Norman Smith but  many many Beatle fans have that & Revolver as the best 2

I guess maybe he didn't feel qualified to discuss it?

[Moogmodule]

As has been said its evident that he took to Paul and makes him the sort of unofficial musical director of the band which Im guessing in the later years was true

It's interesting how your memory of events can be influenced by who you got along with and who you didn't. As you say, Emerick clearly got along well with Paul but didn't feel the same love from John and George. In Ken Scott's book he clearly got on best with George.

Love the new avatar btw KK

[nimrod]

It's interesting how your memory of events can be influenced by who you got along with and who you didn't. As you say, Emerick clearly got along well with Paul but didn't feel the same love from John and George. In Ken Scott's book he clearly got on best with George.

Love the new avatar btw KK

haha

Theres no doubt in my mind that Paul was the most naturally gifted musician in the band.............as far as singing & songwriting, I put him and John on a par but in totally different ways, Paul could write the better melodies no doubt, John could write better lyrics and more artistic, groundbreaking stuff.

[Moogmodule]

haha

Theres no doubt in my mind that Paul was the most naturally gifted musician in the band.............as far as singing & songwriting, I put him and John on a par but in totally different ways, Paul could write the better melodies no doubt, John could write better lyrics and more artistic, groundbreaking stuff.

Yep I agree. Paul had a natural facility. John was gifted in that weird way that isn't conventional but is more likely the one to come up with novel things. Although John had a natural musicality to him as well. It was rare to hear him slip out of tune in live performances for instance.

[nimrod]

One of the standout bits in the book for me was when they heard John sing ADITL with that bit of tape echo, Geoff & George were both gobsmacked by how well he sang it, apparently they talked and enthused about it for a day or two

ohh and he states categorically that John sang the ahhh's after Pauls bit

[Moogmodule]

ohh and he states categorically that John sang the ahhh's after Pauls bit

Oh god don't let's start that one up again!! 

[Hello Goodbye]

It was Paul

[nimrod]

John Lennon in Playboy (1980):  “I think that is one of George’s best songs, one of my favourites of his.  I like the arrangement, the sound and the words.  He is clear on that song.  You can hear his mind is clear and his music is clear.  It’s his innate talent that comes through on that song, that brought that song together.  George is responsible for Indian music getting over here.  That song is a good example.”

and yet Ive just read in Geoffs book that John & paul really didnt like it and were glancing at each other and doing some 'ok if we have too' noises

They tried to do Northern Song for Pepper but everybody thought it was really weak

Johns above statement makes you wonder if Geoff spouts crap in his book as has been said earlier in this thread, very anti George this book.

[Bobber]

John Lennon in Playboy (1980):  “I think that is one of George’s best songs, one of my favourites of his.  I like the arrangement, the sound and the words.  He is clear on that song.  You can hear his mind is clear and his music is clear.  It’s his innate talent that comes through on that song, that brought that song together.  George is responsible for Indian music getting over here.  That song is a good example.”

and yet Ive just read in Geoffs book that John & paul really didnt like it and were glancing at each other and doing some 'ok if we have too' noises

What song is that? The Inner Light? I read a quote from Paul on that song, saying something like 'forget about the Indian stuff and listen to the melody? Isn't it just lovely?'

They tried to do Northern Song for Pepper but everybody thought it was really weak

They were right.

[Moogmodule]

John Lennon in Playboy (1980):  “I think that is one of George’s best songs, one of my favourites of his.  I like the arrangement, the sound and the words.  He is clear on that song.  You can hear his mind is clear and his music is clear.  It’s his innate talent that comes through on that song, that brought that song together.  George is responsible for Indian music getting over here.  That song is a good example.”

and yet Ive just read in Geoffs book that John & paul really didnt like it and were glancing at each other and doing some 'ok if we have too' noises

They tried to do Northern Song for Pepper but everybody thought it was really weak

Johns above statement makes you wonder if Geoff spouts crap in his book as has been said earlier in this thread, very anti George this book.

Kev which song was John talking about in the Playboy interview?

It's so hard to tell with John. He blew hot and cold on so much Beatle stuff. Depended how much Yoko was whispering in his ear.

[nimrod]

Oops sorry guys it was Within You Without You

[Moogmodule]

Oops sorry guys it was Within You Without You

Ah ok. Did John and Paul even have any involvement? I thought it was George plus Indian musos

I doubt they were even there to roll their eyes. John usually frequented himself from George songs anyway.

[nimrod]

Ah ok. Did John and Paul even have any involvement? I thought it was George plus Indian musos

I doubt they were even there to roll their eyes. John usually frequented himself from George songs anyway.

No I dont think they did

apparently they were interested in all the Indian muso's when the were in the studio and Rings was playing chess with Mal

These darn books eh, Geoffs book seems accurate when you read it but Ken Scott has rubbished a lot of it, Johns playboy comment seems at odds with Geoffs recollections also

[Moogmodule]

No I dont think they did

apparently they were interested in all the Indian muso's when the were in the studio and Rings was playing chess with Mal

These darn books eh, Geoffs book seems accurate when you read it but Ken Scott has rubbished a lot of it, Johns playboy comment seems at odds with Geoffs recollections also

Well. No one in the 60s thought what they were doing was going to be picked over 50 years later.  Remembering things in detail decades later must require a lot of revisionism in your own head. If people are treating you like the font of all wisdom you'd probably convince yourself you were certain of things you can barely remember.

[nimrod]

Well. No one in the 60s thought what they were doing was going to be picked over 50 years later.  Remembering things in detail decades later must require a lot of revisionism in your own head. If people are treating you like the font of all wisdom you'd probably convince yourself you were certain of things you can barely remember.

Geoffs book is a good read though, I dont like how he disses George so much , he comes over as having no real talent and the others just put up with him, Ringo comes over as a kind of session guy who has little or no opinion about anything and basically does what Paul tells him.
Paul & John usually give George a few goes at doing a solo and when he makes a mess, one of them does it as they get bored with him, in fact John hated Northern Song so much he didnt even bother turning up to play on it when it was being considered for Pepper, apparently everybody hated it, even Geoff, it just seemed to grate on everyone, take after take trying to make something of it.

[Moogmodule]

Geoffs book is a good read though, I dont like how he disses George so much , he comes over as having no real talent and the others just put up with him, Ringo comes over as a kind of session guy who has little or no opinion about anything and basically does what Paul tells him.
Paul & John usually give George a few goes at doing a solo and when he makes a mess, one of them does it as they get bored with him, in fact John hated Northern Song so much he didnt even bother turning up to play on it when it was being considered for Pepper, apparently everybody hated it, even Geoff, it just seemed to grate on everyone, take after take trying to make something of it.

Yeah he seemed to be pretty jaundiced against him. And I think at that stage George still could be a bit clumsy with his leads. He did tend to learn note for note and try to get it perfect. Rather than improvise.  But being too dismissive of him seems at odds with others recollections. While johns guitar playing is a bit underrated, I don't think anyone ever claimed he was a match for George on leads. He himself said he never did any leads George couldn't do better. And John wasn't exactly free with compliments. So the idea he'd step in when George couldn't get it seems unlikely. Paul by 66 had developed pretty well that sort of flashy style of solo. I thought his taking over as soloist on a few pepper tracks was more because that style suited some of the songs. And George was going through a disengaged phase trying to learn sitar.

Eric Clapton also clearly had lots of respect for George as a muso. And clappers wasn't easy to please.

I haven't read the book for a while but didn't Geoff acknowledge at one point that George had developed by the late 60s into probably the best producer of the four?

[nimrod]

Yeah he seemed to be pretty jaundiced against him. And I think at that stage George still could be a bit clumsy with his leads. He did tend to learn note for note and try to get it perfect. Rather than improvise.  But being too dismissive of him seems at odds with others recollections. While johns guitar playing is a bit underrated, I don't think anyone ever claimed he was a match for George on leads. He himself said he never did any leads George couldn't do better. And John wasn't exactly free with compliments. So the idea he'd step in when George couldn't get it seems unlikely. Paul by 66 had developed pretty well that sort of flashy style of solo. I thought his taking over as soloist on a few pepper tracks was more because that style suited some of the songs. And George was going through a disengaged phase trying to learn sitar.

Eric Clapton also clearly had lots of respect for George as a muso. And clappers wasn't easy to please.

I haven't read the book for a while but didn't Geoff acknowledge at one point that George had developed by the late 60s into probably the best producer of the four?

I havent got that far yet !

Im only up to Pepper, main points that leap out;

Johns personality has changed, he is now laid back, submissive, aggreable and generally easy to get on with, unlike the earlier impatient John who could bite your head off. (Drugs?)

Paul is the worker bee, it was during Pepper he started adding his bass lines last, so some days after the others left at 1 am or so he would stay to perfect his bass lines till dawn, keeping Geoff and Richard Lush there all night, George Martin would leave around midnight - tired

Paul also took advantage of Johns new attitude and become default Musical director, arranger, artistic developer of idea's and even possible producer.

Ringo sat in the corner with Mal & Neil playing chess and brewing tea

George seemed disinterested in the whole project and only became interested when working on WYAWY

[Moogmodule]

ftp://

I havent got that far yet !

Well hurry it up Kev!  We like your reviews.