GEORGE Harrison's widow Olivia is being called as a witness in a trial over priceless Beatles tapes stolen from a studio. The legendary Get Back recordings, which were filmed and recorded at Abbey Road Studios in 1968, were taken in the 1970s.
They were part of a haul of original Beatles recordings and memorabilia, which included a passport belonging to George, seized in a raid in Amsterdam in 2003. Nigel Oliver, 55, of Slough, Berks, and Colin Dillon, 39, of Crowthorne, Berks, have been charged with theft and handling stolen goods and are due to appear at Southwark Crown Court, London, tomorrow.
The 500 tapes known as the Get Back Sessions were made as the Beatles recorded the Let it Be album. Bitter arguments between them can be heard - including a furious row ending with George storming out of the studio in protest at Paul's interference. Police say there is enough material to fill 17 CDs.
Stolen tapes of The Beatles' legendary 'Get Back' recording sessions for their final album, containing more than 200 one-off performances and unique covers, were offered for sale, a court heard yesterday.
Among the lost gems featured were versions of classic songs of the time, such as Rod Stewart's Maggie May and Bob Dylan's Blowin' In The Wind. The tapes also contained the Beatles' opinions on everything from music to bootlegging.
Nigel Oliver, 55, from Slough, is accused of trying to sell 504 tapes made during the sessions for The Beatles' last album, Let It Be, for around £250,000.
He was allegedly caught during an undercover sting in 2003 set up in order to recover the tapes, which went missing at the end of the recordings in 1969.
Neil Aspinall, managing director of The Beatles' Apple company and original Beatles road manager, told Southwark Crown Court yesterday that the tapes were intended to accompany footage of the band which was eventually made into the 1970 film, Let It Be.
He said: 'These tapes have a huge commercial value. They've got over 80 hours or more of sound footage on them of The Beatles recording and chatting about everything.
'There's lots of very unknown stuff and music on there that they wouldn't have recorded in a normal session. For example, they covered over 200 songs on these tapes.'
Earlier in the trial the court heard that Oliver was arrested after arranging the sale of the tapes from two unknown men in Amsterdam to two undercover officers.
The court was told that the 'lost tapes' were found by City of London police officers and the Dutch fiscal police during a house-search in Lisse, Holland. Dutch investigator Rachid Bourammani said: 'The tapes were stacked up in boxes on the floor of the house. There were lots and lots of them. They were the original tapes.'
Among the lost gems featured were versions of classic songs of the time, such as Rod Stewart's Maggie May and Bob Dylan's Blowin' In The Wind. They were the original tapes.'
I've got a feeling, a feeling deep inside. Words Of Love
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The Get Back/Let It Be sessions will be coming out for years & years & years to come with so many tapes. The only thing I don't understand is why Olivia Harrison has to testify at the trial, excet possibly because she was married to a former Beatle, but she wasn't there back in 69.
I want you, I want you so bad babe. I want you, I want you so bad. It's driving me mad, it's driving me mad.
The Get Back/Let It Be sessions will be coming out for years & years & years to come with so many tapes. The only thing I don't understand is why Olivia Harrison has to testify at the trial, excet possibly because she was married to a former Beatle, but she wasn't there back in 69.
there is no way that you know that for a fact tho wayne....its pure supposition on your part....
Beatles boss confirms lost 'gems' may soon be released
Stolen tapes of The Beatles' final recording sessions, which contained more than 200 one-off performances and unique covers, could be commerically released as soon as next year, the head of Apple Corps has confirmed.
Speaking at the trial of Nigel Oliver, 55, from Slough, who yesterday was sentenced to a two-year supervision order for handling stolen goods, Neil Aspinall, the Beatles' first road manager and now head of the Apple Corps estate, told the court: "These tapes have huge commercial value."
Among the gems on the tapes were versions of Rod Stewart's Maggie May and Bob Dylan's Blowing In The Wind, previously unheard in public.
Mr Aspinall said: "They've got over 80 hours or more of sound footage on them of The Beatles recording and chatting about everything.
"There's lots of very unknown stuff and music on there that they wouldn't have recorded in a normal session. For example, they covered over 200 songs on these tapes, songs of the day such as Bob Dylan."
The "Get Back" sessions as they have become known were recorded on 2 January 1969, in a damp room at Twickenham Studios.
The 500-plus tapes record the group, who had dominateed popular music for the past decade, making their final album - arguing, singing to contemporary songs and jamming to unreleased tracks.
But their attempts to find a way past the tensions that were beginning to divide them failed and the group later split.
The album that emerged, Let It Be, was released to coincide with their break-up.
Oliver was allegedly caught during an undercover sting in 2003 set up by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry in order to recover the tapes, which went missing at the end of the recordings in 1969.
Since their disappearance bootleg fragments of the recordings have emerged all over the world - each selling for hundreds of pounds.
Beatles fans expect the recordings to emerge very slowly as not to flood the market.
There may also be legal issues involved surrounding the ownership of the Lennon/MCartney tracks.
... somebody wanna join us there? ... so log in and send a Private Message to Bobber (our moderator there) or to The End (one of the administrators) ... don't waste your time: make a decision now!!!
Stolen tapes of The Beatles' final recording sessions, which contained more than 200 one-off performances and unique covers, could be commerically released as soon as next year, the head of Apple Corps has confirmed.
So you see what I've been saying? And to think that I've only just recently taken it back and agreed that there might not be more after all! Let's just hope that there are Beatles compositions in there too.
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