The Beatles: Get Back--Inspiring, frustrating, and could Paul not get a left hander?

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by musicman1951

I agree. I'm a huge Beatles fan and the first episode was incredibly dull. I'm also hopeful for episode 2.

I've finished it. Part one was really dull. About half of part 2 was pretty good, the rest dull. And the concert footage from part 3 was good, the rest not so much. I think they could have done one really good 2-3 hour show and lost a lot of the really slow and boring stuff. The only problem is that buried among the boring parts are some great, mostly humorous moments. There was a couple minutes in part 3 when John and Paul were singing something (I think it was "I Dig A Pony" but I might be wrong) and doing it all as if they were ventriloquists, making every effort not to move their mouths. I found it hilarious - there were a lot of moments like that which may not have worked if they were all just pulled out and not shown in the context of the boredom that they popped out of.

Overall, I'm glad I watched it. I'm not a huge fan, but you can't deny their importance and impact, which made it somewhat interesting. But I'm quite sure I'll never watch any of it again. I mean, getting so caught up in one month of the lives of four guys (five with Billy Preston, who was a HUGE part of those sessions), only one of whom is even arguably still even slightly relevant (not at all to me, but to some he is), two of whom have been dead for 20 years (tomorrow) and 40+ years, feels really stupid (three if you count Billy P). Yoko is a nearly 90 year old woman still taking slings and arrows for who she fell in love with well over 50 years ago. I guess this current fascination says more about the times we're living in today than the time it was filmed in. To the extent the door was still a tiny sliver still open on Beatlemania, this pretty much closes it and puts a nail in it, as far as I'm concerned at least... A sort of interesting document, probably not worth 8 hours...

-Ray

[gibpicker]

Originally Posted by Brooklyn Bob

Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

We are far bigger equipment nerds than The Beatles ever were. They sent their roadie Mal out to buy a couple of Stratocasters and the only requirement was that they be matching colors.

Enjoy your day!

It's really funny that they really could care less about what guitars they played, and they sounded great....

[Ian111]

Originally Posted by Haasome

I’m done with episodes 1 and 2. If I didn’t like the Beatles so much, I probably would not have lasted because it’s so slow. But I am a fan, so I persist.

The thing about Yoko is interesting. So many people feel like they get a vote on John and Yoko’s behavior. I think they are all adults working under unknown circumstances. I think they can figure out what works for them without any of my concern. One of the things about being so famous is that you seem to sell your life to others. Or at least others think they have some say about how you conduct your private life. That must suck. Bottom line for the critics is they are living their life, not yours.

Like most Beatles fans I can imagine how The Beatles might have been better without Yoko. Maybe a coupke more albums. Maybe even one final tour. The usual. Her presence is an annoyance to the viewer as well so I can only imagine what it might have been for people in the room with her. But maybe her presence made those recording sessions tolerable for John.

Not touring made their mystique and mystery surrounding the band even greater than it should have been. By then popular music had become so varied Beatlemania should have died down considerably and allowed them to tour like any other band. Or maybe they just aren’t like Jagger/Richards personality wise. The band was never everything to them (except for probably Ringo)

[SpruceTop]

I've seen two episodes and I'm enjoying The Beatles Get Back. It's an interesting documentary for us players as it shows the creative process the songs went through before being pressed to vinyl. Although many fans will also enjoy it, The Beatles Get Back may be dry and even a bit boring to non-musician fans as the song performances keep getting interrupted by the writing and creative process. Maybe, it's just me, but with Paul and Ringo being the producers of The Beatles Get Back, I'm seeing the documentary as conscious cementation on Paul's part of his strong influence on The Beatles. Ringo's influence on the production seems to be Ringo just being Ringo, which, to me, is unpretentious and good!

[The Watchman]

I think the long boring parts are intentional, to give you a feel for how interminably boring and painful this creative process was. They didn't bring these songs fully formed to the party, they had to work it out. Clearly they weren't happy to be there as part of a team, just trying to fulfill a contract.

The thing about Yoko, is its like bringing your girlfriend to a longtime regular poker game. An intentional distraction likely to make things uncomfortable for the rest of the guys. I hold that against John, not her.

Yes its amazing how those of us from that era still think its important to hash this stuff out.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by The Watchman

like bringing your girlfriend to a longtime regular poker game

I think that's pretty good description

[pastorchuck]

The best moment for me was little Heather McCartney's face the first time she heard Yoko "sing" (squeal, yell, scream - whatever). Priceless!

[kurth]

I saw them live in '64. Played their music in a band in the 60's. Norwegian wood..Paperback Writer...and they were revolutionary. There was only the Beatles and Dylan. Then Woodstock happened, the Beatles were dead, I was hitchhiking Europe and North Africa. Crosby Stills and Nash recorded Marrakesh Express. First time I heard it was on the ferry crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, on my way to Tangier. The boat's deck was covered with hundreds of hipsters playing their cheap acoustic guitars and harmonicas. It was Beatles music on board. It was the new world..... it couldn't have been even remotely possible without the Beatles. I can't imagine not giving them the credit for the cultural revolution. They carried us as young teenagers drinking beer with their simple pop tunes all the way to Sgt Pepper's. Who cares who did what. They were like Prometheus. They brought us the fire. Miracles can't last forever. Sadly...looking back from the disaster we call today....it was a revolution in vain, but beautiful nevertheless. There's no more music to accompany the struggles of humanity. No more sound tracks of our wars. There's only the mindless Rap at the feet of our masters. If you weren't there, you could never understand.

[Glob]

The biggest lesson learned for me is that Lennon and McCartney did seem to be enjoying themselves / getting along really well - kills the idea that Lennon somewhat killed the Beatles. They both come out of this as the smart ones, whereas Harrison seem really daft and insecure. Ringo is Ringo, just happy to be there.

As for Yoko, I can't stand her and this show doesn't change that, quite the contrary. She has no empathy, no social awareness, as if she was using the band and the fact that this was a film as a springboard to her own - pointless - artistic expression. Maybe failing the Beatles was her artistic goal?

Amazing thing as well, that as famous as they were, they were holding themselves to such a tight schedule despite the struggles.

[rgregg48]

Sometimes it got tedious..but for the most part
It was a side of the Beatles I have not seen

Surprise to me is that all four played piano.
Lennon was very funny.. Harrison was occasionally
Temperamental. .

Ringo,, while, no Buddy Rich always found the right
groove for Beatle songs.
Paul seemed to take rehearsal more seriously
If or when it's on DVD I will probably buy it.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

I think someone else also mentioned this but today is the 20th anniversary of George's passing.

[Boozehound]

Originally Posted by The Watchman

I think the long boring parts are intentional, to give you a feel for how interminably boring and painful this creative process was. They didn't bring these songs fully formed to the party, they had to work it out. Clearly they weren't happy to be there as part of a team, just trying to fulfill a contract.

The thing about Yoko, is its like bringing your girlfriend to a longtime regular poker game. An intentional distraction likely to make things uncomfortable for the rest of the guys. I hold that against John, not her.

Yes its amazing how those of us from that era still think its important to hash this stuff out.

That's kind of how I see it. You really can't fault Yoko for being there, but from John's perspective bringing another party into a group dynamic like that seems a bit disrespectful to the rest of the band. It would be no less inappropriate if he showed up with a buddy of his who just sat there right in the middle of everything during the whole session. At least George's friends stayed far away from the action and acted as spectators, not as part of the group.

[FrankHudson]

I'm nearing halfway, watching is 30-90 minutes batches.

So far, I'm thinking the decision to show us 8 hours rather than a tightly edited 120-180 minutes makes the tedium "a character" in the story. Even among an audience of guitar players here, many will not have any idea of what a grind it can be sometimes to make an LP length recording, even more so in an era when the ability to "fix it later" was limited. If one merely reads (or is told) that the entire Let It Be LP was recorded in less than a month despite considerable handicaps of it not being done in a real studio, and with a camera crew there all the time, and with group dynamics and audience expectations to deal with too, one might think it remarkably productive. But as the long cut shows, lots of dead ends, lots of waiting around -- like a lot of our work lives, nowhere near efficient and with many ways to get grumpy, bored, frustrated, etc.

If Bob Womack watches or weighs in, I'm guessing not the most fractious recording session ever known -- by a long shot.

I guess people have their heroes and villains, even for artists we only know from afar. I don't see Yoko Ono as the least bit disruptive so far. Nor, so far, do the other Beatles seem to have an issue expressed for the camera (I've read that they did have annoyances in other accounts, but as we see in this doc where the Beatles are reading contemporary accounts of themselves, those sources may have their own agenda and inaccuracies). I know a bit about the Fluxus group and Ono's work in the context of those artists. My reaction is mixed to Fluxus in general, it includes some things I like, but then I like unusual and experimental stuff more than many. I'm just another "anonymous" poster like Ray, but significantly disruptive? There's a camera crew in there! All the time! There a young film director who wants them to go to North Africa so he can get a good sunlit moving picture. The guy they gave 5 million pounds to make a 72-track studio has produced bupkus and a laughable rotating neck guitar prototype.

Well, a bit more than half to go, I may change my opinion.

[darkcloud]

Originally Posted by jklemm18

There is a full two minutes of John and Yoko making noise after George leaves. It will turn your stomach

Yoko should never have been allowed in the studio. She should have remained at home and not interfered with the band. Nothing good came from her presence.

[vanpatten]

Interesting reading all of the comments on Yoko and folks still believing she shouldn't have been present at all/was an impact on sessions. She was never in the way, never seemed to interrupt rehearsal, never interjected her thoughts on music, etc. She was just...there. I would say the bigger handicap for John at the time would've been his drug addiction.

Also, the mood seemed to change quite dramatically when they moved into Apple studios. From the start you could tell they did not like the space at Twickenham. If you don't feel inspired by your environment, why bother?

Overall, I love being a fly on the wall. I don't think it's "boring" at all. I'd say, yea, it's not a documentary that keeps you on the edge of your seat, but the footage and process is pretty invaluable. We see Paul write "Get Back", "Let It Be", "The Long and Winding Road" in real time. We see how George felt dismissed when he shared "I Me Mine" with the group and they called it just another one of his "last night" songs.

I think the entire world would have changed (again) if Billy Preston would've joined the group. His arrival in the studios led to a quite dramatic shift in productivity and mood. After Epstein passed, they lacked a father figure, Paul even mentions this in ep. 1. So when a guest arrives like Billy, it's almost like a "I guess we better cut the crap/get down to business" moment.

I also love how we see the iconic instruments like Paul's bass, George's Lucy and Rocky, and John's casino all being treated like real instruments and not being put on a pedestal like we do today. Although I did cringe slightly when Lucy fell to the ground.

I still have to watch part 3, but I'm just glad this footage has been released. I understand that it's not for everyone, but it's neat being able to watch them in studio as themselves.