What If The Beatles Made One More Album?

[BulbousMoses]

I've always thought that if Brian Epstein hadn't died in 1967, that the Beatles would have made at least one more album after Abbey Road. Often wondered what it might have been like. Anyone else wondered the same?

[PunkBassist00]

They did...it was called Let It Be.

[BulbousMoses]

Originally Posted by PunkBassist00

They did...it was called Let It Be.

Nope...Let It Be was recorded before Abbey Road but released after it so Abbey Road was the last album recorded by them.

[worxforme]

I'm pretty sure Let it Be was recorded before Abbey Road, but I know what you mean.

But ya, I love them and find my self coping lines from Paul, so another album would have been great. I prayed for a reunion when I was a kid.

[electracoyote]

It depends which Beatles went into the studio.

If it was The Beatles that had the attitude of, "let's make a really good record like we used to in the old days," a unified, progressive, selfless effort, we might have gotten another Abbey Road-level release.

If it was The Beatles who were tired of each other and tired of being Beatles, we would probably have gotten more sadness like Let It Be, and maybe even a sad video to go with it.

[BulbousMoses]

Originally Posted by electracoyote

It depends which Beatles went into the studio.

If it was The Beatles that had the attitude of, "let's make a really good record like we used to in the old days," a unified, progressive, selfless effort, we might have gotten another Abbey Road-level release.

If it was The Beatles who were tired of each other and tired of being Beatles, we would probably have gotten more sadness like Let It Be, and maybe even a sad video to go with it.

Yes, quite possibly. I think Epstein would have acted as somewhat of a buffer, had he lived, and the tensions may not have been quite as pronounced as they were. Maybe I'm giving Brian Epstein too much credit but I think the lads had a certain degree of respect for him.

[Clearwave]

Maybe I'm amazed
Mother
That would be something
working class hero
my sweet lord
junk
all things must pass
some crap ringo song

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by BulbousMoses

Yes, quite possibly. I think Epstein would have acted as somewhat of a buffer, had he lived, and the tensions may not have been quite as pronounced as they were. Maybe I'm giving Brian Epstein too much credit but I think the lads had a certain degree of respect for him.

Yeah, I get that impression from everything I've read. Eppie was like the school master who they made fun of behind his back, but retained a lot of respect and recognized and appreciated his role in their success. I think his death left them swimming in the deep end a bit. Obviously, the business end went straight to hell directly thereafter.

George Martin was also a strong authority figure, but I think he skipped some of the Let It Be sessions, didn't he? I think he realized there was a lot of shite and was content being somewhat aloof on that one. It's when they went back to EMI to make Abbey Road that Martin and The Beatles made a concerted verbal agreement to get their act together and make a proper record.

Boy, did they ever.

[iiipopes]

No. The main reason Brian Epstein committed suicide was depression. I'm not going into his lifestyle issues which underlay the depression, of which there was more than one, but the bottom line was that he was the road manager, and the Beatles collectively decided to stop touring, and his reason to be basically ended, from his perspective.

The real question is not what might have happened if Brian had not committed suicide; the real question is what if modern concert sound reinforcement technology had been a tad more advanced so they could have a better concert sound. Then what would have happened....

[BulbousMoses]

Originally Posted by electracoyote

Yeah, I get that impression from everything I've read. Eppie was like the school master who they made fun of behind his back, but retained a lot of respect and recognized and appreciated his role in their success. I think his death left them swimming in the deep end a bit. Obviously, the business end went straight to hell directly thereafter.

George Martin was also a strong authority figure, but I think he skipped some of the Let It Be sessions, didn't he? I think he realized there was a lot of shite and was content being somewhat aloof on that one. It's when they went back to EMI to make Abbey Road that Martin and The Beatles made a concerted verbal agreement to get their act together and make a proper record.

Boy, did they ever.

Yes, you're right about George Martin. He kept himself at arms length for the Let It Be album as he wasn't interested in all the bickering and infighting (and Yoko in the studio)

Of course, as a Beatles fan, I've always been torn between wishing they had stayed together and realizing that they most likely went out on top and any subsequent albums after Abbey Road (had they occurred) probably would have signaled the beginning of a downward slide. And I sure would not have wanted to see that.

[Mike M.]

Even if Brian had not died I tend to think John and George really wanted to break off the leash to have the freedom to do what they wanted and when they wanted to. Personally, I still think this holds most true for George Harrison. The man really came into his own as a writer and was tired of being told his efforts weren't good enough.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by Mike M.

Personally, I still think this holds most true for George Harrison. The man really came into his own as a writer and was tired of being told his efforts weren't good enough.

Probably why a lot say All Things Must Pass was the best of the Paul-John-George debut solo albums...

[warnergt]

Originally Posted by BulbousMoses

[George Martin] kept himself at arms length for the Let It Be album as he wasn't interested in all the bickering and infighting (and Yoko in the studio)

Like this:
Annoying Yoko Ono during the Beatles rehearsal

[MAJOR METAL]

"Free as a bird" is actually one of my favorite Beatles songs.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by warnergt

Like this:
Annoying Yoko Ono during the Beatles rehearsal

That's not annoying. That's art.

[jgroh]

What if...the beatles....made an album with Lou Reed???? Eh? Eh? Awwww.

[MAJOR METAL]

Originally Posted by jgroh

What if...the beatles....made an album with Lou Reed???? Eh? Eh? Awwww.

Hahahahaha

[Mike in Chicago]

Sometimes things end for a reason. Loved "Ram" though.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by Mike in Chicago

Loved "Ram" though.

Me too.

I'll admit McCartney's first couple of attempts were kind of mediocre, he was de-compressing, trying to make records with his rag-tag pick up jam bands and marginally-skilled wife, and be a pig farmer, but once he got on a roll with Red Rose, Ram, and the rest of them, he sustained the McCartney charm for a long, long time. Definitely the most business-savvy and motivated Beatle, he kept spooning the "I love Paul" crowd exactly what they wanted.

[mellowinman]

I own every single song by the Beatles, and that includes solo music, that I have been able to find. Some of it is the best music I've ever heard.

Some of it, ah, not so much.

If the Beatles had made another album, it would be in my collection, and I would probably like it. At that stage of their careers, they were doing some great stuff.

Sometimes I make a CD of solo stuff by each Beatle that I like; usually there's no Ringo songs on there. Poor lad. Never did no harm to no one.

I find it hard to differentiate Beatles as Beatles and Beatles as Artists. I love John Lennon Beatles; I also love John Lennon solo. Same for Paul and George.

Which is better? All Things Must Pass, Imagine, Red Rose Speedway, or the Beatles White Album?

For me, the Beatles White Album.

But those other albums are pretty darn good.

What was the question, again?