The Beatles - Get Back Documentary

[Skyking]

Never cared for John too much. Quick wit, articulate, great writer and so on but to me a bit of a bully, and on the whole quite insecure. Ironically he became all about peace and love. I do remember watching the original Let it Be movie and thinking without a doubt Paul was the musical genius if any of them. It truly showed post-Beatles.

They really were a team, but don't be too quick to dismiss John's early stuff that made The Beatles, 'THE BEATLES'. "Help." is one of the classics that come to mind and there are a dozen more behind that. Maybe unlike Paul, John thought he still was in a rock band and grew tired of all the other nonsense surrounding it. As for me, I love them all.

 

[Supernoodle]

It's like time travel. Hours of close-up hd footage of them 29 years old (the director looks like a kid with a cigar), faffing about, a bit of band drama... Lots to sit through but some amazing bits, like them slowly coming up with the hit version of 'Get back'.

At one point Peter Sellers drops in and sits down with them, nobody has anything to say, so he buggers off again. It's fascinating to see all the latest gear they have, stuff I've seen weathered and rusted in rehearsal rooms, brand spanking new and shiny.

 

[GretschedHive]

Hours of close-up hd footage of them 29 years old

Not trying to nitpick but to point out just how young they really were: none of them were actually 29 yet.
Ringo was the oldest, and he was still 28 for another six months. John was a few months younger than that.
Paul would turn 27 about five months later and George was still a mere 25 years old for another month.

 

[River19]

Not trying to nitpick but to point out just how young they really were: none of them were actually 29 yet.
Ringo was the oldest, and he was still 28 for another six months. John was a few months younger than that.
Paul would turn 27 about five months later and George was still a mere 25 years old for another month.

And Yoko doesn't actually age because she is from the underworld, or something like that, right?

 

[Larry]

I just finished this the other night. Since I was a kid when this all went down, it held my interest. A couple obs:

No cell phones to distract the process. How cool is that? Phrases spoken like "I have to do me" (said by George) I thought that was a "newer" phrase.

I was amazed at the sheer amount of music that flowed forth. I loved how imperfections weren't a big deal.

Billy Preston added so much to those songs. I loved that they played and sang at the same time for the record.

I definitely felt Ringo's pain at times. Just the waiting around

 

[BruceW]

I also recently finished it. Im a long time Beatle nut, and thoroughly enjoyed it, tho it dragged at times for me too...

The thing that amazed me (and also annoyed me, the fact that I wasn't aware) that they intended to record it live, rather than than a studio production, with overdubs and separate takes and such. A process that if they didn't create, they certainly refined and expanded significantly.

It certainly puts the finished product in a different light, when comparing it to their other albums from the studio era, Revolver/Rubber Soul onward. The Let It Be album was always the most difficult to get my arms around, even if I did enjoy it. I have a far better appreciation for what they accomplished with that record, putting it together in just a few weeks and recording it in the manner that they did. Amazing...

And Billy Preston saved the day! Not just the parts that he added (which were wonderful) but playing with him energized the band, the difference was immediate.

 

[ricky]

Not trying to nitpick but to point out just how young they really were: none of them were actually 29 yet.
Ringo was the oldest, and he was still 28 for another six months. John was a few months younger than that.
Paul would turn 27 about five months later and George was still a mere 25 years old for another month.

It is amazing that this is the "old Beatles"...the end, mature, etc.

And it's amazing how much they evolved in such a short period of time.

George has gone from a 20 year old moptop writing Don't Bother Me to an old man of 25 writing All Things Must Pass.

 

[Larry]

I was under the mistaken impression that "Let it Be" was recorded with the knowledge of the breakup.

It was conceived before all that, which makes it a little prophetic for me. I thought the rooftop concert was ballsy and brilliant.

The bobby who was trying to end it...I'm glad it went on. It was historic.

 

[jazzerooty]

I'm loving it. I was in my first band at the time of the filming. And watching Ringo's Ludwig "tripod" throne caused me to wince, remembering those horrid things. Balance was iffy. The seat hard as granite. The two forelegs often slipped out of their notches and you fell face forward into your kit, which always got a laugh from the guys in the band.

 

[gf2564]

I'm loving it. I was in my first band at the time of the filming. And watching Ringo's Ludwig "tripod" throne caused me to wince, remembering those horrid things. Balance was iffy. The seat hard as granite. The two forelegs often slipped out of their notches and you fell face forward into your kit, which always got a laugh from the guys in the band.

I still have one of those thrones that my dad got when he bought a new set of Ludwigs in 1966; you are so right.......not very comfortable or stable!

 

[Rattlin' Bones]

It's interesting, I'm 46 now and clearly came into music after Ringo with my initial heros being Bonham et al BUT as I had to learn a plethora of Beatles tunes when I was playing in a wedding band, I always thought "These parts are more creative than I anticipated".........after watching this documentary and the benefit of being 46 and not 26 I think what I was feeling was the fact Ringo was basically on the cutting edge of "inventing" Rock n Roll drumming and didn't have the 40 years of 2 & 4 we have all been programmed to hear and feel. The "Money beat" to him was probably a swung pattern of some type. Hence his creativity.......he wasn't pre-programmed to try and fit a 2&4 "money beat" to every developing song.

How many of us have been in a band "writing" session where the guitars and bass are trying to work their parts out and we instinctively start quietly playing a "Money beat" to anchor them and help form a full concept? Ringo didn't have that mentality......he was 10-20 years ahead of that mentality......

Rock didn't invent the 2-4 "money beat" It's a lot older than the 60's lol.

 

[GretschedHive]

Rock didn't invent the 2-4 "money beat" It's a lot older than the 60's lol.

Any thoughts on when/what some of the first uses of it would be, in American popular music? Assuming we're talking straight, and not swung, and with drums? It's something I've often wondered about. (In other words, meaning, yes, played on something like a modern drum kit, which is only about a century old.)

The earliest Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Buddy Holly songs (that I can think of) all had that swung feel, although sometimes they'd have that sort of half-swung/half-straight groove, such as 1957's "Jailhouse Rock." Little Richard's "Lucille," also from 1957, is one of the first (again, that I can think, and I'm not claiming to be an expert, by any means) to have a truly straight feel. Some of the others which have a straight feel—"Peggy Sue" and "Everyday," for instance—don't have the money beat. A few slightly later Holly tunes — "It's So Easy" and "Maybe Baby"—sorta do. (Is playing the snare on 2& still the money beat?) And while obviously 1958 is indeed before the 60s, it's not all that much before it.

I'm assuming there are many instances of jazz or blues recordings from the 30s or 40s which would fit the bill, but I can't think of any off the top of my head. If someone knows of a study on this topic—I'm sure there've been many—I'd love to be pointed in the right direction.

ETA: and of course minutes later, YouTube recommends this video to me.

 

[River19]

Rock didn't invent the 2-4 "money beat" It's a lot older than the 60's lol.

I don't believe I said Rock invented the money beat.

For clarity, my point was at the time of Get Back, they didn't have the 40 years of "popular" music where 95% was 4:4 with a 2&4 backbeat with straight 8ths over the top........Ringo's paradigm on the kit was much more diverse than that.

 

[s1212z]

Finally had an opportunity to watch it minus 15 min left, what a great piece of history.

What most interesting is how 'human' the events are outside the superstardom...alot of their struggles were very relatable to anyone who has ever been in a band yet this is the Beatles. Clearly they were have creative frustrations...and then one person tries to step in more to help improve but that has another effect. Then someone wants to leave band. I didn't know how close they were to not making Let it Be, could have easily never happened. And then, while the Beatles are making history with one of the most amazing albums of all time and live performances, they the most cliche complaint that every band or drummer gets....'you are too loud', lol! Meanwhile, they cutting historical tracks that make the album with the police tension in background...such a serendipitous rock n' roll event. And Ringo played amazing, just a master class on how to back songwriters...and his tempos are always on point and then give an edge to live playing. Notably was his patience during the rehearsals, always listening and not adding any drama and keeping the atmosphere light. Interesting was I thought he played different whether Paul was in the room or not.

 

[SomeBadDrummer]

Finally had an opportunity to watch it minus 15 min left, what a great piece of history.

What most interesting is how 'human' the events are outside the superstardom...alot of their struggles were very relatable to anyone who has ever been in a band yet this is the Beatles. Clearly they were have creative frustrations...and then one person tries to step in more to help improve but that has another effect. Then someone wants to leave band. I didn't know how close they were to not making Let it Be, could have easily never happened. And then, while the Beatles are making history with one of the most amazing albums of all time and live performances, they the most cliche complaint that every band or drummer gets....'you are too loud', lol! Meanwhile, they cutting historical tracks that make the album with the police tension in background...such a serendipitous rock n' roll event.

Agreed that the tension of the police presence added to the excitement and drama, it’s a testament to the core fiber of the Beatles at that particular moment in time.

And Ringo played amazing, just a master class on how to back songwriters...and his tempos are always on point and then give an edge to live playing. Notably was his patience during the rehearsals, always listening and not adding any drama and keeping the atmosphere light. Interesting was I thought he played different whether Paul was in the room or not.

Ringo has taken his share of criticism over the decades, but who can seriously question his success regardless of his perceived (or actual) chops. Some of the earliest fast stuff is not as easy as it sounds, and the later material showed consistent growth and abilities. Especially when considering the two major personalities that were in constant competition. Kudos

 

[s1212z]

Ringo has taken his share of criticism over the decades, but who can seriously question his success regardless of his perceived (or actual) chops. Some of the earliest fast stuff is not as easy as it sounds, and the later material showed consistent growth and abilities. Especially when considering the two major personalities that were in constant competition. Kudos

I have to question their musical intellect for those critics. He has got the lefty on a right kit thing going and even in this documentary, he puts in the signature hi hat 'swoosh' technique which is not easy to emulate...Gregg Bissonette did a great video series talking about various Ringo details. I think it was Jim Keltner who mentioned how producers were asking for 'Ringo-esq' on tracks and realized how difficult it was!