Michael Lindsay-Hogg's 'Let It Be' is coming!

[harrylime]

Indeed, and the concept of the album was meant to reflect a band working towards a live performance, that’s why it included rough edges to make it ‘flow’ a bit more and leave out the polishing that happened on the regular albums (that were basically pinnacles of what studio production could reach). And why they recorded the rooftop on eight track instead of just a soundboard mix (as would be common for live performances), it was just a recording session as the ones before and after it, just in a different location. Only when they found out GJ produced a mediocre result without the assumed charm such a ‘rough’ album would have, they (or should I say Klein) acknowledged post hoc studio production was required to get at least something decent to release.

[Tex]

The original, original plan was playing White Albums songs live.

[onemojofilter]

I just can't understand what is going on in January 69. They just play those same songs over and over... what was the point?? Normally they'd just work on the song for one session, then add overdubs at extra sessions, mix it and then forget about it. But Paul seemed determined to drive the songs into the ground and with it the nerves of all the others. The only time they enjoyed themselves is when they stopped doing what they were supposed to be doing. That should have been a huge red flag that something was terribly wrong.

The point seemed to be that they wanted to get the new songs tight enough to be able to perform a live concert of all new material for their next LP, or at least a live in-studio performance of the perfect take, with no overdubbing.

I've always felt that was a really interesting and ambitious goal, but as you said it resulted in driving everything into the ground. At least we did get three live rooftop performances on the LIB LP. IIRC Neil Young's Rust Never Sleeps started out the same way but he did do overdubs later. I wonder if anyone has ever succeeded in releasing a "live" album of all new songs?

I think the other problem is that they began with only a few fragments of songs and somehow expected that they would write an album's worth of good songs during the process. But you're not likely to come up with good songs when you're spending all day sitting in a cold film set. They needed to be off doing their normal thing to come up with those good song ideas. It was all so regimented and structured that it completely cramped their style. What they actually needed was the complete opposite: a long holiday away from each other.

All this came way TOO SOON. They had just completed a double album. Paul and George both seemed to have a back log of songs to work with. George even said he came with a fresh attitude hoping somehow for a repeat of the collaborative environment he enjoyed with Dylan and The Band and walked into what he called a "Winter of Discontent". No one wanted to work on George's songs. I mean, at all. I don't blame George for walking out to be honest.

Paul also was acting like he was the only one with any ideas worth pursuing, disregarding George's editorial suggestions and yawning during John's rendition of "Across The Universe".

But again, I come back to, how much time might have been saved with simple chord charts. Clearly they weren't going home with tapes from the day's work and working out the songs on their own time. They weren't going to. John even retrospectively said (confusingly) that given they were "grown men" they shouldn't have to rehearse. (Not sure what he meant by that other than maybe rehearsing to him meant being spoon-fed by Paul)

The band dynamic was still there but there was zero energy at Twickenham. I think if they waited until around May or so, they would have gravitated back together with a cohesive idea. Why was it necessary to perform in January specifically? What was the rush?

[bsizzy_27]

Not to derail this thread, but... I'll believe all this when the official announcement is ready

[kingkenneth 2]

i'll take a lot of convincing that it's true

[Rickenbacker325]

Not to derail this thread, but... I'll believe all this when the official announcement is ready

I’m with you on this one…but I hope it comes to fruition!

[Fun 4 None]

"Black and white director's cut?" Never heard that before . . .

Footage of it has been seen on MCP and HMC DVDs as well as the "Picture Perfect" Winter of Discontent DVD. The reason for it being black and white was because it was a print of the negative. From my understanding, the only time the negatives were cut is when the actual final cut of Let it Be was made.

[Tex]

Yeah you do your initial edit from cheaper prints.

[Maccawings]

Heck with the MLH version, looks like the real thing is coming and coming quick

[tulirepo]

"Black and white director's cut?" Never heard that before . . .

Footage of it has been seen on MCP and HMC DVDs as well as the "Picture Perfect" Winter of Discontent DVD. The reason for it being black and white was because it was a print of the negative. From my understanding, the only time the negatives were cut is when the actual final cut of Let it Be was made.

Is it established, which footage was left out of the final cut exactly and how much of it has found its way to the bootleg public?