The Beatles - Get Back-The Glyn Johns Mixes - 1969

THE BEATLES
Get Back - The Glyn Johns Mixes (Clarified)
'Rough Mix' Acetate and original (1st) version of the unreleased Get Back Album
January-May 1969

Best available sources, excellent quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and mp3 (320 kbps) versions

OK, I had only planned on a single Beatles post as part of this feature of classic bootlegs, but there are so many great Beatles boots, that it is hard to stop at just one. So, I thought I would put up something representing the original Get Back album concept, but which version? As I went back through all my Get Back sessions-related recordings, with all the different versions and recordings, I realized that it had became very confusing sorting out just what was what. So, what I am presenting here hopefully will help clarify a little just what the deal is with all the various (released and unreleased) versions of Get Back, and it's subsequent counterpart, the Let It Be albums.
       First of all, we all know the general story of the Get Back project, right? Since giving up touring and performing live years ago, and after they had become known for their elaborate studio effects and recording gimmickry and trickery, and particularly after the very isolated individual recording sessions used for the White album, The Beatles (driven primarily by Paul) thought it would be a great idea and help to restore cohesiveness among the fractured group to be more involved in playing and recording live, and create their next album that way. So, The Beatles would 'get back to their roots' and develop and record their next album live, as a full group, with no overdubs or recording gimmicks, and the songs would grow directly out of the rehearsal sessions, and be presented 'warts and all', and this process would be documented as both a film and album, and hopefully (for Paul, at least), an actual live show or tour, and would be called 'Get Back'. Great, right? Well, as we all know, things didn't go so well right from the start, with rehearsals beginning on January 2, 1969. Since the rehearsals were to be filmed, it was decided to conduct the initial sessions in the Twickenham film studios, which, as it turned out, no one liked, as the large soundstage was cold and cavernous. The bickering and acrimony among the group returned as soon as rehearsals started, and the rehearsals were rough and ragged. After several days and tempers flaring, George walked out, leaving the group for a week before being talked into coming back. On his return it was agreed that they would move to their new recording studio in the basement of the Apple building (which was actually nowhere near ready and mobile recording gear had to be borrowed from EMI's Abbey Road studios) for the remainder of the sessions. As for the live shows, the rest of the Beatles (particularly George) were not at all keen on performing live, so that aspect was dropped, but at the end of the sessions, it was eventually decided to do an impromptu filmed concert on the Apple rooftop (which, as we know, was halted partway through by police for noise and disruption complaints).
       After the Get Back sessions and concert were concluded on January 31, The Beatles themselves were fed-up and not happy with the whole thing, and just lost interest in the project, and moved on to other things (actually started working on songs for Abbey Road almost right away). Producer Glyn Johns was brought in to work on the recordings, but was not really given any direction or cooperation from The Beatles. After working through some early rough mixes of several songs, Johns had an acetate made (March 10, 1969) of his mixes to distribute to and get feedback from The Beatles. This acetate version was never intended for release, but was a 'work in progress' of what he had done so far. A few days later he pressed another acetate of primarily Rock 'n Roll oldies from the sessions, as well as different takes of 'Let it Be' and 'I've Got a Feeling'. He continued working on the tapes, including leaving or editing in rehearsal background noise, song fragments, and studio chatter to enhance the 'rehearsal' atmosphere of the recordings, and on May 28 produced what he considered to be the finished version of the Get Back album (known as the 'original' or '1st version'). Incidentally, overall, this album did stick to the original 'live' concept with no overdubs; however, there was one one notable exception, in that a new guitar solo (recorded 4-30-69) was overdubbed into 'Let It Be' and used on the album (but this was the only overdub).
      The album was scheduled for release in early July. A cover shoot was done, recreating the photo from their first album (Please Please Me), but then the album release was delayed and put on hold (reasons cited included delays with the Film version, but the real reason was probably that The Beatles were just not that happy with the album). By late August, The Beatles were putting the finishing touches on Abbey Road and were eager to release that instead, so Get Back was shelved indefinitely. By the end of the year, as plans for release of the film were firming up, they went back to Johns to revive the project again, but this time with the added instruction that the songs on the album needed to correspond with what was shown in the film. So, 'Teddy Boy' was dropped (not in film, and Paul had already re-recorded the song for his upcoming solo album), and 'I Me Mine' and 'Across the Universe' were added to the album. Unfortunately, they had no complete multi-track recordings of either of these songs from the January sessions. So, in early January, a new recording of 'I Me Mine' was made specifically for the album (the earlier, original 1968 recording of 'Across the Universe' was used). In addition, new overdubs for 'Let It Be' (another new guitar solo, background vocals, drums, and brass added) were also recorded at that time (1/4/70 - which was the last ever Beatles recording session, with only Paul, George, and Ringo present - John was away on vacation in Denmark, and had little interest at this point), but this new overdubbed version was not used by Glyn Johns for Get Back (but was used by Phil Spector for the Let It Be album). Thus, in January, 1970, Johns completed his final version (sometimes referred to as '2nd' version) of the Get Back Album (which was very similar to the 1st version - same overall order and mixes), with changes being the 2 added and 1 dropped songs, and 'Let it Be' moved from the 13th track to the 8th track (2 new songs added as tracks 14 and 15). However, that 'final' version of the album was also ultimately rejected for release. Then, a bit later (March 1970), John, without consent from Paul, brought in Phil Spector to 'make something out of this mess', which eventually resulted in the released Let It Be album, complete with different takes used, extensive editing and remixing, and orchestral overdub overhauls of 'The Long and Winding Road' and 'I Me Mine', and 'Across the Universe'. Thus, Get Back became Let It Be and was finally released on May 8, 1970 (which was after The Beatles had already officially announced their break-up). Then, years later, the final chapter in this saga was in 2003, when Let It Be...Naked was released, which consisted of further editing and remixing of the original tapes (but this time overseen and approved by McCartney himself), removing Spector's string overdubs, and producing what many feel are the best versions of these songs (however, many overdubs and edits were still used used, contrary to the original concept).

So, what I am presenting today, is what seems to me to be the best available version of Glyn Johns original rough mix acetate (3-10-69), taken from an only recently made available upgraded source, known as  'Untouched: Revision A'  (Pet Sounds version - de-clicked, phase-corrected, and speed-corrected). Highlights of these early mixes are that several different takes of the songs are used than in any subsequent releases, including a less formal take of 'Let It Be'. In addition, I have added in as bonus tracks, some tracks from Johns 'oldies' acetate (3-13-69), which includes the full-length 'Dig It', an alternate 'I've Got a Feeling', and the unadorned 1-31 take of 'Let it Be' (Before the 4-30 and subsequent overdubs added). Part 2 of the post presents the complete original (1st) version of Glyn Johns Get Back album (I have used the Dr. Ebbetts version for improved sound quality). Then, in addition, I have also included the 2 tracks ('I Me Mine' and 'Across the Universe') that were added for the '2nd' or 'final' version of the Get Back album (as previously stated, the rest of the album was essentially the same between 1st and 2nd versions, with only minor mixing or editing differences, so I have not included the full 2nd version - besides, the 1st version really better represents what the Get Back album was supposed to be). Now, much has been said over the years criticizing and complaining about the various versions of this album, these sessions, etc. But in reality, regardless of all that went right or wrong here, these sessions contained some of the Beatles greatest songs ever - 'Let It Be', 'Get Back', 'The Long and Winding Road', 'Don't Let Me Down', 'Two of Us', etc., and I love being able to hear all these different versions. I was always fascinated by the original Get Back concept and tried to find as much information as was available on it. Now, we have it all laid out for us, to make our own decisions as to what are the best (or worst) versions (In fact, virtually everything from these sessions has been available on bootlegs, including the entire recordings from all the filmed sessions - available as Purple Chicks 83 CD set 'The Complete A/B Road Sessions', which is, even for me, serious overkill). So, anyway, there you have it, all you really need to have and know about the Get Back album and project (although there is so much more out there), in the best forms available. And another all-time classic bootleg.       

Part 1
Untouched: Revision A
Upgraded source of Glyn Johns' early mix acetate (March 10, 1969) containing the 'rough mix' work-in-progress of the Get Back Album. The Pet Sounds Production - de-clicked, phase-corrected and speed-corrected.
Plus Bonus tracks from Johns' 'Rock n Roll Oldies' mixes (March 13 Acetate) - Taken from the boot 'Get Back, Glynis: The Complete Glyn Johns remixes' 
Tracklist:
1. Get Back - false start
2. Get Back
3. I've Got A Feeling - fragment
4. Help! - fragment
5. Teddy Boy
6. Two Of Us - fragment
7. Two Of Us - false start
8. Dig A Pony
9. I've Got A Feeling (1-23 take)
10. The Long And Winding Road
11. Let It Be
12. Don't Let Me Down
13. For You Blue - with two false starts
14. Get Back
15. The Walk
Bonus tracks: From Glyn Johns' March 13 'Oldies' Acetate
16. Rip it Up/Shake Rattle & Roll
17. Blue Suede Shoes
18. Dig It (full length 8:25)
19. You Really Got a Hold on Me
20. I've Got a Feeling (different take, 1-27)
21. Miss Ann/Kansas City/Lawdy Miss Clawdy
22. Let It Be (1-31-69 take, no overdubs)

FLAC - Beatles - Glyn Johns Early Mix Acetate

mp3 - Beatles - Glyn Johns_Early Mix acetate_mp3

Part 2
Get Back Album - Glyn Johns 1st (original) version
(Dr. Ebbetts release)
tracklist
1. One After 909
2. Rocker
3. Save The Last Dance For Me
4. Don't Let Me Down
5. Dig A Pony
6. I've Got A Feeling
7. Get Back
8. For You Blue
9. Teddy Boy   
10. Two Of Us
11. Maggie Mae
12. Dig It
13. Let It Be
14. The Long And Winding Road
15. Get Back (Reprise)
Bonus tracks: From Glyn Johns 2nd (final) version of Get Back Album (Taken from Dr.Ebbetts release)
16. I Me Mine
17. Across The Universe

FLAC - Beatles - Get Back - 1st vers (5-28-69)

mp3 - Beatles_Get Back_Johns_1st_vers_(5-28-69)_mp3
(New Links - updated 11/13/23)

The Beatles - The Esher Demos - Late May 1968, Esher, UK

The Beatles
The Esher Demos
Late May, 1968
Kinfauns (George Harrison's House), Esher, Surrey, UK
Home demo recordings, good quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and mp3 (320 kbps) versions

Continuing with my posts of all-time classic bootleg albums, it would be criminal not to include something by The Beatles here. After all, they are probably the most bootlegged act of all-time. And although I am as big a Beatles fan as anyone out there (and have several hundred Beatles bootleg titles), I have never even considered posting any Beatles here, just because Beatles stuff can be found so many other places, there was no need to post them here. But now, this special 5th Anniversary classics posting provides the perfect excuse to feature some Beatles. There are literally thousands of Beatles-related bootlegs out there, ranging from utterly fantastic to complete rubbish, with most somewhere in the middle, and many constituting endless re-sortings and re-compilations of the same batches of outtakes and 'rarities' as so many others, in varying levels of sound quality. So, out of all the Beatles-related bootlegs, from live recordings to all the rarities, outtakes, compilations, remixes, and remasters collections out there, what would be the single greatest Beatles boot? Given that many of the historical outtakes-rarities and remasters bootlegs have been rendered, maybe not obsolete, but certainly less essential, with the official releases of the Anthology series, Let It Be Naked, and the 2009 Remastered albums, probably the one bootleg release that most stands out to me as the best are The Esher Demos. This refers to the collection of acoustic demo recordings made by John, Paul, and George (there is no indication Ringo was present) at George's bungalow home (named Kinfauns) located in Esher, England. Here, in late May 1968, after returning from their trek to India and prior to going back into the recording studio to work on their next album (in June), the boys got together and presented to each other the songs they had each recently come up with. So, using George's Ampex 4-track Reel-to-Reel recorder, they laid down these mostly acoustic demos consisting primarily of early versions of songs that would later become the 'White album', as well as some that would be later released on respective solo albums ('Junk', 'Child of Nature' which was later re-worked to become 'Jealous Guy', and 'Circles'), and a few that were never officially released ('What's the New Mary Jane', 'Sour Milk Sea', 'Not Guilty'). It is a unique and wonderful opportunity and such a historical document to hear these early demo versions. One can imagine them just sitting around sharing their songs with each other, getting feedback, etc. When listening, you can get the feeling of having your own personal, casual and informal concert with them just sitting around your living room. It's quite remarkable. In some cases, the songs are still quite rough, in others, they are very similar to what the song would sound like on the finished album. Most intriguing are the early acoustic versions of songs that became much more electric or 'rockier' (like 'Revolution', 'Everybody's Got Something...Monkey', 'Yer Blues', 'While My Guitar...Weeps', etc). It has been reported that 27-28 songs were recorded over a couple days, after which George Martin had several copies of an acetate of these sessions pressed and distributed to each Beatle for their perusal at home to work with before heading into the studio in the following weeks. There have been many bootleg variations of the Esher demos circulating (with titles such as 'From Kinfauns to Chaos', 'Acoustic Masterpieces', Unsurpassed Demos', 'The Beatles-Unplugged', 'Release from Limitation', and countless others), in varying quality, for many years, but all have consisted of the same 23 songs (it has been rumored that the bootleg releases came from copies of Lennon's own Acetate, which he traded for some other bootlegs). It wasn't until Anthology 3 was released in 1996 that we got to hear 4 additional demo songs recorded at Kinfauns, 'Happiness is a Warm Gun', 'Glass Onion', 'Mean Mr. Mustard', and 'Polythene Pam', all in excellent quality (perhaps the original acetate that was bootlegged did not include these recordings?), but yet very few of the other previously available Esher tracks were included (just 'Junk', 'Piggies', 'Honey Pie' with improved sound and stereo). Thus, even after Anthology, the bootleg Esher demo versions remain the only source for almost all these tracks (Considering the much higher quality available from the original tapes as evident on the Anthology-released tracks, we can only hope that some day all the Esher demos will be officially released, which would make a great full CD release). Until that day, however, we are very fortunate to have these bootleg versions of the Esher Demos. For me then, this is the best single Beatles bootleg. If you only had one Beatles bootleg (as ludicrous a concept as that seems), it probably should be this one (although that would certainly be debatable - any discussion is certainly encouraged). The version I have presented here comes from the excellent Purple Chick 'Deluxe Edition' series, as they have compiled the best quality recordings available from various different bootleg sources. So, if you don't have these already, by all means get them now, as these are essential, and certainly an all-time classic.

Tracklist
1. Julia
2. Blackbird
3. Rocky Raccoon
4. Back In The U.S.S.R.
5. Honey Pie
6. Mother Nature's Son
7. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
8. Junk
9. Dear Prudence
10. Sexy Sadie
11. Cry Baby Cry
12. Child Of Nature
13. The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill
14. I'm So Tired
15. Yer Blues
16. Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey
17. What's The New Mary Jane
18. Revolution
19. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
20. Circles
21. Sour Milk Sea
22. Not Guilty
23. Piggies

These are taken from the Purple Chick compilation 'The Beatles - Deluxe Edition Vol. 3' (The Demos)
From Purple Chick's notes - "For what it's worth, not only do these tracks sound better to us than on 'From Kinfauns To Chaos' but they're also in the 'correct order', at the correct speed and in true mono for the first time (as best we can tell)."
However, the Purple Chick collection also included the 4 additional Esher songs taken directly from the official Anthology 3 release. I have not included these tracks here as they are commercially available on Anthology 3. For the other songs that are also included on Anthology 3, I have used the the available bootleg versions, and not the upgraded, remixed, remastered versions available on the commercial release.

FLAC - Beatles - Esher Demos - FLAC

mp3 - Beatles_Esher_Demos_(PC)_mp3.rar
New Link (Updated 9/30/21)

For those just getting started in the world of Beatles bootlegs, but wanting the full range of available recordings, I would highly recommend getting hold of the complete Purple Chick 'Deluxe Edition' series, which is available for each Beatles album, and consists of the compilation of the best available outtakes, rarities, and unreleased recordings and sessions from each album period. Purple Chick also has a Live series compilation, which again compiles all the best quality live recordings over the Beatles career. Collection of these PC series (which amounts to several dozen CDs worth) contain most all of the Beatles bootleg recordings you would ever need, as they were compiled from many different bootleg sources, keeping the best stuff, and eliminating all the redundant and low quality remainders, and rendering most of the rest of the bootlegs obsolete.
But please, let me know what your favorite Beatles bootlegs are.

John Lennon - 1972-08 One to One Concert Rehearsal & KBFH excerpts

John Lennon
1972-08-30
One to One Rehearsals & KBFH concert excerpts
Madison Square Gardens, New York
mp3 @ 320

It's hard to believe that it has been 30 years since John Lennon was so abruptly taken from all of us. There have been many tributes and remembrances, and there are are countless recordings of Lennon outtakes, sessions, demos, and home recordings available around the music blogs. I had hoped to include some actual live shows from the great man here, but was astonished to find that there really aren't any. Since his Beatle's days, Lennon only made a few live appearances, and apparently only one full length concert (the One to One Concert, 1972-08-30 - NY). And these live appearances have all been officially released (such as Live Peace in Toronto, Live in NY City, various Live tracks on Anthology, etc.). I had no idea he made so few live shows and appearances, what a tragic shame that we lost him so young. Anyway, here is the best I could come up with, a rehearsal session for the One to One Concert, and a few tracks from the actual One to One show featured on the King Biscuit Flower Hour, that were not included in the 'Live in NY City' or 'Anthology' albums (there were 2 shows on 8/30/72, an afternoon and evening show, most of the released album came from the afternoon show). So, here is to the legendary John Lennon, may he rest in peace.

Tracks:
One to one rehearsal (unknown date)
1. One-To-One Concert Radio Spot
2. New York City
3. It's So Hard
4. Woman Is The Nigger Of The World
5. Instrumental
6. Well, Well, Well
7. Instant Karma
8. Mother
9. Come Together
10. Cold Turkey
11. Medley: Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog
12. Send Me Some Lovin'
13. Roll Over Beethoven
14. Medley: Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On/It'll Be Me
15. On The Caribbean
16. Well (Baby Please Don't Go)

1972-08-30 KBFH concert excerpts
17. KBFH Intro
18. Mother
19. Imagine
20. Give Peace A Chance

New Link! (Updated 10/3/21)
John_Lennon_-_One_to_One_Rehearsals__KBFH_show.rar