The Beatles Don't Break Up in 1970 - A Timeline

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March 16, 1971 - The Beatles strike out at the Grammy Awards as Simon & Garfunkel take home the Album and Record of the Year awards for the Bridge Over Troubled Water album and it's title track respectively. John reportedly reacts by saying "I can't believe we lost to a bloody folk duo."

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The Grammy's were never really kind to the Beatles IOTL, I think this should continue and decades later other influential acts should point out what assholes the Grammy folks were.
 
The Beatles not having a ton of Grammys is a lot like LeBron not winning every MVP in his prime. Consistency always gets trumped by "flavor of the month" types and all.
 
May 1971 - August 1971
May 1, 1971 - The Beatles release a statement to the press announcing that the title of their upcoming album will be All Things Must Pass with a tentative release date of February 4, 1972.

May 19, 1971 - George Harrison plays a set at a London nightclub to fill in for another act. Similar to when Paul played in Pittsburgh on Badfinger's US tour, the crowd reacts quite positively. He is told by the nightclub's owner that most of the people in attendance were there to see him play. Despite this, George isn't quite sold on The Beatles returning to touring just yet.

July 2, 1971 - John and Cynthia Lennon announce that they are expecting their third child, due in March of next year.

July 24, 1971 - George Harrison and Ringo Starr travel to New York to perform in the Concert For Bangla Desh.

August 1, 1971 - The Concert For Bangla Desh is held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The highly successful pair of charity concerts features George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, and Badfinger in a temporary supergroup. This is the closest a paying audience has gotten to seeing The Beatles perform live since the group quit touring nearly five years ago. Perhaps because of this, both concerts are sold out within days. George writes many years later:
George writing in "25 Years Of The Beatles: The Story Through Their Eyes", published 1985: At one point during the concert I could hear some people chanting "Where's John and Paul?" I thought this was strange as they weren't performing with us at all. But then the thought hit me like a ton of bricks. The radio interview with David Wigg, the enthusiastic crowd at the club, and now the people at the concert all pointed to one thing: The Beatles needed to tour again.

August 21, 1971 - Paul McCartney and Brian Epstein are seen together on a beach in Somerset during a break in the sessions for All Things Must Pass. Some witnesses say that Epstein appeared to cozy up to Paul, leading many to speculate about Epstein's sexuality. Paul denies this and explains that him and Brian were just relaxing on the beach. Paul also reinforces the fact that he is already happily married.
 
September 1971 - October 1971
Wow, no responses after I make a TL post. I think that's a first. Anyhow, let's see what happens next.

September 2, 1971 - Brian Epstein holds a press conference at Apple headquarters to address the rampant speculation of the last couple of weeks brought about by the Somerset incident. He starts the presser by making a small announcement about the All Things Must Pass album, which is that the release has been pushed back a week due to small hiccups encountered during the sessions. He then confirms what many people have suspected over the years, that he is gay. Epstein further states that while it may be a surprise to many in the room, it isn't a surprise to either The Beatles or his business associates who've known about it for years. He ends the press conference by saying that he feels that he saw no point in keeping it a secret anymore and that he hopes that the public will be more understanding in the future.

September 8, 1971 - The Beatles do a photo shoot for the cover of All Things Must Pass at George Harrison's home Friar Park.

September 17, 1971 - "I've Got A Feeling" b/w "Octopus's Garden" is released in the UK as Apple R 5920. The A-Side is from Let It Be while the B-Side is from Abbey Road. This single is put together to allow for a regular single release schedule while the group continues to work on All Things Must Pass. The single goes to #12 in the UK, becoming the group's first single to chart outside the Top Ten in that country in almost a decade.

September 21, 1971 - "I've Got A Feeling" b/w "Octopus's Garden" is released in the US as Apple 3193. The group returns to the top ten as the record peaks at #6 in Billboard.

October 12, 1971 - The Beatles wrap up the sessions for All Things Must Pass at Abbey Road studios.
 
Will All Things Must Pass be the first Beatles album in years to be supported by a tour?

You bet it will.

Im sorry. I didnt know what to say. I coulda mentioned the numerous artists on Apple who have releases in '71, but I didnt think you wanted to hear about it anymore

As I mentioned, I'm focusing on The Beatles so I don't want the timeline to get bogged down with events unrelated to them.
 
Well it wasn't a very big posts so I guess we were just waiting for more. :)
The 70's are off to an interesting start and I like that you used All Things Must Pass for the first 70's Beatles album title, best of the OTL titles from the same period IMO.
Gutsy move on Epstein's part and not too badly timed, he shouldn't receive too much flack.
The Beatles charting record isn't too surprising at this point but the solo Beatles recorded some great tunes in their early post Beatles period and I can imagine them having multiple hits on the charts at the same time like they did at the height of Beatlemania.
 
Two questions. Do you intend to publish the album cover of All Things Must Pass? And will the Beatles be back full time or will they release some solo albums? Knowing that they’re on better terms ITTL, they’ll probably think that they help make each other’s songs better and go back full time, in my opinion.
 
October 1971 - December 1971
Two questions. Do you intend to publish the album cover of All Things Must Pass? And will the Beatles be back full time or will they release some solo albums? Knowing that they’re on better terms ITTL, they’ll probably think that they help make each other’s songs better and go back full time, in my opinion.

I have already found a cover for the ITTL version All Things Must Pass:

allthingsmustpass_final.jpg


Also, there is definitely a possibility that some solo albums could happen, maybe after the mid-70s.

Now, on with the timeline:

October 22, 1971 - Aphrodite's Child's double album 666 is released in the UK as Apple 10004. The album features psychedelic and experimental interpretations of passages from the book of Revelation. The album is praised by critics and the record buying public alike as a groundbreaking album. 666 heads to #1 on the UK Albums chart and stays there for 12 weeks.

October 26, 1971 - The album 666 is released in the US as Apple 3380. The album is a critical and commercial success in America as well, going to #1 on the albums chart there for eight weeks.

November 14, 1971 - John Lennon takes Paul McCartney to a performance by Queen at a club in London. John has been observing their maturation as a group for nearly a year and wants to know what Paul thinks about them. Paul is also impressed by the group. After the set, John and Paul go backstage to tell Queen that they are interested in signing them to Apple Records.

November 24, 1971 - "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" b/w "Christmas Across The Universe" by John Lennon is released in the UK as Apple R 5930. Both songs were recorded during the sessions for All Things Must Pass. The B-Side is a special Christmas version of "Across The Universe". This is the first time an individual Beatle has released a solo single. Despite it being a limited Christmas-time release, it peaks at #2 on the UK Singles Chart.

December 1, 1971 - "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" b/w "Christmas Across The Universe" by John Lennon is released in the US as Apple 1842. Although the single sells very well there, it's status as a limited Christmas-time release hurts it on the charts. It peaks as high as #35 in Record World.

December 25, 1971 - John Lennon, with the help of Paul McCartney and the London Children's Choir, performs "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" on a BBC TV Christmas special.
 
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I have already found a cover for the ITTL version All Things Must Pass:

allthingsmustpass_final.jpg


Also, there is definitely a possibility that some solo albums could happen, maybe after the mid-70s.

Now, on with the timeline:

October 22, 1971 - Aphrodite's Child's double album 666 is released in the UK as Apple 10004. The album features psychedelic and experimental interpretations of passages from the book of Revelation. The album is praised by critics and the record buying public alike as a groundbreaking album. 666 heads to #1 on the UK Albums chart and stays there for 12 weeks.

October 26, 1971 - The album 666 is released in the US as Apple 3380. The album is a critical and commercial success in America as well, going to #1 on the albums chart there for eight weeks.

November 14, 1971 - John Lennon takes Paul McCartney to a performance by Queen at a club in London. John has been observing their maturation as a group for nearly a year and wants to know what Paul thinks about them. Paul is also impressed by the group. After the set, John and Paul go backstage to tell Queen that they are interested in signing them to Apple Records.

November 24, 1971 - "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" b/w "Christmas Across The Universe" by John Lennon is released in the UK as Apple R 5970. Both songs were recorded during the sessions for All Things Must Pass. The B-Side is a special Christmas version of "Across The Universe". This is the first time an individual Beatle has released a solo single. Despite it being a limited Christmas-time release, it peaks at #2 on the UK Singles Chart.

December 1, 1971 - "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" b/w "Christmas Across The Universe" by John Lennon is released in the US as Apple 1842. Although the single sells very well there, it's status as a limited Christmas-time release hurts it on the charts. It peaks as high as #35 in Record World.

December 25, 1971 - John Lennon, with the help of Paul McCartney and the London Children's Choir, performs "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" on a BBC TV Christmas special.
Nice cover.
I'd like to see Paul produce Queen's first album, I'd think it be a good match.

I love ya man. Also, considering how many songs Ringo did were covers, he might have a few solo EPs
Plenty of material for him to choose from.
I would love to see the Beatles sign the Sex Pistols to Apple and have John produce the album. :cool:
 
How are the stones ,who .Led Zeppelin faring with the Beatles post 1970??
They got more competition now. :)
On a related note, I always thought the quality of the Stones music began to wane after the Beatles broke up, they didn't have to try as hard, they had a couple of really good albums in the early 70's but then they just seemed to keep repeating themselves.
Maybe ITTL they put out out more quality product throughout the 1970's.
 
Hope Badfinger never meets Stan Polley ITTL...

ITTL, they didn't. Brian Epstein is managing them. Also I read this on Wikipedia:

In 1972, Polley negotiated a record contract with Warner Bros. Records for Badfinger, which called for advances to be paid into an escrow account. In 1974, Warner's publishing division filed a lawsuit against Polley when it was unsuccessful in locating the funds. The legal morass crippled Badfinger financially; band leader Pete Ham died by suicide on April 24, 1975 leaving behind a note pointing the finger at Polley for his financial ruin. Bandmate Tom Evans died by suicide on November 19, 1983.

Damn. What a scumbag.
 
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