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

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September 1967 - December 1967 ("Magical Mystery Tour" released)
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    • YellowSubmarine93

    SavoyTruffle said:
    Maybe the Fabs get two regular albums in 68?
    Click to expand...
    That's certainly a possibility. However, I have no idea about album titles. I wasn't expecting to have to do ITTL albums this early on. But anyway, on with the timeline:

    September 24, 1967     - Brian Epstein is released from the hospital after a nearly month-long recovery from his near-fatal drug overdose. He tells reporters gathered outside that the experience was a huge wake-up call for him and that "those drugs can go to hell for what they almost did to me. I'm never touching those bloody things again, mark my words."

    October 18, 1967 - The Beatles along with their significant others attend the premiere of John's film How I Won The War at the London Pavilion theatre.

    November 3, 1967 - The Beatles wrap up filming Magical Mystery Tour.

    November 24, 1967 - "Hello Goodbye" b/w "I Am The Walrus" is released in the UK as Parlophone R 5655. The single becomes their 14th #1 hit in the UK.

    November 27, 1967 - The album Magical Mystery Tour is released in the US. For this album, Capitol goes back to their old ways and changes the release to their liking. In the UK, the songs from the movie are released as an EP. For the US release, Capitol puts all the songs from the EP on Side 1, and on Side 2 they put songs from Beatles singles released that year. The 24-page booklet is carried over from the UK release, however. The album becomes the group's 11th #1 album in America. Note: Barring any suggestions from you guys, this album remains unchanged from OTL. That same day "Hello Goodbye" b/w "I Am The Walrus" is released in the US as Capitol 2056. The single becomes their 18th #1 US hit.

    "Magical Mystery Tour"
    Capitol 2835

    All tracks written by Lennon-McCartney unless otherwise noted

    SIDE 1
    1. Magical Mystery Tour
    2. The Fool On The Hill
    3. Flying (Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starr)
    4. Blue Jay Way (Harrison)
    5. Your Mother Should Know
    6. I Am The Walrus

    SIDE 2
    1. Hello Goodye
    2. Strawberry Fields Forever
    3. Penny Lane
    4. Baby, You're A Rich Man
    5. All You Need Is Love

    December 8, 1967 - The EP Magical Mystery Tour is released in the UK as Parlophone MMT 1. As there are six songs in total, it is issued as a double-EP, with the 24-page booklet mentioned earlier.
     
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    • SavoyTruffle

    SavoyTruffle

    YellowSubmarine93 said:
    However, I have no idea about album titles.
    Click to expand...

    The White Album had A Doll's House as a working title. Perhaps ITTL they have both the self-titled album and then A Doll's House?

    Here's a good cover for it:
    COVER.jpg


    Source: http://albumsbackfromthedead.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-beatles-dolls-house.html
     

    YellowSubmarine93

    SavoyTruffle said:
    The White Album had A Doll's House as a working title. Perhaps ITTL they have both the self-titled album and then A Doll's House?
    Click to expand...

    Again, that makes perfect sense! I'll definitely be using that. Coming is when in OTL the group went to India to study transcendental meditation. I'm not planning to have them do this ITTL. Any thoughts, guys?
     
    SavoyTruffle

    SavoyTruffle

    Did they run into the Maharishi ITTL? Without that (plus factors like John having to do less soul-searching due to a better personal life and Brian Epstein remaining) they won't go to India.

    That means their 68 output would be less folksy/acoustic for starters, and instead of going into the Studio for Lady Madonna/Hey Bulldog/The Inner Light only before going to India, perhaps their early 1968 is a full on studio event?
     

    Garrett_Cartoonist

    YellowSubmarine93 said:
    Again, that makes perfect sense! I'll definitely be using that. Coming is when in OTL the group went to India to study transcendental meditation. I'm not planning to have them do this ITTL. Any thoughts, guys?
    Click to expand...
    Well, the reason the title A Doll's House went unused is because the band Family released their debut album, Music from a Doll's House, that same year, and the Beatles didn't want to use a name that was already kinda sorta used.
     
    flippikat

    flippikat

    Garrett_Cartoonist said:
    Well, the reason the title A Doll's House went unused is because the band Family released their debut album, Music from a Doll's House, that same year, and the Beatles didn't want to use a name that was already kinda sorta used.
    Click to expand...

    Spot on. Music from a Doll's House was released July 1968, so unless the Beatles get their album with a similar name out way before that, the name is a no-go.
     
    flippikat

    flippikat

    SavoyTruffle said:
    That means their 68 output would be less folksy/acoustic for starters, and instead of going into the Studio for Lady Madonna/Hey Bulldog/The Inner Light only before going to India, perhaps their early 1968 is a full on studio event?
    Click to expand...

    I'm thinking that if 1968 has two Beatles albums, the first would be acoustic/ballads/big productions (stuff that works best in the studio) and the 2nd 1968 album would be more upbeat & rocking, with a view to playing live shows.
     
    December 1967 - May 1968
  • Index

    • YellowSubmarine93

    December 25, 1967 - Paul McCartney and Jane Asher announce that they are engaged to be married.

    December 26, 1967 - The television movie Magical Mystery Tour premieres on BBC 1. The movie is panned by critics and viewers alike.

    Garrett_Cartoonist said:
    Would Apple still be set up? Will they still make a record label?
    Click to expand...

    January 22, 1968 - Apple Records, a division of Apple Corps. Ltd., opens it's offices in London. The label is set up as a creative outlet for The Beatles, but other artists are signed to the label as time goes on. The group marks the occasion by announcing that their first album on the new label is already in the works.

    February 5, 1968 - John and Cynthia Lennon announce during an interview on BBC TV that they are expecting another child, due in late August. Note: Name ideas anyone?

    March 15, 1968 - "Lady Madonna" b/w "The Inner Light" is released in the UK as Parlophone R 5675. The single becomes their 15th #1 hit in the UK.

    March 18, 1968 - "Lady Madonna" b/w "The Inner Light" is released in the US as Capitol 2138. This single is their first in the US not to make it to the #1 spot in any of the three major music trade magazines. In Cash Box, the single falls just short at #2, holding that position for three nonconsecutive weeks behind "Valleri" by The Monkees, "Young Girl" by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, and "Honey" by Bobby Goldsboro. This release and the UK release are the last Beatles singles to be issued on the Capitol and Parlophone labels respectively.

    May 5, 1968 - Singer Mary Hopkin appears on the TV talent show Opportunity Knocks. She subsequently becomes the first non-Beatles act to sign with Apple Records.

    May 11, 1968 - John Lennon and Paul McCartney travel to the US to promote Apple Records.

    Note: I was thinking of having the release of "A Doll's House" be in this post but I'm still on the fence about that. Any thoughts?
     
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    • MatthewFirth

    I must question I Am The Walrus since I believe it might be drug related, and also the film since some is drug influenced too, so surely a different film?
     

    YellowSubmarine93

    MatthewFirth said:
    I must question I Am The Walrus since I believe it might be drug related, and also the film since some is drug influenced too, so surely a different film?
    Click to expand...

    ITTL, songs such as that come out of a desire by the group to experiment with their music and also to capitalize on the growing popularity of psychedelic rock music. The public at large does not know (yet) that the group has sworn off drugs. They only know that Brian Epstein has.

    Loulou said:
    How about Creedence Clearwater Revival?
    Click to expand...

    Is there any reason for that? Regardless, that's very interesting and I'll definitely consider that.

    Garrett_Cartoonist said:
    I suggest that Greek band Aphrodite's Child signs with Apple late 1968-early 1969 after leaving Philips instead of signing with British label Polydor. Might seem really random, but it will probably come in handy once 1971 rolls around.
    Click to expand...

    Again, that sounds interesting. I'll consider that as well.

    Lastly, I edited this into the last timeline post, but does anyone have name suggestions for John's new child on the way? I don't know whether it will be a boy or a girl yet.
     
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    Garrett_Cartoonist

    YellowSubmarine93 said:
    Again, that sounds interesting. I'll consider that as well

    Lastly, I edited this into the last timeline post, but does anyone have name suggestions for John's new child on the way?
    Click to expand...
    Thanks. An incredibly ambitious, influential, and forgotten double album might just be a massive hit ITTL, and it will line up with their actual history, I hope. Also, how about we name the kid Mimi, after John's aunt
     

    YellowSubmarine93

    I just learned that one of the members of Aphrodite's Child was a certain Vangelis Papathanassiou, who is known mostly for doing the score to the movie Chariots Of Fire. That is so ridiculously cool!
     
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