Good Times, Bad Times - Brought to you by Snowman23 and randomideaguy

Okay, so Snowman23 and I have been throwing around ideas for this collaborative timeline since early November, and we've just gotten the first two updates written and ready to publish. I'll let the story speak for itself, and Snowman should be posting the first update soon.
 
Excerpt from Paul McCartney’s 1999 Rolling Stone Interview:

SC: So, can you tell us, exactly, how did the Beatles break up?

PM: [Sighs] Well, it was back in September of 1968, and we were all for once in the same studio recording. Helter Skelter was the song. I was just not satisfied by us, so it took like 8 bloody takes to get it done, before finally, I was satisfied. All of us were high strung from the long recording, and we all weren’t on the best terms. I mean Ringo had just gotten back from his two week fit against us, and John was his usual self. It seemed like George was the one person with his head about him. [Pauses] So we finished recording, and John went to leave. But as he did, he accidently knocked over George’s guitar, which was leaning on an amp. It was George’s Strat [Stratocaster] that he bought back in 65’ which he had painted all psychedelic. It meant a lot to him. The thing fell over, and the head stock just cracked. Now, George was normally very calm and collected, but he just exploded. He shouted ‘Why did ya do that!’ or something like that at John. John responded with something snarky like ‘Not like you ever use it anymore’ and well, George was just done. The two were screaming and hollerin’ at each other, over each other’s song writing and everything. It got ugly. Ringo and I and George Martin tried to calm it down but It wouldn’t do. George [Harrison] just left. Now, normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, we’ve had arguments before, but the atmosphere of it just set everyone off. Ringo was pissed at John for setting George of like that, for George was the one who got Ringo back into the band! And then I was naturally annoyed with John for this, and well, it all got messy and we all just walked out. Everything might have worked out later if it wasn’t for Eric [Clapton] stealing away George later.
 
Excerpt from a Rolling Stones interview with Jimmy Page, 1984:

SC: So, how did you go from Yardbirds to forming up with Clapton?

JP: In early July, we played our last show in Bedfordshire. After this Relf and McCarty finally left the band, as they had wanted since March. A few days later, Dreja and I began looking for new artists to join the band. The word had gone out when on the 15th, Dreja decided to leave the band early because he really wanted to pursue a photography career. I’m sure it would have affected me less if I had actually gotten some new band members before he had left. Anyways, I got frustrated and went to a local bar to drink it off. It must have been fate that I met Eric Clapton there, who was also a bit down because of a review in the Rolling Stones and constant fights between Bruce and Baker. We knew each other already, as he recommended me as his replacement when he left the Yardbirds. We talked about music for a while, and after a few drinks I suggested to him that if things were so bad perhaps he should leave his band. He did confess that the scathing review made him wish to move in a new direction musically. We made plans to meet again the next night, same place. We did, and he said he heard that I was looking for new band members, and said he was considering possibly joining me. We set up a studio date to jam. After I set up the meeting, I realized I was going to miss a meeting with Terry Reid that Dreja had set up, but I decided that the opportunity to play with Clapton was a better one. The jam went quite well, and we decided to do it again. We talked about Bob Dylan briefly before our next jam, which inspired us to put together a version of In My Time of Dying. I listened to it before showing up and started to play a version of it I had quickly cobbled together in my head on the way there, and Clapton started to play on top of it. It sounded very good, and luckily we recorded it, as it formed the basis of our future band’s first single.

claptonpage.png
A copy of the original guitar-track played by Page and Clapton.

As August rolled around, Clapton decided to officially quit Cream, and we set up a third studio jam session. When we arrived at the studio, we found a drummer there, having stayed late after his own band had recorded. He discovered our guitar track and put a drum track to it, he liked it so much. His name was Nicholas Johann Beets, his father a German. But his stage name was Nick Beats. We quite liked his drum track, and asked if he’d like to stay and play with us. As he was doing a sound check he began improving and I knew he was the perfect drummer for our project. While Clapton could sing, we decided we needed another singer, as Clapton was better at guitar than singing, and he’d prefer to serve as back-up vocalist instead. While we thought about who could sing with us, I invited John Paul Jones, who I previously worked with in the Yardbirds, to come to the fifth jam session, which was in mid-August. As before, it was a joy to work with the man, who is a very talented bassist and pianist.

Clapton eventually came up with an idea for who could sing with us. His decision seemed out of the blue, to say the least. He didn’t tell us until the man showed up at our sixth jam session in the studio.. I was pleasantly surprised at his choice:
George Harrison.

claptonpage.png
 
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Interesting TL. :cool: The ultimate sixties super group. Always liked like Harrison's post Beatles work.

However with that many egos in the room, not to mention addictions, quite a volatile mix. Here there be dragons.
 
Sure about the ego thing, you have by my count, 3 lead guitarists in the room, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Harrison is doing lead vocals and likely rhythm guitar as well. Page could be a good foil for Clapton, keeping the worst aspects of Clapton in check. Clapton's biggest problem for the last thirty years is that he hasn't really worked with anyone willing to challenge him in that way.
 
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Sure about the ego thing, you have by my count, 3 lead guitarists in the room. Harrison is doing lead vocals and likely rhythm guitar as well.
According the Snowman (the Beatles expert aspect of the TL), when I asked him about the ego thing back in November, he said Harrison's interest in guitar playing by White Album era was at an all-time low, so as far as guitarist clash it would only be Clapton/Page if there was any at all.
Though Page could be a good foil for Clapton, keeping the worst aspects of Clapton in check. Clapton's biggest problem for the last thirty years is that he hasn't really worked with anyone willing to challenge him in that way.
The Rolling Stone criticized Clapton for being "master of the blues cliche", which caused him to leave Cream, and wish to go in a new direction. This, combined with Page's interest in trailblazing into new areas musically. And, it's clear they both respect each other as musicians IOTL even as early as the mid-60s. I think they'll work well together, hence the reason we paired them up at all.
 
I'm trying to imagine what this band would sound like. You would have Clapton pushing it in a more traditional blues direction, Page pushing back toward rock, Harrison acting as a tiebreaker. I expect John Paul Jones's input as well, likely in a position similar to Harrison. I don't know anything about the drummer named. Is this a real person or a composite?
 
I'm trying to imagine what this band would sound like. You would have Clapton pushing it in a more traditional blues direction, Page pushing back toward rock, Harrison acting as a tiebreaker. I expect John Paul Jones's input as well, likely in a position similar to Harrison.
Like I said, Clapton is willing to go in a new direction. Page is the perfect guy to guide him. They'll be closer to rock than blues, but there will definitely be some blues influence, which I think will nicely complement their rock numbers. If you want an example of sound check out the link in the second update. That's what I'm picturing.
I don't know anything about the drummer named. Is this a real person or a composite?
I wanted John Bonham but due to the various PODs that was impossible. It's an original character, but if you have to picture someone he's very similar to Bonham. Yes, it's cheating, but they need one of the BEST drummers to finish off the group.
 
Hmm, I see me and Glass Onion have rivals. You shall be the Rolling Stones to our Beatles. ;)

Good luck on everything. It's an interesting idea.
 
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