The Beatles Don't Break Up in 1970 - A Timeline
- Thread starter YellowSubmarine93
- Start date
August 1966 - November 1966
August 29, 1966 - The Beatles perform the last concert of their last US tour of the decade at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.
September 6, 1966 - To prepare for his role in the Richard Lester directed film How I Won The War, John is given an army haircut and "Granny glasses" to wear. The glasses become part of John's image for many years.
September 19, 1966 - Filming for How I Won The War commences in Spain.
September 26, 1966 - Brian Epstein is hospitalized after an accidental drug overdose which he recovers from.
November 6, 1966 - John returns to England after wrapping up filming on How I Won The War.
November 7, 1966 - John is invited by a friend to go see a preview that night of an exhibition called Unfinished Paintings by a Japanese avant-garde artist named Yoko Ono. Due to still being jet-lagged after his return from Spain, he politely declines.
November 24, 1966 - The Beatles begin recording songs for their next album, to be called Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. On this day they begin work on John's song "Strawberry Fields Forever". Stepping away from touring allows the group to experiment with much more complex music. Note: What George Harrison songs should I consider adding to the album? In OTL George got only one song on the album. I'd like him to have at most three ITTL.
September 6, 1966 - To prepare for his role in the Richard Lester directed film How I Won The War, John is given an army haircut and "Granny glasses" to wear. The glasses become part of John's image for many years.
September 19, 1966 - Filming for How I Won The War commences in Spain.
September 26, 1966 - Brian Epstein is hospitalized after an accidental drug overdose which he recovers from.
November 6, 1966 - John returns to England after wrapping up filming on How I Won The War.
November 7, 1966 - John is invited by a friend to go see a preview that night of an exhibition called Unfinished Paintings by a Japanese avant-garde artist named Yoko Ono. Due to still being jet-lagged after his return from Spain, he politely declines.
November 24, 1966 - The Beatles begin recording songs for their next album, to be called Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. On this day they begin work on John's song "Strawberry Fields Forever". Stepping away from touring allows the group to experiment with much more complex music. Note: What George Harrison songs should I consider adding to the album? In OTL George got only one song on the album. I'd like him to have at most three ITTL.
"It's All Too Much" would be a handy rocker to add to Sgt Pepper.. which in OTL has an abundance of mid-tempo McCartney toe-tappers.. it would stand out a lot in terms of style, but could be a good explosive opener for side 2.. maybe bumping within You Without you to middle-of-album-side..
On OTLs Sgt Pepper, only the title track, title track reprise & Lucy in the sky with diamonds are real out and out rockers.. maybe Good Morning Good Morning as well (although its dominated by brass, there's a rocking guitar solo).. It's All Too Much is closer in spirit to the kind of guitar breakouts Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd were performing than anything else on Sgt Pepper.
On OTLs Sgt Pepper, only the title track, title track reprise & Lucy in the sky with diamonds are real out and out rockers.. maybe Good Morning Good Morning as well (although its dominated by brass, there's a rocking guitar solo).. It's All Too Much is closer in spirit to the kind of guitar breakouts Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd were performing than anything else on Sgt Pepper.
Oooooh... so no more American tours until at least 1970.
Hmm.. but that does leave wiggle-room for 1-off shows under well managed conditions (decent amps, good staging, support players for songs that need more instruments, more leisurely schedules..etc)
You see, considering the back-to-basics rock direction the group was going in towards the end in OTL, and also the growing popularity of touring as a promotional tool in the 1970s, I can imagine them returning to touring had they stayed together.
Wait a second, was Strawberry Fields Forever influenced partly by drugs? If so, I'm not sure whether it would be included because of Julia...
November 1966 - March 1967
November 27, 1966 - John Lennon films a skit for the BBC TV comedy show Not Only... But Also which is broadcast on December 26. This is the first time John is seen wearing his signature granny glasses.
January 30, 1967 - The Beatles begin filming a promotional video for a song off their upcoming single, "Strawberry Fields Forever".
February 5, 1967 - The Beatles begin filming a promotional video for the other song off their upcoming single, "Penny Lane".
February 13, 1967 - "Penny Lane" b/w "Strawberry Fields Forever" is released in the US as Capitol 5810. The single enters the US charts immediately and goes to #1, their 16th total. The B-Side also becomes a big hit, peaking at #8 in Billboard.
February 17, 1967 - "Penny Lane" b/w "Strawberry Fields Forever" is released in the UK as Parlophone R 5570 as a double A-Side. Surprisingly the single does not make it to the top spot, falling just short at #2 behind Engelbert Humperdinck's "Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)". This is their very first single not to peak at #1 in the UK.
March 30, 1967 - The Beatles do a photo shoot for their upcoming Sgt. Pepper album.
January 30, 1967 - The Beatles begin filming a promotional video for a song off their upcoming single, "Strawberry Fields Forever".
February 5, 1967 - The Beatles begin filming a promotional video for the other song off their upcoming single, "Penny Lane".
February 13, 1967 - "Penny Lane" b/w "Strawberry Fields Forever" is released in the US as Capitol 5810. The single enters the US charts immediately and goes to #1, their 16th total. The B-Side also becomes a big hit, peaking at #8 in Billboard.
February 17, 1967 - "Penny Lane" b/w "Strawberry Fields Forever" is released in the UK as Parlophone R 5570 as a double A-Side. Surprisingly the single does not make it to the top spot, falling just short at #2 behind Engelbert Humperdinck's "Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)". This is their very first single not to peak at #1 in the UK.
March 30, 1967 - The Beatles do a photo shoot for their upcoming Sgt. Pepper album.
I think this timeline's version can probably be attributed to John having time on his hands (between movie takes) to ponder where his life is in late 1966, after the final tour.
OK, and the inspiration would probably be more Liverpool. But it would be less crazy IMO?
I can imagine that the crazy ending bit would be gone ITTL. In fact I can imagine it being like Take 7.
April 1967 - June 1967 ("Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" released)
April 25, 1967 - With Sgt. Pepper completed, The Beatles begin recording songs for their upcoming film and EP/Album, Magical Mystery Tour. They begin work on the title track on this particular day.
May 15, 1967 - Paul McCartney meets photographer Linda Eastman at the Bag O'Nails nightclub during a performance by singer Georgie Fame.
June 1, 1967 - The album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is released in the UK. The album features the group's most complex music to date, two prime examples being "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!" and " A Day In The Life". The first two songs are connected together to make a medley. The groups efforts at musical experimentation have reached a fever pitch. The album becomes their eighth #1 album in the UK. Note: It was a bit hard for me to decide which songs on the album to replace with George's songs, with there being so many masterpieces. I decided in the end to have "Only A Northern Song" replace "Getting Better" and "It's All Too Much" to lead into the reprise. Lastly, I know you all will be after me for keeping "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds". John said himself in OTL that the song was inspired by a drawing his son Julian made and not drugs, so it stays.
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
Parlophone 7207
All tracks written by Lennon-McCartney unless otherwise noted
SIDE 1
1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
2. With A Little Help From My Friends
3. Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds
4. Only A Northern Song (Harrison)
5. Fixing A Hole
6. She's Leaving Home
7. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!
SIDE 2
1. Within You Without You (Harrison)
2. When I'm Sixty-Four
3. Lovely Rita
4. It's All Too Much (Harrison)
5. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
6. A Day In The Life
June 2, 1967 - The album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is released in the US as Capitol 6253. For the first time, Capitol does not mess around at all with the content of the album, releasing it in the same form as in the UK. The only difference is that the US release does not have the run out groove craziness at the end of Side 2. The album becomes the group's 10th #1 album in the US.
June 25, 1967 - The Beatles perform "All You Need Is Love" on the worldwide live television broadcast Our World.
May 15, 1967 - Paul McCartney meets photographer Linda Eastman at the Bag O'Nails nightclub during a performance by singer Georgie Fame.
June 1, 1967 - The album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is released in the UK. The album features the group's most complex music to date, two prime examples being "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!" and " A Day In The Life". The first two songs are connected together to make a medley. The groups efforts at musical experimentation have reached a fever pitch. The album becomes their eighth #1 album in the UK. Note: It was a bit hard for me to decide which songs on the album to replace with George's songs, with there being so many masterpieces. I decided in the end to have "Only A Northern Song" replace "Getting Better" and "It's All Too Much" to lead into the reprise. Lastly, I know you all will be after me for keeping "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds". John said himself in OTL that the song was inspired by a drawing his son Julian made and not drugs, so it stays.
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
Parlophone 7207
All tracks written by Lennon-McCartney unless otherwise noted
SIDE 1
1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
2. With A Little Help From My Friends
3. Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds
4. Only A Northern Song (Harrison)
5. Fixing A Hole
6. She's Leaving Home
7. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!
SIDE 2
1. Within You Without You (Harrison)
2. When I'm Sixty-Four
3. Lovely Rita
4. It's All Too Much (Harrison)
5. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
6. A Day In The Life
June 2, 1967 - The album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is released in the US as Capitol 6253. For the first time, Capitol does not mess around at all with the content of the album, releasing it in the same form as in the UK. The only difference is that the US release does not have the run out groove craziness at the end of Side 2. The album becomes the group's 10th #1 album in the US.
June 25, 1967 - The Beatles perform "All You Need Is Love" on the worldwide live television broadcast Our World.
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July 1967 - September 1967
That's coming up pretty soon.
July 7, 1967 - "All You Need Is Love" b/w "Baby You're A Rich Man" is released in the UK as Parlophone R 5620. This is the group's first single to specifically credit George Martin as the producer. The single heads immediately to #1, their 13th in the UK.
July 17, 1967 - "All You Need Is Love" b/w "Baby You're A Rich Man" is released in the US as Capitol 5964. The song becomes their 17th #1 hit in the US
July 19, 1967 - The Beatles discuss buying an island in Greece for them to live on together. The island would have four villas along with a recording studio and entertainment center. This plan is never realized.
August 19, 1967 - Jason Starkey is born to Maureen and Richard (Ringo) Starkey at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in London.
August 27, 1967 - Brian Epstein nearly dies of a drug overdose at his house in London. His butler, Antonio, finds him in his bedroom in great distress and has him rushed to the hospital, where doctors are able to save his life.
September 11, 1967 - The Beatles begin filming the television movie Magical Mystery Tour.
The Beatles being sober while their contemporaries being, well, not (especially the Stones) is gonna have huge butterflies. John's material from 68 onward will be super different.
With Epstein surviving Paul would find it less necessary to become band leader (John having a better personal life helps too) and that combined with George being more involved in songwriting means we won't get OTL's White Album.
With Epstein surviving Paul would find it less necessary to become band leader (John having a better personal life helps too) and that combined with George being more involved in songwriting means we won't get OTL's White Album.
I wanted to keep all the OTL albums mostly intact, but that makes perfect sense. Perhaps I can turn the White Album into a regular album instead of the double album that got released in OTL. I can also imagine John having another child by the end of the 60s, and possibly George having his first as well. What do you think?