Unlike other groups, they knew when to end – their most glorious decision in many ways. The Beatles who were forever were already leaving the stage. On the other side of the psychedelic years, the dress down Beatles are all pullovers, misshapen trousers, worn-out pumps and furry coats – they have the hangover look for the hangover time – the sixties is ending with a whimper and not a bang – the pop culture hangover would somehow percolate through the seventies. These days there would be a five-year plan and crucially a manager but somehow they make the chaos work – this is winging it on the grandest of grand scales and they are still so damn young: George was 26. They have no songs and no idea of where they are playing the gig – it’s like Magical Mystery Tour all over again – a runaway bus with no destination.
They give themselves 14 days to come up with an album and play their first gig for three years out of these new songs and film the whole lot. They sit there with no direction home and no plan. Despite the White Album still being number one worldwide they were seemingly cut adrift not touring and beyond the horizon and freezing and stressing over a new album already.
Just how shambolic were the worlds biggest band at this stage? They are stumbling around the cold early January warehouse looking for magic in the thin air.