Beatles' Let It Be (33 1/3)
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"Let It Be is far from the Beatles' most memorable record, but as most know, its inception marked a seminal time period in the life (or death) of the most influential band in rock 'n' roll history. Steve Matteo's research is meticulous, giving to-the-minute accounts of things that happened during the making of Let It Be and its depth stifles the writer's voice in exchange for relaying the chaos and controversy over these sessions (and, almost more importantly, the tapes documenting them)." Zack Adcock, The Hub Weekly, 1/13/05--,
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The recording sessions for Let It Be were actually begun as rehearsals for a proposed return to live stage work for the Beatles, to be inaugurated in a concert at a Roman amphitheatre in Tunisia. Here, Steve Matteo delves deep into the complex history of these recording sessions. He talks to many of the people involved in the recording of these songs, and the accompanying documentary. And he also looks at the Spector-less version of the album released in 2003. 33 1/3 is a series of short books about critically acclaimed and much-loved albums of the last 40 years. Focusing on one album rather than an artist's entire output, the books dispense with the standard biographical background that fans know already, and cut to the heart of the music on each album. The authors provide fresh, original perspectives, often through their access to and relationships with the key figures involved in the recording of these albums. By turns obsessive, passionate, creative, and informed, the books in this series demonstrate many different ways of writing about music. (A task that can be, as Elvis Costello famously observed, as tricky as dancing about architecture.) What binds this series together, and what brings it to life, is that all of the authors - musicians, scholars, and writers - are deeply in love with the album they have chosen. Previous titles in this now well-established series have beaten sales expectations and received excellent review coverage - the third batch is sure to continue this success. More titles follow in the spring of 2005.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book differs from nearly all of the other first eleven in this series in that instead of involving a detailed look at the songs and the music involved, given the artistes involved here are the Beatles, the author wisely focuses on the history around the recordings instead.
In so doing, Matteo has produced a little gem. Working chronologically he covers how and why the recordings occurred starting with the sessions at the Twickenham sound stage and the possible idea of a live concert at a site in North Africa to follow, progressing to the subsequent recordings made at the new Apple Studios aimed at avoiding the controls of Abbey Road, and the final Saville Row rooftop concert. The book closes with the consequences of how under different producers the incomplete recordings fell into limbo to be "rescued" by Phil Spector and the subsequent history of numerous bootleg tapes from the sessions, culminating in the release of "Let it be...Naked", a missed opportunity in the author's eyes.
What Matteo does in this story telling is include a lot of factual evidence from the thorough research he has done through interviews for the book (but it seems with none of the Beatles) and technical data garnered from many other books. But more importantly he also demyths a lot of prior held mis-perceptions along the way. His covering of the growing disillusionment of Harrison and Martin as the sessions devolve into chaos offsets the more well known stories of Ono and McCartney outbursts. From all the evidence presented, the different sessions were not the gloom and doom often conveyed subsequently especially through the released film and individual Beatles retrospective comments. Despite the growing apart that had started when recording the White Album amongst band members and Lennon's growing drug problems, a high level of fun and the sheer level of songs recorded and tested, including many that surfaced later on "Abbey Road" and solo albums is testament to the creativity that was still occurring.
The two biggest new truths for me after reading the book, are that the maligning of Allen Klein due to his business practices may have been warranted in part but are offset by the simple fact that the financial disciplines he introduced at Apple probably saved the Beatles from individual financial ruin, and that given all the hard evidence on show that this group would not stay together, the subsequent Abbey Road" recording stands as a truly iconic finale and group effort.
In so doing, Matteo has produced a little gem. Working chronologically he covers how and why the recordings occurred starting with the sessions at the Twickenham sound stage and the possible idea of a live concert at a site in North Africa to follow, progressing to the subsequent recordings made at the new Apple Studios aimed at avoiding the controls of Abbey Road, and the final Saville Row rooftop concert. The book closes with the consequences of how under different producers the incomplete recordings fell into limbo to be "rescued" by Phil Spector and the subsequent history of numerous bootleg tapes from the sessions, culminating in the release of "Let it be...Naked", a missed opportunity in the author's eyes.
What Matteo does in this story telling is include a lot of factual evidence from the thorough research he has done through interviews for the book (but it seems with none of the Beatles) and technical data garnered from many other books. But more importantly he also demyths a lot of prior held mis-perceptions along the way. His covering of the growing disillusionment of Harrison and Martin as the sessions devolve into chaos offsets the more well known stories of Ono and McCartney outbursts. From all the evidence presented, the different sessions were not the gloom and doom often conveyed subsequently especially through the released film and individual Beatles retrospective comments. Despite the growing apart that had started when recording the White Album amongst band members and Lennon's growing drug problems, a high level of fun and the sheer level of songs recorded and tested, including many that surfaced later on "Abbey Road" and solo albums is testament to the creativity that was still occurring.
The two biggest new truths for me after reading the book, are that the maligning of Allen Klein due to his business practices may have been warranted in part but are offset by the simple fact that the financial disciplines he introduced at Apple probably saved the Beatles from individual financial ruin, and that given all the hard evidence on show that this group would not stay together, the subsequent Abbey Road" recording stands as a truly iconic finale and group effort.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book (part of the 33 1/3 series of monographs about classic albums) is a finely constucted critique of the last release, during their lifetime, by the world's greatest group. 'Let It Be', while not the greatest of the Beatles albums (that's 'Revolver and anyone who thinks otherwise is frankly wrong!) but it is culturally very significant and documents, almost accidentally via it's back to basics approach, the fragmentation of the band. This book wonderfully lets you join that ride.
Format:Paperback
At first reading this book seems quite thorough in it's content,with lots of little hidden gems regarding equipment,amplification etc.There were,unfortunately some little errors,like,for instance,Apple being situated at 3 Savile Road,Magic Alex's surname given as Madras,rather than Mardas,John and Yoko being married on the mystical ISLAND of Gibraltar,and Ringo using a multicolored kit at the Rooftop concert(it was Maple coloured).I probably missed some more,but these aside,a damn good read.Finished it in 1 day.
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