The End of the Beginning: A Joint Timeline by Emperor Norton I & Glass Onion

Beatle Prince of Pop Dead

January 8th 1967
Tragedy has struck the popular music scene. Paul McCartney, one half of the massively successful songwriting partnership Lennon/McCartney has died after sustaining serious cranial injuries in a motor accident on the M-1 last night, in which the driver was also killed. Despite the best efforts of the staff of a nearby hospital, McCartney never regained consciousness following the accident.


When reached for comment, John Lennon, McCartney’s songwriting partner has said, “I don’t know what to say, I’ve only just heard, and it’s difficult to think of things to say. He was just, a beautiful fellow and it’s terrible. There’s nothing more to say really.” Though merely 24 McCartney leaves behind him a legacy of success in popular music. Until now McCartney’s life has been a record of continual luck. Of all the members of the new popular music field, McCartney had truly made the grade before last night’s tragic event.


Lennon has confirmed that a new songwriter will not be hired on to replace McCartney’s role in Lennon/McCartney. “Look, I can’t just replace Paul. Who’s there to replace him with anyway? If I keep writing music, I’ll write the songs myself. It’ll be a real drag without Paul to keep the music on track, but there isn’t anybody waiting in the wings. It’s tragic, but Lennon/McCartney’s a one man show now. I have to be Paul and me at the same time, We have to remain together in spirit-you know?” It is unclear whether Lennon’s future songwriting endeavors will succeed without the aid of his now deceased partner.


George Harrison, the lead guitarist for the group, was clearly deeply troubled by the news. “I only heard about the whole thing just this morning. Paul was in such high spirits the last time I saw him, that it's difficult to accept that he’s gone. He was really excited about the new album. I never knew exactly what was going on in that head of his, but it seemed to me he just swimming with ideas the last time I saw him. I feel absolutely terrible for his family. Death is something that awaits us all, but what happened to Paul is so tragically sudden. I'm not sure anyone who knew him can put what they feel into words right now."


When asked when he received the news of McCartney’s death, Richard Starkey, also known as Ringo Starr has said, “I heard about the news when you did.” Brian Epstein, the group’s manager, has confirmed that the group will remain united despite McCartney’s tragic death. In spite of Epstein's claims, followers of the popular music scene are wondering whether the demise of Paul McCartney will be shortly followed by the collapse of the band he helped to usher into almost unprecedented levels of popularity.


Both here and in the United States, fanatical Beatles enthusiasts are mourning the late pop star.
It is clear that McCartney's death has deeply disturbed the band's young audience. It remains to be seen how the newest generation will be impacted by the loss of one their most prominent entertainment icons.



McCartney is survived by his fiance Jane Asher, his brother Mike McGreer, and his father James. The McCartney family has said that they will hold a private funeral later this week.

-----------------------------------------------------------



John Lennon: The Rolling Stone Interviews 1970

Lennon: When I heard that Paul died, I thought, I’ve had it now. I really thought I was finished. And that’s what all the papers were saying if you remember. They kept asking me, “What’s gonna happen to Lennon/McCartney?”


And we were writing separately by then anyway. I mean sure, we’d each sometimes add in a little bit when the other one couldn’t get the song to work, but for the most part we were pretty independent by the time Paul died. And it wasn’t like those arrogant fuckers thought. We weren’t Rogers and Hammerstein. It wasn’t as if Paul wrote the music and I wrote the lyrics and that was that. We were both full-fledged songwriters.


But anyway, when I heard the news, I was just stunned. And I know that sounds cliché, but part of me was just thinking-again? People have a strange way of dying on me. First my mother died when I was a teenager, and then Stu, and now Paul. I felt like Paul had abandoned me, like he’d left me this burden of completing a whole album alone. We had, like four or five songs done by then. If it hadn’t been for Brian putting pressure on us that album would never have been finished.

I remember, I spent the first four or five days at home just messing around the piano and reading the obituary, and watching television. That whole week I was in no mood to go back to the studio and just pretend nothing ever happened. I guess in retrospect I was pretty productive, because I wrote A Day in the Life in that week. I wrote that song based on two different obituaries the papers were running.

The first one simply mentioned how Paul had suffered "severe cranial damage" I just translated that bit out of newspaper speak into common English. Then there was this really nasty editorial that basically said good riddance to the lot of us. It called us all "lucky bastards" basically, though they couldn't outright say that. The middle was really about my life with Cyn. I was bored out of my mind then, and I just pulled out a few words to talk about that. Truth be told, I never did like the middle.

Interviewer: What about the other songs on that album? How did you and George Harrison ever come up with them under those circumstances?


Lennon: Well, I’ve already gone on in detail about the title track, I think it’s probably the best song I’ve written. Love was probably caused by a number of things. Love was just in the air when I wrote it, I wanted to express what Love really was. I had spent so much time writing about puppy-love that I wanted to write about the real thing. And if you remember, around the time I was writing the song I was kind of falling love, though I couldn’t outright say it yet.


The Beautiful People, well the first bit of that was good. Not the best thing I've ever written, but the song was okay. The chorus was complete crap. I knew the song was building up to something, but for the life of me I couldn't finish the song. If Paul had been there I'm sure he would have given me a better chorus that the one I wrote. I never did like how that song turned out.

The Red King was me going off of something out of Lewis Carol. In one of the Alice books there's this bit about somebody called "The Red King" who is said to dream everything into existence. And I felt like I was living in this giant dream, nightmare really. I felt like I was the Red King. I was really really out of it by the point I wrote that song, just out of my mind with grief and acid. I never did fall off the edge like that poor bastard from that group that was recording at Abbey Road with us did. But I came close. In retrospect I'm grateful I made it out okay. I think "The Red King" is a bit too much like "Strawberry Fields" so I don't like the song too much either. Honestly most of I wrote in 1967 was utter crap.

Interviewer: But, most those songs were really well received. I mean, Strawberry Fields Forever outsold the last album the Beatles did. And it was one of the best reviewed albums of the year. You can't deny that those songs were phenomenally successful. I mean, are you really ready to completely disown say, Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds?

Lennon: No, I happen to like Lucy. That one came from a drawing Julian made. I still think we could have done a better job. I just wish Paul had been around to record bass on that song. I mean Klaus did what he could, but Paul was a genius when it came to that instrument. I mean, he could have taken that song to a whole other level. And I was so panicked when I sang that one. I like Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, but I am sure we could have done a better job with it. But you know me, I'm never satisfied with anything. I tend to like a song for about a month, and three weeks latter the same song sounds awful. I'm not the most objective about my own work. But, let me ask you this, is there any artist who likes what he's putting out?

I was just so desperate for material in 1967. I guess remembering how rushed I was, it's hard to imagine things turned out as well as they did. Brian was telling us that we had to have ten songs, or else the album wouldn’t be released. Luckily I managed to cobble together enough songs to make the cut.


I felt terrible at the time because for the life of me I just couldn’t write anything for Ringo. Luckily George came up with a song for him. I'd hate to keep Ringo from having a song simply because of my writers block you know. Luckily, he had that one country and western number he'd been working on for a few years, so that whole situation worked out in the end.




Interviewer: Now, on Strawberry Fields Forever, George Harrison started contributing more to the bands albums. What do you think of those songs he contributed to the first album after the tragedy?


Lennon: As a matter of fact, that had really started on Revolver. He had three songs on that one. But Paul's death really did changed the dynamic. George did write more songs for that one, because he had to. I wasn't ready to go the full solo route then. As far as the actual songs go,let me think for a second. Well, Only a Northern Song was one of those we got done before the accident. Within You Without You is an absolutely beautiful song. One of his best, I think. I didn't like the other song he wrote. If we weren't so desperate I would have vetoed it off the album. But you know, beggars can't be choosers and all that.

Interviewer: After all that pressure, it must have been exciting when Strawberry Fields Forever was finally released?


Lennon: Relief, mostly. I mean I never liked the album. There were a couple of good songs. Strawberry Fields Forever would have been a good song, but George Martin botched the production. George had a couple of good songs. But the album wasn't my favorite of the ones we did, no matter what the critics say. At the time, a part of me felt even worse about Paul. I wanted him to hear the album, tell us what he thought-you know? I bet he'd have something to say about it. Sometimes when I'm writing I kind of start hearing Paul's voice, telling me where I'm going wrong. But that doesn't make up for his absence of course.

Interviewer: How did Paul McCartney's death affect your relationship with the Rolling Stones?

Oh, I never did blame them. I know Paul was at a party with them before he died, but Mick Jagger didn't crash that car. He didn't manipulate the weather to make the roads icy. It was just a coincidence. Sure I was angry for a few days, but I quickly realized that there wasn't any way Mick could have known that car would crash.

I mean yeah the roads were icy, but Mick was going out driving too. In some ways, the lot of them were every bit as shaken up about the whole affair as I was. Mick told me that he felt personally responsible. He was really shaken up, Keith too.

Interviewer: How did Klaus Voreman become involved in the Strawberry Fields recording sessions?

We knew Klaus from back in Hamburg. He had designed our previous album cover. He was working with Manfred Mann at the time, but they weren't constantly recording or touring. So we asked Klaus to do us another favor. I forget whether George or I called him up. It's been a very long time. I want to make this absolutely clear, we didn't want him to replace Paul. There's a reason Klaus never officially became "Beatle Klaus". Nobody could take Paul's place. But at the same time we needed another solid bassist, and that's what Klaus was. I didn't want to play bass, and neither did George. We were both really relieved when Klaus said he'd do it.

Klaus was only able to help because of the very piecemeal way we recorded things back then. Sometimes Klaus' bass bit was the last thing that was recorded. He didn't have all the time in the world to do things like we did. It was kind of a relief when Klaus ended up quitting that band. The time constraints with him were just awful. We were all miserable then, and the pictures do capture the mood. Not a happy face in site.

I mean, remember we had to deal with all of that contractual stuff. In the end Capital gave us what we wanted, but only for two years. All the men in shirts thought we'd go the way of the dodos when Paul died. Even the guy who owned our publishing company panicked. Let me tell you, when Strawberry Fields Forever was a hit, we had the last laugh on them. You should've heard those bastards with the label trying to renegotiate. As far as I was concerned, they had made their bed, and could lie in it for all I cared.

Interviewer: How did "Alice" come about?

Lennon: Well, during the time we were recording the album, Brian was kind of putting pressure on us for a movie. I mean Paul's dead, and he's thinking about a film! I had no ideas at first. But once I had done Lucy and Red King I realized I was on a real Lewis Carol stretch. Something about Paul's death and all the acid I was on lurched me back into my childhood.

And so I told Brian, why don't we do Alice in Wonderland? And that was that. When he wasn't trying to pressure us into making the album, he was busy hiring writers and directors for the film. I have to say, I had a fun time as the Mad Hatter. Really did. Finding Alice was hard though. You know who I wanted in the role, but the others wouldn't accept that. I have to say she did have fun as the Duchess.

Anyway, that occupied most of our time until November. That's why we weren't releasing any singles then. Though, to be honest without the film we probably just would have all went to India about a year earlier than we did. The film was good, really got our minds off the tragedy for awhile. And then when we were finished I created the most sublimely nonsensical song I've ever written.


From Across the Universe: The Complete History of the Beatles.
George Martin: "It was quite a difficult time for all of us. The boys, especially, were quite devastated. Paul was a close friend, and like a brother to the lads, and his passing was quite sudden and unfortunate.

"Strawberry Fields", as the album came to be known, was a project of adversity. It was not only struggling with the emotionalism of losing someone so beloved, but also difficult from a production standpoint. Paul was, of course, talented, and his talent had been a key feature of the Beatles as a group up until that point. The band was, at its heart, Lennon and McCartney, and one half of that duo was now unfortunately lost. Thus, John was put under tremendous pressure to carry that weight, and he carried it for quite a long time. He and the lads had to make up for all the songs and input which Paul would have contributed to the sessions, and we had quite the time trying to fill out the album and release a quality LP. Perhaps that's why "Strawberry Fields Forever" was the tremendous success it was; the boys had been tested by hellfire and come out the other side."

George Martin: "I recall on the track "Strawberry Fields Forever", John had done two takes and, being John, decided to call it an early day. And he asked if I could just take those two and cobble them together into something, and I replied "Well bloody, John, these two aren't even in the same key." and he said, "Oh, you can do it, I believe in you." And so, alright, I thought, I'll give it a go. And so I tweaked it and played with the pitch and pacing, and managed to get a finished project. John came back into the studio and gave it a listen and said "See, I knew you could do it." And I can still hear to this day where it changes from one take to another, which is about a minute in, by the way, and it hits me like lightning. But I suppose most people don't notice, and John was certainly happy with it, and it would go on to become one of the seminal tracks for the boys."

sff2.png

"Strawberry Fields Forever" Album Cover, 1967
 
Last edited:

Tovarich

Banned
Lennon has confirmed that a new songwriter will not be hired on to replace McCartney’s role in Lennon/McCartney. “Look, I can’t just replace Paul. Who’s there to replace him with anyway? If I keep writing music, I’ll write the songs myself. It’ll be a real drag without Paul to keep the music on track, but there isn’t anybody waiting in the wings.

WORST! PUN!! EVER!!! :mad:
 
My God. That's... That's just BEAUTIFUL. No joke. I'm sad that Paul is gone, but... Thatpicture is simply beautiful.:eek:
 
Paul is dead, man. Miss him, miss him...

I can tell from the drastically different way Lennon talks (more complete and mature thoughts addressed in longer, better thought out sentences, less slang, less darkness, and significantly less wit) that this event matured him into a completely different person. I do not expect to recognize this... grown up Lennon. Looking forward to seeing what you do, fellas.

One little nitpick from your volunteer editor: There is a mention of the bass guitar spelled "base."

Any ideas for a full track listing?

Good first update, boys!
 
Paul is dead, man. Miss him, miss him...

I can tell from the drastically different way Lennon talks (more complete and mature thoughts addressed in longer, better thought out sentences, less slang, less darkness, and significantly less wit) that this event matured him into a completely different person. I do not expect to recognize this... grown up Lennon. Looking forward to seeing what you do, fellas.
...Or Glass just wrote him like that.:eek:

...Or that's a way Lennon actually talked in that period. I don't know if Glass took it from a source or made it up whole sale.

One little nitpick from your volunteer editor: There is a mention of the bass guitar spelled "base."
Will edit.

Any ideas for a full track listing?

Good first update, boys!
If Glass Onion doesn't intend for the track listing to be next update, I'll tell you guys shortly and/or edit it in.

And thankee.
 
Paul is dead, man. Miss him, miss him...

I can tell from the drastically different way Lennon talks (more complete and mature thoughts addressed in longer, better thought out sentences, less slang, less darkness, and significantly less wit) that this event matured him into a completely different person. I do not expect to recognize this... grown up Lennon. Looking forward to seeing what you do, fellas.

One little nitpick from your volunteer editor: There is a mention of the bass guitar spelled "base."

Any ideas for a full track listing?

Good first update, boys!

Even though John Lennon had a distinct voice, capturing the way he spoke, and reproducing that voice in an extraordinary new circumstance, is surprisingly difficult. And I'll admit, my skills as a writer are limited in that regard. I had a tough time removing my own voice, and adding Lennon's. And needless to say, I'm not John Lennon. And honestly, I'm not sure I could adequately convey his voice without outright veering into none too subtle parody. I did try to keep the insecurity the, "Everything I produce is garbage" sentiment Lennon seemed to demonstrate on occasion. That's why Lennon essentially dismisses SFF here. I also knew to keep the "people die on me" sentiment Lennon carried with him from the deaths of his mother, Suttcliffe, and Epstein historically. So I borrowed some sentiments I knew Lennon had expressed, but the linguistics is an entirely different matter, as I am well aware. Just a quirk in the way my mind works. Even if I have some idea what Lennon, or anyone else, would think in a given circumstance, expressing that idea the exact way he would have is something else entirely. That said, I am aware that I'm not doing Lennon justice in terms of the speaking style in the interview.
 
Last edited:
Wasn't thinking of that particular band when I wrote that, so if there is a pun, that situation is more or less unintentional. At least, that's how I remember writing the thing.

On a similar note, I put in a "Carry That Weight" nod that was totally intentional that no one noticed.
 
I noticed both of those puns and I think one more (perhaps an unintentional one) that I'll have to re-read to re-find. For some reason, all AH writers (myself included) seem to be obsessed with inserting them with varying degrees of subtlety...

Jann Wenner is the name of that Rolling Stone interviewer, btw. Also, Klaus Voormann's name is spelled as I have just spelled it and thank you for including him as Paul's stand-in. There would have been no other OTL option, really.

Looking forward to the next update but I'm still wondering...

Why is this on AH.com? Paul McCartney really did die and was secretly replaced with a look-alike from Canada named Billy Shears. The amount of evidence in support of this fact is astounding.

:rolleyes:
 
Even though John Lennon had a distinct voice, capturing the way he spoke, and reproducing that voice in an extraordinary new circumstance, is surprisingly difficult. And I'll admit, my skills as a writer are limited in that regard. I had a tough time removing my own voice, and adding Lennon's. And needless to say, I'm not John Lennon. And honestly, I'm not sure I could adequately convey his voice without outright veering into none too subtle parody. I did try to keep the insecurity the, "Everything I produce is garbage" sentiment Lennon seemed to demonstrate on occasion. That's why Lennon essentially dismisses SFF here. I also knew to keep the "people die on me" sentiment Lennon carried with him from the deaths of his mother, Suttcliffe, and Epstein historically. So I borrowed some sentiments I knew Lennon had expressed, but the linguistics is an entirely different matter, as I am well aware. Just a quirk in the way my mind works. Even if I have some idea what Lennon, or anyone else, would think in a given circumstance, expressing that idea the exact way he would have is something else entirely. That said, I am aware that I'm not doing Lennon justice in terms of the speaking style in the interview.

You did fine. One has to be a lifelong super fan to be able to write in his unique tone and brutal whimsy. If you don't go far enough it turns out muffling his personality and dulling the wit and if you go too far it becomes a cartoon character, which Lennon was not. (The latter is the case in Larry Kirwan's Liverpool Fantasy, a Beatles alternate history that is so dreadful that it must be read in secret... and enjoyed no more than once... ;) )

I just assumed that the death of Paul had aged Lennon a bit and as an alternate interview... that explanation actually works very well. You butterflied yourself an accurate portrayal of Lennon - in other words.

So... er... good work is all.
 
UPDATE!!!!
The power went out of my House yesterday unfortunately, so writing the next post is going to take just a little bit longer than I anticipated.

By the way, any suggestions for the "Alice" cast. And aside from Lennon as the Mad Hatter, what roles could George Harrison and Richard Starkey play? Who's Alice?
 
The power went out of my House yesterday unfortunately, so writing the next post is going to take just a little bit longer than I anticipated.

By the way, any suggestions for the "Alice" cast. And aside from Lennon as the Mad Hatter, what roles could George Harrison and Richard Starkey play? Who's Alice?

Barbara Bach for Alice?

I think George could be a great cynical White Rabbit, and Ringo a good King of Hearts.
 
Top