All four Beatles met on this day to discuss their future, following George Harrison’s sudden departure on 10 January.
The meeting took place at Brookfields, Ringo Starr’s home in 1968-9.
Harrison was in a commanding position, following a series of dismal sessions at Twickenham Film Studios, and was able to set down his terms for returning to the group. During the five-hour meeting he made it clear that he would leave the group unless the idea of a live show before an audience was dropped.
Harrison also demanded that sessions be moved from Twickenham to the new studio in the basement of Apple’s headquarters in Savile Row, London. He did, however, agree to be filmed making an album, and his new rules didn’t rule out a live performance for the cameras.
It was decided that it would be better if we got back together and finished the record. Twickenham, Studios were very cold and not a very nice atmosphere, so we decided to abandon that and go to Savile Row into the recording studio.
Anthology
Also on this day...
- 1970: John Lennon’s Bag One exhibition opens in London
- 1967: McCartney and Harrison watch Donovan in London
- 1965: Live: Another Beatles Christmas Show
- 1964: The Beatles live: Cinéma Cyrano, Versailles
- 1962: The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime)
- 1961: The Beatles live: Casbah Coffee Club, Liverpool
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
Is it known whether this was just the four Beatles this time? Since George said he just wanted a meeting of the four Beatles, did John in this instance back down on being with Yoko at all times?
George made the right choice to insist that the sessions move away from Twickenham to 3 Savile Row and they were clearly much happier there.
Had they done the project at Apple Studios with Billy Preston in tow from the outset and avoided the cold and oversized soundstage at Twickenham altogether, it may have been a very different story.
George had a lot going on in his life when he walked out on the band that day. His mother was extremely ill, hence why when he walked out he went to Liverpool, plus he was having troubles in his marriage to Patti
So true! A great insight. I believe (may be mistaken) but his affair with a Charlotte Martin who was living with him at the time (and is the reason Pattie left for a spell), and around the time he left the group during the Twickenham rehearsals, somehow the affair ended & he asked Pattie to return & she did. Lots going on for George at this time for sure. I always wonder about the lyrics in Old Brown Shoe “I’m so glad you came here, it won’t be the same now I’m telling you” as to her about coming back after his affair, when he really needed the support & comfort of home and someone in his corner.
They all had a lot going on in their lives in the late sixties. Marriage breakups, relationship breakups, addiction. Too many excuses for George.
This is off topic slightly, but I want to know more about why Ringo decided to leave Weybridge and move to Elstead. Was it because John had left Weybridge in late 1968, or was it because Ringo always loved Peter Sellers house, and it came on the market? I read that Peter offered it to Ringo at a lower price, despite John offering more to buy it!
And then why did Ringo only stay there a short time, and then move to North London?