1. April 10, 1970: Derek Taylor at Apple
The press office at 3 Savile Row was besieged after Paul's bombshell announcement that he'd gone solo. Derek seemed as stunned as his inquisitors were. (FFF2, p. 3)
2. April 17, 1970: "Maybe I'm Amazed"
Paul's debut was a mix of unfinished sounding doodlings and fully realized gems like this one. This clip aired on The Ed Sullivan Show on April 19 -- six weeks after Ed featured a Beatles tribute show (acts included Duke Ellington!) and a month before airing Ringo's "Sentimental Journey" promo. (FFF2, p. 2)
3. February 12, 1970: "Instant Karma"
Fans reading between the lines might have been less shocked at Paul's announcement if they had recognized the beginnings of solo careers getting underway for what they were. John's "Instant Karma" hit number three in America in March, around the same time that "Let It Be" was #1. (FFF2, p. 21-22)
4. June 1971: George and John / "How Do You Sleep?"
The ill-will dividing Paul from his former bandmates is manifest in both the snark seen here and the song that encapsulated it. John and George collaborated on the track during the Imagine sessions, a song whose bile Ringo strongly objected to. (FFF2, p. 30-31)
5. August 1, 1971: Concert for Bangladesh / "Wah Wah" & "It Don't Come Easy"
Easily making the biggest splash in the wake of the Beatles dissolution with his debut, All Things Must Pass, George capped the triumph the following year with his all-star benefit in New York. Consciously or not, he strikingly commenced his solo career by performing a song written in a fury after walking out of the Let It Be sessions. (FFF2, p. 48-52, 106-108, 379-381)
Ringo likely never had any expectation that he'd be performing his first hit live after he recorded it. He therefore can be forgiven for struggling to recall the lyrics, despite a cheat sheet. (FFF2, p. 28-30, 107-108)
6. November 23, 1971: George on Dick Cavett / "Bangla Desh"
George's charitable generosity made the attention-shy musician the star of the day. He discussed his efforts on the Dick Cavett talk show a few months later, while aiming a gentle dig at John and Yoko's shameless project plugging weeks earlier on the same show. (FFF2, p. 319-322)
7. September 11, 1971: John and Yoko on Dick Cavett / "Imagine"
Just after moving to America for good, the Lennons made a memorable appearance on the Cavett show. There, they showcased a number of projects, including the upcoming Imagine album. (FFF2, p. 317-319)
8. Early 1972: Wings rehearsal / "Lucille"
Adopting the back to basics approach he'd long urged his former band to take up, Paul formed Wings. Beginning in February 1972, he took the outfit on a series of hit-and-run university dates, organically growing an act destined to hit the big time in little over a year. (FFF2, p. 54-56)
9. January 13, 1972: John and Yoko on David Frost
Time in his new homeland absorbing the causes of the day affected John's music profoundly while simultaneously making him a marked man as far as the Nixon administration was concerned. Weeks after this televised dust-up aired (following a performance of "Attica State," a song that seemingly sided with the inmates during a recent violent uprising), proceedings to boot him from the US were underway. (FFF2, p. 322-323)
10. May 1972: "Mary Had A Little Lamb"
Despite courting controversy himself with the recent "Give Ireland Back To The Irish" single, Paul was reticent about going out too far on a limb. But offerings like this typed him as a lightweight, especially when contrasted with the gravitas of John and George's work. (FFF2, p. 95, 208)
11. December 1972: Born To Boogie
T. Rex was the sensation of the day in Britain during this time. Ringo capitalized on his friendship with Marc Bolan by directing this documentary for Apple Films. Yes, that's Elton John. (FFF2, p. 108-110)
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6:10
John Lennon Famous Words Of Wisdomby iwillspyonyou157,752 views
Funny how George and John get along together in 2:44, when just two years earlier they got into a violent row over Yoko's presence on the Let It Be set. Guess their mutual hatred of Paul was strong enough to overcome anything.
RollingOrmond 2 months ago
@HCShannon
PHEW !! KOOL, DUDE ! L8R :o))
BMSMUSIC 6 months ago
@XYlophonetreeZ it could of been Toby Radloff from the American Splendor comic and movie, but he was 13 around this time!
HCShannon 6 months ago
@harrison4337 No, that guy is WAAAAAAY too skinny!
HCShannon 6 months ago
@BMSMUSIC No, I was talking about George and Ringo!
HCShannon 6 months ago
@HCShannon
WHO WAS STILL FRIENDS AT THIS TIME ? I SINCERELY HOPE YOU'RE NOT IMPLYING THAT LENNON WAS FRIENDS WITH TWISTED MOFO CHAPMAN ?
BMSMUSIC 6 months ago
People seem to forget they were still friends during this time!
HCShannon 7 months ago
It's not Chapman. He would have only been 15 in 1970 and that guy is clearly older than that. I will admit it looks like him though.
XYlophonetreeZ 8 months ago
@harrison4337 it sure looks like him, that is pretty damn scary if you ask me, John was looking at him not knowing what would happen to him. It really is a small world we live in.
ELIMINATORRRR 8 months ago
Chapman was always there, observing, taking notes.
NightSurfer47 9 months ago