The Beatles Tapes from the David Wigg Interviews
Encyclopedia
The Beatles Tapes from the David Wigg Interviews is an audio album of interviews with each of the four members of The Beatles
: John Lennon
(with his second wife, Yoko Ono
), Paul McCartney
, George Harrison
, and Ringo Starr
. British
journalist David Wigg interviewed the individual Beatles at various points from December 1968 or January 1969 to December 1973, and excerpts from some of these recordings constitute the album's spoken words. Although he was a columnist ("Young London") for the London
newspaper The Evening News, the interviews were intended for broadcast on BBC
Radio 1
's Scene and Heard. Interspersed among the interview excerpts are instrumental performances of Beatles songs, played by other musicians. The Beatles tried to prevent the album's publication, but it was released in the United Kingdom
on 30 July 1976 under the Polydor
label
(catalogue number 2683 068) and in the United States
in 1978.
's management is on Anthology 1
), the nature of God, and the band's breakup and whether they would reunite musically.
Among Paul McCartney's topics are fatherhood, his favorite songs from Abbey Road, why The Beatles appeared at only one Royal Variety Performance
, and the composition of "Golden Slumbers
". Shortly after his interview, McCartney met with the other Beatles to decide whether Allen Klein
or Lee Eastman
would handle the group's affairs. Having failed to persuade the other Beatles to choose Eastman, McCartney "stormed out of the meeting, resigning from the Apple board".
George Harrison discusses the spiritual side of his life, including his seeming destiny to be a Beatle, Hare Krishna
, meditation
, drug use, and whether it is possible for The Beatles to split up. He also discusses business—the British government's anti-monopoly policies and high taxation, and the difference in radio offerings between the United Kingdom and the United States—as well as his Abbey Road favorites.
Ringo Starr's first interview took place while he was heading to a medical examination required for insurance in anticipation of his work in The Magic Christian
. Starr discusses The Beatles' feelings for one another, the band's breakup, how he has spent his money, the ups and downs of fame (such as being photographed and asked for autographs), reincarnation
("I'd like to come back as one of our cats: they have a great time! But it's not possible: I'll be back here as a human, struggling again, trying to remember what I forgot last time"), and vegetarianism
.
version of the album (Polydor 42284 7185-2):
Disc One (Polydor 42284 7186-2)
Disc Two (Polydor 42284 7187-2)
The songs are played by Gavyn Wright and Irvine Arditti (violin
s); Jan Schlapp (viola
); Helen Liebmann (cello
); Janice Knight (oboe
); Crispian Steele-Perkins and Paul Cash (trumpet
s); Carlos Bonell and Tom Hartmann (guitar
s); Francis Monkman (ARP Odyssey Synthesiser); Ann Odell (piano
); and Graham Smith (harmonica
). Martyn Ford and John Bell arranged the music from compositions by The Beatles. Ford also conducted the performances and produced the recordings.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
: John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
(with his second wife, Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
), Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
, and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
. British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist David Wigg interviewed the individual Beatles at various points from December 1968 or January 1969 to December 1973, and excerpts from some of these recordings constitute the album's spoken words. Although he was a columnist ("Young London") for the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
newspaper The Evening News, the interviews were intended for broadcast on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Scene and Heard. Interspersed among the interview excerpts are instrumental performances of Beatles songs, played by other musicians. The Beatles tried to prevent the album's publication, but it was released in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 30 July 1976 under the Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
(catalogue number 2683 068) and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1978.
Topics
Major topics in John Lennon's interview include his relationship with Yoko Ono, his peace activism, The Beatles' business affairs (a portion of his statement about Brian EpsteinBrian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
's management is on Anthology 1
Anthology 1
Anthology 1 is a compilation album by The Beatles, released by Apple Records in November 1995. It was released as the first part of the Anthology trilogy of albums with Anthology 2 and Anthology 3, all of which tie-in with the televised special The Beatles Anthology. It contains "Free as a Bird",...
), the nature of God, and the band's breakup and whether they would reunite musically.
Among Paul McCartney's topics are fatherhood, his favorite songs from Abbey Road, why The Beatles appeared at only one Royal Variety Performance
Royal Variety Performance
The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, usually the reigning monarch. In more recent years Queen Elizabeth II and The Prince of Wales have alternately attended the performance...
, and the composition of "Golden Slumbers
Golden Slumbers
"Golden Slumbers" is a song by The Beatles, part of the climactic medley on their 1969 album Abbey Road. The song begins the progression that leads to the end of the album and is followed by "Carry That Weight." The two songs were recorded together as a single piece, and both were written by Paul...
". Shortly after his interview, McCartney met with the other Beatles to decide whether Allen Klein
Allen Klein
Allen Klein was an American businessman, talent agent and record label executive. His clients included The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.- The accountant :...
or Lee Eastman
Lee Eastman
Lee Eastman, born Leopold Vail Epstein, was a New York show business attorney, and art collector the son of Louis and Stella Epstein. His sisters were Emmaline and Rose...
would handle the group's affairs. Having failed to persuade the other Beatles to choose Eastman, McCartney "stormed out of the meeting, resigning from the Apple board".
George Harrison discusses the spiritual side of his life, including his seeming destiny to be a Beatle, Hare Krishna
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
, meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
, drug use, and whether it is possible for The Beatles to split up. He also discusses business—the British government's anti-monopoly policies and high taxation, and the difference in radio offerings between the United Kingdom and the United States—as well as his Abbey Road favorites.
Ringo Starr's first interview took place while he was heading to a medical examination required for insurance in anticipation of his work in The Magic Christian
The Magic Christian (film)
The Magic Christian is a 1969 British comedy film directed by Joseph McGrath and starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr, with noteworthy appearances by John Cleese, Raquel Welch, Christopher Lee, Richard Attenborough and Roman Polanski. It was loosely adapted from the 1959 comic novel of the same...
. Starr discusses The Beatles' feelings for one another, the band's breakup, how he has spent his money, the ups and downs of fame (such as being photographed and asked for autographs), reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
("I'd like to come back as one of our cats: they have a great time! But it's not possible: I'll be back here as a human, struggling again, trying to remember what I forgot last time"), and vegetarianism
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
.
Track listing
The following describes the compact-discCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
version of the album (Polydor 42284 7185-2):
Disc One (Polydor 42284 7186-2)
- Interview of John Lennon with Yoko Ono: Apple CorpsApple CorpsApple Corps Ltd. is a multi-armed multimedia corporation founded in January 1968 by the members of The Beatles to replace their earlier company and to form a conglomerate. Its name is a pun. Its chief division is Apple Records, which was launched in the same year...
offices, 3 Savile RowSavile RowSavile Row is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's bespoke tailoring. The term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to "be spoken for" by individual customers...
, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 8 May 1969 or June 1969: Part 1. 3:34. - "Give Peace a ChanceGive Peace a Chance"Give Peace a Chance" is a song written by John Lennon, originally under the moniker Lennon–McCartney, released as a single in 1969 by the Plastic Ono Band on Apple Records, catalogue Apple 13 in the United Kingdom, Apple 1809 in the United States. It is the first solo single issued by Lennon, and...
". 1:00. - Interview of John Lennon with Yoko Ono: Apple Corps offices, 3 Savile Row, London, June 1969: Part 2. 8:42.
- "ImagineImagine (song)"Imagine" is a song written and performed by the English musician John Lennon. It is the opening track on his album Imagine, released in 1971...
". 1:12. - Interview of John Lennon with Yoko Ono: Apple Corps offices, 3 Savile Row, London, June 1969: Part 3. 8:15.
- "Come TogetherCome Together"Come Together" is a song by The Beatles written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song is the opening track on The Beatles' September 1969 album Abbey Road....
". 0:54. - Interview of John Lennon with Yoko Ono: St. Regis hotelStarwood Hotels & Resorts WorldwideStarwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is a hospitality ownership and management organization, headquartered in White Plains, New York. One of the world's largest hotel companies, it owns, operates, franchises and manages hotels, resorts, spas, residences, and vacation ownership properties...
, 2 East 55th Street, ManhattanManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, October 1971. 9:28. - Interview of Paul McCartney: Apple Corps offices, 3 Savile Row, London, March 1970: Part 1. 1:29.
- "BecauseBecause (The Beatles song)"Because" is a song written by John Lennon and recorded by The Beatles in 1969. It features a prominent three-part vocal harmony by Lennon, McCartney and George Harrison, overdubbed three times to make nine voices in all...
". 1:37. - Interview of Paul McCartney: Apple Corps offices, 3 Savile Row, London, March 1970: Part 2. 10:24.
- "YesterdayYesterday (song)"Yesterday" is a song originally recorded by The Beatles for their 1965 album Help!. The song first hit the United Kingdom top 10 three months after the release of Help!. The song remains popular today with more than 1,600 cover versions, one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded...
". 1:24. - Interview of Paul McCartney: Apple Corps offices, 3 Savile Row, London, March 1970: Part 3. 1:33.
- "Hey JudeHey Jude"Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The ballad evolved from "Hey Jules", a song widely accepted as being written to comfort John Lennon's son, Julian, during his parents' divorce—although this explanation is not...
". 2:47.
Disc Two (Polydor 42284 7187-2)
- Interview of George Harrison: Apple Corps offices, 3 Savile Row, London, 4 March 1969: Part 1. 14:24.
- "Here Comes the SunHere Comes the Sun"Here Comes the Sun" is a song by George Harrison from The Beatles' 1969 album Abbey Road. It is regarded as one of the most popular Beatles songs. The song was written while Harrison was away from all of these troubles...
". 1:09. - Interview of George Harrison: Apple Corps offices, 3 Savile Row, London, 4 March 1969: Part 2. 5:31.
- "SomethingSomething"Something" is a song by The Beatles, written by lead guitarist George Harrison in 1969. It was featured on the album Abbey Road, and was also the first song written by Harrison to appear on the A-side of a Beatles' single...
". 1:35. - Interview of Ringo Starr: moving chauffeur-driven Mercedes en route from Starr's home in ElsteadElsteadElstead is a village in Surrey, England, with shops and cottages mainly clustered around a central green, close to the River Wey. Neighbouring villages include Gatwick , Puttenham, Charleshill and Peper Harow...
, SurreySurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, to a medical exam in London, December 1968 or 21 January 1969: 3:30. - Interview of Ringo Starr: London, 20 March 1970, 25 March, or July 1970: 6:42.
- Interview of Ringo Starr: Apple Corps offices, 3 Savile Row, London, December 1973: Part 1. 4:47.
- "Octopus's GardenOctopus's Garden"Octopus's Garden" is a song by The Beatles written by Ringo Starr from their 1969 album Abbey Road....
". 1:08. - Interview of Ringo Starr: Apple Corps offices, 3 Savile Row, London, December 1973: Part 2. 3:40.
- "Yellow SubmarineYellow Submarine (song)"Yellow Submarine" is a 1966 song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney , with lead vocals by Ringo Starr. It was included on the Revolver album and issued as a single, coupled with "Eleanor Rigby". The single went to number 1 on every major British chart, remained at number 1 for four weeks...
". 0:59.
Credits
David Wigg conducted and edited the interviews, with engineering by Peter Wilson.The songs are played by Gavyn Wright and Irvine Arditti (violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
s); Jan Schlapp (viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
); Helen Liebmann (cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
); Janice Knight (oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
); Crispian Steele-Perkins and Paul Cash (trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s); Carlos Bonell and Tom Hartmann (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s); Francis Monkman (ARP Odyssey Synthesiser); Ann Odell (piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
); and Graham Smith (harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
). Martyn Ford and John Bell arranged the music from compositions by The Beatles. Ford also conducted the performances and produced the recordings.