The Beatles: Get Back: By The Beatles

Brilliant book. Well done. Xxx

Not counting the very limited 160 page glossy book that came with the first copies of ‘Let It Be’ back in 1970, also titled ‘Get Back’ and which was mostly photos interspersed with 26 pages of dialogue, this is the second book of the Beatles by the Beatles. Other than their innermost circle, many of the hundreds of photos included have never been seen before, which makes this worthwhile for die-hard Beatles fans, and as an aside, I counted over 500. As most reading this book won’t have seen the previous tome, I don't think it's worth comparing the two as to what photos have been duplicated, as it's rather irrelevant, seeing as there are plenty of new ones to view. All you need to know is some have and some haven't. Also, I don’t know if the text will be in the forthcoming three part film but again, that isn’t really applicable to those who buy this. With a foreword from Peter Jackson and an introduction from someone called Hanif Kureishi, it’s presented in three acts; Twickenham Film Studios, Apple Studios and The Rooftop, The photos are very good and you’ll know why they weren’t too enamoured being at Twickenham, looking a cold, sparse place. (The photo on page 62 shows it only too well.) Apple seems far warmer and more conducive to actually recording and the Rooftop ‘concert’ is just that. Some of the photos (those with rounded edges) are taken from the original 16mm footage. The text, and there’s nice chunks of it from most days and not always from the Fab Four, show some interesting discussions but it’s a shame they never took George’s idea of ‘The Beatles’ Dance Album’ any further than this brief chat. And the mention of a rooftop version of ‘God Save The Queen’ sounds enticing, but probably isn’t.

Bought this rather coffee-tabled heavy book at a knockdown price. As a pair with the restored Peter Jackson film, the purpose is served well. Great nostalgic photos by many photographers, including Linda McCartney, which shows, like the film, the group having a good time and not as commonly thought, the apparent death of the greatest band that will ever grace the planet, even though in reality, this was coming. Most of the text is a transcript of the banter between the group, the record producers and engineers plus the film people. Looking at it now, everything is quite ordinary, even quite trite, yet has legendary status as a cultural phenomenon. Looking at the photos as well as the PJ restoration, it doesn't take a genius to work out how The Beatles were undeniable masters of their craft and could still hold their own as musicians, even if they were flawed as people. Just compare them to the lighweights of today who think one song on an album with a catchy hook is deemed God-like in status... Buy this. Look at history that will never be repeated.

The original 'Let It Be' photographic book came as a freebie with the 1970 box set version, from the album of the same name, it contained lots of lavish photographs by Linda McCartney (and assorted others) from the much talked about Twickenham and Saville Row studio sessions that made up this project. Nick named 'The Winter of Discontent' by the UK music press. It was a great idea, and now is a big collectors item among hardcore Beatles fans. Fast forward to 2021, with the COVID delayed Peter Jackson 'Get Back' project very much on the runway and ready for immediate take off. A six hour marathon documentary hits Disney+ next month, maybe arguments from the original session are erased in favour of The Beatles 21st Century calling card "Peace & Love", maybe they aren't, no one knows for sure yet. This Friday the 'Let It Be' album and it's 'Get Back' counterpart, are released as part of an uber deluxe box set, with full supporting cast of picture disc, double CD and standard vinyl. Earlier this week, in a newspaper interview Paul McCartney put the blame for The Beatles split at the feet of John Lennon. Which seemed to have both disgruntled and amused different sections of Beatles fans. Today see's the release of The Beatles 'Get Back' the first of many attached products, it's a lavish coffee table book featuring all the photos from the original collectors item 'Let It Be' book, along with many additions. It now comes complete with a decent amount of text, courtesy of music journalist John Harris, and of course a writing credit for Peter Jackson, though it's the Fab Four themselves who get top billing, just as you'd expect from any Apple sanctioned product. It is, to say the least pretty damn impressive, in much the same way that 'The Beatles Anthology' coffee table book was some years ago. And very much recommended for purchase if your a Beatles fan....

A great addition to any fans The Beatles collection. A great insight into the recording process and the way the four of them riffed off each other. Sometimes fraught, tetchy, angry, moody and aggressive but at the end of the day there is the bond and enduring love for each other that makes this band greater than the sum of its parts. They were always friends and brothers and like those two there will always be 'fights' but there will always be a make up and all will be forgotten. This book covers it all and if you tried to write it as a work of fiction it could not be written. An excellent snapshot of an exciting, creative swansong.

With all the hype surrounding the impending Peter Jackson film ‘Get Back’ (a substantially reworked, far more flattering version of the legendarily infamous Let It Be film) building amongst casuals and hardcore Beatles fans alike this sizeable, luxuriant hardback book provides a welcome starter before the gloriously HD main course later this year. Originally scheduled for 2020 to coincide with Let it Be’s 50th Anniversary certain ‘viral’ themed difficulties delayed the project to 2021 - and naturally this book with it. Regardless, the prospect of a wealth of previously unreleased photographs and hours of never before seen footage from the sessions is a tantalising one that’ll undoubtedly be well worth the wait. Hopefully now, over half a century later the Beatles’ twilight months and final album (Let it Be was released after Abbey Road) can now receive the long overdue reappraisal it so obviously deserves… The book itself was an automatic purchase for this longtime Beatles fan and, having now received it, I’m pleased that I did. Well for the most part. Indeed, I was relishing the promised surfeit of glossy photographs and accompanying text meticulously chronicling the album’s development… and the former at least has been amply fulfilled. Unfortunately though the bulk of ‘Get Back’s’ text comprises copious transcripts of Beatles’ chatter recorded throughout the album’s strained genesis. Now no disrespect to John, Paul, George and Ringo but these snippets of rough, spontaneous dialogue weren’t always insightful, pithy or else informative! Some will of course justifiably argue that contemporary band discourse presents a far more authentic account than research conducted by a professional author years after the fact ever could. I for one though would’ve definitely preferred a more cohesive, conventionally told story than morsels of inane dialogue. On tangentially related note another reviewer has taken issue with the decision to utilise Hanif Kureishi to compose the book’s lengthy introduction. Well unlike him I have actually heard of the highly respected playwright (!) but have to echo his scepticism over Kureishi as a contributor and not someone closer, more qualified or else synonymous with the band. A strange, seemingly random choice though otherwise a very minor and inconsequential grumble all things considered. CLOSING THOUGHTS: For those familiar with the lavish 1970 Let it Be box set resplendent with glossy presentation book ‘Get Back’ presents itself as very much the latter’s spiritual (and substantially expanded) successor. It also has the added bonus of being made of more robust materials that won’t disintegrate after being opened more than twice, unlike the notoriously fragile original! FINAL WORD: The vast majority of Beatles fans won’t be disappointed with ‘Get Back’, the companion book, but just be mindful of what you’re buying…

Bought this for a massive Beatles fan, great book at a great price

The greatest

Foto e diario spettacolari

Detta är mer eller mindre en uppdaterad version av originalboken som följde med Let It Be albumet när det släpptes 1970 men väldigt mycket utökad med nyfunnen dialog från timtals av oanvända ljudband och många fler bilder högupplöst nyscannade från filmnegativen. Man får följa inspelningarna i Twickenham och i Apple Studios dag för dag från de medverkande själva dvs the Beatles, deras film/studio crew men även Yoko Ono, Heather & Linda Eastman mfl. Man får ta del av diskussioner som både är roliga, informativa men även vittnar om en stundtals ansträngd atmosfär under arbetet med vad som skulle resultera i Let It Be albumet. En fjäder i hatten för Apple som inte bara vill visa de positiva stunderna alltså. Boken är definitivt ett måste för Beatlesfansen och en stor aptitretare inför den sex timmar långa miniserien som dyker upp på Disney+ i November. Vill man ha fakta om själva musiken och de olika inspelningarna som tas upp i denna bokens text så får man söka sig till den bok som följer med Super Deluxe versionen av Let It Be som släpps om några dagar.

彼らの会話がわかるので、読みふけってしまう。 英語版ならではの価値！ Getするのに大分時間がかかりました。 Backしようかどうか悩みましたが、待って良かったです。

Looks like a great book but I can not say for sure. It is sealed in plastic and will stay that way till its opened by the gift recipient at Christmas. Yah, I know, its a little early but it was at the lowest price I have ever seen it so I had to get it.

Excellent