John Lennon said ‘no way’ he would reunite with The Beatles | Music | Entertainment
The Beatles came to a brutal end in 1970 just after they released their final album, Let It Be. Each of the band members began working on their own solo music shortly thereafter, with varied success. By 1973 – after two middling albums – Ringo Starr started work on his third record (a self-titled venture: Ringo). But he knew he needed some help this time around, and who better to enlist than the rest of The Beatles?
All three Beatles agreed to help Ringo with his new album. John Lennon wrote the track I’m The Greatest for the record.
Paul McCartney teamed up with his wife, Linda McCartney, to bring Starr the song Six O’Clock.
What’s more, The Beatles’ longtime collaborator Klaus Voorman joined in to help out where he could.
Meanwhile, George Harrison worked hard to pen two tracks – Photograph and You and Me (Babe) – and had such a great time recording these songs with his pals that he suggested they form a new group to begin playing together once again.
As soon as news of the band’s work on Ringo’s album got out, talks of a full-blown Fab Four reunion began. But Lennon was dead against any kind of comeback talk.
Lennon was quizzed about getting back together with his old Beatles pals a few years later in 1980. He was being interviewed by Playboy reporter David Sheff when he explained he had “never really considered” getting back together.
After thinking about it for a second, the Imagine singer pointedly said: “It wasn’t serious. George was just having a good time and enjoying the session… but there was no way I was going back into a band with a bunch of guys and do that all over again.”
Lennon added another aggressive: “No way,” but did go on to make sure he wasn’t going to offend his former bandmates.
“It wasn’t that I had anything against those guys,” he followed up. “I wasn’t joining a band with a bunch of ANY people.”
Although Lennon was absolutely not going to rejoin The Beatles (or any other group, for that matter) Starr and Harrison were reportedly very into the idea.
Starr later mused: “I’d be in a band with John. I’d play with George.” McCartney was absent from this statement, you may notice.
Starr even had a name lined up for the second version of The Beatles. “We could be called the Ladders,” he said. “It wouldn’t have to be called The Beatles.”
All of The Beatles would not reunite to play music again until almost 15 years later, long after Lennon had been murdered.
Lennon was shot on December 8, 1980, devastating the world, his bandmates, and his countless fans.
In 1994, Starr, McCartney and Harrison got together at Friar Park, George’s home, where they jammed with two acoustic guitars and a simple set of drums.
Shortly thereafter, the band released The Beatles Anthology as a celebration of their history.