1967/1968: Forever and Ever

A magical and mysterous tour...

The Beatles filming Magical Mystery Tour.

Between the Sgt. Peppers the Transcendental Meditation, The Beatles initiated the project Magical Mystery Tour with Paul McCartney. Most of the filming occurred between 11 and 25 September 1967, while the soundtrack was conceived between the Sgt. Peppers sessions and 7 November 1967. The sessions have been characterised by some biographers as aimless and unfocused, with the band members overly indulging in sound experimentation.

The Beatles finished working on Magical Mystery Tour by November of that year, and decided to strenghten the ties with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The band stood in Bangor for ten days, leaving Bangor and directly going to film the movie. Plans to take part on Maharishi's training course in Rishikesh were made to late October, however, at Epstein's urging, they postponed the trip until the new year to work on their Magical Mystery Tour film project.

With the end of the filming sessions, the soundtrack for Magical Mystery Tour was set to be released in 27 November in the United States (as a LP) and 8 December in the United Kingdom (as a double EP). The movie was premiered at BBC1 in 26 December 1967, ultimately becoming The Beatles' first critical failure and commercial flop, albeit the album was generally successful.

The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour

The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour (1967)

Genre: Psychedelic rock, art rock

Total: 34:47

All songs written by John Lennon & Paul McCartney, except when noted.

This is the LP version of Magical Mystery Tour, originally released in the United States.

Side A (film soundtrack) - 19:05

1. "Magical Mystery Tour" - 2:48

2. "The Fool on the Hill" - 2:59

3. "Flying" (Harrison, Lennon, McCartney, Richard Starkey) - 2:16

4. "Blue Jay Way" (Harrison) - 3:54

5. "Your Mother Should Know" - 2:33

6. "I Am the Walrus" - 4:35

Side B (singles) - 15:42

7. "Hello, Goodbye" - 3:24

8. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" - 2:37

9. "When I'm Sixty-Four" - 2:37

10. "Baby You're a Richman" - 3:07

11. "All You Need Is Love" - 3:57

A premature end

David Bowie and Marc Bolan, a shot of Marc's TV show. An encounter that would only happen in 1977.

After a brief European tour to promote There is a Happy Land, David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Steve Took, and Syd Barrett returned to the studios to record Rubber Band's second album. Teaming up with guitarist Big Jim Sullivan, keyboardist Vincent Crane, and producer Norman Smith, the band already had songs enough to the album. It seemed a perfect scenario if the group simply didn't want to take the band into different directions. While Syd and Took wanted to bring the band in a step to an experimental direction, Bowie preferred to follow a baroque, progressive-esque way, similar to the debut album, and Bolan suggested to go into the psychedelic, folk-y way, resorting in more acoustic and tribal-sounding music, instead of feedbacks and reverberations of Syd and the lushed arrangements of Bowie.

"In the following years I stopped to think about that period, regretting so many things that I said, thinking how would have been different if we shared the same vision, but it was, and still sometimes is, really sad that we didn't follow with Rubber Band. But I'm really grateful for what the guys did with me, and how Rubber Band was a pretty interesting part of our history."

-David Bowie, 2001

"The thing is that, following the sessions, I didn't see neither Bowie, neither Bolan as partners anymore, and I presume that both of them neither. We just became a... group of friends who were desperately seeking for a way to dispatch the Rubber Band quickly. Coincidentally, we improved our relations after we dissolved the band *laughs*. It is kind of ironic though... since the album has experimental and baroque songs of each members, you know?"

-Syd Barrett, 2007

The sessions of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, otherwise from the debut album, were exhausting for both members. The group ended up co-leading a short tour in the UK with the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, and later entering into an indefinite hiatus, with both members focusing on their solo careers, to an eventual end. The album was released in April, with lead single See Emily Play, a big hit in United Kingdom and France, and Love You 'till Tuesday, a minor hit in Britain, while a big hit in Italy.

In early 1968, Syd Barrett tried to negotiate a return to Pink Floyd Sound, being denied by the band, more because of his deteriorating relationship with Roger Waters. In February, Syd Barrett entered the studios with the same backing band from The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and began to record his debut solo album, provisionally entitled Just a Syd Barrett Album.

"Roger was still angry with Syd, and we already had David replacing him, and it worked fine. Roger then became kind of mad when he saw Syd crawling back to us, and as the leader behind-the-scenes he immediately denied it. Nick and I were quite uncomfortable due to after all that stuff that happened in less than a year before, and David... well, he was there. He didn't talk too much during the early years."

-Richard Wright, 2005

As for David Bowie, he started to record his debut album at the Record Plant Studios, in New York, with overdubs made at the Trident Studios, in London. Tony Visconti, producer who was producing with Tyrannosaurus Rex was recommended by Marc Bolan to help Bowie at the Trident. Tony indicated new people to work with, remaining only drummer Willie Wilson to record the drums for a few songs.

Rubber Band – The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

Rubber Band - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1968)

Genre: Psychedelic rock, psychedelic pop

Total: 41:12

Side A - 19:37

1. "Astronomy Domine" (Syd Barrett) - 4:12

2. "Hippy Gumbo" (Bolan) - 2:28

3. "Lucifer Sam" (Barrett) - 3:07

4. "Eastern Spell" (Bolan) - 2:46

5. "Chapter 24" (Barrett) - 3:42

6. "When I Live My Dream" (Bowie) - 3:22

Side B - 21:35

7. "The Perfumed Garden of Gulliver Smith" (Bolan) - 2:45

8. "Silly Boy Blue" (Bowie) - 4:36

9. "See Emily Play" (Barrett) - 2:53

10. "Silly Crazy Child" (Bolan) - 2:27

11. "Sell Me a Coat" (Bowie) - 2:58

12. "The Bike Song" (Barrett) - 3:21

13. "Please Mr. Gravedigger" (Bowie) - 2:35

Produced by Norman Smith, the second and final album of the British band Rubber Band was released on 12 April 1968. Recorded during an unstable period which resulted in the break-up of the group, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was noted by the fairly better production than the debut album by Norman Smith, by the wide experimentation in some music, and by the pop ventures of the group. The lyrics are noted by the acid humor on some tracks, such as Please Mr. Gravedigger, and the mysticism on Chapter 24.

The album was better received than There is a Happy Land, providing two last performances of the group at John Peel Sessions, where both announced that the break-up was likely. Though, the singles See Emily Play and Sell Me a Coat were successful, with the first peaking in number 15 and the second in number 28 in the United Kingdom. The album reached number 4 in the UK Albums Charts and number 85 on Billboard Top LPs.

Piper at the Gates of Dawn is regarded as one of the most influential records in the UK Underground and in the Neo-psychedelic scene and remains as the most popular album of Rubber Band. The band would reunite for multiple times, such as in 1972, at the end of Ziggy Stardust tour (with noted abscence of Marc Bolan), in 1977 at Marc Bolan's TV show, in 1985 in Live Aid, 1996/98 in a reunion tour, and for the last time in 2012.

Prominent band, ambitious project

The Bee Gees in 1967.

L-R: Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Vince Melouney, Maurice Gibb, and Colin Petersen.

Noted by the press by their Beatles-esque sound, the Bee Gees were rising as a prominent 60's band filled with baroque and psychedelic sounds reminiscent of Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's, Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, and vocals influenced by Roy Orbison and Frankie Valli. Enjoying the success of their hit singles such as New York Mining Disaster 1941, To Love Somebody and Massachusetts, the band's frontman, Barry, along with his brother, Maurice, envisioned an ambitious project which was called 'an opera inside an album'. The intended album would be postponed by manager Robert Stigwood, who booked new sessions after the Christmas holiday for another album.

Though part of the members of the band didn't want to start the project too soon (Vince Melouney and Robin Gibb), the group ended up starting to record a big amount of songs besides the ones for the upcoming album. The unceasing disagreements between the members, mainly between Melouney and Barry occasioned on the only Bee Gees' track written by one besides the Gibb brothers, with Vince's Such a Shame, recorded for Marley Purt Drive.

"It was a really hard routine, Robert [Stigwood] was a pain in our back. Record something for Marley Purt Drive, then a tour in the UK, then another in Germany, record new things, then a TV performance back in England, it wasn't healthy, and then Barry comes with that Opera-concept for an album, it was really too much pressure."

 -Vince Melouney, 1973.

"Frequently Robin, Maurice and I met at my house to discuss about the songs that would fit for the album [City on the Black Sea]. Songs that were discarded, were recorded for Marley Purt Drive, so then I believe that the album is a bunch of leftovers from City on the Black Sea, though Robert wanted us to record some of the songs we left for the opera."

-Barry Gibb, 1996.

The last session of Marley Purt Drive is considered 25 June 1968, when the group finalized recording Jumbo and quickly proceeded into recording more tracks for another album, with the working name An American Opera. In between the sessions, the Bee Gees toured in the United Kingdom and West Germany performing the songs from Marley Purt Drive, Horizontal, Bee Gees' 1st, and a set of covers.

Eat up, eat up honey

Beach Boys, 1968 sans Brian.

Once finishing Smile, the band already started to record the follow-up, with the working name Smiley Smile. In a month, the group recorded only four short songs at Brian Wilson's home studio. Some of the tapes recorded were later recalled as The Bedroom Tapes, released in future boxsets. At the same time, the group was recording the sequel, they were worried about the psychological conditions of Brian Wilson in his performance at the studio and/or at the concerts.

"We didn't have done pretty much anything but recorded four short songs at that time, and also we were in a hurry to perform at the Monterrey Pop Festival, and then Hawaii. After those sessions at Wally Heider, we reassured to make a standard studio album, as a normal band, like before 'Pet Sounds' or '[The] Beach Boys' Today!'".

-Mike Love, 1985.

"Technically, Mike and I took the lead role on Wild Honey, that's why the album has a wide R&B influence, a different style compared to Smile, Pet Sounds, and even 20/20. We wanted to step back, because the last album was somewhat too much perfectionism of Brian. But still the work had a massive influence of Brian's arrangements."

-Carl Wilson, 1981.

Moreover, Brian Wilson was becoming tired of produce to the Beach Boys, requesting to Carl and Dennis to help in the process. In a break of the sessions, the Beach Boys also joined the course of Transcendental Meditation of the Maharishi, which influenced the tracks recorded after February. Al Jardine recalls that after Maharishi's course, the behavior of the group, and even Brian Wilson, had a significant improvement. Mike Love returned from his retreat a few days after the band, and the band started to record a few remaining songs.

"Then I noticed that... the label [Brother Records] wasn't going well too. We had a distribution contract with Capitol, but we were accumulating debt, sustaining the label without any notion of business. So we needed to call for help from somebody."

-Carl Wilson, 1981.

The Beach Boys – Wild Honey

The Beach Boys - Wild Honey (1968)²

Genre: Psychedelic pop, blue-eyed soul, R&B, lo-fi, bedroom pop

Total: 63:34

Side A - 15:21

1. "Meant for You" (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) - 1:50

2. "I Was Made to Love Her" (Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Lula Mae Hardaway, Stevie Wonder) - 2:05

3. "You're With Me Tonight" (B. Wilson) - 2:17

4. "Friends" (B. Wilson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine) - 2:32

5. "Aren't You Glad" (B. Wilson, Love) - 2:16

6. "Rock and Roll Woman" (Stephen Stills) - 2:19

7. "Little Bird" (D. Wilson, Steve Kalinich) - 2:02

Side B - 15:47

8. "Darlin' (Thinkin' 'Bout You Baby)" (B. Wilson, Love) - 2:12³

9. "Transcendental Meditation" (B. Wilson, Love, Jardine) - 1:51

10. "How She Boogalooed It" (Love, Bruce Johnston, Jardine, Wilson) - 1:56

11. "Gettin' Hungry" (B. Wilson, Love) - 2:27

12. "A Thing or Two" (B. Wilson, Love) - 2:40

13. "Be Here in the Mornin'" (B. Wilson, C. Wilson, Love, Jardine) - 2:17

14. "Passing By" (B. Wilson) - 2:24

Side C - 15:54

15. "Wild Honey" (B. Wilson, Love) - 2:37

16. "Here Comes the Night" (B. Wilson, Love) - 2:41

17. "I'd Love Just Once to See You" (B. Wilson, Love) - 1:48

18. "When a Man Needs a Woman" (B. Wilson, D. Wilson, C. Wilson, Jardine, Steve Korthof, Jon Parks) - 2:07

19. "Lonely Days" (B. Wilson, Love) - 1:45

20. "Anna Lee, the Healer" (B. Wilson, Love) - 1:51

21. "Busy Doin' Nothin'" (B. Wilson) - 3:05

Side D - 16:32

22. "Diamond Head" (Al Vescovo, Lyle Ritz, Jim Ackley, B. Wilson) - 3:39

23. "My Little Red Book" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) - 2:48

24. "Let the Wind Blow" (B. Wilson, Love) - 2:19

25. "Be Still" (D. Wilson, Kalinich) - 1:24

26. "Country Air" (B. Wilson, Love) - 2:20

27. Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring" (Bobby Group) - 2:33

28. "Wake the World" (B. Wilson) - 1:29

Wild Honey is the thirteenth studio album of The Beach Boys. The album was produced by Brian and Carl Wilson and was the first studio release under the Brother Records label, distributed by Capitol. It was released on 24 June 1968. The album was recorded as an attempt to 'redefine Beach Boys as a democratic band'. Although numerous compositions by Brian Wilson, the album is noted by the significant contribution of the members of the group in the lyrics, and by the Wilson Brothers and Mike Love leadership, since Brian was temporarily away from his functions.

The album was firstly received with mixed to negative reviews by the critics but ended up well-received by the fans and public in general. It was observed a different style since the previous album, by bringing R&B and Soul influences to the album, mixed with general psychedelia similar to the albums which precede Smile and Pet Sounds, named as "exquisite, unorthodox mainstream pop music". The lead single, Darlin', has shown that the popularity of the band was slightly increasing since the stylistic change, hitting number 5 on Billboard Hot 100. Wild Honey topped the UK Album Charts and reached number 7.

Regarded as one of the prettiest Beach Boys albums, Wild Honey is recalled as a step back of Brian Wilson's ambitiousness merging into an oddly satisfying, low-budget record, being sometimes considered even better than Smile. It is considered one of the most influential records on Indie and Lo-fi music.

Notes:
[1] Tracks sourced from Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and David Bowie's self-titled debut album.

[2] Tracks sourced from Wild Honey, Smiley Smile, Friends, and Wake the World: The Friends sessions. Meant for You is an alternate mix including the session intro.

[3]  Thinkin' 'Bout You Baby is the original name of Darlin'.

Author's addendum:
Yeah, ladies and gentlemen, the first break-up of a group. Although were friends, Syd and Bowie couldn't reach an agreement to stay as a competent duo, needing to put into an indefinite hiatus.
And here is the first not-so-common band in alternate histories, Bee Gees! It would be an interesting plot to see what if Robin Gibb didn't briefly leave the band, and what if the Bee Gees' Odessa would've fulfilled its proposal. I've done a little plot with Bee Gees in my other timeline, Projection, but this time I want to work further into a new, and prolonged plot.
And for The Beatles and Beach Boys, I wanted to give roles reversed in a way... with Beach Boys releasing a double album in 1968 instead of Wild Honey and Friends, and set The Beatles to release two albums instead of the White Album.