*REPOST OF THE ORIGINAL TROUBLE-STARTER.* “My personal standard is that If someone represents, ‘A Beatle said this,’ it better damn well be something a Beatle said.”
Category: lewisohn
A brief assortment
Paul McCartney’s Cavern quote, sourced to Melody Maker in Tune In. (20-18) This Cavern quote looks like either a Frankenquote or a fully mistaken citation instead of a fabrication. Mea culpa. I have learned my lesson about limbs and crawling out on them going forward, but despite my misclassification, it was based on an accurate…
A TENDENCY TO FABRICATE HISTORY
The reason all historical associations put so much emphasis on historians being transparent is that they fully comprehend the power of the inherent trust—“the implicit assumption of honesty”—that we are forced to place in a historian. We have to trust that a relator of history is representing sources honestly and transparently because if readers cannot take that on faith historians cease to have value. The discipline of relating history collapses if we cannot trust The Historian.
DESIGNING LEWISOHN: Where was Paul when John needed him? Who could know?
Mrs. Harrison is saying that she sent George to get John out of his house so they could all play together “in their group.” Not, where was Paul? “It could be they didn’t see much of each other”—but could it? It could be that Paul went ice skating in Sweden, EXCEPT HE FUCKING DIDN’T. Why are you lying to me in legalese in a Beatles biography?
DELUSIONAL LEWISOHN
The confidence with which Lewisohn recounts a series of events that only shows beyond all doubt that “the extraordinary story” he’s about to convey was not “unearthed,” but concocted—or dreamed—while clearly expecting the listener to see how it fits together and proves his narrative seems inexplicable to me by anything but delusion. Or if there is a rational explanation, it lies beyond my earthbound grasp.
Lewisohn rewrites a foundational Beatles quote (Chapter 16–Endnote 8)
STEP ONE: Set the scene: “a shitty deal in a shitty dressing room”
STEP TWO: Set the theme: “thinking we’re going nowhere”
STEP THREE: Overcome the obstacle through John’s leadership and group belief: “That was our little mantra that got us through”
Lewisohn: rewriting history in the area where we trust him most – the songs performed
So, either they performed exactly four numbers —or— they performed at least eight numbers and “probably some others, too.” ‘The Best of Fellas’ version referenced in the footnote makes sense in ways that Lewisohn’s rewriting doesn’t. Lewisohn is telling us is that Paul took over the mic for three out of four numbers…
Call him “Epstein” – Wait, are you f— kidding me??
“…call him ‘Epstein’ for now” • I will never—NEVER— get over this one. This premeditated and purposeful OBSCENITY has been sitting there for ten years. Two ladies with a podcast found it.
Exact Words 