Words: The LDN News Elf

Love The Beatles but haven’t got Disney+ to watch the recent series Get Back? Seen that the legendary Rooftop Gig is being screened on Sunday January 30 at the IMAX in the UK and US but can’t get there/haven’t got the dosh to buy a ticket?

We have a little good news for you. Complete, and newly mixed by Giles Martin – son of ‘fifth Beatle’ Sir George – plus Sam Okell in Dolby Atmos (ooh, fancy), the 53rd anniversary of the Fab Four’s performance is celebrated this weekend with its soundtrack appearing on Spotify, Deezer and YouTube.

The event was the last live show of the Beatles’ career, with their friend Billy Preston on keyboards, and occurred in the afternoon of January 30 1969 on the roof of Apple Corps, the Beatles’ HQ in Savile Row, central London. Leading up to it had been recording sessions for the album ‘Let It Be’, accompanied by a month of filming for what initially became a documentary film of the same name. The finale was this illicit and not very health-and-safety-conscious rooftop gig, five storeys up, which was eventually disrupted by police as some local businesses and residents complained about the noise – none of them knowing it was the UK’s most famous cultural export playing their first live gig since September 1966.

Years later, ‘Lord Of The Rings’ director/wizard Peter Jackson was given access to hundreds of hours of footage to create the fascinating ‘Get Back’ docuseries for Disney – a dream come true for Jackson, a long-time fan of John, Paul, Ringo and George. Jackson dramatically improved the visual quality, Martin and Okell worked on the audio.

The full 40 minute set is available via Apple Corps Ltd/Capitol/UMe, with the track listing running like this:

‘Get Back’ (Take 1)

‘Get Back’ (Take 2)

‘Don’t Let Me Down’ (Take 1)

‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ (Take 1)

‘One After 909’

‘Dig A Pony’

‘Jam/excerpt of ‘God Save The Queen’ (tape change interlude)

‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ (Take 2) 

‘Don’t Let Me Down’ (Take 2)

‘Get Back’ (Take 3)

Watch a trailer here: