Revisiting The Episode: Author Pete Paphides On The "Magical and Miraculous" Film, Get Back

One Sweet Dream Podcast Summary

Episode Overview

• The podcast is One Sweet Dream, hosted by Diane Erickson.
• The episode features an interview with author and music journalist Pete Pefidis.
• Pefidis has a wealth of experience in music journalism, having worked for various publications and even launching his own record label.
• He was also one of the journalists who reviewed "Get Back" before its full release.
• Despite this, one does not need to have seen the film to enjoy the conversation as Pefidis provides insightful commentary on the Beatles themselves.
• Erickson admires Pefidis' perspective and considers him one of her all-time favorite guests on her previous podcast "I Am The Egg Pot."
• Pefidis is married to journalist and author Catlin Moran.

Beatles' Relationships and Dynamics

• Caitlin's quote suggests a creative and personal element in relationships.
• Pete and Caitlin had an interesting and engaging relationship.
• The speaker enjoyed talking to Pete about "Get Back."
• Paul was self-conscious of his authority in the band during the sessions.
• Paul had prescience about potential hazards coming down the road for the band.
• There were funny moments during the sessions, such as when Paul made a joke to John.
• The speaker admires John's ability to see the future of his music and art.
• There is a joke about Yoko breaking up the band by sitting on a lamp.
• Paul seems obsessed with John's black bag and takes his avant-garde ideas too seriously.
• John's sudden interest in Paul's world may have been funny and weird for him, given their age difference and history.
• Ray Connolly believes that John was naive about the scene but wanted to be accepted by it through Yoko.
• Paul seems worried about Yoko's influence on John and regrets something related to it.
• Despite Yoko's presence, John is very engaged with the Beatles, especially with Paul.
• Paul was a central character in John's world.
• The speaker realized they were more influential in someone's world than they thought.
• Paul being in the band made something amazing happen, and it was good for everyone.
• Robert Forster knew he needed to find his foil to achieve something greater together, like John and Paul.
• There were mystical moments where people saw something in others that they didn't even realize themselves, like when John saw Paul and knew he had to be in a band with him.
• Everyone around John and Paul noticed there was something between them from the start.
• The dysfunction of the band was likely due to tiredness and disorganization rather than a complete breakdown.
• Paul McCartney needed an external figure to manage the group, as being both creative partner and manager was difficult.
• George Martin's presence helped steady things, acting as a father figure for the group.
• The interests of filmmaking are different from music making, which caused some tension during filming.
• Despite their reputations, all members of the band came off as more likable in the documentary.
• John Lennon was patient with Paul McCartney and wanted things to be the same again between them.
• Paul McCartney communicates mainly through his eyes.
• Rick Rubin's interviewing style is to say as little as possible and stare, which works well with Paul McCartney who communicates through his eyes.
• John Lennon looks at Paul intently and tries to give back what Paul is trying to convey.
• In the Get Back films, John acknowledges that things are not the same between him and Paul but he wants to heal their relationship.
• The Beatles' relationship was heartbreaking because they loved each other but were put in a difficult situation during the Twickenham filming.
• Peter Jackson mentioned that The Beatles didn't seem to realize they were in charge during filming for the Magic Christian movie.
• Michael Lindsey Hogg may have had unconscious working-class deference towards The Beatles due to his background and the time period.
• George takes a well-rounded perspective on the importance of the Beatles and their finances.
• The Beatles effectively take over the project during their time in Twickenham, with George Martin becoming more present and Michael Lindsey Hogg disappearing.
• Peter Jackson notes that the project became more focused on music and album production when they switched locations.
• The Beatles did not want to be incarcerated with their fans or go on a boat to Libya.
• Paul and John are close talkers, which is specific to their relationship, while George is not as privy to it.
• It's a mixed up time for George during this period as he realizes that the band will never truly be his.
• George realizes that the band can never truly be his in the way it is John and Paul's.
• He suggests making an album of his own, indicating that the band may not stay together for long.
• When he plays "All Things Must Pass" to John and Paul, they seem unimpressed, which is heartbreaking.
• George plays his songs tentatively because he knows he's playing them to Lennon and McCartney.
• Being in a band with a George would push him to the front in any other band, but in The Beatles, it made him feel slightly outside of it all.
• George wrote songs about the phenomenon of The Beatles as something amazing that he saw but wasn't quite part of.
• The podcast discusses the slow start of some members in a band, except for Paul who coughs out brilliant songs.
• John and George are advised to slow down a bit as their songs are important and emerging incidentally.
• The footage shows the emergence of some of the most important songs of all time in an incidental way.
• George's line "I'll see you in the clubs" is discussed, with different interpretations given by the speakers.
• Yoko joins the band back and starts wailing into a mic while Paul plays along.
• Paul McCartney understands the importance of John Lennon's relationship with Yoko Ono and plays along when she starts wailing during recording sessions.
• Paul is often underestimated for his sense of humor, which is understated and subtle.
• Eric Idle's portrayal of Paul in the Rutles film is a funny character but not an accurate representation of Paul.
• Playing the role of an airhead is sometimes a protective mode for Paul when he doesn't want to engage or lacks energy.
• Paul's superpower is engineering a sense of normality around him to make his abnormal life feel normal for himself and those around him.
• The podcast discusses the duality of a certain person's beliefs and how it may be a coping mechanism.
• This duality has a negative impact on their persona as an artist, but it also allows them to be an anonymous observer and write good lyrics.
• The podcast also talks about how watching a series changed the speaker's mind about John Lennon and his desperation to keep his connection with Paul McCartney.
• Some viewers have said that John was "out of his tree" due to drugs, but the speaker did not see it that way.
• John is described as naive in some ways, which is evident in his political songwriting and counter-culturalism.
• The speaker expresses concern about how John would have been on Twitter due to his worst characteristics being amplified.
• Glenn John's describes John Lennon as someone who changes the subject when he doesn't like an answer.
• Separating Lennon and McCartney is seen as a strategy to divide and rule.
• John Lennon was beseeching towards Paul McCartney during this time.
• The Let It Be film removed Michael Lindsey-Hog from the story, which contributed to people's perception of the Beatles split.
• Peter Jackson's film can tell us that Michael Lindsey-Hogg was part of the problem during the making of Let It Be.
• The Beatles were under pressure due to a crazy deadline and being outside their comfort zone.
• George Harrison believes that things that have worked out best for them haven't been planned, but rather just happen on their own.
• Our stories are not entirely in our control, as external forces can shape them.
• The making of the film "Get Back" shows that even creative projects can be subject to outside influences.
• Michael and Zee Hogg's involvement in the film helps contextualize the stress and tension among the Beatles during "Let It Be."
• Paul McCartney's approach to creativity involves showing up every day and putting in consistent effort, rather than waiting for inspiration to strike.
• Other successful musicians, such as Nick Cave and Damon Albarn, also prioritize consistent work over romantic notions of inspiration.
• The notion of creativity as a lightning strike is damaging to musicians and promotes superstitious thinking.
• Working hard is a way to regain lost creativity, rather than waiting for inspiration to strike.
• Paul McCartney's approach to creativity has been labeled as "square" or "corporate," but he is still an incredible artist who hates business.
• Creativity happens when space is made for it, and Paul's demos showcase this process well.
• Paul's ability to pull back and see the bigger picture is his superpower.
• Paul McCartney has the ability to see the bigger picture and gain perspective on the present.
• He is not entirely invested in the idea that musicians must be edgy or rebellious.
• He believes passionately that music is music and fashion should sub-serve that basic truth.
• John and George were delighted when Paul brought out new songs, even if they were outside of the immediate genre.
• The wildlife message was pretty but not where people were looking at that time.
• Watching Get Back allows us to better understand why they might have taken some guilty delight in what appeared to be a bit of a backfire with the McCartney album.
• Some reviews for the original McCartney album were not favorable, possibly because it was not aligned with the zeitgeist.
• Paul McCartney's music is not always aligned with the current trends and he deals with the pain of bad critical reception.
• He starts to focus on chart positions as a metric for success in the 80s and wants to compete commercially.
• Paul values being relevant and proud of his most streamed song on Spotify, which he co-wrote with Kanye West and Rihanna.
• He wants to break boundaries by expressing sexual agency in his songs despite inherited prejudices about old people doing so.
• There is a myth that Paul was too bossy, but it seems like he was just trying to save the project. However, his behavior towards George may have agitated him due to their age difference.
• George mentions that Paul is nine months older than him and wonders if there's something in that to keep the band together.
• Paul becomes devastated when he thinks the band might be over and has to actively try to save it.
• Ringo looks sad throughout the day but is supportive of Paul, saying he would just watch him play the piano.
• Ringo counters Michael Lindsey Hogg's suggestion to end on a high note, saying they don't have to break up just because they're going through a bad period.
• The podcast host believes that with better structural support, the Beatles could have figured out a way forward creatively.
• The host cites Radiohead as an example of a band who adapted their creative process to maintain their shared history without being torn apart.
• John and Paul's relationship changed over time, but they would have likely reunited as a band if given the chance.
• Music can be an important part of personal identity, especially for those who feel like outsiders.
• Shared experiences create strong bonds that can last a lifetime.
• Appearance-wise, Paul McCartney is considered by many to be a very attractive musician.
• Ringo looks tired and lachrymose, but he was a steady presence in the band.
• Billy Preston was an important and brilliant presence who brought a new element to their sound and had a positive personality.
• Everyone was on their best behavior around him, and he instinctively played exquisite melodies that fit perfectly with the existing ones.
• George's idea to bring Billy in was great, and it happened suddenly during the rooftop session when the police arrived.
• The Beatles had a cultural collision with the police in the UK, where their relationship is different from that in America.
• One of the policemen looked significantly younger than the Beatles and seemed scared but determined to stop them due to a disturbance of peace.
• An old man loved the Beatles and thought they made everything better, while a younger guy didn't like them because they had gone weird.
• Young women stopped on the street were stylish and cool about talking to the interviewer.
• The scene was reminiscent of a mythical story about when the Beatles played Sergeant Pepper for the first time to the world, with neighbors pulling open their curtains.
• The speaker has watched almost the first two episodes of a three-part series and feels like they will have to watch them multiple times.
• Some reviews say that the series may test one's patience, but the speaker disagrees.
• The advance screeners were serviced to journalists quite late, so many had to watch all three episodes in one go.
• The series is not meant to be watched all at once and can be staggered.
• A friend of the speaker who is a Beatles fan and writer found it ambiently good to have the series around as background noise.
• The speaker does not think the series is too long and believes it is bingeable for Beatles fans.
• The series will change views on the breakup or this period because it is more comprehensive.
• Glenn Johns looked like a rock star in the film and had a nice presence around him.
• Phil Spector was portrayed as a weirdo compared to his mythical larger than life character.
• Glenn Johns was respectful and enabled the Beatles to play their music without being too interventionist.
• Michael Lindsey Hogg lacked self-awareness and was often intrusive, but eventually became sweet.
• The rooftop gig happened in London, which was the engine of change that the Beatles were catalysts for.
• The beginning of the rooftop gig where they looked at each other was a favorite scene.
• The band is at their best when they play together in front of an audience.
• John's jokes make Paul laugh the most, especially his monologue about the Boy Scout Association and not masturbating.
• The band has a lot of in-jokes and running jokes, which makes their world feel insular but enjoyable for fans to be privy to.
• Paul drops amazing songs casually, which can be intimidating for others in the band but shows his focus on keeping things going.
• Despite rumors of Paul's big ego at the time, he doesn't make a big deal out of his new songs.
• Paul McCartney underplays his song "Let It Be" and sometimes makes fun of it, but it is recognized as a beautiful and incredible song that we can sometimes take for granted.
• John and Paul had intense eye interactions when communicating with each other, which reminded the speaker of footage from the hate-dude interactions. The speaker saw Paul McCartney on the beach in the Hamptons and was shocked by his intense eyes.
• Paul McCartney has a lightning-fast processing speed, which he demonstrated during an interview about his lyrics at the Royal Festival Hall. He usually has one thing to say in an interview that he hasn't said elsewhere, but he won't provide newspapers with headlines.
• Paul McCartney is constantly aware of his surroundings and reads the room to ensure his safety and manage public attention.
• Interviewing him requires nimble questions that keep him stimulated, as he may check out if the line of questioning becomes tedious or repetitive.
• McCartney has been burned by the press in the past, which has likely contributed to his guardedness in interviews.
• The podcast hosts express interest in interviewing McCartney and discussing his songs and lyrics.
• The speaker thanks the listeners for tuning in and promises to be back with another episode soon.
• They request listeners to leave a five-star rating or review if they enjoy the podcast, as it helps with promotion.
• The speaker expresses their love for hearing from listeners and reading reviews.