How The Beatles CANCELLED Their Own Album | The Story of The SESSIONS LP

In 1985 EMI attempted to release an album of previously unreleased Beatles material for the first time. Unfortunately for us fans, The Beatles and Apple shut it down and we would have to wait another 10 years until 'Anthology' for anyof that that material became officially available. However, the album's tapes were leaked and 'Sessions' became the most successful bootleg in Beatles history. Now, with the help of a recently discovered press kit for the album, we uncover the full story of the Session album from concept to cancellation and find out how it ultimatelt destroyed EMI's relationship with Apple and The Beatles.

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[michaelg-uxmo]

I think "If You've Got Trouble" is a quirky gem with great movement. "Leave My Kitten Alone" is a spectacular vocal from John in his best "When I Get Home"/"Slow Down" style. "That Means A Lot" is a song that reveals, even early on, John and Paul's sophisticated chord savvy.

[EddieG]

Its absolutely astonishing how little EMI knew about how much material their most successful act had recorded, and in their OWN STUDIOS!
Mind you, I guess back in those days something like an incomplete take or partially completed just wouldn't have been considered for release by any record label of any band. So I think we have the bootleg scene to thank for the likes of the Anthologies, and the SMiLE and Pet Sounds Sessions releases we now have.

[musicfan]

“Leave My Kitten Alone is an outstanding track! It really should have been included on Beatles For Sale. It also could have been sent to Capitol when they requested songs for their BEATLES VI album. Thank you, Andrew for another great episode!!! - Roger

[magneto]

I owned a copy of How Do You Do It on bootleg in the mid-70s. In the 80s, I bought the Sessions album. That Means a Lot was one of my favorites because it had those magical harmonies that only John, Paul, and George could produce. But one can't deny that George's acoustic While My Guitar Gently Weeps is the most moving song on the album!

[svenllr]

I was an elated 18-year-old when Ultra Rare Trax made its way to CD Warehouse. My weekly visit to the store was greeted by the store manager holding them telling me, “You’re going to freak out when you see this!” I still listen to them to this day.

[skoolbus]

My local store just got a huge amount of Beatle bootlegs in (the owner is keeping the triple Black Album for himself) and there were a couple copies of this that I passed on since I have all of the tracks elsewhere, but now I'll go back and grab one. I had no idea this was a thing.

[carlosrenatodamotabezerra]

I really love That Means a Lot. I heard it over and over in 1996, I think. A great song and another great video, dear Andrew!

[michaelcarpenter]

I still think "Leave my Kitten Alone" should have replaced "Mr. Moonlight" on Beatles for Sale. I just never liked that take on the song, but that is just me. And as great as Emerick was, some of his mixes on Anthology and early fades just baffle me. As always Andrew, very informative and surprising to me. Excellent.

[thefabulousbakerboys]

After years of hearing about scratchy, hissy Beatles bootlegs I finally found a shop around 1985 that sold these unofficial albums. Not really knowing where to start, I chose the Sessions album (there were actually several other people standing around in the store discussing this "new" release) and I took it home expecting the worst! Couldn't have asked for a better introduction to Beatles bootlegs! Thanks for this video Andrew!

[markjamesmeli]

This is great Andrew. It pieces together a lot of what I've thought over the years. By 1983-85, there was actual stores that sold SESSIONS as an "import" near where I live. Following that, I always thought that whomever was doing tape research leading up to the Mark Lewisohn book, was dubbing off extra tape copies of the rarities to be ready for bootlegging. Certainly, the timeline fits, especially to the high quality CD bootlegs, prior to 1990. Getting back to SESSIONS, the word I heard, in the early 1990s, was that EMI told Paul, George & Ringo, along with John's estate about the impending release. The only response that they heard at all was from George's camp, which was a resounding NO, which only then lead to the same response from the rest of the camps. Still, the bootleggers had done such saturation to the Beatles' collectors market, that many of them yawned when the ANTHOLOGY series came out.

[Neal_Schier]

You have outstanding presentation skills. The visuals are on the screen long enough for the viewer to linger over and then to have the opportunity to interpret their meaning. Additionally, they perfectly match your narrative.

All too often today video teams put up images that neither relate to what the presenter is saying nor remain on the screen for more than just one or two seconds.

Keep up the great work and I sincerely hope that many younger content creators will learn from your high standard. 👍

[Martgon]

Am I the only one who likes ''If You've Got Trouble'' ?

[SamWesting]

I remember feeling bummed out when Sessions got shelved in ‘85. But it turned out for the better, as the 3 volume Anthology was far more comprehensive.

[matthewsnyder]

I heard some of these tracks on the radio back in 1985 in Philadelphia, because promo copies of it appeared to have leaked (it's also possible it was a bootleg obtained at the Beatles convention that took place in the city that year). WMMR DJs freely admitted they were going to play them knowing that they would probably hear soon from EMI attorneys with cease and desist orders. For several days they played While My Guitar Gently Weeps (without the looped ending, so it had George saying "Let's hear that back" at the end), and Leave My Kitten Alone, so I had them on tape for many years.

[stevekirk]

I bought the colourful version at a record fair back in 1988, along with "Get Back" (Tonto version) and "Beatles Not For Sale" (Nems). Bootlegs had certainly moved on from the days of TMOQ. For me the stand out track was "I'm Looking Through You". Although there was no middle 8 yet, I think I preferred the early take. Nice to see you delving into the murkier regions of Beatle Collecting. Most of us collectors do it you know!

[elzuzo]

Being a true Beatles maniac in Mexico is not easy in the bootleg subject. I only have heard of this album and never seen it. In the 80´s bootlegs were true expensive for a poor music student so I never had many. Thanks a lot for this priceless info.

[billleary]

Terrific video Andrew! I was only 13 when this album was supposed to come out and while I was not aware of it until much later I do have a vivid memory of my radio station in Boston playing Leave My Kitten Alone around that time. I am just happy that we finally got to hear everything eventually. Thanks so much for sharing

[mjanovec]

The 80s and early 90s were a great period for Beatles bootlegs, since so much material (thankfully) leaked from the vaults. It’s unlikely we’ll see leaks like that ever again. I often listen to the Sessions bootleg or the Ultra Rare Trax boots over Anthology, just because I have a fondness for them and I like the way they are sequenced.

[michaeldeutscher]

Great video Andrew as always. Interesting to see the notes from press kit. I remember some of those early bootlegs the best quality being Ultra Rare Trax. Looking forward to the next video.

[CrunchyFrog]

Great video. It was probably my first Beatles bootleg as well. My copy, which Discogs has listed as a 1986 German pressing on EMI/Odeon, has a different cover. The front has The Beatles around the piano, Paul playing, John on guitar, George taking it in and Ringo staring off camera. There a animated cel of George on the piano from the Yellow Submarine movie. The back is an outtake from the back of Revolver session. It also has a different track sequencing. Who ever put this one together tried to make it more chronological:
A1 Besame Mucho
A2 How Do You Do It?
A3 One After 909
A4 Leave My Kitten Alone
A5 That Means A Lot
A6 If You've Got Troubles
A7 I'm Looking Through You
A8 Christmas Time Is Here Again
B1 What's The New Mary Jane?
B2 Not Guilty
B3 Come And Get It
B4 While My Guitar Gently Weeps
B5 Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues
Though my copy does not have it, it was supposed to have a typed fact sheet about each of the tracks, though some facts are in error.

Thanks for this video, this is probably my favorite bootleg I own of theirs and only one of two I still like to listen to today (the other being the 1969 Glyn John mix of the Get Back, which has now been superseded by the boxed set copy... but I did a/b the two pressings when the box came out)