John Lennon Once Revealed Their Albums Were A Result Of Suffering

In his verbal criticism of his bandmates and the albums they produced together, John Lennon expressed his vocal displeasure with The Beatles. They worked intensively and eagerly together during the start of the 1960s. However, the four Beatles lost their enthusiasm for collaboration during the second part of the decade. Lennon said it got agonizing to work on records.

Insights into The Beatles’ Artistic Process

Not long after completing the recording of “Let It Be,” John Lennon discussed the challenges of collaborating with his fellow band members. In an interview with The Village Voice (quoted by Gold Radio UK), he mentioned the difficult experience they went through. He emphasized that this struggle was a recurring theme and that creating any piece of music was always an ordeal.

Despite being the most beloved band of their time, Lennon pointed out that their success wasn’t a result of some mystical process. Instead, it was the outcome of demanding and sometimes distressing effort, especially during the production of their last albums. He remarked:

“The Beatles haven’t got any magic you haven’t got. We suffer like hell anytime we make anything, and we got each other to contend with. Imagine working with The Beatles, it’s tough.”

Even when they produced their finest work, he observed that the atmosphere in the studio was perpetually strained. He declared:

“There’s just tension.
“It’s tense every time the red light goes on.”

Lennon’s Candid Critiques

Lennon regularly expressed his distaste for The Beatles’ music following their breakup. One of them was Let It Be, which he appeared to be contemplating while he chatted with The Village Voice.

He described it as “Such a dreadful, dreadful feeling,” according to Craig Brown’s book 150 Glimpses of The Beatles. “The s***tiest load of lousy recorded s*** ever,” one reviewer said.

Despite its cultural significance, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was another record that Lennon detested. He didn’t even hold off on criticizing the band till it disbanded.

According to Geoff Emerick’s book Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles, he said to the band’s audio engineer shortly after Pepper’s release:

“I mean, everyone always says what a great record Pepper was, even though I think it’s the biggest load of s*** we’ve ever done.”

First Person to Leave the Band

Lennon was the first member of The Beatles to leave the group, which is not unexpected given his dislike of their music. Even though there had been a long period of tension in the band, his bandmates were taken aback by Lennon’s declaration.

Paul McCartney, speaking to NPR, shared a story about a meeting where Lennon surprised everyone by announcing his departure from The Beatles. McCartney mentioned that they were all extremely surprised and didn’t know if Lennon’s decision was final or if it was just one of his dramatic moments, as he sometimes had. He continued:

“And then you go off and then a couple of weeks later, you go, ‘Oh, maybe we should get together again.’ It was quite shocking. You can imagine someone just walks in and tells you, ‘The factory is closing.'”

Even though the group had hoped for a reunion, it never happened. Lennon’s announcement marked the end of the band.