I like Let It Be Spector version. It's a great record and Let It Be Naked is a bit flat compared to it.

I guess the "hate" comes from the fact that it was not a band decision, only Lennon's to work with the producer. Macca was not involved.

Is there really a hate around it ? (apart from Macca ) It's ignored more of. Well, until the Get Back documentary.

So much irony with Let It Be sessions. It was Paul who dragged the other 3 Beatles into that project hot on the heels of the still massive selling white album in the charts. It only came out 2 months prior. Then the sessions prove enormously frustrating for all and Paul loses interest. Then Lennon has to man up and shape this thing at the very end. Spector’s work is fine. Sounds great. He was a great producer at one point.

They didn't really work with another producer. All of Spector's additions were long after the initial recording sessions. Abbey Road and the band itself had already been done by then.

The orchestral additions to The Long and Winding Road and Let It Be were good decisions, but he butchered Across The Universe. I also always thought the original released master was too hissy and grainy, even for 1970. Plastic Ono Band had this issue as well.

Yeah the tapes were handed over to Spector with Lennon and Harrison's approval. Spector's a knob (even before his murderous tendencies came to the fore) but there's not much anyone could have done with those rough tapes. Contrary to belief, McCartney wasn't too fussed initially with them being handed to him, only until he heard the Long & Winding Road did he blow a fuse. Which is understandable as it goes completely 'Disneyfied' whereas George Martin would have kept things tasteful with more restraint. Then again, a Martin treatment might not have worked, apparently it was only lathered in orchestras and choirs to cover up the poor quality of recording. Although hearing Spector's other production efforts, it sounds like an excuse as he's never been an example of tasteful and restrained production. What's puzzled me though is if Paul was so dead against it, why does he still play it live with the kitchen sink treatment that Spector provided...

Ultimately not too bothered by it though, it's still a flawed but fascinating chapter in The Beatles history. The genesis of something good was there before being abandoned for Abbey Road. For all his control freakery over it, Paul still comes out of it the best given he was the only one hellbent on keeping the thing together. He's the main reason The Beatles continued after Epstein's death. Far more productive in songwriting than the others, George had mentally checked out, John was a smackhead who wasn't writing nearly enough and Ringo just went with the flow. Somebody had to take control of it.

I never see it as their final album, it's more of a bonus feature to the band's catalogue.

The Hamburg grind made them pros

Still shocked they've never released the rooftop concert as its own live album or vinyl. Should have been in the Let It Be box set but I guess they gotta keep some bullets in the chamber for down the road.

Its already out dude. I have the vinyl.

A good breakdown on the rooftop show and why Giles didn’t put it in the boxset but only streaming. He regrets not including it.

ontherecords.net/2022/01/the-beatles-rooftop-concert-review/

Ringo’s new song is remotely oasis lol

I wonder why the Beatles felt so compelled to finally release "Now and Then" last November and attach it awkwardly to a Red and Blue compilation reissue. That second part completely cannabalized that on going remaster/reissue project. All the big boy songs from 1962-1965 have now been giving that prime treatment making those eventually reissue seem slightly less special. They can def make up for it with cool outtakes but we shall see. I was looking forward to the Rubber Soul remaster but like 10 of those tracks got reissues last November on the Red album.

I know Peter Jackson is slowly working on the Anthology, cleaning it up and possibly expanding it. Clearly this will prob have the long discussed Anthology 4 comp to go with it. That is where "Now and Then" should have come out with.

Now & Then isn't big enough to stand on its own merit so I think they just made an excuse for it by remixing the Red and Blue albums. But if what's billed as 'the last Beatles single' can't stand on its own merit, it suggests an underlying lack of confidence with it I think.

I can't say I'm a fan of it, much prefer the sketchy home demos from Lennon. Not to be all morbid, but it has a fascinating haunting quality to it, more profound as it comes near the end of his life. It's not complete but feels more spontaneous for it too. 'The Beatles' version does nothing for me.

And the video? I echo what I think somebody on here said, that it looks like a sixth form art project gone badly wrong. Awful stuff!