In June, Paul McCartney revealed that he had recorded what he known as the Beatles’ final tune, made with the assistance of AI software program. He additionally stated that the monitor could be launched someday this 12 months. That point has almost arrived: The Beatles’ last tune, “Now and Then,” is out November 2 at 10 a.m. Jap (through Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe).
The only shall be issued digitally and as a double A-side single (on 7″ vinyl, 12″ vinyl, and cassette) backed with the band’s first single, 1962’s “Love Me Do.” A 12-minute documentary about “Now and Then” will precede the tune on November 1. Watch the trailer for the Oliver Murray–directed brief movie beneath.
“Now and Then” was written and sung by John Lennon, who recorded the monitor as a demo at his residence within the Dakota in New York in 1978. The unique recording featured simply Lennon’s voice and piano. In 1994, Yoko Ono gave the demo to McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, together with Lennon’s demos for “Free as a Hen” and “Actual Love.” Working with producer and Electrical Gentle Orchestra (ELO) mastermind Jeff Lynne, the remaining three Beatles recorded new elements for a model of “Now and Then,” however technological limitations of the period prevented them from separating Lennon’s vocals from the piano on his unique demo.
After shelving “Now and Then” for many years, McCartney and Starr revisited the undertaking after working with director Peter Jackson on his Get Again documentary. Jackson and his sound group devised a technique to isolate Lennon’s vocal on the unique tape with the assistance of AI.
“There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear,” McCartney stated of the expertise in a press launch. “It’s fairly emotional. And all of us play on it, it’s a real Beatles recording. In 2023 to nonetheless be engaged on Beatles music, and about to launch a brand new tune the general public haven’t heard, I believe it’s an thrilling factor.”
“It was the closest we’ll ever come to having him again within the room, so it was very emotional for all of us,” Starr added. “It was like John was there, you realize. It’s far out.”
