19 December 1970: Listening to them all, it’s difficult to believe that they were made by four men who once formed a band together
George, John, Paul, Ringo: they’ve all made solo albums, now. Listening to them all, all through, it’s difficult to believe that they were made by four men who once formed a band together. I hear no important points of connection.
I guess this is partly because each bottled up his personal ideas during the Beatles’ latter, bad days; and now the cork is out. I think there’s another reason, too. A couple of years back, reviewing the white album, I suggested that the magnetism of the Beatles could be seen in terms of the temperament of each man corresponding with the four elements (Harrison, fire; Starr, earth; Lennon, water; McCartney, air), and also the four humours. So that, working together, they could work for any listener, whatever his nature and mood. It would follow that, separate, their temperament would clearly be very different each from the others.
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