The success following the breakup of The Beatles seems to have aided each band member, according to John Lennon.
The ex-Beatle believed the group were better off broken up as each of the members had “flowered” since the break-up. Lennon, who worked with George Harrison and Ringo Starr frequently following the end of The Beatles, praised his former bandmates for their work as solo artists. Even Paul McCartney received some praise from Lennon, with the Imagine hitmaker praising Ram. It may come as a surprise to hear praise for McCartney’s second solo album, especially given that its opening track, Too Many People, was meant as a criticism of Lennon. Despite the slight from McCartney, the solo works of The Beatles were judged to be “better than Abbey Road” by Lennon.
Speaking in 1972, just two years after the Fab Four split up, Lennon said working with Harrison and Lennon highlighted just how far the four had come as individual musicians. He told the NME: “George is on half of my new album playing guitar. The only reason Ringo wasn’t on it was because he was abroad, making his movie.
“So then the three of us would have been on, but then it wouldn’t have been the Beatles. It would have been Plastic Ono because I would have the final say. There would be no decision-making by George or Ringo, other than if I liked an idea, I’d take it — which is what happened with the Beatles — but then it was more diplomatic.”
Lennon then shared he was open to playing on solo projects from other members of The Beatles, which he would with Ringo in 1973. He added: “So yes, it’s quite possible about the Beatles working as a unit, because I might play on George’s or Ringo’s if they wanted my style of playing. Imagine how we’ve flowered since [the breakup].”
The Whatever Gets You Through the Night songwriter was quick to praise his former bandmates, with Harrison, Ringo, and McCartney hailed by Lennon as truly great songwriters and successes without the band.
He added: “George is suddenly the biggest seller of all of us. I think my music’s improved a millionfold lyric-wise and everything. And Ringo’s coming out and writing It Don’t Come Easy and now he’s going to write the title song for this cowboy thing he’s in, and he’s playing a really tough guy and all that. It’s really beautiful.
“The fact is, the Beatles have left school… and we have to get a job. That’s made us work — really work harder. I think we’re much better than we ever were when we were together. Look at us today. I’d sooner have [Paul McCartney’s album] Ram, John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band, George’s album, and Ringo’s single and the movies than Let It Be or Abbey Road.”
