Paul McCartney Wants to Release Beatles-Experiment.
The Beatles at Abbey Road studios in 1967.
The 'Carnival of Light' is a 14 minute improvised track that was recorded in 1976 in the Abbey Road studio in London. But it was never released because three of The Beatles thought the track was too adventurous. The song was only played once on a music festival in London that same year.
'Carnival of light' is said to be completely different as it is possible according to Sir Paul McCartney. But now McCartney wants to release the track so the public can judge for themselves.
'It does exist,' Paul says on a BBC Radio 4 programme to John Wilson, presenter of Front Row. The former Beatle confirms that he still has a master tape of the track. 'The time has come for it to get its moment. I like it because it's The Beatles free, going off piste.' So McCartney says.
The song came to life in January 1967, when they were struggling with the vocals for the song 'Penny Lane'. McCartney inspired himself with the music from John Cage en Stockhausen. He got the question to write a song for the The Million Volt Light and Sound Rave, an electronic music festival. In the studio he said to his mates ''This is a bit indulgent but would you mind giving me 10 minutes? I've been asked to do this thing. All I want you to do is just wander round all of the stuff and bang it, shout, play it. It doesn't need to make any sense. Hit a drum, wander to the piano, hit a few notes ... and then we put a bit of echo on it. It's very free.'
The visitors of the festival had no idea that they were listening to a composition of The Beatles. On 'Carnival of light' are reputedly heard all kinds of different musical instruments and Lennon and McCartney shouting things as 'Are you alright?' and 'Barcelona!'.
McCartney wanted to put the song on the album, because it would show they were working with really avant-garde stuff. But the track was vetoed. The others didn't like the idea, 'This is rubbish'.
All he needs now is the blessing of Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and George Harrison's widow Olivia.
Source: The Guardian
