When The Beatle's documentary Let It Be screened at a cinema on Auckland's Queen St in late 1970, it seemed every hippie, stoner or university student in the city was there.
The Beatles were newsworthy despite their break-up, especially John Lennon and Yoko Ono's media-grabbing and the singles Cold Turkey and Instant Karma.
But already, The Beatles were sounding passé. Rock had subdivided into more noisy offshoots, side alleys and alternative sounds. However, there was still great anticipation that afternoon. Let It Be was, we already knew, The Beatles as we'd never seen them: in the studio, chatting, rehearsing.
Some girls screamed when Paul McCartney appeared. They were laughed at. This wasn't 1964 - which already seemed a distant age of innocence - but a more jaded time of adulthood, hard rock, marijuana and Vietnam.
Denne historien er fra May 25-31 2024-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra May 25-31 2024-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
