The Beatles will release their ‘final’ record this YEAR – thanks to AI: Paul McCartney reveals how technology has been used to ‘extricate’ John Lennon’s voice from an old demo
- Paul McCartney has used AI to ‘extricate’ John Lennon’s voice
- He says the new track has ‘just finished’ and will be ‘released this year’
It’s been more than 50 years since all four members of The Beatles released music, with their emotional classic ‘The End’.
But despite just two members remaining – Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr – the band is preparing for a comeback.
McCartney has revealed that he is using artificial intelligence (AI) to ‘extricate’ John Lennon’s voice from an old demo to create the ‘final Beatles record.’
While he’s yet to name the song, it’s likely to be a 1978 Lennon composition called Now And Then, according to the BBC.
Speaking to Radio 4’s Today programme, McCartney explained: ‘We just finished it up and it’ll be released this year.’
It’s been more than 50 years since all four members of The Beatles released music, with their emotional classic ‘The End’. Pictured left to right: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison
READ MORE: It’s NOT a sin to use AI in the music industry! Pet Shop Boys will use the tech to complete their unfinished songs
Neil Tennant, performing here in Milan in May 2022, says AI could be a tool for songwriters to create music
Now And Then was one of several songs recorded by Lennon shortly before his death in 1980.
Two of the other tracks – Free As A Bird and Real Love – were cleaned up by producer Jeff Lynne before being released in 1995 and 1996.
But he struggled to clean up Now And Then, and his attempt was deemed ‘rubbish’ by George Harrison, who refused to work on it.
However, AI technology has given McCartney a new way to revive the song once more.
Speaking to Radio 4’s Martha Kearney, McCartney explained how he turned to director, Peter Jackson, who had used AI to create ‘clean’ audio in the Get Back documentary.
‘He [Jackson] was able to extricate John’s voice from a ropey little bit of cassette,’ he explained.
‘We had John’s voice and a piano and he could separate them with AI. They tell the machine. “That’s the voice. This is a guitar. Lose the guitar”.
‘So when we came to make what will be the last Beatles’ record, it was a demo that John had [and] we were able to take John’s voice and get it pure through this AI.
‘Then we can mix the record, as you would normally do. So it gives you some sort of leeway.’
McCartney (pictured) has revealed that he is using artificial intelligence (AI) to ‘extricate’ John Lennon’s voice from an old demo to create the ‘final Beatles record’
It remains unclear when this year McCartney plans to release the ‘final Beatles record’.
The Beatles aren’t the only band using AI to complete unfinished songs.
Last month, the Pet Shop Boys singer, Neil Tennant, said AI could ‘fill in the blanks’ if a song has been left unfinished, such as when the composer is suffering from writer’s block.
Tennant and his bandmate Chris Lowe said they are looking at new technology as they prepare their ‘Dreamworld’ greatest hits tour in Europe this summer.
‘There’s a song that we wrote a chorus for in 2003 and we never finished because I couldn’t think of anything for the verses,’ Tennant told the Radio Times.
‘But now with AI you could give it the bits you’ve written, press the button and have it fill in the blanks.
‘You might then rewrite it, but it could nonetheless be a tool.’
Chart toppers no longer twist and shout! Lead singers have got QUIETER over 75 years, study finds
For pop singers with an ego, the best time to be in music may have been just after the second world war.
After that, the rise of super-guitarists like Brian May and Eric Clapton meant they were no longer the most important person in the room, a study suggests.
Researchers tracked the volume of lead singers’ vocals and the musicians they played with on the biggest hits from 1946 to 2020.
How loud the singing is compared to the backing music can reveal the ‘hierarchy of importance’ within bands.
Compared to the music, the results show the volume on singers’ microphones was effectively turned down more each decade from 1946 to 1975.
Researchers tracked the volume of lead singers’ vocals and the musicians they played with on the biggest hits from 1946 to 2020. Pictured: Freddie Mercury of Queen
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