John and Shari: New AI assisted Beatles song is a ‘beautiful thing’
Nov 3, 2023, 12:24 PM

FILE -The Beatles, foreground from left, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr on drums perform on the CBS "Ed Sullivan Show" in New York on Feb. 9, 1964. Sixty years after the onset of Beatlemania and with two of the quartet now dead, artificial intelligence has enabled the release of a 鈥渘ew鈥 Beatles song.鈥淣ow And Then,鈥 will be available Thursday, Nov. 2. (AP Photo/File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/File)
Despite the death of John Lennon more then 40 years ago, his voice can still be heard on a newly released Beatles song thanks to the help of AI.
The four-minute and eight-second track, “Now and Then,” is part of a collection of unreleased demos from the band. It is the first song the band has released off of the unreleased demos since the 1990s.
More stories: John Curley sets, survives his own ‘death date,’ reflects on Dori Monson’s life
On The John Curley and Shari Elliker Show, host John Curley talked to his friend and “Forever Beatles Freak” Mike West about the new song, and frankly, he is a fan.
“I love it. I mean, the demo was actually released in bootleg fashion many years ago,” West said. “So many Beatle freaks have heard it illegally, but the technology that was used to separate John’s voice from the piano, it’s just breathtaking. It’s just amazing.”
The song was written by the band in the 70s and given to Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono. The demo was also used to construct the songs 鈥淔ree As a Bird鈥 and 鈥淩eal Love,鈥 but due to technical problems, “Now and Then” couldn’t be completed. Now all that has changed with the introduction of AI in the mix.
Using AI, the last remaining bandmates, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, were able to rerecord their portion of the song and add the separate audio of Lennon’s vocals and George Harrisons’ guitar from a recording from the 90s.
When the song was first聽, McCartney described artificial intelligence technology as 鈥渒ind of scary but exciting,鈥 adding: 鈥淲e will just have to see where that leads.鈥
鈥淭he rumors were that we just made it up,鈥 Ringo Starr told聽聽of Lennon鈥檚 contributions to the forthcoming track in September. 鈥淟ike we would do that anyway.鈥
While some might be skeptical about the new technology bringing back decades-old music, West said that he was excited to have a bright spot in his day with the music he loves, however he can get it.
“Everyone’s a critic, and I’ve talked to some of my friends who are old, and their curmudgeonly complaining about the new technologies. Man, I mean, I’ll take anything at this point,” West said. “With all the crap going on in the world, and we get a new Beatle song today. I mean, that’s a beautiful thing.”
You can listen to the new song “Now and Then” below:

Listen to John Curley and Shari Elliker weekday afternoons from 3 鈥 7 p.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the聽podcast here.
John Curley

Video: Columbia Student EXPELLED For CreatingControversial AI Tool!
21-year-old Roy Lee was kicked out of Columbia University for writing AI software allowing him to cheat in school… He took that as an opportunity to launch a start-up called “Cluely” that raised $5.3 million in less than 24 hours. He joined the John Curley Show to talk about his incredible software and share his […]
2 hours ago

Video: John Curley Called a “Know Nothing Schmuck” on X
Someone on X called John a “know nothing schmuck”…. So, naturally, John invited him to come on the air and discuss the topic on which they apparently disagreed… Student Loans… As it turns out, they agree on much more than either of them thought! Alan Collinge from StudentLoanJustice.org joins The John Curley Show. Listen to […]
6 hours ago

Video: Getting High for the Safety of the People
John officially asks management if he can take a day off of work to get stoned at the request of the Seattle Police Department. Listen to The John Curley Show every weekday at 3pm on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM. Listen to 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM, or visit MyNorthwest.com to learn more!
6 hours ago

The council ‘failed to listen’: Hundreds of community members push back against DEI in Ellensburg
The community of Ellensburg is pushing to eliminate DEI funding from their city's comp plan, overflowing a city council meeting with public comments.
7 hours ago

Video: Jeremie Dufault on Ban, Ferguson & WA鈥檚 Future
State Rep Jeremie Dufault joined the John Curley Show to talk about being banned from the house floor last week, his optimism in Bob Ferguson as the Governor and why he still has hope for the future of the state of Washington. Listen to The John Curley Show every weekday at 3pm on 成人X站 Newsradio […]
1 day ago

‘They’ve been lying, and nobody calls them on it’: Republican Rep. removed from House floor after Parents’ Bill of Rights outburst
The House of Representatives barred Republican lawmaker Jeremie Dufault from the floor for the rest of the legislative session following an outburst Thursday
1 day ago
Sponsored Articles

Stay powered through storms: The benefits of battery backup systems for PNW homes
Home Comfort Alliance goes beyond simply installing a system鈥攊t provides long-term peace of mind.

State Roofing and Exteriors unveils rebrand, expands presence with new offices in Western WA
Discover how State Roofing and Exteriors is expanding with new offices in Western Washington, enhancing service for homeowners.

Struggling to afford Medicare? You could save up to $185 a month
Struggling with Medicare expenses? Discover programs that can help you save significantly each month on premiums.

Navigating the transition: 5 ways to know if it鈥檚 time for senior living
Deciding when it's time for senior living can be challenging. However, a senior living community can be a positive step toward ensuring safety, health and happiness.

Fighting hunger together: Safeway’s, Albertsons’ Nourishing Neighbors program tackles food insecurity
Safeway and Albertson鈥檚 launched the Nourishing Neighbors program to ensure everyone has access to nourishing food every day.

MOPOP debuts newest exhibition ‘Asian Comics: Evolution of an Art Form’
The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), located in Seattle, steps into the realm of folklore and fantasy with its upcoming exhibition, "Asian Comics: Evolution of an Art Form."