Beatles News Roundup

Peter Jackson's eagerly awaited new film culled from outtakes from the Beatles' January 1969 Let It Be movie, titled The Beatles: Get Back, has been pushed back nearly a full calendar year. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the doc, which was set to hit theaters on September 4th via Walt Disney Studios, has now been rescheduled to open on August 27th, 2021. (The Wrap)
Paul McCartney's archival collection version of his 1997 Flaming Pie album will be available on July 31st in a four-LP / five-CD / two-DVD “Collector’s Edition,” strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies. The “Collector's Edition” includes the original album remastered at Abbey Road Studios, 32 bonus audio tracks — including unheard home recordings and demos — alternative studio recordings, rough mixes, and much more.
Flaming Pie is also available on a seven-disc — five-CD/two DVD — “Deluxe Edition Box Set,” a three-LP set which includes the remastered album cut at half speed plus a single 180-g LP of unreleased home recordings, double-LP and two-CD. The release will also be available on digital/streaming platforms. (Press release)
A legal battle is brewing between the estate of the Beatles' late-engineer Geoff Emerick and the band's label, Universal/Capitol Records. It seems, while Emerick was employed by the EMI-owned Abbey Road Studios, he was told to destroy the tape of the band's first session for the label, which was taped on June 6th, 1962 and featured original drummer Pete Best. Among the songs featured on the tape are “Love Me Do,” “P.S. I Love You,” “Besame Mucho,” and “Ask Me Why.” Only two of those songs — “Love Me Do” and “Besame Mucho” survived — and were plucked from acetates for inclusion on 1995's The Beatles Anthology 1 collection.
According to the questionable report, the label ordered Emerick to dispose of the tape due to it having been “deemed to not be of good enough quality.” Emerick, who died in 2018 at age 72, is said to have instead kept the tape — still in its original box — and housed it in a safe in Los Angeles.
The Daily Mail posted that “Emerick's family . . . (are) reportedly arguing they are entitled to the recording under Finders Law. Universal, meanwhile, allegedly claim the law does not count in this case as Emerick was told he should destroy the recording by EMI. The session tape is estimated to be worth over $6 million. (The Daily Mail)
Paul McCartney and wife Nancy Shevell were photographed walking in the exclusive New York enclave of East Hampton, where the couple summers. The couple was taking no chances, wearing both face masks and gloves. (The Daily Mail)