New AI Beatles single 'Now and Then' set for release
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00:00 53 years after splitting up, they're back.
00:04 It's a reunion few could have imagined since only two are still alive.
00:08 But the Beatles are releasing a new single featuring all four band members thanks to
00:11 artificial intelligence.
00:13 It's the last song that my dad and Paul and George and Ringo will get to make together.
00:19 Now and Then was written and sung by John Lennon in the late 1970s.
00:23 24 years later, his widow, Yoko Ono, gave the demo to Paul McCartney.
00:28 But back then it was impossible to separate Lennon's vocals and piano to work alongside
00:32 new recorded parts.
00:34 Last year, AI made that possible.
00:36 Paul called me up and said he'd like to work on Now and Then.
00:39 He put the bass on, I put the drums on.
00:43 In the city of Liverpool where it all began, fans are eager to hear the result.
00:47 I can't wait to hear the song.
00:49 I hope it's done tastefully.
00:50 I hope it is bringing about something that they have created together, collaboratively
00:56 and the technology just makes it happen.
00:58 But the use of AI has left some people a little sceptical.
01:02 I like the item to be the original item and I know it's all about picking John's voice
01:09 out and putting it into this, what's going to be the last Beatles song.
01:14 And I suppose it's wonderful for the fans.
01:17 But I don't know, I've got a conflict, I still haven't made my mind up about it.
01:23 I'm very conflicted with regards to that.
01:26 But I'm sure it's going to sound wonderful.
01:29 It was in this room that the Beatles performed for the very first time.
01:32 The venue and the city itself attracts fans from around the world.
01:37 The physical release of Now and Then also comes ahead of new editions of the Beatles
01:41 Red album and Blue album, expanded to cover their entire singles discography.