David Bowie often professed his love of the Beatles. In fact, he once counted John Lennon as a hero of his. “He was one of the major influences on my music life,” Bowie once said. “I just thought he was the very best of what could be done with rock ‘n’ roll, and also ideas.” Naturally, when Lennon came knocking, Bowie answered. What he didn’t realize was his visit came with a proposition. Read more about the night Bowie almost reunited the Beatles and joined their ranks, below.
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Remember the Night David Bowie Almost Reunited the Beatles?
As the story goes, Bowie was staying in New York when he got a knock on the door. He opened it up to see Lennon standing there with a surprise guest: Paul McCartney. This clandestine meeting happened in the years following the Beatles’ breakup and prior to the death of Lennon. Naturally, it was a bit of a shock to see this duo back together again.
“The two of them had been out on the town for the evening,” Bowie once recalled. “And John says, ‘You won’t believe who I’ve got here’ and I said, ‘Wow I thought you two had…’ and he said, ‘Oh no, all that’s going to change’.”
It seems the pair had decided to temper their qualms with one another for the night. They got so buddy-buddy that they even considered getting the band back together again–only this time with a new member.
“They actually asked me if I’d join the two of them and become a trio with them, and we’d change the name to something like David Bowie and The Beatles because they liked the idea of it being DBB,” Bowie added.
Unfortunately by morning light (and once the buzz had worn off) the trio couldn’t get this partnership off the ground. Fans were never gifted this supergroup or a reunion of two of the greatest songwriting minds of all time.
Nevertheless, Bowie did get to collaborate with Lennon. He and the former Beatle joined forces to write “Fame,” a song about the hazardous effects of the spotlight. Though it might not have been DBB, it was a welcomed consolation prize.
Revisit this track, below.
(Photo by Pat Pope/Shutterstock)
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