Why James Taylor Thought He Was a “Bad Influence” on The Beatles Near the End of Their Career

For those of you who don’t know, James Taylor‘s first record deal was with Apple Records, the record label The Beatles founded in 1968. That same year, The Beatles signed Taylor to the label, making him the first non-British artist on their roster. Subsequently, Taylor would go on to release his debut self-titled album, which actually features George Harrison and Paul McCartney, as they provided uncredited backing vocals for the song “Carolina In My Mind”.

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Regarding their relationship and how they ran into one another daily at Abbey Road Studio, Harrison told The Guardian, “We intersected in the studio a lot.” “They were leaving as I was coming in. I often came in early and would sit in the control room and listen to them recording – and hear playbacks of what they had just cut,” he added.

Of course, Taylor’s personal introduction to The Beatles came at a rather precarious time, as The Beatles’ demise began following the death of Brian Epstein in 1967. “It was a slow unraveling, but it was also an extremely creative unravelling,” added James Taylor. While James Taylor certainly did not contribute to The Beatles’ demise, he did say he contributed to another detrimental facet of the Fab Four: John Lennon’s drug use.

James Taylor Would Give John Lennon Opiates

In the late 1960s, James Taylor struggled with severe opioid and h—n addiction. As a result of this addiction, he went to rehab after being released from his Apple contract. Taylor partook in six months of rehab and later released “Fire And Rain” as a result of the experience his addiction gave him. Before acknowledging his addiction, before going to rehab, and before “Fire And Rain”, Taylor admitted that he wasn’t good for The Beatles, particularly John Lennon.

Concerning why he wasn’t good for Lennon, he stated, “Well, I was a bad influence to be around the Beatles at that time, too.” Answer the “why” behind that statement, Taylor simply replied, “Because I gave John opiates.” Taylor didn’t claim to introduce Lennon to opiates, as he simply said, “I don’t know”.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Lennon stated, “We sniffed a little when we were in real pain” and insisted that neither he nor Yoko “never injected anything”. While it is clear that Taylor and Lennon both used the substance, what isn’t clear is how Lennon got introduced. Regardless, does it really matter? Both these men were able to shake the habit, and isn’t that what really matters?

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