Difficult Listening 6 - The Masked Marauders

"They began months ago, the rumours of an event that at first seemed hardly believable but which in the end was accepted as all but inevitable… The unmistakable vocals make it clear that this is indeed what it appears to be: John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, and Bob Dylan, backed by George Harrison and a drummer as yet unnamed – the 'Masked Marauders'… All the hassles of creating a special label, of re-arranging schedules, chartering plane, and minimizing the inevitable 'ego conflicts' were worth it. It can truly be said that this album is more than a way of life; it is life." By T.M. Christian, October 18, 1969

This is an excerpt from the original record review (by then Rolling Stone Magazine editor Greil Marcus using the pseudonym T.M. Christian) that began a pre-internet analog equivalent of a viral video. 1969 was the rock & roll Year of the Supergroup and the public totally overlooked the preposterousness in their willingness to believe. This was the supergroup of our dreams.

Rolling Stone was inundated with queries about the availability of this album. Seems none of the local record stores could locate it, so Rolling Stone decided to extend the hoax. They secretly recorded the "sessions" (actually performed by San Francisco area Cleanliness & Godliness Skiffle Band) and "leaked" a couple tracks to a couple radio stations. Meanwhile, Warner Brothers/Reprise Records got involved, created the Deity Label specifically (and only) for the album's release.

The initial release was a huge sales success but everyone realized in about four notes that this was not some dream session by our rock idols. Now, it's getting close to fifty years since this album was released and it is still raunchy, low-tech fun with little further commercial potential.