In 1972 after The Beatles had broken up John Lennon asked Paul McCartney if he would do a benefit show with Wings, The Stones and Plastic Ono Band.
The new box set edition of Lennon’s ‘Mind Games’ includes the correspondence from John Lennon to Paul McCartney requesting a benefit gig at Madison Square Garden.
“Right on brother and sister! Now what do we do with “The Luck of the Irish” and ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday”? Would you do a Madison Square Garden with Wings, Plastic Ono and Stones? We’ve already talked to Mick. Also in three weeks actually go to Ireland (again possibly with Stones). Lets forget our past and save some people. Good luck anyway, we’re proud of you”.
It was signed ‘Sonny and Cher O’Lennon’.
The event never happened but imagine if it did. John’s current album at the time was ‘Imagine’ with ‘Sometime In New York City’ coming four months later. He also had 1970’s ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ album to source from.
McCartney had three solo albums at the time. ‘McCartney’ (1970), ‘Ram’(1971) and Wild Life’ (1971). ‘Band on the Run’ was still 22 months away at the time.
The Stones were at the peak of their creativity. This would have come off the back of ‘Beggars Banquet’ (1968), ‘Let It Bleed’ (1969) and ‘Sticky Fingers’ (1971) and just a few months before the release of ‘Exile on Main Street’ which was a week or two away from completion when Lennon wrote to McCartney on 7 February, 1972.
At the time Wings had never performed live. Their first show was two days later on 9 February, 1972. McCartney previously performed live with The Beatles at the Apple Rooftop Concert on 30 January 1969 but had not toured with The Beatles since August 29, 1966.
The Stones were inbetween tours at the time so it could have happened for them. They had completed the shows for ‘Sticky Fingers’ in London on March 1971 and would begin touring ‘Exile On Main Street’ in Canada on 3 June 1972.
Nothing came from the request. Lennon and The Stones previously performed together for The Stones ‘Rock and Roll Circus’. John called his band for that The Dirty Mac and Keith Richards was his bass player, Eric Clapton his guitarist and Mitch Mitchell of Jimi Hendrix Experience his drummer for those shows on 11 and 12 December 1968.
John’s idea for the benefit obviously was sparked by George Harrison’s Concert for Bangla Desh on 1 August 1971 at Madison Square Garden. Ringo Starr performed with George on those two shows but John and Paul did not attend.
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