Now, let's say the Beatles hadn't broken up. Their next album.

Couple of years back I had this idea of starting a new blog. A blog dedicated to a counter history in which instead of breaking up the Beatles had taken some time out and decided to keep it going, producing themselves with guest help.

I figured it was possible to get at least another 10 Beatles albums by cobbling together the '70s solo work. I was going to design artwork and everything.

Bonkers.

I just found an iTunes playlist for a suggested line-up. I'm not an enormous Beatles fan, but it's quite fun to listen to these songs. They're like Beatles songs, but not so overfamiliar you can't hear them anymore. This is the order I put them in back then. I'm not going to go through and edit again. You may disagree with these - I may too.

OK, here we go, the Beatles' next album: NEWSAGENT BACON?. I think it's at least as good as half of their other albums, and a nice way of getting the pleasure of listening to the Beatles without the crushing cultural weight of THE BEATLES.

SIDE A:

1. WHAT IS LIFE

George was only going to rejoin if he had a bigger influence in the band. So they let him kick it all off.

2. EVERY NIGHT

Paul had been taking it easy in a farm. Mood change! Pretty, inconsequential. McCartney!

3. REMEMBER

And here's Lennon. This isn't a brilliant song, but then again, there was always a load of filler on Beatles' albums (Doctor Robert, Run for Your Life, about a third of the White Album).

4. TEDDY BOY

Macca again. Frankly, Macca's are all a bit throwaway, but lovely in their way.

5. HOLD ON

Sounds a bit like a Paul song. Is John. Potential single. John needs one, hard to see where else it's going to come from.

6. BEAUCOUPS OF BLUES

You have to stick Ringo somewhere. May as well be here. Not actually terrible. For Ringo.

7. MY SWEET LORD (SINGLE)

And a big single from George to finish the side.

SIDE B:

1. MAYBE I'M AMAZED (SINGLE)

Paul kicks off Side B with their biggest single in years. Consider this the demo for a full Beatles production.

2. LOVE

Brings it down a bit. This might be a B-Side.

3. JUNK

4. ISOLATION

Paul and John taking it in turns at the moment.

5. WAH WAH

George brings the energy up! He was allowed 3 songs. This is his third. Not as good as the other two.

6. MAN WE WAS LONELY

Self-referential Beatles talk from Paul. They always need one of these.

7. MOTHER

Lennon insisted this be first or last on the album. The others decided last was best. More easily skippable.

Now, wasn't that fun? Might do this again.

UPDATE:

OK, here's the backstory. After Let It Be is released the Beatles are on the verge of breaking up. Peace was brokered over 10 days of air-clearing in the Welsh Black Mountains. This summit goes down in Beatles history as "the Erics", brokered as it was by Erics Clapton and Idle. Yoko is accepted, George's contribution publicly acknowledged and Ringo… carries on as before. Paul and John decide to make stripped back low-key statements and ride on the back of George's stuff for one album, at least. They make a break with the '60s by deciding to move on from George Martin's production. From now on their albums will have several producers, all under the guiding hand of "The Beatles".