C’mon lads, play it once more. Christmas is coming early for fans of the Beatles as unreleased demos and never-before-seen footage will be uncovered this fall.
Adding to the group’s famed Anthology series, which already has three albums of “new”, unheard and rare material, is Volume 4. There’s plenty to keep you busy.
The classic music documentary series is being remastered by Peter Jackson’s production company and will stream on Disney+, beginning November 26. Jackson’s Wingnut Films and Park Road Post teams previously worked on the eight-hour docuseries The Beatles: Get Back, which used remastered footage originally filmed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg for his 1970 film Let It Be.
Besides the digitally enhanced versions of the original eight episodes, a ninth episode is being added, containing unseen footage of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr coming together before the release of the original series, which was first broadcast by ITV in 1995.
On the music side, there is a new Anthology 4 album, out November 21. And The Beatles Anthology book will get a 25th anniversary edition, out October 14.
Here are more details: The new volume of the band’s Anthology collection of recordings will contain 13 previously unreleased outtakes and demos. There will also be new mixes of Free As A Bird and Real Love. Needless to say, the release will accompany remastered versions of the first three Anthology albums as well.
In the original documentary series, the Fab Four — John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr — are followed from childhood through the 1960s, their rise to fame, and their breakup in 1970.
In 1994-95, Paul, George, and Ringo came together a few times to record new parts written for unfinished songs that John had composed and for which he had recorded home demo tapes.
Jeff Lynne of both the Electric Light Orchestra and George’s late-1980s supergroup with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty, the Traveling Wilburys, worked on the tapes and prepared them for the ‘Threetles’ overdubs that we hear on Free as a Bird and Real Love. Both songs became hits, supported by music videos.
The Beatles Anthology was a documentary that’s immensely enjoyable. The series contains outtakes and live performances of value for music historians. Of course, the loss of Lennon (who was killed in 1980) hovered over the project.
Free as a Bird was recorded in February 1994, mostly at McCartney’s home studio in Sussex. It is a celebration of home life inspired by Lennon’s winning legal US residency in the mid-’70s following government efforts to deport him on a marijuana possession charge.
Real Love was recorded several times at home by Lennon in the late ’70s. One version was technically enhanced and released by Ono on the Imagine: John Lennon documentary soundtrack.
The remastered series coincides with the 30th anniversary of the original Anthology series.
Here’s what you can purchase
The 12-LP set includes the three Anthology albums from the mid-1990s, remastered in 2025 by Giles Martin, plus a new compilation, Anthology 4. Containing 191 tracks, the collection’s studio outtakes, live performances, broadcasts and demos reveal the musical development of The Beatles from 1958 to the final single Now And Then.
Anthology 4 features 13 previously unreleased tracks and 17 songs selected from Super Deluxe versions of five classic albums. In addition to fascinating outtakes dating from 1963 to 1969, the album includes new 2025 mixes by Jeff Lynne of Free As A Bird and Real Love. Also, Anthology 4 presents 26 tracks that have never previously been released on vinyl.
Pressed on 180g black vinyl, each LP album will be housed within a triple gatefold sleeve, featuring the original art, sleevenotes by Mark Lewisohn, and restored photos for Anthology 1-3; Anthology 4 has brand new sleevenotes written by Kevin Howlett alongside photos. The outer slipcase features the original Klaus Voorman triptych art, and a 3/4 O-Card image of the band with detailed track listing.
The Beatles Store exclusive format will contain 4 x 12-inch band photo art cards in a custom black, numbered envelope (8,500 total).