The Rest Is History: The Beatles – The British Invasion, with Conan O’Brien (Part 2)

Release Date: December 10, 2025
Hosts: Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook
Guest Host: Conan O’Brien (substituting for Dominic in places)
Location: Abbey Road Studios

Episode Overview

This episode continues the exploration of The Beatles’ extraordinary musical journey and cultural influence, tracing their evolution from the "Jesus" controversy through their studio era, personal and creative upheavals, and their iconic final years together. With Conan O’Brien joining Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, the conversation is lively, nostalgic, and peppered with personal anecdotes, reflections, and poignant musical moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Beginning of the Studio Era

• "Revolver" and Touring Tensions
  • [03:34] Following Lennon’s controversial comment about Jesus, the Beatles find themselves embroiled in religious outrage as they're about to tour the US.
  • [04:35] Revolver marks a shift: “The Beatles are now recording music that would be very difficult to perform live.” – Dominic Sandbrook
  • Increased frustration with live shows: fans’ screaming drowns out the music, pushing band toward being studio artists.
  • Conan O’Brien recites lyrics from “Tomorrow Never Knows” to underscore the musical experimentation.

2. The World Tour & International Controversies

• Japan and the Philippines

  • [06:12] The Beatles’ tour includes a fraught incident in the Philippines after accidentally snubbing Imelda Marcos and being threatened:
    “They just wanted to use the loo and then take a lift. ... They said, no, we're not gonna do that. ... And then they were hated throughout the Philippines.” – Dominic Sandbrook
  • Trauma leads to a vow never to return.

• The "More Popular Than Jesus" Fallout, America 1966

  • [07:58] Outrage leads to record burnings; “The Ku Klux Klan are getting in on the act. And it's a pretty menacing environment, isn't it?” – Tom Holland
  • Lennon’s traumatized response in press conferences, ultimately giving a “non apology apology.”
  • [09:00] Notable quote (John Lennon): “I'm not saying that we're bad, better or greater, or comparing us with Jesus Christ as a person or God as a thing or whatever it is. ... I just said what I said and it was wrong or was taken wrong, and now it's all this.”
  • After the tour, the Beatles decide to stop touring and focus on studio work.

3. The Beatles as Studio Innovators, Cultural Shifts

• The Summer of Love, "Strawberry Fields Forever"/"Penny Lane", and Sgt. Pepper
  • [10:39] Conan O’Brien performs “Penny Lane,” emphasizing nostalgia, memory, and Liverpool roots.
  • “It's one of the reasons they stop touring. ... The technology was terrible. ... There's no communicating with an audience that size.” – Dominic Sandbrook
  • The 1967 release of “Strawberry Fields Forever”/“Penny Lane” as a double A-side, hailed as their “greatest single”—but it’s kept off #1 by Engelbert Humperdinck.
  • Sgt. Pepper emerges as an emblem of the counterculture: “To own that album is to own a piece of art.” – Dominic Sandbrook

4. Psychedelia & Experimentation

• Drugs, Creativity, and Musical Exploration

  • Discussion of LSD’s role: “This is the time when the Beatles, even Paul... starts taking LSD.” – Tom Holland ([17:52])
  • Conan quips about their “innocent” experimentation, underscoring generational misunderstandings of drug use.
  • Counterpoint: Despite psychedelia, the Beatles remain anchored in musical discipline, which provides their ballast.

• Art and Absurdity

  • “Many artists get lost in the 60s... The Beatles survive it really well because they're rooted in this discipline.” – Dominic Sandbrook ([20:22])

5. Encounters With Eastern Spirituality and Managerial Upheaval

• The Maharishi and Brian Epstein’s Death
  • George Harrison’s search for enlightenment leads the band to the Maharishi; symbolic moments and Cynthia Lennon missing the train.
  • [23:00] They learn of Brian Epstein’s death in Bangor. The group is visibly shaken.
  • [23:17] Notable quote (John Lennon, visibly traumatized): “Well, I don't know what to say, you know, we've only just heard and it's hard to think of things to say, but he was just abusable and fella, you know, and it's terrible.”

6. Fragmentation, Experimentation & "The White Album"

• Fraying Ties and New Artistic Directions
  • Without Epstein, Paul tries to step into a managerial role, proposing Magical Mystery Tour—”a complete disaster” but fun in places.
  • Beatles’ visit to India and the ashram at Rishikesh: acoustic sessions yield much of The White Album.
  • The “Sexy Sadie” controversy—a song originally directed at the Maharishi—mirrors the group’s skepticism and distance.
  • Debates about double album excess: “It's the bloody Beatles White Album. Shut up.” – Paul McCartney (paraphrased by Dominic, [34:24])

7. Personal Lives & the End in Sight

• Yoko Ono’s Influence, Arrests, and "Hey Jude"
  • John’s deepening relationship with Yoko: “This is what ended up breaking up the Beatles. But I think that's not true.” – Dominic Sandbrook
  • Humorous anecdotes of Conan and Tom each having been “in a bag” with Yoko Ono.
  • Increased police scrutiny, as Beatles lose “untouchable” status.
  • Paul’s relationship with Cynthia Lennon and Julian inspires "Hey Jude":
    • [38:30] Conan sings portions of “Hey Jude.”
    • “It breaks all these rules. No track has been that long.” – Dominic Sandbrook

8. The "Get Back" Sessions and the End

• Let It Be, Abbey Road, and the Rooftop Concert

  • Highlights from Peter Jackson's Get Back documentary, including spontaneous creativity (“Get Back” being composed), camaraderie, and everyday details—toast and tea, not drugs.
  • [42:40] The iconic rooftop concert:
    “All of London gathers on the streets below. And then the police come and stop the fun.” – Tom Holland
  • Band’s misadventures with the Apple enterprise and naive optimism about the business world: “It all seems kind of fun now, but I think they're pretty miserable.” – Dominic Sandbrook

• Money Troubles and Fading Bonds

  • Paul wants Linda’s father to handle finances; others prefer Alan Klein—a split that mirrors deeper fissures.
  • “What made the Beatles great were hurdles and obstacles or added to their greatness. So there's a lot of naivete at this point.” – Dominic Sandbrook

9. Last Glories & Legacy

• Abbey Road: A Triumphant Farewell

  • Despite “Let It Be” releasing last, Abbey Road is the final album they create together, ending on a “perfect note.”
  • [50:36] Musical highlight: “You Never Give Me Your Money/Carry That Weight” as emblematic of the band’s triumph over discord.
  • [51:02] Conan’s personal story seeing Paul McCartney perform at SNL’s 50th, echoing Abbey Road’s closing medley.

• The 1960s Encapsulated & Future Immortality

  • They discuss the perfect timing of The Beatles’ breakup as cementing their status as 60s icons.
  • “In history books, 500 years from now… if there's a section on the 60s and there are only three photographs, one of them is gonna be of the Beatles.” – Dominic Sandbrook ([53:32])
  • Will the Beatles be listened to in 500 years? “Yeah, I do… unless we're destroyed in a nuclear holocaust… or alien invasion.” – Dominic & Tom, playfully ([53:46-53:57])
  • Conan, affectionately: “Rest Is History is my favorite podcast… to talk about my favorite band and obsession, that’s a trip I had to make.” ([54:46])

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Revolver & Studio Innovation

  • "We just became like lip syncing, you know, miming." – Dominic Sandbrook [06:08]

• On Lennon’s Apology:

  • "I just said what I said and it was wrong or was taken wrong, and now it's all this." – John Lennon (via Conan) [09:02]

• On the Cultural Divide of the 60s:

  • “A real kind of cultural divide starting to widen… the Beatles provide the soundtrack for that.” – Tom Holland [09:18]

• On The Beatles’ Resilience:

  • “They always have that ballast of there’s work to be done and it needs to be good.” – Dominic Sandbrook [20:22]

• On Brian Epstein’s Death:

  • “Well, I don't know what to say, you know, we've only just heard and it's hard to think of things to say, but he was just abusable and fella, you know, and it's terrible.” – John Lennon (archive clip, via Conan) [23:17]

• On the White Album:

  • “It's the bloody Beatles White Album. Shut up.” – Paraphrased from Paul McCartney by Tom Holland [34:24]

• On Get Back:

  • “Basically, the greatest thing is seeing these guys together and they’re still making each other laugh. … You get glimpses of the process.” – Dominic Sandbrook [40:32]

• On Abbey Road’s Magic:

  • “That for me, is the moment in Abbey Road that … it's an album that is taking wing after you thought that the feathers were tarred forever.” – Tom Holland [50:45]

• On the Beatles’ Timelessness:

  • “In history books, 500 years from now there’ll be … If there’s a section on the 60s and there are only three photographs, one of them is gonna be of the Beatles.” – Dominic Sandbrook [53:32]

Memorable & Humorous Moments

• Conan and Tom’s competitive “in a bag with Yoko Ono” stories [35:38]
• The playful jab at Dominic missing out due to his lack of Beatles enthusiasm [55:18]
• Toast and tea, not drugs, fueling the “biggest band in the world” [41:33]

Suggested Listening Segments

• 03:34–09:18: Revolver, U.S. tour fallout, end of touring, and transition to the studio era
• 10:39–15:37: “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “Penny Lane”, Sgt. Pepper, and 60s cultural shifts
• 23:00–24:33: Reaction to Brian Epstein’s death – real, raw emotion
• 38:07–39:11: The story and performance of “Hey Jude”
• 42:08–44:03: The rooftop concert – Beatles’ legendary final performance
• 49:05–51:41: Abbey Road, the medley, and perfect closure

Final Reflection

The episode paints a vivid portrait of the Beatles as both musicians and cultural phenomena—restless innovators, unlucky in peace but lucky in legend, and forever emblematic of the 1960s. With balance, humor, and depth, Tom, Dominic, and Conan guide listeners through iconic albums, deep friendships, shattering losses, and creative heights, ending with a celebration of a band whose timing, talent, and legacy remain second to none.