It has often been the case that year - or even decades - after a band has split, unfinished or unreleased material will materialise.
The idea of a new Beatles song, however, is sure to get fans excited.
The song was teased recently by Paul McCartney, who was scant on the details but said that he has used AI technology to 'extricate' John Lennon's vocals from a demo track, and complete an old song with all members of the Fab Four on it.
The song is believed to be 'Now and Then', a song written by Lennon in 1970 and recorded (but unfinished) by him in 1979. The song was originally touted for inclusion on their 1995 project 'The Beatles Anthology', alongside other previously-unreleased songs 'Free as a Bird' and 'Real Love' - but it never saw the light of day.
Fans have had a mixed reaction to McCartney's news - particularly the role that AI plays in the song's creation - but now Ringo Starr has revealed further details of the track.
"It’s not down to AI," he told Variety. "It’s not like we’re pretending anything. That is actually John’s voice, Paul’s voice and bass playing, George on rhythm guitar and me on drums."
He added: "The two things that are new are Paul’s bass and me on drums… I really worked at it just months ago here. And it works. It’s a beautiful song. You know, for all the madness going on around it, it’s still a beautiful track. And our last track."
He joked how McCartney "must've had a slow day" to want to revisit the track after all this time, adding how he approached Starr, asking if he wanted to work on it. Starr re-recorded drums and backing vocals for it. |It is moving," he said, "because the four of us are there, and there won’t be ever again."
The song will see the light of day later this year, according to McCartney.
