"DiRTY MAC" The most ephemeral band in rock history

The "Rock & Roll Rolling Stones Circus" was a musical show organized by the Rolling Stones in 1968, which featured artists such as The Who, Jethro Tull, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull and an unknown group called Dirty Mac. The event was taped for a television special, but was not broadcast until 1996 due to legal and quality issues. The show was a mix of rock, blues, pop and psychedelia, with a circus atmosphere and a wide variety of styles. The "Rock & Roll Rolling Stones Circus" was a showcase of the creativity and talent of the musicians of the time, and a historical document of the rock culture of the 1960s.

Did you know that "Dirty Mac" was formed by John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell?  Well, yes, these four musical geniuses got together to play the Stone´s show. It was the first and only time they did so, and they left us with a historic performance.

"Dirty Mac" played a cover of "Yer Blues," a Beatles song that Lennon composed for the White Album. The band's name was a joke by Lennon, who was inspired by the name of another band of the time, "Fleetwood Mac." The result was an explosive mixture of rock, blues and psychedelia, with musicians who blended perfectly.

Lennon was in the middle of the process of splitting up the Beatles, and felt very comfortable playing with his friends. Clapton was one of the best guitarists in the world, and had just come from his success with Cream. Richards was the occasional bass player, as his usual instrument was the guitar. And Mitchell was the drummer of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, one of the most innovative bands of the time. They also had the "collaboration" of Yoko Ono, Lennon's partner, who joined in at the end of the track to make some experimental sounds.

"Yer Blues" was a smash hit, and became a rock classic. The song reflected Lennon's mood, who was lonely and depressed. The lyrics read:

Yes, I'm lonely, wanna die / Yes, I'm lonely, wanna die
If I ain't dead already, whoo! / Girl, you know the reason why
Link to see the full lyrics

"Dirty Mac" was a unique experiment, an ephemeral project, a gift to rock fans, and a showcase of the talent and chemistry of these four musicians. If you like music, don't miss this piece of history that will make you vibrate.

If you have any questions or opinions about this topic, write in the comments. 

What do you think of Yoko Ono's collaboration?

References

Wikipedia
Song Facts
Discogs

September 20 , 2023