The Dirty Mac


The Dirty Mac was a name given by John Lennon to a one-time performance with Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell in December 1968. They played the Lennon Beatles composition "Yer Blues" for the Rolling Stones' TV special titled The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, which was not released until October 1996. Lennon and Clapton later recorded the first Plastic Ono Band album, Live Peace in Toronto 1969, which also included "Yer Blues".

Overview

Recorded on 11–12 December 1968, this TV show was the first time since the formation of the Beatles that Lennon—who was still in the group—had performed in public without them, and the first time he had performed live since the Beatles' last tour ended in August 1966. Before the performance, Lennon was filmed briefly chatting with Mick Jagger while eating a bowl of noodles. He listed the other members of the Dirty Mac by their proper names but introduced himself as "Winston Leg-Thigh".
The Dirty Mac recorded a rendition of the Lennon-penned Beatles track "Yer Blues" and then went on to back up Yoko Ono and violinist Ivry Gitlis on a track called "Whole Lotta Yoko". The name, thought of by Lennon, was a play on "Fleetwood Mac" who at that time were a very popular band in the United Kingdom. When asked what type of guitar amp Lennon would like to use for the performance his answer was "One that plays".
In 1996, the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus album of the event was issued, concurrently with the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus home video. The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus DVD edition followed in October 2004. Fifteen years later, a limited U.S. remastered theatrical release of the film run during the first week of April 2019 in conjunction with what was—still then—the ongoing North American leg of the Rolling Stones' No Filter Tour. A remaster reissue box set followed on 7 June 2019.

Members

;Additional musicians