In December 1968, John Lennon assembled a one-off supergroup for a special occasion—the band was dubbed The Dirty Mac. The lineup was a rock fan’s dream: Eric Clapton handled lead guitar, Keith Richards picked up the bass, Mitch Mitchell from The Jimi Hendrix Experience took the drums, and Lennon himself led on vocals and rhythm guitar.
Their performance of “Yer Blues,” originally from The Beatles’ White Album, took place during the filming of The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, a televised music event. It was a landmark moment—it marked Lennon’s first live appearance without The Beatles since their final tour in 1966. The Stones also delivered a set of six tracks to a live London crowd during the same event.
Since its re-release on YouTube in 2019, the performance has drawn nearly 12 million views, with fans hailing it as iconic. One commenter captured the magic:
“This is pure rock/blues gold. Each musician brought their A-game—Mitch Mitchell was phenomenal, Keith’s bass was tight, Eric’s guitar work was classic Clapton, and John’s presence? Unmatched. His emotion, voice, and rhythm guitar tied it all together. You could tell he was loving every second of it.”
For many viewers, especially those who experienced the era firsthand, this performance remains timeless—an electrifying collaboration that still stirs emotion and nostalgia decades later.
