 Complete the following phrase:  During a 1968 press conference, the Beatles were asked what their favorite American group was and answered Nilsson. Sometimes called the American Beatle, he soon formed close friendships with John Lennon and Ringo Starr. In the 1970s, Nilsson, Lennon and Starr were members of the Hollywood Vampires drinking club, embroiling themselves in a number of widely publicized, alcohol-fueled incidents. They produced one collaborative album, Pussy Cats 1974. After 1977, Nilsson left RCA, and his record output diminished. In response to 