The Beatles

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Vlad_77
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The Beatles

Post by Vlad_77 »

I am too young to have grown up with them, but, I wanted to start a thread in appreciation of the profound impact these four working class guys from Liverpool continue to have on music today and I believe FAR into the future.

First off, this BBC documentary really nails why The Beatles (and Sir George Martin) are comparable to Bach, Beethoven, and the other great classical masters. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKK0bCSIR4E

I can think of no other band post 1950s that have had and continue to have such a deep impact on music across MANY genres. Musicians who have indicated that The Beatles were a primary influence are legion and I would never attempt to list them all, but even a short list by genre is pretty amazing:

Classic metal: Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy from Motorhead
Classic rock: The Who, Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, Styx, The Moody Blues, Yes, Pink Floyd
80's to today rock and alternative: Nirvana, Coldplay, Oasis, Twisted Sister, Soundgarden, SlipKnot, Dream Theater

Classical: YoYo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Leonard Bernstein

Folk/Bluegrass, etc.: Diana Krall, Ray Charles, Fiona Apple, Michael Hedges

Such a wild mix of artists!!

They wrote songs that truly have stood the test of time. Can anyone really say that songs like A Day in the Life are irrelevant or dated? The sonic experiments of Tomorrow Never Knows are still fresh enough that you'll hear their version still played in techno clubs to this day!

The Beatles played with almost every genre: Helter Skelter someone once commented was the insemination of heavy metal and Black Sabbath was the child born to it. I agree. Rocky Raccoon played with a number of genres. Hell, The Beatles have the distinction also of writing a cheerful song about a serial killer! (Maxwell's Silver Hammer).

Then there is Eleanor Rigby. McCartney could have written this very desolate song in a very slow down tempo. Instead, it has a menacing, driving tempo that artfully mixes staccato with slower overtones that defy convention even now. How many profoundly sad songs have dared try what they did with this classic?

To those who argue that The Beatles were just a boy band need to get out from under the rock they've been hiding under. Innovators to the extreme, this most legendary of all acts manages to fuse the avant garde with accessible music, music that is as classic as Mozart - who I firmly believed would have been a fan.

Imagine what they could have done with the equipment we have today! In ONE workstation, we have exponentially more power than what was available in Abbey Road studios at the time! Couple that with amazing songwriters and a great engineer in Sir George Martin and it's no wonder that this band stands above all others. Perhaps silly but when we hear the word, we think of the band, not the insect. :)

Oh and Stones fans? Longevity doesn't equal being the greatest, AND the Stones learn to write from The Beatles; I love that. :)

Thank you John, Paul, George, Ringo, and George for all the timeless music!!

Satisfaction guaranteed!!

Best,
Vlad
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SoundworldA.D.
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Re: The Beatles

Post by SoundworldA.D. »

Great job Vlad!

I did in fact grow up with them, being 7 years old on that fateful day in 1964 when we were glued to the TV set on a Sunday night for their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. We never knew what hit us! Some said it was because people were looking for something to ease the pain of losing a popular American President, the spectre of war, etc. But the fact was, and remains that it was their charm, wit and uncanny ability to write some of the most memorable songs, all while mired in that maelstrom known as "Beatlemania!"

We have to give great credit, first to the late Brian Epstein, who not only had the foresight to see that there was something more than meets the eye when he went down to see the lads at The Cavern for the first time in 1962. As their second manager (Allan Williams was the first), he pitched them to everyone within earshot, and was turned down more than once, the famous remark from the Decca Records A&R man being something like "groups with guitars are on their way out Mr. Epstein!" Right-O mate!

Secondly, to Sir George Martin, who liked what he heard on an audition enough to give the lads a recording contract. "Let me know if there's anything you don't like" he asked the boys. "First off, I don't like your tie" quipped George! And such was their unique ability to display such honesty and comic sarcasm. After he suggested speeding up the tempo of "Please Please Me", he told them "congratulations boys, you have just made your first number 1 record!" And so it was. And so was it to be for several more years.

What are the odds that these four lads from Liverpool, England would end up changing the face of popular music and culture for most of the 1960's? We have to consider ourselves lucky indeed to have had the chance to experience such classic music despite the odds.

I was for many years a Beatles record collector, and I have assembled quite a collection of bootlegs and other oddities like a 45 RPM record (Capitol 5407) of "Ticket to Ride" with the words From the United Artist Release "Eight Arms To Hold You" which was the working title of their movie "Help" imprinted on it. I was lucky enough to have been one of those who was in possession of one the Yesterday and Today "Butcher Covers" where Capitol just pasted the steamer trunk cover over the boys in their butcher garb with hunks of raw meat and decapitated baby dolls!

For those who don't know, The Beatles never released such albums as "Meet The Beatles, The Beatles Second Album, The Early Beatles, Beatles 65, or Yesterday and Today." Those were repackaged by Capitol Records using early 1962-1963 material from "Please Please Me" and extra songs that they had "butchered" off of all of the EMI releases which had two extra songs for the insatiable appetite of unsuspecting Americans who were quick to gooble up anything Beatles! Were The Beatles having a go at Capitol? Maybe so, but it gave collectors like me a "buried treasure!"

I always like to categorize their career as The Beatles in two distinct phases, the first being their 1962-1965 pop era up through and including Rubber Soul, and the latter being the sometimes eclectic and most electric 1966 through 1969 era with Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's, MMT, The Beatles, and their last recorded album Abbey Road, recorded in late 1969. Of course there is Let It Be as well, but that is a story in and of itself, the sessions occurring in early 1969 and the tapes being shelved until they were finally produced into an album for the public by the now infamous Phil Spector in 1970, just around the time that Sir Paul announced he was leaving the band.

I am also lucky enough to have a copy of the film Let It Be, and while it is rather sad to see a movie that shows the band basically in disintegration-mode by that time, the highlight has to be the "rooftop concert" where the boys assembled up to the roof of their Apple Corps building on that cold blustery London day for an impromptu show. Of course it was shut down by the bobbies for "disturbing the English peace", but not before they had had a chance to display their usual showmanship as a live band for one last time. And what a show it was too!

And so, it is good to see your tribute Vlad, for I was and will always remain a huge Beatles fan, and their music has stood the test of time for me. I can get the same joy today hearing "I Saw Her Standing There" (what a rocker!) or "Till There Was You" (George's "Django-esque" guitar solo just sends me!) as the first time I heard them.

Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream...

Yeah, that's the ticket!
Vlad_77
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Re: The Beatles

Post by Vlad_77 »

Just released:

http://www.aldimeola.com/

I hope he comes to Holland so I can hear him and get this CD that is a tribute to The Beatles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMvnlN_TUaM
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SoundworldA.D.
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Re: The Beatles

Post by SoundworldA.D. »

Exquisite! Return to tomorrow with Al D!

I already have about 10 Al D CD's so I might as well make it 11 based on the excellent vid's of Eleanor Rigby and Blackbird.

For now, time to go put on "Casino" and crank it up!
howardS
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Re: The Beatles

Post by howardS »

That is a great CD. There are a lot of great artists covering Beatles tunes. One of my current favourites is Tommy Emmanuel.
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SoundworldA.D.
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Re: The Beatles

Post by SoundworldA.D. »

February 1967 and EMI releases a “double A-side” single with Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever. These two tunes, the first from Paul McCartney and the latter from John Lennon were culled from the early Sgt. Pepper sessions for immediate release until the album could be finished.

The concept was to commemorate visions and memories of their youth in Liverpool with song, and the results were nothing short of fantastic. Paul’s upbeat, sunny, whimsical vision of the daily affairs on a typical Liverpool street, and John’s more somber, dark, and highly introspective vision named after the wooded environs at a local Salvation Army children’s home near Liverpool in Woolton.

The stories are rather well known to Beatle aficionado’s about Paul hearing a “pocket” trumpet and asking George Martin if they could incorporate that sound into his song, and John’s two recordings of SFF being in different keys and tempos and George Martin using some recording tricks to deftly combine them.

It is interesting to note that no matter how good these tunes were at the time, both singles failed to reach number 1 status, which immediately led to speculation that the Beatles were finally “losing their golden touch.” Sgt. Pepper’s put an end to that notion later that summer real quick!
howardS
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Re: The Beatles

Post by howardS »

losing their golden touch.
Ha ha ha ha.
Vlad_77
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Re: The Beatles

Post by Vlad_77 »

Actually,

Penny Lane did reach number one on the US Billboard Charts on March 18, 1967. It remained there for one week. Strawberry Fields reached number three.

What's amazing is that many of their most legendary songs didn't even chart significantly such as A Day in the Life, Tomorrow Never Knows, Rain, etc.

But yes, Sgt. Pepper smacked everyone. ;)
howardS
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Re: The Beatles

Post by howardS »

Vlad, there was no room. They had soooo many hits as it was. ;)
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SoundworldA.D.
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Re: The Beatles

Post by SoundworldA.D. »

Whoops! I forgot to distinguish that I was referring to the British charts.

Another tidbit...just before that, Capitol Records had managed to get hold of the "Revolver" tapes some four months earlier than did Parlophone in the UK. In true "Capitolism" fashion, they quickly excised three tunes, "And Your Bird Can Sing, Doctor Robert, and I'm Only Sleeping" which found their way onto the aforementioned "Yesterday and Today" album.

And so it wasn't until I became a record collector in the early 80's and got all of the EMI Parlophone records that I realized the true running order of all the early Beatles Albums from Please Please Me up through Revolver. There were even a couple of extra Capitol albums in my earlier post that I missed: "Beatles VI" and "Hey Jude."

One thing that Capitol did get right was to issue MMT as a full album instead of just a double EP. The addition of the extra songs of the period such as "Hello Goodbye", and the other two 1967 singles "All You Need is Love" / "Baby You're A Rich Man" and the "PL/SFF" duo was a real plus.

Alas, after the highpoint of early 1967, Brian Epstein's death in August signaled a somewhat "rudderless" Beatles was to come. Even though they still produced stunning music, the lackluster response to Magical Mystery Tour (the film) signaled that tough times were ahead. Seemingly from that point, they were more or less each other's session musicians and did not work so much as a team like before. John's divorce from Cynthia and his fascination with Yoko was to only precipitate the decline further.

The bitter taste of the India / Maharishi incidents seemed to create a general malaise that punctuated the "White Album" sessions and beyond. Even so, there are moments of greatness throughout the remainder of their output.

Strange then that after the disaster that was the "Get Back" sessions (a.k.a. "Let It Be"), they were able to reconvene with George Martin to produce a stunning swan song in "Abbey Road." The songs on side one stand on their own merit, but is the fantastic medley on side two which just further cemented their unique flair and ability to produce lasting brilliance.

Paul's "Her Majesty" not withstanding, on "The End" after Ringo puts in his one and only drum solo, the three guitarists trade heavy duty lead guitar runs three times, with Paul, George and John in that order. Fantastico!

"And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make..."
howardS
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Re: The Beatles

Post by howardS »

A truly fantastic journey, SoundworldA.D. and a great final album. I am only 4 years younger than you but that was enough time that I didn't get to see the early Beatles appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show including the one you mentioned in your earlier post....I was 3 at the time. :) That said, I got to watch most of the story unfold and it has been inspiring. I have seen Paul a number of times including taking my kids to his shows....you know, show 'em how it's really done!
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SoundworldA.D.
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Re: The Beatles

Post by SoundworldA.D. »

Great stuff Howard! Yes, I always chuckle when youngsters enjoy the music of The Beatles, because if if you didn't "grow up with it" it just can't have the exact same impact. Nevertheless, a well-crafted tune is still a well-crafted tune and we know the lads had that aplenty.

For the youngsters who are wondering what I was rambling on about with the "Capitols", here is a pic of the famous "Butcher cover" Yesterday and Today album that was not officially released with this photo shot!
Beatles_Y&T Crop.jpg
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Andy Keys
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Re: The Beatles

Post by Andy Keys »

SoundworldA.D. wrote:The bitter taste of the India / Maharishi incidents seemed to create a general malaise that punctuated the "White Album" sessions and beyond. Even so, there are moments of greatness throughout the remainder of their output.
I always thought that come the White Album they should have had a side each, and got it out of their systems. That probably would have flopped, but it also might have reminded them that working together as a band was the best way.

Oh, that and banning wives, girlfriends and assorted hangers-on from the studio. Although, that last should be a law for all bands everywhere.
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SoundworldA.D.
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Re: The Beatles

Post by SoundworldA.D. »

Andy Keys wrote:I always thought that come the White Album they should have had a side each, and got it out of their systems. That probably would have flopped, but it also might have reminded them that working together as a band was the best way.

Oh, that and banning wives, girlfriends and assorted hangers-on from the studio. Although, that last should be a law for all bands everywhere.
Hmmm...that would have been like The Floyd's Ummagumma!

Yes indeed! Case in point...

The tension in the studio with John bringing Yoko and being high on smack was so thick you could cut it with a dull knife!
the-beatles-let-it-be1.jpeg
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Vlad_77
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Re: The Beatles

Post by Vlad_77 »

SoundworldA.D. wrote:Great stuff Howard! Yes, I always chuckle when youngsters enjoy the music of The Beatles, because if if you didn't "grow up with it" it just can't have the exact same impact. Nevertheless, a well-crafted tune is still a well-crafted tune and we know the lads had that aplenty.

For the youngsters who are wondering what I was rambling on about with the "Capitols", here is a pic of the famous "Butcher cover" Yesterday and Today album that was not officially released with this photo shot!
Beatles_Y&T Crop.jpg
Gotta differ with ya Soundworld - and considering the respect I have for you, I think this is a first. :)

I didn't grow up with The Beatles. I discovered them quite a while after they broke up and it was really because I was - and still am - a HUGE fan of Pink Floyd and The Who. A friend at a music shop asked if I was into The Beatles. I said, well, I'm not really into that Yeah, Yeah, Yeah stuff. He laughed, handed me The Beatles 1967-1970 and said, "if this doesn't change your attitude, I'll buy it back from you."

I took it home basically to humor him. I placed it in the CD player, and to this very moment I will never forget that feeling of OMG!! THIS is how it's supposed to be done!!! So I am listening and A Day in the Life kicks in. I am already experiencing nirvana (not the band ;) ). I am being carried away by the acoustic guitar and piano, and McCartney's gorgeous bass work. POW, the first crescendo hit and I jumped up and ran to my CD player thinking it was going all dodgy on me. Everything looked fine, so I lay down again, and the the second crescendo - PURE bliss - and that final, apocalyptic E major chord at the end which seems to go to infinity. The next weeks were spent buying ALL of The Beatles CDs. At that time, I had a part ime job at a radio station and was also working third shift in a restaurant AND was doing magic and music. At 17, one does not sleep. ;)

In my studio, I have a beautifully framed large photo of them and everyday I look at that picture before I play and I know this sounds weird, but, I thank them quietly for being a constant inspiration to me and the REAL reason I am a musician.

I have seen Sir Paul twice and what is so cool is seeing 8 year old kids singing with as much if not more gusto these timeless masterpieces than their elders. I think that we who did not grow up with them have a bit of an advantage on those that did, because, there is no way anyone could have realized that this band from Liverpool would literally change music and influence culture so profoundly!

Sorry, I know I am going off here, but, the thing that still mystifies me is the fact that more keyboard players don't seem to think of The Beatles music as being as revolutionary as prog rock which followed - and the strangest thing of all is that The Beatles were one of the pioneers of prog.

On Korg Forums, I had suggested a Beatles patch project. It wasn't so much that I wanted to create patches that duplicated what The Fabs did, but more to experiment in the same spirit with patches as they and Sir George Martin did with miles of tape at Abbey Road. I received one and only one reply - thankfully it was very positive - from Kid Nepro who thought it would be a very cool project.

Lastly, there are times I wish I could shout from the summit of the highest mountains that The Beatles were FAR more than just four guys who were screamed at by millions of women.

Okay I'll shut up now. (Not really) ;)

Best,
Vlad

PS: I even dig the yeah, yeah, yeah stuff now!! And I Saw Her Standing There is STILL a balls to the wall rocker. My girlfriend HATED The Beatles at first. But, being a nice girlfriend (every once in a while) surprised me with two tickets to see Sir Paul in Rotterdam in March 2012. We had visited her parents earlier in the day and she was remarking that she wasn't really expecting much, but that she wanted me to have a good time. AFTER the show? She looked at me and said, "Okay, MUCH respect!" That was a GREAT concert!"

Since then I've caught her listening to their music and she actually likes them! I guess the lads and I accomplished something. ;)
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