The Beatles

[Guest Manini]

woolton village yeah. went to the primary school that john met paul on got baptised in the church that they played their first set in and that eleanor rigby's buried in (bob paisley too) etc etc.

that magical mystery tour bus is the nemesis of everyone who wants to drive up church road, it takes up the whole road and stops right in the middle

Isn't there a pub there called The Elephant? Did a pub crawl from Wavertree to the Hillfoot in Hunts Cross with my housemate a year or so ago, we went through Woolton Village...I was absolutely smashed

[ScouseFox]

Isn't there a pub there called The Elephant? Did a pub crawl from Wavertree to the Hillfoot in Hunts Cross with my housemate a year or so ago, we went through Woolton Village...I was absolutely smashed

yeah one of the most popular pubs in south liverpool probably, owned by simon rimmer (off of sunday brunch). expensive mind. always full of minor celebs like people off hollyoaks and liverpool youth teamers etc and birds dressed up like they're at a wedding, drinking 15 quid cocktails. only pub I've ever been to with a bouncer.

[Guest Manini]

yeah one of the most popular pubs in south liverpool probably, owned by simon rimmer (off of sunday brunch). expensive mind. always full of minor celebs like people off hollyoaks and liverpool youth teamers etc and birds dressed up like they're at a wedding, drinking 15 quid cocktails. only pub I've ever been to with a bouncer.

Yeah I thought so. There's like 3 or 4 pubs all next to each other isn't there. I remember being there and I couldn't believe I was 10 or so minutes outside Liverpool city centre, very quaint.

[SpacedX]

Did they actually have that much influence though? Robert Johnson had come and invented blues rock, which paved the way for the yardbirds, through led zeppelin and into metal. Elvis and chuck berry had turned rock and roll into something huge. At best their influence on music styles is that of the boy band - their contributions to the musical landscape was to create a platform for the likes of backstreet boys and boyzone - they did little more than establish that music could be a marketing tool.

And you think that Elvis wasn't marketed by the Colonel? - who in many ways was the business plan for Brian Epstein.

 

A Boyband implies a manufactured synthetic group which the Beatles most certainly were not. Their inception was of their own making, and from their beginnings in skiffle through rough edged rockn'roll to the eventual, albeit, manicured product that Brian Epstein honed becoming the first British group to crack the States, opening the door to the British invasion (from pop through to blues to hard rock and metal), they nonetheless learnt their trade on the road out of the back of a Commer van and during their right of passage at the Indra and the Kaiserkeller Hamburg. During their two stints in Germany they often performed four sets, typically between 8.00pm and 2.00am weekdays and five to six at the weekends. When they returned to Liverpool they were polished, tight, professional and peerless live. They came to loath Beatlemania and its trappings - particularly Lennon and Harrison, and their rise through relentless touring to being the first stadium band preceded the technology. In an era without foldback and minus a p.a. system, this intuitive chemistry carried them through the fact that they could rarely hear themselves or each other onstage which was one of the main reasons they jacked touring in '66 and became a studio band. Brian Wilson had done it as a writer and producer...and so would they. When they walked off-stage for the last time at Candlestick Park San Francisco, Brian Epstein reputedly looked lost and despairingly was heard to say 'what so I do now?' Within a year he had taken his own life.

 

Although guided by the commercial acumen and acute business brain of Epstein, and buoyed by the musical brilliance of Martin and the eventual innovative engineering of Emerick, very early on the Beatles had carte-blanche over their artistic direction. Again, another crucial aspect that a Boyband invariably lacks. Sure, they were steered into making the cash cow prescriptive movies in 'Hard Day's Night' and 'Help'- but musically they charted their own course. In fact, I would contend that the first real manufactured Boyband was in fact the Monkees...and the main template behind their artificial confection was 'A Hard Day's Night'. So indirectly, perhaps you are right in saying that they spawned the concept of the Boyband too.

 

Their concepts were their own, and of their design. Each album was a prerequisite for the next. So many contemporaries were content to churn out the same formulaic insipid radio friendly throwaway pop. The genius of the Beatles was that their mass appeal didn't compromise their progressive experimentation and adventurous songwriting. They redefined the genre and although not beyond plagiarism themselves (Dylan should've  sued), continually rewrote the rules. Hey Jude at more than seven minutes in length was commercial suicide. As a double A side with Revolution, it became the longest single to top the British charts - perhaps consider that the next time City take their positions for kick off. In their nine year recording history, they never stagnated and their fecundity was remarkable. Within seven and a half years they went from 'Please Please Me' to 'Abbey Road'. Practically everyone on the planet is familiar with a Beatles song, often without knowing them by the brand or band name. Slavishly marketed yes, but the music transcended that and is all pervasive on it's own merit and nuance.

 

"At best their influence on music styles is that of the boy band - their contributions to the musical landscape was to create a platform for the likes of backstreet boys and boyzone - they did little more than establish that music could be a marketing tool."

 

You may doubt or diminish their influence but Elvis, The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, most metal bands and even Chuck bleedin' Berry would have doubtless begged to differ together with thousands of past and contemporary musicians. If you really believe that 'they did little more than to establish that music could be a marketing tool' I question whether you have listened closely to some of these artists discographies or indeed whether you have actually entertained any Beatles album in its entirety.

[FerrisBueller]

And you think that Elvis wasn't marketed by the Colonel? - who in many ways was the business plan for Brian Epstein.

 

A Boyband implies a manufactured synthetic group which the Beatles most certainly were not. Their inception was of their own making, and from their beginnings in skiffle through rough edged rockn'roll to the eventual, albeit, manicured product that Brian Epstein honed becoming the first British group to crack the States, opening the door to the British invasion (from pop through to blues to hard rock and metal), they nonetheless learnt their trade on the road out of the back of a Commer van and during their right of passage at the Indra and the Kaiserkeller Hamburg. During their two stints in Germany they often performed four sets, typically between 8.00pm and 2.00am weekdays and five to six at the weekends. When they returned to Liverpool they were polished, tight, professional and peerless live. They came to loath Beatlemania and its trappings - particularly Lennon and Harrison, and their rise through relentless touring to being the first stadium band preceded the technology. In an era without foldback and minus a p.a. system, this intuitive chemistry carried them through the fact that they could rarely hear themselves or each other onstage which was one of the main reasons they jacked touring in '66 and became a studio band. Brian Wilson had done it as a writer and producer...and so would they. When they walked off-stage for the last time at Candlestick Park San Francisco, Brian Epstein reputedly looked lost and despairingly was heard to say 'what so I do now?' Within a year he had taken his own life.

 

Although guided by the commercial acumen and acute business brain of Epstein, and buoyed by the musical brilliance of Martin and the eventual innovative engineering of Emerick, very early on the Beatles had carte-blanche over their artistic direction. Again, another crucial aspect that a Boyband invariably lacks. Sure, they were steered into making the cash cow prescriptive movies in 'Hard Day's Night' and 'Help'- but musically they charted their own course. In fact, I would contend that the first real manufactured Boyband was in fact the Monkees...and the main template behind their artificial confection was 'A Hard Day's Night'. So indirectly, perhaps you are right in saying that they spawned the concept of the Boyband too.

 

Their concepts were their own, and of their design. Each album was a prerequisite for the next. So many contemporaries were content to churn out the same formulaic insipid radio friendly throwaway pop. The genius of the Beatles was that their mass appeal didn't compromise their progressive experimentation and adventurous songwriting. They redefined the genre and although not beyond plagiarism themselves (Dylan should've  sued), continually rewrote the rules. Hey Jude at more than seven minutes in length was commercial suicide. As a double A side with Revolution, it became the longest single to top the British charts - perhaps consider that the next time City take their positions for kick off. In their nine year recording history, they never stagnated and their fecundity was remarkable. Within seven and a half years they went from 'Please Please Me' to 'Abbey Road'. Practically everyone on the planet is familiar with a Beatles song, often without knowing them by the brand or band name. Slavishly marketed yes, but the music transcended that and is all pervasive on it's own merit and nuance.

 

"At best their influence on music styles is that of the boy band - their contributions to the musical landscape was to create a platform for the likes of backstreet boys and boyzone - they did little more than establish that music could be a marketing tool."

 

You may doubt or diminish their influence but Elvis, The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, most metal bands and even Chuck bleedin' Berry would have doubtless begged to differ together with thousands of past and contemporary musicians. If you really believe that 'they did little more than to establish that music could be a marketing tool' I question whether you have listened closely to some of these artists discographies or indeed whether you have actually entertained any Beatles album in its entirety.

Great post.

[Samilktray]

Revolver is a fvcking banger of an album

Merry Christmas everyone

[ozleicester]

did the magical mystery tour the other day. Quite enjoyed it, didnt tell me too much i didnt know already, but nice to visit Penny lane, their  homes and strawberry fields etc.

[Fox92]

Revolver is a fvcking banger of an album

Merry Christmas everyone

 

Revolver is my favourite and quite easily one of the best albums ever... It was a milestone, it redefined music... How they went from standard pop music such as 'I want to hold your hand' to stuff like 'Tomorrow never knows' in four years is incredible.

[Samilktray]

Revolver is my favourite and quite easily one of the best albums ever... It was a milestone, it redefined music... How they went from standard pop music such as 'I want to hold your hand' to stuff like 'Tomorrow never knows' in four years is incredible.

Gave a couple albums a blast since there music went on streaming sites. The albums where they're on drugs are all great

[Fox92]

Gave a couple albums a blast since there music went on streaming sites. The albums where they're on drugs are all great

 

Yeah, I've always thought the same. 

[Bettsj2]

Not the biggest Beatles fan but i've stuck them on shuffle play on Spotify and havent had to skip a track for over an hour.

[ozleicester]

Lolz, got lost looking for Tesco, ended up on Penny Lane.

 

 The albums from 65-69 are works of art.

[Guest WarehamFox]

Revolver is my favourite and quite easily one of the best albums ever... It was a milestone, it redefined music... How they went from standard pop music such as 'I want to hold your hand' to stuff like 'Tomorrow never knows' in four years is incredible.

Too right, I don't think many people realise how their music changed in such a short time and also they changed music. Still think Rubber Soul beats Revolver! Just.

[Free Falling Foxes]

Revolver is my favourite and quite easily one of the best albums ever... It was a milestone, it redefined music... How they went from standard pop music such as 'I want to hold your hand' to stuff like 'Tomorrow never knows' in four years is incredible.

Pedant mode. It was closer to just 30 months which makes even more remarkable.

[mick47]

She Loves You always gets my nerves tingling. I've got all their stuff across various formats, but the 45 of that, played on a cheap record player, moves me.

 

Agree my fav Beatle track.

[Fox92]

http://www.nme.com/blogs/the-big-picture/beatles-infographic?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

 

This is a very good read. I like statistics and analysis of anything interesting, and NME have done a good job here.

 

Laughing at Ringo's most common lyrics. Having said that, 'Abbey Road' wouldn't be complete without 'Octopus Garden'.

[separator]

http://www.nme.com/blogs/the-big-picture/beatles-infographic?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

 

This is a very good read. I like statistics and analysis of anything interesting, and NME have done a good job here.

 

Laughing at Ringo's most common lyrics. Having said that, 'Abbey Road' wouldn't be complete without 'Octopus Garden'.

Thats excellent. 'I Am The Walrus' has 117 unique words, whilst 'Octopus' appears 7 times in one of Ringo's 3 songs. You can have hours of fun with this.

[FerrisBueller]

Because,

Just because!

[Fox92]

Just listened to 'A Hard Days Night' for the first time in a while. The title track really is unbelievable. The opening chord, Lennon and McCartney's vocals, Lennon's rhythm, Harrison’s solo. So electric, what a song, it really is work of a genius (or two!).

 

Been watching the live versions too. Unreal.

 

[Fox92]

RIP George Martin :(

[Izzy]

RIP George Martin :(

My missus used to work as a dance teacher at the BRIT school for performing arts (she taught Amy Winehouse amongst others). One day she came home and said she'd been in a meeting all day with a number of governors and managers. She sat next to an old boy called 'George somebody' who as a lovely chap and they got on really well. I asked who this George fella was and she said 'I'm not sure but apparently he once had something to do with the Beatles'. Bless her...

[DillonLive]

This song always reminds me of my father.. Brought me back to the days when we used to have family gatherings and he's singing that song.

 

[purpleronnie]

This song always reminds me of my father.. Brought me back to the days when we used to have family gatherings and he's singing that song.

 

Always nice to have a song that reminds you of those times.

.

Edited 9 March 2016 by purpleronnie

[murphy]

The only impression they left on me was that they couldn't sing to save their lives!

 

True!

 

And that Shkespeare bloke - couldn't write to save his life!

Isaac Newton?  Thick as two short planks.

[Webbo]

There's virtually nothing Yougov won't do a survey about.

 

https://yougov.co.uk/opi/surveys/results#/survey/2d5338b0-e5dd-11e5-a405-005056900127/question/3d057890-e5dd-11e5-a405-005056900127/social