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© 2020 AFPThe Beatles' legend lives on, 50 years after break-up
By Joe JACKSON LONDON©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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© 2020 AFP
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inkochi
Once drove a taxi picking up George at Sydney airport. Half way between bearded and clean shaven, didn’t recognize him, even with his Scouse.
Nothing pretentious there, easy conversation which may have been a cab-ride holiday for him.
Even got a big tip from the minder at the other end at Sydney Uni International House.
Probably pretty different if I had recognized him, which I did the next night on the news.
FizzBit
1975, 6th grade, we’d always have this free hour where the students could do anything we wanted on Fridays. I’d always pull out the Beatles Help album and put it on. After 4 weeks straight, one student got tired of it, pulled it off the turntable and whipped it across the room. He could have hurt someone but didn’t care. The album was in pieces. Jump to high school, 1979, 10th grade, my moms big Wagon Queen Family Truckster station wagon won’t start. While it’s getting towed to the station, it falls off of the tow truck. It careens left off the road, over the sidewalk, across the front lawn and into the window and front room of the kids house who smashed my Beatles album. Glad no one was hurt but I did secretly laugh.
Certainly not instant karma in this case.
invalid CSRF
nostromo
the first band to bring depth and nuance to popular music....
Wolfpack
John Lennon ruined the Beatles. I rather like McCartney and Harrison but was never a fan of the Beatles. Always preferred Elvis. They did have a huge and lasting impact on the music business.
SillyMe
I stopped reading after this first sentence. Utterly ridiculous. They did more in their eight years together than many bands that are still together after 20, 30 or 40 years.
Nippori Nick
Anyone who wrote Strawberry Fields for Ever did not "ruin" the Beatles.
commanteer
I saw a documentary on the making of A Hard Day's Night. The title was taken from one of Ringo's habitual tautologies. That evening, the producer asked John to come up with a song to match the title - something upbeat. John asked what it would be about, and the producer said, "I'm not a songwriter. That's your job." The very next morning, Paul and John had the completed song ready.
Not many people can knock off a hit song on demand overnight. When Lennon and McCartney were working together, they were a powerhouse.
Jimizo
Strawberry Fields Forever, Norwegian Wood, I am the Walrus, Don’t Let Me Down, Come Together, Nowhere Man, Help, Across the Universe, Happiness Is A Warm Gun...
Wish I could ruin a band like that.
bass4funk
Bro, I’m really sorry, but I have to disagree. Although, I love McCartney as well, he was more melodic and was instrumental in shaping the softer side of many of the people’s songs, but Lennon was just the brains when it came to writing these hard hitting classics. It was Yoko that messed up the band primarily, she definitely was the main catalyst of that breakup, but having said that, Lennon was getting tired of the direction the group was going and times were changing, the political landscape was changing and Lennon just didn’t feel that passion and belief of the group, he was essentially evolving, whereas the others still wanted to carry on.
When Lennon left, you definitely saw a more in your face, grownup, bold, abstract as well as rebellious musicIan emerge and Lennon pushed the envelope and became one of the leading anti-war Movement faces of musicians out there, so much so that he attracted the attention of Nixon and the CIA.
It was a shame that Lennon left us so early who knows what kind of musician he would be today, but seeing and understanding his worldview outlook of life and politics, I think he would still be the same person. He definitely was out there at times, but he didn’t ruin the Beatles, he just met a woman he dearly loved and felt it was time to move on.
Fighto!
That's harsh. The beatles wouldnt have existed without Lennon. As an individual, from all the bio's Ive read he was a nasty piece of work and a deadbeat dad. But still, a musical genius. Even his solo stuff is amazing.
SillyMe
@bass That’s the best post I’ve ever seen you write here. Except for the Yoko bit being the main catalyst. Lennon was itching to do something different before he met her. He could’ve met anybody and the result would’ve been the same I think. It just happened to be her. Besides, the boys were growing up, maturing. They all wanted separate lives. Take a look at the promo-video for “Something.” All four with their other halves, not together.
bass4funk
Yes, you’re right as I have previously stated, but it’s an understatement to think that Yoko wasn’t or didn’t play a huge part in the the breakup of the band. McCartney for the longest time despised her for that, it’s only been a few years now that they’ve become more cordial or tolerant of one another, but make no mistakes, Yoko wanted John For herself, she treated Julian so badly. Had a chance to met him at the LA Jazz festival back in 1993 and the guy was just supercool, down to Earth, a little shy, humble and he definitely loved his father, but it was clear he couldn’t have the kind of relationship he wanted with his because Yoko wouldn’t allow it and stood in his way. Again, I’m not saying you’re entirely wrong, but it’s a known fact what Yoko was. The woman wasn’t dumb, she came from a very wealthy family of prestige, she was spoiled and she was the spell that could push John to do anything.
bass4funk
I definitely agree, the man was way ahead of his time, he definitely wasn’t the greatest father, more so to Julian, better with Sean, but then again, Julian has and without a doubt more musical talent than Sean.
Tey Dela Cruz
Some like them, others hate.
Luddite
Still the best band ever.
Jimizo
I’d go along with that. Revolver is the best album ever recorded for me. The White Album could have been the best ever recorded if it had been stripped down to half the number of tracks and those songs were polished up a bit. Sexy Sadie from the White Album is the most neglected Beatles song ( another Lennon gem ). It’s beautiful thing.
Jimizo
Another great band but not on the same level of innovation and pure songwriting genius for me. I think Lennon was right when he said the Stones became really good when they stopped trying to imitate the Beatles.
In terms of lyrics, Ray Davies of the Kinks blew Lennon/McCartney or Jagger/Richards away.
Luddite
@Jimzo Yes, Waterloo Sunset is one of the greatest songs ever written.
Hello Kitty 321
Yawn. I have never understood what people saw in the Beatles.
commanteer
Ray Davies was a brilliant songwriter - and Dave Davies basically invented the power chord sound. I understand there was a lot of rivalry between the 2 bands in the early days. Bowie basically thought anything written by the Kinks was great. They are slowly getting recognition these days. I heard McCartneys reaction to Waterloo Sunset was "I should've written that."
Hiro S Nobumasa
Naha loves the Beatles!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQGg0S8QRPI
Chip Star
I was in the same boat until about two weeks ago. It may help go think about them in the context of the times: Black and white TVs and your had the Beatles in suits with squeaky-clean images. Color TVs and the Beatles go full on hippy drug users. The music follows suit.
FizzBit
Honorable mention to Peter Ham from Badfinger.
Discovered this song about 7 years ago for the first time in my wife’s collection. Great song.
Hiro S Nobumasa
For those of you who are in quarantine all over the world!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHVjZt06t_4
Numan
Over-rated!
Chip Star
It’s absolutely fascinating how we can engage in civil discourse on this thread when we are at each other’s throats on political threads. Music, similar to math(s), does seem to be the universal language. (The Netflix show “How it’s Made” in music is intriguing, but I have less musical ability and knowledge than Milli Vanilli.)
I have to say I appreciate all the comments here because they have sparked more curiosity in the Beatles than I had before.
Chip Star
I send one person likes Milli Vanilli!
bass4funk
And that’s ok, maybe the Beatles didn’t move you, music is subjective after all. When I was in my teens and studying guitar/Bass Beatles were just the funniest and easiest music to play, we didn’t have any of the fancy game toys kids had, so you had time to do actual real things for me and our neighbors we had a lot of people that played various instruments and most people listened to the Beatles, particularly when it came to playing instruments and learning songs, for me it just helped in making me a better player and McCartney’s bass playing style was relatively easy, more melodic and fun to play and the entire way they harmonized, panned their music and added little subtle ghost notes etc gave their music a lot of color and shape. You don’t have to like the band, but if you take a listen to some of their albums as Jim said, the “White Album” is just fantastic and you just “might” change your mind and to add to that as to how influential and timeless their music is, go to any Karaoke bar in the world, you’ll always see a full Beatles catalog, the band crossed the color line, racial and religious line, they were really a great band, just ask Oasis, even Elvis was a tad jealous of them and he was at that time rightly named the King and he felt threatened in the beginning of their early career.
JeffLee
In 1,000 years from now, people will still be listening to the Beatles.
Jimizo
Artists who covered the Beatles - Wilson Pickett, Elton John, Tom Petty/Jeff Lynne/Prince, Aerosmith, 10cc, Ray Charles, Al Green, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Booker T and the MGs, Oasis, Stevie Wonder, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nina Simone, The Beach Boys, David Bowie, U2, Otis Redding...
By the way, the artists mentioned covered a wide variety of songs.
I think I’ll trust their judgement.
kyronstavic
One of the greatest bands that will ever be, so innovative. How many bands still get so much airplay and spur so much discussion 50 years after they broke up?
One of my favourite Beatles songs is Old Brown Shoes - for some reason stick to my ears like superglue.
kyronstavic
should be - for some reason those bass riffs stick to my ears like superglue.
commanteer
Music does that. Tom Morello (radical left guitarist) and Ted Nugent (radical right loudmouth guitarist) are friends. Music is a whole different way of communicating that bypasses words.
So far as the Beatles, once I learned what a producer can do, I realized George Martin was as an essential part of the band as the other four.
Fuzzy
No other band has ever, or will ever (I believe) be as influential or stand the test of time like the Beatles.
Fuzzy
This never gets old
https://youtu.be/NCtzkaL2t_Y
TrevorPeace
@Chip Star - It’s absolutely fascinating how we can engage in civil discourse on this thread when we are at each other’s throats on political threads.
It's because music is the voice of love.
ClippetyClop
The first time I ever went out for a pint when I first arrived in Japan some random salaryman started chatting to me, when he found out I was from Liverpool he gave me his full repetoire of Beatles hits. Still makes me smile.
Any scouser in Japan knows its impossible to go to karaoke without being asked to do a Beatles number. Still amazes me how big they are here.
Numan
@Jimizo
Old people spouting on about how their generation of music was the best music. Yeah, non old people understand!
bass4funk
Totally different category. Zeppelin in their own right influenced great bands such as Queen and Rush to name a few and not trying to take anything away from them, but as good as they are (huge fan as a matter of fact) they are just not as worldly recognized, loved or appreciated as the Beatles.
I seriously doubt Dua Lipa, Backstreet Boys or Armin Van Buuren will go down in music history as one of the greatest. Again, it has nothing to do with age really, on a melodic and scientific level that was researched as to how humans respond to audible stimuli and emotionally appealing, classical, musicians like Bach and Vivaldi are what scientists considered perfect and in the rock category it was the Beatles.
gaijintraveller
It was the Beatles that really started the flow of music from the UK to the US. Before that modern British music did not really flow to the US and live bands did not tour the US although classical musicians might. They started the whole British Invasion. They were a worldwide success story inlike any band before them. They were the start of bands doing world tours.
It should also be remembered that it was the Beatles that turned the Budokan into a live music venue in spite of its atrocious acoustics. There appearance there required a great deal of security to protect them from rightists who disapproved of them appearing in a martial arts venue, a Budo venue.
Breaking into the US market allowed them to break into the Japanese market because even in the 70s it seemed rock never came from the UK to Japan. It seemed rock only came from America to Japan. Only after a British band had made it to America would it become well-known in popular in Japan. Of course, there were a few exceptions, but most British music that got to Japan got here via the US.
bass4funk
Exactly and to that point the 60’s paved the way with what we now call the British Invasion and subsequently, there were just bands galore coming out of the UK. American bands needed to adapt and they were losing out with the exception of The Beach Boys and a few other bands, but with the raise of drugs starting to flow through the States musicians using them started playing wild and abstract music, guitars with heavy distortion unintelligible lyrics and you had the birth of psychedelic rock.
So true.
Chip Star
Hacks! (Sarcasm.)
Think any other art form is as universal in this respect? I can’t think of any, to be honest.
A touch hippy, but I’ll buy it since I’m simply a clean hippy.
I’ve been more into Zepplin, but as I said, just recently grasped the significance of the Beatles.
The Beach Boys/Elton John and Oasis is one huge generation or three.
No doubt.
The context I was talking about.
Ouch. I still prefer Zepplin.
Chip Star
This is a pleasant thread.
Jimizo
I was born after the Beatles broke up. Not my generation of music.
I suppose the 80s would have been ‘my generation’ of music. Some great artists around at that time but nothing as good as the Beatles in my opinion. I was/am a Nirvana fan ( late 80s/early 90s ). Kurt Cobain was a huge Beatles fan.
A great band. You can go back and listen to the originals of many of their best tracks though ;)
Chip Star
Error: Explained. Apologies.
starpunk
The Beatles are a linchpin in music. Many great bands have continued innovations that the Beatles just left off at. ELO, Bowie, Roxy, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, so many differently styled bands made innovations where the Beatles just left off. The rock'n'roll evolution sprouts from this band big time in terms of melody, recording techniques, culture and more.
And don't forget the impact they have now. Their songs are used in elementary school music classes (incl. mine), and recently Paul performed with the surviving members of Nirvana.
Is it any wonder that Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Ray Davies all got awarded knighthood? That's a HUGE honor in the UK, folks.
starpunk
The Beatles Anthology, made by the Fabs themselves (w/ help from Yoko Ono) reveal that Beatlemania was taking its toll and they agreed long ago that they would break up while they were still on top, and they did split up when the pressures of their megafame made it so that it wasn't fun for them anymore.
They truly did/do love each other but being 'more popular than Jesus' is an enormous onus for anyone. Look at Elvis Presley for another example.
They were exploring different directions in music in the early 70s and their legacy continues forever.
There were so many pop bands in the 60s to now that nobody even wants to remember but the Beatles are eternal. Period.
starpunk
In the US Navy whenever a (black) submarine is about to debark on a long cruise the crew stands topside and sings 'Yellow Submarine'.
2 years ago the movie with that name was rereleased in the cinemas in digital remade/remodeled/remastered form. I had seen it on a VCR at a party when I was in college but this was the BEST way to see it. The audience applauded at the film's end.
At the theater there were mothers taking their little children to see it, and having their kids stand for pictures next to a neon ad sign for the film. People of every age, generation, race, color, etc. were there and some had on T-shirts of Paul McCartney's most recent tour (and his shows sell out like hotcakes!).
In 1999 before I got my degree at Ohio State I saw Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band there. In 2014, the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' 'invading' America nearly every concert I went to from Alice Cooper, Motley Crue, Bruce Springsteen, Heart, Cheap Trick (of course!), all - played a Beatles song or a Beatles solo song.
That is the legacy of the Beatles.