The Beatles

Chazz Michael Michaels · 09-08-2012 2:13pm

rcaz wrote: »

You probably know much more about them than I do, could you sum up exactly why you reckon they're the best musicians ever? I know it's said everywhere that they're the best band ever in popular music so far, but not much is usually said about the details that actually make them that good. What do you reckon really make them the best?

Tomorrow Never Knows - A song without precedent. If for no other reason, this song demonstrates their genius. It sounds like a modern electronic song, and yet it was 1966. Backwards tracks, speeding and slowing the tapes to create effects, samples, loops, this was all way ahead of it's time.

I don't think they were technically brilliant musicians (except McCartney), but songs like the above and the album Pepper were just light years ahead of their contemporaries (bar Brian Wilson). Strawberry Fields is simply stunning in terms of production which was similar to TNK in it's use of samples and loops but it was so refined and precise, you would be forgiven for not noticing the backwards hats with the forwards drums mixed. Nothing else like it, at the time.

kunst nugget · 13-08-2012 10:37pm

Chazz Michael Michaels wrote: »

Tomorrow Never Knows - A song without precedent. If for no other reason, this song demonstrates their genius. It sounds like a modern electronic song, and yet it was 1966. Backwards tracks, speeding and slowing the tapes to create effects, samples, loops, this was all way ahead of it's time.

I don't think they were technically brilliant musicians (except McCartney), but songs like the above and the album Pepper were just light years ahead of their contemporaries (bar Brian Wilson). Strawberry Fields is simply stunning in terms of production which was similar to TNK in it's use of samples and loops but it was so refined and precise, you would be forgiven for not noticing the backwards hats with the forwards drums mixed. Nothing else like it, at the time.

Does that not just show that they got lucky ending up being produced by George Martin and engineered by the likes of Geoff Emerick who had the technical know how to do whatever took the Beatles fancy? I'm a massive fan of the Beatles but songs like Strawberry Fields are 50/50 songwriting/production in terms of their brilliance.

Chazz Michael Michaels · 13-08-2012 10:42pm

kunst nugget wrote: »

Does that not just show that they got lucky ending up being produced by George Martin and engineered by the likes of Geoff Emerick who had the technical know how to do whatever took the Beatles fancy? I'm a massive fan of the Beatles but songs like Strawberry Fields are 50/50 songwriting/production in terms of their brilliance.

Yeah, to a certain extent, but it was only because The Beatles demanded so many different sounds and had the balls to try new things that Martin/Emerick came up with so many techniques, not the other way around. They were great innovators, The Beatles, which is why they stood out artistically.

But almost every album ever made owes something to the producer/engineer.

wandatowell · 13-08-2012 10:47pm

I like a bit of the Octopus's Garden in the morning, It gets me going till lunch time like

BobbyPropane · 13-08-2012 10:50pm

http://youtu.be/si2azEjkZU4

The Radiator · 15-08-2012 12:00am

BobbyPropane wrote: »

http://youtu.be/si2azEjkZU4

Wow, what a great contribution. I got a good chuckle out of that

taylorconor95 · 18-08-2012 7:03pm

BobbyPropane wrote: »

http://youtu.be/si2azEjkZU4

If you spent more time listening and less time thinking about "gay-ass haircuts" you'd realise whats so great about them

AlmightyDublin · 18-08-2012 7:10pm

taylorconor95 wrote: »

If you spent more time listening and less time thinking about "gay-ass haircuts" you'd realise whats so great about them

Just clicked on it there, saw the title, and clicked off it. Don't want to know

taylorconor95 · 18-08-2012 7:17pm

AlmightyDublin wrote: »

Just clicked on it there, saw the title, and clicked off it. Don't want to know

Ah should have watched it, bit of a laugh!

BobbyPropane · 18-08-2012 7:23pm

That video I posted is itself really a joke. The guy who uploaded loves the Beatles and his father has most of their autographs and a Paul McCartney bass Guitar

AlmightyDublin · 18-08-2012 7:25pm

taylorconor95 wrote: »

Ah should have watched it, bit of a laugh!

Ahh I might as well haha :P
Edit; Haha the parts about the album covers and not letting Yoko sing are funny

taylorconor95 · 18-08-2012 8:52pm

AlmightyDublin wrote: »

Ahh I might as well haha :P
Edit; Haha the parts about the album covers and not letting Yoko sing are funny

The guys made album covers what they are for gods sake! Oh and we all know what happens when Yoko sings... BIRTHDAY!

AlmightyDublin · 18-08-2012 9:53pm

taylorconor95 wrote: »

AlmightyDublin wrote: »

Ahh I might as well haha :P
Edit; Haha the parts about the album covers and not letting Yoko sing are funny

The guys made album covers what they are for gods sake! Oh and we all know what happens when Yoko sings... BIRTHDAY!

Haha yeah she also has a line in 'Bungalow Bill' too :P

paddyandy · 19-08-2012 11:23am

No question they were the best and in a class of their own and on their own but how they affected societie's values has never been even remotely addressed . Too dangerous .

Latchy · 19-08-2012 5:53pm

paddyandy wrote: »

No question they were the best and in a class of their own and on their own but how they affected societie's values has never been even remotely addressed . Too dangerous .

Edit- Not entirely sure where your coming from here but ...

It was George Harrison who said '' the world went Beatles mad and then blamed us when it all got to crazy '' . John Lennons '' we are bigger then Jesus '' quote didn't do them any favors but they were taken out of context to what he meant and if anything , made people question society's values back then which most likely would have been challenged anyway in some other way shape or form .At least we know now that religion ( to many millions ) is now the exception rather than the rule .

cometogether · 19-08-2012 7:48pm

paddyandy wrote: »

No question they were the best and in a class of their own and on their own but how they affected societie's values has never been even remotely addressed . Too dangerous .

What?

DEFTLEFTHAND · 19-08-2012 8:37pm

I liked George's sentiments before he died about the best album he wrote/played on. He stated that it was 'Brainwashed', a project that he finished with his son Dhani.

I suppose it meant the most for him. Class act of a man.

Latchy · 19-08-2012 9:30pm

George was the one who hated Beatlemania more then the others and also found it hard being the 3rd class passenger in the Beatles when it came to songwriting dues on albums ,even if it was the John and Paul combo partnership which got them to the ''toppermost of the poppermost '' . He was most paroniod about death threats after Lennon was shot and shame that his security let him down when he most needed it .

kunst nugget · 19-08-2012 10:17pm

paddyandy wrote: »

No question they were the best and in a class of their own and on their own but how they affected societie's values has never been even remotely addressed . Too dangerous .

That's a load of rubbish. A simple google search of 'Beatles effect on society' will yield you 49,900,000 results. They have analyzed over and over again with a fine tooth comb and their impact on and contribution to wider society has been debated at length.

trashcan · 20-08-2012 9:51pm

Was looking at some of the "Paul is dead" stuff on Youtube last night. Bizarre that anyone could give this stuff credence. One simple thing will tell you it's nonsense. We're supposed to believe that that they got in a doppelganger who was capable of writing (among other things) Hey Jude, Let it Be, The Long and Winding Road (and Maxwells Silver Hammer:D) Yeah, sure.

spodoinkle · 24-08-2012 10:09pm

I would have loved to be at the recording of You Know my name, Look up the Number.

Latchy · 25-08-2012 11:42pm

I would love to have been at the recording of their very first album, Please Please Me and watch Lennon & McCartney,George ,Ringo , George Martin and Geoff Emerick make musical history . It would be amazing watching Martins influence on the band and listen to Lennon screaming on Twist and Shout like he does .

The Radiator · 06-10-2012 10:21pm

I like The Beatles

GodsWallet · 07-10-2012 10:13am

I had the privilege to be invited into the Abbey Road studios about 7 years ago. The daughter of a friend of mine was launching an album (her career fizzled and is on hold for a while). Her record label at the time - Blue Note, I think - managed to 'book' one of the small theatres there. Being a Beatles fan for many years, I'd hoped to see some memorabilia, but that particular part of the building is off-limits, so I got to see nothing remotely associated with the Beatles. The building itself is like the Tardis.....when you get inside its massive (the parts I DID see). Anyway, I was still thrilled to be there.

I love the music, mostly, and like many others here, my favourites would change with the mood. This morning its 'here, there and everywhere'.

Mannix1888 · 08-10-2012 2:12pm

Good doc about The Beatles focusing on the "Magical Mystery Tour" film on the BBC4. It was shown Saturday night, will most likely be repeated. Contributions from McCartney, Ringo, Martin Scorsese and Peter Fonda among others.

Bassfish · 08-10-2012 11:23pm

Anyone else feel the way I do? I'm an avid Beatles fan, love their music and remain in a state of awe at how they managed to produce such a vast amount of amazing music in the space of about 9 years BUT i can barely listen to any of their post-Beatles solo work. I love John Lennon's Beatles work but the only solo songs i like are Imagine and Jealous guy. As far as i'm concerned Paul McCartney hasn't written a decent song since 1970, George had one or two nice songs and i think Ringo had the right idea doing Thomas the Tank Engine.
This really all came to me this evening when i watched a concert of John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Band in 1972 in Madison Square Garden, John's last full concert. The concert was actually rubbish and i really had to struggle to not change the channel.
I just find it strange that people who were such amazing songwriters collectively could produce so little good music as solo artists or collarborating with others. Anyone else agree or am i being unfair to Wings and Lennon's solo stuff?

Chazz Michael Michaels · 08-10-2012 11:37pm

I agree. Maybe they only worked well as a foursome.

taylorconor95 · 09-10-2012 8:53am

Bassfish wrote: »

Anyone else feel the way I do? I'm an avid Beatles fan, love their music and remain in a state of awe at how they managed to produce such a vast amount of amazing music in the space of about 9 years BUT i can barely listen to any of their post-Beatles solo work. I love John Lennon's Beatles work but the only solo songs i like are Imagine and Jealous guy. As far as i'm concerned Paul McCartney hasn't written a decent song since 1970, George had one or two nice songs and i think Ringo had the right idea doing Thomas the Tank Engine.
This really all came to me this evening when i watched a concert of John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Band in 1972 in Madison Square Garden, John's last full concert. The concert was actually rubbish and i really had to struggle to not change the channel.
I just find it strange that people who were such amazing songwriters collectively could produce so little good music as solo artists or collarborating with others. Anyone else agree or am i being unfair to Wings and Lennon's solo stuff?

Can't agree I'm afraid. Sure, Paul had a few poor patches (Ram) but have you not heard Band on the Run or Tug of War? (Nobody even knows about the latter) They are awesome! As for Lennon, just because his music wasn't amazingly commercially successful doesn't mean it wasn't fantastic music! The Plastic Ono album and Imagine were awesome, and I personally love Walls and Bridges.

As for Harrison, All Things Must Pass is an absolute work of art. And I can't quite name the album but that country album that Ringo released was actually quite good, too.

Temaz · 09-10-2012 9:30am

Some of Lennons solo work matches the Beatles imo

Ziegfeldgirl27 · 09-10-2012 9:56am

Bassfish wrote: »

Anyone else feel the way I do? I'm an avid Beatles fan, love their music and remain in a state of awe at how they managed to produce such a vast amount of amazing music in the space of about 9 years BUT i can barely listen to any of their post-Beatles solo work. I love John Lennon's Beatles work but the only solo songs i like are Imagine and Jealous guy. As far as i'm concerned Paul McCartney hasn't written a decent song since 1970, George had one or two nice songs and i think Ringo had the right idea doing Thomas the Tank Engine.
This really all came to me this evening when i watched a concert of John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Band in 1972 in Madison Square Garden, John's last full concert. The concert was actually rubbish and i really had to struggle to not change the channel.
I just find it strange that people who were such amazing songwriters collectively could produce so little good music as solo artists or collarborating with others. Anyone else agree or am i being unfair to Wings and Lennon's solo stuff?

Well I feel the same as you with regards to three of the former Beatles only I do think Paul McCartney has some amazing music after the Beatles. What songs/albums have you heard that you don't think measure up since 1970?

The Beatles

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