Anyone not like The Beatles?

Technocentral

I'm 44 and a huge music fan but could never understand their no 1, iconic status, I like a few of their much later tunes but never had any of their albums, to me Iggy and the Stooges, Kraftwerk, Joy Division, Public Enemy, Dr. Dre, Aphex Twin, Chicago house music and early Techno etc are much more influential and interesting.

Havermeyer

Martyn1989 wrote: »

Ah here that hardly counts, and if the beatles wernt around, another band would have sold albums, and influenced musicians, music wouldnt have stopped.

I dont see the appeal of them, I dont see what they changed and I definatly dont see what they did that was different and worthy of their songbook being called 'The Bible' and all that stuff.

As I've said above, I appreciate you may not like them - but you say that you don't see what they have changed. I'm not being personal in what I say, but I find that quite astonishing.

You don't need to like a band to appreciate their input to music. You must be extremely ignorant (and I mean that in the sense of not knowing) to music, because I have never met anybody, regardless of whether they like them or not, who has said they don't believe the beatles played a huge part in the formation of music today as we know it.

Degsy

I fcuckin hate the beatles..insipid trash.

I actually hate thier fans just as much come to think of it.

sensibleken

the kinks were ten times the band the beetles were.

entropi

They never held any appeal for me...always thought they were rubbish. I recognise that they influenced music for many many bands and musicians to come, but surely there were better bands out back then...that didnt ride on the wave of being overhyped. I'm not going to listen to the majority of their songs to get a feel for them, there's no point if I dislike them already.

Just like bands these days...so much crap out there being played out on the radio/music tv stations, yet thousands of small bands without the airtime could destroy them.

Martyn1989

nummnutts wrote: »

As I've said above, I appreciate you may not like them - but you say that you don't see what they have changed. I'm not being personal in what I say, but I find that quite astonishing.

You don't need to like a band to appreciate their input to music. You must be extremely ignorant (and I mean that in the sense of not knowing) to music, because I have never met anybody, regardless of whether they like them or not, who has said they don't believe the beatles played a huge part in the formation of music today as we know it.

Im a big music fan, I dont like the beatles, I dont see their input into music, theres way better bands then them, call it what you like.

Contessa Raven

I hate The Beatles. Anytime I hear a song of theirs, it's like nails on a blackboard for me. I realise what they did for music back then but I do think that another (better) band could have easily done the same if they had been as overhyped as The Beatles were.

nobby grande

stovelid wrote: »

I was too busy disliking them to actually listen to them for years - as you do when you're about 15 and you think that anything popular/consensus based/in your parents music collection is shit

When I grew up and listened to it, I liked a lot of it.

I think that seems to be a fairly common theme. I see alot of replies here quoting love me do, and i wanna hold your hand and the like.

In fairness that stuff was fairly trite and sickly sweet, but they were the bands first singles.

The beatles went on to break new ground in music, and create some of the most glorious melodies the world has heard in doing so.

As for people saying they pandered to the main stream, well thats just boll*x. It is not their fault people wanted to wear cut out beatles hair dos ffs.

G.K.

I prefer the arrangements that Paul McCartney uses these days, but great music.

The Master of Disaster

I used to actually make a point of how I thought they were really over-rated. I think this was simply borne out of a pretentious anti-conformist mentality because when I actually went and listened to their music I realised they're actually brilliant.

Osgoodisgood

I'm nothing like The Beatles

Son Of A Vidic

Stained Class wrote: »

The Beatles.

Best band ever.

FACT!

Myth!

Rds1989

I came to the beatles relatively late at 18 (im 21), i left it so long because i assumed all their songs were like 'she loves you' or 'with a little help from my friends' which is kinda 'meh'. But as soon as i bought my first album 'the white album' i realised just how much i had missed out. All their albums bar a few exceptions are of an unbelievably high standard and they have such range in style and were released in such a short period that makes current overrated nme bands look like lazy amatuers.

The King of Moo

nummnutts wrote: »

As I've said above, I appreciate you may not like them - but you say that you don't see what they have changed. I'm not being personal in what I say, but I find that quite astonishing.

You don't need to like a band to appreciate their input to music. You must be extremely ignorant (and I mean that in the sense of not knowing) to music, because I have never met anybody, regardless of whether they like them or not, who has said they don't believe the beatles played a huge part in the formation of music today as we know it.

+1
I completely respect the opinion of anyone who genuinely doesn't like them (and actually kind of welcome it as it leads to some good debate and makes us fans really think about the reasons we love them and maybe then make us love them even more ).

But I think that their amazing input into music is just fact. Regardless of whether other bands at the time were also innovative and popular (and my limited musical knowledge brings to mind The Kinks and The Beach Boys straight away), The Beatles had a phenomenal combination of innovation, popularity and (in my opinion) sheer musical quality that must have seemed stupidly revolutionary at the time.

I think it must be impossible to deny that without them music would be inferior (unless another phenomenon came along in this Beatles-less alternate timeline). They showed people with their later stuff that you could marry pop and musical innovation. Lots of their more experimental stuff I still consider great pop and rock songs, and they continued to make relatively simple and still great pop songs alongside them.
I don't think I've an aptitude for music (playing), but I'd love to know the feeling of someone with musical talent listening to them and being inspired to try to make their own great music.

I think this song (not necessarily my favourite, it's so hard to choose just one) sums them up well. Incredibly innovative and also hugely enjoyable, even by modern standards (ask The Chemical Brothers ) but listened to by millions of people. Just fantastic, gives me goosebumps every time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a3NcwfOBzQ

losthorizon

What I think is sad is that people only concentrate on a few bands from this period. Yes, there was the Beatles and the Stones etc etc. But the diversity from the late 60s early 70s is amazing, simply amazing. Explore and you will discover some riches!

Like Moby Grape

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vviAimAmY38

Latchy

What I always find a bit surprising is people who say they don't like the early Beatles stuff but dig the later stuff , which is cool ....people like what they like .

Myself , I've always liked and appreciated all of their singles and albums and taken on their merits alone, these songs from around time of their first 6 albums , have their own little gems and below are some of my thoughts on songs like .....

Misery ( from Please Please Me album )

( ^ a great plonky lead guitar by George and funcy Bass rift by Paul , simple but affective )

I Feel Fine

( the opening 'buzzing amp hum ' was just by accident and left in the final cut and is very similar to the sound of a barbers electric razor )

From Me To You

( this is as early as you'll get a white British band attempting blue beat , ska reggae rift )

Please Please Me / Chains / There's A Place (from Please Please Me album )

/ Thank You Girl /I'll Get You ( singles )

( ^ Johns early use of harmonica on these tracks is part attributed to hearing it on ' Hey Baby ' by Bruce Channel and 'I Remember You ' by Frank Ifield

Twist And Shout

( my own opinion but to really appreciate , you have to listen to the digitally remastered version were Lennon's so horse from recording in the studio yet still manages to belt out a roaring vocal accompanied by thumping rhythm , bass and drum beat that lingers long in the ears after .)

Cant Buy Me Love

( famous for the guitar feedback on the great solo which sounds unintentional but you know it's always there )

Hard DAYS Night

( Lennon and McCartney were both Everly Brothers fans and Lennon wrote this with ' Temptation ' in mind )

If I Fell

( Probably the best example of how John and Paul could harmonize with John doing the lower vocal ,Paul the higher one but still sounding as one with a lovely melody and sang from the heart )

Thing We Said Today

(Sometimes their B single sides were good enough to be released as A's themselves and and another great example of chord and the chord/ vocal change/harmony's of John and Paul

( I think If I Fell /Things We Said show how John was capable of expressing his feelings in song as opposed to the cold , hard, exterior image he portrayed at the time )

You Cant Do That

( superb opening guitar which strums along all the way with some great, 3 part harmonies from John Paul and George ,great rock n roll number )

I'll Be Back

Once again this is a beauty from the very Spanish sounding , acoustic guitar with John on lead Vocal with P and G in fine voice to .

It Wont Be Long

( Similar to From me To You , another example of a bluebeat /ska rift )

Not A Second Time

( This shows how John could use his vocal range as good as Paul and interesting piano , chord , drum structure throughout the song )

In My Life

Autobiographical with John writing from the heart of ' people , places and things he often stops to remember ' .

Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)

( The first use of sitar by George on record with haunting vocals by John and Paul .This was when people begin to see that the Beatles could write some thoughtful lyrics as opposed to just boy/girl songs )

Taxman

( The rift on Paul Wellers ' Start ' was ripped from this .)

Dr Robert

( Dr Robert was the anon giving to the doctor who supplied the Beatles with their first acid trip and the bass chord change on this is simple but effective , with some great vocals .)

I'm Only Sleeping

( Beatles had already come a long way since ' love me do' and the drug experimenting was taken it's toll ....sleep was in demand )

Nowhere Man

(As in Norwegian Wood ,this was another thought provoking song of with great vocals and guitar solo and a song about loneliness which many people related to )

Elanor Rigby

( Hailed as a piece of brilliance with a violin piece that's was unheard of at the time and another social comment on loneliness and isolation in society )

She Said ,She Said

( Beatles were at a party in Hollywood and John was tripping on acid when Peter Fonda aid ' I know what it's like to be dead ' which freaked John out but this song came from that comment )

Here There and Everywhere

( Paul heard God Only Knows by the Beach Boys and wrote this lovely song in tribute )

Tomorrow never knows

( ' Turn off your mind ,relax and float downstream ' ....LSD influence was creeping into the music )

I Need You ( Help album )

( George coming into his own with a great vocal )

The Night Before

(Great warbling vocal by Paul with a funky bass rift )

You've Got To Hide Your Love Away

(Very much a Dylan influenced song )

Another Girl

( A neat and very Bluesy guitar riff )


Ticket To Ride

( Beatle girlfriends or wife's were always going to be second to the main menu and this is about being on the ticket but also on the outside )

Above is just opportunity for me to show the talents of their early stuff which many of you will be familiar with and for any doubters , shows much more to them than some one hit wonders with silly , hair shaking image .



The

Stereo mix of ' I'll Get You , From me To You , I Feel Fine , Thank You Girl and The Night Before

The King of Moo

Latchy wrote: »

What I always find a bit surprising is people who say they don't like the early Beatles stuff but dig the later stuff , which is cool ....people like what they like .

Myself , I've always liked and appreciated all of their singles and albums and taken on their merits alone, these songs from around time of their first 6 albums , have their own little gems and below are some of my thoughts on songs like .....

Great list. It's definitely too easy to split their career into a basic simple pop/experimental "art" work opposition. Rubber Soul and Revolver are perfect examples of a bridge between the two.
I also think that songs like Help!, Can't Buy Me Love, A Hard Day's Night and 8 Days a Week, are examples of almost perfect pop songs.
It's difficult to compare them directly to more complex stuff sure, but they're great songs in their own right.
I think that's what's amazing about The Beatles, to be arguably considered by such a huge number of people to be the greatest at both styles, when most bands aim for one or the other and never begin to get close to The Beatles.

*puts Rubber Soul on MP3 player*

TaraFoxglove

The King of Moo wrote: »

I also think that songs like Help!, Can't Buy Me Love, A Hard Day's Night and 8 Days a Week, are examples of almost perfect pop songs.

Yeah, they're like Burt Bacharach songs, perfect little pop gems.