Posted on 12/22/2004 11:56:06 AM PST by qam1
Greg Hassall and Charles Purcell do battle over the fab four.
FOR
OK, Ob-la-di Ob-la-da is the most annoying song ever written. And you won't find Revolution No 9 on too many iPods. But how many bands' dud tracks can you count on one hand? The Beatles deserve their place in the pop pantheon. They revolutionised the way pop music was written, recorded and talked about. They were funny, charismatic, hungry to learn and unafraid of controversy. They matured spectacularly over seven tumultuous years, then quit on a high note with the peerless Abbey Road.
They were a genuine band, in that the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. The three writers spurred each other on and checked each other's excesses (McCartney's sentimentality, Lennon's bile and Harrison's cod mysticism). In one throwaway B-side, Rain, they created the template for psychedelic Britpop, a genre lesser bands spend an entire career mining. Their refusal to write the same song twice resulted in a catalogue of breathtaking diversity, while producer George Martin gave the recordings a unique, uncluttered sound that refuses to date. And, as the age of the drum solo dawned, Ringo kept it real, underpinning the Beatles' sound with undemonstrative precision.
Greg Hassall
AGAINST
Pretty much everyone in the '60s must have been on drugs - that's the only reason I can imagine why the Beatles were so popular. They had about three decent songs: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Eleanor Rigby - and that other one, the one that doesn't suck. It's a riddle greater than the pyramids as to why a group of English fops with ridiculous hairstyles could make entire crowds of grown adults faint in awe. John Lennon? A prancing popinjay. Paul McCartney? A ponce. George Harrison? Vanity in the shape of a man. Ringo Starr?
A cool dude - the only one.
OK, so the Beatles recorded on top of a building. Big deal. OK, so they hung out with the Maharishi. Is that supposed to give their dire tunes spiritual worth?
"But they were a major influence in the history of rock'n'roll," some might bleat. Sure they were - but does that mean the baby boomers have to force their boring Beatlemania down our craws year after year, decade after decade?
I'm glad Yoko Ono helped split them up. She's the true heroine of this story. Too bad she's also a lousy artist.
And Wings. Don't get me started on McCartney's sad side project. That's another story.
- Charles Purcell
I can't decide between the 2-LP vinyl edition or the 2-CD version. The CDs are longer (12 more cuts) but I would like to have the vinyl.
That was essentially the point made when I tweaked those English tarts.
Without America, the Beatles would've attained the same level of success as Cliff Richard.
It put an end to the America bashing at the time due to their loss for words.
If you can find them, you might also check out some Jeff Tweedy side ventures, like The Minus Five (especially the ironically titled album Down with Wilco), Golden Smog, and Loose Fur. He gets together with a lot of good musicians to make some good music.
Call every music station daily. Heck, call the sports talk stations. If thousands of people did this in their town every day, program managers would have to account for why they aren't playing "requests".
Somewhere along the line, formats could be stretched.
Here in Houston, 2 of the "classic" stations (60s and 80s stations) list their recent songs online and let you "rate" the songs. DUMP DUMP DUMP, Stones - okay, DUMP DUMP DUMP...
What do these folks have in common?
LINDA RONSTADT
CAT STEVENS
THREE DOG NIGHT
CHICAGO
DOOBIE BROTHERS
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
STEPPENWOLF
U2, O'Jays top (Cleveland) Rock (and Roll) Hall (of Fame) inductees
And after 25 years, Amazon still has the nerve to refer to U2 as an "alternative" band. In 1982, yes but not at all since.
IMO just more evidence of genius.
I give up.
While Bobby Darin is, they are not.
What about the Fabulous Wailers and the Sonics?
The Kinks revised their sound after touring with the Sonics.
To be honest, I don't have a problem with that.
I am more put out by the fact that the only instrumental player in there, Duane Eddy, is among the least deserving.
The Beatles broke up at the hight of their popularity. Right after signing a contract with EMI for 2 albums a year through 1976.
Brilliant timing.
Get the vinyl just to have. It's bad ass 120-gram vinyl or whatever. There's more cuts on the CD? I didn't even look at the CD (I don't even think they had it at the record shop I go to).
Why didn't they release it as a 4-LP???
I don't think either Frank or the Dead covered EVERY Beatle song, but they did a select few.....
It's easy. Jack White is a talented guy but the White Stripes suck. Just my opinion. He could do something better. Again, just my opinion.
"mates of state"... *shudder* *gag*
my girlfriend likes them I think. Ugh, she usually has good taste in music but that's not one of 'em!
Hmmmmmmm.....I've ALWAYS loved jazz and am listening to Michael Brecker now.....have NEVER done junk, reefer or coke....
Time to go home... maybe I'll call up and request "Rocket Reducer no. 62"
ahahahah I am such a jerk!
:-) talk to you later!
You are correct, sir.
The only distinction of the bands I listed above is that I don't almost crash my truck jumping for the radio when one of their tunes comes on.
I can stand the tunes by those bands I hear on the radio. I own no CD's by them.
Honestly, I prefer obscure Goth
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