Y
yyz2112
Guest
PT said:
Interestingly, Harrison didn't play the solo on Taxman, McCartney did.
Interestingly, Harrison didn't play the solo on Taxman, McCartney did.
AutoBat said:
Die Eier is a recipe for hash cookies if I'm not mistaken. And those things, along with the various other non-song pieces make the record hold together much better than just songs all in a row. They're almost like palate cleansers.
Another pretty awesome record I've been listening to lately is Blood Mountain by Mastodon. Really amazing.
I was just a thought when Lennon was killed. I can say that his music and The Beatles music helps families bridge a generational gap. Parents and children can listen together and find something to like. Lennon conjures one word for me: timeless. Did anybody else like Sgt. Pepper's?
P
ptirman
Guest
I want to see Yellow Matter Custard. What a great name.
Ted Spencer
Newbie
- Messages
- 21
My apologies for being a little late in joining this discussion, but...
I was 11 in the fall of '63 when the Beatles' records started getting heavy play on the radio (I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, and others). I absolutely loved them from the git-go.
Something that caught my attention even at my very young age was that "She Loves You" was (and remains) one of the few pop hits ever that was written from the viewpoint of someone telling someone else that he hadn't "lost his love", as he had thought, and that he (the friend) should make up with her. There was an unselfish, unconsciously spiritual quality in that (although no one spoke of it that way at the time) that I think was, in addition to the fact that they were superb band in their own right, and wrote their own songs, (which was unusual back then) a large part of Beatlemania as it quickly manifested. Girls knew Elvis wanted them to love him tender (which sounded like it might involve some risky business), but the Beatles only wanted to hold their hands, or were "happy just to dance" with them. Great songs, a great band, and (IMHO) that deeply genuine sense of goodness added up to the following:
-In the two weeks preceding their American debut, the 7" single of "I Want To Hold You Hand" sold 2.6 million copies.
-Their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was watched by 74 million viewers - over 40 percent of the entire American population at the time.
-Within two months The Beatles had twelve songs on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, including all of the top five, a feat that has never been matched before or since.
So, on February 9th, 1964, I, along with almost half the country, saw this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JILsCPSyI0
In spite of the fact that I had two slightly older brothers, neither was a Beatle fan yet, although that would quickly change. I was the only one in the house watching it...
I was absolutely, completely electrified. As I watched them perform, right there right then, I knew my life was changed forever. It was, and still is. I remember that just after the broadcast, and with great seriousness of purpose and gravity of tone, I stopped my father as he walked by and said: "I just saw the Beatles on TV, and dad, they are the greatest band in history". He chuckled and said "Oh come on - in ten years people will say: 'The Beatles? Who are the Beatles?'"
No need to point out who was right about that...
Having had my life changed, of course I eventually pursued a career in rock 'n roll - as a recording engineer. In my early 20s I was fortunate enough to land a job at The Hit Factory in NYC, one of the foremost recording studios in the world. I started as an assistant engineer, thrilled to be working with many huge music stars, which were the daily staple there. I eventually worked my way up through the ranks, and by '78 I was promoted to recording engineer. I continued there until I left to pursue a freelance career in early 1982, which I still do now, along with running my own studio business.
Through much of the second half of 1980 John and Yoko had worked on "Double Fantasy" there, locking out the entire sixth floor studio for several months. The whole floor was strictly off limits to anyone who was not directly involved in the project. My friend Jon Smith was the assistant engineer, and the only Hit Factory staffer allowed into the 'inner circle'. I had had only one brief encounter with Lennon - a hello in the hallway as I went up there to get a mic I needed (breaking the privacy rule for a just moment, although thankfully John didn't tattle on me). He seemed very polite, almost shy even, which quite surprised me back then. In retrospect though, it shouldn't have. After all, in spite of his edginess at times, he, along with McCartney, was the one who wrote those sweet lyrics that so impressed me back in '63...
Flash forward to the evening of December 8th, 1980:
I was doing a session in the second floor studio. Lennon was a few blocks away at The Record Plant studios mixing a single - a slightly sore subject for us at The Hit Factory - we felt a little slighted by the fact that he wasn't doing it here. For those that might not know, John had done most of his post-Beatles records at The Record Plant in New York, but had been successfully wooed to The Hit Factory by its owner, Eddie Germano, who had been Record Plant's studio manager until he bought the Hit Factory (a few months after I started there). Eddie had made good friends with John in the Record Plant days, and when he came out of his five year hiatus, Eddie was ready to close the deal...
Back to that night: my assistant, Brian McGee, had gone upstairs to retrieve a piece of gear for us, and when he came back he said he'd heard that "John Lennon has been assassinated". I didn't believe him. So I continued to go on with the session as normal, thinking it was just some weird, false rumor.
As it happens, I lived, as I do now, just down the street from Lennon's building, known as "The Dakota", on west 72nd St. in Manhattan (Yoko still lives there). So as I rode home in a cab at about midnight, I asked the driver to make a small detour past the Dakota to see if there was anything to this (hopefully) nonsensical rumor. This time, sadly bookending my bold prediction to my dad as a kid, it was my turn to be massively wrong. A huge crowd had gathered outside the building, making it impossible to go past it. We slowed for a look at the spectacle, then drove on.
I know that I'll never forget where I was or what I was doing on February 9, 1964, or December 8, 1980.
I was 11 in the fall of '63 when the Beatles' records started getting heavy play on the radio (I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, and others). I absolutely loved them from the git-go.
Something that caught my attention even at my very young age was that "She Loves You" was (and remains) one of the few pop hits ever that was written from the viewpoint of someone telling someone else that he hadn't "lost his love", as he had thought, and that he (the friend) should make up with her. There was an unselfish, unconsciously spiritual quality in that (although no one spoke of it that way at the time) that I think was, in addition to the fact that they were superb band in their own right, and wrote their own songs, (which was unusual back then) a large part of Beatlemania as it quickly manifested. Girls knew Elvis wanted them to love him tender (which sounded like it might involve some risky business), but the Beatles only wanted to hold their hands, or were "happy just to dance" with them. Great songs, a great band, and (IMHO) that deeply genuine sense of goodness added up to the following:
-In the two weeks preceding their American debut, the 7" single of "I Want To Hold You Hand" sold 2.6 million copies.
-Their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was watched by 74 million viewers - over 40 percent of the entire American population at the time.
-Within two months The Beatles had twelve songs on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, including all of the top five, a feat that has never been matched before or since.
So, on February 9th, 1964, I, along with almost half the country, saw this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JILsCPSyI0
In spite of the fact that I had two slightly older brothers, neither was a Beatle fan yet, although that would quickly change. I was the only one in the house watching it...
I was absolutely, completely electrified. As I watched them perform, right there right then, I knew my life was changed forever. It was, and still is. I remember that just after the broadcast, and with great seriousness of purpose and gravity of tone, I stopped my father as he walked by and said: "I just saw the Beatles on TV, and dad, they are the greatest band in history". He chuckled and said "Oh come on - in ten years people will say: 'The Beatles? Who are the Beatles?'"
No need to point out who was right about that...
Having had my life changed, of course I eventually pursued a career in rock 'n roll - as a recording engineer. In my early 20s I was fortunate enough to land a job at The Hit Factory in NYC, one of the foremost recording studios in the world. I started as an assistant engineer, thrilled to be working with many huge music stars, which were the daily staple there. I eventually worked my way up through the ranks, and by '78 I was promoted to recording engineer. I continued there until I left to pursue a freelance career in early 1982, which I still do now, along with running my own studio business.
Through much of the second half of 1980 John and Yoko had worked on "Double Fantasy" there, locking out the entire sixth floor studio for several months. The whole floor was strictly off limits to anyone who was not directly involved in the project. My friend Jon Smith was the assistant engineer, and the only Hit Factory staffer allowed into the 'inner circle'. I had had only one brief encounter with Lennon - a hello in the hallway as I went up there to get a mic I needed (breaking the privacy rule for a just moment, although thankfully John didn't tattle on me). He seemed very polite, almost shy even, which quite surprised me back then. In retrospect though, it shouldn't have. After all, in spite of his edginess at times, he, along with McCartney, was the one who wrote those sweet lyrics that so impressed me back in '63...
Flash forward to the evening of December 8th, 1980:
I was doing a session in the second floor studio. Lennon was a few blocks away at The Record Plant studios mixing a single - a slightly sore subject for us at The Hit Factory - we felt a little slighted by the fact that he wasn't doing it here. For those that might not know, John had done most of his post-Beatles records at The Record Plant in New York, but had been successfully wooed to The Hit Factory by its owner, Eddie Germano, who had been Record Plant's studio manager until he bought the Hit Factory (a few months after I started there). Eddie had made good friends with John in the Record Plant days, and when he came out of his five year hiatus, Eddie was ready to close the deal...
Back to that night: my assistant, Brian McGee, had gone upstairs to retrieve a piece of gear for us, and when he came back he said he'd heard that "John Lennon has been assassinated". I didn't believe him. So I continued to go on with the session as normal, thinking it was just some weird, false rumor.
As it happens, I lived, as I do now, just down the street from Lennon's building, known as "The Dakota", on west 72nd St. in Manhattan (Yoko still lives there). So as I rode home in a cab at about midnight, I asked the driver to make a small detour past the Dakota to see if there was anything to this (hopefully) nonsensical rumor. This time, sadly bookending my bold prediction to my dad as a kid, it was my turn to be massively wrong. A huge crowd had gathered outside the building, making it impossible to go past it. We slowed for a look at the spectacle, then drove on.
I know that I'll never forget where I was or what I was doing on February 9, 1964, or December 8, 1980.
Y
yyz2112
Guest
Something that is often overlooked is that they paid their dues playing dive bars and clubs. They were a cover band in that regard, and honed their musicality in an organic way. They may have been steered in a certain direction early on, but the Beatles' masterful works later in their career didn't come out of nowhere.
Ted Spencer
Newbie
- Messages
- 21
Max said:
The Ed Sullivan Show was 100% live.
The Beatles in the later Sullivan shows were equally amazing. Their performance of "Help" in '65 was absolutely dead-on as great as the record.
Ted Spencer
Newbie
- Messages
- 21
yyz2112 said:
Yes. They were a superb club band, as was proved later in their live performances, like on Sullivan.
P
ptirman
Guest
Ted thanks so much for that recounting of both events. Gave me chills.
S
swarfrat
Guest
Re: The ES show. I hate to admit it, but I still haven't seen it. BUT... I remember seeing the one hit wonder 'Boy Meets Girl' on the Arsenio Hall show. Arsenio for those too young to remember, had a strict policy of no canned music. I remember it seriously looked like the Gong show or talent night at the office party. I wanted to crawl under a rock for them. I don't think I've ever heard anything that bad on national TV from a nationally known act. I just bring this up because it makes the Beatles all the more impressive as hard working extremely talented real musicians that got there by blood & sweat rather than the stroke of some executive's pen or some whim of popular opinion.
Jusatele
Hero Member
- Messages
- 2,953
bagman67 said:
I think I played my best in the 70s and 80s when we gigged every place we could, it was almost like a full time job, I know more, and such now, but I was on top of my form then.
the old way was you formed a band, got together and learned 20 songs and went out and played everywhere you could till you could get paid for playing, then you set off playing bars till your job got in the way ,you gave up, or you got discovered. Anyway you put miles on your instruments, Now days you can get on a reality show and the prize is a recording contract. They have you promoted on a national level and do not have to have you tour as an opening act for 3 years to build an audience. The industry really has changed.
It seems like things are shifting back to how they were in the 50's. The business is driven by singles. The artists and groups are basically creations of record execs. The songs are being picked for the artists and the producers are the ones really responsible for the final product. It's really sad when you grow up thinking that it takes hard work and dedication and chops to make it and now all you need is a good producer protools and autotune.
bagman67
Epic Member
- Messages
- 9,106
pabloman said:
You're right, to a degree - yes, the folks making it really big are largely the creation of a team that never shows up on stage. But this is how it's been for a looong time in a lot of genres - most of your more economically viable country artists don't write their own stuff, and that's pretty much the way it's always been. And I'd even go so far as to say a lot of those folks actually have some talent (whether it matches my taste or not).
And if you grew up thinking all it took was hard work, dedication, and chops, you were charmingly naive - that's never been a sufficient condition for economic success as a musician (and chops ain't even a necessary condition). There are countless musicians who are completely dedicated to their instrument, to their art, to their performance, and to whatever fans they can gather - and they will never play anyplace bigger than a decent sized local bar, because either what they're doing is not adequately in line with what the market wants, or they don't know who to blow to get booked, or any of a variety of other factors that have nothing to do with the music.
Sure, times have changed - but the good old days weren't all that good, when you look beyond the brochure. And even today, four guys are loading up a 15-year-old van with all their gear and heading out on tour, looking to live the rock and roll dream - and that option will always be available, even if the songs they hear on the radio are all corrected with autotune.
Bagman
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
Epic Member
- Messages
- 8,318
Could some of it too be the record industry taking it back. Sir Paul is a millionaire, the others probably weren't far behind. Granted, a lot of his fortune was from things besides songwriting, but they and a few others from that era had the record companies by the huevos. They didn't like that powershift. Can a guy with 3 chords and a reason beat a businessman with a team of lawyers? Then too, who has staying power anymore? I hear bands' 1st and 3rd albums, and the songwriting is just as good, but the label is no longer promoting them. It's as if Record Label X signs an artist to keep Record Label Y from getting them. Now they got them, they move on to the next one while the 1st is dying under their contract. The record company makes less money if your a huge hit, so your career death is planned. You've got to write good songs, have a good business sense, get along with your band, and keep your fortune from going up your nose. Meanwhile, your record label has guys working for him while he sleeps whose sole purpose is to make him more money off of you. Have you seen how much an artist gets off of airplay, iTunes, and album sales. Touring and T-shirt sales is where the money for a band is - not in selling records - not anymore. 2 of the original Eagles you've never heard of never have to work again though.
I didn't mean ALL it took were those things. I just meant for the most part it was a requirement. Singles are definitely where the market is at. I think this is a reflection of the instant gratification mentality of society. Before a band had albums and an image and a sound and it took years to develop. Now an artist can change everything with just a new single, collaboration, or a remit.
