Bob Dylan's rather shit 'n all.
The Beatles weren't quite rubbish. Page 4
Beatles standard of song writing imo is some of the best there's been. Rarely a dud and prolific with it. Possibly not the best instrumental players or singers in the world but they did the job and because they wrote the songs (most anyway) delivered in an authentic manner.
I think they're fantastic but if you don't I don't care!
As for Star Wars. It's a western set in space. But still ground breaking and I regularly choke one of to this!
Quote: Aaron @ July 31 2009, 11:40 AM BSTBob Dylan's rather shit 'n all.
That Radio 4 programme on him on Wednesday was funny, though. As discussed in my legendary Current Radio Comedy... >_<
Quote: chipolata @ July 31 2009, 11:41 AM BSTThat Radio 4 programme on him on Wednesday was funny, though. As discussed in my legendary Current Radio Comedy... >_<
I heard that. I thought it was terrible.
Quote: roscoff @ July 31 2009, 11:40 AM BST
Princess Jelhi from Carry On Up The Khyber (1968).
I mostly love the Beatles, but don't quite worship them to the extent some do. Still Rubber Soul and Revolver are genius and most of The White Album too.
Sgt Peppers definitely ain't up there in terms of best Beatles albums. Some great songs on it, fair amount of average/subpar ones. I mean of course there's the title track, "A Day In The Life" and the underapreciated "Good Morning Good Morning" - "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" is also a pretty good song, but much of the rest is messy, over produced, twee, self indulgent fluff and overall one of the band's lesser works. As for Abbey Road I thought the first half was patchy (aside from the opening one-two punch) three songs in it goes belly up. The embarassing Ringo-isms are just the downward slope to the 8-minute long dreck that is "I want you (She's so heavy)." Of course the second half is very good and mostly redeems the albums reputation, but from track 3 things don't pick up again until "Here Comes The Sun".
ps: I think the Stone Roses debut and VU & Nico are superior to any Beatles and Beach Boys album. Though it's close in one or two cases IMO.
It's actually quite astonishing what The Beatles managed to achieve in the relatively short period they were together as an established band.
People either like a band or don't. No amount of cajooling will convince them otherwise as it's all down to tastes but what is indisputable is:
- The Beatles didn't just influence popular music, Goddall did a great show in which he analysed the way they revolutionised music. Their influence whether you like them or not is all-pervasive and inescapable within the music that their detractors do like.
- Most of their work was created using 2- or 4-track technology including the majestic Strawberry Fields Forever, I am the Walrus, and Day in the Life. A stunning achievement. Their first 8-track recording was Hey Jude.
In a short period they initiated (and if they weren't the initiators then they were the key in popularising) many trends:
- from the use of Indian instruments, feedback, tape loops, stadium concerts, a fadeout long than the main body of the song, which itself broke the long-established 3-minute rule: Hey Jude
- recording techniques such as: flanging; using stairwells as reverb chambers; using speakers as mics and headphones as speakers. Many of these techniques can be done with electronics today but the Beatles and Martin and Emerick had to conceive and reproduce the ideas manually.
The very fact that 13 albums recorded over 40 years ago on such crappy technology, still generate such unbelievable interest and discussion says everything about the true value of the band.
The King is dead, long live the King. 
Quote: roscoff @ July 31 2009, 11:40 AM BSTBut still ground breaking and I regularly choke one of to this!
I can't... because she bears more than a passing resemblance to my sister.
Quote: SlagA @ July 31 2009, 5:15 PM BST... using stairwells as reverb chambers ...
Anything with stairwells has got to be credited to Joe Meek, surely.
Quote: roscoff @ July 31 2009, 11:40 AM BST
Oh dear oh dear . . .
Hey Jude is a blasphemous abuse of sound waves.
Quote: Aaron @ July 31 2009, 5:30 PM BSTHey Jude is a blasphemous abuse of sound waves.
You know I might agree there, but many a football ground on a saturday afternoon may not.
Quote: JohnnyD @ July 31 2009, 5:20 PM BSTAnything with stairwells has got to be credited to Joe Meek, surely.
I did try to include a catch-all - "In a short period they initiated (and if they weren't the initiators then they were the key in popularising) many trends" Although Meek's stuff was certainly popular.
But purely from a musical point of view wouldn't it have been better if they'd 'disappeared' at the height of their fame rather than go on to pen such classics as Yellow Submarine and Frog Chorus?
I saw a Stuart Sutcliffe exhibition a while back - him and John were the only really 'cool' ones weren't they? Although George had the peace loving hippy thing going on.
Ringo just got lucky in my opinion.
Technically very exciting time in music though - we'll have to ask Chappers what it was like to be there. 
JP
John Lennon was best man at Don Rushmore's wedding.
Don's then lover, Mark Chapman got jealous.
Quote: Jane P @ July 31 2009, 7:00 PM BSTI saw a Stuart Sutcliffe exhibition a while back - him and John were the only really 'cool' ones weren't they? Although George had the peace loving hippy thing going on.
George was much more than just that, he popularised the whole 'going to India' thing (although people like Paul Horn were already there) which every pop musician felt then obliged to do. He was the thrust of their spiritual side.
Paul was very cool, but in a less obvious way. For instance, he supported the contemporary art scene without using it for self-publicity, and he was into the avant-garde, which was pretty cutting-edge cool if you ask me.