The Beatles...

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let's not forget brian epstein, without whose influence nobody would have heard of the beatles outside the cavern club regulars.

^ Good point. From a practical standpoint it's true.

I watched a documentary this week about Laurel Canyon and the musicians that lived there in the 60s. Brian Wilson said that Rubber Soul influenced him to write Pet Sounds and Pet Sounds in turn influenced the Beatles to write Sgt Pepper's.

if there were no beatles, somebody would have had to invent them, and it would have been done piecemeal. IOW their innovations would gradually have occurred anyways, somewhat later. they were first past the gate with no clear followers in sight. their absence would represent a yawning hole in our consciousness. their introduction of long hair for men eventually would have happened, it was organic, again they were just the first past the gate with nobody following behind until much later.

and without Ringo, the beatles would not be as we know them now. he was a critical ingredient, that certain something, a random element that made all the difference. IMHO how they all were chosen and got together when they did, was cosmic, made in heaven. so many things could have gone wrong to prevent the phenomenon from gelling as it did.

^ When I was young, and first played the Beatles incessantly I was very ignorant and naive and thought Ringo was a weak link or even a mediocre drummer. Thankfully I've learned over time how wrong I was in my initial viewpoint. Ringo is one of the four pillars of that band and his contribution is perfectly suited and complimentary to their music. I think he's just great.

In the spirit of the upcoming Christmas season...

a right-handed drummer would have sounded quite different. that is the major portion of ringo's unique sound, aside from his metronomic precision.

Have you seen this, Blabby? When you see the acumen that George Martin displays in this clip in regard to his mixing abilities it speaks to your assertion that the Beatles wouldn't have been the Beatles without him.

I like The Monkeys.

A friend when I was studying in a Catholic seminary had converted his room into a music hall. He had gotten an old stereo turntable and some amazing speakers, mixing boards, and dozens of feet of cables to hook up audio gear essentially converting his bedroom/cell to the inside of a giant phonograph.

He was a Beatle-maniac and demonstrated a 45rpm Euro pressing of an original Beatles record. I don't remember the song...but I do remember saying "Why, it sounds just like everything else!"

"Sure it does," he said; "they started most of it." Apparently they were the people who sparked modern music and made it what it is today. While I still wouldn't go for their music even if I was absolutely bored & had no other options (rag-time forever!) I still think the Beatles are historically significant and interesting for that reason if no other.

Glad to see everyone enjoys them so much, too.

The Beatles represented a major shift. The best description of them I heard was that it was like "they changed black and white into color." I don't remember who said it.

The problems of the times notwithstanding, the 60's was a great time to be a kid.