The Beatles - Great Band or Greatest band

a reply to: watchandwait410

You gotta understand.The various types of STYLES teens heard from each new album introduced those types of music teens hadnt heard before.

One year alone...Moody Blues we're recording the 1st Rock Orchestra "Days of Future Passed", as "Sgt.Pepper" was the Beatles project...while The Rolling Stones we're recording "Satanic Mysteries"....all down the block, wildly divers instrumentation never picked up before by teens.

The Beatles influenced my band from '64 and on for introducing the world to such a wide breadth of styles.

That changed how we dressed, what we listened to, how to live, Indian and orchestral songs, clothing etc.

Without their influence...music and style would be far different.....

originally posted by: Trueman
The Beatles were not that skilled as musicians.

since when is that any kind of criteria though?

if you strictly want to look at music or musicians based on the skills of the people playing and composing the tunes then you need to throw our 90% of the # that everyone knows over the last 50 years.

a reply to: norhoc

I understand. It's completely subjective. And personally I think Brian May is the most underrated guitarist from the 70's and 80's. Freddie was undoubtedly one of the best showmen to ever walk a stage...he could play an audience better than YoYo Ma could cello. For me Queen is in the top 10, but will never crack the top 5 because they didn't have the impact across the genre that the other bands did, IMO. I adore their music and it's some of the best vocal orchestration of all time...but not as influential.

originally posted by: Freeborn
I think I'm sort of on a different page to everyone else in this thread.

I have a truly eclectic taste in music and current favourites tend to change with moods and times.

But some remain constant;

1. The Clash.
2. John Lydon. (Combined PiL and The Sex Pistols).
3. The Who.
4. The Levellers.
5. The Doors.

Motorhead are contenders as are Oasis.
The Stone Roses haven't the volume of work to be considered.
As stated previously I love The Rolling Stones but most of the stuff since Exile on Main Street has been embarrassingly crap.
Stiff Little Fingers are a lifetime favourite of mine but I could hardly categorise as one the best 5 in the world.
Lots of other bands I could mention.....Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd et al would never get a mention.

I can definitely identify with the Clash, the Who and the Doors being great bands got multiple albums from all 3 and now I'm going to have to look into John Lydon and the Levellers.

With most oldies I can't listen to the songs over and over but with The Beatles I can. I have to listen to it many times in order to get that ahhh I have had enough feeling. I just wish there was more of it, I hate how I get use to songs.

I had a music teacher (RIP) who once said to me in a blank expression, "You know the Beatles set music back twenty years, right?" Here's a guy who I know for a fact was obsessed with them Beatles, as every songwriter is at some point.

I thought he was joking so I let out a little polite giggle, but his expression didn't change. I didn't have the wherewithal to ask him to clarify what he meant. Since he died several months later, I will never know.

a reply to: watchandwait410

What I loved about the Beatles was how they matured , improved on their instruments, and learned how to play others.
Their initial teenybopper sound definitely progressed , and over time they proved they were more than just a flash in the pan ,teen idol band.

One of my early favs..

Did anybody mention Wilson Pickett?

let me say too that if anyone is still sleeping on Frank Zappa you should wake up.

it is still far beyond what most people are capable of composing and and further beyond what most people can play.

pick up hot rats or the grand wazoo if youre into instrumental and jazz.

quintuplets
16th note triplets
lovely

all his songs fit into 1 large body of work too. themes keep popping up. pieces of songs fit together as a larger whole.
it really is amazing if you start breaking it down.

check this out. this was the vault attached to his house that held all the masters as well as decades of recordings of live shows and thousands of hours of unreleased #.

there is a large body of work here

a reply to: TinySickTears

it is still far beyond what most people are capable of composing and and further beyond what most people can play

Are you surprised?

Frank Zappa recorded for 27 years ( 1966 - 1993 )

The Beatles recoded for only 7 years ( 1962- 69 )

originally posted by: alldaylong
a reply to: TinySickTears

it is still far beyond what most people are capable of composing and and further beyond what most people can play

Are you surprised?

Frank Zappa recorded for 27 years ( 1966 - 1993 )

The Beatles recoded for only 7 years ( 1962- 69 )

that has very little to do with what i said but i see what you are saying.

you a fan?

a reply to: kelbtalfenek


influence doesn't make a group or band great. N Sync, Backstreet Boys, New Kids have influenced an entire genre, Britney has influenced an entire genre, just because they had influence means nothing when rating the greatness of a band. Truthfully they just stole from Elvis et al, who in turn stole from Chuck Berry et al. Queen was entirely unique and great musicians and vocalist and showman.

a reply to: watchandwait410

I can't find the original English version of this doc on Youtube but it's at least linkable on the PBS site - Sgt. Pepper's Musical Revolution.

Absolutely fantastic in-depth look at how the album was made and how it changed the way songs were written.

PBS

The only thing they're worth to me is they inspired a lot of people I do like. Never liked them though. Overrated. And I don't mean in terms of talent. They may have been the most talented musicians ever for all I know (I'm not even accidentally a musician). I just don't like their music, their vibe or the way people never shut up about them.

Pink Floyd FTW.

Though I do like the Beatles , I wouldn’t say they are the all time best band.

No band is the best.. but here are a few of my top favs..

Steely Dan

Dire Straits

Pink Floyd

The Traveling Wilburys

Jethro Tull