The Beatles' 'Eight Days a Week': the live career of 'a great little rock 'n' roll band'

[Johpa]

Let us not forget John Mayall and the incredible list of talent that played for Mayall before going out on their own.

 

And if you want to hear an insightful first hand recall of that era I highly recommend tracking down the documentary "Beware of Mr. Baker" because even more amazing than Keith Richards still being among the living, Ginger Baker is also still with us.

[LPCustom69]

2 hours ago, bendejo said:

 

The Nice.  Saw them as the 3rd act of a show, had no idea what to expect.  Amazing the way that guy handled that Hammond organ.  Also changed my view of Brubeck.

(hey, we no longer have strike-through fonts!)

 

Oh, and Cream.

 

 

The Kinks

[thaihome]

The Beatles quit touring because the direction their music was going was completely different then their stage shows. Tracks from Revolver were almost impossible to perform on stage with the technology of the day. Most of their best and most influential music came after they quit touring as a group. 

 

Seems to be forgotten that one of the biggest and highly influential people of the mid sixties was Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and what he was doing in the studio.

"Without Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper never would have happened," admitted Beatles' producer George Martin. "Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds."

 

I'm sure the documentary is very entertaining. I know that as a very young teenager I throughly enjoyed both Hard's Day Night and Help and the new film likely captures that same environment. 

 

Ron Howard is 2 years younger then me and I'm sure he has similar memories of that time growing up in Southern California, though growing up in the Hollywood elite he likely had much more personal exposure to the Beatles and other pop groups of the time.

 

TH 

 

[Ulysses G.]

8 hours ago, iReason said:

 

"The LPS in America were different." 

 

No.

 

 

One more example of you insisisting on something that is wrong. Most of the Beatles LPs in America were different from the ones released in England. The UK releases had more songs in a different order. That is not an opinion. It is a FACT.

 

 

[Ulysses G.]

8 hours ago, thaihome said:

Most of their best and most influential music came after they quit touring as a group. 

 

Seems to be forgotten that one of the biggest and highly influential people of the mid sixties was Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and what he was doing in the studio.

"Without Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper never would have happened," admitted Beatles' producer George Martin. "Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds."

 

 

I heard about this long ago. It took me years to find a copy of Pet Sounds and listen to it. I was not impressed.To me, Sgt. Pepper was far superior. However,I have never been a big fan of the Beach Boys.

[bartender100]

11 hours ago, Opl said:

 G. Harrison with friends on stage , ( skip ad) ,

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1ezp6u_bob-dylan-my-back-pages-hd_music

 

 

 

 

Brilliant, thanks for posting

[bendejo]

9 hours ago, thaihome said:

The Beatles quit touring because the direction their music was going was completely different then their stage shows. Tracks from Revolver were almost impossible to perform on stage with the technology of the day. Most of their best and most influential music came after they quit touring as a group. 

 

Touring meant playing sports stadiums filled with screaming girls such that you really couldn't hear what they were playing.  They could have been lip-synching to their records for all that mattered, and they knew it.  I doubt if they ever even thought about touring again, probably didn't even joke about it.  Notice that when progressive rock stations play a Beatles oldie it's usually not "She Loves You" or "Saw Her Standing There" but something post-Beatlemania.

 

They played Shea Stadium in NY soon after it first opened, and the place has since been torn down, makes me feel old.

 

 

[Humberstone]

10 hours ago, bendejo said:

 

Touring meant playing sports stadiums filled with screaming girls such that you really couldn't hear what they were playing.  They could have been lip-synching to their records for all that mattered, and they knew it.  I doubt if they ever even thought about touring again, probably didn't even joke about it.  Notice that when progressive rock stations play a Beatles oldie it's usually not "She Loves You" or "Saw Her Standing There" but something post-Beatlemania.

 

They played Shea Stadium in NY soon after it first opened, and the place has since been torn down, makes me feel old.

 

 

 

That's true. Also, the Beatles were on stage using 50 watt Vox amplifiers, tiny microphones and very basic monitors - they couldn't get the volume high enough to drown out the screams even if they wanted to.

 

The stage gear they used then was the same as all the bands of that era and was fine for playing small theatres. By the late 60's this had all changed of course.

[Johpa]

Just watched the documentary and quite enjoyed it.  They certainly started out as a great little rock band.  But we sometimes forget that they became more of an avant garde art band. My favorite quote in the film was from Elvis Costello noting that as the Beatles matured in the studio they would often take you somewhere musically that you had never been before, not always a comfortable feeling in the beginning.

[transam]

 

[sendintheclowns]

2 hours ago, Johpa said:

Just watched the documentary and quite enjoyed it.  They certainly started out as a great little rock band.  But we sometimes forget that they became more of an avant garde art band. My favorite quote in the film was from Elvis Costello noting that as the Beatles matured in the studio they would often take you somewhere musically that you had never been before, not always a comfortable feeling in the beginning.

good observation from EC (i mean Declan MacManus)

off topic a bit - EC himself was similarly influenced by a broad range of artists and genres - ive followed him through his earlist years, (channeling  Buddy Holly meets Joe Cocker).

I admire much of his lyrical wordplay and great melody making skills. One of my favs has to remain ''Tramp the Dirt Down''. I have always thought (mistakenly) that he co-wrote it with his then wife, Cait O'Riordan. That album (Spike) has an extraordinary gathering of session musicians, names who stand out like Jim Keltner, Christy Moore and so on...the man is very well connected. Last album I felt compelled to buy was Mighty like a Rose.

[Grouse]

It's amazing how music brings people together. I agree wholeheartedly with comments on here from folks I have crossed swords with historically!

 

The Beatles musicianship was unparalleled. Any guitarist will confirm that many of their chords are far from common.

 

I preferred the earlier stuff but so many of their songs were about love and stand in stark contrast to the hate in many current songs.

 

If you needed someone

I need you

No reply

Should have known better

 

"They don't make them like that anymore"!

 

My personal favorite band at the time was The Hollies. But don't forget The Searchers!

[dogpatch55]

Yeah  they  were  the  BEST!!!!!

[thaihome]

20 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

I heard about this long ago. It took me years to find a copy of Pet Sounds and listen to it. I was not impressed.To me, Sgt. Pepper was far superior. However,I have never been a big fan of the Beach Boys.

 

Oh, I agree that Sgt Pepper is a far better record, I think what Martin is referring to is the technical recording and production techniques that Brian Wilson pioneered. Techniques that contributed to making the Beetle's later records so successful  (besides the originality of the melodies and lyrics ).

TH  

[bannork]

I've always thought Sgt Peppers was overrated , yes there is the great A Day in the LIfe, Within you and Without You, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds but apart from that the rest are just  fill-ins to me.I prefer the guitar work on Revolver and then the songs on The White Album and Magical Mystery Tour., they just seemed more passionate to me.

I love Paul's And I Love Her, Mother Nature's Son and  Hey Jude, wonderful tunes but in the end the crazed genius of I am the Walrus , Tomorrow Never Knows, Come Together, etc are what makes The Beatles so special to me.

[Johpa]

8 hours ago, Grouse said:

I preferred the earlier stuff but so many of their songs were about love and stand in stark contrast to the hate in many current songs.

 

What I noted to myself watching the Howard documentary was that what really catches your attention on the early recordings is Ringo's drumming which is absolutely brilliant.  It is probably the only reason that a guy my age can still enjoy those early pop songs and ballads aimed at teen aged love concerns. In the film the three other members note than the band came together only after Ringo came into the fold.

[iReason]

On September 18, 2016 at 4:26 AM, Ulysses G. said:

 

Yes it was. The LPS in America were different.

 

At least for once, you got it right. 

 

The Beatles:

Second Album

Something New

Beatles '65

Beatles VI

Yesterday and Today:

 

Were all concoctions and bastardizations of the artist's work.

The above albums did not exist in the Beatles envisioned output.

The era and the continuity of the the true British releases were trashed by the greedheads at the American subsidiary of E.M.I. (Capitol Records).

 

Against the wishes of the artists and their producer, George Martin.

 

Any true Beatles fan would/should know this...

[Ulysses G.]

4 minutes ago, iReason said:

 

Any true Beatles fan would/should know this...

 

I do know it, but it does not matter. The US releases were still official and many Americans prefer the ones they grew up on. I have copies of both.

[Grouse]

11 hours ago, Johpa said:

 

What I noted to myself watching the Howard documentary was that what really catches your attention on the early recordings is Ringo's drumming which is absolutely brilliant.  It is probably the only reason that a guy my age can still enjoy those early pop songs and ballads aimed at teen aged love concerns. In the film the three other members note than the band came together only after Ringo came into the fold.

 

A journo once opined that Ringo was "not the best drummer in the world". McCartney replied "actually, he's not even the best drummer in The Beatles" ?

[bendejo]

3 hours ago, Grouse said:

 

A journo once opined that Ringo was "not the best drummer in the world". McCartney replied "actually, he's not even the best drummer in The Beatles" ?

 

Popular joke at the time Revolver came out was "hey, they brought in a real drummer for this album."

 

 

[nausea]

On 9/17/2016 at 1:38 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

They were a great POP group, but once they fried their brains with drugs the stuff they produced was dire, IMO. That so many loved their stuff AD ( after drugs ) was IMO an indication of just how many were also on drugs.

 

Best ever group- Rolling Stones.

That's a bit harsh. Some of the stuff they produced individually was pretty good. The value of synergy - sweet and sour. The Rolling Stones are great, but I always get a feeling in the back of my mind that it's  rip-off of black music. You can't say that about the Beatles.

[transam]

On 9/17/2016 at 1:38 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

They were a great POP group, but once they fried their brains with drugs the stuff they produced was dire, IMO. That so many loved their stuff AD ( after drugs ) was IMO an indication of just how many were also on drugs.

 

Best ever group- Rolling Stones.

So in your opinion the Stones and followers never popped stuff....?

[Ulysses G.]

2 hours ago, transam said:

So in your opinion the Stones and followers never popped stuff....?

 

I am pretty sure that the Stones did as many drugs as the Beatles. Both groups did great music though.

[Johpa]

11 hours ago, Grouse said:

 

A journo once opined that Ringo was "not the best drummer in the world". McCartney replied "actually, he's not even the best drummer in The Beatles" ?

 

The documentary does note the humor of working class Liverpool and the synergy found between "the lads" and George Martin who had produced comedy records of The Goon Show with Spike Mulligan, Peter Sellers, and others, a show the lads were very fond of.  One can see this offbeat humor during the early years in interviews and then the decline of that humor as the novelty wore off and the press, especially the American press after taking the "bigger than Jesus" quote out of context, became increasingly hostile to their success.

[atlas4]

The Stones were great......from Beggar's Banquet onwards......Up until then they were either very good or embarrassing (Satanic Majesties) followers of whatever The Beatles did.

 

It's natural and fashionable to show one's 'pavement cred' by rubbishing the Beatles......Always has been.

 

Keep it up.......I'll go on appreciating them and the rest that tagged along.

 

 

[transam]

13 minutes ago, atlas4 said:

The Stones were great......from Beggar's Banquet onwards......Up until then they were either very good or embarrassing (Satanic Majesties) followers of whatever The Beatles did.

 

It's natural and fashionable to show one's 'pavement cred' by rubbishing the Beatles......Always has been.

 

Keep it up.......I'll go on appreciating them and the rest that tagged along.

 

 

You rubbish the Stones that are still filling concert halls half a century on.....?

[johnnywishbone]

Always been a Stones guy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bannork]

1 hour ago, johnnywishbone said:

Always been a Stones guy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There's no need to compare the two, it's like comparing tom yam kung ( lemon grass soup with shrimp)- The Beatles with their subtle layers of taste to somtam kai yang (papaya salad with grilled chicken) -The Stones, more fiery and direct. Both are wonderful in their own way just depending on your mood or taste buds that day.

[Ulysses G.]

55 minutes ago, bannork said:

There's no need to compare the two, it's like comparing tom yam kung ( lemon grass soup with shrimp)- The Beatles with their subtle layers of taste to somtam kai yang (papaya salad with grilled chicken) -The Stones, more fiery and direct. Both are wonderful in their own way just depending on your mood or taste buds that day.

 

Agreed. IMO, both groups were far above the rest.

 

For me,  Led Zeppelin was probably number 3.

[sendintheclowns]

Liverpool humour: hopefully this was a US journo (thinking it had something to do with guns: ''why did you call your latest album Revolver?''  I think it was Ringo who said '' 'cause it goes around'' .

The album's artwork was marvellous, so original.

Actually what this thread really shows is that there was so much originality, musically, in those days.

 

So - who's in your top 10 groups of this century-to-date?