Any Beatles fans here?

Anyone who has seen 'Sgt peppers musical revolution' (BBC4) knows just how unique this music is. My skybox has died, and the programme with it. I have to get it back!!!

I have the 24 bit reissues from some years back, and they are a significant improvement on the earlier CD remasters, but hearing the Tidal rendering (16 bit) of the new Sgt. Pepper recording has  really whetted the appetite for a 24 bit version. 

Do I really have to spend a further £100+ to get one 24 bit Blu Ray album, and then tear my hair (what's left) trying to rip a 24 bit version? Give us a break, Apple.

They were part of the soundtrack to my school years when they were never off my Dansette (my brothers really) but funnily I have never been able to listen to their albums much.

Think the last time I played a Beatles album all the way through was Let it Be back when it came out.

My fav album of theirs is Revolver.

Ewemon,

Do yourself a favour and listen to them all at least once, in chronological order, and realise just how great they are, with the George Martin genius to put it all together.

One of my favourite experiences of live music (and I've seen a lot) was seeing a Japanese Beatles covers band at The Cavern in Liverpool as part of the Mathew Street festival about 5 or 6 years ago.

It was about midnight, everyone in the crowd had been on the sauce all day, and had been to the club plenty of times before.

The joy, the obvious sense of a pilgrimage achieved (don't mention anything about it not being the original Cavern!) on the band's faces infected the room and it was brilliant.

I wasn't even born until a decade after Sgt. Pepper came out, and I still think it's one of the best albums I own.

Reading these responses another factor of The Beatles' creative prowess comes to mind for me; how many bands are given complete artistic license in the studio? This was essentially the case for The Beatles from "Rubber Soul" on. Budget of no factor due to presumed success of the output. Every album The Beatles produced sold in hoards and really no lemons in the discography. I doubt the bean counters ever had their fingers crossed when a new Beatles album went out.

joerand posted:

Reading these responses another factor of The Beatles' creative prowess comes to mind for me; how many bands are given complete artistic license in the studio? This was essentially the case for The Beatles from "Rubber Soul" on. Budget of no factor due to presumed success of the output. Every album The Beatles produced sold in hoards and really no lemons in the discography. I doubt the bean counters ever had their fingers crossed when a new Beatles album went out.

Agree with the above, plus the later music, was so complex, they would not have been able to play it  live.

I was born in 1970. My parents had the red and blue compilation albums and I played them to death. When I passed my A levels (in 1988) with good grades my parents bought me a much craved complete Beatles vinyl box set. I much preferred the later (Revolver onwards) albums. Since I've bought my Naim system, I bought the hi res USB Apple and I've really grown to appreciate and love the early stuff too.

I honestly can't choose a favourite album as they are all great in their own way. Quite unique and so influential. 

Yeah, they were my best friends once Revolver and then Sgt Pepper came out. Getting to the basement on a Saturday afternoon and they'd take me on a fun fantasy filled trip.  No smoking back then at 14 with a lawyer for father.

I did give them up for a  long time with no albums untill my first Naim in 2000 and soon they reissued the white album in CD format. I still have the urge to get up at the end of each of the album sides even on CD.  I know 2nd album isn't played that much but dayam, they had some great songs and Beatle blues with John and Harrison.  Very creative.  The way I look at #9 is this is John on acid and I still listen to it.  I only bought the last few mono recordings Rubber Soul on.

Mark,

how I wish you hadn't started this. Please forget you did, put Across the Universe on the DVD player and wonder when someone will do a film like that using the Stones, Aerosmith or U2 or Coldplay or whoever the f*** you want. Can we please not talk of The B. anymore, so that the only good thing my generation had is not spoiled by rationality, revisionism or by some amateurs explaining that George Harrison was a worst guitar player than Steve Vai? Can we, please, keep our greatest love for ourselves?

Thanks,

with affection

Max

Max_B posted:

Mark,

how I wish you hadn't started this. Please forget you did, put Across the Universe on the DVD player and wonder when someone will do a film like that using the Stones, Aerosmith or U2 or Coldplay or whoever the f*** you want. Can we please not talk of The B. anymore, so that the only good thing my generation had is not spoiled by rationality, revisionism or by some amateurs explaining that George Harrison was a worst guitar player than Steve Vai? Can we, please, keep our greatest love for ourselves?

Thanks,

with affection

Max

 

Bravo Max, well said..

ATB Graham.

Thanks.

ATB Max

Bananahead posted:

They sound very dated now

How did you choose your nickname?

They are dated, they didn't have the technology we have now.  They had to do 2 tracks, mix them to 1 and do 2 other tracks and mix those to 1 and then put those last 2 together.  Paul said they start out with the sharpest sounds, probably Ringo and background vocals first, then more melodic and vocals on top.  That is creative, plus they were putting out so many records each year AND touring.  George Martin said what he admired most was how quick they learned and bent the rules, they didn't keep repeating their music, each album was it's own deal. They got my attention and life was much more colorful and fun. 

It was a pretty amazing period with so many bands coming out but most fading away after a hit or three.  Stones were magnificent for the British Blues bad boy scene reflecting the blues back to us in the states and saying "Hey you, listen to THIS".  By 70 when Beatles broke up I was in CA at 17 but so many bands bringing influences from every corner and mashing it all up.  Besides the Blues, rock's other main influence was Country and early 70s I was in college in Colorado so that was a whole other personal adjustment I was just listening to radio. I had one last roomate with records, Introduced me to Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, CSN, Poco, Flying Burrito Bros, and the first Eagles album came out. Then Bowie crashed the scene!

My grades weren't very good but the beer and music was great to expand my musical taste.

Going back to the original post - that (the website) is quite a thorough wade through the songs and reminds me of MacDonald's excellent book "Revolution in the Head" . I'll be dipping into it some more. Thanks.

As for the band - well, in seven short years they changed the world, didn't they. From "I Saw her Standing There" to "Her Majesty" and hardly a bum note in between. And thank goodness they had the sense to end when they did and to never reform.

Redmires posted:

 And thank goodness they had the sense to end when they did and to never reform.

I agree they had good sense to go their separate ways at the right time; Abbey Road the epitome of a swansong album. That said I do very much enjoy the Anthology series, music and DVDs, and thought the included new singles "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" (25 years after disbanding and 15 years after Lennon's death) were very classy and very Beatle-esque.

Now we're going through the re-issues/remarketing of the of the albums. I haven't bought the latest Sgt Pepper, but The White album (I have to suspect it's ensuing) holds interest for me. I wouldn't mind hearing a double album of outtakes, song developments, and studio conversations from those sessions.

joerand posted:

Redmires posted:

 And thank goodness they had the sense to end when they did and to never reform.

I agree they had good sense to go their separate ways at the right time; Abbey Road the epitome of a swansong album. That said I do very much enjoy the Anthology series, music and DVDs, and thought the included new singles "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" (25 years after disbanding and 15 years after Lennon's death) were very classy and very Beatle-esque.

Now we're going through the re-issues/remarketing of the of the albums. I haven't bought the latest Sgt Pepper, but The White album (I have to suspect it's ensuing) holds interest for me. I wouldn't mind hearing a double album of outtakes, song developments, and studio conversations from those sessions.

I don't think they had the 'good sense' to go their separate ways, they were not able to continue due to the fact they fell out, big time.

In fact most of their last work was recorded separately, using various session musicians.... Ect ect

It's almost par for the course, after living in each others pockets for so many years, that their individual genius would eventually cause a falling out, also throw the eccentric yoko ono into the mix....

That said, after going their separate ways,  they all apart from Ringo, produced some superb music....which is still current, relevant, and music I listen to all the time...

Nobody mentioned Please Please Me.

For me, a brilliant first album. Less produced sounding and less double tracking than some of the follow up stuff.

There are also a few vocal fluffs from Lennon noticeably, giving it a more spontaneous live feel and the youthful energy of the music Is quite palpable. 

If you were brought up in an era  of black and white tv when there were no videos,  no computer games, no smartphones, no social media etc etc  but plenty of fags (cough cough) then the Beatles were like fresh air.

It still amazes me how many hit songs they wrote and how thick and fast they were released in that sixties era.

Take That could never compete!

cheeselet posted:

Nobody mentioned Please Please Me.

For me, a brilliant first album. Less produced sounding and less double tracking than some of the follow up stuff.

There are also a few vocal fluffs from Lennon noticeably, giving it a more spontaneous live feel and the youthful energy of the music Is quite palpable. 

If you were brought up in an era  of black and white tv when there were no videos,  no computer games, no smartphones, no social media etc etc  but plenty of fags (cough cough) then the Beatles were like fresh air.

It still amazes me how many hit songs they wrote and how thick and fast they were released in that sixties era.

Take That could never compete!

 

Agree with those sentiments ....

as regards the band you mentioned at the end of your comments, I'm not going to repeat the name for fear of being moderated and possibly banned from this forum permanently... ......which should be the punishment for uttering the name let alone putting it in print .......but in comparison to the greatest band that have ever lived,  they are as exciting as a case of poorly made rice cakes.....

wenger2015 posted:

joerand posted:

Redmires posted:

 And thank goodness they had the sense to end when they did and to never reform.

 

I don't think they had the 'good sense' to go their separate ways, they were not able to continue due to the fact they fell out, big time.

Every band that ever was fell out, big time at points in their career but The Beatles never made the mistake of carrying on after their prime or reforming. Lennon, as early as 1963, stated that he wouldn't be playing "She Loves You" when he was 30. Very few, be it in music, sport,acting or in any walk of life go out at the very top. They left us all wanting more ....

"When you get to the top, there is nowhere to go but down, but the Beatles could not get down. There they remain, unreachable, frozen, fabulous."

Philip Larkin

@c'heeselet

Please please me sounds even more live when you listen to the test pressing!

Wenger - I know what you are saying about Ringo, and I agree, but his one anomaly was "It Don't Come Easy" which stands as a strong piece of work with any post Beatles solo work - actually, that whole album is pretty much his one moment of post-Beatles quality.

wenger2015 posted:

That said, after going their separate ways,  they all apart from Ringo, produced some superb music....which is still current, relevant, and music I listen to all the time...

I believe a strong argument could be made that 1973's "Ringo" is the strongest post Beatles release by any of the ex-members. A bunch of top ten hits (Photograph, It don't come easy, Oh my my and You're sixteen), the presence of all his former former bandmates on different songs, well chosen covers, originals and a top-flight band. It has a consistency of quality the others miss.

The only solo album that is a par would be Band on the Run (come on everyone skips the jam sides on All things must pass... as for Imagine and Plastic Ono -primal scream therapy anyone?). Granted he never hit the heights again and to some extent this is lightening in a bottle, but it is, was and remains superb. All IMO.

regards,

Giles

DrMark posted:

Wenger - I know what you are saying about Ringo, and I agree, but his one anomaly was "It Don't Come Easy" which stands as a strong piece of work with any post Beatles solo work - actually, that whole album is pretty much his one moment of post-Beatles quality.

Yes, I agree, his one moment of quality.

Bluebeard posted:

wenger2015 posted:

That said, after going their separate ways,  they all apart from Ringo, produced some superb music....which is still current, relevant, and music I listen to all the time...

I believe a strong argument could be made that 1973's "Ringo" is the strongest post Beatles release by any of the ex-members. A bunch of top ten hits (Photograph, It don't come easy, Oh my my and You're sixteen), the presence of all his former former bandmates on different songs, well chosen covers, originals and a top-flight band. It has a consistency of quality the others miss.

The only solo album that is a par would be Band on the Run (come on everyone skips the jam sides on All things must pass... as for Imagine and Plastic Ono -primal scream therapy anyone?). Granted he never hit the heights again and to some extent this is lightening in a bottle, but it is, was and remains superb. All IMO.

regards,

 

Giles

I have the album on vinyl, it is as you say his best work. He was probably a little unfortunate in that it was released at the same time as Band on the Run, which took the limelight. 

Apparently his very latest album has strong reviews, but I have not heard it myself. 

Give poor ol Ringo a break!

He was great for the bands image and I always found his vocal contributions a nice change from the others. 

Who could have sung "With a little help from my friends" any better than Ringo?