Timewatch recalled the days when four Liverpudlians held the Western world in their hands - and viewers had memories to share as well...
Timewatch: The Beatles - discussion
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Viewers share their memories of The Beatles.
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8 Jan 2007 14:33
I am now 63, and I lived through Beatlemania - and yes, of course they were the greatest thing that ever happened to pop music. They broke completely new ground, and created history on many occasions. Sure, they were not always squeaky clean, but then, who was? They will be remembered long after everybody says "Oasis Who?"
16 Jan 2007 17:14
They may not have been particularly good on their instruments, but their harmonies were excellent, and they were the first modern harmony rock & pop-group. Most of the songs written jointly by Lennon and McCartney are vastly superior to anything separately written by either of them later. This suggests to me that George Martin may have assisted now and again, (although this has always been denied). Those subtle chord-changes within some of their songs, and the really nice melodies in them made them streets ahead of most of what you hear bands playing now. Some similar modern bands still seem to be locked into less than five chords, (usually three). They don`t seem to have the imagination to make their songs more intricate. Oh for the return of The Beatles and their comparative sophistication.
15 Jan 2007 17:25
When I left school, I knew I wanted a job in music; I was thinking about song-writing in Tin Pan Alley, having written a couple at school. What the local Youth Employment Exchange (remember those?!) offered me was a job 'at a... recording studio... whatever that is.' Having recently been on a school trip to the Colaro record deck Factory in ?Dagenham?, I reckoned I'd have a look.
So, on the way home to Mill Hill (I was at a boarding school in Essex), I called in to the EMI Studios in St Johns Wood. They were looking for 2 assistant engineers, and I had an interview and a couple of weeks later, heard that I was successful and was to start in a month.
After a couple of weeks, I was offered my first late-night recording session, which the engineer, Norman Smith, told me was for a group called, he thought, 'The ...err.. Beatmen?' The name was close :)
I went on to be an assistant engineer for The Fabs for several years: in the Mark Lewison 'Beatles Sessions' book, I'm wrongly attributed as I used to sign myself AB (which stands for Antony, rather than Tony, which is what I'm known by) and the only AB anyone could think of was Abe Lincoln, who was gone by the time I got there.
It was a privilige to have been one of the insiders to the revolution, and being one of the first to hear the new recordings. Most recording artists look on recording studios as a home away from home, where they can relax and become ordinary humans for a while, and it was great to be part of the Beatle family: but even though we went out for meals with The Boys, and I was often given a lift home by Paul in his 'Wickerwork' Mini, there was always the tiniest of gaps between Us and Them...
I never saw The Beatles live on stage; I guess it was enough for us to see them in the act of creation, and I know that I always felt that it would be an anti-climax to see them trying to make themselves heard in a live gig.
It's sad to think that no-one will ever hear the way that the Beatles' songs would grow from the basic rhythm track (which I always thought was rather pedestrian!) into the fabulous songs we all know, once the vocals and 'twiddly bits' were added.
And let me say now, that despite what other people have written, The Beatles would not have been what they were without George Martin; they were worlds apart, but that's the point really. The Beatles were four distinct musical personalities, and George Martin pulled them all together and gave them a much-needed discipline in the studio.
I've just purchased the 'Love' album and its fascinating to hear something so well-known sounding ever-so slighlty different; and it intersesting that the songs that stand out for me are George's. I always thought that he was somehow a deeper musician than the others, and his songs certainly stand the test of time.
15 Jan 2007 00:46
Anyone who experienced the Beatles first hand (i.e.in concert live or were privileged to meet them) will know what it was really like - fantastic. Don't ever forget them .......I won't.
14 Jan 2007 23:10
On Tuesday 20th August 1963 (or 1962 ?) I went to the ticket office of the Gaumont Cinema, Bournemouth that morning and purchased a ticket to see the Beatles that evening. The performance started at 7.0 p.m., the other performers being Billy J Cramer with the Dakotas. My seat was D7 in the front of the circle where I had a very good view. It was a very memorable show though I could hardly hear anything of their music due to the constant screaming of girls. Their top number at the time was Twist and Shout. I remember the curtain going up and the Beatles in there colourless Beatle jackets. I was in schoolboy school uniform when I bought the ticket, jacket and cap, and hope that I changed into something different for the show!?I still have the ticket that I purchased. The next time that they came to Bournemouth they were so famous that I stood little chance of getting a ticket, and so never saw them again live. However it was the second time I had seen them, having seen them at Wembley Pool Arena the year before when Love Me Do was their main hit. The leading group on that occasion were The Shadows. Also appearing was Dusty Springfield and possibly The Seekers? I have the programme for this somewhere in the attic. What memories?
14 Jan 2007 22:27
For Beatles fans interested in a unique perspective of their final US tour, I would recommend highly the book Ticket To Ride (pub. 1997, ISBN 0-9646452-4-6) by Barry Tashian, who also appeared briefly in the TV documentary. Subtitled "The Extraordinary Diary of the Beatles' Last Tour", the author was leader and singer/guitarist of the Remains, one of the opening acts; he was able to hang out with the Beatles and witness first-hand the aura and chaos
that surrounded them.
14 Jan 2007 21:20
A beatles fan first but do like the Stones and the Who.
The Beatles led the way with both writing and performing.
They opened the doors to America for British Artist the first time in music history.
George Martin was an influence in the production of their works and didn't hold them back.
I remember talking to Gerry Marsden (gerry and the pacemakers) he told me George Martin was against releasing You'll Never Walk Alone but allowed him to in the end. A no.1 and a mersey anthem.
Their studio recordings led the way a classic example look at Rubber Soul and Revolver.
Then came Sgt Pepper, an album that took the world by storm and shook the music industry by it ears.
Others artist tried to copy it but never over took it.
The Who Sell out, Beach Boys Pet Sounds, The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet (with 3d image on cover)Small Faces Ogdens Nutgone Flake(first album ever released in a circular sleeve. These are to name but a few.
Another thing people seem to have forgotten about the sixties is the debt that is owed to the offshore radio stations like Radio Caroline (first lady of the airways) and Radio London, Essex,390,England, BBMS.
They challenged the government of the day and finally made the BBC realise that a Big Band playing a Beatles song on the radio was nowhere as good as listening to the original thing.
If it wasn't for the Pirates commercial radio in Britain wouldn't be what it is today.
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Originally published: Tuesday, 23rd January 2007
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