Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Greg]

They are the biggest band in pop music history and usually credited with being the most influential.
But in reality The Beatles were an average group who did little to change the musical landscape – at least according to one academic, who claims to have the science to back it up.
Despite the Fab Four’s 600 million record sales, Professor Armand Leroi dismisses their output as ‘ditties for prepubescent girls’ and claims they ‘sat out’ the musical revolution of the 1960s.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4260212/Top-scientist-insists-Beatles-no-influence-pop.html#ixzz4Zw63oYyJ



Anyhow.  I wonder what this guy is going to say to support his thesis when he gives his talk.

The guy cant be so clueless as to dismiss them to such a degree can he?

Look at the way The Btls broke RR out of the 50s and early 60s format.  Then...they paved the way for newer stuff with Rubber Soul and the albums that followed. 

Let It Be probably wasnt much of an influence, but you cant tell me that every band had an eye on The Beatles to see what they were doing next...whether they admit it or not.  Shoot, The Beatles even mentioned that they kept a close ear to the scene of who was doing what, and it had an effect on what they did.  Pet Sounds is just one example.   

I could go on about this topic but dont have the time right now.  I would like to hear this guy's complete thoughts on this.  Im guessing that he will make some valid points.

I wonder if hes going to go with the Mozart theory on the Fabs; they were so far ahead of their peers that they just didnt have much of an influence on them.

[Mervap]

Two words spring to mind: click bait.

Anytime someone wants to make some headlines in music, sag off on the most universally beloved and influential group.

[Greg]

Good point.  I was taking it semi-serious until you mentioned that.


Im going to find out anyway what he said though to see whats up with him.

[Greg]

After spending some time looking into this I think it was click-baity on the part of beatlenews.com (good call Mervap).  The whole endeavor by this guy is not really that credible.  Its very easy to pick apart and not well-founded.


For one...this is really old news.  The professor started this a couple yrs ago.


But...it does make me think about just what the influence of the Beatles was.  I have a book called Beatle Myths...its actually thought provoking.  The guy discredits the Btls on almost everything but raises some really really interesting points.


Anyway...


The Beatles influences on their peers?


I think that their influence is more in philosophy and approach as opposed to music.  I think they were just too ahead of their time musically and too talented in terms of songwriting for groups to be influenced strictly musically.


Also...did they influence the groups of the 60s in a radical/political way?  I know they made some statements that were quite radical in print and in interviews, but I dont think groups were inspired by The Btls in that way.  The press largely ignored their political statements early on...until they "insulted Jesus".  Omg, then the press was all over it.

[Mervap]

Well, the Lad's influence on The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson has been pretty well documented....I think their most lasting influence was one of inspiration. I have read countless interviews with musicians I really respect who say that the day they decided to make music their lot in life was the day they saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. It doesn't get much more influential than that....they are the reason I play.

[Keri]

Many British musicians credit hearing Love Me Do as changing their lives.

The Beatles influence and centrality culturally is so well established now that arguing against it smells of wilful perversity and wanting to blow your own trumpet.

It's like those few critics that claim Shakespeare wasn't such a big deal.

The Beatles caused millions of girls to scream, they galvanised the attention of millions of boys and they were at the centre of a transition in the culture which we're still trying to understand.

On top of that they recorded a lot of completely arresting songs and those albums are still exhilarating to listen to now.