One of the biggest musical influence of all time is The Beatles. It was a rarity in the 1960's to find a person who wasn't infected with Beatlemania. They didn't sound like anything else, and their songs varied over multiple genres. They are a huge inspiration of mine.
Hailing from Liverpool, England, the "Fab Four" that were the Beatles consisted of George Harrison, John Lennon, Pail McCartney, and Ringo Starr. Influenced by Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent, John Lennon formed a group that would later turn into The Beatles (Rock and Roll). The Beatles were an immediate success, putting out single after single. They were mobbed by excited fans everywhere they went (The Beatles) Their harmonic range varied from Fifties vocal groups to rockabilly bands. Their appearance consisted of suits and shaggy hair, making them appear more accessible (Rock and Roll).
One of their best albums was Revolver. With the stress of competing with other top musicians of the time, they turned to drugs, which affected the writing of this album. Their former manager, Brian Epstein, left, which also opened the doors for others to step in and influence them. Controversy erupted when Lennon made an anti-religious statement (The Beatles) Through this series of events, The Beatles stopped touring, and became a studio band (Plagenhoef 2009).
The Beatles began to get creative in the studio. They started layering sounds and experimenting crafting songs (Rock and Roll). Influenced by LSD, Lennon used certain techniques to create trippy sounds. He used tape loops, backward guitar parts, and a flanged droning tamboura. They also experimented with Indian and classical music. They used artificial soluble tracking to save time in the studio, which was innovative for the time. It allowed them to double the track with manipulation of one machine's speed. They also employed close mixing of acoustic instruments to create a different sound as compared to other musicians from the time. (500 Greatest)
I definitely enjoyed Revolver. As a listener, I love the varied genres that the Beatles brushed on in each song. I love the fact each member could write and bring his own influences into each song. It's interesting as an industry professional to hear techniques that have been used for decades start with this album. The Beatles are legends, and will be known for decades to come for their creativity.
Hello Angela,
ReplyDeleteI thought this was an excellent blog post about The Beatle's "Revolver" album. One of the key words I think about when listening to Revolver is experiment, which you make sure to mention right off the back. The use of LSD and possibly other substances helped further the already strong willingness of The Beatles to experiment with sounds and other in-studio techniques that hadn't been done before. I enjoyed the fact that you pointed out the use of the close mixing with the acoustic instruments in order to get a different sound than that that was implemented by other artists of that time period. Lastly, I agree with you when you say that the Beatles will be known for their creativity for decades to come. I have nothing critical to say about your post because I feel it is sound and strong with facts and sources. Keep up the great work!
-Jerald Washington-