The Beatles
John lennon played rhythm guitar, Paul McCartney played
bass, George Harrison played lead guitar and Ringo Starr played the drums.
Together they formed The Beatles- the most famous and influential group in the
history of popular music. Their songs dominated the 1960s, when people believed
that music could change the world, and the songwriting skills of Lennon and
McCartney have ensured that their music lives on. Their songs still influence
many musicians today.
Live performances
The Beatles began by playing in clubs in and around
Liverpool, UK. Their lively performances were an exciting contrast to the staid
and solid players who dominated popular music at the time. The Beatles’
reputation was based on the songwriting abilities of John Lennon and Paul
McCartney. At first they both wrote traditional rock and roll songs about
friendship and love, but as the pair developed, their subjects became more
varied.
Recording
In 1966 The Beatles stopped performing live, and spent more
time in the studio. There they experimented with different instruments, such as
string orchestras and sitars, and with new recording techniques. Their
masterpiece, Sgt. Pepper’s lonely hearts club band, took many months to produce
and made use of techniques such as tape-splicing and multi-track recording.
Early Life
All four Beatles were born in the English port of Liverpool
and played in various rock and roll groups in the late 1950’s. In 1960-61 John,
Paul, George and drummer Pete Best played at the Star Club in the German port
of Hamburg, which taught them much about live performance. Back in England, The
Beatles played regularly at Liverpool’s cavern club. In 1962 their manager
replaced Best with Ringo Starr as drummer.
Memorabilia
The Beatles were one of the first bands to be featured on a
host of souvenirs and memorabilia. The four were immortalized on everything
from mugs and T-shirts to buttons, badges, posters, and other souvenirs. Many
fans bought everything that featured their four favorite musicians.The Beatle mania
In January 1964, “I want to hold your hand” reached the top
of the American music charts. A new word, The Beatle mania, entered the language as
thousands of screaming fans mobbed the group wherever they went. Within months,
The Beatles were the biggest music group in the world.
George Martin
British producer, George Martin produced almost all the
Beatles records, having accepted their first demonstration tapes at EMI in
1962. Martin was a record producer with a background in both classical and
popular music. He helped The Beatles get the most out of the recording studio
and the wide range of instruments used in their records, translating many of
their ideas into polished musical form.
The last albums
By 1969, the group was falling apart as conflicts grew
between the four members and their musical interests took different decisions.
The last albums to appear were Abbey Road and Let it be, which was released in
1970 but recorded before Abbey road. The Beatles disbanded later that year. All
four carried their careers as solo musicians.
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