The Beatles Threadology

[axordil]

yovargas--

Of course, that raises the question: can an artist build an entire career around one theme? And it's not one I want to provide an easy answer for, because I think it's situational--it depends on the theme. Love, for example, has been the sine qua non of many careers in the arts. Big theme, no problem. Unrequited love in particular--hell, you could argue that half the blues canon is built on that (the other half being natural disasters ).

[yovargas]

I'd think it might depend on what exactly you define as "one theme" - is the self-loathing alienation of early work "Creep" the same theme as the Orwellian alienation of their recent work "2+2=5"? - but in general, I'd be inclined to answer Yes provided the theme is big enough and the artist good enough to continue finding relevant things to say.

[axordil]

In a way the main question about single-theme art is more marketing than criticism: does someone want to experience something familiar, even predictable, if that experience is good enough, or do they want to be a bit surprised? No one answer there, and I think there's room for both limited-theme art and grab-bag art in the world.

[PrinceAlarming]

Radiohead is very good live... Even without the contact high. I saw them in Boston. And, I might add, The Bends is one of my favorite albums of all time.

Best live mainstream band I've seen was Tool. They made Radiohead's show seem like a coffee house jam.

I saw Dave Brubeck play with his band in D.C. Wow, that man can tickle the ivories.

Now, to bring it back to the Beatles...

I heard the Beatles before Radiohead had even rocorded a song. Loving and knowning the Beatles has only deepened my appreciation for the big bands that have come after them. When someone asks me about my favorite bands, and I don't mention they Beatles, they ask "What about the Beatles?" I say that the Beatles transcend any top 10 list, because a lot of the music I like so much today, may not have been possible without them. Even my friends who can't really stomach the sound of even the more experiemental Beatles albums will give them enough credit to call them one of the most influencial bands of the century.

I mean, I don't particularly like The Rolling Stones, but I'd loose all credibility as a critic if I didn't include them in a list of best bands of the last 20 or 30 years.

Harrison shreds throughout Rubber Soul, Lennon and McCartney scream well enough to make any current Emo band blush, Ringo's rythm in Sgt. Pepper's reprise has been borrowed for a lot of Hip Hop.

And again, Eleanor Rigby - A string quartet and two voices... On the Billboard's top 10?

A friend of mine wanted to get to know more about the Beatles and asked me what albums she should buy. I told her to forget about the albums at first, and the the "1" cd, the collection of their twenty-something hits that made it to #1. That CD gives you a brief glimpse on how the Beatles changed so rapidly and so deeply.

Even a non-fan must wonder what would have happened if they had stayed together. Or even if Lennon wasn't shot.

:sighs:

[elfshadow]

Everyone knows that Queen is the world's greatest band.



"Is this the real life....is this just fantasy...."

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

The Beatles were HUGE when I was a kid. My dad didn't care for them (he's very conservative) but I remember my mom purchasing their red and blue greatest hits albums. I've always loved their music, and recall watching their cartoon when I was little. It was big news on the playground at recess when they broke up in 1970. (I remember that very well. )

I'm probably a little young to have seen them perform live (I was born in December '61), but my wife and I saw Rain, a Beatles tribute band, perform in Lake Tahoe several years ago. I'd definitely go to one of their shows again.

We saw Paul McCartney in Oakland on the first stop of his Driving USA Tour on April 1, 2002. His friend and fellow former Beatle George Harrison had passed away only a few months prior (November 2001). Sir Paul informed the audience that George was a fantastic ukulele player, they used to sit around and play together, before peforming a lovely tribute to George on ukulele.

I was reminded of this yesterday when I saw a link on Yahoo!. The link is no longer on the Yahoo! homepage, but I was able to find an alternate download with a bigger screen.

This young man obviously has had some training in classical and/or jazz guitar. I love the little embellishments he makes. I also like his use of tempo for a dramatic effect. Enjoy!

While My Guitar Gently Weeps - performed by Jake Shimabukuro


(I apologize to anyone who's already seen this post on TOB. )

[Primula Baggins]

I have seen that, Tom, and I second your recommendation. His musicianship is amazing. And on an instrument one might not expect!

[Alatar]

Thats one I've had bookmarked for some time now. The guy is practically the definition of a virtuoso.


Edit to add:
This one is actually my favourite version. As played by the blind guitarist Jeff Healey:

[truehobbit]

I had no idea there was so much music in a ukulele.

[yovargas]

I could do that. I just don't want to.

[JewelSong]

Loved the Ukulele! That's a tenor Uke, which is a little bit bigger than the original soprano instrument and has a bit more sound. I bought my son one for Christmas (at his request) that actually has a pick-up in it, so you can plug it into an amp!

It's a cool instrument and a lot more versatile that people realize!

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

Thanks for that info, Jewel. I thought Jake's ukulele looked bigger than the type one normally sees.

Thanks, too, for the link, Alatar. I thought the images from the '60s and '70s that accompanied the music were interesting. Especially when they showed an image of "Tricky Dick" Nixon to coincide with the word perverted in the lyrics.

Healey has an unusual technique for playing guitar. He appeared to be playing a more-or-less standard electric guitar, yet he played it using a technique one usually sees for steel guitar. Is that right?

[vison]

Jeff Healey is a very interesting guy. He plays the blues, of course. Had/has a great blues band. He also has an encyclopedic knowledge of early jazz and blues, and for a long time hosted a radio show devoted to the subject. I mean EARLY jazz and blues!!!

He plays the guitar like that because he's blind, apparently. I am not the least bit musical in any way, shape or form but it makes sense to me.

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

I've seen blind guitar players before, Jose Feliciano for one, but never saw anyone--blind or sighted--who played an electric guitar that way.

[Alatar]

Some pedal steel guitarists can play that way, since it's more similar to Pedal steel. I've never seen anyone else play in quite that style though. Its interesting, to see how much bend he can get in the strings, and also, the fact that his thumb comes into play, where most guitarists don't because it's behind the neck.

Apparently he was born sighted but had cancer in his eyes, something I've never heard of before. As a result he had them removed and replaced with prosthetic eyes. I imagine this must have happened before he learned guitar.

[Primula Baggins]

That sounds like retinoblastoma, which usually occurs in very small children or even in babyhood. (Cancer is rare in children, but retinoblastoma is one of the most common.) He may not even remember seeing.

[PrinceAlarming]

Could also have been an ischemic attack in the occipital lobe, or something?

A blastoma is more likely.

I know plenty of guitarists who use their thumbs on the finger board, but it is usually to mute the low E.

I once saw a uke band at an open mic in Cambridge, MA. Three ukes, plugged in. It might have been a bit misguided, but it had potential.

[axordil]

Three ukes, plugged in

What, no accordion?

[yovargas]

PAUL MCCARTNEY

[BrianIsSmilingAtYou]

Paul doing "Something" on ukulele in Tribute for George

Clapton and others join in later.

Brilliant!

Possibly even better is the closer by Joe Brown:

I'll See You in my Dreams

BrianIs AtYou