The Beatles

[heretoday]

I say The Beatles are the best rock band of all time. No question.

Love the Stones, Kinks, Grateful Dead etc

But the Fab Four are the Toppermost.

What think ye?

[James70]

They were far and away the most popular but I would hesitate to call them the best rock band ever as I do not even think of them as a rock band.

Creatively they pushed the boundaries and music was transformed overnight almost but as musicians I think they were outclassed by many other performers.

George Harrison was probably the only Beatle who could be classed as an outstanding guitarist and according to John Lennon, Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in the Beatles.

They certainly led the way for bands to write their own material as most other bands or solo performers relied on songwriters until that time.

Whilst the Beatles were outstanding on the stage and in the studio they simply do not compare to The Who, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones or Deep Purple as a "rock band".

[heretoday]

They were far and away the most popular but I would hesitate to call them the best rock band ever as I do not even think of them as a rock band.

Creatively they pushed the boundaries and music was transformed overnight almost but as musicians I think they were outclassed by many other performers.

George Harrison was probably the only Beatle who could be classed as an outstanding guitarist and according to John Lennon, Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in the Beatles.

They certainly led the way for bands to write their own material as most other bands or solo performers relied on songwriters until that time.

Whilst the Beatles were outstanding on the stage and in the studio they simply do not compare to The Who, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones or Deep Purple as a "rock band".

You are right actually. The Beatles were not a rock band as such. They were a musical phenomenon. They transcended the normal boundaries. But they were not a sweaty rock band like Purple, Stones etc.

I think The Beatles were like a sublime piece of poetry. Short and sweet.

[.Sean.]

Both The Stones and The Who over The Beatles for me.

[PeeJay]

They were far and away the most popular but I would hesitate to call them the best rock band ever as I do not even think of them as a rock band.

Creatively they pushed the boundaries and music was transformed overnight almost but as musicians I think they were outclassed by many other performers.

George Harrison was probably the only Beatle who could be classed as an outstanding guitarist and according to John Lennon, Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in the Beatles.

They certainly led the way for bands to write their own material as most other bands or solo performers relied on songwriters until that time.

Whilst the Beatles were outstanding on the stage and in the studio they simply do not compare to The Who, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones or Deep Purple as a "rock band".

Feel you're right about the "rock" band moniker that's too limiting a term for a band that could tackle almost any musical genre it chose to; I don't think they were ever just a rock and roll band either FWIW. For me personally, it's a pointless exercise claiming groups in the category of the Rolling Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd etc. are "better" than any other one: they are all great in their own way, if you prefer one over the other fine. The Beatles are my band: Hibs my team.

Outclassed? - you jest methinks - McCartney is one of the finest bass guitar players on the planet, surely? Phil Collins reckons Ringo was a great drummer... of course there are many musicians who are technically far more proficient, but so what, music is about more than running up and down the scales on the fretboard or the keyboard - (speaking as someone who crawls up and down the fretboard :greengrin).

[J-C]

Maybe not the best "Rock" band but certainly one if not the best bands ever, their music was originally skiffle/rock and roll, and developed through the 60's and 70's, their tastes were very diversified from Elvis, Little Richard, Buddy Holly and laterly the Indian influence. They were indeed the band that started off the whole pop band image, they were mobbed where ever they went and subsequently they inspired numerous bands in the future such as Queen, The Jam, Oasis, Squeeze and many more.

[CropleyWasGod]

Feel you're right about the "rock" band moniker that's too limiting a term for a band that could tackle almost any musical genre it chose to; I don't think they were ever just a rock and roll band either FWIW. For me personally, it's a pointless exercise claiming groups in the category of the Rolling Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd etc. are "better" than any other one: they are all great in their own way, if you prefer one over the other fine. The Beatles are my band: Hibs my team.

Outclassed? - you jest methinks - McCartney is one of the finest bass guitar players on the planet, surely? Phil Collins reckons Ringo was a great drummer... of course there are many musicians who are technically far more proficient, but so what, music is about more than running up and down the scales on the fretboard or the keyboard - (speaking as someone who crawls up and down the fretboard :greengrin).

.. and Lennon reckons Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in the Beatles.. :wink:

[lapsedhibee]

Phil Collins reckons Ringo was a great drummer


Lennon reckons Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in the Beatles

Therefore ... the Beatles had at least two great drummers in the four-piece. If that doesn't make them the most talented band ever, what does? :dunno:

[Hibs Class]

Maybe not the best "Rock" band but certainly one if not the best bands ever, their music was originally skiffle/rock and roll, and developed through the 60's and 70's, their tastes were very diversified from Elvis, Little Richard, Buddy Holly and laterly the Indian influence. They were indeed the band that started off the whole pop band image, they were mobbed where ever they went and subsequently they inspired numerous bands in the future such as Queen, The Jam, Oasis, Squeeze and many more.

They broke up officially in 1970. I only became aware of them in my teens in the late 70s. At that stage it seemed that having been around for the whole of the 60s they were a pretty long-lived band but, compared to the length of time some bands survive for these days, their time as an active band was relatively brief. That they broke up whilst still at their peak helped to cement their reputation as at least one of the best. At times their music has been dismissed as simple, but I think they worked exceptionally hard at making it seem simple - their harmony work in particular has never been bettered and their song-writing (for others as well as themselves) was, at the time at least, the best there had ever been.

[Betty Boop]

I say The Beatles are the best rock band of all time. No question.

Love the Stones, Kinks, Grateful Dead etc

But the Fab Four are the Toppermost.

What think ye?

Lynyrd Skynryd for me. 'Freebird' has one of the greatest guitar solos ever ! :greengrin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm7bkVxBXdA&feature=related

[steakbake]

It's not a popular thing to say, but to be honest, I have never really "got" the Beatles.

I think the fact that they were the first band really of their kind is one thing, they were wildly popular as well. However, perhaps I'm a total philistine but I think they have done very well to get as much out of their music as they actually have.

[J-C]

They broke up officially in 1970. I only became aware of them in my teens in the late 70s. At that stage it seemed that having been around for the whole of the 60s they were a pretty long-lived band but, compared to the length of time some bands survive for these days, their time as an active band was relatively brief. That they broke up whilst still at their peak helped to cement their reputation as at least one of the best. At times their music has been dismissed as simple, but I think they worked exceptionally hard at making it seem simple - their harmony work in particular has never been bettered and their song-writing (for others as well as themselves) was, at the time at least, the best there had ever been.


I know they broke up then but through their individual music, they were still inspiring people to become musicians.

[James70]

You had to be around at the time to really appreciate what the Beatles achieved and the impact they made on the whole country though I do think the sixties revolution would have happened anyway, with or without them.

Bands such as The Kinks, The Hollies, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Dave Clark 5 and The Searchers were very close on The Beatles heels.

[GhostofBolivar]

I think the Beatles are vastly overrated and much more of a pop act than a rock one.

The Stones, Who, Zeppelin, Hendrix... All far superior IMO :rockin:

[Hibs Class]

I know they broke up then but through their individual music, they were still inspiring people to become musicians.

I agree they continued to inspire others. It was interesting how their output changed after the break-up - McCartney was probably the most Beatle-like whilst Lennon and Harrison went in quite different directions, albeit for Harrison that was probably a reflection on his relative lack of influence in the Beatles rather than a change in his preferences. None of them individually attracted a level of hysteria that came close to what the Beatles as group experienced.

[Pretty Boy]

The Beatles are simply fantastic.

There are countless bands that i enjoy, most of them mentioed on this thread, but the evolution of The Beatles music from first album to last is simply stunning and completely unrivalled.

[Leicester Fan]

It's hard to judge for all of us who weren't in our youth during their heyday, but the fact that they changed music irrecognisably and the consistency of their back catalogue means they have to be considered at least amongst the best.

[heretoday]

I think the Beatles are vastly overrated and much more of a pop act than a rock one.

The Stones, Who, Zeppelin, Hendrix... All far superior IMO :rockin:

Okay fair enough. The above were great bands. I used to sleep with Jimi Hendrix every night (on a T-shirt!).

But The Beatles....come on. Lucy in The Sky? Hey Jude? Norwegian Wood?

[Hillsidehibby]

Boy Band :duck:

[Jim44]

The Beatles were the most innovative band there's ever been. They were much better than the sum of the individual parts and the combination of McCartney and Lennon and George Martin was mind-blowing in it's day. I think a lot of people nowadays take them for granted. I think Harrison was underrated as a gutarist and over the years, especially post-Beatles he played some great stuff.

[CB_NO3]

Small Faces are the best band from the 60s IMO.

[James70]

Small Faces are the best band from the 60s IMO.

The Small Faces were a great band and Steve Marriott was a fantastic soul singer, his autobiography makes great reading.

They were two or three years behind the Beatles and were nowhere near as influential but did have their own distinctive sound.

There is some great footage of them available on dvd and they were one of my favourite bands too. I saw them at the Playhouse in the 70s after they had reformed though Ronnie Lane had left the group by then.

[Baldy Foghorn]

Small Faces are the best band from the 60s IMO.

:agree:

Love Small Faces and The Who.....(My Generation, Wont get fooled again), real classics....

Never got the whole beatlemanie thing....Just a 60's boy band :greengrin

[--------]

I think the Beatles are vastly overrated and much more of a pop act than a rock one.

The Stones, Who, Zeppelin, Hendrix... All far superior IMO :rockin:

:rockin::rockin:




Okay fair enough. The above were great bands. I used to sleep with Jimi Hendrix every night (on a T-shirt!).

But The Beatles....come on. Lucy in The Sky? Hey Jude? Norwegian Wood?


Sloppy, sentimental, depressing.

Couls add Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and the Doors, Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Springsteen to Ghost's list.

Wouldn't cross the road to hear the Beatles - cross over to avoid them, though.

[Biff Tannen]

You had to be around at the time to really appreciate what the Beatles achieved and the impact they made on the whole country though I do think the sixties revolution would have happened anyway, with or without them.

Bands such as The Kinks, The Hollies, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Dave Clark 5 and The Searchers were very close on The Beatles heels.


Have a word pal, couldnae lace their boots...along with the others as well.

Beatles broke boundaries no other band has came close to. Best band of all time IMO.

[James70]

Have a word pal, couldnae lace their boots...along with the others as well.

Beatles broke boundaries no other band has came close to. Best band of all time IMO.

I don't disagree with you re The Beatles, see my comments on the overrrated artists thread. I also agree that Gerry and the Pacemakers were limited creatively but The Kinks and Holllies produced some pretty good stuff. I still stand by my comment that the sixties revolution would have happened anyway but The Beatles certainly showed the way.

[Biff Tannen]

I don't disagree with you re The Beatles, see my comments on the overrrated artists thread. I also agree that Gerry and the Pacemakers were limited creatively but The Kinks and Holllies produced some pretty good stuff. I still stand by my comment that the sixties revolution would have happened anyway but The Beatles certainly showed the way.

Never saw the kinks one, they were kawality.

Small faces were class to bomber!!:thumbsup: