The Beatles are the Most Creative Band of All Time

BACKGROUND HISTORY: The first musical bandsto be memorable without ever overly repeating
originated in New Orleans among black musicians whosomething. The only time they repeated something
have traditionally been the innovators. The first jazzover and over again for a long time was in Hey Jude,
record ever recorded was by The Original Dixielandand what they chose to repeat is so gorgeous that
Jazz Band in 1917, and of course they were whiteone can only wish they had never ended the song.
because racism always rears its ugly head to holdThe Beatles were my biggest musical influence and I
black people back. But during the Roaring 20's, youngused to think, "If I could write just one song that's as
white people couldn't resist the dance beat laid downgood as John and Paul's worst song, I'd be happy."
by the black jazz bands. Fletcher Henderson, a blackPeople tell me I accomplished that goal and they say
man, became the first band leader to achieve nationalone good example is John is Alive, which is my sincere
fame possibly because he featured Louis
Armstrong on trumpet. Duke Ellington, a classiclytribute to Sir Lennon.3. BEST SINGERSEven Ringo
trained musician, brought a level of style andcould sing when he got a little help from his friends
sophistication to jazz that hadn't been seen before. Butwho lived in the yellow submarine. But to say that Paul
it wasn't until 1935 that jazz bands with a "swing beat"and John are two of the best singers in rock and roll is
achieved national attention due to Benny Goodmanto state the obvious. Combining John, Paul and George
who I think was the best clarinet player ever to blowcreated the best harmony vocals the world has ever
air into that instrument. Benny also had the good senseexperienced. Even their two part harmonies were
and taste to bring the first great drummer, Geneunusual, catching us all by surprise on their first hit
Krupa, into his band.When rock and roll exploded intorecord with the fast harmony melisma in the chorus of
human consciousness during the early 1950's, blackI Want to Hold Your Hand. John had a knack of placing
musicians like Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry,a unique low harmony line underneath Paul's high
and Smokey Robinson pioneered the way, but a whitemelody line so as to form a second melody which
DJ named Alan Freed is believed to have coined thecreated unusual harmony effects. He did that right
term "rock and roll". The first real rock and roll recordfrom the beginning in the verses of She Loves You.
was "Shake, Rattle and Roll", written by Jesse StoneBoth Paul and John could blast out screaming rock and
who was black and recorded by Big Joe Turner whoroll (i.e. Long Tall Sally and Twist and Shout), and both
was also black but it wasn't a hit. The first big hit rockcould break our hearts with touching, deep feeling
and roll record was "Rock Around the Clock" writtenballads (i.e. Yesterday and Julia). There seems to be
by James Meyers and Max Freeman of obviousno end to their emotional vocal range, and John even
ancestry, and that one catapulted Bill Haley and hisexplored the heights of vocal psychedelia in songs like
Caucasian Comets to stardom. During the 1950's andShe Said (Revolver) and Lucy in the Sky With
early 60's, there were countless "do wop" groups, rockDiamonds.4. MOST CREATIVE PLAYERSPaul
groups, singers and songwriters but until The Beatlesbrought a new style of melodic playing to the bass
hit the charts, there had been very few bands whichguitar, reaching a new high of creativity on Sergeant
contained talented songwriters. The vast majority ofPepper with a level of sophistication never heard
jazz and rock bands recorded songs written bybefore. Many other musicians besides me recognize
songwriters who were not performers, with occasionalPaul as being one of the best bass guitar players ever.
exceptions like Duke Ellington and Buddy Holly. As timeGeorge is underrated as a lead guitarist by people with
goes on, it's increasingly clear that Lennon/McCartneyaverage or below average musical knowledge or
songs are brilliant classics which will never beability, but most guitarists (including Eric Clapton) know
forgotten. Now here's why The Beatles are the mostbetter. George's strength is in melody, pure and simple.
creative band of all time:1. BEST EXAMPLE OFIt would be difficult to find a George Harrison lead
FORM = CONTENTAs I sit here writing this at thewhich is not melodic, and each of his leads has a
keyboard of my computer facing the unique andstrong beginning, a stronger middle and a well defined
colorful Beatles poster in my bedroom, I'm aware that Iending. In fact, that's Eric's definition of what makes a
have been directly and indirectly inspired by Johngood guitar
Lennon's music as well as by the way he lived his lifelead. George continually developed new guitar sounds
offstage. Squarely in front of me is a full color posterfor each Beatles song. John and Paul are also
of all four Beatles standing in a heavenly-like flowerexcellent guitarists and both recorded great leads as
garden at about the time of the Abbey Road album.well as innovative rhythm tracks.All three of the
Paul is angelic in his pink suit with a white laced shirt.Beatles guitarists may lack showy technical fireworks
John is enigmatic peering out from the background.but they make that definition of guitar mastery
George is charismatic staring directly into the camerairrelevant by overwhelming the senses with creativity,
from the lower right. Ringo is on the left with a stylishstyle, and pure melody. The exact same thing can be
blue suit and his pink ruffled shirt. I always wished Isaid about John and Paul's keyboard playing. Ringo
could dress like those guys butmay be underrated as a drummer by the public but he
obviously there's a bit of a problem with a moneyis not underrated by other professional drummers.
differential there. Surrounding this gorgeous posterRingo mastered the art of drum sounds. No drummer
which I have never seen elsewhere are my 45 speedhas ever recorded so many different sounds on so
original Beatles hit records, including I Want to Holdmany different sounding records. Ringo invented a
Your Hand, She Loves You, Please Please Me, Twistnew style of slow drum playing, epitomized on A Day
and Shout, Can't Buy Me Love, She's A Woman,in the Life and Strawberry Fields Forever. John said
Yesterday, and of course, Hey Jude. And surroundingmany times, "Ringo has the best back beat in the
all that is a chain of 1-1/2" long orange flicker flamebusiness" and the successful studio drummers
lights which are the most beautiful and uniqueunderstand why John was correct.5. TOTAL
Christmas lights I've ever seen.I chose to decorate theCHARISMAA good definition of charisma needs to
wall directly in front of my work station this wayinclude "an unusual ability to influence people and
because, as I've written elsewhere on this site severalarouse devotion" and "a personal attractiveness which
times, the Beatles were my major musical influenceenables a person to influence others". No musical
and having them on the wall in front of me inspires megroup prior to or after The Beatles features true
to write web pages like this one. I was also among thecharisma emanating strongly from the entire group as
millions of people who were inspired by how Thewell as separately from each member. The Beatles
Beatles were actually living their off stage lives. Thestunned the world with their photogenic quality, their
Beatles' music creatively stimulated millions of peoplecharm, their bubbling and lovable personalities, their
to change the way they were living, and The Beatlescuteness and their unique style.Even before The
behavior encouraged people to have fun by tryingBeatles achieved fame, people in Liverpool were
new life style experiences. That's what I call a perfectimitating their haircuts, the way they dressed, the way
example of FORM = CONTENT. In this case it meansthey behaved, and the way they lived. Such a simple
that the creatively and masterfully varied music Thesubliminal message about smoking marijuana got
Beatles were producing (form) embodied the real lifecommunicated to all the hippies who were waiting to
styles which each of the four Beatles were livinghappen without actual words ever being spoken. The
(content), together as a band as well as separately asBeatles had a lot to lose by being explicit on that
unique individuals.2. BEST SONGWRITERSThis shouldsubject, but they successfully avoided trouble by
be self-evident, but just because Paul McCartney haskeeping it very subtle while at the same time clear
the title of the most popular songwriter in historyenough so that we all got it. The Fab Four kept
doesn't necessarily make him the best songwriter inchanging their styles rapidly, almost with each album
history. The qualities which do make both Paul andcover, and soon the message became
John the best songwriters in history go beyond writingone of explicit spiritualism. After visiting India, The
the greatest number of catchy classic songs. "Catchy"Beatles introduced eastern mysticism and meditation
means that their melodies and lyrics are instantlyto the Western world for the first time through the
memorable. "Classic" means that they stand the testmass media. John's long saga with internal angst, drugs,
of time. But both Paul and John wrote veryspiritualism, politics, personal battles, and ultimately his
sophisticated melodies that moved beyond the simplemarriage to Yoko played out like a movie the whole
groups of 2, 4 and 8 patterned phrases used byworld got to watch in fascination. Paul's happy life with
almost all other songwriters. John and Paul's melodiesLinda, George's great focus on meditation, and Ringo's
soared, floated, cascaded, dived and peaked with trueequanimity throughout were all perfect examples of
dynamics, naturallythe power, the truth, and the effectiveness of true
following the syllabic lyric patterns - but notcharisma.6. SEXUAL AURANeed I say it? Ask the
always.Sometimes the melodic and lyric patterns weremillions of girls who were screaming and fainting at the
independent of each other, almost counterpoint invery sight of them. "The Boys" didn't move like Elvis or
nature, and as a songwriter, they never ceased todance like Mick, they just stood there shaking their
astonish me with their brilliance and originality. In the"mop top" heads around, smiling, laughing, and looking
beginning, their lyrics were simple and their songs weregorgeous as they performed great music and that
simple love songs. But they soon began exploring newwas it. On their first visit to America, some enterprising
territory by writing about subjects that hadn't beenweirdo from New York City managed to cut up the
covered before. Inspired by Bob Dylan, they wrotehotel bedsheets The Beatles had slept on into 1"
true poetry with feeling and depth, using evocative andsquare pieces, and these things were actually sold to
unusual words. Rubber Soul marked the beginning ofgirls over the public airwaves by adult DJ's on the AM
their evolution as mature songwriters, Revolver was aradio stations who should have known better. The
break-out album, and Sergeant Pepper was an historicBeatles phenomenon went way beyond the rock and
landmark album in terms of new and innovativeroll sex star status that had been seen
songwriting as well as production. Every song theybefore.Teenage girls in uncountable numbers fell in love,
wrote was significantly different from the last onetheir hearts to be trapped, their heart strings to be
even though each song had their unmistakablecontinually plucked, and ultimately, their hearts to be
sound.Most songwriters are only average players onbroken by the unobtainable object of their love.
their instruments, but John and Paul are bothWorshiping a star from afar? Infatuation? Obsession?
sophisticated guitarists who were able to integrate theirNot real love? For many of them, it was their first
playing into their songs and even into their songexperience feeling love for a man/boy. Whatever it
structure so that the "licks" they played became aswas, it was very real to all of them, and we all soon
catchy a part of their songs as the choruses andunderstood that The Beatles were The Real
verses. Blackbird and Dear Prudence are only twoThing.That's why I call The Beatles the Most Creative
examples of songs which couldn't possibly be writtenBand of All Time. They were The Real Thing. The
by any other songwriter because of the guitar playingCreative Zenith. The high point on the bell curve of
which forms an integral part of the song structure. Inmusical history.Peter Cross is a former professional
similar fashion, Lady Madonna is the best example of adrummer and a singer/songwriter/producer/Web
great song which derives from the unique and beautifulMaster who was among the first to put music on the
bass part which only Paul could possibly haveInternet in a downloadable format in 1996. His web site
created.Average songwriters achieve the catchyis very entertaining and at 206 pages, it may be the
quality by repeating a phrase endlessly or by beating alargest music artist web site on the Internet.
chorus to death. John and Paul found countless ways