British InvasionBeginning in 1964, British Bands made a Big

Impact on the American Culture 27 of the Top 100 were British Bands

Two Types: Clean Cut/Vocal Harmony Bands; Scruffy Bluesy Bands

British InvasionEnglish Musicians Heavily Influenced by Traditional Jazz“Skiffle” American Folk Music (usually African-American) Played on Acoustic Instruments (Guitar, Banjo, Tea Chest Bass)

Wash Tub (Tea) Bass

BritishLonnie Donegan “King of Skiffle”“Rock Island Line” (1956) a Leadbelly Song“Does Your Chewing Gum . . . “ (1961)He Influenced English Boys to Form Bands, Including the Beatles

BritishTrad Jazz Briefly Hit American Charts“Midnight in Moscow” (1962)Lonnie Donegan Played Bass in a Trad Jazz Band, Entertained with Skiffle During Intermissions

BritishMost British Popular Music was Pale Imitation of American Pop“He’s Got the Whole World” (1956)“Halfway to Paradise” Billy Fury“Well I Ask You” Eden Kane“Only 16” Craig Douglas“Living Doll” Cliff Richard

British: BluesYounger Members of Trad Jazz Bands took

an Interest in Blues• “Cyril Davies All Stars” and Alexis

Korner’s “Blues Incorporated”• Most of the Next Generation, Including the

Rolling Stones were Members.

The BeatlesJohn LennonPaul McCartneyGeorge HarrisonRingo Starr (Original Drummer: Peter Best)Stu Sutcliffe (original Bass)

British: BeatlesWhy Were They So Successful?The Right Moment in History?

1. Kennedy 2. Civil Rights3. original stars gone4. Viet Nam

BeatlesClever Marketing by Manager?

1. Turned Down By Most Labels2. Exi Movement: Haircut & Leather3. German Identity4. American DJ5. American Merchandise

BeatlesWas it their Physical Appearance?

1. Matching Collar-less Suits2. “French” Hair cuts

BeatlesWas It Their Charming Personalities?

1. Witty Answers Did Charm American Journalists

2. American Rock Stars Seemed Dull

BeatlesWas It Their Musical & Songwriting Talent?

1. They Reshaped American Music2. Avoided 12 Bar Blues and I-vi-IV-V-I

Patterns3. Developed unique record production skills

BeatlesWas It Their Conceptual Abilities?

1. Brought “Fringe” Ideas to the Forefront (Peace & Love, Anti-War Politics)

2. Movies (“Hard Day’s Night” & “Help”) were Not typical Rock Movies

Beatle Phases1. 1957-62: Skiffle Through Record Contract2. 1963-65: Initial Success, Love Songs3. 1965-68: Experimental years (Song

Forms, Studio Techniques, Drugs)4. 1968-70: Final Years Through the

Breakup

Early Beatles: Quarrymen

Early BeatlesJohn forms the QuarrymenMeets Paul in 1957Paul Introduces George 1957Go Through Several Names: “Johnny and the Moondogs” “Long John and the Silver Beetles”

Early BeatlesAdd Stuart Sutcliffe 1959, Fellow Art Student1960 1st Manager Alan Williams books them in Hamburg, They Add Drummer Pete Best

Early Beatles

Early BeatlesIn Hamburg They Change Their Look: Black leather, then “French” Hair CutsLearn to Play“Taste of Honey” Be Bop A Lula” “Besame Mucho”1st Pro Recording (Beat Brothers)w/Tony Sheridan“My Bonnie” (Sheridan)& “Aint She Sweet”

Early Beatles

Beatles1961 Back in England At the Cavern Club They Begin to Attract Attention

Beatles

Early BeatlesNEMS Record Store Owner, Brian Epstein Sees Beatles and Asks to Manage ThemHe Dresses Them in Matching Costumes, Forces them to Tighten Up Their Act

Beatles

Early BeatlesTurned Down By All The Major Labels1962 Signed By Parlophone, George Martin1962 “Love Me Do” and “Please, Please Me) Become Hits in England

Beatles

Beatles Phase Two: StarsBeatles are released on Three Different Labels, None Capitol None ChartCapitol Finally Releases “I Want to Hold Your HandBeatlemania Hits America

BeatlesIst AlbumOn Vee-Jay

Beatles1st on Capitol Label

BeatlesThree Appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, Carnegie Hall, & StadiumsApril 1964 #1-#5 on Charts, All Different Labels

Beatles1st Album Breaks the Mold, Many Hits Rather than OneI Saw Her Standing ThereThis BoyIt Won’t Be LongAll My Lovin’

Beatles on Sullivan

Beatles at Atlanta

Beatles2nd Album American Standards Chuck BerryLittle RichardMotown

Beatles: Phase ThreeExperimentation, Studio/Drugs, Begins with “Rubber Soul”Lyrics Influenced by DylanSitar on “Norwegian Wood”French & Mandolin on “Michelle”Fuzz Bass “Think For Yourself”Baroque Keyboard solo “In My Life”

Beatles: Phase ThreeExperiment cont. “Revolver”Tax Protest Song, Distorted Guitar Using

Indian ScalesString Group on “Eleanor Rigby”Sitar & Table “Love To You”Beautiful Harmony “Here There . . . “Backwards Sounds “Tomorrow Never K .. “

Beatles Phase ThreeStrawberry Fields: two studio recordings put together. Paul is Dead Clue “I Buried Paul”“Turn Me On Deadman”“Stairway to Heaven”

http://jeffmilner.com/backmasking.htm

Beatles: Sgt Pepper

Beatles: Sgt. Pepper1967 Revolutionized the Record AlbumConcept Album, A Song Cycle, Beatles Recorded as if they Were Some Other BandOne Song Segues into Another

Beatles Phase Four: Final yearsThe Breakup: Manager Dies 1967, Creative Differences, Yoko Ono, Lee Eastman/Alan KleinWhite Album Interpreted as a Goodbye and A Tribute to All the Styles of American Music

White AlbumBack In The USSR

(Chuck Berry/Beach Boys)Happiness Is A Warm Gun (doo wop)Goodnight (popcrooner)Rocky Racoon (Dylan talking blues-style)Don’t Pass Me By (old time country)

White AlbumHoney Pie (Music Hall)Helter Skelter, Manson’s call to actionLittle Piggies, Manson liked this alsoRevolution Number Nine (tape collage)I Buried Paul, Deadman, backward masking

BeatlesLast Released “Let It Be” Mixed by Phil SpectorLast Recorded “Abbey Road”Last Appearance Together May 1970

BeatlesSolo ProjectsJohn recorded avant-garde albums with YokoAssassinated 1980“Double Fantasy” Grammy Album of the Year 1981

BeatlesPaul records with Linda, several #1 records “My Love” (1973) “Band on the Run” (1974) “Silly Love Songs” (1976) “Ebony & Ivory” (1982) with Michael Jackson

BeatlesGeorge “My Sweet Lord” (1970) copyright infringement with “He’s So Fine” UNICEF “Concert For Bangladesh” Member of the Traveling Wilburys (Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison)Ringo had a few hits in early 1970s

Beatles ImitatorsMonkees - Put together by Don Kirshner. 1st hit “Last Train to Clarksville” released before TV Show (1966-68). Featured Beatles-like music videos

British Invasion Pop GroupsGerry and the Pacemakers & Herman’s Hermits, Peter and Gordon- Clean cut with nice vocal harmonies.

British Blues GroupsGroups developed out of the blues into metal & Progressive.Yardbirds featured three famous guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, & Jimmy Page. Featured long improvisations (Rave Ups)Led Zeppelin formed to cover Yardbirds’ gigs after breakup.

British Blues GroupsCream - Clapton joins with Ginger Baker & Jack Bruce to form “power trio”“Sunshine of Your Love” (1968) early metal, uses slower tempos, more active drumming

Mods & RockersTwo youth movementsRockers - Elvis (Teddy Boy) hair, black leather, tough imageMods (Moderns) - Continental appearance, short hair, colorful clothing, rode motor scooters, female elfin-like (Twiggy)Carnaby Street Fashions

Rolling Stones

Rolling StonesSecond Generation Blues Band developed out

of Alexis Korner1st Performance at Marquee Club for

Korner’s BandPositioned Opposite From the Beatles - tough

& scruftyNamed For Muddy Waters SongReverence for Chicago Blues

StonesAlbum “Satanic Majesties Request” an answer to Sgt Pepper’s“Sympathy For The Devil” causes problems when performedAltamont Raceway Concert 1969, Hell’s Angels as Police Force Kill Meredith Hunter