This is the first of a series of articles which will be trying to delve a little deeper into the life and times of the Beatles.
We will be looking at their history, their time in Hamburg, their time at the Cavern Club, their time in America, and the time they spent in the Studio, together with other fascinating little known facts that have come to light over the years.
Without doubt the Beatles are an iconic group, a one off, and although it is getting on for 40 years now since they broke up, their fame and influence is still as strong now as it was back in the 1960’s and early 70’s.
I grew up during the Beatles era, and everywhere that I have travelled around the world they are known, and loved. I remember being in a small nightclub in Thailand where there was a Chinese Beatles tribute band playing, and although I personally did not appreciate the sound that they produced, particularly the singing, they were immensely popular with the locals.
On another occasion I was on holiday in Peru, and half way up a mountain I came across a bunch of Peruvians playing their type of music, on pipes, but the song they were playing was Love Me Do.
So, who were The Beatles?
Well let me begin by telling you the basics, something which many of you reading this will know, but to many of our younger readers this basic information may be something which they have never got a handle on.
The Beatles were a pop group ( as they were called in those days) and they came from a city in the north of England known as Liverpool.
The group consisted of John Lennon who played rhythm guitar and vocals, Paul McCartney who played bass guitar and vocals, George Harrison who played lead guitar and vocals, and Ringo Starr who played drums and vocals.
Two other names were former members - Pete Best, drums, and Stuart Sutcliffe, bass.
I think if you had asked The Beatles what was their style of music in the early days they would probably have told you that they were strongly influenced by rock and roll, and skiffle. Later on this style did change quite a bit, but that was their early influence.
Now it is true to say that not only were they influenced by many earlier groups and styles of music, but they were quite an influence on many groups that came after them.
Their music, the clothes they wore, the things they did and said, all had an enormous influence on the young people of the day, 1n the 1960’s.
When eventually the group broke up in 1970, John, Paul, George and Ringo all pursued their own solo careers, and we will be looking at those careers in more details in forthcoming articles.
If you would like to be kept updated on future articles then please go to my website and near the bottom of the page you will find my email address. You simply need to email me and ask to be kept updated.
Jonathan Charles
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/the-beatles-who-were-they-734835.html
8 Responses for "The Beatles - Who Were They?"
Back in the 1960's did The Beatles know how to physically know how to fist fight and were they strong fighters?
This question may sound strange, but it let’s me curious. I’ve seen a lot of pictures and videos about The Beatles and I realized that they have been in many kinds of activities, but I never seen them fight or anything brutal or violent of them to do.
John Lennon was an accomplished street fighter. He administered a physical beat down to Stuart Sutcliffe that may have led to Sutcliffe’s death. He was known as a dangerous guy, but the image crafted for the early years of Beatles’ popularity was at strict odds with that truth. His later persona clearly shunned violence. Michael (Mick) Jagger was a lily-livered academic who created a persona of dangerous violence, Lennon was a dangerously violent man who created a persona of peace and love.
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I think all of them would laugh at the thought.
Ringo is a shrimp.
George and John were total pacifists.
And Paul wouldn’t want to ruin his pretty face.
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What a great question!
Based on my experience with the English, I would say most probably yes.
The reason why I am fascinated by your question is because it relates to the early l.a. punk scene.
The Hollywood punks who could fight leaned politically to the Right. The little cowards who ran away leaned to the Left.
Thanx for giving me this opportunity to illustrate the history of the early l.a. punk scene.
There was however one Leftist punk who was very brave and an excellent fighter. His name was Brendan Mullen, the owner of The Masque. Brendan Mullen was a 32 year old Scot.
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The Masque
Being from Liverpool, a working class city, the fab four were all probably adept at handling themselves in minor street skirmishes, which more than likely occurred at frequent intervals. Given their long hair, they were probably targeted for fisticuffs by those who couldnt adapt to social changes.
The incident involving Stuart Sutcliffe happened in Hamburg, Germany while playing there at the Kaiserkeller, and was instrumental in his departing the band. Stu was evidently attacked by a group of ruffians and suffered hearing loss after the fight. Stuart was John’s pal from Art school, and wasnt a musician at all, he simply stood on stage with them and held a guitar, but he was handsome, and his Bohemian appearance added a certain flair to the group. Paul was glad that Stu left the band, because then he was considered the best looking.
I doubt any of the four were very good fighters, but they didnt shy away from defending themselves either.
*** Hey Stephen, what makes you think Ringo was an idiot? He was sickly as a child, and in the hospital alot, and his family lived in a place called the "Dingle", which wasnt a very nice place to live, but these things do not make him an idiot. FYI, he is the only drummer I have ever heard of who was right handed, but "lead" with his left hand going around the drum set, not a very easy thing to do.
And regarding your comments about George, I know what a Guru is, but what is w/e? And for your information, he was the one who had the most common sense of the four.
What is with your negative comments about the Fab Four, dont you like them at all?
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In the Peter Brown book "The Love You Make" he details a fight between the Beatles (With John, Paul George, Stu Sutcliffe and Pete Best, not Ringo) and some rough "Teddy Boys" and the fabs won. Stu received the worst beating and it was mostly John who kicked their butts to save his friend. Brown theorizes that a kick to the head from one of the Ted’s steel-toed boots is what caused Stu’s death from an aneurysm a few years later.
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Well i know that John Lennon was something of a bully in his childhood years…But he sissied up in his older years…but was always an ass…George was a Guru or w/e…so i doubt he’d look for it…Paul seems like a pretty boy of sorts…and ringo….well ringo was an idiot….But after all i’d say this…All of the beatles were athletically fit men….they could fight…if it were needed…but they wouldn’t go looking for it or pick a fight…they could defend themselves but wouldn’t get violent….
What made you ask that?!? lol
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John Lennon was what we call a Teddy Boy.
He was a fist-fighter and a tough guy.
But that was before The Beatles…
I don’t know why you wanna know…
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