Chapter 6 The British Invasion
Chapter 6: The British Pop Scene in the 1950s Post-War England Post WWII English youth eagerly absorb American music - trad jazz - skiffle - Rhythm and Blues - the blues Playlist: Rock Island Line Lonnie Donegan 1955
Chapter 6: The British Pop Scene in the 1950s English Pop Culture BBC runs three radio stations, none of which cater to youth Pirate radio stations play pop music 1967: BBC Radio One begins pop programming No independent record labels Four major labels include: - EMI - Decca
Chapter 6: The British Pop Scene in the 1950s English Pop Culture 36 40 32 30 30 22 20 16 11 10 2 1 1962 1963 0 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Top 10 hits in America by British artists, 1962-69
Chapter 6: The British Invasion The Beatles
Chapter 6: The British Invasion The Beatles The Beatles Reflected the optimism and complexities of the 1960s Influenced music and culture Importance of producer George Martin Read The Beatles Impact on Rock in text: - the most popular rock group in history Read The Contributions of John, Paul, George, and Ringo in text: - great musicians, great singers, great songwriters - Lennon and McCartney had contrasting writing styles - Lennon and McCartney sometimes wrote together, sometimes apart from each other
Chapter 6: The Beatles The Early Years Liverpool - working class city; sponge for American pop culture - Teddy boy: Brit equivalent of Southern cat 1956: John Lennon forms the Quarry Men 1957: Paul McCartney, George Harrison join; Pete Best is drummer
Chapter 6: The Beatles The Audition 1960: change name to the Beatles Many gigs at the Reeperbahn in Hamburg and the Cavern Club in Liverpool 1961: Brian Epstein becomes manager; Epstein begins to remake image and shop for record contract June 6, 1962: the Beatles audition for Parlaphone producer George Martin at Abbey Road Studios Martin signs group based more on their personality than music Martin also instructs the group to replace Pete Best; new drummer is Ringo Starr Beatlemania
Chapter 6: The Beatles Coming to America Please Please Me (3/22/63) - eight original songs - I Saw Her Standing There With the Beatles (11/22/63) - coincides with appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show - March 1964:Beatles have top five singles on Billboard chart A Hard Days Night (7/10/64) - tie-in with influential movie - A Hard Days Night
Chapter 6: The Beatles Meeting Dylan Beatles for Sale (12/4/64) - Dylan influence begins to emerge - I m a Loser Help! (8/6/65) - first use of session musicians - You ve Got to Hide Your Love Away - Yesterday
Chapter 6: The Beatles Coming of Age Rubber Soul (12/3/65) - coming of age album - Norwegian Wood Revolver (8/5/66) - called the first album of the psychedelic era - exotic instruments, studio effects, drug illusions - George Harrison begins to shine as composer with Taxman, Love You To Music Cut 25: Tomorrow Never Knows Revolver
Chapter 6: The Beatles Sgt. Pepper s Decision to stop touring fuels breakup rumors; last concert is 8/30/66 in San Francisco 2/17/67: Penny Lane (McCartney) and Strawberry Fields Forever (Lennon) released as two A sides on same single - both are about the songwriters childhoods in Liverpool - both originally to be included in upcoming album Music Cut 26: Penny Lane Strawberry Fields Forever
Chapter 6: The Beatles Sgt. Pepper s Sgt. Pepper s Lonely Hearts Club Band (6/1/67) - cultural milestone of the 1960s - recording: five months, 700 hours, $100,000 - premise: alter ego Lonely Hearts Club band - famous cover - first rock album with lyrics printed inside cover - innovative use of studio technology - Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, A Day in the Life
Chapter 6: The Beatles All You Need Is Love 6/25/67: appearance on Our World TV program performing All You Need is Love 8/67: Brian Epstein dies 2/68: trip to India to learn about Transcendental Meditation Paul is dead rumors/hysteria Magical Mystery Tour (12/8/67) - tie-in with movie - I Am the Walrus
Chapter 6: The Beatles Impending Doom The Beatles (The White Album) (11/22/68) - double album, 30 songs - great diversity in styles - presence of Yoko Ono, inner tensions - Revolution 9 - Blackbird - Happiness is a Warm Gun Yellow Submarine (1/17/69) - tie-in with movie
Chapter 6: The Beatles The End Let It Be (5/8/70) - originally to be named Get Back - inner tensions cause group to abandon project; Phil Spector brought in to re-produce entire album - 1/30/69 rooftop concert; group performs Get Back Abbey Road (9/26/69) - 8-song, 16-minute medley closes Side B - first use of 8-track recorder - George Martin returns as producer - Come Together - Something
Chapter 6: The Beatles The Aftermath Paul McCartney: - forms Wings with wife Linda, many #1 hits George Harrison: - organizes Concert for Bangladesh, 1971, dies 2001 Ringo Starr: - starts acting career, continues to record John Lennon: - marries Yoko Ono in 1969 - turbulent early 1970s resolving to life as a family man - murdered 12/8/80 in NYC
Chapter 6: The British Invasion The Rolling Stones
Chapter 6: The Rolling Stones Image The Rolling Stones - World s Greatest Rock and Roll Band - portrayed themselves as the anti-beatles - dangerous, surly - influential to future rock marketing - most threatening, sexual stage presence of the time
Chapter 6: The Rolling Stones The Early Years 1961: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger chance reunion 1963: band lineup intact, including Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman; assembled from London s blues scene 1963: - Andrew Loog Oldham becomes manager - sign with Decca - first singles released, including covers of Willie Dixon tunes
Chapter 6: The Rolling Stones Breaking Through 1964: - first American tour includes recording at Chess Studio - first album: England s Newest Hit Makers: The Rolling Stones - break into US Top 10 1965: first #1 hits in America Playlist: (I Can t Get No) Satisfaction (#1) 1966: five Top 10 hits
Chapter 6: The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll s Bad Boys 1966: Aftermath - diverse styles, instruments, dark lyrics Playlist: Under My Thumb Aftermath 1967: appearance on Ed Sullivan - Ed Sullivan Show appearance; perform Let s Spend Some Time Together - Jagger, Richards, Jones all arrested on drug charges - Jones is convicted, preventing band from touring US 1969: Jones leaves band in June; found dead on 7/3/69
Chapter 6: The Rolling Stones Creative Triumph, Tragedy 1967: Their Satanic Majesties Request released, panned Playlist: 2000 Light Years from Home Their Satanic Majesties Request 1968: producer Jimmy Miller hired - Jumpin Jack Flash (#3) 1968: Beggar s Banquet Music Cut 27: Sympathy for the Devil Beggar s Banquet 1969: Let It Bleed Playlist: You Can t Always Get What You Want Let It Bleed
Chapter 6: The Rolling Stones Creative Triumph, Tragedy December 1969: Thank You, America Altamont Speedway Free Festival staged at Altamont Raceway in California - poorly planned, violent, spectator killed - metaphor for the end of the 1960s 1971: Sticky Fingers - controversial cover - tongue and lips logo first used - Brown Sugar Sticky Fingers (#1) 1972: Exile on Main Street - Ventilator Blues
Chapter 6: The British Invasion The Who
Chapter 6: The Who The Early Years The Who - prototype power trio - influential to punk, metal, art rock - innovative use of synthesizers - stage violence - exceptional musicianship, songwriting - Tommy, the first rock opera 1962-64: band forms, first as the Detours then as the Who
Chapter 6: The Who From Mods to Maximum R&B 1964: repackaged as mods, briefly become the High Numbers - I Can t Explain (1965, #8 UK) Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp become managers, change name back to the Who; marketed as Maximum R&B 1964: Pete Townshend destroys his guitar for first time Stage destruction fuels group s popularity, leads to contract with Decca, first album (The Who Sings) My Generation Playlist: My Generation (1965 #2 UK)
Chapter 6: The Who Monterey 1966: A Quick One features mini-opera 1967: US tour with American debut at Monterey Pop Festival, destroy equipment at end of show 1967: The Who Sell Out fake pirate radio broadcast - I Can See For Miles The Who Sell Out (#9) Stage act is exciting flurry of activity
Chapter 6: The Who Tommy 1968: Townshend becomes follower of Meher Baba, stops using drugs, becomes more spiritual 1969: Tommy - the first rock opera, with story set to music - central character becomes deaf, dumb, and blind - critically acclaimed - later turned into film and Broadway musical - Pinball Wizard - See Me, Feel Me Playlist: Overture Tommy
Chapter 6: The Who Final Triumph, Tragedy 1970: Live at Leeds; Townshend begins work on Lifehouse, which is never finished 1971: Who s Next contains two songs with innovative use of synthesizers Music Cut 28: Won t Get Fooled Again Who s Next Playlist: Baba O Reilly Who s Next 1973: Quadrophenia 1978: Keith Moon dies of drug overdose
Chapter 6: The British Invasion Other British Invasion Bands
Chapter 6: Other British Invasion Bands The Mersey Beat Groups Mersey Beat: upbeat pop; groups include: - Gerry and the Pacemakers - Herman s Hermits - the Dave Clark Five - the Hollies Music Cut 29: Bus Stop the Hollies 1966 (#5)
Chapter 6: Other British Invasion Bands The Blues-Oriented Groups Groups with rougher, blues orientation, including: - the Kinks - the Yardbirds - the Animals Music Cut 30: House of the Rising Sun the Animals 1964 (#1)