Given the death of George Martin (RIP) got us thinking about playing The Beatles. Not that we're huge fans (as someone here said, "I preferred them when they were Wings"), there's absolutely no doubting their genius.
And you could have picked any album - Sgt Peppers, Abbey Road, Rubber Soul, Let it Be, Help, Revolver, Please please me, Yellow Submarine (in fact probably THE George Martin record) but that short list alone, signifies their greatness.
This Album, 1962-66 (called often, 'The Red Album') seems like a good place to start though, because there's a lot of great tunes - 'Love me do', 'Please please me', 'She loves you', 'I want to hold your hand', 'Can't buy me love', 'Hard Day's night', 'Ticket to ride', 'Help', 'Day Tripper' and so much more including the excellent 'And I love her'.
All written by Lennon and McCartney.
Of course it's a compilation featuring The Fab Four on a stairway at EMI Studios London. It does show a really creative time in their lives going back 50 years ago (!) and is recorded consequently, largely in mono. It follows the band from debut up to the release of 'Revolver'.
It's pretty amazing too, essential listening and brings back an era but one that remains as fresh today. Given studio constraints at the time, these are live studio sessions and that in itself, is pretty startling.
A fan or not, it is without doubt an untouchable collection of work over 4 years. Staggeringly so. Streamabout crew, started listening as non fans but quickly changed their tune too.
Give it a go.
Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog.......Sex Pistols Never mind the Bollocks; Sam Cooke Live at Harlem Square; The Doors LA Woman; Thin Lizzy Live & Dangerous; Kendrick Lamarr Butterfly; Aretha Franklin Amazing Grace; Clapton 461; Massive Attack Blue Lines; The Clash London Calling; Chris Isaak At The Filmore; Bob Dylan Street Legal;Bad Company Straight Shooter; Jackson Browne Love is Strange; Lou Reed Transformer; Steely Dan AJA; Stones Black+Blue; Stephen Bishop Careless; Nils Lofgren Night after Night; Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells; Neil Young Harvest; Led Zep 4; David Bowie David Live; Van It's too late to stop now; Wings Band on the run; Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing; Ryan Adams Heartbreaker; Santana Essential; Bob Dylan Desire; Roxy Music For your pleasure; Bob Marley Legend; Stephen Fretwell Magpie; James Taylor Sweet Baby James; Deep Purple Machine Head; Springsteen Darkness on the edge of town; Leon Bridges Coming Home; Eagles Hotel California; Jungle; Aretha Soul Queen; Neil Young After the Goldrush + Harvest; Zappa Overnite Sensation; Fleetwood Mac Rumours; Keith Jarrett Koln Concert; Doobies Southbound; Stevie Earle I feel Alright; Tom Waits Closing Time; Pink Floyd Dark Side; Van Moondance; Eric Church Caught in the Act; Randy Newman Little Criminals; Elton John Madman across the water; Patti Smith Horses; Doobies Captain and Me; Steely Dan Can't Buy a Thrill
