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Popular music before, during, and shortly after WWII was usually a big band and a vocalist. In the 1950s, Rock and Roll came across from the United States. The US was also the home of country music and jazz while in the early 1960s folk and protest music began to thrive in New York.
However from 1962 all that changed. Four guys from Liverpool, calling themselves The Beatles, swept the world with their “British” sound. The group were formed in 1960 and started by playing in clubs, especially The Cavern Club, in Liverpool and also in Germany, They were then spotted by a record shop owner called Brian Epstein who signed them up and, eventually, on 5 October 1962, they released their first single called “Love me do”, which made it into the UK charts and got as high as No. 17.
Note to you young people. A single was a 7 inch vinyl record which usually had a song recorded on each side. In true brilliant fashion the main song was on the “A” side and the second song on the “B” side. I think, in 1964(ish) they cost about 6 shillings and eightpence or 33p in today's money. An EP (extended play) usually contained four songs, two each side but was the same size as a single, while an LP (long play) could have up to eight tracks on each side and was 12 inches in diameter. Another note, just for fun, I have written this from memory so you might choose to check it out. I can't remember the price of an EP but an LP, again in 1964, was usually about £1 10 shillings or £1.50 today.
Back to The Beatles. The four were John Lennon, shot and killed in the US in 1980, Paul McCartney, still alive, George Harrison, died of cancer in 2001 and Ringo Starr, the drummer, still alive. Initially, as with “Love me do”, Lennon and McCartney wrote the songs but as time progressed George Harrison contributed more.
The Beatles were at the height of their fame between 1963 and 1969 by which time arguments and disputes were causing them to drift apart. Officially, they split in 1970. All four members then continued with their solo careers.
As a group they had 17 No. 1 's in the British singles charts, the most for any group ever and only beaten by Elvis Presley who had 21. Over the years their records spent a total of 65 weeks at No.1. They also had 15 LPs or albums which topped the charts, this time beating Elvis who only had 15. The Beatles first album to hit No.1, called Please, Please Me, actually stayed at No.1 for 30 weeks. It was replaced by their second album, With The Beatles, which then stayed there for another 21 weeks. That means that for 51 weeks, almost one whole year, nobody else topped the album charts.
Once they became famous, other groups followed. Firstly it was other Liverpool groups, The Searchers, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, and then groups started to spring up all over the UK. The Rolling Stones and The Kinks came from London, The Hollies from Manchester and many others but none, apart from the Stones, had as great an influence as The Beatles. As a part of musical history, they were giants and it wouldn't take you long to find out even more. These groups and others had an influence on my life; being one reason why I bought a guitar and learned to play.
I was not the greatest Beatles fan, my favourite group being The Searchers, who are still playing today, 2018, just. John McNally, who founded the group in 1959, still sings and plays and he is now 77. Frank Allen who joined them in 1964 is 75. I wouldn't expect you to like their music but I would want you to know that their performances are still highly professional and great for those who like it. How many of your stars will still be around nearly 60 years after they made their debut. Having said all that they have announced their retirement as at 31 March 2019 and are doing a farewell tour. I will be at one of their concerts on that tour. Who knows, you might get a photo here.
Ooops, just reread this. Sorry, I forgot the photo.
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