One Month of Beatles and How I Discovered the Greatest Band of All Time (50 Year Anniversary)

Sorry for the prolonged absence, but I was conducting a little experiment with myself. The experiment: listen to nothing but the Beatles for a month straight. To be quite honest, this was a bit of an unexpected journey because prior to February, I was not a fan of the Beatles. Yes, I know, blasphemy to music fans! Justin, how can you be a musician and not listen to the founding fathers of modern rock? It was simple, I listened to what was in my era...or that was my excuse at least. 

A child of the 90s, and a music fan of the early 2000s, I was pretty ignorant to classic rock, and hearing it would make me cringe a bit. For me, everything was dated, and I liked what I grew up on naturally. The Beatles were always obviously there, and I gave them the respect and reverence they deserved and even knew some of the greatest hits. However, with that being said, I had no interest in digging deeper, and boy was I wrong.

This idea sparked from the Beatles 50th anniversary of the Ed Sullivan show performance that kicked off Beatlemania. I watched the whole show with my father, and slowly got introduced to John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Seeing their impact on music, and how one legendary talk show performance changed the world, I thought at 25 years of age that it was a good time to get acquainted. I made it a goal to listen to a few albums at work the next day.

Well, with so many classic albums to choose from (all of them), I decided to begin with one of the more popular ones, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. From there I bounced around. It took around two or three days to listen to every album, and I decided I would listen the rest of the week after posting my thoughts on Facebook. Many people suggested I listened to an album two or three times before I made a decision. One week of Beatles stretched into two weeks, then into three weeks, and finally I decided to go the whole month listening to nothing else unless it was required of me for work, or it was on where I was. I did not consciously put on anything myself, other than music I worked on with my band.

Curiosity turned into creativity, as my song writing began to transform in front of my band one practice. At a time when I am normally listening to the group play a song and thinking of lyrics, I began conducting the song in my head. I heard drums parts, breaks and stops, guitar chords, harmonies – it was pretty awesome. An impromptu jam, became a solo song. The juices were flowing, was it the Beatles? I don't know, but I felt especially inspired.

At this point of my month, I had listened to every record around eight times, and really grew to love the Beatles from 66-69, the experimental years. It was amazing to hear the birthing of the very music I listened to in their songs. The first metal, the first punk, the first progressive – it really was an amazing thing, and I made a connection to everything I listen to now. 

Even now, as I am back on "regular" music, it sounds so different to me. Some of it does not seem worthy, and some it really reminds me of the Beatles, which is a funny thought. I tend to find myself looking a little deeper into songs now to see what the song actually is sonically and technically, rather than the words and lyrics. Hip-hop has been weird so far because it is far removed from the Beatles, and it took me a while to build back in. Again, I am looking for content and context.

What the Beatles managed to do, was evolve with every album they put out. Sure, some albums were similar, mainly ones that were back to back, but they still had their own distinct quality and sound. I couldn't get enough of the music.

I scoured the Internet for every back track, demo, studio session, unreleased song; and I found them. I heard all the live tracks, all the special editions, and even their records as the Quarrymen. I became obsessed really. It seemed a bit crazy, but the music just hit me and affected me. Wikipedia was my best friend as I looked up every song meaning, album break down, and who did what track per track.

But enough about me, lets talk the music. 

My top Beatles albums changed many times during my journey, but I think I am able to round out my favorites based on the amount of times I have revisited them since February.

1. Rubber Soul

There is just something about this album that I can't stop listening to. As a whole, every track hits me perfectly. This album was the end of the friendly boyish stars, and the beginning of the trippy hippy music revolutionaries. Rubbersoul provided the perfect blend of both eras of the Beatles. From the iconic opening riff of "Drive My Car" to the controversial but so bad it's good closing of "Run For Your Life," this album is flawless. Other highlights for me include, "Michele," "I'm Looking Through You," and "Nowhere Man." I can basically pop on this album at any point of the day, and I'll randomly be singing one of these tracks, so fair warning.

2. The Magical Mystery Tour

Sgt. Pepper gets a ton of the shine as being arguably one of the best Beatles albums, but I believe their follow up is even better. Unfortunately some great singles that should be on Pepper, wound up on here, and because of that, Mystery Tour edges it out. The opening "Magical Mystery Tour" sets the tone for the entire album, "The magical mystery tour is waiting to take you away..." "The Fool on the Hill" is an often forgotten classic. "Blue Jay Way" is my favorite Harrison song, and perhaps one of the trippiest and most fun musically. The non-sense of "I Am the Walrus" and the imagery of "Strawberry Fields" is fantastic as well.

3. Abby Road

This album was the end of the Beatles, and they sure went down in style. Despite many problems and internal conflicts within the band, the guys managed to churn out a timeless album that until this day serves as a wonderful farewell. The bass line of "Come Together" carries the album right in. "Something" is the next highlight track, and is one of the band's best ballads. "I Want You (She's so Heavy)" is perhaps the simplest song lyrically written by the band, but it happens to be my favorite song. This song really is "heavy," the bass line is incredible, and the force and passion behind the few lines is unmatched. "Here Comes the Sun" is a great cut, and of course "The End," the only track to feature a solo by Ringo, and a solo for everyone on the same track. Had Let it Be not been released, this was the goodbye they were looking for. 

4. Revolver

Revolver also frequently makes in into the top spot of greatest albums ever, but for me, it just did not resonate as much. As an album, it feels so complete through and through, but I think what it is lacking for me is the ability to captivate me in every song. With that being said, the production qualities and effects used on this album were ground breaking for the time. The maturity and overall creative approach to recording an album was unbelievable, and many techniques used here are amazing even now. Revolver like Rubbersoul opens up in grand fashion with "Taxman," which is followed by the huge "Eleanor Rigby." "I'm Only Sleeping" follows, which is in my top five Beatles songs. For me, Revolver has one of the best openings of any of their albums, but it loses me a bit in the middle. I'm not too found of the Indian influenced songs, but appreciate their sentiment. The second half of the album's "Good Day Sunshine" is my only other top song on here.

5. The Beatles "White Album"

The White album is essentially a collection of Beatles inspired solo work. As a whole, this album does not really have continuity, but when picked a apart and played with the notion that the entire band began falling apart, it picks up a whole other meaning. On this album you see John's experimentation, Paul's vocal and creative range as his voice goes through the motions of many different styles, and George's wonderful ability to craft timeless songs on his own. A bunch of the songs on this album display sounds that were previously unheard before, and they essentially invented genres on the spot within the walls of the studio. The Beatles really were master craftsmen at starting off an album, "Back in the U.S.S.R." is another example of this. The softer "Dear Prudence" is a nice cut, while the silly catchiness of "Bungalow Bill" seems to draw me in every time, even if it does feature a rickety verse by Yoko. Another classic by George is on here, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and Lennon's journey into drugs and progressive rock, "Happiness is a Warm Gun." The old timey feel of "Rocky Raccoon" is fun, and "Helter Skelter," is a nice surprise and a warm welcome to metal in its earliest form. 

6. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Having this album at the halfway point for some may be considered lunacy, but this is my opinion! As a whole, this album flows beautifully, but the best songs were taken off the album. For me, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Strawberry Fields" are magnificently surrounded by "good" songs but not great. The best part of this album is the final song, and how it switches from John to Paul, and becomes a completely different song within one listen. "A Day in Life" is one of my favorite songs by the band, and honestly is just perfect.

7. Please Please Me

Please Please Me is a foray into perfect pop sensibilities, and the introduction to the Fab Four. The relative ease and smooth listening of these tracks makes them fun. I originally thought most Beatles music sounded like this...was I totally wrong. After so many listens, though not my favorite genre of Beatles, it is something I enjoy because of the catchiness. "Twist and Shout" is amazingly performed by John. The raw subtle screams and rasp of his voice is captivating. "It Won't be Long" and "She Loves You" can get caught on the brain for hours. Other tracks such as "Misery," "Love Me Do,"  and "Please Please Me" are just so genuine and convincingly awesome.

8. Let It Be

To me, Let It Be is a sad album because of the lost potential. Couple that with the movie, and it is essentially the end of the band. The Beatles were able to seek some sort of redemption with Abby Road, but the end was here. It is basically a rough demo cut of songs that could have also been on Abby Road. The release of Let It Be...Naked does a better job of capturing that raw sound they wanted to go back to. With that being said, the album features some great songs. Harrison's "I Me Mine" and "Don't Let Me Down" are a cut above the rest for me. "Dig a Pony" is great, and of course the mighty, "Let it Be."

9. Help

Help was the last of the classic sounding Beatles albums. It was a soundtrack for their second movie, and spawned one of their most well known songs of all time. While the album only has a a few songs I would consider some of my favorite's, the album works well together in its track-listing. Aside from "Help," "She's Got a Ticket to Ride" is a lot of fun, and of course the most covered song of all time, "Yesterday." McCartney kills it with "Yesterday" and it is no wonder the song has taken on a whole legacy of its own.

10. With the Beatles

The band's second album is a little tighter than their first musically, but not as memorable as their debut. With that being said, the reason why it is so low on my list is because everything else is so great. The standout's of this album are the contagious, "It Won't be Long" and  "Please Mister Postman," along with their more upbeat love ballad, "You Really Got a Hold on Me." I have grouped in "I Want to Hold Your Hand" because it was the single that was floating around at the time of the album, and of course, everyone knows this track.

11. Beatles for Sale

Beatles For Sale is kind of a thrown together album for the group. In the midst of the band's constant touring they essentially had to put together an album because of their demand. The album features mostly covers, and the title plays on them being a hot ticket item. The best cuts from this album include "No Reply," "I'm a Loser," and the infectious "Eight Days a Week." This record squished between to movie soundtracks still holds up well on its own 

12. A Hard Day's Night

Despite having one of the group's most beloved songs, and being the soundtrack for their first movie, A Hard Day's Night is a little boring for me, and when I went track by track of every album, had the least amount of songs I truly loved on it. Of course the title track is the best song! "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" is another solid number by the group, and remise of the old school Beatles.

13. Yellow Submarine

Although some do not view this as a full album, it is often included in box sets as an official one, so for arguments sake, it is here. Yellow Submarine is a scrapped together incomplete album. While being a good and cool album, it does not hold to the Beatles standard of good. "Hey Bulldog" is really the only take away here, while most of the other tracks appeared else well. The second half of the album is movie scoring by their producer George Martin, and although very cool, it is not the Beatles.

Of course this is all subjective as nearly everyone's list is completely different, and to be honest there is no right or wrong answer because no matter what order of albums you pick, it is still all fine. In the grand scheme of things it is incredible to think Beatlemania lasted less than a decade. Every album put out in a seven to eight year span is a certified classic, along with it being an almost genre bending work. The creativity that existed all while touring over 200 days a year and being given a handful of days to go record is incredible. 

The later years of the Beatles were filled with experimentation and landmarks in song writing and recording. It was also filled with tons of drugs, solo workings, and no touring. People say Yoko broke up the Beatles but as someone who has been in a band nearly seven years, I think it was the lack of shows. There is a certain closeness and camaraderie built when performing with band mates and being together all the time. It becomes like a family atmosphere, even if tension rises, it is settled. In the case of the Beatles, they all did their own thing, and then got together after long periods of time to sit down and try to write in the studio. At first this worked, as everyone harbored their creativeness. We saw this in Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, and Magical Mystery Tour. However, the time away became evident on The White album when everyone returned to the table with vastly different songs; basically a batch of solo workings. Nearly half of the songs on the album were not even played with the full band. 

Let it Be was the head of the worst time, which is evident in the movie. There is no unity, and no general sense of urgency or interest in playing together. Ringo wanted to do movies and have more creative input, George did not want to be the third wheel anymore, John wanted to make avant garde music with Yoko and made her a constant presence in the studio, and Paul wanted to seize control of the band. Many blame John's insistence of Yoko and waning substance abuse along with Paul's overbearing take over of the band as the two heads clashing to end the band. However, again it goes back to the group. Had they been a cohesive unit that played shows and stuck together, each one would not have stepped out into their own attitudes and ideologies. Every action stemmed from one another. Paul took over because John did not care. George worked better with John and not Paul, and Ringo got pushed further to the back because of the feuding egos.

Abby Road saw the band pull it together for one more shot, and from the sounds and the feelings of the album it was easy to understand it would be their final curtain call. From the bass line of "Come Together" to the fleeting one time solos of the band in "The End," this was how it was to be. Had John lived longer, this still probably would have been the last record put out by the four piece. There was no other way for them leave. The real last great tragedy of the band is the amount of quality that came from the studio only years. None of these songs were ever played live outside of solo performances by the members and that rooftop performance. With improving technology and bigger stage productions, a show could have been epic, but for now we are only left to wonder what could have been.

So now, 50 years since Beatlemania, and over 50 years since the band started, the Beatles are still arguably the best band of all time. People can say Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Queen, whatever, the Beatles did it first, and they did it best. It is amazing to hear music today and see what grew out of those pop melodies and catchy "she loves me, yeah yeah yeah." None of the band members on their own truly stand out as the best at what they do of all time, but together, they created an unmatched team of timeless bottled up creativity, and music that is just as good now as it was in the 60s. There will never ever be another Beatles, there will only be bands that aspire to one day capture a glimpse of a moment in time where everything would just "Come Together."

My Ultimate Beatles Playlist:

DISC1 1962-65

Please Please Me

She Loves You

I Saw Her Standing There

Misery

Twist and Shout*

It Won't be Long

Love Me Do

With the Beatles

It Won't Be Long

Please Mister Postman

You Really Got a Hold on Me

I Want to Hold Your Hand

A Hard Day's Night

A Hard Day's Night

I'm Happy Just to Dance with You

Beatles For Sale

No Reply

I'm a Loser

Eight Days a Week

Help

Help*

She's Got a Ticket to Ride

Yesterday

Rubber Soul

Drive My Car*

Nowhere Man

Michele

I'm Looking Through You

Run For Your Life*

DISC2 1966-70

Revolver

Taxman

Eleanor Rigby

I'm Only Sleeping*

Good Day Sunshine

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

A Little Help From My Friends

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds*

A Day in the Life*

The Magical Mystery Tour

Magical Mystery Tour

The Fool on a Hill

Blue Jay Way*

I Am the Walrus*

Strawberry Fields

Yellow Submarine

Hey Bulldog

White Album

Back in the U.S.S.R.

Dear Prudence

The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Happiness is a Warm Gun*

Rocky Raccoon

Helter Skelter*

Let it Be

Dig a Pony

I Me Mine*

Let it Be

Don't Let Me Down*

Abbey Road

Come Together*

Something

I Want You (She's So Heavy)*

Here Comes the Sun

The End

*Top 15

A Vegas Marriage Self-Titled EP Review

A Vegas Marriage is a three band from Staten Island consisting of Matthew Pelli on vocals/bass, Justin Imperatrice on guitar, and Vincent Rizzo on drums. They recently released their self-titled EP on September 20.

A Vegas Marriage kicks open their EP with the pounding sounds of "Don't You Ever." I couldn't think of a more perfect way to start the album. The driving guitars, steady pulse, and the accompanying drum beat light a fire in the listener. The vocal performance of this track is reminiscent to Dave Grohl as far as style, and the way it is sung, more so at the end.

"The Outside," is more melodic all around. It is a good change of pace from the first track, but still has the same feel and root as the previous. Call me crazy, but there is something about this song that makes me think of a Western themed music video with saloons and everything. Maybe keep that in mind guys…

"Breakthrough" is the slow ballad of the EP. It has a very 90s STP, Pearl Jam type feel, especially vocally. The vocalist has a great voice, and this is a track that really helps him showcase it. The harmonies add superb layers, and the guitar solo over the bridge fits so well.Towards the end of the track the song picks up and the vocals get belted out; nice touch.

The next track, "Something to See," dives right back into the heavier rock elements of AVM. This is probably the most rocking song on the album, as the vocals are stretched and the guitars are crunchier. I enjoyed a lot of the background vocals in this song, "ah-ahs" were a good touch behind the singing.

"Freight Train" again brings out some of the twang from "The Outside," and feels like some sort of epic train chase, hence the name. It is hard not to imagine the scene of events playing out in your head as this song plays through. Again, just another solid song, with a little more classic rock sensibilities than the others.

To close off the EP is, "Presence." The song opens up with strummed acoustic guitar work with light airy vocals. The chanted background vocals work well for this song and add more depth and dynamic to the song. Mid way through the song, and out bursts the electric guitar over the acoustic. It is a perfect spot and well executed until the end.

I agree with the acoustic jam closing out the album because it stands out from the rest of the tracks. A lot of bands choose to go with the power and energy to close out an album, but "Presence" does exactly what it is called, creates a presence to send AVM out.

All in all this EP is great! I have not seen A Vegas Marriage in a few years, and this EP shows me exactly what I've been missing as well as how much they have grown. The band takes an already well established sound and manages to put their own twist to it.  One moment they sound like Jet, at other times they are as aggressive as the Foo Fighters, and the next minute they rock out like Queens of the Stone Age. 

The band's next two shows are at the Cup on December 6th, and the 21st at Scout Hall.

https://www.facebook.com/Avegasmarriage

Love Him Madly: An Intimate Memoir of Jim Morrison (Book Review)

Love Him Madly: An Intimate Memoir of Jim Morrison paints a wonderful portrait of Morrison's love life and how the rock icon was off stage and out of the spotlight with the people he thought he loved and the people who loved him.

The book is written from the perspective of the author, Judy Huddleston, who's obsession with Morrison sees her passionately unrational at times as she wages an inner war and what she believes is true love.

Huddleston goes into to detail with every conversation putting the reader in the room with Judy and Jim. From the pillow talk to the drug infused incoherencies of a live free or go home hippie, everything is distinctly real and genuine.

Especially telling is the turmoil in Judy's mind between love and hate, and how easily she was able to have her feelings and emotions melted away at the mere sound of Jim's voice. 

Delving deeper into the abyss of Morrison's soul, the reader is able to understand the loneliness and utter depression of one of the world's biggest rockstars. Filling his life with mind altering substances, booze, and a plethora of woman, some he "loved" and others he forgot, Morrison was truly a tortured artist.

It started innocently enough, a fresh out of high school girl's infatuate crush of someone unobtainable. After attending a few Doors concerts and getting lucky enough to meet Morrison back stage after a show, she was hooked. Morrison became her drug of choice.

Leading the pack as some sort of head groupie, Jim took a liking to Judy and frequently called her when in town or when he needed late night action. However, Judy was different. She had a conscience, she had a soul, she wanted to be intimate with Jim on another level besides the physical. She usually obliged for fearing of losing him or for the chance to make him love her.

Their rendezvous became something sort of like a spiritual revelation as they became one in the physical, metaphysical, and sometimes mentally, but never emotionally. Jim was cold to the emotional stakes of love and the oneness and specialness of intimacy.

Regardless of some of these setbacks and the little jealous and non-chalant games they played together over the years, they had some sort of hypnotic spell that kept them coming back for more.

Judy was committed to this relationship despite Jim's non-comittment to anything. The only things he seemed to come back to was Judy, albeit in between a herd of other girls who couldn't connect with him or intrigue him mentally.

Towards the end of the book and ultimately Jim's life, an expressed profession of love was said between the two. Honesty started to flow between the two of them, there was hope for Judy's dream. At that time however, the drugs and the alcohol became to much for a mere mans body. He became gaunt, disheveled and unstable. His oozing sexuality and "god-like" stature was gone, he was the shell of what was.

Morrison's untimely death in Paris was the end of Judy's childhood, and although one life seemed to come to an end, her life really just began. She was free to be a person not bound by a life of inconsistency. Jim was alive in her memory and in every facet of her senses, and that affection would never grow stale.

Backfire EP Review 'Prisoner of War'

Backfire simply put is a rock band, but if you listen deeper and uncover the layers of their music you'll discover hints of classic rock, 80s metal, and new alternative.

Consisting of Vincent Lane (vocals), Andrew Ahne (guitar), John White (guitar), Carl Giacalone (bass/vocals), and Jay Nichols (drums), they just released their first EP, Prisoner of War.

The EP opens up with "Prisoner of War" which calmly transitions into fast paced metal guitars reminiscent of an 80s metal band. Lane is telling a story about not giving up and pushing on. About two and half minutes into the song, a nice instrumental section complete with solo and dueling guitars and a quick drum fill fit nicely into the last chorus.

"One O'Clock"comes in soft then switches to blaring guitars and heavy tones. The effect on the opening vocals are very good and the chorus is tight. Again, more guitar solos and more metal! Solid start so far.

"Regret" is probably the catchiest song on the demo and has my personal favorite chorus. "My regret is what kills me, my regret is undaunted..."as gang vocals chime in. I'm also really digging the harmonic "woah-o's" at the end. It adds a little dynamic and diversity to the music.

The next track, "Trifling Whore," slows things down a bit and is more of a ballad in the beginning. The meaning of the song is pretty self-explanatory and yet has an epic vibe to it. The song shows great maturity in the band as they are able to mesh their signature sound along with something slightly different.

"The Few, the Proud, the Forgotten" sounds like it is the most single worthy track on the EP. It has a little bit of something for everyone and a strong chorus. It has a climatic build towards the end that has Lane belting out the finals words of the song.

Overall the Prisoner of War EP is a solid first effort for the boys of Backfire. They take familiar sounds and make it their own. Lane has a great almost classic type of voice. The guitarists Ahne and White shine most with steady and consistent riff work throughout. Be on the lookout for these guys!

Check out Backfire on Facebook.