R_Soul

I would reply but, as you didn't even bother to acknowledge my reply to your Beatles' Question thread, I won't bother with this one. r-sole

Gillian - most people posting on this site are on the other side of the pond. I don't think they've heard of The Manics. So, I will join you in looking forward to their next release.

I think "Give Peace A Chance" was pretty influential. And Lennon's other tour-de-force, "Imagine", has also had a lot of impact throughout the world as a song for peace.

Basically, even from their very first single, "Love Me Do", The Beatles themselves decided which would be their 'official singles'. In the case of "Love Me Do", this was even released at the insistence of The Beatles in place of a non-original "How Do You Do It" which was being foisted upon them. The only occasion I can remember where pressure was placed by the 'industry' was the release of "Strawberry Fields Forever"/"Penny Lane". The Beatles had intended to stick these on the album that became "Sgt Pepper", but Capital wanted some new product (as it had been 6 months since the group's previous release) so they reluctantly put those 2 tracks out as a single. The other thing in deciding what would be the next Beatles' single was the competitive edge between Lennon & McCartney. Usually, the group acted as a democracy and voted for what they wanted as the next single. Potential singles that were vetoed during this process were "Eight Days A Week" ["I Feel Fine" was released in its place, although "Eight Days A Week" did eventually come out as a single (and was a US No. 1) in various parts of the world [see below]]; "Across The Universe" ["Lady Madonna" was released instead]; and the slow version of "Revolution" [with "Hey Jude" being released instead, with the fast version of "Revolution" on its B-side, much to Lennon's displeasure.] The policy for releasing singles varied outside of the UK and Ireland, and there were loads of local variations decided upon by the distributers (like Capitol in the US) who seemed to plunder albums at will to release tracks that were not originally intended as singles. Apart from "Eight Days A Week", there was "Do You Want To Know A Secret", "I Saw Her Standing There", "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "The Long And Winding Road", etc. etc. etc. For the earliest known recording, you need to check out "Anthology 1" CD, which has all the earliest (pre-Ringo) recordings. The very earliest is a cover of "That'll Be The Day" coupled with the only McCartney/Harrison composition "In Spite Of All The Danger"(1955). This was not an official release, but recorded on a disc in an electrical goods shop in Liverpool. There are a few others pre-"Love Me Do", including the Lennon/Harrison instrumental "Cry For A Shadow", which was made commercially available after the group became famous. As I say, if you're interested, check out the "Anthology" CDs, as the booklet has got all the history about the tracks. Hope that helps a bit.

He is David Gilmour. We also got Elvis Costello somewhere here.

The first album in my collection was "Rubber Soul" [....like my name "R Soul"]. It was a Christmas present. The first album I bought for myself (at 9:00 a.m. on the first day of release) was "Sgt. Pepper" - meaning that I was one of the first people in the world to buy it. It was downhill from then on.

I am a huge Beatles' fan, and I think "Let It Be ...Naked" is the biggest disappointment I have ever experienced in 40 years of buying Beatles' records. The fact that it is a CD gave those responsible the opportunity to put more onto it, or take the project to a completely different level. Great that "Don't Let Me Down" is included but, last year, I downloaded 48 tracks from the internet from a bootleg called "The Black Album". This, amongst many other gems, includes the excellent "Suzy Parker" (or "Suzy's Parlour" as it also referred to) which, alone, would have made "Let It Be...Naked" a worthwhile purchase. But there are loads of other interesting tracks (e.g. "Rainy Day Women", "Child Of Nature", "Hare Krishna", "Early In The Morning"/"Hi Ho Silver"....etc...etc...as well as alternate versions of songs from "Let It Be" some of which (in finished versions) ended up on "Abbey Road". This, for me, would have been a much more worthwhile/interesting project than 'taking the strings off' "The Long And Winding Road" (which we already had on "Antholgy 3") and sticking "Don't Let Me Down" on. There is an accompanying CD with "Let It Be...Naked" which starts to explore what the project might have been, but it is a meagre 21 minutes long and contains more chat than music. [but the chat is an interesting insight to what the Beatles were trying to do with what became "Let It Be".] In answer to the original post: "River Deep Mountain High" and "Be My Baby" were pure classic Spector. "Let It Be" wasn't. Ever.

Yes, but you also thought that Liverpool was in London! [Tee hee!]

I think this has turned into one of the most amusing threads ever! So funny! A raw nerve has certainly been touched!! I would love to add my two-penneth-worth to it, but I think it would be interpreted as further xenophobia. Anyway, about the original post, the only song (that hasn't already been mentioned) I can think of about Liverpool...I mean London ...is "Last Night In Soho" by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. [A British group from the 60's]

Derrrr...I thought the thread was about CULT favourites[?] If you read my earlier post on this thread, you will see that I am quite aware of Roxy Music - their good stuff (with Eno) and their popular, commercial stuff.

Basically, the music on its own is rubbish. However...at the right club with the right crowd and the right drugs it can be awesome. I discovered how awesome it can be with these other ingredients in 1991 at a couple of gay clubs in London, and then I kept on checking it out nearly every weekend until 1995. Then my boss wanted me to do some serious work overseas, so I stopped. I managed to get off the merry-go-round with my brain intact, inspite of downing a cocktail of ecstacy, speed, acid and coke (and the occassional spliff)! However, not everybody handled the drugs as well as I did and one or two of my friends became seriously f*cked up. Just say "no" to drugs...then you don't really have to listen to this crappy music! [Don't do as I did; do as I say!]

Well, Seraphim asked for bands that made good music!

For me: "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" by The Smiths and "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane

As a Beatle fan, the best and worst solo projects from each member are: John: Best: "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band"; Worst: "The Wedding Album" Paul: Best: "Band On The Run"; Worst: "Give My Regards To Broadstreet" George: Best "Cloud 9"; Worst: "Electronic Sound" Ringo: Best "Ringo"; Worst: "Ringo The 4th" ============================================ Aside from The Beatles, I really loved Frank Black's first two post-Pixies albums. AND, I have just bought - and am thoroughly enjoying - Graham Coxon (ex-Blur)'s latest solo offering, "Happiness In Magazines". It's great, and quite possibly my contender for 'Album Of The Year'. [He'll be pleased about that, I am sure. ::]

I don't have Siren, Avalon or Boys and Girls and I wouldn't describe my collection as "uniteresting" or "generic". Anyway, cult opinion would dictate that Roxy were better PRE-Siren!

Careful, Scott. Has this been proved yet? Don't get me wrong. I'm not a fan and certainly do not condone what he has been accused of but, if not proven, this could be construed as libelous.

On the basis that Lennon, McCartney and Harrison were already the nucleus of the group that became The Beatles (and they were already writing songs together) before Stuart's and Pete's temporary membership, I would say this comment is a load of jibberish. Or maybe it was intended as a "joke"[?] ::

The thing about Stuart was that he COULDN'T play bass. Realising his own shortcomings (and being in love with a German girl called Astrid) was why he didn't pursue a career in music and stayed in Germany when The Beatles returned to Liverpool. Pete Best was not on any commercially available Beatles' records during the group's lifetime after they got their record deal. The inclusion of "Love Me Do" (with Best on drums) on the Anthology 1 album shows his timing to be abyssmal and others were vindicated in getting rid of him in favour of the one and only "Billy Shears". George Martin contributed loads to The Beatles' overall sound - as musician as well as producer - and, if any one person deserves the title of "the 5th Beatle", it is he.

You are SO right! I remembered about Jack playing with Ringo and I just checked out the booklet with the 25th anniversary copy of "Band On The Run" and it says ...what you said. And, sure, everyone knows that Clapton played with George and John. So...GREAT piece of trivia.

Can you be more specific - e.g. which members of Cream have played on Paul's albums? And which solo-Beatles'albums have Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker played on? I've got them all, I just can't be bothered to go through them to check it out!

The thing with Blur's drummer is true. I didn't look at his knob though (and I'm sure he didn't look at mine), but he did sit next to me afterwards (actually slightly away from Damon and Alex) and we chatted about what Blur were doing in Madrid and about the football match (which England were losing...and then lost [...tee hee! ...as I am part Italian, so I support gli azzurri]) Now, about your idea of a post about stars genitals, well I have another link to football and urinals! Many years ago, I went to see Tottenham Hotspurs training at Cheshunt in Hertfordhire (England!) and after their match, I needed to go to the loo. The toilet that would normally have been opened for the spectators was closed, so I asked the groundsman if he would open it and he said just to go into the Players' changing room and use the one in there. Well, there was one little urinal which was side-on to where all the Spurs' players were showering in an open, communal shower. So I stood and gawped at about 22 sets of famous genitals. :: Do I win a prize?

Hmmm... I was just listening to "The Ballad Of John And Yoko" and its B-side "Old Brown Shoe". The bass is incredible yet again. In fact, McCartney was absolutely peerless as a bassist. So, anything by The Beatles, with Paul playing bass, just check it out. In the same way that other drummers rate Ringo as a great drummer, so McCartney is sited by other bassists as innovative. I believe he was the first bassist to use his instrument as lead guitar.

Paul, CUTE??? What, even now??? As regards being the "better writer", Paul is/was always technically a better writer than John, but John's stuff was generally more "groundbreaking"/more "edgy" [Tomorrow Never Knows, Strawberry Fields, Walrus, Revolution No. 9...etc...etc...etc...] However, in drumming up support for Paul, Beatle fans should remember that, without him, there probably wouldn't have been any Beatles albums after Sgt. Pepper. [i know, I voted for George!]

THREE, if you count Paul (re. the "Paul Is Dead" nonsense...)

I voted for George. It's difficult now, because of the passing of time and because of the passing away of John and George but when they were an active 4-piece, I always loved George's stuff and always thought he was under-rated as a musician and composer. I love them all, of course. Incidentally, Stuart wasn't kicked out of the band. He decided to stay in Germany with his girlfriend.