Beatles - Where to start?

[ceejaydee]

Despite saying on another thread that I would never give any recording by the Beatles any room at home a little reflection recently has made me think that perhaps I should give them a go.

I get the feeling there are a great many fans of the Fab Four on AOS so I'm asking for a little advice on where to start; what would be a good album to buy first that would encourage me to delve further into their catalogue?

[Rare Bird]

Start at 'Revolver'

[Gordon Steadman]

Start at 'Revolver'

+1

Rubber Soul as a second choice.

[seoirse2002]

+1

Rubber Soul as a second choice.
++1

[Rare Bird]

'Revolver' is a well recorded album too..

[Andrew B]

Skip the lot and get into "Wings: Only the band the Beatles Could have been" (Quote Alan Partridge)

[DSJR]

I started with Rubber Soul as it was their 'latest release' when I bought my copy with hard earned pocket money and vouchers given as presents! I know all the songs all but backwards and love it to bits, more than any other of theirs except Sgt Pepper, which I discovered on its release..

Revolver was a later discovery. For some reason I missed this one (I think I detoured into the Monkees at the time :scratch: but I was only nine at the time)...

[Gordon Steadman]

Skip the lot and get into "Wings: Only the band the Beatles Could have been" (Quote Alan Partridge)

Nope, it went downhill apart from one or two good tunes!!!:eyebrows:

Stick with the Beatles and get a musical hedification, don't listen to that Andrew bloke, what does he know? He's well under 60.

[Gordon Steadman]

I started with Rubber Soul as it was their 'latest release' when I bought my copy with hard earned pocket money and vouchers given as presents! I know all the songs all but backwards and love it to bits, more than any other of theirs except Sgt Pepper, which I discovered on its release..

Revolver was a later discovery. For some reason I missed this one (I think I detoured into the Monkees at the time :scratch: but I was only nine at the time)...

I was given Help by my sister, the first LP I owned. I was fortunate not to have a TV so missed out on suffering the Monkeys although on trawling YouTube, I find I actually quite enjoy some of their stuff. Just plain simple fun pop music, nowt wrong with enjoying that occasionally before going back to my usual hi-brow stuff (except the warbling women eh OldPInkMan??:ner:)

[Roy S]

No.1s :D

[Andrew B]

Nope, it went downhill apart from one or two good tunes!!!:eyebrows:

Stick with the Beatles and get a musical hedification, don't listen to that Andrew bloke, what does he know? He's well under 60.

Sorry, I was being a bit naughty. I'm not a fan of The Beatles, but Wings did even less for me. I am a fan of Alan Partridge though and I just couldn't resist quoting him :)

[Gordon Steadman]

Sorry, I was being a bit naughty. I'm not a fan of The Beatles, but Wings did even less for me. I am a fan of Alan Partridge though and I just couldn't resist quoting him :)

Strange what we all like init. Can't stand Alan Partridge, desperately trying to be funny and succeeding about as well as er........anybody who doesn't have a sense of humour - probably:)

[ceejaydee]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far :lol:

I guess Revolver or Rubber Soul it is then :)

[Tarzan]

Yup, start at "Rubber Soul", this is where the fab four were really starting to learn their craft in the studio:)

[Rare Bird]

Then when you find you can't get enough of the Beatles you can always buy the debut album from the Peruvian band 'We All Together'

[ceejaydee]

Then when you find you can't get enough of the Beatles you can always buy the debut album from the Peruvian band 'We All Together'
:lol:

[The Black Adder]

After Revolver go to The White album first disc only, then to peppers then to Abbey road... The second disc of the white album will then be more palatable. It's quite self indulgent and experimental. Mostly because they were at that point rehearsing and recording in separate studios. The beginning of the end... unfortunately. But it has some great tracks, you just need to cook your noodle a bit beforehand.. :)

I'm a huge beatles fan... I'll be in the corner sharpening my pitch fork to the none believers.. lol :)

[Tarzan]

After Revolver go to The White album first disc only, then to peppers then to Abbey road... The second disc of the white album will then be more palatable. It's quite self indulgent and experimental. Mostly because they were at that point rehearsing and recording in separate studios. The beginning of the end... unfortunately. But it has some great tracks, you just need to cook your noodle a bit beforehand.. :)

I'm a huge beatles fan... I'll be in the corner sharpening my pitch fork to the none believers.. lol :)


Amen brother:)

[johnB]

If you've got 11 hours to spare invest in the DVD set called The Beatles Anthology and immerse yourself

This one on EBay is bidding at a tenner. 321197031251

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag89/Jrb1961/image_zps259fdd80.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/Jrb1961/media/image_zps259fdd80.jpg.html)

[Mr Kipling]

Found this at Amazon just now.

It's a new video from Apple.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=r5nARZKS-AY

[tannoy man]

Red Album

[pjdowns]

Red Album

+1 - I'd always start with the Red and Blue Albums, although as suggested by Roy, No 1s is also worth a listen!

Paul.

[seoirse2002]

+1

[bob4333]

+1 - I'd always start with the Red and Blue Albums, although as suggested by Roy, No 1s is also worth a listen!

Paul.

This is a very good way to work out what appeals to you the most.

The Beatles spanned the years and for those of us that grew up with it, well, we just took it as read. Their music changed as the years went by though and the stuff at the start is VERY different to the stuff at the end (and the stuff in the middle).

If you believe you may have an interest I suggest you'd be doing yourself a disservice to listen to just one or maybe two tracks and write them off.

In a similar vein, don't believe anyone who tells you everything they ever wrote and performed was totally brilliant. Even George Martin said the White Album was never a double.

:uhho:

I think only McCartney tried to justify it.................. (Good bass player though).

[Barry]

After Revolver go to The White album first disc only, then to peppers then to Abbey road... The second disc of the white album will then be more palatable. It's quite self indulgent and experimental. Mostly because they were at that point rehearsing and recording in separate studios. The beginning of the end... unfortunately. But it has some great tracks, you just need to cook your noodle a bit beforehand.. :)

I'm a huge beatles fan... I'll be in the corner sharpening my pitch fork to the none believers.. lol :)

The White Album is appalingly recorded - give it a miss, or at least leave it until you have heard all the earlier LPs and 'Let it Be' first. 'Sgt. Pepper' is a far better album. Agree with the rest of what you say about TWA.

My recomendation would be 'Rubber Soul', 'Revolver', 'Sgt. Pepper', 'With the Beatles', 'Hard Day's Night' and 'Help', in that order.

[Macca]

In a similar vein, don't believe anyone who tells you everything they ever wrote and performed was totally brilliant. Even George Martin said the White Album was never a double.

:).

If you look up 'filler' in the dictionary there is a picture of the White Album.

My memory is hazy but doesn't it have 'Get Back' on it? That's a cracker.

[Audioman]

If you look up 'filler' in the dictionary there is a picture of the White Album.

My memory is hazy but doesn't it have 'Get Back' on it? That's a cracker.

Get Back is on 'Let It Be' - at least the version with the alternative ending Minus Macca's semi spoken bit (' In your high heeled shoes and your low neck sweater get on back Loretta' ) for which you need the single, The Blue Album or Past Masters (vol II). I wouldn't say there is actually anything that can be described as filler on the White Album. Just a mish mash of experimentation and styles though some may want to skip 'Revolution #9'. Also TWA is hardly appallingly recorded though quality is a little variable. First to make use of 8 track recording so there was likely a learning curve in applying new technology.

As far as any newbie is concerned start at Past Masters and then Abbey Rd, Pepper and Revolver. There is no overlap between Past Masters and the album releases.

[Macca]

Get Back is on 'Let It Be' - .

Well there you go. I've not listened to any Beatles albums since the 'eighties.

[Gordon Steadman]

Well there you go. I've not listened to any Beatles albums since the 'eighties.
:eek::scratch:

[Macca]

Growing up in Liverpool you tend to get rather overdosed on them.

[Gordon Steadman]

Growing up in Liverpool you tend to get rather overdosed on them.
I must admit that, much as I love 'em, I don't actually listen that often nowadays. I tend to have a Beatles' fest occasionally.

I suspect that part of the problem is that, whilst they moved pop on at the time, the stars that followed are actually better in a lot of ways. I rate the likes of Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell etc as more complete musicians and never tire of playing their stuff. Nostalgia is fine but its only the best of the Beatles stuff that deserves the accolades, not all of it.

[Macca]

Well when I was younger they were not really 'heavy' enough for my tastes in rock and also not 'authentic' enough for my taste in Blues. I think I might revisit their later work, I'll probably appreciate it a bit more now I'm old and wise ;)

[Gordon Steadman]

old and wise ;)

Ah, now there is a good track - Alan Parson's Project.