A great man once said, The Beatles ‘are more popular than Jesus’. Well, I don’t know about that, but their influence on us has been so huge that even after 44 years of them recording their last album, their presence can still be felt around us. Be it a mention in some song by some band or a poster hanging around in some café or one of their 213 songs being played in any of the pubs or lounges that you are chilling at. So 26th September, 2013 being the 44th anniversary of the Abbey Road album, I wanted to find out how much is the Indian music scene influenced by this phenomenon called The Beatles.
The phrase ‘what goes around comes around’ makes perfect sense with India and The Beatles. They came to India, learnt about the culture, our music, made a few songs and left, and all the songs that they wrote either in India or anywhere else has had such a lasting influence on our Indian music scene that it’s hard to neglect it. Be it frequent tribute concerts or bands naming their songs ‘Lucy’ (Zero has a song called Lucy. Listen to it here), The Beatles influence never seems to fade away. Tough on Tobacco actually has a song called Forest of Doom where they explain a magic mushroom trip by using these words (listen to it here):
‘Cellophane something and marshmallows too
A gathering of insects in the sky with Lucy, do you remember me?
Lucy, sweet strange lady friend me ‘
Warren ‘Blackstratblues’ Mendonsa posted on Facebook, ‘When I was a kid, I think I felt more sadness at the fact that The Beatles were no longer a band than at the fact that Santa was a myth’.
I asked a few Indian Musicians of how they felt about The Beatles and the age old question, ‘Who’s your favourite Beatle?’ This is what I got:
Micheal Dias (Vocals / Guitarist, Mad Orange Fireworks) – I think the most amazing thing about The Beatles is the melody and harmony in their songs. It’s absolutely brilliant how all of them are such amazing singers and songwriters. There is so much that any musician can learn by just figuring out Beatles songs.
I’m not too sure who my favourite Beatle is as I love John’s singing the best among the four but I love George’s songs more than anyone else.
Kaushik Kumar (Bassist, MOF) – I like the way all their songs, and most of their albums always have that quintessential ‘Beatles’ sound – their signature sound, but still manage to sound so different from each other. At no point in my Beatles listening was I ever bored, or nothing ever sounded overdone or similar to me. That, to me, is pretty damn amazing.
Favourite Beatle- I’d have to say Ringo. Paul’s basslines are crazy beautiful, but Ringo was the one who kept the groove.
From Lagori, the band that recently pulled off a ‘Let It Be’ on the Bangalore crowd, the lead guitarist, Geeth Vaz, had to say this:
I’ve been listening to Beatles a lot! I think no other band has been able to deliver catchy music, album after album like them other than Queen of course.
Favourite Beatle: George Harrison.
Sriram T.T (Guitarist, Skrat) – The Beatles were not just a popular band they started a way of life. I can listen to their songs every day. Hooks after hooks coming at you with every song. I don’t usually fan a band unless I like them, I don’t usually get influenced by existing fans trying to make me fan a band. Didn’t work with the doors, and most definitely didn’t work with Pink Floyd. The Beatles though it did.
Favourite Beatle – George. While most Beatles fans fight between John and Paul, and Ringo is usually the guy nowadays is cool to like. Without Harrison, The Beatles would have been just a bunch of decent song writing from John and a charismatic marketing man from Paul. George was the cake. John was the icing, and Paul was the cherry.
Here’s MOF giving a tribute to The Beatles:
