As a writer and an artist, I take much of what I see and process it into my own understanding and perspective. A huge factor in my inspiration field comes from music, I couldn't live without it. So to anyone out there who knows me on a more personal level, you probably have heard me talk about The Beatles at least once, and even if I don't talk about them, there are still hints that I love them (posters, listening to them via laptop, phone, or car CD, singing in the shower, etc.). But I don't know if people quite understand why I love the Fab Four so much; it comes down to more than what the surface can show.
The Beatles are undoubtedly the greatest band ever, but it wasn't until I've grown up that I realized why that is. As a kid, I remember taking long road trips to visit family, and in the car my mom would play the more recognizable Beatles songs from their greatest hits album. Over the years, I've become more curious about a wider range of their songs, and whenever I have a question regarding them, my classic-rock-loving mother is there to be my guide. I will say, if it weren't for her, I'd be finding a lot of the music I love much later, or possibly not at all.
But on a more personal level, I find the reason The Beatles were so successful is within their innovation. In the 60's, they were pioneers for new sounds and new ways to explore music in the recording studio, and they were responsible for starting many things that are still used today. Think of the deep experimentation of infusing Eastern music into Western pop and rock. George Harrison was key to the band's involvement with Indian sounds (think "Norwegian Wood" and even more so in "Within You Without You"). Ringo Starr utilized drum hooks and beats that weren't loud or flashy, but instead memorable and everlasting (my personal favorite, his drum solo in "The End"). Orchestras and choruses were brought into songs like "A Day in the Life" or "Hey Jude," and other aspects of sound were brought into the studio, from animal noises (The White Album) to playing with tape loops and using unconventional instruments (Revolver).
But perhaps what I find most significant to the overall artistry of the band is the Lennon-McCartney songwriting team. Their lyrics were and still are incredibly meaningful, especially for men under thirty, and they captured themes that are much deeper and contemplative than what many songs have. In other words, they didn't just write about the go-to theme of love and relationships, and even when they did, they did it with a sense of surreal beauty. I think I am so fond of their music because they have the perfect incorporation of sound and meaning, something that I look for in good music. I often listen to them when I'm creating something.
I would have to say that my favorite album by The Beatles, even though it's hard to choose, would be Abbey Road. A lot of songs in the sequence bleed into the next one in this album, and I notice that is something many classic rock albums include; I think it's fantastic, it makes the songs seems like one long composition, creating a sense of connectedness. I wish albums of today would do that.
I could ramble about The Beatles all day, and I'd probably end up talking about how magical it was for them to even be together, despite them being a band for only a decade. There is so much music out there that I find inspiring, there are a lot of creative minds out there, but what I think is most special about the musicianship of The Beatles is their ability to convey timeless messages in such an artistic, inventive way that really makes listeners think, and that's what I want to create in my work.