Archive for April 29th, 2010
Skiffle music can be traced to being a big influence on music in the UK. The Beatles are among those whose backgrounds were filled with blues, jazz, folk and country.
When you listen back to the music of the 60′s The Beatles were not only top shelf when it came to vocals, including back-up vocals, they were also superior instrumentally. Nothing reflected this more than the drum playing of Ringo Starr, the lead and back-up vocals of John Lennon, as well as his rhythm guitar backing up George Harrison. Bass guitar was handled by Paul McCartney.
Their broad music genre backgrounds are quite evident when you listen to their use of acoustic guitars some songs, to make them an mellow and easy to listen to. George Harrison in my opinion was often overlooked back then because he style was not fast or flashy like other guitarists of the time. He is ranked #11 as one of the all time greats. He had a picking style that was more like a plucking technique like Chet Atkins or Carl Perkins, it gave him a country sound.
Paul McCartney’s bass guitar lines and Gorge Harrison’s acoustic and electric guitar playing were innovative and ahead of their time in the 60′s. Nothing is more evident of this that George’s guitar playing on “Till There Was You”, and “All My Loving” written by Paul. It was written as a country western song, when you listen to it the first thing you hear is an outstanding bass line by Paul, next is John’s rhythm guitar played like other pop songs of the day, third thing is George’s lead guitar played in a Nashville style.