Sonic Youth Gossip - Beatles reissues: is there a point, or...?

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- - Beatles reissues: is there a point, or...? (http://www.sonicyouth.com/gossip/showthread.php?t=34370)

I don't like the chipmunk vocals on "Atlas"

Beetles in my carpet
under my feet
they come out when they eat
Beetles in my carpet
under my feet
they come out when they eat
Beetles in my carpet
under my feet
they come out when they eat

Quote:

Originally Posted by demonrail666

Something I find quite interesting about the Beatles' shadow of influence is that you can get three bands: Sonic Youth, Radiohead and Oasis. All of them have been influenced by The Beatles in a very direct way and yet they're all very different from one another, clearly picking up on very different aspects within the same band.

I think there is a far bit of projection in this statement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbradley

I think there is a far bit of projection in this statement.

No I think he's totally right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by demonrail666

I think Tallis is a perfectly relevant example. It's just coincidental that I heard about him through my interest in The Beatles and, more specifically, Macca. He was the one who talked about how he got into Tallis through Vaughan Williams, and so on. It's clear that the Beatles influenced Sonic Youth but that there were certain aspects of them that understandably had no impact at all. So even given The Beatles significance within popular music, Tallis is an example of how they've never been influencial in their entirety. The Tallis thing is far more likely to be of relevance to fans other band's influenced by other aspects of The Beatles - say Radiohead.

Something I find quite interesting about the Beatles' shadow of influence is that you can get three bands: Sonic Youth, Radiohead and Oasis. All of them have been influenced by The Beatles in a very direct way and yet they're all very different from one another, clearly picking up on very different aspects within the same band. Compare that with bands that've been influenced by The Stones or Led Zeppelin who tend to all sound rather alike in that they generally all pick up on the same things. That doesn't happen anywhere near as much with The Beatles.

Not a major point, just saying.

Actually, this is a major point. & fuck anyone who doesn't get it.

Just saying.

Revolution number NEIN.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torn Curtain

No I think he's totally right.

I never heard either Sonic Youth or Radiohead cite the Beatles as a major influence.

I have never heard any good band cite the Beatles as a major influence.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbradley

I never heard either Sonic Youth or Radiohead cite the Beatles as a major influence.

In one book about SY I read (I don't remember the title, but it was made in the EJST&NS period) SY members made references to the Beatles a lot.

As for Radiohead Thom Yorke said in multiple interviews that he listened to the Beatles records a lot, and Ed' O Brien is also a big Beatles fan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

I have never heard any good band cite the Beatles as a major influence.

You are kidding right ?

Well I know you're not but whatever :D

I can't hear much of The Beatles in SY either. That's not to say they are not an influence of some sort on them, though.

I guess The Velvet Underground are influenced by the Beatles, too?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torn Curtain

I think we should make the distinction between a conscious influence on songwriting and just listening to a record on their off time and absorbing it through osmosis.

Then again, maybe the Beatles are responsible for both bands' less interesting output?

Hahah. I think you're onto something there, pbradley!

"Yeah, sorry about that record. We were listening to lots of Beatles at the time of recording -- what were we thinking? I mean, Rocky Raccoon -- jesus. We should've known better!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbradley

I guess The Velvet Underground are influenced by the Beatles, too?

I have a practice recording of Lou reed at the factory playing the riff of ''daytripper'' for about 10 seconds. It surprises me since I always assumed the beatles were hated by vu.

I think it's fair to say that both Sonic Youth and Radiohead are less influenced by the Beatles in terms of musical reference points than say Oasis (who ultimately descended into being little more than a tribute band). I think what they did pick up on far more than Oasis though was The Beatles' sense of picking up on ideas that might not immediately seem obvious for a Rock band to pick up on and being able to frame those ideas within a Rock context. Whatever anyone might think of The Beatles' output, I don't see how any open-minded band could fail to be at least inspired by what The Beatles managed to achieve, especially at a time when this was considered far from the norm.

So the Beatles are the origin of open-minded songwriting in popular music?

Fucking Christ.

I don't remember ever saying that, and I'd be stupid if I did say it.

Then why is it The Beatles' sense of picking up ideas and not just a trait of conscious songwriting? Why are Sonic Youth and Radiohead picking up from them and not for themselves?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'conscious songwriting'.