Blog # 3

The Beatles were at their influential peak the moment after Beatle mania hit. Everything that they touched or would touch was now gold. People wanted to know their entire life story and who knew them and how they got there. When we went on the London Beatles walk, this was now apparent to me. Their Apple clothing store, their style, where they performed, where they recorded, and the artwork of London now had a Beatle flavor.
During the walk, we learned about the Apple Boutique. This was a clothing store that Paul McCartney opened that was named after Apple Records. This Boutique was centered on beautiful style that Dutch designers were assigned to design. The problem is that people wanted to be everything that The Beatles were so badly; there was theft left and right. Again, everything that The Beatles did after a certain point was gold. The fact that they opened up a clothing store was an opportunity to greater immerse yourself in The Beatles. How cool would it be to say that you got this jacket from a clothing store that The Beatles fully approved because it was their store. In fact, people were so desperate to have this and stole so much, Paul gave up and decided to close the boutique. He went out with a bang by just opening up the store and giving it all away. I can only imagine the feeding frenzy that that must have been.
Speaking of The Beatle style, as I would walk around London, I could still see how their hairstyle, their cool leather jackets, and their funny personalities were still influential. They created that bowl haircut, and I recall our tour guide saying that a girl tried to get him to style it the way that The Beatles had it. The Beatles has a completely unique style that everyone loved. John’s “granny glasses” soon became all the rage. You can still see people today that would dress like a Beatle and they would be extremely trendy. The Beatles were individuals and created their own look. This was something that was not heard of in the 60’s, when the style was to look all the same.
The Beatles, as I soon came to realize, ruled the town. They were above it all. This was displayed perfectly when they played on the rooftop of Apple studios. Literally, they were above everyone and were playing their music for everyone for miles to hear. Even when the police came, it took a while to shut it down because they were The Beatles after all. They were so influential and so iconic that they were not worried about getting arrested, even though they didn’t because who wants to arrest a Beatle? Really, The Beatles were very powerful and could bend a lot of the rules simply because of the music they made.

Another great example of how influential The Beatles were is the amount if signatures that were on the Abbey Road Studio wall. People from all over the world, including myself, wrote a favorite lyric or the initials of themselves and a lover on the wall. There are hundreds of these writings, and thousands have been written because they paint it over which just allows more room for more signatures. As I looked though these signatures, I almost never saw a repeat of a love lyric. The Beatles had so many amazing songs that affected people in different ways because it seems that they are so personal with their music. I think that it is pretty incredible and it must be such a great feeling that people will come from all over the world to see where they made this music and give a little reminder of what it meant to them. Still today, their music is affecting people and is part of their lives. I saw this on the Abbey Road wall.

Abbey Road studios would not be Abbey Road Studios if The Beatles did not sign with them. From now on, any artist that records at a studio that The Beatles recorded at is very prestigious. The Beatles changed a lot of people’s lives because they were associated with them. For example, we were showed a club where John and Yoko met. This club has now become famous and known as a club where they met because of The Beatles. The Beatles made locations famous because of their presence. Trident Studios is another example of this. Even thought The Beatles were not the only well known group to record there, they recorded some of heir best songs there, like “Hey Jude”. There is a list of all of the great songs that were recorded there on the window.

Lastly, on our Beatles tour throughout London, we saw the Soho Mural. As you look closer and closer at this mural, you start to notice that it looks a lot like the Sergeant Peppers album cover. Even though this mural really has nothing to do with The Beatles directly, they still seem to leak in somehow. They are so influential and resonated with London well after they were over. Today, there are so many artists that have covered a Beatle song or have tried a signature look.

While spending my time in England and in the two cities where The Beatles were most present, Liverpool and London, I came to realize how great they were. People really looked up to them as icons and listened to their music as therapy. Even though I knew about them before I came here, coming here made me see them in a different light. I saw the places that they made famous and where they grew up. I feel as if I know them in a more personal way than I did before.

Blog reaction

I am not sure why, but I can not seem to post comments on the blogs. So I hope it is okay that i am posting my reactions on a new post. Here they are for Hannah Kutcher and Christine Jagger:

Hannah,
This was a fun blog to read because you really wrote from your perspective on your experience in Liverpool. It is nice to hear someone else’s description of their experiences of this trip. Even though, to my understanding, you didn’t know too much about the Beatles before this trip, it was still pretty cool to go to the places that they once were and I saw that in your blog. However, how do you think that the places you saw influenced The Beatles, such as the Cavern and Liverpool itself? I liked the point that the Liverpool that The Beatles knew was probably very different than the Beatles obsessed Liverpool we know now. Insightful.
-Cheshire


Christine,

I loved how you talked about your experience from start to finish. Trust me, I was in the same boat thinking that everyone knew more than I did about The Beatles! Even though my Dad would play their songs during dinner all the time, so I kind of grew up with them as well. Most people forget that they lived in Liverpool during war time, and how that could have affected them. It was hard coming up with a question for your blog because you addressed a lot of things, nice job! But, all member of The Beatles started very young. Since you have kids of your own, how do you think this affected the formation of the group and what The Bealtes came to be?

-Cheshire

Last few days...

Hello All!

I just have today and tomorrow left in London. It is bittersweet...this was one of the funnest experiences of my entire life and I am so happy I got the chance to do this. However; I am ready to go back to America. Not because I am homesick, or I am sick of London, but all I really want to do is unpack and get back into my routine again. If I had the chance to go to Greece or another place in Europe after this, I would most definitely just because I really like traveling. This trip has inspired me to want to travel all over the place! My next two stops that I want to make are Greece and South Africa. No particular reason other than I know Greece is really pretty and not many people can say they have been to South Africa. However, realizing how expensive it is to travel (thanks mom and dad), who knows when or if I will be able to go to Europe or a different country before I am retired. I have also realized that traveling with friends is the way to go. Even though I did not know anyone before going on this trip, I have made some really good friends and that is what made the trip such a great experience. I feel like I have been here so long, I kind of live here. I am used to hearing a British accent and an American accent stands out. I think that is going to be the first thing I notice when I come back is people not asking me where I am from because I have an American accent. I can't decide if I am ready for the Cincinnati heat yet, although I am ready to get some color to me.

Today my only plan is to get into downtown London and get all the souvenirs for my peeps. I really hope that I will be able to pack up all my stuff without throwing anything away...I was able to do it when I went from Harlaxton to London, but I had a vacuum for my space bag thingy's. They suck all of the air out of your clothes so it is basically vacuum sealed. It shrinks everything. If I can not find a vacuum at my hostel I will seriously go on a hunt throughout all of London to find one. I. need. a. vacuum. Speaking of the Hostel, let me break it down for you. I am in a ten person room with 5 bunk beds lined up against the wall. This room is about the size of my room in Pennsylvania. So, you all can imagine. There is a tiny itsy bitsy walk way in between the beds and that is it. No room really for luggage. We are all at our wits end to say the least. Not to mention that the hot water was out the first two days we were here. I have never taken such a cold shower. Only the important parts got washed that day. London isn't the cleanest place either, like my snot is grey from all the dirt. Haha lovely :) I also start dance when I get back! So woohoo for getting back into shape again. I am taking modern dance I think three times a week.

Yesterday we all went to the Natural History Museum. It was way cool. I saw a sequoia that was like thousands of years old and lots of dino fossils. I can't really wrap my mind around the fact that they are actually dino fossils...it is weird that something like that once walked the earth. I will post pictures on facebook soon.

So, that is about it! It has been real everyone. Wish me luck on my flight back. The shuttle leaves at 4:40 in the morning. yes FOUR FORTY in the AM. So, I don't think I am sleeping that night. Hears to my best friends let lag! I also start my new the job the day after I get back. This is a research job that I applied for that had a 10% acceptance rate, so they are expecting me to be smart. Great. But all is well no worries :)

Chesh

Going to Liverpool is probably the best way to really understand what The Beatles were all about because of all the history there. Liverpool is where The Beatles started, met each other, wrote music, etc. I feel like I got to know them in a different way because suddenly they weren’t fictional figures that I saw in pictures or imagined the scenes in their songs. I saw where they grew up and what their neighborhood was like. For some reason I was imagining a mild swarm of people to be around all of their houses and the Cavern constantly. But, there weren’t because it is just a normal place with normal houses and normal bars. The only thing that is far from normal was the fact that this seemingly normal place hosted the development of one of the most famous bands the world has ever seen.

There are many factors that contributed to The Beatles and their fame. I believe that there are some prominent and reoccurring themes that I have noticed throughout my education of The Beatles. These factors being family, their music talents, their age, Liverpool, and the bands that they were influenced by.

It is well known that Paul and John’s mothers both had died when they were relatively young. This was a huge bonding subject for John and Paul. John’s mother’s death was a bit more traumatic I would say because John never really had his mother in the first place like Paul did, and Julia dies of a sudden car accident that could have been prevented. Paul had his mother in his life and she died of cancer, which was a slower process and Paul had time and a relationship with his mother. Nevertheless, Paul and John really hit is off. They were able to be emotionally vulnerable with one another, which made for good music and songs.

Something that not just Paul and John had in common, but all The Beatles, was their love of music. It seemed that most of them weren’t really talented in anything else or were passionate in anything else. They had nothing else to do with their time or life that they were interested in. To become a famous musician, you have to give yourself to writing music and any other aspirations need to be pushed aside. It seems obvious that this is what needed to happen, but most of the Beatles didn’t have much of another choice. Ringo was sick and missed school, John did terribly in school. Paul and George actually did very well in school, but they were in music school; similar to a performing arts school. Again, more music! They all had a passion for music, and for different reasons. I think John’s love of music was an escape and was more valuable to him than the other Beatles.


The very start of The Beatles was with the Quarry Men. John was the first Beatle that was in the Quarry men and he was 16 at the time. From then, Paul and George joined along with Pete Best at a later date. All of these boys were relatively young at this point in time. They certainly were not done growing up, even when Ringo joined the band they were still not fully grown up. I think that this band was a family that all of The Beatles grew up in and with. They experienced fame and fortune together and that made them close. They all grew to discover who they were, as every adolescent does, together. They were the only men in the entire world who understood what being a Beatle was like. Growing up with your band mates and making music together heavily influenced the development of The Beatles. It is very important to be comfortable in order to write a raw and exposing song. I think that the fact that these guys were so close because they started so young was crucial. They needed support and stability in a chaotic world of Beatlemania. Throughout their lives, one thing stayed steady and that was the four members were always there, and they knew who those people were. They could trust one another because they had all risen to fame together.

Liverpool was another thing that The Beatles had in common. From what I have read and learned, Liverpool was a great environment to develop a band and try your hand at it. It wasn’t too big of a town where no one cared, but it wasn’t too small that no one noticed you. There were bars and pubs that would allow these boys to play there were schoolgirls and friends that would show up to support them. When I was in Liverpool at least, and I am assuming that the atmosphere was similar to that of the 1960’s, it was so much fun! Everyone was supportive and happy and just wanted to have a good time. That could just be the England way of life, but it was very nurturing to an aspiring band of schoolboys. Some of their songs were also based in Liverpool, like Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields. It is clear that Liverpool as a town played a huge role in what The Beatles were about. It was their home and their comfort that they all had in common. Although, it is when The Beatles went to Hamburg that they learned how to become performers because of the slight rejection and the push to keep peoples attention. Liverpool possibly could have given them the confidence and comfort that was needed to go to Hamburg.

My last two points have to do with the music scene during the early 60’s. Elvis opened the way for rock and roll. He was the first ladies man and the first guy to really give a show on the stage. The Beatles were known for giving a show on the stage, thanks to Hamburg. Elvis was an inspiration to almost every aspiring band. He was different and everyone loved it. Because of Elvis’s story, I think that it gave people the idea that anyone could try their hand at music and be unique. Elvis was John’s, Paul’s, George’s and Ringo’s icon just like the Beatles became other bands’ icons.

( Elvis's Shoes)
Going along with inspirational music, skiffle bands were very important to the formation of The Beatles. These bands made it seem easy, cheap, and accessible to form a band of your own and have it sound descent. They used makeshift instruments that anyone could make; they did not use expensive guitars that you had to take lessons for. These skiffle bands were the start of rock and roll. Even though the Quarry Men started out as a skiffle band, it transformed into a rock and roll band. Without skiffle, we might not know the rock and roll that we know today.

These are just a few things that inspired The Beatles. Of course, many things shaped them and changed them after Liverpool. But this was where it all started. It was very cool to see this place, and probably a once in a lifetime chance. I saw where one of the greatest bands rose to their amazing fame and where they produced some of the best songs on the Earth in my opinion.

Updating!

Hello all!

I haven't posted in a while, but since then I have gone to the Lake District and Cambridge and have done my fair share of shopping in Grantham. I have had multiple classes and have gotten well into them. I like both of them! To remind you all, I am taking The Beatles and Darwin. It was really cool to see Darwin's room in Cambridge and to hear about how their teaching style is different. Apparently, you have your normal lectures and things, and then you have a one on one study session with your assigned professor. The person that was giving us a tour, who was also a professor, said that this made it very hard to hide academically. It sounded fun! But you would turn into a geek if you went there. You would be very educated though and you would know your stuff. Worth it? I think so. The Lake District is literally the most beautiful place on the earth. It was so rural! There were huge mountains, and sheep everywhere. It was fun to row on the lake and hike a little. The houses were so quante too! I put pictures up on facebook, so everyone can see. On the way there in a busy train station in Manchester, Anna got her wallet pick pocketed. It was freaky! Her license, credit and debit card were in there. Along with her social security card. So, that was a fiasco to deal with! Luckily she has gotten some money, and the thief did not spend any of her money on her credit card. What else have I been doing...shopping! They trick you here because things are cheap, but the American dollar conversion rate is about 1.8 So you are spending almost twice as much as you think you are. But whatever. The food here is pretty bad, sad to say. I have definitely gained at least a few pounds! I am starting to miss Ohio's warm weather though. Seriously the weather changes every half hour here from rainy and crappy to warm and sunny. This weekend is a three day weekend and me and my friends are still trying to figure out what to do with our spare time. At the moment, we do not have any spare plans....but no worries! Things are always fun around here :) We are still getting used to this huge mansion that we live in. There are still rooms that I still have yet to see! This trip is going really really fast. I am already about half way through. Still yet to do in the trip is go to Liverpool to see some Beatles stuff and back to London. Dad and Steva, what souvenirs would you guys like me to bring back for you guys? I have already gotten a few, but any requests? I have made some really good friends so far and am having the time of my life. This is so much fun, and I am really lucky to have this experience. Until next time!

-Chesh

The Beatles Fan video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WTay0IQW20&feature=related

Blog Assignment 1: British Musical Experience

The British Musical Experience was just amazing! Still, I cannot believe the things that I am seeing. What I really loved was the actual lyrics that the artists wrote for some of their most famous songs, such as Yellow by Coldplay. That is my sister’s and my favorite song, so seeing the actual hand written draft of the lyrics was fabulous. Unbelievable, really. All of the outfits that people like Amy Whinehouse, (whom I have come to conclude is way more famous in the UK than in America) and Adele were in glass cases, which was pretty cool. Something that I have noticed is that most of the guys, especially rock stars, are so small! At least judging by their costumes…maybe they were just pulled back on the manikin. Anyways it was so much fun. Mathea and I made an album, and I learned some guitar! We also did a disco and some other dance that I didn’t recognize or remember. It was recorded and we could look it up online, if I didn’t leave my ticket in the gift shop…darn. Oh well! I got gifts for people J I wish that I could have taken pictures, but we were not allowed to. I would have taken pictures of the crazy guitars and the amazing outfits. Especially Boy George’s because they were some of the best. I think my favorite room was the 1962-1966 room. It was pretty psychedelic. There were the classic groovy flowers all over the place and it seemed like that era was a good time. This was also the era of the Beatles! Man, were they famous…there was a mural of all of the screaming girls on the walls for them. It was crazy. I hope that America develops something like this because it was worth it.

So, the trend that I followed throughout the musical years was the role of women and how they impacted and influenced music. Also, what personas did they tend to take on throughout the years? Starting from 1945-1962, there were not many women that were musically famous, at least not from talent. Marilyn Monroe was really the only hugely popular woman that I could find and she wasn’t even in any displays. Marilyn was talented, but for her looks and incredible sex appeal. It is clear that women were not very credible for anything more. This is the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s where women weren’t even allowed to be educated beyond house chores. Elvis started coming up in this era, introducing more sex to the picture.

The next era is from 1962 to 1966. Interestingly, there were some musical stars that were women and were displayed in the glass cases such as Dusty Springfield, Lulu, Sandy Shaw, Lilla Black, and Twiggy. Aside form Twiggy, I noticed that these women’s’ outfits were nothing special or outlandish. It was not expected of women to be outlandish or be creative. I was not able to listen to their music, nor have I heard of these women, but I suspect that it was nothing special with no real message or about anything too important. Women weren’t allowed to think really. It is an interesting contrast to the musical revolution that was also going on around this time with men. The Bealtes, The Who, and The Rolling Stones have come into the picture. This is a triple whammy with male rock stars. New music styles were being introduced that were risky and brand new. Men ruled the industry it seemed, and a woman couldn’t compete because she wasn’t allowed to top something like the revolutionary Beatles. The Beatles really changed music in general for women and men. From what I have noticed, besides Elvis and Frank Sinatra, The Beatles drove young girls absolutely nuts. They made it okay to fall in love with a superstar and scream at the top of your lungs instead of tap your foot politely. Elvis started the screaming girls, but the Beatles opened the door of people being injured at concerts because there were so many people. Also, assassinations of superstars came into the picture.

1966 to 1970 is when the chill music came into play when Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd introduced just rocking out on your guitar for ten-minute songs. Cream and the Rolling Stones were still big, but it was a male ruled era, once again. The only females that I saw, and none of them I recognized, were Raquel Welch, who was a model and Abba. Abba does sound familiar, but there was nothing as significant as The Rolling Stones.

1970-1976 had literally no women in it that I found. Not in the glass cases or the screen with the information about important people for every year. How sad. The important men were some rockers like T-rex (he has cool clothes), David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Who, Elton John, and Pink Floyd. These are some pretty incredible and impressionable musicians that are still well known today.

1976 to 1985 had the tough girls in it, finally. I think that women were allowed to come out of their shell, but the only way that society would let them so that is if they were rebellious and did not follow the rules at all. All that you could be was a mindless teenybopper who sang about nothing that had a cause, even if you were talented. There was no in between, but two opposites that would work in the music industry. One was teenybopper and one that was a rebel. These rebels that I found were Blondie and Siouxse Sioux. These women clearly stepped out of the boundaries and broke the mold. The Runaways were part of this era as was, although I did not see anything about them. I might have just not looked hard enough.

1985 to1993 had two women that were of importance and they were Kate Bush, who had been around for a while, and Madonna. We all know what Madonna did for the industry, and it was amazing and desperately needed. She let the floodgates down for other women to be talented and show it off the way that they wanted it to.

            1993 to 2009 is the last few decades that The British Musical Experience addressed. Here come the many women stars that we know! In fact, I would not have been surprised if there were more women being displayed than men. Amy Whinehouse, The Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Adele, Kate Bush, Duffy, and Estelle. Keep in mind that this is Britain’s take on superstars, so some of them I did not recognize because they were not introduced to the states. All of these women exploded and were liked by boys and girls. The music industry has opened up to anything, especially with people like Lady Gaga. Anything is possible no matter what your gender is. Of course there are men that are popular, but it is no longer a male dominated industry. I think that cultural and social influence has everything to do with how many women, what they dress like, what they sang about, and how they were portrayed as musicians. As time has gone on, women are more accepted as having brains and having something worthwhile to say with their own independent thoughts.