The Fifth Beatle - George Martin

By James Magary

Many Beatles fans have long debated as to who deserves the title of "fifth Beatle". The Beatles had many people around them during their storied career, so there has always been a natural curiosity as to who was closest to the group, and what impact they had on their work.

For many people, studying the history of the Fab Four is just as interesting and fun as their music itself, so the argument about which person outside the group had the most influence on them is a recurring theme among Beatlemaniacs, journalists, biographers, and fans. I will make the argument that there is only one correct answer to this question... the fifth Beatle is, without a doubt, Sir George Martin.

Generally there are a few candidates widely discussed as being the fifth Beatle. Here they are with their basic qualifications, and main strike against:

• Stuart Sutcliffe: John Lennon's art school friend and short-term member of the Beatles. Strike against: He was released from the group because he didn't play the bass properly, and Paul McCartney did not want him in the group.
• Pete Best: The original drummer for the group, who was replaced by Ringo Starr prior to the group's fame. Strike against: He was kicked out of the band!
• Yoko Ono: John Lennon's wife, who influenced John a great deal, spent time in the recording studio while the Beatles made some of their late-career albums, appeared on two Beatles recordings ("The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" and "Revolution 9"), and whose name appeared in the title of the hit "The Ballad of John and Yoko". Strike against: She was only invited to the sessions because John wanted her to be, and the other Beatles did not want her in the studio, let alone in the band.
• Brian Epstein: The Beatles early manager, who plucked them from obscurity and managed them to their first record contract and worldwide success. Strike against: Not a musician at all, and did not participate in any recording sessions.
• Mal Evans: The Beatles road manager and longtime friend and assistant. He can be heard striking an anvil on the Abbey Road song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". Evans may have inadvertently inspired the concept for "Sgt Pepper" when he asked Paul McCartney to explain to him what the "S and P" letters were on their meal tray while on an airline flight (the letters stood for salt and pepper, which got Paul thinking about a name for the fictional group). Strike against: More of an employee than a Beatles collaborator.

This brings us to George Martin, who is the natural choice as the fifth Beatle. Martin was the producer of every single Beatles record from their first professional recording session through to Abbey Road. While the Beatles occasionally had a guest musician or two playing on some of their records, Martin was the only person who was intimately involved in every single track.

Applying his training in the field of classical music, Martin brought an educated sophistication to the Beatles music that they might not have had without him. He had never produced a rock and roll group until he met the Beatles, and they had never produced anything, but the unlikely combination ended up producing wonders of creative artistry that have yet to be surpassed.

Martin did not do any drugs, and insisted on a tight recording schedule and a professional atmosphere in the studio. He also wrote the score for many orchestral tracks that became integral parts of Beatle recordings, such as the string quartet backing on "Eleanor Rigby" or the elaborate symphonic crescendo in "A Day in the Life". His professionalism, creative input, and classical experience was a huge factor in the Beatles overall sound and influence. He helped them transcend the limits of being a rock and roll band, and made them into something else entirely.

Since most fans appreciate the Beatles music above all else, it seems strange to award the fifth Beatle title to anyone other than George Martin, whose influence to their musical legacy is heard on every note of every record. It is a testament to his importance that the Beatles never wanted to work with any other producer, which is rare for many bands, so his talents brought a consistency to their records which adds weight to their overall body of work.

Martin's work and legacy can be newly appreciated on the latest remastered releases of the Beatles albums, including the new Beatles USB Apple, which is a USB drive containing 24 bit (better than CD quality) versions of all of their classic albums.

To read more about the remastered recordings and the Beatles USB Apple click here: http://www.squidoo.com/buy-beatles-usb.

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The Beatles and Their Lasting Influence

By James Magary

The Beatles broke up in 1969, but they have managed to retain their title as the most significant band ever to make a record. They are widely considered the best band in history, and their impact on recorded music, popular culture, and society in general is beyond calculation. Most interestingly, the Beatles continue to win new fans every day, and their music continues to appeal to people of all generations.

When the Beatles first "invaded" America in 1964, they represented one element of a generational divide. Rock and roll was still a relatively new form of music, and while the kids loved it, many parents could not understand the fascination with the four shaggy lads from Liverpool. However, as their careers grew beyond the image of their famous moptops, and as their music evolved beyond boy/girl love songs, people of all generations came to love them.

Even when they were teen idols, many older folks still responded to their music in a visceral way, because most of their songs were intensely melodic and sophisticated compositions, and their records often included classical elements, mixed in with rock and roll elements. In this way, the Beatles served as the bridge between the first half of the 20th century, which included the dawn of recorded music, and the 2nd half, which saw the advent of rock and roll and the global significance of a style of music that spoke to generations of people around the world.

Most fans agree the Beatles had a certain natural talent, which helped make them successful. However an accurate historical view should also take into account the accident of timing that brought the Beatles to the world in the 1960's, a decade that was ready-made for the type of revolution the Beatles created. The 1960's was a decade of many technological advancements, which included massive advancements in the quality and functionality of studio recording equipment, guitar amplifiers, and other items related to musical production.

The 1960's also saw an expansion of mass media, and the globalization of media, which gave the Beatles the opportunity to be the first truly global band. Finally, the 1960's was a time of massive social upheaval and cultural revolution, as the baby-boom generation came of age and sought to make its own identify. The Beatles took advantage of these three main elements and used it all in their music, which was technologically advanced, socially relevant, and designed for worldwide appeal.

This year the Beatles finally put out their catalog of classic albums on remastered CDs, including a complete box set in Stereo and Mono. They are also set to release, in December, a long-awaited set of their music in high-quality 24 bit FLAC formatted sound, which is an audiophile quality that surpasses that of CDs, which are still limited to 16 bit audio quality.

This collection is being distributed in a limited-release package called the Beatles USB Apple, which means that there are no discs... the set is actually on a USB device that plugs right into your computer. This USB device, as well as the box sets, give fans the opportunity to increase their appreciation for the greatest band in the world and the greatest collection of songs ever recorded. It is only fitting that another technological advance is being applied to the Beatles music, further enabling millions of people to experience their music and lasting influence.

To learn more, or to see a review of the Beatles USB Apple click here: http://www.squidoo.com/buy-beatles-usb

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