Barry CourterYears ago, a new young reporter here asked if he could write reviews of new CDs for us. I told him no and, when he asked why, I said because he had told me that he hated The Beatles and that they were overrated, without talent and not that big a deal.
I was sort of kidding at first, but thinking about it more, I told him that his opinion of them meant he had no proper point of perspective and therefore could not fairly review music.
I get that not everyone likes The Beatles or their music. Musical tastes vary, but to deny their talent or impact is just not open for debate.
As if we needed a reminder, Ron Howard has produced "Eight Days a Week," a 90-minute film focusing on the Beatles' touring years from 1962 to 1966. It premiered in select theaters and on Hulu this past weekend, and most everyone I know watched it at least once. It comes out on DVD and Blu-ray on Nov. 18 with even more extras and a 64-page booklet.
Few things in history have been documented, analyzed, repackaged and retold like Beatles history. I've seen most of it, or at least everything I can get my hands on, so there isn't much new information in the film, but it is still a powerful reminder of just how big Beatlemania was and still is.
During the band's four-day tour of Australia in 1964, an estimated 300,000 people, about half the population of the state of South Australia, lined the streets to greet them in Adelaide. While not mentioned in the film, a newspaper article about the visit detailed how the tour changed the country and those - the Bee Gees, The Easybeats, Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs - who decided to become musicians because of seeing them.
Among the things that continue to make The Beatles relevant for me are the musicians who list them as a primary inspiration. I've done hundreds of interviews over the years, talking to musicians across all genres, and almost always The Beatles are mentioned. Rock and pop, of course, but also country, bluegrass, classical, world, whatever. It doesn't matter.
Age doesn't matter either. Baby boomer artists all mention seeing the group in 1964 on "The Ed Sullivan Show" as the moment they decided to become a musician. People in their teens and 20s point to them also. Often, their parents turned them onto the group, but sometimes it's friends.
Don't believe how far their reach still goes? Open up whatever music streaming service you use, enter The Beatles as your starting point and see how far down the musical rabbit hole the genome takes you.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.