London Tour

Sadly I am back in “the States”, after such an eye opening and life changing experience. Last week before returning home our group took a Beatles tour of London. On this tourwe saw many places important to their adult careers as musicians. It was exciting and sad to see what had been once such important places to these four men we’ve been learning about.

One of the first stops on our London tour was a shop like looking building with wooden carving above the door of MPL. MPL stood for McCartney Productions Limited, and is Paul’s business, and one of the world’s largest privately owned music publishers. I do not believe that specific building is where Paul holds his business anymore, and this place was mostly used as the end of Beatles became closer and after, so although this is a very cool site to see, its better sweet because it rather shows the end of the Beatles and the beginning of the individual careers of the group members.

Another place visited on the tour was this toilet. Seems odd right? Well actually it is quite funny, and significant that we stopped at this specific loo. When this specific restroom became famous, our Beatles were also VERY famous, and well known throughout the world. However, that did not stop a particular nightclub from turning away the ever so popular John Lennon because of his less than proper clothing attire. In retaliation against the club that had rejected him, a popular comedy show BBC showed this toilet that had been transformed into a night club with sign and all “Member’s Only” possible pun intended. Although the Beatles were very famous it seems as though either the bouncer was not a Beatles fan or he truly deserves Employee of the year for so strictly enforcing the clothing requirements. Probably another reason why I have a crush on John Lennon, instead of throwing a fit and being a jerk he had a very clever and "smart" comeback on someone who embarrassed him.

The Beatles not only influenced music, or business , or comedy, but also fashion. One place in particular that many stars went to including the Beatles until it became filled with fans and everyday people was Carnaby Street. It was the “beesnees” according to our guide, and was where if you were someone you shopped. All of the famous stars shopped here and all of the vendors wanted to be located here for their clothing to be bought by the best of the best. The influence of this street and its fashion exploded by the Beatles and other famous stars and it was flooded with fans and ordinary people wanting to look like their most beloved idols. As someone who thoroughly enjoys shopping this was a very exciting stop. If I could afford to shop where my favorite stars shop you can bet I too would flood the stores.

This next photo is a club the Beatles used to hang at. Back then it was called The Bag of Nails club, now obviously The Miranda Club. I imagine this as a place that was very “happening” and hard to get into, but probably not too terribly hard if you were a Beatle. Properly dressed Beatle that is. The Beatles really influenced popular beliefs and things people were interested in. Sounds vague, but as what I stated before they influenced music, business, fashion. They were Golden for their short lived career, and even after.

This was my 2^nd favorite place to visit. It was home to their company Apple Corp, and the location of the Bealtes last performance together as a band. At this time they were “more popular than Jesus”, but also falling apart, they had lost manager, Brian Espstein, and were fighting over management, John was feeling the anxiety of all the fans, and Paul was doing what he could to make the best of what they had. In class we watched the recording of this performance and it was clear these four men loved music and rocking together, but outside circumstances were pulling them apart. Although it is sad it was their last performance I think it was a great performance that really embodied their love for rock and roll.

This was our last stop, and definitely my favorite spot. Another forever loved pose, and timeless image. This is my replica of the Beatles Album Cover for Abbey Road. It is the most duplicated picture. The picture of the 4 on the album cover really depicts how the Beatles themselves had evolved from 4 band members that had been molded into perfect little girl magnets in suits to have their own personas and styles. It almost symbolized their growing apart and their end. I was surprised how few people there were at Abbey Road I expected crowds of people but our group was actually the biggest group there. I felt so cool knowing they had walked the steps I was walking. But it was bitter sweet knowing it was some of their last steps together.

Thank you for the music.

Two days ago (technically 3 now), on Tuesday our study abroad group started our tour at the The Beatles Story Museum and finished with the Magical Mystery Tour. The entire place was decorated in memorabilia, and/or actual scenes from The Beatles History. It was awesome, and I really enjoyed learning about The Beatles , and what sort of made them who they were. It makes me feel closer to my dad who’s a huge fan. When we were younger on Sundays we would listen to Breakfast with the Beatles. Anyway this blog entry is about how the Beatles started not how my interest in them came about.

The beginning of the Beatles really started out when Paul saw John playing in a skiffle band. I also want to say the two had the same bus ride to school. They all lives fairly close together in liverpool. We took almost their exact route with the Magical Mystery Tour. On the tour we saw houses they had lived in at some point. John’s house (his aunt Mimi’s) was really really nice compared to what I had pictured.


I don't know why but I had pictures something smaller, and similar to Paul's house:
For some reason, the fact that John grew up with out knowing his father, and not really knowing his mother more than a friend made me feel as though he was poor. I know we spoke in class that he wasn't poor, and was actually better off than Paul, but I just felt like he was poor in family I guess so I expected it to reflect in his house. John didn't do wonderfully in school either, in fact in the museum his sister talks about their remarks, and her comment on his were something about him always failing. I can't help but guess that this probably did have to do with lack of parents. I know my parents have definitely been my biggest influence for doing well in school.

In the museum we were told about how Paul saw John playing in a skiffle band and immediately knew he wanted to play with him.

He saw him playing I believe a bass guitar upside down, and was very impressed, and he was playing banjo cords, because that was what John's mother had taught him.

Paul also new George from the bus rides to school. Paul wanted George to be in the band, he knew how good he was, but he was quite a bit younger than John, and John didn’t want to give him the chance. In the museum we were told how George just kept hanging around and hanging around being like a small “roadie” for the band and one day just belted it out for John, and he immediately changed his mind. This made me laugh because you would think the first thing to do to show someone you should be in their band would be to play for them. What took him so long?

For the first group of the Beatles which was not their original name their last member was Pete Best , a friend of John’s from art school. He was attractive, and the ladies loved him, he was also stopping them from meeting their potential. Not far into their career the Beatles met Brian Epstein who actually bought them off of their original manager who had no faith in them. Brian polished them and found Ringo, and convinced the guys to kick out Pete Best, who although like I said made them popular with the ladies, could only keep one beat. RINGO was BORN into the Beatles!

Brian really molded these guys. Its funny though he had jumped around a lot himself, from not wanting to go into the family furniture business to wanting to be a clothing designer and failing and then to working in the families record store NEMS:

But that wasn't what he wanted to do. I really think he was what kept the beatles going, he knew how to dress them, and how to tell them. The museum tour said his father knew even when he worked at the furniture store that he was a born salesman, and he sold The Beatles, and they made it big. After his death things really didn't seem to be the same, and they took some major hit financially, and splitting up the management tour them apart. Paul sued the other band members even. It was sad to hear, but they were a great band who in 8 years changed many lives. and made crazy awesome music. That short time period was the time of one of the if not THE greatest band Rock and Roll has seen.

Who is You_KNow_mY_nAmE ...? because... i don't know your name :)

Blog #1 The British Music Experience

Music has always been a large part of life, for almost entirely every culture. It is a form of expression that can impact many, and say powerful messages often without the sense of threat. Music is in Britain seemed to be along a similar but slightly faster pace than in America. The British Music Experience taught me about the pace the music changed compared to the music I already know, in the U.S. Along with the music changing in Britain the rock and rollers of Britain also changed. One trend in particular that changed as often as the stars that sang was the clothing the singers wore. From simple suits to BIZARE patterns, clothing and fashion was definitely a factor that was important to the Rock and Rollers for their image to their fans.

The Beatles had very interesting fashion. Everything from their hair to their clothing was unique. The Beatles peaked in the Early 60’s. When The Beatles started they were very uniform, like the other bands in the culture, their hair was just at their ears, and their wore very similar if not identical suits to one another. As they continues to perform and grow in popularity, each member also grew more individually, each member had fans who dubbed them their favorites, and each “Beatle” had their own sense of style. They sported different hair trends from long to short, and their suites or outfits were even very diverse, in color AND in material.

In the 60’s Keith Richards had a very interesting and “inspiring” fashion sense. Here seen in pony-skin pants and yellow shirt:

He was known for bizarre and eye catching outfits, but they were just apart of him, as though he didn't have to "try" to stand out. He was once quoted saying, "fashion thinks more about me than I think about it."

He has even been said to have inspired everyone’s favorite Pirate Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow. With the black eye-liner and his drain pipe trousers, the two could have been brothers.

One character that seriously turned heads with his fashion would have to be David Bowie, Of all of the displays I saw during the BME tour his was definitely the most outrageous. He meant to make statements with his outfits. I would not be surprised if David Bowie is a part of inspiration of today’s Lady GaGa and Ke$ha. Especially with these two outfits that were displayed :The Ziggy star dust outfit and a Japanese inspired jumpsuit.

Roger Daltrey known for his microphone swinging also had a very eclectic sense of style. He was bold and wore suits made of suede and fringe.

Even if you can’t name a song right off the top of your head, EVERYONE has at least head of The Who, and probably seen someone wearing a famous T-shirt designed after them. Daltrey was a leading frontman for music and fashion in his time.

Led Zeplin from the 60’s and 70’s is still listened to and loved by so many rockers today for their crazy guitars. Although this particular tunic is quite odd, the tunic was very popular, and Rock Stars always have inspired a tamer public version of clothing just like the tunic. Snakeskin boots which he wore with this outfit are STILL popular today!

This particular outfit worn by Freddie Mercury of Queen, was my favorite, and I actually know quite a few queen songs—so that was exciting. Queen is still adored today, and back in the 70’s. Today men and women’s fashion has versions of the jacket can be seen in stores, and the very outfit is a known popular Halloween costume. There is no doubt that queen has influenced fashion and rock and roll.

It might be a bold statement, but without The Beatles non of the previously stated rockers could have expanded as they had. The Beatles set a pace to beat, and are probably THE best known band of all time. Their music was different and risky compared to the music before it, which allowed other bands to have risky music as well, and They really branched out the nice guy look that had been done so many times before them.

The Beatles very quickly took baby steps to change culture through “music evolution” They paved the way that many were afraid to take, and did it with style. In a time when people were shaken up and vulnerable the Beatles only shook them up more, and added more diversity and energy. THeir songs were racey, their attitudes were bold, and they didn't care of your parents didn't like it.