Marsh

I thought is was brilliant, funny, sad and was a great way to bring the curtain down on one of the best loved sitcoms from the BBC in more recent years. I was greetin' when nan died. The wife and I are going back to series one and getting stuck in to them all over again after watching last nights.

What? Oh no, i'm going to miss this by the looks of things. Fitba doesnae even kick off till 7:45. Earliest I can be there for is 10. I hate Setanta with all my might. I'm most annoyed now. And fully sulking. Forever more.

Absolutely. Save hunners of kids from disease for generations to come as opposed to just one. She's not that different from most working mothers in England anyway: Goes about in a tracksuit Lives on an estate Has three kids all from different fathers That raised a chuckle when I heard it.

Do you like Revolver ? Or maybe you're a Sgt pepper fan? Personally I think Abbey Road is my favourite today, although I do think Revolver is my overall "favourite." If you get the chance, check out past masters vol. 2 - In my opinion the best Beatles songs collected on one CD. "Roll up for the Mystery Tour - step right his way."

It's dificult to answer that with anything other than a resounding "fuck off" I'm not listening anymore and i'm sure everyone else with a modicum of sensibility isn't either. Go back and listen to all your "special" bands that weren't influenced in any way whatsoever by the Beatles. You're a special person, too, sir.

Before anyone gets on at me for shouting, I apologise in advance. But it seems like the only way to get the point across. Some folk don't seem to be listening or taking on board the truth. Did someone say they liked Dire Straits here earlier? Dusty? "Why worry now - there should be sunshine after rain!"

The most dissapointing aspect of that post is it doesn't contain a Cheers Stuart at the end of it.

The Beatles were a very acomplished covers group who wrote some pretty good songs of theor own originally. Lennon saw Elvis on TV and thought "that's a good job." the rest is history. Like completely reinventing how popular music as we know it is written, recorded and produced. No one denies that black musicains / Elvis or anything else existed before the Beatles - no - one ever said that. The fact is the Beatles took music as it existed and completley redefined it. It's kind of like how Kraftwerk completley changed music by writing and recording it entirley on machines and didn't use a musical "instrument" as such at all. It's always amusing when someone who doesn't like a particular group or artist will argue till they are blue in the face that they are right and the group / artist in question had no appeal or impact. Anyone who has posted saying "Beethoven" or "Elvis" existed before the Beatles so "let's trace music back to them" are completley missing the point and are clearly not listening to a word any of the sensible people here are saying, so let's just clarify it: THE BEATLES WERE NOT THE FIRST BAND TO INHABIT THE EARTH. THEY TOOK INFLUENCE FROM A NUMBER OF GROUPS AND ARTISTS. THEY THEN (WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A PRODUCER AND TEAM OF ENGINEERS) TOOK MUSIC AS IT WAS KNOWN BEFORE AND CHANGED IT WHICH HAS ENABLED EVERYONE AFTER THEM TO WRITE AND RECORD IN A WAY THAT NEVER EXISTED BEFORE THE BEATLES.

You're on your own, mate.

Be nice if they told you that upfront, though, wouldn't it??????????? Fair useage would be fine for me as well if I knew exactly what "fair useage" was. The fact it's so shrouded in mystery is the problem. How about a "plain English" rule on fair useage, set by an internet watchdog where all ISPs must clearly state what constitutes "fair useage"??????????????

Right, it's lunchtime and i'm bored. Very long winded, but i've tried to cut out the unneccesary as much as possible. It's a great read for everybody with even a passing interest in recording just to see how many techniques were pioneered or invented by the Beatles or their team of engineers and producer: Right, let's put this one to bed: Although microphone usage varied somewhat according to the requirements of each song, the group's recordings at Abbey Road most often employed Neumann U47 or U67 microphones for electric guitars and one or more Neumann U48s for vocals. Early in their recording career the drums usually were recorded with only two microphones: one overhead (an AKG D19 or STC 4038) and one for the bass drum (such as an AKG D20). Later, more microphones were used on the drums. With the group's encouragement, recording engineer Geoff Emerick experimented with microphone placement and equalization. Many of his techniques were unusual for the time but have since become commonplace, such as "close miking" (physically placing the microphone in very close proximity of a sound source) of acoustic instruments or deliberately overloading the signal to produce distortion. For example, he obtained the biting string sound that characterizes Eleanor Rigby by miking the instruments extremely closely -- Emerick has related that the string players would instinctively back away from the microphones at the start of each take, and he would go back into the studio and move the microphones closer again. Revolver was The Beatles' seventh album in three years, released on August 5, 1966. The album showcased a number of new stylistic developments which would become more pronounced on later albums. Lennon was the main writer of "I'm Only Sleeping". George Harrison played the notes for the lead guitar (and for the second guitar in the solo) in reverse order, then reversed the tape and mixed it in. The backwards guitar sound builds the sleepy, ominous, and weeping tone of the song. This, along with backwards vocals used on The Beatles song Rain (recorded at the sessions and released separately, as B-side to the "Paperback Writer" single) was the first recorded instance of backmasking, which Lennon discovered after mistakenly loading a reel-to-reel tape backwards under the influence of marijuana. Another key production technique used for the first time on this album was Automatic double tracking (ADT), invented by engineer Ken Townsend on 6 April 1966. This technique used two linked tape recorders to automatically create a doubled vocal track, replacing the standard method, which was to double the vocal by singing the same piece twice onto a multitrack tape, a task Lennon particularly disliked. The Beatles were reportedly delighted with the invention and used it extensively on Revolver. ADT quickly became a standard pop production technique and led to related developments including phasing, flanging and chorus. The Beatles' unfolding innovation in the studio reaches its apex with the album's final track. Lennon's "Tomorrow Never Knows" was one of the first songs in the emerging genre of psychedelia, and included such groundbreaking techniques as reverse guitar, processed vocals and looped tape effects. Musically, it is drone-like, with a strongly syncopated, repetitive drum-beat. Much of the backing track consists of a series of prepared tape loops, stemming from Lennon and McCartney's interest in and experiments with magnetic tape and musique concrète techniques at that time. According to Beatles session chronicler Mark Lewisohn, Lennon and McCartney prepared a series of loops at home, and these then were added to the pre-recorded backing track. This was reportedly done live in a single take, with multiple tape recorders running simultaneously, and some of the longer loops extended out of the control room and down the corridor. Lennon's processed lead vocal was another innovation. Always in search of ways to enhance or alter the sound of his voice, he gave a directive to EMI engineer Geoff Emerick that he wanted to sound like he was singing from the top of a high mountain. Emerick solved the problem by splicing a line from the recording console into the studio's Leslie speaker, giving Lennon's vocal its ethereal filtered quality, although he was subsequently reprimanded by the studio management for doing so. Since the introduction of the core technology of magnetic recording tape in 1949, multitrack recording had progressed rapidly, with 8-track tape recorders already available in the USA and the first 8-tracks coming on-line in commercial studios in London in late 1967, shortly after Sgt. Pepper was released. All of the Sgt. Pepper tracks were recorded at Abbey Road using mono, stereo and 4-track recorders. Like its predecessors, the recording made extensive use of the technique known as bouncing down, in which a number of tracks were recorded across the four tracks of one recorder, which were then mixed and dubbed down onto one track of the master 4-track machine. This enabled the Abbey Road engineers to give The Beatles a virtual multi-track studio, since 8-, 16- and 24-track recorders did not exist at this time. The build-up of noise during over-dubbing was a major problem for engineers. The Abbey Road album was one of the first to use the Dolby noise reduction system. The album remains a landmark in the history of sound recording and is remarkable for the clarity, fidelity and quietness of the transfers. Magnetic tape had also led to innovative use of instruments and production effects, notably the tape-based keyboard sampler, the Mellotron, and effects like flanging (a term invented by Martin, an effect use as early as 1959 on Toni Fisher's "The Big Hurt") and phasing, and a greatly improved system for creating echo and reverberation. Several then-new production effects feature extensively on the recordings. One of the most important was automatic double tracking (ADT), a system that used tape recorders to create an instant and simultaneous doubling of a sound. Although it had long been recognised that using multitrack tape to record 'doubled' lead vocals gave them a greatly enhanced sound (especially with weaker singers) it had always been necessary to record such vocal tracks twice, a task which was both tedious and exacting. ADT was invented specially for The Beatles by EMI engineer Ken Townshend in 1965, mainly at the behest of Lennon, who hated tracking sessions and regularly expressed a desire for a technical solution to the problem. ADT quickly became a near-universal recording practice in popular music. Also important was varispeeding, the technique of recording various tracks on a multi-track tape at slightly different tape speeds. The Beatles use this effect extensively on their vocals in this period. The speeding up of vocals (also known as 'tweaking') also became a widespread technique in pop production. The Beatles also used the effect on portions of their backing tracks (as on "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds") to give them a 'thicker' and more diffuse sound. In another innovation, the album (in its original LP form that was later released on CD) ends in an unusual way, beginning with a 15-kilohertz high-frequency tone (put on the album at John Lennon's suggestion, said to be "especially intended to annoy your dog"), followed by an endless loop made by the runout groove looping back into itself. The Beatles also used new modular effects units like the wah-wah pedal and the fuzzbox, which they augmented with their own experimental ideas, such as running voices and instruments through a Leslie speaker. Another important sonic innovation was McCartney's discovery of the direct injection (DI) technique, in which he could record his bass by plugging it directly into an amplifying circuit in the recording console. While the still often-used technique of recording through an amplifier with a microphone sounds more natural, this setup provided a radically different presence in bass guitar sound versus the old method. "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" also features one of the earliest uses of a Moog synthesiser to create the white-noise or "wind" effect heard near the end of the track. That's just what I could dig up in 20 minutes. So to go back to Alkaline's original point that the Beatles never influenced any of the bands mentioned in his list: I think all of those gropus mentioned utilise most of the techniques mentioned above. No Beatles = no modern music as we know it. Goodnight.

Crazy stuff indeed. How about an email to Nicky Campbell and the Watchdog team. We could submit a complaint from users of Aberdeen - Music, each from a person using a differnt ISP, telling the story of how we bought "Unlimited Broadband" which quickly turned into "Limited Broadband!"

Same with Tiscali. I got "Unlimited 2 Meg Broadband" form them about 5 months ago. Within 2 months of getting connected I got a letter from them saying that "further to our previous correpondence (which I, of course, never received) and warning about heavy useage we have limited your peak time downloading." It also had a rather sarcastic footnote about how "if people continue to download large files and file share everyone will be faced with slow downloads" and basically said although I have a 12 month contract they will be happy to migrate me. Apart from the frankly false claims that they had contacted me previously it's a joke that they advertise it as "unlimited" when they clearly DO have limits. The funny thing is that I was uploading loads of photos from my honeymoon when I first got connected and that accounted for most of my useage. Okay, i downloaded a few series of Monkey Dust and the like, but I was beyond furious at the bullshit that they sent me. I'm biting my tongue though and waiting for Sky to connect up here (should be January, hopefully) and migrating to them as soon as they are live. I'm so looking forward to telling Tiscali where to shove their "Unlimited Broadband."

I am aghsat that no - one has got back to you - All I've read recently in the musicians corner is "bassist wanted" ads. The mind boggles....................

It's fair to say the Beatles popularised or at least brought the instrument to the mainstream at the very least. Argh, i'm getting involved again! Dave, I don't like Dylan, but he certainly was a huge influence on the Beatles (or Lennon, in particular.) I agree he did change the format of songwriting somewhat, but the Beatles were making songs way beyond a simple acoustic guitar and voice or any of the stuff he did with the Band. I'm really thinking of Rubber Soul and Revolver as the benchmarks of songs that weren't just intro / verse / chorus / verse / chorus / outro. The Beatles changed music forever more. Tomorrow Never Knows? Nothing like it before and the Chemical Brothers have tried for over decade to better it . And failed.

Mwwwhahahahah!

Not directly, but they were the first so everyone else is a follower! Like I said, it was George Martin and the Abbey Road team who redefined recording and production. Look up Wikipedia and you'll spend all day reading about the various gubbins that they invented and pioneered. Was it not the Everly Brothers who popularised harmonies? (in the context you claim the Beach Boys did.) They were as pop as you get at the time. That's it from me on this, like I said, I cannae be arsed arguing!

For starters, as I a) Ca be arsed and b) You could argue about this till the cows come home. All of them play music that isn't a 2 minute love song or short rock n roll song. The Beatles invented music that wasn't 2 minute love songs or short rock n roll songs. Music that's created by instruments other than guitar / drums / bass / voice / keys / piano -Beatles were first to experiment with various keyboards, sitars and drum loops. The Beatles (and in particular George Martin & Abbey Road engineers) invented production / recording / double tracking techniques that all of those bands use. The notion of an album being a "whole piece" or "concept album" a la Sigur Ros - influenced by Pepper. And medleys a la Abbey Road. The list is endless...............

I will download it very shortly and look forward to hearing it! Rigby was really just a McCartney / Martin collaboration at the end of the day. Actually, something has just occured to me. I'm going to check it out and will be back shortly with the result! Keep an eye out, Sam the Eagle. Chances are i'm totally off the mark, but I may be able to help you................ Maybe I'm Amazed is one of, if not the best song ever written. Macca kept it for himself!

The version on Revolver has a "proper" introduction. Y'know, the one that McCartney made the introduction. Maybe a bad choice of words you used, but you really can't improve on perfection, even if the song doesn't have an instrumental opening. Like MKII says, Anthology 2 - just the strings. Godhead do a cover with a musical passage before the singing begins. Great cover version, but not a patch on the original.

It certainly was on Foxton, since he just nicked it from McCartney's "Taxman" bass line. I like Ash, but Hamilton can't even play half the time. I seriously wouldn't say they are a band that stand out because of their outstanding bass playing! Each to their own, though. And I do admire Foxton.

The guy on the episode of Faking It a few years back showed that it can be accessible to many who thought it couldn't. It's not for me, though. Not in it's purest "classical" form. Muse, to me, are like classical music. But better.

ZZ Top rule.

First of all, I ain't to musician so I can't really get into the ins & outs of it I've just never seen anyone play that song correctly in full before. You in a band? You must be pretty shit hot. I'll have to see you!