The Beatles Influence on Progressive Rock (lyric, electronic, blues, jazz)

Radiohead90 · 10-16-2008, 05:25 PM

One thing I always noticed basically every early Progressive Rock artist from Yes to King Crimson cite the Beatles as a influence.

A Day in the Life", "I am the Walrus", "Within You, Without You", "Strawberry Fields"... not really blues tunes, are they (Doh?). They were able to draw from diverse sources, like Indian classical music (Within You uses a raga-like form that contains both major and minor thirds in different octaves, kind of a combination of mixolydian and dorian modalities). Lennon used forms similar to Tibetan chants. They were versed in the same types of cadential cycles that had evolved from Dixieland and Tin Pan Alley, the pop music of the previous era (and also a primary underpinning for jazz). And they invented many new forms in between. IOW, while most other bands of that era were still working within simple I-IV-vi-V frameworks, the Beatles had assimilated musical forms, languages and rhythms from around the world. They built their own unique musical sounds, and wrote some of the most widely recorded music in history.

Also I think they were one of the first rock groups to experiment in mixed time signatgures I think "She Said Said She" at one point is in 8/5. Their psychedelic style of Indian Instrumentation, tape loops, and electronica on "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" sounds like nothing else recorded at the time. I consider "A Day in the Life" a true progressive rock song.

jackhammer · 10-16-2008, 05:47 PM

The Beatles influenced experimentationbut they can hardly be called a big influence. Jazz had already been frigging around with time signatures way before McCartney though he was the schizz.

Double X · 10-16-2008, 05:56 PM

Maybe indian stuff, but everything else was done before them I think.

Radiohead90 · 10-16-2008, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackhammer

The Beatles influenced experimentationbut they can hardly be called a big influence. Jazz had already been frigging around with time signatures way before McCartney though he was the schizz.

Yeh but we are talking about Rock Music not jazz. The Beatles were merging such foreign influences like Classical Indian, Avant Styled tape loops, strange time signatures in the realm or rock and pop music.

Seltzer · 10-16-2008, 07:32 PM

I've always considered the Beatles a huge influence on prog, and they definitely had some proggy songs themselves.

Though you do have to consider the other experimental forces of the time... Sun Ra, Beefheart, Velvet Underground, Hendrix, Zappa etc... and even the 20th century classical music. Psychedelic music in general was the main stepping stone.

HotRockinJohnny · 10-21-2008, 10:24 AM

Jon Anderson of Yes has always said The Beatles (Sgt. Pepper/Magical Mystery Tour albums) have always been a big influence on their music, especially in the early days of Yes. They even recorded a Beatles cover (Every Little Thing) on their debut album back in 1969.

The Monkey · 10-21-2008, 11:19 AM

A Day in the Life is probably the closest you will come to prog in The Beatles' music.

Radiohead90 · 10-21-2008, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey

A Day in the Life is probably the closest you will come to prog in The Beatles' music.

I think "A Day in the Life" is progressive rock as is "Because", "I Want You She So Heavy" and the second medley on side two.

Or you could say their style of music bridges elements of Progressive Rock into more the mainsteam Pop Rock arena. Progressive Pop

Comus · 10-24-2008, 01:56 AM

Lyrically to an extent but musically it would have to be such a minor influence that it can't be quantified.

Minstrel · 10-25-2008, 01:27 PM

In terms of experimenting, I think the Beatles certainly had an element of it, but were behind groups like Captain Beefheart, VU and the Beach Boys. Those bands were doing much more interesting stuff.

The Beatles, however, were the greatest force for popularizing whatever they dabbled in.

10-16-2008, 05:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
Radiohead90 Groupie Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 25	The Beatles Influence on Progressive Rock One thing I always noticed basically every early Progressive Rock artist from Yes to King Crimson cite the Beatles as a influence. A Day in the Life", "I am the Walrus", "Within You, Without You", "Strawberry Fields"... not really blues tunes, are they (Doh?). They were able to draw from diverse sources, like Indian classical music (Within You uses a raga-like form that contains both major and minor thirds in different octaves, kind of a combination of mixolydian and dorian modalities). Lennon used forms similar to Tibetan chants. They were versed in the same types of cadential cycles that had evolved from Dixieland and Tin Pan Alley, the pop music of the previous era (and also a primary underpinning for jazz). And they invented many new forms in between. IOW, while most other bands of that era were still working within simple I-IV-vi-V frameworks, the Beatles had assimilated musical forms, languages and rhythms from around the world. They built their own unique musical sounds, and wrote some of the most widely recorded music in history. Also I think they were one of the first rock groups to experiment in mixed time signatgures I think "She Said Said She" at one point is in 8/5. Their psychedelic style of Indian Instrumentation, tape loops, and electronica on "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" sounds like nothing else recorded at the time. I consider "A Day in the Life" a true progressive rock song.

10-16-2008, 05:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	The Beatles influenced experimentationbut they can hardly be called a big influence. Jazz had already been frigging around with time signatures way before McCartney though he was the schizz. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

10-16-2008, 07:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
Seltzer Fish in the percolator! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Hobbit Land NZ Posts: 2,914	I've always considered the Beatles a huge influence on prog, and they definitely had some proggy songs themselves. Though you do have to consider the other experimental forces of the time... Sun Ra, Beefheart, Velvet Underground, Hendrix, Zappa etc... and even the 20th century classical music. Psychedelic music in general was the main stepping stone. __________________ In the Court of King Crimson \| Last.fm \| RYM

10-21-2008, 10:24 AM	#6 (permalink)
HotRockinJohnny Groupie Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 21	Jon Anderson of Yes has always said The Beatles (Sgt. Pepper/Magical Mystery Tour albums) have always been a big influence on their music, especially in the early days of Yes. They even recorded a Beatles cover (Every Little Thing) on their debut album back in 1969. __________________ My blog > HotRockinJohnny's Rock & Roll Webcasts Last edited by HotRockinJohnny; 10-21-2008 at 02:11 PM.

10-21-2008, 11:19 AM	#7 (permalink)
The Monkey Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 803	A Day in the Life is probably the closest you will come to prog in The Beatles' music. __________________ Now another stranger seems to want you to ignore his dreams as though they were the burden of some other My Last.fm

10-16-2008, 05:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
Double X sleepe Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: boston Posts: 1,140	Maybe indian stuff, but everything else was done before them I think.

10-25-2008, 01:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
Minstrel Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 436	In terms of experimenting, I think the Beatles certainly had an element of it, but were behind groups like Captain Beefheart, VU and the Beach Boys. Those bands were doing much more interesting stuff. The Beatles, however, were the greatest force for popularizing whatever they dabbled in. __________________ "Blow your tuneless trumpet, the choice is yours / We don't want the glamour, the pomp and the drums / The Dublin messiah scattering crumbs"