Fifty years yet again had passed since another Beatles album has been released. Fifty years of looking back to the greatest music that ever came out and how it has brought huge impact to our lives and what we are today.We all know that the Beatles is very much the most influential rock band of the 20th Century and perhaps even today where no other rock group[even in this time period] has ever achieved nor surpassed what they have done as a recording unit,not to mention the chart performances.But even then, there were other artists who have somewhat did the same performance regarding chart positions(let alone having the top 5 positions from one artist in which we all know that can never happen again),it was never the same and the quality of music today is somewhat inferior despite the technological advances that we have(et al autotunes-in which doesn't show pure talent).Back in the days when you don't have electronic drum sounds and you have to play everything to express one's self.
Revolver is one Beatles album that clearly defines the cutting edge of a rock band that began experimenting with a harder sound.Most of the tracks as you all can see is filled with cool electric guitar riffings,Indian flavor,jazz rock and awesome string arrangements.Its the mid sixties and the Beatles are somewhat tired of the teeny bopperish that has been going that its time to upgrade and move forward.Sick with the yeah yeah yeahs from the band's early phase,the band began experimenting with drop D tunings,distortions,feedbacks as well as backmasked guitar solos-something that has never been done before in that time period.And of course,something that has been followed and continues to be observed on rock music today.
The album is somewhat the opposite of its predecessor Rubber Soul where the latter was filled with songs done on acoustic guitars and having that slight folk feel. Revolver opens with the upbeat and politically rebellious "Taxman" penned by George Harrison who wrote the song as a protest to the British government on how much are they taking on his earnings as a rock star.On the other hand,their friends the Rolling Stones would soon embark on a tax exile and has been followed by other bands such as the Who and Led Zeppelin in the intervening years.Some people might not know that it was Paul McCartney who came up with the guitar solo for that song and not George.Story goes that Paul was hanging around with Jimi Hendrix at the time and we all know that when two geniuses come together all the influences would be shared to one another.So in one interview,McCartney then told that time when he got that idea and was suggesting George on how good it is to have that Hendrix influenced guitar solo would sound cool to the song- "feedbacky" and "crazy" as Paul had later described it. And Harrison agreed on Paul's suggestion that he let McCartney do the solo on his Gibson Epiphone Casino-the result was absolute perfection with that guitar solo that we hear on the album and would later be played live by George on his solo concerts and would also be played by Mike Campbell as a tribute to Harrison on Concert For George.With two more songs penned by him,Revolver is the second album(next to the White Album) with the most George Harrison compositions on the track listings than any other Beatles LP.
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| Paul McCartney playing bass,Revolver sessions(Getty Images) |
The band never played any instruments on the album's second track "Eleanor Rigby" wherein the string arrangements was mixed later on with the vocals.Tracks like "I'm Only Sleeping" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" were filled with tape loops and backmasking.John Lennon was known to be unhappy with his voice that he wanted to do something about it. George Martin already added effects to his voice by doubling the vocals on the previous album and he continued to practice the same thing[with much more improvements] on Revolver.A practice that has been maintained by other rock bands such as Nirvana and Scorpions in the decades that followed.Engineer Geoff Emerick even joked about having Lennon tied up to his feet and have him hanged upside down from the ceiling then spin to obtain the same vocal effect.Of course it was never done!
Tracks like "Got To Get You Into My Life" was the precursor of jazz rock wherein a horn section has been combined with electric guitars as well as pulsating drums and bass.The said track has been the inspiration for rock groups such as Chicago, Earth,Wind & Fire and the Buckinghams who became famous by fusing a horn section with an average rock group lineup.And of course,the mix won't be complete without a ballad or two such as "Here,There And Everywhere" and "For No One".The former was said to be inspired by McCartney's then girlfriend Jane Asher.
Upon its worldwide release August 5 and US release three days later.The album topped the US charts for three weeks though the then US release was somewhat short handed with Capitol removing three tracks from the album and adding it up("Doctor Robert","I'm Only Sleeping" and "And Your Bird Can Sing") to the butchered album Yesterday And Today.Nevertheless,the original 14 track lineup has been the official worldwide arrangement since 1987.The album was ranked number three by Rolling Stone magazine on their 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time list.In 2000,it was ranked by British magazine Q at number one on the Greatest British Albums Of All Time.It was inducted as well at the Grammy Hall Of Fame and was also included on the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
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| The Beatles.Revolver sessions 1966 (Getty Images) |
Fifty years have passed since we were given a unique gift from a band with immense songwriting talent.Revolver will always be remembered as one rock n' roll treasure,a hard act to follow to many musicians yet an inspiration for budding rock bands for years or perhaps decades to come.
(c) 2016 Keith Vernon Adagio
