The Sixties Didn't Start Until 1962!

[Tab]

I watched a programme about the 60's - The Beatles Era last night on one of the freeview channels. According to the programme makers The Beatles brought about the pop revolution, the first band to write their own material etc etc ???

Where were these people between 1958 and 62 when Cliff & especially The Shads were inventing the wheel!

[Mikey]

And all those other British rock & rollers like Marty Wilde, Billy Fury, Joe Brown, Adam Faith, etc....and I speak as a Beatles fan.

[Pedro]

I do not know if it is well known outside of Merseyside. But their were many bands considered by the locals to be better live shows than the Beatles. The Undertakers for instance were considered a very good band. This takes nothing away from the Beatles . Just an observation.

[George Geddes]

This re-writing of history has been going on for years. It's one of these things which really, really annoys me...

George

[cockroach]

I'm afraid that this sort of badly researched and presented view is probably all we are going to get as we age...I seldom trust views or history presented by many such so-called factual programmes these days.

Unless a programme is made by someone of more mature years who might actually have been around back then, or if not, then at least made by someone who has done the research work properly and is knowledgable about the era, there is usually a lot of repeated spouting of 'received wisdom', often from previous dodgy articles and programmes or our old friend the internet.

As I read recently, Wikipedia is NOT a synonym for research...

You would expect that most American souces of such material might have little or no knowledge of this era, apart from music and record releases from the odd artist or group from the UK, but such crap as ' there was no music in Britain before the Beatles' is not acceptable from a British source..

[captainhaddock]

Isn't this just typical of any documentary upon any subject?. The sad fact is that anybody involved in the writing,researching
or production of a documentary will be aged about 20-25. They really believe that before they were born, there was nothing.
I am 47 years old and only went to my local comprehensive school. Growing up in the 60's I was exposed to Music from Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Tommy Steele and obviously The Shadows +Cliff etc etc. All of these acts were really performing before I was born and yet I knew of them. I hate to say it, but while a University graduate of very tender years is given the job of producing TV documentaries, this kind of rubbish will always be the result. I knew how inaccurate this show would be and that is why I couldn't be bothered to watch it.
It is sad that TV series, such as the "Rock and Roll Years" are not shown any longer, nor are they available on DVD. This series, shown in the 80's I believe, gave a much more honest picture of life and music from the mid 50's onwards.
I suppose that in the real scheme of things, the fact that a TV documentary gives an inaccurate picture of the facts is not really important, but just remember that these graduates are teaching your Children and Grand-children when they go to school. Chilling thought, isn't it.

[neil2726]

Shame they dont bother to find out who inspired the Beatles, or do they think they were the first band in Britain to use a 3 guitar/drums line up? Going back to a cooment made earlier - I was told many years ago, by a Liverpudlian, that there were quite a few Merseyside bands who were better musically and vocally than the Beatles.

[bob t]

And didn't Brian Epstein take the Beatles to see The Shadows to see how it was done !!

Bob T

[ash]

Hi everyone. I'm new on the board and the last thing you probably want is a rabid Beatle fan but here i am.
However, i am amazed at the lack of credit given to Cliff and the Shads these days. Can't say i think much of Marty Wilde,Fury etc but if anyone wants to recommend a couple of cds i'm up for trying. Much prefer The Shads to Cliff. Even on the early albums i have to run to lift the needle or hit skip track fairly frequently on Sir Cliff's records.
I think a major anthology style cd set and dvd would do The Shadows a lot of good and put them in the public eye in a positive fashion. Their material with Jet in particular is outstanding and there seems to be no-one who followed who wasn't enormously influenced by them. Even Syd Barrett appears to be Hank Marvin on acid.
The only other pre-fab 4 (!) band who produced such a consistent run of records (in my opinion) is Johnny Kidd and The Pirates . Shakin' all over needs no introduction and his last single send for that girl sound like Gene Clark meets buffalo springfield . Mind you Always and Ever is beyond terrible and if footage of the Kidd is ever found i'm willing to bet it will be of this and the general public will think he's rubbish.
Anyway, a partial remedy for the Shadows would be a comprehensive anthology style set,dvd of 50's 60's tracks with interviews with all band members,radio sessions package etc. Reeling in the years are producing some awesome 60's dvds right now, but judging from old posts here that's unlikely to happen. Guess it's down to us to spread the word.
I know i take great delight in playing Move It from cliff's live album (the first one) and asking my friends who they think it is. They usually fall on the floor in shock when i tell them.
Lastly my dad's side of the family come from liverpool and my aunt says the Big Three were miles better than the beatles. She saw them all many times at the cavern. If only she'd had a tape recorder.
ash

[Stranded Albatross]

The Big Three- Now there was a band.
Check out The Big Three live at the Cavern hosted by local dj Bob Wolmer. Much as I like the Beatles, they never matched the excitement of The big Three. Also check out This is Merseybeat Vols 1&2 for all those "better" Mersey bands.