Found this. And it made me wonder what the experiences of the younger people in here are. Any comments?
Quoted Text
Many of today's teens still think the Beatles are fab
More than 40 years after its conquest of America, the group's appeal to younger fans remains strong.
Nothing's gonna change my world. Nothing's gonna change my world," sings John Lennon in "Across the Universe," arguably one of the Beatles's finest songs. "Universe" was recorded in 1968, toward the end of the Beatles' six-year grip on the world's consciousness.
Fast-forward nearly 40 years later and it seems the world the Fab Four created is still unchanged. To this day, there hasn't been a single band to reach the same commercial and creative success that those four lads from Liverpool managed to do. Every couple years, yet another remastering or anthology of Beatle songs is released, most recently the soundtrack to Cirque de Soleil's Beatles-themed show, "Love." Julie Taymor's psychedelic movie-musical, "Across the Universe", based on the music of the Beatles is opening in wide release today.
But in the wake of hip-hop and rap's dominance of the music charts and the gradual aging of the baby boomer generation, many may wonder whether the legacy of the Beatles will finally start to fade, if the universal themes of their music will still resonate with teenagers or if those same increasingly cynical young people will deem their music too trite or lame to be worth listening to.
Courtney Williams, 16, of Mission Viejo doesn't think the Beatles will be forgotten just yet, citing "Yellow Submarine" as her favorite cartoon. "I love them. I've listened to them since I was a little kid. … I mean, when they came to America it was such a big thing and a lot of bands, if you see their interviews, say the Beatles were their big inspiration and I can see why. They were musical geniuses."
Though other teens may not completely share Williams's fervor for the band, almost all acknowledge the large role the group had in redefining music as we know it – their genre-crossing discoveries from the first recording of actual feedback on "I Feel Fine" to the tape loops on "Tomorrow Never Knows." In an age where any sense of honor or respect is flung out the window in favor of celebutantes and TMZ, the positive support for the Fab Four is almost surprising.
A common response stems from rap's vulgarity which may drive away some listeners. Kevin Albin, 16, of Coto de Caza points out, "[The Beatles]didn't need to swear or cuss all the time to get noticed. Nowadays, rap songs have cuss words every other word and people like it. I don't like it, not my style."
Friend Eric Sipp, 16, of Mission Viejo elaborates, "I think (the Beatles' songs) were more artistic, well-written. They had a better flow, more original. Today, a lot of the riffs sound the same. Theirs stood out from other people of the time. (Rap music) repeats itself to a synthesized beat. I don't think it's music."
The Beatles' chord structures and phrasings provide basic stepping stones for beginning musicians. Aliso Viejo drummer, Clayton Lillywhite, 16 can relate. He credits his drum teacher for introducing him to the Beatles. "Come Together" was the first song Lillywhite ever played.
The majority of young Beatle listeners say their parents introduced them to the music. Others, like Anaheim resident Amy Shah, 17, mentioned "that one kid in my grade who's really into them" as another source of exposure. On the flip side, she also notes the large generational gap that alienates some adolescents from their music.
That gap applies to Jon Gordon, 16, of Ladera Ranch. "I don't think I've ever heard one of their songs," he said. "I wouldn't be able to tell you the difference between them and anyone else like if I heard an old song, I'd probably just guess." He says none of his friends listen to them either.
His friend, San Clemente resident Nick Pearl, 16, begged to differ. Just a casual fan, he listens to them whenever they come on his iPod, "I don't put it on, but when it's on random I'll listen to them."
For Santa Ana dweller Caroline Nguyen, 14, it's hard to escape the Beatles' presence. "There're like so many bands that try to be like them. Like in music videos I see all these bands trying to look like them, like the Click Five with their hairdos."
Despite general esteem for the Beatles, that doesn't automatically make them every teen's favorite band. "I don't like them. I respect them but I don't like their music. They get on my nerves," says Taylor Kilbride, 16, of Ladera Ranch.
"You can worship the Beatles, but you can't dance to them," says Austin Hunter, 18, of Rancho Santa Margarita. He thinks they would've had a hard time competing with the disco dance beats of the '70s and '80s.
Patrick Compton, 17, of Mission Viejo believes the opposite. "I think that their music is timeless and that the new generation can relate it."
In any case, rabid fans like Williams cement the Beatles's unwavering presence and ensure escape from a legacy relegated to one dinky song selection on an anonymous iPod. "I think their music blows away any music today," she gushes, "They're the best band ever, of all time. You can't go a whole lifetime without listening to the Beatles."
many of my friends listen to the beatles because of me, i always take my music with me whereever i am and most people started to like them. the funny thing is my parents don't.... they think it's very weird that i know so much about them, have their records, wear those clothes, go to the abbey road... they often ask me what about the music of my generation? isn't there anything as good? my big sister said it's weird i listen to old music... it's part of a different generation, not part of mine. i should get into my own generation. i don't want to say all music nowadays is crap, it isn't for sure... but the beatles are unique, we all know that. and many people who come across their records hear that. there are less people who do but i try to change that... ^^ i've a mission... give me my batmobile.
george george whoops george whoops george george george
my big sister said it's weird i listen to old music... it's part of a different generation, not part of mine. i should get into my own generation.
You can't tell people what to listen to! wheather it's old or new, it's your choice! One thing i hate about bands today is that they don't have the wonderful energy that those guys in the 60's or 70's put into their music. like the Beatles, kinks, who, led zepp, etc. I must admitt that bands all sound the same to me today, i'm mainly into the singer-songwriter today.
HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY TO THE WHITE ALBUM! you say its your birthday!
One thing i hate about bands today is that they don't have the wonderful energy that those guys in the 60's or 70's put into their music. like the Beatles, kinks, who, led zepp, etc. I must admitt that bands all sound the same to me today, i'm mainly into the singer-songwriter today.
I couldn't agree much more. Most of today's bands might do a couple of good songs but they lack the energy of bands like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin or The Rolling Stones.
The Beatles are definitly without question the most popular and loved band in the world today. But when I go to school, this doesn't seem true at all. I feel like I'm the only teenager in my school who likes them. I'm sure there's others that I don't know that like them in my school, but usually people listen to rap and stuff like that on their iPods. That's all I ever see. I agree that rap is just a beat, it's not music.
The Beatles on the other hand, are the epitomy of what true music is. How could someone not like them? Yes, you can dance to some of their songs, and they're all entertaining, whether it's I Saw Her Standing There or I Am The Walrus. They were extremely unique as people and the music is timeless and unique as well. It's for all ages, I got my 10 year old cousin to love them, and my three year old niece too. It's the only music that caught my attention and won my heart. They as people did the same, they all four are very talented and charming.
We learned about the Beatles last year in history class, and I of course loved this! It seems like this would get other kids interested in them, but instead they just forget about it and continue to listen to what they call music. I think it's mostly 'cause they want to fit in with what's popular, and don't want to seem weird for liking a band from over 40 years ago. I get people asking why I like them, but I don't care what people think of me.
But I love how there's just so many fans out there who are all still loyal to the Fab Four. The reason why I come on these forums and spend time with my family and my one friend who loves the Beatles is to get away from those who don't care and to talk about the best band ever who's music is STILL the soundtrack of our lives, and has been for the past 40+ years.
sorry for the long post, got a little carried away!
~Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans~ ~Give me love, give me peace on earth~ ~All day long I'm sitting singing songs for everyone~ ~The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you~
i dont like todays music as it seems to polished and when it recorded it all done track by track, where as the older generation are so good at playing live they can sometimes do it in a couple of takes with vocals included, also bands today have no personality, i am interested as much about the guys as i am the music
I'm really enjoying your responses, everyone. Great thread; thanks for contributing!
All you've got to do is choose love. That's how I live it now. I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden. I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007
For all I know, Ringo might be a yogi disguised as a drummer! - George Harrison
The Beatles are definitly without question the most popular and loved band in the world today. But when I go to school, this doesn't seem true at all. I feel like I'm the only teenager in my school who likes them.
Don't worry, i felt the same way! I felt like i was the only Beatles fan in my school. In fact, just about everyone i knew at my school loved sport & we hardly had any musicains!
HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY TO THE WHITE ALBUM! you say its your birthday!
also bands today have no personality, i am interested as much about the guys as i am the music
Exactly. But with the Beatles, we all know everything about them and their personalities almost like we personally know them. That's 'cause they and their music are both interesting, unlike stuff from today, like you were saying.
~Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans~ ~Give me love, give me peace on earth~ ~All day long I'm sitting singing songs for everyone~ ~The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you~
Rabid youngster checking in. Well, youngster in the sense that I was born after they'd broken up. I have always been proud that I fell in love with them when I was too young to've been influenced by society. Knowing I'd stumbled upon something great I felt the need to spread this on to my friends-still do It is amazing how many friends and enemies you can make for loving the Beatles. I know what's on the radio and most of it doesn't pass muster. I have passed this love of the Beatles onto my brother who is 8 years younger than I, so it will be carried on!
"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination"-JL
"It's fear of the unknown. The unknown is what it is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, all that--it's all illusion. Unknown is what it is. Accept that it's unknown and it's plain sailing. Everything is unknown--then you're ahead of the game. That's what it is. Right?”-JL
I got into The Beatles in December of my 7th grade year (2000) and all through out Jr. High and High school I was basically the only Beatles fan there. I was known as the Beatles kid and I remember during my senior year we had a 50's/60's day so I dressed up like The Beatles when they went to India in '68 and I carried a guitar and I will never forget one moment...I was walking down the stairs and the kid that was in front of me turned around and said "Dude...are you Jesus?" LOL
Also, in 8th grade English we had to do this worksheet on The Beatles and everybody came up to me and wanted to be my partner haha it was so hilarious.
When I saw McCartney in '05 in Des Moines...a few of my other friends went to go see Nickelback (who also played in Des Moines about a couple months after Paul) and they were all "OMG NICKELBACK WAS SO AWESOME OMG OMG" and I was just like "Please...Nickelback has nothing on Paul McCartney."
A couple of my friends had the nerve to tell me that The Beach Boys mean more to music then the Beatles and I just laughed.
I did get my best friend into liking them however..he's not a big fan but an occasional listener.
It's tough but inside I felt sorry for all those kids who weren't into the Beatles because they were missing out on something incredible.
"Wings IV introduced Jimmy McCulloch, a spunky lead guitarist with grit, able to spur Paul on unlike any previous soloist. His debut track, the magnificent single `Junior's Farm', stands as one of Wings' finest emotional and technical releases."
"Few people on this planet know as much about Jimmy's musical history than you."
"I'm Joe English and I'm from Glasgow, Scotland." xD
There's not that many fans around where I live, which sucks. Some of my friends are complete arses about me liking the Beatles because they're "old" but some other friends of mine don't pretend their ears are bleeding when a Beatles song is on.
Its pretty much ignorance that most a lot of teens don't like the Beatles. No one knows a song and pretty much refuses to because they're "old"
There's not that many fans around where I live, which sucks. Some of my friends are complete arses about me liking the Beatles because they're "old" but some other friends of mine don't pretend their ears are bleeding when a Beatles song is on.
It's annoying ain't it! There's not a lot of Beatles fan's round my area either, all that rave nonsense blasting out of bedroom windows!
only people i know who are fans are my best friend who lives up the road & a girl i know who is only 16!!! still young fans coming up to keep the memory alive!
HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY TO THE WHITE ALBUM! you say its your birthday!
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere Words Of Love
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There's hardly any young Beatles fans where I live either. I heard someone singing 'strawberry fields forever' in the hall at school the other day, and I nearly ran the kids in front of me over to get a glimpse of who it was, I was that surprised. A girl in my English class at school was wearing a shirt that said "All you need is love", and I told her I liked the song. "It's a song?" she asked.
My friends and my parents think it's weird I listen to old music. In fact, the other day my dad said to me, "You can't spend your whole life listening to rock n' roll. Why not try a different type of music?" (!)
I HATE that..people who wear Beatle shirts because it's "cool"
"Wings IV introduced Jimmy McCulloch, a spunky lead guitarist with grit, able to spur Paul on unlike any previous soloist. His debut track, the magnificent single `Junior's Farm', stands as one of Wings' finest emotional and technical releases."
"Few people on this planet know as much about Jimmy's musical history than you."
"I'm Joe English and I'm from Glasgow, Scotland." xD
It's annoying ain't it! There's not a lot of Beatles fan's round my area either, all that rave nonsense blasting out of bedroom windows!
only people i know who are fans are my best friend who lives up the road & a girl i know who is only 16!!! still young fans coming up to keep the memory alive!
Haha, blaring out the windows in my neighborhood is stupid Nickleback, Sean Kingston, and God only knows what else. In the summer though, I always open my bedroom windows and blare "Love You To" and "The Inner Light" haha
There's hardly any young Beatles fans where I live either. I heard someone singing 'strawberry fields forever' in the hall at school the other day, and I nearly ran the kids in front of me over to get a glimpse of who it was, I was that surprised. A girl in my English class at school was wearing a shirt that said "All you need is love", and I told her I liked the song. "It's a song?" she asked.
My friends and my parents think it's weird I listen to old music. In fact, the other day my dad said to me, "You can't spend your whole life listening to rock n' roll. Why not try a different type of music?" (!)
Wow, your parents think it's weird?? That's a shock, my parents LOVE the Beatles and always have since the 60s. They're VERY supportive of my Beatles/60s loving.
Yeah, I saw someone with a shirt that said All You Need Is Love the other day too , but I don't think she even knew the whole "thing" behind it. She probably just thought "Aw, that's a cute little phrase", and didn't even know it was made famous by the Beatles! That's funny when that girl in your class said "It's a song??" Wow...
~Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans~ ~Give me love, give me peace on earth~ ~All day long I'm sitting singing songs for everyone~ ~The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you~
There's hardly any young Beatles fans where I live either. I heard someone singing 'strawberry fields forever' in the hall at school the other day, and I nearly ran the kids in front of me over to get a glimpse of who it was, I was that surprised. A girl in my English class at school was wearing a shirt that said "All you need is love", and I told her I liked the song. "It's a song?" she asked.
My friends and my parents think it's weird I listen to old music. In fact, the other day my dad said to me, "You can't spend your whole life listening to rock n' roll. Why not try a different type of music?" (!)
Man, i know what you mean, being in a private school full of nothing but biased anti-Beatles people it is nearly impossable to meet a true Beatles fan! however, one day my spanish teacher played one of her CDs in class, so while everyone was chattering i noticed someone say "let it be....let it be.." then i relized it was my teacher's CD player! As i was about to come up and tell her how much of a fan i was i notice someone shout out, "i LOVE the Beatles! I'm one of the biggest fans at this school!!!!" . so i come up to this guy and start talking about the Beatles. then when i asked him to name three of his favorites. then he says "uhhhhhhhh......welll........i only know two songs......i just have Hey Jude and Hello Goodbye on my ipod" this coming from the guy who just announced that he was the biggest Beatles fan in the whole school! i just gave him a dissapointed look and walked back to my seat. then some guy says to me "well, i really like Lieutenant Pepper's Big Band" i then ask him " you mean Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band?" he then shouts "No! its lieutenant!!" so then i gave him another dissapointed look and sighed to myself. And i haven't found another Beatles fan that goes to my same school ever since.
Oh, poor The Fab Fan! I'm sorry, I can't help laughing at your story. Lieutenant Pepper's Big Band?!?!? Good grief. However, if this is any example of the local "fans", no wonder Mr. Two Songs thought he was top of the heap!
I suppose it must make you feel a bit lonely. I'm so glad we have the internet, so people of common interests can find some nice conversation and relief. Please make yourself at home. There are a lot of people here who will appreciate your tales of woe.
Lieutenant Pepper. *huge sigh*
All you've got to do is choose love. That's how I live it now. I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden. I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007
For all I know, Ringo might be a yogi disguised as a drummer! - George Harrison
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It is amazing how many friends and enemies you can make for loving the Beatles. I know what's on the radio and most of it doesn't pass muster. I have passed this love of the Beatles onto my brother who is 8 years younger than I, so it will be carried on! 
