Interesting thread. Love the discussion of Sabbath and Iomi. 
The Beatles set the bar for commercial output and sustained commercial success. In this respect, they really have no equal — because they are the automatic and uncontrived standard for what success looks like. Who else do people always think of before them? Artists might measure their success by any number of other artists, but The Beatles indisputably hold top billing.
This isn’t a reason to like or dislike the Beatles’ catalogue. Just an observation.
They also have something that eludes most bands: a truly fascinating biography. Their rise to the top as a bar band in Liverpool and Hamburg is a classic adventure tale, not just another dull story of too much booze, heroin, and excess. Beatle biographies, including works by Hunter Davies and Philip Norman, hold up under multiple readings. So does Anthology, their autobiography. I always loved the music, but their story is what inspired me to play the guitar and sing.
The Beatles set the bar for commercial output and sustained commercial success. In this respect, they really have no equal — because they are the automatic and uncontrived standard for what success looks like. Who else do people always think of before them? Artists might measure their success by any number of other artists, but The Beatles indisputably hold top billing.
This isn’t a reason to like or dislike the Beatles’ catalogue. Just an observation.
They also have something that eludes most bands: a truly fascinating biography. Their rise to the top as a bar band in Liverpool and Hamburg is a classic adventure tale, not just another dull story of too much booze, heroin, and excess. Beatle biographies, including works by Hunter Davies and Philip Norman, hold up under multiple readings. So does Anthology, their autobiography. I always loved the music, but their story is what inspired me to play the guitar and sing.
