m h bÜm ph m h m mÜinmii george martin …...vanessa-mae and guitarist john williams recall the...

mmmmmmmmirnrnrn» H George Martin H- -. l M BÜM PH M H M MÜiNMIi M M iM IliPli NnWMpMNMIMilMl aMpMMpMMHI n the nine years the Beatles were together, their music changed as they did, as the times did, as the world did. But through all the jumps in their sound, there were five common grounds: Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Starr and the real fifth Beade, George Martin, h © From “Love Me Do” to “Let It Be,” it was Martin at the baton, arranging the music, producing the record ings, helping make John and Paul’s musical inventions and dreams come true and, when the four young men began to take the reins in the studio, knowing enough - well, to let them be. h s Perhaps George Martin’s greatest contribution to the Beades story was making it possible to be told at all. hs In the early Sixties in London, every record company, every A&R man, every producer, it seems, turned down the Beades - until they got to f i r hero. And even Martin wasn’t sure what he had on his hands that day in February 1962, when he listened as Brian Epstein played their demonstration tape. Its quality, he recalled, was “ appalling.” The band’s repertoire ranged from saccharine standards like “ Over the Rainbow” to a Fats Waller classic, “ Your Feet’s Too Big.” Not exactly rock & rolL Within a year, the Beatles had conquered England. Another year later, America and most of the rest of the world had learned a new word: Beatlemania. And all because of an erudite record producer who seemed ill-suited to the Beatles. George Martin was older than “the boys,” as he referred to them;, he had a classical-music back ground and was best known for his work with comedy acts like Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan. But Martin’s love of comedy and classical musie, along with his adventurous spirit in EMI’s record ing studios, meshed perfectly with the attitudes of the spunky band of musicians raised on R&B, rock & roll, pop and dance-hall music, who themselves had comedic instincts and who, given a chance, would smash the barriers of conventional music. He was, as the author Mark Hertsgaard put it, the “ essential partner.” As Martin noted in one of two books he wrote about the Beatles, he encour Martin, ca. 1965, in his London home, playing Help! aged them to “think symphonically.” The Beades, he admitted, resisted, but the proof of his impact on them is in such landmark recordings as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbejji] Road; in songs like “Because” (which Lennon based on Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” ) and “%sterdayf5)' Having enjoyed a career of working with the best and the brightest - he has also produced recordings with Jeff Beck, John McLaughlin and America - in 190 8 Martin decided to produce his own swan song. In My Life is a collection of Beades songs performed by an eye brow-raising assortment of Martin’s “friends and heroes” In addition to established musicians like Beck, Phil Collins and Celine Dion, Martin called on actors Sean Connery, Goldie Hawn, Robin Williams and Jim Carrey. For additional comic oomph, he had Billy Connolly camp things up on “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite.” Tracks featuring violinist Vanessa-Mae and guitarist John Williams recall the ease with which the Beades blended rock and clas sical music. In short, the recording perfecdy reflects the stellar career of Geoige Martin and brings him full circle. Which, of course, is exacdy as he arranged it ^ :" : i ;y v ;: jmmigmggssmmmmamm |. B MiMMii I ■ ■ B Y B E N F O N O HM T O R R E S

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mmmmmmmmirnrnrn»

George Martin

H- -. lM

B Ü M P H M H M

M Ü iN M I iM M iM I liP liNnWMpMNMIMilMl

aMpMMpMMHI

n the nine years the Beatles were together, their music changed

as they did, as the times did, as the world did. But through all

the jumps in their sound, there were five common grounds:

Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Starr and the real fifth Beade,

George Martin, h© From “ Love Me Do” to “ Let It Be,” it was

Martin at the baton, arranging the music, producing the record

ings, helping make John and Paul’s musical inventions and

dreams come true and, when the four young men began to take the reins

in the studio, knowing enough - well, to let them be. h s Perhaps George

Martin’s greatest contribution to the Beades story was making it possible

to be told at all. h s In the early Sixties in London, every record company,

every A & R man, every producer, it seems, turned down the Beades - until

they got to f i r hero. And even Martin wasn’t sure what he had on his hands that day in February 19 6 2 , when he listened as Brian Epstein played their demonstration tape.

Its quality, he recalled, was “ appalling.” The band’s repertoire ranged from saccharine standards like “ Over the Rainbow” to a Fats Waller classic, “ Your Feet’s Too Big.” Not exactly rock & rolL

W ithin a y e a r , the B eatles had con qu ered England. Another year later, America and most of the rest of the w orld had learned a new word: Beatlemania. And all because of an erudite record producer who seemed ill-suited to the Beatles. George Martin was older than “ the boys,” as he referred to them;, he had a classical-music back ground and was best known for his w ork w ith comedy acts like Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan.

But Martin’s love of comedy and classical musie, along with his adventurous spirit in EMI’s record ing studios, meshed perfectly with the attitudes of the spunky band of musicians raised on R&B, rock & roll, pop and dance-hall music, who themselves had comedic instincts and who, given a chance, would smash the barriers of conventional music.

He was, as the author Mark Hertsgaard put it, the “ essential partner.” As Martin noted in one of two books he wrote about the Beatles, he encour

M artin, ca.

1965, in his

London home,

playing Help!

aged them to “ think symphonically.” The Beades, he admitted, resisted, but the proof of his impact on them is in such landmark recordings as Sgt. P ep p er’s L onely H earts C lub B and and Abbejji] Road; in songs like “ Because” (which Lennon based on Beethoven’s “ Moonlight Sonata” ) and “ %sterdayf5)'

Having enjoyed a career of working with the best and the brightest - he has also produced recordings with Jeff Beck, John McLaughlin and A m erica - in 190 8 M artin decided to produce his own swan song. In My Life is a collection of Beades songs performed by an eye brow-raising assortment of Martin’s “ friends and heroes” In addition to established musicians like Beck, Phil C ollins and Celine Dion, Martin called on actors Sean Connery, Goldie Hawn, Robin Williams and Jim Carrey. For additional comic oomph, he had Billy Connolly camp things up on “ Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite.” Tracks featurin g violinist Vanessa-Mae and guitarist John Williams recall the ease with which the Beades blended rock and clas sical music.

In short, the recording perfecdy reflects the stellar career of Geoige Martin and brings him full circle. Which, of course, is exacdy as he arranged i t ^

:" :i ;y v;:

jmmigmggssmmmmamm |. B

M iM M ii

I ■ ■

B Y B E N F O N O

HMT O R R E S