Today is Sir George Martin's 87th birthday. The Beatles' producer made a huge contribution to pop music in the '70s producing records for Jeff Beck, America, and many others, and his comedy albums with Dudley Moore and Peter Cook in the early '60s are undiscovered gems as well. But in the end, George was knighted for his work with The Beatles.
In 1962, Martin was head of Parlophone, a division of EMI, producing comedy records at the company's already-historic studios at Abbey Road when Brian Epstein, a record store owner from Liverpool, sent over an acetate of the pop group he was managing. Epstein had been turned down by every label in London. Would Martin give them an audition?
Unimpressed by the songs but intrigued by the harmonies, Martin made perhaps the most important shrug-of-the-shoulders in pop music history and said: "sure, let's get them in the studio and try them out." Martin listened and concluded he didn't like their drummer. The Beatles' lead guitarist didn't like Martin's tie. They got over those hurdles. The Beatles changed their drummer. Martin kept his tie. And so began the bloom of the first flower petal of the 1960s.
Whether you play an instrument or just your iPod, the tale of George Martin and The Beatles--their recorded legacy, the cultural sea change that swirled around them, and their improbable and poignant friendship--is a truly amazing story. Sadly, the music industry still has not read it.
It might be a stretch but as far as pop music goes, Winston Churchill's Battle of Britain quote, "never has so much been owed by so many to so few," could easily be applied to Martin and his "boys." Since no one needs much of an excuse to play a favorite Beatle song, take a moment today to dig a little deeper and find some of Martin's Goon Show recordings or his comedy albums with Dudley Moore and Peter Cook. It will give you a good day sunshine for sure. Happy Birthday, Sir George!
Source: http://www.epiphone.com
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