[rico]

Originally Posted by Dr. Johnny Fever

If the Beach Boys were in the mix with the 2 biggest artists of all time they would have been.

I'm fully aware that the Beatles, on an global level have been much more influential than the Beach Boys....HOWEVER, I personally prefer Beach Boys. I have Pet Sounds in my car right now. I saw Mike Love (well, it was labeled Beach Boys, but it was just Mike Love and some other dudes) in concert last year. Had a blast.

I don't doubt that the Beatles' lyrics, music, innovation, etc. was brilliant. I just haven't ever been able to get into them. I like "I am the Walrus," and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" but that's honestly about it for me. I don't necessarily dislike their other stuff, I just can't get into it to the point where I'll buy their stuff, seek more of their music or put it into my personal rotation in my car or in my office. I don't know what it is that everyone including my family and friends are hearing that I'm not.... The vocals don't really grab my attention. The music really doesn't either. Some of it may have to do with the fact that I have always felt that Paul McCartney is a total prag. I haven't taken the time to really sit down and analyze their lyrics because I haven't really felt tempted to...they are somewhat boring to me in comparison to other bands.

I like some of Elvis's stuff though. So I voted for him. Do I really think he was more influential than the Beatles as a whole? No, probably not. Maybe comparable on a national level, but globally? I'm guessing the Beatles take the cake. So my initial urge to choose Elvis and going through with choosing him, was due to my bias of just personally liking Elvis more and a lot of why I like Elvis is probably for sentimental reasons....used to listen to him a lot at my semi-recently deceased grandfather's house.

I'm at a musical stalemate right now... I haven't been able to find anything to get into that I've liked. I just went through a huge Nilsson (ironic since he was so tight with Lennon) and Fred Neil phase. With that said, if anyone has any suggestions of Beatles songs to listen to that may change my opinion of them, by all means post them. I'd like to get into the Beatles.....I just am not totally stoked about what I've heard from them so far, which I admit, is a limited amount. Basically what I've heard from them are their hits and some of the songs that my brother has forced me to listen to in what seemed like desperate attempts at converting me into a Beatles fan. So if ya'll have any suggestions, I'll definitely give them a try. Like I stated earlier, so far, I dig "I am the Walrus" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and there was a blue-grassy-ish song that my friend played on the way to Lollapalooza a few years ago that I remember thinking was pretty cool, but didn't know the name of the song.

On a side note, if I were asked who I thought the most influential musical influence(s) are in terms of how music has been shaped and molded into what it is now.... my answer would be African American slaves.