Overview
In this lesson, we will see the tremendous influence that British musicians exerted on American popular music during the 1960s. The sudden popularity of British rock bands in the United States is called the British Invasion. After the Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964, the British presence in rock and roll was firmly established.
Objectives
- Recall the development of rock and roll in Britain, focusing specifically on origins and early careers of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones
- Recall the number of stylistic, personnel, and managements changes of the Beatles before settling into the image of the Fab Four in matching suits
Making the Rolling Stones
The Beatles came from a background of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, Motown, girl groups, and a variety of other popular music styles. Their earliest songs included covers of music by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Berry Gordy, and Smokey Robinson. In contrast, the Rolling Stones were the product of a growing British interest in and revival of the American electric blues. Instead of relying on the song styles of American popular music like the Beatles had, artists such as the members of the Rolling Stones immersed themselves in the music of the Chicago electric blues tradition.
The Rolling Stones initially formed as a cover band devoted to American blues records. In fact, their name comes from the title of a Muddy Waters song, "Rollin’ Stone." The band’s earliest incarnation included Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, and guitarist Brian Jones. In 1963, Jagger, Jones, and Richards were joined by bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts, and they took on a regular weekly performance at the Richmond Crawdaddy Club. Andrew Loog Oldham began managing the band in May of 1963.
The Stones signed a record deal with Decca in 1963 which allowed them to retain ownership of their own recordings. They were also allowed to have unprecedented lengths of time in the recording studio, which gave them the chance to exercise a significant amount of creative freedom. Even though Oldham had no recording studio experience, he became the band’s producer. The Rolling Stones’ first singles on Decca were covers of songs by American rock and roll artists such as Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly. They also recorded "I Wanna Be Your Man ♫," which had been written for the group by Lennon and McCartney.
The Rolling Stones had a rough, brash sound in their recordings, which corresponded to their performance style. The group eschewed matching suits for whatever they felt like wearing. They had long hair and foul mouths. They made no secret of their womanizing and drug use. One publication called the members of the Rolling Stones "five indolent morons who seem to really enjoy wallowing in the swill-tub of their own repulsiveness." Another called them "the ugliest pop group in Britain."
