Rock ‘n’ Roll Icons

1. Rock ‘n’ Roll Icons

2. Beatlemania It all began… Late 1963 in the United Kingdom Early 1964 in North America …and they never looked back! Video The Beatles rose to instant success and the whole phenomena was dubbed “Beatlemania,” which was best demonstrated by the large number of screaming and swooning young women who followed the group.

3. “The Fab Four” • John Lennon (1940 - 1980) • Lead singer • Rhythm guitar • Songwriter • Paul McCartney (Born: 1942) • Lead singer • Bass guitar • Songwriter • George Harrison (1943 - 2001) • Lead guitar • Ringo Starr (Born: 1940) • Drums

4. The Founder I: John Lennon • John Winston Lennon • Born Oct. 9, 1940 (Liverpool, England) • Moved to the United States in 1971 • Writer of many Beatles’ songs • "Help!" (1965) • "All You Need Is Love" (1967) • "A Day in the Life" (1967) • Marriage Yoko Ono in 1969 • Release solo album, Double Fantasy, in 1980 • On December 8, 1980, Lennon was shot to death outside his New York City apartment by Mark David Chapman John Lennon is a historical figure that still influences the music of present generations.

5. The Founder II: Paul McCartney • Paul McCartney • Born June 18, 1942 (Liverpool, England) • Writer of many Beatles’ melodic songs • "Yesterday" (1965), "Hey Jude" (1968), and "Let It Be" (1970) • Continued as solo artist after The Beatles disbanded in 1970 • Wings (1971-1981) included his former wife, Linda Eastman • McCartney married Heather Mills in 2002 and separated in 2006 • Popular albums/works since the Beatles: • Band on the Run (1973) • Tug of War (1982) • Flowers in the Dirt (1989) • Liverpool Oratorio (1991) • Behold My Heart (2006) • Blackbird Singing: Poems and Lyrics 1965-1999 • High in the Clouds (2005) – Children’s book Paul McCartney is still a figure in music today and his invaluable accomplishments throughout his life are demonstrated through his appointment as a knight in 1997.

6. The Guitarist: George Harrison • George Harrison • Born February 25, 1943 (Liverpool, England) • Introduced concepts of Eastern music during the group's final years • After the Beatles, a career as a soloist and composer began • 1974: Tour with Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar • Later hits: • "Give Me Love" (1973) • "This Song" (1976) • "Crackerbox Palace" (1976) • "All Those Long Years Ago" (1981) • "Got My Mind Set on You" (1987) • Activist: • Helped organize a concert in NYC to raise money for Bangladesh • Record and motion-picture producer: • Produced and performed in the film Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) and produced Time Bandits (1981), Privates on Parade (1983), Mona Lisa (1986), and Nuns on the Run (1990) Though George Harrison passed away in November of 2001, he will always be known for bringing a unique influence to the Beatles and the music world.

7. The Drummer: Ringo Starr • Richard Starkey • Born July 7, 1940 (Liverpool, England) • Attracted fans with his good natured personality and charm • He was a skilled comic actor in the group's hit movies • A Hard Day's Night (1964) • Help! (1965). • Developed his film talent • Candy (1968) • The Magic Christian (1969) • Born to Boogie (1972) • That'll Be the Day (1973) • Caveman (1981) • Led own rock band, which had hits including, "It Don't Come Easy" (1971), "Photograph" (1973), and "Only You" (1974) Though Ringo Starr turned his career to movies, he still had a great influence on music throughout history with his talent as a drummer for the Beatles.

8. A Shift in Rock ‘n’ Roll • Before the Beatles, rock music was based on a strong beat • “Jailhouse Rock” (Elvis Presley - 1957) • The Beatles' music introduced a new sense of melody with chord progressions being more complex and lyrics having more meaning • "Yesterday" (1965) Though their music was innovative, the topics they wrote about were regularly thought to be "inappropriate" for popular music. The new themes went against what was acceptable in the music industry, and the masses welcomed the Beatles because of this. However, their record labels, EMI and Capitol, did not. Nonetheless, Rolling Stone Magazine (www.rollingstone.com),in a recent 2007 article, stated, “their innovative music and cultural impact helped define the 1960s, and their influence on pop culture is still evident today.”

9. And the Hits Keep Coming (UK Singles) Total Weeks at Number One : 69

10. End of the Road All good things… Amid group friction in 1970, “Abbey Road,” the last album by the Beatles, was completed and released …must end.