And Yet Another Gaggle of Nerds...
Ok, so, let's review.
The Nerd Herds: The Short List
Star Wars Nerds
Star Trek Nerds
LOTR Nerds
Comic Book Nerds
RPG Nerds
Anime Nerds
Formidable nerds, all. However, I present you with a nerd group that has flown under the radar for too long.
The Beatle Nerds.
Now, most of my regular readers (all 4 of you) have read my treatise and letter to WXRT lambasting their weekly "Breakfast with the Beatles" program. That alone really does kind of give away my status as a card carrying member of this herd. But I forgot how deep the river of Beatle nerdom runs until this past weekend.
I have signed up for a guitar ensemble class called "The Beatles: The American Releases". I figured, if I can learn to play the Beatles on the guitar, I can learn to play nearly goddamned everything. For those not familiar with their music, and further, those who have never attempted to play their music...I am here to tell you that for a band whose music on the surface sounds relatively simple, they are rigoddamneddiculously difficult. So, Saturday I packed up Ms. Judy (my guitar) and headed on out to the lesson.
Things started out innocently enough. When I arrived, there were already a bunch of folks there talking and laughing and tuning...clearly they had taken classes before. No big deal. But then a joke was made (one that I didn't really hear) and someone calls out...
"HA! Must be Beatles class! Cause ANYTHING can happen in Beatles class!! AHHAAHAHAHHAAHAA!!"
hm.
A little red flag went up in my head. Wait. ANYTHING can happen in Beatles class? Like what? And what about BEATLES class lends itself to out of control hijinks? This is the Beatles, people. Not a Motley Crue show complete with midgets chasing strippers on motorcycles. I mean, jeez, you guys... maybe you should get out a little more. And then a sense of dread washed over me as I began to realize who I might be dealing with here.
We all filed into the tight quarters of the classroom and, after a good 5 minutes of guitar case wrestling and guitar neck knocking, managed to sit down. More warming up. I thought it a good sign that no one was busting out their KICK ASS Beatles licks that establised them as People Who Know How to Play the Beatles. Except me. Yeah, I was that girl. But, hey, I don't know that many tunes to warm up to.
So.
Shut up.
Our instructor walked in and handed out the packets that we'd be using for the class. The chords to "Meet the Beatles" in its entirety. We're learning an entire album. As he handed out the packets, he explained that this was the American Releases class and so this version would differ from the British "Introducing the Beatles". And then he said the major difference was that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was included on the American LP. And then I heard:
"Well, that's because they generally didn't include the singles on the LP's" and then
"Um, 'Don't Bother Me' is the only George track right?" and then
"This is the verson of I Saw Her Standing There that has Paul's full '1234' count rather than just the '4' he yells in the British release right?"
More odd factoids...each one designed to top the other were tossed about the room.
Holy shit. It was a Beatle trivia pissing contest! HAHAHAHAHAHAH ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN BEATLES CLASS!!!!!
And then I looked around the room again and realized I was in a room FULL of balls deep Beatle Nerds.
Aging Hippies...guys in graying ponytails, Birkenstocks with homespun socks, women in long skirts and salt and pepper braids and everyone was wearing brown or black- Almost as if to say "I'm embodying the color palatte of the covers of 'Rubber Soul' and 'With the Beatles'.
Oh fuck. Age me 15 more years, keep my hair long and I am just like them.
I should point out that I am the youngest woman in the class. Posible the youngest person, but I don't know how old the guy sitting next to me was. He looked closer to my age.
But these people are not fucking around. When we got to "All My Loving", the instructor called out
"Remember... harmonies where? That's right. Last verse only!"
I thought I knew these songs. But man. They knew background vocals that, unless you've got your 1970's 10 pound headphones on, are nearly invisible to the naked ear.
If there was ever a group of purists, it's the Beatle Nerds. I know this, because, again. I am one. God help me.
When I get back from the UK, I'll return to class.
I'm looking forward to this conversation:
"John's lyrics are so much more profound that Paul's."
"Perhaps, but Paul was the ballad writer."
"Hey, I have 17 uncut versions of 'Yesterday' back at my place. You wanna come over and check 'em out?"
"Was Magical Mystery Tour the most UNDERAPPRECIATED film ever?? You bet!"
Hey, um, Pot? Kettle called last night....
The Nerd Herds: The Short List
Star Wars Nerds
Star Trek Nerds
LOTR Nerds
Comic Book Nerds
RPG Nerds
Anime Nerds
Formidable nerds, all. However, I present you with a nerd group that has flown under the radar for too long.
The Beatle Nerds.
Now, most of my regular readers (all 4 of you) have read my treatise and letter to WXRT lambasting their weekly "Breakfast with the Beatles" program. That alone really does kind of give away my status as a card carrying member of this herd. But I forgot how deep the river of Beatle nerdom runs until this past weekend.
I have signed up for a guitar ensemble class called "The Beatles: The American Releases". I figured, if I can learn to play the Beatles on the guitar, I can learn to play nearly goddamned everything. For those not familiar with their music, and further, those who have never attempted to play their music...I am here to tell you that for a band whose music on the surface sounds relatively simple, they are rigoddamneddiculously difficult. So, Saturday I packed up Ms. Judy (my guitar) and headed on out to the lesson.
Things started out innocently enough. When I arrived, there were already a bunch of folks there talking and laughing and tuning...clearly they had taken classes before. No big deal. But then a joke was made (one that I didn't really hear) and someone calls out...
"HA! Must be Beatles class! Cause ANYTHING can happen in Beatles class!! AHHAAHAHAHHAAHAA!!"
hm.
A little red flag went up in my head. Wait. ANYTHING can happen in Beatles class? Like what? And what about BEATLES class lends itself to out of control hijinks? This is the Beatles, people. Not a Motley Crue show complete with midgets chasing strippers on motorcycles. I mean, jeez, you guys... maybe you should get out a little more. And then a sense of dread washed over me as I began to realize who I might be dealing with here.
We all filed into the tight quarters of the classroom and, after a good 5 minutes of guitar case wrestling and guitar neck knocking, managed to sit down. More warming up. I thought it a good sign that no one was busting out their KICK ASS Beatles licks that establised them as People Who Know How to Play the Beatles. Except me. Yeah, I was that girl. But, hey, I don't know that many tunes to warm up to.
So.
Shut up.
Our instructor walked in and handed out the packets that we'd be using for the class. The chords to "Meet the Beatles" in its entirety. We're learning an entire album. As he handed out the packets, he explained that this was the American Releases class and so this version would differ from the British "Introducing the Beatles". And then he said the major difference was that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was included on the American LP. And then I heard:
"Well, that's because they generally didn't include the singles on the LP's" and then
"Um, 'Don't Bother Me' is the only George track right?" and then
"This is the verson of I Saw Her Standing There that has Paul's full '1234' count rather than just the '4' he yells in the British release right?"
More odd factoids...each one designed to top the other were tossed about the room.
Holy shit. It was a Beatle trivia pissing contest! HAHAHAHAHAHAH ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN BEATLES CLASS!!!!!
And then I looked around the room again and realized I was in a room FULL of balls deep Beatle Nerds.
Aging Hippies...guys in graying ponytails, Birkenstocks with homespun socks, women in long skirts and salt and pepper braids and everyone was wearing brown or black- Almost as if to say "I'm embodying the color palatte of the covers of 'Rubber Soul' and 'With the Beatles'.
Oh fuck. Age me 15 more years, keep my hair long and I am just like them.
I should point out that I am the youngest woman in the class. Posible the youngest person, but I don't know how old the guy sitting next to me was. He looked closer to my age.
But these people are not fucking around. When we got to "All My Loving", the instructor called out
"Remember... harmonies where? That's right. Last verse only!"
I thought I knew these songs. But man. They knew background vocals that, unless you've got your 1970's 10 pound headphones on, are nearly invisible to the naked ear.
If there was ever a group of purists, it's the Beatle Nerds. I know this, because, again. I am one. God help me.
When I get back from the UK, I'll return to class.
I'm looking forward to this conversation:
"John's lyrics are so much more profound that Paul's."
"Perhaps, but Paul was the ballad writer."
"Hey, I have 17 uncut versions of 'Yesterday' back at my place. You wanna come over and check 'em out?"
"Was Magical Mystery Tour the most UNDERAPPRECIATED film ever?? You bet!"
Hey, um, Pot? Kettle called last night....
posted by LC Greenwood at 10:13 AM
2 Comments:
It's nice to see that you're a Beatles fan. The quality of their music and harmonies is really very good.
I was in high school when they first appeared. The first song I heard was "She was just 17". They shocked everyone by being the first "long hairs". That was back when everybody had crewcuts and only drag queens had long hair. The girls went wild over the Beatles.
Then they were big during the psychedelic 60's when everyone was always pickled. I haven't gotten pickled for 35 years. It sure was fun.
I've found that if songs manage to survive 30 years as "golden oldies" or "classics", they are usually musically very good.
I like to listen to songs of 40 years ago because I hear them differently now. Sometimes the most entertaining part is to listen to the creativity of the background singers, and their "doo-wop, doo-wops" and "dudalang, dudalangs". Where did they come up with those words? It was really creative.
Cordially,
Jack W. Orf
LC POSESSED BY HER INNER BEATLE NERD:
that song you heard was "I saw her standing there."
"She was just 17" is the first lyric to said song.
...oh good lord. I apologize...
It's started again.
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