Which Beatle CD Had the Most Musical Impact From Date of Release to Now?

[Paperback Writer]

OK, the book is on my list of future buys!. 

I still see the White Album having a bigger impact, as before it, the many varied styles of music that combine and contribute to rock and roll are mashed together as one rock/pop sound. 
With the White Album, the Beatles  strip  the varied elements of their music (country, blues, 50's rock, surf-rock, R+B, soul, Berry Americana, folk, ballad, Broadway musical, anthem-rock, acid-rock, electronic music -  and expose it to it's purest core sound.
These musical elements are then   grafted to grow all these styles of music anew - which is evident in music, ever since. 

Socially, the individual Beatles, their look, sounds and character stripped apart from the four-headed monster of Beatles, showed the world you could be part of a bigger than life entity, but also be appreciated for who you are and have your own individual evolution.  Before then, people tended to classify people, especially young people -  as monolithic "hippies" or "straights, "mods," "rockers," "jocks", "freaks," etc.

After the White album, the complexity of people and music became more recognized.
Look into a Glass Onion, indeed.

[acebackwords]

I still see the White Album having a bigger impact, as before it, the many varied styles of music that combine and contribute to rock and roll are mashed together as one rock/pop sound. 

There's certainly no right or wrong answer to this question (and a great one, by the way).  I wonder whether you're talking primarily about musical impact or cultural impact.  Certainly the White Album had the biggest impact on Charles Manson and many others. (Its Lennon's favorite Beatles album, by the way. I think Ringo says "Abbey Road.")

In a way you could argue that "Hard Day's Night" and those early Beatles records had the biggest impact.  Jerry Garcia said that when he first saw "Hard Day's Night" in the movie theatre he immediately scrapped his jug band and started an electric rock band, the Grateful Dead.  Bob Dylan said that when he first heard "I Want to Hold Your Hand" coming out of the radio he immediately scrapped his folk guitar and started planning his electric rock band.  To name just two guys who were impacted by Beatles music and went on to have quite a bit of an impact themselves.

[chris]

Film critic Roger Ebert says when he watched Hard Days Night for the first time he actually felt his hair grow longer in the theater. Knowing he would never wear it as he had, again. Maybe there is more than one answer to this question...or, maybe we all have our own, personal answer.

[acebackwords]

Film critic Roger Ebert says when he watched Hard Days Night for the first time he actually felt his hair grow longer in the theater. Knowing he would never wear it as he had, again.

Ha ha.  Thats a great line!

[Paperback Writer]

.......and Roger McGuinn saw George's 12-string Rick in A Hard Days Night - started the Byrds and the whole folk-rock sound booMED!

[Greg]

I just read a review that was critical of Pepper.  It was written a week after Pepper came out.  You know it made so much sense.  Without going into detail I'll just say it made a lot of sense.  I wasn't old enough in 67, but I'm guessing it's greatest impact was on the people who were aware at the time of what was going on. 

I think I orig posted Pepper as my choice.  Maybe Revolver turned more heads of other bands along with Abbey. 

[mervap]

Hey, Greg, do you have a link to the article? That would be fun to read...

[acebackwords]

Hey, Greg, do you have a link to the article? That would be fun to read...

Sgt Pepper mostly got rave reviews, but it was famously panned by none other than the New York Times.   Headline: "We Still Need the Beatles But...." by Richard Goldstein, June 19, 1967

Lines like: "For the first time the Beatles have given us a package of special effects, dazzling but ultimately fraudulent...."  and "....a new sarcasm masquerading as cool..."

[Greg]

I didn't read it on the net, but I'm going to put down my oud and go get the book right now...........................................

[returns from downstairs breathing heavy from running to get the book] Yep. Wow, Aceb had it right on.  It's from the NY Times article he mentioned. 

The book I have is Read The Beatles.  Classic and New Writings on The Beatles, Their Legacy, and Why They Still Matter.
He says that its not very original (and kind of states why), he hates the Harrison tune and She's Leaving Home (says Love You To and Eleanor R are way better), but he likes how the songs run into one another.  Loves Day in the Life.  Anyway, he makes a good case for why he thinks little of the album.

I've got about 300-350 Beatles books.  I should go grab some and put some comments on some of my favorites.
There are some odd ones.  Waiting For the Beatles is cool.  Is it accurate?  Who cares?  It's her memories of being an Apple Scruff.
The president of the George Fan Club in the U.S. wrote a book.  Interesting but quite bizarre in ways (even more bizarre that I bought it).  The Day John Met Paul is my #1 favorite.  Pete Shotton's is great.  Cynthia's two books are alright.  I like Emerick's an Alisair Taylor's a lot. My next amazon purchase is gonna be Acid Heroes though.  I heard it's good, but the author is a freak.

[acebackwords]

My next amazon purchase is gonna be Acid Heroes though.  I heard it's good, but the author is a freak.

Ha ha.  I'll have to use that for a back cover blurb.   

[acebackwords]

I've got about 300-350 Beatles books.  I should go grab some and put some comments on some of my favorites.

Yeah, I'm totally addicted to Beatles books.  And now I'm getting addicted to this dern message board. There's no hope for us Beatles fans is there.  Really like the books by May Pang, Fred Seaman, Pete Shotton, Emerick (will read anything about how the Beatles recorded those songs -- I've got one, I forget the title, where they go over every single recording session using the Abbie Road private archives material).  I also like McCartney's recent autobiography co-written with Miles.  Another good one is "The Longest Cocktail Party" if you're interested in the behind-the-scenes madness of the Apple Records hey-day.

Mikal Gilmore recently wrote a cover story in ROLLING STONE about the Beatles break-up.  And he said that when he was researching it, the more Beatles books he read, the more he wanted to read.  Its worse than drugs.  Just finished Patti Harrison's new book about life with George and Eric.  I guess they'll never run out of Beatles books.  "Every ex-wife, every chauffeur gets a book,"  said Lennon, wryly.

[mervap]

I've got one, I forget the title, where they go over every single recording session using the Abbie Road private archives material). 

I think that's "The Beatles Recording Sessions" by Mark Lewisohn.....my fave source for info about the Lads' music! Great book!