The British Invasion

“Merseybeat” sound (The Mersey = river in Liverpool) The Searchers The Swinging Blue Jeans Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas Gerry and the Pacemakers

The Searchers: Needles & Pins Released in 1964 The Searchers had a clean cut image & were the forerunners to folk rockers like the Byrds. The Ramones covered this song years later.

The Swinging Blues Jeans: Hippy Hippy Shake Released in 1963 The Swinging Blue Jeans had only this one hit. Can you already hear a Beatles influence?

Manchester British invasion bands Herman’s Hermits Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders Freddie and the Dreamers The Hollies

The Hollies: Carrie-Anne Released in 1967 Graham Nash (later of Crosby, Stills, & Nash) was a member of this group Can you hear a vocal similarity between the Hollies & CSN? Listen for the multiple, harmonized vocals (a ‘choral’ type of sound that is very characteristic of British groups).

Examples of other British Invasion Groups Dave Clark Five Manfred Mann Peter and Gordon Procol Harum The Troggs The Zombies

Dave Clark Five: Glad All Over Released in 1963 The DC5 were one of the major “contenders” of the early British Invasion. They had 18 Ed Sullivan appearances, 15 Top 20 hits in two years, & 6 sold out tours

“Blues Revival” British Invasion Groups (early and mid-60s)

Eric Burdon and The Animals: House of the Rising Sun Very important Brit. Invasion group Hit the charts in 1964 with “House of the Rising Sun” known for their R&B- blues influenced sound Successful cover versions of many R&B and soul tunes by artists like Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Jimmy Reed, etc.

The Yardbirds Important, very influential blues-based British Invasion band, established at a very young age! Repertoire included many “covers” of tunes by Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, etc., as well as originals. Style marked by emphasis on guitar innovations and virtuosity Numerous personnel changes, including several of rock’s most notable guitarists

Yardbirds’ Personnel Harmonica / vocals: Keith Relf Rhythm guitar / bass: Chris Dreja Drums: Jim McCarty Bass: Paul Samwell-Smith Guitar: Anthony “Top” Topham And three famous lead guitarists…

Eric Clapton ( ) Left to play more strictly “blues based” music Objected to the group’s move toward “pop” music

Jeff Beck ( ) Guitar virtuoso, Added “psychedelic,” experimental edge to the band’s style; Played on many of the greatest hits

Jimmy Page ( ) Page and Beck’s duets were legendary. Page took over the lead guitar role. A founding member of Led Zeppelin (and owner of the “Yardbirds” name!)

The Yardbirds: For Your Love Released in 1964 This song features a young Eric Clapton Clapton became increasingly frustrated with the band because he felt they were moving too far towards ‘pop’ & leaving their blues roots behind. Clapton quit soon after to join John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.

The Yardbirds: Shapes of Things Released in 1966 This song features Clapton’s replacement, Jeff Beck. For a short time, Jimmy Page (later of Led Zeppelin) played bass, then guitar alongside the Beck-era Yardbirds. Beck quit the Yardbirds in the middle of a US tour, leaving Page as the band’s sole guitarist.

John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers: Hideaway John Mayall (far left, above) was a British blues musician (keyboards, harmonica, guitar, vocals) Over the years, his influential band included future members of bands such as Fleetwood Mac, the Cream, the Kinks, the Stones, and others.

Cream: Crossroads One of rock’s greatest blues-based “power trios” Eric Clapton, guitar; Ginger Baker, drums; Jack Bruce, bass & vocals LPS, ’66-69: “Fresh Cream,” “Disraeli Gears,” “Wheels of Fire,” “Goodbye.”

Spencer Davis Group: Gimme Some Lovin’ Steve Winwood, vocals; Muff Winwood, bass; Pete York, drums; Spencer Davis, lead guitar/vocals Two of their biggest hits were “Gimme some Lovin’” and “I’m a Man” Eventually Steve Winwood left to form the group Traffic (next slide).

Traffic Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood, Dave Mason Disbanded in 68, while Winwood formed the band “Blind Faith” with members of Cream Re-grouped in 69 for the LP “John Barleycorn Must Die” 1960’s – early 70s LPs: Mr Fantasy (67) Traffic (68) Last Exit (69) Best of Traffic (69) John Barleycorn Must Die (70) Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys (71) Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory (73)

Some other influential British Invasion groups (early-mid 60s)

The Kinks Original personnel: Ray Davies, Dave Davies, Pete Quaife, Mick Avory Ray Davies - one of rock’s greatest and most influential songwriters Strong influence on later bands as diverse as the Jam, the Pretenders, Van Halen, and a number of later Britpop bands

Kinks (2) The Kink’s rise to fame was marred by a series of severe difficulties with their American tour promoters, and as a result the Musicians’ Union banned them from performing in the states for 4 years. Many rock historians believe that this, and other interpersonal difficulties, prevented them from achieving the level of fame they deserve as one of the primary British Invasion bands of the 1960s and 1970s.

The Kinks: You Really Got Me Released in 1964 The Kinks’ image was modeled after that of the early Stones (on & offstage) The Kinks’ success continued into the 1980, although the band is known for in-fighting between Ray & Dave Davies (brothers) Van Halen covered this song on their debut album.

The Kinks: A Well Respected Man Released in 1965 How does this song differ from the previous example? Does it sound like the same band? What instruments do you hear? Can you hear a folk-rock influence?

The Kinks: Waterloo Sunset Released in 1968 Does this song reflect the late ’60 musical trends as you know them? Do you hear psychedelic rock influences? Country-rock? Jazz-rock? Folk-rock?

The Kinks: Lola Released in 1970 Listen to the lyrics on this one – what’s it really about? Eric Clapton jokes that people ask him to play this song…he kindly tells them they should ask Ray Davies, Clapton wrote Layla.

The Who Regarded as one of the greatest of all the British Invasion bands Townshend one of rock’s greatest songwriters; all considered virtuosos: Pete Townshend: guitar, vocals John Entwistle: bass, vocals Roger Daltrey: lead vocals Keith Moon: drums

The Who, continued Known for their powerful, high-volume, high energy live performances – they are one of the loudest bands ever recorded! Notorious for instrument-smashing grand finales Credited with creating the first “rock-opera,” Tommy

The Who, continued The Who were known for their humor, as we can see from these 2 infamous album covers.

The Who – first “Rock Opera” “Tommy” (1969)“Quadrophenia” (1973)

The Who: I Can’t Explain Released in 1965 Pete Townsend & John Entwhistle met while playing Dixieland (an early American Jazz genre) The Who started out as a blues revival band, but soon established a more ‘mod’ image.

The Who: My Generation Released in 1965 This song hints at drug references (for those ‘in the know’) This helped solidify The Who’s anti- establishment image Part of that image was Townsend’s penchant for destroying instruments (not only his!) while in mid-performance.

The Who: The Kids Are Alright Released in 1966 The Who benefited from having 3 tremendous musicians (Townsend, Entwhistle, & Moon) & an incredibly talented singer (Daltrey) Daltrey went on to play Judas in a stage production of “Jesus Christ Superstar”

The Who: I Can See for Miles Released in 1967 What would you say makes all these examples similar? What differences can you hear? Do those differences seem like progress on the part of The Who?

The Who: Pinball Wizard From the 1969 release Tommy Tommy, the first of two ‘rock operas’ written by Townsend & the Who, centered on a young, deaf, blind, mute boy (Tommy) who occupies his time with pinball. In 1975, Tommy was made into a film, starring Daltrey, members of the Who, Elton John, & Jack Nicholson, among others.

The Who: Baba O’Riley Released on 1971’s Who’s Next, which signaled a move away from the rock-opera genre which The Who had created This song is often incorrectly referred to as “Teenage Wasteland” (from the song’s chorus) Listen for Townsend’s use of synthesizer for the opening portion of the song.

The Who The Who’s drummer Keith Moon passed away in 1978, from a drug overdose Bass player John Entwistle died of a heart attack in 2002, just before the Who were about to go on tour.

The Moody Blues The original Moodies started out as an R&B-based British Invasion band. Their major hit was “Go Now.” Lead singer Denny Laine would eventually join up with Paul McCartney to form the group Wings.

The Moody Blues, continued With new personnel (1966) they recorded “Days of Future Passed” with the London Festival Orchestra, and ended up being One of the major “art rock” or “progressive rock” bands of the late 60s and 70s.