Though the Beatles’ tenure was relatively short, they experienced more than their fair share of different eras. From polished mop tops to psychedelic band majors, the Beatles weren’t afraid to experiment. Every fan likely has their own opinion on the question of which era was the best, but as it turns out, the band did too. Learn more about Lennon’s favorite Beatles era, below.
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John Lennon’s Favorite Beatles Era
Early on–when the word “Beatles” was just starting to gain traction in the public consciousness–the Fab Four was intrinsically linked to another rock outfit, The Rolling Stones. After cementing themselves as songwriters, John Lennon and Paul McCartney passed the Stones a few hits. It helped both bands to steadily rise in the rock scene, eventually helping them across the Atlantic.
Though many try to pit the Beatles and the Stones against one another, Lennon found their unlikely partnership to be one of his favorite times in the Beatles’ career. He once reminisced about meeting up with the grittier rockers around London, talking shop about which bands influenced them.
“We were kings, and we were all just at the prime, and we all used to just go around London in our cars and meet each other and talk about music with the Animals and Eric (Burdon) and all that,” Lennon once said. “It was really a good time. That was the best period, fame-wise, we didn’t get mobbed so much. I don’t know, it was like a men’s smoking club, just a very good scene.”
It’s nice to visualize two burgeoning rock outfits starting to enjoy the first glimmers of fame together. Unfortunately that relative anonymity didn’t last very long. The Beatles were destined for unprecedented fame soon thereafter. While the Stones certainly haven’t had a shabby career themselves, the Beatles were kings in the ’60s. It wouldn’t be long until the foursome couldn’t walk out on the street without being mobbed by crowds full of screaming fans. We could see why Lennon would yearn for this quiet era.
Their fame mounted towards the middle of the decade. The band was so overwhelmed by it that they decided to retire from the road completely. Of course, their never-ending schedule and “more popular than Jesus” scandal didn’t help their chances out on the road either. Given this, we have to sympathize with Lennon and his retelling of the glory days, when he could walk around London and explore without fear of getting mobbed.
Check out a track from Lennon’s favorite era of the Beatles, below.
(Photo by Cyrus Andrews/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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