Who influences the Beatles

[GFLEISI@UNIVSCVM.CSD.SCAROLINA.EDU]

Well, the first thing I saw about this on the list was that someone was
claiming a "Substitute" influence on "And Your Bird Can Sing" in the use of
bass.  "Substitute" came out in March of 66 in the UK.  The Beatles began
recording "And Your Bird Can Sing" in April of that same year.
So that's a possible/acceptable inference there.  However, the question about
The Who Sell Out being the first concept album would be mistaken.  That
record was released in the UK in Dec. of '67.  Sgt. Pepper came out earlier
that year, August, I believe.  So the Who did not come first, here.

As far as song snippets go, I think that what you see with the Beatles is
quite different from "A Quick One..."  The Who did a mini-opera, which was
a collection of musical movements that led to a narrative structure.  The
Beatles/McCartney work more with just a collection of snippets that have
some relation other than narrative (i.e. musical themes, lyric relativity,
concept, etc.)

I'd think that overall the Beatles probably influenced the Who more than the
other way around.  The Beatles did make it possible for other British bands
to get big in the USA, they did use "Twist and Shout" as the end of their
shows first, they did  start the whole idea of stadium shows.  Plus if you
look at songwriting techniques, much of what Townshend did on the early Who
singles is a lot like what the Beatles had done on their early singles.

Gary