Sir George Martin RIP

[Tramp The Dirt Down]

Sir George Martin gone aged 90.

[Sits]

Sir George Martin RIP

Right that's it, 2016 ends now. Let's just all agree to start 2017 early.

OK, he was 90, but bloody hell what a loss.

[Mumpo]

Sir George Martin RIP

I'd have to say, the best of The Beatles

[Beatle Simon]

Sir George Martin RIP

The older I get, the more I appreciate what a phenomenon The Beatles actually were.

When you think every band has a set line-up, which although can change, you never get people associated with them as official members, which makes it more incredible that there was always a case for a fifth Beatle - Sir George, Brian Epstein and Stuart Sutcliffe. Theres even a wiki page dedicated to it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Beatle

But for me, when it comes down to the music, Sir George has to fill that role.
He was Algernon to the Fab's Bash Street Kids.

RIP, Sir George.

[Various Artist]

Sir George Martin RIP

Poor Pete Best, airbrushed out of history yet again Serge...

But damn damn damn, a sad loss indeed. Knew I'd find Sits on this thread already - I was thinking only yesterday about your 'Beatles 50 Years On' thread, which I don't think has popped up in a while, and wondering what we've got as far as in the timeline now, eerily enough. George Martin's contribution to what we know as the Beatles canon is incalculable, and I'm glad he enjoyed a long life afterwards in which to be appreciated for it. Good he made it to 90, on January 3rd - 2016 has grudgingly allowed us that, at least. RIP.

[Jah Womble]

Sir George Martin RIP

RIP, indeed. Echoing all sentiments thus far recorded - a huge, huge figure in popular music history.

[G-Man]

Sir George Martin RIP

Various Artists wrote: Knew I'd find Sits on this thread already - I was thinking only yesterday about your 'Beatles 50 Years On' thread, which I don't think has popped up in a while, and wondering what we've got as far as in the timeline now, eerily enough.

We're a little under a month away from the first session of Revolver. Around now 50 years ago Lennon made his "Bigger than Jesus" comment.

[Come along, Min]

Sir George Martin RIP

Great influence, RIP.

Big Train's caricature of him as someone who can't stop telling Beatles anecdotes.

[Incandenza]

Sir George Martin RIP

Local station re-aired a 1996 interview with him, mixed in with Beatles songs. I enjoyed it:

http://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/chris-douridas/in-conversation-with-george-martin

[Land Waster]

Sir George Martin RIP

Always a pleasure to listen to him in interviews, such an urbane voice.

And then there was the music. My favourite Martin moment behind the console is the harpsichord solo in the middle of In My Life. Except it isn't a harpsichord. It was a piano whose sound was tweaked to make it sound like a harpsichord. Genius.

Got to mention Goodness Gracious Me. Wonderful- but is it PC these days?

[G-Man]

Sir George Martin RIP

It's not really mean-spirited towards Indians, and Sellers had a thing about doing comedy in foreign accents. His German version of "She Loves You" -- another George Martin production -- is a masterclass in accent-based comedy.

I'd defer the answer as to the acceptability to Indians though.

[tee rex]

Sir George Martin RIP

A TV/radio network in NZ is definitely not keeping it real with the olds ....

It's the bloody hashtag that really seals it.

[Satchmo Distel]

Sir George Martin RIP

It seems slightly odd that, according to that article, George Best was not tagged as a 5th Beatle until the Portuguese gave him the "El Beatle" tag in 1966, unless it's just lazy journalism that ignores how Best was reported prior to March 1966.

Maybe there was less convergence of football and pop music culture before 1966 but there was clearly some (terrace chants, for example)

[Andy C]

Sir George Martin RIP

"Fifth Beatles" were people who had been involved with the band. We were pretty literal-minded in those days. Best just had a similar haircut.

[Duncan Gardner]

Sir George Martin RIP

Aye, born 10 or 12 years later he'd have been the sixth Undertone.

Sounds a bit Dan Brown, that?

[Felicity, I guess so]

Sir George Martin RIP

A TV/radio network in NZ is definitely not keeping it real with the olds ....

The mistake I was half expecting to come across was some twitterfest of younger/non-60s-aware people thinking the Game of Thrones sequels would now never be written...