The music world is divided into several eras, each one marking the emergence of a new rhythm or style that will influence the next artists, right?
Following this logic, it is impossible to look at rock and not think of the greatest band of the genre: yes, we are talking about the Beatles.
John Lennon, the brawler from Liverpool, port, and den of England, had only one goal: to be a rocker and famous. Owner of a hard walk, he put together The Quarrymen without knowing much about music, along with as many friends as he had at hand. When he met Paul McCartney and George Harrison, things started to go professionally on track.
Formed by four young people from Liverpool, the group changed the behavior of singers on and off the stage, revolutionizing the concepts of records, presentations, fashion, and compositions and making the names of its members never forgotten: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
In a decade together, the singers turned the band into a valued brand, a symbol of pop culture, breaking sales records and releasing songs that are iconic to this day.
But according to Paul McCartney, The Isley Brothers was one of their influences – the group recorded the version of The Isley Brothers ‘Twist and Shout’ and the group’s original song, ‘Shout.’
When interviewed by the UK Music Reviews, The Isley Brothers’ Ernie Isley talked about meeting the Fab Four. “We had finished playing a show recently and after I had come off the stage, my wife said, ‘Paul McCartney’s sitting over there,’” he recalled. “Well, he was sitting three or four tables away, and let me tell you, I didn’t need telling twice. So, I walked over to where he was sitting and tapped him on the shoulder.”
What was Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr said about The Isley Brothers and their influence on the Beatles?
Paul was affectionate. “Before I could say anything, he stood up to his full height, gave me a bear hug which almost cut my wind off, and we were both shouting into each other’s ear,” Isley remembered. “I shouted, ‘Paul, you, John, George, and Ringo are just wonderful’ to which he replied, ‘Ernie, if it were not for The Isley Brothers, The Beatles would still be in Liverpool.’ Later that evening he got up on stage and repeated to everyone there what he had shouted in my ear, which was truly gracious of him.”
Back in 2014, Isley was able to sit down with Ringo and talked about the impact of The Isley Brothers on the Beatles.