Post by beldabeast on Sept 6, 2003 21:12:58 GMT
Strangest thing ! I rediscovered Paul this week.
I kind of had forgotten who he was , you see.
I was only 11 when the Beatles became known in the states .
The Beatles were my first contact with popular music.
I had been listening to a FLINTSTONES lp just previously.
Being a 11 year old Beatles fan is even better than
being a 17 year old Beatles fan .
Because I had a childs intensity and because the parental warnings about the dangers of rock and roll did'nt mean anything to me because I had no knowledge
of good or evil.
The Beatles music was powered by the child in them , did you know that ?
It was ! Listen again to their early stuff .There was this incredible connection between them and my circle of friends.
For over two years we LIVED it ! We incorporated the Beatles into our daily play times.
I lived behind the main drag lined with retail businessess of every description . We would walk the entire length up one side and down the other visiting all the shops . We would look at the cars and the tv's,
and any other interesting merchandise from a normal 11 year old's point of view.
Back in those days we did'nt really have formal music stores . Instead , many stores had a small records section. We would always stop by and check on the inventories of the Beatle albums to make sure they didnt run out before the record man did his route on wedsdays . If anyone asked , we could tell them who had what still in stock and who did'nt .
" Yeah , Skillerns has two copies of " Introducing the Beatles ." Then one of us would sometimes say ,
"no they don't ! I was by there with my mom a hour ago and there was only one ! "
I can't believe I ever had that kind of time !!
Do you know how around the holidays there is that holiday feeling in the air ? We felt that Beatle feeling in the air , and it was just as real . But like I said , we were children , we did'nt know restraint .
We had our transistor radios with the dumb little ear plug always with us . The station was playing the Beatles constantly .
Every other topic of conversation concerned the Beatles . It was pervasive . It was the best of times !
Then it changed ! Around 1967 the Beatles were no longer my favorite band . Then , I attributed it to them getting "weird" . They were a old playmate that suddenly became hostile .
We heard stories about how much they disliked their fans and how they hated each other . We saw them losing their minds . They werent the Beatles any more they were something else ! They were now angry about everything. They were attacking their public and each other. They were becoming what the grown-ups warned us they were .
But that was'nt what they were in the beginning .
Rebellion and drugs and discord just was'nt in their
make-up up to that point .
I guess I became disapointed in them .
I gained other favorite bands , There was Strawberry Alarm clock . But they were 1 hit wonders and soon failed.
I was heavy into Iron Butterfly for about two yeras before the rumors broke. I was still loyal to the beatles,
but IB was my new band .
My screen name is the title of a forgotten song on a long forgotten album.
I stuck with IB until 1975 ! LONG after their heyday.
I heard the rumors when I had been a IB fan for two years . I was frantic about it . The whole thing lasted about two months. It was all over the radio.
Then the DJ said we had all been led " on a magical mystery tour " and he , for one, was sick of the whole thing.
I stopped worrying at that moment . But down thru the years , in the back of my mind , I never really was sure . I decided the Beatles had just turned into a bunch of jerks . What was this Yoko apparition
doing on the scene and what the hell was this " Plastic Ono Band " crap ? They broke up , which I took as a personal slap in the face .
I refused to support their solo careers . i have bought precious little of their individual releases .
The years rolled by with all that conscientously forgotten. Years later I became a hard core Kansas fan.
I've been a kansas fan for over 25 years now .
The years rolled by , girls came along , I got married,
had a family .
Siver rings and paper wings make way for other toys , or SOMETHING like that .
Last week I found out what all that was really about.
I also met Paul again.
Remember , for me , the real Paul was buried under 3 years of Faul . I had forgotten Paul. I knew when he left , in the back of my mind . But I had forgotten him at the same time.
Now here he is again in front of me in full view for the first time in 37 years ! That is a very strange experience !
I know they were just a rock and roll band . but it does'nt FEEL that way, ya know ? Paul was a close friend to the eleven year old .
Now Paul is way back there , and the eleven year old
is HERE .
I kind of had forgotten who he was , you see.
I was only 11 when the Beatles became known in the states .
The Beatles were my first contact with popular music.
I had been listening to a FLINTSTONES lp just previously.
Being a 11 year old Beatles fan is even better than
being a 17 year old Beatles fan .
Because I had a childs intensity and because the parental warnings about the dangers of rock and roll did'nt mean anything to me because I had no knowledge
of good or evil.
The Beatles music was powered by the child in them , did you know that ?
It was ! Listen again to their early stuff .There was this incredible connection between them and my circle of friends.
For over two years we LIVED it ! We incorporated the Beatles into our daily play times.
I lived behind the main drag lined with retail businessess of every description . We would walk the entire length up one side and down the other visiting all the shops . We would look at the cars and the tv's,
and any other interesting merchandise from a normal 11 year old's point of view.
Back in those days we did'nt really have formal music stores . Instead , many stores had a small records section. We would always stop by and check on the inventories of the Beatle albums to make sure they didnt run out before the record man did his route on wedsdays . If anyone asked , we could tell them who had what still in stock and who did'nt .
" Yeah , Skillerns has two copies of " Introducing the Beatles ." Then one of us would sometimes say ,
"no they don't ! I was by there with my mom a hour ago and there was only one ! "
I can't believe I ever had that kind of time !!
Do you know how around the holidays there is that holiday feeling in the air ? We felt that Beatle feeling in the air , and it was just as real . But like I said , we were children , we did'nt know restraint .
We had our transistor radios with the dumb little ear plug always with us . The station was playing the Beatles constantly .
Every other topic of conversation concerned the Beatles . It was pervasive . It was the best of times !
Then it changed ! Around 1967 the Beatles were no longer my favorite band . Then , I attributed it to them getting "weird" . They were a old playmate that suddenly became hostile .
We heard stories about how much they disliked their fans and how they hated each other . We saw them losing their minds . They werent the Beatles any more they were something else ! They were now angry about everything. They were attacking their public and each other. They were becoming what the grown-ups warned us they were .
But that was'nt what they were in the beginning .
Rebellion and drugs and discord just was'nt in their
make-up up to that point .
I guess I became disapointed in them .
I gained other favorite bands , There was Strawberry Alarm clock . But they were 1 hit wonders and soon failed.
I was heavy into Iron Butterfly for about two yeras before the rumors broke. I was still loyal to the beatles,
but IB was my new band .
My screen name is the title of a forgotten song on a long forgotten album.
I stuck with IB until 1975 ! LONG after their heyday.
I heard the rumors when I had been a IB fan for two years . I was frantic about it . The whole thing lasted about two months. It was all over the radio.
Then the DJ said we had all been led " on a magical mystery tour " and he , for one, was sick of the whole thing.
I stopped worrying at that moment . But down thru the years , in the back of my mind , I never really was sure . I decided the Beatles had just turned into a bunch of jerks . What was this Yoko apparition
doing on the scene and what the hell was this " Plastic Ono Band " crap ? They broke up , which I took as a personal slap in the face .
I refused to support their solo careers . i have bought precious little of their individual releases .
The years rolled by with all that conscientously forgotten. Years later I became a hard core Kansas fan.
I've been a kansas fan for over 25 years now .
The years rolled by , girls came along , I got married,
had a family .
Siver rings and paper wings make way for other toys , or SOMETHING like that .
Last week I found out what all that was really about.
I also met Paul again.
Remember , for me , the real Paul was buried under 3 years of Faul . I had forgotten Paul. I knew when he left , in the back of my mind . But I had forgotten him at the same time.
Now here he is again in front of me in full view for the first time in 37 years ! That is a very strange experience !
I know they were just a rock and roll band . but it does'nt FEEL that way, ya know ? Paul was a close friend to the eleven year old .
Now Paul is way back there , and the eleven year old
is HERE .
Thanks God!!!! ;D ;D