Philo points out in “British Invasion” that the invaders were first influenced by the Americans. Acts such as “The King of Rock and Roll” Elvis Presley, Bill Haley and his Comets, Buddy Holly, the Everly brothers, and Chuck Berry had an impact on the Beatles, who led the first wave of the British invasion. Berry’s impact is evident in some of the early Beatles recordings, as he frequently toured the UK.
“British Invasion” also points out the influence of skiffle music on the emerging rock scene. Additionally, the author takes a closer look at the social, economic, and cultural significance of the era, and the effect it would have on pop music. Case in point, the dreaded Vietnam war, which led to anti-war protests and songs, and The Beatles would score a hit with “Revolution” in 1968.
The author considers acts such as the Dave Clark Five, The Who, The Kinks, The Animals, and Herman’s Hermits flooding the U.S. air waves, until the second wave of the British Invasion, led by The Rolling Stones. Philo reveals the influence each wave had on American bands trying to find an audience for their music. For example, Brian Wilson wrote “Good Vibrations” during the invasion, a far cry from “Barbara Ann.”
Finally, “British Invasion” probes the decline of the Beatles, which might have been started with John Lennon stating that they were more popular than Jesus. In the end, The Fab Four started creating music that couldn’t be duplicated on stage, and they abandoned touring all together, missing out on a connection with fans.
By: Simon Philo
Narrated by: John N Gully
Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
Release date: 06-15-17
