Who would take The Beatles’ place if they never existed?
On February 7th, 1964, The Beatles made their way to the United States for a journey that would cement them as one of the biggest bands in the world. As they pulled onto the runway, John Lennon felt nerves setting in, cautious that some of his comments on civil rights may see him dubbed as a communist by the American media; however, the moment the plane doors opened, and the hysteria enveloped the band, it was clear their lives would never be the same.
The Beatles kicked off what is now dubbed “the British invasion”. Following the success of ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ and two successful stints on the Ed Sullivan Show, all America could talk about were the long-haired boys from Liverpool. They paved the way for a plethora of other British bands to find their feet in the States and set the foundation for a musical movement that would change the world.
“The floodgates opened,” recalled E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt, “It transformed America. On February 8th, there were no bands in America; on February 9th, we had Ed Sullivan, and on February 10th, everybody had a band in their garage. It was literally overnight.”
The Beatles are regarded by many as the most influential band of all time, not just because what they made was good, but because it completely changed the landscape of music. One of their initial biggest influences was that they made it so British artists could make a career in America. People had tried before, and there were a few hits here and there, but no one had any longevity. Billy J Kramer had gone to the States beforehand with mild success, as had Cliff Richard, but none had the same influence as The Beatles.
Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham put it best when he commented, “There was no real future for a British band before The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964. That was the turning point, after which there was an avalanche,” he said, “It totally transformed the possibilities, and as usual The Beatles were the frontrunners. In music, there is The Beatles, and then there is everybody else.”
It begs the question: If The Beatles had never existed, was there another band willing to take their place? Their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show paved the way for many British bands. Would one of these bands have made it big and essentially taken The Beatles’ spot, regardless of whether or not the Fab Four actually started making music?
Many may suggest that The Rolling Stones could have been the other band to kickstart the British invasion. Many of their music was heavily inspired by blues and R&B artists who came before, as opposed to The Beatles, so they would likely have sounded the same even without the influence of John, Paul, George and Ringo. Equally, rock music would take off in a big way in America, so their sound may have found its way over in the States regardless of whether or not The Beatles made their way over first.
That being said, their manager would disagree with this assessment. Despite The Rolling Stones being considered one of the biggest bands in the world and one of the most successful artists to come from the British invasion, Oldham also attests that, at the time, they were leagues behind other bands making music. He makes specific reference to the Dave Clark Five and Herman’s Hermits.
“The Rolling Stones got there long after The Beatles, The Dave Clark Five and Herman’s Hermits,” he said, “They were the pioneers. If The Beatles ever looked over their shoulders, The Rolling Stones were not the first thing they saw – it was The Dave Clark Five.”
It could well be that in lieu of The Beatles, the Dave Clark Five might have been able to kickstart the British invasion instead. Alternatively, maybe no band could step in in place of The Beatles. Michael D’Addario of the Lemon Twigs once spoke about The Beatles’ success, noting it wasn’t just their music but the timing and circumstances surrounding the Beatles’ rise to fame that helped them gain the traction they did. “The Beatles were such a finite thing. I wouldn’t wanna model my career after them because it’s such a moment in time and combustible.”
Additionally, even if another band could step in for The Beatles in terms of kicking off the British Invasion, it’s doubtful they would have the same impact musically, as each album for The Beatles represented a new area of music that they tapped into and opened up. Realistically, they’re a band that are irreplaceable, so we should just be thankful for the fact they decided to swing by.
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