It has very recently come to my attention that I have a habit of not finishing things that I start, which is very lame. I didn't have any real ambition to write any more blogs, but I will complete this segment, tentatively at the rate of one posting a week, as a thank you to my loyal fanbase who have consistently demanded that I finish this piece ever since I posted the first one back in August 2006. By fanbase I mean Tom and Shaun. This is for you guys. And what the hey, this is the year of the reunion after all...

PREVIOUSLY ON ANIL'S TOP TEN FAVOURITE BANDS:

10) Audioslave (RIP)

9) Rage Against The Machine (...Audiowhatnow?)

8) Led Zeppelin (Holy Shit, They're back!)

7) Ben Folds Five (Too soon for a reunion, but I predict they'll be touring come 2010)

6) AC/DC (Naaaaahhhh! Although rumours are a new album out January 2008)

And now we return you to...

My ten favourite bands! (Part 2 of 6)

5) The Beatles

Everything that can possibly be said of The Beatles has been said already, by audiophiles more intelligent and more prone to speaking in an English accent than I ever could. Everyone knows every single, but by avoiding the albums one misses out on hearing dozens of other musical pieces that shaped the 1960s zeitgeist, and to this day form the scaffolding upon which all pop music is built around. Songs such as the rockin’ “She said she said” from Revolver, which has my favourite drumming in any song (yes, even though it is Ringo playing). Or the aching “She’s Leaving Home” from Sgt Pepper with the dual lead vocals of Lennon and McCartney. Even “joke” songs such as Lennon’s insincere “Yer Blues” (from The Beatles’ White Album) have the heaviness and musicianship of the 1970s rock bands that would make a career out of exploring the 12 bar blues.

They ended up releasing twelve albums in just over seven years, which is almost one album every six months. Every album was an adventure in taking pop music to previously undiscovered sonic landscapes, and every song was unique and had its own story. Having listened to the Greatest Hits, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and the self-titled “White Album” (not to mention George and Giles Martin’s sublime remix album Love), there’s still more than half of the Beatle’s output to discover. I’ve barely scratched the surface of the beast. Eventually I will take the red pill, but there’s no rush; these songs will last forever.