Beatles Without George Martin?

George Martin is a great producer.
But he's not an artist.

Butch Harmon is a great golf coach.
But he's not a golfer.

Martin Scorcese is a great director.
But he's not an actor.

So much for the azmoon argument.

I had the great fortune of meeting George at Abbey Road. I worked with the Beatles on their first Beatles.com website, which recreated the studio as part of the design, back in 1998 and 99. I was invited on a personal tour and lunch with George, Paul and Paul's son.

He is very English in manner and tone. His hearing has diminished over the years and he speaks in a soft but measured tone. George is a very humble man, IMO, and I had the great honor of hearing St. Pepper replayed in the modern room under his direction from the mixing board console. He told me how cold and airy the original recording room was during the English Winter.

I think the best memory I can share with you all is that he felt very lucky to have spent so much time collaborating with them and being a trusted advisor between the individual Beatles. He was very fond of John, and repeatly told me of his presence on individual tracks, and was completely devastated by his death. You could feel the loss in the timbre of his voice.

The Beatles are so revered that it is almost sacrilege to criticize them. However, remember that the Beatles were turned down by other labels before George Martin stepped in. It is not unrealistic to speculate that they might never have been anything more than a local, cult band lost in the rest of the British invasion if George Martin had not "discovered" them and guided their development.

It is not unrealistic to speculate that they might never have been anything more than a local, cult band lost in the rest of the British invasion if George Martin had not "discovered" them and guided their development.

I quite agree. A good coach while not a player is one of the essential ingredients on a winning team. Look at what Daniel Lanois has achieved from behind the console.

Daniel's solo releases are very good as well.

Not something I can listen to every day but they're very interesting at the right time and mood.

My favorites are "For The Beauty Of Wynona" and "Shine".