I always liked the Beatles but I must admit that there are, and were then, much better bands. Never liked the 'stones much either. For 'Pop' I think you would be hard pushed to beat the Small Faces. Clever writing? Ray Davis and the Kinks. Rock? Hendrix of course:-) One of my favourites of all time, and still touring, Jethro Tull! Today Oasis seem to trying to do what the Beatles did, and are just as MOR when you compare them to the Kaiser Chiefs or Arctic Monkeys!

The Beatles did, however, encapsulate the feelings at the time. It was that move away from 'parents music' to music by and for the kids which Rock 'n' Roll started but the '60's' finished. I always thought they were reacting to something rather than leading the way though. Sgt Pepper as the point in question. Lots of people had already done the whole psycodelia thing, including the acid lyrics (Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds to do with LSD? Never! - Must be true coz Lennon said so..) and the military cut uniforms. Somehow though the Beatles managed to bring all these things to the 'masses' like no others did.

If I knew how that happened I would be a rich man today:-)

Cheers

Dave