News Tip: Experts Can Discuss Impact of Beatles' First Appearance on 'Ed Sullivan Show'

Impact of TV PerformanceElizabeth PhillipsCommunications coordinator, Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies(919) 660-3663; elizabeth.d.phillips@duke.eduQuote:"The Beatles on Ed Sullivan could be seen as the first television event that went 'viral.'"  ---     Duncan Murrell, writer in residence, Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies(919) 660-3663; duncan.murrell@duke.eduQuote:"It is interesting to contrast Ed Sullivan's reluctance to have Elvis on the show in the late 1950s, and the famously cropped-out pelvis of Elvis on the first show -- though that was changed for his second and third appearances, with his enthusiasm for getting The Beatles on the show five years later, to the point of giving all the best slots on the show to the band. Apparently, Sullivan himself drew a straight-line between Elvis and the Beatles, and had learned his lesson."Impact on CultureBonnie CampbellArt director, Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies(919) 660-3663; bonniec@duke.eduQuote:"Screaming young women greeting the Beatles -- these photos document the emerging liberation of female sexuality of the 1960s." --- Alexa DilworthPublishing director/editor, CDS Books, Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies(919) 660-3663; alexad@duke.eduQuote:"The Beatles symbolized the as-yet unrecognized dreams of liberation of all kinds, both individual and communal. Their ability to harmonize called us to a vision of the 'beloved community' envisioned by the civil rights movement, where all sing together as one." Impact of Beatles' MusicWesley HoganDirector, Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies(919) 660-3663; wesley.hogan@duke.eduQuote:"For all the positivity their upbeat songs generated, it seems important to contextualize the Beatles’ music itself as documentary evidence of the blurry share/steal bridge between white and black cultures. The Beatles in 1964 became another example of whites popularizing musical forms innovated by blacks. In this case, the Beatles were safe enough for white suburban teens to embrace, unlike B.B. King or Howlin' Wolf. The images and footage of 1964’s Beatlemania reflect a sea of whiteness." "In this context, it is important to note that John Lennon’s first band was a skiffle band, adopting this lesser-known African American musical form popularized in the UK in the 1950s."---John BiewenAudio program director, Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies(919) 660-3663; jbiewen@duke.eduQuote:"Today the Beatles’ music stands for quality -- most people would say it’s far more intelligent and interesting, musically and lyrically, than other pop music -- then and now. Yet at the time, the music reviewer for Newsweek found their tunes so devoid of merit that 'most adults confidently predict' they would quickly fade: 'Musically, they are a near-disaster: guitars and drums slamming out a merciless beat that does away with secondary rhythms, harmony, and melody. Their lyrics (punctuated by nutty shouts of "yeah, yeah, yeah!") are a catastrophe, a preposterous farrago of Valentine-card romantic sentiments.'""Compared to what? Cole Porter? Irving Berlin? Mozart? This documentation of the Beatles’ early critical reception cannot be separated from the fears of change, liberation and sexuality that the music itself unleashed on the show Feb 9, 1964." _        _        _        _Duke experts on a variety of other topics can be found at http://newsoffice.duke.edu/resources-media/faculty-experts. Note to broadcast editors: Duke provides an on-campus satellite uplink facility for live or pre-recorded television interviews. We are also equipped with ISDN connectivity for radio interviews. Broadcast reporters should contact Scott Wells at (919) 660-1741 or James Todd at (919) 681-8061 to arrange an interview.###