Fake Beatles fans.

When I was in high school, some fool told me he didn't like the Beatles. I said, "so don't complain to me because you don't have good taste. Just listen to Help!" Another time when someone told me they didn't like the Beatles, I asked the person to name three songs and they couldn't. My response - "I think you might be enjoying them without knowing it. I think you probably like Yesterday, Michelle and a whole host of others and just don't know it."

That ended that.

Originally Posted by PaulisMine

Most times, when I meet someone like you are describing, I just feel disappointed. Because of course I'm sitting there wanting to have a cool conversation with my new Beatlefriend and then it's like, "IMAGINE IS MY FAVO BEATLES SONG OMG"
:(

LOL, I've definitely been disappointed in that way many times. But I still have a problem labeling any fan as "not a REAL fan". Somehow this always seems imbued with a set of rules..."If you were a REAL FAN, you would (do this that or the other thing)" and who makes these rules and who decides where the lines are drawn? Plus everybody's got to start somewhere. If when I was 14 and thought I was a huge Beatles fan because I'd just bought the red AND the blue albums, somebody would have come up to me and disdainfully called me not a REAL fan, I doubt that would have encouraged me to want to become one either. Beatles fan-dom is to be encouraged in casual fans, rather than something to be exclusive about, in my mind.

"Never had you figured for a Doors fan."
"Well I heard a record of theirs at a party last night, and I've always liked 'Love Her Madly.'"
"Well if you become a Doors fan, 'Love Her Madly' is the only song you won't like!"

Originally Posted by PaulisMine

Most times, when I meet someone like you are describing, I just feel disappointed. Because of course I'm sitting there wanting to have a cool conversation with my new Beatlefriend and then it's like, "IMAGINE IS MY FAVO BEATLES SONG OMG"
:(

Yes!! LOL. You have to laugh to yourself when these kinds of beauties are floated.

Originally Posted by Rellevart

LOL, I've definitely been disappointed in that way many times. But I still have a problem labeling any fan as "not a REAL fan". Somehow this always seems imbued with a set of rules..."If you were a REAL FAN, you would (do this that or the other thing)" and who makes these rules and who decides where the lines are drawn? Plus everybody's got to start somewhere. If when I was 14 and thought I was a huge Beatles fan because I'd just bought the red AND the blue albums, somebody would have come up to me and disdainfully called me not a REAL fan, I doubt that would have encouraged me to want to become one either. Beatles fan-dom is to be encouraged in casual fans, rather than something to be exclusive about, in my mind.

Good points Rel.

There have been many times in my past, even in present day, when I come across other fans possessing more Beatles knowledge than I. When I joined this forum, for instance, I realized how little I really knew. I thought I knew quite a lot about my favorite band, but I was quite impressed with many forum members and still learn all these years later. But, at no time along my path of Beatles enlightenment, did I ever feel I was lesser of a fan of their music due to my lack of knowledge or awareness.

I feel that Fandom is a relative term and quite personal. "Its all up to what you value"

Peace.

The Beatles and their music should be INclusive and never EXclusive.

It's all about us getting All Together Now and how it is time to Come Together so we can share the fun!

Maybe I have a different way of looking at the world, but I think that people are at different "places" at different times of their lives. So some fans are at that surface level, some have moved to a slightly deeper level, and others have immersed themselves at a much deeper level. Kind of like meditation, or layers of an onion.

We need to guide those at the superficial level, encourage them to listen to the original music and watch the movies and read the books. Help steer them away from the "crap" biographies and articles, like a mentor would. But above all, be patient with them.

I agree with all that is said here, fandom comes in varying degrees and everyone has their own level of commitment as a fan! All fans should be allowed to discover The Beatles in their own way with maybe a little help from others more involved!

Well said, OBC. After all, All You Need is Love!

Originally Posted by erinluv182

This is kind of off-subject, but I just have to share. One of my friends just told me that when her boyfriend was about to introduce her to me, one of the first things he said about me is that I like the Beatles a lot. She was like "oh, cool...I like the Beatles too!", and he said "NO.....she LOVES the Beatles."

That's cute!

Really interesting points... How true about the iPod in ways. There are many albums (lps) where the songs grew on me because you had to sort of sit through them or be changing them up all the time. Also with albums, I tended to perfer one side and so the songs on the other side could be much less familiar or cherished. iPod does change that somewhat now, but I think digdad is right that as the storage increases (and prices decease at iTunes) that more people will begin d/l the whole album. A lot of times I buy one or two songs, but if I could I sure would prefer to experience the whole album.

Also I agree with Legs that holding the album cover in your hand is part of the magic of getting a new record. The cover art doesn't mean so much now, being so small as a cd or a d/l booklet, which is a shame.

There are so many types of fans, so I don't really think to judge by a fan's knowledge. For instance, I know hippie types who approach fandom very differently... who may never go to Fest or buy a book on the Beatles, but who would maybe spend hours on a trippy painting inspired by a Lennon song. Or... I know Krishna devotees who do not have much in the way of albums or memorabilia but who became devotees after being inspired by George... and they see George as hugely instrumental in their spiritual and life path, and have a very exhaulted love for him. So, yeah, each Beatle fan path is so special.

Wow, Hari's Chick, You said it all..perfectly. :)

I'm only here for the music.

How about this for a fake beatles fan:
A mutual friend came up to a group of me and my friends and says, "Hey, I just got a new beatles poster, I love them so much. I think I must be the biggest fan."
It happened to be Georges Birthday, so I mentioned something along the lines of that.
"Who's George Harrison?" She replied.

I use to get a bit exasperated about this, but I've let it all go. Whether they are actual fans or they are just getting into the trend of throw-back T-shirts at least they are spreading some kind of awareness and interest. Just how big of a fan do you have to be before you are permitted to bear a T-shirt? I am guilty myself owning a few shirts of bands I hardly know.I came off exactly like a number of these people before my seed bloomed into a whole garden.

The youth of today can hardly be blamed for the MP3 dominance, it seems to be the most efficient way of acquiring music now. And because the Beatles catalog remains unavailable on iTunes, they remain ignorant of what they are missing. It truly is their loss if they choose not to seek further to what is available to them. However, on a certain aspect, casual fanacticism is probably a healthier lifestyle.

Originally Posted by Mrs.Mustard

How about this for a fake beatles fan:
A mutual friend came up to a group of me and my friends and says, "Hey, I just got a new beatles poster, I love them so much. I think I must be the biggest fan."
It happened to be Georges Birthday, so I mentioned something along the lines of that.
"Who's George Harrison?" She replied.

He's the biggest fan of nice looking posters I quess.

Ofcourse there are all sorts of fans.
Those that just like their songs when they hear them, even tho they don't have them. Or when I just started out I only had a few tapes of Beatle songs copied from the radio. I was just as much a fan then then I am now after I added a couple of more things to my collection.
However when people are not in it for the music and only like posters or T shirts, I consider them just being fans of nice posters and T shirts.

Originally Posted by Hari's Chick

There are so many types of fans, so I don't really think to judge by a fan's knowledge. For instance, I know hippie types who approach fandom very differently... who may never go to Fest or buy a book on the Beatles, but who would maybe spend hours on a trippy painting inspired by a Lennon song. Or... I know Krishna devotees who do not have much in the way of albums or memorabilia but who became devotees after being inspired by George... and they see George as hugely instrumental in their spiritual and life path, and have a very exhaulted love for him. So, yeah, each Beatle fan path is so special.

Then again, I agree with this also.
There are more things you can admire these four guys for then just the music.

Anyway let's enjoy and admire all things and people and stuff our own way.

Originally Posted by Legs

He's the biggest fan of nice looking posters I quess.

Originally Posted by Mrs.Mustard

"Who's George Harrison?" She replied.

He's the drummer, right?

Maybe Across the Universe and 1 will be something casual fans 'start with' on the way to becoming more serious fans.

To give a few illustrative examples, a lot of my friends like Japanese anime and one of them gave the idea that the show Sailor Moon was what most anime fans started with, and then it developed from there.

I took that concept and related it to Monty Python, where I said Holy Grail is probably what most new fans 'start with' you know, like a "My first Python" or something. I know that's what I started with. And now I've become a bit of an elitist in that I dont like people who say they love Python and only know Holy Grail. So Beatle-wise I can totally get the feeling toward Across the Universe and 1.

Originally Posted by Legs

He's the biggest fan of nice looking posters I quess.
...
However when people are not in it for the music and only like posters or T shirts, I consider them just being fans of nice posters and T shirts.

"..speaking words of wisdom.."
Good ones, and I can deffinatly agree. It's just this partucular girl. You know how it often seems like the people that know the least, know it the loudest? She is a good example.

I know exactly what you mean. I'm still a young beatles fan, only a year into my 'obsession'. I'm in high school, and all the girls around me love The Beatles. With a few exceptions, most of them only know Hey Jude and the 'JoBro's version of Hello Goodbye.
It just bugs me how theyre making the fab four a... trend. One of these girls even got a 'Let It Be' tattoo, and I've talked to her about the beatles, she knows shit.

Originally Posted by heyjude

I know exactly what you mean. I'm still a young beatles fan, only a year into my 'obsession'. I'm in high school, and all the girls around me love The Beatles. With a few exceptions, most of them only know Hey Jude and the 'JoBro's version of Hello Goodbye.
It just bugs me how theyre making the fab four a... trend. One of these girls even got a 'Let It Be' tattoo, and I've talked to her about the beatles, she knows shit.

Ahh..we must be from the same school. That sounds identical to my story..