markus heuger's
beabliography

Beabliography

Abstract 0335

Heinonen, Yrjö, Jouni Koskimäki and Terhi Nurmesjärvi (1998), "The White Album — Past and future." Paper for the IASPM UK 1998 Conference "Popular Music — Past and Future". Liverpool, England, 11-13 September 1998.

The year 1998 is the 30th anniversary for the 'White Album' of the Beatles. The focus of this presentation is both in the production process of the album and in the album itself. The album and its making is studied as related to both the preceding and following records of the Beatles as well as the changes in the overall scene of popular music during the 1960's and early 1970's. The paper is based on a careful study of (1) the record itself; (2) transcriptions of the songs; (3) demo versions and early/alternative takes of the songs; (4) detailed descriptions of the recording sessions; and (5) available interviews of the members of the Beatles and the EMI staff. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used. The 'White Album' can be seen as a consequence of the stylistical development of the Beatles as well as their development as a small group. It went, however, far beyond the limits from where it was possible to return. Despite this the album sold well and had an enormous impact on the later popular music. In any case, there is room for speculations concerning how the history of popular music would have been different had EMI and the Beatles made slightly different decisions during 1968.