Conservative Beatles

[Zacoftheaxes]

What would the world be like if the Beatles were strict conservatives? instead of asking to "Give peace a chance" they would say "Kill the commies". instewad of doing drugs they'd speak out against them.

What effect would this have on our time?

 

[Emperor Norton I]

They wouldn't have joined Rock and Roll to begin with, and you would somehow have to make Liverpool a totally different place without totally altering time around it which is impossible, and someone have them be raised Conservative, which is nigh impossible too.

 

[Mr_ Bondoc]

Another thing that would have to be the issue of broadcasting. Just consider that the BBC banned radio transmission of rock n' roll music on domestic airwaves until 1968. Up until that time, groups like the Who, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles had to go overseas and/or underground clubs in order to perform for an audience.

The only people who had access to the underground clubs, pirate radio stations, or foreign music contracts were primarily liberal and progressive causes. Without access to these networks a Conservative Beatles would have been stillborn....

 

[catboy637]

The People want Nixon, oh yeah...

 

[RogueBeaver]

Someone do a quick Photoshop of a photo-op with Mrs T and the Fab Four. Please.

 

[catboy637]

At first I read, "Mr. T. with the Beatles." Scary.

 

[Lazar]

Considering Elvis's conservative views, maybe this TL would finally enable us to see the Elvis-Beatles concert!

 

[the_lyniezian]

Another thing that would have to be the issue of broadcasting. Just consider that the BBC banned radio transmission of rock n' roll music on domestic airwaves until 1968. Up until that time, groups like the Who, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles had to go overseas and/or underground clubs in order to perform for an audience.

The only people who had access to the underground clubs, pirate radio stations, or foreign music contracts were primarily liberal and progressive causes. Without access to these networks a Conservative Beatles would have been stillborn....

Ahem. Radio 1 started in 1967, not '68. And rock 'n' roll was on television far earlier (Top of the Pops starting in '64 for example, and that's not to mention Six-Five Special, Juke Box Jury, and Ready Steady Go! on ITV...) If there was no broadcasting of rock music on legal British stations (television or radio) before 1968, maybe rock music might not have gained quite the widespread appeal it had, but rather, it was on much earlier than that. (You were almost right with the radio, perhaps, but way, way off the mark with TV.)

 

[Fraxinensis]

I think that a "conservative Beatles" might work better if they were sort of non-political and their conservatism was mostly social. Not exactly "kill the commies" in their songs, but they stick to their early style more, and their subject matter is less subversive.

Americans would see them as charmingly old-fashioned and English, while English people would probably not mind terribly if they sort of stayed out of politics and were seen as playing decent songs and being a wholesome example for teens who liked their music.

I would imagine they would be less popular than they were in OTL, but could still be reasonably well-liked. Their lack of status as counter-culture icons would probably protect John Lennon from his murderer's obsession. Thus, I imagine the Beatles still break up eventually, but re-form from time to time with relatively little fanfare.

 

[Sausage]

beatles as beach boys

strikes me that this argument is proposing that The Beatles become the english beach boys. The beach boys went a bit wild but as far as I understand never quite as far out as the beatles. Is kinda amusing to say that because the beatles are considered highly conservative these days compared to say the stones or the pink floyd. not saying they actually were, just they way they are perceived.

 

[Xen]

Another thing that would have to be the issue of broadcasting. Just consider that the BBC banned radio transmission of rock n' roll music on domestic airwaves until 1968. Up until that time, groups like the Who, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles had to go overseas and/or underground clubs in order to perform for an audience.

The only people who had access to the underground clubs, pirate radio stations, or foreign music contracts were primarily liberal and progressive causes. Without access to these networks a Conservative Beatles would have been stillborn....

If Rock and Roll wasnt allowed on the BBC before 1968 then how do I have a Beatles Live at the BBC doubledisk CD? Believe me this was their early stuff too

 

[richie42]

What would the world be like if the Beatles were strict conservatives? instead of asking to "Give peace a chance" they would say "Kill the commies". instewad of doing drugs they'd speak out against them.

What effect would this have on our time?

You're talking about like half of their music here.