Spring Break
American English invasion
Beatles cover band plays at 4 p.m. today in library's South Quad
Tyler Angelo/Verge Reporter
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: The Verge
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The group began playing about 15 years ago for band front man and manager Eric Michaels.
He said he was invited into the band to play the part of Paul McCartney, whose songs had always been in his repertoire.
"I always had that McCartney sound when I sang," he said.
But the band was incomplete. Michaels recruited long-time friends drummer Tommy Gable and keyboardist Ken Zemanek, who plays the part of Beatles' producer George Martin.
Michaels said they went through three George Harrisons until they acquired the "absolute top George Harrison in the business," Doug Couture.
Couture was in a Led Zeppelin tribute band before and covered Jimmy Page and Robert Plant parts simultaneously.
The band also picked up guitarist Young Hines for the John Lennon part.
Michaels said he enjoys being a Beatle full time.
"The uppermost thing is that we get to play the greatest pop music in the world written by the greatest writers and players of the day," he said.
Gable said the most memorable experience for the band was in the actual Abbey Road studios, where The Beatles recorded much of its work.
Playing the same instruments as John, Paul, George and Ringo was the closest they could get to a Beatles holy grail, he said.
They used songs the members recorded after their 1970 breakup and put a Beatles feel to them.
"We took songs and put together a concept album, 'What If,' if The Beatles stayed together," Gable said. "We played these songs and recorded them in 'Abbey Road.'"
Michaels said each band member plays what the original Beatle played on each song, save for Zemanek, who plays the background noises and keyboards.
Michaels said he had to play the piano for the parts that McCartney played on, such as "Hey Jude."
"My idols played piano, one of which was my father," Michaels said. "He could never get me to do it, but Paul McCartney played piano, so I had to."
Michaels first heard The Beatles from kids at school and it instantly drew him in.
Gable said it was the hair that sucked him into Beatles music.
"They were like freaking aliens," Gable said. "How could their hair look like that?"
Gable said the band is excited to play for Eastern students and said it will open up a whole new world for Beatle music to them.
"That challenge of seeing if we can get them on our side is cool," Gable said.
Michaels said American English plans on playing more songs from the psychedelic era through the last Beatles album because they know students tend to like these songs and albums best.
"I think they'll come away realizing we love the music and we deliver what they want to hear," Gable said.
"We're into it, we're believing it and we're keeping that effervescence that The Beatles had.
"I'm pounding like Ringo did in the studio. We passionately deliver the music."
Dan Crews, Arts and Humanities Publicity director, said he has been a Beatles fan since 1972, when he was in fifth grade.
"The Beatles are a band whose music has crossed several generations," he said.
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