The Beatles remain the world’s most popular band for many reasons, with their list of achievements eclipsing those of any other musical group. They revolutionised the use of the studio as an instrument, crafted mischievous lyrics, and embodied a distinctive approach to life both inside and outside of music. Drawing inspiration from the rock ‘n’ roll pioneers who influenced them in their youth, they propelled themselves into the future of music with groundbreaking creativity. Their influence is profound and far-reaching—without The Beatles, the musical landscapes shaped by bands like Black Sabbath and Nirvana, and even artists like Billie Eilish, might have looked very different.
While the Fab Four are celebrated for an array of accomplishments, which changed the direction of music and culture so wholeheartedly that they will never be topped, one of the most significant was what they did for guitar-playing. Motivated by genre innovators such as Chuck Berry, their guitars might have started in a similar rolling vein, but quickly, their chords and riffs would become busier, more dynamic and a whole load more inventive, weaponising melody in a transformative way.
Whether it’s their stoned acoustic moments found on Rubber Soul – which plucked from Bob Dylan’s early work and made folk more dream-like than ever – inventing dovetailing alternative rock lead lines on ‘And Your Bird Can Sing’ from Revolver or the choppy, proto-indie lines of their debut album Please Please Me, The Beatles pushed the guitar to new heights. They conceived an array of approaches that are now ubiquitous today, from pop music to more niche corners.
All three-stringed instrument players in The Beatles impacted the rock band setting, but George Harrison is the most celebrated of the lot, regardless of bassist Paul McCartney creating a technique that went toe-to-toe with his frequently locomoting licks. Harrison might have been dubbed ‘The Quiet One’, but his presence on the fretboard was immense, as evidenced by his classic moments such as ‘Taxman’ and ‘A Hard Day’s Night’.
A master of harmony and a vendor of explosive shredding, Harrison could convey practically every sentiment with his playing, and his technical but effortlessly stylish approach was vital to the classic rock era forming, producing a list of acolytes. One of the most revered players Harrison opened the eyes of is Toto leader Steve Lukather, who was already a prolific session guitarist in the 1970s before forming the ‘Africa’ band in 1977 and is famed for blending classic rock grit with the expressive warmth of jazz playing.
Lukather is such a renowned guitarist that it unlocked working with three former Beatles in Harrison, McCartney and Starr, with him a member of the latter’s All-Starr Band. Being in such close proximity to the legendary musicians is the stuff of dreams for the Californian, as the Liverpudlian galvanised him when they debuted on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.
In a 2012 interview with Music Radar, guitarist Steve Lukather selected his ten essential guitar albums, one of which was Meet the Beatles from 1964. He described the album as the “on switch to my life and the reason why I play guitar.” Lukather vividly recalled the moment America first saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, describing it as a transformative experience that turned the world from “bleak monochrome” to vibrant colour, sparking his lifelong passion for guitar.
Most importantly, though, Lukather shared his love of Harrison and called him his “first guitar god”. He chose the chiming ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ as the prime example of his might, stating that the solo was the first that “killed” him. It remains one of the best examples of just how pioneering the guitarist and band were when they broke out.
Lukather said: “‘I Saw Her Standing’ – the first solo that killed me! I wore that one section of the album out. George was my first guitar god, and I was lucky enough to eventually call him a friend. He was a sweet man who gave me so much.”
Not only did Harrison show Lukather the light, but after a great tragedy befell his existence and Toto, The Beatles’ guitarist’s famously gregarious nature would change his life once more.
