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The Beatles Tribute Band formed in 1997. The band has a uniquely authentic Beatles sound that is often hard to tell from the original. Digger talked with founder and John Lennon sound-alike Martin Reynolds about his love of The Beatles and the background to the band.

The Beatles Tribute Band - A splendid time is guaranteed for all!

Digger: What is your background and can you explain your passion for The Beatles?

Martin: I was born in Greenwich, London (at a very early age!) My mother was a huge Beatles fan and bought all the records which she frequently played. And so I grew up with The Beatles as part of my stable diet.

Digger: Can you tell us how The Beatles Tribute Band started and how it has evolved into what it is today?

Martin: It had always been a dream of mine to put together some sort of Beatles act, particularly after I first saw The Bootleg Beatles in concert (who I can't praise enough). My first project was The Counterfeit Beatles. I came up with the idea and the name and recruited the members. After a brief success the original band split. I reformed the band with the drummer and guitarist and then changed the name to The Beatles Tribute Band to avoid any conflict of interest. Since then, the band has gone from strength to strength performing successfully around the globe as well as  the UK.

Digger: Why are retro and nostalgia so popular in so many people's lives?

Martin: I personally feel that the 90's through to the present has largely been a waste of time musically, with very little original talent coming through. And I think to hear anything of real value one has to journey back to the 60's where you had not only the best music ever, but also fantastic dress fashions which complemented the music. I think the likes of  Oasis and Paul Weller etc. have helped guide a fair percentage of the younger generation back toward the golden era. This, coupled with the fact that the older people still look back with affection as they have never seen that music bettered (and it hold great memories for them,) must surely be the key to the current resurgence.

Digger: How do you manage to achieve such an authentic sound?

Martin: Ever since I was a teenager and first started gigging I have been constantly told that I sound like John Lennon. Even when I have purposely tried not too i.e when recording my own songs I can't escape the stigma. As I said before it's the main reason i do it - It's the only thing I'm good at Ha ha! (he says modestly)... Which is why I sometimes get frustrated with many of the newer Beatles bands. I noticed that they are not usually good soundalikes, but merely good singers that wear wigs and play guitars in an effort to copy what we do.....but  badly!! I would suspect they are merely jumping on the bandwagon for the sake of it rather than the love of it.

Getting back to the specifics of sound. Aside from the vocal aspects, the reason that we are able to recreate with astounding accuracy is partly due to us using the same amplifiers (Vox AC30's) and the same instruments that the boys used. This helps tremendously, coupled with the fact that we play every note and every beat in exactly the same way that the songs were originally played. From the offset, we spent days, weeks, months studying records and videos in order to study everything including the body movements in order to get everything near spot on.

Digger: What are the audiences like and what audience/customer feedback do you get?

Martin: Beatle fan audiences are a pleasure to perform to. They are always well behaved and they really know how to enjoy themselves. The atmosphere at most shows is usually electric and we get a real high when it is. We're regularly asked for our autographs. One time an American insisted that I sign a twenty pound note as John Lennon! Some of them really believe it to the extreme. I remember when we toured Turkey a couple of years ago one girl asked us "are you the real Beatles?" - bless her! Great country though, it was amazing out there. They had billboards that must have been 30 feet high with our picture on it.

Digger: What are the best aspects of running The Beatles Tribute Band ?

Martin: I get an extra ten percent!!

Digger: How much variety are you able to inject into the playlist?

Martin: We tend to stick mainly with the early songs up to 1966 when the Beatles were still a touring band with the lovable moptop image. Although we usually put in Hey Jude at the end.

Digger: What are your plans for The Beatles Tribute Band in the future?

Martin: We're in negotiations with an A and R producer in New York to record some Beatle soundalike soundtracks for American TV. There's also talk of a possible Spanish tour next year.

beatlestributeband.co.uk