I have a good friend who insists that you have to choose, that you can't really like both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, that the Beatles vs. Stones is one of those deep existential questions that needs to be resolved, and if it isn't, you betray some fundamental character flaw, that you're a weak-kneed, flip-flopper.
I embrace my inner flip-flopper.
Even as I'm right now submerging myself knee-deep in Beatlemania via "Tune-In," and re-listening to their amazing early work, I am working on Rolling Stones songs for a show with our band whitewolfsonicprincess on September 6th.
I see the Beatles as a technicolor dream, and the Rolling Stones as a dream in rich black & white. If I had to choose, I'd say the Beatles were the greatest band, because they were there first, and they had a wider range of influences and styles. But although the Stones had a little narrower scope, in the course of their career they absorbed and reimagined Blues, R&B, Rock and Country just as successfully as any other band in the world.
And because the Rolling Stones had a little bit narrower focus, some of their records seem to me to be absolutely flawless. And this particular string of records seems unbeatable: Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street.
Still the first long-playing record I ever owned was The Beatles "White Album," (A double album!) and their impact on me is pretty much incalculable. But I never saw them live, like I have the Rolling Stones, and if you pressed me, it would probably be "Exile on Main Street" that I'd say is the greatest r&r record. But "Revolver" would be close second and maybe some days "Revolver" would be #1. And really I think musically the Beatles were the more inventive and creative unit (plus all 4 sang), but the Stones didn't do "granny music" and although sometimes the Stones were badly out of tune live, and in the studio, they didn't record a song as gratingly insipid as "Maxwell's Silver Hammer." That song drives me up the freaking wall! And McCartney's love of schmaltzy songs kind of taints some of the Beatles records for me... but hell, Sir Paul is a force of nature and a musical genius, so what do I know?