> The early 60's were not dreck.  The early 60's are not Fabian and 
> Frankie Avalon, but the movement of R&B to soul.  The world was forever 
> changed by the Beatles, but what came before was not worthless and the 
> good music from that period was much, much more than a blip.

Yes, in fact the Beatles were huge fans of the R&B and Soul music of 
that time and drew a great deal of influence from it. They have claimed 
over and over in interviews that all they ever wanted to do was sound 
like "black soul".

Ryan