Beatles Without George Martin?

Chashmal- never would I claim that the Beatles were the only musical geniuses in rock/pop. And yes, I listen to many artists, so I have managed to "grow" as you put it. My point in starting this thread was simply to seek opinions regarding George Martin.

Let me be a little more clear- in no way would I claim Martin was a greater songwriter, or that the Beatles were just a pretty boy band. That of course is rubbish.

It's simply listening to Martin's influence on the guys in studio situations (view old studio footage, listen to behind the scenes tracks) that reveals his ability to take a request McCartney or Lennon had for a certain "sound" and deliver what is now known as a Beatles "defining" sound (Bach Trumpet in Penny Lane, and a zillion other examples).

My point is that many parts of the sound you define as the Beatles- from the multi-layered vocal harmonies to the unique instrumentation often employed- were George Martin's hand delivering what the boys envisioned.

But if Kennedy had lived would the Beatles have escalated? Let's ask Oliver Stone- the expert on things that never happened!