On their groundbreaking album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Beatles sang about someday being 64. With the death of George Harrison Nov. 29, half of them never lived to see the age.

Darius Sepassi (sophomore-finance) can relate to how significant the passing of Harrison is, especially for the baby-boomer generation.

"This would be the equivalent of a member of 'NSYNC dying," he said. "Once the people who shaped your childhood die it's tough."

While groups such as the Backstreet Boys or 'NSYNC may approach the popularity enjoyed by the Beatles in their heyday, many students appreciate the musical inventiveness and originality of the Beatles.

"You could take every boy band today combined and still never get Sgt. Pepper. The Beatles wrote their own music and started a revolution," Sepassi said.

Nicole DeWalt (sophomore-film and video) appreciates the Fab Four's originality. "All the songs sounded different, no two were alike."

The band that would one day become the Beatles was first known as the Quarrymen, named after the school in Liverpool that John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Harrison attended. John and Paul were the first future Beatles in the group, and George was later brought in by Paul after meeting him on the bus to school.

The Beatles, as John named them after having a prophetic dream, gained notoriety in the Liverpool music scene, found a manager, and eventually transformed into one of the most popular and influential pop groups of all time.

Harrison's contributions were seen as less than Lennon's or McCartney's, one of the sources of conflict that caused the band to break up in 1970. Still, Harrison managed to write and record classics such as "Taxman," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun" while with the Beatles.

In 1970 he released All Things Must Pass and became the first Beatle to experience post-fab success. His solo career failed to follow its initial momentum, however, and Harrison remained mostly out of the spotlight until, in 1997, when he was first diagnosed with cancer.

Harrison was always weary of fame. He hated the constant traveling and "crappy hotels." He often said that there was much more to life than fame and money, although he had plenty of both.

The popularity of Harrison continues to last. "He's such a musical icon -- all of them are," DeWalt said.

"So many people today love (the Beatles) so it's not just our parent's generation," said Brian Nothacker (sophomore-information sciences and technology).

A statement released by Harrison's family said that according to George the two most important things in life are "the search for God" and to "love one another."

Who, young or old, can argue with that?