Macca

[poliphilo]

Paul McCartney has a new album coming out. We're being told that this is the one where he reinvents himself. It's dark and it's searching and the best thing he's done since Abbey Rd. Jolly good. Sir Paul reinvents himself at least once a decade, issues the groundbreaking new album, garners some TV coverage and everyone is very happy for him and plased to see that boyish mug of his again and then the groundbreaking new album joins all his other groundbreaking new albums in unplayed obscurity.

But maybe this is really the one. I hope so. I've been waiting 35 years for Sir Paul's genius to arise and shake itself and astonish us once more.

I know it's mildly heretical to say so, but Paul was the creative
motor of the Beatles. I'm not saying John wasn't a genius (because he was) but if it had been left to him he'd have sat in his Surrey mansion all day long watching TV and once in a blue moon he's have gone into the studio to record something he'd scribbled down on the back of an envelope during the commercial breaks. Paul was the ambitious, motivated one. The experimental projects- Sergeant Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour- were things he set up. He was the one who wanted to go back on the road. In fact I've just formulated a new theory
as to why the Beatles broke up. It's because the other three were lazy bastards and Paul drove them too hard.

I keep meaning to explore Paul's post-Beatles oeuvre but there's just so much of it and I don't know where to start. I assume that his work since 1970 has been inferior, but I don't know for sure because (like you and you and you) I've never sat down and listened to it. I know Mull of Kintyre and the Frog Song and one or two other bits and pieces and that's it. So maybe we've got him wrong. Maybe it's us- his audience- soured by the break-up of the Beatles- who have written him off prematurely- and the work has been amazing all along.

Wouldn't it be fun if this were so?

Comments

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Well,here's a story about your Sir Paul (not that I don't love him)

George Harrison left the Beatles TWICE because when they were recording, Sir Paul had him play everything EXACTLY as written, note for note, no variation no nothing.

This is a fact, in fact Sir Paul talked about it on Fresh Air the other night.

YOur theory is disproven, Tony. Paul was a meglomaniac. Creative, no doubt. But I suspect one of the reasons he and John Lennon couldn't get along at the last was that they BOTH wanted to be boss. Too many cooks and all that stuff.

That said, I'll be anxious to hear the new music.

I'm with you on all counts!

[jubal51394.livejournal.com]

You've got the scoop on that one. Shall I hold my breath or will it be a long time coming? The new and improved Paul, I mean?

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

Mull of Kintyre makes my teeth itch.

I'm intrigued by him though, and would be most interested to know your take on his new album.

[seaslug-of-doom.livejournal.com]

Since the law in my father's house forbade any music other than country, Lawrence Welk, Montovani, polkas, and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass (which turned out to be a good thing) I didn't get a real introduction to pop music until my mid-teens and the first thing I really took to was Let Em In by Paul McCartney and Wings.

o/~ Someone's knockin' at the door. Somebody's ringin' the bell. o/~

[humblenarrator.livejournal.com]

thank you so much for bringing this to my attention! paul has always been my favorite. simple enough for me: look at the songs. some are great collaborations but others are paul through and through...my favorites at least.

i saw sir paul in concert a few years ago and it was one of the great experiences of my life so far. i saw ringo once too, heh.

as far as the post-beatles mccartney, i too know very little...just what i'd heard on tripping the live fantastic or his solo debut.

also: the new album (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:yla9qj6eojha) sounds like it'll be good. i'll have to get it soon! (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0kq7g4gttv4z)

[philtration.livejournal.com]

As much as I love the Beatles, I have always been disappointed in the solo material that they recorded. John's "Plastic Ono Band" and Paul's "Band on the run" were very good but never reached the level that they achieved together. I believe that the combination of John and Paul together is what made them so damn great. They pushed each other and their conflicting musical styles and personalities were a perfect mix. It must be very hard to know that no matter what you do for the rest of your life, it will always be compared to the accomplishments that you made before you were 30 years old. That may not be fair, but it is certainly true.