Is "your" Macca all good or all bad?
-
He performed "Tearing Us Apart" on the '86 UK tour when the album was released, as well as every tour through the late-'90s. Backing vocalist Katie Kasoon sang Tina's verse. It had a good run.
-
This Clapton talk made me put on "Money and Cigarettes". It was a while since I had played it. I don't understand how it is regarded as lukewarm Clapton, I think it's awesome.
-
Ok confession time - I went to a Clapton concert and was really bored by the songs I didn't know as well. Probably wouldn't go again. I'm sure it was a high quality show though.
-
My main complaint with McCartney is his setlist! Starting in the 80's, he just hasn't performed enough of his Wings/solo material! To me that will be the main blemish on his career after the Beatles, not the false misconception and negative narrative about his post Beatles albums, but the fact that he just didn't perform the music live! McCartney has missed out on many opportunities to show the world just how fantastic all that music really is!
-
I agree left hand man. Forget the Beatles and I'm still a fan. It's not like the good songs and music stopped coming, it's just all Paul. "London Town" to "Press to Play", these are records that came out in a period when I started collecting records and became interested in music. McCartney in the 80s is perhaps not considered his best period but I bought every new record on the day of release, just like with Prince, David Bowie, R.E.M., Springsteen... the big names of a decade when I was a teenager. The thing is... I still listen to these McCartey albums regularly, as with everything else he has made, so they can't be all that bad.. it's time to play "London Town", "Back to the Egg", "McCartney II", "Tug of War", "Press to Play"... live in its entirety.
-
left hand man:
My main complaint with McCartney is his setlist! Starting in the 80's, he just hasn't performed enough of his Wings/solo material! To me that will be the main blemish on his career after the Beatles, not the false misconception and negative narrative about his post Beatles albums, but the fact that he just didn't perform the music live! McCartney has missed out on many opportunities to show the world just how fantastic all that music really is!
I sometime wonder if Paul really knows how good it is.
-
oobu24:
left hand man:
My main complaint with McCartney is his setlist! Starting in the 80's, he just hasn't performed enough of his Wings/solo material! To me that will be the main blemish on his career after the Beatles, not the false misconception and negative narrative about his post Beatles albums, but the fact that he just didn't perform the music live! McCartney has missed out on many opportunities to show the world just how fantastic all that music really is!
I sometime wonder if Paul really knows how good it is.
Me too. I think once he records a new solo record and is "done" with it in concert, it is like the albums never existed. IMO - he never seems to "like" solo songs the way he does with Wings songs for example. The only thing I can think off is that after Wings, McCartney did not do as well commercially with rare exceptions so he feels the work is inferior.
-
yankeefan7:
oobu24:
left hand man:
My main complaint with McCartney is his setlist! Starting in the 80's, he just hasn't performed enough of his Wings/solo material! To me that will be the main blemish on his career after the Beatles, not the false misconception and negative narrative about his post Beatles albums, but the fact that he just didn't perform the music live! McCartney has missed out on many opportunities to show the world just how fantastic all that music really is!
I sometime wonder if Paul really knows how good it is.
Me too. I think once he records a new solo record and is "done" with it in concert, it is like the albums never existed. IMO - he never seems to "like" solo songs the way he does with Wings songs for example. The only thing I can think off is that after Wings, McCartney did not do as well commercially with rare exceptions so he feels the work is inferior.
In a way he is his own worst enemy. I have never read an interview where he says, "I want to write and record what I want. I need to express myself. If the public comes along, fine. If not, that is ok, I am an artist first." He has always been about performing and pleasing a crowd. Which is why he is one of the most successful entertainers out there. The Beatles spoiled him, because no matter what he did, at least up to Magical Mystery Tour, everything he touched turned to gold. And that can be intoxicating. Who DOESN'T want to keep feeling that?? So, now his concerts are essentially a celebration of that part of his career. Yes, he had lesser hits like My Brave Face and Hope of Deliverance, but they pale compared to Hey Jude or Let It Be. So we know why he keeps going back to those. No risk. No challenge. A splendid time is guaranteed for all. And a packed arena with adoring fans. Can you imagine what John Lennon would have thought and said into the mic if he played Mother and fans headed to the bathrooms??
-
I've never thought of McCartney as a commercial artist. One who follows the crowd. I am interested in music and have no interest in this kind of artists. But he is catchy, it's his nature. He needs no market placement to be liked. He can be himself. There's just something about him that is easy to like. It's only live, he chooses songs that fill the biggest arenas. I wonder how he consider an album like "London Town" musically, only by ears, not looking at success, the charts. "Tug of War"...For me, this is magnificent music. But what does he thinks, as a listener.. :
-
RMartinez:
yankeefan7:
oobu24:
left hand man:
My main complaint with McCartney is his setlist! Starting in the 80's, he just hasn't performed enough of his Wings/solo material! To me that will be the main blemish on his career after the Beatles, not the false misconception and negative narrative about his post Beatles albums, but the fact that he just didn't perform the music live! McCartney has missed out on many opportunities to show the world just how fantastic all that music really is!
I sometime wonder if Paul really knows how good it is.
Me too. I think once he records a new solo record and is "done" with it in concert, it is like the albums never existed. IMO - he never seems to "like" solo songs the way he does with Wings songs for example. The only thing I can think off is that after Wings, McCartney did not do as well commercially with rare exceptions so he feels the work is inferior.
In a way he is his own worst enemy. I have never read an interview where he says, "I want to write and record what I want. I need to express myself. If the public comes along, fine. If not, that is ok, I am an artist first." He has always been about performing and pleasing a crowd. Which is why he is one of the most successful entertainers out there. The Beatles spoiled him, because no matter what he did, at least up to Magical Mystery Tour, everything he touched turned to gold. And that can be intoxicating. Who DOESN'T want to keep feeling that?? So, now his concerts are essentially a celebration of that part of his career. Yes, he had lesser hits like My Brave Face and Hope of Deliverance, but they pale compared to Hey Jude or Let It Be. So we know why he keeps going back to those. No risk. No challenge. A splendid time is guaranteed for all. And a packed arena with adoring fans. Can you imagine what John Lennon would have thought and said into the mic if he played Mother and fans headed to the bathrooms??
The thing that frustrates me is that when Mr. McCartney went back on tour in 1989, he said in interviews that he opened with "Figure Of Eight" because he wanted to be seen as a relevant artist and not somebody living totally in the past. I miss that Mr. McCartney !! It is a good thing to want to please an audience who are paying big bucks to see you but as I have said many many times, there should be a better balance IMO. Yes, people seeing Mr. McCartney want to hear the classic songs but does it have to be close to 70% of the concert. I can't think of any other artist who has left the group that made them famous do as many songs from that group as Mr. McCartney does live. Does Mr. McCartney owe something to fans like Audi who buy his solo recordings and would love to hear more of it live. It seems to me Mr. McCartney does not give them much of a thought, it is all about the Beatle Paul fans IMO. Finally, many years from now all that will be remembered about Mr. McCartney's recording career will probably stop at 1980. The sad thing is that over 30 yrs of some wonderful music will never be enjoyed or remembered. IMO Mr. McCartney should be remembered for more than those "Early Days" - lol.
-
Hendrix Ibsen:
I've never thought of McCartney as a commercial artist. One who follows the crowd. I am interested in music and have no interest in this kind of artists. But he is catchy, it's his nature. He needs no market placement to be liked. He can be himself. There's just something about him that is easy to like. It's only live, he chooses songs that fill the biggest arenas. I wonder how he consider an album like "London Town" musically, only by ears, not looking at success, the charts. "Tug of War"...For me, this is magnificent music. But what does he thinks, as a listener.. :
Paul is the epitome of a commercial artist. In every sense of the word.
-
He is a pop artist, but the epitome of a commercial artist to me is Robbie Williams, Donny Osmond, Take That, One Direction, Whitney Houston... McCartney represent the counterweight, along with Brian Wilson, David Bowie, Springsteen... popular but with artistic integrity, so to speak.
-
Hendrix Ibsen:
He is a pop artist, but the epitome of a commercial artist to me is Robbie Williams, Donny Osmond, Take That, One Direction, Whitney Houston... McCartney represent the counterweight, along with Brian Wilson, David Bowie, Springsteen... popular but with artistic integrity, so to speak.
Fair enough. But Paul and those others you mentioned, all wanted to sell millions of records. And from 1963 to 1965, the Beatles, in their day, were about like Take That and One Direction, though they did write their own songs. And Paul has had his moments: Silly Love Songs, With A Little Luck. There is a reason he does not play those songs live.
-
Yeah, I agree, they want to sell and be popular, one hears that he maybe dare more when he is The Fireman on "Electric Arguments" for example, a sideproject, and could perhaps missed some of this creative madness on some of his regular albums.
-
Hendrix Ibsen:
Yeah, I agree, they want to sell and be popular, one hears that he maybe dare more when he is The Fireman on "Electric Arguments" for example, a sideproject, and could perhaps missed some of this creative madness on some of his regular albums.
Yes, true. But why have an alias? Why not just put that out as a McCartney album?
-
RMartinez:
Hendrix Ibsen:
Yeah, I agree, they want to sell and be popular, one hears that he maybe dare more when he is The Fireman on "Electric Arguments" for example, a sideproject, and could perhaps missed some of this creative madness on some of his regular albums.
Yes, true. But why have an alias? Why not just put that out as a McCartney album?
Because Fireman = Paul + Youth. Even if Electric Arguments sounds more like a "real" McCartney album than the two previous Fireman albums, Paul probaby didn't think it would be fair to ditch Youth and their Fireman concept just because this album turned out to have a bigger commercial potential than what was probably intended originally. IF Paul had only put his name on the cover I imagine he would have received a lot of criticism for being selfish and caring more about money and attention than his friendship with Youth. Yeah, it's frustrating that this prevented EA from being more successful and well-known, but I do give Paul credit for sticking to the original Fireman concept when he easily could have put his own ego first once he realized the album's potential.
-
Yeah, 'cause Paul never does anything because of money and ego! I do understand that Paul wanted the freedom to express himself outside of what is expected of his public persona. That was the catalyst for Sgt. Pepper's.
-
"Electric Arguments" would perhaps sold more as Paul McCartney but it is supposed to be a little Indie perhaps? I think it's cool, it becomes a hidden gem in his dicography, not unlike many of his regular albums released under his name when I come to think of it. haha. Well... This pop guy is imaginative. His career is like a labyrinth one can get lost in, in a good way.
-
RMartinez:
Yeah, 'cause Paul never does anything because of money and ego! I do understand that Paul wanted the freedom to express himself outside of what is expected of his public persona. That was the catalyst for Sgt. Pepper's.
You obviously think he always does :
-
McCartney is driven by creating music. Like few others. He does not even care about compilations, the last was "All The Best!" in 1987. "Wingspan" was a celebration of Wings and Linda... A documentary.