Defense Case 1- Press to Play
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I wish Paul would release a "naked" version of the PTP album. Without the crappy 80s production and a more rock oriented sound.
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It's not that 80s sounding to me, except for a couple of tracks, maybe "Talk More Talk" "Press", "Pretty Little Head". There was supposed to be a followup and there exist a bootleg of recordings called "Return to Pepperland", it's almost like the 80s album that never was. Although the production on "Press to Play" may be bit sterile, at least the CD, I think it's warmer sounding on LP.
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Hendrix Ibsen:
It's not that 80s sounding to me, except for a couple of tracks, maybe "Talk More talk" "Press", "Pretty Little Head". There was supposed to be a followup and there exist a bootleg of recordings called "Return to Pepperland", it's almost like the 80s album that never was. Although the production on "Press to Play" may be bit sterile, at least the CD, I think it's warmer sounding on LP.
I have the Argentinian LP and I don't like the sound of it either lol
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I like it, ha-ha. Well, It seems as if "Press to Play" is one of his albums that split the listeneres in two camps and it's okay for me. It's not my favorite but I enjoy it.
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I don't mind Press to Play and the "crappy" 80s production. At least there's a lot of decent materiel there. No bad songs anyway. A timeless classic when compared to Bowie's Tonight (also produced by Hugh Padgham). NB: I also have a soft spot for Tonight.
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PTP must not be all that bad; I listened to it a lot, at one point. I did wish it was as classic and outstanding, as great, as Tug of War and wondered why it was not, since Paul is so talented. And this came out just a few years after TOW. Did it finally completely sink in to him, the enormity of what happened to John, and that deeply felt realization knocked the stuffing out of Paul creatively? For a time? PTP seemed to go in odd different directions as if Macca were a bit disoriented or distracted. It did feature some hard rockin' fare too. "Angry" was Paul being gritty and digging down deep to express strong furious emotions like John did in song regularly. Lennon could sound more pissed off than anyone, however. Paul still didn't sound quite as pissed off as John. "Pretty Little Head" was weird in a multi-culty "world music" and surrealistic manner and could transport one into a Gaugin painting where one was the native and not the uptight whitey. Free of western civilization, and wild. The song "Press to Play" I still find catchy in a way and quite "pop" with a sexual theme. Full of sexual innuendo. He sounds so enthused singing it, it's sort of irresistible his singing, there. "Talk More Talk" sounds too herky jerky in rhythm but is English eccentric to the max, which can appeal at times. It certainly is not as poetic and English eccentric, or remarkable, as the rather bizarre "I Am the Walrus" by John.
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Of course, everybody have their own opinion. Mine is he did PTP for reasons that I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he didn't do it because he felt he had good material in his hands. Honestly, I feel I'm hearing Hugh Padghman featuring Paul McCartney. It should be the opposite way. Like TOW, where you feel Paul doing magic and George improving everything he made. Anyway, PTP didn't have to be great as TOW to have a good consideration. It just needed good compositions.
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I agree that "Press to Play" is better than "Tonight", I don't dislike it either but it must be Bowie's laziest record, he was into his rock holiday record period. I believe Hugh Padgham produced Phil Collins' "No Jacket Required" in between these two which was a massive hit and also probably more of a defining attempt at a state of the art mid-80s production with booming synth drums and programming. I still take "Press to Play" over any of these two albums, although it kind of represent McCartney's fall from the 'obvious' #1 spot on the charts. The general taste in pop music was perhaps also changing a bit at the time, moving more toward r&b and less melody. I think there are som nice sounding pop art on "Press to Play". At least to my ears.
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Nothing dates an album more than the technology used to make it. PTP is a prime example and suffers accordingly.
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Well, I guess you just have to listen to it for what it is, kind of a period sound. I believe all music sounds "dated" in a way. Classical too, like the baroque period, it is a certain sound and mood and structure to it that makes you associate it with a certain period of time. There are those who love the sound of the 80's, and think it is the best pop sound ever. I always prefered the 60's, but if the music is good enough, or musically interesting, then I think I can live with whatever sound or production it is sort of dressed up in.
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Most songs run way too long, many coming in over 5 minutes. Problem is it feels like style over substance. 'Talk More Talk' is a good example. Over 5 minutes repeating the same silly lyric and hook. Cant wait for the song to end! 3 minutes would have been more than sufficient for this forgettable tune. Hugh probably was a big factor here. He wanted to make each song sound "big", even if there was no substance. The other thing to note is Paul co-wrote 60% of the album with Eric Stewart. Stewart wrote some classics for 10cc, but there is no magic with this collaboration found here. Most songs sound 100% Macca. In contrast, The Macca-Costello songs clearly show Elvis Costello's influence.
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I love Talk More Talk. There's not a song on Press to Play that I do not like and thoroughly enjoy on several levels. Every song a winner.. (...in it's own way and in the context of the album/phase/era).
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Hendrix Ibsen:
I agree that "Press to Play" is better than "Tonight", I don't dislike it either but it must be Bowie's laziest record, he was into his rock holiday record period. I believe Hugh Padgham produced Phil Collins' "No Jacket Required" in between these two which was a massive hit and also probably more of a defining attempt at a state of the art mid-80s production with booming synth drums and programming.
Hugh Padgham also did Invisible Touch the same year as Press To Play. If you hire the guy who just worked with Genesis, Phil Collins and the Police, you know what you're going to get.
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I've read an interview with Hugh Padgham and he didn't remember the "Press to Play" recording sessions very fondly. The combination of him, Eric Stewart and McCartney was perhaps not the best chemistry. I'm listening to "Press to Play" (LP) right now and I still think it's a good album.
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Ive Got a real soft spot for press to play it was paul's first new album after i became a fan and still listen too it often i agree the production sounds dated but so do albums by other people during that period some of the songs are great stranglehold footprints only love remains move over busker are favorites it also has experimental vibe to it which i like
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Honestly, I don't know what is the thing Paul saw in Stewart... he found his best partner in Costello, but Eric? I never get it.
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Well, I think it is a strong Paul influence in the Beatles influenced 10CC music. especially the songs of Eric Stewart. Elvis Costello is more like an opposite attracts maybe, Stewart and McCartney are closer stylistically, the catchy pop melodies... perhaps why he is not as celebrated as a collaborator? His contribution are less visible, so to speak.
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HaileyMcComet:
Hendrix Ibsen:
I agree that "Press to Play" is better than "Tonight", I don't dislike it either but it must be Bowie's laziest record, he was into his rock holiday record period. I believe Hugh Padgham produced Phil Collins' "No Jacket Required" in between these two which was a massive hit and also probably more of a defining attempt at a state of the art mid-80s production with booming synth drums and programming.
Hugh Padgham also did Invisible Touch the same year as Press To Play. If you hire the guy who just worked with Genesis, Phil Collins and the Police, you know what you're going to get.
Phil Collins wanted to produce! Paul politely declined.
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moptops:
HaileyMcComet:
Hendrix Ibsen:
I agree that "Press to Play" is better than "Tonight", I don't dislike it either but it must be Bowie's laziest record, he was into his rock holiday record period. I believe Hugh Padgham produced Phil Collins' "No Jacket Required" in between these two which was a massive hit and also probably more of a defining attempt at a state of the art mid-80s production with booming synth drums and programming.
Hugh Padgham also did Invisible Touch the same year as Press To Play. If you hire the guy who just worked with Genesis, Phil Collins and the Police, you know what you're going to get.
Phil Collins wanted to produce! Paul politely declined.
Good decision. Phil is great, a great musician. But the never produced the songs he did. 'In The Air Tonight' (and the whole 'Face Value' LP) was produced by Hugh, the same for 'Hello, I Must Be Going' (it has 'You can't hurry love', 'It don't matter to me') and specially 'No Jacket Required', his greatest solo album.
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I remember Phil Collins produced Eric Clapton's "Behind the Sun" at this time, it doesn't sound so good, I think, there is too much production, Clapton the guitarist and bluesman is buried underneath it. It's not the most suitable sound to his style, but well, he tried at least on something else, I guess you can't know how the result will be until you've done it.
