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| From | Michael Bennett <mrhonorama@ameritech.net> |
| Subject | Re: Paul McCartney |
| Date | Thu, 20 Jan 2005 08:20:58 -0800 (PST) |
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This piece might be more meaningful if Mr. Lefsetz
knew how to write. This could be edited down to about
a paragraph or two, and make the same points much more
effectively.
As for Paul McCartney at the Super Bowl -- geez,
there's a slim chance the halftime will be worth
watching now. Other than when U2 appeared, most of
the Super Bowl halftime shows are dire times 10. Of
course, if Terry Bradshaw sings with Macca again, all
bets are off.
Mike Bennett
NP: Cars tribute
--- bob <segarini@rogers.com> wrote:
> Here's Music Industry guru Bob Lefsetz's take on
> McCartney. From his email
> newsletter today...
>
> bob
>
>
> Some rock stars just don't age gracefully.
>
> Oh, I'm not talking about Paul's lame facelift.
>
> Then again, maybe that's the point. Paul's trying
> to stay who he was,
> rather
> than letting go and becoming who he is.
>
> Bob Dylan for example. He refused to be the hero.
> He kept his nose to the
> grindstone. He got old and scraggly. Even played
> fairgrounds, but somehow
> it
> has kept him alive.
>
> Oh, Dylan's new material is overrated. Those of you
> cutting him a break
> just
> need something to believe in. And WHY did everybody
> give him a break re the
> copping from that Japanese book for his lyrics? I
> mean inspiration is one
> thing, COPYING IS ANOTHER!
>
> But it's hard to be a living legend.
>
> George Harrison was pretty good at it.
>
> Then again, nobody wanted his records anymore.
>
> As for John Lennon, "Double Fantasy" was stiffing
> until he was tragically
> shot. Oh, it WAS a return to form, but if John
> hadn't died, how WOULD he
> have
> fit into today's world? His solo work was so
> spotty. He was so desperate
> and
> needy. He'd probably be a recluse in the Dakota,
> unable to cope with modern
> society.
>
> But Paul McCartney decided to be the VISIBLE Beatle.
>
> The only problem is, whenever he goes on the road,
> whenever he gives an
> INTERVIEW, it's a fucking VICTORY LAP! Almost like
> a retired athlete. A
> has-been
> who wants to be remembered.
>
> It's tough living in the shadow of a dead man. But
> if you were alive back
> then, you know that Paul's solo records meant a lot
> more than John's. They
> were
> more heavily anticipated. They sold more. They had
> greater impact on the
> culture.
>
> But after PROVING himself, Paul lost it too.
>
> You could say it was over when he dueted with
> Michael Jackson.
>
> But, really the last hurrah was earlier. With "At
> The Speed Of Sound". It
> was the last record playable through and through.
> Even though it was a huge
> step down from its two predecessors, "Band On The
> Run" and "Venus And Mars".
>
> What if I told you a new BEATLE album was coming
> out? Really. For
> CHRISTMAS!
>
> Well, it's January now, but "Band On The Run" came
> out for CHRISTMAS!
>
> Our expectations were low. We'd been subjected to a
> summer of "My Love".
> More vapid than any Beatle hit. And although the
> album also contained "Big
> Barn
> Bed" and "Power Cut", we didn't buy the record.
> Paul was done. He was a
> joke.
>
> And then came "Band On The Run".
>
> It was not like today. The record wasn't
> front-loaded. There was no single
> a month in advance that just MELTED you.
>
> Oh, "Jet" had impact. But "Jet" gave NO indication
> of what was on the
> album.
> You just had to drop the needle and HEAR "Band On
> The Run".
>
> And that's how you discovered it. There was no
> AIRPLAY. FM radio was too
> HIP! Paul McCartney was an AM act. A TOP FORTY
> act. So it wasn't until
> the
> album's title track blew up as a hit single in the
> spring that the country
> did a
> 180 and went McCartney mad.
>
> But to drop the needle on that record...
>
> It wasn't quite as revelatory as hearing "Hotel
> California" for the first
> time, but it was close.
>
> You see NOBODY ELSE KNEW!
>
> I bought "Hotel California" the day it came out
> because, not only was I an
> EAGLES fan, I was a JOE WALSH fan. And he had
> joined the group.
>
> I don't know what I expected. The Eagles didn't
> ROCK! I couldn't see HOW
> Joe fit in with the group. But, what they created
> was something DIFFERENT!
> It
> didn't sound like either the Eagles OR Joe.
>
> I played the title track again and again. All night
> long.
>
> Told Tony about it the very next day. And then my
> sister.
>
> They weren't impressed. The Eagles, who cared?
>
> But then word spread. From person to person.
> "Hotel California" BLEW UP!
>
> But Paul McCartney already HAD his pedigree. He was
> over the hill. A hack.
> Moving more towards Vegas than Madison Square
> Garden.
>
> And then...
>
> "Stuck inside these four walls, sent inside forever
> Never seeing no one nice again like you
> Mama you, mama you"
>
> "Band On The Run" was the kind of album you could
> have your own favorite on.
> One that was solely yours.
>
> When the title track went nuclear, to get that hit
> of solidarity, the one
> where you bond with the artist, when you think
> you're on the same
> wavelength,
> that only the TWO of you understand, I listened to
> the "I Want You (She's So
> Heavy)"ish "Let Me Roll It". And "Mamunia".
>
> That's still my L.A. rain song today, "Mamunia".
>
> Unfortunately, Paul couldn't live up to "Band On The
> Run". He couldn't
> FOLLOW IT UP!
>
> Because he'd achieved his goal. He was just as big
> as the Beatles.
>
> He had everything. The accolades, the sales
> figures, the MONEY!
>
> It hadn't started off this way.
>
> Despite his protestations, on the street it was felt
> that "McCartney" had
> broken up the Beatles.
>
> And it wasn't a Beatle album. It was SLIGHT!
>
> But listen to it today. THIS is the no Pro Tools
> album. Because Paul never
> had the INTENTION of getting it right. And the fact
> that it's a little off
> makes it so you get ensnared. You're the smooth
> part of the velcro, and
> he's
> the part with the hooks. You're bonded, connected.
> Even
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