Funny... I never really took to Run Devil Run-- I thought it was more a therapeutic exercise for him than anything else, though I liked one or two tracks off it-- but Driving Rain really grew on me (these are matters of taste, not absolutes, YMMV). You can't compare McCartney to someone like Rod Stewart. I think he's doing a damn fine job of aging gracefully. I mean, he's no Neil Young or anything, but Flowers in the Dirt, Flaming Pie, Driving Rain, and the live unplugged album are more than enough to keep him out of the dung heap of has-been in my book. And how do you top being a Beatle? He's also still got it live, although the SBD boot of the 4-24-02 (I think '02) DC show was way better than the actual officially released live album. By the way, easy rule on whether a Rod Stewart album is any good-- is Ronnie Wood on it? If yes, its probably at least OK (I'm thinking Smiler) and maybe brilliant (Gasoline Alley, Every Picture, Truth, which was Beck but Woody was the bass player.) I offer this easy tip for your consumer convenience. For example, Unplugged and Seated passes muster. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Miguel Motta" To: Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2004 10:54 AM Subject: Re: suggestions - the John and Paul problem > Sam... rest easy... As big of a Beatles fan as I am, I think you hit the > nail right on the head... After "Driving Rain" I kinda shudder to think what > Macca might be recording in LA for release next year... I always harbor > hope, however for the LAST GREAT "Beatles" album coming from a solo > McCartney album one day... Dang, he should such energy in "Run, Devil, Run" > a couple of years ago; I'm sure he still has "it" cooped up somewhere... Oh > well, I went off track there... just to say I agree with your thoughts... > > Miguel > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Sam Smith" > To: > Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2004 10:37 AM > Subject: Re: suggestions - the John and Paul problem > > > > I think I would have put both Macca and Lennon on the list if I thought > > I could do so without getting my house burned down. Together they were > > beyond brilliant because they tempered each other's weaknesses, but > > apart neither would ever have made a mark on the music culture. John was > > a self-indulgent pseudo-intellectual wanker at heart, but Paul mitigated > > that by putting some fun into his work. Paul, for his part, never had > > any impulse more complicated that "hey, let's make some 12 year-olds > > scream," but John introduced some actual substance into the mix. 1 + 1 = > > 1,000,000. Then they go their separate ways and reveal their true > > selves. For Lennon, it was standing around and treating a fraud like > > Yoko seriously, and for Paul it was "Coming Up." > > > > There. I've said it. So shoot me. > > > > AssociationWorks wrote: > > > > >Draw a line from either of the first two McCartney solo records > > >to 2002's "Driving Rain" and (in my opinion) you have a pretty long > > >fall from the shrine of the almighty... > > > > > >Jeff > > > > > > > > > > -- > > ___________________________________________________________ > > Sam Smith > > 1020 Jersey St. #2 > > Denver CO 80220 > > 303.321.0515 /h | 303.981.4398 /c > > orb@colorado.edu | sam@lullabypit.com > > http://www.lullabypit.com > > > > ...it's a lonesome thing to be passing small towns with the > > lights shining sideways when the night is down, or going in > > strange places with a dog nosing before you and a dog nosing > > behind, or drawn to the cities where you'd hear a voice > > kissing and talking deep love in every shadow of the ditch, > > and you passing on with an empty, hungry stomach failing > > from your heart. > > > > - John Millington Synge > > > > > > > > >