David, I don't think that Lefsetz was making any point remotely like the one you think he was. His trashy piece of writing was just that, and full of venom and baseless hatred, to boot. I agree with you that rock icons get a bit too much rope on occasion, but I think Lefsetz was just being an ignorant jerk. If he had another agenda, I don't see it. Alan http://www.purepopradio.com http://www.buhdge.com -----Original Message----- From: audities-owner@smoe.org [mailto:audities-owner@smoe.org] On Behalf Of David Bash Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2007 2:15 PM To: Audities Subject: Re: Well, this should keep the McCartney Thread alive for another 1200 posts... --- In audities@yahoogroups.com, "Alan Haber" wrote: > > Well, that's the most abhorrent load of trash I have had the displeasure > to > read in a very long time. > > I don't know what else to say. > > Alan > http://www.purepopradio.com > http://www.buhdge.com While I agree that Lefsetz went about his rant in a most base and classless manner, on a general level I do share some agreement with him: that very often rock icons are given more leeway than perhaps is warranted. For many years I have seen this occur with my favorite artist, Brian Wilson. I can't tell you how many reviews I read, or comments I heard, when his first solo album came out, that Brian "sounds just as good as he ever did" and "man, he can still hit those same high notes that he did on 'Let Him Run Wild," etc...now, I love Brian as much as anyone, but please, give me a break! Given what he had been through, both physically and emotionally, it was a miracle that he could record, let alone produce as fine a work as that album, but people refused to leave it at that, instead stretching the truth beyond the boundries of imagination. Speaking of imagination, when that album came out 10 years later Brian was now 56 years old and had gone through even more emotional baggage (as well as cigarettes) and yet *people were still saying the same thing!!!* Don't get me wrong, I like the album for what it is, which is a charming disc of good, solid pop songs (although like most BB fans I abhor the production), but a masterpiece it ain't. Then of course when Smile came out, it was hoisted to a pedestal higher than Mount Everest, in many ways for good reason as it was a production of magnificent proportions. However, it was marred by one specific thing: Brian's voice. Brian's singing wasn't nearly at a commensurate level with the music; in fact, there were times when he downright sounded like Buddy Hackett! But to read reviews of the album, either this was completely glossed over or people still anointed Brian as "sounding as good as he ever has"! I read several reviews of Smile, and while I'm often accused of being "too nice" in my reviews, my review of Smile was the only one I know of which strongly pointed to Brian's singing as a distinct shortcoming. Anyway, back to McCartney. I happen to like Memory Almost Full; I don't think it's one of his best, and it's certainly not nearly one of his worst. One thing is certain, though: in some reviews I've read, journalists have let McCartney skate on his pass as a legend. And when people do make the point that he sounds like an "old man" (which he really doesn't, imho), the usual defense is "well, he IS 65 after all". To me that's a specious defense; all this does is point out that he indeed IS getting on in years, and the fact that his voice has aged well for a 65 year-old doesn't mean that, relative to a younger man's voice, it sounds good, nor does it mean that it actually makes the grade as a voice. I often wonder how I would respond to an album like Memory Almost Full if I heard it without knowing who recorded it. Of course, it would be extremely difficult to divorce myself from the trappings; likely I'd say "this must be McCartney". But who knows, maybe I'd say "this record is like a senior citizen trying to sound like McCartney", and I might be more apt to pay attention to the vocal shortcomings and not like the record as much. -- Pop Rules!!!!! Take Care, David -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.6/862 - Release Date: 6/22/2007 3:04 PM