Paul critical of some of his music... admits use of hair dye #1804
Jul 30, 2005 Source: Daily Mirror Updated: Jul 31, 2005 10:45 AM


The Daily Mirror's title on the article was "MY MUSIC IS BAD.. AND I DYE MY HAIR", I decided to alter the lead title. Other than that below is what was on the Mirror's website.
SIR PAUL COMES CLEAN..
Exclusive By Fiona Cummins Showbiz Reporter

SIR Paul McCartney has admitted that many of his songs are "rubbish".

The former Beatle said: "Some of my albums ... I can't believe what I was on."

Referring to his 1986 collection Press To Play, he confessed: "I read the tracklist and I think, 'Wonder how that goes?'"

The 63-year-old singer and composer, who is married to second wife Heather Mills, also said he was aware of his advancing years.

"Seeing my image looking older hits me," he said. "I just have to come to terms with it."

But he has at last admitted that he keeps looking youthful by using hair dye - although not on the orders of his missus. Sir Paul said: "Ten years before I met her I was thinking about dyeing my hair.

"I tried it in Australia ... looked cool until I went on stage. Then this blue liquid poured down my forehead. Highly embarrassing."

He also hit out at critics who attacked him for wanting to alter the order of the writing credit on a new version of Yesterday to put his name before John Lennon's.

The request was rebuffed. But Macca insisted: "It was a misconception that I was trying to walk on a dead man's grave ... now I couldn't care less where my effing name is."

He also denied his new album Chaos and Creation In The Back Yard, due out in September, is about first wife Linda's death.

In his Q magazine interview, he said: "It wasn't in my mind. After Linda died, a lot of people related everything I said to that. But most of my songs are not specific."

Asked what drives him now, Macca replied: "The son of a friend was asked how he felt on his birthday and he said, 'Like I'm walking along the same street but in new shoes'. That's how I feel about it all. I hope to continue walking in new shoes."

thanx, good article...

.... as in everything since 1970? right on, Paul.

Thanks for the great article!!!! I love Paul and think he's a genius but he DOES write a lot of songs that totally make me cringe in horror. When he is "on" he is incredible, but when he's "off"....LOOK OUT!

SIR Paul McCartney has admitted that many of his songs are "rubbish".


Much more respect for Sir Paul.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

Keep up the good work with the McCartney threads, Sdldawn. Paul is a genuinely great (if annoyingly inconsistant) artist. I am just embarking on a voyage into the solo McCartney catalogue (had 'Wingspan' for a while and really like it bar a few songs, have just recieved 'Ram' today (not heard it yet). i have read this book 'The Unknown Paul McCartney', which delves indepth into Paul's released and unreleased avante-garde/ experimental recordings, eg. the fairly well-known ambient 'Fireman' albums he made with dance producer Youth. For instnace, how many people know that the McCartney family collaborated with Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon on a 'way out there' track (sadly unreleased) in 1995?!

Knowing that McCartney also has this body of work behind him, as well as the pop music, as well as the classical works, for me makes him a much more interesting artist, far beyond the purveyer of 'safe' pop he is often seen as.

Now if only he'd use all his musical interests/ styles and put them on one, coherent album, he might have his best album since ...

Paul doesn't have the best quality control in the entire world... How did he let garbage like "Bip Bop", "Bluebird", and "Mary Had a Little Lamb" get released? He's one of the few artists that rivals Michael Jackson for cloying music.
[Edited 8/2/05 14:54pm]

emilio319 said:

True, that.

theAudience said:

What's up tA. I agree with you, it is refreshing and worthy of respect that he can be that candid about his own work.

Miles said:

What's up Miles? I recently embarked on the same journey, buying up ALL of McCartney's solo cd's. I already had a few but I wanted to get them all. Well, in MY opinion, the ones I think are really great are:

1.) Tug of War (except for 2 bad songs the rest of the album is awesome)
2.) Flaming Pie (really awesome...maybe even better than Tug of War)
3.) Driving Rain (very solid all around album IMO)
4.) Band On The Run (many consider this one his best)
5.) Venus and Mars (very good album)

There are some other good ones but these are my favorites. I can tell you that the "Off The Ground" album is really crappy IMO. I like "Ram" but it's kind of a strange album. I really like the song "Dear Boy" from "Ram." And there are a few albums that I need to listen to again before judging.

Hi emilio319, nice to hear from a fellow McCartney 'voyager'.

I am thinking of more or less exploring his catalogue in order of release, so I started with 'McCartney' - like what I hear so far; and now 'Ram'. 'Back Seat of my Car' from this album is an impressive one.

I already know the track 'Tug of War'. It is a surprisingly impressive showing from early '80s Paul (to patronise him for a moment there!). The orchestra and backing vox sound quite pleasantly 'Beatley', while you can't argue with the message of the song.

Also, I really like the song 'Waterfalls', from 'McCartney II'. Judging by most other opinions, I must therefore be sick!

Being a Brian Wilson/ Beach Boys fan, I can take (not too seriously) the sentimentality of McCartney but even more dig the brilliant music that often lies beneath. A lot of folks can't seem to get past the first part. Why does every song/ artist have to make out he's 'cool' or 'dangerous' all the time? If a man wants to sing about how much he loves his wife, why not? Lennon and Prince have done it too. As long as the music is good.

Miles, I agree with you and I ALSO like the songs you mentioned.

Miles said:

Glad you are discovering his solo stuff...

Here is my favorite albums he did after the Beatles

McCartney album.. seems like a demo disk.. but its not, its a down home album thats very organic
Ram - one of my alltime favorite album ever.. took me years to understand it musically.
Flaming Pie - Somedays is one of his best songs.
Driving Rain - few good one's on this disk
Flowers In The Dirt
Off The Ground
Wingspan

emilio319 said:

Yep, which leads me to believe he will be musically brilliant on his next album.. due to the exploration of coming to terms with a lot of things in his life.

not to mention Nigel gettin his hands on the new album

Nobody can argue that Paul's solo work is hit and miss.... as the article says, even Paul is aware of that.

But he is more HIT than MISS, by and large.

Some of his albums are really undervalued.

One that is particularly close to my heart is Pipes of Peace. Not every track is strong, but there is some great material on there. Is there anything more lovely than "So Bad"? What a gorgeous song.

Tug of War is a great album. Things like "Wanderlust" and "Somebody Who Cares" would be considered classics had they been recorded with that little ol' band from Liverpool. "Tug of War", "Take it Away", "The Pound is Sinking" - good songs, all. And then there's "Here Today", which is heartbreaking and beautiful. And even "Ballroom Dancing", goofy but fun in a "Honey Pie" or "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" kinda way.

He disdains Press to Play - but that is far from his worst album. Although the production sounds dated (more dated, in fact, than either Tug of War or Pipes of Peace, both of which were recorded earlier), there are some strong songs - most notably the first single, "Press".

I would have to put Band on the Run, Flaming Pie, Flowers in the Dirt, Tug of War and perhaps McCartney as the Top 5 solo offerings. McCartney has one stunning track - Maybe I'm Amazed - that ranks with the best of his post-Beatles work, and the rest of it is an intersting and endearing collection of little home recordings. It was a pretty audacious move for a first solo album. Can you imagine the star of a huge rock band these days doing something like that? If Bono, for example, were to release a solo album, do you think he would have the balls to essentially release a collection of half-finished home demos?

Anyway. Quite a tangent there But yeah, Paul has done some incredible work post-Beatles, and there are things to discover on albums which most critics would shrug off.

"So Bad", for instance. And FIGURE OF EIGHT!!!!! What a great track that is.
[Edited 8/3/05 18:19pm]

Interesting that a lot of people seem to rate his more recent albums 'Flaming Pie' and 'Driving Rain' as being among his best. I am unfamiliar with them, but this hopefully bodes well for the new release.

I have heard the new single (I forget the title), and it's quite good. Musically interesting, clearly Paul is playing piano and drums (and of course bass!). Shame his voice appears to be not what it was. I'll give him some credit, as at 63 years old, the voice may well deteriorate and lose some of its range (I suspect the years of rock n' roll screaming may have taken their toll), but I'll reserve judgement until I hear the new album in its entirety.

I love Band on the Run, Venus & Mars, Flowers in the Dirt, Off The Ground, Flaming Pie...and one that seems NEVER to get noticed...his Unplugged album.

I also don't think Press to Play is that bad...but the production is SO mid-80's.

I also don't care for Press to Play, and find it interesting that Paul hates it.

However, I know someone who is familiar with all his solo work and that's one of their favorite albums of his, so go figure.

Three of my favorite McCartney/Wings albums that haven't been mentioned are Red Rose Speedway, Wings at the Speed of Sound, and Back to the Egg. Back to the Egg in particular is wildly creative and never seems to get any love.

I think "Somedays" on Flaming Pie is one of his best written songs...