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eppysboys · 2 years

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Would you say that the 80s were a good time for Paul?

Who can have a consistently good decade? I mean really :| Not in these conditions! Not in this society! No sir!

But, that's me talking, the focus is on Paul, so I'll give a quick rundown for you, anon.

(You gotta imagine the Looney Tunes intro music)

(Graphic Design is my passion)

1980: Paul has just bounced off of a spectacular decade of work, critical acclaim and packed tours. He's a bit 'tired' of Wings, however. Some members of Wings feel the same way. Paul arrives in Japan and gets arrested for bringing a bag of weed. Not good! There's talk of 'seven years in prison' and 'hard labour'. The tour is cancelled, money is lost in the form of compensation to promoters and band members. Paul is doing his absolute best to cope. Lee Eastman to the rescue! After nine days in prison, Paul is free. Back on track! He wins just about every award and popularity poll there is. He's working hard and collaborating with friends. McCartney II bursts out and zooms straight to number one. Wings are 'flapped and folded' in the eyes of the world.

John is murdered, Paul is devastated. The press are hounding him for interviews and quotes and photographs. John is martyred, the legends grow, and Paul is understandably frustrated by this as he grapples with his own personal grief.

At the start of 1981, a 'fan' with a knife tries to break into Paul's home, thankfully no one is harmed, Paul has more security measures put in place. In Feburary 1981, Paul officially goes back to work. Tensions rise between him and Denny Laine, given that Tug of War wasn't being recorded for a 'group format' and other personal issues. Old friends fly in to help out on the album. Paul picks up painting 'properly' (his words) and all sorts of visual art. The Beatles’ greatest hits are selling fast and continously. Tug of War does wonderfully well! Yay!

Gonna be real with you chief, I don't know much about business and money and rights to intangible things. So, while I may not be a smart bug, I can put it this way: Paul is given the chance to buy back his songs, his babies!, in the form of Northern Songs. He calls Yoko, suggesting that they both pay half (10 million pounds each) so that the rights can go back to their rightful owners (alright?). The price is bumped up for whatever business reasons (there was probbaly a briefcase involved 👀), and there were other obligations he'd have to agree to, so he passes on the offer. Give My Regards to Broadstreet is made. His friends like it, but he is also warned the public may not...

Michael Jackson asks for Paul financial advice. Paul is always happy to help out a friend! :) So he does, recommending he get into music publishing. That's great advice, Paul! What a good buddy to have. Paul's reputation takes a few hits with some bad publicity made up of: sour bandmates going public, a woman claiming Paul is her father, the Sunday mail publishing an article questioning the 'state of the McCartney's' marriage, people going to auction with things that Paul claims are his and not theirs to sell and those people telling the press all about it.

Robert Fraser, a good friend to the McCartneys, passes away. Paul meets with George and Ringo and proposes a documentary about The Beatles. George isn't thrilled with the idea, he doesn't want to revisit 1969.

Pipes of Peace is released. Not quite a smash hit with the critics, but it did quite well! The McCartney's fly over to Barbados - Ruh roh! Busted for pot again! They plead guilty and are fined. Denny Laine interviews are floating around, and John Lennon biographies are flying off shelves. Give My Regards To Broadstreet is released to the public. Not good :| Public opinion dipping...

Feburary 1985: George + Ringo + Yoko file a lawsuit against Paul for breach of contract. 'The gist of the complaint was that Paul was 'enjoying a preferential royalty rate from 'historic recordings as a marterial incentive for him to re-sign with Capitol as a solo artist.' *eyes are glazing over*

Paul performs at Live Aid- Oh hold on, what's this? Michael Jackson has purchased the ATV Music catalouge - he now owns Paul's babies, after just having recently stayed in the McCartney family home and watched Winnie the Pooh movies with his kids :| But it's okay, Michael Jackson 'cried so much' about it, he feels bad, you guys :( Not bad enough to organise any sort of deal that would help Paul out a bit, but you know, bad enough to cry a little.

Business is doing well, though, Paul re-signs with Capitol Records and MPL is growing and growing. Paul puts Thatcher on blast in the form of a letter >:) He and Elvis Costello collaborate, magic is in the air. He puts out a Greatest Hits CD that everyone loves. A new manager comes along and encourages Paul to tour. The Beatles get honoured by the RRHF - Paul swings back and forth between wanting to go and not wanting to go. He does not go.

Paul explains to the press that the only reason he hasn't been touring lately is that he just hasn't 'been bothered ... And nobody asked me. Nobody asked me personally.' He was enjoying himself just being around his family and the studio, he explains. He gets an honourary doctorate from his old school and raises money to help refurbish the place.

Albert Goldman's book about John is released in spite of and because he clearly doesn't like John very much - which flicks a particular switch in Paul's brain (the orange one). He starts talking about John much more frequently in interviews after keeping some reasonable walls up about it all to the press. I should have probably mentioned that Yoko and Michael have been chummy throughout this entire ordeal, making deals to benefit them and leave Paul......well, not benefitted. Yoko tells the press that Paul never helped her and John get back together and that Paul was the Salieri to John's Mozart. :| Sean appears in Michael's film Moonwalker.

More awards, more packed shows, more success. He doesn't slow down for a second, touring all over the place. The press are often mean to him because they hate to see an older gentlemen succeed 😤 They're also not impressed with 'stadium rock' in general and the usual bag of tricks that comes with it. Nevermind that, though, because there are sold out gigs all over the place and the press was favourable in many places. Flowers in the Dirt is a success and is raved about everywhere. Woopie!!! Harrison, Starr, Ono vs McCartney is settled out of court. Still, tensions remain. Paul puts stuff in his tour programme (free) that rattles someone somewhere. ('I'm not trying to say it was all me ... But I do think John's avant-garde period later, was really to give himself a go at what he'd seen me having a go at.')

Yoko tells a BBC children's show (a hilarious set up for this quote tbh) "I know Paul thinks he was leading, or something like that ... The way John led the band was very high level, on some kind of magical level. Not a daily level like Paul saying, "Oh, but I was the one who told them all to come and do it. I made the phone calls." John did not make the phone calls. He wasn't on that level ... He was on the level of a spiritual leader, a seer, and that's why the Beatles happened."

December 1989 Paul plays MSG and has a wonderful time. He heads home and makes more music which becomes the soundtrack to Geoff Dunbar's short 'Duamier's Law' which premiered at Cannes Film Festival in 1992. The kicker? He did it anonymously. The panel hail it as an obscure and submersive masterpiece, obviously without a clue that it was done by the most commercially successful pop star musician of all time with his own giant company, earning millions of dollars a week.

And that's that! Decade done with! Some highs (ha!) and lows and places in between, but Paul is the ultimate comeback kid.

#asks #Paul #the spelling errors are on purpose I swear 😤

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inspiteallthedanger · 2 years

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The bit in the linked amaralto post about John getting money for The Family Way really interested me because a frequent criticism I've seen of Paul is that he was stingy with money* - but that doesn't seem to have ever applied to his partnership with John (unless there are quotes/examples I have missed). Even later when they both got into the whole 'who wrote more of each song' thing and then lated Paul tried to reverse some of the credits, it was only about attribution and neved royalities. As far as I know neither John or Paul ever questioned the 50/50 agreement?

*for the record I have read a lot about his upbringing etc that means I have sympathy for his money worries here so I don't mean to say I fully agree with rhis criticism. But I have seen it brought it up regarding George and Ringo's issues with Paul too.

Hello my love!

Well. Let’s be clear, there’s examples all over the shop that all of The Beatles were concerned about money and did things that were… yikes from time to time. And, as you say, I don’t think there’s anything particularly unusual about that given everything. But also as you say, Paul does tend to get the brunt of it as he did seem a bit Weird about it.

I don’t think there are loads of instances of there being money issues between Paul and John. There’s the Northern Songs shares thing which I know people argue both ways on (it was a big deal /it wasn’t a big deal / Paul was deliberately trying to get a controlling share of their songs / if he was, that was a weird way of going about it). I tend to come down on it’s probably somewhere between the two. I don’t think Paul was trying to get control of NS but I also think he wasn’t against earning more money off them than John. But. Like. Who cares really? It was a small amount and if he and John had been closer Paul probably would have encouraged him to do the same. I doubt there was anything about beating John though, just wanting to earn some more money off his own work.

There’s also that time the others (plus the Lennon estate) sued Paul because he did a deal to get more royalties on The Beatles back catalogue in exchange for signing with Capitol as a solo artist. Make of that what you will. John’s gone by that point, though, and I don’t know that I’ve seen a Paul quote giving his view point on it. So, I’m sure there’s some reasoning from his perspective.

I would also say that the divorce was all about money in why it ended up being dragged out, but I don’t know nearly enough about that to be able to really make much of it. I’m sure there was a bit of Paul getting himself a good deal V the other three. But, like, that’s more about the fact different people are representing them than it is Paul trying to get one over on them (probably? Although who could blame Paul at that time if he was imagining taking them all to the cleaners (which he obviously didn’t do in the end)).

But essentially, yes. John and Paul never really fell out over money. It might have - at times - been a chip they played against one another. But their issues were much more emotional than practical.

#beth rambles

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longforyesterday · 5 years

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Ok. Here we are. Long post(/rant) ahead in response to the photo above. Sorry for my English, but I had to get these things off my chest. Thanks to everyone who will take the time to read this post, and tell me what you think!

1. They had all agreed to shut up about the “divorce” and he announced it to promote his album.

First of all, it was Allen Klein (one of the main villain in this wretched story) that had convinced John - who was very enamoured with him, his persona and his promises - not to tell anyone about it. In late December 1969 John, however, told journalist Ray Connolly, who didn’t say a word. Klein wanted to make as much money as he possibly could from the band, and announcing the break-up would have certainly damaged that prospect. Paul did it in April 1970. That’s four months of limbo, of nothing. He was in the midlle of an uncertain situation, with a manager who profited off them and their work and that he didn’t want, his bandmates and closest friends against him. Paul loved the Beatles and being a Beatle, he never wanted them to break up but the time had come. George had wanted out for years but never left for good. We all know John had lost interest in the band and had already started working with Yoko. I feel like Ringo didn’t want the band to break-up, but just went along with the other two, hoping that Paul would eventually agree with them. Releasing a solo album (that he put together without any help from the other three) while staying in the Beatles under Klein, with no hope of a follow-up to Abbey Road, in a tense situation, after John’s “divorce” private announcement, alone against the other three would have meant - for Paul - that everything he made from it would have gone to Klein for the most part. Of course he didn’t want that. Let’s not act like this didn’t affect Paul at all. It must also be mentioned that, while he was working on his solo album, Allen Klein and John had contacted Phil Spector to work on Get Back/Let It Be, which had been shelved.

Back in Beatles headspace, Paul sat in a room at Cavendish Avenue and, with fresh ears, reviewed the results of the second version of the Get Back LP. To his mind, the music was stark, unadorned, frighteningly bare, but ultimately thrilling. Klein, meanwhile, bluntly deemed it ‘a crock of shit’ and conspired with Lennon to bring in Phil Spector, who had just overseen the rousing production of ‘Instant Karma!’, to rework the tapes. Unknown to McCartney, Spector booked studio time in March and began slathering strings and brass, fairytale harp and aaahing choir onto ‘The Long And Winding Road’, making it sound hopelessly corny, like a BBC orchestra backing Engelbert Humperdinck. At this stage, however, Paul remained unaware of this development, his thoughts somewhere else entirely. Secluded in his music room at Cavendish Avenue, McCartney began recording his first solo album.

Tom Doyle, Man On The Run

Then came a letter (maybe it’s just me, but I find it a little passive-aggressive) from the rest of the Beatles.

Ringo Starr stood on the doorstep of McCartney’s house at Cavendish Avenue, unaware that he was about to precipitate the end of The Beatles. His tricky diplomatic mission, which he had chosen to accept in his role as the chirpy drummer, was to convince his increasingly estranged bandmate that there was an unacceptable clash of release dates between the long-delayed Get Back – now renamed Let It Be – and Paul’s freshly minted eponymous solo album, which was due to be issued only a week before. With him, he had a letter, dated 31 March 1970, handwritten by John Lennon and co-signed by George Harrison. It read: ‘Dear Paul, We thought a lot about The Beatles and yours [sic] LPs – and decided it’s stupid for Apple to put out two big albums within 7 days of each other. So we sent a letter to EMI telling them to hold your release date ’til June 4th (there’s a big Apple-Capitol convention in Hawaii then). We thought you’d come round when you realised that The Beatles album was coming out on April 24th. We’re sorry it turned out like this – it’s nothing personal. Love, John and George.’ Paul – his patience already strained, his temper on a hair-trigger – invited his friend inside and very quickly absorbed this information. Then he erupted. ‘I told him to eff off,’ Paul says. ‘Everyone, to my mind, was completely treating me like dirt. It was kind of like, “We’re the big guys, we’re the grownups.” And I said, “No way, man. Get out.”’ Ringo swiftly departed with the sound of Paul’s fury ringing in his ears. McCartney refused to budge and his solo album was released on 17 April 1970, forcing Let It Be back another two weeks to 8 May. It was the moment when Paul McCartney finally gave up on The Beatles, the point where he mentally quit the group.

Tom Doyle, Man On The Run

Of course the news provoked public outrage, and Paul - trying to set the record straight - later said

‘It was all a misunderstanding,’ he protested. ‘I never intended the statement to mean “Paul McCartney quits Beatles”. I didn’t leave The Beatles. The Beatles have left The Beatles, but no one wants to be the one to say the party’s over’

Tom Doyle, Man On The Run

but John was furious because he had wanted to announce it to the world and Paul had beaten him to it. He didn’t announce it to promote his own solo efforts, he wasn’t the type of person to do such a thing: Paul left that limbo he didn’t want to stay in and did what had to be done, even though it was painful. His first solo album resented from the announcement, and McCartney was destroyed by critics for ages because of it, not because of the songs, and by John, George and Ringo too.

2. “He sued the Beatles”

Yes, he sued them, that’s a fact. He sued them in December 1970, at the end of an year during which he had received worldwide hate and criticism for his actions and for his album. He could have sued the other three immediately after the release of McCartney or Let It Be (and he was booed during screenings of the movie), but procrastinated and thought a lot about it. He also had a nervous breakdown because he felt worthless and useless and because of that difficult situation within the group (which at that point didn’t exist anymore) and with Klein. We could have lost him if it hadn’t been for Linda. There was no other escape from that situation. He brought his former bandmates to court with a heavy heart. He “killed” the Beatles, but he also saved them from their manager. In the end they all recognised Paul was right about Klein, and he did them a favour by freeing them from that shark and from Apple.

3. “It’s a drag”

Imagine having just learned of your close friend’s sudden, terrible death at the hands of psycopath. Imagine burying yourself in your work, in the studio to deal with your grief, and crying your eyes out all the while (George Martin was there with him, and I trust George Martin). Then you come out of the studio and a journalist shoves a microphone in your face, prying, asking you for a reaction to the sad news you’ve been trying to deal with for hours. He probably was still in denial. Everyone has a different reaction to death and grief.

4. “He lost their songs to his little Jackson mate”

Paul and Michael had worked together on two singles, and MJ had hung out with the McCartneys in their Scottish estate. He had also asked Paul for financial advice, and he suggested investing in song-publishing. The Beatles catalogue was up for sale and Jackson seized the opportunity. Of course Paul didn’t think MJ would go after their songs and was upset about it (eight years of his and his former bandmates’ hard work in another man’s hands? I would be furious) and he and Yoko weren’t able to outbid Michael and to get the songs back, which only happened ten years ago.

5. The credits for ‘Yesterday’

Every song in the Beatles catalogue that wasn’t a cover, written jointly with Ringo or written by George was credited to Lennon-McCartney, even when they wrote and composed separately (especially after 1967). Paul and John also agreed that the credits could be reversed, if either of them wanted to, on any future releases. When I first got into the Beatles, I thought that that was a good arrangement, but in my book the name of the main composer should go first. For example,in my opinion, A Day In The Life is correctly credited to Lennon-McCartney, but Eleanor Rigby, which was Paul’s creation with some input by John, should be McCartney-Lennon. But this is just my opinion. Now, Yesterday. We all know Yesterday was and is Paul’s baby. John repeatedly said he had nothing to do with it. In Wings Over America (1976), Paul reversed the credits for five Beatles songs, and John didn’t say a word about it. In 1996, before the release of Anthology 2, Paul asked Yoko to reverse them only for Yesterday, and she disagreed. He didn’t ask her to remove John’s name. After Yoko’s refusal, (probably unbeknownst to Paul) Linda, who was at the height of her chemo treatment, phoned her to ask the same thing, only to be answered “That’s never going to happen”. She could have been more empathetic and polite. Maybe she refused beause Yesterday is the most covered song of all time and still makes a lot of money?

6. “Salieri and Mozart”

Some people may argue that I’m bringing Yoko into this for no reason whatsoever, but - actually - there is a reason. The comparison with Salieri and Mozart was made by Yoko herself in a BBC interview in December 1997, when Linda was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. Put yourself in Paul’s shoes. Your wife is dying and your best friend’s widow rubs salt into the wound and describes you as the Salieri to her late husband’s Mozart. Common knowledge has it that the two composers were enemies, and that Salieri even poisoned Mozart, but in reality the Italian musician was Wolfgang’s mentor and tutor, and we probably wouldn’t have had Mozart without Salieri. If you choose to make that comparison just as Yoko made it, you should keep in mind the historical truth, and that Salieri was essential. The person who made the comment said that Paul is the modern equivalent of Mozart, and for a reason. Mozart had been a musical prodigy since his childhood, and Paul was and is still considered by many an all-round musician and multi-instrumentalist. People who worked with the Beatles like George Martin and Geoff Emerick, their sound engineer, even said that he was the most musically talented of the four. He also composed Yesterday in his sleep, for heaven’s sake! You can have your favourite among the four Beatles, but you can’t deny his talent. (The commentator isn’t doing that, but a lot of people did it in the past and still do to this day.)

7. *I’m not going to repeat those last words*

Read up on his life and work, dear commentator, and then tell me if you still think that. And his solo work shouldn’t be dismissed like that. Maybe I’m Amazed? Another Day? Band on the Run? Live and Let Die? Here Today? I could go on. (The other former Beatles wrote some clunkers too, let’s not forget that). I think that many of the nasty, horrible comments about Paul come from what John said about him immediately after the break-up. John regretted them later, walked back on them, apologised and made peace with Paul (who never badmouthed him in the press), but the media ignored that and continued spreading lies. Paul wasn’t and isn’t perfect, neither of them was. A lot of people (mainly boomers) just like to act like John was Saint John of Peace from Liverpool and never did anything wrong, while the other three were inferior to him and evil people, especially Paul. Nowadays (thankfully) people tend to be objective and to not believe the old whitewashing propaganda that has been perpetuated by the Lennon Estate. But this post is not the place for that.

#i've written a testament #but it was worth it #i'm going to tag john too because i mentioned him a lot #paul mccartney #john lennon #the beatles #rant

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jonny-white · 5 years

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Listen to 4 tracks from jazz singer Mark Murphy’s 1974 LP ‘Mark II’ (Muse Records, MR5041, Stereo, 1974, USA)

Poor old Mark Murphy never really took off, commercially at least. First signed in the 60s to major label Decca, he then moved to the enormous Capitol Records where he recorded three LPs before landing another contract with jazz label Riverside. However, immediately following that, he only managed one album each for a succession of smaller and smaller labels a sign, surely, of dwindling public interest and sales. By 1972 he found himself at the fledgling Muse Records where he recorded the LP ‘Bridging The Gap’ and then this oddity, ‘Mark II’.

You know you’re in for a slightly strange listen when a perusal of the track-list reveals songs written by The Band, Joni Mitchel and David Crosby, the sleeve notes describe a Murphy original as “probably the first romantic Latin-tinged ballad ever written about flying saucers”, and yet the session players have a solid background in jazz and all carry deeply impressive CVs, having played with Carla Bley, Laura Nyro, Louis Armstrong, Ron Carter, Keith Jarrett, John Lennon and Van Morrison, among others. One of the guitarists played on Deodato’s epic orchestral jazz-funk reworking of Richard Strauss’ ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra‘ (more widely known now as the music from Kubrick’s ‘2001, A Space Odyssey) which memorably found it’s way onto the screen in Peter Sellers’ final film, ‘Being There’. The other performed with Duke Pearson on his monster soul-jazz Blue Note album ‘The Phantom’. The band arrangements were undertaken by David Matthews who had been James Brown’s conductor for four years so, in short, a fine bunch of expensive studio noodlers were provided to back the vocals of Mr. Murphy. You can’t say that this record company gave up easily!

However, what we get doesn’t sound quite like what we’d imagine from reading the previous paragraph. At times, it plays out like a classic 1970s West Coast canyon singer- songwriter record, rooted in what I call the stoners, losers, dreamers and burn-outs tradition yet, as a result of Mark’s jazz phrasing and the slickness of the musicians, the record sometimes morphs into syrup-soul. At first I was underwhelmed, but it’s proving to be a slow-burn grower. I have other, earlier, records by Murphy, more ‘jazz’ by nature, but this one has the edge as he’s slowed it all down a bit and left the annoying ‘shiddly-op-bip-boodly-shap-ap-be-doo-dah’ shit out. As Chuck Berry sang in 1957, “I have no kick against modern jazz, Unless they try to play it too darn fast“- well that goes for singing it too, in my book.

My copy turns out to be a promo pressing complete with a brilliant fold-out press release. Inside is a discography, a grinning photo of MM sporting 1970s footballer hairdo and moustache, an exhaustive list of Mark’s US and European night club appearances, a list of his TV spots on both sides of the Atlantic and finally a selection of bland testimonials such as “Mark Murphy is definitely one of my favourite singers,” (Scott Walker), “Mark is one of the best,” (Steve Allen), and my personal favourite, from Peggy Lee, “Those of us who love music shout ‘Hooray!’ when a singer like Mark Murphy comes along.” Well, hooray...

#jazz #male vocal #mark murphy

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thecoleopterawithana · 5 years

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Sir Paul McCartney in conversation with Marc Maron, for his WTF podcast, live at the 5th annual Capitol Records Congress (August 8, 2018).

Paul: It’s not so much a responsibility, but I do feel proud that the whole Beatle’s output was very positive. You know, there was really nothing that was a big downer, they were kind of sensitive songs, up songs, down songs and so. But basically, we’re saying: ‘Imagine- Oh, that’s not Beatles! We’re saying- [audience laughs at the ‘Imagine’ slip]

Q: Good record though. Do you like that record?

Paul: Very good record! I mean, we were saying: ‘Strawberry fields forever’, we were saying ‘Let it be’, we were saying all this pretty positive stuff. ‘Make it better’. So as far as responsibility is concerned, I feel good about that. And I’m also very proud! You’ve got to remember, we’re just kids who were nothing! The four of us got together, kind of magical combination. How do we get together? I don’t know! We’re in different parts of Liverpool and it was all various little stories that suddenly brought us together. But we went and did this thing… It was… it was kind of magical! But I think that! I can look back on it now and think, ‘Wow, wait a minute, how did I meet John? Oh, yeah, I remember that, yeah!’. But it’s still pretty amazing that we came together and did that music. And then continued to be interested in it, and always wanting to make the next step.

Q: Nothing else sounds like you guys!

Paul: No, it’s interesting! And you know, the thing is, looking back on it, as I can now do, by like an out-of-body experience, I can look back and you know, every single tune was different! So if we made ‘From Me To You’, then we wanted to make ‘Strawberry Fields’. If we made ‘Strawberry Fields’ then we’d wanted to make ‘Penny Lane’. So there was no formula. And I figure it was because we were young guys, and we would just have got bored to make the same record again. So much so that I remember in the studio we used to say to Ringo: ‘Did you use that snare drum on the last song?’. He’d go, ‘Yeah.’ ‘We gotta change it!’. And of course, now they set up for one drum kit and that's pretty much the whole album. But we changed like every time! And if we didn’t have another snare drum we’d go, ‘Okay!’ [drums on metal] That’s the rhythm, that would be [drums with slower tempo] That would be the off-beat. So the fact that we’d want to experiment and we were so interested and so privileged to be allowed the studio time… so every single track just was different!

Q: I know! It’s insane! I listened to Let It Be twice the other day and I can’t… Who did that riff? [Hums beginning of ‘I Dig A Pony’] Who did that? Who made up that one?

Paul: Oh, that was John’s riff.

Q: Oh, yeah? Sorry.

Paul: ‘I Dig A Pony’. [Audience laughs]

Q: It’s great! Like, that whole album-

Paul: I don’t mind that he made that up!

Q: Oh, I know! I don’t know why I’m getting personal about it…

Paul: Yeah, exactly!

Q: I’m glad you don’t mind, it would be uncomfortable if you’d be like: ‘Ugh, I’ve had enough of this Lennon-

Paul: Please don’t mention John. It’s really embarrassing! No, but that’s a great riff and that’s a great song and it’s probably one of the secrets: it never got boring.

Q: Do you think that like - whatever happened at the end of that band - do you feel ever looking back on it, that you guys had done everything you could, that you’d pushed it out as far as you could go creatively and it might have been the best thing?

Paul: Well, we felt like that at the time. And that’s why it ended. It felt, ‘We’ve come full circle’, and we actually used that expression: full circle. But, when you look at what we did after it, it could’ve- it could have worked! John’s track might have been ‘Imagine’, and I might have had ‘Live And Let Die’. And you know, whatever, there was certainly-

Q: So you think about that?

Paul: Yeah, I think so. But, I mean, you can’t do what-ifs.

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minstrel75itg · 3 years

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Another one from my ‘used’ crates. Regrettably, someone penned their name on side - 1’s label. (My collection copy is the Capitol Records reissue with the maroon colored label) “Imagine” is the second studio album by #johnlennon , released on 9 September 1971 by Apple Records. Co-produced by Lennon, his wife #yokoono and Phil Spector, the album's lush sound contrasts the basic, small-group arrangements of his first album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970), while the opening title track is widely considered to be his signature song. This is on #applerecords - SW 3379 Lennon recorded the album from early to mid-1971 at Ascot Sound Studios, Abbey Road Studios and the Record Plant in NYC, with supporting musicians that included his ex-Beatles bandmate #georgeharrison keyboardist #nickyhopkins , bassist #klausvoormann and drummers #alanwhite and #jimkeltner . Its lyrics reflect peace, love, politics, Lennon's experience with primal scream therapy, and, following a period of high personal tensions, an attack on his former writing partner #paulmccartney in "How Do You Sleep?". #rockandroll #theseventies #thebeatles https://www.instagram.com/p/CL3Dg9ULC1t/?igshid=bmgqvmtu3xgy

#johnlennon #yokoono #applerecords #georgeharrison #nickyhopkins #klausvoormann #alanwhite #jimkeltner #paulmccartney #rockandroll #theseventies #thebeatles

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rollingstonemag · 7 years

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Un nouvel article a été publié sur https://www.rollingstone.fr/john-lennon-dernier-tango-in-l-a/

John Lennon : dernier tango in L.A.

Le 26 septembre 1974, John Lennon publie l’album Walls and Bridges qui met un terme à son légendaire Lost Weekend, et décroche le premier – et seul – numéro 1 de sa carrière solo avec “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night”. Rolling Stone revisite l’une des périodes les plus déjantées mais aussi les plus prolifiques de l’ex-Beatle

Un juillet 1974, John Lennon prend ses quartiers au studio Record Plant de New York. Il est là pour enregistrer et produire lui-même les chansons qu’il a écrites depuis son retour à New York, après avoir séjourné plusieurs mois à Los Angeles en compagnie de May Pang, sa jeune assistante (ou son “esclave”, selon l’affreux Albert Goldman, biographe totalement non officiel de Lennon), avec laquelle il entretient une liaison plus ou moins téléguidée par sa femme, Yoko Ono. Soit l’une des périodes les plus troublées de la vie de John, que l’histoire retiendra sous le nom de Lost Weekend mais qui s’avérera aussi l’une des plus créatives de sa carrière solo. Au printemps, celui qui selon le journaliste Elliot Mintz “ne s’est jamais habitué à L. A.”, s’est installé dans un petit appartement de la 52e Rue Est avec May Pang. Les deux amants ont pour voisine Greta Garbo, la “Divine”. Après les excès du Lost Weekend, durant lequel, de son propre aveu, il s’est “noyé dans l’alcool”, John est dans une période plutôt positive. Il lui arrive encore de se soûler mais pas excessivement, et il reçoit chez lui, avec beaucoup d’affabilité, quelques vieilles connaissances de passage en ville comme Paul et Linda McCartney ou encore Mick Jagger, avec et parfois sans Bianca… Il y accueille surtout Julian, le fils né de son premier mariage avec Cynthia, qu’il n’a pas vu depuis plusieurs années et avec lequel il vient de renouer. Lennon essaie d’être un bon père. Pour Julian, il endosse même le rôle de professeur de guitare, et l’invite à jouer (de la batterie) au Record Plant le temps d’une courte reprise de “Ya Ya”, lors des sessions de ce qui deviendra l’album Walls and Bridges.

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C’est au pierre, en face de Central Park, où il s’est installé en rentrant de L. A., que Lennon a composé la plupart des chansons de cet album qui doit succéder à Mind Games, publié l’année précédente. Le thème qui domine ses nouveaux morceaux, c’est l’absence de Yoko Ono, dont il est séparé depuis l’été précédent – on lui attribue cette fameuse phrase prononcée a posteriori : “Notre séparation a été un échec total.” –, dans une tentative complètement ratée de pallier certains manques qui semblent déséquilibrer une relation jusque-là incroyablement fusionnelle.

“Going Down on Love”, le premier titre, donne par exemple une assez bonne indication de l’état d’esprit plutôt sombre qui a dominé les derniers mois, Lennon paraissant totalement désorienté par l’absence de Yoko. Un peu plus loin “Bless You”, qu’il considérait comme la meilleure chanson du disque, est une réflexion sur l’amour qu’il lui porte et “la façon dont l’amour évolue, ce qui est une des surprises que nous réserve la vie. Ce n’est plus tout à fait la même chose même si c’est encore de l’amour, et ‘Bless You’ parle en partie de ça”. “What You Got”, quant à elle, évoque directement Yoko et ce qu’il a perdu en la quittant. Au départ une chanson rockabilly inspirée par Carl Perkins et pastichant le “Rip It Up” de Little Richard, elle se transforme en performance disco-funk telle que les O’Jays pouvaient la pratiquer alors avec succès. Pourtant c’est bel et bien May Pang, sa compagne du moment, qu’on entend sur “#9 Dream”, somptueux titre mid-tempo gorgé de chœurs et de cordes, aux arrangements directement inspirés de ceux que John avait écrits pour la reprise du “Many Rivers to Cross” de Jimmy Cliff, enregistrée par son ami Harry Nilsson, lequel cosigne la ballade “Old Dirt Road” – sur laquelle il assure également les backing vocals.

Il y a beaucoup moins de tendresse, en revanche, dans “Steel and Glass”, une attaque directe (“And you leave your smell like an alley cat”) contre Allen Klein, l’ex-manager des Beatles et conseiller financier de Lennon et de Ringo Starr, avec lequel il est alors en procès. Même si Lennon lui-même a toujours affirmé “que la chanson ne s’adresse pas à une personne en particulier. J’ai utilisé plusieurs personnes, un peu comme un romancier qui compose un personnage à partir de plusieurs de ses connaissances. En tout cas, ça ne s’adresse pas à Paul”. À la différence de “How Do You Sleep” qui, dans Imagine, reprochait amèrement à McCartney d’avoir refusé de s’associer à Klein, précipitant ainsi la dissolution de leur partenariat. Tout aussi lugubre, “Scared” livre cette phrase terrible qui sonne comme un aveu : “Hatred and jealousy/Is gonna be a death of me”. Enfin, “Nobody Loves You (When You’re Down and Out)”, composée au début du Lost Weekend et illuminée par un solo merveilleux du guitariste Jesse Ed Davis, reflète son sentiment de solitude extrême autant que ses désillusions par rapport au music business. Lennon dira plus tard l’avoir imaginée chantée par Frank Sinatra. “Je ne sais pas trop pourquoi mais c’est un genre de chanson sinatraesque, vraiment. Il ferait du super-boulot avec. Tu m’entends Frank ?”

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Mais la chanson phare de ces séances de l’été 1974, c’est “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night”. D’après May Pang, celle-ci a été inspirée à John par la prestation télévisée nocturne d’un pasteur évangéliste noir, Reverend Ike. Musica- lement, la progression harmonique s’inspire du hit (prédisco) “Rock Your Baby” par le chanteur George McCrae, que Lennon aime beaucoup. Mais le morceau va surtout bénéficier de l’apparition impromptue d’Elton John au Record Plant, alors que John travaille déjà sur le titre avec ce groupe de sessionmen – pour la plupart de vieilles connaissances –, dont le noyau dur est composé de Nicky Hopkins au piano, de Klaus Voormann à la basse, de Jim Keltner à la batterie et de Jesse Ed Davis aux guitares.

John et Elton se sont rencontrés récemment à Los Angeles et Lennon ne cache pas son admiration pour l’exubérant chanteur et pianiste anglais, alors au sommet de la gloire. Aussi, lorsque Elton demande s’il peut “ajouter un peu de piano” à la chanson, Lennon acquiesce avec enthou- siasme. Au final, ils finiront par chanter le refrain en chœur – sur le même micro – et Elton John ajoutera un peu d’orgue à l’ensemble, histoire de pimenter l’affaire. Contre l’avis de Lennon, la chanson est très vite choisie par Capitol comme premier single et donne l’occasion de mesurer l’incroyable culot d’Elton, qui n’hésite pas à provoquer Lennon. Si jamais “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” devient no 1 des ventes de singles aux États-Unis, l’ex-Beatle doit promettre de monter sur scène avec lui lors de son futur concert au Madison Square Garden, le soir de Thanksgiving. Curieusement, Lennon accepte. Probablement parce qu’il n’y croit pas beaucoup, après l’échec commercial rencontré par Mind Games.

Je sais qu’il peut faire mieux que Walls and Bridges

Walls and Bridges est mis sur le marché le 26 septembre 1974, trois jours après la mise en vente du single “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night”. Invité à donner son opinion sur le nouveau 33 tours de son ex-“partner in crime”, McCartney déclare : “C’est un très bon album, un grand album, mais je sais qu’il peut faire mieux. J’ai entendu ‘I Am the Walrus’ aujourd’hui, par exemple, et c’est ce que je veux dire. Je sais qu’il peut faire mieux que Walls and Bridges. Je trouve que ‘Walrus’ est mieux. C’est plus aventureux. Plus excitant.”

D’autres se montrent plus enthousiastes que Paul. Bien décidé à redorer le blason de son nouvel ami, Elton John décide de reprendre “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”, l’un des joyaux psychédéliques de Sgt. Pepper’s, dans une version légèrement colorée reggae. Lennon est présent lors de l’enregistrement au Caribou Ranch, studio situé dans les montagnes rocheuses au Colorado, à 3 000 mètres d’altitude. Il y joue de la guitare sous le pseudonyme de Dr. Winston O’Boogie et assure également les chœurs sur la face B du single, “One Day (at a Time)”, une composition extraite de Mind Games.

Le 18 octobre, la surprise est totale pour Lennon : “Whatever Gets You…” devient no 1 des charts et Walls and Bridges suit aussitôt le même chemin. En partie grâce à Elton, Lennon a réussi son come-back, mais il a perdu son pari et va devoir tenir sa promesse de se produire sur scène, ce qu’il n’a pas fait depuis le concert du 30 août 1972 au Madison Square Garden – si l’on excepte un bœuf impromptu au Troubadour de L. A., le 30 novembre 1973, à l’occasion d’un concert de Dr. John.

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Mais avant cela, Lennon a décidé de retourner au Record Plant en compagnie du noyau dur des musiciens qui ont par- ticipé aux sessions de Walls and Bridges. Il souhaite terminer l’enregistrement de cet album de reprises de classiques du rock fifties, Oldies but Mouldies, entamé un an plus tôt à L.A. sous la houlette de Phil Spector et demeuré inachevé.

Pour bien comprendre de quoi nous parlons ici, il convient de revenir au début de l’année 1973. Celle-ci a fort mal commencé, avec la réélection de Richard Nixon, l’ennemi juré de John. Le prenant – plutôt à raison (l’album Some Time in New York City, entre autres) – pour un personnage dangereusement subversif, Nixon a en effet fait des pieds et des mains pour favoriser son expulsion du territoire américain. En réalité, maintenant qu’il a réinvesti la Maison Blanche, Nixon se moque comme d’une guigne de Lennon. Mais celui-ci n’en sait rien et se croit toujours espionné par le FBI. De toute façon, son sort est toujours suspendu à la décision de l’Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Suite à une condamnation pour usage et possession de drogue au Royaume-Uni, son ordre d’expulsion est confirmé le 23 mars. Il a soixante jours pour quitter le territoire.

C’est d’autant plus dramatique, que Lennon a enfin trouvé un lieu de vie qui semble lui convenir parfaitement. Un vieil immeuble gothique, un peu inquiétant, construit en 1880 et qui domine Central Park, le Dakota. C’est en partie là que Roman Polanski a tourné son chef-d’œuvre Rosemary’s Baby, et l’endroit comptera au fil de sa longue histoire nombre de résidents célèbres, tels que Lauren Bacall, Arthur Rubinstein ou encore Boris Karloff. Les Lennon y achètent un premier appartement (ils finiront par en posséder cinq) de douze pièces, lequel a appartenu à l’acteur Robert Ryan. En apparence, tout semble aller pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes pour le couple…

Un mois plus tôt, Lennon est en outre parvenu à se débarrasser légalement du calamiteux Allen Klein, qui se désintéresse désormais totalement du sort de ses poulains, John, George et Ringo. Bien évidemment, Klein intente un procès à John, affirmant lui avoir prêté 500 000 dollars, que ce dernier ne lui aurait jamais rendus. Cela n’empêche nullement le musicien d’être très productif, écrivant de courts essais et des réflexions (qui seront publiées à titre posthume sous le titre Skywriting by Word of Mouth, soit “Éclats de ciel par ouï-dire”) ainsi que des chansons qu’il destine à Ringo Starr (“Goodnight Vienna”), à Johnny Winter (“Rock’n’Roll People”) ou à Keith Moon (“Move Over Ms. L”). Il “supervise” également l’enregistrement du nouvel album de Yoko, tout en travaillant sur Mind Games. Enfin, tous deux sont désormais clean, après une longue dépendance à la méthadone, clean au point de ne “même plus fumer d’herbe”.

Pourtant, il se produit alors une chose incroyable. John et Yoko vont prendre la décision de se séparer. En cause, l’appétit sexuel de John qui, même s’il n’a quasiment jamais été infidèle à sa femme, semble le tarauder sans relâche. Appétit que Yoko ne paraît plus en mesure de satisfaire. Le couple prend le problème à bras-le-corps et décide, d’un commun accord, que John peut aller voir ailleurs si l’envie lui prend. Loin, si possible, et de préférence avec quelqu’un que Yoko connaît. Voire qu’elle pourra contrôler. Le choix se porte donc sur May Pang, cette jeune sino-américaine qui travaille pour eux depuis deux ans, tandis que John suggère que Yoko aille butiner du coté de David Spinozza, ce jeune guitariste très doué qui a participé aux séances de Mind Games.

Le 18 septembre, John s’envole pour Los Angeles en compagnie de la ravissante May Pang qui doit lui servir tout à la fois de gouvernante, d’assistante et de maîtresse. “Yoko m’a littéralement foutu à la porte, racontera-t-il plus tard. Je ne suis pas parti en disant que j’allais me faire un trip de célibataire rock’n’roll. Elle m’a vraiment dit : ‘Fous le camp’ et j’ai répondu : ‘OK, OK, je m’en vais… célibataire et libre.’ J’avais été marié toute ma vie et je me suis dit : Whooo- yippie ! Mais ça a été vraiment horrible.”

C’est là que commence ce que John lui-même va appeler son “Lost Weekend”, en référence sans doute à un classique du film noir réalisé en 1945 par Billy Wilder, avec Ray Milland dans le rôle d’un jeune écrivain alcoolique qui se retrouve seul un week-end à New York à lutter contre ses démons. Lennon, lui, n’est pas seul : dès son arrivée avec May, il est accueilli par Elliot Mintz. Ancien DJ qui s’est fait virer pour avoir diffusé en intégralité et sans interruption Some Time in New York City à l’antenne, il travaille désormais pour l’émission Eyewitness News sur la chaîne ABC.

J’avais été marié toute ma vie et je me suis dit : Whooo- yippie ! Mais ça a été vraiment horrible

D’après Mintz, “dès que John a débarqué, il n’avait qu’une idée en tête : retrouver Yoko”. Se révèle ainsi toute l’ambiguïté de ce “week-end perdu”. Lennon va se comporter comme le plus invétéré des célibataires tout en appelant Yoko vingt fois par jour, celle-ci contactant May presque aussi souvent pour être au courant des faits et gestes de son mari. Ce qui est certain, c’est que John est complètement paumé. Théoriquement, il est censé rencontrer les gens de sa maison de disques, Capitol, pour promouvoir Mind Games, puis profiter de sa présence à Los Angeles pour régler un vieux contentieux avec l’éditeur Morris Levy. Ce “conflit” – qui finira devant les tribunaux – va obliger Lennon a enregistrer au moins trois chansons tirées du très abondant catalogue que possède celui que l’on surnomme “La Pieuvre” dans le métier. Un catalogue riche en classiques du rock’n’roll et du rhythm’n’blues, obtenus dans des conditions souvent douteuses, mais qui inspirent suffisamment Lennon pour qu’il envisage d’enregistrer un album complet dont le titre de travail est Oldies but Mouldies.

L es clés en sont confiées à Phil Spector, avec qui l’ancien Beatle a enregistré ces deux premiers disques post-Beatles, Plastic Ono Band et Imagine, et les musiciens constitués d’un aréopage de requins de haut vol au nombre desquels figurent, Jim Keltner, Klaus Voormann, Steve Cropper et Jesse Ed Davis. S’échelonnant d’octobre à décembre 1973, les séances du futur Rock’n’Roll, on le sait, dégénèrent très vite, Spector s’illustrant surtout par ses déguisements extravagants, sa consommation gargantuesque de cognac Courvoisier, son penchant qui s’avérera funeste pour les armes à feu et le kidnapping final des bandes enregistrées. Lennon n’est pas en reste, décrit par Jim Keltner comme “assis la plupart du temps sur un tabouret un casque sur les oreilles, avec un seau rempli de vodka d’une taille carrément ridicule à ses pieds”. Installé avec May Pang dans la maison du producteur Lou Adler, Lennon “biberonne, comme jamais depuis mes 20 ans”. Il laisse surtout libre cours à la partie la plus destructrice de sa personnalité, malgré la présence a priori rassurante de Mal Evans, l’ancien roadie des Beatles, qui le raccroche à ses racines liverpuldiennes.

À Los Angeles, les frasques de Lennon deviennent vite légendaires, même si tout le monde fait son possible pour éviter qu’elles ne s’ébruitent dans la presse afin de ne pas aggraver son cas vis-à-vis de l’INS. Mais même celles qui paraissent les plus invraisemblables, telles que narrées par Albert Goldman dans son abominable Une vie avec les Beatles, seront a posteriori confirmées par des sources plus fiables. Il y a ce jour où, excédé par l’attitude laborieuse de Spector, il manque de violer May Pang devant tous les musiciens, avant de sortir du studio avec Jesse Ed Davis, de rouler une énorme pelle à celui-ci, puis de le repousser violemment. Une fois en voiture, il entreprend de rouer de coups les autres passagers, en hurlant alternativement : “May ! Yoko ! May ! Yoko !” Arrivé à Bel Air, Lennon tente d’étrangler Phil Spector, qui heureusement ne se déplace jamais sans George, son garde du corps. Celui-ci finit par ligoter Lennon à son lit, mais ce dernier, totalement incontrôlable, parvient à se libérer et commence à balancer les meubles par la fenêtre. Lennon finira par se calmer dans les bras de Tony King, un employé du label Apple, non sans avoir réduit en poussière la collection de disques d’or accumulée par Lou Adler grâce aux Mamas & the Papas.

Même si toute cette histoire a sans doute été un peu exagérée, les exactions de Lennon en compagnie de Harry Nilsson, qui est devenu son compagnon de beuverie préféré, puis de Keith Moon venu rejoindre la petite bande de fêtards, sont généralement avérées. Il y a d’abord cette soirée de février 1974 au Troubadour, où se produit la chanteuse Ann Peebles, alors au sommet de sa carrière grâce au formidable “I Can’t Stand the Rain”. Même s’il déclare qu’“il s’agit de la meilleure chanson de tous les temps”, Lennon a l’idée saugrenue d’arborer une serviette hygiénique trouvée dans les toilettes de l’établissement en guise de couvre-chef pendant la prestation de Peebles. Puis, le 12 mars, au même endroit, c’est le grand retour des Smothers Brothers, un duo de comédiens et musiciens folk, dont le Comedy Hour télévisé était très populaire dans les années 60, avant qu’il ne soit supprimé pour cause de sympathie avouée du duo pour la contre-culture. Ce soir-là, John et Nilsson entonnent à tue-tête le même “I Can’t Stand the Rain” de Peebles, avant d’être pris à partie par le manager des Smoothers Brothers et de se faire éjecter du Troubadour. “J’étais comme un poulet sans tête, déclarera ensuite Lennon. Je me réveillais dans des endroits étranges, ou bien je découvrais des trucs sur moi dans le journal racontant des choses extraordinaires que j’avais faites, pour moitié vraies et pour moitié fausses. Et je me suis retrouvé dans une sorte de rêve dingue pendant un an…”

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Pourtant, si l’on en croit Elliot Mintz, pour “une journée d’incohérence alcoolisée, il y en avait dix où il était parfaitement clair”. Notamment lorsqu’il reçoit Cynthia et Julian, qu’il emmène plusieurs fois à Disneyland, et surtout quand il prend en main l’enregistrement d’un album de Nilsson, Pussy Cats. Lennon réalise qu’au milieu du chaos qu’il engendre plus ou moins malgré lui – le nombre de stars hollywoodiennes qui débarquent en studio ou dans la grande maison qu’il loue à Santa Monica est carrément hallucinant – il est le seul capable de prendre des responsabilités.

Les séances de Pussy Cats démarrent le 28 mars 1974 aux studios Burbank, avec plus ou moins les mêmes musiciens que ceux qui officient sur Oldies but Mouldies, et bénéficient, dès la première semaine, de la visite inattendue de Paul et Linda McCartney de passage en ville. La soirée finira par une longue jam sur “Midnight Special”, au cours de laquelle les fameuses harmonies vocales, passablement entamées par l’alcool toutefois, résonneront pour la toute dernière fois. Le partenariat ATV/ Northern Songs ayant été dissous et Klein évincé, les rapports entre les deux vieux complices se sont nettement améliorés. D’ailleurs, quelques mois plus tard, au cours d’interviews données à la presse anglaise, Lennon évoque pour la première fois la possibilité de reformer les Beatles. “Il n’existe aucune loi qui dise que nous ne ferons plus rien ensemble, et aucune loi qui dise qu’on le fera. Si on faisait quelque chose (ensemble) je suis certain que ce ne serait pas permanent. On le ferait juste pour ce moment-là. Je pense que nous sommes plus proches à présent que nous ne l’avons été depuis longtemps.”

Entre-temps, John est revenu à New York où il entreprend d’apporter la touche finale à Pussy Cats et de régler ses problèmes avec l’Immigration. Ayant également réussi, moyennant la coquette somme de 90 000 dollars, à persuader Phil Spector de lui restituer les bandes du fameux Rock’n’Roll, il a enfin la possibilité de boucler – en cinq jours seulement – les derniers titres de l’album.

En attendant le 28 novembre, date du concert d’Elton John, il s’occupe en assurant la promo de Walls and Bridges. Assez ironiquement, les interviews qu’il accorde à la presse anglaise ont lieu juste à côté d’une convention Beatles, à l’occasion de laquelle il finit par avouer à la journaliste Lisa Robinson qu’il collectionne lui-même les objets Beatles. “Elton John m’a offert des poupées Beatles. Je n’ai pas la lunchbox. J’aimerais bien. C’est plutôt utile comme objet.”

Une semaine avant le concert du Madison Square Garden, John assiste à un show d’Elton John à Boston. Une prestation dont il ressort terrorisé, face à l’aisance du musicien et à la ferveur du public. Pourtant, malgré son appréhension, il se rend le 27 novembre aux répétitions avec Elton et son groupe. Le choix des chansons se porte sur “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night”, la version dite reggae de “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” et, plus curieusement, à la suggestion d’Elton, sur “I Saw Her Standing There” des Beatles, une chanson que Paul McCartney a toujours chantée.

Elton John m’a offert des poupées Beatles. Je n’ai pas la lunchbox. J’aimerais bien. C’est plutôt utile comme objet.

Le lendemain soir, à l’heure dite, John débarque au Madison Square Garden, littéralement dévoré par le trac. Après avoir vomi backstage, il est sur le point de renoncer quand Bernie Taupin, le parolier d’Elton, le pousse littéralement sur scène aux deux tiers du concert, comme cela était prévu. Et Elton annonce, non sans fierté : “Comme c’est Thanksgiving, nous nous sommes dit que nous allions faire de cette soirée un événement un peu joyeux en invitant quelqu’un à nous rejoindre sur scène.” John arrive, mâchant nerveusement son chewing-gum comme il l’a toujours fait en concert, les yeux dissimulés derrière ses lunettes noires. Il salue longuement le public, et soudain c’est l’émeute : 18 000 personnes deviennent totalement hystériques. Même s’il est encore nerveux, Lennon prend rapidement ses marques et se lance avec Elton dans une version débridée de “Whatever Gets Thru the Night”. Au moment d’entamer “I Saw Her Standing There”, Lennon esquisse même un semblant de plaisanterie, en annonçant : “Un morceau écrit par un ancien fiancé à moi, nommé Paul ! »

Trois petites minutes plus tard, c’est terminé. Tout le monde s’étreint et pleure, et Lennon disparaît dans les coulisses. On ne le reverra jamais plus sur une scène. Tandis que Elton termine son show, Yoko, venue assister secrètement à l’événement, le rejoint dans les loges, où ils restent un long moment assis, comme seul au monde, non loin d’une May Pang visiblement mal à l’aise.

Le Lost Weekend de John Lennon vient de prendre fin ; il réintègre le Dakota au début de l’année 1975 et, deux mois plus tard, Yoko lui annonce qu’elle attend un enfant. Au moment où sort officiellement l’album Rock’n’Roll, au terme d’un invraisemblable imbroglio impliquant l’ineffable Morris Levy, Lennon a pris la décision de se retirer de la vie publique et de ne plus faire de musique, pour se consacrer entièrement à son fils Sean, né le 9 octobre, pendant que Yoko “gérerait les affaires”. Une nouvelle vie commence. Partiellement reclus au Dakota, Lennon ignore encore qu’il ne lui reste plus que cinq années à vivre avant de tomber sous les balles d’un déséquilibré.

Par Manuel Rabasse

#John Lennon #Lost Weekend #paul mccartney #phil spector #yoko ono

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beatlesradioshows · 7 years

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Beatles, Things We Said Today #247 - John Lennon birthday special - our five favorite John songs not singles Download

This week, we pay a tribute to the Oct. 9 birthday of John Lennon with a special show in which the TWST lads Allan Kozinn, Ken Michaels and Steve Marinucci pick their favorite Lennon songs that weren't singles. (That means leaving out songs such as "Imagine," "Power to the People" and "#9 Dream.") What did we pick? Tune in and find out. We also talk about the passing of Tom Petty, which was a breaking news story while we were taping TWST #246, and go through some other Beatles news. And please be sure to let us know what you think about this episode of the show or any other episode. You can send your comments directly to our email address [email protected], join our "Things We Said Today Beatles Fans" Facebook page, tweet us at @thingswesaidfab or catch us each on Facebook and give us your thoughts. And we thank you for listening. Don't forget, you can stream the show from our very own YouTube page. Subscribe to our show on our iTunes page and please write a review. Be sure to check our Podbean page and on iTunes regularly for our latest shows, which usually appear each week. And we're now available through the Tune In Radio app. Be sure to subscribe to one of our providers to get first word on when a new show is available. And thanks for your support. Our download numbers have been rising each week and it's because of you! So we thank you very much for supporting us. (Photo: Capitol Records)

#Beatles #things we said today #Allan Kozinn #Ken Michaels #steve marinucci #John Lennon

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joementa · 7 years

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Week Of June 12, 2017.

Here is a list of some of the music I’ve been listening to the past week. Format: musician – album title, or musician – “song title” (album title).

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound

Fleet Foxes – Crack-Up

Royal Blood – How Did We Get So Dark?

Mark Lanegan Band – Gargoyle

Katy Perry – Witness

The Killers – “The Man”

Lady Gaga – “The Cure”

Justin Townes Earle – Kids In The Street

Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band – Olympiastadion, Helsinki, FI 7/31/12

The Pretenders – Packed!

The Killers – Hot Fuss

The Killers – Sam’s Town

The Killers – “Runaways” (Battle Born)

Prince – 4Ever

James Brown – Revolution Of The Mind: Live At the Apollo, Volume 3

Iron & Wine – Archives Series Volume 3

Some really great albums were released this week, and I think you need to listen to both of them as soon as you can. Royal Blood is a rockin’ band, and I love their new album How Did We Get So Dark? And both The Nashville Sound by Jason Isbell and Crack-Up by the Fleet Foxes are great albums, and are even better on vinyl. I think you are doing both albums a severe disservice if you don’t get them on vinyl. The Nashville Sound finds Jason Isbell doing what he always does – writing great songs. The topics are a little different here compared with his past couple albums (in my opinion), but they don’t suffer. And there are some real rockers here. DO NOT miss “Hope the High Road”. Wow. What a rocker! And the album is just stunning on vinyl. The packaging is fantastic and of course it sounds really great.

Then we have the latest Fleet Foxes album Crack-Up. Again, you need to get this on vinyl. It sounds incredible, and there are some liner notes in here that you just need to have. If you are listening to it digitally, you don’t get the line notes (at least not in a traditional way), and for this album, you want to have them. I think they are essential materials to go along with the music itself. I’m still digesting the album – I’ve only listened to it one time – but there are definitely some themes that run throughout the album. I wouldn’t be surprised if I consider this a concept album after I spend some more time with it. Go to your nearest record store as soon as you can, and buy both The Nashville Sound and Crack-Up on vinyl. You will not regret it.

Radiohead is celebrating the 20th anniversary of OK Computer with an extra disc of b-sides and 3 unreleased songs, due to be released on July 7. Rolling Stone recently published a pretty interest article about the making of the album. You can read that article right here: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/exclusive-thom-yorke-and-radiohead-on-ok-computer-w484570. I really like Radiohead, but I wouldn’t say I’m very familiar with OK Computer. So I’m really looking forward to this reissue, and to spending some more time with the album.

Iron & Wine is one of my favorite musicians. Last summer, he made a great album with Jesca Hoop, called Love Letter For Fire. If you didn’t listen to it, you should. It was one of my favorite albums of last year. Unfortunately I made a mistake and decided to skip their tour last summer. Why, you might ask? I have no clue. I don’t remember what I did the night of their local show, which means I should have gone to their show. Consider that a lesson learned. Because Iron & Wine has a new album coming out on August 25, called Beast Epic. I haven’t heard anything from the album yet, but I can’t imagine it will be anything but beautiful. The pre-order info is right here. The deluxe LP comes with 5 bonus songs not available on the album-proper. You know what’s even more awesome? He’s doing a tour! And like I said, I’ve learned my lesson. I will not be missing this tour. The tour dates are right here, and I think all of the shows are on sale already. I’ve already got my ticket. John Moreland is opening the show that I’m going to. He’s an incredible songwriter, and singer, too. John Moreland and Iron & Wine in one show. Now that’s a great bill!

Another musician I really love is Damien Jurado. He’s doing a 50 state tour, with a focus on playing intimate locations, not just traditional music venues. The first two states will be Ohio and Indiana. Below are the dates for these two states. I’ve even included a link to buy tickets for each of the shows. See how easy I’ve made this for you? If you will be in the area for any of these shows, I highly encourage that you go.

6/14 – Vandalia, OH - Warehouse 4 Coffee (tix)

6/15 – Cincinnati, OH - Woodward Theatre (tix)

6/16 – Newark, OH - The Ballroom at Thirty One West (tix)

6/17 – Canton, OH - Deli (tix)

6/18 – Youngstown, OH - Historian Records Co. (tix)

6/18 – Akron, OH - Gestalt Artist Collective @ HiveMind (tix)

6/20 – Indianapolis, IN - Indy Alliance Church (tix)

6/22 – Griffith, IN - Space Revival (tix)

6/23 – South Bend, IN - Langlab (tix)

6/24 – Fort Wayne, IN - The Brass Rail (tix)

You can go here to listen to Damien Jurado talk about this project. http://t.ymlp116.com/bmjhaiaebeyjapabuuatauhysw/click.php

Here’s his full statement on the project:

"It started as a dream as I drove past so many neighborhoods and towns on my way the "major market." I have watched our choice to connect to the experience in front of us dwindle away, only to be replaced with connection to a screen. We are told what is success, sold what is the "it" thing, and fed what people think we should know. It's not that any of those are bad, but on their own, they are nothing. We are nothing without the connection to one another. We are blessed to live in a beautiful world FULL of incredible people. If that isn't worth getting together and celebrating, I don't know what is. Join me in celebrating our country and the things that not only make us the same but also the beauty of our differences."

If you’ve never seen him live before, you’re really missing out. He has such a beautiful voice, and his songs are incredible. Check out his song “Museum Of Flight”.

After the great shows last weekend, I’ve been on a huge Killers kick this week. It’s been really exciting, because I feel like they’re kick-starting my summer. They also just announced a new album, called Wonderful Wonderful, due later this year, and also released a new song this week called “The Man.” I’ve listened to it many times already, and will continue to do so.

I recently read a really interesting article in the New Yorker about the label XL Recordings. You should check it out – the link to the article is right here. They’re a really cool label that’s doing a lot of good things with music. Also, they have a poster in their main office with this AWESOME message on it. How perfect is this?!

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/15/richard-russells-xl-recordings-empire

“There is a proper procedure for taking advantage of any investment. Music, for example. Buying music is an investment. To get the maximum you must LISTEN TO IT FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER OPTIMUM CONDITIONS. Not in your car or on a portable player through a headset. Take it home. Get rid of all distractions, (even her or him). Turn off your cell phone. Turn off everything that rings or beeps or rattles or whistles. Make yourself comfortable. Play your CD. LISTEN all the way through. Think about what you got. Think about who would appreciate this investment. Decide if there is someone to share this with. Turn it on again. Enjoy Yourself.”

The first leg of my summer shows is coming to a close, and I only had one show this past week. However, it was a great one. I went to see Bob Dylan at the beautiful Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. I’ve wanted to get to that venue before, but the scheduling never worked. I’m so glad I finally got there, because it is one of the best venues for a show. It’s very old and charming, and it’s a true theatre. Make sure you get there sometime. You won’t regret it. And Port Chester has some really great restaurants within walking distance of the venue.

Dylan’s show was great. Despite not saying a word to the audience, I could tell he was having a great time. He was smiling throughout the night, and during the Sinatra/American Standards, he was dancing and shimmying and swaying across the stage. He was having fun. I’ve seen Dylan many times, and it’s not unusual for him to not say anything to the audience. I don’t think he’s a man of many extra words. I saw an interview with another musician once, and although I’m forgetting his name, he was talking about touring with Dylan. He saw Dylan backstage and asked him what he’d been up to lately. Dylan looked at him warmly, said “traveling”, and continued on his way. I love that story!

Watching Dylan always makes me think of my musical heroes from when I was a kid. All of them started putting out music way before I was born, and most of them are no longer alive – Hank Williams, John Lennon, Elvis, Bob Marley. I wasn’t able to see them. Dylan, though, is one of the few that are still alive and kicking, and still making great music. Go and check out one of his shows some time. You won’t regret it. His band is incredible. Check out Charlie Sexton’s guitar leads. Or Donnie Herron, who plays beautiful pedal steel and also plays so sweetly on the violin. Or the drummer, George Receli. He gets a great sound! Check out his playing on “Pay In Blood”. So good! They’re like a real jazz band. Not necessarily the genre, but the approach. The group is the music. That’s how jazz musicians approach music. Dylan’s band does the same thing. Dylan’s a legend that I get to see each year. That’s very special.

Speaking of Dylan, did you listen to his speech where he accepted his Nobel Prize for Literature? If not, you can listen to it right here. I think it’s pretty interesting that some are accusing him of lifting some of his speech from the SparkNotes to Moby Dick. If it’s true, I’m not sure why it’s very surprising. Who would turn to something like SparkNotes to get inspired for a speech about Literature? Bob Dylan, that’s who.

#music #vinyl #live music #the killers #brandon flowers #jason isbell #fleet foxes #bob dylan #dylan #the pretenders #john moreland #iron and wine #prince #bruce springsteen #damien jurado #royal blood #radiohead

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The Beatles Channel - Coming May 18 - Exclusively on SiriusXM

- First ever Beatles-backed radio channel to feature exclusive programming, spanning the songs, stories, influences and legacy of The Fab Four

- The Beatles Channel launch to be celebrated with SiriusXM's free listening preview program, offering 24/7 listening on inactive satellite radios

NEW YORK, May 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SiriusXM is pleased to announce The Beatles Channel, launching May 18 at 9:09 am ET exclusively on SiriusXM channel 18. Celebrating popular music's most legendary and influential band, The Beatles Channel has been created by SiriusXM to present unique and exclusive programming in collaboration with and fully authorized by The Beatles' Apple Corps Ltd. The Beatles Channel will also be available online and through the SiriusXM app.

The Beatles Channel – Coming May 18 – Exclusively on SiriusXM

The Beatles Channel will showcase all-things-Beatles with regular and special programming spanning the history-making careers of the band and its members: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The channel will explore The Beatles' entire career including their hits and deeper tracks, live recordings, rarities, and solo albums, while also spotlighting musicians who have inspired, and have drawn inspiration from, The Beatles.

Paul McCartney said, "I still remember the thrill of when we first heard our music on the radio, but I don't think any of us would have imagined that we'd have our very own Beatles radio channel more than 50 years later. The SiriusXM channel will have it all, 8 Days a Week."

Ringo Starr added, "Great news, The Beatles will have their own channel on SiriusXM. Now you can listen to The Beatles, Any Time at All. Peace & Love."

"We are so proud to announce the most popular band in history has joined us for their own SiriusXM channel," said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer of SiriusXM. "We've worked with The Beatles and Apple Corps Ltd. to create a channel that is as vital today as when the band's music was first recorded. The channel will be all-things-Beatles, 24/7. The soundtrack of our world, made by John, Paul, George and Ringo."

The Beatles Channel will launch at exactly 9:09 am ET on Thursday May 18, and will be celebrated as part of SiriusXM's free listening preview program, offering 24/7 listening on inactive SiriusXM radios from May 17 to May 30.

The Beatles Channel will present a curated mix of music tailored to a wide range of Beatles fans, along with a variety of regular shows and specials, including:

Breakfast with The Beatles: A daily morning show hosted by musician and lifelong Beatles aficionado, Chris Carter, featuring music, stories and all things Beatles.

A Day in the Life: A daily feature noting milestones in the lives and career of The Beatles.

My Fab Four: A daily guest DJ session, hosted by musicians influenced by The Beatles, celebrities, and super fan listeners, each playing their four favorite Beatles songs.

Beatle Bites: A daily "name the song" quiz featuring a short snippet of a Beatles recording.

Dedicated Phone: # 844-999-BEATLES, for fans to make requests and share their Beatles stories.

The Fab Fourum: A live weekly call-in roundtable show hosted by veteran broadcaster Dennis Elsas; TV producer and author, Bill Flanagan; and panelists including authors, musicians and fans.

Peter Asher: From Me To You: He sang Beatles compositions as a member of Peter & Gordon, was part of the formation of Apple Records and went on to become a multiple Grammy-winning producer and much more. Now, his stories come to life in this exclusive weekly series.

Magical Mini Concert: A weekly fantasy concert featuring live music from The Beatles and their solo works.

Northern Songs with Bill Flanagan: A regular show from TV producer and author Flanagan, focusing on themes that tell the story of The Beatles, their music and the effect it had on generations of fans.

Get Back: The Beatles in Britain: A monthly show recorded in and around London and Liverpool that offers the UK perspective of the Beatles phenomenon, hosted by Geoff Lloyd.

On June 1, The Beatles Channel will celebrate "Pepper Day" on the 50th Anniversary of the band's acclaimed Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, playing the album's new Anniversary Edition stereo mix in its entirety. The album spotlight will be accompanied by commentary by the album's original producer, the late George Martin, and by his son, Giles Martin, who produced the album's new stereo and 5.1 surround mixes from The Beatles' session tapes, guided by his father's original, Beatles-preferred mono album mix. Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe will release 'Sgt. Pepper' in several Anniversary Edition configurations on May 26.

www.thebeatles.com

http://ift.tt/2qokbwI

www.siriusxm.com

ABOUT SIRIUSXM

Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is the world's largest radio company measured by revenue and has approximately 31.6 million subscribers. SiriusXM creates and offers commercial-free music; premier sports talk and live events; comedy; news; exclusive talk and entertainment, and a wide-range of Latin music, sports and talk programming. SiriusXM is available in vehicles from every major car company and on smartphones and other connected devices as well as online at siriusxm.com. SiriusXM radios and accessories are available from retailers nationwide and online at SiriusXM. SiriusXM also provides premium traffic, weather, data and information services for subscribers through SiriusXM Traffic™, SiriusXM Travel Link, NavTraffic®, NavWeather™. SiriusXM delivers weather, data and information services to aircraft and boats through SiriusXM Aviation™ and SiriusXM Marine™. In addition, SiriusXM Music for Business provides commercial-free music to a variety of businesses. SiriusXM holds a minority interest in SiriusXM Canada which has approximately 2.8 million subscribers. SiriusXM is also a leading provider of connected vehicles services, giving customers access to a suite of safety, security, and convenience services including automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle recovery assistance, enhanced roadside assistance and turn-by-turn navigation.

ABOUT APPLE CORPS LIMITED

Apple Corps Ltd. was founded by The Beatles in 1968 to oversee the band's own creative and business interests. As part of its management of The Beatles' entire intellectual property canon, the London-based company has administered the legendary band's recorded catalogue, with more than 800 million physical and digital albums sold to date.

Apple Corps has also piloted innovative Beatles projects, which have become benchmarks for pioneering accomplishment, including the record-breaking, 30 million-selling album The Beatles 1, the universally acclaimed The Beatles Anthology series, the Grammy®-winning CD, vinyl, digital and streaming release of The Beatles' 13 remastered studio albums, and in partnership with Imagine Entertainment, White Horse Pictures and Polygram Entertainment/UMG, the Grammy®-winning 2016 feature documentary, The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years, directed by Ron Howard.

In Apple Corps' first major theatrical partnership, The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil® has played to nearly eight million audience members since its June 2006 opening at the Mirage in Las Vegas. The Beatles' LOVE also resulted in a double Grammy®-winning album and a Grammy®-winning feature film, All Together Now, which details the fascinating story behind the unique partnership between The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil that resulted in the creation and launch of LOVE.

The Beatles debuted for streaming worldwide on December 24, 2015 with the band's 13 U.K. studio albums and Past Masters (Volumes 1 & 2), The Beatles 1962-1966, The Beatles 1967-1970, and The Beatles 1. The Beatles' Anthology, Volumes 1-3 music collections and LOVE album followed on April 4 and June 17, respectively. Songs by The Beatles were streamed more than two billion times within the first year.

And continuing the commitment to preserving the archives and legacy of The Beatles' catalogue, The Beatles' Help!, Yellow Submarine, and Magical Mystery Tour feature films have in recent years been painstakingly digitally restored for DVD, Blu-ray™, and iTunes release.

Source: SiriusXM

Media contacts Samantha Bowman, SiriusXM (212) 901-6644 [email protected]

Patrick Reilly, SiriusXM [email protected]

Jennifer Ballantyne – Universal Music Enterprises (310) 865-2350 [email protected]

The Beatles Channel – Coming May 18 – Exclusively on SiriusXM

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Read this news on PR Newswire Asia website: The Beatles Channel - Coming May 18 - Exclusively on SiriusXM

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