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9.01pm
8 August 2012
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Alot of people think McCartneys voice is gone and that he should wrap it up. I think his voice sounds good on his latest record “Kisses On The Bottom ” , but I agree that he doesnt sound as good as he used to when he sings Beatles or early of his own stuff live. (Obviously)
What do you think? Should he stop?
9.21pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline If Paul feels up for it and wants to carry on then i say yes, without doubt.
I didnt purchase KOTB and have no plans to but thought it was ok going by the Capitol concert and dont get the criticism he got over the Olympic concert. People still love going to see him in concert, for many its a highlight of their lives and a never to be forgotten experience. So what if he doesnt sound the way he did 20 years ago, we have the records, videos and everything for that period if we want to reminisce. He’s 70 and having a blast. Let him get on with it and if people want to complain then so be it.
Would far rather listen to a croaky Paul than some of the singers who feel they have to scream as loud as possible when singing to get across any feeling or emotion or warble every damn note.
Had an enforced listening period to a commercial radio station last week and my word was it the most boring listening experience ive had in a long time. At least Paul brings excitement.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
10.16pm
20 December 2010
Offline McCartney has said that when fans don’t want to see him live anymore he will retire from going out on the road.
The problem is fans will never get tired of seeing him so he will need to make the decision when to quit. His voice is failing a bit but I give him credit. He is like the Energizer Bunny. He just keeps going.
The further one travels, the less one knows
2.27am
16 August 2012
Offline I haven’t bought a studio Macca album since ‘Flaming Pie ‘. I believe in the Law Of Diminishing Returns and I’d rather skip some more of his recent works, even though I know that much of it has been met with well-deserved praise. I’d be very curious to hear a ‘best-of’ which covered ‘Flowers In The Dirt ‘ forward though.
I like the comfort in my life knowing that Paul still makes albums, and I’d rather see him continuing like Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett and just make the music he wants to make until he dies (I know that Bennett isn’t dead, but at 86 he’s a good example of someone who just keeps on doing what he pleases for the joy of it).
E is for 'Ergent'.
3.20pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline 
I deleted that post because i felt it was too blunt but thats life so apologies for lack of order.
I have tried to track down a second hand or very cheap download of CaCitBY but havent found one, there is no chance im paying £7 for it, as i have only heard good reviews but if you buy two truly dreadful albums then you arent going to be jumping up and down on the next release and run out to the shops.
I tried to listen to DR a few years ago and still hated it with every inch of my being, some of it is just cringing, same goes for Memory Almost Full . Going further back in time i listened to all of Off The Ground a few months ago and thats a great album.
Going back to the topic in hand i would have no issues with Paul releasing a new album in 2013 despite the above as i know a lot of folks will look forward to it and its not going to do Pauls legacy any damage, well shouldnt do. No doubt some will compare it to Band On The Run or Pepper and write stupid comments lamenting how he’s done nothing since 1973 but who cares about them. According to reports he’s working with some of the best producers out there at the moment and you never know what the end result will be. Would never write Paul off as being unable to make another great album, it does sound like he hit top form with Chaos and Creation.
I forgot, someone here, possibly Strawberry, posted a download of a mash up of Fine Line and Lady Madonna which was pretty cool and Fine Line does sound interesting. I really do need to track down a copy of that album. And if it is as good as people say i’ll be on here asap agreeing.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.26pm
3 May 2012
Offline No, not until I see him!!
If he wants to then he should but I´m pretty sure he still loves it despite all the criticism about his voice, so you carry on Paul! I think he’ll just carry on releasing an album every few years because, after all, singing isn´t just his job, it´s something he´s enjoyed ever since he was young – so why should he stop? Because some people think he´s not up to scratch? Only he can be a fair judge of whether he should retire or not.
Moving along in our God given ways, safety is sat by the fire/Sanctuary from these feverish smiles, left with a mark on the door.
(Passover - I. Curtis)
4.44pm
3 March 2012
Offline No
Nope
Never
A square is not a square when the sides are less than four...
9.34pm
12 April 2012
Offline
No way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HE’s still awesome
Once there was a way to get back homewards. Once there was a way to get back home; sleep pretty darling do not cry. And I will sing a lullaby
9.02pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline He should not stop until I’ve had a chance to see him in concert. Then he can do whatever he wants. No selfishness there, eh?
paulsbass said
Too bad you missed “Chaos and creation”, his best solo album EVER.
I bought it and was very, very disappointed. I almost fell asleep. Please don’t jump down my throat, it’s just my opinion. Our tastes must vary.
For my money (again, just Zig’s opinion here) the favorite solo effort is Flaming Pie . As far as anything he did with (or as) Wings, the favorite is Band On The Run .
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
10.20pm
26 March 2012
Offline Zig said
He should not stop until I’ve had a chance to see him in concert. Then he can do whatever he wants. No selfishness there, eh?paulsbass said
Too bad you missed “Chaos and creation”, his best solo album EVER.
I bought it and was very, very disappointed. I almost fell asleep. Please don’t jump down my throat, it’s just my opinion. Our tastes must vary.
I can understand the sentiment; on first listen I was a bit underwhelmed and felt that the impeccable sense of melody, which can usually be relied on even in the case of Paul’s direst offers, had been sacrificed in favour of atmospheric production. But then I tried it a few more times and slowly a lot magic came out of the woodwork. There’s still a tune or two that leaves me absolutely cold, but the highlights show up Nigel Godrich’s take on some of his most introspective songs ever and bring something totally new to the table.
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
4.40am
1 May 2010
Offline
Paul’s show is fantastic. Amazing. He has the stamina to go on at least for many years.. I guess. But maybe his voice won’t let him go on. I hope he finds a treatment or something.
Here comes the sun….. Scoobie-doobie……
Something in the way she moves…..attracts me like a cauliflower…
Bop. Bop, cat bop. Go, Johnny, Go.
Beware of Darkness…
5.43am
5 November 2011
Offline Paul should retire when he feels like he should, but he should do a few more American tours before he decides to do that, because I’m not done going to his concerts. I think he still has at least a good ten to fifteen years before he is going to have to stop. He sounds pretty good on Kisses On The Bottom , and that Christmas song he just did was also pretty good.
If you think he’s just some old guy who has lost his voice, then don’t go to his concerts. Admittedly, I was a little dissapointed when I saw him back in 2009, but that had nothing to do with his voice. He just didn’t look right to me. I think it was his nose, he looks better in pictures. I came around, though, and he’s pretty cute anyways.
All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit
12.33pm
20 January 2012
Offline There are plenty of folks Paul’s age out there making music who are doing just fine and better that just fine. Paul is doing better than just fine. I think that he’ll know when to stop.
I’ve seen him just once, a couple of years ago, and I admit that I was prepared to be underwhelmed by the experience. I see enough live music to know to reserve judgment until AFTER the show, however. He blew me away, plain and simple (and made me reflect on the Beatles’ 1960s frustrations over not being able to reproduce their music in a live setting…no such problem today, eh?). Voice problems? Naaaahhh!
On the retirement side, though, I wish Paul would retire the pyrotechnics during “Live And Let Die .” I lived in Rhode Island at the time of the Station nightclub fire a few years back. At this point, I’d rather do without the indoor fireworks.
It's gotta be rock and roll music if you wanna dance with me
1.52pm
19 April 2010
Offline OK so obviously Paul is free to do as he pleases – and if we want to use his ability to still fill up huge venues for his shows as justification – then we’d have to extend that to lesser artists as well.
I’m a Beatles fan from the 60’s all through to today. I first saw Paul live in 1990 and he was great. Top of his form. I saw him again in 2006 and the difference was dramatic. For the worse. His voice was failing him in terms of tone and range and it hasn’t gotten any better.
You can hear it when he talks and certainly when he sings – in all fairness he is almost 72 and that’s no spring chicken so his stamina and playing ability remain amazing. But the voice is going and has been going. His David Frost interview a couple of weeks ago made it obvious.
All those years of singing so hard, smoking pot etc have taken their toil. The difference between Paul and Tony Bennett is that Tony didn’t spend 50 years screaming those great rockers like Paul has. Gentle crooning doesn’t trash your vocal chords like hard balls out rock singing does.
It’s not just Paul. Springstein, Billy Joel, Dylan, Robert Plant, Elton John, Jagger, the list goes on and on. These guys have taken their vocal chords past the point of no return.
In my opinion they have earned the right to exit the stage with grace and they ought to. And I love Paul – don’t get me wrong. I know this post will drop me off a lot of Christmas lists. I just don’t want him to conclude his career with reviewers saying “why does he keep on going when his voice is so clearly gone” If not this year, it will be next year.
"She looks more like him than I do."
5.01pm
1 November 2012
Offline robert said
It’s not just Paul. Springstein, Billy Joel, Dylan, Robert Plant, Elton John, Jagger, the list goes on and on. These guys have taken their vocal chords past the point of no return.
One exception: James Taylor. His voice is as good, if not better, than it ever was. A few years ago, the Boston Pops conductor said “James Taylor’s voice is like a fine wine — it gets better with age.”
Though he’s only 64, so perhaps when he hits 70 he’ll start to crack too.
Taylor may not have had years of screaming quite as much as Paul, but he’s also no mere crooner (notwithstanding the unfair caricature of him by people who don’t really know his music).
Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
5.59pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline paulsbass said
Ben Ramon said
I can understand the sentiment; on first listen I was a bit underwhelmed and felt that the impeccable sense of melody, which can usually be relied on even in the case of Paul’s direst offers, had been sacrificed in favour of atmospheric production. But then I tried it a few more times and slowly a lot magic came out of the woodwork. There’s still a tune or two that leaves me absolutely cold, but the highlights show up Nigel Godrich’s take on some of his most introspective songs ever and bring something totally new to the table.
That’s excactly what happened to me. At first I even thought it wasn’t even as good as Driving Rain . But after a week I knew it was a masterpiece.
As you said, the songs are so personal and introperspective, and they really touch me on many levels, “How kind of you” being my favourite. “Jenny Wren”, just beautiful”, “At the mercy” – fantastic, “Riding to vanity fair” – excellent.
Of course this is no rock album, “Promise to you girl” and “Fine line” being the only faster songs. But the atmosphere of the songs is just fantastic.
And it’s the small things in the arrangements that make the songs so special. Even songs with VERY common chord progressions like “Follow me” have some interesting middle part in a very beatlistic style.
Sorry you were disappointed, Zig. Maybe you just have to give it more time to grow on you.
I certainly will give it more time, gentlemen. Ben Ramon put it best, as I was more “underwhelmed” than disappointed. I did not care for Memory Almost Full when I first played it, but now I really enjoy it. If this was any other artist, I’d have already brought it into the used music store and traded it. But a Beatle, in my book, deserves many more chances! I will say that the cover art is awesome – love brother Michael’s photo of “Our Kid Through Mum’s Net Curtains“.
Thanks to both of you for the feedback.
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
6.18pm
20 January 2012
Offline Still more exceptions: Van Morrison, Paul Simon. I just heard Roger Daltrey do Quadrophenia — he can’t scream with the same authority as 40 yrs ago, but he’s singing just fine. Ditto Robert Plant.
Neil Young seems to sound almost exactly as he did 40 years ago.
Bruce Springsteen never really had a good voice, but it’s just deepened with the years. Still brings it in concert. Dylan, not quite a ditto. He mangages what he has, but that ain’t much.
I’ve seen/heard all these guys in concert over the past 4-5 years (multiple shows for Springsteen and Plant), and except for the very hit-or-miss Bob Dylan, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to see any of them again, and would expect to think that I got my money’s worth when I left the building.
Ditto Paul McCartney .
Of course, I’m suffering from fairly significant hearing loss at this point. Maybe my personal bar has been lowered. I guess that’s good news for me (easily pleased)?
It's gotta be rock and roll music if you wanna dance with me
9.01pm
20 December 2010
Offline paulsbass said
robert said
In my opinion they have earned the right to exit the stage with grace and they ought to. And I love Paul – don’t get me wrong. I know this post will drop me off a lot of Christmas lists. I just don’t want him to conclude his career with reviewers saying “why does he keep on going when his voice is so clearly gone” If not this year, it will be next year.
Agreed to everything you said. Saw him in 2002 – EXCELLENT performance! Saw some youtube clips from 2006 on – voice gone.
And I seriously don’t understand why he still tries to sing “Maybe I’m amazed” which was impossible for him to do as soon as the 70s were over.
But I guess he just NEEDS the thrill of rocking a stadium with tens of thousands of people, and he can’t just quit it, seeing the popular demand is still huge. People like him, being in the spotlight all their live can’t just quit.
The only thing to REALLY stop him would be if he would do some REALLY serious damage to his vocal chords without being able to sing at all.
Listening to him it can’t take much more time until that happens…
If he could stick to smaller venues with a more quiet repertoire it would suit him much better.
I wish him all the best and that he manages to find a way that satisfies his own needs of performing (being a performer myself I know about the kick you get – it’s like a drug) without ruining his health and credibility.
My point exactly. The question is why does he need the thrill of people screaming at him and adoring him. I will never understand adulation. He lives for attention which is one of the main reasons I love Harrison. He was never into the attention part of his fame but stayed humble throughout his career.
The further one travels, the less one knows
3.50am
23 January 2011
Offline SatanHimself said
I haven’t bought a studio Macca album since ‘Flaming Pie ‘. I believe in the Law Of Diminishing Returns and I’d rather skip some more of his recent works, even though I know that much of it has been met with well-deserved praise. I’d be very curious to hear a ‘best-of’ which covered ‘Flowers In The Dirt ‘ forward though.
I like the comfort in my life knowing that Paul still makes albums, and I’d rather see him continuing like Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett and just make the music he wants to make until he dies (I know that Bennett isn’t dead, but at 86 he’s a good example of someone who just keeps on doing what he pleases for the joy of it).
Then you’re missing out if you like McCartney records and good songwriting. He has done some of his best solo work since Flaming Pie . “Law of Diminishing Returns” is bullshit for creators. If they have inspiration and talent, it doesn’t matter how long they keep going if they continue to make a good product. Chaos And Creation In The Backyard and Electric Arguments are two of Paul’s best records. I think you’re avoiding good music.
"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"
John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth
3.53am
23 January 2011
Offline Zig said
He should not stop until I’ve had a chance to see him in concert. Then he can do whatever he wants. No selfishness there, eh?paulsbass said
Too bad you missed “Chaos and creation”, his best solo album EVER.
I bought it and was very, very disappointed. I almost fell asleep. Please don’t jump down my throat, it’s just my opinion. Our tastes must vary.
For my money (again, just Zig’s opinion here) the favorite solo effort is Flaming Pie . As far as anything he did with (or as) Wings, the favorite is Band On The Run .
I thought this on my first few listens, but then it turned out to be one of my favorites. I don’t know, but it grew on me and made a lasting impression.
"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"
John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth
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