Skip to main content

It Was 50 Years Ago Today...

No more Beatles...miss them, miss them. Paul announced the breakup. It was sad, I am sure, although I don't remember it. We now know that Dave D had already left, leaving George, Mickey and Tich to finish off I Me Mine. Consider, also, that obvious collaborations between Lennon and McCartney after Rubber Soul are arguably few - a snippet of one's song would occasionally be inserted into another's. From the White Album on the Beatles were largely a backing band for each member's "solo" tracks. 

 Then, they officially break up. It's not like John, Paul and George suddenly lost their ability to write,  but the magic was gone. Or was it?

 What is missing? Several things come to mind. The guitar sound....who got the Leslie? George Martin wasn't producing anymore. Paul's tunes no longer have Ringo's drumming. John and George no longer have Paul's bass lines behind them. None of them have the Beatle harmonies on back up. George and John no longer had to contend with Beatle Ed's perfectionism and music hall ditties. Paul didn't have John sitting across from him, "taking the piss"...and he didn't have George to push around anymore.

 They made a few good albums, at least one apiece if only a "Best of" of their AM hits, but they don't stack up against the least of the proper Beatle albums released in the wake of Rubber Soul. I know I don't listen to any of them like I do a Beatles album. 

 Maybe the solo albums lack variety, and most of them have some filler and dreck. John and Paul each only had to come up with about 15-20 minutes worth of stuff for a Beatle album, with George adding a song or two. Then the vocals are shifted from singer to singer. Maybe a whole album fronted by any one of them is too much. A mix of their charting singles, Ex-Beatles 1970-1980, works better but is still a "Best of," not an album.
After 50 years, it is time for a boxed set. We can also group the albums largely by year, virtual Beatle albums compiled from the strongest cuts: songs that got radio play, (excluding "My Love").  Most of those tunes that were originally written for or offered up to the Beatles at some point, and songs that are just "Beatley" due to hooks, phrasings, production techniques, and effects. 

 Our first "album", Let it Rot: Solo Beatles '70, features tracks from All Things Must Pass, McCartney, Plastic Ono Band and Beaucoups of Blues. 
Wow, that wasn't easy, cutting down the Harrisonian Backlog.  I moved "What is Life" and "Apple Scruffs" to 1971, as that's when they were released as a 45.

In 1971 John released Imagine. Paul released Ram and then formed Wings and released Wild Life. George issued a single in support of the Concert for Bangladesh, and co-wrote a hit single for Ringo.  Ramagine: Solo Beatles '71, would have been in the company of a number of albums that would dominate FM radio over the next decade, including Sticky Fingers, Led Zeppelin IV, Who's Next.
The version of "Imagine" included here is an early take...with some different instrumentation to the released version. John's "How" is interesting. He uses the hook from "Long and Winding Road", on which he couldn't be bothered to play more than root bass notes because he didn't like the song. What's with that? How could he sleep?

1972 was a slow year. Paul released "Give Ireland Back to the Irish". Ringo released "Back off Boogaloo". John and Yoko put out Sometime in New York City, and...here goes....the best tune is "Sisters, Oh Sisters", by....Yoko?!? How embarrassing...on par with the best tune on Wings' Wildlife being a cover.

By 1973's Plastic Ringo Band on the Run, Paul is back in form after Red Rose Speedway. John is back with Mind Games including several good tunes...and some formulaic riffing. Ringo's album famously included songs by all of the others, three written or co-written by George.
Venus, Mars, Walls, Bridges & 1/3: Solo Beatles '74-'76 is - sonically - surprisingly consistent. Is it the sax on "What the Man Said", "Crackerbox Palace" and "Whatever Gets You Through the Night", that seems to tie them together? Were similar recording techniques or technologies used? "#9 Dream" and "Let 'Em In" are somehow Beatley. I probably listen to this one more than the others.
The mix for 1977-1980 reflects Paul's increasing output, in fact, the exercise becomes one of cutting the fluff out of Paul's albums and replacing it with stronger tracks from John and George.
It is often said that Paul wrote the poppy stuff, the ditties, while John was the rocker. Maybe so, but "Helter Skelter" is as wild as "Revolution" and some of John's stuff could be sappy. Looking at his output from the '70's we see that Paul wrote quite a few rockers and power pop gems that cohere together nicely....or nastily, if you prefer.
From 1982-2003 it is really just a case or picking the song or two per album that are worth hearing. There are the two new songs, and by the late 1980's Paul is good for a couple of songs per album, although this list doesn't go beyond Flaming Pie. Ringo eventually pairs up with Mark Hudson, with whom he writes several songs on Vertical Man and Ringorama that manage to evoke the Beatles, at least for me.
For those who are really into the Beatles- and if you're still here, I'll warrant you are - you can listen to the Solo Beatles Boxed Set. We can bicker and quibble about ridiculous inclusions and glaring omissions later. After all, we're not going anywhere for a while.


Labels:

Comments

  1. UnknownApril 10, 2020 at 2:44 PM

    you've found (or just realized) your calling.

    ReplyDelete
  2. DadApril 18, 2020 at 8:18 PM

    Philosopher?
    Did you bullsh!t last week?
    Did you try to bullsh!t last week?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NRBQ

Here's wishing Joey Spampinato a happy birthday. His old band, NRBQ, should've been a presence on the airwaves. Instead they showed up mostly on the college radio and NPR affiliates left of the dial. While the band had friends and admirers in high places - Keith Richards, Bonnie Rait, REM, the Simpson's, Dr. Demento, Captain Lou - they never managed a mainstream breakthrough. In part, perhaps, it was of their own making. They could play, play anything: and they did. Their first album, in 1969, includes covers of Sun Ra , " Hey Baby ", Eddie Cochran - that last, one of the best ever. With three songwriters contributing equally, they may've been too eclectic and radio didn't know what to do with them.  The debut also included a song of Joey's - " You Can't Hide " - which points the way to the the band's power pop of their late '70's - early '80's heyday. In fact the band would return to the song on 1980's " Tidd...
Post a Comment
Read more

Eagles: Laid Back Rockers...or Bogus Dudes?

If you think about it....and you might not want to....you can divide the Eagles' output into two periods. The first, beginning with the release of "Take it Easy" --fifty years ago this past week--constituted their slick country-rock, adult contemporary easy listening period. That which was encapsulated in that first Greatest Hits album.  This period coincides with Bernie Leadon's tenure with the band. He had previously been in the Flying Burrito Brothers (for their second and third albums) and, before that, had played with Gene Clark in Dillard and Clark. His B-bender telecaster and banjo were, as much as anything, responsible for much of the Eagles' country sound. At the end of the One of These Nights tour, Bernie poured a beer over Glenn Frey's head and - in what would become an end of tour ritual - quit the band*. Enter Joe Walsh and so begins the second, laid back stadium rocker, period. The riffs and guitars got heavier. Joe playing featured more heavy s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Yes, There's Gas in the Car

In 1970 the police raided the house of Owsley Stanley - famed financial backer of Blue Cheer, architect of the dread "Wall of Sound" and LSD producer of renown.  It was the third bust of note. The first, in December of 1967 found him with millions of dollars of acid. He was released on bail. Three years later, in Jnnuary, 1970, he was arrested along with the Grateful Dead in New Orleans - as related in " Truckin ".  This last arrest resulted in the revocation of his bail and he spent the next two years in prison. On his release, Stanley returns to the Dead - a band that he initially bankrolled - to run sound for them again, but all is not the same. He's no longer the player he was. The road crew has emerged as a power center. He builds the Wall of Sound but the band goes on hiatus in 1974. The Wall is dismantled and Owsley never works with them again. The whole arc of his time with the Dead inspired Steely Dan's " Kid Charlemagne " - working in his...
1 comment
Read more

Rust Never Sleeps

What's the best concert film?  That's a tough one. It depends. Many would say Stop Making Sense , it's a good performance, but it is edited together from three separate shows. Others would say The Last Waltz , but the running order of the show has been altered, probably timed to give viewers a bathroom break during Neil Diamond's segment. Consider, however, Neil Young and Crazy Horse's Rust Never Sleeps, filmed this week (10-22) in 1978 at the Cow Palace. It is a single show. Neil has some sort of concept in mind. the Jawas from Star Wars manage the stage. There are some gigantic trunks that Neil climbs around on. I guess he is a child, or maybe an action figure to fit in with the Jawas. The title was suggested by one of the guys from Devo. We get a flashback to Woodstock. It seems to be uncut. Note that there are some slow parts as Neil washes the spit out of his harmonica by sloshing it around in a bucket of water. It sounds like the bucket is miked.  It's Nei...
2 comments
Read more

Sucking Since the '70s

The Rolling Stones released Tattoo You on this day in 1981.  It was their last good album. Their last great album was probably Exile , maybe Some Girls . Sandwiched between the two,  Emotional Rescue   is almost as good. It wasn't even really recorded as an album. Its core is mostly comprised of outtakes stretching back to 1972.  The band needed a new album to tour, but the Twins weren't getting along, so associate producer, Chris Kimsey, went through the archives and found the best bits for the band to finish off in 1980-81.  "Little T&A" comes from a basic track cut during the  Emotional Rescue   sessions. "Start Me Up" originated during the  Some Girls . The band worked on "Hang Fire" during both.  It's a bit like  Physical Graffiti,  except that most of that album's tracks were new, whereas most of  Tattoo  consists of outtakes. It's a bit like  Odds & Sods  except that the tunes were worked on ...
4 comments
Read more

Cookin', Steamin', Workin', and Relaxin' With the Miles Davis Quintet

 Sixty five years ago, on October 26, the Miles Davis Quintet assembled for a recording session that yielded most of the Cookin' and Relaxin' albums and a tune apiece that appeared on the Workin' and Steamin'  discs. The other tracks on those albums were recorded in a one day session earlier that year. Four quality albums, not bad for two days of work.
Post a Comment
Read more

Funkadelic

George Clinton, P-Funk frontman turned 80 this week. For a while it was two bands - Parliament and Funkadelic, or maybe two facets of the same group. Funkadelic - and Parliament on their first album, Osmium (1970)  -  played a looser, rock-based, ragged, funky soul. Parliament, from 1974 on played a tighter, straight, polished funk. What follows here, is a selection from the early Funkadelic albums on Westbound. I put it together some years ago while looking for songs that reminded me of peak period Sly and the Family Stone. There really isn't much out there that sounds like this.  Missing are some of the songs with the nastier lyrics. That way I can maybe get away with playing it while Wife is in the car without having to answer the question: Honey...what are we listening to? There are a few albums that are missing from the streaming service. The first, Osmium,  was released in July of 1970. It sounds a lot like Funkadelic  and Free Your Mind ...And Your Ass Wi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Birthday Greetings, Bottle of Wine

John referred to some of Paul's songs as "granny music", music hall influenced pieces that would fit in on the a vaudeville stage....jaunty, tap dancing, tux-and-top hat stuff.  For years this contibuted to the perception that Paul wrote the light stuff while John was the rocker. Maybe so, but "Helter Skelter" is as wild as "Revolution" and some of John's work could be pretty sappy. Looking at his output from the '70's we see that Paul wrote quite a few rockers and power pop gems that cohere together nicely....or nastily, if you prefer. Not that there is anything wrong with "Granny Music". The man turns 80 today after all. Sir Paul, happy birthday to you.
Post a Comment
Read more

George Jones Jones

The Possum would have turned 90 today.  To mark the day, I'll suggest a live album, Back in the Saddle (Live: 1979) . It is an interesting LP. There doesn't seem to be a lot of information on it. George seems to be playing at Gilley's in Houston....as Mickey gets several mentions.  It says "1979", but that may not be right. Lorrie Morgan is in the band, singing backup and the Tammy parts, but he wasn't with George until 1981-83. In 1979, however, she was married to Jones Boy Ron Gaddis, so the date could be accurate. George introduces " He Stopped Loving Her Today " as a song he always likes to play when he's in Houston, The audience responds with enthusiasm and recognition, but George cut that one in 1979 and didn't release it until 1980.  It is not a concert, per se, because the audience fades in at the beginning of most songs and then fades out at the end. The recordings seem to be genuinely live, though. There is some feedback that creeps...
1 comment
Read more

Happenings Some Years Time Ago: Then There Were Four

After defining the Yardbirds' sound for a year and a half through several groundbreaking,  singles and one masterpiece of an album, Jeff Beck boarded a plane in Corpus Christi, Texas on this date in 1966, leaving the Yardbirds midway through a Dick Clark Caravan of Stars Tour. As the band finished recording Roger the Engineer in June, original bassist Paul Samwell Smith left the band. Jimmy Page was brought in first as a replacement on bass and later - after rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja shifted to bass - as co-lead guitarist. The band toured the US and then returned to London in the fall, where they recorded three songs.  The first, " Happenings Ten Years Time Ago " (with John Paul Jones on bass) had been started a few months earlier. It is a frenetic bit of freakbeat, featuring the eastern motifs, distortion, and feedback fans had come to expect of Beck. Page's playing is distinctive. Released late in October, it didn't do well on the charts. The flip side, ...
Post a Comment
Read more