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Nice site, Of course a bit over the top Paul McCartney in 2009 is better than ever at just about everything he does. It's a good thing he said "just about" Paul is a GREAT bass player and in the top 3 most influential in the world EVER PERIOD!!! without a doubt. It's greatly due to his astounding musicality that made that happen. Not a bad accomplishment for being in the top 3 BEST songwriters EVER PERIOD! as well.. All that without mentioning his as "pleasant to the ear voice" as one can have. And his guitar & piano playing contribution song wise to the world. There is NO better melody writer and that speaks volumes. Paul is the end all, and only has a few others that are in his class, people like Stevie for one, and unfortunately for his competition another one was in the same band as him and that also speaks volumes.
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Lots of inaccuracies on the site, too...but I don't care. It's a great read.
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George Harrison said he always felt his songs didn't get the thorough attention and work from John and Paul that they gave to their own songs. "One day though," he said, "I listened to 'Something' and realized he had gone home and worked on the bass line for it."
I remember, back when the world was young, a favorite listening practice was to focus just on the percussion, or the guitar, or the bass as I listened. I was fascinated by the subtleties and nuances in their works.
Ringo, with the Beatles, plays far more 'tastefully,' if that IS him playing, than he does on his solo works.
Paul is a more consistent explorer of delightful compositions, in his solo works, compared to his work with the Beatles.
I always wonder if they consulted with each other, and with producers to get those nuances.
Paul is left-handed, meaning his brain works differently than right-handed humans. Many left-handed people show a facility for artistic creativity and performance. Jimi Hendrix was another.
But any player who is studious about accompanying a given piece of music should be able to discover nuances that particular piece suggests.
A friend played me part of the DVD, "The Making of Aja," about Steely Dan's album. On one song they play several guitar players' takes on that song, each ad libbing what he thought 'fit' the piece. Then they play the one you know and love, the one they released, and the quality of it is far superior.
Joe South played on the Bob Dylan piece, "If Not For You." That simple lick, about 4 notes, that follows the first line, and is repeated throughout the song, was his instantaneous 'take' on what the piece called for.
I've advised guitar players, "Don't just play 'in key.' Don't just be 'in tune.' Be relevant, not just to this genre, in this key, but to THIS piece. Find the nuances of tempo, pitch, counterpoint, melody that make what you play unique to this work.
There will always be another song to be written. Someone will write it. Why not you? www.garyeandrews.com
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Ringo did play on the Beatles songs. I saw him on one of the late night talk shows, I forget which one, and he played a lot of the unique fills he used. He explained that he is left handed playing a right handed kit so everything was backwards for him giving him a unique style of drumming. He also was playing on the Let It Be film where this is evident. The notion of a ghost drummer is a myth. John and Paul both said he didn't get the recognision he deserved as a top notch drummer.
Steve
I'm the only person here who is not unique.
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They had so many other players in, Clapton, Billy Preston, others, that I just wonder if some of that nuanced percussion I so admire was first done by others in casual sessions, even recorded for what was actually released, and later repeated by Ringo when they played live. That kind of 'more-than-keep-the-beat' nuancing is rare and studied, so I've always wondered what the process was. But, just as George said he thought Paul must have really studied "Something" to develop that bassline, perhaps Ringo was studious about how to 'treat' a song.
There will always be another song to be written. Someone will write it. Why not you? www.garyeandrews.com
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All the evidence points to Ringo being studious. As a player, he was staunchly against drum solos or over-doing the drums...he felt the purpose of drumming was to propel the rhythm and to facilitate the singers. They had to really razz him to get him to play that solo on "The End". Ringo was considered the best drummer in Liverpool back when The Beatles stole him away from the very popular Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He could slam the bass drum with power and authority matched by none, and in a day when live drums were rarely miked, that sort of playing was recognized immediately. Ringo was GOOD...and his playing was tasteful and unique.
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To all,
A great insider's written book (by Peter Brown, "The Love You Make"), lets all the cats out of the bag as finally agreed to by all The Beatles. (It was half way though it's completion when John Lennon was shot, so he also gave much of his insight to the personal and business workings that up to the time of the book's release, was kept in-house). Peter was there with the Beatles through all the times, 24-7. Besides his memories of personal issues that gets great coverage, he interviewed his four buddies for the book.
Ringo played just tambourine on one of the takes for "Love me Do" at their first session with Martin at Abbey Road Studios for EMI, because Martin, after hearing Ringo, elecyed to go ahead with ndy White, who he already hired. BUT, after seeing Ringo's looks of disappointment, Martin gave Ringo the sticks for another take of "Love Me Do" and "PS. I love You". After hearing Ringo lay down a perfect timing track, and with great feel, Martin told Ringo he wouldn't do that again to him. Ringo played everything but the songs recorded when Ringo walked out and temporarily quit the Beatles during The White Album sessions, because of al the constant bickering between the others. Paul played drums on The Ballad of John and Yoko, and one other that escapes me now. John Lennon also added some drumming. Ringo came back after the other Beatles, one at a time, went to his house and pleaded for the others as if sent by them.
Ringo played the basic beats and some fills to the songs with the band while recording, then would layer add some fancy hi hat work, some crashes, and other drum fills, which lends to the issues of why he doesn't sound like he does when playing out with his all star bands, or for some of the 65 Beatles songs played live at that time. But it was all him in the studio, minus those few tracks of The White Album when he left the studio mad and frustrated at everyone. You can hear Paul and John's slightly our of time drumming especially in The Ballad of John and Yoko. No clicks and it shows,,,Ringo was their clicker!
A great read, that book. Adds personal points and reasons of events that The Anthology leaves out. Both read, gives the fullest most honest account of the happenings of the boys. Most other books are much too filled with conjecture and third and forth party so called facts.
Ringo Rocks,,,,just most times by layering tracks,,,,like most of us do! He's no Dave Wheckle or Buddy Rich, but given the songs and song styles that his bandmates gave him, its a good thing he wasn't! The melodies were king. Next the overall vocals, then the music, then the "backbeat". Not many as good with such expression of all the drums and cymbals for those type of songs through all those albums.
The one thing mentioned by all the Beatles was that Ringo would hear the song as being worked on, then fully composed in the studio, and remember all the transitions and stops and amount of verses, bridges, and choruses, BEFORE sitting down at his drums. For he played it all right the first time. Martin said he never had to do a take over because of Ringo. With who else was playing in that studio, that says a lot! Martin still apologizes to Ringo for not giving him due respect at that first session's first few hours. He just didn't know what the other boys already knew and tried to explain to Martin. All that is form Peter Brown's accounts by being there, and through interviews of them all, including Martin.
Get the book! Brings you into all their heads through that decade. Its not a docu for albums released or those kind of facts already known. It's all backstage, back studio, and back home stuff.
Enjoy, John
Last edited by John Daubert; 12/03/09 09:44 PM.
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I cannot enter the site my antivirus prog sees it as a worm and terminates immediately.
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Paul played drums on The Ballad of John and Yoko, and one other that escapes me now. Back in the USSR
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Interesting quote.....from John....when asked if Ringo was the best drummer in the world he said...."Ringo isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles"
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Dear Prudence, too. George Martin heard Ringo before hiring Andy White.
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The site you linked to, apparently tried to install malware on my computer, so I won't be visiting.
But I remember Paul McCartney once said he was forced to play bass, because he blew too many guitar solos :-)
That may be the reason his bass playing became so disciplined. If a bass player holds discipline and get to play lot's of gigs, he's good. Well all bass players get lots of gigs (they always seem to be in demand), but they are not all disciplined :-)
I think when McCartney started to play all the instruments on his records, the songs became stale and boring. His later records are bad examples of that.
Of course as a songwriter and artist he's still phenomenal. A cultural icon..
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I tried to warn folk in an earlier post it has a worm virus
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Bummer about that malware! Hope you all have up-to-date virus protection...nothing came into my computer. Sorry!
Regarding Paul becoming the bass player...it wasn't for blowing solos. He didn't have his own guitar at the time, and was playing piano in the meanwhile. The story also goes that George and John quickly said Not ME! Haha...John had just bought an expensive Rickenbacker Capri, George had a Gretsch, and so it all made perfect sense. It took Paul a long time before he no longer felt "burdened" by it...he eventually became one of the all-time best players and innovators on the bass.
But he's a WICKED good soloist. He often annoyed George by telling him how to play certain solos that George couldn't do at the time. This is why Paul plays the guitar solos on Sgt. Pepper, Good Morning Good Morning, Drive My Car and Taxman. Imagine how George felt about not soloing on his own song? According to Geoff Emerick, George tried take after take and couldn't get it right...so Paul tries it and nails it in one take. I think that solo was very influential...the same style seems to be all over the Moody Blues' "Ride My Seesaw".
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Dear Prudence, too. George Martin heard Ringo before hiring Andy White. Yes, you are of course correct. I forgot that fact. Edited my post, Thanks!
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"Imagine how George felt about not soloing on his own song?"
Unless you've heard otherwise Mark, I wonder if he would be upset. Maybe he was relieved, or (very likely) he was a team player that did what was best for the song. As you're aware, John played the solos on Paul's "Get Back" and George played most of the others, so I wonder if it ever was an issue....
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"Imagine how George felt about not soloing on his own song?"
Unless you've heard otherwise Mark, I wonder if he would be upset. Maybe he was relieved, or (very likely) he was a team player that did what was best for the song. As you're aware, John played the solos on Paul's "Get Back" and George played most of the others, so I wonder if it ever was an issue.... Good point--it's hard to know...they've gotten along, they've fought, they've complimented each other, they've sniped at each other...beats me.
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If you put it all together,all the instruments,the fact that he and the others, John, Peter Martin and George created a lot of the effects that we use today, never mind the body of work. Paul is the best, period!! Also his influence on society, the same for the clothes we wore and the power of the messages in the songs he and the Beatles gave us. I don't believe we'll ever see that kind of accomplishments any time in the near future.Ladies and Gentlemen,"The Beatles!' We sure were the lucky ones to be witness to such a wonderful part of our musical history!
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I don't believe we'll ever see that kind of accomplishments any time in the near future.
Ladies and Gentlemen,"The Beatles!' We sure were the lucky ones to be witness to such a wonderful part of our musical history! I always thought that....For their influences too, (Elvis, Motown, Blues), and all, (Most) of the music that came after 1963. Bands exploded to give us so much to enjoy, at concerts, while playing in cover bands, while writing our own songs influenced by them and many others! Just a wild and lucky time musically, to be witness, as you said! Imagine people who didn't have any recorders and of course players to listen to ANY music? NONE. IF they had money, they could travel in the cold or heat on rough roads with horse crap in the air to hear an hour of someone play! Now?,,,and since records, Radio, TV, and now Play Station 3 and computers,,,,we have such EASY access to any kind of music from ALL OVER THE WORLD,,,,and in large part due to the explosion of Rock and Roll, back in 1950, to The Beatles, who really light a fire to the world, to now! I even love seeing all the old footage of The Beatles and other over and over,,,just to be in awe again over such revolutionary music and instruments as the electric guitar and multi tracks,,,thanks to Les Paul! YES! What a great tiny window of time to be in, and to have been in if older than dirt now! (To hear Elvis, Little Richard, and Beatles records on those "record players"! Wow! And we whine because a CD skipped on us yesterday! How easy it is to take all of music for granted now. Kids born into it all since about 1953,(give or take) having heard radio and records in the 50's and up? Wow! That includes me! Glad I'm middle aged! Saw Beatles on Ed Sullivan while laying on the floor of my aunt and uncle's home, who were raised in England. They said, upon seeing the Mop Tops, "Is that what England has to offer now",,(or something to that affect). I guess I would have been thinking something like: YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!!!!! John I kinda like em.
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I remember getting shot down on a previous thread for saying that Paul was the main talent and driving force behind the Beatles. The others were there just to make up the numbers. Their contribution did not really amount to much. Paul has had more hits, written more songs and demonstrated more talent than the other three put together. I wonder just how much of a contribution John made to the Lennon/McCartney songwriting partnership. Neither George or John's solo career material is anywhere near in the same class as Pauls both in quality and quantity. John George and Ringo were lucky to find Paul cause without him they would just have been average players with average local bands.
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I agree mostly Jim,Paul was the talent behind the arrangements, however, I give John his due,because of his quarkiness,I think he was the primary factor that got them the most attention. But, like you say, and all we've read, the work ethic of Paul is evident. I do believe most of the music was Paul,as we can here in his post Beatle music was still the basic sound of the Beatles. I also believe in the chemistry, although Paul had the most talent, would he have become as big as he is without John? The two of them could have made it without the other two,But maybe not without each other. Paul still would have succeeded as a musician, and probably John too,but not as big. I sure at first they pushed the heck out of each other when they were young as only young great friends can do. They counted on each other to fire each other up and it was all about the Music and fun.Unfortunately, fame changes that. Nothing like being an old guy,huh! I must add,they honestly gave me my direction in life, because like most of us, I wanted to be the fifth Beatle, but I was only 12 years old when they ended as a group, thank God the music didn't stop there!!!
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Paul is no doubt extremely talented but the Beatles were about the synergy - the whole was equal to much more than the sum of the parts.
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Tires on a car. All different brands and models but that work together to make for a great ride. Sure, we can look at one tire and say it's the best of the four. But take it off the car, and it's just not the same.
Then ya got the artistic aspect that comes into Lennon's talent. Being even more diverse than Paul, we got to have all kings of goodies on all the albums. "In My Life" is still played on shows and in movies. When it came time for the first live WORLD TV concert, it was John's "All You Need Is Love" that got the nod.
The first two songs recorded by Martin were mostly if not all Paul Songs, but their explosive hit songs of Please, Please Me, I Want to Hold Your Hand, was mostly John's. She Loves You was a combo if I'm right about that.
Paul stayed commercial, while Lennon explored, which lead to Paul having to explore, which lead to great albums! Pepper's idea was Pauls. Lennon's and Georges songs help make a unique album. Being "Better" may be whatever song or sound is being thought about at that time. A Day in a Life is both. With Martin's idea for the climb.
Lennon's Instant Karma and Give Peace a Chance were strong public sing a longs that stood for more than just songs.
Lennon played piano, bass and drums. Paul taught him proper guitar chords though.
It's a back and forth checklist. Hit's were chosen for commercial reasons. Paul wanted hits. Lennon wanted to be free snd let the music go where his creative mind had him go at any given moment. Artist vs. craft of Paul. Both great in their way!
Yesterday is what it is. And so is All You Need Is Love
Poor George. Had he been allowed to present more songs per album. (a third). we might have been hearing the VERY best of all three, with NO sub great songs. "Imagine" that?! But having heard the songs a lot,,,,I don't know which ones I wouldn;t cared about not hearing.
George saved some for his two ablum solo release, which of course had people going. HUH!!!? Wow?,,,He is great too? Damn!
John
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Saying that, it was Paul who HAD to play ALL the time. He would egg on the guys to get in the studio,,,make a film,,,do this and that. His ego and musical talent were like TNT going off all the time.
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I can't think of four other guys who have been so overestimated or underestimated by so many.
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I can't think of four other guys who have been so overestimated or underestimated by so many. I can - it happened once, when Bill Cosby, Beverly Sills, Johnny Cash, and Henny Youngman got together. They called themselves, "Cosby, Sills, Cash, and Youngman."
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LOL!
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I jumped right to Abbey Road and was quite disappointed. The author doesn't seem to know about, or at least address George's bass playing on the album, or the three different basses Paul played, and where he played them. I'll give it a more serious effort but my first impression is that what I read is a bit light and lean, to say the most.
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"If one man can do it, any man can do it. It is true. But the real question is, if one man did it, are you willing to do what it takes to do it as well?" –Brian Austin Whitney
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