I don't think Paul has earned the praises as a solo artist & with his band Wings for over 30 years now since the breakup of the Beatles because he has recorded some of the best mainstream pop, rock & pap around with only a few sparks of greatness.   McCartney is one of the greatest singers, songwriters, musicians & performers of all time with few equals while he has released more mediocre music than great music as a solo artist & with Wings but he knows how to keep his name in the spotlight for over 40 years.  Paul hasn't lived up to his legendary status as a former Beatle as an artist which isn't being negative just stating the facts but there's no denying he is one of a kind in rock history who will never be forgotten.

Yeah... I agree wholeheartedly with you... I've discussed on several occassions his brilliant musical abilities... It seems that only his mind could've come up with all of those masterful hits he created throughout the 70's... Band on the Run (the song, not the album) is great example of this... It's like three songs in one... Very brilliantly put together...

I can't wait to see him in concert, if the tour is really going to happen.

i think paul himself admits that his best work was with the beatles. like u said, he sporadically has great songs a la band on the run.

That may be somewhat true, but it's hard to follow up with all the amazing stuff he wrote in The Beatles, don't you think?

How can he possibly compete with his past? He has earned every single praise he has garnered.  You're  going to look down your nose at Paul McCartney because every time at bat isn't a homerun? What a pretentious presumptuous lot.

Quoted from juniorsfarm

How can he possibly compete with his past? He has earned every single praise he has garnered.  You're  going to look down your nose at Paul McCartney because every time at bat isn't a homerun? What a pretentious presumptuous lot.

Finally a voice of reason!!!! Thank you Junior. It really is that simple. Why bring this up anymore?

Yeah. Let this thread die.

Quoted from Wayne_L.

I don't think Paul has earned the praises as a solo artist & with his band Wings for over 30 years now since the breakup of the Beatles because he has recorded some of the best mainstream pop, rock & pap around with only a few sparks of greatness.

This doesnt even make sense!! How can he only have a few sparks of greatness if you said he recorded some of the best mainstream pop, rock & pap (whatever that is) around? Maybe the best mainstream pop, rock & pap (whatever that is) isnt great? Whatever.

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  McCartney is one of the greatest singers, songwriters, musicians & performers of all time with few equals while he has released more mediocre music than great music as a solo artist & with Wings

This comes with 'quantity' Wayne. If we pulled all the solo efforts together and played percentages,,,,Paul would be right there at the top.

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 Paul hasn't lived up to his legendary status as a former Beatle as an artist which isn't being negative just stating the facts

Which one has?

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but there's no denying he is one of a kind in rock history who will never be forgotten.

Are you sure you can admit this?  

Quoted from tkitna

Finally a voice of reason!!!! Thank you Junior. It really is that simple. Why bring this up anymore?

Hasn't this been beaten to death on this forum?  People like to criticize all things great because somehow it makes them feel important. Look at all this man has accomplished and continues to accomplish, and feel fortunate that you are alive to experience it. So what if everything isn't a masterpiece? There is still a ton of excellent post-Beatle music he has created and continues to create. When any of you naysayers can come up with anything that has one scintilla the brilliance this man has created, then maybe post this stupid topic again. And, no, I'm not one of these 'Paul Can Do No Wrong' fans, he has released some subpar stuff but so has everyone else that has ever released an album.

Quoted from Mairi

Yeah. Let this thread die.

Your right Mairi. I dont even know why I responded.

(I have to quit logging on while drinking)

It's tacit acknowledgment by Paul that his music has been pushed to the sidelines. Maybe that's the reason why recently he offered a slew of his solo songs to be used in adverts..and maybe the reason he's doing it is for the exposure. If it's going to live on in the next generation, he's got to get it to that generation somehow...

More power to him.

Good thread. Very..timely.

^Moreover I think Paul seems to think his solo music is somewhat disposable. I'm sure it may be the bashing he has taken over the years about it from some fans and critics. If you look at his tours since 1989, he only really plays a handful of solo hits & whatever new album he is plugging. The rest is all Beatles. I think you could count all the post 1976 he plays tunes on 1 hand (minus the new album). Maybe this is his way of trying to get some of his solo music out there to a new audience.

He earned it all in spades...no Beatle was releasing many masterpieces after 1976 or so.

We have no idea how much better or worse John would have become musically so its kind of pointless to debate that one.

He gets praises from people who want to praise him, he has plenty of detractors too...so what's the point of all this?

Quoted from TheDude

i think paul himself admits that his best work was with the beatles. like u said, he sporadically has great songs a la band on the run.

I agree with you 100% about Paul as a solo artist which is the way most Beatles fan should look at it instead of kissing his a** which is why what I'm saying isn't negative just factual.

Paul's solo stuff gets bashed all the time. Only rarely does it get praised. Usually,the praise comes when he releases a new album. Every time,some of the critics will give backhanded compliments by saying it's his best album since...
They were wrong when they said it about Driving Rain,Off the Ground,Flowers in the Dirt,Press to Play,and Pipes for Peace,but they were right when they said it about Flaming Pie and Tug of War. Hopefully,they'll be right when they say it,which they undoubtedly will,about this new one.