well yes, all things must pass was certainly his peak, so it is just as well that he made it. However I would be willing to argue that Brainwashed is a pretty decent album and he therefore made good music right up to the end. Then again, perhaps your point is that from All Things Must Pass onwards, it was only 'decent' and not better than 'decent'? Though albums after ATMP werent (in my opinion) as good, I hardly think they were dissapointing. Feel free to disagree (as I expect you will!)
I think George's bigest mistake was in releasing a triple album. Even though a portion of it was made up of studio jams, it was a lot of material to dispense with in one hit. Had he released a single album and then taken the best of the remainder and put it together with the best material from LITMW I believe he'd have had himself two equally excellent albums. He basically blew his chance of being the biggest star on the planet.
To me, successful creativity is a combination of having something to say and being able to say it with confidence. All the ex-Beatles took their drubbings in the press, and I think it affected all of them. I personally think the critics were unfairly harsh against some of the solo albums, because people were expecting so much (as Kevin said), and no one could match up to the Beatles, including ex-Beatles. With the perspective of time, I think most of us are realizing just how rare and wonderful that initial combination of talent was.
Absolutely. Saying something convincingly and sincerely is the key for most songwriters, unless you're able to do what McCartney has done so much in the past - knock out a 3 minute song about nothing, married to a brilliant but simple melody. Lennon's problem was that his songs always had to be based on hard fact. Either about him or some issue in the world, and when it comes to just writing a song for the sake of it - making up the story - he fails.
I just want you to reassure him - talk to him, make him see the error of his ways. Then I'll hit him.
I think George's bigest mistake was in releasing a triple album. Even though a portion of it was made up of studio jams, it was a lot of material to dispense with in one hit. Had he released a single album and then taken the best of the remainder and put it together with the best material from LITMW I believe he'd have had himself two equally excellent albums. He basically blew his chance of being the biggest star on the planet.
I will weep forever over this. ...Well, maybe not forever. Still, George created so much great stuff, and blew his credibility by not managing his releases in any way, shape or form. I really regret that he didn't have an editor (producer, whatever) sitting over his shoulder saying "NO!" when it was needed. *sigh*
unless you're able to do what McCartney has done so much in the past - knock out a 3 minute song about nothing, married to a brilliant but simple melody.
True. Paul is very keen on pleasing people. He never really wanted to do anything much beyond write entertaining pop songs, and succeeded in that. But because of the lack of depth, his solo songs have difficulty holding my attention. Generally I find John and George's solo work more interesting to listen to.
All you've got to do is choose love. That's how I live it now. I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden. I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007
For all I know, Ringo might be a yogi disguised as a drummer! - George Harrison
The only John album i couldn't care much for is Sometime in New York City, i think its a very poor piece of work by John I don't think paul realizes what a great lyrirists he is at times, simple & direct. if i choose between john & george has a great lyrisists, i'd choose George- he was so underated. his lyrics were always written from the heart, & i think he didn't get enough encoragment from people in the 80's when his albums were selling poorly .
HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY TO THE WHITE ALBUM! you say its your birthday!
Once John got past his introspective/angry/political phase he seems to have run out of ideas. I don't think he didn't make an album for 5 years because he didn't want to, but because he didn't have a clue. And it shows on Double Fantasy. 5 years and he gives half of his album over to his musically untalented wife. You'd have thought he'd have been bursting!
Should he have connected himself to another songwriter, especially of that period, to get him going again? Maybe a co-operation with David Bowie and/or Iggy Pop. Fame was a good song. It might have been interesting. But I agree, John seems to have run out of ideas by trying on his own.
Should he have connected himself to another songwriter, especially of that period, to get him going again? Maybe a co-operation with David Bowie and/or Iggy Pop. Fame was a good song. It might have been interesting. But I agree, John seems to have run out of ideas by trying on his own.
I would have loved to have seen John connect himself to another songwriter. John on his own was very good at giving himself permission not to work-- the bane of the self-employed person! He certainly earned his rest after all the effort of the Beatles, but... I like his songs! If he had a partner, I think he would have been happier because he was working, and we would have been happier because there'd be more to listen to.
It breaks my heart to hear how John and Paul danced around the question of working together again. I sure wish they could have done it. But I think John would have enjoyed working with anyone who had real talent. As a non-Beatles effort, I think he could have had more fun with it. If he worked with Paul, the world would be watching, and that kind of pressure was perhaps not what he'd want to get started again.
All you've got to do is choose love. That's how I live it now. I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden. I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007
For all I know, Ringo might be a yogi disguised as a drummer! - George Harrison
He was over the music business, said what he wanted to say with 'Plastic Ono Band' and 'Imagine'. 'Sometime in New York City' is just that, snapshots of that time in NYC, never intended to be a masterpiece or spectacular. During 'Mind Games' and 'Walls and Bridges' he is lost.
He was over the music business, said what he wanted to say with 'Plastic Ono Band' and 'Imagine'. 'Sometime in New York City' is just that, snapshots of that time in NYC, never intended to be a masterpiece or spectacular.
That's a very bold statement. Can you support that with anything? Evidence please of this remarkable change of heart by Mr Lennon. A double album with Phil Spector producing, 5 months in the making and it wasn't intended to impress? Damned if I can find them now, but I have read many a time that John had intended STINYC to be exactly that: his masterpiece. From Wiki (again):," Lennon was devastated at its commercial failure and would not record any music for almost an entire year." And Yoko's recent revelation that John used to lay awake sleepless at night because he couldn't write hit songs like Paul anymore? And read these interviews from John in 1971: http://www.instantkarma.com/balladjohnmintz.html It is obvious that poltics has consumed John. Read these and tell me that John didn't intend STINYC to be a major statement.
" Lennon was devastated at its commercial failure and would not record any music for almost an entire year." And Yoko's recent revelation that John used to lay awake sleepless at night because he couldn't write hit songs like Paul anymore?
It's the fame and adulation thing isn't it. 12 years of writing hit pop songs, and all of a sudden he can't do it any more. If he'd realised/accepted that his musical direction had changed and just wrote and recorded what came naturally at the time, his work post STINYC may have been better. Instead of trying to write and record what people expected of him. The old insecurity thing again. This is the difference between him and McCartney. Paul always seems to have done whatever he felt like doing at the time, whether it be pop, ambient, orchestral, soundtrack or rock 'n' roll. I'm sure he wants his hit singles, but I bet he never lost any sleep when one wasn't a hit (Back Seat Of My Car, Figure Of Eight, etc. etc.).
I just want you to reassure him - talk to him, make him see the error of his ways. Then I'll hit him.
It's the fame and adulation thing isn't it. 12 years of writing hit pop songs, and all of a sudden he can't do it any more. If he'd realised/accepted that his musical direction had changed and just wrote and recorded what came naturally at the time, his work post STINYC may have been better. Instead of trying to write and record what people expected of him. The old insecurity thing again. This is the difference between him and McCartney. Paul always seems to have done whatever he felt like doing at the time, whether it be pop, ambient, orchestral, soundtrack or rock 'n' roll. I'm sure he wants his hit singles, but I bet he never lost any sleep when one wasn't a hit (Back Seat Of My Car, Figure Of Eight, etc. etc.).
Right on. I think too Paul was a realist - he saw himself as nothing other than what he was - a very talented songwriter. John got it into his head that he was some kind of messiah, and fell with an awful crunch when he found out he was just flesh and bone.
It's said that Yoko gave him the confidence he needed. But maybe it was too much. He started to believe what everybody else (mistakenly) thought.
Poor old John. Most of my knowledge is decades old so I can't give sources, but I rember reading that he was mightily affected at being called the Fat Beatle and by 66 he was scared his voice was going. Combine that with the stopping of touring, Epsteins death and he was right for the pickin'. I don't think (unfortunately) that he would have found the confidence he needed within the band. They appear to be a particuly mercernary lot by then (apart from good old Ringo.) I just wish he'd shacked up with someone like Elton John instead of Yoko.
Im not keen on Double Fantasy although it contains one of my favourite John songs Watching the Wheels . I think he could have worked well with David Bowie ,a bit of a missed opportunity their.
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Still, George created so much great stuff, and blew his credibility by not managing his releases in any way, shape or form. I really regret that he didn't have an editor (producer, whatever) sitting over his shoulder saying "NO!" when it was needed. *sigh*
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