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Paul McCartney


jakenewmanbass
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Due to a recent listening spree by my son and daughter I'm just listening to a load of Beatles stuff again. I listened loads when I was a kid and absorbed loads of vocal stuff especially harmony singing but never really paid a huge amount of attention to the bass, so it's a bit of a revelation to me (I know it's not to loads of you) that McCartney is actually a dynamite player. Very grounded, very solid and groovy but also fantastically creative.

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By Revolver (1966) he was really hitting his stride, by Sgt Pepper (1967) he was at the very top of his game, one of the handful of genuinely top bass players [i][b]and innovators[/b][/i] on the planet. He stayed that way through Magical Mystery Tour (1967), the White Album (1968) and Abbey Road (1969).

Many pundits consider [i]Something [/i](Abbey Road) to be arguably the finest single bassline in a ballad.

What's particularly striking is that, if you review the known recording schedule of songs by The Beatles, you get astonishing periods of creativity where a week in the studio produces three or four all-time classic basslines which some bass players have been living off ever since.

Incidentally, be aware that on the White Album they went though a back-to-basics period where everything (in theory) had to be capable of being performed live. This meant that if Paul played piano, someone else had to play bass. So for example the bass on [i]Back In The USSR[/i] is NOT Macca but Lennon.

There's not a lot of people know that.

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Obviously post-Beatles, but this might also be a good time to mention the new re-mastered deluxe version of 'Band On The Run'. (2 CD+DVD set).
Not just a great Macca album; a great album. Period. (imho, of course :) )
And best of all, Amazon are selling it for £8.95. :)

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[quote name='jakesbass' post='1013806' date='Nov 5 2010, 10:13 PM']..... McCartney is actually a dynamite player. Very grounded, very solid and groovy but also fantastically creative.[/quote]
Grounded ... solid ... groovy ... creative.

Very nicely stated Jake, but I want to add one word and the word is influential.

But the Macca/Beatles haters will be along soon I'm sure.

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[quote name='jakesbass' post='1013806' date='Nov 5 2010, 10:13 PM']Due to a recent listening spree by my son and daughter I'm just listening to a load of Beatles stuff again. I listened loads when I was a kid and absorbed loads of vocal stuff especially harmony singing but never really paid a huge amount of attention to the bass, so it's a bit of a revelation to me (I know it's not to loads of you) that McCartney is actually a dynamite player. Very grounded, very solid and groovy but also fantastically creative.[/quote]

Couldn't agree more.

My first bass was a Hofner Violin Bass copy!

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[quote name='skej21' post='1014307' date='Nov 6 2010, 02:39 PM']I would agree. Revolver (and in particular "Taxman") is one of the reasons I picked up the bass![/quote]
Macca also played the lead guitar break on Taxman, I believe.
Not the reason I started playing bass, but taxman is one of my favourite lines, even though I still can't get it spot-on - unlike this guy:

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I have been listening to the anthology albums today with lots of the out takes. Its really interesting to hear the different arrangements and how the demos morph into the finished item.

To me they have always been that thing where the band as a whole seem to be more than the four individuals. Mcartney plays some great bass lines, but if you add Piano, Guitar, Drums, Vocals and er songwriting, what a talented individual.

I have to confess though Lennons voice can send shivers down my spine.

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