Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Paul McCartney: Overrated or What?


Fionn

Recommended Posts

39 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I don't think he's a great technician on the bass. He doesn't either and was quoted in the early days as, "Just following Ringo's bass drum", but as a musician he played exactly what was required. Which is never a bad thing.

Then, when the Beatles went into creative overdrive his bass lines kept pace. He changed the way bass players thought about bass lines and empowered all of us to use our elbows and move right up to the front of the song.

I think you can talk about McCartney the bass player in the same breath as James Jamerson.  They were both imaginative, creative and important to the instrument and they released bass players from the 2/4 "hell" that had been their lot up to that point. They opened that door and made everything we know today, possible.

 

17 minutes ago, yorks5stringer said:

'Overrated or What'? I'd  go for WHAT?

He's still writing and performing 50 years after his heyday: compare that to his contemporaries  and whilst there has been  a drop -off compared to his earlier stuff he's still a legend. He also has a back catalogue to 'live and let die for' too..

Here's one of my faves, listen to the vox

 

@chris_b and @yorks5stringer

Absolutely spot on Chaps!

And @Happy Jack - your electricians forum post had me LMAO! 😂

As for his voice, Macca was voted at No. 11 on Rolling Stones greatest singers of all time - 1 place behind James Brown and 2 places behind Stevie Wonder. 

No small achievement for a white kid from little ol' England. 

Back to the OP, I actually think Macca is underrated if anything. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Instead of looking at what he did from today, look at what he did from back then. His use of bass lines to fill out and work with the song was very different to how the bass had been used up until then. Even without him then singing as well he was a true innovator of a different style/way of playing.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Hobbayne said:

The bass work and sound on A Day In The Life nearly caused me to soil myself when I first heard it. However, by the time he got to Something, it sounded to me like he was just showing off.

I don't like that tune much either , check out the high bassey notes on "Rain". You don't hear that sort of sound anymore. Also listen to the high notes on "With A Little Help From My Friends". Is that some phaser or chorus effect that makes it stand out ? Go back to Rubber Soul for his best parts that drive the song. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, grenadillabama said:

I don't like that tune much either , check out the high bassey notes on "Rain". You don't hear that sort of sound anymore. Also listen to the high notes on "With A Little Help From My Friends". Is that some phaser or chorus effect that makes it stand out ? Go back to Rubber Soul for his best parts that drive the song. 

No I dont think so. I read somewhere that the bass on WALHFMF was recorded on its own track to allow for greater dexterity in the mix.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, thebigyin said:

I know this will rattle a few cages but I don't like him as a Bassist or person....as a Bassist he is not in the same league as the greats and as a person I think he is a bighead.

who are these 'greats' that he's not in the same league as?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, thebrig said:

Whether he is one of the greats in terms of bass playing, I'm not really qualified to say, but I always admired his ability to play those melodic baselines and sing at the same time, something I always find hard to do. 🤔

/\ This. Try playing his lines and singing at the same time. As guitarists say about Hendrix, his playing can be copied by most competent guitarists, but he came up with it first, and back in the day.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, Tobe said:

When you fill a role/roles perfectly, you are a great. 

Ask yourself, If you were singing and playing bass in The Beatles, What would you have done differently to make the songs better?   

Had it been me playing bass and singing in The Beatles it would have sounded very different. I can play the bass lines, I can sing the songs, but if I try to do both at the same time I can do neither!

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me his bass playing is sublime, different, bit sublime, some bassists will always think anybody who plays with a pick is rubbish because it's all in the fingers,  some still think you've got to sync with the bass drum, and some slag him off because he's successful 

Apart from one or two efforts I don't particularly rate him as a songwriter since the Beatles split and even in the Beatles, IMO, his songs, generally weren't as good as Lennon's who also wrote some right stinkers after the Beatles, that's what happens when you surround yourself with yes men and take drugs.

I remember an interview with him after the debacle that was "Give my regards to Broad St", he admitted it wasn't very good but couldn't understand why nobody told him, err because you pay their wages Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not a Beatles fan - I'm one of those (!) - but I think PM deserves so much credit for bass playing. He's come up ('scuse the pun) with numerous cracking lines, sings, writes, and plays with a pick. More importantly, he played a Ricky which he retired from live duties due to it's weight. However, John Hall (sorry...) confirmed a few years back that it still gets studio use. 

Either way, hard to knock him. He's had highs and lows, but in all fairness he's nearly 77, with a career spanning decades. Unlike his contemporaries, he's never stopped playing and creating. 

....and I say all this as a not-really-a-fan!! 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...