It means that at his peak there were few songs McCartney couldn't sing whereas Bowie opened his mouth and I dove under the couch.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 11 January 2015 13:47 (nine years ago) link
I wish I could have seen this, I have watched footage from the "Serious Moonlight" tour over and over. Alas I was a broke teenager. Can't imagine getting worked up over a McCartney appearance. Fantastic concept all the way through.
http://youtu.be/G1hvOcd3B7Q
― Whitney Di-Ennial (I M Losted), Sunday, 11 January 2015 14:01 (nine years ago) link
mccartney was such a magnetic performer that the beatles couldn't even play live anymore over the screaming girls
can't say the same for bowie
― reggie (qualmsley), Sunday, 11 January 2015 15:57 (nine years ago) link
That's a joke... right?
― The World's Strangest Man 2014 (Tom D.), Sunday, 11 January 2015 16:03 (nine years ago) link
I love David Bowie's voice, it's such a great rock and roll instrument that conjures the spirits in old radio, old records. I like all of those oldies singers and old top 40 culture.
Sometimes McCartney's fans annoy me in the way that really "nice" people who never do anything wrong or say anything bad about anyone can annoy me. To me, the point is not to make mom and dad happy and get all A's. There is a sadness to Bowie's work that is more affecting to me.
― Whitney Di-Ennial (I M Losted), Sunday, 11 January 2015 17:01 (nine years ago) link
That's for sure. McCartney does melancholy but not quite what Bowie sometimes gets at. However ... Bowie for all his instinct/genius has pretty much been more misses than hits since the very early '80s, imo. So my defenses of him stand only up to a point, because I would be lying if I said I had much affection for even the stuff I've liked of his from the past 30+ years. Could any of you make a compelling case for a tracklist for a second volume of Changesbowie? I know McCartney could fill up at least a disc of '80s and beyond stuff, maybe two, that people would call really good.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 11 January 2015 17:54 (nine years ago) link
anguish, menace, solitude, decadence, cold-blooded pomp ... Bowie's voice, for all its limitations, pulls off a lot of things that McCartney's doesn't. But Bowie is playing an entirely different game. He is about the creation of persona, spectacle, atmosphere, and the voice is in service to that. McC otoh is all about the song itself. McC's world is Platonic, and his voice is dedicated to achieving each song's ideal Form as much as possible.
― never have i been a blue calm sea (collardio gelatinous), Sunday, 11 January 2015 18:41 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, I could listen to such a thing, but then again, Changes is to me about hits, and I like Bowie albums. Shit, I remember when people could get seriously gay-bashed for owning a Bowie album. I witnessed it at school. With McCartney, personally I can't get past the "Grandma likes it" factor. I just have no need to hear that stuff no matter how high quality it is, whereas I follow Bowie to this day.
― Whitney Di-Ennial (I M Losted), Sunday, 11 January 2015 18:44 (nine years ago) link
My grandparents can't stand Paul McCartney, fwiw.
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Sunday, 11 January 2015 19:13 (nine years ago) link
man it must have sucked to grow up in the seventies
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 11 January 2015 19:18 (nine years ago) link
Peak value: Bowie by sizable marginCareer value: McCartney by a hairvoting Bowie
― the magnetic pope has sparked (WilliamC), Sunday, 11 January 2015 20:36 (nine years ago) link
http://also.kottke.org/misc/images/bowie-hair.gif
― Daniel, Esq 2, Tuesday, 13 January 2015 14:20 (nine years ago) link
Changesbowie
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 13 January 2015 14:23 (nine years ago) link
Funny, I remember being in the shop with my mum and pocket money, pondering between "Life on Mars" with the pic cover, and "Live and let die", I was definitely prompted towards Macca by mother.
I mean, I did like the record, (preferred the b-side), and I did get that single+pic about 10 years ago in a boot sale.
― Mark G, Tuesday, 13 January 2015 14:24 (nine years ago) link
It didn't suck to grow up in the seventies - at least in the U.S., but it was frustrating for people coming out of the sixties and the rock and roll era - the excitement of new 45's to buy and play - to not hear all of the excellent black artists who were around back then. The funk records were getting the shaft. Bowie would come out with something and the radio would play it just enough for you to form a lasting memory. Then he'd be forgotten and come back again with something very different, like an uncle you'd see only a couple of years. For a kid fed up with the whiteness of rock music it was exciting, in a way those other white cats weren't. Plus conservative people hated him....reason to stay up and watch him on TV:
http://youtu.be/NkefglL9c4c
― SCOTTISH PEOPLE ONLY (I M Losted), Sunday, 25 January 2015 14:09 (nine years ago) link
it's like he's turned into his hero/ziggy-prototype gene vincent
― reggie (qualmsley), Sunday, 25 January 2015 15:16 (nine years ago) link
just want to say that giving mccartney's career the edge on account of his hair is a terrible mistake
― ♪♫_\o/_♫♪ (Karl Malone), Sunday, 25 January 2015 16:02 (nine years ago) link
Between those two songs, "Suffragette City." Career value, McCartney by a wide margin if the Beatles count, Bowie if they don't. Peak, McCartney by a bit if the Beatles count, Bowie if they don't.
"Martha My Dear" one of his greatest for me.
― clemenza, Sunday, 25 January 2015 16:09 (nine years ago) link
figure paul's beatles work has to count in his favor, cuz, well, he was in the beatles. wrote songs for em and everything. given that, he takes this on both peaks & career. bowie's hair is hella cool tho.
― deliberately clunky, needlessly arty, (contenderizer), Sunday, 25 January 2015 17:27 (nine years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Friday, 13 March 2015 00:01 (nine years ago) link
It's Make Your Mind Up Time!
― Mark G, Friday, 13 March 2015 00:19 (nine years ago) link
The other point:
McCartney can sing, Bowie can't.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn)
there's crazy talk ITT but this is special
― post you had fecund thoughts about (darraghmac), Friday, 13 March 2015 00:30 (nine years ago) link
Among the more pointless Apple and orange hair comparisons ever.
― Vic Perry, Friday, 13 March 2015 00:33 (nine years ago) link
Funny I always thought Bowie over-sang on everything. Loves some vibrato.
― ©Oz Quiz© (Adam Bruneau), Friday, 13 March 2015 03:27 (nine years ago) link
Love Bowie, his terrible singing has nothing to do with it.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 13 March 2015 03:37 (nine years ago) link
would any of bowie's major records be improved by better singing?
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Friday, 13 March 2015 19:40 (nine years ago) link
these days I entertain the idea of Ian Hunter singing the Ziggy tunes.
Dylan often wrote terrible lyrics, sometimes in the same song. Don't see the big deal pointing out Bowie's schtick.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 13 March 2015 19:45 (nine years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Saturday, 14 March 2015 00:01 (nine years ago) link
There is definitely a story being told through these pictures:
http://i.imgur.com/lhoKEHw.png
http://i.imgur.com/BpjqoDS.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/pNkVSya.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/WnXWl6S.jpg
― pplains, Saturday, 14 March 2015 03:35 (nine years ago) link
1973, 1985, 1995, 1999?
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 14 March 2015 11:45 (nine years ago) link
McCartney is my favourite Beatle and I still hate his gutsOoh you wrote a basslineBlackbird is tight, every other song a negative sumBowie the best argument in history for magic > chops
― got a long list of ilxors (fgti), Saturday, 14 March 2015 13:02 (nine years ago) link
Are those the captions for the four pics?
― Mark G, Monday, 16 March 2015 16:37 (nine years ago) link
about flippin' time
― reggie (qualmsley), Monday, 16 March 2015 17:05 (nine years ago) link