The Beatles' Solo Careers Poll - Voting and General Discussion Thread

i identify with paul’s dedication to weed

McCartney wanted to work with Padgham simply because he was a hot name at the time with Genesis and Phil Collins, and The Police before that. He fell out with both Padgham and Eric Stewart during that record. 'Only Love Remains' and 'Press' are my favourite tracks during this period. 'Once Upon a Long Ago', from roughly around this time (although later than Press to Play rules. 'Spies Like Us' is crap, I agree.

As for Klaus Voorman, I can't say I'm much of a fan of his playing either.

flowers in the dirt is pretty good! think i enjoyed every track except “how many ppl.” i did lmao a little through “motor of love”

The thing about 'Motor of Love' is that I really, really like the tune but jesus christ that lyric.

Rough Ride is a nothing.

I love Figure of Eight beyond reason. So loose!

I'll warn you in advance, Off the Ground isn't one of McCartney's better albums... I wouldn't call it an awful record, but it does have more than a few bland moments.

'The Lovers That Never Were' fucking rules, though.

'Figure of Eight' is one of my favourite McCartney songs, plus 'My Brave Face', 'Distractions', 'Put It There', 'We Got Married', 'This One', 'That Day Is Done' ...

after flowers i might check out flaming pie, chaos and creation, memory almost full, and the last two fireman records, which lol sounds like a lot of albums still but i’m not gonna exhaustively approach post-‘80s paul

“figure of eight” and “we got married” are both amazing

Yeah, that pretty much covers all the stuff that I'd suggest you must hear, but you have to hear 'Rinse the Raindrops' from Driving Rain at the very least!

and twin freaks!

oh yeah that’s on the list

man I dunno how you guys can brave all of Macca's post 1980 output, it's so dire. I couldn't make it through "The Pound is Sinking".

Coming to the conclusion that Paul is definitely the *weirdest* Beatle, he's kind of inscrutable in his stoner randomness and bad judgment.

the listener's patience is running right out, and only the strong are survivors

I know David Gilmour reprises his magnificent "No More Lonely Nights" solo in "We Got Married," but it works.

I haven't been doing much new listening for this poll, but I started Chaos & Creation last week and really liked "How Kind of You" -- it reminded me of something else but I wasn't sure what. Finally got around to reading the wiki and thought "oh, right, Radiohead."

It's not that I "brave" McCartney's post-1980 output, it's that I enjoy it.

Yeah seriously. Lots of great albums. It's not hardly as excruciating as braving most of Harrison's albums...

Though I will admit I am enjoying George's self titled album this last week or so.

There's waaaay less of Harrison's albums!

Harrison only has three '80s albums!

Just meant george's albums in general. But point taken.

each one better than the last, frankly

I don't know what my resistance was with Brainwashed! I freaking love George Harrison.

New > Flaming Pie

New is pretty incredible

I haven't contributed much to this thread, but I must admit I've really enjoyed it. Good work everyone!! And I can definitely see my using this as a guide for perusing, or some of them not, these records in the future.

It's not just a lovin' machine, it doesn't work out if you don't work at it!

1. While I like the idea that Press is weird McC I and II shit with an Invisible touch budget, I didn't dig it on first listen last night. Yet I remember from a 1986 RS cover story that Townshend and Phil play with Paul on "angry," a song which he claimed then had something to do with being mad that thatcher did not want sanctions against South Africa. "wow," 15 year old me thought, "that might be pretty rockin.'" 32 years later, I learn that its pretty darn weak for one of his "okay, now THIS is the RAWK tune on this album" selections.

2. Wild Life is the worst record I've heard yet from my trawl through 70s Harrison and McC. At least Red rose has Little Lamb Dragonfly.

idk wild life kinda grew on me even though it’s def the worst wings record. “tomorrow” is just too good

has anyone come out of this exercise with a greater appreciation for Denny Laine? Who's the best Wings guitarist?

i never have the slightest idea who's playing what tbh, especially when it's down to just the three of them.

I asked last week about who played lead after the McCulloughs (or on BOTR).

there's an alternative mix of 'Angry' here which is a little more rockin than the album version (though still not all that rockin)

https://youtu.be/DX6rz64xNNY

hearing this version made me think that 'Angry' is maybe Paul's attempt to 'do' Oingo Boingo?

should've called it 'oingry'

Who's the best Wings guitarist?

Henry!

Alfred, are you talking about after London Town?

I think my ballot is just about done, I haven't managed to go through absolutely everything but there's a lot of stuff I've a) heard for the first time or b) re-listened to with fresh ears so thanks to everyone for all the campaigning here. Honestly thought I'd never fill a 100-track ballot when this thread started!

Sent!

I should've been clearer: BOTR. I know the two McCulloughs (and Juber) played lead.

oklahoma was never like this

oh look Paul DOES play the solo in "Press."

"Beautiful Boy" is all about the simple, elegant (acoustic?) bass line, and that one unexpected, beautiful low note it hits at the end of the first chorus

The starting point for 'Angry', according to Eric Stewart, was that McCartney was reading a review and said something like "who the hell do they think they are to try and tell me what to do with my life?" and Stewart was like "yeah, let's write a song around that"

also this immortal comment:

"It actually only took two hours to get that track down, which is incredibly quick these days.. .What makes me angry are things like Thatcher’s attitude to the blacks in South Africa… People who burn children with cigarettes. That sort of thing makes me angry — not bad reviews of my albums.”

Hehehehe! You can see what Lennon meant when he described McCartney as being a good PR person.

And of course the Press to Play sessions had the now famous "Hugh, when did you write your last number one?" moment.

I can't remember what it was supposed to be a review of now, probably something to do with Broadstreet.