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

i didn't realize that almost all of yoko's POB was recorded in one night! from john's 1970 RS interview:

John: Nobody knows there is a point on the first song on Yoko's track where the guitar comes in and even Yoko thought it was her voice, because we did all Yoko's in one night, the whole session. Except for the track with Ornette Coleman from the past that we put on to show people that she wasn't discovered by the Beatles and that she's been around a few years. We got stuff of her with Cage, Ornette Coleman . . . we are going to put out "Oldies But Goldies" next for Yoko. I'll play it again and talk about it later.

I wonder how much (if anything) from the YO/POB session is unreleased, because I’d buy a “complete recordings/sessions” box in a heartbeat.

yo/pob is just a footnote in the classic albums doc about jl/pob but i was thrilled they devoted even a minute to it

Oh crap I didn't get time to do this I'll just send what I have.

I am at a bar with a BONKERS Wings karaoke selection. "Magneto and Titanium Man!" "Hold Me Tight" ffs?!?

Lol waht

we're not awarding nobel prizes here guys, just make a list

Affix this to every ILM/ILX poll ever. I will never understand the agony that seems to accompany some of these ballots.

the "agony" is fun for those fussing over their ballots!

they also have "crackerbox palace" and "tear down" and fuckin "arrow through me." poor ringo just gets his usual 4-5 songs tho :(

"junk," "temporary secretary," "we all stand together"

wish y'all were here <3

you cut Junk??????? my #1

??? i definitely voted for "junk"

oh sorry i'm confused i only read the last 4-5 posts

while the votes are being counted up, general question:

what are the best documentaries that dedicate a significant amount of time to the solo, post-beatles years? is scorsese's Living in the Material World good? i thought the two short clips from the 1988 Imagine film i posted above were gripping, so i definitely plan on watching all of that. are there others i should seek out?

You should watch Material World. Clapton has a mordant sense of humor (his reaction to being asked what it would've been like if he'd replaced George in 1968), McCartney speaks affectionately and without smarm, and the Wilburys phase is a joy. The middle stretch is a drag, though, and offers few insights into his solo albums post-ATMP.

thanks! looks like Living in the Material World is up on Netflix, too.

is there anything worth watching that focuses on Paul? or actually, is there anything at all that focuses on him, worthwhile or not? my googling skills are failing me here but i can't seem to come up with much.

There's Wingspan from 2001. I have not seen any of it since it was first broadcast on TV.

There'll not be a decent documentary or book on McCartney until he's long dead, I suspect.

the Barry Miles book is generally well regarded?

It's not bad, but as a book it's very heavy on the Beatles years and I'm tired of reading about that part of McCartney's career, particularly since his post-Beatles career has hardly been uneventful and the Beatles years has been documented in forensic detail so much that there's really nothing new to say about that period anymore. He's had a long post-Beatles career, with a lot of material, and I'd rather hear more about all of that.

agreed

The Miles book is much better than "not bad." It is also semi-authorized, so goes out of its way to put a few narratives forward that McCartney felt got short-shrift (such as the "Paul was the experimental one" theme, which is strong). That said, I agree it would be great to get something that discusses his post-Beatles career -- particularly to get under the veneer of whimsical pop stardom which Paul has always glided on in a particularly friction-less way.

Exactly! I want to know what's under that veneer, and I suspect there's quite a few things under that veneer that McCartney deems "too personal" to let out into the public. I'm sure that McCartney has his "off" days (as we all do) and his moments of rampant ego (as I would expect from someone in his position) but McCartney has always been careful about his public image, so...

Hey, remember when McCartney got busted for cultivation in 1972? (Great excuse, btw.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYWX_hzkJ60

and AGAIN in Japan in 1980!?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhX_j26CApg

guy loves his weed

and AGAIN in 1984!?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RABMeIg14ds

is it the barry miles book where paul says "got to get you into my life" is about weed? bless

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6477007523_b23188f083_o.jpg

well that's the best thing i've ever read

He's the only Beatle in the Anthology who doesn't show the slightest trace of anger or bitterness. George lets out an exasperated sigh or two (in addition to giving some serious side-eye to Paul when they're all sitting around a table like, "ugh, this fucking guy"), Ringo doesn't hide how much he hated playing live in '66, and they both sound particularly bitter about the Philippines debacle. But even when Paul's talking about the Philippines, or how the others wanted Allen Klein to manage them, he almost sounds cheerful.

holy hell that Scratch letter is great

Brad and Tarfumes OTM, that letter is a thing of beauty!

George lets out an exasperated sigh or two (in addition to giving some serious side-eye to Paul when they're all sitting around a table like, "ugh, this fucking guy"),

There's that moment when he looks like he's going to belt Paul after Paul suggests running through "Blue Moon of Kentucky."

i'm leaving civilization in a couple hours and by the time i get back this weekend i think the results will be fully rolled out.

looking forward to seeing how it all shakes* out when i get back!
*no pun intended

ok I got five more ballots over the weekend so voting is officially closed now!

wow @ Scratch letter, that's so great

The address alone!

There's that moment when he looks like he's going to belt Paul after Paul suggests running through "Blue Moon of Kentucky."

George Harrison was a sourpuss.

There. I said it.

stating the obvious there

george wrote more songs about money than any other beatle

haha that scratch letter is tremendous

and what's up with that band (wings??) live in Japan video, rocking out!

just discovered there's a results thread going!

POLL Those Years Ago: The Beatles Solo Careers Poll Results Thread

just re-downloaded the pre-voting listening playlist. which still rules. thanks again!

also just deleted two dozen songs performed and added to the playlist by an acoustic singer-songwriter named "Stewart Harding" ...

Stewart Harding, American singer/songwriter. After toiling in obscurity for the greater part of 2 decades, Harding finally got his big break after posting two dozen songs to a Spotify playlist for a Beatles poll run by internet messageboard ILM[3]. After listening all the way through hundreds of solo Beatles songs, many ILM music fans found themselves mesmerized by the inventive, playful yet melodic Beatles-influenced songs written and performed by Harding. Soon a thread dedicated to Harding's music was posted to ILM[4]. Soon thereafter, the rapturous reception of Harding's music led to a multi-album recording contract with EMI.

okay fess up which one of us is inventive, playful and melodic singer-songwriter Stewart Harding

I believed Karl's amazing story.

it isn't my story. it's the story of all of us who ever dreamed of finally hitting it big by tacking on some of our songs to someone else's public playlist[2].

hahah

the wonder of it all baby

It’s just another day.

but you know who should have put their songs on the playlist to get a big break? Weyes Blood! do y'all know about this artist? she has her own thread - Weyes Blood - but i'm mentioning her here because her songs in my friend's quarantine playlist really scratch the solo Beatles itch for me. check out "Something to Believe" - like a lost George/John teamup album cut if they'd gotten Nico in to sing, sorta.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt2o_VMWiEw