Hello friends,
A big week for Macca fans and especially to those who got to see him at the Fonda Theater this weekend as mentioned in #72. The long-suspected pending arrival of a new album was confirmed this week and a new track released. There will come a day when it will be impossible to wake up to the news that Sir Paul McCartney has released new music (much less is playing live), and therefore one should greet such announcements with the gratitude they warrant for someone who has already given us so much. Consider it all a bonus if it’s not your thing - it will always be savored by someone.
NEWS
On March 24th, Mike McCartney - either by design or by accident - leaked word on Twitter (yes I still call it that) of a pending release by his brother. This was quickly followed by a new track which debuted on Merseyside radio - "Days We Left Behind" - alongside the news of a new album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, to be released on May 29th. Predictably, the reactions have been mixed on this composition highlighting Paul's current day voice, appropriately for a song looking back on childhood in Liverpool from the perspective of a man who's lived a full life since. I like The Guardian’s take: for my money, there's strength in vulnerability and Paul definitely does not sound like a man trying to be something he is not.
In recent years, Paul gave clues to new songs he was working on in LA with producer Andrew Watt, a musician who specializes in working with legacy acts (Rolling Stones, Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John, Iggy Pop, and so forth). It was Watt who produced the Stones' Hackney Diamonds, garnering the veteran rockers their finest reviews in years.
There will certainly be more to say on this when more tracks become available. What is known is that it was recorded over time both in LA and at Paul's Hogg Hill Mill facility between live dates and features mostly Paul instrumentally. If the title itself didn't make it clear enough, the collection will be a series of sketches looking back at his pre-Beatle days in Liverpool.
Virtually anything you’d want to know about the release can be gleaned here.
Here's the album's trailer.
I hope it doesn't sound too cynical to note that the upcoming album looks to be available in an array of colored vinyls irresistible to collectors, thereby greasing the way to another possible number one (as 2018's Egypt Station was in the US, and 2020's McCartney III was in the UK).
As for the live shows, he did NOT showcase anything new (the band hasn't learned them yet, he said), but instead offered up a shortened version of the familiar arena show he's played recently. Owing to this being a relatively small (1100 seats) venue and therefore easier to police, the proceedings came with a “no phones” policy. But never underestimate an intrepid fan, who posted this glimpse captured near the show's end.
So we've already discussed Ringo's upcoming release in April in previous newsletters but I’d be remiss in not mentioning the latest from the Claypool Lennon Delirium. Their third album, The Great Parrot Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy is set for release in May. A track from it featuring guest vocals from Willow Smith was released recently.
Some of you may have already read Andy Weir's 2021 novel, Project Hail Mary, which was dedicated to The Beatles. Now that the film starring Ryan Gosling is just out, no one should be surprised where they feature (by name) in the film. This was one of those rare projects where an actual Beatle recording was licensed for inclusion (though it’s not included on the otherwise fine soundtrack release). As support for the project, The Beatles’ YouTube channel issued this promotional clip from the Let It Be film of their performance. It would be nice to conclude that they are finally gearing up to issue the remastered film on physical media, but there's no word on this yet.
If I haven't already mentioned it, the May Pang documentary, The Lost Weekend: A Love Story is now streaming for free on Tubi as well as other platforms.
SATB
Coming next: my conversation with Jim Windolf, author of Where The Music Had To Go: How Bob Dylan and The Beatles Changed The World - And Each Other. There’s long been a demand for a Dylan episode and the right moment finally came (along with a specific recommendation), so here it is. I really enjoyed the book and I hope you all will enjoy the talk.
I had mentioned that I knew in advance of at least one person who was attending the first of two McCartney shows at the Fonda, and he and I will be having a conversation about that as a SATB Special. Turns out his personal history includes witnessing a live Ringo performance - well before the All Starr years - so stay tuned.
HISTORY
This weeks’ anniversaries include…
30 March 1944: Eric Clapton was born.
30 March 1964: Pete Best appeared on TV's I've Got A Secret.
30 March 1967: The Beatles posed for the cover of their forthcoming album.
31 March 1970: On this day, Ringo paid Paul a visit.
31 March 1974: (Possibly) The day that John and Paul were photographed together for that last time that we know of (give or take a day or two: the 31st was a Sunday, but it could have been Saturday; no one knows for sure).
31 March 1978, London Town was released in the UK.
31 March 2015: Postcards From Paradise was released.
1 April 1973: John and Yoko announced the formation of the nation of Nutopia.
1 April 1974: The Son of Dracula soundtrack was released.
1 April 1976: On this day, Alfred "Freddie"/"Alf" Lennon died.
1 April 1976: On this day, "Silly Love Songs" was issued as a single in the US.
1 April 1994: Backbeat opened in UK theatres.
1 April 2015: Cynthia Lennon passed away.
2 April 1973: The Beatles 1962-1966 and 1967-1970 (The "Red" and the "Blue" compilation albums) were released.
2 April 1982: “Ebony and Ivory” was issued as a single in the US.
3 April 1969: John and Yoko appeared on The Eamonn Andrews Show.
3 April 1992: Ringo appeared on Late Night with David Letterman.
4 April 1963: The Beatles performed at Stowe School in Buckingham.
4 April 1964: The Beatles owned the Billboard charts.
4 April 2009: Ringo and Paul performed together in New York.
5 April 1946: Jane Asher was born.
5 April 1963: The Beatles performed live at EMI House.
On that Ringo visit…
March 31, 1970: The occasion did not go well. As a means to break it to the group’s bassist gently that Apple’s three other owners would prefer he hold back his solo debut in order to clear the release field for both Let It Be and Sentimental Journey, a letter was drafted, signed by John, George and Ringo. Rather than send an office boy over, Ringo elected to deliver it himself.
The note read: “Dear Paul, We thought a lot about yours and the Beatles LPs – and decided it's stupid for Apple to put out two big albums within 7 days of each other (also there's Ringo's and Hey Jude) - so we sent a letter to EMI telling them to hold your release date til June 4th (there's a big Apple-Capitol convention in Hawaii then). We thought you'd come round when you realized that the Beatles album was coming out on April 24th. We're sorry it turned out like this - it's nothing personal. Love John & George. Hare Krishna. A Mantra a Day Keeps MAYA! Away.”
But even coming from their beloved drummer, the message found Paul in a less than charitable mood. Egged on by Linda (“You don’t have to take this crap”), Paul got ugly, as described by Ringo later: “To my dismay, he went completely out of control, shouting at me, prodding his fingers towards my face, saying: 'I'll finish you now' and 'You'll pay.' He told me to put my coat on and get out.
For his part, Paul would express regret that the building anger he’d felt was vented on the least guilty party. Ringo would lick his wounds over their broken relations with a song issued a year later.
All best,
RR
www.somethingaboutthebeatles.com < (the site’s getting rehabbed!)
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