Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

On the Linda McCartney issue, if Paul ever invites me to join his band - I'm in. I'd like to be more talented and worthy, but I wouldn't let it keep me from joining up and I don't blame Linda for doing what I would have done. I feel the same way about Yoko performing with John Lennon. She wasn't doing the kind of stuff I liked, but I didn't begrudge her the position in the band. I even kind of like some of her work on "Some Time In New York City", especially "Luck Of The Irish".

And I also like her on "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" - her wailing is the perfect complement for THAT particular tune. You won't find me extoling her musical merit on any other tune though!!

I think it's easy to slag "musical performers" like Linda and Yoko simply because their inclusion is obviously gratuitous and has nothign to do with ability. Then again, who of us has had the kind of experiences like the Beatles? Who can really blame them for wanting to have their wives included in the whole experience? After all, though there must obviously have been a lot of perqs in beinga Beatle, I imagine the whole thing could be pretty taxing on a marriage/family (as any even average touring musician will testify to). Who can really blame them at that stage of their careers for wanting to get some semblance of normalcy. John, after all, alluded many times to fears of becoming "Elvis Beatle." You can understand why he'd want to have her involved.

>>>simply because their inclusion is obviously gratuitous and has nothign to do with ability.

True, but ther is nothing wrong in slagging them for their (lack of) ability. You might be right about Yoko's screaming on "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" as an effective sound effect, but to me its an interesting question as to who had the more horrendous singing voice, Linda or Yoko. Both were HORRIBLE... (imho)

Having said that, yes, I can fully understand John and Paul's desire to have their wives involved. Its just too bad they had very little musical talent.

"Cook of the House" or "Kiss, Kiss, Kiss?" You're right, I wouldn't want to be the one choosing between them!!!

For Paul it was a bit of a departure perhaps to have her in the band because he had/has a reputation for being quite demanding of those he works with. John, on the other hand, kept Stu Sutcliffe in the band long after it was obvious that he couldn't keep up musically. So, John including Yoko was at least in keeping with his previous actions.

The way I look at it... if the only way Paul would get out there and do it was if Linda was with him, then I'm glad she went along for the ride. Personally, I think she was harmless.

Well said, Brian.

Personally, I'd rate McCullough over McCulloch. Henry's improvised solo on My Love is easily the highlight of the song and possibly the tastiest guitar solo on a Wings record. It's really too bad the original Wings lineup split when it did.

Anyway, I like London Town, although it suffers from what I see as typical Wings problems: weird stylistic jumps, halfbaked lyrics put to wonderful melodies, wonderful lyrics put to halfbaked melodies, slick when it should be dirty, etc. Could have been a Great Record if he could have whittled it down to ten songs. One my favorite underrated Wings songs is 'I'm Carrying' - surely given new context after the aborted Japanese Tour of 1980...

I agree, I love "I'm Carrying."

I always thought that "Tug of War" was a more polished "London Town"

I think "Wings" was just a name. No one wonders why Paul played with Eric Stewart and then played with Robbie McIntosh and Hamish Stuart and now Rusty and Brian. As far as I'm concerned the "Wings" lineups were all separate bands. It was just where Paul was at the time. All those "Wings" albums could easly have been Paul McCartney solo albums featuring those players.

"I'm Carrying" is beautiful. Great song.

I liked Linda. Her voice is bloody awful but she had a few highlights. I love her and Paul on "I Am Your Singer". Her backup on "Ram" is great for me. Sure some of it is bad but it works. Now "Cook Of The House" is horrible. I have heard a bootleg from the board of her singing backup on "Hey Jude" from the '89 world tour. I think it was that tour. Anyway, it is hilarious. It's so bad it's funny.

She fit with the band. Sure she sounded bad at time but she played the keys. That was needed. When Paul was on bass and Denny and Any of the other three guys were on guitar someone needed to play keys. She was needed until Paul hired Wix. Then the tamborine and rainstick... not needed.

"Sure she sounded bad at time but she played the keys. That was needed."

That is something we didn't think of-it must've been difficult for a guy like McCartney to find a keyboard player. Who'd want to play with an ex-Beatle? And then, he'd have to pay that guy too. How would McCartney have found the cash for that? Best to go with Linda....

>>>>That is something we didn't think of-it must've been difficult for a guy like McCartney to find a keyboard player. Who'd want to play with an ex-Beatle?

Yea... must have been a real challenge for Pauly to find one out of the billion and one keyboard players from all over the world who were knocking on his door.

Linda's keyboard playing was only slightly better than her singing.... IMHO of course.

Think there might have been keyboard players that wanted to play with him? Why? What could he have had to offer to an up and coming young musician??!!

Not much, just the usual fame and fortune. Bah humbug, who needs all that when you can have the honor of being an out of work broke struggling musician?

Which raises the question ... when someone like Paul McCartney wants to audition a potential member of Wings, where does he start? Its not like he places an ad in the local music rag.

I guess it more circle-of-friends and recommendations from friends etc. Or maybe Paul just called Eric Clapton and asked him for a few names.