Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Nothing says GM safety like an instrumental version of The Long and Winding Road.

I just heard it in a GM commercial. Not a bad score actually.

Why not Deadman's Curve?

But Macca won't sell out, will he?

I caught a glimpse of the Fidelity Investment ad with McCartney as their backdrop.....pleeeze.

A few songs used in TV commercials:

Ace Hardware: Foghat -- Slow Ride
Levis: Johnny Cash -- Ring of Fire
Wrangler: Sheryl Crow-- Steve McQueen
U.S. Navy: Godsmack -- Sick of Life
United Airlines: George Gershwin -- Rhapsody in Blue
Purina Pet Foods: Etta James -- At Last
Best Buy: Rolling Stones -- Satisfaction
Cadillac: Led Zeppelin -- Rock N Roll
New Zealand: Crowded House -- Don't Dream It's Over
Heinz: Carly Simon -- Anticipation

At least Paul's hair didn't catch fire during a Pepsi commercial.

And he doesn't live in a theme park called "Neverland" and sleep with little boys.

Of all the above, only the Stones exist as a force to be reckoned with, and continue to pack 'em in major venues, as they say. And we've already sliced 'n' diced Jagger pretty well, 'cause he sold out years ago.

Selling out would be the least of MJ's problems. But nobody's offering.

And that cat food commercial makes me wish for an invasion of piranha.

Someone finds "that cat food commercial" entirely charming. Now, if the cats weren't hungry but ate the food because someone offered them catnip, did they sell out? Or did their owners? If someone offers you more for something you made than you know it's worth, and you take it, did you sell out? If you produce something you're proud of and people buy it so you produce something really very much like it the next time, did you sell out? If you want to eat Chinese and your wife wants Italian and you go along with her to avoid a fight, did you sell out? If Rickenbacker really wants to make nothing but Jetglo basses but they know more people will buy Fireglo, so they make Fireglo, did they sell out? Unless you work for free doing nothing but what you love to do, you sold out.

Dave, that was well thought out and very fluid. Is that a monologue for "Enquiring Minds Want to Know" a new reality series by Mark Burnett?

LOL

Nicely done Dave. Who doesn't sell out ... or do they.

I write from the hip. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. As one of my friends told me, "You know a lot of words. And you use them, too." Sometimes what I think is perfectly clear is totally misunderstood. On the rare occasion, I'll write something and hear from people on both sides of the issue that they appreciate my support. That's when I know I've done my job correctly. Maybe I have a career in politics awaiting me after I grow up.
Hey Peter, did you know that The Ox was supposed to be the one in the beans, but showed up late purposely to avoid it? Smart people, bass players.

Dave, none of your comparisons work.

What goes on between a man and his wife have something to do with a wealthy artist becoming vastly richer by selling inferior product?

Rickenbacker is in the BUSINESS of making guitars, and darned good ones, so they supply a market-driven customer base with product that continues to be superior.

"Unless you work for free, etc." is patently nonsense, not to mention an example of black-and-white, either-or thinking.

There are thousands of artists on the planet, working in all sorts of media, who put their hearts into their work, sell it at a reasonable price, and somehow manage to barely eke out a living. It would be an insult to them and their honest (non-manipulative, overpriced, cynical efforts) to say they are selling out.

Were Rick to start building a line of inferior product to add to their bottom line, THAT would be selling out, and a comparable situation to what some of us believe Sir Paul has done.

A career in politics? If you support both sides of any issue (except Macca's selling out, of course), you could be right.

$350 a ticket. Grumble....outrageous...grumble...

Another Macca Bashing thread? The Rick Forum has sold out.

Jerry: I suppose when artists get to be as famous as McCartney, their every move is under the microscope, so to speak. When put it in perspective, where do you go after The Beatles? How do you top holding the top five positions on the charts at the same time? Paul set the bar of musical talent very high. I cannot think of a 1960s performing artist that is better today than in the early days, well... maybe James Taylor.

Kidding aside, I think that even a mediocre hit from McCartney pales by comparison to the gold standard that he set. We cannot take his great success away from him and it is unrealistic to consider that he will reach the same peak he did so long ago.

McCartney was a part of the musical excellence that we grew to love and now insist upon. Each time we bash him, are we not paying homage to his platinum performances in and out of the studio that are a matter of historical record?

Absolutely. I see not Complete Evil nor Complete good in anyone.

Macca is fair dinkum (or maybe "fair dunk 'im"?) to those whom he's disappointed over the years. When he feeds his enormous need (mislabelled "ego") for attention, at the expense of an adoring public; by making himself a public figure, he also subjects himself to scrutiny, resulting in criticism, a good deal of it no doubt undeserved. When he tries to control the outcome, he does not cast himself in a good light, unfortunately. His pretentiousness is offputting, to boot.

I don't believe that it's "unrealistic", Peter, to expect excellence from our Seniors. In many professions (notable exceptions being sports and music), people just get better.

To be fair, Paul HAS produced a minority of very good material since "Ram", but if excellence is measured by public acceptance, then "Survivor", "The Bachelorette", and those things with Martha and The Donald, are excellent entertainment.

Paul is very wily and fortunate that the same audience who bought his output in the 1970s have grown up and acquired some wealth, and continue to purchase his product and revel in his presence. (At $350+ a pop!) I do not believe he could easily produce relevant, cutting edge or astonishing material. By that I do not mean Moroccan accordion/oud duets or Trent Reznor scarifying. I mean something that exists on other than a surface molecular layer level, musically. He then would run the risk of losing his adulation and meal ticket, at the possible gaining of some credibility with a new audience.

This is called "growth", and is quite different from "aging".

That having been said, there are some pieces on the new CD that almost break new ground. It does show the immense amount of struggle a musician can go through to shed his skin and become an artist.

Will Paul actually complete the shedding before he reaches 70?

We'll see, I guess.

Good point Peter. However, at times I can't tell where humor leaves off and something else takes over, and that's something I regret seeing on this forum. I like the little oasis of camaraderie that is usually the case here. Though we can't all like the same bands or guitars, why belittle someone for buying a ticket or liking a CD.