Beatle Questions Part 2
More of my friend of a friends questions and my 'off the cuff' responses. Some morbid territory here, so be warned. But hey, I don't shy away from 'em!:
6. What do you think of McGear, Mike McCartneys' Wings album? Have you ever heard his records with Scaffold, like 'Lily the Pink'? Does one have to be British to find any humor in Scaffold?
Answer: If I have heard McGear, I don't remember it. Never been very interested in brother Mike. But it's interesting you call it a 'Wings' album, because I think it features, besides Paul, Denny and Linda, performances by what is considered the best Wings sidemen (Joe English, Jimmy McCollough). I don't know 'Lily the Pink' but do remember a nonsense number called something like 'Thank You Very Much' that was a minor hit. I kinda liked it.
Regarding 'do you have to be British' to get it, I don't think that is really valid. Something's either funny or it isn't. I remember telling a British friend how much I hated that sitcom 'Are You Being Served'. PBS was showing it constantly. I thought it was dumb and not funny and he said 'Well, you have to be British to get it'. But the fact that PBS kept showing it proved that SOME Americans liked it. And besides, I like Python and Peter Sellers and lots of other British comedy, and some of the references I don't get but it doesn't matter. It's still funny. I don't think you have to be a redneck to like that 'Get 'er Done' jerk. I hate it but I'm sure plenty of 'city folk' find it funny.
Oh, and I much mention that I actually met Mike McGear ages ago when he was in San Francisco promoting his book of photos (I think it was called 'The Macs'). I didn't buy the book or have anything for him to sign, but it was literally a block away from where I was living so I went there and got his autograph and shook his hand. I've lost the autograph, but it was just an excuse to see him. He was friendly.
7. Which Beatle wife had more musical talent, Yoko or Linda?
Answer: Great question! I actually think Linda had more natural musical talent but Yoko had more ambition. Yes, Linda was not a great player but she has a nice voice (I love her vocals on Ram and Wild Life) and helped write stuff (like the middle 'What does it matter to ya?' bit on 'Live and Let Die'). For someone who was reluctant to 'join a band' she did a fine job. I've tried to teach friends to play simple things on the guitar or drums and they couldn't do the most basic stuff.
Yoko never really 'played' anything except whacking on an old drum nobody could hear anyway. She supposedly could play piano but I don't recall ever seeing her do it. Her singing is really 'performance art' and not singing. But I do like some of her stuff, like 'We're All Water' from Sometime in New York City. Great tune and great lyrics. But it's also very childlike, which pretty much describes all of her music. Kids can make up songs, too, and if you had John Lennon helping, it might come out okay.
Linda actually sang real harmony and played the keyboards and co-wrote pop songs. You might not like her stuff, but she pulled it off, which ain't easy. Hell, some people think John Denver's stuff is super. I can't stand him.
8. Linda was out horse riding at their Arizona ranch a day before she dies. Was her death euthanasia?
Answer: I don't really dwell on that sort of thing and don't know. The McCartney camp is pretty quiet about her last days and there was some mystery around where she died. But it doesn't really interest me.
9. What happened to John Lennon's cremated remains? Is it in Yoko's closet?
Answer: Again, I don't care much about that kind of thing. John Lennon's dead body doesn't interest me. But I think the whereabouts of his ashes are unknown.
10. Lennon/Ono aide Fred Seaman supposedly sold Lennon property, unpublished songs, recordings, etc. Has any of it surfaced?
Answer: I didn't follow the Fred Seaman story that closely but I know that Yoko did sue him and he got into some trouble for 'stealing' photos and notebooks/diaries, etc. The guy sounds like a creep. Another Lennon hanger-on who took advantage.
6. What do you think of McGear, Mike McCartneys' Wings album? Have you ever heard his records with Scaffold, like 'Lily the Pink'? Does one have to be British to find any humor in Scaffold?
Answer: If I have heard McGear, I don't remember it. Never been very interested in brother Mike. But it's interesting you call it a 'Wings' album, because I think it features, besides Paul, Denny and Linda, performances by what is considered the best Wings sidemen (Joe English, Jimmy McCollough). I don't know 'Lily the Pink' but do remember a nonsense number called something like 'Thank You Very Much' that was a minor hit. I kinda liked it.
Regarding 'do you have to be British' to get it, I don't think that is really valid. Something's either funny or it isn't. I remember telling a British friend how much I hated that sitcom 'Are You Being Served'. PBS was showing it constantly. I thought it was dumb and not funny and he said 'Well, you have to be British to get it'. But the fact that PBS kept showing it proved that SOME Americans liked it. And besides, I like Python and Peter Sellers and lots of other British comedy, and some of the references I don't get but it doesn't matter. It's still funny. I don't think you have to be a redneck to like that 'Get 'er Done' jerk. I hate it but I'm sure plenty of 'city folk' find it funny.
Oh, and I much mention that I actually met Mike McGear ages ago when he was in San Francisco promoting his book of photos (I think it was called 'The Macs'). I didn't buy the book or have anything for him to sign, but it was literally a block away from where I was living so I went there and got his autograph and shook his hand. I've lost the autograph, but it was just an excuse to see him. He was friendly.
7. Which Beatle wife had more musical talent, Yoko or Linda?
Answer: Great question! I actually think Linda had more natural musical talent but Yoko had more ambition. Yes, Linda was not a great player but she has a nice voice (I love her vocals on Ram and Wild Life) and helped write stuff (like the middle 'What does it matter to ya?' bit on 'Live and Let Die'). For someone who was reluctant to 'join a band' she did a fine job. I've tried to teach friends to play simple things on the guitar or drums and they couldn't do the most basic stuff.
Yoko never really 'played' anything except whacking on an old drum nobody could hear anyway. She supposedly could play piano but I don't recall ever seeing her do it. Her singing is really 'performance art' and not singing. But I do like some of her stuff, like 'We're All Water' from Sometime in New York City. Great tune and great lyrics. But it's also very childlike, which pretty much describes all of her music. Kids can make up songs, too, and if you had John Lennon helping, it might come out okay.
Linda actually sang real harmony and played the keyboards and co-wrote pop songs. You might not like her stuff, but she pulled it off, which ain't easy. Hell, some people think John Denver's stuff is super. I can't stand him.
8. Linda was out horse riding at their Arizona ranch a day before she dies. Was her death euthanasia?
Answer: I don't really dwell on that sort of thing and don't know. The McCartney camp is pretty quiet about her last days and there was some mystery around where she died. But it doesn't really interest me.
9. What happened to John Lennon's cremated remains? Is it in Yoko's closet?
Answer: Again, I don't care much about that kind of thing. John Lennon's dead body doesn't interest me. But I think the whereabouts of his ashes are unknown.
10. Lennon/Ono aide Fred Seaman supposedly sold Lennon property, unpublished songs, recordings, etc. Has any of it surfaced?
Answer: I didn't follow the Fred Seaman story that closely but I know that Yoko did sue him and he got into some trouble for 'stealing' photos and notebooks/diaries, etc. The guy sounds like a creep. Another Lennon hanger-on who took advantage.
posted by John Goins at 1:04 PM
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