It was 50 years ago - Sgt Pepper

[Conchis]

I was wondering that too.

As for Lennon being a musical conservative: yes, quite, but PMcC came out as one also in his post-Beatles work (here I shall mention "Mull of Kintyre" and leave it at that). One of the most important things that made the Beatles great was the sense, especially from 1967 onwards, that they could do anything in their music, from silly Ringo songs to "Revolution no.9" and everything in between. It was a music of possibility, in a way that none of them ended up being able to realise on their own.

McCartney's solo career - which I don't know as well as I should but which I've come to believe is somewhat maligned - is fairly eclectic. He's balanced the well-known commercial stuff with some non-commercial, experimental works (the Liverpool Sound Collage, the stuff he did under the alias 'The Fireman'); about his classical ventures, perhaps, the less said the better. He gets derided for things like Mary Had A Little Lamb and the notorious Frog Chorus thing but what people forget is that those pieces were specifically written for children (as were Beatles songs like Yellow Submarine and Obla-Di-Obla-Da), not for the sophisticated adults who liked Abbey Road and Sergeant Pepper. To my mind, the ability to compose for different audiences is one of his strengths as as composer. I'm not a fan but I don't think he could be accused of musical conservatism (he's the only one of the Beatles about whom the charge couldn't be made), at least not in his earlier career.

[Richard Barrett]

I don't think he could be accused of musical conservatism (he's the only one of the Beatles about whom the charge couldn't be made), at least not in his earlier career.

Not in his earlier career, no.

[MrGongGong]

...and by the time Abbey Road was recorded Lennon was more interested in Yoko than the Beatles. The side 2 sequence was largely McCartney!

A good friend of mine who is a musicologist swears by his belief that in the future Lennon will be remembered only as the ex partner of the great artist Ono who was once married to Toshi Ichiyanagi.

[cloughie]

McCartney's solo career - which I don't know as well as I should but which I've come to believe is somewhat maligned - is fairly eclectic. He's balanced the well-known commercial stuff with some non-commercial, experimental works (the Liverpool Sound Collage, the stuff he did under the alias 'The Fireman'); about his classical ventures, perhaps, the less said the better. He gets derided for things like Mary Had A Little Lamb and the notorious Frog Chorus thing but what people forget is that those pieces were specifically written for children (as were Beatles songs like Yellow Submarine and Obla-Di-Obla-Da), not for the sophisticated adults who liked Abbey Road and Sergeant Pepper. To my mind, the ability to compose for different audiences is one of his strengths as as composer. I'm not a fan but I don't think he could be accused of musical conservatism (he's the only one of the Beatles about whom the charge couldn't be made), at least not in his earlier career.

Also he became very interested in Classical music around the time he was friendly with Jane Asher and I think this was encuraged by George Martin and shows in songs such as Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby and For No One amongst others. His later solo dabblings in writing classical pieces (although he claimed he did not read or write music) was assisted by other composers such as RR Bennett and whatever may be thought of Standing Stones or Liverpool Oratorio, they were not a standard 2'20" pop song!

[Bryn]

A good friend of mine who is a musicologist swears by his belief that in the future Lennon will be remembered only as the ex partner of the great artist Ono who was once married to Toshi Ichiyanagi.

Pamplemousse!

[teamsaint]

Also he became very interested in Classical music around the time he was friendly with Jane Asher and I think this was encuraged by George Martin and shows in songs such as Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby and For No One amongst others. His later solo dabblings in writing classical pieces (although he claimed he did not read or write music) was assisted by other composers such as RR Bennett and whatever may be thought of Standing Stones or Liverpool Oratorio, they were not a standard 2'20" pop song!

A distant memory those.

Everything lasts at least four and a half minutes now.

[Richard Barrett]

whatever may be thought of Standing Stones or Liverpool Oratorio, they were not a standard 2'20" pop song!

No but really, those things are an embarrassment.

As for Yoko Ono, I had the chance a couple of years ago to see a retrospective exhibition of her work in its many aspects at the Whitney Museum in NYC and, hype aside, what she was doing in the 1960s was really interesting and imaginative I think.

[MrGongGong]

As for Yoko Ono, I had the chance a couple of years ago to see a retrospective exhibition of her work in its many aspects at the Whitney Museum in NYC and, hype aside, what she was doing in the 1960s was really interesting and imaginative I think.

http://www.deluxxe.com/beat/fluxusworkbook.pdf

[Conchis]

No but really, those things are an embarrassment.

As for Yoko Ono, I had the chance a couple of years ago to see a retrospective exhibition of her work in its many aspects at the Whitney Museum in NYC and, hype aside, what she was doing in the 1960s was really interesting and imaginative I think.

What do you think of her music? I came round to liking al to of it a few years ago.

[greenilex]

I once had to listen to a P McC "classical " piece on an island in the Danube. It was 'orrible.

[MrGongGong]

I once had to listen to a P McC "classical " piece on an island in the Danube. It was 'orrible.

I went to the Sziget Festival once and we did a gig in an inflatable sculpture followed by Unicum and a dip in the baths
I think you must of had the worse experience

(don't start me off about McCartney though )

[johncorrigan]

(don't start me off about McCartney though )

OK!

[cloughie]

A distant memory those.

Everything lasts at least four and a half minutes now.

You'll be reminiscing the punk era next, ts, when the 2'20" single probably was quite long!

[cloughie]

No but really, those things are an embarrassment.

I don't think he was under any illusion that it was brilliant music but he fancied doing it and could afford the indulgence. If you care to mock it that is your choice!

[teamsaint]

You'll be reminiscing the punk era next, ts, when the 2'20" single probably was quite long!

Well, to be fair, you could listen to one side of a Ramones album in the same time it would take to hear Bohemian Rhapsody burble to a conclusion, so it was win /win back then for those of us who could see the light.......