Ian MacDonald
Ian MacCormick entered the world on the 3rd of October 1948 in London. He attended Dulwich College before moving to King's College, Cambridge. His studies there shifted from English to archaeology and anthropology within a single year. He left the university after just twelve months of attendance. While at Cambridge, he became distantly acquainted with Nick Drake. This singer-songwriter connection would later influence his musical perspective.
From 1972 until 1975, MacDonald worked as assistant editor at NME. He began writing lyrics for the band Quiet Sun during this period. The group included his brother Bill MacCormick and Phil Manzanera. Manzanera would eventually become a guitarist for Roxy Music. Their collaboration resumed in the late 1970s when MacDonald provided lyrics for the album Listen Now. Brian Eno helped produce Sub Rosa, an album released on Manzanera's label.
MacDonald published Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties in 1994. He examined each recording by the Beatles using techniques borrowed from art historians. Access to original master tapes was granted during research. Paul McCartney stated dissatisfaction with the book's accuracy. The text contains detailed song-by-song analysis that often remains subjective. A separate essay titled Fabled Foursome, Disappearing Decade analyzed social changes of the 1960s. Entries about chart-topping singles appeared in a 2002 edition featuring only songs from the album 1.
The New Shostakovich arrived in 1990 as a study of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. MacDonald leaned heavily on Solomon Volkov's Testimony for his source material. His insistence on creating cinematic scenarios for every major piece polarized opinion sharply. Critics debated whether this approach honored or distorted the music. Raymond Clarke undertook a revised version in 2006 incorporating some of MacDonald's later writings. This new edition addressed many issues raised by the original publication.
The success of Revolution in the Head motivated MacDonald to resume popular music writing. He contributed articles to Classic CD, Mojo and Uncut magazines. The People's Music anthology published in July 2003 collected these writings. It appeared just weeks before his death. He had been working on Birds, Beasts & Fishes: A Guide to Animal Lore and Symbolism. Another project focused on David Bowie remained unpublished at the time of his passing.
On the 20th of August 2003, Ian MacCormick died by suicide at his home in Wotten-under-Edge. He was 54 years old following a lengthy period of clinical depression. Phil Manzanera dedicated the track Wish You Well to him on the 2004 album 6PM. Former collaborators paid tribute to his contributions to music journalism. His work continues to influence how critics analyze recorded music today.
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Common questions
When was Ian MacCormick born and where did he attend university?
Ian MacCormick entered the world on the 3rd of October 1948 in London. He attended Dulwich College before moving to King's College, Cambridge.
What books did Ian MacDonald write about The Beatles and Dmitri Shostakovich?
MacDonald published Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties in 1994. The New Shostakovich arrived in 1990 as a study of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich.
Who were the collaborators involved with Ian MacDonald during his time at NME?
The group included his brother Bill MacCormick and Phil Manzanera. Manzanera would eventually become a guitarist for Roxy Music.
Why did Paul McCartney express dissatisfaction with Ian MacDonald's book on The Beatles?
Paul McCartney stated dissatisfaction with the book's accuracy. The text contains detailed song-by-song analysis that often remains subjective.
How did Ian MacDonald die and what tribute did Phil Manzanera create after his death?
On the 20th of August 2003, Ian MacCormick died by suicide at his home in Wotten-under-Edge. Phil Manzanera dedicated the track Wish You Well to him on the 2004 album 6PM.