McCartney (album)
Paul McCartney withdrew to his farm in Campbeltown, Scotland on the 20th of September 1969. This move followed a band meeting where John Lennon requested what amounted to a divorce from the Beatles. Author Robert Rodriguez described McCartney's frame of mind as brokenhearted and dispirited at losing his only job ever known. The period coincided with widespread rumors in America that he had died. Journalists from BBC Radio and Life magazine tracked him down at High Park to dispel these three-year-old Paul Is Dead rumors.
McCartney spent two months in this Scottish seclusion creating an estrangement between himself and his former bandmates. His depression was severe enough that he later estimated coming close to suffering a nervous breakdown. Howard Sounes wrote about the McCartneys' exile at High Park noting it was grim for Linda who managed a seven-year-old child and a baby while her husband drank heavily. She told friends it was one of the most difficult times in her life. With Linda's encouragement McCartney began considering a future outside the Beatles by writing songs for his first solo album.
Studer home recordings took place from December 1969 through January 1970 inside McCartney's house on Cavendish Avenue in St John's Wood. He used a recently delivered Studer four-track tape recorder without a mixing desk or VU displays to guide recording levels. McCartney described his setup simply as Studer, one mic, and nerve. He played every musical instrument on the album including acoustic guitars electric bass keyboards drums and various percussion instruments. Linda supplied backing vocals on some tracks but otherwise McCartney performed alone via overdubbing techniques.
The first taped portion lasted only 45 seconds and featured The Lovely Linda which included McCartney giggling at the end despite being intended merely as equipment testing material. This performance became the official opening track alongside That Would Be Something written earlier in Scotland and the instrumental Valentine Day. Three selections were ad-libbed on the spot: Momma Miss America Oo You and another rock-oriented piece recorded during this initial phase. On the 3rd of January 1970 he interrupted work to participate in the Beatles' final session where Harrison Starr and himself recorded I Me Mine before returning to complete his own project.
McCartney said that he boycotted Apple offices after Allen Klein arrived in 1969. His continued isolation led Lennon Harrison and Starr making business decisions without his input regarding Let It Be documentary release dates needed for United Artists contractual obligations. A mid-April date was privately agreed upon with Neil Aspinall who remained one of few aware of the solo project. Late addition clashed with imminent releases of both the band's upcoming album and Ringo Starr's Sentimental Journey due out March 27th.
On the 25th of March McCartney discovered Klein arranged postponement but received assurance from George Harrison that April 17 would proceed as planned. The situation changed when Phil Spector reported completion allowing coordination with a New York premiere scheduled for April 28. Harrison and Lennon wrote letters dated the 31st of March instructing EMI to delay until June 4 explaining staggered American releases including Hey Jude compilation issued February 26. Ringo personally delivered the letter rather than sending staff which caused McCartney to react badly by telling him to get out while threatening payback consequences despite other Beatles backing down over final timing issues.
A Q&A package released on the 9th of April explained reasons behind creating the solo album describing its theme as Home Family Love compiled with help from Derek Taylor Peter Brown Apple executives. Questions imagined about potential splitting included whether break might be temporary permanent based business personal creative differences stating no missed drumming contributions nor envisaged future writing partnership with John Lennon. He also clarified ABKCO involvement saying not if possible stressing Klein held no role representing his interests though later recalled responding only to questions put forward since both Taylor Brown authored them entirely.
That same day McCartney called Lennon at clinic undergoing primal scream therapy mentioning following example leaving band without making departure public intention suggesting devastation felt media interpretation self-interview Don Short Daily Mirror piece titled PAUL IS QUITTING THE BEATLES appeared next morning followed worldwide headlines screaming variations Paul BREAKS UP THE BEETLES reducing story into global sensation driven solely by press kit content deliberately inserted within promotional materials distributed alongside UK copies.
McCartney debuted in Britain number two remaining three weeks behind Bridge Over Troubled Water Simon Garfunkel best-selling album year before selling million US copies May fifteen achieving double platinum status Billboard Top LPs chart holding position three weeks starting twenty-third despite refusing issuing singles including Maybe I'm Amazed receiving considerable airplay radio stations nationwide former bandmates viewed publicity surrounding breakup as betrayal given silence maintained previously by Lennon himself promoting solo career instead group collective interest Harrison described songs great others doing much less while noting isolation preventing feedback from other musicians besides Linda December interview Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner dismissed work rubbish Engelbert Humperdinck music claiming own John Lennon Plastic Ono Band would scare him decently done properly.
Contemporary reviews widely criticized under-production unfinished nature Nicholas Schaffner 1977 book The Beatles Forever called attempt using break-up promote happy family man apparently backfired observers found contrived tasteless vicious Madinger Easter wrote critical lambasting general sentiment something like He broke up Beatles for this Richard Williams Melody Maker suggested debt George Martin becoming clear sheer banality tracks save Maybe I'm Amazed worst example his music-hall side Alan Smith NME favorable assessment initially too harmlessly mild changed time hearing personal contentment committed sound music most sounds effects ideas sheer brilliance aura quiet summer night virtually all reflect intangible roundness excitement word not use warm happiness terms.
In 2004 edition Rolling Stone Album Guide Greg Kot deemed album modest barely registers compared Lennon's Plastic Ono adding white soul of Maybe I'm Amazed distinguished otherwise unbearably slight confections Lovely Linda Stephen Thomas Erlewine AllMusic endearing ragged homemade quality That Would Be Something Every Night Teddy Boy Maybe I'm Amazed full-fledged McCartney classics throwaway material charm retrospect appears harbinger nagging mediocrity plague entire solo career Record Collector highlighted Every Night Junk Maybe I'm Amazed still effortless demonstrate natural genius melody Neil Young inducted Rock Hall Fame praising simplicity seeing hear Paul no adornment compete things already done stepped shadow Beatles subsequently told Rolling Stone considered rock first indie thing knocking experimentin' sounds worrying turn Brent Day Paste felt arguably one big lo-fi records day included 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before Die reissued CD June seven studio albums Ram Band Run Wings part Archive Collection June thirteenth twenty-eleven entered charts UK Netherlands France Japan November seventeenth two-thousand seventeen Capitol UMe without bonus tracks catalogue service agreement taking Concord Records Hear Music special fifty anniversary release half-speed mastered vinyl pressing September twenty-sixth record store day boxset entitled McCartney One Two Three August fifth two-thousand-two consisting three LPs CDs trilogy.
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Common questions
Why did Paul McCartney withdraw to his farm in Campbeltown Scotland on the 20th of September 1969?
Paul McCartney withdrew to his farm in Campbeltown Scotland on the 20th of September 1969 following a band meeting where John Lennon requested what amounted to a divorce from the Beatles. This move followed widespread rumors in America that he had died and journalists tracked him down at High Park to dispel these three-year-old Paul Is Dead rumors.
What equipment did Paul McCartney use to record the album McCartney inside his house on Cavendish Avenue in St John's Wood?
McCartney used a recently delivered Studer four-track tape recorder without a mixing desk or VU displays to guide recording levels during sessions from December 1969 through January 1970. He described his setup simply as Studer one mic and nerve while playing every musical instrument on the album including acoustic guitars electric bass keyboards drums and various percussion instruments.
When was the first portion of the album McCartney taped and which songs were included in this initial phase?
The first taped portion lasted only 45 seconds and featured The Lovely Linda which included McCartney giggling at the end despite being intended merely as equipment testing material. This performance became the official opening track alongside That Would Be Something written earlier in Scotland and the instrumental Valentine Day with three selections ad-libbed on the spot.
How did Paul McCartney react when Ringo Starr personally delivered a letter instructing EMI to delay the release until June 4th?
Ringo personally delivered the letter rather than sending staff which caused McCartney to react badly by telling him to get out while threatening payback consequences despite other Beatles backing down over final timing issues. McCartney had discovered Klein arranged postponement but received assurance from George Harrison that April 17 would proceed as planned before Phil Spector reported completion allowing coordination with a New York premiere scheduled for April 28.
What reasons did Paul McCartney give for creating the solo album McCartney in the Q&A package released on the 9th of April?
A Q&A package released on the 9th of April explained reasons behind creating the solo album describing its theme as Home Family Love compiled with help from Derek Taylor Peter Brown Apple executives. Questions imagined about potential splitting included whether break might be temporary permanent based business personal creative differences stating no missed drumming contributions nor envisaged future writing partnership with John Lennon.