books, books, books

This is for all non-EC or peripheral-EC topics. We all know how much we love talking about 'The Man' but sometimes we have other interests.
Post Reply
User avatar
Jack of All Parades
Posts: 5716
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:31 am
Location: Where I wish to be

Re: books, books, books

Post by Jack of All Parades »

I do tend to sell Sir Paul short and you are quite correct to point out that there must exist something below the surface facile nature that kept Lennon intrigued. I just have had trouble over the years trying to uncover what it is. I suspect it was and is his superiority as a musician. To have a mate as pleasant and seemingly innocent as Paul could well have been a real pleasure for Lennon, as well. It probably made passing the long hours they were confined together at the height of their popularity tolerable.

You note the passing of his mother at an early age and its possible effects upon his growth as soul. I witnessed comparable in the emotional and intellectual growth of my younger brother when my mother passed when he was all of 8 years old. You are right to note the difficulties such an event causes.

I agree- do not sit me next to Ringo and Paul and George would be too dour for my liking- agonostic that I am. Seat me to the left of John and let the sparks fly any day.
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
Poor Deportee
Posts: 671
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 7:30 pm
Location: Chocolate Town

Re: books, books, books

Post by Poor Deportee »

Jack of All Parades wrote:I do tend to sell Sir Paul short and you are quite correct to point out that there must exist something below the surface facile nature that kept Lennon intrigued. I just have had trouble over the years trying to uncover what it is. I suspect it was and is his superiority as a musician. To have a mate as pleasant and seemingly innocent as Paul could well have been a real pleasure for Lennon, as well. It probably made passing the long hours they were confined together at the height of their popularity tolerable.

You note the passing of his mother at an early age and its possible effects upon his growth as soul. I witnessed comparable in the emotional and intellectual growth of my younger brother when my mother passed when he was all of 8 years old. You are right to note the difficulties such an event causes.

I agree- do not sit me next to Ringo and Paul and George would be too dour for my liking- agonostic that I am. Seat me to the left of John and let the sparks fly any day.
Possibly more than sparks...he once hurled bricks through McCartney's windows.

Funny thing about Paul, though. I can't imagine collecting his solo albums in general, but take a retrospective "Best of the 70s" collection like Wingspan. If that came out today as a double-album by a newcomer, it would instantly be hailed by critics as an utterly stunning outpouring of brilliant pop-craft. Its "soft rock" 70s overtones would not be perceived as a guilty pleasure but rather as a suave reclaiming of the sounds of an earlier era; its sentimental ballads, as sublimely crafted, traditional pop music. I daresay it would be, in its effortlessness and mastery of form, the epitome of cool. Yet that material still can't quite shake its aura of gauche un-cool, basically because McCartney went the "soft rock" route (mostly) in an era when Led Zeppelin and prog rock were the epitome of hip, AND because everything he did was compared to untouchable The Beatles. Of course his vacuous interview persona would not help, but still, context is all.
When man has destroyed what he thinks he owns
I hope no living thing cries over his bones
User avatar
Jack of All Parades
Posts: 5716
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:31 am
Location: Where I wish to be

Re: books, books, books

Post by Jack of All Parades »

Saddened by the belated news of the passing of Thomas Berger- one of my fiction writing heroes. It was difficult for him to write a boring sentence. His madcap comedy is a biting mixture of satire and social awareness. He owed a lot as he readily admitted to Kafka. He lived for so many years down the river in Rockland County. There are so many of his books I could cite but I have a special place for Sneaky People, The Feud, Neighbors, Teddy Villanova and the Carlo Reinhardt saga:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/22/books ... .html?_r=0
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
User avatar
Jack of All Parades
Posts: 5716
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:31 am
Location: Where I wish to be

Re: books, books, books

Post by Jack of All Parades »

The dean of American Sports writers- hell just a master of English prose to boot- gains a well deserved permanent entrance into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown this weekend- and look at the class that is entering with him- I am ecstatic- enjoy this audio interview with the master as he takes his rightful place in that pantheon:

http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-tur ... ll-writing
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
User avatar
Jack of All Parades
Posts: 5716
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:31 am
Location: Where I wish to be

Re: books, books, books

Post by Jack of All Parades »

Bob is to be officially canonized this Fall with the 'full' scholarly treatment by none other then Sir Christopher Ricks "The Lyrics-since 1962":

http://www.amazon.com/The-Lyrics-Since- ... 1451648766
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
User avatar
Jack of All Parades
Posts: 5716
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:31 am
Location: Where I wish to be

Re: books, books, books

Post by Jack of All Parades »

An intelligent and reasoned assessment of the 'charmed' one and a noted shout out to his collaborations with EC in the Eighties as being perhaps the best of his post Beatles work:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/ ... lodic-gift
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
User avatar
Jack of All Parades
Posts: 5716
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:31 am
Location: Where I wish to be

Re: books, books, books

Post by Jack of All Parades »

A 'great' one has passed. His difficult poetry has been rattling in my brain since the early 70's- much to my enjoyment over the years....

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/ ... MP=share_b
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
Post Reply