FROM THE UNLIKELY PAIRINGS FILE

If you're at all into reggae, you know who Lee Perry is. What you may not know is that as far back as his Black Ark studio days he was working with non-reggae musicians, the best known collaboration being with the Clash. Amongst others he worked with were the McCartneys, those McCartneys. I had heard about the collaboration and shuddered at the thought. I recently gave in and gave two cuts a listen. While not as offensive as I expected, it's still just bland cod reggae. But, man, would I have loved being a fly on the wall at Black Ark. Imagine the conversations that may have occurred. As it is, two years later Perry would end up intentionally burning down Black Ark. Were the events connected? While you ponder that, here's the two cuts and a link to posts about Lee Perry from the past.

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Listen:
Linda McCartney - Sugartime (streaming) at YouTube
Linda McCartney  - Mister Sandman (streaming) at YouTube
Lee Perry - Past posts here Note: Some of the music links may be dead.
More:
Remembering Paul and Linda McCartney’s ill-fated collaboration with Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry at Far Out

MEANWHILE AT THE DRUNK FOCUS GROUP

So, Paul McCartney played a surprise show at some pub in Liverpool and debuted a new song. The internets is blowing up. It's not a huge deal to me, cool enough I guess. But, as long as I went digging for the videos, I'll save you the hassle.

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Video:
180608 Paul McCartney NEW SONG PLUS Philharmonic Pub Liverpool st YouTube [Title as found.] Another audience member's footage

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE LISTENABLE

Here's three covers. One good, one competent but could use some more flair, and one that I couldn't even listen to, just because of the people involved in it. It seemed too contrived. A super group has to be organic, not just "this project that can't help but be a sure seller". But we'll get to that.

First up is Motörhead's cover of "Sympathy For the Devil", a song that's been covered a zillion times, but few measure up, because the original is so far superior. Motörhead, though, does it in their own inimitable style, which is to say they rip it a new one. That's the nice surprise tonight. In second place, the Black Lips with Boy George doing T Rex's "Bang A Gong". Interesting, if only because that combination seems so unlikely, but it's kind of tepid. Hands down, the dog of the night goes to the Hollywood Vampires. Oh holy shit, it's like Ringo Starr's All Star rejects piled into the Rainbow Bar and Grill. Alice Cooper dreamt the project up, and it could be seen as just some old rockers on a joy ride, but I don't like this idea one bit. This grouping just seems to be too self aware. I'm almost positive a few are narcissists. Cooper recruited Johnny Depp, Joe Perry, Paul McCartney, Perry Farrell, Dave Grohl, Brian Johnson, Robbie Krieger, Slash, Joe Walsh, someone named Orianthi and motherfucking Kip Winger. Thankfully Mike Love was busy that night.

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Listen:
The Hollywood Vampires - My Generation (streaming) at Cover Me Plus a more favorable blurb.
The Black Lips with Boy George - Bang a Gong (video) at Vimeo
Motörhead - Sympathy For the Devil (streaming) at Soundcloud

THIRTY YEAR BUGABOO

This is of interest for several reasons, even if you don't like the Beatles. It's a letter written by Paul McCartney, who seems more than a little pissed off at Phil Spector's fix up of "The Long and Winding Road". Though the letter appears to be written to Allen Klein (manager of John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr), both Phil Spector and John Eastman (Paul McCartney's manager at the time), were copied on it. Imagine McCartney's thought process. First hearing the Spector reworked version, then, rather then getting on the horn with a "WTF?!?" with his bandmates, he decides to make it official. (Oh, to be a fly on the wall during ensuing discussions...) Regardless, he would have to wait thirty three years to release the version he preferred, which appeared on the 2003 semi-reissue Let It Be... Naked. "The Long and Winding Road" is far from a favorite of mine, but I like his spunk.

In case you're reading this on one of those gizmo-phones, and can't read the image of the letter, here's the text:

Dear Sir,
In the future no one will be allowed to add to or subtract from a recording of one of my songs without my permission.

I had considered orchestrating "The Long and Winding Road" but I decided against it. I therefore want it altered to these specifications:-

1. Strings, horns, voices and all added noises to be reduced in volume.
2. Vocal and Beatle instrumentation to be brought up in volume.
3. Harp to be removed completely at the end of the song and original piano notes to be substituted.
4. Don't ever do it again.
 

Signed Paul McCartney

Here's two versions of "The Long and Winding Road" (both streaming because I don't want Klein or Eastman snooping around here). Full on disclaimer: I'm not posting these because I like the song, It is decidedly not my bag. I'm posting it so you can hear what the fuss was about. Keep in mind the 1970 released version was released just three weeks after the letter was written. That's pretty late in the game to still be wrangling about production. Too late in this case.

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Listen:
The Beatles - The Long and Winding Road (streaming) at YouTube 1970
The Beatles - The Long and Winding Road ("Naked" version) (streaming) at YouTube 2003
Visit:
Let It Be... Naked at Wikipedia

WTF (SLIGHT RETURN)

Just a heads up here. The studio version of the WTF's "Cut Me Some Slack" has been released, and is available at you-know-where. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one; the fact that one of the Germs ended up playing with one of the Beatles. Hearing Paul McCartney introduce "Mr. Pat Smear.." to what had may have been one of the biggest worldwide audiences ever.  I really don't care that the song, while good, is nothing earth shattering. I'm just a little flabbergasted. The first McCartney solo LP was the second album I ever bought, when I was about twelve years old. I saw the Germs second gig ever in 1977 (and Pat Smear had the complete ass cut out of his jeans). And, well, all of you have Nirvana moments. Mine was a pre-release second generation tape of Nevermind, played for me by Lady Latimore before Nirvanamania went global.  Alas, this is kind of an "aw shit" moment, because there's likely not much in the way of collaborations that will surprise me now.

Here's the clip of the WTFers doing the same song on SNL. Gotta love Smear, breaking out the Target wardrobe to play with an ex-Beatle.

I'm not going to look for an mp3 of the song, because it was done for charity. If you feel so inclined, go for it. I mean, c'mon, what'll you save? A couple bucks?

LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT

Never thought I'd see the day. The guitarist from the Germs, and the rhythm section of Nirvana, with one of the Beatles. Well, blow me down.  It was streaming online, the 12.12.12 Sandy benefit. (The clip I found went dead a half hour after it was posted on YouTube, but you should be able to find it somewhere else). You know what this makes think about? What would Darby Crash, Kurt Cobain, George Harrison and John Lennon be doing? If this whole thing doesn't intrigue you, this is primarily for those in my age group, who saw the Germs way back in the day. Particularly my homies who were at that early Germs show at the Whiskey.