McCartney Legacy Volume 2
It's hard to sympathise with a man who fronted two bands, nabbed two Oscar nominations and performed a triumphant tour of America before he was 35, but the Paul McCartney that emerges from McCartney Legacy Volume 2 is actually a man who counted almost as many nerves as he did dollars. His Gemini dualism - bravura and fear - were witnessed by wife Linda, but throughout this book, the bassist's insecurities can be witnessed in a manner that makes him more fallible and human than most biographies are willing to paint him as.
Indeed, fear and insecurity is a theme in Allan Kozinn& Adrian Sinclair's work,whether it is Mike McGear's confessional asides ("..to [make an album] with someone like Our Kid, who’s been in the business for so many years and is such a good muso and singer, is a bit strange, even for a brother,") or Jimmy McCulloch's penchant for alcohol during Wings' most fortuitous and impressive stage in their trajectory.But it is this level of humanity that serves the book and readers well, as McCartney and McCulloch showcase elements to their personalities that were once undervalued by the rock critics. These men (and woman) weren't Gods blessed with supernatural talents, but busy workers who aspired to bring their talents to the forefronts.
Rhythm guitarist Denny Laine stood by the erstwhile Beatle through thick and thin, even contributing lyrics to festive favourite 'Mull of Kintyre'. Clearly, the ballad weighed heavily on McCartney's mind, constantly switching from uber-confident to suspicious over a chiming anthem dotted with bagpipes. But what a song it was: the ultimate punk record at a time when it was commonplace to rip up trousers and spit venom at the Royal family. To this reviewer, 'Mull of Kintyre' stands as the finest solo single any Beatle issued during the 1970s.
By the time Wings recorded the video, McCulloch had exited their orbit. As a young man, he enjoyed the rock lifestyle, although he was a burden to his peers. It was something he noted in interviews: "Immaturity I suppose" the Scottish guitar player conceded. "I’ve had a lot of experience in music, but experience of life knowing how to treat people, when to say something
and when not to, and when you’ve put your foot in it—I’m still green in that way." It was a time of change for music, with greater emphasis on production. McCartney was open to change, and was baffled by an effect 10cc utilised on their second, and most powerful, record Sheet Music. As it transpired, it was a gizmo, a device that allowed the guitar to showcase a different flavour. Lol Creme, who co-patented the model, offered him one pro bono, joking that he couldn't ask a Beatle for money.
Laine's imprint was an important one: in an interesting passage, it is made clear that the guitarist helped his employer on 'The Pound is Sinking' and 'Dress Me Up Like A Robber', pop vignettes that were recycled on Tug of War in 1982. Laurence Juber, who replaced McCulloch in time for Back To The Egg, encountered McCartney in the most unlikely of spots: a toilet. Whatever other labels can be levelled at the musician, Paul McCartney is an unpretentious musician, happily going about his life like a Northerner would.
The story takes a darker turn when it deals with McCulloch's death. The 26-year old was discovered in his flat by his brother; McCulloch's death was ruled as "morphine poisoning." Paul and Linda McCartney sent a tribute to be read at the funeral, but acknowledged the loss of life in other ways too. In an interview, the bassist suggested that McCulloch's upbringing in an impoverished Glasgow family meant that a life spent imbibing was the only option for him.
And yet he might have been the most accomplished musician who has ever played with McCartney, as is evident from his blistering solos on 'Call Me Back Again' and 'Crossroads'. Juber, ever the professional, lacked that necessary grit, but in his defence he only had one album in which to harness his craft.Despite signing an affidavit swearing that his marijuana days were behind him, McCartney was caught carrying the drug into Japan, resulting in an arrest, a bust and...well,let's not spoil the ending.
Why did he bring drugs into the country? Bravura? Nerves? Or, it might be, as is the case for a Gemini, a bit of both. Kozinn & Sinclair keep their opinions to themselves, letting the facts direct the story. They've followed Mark Lewisohn's example, with the slight caveat that Kozinn - a New York Times critic - is a master of economy, building a world with a tidy sentence, meaning the book easily slips by despite the length. Reading the work, I was surprised how quickly I had raced through a tome that boasts more pages than Melville's Moby Dick!
The authors keep to the language of the time, and McCartney's use of "poof" - directed at guitarist and bi-sexual icon Pete Townshend - might surprise younger readers. Their decision to put drugs in James McCartney's nappy probably wouldn't win them any awards as parents by modern standards, but the 1970s was a very different time in history. Their decision to take a vegetarian stance at the time was remarkably progressive, although it was not the easiest transition for the Wings leader. ("I was a vegetarian for two and a half years,” Linda joked in an interview, “but I have a husband who is the sort that craves his bacon.")
Where the authors will go next in their journey has yet to be seen. Perhaps they will tackle the 1980s, from 'Frozen Jap' to 'Rough Ride', 'Wanderlust' to 'Good Times Coming.' Or maybe they might press the fast forward button and head into the 1990s. And if this is the last volume, then they've captured a side to McCartney and McCulloch that is impressively detailed, raw and risqué. This is not a tale about glory, failure or grandeur. McCartney Legacy Volume 2 is about humans.
