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Beatles survivors Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr still making music

32 Comments
By Philippe GRELARD

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The Beatles were a bit before my time. My first real introduction to Paul McCartney was "Coming Up" around 1980. Kind of put the John Vs Paul argument to bed.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

For 80 years old, Ringo looks fantastic.

14 ( +16 / -2 )

For 80 years old, Ringo looks fantastic.

They both do, it's incredible.

I wonder if Ringo is the best drummer in the Beatles yet?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

The All-Starrs gigs are great fun. I have been to two or three, and always had a blast - mostly because the musicians seem to.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

They both do, it's incredible.

Gotta think the hair is dyed and there is some plastic surgery going on!

There are music legends 10 years younger that look almost dead.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I love the Beatles by the way, but I listened more to John and George’s solo stuff

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Alongside Chuck Berry, Kraftwerk, ABBA etc, they were/are one of the most influential artists/bands.

"There was a time he was lost... his albums were a disaster," Cuesta said.

Every artist has a dodgy phase, true. There's still plenty of love (and peace) for Ringo still.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The Beatles were a group which played in our local pubs. Lord Woodbine musical mentor of The Beatles, spent a Christmas once with him. Many musicians plying their trade. Mersey Beat.

That's fab!

Closest I got to the MB was years later, I spoke to Gerry Marsden for some charity thing. Oh, and got to see Macca live at Live8...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Never liked the Sir Paul Guy, but would rate John as one of the worlds best musicians. I actually cried when he died. Never met the guy, only been to the Cavern in Liverpool.

I was shocked when my mother told me over red wine, that her and her friends actually went to the airport and threw their panties at them!

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Much respect to them. They're lucky they're men, otherwise all sorts of sexist and ageist comments would have already been thrown at them.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Toasted HereticToday  01:18 pm JST

The Beatles were a group which played in our local pubs. Lord Woodbine musical mentor of The Beatles, spent a Christmas once with him. Many musicians plying their trade. Mersey Beat.

That's fab!

Closest I got to the MB was years later, I spoke to Gerry Marsden for some charity thing. Oh, and got to see Macca live at Live8...

Did you see him play with U2? I've seen U2 twice, they're the Greatest Irish Export. After that Live8 show, Macca and Bono (Paul Hewson) chummed it up, telling each other how they got into rock'n'roll after their both mothers died. Fast friends, Paul and Paul. I did see the reunited Pink Floyd at that show on TV, their last. ABC-TV got flak because nobody bleeped that special word in the song 'Money'.

MariaToday  09:32 am JST

The All-Starrs gigs are great fun. I have been to two or three, and always had a blast - mostly because the musicians seem to.

I saw Ringo's band in early 1999. A mixed bag of fun.

zichiToday  01:13 pm JST

Dec 8 is 40 years since Lennon was shot. A date I will always remember.

I was a HS freshman that day and every teacher told us about growing up with the Beatles. My English teacher spent the whole period talking about seeing them in Cincinnati and how she thought rock'n'roll has a 'hidden religious message' to it (!).

These Two Hard Day's Knights are still making music and we're all better because of it. Legends.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Did you see him play with U2? I've seen U2 twice, they're the Greatest Irish Export.

I've seen U2 several times (including Live8) and I'd say that they were top of the exports but I'd still favor Thin Lizzy, Van Morrison, Rory Gallagher and latterly Fontaines DC over the lads from north of the Liffey. I feel their creative output petered out in the mid 90s after the brave but confusing (to fans) Passengers. The odd good single and great live shows since have to be acknowledged, natch.

After that Live8 show, Macca and Bono (Paul Hewson) chummed it up, telling each other how they got into rock'n'roll after their both mothers died. Fast friends, Paul and Paul.

Ah, Bono has a lot of friends in high places. He's not as well-loved back in Bel Eire the last decade or two because of taxes/preachiness/over exposure, but that happens to many artists. Macca went through a period (several, actually) of scorn and bewilderment.

I did see the reunited Pink Floyd at that show on TV, their last. ABC-TV got flak because nobody bleeped that special word in the song 'Money'.

Besides seeing McCartney and The Who, Snoop, Madonna, REM, U2 etc, it was special to see Pink Floyd patching things up with each other to do a great gig (not in the sky) together.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Yes they look good for their age and yes it is nice that they continue to do what they enjoy doing.  For my taste the little bit of theirs I have heard is pretty meh.

Ringo was better as the narrator on Thomas the Tank Engine.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Ringo was better as the narrator on Thomas the Tank Engine.

True, but the late great Michael Angelis was a better actor.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Whatever people might think, the Beatles and their songs enriched all of our lives and have stood the test of time.

Yes, with a few less than honourable exceptions:

Maxwell's Silver Hammer (from the peerless Abbey Road)

and Run for Your Life (from the pivotal Rubber Soul)

Of course, every artist or band is going to produce some dubious output.

I know The White Album, for instance, also has its detractors for being flabby and indulgent but I still love it.

All subjective, right?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I know The White Album, for instance, also has its detractors for being flabby and indulgent but I still love it.

I love all their LPs, but that kaleidoscope of an album is brilliant.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

All their studio years albums were really good. The early on-stage touring year albums all sound a bit the same if you ask me, although from that earlier era Twist and Shout was one of their best.

John Lennon's whatever gets you through the night was a great solo album I thought. I have read good things about George's all things must pass, but never listened to it. Must do so..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Longevity. Cool.

But Stones are better!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Forty years after John Lennon died at the hands of an evangelical Christian assassin, 

Twentty posts and no one questioned this extremely dubious statement in the article.

And no, I myself am not an evangelical christian. I am however very concerned about the extreme erosion in the credibility of the media in current times and the gullibility of much of the public.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Longevity. Cool.

But Stones are better!

Each to their own, but in terms of creativity, influence on others and pioneering, the Stones ( a great band ) are not on the same planet as the Beatles.

To be fair, I don’t think anyone else is either.

As for the White Album, I think if it had been stripped down and polished up, it could have been their greatest album. Sexy Sadie from that album is the most overlooked Beatles masterpiece.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

geronimo - as mentioned in the article - an evangelical assassin - Chapman was widely believed to be a born again christian. Lots of info out and about. A short wiki snippet :

"....Chapman turned against Lennon following a religious conversion, and was angry about Lennon's highly publicized 1966 comment that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus." Jan Reeves, the sister of one of Chapman's friends, reported that Chapman "seemed really angry" toward Lennon and spoke frequently about Lennon's claim, saying it was blasphemy. Some members of Chapman's prayer group made a joke in reference to Lennon's song "Imagine": "It went, 'Imagine, imagine if John Lennon was dead.'" Chapman's childhood friend Miles McManushe recalled that he said that the song was "communist".

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It’s become quite the norm to slag off Paul, but he is pretty much unsurpassed as a songwriter. I was listening to Band On The Run yesterday, a brilliant album

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I was in h.s. when the Beatles came out and certainly I, like most others, enjoyed their music. However, it seems to me that giving concerts today, 58 years later is like resting on your laurels. Songwriting? Yes, Paul still has it. Singing, by him or Ringo . . . meh.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It's also because of the time and generation they became legends. If they make their style of music now they wouldn't be known worldwide.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Twentty posts and no one questioned this extremely dubious statement in the article.

And no, I myself am not an evangelical christian. I am however very concerned about the extreme erosion in the credibility of the media in current times and the gullibility of much of the public.

You are right. I am quite certain that if he were any other religion or believe, it would not even be mentioned. The writer was trying to get his digs in on a religion he dislikes. Any decent editor would have cut it out of the first line.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

LudditeDec. 7  10:21 pm JST

It’s become quite the norm to slag off Paul, but he is pretty much unsurpassed as a songwriter. I was listening to Band On The Run yesterday, a brilliant album

His most recent CD 'Egypt Station' is outstanding, a mishmash of every musical styling and quirks he has ever done. It entered the album chart at Number One in late 2017. That's lasting superstar power, baby!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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