Other than the occasional track, like the 1972 single “Give Ireland Back to the Irish,” Paul McCartney isn’t generally associated with topical songs. But he’s changing his tune, so to speak, as part of a new protest by musicians against copyright theft by AI companies.

Originally released this past February, the album Is This What We Want? consisted entirety of background noise taped at recording studios, but no actual voices, songs, or instruments. The project was designed to draw attention to the way AI companies could exploit recorded music, along with other art forms, as the basis for projects, thanks to a proposed change in U.K. copyright law. According to a statement from the album organizers at the time, the record’s use of silence was meant to symbolize “the impact we expect the government’s proposals would have on musicians’ livelihoods.”

For the album’s upcoming vinyl release on Dec. 8, McCartney contributed his own blank slate: “Bonus Track,” which spans 2 minutes and 45 seconds long of silence.

Speaking to the BBC earlier this year, McCartney discussed his concerns about AI infiltrating his business. “You get young guys and girls coming up, and they write a beautiful song, and they don’t own it,” he said. “They don’t have anything to do with it, and anyone who wants can just rip it off … When it gets on the streaming platforms, somebody’s getting [the money], and it should be the person who created it. It shouldn’t just be some tech giant somewhere. Somebody’s getting paid. Why shouldn’t it be the guy who sat down and wrote ‘Yesterday’?”

Source: David Browne/rollingstone.com

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The mid-1970s were a tumultuous time for George Harrison, marking a period he called a “bit of a bender” as he spread himself thin on multiple music projects, partook in plenty of drugs and alcohol, and watched his relationships falter (or fail completely). Interestingly, his former bandmate, John Lennon, was going through a similar phase during what would become known as Lennon’s “lost weekend.” Several years had passed since The Beatles split, and the comedown was proving to be rather difficult.

For Harrison, this translated into some rather lackluster and divisive music, including a track he released on November 18, 1974. The ex-Beatle released two singles in the States: “Dark Horse” as the A-side and “I Don’t Care Anymore” as the B-side. The latter track had clear country and skiffle influences, harkening back to Harrison’s early days with The Beatles in Liverpool. But aside from this rootsy homage, the song did little to impress critics. Most seized the opportunity to reference the song title, claiming that the performance and lyrical content showed Harrison really didn’t care. If he didn’t, they wondered, why should they?

“The singer begins by announcing that he needs a B-side number,” one review read. “One can’t take him very seriously after that, and thank goodness. The lyrics, which wantonly defend an adulterous relationship, must be condemned, to borrow from ‘Devil’s Radio’, as ‘words that thoughtless speak.’ This is not what we need to hear from anybody.”

Source: Melanie Davis/americansongwriter.com

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“I was just too frightened – it was too big a moment with everyone looking at the guitar player. I couldn’t do it”: Paul McCartney was meant to be the Beatles’ lead guitarist – then stage fright led him to George Harrison.

Picture “The Beatles” in your mind – what do you see? There's the logo, four mop-top lads in suits, screaming girls mobbing airport runways... and Paul McCartney plucking away at his Hofner violin bass guitar.  Obviously, though, generational talent that he is, McCartney is and always has been a mean guitarist as well. Even before the world's most famous rock group went their separate ways, McCartney had already put to vinyl an enviable catalog of six-string greatness.

PAUL McCARTNEY: A great thing about Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow and the provinces, is that they all have places with famous names, and the first gig with The Quarry Men was on Broadway – in Liverpool. (We made our first record in a little demo studio in Kensington, Liverpool.)

For my first gig, I was given a guitar solo on Guitar Boogie. I could play it easily in rehearsal so they elected that I should do it as my solo. Things were going fine, but when the moment came in the performance I got sticky fingers; I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’ I was just too frightened; it was too big a moment with everyone looking at the guitar player. I couldn’t do it. (I never played a solo again until a few years ago.) That’s why George was brought in.

I knew George from the bus. Before I went to live in Allerton, I lived in Speke. We lived on an estate which they used to call the Trading Estate. (I understand now that they were trying to move industry there to provide jobs, but then we didn’t ever consider why it was called a trading estate.)

Source: Guitar World/Jackson Maxwell

The Beatles had already announced their breakup to the world by the time Let It Be was released in 1970. They left behind a somewhat star-crossed project that had been hanging around for more than a year after its initial sessions before its release.

The chaos going on behind the scenes wasn’t able to overwhelm what the Fab Four accomplished from a musical sense. Here are five stories behind the songs on Let It Be that you might not know.  The “Two” are Paul and Linda.

When you listen to the song “Two Of Us” without any context behind its making, you might assume that it’s about the relationship between Paul McCartney and John Lennon. After all, the pair sing in close, two-part harmony in the song in a way that they hadn’t done in years. And the lyrics speak with nostalgia about warm memories and great times spent together. But McCartney, who wrote the track, was actually referring to the getaways he took with wife Linda whenever The Beatles’ drama seemed overwhelming.
Faster, then Slower

“Across The Universe” was the song that The Beatles couldn’t get right, despite the inherent beauty of the John Lennon composition. They first recorded it back in 1968, with a pair of female fans pulled from outside of Apple singing backup. Lennon didn’t like this version, although it was sped up and used on a charity compilation album in 1969. The Beatles revived it for Let It Be, only this time with Lennon’s voice slowed down and orchestration added. To hear his voice at its actual speed as recorded, check out the version from Let It Be…Naked.
A Tribute to Mom

John Lennon once criticized “Let It Be” as a rip-off of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel. The only problem with that theory is that there’s no way Paul McCartney could have even heard of the S&G song before writing his opus. In actuality, McCartney did indeed receive inspiration from a dream, one that recalled his mother, Mary McCartney. She died of cancer when Paul was still a teenager. If anything, “Let It Be”, with its repetitive, sing-along chorus, seemed like an attempt to recapture the magic of “Hey Jude”.

Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com

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Disney+ debuted an all-new trailer and key art for its upcoming release of The Beatles Anthology. Episodes 1-3 of the series launch on November 26, followed by Episodes 4-6 on November 27 and Episodes 7-9 on November 28.

The Beatles Anthology, Apple Corps’ landmark, UK-produced documentary series exploring the life and times of the most influential and beloved band of all time, as told by The Beatles themselves, will make its streaming debut exclusively on Disney+ beginning November 26. Beautifully restored and expanded from eight to nine episodes, the series offers an unprecedented and intimate view of The Beatles’ legendary trajectory and inner workings.

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr take us along for the ride as they revisit the highs and lows and twists and turns of The Beatles’ long and winding eight years as a band. The series spans the band’s gritty, hungry early days, to the phenomenon of Beatlemania and global superstardom. The series’ new ninth episode features illuminating and previously unreleased footage of Paul, George and Ringo during the creation of the original 1990s Anthology series and music project. The Beatles Anthology was originally broadcast in 1995 in the U.S. on ABC and in the UK on ITV, followed by a blockbuster, GRAMMY Award®-winning home video release. For Disney+, several elements of the series have been updated, including an incredible footage restoration and sound mix overseen by the Apple Corps production team working with the supremely skilled technicians at Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post in Wellington, New Zealand.

Source: Moss/thewaltdisneycompany.com

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George Martin, the legendary producer, played a crucial role in shaping The Beatles’ musical journey. His keen sense of melody transformed the band from a garage act into a sophisticated musical powerhouse. Early in their career, however, Martin had significant reservations about their original material.
Martin’s Initial Concerns about The Beatles

Before meeting George Martin, The Beatles struggled to secure a recording contract. Their manager, Brian Epstein, encountered rejection from several labels. Decca Records even claimed that guitar bands were “on the way out.” When Epstein finally approached Martin, he expected skepticism.

Martin initially viewed Epstein as desperate.  He described Parlophone, his label, as primarily a comedy label.
Martin’s first impression of The Beatles was negative, believing they weren’t suited for his label’s image.

Martin suggested significant changes within the band. He expressed doubts about drummer Pete Best, leading to the recruitment of Ringo Starr. This transition marked a turning point in their sound and dynamics.  

Despite their potential, Martin was not impressed with The Beatles’ original output. He particularly criticized their song “Please Please Me.” Martin found the first version of the track slow and uninspired. He famously remarked, “That’s too bloody boring for words. It’s a dirge.”

His suggestion to speed up the song transformed it. When The Beatles recorded the revised version with a faster tempo and added harmonica, it became their first major hit.

Initially, “Please Please Me” was considered for the b-side of “Love Me Do.”  Martin believed the arrangement was too complicated and proposed a simpler version.

Source: Bassyonni/el-balad.com

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