Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Commentary - Like the father, like the son?

I love my son and I'm proud that he's turning out to be quite the musician, too. Supporting him on his path of musical development is one of my pleasures of fatherhood.

Paul McCartney is no different, he just has more resources than I do. So, where I set Malcolm up with my Vantage Avenger guitar and a small Vox amp, Sir Paul produced his son James' two EPs. With all of the advantages James McCartney has had, my son is luckier in one sense: the odds are that Malcolm won't have a lot of people endlessly comparing him to his dad.



On this Letterman performance, you can hear a bit of Paul's voice, but Angel has a more modern Brit-pop sound that stands on its own. James clearly has some talent, both as a writer and performer. Unfortunately, he may be risking his shot at developing his own career.

Talking to the BBC, McCartney was asked about the idea of forming The Beatles: The Next Generation. Not only was he up for it, he made it clear that this had been discussed in more detail:
I don't think it's something that Zak [Starkey] wants to do. Maybe Jason [another of Starr's sons and also drummer] would want to do it. I'd be up for it. Sean [Lennon] seemed to be into it, Dhani [Harrison] seemed to be into it. I'd be happy to do it.
This seems like a formula for failure. These days, sequels are more of a cynical business bet that reheated leftovers offer a better return than taking chances on real art. McCartney and the other Beatles Boys would be effectively saying that their band isn't about talent or chemistry, but just the gimmick of who their dads were. When they inevitably fail to deliver on the ideal of The Beatles II, they'll be remembered more for sacrificing their credibility for a quick grab at money and fame. They'll also be remembered for poisoning the Beatles memory as well.

That said, I'm sure they'd find someone to promote and create an initial whirl of interest. I just hope that Sir Paul can offer his son some good advice...whether or not James will take it.

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