Why Paul is cool again

The UK radio are giving tracks from McCartney's Ram, particularly Back Seat of my Car a lot of airplay. Ironic given that the album was virtually ignored back in the day. And for many years now  Paul McCartney's image has been one of tweeness, but now it seems people have started to take him seriously again, and there is a major reevaluation going on. About bloody time too, whack.

Yep, Paul McCartney has suddenly become cool again - why is this?

Of course us fans have never considered him anything but cool and every time we hear someone say, but he only does ballads, we know they are ignorant and that the Macca has always rocked with the best of them. A string of acclaimed albums obviously helped put Macca back on top of the poppermost but I think that it is the new sharing of information that has put the Macca back in his rightful place.

I'll explain - the critics you see have always had it in for Macca ever since he dared leave the Beatles and they were too quick to jump on, admittedly twee songs like We all Stand Together, Ebony and Ivory and look what your bloody doing. They ripped him apart when he recorded the Soap Opera theme for Crossroads and ignored it in the context of following the song, Lonely Old People on the Venus and Mars album. The song was almost a coda to the track about growing old you dumb arse, strung out, rock critics!  It's easier for them to slag off poor numbers, or misunderstand numbers,  than write about the criminally underrated tracks that make up a truly remarkable career. The Pound is Sinking from the Tug of War album is another underrated Macca work of genius - course it could also be the theme song for the current UK government.

However these days we have the Internet and the critics don't matter anymore Fans, the people who really matter, can write about this stuff and point out the absolute gems.These days it's the same with books and reviews posted onling by readers, listeners, the end users have far more credibility than anything written by the spiteful critics.

It's also true that whilst pop music is these days bland and sat over by Simon Cowell, a real life Patrick Bateman, Macca's music seems real in comparison. It's always been real, though.


Paul's never been as hip as John - that's the general perception but things are changing and even the most ardent Paul hater would have to admit that Lennon, whilst great, was never as good without Macca. Mind you the visa versa is also true and Paul was always best alongside Lennon. Apart they were both major talents but when they got together something magical happened.

John though was political while Paul just wrote slushy love songs - not true and Paul has had his  moments such as releasing Give Ireland Back to the Irish when IRA activity was at an all time high in Mainland Britain. Mind you let's try and brush the well meaning but overly bombastic Freedom under the carpet.

The truth is that McCartney has a genius for melody and a true love of music and performing, and he's been vilified for that. It seem, the critics, can handle love songs but only if there's a darkness there, a regret and how dare Macca give us gentle sweet love songs. Yeah, guilty as charged but there's nothing wrong with a silly love song.

What's wrong with that?
I need to know...cos here I go again

Paul McCartney - cool!

Of course he is and even if he does often come across as being far too twee, false even, it should not be forgotten that this is the man who has given us some of the greatest music ever gifted to the world. And far from having lost it when he jumped ship on the fabs, recent years has seen some of his most creative work - the 2008 album, Electric Arguments remains a modern classic that is comparable with his best 60's work. That album of course was released under the pseudonym, The Fireman an identity Paul uses for experimental music but Arguments really should have been released as a McCartney album - it's excellent. Likewise Chaos and Creation (2005) is another excellent album and probably the most personal work McCartney has ever done, and the track "Riding to Vanity Fair" might be the coolest thing he has done in 30 years

Paul McCartney cool again.
Nah - he's always been cool.
Long may he rock on