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Title: Blackbird: The Life and Times of Paul McCartney by Geoffrey Giuliano, Denny Laine ISBN: 0306807815 Publisher: DaCapo Press Pub. Date: October, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $17.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 1.95
Rating: 3
Summary: Biased but still interesting.
Comment: In my opinion, this book is not as bad as many people think it is, although it is certainly not the best. Let's just say, it offers a different angle... The weakness of the book is, of course, that a big part of it is based on interviews with people who felt mistreated and not fully appreciated by McCartney. I also found it annoying that the author took liberty to criticize the musical quality of certain songs and albums that I had always admired. It just reminded me of those lame newspaper columns that show up each time Paul releases a new CD - articles written by those musically challenged grungy "rock experts" who can't stand anything that is NOT neurotic, ugly and angry - in other words, something they could identify with! On the other hand, having been a dedicated fan of the Beatles and Paul McCartney for over 20 years now, I was not at all offended by reading that Paul was not a saint. It wasn't hard for me to imagine. Most talented people have difficult personalities. And, yes, the book does show, no matter what the author's intention was, that Paul McCartney IS an outstanding genius, one of the gratest musicians and songwriters of all time. Somehow, I tend to believe Denny Laine, his ex-wife, and many others, who told Giuliano their bitter stories. Unfortunately, we all hurt people's feelings from time to time, and you can't always please everybody. The problem is that when Giuliano put it all together in one book without even bothering to balance it with any other information, he ended up with a very biased picture. However, any intelligent reader, especially an educated McCartney fan, should have no difficulty seeing the real human being - with all his weaknesses and enormous, extraordinary talents, someone who has his ups and downs, - behind the biased portrait painted by Giuliano. And, from this standpoint, I found the book interesting to read. As for Denny Laine, I'm sure he himself now feels uncomfortable about some bits of his interviews that made it into the book. I don't think he ever fancied himself as the 2nd John Lennon, or something. After all, he is a talented guy and a good musician - otherwise he wouldn't have played with McCartney for more than 8 years! Obviously, he holds a grudge, and, most likely, he has his reasons. But don't judge the guy. It was Guiliano's fault that he practically built a book on those personal comments and called it "The Life and Times of Paul McCartney." (By the way, the edition that I have lists only Giuliano as the author.)
Rating: 4
Summary: A different angle
Comment: If you're the kind of fan who thinks it is a sin to write anything negative about Paul McCartney, stay away from this book. Yes, the author is heavily partial towards Denny Laine and suspiciously supportive of Paul's stepsister Ruth. But he does provide some unusual views of Paul's career. One thing that is difficult for some hardcore fans to understand is that everyone has a right to give their side of the story. All I can say is that I really enjoyed reading this book. And somehow I thought I would when I read the negative reviews from the "Paul-can-do-no-wrong" supporters who felt offended by it.
Rating: 1
Summary: I would've given it half a star
Comment: I did read another book by this particular author and although I found it thoroughly amusing I just thought he wrote it for entertainment. There were obviously not enough people that had said actual good things and it just seems like her rounded up people that really disliked Paul McCartney and I know that everyone isn't angelic but he didn't just bend the halo, I thought it was pretty low the way he basically stripped her of her integrity with a full on attack.
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Title: The Unknown Paul McCartney: McCartney and the Avant Garde by Ian Peel ISBN: 1903111366 Publisher: Reynolds & Hearn Pub. Date: March, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Band on the Run: A History of Paul McCartney and Wings by Garry McGee ISBN: 0878333045 Publisher: Taylor Pub Pub. Date: April, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Paul McCartney Encyclopedia by Bill Harry ISBN: 0753507161 Publisher: Virgin Publishing Pub. Date: February, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Wingspan: Paul McCartney's Band on the Run by Paul McCartney, Mark Lewisohn ISBN: 0821227939 Publisher: Bulfinch Press Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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