Sir John Coan wrote:A couple of thoughts - about our reactions, rather than the album itself:
how representative are our sentiments? do most music lovers feel the same way? people you've talked to? have some of us 'infected' the others here in the same way as, say, a genial office colleague can instil positive reactions among peers?
I got at least two friends to listen to - and eventually love - this record.
One of them was not particularly familiar with McCartney and took it on its own merits entirely, finally ending up thinking it was an excellent record (which is a good sign because he wouldn't be giving the old man the handicap I usually do).
The other one is a huge Beatles fan who had to be made to listen to this practically kicking and screaming because he was sure it would be, at the very least, mildly disappointing if not an utter dud because, according to him, every Macca release since '73 has existed between those two points and he's simply not willing to waste his time damaging his perception of the man yet again.
He thinks it's excellent as well.
I think this record made absolutely no impact on the outside world. Unlike 'Flaming Pie' which followed the huge '96 hype, this one just sort of plopped out after the better marketed (but godawful) 'A Bigger Bang'. I suspect it just got easily categorised as yet another decent release by an old fart who nobody really cares about anymore.
In the eyes of the public, Paul McCartney's career would appear to have ended at 'Band On The Run'. It doesn't help that he panders to that point of view on stage all the time.
The fact is nobody cares what Paul McCartney does anymore. Which is a pity because if ever there was an album that could turn a younger generation of unaware people on to his work, this would be it.
