Yes, from years of reading about some and about some negative brit reviewers and public comments from Brit’s as noted by their use of Brit derogatory slang, in YouTube and other Internet forums and blogs, I could tell they mocked him for years but am glad they finally acknowledge him now as a treasure. I did notice however that the tide began to turn in his favor around these last 5-10 years. I was surprised because he lived full time in England for so long and beginning in the eighties was on Brit tv more often.
I don't think he wasn't ever not loved in the UK. I remember his 2004 Glastonbury headline slot was very well received. When he headlined Anfield Stadium in Liverpool for the Capital of Culture gig in 2008 it was very well received. Same with his recent Cavern gig. All his albums generally review well. I think fatigue just sets in because he has always been around. Constantly touring and regularly putting out solid if not ground breaking albums. I think there is just an appreciation now that at 80 it really isn't going to go on much longer.
There was also that run where he played a number of high profile public events (Golden Jubilee, Live 8, Olympics) leading to jokes about Paul McCartney’s Hey Jude-a-thons
Paul McCartney fan who caused halt to Glastonbury set after fainting speaks out "McCartney had been telling a story about Jimi Hendrix at the time, but stopped to check in on Morris. “What’s going on there? Something happening in the middle of the crowd,” he said. “Let’s attend to it.” Once he saw that security were successfully dealing with the incident, he joked: “It wasn’t that solo I played, was it?”"
Yes, good point about Paul always being around . Paul is the superstar equivalent of that uncle, etc., we all have that has been around forever who tells corny jokes and cheerily shows up at every holiday gathering. But then one day it dawns on us that he’s very old and we will really miss him when he’s gone . Now when he tells that joke he’s told us several times before, suddenly we laugh appreciatively like we’re hearing it for the first time .
Mary McCartney on Instagram (June 27, 2022): "Time for a cup of tea and quick vocal warm up before the best show I’ve ever seen x Mary"
I think the criticism was a lot more aggressive than simply a reflection of fatigue. He was absolutely ridiculed a decade ago after two high-profile - and problematic - sets at the Jubilee and Olympics. Add to the mix the long-term ‘Frog Song’ & ‘Mull of Kintyre’ jibes, the ‘difficult’ second marriage and its aftermath and his currency in the UK had never been lower. There was a Facebook group established that picked up many thousands of members demanding - albeit tongue-in-cheek - that he never appear at a public event again. It was more than ‘fatigue’ - he was being openly ridiculed. Even Leo Bloody Sayer got in on the act, suggesting that he call it a day after the Olympics performance. The combination of his 80th and the Glastonbury set have seen a real wave of affection for him I can’t remember at any time in over 40 years of being a fan. (Carpool Karaoke probably helped reset the public mood a few years back as well.)
Peter Jackson's Get Back and, to a lesser extent, the Rick Rubin filmed 321 McCartney also earned him loads of accolades and goodwill. From what I understand his reputation has always been shakier in the UK than here in America. We have no relationship with the Frog Chorus or Mull of Kintyre - they're both enjoyable to me, but at no point where they completely ever-present as they were in the UK. I'd guess I'd be less bemused by them if they had been on endless loop during my childhood.
Paul also told a story about Jimi Hendrix and the Bigsby vibrato unit that would cause his guitar to go badly out of tune? I’m not the biggest Hendrix expert - but I don’t recall that the ‘whammy bar’ on Hendrix’s Strat was ever a ‘Bigsby’? (Apologies to Paul if I’m wrong!)
Unusually, a number of family members happened to watch it "live" and loved it--although the first half lagged at times, the last hour and a half went down a storm. Paul, it would seem, is at long last getting his fair dues in the UK.
I take your point. He has had criticism but not in any way that's unjustified for an act of his stature. Those sets were not brilliant, but bands have infamous performances somewhere down the line. Mull of Kintyre & Frog Chorus have always been mocked in a lot of quarters, but again all artists with this level of success and output have material like this. His marriage to Heather Mills ended with both the press and public largely on his side, I remember her sobbing on national television over the lack of support she received. My point is these criticisms have all come amongst 20 years of sell out tours, well received large (and small) gigs and solid album reviews. Chaos & Creation was largely considered a solo career highlight, McCartney III only a 18 months ago was No.1. Quickly flicking through most albums since 200 they have all charted very well and received favorable reviews. Even Kisses on the Bottom got a pass and not many artists of his stature would get away with that one! We are all on the same side here, I love Paul and have seen him live many times and can not wait to hopefully go again. Glastonbury just marked the first time he's been on live national television performing a full set for a long time. He did a amazingly well and at 80 years old, it did give everyone a chance to see him and appreciate what he has achieved. The reviews are right and it has peaked everyone's enthusiasm for him again. But I don't believe that pre-Glastonbury in the UK he was heavily criticised or ridiculed by the vast majority of people. I think most were just indifferent if anything.
In hindsight, those events did not do him any favours - he clearly needs to get warmed up properly these days, to deliver a set at 100% of his current performing powers & getting up and just doing a half-hour mini-set (or whatever they were) from a standing start simply doesn't work for him. No matter what pre-gig voice preparations he does, his pipes simply didn't get going at all at some of those events & his public perception suffered a little as a result (though not thankfully, to an "AH'M DILL DANDING!" level of Elton John abuse ) By contrast, this is bang on - given the chance to hit an excited crowd at the right time of day & work through everything he's capable of (we can lose sight of the fact that the guy plays six different instruments throughout, let alone sing 30+ songs), building them up, bringing them down & then back up to a well-worked series of crescendos AND letting his throat open up to just the right amount of work...
I think the bigger question has nothing to do with Paul. But that why at Glastonbury the biggest and most historic festival in the UK (the world?) is an 80 year old man required to take on the main headline slot! Tells you everything you need to know for the current and future state of music.
He got a great reception at Anfield because it was 'home'. What he does for the city, and how he does it, is really appreciated. Elsewhere, though, there has been some nonsense for years. Sometimes it appears to be careless, such as the time he promoted New on the Graham Norton Show alongside Katy Perry and was treated like some also-ran (compare that to Elton John's appearance on the show, when he got ovations even for saying he loved his kids!). Sometimes it's been quite cynical, such as the flak he got for the 2012 Olympics performance when everyone in the media knew full well what the technical difficulties were and just ignored them because it didn't make for such a 'good' story. Actually, the Elton John comparison is pertinent more generally. John often shows an almost obscene extravagance in his personal life, creeps around royalty, has outrageous tantrums when he treats 'ordinary' people like dirt and calls women by the c-word, and yet he's received a far easier ride than McCartney, who behaves with far more low key humility. That's always bemused me. Was it just because McCartney was a 'softer' target? Would taking on Elton undermine a culture that rather likes 'flashiness,' arrogance and an 'I'm important and you're not' attitude? I don't know. But, if the tide has finally turned, then I'm glad.
I don’t think it says anything about the future state of music, the youngest ever headliner was on the night before.
It wasn't a Bigsby, but Paul's never been a gearhead. He may just generically call any vibrato a Bigsby (like I used to before I started to really collect and play guitars!)
That's a fair point, I wasn't trying to inflame anything here . I just think it's a shame the main slot and festival coverage is dominated by an older act. It would be nice to see a new band breakthrough and make it again. Thinking out loud!
Harry Styles could have easily filled that slot, though he's not a band, neither is McCartney. BTS is a band and could have filled that slot as well. McCartney was not required at all. Billie, BTS, Harry Styles, and Kendrick Lamar would have generated as much media attention as the great weekend we just had.
Bigsby is to whammy bars what Xerox is to all copiers (not so much any more) and Band Aids (brand name) for bandages.
It may be nice, but what band on Earth is going to get the headline spot over Paul McCartney! Good that he's being appreciated, but for me all he did was the very same thing he's been doing since the 90s. Don't agree, those acts don't come close to having the body of work that McCartney has! McCartney could literally stand on stage and sing hit after hit after hit!
Whenever he finally passes away, there will be an outpouring of love and respect like we’ve never seen, I suspect.
