ES-Say #55 To Stream, Or Not To Stream? A Handy Guide For Streaming The Beatles(& Paul McCartney).

This month, The Beatles albums have been made available to popular music streaming websites, such as Google Play & Spotify. Now, you and your loved ones can download or stream most of the core catalogue of Beatles tunes. Gear Fab, right?

Unfortunately, this streaming opportunity may be confusing as hell for some folks. Not to worry, here is Not Saying Anything To Paul McCartney blog's handy dandy FAQs!

NSATPM's Handy Guide For Streaming The Beatles & Sir Paulie FAQs
Q1- What is streaming?
A1- I don't know how it actually works, sorry...

Q2-But, what does it mean that I can "Stream The Beatles?"
A2-I don't understand how anyone can "Stream The Beatles", but you can now listen to their songs through popular websites.

Q3-What do popular websites have to do with any of this "Streaming" business?
A3- I'm so glad you asked that, well these websites want some more money, so they thought they should offer The Beatles as a option to their subscribers and to attract new customers.  

Q4-OK, fine, now The Beatles are "an option" to stream?

A4- I just basically mean that if you have "Spotify" you are able to listen to The Beatles.

Q5- But, I listen to The Beatles on 8-Track and Reel-to-Reel!

A5- Sorry Mate, I have no clue what Reel-To-Reel is, and I haven't played an 8-Track since 1981. I listen to The Beatles on Internet Radio and on my CDs!

Q6- That's all very well, but aren't we discussing what streaming is???

A6- Streaming is just like YouTube or Broadcasting, but you need to be connected to the internet to access this information. If you downloaded a song your computer would have the whole song available to play, but if you had streaming the internet is allowing you to listen "live" as a song plays back to you.

Q7- I guess that makes sense, but I just viewed a "Magical Mystery Tour" video on You Tube last week! Is that streaming?

A7- Yes, well done, you're getting it!

Q8. Well, then this "internet radio" must be streaming also? So, why do they do this big announcement "The Beatles Are Streaming On Hoopla???"

A8. Hoopla? You mean, Apple Music surely?

Q9- Whatever! Does this mean I have to buy something, like you mentioned earlier?

This FAQ has been interrupted for the following annoying commercial! NOT SAYING ANYTHING TO PAUL MCCARTNEY HAS A FACEBOOK GROUP! JOIN THE MADNESS TODAY! NOW BACK TO THE NSATPM's Handy Guide For Streaming The Beatles & Sir Paulie FAQs!!!!!!!!!

Q10- WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED? DO I HAVE TO BUY ANYTHING TO STREAM PAUL MCCARTNEY?

A10- calm down, you can stream a Beatle for free but every once in a while, you have to listen to a commercial, it's not that bad!

Q11- So why did my friend Samantha say it costs her like £9.99 a month on Google Play? That's like £120 a year! I have 8-tracks!

A11. Yeah, that "friend" is my little sister and she has no Beatles records so it's ideal for whippersnappers to shell out some money for unlimited downloads and commercial-free access!

Q12- Sounds like a rip-off! Right?

A12- Of Course It Is! It will only cost me £20 to buy Abbey Road and Let It Be albums and Amazon Prime wants £79 a year to have these LPs on my computer. £20 and I got exactly what I want much easier and with CD jewel cases!

Q13- So, should I just forget about this streaming thingy and look into these Compact Discs?

A13- Sounds like a plan to me!

The Beatles have been added to my Spotify-free service and I'm considering a trial order that can be cancelled if I decided not to pay monthly. However, I just got The Beatles in Mono CD Box Set (2009, Japan) for the holidays. It seems a whole bunch more interesting to complain about this CD collectible then to get stuck in with the soulless computer options that many technically advanced fans(of various ages) seem to prefer.

Apologies to any of your Apple-Windows-Android, I may have offended. It's not you, it's me....

ES-Say #54 The "I'm only up to chapter 9" book review for "Conversations With McCartney" by Paul Du Noyer(2015)

NSATPM's anti-blog resident "The Foot (photo) Bomber" happily obliged when asked to help with this portrait. 

Please note: Today's blog may repeat a few stories previous told to assist this "review" due to a)being lazy & b) being ill and forgetful before the holidays. 2016 hopes to be a more original year for us so keep your socks on!

Since reading books is not a favorite activity, but a good challenge for me, I continue to attempt to review various McCartney-related ones. I wasn't too keen on buying this Fall's "Conversations With McCartney" by Paul Du Noyer. It seemed that it might be similar to just reading a compilation of old interviews in book format, and for that, I wouldn't spend £25 for the hardcover. However, I was overjoyed to borrow it from the library. I even promised my dear blog readers that I'd get stuck into the book to complete another "Half-Book" review.

Apologies to my "Dear Blog Readers" but I have failed! ("Jeweller, you've failed!"). That's correct, just like Victor Spinelli in "A Hard Day's Night", I am unable to remove Ringo's Rings, but I digress...
My attention span for reading books is similar to a punishment- sit there in a corner and don't move until you've read all 300 pages. It doesn't even matter that the book is about my favorite musician, it still feels like a never-ending commitment. I want to move on to something else, like going for a walk, for example.

But, let's be serious and get to Du Noyer's book. Honestly, it is refreshing and not boring. As selections of past McCartney interviews conducted by Du Noyer, it is woven into the "story of McCartney" rather than edited parts which appeared in magazines. In McCartney's own words, his story becomes more candid and straightforward. I learned a lot, so far. Maybe I'm not really ment to force myself to read it, but I cannot imagine not getting around to buying it. The book is truely not a complicated read, it is a fascinating read. It's just not necessary to read it day in and out to be enjoyable. I'm going to suggest that the book be kept in the bathroom to pass the time.

 Please get your mind out of the gutter, I did not test this "Bathroom Book" theory in the toilet, but in a hospital waiting room. This is an excellent book to pass the time in a forced situation. "The Foot Bomber" was "The Strained Muscle Complainer" that day when I read thirty pages of "conversations" during a two-hour wait. Now, my "dear blog readers" are scoffing "you can only read 30 pages in 2 hours? That's pathetic!". However, previously, I was reading about one, ten-paged chapter a day, to pace myself to finish within a month.

In the waiting room, the well-edited but expansive book helped to block out the screams of crying children and distractions from The Strained Muscle Complainer's multiple complaints of "nobody has been called in to see the doctor!" I was in a zone with this book as Paul discussed the "trials" (yes, a bad pun) of having to sue the other Beatles. Basic math will indicate, I read three chapters that day, which will get me quicker to the end of the book.

Being a month since checking the book out of the library, I'm on my 3rd renewal and still using a torn-out page from the "Press To Play" CD booket as a bookmark. I can't keep staring at Paul's mugshot-styled photo on the cover day-in-and-out on the living room floor, so I flipped it over to the back cover. I do think other people should read this book, but not unless you need a quick McCartney fix as a worthy distraction. Everyone should have this book. Just trust me, and save it for "emergencies". Hours in a holding cell perhaps? Christmas party hell? You're Welcome...
(NSATPM'S rating- 4&1\2 Thumbs Up out of 5, up to chapter 9, not likely to change after 21 more chapters read on a frequent basis)

Happy Holidays To All Our "Dear Blog Readers" even the ones who brag about reading books quickly! Love from MaccaMeri & The Foot(previously the strained muscle complainer!). Feliz Navidad y Bueno Nuevo Ano! 

ES-Say #53 The Paul McCartney Sweepstakes And The Chances Of My Winning...

To be fair, most famous musicians, will hold contests through websites to win various prizes related to them. Concert tickets, signed CDs, opportunities to meet a star; the list is endless. Paul McCartney's website from time to time will hold contests for his fans. Nothing out of the ordinary about offering prizes. If your tech-savy and\or talented, this might help to get noticed among the masses of people whom have entered. The type of contests this would work well in would be an artwork or a video related contest.

This year, I won a writing contest for McCartney concert tickets. Despite the fact, I wrote one sentence, I still won based on my writing ability. This makes me feel great! However, if I tried to enter a couple of his recent contests, with a colouring entry or myself singing "Say Say Say" on a video, I'm afraid I wouldn't be so lucky. Off-key singing and basic colouring skills do not give me a shot in the dark. (I'd like to keep my dignity, thank you very much.)

The "Say Say Say" contest seemed to be geared for a younger audience(not alive in 1983) or computer geniuses. Similarly, McCartney has had photo entry contests before, but I've given up on those also. I may have gotten offended that my beautiful selfie entry could not get me a casting call for the "Queenie Eye" video. Without tons of complaining, I have come to the understanding that, due to the types of contests on offer, it's best to stick with random lotteries or writing-based entries.

I did consider that the recent colouring contest, based on chosen black outlines to color in, might have been triggered by the recent adult-coloring book craze. Even though it didn't seem that difficult to enter, the winners were chosen through artistic creativity, but ultimately this was a fad-based contest. I really didn't mind not entering, partially due to having to spend time looking for crayons at home. Maybe when "creative scrapbooking" becomes the basis of a contest, I'll pull out my glue sticks.

There are often "auction" based contests with Paul. Recently, he auctioned off his jewlery box and, a separate auction contained a signed rocking horse. These types of contests are "purchase required" entries. As many people have bid, unless I get a second and third type of employment, I, too could make a worthy charity extremely happy. I would also have to ignore that a similar jewlery box is available for £15 and not the thousands of pounds donated that would lead to bankruptcy. Auctions are really limited to those with high incomes. While I think charity is about what your comfortably able to give and not an amount that will place you in need of financial help(possibly from another charity.)

While it still exists, going on the radio to be selected as the random caller for a McCartney prize is slightly outdated. Email- based contests is where it's at. As I've mentioned, entering contests is not always a successful means of winning a prize. But, honestly, when I won those tickets based on my own words, the gallizion contests I didn't win were quickly forgotten.

(Unless you count that time I didn't win the random lottery to see Paul at the BBC and Sean Of The Dead's Simon Pegg, miraculously got himself into the fan-only taping...I'll just let that one go...not!)

Tis the season to be Meri(see what I did there). The blog welcomes your letters, in any language, except Klingon. Thank you to our international audience because I love you(I say this sober). Please check addition ES-Say's to join our updates on Twitter and Facebook. Now go listen to a Paul McCartney holiday song, it's December! 

ES-Say #52- It was 35 years ago. (Not today, but on Tuesday)

View image | gettyimages.com

December 8th, marked the sad anniversary of John Lennon's murder in 1980. A milestone of it being 35 year since, most Lennon and Beatles fans took time to remember him on the day. It seems unbelievable that such a tragedy happened in the first place. If, like myself, you were too young to remember, the event was explained over the years from older family members or relayed through media archives. By all accounts, it seemed to be the shocking moment of the new 1980s decade and everything changed. Paul McCartney had his second solo LP out that year, McCartney II, and had gone into the studio with George Martin on that tragic day, to work and surround himself with other people whom, like himself, were numbed to the news. The press wanted a reaction from John's former musical partner , and unfortunately for McCartney, the press ran with his quick, and now infamous, "it's a drag" comment. McCartney has explained how this comment was taken out of context and has dissected that situation more times than I can count. I've never faulted him for making the comment, and understand the circumstances surrounding it. I just don't understand why it has to be pointed out, either by himself, or interviewers, time and time again.

Reading through the lines, there is a clear and reasonable recount of McCartney's true feelings after the event. While this is interesting and he continues to reminisce about his relationship with John, a few observations(or public opinions) have come up within the last thirty five years. Personally, due to my age and becoming interested in McCartney's solo career since 1993, my own opinions on this topic(McCartney's posthumous response to Lennon) can only fairly discuss the last twenty years.

Had it not been for the Beatles Anthology documentary, broadcasting in 1995, McCartney probably would have not had much opportunity in the 1990s to squarely focus on his unique long term relationship with his friend and bandmate. John Lennon, not being able to collaborate on The Beatles 60s career retrospect of  Anthology, left an irreplaceable void. The two new songs to be released in connection with the project, "Real Love" and "Free As A Bird" were created using unreleased solo material from John. It was an attempt to get "The Threetles"(Paul, Ringo, & George) to create new "Beatles" songs.

The release of these songs did receive some backlash. I can remember that this move wasn't celebrated. I also don't remember anyone at the time calling Paul, Ringo, and George "Threetles". My cassette single('member those) of "Free As A Bird" clearly listed "The Beatles" as the artist. It was quite accepted that the two singles were brand new. These manufactured songs were also considered a cheap move to make a quick buck. I have no way of making this sound better than what it was. The accompanying rare demos and unleased 60s material from the Anthology mid 90s music albums were expensive on CD. Being a teenager, I repeated the same thing that had happened when "Live at The BBC" recording were sold in shops, I bought blank cassette tapes and recorded the radio specials that premiered in connection with the releases. It was more welcome to hear the rare "In Spite of All The Danger" being performed by half The Beatles(Paul and George) prior to Beatlemania, than a pieced together song like "Free As A Bird"  featuring all The Beatles. I even had a political cartoon on my wall at the time that joked these brand new songs were created using John's old answering machine recording. "Hi, I'm not home, leave a message at the tone". It really felt that the remaining Beatles were grasping at straws using rejected Lennon material in regards to the "new" songs.

McCartney's solo career in the 1990s was probably stronger than the period a decade later. He was highly successful and the work became part of McCartney cannon. He had embraced his Beatles past and played versions of Beatles songs that he hadn't attempted earlier during Wings' 1970s live shows. The late period of the 1990s/Early 2000 was reserved for coping post-Linda McCartney death. Going back on tour in the early '00, McCartney had a band besides him, but another void was obvious without Linda being present at the keyboards. Combining the deaths of his first wife, with now both George's passing and memories of Lennon is a tall order but the grieve was now shared rather than a solo focus concerning Lennon. Over the last fifteen years, McCartney is more prepared for interviewer, knowing that the questions will cover his reactions after John's death. George and Linda, on occasion will be covered in interviews, but it inevitably packs a punch for the media stories to ask about Lennon, and it often can become a bit rehearsed or reanalysis.

No one, including McCartney, can project what Lennon might have become over the recent decades because his life was taken so unexpectedly. Some might say The Beatles break up may have been a good thing because it occurred through the decision of all four equally, and sometimes this fact should be memorialised for how it naturally came about. Everything since 1980 cannot be fairly represented as a true representation to how he, Lennon, may have felt. Paul got it right when he opened up in the song, "Early Days"(2013) concerning actual history. He "lived through those early days" where as many of us can't even actually understand this particular situation on a personal level, but we can still empathise to the pain of publically losing a close friend.

   

ES-Say #51 "...So I want to be a Paperback Writer"

"...and I told the man-'Look Mate, my film script DOES have much of a plot..."

For a writer, releasing a book is like competing in a marathon. A great sense of achievement is reached by pushing yourself hard enough to commit to the ultimate finish line of publishing. Personally, I would love to complete a book. I have a vision and even started to write out some content. But, my fear is that I won't get anywhere near completing a book. This idea is based on my experience of voiding biographical writing in favour of second(or third) person writing. Blogging in "Not Saying Anything To Paul McCartney", is actually good practice of  the first person writing that might lead to an actual book, but don't hold your breath. This absence of being a novelist doesn't diminish my skills of good writing. I am perfectly content with being a freelance journalism writer, blogger, and three-to-five mile occasional runner.

Paul McCartney and Beatles book authors are in abundance. Reading various kinds of these books are great resources to have as a writer. Weeding out the material that will in no way be personally useful is a necessity. Same rings true within my own collection of books. For example, Mark Lewisohn has famously written several colossal reference books on The Beatles. My attention span and lack of bookcase space limits me to decide on choosing one book-The Complete Beatles Chronicle, 1992. No offence to his expertise but I don't have a lot of patience for his style of all-consuming reading.


There must be some floating insects contained in Chicago's water supply as creative fans are to be found in this city containing the John Handcock building and the frequent Beatle Festival.

One resident, a teacher and author, "In His Own Write"(Thanks, Lennon for the pun..) has a new book for consideration, and it's a diamond in the rough of fan subjected poetry and art.

Beware of Napkins-Poems and Illustrations Inspired By The Beatles
Words by Jack Murphy, Illustrations by  Melanie Jeanne Plank. Pre-order Available at http://www.jackmurphychicago.com/buy/beware-of-napkins-4
Image with kind permission of Jack Murphy

Beware of Napkins is able to both celebrate the influence of The Beatles to the public and to the book's creators. It's a shared experience throughout. Some poems homage the members of the band individually("Consider Paul") and a list poem about Yoko are some good samples. It is the episols, drawn and written in letters from Father to Daughter throughout the years with the bonding common interest in George Harrison, that tug at the heartstrings. (NSATPM Book Review Score: Four Out Of Five McCartney Thumbs Up)

Speaking of Paul McCartney poems(ahem), I wrote this one last month for our Facebook Group HERE but will break a rule and subject you, dear reader, to this all-consuming ode of appreciation....and yes, it's ment to be serious...

Ode To Broad Street- By Meredith Evonne
Oh flop movie, I love you so/ Even though you caused McCartney so much woe.
Named after a railroad station/ Which in the end took a permanent vacation.
Since the movie had a horrible plot/A cinematic classic is not what we got.
So badly acted/ The audiences had retracted.
The Beatle stopped his fight/ To promote a film that wasn't quite right.
Decades later the picture became a treat/ In the end it was no defeat.
A musical alights/ with the help of "No More Lonely Nights".
For the flick was an LP video for young men and ladies/All whom grew up with MTV in the 1980s.
Everything that seemed to be wrong/Was actually playing our song.
1 and 2 and 3 and 4/Please Paul don't close the door.
5 and 6 and 7 and 8/I'm telling you it's great!
Please re-release the 'Street' as the tunes cannot be beat!

(As they always say, stick with what your good at and don't threaten to write a debut novel with poems contained like this nugget above)

ES-Say #50- James McCartney Live(The Other "Me")

Last night, James McCartney was playing one of three planned gigs at The Islington in London. This venue, is not to be confused with The 02 Academy Islington, located a few streets away, and jam packed with teenagers queuing early to see "SuG" or "Hey Violet" on the same night. No, folks, around the same time(about 6 PM), myself(alone), was waiting outside The Islington(small pub and concert space) with the view of the back of a supermarket. I sat on an outside bench for an hour and a half, listening to the soundcheck of James singing solo words repeatedly over a mishmash of guitar sounds. Being alone and getting cold was not very exciting, until ten minutes before the doors opened when five other fans finally showed. Small talk on the bench, turned into puzzlement, as four people dressed in black, arrived and stood in obliviousness by the front door. These people then expectedly cut the queue to get in first.

Under normal circumstances, I would have told these people to move out of my way, but I let it go, because it was obvious that everyone in front was heading straight for the bar area. I darted through a red curtain for the concert space, half-expecting to have to elbow my way to the front. The stage took up a quarter of the room, with more red curtains aligning the back walls and two perpendicular light bulbs ment to look like candles. With the red lighting added to the stage, it looked like "Red Room" from Twin Peaks without a zig zag flooring. For the next hour, as nobody in the bar area had entered, I sat on the floor and dead front & centre with the view of the microphone. It was actually nice being alone, with the stage crew, and bopping to 60s Soul/R&B on the sound system.

At one point, I looked over to the right of the room by the sound board and I saw him(James) standing there(sorry, couldn't help the references). I made the mistake of blinking and when I turned my head back again, to avoid starring; he was gone.
No matter, as the opening act, Nicholas Stevenson  (http://www.nicholasstevenson.co.uk) began playing. Stevenson was by himself with a solo guitar, and had some humourous intros. Even though I didn't know any of his songs, I did enjoy his guitar playing. After about two of his songs, I wondered if anyone had yet come in to hear the concert. I turned my head and couldn't understand why I was sitting down and no one standing in the back would move forward. It was rather unbelievable, actually. (Don't worry, I drew this photo to explain better)

I really had no choice but to stay put and ignore the embarrassment, with the knowledge that the audience would forgo my cooties and soon move up. Well, that didn't happen for the remainder of the opening act. As soon as Stevenson left the stage, a pub staffer, tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to move(Ed. Note: this became our blog's official nemesis, The Foot Bomber's only question later that evening back at home- "Why did you have to move?!?!?". The Foot Bomber could care less about my review of any McCartney Kids' gig). I proceeded to no longer be a rebel and moved towards "FOH" (Front Of House) to wait until the show started.

The zombie crowd unfroze and edged slightly forward and about 70 people now packed in the tight area. James McCartney appeared and a womans voice could be heard yelping cheers loudly. I looked across the crowd and clearly realised it was Stella McCartney. Walking up around my original dead front spot, taking Instagram photos, was Mary McCartney. Both of James's famous sisters had seemed to magically appear. By this time, I was convinced that James might start singing backwards from "Red Room\Twin Peaks" as stage lighting made him look red as well.

The set was about 45 minutes maximum. Everyone applauded every song strongly, regardless If a song was good or not. For example, he would sing some strong lyrics about people not looking beyond his name(obviously, his last name) and not knowing anything about him as an individual. Another song was "Ring O' Ring O' Roses", which unless you can stomach Paul's " Mary Had A Little Lamb" it was a cop out by sampling a nursery rhyme, which did come off sour. But, people applauded anyway and were very supportive despite any lyrical absurdities. His guitar playing, however, was top notch and this was worth the £10 GA ticket. (Yes, I said £10).

If it was not for the notable guitar skills, I might have gotten more fed up with his lack of personality with an audience. He didn't seem nervous at all, just indifferent to the fact that there was an audience watching. When the show ended, some people didn't even know he wasn't coming back for encores as he didn't really say any memorable words clearly like "Thanks Very Much". The set seemed to have one song from 2013's "Me" and possible new songs.

Not shocking, I never got to speak to a McCartney that night(whom magically reappeared again in the dining area), but I did my best to secure Set Lists and a branded "Me" guitar pick before deciding to split shortly after. As I walked down the street towards Islington Acadamy about fifteen teens were running frantically down the street a la Beatlemania to catch their own Japanese boy band idols. A good solitary reminder as to what other kinds of musical legacy Paul McCartney helped to spawn within his career. Not soon to fade away as James might prefer to do, but we shall see.

Not Saying Anything To Paul (and now James, Mary, and Stella) McCartney has a facebook group HERE and a Twitter Account HERE for those who want up-to-the-minute updates and extra content, like that James McCartney Guitar Pick Photo...