Ukulele in Paul McCartney's arsenal. Interview with "guitar player" magazine

It is known that Paul McCartney started in the Beatles as a guitarist, switching to bass after Stu Sutcliffe left the group. Since then, he periodically returned to the guitar to record certain parts on the Beatles albums, and then in his solo works. An interview he gave to Guitar Player magazine in 1990 reveals precisely the guitar side of his multifaceted talent. Paul talks about his guitar habits and passions, and his guitar tech talks about McCartney's guitars. Paul also does not ignore his main instrument - bass.

This whole view is taken in the context of McCartney’s new albums at that time, “Flowers in the Dirt” and “Back in the U.S.S.R.” (the latter was released specifically for our country at the height of “perestroika”), as well as the musician’s first world tour since 1976 with his new band, which included McCartney himself (bass, vocals, guitar, piano), his wife Linda (keyboards and backing vocals), Chris Whitten (drums), Hamish Stewart (guitar, bass, piano, backing vocals), Robbie McIntosh (guitar, vocals) and Paul Wickens (keyboards).

While it's clear that you didn't forget the guitar while playing in the Beatles, did you feel like you were hopelessly stuck in the role of bass player?

It's even funny. I'm having trouble with a book written about us because the author apparently doesn't like me. This is quite normal, but he made up a whole story about how I wanted to play bass so much that I pulled off this whole act with Stu Sutcliffe, our first bass player. It's like I planned this whole thing so I could become the bass player for the Beatles. I remember when this book came out, I called George and asked him, “Do you remember when I really tried to kick Stu out of the band and become the bass player?” And he said, "No, they just put it on you. Nobody else wanted to do it." I said, "That's how I remember it too." And it's true: we all wanted to be guitarists.

What are your favorite guitar parts that you played in the Beatles?

I like "Taxman" for how it turned out. I was very impressed by Hendrix. And this was my first experiment with feedback. I had a mate in London - none other than John Mayel from the Bluesbreakers - who played me loads of records in the evenings. Yes, he was something of a DJ. You came to his house, he sat you down, poured you a drink and said: “Come on, listen to this.” He'd go to his deck and then play you B.B. King and Eric Clapton records for hours. So he was kind of showing me where Clapton's style came from. It was something like an evening lecture. After that, I fell in love and bought myself an Epiphone. Now I could run it through my Vox amp and get great feedback - even a little before George became interested in it. I don't think he was too keen on it. George was generally more reserved in his guitar style. He wasn't into strong feedback.

And even Hendrix and those John Mayel records didn't make you give up bass and take up guitar again?

By and large, no. I always felt that I was in the right place on bass, since we needed a bass player. At first I really thought, "That's it, that's the end of my plans as a guitarist." But then I became interested in the bass as a solo instrument. I think by the time of Sgt. Pepper and songs from it like "With a Little Help from my Friends", "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" - a lot of decent bass parts have already been played. Such as in Motown products, or Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. For "Taxman," I just picked up the guitar in the studio and started experimenting with the feedback, and then I said to George, "Would you like to play something like this?" I don't remember exactly how it came about that I got to play, but maybe it was one of those cases where someone said, "Why don't you play it yourself?"

Instead of wasting time showing someone else how to play it?

Instead of wasting time conveying an idea to someone else. And I don't think it affected George at all. But when people say to him, "Cool solo in Taxman!", I don't think he likes to say, "Well, Paul actually played it." Although I haven't done this often - only a couple of times. I also like my acoustic part on "Blackbird", it's one of my favorites.

What was your reaction to the emergence of a new generation of "solo" bassists by the end of the 60s, such as Jack Bruce, John Entwistle?

It was very interesting. For me it depends on who you're talking about and what record you're talking about, but I often found their playing too sophisticated. Often I thought it wasn't a bass but a lead guitar, and I don't think the bass has the right sound for a lead. It's like speed merchants. I never was. I remember once reading about some bass player who was called the fastest in the world. And I thought, “So what?” You know, we had this guy in Britain - I think he still is - called Bert Weedon, who was on children's TV shows. There he would say, “Now I’m going to play 1,000 notes a minute,” and then he would start playing one string at a time, “tarataratarara,” up and down, really, really fast. It was funny. It's one thing to play fast, but that won't last long. I prefer to be melodic. I'd rather have content than speed.

What modern bassists or maybe guitarists do you like?

Stanley Clarke, for example. We only really met once and had a great time in Montserrat. He played on several tracks. I confessed to him: “Listen, I’m stealing your phrases!” And he said, “Well, you have your own.” So we had a little laugh. I decided not to steal phrases from him anymore. He's right: he has his own style, I have mine. He's a great guy. I like Eddie Van Halen as a performer. He often hits the mark. I like a lot of heavy metal guitarists because they're fun. What I usually like about heavy metal bands is the guitarists. But when they start playing tons of scales, I lose interest. I also like David Gilmour. I think Clapton is very good, especially today. But I still think Hendrix is ​​the best.

Have you ever doubted your game?

Certainly. Often. Probably every time I make a bass line. I have personal doubts because I think, "Oh, God. I've made so many records. How can I make it sound fresh?" But if you're lucky, you find some little thing, like in "Rain" - those notes at the top. And you say: “Oh, I found it!” And the rest of the party goes smoothly because you already have something special. "Paperback Writer" - there's some stuff there too, or like passages I found for "With a Little Help from My Friends."

Do you usually play guitar with your fingers or a pick?

Usually a mediator. John learned proper game fingers in a folk manner by Donovan or one of his friends - first string, third string, etc. I managed to play in my own way, for example in “Blackbird” I seem to constantly pluck two strings. And in general it is more like a finger style. I tried to play like folk guitarists. John was the only one who truly mastered this style of playing. If you listen to "Julia", he plays in the right finger style. I was always proud of him for that. I think he had some friend who showed him how to play, and "Julia" turned out to be a great part. I wouldn't be able to study like that. That is, I learn easily, but on my own. I have never taken lessons - neither guitar nor bass, nor composition, nor horse riding or even painting, which I sometimes do. I always take the bull by the horns, and by the time the first lesson I already know it. I have always honestly tried to take music lessons so that someone could teach me how to read music, but I still don’t know it.

Well, you're doing pretty well anyway.

Well, we have to think (laughs). I tried to master it as a child, but it didn't seem like fun to me, more like hard work. When I was 16, I tried piano lessons. Imagine how these exercises for each hand tormented me - and I had already written “When I”m 64", well, at least the melody for it. Well, I only learned to play small chords and play a modest bass line, and then nothing else. and so with everything - be it finger style or anything else.

Nowadays you seem to pay much more attention to the guitar, take for example the album you made exclusively for the USSR. Do you feel like you can go out and play a rock 'n' roll routine freely?

The great thing is that today you can see children playing air guitars. I look at them and think, "Oh, I know what you're doing!" That's the beauty of a guitar - even without one, kids can play it and have fun. And if kids play imaginary guitars, then I think I can be like them by playing a real one, not worrying about my playing, but just playing. That's my attitude. I know what I want to hear. I try to keep it simple because I'm not the fastest guitar player in the world or anything like that. Like I said, I've never played scales in my life, so I can't portray these passages in a heavy metal way. I think these guys just practiced a lot and learned how to play scales. Listening to some of them play is simply boring - endless scales. I guess the thing about heavy metal is that I just like the sound of the guitar, because it gets me going.

You started using bass fuzz early on. Was it as an alternative to playing guitar?

I like fuzz with bass. Yes, it helps you be more lyrical, because it gives the notes sustain and makes them linger. This changed a lot.

And with the Rickenbecker bass you don't seem to use fuzz?

The fact is that modern fuses are not as good as old ones. Technology has changed. With the Beatles we used a lot of primitive things - prehistoric apparatus. One of my thoughts about modern audio is that the old machines were fuckable. I'm not sure if this word is in the dictionary. But they were easier to damage. It was even possible to overload the remote control, but today they are made in such a way that no matter what idiot sits behind them, they will not overload. Most of the equipment we used might surprise you in some way. We did a great trick with acoustic guitars, like on "Ob La Di, Ob La Da." There I played acoustically an octave higher than the bass line. The result was a great sound - similar to two voices singing in an octave - and it enhanced the bass line. We recorded acoustic guitars at the "red" level. The sound engineer said: “This will be terrible!” And we answered: “Well, let's try.” We heard this sound being made by mistake and said, "Sounds great! What's going on?" We were told: “This is because the recording is at the red level.” And we specifically recorded it in red. And these old tables were overloaded exactly as much as necessary and gave compression. So, instead of (imitates the "Ob La Di" staccato riff) thump...thump, thump, thump, everything floated. So modern fuzz doesn't sound as crazy as the old ones. It reproduces everything cleaner, and I'm not a fan of that. I really love blues records where there is not a single pure moment.

With Hamish on bass, I was able to return to the guitar, to return to my old dream. And Linda really likes the way I play guitar, while I have doubts about my playing. I think there are real guitarists and there are people like me who love to play but haven't played in twenty years. But what's nice about it is that since I haven't played in 20 years, I haven't run out of ideas. Moreover, I haven't even realized half of my guitar ideas. And this tour gives me that opportunity to open up, thanks to Hamish. I even play a few solos and am getting more and more used to the electric guitar - because I love playing it. I think I have a really good feel for it, but I don't have the experience of playing for 20 years in a row.

Your guitar sounds good...

Yes, it's possible. And I suddenly remember: “Oh my God, I started out as a guitarist!” I've been playing longer than many others, and it should work out for me. What's also great is that I can break free from the bass player mentality for a few songs.

Why did you choose a Les Paul for this tour rather than, say, a Stratocaster?

I have a Strat too, in fact I do. large collection guitars. I've tried a couple of others. But since I was playing guitar on stage for the first time in years, I wanted an instrument that was great and reliable at the same time. And the Les Paul is just such a guitar. I know you can get a ton of sound options on others, but I didn't need that. All I need is “chick, chick, chick” - three timbres. And even of them I only used two - playing only on the rear or only on the front sensor. I used the front one less, including distortion, and then I got a cool sound like the Isley Brothers. I think the front pickup gives more sustain and I really like it.

Does it happen that you are tinkering with your amplifier at home, trying to get some sound?

I do this mostly in the studio, which is almost like home to me. Sometimes I just fool around, sometimes I can work on the guitar sound. I can easily set up a nice clean guitar sound. I like to experiment with overloaded sound. I have one of those old Vox AC30s that Jeff Beck once called "old Beatles crap." Yeah, I asked him once if he used them and he said, "What? That old Beatles crap?" Then he realized what he said (laughs). But I like their sound. I like the biting, slightly overdriven sound. I'm not a purist in rock 'n' roll at all, and in terms of sound too. It's a little funny because I think I have a reputation for being a pretty clean rock 'n' roll guy.

If you want clear sound, you can always switch to acoustics...

Or (whispers), you can turn down the volume. The best way to get clear sound. But that's not cool. So yes, out of nothing to do, I sometimes experiment, including with lotions.

Do you sometimes feel the rush to buy some equipment?

Happens. So I bought my first Epiphone when, after listening to B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, I wanted a guitar that would start. I came to the store and they told me: “This Epiphone will do because it’s semi-acoustic.” And they were right. It starts easily, which is the only reason I don't use it on stage. He's great for the studio. We must stand in in the right place to keep it from starting up - we always did this in the studio. Today's guitars are not like that.

Is this guitar for right-handed people?

Yes, but I play in the other direction - they changed the threshold on it.

Don't you constantly touch the switches with your hand?

Yes, but what can you do? It wasn't until much later in my career that I had the luxury of having guitars adapt to me. So, I'm already used to playing backwards.

How did you put together your current band?

It all started while working on Flowers in the Dirt. I wanted to play with a live band, and the easiest way to do this was to have a jam once a week. Just invite people and see who comes. At first it was assumed that everyone who wanted to come would come. But it was very unorganized - one time there might be no one, but on next week fifty people came. So we started inviting musicians to Friday evenings, and every new line-up. Usually when I jam, I just go through old rock 'n' roll numbers that I know - like "Lucille," "Matchbox," "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," "Bring it on Home" and similar standards. Of the drummers at these jams, Chris stood out - he was not too focused on any one style.

And then what?

(Laughs) Well, if your magazine is talking about drummers, then I will say that sometimes you come across those who are absolutely fixated on their style, and they even say: “I can’t play this way.” So you need a more versatile drummer. And Chris is still young enough not to be fixated, and a good enough drummer to be able to keep a clear tempo. Young guys usually have problems with the shuffle - they are not from those times. For Ringo, for example, the shuffle is brought to automaticity, this is part of his style. And since I also play a little drums, I know how difficult it is to play a shuffle so that it is very free. Of course, Chris was terribly nervous, and it was the worst day of his life. But he still played great, and we called him back, and that’s how he became permanent. I decided to record some of these jams because they were doing well and we were building a repertoire. The result was an album released exclusively for Russia.

Was it your original plan to release the album at this stage?

At first it was just supposed to be jams. The next step was, “Listen, it sounds good, I should record it.” So, we gathered at my studio for two days, and on the first day we made eighteen (!) songs. This was simply unheard of, and I am sure that hardly anyone else would dare to do this. But it was fun. We recorded a bunch of material and some of it sounded pretty good - we surprised ourselves. We worked like this both days. On the second day there was a different line-up, and again we spent only five minutes on each song. As a result, we had a pretty decent set of rock and roll. And I said, "Look, I still wouldn't want to put this out as my next album."

He wouldn’t show you from all sides, you’re a composer...

Well, for me it wasn't even about that. Everything looked unfinished, just some jams, home recordings with nothing to do. But then people started saying, "Listen, it sounds fresh and spontaneous." We wanted it to look like the Russians made a bootleg in London - to make these records as bootlegs and say, "Look! Here's a Russian bootleg of unknown McCartney records!" But then the record company and my manager said, “You can't do that with your position,” and all that. Then I told them (with fake contempt): “I hate you, ordinary people! You are so predictable!” I was really very upset about this. I thought it was a brilliant idea, and bold! What I liked about it was the element of risk, the electricity!

But then my manager, who was also upset, said something needs to be done about it. So we decided to release it exclusively in Russia and no other place. This has never happened before - it’s all “glasnost” (pronounced). And this was the first disc to go gold in Russia. Then it was time to actually move on with my studio album, Flowers in the Dirt, and I needed a singing guitarist. Somehow we found out that Hamish was relatively free and that he could be persuaded to work with us.

And how difficult was it to convince him?

Well, we had to hit him on the knee (laughs). He came over and we sat in the studio for a day and recorded one track, just to see how it worked spontaneously instead of auditioning it. I think it's pretty ridiculous to hold an audition when we're talking about a fully formed musician with a lot of experience under his belt. It cannot be “tapped”, it is humiliating. So we did the song and I really loved how Hamish sang along to me throughout. He really listened to my part and our voices blended well. He also played guitar decently, and I noticed that he could play bass quite well too. If I was going to play guitar on this tour, I needed someone to take over the bass, so Hamish was accepted. He, Chris and I formed the core of the band on the album.

Then Linda added on backup vocals. Her voice, mine and Hamish's went well together. In the past, I have heard a lot of attacks like: “She didn’t study anywhere, how can she be in a group?” To which I replied: “Listen, name me any decent team, and hardly any of them are educated.” I prefer this approach. A couple of times I tried to invite "serious" session vocalists, but they were so professional that I didn't like it. Everything seemed to be correct, but, how can I put it this way, I didn’t like the noise they made.

Then we started looking for a main guitarist. And I'm very picky about guitarists - I've heard too many to be easily convinced. I saw Jimi Hendrix when he performed in London and was a huge fan. He is still my favorite guitarist - simply because of his playing and approach to the guitar. I mean, I like it when there is an approach, but it's useless if you don't know how to play. In fact, there were some aspects of his approach, like playing with his teeth, that Jimi didn't want to do at all. It was just a show, and he quickly got fed up with it, because he was a real serious guitar player. He was great with sound. He was the first who started to really wind up the guitar and get powerful feedback. I went to his first show in London and then followed him around London like a fan. It's a very small area, and they called me and said, "Jimi's playing there," and I was there that night.

One of my fondest memories is that Sgt. Pepper came out on a Friday night and on Sunday night Jimi played at the Savile Theater, which was run by Brian Epstein. There were never any Sunday night shows there, and Brian started inviting people like Chuck Berry and Fats Domino, and we could go to a little special box where we wouldn't be bothered and watch all these great performers. Jimi took the stage that night and started by performing Sgt. Pepper's, which came out just the Friday before. It was an unforgettable moment. Since then I've seen other guys like Clapton, who I admire, and David Gilmour. And they have what I call a "real guitar player" They hold the instrument properly and play it properly. right attitude to the guitar, and they each have something different that they bring to their playing. During the jams, I think I was a little disappointed because I didn't hear a guitarist that blew me away, although there were some pretty decent ones. Johnny Mar showed up and we played well, but I was looking for someone in the Hendrix vein, while Mar was more of a rhythm guitarist than a lead guitarist. They were all great though.

Robbie ended up coming to one of the sessions to do overdubs, and Chrissie Hynde, who he had previously worked with in The Pretenders, told Linda: "Robbie is what you guys need. He's obsessed with the Beatles." Robbie really knows all of our repertoire, I think even better than me. He's one of those people who knows all the solos by heart. He learned them when he was a teenager - he's so much younger than me. Robbie impressed me and we decided to keep him.

Finally, we're joined by Wicks (Paul Wickens), a session musician and producer and keyboardist who's a friend of Robbie's. We decided that we needed a sampling expert if we weren't going to take a horn or string section on tour. So Vicks joined us more as a computer/keyboard guy, and Linda was happy to take over the second keyboard spot. She likes it more simple music. For example, she is not a fan of jazz, nor is she a fan of solos, because there are a million notes in it. Although, like me, she is a big Hendrix fan. She listens to the sound. She needs it to sound good, and I do my best for her. I think that's right. You can play nothing at all and still sound amazing.

Did you rehearse the material with your band before recording it?

No, it was like a regular studio album with guest musicians. We hardly played it live in the studio, except for the rhythm section parts. But then we didn’t have full group- it was just me, Hamish and Chris. Then we overdubbed Linda's vocals, and then Robbie and Vicks came in with their overdubs of rhythm and solo parts. So, we didn’t make the album as a single group. So I'm waiting for us to start recording the next one studio album with this band so that we would write the material and then rehearse it, like at sound checks.

This is your first permanent band since Wings broke up in 1976...

In terms of composition certainty, yes. Somehow Brian May said that "you can only be in a great group once in your life." I understand what he meant, but I was really lucky - the '76 line-up with Jimmy McCulloch was fantastic. And I really like today’s lineup for its musical capabilities. With him we can go anywhere, and it's interesting and even a little puzzling, because if you can go anywhere, then where can you go? It's like going on vacation: if you can afford to go anywhere, it's hard to choose. But I'm not really worried about that because I have a pretty good idea of ​​the direction of our next album, so I'll try it out and see what happens.

Are you happy that you have a musician in your band who can pick up the bass if you want to play guitar?

Certainly. This is one of Hamish's attractive features. He is interested in the bass guitar - and not as a side instrument, but quite seriously. I started out on acoustic guitar, then played guitar during our Hamburg period. But after I switched to bass, I didn’t return to it much - only for rare solos, like in the songs “Taxman”, “Tomorrow Never Knows”, “Paperback Writer,” in which I play a riff. Well, and also the acoustic numbers "Yesterday" and "Blackbird."

On the song "Get It" from the Tug of War album you play with Carl Perkins. How did it happen?

Well, I called him, at that time he was playing in clubs in the States. We met him in the early days of the Beatles, and he was our friend from then on, kind of like our guy. I'm delighted with Karl, he's just great. I'll tell you a story about him, I think he wouldn't mind. We were recording on the island of Montserrat, and one of our musician friends was just passing by, making circumnavigation on his yacht - he was probably evading taxes (laughs), and came into the harbor to see us. He invited Karl and me on his magnificent yacht. Carl was so delighted with the reception - buffet, champagne and the like - that he came up to me and said: “Paul, where I come from, they call it “sitting in a cotton bush.” That's one of my favorite expressions. Then we recorded "Get It" At the end of the song you can hear us laughing - just at this joke. The joke itself had to be cut out, because otherwise the song would not have gotten on the radio.

Do you both play guitars on this song?

Yes, I played a little bit and Carl played the rhythm part. The most fun was in free moments. We sat on the studio floor and chatted, with the microphone on. I told him that we loved his songs like “Lend me Your Comb” and “Your True Love”, and even played the second one. Then we sang with him. When we stopped, he would say something like, “You know, Paul, I was playing this…” And he would show me different finger-style tricks.

In the early Beatles period you performed "Matchbox" and other Perkins songs. Did you feel proud to meet someone who was a legend for you?

Undoubtedly. All those who were legends for us during our formative years remain so. I didn't grow out of it. Carl, to me, is still the one who wrote "Blue Suede Shoes" and he can do no wrong. Although Elvis surpassed Karl's original with his version, Karl composed this thing. This is real magic. We really loved those early records - so simple and primitive, but with so much soul. Carl told very touching stories about a black gentleman (John Westbrook) who taught him to play, and spoke of him with great respect. It was very nice to listen to. He'd say, "You know, Paul, I used to work picking cotton, and during my breaks I'd sit down with this old gentleman and he'd show me different phrases." I was very touched by his stories. We grew up in cities and knew nothing about this. Karl is still my idol.

My other idol was Little Richard. And again, the magic did not disappear after we met him. It's always fun to be with him. Whenever he does interviews, he always looks at the camera and says, “You know, Paul, you learned that woo-hoo from me!” And indeed it is! He says it as if I don't want to admit it. But I admit it with pleasure! Moreover, my first performance took place at school at the end school year, when on the very last day everyone breaks away. I remember the teachers were busy with their own affairs, and I climbed onto the desk in the class of our history teacher, Mr. Edge, whom we liked because he was not as strict as the others. And so I stood on the table - it looked like a scene from some old rock and roll movie - and sang, clapping to the beat, "Tutti Frutti", imitating Little Richard, while my classmates stood around me and sang along.

I still owe a lot to Little Richard and all those guys - just because they lit us up. This is impossible to forget. And this hits home especially hard when you are young. Stuff like "That"ll Be the Day", "Heartbreak Hotel", "What"d I Say?" and others are already part of me.

And you can't part with them?

And I would never want to. I am very proud to have the brand of rock and roll on my soul.

John Hummel talks about Paul's guitars

John Hammel has worked with Paul for the past 15 years and now takes us backstage to see Paul's instruments.

"Paul's main live guitar is a 1960 Cherry Sunburst Gibson Les Paul that was previously owned by Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick. Paul loves it. The great thing about it is that it has a neck type that was no longer used when Les started making Paul is an SG type. It feels great in the hands. As a backup electric guitar, Paul has a "57 Les Paul GoldTop for left-handed people. This is a rare specimen. We took it from a special store for left-handed guitarists.

"Paul's main acoustic guitar is a black Alvarez that Carl Perkins found for him. It has a neck for right hand, and the points on it are on the opposite side. Someone at Alvarez found out that Paul played their guitar, and they made him two more for this tour, with the dots on the right side. One of them is tuned a tone lower for "Yesterday". There is no sound hole, just a pickup built into the bridge. There are tone controls - high, mid and low frequencies, as well as master volume. You can turn it all the way up and there will be no feedback. So, for the concert work, my prayers were answered.

"Paul doesn't like playing with thick strings.
His Les Paul has .009 - .042 Ernie Ball strings.
Alvarez is wearing bronze Ernie Ball Earthwood .010 - 054.

"The other guitars we carry are Paul's old D-28 Martin as a backup, and the 1964 Epiphone Casino that Paul recorded "Taxman" on. It's right-handed, with a Bigsby typewriter. Of course, it's been rebuilt for the left hand. We also had to redo the bridge to get the intonation correct.

"For guitars, we use two Mesa/Boogie Studio preamps connected to a Mesa/Boogie Strategy 295 amp, and then into two 4x12 cabinets. Side A is for electric guitar, side B is for acoustics. We use a Pete Cornish device to turn on/off the preamps and distortion "Paul has one of his pedal boards and I have one backstage. My switch has a mute button, so when Paul comes on stage or changes guitars, I mute the signal. Then there's a switch between bass and guitar, as well as for the Mesa/Boogie preamp. There is also a T.C. Electronic 1210 Spatial Expander/Stereo Chorus, which we only use with electric guitar."

For the 1989 album Flowers in the Dirt, McCartney used whole line instruments, including his old friend the Hofner bass “fiddle”, as well as a new five-string Wal.

translation - Dmitry Fedorov

Edition: "From Me To You No. 10", 2002

Of course, his main instrument in life is primarily the bass guitar, but McCartney is by no means alien to the six-string instrument. Let us remember that he began his rock and roll career playing a “regular” guitar. And after, during a historic meeting with John Lennon, he amazed him with a masterful performance of the song “Twenty Flight Rock”, the road to the Beatles became open for him. Of course, first there was the Quarry Men group, with which Paul McCartney, after several rehearsals, made his debut on the stage of the Liverpool club New Clubmoor Hall on October 18, 1957. “I came into the band primarily as a lead guitarist,” says McCartney in Tony Bacon’s book “The Bass Book/Complete Illustrated History Of Bass Guitars...”, “because I was pretty good at playing guitar. stage. And when I found myself on stage during that very first concert, I completely failed. I had never before imagined what nerves were." After getting lost in the solo "Guitar Boogie Shuffle," McCartney makes the courageous decision to switch to rhythm. Later, as you know, Paul found a worthy replacement for himself as a lead guitarist - in the person of George Harrison - and he himself for a long time retrained as a "rhythmach". It was only in the summer of 1961, when their “regular” bassist Stuart Sutcliffe left the group, that Paul McCartney took over as bassist. And so our hero walked (and how!) on the Beatles stage with a bass guitar, occasionally turning to guitar parts only in the recording studio and very rarely at concerts. But could he achieve anything worthwhile in life without knowing how to play a six-string instrument well?

The first guitar that became the property of Paul McCartney was called Zenith, model 17, and was made in Germany by Framus. The history of this acoustic guitar is as follows. In June 1956, on his fourteenth birthday, Paul's father Jim gave his son a trumpet. "I used to play it occasionally," McCartney recalls in Barry Miles' book. Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now" - because the trumpet was a heroic instrument back then. "The Man with the Golden Arm" and all that. But I quickly realized - you can't sing with a trumpet sticking out of your mouth." (“The Man With Golden Arm” is an American film from 1955. Directed by Otto Preminger. The main character was played by Frank Sinatra. -B.C.). Meanwhile, England was covered by a powerful wave of skiffle fashion. Brass instruments were absolutely useless in skiffle groups, and, having asked his father’s permission, the young trumpet player took his “heroic instrument” to the Rushworth and Dreaper’s Music store, where it was purchased at one time. This is how Paul McCartney became the owner of his first guitar, a Zenith, costing £15. “I absolutely couldn’t imagine how to play it. I didn't realize that the problem was that I was left-handed. And this misunderstanding continued until I saw a photograph of Slim Whitman, who was also left-handed, and I realized that my guitar was turned the wrong way." Realizing this, McCartney rearranged the strings "upside down." But then another problem arose It turned out that the first string was rattling in the wide slot saddle, designed for a thick sixth string. The young craftsman found a very simple solution. He carefully sharpened the match and “filled” the extra gap with it. Later, McCartney went even further - he installed a small pickup next to the saddle, and after a while he threw away the false panel. This is the “modified” Zenit that Paul McCartney used before the Beatles’ first trip to Hamburg. It was the guitar on which McCartney wrote his earliest songs, including "When I'm 64." It still hangs in his home studio today, and he showed it off in the Anthology film, playing a bit of "Twenty Flight Rock" on it.

The next guitar came from Paul McCartney in 1960. Rosetti Solid 7. Not a solid body, but a semi-acoustic, with a finish that goes from black to red, made in Holland by master Jan van Egmond and renamed by Rosetti, who imported these guitars to the UK. The guitar retailed for around £20 and was fitted with a Royal brand pickup and trim panel. “We had to go play in Hamburg,” Paul McCartney tells Tony Bacon, “and I bought a Rosetti Solid 7 electric guitar in Liverpool [at Hessy’s Music] before we went there. It was a terrible guitar. It's actually a beautiful piece of wood. It was well painted, but it was an ill-fated, cheap guitar." It is not clear what shape the guitar had when the band returned to Liverpool, but judging by the photographs, the headstock was replaced, the white bezel was thrown out, and the instrument was fitted with three or four bass strings (some apparently "borrowed" from the piano). In this form, the guitar was used for some time by the temporary Beatles bassist Chas Newby (like McCartney - left-handed), recruited from the Blackjacks group - to replace Stu Sutcliffe, who was staying in Hamburg. McCartney later took the guitar again to Hamburg, where he found it useful. In a 1964 interview, Paul recalled that he was not eager to get rid of the Rosetti. “I was forced to do it because the guitar broke when I dropped it one day. I didn't completely write it off, but I didn't think the guitar was worth restoring. We all... had a great time smashing guitars and jumping on them! A little crazy, I suppose, but we needed to release our pent-up energy sometimes, and what we did then seemed quite natural!"

1960 Hofher Club 40. Hollow electric guitar (year of manufacture unknown). After purchasing a Rickenbacker guitar, Lennon gave or loaned his Hofner to McCartney. Paul had not yet parted with Rosetti, but he was probably already using Club 40, and not just posing with it in front of the camera during the Beatles' first trip to Hamburg. The strings on the guitar are rearranged for the left hand! Where is this guitar now? Good question!

1961 Hofher 500/1 (3/4 sized). Here it is, that same bass guitar in the shape of a violin! Shortly after the Beatles returned to Hamburg to play their contract at the Tor Tep club, the group replaced Stuart Sutcliffe with a new bassist. “Nobody wanted to play bass, or nobody played it in those days,” Paul McCartney recalls in “Many Years From Now.” “Bass guitar was the kind of thing that fat boys moved awkwardly on stage with and they were asked to play bass.” stand back and play... So I definitely didn't want to do it, but Stuart left, and it was me who moved awkwardly with the bass guitar. Later I became quite happy..." History is silent about whether McCartney rearranged the strings on the Hofner for himself President "e Stuart Sutcliffe, but almost certainly leaves no doubt that by this time the converted Rosetti was completely broken. In general, the moment came when a new bass guitar was desperately needed, and Paul McCartney found himself in the Steinway Musichaus store in Hamburg. “I remember going there and they had this bass that was pretty cheap. I couldn't afford a Fender. Fenders even back then seemed to cost around £100. And all I could really afford was an instrument for around £30... So, for around £30 I had my eye on this Hofner bass violin. This there was a guitar for me, because I was left-handed, and it looked less abnormal when turned upside down because of its symmetrical shape. If the guitar had a “horn”, it would have looked bad, the “horn” would have been in the wrong place "So, the 'violin' suited me. And this instrument became my main bass guitar." Paul McCartney used this Hofner 500/1 on stage and in the studio ("With The Beatles") until the moment when the Hofner company gave him a new, improved model. In 1964, the old bass underwent a "restoration" - a new polystyrene coating with "solar" transitions was applied, made by the London company Sound City, the pickups and controls were replaced. on it, yes to play! AN, no. Basovka went on the wagon train during the 1964 tour, and very soon went into the shadows compared to her more prominent relative. The old woman emerged from oblivion in September 1968, without a false panel, in the video "Revolution" " on David Frost's TV show. And then a trivial incident. In early January 1969, a historic McCartney bass was stolen. Very likely from Twickenham Studios, where the Beatles filmed the film "Let It Be."

1963 All familiar faces! Bass guitar 1963 Hofher 500/1. In 1962, Mr. Walter Hofner modernized his "violin bass" and in 1963 he gave the updated copy to Paul McCartney. People first saw this “violin” on October 4 in the TV show “Ready, Steady, Go!” With what new tool different from the old one? Here are the main differences: the new model has a neck made of two parts rather than three; each pair of pegs has a common platform, not an individual one; "staple-top" pickups, as opposed to "diamond logo", one of which is moved closer to the saddle; The company inscription on the headstock is not vertical, but horizontal; the body has a more rounded back; On the neck, the dotted fret inlay ends not at the 19th fret, but at the 21st fret. The very noticeable McCartney bass, along with John's Rickenbacker and George's Gretsch, forever became one of the components of the Beatles' calling card. And although Paul McCartney has often used a Rickenbacker bass guitar in the studio since 1965, the Hofner 500/1 “violin” sounds from the song “I Want To Hold Your Hand” to the album “Let It Be”, as well as on some solo projects McCartney. In 1966, Paul removed the false fender from the guitar, and much later added a tag with the inscription BASS MAN to the body above the top pickup. This is how the Hofner 500/1 ended its glorious Beatle career - in the last concert that the group played on the roof of the Apple headquarters building on January 30, 1969. Twenty years later this bass was back in action. At the request of Elvis Costello, who recorded the album "Flowers In The Dirt" with Paul. Well, then, returning to touring life, McCartney plays the “Beatles” bass guitar on all his tours, comparing his famous instrument with Charlie Chaplin’s famous cane. "You always look forward to seeing her."

1964 Epiphone Texan FT-79 acoustic guitar (year of manufacture unknown). Paul McCartney bought the instrument in December and used it for the first time during the recording of the Help! album, including on the song "Yesterday". Paul still has this guitar.

1964 1962 Epiphone Casino. Around the same time that McCartney acquired the Epiphone Texan, he, on the advice of John Mayall, acquired this electric, semi-acoustic guitar. It sounded in the studio the following year. Paul performed solo parts on “Casino” in such Beatles songs as “Ticket To Ride”, “Drive My Car”, and later in “Taxman”. In this, early version The Epiphone Casino features a Gibson model headstock and a Bigsby vibrator/tailpiece mechanism. Over time, John Lennon and George Harrison realized the sound of “Casino” and also bought similar guitars for themselves. McCartney still plays this instrument.

1965 1964 Rickenbacker 4001S-LH. Bass guitar (with "horns"), with a body for the left hand, but with a "right-handed" headstock. When in 1964, the head of the Rickenbacker company, Mr. Francis Hall, presented new models of his guitars to John and George (the modernized 325 and 360-12, respectively), he could not ignore Paul, having actually invented this bass for him. guitar. It was the first "left-handed" Rick bass, with lines so new that, in order not to overdo it, they probably decided to leave the "right-handed" headstock on it. Hall's son John had the honor of presenting a 1964 Rickenbacker 400IS-LH to Paul McCartney. “I presented the bass to Paul personally at the house that the Beatles were renting when they played the Hollywood Bowl (August 30, ’65), not during the show itself,” Hall recalls. - This villa, "Curzon Terrace", I believe, was located in the Hollywood Hills. In addition to the Beatles and their guards, Roger McTwinn, Peter Fonda and Joan Baez were present." George Harrison recalls that this bass was first used on the song "Think For Yourself (November 8, 1965). It was a backup instrument during the Beatles' concerts in late 1965 and 1966. In the recording studio, from the spring of 1966, when the group recorded "Paperback Writer" and "Rain", Rickenbacker became McCartney's equal bass partner, along with "Hofner". He used it a lot on the Revolver album and on the songs "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever". To make the 1965 Rickenbacker 4001S-LH bass closer in spirit to "Sgt. Pepper", Paul McCartney repainted it in psychedelic colors (as George Harrison and John Lennon did with their guitars) and played it in this form on the album "Sgt. Pepper" and in television promotional videos until the end of 1968. As we noted, Paul revived his Hofner on "Let It Be" and then returned to "Rick" again on " Abbey Road" - having previously "sanded" it to a natural finish. In the next decade, McCartney repeatedly used this "Rickenbacker" on his solo albums and during concerts. In 1975, Paul sent his bass guitar to Rickenbacker to have the pickup replaced.

1966 1964 Fender Esquire. "Sun" finish, single pickup, year of manufacture unknown. Paul McCartney bought this Telecaster guitar during the Revolver sessions. It appears in the songs "Good Morning, Good Morning" and "Helter Skelter". According to sources, "Esquire" is still kept in guitar collection Paul McCartney. 1968 1968 Fender Jazz Bass. There was an opinion that it was a gift from a “gift basket” presented to the Beatles by Fender. However, it later turned out that in that set (guitars and amplifiers) the bass was right-handed, and what McCartney did with it is unknown. But the “left” bass can at least be seen in the photographs taken in the Abbey Road studio. However, music professor at the University of Michigan Walter Everett in his book “The Beatles as Musicians (Vol. 1)” (OUP, 1999) writes that this “Jazz Bass” is heard on five Beatles tracks: “Yer Blues”, “Glass Onion” ", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", Sun King" and "Mean Mr. Mustard." Everett also cheekily suggests that this right-handed model was used by John Lennon in the song "Helter Skelter" and George Harrison in "Back In The USSR".

1968 C.F. Martin D-28. Acoustic guitar (year of manufacture unknown) from the series of so-called "Dreadnoughts". This sweet sounding instrument came up during the session" White Album"(This is what he sounds in the song "Blackbird"). You can not only hear it, but also see it in the footage of "Two Of Us" from the film "Let It Be". These are, perhaps, all the guitars that belonged to Paul McCartney during the time of the Beatles.

Guitars owned by rock stars often take on their own personality. We present to your attention a review of the best guitars in rock music, which determined not only the style of the musicians playing them, but also influenced the development of the entire genre.

Bob Dylan: electric guitar "Fender Stratocaster Sunburst" 1964

American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan played a 1964 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst on stage at the Newport Folk Festival. The use of an electric guitar along with an acoustic one was extremely negatively received by the public. However, this Dylan performance marked the departure of folk music from the mainstream and the beginning of the popular era of rock and roll.

B.B. King: electric guitar "Gibson "Lucille"

"King of the Blues" B.B. King named his Gibson guitar after "Lucille" after an incident that occurred in the small settlement of Tuist, Arkansas. Two men, during a fight over a woman, knocked over a canister of kerosene, accidentally starting a terrible fire in the establishment. After the evacuation, BB King, remembering that he had left his musical instrument, returned to the burning building for his beloved Gibson. He decided to name the rescued guitar after the culprit of the quarrel between men, as a reminder that you should never fight over women.

Paul McCartney: semi-acoustic bass guitar "Hofner"

An excellent multi-instrumentalist, Paul McCartney primarily became famous as the bass player for The Beatles. Sir Paul's favorite instrument is the Hofner semi-acoustic bass guitar, whose body resembles a violin. McCartney tried many different guitars over his long career, but in the 1990s he returned to his beloved Hofner.

Joan Jett: electric guitar "Gibson "Melody Maker"

American rocker Joan Jett, founder of The Runaways and frontwoman of The Blackhearts, is known as the artist who gave a second life to the song “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” by the British-American group Arrows. Her choice is the Gibson Melody Maker electric guitar. This model became so ingrained in Joan’s image that Gibson released a special edition of the instrument in her honor in 2008.

Jimmy Page: a unique electric guitar "Gibson Les Paul"

While all the guitarists were using the Gibson Les Paul model, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page decided to stand out and made his own amendments to the design of the instrument. His modifications, simply called "Number One" and "Number Two", later inspired Gibson to create a special model named after Jimmy Page.

Buddy Holly: electric guitar "Fender Stratocaster"

“Pioneer of Rock and Roll” Buddy became one of the first famous rock musicians to actively use the Fender Stratocaster guitar. His instrument, which he played before his death in a plane crash in 1959, has been restored.

Willie Nelson: acoustic guitar "Martin N-20 "Trigger"

Legendary country musician Willie Nelson's acoustic guitar "Martin H-20", nicknamed "Trigger", has acquired a unique and very deep sound over more than 30 years of use. He bought this musical instrument at a South American diner in 1969 and promised to finish it. musical career when it breaks and cannot be repaired.

Prince - legendary musician, known for its skillful combination of jazz, funk, rock, new wave, as well as its luxurious concerts. He changed his instruments as often as he changed his style. But his most famous guitar, perhaps, can be considered a model made in the shape of a love sign, which Prince invented himself in 1993.

Keith Richards: electric guitar Fender Telecaster Micawber

The most famous and beloved model of the guitarist of the group The Rolling Stones Keith Richards's Fender Telecaster, which he nicknamed "Micawber". In the 1950s, the legendary Telecaster was left without a sixth string, which is why it was named after Charles Dickens' character from the novel " David Copperfield» 1935.

Jack White: electric guitar Montgomery Ward Airlines JB Hutto 1965

Jack White, founder of The White Stripes, The Dead Weather and The Raconteurs, and more recently as a solo artist, is best known for his red 1965 Montgomery Ward Airline JB Hutto guitar with a fiberglass body. He received this instrument as a gift from one of his fans. Valco Manufacturing Company manufactured Airline-branded electric and acoustic guitars in the United States from 1958 to 1968 and sold them through Montgomery Ward, the first company in the world to engage in mail-order catalog sales. This guitar is played by such musicians as David Bowie, The Cure, PJ Harvey, but it became a trademark only for Jack White. The model received its name “JB Hutto” in honor of the blues guitarist who was the first to widely use it in recordings and at concerts.

In conclusion, I would like to address our dear guitarists, both beginners and already famous ones, to paraphrase a well-known saying: It's not the guitar that makes the man, it's the man who makes the guitar. So, instead of hunting for rare and expensive instruments, it is better to start honing your skills.

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T H E B E A T L E S B O O K No. 1

August 1963

Bass - Paul McCartney

James Paul McCartney is often considered the oldest member of the Beatles - but he was actually born on June 18, 1942 and is the youngest of the group. A left-handed bass player, a prolific songwriter, an energetic talker and an interesting conversationalist... his favorite hobbies include writing stories and bird watching - ornithology.

Paul is cheerful, businesslike, active. He looks taller than the rest of the group, but in fact his height is exactly the same as John Lennon and George Harrison. Paul weighs 71.6 kilograms, he is athletically fit, and his head is crowned with a cap of dark brown hair. His hazel eyes are in constant motion (from bird watching!).

V S I K A I V S I C H I N A

Paul's mother, Mary McCartney, has already died. But his father, James McCartney, helped his son in his passion for music. About thirty years ago he led his own group, Jim Mac's Jazz Band.

Paul says: “My father always encouraged my interest in music. I think he likes our sound, but sometimes he complains that we're not home too often. He put up with my musical exercises for years, and it shows what a wonderful person he is.”

“Would he like to be anything other than a musician?” “Well, of course - he would like to become smart and talented!”

Sometimes life path Paul's left-handedness can be summed up in the phrase "backwards". His main childhood memories are associated with the style of writing “from right to left” - he still got rid of this habit. And from pedaling his bike “backwards” too, now he does it as expected!

B Y L R I T M - G I T A R I S T O M

Initially, Paul played an “ordinary” guitar - and once, during one of the Beatles’ trips to Germany, he took the place of pianist. He switched to bass guitar after the death of Stu Sutcliffe.

“In my free time, you can always find me listening to records by American musicians, especially rhythm and blues,” says Paul. - Anything by Chuck Jackson, The Miracles, Katie Lester, Little Richard or Maria Hendrickson from the Raclets. You can also include Juliette Greco here - she looks amazing and sings well.”

NOT ABLE TO READ

At school, Paul was interested in English literature, but did not excel in geography and mathematics. The feeling of hopelessness and despair that arose when having to solve an arithmetic problem was characteristic of all four Beatles. They always gravitated toward more “artistic” subjects. And if John Lennon does not like to cut his hair, then Paul tries to avoid shaving. He once said that he used toothpaste instead of shaving cream - and was inundated with complaints from fans who tried to follow his example and found that nothing worked!

LARGE TRAIN

“I guess I've become a big spender,” Paul says, turning serious for a moment. - Someday I would like to buy a house and invite everyone to wash the purchase, but the money is instantly spent on all sorts of little things like food and clothes.

I kind of relax when I eat. Otherwise I just sleep or play the guitar. Movies? Yes, I love movies. I go to see films starring Marlon Brando, Belmondo, Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers. Oh, yes - and with Juliette Greco.

These hit records gave us a lot. However, we always felt that we could one day create something significant. But it happened so unexpectedly."

“We owe a huge debt to our manager Brian Epstein, you know? He's great. Smart and likeable... even when he puts too much pressure on us. Call him good guy, daddy!"

Paul has been very friendly with George Harrison since his days at Liverpool Institute High School. To communicate with each other, they developed a cool and humorous style of conversation, a kind of “humorous” jargon, the first time you hear it, you will be taken aback and will not understand anything. He says he taught George his first guitar chord.

MARRIAGE

You can be absolutely sure that Paul will get married someday. He admits that he is attracted to family life, but does not associate marriage with any age most suitable for this. "I guess it'll just happen and that's it," he says. And leaves it to chance.

“I get about 70 strange letters a week,” he says. - And believe me, many of them are very, very unusual. I try to answer to the best of my ability, but it takes time. I hope my fans understand this. It's terrible to disappoint them, but we can only find one day to answer letters."

Paul also plays drums and banjo, but there is no doubt that his main hobby is the bass guitar. He likes to watch others act musical instruments... so he understands the difficulties of mastering them.

“Songwriting is very important to me,” he says. - We are doing this together with John. We have no shortage of new ideas. It's surprising that some Americans are interested in the process of creating our music."

This is Paul McCartney. Artistic, ambitious. And also a great bird watcher!

This inaccuracy, as in the case of George Harrison, is corrected in the next issue THE magazine BEATLES BOOK.

Surprisingly, George didn't play all of the Beatles' solos. Today I will share with you a selection of my favorite solos from (Paul McCartney) that he played as part of this legendary team.

McCartney is best known for his interesting compositions by the Beatles and Wings. But at heart he always remained a guitarist.

After all, the guitar was his first instrument (except for the trumpet, which his father gave him for his fourteenth birthday), and it was on the guitar that Paul wrote and writes songs.

Famously, George Harrison played most of the Fab Four's lead roles - especially during the early Beatles - but McCartney also took on the role of lead guitarist from time to time. As did the rhythm guitarist (John Lennon) (and (Eric Clapton) from Cream at one well-known event).

That’s why I’ve dedicated today’s article to six (yes, exactly six) of McCartney’s best solos from the Beatles’ repertoire. Enjoy!

Paul McCartney's six best solos:

• 06. "Back in the USSR," The Beatles, aka White Album (1968)

By the time of the White Album, the days of the early Beatles were essentially numbered. That's when McCartney wrote the song and played drums on the recording. So why not play the lead guitar part as well?

The solo follows the melodic line and is quite simple but very effective. Also pleasing is the clear and quick alternating touch in the last verse.

• 05. “Another Girl,” Help! (1965)

This “solo” can rather be called a collection of unusual and lively inserts and. It immediately becomes clear that McCartney started out as a guitarist.

Pay special attention to the video from Help!, in which Harrison holds Lennon's black Rickenbacker 325 and pretends to play McCartney's lead parts while McCartney himself plays bass.

• 04. "Tomorrow Never Knows," Revolver (1966)

In Barry Miles's Many Years From Now, McCartney says: “A lot of people think John was the king of recording backwards and other weird sound effects, but I came up with some of them. The only song where I implemented some of them is “Tomorrow Never Knows”. They fit perfectly into the overall context of the song.

“We spent quite a lot of time mixing until we got something we really liked. I think it's a great solo."

Rumor has it that McCartney's guitar parts on "Tomorrow Never Knows" are taken from Taxman. But this is just a rumor, nothing more.

• 03. "The End," Abbey Road (1969)

Long guitar jam in " The End", the final track from the album Abbey Road(aside from "Her Majesty") can also be included in the list of the best solos by Harrison and Lennon, since all three guitarists contributed to its creation.

McCartney starts, then the baton passes to Harrison, and after him to Lennon, and so on. And speaking of solos, this is the only Beatles song where (Ringo Starr) plays a drum solo.

• 02. "Good Morning Good Morning," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)

Young Beatles fans are often very disappointed to learn that this amazingly psychedelic, brash and very timely solo was played not by Harrison, but by McCartney. Unfortunately, the video was not found, so I am attaching an audio clip.