Avant-garde a clue?

If you haven’t heard The Beatles, or even heard of The Beatles, then the chances are you have been in some irrecoverable coma state for the past 50 years. And in that, case you won’t be reading this, so what am I getting at? 

Well, it would seem being in arguably the best and most influential band in history is not enough for Sir Paul McCartney, who this week announced plans to release a new Beatles song. Please don’t get too excited, it’s no ‘Across the Universe’ or ‘Let it Be’, but rather a 14-minute long aural opus of yelps, bangs and crashes entitled “Carnival of Light”.

Now, my cynicism might just be slightly premature, being as I haven’t heard the song and I am actually a fan of outré music, psychedelia and the suchlike. But bringing up this song now smacks of that rather pubescent yearning to always be thought of as edgy, or cool (cringe). McCartney clearly wants to be seen as still making relevant music, and he must hope that by unleashing what will undoubtedly be, if any of the descriptions are to be believed, a cacophonous conglomeration of bangs, whistles and shouts from the Fab Four he will be seen to be that pioneer again. McCartney, under his alias “The Fireman”, after the fireman “…rushing in from the pouring rain” in Penny Lane, has previously made and released ambient electronic music before, so it could be said this isn’t his first foray into alternative music; so, what makes him want to release it now?

It does make one wonder if the shadow of Lennon still looms over McCartney, evidenced by the latter’s want to reverse the iconic Lennon/McCartney brand on some of their compositions recently. The genius of Lennon was not just his lyricism, his searing honesty and his humour, but also that the music he made appeared to push boundaries. It would be a brave man to bet against Lennon, if he were not so crudely cut down, making relevant music were he still alive today.

The track itself is reputed to be up to a quarter of an hour long, and has gained almost mythic status amongst Beatles fans. It was recorded in a break between sessions for, ironically enough considering the above, ‘Penny Lane’ in January 1967. It was supposed to have been included on the brilliantly-titled ‘Million Volt Light and Sound Rave’, which sounds like the kind of dungaree-wearing, glowstick waving type of night you would have spent in a field in late 1988. Incorrectly mixed and only heard less than a handful of times, McCartney had many a time tried to have it included, especially on the Anthology, but it was vetoed time and time again by the other Beatles, with Harrison’s witty reaction giving me the header for this piece.

To complete a thoroughly villainous mood swing, I am actually looking forward to this release, being as it is something new from a band I truly adore, and will always adore. I just wish McCartney wasn’t using it as a type of flag to wave, to make sure we know he’s still here, and still relevant; Paul, you were in the Beatles, as long as man picks up guitars and bangs drums and makes noises into a microphone, you’ll be relevant, so relax.

Oh, and yeah, if the people of the estates of Harrison and Lennon don’t OK the release, then it won’t come out, and this snide blog having a light dig at Paul McCartney will have been in vain…ah well…

Paul Madill

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