New collaborator for McCartney

[Ephi82]

If you were McCartney's trusted adviser, is there a currently active singer and songwriter that

1) you'd like to see him create with and

2) would bring out the best of his talents?

My thoughts:

Ryan Adams
John Haitt

[Bassomatic]

Jeff Tweedy might work. But...

Does Macca need a collaborator? Seems to me he's written enough great songs for several lifetimes, compared to most mere mortals.

[Shake]

Steve Earle.

[Ephi82]

Steve Earle.

good one!

[frankencat]

Tom Petty.

[FFTT]

Interesting alliances.

Paul with Tom Petty
Paul with David Gilmour
Paul with Peter Gabriel
Paul with Keith Richards.

[Ephi82]

Jeff Tweedy might work. But...

Does Macca need a collaborator? Seems to me he's written enough great songs for several lifetimes, compared to most mere mortals.

True, but I think he has a gift of combining forces with another great talent and creating fantastic results.

This is a "what If" kind of thing....

[erksin]

Elvis Costello.

g-rF4COOd9c

:aok

[FFTT]

Paul McCartney and Sean Connery in a re-make of the Odd Couple

[Bassomatic]

Elvis Costello.

g-rF4COOd9c

:aok

Yeah, that did work out rather well (love Macca's bass work here, as on 'This Town'). EC's got as close a writing sensibility to Lennon as one might find out there now

[erksin]

Yeah, that did work out rather well (love Macca's bass work here, as on 'This Town'). EC's got as close a writing sensibility to Lennon as one might find out there now

It's more to me that they both write narrative-type songs so well. I mean it's not much of a stretch to imagine Elvis writing Penny Lane, you know?

[Warren Mendonsa]

Jason Falkner.

[Stan]

Ray Davies.More Costello.Dylan, just to hear the words and music that would result.And one of the Gallagher brothers.

[Fuchsaudio]

Bernie Chiaravalle.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/berniechiaravalle

http://www.berniechiaravalle.com/

[PosterBoy]

phil keaggy

[dk123123dk]

Lady Gaga

[scottlr]

Personally, I'd love to hear Paul and Julian Lennon sing together. I think it'd give me chills. Julian doesn't sound exactly like John, but he's damn close.

[flume]

A curious collaboration here with Youth from Killing Joke. The song is right up my alley and I gather a bit overlooked:

ctOkWOv8MsU

[bforest4]

Jon Brion, Crowded House, Thom Yorke, Bjork.

['70 RS]

...... the Gallagher brother(s).


With Weller.

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/6301091/Noel+Gallagher+Paul+McCartney+Weller+weller_maccar tney_noel.jpg

[Darby Crash]

Lemmy

[Grenville]

phil keaggy

I would have thought Terry Scott Taylor would be a better foil.

And some harmonies from Derri Daugherty...

[wstsidela]

Andy Partridge

[erksin]

Andy Partridge

He and or Weller would indeed be great collaborators for Macca. All of those guys (Costello included) owe a lot to Mac/Lennon for their respective paths and certainly draw from them stylistically.

[John H]

Johnny Marr.

[Guitar55]

The Fireman collaboration with Youth is the best stuff Paul has put out since his work with Costello.

A curious collaboration here with Youth from Killing Joke. The song is right up my alley and I gather a bit overlooked:

ctOkWOv8MsU

[flume]

Agreed. It'd be nice to see him take another spin at this. Youth's heavy hand is definitely at work here, in a good way.


The Fireman collaboration with Youth is the best stuff Paul has put out since his work with Costello.

[guitonit]

Andy Sturmer
Jeff Lynne

[cottoneyedjoe]

I know he just cut a track with Steve Martin for his upcoming cd coming in spring. That should be interesting....

[fyrwyr]

I would have thought Terry Scott Taylor would be a better foil.


Good call on that combo!!!!!

[07mahoganystrat]

Noel Gallagher writing with McCartney would produce mind blowing greatness

[duanesworld]

Warren Haynes.

[MikeE]

My wife got me the Fireman album (latest one) for my birthday shortly after it came out and, although I had heard of it, I wasn't that excited about it.

Some songs took a few listens to get used to the style but overall I think it's a great album. It's amazing that someone in Paul's shoes, who could just do an oldies tour for the rest of his life, chooses to make new music and make music that is such a stylistic departure from usual stuff.

[pete692]

True, but I think he has a gift of combining forces with another great talent and creating fantastic results.

This is a "what If" kind of thing....
He did that ONCE. If he or anybody in his circle or record company thought that he could duplicate that kind of success-- that type of lightning in a bottle chemistry, it would have been done again. Lennon-Mccartney were a once in a generation phenomenom. Everything from their own personal up-bringings, their relationships and shared experiences, the landscape of the day's youth culture, to the relationship of the British and American music and radio industry, all worked together to create the Beatles.

[Smakutus]

I'd love to see them get with Cheap Trick to come up with some more rocking tunes.. CT would be a great backing band for a tour with him. It would be good for all of them.

Jeff

[dharmafool]

Brian Wilson

[armando]

Noel Gallagher writing with McCartney would produce mind blowing greatness

+1 I was just about to type the same thing

[lhallam]

Paul's Ying needs John's Yang, it's their sweet & sour that made such a great dish.

You know, someone like Tom Waits.

[Papajuice]

Wouldn't mind him seeing him and Denny Laine do something again, but as far young guy's I think these would be cool.

Ryan Adams
Dave Grohl


As far as working with Julian I think it would be cool to have Sean, Julian, James McCartney, Dhani Harrision and Zak Starky do a CD together. They could call it S.O.B. Sons Of Beatles.

[cminor7b5]

Graham Parker would be a good fit. He has a lot of Lennon's anger and vitriol to offset all of Paul's tendency to syrup.

[kokohi5]

Anyone from Jellyfish
Michael Penn

[JohnK24]

Neil Finn or Elvis Costello....both would yield killer results

[alexanderplatz]

Elliot Smith would have been a good one but too late. :(

I'd go with Andy Partridge or (Difford + Tillbrook).

[Jet Age Eric]

I don't really get co-writing BUT +1 for Weller, and I'll go with Thom Yorke as back up. -E

[PosterBoy]

I would have thought Terry Scott Taylor would be a better foil.

And some harmonies from Derri Daugherty...


My suggestion was slightly in jest as their voices sound so similar

[ksuaggie]

James McMurtry. No, I'm serious.

[amc]

bernie taupin

[Grenville]

My suggestion was slightly in jest as their voices sound so similar

True... could you imagine Phil Keaggy, Terry Taylor & Derri Daugherty doing Beatles covers? Derri would have to work on his Liverpool accent a little...

[muddy]

andy partridge
peter blegvad
tom waits


ml...

[Guitar55]

Agreed. It'd be nice to see him take another spin at this. Youth's heavy hand is definitely at work here, in a good way.

Somehow Youth seems to strip away Paul's tendencey towards corniness and brings out the best in his songwriting and production.

[jay42]

Costello said that he was pretty much un-manageable when they worked together. I think Veronica was a great song and apparently McCartney's greatest contribution was telling Elvis Costello that it wasn't done and to keep developing it.

I suppose the problem is that he's been too successful to listen to anyone. I wish he'd work with George Martin on everything.

[Jahn]

http://www.jpgr.co.uk/vt174.html

Haven't heard any of this. I think I shall correct this.

[Ephi82]

Costello said that he was pretty much un-manageable when they worked together. I think Veronica was a great song and apparently McCartney's greatest contribution was telling Elvis Costello that it wasn't done and to keep developing it.

I suppose the problem is that he's been too successful to listen to anyone. I wish he'd work with George Martin on everything.


I was the OP, and didnt realize how many and how interesting posts have been made.

I can imagine that it would be tough for Paul to partner very long with others, given his talent and accomplishments, and the fact is, he's doing just fine on his own!

For me, its a very selfish thing: I love what he added to Lennon's (GREAT) raw songs and arrangements......would love to hear him contribute like that again......

Examples:

-Come Together....c'mon, that bass line just transforms that song

-Dont Let Me Down.....have you ever heard the isolated vocal tracks? Lennon's vocal has an huge emotional intensity but Macca's harmony ratchets it all up to the stratosphere

[macca]

old thread but . .

singing, writing, and guitar from Robyn Hitchcock

lead from Elliot Easton

drums from Glenn Kotche

[440gtx6pak]

McCartney & Slash would be interesting and push them both in new directions. Think November Rain solos meet Let it be. :hide2

[tiktok]

Andy Partridge

Mutt Lange

[Papajuice]

Can not believe no one has brought up Dave Grohl yet.

[rwe333]

Paul's fine on his own.

That said, Paul and Richard Thompson would be something.

[iluvfender]

Andy Sturmer
Jeff Lynne

He did an album with Lynne

[A-Bone]

Johnny Marr.

Johnny Marr went to his house to play with him after he left The Smiths. Apparently it was a sort of audition/jam session. He was not selected for the band at that time.

I seem to recall Marr talking about scrambling to his parents' house and digging through their record collection once he received the list of songs McCartney wanted him to know. Apparently it was primarily rockabilly and early rock and roll.

[enocaster]

Frank Black

[Bassomatic]

McCartney & Slash would be interesting and push them both in new directions. Think November Rain solos meet Let it be. :hide2

Simply ghastly.

[stamper]

A (relatively) young Leonard Cohen.

[tjs]

Here's one nobody has mentioned that I think would be absolutely brilliant: AC Newman. Newman's writing, while quite different stylistically, reminds me a lot of the early Beatles in the way he just keeps coming up with one amazing melody after another. And his knack for harmonies would also work well with Paul.

And I'll give another vote for Neil Finn as well, although I'd say that Finn's songwriting has a pretty strong Macca influence in it already, so I'm not sure how much the collaboration would add.

[Trebor Renkluaf]

phil keaggy

http://www.olsonguitars.com/artists/pm_pk2.jpg

[RocksOff]

He and Paul Weller seem to be getting on quite well. That would be cool.

[enocaster]

Robert Pollard!

[KaLL]

Some of the suggestion so far have been atrocious

Slash, Dave Grohl and the Gallagher brothers :\

Gallagher brothers couldn't bring anything to the table where the man they constantly rip off is sitting.

[ChampReverb]

Frank Black

Beat me to it.

Tom Waits
Neil Young
Bono
Kurt Cobain (would have been nice)
Ryan Adams
Merrie Amsterburg
Ray Lamontagne
Jon Brion
Thom Yorke
Paul Simon
Leonard Cohen
Fiona Apple
Nick Lowe
The Black Keys (Dan Auerbach)
Paul Westerburg
Karl Wallinger (World Party)

[AnthonyL]

Ty Tabor from Kings X

[Ephi82]

Beat me to it.

Tom Waits
Neil Young
Bono
Kurt Cobain (would have been nice)
Ryan Adams
Merrie Amsterburg
Ray Lamontagne
Jon Brion
Thom Yorke
Paul Simon
Leonard Cohen
Fiona Apple
Nick Lowe
The Black Keys (Dan Auerbach)
Paul Westerburg
Karl Wallinger (World Party)


Oh yes, Wallinger and Westerburg Brilliant suggestion.

As good as the the World Party Goodbye Jumbo recording was, imagine McCartney helping out.....Westerberg, great writer, imagine just a little McCartney "spice" on his songs and recordings????

[440gtx6pak]

Simply ghastly.

No worries, he is really waiting for you instead.

[mockoman]

Dylan

[Rockledge]

I think the guy brings out the best of his own talents.

I wouldn't mind hearing something him and J.J. Cale worked on together, two of the most creative guys on the planet writing together couldn't be a bad thing.

[RocksOff]

Some of the suggestion so far have been atrocious

Slash, Dave Grohl and the Gallagher brothers :\

Gallagher brothers couldn't bring anything to the table where the man they constantly rip off is sitting.

Once again, another person who has listened to less than 1% of the Oasis/Noel Gallagher output.

1NMUDb3Ewhs

[I'm Incinerator]

Gallagher naysayers...:horse

All you have to do is listen to the last two Oasis albums and presto! You can see that, while there is a beatles influence going....they aren't ripping them off anymore than any melodic power pop rock band of the last 50 years...Superdrag, Teenage Fanclub, Guided By Voices, Matthew Sweet, R.E.M., The Bangles...I could go on for days..

as far as collaborations, I think Macca would bring a good deal to any table.

[fuzzface71]

Gary Louris
Jeff Tweedy



Forget about Noel. How about Macca and Liam? Liam doing vocals while Macca harmonize. Or yet Scott Weilland! ;)

EqCmDMTOcao

HxRusFQAi9Q&feature=related

[Soul Man]

Interesting alliances.

Paul with Tom Petty
Paul with David Gilmour
Paul with Peter Gabriel
Paul with Keith Richards.

Wow! All cool choices, especially Peter Gabriel.

[KaLL]

Gallagher naysayers...:horse

All you have to do is listen to the last two Oasis albums and presto! You can see that, while there is a beatles influence going....they aren't ripping them off anymore than any melodic power pop rock band of the last 50 years...Superdrag, Teenage Fanclub, Guided By Voices, Matthew Sweet, R.E.M., The Bangles...I could go on for days..

as far as collaborations, I think Macca would bring a good deal to any table.

pcOJu0g8dbw

Listen to that and try tell me it's not a shameless rip.

[tjs]

Have to say I'm not sure I agree with all the Tweedy votes. Music-wise it would be an amazing collaboration, but that would just be far too much ego in one room for it ever to work out in real life.

[RocksOff]

pcOJu0g8dbw

Listen to that and try tell me it's not a shameless rip.

Listen to this (off the same album) and tell me it IS a shameless rip.

DkU_rAzdlKk

[Lo Blues]

Dylan said he would like to do something with Paul. I can't remember where... his book or some magazine I guess.

[I'm Incinerator]

pcOJu0g8dbw

Listen to that and try tell me it's not a shameless rip.

Too obvious.

Take a gander at "Bring the Light", which shows Liam and Co vibin' off of the Beatles influences!

[mockoman]

How about Jimmy Page? He could provide the riffs,and guitar orchestra,& Paulie provide melodies,lyrics & vocal.
They are about the same age,too.

The more I think about it,the more I like it. Call 'em up!

[Neer]

Tom Waits. Joe Henry.

[Rockledge]

It just occurred to me. Steve Cropper.
Considering the Beatles roots are heavily buried in rock n roll and rockabilly soil, I would think him to be the perfect choice next to James Burton.
Mr McCartney seems to often go back to the 50s for a sound to draw from. And when he does, he is GREAT at it.

[Warbler]

I thought Paul Mccartney & Nigel Godrich were a great combo.

Did he ever do any work with Brian Eno? I really think they would make a good team.

Heck maybe even Kayne West or someone like that

[ChampReverb]

Ok, now for the deeper vein...

Robert Fripp
Wayne Krantz
Donald Fagen
Terry Adams (NRBQ)
Bill Frisell
Joni Mitchell
Gil Evans
Tortoise
Steve Reich
David Bowie
Norah Jones

[supergenius365]

It's more to me that they both write narrative-type songs so well. I mean it's not much of a stretch to imagine Elvis writing Penny Lane, you know?

What I liked about their work was that you could hear (or at least I imagine I can hear) where one exerted their influence on the other to make the songs more interesting than if they had worked independently. A little more melodic influence from Paul and some more jarring aggressiveness from Elvis.

I listened to Spike and Flowers in the Dirt not too long ago and was thinking I wish those two had done more together.

[KaLL]

Listen to this (off the same album) and tell me it IS a shameless rip.

DkU_rAzdlKk

My point is, the guy clearly has a beatles songwriting complex, any collaboration would be stale.

[LunarSF]

Jack White

...could probably get Paul to remember/embrace that rawness is good, as long as it is honest and true. I'd like to see McC do some more new work like that. Or even if it is as a sideman to Jack. Paul is great on his own but I also think he is the best sideman EVER. Amazing bass lines and vocal harmonies. What a musician.

Watching him play recently in the roundabout tv broadcast, and on the grammys...Paul's still got it. No doubt. I'm floored at his ability to emote. What is he 70? The ego is their for a reason. He is still MILES above 98% of live acts out there today. And he was polite enough to share the solos, when his own band (including hisself) were by far the best soloists.

I'd love to see him just back people up. But, for people/bands that are their own thing -not so derivative of him already.

It is interesting that he has chosen all these English cats in the past, Dave Stewart, Jeff Lynne, Nigel Godrich, Elvis Costello. And those other English guys from his past.

Though, having heard his opinions before, I seriously doubt he will ever work with anyone from Oasis.

[Throttleneck]

Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook

[Fab4ever]

What I liked about their work was that you could hear (or at least I imagine I can hear) where one exerted their influence on the other to make the songs more interesting than if they had worked independently. A little more melodic influence from Paul and some more jarring aggressiveness from Elvis.

I listened to Spike and Flowers in the Dirt not too long ago and was thinking I wish those two had done more together.


Agreed -- they compliment each other so well. did you see Elvis covering "Penny Lane" for Paul at the White House? So awesome.

[pete692]

Jack White

...could probably get Paul to remember/embrace that rawness is good, as long as it is honest and true. I'd like to see McC do some more new work like that. Or even if it is as a sideman to Jack. Paul is great on his own but I also think he is the best sideman EVER. Amazing bass lines and vocal harmonies. What a musician.

Watching him play recently in the roundabout tv broadcast, and on the grammys...Paul's still got it. No doubt. I'm floored at his ability to emote. What is he 70? The ego is their for a reason. He is still MILES above 98% of live acts out there today. And he was polite enough to share the solos, when his own band (including hisself) were by far the best soloists.

I'd love to see him just back people up. But, for people/bands that are their own thing -not so derivative of him already.

It is interesting that he has chosen all these English cats in the past, Dave Stewart, Jeff Lynne, Nigel Godrich, Elvis Costello. And those other English guys from his past.

Though, having heard his opinions before, I seriously doubt he will ever work with anyone from Oasis.

Go get Run Devil Run. It's relatively recent and shows he can do "raw", whenever he wants, but if he doesn't want to, what's the point? Me, personally, I'd love to see a full on collaboration with Joe Walsh, now that Joe's all in and chummy with the remaining Beatles.

[Robert1950]

Rob Zombie

[kokohi5]

Somewhat off coarse, but I was thinking earlier today how it might be cool if Paul did a covers album of hits and obscure songs from artists influenced by him, kind of like Peter Gabriel did. A few songs I thought of:
Baby Blue (Badfinger)
That Is Why (Jellyfish, which used to use Let Em In as an intro to this song live)
She Goes To Bed (Jason Falkner)
From (Dr. Dog)
Missing The War (Ben Folds Five)
Better Be Home Soon or Something So Strong (Crowded House)

I'm sure there are tons of others that could be interesting.

[thirsty one]

Five Finger Death Punch

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[derek_32999]

Gotta say the Fiona Apple idea is pretty F'in awesome



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EDIT:found a better vid

[jhfire]

James James (My Morning Jacket)

[oldtelefart]

Ted Nugent? They'd need separate catering tents.

If Macca wasn't up for the OP's hypothetical collaboration, we could try for Neil Finn, the world's second-best writer of McCartney songs.

[Hank Linderman]

For the best of the "similar" co-writers, Neil Finn. Hands down. (And then there is Aimee Mann...)

But I'd also like to hear him with a great writer/artist who is not so similar:

Donald Fagen
Don Henley
Jackson Browne
Robert Lamm
Tom Waits
Joni Mitchell
Bonnie Raitt
Terry Adams

So many more!

So Paul, if you are reading this, here's the project I propose: duets with writer/performers you admire, one song each from each collaborator. Limited production, 8 to 24 tracks max, one or two reverbs and delays per mix. If it sounds like a demo - good!

Best...H