The beatles and beyond...the solo careers

[Big Ears]

I heard a Travelling Wilburys song, which could be considered a George Harrison solo project, on the radio today and what I liked was the fact that it was recorded in the eighties, but does not have that horrible eighties production. It was End of the Line, which also has great upbeat lyrics and, although credited to the band, were probably written by Harrison. I especially like, 'Well it's all right, remember to live and let live/ Well it's all right, the best you can do is forgive.'

George Harrison showed a lot of promise with The Beatles, but I found his solo material disappointing. I think this was because he needed the moral support of Paul McCartney, who said his favourite track on Abbey Road is Harrison's Something. If McCartney had produced Harrison's albums, they might have been more polished. As for Lennon and McCartney, they needed each other's little finishing touches. So, for example, Lennon suggested the French sound on McCartney's Michelle, which made the song great. Ringo Starr was an underrated drummer, his work on Abbey Road is constantly inventive, so he needed another good group. His potential seems to have come out through Zack Starkey, who is ideal for Roger Daltrey and The Who.

My favourite Beatle is McCartney, because I like his sentimentalism, balanced by Denny Laine in Wings. Band on the Run could, and should, have been a Beatles album. I do not think it has ever been satisfactorily explained why MCartney and Laine fell out.