Paul McCartney’s fantasy band
Not only was Paul McCartney one of the driving forces behind the most influential band in the world, but throughout his career, he has worked with more artists than any other performer can claim. As such, his knowledge of good musicians expands beyond just ability but also includes how they approach the creative process and how they can collaborate with other musicians. Nobody else is in a better position to put together the best fantasy band in the world.
McCartney has exceptional knowledge when it comes to understanding what it is that moves people. His approach to songwriting is human, as he can tap into various emotions and create a world for listeners where their feelings are acknowledged beautifully. He was able to do this using lyricism but recognised establishing that connection with an audience expands beyond words alone.
When someone is a talented musician, they don’t have to rely on words to convey emotion. Instead, just through a riff, a bassline or a drum fill, they can stimulate feelings from sound alone. That’s what makes an excellent instrumentalist, and that’s something McCartney has ample experience working with.
Looking back on previous interviews, we can determine Paul McCartney’s dream band would be based on their ability as musicians and their approach to music in general. As someone famous for being in the best band of all time, this dreamlike hypothetical might be one to rival it.
Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
People often forget that Jimi Hendrix was only a mainstream artist for about four years before he died. It’s an easy mistake to make, given how much of a cultural phenomenon he was; you would think he was in the public domain his entire life, but in just a short space of time, he made enough music and a big enough name for himself that many, including Paul McCartney, still consider him one of the best to pick up a six-string.
McCartney recalled a time Hendrix played at the Saville Theatre. “Jimi opened, the curtains flew back, and he came walking forward, playing ‘Sgt. Pepper,’ and it had only been released on the Thursday, so that was like the ultimate compliment… It’s still obviously a shining memory for me because I admired him so much anyway; he was so accomplished.”
Drums: Ringo Starr
McCartney draws from personal experience when it comes to picking his favourite drummer. In an interview on The Howard Stern Show, when he was asked to pick his favourite drummer, McCartney said that he would have Ringo Starr as number one, Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham as number two and Keith Moon at three.
When asked about Ringo, McCartney said he was “not technically the best by a long shot, but for feel and emotion and economy, they’re always there…” He spoke about how unselfish Ringo was as a drummer and how his style could be moulded depending on what the song asked for. He recalled the Beatles asking the drummer, “’What about drum solos, then?’ We were thinking he would say, yeah, I’ll have a five-hour one in the middle of your set. And he said, ‘I hate ’em!’ We said, ‘Great! We love you!’”
Bass: James Jamerson
When asked who his favourite bass player was, it’s hardly a surprise that McCartney held sweet-sounding melody high on his list of priorities. He put the swinging delicacy of Motown on a pedestal as being a genre that can deliver on that melody and said James Jamerson was one of the best bassists to capture it. “The biggest influence on my bass playing was James Jamerson,” he said, “Who played on many of my favourite Motown releases.”
Another bassist McCartney confesses he took a lot of inspiration from was Brian Wilson. “Actually, he and Brian Wilson were my two biggest influences. James just because he was so good and melodic. Brian because he went to very unusual places. Brian would use, if you were playing in C, he might stay on the G a lot just to hold it all back, and I started to realise the power.”
Vocals: Harry Nilsson
During a press conference, when McCartney and John Lennon were asked who their favourite singer was, they simultaneously responded with a simple “Nilsson”. As a good friend and someone who covered many Beatles songs, Harry Nilsson was able to provide his own spin on classic songs and make them unequivocally his own.
An adoration for Nillson still lingers deep in McCartney’s heart. Recently, when Harry’s son Zak was diagnosed with cancer, McCartney wrote to him saying, “Very best of luck with your (chemo) treatment. My wife, Nancy, went through it years ago and stuck with it even though she hated it. She is now better and well, except for the fact she is married to me!!” He went on to say, “I was very privileged to know your Dad, whom I knew as a lovely guy and a great talent.”
