I’ve always been
an older soul when it comes to music, mostly preferring bands that haven’t put
out a new record in decades and that were comprised of legendary figures, many
of which are, sadly, no longer with us. As Eddie Van Halen tragically reminded
us this last year, these legends are only on the earth for as brief a time as
any of us “normal” people, so we darn well better appreciate them while they’re
here. Perhaps this is what was going through the mind of Rick Rubin when he sat
down with the Walrus himself in McCartney 3, 2, 1, a fascinating
and intimate documentary/miniseries that is destined to become a must-watch for
fans of The Beatles here, there, and
everywhere.
One
thing that immediately impressed me was how enthusiastic and lively Sir Paul
was, even after decades and decades of similar Beatle-related interviews.
Gracious and personable, he never once seemed annoyed at being asked a question
or resentful of his universal fame, discussing each song and experience as if
it were the first time the subjects had been broached. He and Rubin, himself an
iconic figure in music but from behind the scenes, have a rapport that makes
for a very relaxing and intimate watching experience that is enhanced by
minimalistic stage design and a complete lack of any other players (next time,
Ringo). Whenever I watch a documentary like this I ask myself, “Could this have
been a podcast?” The answer here is no, as the visuals go a long way setting
the mood the creators wanted to convey. If there is one word I would use to
describe McCartney 3, 2, 1 it would be “comfortable”; it is
very much like having your grandfather regale you of tales of the good old days
if your grandfather happened to be one of the most famous musicians of all
time.
That’s
not where the similarities to grandparent-story-time stop, however: Some bits
of McCartney 3, 2, 1 are more interesting than the others, and
the casual discussion format means that there is very little linearity in the
story telling. One second the two are discussing the lives of each member of
the Fab Four pre-fame, the next they are talking about Sgt. Pepper (1967)
before going back to Revolver (1966). At first this bothered me a bit, but then
I accepted that this is a perfectly reasonable tactic that enhances the feeling
of this being a natural one-on-one instead of a mere verbal biography of Paul
McCartney. Could McCartney 3, 2, 1 have been cut down from six
hours to two like many of your grandfather’s monologues? Sure. Was it sometimes
a wee bit difficult to follow these two musicians when they delved into the
intricacies of certain pieces? Yes, as I am far from an expert when it comes to
these things, and these are world-class virtuosos we’re talking about here.
Would I have had them cut any of this? Hell no.
If
you are a fan of The Beatles or music in general, you gotta check this out.
McCartney
3, 2, 1 is now available on Hulu.
This review was first published in The Keizertimes on August
20th, 2021. Visit at http://keizertimes.com/
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