McCarney Continues To Confound

Here I go again.

I go back and forth on Sir Paul. Sometimes in annoyance, sometimes in reverence.

Just read the latest Rolling Stone article about the man - I wonder how many articles I have read about Paul in my lifetime - in our lifetime, because we do indeed share a lifetime together - and I like what I read.

Apparently he put in a recent appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel show. The article, written by Jonah Weiner, is about that and about his latest album, "New". His 24th post-Beatles album.

I dug the first few things he did after The Beatles, then I got away from him. His first solo album, "McCartney" is a thing of beauty - of raw power and beauty. On it he played every instrument and sang all the vocals with wife Linda singing backup vocals.

It is one of my favorite albums.

In the 21st century he has recorded a lot of albums that have gotten a lot of praise. I didn't buy any until now. As of moments ago, "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" is winging its way to me.

And there will be more.

On the night of the Kimmel appearance Paul gave a free concert on the streets of Los Angeles. The article opens asking "if you're dubious what Beatlemania looks like in 2013 - dubious, perhaps, about whether it looks like much of anything at all..............". Weiner then goes on to describe the mob of people jammed together on the second-story balcony of the Sun Taco on Hollywood Boulevard, the heads on every rooftop and in every window in sight, the news helicopters flying overhead, the three planes circling overhead with private pilots pulling off the ultimate gate crash, and the two block area that will contain 10,000 people assembled for the performance.

I love it.

Chris Holmes, McCartney's touring DJ, tells the following story: "He gives everyone their moment. When we're on the road, he'll come up to the stage manager and dance with him a little bit, and for the rest of that guy's life  he can say "This one time I danced with Paul McCartney." That's just who Paul is. It's not something he turns on for the cameras."

He's making me like him.

At one point Weiner is sitting with Paul in the lounge of the hotel. Paul mentions that he would like a drink but has decided against it because he is going for a massage later and he doesn't think it's a good combination.  So they drink green tea.

They talk for a while and suddenly Paul asks "You want a shot of tequila?" He signals the waiter over who subsequently delivers two glasses of Patron. As Weiner tells it:  "Here's to us - health and happiness," McCartney says, giving me my moment. We take deep swigs."

Giving me my moment.

I gotta get over this. I can pick the man apart all I want to, but the bottom line is that he is a Beatle. That means too much to me to ever let go of.

I'm gonna go all old man on you now. I pity every generation that has come since my own for never experiencing what we experienced when The Beatles hit Ed Sullivan's stage.

There is a depth of connection there, a soulful significance, that made our lives richer and continues to do so today.

There is not much in this world with that kind of staying power.

OK. Paul I love you, man.

And if I ever through the grace of God get my McCartney moment, you better believe I will deliriously eat it up and then preserve it in my head for the rest of my life as one more tool to make the rest of my life more gentle.