When word first leaked that Paul McCartney was going to “play Kurt” in a Nirvana reunion, the entire world?winced in horror. What a truly horrible thought.
Thankfully, the rumor was misinterpreted.?The remaining members of Nirvana did, in fact,?reunite and Sir Paul did record with them, but they didn’t play any Nirvana or any Beatles. They did, however,?compose a pretty awful original?song called “Cut Me Some Slack,”? which they performed?for the first time on-stage at the 12.12.12 Concert for Sandy Relief.
Paul headlined the concert, which?raised funds to aid in the rebuilding of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, and?featured an amazing line-up including The Rolling Stones, The Who,?and Bruce Springsteen, to name just a few. Paul’s set was the last in a nearly six-hour show and he did not disappoint.
He took the stage after midnight … quite late for an old fucker like him … but he crushed it. He?did The Beatles, Wings, and his solo stuff (unfortunately). Then, after an amazing acoustic version of “Blackbird,” he made the announcement that everyone had been dreading.
“Recently, some guys asked me to go and jam with them … so I showed up … ready to jam … and in the middle of it these guys kept saying …?’we haven’t played together for years.’ The penny finally dropped, I finally understood that?I was in the middle of a Nirvana reunion.”
In an interview with Fuse, Dave Grohl (of the Foo Fighters obviously, but in case you’re very very young he was the drummer for Nirvana) said that “Cut Me Some Slack” was actually written and recorded about six months ago,?when he invited Paul?to sit in with them to work on a song for Dave’s upcoming documentary about?renowned L.A. recording studio, Sound City.
According to Dave,?none of them (Paul, Dave, nor Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and guitarist Pat Smear) were interested in doing a Beatles or Nirvana song.
“We wanted to do a new song. So we wrote and recorded a new song in a day. And it’s heavy as fuck.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=624HfkMty_8
Personally, I do not like the song. At all. But whether or not you or I like the sound, there is something undeniably great about it.?It’s four dudes, four true musicians,?who are so clearly happy, that despite the awfulness of the actual song, it’s difficult to criticize.
It’s been easy to make fun of Paul for the last twenty years, with his bad dye job and his old man frailty, not to mention his one-legged wife (ex). But that guy loves to jam and he loves to play to big crowds. And he’s still got it. Dave, Krist, and Pat … just look at their faces …?they’re so obviously excited to be playing with him. And they’re not just backing him up … it’s a song that they wrote together.
Seriously, Dave Grohl is a huge name is rock music.?Despite his stardom, it had to have been amazing to have Paul McCartney announce him …? can you imagine??And then to have given Paul the count into the song ? how could you turn that down? If you love rock and roll music, it’s something you can’t pass up. Critics be fucked.
As I said, I didn’t care for the song itself. It comes in like a much harder, grungier “I Am The Walrus” (and,?yes, I know that’s a John Lennon song) … and, despite having just played it, Paul manages his best Helter Skelter wail. But?the song is too all over the place, too “heavy” for my taste. But Dave is a fun drummer to watch. And Paul looks like he’s having fun. And it’s for fucking charity.
After their song, Dave and the others left the stage, and Paul?concluded his set with fireworks during?”Live and Let Die.” And it was brilliant. Yes, he’s old. Yes, it’s sort of embarassing to look directly at him. But he still has it. He really does.?… But thank fuck he didn’t attempt to “do Kurt.”
Buckus Toothnail says
What a rubbish “article”, completely worthless and written by a try-hard trying to appear cool since he’s unable to demonstrate his “hipster” doucheness though his choice of clothes, faux-lack of hygiene, and ironic choice of beer through his “writing”.
As any rock music fan not stuck up his own behind and ignorance will tell you, the performance last night ROCKED!
Internotional Times says
Hey..I like this article because it states all the facts in proper order. Yes, even for a McCartney fan, this advance rumour did stir my Nirvana fan into “Wait a goddamn minute here’. The news stories, twisting McCartney’s words as they invariably do, only made the bile come up but…rather gloriously, true to his word and rather against his nominal age, McCartney absolutely blasted it. It’s not much of a song and he really ought to be told by someone close to him to try harder because his last attempt in this ‘Helter Skelter’ style…the ‘good try’ by his alter-ego The Fireman titled ‘Nothing Too Much Just Outta Sight’ also was exciting but ultimately unsatisfying because of his downright LAZINESS.
But anyway, McCartney is pushing the age limits in a way we will all, in music, be glad about later. And he is pushing them with some aplomb.
And that, people, means we can can cut him some slack.
Roy says
Great article! Very funny! I like Paul McCartney, but at times he does not seem to be aware of his age and that can be weird. The picture at the end of the article says it all. Even if Paul were 30, he would be an odd fit to play the part of Kurt. They are worlds apart both musically and personality-wise.
Ken Spaz says
Paul is Lefty as well. He played the bass left handed; look at the old beatles photos;
Maggie Rae says
Oh, guys, just cut Paul some real slack. I gotta feeling that there are alto of ‘old’ guys and gals out there just wishing they could rock like Sir Paul. I also have a feeling that some of the “You’re too old Paul” crowd are just a little envious and maybe a little jealous of this 70 yr old Beatles kid from Liverpool. So, in his word: “Live and let die”!