Paul McCartney's Biggest Professional Risk, According to the Artist Himself
Paul McCartney wouldn't describe himself as a risk taker. However, there is one massive risk McCartney is glad he took.
Paul McCartney wouldnât describe himself as a risk taker. In fact, the musician feels his career has been pretty tameâdespite the oodles of success he has amassed. However, there is one massive risk McCartney is glad he took. Find out what that is, below.
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The Beatles were a tough act to follow. The fervor around the band was unprecedented. They became emblematic of a new age where musicians didnât have passive listeners, but active, life-centering fans. When they decided to hang up their hats, there was a few million fans out there whoâs dreams were dashed.
But, life must go on. A musician must play music. But, the question of how to go about that couldâve proved disastrous. Truthfully, it did for a moment in McCartneyâs career. His follow up band to the Beatles, Wings, wasnât popular upon their debut. Listeners still had the golden age of the Beatles to compare everything to. Wings didnât seem to measure up.
Eventually, McCartneyâs second leg proved profitable. Wings earned a fanbase in their own right, producing a host of beloved hits. According to McCartney, the decision to start Wings was his riskiest professional moveâone that ultimately paid off.
âThe main question I had was whether to keep going after The Beatles, because it was a hard act â some might say, an impossible act â to follow,â McCartney once said. âThe ingredients in the Beatles were so unique. You had John right there, who could have made any group brilliant. Then you had Georgeâs talent, and Ringoâs, and then me.â
âOnce that band had finished, I didnât know what to do with myself, and trying something new was really risky,â he continued. âThen, of course, having Linda in Wings, when she was not a âmusician,â was a risk too. When the reviews started to come in a lot of them focused on her, asking, âWhatâs she doing in the band?â And that was hurtful. But I rationalized it by thinking about when we started The Beatles and none of us knew our chords â over time we got better and picked things up.â
In McCartneyâs mind, he had âdoubled back to almost being nothingâ after the Beatles. He knew he had to earn respect as an artist again in this new light. He stood his ground, replacing his old band with a new one. We agree. We canât think of a riskier move than that.
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âIâd doubled back to almost being nothing â just some guy in the band â and now I was earning my fame again,â he added. âBy the time the mid-70s came around when we were doing a big American tour, that was the vindication of it. We were so tight and had come up together, as it were. The risk paid off.â
(Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage)