Ian Leslie: in praise of “intelligent, literate and very pretentious pop”

Ian Leslie - “author, adman, speaker, spy” - wrote the scintillating “64 Reasons to Celebrate Paul McCartney” last year having fallen in love with the Beatles as a child, a story so perfect that “the God of Narrative didn’t want them to reform”. Here he talks about Lennon/McCartney’s romantic love affair, which one's still underrated and why "George Harrison is the band’s Irish Border question”. Arriving at college with his Wings and Billy Joel, Melody Maker directed him to Scritti Politti and Prefab Sprout in the profound belief that “pretension is a force for the good”. Also featured … Tom Petty, Dylan at the O2 (“a man apparently suffering from a terrible respiratory condition”), Frank Sinatra, Bertrand Russell, Georgio Chiellini and the Greatest Record Ever Made.
Ian's books ...
www.amazon.co.uk/Ian-Leslie/e...
@mrianleslie
64 Reasons to Celebrate Paul McCartney …
ianleslie.substack.com/p/64-r...
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[@markkavanagh7377]

My 23 year old nephew just got his first record player for his birthday. It's not all over yet!☺

[@davidsanderson5918]

Vinyl will never go now.

[@cyclesgoff9768]

Well at least your sorted for Christmas and birthday presents for him for the forseable future 😷😍

[@swirlingfudge]

I’m the same age - Everett Trie, Taylor Parkes, Simon Price also wrote for Melody Maker - Prince’s Nude tour was my first gig - and I went to Liverpool university armed with Songs to Remember, Welcome to the Pleasuredome, and the Rocky 4 soundtrack

[@patrickselden5747]

Excellent conversation, gents! Ta very muchly - and Ian's right: Songs For Swinging Lovers ROOLS!! ☝️😎

[@tinametcalfe654]

Love these shows!

[@iangbland]

Chris Roberts, not Jones. One of the all-time greats. Still have a box full of his yellowing paeans to Blondie and plunges into the Blue Nile.

[@paullewis2720]

Great conversation as always. Re the question of whether Dylan done anything like the wonderful McCartney/Cynthia Lennon story, did you know Dylan has been enormously supportive of the Bob Willis Prostate Cancer Fund & is their honorary patron! Seems like an unlikely alliance, even knowing Bob W’s love of Dylan’s music (and taking his name as a middle name).

[@philiphalpenny3783]

Any number of Sinatra albums on Capitol or Reprise records would be strong contenders for 'best record ever made'...

[@apolloc.vermouth5672]

Was the Melody Maker really "the unfashionable option" in the 80s/90s? I know it sold less then the NME, but I seem to remember it being very much the hipster's choice out of the music weeklies. It could be absolutely insufferable, mind....

[@krisscanlon4051]

Alright lads I luv ya both and but again my suggestion time so how bout sumthin on Spooky Tooth and their very unusual LP titles?

[@robertsoden5068]

George overlooked completely again.

[@stevehoran5595]

He was the "Irish border question". 4 songs on a hypothetical follow up album to Abbey Road? To judge by All Things Must Pass, he had them.

[@sdry1688]

Gr8 show again, but the fact about the Abbey Rd cover being the boys walking away from work for the last time doesn't tie in with the dates. The Zebra Crossing photo is Aug 8th and the last time all 4 were in Abbey Rd studio was Aug 20th

[@markkavanagh7377]

At we discussing the Beatles again?😃

[@markstevens7589]

Yes we at

[@GOGOLH]

@@markstevens7589 It's where it's at.

[@GurungyNoHamuster]

There are times, when Ellen and Heppers over-talk a smidge. At those times, Fabs are inevitable.

[@paul10018]

"Oasis' entire career is based on that one photo..."

[@Bambloozled]

Interesting! Prefab Sprout is really not a good name.

[@davidsanderson5918]

Ian Leslie is wrong when he says that the sexless 'love affair' or 'bromance' between John and Paul has been overlooked compared to the competitive, working relationship aspect. No.....not true, we have seen and DO see it....and in fact, there's an utterly brilliant two hour pictoral 'documentary' here on KZbin which corners the aspect of that throughlly and absolutely. Leslie needs to see it!!

[@davidsanderson5918]

Look I know that, with the replacement of formats, the brittleness of household items and the imminent obselete nature of any current technology, the vinyl record has proved to be one of the most enduring objects in our entertainment-based suburban life BUT.. come on Hepworth, that LEAN on your shelf is getting serious and potentially ruining all your James Last, Top Of The Pops compilations and Mantovani over there. Can't you look after things?!?

[@desmondmccabe8321]

lennon thought billy joel was brilliant!

[@jcoltrane8976]

Here we go, bs about band names, but somehow “The Beatles” are the exception. What’s in a name? Ultimately nothing.