Monday, June 19, 2023

Your Monday Essay Question: Special "Not the Beatles, But an Incredible Simulation!" Edition

"Real Love" is not only a completely valid Beatles record but as good as many of the ones they made together before John's death.

Discuss.

My answer to the question, BTW, is a resounding "you bet!" That song gives me chills on every level (could Ringo's drums or George's guitar solos or the overdubbed Beatles harmony vocals on the chorus be any more gorgeous? Uh no.)

In any event, I bring this up mostly because when the news broke a few days ago that McCartney (and one presumes Ringo) are finishing the last of the three John songs that Yoko gave to them when they were working on Anthology, this time using Artificial Intelligence (although other than trendiness I can't see how that's relevant to the discussion one way or another), I got into a bit of a brouhaha with an old friend and bandmate who thought my opinion of "Real Love" was close to sacreligious.

Bottom line: What do yu guys think? And should we be dreading the new one?

Meanwhile, in related news...

Dirk McQuickly of The Rutles...

...has announced that the final Rutles record will be completed using A.S., or Artificial Stupidity.

[h/t Frank De Stefano]

13 comments:

Sal Nunziato said...

I think "Real Love" is great, but I don't think it sounds like The Beatles. It sounds like a George track produced by Jeff Lynne. Even Lennon's lead vocal sounds off, sped up...off. And it's HIM. The AI stuff bothers me. All I've heard so far has been mediocre because I think it all sounds like the cast of Beatlemania NOT The Beatles. That said, of course I want to hear the last track, but my expectations are low.

John K said...

I think Sal nailed it.

Gummo said...

Yes, Sal nailed it.

'Real Love' is a lovely song, beautifully performed. It sound much more "Beatlesish" than the turgid "Free as a Bird," but it'll never be a song I long to hear like I do "reel" Beatles songs.


The post-Beatles Beatles songs are agreeable novelties. They don't add or detract from the Beatles legacy, but then, nothing affects the Beatles' legacy, just like no new discovery is going to change Beethovan's legacy. They're footnotes to a fabled career.

neal t said...

artificial not needed as there is an abundance of the real stuff all around us these days.

Allan Rosenberg said...

Peter Jackson used AI to mix the "Get Back" box set.

Captain Al

edward said...

I think it all sounds like the cast of Beatlemania NOT The Beatles.

Well, Marshall Crenshaw is still available;>

Sal Nunziato said...

"Adopting Peter Jackson's latest AI technologies will no doubt assist the Beatles' team in reducing the muddiness of Lennon's original cassette recording and establishing greater separation among the voices and instruments."

I think that is much different than manipulating a voice and creating some cut and paste job to make it sound like The Beatles covered Coldplay.

Anonymous said...

I love the Beatles. But not "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love". They're both kinda weenie. I don't even count them in their canon. I mean, nothing is real and nothing to get hung about. It's fake. Thumbs down. Bogue.

VR

Jai Guru Dave said...

I will accept your apology now Steve. (Perhaps accompanied by a lovely parting gift?)

steve simels said...

Okay Don Pardo -- tell JGD what he's won!:-)

danny1959 said...

It's telling that this song wasn't released while George was alive, because he said no. I don't think John and George would have been on board with the Peter Jackson Get Back project either.

Anonymous said...

This would not have made the White Album.
Ed Sullivan kid here. Someone had Dollar Eyes...nought said

rob

M_Sharp said...

The vocal doesn't sound like any of them, it's just weird. The song itself sounds like an outtake that never made it onto an album, but would have been included years later on an extended CD of the album they were recording at the time. I’m not looking forward to any AI songs.