Book Review: The McCartney Legacy: Volume 1

I read a similar book about the Beatles back in 2013. I remember it well because the book called Tune In by Mark Lewisohn was unusually thick (944 pages) and it covered only the first few years of the Beatles. It was all the more memorable because I was in Bangkok, reading the book in my room while taking care of my daughter who had high fever. Her mum was taking a day off, exploring the city with her siblings.

11 years later, I discovered the McCartney Legacy: Volume 1: 1969 - 73. The book had 720 pages, not as thick, but equally comprehensive. It began in 1969, starting from Get Back that eventually became Let It Be. It was quite in-depth, peppered with tiny details I never knew before. It was exciting, but the excitement lasted only until the Beatles disbanded. 

In 1970, John, Paul, George and Ringo went their separate ways. The book did well in revealing Paul's darkest days after the Beatles. It hit him the hardest, for he loved being a Beatle and yet he had to be the one to publicly quit the Beatles, much to John's chagrin. And it was quite an ordeal before he managed to pull himself up again, with a lot help from Linda. 

But then it got less interesting from here onwards. As I continued reading, I realized that I didn't really care much about Wings and its members. Yes, people like Denny Seiwell and Henry McCullough were talented, but they were pretty much Paul's sidekicks. To make it more obvious, the band was sometimes billed as Paul McCartney and Wings. As a comparison, back when he was a Beatle, Paul was simply one of the guys and the four of them were equally interesting.

So apart from learning the history of songs from post-Beatles era such as Maybe I'm Amazed, My Love and, of course, Live and Let Die, the best part of the book got to do with Paul's interaction with John, George and Ringo. The last bit that talked about Band on the Run and its recording sessions in Lagos was great, though.

Overall, I think the writers did a good job compiling the story. It's not their fault that most of it aren't that interesting, because as good as Wings were, the Beatles were a tough act to follow. It is just impossible to tell a good story right after the greatest story ever told. 

Ulasan Buku: The McCartney Legacy: Volume 1

Di tahun 2013, saya membaca buku serupa tentang the Beatles. Saya ingat betul karena buku berjudul Tune In karya Mark Lewisohn ini tergolong sangat tebal (944 halaman) dan hanya bercerita tentang beberapa tahun pertama karir the Beatles. Kenangan itu kian membekas karena saat itu saya membaca di kamar hotel sambil menjaga putri saya yang demam. Kala itu istri saya dan saudara-saudarinya berjalan-jalan menjelajah kota Bangkok. 

11 tahun kemudian, saya menemukan The McCartney Legacy: Volume 1: 1969 - 73. Buku ini setebal 720 halaman dan sangat detil pula. Kisahnya dimulai di tahun 1969, mulai dari Get Back yang akhirnya berubah menjadi Let It Be. Banyak cuplikan cerita yang tidak pernah saya ketahui sebelumnya, jadi buku ini seru di bagian awal sampai bubarnya the Beatles. 

Di tahun 1970, John, Paul, George dan Ringo berpisah. Buku ini lantas mengisahkan hari-hari Paul yang depresi setelah the Beatles usai. Dia sangat terpukul terutama karena dia senang menjadi seorang Beatle, tapi dia pula yang harus mengumumkan bahwa dia telah berhenti dari grup, satu hal yang membuat John jengkel. Dan hari-harinya terasa tidak berarti sampai akhirnya dia bangkit lagi dengan bantuan istrinya, Linda. 

Namun justru cerita menjadi kurang menarik setelah Paul memulai lagi dari awal. Semakin dibaca, semakin saya menyadari bahwa saya tidak peduli dengan Wings dan anggotanya. Ya, musisi seperti Denny Seiwell and Henry McCullough memang berbakat, tapi mereka lebih condong seperti pemeran pembantu. Dan kesan itu diperkuat dengan nama grup yang kadang disebut Paul McCartney dan Wings. Sebagai perbandingan, saat dia masih seorang Beatle, Paul cuma satu dari empat karakter yang sama-sama memiliki pesona dan daya tarik. 

Selain informasi tentang sejarah lagu-lagu setelah era the Beatles, misalnya Maybe I'm Amazed, My Love dan Live and Let Die, bagian yang juga cukup menarik adalah interaksi Paul dan John, George serta Ringo. Beberapa bab terakhir yang bercerita tentang Band on the Run dan sesi rekaman di Lagos juga seru untuk dibaca.

Secara keseluruhan, saya kira dua penulisnya sukses dalam merangkum cerita sedetil ini. Bukan salah mereka kalau sebagian ceritanya kurang menarik. Meski Wings populer di zamannya, tidak gampang bagi mereka untuk menandingi the Beatles yang fenomenal. Siapa pun pasti akan kesulitan melanjutkan cerita setelah kisah paling inspiratif yang pernah terjadi di tahun 60an.