Before the complaints regarding a lack of clips from One
Hand Clapping or James Paul McCartney start flooding the offices
of EMI, it should be noted that Paul McCartney’s role in putting together
the three DVD The McCartney Years set was minimal at best.
That being said, there’s loads of mostly music videos from the former
Beatle’s solo career and some choice live footage that should satisfy
even the choosiest fans. Completists may whine about the edited footage from
Rockshow and Unplugged, but with the exhausting amount of
video here, it will undoubtedly find a spot on the shelf next to unedited,
complete versions. And that’s only if you care about such things.
Now that you know what isn’t on the set, let’s explore what is.
First, you have two DVDs filled with over 40 music videos. The audio has been
remixed in 5.1 surround, which makes the ride worthwhile. The videos themselves
range from schlock and sappiness to simple nostalgia to unbridled magnificence.
They can be watched in virtually any running order, although viewing them
chronologically seems the most appropriate and less painful. Indeed, seeing
McCartney (with Wings) in the 70s is a lesson in how the music video form
developed alongside the music. Longtime fans will relish the promotional films
of “Hi Hi Hi,” “Junior’s Farm,” “C-Moon”
and “Mull Of Kintyre,” the youngsters might favor the staged MTV
music videos McCartney cranked out in the 80s and 90s, which comprise most
of the second disc. If you’re a fan of the singer’s post-Wings
work he did on his own and with the likes of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder,
it’s all here for the taking.
The first two discs also include some special extras collectors young and
old fans will savor. The 2005 documentary Creating Chaos At Abbey Road,
originally broadcast on public television, offers some incredible insight
into the recording process and McCartney’s mastery of his craft. But,
as they say, the best is saved for last, and as far as The McCartney
Years is concerned, the live clips on the third disc are the most
prized of all. OK, so instead of the original 23 songs from the film, you
only get seven songs from Rockshow. Optimists see this as a sign
that eventually the full-length feature will soon come to DVD. Naysayers could
assume that this is as much Rockshow as you’re gonna get on
the legitimate market (which will undoubtedly please the bootleggers). The
same could be said for Unplugged, of which only four tunes made the
cut, while the rest languishes away in a vault somewhere. It’s best
to be thankful any of it has been refurbished for release.
The 2004 Glastonbury concert is more extensive, although it doesn’t
really measure up, offering little that can't already be found on 2002’s
Back In The U.S., 2003’s Live In Red Square
or 2006’s The Space Within US. The extras feature McCartney’s
performances at Live Aid and the 2005 Superbowl. Not much to write home about
these particular clips aside from their historical significance. His expereince
at Live Aid was so badly marred by technical difficulties that McCartney felt
obligated to comment on what went awry. In the end, The McCartney
Years encapsulates the career of one of the most successful singer-songwriters
of all time. For what it lacks in production value, significance or completeness,
it makes up with in genuine enthusiasm and historical importance. After all,
any frame of film of an ex-Beatle is considered gold by hardcore Beatlemaniacs.
There’s certainly more than enough for any collector to cherish until
the next installment of who-knows-what comes along and ups the stakes.
~ Shawn Perry
