Choba B CCCP

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Disc 1

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About

When I was young I asked my Dad if people wanted peace. He said to me, “Yes, people everywhere want peace – it’s usually politicians that cause trouble.” It always seemed to me that the way The Beatles’ music was admired in the USSR tended to prove his point that people the world over have a great deal in common.

In releasing this record exclusively in the Soviet Union, I extend the hand of peace and friendship to the people of the U.S.S.R.

Paul McCartney

From Club Sandwich N°49, Summer 1988:

Whether recording on a boat or with a pipe band, or playing live in St. Mark’s Square, Venice, or unannounced at colleges, Paul McCartney has never been your ‘conventional major artist. Such people rarely release their more relaxed sessions: Paul has always valued spontaneity to balance his more polished efforts, so it was typical of him to issue four oldies from last year’s rock ‘n roll sessions on the 12″ and CD versions of ‘Once Upon A Long Ago’. (See CS46).

But that still left 18 unreleased. “We should put ’em out,” said Paul to Richard Ogden, MPL managing director. But how to convey that this was not a ‘normal’ McCartney album, but something more ‘informal? ‘Disguise it as a Russian bootleg’ was one suggestion, but the business complexities were too great. (Paul has many fans behind the Iron Curtain: see Polish Kindergarten feature; also, Wings played Yugoslavia.)

However, Richard was taken with the idea and had 50 ‘Russian bootlegs’ pressed and packaged for Paul’s Christmas . present. Paul was very chuffed, but remarked wistfully: “Wouldn’t it be nice if it could come out there?”

“No problem” came the answer in best ‘can do’ style. This was not the literal truth, of course, but the will was there and the hurdles cleared. For Mr. Ogden, who studied Russian history and still reads it today, it must have been a labour of love.

Even the album title caused debate. Choba B CCCP, the Russianization of Back In the USSR, translates literally as -Again In The USSR. One faction in Moscow was unhappy, since that song is not on the album, but settled for it in the end. The older Russians, for their part, thought ‘Nawa Makkapthn’ (‘Paulie McCartney’) somewhat disrespectful.

But we anticipate. Who went to Russia and how was it set up? The party comprised Richard Ogden, his wife and EMI’s Russian specialist, Ron Harris. Richard takes up the story:

“It was difficult to make contact and everything was going slowly, so I said ‘Let’s go to Russia’. We went on tourist visas to save time – Ron had never been there before.

“Melodiya, the state record company, had no-one who spoke English, so we negotiated largely through Mezhdunarodnya Kniga, the arts agency, who usually deal with books. They were very nice, especially a chap called Oleg Popov who was very helpful.

“Some of the Russians were suspicious and perplexed: they couldn’t understand that these were new versions, but old songs. There were some of the old school with campaign medals. I asked one chap called Zhukov if he was related to Marshal Zhukov – he wasn’t, but he seemed to like the idea.”

As with the CIA and the FBI, or the two branches of the French police, there was no love lost between the two agencies.

“It took three days to get all parties round the table. Melodiya were not used to the approval of artwork, pressings etc. by the artist: this was a first for them. Oleg spoke perfect English and the interpreters were fine, as it was an uncomplicated deal like EMI’s classical deals. The Russians showed no enthusiasm until after the deal.”

Could this belated animation have been connected with the whisky Richard had brought to celebrate? In further celebration, the English parry dined out with two Russian stars at a new cooperative restaurant.

“Stars aren’t pestered by fans: the public sing their songs to them to show. appreciation. We went out with Yuri Antonov, their equivalent of Cliff Richad – his albums sell about six million. ‘Yesterday’ was played in all five restaurants we visited during our stay, though the musicians had no idea I v/as connected with Paul.”

Besides dining out, the Ogdens managed some sightseeing. (They arrived Monday, did the deal on Thursday and left on Saturday.) Had Richard been to Russia before?

“No, though I went to Poland in 1969 as a guest of the government, being editor of a student magazine, and found it very relaxed. We were allowed to move around freely without being noticeably followed in Moscow, too, visiting artists and private homes.

“My wife and I were shocked by Russia: it was like I imagine Britain was during the war. Nutrition was poor… it reminded me of growing up in Hartlepool during the ’50’s, when rationing had just ended and people only had one pair of shoes. Gorbachev realizes something has to change, because the system simply hasn’t worked.

“Vladimir Matetsky, their top producer (he had four records in the top ten), drives around in a 10 year-old Skoda. He showed us a co-operative studio and some alternative venues, such as a fashion show – I’m also interested in their co-operative record companies. Vladimir was obviously well liked: stars aren’t removed from the public as they tend to be in the West. Being a songwriter as well, he’s relatively well-off.”

Talk of royalties brings us back to Choba B CCCP. Melodiya have limited access to foreign currency so, for a one-off payment, they will be allowed to manufacture a maximum of 400,000 copies of the record,” continues Richard. “In Russia, artists receive a small composing royalty, but a flat fee only for their performance. There will be more copies of Paul’s album than is usual for albums from the west as some royalties were waived.”

Projected release date is 31st October. Not wishing to appear jealous of our Russian cousins, Sandwich ed. still had to ask Mr. Ogden the $64,000 question: will Choba B CCCP come out anywhere else in the future?

“There are no plans at the moment, but some tracks may be used on B-sides.”

Press reports of McCartney dates in Russia next year have this much basis in fact. Not wishing to squander his air ticket, Richard met the state concert promoters while in Moscow and, yes, when Paul tours again Russia may well be on the itinerary. When we have definite news, we’ll tell you.

Besides the four tracks dealt with in our ‘Once Upon A Long Ago’ feature in CS46, the list has another link with Paul’s past: ‘Bring It On Home To Me’, ‘Ain’t That A Shame’ and ‘Just Because’ were all revived by John Lennon for his 1975 Rode ‘n Roll album. As their disagreements fade into the past, it becomes ever more apparent how much John and Paul had in common.

What else leaps out? ‘Twenty Flight Rock’ is the Eddie Cochran song that got Paul into the Quarrymen: John and the others were very impressed that he knew all the words. Arthur Crudup’s ‘That’s All Right Mama’ was Elvis’s first record (roll on ‘It’s Now Or Never’, revealed as recorded by Paul in New Musical Express); ‘Crackin’ Up’ is a fascinating ska/reggae number from Bo Diddley. The word ‘Blues’ has not been omitted after ‘Summertime’: it’s the great George Gershwin song. Ooh, those lucky Russians!