Interview for Disc And Music Echo

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After ‘Yesterday’- where are we going?

THE best pop happening of 1965 in Britain was the arrival of the WHO! PAUL MCCARTNEY said so this week when he surveyed the 1965 pop year and looked forward to 1966 prospects in an exclusive Disc Weekly interview.

“I think it was a pretty good year, altogether,” the Beatle said. “The Who are my own favourites and I really think they were the best thing to happen because they brought something different – a fresh sort of sound and new ideas.

“But it wouldn’t really have mattered if I didn’t like what they were doing. I still think they were good for the scene because they gave it a lot of punch.

“1965 was also DONOVAN’s year. Once you realised what he was doing and that he wasn’t doing a straight copy of Dylan, it was okay and he took his place nicely in the year,” Paul continued.

“The thing that strikes me more than anything is that there’s such a big opening on the British pop scene at the moment for a single solo singer with a good voice.

“It sticks out like a sore thumb. I suppose it could happen in 1966. Maybe we’ve got to the same state that we were in just after Elvis happened – nobody quite knew what would happen then.

“And now the group thing has happened, nobody quite knows what’s coming. My name’s not Maurice Woodruff so I can’t say for sure!

“The most obvious commercial thing to come up would be a great new singer with a great voice. Someone who has everything and who writes good stuff himself. Donovan might have been it, but I don’t think folk music was right for a really big breakthrough.”

Asked what had been the landmark of the Beatles’ year, Paul replied:

“The most satisfying thing for me was ‘Yesterday’. And I was knocked out that it was so successful, I’d choose that mainly because it was such a change for us. Also the new LP, ‘Rubber Soul’. I think it’s the best we’ve done.”

Big names of 1966?

“Hmmm-I thought perhaps ERIC CLAPTON (ex-Yardbird) might make it. He’s a knockout guitar player and he’s got some good ideas. Given the right kind of number, he could do something. Same with CHRIS FARLOWE and a lot of other groups.

“But there are a lot of excellent musicians around who never make it and nobody seems to know why.

“But I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of these groups make it. After all, a lot of people once thought the Stones were just a little cult – and look what happened to them.”

Most improved stars of the year?

“The Beatles,” said Paul. “We think so, anyway!”