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I have never been able to figure out what makes Paul McCartney popular. I can't think of a single thing he's recorded that I can listen to.

Back in the day the Beatles had some good stuff now and then, but being a blues and R&R fan I never thought they were really a rock band. After the break up John Lennon's music was often closer to rock than anything McCartney ever came up with. Compare "Instant Karma" to "Silly Love Songs" and it's like two different worlds. It makes me wonder how they ever worked together. But, neither of them came out with anything that made me part with my money after Sgt. Pepper.

--My opinion only, of course.

After the break up John Lennon's music was often closer to rock than anything McCartney ever came up with.

You picked one release from each of them as an example. "Walls and Bridges" and "Imagine" were watery (except "Whatever Gets You through the Night" and the powerful but ultimately boring "Beef Jerky"). His anthem "Imagine" is now more of a lounge club/lefty staple even as Silly Love Songs stays in the Top 40 pop box it was always meant to be in.

Even the album entitled "Rock'n'Roll" is largely populated with slower covers (the released "Stand by Me") and filler (Ya-Ya). Worst cover album of its type since Bowie's Pin-Ups.

Heck, Harrison's "Thanks for the Pepperoni" has more Rock spirit in it than "Instant Karma", "Mind Games" and "Imagine" put together. George managed to put down the sitar for 10 minutes and got some great studio help.

Paul McCartney never pretended to be Aerosmith. He could write pop (Band on the Run, Listen to What the Man Says), country (Sally G), straight rock (Rock Show,Juniors Farm, Jet, Helen Wheels), opera (Liverpool Oratorio), slow rock (Venus and Mars, Letting Go), and could tinker on piano, guitar and bass.

He is not my favorite, but the man has talent, even with half his brain burnt out from weed.

Also, Paul McCartney won't force us to buy a half dozen Yoko Ono tracks to get his last album.

"I can't think of a single thing he's recorded that I can listen to."

Right after the Beatles break up he released some pretty good stuff. "Ram" and "Red Rose Speedway" are as good as pop gets. I think he peaked with "Band on the Run". In an interview Lennon gave to Playboy in the year before he died he said he thought Paul had never gotten the credit he was due for his chops on the bass. Lennon said Paul was easily the best bass player he ever played with by a wide margin.