Does anyone know where I can find the original source for a specific interview of Paul McCartney mentioning Neil Finn as the greatest songwriter alive? I have heard that in this particular interview Paul was asked how it felt to be the greatest songwriter alive today and he replied with something like "I'm not, Neil Finn is". Rumors can spread like wildfire, especially on the internet so I would like to see the original interview as verification if possible. I do know though that it was mentioned on Australia's Sunrise show last month: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Owd9dupRW0

Thanks!

I haven't come across a better song writer living or dead. Some musicians have written better songs than anything Neil's done but Neil's body of work is by far the most consistently impressive.

I think finngirl just wrote about that on another thread (in response to my post about my daughter asking me what John and Paul would/think of Neil's writing)...she'd know. I think she said it appeared on "Sunrise"? What's that?

Finngirl, you awake?

Sunrise is an Australian TV show. You can watch CH clips from their recent Sunrise appearance on YouTube.

You know what it is for me? Neil can write just a down-right fabulous, making you want to sing-it tune. His songs are funny sometimes, quirky and illustrative. Who else has a book documenting thir lyrics?

It makes you go, "Why can't I do that?". Some hard to define talent.

Ah, thanks, poptartjen

Wonder if we can find the McC. quote in question...

(and I want to add: I LOVE the edit function on this site -- whenever I post I *immediately* think of something else I wanted to add--it always works that way)

Well, Neil is most definitely in the Top 5 of Best Songwriters of all time. How many people have written such exquisite gems on such a consistent basis? Not many come to mind at all...besides Lennon and McCartney.

I would love to see that quote also.

Lorrie

Finnfann,

I too have looked for that interview. I think I googled 30 pages deep without success. Until I find the quote from Sir Paul I am taking the whole thing as rumor.

Have heard McCartney say that, don't remember where. Seems like he knows his stuff though.....

quote:

I too have looked for that interview. I think I googled 30 pages deep without success. Until I find the quote from Sir Paul I am taking the whole thing as rumor.

I have to agree. Seems someone would be able to substantiate this if it were true.

I have not found that specific article yet, I will look if and when I have the time, but in looking for something else, I did come across this quote from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/your...ntdreamitsover.shtml


Sir Paul McCartney is quoted as saying: "I wish I could write music like Neil Finn"

I have to rephrase your topic question, borrowing on a frequent question posed (about GWB) by Stephen Colbert on his show:

"Neil Finn: Great songwriter? or GREATEST songwriter???"

quote:

Originally posted by Finngirl:
I have not found that specific article yet, I will look if and when I have the time, but in looking for something else, I did come across this quote from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/your...ntdreamitsover.shtml

Sir Paul McCartney is quoted as saying: "I wish I could write music like Neil Finn"

I don't think that one counts, either, as it's just an unsourced quote from a random commenter to the BBC thread.

I'd asked about that quote many years ago, googled it years ago, and came up with nothing. So was quite happy when they mentioned it on Sunrise.

quote:

Originally posted by finnfan68:
Does anyone know where I can find the original source for a specific interview of Paul McCartney mentioning Neil Finn as the greatest songwriter alive?

Hi finnfan68,

Either BassPlayer or Bass Guitar magazine did a huge "Sir Paul McCartney - First interview in 5 billion years" cover story and big feature article (in 04 or 05 I think)...

I'm pretty sure that's where I read the Paul McCartney quotation, as I remember running around showing the quote to everyone I knew going "see? I told you so..."

Cheers

Andy
Canberra, Australia

quote:

Originally posted by Spanky(Andy):
Hi finnfan68,

Either BassPlayer or Bass Guitar magazine did a huge "Sir Paul McCartney - First interview in 5 billion years" cover story and big feature article (in 04 or 05 I think)...

I'm pretty sure that's where I read the Paul McCartney quotation, as I remember running around showing the quote to everyone I knew going "see? I told you so..."

Cheers

Andy
Canberra, Australia

Spanky,

Thanks for the info, but I have searched those magazines and I still cannot find it. Let me know when you run across it again.

finnfan68

Is anyone else beginning to think that perhaps Paul McCartney never actually said those words?

I'm an avid Paul McCartney fan and I never saw anything where he said those words. I would like to think he did, but....

I do know he has great respect for Neil and they really enjoyed each other's company when they met at the concert for Linda. They talked for quite some time I guess. This came from an interview with one of Neil's sisters, she was there as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Paināporo:
Is anyone else beginning to think that perhaps Paul McCartney never actually said those words?

The quote was definitely in print, cos I rubbed it in several people's faces at the time...

I could have sworn I read it in Bass Player, but now I'll have to go searching. The quotation also got my girlfriend at the time interested in Neil Finn's work.

Cheers

Andy

In my very early teens I had been a huge fan of The Beatles and especially Paul McCartney. The fondness für Maccas contributions and solo stuff wore off forever pretty quickly. I had a chat with a huge music fan lately and he said that he renders Paul McCartney as pretty average a songwriter/musician. So what's the fuss all about this quote? To me it doesn't seem worth the paper it might have been printed on.