Tuesday, July 07, 2009

I don't know how else to start this--

--but thirty-eight years ago, at nineteen years of age I drew this pencil sketch, possibly for use as a portfolio piece.
Looking at it now I'm a bit surprised by its real estate and the way it's composed; with Revolver as the firm foundation and Yellow Sub as an extra added attraction on top, a bit of fluff actually. But by featuring a solo Paul Mc Cartney image set slightly above the other Beatles' "Let It Be" images suggests that he'd firmly established his solo career, and that I was highly in favor of it.
I still think that Paul's first solo effort is one of the best records ever made. It's loose and sketchy. And "Maybe I'm Amazed" still holds up.

And why did I think it was necessary to draw John's mic coming out of Ringo's head?

Sorry, Ritchie. You deserved better.

13 comments:

max said...

It's a wonderful composition, and the portraits are spot on, an impressive illustration Vince. The stylized Paul and John are also perfectly pitched.
Just take away the microphone and finish it up now.

PJ said...

Personally one of all time favorites is the dual CD set Wingspan, amazing amount of great material on it that I never tire of.

Mug It Up!/Jim H said...

Vince you seem as Beatle obsessed with regard to drawing as me and my brother were as kids and teens!

Since you mentioned the first Macca record I have it on right now. Although I'm more partial to Ram and Red Rose Speedway, there's a lot of great stuff. "Junk" is a lovely tune.
And of course, it has the theme for "Popeye and Friends" on it. ;)

Vince M said...

You're too easy on me, Max. Although I would like to fix George's eyes and that stubby little Yellow Sub Ringo, to say the least.
Maybe a pen and ink with washes. And a lot of corrections.

I like Wingspan too, PJ.
One-stop shopping. Lots of solo hits.
And thanks for the "TRUMP" heads up. I ordered it last March. Looking forward to it.
I hope you're doing well.

I used to buy my first Beatles 45's at a Barber Shop that sold Top 40 and R&B records in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn. I still remember walking back to my house dying of anticipation. I couldn't wait to play those records.
But aside from copying their logo a zillion times I didn't start drawing them until Yellow Sub was released. I loved the character designs. The Beatles TV cartoons were a little too kiddie-looking for me, so I never copied them.
I painted a six-foot high John Lennon in my black-walled room with day-glo paint in '68. I was pretty hard-core, Jim. I like Ram & Red Rose too. And I agree "Junk" is amazing. But my all time favorite is "Every Night".

"Popeye and Friends"?

Mug It Up!/Jim H said...

Yep, a sped up version of "Hot As Sunglasses" was used as the theme song for "Popeye and Friends" on Channel 11 on afternoon weekdays during the 70's.

"Every Night" is the other great song on that album.

BTW, there's a ton of those Beatle cartoons up on youtube. They stink by and large, the best designed animation sequences being the song interludes. And you can hear Paul Freas do a terrible cockney accent playing John.
Same animation company that did the Yellow Submarine, incidentally.

Mug It Up!/Jim H said...

Actually it was channel 5.

Here it is-I can't believe someone actually put this up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKPmstsdJB4

Vince M said...

I couldn't stand the Beatles toons because of their idiotic portrayal of the lads as bumbling and confused fools. But I will take a look at them again, maybe I've mellowed.
And I can understand why you associated Popeye and Friends with WPIX 11, they played the Fleischer and Famous shorts for nearly two decades.

Whitney Pollett said...

So awesome Vince!! I love the different styles, all reminiscent of that era with a little Musacchia flava. HAhah...and the psychology behind it is cool too! You're a real enlightened cat Vince!

Whitney Pollett said...

ps. HEY what happened to Bjorn on the 4th??? I loved that guy!!

Vince M said...

Thanks Whitney, I really appreciate the kind words.

Vince M said...

And guess what? ...Bjorn is back!

RYAN ASTAMENDI PHOTOGRAPHY said...

VIn,
Wow, that Beatles love runs long and deep....
I can't imagine loving a band that much......but maybe one day Huey Lewis & the News will mean that much to me.
(See how I beat you to the punch there...)

Vince M said...

You're right, Ry. But before the Beatles there were other favorites like the Supremes, the Temptations, the Four Seasons and scores of others that I loved to listen to.
However, when the Beatles came along kids my age were prompted to pick up musical instruments and join in the fun. They looked like they were having more of a blast than the other "acts" of the time. They felt more genuine, like it was a calling to them instead of a profession. I guess to me it was similar to what other kids felt watching great ballplayers and trying to emulate them on the field.