(via Guitar Player) by Joe Bosso
When Brian Ray joined Paul McCartney’s band in 2002, he was tasked with learning more than 40 songs — in one week.
“Fortunately, I listened to the Beatles nonstop throughout my life, so I already knew most of them,” he says. “Of course, it’s much different when you’re playing in a band that, oh yeah, is led by Paul McCartney himself. Needless to say, I immersed myself in the material.”
But Ray quickly discovered that there’s a difference between how the Beatles recorded the songs and how they need to be played onstage,
“It’s one thing to listen to these songs and appreciate them as a fan, as we’ve all done,” he says. “But when you start digging into them and analyzing them, you’re just astounded by the creativity and depth. Even stuff that sounds simple isn’t simple at all. I’m constantly amazed at the brilliance in these songs, and that feeling grows stronger all the time.”
Given his rarified position, Ray has some unique insights for guitar (and bass) players looking to incorporate Fab Four material into their repertoire.
“It’s important to have respect for the Beatles’ records,” he says. “On the other hand, you don’t want to sound like karaoke. And if you’re like me and you grew up on these records, they’re part of your DNA. You’ve memorized every upstroke and downstroke…
Every Moment Has A Song 