John Cox

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www.nytimes.com

Paul McCartney Is Still Trying to Figure Out Love

During lockdown, McCartney recorded "McCartney III" entirely alone, playing nearly all instruments himself, continuing a pattern established by his solo albums from 1970 and 1980. The interview explores his creative process, his evolving perspective on the Beatles' legacy fifty years after the band's breakup, and how his songwriting has remained remarkably consistent across decades—driven by melody and instinct rather than deliberate attempts at depth or growth. McCartney reflects on his relationships with his bandmates, particularly John Lennon and George Harrison, and discusses specific songs on the new album inspired by everything from Lead Belly to personal grievances with past collaborators.

Permalink musicmagazinebeatlesthe beatles

www.gq-magazine.co.uk

Paul McCartney: 'I was thought to be the guy who broke The Beatles up'

This is an extensive interview with Paul McCartney conducted during the 2020 lockdown, covering his reflections on The Beatles' reunion through Peter Jackson's documentary, his prolific solo career that he argues is equal to much of his work with the band, and his evolving relationship with fame over six decades. He discusses how he was initially reluctant to acknowledge his Beatles past but has grown more openly nostalgic, while defending his controversial lawsuit against the band that was necessary to save their catalog from manager Allen Klein, and reflecting on depression, self-doubt, and the difference between 1960s fame and today's social media-driven celebrity culture.

Permalink historymusictagsbeatles

The Great Discontent (TGD)

The Great Discontent

Mira Nakashima discusses her stewardship of her father's woodworking studio and philosophy, which emphasizes allowing the natural qualities of wood to dominate the design while maintaining careful attention to proportion and structure—an approach detailed in her new process book.

Permalink designwoodcreativityinterview

blog.outer-court.com

An Inside View From a Google Employee

A purported Google engineer named ZorbaTHut conducted an extensive forum interview describing internal practices and culture at Google circa 2006, covering topics like the company's flat hierarchy (just five levels for engineers), the actual flexibility of the famous 20% time policy (adjusted based on project deadlines), the prevalence of Linux systems, and hiring processes that emphasize skills over credentials. The interview also touches on practical matters like click-fraud concerns with AdSense, confidentiality rules around unreleased products, and the company's approach to programmer autonomy, suggesting Google's management philosophy trusted skilled workers to manage their own time and didn't micromanage their work-life boundaries.

Permalink softwarebusinessgooglecareers