If you've never heard of Paul McCartney's side project the Fireman -- or if you have and never connected the dots -- you're not to blame. The first two LPs, 1993's 'Strawberry Oceans Ship Forest' and 1998's 'Rushes,' created in partnership with producer and fellow bass player Youth, formerly of Killing Joke and currently working with the Orb, were more than credible takes on ambient electronic music. However, these works were released almost in secret and bearing nothing musically or nominally to identify them as emanating from the man best known for his "silly love songs."

For the upcoming third album carrying the Fireman brand, 'Electric Arguments,' Sir Paul has emerged from his experimental closet, as he and his collaborator are proudly owning up to the eclectic array of sounds and -- a Fireman first -- vocals found on 'Arguments.' McCartney and Youth talk to Spinner about the collaborative process, along the way vehemently defending the commercial prospects for the album.

The previous Fireman albums were released with very little fanfare. Are you worried that the larger profile for 'Electric Arguments' will confuse or alienate the average Paul McCartney fan?

PM: They always say that! "You think you're gonna alienate your fans?" It's a weird idea, isn't it ... putting out a record to alienate people.
Y: I think this is a fan's ultimate album. I mean, I'm a massive fan, and this is a fan's record, really.
PM: I'm not worried about alienating anyone. I think, you know, our fans are fans. They're pretty cool people.

What determines whether you've got yourself a Fireman song or a Paul McCartney song?

PM: Don't know ...
Y: It depends -- it's totally up to Paul, if he wants to do with whatever he does. Today it's Fireman, we're doing the Fireman.
PM: How many producers does it take to change a light bulb? [Laughs] I don't know, what do you think?

Paul, do you feel more emboldened and more energized working in collaboration with other musicians such as Youth?

PM: Yeah ...
Y: I really enjoy it. Because as a producer you're generally working with a fixed band and it's got the songs already done. This way, we're kind of making it up as we go along; there's a lot more freedom of which way we can go with it...
PM: Mmmm, total.
Y: ... and just how far I can challenge Paul in the creative way and get the best out of him.
PM: And we get on well with each other, enjoy working together. And I trust his judgment in the Fireman world, you know -- that's how we've always done it, like throw a lot of the stuff at him and then don't bother which bits he picks. You know, I could just come around and go, "Oh, that was my favorite bit!" Sometimes I might, but normally I don't do that, might just pick, "Oh that was good," and he says, "Oh, OK." But normally it's just Youth who chooses, and that's a luxury for me, I don't have to think. And it's a very freeing process.
Y: I just gotta make sure it sounds great [laughs], 'cause, you know, it's gotta be great. That's the only criteria.


Download: The Fireman, 'Nothing Too Much Just Out Of Sight' (MP3)

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