Chuck Shute Podcast

Jim McCarty (The Yardbirds)

June 02, 2022 Jim McCarty Season 4 Episode 249
Chuck Shute Podcast
Jim McCarty (The Yardbirds)
Show Notes Transcript

Jim McCarty is the drummer and founding member of the Yardbirds. The Yardbirds featured three legendary guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and rank #89 on Rolling Stone’s list of “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”  Jim has a new book out titled “She Walks in Beauty: My Quest for the Bigger Picture.” In this interview we discuss the best Yardbirds guitarist, playing Ouija boards with Jimmy Page, Jim’s bad experience with LSD, hearing Paul McCartney play him an early version of “Yesterday” and more! 

00:00 - Intro
00:38 - Quitting the Day Job 
03:05 - Putting Out Albums Vs. Singles 
05:05 - Pussycat Dolls Song & Royalties 
08:30 - Recording New Music 
09:20 - Best Guitarist? 
11:30 - Jimmy Page & Ouija Boards 
14:30 - Linked Together & Global Consciousness 
18:15 - Visions Before Death & Charlie Watts 
19:40 - Birds & Butterflies 
21:30 - Signs, Synchronicity  & Salvador Dali 
24:42 - Drugs & LSD 
30:20 - Religion, Morality & Philosophy 
36:30 - Success, Fame & Gratitude 
37:48 - Interactions with The Beatles 
40:18 - Other Memories & Touring w/ The Yardbirds 
42:35 - Sarcoma Foundation 
44:40 - Outro 

Jim McCarty website:
http://www.jamesmccarty.com

Sarcoma Foundation of America website:
https://www.curesarcoma.org

Chuck Shute website:
http://chuckshute.com

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Thanks for Listening & Shute for the Moon!

Chuck Shute:

Hey, stick around because today we have a full on rock and roll legend on the show Jim McCarty, he's the drummer for the Yardbirds. He's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He's got some great stories, like playing Weegee boards with Jimmy Page hanging out with Paul McCartney and hearing him play yesterday for the first time before he even had lyrics, his bad experience with LSD. And of course, we're gonna talk about his new book, all this and more coming right up, don't go anywhere you know, with all the success, you've had the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you didn't think you were gonna make it? Didn't you ask? You told your boss, you asked like your day job, you asked for time off, but you wanted to have that job back and a few years, you're like, I don't think this band is gonna work out. So I'll come back in a few years. And then obviously, it worked out.

Jim McCarty:

I was really funny, because, you know, I was in a steady job. Quite, you know, quite a good job nine to five. And I was living with my mother and coach, she wanted me to keep have a job. And I was playing with the band, we started playing more and more. And it was very, very difficult to try and keep it up that they playing at night and then working nine to five. And I you know, sometimes they used to go straight to a gig and I chained for my purse. It was the stock exchange, you know, and I changed for my pinstripe suit, you know, into my teeth and teacher and play a gig. You know, it was quite funny, but it was very tiring for me. And so I went to the boss and I thought, Oh, well, it is not going to last very long. Maybe I had my job back in a year or so. Can I do that? said of course. I never. I never actually went back ever.

Chuck Shute:

That was that before when you jumped? So when you quit? Was that after you'd already been signed to a record deal?

Jim McCarty:

No, no, no, no, we were always thinking. We were obviously going to do quite well, because we were you know, we were building an audience and we would. People were very keen on us. And we were playing a lot. And it was getting bigger and bigger. So no, it was it was before we ever signed up.

Chuck Shute:

But you just knew you're like something's I can't keep doing this. I mean, you were busy enough with the band that it made sense to quit at that time?

Jim McCarty:

Oh, yeah, definitely. Yeah. It was very, it was quite full on and it went actually went very quickly. You know, from from just starting to play and play more and more gigs and then getting a record deal. And then having a finally having a hit. It was quite quick. You know, it all happened in about a year or something.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, I mean, it's amazing how many albums you guys put out. I mean, now it's like people make an album. Well, for a while it was like every other year, every two or three years. And now it's like one every 10 years. But you guys are putting out multiple albums in the same year.

Jim McCarty:

Well, that was really, you know, probably compilations I don't think we actually made that many albums per se. There were a lot of albums made out of all our our singles, single attempts, you know, and our hit singles and stuff. Mainly combinations. I think we did a couple of albums. I think no, maybe, yeah, maybe only three because we did the live album first. Live at the marquee and then we did the what's called Roger, the engineer and then little gains and then maybe the other the one in New York which was alive one, which never really came out you know, the Amazon theater that came out fairly recently actually about five years ago in a remastered so we we did we were we were asked to do singles all the time. That was the old thing in those days. Your next single it was so important.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, that's kind of how it is now though, too. I feel like nobody buys albums. It's all about the single.

Jim McCarty:

I know. And it's also come out and you know, somebody said to me the other day Oh, it looks like it's come round. It was where you were making all the money from playing gigs. And it's, you know, similar because you don't make you're not really making you know, big record royalties is now it's all coming off the road. And I think that's that goes for the young bands as well. Yeah, it's like it was in the 60s. All right, but I love

Chuck Shute:

the like, wasn't there a song that Pussycat Dolls, they covered you? They used a clip from the Yardbirds. So you get this royalty check, like what is it like 30 or 40 years later? Like that's so crazy.

Jim McCarty:

I'm not. I know what that was, you know, best ever best ever cover when they just sampled a bit of it, you know, beginning? Yeah, I use a very simple riff. And it's crazy. It was the I mean they've said they're so big and so so 70 records that it was our best ever cover but then all the others some

Chuck Shute:

is that your biggest moneymaker is from that cover? Are you going to other Royal? Is there another big royalty?

Jim McCarty:

That's the biggest moneymaker from from the songs you know, okay. That was shapes and things got recorded by lots of people, including David Bowery and Richie Blackmores. Rainbow and quite quite a few. But nothing comes up to the

Chuck Shute:

that's funny.

Jim McCarty:

Yeah. If you listen to the record, you can hear us playing on we're actually playing at the beginning. Yeah, well, that's a cool song. Yeah, yeah, it was one of our album tracks. So it's funny. It's funny what happens they're very, very Stranger Things happen. And

Chuck Shute:

I listened to the the, your original song and I'm like, Oh, this is a really cool riff. I see why they picked it. It still stands the test of time.

Jim McCarty:

Yeah. You know, taking a bit of credit here. It was probably the first song I ever wrote.

Chuck Shute:

Oh, you were you the songwriter?

Jim McCarty:

Well, yeah, I wrote it. But Paul, Sam was Smith, the bass player. You know, we go back a long way. And he was at school with me. And he sort of helped me do it. So it was him and me that that the royalty No,

Chuck Shute:

you don't you don't just do drums you play a lot of the play keyboards? And did you have like a new age band and stuff and you've done all sorts of stuff?

Jim McCarty:

Yes, I've dipped in really into different types of music. Yeah, I've been a bit of New Age, relaxation music. And also I quite like to play guitar and sing like a sort of acoustic you know, Acoustic Singer Songwriter type thing. I liked that role as well. Not many people know that about me. But there's a few albums I've done. I've done like, three or four solo albums. And not many people know it but they know me from you know, beating the drum with the art but

Chuck Shute:

yeah, do you play live and do the live shows with the singer songwriter?

Jim McCarty:

Sometimes Yeah, I haven't for a long time because of the maybe because the lockdown, but I've done now I've done but now.

Chuck Shute:

Are you guys gonna tour with the Yardbirds? The DIY version you have now?

Jim McCarty:

Yeah, it was a budget. Yeah. But coming back in September, because we had a lot of dates canceled. And got finally got re booked in in September. So we're coming. We're not coming as far as you. Unfortunately. We're just going to the East Coast.

Chuck Shute:

Okay. Well, I thought like, Would you guys ever record new music and I think it'd be cool to get some of the like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page just to do like a song or two, like you think they'd be down for that? I mean, just like the nostalgia of it.

Jim McCarty:

Well, you'd never know. You know, what, now and then we ask them, but we we don't get we don't hear back but you never know, depending on the mood or bigger to do some new material. Because, you know, the last one was the Birdland album, and that was back in, you know, 2003 Okay. And we did it. We did it out and Steve buys place in Hollywood. Oh, Steve. Vai

Chuck Shute:

did he play on it?

Jim McCarty:

Hey, live on it. Yeah, he played on shapes that thing.

Chuck Shute:

Okay. So if all those good guitarist I mean, you probably get asked this question all the time. But if Eric Clapton back and paid you all were in the Yardbirds who was the best who was the one that wowed you the most?

Jim McCarty:

Oh, wow, no doubt chat. Oh, really? Yeah, Jack chap was the greatest musician. But, you know, he probably was well, I don't know if it's the most difficult but you know, that they were all quite difficult in their own way. But I think Jeff was the best musician. I think they all agree anyway. Really. Was there

Chuck Shute:

a time there was a time when back And Paige were in the Yardbirds together, which is just It blows my mind that you had both of those guys. I mean, that's crazy.

Jim McCarty:

Incredible, wasn't it? It didn't last too long. No, it was too too much. Yeah.

Chuck Shute:

Well, they Yeah, cuz I mean, they must have known that they, you know were that talented that they could go off on their own and just have their own solo careers and obviously paid with Led Zeppelin to have

Jim McCarty:

well that they finally they finally got it but it was very much the confidence thing, you know, they had to organize things, but they were always they were all destined to be on their own solo solo guys, really? They're all great players.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, I mean, were you when you're looking them back in the kit, and you're playing? Are you? Are you just mesmerized and wowed and going, these guys are insane, or is this just like what you're used to, like you're almost spoiled with when you have all three of those like, right in a row?

Jim McCarty:

Well, you know, you have to think that in those days, when we're just the team, we were playing together. And we were like a family. And there was nobody more important than anyone else. We were just we were just playing some that we worked out together and we're all a team. And finally, you know, each of them got satisfied with it and dissatisfied and wanted to do something else.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. Well, so let's talk a little bit about the book and tie this in though because you do talk about and I wanted to ask you more about this. You bring up Jimmy Page in the book. And you because you were talking about you had this kind of interest in the what do you call it the occult, the paranormal, all this stuff. But there's a there's a part where you talk about Jimmy Page and playing Weegee boards with Jimmy Page. Did you guys ever conjure up any spirits or anything or tell me about that sounds? Hanging and doing anything with Jimmy Page sounds fascinating. But playing a Ouija board sounds even more? That sounds like a good story there. Like you didn't really dive into detail on the books I want to ask you about it

Jim McCarty:

was probably just done as a bit of a laugh. Quick, we used to mess around with those things sometimes. Just for a joke really wasn't serious. But yeah, Timmy Jim at the time, he was quite interested in flying saucers. I remember that. And he knew the person around the society in London. And he told us Oh, we should go and talk to him. I know. He will tell you some stories. And yeah, we went we went we met him that the guy in London and I mean, we were all interested in that sort of thing. But, you know, he went off. And he started Aleister Crowley, you know, and all that stuff. We didn't get him Keith and I, Keith rafters singer and myself. We didn't get involved in that at all. But what we were just interested and all that sort of weird and wonderful things to talk about it on the road all the time. And we you know, we've developed a big interest in the paranormal things and things that couldn't be explained.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, it was interesting to you said that it was banned in the UK or like, medium like psychics, where it was illegal to be a psychic in the UK, back in the 60s or something?

Jim McCarty:

I don't know. I'm not sure about that. But it was always like frowned upon, I think particularly mediums, they that I think they still are that slightly frowned upon by the church, you know, because they, they feel as something, you know, Voodoo, or whatever, or something strange about it, but I thought that doesn't really bother me. But yeah, it's been a long history, in in England, of all that psychic stuff, going really back to the Victorian times when I used to happen and people like Conan Doyle, we know he comes into the book a lot. He was very interesting. And he was always interested in all that stuff. And of course, he wrote all the Sherlock Holmes books. But he was a great character.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, so like, you start off the book talking about how you kind of feel like everything is what is it? The word use? Like? Everything's kind of connected and weave together through these everything's linked by these threads. Explain that more though.

Jim McCarty:

Well, it's a sort of thread. It's something that connected in your mind and you're sort of saying sin was something else, you know, and you start thinking about maybe you started thinking about flying saucers and then that things in with, like land to send all that stuff and then linked in with other stuff, and, and also, we're all connected anyway, you know, everyone on the earth is connected in some way, you know, you can't really say we're all individuals, we're all, you know, I'm connected with you on some level. And it's funny, these threads are all weaving. They're all they're all going the same way.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, wasn't there also like a, I don't remember the details of this. But it was like the theory of like, global consciousness that we're all connected like in our consciousness, which is like a really interesting thought, if you think about it, like somehow we're all all of our minds are connected to each other. And that on a deeper level, we just don't might not be aware of it all the time.

Jim McCarty:

Yes, I know, it's awareness of things that we don't know. And I never when I thought about these things, but I was never struck about it deeply until my wife passed. And then there was very strong signs that, you know, she was, she was still going. And then I studied people like Eben Alexander who was, is a brain surgeon, and he had a near death experience. And he said, Well, I can't explain this. Because I was so ill, my brain was dead. So I was going into a place where I remembered everything, like a vision, and I remembered where I went, who I met, the place, the place I went to, I could describe it clearly. And they had this great story. But he said, My brain was that. So where was it coming from? He could only say that the consciousness was was carrying on. So I can see quite logically now that when we die, our consciousness carries on, you know, all our body and mind can die. But there's part of us that still goes on an iPad, evidence I've had solid proves that I can speak to my wife. And it's not. It's not that easy. But it can be done. And it comes and goes, but it's definitely evidence and I believe it. And it's been a it's been a great journey. So I thought, well, I'll write the book and see, see how it goes. Maybe it would help people in some way that have lost relatives or children, you know, people that are going through the same as me that grief process. And I've had very good reaction from that.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, it seems like there is when you talk about the near death experience, there's a lot of like, these commonalities with those experiences. And, and again, there's a lot of those people, like you said, a brain surgeon, these people of the medical community who are very skeptical, and then they say, you know, they're seeing things and experiences that are very real. And you experience some of those with with Lizzie when she was before she passed, didn't you say like she was having visions and things like she she predicted Charlie Watts was gonna die the drunk Rolling Stones drummer.

Jim McCarty:

Yeah. I don't know how you got that, because that wasn't in the book. But I did. I did know that this was after she passed, I have a thing where I try and communicate on a regular basis, you know, particular time of day and I write down things. And I get things in. I see things in my mind, or I hear things and she said to me, Charlie, what's in it? It was, you know, a few months before he died. And I cook Charlie Watts. So you know what, and she wasn't really into rock and roll. Like I am. He like more so than classical music. So I don't know what what it was about. And then all of a sudden, he died. And I realized, well, she was telling me that he was going to die. So I mean, where she is. There's there's no time. There's no, there's timeless. So

Chuck Shute:

that's so fascinating. Yeah. And what was the thing to explain this? You said there was the birds and butterflies were coming to the window when she was when she was about to pass? What what is that? What do you think's going on there?

Jim McCarty:

Yeah, I mean, it was very strange. I've never seen it before, but birds would try and come into the room and peck on the window and shoot was in a coma, she was on morphine and akamba before she passed, because of the pain of the cancer, and I was, I was talking to her, you know, I was saying, Wow, look at the third is trying to get in, but who say, you know, what was what was going on? It was very odd. And then after she passed that, there were more and more birds coming. And butterflies coming. And but I found out now, apparently they can. People on the other side, as they say, they can merge with these, with these things with birds or butterflies, they can merge their energy with them. But no, just temporarily. And they've been they can come to, to say hello, just to say that they're around, you know, give you a sign.

Chuck Shute:

Oh, wow. Yeah, because you didn't have the birds and the butterflies. They weren't there before and not since.

Jim McCarty:

Now, all of a sudden, I'm seeing all the birds. And then that was one little bird used to come into the terrace and stay the night, you know, used to nestle down and talk to terrorists every night for about a week or so. Little experiences like that. And you've got to be aware of it, you know, you've got to notice it. And there's lots of things like that that happened. Were really funny.

Chuck Shute:

What other signs are when you say that she still communicates with you? What kind? How does, how does that happen? What does that look like?

Jim McCarty:

Well, I always ask for evidence. This was something that I learned for medium, Suzanne Guzman, because I did some courses with her. And she was refeed sort of show me how to do it, how to go through the steps in order to communicate. We tried she were quite simple. And she said that well. It's very important that you have evidence that something something you don't know already something solid that you can prove. So you know, I might say to the zoo, oh, it's summer that what am I going to see that today? And she might say, Oh, you'll see a tower or you'll see a circus. But something like that will come into my mind. And then it'll happen. And I was talking to somebody, it was actually the stories in the in the book. I was talking to someone who lives in California, they're probably near where you are, who was the tour manager for the band, and the name was Mariah. And Lizzie didn't really know her very well, but she knew of her. And I said we're always he told me something about Mariah that that I would know. So I saw this vision of a skipping rope in my mind. So I rang up, Mariah and I talked a bit to her. And then I said to her, just skipping rope men and Megan to you. And Mariah said, not really said I used to do skipping when I was a kid, but and then she said, Oh, hold on a minute. She said, I'm a big fan of Salvador Dali. And Salvador Dali in his paintings used to put Alice in Wonderland in the corner, skipping. And she said, I'm a big fan. And I did a homage to Darlene. It's actually on my wall behind me. And it was a sort of, you know, a sort of painting sculpture type of thing. And it was a woman skipping stories in my book

Chuck Shute:

that, you know, it's really weird. This is gonna, this might blow your mind right now. Look at this. I have this book right here. What are the odds of that? Like, I have this book right here. I just, I had had it on my wall for my last guest because he was a big Dali fan. And I love he's my favorite artists. So I put that up there for him. But I had it right here and you're talking about I'm looking at this book. As you're telling the story. I'm like, What are the odds of that? You're going to tell the story right

Jim McCarty:

now? Yeah, that's that's what happened or the synchronicity. synchronicity.

Chuck Shute:

Exactly. Yeah, that's really fascinating stuff. Wow, that's crazy. Well, you talk to about, cuz sometimes I think some of this stuff. I feel like we just get bits and pieces. We don't really know what's going on. People can say this or that. This is for sure. I don't think anybody knows what we just get like little clues. And I think sometimes people see things with drugs. Now you talk in chapter two that you One time tried LSD and it messed you up for months. Tell me about that. What happened

Jim McCarty:

a long time? Well, we were in San Francisco. And we we saw, we were playing and this this guy suddenly appeared. And he was had all long greasy hair and a black leather jacket on and stuff and dirty old jeans. And he was like Doctor out there. He made all the acid on the West Coast. At the time, you know, he was a famous chemist, you know, Doctor chemist, and he just gave clocked a whole load of pills into our hands, you know, he said, Oh, try these out and cause like idiots, we test them. And it was very strong acid. And it didn't agree with me, I was away on tour. And I'd read about acid before I'd read Timothy Leary, and all that stuff. When I didn't know what to expect, and it was it was very difficult. Being somewhere that was, you know, I was very insecure and not really comfortable. And so I had a pretty bad trip. And I had repercussions when I got back to London. I was quite depressed for a long time. Currently, that can be quite common. But I was lucky. Because my brain came round, I was okay after it eventually. And it led me on to a lot of sort of healing stuff and self healing and all that stuff. In London, I got involved with some very interesting people in that field. And I've been like that ever since really, very interested in that sort of thing.

Chuck Shute:

But then never and then you kind of got over the depression. And you ever had experienced that again?

Jim McCarty:

No, no, I didn't. I did not to that level. Yeah, no, I never went back. It was like a horrible thing. You know, where you wake up in the morning. And you think, Oh, it might be gone. But then you wake up in the morning. And there it is, again, day after day. It was very, very disturbing. But it finally went and I remember my My doctor was treating me who was in Harley Street or somewhere in London, and he said, Oh, you'll get the benefit of this in the future. Which I'm not quite quite sure what he meant. But I think he meant it would be a creative, creative thing, an advantage creatively. So I'm assuming that's what he meant.

Chuck Shute:

That's how I've heard yeah, like I had I just had a musician on yesterday. And he said, he only did it like four times. And he feels like he doesn't need to do it again. He says whatever door it opens, he said it opened it. And that's that's all he needed. So yeah.

Jim McCarty:

It's interesting

Chuck Shute:

that it affects people. I had friends in high school that would do that stuff every day. I'm like, I don't know how they function and go to school. Taking acid every day. I mean, I guess some people are different, more sensitive to it.

Jim McCarty:

Yeah, there's so many levels of sensitivity out there, you know? Yeah. I suppose looking back on it. I'm glad it's over. But I don't regret it. Because if the doctor was right, I think it helped me in some way. But I wouldn't I wouldn't suggest anyone took it.

Chuck Shute:

Now it's a gamble. Because you don't know how it's gonna affect you could be I mean, luckily you recover, but it could have been worse.

Jim McCarty:

Back then. It's not like a fine to bear. You always know how you're gonna feel.

Chuck Shute:

Right. Right. Right. Was there a lot of drugs when you were in the Yardbirds in the 60s? I would think that would be a time where there was a lot of drugs going all over the place.

Jim McCarty:

Yes, it was very available. You know, every, every second person you bump into give you something, especially in San Francisco, of course. That was the place but yeah, everywhere. It was very available.

Chuck Shute:

So more it was probably more just pot for you then or what was it other stuff? Was it I mean, obviously, that was your only experience with LSD, but

Jim McCarty:

it was either and then it became LSD. We never got into cocoa and okay, maybe some upper upper pills, you know, amphetamine that you take to keep awake. Oh, yeah. Yeah, they were quite popular.

Chuck Shute:

Okay, so So we're weird to think of like, I guess Yeah, but I mean, those those guitar player Eric Clapton, all those guys did, they must have used those drugs sometimes that might have enhanced the some of the performances

Jim McCarty:

well I don't know about that. But you know, unfortunately, I think they, you know, those guys ended up drinking too much. I think that was, was that the thing? The thing that did

Chuck Shute:

not when they were in the Yardbirds, was it? And

Jim McCarty:

they were fine before? Yeah, they were fine with us.

Chuck Shute:

Okay. I wanted to ask you about this part in the book, too, you talk about very early. In the book, you talk about kind of these observations you had with like religion and such. And you're trying to figure out like, well, how, how does that work? How could there only be one God and all that? So did you kind of come to a conclusion with that? Like, because they can't all religions can't be correct.

Jim McCarty:

I know, I know. But in a way, you know, the basis of all religion is very similar, I guess. But I don't I don't see what any one religion has been the right one. I mean, I was, I was sort of brought up as a Christian I went to, went to Sunday school and all that stuff. But none of them, none of them. No one is right, I think. But I really think that when you you know, when you die? There's no hell. So there's no, there's no, you're not going to be punished for your sins or anything like that. That's all those shit, I'd say. But because it seemed to be a very loving place where we all go. And any, any, any, anything we've done, that's wrong, then it's down to us, you know, we see ourselves for what we've done. And there's nobody going to punish us only really ourselves looking, looking at what we've done. And, you know, we're sort of owning up to that. This is what I can gather. And this is what I mean, I don't know, I'm just speculating.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, it's just weird to think, right? Because some of the there's some really evil people in the world. And I don't know, it's weird to think that if we're all in the same place, or like, it's confusing, like how that works, because I don't know if there is a necessarily a heaven or hell or or, or what happens, or if we're all connected, or like, do we even understand what what happens? But yeah, I don't know. It's like, you think that that doesn't seem right, that they those people that were so evil, would just get off scot free? I guess, in a way?

Jim McCarty:

Well, I don't think they do, you know, I think they have to live with it, and live with themselves. And I mean, if they if they still want to carry on like that, with that sort of mindset, then then they can, you know, they'll go to a nasty place. You know, that's what I think anyway, and then they'll have to finally realize they're doing something wrong. And then, and then gradually move up the scale.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, that's What's so weird about some of the evil people when you see interviews, like they don't feel guilty. And that's always a weird thing to me, too, that I, when he's talking about, like, the global consciousness, it's like, like, you know, that's what I feel more like, we're all connected. So I'm always trying to think of how am I making the world a better place? Am I doing good things for the world? But some people don't think like that. They just think like, what's best for me and screw everybody else? And that's kind of scary.

Jim McCarty:

Yeah, there's a bit of I think I'll pick the, you know, they'll get the picture in the end.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, I hope so.

Jim McCarty:

Thing is for us not not to be judgmental of them either, you know, we just have to let them do their thing and find out, whichever way they find out the hard way. Maybe?

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, is that kind of a philosophy that you've, you've kind of figured out over time was just, I mean, you've studied so much of this stuff, like what other conclusions have you come to with, with studying all this paranormal and philosophy and science and all this stuff?

Jim McCarty:

Yeah, well, I think that's the main conclusion that we're all conscious that goes on. We we carry on doing whatever but it's a good it's a good thing. I mean, we go, we get we go to it, we've got good in us, we'll go to a good place and we'll and we'll put bad we're finally learn. That's the only way to go. And we're going to we're going to gradually ascend, you know, this is what I gather we we're going to become better and better. We're going to help people do more and more. And that's the way forward.

Chuck Shute:

I hope so. It's it's, it sure is a it's a mystery, you know, it's like and that's why I like that you're trying to figure it out in this book and just with your experiences and your you're trying to tackle that subject. It's a tough subject. My dad's really interested. He actually wrote this book ultimate reality that he gets, like all the scientific stuff into it, though. He has like 500 resources, and he's documenting all these things. And it's a really fascinating subject for sure.

Jim McCarty:

Okay, that's your dad. Is it? Yeah. Yeah. See the name of the book was

Chuck Shute:

yeah, it's called Ultimate Reality. It's Roger Shute is my dad. Yeah, he wrote it. I had him on the show. And we talked about it. And yeah, it's it's really interesting to hear, because it's like you said, with the near death experience with the brain surgeon, there's so many stories like that, where there's all the science and I had a cognitive psychologist on who, who's really into the consciousness stuff. And he really thinks, the way he describes it as like, it's kind of like a virtual reality that what we're seeing is it's not reality. It's like a virtual reality. And when we die, it's like we're taking the headset off kind of is kind of the analogy that he's using.

Jim McCarty:

Yeah, completely Great. That's the way I see it. Yeah. Fantastic. Yeah. It's a tough a tough one. Because it's, it's quite, it's quite hard to live, isn't it? Sometimes. Like you say, you've got to see some horrible things and some horrible people. It's, you know, it's not an easy life. Here is it? I gather Whoo, we're learning a lot. We're all we're all learning at something or other. And then, you know, maybe we've got to come back again and learn some more, you know, and that's the way

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, so what have you learned? Because you're in one of the biggest rock bands of all time in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, like, was that your highlight in your life? Or was that even not, we realize now with more wisdom, that that wasn't even that big of a deal?

Jim McCarty:

Well, rather, it's all relative is that that that was relatively a big a big day, or that may, that was probably the best, the best thing that ever happened to us in a way. But, of course, you know, playing music and I'm still able to do it. And it's been, you know, I've met some wonderful people, and then some, seen some lovely places, and I've really enjoyed it, and that I'm very happy about that. I feel blessed, blessed, you know, and I have a lot of gratitude for that, for that happening to me. Which I think is an that's a positive thing if we can be grateful for things give thanks to things for our in our life. But I've had a lot, a lot of nice things happen. So you know, I feel quite mellow about all that,

Chuck Shute:

huh? Yeah. Well, you mentioned playing with some great people. Tell me about playing with the Beatles. Like is it the tell me the story you broke Ringo is drumkit when you played on it?

Jim McCarty:

Yeah, we were playing in Paris, actually. We were supporting them. In a quite a big, big place in Paris pallidus for an arena. And there were a lot of a lot of people, mainly men actually, there were mainly men there that was singing all the Beatles songs as they played. But we were we played before them. And in those days, we shared all the backline so the older guys played their their amps, and I played Ringo drums. And then they didn't use to make up the kit. In those days, they did. It's not like now it's very easy. You know, you hear everything. So in order to be heard, I had to really play loud. I mean, to hit them great. And then towards the end, I noticed I smashed through his snare drum. And I thought, okay, okay, brokenness, their drum. It was so embarrassing, you know, I thought, oh, no, I'm in trouble. But it was fine. And then it was all repaired very quickly and Ringo I laugh and but they were they were good guys because they were all was was very funny.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. And it was this the same time where McCartney comes into your dressing room and starts playing you an early version of yesterday's called scrambled eggs. It didn't have the lyrics.

Jim McCarty:

Yeah, yeah, exactly. I found about that time.

Chuck Shute:

Well, what was your thoughts? When you first when you first heard that? Were you like, oh my god, this is beautiful, or was it not really fleshed out at that point?

Jim McCarty:

Oh, no, no, it was lovely. Just hearing the chair and it was wonderful. I mean, hearing it up close, like, you know, like you're sitting here and playing it playing that tune to you. It didn't matter about because of there he got eventually were great. What they you know, yesterday was a great song. And it was like something that you know, you've never heard before. It's like something Oh, wow. This is this is this is fresh and original. I've never heard anything quite like this before.

Chuck Shute:

Wow, that must have been amazing to hear that song for the first time. Live with him playing it like it's crazy.

Jim McCarty:

It's so exciting and I'm so proud of it. You know, he came in and played, what do you think guys, you know,

Chuck Shute:

what other memories stand out for you is just in your time with the Yardbirds, or

Jim McCarty:

whether it was always it was always great coming over to America to be honest. Because, you know, we were in a very dismal dismal adjustments sort of life in, in London, and it was very dingy and foggy. And they used to be focused in those days was wet. And then we on the TV, we always watch the movies from the States, you know, and the gangster move in. And the westerns and all the beach movies and it was so excited suddenly to come to America. Well, that's going on class are all a blues music and the jazz. You could just go to a club and it's a great day the BB King or whoever, you know, some great jazz guy, Felonious Monk, I think we saw can really do that he can really do that in London.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, so you're you're going to tour with the Yardbirds, but you're not coming to the states this time.

Jim McCarty:

Oh, yeah, we're coming. We're coming to September

Chuck Shute:

to September. Okay. Oh, I have to watch out for that.

Jim McCarty:

And we're coming in September, but we'll be in a roundabout the East Coast. Philadelphia area around that.

Chuck Shute:

Okay. Do you do? Are you guys just go solo like just the Yardbirds? Or do you do like a package with other bands?

Jim McCarty:

Oh, no, no, we'll be we'll be solo. Yeah. I think we might be doing one gig with oh, I can't remember. Now, I can't remember now. But can't eat. Okay. One game we can take remember that?

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. Wasn't that more of a was it a 70s? Band? I feel like, I think another band.

Jim McCarty:

So 70. So bluesy band, okay. On the road again, to remember that.

Chuck Shute:

Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's yeah, that's a fun one.

Jim McCarty:

Yeah, we're doing maybe one or two gig for them.

Chuck Shute:

Okay, cool. Well, people can get the book now. You have all your music. And then I always end with the charity. And you mentioned the sarcoma Foundation of America. Yeah,

Jim McCarty:

my wife actually died with a sarcoma, which is just a like a little lump in her arm. But it spread very quickly. And we take an in touch with the foundation a couple of times, and they were very helpful. And they were very nice. And they recommended a doctor in London, that he went to see who was very, very nice. He was one of the specialists, you know, and he helped us a bit but, you know, it's very difficult. It's it's not an easy thing to to get over.

Chuck Shute:

Is that something that people can? If you catch it early, can you or can you prevent it? Or can you stop it? If you find it early as a thing? We're like, no notice later.

Jim McCarty:

Yeah, you gotta catch it very early. She had it. She had it on a forearm. But they were they were suggesting that they were going to remove her for First of all, we moved the source of the cancer, which, you know, wasn't very nice, but we thought it might be the answer, but it spread very quickly. It went to her liver, you know, very quickly after trauma. So it was quite aggressive.

Chuck Shute:

Okay, well, I'll put that website in the show notes along with the Yardbirds website. And again, the book is available. It's called, I want to make sure I have right she walks in beauty. My quest for the bigger picture. Yes. It's a good read. It's short. It's easy. I like it. So very good stuff. Really interesting topics and good stories. And I think you have another book too. That's more about your music career Correct?

Jim McCarty:

Over no typography that nobody told me. Yeah. Was that a little bit earlier? A few years earlier.

Chuck Shute:

Okay, cool. We'll people go check that out too. Well, thanks so much for doing this. Jim. I appreciate it.

Jim McCarty:

Alright, Chaco thoughts interview.

Chuck Shute:

All right, goodbye. Thank you again to Jim again. Make sure to check out his new book catch the Yardbirds on tour and you can hear all the Yardbirds music on Spotify, or a variety of other methods. And if you have a few bucks laying around, please send it to the sarcoma charity that's that he'd mentioned it's in the show notes along With my website where you can find links to all my social media and old podcast episodes. If you go on YouTube, you can see the episodes organized by playlists. And I've had some great classic rock musicians on the show including Joey Molan from bad finger, Mark Farner of Grand Funk, Ted Nugent, Don McLean, and Wilson from heart, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, Edgar Winter and many, many more. So make sure to subscribe or follow on social media so you'll be up to date with future episodes. And we're gonna have some great artists on the show coming up. So stick around for that. And thank you for listening. Have a great rest of your day and remember to shoot for the moon.