The 1972 Wings Tour bus

A few weeks back I posted a photo of the tour bus Paul and the rest of Wings used to tour Europe in 1972.   It is a really groovy bus.  According to everything I have read, it was painted by Paul himself and used in 1972 to transport Paul and his family and the rest of the Wings group from gig to gig.   What ever became of this amazing bus?   Well...as of 2011 it was listed for sale on Craigslist!    Craigslist of all places?    I am not sure who was selling it exactly or who bought it.   You would think something that awesome would be sold by an auction house and bought by some rich museum or something?   I don't get it.   Anyhow, one of the readers of this blog, Roland, said that there was a friend that rode on the bus and Roland was awesome enough to get the information about that "Magical mystery ride."    

I was 15 and we had been hitch-hiking to Örebro early in the day, barefoot, bell bottoms, with an Indian tunic, and long-hair. It was sunny, I remember. We went to Idrottshuset where it would be, and there we saw the BUS! We were there much too early. Paul’s and Linda’s children were there with some personnel, roadies? And we had the great HONOR to get INTO the bus and ride a short distance in the parking lot as they would move it a little. We had been there sooo long waiting ;)  The experience was amazing for us; I was completely overjoyed, found it difficult to believe that I was there! Later during the show I was dancing like crazy, and we got the spotlight on us for a while - my moment in the limelight. A magical evening, totally. Have seen him several times after that, but Örebro was special.

I have also included an article from the local newspaper Nerikes Allehanda from the day.

Nerikes Allehanda, 9/8 1972

WINGS CONCERT

Idrottshuset, Örebro August 8, 1972,

Paul McCartney and Wings in Örebro was a pop event that surely will never be repeated. Faced with well stocked seats in Idrottshuset he and his pals entertained for just over two hours. Because of all requirements there was a delay of the show for about a half-hour. But when they finally got started it was full out.

There he was in his baggy pants and with his special McCartney bend in his hips. When he then struck his bass guitar with his left hand there was as a shiver through my body. Is it really Paul McCartney who is here? He is such a sought after catch in England and the United States — and here he is in Örebro ...   

Having heard the last Wings single "Mary had a little lamb" one can easily be led to believe that the band is getting soft but the live show immediately demolished the preconceived notions. Although the soft singel hit was on the repertoire the difference between disc and live is huge.  It was quite different andso was the rest of the material which was mainly taken from the "Wild life"-album.

But there were also new songs such as "Henry's blues", a finely balanced blues with the distinguished guitarist Henry McCullough at the front. The other guitarist, Denny Laine, also did a few solo numbers. In his "Say You Don't Mind" he had ample space to exhibit what an exceptionally good singer he is.   

As expected, Paul McCartney stood for most of the song, and on songs such as "Smile Away", "Mumbo", "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" and "Wild Life" he sang himself properly sweaty. His bass playing was also something odd, and together with drummer Denny Seiwell was a nice rhythmsection and formed a good basis for the two guitarists.   

If Paul's wife Linda has a place in the band has been discussed. It took nearly half an hour before I even discovered her on stage. She sat behind the keyboard and not only looked pale, her playing was too! When the end came together for a little more difficult piano playing it was her husband Paul who took over. It was in "My Love", a finely balanced McCartney ballad, and "Mary Had a Little Lamb" both getting a much tougher treatment in Idrottshuset than on disc.   

It was almost full to capacity in the hall. Yet there was never any real atmosphere despite the fact that Paul repeatedly had the audience dancing in front of the stage, but it was clear that there was a world star who was here. The performance was not only a major event for all Beatles-fans. Paul and his buddies  played temselves considerably sweaty and were well worth the two bottles of whisky, which had been promised to wait in the dressing room.

Paul McCartney, gitarr, bas och sång
Linda McCartney, keyboards och sång
Denny Laine, gitarr, bas och sång
Denny Seiwell, trummor
Henry McCullough, gitarr

Other songs performed:
Bip Bop
Smile Away
Mumbo
Give Ireland Back To The Irish
1882
I Would Only Smile
Blue Moon Of Kentucky
The Mess
Best Friend
Soily