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Graeme's ticket stub for the Newcastle concert |
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Paul McCartney concert at Newcastle City Hall September 16, 1975 |
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Concert at Newcastle City Hall September 16 1975 |
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Concert at Newcastle city Hall September 16, 1975 |
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Jimmy McCulloch, Graeme Leonard, Joe English at the Westmoreland Hotel, London, 18th September 1975 |
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Joe English, Nicky Pope, Jimmy McCulloch at the Westmoreland Hotel, London, 18th September 1975 |
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Nicky Pope, Graeme Leonard, Paul McCartney at Cavendish Avenue, 18th September 1975 |
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Paul & Linda McCartney, Cavendish Avenue, 18th September 1975 |
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Jimmy Copeland and Paul McCartney, Cavendish Avenue, September 1975 (all photos belong to Graeme Leonard. Posted by permission) |
Three Days In September
1975...
In September 1975, less than a month after
meeting Paul & Linda McCartney for the first time, Wings embarked on a
13-date UK tour and I was lucky to have tickets for three of the gigs... on
three consecutive nights. A lot had happened since seeing the band two
years previously... Denny Seiwell & Henry McCullough leaving... the ‘Band On
The Run’ and ‘Venus and Mars’ album releases... Jimmy McCulloch & Joe
English joining.
The first of these concerts was at Newcastle
City Hall on 16th September and I waited at the stage door for the band to
arrive, but couldn’t get close enough to take any decent photos. However,
my seat in the third row that night more than compensated and I was able to get
a few good shots of McCartney in action. It was a fantastic performance by
the whole band, with a much longer set than I’d experienced in 1973...
including, to my delight, some Beatles songs.
The next day I travelled down to London for two
shows at the Hammersmith Odeon, meeting up with my friend Nicky Pope and us
going there together. Another brilliant evening.
The following day was to become an unforgettable
one...
I overheard the Wings tour bus driver, in
Newcastle, talking about where the band were scheduled to stay in London.
It was the Westmoreland Hotel in St John’s Wood, NW8... only a few minutes away
from the McCartney’s house. So, on September 18th, Nicky and me decided it
was worth a trip to the hotel for the chance to meet one or two of the
band. We arrived at an imposing and posh reception area, breezing through
without a care in the world in the direction of the bar. Incredibly, we
got there just at the same time as Jimmy McCulloch was in the middle of a
disagreement with the bartender. The guy was refusing to serve Jimmy a
beer as he believed him to be underage. Jimmy didn’t protest too much
although he was obviously unhappy about it. To his great credit, at no
time did he play the “hey, I’m a famous rock star” card. Instead, he
slipped some money into my hand and said, “get me a pint please and a drink for
yourselves”. He sat down near the window and waited for us.
Amazingly, considering we were both much younger than Jimmy, we got served
without a problem and took the drinks over to his table. “Cheers”!!
A few minutes later Joe English appeared and made the party complete. What
an experience!!! It was surreal... sharing an afternoon with two of the
musicians we’d seen on stage with Paul McCartney less than 24 hours earlier and
due to repeat that night. After about an hour in the bar it was time for
them to leave for Hammersmith. Before doing so, they kindly agreed to have
some photos taken with us outside the hotel. We gave them our thanks and
went merrily on our way...
That should’ve been enough excitement for one
day, but... there was more to come. We walked the short distance to
Cavendish Avenue, fully expecting to find a throng of fans outside the
house. However, there wasn’t a single person in sight. Our immediate
thought was that we were too late and Paul & Linda had already made their
way to the venue. We chose to hang around for a little while... just in
case. It proved to be a wise decision. We were soon joined by two
other people. A middle-aged lady called Kathleen Copeland had brought her
son, Jimmy, over from Northern Ireland to see Wings as a treat for his 16th
birthday. Then suddenly, to our
surprise, the gates of Number 7 slowly opened and a bright green Porsche (it was
a bright orange Porsche in August!!) emerged. Wow!!! Paul &
Linda on their way to the gig. They stopped for a chat with us and to have
a few photos taken... such a lovely way for them to treat their
admirers.
Afterwards, we got talking to Jimmy Copeland and
exchanged addresses. We’ve remained close friends ever since... often
meeting up for McCartney concerts, in various locations, during the past four
decades.
So, onwards to Hammersmith Odeon... all of
us. Venus and Mars are alright tonight... for the third night
running.
These recollections are not just about my
adoration of Paul McCartney & Wings in the 70’s... it’s also a story of
lifelong friendships, as a result of chance encounters.
Jimmy & Nicky... so glad we shared those
wonderful youthful moments.
So glad we still share the
memories.
Sadly Jimmy was cursed with always looking 12 years old.
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