McCartney Ltd.
July/August 1972
As mentioned before, Wings are currently touring Europe. The tour began on July 9 in southern France at Chateau Vallon. Almost all British music papers had articles about it. So here are some of the things that were said.
John did it in Toronto, and on the streets of New York. George and Ringo chose Madison Square, but Paul picked a sleepy French village to get back to the people with his first publicized live debut since 1966.
"Chantez a bit, if you know le mots", said Paul, but very few of the lucky French kids seem to know the words to "Maybe, I'm Amazed". Maybe the 2000 French fans who witnessed McCartney's return to the public platform were too amazed to sing. For it was quite amazing to see the man who did so much for British pop music once more on stage.
Wings are Paul's substitute for Rikki and the Red Streaks, the fictitious group Paul wanted the Beatles to perform as when Beatlemania reached proportions and touring had to stop.
It seems he never really wanted the fame that came with being a Beatle, but all he really wanted to do was to come on stage and play something to somebody, no matter what or where. The intricate recording techniques and musical innovations that The Beatles used in their latter-day phase are a million light-years away from Wings.
On stage, Paul has changed little from the Beatles days. His hair is cropped short, but he still stands slightly kneed, his backside shaking and his face against the mic as if he were licking an ice cream cone. He shakes his hips, but the kids don't scream anymore. His voice is everything it always has been, whether screaming or singing, and his very presence commands respect, even in France; few others could hope to receive it, and at the same time, there's no doubt he is thoroughly enjoying himself on stage.
The second half they wore identical, black suits with glitter on the lapels, a hark back to the old Beatle days when Paul and Lennon disagreed over Beatles stage attire.
Paul seemed happy about the night. After the concert, he wasn't nervous, but Linda was. A small press Conference was held after the concert, and below are some of the questions with Paul's answers.
Q: Would you ever do any old Beatles numbers?
A: The Beatles thing at the moment is a bit close for me to do one, but we were on holiday recently, and we suddenly rediscovered "Yesterday", and I hadn't played that for years.
Q: What Beatles project gives you the fondest memories?
A: It's difficult. I don't think you can really go into all that stuff. I enjoyed it all, and it was great while it lasted. But for me, I don't like the idea of once having won the World Cup to just sit around living on your laurels. I prefer the idea of being in a band, working, we've all got to move on. You know?
Q: It was rumored, Paul, that you were asked to take part in the Bangladesh concert.
A: Yeah, but I knew for certain that if I'd taken part, it would have been played up as the Beatles back together again. It may have been only for one night, but the whole thing would have been perpetuated when the truth is it's definitely finished. Like the man at the record company said, "Would you all play together again just once a year? Like a kind of memorial, like tribute." Now, I'm not going to get into anything like that. I'm not dead. You know? You can get into that kind of thing when I'm dead, if you like, but it's not much good to me now.
Q: What do you feel is Wing's best number so far?
S: I don't know, maybe, "Maybe I'm Amazed" since it went down well. Also, we've got a new one. "Hi, Hi, Hi," which is a nice one we wrote on holiday in about five minutes. We're thinking about it for a single.
The following Sunday, Paul and Wings played two concerts in Paris. The following is from Record Mirror from July 29.
A week after the opening in southern France, Wings played two concerts at the Olympia in Paris. Concerts, McCartney said, he was dreading. They went extremely well. They were sell outs. Paul said afterwards, "I thought we went down better than the Beatles did their last time."
Three hours later, after the concert, Paul and Linda sat on the stage surrounded by the rest of the group while microphones were thrust at them. Paul, at 30, still looks boyish, Coy, and jaunty with an aggressive surface confidence that conceals a certain uneasiness. He talks nervously and probably can't escape the feeling of being on trial. The first tour by a Beatle since August 29, 1966. Paul also said, "I think as we play as a band, the Beatles thing will disappear anyway. I mean, people either like us or they won't like us. That's how it is with all bands, and that's how we're going to take it. That's fair enough for me, if they don't like us, it's too bad.
Would you like to talk to the rest of the band?" asked McCartney. "I mean, it's not just me." Then he introduced them jauntily. "This is Denny and Danny and Henry and Yoko." Laughs all around, and Linda smiles. The subject is switched to Linda's importance in the group, and McCartney defends her with almost violent intensity.
How many years do you plan on playing? "As long as I live", says Paul, "till I'm 100, I mean, it is my job." Despite the disadvantage of a Beatles background and the cat and mouse game with the darlings of the British press, despite the inner conflicts of Paul McCartney, I think Wings will make it. I think the next album will be far, far better than anything post Beatles he's done so far. And I think "My Love" shows distinct signs that McCartney is recapturing his compositional genius.
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