McCartney Wings His way home (part 1)

In 1979, a group of American Wings fans flew to England and followed Paul McCartney and his group around the UK for the small tour.   They wrote about it for the Fall/Winter 1979-80 issue of the McCartney Observer.     There is a lot of information about this tour from this fanzine and so I am going to share it one concert at a time.     

I think this story was written by Marie, but I am not 100% sure because no one is given credit.   It all starts in Liverpool.

McCartney Wings His Way Home

By Marie?

McCartney Observer

Fall/Winter 1979/1980

Liverpool, November 23, 1979

First note:  The people are SO nice.  Every time I’m up in Liverpool, I’m ready to move there.  The people are incredible.   We found the Royal Court Theatre (almost directly across the road from the Lime Street Station) and passed the time away chatting with the people and making friends with the police.   The show was scheduled to begin at 5pm as it was held for the kids form Paul’s old school (Liverpool Institute) as well as for handicapped and blind children from the area (they came in busloads later!)

Paul with some of the school kids 

We queued up and were told that our vouchers (which we got from MPL) would be exchanged for tickets at 3:30.  We also heard that Paul was already inside the theatre, having arrived at 1:00 (apparently, he had been rehearsing there for a few days).  We did get our tickets at 4:00, and had first row balcony.  The stall seats were reserved for the kids.  Still, the balcony was great because the theatre was so tiny (It wasn’t much bigger than an American movie theatre).  We met some other friends from the States (and Canada), Jennie S., Madeleine S., and Laurie R.   We were all in the same row for the show that night.  We made another new friend, Martin, (who was sitting next to me and is forever immortal on my tape of the show) and he told me that he heard the band rehearsing and that Paul was going to do “Let it Be,”  “Fool on the Hill,”  “Back in the USSR” and “Hey Jude”!!!  We were on pins and needles waiting for him to do “Hey Jude,” but he never did that one.

Before Paul came on stage, I honestly felt as though I was dreaming – a feeling I am sure we all had – but I was really feeling it because I had had less than four hours sleep in the last two days.  However, when everyone started cheering and clapping for the show to begin, my heart began to race and I wondered what he was going to sing, what he was going to wear, how he’d look.

When the curtains finally rose, and the horn section began playing a very dramatic entrance, I thought I’d jump right out of my seat from the anticipation.  The stage was still dark when Steve Holly began playing a very familiar beat, and out emerged the man himself to surmounting cheers and screams.  “I was alone, I took a ride, I didn’t know what I could find there…”  The three of us just grabbed each other’s hands.  It was incredible to hear him do “Got to Get you into my Life” as an opening number and even more surprises were to follow.  I recall not taking any photographs during the first number.   I was totally mesmerized and felt so happy.  He wore a long-tailed 1800’s style black frock jacket, a black tee-shirt, nice blue jeans and tan suede boots.  His hair was a little short, but grew to a nice length during the next two week that we saw him.  The rest of the band (including Linda) wore the same outfit.  He swung right into “Getting closer”, and then asks the audience “how are ya doin’?  It’s good to be back in town anyway.  This next one is called ‘Every night.’”  (In the concerts that followed the announced “the next one is from the McCartney album, and it’s called “Every Night.”)  That was a real shocker, totally unexpected.  It is a slightly slower, more soulful version than on the original record.  The simplicity of the shows reminded me so much of the 1973 tour, no special effects (aside from Christmas trees and snow during ‘Wonderful Christmastime’), just down to earth enjoyment, and only 90 minutes this time.  Quite a contrast to the 1975-76 world tour!  Next follows “Again and Again and Again,”  “I’ve had enough,”  (which he always announced with a cockney accent), “Now Words,” and then (get ready) “Cook of the House.”   It wasn’t a complete loss, because Paul always went over to Linda (who was on keyboards) and shook his bum.  So, I can honestly say that we looked forward to hearing that tune.  Linda’s voice was really deep, and she kept yelling out “Rock on Tommy!” in a fake Liverpudlian accent (It’s a Liverpudlian expression).  Paul once said, “In case you’re wondering, that’s my wife.  She used to be American, but some funny things have happened to her since she came over.”   Next came another favorite of ours, “Old Siam Sir.”  Not only is it’s a great rocker, but the movements that man made during this song had to be seen to be appreciated.   First it reminded us of a “Frankenstein” walk, and he’d put both fists in the air to the beat of the drums in time.  He perfected it to a very sexy dance.

After “Old Siam Sir” the piano was wheeled out, Paul sits and put his “tails” over the bench and begins the famous “Maybe I’m Amazed” which he has performed in every concert since he began touring again.  With the audience still applauding “Maybe I’m amazed,” Paul says, See if you remember this one” and begins the notes we all first heard during “Magical Mystery tour”  As he sat there at the piano, I visualized that beautiful film of “Fool on the Hill” from Magical Mystery tour – the close-up of his face,  the lovely scenery, Paul running down the hill, a nice feeling of peacefulness – fantastic.   A definite highlight of the show, with another highlight to follow.  Denny tells us that a religious number is coming up and that they are going to pass the basket around for offerings.   Paul does “Let it Be”  (goosebumps) and gives the tune a bit of a gospel flavoring.   He goes back to the center of the stage, and now comes another surprise, “Hot as Sun”, New Orleans style.  Paul with a pic in his mouth, making cute expressions, raising his eyebrows, scrunching his nose, and as Doylene would say, “he was a rabbit completely!”  “Spin it on” follows and then Paul announces a number original recorded in 1957 by Eddie Cochran, “Twenty Flight Rock.”  It was incredible to see Paul do his Elvis imitation during this rocker.  The piano was wheeled out once again and Denny shows us that he is a potential Olympic champion by running full speed from the opposite side of the stage and leaping over the piano, rolling over the bench, and then casually sitting down.   A perfect introduction for “Go Now.”  Afterwards, Paul joins Denny to do “Arrow Through Me.”  During the show, Paul would ask the audience to cheer the famous “woah-woah-woah-woah-woah!!” (as only he can do it) and after we all did (great fun) he’d say, “just checking.”  He asked the kids, “How do you like it, it’s better than school, isn’t it?”  Paul now joins Linda at the synthesizer and Linda announces their new Christmas single “Wonderful Christmastime”  accompanied by falling snow (which Paul referred to as dandruff) and Christmas tree and lights!  Very enjoyable during the concert.  One night all the “dandruff” came down at one time and fell on top of poor Lawrence.  Paul goes to the front of the stage again and announces a new single to be released in February, “Coming Up,” which is very good and very catchy.  Some of the words are as follows:  “You want a love to last forever, one that will never fade away.  I know you’re searching for an answer, well I can tell you right now babe, it’s coming up….”

Paul then announces a new friend, “Robo” who is a cute little robot, and Paul explains that “Robo” is in fact a rhythm box who needs precise, gentle tuning and “would you please excuse me for just a minute while I go tune him…”  He casually walks over and gives “Robo” a good kick!  “Robo” starts the disco beat for “Goodnight Tonight,” moving his arms up and down to the beat.  I personally never cared much for the song, but it is fantastic in concert and easily became one of my favorites.  Everyone jumps up, dancing and clapping.  You can’t help but have a good time and sing along, “don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say goodnight tonight…”  But Paul does say “goodnight” and runs off the stage.

Paul emerges for the first encore alone (waving a blue towel) and picks up an acoustic guitar.  It’s not hard to guess what follows…”Oh Maggie, Maggie Mae!” “No? Well, see if you remember this one…Yesterday….”  There’s not a dry eye in the house when all the kids join in.  Another emotional highlight was when he sang “Mull of Kintyre,” which he dedicated to “Blip” (his old school master who was in the audience).   The entire audience reacted as though “Mull of Kintyre” was their national anthem!  The kids joined in right away and they sounded just like a choir.  It was incredibly beautiful, and a moment I’ll never forget. They even had a bagpiper up there, dressed in full highlands garb, and Paul and Denny would dance and lift their guitars up to him.  (We later found out that he wasn’t playing the bagpipes, it was Lawrence on the synthesizer).  The second and final encore was “Band on the Run” and by now the house was up on its feet and at the stage (or fighting to get to it anyway).  The spotlights are on the audience as the band chants, “Band on the run, Band on the run…”  You can’t believe it’s over so quickly but 90 minutes has already passed – the curtains go down and the house lights are turned on  (we were all spoiled by the 1975-76 world tour and it’s 2 ½ hour show!)  Outside at the stage door was the waiting tour bus, and the waiting mob.  We managed to see Paul leave, but only from a distance.

Doylene, Susie and I stayed with friends in Birkenhead (on the other side of the Mersey).  The children were fascinated by us because we were so “foreign” (to them).  Our friends relaly helped us because we couldn’t possibly have afforded five days in a hotel in Liverpool

Trick or Treat

This is the photo that was printed with this story, although I do not think it goes with the story.

Another story where Paul didn't want girls hanging around, but he was much kinder to these girls and this story turned out nice.    I usually keep the stories the exact way they were written and not change anything, but I had to change some of the grammar on this one.    Written by someone who used the alias of "Susie" for the Fall 1978 McCartney Observer.

Trick or Treat

By Susie

I am happy to say that after our latest escapade we did indeed see Paul!  After waiting so long to see him sometimes a girl tends to build things up in her mind.  You keep telling yourself not to, but somehow things end up that way anyhow. 

We’d heard from a reliable source that Paul would be recording at EMI sometime in October and November (1978).  Great!   We decided to go the twenty-eighth and stay for one week.  Our minds raced!  

“Don’t build it up.” Was Doylenes’ advice.

“No, I won’t.” I assured.  We had a certificate for him and some photos that had just about grown to our hands we’d been carrying them around so long.  We couldn’t wait to see his reaction to the certificate.

Monday:

After two and a half hours we were ready to leave for EMI.  We were on foot since our hotel was walking distance to St. John’s Wood, and we couldn’t have gotten there faster if we’d had skates!  It was 1:30 and we waited.  Several people asked us who we were waiting for.  We thought for a minute, the same thing racing through our heads; if we say we’re waiting for the bus they’ll laugh us into the ground, they’ll know the truth.  If we say Paul, they’ll laugh us into the ground; they’ll know it’s true.

“We’re waiting for Paul,” I said.

“You should be seeing him soon, he usually comes around this time.”

This always made us nervous.  We get nervous when people in a position to know give us positive news.  We aren’t used to be treated like human beings.  There we were, nervous, but happy and smiling in spite of ourselves.

By six pm and three cute little old ladies and two roadies later, we weren’t quite as happy and as I’m sure you can imagine.

By seven we were grinding our teeth. 

“Should I ask someone?”

“Well….”

“I’ll ask these two.”   “Excuse me, but can you tell me if Paul McCartney will be recording tonight or anytime this week?” 

He laughed before replying, which is always good for making people feel like dirt.  “You missed him.  He left Friday on a three week holiday.  He is finished.”  They then walked into EMI.

After grabbing the butcher knife from Doylene we all sussed out the situation with myself; “Oh no!  He can’t have gone!  I can’t believe it!”  I cried.

“I wanna go to a church!” cried Doylene.

And the most prophetic came from Gloria, “My feet hurt!”  He wept.

With one girl in excruciating foot pain and the other despairing all over the place, I calmly took hold and voiced my opinion.  “Look,” I yelled as I pulled my hair, “He can’t have gone.  We went by his house earlier and the door and windows were open and the milk tray was out.  Those are good signs.  We’re just going to have to go to his house tomorrow.  I know he doesn’t like people coming to his house, but what else can we do?”   I’ll explain to him that we missed him at EMI.  He will understand. Okay?

Doylene signed, “I don’t know.”

“Well look, there’s nothing else we can do.  I’ll do all the talking.  I’ll explain.  The next day to Paul’s!”

You always know if it’s a fan walking down Paul’s street for two very obvious reasons.  One is they shake uncontrollably with fear, and two, before they walk down the street they always peek their heads around the corner first to check things out.

We came to the corner and peeked around the wall, then started the last steps to Paul’s green gates.  About three steps from the first we noticed a van outside the house with luggage in the back.  Ugly luggage.  

“Paul’s home!!” I said excitedly.  “He’s still home!  God, it is a good thing we came!”

We walked, as slowly as possible, to just a few steps from the gates.  An older man was loading the last of the luggage, the UGLY luggage into the van.  He slammed the van doors and went into Paul’s, closing the gates behind him.

“I just hope he hasn’t left already,” Doylene said.

“He’s there!” I enthused.  “He’s home.  We’re going to see him!”

“He’s going to be mad.”

“So what?!”  Nothing could bring me down.  “Who cares if he’s nasty.  At least we get to see him!  That is what matters.”

No one said anything.

“Don’t worry.  I will do all the talking.  I’ll explain.”

I was so happy.  What  a sap.

For half an hour we shifted nervously.  Nothing much happened between the time the TV repairman came and were told to return at 11 and the trash collectors emptied Paul’s two bins.

The sun was shining.  Good sign.

Suddenly we heard the wee sound of foot-steps, stepping their way to the gates from inside.  Two clicks and a swinging gate later our eyes rested on our bit of heaven, it was Paul!  In a handsome dark plus suit and white shirt, looking not a day over twenty-five.

I was shaking a couple steps in front of Doylene and so it was I he saw first.  “Please don’t hang around here (pointing to the ground).  This is the house and it’s private.  People are always hanging around here.”  

Our reactions were rather comical.  I all but hopped into the nick in his wall as I stepped back a couple steps and pulled the certificate closer to me.  He scared me!  He never raised his voice or yelled, but believe me, his message was well read.  I didn’t think there was any way more could be said.  I could say no more.  My mouth froze halfway open and the rest of me went numb.  I saw nothing but Paul.  Three things raced through my mind, foremost being, “God, he’s beautiful in those tight pants!” and “That not his line.  This isn’t the way I built it up in my mind.” And three, “Where is Doylene?  Give me someone to hide behind!

Gloria thought his entrance important enough to stop dusting cobwebs off her coat (she had been leaning against his wall).  She too said absolutely nothing.  Two things raced in her mind, “God, he’s beautiful!” and “I wonder if he saw me dusting cobwebs off my coat.”  Gloria kept her dignity, her mouth stayed shut.

Then we have the most amazing of us all, Doylene.  She talked!  “We’re sorry, Paul.  Please don’t be mad.  We didn’t want to come here but we tried really hard to see you at EMI and couldn’t and we just wanted to give you this.”   He looked to the certificate in my hand that Doylene pointed to.

“Oh, okay, but hurry cos we’re in a bit of a rush.”  (He made a cute face as he said this, pointing back to the house.)  He walked a bit closer to us and seeing I wasn’t able to, Doylene took the certificate from my hands and handed it to Paul.

He was expecting to see a photograph of himself that wanted signed and he was pleasantly surprised to find it was a gift for him.

When he came to the part that said his name, his eyebrows went up and down and his face lit up. He smiled and pointed to himself; “Oh, it’s for me!”

I saw his two front teeth!  It was adorable.  He didn’t read it all as he was in a hurry (we could hear the family coming out of the house now).  He looked up at us and his grin turned into a sweet smile

. 

“Okay—thank you.”

He waved to us and, still smiling went back inside.

We didn’t wait around to see him come out gain and leave with the family.  We just turned and left.  I cried, the realization of it all came to Doylene and she too was a bit numb, and we were all terribly happy!

A few drinks later,

 in the Portland Arms Pub in St. Johns Wood we reminisced.

 

Traveling Europe in 1972

Just a warning:  if you are someone who likes to read stories where Paul is really nice and kind to his fans, then it is best that you skip this one.    Typically we read stories where Paul is generous and friendly to those who are hanging around the studio and his house, but there was a time in the 1960's and into the 1970's when Paul was upset with those who were hanging around.   Not that what happens in this story is bad by any means.  Paul was very kind to this group of girls but when they began filming him getting in and out of his car, I guess that just angered him.

As is explained in the story, they did not take any still photos of Paul, so I included a few photos of Paul and his family during the months of June and July 1972 just so you all can have a mental image of what Paul looked like during this time.

This story was written by Sher Miller and was published in the Fall 1978 issue of the McCartney Observer. 

1972 was the year of my third trip to England and it definitely had its up and downs.  With me in limeyland was (as usual) Sarah N., Kris M., and a new traveler named Marie.  Having first ventured over to Italy to visit Ann and her family, Marie met us in London and we were much thrilled to see her.  Only problem was the main object of our devotion, one James Paul McCartney, was nowhere in sight.  We went by the empty house day after day getting more and more depressed.  Only those who have been in London when Paul wasn’t can know the feeling.  I was feeling a little panicky as two years earlier I’d been in England six weeks and never saw Paul.  But Rosie, Paul’s faithful housekeeper and dear person assured us that he was expected back from holiday in Spain any day (any day turned into two weeks).  But the great day finally arrived.  We tried in vain to see him at his gate to give him some birthday gifts we had for him but we only ended up having a grand fight with a nine year old brat named Heather.  She was quite obnoxious, telling us we couldn’t park the car on her street and that we can’t go near Paul because we would just want his autograph, etc.  It seemed like her parents had her well trained on how to treat Paul’s fans.  We finally convinced Heather we weren’t there to rip Paul’s clothes or ask for his autograph.  We just wanted to give him his birthday presents.  Well we didn’t see him that day anyway, but Sarah and I did see Heather and Mary out in front of Paul’s gate, Mary without benefit of panties.  They were trying to chase the sightseers away and catch their many dogs at the same time.  Well all this was nice and stuff but we wanted to see Paul already.

Finally a few days later Kris and Marie had seen Paul leaving in his new sports car but he hadn’t seen them.  They called Sarah and I and we rushed over with the wine we had for his now belated birthday gift and our cards.  We all waited in the car Sarah had rented when from the opposite corner this bright red, Grand Prix looking car zoomed up the street.  I said to Kris, “Is that it?” and she replied “That’s it!”  We all very gracefully got out of the car.  We got to the gate and suddenly realized we were missing about three of our troop.  Sarah was somewhere behind us, Char had slammed the car door on her foot and was limping her way over to the gate so as not to miss anything, pain and all.  Kris had disappeared also.  By now Paul had stepped from the car and was opening the gate, he still hadn’t looked at us (it was the first time I’d seen him since that famous New York trip in 1970, and  I was afraid he was going to ignore us like he had back then).  Linda was on our side as we approached and she gave us a look like “don’t you dare even try talking to him.”  We decided to ignore her.   And then Marie called Paul’s name and he looked up at us.  She held up her birthday card and he started to come over to where we were.  Just then Linda drives in the car nearly hitting Paul in the midsection but he jumped back and said, “Whoops!” with a big smile.  We knew then that everything would be okay.  Then Marie said, “Can we give you some gifts for your birthday?”  Paul was beaming from ear to ear.  “For me birthday?  Yeah sure.”  His eyes just lit up.  We handed him our cards.  (Sarah and I had picked one that was kind of obscene in a funny way and on the front it said, “Happy Birthday Tiger.”  The special thing was a few months later Paul was wearing a leather jacket that said “Wild Tiger” on the back.  Nice to think maybe our card inspired him.).

After we gave Paul our cards it suddenly occurred to both Marie and me that the most important item, the wine, was missing.  Neither she nor I had it.  Oh god, after all this time of waiting to give it to him and we had our chance and that was about to be over.  Marie and I said almost in unison, “Wait, we have some wine for you too!”  Paul answered, “Wine?  You do?  Swell!”  Just then Kris grabbed the wine from the car and ran up the street with it.  When she got to the gate she handed it to him.  Paul must have been wondering how many more of us would pop up unexpectedly because Kris hadn’t been visible up until that moment.  Char was still about 20 feet away from us in awful pain when she heard Paul say, “Wonderful.  Thank you.”  All this time he was smiling this incredible smile.  I just couldn’t take my eyes off his face.  It wasn’t until we talked about it later that I realized what he’d been wearing.  It had been impossible to stop looking at those beautiful eyes.  We had been so depressed prior to seeing Pau but just the few minutes we were together made up for al the days we hadn’t seen him.  We said our goodbyes and he closed the gate leaving five very happy people.  We had decided before we even saw him that day not to take any pictures, not to bother him with cameras for once.  I really regret that now, of course, but at the time it was the right thing to do. 

Two days later we decided to sit by Paul’s house in our car so he wouldn’t see us.  We parked the car farther down the street then it had been and just waited cameras ready.  At about 6:00p.m., the now famous sports car came down the street right past us.  I took some movies of the car pulling into the driveway and Paul was getting out to unlock the gate.  Marie and I both saw him look in our direction and we’re pretty sure he saw us in the car.  I got some great film of him spreading his legs as he opened the gate (doing an Elvis imitation) very similar move to the roof scenes of Let it Be.  Then Linda drove the car in and we took our leave.  Marie was going home the next day with very sad feelings about leaving, but happy that she’d gotten to see Paul.

Well, along with the Frankfurt concert those two days were the “ups” and now for the “downs.”  Unfortunately we got greedy and decided to go down to Paul’s and watch him arrive home from our car again.  Only this time we were a little farther up the street nearer the house and by the time 6:00 rolled around we were the only car on the street.  By the time that awful news sank in and we could move the car, Paul was driving up the street.  I took a great chance and started filming again, a very great chance as they were now just across the street from us, not down the block.  Well, all went fine for a while.  Paul got out and bopped over to the gate and was about to open it when Linda (who was in the front seat) called him back to the car.  He went back, leaned in to hear what she had to say to him and then turned around right to us with a furious look on his face and shouted “Get out.  Get out.  Piss off!” flinging out his left arm as he yelled.  I had by then dropped my camera of course and Sarah got the hell out of there.  I don’t know how she ever drove past him.  He kept staring at us until we turned the corner.  Oh God were we upset.  When we’d gotten back to our guest house we found one of our Paul posters had fallen off the wall – must’ve been the vibrations from Paul’s anger.  It left an awful memory.  Our theory was that Paul had definitely seen us when he’d gotten out of the car and he obviously wasn’t going to say anything to us until Linda called him back to the car and then he had to do something..  But anyway, we shouldn’t’ have been there in the first place.  A few days later we drove to Paul’s just for a few minutes to see some German friends who were hanging around and thank goodness we had left just in time because Paul had come tearing out of the house and chased the Germans up the street yelled at them to leave him alone.  It really seemed then that the only time he’d been nice to the fans was when we’d seen him that first time.  Made us feel good.  The couple of weeks we’d seen Paul he’d been rehearsing with Wings for the 1972 European tour. 

The Gruesome Twosome in London

Photo by Jorie Gracen

Photo by Jorie Gracen

Mindy and Paul  photo by Jorice Gracen

Here are the Paul encounters by Jorie and Mindy from October 1978, during the time that Paul was recording "Back to the Egg"."  This one was published in the Fall 1978 issue of the McCartney Observer. 

The Gruesome Twosome in London

By Mindy G.

Our story begins at a well-known recording studio located on an equally well-known street in London – EMI on Abbey Road.  After much finagling, we finally managed to get ourselves a tour of the studio for a Chicago rock paper.  We knew Paul was supposed to record there that week (Oct. 2-6 1979), sly devils that we are.  But all our connections missed that day, because we missed his grand entrance (tales of him being pulled along on a trolley and otherwise acting bonkers were told to torture us later) and while in the studio, we were steered pointedly away from studio 2 here Paul and company were hanging out.  We nevertheless heard some good stories about Paul and the Beatles and lingered in a mixing room where they were readying a Beatles early hits package for Germany.  EMI is just the place for Beatles freaks – everyone walking around there has long memories (all of the Beatleish) and lots of love and respect for Paul.  What about him, you’re no doubt screaming.  Well, like loyal fans we went back that night to catch him as he left.  He walked out with Linda who was holding James and we made a beeline for the car (a green rolls).  He was busily putting things away in the trunk with his back to me, so I just said “Paul” and he turned around.  What a shocking moment – everyone should have one.  He looked so young and beautiful, 20 times better than his pictures, that I was just flabbergasted.  Pulling myself together, I waved a picture of him and asked him to sign it.  “Could you wait just a minute, I forget something” and he bounced back into the studio.   I‘ve waited 14 years, what’s one more minutes after all.  Our friends Karen and Patty were chatting with Linda, already ensconced in the car with baby James, but Jorie and I were rooted to the spot, unwilling to waste a moment with Paul when he returned.  Said the ever pregnant Wing of plans for future Maccas, “I think four’s enough” (she’s had enough!).  Finally Paul comes bounding out (from a different door, thought he’d throw us off the track), runs right into the car and proceeds to back up.  Fearing for our lives and our London town postcards, we rushed up the steps, disbelieving.  All these years of anticipating a face-to-face with Paul and he was going to drive away without ever a “fab, gear!”  Jorie said disgustedly “Let’s get out of here.”  At that moment Mr. P. turns around all wide-eyed and innocent and says, “Did you want me to sign those then?”  No, we’d prefer it if you would just drive away without stopping.  Honestly!  He signed our photos without much comment.  We asked if he had received our gifts (given to Rosie at his house the week before) and he just said “No,” but a surprisingly interested voice from the other side said, “Did you bring them to MPL?  We haven’t been there yet.”  Nice of Linda to try and answer us.  I don’t know where Paul’s mind was that night, but it definitely wasn’t in front of EMI!  

Tuesday was a bit super session with Peter Townsend, Eric Clapton, two members of Led Zeppelin and various other superstars.  We didn’t see any of them; but did see Paul, Linda and Denny (and that was enough!).  Seems that one track on the new album will feature all these people – should be quite something to hear.  Big hurry that day – only stopped for a few seconds, but when he heard the motor drive on the camera, obligingly  made little chipmunk faces!  Very much the big star then, but looking just gorgeous in a white flowing top and print vest.  Your intrepid reporter was much too busy staring at Paul to give more than a glace to Linda’s electric green socks and pink dress.  She was, however, quite pleasant, although still surgically attached to Paul’s left arm.

 The next day, Wednesday, was doubly good – Paul came alone and in a playful mood.  He drove up, ironically enough, to the strains of “Got to Get you Into my Life” by Earth, Wind and Fire.  We ran over as he bounced out of the car.  I was wearing a LondonTown necklace, purchased at Beatlefest ’78 in Chicago in July.  He pointed at it and said, “That’s nice, where’d you get it?”  Unthinking, I replied, “At a Beatle convention.”  Oh no, it can’t be so!  The dread word wiped the smile off his face for a moment but he recovered quickly while I babbled on about conventions having a lot of Wings stuff, too.  Then Jorie and I both started to take his picture and he kindly took charge of the photo session.  “Ready?  One, Two, Three, click!” he said.  Of course, we clicked simultaneously, wouldn’t want Paul to think we were inefficient.  Fact is, none of my pictures from that day turned out, but I won’t tell him that!  As he turned to leave we said, “Could we pose with you for a picture?”  “Alright” he said after a moment.  I stood with him and just as I was deciding how close to stand he cutely poked me in the ribs with his elbow!  If you’ve ever been poked by one P. McCartney, you’ll know exactly how sexy that move is!  I took the hint and moved right next to him and took his right arm.  Click.  “Now it’s your turn,” he said to Jorie.  Should have been a camp counselor with his talent for organizing!  Jorie leaned against him and he smiled broadly while I tried to focus.  Then he started to walk away after the picture, but coyly came back, gave Jorie one of those famed poke in the ribs, winked, made a clicking sound and said, “Alright then?”  More than alright!  Thank you!  Tow Emi workers came out after this to ask us if we were happy now.  Probably saw the whole thing from the stairs, but we were beyond embarrassment.    After hours of waiting in front of EMI, you become immune to people’s stares.  Went back that night for another dose of Macca, but as there were other people there, we remained on the sidewalk till he drove out.  We waved.  He returned it with a wink and smile.   

Thursday was their day off, but with a little help from our friends, we discovered he’d be at RAK studio Friday.  Waited for the familiar green Rolls to drive up, but he pulled the old switch and rode in a very flashy red Jaguar.  Looking as flashy as the car in a blue jacket, sweater and tight blue pants, he hopped out, flipped his jacket up at us and stopped in mid-street to talk to an engineer from RAK.  Just another of Paul’s little torture tactics – make ‘em wait for it is his motto.  Not in the best of moods today, but we dearly wanted a personal autograph and we’d be back in the U.S. that night.  Jorie handed him the same photo as Monday night.  Unfortunately, he remembered it and was in a frightening mood.  “I signed this already,” he said.  Jorie, fearing for her autograph, said, “No you didn’t.”  But the famous mind was working overtime and he insisted, “I signed two of these outside of EMI.”  Of course he was right, but why give us an argument?  Those were for friends.   Jorie definitely insisted he didn’t sign it for her.  After one searching look, he gave up and scribbled his name and handed it to her with a smirk as if to say, “I know you’re lying, but I’ll do it anyway.”  She shoved it back and said “could you sign it ‘to Jorie?’” Some people are never satisfied, he must have thought, but he dutifully signed it, correct spelling and all.  Signed mine too, very nicely and walked in.  As he seemed annoyed by the whole incident, all my burning questions about the tour, album, and the lot were left unsaid.  New Wing Lawrence Juber (watch out for this one – he’s adorable) however, said Wings will tour the U.S. by summer and a new album should be out after December.

It was a real education meeting Paul and seeing him change into five different moods in as many minutes.  Some final words of wisdom to aspiring Macca hunters:  1.  Good hunting season is September-October or March.  2.  Essential gear should include a heavy coat, comfortable shoes, pen and Wings photo or book 3.  Certain words such as ‘Beatles’ should be avoided so as not to anger the big Macca 4.  Danger signals when stalking your prey include a hurried step, flaring nostrils, tight closed expression and curt replies.  You’ll be well rewarded for your efforts when with a wink and a smile you fall in love with him all over again.