No Longer a Man on the Run (1976)

 Paul:  No Longer a Man on the Run

By Gordon Blair

The Daily Record

October 22, 1976

    Today, The Record gives you an exclusive interview with Paul McCartney, but what a task it was for Gordon Blair to get that chat with an ex-Beatle star. Why? Because of his wife Linda. 

    She made it quite clear that interviewing Paul is no easy job if she is around; she sat chewing gum and butted in almost every time a question was asked. First, she put on a Scottish accent; then it was a Liverpool accent, at least they were supposed to be. 

    The other members of the band sat quietly while Paul answered most of the questions, but not Linda. There was no way he was going to take the spotlight away from her.

    Paul McCartney, legend, hero, and surely the most loved musician in the world, has stopped running from the Beatles. At a time when he is desperately trying to establish Wings, he has at last realized it -- he will never escape from his Beatles image; all the talk this year of McCartney threatening to punch people in the nose if they asked when the Beatles would reform is over. 

    "I was a mug," he told me. "I thought I could get away from that image. I was proud being a part of the group, but it ended, and I didn't want to die. I wanted to go on in a different direction with Wings, but people kept bringing me back to the Beatles. 

    "It got to such an extent that I used to disguise myself until one day I actually dressed up as an old man, and two girls in the street said, 'Hello, Paul.' I felt daft, and I stopped dressing up."

     The large question mark, which hangs over a possible Beatles reunion, remains unanswered. McCartney has been eager to put together a one-off concert, but he has found the other three less than helpful. He is the most talented and courageous of the Fab Four, and it is worthwhile considering the fact that they know it. Paul told me he has tried to get some reaction from the other three, and they just don't want to know. 

    "Sure, I get bored answering the big question," he said. "But what can I tell people? I told John we had to make a decision, and he said, 'What do you want? A written refusal from all of us?'"

     McCartney has grown in stature from being a scrawny, frightened little Liverpool Beatle in the 60s. He has become internationally important. People like Henry Fonda, Jack Nicholson, Diana Ross, Liz Taylor, Elton John, and Roman Polanski have joined his adoration club, and people listen to what he has to say when his wife Linda allows him to talk, that is.

     Mrs. McCartney is not content to remain in the shadows like Denny Laine, Jimmy McCulloch, and Joe English, the other members of the group. She wants her piece of the action, and throughout my meeting with Wings, I couldn't help thinking, "Whose band is this? His or hers?"

     We were talking backstage at the Wembley Empire Pool, London, where Wings played three sold-out concerts this week. It signaled the end of a mammoth 13-month world tour, which brought their music to 2 million people in 10 countries. 

    The other members of the band looked tired and drawn, but not Paul. Not even the new mustache took away his cherub-faced good looks. He had been on stage for more than two hours without an interval and walked into that drab, bare room looking younger than ever. McCartney is as eager to tell the world he hasn't changed. He went to great lengths to explain how he and Linda enjoyed the pure and simple things in life," fresh air, and children"

     "In America," he said, "when we had a night off, Linda and I used to go out for a night out like normal people." Normal for the McCartneys means taking their private jet for the night out to some city of their choice. "Yeah," he says "The plane just waited for us, and took us home."

     During the summer, the McCartneys and their children spent a lot of time at their farmhouse in Cambletown, where he has a sophisticated recording studio, but there is little time for relaxation, for a man who has reached more crossroads in his life than most men.

     Last night he finished up the Wembley concerts. Today the band is back in the studio working on a three-record set for Christmas. The next hurdle is Russia. The album Band on the Run is to be released there this year, and a concert visit could follow. If that concert is as spectacular as Wembley, the Russians can expect to be roasted. It felt, dare I say it, as though I was listening to a Beatles concert again. 

A Concert to Remember

 October 20, 2001

25 years since that night filled with emotions and pride -- The Concert for New York City 

Paul and Linda pass the Credibility test (1976)

Paul and Linda Pass the Credibility Test

No Writer Listed

Daily Express

October 20, 1976

    Paul McCartney was back at London's Empire Pool last night, very much on his own terms. The last time he played the 8000 capacity stadium was with the Beatles at the height of their fame 10 years ago.

     Now with his group Wings, the homecoming was a moment of triumph after a 12-month, 66-city world tour, which has been watched by 2 million fans. At 33, he has had 14 years' experience at the top, achieving world ratings all over again with Wings, and is his own new material with the group, which has brought him acclaim in 1976. Songs like "Venus and Mars," "Jet," and the recent hit "Let 'Em In," which had the audience shouting its acclaim.

     He introduced a couple of old Beatles numbers, which he never used to do when Wings was formed five years ago. The classic " Yesterday," which he sang crouched cross-legged on the floor underneath a single spotlight, had the crowd reminiscing. But "Band on the Run" soon reminded everyone that those days were long over. 

    Certainly, this was the coming of full credibility for Wings in Britain, especially perhaps for Paul's much criticized wife Linda. "We were always aware of the heavy criticism," said Paul. "It could be very hurtful, and it was rough at the beginning. But I think it's now over."

     After tonight and tomorrow's sellout at Wembley, it will be back to their Scottish farm for the McCartneys, where they will consider a script for a new fiction feature film. "Work, "said McCartney, "must never stop."

Wings plays Venice

 

September 25, 1976 

Wings Guitarist

 

Venice Preserved! (1976)

 Venice Preserved!

By Rosie Horide

Beat Instrumental

December 1976

    What's the worst job you've ever had? That's the current catchphrase culled from the Derek and Clive live album. But if you asked any of the Showco team that worked for Paul McCartney at his recent gig in Venice, I'm sure they'd cite that gig as their worst job ever. 

    There's no reflection on McCartney or Wings, but the problems were considerable and somewhat unusual. But let's start at the beginning. Paul McCartney and Wings were invited by UNESCO to perform a live concert in the beautiful St. Mark's Square as part of their Save Venice campaign. 

    As everyone should know by now, the city is slowly sinking, and a great deal of money is needed to rescue this beautiful and historic place. So they had a week of artistic functions to raise money and wanted a pop group as the piece de resistance. 

    Mr. Leon Davisco, director of publicity for UNESCO said, "We believe that Paul McCartney's group would be just right for the occasion. Not only are they one of the top groups in the world, but they appeal to people of all ages and tastes. We thought their concert would be a fitting finale for our week."

     Paul himself said, "We were very honored to be asked, and after checking out that we could do it, we said we would be delighted."

     And so it all began. For a start, it was going to be an expensive business. There would obviously be no fee, and although UNESCO paid some of the cost, like setting up the special stage and the band's hotel bills, it would cost the McCartneys a lot too. So they did a few other European gigs on the way to defray some of the costs, which would have been incurred if it had all been done just for one gig. 

    The biggest problem to be surmounted was the fact that no merchandise transport had ever been allowed on the main island of Venice, where the square is. It's never felt so much as the weight of a car, and the band had three truckloads of gear! What's more, with all that water around, how do you get the equipment to the island in the first place? The answer was huge barges which were loaded up with trucks and then sailed to the nearest point to the square. Then the trucks were slowly unloaded, and there came an ominous cracking sound. Five of the square's 1000-year-old paving stones had cracked under the weight!  Of course, the various local dignitaries were horrified. But eventually, and very gradually, the trucks got to the side of the square. 

    The crew had arrived a week before the concert to get things ready, and they needed every minute of that time. First, they had to get a stage erected. It was specially built with a high canopy in case of rain and other safeguards against the elements and risk of electrocution. Then all the equipment for the 4000 watt custom built PA had to be assembled. And as if all the usual problems weren't enough, there was a language problem too. Someone from the Italian record company was on permanent call as an interpreter. 

    At the same time, 2000 seats had to be erected on the square. They were for the people who'd paid 15,000 lire for their tickets (roughly £10), the other members of the audience, 13,000 of them had paid 3000 lire for their tickets (£2).  But eventually, that was all done. The seven laser machines worth half a million dollars had been assembled and placed strategically in buildings around the square. In fact, people arriving on the night before the gig were treated to a run-through of the laser, which had been placed on top of the column in the center of the square, and a bright green shaft of light shone out across Venice. 

    Finally, after a week of hard work and aggravation, the concert took place. Musically, it was splendid. From the audience's point of view, it was chaos. Security, supposedly done by the Italian navy, didn't exist. No one was checking tickets, and the police estimated later that there were about 30,000 people there, not the 15,000 that was supposed to be the limit. In fact, most people would have said there were even more there than that. The audience was strangely subdued, too. Even the sensational laser show with the second encore, where the seven lasers were focused together to form the Wings butterfly logo, which twisted and turned like the real thing, didn't rouse them to much enthusiasm. 

    After the show, McCartney himself was a little subdued. "We really enjoyed doing the concert. Not only was it an honor, but what more beautiful place could there be to stage a rock concert? The audience were a bit quiet, though, weren't they?" He was also a little mystified to find that the garrulous European press, who fought to get into the press conference, were suddenly struck dumb when they saw him, and a lady from a TV show refused to do an interview because she couldn't be in the shot with him, too.

     But he did discuss with us plans to play behind the Iron Curtain. "Band on the Run's just been released in Russia, and we'd love to play there, if we were asked. And if possible. You know, you hear such strange things about the people, but I suspect they're just like us under the skin. It would be great to see them-- rocking commies."

     He admitted that the Venice show had cost him a lot, but said it was worth it. And we were told that the week had raised $50,000 for the fund, most of which had come from his gig. 

    As for future plans, Paul said, "We're currently working on the live album, which we hope to have released before Christmas. We're listening to the 90 hours of tape we've done on the World Tour and selecting the right tracks for a three-album set. Then we have Christmas off and start working on our next album. I write all the time, whether I'm on the road or at home, and there are already a few things ready for the next studio album."

     And what about concerts? "We love performing. So I guess we'll be back on the road again soon, but there'll never be another gig like Venice." A sentiment echoed by the crew who were at that moment racing to get all the equipment packed away before low tide left them stranded. 

The Night of the Hurricane II

 

On January 25, 1976 Ringo Starr became part of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue.  They performed at the Houston Astrodome as part of the Night of the Hurricane II.   This concert was a 7 hour extraviganza that cost $12.75 for a full day ticket.  

The concert was to raise money for Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, who was a boxer that had been wrongly convicted of murder.  Carter wasn't released from prison until 1985, after spending over 18 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit.  Carter had written a book while in prison in 1974, which Bob Dylan had read and wrote a song about, claiming Carter was innocent.  

The concert in Houston was the second fundraising concert, with the first being at Madison Square Garden in New York City.   I couldn't find how Ringo exactly became involved.  It is interesting because he was not playing the drums publicly in 1976.   

The concert was said to have had a lot of sound issues and concertgoers were very angry about the bad experience. 

Hometown Gig

December 20, 2010
 

Giving Peace a Chance

 September 30, 2005 - NYC 

George in Japan

 

Vintage Music From Wings (Aberdeen 1975)

Vintage Music By Wings

By H.M.

Aberdeen Press and Journal

September 23, 1975

    One time Beatle, Paul McCartney and his band Wings hit Aberdeen's Capitol Cinema last night with vintage music almost reaching the caliber of that famous Four--- but with none of the attendant fan hysteria. 

    In fact, anybody expecting screams and tears must have thought the audience distinctly low-key, but so much the better, as this was very much music to listen to. Save for a slight delay in starting because of sound problems, the concert was strictly a non-news event.

     Mind you, the uninitiated couldn't fail to have been impressed by a massive array of instrumental lighting and sound equipment. But all the honors go to a band of immense stature, whether knocking out heavy rock or quietly reflective material. 

    The five-piece band, which includes McCartney's wife Linda, revolves around McCartney, who amply proves that they do come back, switching brilliantly from guitar to piano. He dominated the proceedings, singing better than ever with material ranging from the heavy sounds of "Letting Go" to the subtlety of "Yesterday." The other band members all do their share and more, and the act was enhanced by an excellent horn section. 

    One outstanding feature of Wings is their energy. They worked their way nonstop through a two-hour program, which would have left lesser musicians gasping, but they still came back on stage to answer the deafening clamor for an encore. Then the audience quickly and quietly filed out. There hadn't been a single incident that evening.

    Wings are welcome back to Aberdeen as soon as they like. It was a pleasure having them, and it was equally a pleasure to be a member of such a discerning and appreciative audience. What more could one want from a pop concert?

 

Dueling Guitars

 

Wings Concert

 

Mull of Kintyre in Toronto

 August 8, 2010 

I would love to hear Mull of Kintyre live, but I can't get to Canada to see Paul, so it won't ever happen. 

Paul at Foxborough

 July 24, 1990 

Paul's Back Where He Belong ...at the Top! (1975)

 

Paul's Back Where He Belongs .... at the Top!

By Martyn Sutton

Leicester Mercury

October 30, 1975

    Paul McCartney is backstage after a highly successful Paul McCartney and Wings concert.  He is surrounded by burly policemen who are nervously clutching their notebooks. The men in blue are there to protect Paul from his fans. 

    Autograph hunters come in many forms, and although Paul has seen it all before, he is always charming, courteous, and friendly. 

    Wings' tour of Britain has just ended after the band played a series of one-night stands, which took them from Southampton to Manchester and Cardiff to Dundee. Behind them, they left thousands of satisfied customers, a string of good reviews, and several pieces of the Rolls-Royce, which was mobbed in hometown Liverpool by a crowd of Beatle proportions.

    Having conquered Britain again, Paul, his wife, Linda, Denny Laine, Joe English, and Jimmy McCulloch are now set to spread their wings over the rest of the world. Paul McCartney explains what happens next. "The World Tour is not very hectic, but in November, we are touring Australia and Japan. We play seven dates in Australia and three big dates in Japan, then we have a bit of time off over Christmas. And then go to America in the new year, but that's not really that hectic, but we will take in a lot of places in the end."

      Each of the 13 British concerts have seen the same McCartney magic on stage and the same frantic scenes in dressing rooms and hotels. The band plays over two hours' worth of superb music, takes several encores, and races backstage. On stage, the audience listens with respect, applauds wildly at the beginning of every song, and even more wildly at the end of every song. They listen instead of scream and appreciate the music, not Paul's hairstyle.

     Backstage, though, the predatory journalists from the music papers have not caught up with the new Paul McCartney. He is still subjected to questions about the Beatles. Will they reform? Why doesn't he go solo? Why play with a band like Wings? Why is he doing this tour? 

    All of them miss the whole point of it all. Paul McCartney is a musician, and musicians have to communicate. "It's good fun to get out and play for people on a Saturday night", he says.  And he means it. He needn't bother touring, of course, but he needs live audiences to perform too. "It's no good just playing good music to yourself all the time", he explains. His wife, Linda, interrupts to talk about the crowd reaction when they are waving their hands, dancing, smiling, and singing along. "You know they are really appreciating it. They are giving back to you. I love it."

     Paul McCartney and Wings are now one of the three most successful acts in the world, alongside Elton John and the Carpenters. The sales of Wings' last two albums have been phenomenal. They released Band on the Run in 1973, and it was cited in EMI's annual report as contributing to increased worldwide profits. That album is still in the animal charts now, and has sold over a million copies in Britain alone, and well over 3 million more overseas. 

    Their latest album, Venus and Mars has a worldwide advanced order of one and a half million and is selling like hot cakes wherever records are sold. 

    McCartney is back on top with his current music, but for the first time, he plays his compositions from the Beatle days. The audience, predictably enough, loves hearing "The Long and Winding Road," "Lady Madonna," and particularly "Yesterday."

    "I suppose that 'Yesterday' is the number they know best of all of mine, and it's good that we're doing it. At one time, I was too embarrassed to do it because I thought that people would say it's not as good as the Beatles."

     With those reservations now gone, how does Paul feel about the audience participation in his Beatles standard, "Blackbird?" "The whistling on 'Blackbird' was brilliant. I like the audience whistling along. We must encourage them. If anybody feels like doing bird impressions, this is the number!"

     "Who was that man who did bird impressions?" Linda asked. "Percy Edwards, to name but a few," says Paul and smiles. It is still the same Beatles smile that captivated a generation, but he's older now. He's 33, and he's a husband, a father, and a musician. He's far too old to be an idol anymore. Yesterday is a long time ago.

Paul and Elvis

 March 23, 1995 

Shocked in Pittsburgh

 February 5, 1990 

Motor City Music

 February 1, 1990 

New Found (by me) photos from UK Winter Tour '65

 

Alright -- I am excited to share these, even though they are terrible quality.  I work pretty hard to keep up with this site.  Every year I focus on a few years more than the others -- for 2025, the focus years are 1960, 1965, 1970 & 1975

It isn't easy to find new photos and stories for 1965 after all of these years,  so I start early.  I have been looking for some new information about the UK Winter 1965 tour because we have such little information about it.  I was digging into British newspaper articles and found something that I didn't know existed:  photographs of the Beatles performing on December 9, 1965, in Birmingham.  I stumbled upon these in the Birmingham Weekly Mercury newspaper's December 12, 1965 issue.  

I was so excited to share these photos that I didn't want to wait until December (but I will wait to share the backstage images).  Now I realize that these are TERRIBLE quality.  They are so dark and you can barely make out the Beatles in some of them.  But these prove that there are photos from this concert out there and maybe someone owns actual copies of these photos or has the actual newspaper in a scrapbook.  Who knows?