Paul McCartney reveals cover and shares foreword quote from new book, ‘WINGS: The Story Of A Band On The Run’
Paul McCartney has revealed the cover and shared an excerpt of the foreword for his new book, Wings: The Story Of A Band On The Run. Check both out below.
News of the new book first arrived in February, when it was confirmed that the iconic singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and Beatles member would be sharing an oral history of his famous group, Wings.
It is set to arrive on November 4, and is compiled from over 42 hours of brand-new interviews, as well as historical interviews and newly discovered, previously unheard interviews from Paul’s personal archive.
Around 150 photographs capturing Wings throughout the years are included too – many previously unseen. These are shot by Linda McCartney, Mike McCartney, Clive Arrowsmith, Henry Diltz, Robert Ellis and Paul himself. Other key features include memorabilia, including some of Paul’s diary page entries from the time and handwritten lyrics.
A blurb describes it as “a landmark account of Paul McCartney’s triumphant musical reinvention in the 1970s and the subsequent rise of one of the decade’s most iconic bands – told by Paul and the people who were there.”
The cover has been revealed today (April 30), showing members Paul, Linda, Denny Laine, Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell together while on tour in Spain in 1972. The photograph was taken by his wife and bandmate Linda McCartney.
A new excerpt of the foreword, written by McCartney, reads: “Suddenly Wings has found its moment. We have a generational shift at work, and it’s like being transported back on a magic carpet. Working on the book has awakened so many beautiful memories of our times back then.”
According to a press release, the forthcoming book will recall some of the band’s most memorable moments in Scotland, New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Nashville, Lagos, Japan, the Virgin Islands, Morocco, Montserrat and more, and is set against the backdrop of political and social timelines of the ‘70s.
Anecdotes shared in the book also come from Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Mary McCartney, Stella McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, George Martin, Sean Ono Lennon, Chrissie Hynde, Dustin Hoffman, Twiggy and all the members of Wings.
“This remarkable cast tells the story of a band who made history – selling over 22 million albums and becoming the first band to achieve sales of over two million in the UK singles charts with Mull of Kintyre,” reads a new description. “A band who pushed the boundaries in both the studio and in live performances, from their first university tour through to pioneering large scale concerts, long before stadiums and arenas were commonly used for rock shows.”
It was previously shared that the stories in the book will include the time the members were mugged in Nigeria, their surprise appearances at university halls in the UK, and how they came to write hits including ‘Let ‘Em In’, ‘Live And Let Die’, ‘Band On The Run’ and more.
“I’m so very happy to be transported back to the time that was Wings and relive some of our madcap adventures through this book,” Macca said when the book was first announced in February.
“Starting from scratch after The Beatles felt crazy at times. There were some very difficult moments and I often questioned my decision. But as we got better I thought, ‘OK this is really good’,” he added. “We proved Wings could be a really good band. To play to huge audiences in the same way The Beatles had and have an impact in a different way. It was a huge buzz.”
In other Paul McCartney news, it was confirmed earlier this month that an exhibition of 36 rare photographs taken by Paul McCartney in the early ‘60s would be opening in Los Angeles, and also that an early audition tape recorded by the band in 1962 had been discovered in Vancouver store Neptoon Records.
Around that same time, director Sam Mendes made a pair of blockbuster reveals for his four upcoming Beatles films and revealed the casting for the Fab Four – although the decision left fans divided.
As for other Wings news, last year saw the theatrical release of the film One Hand Clapping, its accompanying 1974 live-in-studio album, and a 50th anniversary edition of their 1973 third album, ‘Band On The Run’.
The post Paul McCartney reveals cover and shares foreword quote from new book, ‘WINGS: The Story Of A Band On The Run’ appeared first on NME.
