New Book Project!
Over the last few weeks I have begun work on a new book project
The book will probably be entitled Wings Live! and will consider all of Wings’ concerts from 1972 to the abandoned January 1980 tour of Japan.
Here is an clip of Wings that you may not have seen – taken from their 1979 tour and uploaded by me last week. The source was provided by Roy Matthews. This is the final Wings line-up. However, the book will cover all incarnations of Wings from 1972.
The Book’s Content
So why will this book be different from other books?
Well, for starters, this is the first book that features squarely on the live work of Wings.
Secondly, this book will look at Wings’ live work from all possible aspects:
- The set-lists
- The musicianship
- The venues
- The press and critical reception
- Everybody who was involved – including fans and ancillary staff
Sources
Many Beatles and (the few) McCartney books are repetitive.
This book will not be an assembly of all other research.
It will draw upon online newspaper records. Fan “scrapbook” cuttings of press reviews – I have thousands of these to sort through
In addition, I have recently made acquaintance with one of world’s biggest collectors of McCartney film.
I am working through digitising hundreds of hours of VHS tapes of press conferences, concerts and interviews – some of which have not been seen since first being aired.
What Makes A Concert?
It is my firm belief that a concert is a event that relies on three main groups of people, the performers; the ancillary staff and the audience.
If you think about it, if any one of those elements fails (for example, if not tickets sell), the event fails to happen. These three discrete elements form a dynamic relationship that allows a concert to thrive or fail.
Although the performers are rightly viewed as the main part of the equation, there is much to be gained from looking further afield than the performers.
An audio tape alone does not fully convey the presentational aspects of a performance. The event is experienced with a view to the size and nature of the stadium; the sound system; visual elements including screens and lighting effects; and even, in McCartney’s case, the use of pyrotechnics.
Books that focus only on venues and set lists are missing out on the totality of the concert experience.
Fan Accounts
For this reason, I have enlisted the help of a number of fans who were there at the concerts. I want the reader to understand the concert as experienced by those who were there. These fan accounts will form an essential part of the book – evoking a feel for the times and a general sense of what it was like to attend a Wings concert in the 1970s.
I have already been given a few fan accounts and they are all great. This is one by Nancy Riley, who saw Wings in May 76 at Atlanta, Georgia. It will appear in the book like this:
Did You See any Wings Concerts?
Did you see Wings live during this period? Would you like to contribute to the book by writing a fan account like the one above?
If you would, please contact me . Send an email to
adrianallan@paulmccartneyafterthebeatles.com
Photographs?
Of course, photographs of Wings from the 1970s are hard to come by. As you might know, I never used copyright photos in my books – all the photos are either purchased by me or offered by fans.
If you have taken, or own the copyright to any photographs of Paul and/or Wings in the 1970s and you are willing to share the photo, please get in touch with me at:
adrianallan@paulmccartneyafterthebeatles.com
Do You Know Anybody Who Worked on Those Tours?
Do you know anybody who worked on Wings’ tours in any capacity – roadies, sound engineers, catering staff, set design ?
If so, please send them my way at adrianallan@paulmccartneyafterthebeatles.com
Finally
As people know by now, I work fast and hope to have this book complete by this time next year at the latest.
All of my books have been true “group efforts” and I know there will be people willing to share their stories or photos.
Look at all the people who kindly helped in some way with the first two books: