The Making of a Masterpiece - Paul McCartney's Best Album
In the world of rock, there have been numerous artists who have made and released signature albums. Being Jethro Tull's Aqualung, the Fab Four's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band and Abbey Road, and Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall.
But on the topic of the Fab Four, there is a former Beatle who, with his then newfound band Wings, released an album that literally resolidified his career.
Take a look at the photo, it is the cover of Wings' third record Band on The Run. The album was the best selling album in the UK in 1974 and is really oe of Macca's most regonized work outside the Beatles.
It was made in Africa...
Lagos, Nigeria to be exact. Tired of recording in the UK, Macca decided to do the unthinkable - make an album in Nigeria. The saying "The road to hell is paved with good intentions," fits perfectly here as McCartney envisioned Lagos as being a calm place where they could tan on the beaches in the daytime and record starting at sundown; however, what Macca didn't realize was that the country was just the polar opposite of what he was imaging. Following the end of the Nigerean Civil War in 1970, a militaristic government ruled and famine and disease were common in most of the land. Even the EMI satelite studio was mal-equipped featuring only a Studder 8-track and a faulty mixing board. Despite this, the band still rented two houses, the McCartneys stayed in one house, while the rest of the crew stayed in another.
But there were more problems...
The poor quality recording studio and the political climate of the country were problems, but they were not the ONLY problems.
Robbery! - One Saturday evening while the McCartneys were sight-seeing, they were robbed at knifepoint. While no one was injured, the suspects stole a bag containing lyrics and demo tapes of unfinished songs. In 2008, Macca said that it was good that they weren't from Nigeria, as they would have been killed.
Paul's Fainting - Another early evening, Macca was recording his vocals over an instrumental, when all of a sudden he started gasping to catch his breath. Accordin to long-time Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, McCartney's face turned white and he tried to say in a croacky voice that he needed air, but when he was taken outside, he fell at his feet. Linda thought it was a heart attack, but was just a bronchial spasm - the result of too much smoking. In the same 2008 interview, he stated that his fainting never made attention back home in the UK.
Fela Kuti Goes After Paul - To top everything off, Fela Kuti, a renowned Afrobeat star, accused Macca of coming to Africa to infringe on African music. Kuti went as far as to come to a recording session to get at Macca. Sir Paul nevertheless played the tracks recorded so far to prove that there ws no African influence whatsoever. In compensation, Kuti contributed backing vocals.
In addition to Kuti, the album featured a collaboration with saxophonist Howie Casey who would join Wings on their forthcoming tours, most notabely on their 1976-77 Wings Over America tour.
Cream's Ginger Baker also made an appearance on BOTR. He found out that the McCartneys were in town and suggested that they make their album at his AIR Studio. Macca agreed on one session where Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me) was made.
On to the theme..
The album has themes of freedom and escape as can be discovered in the opening and title track. The line "If we ever get out of here," was spoken by George Harrison at one of the Fab Four's many 1969 business meetings over the situation of Apple Corps.
The record had two hit singles on both sides of the Atlantic, Jet about Macca's dog, was in the top 10 in eight countries (peaking in New Zealand at #2 and tying at #7 in the UK and US). In the US, the lead single was Helen Wheels and as such it was only featured on US pressings of the record. It made the cut on the 25th (1998) reissue of BOTR.
As for the title track, it was #1 in the US and Canada, and #3 in the UK, being released as a single edit (without the "If I ever get out of here..." part).
What about that cover?
The cover, a near-replica of Sgt Pepper, depicts the McCartneys along with six other celeberties dressed as prison fugitives. Other people on the cover are journalist Michael Parkinson, late singer/actor Kenny Lynch, American actor James Coburn III, British politican Clemet Freud, actor Christopher Lee (known for his role of Dracula), and retired British boxer John Conteh. Clive Arrowsmith is responsible for shooting the photo with a low light against a brick wall. The crew had to stand still for two seconds.
In Closing
The album is very simillar to Sgt. Pepper as previously stated as can be seen by the reprise of the chorus of the opening and title track at the end of the final song Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five. The track has grand orchestral closing (a la A Day in The Life from SPLHCB), while the side one closer, Let me Roll It features Macca singing in a simillar tone to John Lennon.
The record, along with Wings' contribution to the James Bond film Live and Let Die really resurrected Macca's career. It is finally worth noting that BOTR is the final record Macca made for Apple Records, he terminated his contract with Apple in 1974.
But on the topic of the Fab Four, there is a former Beatle who, with his then newfound band Wings, released an album that literally resolidified his career.
Take a look at the photo, it is the cover of Wings' third record Band on The Run. The album was the best selling album in the UK in 1974 and is really oe of Macca's most regonized work outside the Beatles.
It was made in Africa...
Lagos, Nigeria to be exact. Tired of recording in the UK, Macca decided to do the unthinkable - make an album in Nigeria. The saying "The road to hell is paved with good intentions," fits perfectly here as McCartney envisioned Lagos as being a calm place where they could tan on the beaches in the daytime and record starting at sundown; however, what Macca didn't realize was that the country was just the polar opposite of what he was imaging. Following the end of the Nigerean Civil War in 1970, a militaristic government ruled and famine and disease were common in most of the land. Even the EMI satelite studio was mal-equipped featuring only a Studder 8-track and a faulty mixing board. Despite this, the band still rented two houses, the McCartneys stayed in one house, while the rest of the crew stayed in another.
But there were more problems...
The poor quality recording studio and the political climate of the country were problems, but they were not the ONLY problems.
Robbery! - One Saturday evening while the McCartneys were sight-seeing, they were robbed at knifepoint. While no one was injured, the suspects stole a bag containing lyrics and demo tapes of unfinished songs. In 2008, Macca said that it was good that they weren't from Nigeria, as they would have been killed.
Paul's Fainting - Another early evening, Macca was recording his vocals over an instrumental, when all of a sudden he started gasping to catch his breath. Accordin to long-time Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, McCartney's face turned white and he tried to say in a croacky voice that he needed air, but when he was taken outside, he fell at his feet. Linda thought it was a heart attack, but was just a bronchial spasm - the result of too much smoking. In the same 2008 interview, he stated that his fainting never made attention back home in the UK.
Fela Kuti Goes After Paul - To top everything off, Fela Kuti, a renowned Afrobeat star, accused Macca of coming to Africa to infringe on African music. Kuti went as far as to come to a recording session to get at Macca. Sir Paul nevertheless played the tracks recorded so far to prove that there ws no African influence whatsoever. In compensation, Kuti contributed backing vocals.
In addition to Kuti, the album featured a collaboration with saxophonist Howie Casey who would join Wings on their forthcoming tours, most notabely on their 1976-77 Wings Over America tour.
Cream's Ginger Baker also made an appearance on BOTR. He found out that the McCartneys were in town and suggested that they make their album at his AIR Studio. Macca agreed on one session where Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me) was made.
On to the theme..
The album has themes of freedom and escape as can be discovered in the opening and title track. The line "If we ever get out of here," was spoken by George Harrison at one of the Fab Four's many 1969 business meetings over the situation of Apple Corps.
The record had two hit singles on both sides of the Atlantic, Jet about Macca's dog, was in the top 10 in eight countries (peaking in New Zealand at #2 and tying at #7 in the UK and US). In the US, the lead single was Helen Wheels and as such it was only featured on US pressings of the record. It made the cut on the 25th (1998) reissue of BOTR.
As for the title track, it was #1 in the US and Canada, and #3 in the UK, being released as a single edit (without the "If I ever get out of here..." part).
What about that cover?
The cover, a near-replica of Sgt Pepper, depicts the McCartneys along with six other celeberties dressed as prison fugitives. Other people on the cover are journalist Michael Parkinson, late singer/actor Kenny Lynch, American actor James Coburn III, British politican Clemet Freud, actor Christopher Lee (known for his role of Dracula), and retired British boxer John Conteh. Clive Arrowsmith is responsible for shooting the photo with a low light against a brick wall. The crew had to stand still for two seconds.
In Closing
The album is very simillar to Sgt. Pepper as previously stated as can be seen by the reprise of the chorus of the opening and title track at the end of the final song Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five. The track has grand orchestral closing (a la A Day in The Life from SPLHCB), while the side one closer, Let me Roll It features Macca singing in a simillar tone to John Lennon.
The record, along with Wings' contribution to the James Bond film Live and Let Die really resurrected Macca's career. It is finally worth noting that BOTR is the final record Macca made for Apple Records, he terminated his contract with Apple in 1974.
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