jueves, 30 de julio de 2020

Paul McCartney Delivers a Bounty of Rarities, Curiosities and Gems on ‘Flaming Pie’ Box Set

















www.rollingstone.com
Paul McCartney Delivers a Bounty of Rarities, Curiosities and Gems on ‘Flaming Pie’ Box Set
With demos, rehearsals and documentaries, the former Beatle finally presents a full picture of one of his best solo albums
By KORY GROW
JULY 30, 2020


Paul McCartney unveils his previously unreleased acoustic instrumental jam 'Broomstick' with Steve Miller from his 'Flaming Pie' sessions.
Richard Haughton/ © 1997 MPL Communications Ltd.

In the mid-Nineties, Paul McCartney reminisced on his fab years for The Beatles Anthology doc, received his knighthood from Her Majesty (indeed, a pretty nice girl), and hosted a freewheeling radio show, Oobu Joobu, that allowed him to goof off as he DJ’d rehearsal tapes and oddities from throughout his life.
Those experiences put him in an excellent frame of mind for whipping up 1997’s Flaming Pie, a sturdy potpourri of rockers, ballads, and jams that sound more inspired (and more enjoyable) than his previous record, 1993’s Off the Ground. With George Martin co-producing and guest appearances by Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, and Steve Miller, he hit some personal high-water marks for the decade. “Beautiful Night” was a gloriously soppy, everything-but-the-kitchen sink ballad. The title cut was whimsical and owed a debt to John Lennon (“It came in a vision,” Lennon once said, “a man appeared on a flaming pie and said unto them, ‘From this day forward you are Beatles with an A'”). And the guitar-snarling “The World Tonight” remains one of his sharpest solo singles; you believe Sir Paul when he sings, “I go back so far, I’m in front of me,” even if you don’t know what he means. These songs sounded urgent enough to forgive some of the LP’s fluff, like “Somedays” and “Young Boy” and the meandering blues jam “Really Love You.”

McCartney puts Flaming Pie under a microscope on the super-deluxe reissue with home recordings, studio run-throughs, outtakes, and a whole lotta Oobu Joobu for a fascinating portrait of his creative renaissance. His home demos are sparse and intimate, as he strums “The World Tonight” on an acoustic guitar, and treats “Flaming Pie” like Daniel Johnston–style outsider art, banging away on a piano and singing as nasally as possible. Ringing phones and barking dogs attempt to interrupt him throughout, but he keeps his fab focus. On the studio run-through of “Beautiful Night,” you hear Ringo tell him how he needs to “get into it,” and the “rude cassette” version of “Heaven on a Sunday” sounds subversive with its drum machine beat and jazzy vibraphone line; it even devolves into a sing-along with Macca and his mates (maybe Ringo?) riotously singing, “You’re a baha-stard,” and laughing like a they were having a night out singing music hall in a cigar bar. The outtake “The Ballad of the Skeletons” features Allen Ginsberg roasting late-Nineties politics, and “Looking for You” finds Paul hollering like Nilsson Schmilsson as Ringo keeps a steady beat.
But what pulls it all together and makes it feel like more than an archival project are the inclusions of excerpts from McCartney’s Oobu Joobu shows and a one-hour guided tour of his home studio. On one of the radio shows, he talks about how he tagged along with his wife, Linda, to a cooking class and just plucked away on an acoustic until he stumbled on the chords for Flaming Pie’s “Young Boy,” as she was chopping onions. Imagine looking for some flour and finding McCartney in the cupboard with a new tune. (He also includes recipes and rare photos Linda took in the accompanying book.)
And the studio tour, Flaming Pie at the Mill, is a manic journey from Mellotron to drum set to a guitar he bought in the Sixties, as he explains the roles each instrument played on Flaming Pie and in the Beatles. He sings a little “Heartbreak Hotel” while playing a bass once owned by Elvis Presley’s sideman Bill Black, demonstrates the flute sound on “Strawberry Fields,” and reminisces not so fondly about the toilet paper at Abbey Road Studios (it was imprinted with “Property of EMI”) after playing some bells from there. All of the pieces in the box set complete a puzzle that explains how McCartney found himself again and hit the stride that has propelled him to the present day.





americansongwriter.com
‘Flaming Pie’ Reissue Provides a Savory Paul McCartney Treat
Lee Zimmerman
July 30, 2020




Paul McCartney | Flaming Pie | (Capitol)
Five out of Five stars
Wow. Ummm, this really is something. Overwhelming almost. Those few words alone could sum up any critical reaction to this lavish five CD/two DVD/four LP box set. It is, in a word, mind-blowing. (Granted, that’s actually two words, but the description will still suffice.)
The latest entry in Macca’s archival series featuring expanded reissues of his seminal solo catalogue, the remake of Flaming Pie makes for the most ambitious offering yet, particularly the  so-called “Collectors Edition” discussed here. It boasts five CDs — the original album, home recordings, demos, his “Oobu Joobu” series and quite a bit of unreleased material —along with four LPs containing the album and outtakes and two DVDs containing the original “In the World Tonight” documentary, as well as interviews, live performances, videos, and all sorts of other odds and sods.  Add to that beautiful oversized art prints suitable for framing, handwritten lyrics, an expansive book documenting the making of the album, reproductions of original studio notes, an edition of his fanzine “Club Sandwich,” and extensive notes detailing each selection, and it becomes a treasure trove indeed. (Other editions careless ornate but still offer added music with a less intimidating price tag.)
Consequently, there’s a lot to digest as far as the larger edition is concerned, and its hefty cost — upwards of a few hundred dollars — is matched by its bulk. Bound in a 17” by 21” box, the entire package weighs several pounds, which makes it somewhat challenging as displaying is concerned. It’s not one that can simply be stuck on a shelf. Likewise, considering the art — and the artifacts — that accompany this edition, the value comes into focus. More than merely audio embellishment, the visual addendum makes this something a museum piece. And a rare acquisition as well.
Of course the focus necessarily falls back to the original album, which still stands as one of Paul’s best, although in retrospect it may have been a bit unappreciated. That’s easy to understand; after all, many of McCartney’s albums get an initial splash on release (Flaming Piereached number two on both the U.S. and U.K. charts), and yet the impact seemed to fade all too quickly. Likewise, few if any of the album tracks made it into Macca’s live sets, all but dooming them to oblivion. Still, Flaming Pie — famously named for John Lennon’s facetious explanation of how the Beatles got their  handle — is a solid album even on its own, with several song that still stand up some 25 years on. Given that it was released on the heels of McCartney’s involvement with the Beatles Anthology series, it was at least partially inspired by his look back at past achievements. In the handwritten notes that accompany the new box McCartney calls his involvement with theAnthology “ a refresher course that set the framework for this album.”
Of course, that’s a high bar, one that McCartney has always had to contend with throughout his solo career. Nevertheless, there’s no reason to negate Flaming Pie on the basis of its songs alone. Yes, it is, as is Paul’s norm, somewhat lightweight overall, but several standout selections —  the effusive title track, the wistful “Calico Skies” the calming caress of the sweetly nostalgic “The Song We Were Singing,” the breezy “Young Boy,” and the steady groove of “The World Tonight” and “If You Wanna” — cast the album in tender trappings and a summery haze. Reunited with producer George Martin, fellow Fab Ringo Starr, old pal Steve Miller, and fellow traveler Jeff Lynne, the man who helmed the “Threetles” current Anthology recordings of “Real Love” and “Free As a Bird,” it’s a solid set of songs that still stand up well with this belated revisit.
Of course the other additives allow for added embellishment as well. Paul’s audio tour through his home studio and the commentary about the various instruments used in the recording of the new album and various Beatles classics should be of special interest to to archivists. Hearing him reproduce the opening mellotron riff of “Strawberry Fields Forever” offers a special fascination all its own. A CD of home demos find McCartney entirely on his own working out the songs on acoustic guitar. Another disc allows the listener to become a fly on the wall while the songs are worked out in the studio.
So too, the other discs delve into the oddities. The opening track on disc four, “The Ballad of the Skeletons” is easily one of the most unusual entries in the McCartney catalog, an unlikely collaboration with Allen Ginsberg that finds Paul, Phillip Glass, Marc Ribot, David Mansfield, and Lenny Kaye accompanying the poet on an expressive read of an otherwise obtuse offering. The ditties that make up the outtakes, the chat and alternative takes that encompass his “Oobu Joobu” series and the B-sides “Same Love,” “Love Comes Tumbling Down” and “Love Mix” mostly cater to the completist, but are interesting enough to warrant at least an initial listen.  Likewise, the DVDs — the aforementioned documentary in particular — offer long-unseen footage of McCartney promoting the then-new album in a conversation with David Frost as well as behind the scenes footage taken during the album’s conception and creation.
It’s a lot to delve into. As much a scholarly treatise as serious source material, the relit Flaming Pie is finally served up with the stature it deserves.





lunes, 27 de julio de 2020

Lollapalooza livestream nabs Paul McCartney, Outkast, more



























nypost.com
Lollapalooza livestream nabs Paul McCartney, Outkast, more
By Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone
July 27, 2020


Sir Paul McCartney and Outkast will perform during the Lollapalooza livestream. Getty Images

Lollapalooza 2020 may be canceled due to the pandemic, but a four-night broadcast event will take place from July 30 through Aug. 2 instead.
Lolla2020 will feature past headlining sets from Paul McCartney, Outkast, Chance the Rapper and Arcade Fire — who will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their album The Suburbs. The event will also stream past Lolla performances by LCD Soundsystem, Metallica, Jane’s Addiction, Run the Jewels, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Lorde, Hinds, Tyler, the Creator, Alabama Shakes, Ellie Goulding, Tove Lo and more.
Original live sets will also be streamed from H.E.R., Kali Uchis, Tank and the Bangas, Kaskade, Pink Sweat$, Yungblud, Alison Wonderland and more. Chicago mayor Lori E. Lightfoot will appear throughout the event, while Lolla founder and Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell will host conversations with Lars Ulrich, Chuck D and others. Farrell will also lead a David Bowie tribute with pianist Mike Garson, as well as a Kind Heaven Orchestra performance with Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins.
The event will stream on Lolla’s website and their YouTube account daily at 6 pm E.T. Fans are encouraged to donate to Arts for Illinois Relief Fund, Equal Justice Initiative and Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote, which she will appear on the livestream to discuss.

We are commemorating this year’s festival weekend with Lolla2020, a free four-night broadcast event kicking off this Thursday, July 30 at 5pm CT. Exclusively live on YouTube, the full schedule will be released this Wednesday, July 29.
www.lollapalooza.com



Lollapalooza 2015.





viernes, 24 de julio de 2020

The Beatles REUNION: Ringo Starr shares how fans can see his Paul McCartney team-up AGAIN




















www.express.co.uk
The Beatles REUNION: Ringo Starr shares how fans can see his Paul McCartney team-up AGAIN
THE BEATLES Sir Ringo Starr and Sir Paul McCartney reunited last year and now the drummer has revealed how fans can rewatch them performing Helter Skelter again.
By GEORGE SIMPSON
PUBLISHED:  Fri, Jul 24, 2020

Earlier this month, Sir Ringo Starr celebrated his 80th birthday with his fans. The Beatles drummer streamed a Big Birthday Show on his official YouTube channel, which included footage of him and his friends performing in recent years. And included was the latest Beatles reunion, when Sir Ringo performed with Sir Paul McCartney at one of the latter’s solo concerts in Los Angeles last year.




The footage of the two surviving Beatles performing Helter Skelter together at Dodger Stadium last summer featured at the end of Sir Ringo’s charity birthday show.
But now it’s no longer available on his YouTube channel.
However, for fans who missed The Beatles reunion and the rest of the show, Sir Ringo has made it available again for one week only on an exclusive platform.
The 80-year-old wrote on his Instagram: “I want to thank @CEEKVR for supporting my charity & birthday broadcast – RINGO'S BIG BIRTHDAY SHOW.”

paul and ringo on stage
The Beatles REUNION: Ringo Starr shares how fans can see his Paul McCartney team-up AGAIN (Image: GETTY)





Sir Ringo added: “If you missed it you can still catch it on Ceek for this week only.
“And see my interview with Ceek's founder Mary on www.ceek.com Peace and Love, Ringo.”
The drummer shared some clips from his new interview in a video attached to the same post.
The VR experience website said: “Ringo joined us at CEEK to discuss his legacy, musicians that have inspired and influenced him over the years and share his thoughts on the current events including Black Lives Matter marches all over the world.”
paul and ringo
Hopefully, The Beatles will reunite live again after the pandemic (Image: GETTY)




Meanwhile, Sir Ringo has recently teamed up with Sir Paul on the re-release of the latter’s Beautiful Night song.
The track featured on Sir Paul’s 1997 Flaming Pie album, which is set for a re-release as part of The Paul McCartney Archive Collection.
It will feature 32 bonus tracks and a 128-page book.
While the latter will contain unseen photographs taken by Linda McCartney.
Watch) Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr at Dodger Stadium Perform ...
 Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr at Dodger Stadium
On the team, Sir Paul told PA: “In 2019 when I finished touring in Los Angeles, Ringo got up on stage and we were doing Helter Skelter together.
“And he’s drumming away and I’m singing facing front because I was on the mic.
“But when I wasn’t on the mic, in the solo breaks and stuff, I really made a point of turning round and watching this guy drum.
“And I’m thinking, my god, you know the memories across this 10-yard gap here.”

The Moment Paul McCartney Brought Fellow Beatle Ringo Starr On ...

The 78-year-old added: “Him on the drums and me on the bass, the lifetime that’s going on here.
“So, you know, it’s a sort of magic.
“And he and I these days get quite emotional about it, because we should.
“We ought to. It’s a bl**dy emotional thing, the years. If nothing else.”





jueves, 23 de julio de 2020

Paul and Nancy hold hands in the Hamptons





















www.dailymail.co.uk
Sir Paul McCartney, 78, holds hands with wife Nancy Shevell, 60, as they enjoy sun-soaked stroll in the Hamptons
By LISA MCLOUGHLIN
FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 22 July 2020

He recently called for urgent action in live music industry. 
Yet, Sir Paul McCartney made sure to take a time out from his crusade as he walked hand-in-hand with his wife Nancy Shevell while running errands in The Hamptons on Tuesday. 
The Beatles singer, 78, showcased his low-key style in a pair of black shorts and T-shirt with a pair of grey-coloured trainers.
Loved up: Sir Paul McCartney made sure to take a time out from his crusade as he walked hand-in-hand with his wife Nancy Shevell while running errands in The Hamptons on Tuesday
Loved up: Sir Paul McCartney made sure to take a time out from his crusade as he walked hand-in-hand with his wife Nancy Shevell while running errands in The Hamptons on Tuesday

The acclaimed musician sported a blue baseball cap, oversized shades and donned a paisley-print protective face mask.

Complementing his off-duty style, Nancy kept things casual in grey cropped joggers, black T-shirt and Birkenstocks while she held onto their adorable dog's lead.

The beauty, who has been married to the music icon for nine years, wore a skin-protecting straw hat and followed his lead by sporting a protective face mask also in a red print. 
as he walked along the shore with his stunning wife, 60, with both of the couple donning protective face masks.
Low-key: The Beatles singer, 78, showcased his low-key style in a pair of black shorts and T-shirt with a pair of grey-coloured trainers
Low-key: The Beatles singer, 78, showcased his low-key style in a pair of black shorts and T-shirt with a pair of grey-coloured trainers

Sir Paul joined The Rolling Stones and Ed Sheeran are among 1,500 acts calling for urgent action to save the live music industry.
They have written a joint letter to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to warn that the ‘world-leading’ sector is at imminent risk of suffering mass job losses.
With concerts and festivals unlikely to return until 2021, they have asked Mr Dowden to provide a timeline for reopening venues without social distancing. They also want a business and employment support package plus VAT exemption on ticket sales.
Other musicians backing the action include Sir Rod Stewart, Coldplay, Eric Clapton, Dua Lipa, Rita Ora, Sam Smith, Liam Gallagher and Lewis Capaldi.
Hitting the right notes: Sir Paul is among 1,500 acts calling for urgent action to save the live music industry
Hitting the right notes: Sir Paul is among 1,500 acts calling for urgent action to save the live music industry

Many were due to play at last weekend’s Glastonbury and other summer festivals including All Points East and Parklife.
The artists say: ‘Live music has been one of the UK’s biggest social, cultural, and economic successes of the past decade.
‘But, with no end to social distancing in sight or financial support from Government agreed, the future for concerts and festivals and the hundreds of thousands of people who work in them looks bleak.
‘Until these businesses can operate again, which is likely to be 2021 at the earliest, Government support will be crucial to prevent mass insolvencies and the end of this world-leading industry.’
Help! The rocker along with The Rolling Stones and Ed Sheeran have written a joint letter to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden (Sir Paul pictured performing at Los Angeles Dodger Stadium in July 2019)
Help! The rocker along with The Rolling Stones and Ed Sheeran have written a joint letter to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden (Sir Paul pictured performing at Los Angeles Dodger Stadium in July 2019)


domingo, 19 de julio de 2020

Paul and Nancy — inside Their Romantic Love Story




































news.amomama.com
Paul McCartney's Younger Third Wife Nancy Shevell — inside Their Romantic Love Story
by Junie Sihlangu
AmoMama
July 19, 2020

On October 9, 2011, The Beatles Paul McCartney married his third wife Nancy Shevell. At the time, the singer was 69 and Shevell was younger than him; aged 51.
McCartney, 78, and Shevell, 60, got married at London's Old Marylebone Town Hall with family and friends in attendance. It wasn’t expected that the former Beatle would marry again after he had a bitter divorce from his second wife.
McCartney had to pay out an alleged $35 million to Heather Mills in their divorce. What Shevell has in common with the musician’s first wife, Linda Eastman, is that she’s also an American.
Nancy Shevell and Paul McCartney at the iHeartRadio Music Festival on September 20, 2013, in Las Vegas, Nevada | Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Nancy Shevell and Paul McCartney at the iHeartRadio Music Festival on September 20, 2013, in Las Vegas, Nevada | Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images


WHAT DOES SHEVELL DO
Her father is Mike Shevell the owner of a transportation conglomerate which is estimated to be worth nearly half of a billion dollars. In 2011, the businesswoman served as the company's vice president.
She was also a board member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Shevell, like Eastman, has also battled breast cancer.






HOOKED UP BY BARBARA WALTERS
McCartney first met his current wife in the Hamptons on Long Island. Rumors state that Shevell’s second cousin, Barbara Walters, thought McCartney and Shevell had a spark so she threw parties and made sure they both attended.  
At the time, she was married to a Nassau County lawyer and politician, Bruce Blakeman. The couple had a son together, Arlen.






WHEN DID THEY START DATING
McCartney and Shevell started seeing each other in the summer of 2007. It all began with the pair having low-key meetings a few months after he separated from Mills.






WHEN WAS NANCY BORN
At the time, Shevell was also separated from her husband and their divorce happened on December 9, 2008. The singer’s wife was born on 20 November 1959, in New York City and raised in Edison, New Jersey.

Before they got married, Shevell allegedly offered to sign a prenuptial agreement but McCartney refused knowing she wasn’t after his money. Her net worth is estimated to be around $200 million.






SPENDING THEIR HONEYMOON
Their honeymoon was spent at Sir Mick Jagger’s private Caribbean estate that overlooks L'Ansecoy Bay. The couple recently celebrated Independence Day in the Hamptons.
They were photographed while walking along the shore holding hands while wearing protective face masks. 

Sir Paul McCartney, 78, holds hands with wife Nancy Shevell, 60 ...