INTERVIEW : Paul McCartney Gets By With Help From KCSN Radio

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Paul McCartney Gets By With Help From KCSN Radio
By Gary Trust
March 07, 2014

As legendary as Paul McCartney is, he's not above picking up the phone and personally thanking a radio programmer for playing songs from his latest album, "New."

When KCSN Los Angeles program director Sky Daniels arrived at the adult alternative station yesterday (March 6), he received a message that none other than McCartney wanted to speak with him.

Upon calling Jill Weindorf, senior VP of promotion for McCartney's label, Hear Music/Concord Music Group, he learned that McCartney was in Los Angeles shooting a video for "New" track "Early Days" the day before and spent the evening with "friends at dinner," according to Weindorf. Those friends regaled McCartney with stories about KCSN and how it has played cuts from "New," including the title track and second single "Queenie Eye."

Impressed by the station's support, McCartney then called the label and asked how he could contact KCSN to say thanks. From there, McCartney and Daniels chatted for more than an hour.

"Paul's call was so thoughtful, I found myself fighting back tears," Daniels says. "He told us of how his friends all loved the station, and [that] they told him that KCSN was playing a number of songs from 'New' and he simply wanted to say thanks."

In the call-turned-interview, McCartney discussed the emotional wave that the recent 50th anniversary of the Beatles' U.S. arrival had created in him; his appreciation for the multiple Grammy Awards that he recently won; and, how happy he is to have developed a "real band" with his longtime touring group of Brian Ray, Rusty Anderson, Wix Wickens and Abe Laboriel, Jr.

McCartney disclosed that he was excited to begin work on a new project: creating the music for a forthcoming animated film. "It's like being a kid getting to play with some of the most creative people in the world," McCartney said. He also expounded on the thrill he still gets from fans' reactions. "When people tell you that you wrote the 'soundtrack to their life,' that's pretty meaningful."

McCartney's gratitude humbled Daniels. "When Paul McCartney's friends sing the praises of KCSN, and he feels compelled to listen and reach out to say thanks, it validates the support of our members and the hard work of our staff. It really is a statement that radio can still touch hearts and minds, even those of the greatest songwriter of our time."



A listener-supported public radio station and a service of California State University, Northridge, 88.5 FM KCSN offers a 24-hour, commercial-free mix of rock, alternative, indie, soul, blues and Americana. McCartney is, obviously, in the mix. The station was also recently added as one of the 32 reporters to Billboard's Triple A radio airplay chart.

"New" debuted at No. 3 on the Nov. 2 Billboard 200 album chart and has sold 190,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The title cut first single reached No. 18 on Adult Contemporary and No. 21 on Triple A.


Paul McCartney performs at Bonnaroo 2013.

Listen: Paul McCartney Interview On KCSN Radio