Mike McCartney ready to go back to his roots in new show

The singer and rock photographer, brother of Beatle Paul, to share his memories at Portmeirion’s Hercules Hall on April 29.

Singer and rock photographer Mike McCartney is looking forward to sharing his memories of his Welsh roots when he appears at an iconic venue later this month.

Paul McCartney’s brother, who brought us the legendary Lily The Pink all those years ago, has been tempted out for his first-ever solo tour of the country, taking in Portmeirion’s Hercules Hall.

The 70-year-old Mike, who calls Beatle Paul “Our Kid”, will look through his family album with stories of Liverpool life from childhood to entering showbiz – when because of Beatlemania he had to change his name to McGear.

He said: “I’m on my first tour since the Scaffold days, how scary is that, but it’s great. I’m meeting lots of really lovely people.

“And I’m looking forward to Portmeirion because I first visited in the 1960s when Brian Epstein told me about this magical place nestling in the hills of North Wales.

“I’ll be telling the audience of my Welsh roots. My Aunt Dilys was from Mold, a fluent Welsh speaker: she and my uncle Bill kept the Eagle Hotel on Paradise Street.”

Born in wartime Liverpool, Mike was a trainee hairdresser with friend Lewis Collins when showbiz came rat-tat-tatting on the door of the McCartney home in Forthlin Road.

However, Mike reveals: “If my mum had lived (Mary McCartney died when he was a boy), neither I nor my brother would’ve been in showbiz. I can assure you she wouldn’t have allowed us to. No way.

“Both my mum and dad wanted us to better ourselves. And being a rock ‘n’ roll punk, or a comedy satirical sing-a-long showbiz gentleman, wouldn’t have been on the cards.”

Paul McCartney kisses his new sister in law Angela Fishwick who married his brother Mike in Carrog North Wales 8 June 1968

While elder brother Paul was off doing his thing with his band, Mike fell in with an arty bohemian crowd at home, including the Mersey poets. It was one third of the poetry trio, Roger McGough, who joined forces with Mike and John Gorman to form The Scaffold.The band had a Christmas number one in 1968 with “Lily the Pink”, and scored another top five hit with “Thank U Very Much” – reputedly a favourite of the Queen Mum.Not that they capitalised on their success. Scaffold's roots were as a satirical sketch troupe and rare footage of them in action in the 60s will be screened as part of the stage show, along with images from photographer Mike's own collection.When the tour organiser booked him into the Epstein Theatre in Liverpool Mike initially had misgivings but then he remembered it used to be called the Neptune Theatre and before that the Crane where the Scaffold made their first ever public performance.

“I’ve still got the programme," he said.

He promises everything, however bizarre, he tells audiences will be the truth – part of his "rollercoaster life".

“Everyone knows about Merseybeat. I’m going to be telling you the other side of the 60s, the just as interesting, just as dynamic, just as electrifying side.

“As our kid once said: ‘Michael, don’t forget, you were there’,” he said.

Mike’s Sex, Drugs & Rock‘n’Roll (I Wish!) show is at Portmeirion on April 29. Tickets on 01766 772390.

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