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30/11/2012
29/11/2012
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Paul Plays Edmonton
Concert review: Maybe we’re amazed at Paul McCartney
Legendary musician puts on best show of the year
When: Wednesday
Where: Rexall Place
EDMONTON - May I be a human — and not a supposedly unbiased or clinical reviewer — for a moment? OhmygoshohmygoshPaulMcCartneyisonstage! Hesrightinfrontofme! andthousandsoffans! OneoftheBeatlesisfinallyinEdmonton! Wegettowitnessrocknrollhistoryintheflesh! IhopeheplaysHeyJudeorYesterday!
And breathe.
C’mon, who wasn’t thinking the same silly thoughts during Wednesday’s sold-out show, the first of two at Rexall Place? As the 70-year-old elder statesmen casually strolled onstage, 14,500 fans erupted in cheers — an explosion 50 years in the making.
Better late than never … and McCartney more than made up for avoiding us all these years, gracefully attacking us with all his charm and greatest hits, making us feel like giddy 15-year-olds watching the Fab Four on The Ed Sullivan Show in the ’60s. Or giggly five-year-olds, watching the Beatles battle the Blue Meanies in Yellow Submarine for the first time in the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s or ’00s.
“Waiting to take you away,” he beckoned during Wednesday’s opening number, Magical Mystery Tour, as a rainbow of colours danced on the three screens at the back of the stage. “Let’s go! Let’s go!” he coaxed on the second song, Junior’s Farm, introducing us to an Eskimo who was hoping for a “fall of snow” in the process.
Not much of McCartney’s set — more than 30 songs — was a mystery, especially for those who scour the web for such information. Then again, his choices were rather limited (or obvious) for an artist with 50 years of albums — 50 years! What a staggering number. What a staggering set of songs by the Beatles, including All My Loving, Got To Get You Into My Life, Paperback Writer, The Long and Winding Road, Blackbird, Eleanor Rigby, a ukulele version of Something in honour of George Harrison, ohmygoshitsPaulMcCartney!
Of course, he couldn’t forget tunes from his other band, Wings — such as Jet, Let Me Roll It, Band on the Run — not to mention squeezing in the odd “obscure” number. Obscurities such as Sing the Changes, by The Fireman, his project with another British bassist, Youth, from post-punks Killing Joke. The tune, however, felt more like McCartney’s attempt to write for U2 — big, expansive, atmospheric, with jangly guitars and echoey backup vocals.
His entire show was epic and he didn’t even need a fancy 360-degree stage or claw. Just a few screens, four backup musicians, and his modesty. “This is cool, I’m going to take a moment just to drink it all in,” he said after his third song, All My Loving, leaning back to savour all the love. (Yes, Taylor Swift takes her cues from the best.) As grateful as McCartney came across, he wasn’t just trying to win the crowd over with sincerity, wit and looks. He worked hard for each standing ovation, playing supple grooves on his Hofner bass, showing off his guitar chops on the scribbly funk of Let Me Roll It/Foxy Lady, crooning like a younger man as he played the piano on The Long and Winding Road. Wow.
For much of the set, McCartney’s voice felt nuanced and strong, only wavering on one or two numbers, particularly the high notes on The Night Before. At times, as is the case with most arena shows, his pipes were buried by the force of his bandmates, though he seemed to sound more powerful the higher up in the arena you sat.
McCartney’s power also extended to the pacing of his show. He’s a master at moving from gravity to humour and back again, knowing when to tell a story about a dearly departed friend and when to make funny faces and point at fans as if he knows each one of them personally. “You see all these signs in the audience and they’re really great,” he said. “One half of my brain says ‘Don’t look at the signs, just sing.’ The other half says ‘Read them’.”
After reading a few for laughs, McCartney played a pair of spine-tingling numbers on his acoustic guitar — Blackbird, featuring an arena of backup singers, and Here Today, dedicated to the late great Beatle John Lennon.
But instead of letting fans wallow in sadness, McCartney then picked up the mood by playing one of his 21st century numbers, Dance Tonight, as his drummer waved his hands for most of the song. “That’s our choreography for the night,” joked McCartney.
And that was all in the first 90 minutes. By deadline, he was just finishing a string of mesmerizing numbers, including Let It Be; Live and Let Die, complete with pyro; and Hey Jude, prompting one of the night’s many mass singalongs and standing ovations.
Double, triple, quadruple wow.
McCartney’s visit caps off a year stacked with classic-rock concerts, running the gamut from Roger Waters to Neil Diamond to Red Hot Chili Peppers to Journey/Loverboy/Night Ranger. Do I even need to tell you Sir Paul’s three-hour show topped them all?
And lucky for Edmonton, we get to experience the majesty all over again on Thursday night. Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh.
© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal
28/11/2012
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Stella McCartney Crowned Designer Of The Year And Designer Brand Of The Year
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Double gold at British Fashion Awards for label worn on every red carpet and copied on every high street
The final gold medal to be awarded for Team GB's outstanding showing at the Olympics has been awarded fashionably late. Stella McCartney, who created the kit worn by Great Britain's record-breaking team this summer, has been crowned designer of the year at the British fashion industry's most prestigious award ceremony.
McCartney took to the podium twice at the Savoy Hotel, also receiving the designer brand of the year award in recognition for a label which this year has been worn on every red carpet and copied on every high street shopfloor.
The accolades were an appropriate end to a year which has brought McCartney hometown triumph. Her first London catwalk show in 16 years, held in Mayfair in February, was favourably reviewed – but it was her contribution to this summer's Olympics which did most to boost her domestic approval ratings.
McCartney emerged the eventual winner from a close three-way contest, with Christopher Kane and Mary Katrantzou also nominated. Kane, whose name has been linked with the prestigious design post at Balenciaga recently vacated by the surprise departure of Nicolas Ghesquiere, had strong support from within the British fashion industry, while Katrantzou had vociferous champions amongst the international voting committee. It is a second designer of the year award for McCartney, who also received the gong in 2007.
This was a night in which the breadth and depth of talent in the British fashion industry was rewarded at the expense of some of its most famous names. Neither Burberry, Alexander McQueen nor Mulberry were recognised, although there was a nod to the influence of Burberry in the model of the year gong for Cara Delevingne, star of the label's advertising campaigns.
A stellar year for Roksanda Ilincic, which has seen her dresses worn by Michelle Obama and the Duchess of Cambridge, was reflected in her beating stiff competition from McCartney and Victoria Beckham to bag the red carpet award, her first British Fashion Award.
The ceremony was a showcase for the huge success of the British fashion industry's concerted campaign to raise its profile and status by forging connections with other areas of British public life. McCartney's Olympic connection was a prime example, granting fashion a place at the top table at a time of national triumph. Samantha Cameron, fully signed up as an "ambassador" of the British Fashion Council, presented the new establishment award to Erdem, a designer whose dresses she favours, while Princess Beatrice's appearance, handing the special recognition award to the departing chairman of the British Fashion Council, Harold Tillman, reflected post-royal wedding close ties between fashion and the royals which recently saw the Prince of Wales host a reception in honour of London menswear catwalk shows. Music and film were also represented, with Ronnie Wood, Lily Allen and Salma Hayek among the presenters.
In the only award voted for by the public Alexa Chung scored a hat trick, claiming the British style award for the third consecutive year.
The winners
Designer of the year Stella McCartney
New establishment Erdem
Red carpet award Roksanda Ilincic
Designer brand Stella McCartney
Accessory designer Nicholas Kirkwood
Menswear designer Kim Jones for Louis Vuitton
Emerging talent award – ready to wear JW Anderson
Emerging talent award – accessories Sophie Hulme
Emerging talent award – menswear Jonathan Saunders
Model Cara Delevingne
Isabella Blow award for fashion creator Louise Wilson
Outstanding achievement in fashion Manolo Blahnik
British style Alexa Chung
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Mr Anonymous and clitoral acclaim at the British Fashion Awards
How 'Mr Anonymous' told Stella McCartney she was bound to fail - and other disasters - from the British Fashion Awards.
BY LUKE LEITCH | 28 NOVEMBER 2012
Presenting the British Fashion Awards last night, the actress Gemma Arterton observed that Jonathan Saunders' menswear had received "great clitoral acclaim". And when Princess Beatrice of York handed a Special Recognition award to the the outgoing British Fashion Council's chief Harold Tillman, she rather unfortunately called him "Howard".
But hey, we all make mistakes. And neither Princess Bea nor Gemma A's tongue-slips were anything compared to the biggest misjudgement we heard about at the Savoy yesterday. Luckily for him, 'Mr Anonymous' - an unnamed senior executive at McCartney's early employer, Chloé - wasn't there as Britain's fashion folk listened to McCartney's speech when she collected the first of her two awards.
This is what she said: "I just wanted to share a quick story with you. Many years ago I worked for a big fashion house in Paris. It was well-known, and I learned so much there, and I did love my time in Paris. But I knew in my heart it was time to come home to the city I was born in and be surrounded by the people I love. It was a really hard decision, a scary one, but I decided to tell the house that I was going to leave and start my own label in Britain.
"It was to the top man at this brand that I delivered this news, and as I did he was really shocked. He said: "Stella, you will live to regret this. You will fail. And I offer you to stay here and start your brand in Paris with us." I was really grateful for his offer but I stuck to my instincts and and said that I still wanted to go.
"As I left he said - in his French accent - [at this point Stella adopted an 'Allo 'Allo lilt] 'you need to know: there 'as never in the history of fashion been a British fashion house with a woman's name on the label that has ever been truly global.' [Cue boos]
"So I guess I do have to thank him - Mr Anonymous. Although I disagree with him: there is Dame Vivienne, amongst others. But I will never forget how I felt that day leaving his office. I couldn't be more determined to prove him wrong. And with this award I feel like I am at the start of doing that."
The audience roundly decried this tale of sexist French fashion snobbery - and quite right too.
After that, and despite the abysmal scriptwriting of whoever wrote the autocue material (Poor Arterton was left trying to inject some passion into this line about Burberry: "their customer data innovations have only added to the international success of this desirable British brand"), the rest of the ceremony proceeded without further calamity - JW Anderson's sandals apart.
27/11/2012
26/11/2012
McCartney brings legacy to town
Sir Paul's bucket list gig in Vancouver exactly what the fans ordered
Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/entertainment/McCartney+brings+legacy+town/7609458/story.html#ixzz2DLxrsK2B
The last time Paul McCartney graced a stage in Vancouver was Aug. 22, 1964. The show was cut short due to fear of a riot.
"Its been a long time since I was here last," said McCartney. "They tell me 48 years. That can't be right, I haven't even turned that yet."
There were times last night at B.C. Place when the 70-year-old could make you believe the clock was running backwards.
Opening with Magical Mystery Tour, things got off to a bit of a rough start. But by the third song, a wee ditty titled All My Loving, he was dropping those signature "woohoo's" like someone at least a third his age. This back and forth would continue all night.
Those high-pitched harmonies in The Night Before are indeed a young man's game. But Let Me Roll It from Band On The Run burned with McCartney tearing off the tune's feedbackdrenched licks with panache. He and powerhouse drummer Abe Lagoriel Jr., were beaming during the wee Foxey Lady interlude at the end.
This gave McCartney a chance to tell a story about Hendrix that was both funny and a reminder - if you needed one - that he was the Sixties. No doubt many of the 40,000-plus at the sold out local date of the On The Run Tour wanted to be reminded of the decade. Many more just wanted to say they saw a Beatle once.
Besides the animated Lagoriel Jr., guitarists Rusty Anderson and Brian and keyboardist Paul Wick-ens backed Sir Paul with The requisite journeyman chops you would expect. All provided harmonies to make tunes such as Nineteen-Hundred-and-Eighty-Five soar when it needed to and then swagger along to McCartney's boogie-woogie piano man.
I suppose having Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp onscreen providing signing for My Valentine gave the song some celebrity cred. But the song from McCartney's most recent album
Kisses on the Bottom is a full-on clunker. Maybe I'm Amazed, easily one of the best songs of his postFab Four career followed and literally wiped the preceding track.
You really get the sense he loves this song because, man, did he ever sing the heck out of it. Much worship followed.
To say that hearing I've Just Seen A Face was fantastic is gross understatement. One my fave songs off Rubber Soul was followed by And I Love Her and Blackbird - a pretty epic one, two, three combination if there ever was one. A quite different setlist last night than the previous three shows, lucky us.
Here Today from Tug of War was dedicated to his friend John. Nice, but again not much of a tune. McCartney's sappy side always got the better of him without the other three around to say nay.
Nonetheless, more worship followed.
The catalogue of tunes is positively staggering. It was pretty clear that McCartney really loves performing them too. From the ukulele strumming on Something to the other classics during the latter half of the night he was in much better voice and bouncing around in those Beatle boots like a mop-topped lad of yore.
That may have been decades ago, but Paul McCartney still does his legacy justice. Few of his living peers can make any similar claim. This was a bucket list gig and turned out to br one for the memory books as well.
Thanks for that.
Sderdeyn@theprovince.com Twitter.com/StuartDerdeyn
"Its been a long time since I was here last," said McCartney. "They tell me 48 years. That can't be right, I haven't even turned that yet."
There were times last night at B.C. Place when the 70-year-old could make you believe the clock was running backwards.
Opening with Magical Mystery Tour, things got off to a bit of a rough start. But by the third song, a wee ditty titled All My Loving, he was dropping those signature "woohoo's" like someone at least a third his age. This back and forth would continue all night.
Those high-pitched harmonies in The Night Before are indeed a young man's game. But Let Me Roll It from Band On The Run burned with McCartney tearing off the tune's feedbackdrenched licks with panache. He and powerhouse drummer Abe Lagoriel Jr., were beaming during the wee Foxey Lady interlude at the end.
This gave McCartney a chance to tell a story about Hendrix that was both funny and a reminder - if you needed one - that he was the Sixties. No doubt many of the 40,000-plus at the sold out local date of the On The Run Tour wanted to be reminded of the decade. Many more just wanted to say they saw a Beatle once.
Besides the animated Lagoriel Jr., guitarists Rusty Anderson and Brian and keyboardist Paul Wick-ens backed Sir Paul with The requisite journeyman chops you would expect. All provided harmonies to make tunes such as Nineteen-Hundred-and-Eighty-Five soar when it needed to and then swagger along to McCartney's boogie-woogie piano man.
I suppose having Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp onscreen providing signing for My Valentine gave the song some celebrity cred. But the song from McCartney's most recent album
Kisses on the Bottom is a full-on clunker. Maybe I'm Amazed, easily one of the best songs of his postFab Four career followed and literally wiped the preceding track.
You really get the sense he loves this song because, man, did he ever sing the heck out of it. Much worship followed.
To say that hearing I've Just Seen A Face was fantastic is gross understatement. One my fave songs off Rubber Soul was followed by And I Love Her and Blackbird - a pretty epic one, two, three combination if there ever was one. A quite different setlist last night than the previous three shows, lucky us.
Here Today from Tug of War was dedicated to his friend John. Nice, but again not much of a tune. McCartney's sappy side always got the better of him without the other three around to say nay.
Nonetheless, more worship followed.
The catalogue of tunes is positively staggering. It was pretty clear that McCartney really loves performing them too. From the ukulele strumming on Something to the other classics during the latter half of the night he was in much better voice and bouncing around in those Beatle boots like a mop-topped lad of yore.
That may have been decades ago, but Paul McCartney still does his legacy justice. Few of his living peers can make any similar claim. This was a bucket list gig and turned out to br one for the memory books as well.
Thanks for that.
Sderdeyn@theprovince.com Twitter.com/StuartDerdeyn
© Copyright (c) The Province
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McCartney cements his status as a legend
Return engagement was 48 years in the making - and it was worth the wait
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/McCartney+cements+status+legend/7609341/story.html#ixzz2DLz0NflE
PAUL MCCARTNEY
Sunday night BC Place
It took close to half a century for Paul McCartney to step on a Vancouver stage for the second time in his musical career, and in the span of nearly three hours at BC Place, Sir Paul closed the gap, looped the loop and gave his fans a timeless experience.
By comparison, McCartney's 1964 concert at Empire Stadium with the Beatles was a mere blink of an eye, a shambolic mess that lasted under half an hour, security breaking down and the Beatles being rushed off the stage and flown out of the Lower Mainland in about as much time as it took McCartney to sing Hey Jude along with 40,000 or so fans that had come from far and wide to see the 70-year-old legend Sunday night.
With a playlist comprising close to 40 songs and covering pretty much every corner of his career, with heartfelt nods to old pals John Lennon and George Harrison along the way, McCartney never even paused to take a break, commanding the stage with more power, presence and stamina than pop stars half his age.
It's no mystery why McCartney's output with the Fab Four, Wings and on his lonesome will be loved and appreciated by past, present and future generations: McCartney's pop songwriting mastery is virtually unmatched, and the execution Sunday night was near flawless.
Backed by an ace band consisting of guitarist/vocalist Rusty Anderson, keyboardist/guitarist/percussionist Paul Wickens, guitarist/bassist Brian Ray and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr., McCartney kicked off, quite fittingly, with Magical Mystery Tour, the stadium transported back in time to rainbow-era Beatles, back when the Walrus was Paul.
And off Macca was, On The Run, as his tour is called, handing out memory-filled classic after another, mixing things up early on - Wings' Junior's Farm, Jet and Let Me Roll It; the Beatles' All My Loving and Paperback Writer; a few solo tracks including Maybe I'm Amazed - before truly settling into a Beatles-centric groove and sticking mostly to the Fab Four's greatest cuts from the halfway mark on.
McCartney was indeed in a form that makes you wonder where he stores all that energy: He still shimmies and shakes and flashes his trademark pouty grin, wielding his signature Hofner bass like only he can, and barely pauses for a drink of water or to catch his breath, telling anecdotes about departed friends like Hendrix.
The fans that braved the bottleneck madness at Gate A and eventually made it through unscathed (while most of the other gates were a breeze) were originally greeted by a remixed mashup of some of the Beatles classics and an animated memorabilia display on the giant screens on both sides of the stage, the concert eventually kicking off about 45 minutes after its scheduled start time.
"It's been a long time Vancouver," McCartney said a couple numbers in. "It's good to be back. I have a feeling were going to have a real good time here tonight. Oh yeah."
Looking rather spry in his sharp blue jacket (which he would later remove during "the evening's only wardrobe change"), McCartney's voice took a few numbers to really warm up, fully finding its spark in a fist-pumping Jet and Drive My Car, which he prefaced by saying, "It can't have been 48 years. I'm not even 48!"
Sunday night BC Place
It took close to half a century for Paul McCartney to step on a Vancouver stage for the second time in his musical career, and in the span of nearly three hours at BC Place, Sir Paul closed the gap, looped the loop and gave his fans a timeless experience.
By comparison, McCartney's 1964 concert at Empire Stadium with the Beatles was a mere blink of an eye, a shambolic mess that lasted under half an hour, security breaking down and the Beatles being rushed off the stage and flown out of the Lower Mainland in about as much time as it took McCartney to sing Hey Jude along with 40,000 or so fans that had come from far and wide to see the 70-year-old legend Sunday night.
With a playlist comprising close to 40 songs and covering pretty much every corner of his career, with heartfelt nods to old pals John Lennon and George Harrison along the way, McCartney never even paused to take a break, commanding the stage with more power, presence and stamina than pop stars half his age.
It's no mystery why McCartney's output with the Fab Four, Wings and on his lonesome will be loved and appreciated by past, present and future generations: McCartney's pop songwriting mastery is virtually unmatched, and the execution Sunday night was near flawless.
Backed by an ace band consisting of guitarist/vocalist Rusty Anderson, keyboardist/guitarist/percussionist Paul Wickens, guitarist/bassist Brian Ray and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr., McCartney kicked off, quite fittingly, with Magical Mystery Tour, the stadium transported back in time to rainbow-era Beatles, back when the Walrus was Paul.
And off Macca was, On The Run, as his tour is called, handing out memory-filled classic after another, mixing things up early on - Wings' Junior's Farm, Jet and Let Me Roll It; the Beatles' All My Loving and Paperback Writer; a few solo tracks including Maybe I'm Amazed - before truly settling into a Beatles-centric groove and sticking mostly to the Fab Four's greatest cuts from the halfway mark on.
McCartney was indeed in a form that makes you wonder where he stores all that energy: He still shimmies and shakes and flashes his trademark pouty grin, wielding his signature Hofner bass like only he can, and barely pauses for a drink of water or to catch his breath, telling anecdotes about departed friends like Hendrix.
The fans that braved the bottleneck madness at Gate A and eventually made it through unscathed (while most of the other gates were a breeze) were originally greeted by a remixed mashup of some of the Beatles classics and an animated memorabilia display on the giant screens on both sides of the stage, the concert eventually kicking off about 45 minutes after its scheduled start time.
"It's been a long time Vancouver," McCartney said a couple numbers in. "It's good to be back. I have a feeling were going to have a real good time here tonight. Oh yeah."
Looking rather spry in his sharp blue jacket (which he would later remove during "the evening's only wardrobe change"), McCartney's voice took a few numbers to really warm up, fully finding its spark in a fist-pumping Jet and Drive My Car, which he prefaced by saying, "It can't have been 48 years. I'm not even 48!"
From the stands, the sound was punchy and crisp, with minimal distortion. You have to hand it to both McCartney's and BC Place's sound techs, this was a great-sounding gig.
McCartney sounded especially at home behind the piano for The Long and Winding Road. The Wings material was particularly snappy, with Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five stirring up quite a groove, while the tender My Valentine paid tribute to his wife Nancy, with Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman providing a video where they signed the lyrics. And then there was I'm Amazed, dedicated to Linda, which lifted the stadium high.
The pacing of the concert was expertly conceived, McCartney spending the middle part of the concert on the acoustic guitar, playing a disarming And I Love Her, and taking a solo turn on Blackbird, which echoed beautifully in the building, dedicated to the civil rights movement in the '60s.
Rumours that were started by radio station CKNW on Friday said Bruce Springsteen was slated to join McCartney Sunday night to resume the joint set that had been interrupted earlier this year at London's Hyde Park when London shut down the concert due to curfew.
At press time, there had been no sign of The Boss. Instead, McCartney was paying tribute to Lennon playing Here Today.
Halfway in, McCartney's was already a concert for the ages, and one that will have touched Vancouver's history as much as Sir Paul's first "on the run" show here close to five decades ago.
fmarchand@vancouversun.com Blog: vancouversun.com/awesomesound twitter.com/FMarchandVS
McCartney sounded especially at home behind the piano for The Long and Winding Road. The Wings material was particularly snappy, with Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five stirring up quite a groove, while the tender My Valentine paid tribute to his wife Nancy, with Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman providing a video where they signed the lyrics. And then there was I'm Amazed, dedicated to Linda, which lifted the stadium high.
The pacing of the concert was expertly conceived, McCartney spending the middle part of the concert on the acoustic guitar, playing a disarming And I Love Her, and taking a solo turn on Blackbird, which echoed beautifully in the building, dedicated to the civil rights movement in the '60s.
Rumours that were started by radio station CKNW on Friday said Bruce Springsteen was slated to join McCartney Sunday night to resume the joint set that had been interrupted earlier this year at London's Hyde Park when London shut down the concert due to curfew.
At press time, there had been no sign of The Boss. Instead, McCartney was paying tribute to Lennon playing Here Today.
Halfway in, McCartney's was already a concert for the ages, and one that will have touched Vancouver's history as much as Sir Paul's first "on the run" show here close to five decades ago.
fmarchand@vancouversun.com Blog: vancouversun.com/awesomesound twitter.com/FMarchandVS
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
24/11/2012
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GQ&A: Sir Paul McCartney talks teasing Stevie Wonder and meeting Kanye West
By Andy Morris 24 November 12
Sir Paul McCartney's bookshelf speaks volumes: sitting alongside Hunter Davies' exhaustive collection of John Lennon's unpublished letters is Miles Davis caustic autobiography, an Arne Jacobsen coffee table book and a copy of Jeremy Rikfin's vegetarian tract Beyond Beef. GQ has come to McCartney's office in London's Soho to discussLive Kisses, a short film of an intimate gig of tracks from his rapturously received (and smuttily titled)Kisses On The Bottom album. McCartney himself is in good humour with an impish sense of fun - as I enter the room Bobby Darin's booming "Baby Face" is ringing out from his Wurlitzer jukebox. To mark the film being shown on ITV, McCartney discusses teasing Stevie Wonder, chatting to Jay-Z and punching Stu Sutclfffe...
GQ: What was the best record in your parent's collection?
GQ: What was the best record in your parent's collection?
Sir Paul McCartney: My father didn't have a record collection! He played piano but he never had a record player - amazing isn't it? My cousin Cath did and my Auntie Jen did but we didn't have records and just listened to the radio. One of my favourite songs that my Dad would play is a song called "Lullaby Of The Leaves" - just an old tune.
How has your friendship with Stevie Wonder changed over the years?
I've always been an admirer from the early days when we first heard him as "Little" Stevie Wonder with "Fingertips". Then I met him on and off [for a few years] and going to his shows. Eventually I asked him if we could record together "Ebony and Ivory". I spent some time with him in Montserrat to make that record. As guys you can have a good laugh - he's a lovely fellow. I just admire him so much and I think that its kind-of mutual - he's always saying really nice things about me. He's such a musical monster. You sit down with him and piano and immediately he's off. I know some of his old stories so I can joke with him and take the mickey. He was originally "Steveland Morris" and he was in a little blind school in Detroit. He was just one of the blind kids who just happened to be musically gifted. He went to Motown to make "Fingertips" and then he was famous. He came back as "Little Stevie Wonder". So he once told me all the blind kids in the school used to call him [adopts mocking tone] "Wundurr". They didn't like him and were jealous of him. So now when I see him and if we pass in the corridor I say "Wundurr" and he immediately knows its Paul. We have little things in common which is cool.
You've discussed how Kisses On the Bottom relates to your work with the Beatles but can you also see links between it and your other solo work?
You've discussed how Kisses On the Bottom relates to your work with the Beatles but can you also see links between it and your other solo work?
In the organic way of making it, yeah. You don't always use that strategy but when you do it pays off. I think what Kisses On the Bottom did was remind me of how cool it is to get a bunch of musicians who know what they're doing in a room and then kick it around. It's very much what we did with the Beatles. I'm doing some new recordings and I'm doing that a bit with the band I play with now - it's very nice to do. I like sitting down in a room and letting people have ideas and then trying to organize them.
Was the challenge of a smaller gig part of the appeal of Live Kisses?
Was the challenge of a smaller gig part of the appeal of Live Kisses?
It really was. It was something completely alien to what I do. I didn't have an instrument as my good luck charm, my safety valve or my blanket to suck on. It was just me on a stool in front of a mic. At first it was very nervewracking but there was no way out so I had to work out how to do it - I grabbed at every resource I could and every scrap of knowledge and eventually found a vocal style that eventually made the album a lot easier to do. I was going into it with almost a Vegas mentality. I'd written a song that we didn't use that [his wife] Nancy and I used to laugh hysterically about. She used to say "Where's the pinky ring? Where's the rhinestone jacket?" There's always a danger of going into that area and leaning a little too far that way. It can look just like a parody. It's hard to pull it off because we know Sinatra was that. We know Nat King Cole was that. But we're not that and we know we're not that - to find your place in that is a little bit difficult. I decided to play it very simply and very honestly. That's why the musical selection is just things we loved rather than [sings] "The way you look tonight!" I love all those songs but they're done so much! There's a danger you're going to interpret them in a little bit too Rat Packy style which we avoid.
You met Kanye West at British GQ's Men Of The Year in 2007. What did you talk about?
You met Kanye West at British GQ's Men Of The Year in 2007. What did you talk about?
I imagine I would just have said I loved what you do. With Kanye, I'm always so excited that he knows who I am and he's come up. I'm a fan of his. I met him and "Jay Zed", as we call him, at the Met Ball that Stella was being honoured at. I never know what to say. They were just saying "Hey man, you're really a Knight!" Their perspective on that, as Americans, as ex-Project guys - for them a knight is like Sir Lancelot. It's always funny as I'm just Paul, one of the guys.
When was the last time you threw a punch?
In Hamburg. At Stu Sutcliffe. We threw punches at each other and found ourselves locked in a death grip. The bouncers had to prise us apart eventually. I'd said something, he's said something and we got into it on stage. Very embarrassing. And neither of us were fighters so we ended up in a lock trying to suppress each others abilities!
What's the strangest gift you've got from a fan?
What's the strangest gift you've got from a fan?
Old knickers. Too old to talk about - I don't mean vintage! Just not freshly laundered...
The Live Kisses concert is on ITV1 on 24 November 11pm. Kisses on the Bottom - Complete Kisses' (Hear Music/Concord Music Group) is out 26 November
gq-magazine.co.uk
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My girls all smarten themselves up when Johnny Depp pops in
The Sun talks to Sir Paul McCartney
about his famous pals and ... jazz
AS A former member of The Beatles Sir Paul McCartney is one of the most
recognisable faces on the planet.
But when he sits down at the breakfast table with his close family, rubbing sleep from his eyes,
no one gives him a second look.
It’s a completely different story when his close pal Johnny Depp pops round. In fact, the icon has
noticed the McCartney household acting in an entirely different fashion when he rocks up.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Sir Paul, acknowledging the name drop, laughs: “John
— if I can just drop a name there — comes visiting quite a lot.
“It’s cool. I had my daughter and her husband and the kids staying there recently, and my little
one Beatrice.
“I said to them all, ‘By the way, Johnny Depp is coming round’. They all perked up — ‘Oh yeah?’
I said, ‘Yeah, he’s coming round tomorrow’.
“That morning I come into breakfast and the first guy coming in is Mary’s husband, and I say,
‘You look very smart today’.
“Then Nancy comes in, she’s all smartened up — make-up, you know. Normally, everyone
bowls in bleary-eyed.
“Then suddenly they are all laughing at me because I’m in a waistcoat and I’ve done it too —
subconsciously made a real effort. Everyone, Beatrice, all smartly dressed for our special
guest.
“Then Johnny comes in like he’s an old cowboy. He just hung out, it was really nice. He brought
me this funky little guitar as a gift. He’s a really decent player. Before he was an actor, when he
was about 17, he was in a group.”
Johnny, 49, became close friends with Sir Paul after taking a leading role in the video for
Macca’s single My Valentine earlier this year.
That song, written for Sir Paul’s wife Nancy Shevell, came from the album Kisses On The
Bottom, which topped charts around the globe. Macca, 70, recorded a live performance of the
album with jazz musicians at LA’s Capitol Studios, which can be seen in an ITV1 show at 11pm
tonight. The live album, Kisses On The Bottom — Complete Kisses, is out on Monday.
Despite a long and prestigious performing career, the chart legend admits he found the live
performance “terrifying”.
He confesses: “Doing this project is the most scared I have felt for years. It is nothing that I know
about.
“It was frightening. The very first day was the worst because I didn’t know anyone. I’ve been with
a band, we’ve been together for ten years, and suddenly I’m the new boy.
“When I was trying the songs out I had been using a much more full voice — kind of like a Rat
Pack style.
“I suddenly realised I was doing an impersonation — it was like something Rory Bremner might
have done, only he would have done it better than me.
“There was a moment of panic in the studio actually on the day.
“I suddenly thought, ‘This isn’t going to work. Oh f***.’
“The band are listening to me. And they are jazz players who have worked with good people. It
was a moment of insecurity and I was out of my element.”
Of all the people in the world, Sir Paul has earned the right to walk with a bit more of a
swagger than everyone else. But he is still remarkably humble.
He says: “I used Nat King Cole’s microphone for the gig. It was quite intimidating. But once I
found my way, I loved using it.
“We recorded in Capitol Studios, which has a rich history. So much great music has been
made there. I started asking myself if I’d be able to live up to it.
“I’m actually amazed that I still feel like that. There is so much stuff that has remained in my
personality since I was a kid. I was talking the other night about some thing we were doing and
how much money it was going to earn.
“I said a few things and one of the people said, ‘You still sound interested in all this’. I said,
‘Yeah, I am’. They said, ‘But don’t you feel like you’ve got enough?’
“I said, ‘Yeah, you could say that. But I am a working-class guy and that is still in me’. I don’t
think I would ever want to outgrow that fact.”
It’s been another incredible year for Sir Paul. He was given a star on the Hollywood Walk Of
Fame and he played his part in the Olympic Opening Ceremony and the Queen’s Jubilee
celebration gig.
He has played all over the world with his regular band and earned great reviews for his latest
live album.
In February I went to a fundraiser for the MusiCares charity in LA in honour of Macca’s career,
with a stellar line-up of musical talent playing some of his biggest hits. It was an incredible
spectacle — and something he will never forget either.
He says: “It was amazing when I saw Coldplay, Neil Young, Katy Perry, Tony Bennett and all
those guys singing my songs. I think someone who didn’t have the same instincts could sit there
and say, ‘I’ve written all these songs. It’s very kind of you to come along, but I deserve this
recognition. This is great’.
“I was sat there, thinking, ‘I can’t believe it. Alison Krauss doing No More Lonely Nights?’ I’m not
jaded. I am still thrilled by things that still thrilled me back then.”
As recently as this month, Sir Paul had a reminder of how lucky he is, after a narrow escape
from Hurricane Sandy.
He says: “I actually just escaped Sandy. I was so jammy. I had taken my little one on holiday to
the Bahamas. The day I was supposed to be leaving, they told me there was a storm blowing
in. I’d just flown out of there and that evening the storm hit. I heard something like 28 people
were killed. It was terrible. I just scraped out of that.”
Sir Paul’s film producer pal Harvey Weinstein — who put together the concert for New York
after 9/11 — has now organised the Concert For Sandy Relief on December 12 at Madison
Square Garden and Macca is on the bill, along with Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Kanye
West and The Who.
Sir Paul says: “Harvey asked if I’d like to do it, and I had a few ideas. I’ve got a couple of
special moments up my sleeve.”
Another huge performance, raising bundles of cash for a good cause — he’s a great man,
with no sign of slowing down. And long may that continue.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/4662580/sir-paul-mccartney-on-nancy-johnny-depp-and-jazz.html#ixzz2D8qrKXBP
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