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Miscellaneous questions about Paul McCartney
12 August 2014
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Ahhh Girl
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Paul is saying that he gets inspiration from all kinds of places. While he was hanging around in the hospital after Mary was born, he saw a Picasso painting of a man playing the guitar. He looked carefully at the painting to figure out what chord the person in the painting was playing. He noticed that the person was only using two fingers which inspired Paul to write a song that only required two fingers. In a funny moment, Paul is talking like a magician would. It goes something like “Notice my fingers. I am just using two. My hand never leaves my wrist.”

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16 August 2014
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What was Mary McCartney like (Paul’s mom)

https://youtu.be/52nwiTs7bk8

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19 August 2014
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Zig
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From what I’ve read, Mary was a loving mother who wanted the best for her family and also expected them to look their best. The family moved a few times due to her getting better jobs (nurse/midwife) and those jobs came with better houses. There is some speculation that, had she lived, she may not have approved or allowed Paul to pursue a career in music.

That is just a snapshot – there are those in this Forum who could lend a lot more to this conversation – I’m sure Billy Rhythm can help.

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19 August 2014
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Here’s a photo of Mary, along with Paul (haha, fat kid!) and his brother Michael:

http://www.thisisnotporn.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Paul-McCartney-Mary-McCartney-and-Michael-McCartney.jpgImage Enlarger

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5 September 2014
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This isn’t necessarily a question about Paul McCartney …but it raises questions about Paul. For instance, is he a stingy egomaniac?

I’m reading this book of interviews, and there is one with May Pang, Fred Seaman, and Geoffrey Giuliano. And another where Giuliano interviews Jo Jo Laine (I’m halfway through that one).

But Giulanio and Laine say a number of things I was unaware of.

1. Denny Laine wrote most of the lyrics for Mull Of Kintyre , and he and Paul were the two writers of the Band On The Run album, while Paul gave him no credit for his work.

2. Paul paid Denny and the rest of the band, including Linda, poverty wages for their work in Wings (35 pounds a week, later raised to 50). Supposedly, before Band On The Run came out, the rest of the band (excluding Linda), who were broke, were offered a 100,000 pound lump sum and told they could either take the 100,000 pounds now, or be paid royalties on the album later. Paul encouraged them to take the lump sum because he wouldn’t want them to lose out if the album didn’t sell.

3. Linda said on numerous occasions that she didn’t want to be in Wings. Also, supposedly, at one point she couldn’t pay a fine she was given because she said she only made the 50 pounds a week. Apparently that’s all Paul was giving her.

4. Paul and Linda’s children shared the same clothing and wore mismatched socks.

5. Paul said to one of his lawyers that “Ringo is always looking for a handout.” Apparently Ringo was broke in the 80’s and considered selling his shares in The Beatles to an Arab.

Has anyone heard this stuff?

"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney 

5 September 2014
9.58pm
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Zig
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That’s the first I am hearing of all of the above, but have not read the book. I have read in other books that as a kid, he was less than generous. We all know he is an egomaniac and a bit of a control freak.

If those traits helped produce the wonderful music we all know and love, I can live with it. People have done much worse.

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5 September 2014
10.17pm
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Linde
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Haven’t heard of any of that before. This is the first time I’m seeing any of those 5 points being mentioned.

I don’t know about the rest, but surely Ringo wasn’t that broke if he could still afford to have 3 houses btw.

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6 September 2014
12.40am
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Finished the interview. Here’s the rest. Jo Jo says Denny told her that Paul said to his face, “You weren’t anything when I pulled you out of the gutter to join Wings and you can’t be anything without me.”

The deal was if Denny took the 100,000 Paul would pay off his taxes when they were due. Paul never paid them and Denny went bankrupt as a result and had to sell Paul the rights to his Wings songs. Then he had to sell off his possessions and get work singing in pubs.

Paul also punched Jimmy McCulloch in the face because he wouldn’t do an encore (due to technical/equipment issues) and grabbed him by his throat because he complained about the horrible living conditions on the farm. They slept in mattresses on the floor, had no furniture, kitchen (they had to use one in another house) or TV, and had to wash in an outhouse because there was no running water. In anger, he threw some of Linda’s chicken eggs. Paul grabbed him by the throat and demanded he apologize. Jimmy said “fuck you” and left the band.

In Paul’s defense, supposedly his and Linda’s living conditions were the same except they had hot running water and a TV.

"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney 

8 September 2014
2.28am
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Ron Nasty said

Annadog40 said
ahdn_paul_06 I don’t think she knew until some time in 1967 with Francine*

*not sure if that is her name

The name is Francie Schwartz. Jane ended the relationship with Paul on 20 July 1968 after walking in on her and Paul in bed. Jane probably had some idea that Paul wasn’t a saint on tour, as other Beatle partners probably knew. But what happens on tour… Paul’s problem was taking it home to the bed he shared with Jane. That was too much for her.

I just finished Spitz’ book and, according to him (stop throwing things!), McCartney met up with Linda again during a trip to the States and decided on the flight home who he wanted to be with.  His relationship with Jane Asher was on the downturn anyway and he intentionally set himself up to get caught in the act so he could end the relationship.  He and Asher were already engaged at this point, so he took a more drastic measure.

8 September 2014
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I guess people are more comfortable talking about John’s violent nature than Paul’s.

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16 September 2014
7.53pm
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How many #1 hits Paul had in UK and US as a solo artist and with wings ?

16 September 2014
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According to here Paul has had 7 non-Beatles #1 singles in the UK – “solo (1), Wings (1), with Stevie Wonder (1), Ferry Aid (1), Band Aid (1), Band Aid 20 (1)“.

Pipes Of Peace ‘ was the solo #1, ‘Mull Of Kintyre ‘ with Wings, ‘Ebony And Ivory ‘ the duet with Stevie, and the others being charity records with a number of other artists (‘Ferry Cross The Mersey’ in 1989 and two versions of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’, the first in 1984, the other in 2004).

In America Paul has so far reached the top spot once solo, five times with Wings, and once each with Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Linda.  

The Wings #1’s were ‘My Love’, ‘Band On The Run ‘, ‘Listen To What The Man Said’, ‘Silly Love Songs’, and ‘With A Little Luck’ (‘Let Em In’ reached number on the US Easy Listening chart (see wiki)). Solo was ‘Coming Up (Live)’ (technically Paul and Wings but credited to just Paul). With Stevie ‘Ebony And Ivory ‘, Michael ‘Say, Say, Say’, and ‘Uncle Albert /Admiral Halsey ‘ with Linda. 

 

[Hopefully all that is correct. No doubt someone will correct something.]

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16 September 2014
8.43pm
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Some corrections/additions to the UK list:

On the original Band Aid, Paul did not feature on the A-side. The B-side had spoken word contributions from several who couldn’t make it, including Paul, played over the backing track of the A-side.

The Ferry Aid single (1987) was Let It Be Paul cheated a little here, using the vocal from the Beatles version. It was released following the Zeebrugge Ferry Disaster.

Ferry Cross the Mersey (1989) was credited to The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney , Gerry Marsden and Stock Aitken Waterman. It was released following the Hillsborough Disaster which saw the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans.

In 2012, following the release of a report on the Hillsborough Disaster, Paul was part of The Justice Collective who released a version of He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother to raise money for the families legal fund.

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16 September 2014
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meanmistermustard said

<snip>
 

[Hopefully all that is correct. No doubt someone will correct something.]

 

Ron Nasty said
Some corrections/additions to the UK list:

You see.a-hard-days-night-john-1

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16 September 2014
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For anyone interested in those charity singles that are probably lesser known outside of the UK, here they are.

Ferry Aid (1987)

It should be noted that all Paul’s contributions were done at his own studio, so no point looking for him in the scenes of the main recording.

The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney , Gerry Marsden and Stock Aitken Waterman (1989)

The Justice Collective (2012)

This is probably my favourite of the three.

 

 

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17 September 2014
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Expert Textpert said
I guess people are more comfortable talking about John’s violent nature than Paul’s.

@Expert Textpert 

Not really. At least that wouldn’t include me. All you’ve written about Paul has shocked me and for the last thirty minutes I’ve been trying to think about all the things I want to say about him –and about John as well. I think I will sleep on it for several days and start a new thread, based on the “Miscellaneous questions about Paul/John” threads. But I thank you for opening my eyes to Paul’s dark side.

Oudis.

Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit” (“Perhaps one day it will be a pleasure to look back on even this”; Virgil, The Aeneid, Book 1, line 203, where Aeneas says this to his men after the shipwreck that put them on the shores of Africa)

17 September 2014
11.45am
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I’ve read some of what Expert Textpert posted here and here elsewhere. Parts of it (eg Paul punching Jimmy McCulloch before the encore of a Wings show, how Paul didnt want to sign contracts and persuaded the band to get paid per week, the very rustic minimalist settings of the bands accommodation at High Park Farm) are in Tom Doyle’s ‘Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s‘, i dont remember any sources given so it could have either originated from the same source or even from the interview ET was reading (but i doubt that).

Paul and Linda (and i think their kids have too) occasionally stated openly that their kids were given hand-me-downs so its no revelation, Paul also made furniture including a cot for Mary – it was more about going back to basics, giving the kids a more normal childhood and not letting them get spoiled. I fail to see a story in it.

Laine being heavily involved in the writing of ‘Mull Of Kintyre ‘ and Paul eventually buying his part of the ownership of the song has been printed regularly for a long time. We all know Paul is a tough bastard when it comes to business.

Linda didnt want to be part of the band as she knew she wasnt a musician and so got extremely nervous and scared at times, therefore stating she didnt want to be in the band at times is no surprise. Its a testament to her love for Paul that she supported her husband not a stick to beat Paul for.

Ringo did reportedly have financial issues in the 80’s. George had them as well hence his involvement in the Anthology project.

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18 September 2014
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“Jim gave Paul a nickel-plated trumpet for his fourteenth birthday, but when rock and roll became popular on Radio Luxembourg, McCartney traded it for a £15 Framus Zenith (model 17) acoustic guitar, rationalising that it would be difficult to sing while playing a trumpet.”

-Wikipedia

Really? He JUST THEN realized you can’t sing and play trumpet?? IT’S COMMON SENSE, PAUL!!!!

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18 September 2014
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thisbirdhasflown said

“Jim gave Paul a nickel-plated trumpet for his fourteenth birthday, but when rock and roll became popular on Radio Luxembourg, McCartney traded it for a £15 Framus Zenith (model 17) acoustic guitar, rationalising that it would be difficult to sing while playing a trumpet.”

-Wikipedia

Really? He JUST THEN realized you can’t sing and play trumpet?? IT’S COMMON SENSE, PAUL!!!!

Or is that someone on Wikipedia putting in their conjecture. Would someone who has read the official biographies, etc., chime in on the reasons Paul really gave for trading in the trumpet (if he ever did state his reasons explicitly – it may be just common sense that he saw that the guitar was the wave of the future). More than likely it wasn’t for the reason mentioned in Wikipedia.

18 September 2014
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They just worded it wrong. He obviously couldn’t sing and play trumpet, but from what I’ve read I believe he thought it’d be hard to sing with the calluses on his lips caused by trumpet playing.

And shouldn’t that’ve been in the questions about Paul section? It seems like a lot of our talk in All Together Now is actually Beatley. Some I understand goes with the non-Beatley, but we should have all the purely Beatles stuff in the Beatles section(s).
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