Angry

‘Angry’ is the ninth track on Paul McCartney’s sixth solo album Press To Play. It was co-written by McCartney and former 10cc member Eric Stewart.

An early version of ‘Angry’ was recorded in March 1985, although producer Hugh Padgham persuaded McCartney to mostly re-record the track. All that was retained were the lead and harmony vocals.

The re-recording featured The Who’s Pete Townshend on guitar.

I’d kept in touch with Pete after ‘Rockestra’ and Live Aid. Pete’s actually only on ‘Angry’. There’s a chord riff I’d written a long time ago for something else, and every time I played it I felt like Pete Townshend! There was plenty of those windmill arms when I played it, and I always imagined him doing it. It actually only took two hours to get that track down on tape, which is incredibly quick these days – in the old days we’d have done an album by then!

Another guest performer was drummer Phil Collins, who had recently worked with Padgham on the global smash No Jacket Required. ‘Angry’ was included in Collins’ 2018 box set Plays Well With Others.

Hugh Padgham was engineering that record. I guess Paul wanted to use some different people. I got the call, took my drums down and we did this song, which wasn’t one of his best songs, but Townshend was there playing guitar. That was great because when Pete Townshend smiles as he’s playing, you know you’re doing something right. Wix Wickens, who is now in Paul’s band as a keyboard player, he was at the session too. It was an interesting day. Linda McCartney was still around – she took a photograph. I got a lovely photo album sent to me from her. It was just after Live Aid. I remember that.

A remix of ‘Angry’ by Larry Alexander became the b-side of the ‘Stranglehold’ single in October 1986. The single was included in the 2022 box set The 7″ Singles Box.