The McCartney Interview - Paul McCartney

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Vinyl L.P • Columbia Records • PC 36987.

1980 • U.S.A.

Back cover.

Disc side 1.

Disc side 2.

Labels.

Cover sticker.

Liner notes:

The Beatles were more than just the greatest pop phenomenon of our time—through their music, inspiration and example they became a kind of spiritual catalyst for our generation that helped to liberate our creative energies and open up new possibilities to us. So when Columbia Records offered us at MUSCIAN: Player & Listener Magazine the chance to interview Paul McCartney, we were delighted—but also a bit skeptical, since the ex-Beatles are notoriously reluctant to talk about their time together. Happily, the interview that took place in McCartney’s London office was everything we could have hoped for—and more. For reasons he fully explains in the interview, Paul decided that afternoon to finally break what he called “the voodoo against talking about the Beatles?’ It was a fast-paced and cathartic conversation, ranging from the groups early struggles in Hamburg on through their conquest of America, including insights into “Sgt. Pepper's.” “Abbey Road?’ and McCartney’ solo career.

After the interview was published in the August, 1980 issue of MUSCIAN: Player & Listener, Columbia suggested making it available on record, first as a promo disc for radio, and then in this limited edition for the general public.

Though the sound quality proved excellent, the tapes were never originally intended for broadcast, as is evidenced by various background noises, including English police sirens, wandering children, slamming doors, Paul preparing tea, my intermittent giggling, and McCartney’ tendency to use the microphone as a snare drum. They tell me that all that informality underlines the authenticity of the proceedings, and I must admit I enjoy the uncanny way those police sirens come blaring in at the precise moment Paul first mentions the Beatles. In any case, I hope you'll feel as privileged as I did as you share in this moment of history.

Special thanks to: Gary Krasner and the staff at MUSCIAN: Player & Listener, and Paul Rappaport, Marty Greenblatt, Paul Atkinson, Barbara Cooke and especially, Hope Antman, at Columbia.

Vic Garbarini, MUSCIAN: Player & Listener

Photographs by Linda McCartney

THE McCARTNEY INTERVIEW (complete)

Originally recorded for MUSCIAN: Player & Listener Magazine.

PAUL DISCUSSES:

SIDE ONE:

1. McCartney II

2. Negative criticism of Beatles & Wings

3. His influences

4. Venus & Mars/Wild Life

5. Band On The Run

6. Musical Direction/Ringo/George/Hey Jude

7. The White Album/Tension/Helter Skelter

8. Abbey Road

9. Musical Background/Trumpet, guitar, piano /learning bass in Hamburg

10. Early Beatles mixes/Motown & Stax influences

11. The Sgt. Pepper Story/The Beach Boys’ Pet sounds

12. Rubber Soul/Revolver

13. Fame & success /Paul’s & John’s reactions

14. Stage fright during the Beatles and Wings

15. How Wings started

16. New Wave/Early Beatles

17. Creating the Beatles’ sound/Love Me Do & early songs

SIDE TWO:

1. The Beatles’ conquest of America

2. Beatles’ haircuts & image

3. Paying dues in Hamburg & Liverpool/early tours

4. Weathering pressures /The break-up

5. Video of Coming Up /Reliving the Beatle image

6. Playing bass

7. Lennon-McCartney songwriting /Dislike of formulas

8. Beatles’ imitators

9. 1 Am The Walrus /The Black Carnation / Set. Pepper LP Cover

10. New Wave/Bowie, Ferry, Elvis

11. Pop Music & Radio

12. Getting Married/Changing Perspective / Waterfalls

13. Give Ireland Back To The Irish, Hi Hi Hi /Banned songs/Children’s songs /Mary Had A Little Lamb

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