Band on the Run

By 1970, resented by many Beatles fans as the initiator of the Fab Four’s demise, Paul McCartney set out with a hand-picked cadre of studio musicians to refocus and refine his artistic ambitions. The resultant album, Ram, achieved commercial success but also critical scorn - a pattern repeated throughout Paul’s post-Beatles career. Soon thereafter, the band - including wife Linda on keyboards, ex-Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine, and American session drummer Denny Seiwell - formed the first official incarnation of Wings, a group that, by many measures, was more commercially successful that the Beatles themselves. For ten dramatic and turbulent years, the band weathered an extensive touring schedule, pot busts, a harrowing recording stint in Nigeria, and a revolving door of band members. Band on the Run - the first book to focus exclusively on Paul’s post-Beatles years - tells the stories behind the #1 hits: “Live and Let Die,” “Listen to What the Man Said,” " My Love," “Band on the Run,” “Silly Love Songs,” “With a Little Luck,” and “Coming Up.” Garry McGee examines the band’s inner dynamics and conflicts; Paul’s determination to pursue a new sound; the criticisms that Linda endured from fans and journalists; and the real reasons behind the never-ending lineup changes. Appendices include an exclusive interview with former Wings guitarist Henry McCullough, a complete discography, a list of singles with Paul’s commentary on each song, and much more. Featuring a treasure trove of rare Wings promotional material - album covers, posters, ads, and candid photos of the band on tour - Band on the Run serves as the Wings reference guide and as an indispensable chronicle of Paul McCartney’s life and career after the Beatles.