Paul McCartney is giving fans a whole new look into Wings. The former Beatle has authored Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run, a first-person account and oral history of the band’s 11-year history. Drawn from dozen of hours of interviews with McCartney and those in the band’s orbit, Wings sets out to tell the story of musical reinvention and success in the 1970s. McCartney worked with editor and historian Ted Widmer, who also wrote the book’s introduction. The project hits bookstores on November 4.
“I’m so very happy to be transported back to the time that was Wings and relive some of our madcap adventures through this book,” McCartney said in a press statement. “Starting from scratch after The Beatles felt crazy at times. There were some very difficult moments and I often questioned my decision. But as we got better I thought, ‘OK this is really good.’ We proved Wings could be a really good band. To play to huge audiences in the same way The Beatles had and have an impact in a different way. It was a huge buzz.” Adds Widmer, “Wings was about love, family, friendship and artistic growth, often in the face of tremendous adversity. It was a joy to relive the madcap adventures of a special band, by listening to their stories, and compiling this oral history.”
After the dissolution of The Beatles in 1970, McCartney faced a decision about his musical future. His choice to create Wings alongside wife Linda McCartney and Denny Lane proved to be a fortunate one, and led to world-famous hits like “Live and Let Die,” “Band on the Run,” “With a Little Luck,” and “Silly Love Songs.” But even the band’s biggest fans stand to learn a lot from Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run, which is broken down around each of the band’s nine albums. From touring on a renovated school bus to being mugged in Nigeria, the new book promises insight into the band like never before—directly from the people who were there.
Order the Paul McCartney book Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run now.
