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Macca Report current Paul News!!!

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September through December 2015

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December 6, 2015 -- PM.com

"If you are anywhere in the New York area..."

PHOTO: ©PMC / @patrickmcmullan

One of the many reasons we love living in London is there are so many great museums and exhibits to visit (definitley one of our favouite weekend activies!). Paul rang earlier today to let us know about an exhibit he enjoyed visiting in New York:

"Recently we visited my daughter Mary's exhibition at the Gagosian Gallery on Madison Avenue in New York City. It's really fantastic and titled 'Mother Daughter' as Mary is exhibiting with her Mum Linda. If you are anywhere in the New York area it's a must see. Lots of great photos from Mary and Linda on sale for a limited time. Dare I suggest that one of them would make the perfect Christmas present! It's a great show, so check it out! Love Paul."

The 'Mother Daughter' exhibition is free to view at the Gagosian Gallery located at 976 Madison Avenue, New York City. It runs until Saturday 19th December and the gallery is open between 10am to 6pm, Tuesday through Saturday. 'Mother Daughter' has been featured in Vogue, Vanity Fair and W Magazine and you can find out more details on the exhibition at the Gagosian Gallery's website by clicking HERE!
If you're not in the New York area, but would like to check out the prints, you can visit the gallery's online store by clicking HERE!
Go behind-the-scenes of the 'Mother Daughter' exhibition by clicking HERE!

You Gave Me The Answer - Jayne from the UK asks

Generally speaking, a person may have one or more forenames and one surname. Many of us have nicknames our friends and family might use (some admittedly more embarrassing than others ? we aren't telling you ours!) and some others of us use only our surnames or middle name.

Paul's full name is James Paul McCartney, and the reason why Paul calls himself Paul rather than James has been a cause for much speculation over the years.

We've heard this question asked on more than one occasion, so those of you who have been waiting for official clarification on this subject are in luck! Jayne from the UK has been in touch in to ask,

"Your given name is James Paul, why did your parents call you Paul rather than James, Jim or Jimmy?"

Q: We spoke with Paul shortly before he jetted off to complete the recent North American leg of his 'Out There' tour. (Check out some highlights from the shows HERE!)

PAUL: "Thanks for your question Jayne. It's a strange story! I was told that it was because if letters arrived at the house for James McCartney, you wouldn't know whether it was my Dad - that was James McCartney - or me, James McCartney. So that worked until they called my brother - whose name was Peter Michael McCartney - Michael!? And there was no Peter in the house to confuse him with! So I've ended up thinking it was rather Irish! I've no idea! My mum was Irish ? and I don't know, maybe there's just some old thing where they call you by your second name. Nobody ever called me James, it was always Paul!"

November 11, 2015 -- PM.com

Paul Signs Rocking Horse For Alder Hey Children's Hospital Auction

"Let's get rocking for Alder Hey!"

Bidding will start on Thursday 19th November HERE

This Christmas, one very lucky child could be receiving a personalised rocking horse signed by Paul. The horse ­ made by Stevenson Brothers ­ features Paul's signature along with a handwritten lyric from the classic Beatles song 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds': "Rockin' horse people eat marshmallow pies!!"

The signature and Beatles quote are not the only ties the wooden steed has to Paul: Stevenson Brothers ­ who have previously designed rocking horses for 'Her Majesty' the Queen - modeled this particular creation not on "Henry the horse" who of course "dances the waltz", but on Paul's own Appaloosa named 'Moonstar', copying both his colouring and markings. 

On top of this, Paul has also placed an additional surprise inside a "secret locking chamber" that's been built into the underside of rocking horse!

This one-of-a-kind rocking horse is now up for auction to raise funds for the Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool and will be exclusively showcased at The Ultimate Christmas Fair between 26th-29th November. Paul told us he knows the hospital well and believes his mother Mary may even have worked there for a stint as a nurse. 

The Alder Hey Children's Hospital cares for over 270,000 children, young people and families each year and operates the biggest and busiest children's Emergency Department in the UK, treating nearly 60,000 children every 12 months and operating as a Children's Trauma Centre.
Alder Hey has launched a fundraising appeal to raise funds for life-saving medical equipment, arts and play activities and for vital research. The charity has just taken occupancy in a brand new hospital in Liverpool and a number of opportunities have been identified where charitable funding can make a demonstrable difference to the hospital, by enhancing the design and providing additional innovative services, which are both clinical and patient focused.

The auction to win Paul's one-of-a-kind rocking horse will run from November 19th until 29th November. 

To place your bid on Paul's rocking horse, you won't need to jump over "men and horses, hoops and garters" - just head to the bidding website by clicking HERE

Paul on musician, composer, arranger and record producer Allen Toussaint:

"Sorry to hear that Allen Toussaint died after a concert in Spain. Having worked with him in New Orleans I know what a sweet and gentle guy he was and a massive songwriting talent with songs like 'Fortune Teller', 'Southern Nights', 'Working in the Coal Mine' and 'Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)'. His songs will be cherished by people like me who will have fond memories of Allen forever.  

"Deepest sympathies and love to his family from me and my family."
- Paul

Paul has been nominated in the 2016 People's Choice Awards for 'Favourite Music Icon'. Fans will be able to vote until 11:59 PM EST on 3rd December 2015. The results will be announced live from the Microsoft Theatre on Wednesday 6th January 2016 on the CBS Television Network.
 
Cast your vote for Paul:
At PeoplesChoice.com HERE 

On the official Facebook app HERE

The '2015 American Music Awards' - the world's biggest fan-voted award show - have announced 'FourFiveSeconds' is in contention for 'Collaboration of the Year'.  

Paul's collaboration with Rihanna and Kanye West,'FourFiveSeconds' was released at the end of January having been teased by Kanye at the iHeartMedia music summit and announced by Rihanna. The track - featuring Paul on acoustic guitar - came out of sessions that he had with Kanye, which also produced the tracks 'Only One' and 'All Day'.

US fans can vote for 'FourFiveSeconds' via:
- AMAvote.com

- Twitter by posting a tweet on a public account that includes FourFiveSeconds + Collaboration of the Year Un-leashed by T-Mobile + #AMAs
- By retweeting Paul's post HERE

- Or vote directly via Paul's Twitter post HERE

Voting for this category closes on 22nd November at 9:00pm ET, one hour into the live telecast of the 2015 American Music Awards.

November 11, 2015 -- The Collector's blog - Macca Report News EXCLUSIVE!!!
By Meredith Evonne, Macca Reporter

Paul McCartney Archives - Tug of War 'Super Deluxe' limited edition - a good investment?

"Tug of War", and "Pipes Of Peace" are now part of the Paul McCartney Archive Collection. Available formats of these releases include a standard, two CD edition containing bonus materal, and boxed set versions with DVD and booklet materials similarly released in this "Archive" series.

The extra twist with "Tug of War" is a rare 'Super Deluxe' limited edition version. The difference between what we can now consider the "Standard Box Set Version" is that the 'Super Deluxe' version contains Linda McCartney hand numbered photo prints and a fancier, slip case cover, to box the standard materials. When these 'Super Deluxe' versions were made available for preorder during the summer, they were limited to only 1,000 copies and sold out quickly, despite the hefty price tag of over $100. Some of these sets, were originally offered for purchase through PaulMcCartney.com and have since shown up for sale elsewhere and are no longer available on Amazon. It is not unheard of or unexpected to pay double the original asking price for such a limited edition.

If you are lucky enough to own one of these sets or any Paul McCartney boxed set and hold on to it for years, will it gain more value? For now, It does not seem that the asking prices merit the actual value of the 1,000 copy sets. If the shift in music sales continues to decrease for CDs as vinyl has slowly but steadily been making a comeback, now would be the best time to sell, rather than later. As consumers welcome vinyl in stores, this dead format is far from staying down. CD sales are still very much alive, but along with vinyl, have to compete with sales of MP3 downloads (iTunes) and streaming music subscriptions, so the demand is no longer at its peak. A limited edition 1,000 copy run of the 'Super Deluxe' version is more attractive for the packaging and the Linda McCartney prints. The CD/DVD material becomes second-rate as these items are ripe for streaming services like YouTube. If there was no place like YouTube or other similar platforms, the included CDs/DVD would truely be defined as rare because of the limited availability of these boxed sets.

Many of these 'Super Deluxe' sets will inevitably lose further value by being opened. Flogging it on eBay may attract a buyer, but ridiculously high prices will persuade many to go with the cheaper 'Standard Box' for the audio and video material. My prediction is, that sales of the five Linda McCartney prints sold alone, and not right away, could be the way to make some reasonable profit. There are many different kinds of box sets in the McCartney catalog ranging from cassettes, vinyl and CDs with various high and low amounts of copies available and most vary in price from the country of issue. The only true, rare and lucrative box set editions lie with promotional versions, which bypass all consumer available material as they are intended for the industry only and not easily obtainable by the public.   

You can read more of Meredith's collector blogs here: maccameri.blogspot.co.uk

Paul preparing a bonfire night in the past. Have fun tonight.

October 25, 2015 -- Macca Report News EXCLUSIVE!!!

Meeting Paul McCartney in Columbus, OH at Nationwide Arena

Craig and Elizabeth's close encounter with Paul McCartney at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on October 13, 2015, as told to Jorie Gracen, exclusively for The Macca Report.

The Dream

My husband Craig, had the dream, and I had the vision. Craig has been to 26 Paul McCartney shows and it was always his dream to get on stage and meet Paul. In the past, when Craig talked about the possibility of meeting Paul on stage, I thought he was nuts. That would never happen! But the possibility seemed more and more real with every show we attended.

Craig lives and breathes The Beatles and Paul McCartney. I have loved The Beatles ever since I was a kid. Craig's first opportunity with Paul came when he was chosen as one of the "fans" featured in the "Get Back" 1990 concert video. Unfortunately, he didn't get to meet Paul, but he didn't give up his dream.

The Vision

Once our concert tickets were in hand for the Columbus show, we realized that we needed the proper attire that would attract Paul's attention. For myself, a sparkly British flag sequined dress was a MUST! And of course, Craig needed a British flag shirt to match! The finishing touch was my shiny red boots!

Before leaving for the sound check, I had second thoughts about wearing that dress and almost changed clothes! Craig was also nervous! We felt like dorks, but Rammed On in order to give our hearts to Paul.

The Signs

I had an idea to hold a sign that said: "My husband needs a hug". I thought Paul would think that was funny! The night before the concert, I thought Craig should also hold a sign that said, "My wife needs a hug". It was short, sweet, and to the point. I actually thought Craig might say no, but he liked it! He said it was good, because we were asking for something for each other, not for ourselves. I really wanted a tattoo, but wasn't going to put that on a sign, because it was done so many times. I wanted our signs to be more original so Paul would READ them!

The Tweet

The night before the show, Brian Ray (Paul's band member) retweeted a picture of me standing in front of a large sign at Nationwide Arena welcoming Paul to Columbus. Brian Ray's response to my tweet was a thrill and we were so happy and thankful for it.

Paul Reads My Sign

At the end of the sound check, Paul saw my sign. He read out loud, "My husband needs a hug." Then asked me, "Is that your husband? Well, give him a HUG!"

Needless to say I was in shock. Craig hugged me, but I didn't hug him back! It didn't register what Paul was saying to me! I thought Paul was saying HE was going to hug my husband! Then I realized Paul McCartney JUST SPOKE TO ME!!!

We left the sound check in disbelief, but happy that Paul read our sign.

The Concert Surprise

Before the concert, an audience member we spoke with predicted I would be on stage by the end of the night. I was really surprised to hear him say that. I didn't believe it, but later, Paul READ my sign and Craig's! He read: "MY HUSBAND NEEDS A HUG, and MY WIFE NEEDS A HUG." Then asked us to hug each other. So we did! Now we were BEYOND happy and ecstatic!

It was honestly the BEST concert EVER!!! Brian Ray waved to me, and the feeling was like no other! I was a giddy teenager again! It was magnetic! Paul looked, danced, sang, and told jokes better than ever! We heard Temporary Secretary, Hope for the Future, Four,Five,Seconds! WOW!!! Paul was ON FIRE!!! It was a perfect night and we thought it couldn't get any better.

PHOTO: © Jorie B. Gracen/Macca Report

Then It Happened

Craig told me we had to go, "NOW!!!" I didn't comprehend what he meant. I thought he meant we had to leave, because the concert was ending early! One of Paul's security people tapped Craig's shoulder and told him to bring me and follow him. We were going ON STAGE!!! The tears are coming as I type this! I had a feeling of total disbelief and yet believed it would happen.

To get to the side of the stage, we had to step over a row of people. Halfway through, I realized we didn't have a pen for the tattoo, so I frantically rushed back to get it! People were not too happy to clear the way again, until I told them we were going on stage! Then they were so nice. They told me to hurry. I was freaking out that I was going to miss it!

I prayed to God to calm me down and make my legs work. Deep breaths and dancing backstage, while Paul sang "Hi Hi HI," helped! I asked Paul's security guy, Brian Riddle if I could ask Paul for a tattoo signature. He kind of shook his head "no" and took my pen. I thought he was telling me, "no you can't ask Paul for a tattoo," but he was telling me I had the wrong pen!!!

PHOTO: © Jorie B. Gracen/Macca Report

Before going on stage, a huge wave of emotion came over me. I thought I was going to burst out crying, but I took deep breaths and asked for God's help. He centered me, so I could enjoy the moment and soak in the magic of being close to such greatness. Most importantly, I wanted to remember this. The security men told us not to worry, just to follow Paul's lead. They lead us on stage.

The Moment Arrives

Paul glowed as he welcomed us. It was so easy. Being in Paul McCartney's presence was magnificent! Craig said it was like talking to an old friend.

PHOTO: © Jorie B. Gracen/Macca Report

He asked us our names and was charming and sweet. My husband's silliness made up for my shyness and my shyness made up for his silliness. Craig started acting like a madman jumping up and down! I was scared he was going to do something crazy! Looking back at the video, it was so funny! At the time, we were just so freaked out, but Paul was all smiles. He was amused with Craig's antics.

PHOTO: © Jorie B. Gracen/Macca Report

Paul remembered our signs and asked, "Now, who wants to hug who? Three way hug?" We agreed. Paul hugged Craig and me really close and snuggled his head with ours! I was hugging the two men in my life! When we finished, Paul gave us both a two-handed high-five.

PHOTO: © Jorie B. Gracen/Macca Report

We were supposed to leave after that, but I asked Paul for a tattoo signature. He told us we were pushing our luck and said to me, "Get over here!" and signed my back! Before he signed, he politely asked, "Does your mother know about this?" I told him "YES!" My mom was flattered that Paul McCartney mentioned her.

PHOTO: © Jorie B. Gracen/Macca Report

Then it was time for us to leave. When I got off stage and turned around, my husband was not behind me! I asked the security guard where he was and he pointed to the screen! Craig's arm was on the screen and Paul was signing a TATTOO for him! I'm still laughing!

PHOTO: © Jorie B. Gracen/Macca Report

I floated back to my seat and honestly, don't remember the rest of the concert too well. It was so surreal. On our way back to our seats, it seemed like every audience member was asking us to pose for a picture and wanted a photo of our tattoos. Never have I experienced anything like this. We felt like celebrities running from the paparazzi! It was hard to get out of the venue. People were yelling our names in the streets! On our way back to the hotel, a girl in a car yelled out, "I'm sooooo JEALOUS!!!"

PHOTO: © Jorie B. Gracen/Macca Report

After the show:

At our hotel, there was another surprise. On Paul's Twitter page, Facebook page and Instagram page (over 18,000 LIKES), was a photo of us on stage with Paul! We felt so much joy!

PHOTO: MJ KIM © MPL

We had to catch an early plane back to Chicago and needless to say, we didn't shower! The first thing we did when we got home was get those tattoos! My husband and I BOTH have Paul McCartney's signature tattooed on our bodies. I bet we are the ONLY couple who can say that!

Craig and I have thought of all the things we WISH we could have said to Paul McCartney. My husband wishes he could have thanked Paul for all the joy he has given him with his music. Paul is Craig's idol, and Paul is my love. Words can't express what he has given us. After watching the video though, I think it was just perfect. I wouldn't change anything.

You have to be thankful for what you have and enjoy it now. That is what we did throughout this entire experience. On the night of that concert and the days leading up to it, were the perfect flow for me. Being in that flow is what life is all about. It was heaven, and I'm still there. I released my expectations into the hands of The Divine. And The Divine Plan, as always, was better than my own.

"It was written in the stars that I would love you" -- Paul McCartney

Paul, you are our hearts and soul...
Love, Elizabeth and Craig

WATCH THE VIDEO

Read Elizabeth's blog:
www.elizabethcermak.com

Elizabeth's Facebook page:
LINK

Contact Info
EMAIL

Sept 13, 2015 - The Economist.com

Fifty years of "Yesterday"

SEPTEMBER 13th is the fiftieth anniversary of the release of "Yesterday" as a single: arguably the first solo Paul McCartney recording, and an early sign that he and John Lennon were drifting in different directions. It had come out a month earlier on the "Help!" album in America, but it was the first single release to feature the writing and recording of a single Beatle. As such, its anniversary makes an apt moment to ponder what made Lennon and McCartney's compositions so distinct, and why critics and journalists love pitting them against each other.

A documentary film exploring the question was released last year, with 550 artists squabbling over "Lennon or McCartney", just like the bickering voices in "Hello, Goodbye": "You say high, I say low, / You say why, and I say I don't know". (John won, 282 to 196, with a number of votes for the other bandmates and various other ineligible choices.) There's even a split along political lines: a 2013 poll showed that Democrats pick Lennon as their favourite Beatle, whilst Republicans and independents skew strongly McCartney [see chart below]. The silver-haired are drawn to Paul's golden oldies; rebellious youths are drawn to John's revolutions.

Of course some fans vehemently defend George Harrison as the band's most creative member, or prefer Ringo Starr's understatement. Many baulk at the very idea of dividing up the Fab Four (again). But the rivalry and eventual animosity in the Lennon-McCartney axis makes comparing their contributions irresistible. Sir George Martin, "the Fifth Beatle" who produced the band's albums, likened it to "asking what's the most important constituent in a sauce vinaigrette, the oil or the vinegar?" Granted, the two substances go together brilliantly-but they separate naturally after a while.

Lennon and McCartney were rarely so diplomatic, and would have quickly decided which garnish referred to whom. Though they co-wrote many tunes "eyeball to eyeball" over a piano (Lennon's words), and brought others into the studio to "check 'em out against each other" (McCartney's), both men generally referred to songs as "mine" or "his". Not always in flattering terms, either. In August 1971 a McCartney single, "Too Many People", contained a veiled dig at Lennon and Yoko Ono's political invective: "Too many people preaching practices". Lennon's response in September, "How Do You Sleep?", was as blunt as it was swift. "The only thing you done was Yesterday, / And since you've gone you're just Another Day", he taunted, referencing two songs from before and after the split.

The rivalry had begun by the time the first Beatles' albums were released: "it wasn't resentment, but it was competitive," Lennon recalled. It intensified with the arrival of Ms Ono: "in the middle of the night [John] would say 'They always cover Paul's songs, they never cover mine.'" And it continues today, with McCartney occasionally grousing about the order of the iconic "Lennon-McCartney" songwriting. (He is legally powerless to change even his own solo compositions to "McCartney-Lennon".)  At the lowest point of the relationship, in September 1971, Lennon told a painful anecdote on the Dick Cavett Show about a restaurant violinist playing "Yesterday" in his ear. The latter has since become the most covered song of all time.

Though it contains none of the acrimony that would mark the later recordings, "Yesterday", the song that Lennon spat back at McCartney after the split, is a good place to start when picking between the two. It was only released as a single in America; listeners in the UK had to make do with hearing it on Help!, as the band felt that a song which had been written and performed by only one member ought not to be promoted by itself. Featuring Paul on guitar, it was also the first Beatles recording to use classical instrumentation.

For those who prefer McCartney to Lennon, "Yesterday" is proof of what most would readily admit: Paul is the better composer, capable of producing complex melodies and arrangements that surpassed many of John's brash, monotone efforts. The chord sequence for "Yesterday" came to McCartney in a dream, and was so flawless that as he scribbled it down at his piano, he was certain he had pinched it from elsewhere-an unfounded anxiety that Lennon prodded mischievously. While Mr Martin scored the first draft of the strings, McCartney was careful to add his own personal touches, subbing in various phrases for the cello and violins. His ability to tease out a memorable tune was nothing new, and continued into his solo career: "Band on the Run" and "Live and Let Die" had better hooks than anything Lennon came up with post-1970. Likewise, Paul's penchant for dabbling in classical music has seen him release a number of orchestral albums, and produce a score for the New York City Ballet-a taste that first found expression in "Yesterday", followed by "She's Leaving Home", and the triumphant climax of "A Day in the Life".

Fans of Lennon point to the latter song as evidence that John wrote the better lyrics. His musings on the death of Tara Browne, a friend killed in a car crash, are more profound than McCartney's middle section about combing his hair and catching the bus; in turn, his lines about holes filling the Albert Hall are more perverse. Lennon's later pieces veered from the pretentious ("Revolution 9") to the eccentric ("The Continuing Adventures of Bungalow Bill") to the daft ("Dig A Pony"), but they were rarely bland. Speaking of "Yesterday" in 1980, he carped that "if you read the whole song, it doesn't say anything; you don't know what happened." Lennon's finest lyrics, from "Working Class Hero" to "In My Life" to "Woman" to "Help!", have a purpose and a freshness of expression that McCartney rarely achieved. "My independence seems to vanish in the haze" trumps the clichéd "Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be." (For a long time, Paul's placeholder lyrics to "Yesterday" began "Scrambled eggs, / Oh my baby how I love your legs", which he gamely performed in 2013 with Jimmy Fallon, an American chat-show host.)

There are, as ever, exceptions. Paul's "Eleanor Rigby", along with its sinister strings, has a morbid narrative that John would be proud of; Lennon's "Because", inspired by Beethoven's Moonlight sonata and requiring a nine-part harmony, could have been lifted from a McCartney scrapbook. At their best, both men crafted songs that few others are capable of. That they did so in tandem for so long should be enough to appease any fan.

Known for making gorgeous clothes that real women actually want to wear, Stella McCartney is one of fashion's most influential designers and environmental activists. After interning at Christian Lacroix and attending prestigious design school Central Saint Martins, she took the helm at Parisian house Chloé in 1997, before founding her own label in 2001. She's never looked back, and 14 years and dozens of A-list parties later, she can count everyone from Rihanna to Gwyneth Paltrow as both fans and friends.

Here, we chart her best fashion moments

1995: The Graduate Show
Stella McCartney's Central Saint Martins graduate show was just like any other student production. She got her mates to model the collection (except those besties were Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell) and her parents sat front row (which really means Linda and Paul McCartney).

2012: The Magic Act
Despite being a London-based company, Stella always shows her collections on the Paris Fashion Week schedule. In 2012, however, she made an exception, hosting dinner during London Fashion Week for stars including Rihanna and Kate Moss, where magician Hans Klok levitated Alexa Chung before the fash pack's very eyes.

1997: The Chloé Debut
When relative newcomer Stella was appointed creative director at iconic French fashion house Chloé, after just two years in the business, her status amongst the world's mega-designers was secured. Just two years after graduating from Central Saint Martins, her predecessor, Karl Lagerfeld, suggested that 'Chloé should have taken a big name', but Stella and her then-assistant Phoebe Philo proved the Kaiser to be oh so wrong.

1999: The Amber Valetta Moment
Does it get any more 90s than this?! Amber Valetta modelled Stella's finale look at the Chloe show in 1999, a sheer metallic cowl top with white linen flares. Talk about a fashion flashback...

2014: The Sooo Cara Moment
Was it planned? Or did Cara Delevingne and Joan Smalls just fancy letting loose? Either way, their antics in Stella's AW14 show finale caught headlines around the world and put Stella's springy platform brogues on every editor's must-have list.

2015: Stella's Resort
Pre-collections have become as important to Stella's label as the main lines themselves. From her Manhattan croquet party, to a circus-themed soiree, she always draws a huge crowd of celebrity friends to her events, believing that it's as much about the experience as it is the clothes themselves.

2014: The Most Epic Girl Squad
Stella's won over the whole of Hollywood with her simple yet stunning approach to cutting red carpet gowns and has made a lot of new A-list friends in the process. At the MET gala in 2014, she arrived on the red carpet flanked by Cara Delevingne, Rihanna, Kate Bosworth and Reese Witherspoon, all draped in her creations. Now that's what we call SquadGoals.

The designer has created the Alina Playing range - a balconette bra, a soft-cup bra and a bikini brief, all in the same shade of hot pink. A percentage of the profits from the range - which retails from $55 for the briefs through to $110 for the bras - will be donated to three breast cancer charities: thewill be donated to three breast cancer charities: the Linda McCartney Centre in Liverpool, England, part of the Royal Liverpool University Hospital; the National Breast Cancer Foundation in the U.S., and the National Breast Cancer Foundation in Australia.

McCartney has tapped Cara Delevingne to appear in a campaign shot by Sean Thomas to mark the launch, which pictures Delevingne wearing the set and making a heart shape with her hands at her chest. McCartney said Delevingne "represents a generation of young women that we are really trying to reach," adding that she hopes the campaign, to launch on McCartney's Web site and social media channels, will "inspire all generations of women to be aware of breast cancer and be aware that preventing it is the most positive approach." Last year, Kate Moss served as the face of McCartney's campaign.

As another part of the campaign, McCartney will launch Louise Listening, a post double-mastectomy compression bra. The design is fashioned in soft cotton in a light rose shade, and is designed to reduce discomfort during the healing process after surgery. The bra takes its name from McCartney's late mother, Linda Louise McCartney, who died in 1998 after being diagnosed with breast cancer. McCartney said of the design: "We wanted to bring something beautiful and feminine into a bra that is taboosomething that allows women undergoing [a mastectomy] to have something to be proud of, something with no shame attached."

All proceeds from the sale of the Louise Listening bra will benefit the Hello Beautiful Foundation, a London breast cancer charity founded by Jane Hutchison, a survivor of the disease. The proceeds from the bra, which retails for $125, will go toward funding the foundation's new London center for women with breast cancer and their families, which will focus on promoting a "healthy, nontoxic lifestyle."

The Alina Playing range will be available to buy on McCartney's Web site Thursday, along with retailers including Net-a-porter.com, Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus in the U.S. and Harrods and Selfridges in London, while customers can pre-order the Louise Listening bra on McCartney's site on the same day.

Ringo Starr has called on Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison to sift through their private photograph collections for a new Beatles project: "If they're listening ... dig out the negatives," he said.

Starr was speaking at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in London, where a new display of recently found photographs that he took and then forgot about was going on public display.

They include images of his fellow Beatles larking around and relaxing, as well as photographs taken on the band's first visit to the US in 1964.

The photographs are being published in a new book but Starr thinks there are many more fascinating pictures taken by his Beatles bandmates that could also be published.

"The other boys had cameras too, so the next plan is I want to get the rest of my pictures, Paul's pictures, Yoko will have John's pictures, Olivia George's ... it would make a great book. I'll be in a lot more photos."

He added: "If I put it out there, they might respond."

Starr said he discovered thousands of old negatives in boxes he hadn't looked in for nearly 30 years. "I had a lot of stuff in storage and we had to move everything and I started finding books of negatives, a lot of them I didn't know I still had."

He said he had always been a keen photographer but was a late starter. "Growing up, we didn't have cameras. I've got like six or seven photos from being christened until I was 18. Then I got into the cameras and now there is a lot of photos."

Starr managed to get pictures of his bandmates looking relaxed and unguarded. "These are shots that no one else could have taken." he said. "Together, they chart the story of four lads from Liverpool trying to live normal lives amidst the frenzy that surrounded them."

There are 20 portraits going up in the display in the NPG's bookshop. Each can be bought for £1,900 (2,931.32) as part of a limited edition. The book is published on September 21 but can be bought beforehand from the NPG. BOOK LINK

On the cover is a photograph of a young silky-haired Starr with a cigarette and camera taken looking directly into a mirror. "I like to say it is the first selfie," he said.

Here's your chance to meet the biggest rock star of all time!

This exclusive opportunity includes 2 tickets from the Artist's Guest List to the Sir Paul McCartney concert on October 13 in Columbus, OH and a backstage meet & greet!

Paul McCartney is the former front man of the most successful rock band of all time, The Beatles, and his solo career has achieved unparalleled world-wide success since its beginning in April of 1970. The first 12 years of his solo career produced nine number one singles and seven number one albums. With The Beatles, Paul and John Lennon, penned more than 300 songs and created some of the music industry's most famous rock ballads like "Hey Jude," "Let It Be," and "Here There and Everywhere."

When it comes to legendary renown, simply stated, nobody compares to the most successful performing artist of ours' or anytime . . . Sir Paul McCartney!

Proceeds will help to renovate the art school where John Lennon studied, which was purchased by The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). This building is on the LIPA campus next to Paul and George's old school, which LIPA currently occupies. LIPA was co-founded by Sir Paul McCartney. Your name will be acknowledged on a brass plate within the building.

Donated by: Sir Paul McCartney and The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts

DETAILS

An opportunity to win two VIP tickets to an upcoming Paul McCartney concert and a meet-and-greet with Sir Paul and also help McCartney's Liverpool Institute of the Performing Arts (LIPA) is now being auctioned by Charitybuzz, the website announced Sept. 9. The winner will get two tickets to the Oct. 13 concert at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, along with the opportunity for a meet-and-greet backstage before the show.

Charitybuzz has estimated the value of the prize at $25,000. (Current Bid is $26,000)

BID LINK (Auction ends Wed, September 23rd @ 2015 3:00:00 PM EDT)

Proceeds will be used to help to renovate the Liverpool College of Art, which John Lennon attended. The building was purchased by The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), which was co-founded by Paul McCartney, in 2012. The building is on the LIPA campus next to McCartney and George Harrison's old school, which LIPA currently occupies. The winner's name will also be acknowledged on a brass plate within the building, Charitybuzz said. The prize was donated by McCartney and The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

The prize is valid for two people at the Oct.13 concert at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The winner will be either able to choose from ground level tickets toward the back of the floor or seated tickets, with exact seat locations for either option to be determined. Charitybuzz says the tickets cannot be transferred, resold or re-auctioned and that travel to the concert and hotel accommodations are not included in the prize. The winning bidder and their guests are also subject to security screening.

Charitybuzz says a professional photographer will take a photograph of the winner and their guest with McCartney. Other photography or autographs will not be allowed, but the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts will provide signed CD covers personally chosen by McCartney after the conclusion of his fall tour.

Official photo of Queen Elizabeth II by Mary McCartney

This picture of Queen Elizabeth II taken in July 2015 has been released by Buckingham Palace to mark the moment she becomes the longest reigning British Monarch. The photograph, by Mary McCartney, shows The Queen seated at her desk in her private audience room at Buckingham Palace with one of her official red boxes which she has received almost every day of her reign and contain important papers from government ministers in the United Kingdom and her Realms and from her representatives across the Commonwealth and beyond.

A photograph of the Queen to mark her becoming the longest reigning monarch was taken by Sir Paul McCartney's daughter.
Photographer Mary McCartney, 46, who also works as a vegetarian cookery writer, is the eldest daughter of Sir Paul and his first wife, photographer Linda Eastman McCartney.

The image was released by Buckingham Palace to mark the moment Queen Elizabeth II becomes the longest reigning British Monarch. At 5.30pm on September 9, Queen Elizabeth II, surpassed Queen Victoria's record of 63 years and 217 days on the throne.

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Express (UK)

Sir Paul McCartney admits he's a 'proud' dad after daughter Mary photographs the Queen

Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney admitted he was one 'proud' dad today after his daughter Mary was commissioned to take the official portrait of the Queen to celebrate her becoming Britain's longest reigning monarch

Like any modern day parent, the 73-year-old star took to social media to express his delight over his daughter's amazing achievement.

In the snap, Her Majesty sits smiling at her desk as she holds a document from one of her official red boxes.

The McCartney family have often been called upon to celebrate the Queen's time on the throne, with Sir Paul performing at both the Golden and Diamond jubilee pop concerts.

"I had already written a bunch of music and we started recording and then it became this Vampire thing," Depp said, explaining the origins of the project on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Pretty soon, and apparently to Depp's surprise, Cooper started bringing in a string of superstar performers to participate in the tribute to the original "Hollywood Vampires" - an informal group of rock stars who Cooper used to drink with in Los Angeles in the 1970s.

"It was pretty shocking," Depp admitted of working with the likes of Aerosmith's Joe Perry, Joe Walsh and Paul McCartney.

Hanging around with Perry also had a side benefit for Depp beyond music. Depp is starring in Black Mass, out September 18, a movie in which he plays Boston gangster Whitey Bulger and, he said, Perry helped him with the part, if unintentionally. "Joe's got a pretty thick Boston accent," Depp told Kimmel. "So I just sponged it."

"Wow: so there's a little bit of Joe Perry in Whitey Bulger," Kimmel said. "There is indeed, you know," Depp laughed.

Hollywood Vampires, with Cooper, Depp, Perry and two ex-Guns N' Roses members - bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum - as well as Cooper's touring guitarist Tommy Henrickson and longtime Depp collaborator Bruce Witkin on piano and guitar, will play their first U.S. shows September 16 and 17at the famed Sunset Strip venue The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, California.

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Macomb Daily

Listening Room: Hollywood Vampires

The Hollywood Vampires in the studio:
Abe Laboriel Jr, Johnny Depp, Paul McCartney, Alice Cooper and Joe Perry. Courtesy Hollywood Vampires / Facebook

On paper, Hollywood Vampires - an all-star project led by Alice Cooper and actor Johnny Depp that pays homage to the West Coast rock star party crew of the early '70s - is a hoot. And the ad hoc troupe's disc is certainly that. The 14-track set features mostly covers of Cooper's old gang - his "Dead Drunk Friends" as he refers to them in one of two new songs - delivered with hard-rocking bravado and the energy of a garage band, albeit a highly seasoned and accomplished one, playing some of its favorite music. Cooper and AC/DC's Brian Johnson egg each other on during Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and a coupling of Cooper's own "School's Out" and Pink Floyd`s "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2," the latter of which features members of the original Alice Cooper band. Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction joins Cooper for Spirit's "I Got a Line on You" and a medley of Three Dog Night's "One" and Harry Nilsson's "Jump Into the Fire," while Paul McCartney joins a rave-up treatment of Badfinger's "Come and Get It," which he wrote, and Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger plays on a medley of his band's "Five To One" and "Break On Through." The rest of the guitar army includes Depp, Aerosmith's Joe Perry and Joe Walsh, while Dave Grohl and the Who's Zak Starkey show up on drums. It's lots of fun and a little bit poignant, and these Vampires show the bite that the formidable lineup promises.

Internationally renowned artists have come together to record a song to raise awareness about climate change and  support the United Nations' call for a meaningful, universal, global climate change agreement to be signed by governments in December.

Along with Paul, 'Love Song to the Earth' features performances by Jon Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow, Fergie, Colbie Caillat, Natasha Bedingfield, Leona Lewis, Sean Paul, Johnny Rzeznik, Krewella, Angelique Kidjo (a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador), Kelsea Ballerini, Nicole Scherzinger, Christina Grimmie, Victoria Justice and Q'Orianka Kilcher.

The artists, producers and directors of the Love Song project - as well as Apple - are donating their respective proceeds to Friends of the Earth US and the United Nation Foundation. 

The artist who feature on 'Love Song to the Earth' are asking their fans to "Share the Love Song" and "Take Climate Action Now" by signing a petition that will be delivered to world's leaders at the beginning of the climate conference. 

'Love Song to the Earth' is exclusively available worldwide on  iTunes  and Apple Music Via Connect. More info HERE 

CLICK TO WATCH OFFICIAL VIDEO

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WZLX Music News

Paul McCartney And Others Record 'Love Song to the Earth' To Battle Climate Change,

Sometimes, famous musicians champion great causes. But they're not scientists or engineers, so the only way they can really make a difference is to do what they do, create music. It can raise awareness and donate funds for the people who can really have an influence.

A group of famous artists have gotten together to record "Love Song to the Earth", a single designed to raise awareness and cause action against climate change. Among the 16 performers are Paul McCartney and Jon Bon Jovi.

Paul co-wrote the song with Natasha Bedingfield and producer/songwriters Toby Gad and John Shanks. A lyric video featuring Chuck Leveall is also due out.

Wisdom Teeth and Sir Paul

CLICK TO WATCH

See what happens after a huge Beatle/Paul McCartney fan has their wisdom teeth pulled!!!

A Jordan, an avid Paul McCartney fan, had her wisdom teeth extracted and to ease the pain of that experience she kept Macca close... She also had some powerful pain meds.

Watch this video all the way through and you will LYAO!!! Guaranteed!!!

Many of McCartney's back catalog singles were mass produced for the record buying public and these singles are common place to find. The better the condition of the single, the more value it will have. This doesn't mean that your collection of McCartney singles that are not Mint quality, should be thrown away. It simply means you need to recognize what has value and what doesn't. Some simple research can give you an idea of what a particular single can sell for in 2015.

It's also a myth that a high-valued single will easily fetch an asking price. A novice might be willing to overspend on a single, but often the seller wants top dollar for profit. Spending high amounts of cash should only be considered for a completist, not the average Joe.

A scratched and beat up import copy of "Mull of Kintyre", for example, will not sell as well as one in better condition. Collectors who understand this will offer you a low end price of $5 to $8 depending on its condition. If it is considered Good to Poor quality, it would not fetch as much money as, Very Good, Near Mint or Mint, which can be sold at reasonably higher prices. Domestic vinyl is usually the easiest to find, so if it's damaged in anyway you can expect it to sell between $.50 and $3.00.

The condition of record jackets or sleeves can add or diminish value to a potential sale. They should be free of stale smells like mildew or cigarette smoke, discoloration from foods, finger prints or sunlight, and major damages like rips, creases and water damage. If the jacket has stains from the shape of the record pressing through its paper, known as ringwear, it is sure to be passed up for a copy with a cleaner cover.

As long as the vinyl is in decent condition with all of the original components (correct sleeves and inserts), it might be able valuable to sell. It's more lucrative to sell several decent quality 7" records all at once. Looking for the right buyers is as easy as looking at newspaper or Internet ads for people who buy collections.

Paul McCartney solo vinyl is a bit interesting because, McCartney couldn't settle on a name to be credited as. In the beginning of his solo career, 1970 to 1975 his album credits were, McCartney, Paul and Linda McCartney, Wings, and Paul McCartney and Wings. From 1975 to the present day, he used Wings or Paul McCartney with several exceptions (i.e. Thrillington, Suzy and The Red Stripes, The Fireman, Twin Freaks etc.). It is also worth noting the different import versions of his singles on various record company labels and bootleg market labels.

Most McCartney 45's released in the last twenty-five years have some market value due to limited runs and unique printings. For example, picture discs (artwork that takes up the entire vinyl) from "Flaming Pie"(1997) are collectibles because of the limited release of that format. They originally sold for around $8 and have doubled in value to $10-$15. Comparatively, finding the misprint title of "No More Lonely Nights"(1984) with "Lonely" spelled as "Lonley" is a collectible though many 1980's 45's have less interest for buyers.

Buyers' interest can change and is key to understanding what 45 releases in your collection are worth selling. If you have doubts based on the condition and type of release, it's better to research the current selling trends for that particular release. Finding out what "limited edition" and other printing claims on vinyl actually equate to profit is well worth the effort.

And so, for the next collection of shows we come up to date with our visit to mainland Europe. We take in tulips, on-stage proposals, sheep christenings and a rare festival appearance for Paul.

Meanwhile before we get back on the road, back in the UK, Paul graced the cover of men's lifestyle magazine Esquire for their special music issue.

MARSEILLE, FRANCE (June 5, 2015)

It is a beautiful, hot day in the South of France and as I do my usual routine of leaving the hotel early to find coffee and the local newsagent, I'm delighted to see Paul looking back at me from the cover of local paper La Provence with details about tonight's show.

The local coffee shop is playing McCartney II, perhaps in hope of getting 'Temporary Secretary' in tonight's show (they won't be disappointed, by the way).

The Nouveau Stade Velodrome is colossal and tonight Paul christens the stadium with the first concert since it was revamped and inaugurated just last year. In soundcheck, Paul rocks 'Good Day Sunshine' - entirely fitting for such glorious weather, much to the delight of the soundcheck party (although to be fair they are delighted with all Paul's choices!)

Post-soundcheck, Paul speaks to France2 TV news about bringing the tour back to France for their big evening news show, completing the interview in the field in front of the stage. The second he safely returns to the backstage area, the security staff open the doors and the crowds come running in, racing to get the best possible spot. I'm almost flattened by a stampede of fans rushing towards me as I try to flee to our space behind the stage!

At 9:30pm Paul takes to the stage - I'll let the reviews do the rest of the talking:

La Provence:

"40,000 fans fell for his charm. Cultural icon, legend, the myth... he lived up to all these descriptions. On Olympic form he took to the stage at 21:30 and made the dreams of a packed stadium come true.

"Looking elegant and slim he addressed the crowd in French asking the audience if they were here to party with him.

"He carried the show for three hours displaying his skills on various instruments. He made his mythical Hofner bass roar in the rocking moments and caressed his acoustic guitar in the tender moments."

"40,000 fans in 'Paul' position" (Nice Matin):

"The left-handed Beatle got straight to the point for his only French concert ahead of playing in Paris next week.

"Arriving on stage at 21:30 with his mythical Hofner bass he put 40,000 people under a magical spell. His variety of songs meant that time had no meaning as the decades dropped away. The melodies were our guide through this special journey.

"At his side throughout the night were his long-term accomplices Paul 'Wix' Wickens, Abe Laboriel Junior, Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray.

He punctuated the set with French phrases such as 'Bonsoir Marseille sous le soleil' and 'Allez l'OM'."

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (June 7/8, 2015)

My first email of the morning on show day comes in from Paul's digital manager Steve, informing me Paul is already trending on Twitter in the Netherlands. Pretty cool, because Paul hasn't even touched down in the country at this point! I pop out to grab a coffee on the streets of Amsterdam and am greeted by an array of Macca posters, as well as fans dotted all over the place. The non-virtual world is echoing Steve's digital stats rather nicely!

To mark Paul's trip to Amsterdam and to honour his "positive contribution to the Netherlands and the world", the flower growers association Remarkable Tulips is launching an official Paul McCartney tulip - a completely new form of the flower. It is red - a reference to the colour of Liverpool FC ­ and white, which is said to symbolise "infinite possibilities" (Paul also points out that it stands for peace). He helps to christen the new breed just minutes before taking to the stage at the Ziggo Dome on the first of two nights in Amsterdam. Pouring champagne over the new flower, he declares: "Well, this doesn't happen every day."

As Paul leaves the little ceremony to walk to the stage, he asks that all the crew get a tulip each. What a nice touch.

As for the shows? Well, they are great. Before Paul plays 'Here Today', the audience break into a spontaneous sing-along of 'Give Peace A Chance' and Paul happily joins in. Paul also gets two couples on stage during the encore, creating some memories that will last a lifetime for those fans - even more so for the second couple, as Paul invited the young man to propose to his girlfriend. He did to a huge audience response, and his girlfriend accepted - imagine the story they will tell to their children!

McCartney was great for a hundred reasons (NRC Handelsblad):

"Sir Paul is on better form than ever, performing a concert that spanned his complete solo career, as well as that of The Beatles and Wings. After a brilliant show that lasted almost more than three hours at the Ziggo Dome, it was obvious that not only had McCartney enjoyed himself, but also he had given his audience such a beautiful experience.

"He switched with amazing ease between the hi-tech music of his recent single 'Hope For The Future' and a sober and acoustic 'Blackbird'. In a touching way, he honoured John Lennon with 'Here Today', an imaginary conversation with his old friend and sparring partner.

"There were a hundred reasons to consider this a memorable concert. The barrelhouse piano of 'Lady Madonna', the irresistible country shuffle of 'I've Just Seen A Face' and the way McCartney reacted to the audience when they spontaneously started singing 'Give Peace A Chance'. 'Let It Be' and 'Hey Jude' became piano hymns of community singing and shared memories. It never got boring; during 'Live And Let Die', fireworks exploded like never before at an indoor concert.

"During an elaborate encore, Paul McCartney followed the sweet 'Yesterday' with a heavy version of 'Helter Skelter', proving once and for all that he wasn't the geek of The Beatles, but the biggest rocker. Such a fantastic setlist built over fifty years, other artists can only dream!"

PARIS, FRANCE (June 11, 2015)

"Paul McCartney electrified the Stade de France. He was irresistible as he took us through his treasures" (Le Parisien)

"An amazing show! Legendary songs, high emotions and an over excited audience were proof McCartney was on his best form ever" (L'Express)

We're back to France and like our recent visit to Marseille, it's a very hot day. As we enter the stadium in the morning memories come flooding back of Paul's last concert at the enormous Stade de France in 2004.

There are lots of French VIPs here hoping to say hi to Paul, including one of the electronic duo Daft Punk. He was in disguise tonight ­which involved NOT wearing his robot helmet! Hollywood actress Natalie Portman ­ the star of Paul's 'My Valentine' and 'Dance Tonight' - is in town too and of course she pops along to the show.

ROSKILDE FESTIVAL, DENMARK (July 4, 2015)

Roskilde is the largest festival in Northern Europe. It launched in 1971 (the year Paul released RAM) and attracts 130,000 people each year, and that figure includes the line-up of thousands of artists. It will be Paul's third European festival appearance to date (the others were Glastonbury in 2004 and Isle of Wight in 2010). In the days leading up to the show Paul gave an exclusive Danish interview to website SoundVenue, explaining: "Everyone speaks very nicely about Roskilde as a nice place with a great atmosphere, so I'm really looking forward to it."

Today, Denmark is roasting in a heatwave and the temperature seems to be magnified on the exposed festival site. Paul arrives on site shortly after 7pm, three hours before he is due to take to the stage, and to prepare for the show, he takes a Danish translation session so that he can speak to the crowd in their own language. After being primed with his phrases he has a birthday surprise for tour photographer MJ Kim. MJ is summoned to meet the boss and Paul has gathered the crew together for a "Happy Birthday" sing-song and a cake presentation.

This being a festival, there isn't the opportunity for the normal pre-show soundcheck, so tonight's warm up is a couple of acoustic numbers in the backstage area. Festival staff gather to listen excitedly on the other side of the fence from Paul's backstage compound to catch versions of 'Got To Get You Into My Life' and 'Good Day Sunshine'. At 10pm, Paul hits the Orange Stage and is greeted with a phenomenal reception. You can feel the energy coming from the crowd.

Berlingske Tidende:

"McCartney gave Roskilde a gift ­ his music

"The classics were lining up when Paul McCartney gave us a musical history lesson on the Orange Stage on Saturday eveningand it was the best lesson ever.

"The concert, that lasted nearly three hours, was a fantastic musical experience for all.

"McCartney and his four fellow musicians played brilliantly. As he constantly shifted around between his iconic Höfner bass, electric and acoustic guitars and keys, there could be no doubt about his great musical talent and his legendary status."

Politiken:

"McCartney gave a historic end to a great concert ­ 'The magical mystery tour is waiting to take you away / Waiting to take you away'. That is what one hopes for when Paul McCartney gives a concert and that is what happens. He takes us to a magical place where we drown ourselves in excitement.

"I do not think in the history of Roskilde I've seen so many good songs together performed in one set. It was overwhelming to stand in the middle of the audience and be part of such a communal moment.

"Paul McCartney with his insanely tight band gave a historic end to a great concert and festival."

OSLO, NORWAY (July 7, 2015)

Paul is back in Oslo for the first time in 11 years, landing just after 3pm and even during his short drive to the venue he uses the time productively with a call to Norwegian radio station P4 en route, with a quick chat about being back in the city, among other things. I'm guessing quite a few readers here may not have access to P4 so here is a taste:

Paul: "I have a kind of special relationship with Norwegian people, because you send a lot of people to my school in Liverpool (LIPA). So, I meet quite a lot of Norwegian kids in the school, because some of them I do classes with. Right since the beginning of the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, LIPA, there's always been some really good Norwegian students."

Presenter: "You're on tour now for, like, 18 months in a row with a couple of days off - how do you prepare for a show like tonight when you have done the same show for so many months in a row?"

Paul: "Well, the good thing about it is that because of my personal situation, I have my youngest kid, my daughter, for half the time. So when I'm with her, I don't do concerts; when I'm not with her, like today, I do concerts. It means that you don't ever get fed up of doing it, because you have a week when you do them, and then you have a week when you don't. And at first I thought that was going to be, not a good idea, but it's turned out to be a good idea really because when you are going to do a concert it means you feel hungry to get back on the stage and it keeps you very interested. So me and the band are pleased to be here in Norway and really interested in plugging our guitars in, getting the sound up and singing some songs. So I think that keeps it very fresh actually."

Presenter: "So you like to go back home and spend some time with your family, then go back out on tour and re-charge your batteries?"

Paul: "Yeah, that's what happens, yeah! And once you've been at home for a while you start to think, 'Oh boy, it would be great to get out and do a gig', so when you come to do the gig you're kind of hungry. So it works out nicely, and means we are, you know? If you're on the road for years and years, you don't even know where you are - you're just like, 'Where are we tonight, I don't know, what's this place called?' But you know, the way we're doing it now, you're very aware where you are, you're very aware how lucky you are to be playing, so we're really enjoying it and I think that's reflected in the reviews and the audiences."

Asked about his collaboration with Kanye West, Paul says:

"Originally I just got a call from my manager and he said Kanye West is interested in collaborating with you'. So I was kind of interested but I thought, I don't know, maybe I should do this, maybe I shouldn't, I don't know, see if I've got time, whatever. So I found out I did have time, and I thought what we'll do is, we'll try working together - if it doesn't work out, we just won't tell anyone, and you won't have lost anything, neither of us will have lost anything.

"So, we got together in Los Angeles, in a hotel room and we just spent a few afternoons kicking ideas around - I gave him some musical ideas, he gave some lyric ideas and we recorded a lot of stuff. He records it all on his iPhone and his engineer had some proper recording stuff, so we just recorded lots of ideas and then I came back to England and thought well, I wonder if anything is going to happen. I didn't really wanna ring him up and say, 'Hey Kanye, did anything happen?!' I thought that's a bit stupid, so I just left it, I'll just say, 'Hey, Happy Christmas! All the best!' Whatever, I'll send a little message. And in the end, he sent me, just before the New Year three tracks - he sent me 'Only One', which was something I'd played piano on, then he sent me 'FourFiveSeconds' with Rihanna, which was a real surprise because I didn't even know he was working with Rihanna, and I love her voice! So yeah, it turned out it was a guitar thing that I had been playing and he liked the groove on it, so he finished it up with Rihanna - so then, you know, will you make the video? Will you go on the Grammys? I was glad I did it in the end, you know, I thoughtit was perfect."

Presenter: "After that meeting, Kanye was telling the press he was star-struck after he met you - do you ever get starstruck by meeting anyone?"

PM: "Yeah, I think so, it's people you admire, there's always a little bit of that meeting them because you never know quite how they are going to turn out and if you know they're talented you've just got to take it easy, kind of thing. When I met Kanye, I mean, I'd listened to a lot of his records and knew a lot of the work he'd done, like My Dark Twisted Fantasy and Black Skinhead. For the first five minutes it's a little bit like that and then you remember you're just human beings and you're just there to do some work together. So that goes, really. But yeah, there are one or two people I get a little bit starstruck with."

With media commitments completed, it is time for the soundcheck. This afternoon, his audience of "soundcheckers" are treated to the likes of 'Honey Don't', 'Drive My Car', 'Junior's Farm' and 'All My Loving'. There is also a ukulele special of 'Leaning On A Lamp-post', a song most associated with George Formby, which The Beatles recorded during their Get Back sessions in 1969 although it was never released. The band also played a version of 'Blue Suede Shoes' with Paul's guitar tremeolo effect making it sound like The Smiths' song 'How Soon Is Now?'.

Soundcheck over, it is time for Paul to have another language class, this time to brush up his Norwegian, and he sends a special birthday message on Twitter to both Ringo Starr and his own late father, which is received very well by the people of the internet and social media channels.

During the show too Paul wishes Ringo and his dad a happy birthday and plays Birthday for them.

Over to the reviews:

Hats off to Sir Paul (Dagbladet)

"The audience gets a concert that has absolutely everything: songs that are the soundtrack to the lives of several generations spanning an unusually long career, a tight and hard-working band, an artist giving so much of himself to make everyone feel at ease - he even speaks a little Norwegian! There's an exciting and affectionate atmosphere all night, almost reverential at times.

"McCartney proves he is a true champion by giving us three hours of music history."

The reports were correct - Paul McCartney is on top form (Dagsavisen)

"Paul McCartney actually lived up to the expectation and to his status as a legend. The Beatle gave a compelling near three-hour performance of classic hits from his entire career including the occasional forgotten gem such as 'Temporary Secretary'.

"In one night the audience of all ages relive many magical memories. Rarely do we see an entire audience sing along with everything. 'Hey Jude' simply should be declared as the world's biggest song."

Stockholm, Sweden (July 9, 2015)

The final European 'Out There' show on Paul's current run is now upon us (it's also the 85th 'Out There' show to date and the 21st of 2015, for all the stat lovers). It's almost four years since Paul last rocked out in Stockholm. He last called in during his 'On The Run' tour when he played 37 songs; tonight he pushing it even further with 40 songs in the setlist. We are at the relatively new Tele2 Arena, which should really be called the Tele2 Stadium. It's BIG. It's a football stadium with a retractable roof and for tonight the roof is shut giving the stadium a more intimate feeling, despite the vast size.

Prior to his arrival for this show, Paul spoke about his memories of the country, recalling: "It was very special when we first arrived in Sweden with The Beatles. We hadn't travelled abroad that much so it was very exciting. When I think of Sweden one particular image always comes to mind; it is seared in my memory. We all have pink shirts on and roses in our hands. It's a cool image. I love Stockholm, and Sweden is a beautiful country".

Shortly before 5pm Paul lands at Bromma airport before making his way to meet us at the arena for soundcheck.

The Swedish press has already provided fairly extensive coverage of Paul's performance at Roskilde and Sweden's biggest paper Aftonbladet notes after this concert:

"Hats off, again. When Paul McCartney's show is moving from the drunken festival crowd at Roskilde to a more sober indoor crowd in Stockholm, it was just as brilliant."

Sweden sees an unusual first for McCartney during the show. As Paul stops to read the many signs in the audience before performing 'And I Love Her', one stands out and particularly captures his attention. There is a massive poster of two sheep with "Paul - can you name my sheep" written on it! Well Paul ­ a man who, let's not forget, named one of his albums RAM - was happy to oblige and after ruminating, he declared from the stage that their names would be George and Ringo! And with that we round off the run of European dates ­ good-baa. Erm, I mean goodbye.

Should WINGS be nominated into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? There's a debate amongst Beatles/Paul McCartney fans whether Wings is covered by Paul's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a "solo artist." Does Wings qualify as a band and are they worthy with a string of number one hits during the '70s? Should its band members be recognized for their contributions?

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Macca Report news continues with August 2015

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Macca Report current Paul News!!!

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Jorie Gracen