February 27, 2009 -- The Sun (UK)

Help me rescue these kids from horrors of war
by Sir Paul McCartney

Children can be the forgotten victims of war. As well as being caught in the fighting, young people trapped in conflicts in Africa and elsewhere are often forced to become soldiers themselves. Here, Sir Paul McCartney tells why he wants to do something to help.

I'm reading a book at the moment called "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs Of A Boy Soldier".

It's all about a guy being forced to fight in a war zone in Sierra Leone.

He's a 13-year-old boy soldier and he is pictured on the front cover in a pair of tatty flip-flops and carrying a huge gun.

He's just a child.

Some of the stuff in the book is horrific - really awful. But you read it and it is easy to think, 'Oh well, this is in a book so it's ancient history, all done and dusted.'

But this morning I was hit by a terrible thought. This isn't history.

This is happening all over the world right now.

Sadly, we have become all too used to our guys as young as 18 fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. For me, that is already too young.

But imagine an army - if you can call it that - made up mostly of kids aged 13 or even younger.

Then imagine something worse. Imagine atrocities so bad that you can just about comprehend them but your brain cannot cope with them emotionally.

This is a family newspaper and I don't want to go into too much detail about the horrors - but I can assure you that sometimes the acts are subhuman.

Such terrible images are hard for us to identify with. But I am hoping that through the power of music more and more people will become aware of it.

I've teamed up with a load of other musicians to try to help through the charity War Child.

I asked Duffy to cover my song "Live And Let Die" for a new album that also has really great young acts including Estelle, Elbow and Lily Allen doing covers.

I love the fact that all these great musicians are taking part.

It is important because it brings awareness of the atrocities in these war zones to a whole new audience who may otherwise never have known about them.

For young kids, if you've got your head in a video game you may not see this kind of stuff. But if one of your favourite singers makes you aware of it then it's a positive.

Young people are not thick. They are very aware and this puts the issue into focus and shines a spotlight on the bad stuff. It also eats away at the horrors and alleviates some of the pain by raising money to help these kids.

The proceeds from the album will help rescue children from fighting in brutal wars around the world.

The War Child charity is rescuing a lot of these kids and reuniting them with their parents, or in some cases getting them out of brutal prisons they share with adult inmates.

Basically, they try to give these kids a chance of having a childhood like you and I are familiar with.

A lot of people scoff and say music cannot change the world. You can certainly make a case that it doesn't.

After all, we all listen to music but there are still all sorts of brutality and atrocities taking place on this planet.

But I think it can really make a difference.

The War Child: Heroes album is available on iTunes and in stores.

Beatles fans still patiently waiting for Paul McCartney to release the band's 1967 sound collage "Carnival of Light" were surprised by an even better gift this weekend as a 10-minute version of The White Album's "Revolution 1" leaked onto the internet, giving fans a never-before-heard listen of what the White Album sessions must have been like. The track makes it clear why seemingly unrelated "Revolution 1" and the maniacal "Revolution 9" sound collage share the same name: In "Revolution 1 (Take 20)" John Lennon steers an extended, more experimental version of "1" to its breaking point, using it as a conduit before launching into the avant-garde "9."

According to the Ateaseweb message board, the song first surfaced on an upcoming, Europe-only bootleg Revolution: Take Your Knickers Off, as nod to Lennon saying "Take your knickers off and let's go" before "Revolution 1 (Take 20)" started rolling. As for how the song leaked out, that's an even bigger mystery. According to Mark Lewisohn's book The Beatles: Recording Sessions, only two copies of the take were made when recording the song was completed on June 4, 1968. One copy left the studio with Lennon that day, and the other remained behind. It's unclear which copy appears on the bootleg, nor how the Revolution makers even acquired it.

"As someone who's heard, I'd say, 99.8 percent of the Beatles music that has leaked onto bootleg, this is really interesting," Beatles expert Richie Unterberger told EW.com. The site also reports Lennon was lying on his back while recording the vocals to make his voice sound different.

2009 is shaping up to be a big year for Fab Four fans still clamoring for unreleased material. Talking about "Carnival of Light" back in November, McCartney said "The time has come for its moment. I like it because it's like the Beatles free."

YouTube has been pulling down the videos of Take 20, so get a listen over at Twelve Major Chords.

Sir Paul McCartney is revamping his late wife's vegetarian food range.

The former Beatles singer and his daughter Mary are updating and rebranding Linda McCartney's frozen food line, which became famous in the early 90s.

The pair have designed new packaging featuring photography by Mary, while Paul has come up with a new tagline for the range: Food To Come Home To.

A source said: "Marketing experts felt Linda's food needed revamping and Paul was obviously keen to help out.

"Paul knows how proud Linda was of the food range and reckons she'd be pleased with the new image."

Paul has been a vegetarian since the 70s and is an ardent animal rights campaigner.

The 66-year-old musician recently revealed he dines on his late wife's creations and always has a meat substitute for his Christmas lunch.

He said: "The first year we went veggie, me and Linda had all the trimmings but we needed something to replace the turkey. So Linda made macaroni cheese. It kind of worked so we called it the macaroni turkey.

"Today I have moved on, I have the Linda McCartney roast."

When I found out that Paul McCartney had selected me to cover his track "Live And Let Die," the first thing I did was call my mum. He has written some of the best songs ever, so it was a great honour.

The original version is really exciting and unpredictable but for my version, I wanted to present it as a song, rather than as a big, exciting production. I wanted the sentiment to come through. Of course, I was slightly daunted. Part of me was thinking, "I hope Mr. McCartney won't hate it" but at the same time I just concentrated on singing it.

I'm really pleased to support War Child. Children are vulnerable at the best of times and these children didn't choose to be born in a war zone. They deserve the same chances as everyone else.

Described as a "A local music sampler paying tribute to Paul McCartney's "RAM." Featuring various artists doing covers of "RAM" songs.

Available as a FREE DOWNLOAD on March 2nd.

Photographer Tom Murray had no idea he would be shooting The Beatles when asked to accompany Don McCullin on a photoshoot.

He says: "The Beatles were great to work with. I had a running gag with Paul, where he would look over to see if I was watching and do a quick pose. I watched him out of the corner of my eye and would get great spontaneous shots. I was invited back to Paul McCartney's home after the shoot for tea. At that time, Paul had four or five girls who regularly staked out the house. When Paul's Mercedes pulled up to the house and he came out, they were all screaming then the other Beatles came out of the car and the girls nearly fainted."

Sound & Vision is an annual fundraiser held for Cancer Research UK at Abbey Road Studios. It features an auction of rare and previously unseen shots, including images of the Beatles, Keith Moon and Debbie Harry.

The auction takes place on Thursday, February 26, and you can find out more on the Sound and Vision website.

Yusuf was in Los Angeles last week to finish the editing of the "Boots & Sand" music video, and to make a unique contribution to the legacy of Sir Paul McCartney.

"The Long and Winding Road" was recorded by Yusuf at The Jim Henson Company Lot with Sir Paul's tour band providing the backing. The session was a trip down memory lane as the studio was previously the home of A&M Records ­ where Yusuf, Carol King, The Carpenters and Herb Alpert used to meet and hang out. The history of the Lot goes back even further, being situated on the grounds of the film studio built by Charlie Chaplin in 1917.

The track will be used on a future tribute album, with details to be announced.

February 21, 2009 -- Star Tribune

Cameo critic: Paul McCartney

He's a Beatle, for crying out loud. So when Paul McCartney recommends a band, it's like Oprah endorsing a book. What is Sir Paul listening to these days?

"I am very kind of catholic in my tastes with music. I'd say at the moment somebody like Radiohead, I'd put them amongst the top bands. They're fantastic. But I'll also be listening to blues or jazz if it's on the radio. I have a wide range of tastes. I like a lot of rap; I like a lot of mash-ups that they do. I like good music. And it tends to be stuff by people who can play well live."

An early look at the new Joint
Hard Rock Casino concert venue moves to a new location

This architectural rendering shows the seating at the new Joint, which is undergoing a facelift at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas.

The new $60 million, 4,000-seat venue was designed by Montreal-based architectural design firm Sceno Plus. It is more than double the size of the old Joint, which is being converted into casino space.

Aging rock legend Paul McCartney, 66, apparently doesn't mind that a lot of his fan base is aging as well -- insisting that his concert for the grand opening of the new Joint at the Hard Rock on April 19 be standing room only.

"The reason Paul McCartney took this gig is that he wanted a down and dirty, real old-fashioned rock show with minimal seating," says Paul Davis, vice president of entertainment at the Hard Rock. "He wants to come out and look at the crowd and feel the entire crowd staring at him --a real rock show with a real rock 'n' roll feel to it."

Will the concession stand include Bengay and knee braces for the older fans muscles and joints are losing their battle with time?

Davis talked about McCartney Thursday as he led the media on a tour of the new Joint, a $60 million concert venue that bustling with activity as construction works hammer away to be ready for the first concert ­- to be performed April 17 by the Las Vegas-based group The Killers.

"The Killers want as many people standing as possible," Davis says.

There doesn't seem to be any escaping the standing rule.

But in case there are bands that don't mind seeing fans seated, there are comfortable folding chairs that will be stored under the 60­by­40 foot stage when not in use, which apparently will be most of the time.

The new Joint looks a lot like the old Joint, only bigger.

Montreal-based architectural design firm Sceno Plus designed the venue, creating a three-story showroom with general seating (standing) on the first floor and balcony seats (which are fixed theater seats) on the third floor.

The second floor includes several luxury lounges at the back of the room and along the side tables and a standing area for VIP guests.

Davis says the market has changed in the 14 years that the Joint has hosted more than 1,000 concerts. So Hard Rock execs decided to bring the room up to date, making it larger but with the design keeping the intimacy that made the old room so popular.

"The furthest seat in the house is only 155 feet from the stage," Davis says.

While the Joint is primarily a concert venue, it will also feature boxing, mixed martial arts fights and private events.

"We aren't designed for rodeos or ice hockey," he says.

The new venue can accommodate any size concert tour.

Davis says the resort is doing its best to keep ticket prices low, in light of the state of the economy.

"It's not easy to do, but we're doing everything we can't -- like the general admission for the Killers is only $59.50."

Within minutes of the announcement that The Killers would perform the first concert in the new venue, they were sold out.

Same with McCartney and Kenny Chesney, country superstar who will brings his Sun City Carnival 2009 Tour to the venue April 25.

The Joint promises to be one of the most active joints in Las Vegas. I hope my joints can stand it.

Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney hopes a new Rock Band game based on the Fab Four will help to introduce his music to a new generation of kids.

The Hey Jude hitmakers' record label Apple Corps. signed a deal with Rock Band manufacturers MTV and Harmonix last year to create a new interactive game based on the Beatles' music.

Rock Band allows users to play along to music, virtually, using replicas of instruments.

And McCartney reveals the project will span every musical twist and turn The Beatles took during their Sixties heyday.

He says, "It will feature different periods of the band -- you get early days, Liverpool, then psychedelic, and on from there.

"It's very cool. And I like the idea that the game introduces kids to music, you know?"

"When we saw Paul McCartney, we were pretty starstruck," Joe admitted. "We didn't know what to do."

Paul McCartney guitar will be at Hart of artwork

A bass guitar once played by Sir Paul McCartney will take pride of place in a planned art installation to celebrate 50 years of Merseybeat.

The Mersey Sound Wave is the dream of musician-singer-songwriter Bill Hart, who is aiming to collect 100 guitars which have been played at Liverpool's legendary Cavern Club.

These will then be suspended from the ceiling to create a wave effect.

Since the proposed artwork was first publicised in the Daily Post last month, Mr Hart has been inundated with promises of donations.

But the "jewel in the crown" was the offer of a Hofner Violin bass, signed by Sir Paul during his famous homecoming gig at the Cavern in 1999, and now on display in the Cavern pub.

Former Wings member and McCartney sideman Denny Laine fully endorsed the Mersey Sound Wave project when he made his own appearance at the Cavern for a live recording with his band last night.

He said he would try to donate one of his own guitars to be included in Mr Hart's exhibition, adding: "I admire what he's doing. It's an artistic endeavour, it's different and it's ambitious, and I'm into anything like that.

"The Cavern has been the church of northern music, and anything associated with that is great."

Mr Hart, 62, is hoping to gather together enough guitars to create the artwork by 2011 to mark the 50th anniversary of the birth of Merseybeat.

They can be of any value, type or condition but must have been played in public at the Mathew Street venue.

He has already won the backing of the Cavern club who have said they will help contact musicians, both famous and unsung, who have played there in the past.

Mr Hart said: "Things have happened so fast since I first revealed the project that it's been difficult to draw breath.

"The Cavern is the centre of the popular music universe for me, so to get their support is great.

"The idea of the wave came from the fact that the music arrived in the late 50s and early 60s via the Cunard and merchant ships bringing R&B records to Liverpool from New York. I also want to involve the local schools and colleges by holding an Open Day at the Cavern."

Ray Johnson, events manager at the Cavern, added: "I think the Mersey Sound Wave is a great way to commemorate and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Merseybeat, and I'm pretty confident we'll be able to get 100 guitars together."

* IF YOU have a guitar which could be included in the installation, Mr Hart can be contacted on 011 44 0845 0948795.

I attended Paul Simon's two concerts at the Beacon Theater in NYC last Friday (Feb 13) and Saturday (Feb 14) nights. The concerts were just excellent - and a dream come true for any Simon fan. However, I'll leave my detailed comments on those shows for more appropriate websites.

You can imagine my surprise when, after the lights went down on Friday night at the beginning of the show, I see Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell pass right in front of me! My seat was in the left side front orchestra in the third row very near the center aisle. Paul and Nancy walked in front of my section and then down the center aisle to their seats about six rows in back of me in the center front orchestra section. Paul's seat was right on the center aisle. As a result, they were very close to me for the whole show.

Luckily, there was an intermission between Acts I and II. At the intermission, Paul and Nancy walked back down the center aisle the way they came in right past my seat again to likely go hang out backstage during the intermission. I took some nice video of this which I posted at the following link.

When Act II was ready to start, with the lights still on, Paul and Nancy came back out from backstage and walked in same direction towards my seat again to get back to their seats. As a result, I saw a great opportunity to go say hello. I told Paul that I was a huge fan and asked for a photo. He joked, "you're not that huge." I think I was still laughing from his joke in the photo, but it's all good, the photo shows how happy I was. As he walked off, I patted him on the back and thanked him for all of the excellent music.

Paul seemed to really be enjoying the show. They stayed until the very end, which makes sense because the final encore was three song set by a reunited Simon and Garfunkel. After the show was over, Paul and Nancy passed by me again and then went backstage for a few minutes where there was a get together of the performers and many famous guests that were in attendance (including Mayor Bloomberg, Jon Bon Jovi, Rosie O'Donnell, James Galdofini, Whoppi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, etc.).

I went outside to the backstage door after the show ended and Paul and Nancy were amongst the first to come out. Paul was very gracious, taking some time to sign autographs and converse briefly with people waiting out there. Being a fan since I was 10 years old (30 years ago now!), this evening was very special to me so I wanted to share it here with other McCartney fans.

Here's the link to some photos and videos. Be sure to also click the link at the bottom of this page to move to page 2 to see the video of Paul exiting the theater, signing autographs and talking to people out there.

Paul A. Fournier -- Macca Reporter

by Steve Marinucci

Ringo and Paul at the David Lynch Foundation concert

It's now OFFICIAL. The David Lynch Foundation has updated their home page with a banner that adds Ringo to the mix, plus Ben Harper, who we had mentioned as a possibility.

Here's the concert page. It is as it was originally and has not changed.

LATE ADD: The premium ticket packages will be offered first, then the general admission. The highest premium package will be $100,000 and include 14 seats, plus soundcheck, rehearsal and backstage access, though there's no confirmation those paying this money will have access to either Ringo or Paul.

We've seen comments that a lot of people are wondering if there will be any general admission tickets. We're told both Paul and Ringo's reps are concerned about this as well and don't want fans priced out, so general admission are being discussed. Price, though isn't known yet.

February 2009: The 51st Grammy Awards
I want to say a little something in the aftermath, in the afterglow of our performance on the Grammys on Sunday night here in LA. We kicked off a fantastic weekend the way you know you should... with a party.. it was the birthday of Pablo [sound man for Macca and AD/DC] held at Katana, where we ate and drank like kings and queens.. Ok, He ate like a queen, hahahah! kidding! I ate like a spotted pig... we had all sorts of friends pop by and stayed late. Thanks, Vernon!! Thanks, Barrie!!!

Rehearsing for the Grammys
The next morning it was time to get to "work" because we had 2 rehearsals to do in one day.. something we've never done with Paul before. Abe Laboriel Jr. [Paul's extraordinary drummer] had a prior commitment with some guitar God.... Eric something or rather, in Japan so Paul called on Dave Grohl, who had joined us on a few songs last year in Liverpool to do drum duties. Since we were only doing one song which wasn't originally recorded with keys, there was no Wix Wickens either :-(..

So.... there we were - a 4 piece band playing through a number of Paul's songs.. Honey Hush, Honey Don't, Matchbox, Let Me Roll It and Jet before we even got to the song we were performing, "I Saw Her Standing There".. we laughed, and rocked out with Dave looking and playing excitedly..

We broke it up after a few hours so they could move the gear to the Staples Center for our rehearsal there.. Once there, we played a similar set for the audience there who seemed to lose it as he sang and played a little set for them. Man, that was a blast! That night we had invites to Clive Davis' annual bash.. There was so much talent in that room, my GOD! Stevie Wonder, Sly Stone, Prince, Leona Lewis, Jennifer Hudson, Neil Diamond, Rod Stewart and Paul to name just a few.. Great performances..

The day of the show...
what can I say.. it's the big game, right? Wow, security like you've never seen into Staples... We had a skybox, we ran into a bunch of friends and had a nice [and long] day there. We watched from the audience as Radiohead and U2, Coldplay and Smokey Robinson spun their webs of coolness. I feel blessed and happy.. Paul ROCKED it, as we looked out onto an audience of the best artists of our time.. what a trip!! They went NUTS...

We caravanned out of there but not before Paul got swarmed and swamped by over zealous fans, but we had the best dinner ever, together afterwards.

Musican lives out dream playing with Paul McCartney

The music of The Beatle's transcends time, appealing to both young and old alike. Legendary Beatle Paul McCartney continues to make music as relevant and successful today, acquiring many new fans from today's generation. Recently I had the pleasure of speaking to a member of Sir Paul's band, Mr. Brian Ray. Known for occasionally stealing the show with his energetic stage presence and unparalleled guitar playing, Ray is irrefutably ranked among today's top musicians. Becoming a member of Paul McCartney's band is a surreal dream and extraordinary experience for this lifelong Beatle's fan. Shortly after graduating high school, Ray became the guitarist and musical director for blues legend Etta James. He has written hits for numerous well-known musicians, and enjoys a successful solo career of his own.

Q: You got started with a career in the music industry right out of high school. What made you decide to take this path, instead of going on to college or pursue a more 'conventional' career?

BRIAN RAY: There was no choice to be made. My mind was set at the age of 3 when my sister Jean played me early R&B and showed me the pictures of the artists who were singing and playing this life changing music. I never even considered college. I was just lucky to get my first contract right out of high school.

Q: How did you end up working with Etta James?

BRIAN: I was doing the "Monster Mash", playing with Bobby Boris Pickett when I was introduced to Etta at her rehearsal because her guitarist couldn't make a gig. That was the first day of what turned into a 14 year relationship as her musical director and guitarist.

Q: You were asked to play bass for Paul at the Super Bowl '02. How did you end up being "part of the band"?

BRIAN: A friend of mine, Abe, happened to be Paul's drummer. He told me that Paul was looking for a guitarist who played bass as well. I told him I would love a shot at that! Soon after, I got a call from David Kahne [Paul's producer], and he asked if I would be interested in playing bass for Paul's Superbowl '02 performance. I thought "Are you kidding me?" I met with him at Paul's studio, the next day he said "Can you be on a plane tomorrow to go to New Orleans to do the Super Bowl with Paul McCartney?" So, life sort of changed in the blink of an eye. Five weeks later, after much fretting, sweating and shredding, we had our first tour rehearsal. At the end of that day, he said "Ok, guys, sounds great... I'll see you tomorrow!!" That's the first time I realized I was going on tour with Paul McCartney.

Q: This must have felt like the ultimate recognition of your abilities as a musician. How did it feel to start touring the world with Paul McCartney?

BRIAN: Well put... Playing live with him was the rush of a thousand drugs, except that I remember it...most of it, anyway.

Q: Having gotten to know Paul on a more social level, off the stage, is there anything that has surprised you about him?

BRIAN: Well, that he's as cool as I had hoped he might be. Paul has a song running in his mind at all times, always whistling or singing or tapping a beat. He's caring and very smart and he has a wicked wit.

Q: Did you ever have a moment where you had to stop yourself from acting like a giddy Beatles fan?

BRIAN: Um, yeah...like every moment for the first year! Travelling with him every day and hanging after every show...(laughs). You don't want to be that guy who asks the Chris Farley questions and you can't help it. But he is very generous and fortunately, suffers most fools, gladly.

Q: Your first solo album Mondo Magneto was very successful; do you have plans to make another album?

BRIAN: Funny you should ask... I'm waist deep in new tracks I've just recorded. I'm really excited about it all and have finished my home studio to do vocals and additional guitars, etc.

Q: Any plans for another Paul McCartney world tour in the near future?

BRIAN: You'll just have to stay tuned for that kind of news, won't you?

Read the Macca Report interview with Brian
http://www.photos.mccartney.net/brian.htm

Brian Ray's official site:
http://www.brianray.com

February 15, 2009 -- New York Daily News (edited for Paul content)

Macca shows up at Paul's Simon's Beacon Theatre Concert

Paul Simon made an apt and graceful host for two ribbon-cutting concerts at the once bedraggled Beacon Theatre this weekend. In sprawling shows held Friday and Saturday night, Simon celebrated the completion of a badly needed, seven-month, $16 million cleanup job on this formerly sticky-floored, paint chip-strewn theater.

That one of these visions shows fine taste (Simon's) and the other thumbs its nose at it (the Beacon) only added to the fun at Friday's inaugural gala. If anything, the rococo mishmash of styles at this 1928 theater - which can eagerly clash pseudo-Moorish murals with tacky, faux Roman figures - added a sense of camp the very serious Simon could use. On hand to enjoy the contrast were celebs (Paul McCartney, Whoopie Goldberg), politicians (Mayor Bloomberg), and even an old friend (Art Garfunkel, who showed up for a rare trio of sonic delicacies at the show's close).

---

February 13, 2009 -- Hotel Chatter.com

Paul McCartney to Christen the New Joint at Hard Rock

We reported earlier this week that The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino closed last weekend, going out with a Motley Crue (head)bang as it closed down for a major makeover. Part of the Hard Rock's extensive many-million dollar expansion, Joint will re-open with more space, better equipment and a new look.

And! Now we're finding out that Paul McCartney will headline the new venue's inaugural performance, scheduled for Sunday, April 19th. We're pretty sure that tapping the former Beatle to help christen the new space is a good call considering the universal appeal - come on, even the Jonas Brothers crowd likes the Beatles (or they at least know Beatles songs from Across the Universe.

Tickets for the first new The Joint show go on sale on at noon on Valentine's Day (tomorrow!) at the Hard Rock Hotel Box Office or you can call 1 (800) 745-3000. Um, howevs: we checked on rates and availability at the hotel that night, and according to the Hard Rock website, there are none available. None. So, uh, pick somewhere else to crash.

Sir Paul McCartney - The Things They Say

"I could have dressed up, yeah? Fireman's helmet, an axe, a hose... Very Village People." Sir Paul McCartney jokes about the possibilities of the cover art for his new album as The Fireman.

Can Aging rockers provide cheap, accessible music?

"I think the majors at the moment - I'm not dissing them - but I don't think they really know what's going on. I get the feeling that, with the download culture, they're floundering a bit, because they've had it their way for so long."

Which major recording artist uttered the above?

I'll give you three guesses.

You're wrong - it was Paul McCartney.

Not exactly the first guy you associate with anti-major-label militancy.

The living Beatles legend has been on a tear through the culture recently, turning up most recently at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles to dust off a classic ("I Saw Her Standing There") with the young-ish Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters.

In May, he's set to headline one night of the Coachella festival, an alternative-rock extravaganza held each year in the Southern California desert.

There's even talk that he wants to marry again.

Mr. McCartney, 66, is, in short, in an odd (for him) fountain-of-youth-questing state.

Just five minutes ago, it seems, he was pitching a well-received project called "Memory Almost Full." Its very name a nod to advancing age, the album was precisely the kind of thing - at once meditative and playfully nostalgic - one expected from a songwriter of Mr. McCartney's maturity and still-ticking talent.

He "went indie," it's true - but it was with the Starbucks Coffee-run label Hear Music and its target demo of baby boomers who weren't to be found in the requisite numbers online or hanging out in record stores.

It was hardly a decision to cause shame: Mr. McCartney was attempting to find his audience where it lived - or, put another way, where it stopped on its way into the office. (This was in 2007, mind you. In this economy, Hear Music would do better to include its CDs with Mr. Coffee machines.)

The collaboration with Starbucks yielded Mr. McCartney first-week sales of 161,000.

A smash, it wasn't.

But pretty respectable in this day and age.

So what's the old boy up to now, hoisting the indie-rock flag of insurgency and running the young man's marketing gantlet?

If it's possible, I think I actually squirmed more than Mr. McCartney did during his sit-down on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report." Desperate to plug the CD "Electric Arguments" - another fine installment of electronica-laced rock with Fireman partner Martin Glover, aka Youth - Mr. McCartney clearly was uncomfortable both with Mr. Colbert's satirical blustery persona and, more generally, a situation that didn't entail the ritual kissing of his ring.

The problem for legends such as Mr. McCartney and Mr. Springsteen (and, while we're at it, the Rolling Stones and Neil Young, Bob Dylan, the Eagles, etc.) is that a rather large segment of their audiences doesn't care much to hear new material. (Even with an all-out PR push behind it, Mr. Springteen's latest album, "Working on a Dream," sold fewer copies in its opening week than its predecessor, 2007's "Magic.")

Hence, on we go to young-skewing platforms like "The Colbert Report" in a forlorn search for potential converts.

If Mr. McCartney were as savvy as he claims the major labels are not, he would know there are two surefire ways of winning new fans.

First, you give your music away on the Internet.

Streaming content, as Mr. McCartney did with his live EP "Amoeba's Secret," was a step in the right direction, but it was only four songs, after all, and streaming is not, technically, the same as offering free downloads.

The second, even more important step is to drastically reduce the price of concert tickets.

There no doubt are scores of young people who would be curious to see rock's living legends in the flesh but can't afford the three-figure price of entry.

Quite apart from the increasingly irrelevant question of labels, affordability and accessibility are the essential hallmarks of the fan-friendly indie Weltanschauung.

The fountain of youth is real. It exists.

But it would leave old rich guys like Paul McCartney feeling severely thirsty.

When I heard Paul McCartney was playing at the Grammys I bought tickets and went with my husband to Staples Center. Our seats were on the side of the venue, 12 rows up from the floor, just about even with the small round stage second stage they'd set up. Close to showtime, the celebrities and nominees were standing around the seats in front of the stage. The announcement to be seated came two minutes before airtime causing everyone to scramble to their seats. I scanned the area looking for Paul, saw the back of his head right away, and of course they had parked him and Nancy Shevell in the first row, center front on the aisle. I had a bird's eye view of them and found it hard to take my eyes off of the back of Paul's head throughout the entire show! It's funny when you're a fan I could tell it was Paul just from he back of his head, the side of his face and his mannerisms even from a distance away!

Nancy had on a stunning emerald green/blue dress. She looked beautiful and bright. They talked with each other after each performance and seemed very happy together, really enjoying the music and the evening.

After Justin Timberlake and Al Green's special duet, CBS went to commercial. Paul stayed standing, looking around a bit. When he finally sat, a group of people gathered around him. Turns out, this was to be the norm during each commercial break. A man went to his side each time, his security guard Mark Hamilton. So during the breaks I wasn't able to see Paul, but just a group of people trying to meet him and take his picture!

When Sugarland won a Grammy, singer Jennifer Nettles accepted saying, "I promised myself I would be cool because Paul McCartney and Coldplay are here. But I'm not!" At the end of her speech as she was exiting, she turned back and said, "And I want to thank Paul McCartney."

Coldplay bounded up the steps to accept their Grammy, wearing colorful jackets that looked like knockoffs of the Beatles Sgt Pepper's jackets . Will Chapman, Coldplay's drummer, said, "Sorry to Sir Paul McCartney for blatantly recycling the Sgt. Pepper's outfits!"

Watching Paul during Stevie Wonder's song "Superstition" featuring the Jonas Bros. was a treat. He clapped throughout the entire song, but I have a feeling it was because of Stevie, not the Jonas Bros. But I could be wrong!

Next time Coldplay won, Chris Martin mentioned Paul again by saying, "We have never had so many Grammys, but I'm sure Paul has." To which Paul just waved to Chris with a kind gesture.

When Paul left for backstage to prepare for his performance, he walked right in front of us and down the aisle next to where I was sitting. I jumped up and went to the railing. As he walked by, people were screaming his name. He looked up at the crowd, smiled broadly and waved his hands, acknowledging the audience very graciously. I must comment that everyone who performed, and celebrities going back stage, used this area to walk through. Paul of course, caused the most excitement receiving the biggest crowd reaction!

When Paul went backstage before his performance, Mark Hamilton sat next to Nancy.

Actress, Kate Beckinsale introduced Macca as the guy who "started a band with three other guys from Liverpool."

On the eve of the 45th anniversary of the Beatles first Ed Sullivan performance, Paul performed an electrifying "I Saw Her Standing There" with Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters rocking out on drums. On lead guitar was Rusty Anderson sporting a much longer hairdo and Brian Ray on rhythm guitar. Missing were Wix and Abe. Paul looked over and smiled at Nancy when he sang "And I fell in love with her" He's so adorable and romantic!

Jack Black took the stage right afterwards to present an award and jokingly said, "Hey, that looks like a promising new bass player. Look out for that McCartney guy."

Paul was in his seat when the Best Male Pop Vocal went to John Mayer instead of himself, although I think the award should have gone to Paul. Disappointing, but what do those Grammy voters know anyway?!!

Paul stayed in the audience and literally danced and rocked out during T.I. and Justin Timberlake's "Dead and Gone."

Neil Diamond was up next to sing his standard, "Sweet Caroline," to which everyone in the audience stood up and sang along. Paul clapped throughout the entire song.

After that, Paul disappeared. A woman with blonde hair took his seat, the seat I stared at for over three hours.

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has earned high marks from former Beatle Paul McCartney for his work behind the drums during McCartney's performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night (February 8th). Asked backstage how the collaboration came out, McCartney told reporters that it was based on past experience: "Dave originally played with us in Liverpool, where I did a concert last year, and he played alongside my drummer Abe (Laboriel, Jr.), but Abe wasn't available for this -- he's in Japan with Mr. (Eric) Clapton. So we rang Dave up and said, 'Can you do it?'He said, 'Yeaaah!'So it was great."

Grohl played drums for McCartney during two songs at a show in Liverpool last June, as well as guitar and backing vocals on "Band On The Run."

Although McCartney only performed "I Saw Her Standing There" on Sunday night, Grohl told RollingStone.com that they rehearsed that, "Back In The U.S.S.R.," "Jet," and others.

Grohl tried to convince McCartney to play a secret warm-up show at the House of Blues in Los Angeles on Saturday night (February 7th), but that never happened.

The pair first met in 2007, when Foo Fighters were recording a cover of "Band On The Run" at London's Abbey Road Studios and McCartney dropped by the session.

Grohl also got to play with two more of his heroes, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, at a Foo Fighters concert at London's Wembley Stadium last summer.

Here he is getting an ovation from the celebrity crowd at the Los Angeles pre-Grammys party that included Whitney Houston, Kanye West and Prince.

And I'm not sure who looks more in love with him in this snap ­ girlfriend Nancy Shevell or Foo Fighters frontman and Beatles obsessive Dave Grohl.

Rihanna, Katy Perry and Duffy also had heads turning at the Salute To Industry Icons party held to honour music industry exec Clive Davis.

Davis first signed Bruce Springsteen, Whitney and Aerosmith among many other huge names.

But all minds were really on who will get the Grammy gongs at the awards ceremony, which took place on February 8th.

Unbelievably, the pointless socialite had the brass neck to corner The Beatles legend at a Grammys post-show bash to suggest the Hilton and McCartney collaboration.

She sidled up at the Recording Academy bash in LA and drawled in her Californian accent: "I'd love to do a duet with you." Ramming the point home she explained to the legend: "I'm a singer too and have had an album out."

Thankfully, Macca politely declined, saying he didn't think his schedule could fit in such a request.

One embarrassed onlooker told me: "Sir Paul was minding his own business when Paris traipsed right up to him and introduced herself.

"He looked bemused, smiled and nodded - then stumbled out that he'd have to check his schedule.

"I don't think we'll be hearing the duet any time soon."

Paris then complimented the 60-year-old on his hair, saying: "It's just like in The Beatles. It's so cute." Dear Lord.

Paul's contribution to music is towering. Paris's isn't.

Macca has had more UK No1s than anyone in history. He had 17 with The Beatles, three charity singles, one with Wings, one solo hit and one duet with Stevie Wonder.

He has also sold more than a billion records around the world to mass critical acclaim.

Hilton's 2006 debut album, Paris, reached No29 in the UK charts and was a steaming pile of poo.

One critic said it was "uninspired, self-indulgent techno dance tracks that are insulting to nearly everyone".

Ever modest, Paul said he didn't think he'd win that night in his categories. (He was right). He said there were just too many good bands in there, singling out Radiohead as his favorite.

When asked of his most significant achievement, he overlooked the Fab Four, saying "My most significant achievement is my children - but it was easy achieving that," he joked.

Finally, he allowed himself some Beatles reveries. "Looking back," he said. "I can't quite believe it. We were just working each day making records. But now that it's over I can look at a body of work and judge it for what it is."

"And, I'm amazed we did it," he said, "because we were kids."

When asked if he cared that The Beatles won few Grammys, he mock cried: "I feel terrible about it," he sobbed. "I'm really annoyed. That's why I didn't come ."

The cutest Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney, did an interview with Entertainment Weekly recently for his new album, and the long-running subject of The Beatles on iTunes came up right at the last question. At this point, this is probably our favorite Apple failure -- they've reinvented the way we listen to music, they've made smartphones mainstream, they've constantly re-created and revolutionized the personal computer, and yet they've never been able to get the best band in history on their iTunes service.

Not for lack of trying, says Sir Paul. He says that he's down with it, and that both sides are still trying to come to an agreement, but that "we" (presuming that means the band themselves) definitely "want it to happen." But he also says that "the record company" (presumably Apple Records, who have had their troubles with Apple Computers in the past)

"was taken over by new people quite recently, so there is a gridlock of sorts." So we continue to wait for The Beatles to show up on iTunes.

Meanwhile, they are apparently going ahead with the Rock Band version featuring The Beatles -- McCartney says that Harmonix is still planning to put the music in the console videogame/band simulator, and that they're going to feature The Beatles in different eras: "early days, Liverpool, then psychedelic, and on from there. It's very cool." Sounds like it -- even if we can't play the White Album from AppleTV, at least we'll be able to do it from the Xbox.

When presented with four words - Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl - Jack Black's mind leaped to food. "It's a strange combination but it's one of those that could end up being delicious," he told Rolling Stone before the Beatle and Foo Fighter took the stage at last night's Grammy Awards. "I'm sure the first time they put peanut butter and jelly together they were worried but then they tasted it and we like, wow!"

As for McCartney, he revealed he's making his U.S. festival debut at Coachella this year for one simple reason: he was asked. "I heard it was a really cool festival, and the dates worked, so I could do it," he said. "Everyone tells me it's a beautiful location, it's a really great show and great audience. That's enough for me." As for his set, "I don't know. I'm just going to play whatever seems right on the day. I never plan it too much."

While McCartney will surely give a few thousand concertgoers some incredible memories at the fest in April, he gave one famous fan a thrill last night. "I had a chance to meet Paul McCartney just now," B.B. King told Rolling Stone. "I met all the Beatles except him until today!" King also reminisced about his first-ever Grammy win, for "The Thrill is Gone." "Glenn Campbell and I were sitting back, just having a little chat and a little taste at the same time. Miles Davis was on first, and he had a tune called 'Bitches Brew,' and he won. So it seemed to me that every time somebody would win, our congratulations was Glenn and I would have a little sip," he said with a chuckle. "All of a sudden they call my name: 'Thrill is Gone,' B.B. King. I didn't hear it. So Glenn smacked me and said, 'B, you won!' And my knees turned to jelly. I couldn't get up."

February 9, 2009 -- Billboard (edited for Paul content)

The 2009 Grammys: What You Didn't See On TV

What does Paul McCartney think about The Beatles' body of work? "I think it's fine," McCartney said backstage. Just ... fine? "I'm kind of amazed we did it, because we were kids." His most successful song, in his view? "Yesterday," which has been covered endlessly. "I woke up one morning, and I had dreamed it," said McCartney of writing the song. "I don't know where it came from ... I believe in magic."

McCartney's outfit for the Grammys was a T-shirt designed by his daughter, Stella, which will go on sale next month as a benefit for Comic Relief. It's a photograph taken by Linda McCartney of the Beatles -- except on this shirt, red clown noses have been superimposed on all of them.

And McCartney stayed mum on his plans for his upcoming Coachella set, saying "I'll play what seems right on the day. I never plan it."

more...

Sugarland's Kristian Bush said he hung around Grammy rehearsals just to watch Paul McCartney practice. "He was mesmerizing -- c'mon, he's a Beatle!" he said.

And bandmate Jennifer Nettles laughingly worried that they'll never get the chance to work with him after her "psychotic" on-stage thank you.

There are plenty of jaw-dropping collaborations to look forward to on tonight's Grammy Awards - Coldplay with Jay Z, Jonas Brothers with Stevie Wonder, Radiohead with the USC Marching Band, the all-star swagga of M.I.A., Kanye West, Lil Wayne and T.I. - but perhaps most anticipated is the pairing of Dave Grohl and Paul McCartney.

Grohl will be back at the drum set for the Beatles' "I Saw You Standing There," but at Friday night's MusiCares Person of Year gala honoring Neil Diamond, the Foo Fighters frontman played it cool, recounting a phone conversation he had with McCartney earlier in the week. "He tells me, 'So we've got this rehearsal space for, like, three hours, but I like to play rock & roll for a couple hours just to get warmed up.' I was like, 'F*k, okay. Let's do it, dude!"

But by Saturday's Clive Davis party, which he and McCartney attended immediately following a final run-through at Staples Center, Grohl was giddy as a teenager. That three-hour rehearsal in Burbank turned into one sick jam session, Grohl revealed, which kicked off with "Back in the U.S.S.R.," then made its way through "I Saw Her Standing There," "Honey Don't," and Wings' "Let Me Roll It."Grohl had practiced "Jet" on his own, so that was also added to the playlist, to his delight. Grohl was even trying to convince McCartney to play a secret warm-up show at House of Blues later that night, which, sadly, did not materialize.

Still, the bromance continued at the Foos table during Saturday's gala. Grohl and McCartney sat side by side for the dinner and show, and though they both had their significant others in hand, it was the two guys who chatted and giggled like girlfriends. To be fair, they do have a history going back a few years. Grohl first met McCartney in 2007 when the Foos recorded Wings' "Band On The Run" at London's Abbey Road studios and Macca simply popped by the session, according to bassist Nate Mendel. Then in June of last year, Grohl joined McCartney onstage at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, playing drums on "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Back In The U.S.S.R." as well as handling guitar and backing vocals for "Band On The Run." And lest we forget, Grohl also played all the drums on Beatles songs used in the 1993 movie Backbeat.

But with a resume that includes guest stints with everyone from Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page to Tom Petty to Motorhead's Lenny Kilmister, not to mention gigs with Queens of the Stone Age and Tenacious D, has Grohl reached his hero worship peak? Once you've bagged a Beatle, who's left?

February 8, 2009 -- Fan Fare Blog (Reuters)

No Grammy, but Sir Paul goes backstage anyway

Even Sir Paul McCartney is a good sport when it comes to losing, pretending to weep but making light of the fact that he lost an early bid to get his first Grammy in 29 years on Sunday at the 51st annual Grammys.

"I am really annoyed. That is why I didn't come. I don't come to win it, I come to be in it," said McCartney backstage, sporting a t-shirt of the four Beatles with clown noses designed by his daughter to benefit the charity Comic Relief.

"It is a great thing and I am honored to be asked. I was watching the Golden Globes and I saw Mickey (Rourke) win for best actor. And in the audience there's Clint (Eastwood), there's Brad (Pitt) - they come to be a part of it, not necessarily win it."

McCartney is the most-honored former Beatle, with 13 Grammys, but his chance at topping that eluded him early on at the Grammys on Sunday. He was competing for two awards and was also scheduled to perform with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.

McCartney lost out to John Mayer on Sunday in the best solo rock vocal performance category. The former Beatle had been nominated for his cover of the early Beatles tune "I Saw Her Standing There," a track from the 12-inch vinyl release "Amoeba's Secret."

McCartney, 66, is also nominated for best male pop vocal performance statuette for "That Was Me," another track from "Amoeba's Secret."

Paul and Nancy Shevell attended the 2009 Grammy Salute To Industry Icons honoring Clive Davis at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 7th.

The couple - Paul, 66, and Nancy, 49 - reportedly spent over an hour at the Beverly Hills boutique of Neil Lane - who has made engagement rings for Madonna, Heidi Klum and Reese Witherspoon, according to the Sunday Mirror.

"Paul had a spring in his step and Nancy was giggling," an onlooker said.

Reports last month claimed Paul and Nancy were preparing to walk down the aisle after receiving the approval of the former Beatles' fashion designer Stella.

"All Paul's children had massive reservations about Heather - but it was Stella who was the most vociferous," a well-placed source said at the time.

"Getting Stella's seal of approval was very important for Paul."

Paul last year finalized his divorce from Heather Mills. Shevell recently divorced her husband Bruce Blakeman, leaving her free to marry.

An exclusive limited-run satellite radio channel devoted to the music of Paul McCartney in celebration of his critically-acclaimed "Electric Arguments" album will premiere on Valentine's Day, Sirius/ XM announced Thursday.

Paul McCartney's Fireman Radio, named for the Fireman alter ego the singer used for the album, will air Feb. 14 through March 13 on the Bridge, SIRIUS channel 33 and XM channel 27. The channel will feature interviews with McCartney in which he'll discuss his inspiration behind his Fireman projects.

The commercial-free channel will feature music from McCartney's post-Beatles catalog and include music from his solo records, Wings albums, the three Fireman albums (1993's "Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest" and 1998's "Rushes," as well as "Electric Arguments"), plus unreleased tracks from McCartney's vault.

In the series, McCartney will explore tracks from "Electric Arguments," and, according to the announcement from SIRIUS, "will pull back the curtain to reveal the creative process behind The Fireman. Never before has McCartney shared so many personal insights into this fascinating chapter in his musical legacy."

Each week, McCartney will also include a "fireside chat" where he will discuss music, politics, news and other topics at random.

"Paul McCartney's Fireman Radio allows all of us the privilege to hear a revealing side of one of the world's biggest artists, sharing his work in a way that is unprecedented in its scale, unduplicated in its intimacy, and completely unique to SIRIUS XM," said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer, SIRIUS XM Radio, in the news release announcing the new show.

An alliance between Sirius/XM and McCartney was hinted at on "The Howard Stern Show" after McCartney's appearance on the show Jan. 14 when it was mentioned by Stern that "Paul is doing something for SIRIUS." Stern then said he wasn't sure if it could be talked about on the air and his producer, Gary, replied it shouldn't be. In answer to an inquiry, a SIRIUS spokesman would only say, "Paul was in the building for Howard Stern" and gave no further details.

The new show is similar to "Oobu Joobu," a radio series McCartney did in 1995 for Westwood One that featured demos, rehearsals, live performances, and unreleased recordings by McCartney and the Beatles.

Sirius and XM has a webpage devoted to the new show with exclusive McCartney video at http://www.sirius.com/firemanradio.

For more information, visit http:/www.sirius.com or http://www.xmradio.com

Sir Paul McCartney - The Things They Say

"I could have dressed up, yeah? Fireman's helmet, an axe, a hose... Very Village People." Sir Paul McCartney jokes about the possibilities of the cover art for his new album as The Fireman.

Stella McCartney's Lucky Spot gallops back to Belsay

Designer Stella McCartney's stunning chandelier in the form of a huge leaping horse returns home to Belsay this Easter.

Made with over 8,000 Swarovski crystals, Lucky Spot will once more hang from the ceiling of Belsay's medieval castle and will be a spectacular addition to this magnificent Northumberland property, with its ruined castle, Regency mansion and Grade I gardens.

Lucky Spot was originally created by Stella McCartney in 2004 as part of 'Fashion at Belsay', one in the on-going series of contemporary art exhibitions staged at Belsay.

Intended as a response to George Stubbs' famous equestrian painting, Whistlejacket (c.1762), the three metre high equine chandelier proved such a popular hit with the public that English Heritage was determined to bring it back.

A generous grant from Castle Morpeth Borough Council has now made this possible and Lucky Spot will provide a sparkling centrepiece for a series of family events over Easter and throughout the summer, as well as a taster of the next contemporary art exhibition at Belsay in summer 2010.

Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: "Belsay's 14th century castle is a wonderfully atmospheric setting for Stella McCartney's remarkable prancing horse. It shows how ancient and modern can sometimes create an extraordinary effect at once ghostly and glorious."

At present, Lucky Spot is being painstakingly installed ahead of its Easter unveiling. Each strand of crystals has to be hung individually from the castle's rafters and the strands are numbered to ensure that, when complete, the overall form is in the shape of a horse.

Speaking while Lucky Spot was installed, Councillor Glen Sanderson, Chair of Castle Morpeth Borough Council's Community Fund, said: "Lucky Spot is a stunning installation and we are delighted to be able to assist English Heritage in bringing it back to Castle Morpeth.

"The historic setting of Belsay provides a wonderful backdrop for the striking chandelier and I was honoured to be invited to see it reinstalled."

Lucky Spot will be on view from Friday, 10 April and remain at Belsay until spring 2010 when preparations will start for the next contemporary summer exhibition.

For further information visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/belsay

Tickets On-Sale Saturday, February 14 at noon!!! PT

The legendary Paul McCartney will headline grand opening weekend of The New Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas on Sunday, April 19.

"I'm looking forward to Rockin' The Joint!" said Paul McCartney.

"We are honored to have the multi-Grammy award winning artist and rock legend, Paul McCartney, launch us into a new era of rock 'n' roll at the all new Joint concert venue scheduled to open at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in April," said Randy Kwasniewski, President and COO of Morgans Hotel Group Las Vegas and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. "The new Joint will be the most sophisticated, intimate, and authentic venue in Las Vegas - unlike anything the city has ever seen."

"We could not have asked for a greater rock and roll legend than Paul McCartney to open The New Joint at Hard Rock Hotel," said President & Co-CEO of Concerts West/AEG Live John Meglen. "The booking of Paul McCartney reinforces The Joint's image as the legendary home of rock. The new venue will be THE place for artists to play and fans to experience a concert in Las Vegas."

Tickets go on-sale Saturday, February 14 at noon at the Hard Rock Hotel Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000.

Nancy Shevell is becoming a fixture on Paul McCartney's arm.

And the couple looked more content than ever as they arrived in Los Angeles together ahead of the former Beatle's scheduled appearance at the Grammys.

The casually dressed couple walked through LAX airport together arm in arm just days after denying reports that they are engaged.

The 49-year-old New York socialite, in a white mac and black flats, gazed adoringly at 66-year-old McCartney as they headed into his blue Corvette before driving off.

Last week McCartney's publicist denied that the couple were planning to marry, telling E!News Online 'there's no truth to it'.

Meanwhile the musician has spoken about his break-up with former wife Heather Mills, admitting that he 'had been through a dark place'.

McCartney told the Daily Telegraph that his emotions over their split came out when recording his latest album Electric Arguments as part of duo The Fireman.

"Love and light is mentioned a lot on the album. Parts of it are dark and edgy.

"It could be because I've been through a dark place. I am a man who needs love. Every man needs love, guys like romance. I do anyway."

"Things don't always work out but I like the idea of being dignified. I don't think it helps to mouth off all the time."

He also hinted at his feelings for Miss Shevell, declaring that he is 'a man who needs love.'

McCartney was first seen with his current girlfriend in 2007, while his divorce was being battled out in the courts.

Miss Shevell is legally separated (divorced) from her husband Bruce Blakeman. They have a teenage son, Arlen.

Paul McCartney and his young daughter joined in the fun at the Rare Breeds Centre in Woodchurch at the weekend.

The former Beatle was spotted enjoying the fun day the centre hosted last Saturday (January 31st).

Emma Smith, restaurant supervisor, was among those who saw the star.

She said: "He was at the children's birthday party with his daughter.

"He had a coffee but he kept a low profile.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw him - I went into the kitchen and said, Paul McCartney's here!"

She added: "He mingled with the crowd very well.

"I think they had a good time. They seemed very happy."

Paul McCartney exclusive Q&A: Man on the run

One would think that the Guinness World Record's most successful singer and songwriter of all time would, at 66, be content to rest on his laurels (and a giant cash pile of residuals). Instead, the former Beatle is still actively involved in music-making, having recently released the trippy, sprawling Electric Arguments, with his friend and collaborator Martin Glover, a.k.a. Youth, under the pseudonym The Fireman. On a recent whirlwind visit to New York, Paul McCartney sat down to chat with EW about that album, plus the status of the Beatles on iTunes, his old friend Allen Ginsberg, and much more.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So how did you meet Youth, your partner in the Fireman?

PAUL McCARTNEY: Well, he was recommended to mix one of my tracks, and he and I became friends, and started messing about in the studio together. The first album in 1993 [Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest] was a hobby, like working in the woods, which I like to do; cutting trails with an ax -- like a fireman! And my dad was also a fireman, hence the name. So yes, it was very underground, that first album. We made it, and had a lot of fun. So much that we made the second one. But last year when we got to together, it became different. The fireman found his voice, so to speak, and there were real songs. Before, it was one chord, like [in monotone voice] duh duh duh duh duh, so we thought, let's try another chord, break away a tiny bit, like duh duh duh duh duh... DUH di di di di di di. This got us interested, giving up the rule of one chord [laughs]. Plus, it's very liberating, using a different identity -- like Sgt. Pepper, we kept the name but it was a freedom, you know?

Beyoncé just did that too, an alter ego...

PAUL: Sasha Fierce, yes! I was just thinking of that. But yes, it allows you to go to new places, because it's not you, it's a character. Very quickly, we found about a dozen songs. It was such great inspiration, having this other identity. I just like to keep it fresh, you know? Not the same old stuff. My motto is always "never do the same thing twice." It was the same with The Beatles.

But once you add vocals, do these become Paul McCartney songs or something different?

PAUL: They are Paul McCartney, but saying they're just that would be betraying Youth and what we do together as The Fireman. Still, without my name out there, people might give it just a cursory glance, you know? So we decided, let's put our names on it, actively promote it so people understand. And I wanted to create some Fireman brand loyalty, because it's part of a series, three albums. And The Fireman is always something done in the studio, a sort of improv, if you will.

Like a two-man theater group?

PAUL: Oh, I like that, yes! We start the day by talking, have a cup of tea, get fired up about something. Sometimes it's talking about the '60s, because people always want to talk about that with me, people are fascinated, and Youth is one of those guys -- you know, Andy Warhol showing a movie at my house at a party and what have you. So I told him about my friend Jimmy Scott, an African guy. He used to say "ob la di, ob la da," and of course I put that in a song. But he had another one -- you know in the ''60s, people were always saying things like "far out," and "too much"...You would ask him how he was and he would say, "Nothin' too much, just outta sight." So that's the first track on the album. But Youth and I could talk about anything, like sea shanties -- there was this album with Bryan Ferry and Johnny Depp, a bit Pirates of the Caribbean, you know. So we recorded "Traveling Light," which has that sort of flavor.

Did you consider putting your face on the album cover?

PAUL: We had that option, yes, but thought it was not in the spirit of things. Good not to be too coy, you know, though I could have dressed up, yeah? Fireman's helmet, an axe, a hose.. [laughs] Very Village People.

Reshoot it for a deluxe edition! But the album title, Electric Arguments, it comes from an Allen Ginsberg poem, right?

PAUL: It does, yes. I just saw it in a book of poems, I like to sort of randomly open up and go to a page, very '60s.

Like the I Ching?

PAUL: Exactly! But I didn't know if you would get that reference [laughs]. Throw it and see where it comes out. There's some value in the randomness. I actually became great friends with Ginsberg back in that era. He became a sort of poetry professor to me, which, of course, is also what he actually did. He looked at a poem and made it economical. In the end, I didn't quite like that. I wrote this one poem about my friend, Ivan, who died prematurely. He was wonderful, introduced me to John actually, and we had the same birthday. So it began "June the 18, in Liverpool / Two babies born," and Allen wanted to make it very quick and brief and stark, very beatnik. He hated "the"'s, any definite article. And I said, "Allen, you're making me sound like a Beatnik, an American, and I'm not." But it was a good lesson.

So you've written a poetry book, a children's book, you played most of the instruments on this album.. you even painted the album cover. Such a Renaissance man! Can you bake, too?

PAUL: Well, I did make a vegetarian lasagna recently, one Linda used to make. I found it in a book in the kitchen and I thought, can I really do this? But I did and it was quite delicious [laughs].

Youth has produced everyone from the Verve to U2. Does he expose you to new stuff? What's your primary way to get new music?

PAUL: It's mainly radio, actually. I'll hear a song, very often in the car, and buy the CD. I'm still a CD guy. My kids? Sometimes they'll suggest stuff, but not like when they were teenagers.

Can you tell me anything about this new Rock Band Beatles thing?

PAUL: Well, I see people playing it and they look...completely funny. But I like the idea that it introduces kids to music. It's a great thing to be immersed in. And you know, various ideas are always being brought to us [as the Beatles] where we look at it and decide, is it a good thing? And the guys from Rock Band, they said, "We'd like to do just a special Beatles edition, we'd like to do different periods -- you know, you get early days, Liverpool, then psychedelic, and on from there." It's very cool.

Does this bode well for getting the Beatles on iTunes, finally?

PAUL: It's a bit of a sticky issue. We want it to happen. The record company was taken over by new people quite recently, so there is a gridlock of sorts. I'd like to make it happen. Though I am not part of the negotiations, thank goodness [laughs].

McCartney, aka Fireman, chats on radio

Paul McCartney will hold "weekly" fireside chats on a Sirius/XM Radio channel dedicated to his music. The limited-run channel will celebrate his album "Electric Arguments, recorded under the guise of his alter ego, The Fireman.

"Paul McCartney's Fireman Radio" premieres February 14th and will air through March 13 on The Bridge (SIRIUS Channel 33, XM Channel 27). McCartney will share the inspiration behind the secret Fireman projects.

Although other former Beatles members have moved away from live performances to focus solely on crafting masterful studio records, Paul McCartney's newest release, "Amoeba's Secret," proves that the wonders of modern-day technology can translate anything on the stage into the studio. Of course, having half a century of experience and a brilliant mind for songwriting helps a bit as well.

"Amoeba's Secret" is a rocking, energetic EP cut from a live show at the Amoeba Music store in Los Angeles, Calif. in 2007. The gig was arranged in support of McCartney's last album, "Memory Almost Full" (2007), his first outing on the Starbucks-owned record label Hear Music.

"Amoeba" proves that Sir Paul McCartney can still captivate an audience with a very solid, ever-evolving performance. In addition, it also speaks to the marketing techniques of the Starbucks label. The EP was originally sold on vinyl only, and was hyped as a limited edition release with no plans for a CD version. The cover of the album, a pixilated photo of McCartney in concert, is another marketing ploy. It makes "Amoeba's Secret" seem like a rare bootleg.

Some collectors who bought up the vinyl copies may not be pleased now that the EP has been released in digital formats, but rarity is swiftly becoming a thing of the past in this modern age. McCartney is probably as famous as he is because he so easily adapts to new technology and new trends in music.

The quality of the recording proves that "Amoeba" is no bootleg. Despite having only four tracks, the entire EP is a fantastic mix of sound that carries McCartney's music into the modern era like never before. Screaming guitars, pounding drums and McCartney's signature bass tone drive the short EP from start to finish.

The music in "Amoeba" transforms some of McCartney's recent studio work as well as a couple of older tunes into harder, more upbeat arrangements that are not only more suited for a live audience but are actually more suited for the songs themselves.

Two songs from "Memory Almost Full" (2007) made it to the disc including the opener, "Only Mama Knows." Both songs capture every nuance of feeling and layering from the full record while cranking up the energy. The lengthy string introduction from the original "Only Mama Knows" has been shortened to get straight to the heavy guitars that drive the track.

McCartney has always paid attention to the details of tone, variety, and arrangement, and "Amoeba" does not disappoint in these areas. The clarity of the guitar work is very impressive, especially for a live recording. The entire EP has a consistent, modern edge to it despite its diversity of song styles.

After the rocking "Mama" comes "C Moon," an upbeat reggae song featuring a fairly amusing Jamaican impression. The track keeps the energy of the opener moving forward despite a shift in style that keeps everything fresh and interesting.

The third song, "That Was Me" also from "Memory," replaces the studio cut's prominent acoustic guitar rhythm with a jangly rock n' roll electric. The drums here are also more interesting than those in the laid back studio version. Halfway through the song, McCartney sings along to the guitar solo. This serves as an engaging transition into the heavier second half of the song. When the guitar solo ends, McCartney lets loose his screaming vocals after keeping his singing pretty low-key. While he may never be able to replicate the sheer power of the screaming in old Beatles tracks like "Oh! Darling," he certainly doesn't stop trying. His voice has definitely aged and lost some of its presence and clarity, but what's left is still pretty impressive considering all the decades of work he's done.

The vocals are the only piece of the EP that doesn't immediately stand out. McCartney's voice may have grown a bit weaker, but a producer as experienced as the one McCartney is surely using should have been able to make use of his million-dollar rig to give the vocals the same treatment he gave to the rest of the instruments.

Aside from this minor complaint, "Amoeba's Secret" is a solid EP. The closing track, a revitalized version of "I Saw Her Standing There," continues the trend of overdriven guitars and an enervating modernization of the entire arrangement while still staying more or less close to the 1963 original.

While some might consider it too short of a release, what's included on "Ameoba" is very good, and iTunes sells the EP for under $4. For any McCartney fan, especially those that never got a hold of the original vinyl, "Amoeba's Secret" is a must-buy.

WATCH THE GRAMMYS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8th (@ 8pm ET on CBS) FOR PAUL'S LIVE PERFORMANCE. PAUL IS NOMINATED FOR TWO GRAMMYS... "That Was Me" and "I Saw Her Standing There" both from his Amoeba's Secret EP.

"Listening to and singing Buddy's songs puts you in a good place. It hits that era, and you're a teenager again."

-- Paul McCartney

That this week marks the 50th anniversary of the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and two other rock 'n' roll stars has been extensively reported. The fact that the tragedy occurred in a snow-covered farm field in Iowa, during a Winter Dance Party tour that included a subsequent stop in Dubuque, amplified the media attention in these parts.

As has been well documented by now, in the first hours of Feb. 3, 1959, three musicians -- Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson (better known as "The Big Bopper") -- climbed into a four-seat airplane piloted by a 21-year-old and took off into the snowy, frigid darkness.

Their charter flight to Fargo, N.D., was to cost a total of $108. Instead, it cost them their lives.

All this attention to the 50th anniversary of the event songwriter Don McLean in 1971 dubbed "The Day the Music Died" is not merely another example of pop culture's attraction to tragedy. In Holly's case, especially, the anniversary is an opportunity to remember and celebrate what was and what could have been. After all, the Texan with the geeky thick-framed glasses was only 22 years old.

The anniversary is also an opportunity to assess the impact Holly continued to have on rock 'n' roll long after his death -- influencing even today's stars.

For example, he strongly influenced a couple of British teens. Their names were Paul McCartney and John Lennon. They worked hours to learn to play and harmonize Holly's hit, "Words of Love." They finally got it. Founders of the 1960s phenom The Beatles, McCartney and Lennon became the most successful songwriting team ever, and even in his mid-60s, McCartney on the concert circuit continues to pack arenas.

In this week's issue of Rolling Stone, young musicians reflected on Holly's influence. M. Ward appreciated the simplicity of his music, explaining, "I cover 'Rave On' on my new record, and I try to stay true to the idea that a song doesn't have to be complex to be good."

Though Holly's last gig was the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, his music and his influence live on.

more...

"We did practically everything he put out, i.e. live at the Cavern, etc., etc....What he did with three chords made a songwriter out of me. The name Beatles was directly inspired by the Crickets".

"He was a great and innovative musician. I often wonder what his music would be like now, had he lived...."

"He made it OK to wear glasses. I was Buddy Holly."
-- JOHN LENNON

"We used to write songs like Buddy. The very first songs that John and I wrote, we used to sag off school and go to my house and sit down with guitars. [Plays a "Peggy Sue" riff on his guitar and starts
hiccuping.] And all that. We'd just say, 'how does he do it?'. And eventually, we got a couple of little songs...We got 'Love Me Do', which was the first Beatle record."

"At least the first 40 [Beatles] songs we wrote were Buddy Holly-influenced."
-- PAUL McCARTNEY

"Buddy Holly was my very first favorite, and my inspiration to go into the music business. I still think he's among the very best. He was different, exciting, and inimitable."
-- GEORGE HARRISON

The secret ingredient that gave this year's Comic Relief T-shirt shoot an extra feelgood factor was the photographer Mary McCartney's eight-year-old son (Arthur).

"He was looking at Sienna Miller topless and totally missing it," says Stella, Mary's designer sister. "We were shooting off party poppers and he decided to direct them right into her face!"

Stella has designed a range of T-shirts for the 2009 campaign. Mary captured some of her sister's best friends in them, and they hope the T-shirts, on sale in TK Maxx for less than a tenner, will top the £ 2million ($3.65 million) raised in 2007.

Relaxing in a cafe in Notting Hill, West London, the McCartney sisters are remarkably unstarry - wearing no make-up, and sporting unwashed hair and well-worn Converse. They affectionately refer to each other as "Stell" and "Mar", and even finish off each other's sentences. "The great thing about working with Mary is that I trust her," says Stella. "We can have a giggle."

They are on message when it comes to their collaboration for Comic Relief: "I've always admired how much money they have raised for such an incredibly good cause," Stella says. "My job was to create a more desirable product and make it a bit cooler."

What about the girls' own style? Stella's S/S09 collection features an all-in-one suit, a crisp, tailored version of last season's jumpsuit. "I love the nude colours," she says. "We've tried to clash with the pink tones this season." Mary is "addicted to Stell's stuff. I can't go by the shop without buying shoes, it's getting a bit out of control". She also loves Katharine Hamnett's slogan T-shirts, and mixing designer with vintage from Rellik.

The Comic Relief T-shirts - Fairtrade and organic - feature pictures of iconic people, taken by iconic photographers. Stella wanted to bring out the humour: "I took images of people having a good time and added another level of comedy with the red dots - playing on the red nose in a more fashionable way. It will attract a new audience."

"Comic Relief makes you smile," adds Mary. "You don't have to be crying to make a difference."

This is an intensely personal project for the sisters: one of the designs features a picture of The Beatles taken by their late mother, Linda. "It was funny taking pictures of people wearing the Beatles one," Mary says. "I'd be like, 'Great expression, but I can't see Dad.'" Another is of David Bailey's famous photograph of Morecambe and Wise. "I needed to use all my charm," Stella says. "It's a real coup to get him to let us use his picture."

Each celeb styled their own T-shirt. "Sienna cut away the neckline, and Gwyneth wore hers with a tailored jacket," says Stella. Mary says she'll wear the kids' size. Stella will wear hers "under a suit or with jeans. T-shirts are for fun. You can tie, knot or stretch them, roll up a sleeve or cut them off - you can't be too precious."

Red Nose Day takes place on March 13. Comic Relief T-shirts, from £6 ($10.95), from TK Maxx and online at rednoseday.com

It's been sold out forever, but the concert Monday (February 2) night at the Surf Ballroom boasts a stellar lineup. Among the performers scheduled to appear are the Crickets, J.P. Richardson Jr., Graham Nash, Bobby Vee, Peter and Gordon, Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, Joe Ely, Delbert McClinton, Chris Montez, Tommy Allsup, Wanda Jackson, Pat DiNizio of the Smithereens and composer Tim Rice ("Evita," "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat").

"Cousin Brucie" Morrow is slated to be the master of ceremonies, and the rumor running rampant through town is that there will be a special appearance by Holly fan Paul McCartney.

No Macca Sightings in Clear Lake for Buddy Holly February 2 anniversary...

There was no Paul McCartney sightings as if yet at the Surf Ball Room in Clear Lake, Iowa.

I did ask the security guard inside the Surf Ballroom - what's going on here?

"The Big Buddy Holly Winter Dance Party Anniversary. It's completely sold out for the weekend."

How come all the security?

"We have so many celebrities from all around the world coming this weekend."

Is Paul McCartney coming?

"I have heard that. I have not seen him or can I confirm that. I know there are plenty of BIG U.K. rock names coming."

How about the Rolling Stones?

"I have been told couple of them are in town already."

The outside of the Surf Ball room was very busy. Plenty of coach buses surrounded the back parking lot and there were a half dozen power generators outside backstage area.

In the front of the Surf Ballroom was a 1950's police car. Parking was blocked to prevent anyone from parking in the street.

The streets of Clear Lake were busy with people celebrating the Winter Dance Party - dressed in fifties attire (wearing Buddy Holly glasses).

The Best Western Hotel was packed with cars and I believe a Sock Hop party was planned for their party.

Still "No McCartney."

From Matt Burley (Macca Reporter) at FAB4RADIO.com

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