Still in the honeymoon stage Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell have proved inseparable since they exchanged nuptials last October.

The couple were spotted in London earlier today as they headed to their gym in Lord's Cricket Ground which is located in St. John's Wood close to McCartney's home.

Nancy and Paul looked like the perfect gymming couple in their colour coordinated sportswear.

Showing off her trim figure, Nancy donned a pair of cropped jeggings with a pale blue printed T-shirt, a navy blue jacket, and black running trainers.

The 51-year-old wore her brunette locks down and appeared to be makeup free.

Enjoying the weather in the capital, she hid her eyes behind a pair of blacked out sunglasses and held her phone in her hand.

Keen to be in the best shape as he readies what is set to be an epic performance at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert in next month, Macca was in high spirits as he made his way to the fitness centre.

The Beatles singer who had a spring in his step could've passed for a man half his age in his causal get-up.

McCartney, 69, wore black tracksuit bottoms with a white T-shirt and a blue hoodie, he also covered up his eyes with a pair of sunglasses.

Earlier this week Sir Paul and Nancy attended a Diamond Jubilee celebration for the Queen at the Royal Academy of Arts in central London.

The couple meet the Queen as she toured the galleries of the Academy and during the merriment he declared that he was a 'huge fan' of her.

Happy to be in the presence of Her Majesty, the iconic performer said, 'It is always wonderful meeting her, she's great. It is always a great pleasure meeting her, I'm a big fan.'

McCartney's directorial debut, "My Valentine," will screen before every showing of the French box office smash during its theatrical run. It hits theaters May 25.

McCartney's black-and-white short, set to his song of the same name, stars Portman and Depp translating the lyrics of the song using sign language. Each offers a distinct interpretation, and Depp also plays a guitar solo.

"What an honor it is to have Paul's short film directorial debut on the head of "The Intouchables' showings. Paul and Stella are great old friends," Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company, said in a statement.

The idea initially came from McCartney's daughter, fashion designer Stella McCartney, who dressed Portman for the short. The film, produced by Susanne Priessler, premiered at Stella McCartney's Los Angeles boutique. Academy Award winner Wally Pfister was the cinematographer.

"The Intouchables" is a French comedy starring Francois Cluzet and Omar Sy that set box office records across Europe.

FAB 4 RADIO HAS A NEW HOME and is BETTER THAN EVER!!!
NOW MORE BEATLES!!! ALL THE TIME
Rare and solo Beatles, BBC interviews and MORE!!!

LISTEN
http://fab4radio.com/

FAB4RADIO Internet Scavenger Hunt:

1. (QUESTION) One of the bonus cuts on the deluxe version of Ram is an instrumental known by 3 titles. What are they? The answer is posted on TheBeatlesRarity.com

2. (QUESTION) On Track # 11 (On The Ram CD) Ram On - What is the fade out song that becomes a kick off song for a future Paul McCartney & Wings LP?

3. (TASK) Using your Smart phone - record an MP3 audio message that says -" Your name / your location - I am RAMMING on Fab4Radio.com" send this message to this email address fab4radio@ymail.com we will be posting these messages on FAB4RADIO (ON THE AIR)

1. The Archive Collection RAM CD + BONUS TRACKS + DVD

2. MONO VINYL EDITION: One disc LP remastered at Abbey Road Studios Limited Edition Numbered

3. Two disc 180 gram audiophile vinyl edition remastered -- Abbey Road Studios -- Includes Rare & previously unreleased tracks -- Downloadable audio of original album + bonus tracks included

All answers and shout-out messages need to be send to fab4radio@ymail.com The winners to be determined by way of random drawing.

OFFICIAL RULES: No purchase is necessary. Contest scheduled to run through June 30, 2012. One entry per household or ISP address. Multiple entries from the same ISP address will not be eligible. Must be from the USA to win. The winner to be determined by way of random drawing.

NEW ALBUM!!!

NOW Available online at:
iTunes
CDBaby
Amazon.com (US)
CD Universe
BUY the physical CDs from The PONDHAWKS site
and get it autographed!!!

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JOIN The PondHawks (Jorie Gracen's band)
e-mail list for gig updates and special offers

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CONGRATS TO THE PONDHAWKS!!!
"The PondHawks Have Landed" album
made the Northwest Indiana Times
"2011 Top 10 Regional Albums"

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YESTERDAYSPAULNEWS!!! YESTERDAYSPAULNEWS!!! PAULNEWS!!!

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May 2012

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May 24, 2012 -- Macca Report News

Macca's concert at Buckingham Palace on June 4th will be here!

The Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace is being set up with a stage for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert. Viewing stands are being set up around the monument.

Celebrities had a night out at the trendy Cecconi's Restaurant in London after meeting the Queen at the 'Celebration of the Arts' event at the Royal Academy of Arts in London on Wednesday, May 23rd.

It was meant to be a Diamond Jubilee celebration for the Queen who has been on the throne for 60 years, but one guest turned up with their own version of a regal tiara on.

Model Lily Cole, arrived at the Royal Academy of Arts in central London, wearing a striking deep blue silk dress and a silver sparking tiara.

Hundreds of celebrities from the worlds of music, dance and art gathered to pay tribute to the Queen.

Bono, Joan Collins and Sir Paul McCartney led the praise as she attended a Diamond Jubilee celebration of the arts.

Sir Paul, who attended with his wife Nancy Shevell, declared that he was a 'huge fan' of the Queen. He and his wife met her as she toured the galleries of the Academy.

The former Beatle said: 'It is always wonderful meeting her, she's great.

'It is always a great pleasure meeting her, I'm a big fan.'

http://www.paulmccartney.com/ewetube/

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PaulMcCartney.com CONTEST -- check out the details!!! VIEW THE PHOTOS
http://www.whoispercythrillington.com/

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May 21, 2012 -- Stereoboard.com

Paul McCartney Renames Rammed London Underground Stations

To celebrate the release of the re-issue of Paul and Linda McCartney's 1971 album 'RAM', Paul McCartney has today renamed a number of London Underground stations.

Many unsuspecting commuters were cheered upon being greeted with a ram and renamed station, be it Eweston, Rammersmith, Baaabican, Tottenram Court Road or Sheepherd's Bush. Cryptically, Paul McCartney tweeted a 'Ewe Tube' map yesterday evening pointing out stations that were going to be rammed.

Speaking about the re-issue, Paul McCartney comments: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is an album from a long, long time ago, when the world was different. This is an album that is part of my history -- it goes back to the wee hills of Scotland where it was formed. It's an album called RAM. It reminds me of my hippie days and the free attitude with which was created. I hope you're going to like it, because I do!"

As with the previous releases in the series, Paul has personally overseen every aspect of the project and the result is spectacular.

The standard release track-listing is confirmed as:

1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car

In keeping with the reissue campaign to date, the Deluxe Edition Box Set is the ultimate collectable for any fan of this album. Its stunningly presented 112-page book, photo prints, handwritten lyrics and notes, four CDs and a bonus film DVD, tells the full story of a classic album that has gone down in music history as one of the most revered in McCartney's catalogue. The deluxe edition track-listing is revealed as follows:

CD 1 - Remastered Album
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car

CD 2 - Bonus Audio
1. Another Day
2. Oh Woman, Oh Why
3. Little Woman Love
4. A Love For You (Jon Kelly Mix)
5. Hey Diddle (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
6. Great Cock And Seagull Race (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
7. Rode All Night
8. Sunshine Sometime (Earliest Mix)

CD 3 - Remastered Mono Album
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car

CD 4 - Thrillington - Remastered Album
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. The Back Seat Of My Car

DVD - Bonus Film
1. Ramming
2. Heart Of The Country
3. 3 Legs
4. Hey Diddle
5. Eat At Home On Tour
- Menu music features a selection of jingles from the promo disc "Brung To Ewe By"

Other content:
112-page book with 32 page scrapboook, 5 photo prints, wallet including facsimiles of Paul's handwritten lyrics and notes, mini-photographic book of outtakes from the album cover photo shoot, plus digital-only premium membership to http://www.paulmccartney.com

The Deluxe reissue of 'RAM' is out from today.

Paul was so funny and talked a lot about the days before The Beatles. He told us about the night he and John Lennon met and did an hilarious drunken impression of John. Then he talked about John singing "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" in a Bob Dylan voice to the other three Beatles who looked at John and said, "Ummm, where are you from John?"

He told the story about writing "Drive My Car." It was about giving a girl five golden rings. The tune was the same but
with different lyrics. Paul said he played it to John who just went "No." The way Paul said "No" made it so funny. The two were trying to work the song out and weren't getting anywhere so they went for a cup of tea and came back with a whole new attitude. John came up with a new idea for the song, but Paul couldn't remember the details. That was in response to someone's question about writers' block. It was funny 'cos the guy called him Mr. McCartney and someone said, "He's a Sir" and the guy went "Oh, I'm sorry Sir. I'm American so I didn't know". Paul said, "Go on grovel to me!"

Macca had everyone laughing, especially when he forgot the words to "I Saw Her Standing There". He was explaining how it was written and forgot the lyrics. People laughed at the look on his face and he went "Alright, I've written lots... I'm allowed to forget now and again."

It was just such a surreal experience. Practically every student in LIPA was in there. He gave 'us', the students of LIPA, applause because of all the hard work we do. He said we deserved it!

Early in the summer of 1966 Paul McCartney paid a call to Donovan's. "The doorbell rang. It was Paul and he already had his guitar on his shoulders playing it walking upstairs to the apartment. He knocked on the door and said, "What are you doing?" I said, "Writing songs, what are you doing?" "I'm writing songs too." I said, "Come in." I was sitting on the floor and had a little Uher tape recorder and a little short Sennheiser mike on a little tripod, and I was writing songs and recording them. He sat down and I said, "OK, what do you got?" He said, "Well, I got this," and he sang this: "Ola Na Tunjee/Blowing his mind in the dark with a pipe full of clay..." That "Ola Na Tunjee" we know would later be "Eleanor Rigby."

Not that Paul McCartney was in the habit of knocking on doors with guitar in hand mind you, but then again, we are talking about Donovan here. He continues, "And then he said, "I've got this" and he started singing "Yellow Submarine." At one point he stopped and said, "But I don't have any words for this bit." I said, "Give me a moment." I went into the bedroom and came back with "Sky of blue, sea of green/In our yellow submarine." He said, "That'll do." It was nothing earth-shattering, it wasn't a new piece of poetry that was going to change the world. All I put in was "sky of blue." But I felt very proud after that and then he asked me what I was writing and I gave him stuff that I was doing. That's how it was then. It was a time to share, there was enough time to share."

Paul McCartney's first-born is so self-effacing she prefers to slip into a room rather than have herself announced by a PR flunkey.

"Hi, I'm Mary," she says quietly as she creeps self-consciously into the arty media hangout in London's Notting Hill where we've arranged to meet. She's easy not to notice among the other better-known faces that surround us; slim and diminutive, she wears no make-up and is dressed down in black Marc Jacobs blouse, slimline grey hipsters (by her sister Stella, of course) and understated flat pumps. It's almost as if fame is anathema to the 42-year-old whose image was first etched on the public consciousness as a baby cradled in her rock star father's jacket which featured on the cover of his 1970 album McCartney. The picture was taken by her mother, the photographer, vegetarian and animal rights campaigner Linda Eastman McCartney, who died from breast cancer in 1998.

As a successful photographer in her own right, Mary is on first-name terms with the likes of actors and models such as Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Lily Cole, Lizzie Jagger and Kate Moss.

Yet apart from her eyes, which resemble her father's, the only clue to her celebrity status is the number of times she's stopped on her way to our table by people desperate to say hello. She deals with these interruptions politely but with a detachment that screams (albeit quietly): let me be.

Even her food is as unfussy as it's possible to be. Her first cook book, simply entitled Food, is aimed at demystifying meat-free home cooking (like her siblings Stella and James, and older half-sister Heather, Mary's been a vegetarian all her life) and while attractively presented, her recipes are disarmingly simple to the point of basic. The photography, also by her, is naturalistic and homely rather than expensively styled.

"I just photographed the food as it was," she says. "Some of it is half-eaten, like my husband's pan-fried cheese, tomato and onion sandwich, which I borrowed while he was in the middle of eating it. I like seeing parts of a meal on the table. Other dishes, such as spaghetti with tomato and red wine sauce, I placed on the kitchen windowsill to give it as much natural light as possible. I wanted it to look like the genuine at-home food it actually is."

What challenges did she encounter with food photography, a notoriously difficult genre? "As food is quite static, getting it to look tasty and vibrant was difficult at times. Tiny details, such as whether a fork is placed straight or crooked, make a huge impact and deciding how you want it to look can take time. Another challenge was not to over-complicate it. I really wanted to communicate the message that it's possible to have tasty food that doesn't take a lot of time to prepare and make, and which doesn't require a larder full of fancy incredients."

The book is aimed not only at meat-avoiders but also at the growing number of meat-reducers -- a demographic that is helping grow the popularity of the Linda McCartney Foods range.

Over a pot of green tea -- she declines to eat, as she is due at a tasting of new products for the brand founded by her mother, for which she is a development consultant -- we discuss the importance of a mother's influence over her children's eating and health, and how her own early eating experiences at her parents' cottage in the Mull of Kintyre have had a profound lifelong effect.

"I got into cooking through watching my mum cook, hanging with her and chatting," she says. "She liked to have company in our big kitchen-diner, so we'd all be with her as she prepped vegetables for our meals. Often the radio would be on. Mum was a very intuitive, instinctive cook and I learned to make things like stews, sandwiches, salads and wraps from her. You pick it up and carry it on.

"In my own house we don't have a separate dining area. Our dining table is in the kitchen, so everyone can sit around. That social aspect of cooking and eating is very important. My boys all love cooking and take an active role in choosing the amount of seasoning and which herbs to put in the tomato sauce, for example. Recently my oldest suggested adding red peppers to tomato sauce and that's good. Likewise, if you chop veg into pieces that are too big they won't eat it, so I ask them what size they want. Children are more likely to eat food if they've had an involvement in its preparation.

"I like to think the old days of having a meal presented as a finished product in a separate dining room, or living room, without seeing how it was made, are over."

It was through her French-American step-grandmother that Mary learned the art of pastry cooking and the discipline of writing down recipes, and a gift of a wooden recipe box from her Aunt Louise encouraged her to start keeping records of what she liked to cook.

Linda's creamy tomato soup, one of many of her mother's recipes which features in the book, means the most to Mary. "Mum loved making it. I remember having it for lunch in the summer after a long walk in the Mull of Kintyre. It's still a favourite for me and even the smell can return me there."

She may have learned cooking through the female line of her family but she herself has four boys, the youngest barely eight months old, and they don't have their maternal grandmother to learn from directly. I ask if there's anything her boys have learned to cook from their famous grandfather, who is also a committed vegetarian. She says: "Dad does a mean barbecue and he also makes lasagne when we visit him [at the family home in Sussex]. Oh, and he makes a great bagel with dill pickle, avocado, humous, baby spinach. It's yummy, really good, and I could eat it right now. When he comes to us, I cook for him."

Mary's two older sons from her first marriage to television producer Alistair Donald are Arthur, 13 (Paul's first grandchild) and Eliot, 9. Her two youngest, Sam, 3, and baby Sid are with her second husband, the director Simon Aboud. Does she think it's perhaps more important for boys to learn about food than girls?

"I think it's not just good for boys, it's good for all children to know what goes behind making something," she replies, adding with a smile, "although I do notice that my boys are fascinated by meringues. They're interested to see how egg whites whip up; they like to know the science behind it."

Does she worry that her sons will lose their interest in food as they grow up?

"Even if they do I am sure they will come back to it," she says. "When I left home there were certain recipes Mum used to make that I started, only to find they didn't taste the same. So I'd ask her what I was doing wrong and she'd give me tips. You can come back to and adapt recipes you've learned early on. I hope that will happen with my boys.

"I can remember when we were children on holiday at the cottage in Scotland, my parents telling us, 'This is the most amazing turnip, you know, because we grew it right here!' and 'This is the most wonderful vegetable stew, because it is super-fresh' and we'd be rolling our eyes and saying, like, 'Boring!'

"And in the mornings I'd sneak down to eat the fresh peas in their pods, thinking I was being very naughty, only to discover my parents were absolutely delighted.

"It was only much later that I could understand why they were so enthusiasatic. There's nothing like growing and eating your own, and they were growing potatoes, carrots, turnips, beetroots. It was quite avant garde in a way.

"It was in Scotland that I first learned where food came from. Having that experience of the countryside also raised my awareness of our impact on the environment. I have my parents to thank for that."

Food by Mary McCartney is published by Chatto & Windus, priced £20.

Having never been to this venue before, I arrived at The Great Hall on Queen St. West in Toronto, ON, Canada
a little after 5 PM to check out the limited parking situation, find out exactly where the club was located, and to see if I could catch JAMES entering or leaving sound check. I found the front door to be open so I walked right in and went upstairs. I saw that his band was doing sound check levels, but JAMES had not arrived yet. I went back downstairs and waited inside the front door. A few minutes later, Dan, his tour manager came down to have a cigarette and informed me that JAMES would be arriving shortly.

At around 5:40 PM, I spotted JAMES crossing the street with two others. Outside the venue front door, three fans were waiting to approached him. He graciously signed CDs and photos, then posed for photos with them. As he entered, I spoke with him briefly, told him I would be reviewing the show, and he also signed my CD. One of the fellows he came with was his personal manager Adrian, who took a few photos of James and myself, and was just a really personable and downright nice guy. I then left and returned a little after eight o' clock.

Toronto band HEADS & TEETH opened the show and showed much promise in their original songs. A young band worth watching. The crowd was light in attendance during the opening act, around 68, but didn't build much more by the time JAMES McCARTNEY took the stage. It was easy to take a head count in this venue, and at most I counted around 85 people in the room for most of the show.

Here is the SET LIST for the Toronto show, which included some unreleased songs not on either EP release:

1. ERRATIC PULSE (Unreleased)
2. RAVEN (Another unreleased song)
3. NEW YORK TIMES
4. I ONLY WANT TO BE ALONE
5. THE SOUND OF MY VOICE (JAMES on piano)
6. FALLEN ANGEL
7. DENIAL
8. MOONSTAR
9. GLISTEN
10. OLD MAN
11. ELSE AND ELSE BUT DEAD
12. ANGEL
13. CHERRY BLOSSOM (Unreleased song)
14. MIX (Another unreleased song; he kept repeating "I Mean What I Mean" in it a lot & very punk-like; title taken from band's actual set list)

After this song, JAMES spoke softly and said "Thanks for coming" then he and the band walked off stage. In a minute or two, the band came back for one encore song and closed with...

15. SPIRIT GUIDES

At the song's finish, JAMES said "Good Night" and the band left the stage.

When on stage, JAMES didn't say very much, only announcing some of the song titles. While he seemed very shy, he did play and sing with confidence. Some of the song highlights were "ANGEL," "OLD MAN," "I ONLY WANT TO BE ALONE" and the unreleased, "CHERRY BLOSSOM."

A few minutes after the show ended, JAMES came out to a table at the back of the hall and signed CDs and took photos with the remaining fans. I must say, he is most accomodating, patient and very understanding towards all the fans.

Ray Paul with James McCartney

Anyway, do go and see JAMES if you can.

James McCartney North America tour 2012

May 19 - Bamboozle Festival - Asbury Park, NJ
May 22 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL
May 25 - Sasquatch Festival- Quincy, WA
May 29 - Coach House San Juan Capistrano, CA
May 30 - Cafe Du Nord - San Francisco, CA
May 31 - Roxy Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
June 4 - House Of Blues - San Diego, CA
June 7 - Gramercy Theatre - New York, NY
June 8 - Mohegan Sun - Montville, CT
June 10 - World CafÈ - Philadelphia, PA
June 11 - Fillmore - Washington, DC

Sir Paul McCartney revealed he felt moved by the crowds of people who camped out to see him play a free concert in Mexico, saying it brought back memories of Beatlemania.

The 69-year-old music star performed the special concert in Zocalo in Mexico City, as an estimated 250,000 people filled the square and lined the surrounding streets.

Sir Paul said: "It was quite emotional and exciting that people who might not be able to afford to come to our shows could come to this. It was like Beatlemania all over again.

"When you visit places that you don't often come to, like South America, they've been saving up the excitement so when you get there they let it all go. When you are in a band you hope people will like what you do, and when they like it as much as they did here, it's quite a buzz."

During the show - which lasted almost three hours and included hits such as Drive My Car, Hey Jude, Let It Be, Live And Let Die and Blackbird - McCartney was joined on stage by a traditional Mexican Mariachi band for a special version of Ob La Di Ob La Da.

Earlier in the day he had been honoured by the mayor of the city.

The former Beatle played a total of three shows in Mexico, including a sell-out show at the legendary Azteca Stadium to 80,000 people, while fans spent the week camped outside his hotel and filled the streets.

The show was the closing date of his South American On The Run tour, and his last gig before the Queen's Diamond Jubilee show next month.

Read about the concert here....

Apparently Ronson, who was too young to remember and heard the story from his mother, wasn't entirely convinced the tale was true. "That sounded like one of my mum's crazy stories," Ronson told Britains Live Magazine.

"But then I did a song with Paul McCartney a few months ago. After a couple of days in the studio, he came in and said, 'Your mum's Ann, right? Me and Linda would always run into your parents on the beach in Long Island.'"

"I told him about my mum's story that he saved me from drowning one time, and he said he vaguely remembered something like that. So maybe he backed up her claim, which means I can't really tease her about it now." Does this mean that Paul McCartney is running around saving children from drowning so often that he can't entirely recall?

In a way, RAM (officially billed jointly to Paul and Linda McCartney) was the former Beatle's true solo debut. As an album, McCartney was seemingly ripped directly from the artist's subconscious. Some songs were fully formed ("Maybe I'm Amazed," "Every Night") while others were wispy, first-draft sketches ("The Lovely Linda"). Though commercially well received, few would argue that McCartney wasn't outdone by the debuts of John Lennon (Plastic Ono Band) and George Harrison (All Things Must Pass) that same year. His former partners had defined themselves as artists with those releases. So after the entertaining but scattershot McCartney, he pulled out all the stops with RAM.

The album manages to capture, from start to finish, McCartney's unfettered joy in making music. The songs, which positively radiate warmth, are unpredictable, stuffed to the brim with brilliant ideas. After some low-key auditions, drummer Denny Seiwell was chosen to participate, along with guitarist David Spinozza. Hugh McCracken stepped in as guitarist mid-way through the sessions. McCartney played guitar or keyboards, dubbing his bass only after the basic tracks had been recorded. Linda McCartney provided harmony vocals under her husband's strict tutelage. The combination resulted in nothing short of a pop masterpiece.

The most popular track, a complexly structured mini-suite loaded with hooks that became McCartney's first Billboard number one single, "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" exemplifies the album's overall feel. But every song sparkles with musical invention, from the straight-ahead rock of "Too Many People" and "Smile Away" to the ultra-melodic ballad "The Back Seat of My Car." McCartney shreds his vocal chords on "Monkberry Moon Delight," an unashamedly nonsensical lyric set to a churning, rhythmic piano pattern (the song was later covered memorably by Screamin' Jay Hawkins). Among the most ambitious tracks is "Long Haired Lady," the album's most underrated gem. Like "Uncle Albert," it's another multi-part song overflowing with infectious hooks.

As with previous Archive Collection reissues, consumers have several choices. The most basic option is the remastered RAM as a single disc with no bonus material. The remastering, while perhaps not revelatory, is quite satisfying, with a deeper bottom end and crisper highs than the previous editions. While the original mix was utilized, there is greater definition among the various components of each song. Listen to the enhanced depth of "Ram On" and its reprise for a great example. The guitar part that enters "Dear Boy" mid-way through has real sizzle and distinctiveness on the remaster.

The better choice is the two-CD set, which includes the album plus an eight track bonus disc. Both sides of McCartney's debut single, recorded during the RAM sessions, are included, "Another Day" and "Oh Woman, Oh Why." The latter is a relatively little-known rocker with a searing McCartney vocal. "Little Woman Love" became the B-side of the 1972 Wings single "Mary Had a Little Lamb," but was initially recorded during RAM. Outtakes include the superb "A Love for You" (presented in an entirely different, stripped-down mix than the version available on The In-Laws soundtrack), "Hey Diddle," and the instrumentals "Sunshine Sometime" and "Great Cock and Seagull Race."

The very best reason to get the bonus disc is the previously unreleased, nearly nine minute jam "Rode All Night." This blast of unfiltered rock energy is perhaps the best track to play someone who claims McCartney never really rocked out. Just Denny Seiwell on drums and McCartney on electric guitar and vocals, "Rode All Night" is an outrageously inventive series of rhythmic variations on a very simple theme. Seiwell alternates between following McCartney's lead and pushing him to new heights. Don't miss this one.

For the hardcore fans, a four-CD/one-DVD box set is available with a 112-page book and additional printed extras (including facsimiles of handwritten lyric sheets, outtakes from the photo cover shoot, and more). This set isn't cheap, but in addition to the standard album and bonus audio discs, it includes the previously unavailable mono mix of the full album. This version has always been commercially unavailable until now, having been provided only to radio stations back in '71. It isn't a fold-down of the stereo mix, but rather a totally unique mono mix. The fourth CD is a reissue of Thrillington, an orchestrated instrumental version of RAM, originally issued under the pseudonym Percy "Thrills" Thrillington (which McCartney produced, but didn't play on). My advance promo copy didn't include any of the above extras, so I can't comment.

I did get to delve into the deluxe edition's DVD, which is a nice - if somewhat slight - accompaniment. The "Ramming" featurette is a nice overview of the making of the album, narrated by McCartney. I would've preferred some video interviews with McCartney and other principles (such as Seiwell). The best piece is "Eat at Home On Tour," a montage of home movies of Wings on the road. The footage is set to a previously unreleased 1972 live version of "Eat at Home." It's kind of a strange inclusion, chronologically speaking, since it plunges us into the Wings era. I'd love to hear more of the live material. In fact, I wish that the live "Eat at Home" had been included on the bonus audio CD.

Music videos for "Heart of the Country" and "3 Legs" are also included, along with home movie footage of the McCartneys performing "Hey Diddle" at home. A kind of audio Easter egg appears during the DVD menu, in the form of numerous "Now Hear This" jingles, originally released on the promotional single "Brung to Ewe By." Total DVD running time is about 28 minutes.

The deluxe edition box also includes a download code for hi-res 24-bit 96kHz files of both the stereo album and bonus audio CD. This digital download is also available as part of the 180 gram vinyl double-LP version of RAM. Speaking of vinyl, in addition to all the other formats, the mono mix of RAM is available as a separate limited vinyl edition as well.

Clearly a great deal of time and care went into the preparation of this classic album, available May 21 in the U.S. and May 21 in the U.K. While the details of the deluxe book and other materials are unfortunately beyond the scope of this review, the remastered RAM sounds excellent and the bonus disc includes numerous obscure gems.

Watch for my interview with drummer Denny Seiwell, who discusses making RAM, playing in Wings, and much more - coming soon to TMR.

The Fab Four guitarist's widow Olivia Harrison says a number of works-in-progress remain following his death in 2001.

She oversaw the creation of Early Takes, an album of demos and unreleased material, launched to coincide with the DVD publication of Martin Scorcese's Harrison documentary, Living in the Material World.

She tells Spinner: "There is some more material. There may be a minute of something he was writing and it will never be finished. I had an idea of giving unfinished songs to different people -- giving one to Paul, maybe, or giving one to somebody else and saying: 'Here are the bones of a song, would you like to finished it?' I think that would be a nice idea."

Olivia says of her husband's writing process: "It was an amazing thing to witness. It was just being born right then and there. I'd try not to interrupt -- I'd put a pencil and paper by him, just to make sure he had something if he wanted to write something down. I'd get the tape player and put it there."

And she believes Harrison didn't feel stifled in the Beatles, despite being faced with the challenge of writing alongside the Lennon-McCartney hit machine.

"Nobody can stifle you as a writer," says Olivia. "You can just keep writing. You might not get your song on an album. It seems to be history that he was suppressed or something -- but really, he developed later as a songwriter."

By 12 noon on May 9th there were more than 200 fans, but by the time I got there at 11pm, there were over a 1,000.

Gates opened on May 10th at 8 am. By 12 noon, Zócalo was half full.

No food or water was allowed inside Zócalo, which was very hard for fans. After a few hours, some people started passing water they had hidden. People requested water from the local crew. After an hour the crew started throwing water in plastic bags.

Abe, Wix and Brian did a quick (less than 3 minutes) sound check, while the PA was broadcasting some George Harrison songs from the All Things Must Pass 30th anniversary album.

Paul's crew took photos and videos of the crowds including, security chiefs, production managers and even tour manager, Barrie Marshall.

Rusty arrived for his sound check 20 minutes later, and took photos of the crowd and greeted fans.

There was no sound check or a rehearsal the day before the free concert. MPL's crew arrived at 11 pm, and assembled the lights and video screens, which were not functional until after 4 am.

Paul arrived at the Holiday Inn Hotel, (5 de Febrero Street -- a few steps away from Zócalo) around 4 pm, May 10th to have a veggie meal with VIP's and government officials.

After more than an hour, Paul left for "backstage", greeting fans on the way (he was in his van).

The opening act was a DJ who started around 7:30 pm. He received a warm welcome with fans singing, clapping, etc. (First time I saw the DJ interacting with the crowds).

The show started at 9:05 pm.

Paul did the first improvisation after "All my Loving" when he heard the crowd sing "Olé Olé Olé, Sir Paul, Sir Paul." Macca briefly started jamming on his bass.

Paul greeted the crowd in Spanish saying "Good Evening Mexico! Hi DF!" (Mexico City) "We are really happy to be here on Mother's Day."

The crowd turned their cigarette lighters on and off during dozens of songs (more than the usual here in Mexico),

Two songs, "Every Night" and "Birthday," were marked on the set list sheet "(TBC) TO BE CONFIRMED." This was because Paul didn' not know if the crowd was going to use their lighters. Of course everyone did right from the start of the concert. And "Birthday" was done because of the special celebration in Mexico that is on May 10th, Mother's Day.

Paul dedicated "Hope of Deliverance" to all the mothers, but his Spanish translator gave him the wrong word, "Mamacitas" instead of "Madrecitas." Mamacita is a 'hot chick' and "Madrecita" is the what we say to our moms. He did say "Mamacitas" during the "Hey Jude" singalong when asking the women to sing.

Paul said that ONLY in Mexico has he seen the "lighters" go on and off in time with the music. So he played "Every Night" and stopped the song during the middle so we could do the "chic, chich" (lighters ON and OFF).

Paul did his second improvisation during "Olé Olé Olé, Sir Paul" just before "Blackbird." This time he sang along with the crowd while playing his acoustic guitar.

At Zócalo, there was no "Mrs. Vandebilt" reprise. Paul did the reprise in Guadalajara (May 5th) and at Estadio Azteca on May 8th.

Zócalo did get a Mariachi band (different than the one in Guadalajara) for "Ob-la-di Ob-la-da." This time it was Mariachi Gama Mil, probably the best Mariachi in Mexico according to sources.

Paul rehearsed with Mariachi Gama Mil at the Estadio Azteca, May 8th sound check -- a very quick and private rehearsal, only after all the VIP ticket attendees were escorted out.

According to the Mariachi's manager, Paul didn't like the poor sound. There was not enough time to mic every instrument, so Paul decided not to have the Mariachis at Estadio Azteca.

Before "Golden Slumbers" Paul made a mistake when he said, "This is our last night in South America" (Mexico is in North America). Paul quickly corrected himself with, "uh, Mexico," adding, "we love the audiences here. JUST THE BEST!"

Official crowd numbers: 220,000 people at the heart of the city to see Paul McCartney; 150,000 inside the main zone and the rest on nearby streets around the government installed giant screens.

Concert Set List (VIDEO)

1. Hello Goodbye
2. Junior's Farm
3. All My Loving
4. Jet
5. Drive My Car
6. Sing The Changes
7. The Night Before
8. Let Me Roll It/ Foxy Lady
9. Paperback Writer
10. The Long And Winding Road
11. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five
12. My Valentine
13. Maybe I'm Amazed
14. I've Just Seen A Face
15. Hope Of Deliverance
16. And I Love Her
17. Blackbird
18. Here Today
19. Dance Tonight
20. Every Night
21. Mrs. Vandebilt
22. Eleanor Rigby
23. Something
24. Band On The Run
25. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (with mariachis!)
26. Birthday
27. Back In The USSR
28. I've Got A Feeling
29. A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance
30. Let It Be
31. Live And Let Die
32. Hey Jude

Encore 1
33. Lady Madonna
34. Day Tripper
35. Get Back

Encore 2
36. Yesterday
37. Helter Skelter
38. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End

More than 100,000 people massed in the giant Zocalo plaza late Thursday for a free concert by Paul McCartney, who sent the crowd into a frenzy by performing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" along with Mexican mariachis.

McCartney, who at one point waved a Mexican flag, tickled the crowd by introducing some of his songs in Spanish sprinkled with Mexican slang.

The crowd went crazy when McCartney, at the end of "Eleanor Rigby," blurted out the crude but popular phrase, "Viva Mexico, cabrones!" (Long Live Mexico, you b*****ds!)

The open-air concert in the iconic plaza was sponsored by the Mexico City's mayor's office for Mother's Day, which is celebrated locally on May 10.

McCartney congratulated all the Mexican mothers as well as his wife Nancy Shevell.

"This tune is precisely for all you mamacitas," he said in Spanish, again using slang to the public's great delight.

Fireworks lit the sky when McCartney let loose with "Live and Let Die." The crowd sang along with many of the 40 songs the rock icon performed during the three-hour long concert, especially with the Beatles classic "Hey Jude."

McCartney performed in the Zocalo two days after he gave a concert in the Azteca football stadium for a crowd of some 70,000 people.

Many of the fans camped out in the Zocalo since the night before to get a good spot for the concert.

Johnny Depp has poked fun at criticism of his sign language efforts in Sir Paul McCartney's My Valentine video after deaf music fans highlighted a mistake in the promo.

The Beatles legend recruited the Pirates of the Caribbean hunk and actress Natalie Portman to sign the lyrics to his new song in a black-and-white film directed by McCartney himself and Depp enjoyed taking part in the shoot.

He says, "I've known him on and off through the years and ran into him. Then he gave me a call and asked me if I would be interested in being in his video. (I said), 'Certainly, let's do it.' It was a gas (a lot of fun)."

However, deaf devotees were quick to point out errors made by the actors, claiming Portman signs the word 'tampon' instead of 'appear', while Depp makes the motion for 'enemy' while attempting 'valentine'.

Depp admits he struggled to learn all of the different signs in a short period of time, but he has laughed off the mistake and has jokingly blamed it on his tutor.

He tells WENN, "I had to learn this sign language thing which is... all kind of different. Apparently instead of signing 'love,' I might've signed 'murder'. But I was only copying what the guy showed me so track him down!"

The secret gig took place in January 1993. Macca, then 50, was filming the video for his single Biker Like An Icon at Pinewood Studios. Midway through the shoot the security team were told that an unexpected VIP was outside the set asking to come in.

"We said it was strictly no visitors until we were told, 'Yeah but it's Princess Diana,'" Sir Paul's former spokesman Geoff Baker tells Day & Night. "The Princess entered the set holding the hands of the two princes."

And it was Princes William and Harry -- then aged 10 and eight respectively -- who inspired the impromptu performance that followed.

"The royal party went to the stage and Macca asked the boys what they would like to hear him play," recalls Baker.

"They said 'rock 'n' roll' and so Paul led the band through an impromptu royal command performance."

Diana and the princes were treated to Macca's hits Can't Buy Me Love, Rave On and I Saw Her Standing There.

Remarkably the whole impromptu affair took place while the cameras were still running.

And although neither the Princes nor the Queen has ever seen the footage we reckon a DVD of the gig would make a great Diamond Jubilee present for her Majesty.

Paul arrived at 4:30 pm and started the sound check at 4:40pm

Sound Check Set List

Electric Guitar
1. Matchbox
2. "Mexico City" (improvisation)
3. Honey Don't
4. Twenty Flight Rock

Grand Piano
5. C Moon
6. Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying
7. Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On

Bass Guitar
8. Birthday
9. Flaming Pie
10. Penny Lane

Acoustic Guitar
11. Calico Skies
12. Midnight Special
13. It's So Easy (Buddy Holly cover)
14. Every Night
15. San Francisco Bay Blues

Mandolin
16. Dance Tonight

Ukulele
17. Ram On

Acoustic
18. Bluebird

Bass
19. Get Back (with fans on stage)

Magic Piano
20. Lady Madonna

Concert Set List (VIDEO)

1. Magical Mystery Tour
2. Junior's Farm
3. All My Loving
4. Jet
5. Got To Get You Into My Life
6. Sing The Changes
7. The Night Before
8. Let Me Roll It/Foxy Lady
9. Paperback Writer
10. The Long and Winding Road
11. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
12. My Valentine
13. Maybe I'm Amazed
14. I'm Looking Through You
15. Hope Of Deliverance
16. And I Love Her
17. "Olé Olé Olé, Sir Paul" (improvisation)
18. Blackbird
19. Here Today
20. Dance Tonight
21. Every Night
22. Mrs Vandebilt / Mrs Vandebilt (reprise)
23. Eleanor Rigby
24. Something
25. Band on the Run
26. Ob-la-di Ob-la-da
27. Back In The USSR
28. Tres Conejos/ I've Got A Feeling
29. A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance
30. Let It Be
31. Live And Let Die
32. Hey Jude

Encore 1
33. Lady Madonna
34. Day Tripper
35. Get Back

Encore 2
36. Yesterday
37. I Saw Her Standing There
38. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End

*No MARIACHI this time during "Ob-la-di Ob-la-da" and no "Things We Said Today."

CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO

---

May 6, 2012 -- Macca Report EXCLUSIVE!!!
from Macca Reporters Miguel Carrera, Enrique Inngais and Carlos Paredes 

Three amigos get to hear Paul's Guadalajara rehearsal!

Paul arrived at 8:05 pm and waved to us. He was in a great mood.

The rehearsal lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes. At the end, we still were the only fans there. When Paul left he rolled down the window of the car and said to us "Bye guys!"

Rehearsal Set List - Omnilife Stadium - May 4

1. Matchbox
2 "Welcome here tonight..." (Very long jam over 10 minutes)
3. Honey Don't
4. Highway
5. One After 909
6. Flaming Pie
7. Penny Lane
8. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
9. Baby Face (complete version!)
10. Every Night
11. Take This Hammer#1
12. Take This Hammer #2 (both complete versions)
13. Hope Of Deliverance
14. Hope Of Deliverance (practice)
15. Bluebird
16. You Never Give Me Your Money (psychedelic upright piano)
17. Lady Madonna

Sound Check (report by Miguel Carrera, Macca Reporter)

Electric Guitar :
1. Paul's intro talking with the fans and electric guitar riffs
2. Twenty Flight Rock
3. Blue Suede Shoes
4. "Welcome to the show, Guadalajara. I hope you're ready to go" (Improvisation)
5. Honey Don't

Bass Guitar :
6. Coming Up
7. Only Mama Knows
8. Penny Lane
9. Birthday

Grand Piano:
10. C Moon
11.Celebration
12. Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On

Acoustic Guitar :
13. Tequila
14. Things We Said Today

Mandolin:
15. Dance Tonight (short version)

Ukulele:
16. Something (short version)

Acoustic Guitar :
17. Bluebird

Magic Piano:
18. "Time For Your Massage" (improvisation)
19. Lady Madonna

The sound check lasted 1 hour and 13 mins. Paul spent a few minutes testing his guitar and jamming a few chords before "Twenty Flight Rock"

"Birthday" was dedicated to two VIP fans who brought signs that read: "Today is my birthday!"

"Tequila" was requested by Carlos Parades and myself when we shouted together "TEQULIA!!!" Paul jokingly said, "No!" but started the song a few seconds later.

Concert Set List

1. Magical Mystery Tour
2. Junior's Farm
3. All My Loving
4. Jet
5. Drive My Car
6. Sing the Changes
7. The Night Before
8. Let Me Roll It/Foxy Lady
9. Paperback Writer
10. The Long and Winding Road
11. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
12. My Valentine
13. Maybe I'm Amazed
14. I've Just Seen A Face
15. Hope Of Deliverance
16. And I Love Her
17. Blackbird
18. Here Today
19. Dance Tonight
20. Every Night
21. Mrs Vandebilt
22. Eleanor Rigby
23. Something
24. Things We Said Today
25. Band on the Run (Paul recites "Tres conejos")
26. Ob-la-di Ob-la-da (with Mariachi band!)
27. Back In The USSR
28. I've Got A Feeling
29. A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance
30. Let It Be
31. Live And Let Die
32. Hey Jude

Encore 1
33. Lady Madonna
34. Day Tripper
35. Get Back After

Encore 2
36. Yesterday
37. I Saw Her Standing There
38. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End

When Heather Mills was granted a divorce from Sir Paul McCartney after a highly acrimonious High Court case, she used some of her £24.3million settlement to open a vegan restaurant the following year.

The former topless model could soon face a familiar business rival, as Mary McCartney tells Mandrake that she is considering launching her own meat-free dining room.

Sir Paul s 42-year-old daughter, who has published her first recipe book, tells Mandrake: "If someone approaches me with a nice idea, then I will go for it. "

Speaking at the launch of her book, Food, the respected photographer adds: "I could do, as I want to promote vegetarianism as much as I can, and I like home cooking. "

Mary was joined at the party at Liberty, which was sponsored by Zacapa Rum, by her father and his third wife, Nancy Shevell. Mary and her siblings, Stella and James, enjoy a warmer relationship with the American heiress, whom Sir Paul married last year, than they did with the outspoken Mills.

As the celebrity offspring of one of the world's greatest ever rock stars, Mary McCartney has a tough act to follow.

The 42-year-old daughter of Paul and Linda McCartney showed that being passionate about animals runs in the family.

Sir Paul's first born child had almost all of her famous family down in London to support her as she launched her very own vegetarian cookbook, earlier today. (May 3)

With his wife, Lady Nancy McCartney, Sir Paul, 69, beamed with pride as Mary continued to follow in the footsteps of her late mother Linda.

While Nancy covered up in a long light brown colour jacket with silver trousers, Sir Paul kept it formal in a black suit and a blue shirt.

The proud father-of-four, who is a long standing vegetarian, posed for pictures with the book and was seen flicking through it.

He even put a video up on his website of the book called Food and said: 'My lovely daughter has a great new cookbook coming out. Check out the link on my website and get cooking!'

Stella McCartney, 40, showed support for her older sister and looked as stylish as ever in an all black outfit. The British fashion designer wore a plain trouser suit with smart black shoes and a pink grandad collar shirt.

Mary also looked good in a silver blazer which she teamed with a pair of faded black jeans and green heels.

Although she has already been a successful photographer like her mother once was, she has decided to release a collection of recipes that are inspired by Linda.

She said: 'My cook book comes from my life growing up as a vegetarian and watching my mum cooking in the kitchen.'

'This book is a collection of my recipes and photographs and stories throughout the years really to inspire vegetarian cooking.'

She added: 'It's been a labour of love and I hope that you enjoy.'

Her mother wrote several vegetarian cookbooks and also had her own food products before dying of breast cancer at the age of 56 in 1998.

April 27, 2012 -- Macca Report News EXCLUSIVE!!!
by Javier and Juan Antonio Aulí, Macca Reporters

A father and son meet Macca at Bogota, Colombia sound check (El Campín Stadium - April 19, 2012)

We are a father and son, who have been at Macca shows in the US, because we thought Paul would never come to Colombia.

At concerts we always took our big sign "FATHER & SON FROM COLOMBIA," but this time we knew if we really wanted to meet Paul we had to go to the sound check. So we made a new sign: "FATHER & SON AGAIN, Thank you Paul," and added "LET US SING ONE WITH YOU",

And magic became reality! When the sound check was about to finish, Paul looked at us and said "Father and Son, do you really want to sing with me? So, well come on up."

Paul was very warm to us. We sang "I've Just Seen A Face" with Paul and the whole band. Then he autographed a "Wings Over America" album for my son and a "Help!" album for me.

It was the time of our lives.

WE ARE THE LUCKIEST COLOMBIANS EVER!!!!

CLICK TO WATCH

"Then I saw him again when he left for the sound check on Saturday, April 21st".

CLICK TO WATCH

"I was having lunch at the hotel restaurant on Sunday, April at 2:20 pm, when Paul showed up en route to the fitness center, saying "GOOD MORNING" to people in the restaurant which is near the fitness center. He had just woken up. I didn't take any video. Later that day I saw Paul one more time when he left for sound check around 5pm. I reached out my left hand and Paul reached out his left hand to give me a high-five!"

CLICK TO WATCH

Marcelo is a record producer in Brazil and has seen 14 Macca shows in his country.

Paul McCartney came waltzing in at the beginning of the show when they (Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, etc.) were discussing their live TV show. Alec looked shocked that Paul was there. Paul asked to use the restroom and left through a door.

He later appeared at the end of the show saying that he had slipped and fallen and couldn't remember anything. Tina put her arm around Paul and told him that he was her boyfriend. They left the stage at that point.

He also appeared at the very end of the show when they ran the credits (just like on SNL). This episode was shown on the east coast.

more...

Noise11.com

VIDEO: Watch Paul McCartney Cameo On 30 Rock

Sir Paul McCartney made a surprise cameo appearance on 30 Rock this week and by surprise we mean even star Alec Baldwin did not know.

For the season finale for the year 30 Rock was broadcast live twice, once for the east coast and then again three hours later for the west coast.

Sir Paul McCartney only appeared on the first live show. Kim Kardashian had the role in the second show.

At the start of the show Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) is begging Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) to keep the fictitious TGS live. "TGS has to be live or we will lose all the excitement and spontaneity. That's the beauty of live TV. Anything can happen," she says setting up the scene.

Then in walks Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) who says "there's a bathroom in here you can use Sir Paul McCartney".

Paul enters to thunderous screams from the live audience, waves, bows then walks over to a stunned Alec Baldwin who at this stage has his mouth wide-open gobsmacked. Paul shakes his hand, slaps his face and then walks off.

Towards the end of the show Paul comes back on and says that he slipped and hit his head in the bathroom and can't remember who he is. Liz Lemon grabs his arm and tells him he is her boyfriend.

After the show Baldwin tweeted, "To be slapped on live TV by Sir Paul #filethatinmydiaryunderperfect"

He added, "My humble + sincere thanks 2 the cast n crew of 30 Rock as we wrap Season 6 live on NBC. Tina, Robert, every1 at the show, congratulations".

---

April 26, 2012 -- The Express (UK)

Paul McCartney protected by 1,400 cops during Colombia stay

Officials in Colombia took no risks when Sir Paul McCartney landed in the country last week - 1,400 police officers were designated to help protect The Beatles legend.

The rocker headed to South America as part of his On The Run tour earlier this month, and jetted into Colombia last Thursday to play a sold-out gig at the El Campin Stadium in Bogota.

And authorities ensured McCartney would come to no harm in the city - which has one of the highest crime rates in the world - by ordering a "ring of steel" to surround the star at all times during his two-day visit, according to the Daily Telegraph.

A source tells the newspaper, "From the moment Paul's plane landed to the moment he left, officials designated 1,400 police for the whole two days.

"It is a massive security operation because he's the biggest star to ever go to the country. Although there haven't been any specific threats, nobody left anything to chance.

Nancy Shevell brought a £150 million ($243 million) fortune to the marriage when the couple wed in October 2011. That is the value of her share in New England Motor Freight, the family haulage business in the United States led by her father. She is vice-president.

As a result, Sir Paul leapfrogged Lord Lloyd-Webber to reach third place on the Sunday Times Rich List of Music Millionaires, with his wealth rising from £495 million ($801 million) to £665 million ($1 billion) in the past year.

In addition to Miss Shevell's money, Sir Paul made £20 million ($32 million) through touring and album sales, according to the list.

The 69 year-old married the US heiress, his third wife, at Marylebone Register Office in London. It was there that he also wed his first wife, Linda Eastman, who died in 1998. His marriage to wife number two, Heather Mills, lasted from 2002 to 2008, and the divorce cost him £24.3 million ($39 million).

The widow of fellow Beatle George Harrison, Olivia, and their son, Dhani, with a joint fortune of £180 million ($292 million), were 13th on the list.

Ringo Starr, who reportedly has £160 million ($259 million), was 18th.

The number one spot on the list was retained by Clive Calder, the music industry tycoon, with £1.35 billion - a fortune made from the sale of his Zomba record label to BMG in 2002.

Sir Cameron Mackintosh, the theatrical producer, was in second place with £725 million, up from £675 million on the 2011 list.

Lord Lloyd-Webber was fourth with £590 million, down from £680 million. Simon Cowell, the television producer, reached number seven, with £225 million.

Also on the list were David and Victoria Beckham, who made £25 million last year, raising their fortune to £190 million.

The founder of Spotify, the online music streaming service, was the highest new entry on the Music Millionaires' Rich List, with a personal fortune of £190 million.

Daniel Ek was in joint 10th place on the Sunday Times list with Sir Mick Jagger. While it has taken the Rolling Stone, 68, a lifetime to amass such wealth, Mr Ek has managed it by the age of 29.

The Swedish entrepreneur founded Spotify in 2006 and it now has three million paying subscribers, having launched in the United States last year and announced a partnership with Facebook.

Users have access to millions of songs ­ according to the company, the catalogue is so vast it would take 80 years of non-stop listening to get through it all. Around 10,000 tracks are added each day.

The business is valued at £1.2 billion and Mr Ek's stake is worth £190 million - equivalent to the joint fortune of David and Victoria Beckham.

He was included on the list because he is partly based in London. His main office is in Stockholm.

Mr Ek began developing his talents at a young age. Given his first computer at five, he was soon writing basic codes. He started his first business at 14, setting up websites.

He dropped out of an engineering degree to focus on internet start-ups and was a millionaire by 23. Forbes magazine branded him "the most important man in music".

1. Magical Mystery Tour
2. Junior's Farm
3. All My Loving
4. Jet
5. Drive My Car
6. Sing the Changes
7. The Night Before
8. Let Me Roll It/Foxy Lady
9. Paperback Writer
10. The Long and Winding Road
11. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
12. My Valentine
13. Maybe I'm Amazed
14. I've Just Seen A Face
15. Hope Of Deliverance
16. And I Love Her
17. Blackbird
18. Here Today
19. Dance Tonight
20. Mrs Vandebilt
21. Eleanor Rigby
22. Ram On
23. Something
24. Yellow Submarine
25. Band on the Run
26. Ob-la-di Ob-la-da
27. Back In The USSR
28. I've Got A Feeling
29. A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance
30. Let It Be
31. Live And Let Die
32. Hey Jude

Encore 1
33. Lady Madonna
34. Day Tripper
35. Get Back After

Encore 2
36. Yesterday
37. Birthday (dedicated to baby Nathaniel born to one of the crew members)
38. I Saw Her Standing There
39. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End

Some fans are more than happy with a signed record or poster from their favourite group or actor that they can treasure forever.

But one groupie went to great lengths to preserve the autograph of her favourite musician - by having it tattooed on her person.

Brazilian Natalia Lobo proudly posed for photos after she had Sir Paul McCartney's signature inked on to the back of her neck.

The 21-year-old had been at his concert in Recife in Brazil and was lucky enough to be pulled on stage by The Beatles legend during the gig.

While she stood up there in front of thousands of fans, she asked Sir Paul to autograph her neck - which he happily obliged.

And immediately after the gig had finished, she dashed to a tattoo parlour to have the scribbling immortalised before it wore off.

With love from me to you:
Sir Paul was only too happy to sign the back of Natalie's neck as he pulled her out of the crowd during the concert

She said: 'I was scared his autograph would rub off. I didn't feel any pain. Paul was so sweet and kind. I couldn't believe it, it was like a dream come true.'

Sir Paul was in the Brazilian city on his On The Run world tour and played shows on Saturday and Sunday night at the Arruda Stadium.

Fans are believed to have camped outside the stadium days before each show in order to get a good spot inside the venue.

And the legend didn't disappoint as he played for three hours each night in very humid conditions.

Sir Paul has a couple of days off before heading to the city of Florianópolis for a sold-out show at the Estádio da Ressacada.

He and his band will then head to Mexico for a show in Guadalajara and two in Mexico City before returning to the UK to headline the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebration concert in London in June.

Still got it: He might be approaching his 70th birthday but Sir Paul would give any young musician a run for their money...

... as he rocked out his sell-out gig in Brazil

Details of Jimmy Fallon's upcoming comedy album have been revealed. The new CD is set to feature "a mind-blowing roster of guest stars including Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake, Eddie Vedder and more."

The upcoming effort is confirmed to be filled with new original music as well as viral favorites from Fallon's TV show "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon". It is titled "Blow Your Pants Off" and is planned to be released in the United States on June 12.

"So far everyone that's heard the album had their pants blown off," he jokingly said. "There's nothing that we can do about it." It will become his first album in 10 years. He released his debut effort "The Bathroom Wall" in 2002 and scored a Grammy nomination with it.

Paul McCartney closed the show in Recife at midnight, and soon after he took his private jet in the direction of Florianópolis, where does the last performance of his tour of Latin America .

Between this and the second Wednesday, the Beatle will enjoy to rest in the Santa Catarina coast. The venue is well-known celebrities. Fergie and Beyonce have also opted for the tip of Hooks Exclusive Resort to relax. The site is unobtrusive and is between a wall of green vegetation and a private beach.

Michel (?), a sort of personal assistant of Paul McCartney, who has 20 years working with the Beatles came to Brazil as soon as his schedule was set here. He visited three hotels in Florianópolis. Michel there came to the conclusion that the tip of the hooks would be the best place for Sir Macca prepare for submission to Florianópolis.

The resort's policy not to disclose nothing, absolutely nothing about their guests. However, the staff, there is a lot of nice people. One of these professionals, the report of the DC found in the street to the hotel, said, very quietly, that last Saturday the resort was all prepared to receive the star. And that was not so easy to leave the place like McCartney. The bungalow where Paul is hosted on these three days had to pass a reform to get the idol of generations. What reforms? The employee would not tell us.

In addition to Paul McCartney, the band's musicians and others who work directly with the Beatles are on the tip of the hooks. The Majestic and Sofitel, both hotels on Avenida Beira-Mar in Florianopolis, also receive the technical team working with Paul.

Encore 1
30. Lady Madonna
31. Day Tripper
32. Get Back

Encore 2
33. Yesterday
34. I Saw Her Standing There
35. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End

I have a confession to make. By profession I'm a photographer not a cook, but cooking is something I love to do. So I have been lucky enough to combine my two passions and have written and photographed almost everything in Food, my new cookbook. By indulging both my great loves, I have found myself more immersed in this project than I thought possible, and I have loved the process. Getting the recipe right, cooking it and then immediately photographing the result at home has made this a truly organic, cottage industry.

My husband and our friends were the ones who first made me seriously consider writing my own cookbook -- they're always asking me to write down my recipes and say that I seem to "magic it up" out of nowhere while chatting to them. But, really, I think my feel for vegetarian cooking is so ingrained that it has become second nature. Growing up in a vegetarian family and having Mum at the helm in the kitchen, encouraging us all to muck in, was the best education I could have asked for. Over the years I have continued to cook as my mum did, experimenting with ingredients, flavours and textures. And I have added my own touches and refined the recipes. Up until now these have stayed in my head; I'm not disciplined at writing anything down, so often a meal will be made once -- enjoyed -- and then forgotten.

I suppose this is part of my motivation for embarking on this project. It has made me take the time to write down measurements and methods and really think about my earliest childhood food memories and inspirations. My siblings and I were involved in the experience of cooking from an early age. The kitchen was the centre of the universe and Mum got us involved, helping to cook and tasting always tasting. Now I try to do the same with my own children. We discuss meals and recipe ideas and flavour combinations, and I have found that it gives them a point of view and demystifies the process.

My mother described herself as a peasant cook and had the ability to transform whatever she found in the pantry into delicious meals. Her style was pretty laid-back and low-maintenance. Being an American, the basis of her cooking was traditional and therefore so is mine. I love making hearty soups, stews, fluffy rising quiches, chef's salads and baked macaroni cheese. Mum also gave me my love of snacks: deep-filled New York deli-style sandwiches, grab bags for long journeys, filled with nuts, raisins and chocolate pieces. One of my lasting memories of Mum is the two of us snacking on a tried and tested favourite of hers -- rye toast with crunchy peanut butter and jam, alongside a cup of our favourite English breakfast tea.

My dad has also played his part in developing my cooking style as he would encourage us to come up with ideas to fill the "hole" in a vegetarian's plate -- like still having Sunday roasts and not feeling cheated while others tuck into their roast beef.

From a more technical point of view, the other culinary influence in my life was my French-American step-grandmother, Monique. She had been brought up as a stickler for rules and technique. As a child I found her quite austere, but when I hit my early twenties we found cooking was a common interest, and I am glad I took the time to cook with her and learn from some of her teachings. She was very precise, and collected recipes and measured ingredients methodically. This was completely new to me. She taught me how to make and roll pastry, and she inspired my enduring love of baking. She even got me hooked on using an oven thermometer to ensure the oven was at the right heat.

It has been a challenge balancing the desire to create something fresh and exciting with the rigour of writing down a new recipe. With that in mind, my wonderfully encouraging Aunt Louise bought me a beautiful wooden recipe box. Now, when I make something new that is a success and my husband despairs, wondering if I'll ever remember to make it again, I can write it down on a card and put it straight into the box (well, most of the time!). This always makes me smile and raise a glass to my Mum.

Recipes extracted from "Food by Mary McCartney" (Chatto & Windus)

Readers can buy Food (RRP£20) for the special price of £18, including free UK p&p. To order please call 01206 255800 and quote the reference 'Financial Times'

Recipes

Paul arrives in Recife WATCH

April 21, 2012 -- Recife, Brazil -- Estádio do Arruda

Concert Set List

1. Magical Mystery Tour
2. Junior's Farm
3. All My Loving
4. Jet
5. Got to Get You Into My Life
6. Sing the Changes
7. The Night Before
8. Let Me Roll It/Foxy Lady
9. Paperback Writer
10. The Long and Winding Road
11. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
12. My Valentine
13. Maybe I'm Amazed
14. Things We Said Today
15. And I Love Her
16. Blackbird
17. Here Today
18. Dance Tonight
19. Mrs Vandebilt
20. Eleanor Rigby
21. Something
22. Yellow Submarine
23. Band on the Run
24. Ob-la-di Ob-la-da
25. Back In The USSR
26. I've Got A Feeling
27. A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance
28. Let It Be
29. Live And Let Die
30. Hey Jude

Encore 1
31. Lady Madonna
32. Day Tripper
33. Get Back After

Encore 2
34. Yesterday
35. Helter Skelter
36. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End

"From early childhood throughout our lives he was Britain's Mr Guitar.

"He seemed to be the first person we saw on television showing us how to play and he left a lasting impression on us

"We use to joke about how he played a thousand notes a minute but we were always impressed with him.

"Like us, he loved the guitar and communicated that passion to many generations. Bert, we'll miss you."

The show was the latest date on Paul's 'On The Run' tour which has received incredible reviews across the globe. The sheer scale of the tour is staggering: behind the 80ft high stage at yesterday's Colombia concert, there were ten working offices and six dressing rooms as well as entirely vegetarian catering who serve around 480 meals each and every day of the tour.

Macca banner artwork and design by Luis Ricardo Solano Hernández from Mexico City

FREE CONCERT FOR MEXICO CITY - May 10th

May 10th there will be a FREE concert in Mexico City - Downtown Zócalo

The concert will be broadcast LIVE via cocacolatv (Internet) ONLY in MEXICO.

The first Mexico City show on May 8th at Estadio Azteca will be aired locally on May 11th @ 10pm.

Concert Setlist

1. Magical Mystery Tour
2. Junior's Farm
3. All My Loving
4. Jet
5. Got To Get You Into My Life
6. Sing The Changes
7. The Night Before
8. Let Me Roll It/ Foxy Lady
9. Paperback Writer
10. The Long And Winding Road
11. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five
12. My Valentine
13. Maybe I'm Amazed
14. Things We Said Today
15. Hope Of Deliverance
16. And I Love Her
17. Blackbird
18. Here Today
19. Dance Tonight
20. Mrs. Vandebilt
21. Eleanor Rigby
22. Something
23. Band On The Run
24. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
25. Back In The USSR
26. I've Got A Feeling
27. A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance
28. Let It Be
29. Live And Let Die
30. Hey Jude

Encore 1
31. Lady Madonna
32. Day Tripper
33. Get Back After

Encore 2
34. Yesterday
35. Helter Skelter
36. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End

Getting lost resulted in a memorable encounter for three ramblers.

After taking a wrong turn, the trio came across Sir Paul McCartney riding his horse Moonstone through woods in East Sussex.

"He stopped and chatted to us for about five minutes and gave two of us carrots to feed his horse," said Ken Girkin, of the Footpaths Ramblers, which has members in Appledore and Shadoxhurst.

"I told him we had got lost and he said that was unfortunate, but then I pointed out if we had not taken a wrong turning, we would not have met him.

"He was so interesting, just a normal horse rider and a very pleasant person.

"I saw him the following Sunday on the television and said to my wife, I've met him!"

The trio were further afield than normal, when they came across a broken waymarker where two paths converged and ending up taking the wrong route.

Mr Girkin added:"Once back on the right path, we saw a man on a horse coming towards us along the bridlepath and stopped to let him pass.

"He thanked us in a slight Liverpudlian accent, and my colleague Carol Burgess said, 'you're Paul'.

"He was quite happy to stop and told us about his horse Moonstone, an appaloosa.

"Then he reached into his anorak pocket and got out some carrots which he gave to Carol and my other colleague Pam Stafford to feed to Moonstone.

"He didn't give me any carrots but the horse kept nuzzling my jacket!"

The ramblers regret not having a camera with them, but Mr Girkin said: "Even if I had had one, I would have felt awkward taking a picture.

Paul, who is currently on the South American leg of his tour, announces today that he'll be taking his 'On The Run' tour to Denmark for two special shows this summer.

The 'On The Run' tour has made headline news around the world and been seen by over 500,000 people since launching in the US in 2011. By the time the show reaches Denmark the tour will have been seen in 17 different countries. Paul's last visit to Horsens was in 2004 as part of his outdoor '04 Summer' stadium tour.

The show will feature a typically diverse set list drawing on nearly 3 hours of selections spanning the catalogues of The Beatles, Wings and Paul's solo career. The set will include tracks Paul has never performed in Denmark.

2012 marks 40 years since Paul's premier tour as a solo artist. Since then Paul has played a truly staggering range of venues and locations. From pub gigs to huge outdoor parks and stadiums; Paul has even played into Space, outside the Coliseum in Rome, in Moscow's Red Square and at the White House to name just a few. In recent years, Paul's live shows have even acquired a new legendary status, garnering unprecedented reviews from fans and critics alike wherever he goes.

2012 also marks the 10th anniversary of Paul playing with his band. In February 2002 Paul performed at the Super Bowl for the first time with the line-up of Paul 'Wix' Wickens (keyboards), Brian Ray (bass guitar/guitar), Rusty Anderson (guitar) and Abe Laboriel Jr (drums).

Over fifty years into his career, he continues to push boundaries, perform to millions and make global news with countless monumental shows.

Tickets go on sale Saturday 28th April at 10am (local).

Keep checking back in for news of the PaulMcCartney.com pre-sale!

The full tracklisting has been announced for the sprawling reissue of Paul McCartney's 1971 album Ram.

The only project to be credited to both Paul and Linda McCartney, Ram was Paul's second post-Beatles LP. It went to No. 1 in the UK and No. 2 in the U.S., and featured McCartney's first solo No. 1 single with "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey." Ram also earned McCartney a Grammy for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists. The same sessions produced the non-album 1971 tracks "Another Day" and "Oh Woman, Oh Why." Released ahead of Ram, the single was a Top 5 hit.

Special features in this new reissue, part of the Paul McCartney Archive Collection, include an original mono version with alternate mixes - initially only made available to radio stations. It will now be commercially available for the first time ever on CD as part of the Deluxe Edition as well as a limited run on vinyl. 1977 also saw the release of Thrillington, an instrumental interpretation of Ram, which will also be part of the new reissue.

Additional film content features previously unreleased and exclusive content including the brand-new documentary "Ramming" narrated by Paul, as well as the original music videos for "Heart Of The Country" and "3 Legs." The remastering work was done at Abbey Road using the same team who recently remastered the complete Beatles' catalogue.

This project follows the recent Paul McCartney Archive Collection reissues of McCartney, McCartney II, and Band on the Run, which earned a Grammy this year for best historical album.

UK Release: May 21, 2012
US Release: May 22, 2012

The standard release tracklisting is today confirmed as:

Standard Edition
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car

In keeping with the reissue campaign to date, the Deluxe Edition Box Set is the ultimate collectable for any fan of this album. Its stunningly presented 112-page book, photo prints, handwritten lyrics and notes, four CDs and a bonus film DVD, tells the full story of a classic album that has gone down in music history as one of the most revered in McCartney's catalogue.

The deluxe edition tracklisting is revealed as follows:
CD 1 ­ Remastered Album (as listed above)
CD 2 ­ Bonus Audio
1. Another Day
2. Oh Woman, Oh Why
3. Little Woman Love
4. A Love For You (Jon Kelly Mix)
5. Hey Diddle (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
6. Great Cock And Seagull Race (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
7. Rode All Night
8. Sunshine Sometime (Earliest Mix)

CD 3 ­ Remastered Mono Album
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car

CD 4 ­ Thrillington ­ Remastered Album
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. The Back Seat Of My Car

DVD ­ Bonus Film
1. Ramming
2. Heart Of The Country
3. 3 Legs
4. Hey Diddle
5. Eat At Home On Tour

- Menu music features a selection of jingles from the promo disc "Brung To Ewe By"

Other content:
112-page book with 32 page scrapbook, 5 photo prints, wallet including facsimiles of Paul's handwritten lyrics and notes, mini-photographic book of outtakes from the album cover photo shoot, plus digital-only premium membership to paulmccartney.com.
(Digital Membership will only include access to a premium account, the members pack and digital downloads are not included)

Available across a variety of different formats, the additional format tracklistings are as follows:

Special Edition:
CD 1 ­ Remastered Album
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car

CD 2 ­ Bonus Audio
1. Another Day
2. Oh Woman, Oh Why
3. Little Woman Love
4. A Love For You (Jon Kelly Mix)
5. Hey Diddle (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
6. Great Cock And Seagull Race (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
7. Rode All Night
8. Sunshine Sometime (Earliest Mix)

Vinyl:
Disc 1 ­ Side A
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away

Disc 1 ­ Side B
1. Heart Of The Country
2. Monkberry Moon Delight
3. Eat At Home
4. Long Haired Lady
5. Ram On
6. The Back Seat Of My Car

Disc 1 ­ Side C
1. Another Day
2. Oh Woman, Oh Why
3. Little Woman Love
4. A Love For You (Jon Kelly Mix)
5. Hey Diddle (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)

Disc 1 ­ Side D
1. Great Cock And Seagull Race (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
2. Rode All Night
3. Sunshine Sometime (Earliest Mix)

Download
Remastered album & bonus audio disc as high quality MP3s via a download code inserted on a card within the vinyl package

Limited Edition Mono Vinyl:
Side A
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
Side B
1. Heart Of The Country
2. Monkberry Moon Delight
3. Eat At Home
4. Long Haired Lady
5. Ram On
6. The Back Seat Of My Car

Digital:
Ram will be available for download across a variation of digital configurations including Mastered for iTunes and High Resolution. Two digital-only bonus tracks will be available via paulmccartney.com and iTunes:

1. Eat At Home/Smile Away (Live in Groningen, 1972)
2. Uncle Albert Jam

Single:
Limited edition 7" vinyl single as a special release for 'Record Store Day' on 21st April 2012, for independent record stores only

Side A
Another Day
Side B
Oh Woman, Oh Why

Sound Check
Thanks to Christian de la Rosa, Macca Reporter

01. Twenty Flight Rock
02. Honey Don't
03. Only Mama Knows
04. Penny Lane
05. Highway
06. Birthday
07. Instrumental (Paul on Piano)
08. C Moon
09. Celebration
10. My Love
11. I Will
12. Things We Said Today
13. Calico Skies
14. Every Night
15. Dance Tonight
16. Ram On
17. San Francisco Bay Blues
18. Yesterday
19. Lady Madonna

Concert Set List

1. Magical Mystery Tour
2. Junior's Farm
3. All My Loving
4. Venus and Mars/Rock Show
5. Jet
6. Drive My Car
7. Sing The Changes
8. The Night Before
9. Let Me Roll It/ Foxy Lady
10. Paperback Writer
11. The Long And Winding Road
12. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five
13. My Valentine
14. Maybe I'm Amazed
15. I've Just Seen A Face
16. And I Love Her
17. Blackbird
18. Here Today
19. Dance Tonight
20. Mrs. Vandebilt
21. Eleanor Rigby
22. Something
23. Band On The Run
24. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
25. Back In The USSR
26. I've Got A Feeling
27. A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance
28. Let It Be
29. Live And Let Die
30. Hey Jude

Encore 1
31. Lady Madonna
32. Day Tripper
33. Get Back

Encore 2
34. Yesterday
35. Helter Skelter
36. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End

We've got just over a month until Paul McCartney treats us to the expanded deluxe reissue of 'Ram,' but while you're counting down the days until your copy of the box set arrives on your doorstep, you can watch a new promotional video in which Sir Paul reflects on the recording of the album.

"I was in the middle of this horrendous Beatles break-up. It was like being in quicksand," recalls McCartney in the clip, looking back on the chaos surrounding the end of the world's biggest band. Nursing his wounds, McCartney at first felt pressure to record something that could stand up to the the Beatles' biggest hits - and then he decided to take a different approach.

"The lightbulb went off one day and we realized that we could run off and go to Scotland where we loved," he remembers. "Just to keep myself amused, I'd just make up stuff on the guitar. Instead of thinking 'after the Beatles this has got to be important,' I thought 'maybe this is the way to go, just have fun with it.'"

CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO

Clearly McCartney took the right approach, given that we're still here talking about 'Ram' more than 40 years later. Have a look at the video, - and if you want to see more, make sure you pony up for what the uploader calls the "super-dooper-deluxe edition" of the reissue, because that's the version that includes 'Ramming,' the full-length documentary it is drawn from.

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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