FROM ‘BEATLE PAUL, ONCE A BEATLE, FOREVER A BEATLE’ TO PLUS PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS – AS WELL AS… NOT INSTEAD OF…
Millions of hearts were broken when The Beatles went their separate ways in the midst of the legal wrangles that swamped them as individuals, their beautiful band The Beatles and their company Apple. Paul’s heart was broken and he went through a long period of mourning. John’s, George’s and Ringo’s hearts were also broken and it’s a forever shame that what could just have been a period apart to work on solo projects turned into the awful legal wrangles that prevented them finding each other again in time.
20th September 1969: John announces he wants a ‘divorce’ from The Beatles. Forms Plastic Ono Band which featured a rotating line-up of musicians including Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann, Alan White, Billy Preston, Jim Keltner, Keith Moon, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, and former Beatles band-mates George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
10th April 1970: Paul announces at the press conference for his McCartney solo album that he was no longer working with The Beatles. Wikipedia
It was always speculated in the press that The Beatles would Get Back together but prevailing conditions meant they couldn’t. Paul desperately wanted The Beatles to tour again (they hadn’t performed live since Candlestick Park in 1966).
1971 and with seemingly no end to the legal troubles in sight Paul and Linda decided to put a new band together, record some new music and take it on the road. They formed Wings with Denny Laine, Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell and took to just rocking up at uni’s and asking to play. The ad hoc University Tour went well enough that a properly organised tour was to be the next step; The Wings Over Europe Tour and this is where WNO 481 a 20 year old open-top seaside special double-decker bus enters Paul McCartney’s world… and when Paul gave WNO 481 its Wings as 1972 Wings Tour Bus the Legend Of Rock & Road was born.
In the Summer Of Wings, the Summer of ’72 when Paul stepped on to 1972 Wings Tour Bus he was still Beatle Paul, once a Beatle forever a Beatle but it is universally acknowledged that during that 7,500 miles a transformation took place on 1972 Wings Tour Bus. When the tour was done he had laid the ground-work, played (and possibly wrote) his heart out for 7 weeks and emerged energised and in another musical super-hero guise as Paul McCartney & Wings, the band that would go on to become the best-selling band of the 1970’s. At the time Beatle Paul probably held out the belief that The Beatles would ‘GET BACK’ together but in the meantime he was going to pan away from the troubles surrounding John, Paul, George and Ringo and enjoy playing live again and the ever-present writing that always enabled him to pack up his troubles and speak with his heart.
Paul added Paul McCartney & Wings to his CV but he was still and always would be ONCE A BEATLE FOREVER A BEATLE.