Paul McCartney Unveils "Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run"
Paul McCartney has announced a new book, Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run, a tribute to his post-Beatles outfit, Wings. The music legend teased the project on social media, with the full tome hitting shelves on November 4.
Spanning over half a million words, the book promises a treasure trove of interviews with McCartney and his fellow musicians. The press release paints it as:
“A fiery, stereophonic celebration of the songs, duets, and performances that shaped the soundtrack of the late 20th century.”
It also vows to “cast fresh light on the immediate aftermath and seismic global ripples of The Beatles’ breakup, as the musical landscape and tastes began to fracture and drift—alongside shifting societal views.”
Wings took flight in 1971, born in the wake of The Beatles’ dissolution. Alongside McCartney, the lineup featured his then-wife Linda McCartney and Denny Laine of The Moody Blues fame. Their final record, Back to the Egg, dropped in 1979, but it’s Band on the Run (1973) that stands as their crown jewel, boasting hits like “Band on the Run,” “Jet,” “Let Me Roll It,” and “Mrs. Vandebilt.” Wings also left an indelible mark with tracks like “Silly Love Songs,” “My Love,” “Mull of Kintyre,” and the Bond classic “Live and Let Die” from the 1973 film Live and Let Die. In 2024, fans finally got their hands on One Hand Clapping, a long-lost Wings album recorded back in 1974.
McCartney’s most recent solo effort, McCartney III, arrived in December 2020. The following year, he unleashed McCartney III Imagined, a remix rendition featuring heavyweights like Damon Albarn and Beck. Looking ahead, McCartney has a new album in the works for 2025—though its title and exact release date remain under wraps for now.
