Band on the Run: A History of Paul McCartney and Wings
Just as Disney fans are either "Mouse" or "Duck" people, Beatlemaniacs are either John or Paul people. Although perhaps not without interest to both camps, McGee's book aims at Paul people who are also Wings fans, which raises some special challenges, such as evaluating Linda McCartney's contribution to the band and Paul's willingness to share credit and remuneration for Wings' commercial success. McGee is frank about the latter. For instance, he cites Denny Laine's situation vis-a-vis "Mull of Kintyre," for which he should have been paid millions but, as a contractual collaborator, got very little. Such was doing business within Wings. As for Linda's musicianship, while no one lauds her keyboard virtuosity, and some disdain her singing, Wings guitarist Henry McCullough says, "it didn't make any difference because she was playing a part"-- rather like hired hand Sid Vicious in the Sex Pistols, eh? McCartney says he doesn't regret Wings or think it was "that much of a mess." High praise. As a book-length exploration of McCartney's first post-Beatles band, this is the stuff.Mike TribbyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved